Book Journey

During the brief span of just one decade, hundreds of millions of perfectly ordinary people made history: they became the only ones who would remember what it was like when the Harry Potter saga was still unfinished. What it was like to seek out friends, families, online forums, fan fiction, and podcasts to get a fix between novels. When the death of a character was a hotter bet than the World Series. When the unfolding story of a boy wizard changed the way books are read for all time.

And as webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron, one of the most popular Harry Potter sites on the Internet, Melissa Anelli had a front row seat to it all. Whether it was helping Scholastic stop leaks and track down counterfeiters, hosting live PotterCasts at bookstores across the country, touring with the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters, or traveling to Edinburgh to interview J. K. Rowling personally, Melissa was at the center of the Harry Potter tornado, and nothing about her life would ever be the same.

The Harry Potter books are a triumph of the imagination that did far more than break sales records for all time. They restored the world’s sense of wonder, and took on a magical life of their own. Now the series has ended, but the story is not over. With remembrances from J. K. Rowling’s editors, agents, publicists, fans, and Rowling herself, Melissa Anelli takes us on a personal journey through every aspect of the Harry Potter phenomenon—from his very first spell to his lasting impact on the way we live and dream.

Justin bought me this book (along with The Reader) for my birthday last month.  It is no secret that I, along with my kids Brad and Justin, have waited out each books arrival to the stores and usually sat around with three copies going at once of the Harry Potter books.  I am just as big a fan of these books as my kids and towards the final books – finshed before either of them did.  I love the story line, the story behind the author and her hardships, the amazing reads that bring out an incredible imaginative world in the minds of children and adults alike….

This book, Harry a History,  took it to the next level.  While I knew the books were good reading, I had no idea to the extent to which this went.  I never thought about things like “Fan Get Togethers” for pre release nights…. and I didn’t really think about the fact that these books and their popularity makes our generation a kind of “they were there when it happened!” group.  Kind of like being the first people to read one of the all time classics of today like Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Jane Austin… while they were still alive and thinking, “well, thats a pretty good book.”

We are the generation that actually had to wait for each book to see what will happen next – our generations coming up will get to read them all at once while we wait to talk with them about “what did you think of that??? Or did you believe that?????”

I love Melissa’s story – a college student who stumbled into a position that she loved….  it sounds exciting and I dream for that kind of excitement in a career.  What an amazing season of her life!  She was such a large part of what was happening through the years of the books and she writes it well.

Anyway – obviously I found the book a great read.  I was also impressed with the fact that kids all over the world who struggled with reading or even had dyslexia or other reading disorders, were able to correct this and even move beyond their age reading level because of these books.

A+ read for any Potter Fan.  Thank you Justin for seeing this book and thinking of me – my favorite all time gifts are books!  It is a gift that keeps on giving and can go with you anywhere.  I finished this one in the back seat of a truck on the way to the airport in Minneapolis to go to Honduras.

“Don’t be afraid,” I murmured
“We belong together.”

I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words.
This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it.

His arms wrapped around me holding me against him.
It felt like every nerve in my body was alive wire.

“Forever,” he agreed.

And there it is…. book 4… the final installment of the Twilight series and as with all good series, the ending is bitter sweet.  On one hand you know you are chomping at the bit to know how it all concludes… yet the ending is also a closing, a good bye so to speak to characters you have come to know and love.  This was exactly the case here.

While the book started out frustrating to me….. Bella’s pregnancy, the change in rhythm to the book from light and sweet to now a gory, blood thirsty (literally) version… it redeemed itself once the baby  was born.

I loved the post vampire Bella… she was strong and beautiful.  Finally.  The new Bella fought for what was right so unlike the old Bella who was confused most of the time and others had to clean up her messes. Breaking Dawn‘s cover is a metaphor for Bella’s progression throughout the entire saga. She began as the weakest (at least physically, when compared to vampires and werewolves) player on the board: the pawn. She ended as the strongest: the queen. In the end, it’s Bella that brings about the win for the Cullen’s.

The closure to this book – the battle… all of it was exceptional.  Stephenie did a wonderful job bringing in such strong characters all together to witness for a cause… for Nessie.  I devoured the final pages… thirsty for more.

I love the title and the fact that it is not capitalized.  This gives me the sense that the “breaking dawn” is not important as a title.  More so that it is like a fact… a statement of what is to come… inevitable.

The ending doesn’t disappoint.  Stephenie brings this book to a great closure, leaving enough of an opening to write another if she so someday desires… after all there are characters that can still go places, and with the great fact that they do not age – the time line is endless.  How exciting to think that maybe someday a story will develop about Nessie and Jacob….  how nice to know that these characters now join my favorites, locked in my mind…. along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

A+ reading.

In the dead silence,

all the details suddenly fell into place for me

with a burst of intuition.

Something Edward didn’t want me to know.

Something that Jacob wouldn’t have kept from me…

It was never going to end, was it?

This is the third book of the Twilight series.  I think it was better than book 2 (New Moon) but not as good as book 1 (Twilight).

It is great to have Edward back in the picture full time… however as the book goes on I am starting to find Bella… in a word…

annoying.

What is setting me off (and probably well intentioned by the author) is this love triangle with Jacob… (who, even though I dislike romance books, dislike even more Jacobs too strong and pushy attitude and now Bella’s ridiculous weakness against him is making me a bit nuts too).  Edward is probably the sweetest, most patient, loving, adoring, attentive, supportive, forgiving, giving, generous, gorgeous male character, to have ever graced the pages of a book in the history of paper making….  and Bella’s careless handling of his heart and his non stop adoration for her makes me want to bite her.  On the neck.

Ok – perhaps I am getting a bit worked up over this work of fiction… but as with any great work… there will be critics.  And Yes, I get that as the reader, Stephanie Meyer probably has me right where she wants me.  Totally frustrated with the Jacob and Bella “confused love” storyline to the point that there is no way I will skip out on book 4 (breaking dawn) as I must ensure that everything ends as I feel it should… that all my fictitious Twilight characters will be safe inside these four books and not running around in a mass amount of confusion and frustration for eternity.

Over all rating of this book – a strong 4.

I knew we were both in mortal danger.

Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off of his skin. It was like there had never been any hole in my chest. I was perfect- not healed, but as if there had never been a wound in the first place.

This is book two in the Twilight series. My friend Cindy picked it up for me at Wal-Mart in Little Falls last Friday evening.  I completed it on Thursday of this past week.

I had heard that this book was harder to get into, but to plug on as the third picks up speed again.  I did not necessarily find that the case.  I think the anxiety caused by Edwards absence in much of the book must be the reason for the overall reader disappointment, but what the author is doing is developing the relationship and a new up and coming lead character, Jacob Back.  All who have read these books should agree, having Edward around during this segment of the book development would not have worked as well.  We needed a wounded yet free Bella, a “caution be damned” Bella… and that’s what we got.

I enjoyed the intensity of this book just as much as the first and while some of the Jacob/Bella dialogue tended to drag in parts, I pressed on, knowing that this was essential material to get us where we were going.

I for one, was not disappointed.

While New Moon may not turn out to be the best in the series, it is an important piece to the puzzle that is Twilight.

5 Rating – still an A+ read.  (Oh yeah ….  I am now ahead of Justin!)

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him—-and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be—-that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Not since the Harry Potter books have I been so excited about a fictional set of books…. well, I still rank Harry above Twilight… but it is a good fantasy second…

So let me back up… way up.  I first seen this book about a year ago in a suitcase of a fellow traveler while I was in Honduras.  Being a Bookie (always) I looked closely at the book and at the mention of vampires, had no interest whatsoever.  However, I did mention it to my son, Justin who also enjoys reading, thinking it may be more to his liking… he declined.

As 2008 rolled on, the word started to spread about Twilight and the follow up books.  At a garage sale this past summer I found a copy and put it on my book shelf as a possible some day I may read… maybe.

Then I heard about the movie… hmmmm…. and  friends who read (the FWR -ha ha) started mentioning that while Twilight would not have been something they thought they would enjoy – they actually did.  “It ranks up there with the Harry Potter Books” I heard.  Well, they had my attention.

“I never thought I could read about vampires but really, the way it is written it is not a gorey vampire book… its really a love story.” another said. Still listening.

So I picked it up.  And I opened it.  And…

I really, really liked it.  Not a fan of romance stories, it wasn’t a strong love story in the sense that you wanted to gag.  No – it was more sweet, young love.  A teenage boy totally head over heels in love with Bella and yet so afraid that he may hurt her with his nature.  Bella – totally falling for Edward… the gorgeous boy…. to the point that she wants to be with him no matter what.

Maybe aimed for a younger reader?  Yes… sort of.  But I would argue this for Harry Potter as well when I say that if you enjoy good writing, have a vivid imagination, and firm grasp of reality, all at the same time… you may surprise yourself with this book.

Currently I am now on book 2… New Moon.  I am enjoying the pace, the familiarity of the characters I have come to know and love.  But hey, that’s another review.

A high 5 rating.  This is a great discussion book and the authors story of how the book came to be is quite interesting as well.

(Oh and as for Justin…. he read Twilight before I had even picked it up – LOVED IT and is ahead of me on book 2…)

Yes! This was our book club pick for December. It has been in the running for two years now and this year was selected. I am thrilled! I have never read the book but find myself in recent years wanting to read some of the greats –
I know the story of course, but to read the words…. that has always been my way.
After this book was selected I ordered a beautiful hard cover copy from Amazon. I knew this book would be a keepsake and after reading it I wished to put it in my library and use this very copy to one day read to my grandchildren.
And so – I opened this book like an excited child and began…. with Marley being dead.
I found it interesting that I had forgotten about Marley and really without him, you have no story. And as I read about Marley – I find that he too, was much like Scrooge in his life… and it is Marley who comes to warn Scrooge of his ways.
I think in this book the biggest visual I got out of it was when Marley shows Scrooge to the window and you see all the spirits carrying with them the same burdens – or choices they made in life. By choosing to live for the wrong things (money, possesions…) they are still with these spirits as they passed on. Now too late to have a generous caring heart, they willf orever carry these “chains”. I had to stop and think a minute what chains I carry….
The book I found to be very enjoyable and perfectly light for this time of year. It was a pleasure to read, to know a little more about Charles Dickens was also a treat. For book club tomorrow evening I am hoping to make a bowl of Smoking Bishop – which is in the final chapter of this book.
A+ read…. don’t miss out on reading this!

I was so excited to get to this book!  In the begining when the book opened with an ape named Shift and a donkey named Puzzle… I was discouraged to see the direction the book was taking.  I didn’t like the ape, and the donkey needed a self esteem shot…

Yet – very quickly, I picked up the rythym of C.S. Lewis’ final installment of this series and was excited again to see the quick and brilliant mind of this man, this author, go to work in ways that astound me!  In the Last Battle we also encounter Tash and followers of Tash (Tash being the devil).  As people of Narnia choose sides Aslan or Tash – and some real confusion as the ape, Shift, tells those who are listening that Aslan and Tash are actually one and the same… we come to a great comparison to Matthew 24: 7 (where we know there will be a great deception at the end of times…)

As this book continues the level of energy and excitement stays high all the way to what possibly may be one of the best book endings I have ever read, and here is where C.S. brings Aslan back and through a great doorway, He brings His followers, and turns others away… and in great detail we see Narnia as we knew it, pass away and the new world begin (Isaiah 65: 17 – 25).

I ended this book with a great appreciation for C.S. Lewis, a man who passed out of this world before I was born… and all these years later I feel privledged to have read his works and spent a little time dwelling in his incredible mind.

An A+ rating on the books and I highly recommend these books not only for children…. but for yourself.