30 Days of Harry Potter Giveaway Winners

It's the end of Harry Potter takeover and if you remember there were a few giveaways on the blog!

We had DVD giveaways and bookmarks. :D

The first giveaway, brought to you by me, is a widescreen edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The Winner of that is::
Ekta!!

The second giveaway, brought to you by Kimberly Derting, is also a Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD.
The winner of that giveaway is:
Alison!!

And the winners of "WHO SAID THAT LINE?" are:
Liz. L
Kailia S.
&
Nicole!! :D


I will let Kimberly know the winner and I will try to get your prizes out to you as soon as I can!

Thanks so much for letting 30 Days of Harry Potter become pretty successful! I hope you guys had fun.

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 30 - TheGuidetoGoodBooks)

I am sad to report that today is the last day of Harry Potter Takeover on my blog. How did you guys like it? Today, to kick off our last day, is one of my very good friends.

Let's welcome Faith to the blog, guys!

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The Harry Potter Books.

The phenomena that takes the entire world by storm.

How long has it really been since these books were turned into movies? It’s already been around
ten years. The last of the Harry Potter series is coming to a close and then that’s it. After that the
only thing we have to remember it is the books on our shelves, and the theme park in Florida.
Wait, what did you say? You want me to back up? You haven’t heard of the theme park in Florida’s
Universal and Islands of Adventure. Go on Google. (:

My favorite character during the whole Harry Potter would have to be Hermione. She’s strong,
smart, she gets the guys farther. In the Harry Potter 7 Part 1 Ron makes an excellent point on her,
but I know people haven’t watched it yet so I’m just going to keep it to myself. Anyway, she knows
almost ever spell in the book and pushes Ron and Harry toward their goals and their dreams as she
tries to accomplish her own. I think I can relate most to Hermione, maybe that’s why I like her so
much. It’s just something about her that I think that I would do, or say, or whatever.

My favorite scene? Wow. I would have to really think that one through. When they went into the
forest behind the school (whose name slips me at this moment) and they see Haggrid’s spider. Then
Ron freaks out. He-he. His face was priceless there. I think I may actually get a picture of it to go
with this post. And because I couldn’t find the face, here is a little drawn cartoon OF him freaking
out. That works too, right?

So to wrap up this very boring rambling guest post. I will ask a series of questions for you the
readers;

How did you react when you first heard/read about Harry Potter?

What made you say “hey, I’ll try to read the books/watch the movie”?

Who’s your favorite character?

And, what are you going to do for the premier of Harry Potter 7 part 2?

That’s all the time I have!

So long!

M.A.Chase, The Guide to Good Books

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Thank you so much, Faith! You can catch more of her over at her BLOG.

And that is the end of this big event. Thank you everyone who participated! I hope you all enjoyed it. Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns? Just leave them below on any post over the past month and I'll get back to you!

Tomorrow I will post the winners of all the giveaways mentioned here. :D

Until next time,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 29 - TheBibliophilicBookBlog

The second to last day off 30 Days of Harry Potter. I can't believe it's almost over. Time really flew by!

Today we have Monica from The Bibliophilic Book Blog joining us. Let's welcome her!

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Dear Gentle Readers,


What Have YOU Done for Harry Potter lately??


So...I see posts all the time telling me what Harry Potter has done for people's lives and how the books or movies have changed the way you see the world but not once have I seen a post giving back to poor Harry Potter for all the joy his adventures have brought others. I am here to tell you exactly how YOU, the reader, can give back to Harry Potter and his comrades.


The next time you are walking down the street and you see Harry Potter alone or with his family DO NOT point, stare, gawk, scream, squeal, run towards him, or do any other verb that might scare off a small animal. He doesn't particularly like the attention and when people come up to him on the street and start grabbing him like public property it makes him uncomfortable. A friendly wave now and then IS ok.


When you find yourself reading one of the Harry Potter books, I recommend Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, make sure to use a bookmark. Both Harry Potter and myself, oh and Hermoine, think it is disturbing and rude to dog ear the page of a book *shudder* it is not that hard to find a bookmark, they sell them, you can use a spoon, a piece of toilet tissue, a receipt, or they sell wonderful bookmarks with Harry Potter on them you can buy for your collection.


Continuing on. If you find yourself in possession of an animal, object, device, or person who you believe may be a dark wizard or may be related to and dark wizard or events surrounding any dark wizards please turn it in. A rat shouldn't live longer than a normal dog. Also, may I remind you, as Mrs. Weasley says: If you can't see where it keeps it's brain DO NOT TRUST IT. Sturdy logic...please stick to it.


Finally, if you see that gangly boy who plays Harry Potter in the movies....umm...Daniel Radcliffe is his name, get his autograph, Harry Potter wants it!


Cheers!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Harry Potter Fanatic

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Ah, that sure was refreshing. Thanks Monica!

You can check out her BLOG and admire it. It's really awesome.

Tomorrow will be the last day, which means one more blogger.

So make sure you come back, same time (9AM), and read the last Harry Potter of the month.

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 28 - WhoSaidThatLine?)

It's almost over! Well, today I have another installment of "Who Said That Line?" It wasn't posted yesterday because I got super busy. But it's on today and let's see if you can guess who said this line.

"Well, you know The Whomping Willow. It-it doesn't like being hit"

WHO SAID THAT LINE?

You have until Wednesday to figure it out. And be sure to do the others as well!

Well, that's all for today.

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 26 - YABReviewed)

We are so close to the end with more amazing guest posts! It doesn't matter if Harry Potter and teh Deathly Hallows premiered last week. We have the whole month to celebrate it!

Today we have Lesley from Young Adult Books Reviewed on the blog. Let's welcome her!

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Harry Potter was ridiculous. Well, that was what I thought when I first encountered it...

I was a Junior in High School, and my English teacher decided every Friday she would read us Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. And I hated it. I was thinking, "What is this? Why is the teacher doing story time to sixteen and seventeen-year-old's?" And I rebelled. I refused to listen, especially since it was mandatory (I never said I was a good kid, haha).

So when the movie came out, my mom wanted to see it. I was visiting her after she had taken a big job and moved across the country, so I wanted to make her happy. I figured it's her money, we'll just go in and I can whine about it after the movie was over. But it wasn't bad. Not at all. It actually was pretty amazing. Ron was hilarious, Harry was so cute, and Hermoine I loved to hate. My mom rubbed it in my face, and we left the theater.

I watched Chamber of Secrets after I graduated. I loved it even more, and I decided to buy the books. Books-A-Million had the box set that day and it was 40 percent off. It was calling to me! So I brought it home, but didn't read it. Not at first.
In February of 2005, I was diagnosed with cancer. Yep, the big C. I was 20 years old and had to drop out of college and move back home. The chemotherapy wasn't painful, honest, it was just boring. You would sit in a room for six to twelve hours and you couldn't move out of your seat. So, my mom brought in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for me to read. I thought "Okay, I have nothing better to do, I think I will read it."

And it was one of the best books I've ever read. I read the entire thing in that chemo session, and I loved every bit of it. The next chemo session came around, and I read the Order of The Phoenix. And then I went back, and read the first three.

And by the time all my chemo was over, I had finished reading the series (except Deathly Hallows since it hadn't been released yet). I became an official Harry Potter fan. I was kicking my high school self and saying "Quit being so rebellious, it was worth listening to!"

My experience with Harry Potter is forever a memorable one. I won't say Harry Potter changed me, because I don't think it was that drastic. But I do think Harry Potter and the school of Hogwart's helped me through an incredibly difficult time, and made me love reading more than I had when I was a teenage "rebel."

I can't wait for the last movies, and I will be one of the first in line for both of them!

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What a touching story, very amazing! Thank you, Lesley, for doing this! I appreciate it.

You can see more of Lesley over at her BLOG.

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 25 - Andrea Cremer)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! I hope you all have an excellent day with your families. This is a day of giving thanks and to appreciate the ones you love.

And in other awesome news, we have an amazing author. Give it up for Andrea Cremer!

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Beyond the Chosen One

Books that truly steal my heart have something in common: they’re about more than the
struggles of the central character. If I’m only engaged in the hopes and fears of one character in a novel, I don’t throw myself into the world with the abandon that I will if a slew of people and their problems are keeping me occupied.

The world of Harry Potter is one of the best examples of a series that has a wealth of diverse, quirky people and creatures to hold your attention and tug at your heart strings. Both villainous and heroic the broad cast of JK Rowling’s masterpiece is one of its hallmarks. Without this layering of characters, Harry Potter wouldn’t be the wonder that it is. Though at heart the story is about Harry finding his way through the world and ultimately finding a way to defeat Voldemort, that wasn’t the part of the books I cared about the most.

I was always more engaged with whether Fred and George would make it as joke-shop
entrepreneurs, if Remus Lupine would stop hating himself, what the latest gossip in the Quibbler was, who would make it through Quidditch tryouts, why the centaurs were so angry, and what terrifying pet Hagrid would adopt next. By creating such vivid characters and letting none exist as a placeholder or empty vessel, JK Rowling gave us a world filled with people and places to love and feel we were a part of.

The Chosen One has an important role to fill, but without a great supporting cast backing him up, Harry Potter wouldn’t have enchanted us as completely as he did.

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You can find out more abour Andrea on her WEBSITE or at her BLOG and be sure to read her book Nightshade. I haven't read it yet but I hear it's amazing!

Thanks, Andrea!

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 24 - VampsWeresandCassay)

We have Cassay, a fellow blogger, today! Let's give it up for her. :D

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First off I would like to thank Nyxen for allowing me to share my Harry Potter experiences with you all.

Well I may get myself virtually murdered for this next comment but please hear me out and let me
explain myself...

I originally HATED Harry Potter (I know shocker hey? How could anyone hate Harry Potter?) I was in
grade 4/5ish I believe when the books first came out and I remember making fun of a girl in my class for
reading them – I thought it sounded dorky (I had an image back then to up keep (this was when Spice
Girls were cool)). I also didn’t like reading back then either.

I was in grade 7, I believe - if my math is correct when the movie was released in theatres. I didn’t go to
the first one in theatres but my mom insisted on buying the VHS (back when you could still get VHS) and
forced me to watch it with her and my little sister. Well I wasn’t impressed at all.

Then when The Chamber of Secrets came to theatre we were meeting some friends at the local theatre
to watch a different movie little did we know when we got there that our friends had bought tickets to
Harry Potter. Oh I was not a happy camper not only did I not want to go; we had to sit in the front row.
Being someone who is terrified of spiders you can just image how I felt when a giant Aragog popped in
front of my face.

Now let’s fast forward to Prisoner of Azkaban. This where this story takes a change for the best. I was
forced once again to go see Harry Potter. I figured I’ve seen the first 2 I may as well watch this one. Well
am I glad I did because I walked out of the theatre going “WOW I LOVE Harry Potter!” The girl I mention
above who started reading books above was working at the theatre at the time and gave me a lecture
about how the book was better. But I didn’t care I hated reading.

Then Goblet of Fire comes out I was so excited to see it that I went and stood for 2 hours (I thought this
was a long time to wait) in line and when we left the theatre I was kinda sad. I was expecting a lot more
out of it.

Jump forward a few years and I meet a friend of my boyfriend who loves Harry Potter. Order of the
Phoenix comes out and we go together. I went in with lower expectations because I didn’t want to be
let down. All I can say is The Order of the Phoenix brought back my love for Harry Potter and made it
stronger!

I started working at an accounting firm in 2008 and I was getting bored at lunch and figured I should try
reading. So I went and bought the Harry Potter series I love it and read the entire series in a month. This
was pretty good for me seeing I was a very slow reader. I only read the books we were forced to read in
school.

The Half Blood Prince was my very first Midnight release and was it ever fantastic! I bought Luna’s glass to wear for it. We had a blast.

This past Halloween I went out and bought a Hogwarts student costume. I was lucky enough to be able to fit into the Kids Large otherwise I would have to be Lord Voldemort. Everyone at work made fun of me but I didn’t care it was awesome.

This brings me to November 2010. We are planning to go to the midnight release again this year. It has the best crowd! And I will be wearing this:

Yes, I know its Madame Hooch’s hat but I like it better than the student’s hats.

I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read about my world wind adventure I like to call Harry Potter.

Feel free to visit me over at www.vampsweresandcassay.blogspot.com

Cassay

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As you can see, Cassay really get's into the spirit. I love her costume.!!Be sure to visit her BLOG.

Happy Reading everyone! And have an excellent Potter-ish day.

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 22 - TheBookCellarx)

We have a very unique guest post. Today, Erica from The Book Cellar has decided to do a vlog instead of a post.
I think that's awesome of her. So let's give it up for Erica!

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Thank you, Erica. I thought this was soo amazing! You can see more of Erica over at her BLOG

Hope you enjoyed this because I sure did!

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 20 - WhoSaidThatLine?)

Welcome to day 20, the day after the premiere! HOLY GOSH, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was AMAZING. I laughed, giggled, cried, gasped, glared....pretty much everything throughout the movie. But enough about this because I will write a review sort of post later on...after I know a lot of people have seen it.

It's Saturday and you know what that means. Another installment of Who Said That Line?

Okay, so let's get started.

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine."

WHO SAID THAT LINE?

I say it's pretty obvious but this is one of my favorite lines in the whole series.

To participate, all you have to do is guess the person that said this line. Comment below with the correct answer and a winner will be randomly chosen.

Here are the other two you can enter:
One || Two

Happy Hunting!

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 19 - TheStorySiren & Premiere Day)

TODAY IS THE DAY! TODAY IS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF HARRY POTTE AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1. I am freaking out right now. I never thought this day would come.

And we also have an amazing blogger on today. :D

Please welcome the guru of all bloggers, Kristi from The Story Siren!

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I still remember the first time I met Harry Potter. It wasn’t in the pages of one of the Harry Potter novels, but on the big screen of the first Harry Potter movie.

I recall the details of that day quite vividly. It was November 2001... I was in my senior year of high school. My baby sister Laci’s class had finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and as a treat the class was meeting at the theater to watch the movie.

Like so many older siblings I often got stuck driving my younger ones around. So, I had been volunteered (thanks Mom!) to take Laci to the movies that day. I honestly didn’t mind, it was a Saturday matinee and I had the day off, so I had nothing better to do. It was at a refurbished theater in the town when first lived in when we moved to northern Indiana. (The first movie was saw there was Snow White when the theater was newly redone.) Unfortunately, only a handful of Laci’s classmates had made it to the theatre.

Come to find out, I absolutely loved the movie, as did Laci, and shortly after I devoured her copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that she had at home. I will never forget the sound of awe that filled the theater from those kids watching that movie.... that was surreal.

The rest is history.

I’ve read every book several times. They are the only books I read during college besides my textbooks. I stood in line at midnight for the last two books of the series, with kids, grandparents, mothers & fathers. I have seen every movie multiple times and own all that have been released. I drag my husband to the premiers of every new Harry Potter movie, although he really enjoys it, just don’t tell him I told you. Harry Potter is actually the only other series he has read, besides Lord of the Rings. And that’s saying a lot because he hates to read. (Opposites attract, what can I say.)

I’m sad to see the movies coming to end. I remember how empty I felt after reading the last Harry Potter novel and coming to the realization that it was really over... but I told myself I had the movies to look forward to... but now that’s no longer an option. I don’t know if I can go through this twice!

Then there are kids like my little sister, who grew up in the “Harry Potter” era.... it’s strange to think of a book in that way. I’m not sure their will every be another “Harry Potter.”

Laci and I will most likely be seeing this last movie together, even though it’s split in two parts... I think it holds a certain “full circle” aspect, it seems like the right thing to do.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine my world without Harry.

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And that was the amazing Kristi. You can follow her BLOG for the latest in all YA novels.

Are YOU going to watch Harry Potter tonight? Or have you already seen it?

Let me know and until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 18 - Victoria Schwab)

Today we the amazing, Victoria Schwab, who's debut novel will come out in August of 2011.

Let's give it up for Victoria!

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"On the Possibility of Magic"


That simple strain of music starts, and my heart flutters. I spend months and months waiting, aching a little each time the previews come on, counting down the weeks and then days by the growing excitement around me.

The movies are not the books.

They have been pared down, and not always in the best ways. The sixth movie, for example, excavated most of the central plot of the books: the Half-Blood Prince.

And yet.

The movies, in my opinion, are more like tributes to the books. They show facets, recreate scenes, paint pictures of the characters we have come to love. But in a select few ways, they are stronger, simply by the nature of the medium. The visuals are so incredible, from the smallest touches to the grandest scenes.

But the most spectacular success of the films is the portrayal of magic. Magic has never looked so…real. And that is what makes me wait, makes me bounce when the trailers are revealed, makes me sit in the theaters again and again, surrounded by others who don’t just get to disappear into a far-off world. The magic comes to us.

My favorite concept as both a writer and a reader has always been magical realism. In writing, it’s an aesthetic style in which magical elements are blended into a realistic atmosphere. But in the Harry Potter movies, it’s a visual style. Not simply because we see snippets of London, or even the coexistence of muggles with witches and warlocks. The smoke that surrounds and creates Voldemort’s followers, the curses and spells the student’s practices, even the Marauder’s Map…in the movies the magic itself is seamless. The consideration that the filmmakers have put into the production quality is beyond admirable.

The books may transport us into Harry’s world. But the movies bring it into ours.
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Thank you so much, Victoria! You did an amazing job.

You can find out more informationa about Victor and her debut novel over at her WEBSITE and BLOG.

Until tomorrow everyone,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 17 - OverflowingShelf)

It's Wednesday today! :D Let's welcome Danielle from Overflowing Shelf to my blog.

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As far back as I can remember Harry Potter has been part of my life. I am currently 18 and the Harry potter books came out when I was just starting elementary school. At that time, my mother was working for the children's division of scholastic reading children books to present to schools. She read Harry Potter for work and then immediately shared it with my sister and I. My mother started off reading the books to both me and my sister and then brought us the audiobooks of the first two books. My sister and I would listen to the audiobook constantly. Jim Dale was a fabulous narrator and my sister and I could recite the lines back. We even listened to the audiobooks on cassettes so many times that we ended up breaking the cassettes.

I feel as if I've been growing up along with Harry Potter. I remember the first "real" book I ever read was the first Harry Potter book. When the movies came out, my sister and I were ecstatic. Now the world my sister and I had pictured in our head was coming to life. I still even have my movie ticket stub from the first movie.

Harry Potter is a book in a class of it's own. I truly feel like Harry Potter is the book that inspired my book obsession and love of reading. I remember staying up until all hours of the night whenever a new Harry Potter book would come out. When the final book was released, it felt like an end of an era. The books were over, along a small part of my childhood.

Luckily, they were still making the movies. However, now as the first part of the final movie is being released, I truly feel as if my childhood is ending. I've grown up with these characters, their struggles and emotions. Seeing the last film is going truly be a blow, but the Harry potter series is a series that will be around forever. The first books I will give my children will be my own copies of Harry potter. Harry potter is truly magical and will be around, enchanting readers, for years to come.
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I really enjoyed your guest post, Danielle! I awed at the beginning, how your mom read you the books.

You can visit Danielle at her BLOG and tell her how much you enjoyed this guest post!

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 16 - Anastasia Hopcus)

We are so close to the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Are you all excited? I know I am.

Today, on the blog, we have Anastasia Hopcus, author of Shadow Hills. Let us read what Anastasia has to say.


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"My favorite character in the Harry Potter series is Hagrid. He's so kind-hearted and bumbling that I immediately loved him. I started reading the Harry Potter series after several of the books had been written, and after I read the first one, before I read each of the others, I would always ask, "Does Hagrid die in this one?" I was so afraid that something awful would happen to him, and then I'd be so unhappy! Probably for the premiere, I'll just go to my favorite theater in Austin, the Alamo Drafthouse, and enjoy a glass of their 'butterbeer' while I watch it."

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You can read more about Anastasia and her books on her WEBSITE and on her BLOG.

Thanks again, Anastasia!

Be sure to stay tuned for more amazing guest posts by your fellow bloggers and authors.

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 15 - AReader'sRamblings)

Wow! I can't believe we're half way through 30 Days of Harry Potter and it's only four more days until the premiere of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows! Time really flies when you're talking Harry Potter, huh?

Today, we have Kate from A Reader's Ramblings on the blog. Let's all welcome her!

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It’s hard to know where to start with Harry Potter. If you think about it, it seems like it has always been part of the pop culture, but it hasn’t. I suppose the best place to start, for me at least, it at the beginning. And the beginning of my Harry Potter love began with a whole lot of Harry Potter dislike. It goes something like this:

When I was in High School and even into college my Dad and I would go to the movies once a month. One particular month we couldn’t decide which movie to see, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I was all for LOTR, one of my all time favorite books, how could you not want to see that? My Dad on the other hand, while a LOTR fan, was a huge Harry Potter fan and wanted to see that. I hadn’t read the books yet, and to be honest, I thought they looked kind of stupid and thought they were for kids (younger ones then my very mature, just graduated, on my way to college self). So we struck a deal- we’d do both. Back to back movie marathon. LOTR first followed by Harry Potter. I walked out of there thinking I was right, LOTR was the way to go. Harry Potter was, well, good, but it was not Fellowship of the Rings.

After much cajoling by my dad (“You have to read the book, so much better then the movie”) I picked the book up. You know what happens next right? I was hooked. Lucky for me, by this time the first 4 books were out, so I ran out and bought them. Then I discovered, much to my dismay, that there were more books to come. Books I would have to wait for!

And then there are the movies. Sure, that first one wasn’t a masterpiece, but they keep getting better. Each one more artistic, more real, and the acting more polished and believable. These actors are the characters now. The waiting is hard. First for the books, and now for the last two movies. Worth it though right?

These have become more then books and movies for me, and I suspect it’s the same for others who have grown up with them. They are moments. The moment you first picked up the book or saw the movie and fell in love with a place called Hogwarts. The moment you realized that you and you sister finally have something in common, and surprise, it’s a book about a boy wizard named Harry. The moment you realized that you had to be at the midnight showing, because you couldn’t wait even a minute longer to visit with Hermione and Ron again. The moment you picked up The Deathly Hallows and knew it was almost the end. The moment you closed that last page, tears in your eyes, and realized that Rowling had done it, that it was over. The moment you came to the conclusion that these books were a part of you, that Harry and Ron, Hermione and Ginny, Luna and Neville had grown up, and if they had, then so had you. They are more than books, they are a part of my life, and even though it’s almost over, they will still be there, to pick up and revisit, like a good friend.
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What an amazing guest post! Very thoughtful and insightful. I almost got tears in my eyes.

You can visit Kate at her BLOG and follow her too! :D
Thanks again, Kate!

Happy Reading and I'll see you tomorrow!

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 13 - WhoSaidThatLine?)

Week two has ended, *sob* so you know what that means?! It's another installment of Who Said That Line?

Okay, let's get down to business...

"You-Know-Who's after the Elder Wand."

WHO SAID THAT LINE?

You will have until Next Friday to leave me your answer. At the end of the month I will announce all the winners of WHO SAID THAT LINE.

Happy Hunting,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 12 - CourtneyReads)

On this amazing Friday, we have one of my good friend/blogger buddies Courtney from Courtney-Reads.
Let us welcome her to the blog!

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I remember the day my mom handed me Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It was sometime in 2000. I was seven and going up to New Jersey to meet my step-dad's family for the first time. Nervous doesn't even cover how I felt. And that 9 hour drive was just making me jittery. So, my mom had my dad stop at the store. She ran inside and back out in no time.

When she settled back into the car, she turned to me with a book in her hand.
She said "Courtney. My student was reading this the other day and she said it was great. I want you to read it now."

As she handed it to me, my eyes fell onto one of the books that would change my life. On the trip back home, I made my parents stop and buy me Book 2, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

I was hooked.

And when the movies released... Oh my, don't get me started! I was the happiest child on the planet! And after the first time we saw HPSS on the big screen, my dad was hooked, too! He then made a vow that we would always go see the very first showing our theater was having for each of the movies.

That vow has held nine years now. Deathly Hollows is approaching fast and my dad and I have already made plans for the midnight showing.

Harry Potter has touched the lives of many, including mine. My love for reading wouldn't be the same today if my mom hadn't made me read that day in 2000.
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Awh, this guest poost was very sweet. Thanks Courtney, for writing this amazing post!

You can read more of Courtney's posts over at her BLOG

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 11 - Kimberly Derting&Giveaway)

Let's welcome author extraordinaire Kimberly Derting!

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Okay, I’ll admit it…*raises hand sheepishly*…I’m not what you would call “a Harry
Potter purist.” I’ve only read the first book because, for me, it’s all about the movies! I love the movies!!! I know, as an author I’m supposed to encourage everyone to read the books (which you totally should!) but I got completely hooked on the images and the sets, on the music and the amazing special effects, and, of course, on the adorable actors!

It was hard to go back to reading the books after that. I will one day, I’m sure. But for now, I get my Harry Potter fix onscreen.

Okay, here’s my second confession…I prefer watching them at home rather than at
the movies. I get it, this is weird, right? But here’s why I do it: It’s become sort of a Christmas tradition at our house, something that all of us can do as a family, no matter how young or old we are. After all of the presents have been opened, we snuggle under a pile of blankets and watch the latest Harry Potter DVD while we share the candy from our stockings.

So, while everyone else in the world will be watching the sure-to-be-epic Harry Potter release on the big screen, I’ll be at home…probably writing, checking emails, blogging, and Twittering (speaking of which, don’t Tweet me about the movie, I want to be surprised!)

But come Christmas Day, even though we won’t have Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows on DVD yet, we’ll probably be re-watching The Half-Blood Prince. What can I
say? A tradition is a tradition. :)

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Thank you Kimberly! You can find out more about her and her books over at her WEBSITE or her BLOG. :D
I hope you enjoyed this post. I sure did.

And now it's time for a giveaway!
Kimberly is so graciously donating or giving away a NEW, DVD copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Now you have two chances to win this prize! But just to make sure this is fair, you will not win both.

FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER


Stay tuned for even more things the rest of the month.

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 10 - TeensActuallyRead)

It's been 10 days of 30 Days of Harry Potter! How are you enjoying this Big Event? I hope you like it!

Today we have Ari from Teens Actually Read. Let's welcome Ari!
Take it away Ari!

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So we all know that Harry Potter usually comes out around late November. We also know that Thanksgiving is aroudn that time. However, Im pretty sure most people spend their thanksgivings sitting around a table with some form of meat with dozens of sides and some premade desserts. Not sitting in a freezing theater with cheese sticks, popcorn, soda and surround sound blowing their eardrums out.

But then if you asked my family we would say that is how most people should be spending their thanksgivings. Only once in the past few years have we gone to some dinner for hours and hours to be tortured instead of going to see the movies newest installment. That was when movie six got bumped to summer. And we were tortured. And the one thing we said after the door closed behind us as we held our lukewarm pumpkin cheesecake? We should have been at harry party.

This year we are already reminding each other that we WILL spend thanksgiving at the movies. And we WILL be seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

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I love how her family spends their time watching Harry Potter. My parents can't stand it. Well, they can but they just won't sit through a movie, especially a midnight premiere.

Visit Ari at her blog at BLOG and totally check out her posts!

Thanks Ari, for writing this guest post.

Happy Reading!

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 9 - ReadingorBreathing)

Toooday we have Kelsey from Reading or Breathing on the blog! :D
She is doing a vlog for us today. Yay!

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Ah, I loved this Kelsey! :D Thanks for doing this. You're awesome to the max!

You can catch more of Kelsey over at her BLOG

Until tomorrow,

30 Days of Harry Potter (Day 8 - LaFemmeReaders)

Day 8 of 30 Days of Harry Potter. Well, that sentence was very redundant. Ah, well I am seriously hoping you are enjoying this cool feature on my blog. I certainly am! I love reading everyone's different perspective on Harry Potter. Let us enjoy Eleni's from LaFemmeReaders' guest post!

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Thank you Bianca for including me in this fun Harry Potter event! To be honest, I am not a die hard fan like others, however I do love the movies. I never read the books so at first I didn't really care about them. Meanwhile, my friend who has read the series was crazy over it. So, I gave in and rented the DVD. At first glace, I was hooked! I loved the whole concept and special effects. I might not have knowledge of the back story a book possesses but, it seems like they did a great job interpreting it into a movie. Correct me if I am wrong Harry Potter fans. :)

Now, as Harry and the gang started growing up, I found myself weirdly attracted to Harry. There is something very sexy about those glasses haha. I remember sitting in the movie theater watching the last installment and whispering to my friend, "damn, did Harry get hot, or is it just me?" She looked at me funny, so maybe it was just me lol. Finally, the ending of the last movie was crazy and sad. :( I am super excited and anxious for Deathly Hollows. I really want to know what's going to happen next and of course drool over Harry's once again manly change.


Talk to you soon,
Eleni
La Femme Readers

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Thank you, Eleni! Be sure to check out Eleni's BLOG and tell her that you really loved her post today! :D