Saturday, January 5, 2013

HARRY MOTHER FLIPPIN' POTTER


Oh. Hell. Yes. It. Is. ON.


I can't even begin to explain how freaking excited I am about this readalong. Super-dooper-psychadelic-y-bazookas? That might be getting close....ish.

So me and Harry Potter, we kinda have a bit of a thing going on. It's pretty serious.


Every year (except last year for some reason) I pull out my old and food stained paperbacks and re-read the entire series, and then I go and cry for a week because it's ALL OVER AGAIN.

I started HP when I was 12 and I actually kinda hated it. *looks around defensively and hides behind the desk* I KNOW! I started it, got bored and skipped about 3 or 4 chapters until the action heated up a little and then I was hooked. I immediately re-read the parts I missed and then re-read the rest of it all over again right away. And because the second book was already out I stole that from a friend and stayed up all night reading that one too. And then I went on a writers camp which was my first away from home camp and I was home sick and cried because it was my birthday and my mum showed up with chocolate cake and Harry Potter 3 and everything was groovy once again.

So I guess HP has helped me get through all those not-so-tricky-but-seem-tricky-at-the-time pre-teen and teen issues, and was the glue that held me and my primary school best friend circle together. Together we thought we were responsible for the books success, since we started reading it when it seemed to gain international traction (bless!), and we came to school in year 7 and squealed about the chapters of HP and the Goblet of Fire we read the night before. We made predictions, argued about Snape's awesomeness (HE IS), swooned over the older Weasleys and rehashed absolutely everything.

So yeah, me and Harry are tight. I am also incredibly defensive of J.K Rowling when people try to discredit her or her writing talent...unless they're a HP fan too. If you've read the book a butt-load, then you can say you think X is wishy-washy, or Y is a cop-out - but if you haven't? PREPARE TO FEEL MY WRATH. But I am looking forward to discussing and fighting tooth-and-nail about my favourite and not so favourite parts of this series with y'all.

As for this delightful readalong, I am *so* amped up to use all my GIFS, and I apologise in advance but there will be a crap-tonne of  Snape GIFS. Actually no, shut up, I don't apologise, you might not like the character but the only person more GIF-able than Alan Rickman is Emma Stone.


Soooooooo yeah, I can't wait to read all the other posts and read all the books again and cry and laugh and snort and shake my fist at Umbridge and cry and convey my feelings via GIF and argue about Snape and Sirius and everything else.

LET'S DO THIS.


20 comments:

  1. Oh good lord that last GIF is disturbing, LOL!

    I feel like a weirdo for not really remembering my exact age when I started HP and fell in love with them. I was 13 or younger, definitely, but it's all a blur. I read A LOT of books as a kid.

    And yesssss swooning over the Weasleys! The twins were definitely one of my literary crushes growing up. Being hilarious is sexy.

    I so so excited to re-read!!!

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    1. I love how Harry is just staring straight at you - cracks me up every time I see it!

      Besides Percy, that family was full of swoon. Ron for his awkwardness, the twins for their humour and Bill and Charlie for being mysterious, mostly absent dudes who had awesome jobs.

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    2. TRUTH. Percy was the only one that totally sucked. I even think Mr. Weasley had his own bit of charm, for being so absolutely fascinated with Muggle objects and for his obvious love for Mrs. Weasley.

      The Weasley family just makes me happy :)

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    3. I was always so jealous of Harry having such an amazing adopted family- I wish the Weasleys were real and lived next door to me.

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  2. OH MY GOD THE OLDER WEASLEYS!!! Yes yes yes yes. But not Percy, obvs. And I don't really at all fancy the twins or Ron. But Bill and Charlie? OMG YES.

    Also, the first few chapters of the Philosopher's Stone? Totally. Suck. And everyone's like 'omg those stupid publishers turning down Harry Potter!' and I'm like well, yeah, but like, don't they just read the first page or whatever and then reject it? Because if that's what happens then I'm kind of NOT surprised that it got rejected so much.

    This will be my only criticism of Harry Potter. ONWARDS!

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    Replies
    1. Good point about the first chapters. If that's all you have to go on (which really, most publishers probably only read the first bits), I can see why it would get put aside in favor of something flashier from the start.

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    2. Let's all just agree right now that Percy is hands down one of the worst people. Not Voldemort evil or Umbridge psychotic but a straight-up poo-face.

      I love the first line of Harry Potter, but yeah, it's weak sauce from there for a bit. Thank Batman that someone decided to read on though...*whispers* can you imagine a world without Harry Potter?

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  3. THAT LAST GIF. OH MY!

    Now I am obviously looking forward to the rest of your gif library.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I hope I haven't peaked too early! Who am I kidding, there are enough gifs of Snape and Voldemort added into pop song videos that I have this shit locked up. Ha!

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  4. OMG That last gif is the BEST!

    I am in total awe that you re-read this series EVERY YEAR. Which only tells me I've been denying myself the experience that is Harry Potter for over TEN YEARS! But no more! Excited to get this readalong started!

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    Replies
    1. 2013 marks the year you start doing this too!!

      Seriously, it's so comforting to return to a series you love and know will always be solid and awesome and make you cry.

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  5. Top-notch gif selection!

    Also, I love that you love the older Weasleys. Bill got Fleur, so you know he was smokin' -- and Charlie TRAINS DRAGONS.

    [insert MY BODY IS READY gif here]

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    Replies
    1. I was going to use "my body is ready" in this post, but it's so good that I want to save it for the perfect moment, which probably means I'll never end up using it at all.

      Yeah I was all about Charlie for awhile there, and then Bill, and then Charlie, and then the twins and Ron because I figured they were more in my league. I've only just connected the dots and realised my boyfriend could totally pass for a Weasley with his red hair and freckles...I probably shouldn't let him know that though...

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  6. Haha love it. I kinda wish I was reading along with you but I don't have the time for rereads right now :( Maybe next time!

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    Replies
    1. Keep an eye out and join one of the later books readalongs- it's already so much fun!

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  7. I am late on commenting, but will that stop me? IT WILL NOT.

    So, basically, just, I agree with everything you say here: All the love for Harry Potter, Snape is the greatest of all things, the Weasleys (esp the older ones, minus freaking Percy) are the crushiest.

    This readalong is already SO GOOD.

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    1. I'm going to be doubley crushed when I finish the series AND the readalong. What will fill the gap, other Kayleigh, WHAT?

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  8. Love the dancing threesome, enjoy your read along - and those cool wands!

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  9. Everyone in this readathon was just the right age when HP came out. I was 18 and a senior in high school, and I pretty much missed it. I mean, as much as you can miss it. I got pretty excited about all the movies, but I wasn't a FAN. Hopefully I can making up for it a bit.

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    Replies
    1. If you don't come out of this readalong a fan then nothing will convert you. Hopefully though you'll be one of us by the end!

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