I love hearing from authors and publicists who’d like me to read and review their books. If you have a title you think I’d be interested in, please feel free to contact me at ibetnoonehasthisdamnid@yahoo.com .
For more information about what books I like and how I choose which books to review, check out Mt. TBR's review policy.
I look forward to hearing from you!
1. I know _I’m in desperate need of a house elf, it’s a hot mess around here!_
2. _Just ask any kid, December is_ the longest month.
3. You can’t help but _feel sorry for Saints fans… everyone knows the COLTS are gonna win!_
4. _The Big Blue has a message for the Saints_; bring it on!
5. Where have you looked _for signs of Spring? Did you know I heard some robins singing the other morning_?
6. _My middle daughter, she’s a big Michael Jackson fan, informed me that the DVD of “This Is It”_ is now available.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _reading some more of James and the Giant Peach with Mags, sort the laundry, do the dishes and make some of my special recipe spaghetti (OMG, it’ll have meat in it, even! It’s been so long since I had my special recipe)_, tomorrow my plans include _maybe breakfast out with Mags at White House, a visit to the library, shoe shopping with Gwen for the dance she wants to go to, and hopefully finishing James_ and Sunday, I want to _go to church, have fun at the library’s pre-Super Bowl party, then watch the COLTS WIN_!
Also, don’t forget to check out my giveaway! I’m giving away a copy of Push by Sapphire, and the more people sign up, the more prizes! If 50 or more people enter to win, I’ll add $10 to spend on Amazon.com for the grand prize!
“Fine,” said Harry, who was concentrating on handing Ron a glass of pumpkin juice. “There you go, Ron. Drink up.”
Ron had just raised the glass to his lips when Hermione spoke sharply.
“Don’t drink that, Ron!”
Both Harry and Ron looked up at her.
“Why not?” said Ron.
Hermione was now staring at Harry as though she could not believe her eyes.
“You just put something in that drink.”
“Excuse me?” said Harry.
“You heard me. I saw you. You just tipped something into Ron’s drink. You’ve got the bottle in your hand right now!”
“I don’t know what you’r talking about,” said Harry, stowing the little bottle hastily in his pocket.
“Ron, I warn you, don’t drink it!” Hermione said again, alarmed, but Ron picked up the glass, drained it in one gulp, and said, “Stop bossing me around, Hermione.”
She looked scandalized. Bending low so that only Harry could hear her, she hissed, “You should be expelled for that. I’d never have believed it of you, Harry!”
–Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling, page 293
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling is the sixth of the seven book series chronicling the lives and exploits of the orphaned title character and his friends and classmates as they discover they are witches and wizards, go to Hogwarts school to learn to hone their skills, and learn to bond with friends and co-exist with enemies under the genially paternal headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. In this particularly darkest book yet (I’m told book seven is even worse), Harry struggles with coming to terms (still and again) with the deaths of those close to him, while desiring to get revenge on Lord Voldermort, aka Tom Marvolo Riddle, for the deaths.
Yeah…. I remember when the first book was taking the American bookworld by storm, causing some Christian groups to suffer apoplectic fits at the thought of their sweet angelic prodgeny being infected by evil should so much as the book’s binding touch their innocent hands, and children clamoring to snatch the books off their shelves. However, six books in and it just seems to be a repeat of each of the last five books’ plotline. The children return to school, Harry suspects evil is afoot right away, no one believes him, everyone turns against him and treats him like a nutter, then evil pops out from behind the painting of the tutu-wearing trolls and says “Bwa-ha-ha!” Harry saves the day, Hogwarts and the entire wizarding world, everyone apologizes for doubting him, then they all say good-bye for the summer and look forward to returning in the fall where they can go through the whole cycle all over again. HP and the HBP has all that plus pimples, crushes and love potions.
It’s an okay book, but nothing I’ll remember next year… I doubt I’ll remember it next month, even. I found myself trying to remember when whatever event being referenced occured, and I realized that I’ve forgotten a lot of the content of the previous books already. What’s more, I think up to a third of this book could have been dropped. Some of it was a repeat of what had happened in a previous book, but some of it just seemed superfluous.
I’m glad I read it since I’ve read the other books of the series, and I definitely wanted to get it done before the movie comes out this coming July. Some people have said the last book, Deathly Hollows, is the best book of the series.
From the way this book has ended, Deathly Hollowsat least seems like it will break the endless cycle. Harry tells Ron and Hermione that he doesn’t plan to return to Hogwarts for his final year because he plans to hunt down and kill Voldemort, and his friends inform him they’ll be right beside him wherever he goes. But… it’ll be a while before that movie comes out so I needn’t get into too much of a hurry reading the book.
Tainted by Brooke Morgan
The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
Strange But True America: Weird Tales from All 50 States by John Hafnor
Red Letters by Tom Davis
Dragon House by John Shors
Book reviews, entertaining and humorous posts, as well as memes and giveaways, In the Shadow of Mt. TBR is a fun and informative place to relax in the shade!
In the Shadow of Mt. TBR 