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I read the Harry Potter series as an adult, not a child, and I love them . When I read them I was there, a sidekick right along with Ron and Hermione, sharing in their adventures, terrors, and victories. That is what gives them value. Not the style, or grammar, but the authenticity of the experience for the reader. When readers can live vicariously through the characters, then the author has earned distinction. Harry Potter might not be everyone's cup of tea, and that's okay. However, I do agree with the others that said a reader should actually read an entire book and/or series before they are able to review it. Otherwise it is bogus. I'll close my thoughts with my analogy: A person might stare at a plate of broccoli for hours (yes, that is definitely broccoli), observe the color, feel the texture, and smell it, but until they take a bite and swallow, they cannot say with absolute certainty that they hate it. Don't judge a book by it's cover ~ George Eliot

I responded to this post years ago, so things have changed a bit. Now, I rarely buy new. If I buy it is second hand, either at a used book store or thrift store. I adore a good treasure hunt! I also use the library a lot more, but mostly eBooks instead of physical books. At least I don't have to worry about the library's copy getting damaged or lost.

Glad to see you loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The series (especially the last three) are in the top of my most beloved list.

Well, I want to take a moment to brag about my small pile of treasures that I found at a used bookstore. Some of these have been on my wishlist forever, but I refused to pay full price! Here's what I found: Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamann, Felicia's Journey by WilliamTevor (loved the movie), The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (the first short-stories book I have ever bought), and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.

For me it's The Great Gatsby, but I was only fourteen at the time, so it went right over my head. I loathed it. So many readers love it, so I won't be a hater. I'm planning on giving it another shot now that I'm in my adult years and all mature and stuff.

One of my book regrets in life is giving my Sweet Valley High and Babysitter's Club books to my cousin. I would love to have them for my daughter (maybe reread a couple myself ). I loved the Sweet Valley High books that were thrillers. I had one about a crazy ex-boyfriend, who was a killer and escaped from jail or something along those lines.

I'm around 30pgs into The Book Thief, and it is really interesting and different so far. I've wanted to get my hands on it for a long time.

I'm glad to see someone else has read The 5th Wave, and enjoyed it as much as I did. The wait for the second book is torture. It's not released here until September.

#7 Allegiant (Divergent Series) by Vericona Roth synopsis from amazon.com Veronica Roth had her work cut out for her, ending a trilogy that had fans rabid for the final book, and she pulled it off like a champ. Allegiant kicks off right where Insurgent ended, so if it’s been a while since you read that one you might want to re-read the last couple of chapters to orient yourself. The first surprise in Allegiant is that Roth has switched to using alternating narratives of Tris and Four. At last readers get to see Tris as Four sees her and if, like me, you’ve been dying to get inside his head, you finally get your chance. One of the best things about this trilogy is the messy, passionate, and wholly authentic love story between these two. For Tris and Four, there is no love triangle, there are no sides to take--as in life, it’s only a matter of how their relationship will play out. Allegiant answers a lot of questions and also delivers some jaw-dropping twists--readers will go outside the fence, learn the origin story of the factions, and, of course, see how it all ends in a finale that packs a wallop and confirms Roth as a writer to watch for a long time to come. --Seira Wilson Review First, I haven't seen a book with this many polar opposite reviews in a long time, and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I don't run hot nor cold on this one, just a bit lukewarm. The beginning was enough of a snoozer to make me put the book don't numerous times, but finally picked up after the first 100 pages (not a great endorsement, I know). I wasn’t too keen on the switch between narrators, Tris and Tobias, at first, but it grew on me as the story picked up. I will not, cannot, say anything about the ending except that it is a bit of a shocker. I still slept like a baby that night though. (3/5)

Well, I've gotten behind again, so I'll just give a brief thought about each to catch up. #5 The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Very enjoyable, whimsicle tale. Classic Gaiman style. (4/5) #6 The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. Loved the beginning, but lost my enthusiasm halfway through. The romance didn't feel believable to me and lacked real passion. Not my favorite from Hoffman. (3/5)

I'm glad you enjoyed The Invention of Wings. I'm on the waiting list for the ebook at my library, but I have a looong wait.

#4 The Truth About You & Me by Amanda Grace (via Kindle per library loan) synopsis from amazon.com On her first day at Green River Community College, Madelyn Hawkins meets Bennett Cartwright, her biology professor. He’s funny. He’s interested. And he has no idea that Madelyn is only sixteen. When they’re together, Madelyn feels more alive than she’s ever felt before. And she knows Bennett feels the same way. She also knows that if she tells him her real age, their relationship will be over. So Madelyn makes a simple decision. She won’t tell him. Review Grace has a knack for presenting moral decisions and life problems in engrossing and quick passed novels, but The Truth About You & Me fell a little flat. I absolutely loved But I Love Him, and was pretty disappointed in the unbelievability of this novel. Not that things like this doesn't or couldn't happen, just that the presentation didn't make me believe it. Plus, I wanted to smack Madelyn. (2/5)

#3 Insurgent (Divergent, Book 2) by Veronica Roth (via Kindle per library loan) synopsis from amazon.com One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. Review I really enjoyed Insurgent, probably more than Divergent even. I love how the second book gets immediately into the action without a lot of boring build up or much summary of the first novel. Also, Roth writes this series in present tense (in my opinion is more difficult to do), but it really works well with the amount of action. I have Allegiant waiting for me, but have been a little nervous to start. I fear being disappointed by a great series! (4/5)

It's a bumper to have a disappointing read. My second book of the year was terrible. It looks like you've got some good ones on your reading plan, though. I will be looking forward to your thoughts about Game of Thrones. I've been thinking about reading it also because I enjoy the t.v. series. Happy reading.

I have finally gotten my hands on Insurgent, and I'm really enjoying it so far. It had been so long since I read Divergent that I had to go back and skim it. The wait is trouble with trilogies for us impatient readers. Good thing I already have Allegiant waiting in the wings.

Has anyone read This Man series by Jodi Ellen Malpas? I'm pretty sure it's erotica, but it's getting quite a bit of buzz.

Yes, it is a beautiful book, inside and out. I think it is a perfect heirloom book.

I too use Amazon as my primary wishlist, but I also use Goodreads. I now have 134 items on my amazon wishlist (one is a movie), and many have been on there for years. I remove a book if I receive it as a gift, buy it, or check it out from the library. A lot of my wishlist items come from bcf members reading lists and entertainment weekly magazine. I hate to pay full price for books, so if i plan an outing to a used book store, I jot down my most wanted items on a notepad and keep it in my hand as I search. By the way, a couple of days ago, I found a hard back of Allegiant (Divergent series) for $1 at a thrift store.

Finished Jan. 19th #2 Rush (The Breathless Trilogy) by Maya Banks (via kindle per library loan) synopsis from amazon.com Gabe, Jace, and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it’s making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she’s ripe for the picking... When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires. Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once, ever since she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. So what if Gabe’s fourteen years older? Mia knows he’s way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires. As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected. review Rush is an erotica romance that closely mimics Fifty Shades, but slightly dirtier with a lot less plot. Erotica is not my usual genre of choice, but since I had seen it advertised quite a bit I thought I'd give it a chance. The story line had no premise other than, "we can't let big brother find out about us". It was all about forbidden fruit and kinkiness. I understand the book is erotica, but the multiple sex scenes were so long that I finally had to skim passed them. I guess that's why each book in the trilogy has a new woman for the trio of best friends to devour. (1/5)

Finished Jan 5th #1 The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (translated by Ralph Manheim) synopsis Bastian, a chubby, bullied, motherless boy hides in the school attic after stealing a mysterious book from a shopkeeper. As he begins to read The Neverending Story, the boarders between the real world and Fantasia begin to fade. Only he can save The Childlike Empress by giving her a new name. review As a child, I watched the movie endlessly, but I didn't even know it was adapted from a book until a couple of years ago. A lot more happened in this novel than I realized, and at times, I was overwhelmed with the giant cast of characters. At least at the end of the chapters when a character was no longer evolved the line was, “But that is another story, and shall be told at another time." I thought that was a cute touch. The hardback is beautiful, by the way, with green and red font to separate Fantasia from "the real world", and nice illustrations at the start of each chapter. It would be a beautiful book to hand down through generations. (4/5)

Agreed! So do library books and kindle books, so I can't ever stay on top of my physical TBR pile.

I'm pretty excited about Gone Girl (starring Ben Affleck). I loved the book. Also these other book adaptations: The Fault in Our Stars, The Giver(Jeff Bridges. Meryl Streep), Mockingjay, and The Hobbit:There and Back Again. There's also going to be a new Far From the Madding Crowd starring Carey Mulligan, but I'm not really sure if it comes out this year or not. I must read the Book Thief before I watch the movie, though.

Definitely pick The Handmaid's Tale up again, sometime. I thought it was great, but you're right, sometimes your mood determines the book.

I dabble in writing. I entered in a short story contest the BCF held a couple of years ago. I love finding unusual, special reads. I have a few books up my sleeve this year that I hope meet my expectations.

Here are my favorite and most recommended reads in no particular order: Contemporary/Classic Fiction Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Hick by Andrea Portes Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Bloodroot by Amy Greene The Help by Kathryn Stockett And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson Room by Emma Donoghue Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson Farenheight 451 by Ray Bradbury The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath The Road by Cormac McCarthy To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen YA/ Children's Fiction The Fault in Our Stars by John Green A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb The Giver by Lois Lowry A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness Illyria by Elizabeth Hand Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery But I Love Him by Amanda Grace