Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

 

 

 

 

What stands out in book 7:

* The Dursleys have a heart after all (sort of)
* Harry comes of age and is now no longer protected by the spell that his mother bestowed on him when she died to save him.
* The second war really gets going in this book. Many lives are lost for the cause.
* House elves show their devotion to good vs evil in the end.
* We see how far the characters have come in their magical ability by the remarkable spells they are able to perform
* A view of the life and family of Albus Dumbledore including unknown tragedies that he endured.
* The REAL life of Severus Snape
* Love between Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione (although if you're any sort of fan, you would have guessed this long ago)
* And last but not least the incredible display of love, loyalty and outstanding courage against mind-boggling enormous odds.

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues. 

 

 

 

 

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. Enjoy.

 

 



 

 



 



Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

 

 

 

It is Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Voldemort's sinister forces amass and a spirit of gloom and fear sweeps the land, it becomes more and more clear to Harry that he will soon have to confront his destiny. But is he up to the challenges ahead of him?

In her darkest and most breathtaking adventure yet, J.K. Rowling skilfully begins to unravel the complex web she has woven, as we discover more of the truth about Harry, Dumbledore, Snape and, of course, He Who Must Not Be Named.

 



 

 

 

What stands out in book 6:

* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur’s answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling’s most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley’s Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis.
* We get a fascinating view of the history of Tom Riddle.
* The major question of the book: Whose side is Snape really on?


 



 

 
 

 

 

Book 6 is a lot darker than the other books in the series. It is heartbreaking but funny as the characters start to fall in love with each other. I really like this book! Enjoy! :)
 



Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix

 

 

 

 

 

The magic and mystery continues in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermione have been so secretive all summer. However, what Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down ...

This is a gripping and electrifying new novel, full of suspense, secrets, and - of course - magic, from the incomparable J.K. Rowling. 



 

 

 

 

 Poor Harry. It's a tough year, this one.

When he thinks the Ministry of Magic is going to expel him from Hogwarts for prohibited use of magic he is desperate to go back to school. When he gets there and discovers the dreadful Professor Umbridge he'd rather be somewhere else. And if he only had his OWLS to think about at school he might just about manage, but there's so much else going on. I disliked the chapters that Harry and the others spent in Number 12 Grimmauld Place I found that plot wasn't going anywhere.

 

And most of it is going on at a personal level. For a start, Harry suddenly seems to be the object of public contempt and derision in an attack spearheaded by the Daily Prophet newspaper. As we all know, what you read in a newspaper must be true, so most of the students at Hogwarts now doubt the truth of Harry's assertion that Voldemort is back. Professor Dumbledore doesn't seem to want to support Harry. In fact, Professor Dumbledore won't even look Harry in the eye any more. What has Harry done to offend the professor?

Mind you, Professor Dumbledore has problems of his own. The Daily Prophet is waging a bit of a personal war against him too, and worse, the Ministry of Magic seems to be critical of him. That's why the dreadful Professor Umbridge appears at Hogwarts. She is the Minister of Magic's right hand woman, and is also the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. As she relentlessly increases her power and influence at the school, Professor Dumbledore's authority apparently diminishes. Actually, with Professor Umbridge it is hard to say whether she is For or Against the Dark Arts.

Harry raised the sharp black quill, then realised what was missing.
'You haven't given me any ink,' he said.
'Oh, you won't need ink,' said Professor Umbridge, with the merest suggestion of a laugh in her voice.
Harry placed the point of the quill on the paper and wrote: I must not tell lies.
He let out a gasp of pain. The words had appeared on the parchment in what appeared to be shining red ink. At the same time, the words had appeared on the back of Harry's right hand, cut into his skin as though traced there by a scalpel - yet even as he stared at the shining cut, the skin healed over again, leaving the place where it had been slightly redder than before but quite smooth.
Harry looked round at Umbridge. She was watching him, her wide, toadlike mouth stretched in a smile.  I really hate Umbridge, she is evil and a really nasty piece of work!

And where are Harry's friends through all these trials? Well, Hagrid's not around and nobody seems to know where he is. That's a worry. Ron and Hermione are there, but they have been made prefects, and while Harry isn't exactly jealous, it takes a bit of an effort to be pleased for them. Then there's Cho Chang. Harry still goes a bit weak at the knees whenever she comes within range, but he is a bit of a novice when it comes to understanding girls.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

 



The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can't wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons (sigh) to be attended. Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on the march.

With characteristic wit, fast-paced humour and marvellous emotional depth, J.K. Rowling has proved herself yet again to be a master story-teller.

What stands out in Book Four for me:
* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.
* We encounter death in this book the likes we haven't seen before (R.I.P. Cedric Diggory)
* We get a glimpse of the friendship and absolute loyalty that is shown to Harry by Ron and Hermione (after Ron throws his little hissy fit of course and comes to his senses.)

 

 

 

Have fun! xx

Doc Martin (TV Series 2004-)

Doc Martin, now shooting its sixth charming series, is popular in more than 30 countries around the world, including Slovenia and Saudi Arabia. Foreign-language adaptations have aired in Germany, France, Spain, The Netherlands, and Greece -- and Russia may be next.



Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz.

Martin Clunes is Martin Ellingham (his surname’s an anagram for the name of creator Dominic Minghella), a London surgeon who develops a phobia to blood and who relocates to the picturesque Cornish village of Port Wenn, becoming the area’s general practitioner. He is gruff, intolerant, and rude to people, but over time he develops a relationship with and has a child with local headmistress Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz).

The community is full of quirky, amusing characters, including a plumber-turned-restaurateur (Ian McNeice), his son (Joe Absolom), Martin’s aunts (Stephanie Cole, followed by Dame Eileen Atkins), local cops, and a series of three dippy receptionists, among others.



This series is lovely, funny and set in a beautiful Cornish village called Port Isaac which I visited in July and fell in love with it. I highly recommend Doc Martin to everyone! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 





Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)

Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama mystery series.  The main setting of the show is Wisteria Lane, a street in the fictional American town of Fairview in the fictional Eagle State. The show follows the lives of a group of women, seen through the eyes of their dead neighbor. They work through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes and mysteries hidden behind the doors of their — at the surface — beautiful and seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood.

 

 

The show features an ensemble cast, headed by Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp and Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis.   Brenda Strong narrates the show as the deceased Mary Alice Young, appearing sporadically in flashbacks or dreams. 

 

 

 

Desperate Housewives is great!  Life behind closed doors is about to be revealed as suburban life takes a funny and dark turn.  :) xx



The Cranford Companion by Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin

In The Cranford Companion, co creators Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin give us an unprecedented insider look at the making of the instant-classic series - from the adaptation of the script, to the scouting of locations across the English countryside, to the breathtaking costumes. With gorgeous photographs throughout from the series and the set, and intimate interviews with the cast and crew, this book is the must-have companion to a beloved miniseries, an exclusive entry to Cranford life, sure to be revisited for years to come. xx



 

Elf (2003)

 

 

 

Christmas family comedy directed by independent filmmaker Jon Favreau. Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human being who has spent his whole life believing himself to be an elf. Brought up by Santa (Edward Asner) and his elves at the North Pole, Buddy has spent the last 30 years happily working in Santa's toy workshop. But when his ungainly size starts to become a liability in the elf-sized working environment, Santa suggests that Buddy head to New York City to find his biological father (James Caan). Needless to say, the unlikely spectacle of a 6'5' man dressed from head to foot in bright green stands out a mile on the streets of the Big Apple, and the good-natured Buddy finds himself in all sorts of scrapes as he gets used to his new family and surroundings - and they get used to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun! :) xx