Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I have been reading the Harry Potter books since just before Christmas. One of my closest friends, and a member of my book club, turned me on to them. I had never been interested in reading them before. Fantasy/sci-fi has never really been my genre. But my friend told me how much she loved Harry and how much she mourned the last book. She was in such a funk after that I was truly worried that she might never get her love of reading back. So because they came so highly recommended I dove in. I have enjoyed each one immensely, and am currently reading the first one to my almost 9 year old son. He is also enjoying it.

I just completed number six in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I enjoyed it as I have all of the other books in the series. Action, adventure, mystery, suspense, romance and of course the fantasy of the magical world. But, as I was reading it, I thought that this one was predictable. I thought that I had it figured out and was getting slightly disappointed because of that. I thought that I knew the identity of the "Half-Blood Prince". But I was wrong and quite surprised at the ending of the book. I was surprised at the identity that is revealed and I was also surprised by the big event near the end of the book. Without giving anything away, who is involved and what happens was quite a shock to me. I didn't think that Rowling would go there. So, it turned out that this book was not predictable at all.

I would recommend the series. The books are so much better than the movies. So, if you enjoyed the movie versions, please take the time to read the books. There is so much more to them than what is shown in the movies. Harry Potter is a hero worth your time. The books fill many interests not just that of sci-fi or fantasy. Each book has left me anxious to start the next one. But I don't want to finish the series too quickly. I enjoy Harry's company and that of all of his friends. So I am not sure if I will start on Book Seven tonight, or if I will read something else first.

My friend did recover her love for reading, by finding another series and wonderfully intriguing hero. The "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer, which she also turned me on to and I read in between a few of the Harry Potter books.

Happy Reading!