“You don’t read, you don’t understand. You don’t know what it’s like to live in different worlds, to travel on great adventures through the galaxy with people you know better than you know your own family. To live and die with them. These are my friends, my best friends in the world.”
—Atticus Shaffer
I guess my weak self-restraint failed me once more. And I think I went a little overboard with this haul. I already have the complete Harry Potter series, both in hardbound and paperback, yet this fact did not stop me from buying two of these British edition. Oh well, after spending 2 hours inside Booksale, I still had a great time since I got all of these for only Php550 ($14). YA time. HAHAHA.
Bow down to me for I am the queen of secondhand-books-shopping!
Hahaha. Passed by Booksale at the Festival Mall branch yesterday before going back home from our cousin’s baptism. I thought to check in for just a bit and voila! Look what I found! I got the first edition of JK Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard Hardcover. And I bought for just, wait for it.. Php60 ($1.50). It was a really good buy. The book is in a very pristine state save for the cover that is a little bent around the edges. And to think that it’s original price is around Php900 ($22.50).It’s funny because it was strewn aside with a bunch of children’s book by another customer. I spotted and it and immediately asked the woman if she was going to buy it. Luckily, she doesn’t have an idea what book it was and said no. Oh yes, I am in such bliss.
Okay, that’s it. Just sharing my happiness with you guys. :)
WARNING: This would be a very long post consisting of pictures of all the books I own and have gathered from way back up to the end of the year.
Since the new bookshelf that my mom bought me arrived today, I just thought that it’s fitting to dust all of my books before I re-stack them. It was a very tedious job and that it took me 4 hours to finish them all. And so to start of the new year, I have all my clean books to show you, guys. (maybe, in the future, I’ll sell them or put ass giveaway. MAYBE.)
And here’s a picture of everything together:
2012 had been a good year for me bookhoard-wise. And honestly, I am very thankful for these books are the only treasures I am so emotionally attached to. And even if I don’t believe in heaven, if it really does exist, I think this would be pretty much close to that.
Why do you still post stuff about Harry Potter?
Just get over your Harry Potter craziness already! It’s been, like, more than a year since the last movie came out!
Don’t you ever get tired of watching or reading Harry Potter over and over again?
You’re 19 years old, why the hell are you still obsessed with a children’s book?
It’s over, move on and find another book to love.
These are just a few of the comments or messages I get on Facebook whenever I post something Potter-related, may it be quotes, photos, vidoes or little facts. To be honest, I don’t feel irritated at all. I am actually surprised by their reactions. I mean, they’ve known all along that I am a die-hard Potterhead, and yet they still force these opinions on me. Like, do they really expect that I’d give up all my affection and love for all things Harry Potter just because they told me so? Haha. I think not.
I know that it’s quite difficult for them to understand, maybe because they haven’t experienced being attached to something for over a period of time, or that they don’t feel this passionate about things, or for other reasons I may never know. But once and for all, here is my explanation:
When you grew up interested and attached to one thing to the point that it became a very important part of your life, you can never just turn away from it no matter how long it has been since it ended. Much like in a relationship, when you’ve invested so much, spent every sweat, tears, and love for someone, letting go will never be easy. At times, it’s unimaginable. That is how the Harry Potter series is for me.
I got the first book as a present from my mom for my 6th birthday. At that time, I didn’t find it interesting since it was the first time I encountered a book with only a few pictures. You see, even when I started reading early, I was used to fairytales and storybooks filled with illustrations of every character and the events of each story. But then, come the year 2000 and I was then 7 years old, my mother brought me to theater for the first time. And together, we watched the first Harry Potter movie ever released. That was also my first time to watch a movie inside a theater. So for the 7-year-old me, it was truly a magical moment.
When we went back home, I frantically searched for my copy of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and asked my mom (actually, pleaded), to assist me in reading the book. It was just my luck that she agreed. So for days, we sat together, reading the book. Whenever I find a word I don’t understand, my mom would always explain it to me the best she could. It became our bonding session. Before we even finished the book, my mom found out that this is just one book of the series.
She then bought me the next 3 books in the Harry Potter series for my birthday since they were already available that year. From then on, I would wait impatiently for the following year, ready to receive the next book in the series. Through this, Harry Potter became the center of my entire childhood. Aside from growing up following Harry Potter’s adventures, it also became the thing that brought me and my mom closer.
So yes, the Harry Potter books might all have been published and all the movies may have been released already but that doesn’t matter to me. The power of this magical story still lives within my heart and all the others whose lives were touched by this wizard boy who lived through all the hardship fate has thrown his way. I knocked myself crazy with anticipation for the next book or film, cheered during all the quidditch matches, recited every incantation, laughed with every joke made by the twins, cried over the deaths of my favorite characters, rejoiced at each triumph, even swooned over the cheesy bits. In these books and movies, I have learned so much about life at such a young age. The Harry Potter series aren’t just words printed on paper or frames sewn into films I can easily forget. No. These books and films are priceless treasures I’ll forever cherish. They are precious bits and pieces that helped in molding a part of whoever I am today.
A Year In The Life Of: JK Rowling
I have watched this twice before, but I still have the chills. She will forever be my childhood hero, the person who made my life so much better with her exceptional literary prowess. No words can describe the entirety of my admiration for this amazing and brilliant person.
Currently Reading: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Yep! Another one, even if I haven’t finished the other two books I am also currently reading. Haha. I have been a very bad and disrespectful student by bringing this book to class this morning. Why? Well, I was only supposed to start reading the book during my free time. Turns out, I have been gravely mistaken. Once I started, I could not stop. I did not care even when my professors were lecturing about whatever topics we had for today. I was just there, at one corner of the room, secretly and silently reading the book. It was just so good, I cannot bear to stop.
Now that I’m back in my dorm, after all my classes are done, I am still reading. John Green was right that this was something Harry Potter and Narnia fans should look delve into. Lev Grossman’s The Magicians is like a Harry Potter novel for older teens. The story is set in a magical place unseen by common people. The main character learns that he is special and is now attending classes for magical craft in a school which I can describe as Hogwarts for mature teens, like a University. It was as if Quentin Coldwater’s favorite magical place from his favorite book was finally coming into reality. I am not yet finished reading the book so I cannot tell if it can somehow level with the greatness of Harry Potter.
The thing is, even though the concept of this books is loosely based on other fantasy novels, the content has its own appeal. Being a devoted Harry Potter fan and having memorized almost all the events and details in all seven books, coming by a novel with a similar theme that could still capture my interest is quite rare. So, I am very much thankful that I believed in John Green’s book recommendations, and got myself a copy. I hope to finish this book this week since we will be having our first major exams next week.
Probably the best use of that gif.
Pre-Christmas Mini Book Haul
Got the chance to buy some books a while ago after I bought groceries and dorm supplies for this week. Aside from my book addiction, I am also a pen and paper impulse buyer. And so I also purchased two cute little notebooks with unlined pages plus some color pens to go with them. I thought that I could write my favorite quotes from books, songs, or movies and somehow, make a little compilation.
Here are the books I got today:
So I have been a bit busy lately, and this is why.
I don’t know what hit me, but I felt a little bit “artsy-fartsy”. I got bored of my beige-colored walls so I decided to add on a little personal touch. And I’m glad my mom allowed me to do so.
I covered half of one of the walls in my bedroom with 4 huge black cardboard paper and put photos and quotes of of all the things that interest me. Basically, the photos I included are related to Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Sherlock, John Green, and reading. Most of them are works of people I follow here in Tumblr, and I have no intention at all of stealing their works, so credits to the brilliant people who made them. Others are my works, like the simple black and white quotes from my favorite songs or books.
So far, I have yet to print out more photos to add. I am still searching for good ones to include so I guess I’ll probably finish this “project” before this week ends. Right now, I can say that it’s 50% done. I feel very productive. Haha. Wish me luck! :D
I knew! I should’ve gone to Hogwarts. My life would be so much better. Instead, here I am, being an average lazy muggle desperately hoping for my magical dream to come true. Oh well.
The Perks of Being A Wallflower movie is coming out soon and now people are clamoring to get their copies of the book so that they can be part of the fandom. And you know what I think? “Ugh, not again.” Ever since the production for the movie started, a lot of people became suddenly interested with the book. I don’t know if it’s because the movie stars Logan Lerman and Emma Watson or they really are interested in the book, but nonetheless, from what I can remember, there weren’t this much people who gave a rat’s ass on this book before. I even had a hard time looking for a copy and had to order mine. Now the books are just displayed out there in every bookstore I know.
Although most book lovers I know are crazed when their favorite literary pieces come to life in movies, I can’t help but feel irritated about it. I know page-to-screen adaptation is very helpful in terms of promotional aspects for the books, but then when you come to think of it, somehow, the reason behind wanting to read these books becomes a bit more superficial.
First of all, I hate the fact that some people just buy and read the books for the sake of being “in”. I know a lot of people from my school who bought The Hunger Games trilogy when the movie came out. Well, it’s not a bad thing to want to know more about the story, but what’s bothering me is that they use the books as some fashion statement of sorts, bringing them wherever or taking pictures with captions saying how much they love the series, when in fact, they haven’t even touch a single book before that. Maybe I am being selfish or what, but I feel that the value of these precious books decreases as they are regarded as a fad or a trend.
Second, I also notice that some people prefer the characters who were portrayed by “beautiful” actors in their movie counterparts. I can say this much is true with Never Let Me Go, with Andrew Garfield playing the role of Tommy. And who can forget the obsessed moms who swooned crazily over Edward Cullen played by Robert Pattinson? No matter how bad the books are, people bought it for the sake of proving how much a fan they are of their books, without actually reading deeper and understanding the stories.
Third is that some people don’t even bother reading the books because watching the movie is much easier. And that makes me angry because I think it’s unfair for the authors how people neglect the original plot and are contented with what’s in the film. Even the Harry Potter films are nothing compared to the books. I for one, is a huge fan and was so disappointed when my favorite parts from the book were cut from the movie. Book-to-movie adaptations makes people lazier. Plus, there are some who claim to be total fans without even opening the book version of the movies they so dearly love. I have this friend who was so deeply moved by the ending My Sister’s Keeper and yet she was so surprised and upset when I told her that it was different and the exact opposite what happened the one in the book.
Lastly, also the top reason I hate book-to-movie adaptations, is that these films ruin the freedom that their book counterparts give me. Without the movie, my mind is free to imagine how the characters and settings look. I can picture every single detail as described in the authors’ words the way I want them to appear in my head. But with the movies casting the roles of my favorite characters into various different artists, I feel that my imagination was caged into a box I couldn’t escape. Suddenly, whenever I read the books again, all I could see are the faces of the actors who portrayed them. Peeta is Josh Hutcherson who isn’t actually blond and fit the description for Peeta. Percy is Logan Lerman even if Percy is supposed to be a 12-year old kid. I cannot break the connection and with that, I feel frustrated because for me, the purpose of these books is to let my mind wander off into distant places, depending on how I understand them. And what these movies do is to rob me off that privilege and leave me stuck with what they have set for their viewers.
Hello there, anon! Here you go:
1. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling (Of course!)
2. Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth (yes, I like it better than the Hunger Games)
3. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
4. A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
5. Across The Universe series by Beth Revis (don’t be fooled by the hippy, mushy cover!)
And I also have to include these babies:
6. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
7. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
8. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)
9. The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
10. The Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare
Look at what my friend, Abby, gave me as a post-birthday gift!
It’s an official Harry Potter exhibition guide she bought from Singapore. It comes with the official replica of Harry’s Hogwarts acceptance letter. Apparently, she knew that I would totally be devastated and jealous if I knew that she went to the actual exhibit in Singapore. And she was right, I am immensely over-the-top jealous! But then she told me that the exhibit might go here in the Philippines anytime this year. So yeah, we made a pact to go together.
Anyways, I really am enjoying this guide. Although I already knew half of the trivia found inside, it fells nice to reminisce my Potter journey. I really love how awesome my friend was for remembering me while she was in Singapore. She also bought a Slytherin necktie, which I am begging her to give me. But I guess it’s a little to much so I will be saving to get my own, and hopefully with the robes. Haha. I just wish it’s true that the exhibit would go here. I don’t have enough resources to get to London or to the Harry Potter theme park in Florida. But I swear, it’s the first place I’d go to once I already have a job.
