It is nearing Christmas time! This means Christmas break is soon which means almost a month off which means LOADS OF READING TIME!
I’m quite thrilled since I’ve just jumped back onto the bandwagon of reading daily.
Let’s jump back two and a half weeks ago though: The two N’s, Netflix and naps, were sucking me in and I was drowning in a pool of papers and exams. Obviously I was skillfully avoiding all responsibilities when I realized I had not read a book for pure pleasure in a while. Naturally I picked up a book. After about a half hour or less I set it down. I picked up another and again, I set it down. I repeated this process three times. Every novel I seemed to pick up couldn’t maintain my attention. I was getting worried. Have I lost my ability to enjoy reading?! Should I go back to Netflix? Is the world ending?! Dramatic you say? Not at all!
Well in order to avoid near apocalyptic tragedy I put Self-Control (a computer app that blacklists whatever sites you ask it to for a set amount of time) on and sat in front of my bookshelf. My eyes scanned my many TBR novels, attempting to pinpoint the exact book that could reel me in and give me my reading mojo back. Then it hit me: the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
I had never read the series (my childhood was obviously lacking) and I knew it was fun (unless everyone in the history of ever had lied to me). I mean wizards, magic, adventures, and more? It definitely beats the reality of college finals that’s for sure.
Fast forward present day: I am knee-deep in the fourth book and I’m not about to stop. I devoured the Harry Potter the Prisoner of Azkaban in one whole night and had to grab the Goblet of Fire right after. My reading mojo is back! Now hopefully, with so much spare time, by the end of Christmas break I will have read not only the remainder of the Harry Potter series, but also a few other books!
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling because I’m already too far deep. Hogwarts has entrapped me and I am bound to the series until I’ve read every last page; however I’m not really complaining. The picture/link posted for the Harry Potter series is also my dream Christmas gift. The Bloomsbury Harry Potter Paperback Signature Editions are absolutely stunning. The cover art’s minimalism and use of color is what really won me over in contrast to all the other editions.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien because the LOTR films inspired my desire to venture off into Middle Earth. If the movies were that good then I’m hoping the novels will be better. However, I am only going to start out with the first book since I don’t want to get too ahead of myself.
Buried In Books: A Readers Anthology by Julie Rugg because it has been sitting in my TBR stack since last year’s Printers Row Literary Fest and anything dealing with bookworms, book obsessions, and the love for the written word easily makes my heart skip a beat.
What will you be reading during your Christmas vacation? It’s always fun to hear what others will read in their spare time!
Book Intoxicated 
Harry Potter is a great series to get your reading mojo back! I, too, read Prisoner of Azkaban in one night. Got it at midnight the day it was released and was done by 4am! Have you read The Hobbit? The Lord of the Rings is a great series, but the Hobbit is the prequel. Even though The Hobbit is a children’s book, it is beautifully written and might be a good starting point to get to know Middle-Earth. Starting off with LotR might be a bit overwhelming as Tolkien includes so much of Middle-Earth’s history. It might ease you into The Lord of the Rings. Good luck with your December reading!
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Thank you! I actually have also been watching the corresponding films to the Harry Potter novels after finishing each one. Needless to say, the Prisoner of Azkaban film was dreadful. It strayed from a lot of the aspects I thought were wonderful in the novel. I was livid after watching it actually (I may or may not have gone on a rant to a friend after). It also turned me off from the other films, but I think I’m going to power through it!
I have read the Hobbit! I adored it which is another reason I believe I’m ready to embark on the LOTR Trilogy. I totally agree with your point of view of it possibly helping people ease into the trilogy.
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In my experience, movies rarely live up to the books. I missed quite a bit from the books in each Harry Potter movie, but then again, I also missed a lot from The Lord of the Rings.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Lord of the Rings movies! But certain changes have been made and characters omitted and the movies do in parts diverge from the books.
The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring were the first books I read in English cover to cover, at least voluntarily (native German speaker). And I finished The Fellowship about a week before the movie came out. I went to watch it in order to see whether I had understood it all, just to find one of my favourite book characters missing completely.
If you know The Hobbit then the Lord of the Rings trilogy should be easy to follow for you.
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I thoroughly enjoy the use of the Elf gif.
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