Thursday, June 30, 2011

'Hallowed' Cover

I don't know how long it's been out, but the cover for Hallowed is here, and I want to update you on the series!
One of my very first reviews on the blog was of Unearthly, and the second book, Hallowed, is released January 24th of next year. I came across the cover today, which you can see below. A synopsis was also seen with the cover:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. 

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

That as the Goodreads summary, and the cover:

Hallowed (Unearthly, #2)

The ConTour | Concert Review

Last night, June 29th, I went to the Buzzz Pub and Perk in Overland Park, Kansas to attend the ConTour stop here in KC, something I was immensely looking forward to because I love Alex Carpenter's, and Jason Munday's, music. I have to say I wasn't familiar with Alex Boyd nor Christian Caldeira, though I was aware of Christian's involvement with Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls. Alex is a local Wrocker and he sang for the first half-hour, and he did a great job of incorporating Harry Potter into his song about "the greatest date ever". Isaac and I were sitting right behind the tour guys as they watched the show, and I have to say I felt really starstruck. They were all very supportive of each other and joked around as they each performed, which was an environment I really liked. After Alex was Christian, and I turned out loving his music more than I thought I would. He has a very bluesy sound, with a nice, calm voice that definitely belonged in the coffee bar. His songs were not related to Harry Potter, but not every song played at the venue was. He performed a phenomenal cover of "Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke, a performer from the 50s and 60s. The song was very calming and relaxed, and the crowd really enjoyed it. Then Jason came on stage, and I was freaking excited for his performance. He opened it up with a performance of "Ready For Anything", a song that was prefaced with a speech about Star Wars. Then he performed a song that he wrote with Mike Lombardo, a YouTuber, which I can't remember the title of, but he did an impersonation of Mike during Lombardo's verse, and it put a smile on the faces of people who knew of Mike. Next up was a song called "Luna Lovegood" and, if you're a longtime blog reader, you know my obsession with Luna, so I was ecstatic that he performed this song. Finally, he performed "California Dorks", a song to which everyone hopped up and danced to. Alex Carpenter entered the stage next, and sang "Bowties Are Cool", a Doctor Who inspired piece, "Rainbow Connection/The Weasleys", "Reaping Day", a song based off of the first chapter of The Hunger Games, then he sang an ode to Albus Dumbledore, and also another song for Ms. Lovegood. I had to leave a bit early, and caught about a minute of "Lovely Lily", a song about James Potter and Lily Evans.
Overall, the concert was a blast of fun, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to have a good time while listening to amazing music.
THE CONCERT STAR-RATING:

First Clip From 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' : Ron and Hermione Enter the Chamber

In this new clip released by Warner Bros., Ron and Hermione enter the Chamber of Secrets to gather basilisk fangs to destroy the cup Horcrux. I am not watching this clip because I don't want to be "spoiled". I know I've read the book, but this scene is an added sequence and I want the full effect when I watch it in context with the movie. I will watch clips if they are of scenes that I wouldn't mind seeing before the movie, but this seems like too much. You can watch the clip here.

Sneak Peek At Chaper Six From 'Pottermore'

POTTERMORE has released it's first sneak peek at a chapter from Pottermore. I have to say I'm very underwhelmed, and I did expected more. It shows the format of the website, and what it would be like as you approach new chapters. You can view that here.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

'Harry Potter Weekend' To Debut New Clips

Beginning on July 7th, ABC Family will begin another Harry Potter Weekend, which will feature new clips from the final film, as well as a new sweepstakes that fans can enter. It begins July 7th, and the sweepstakes begins tomorrow. Click here to find out more about the stakes. 

New 'Horcruxes' Featurette

The new featurette provides new clips of the different places Harry, Ron, and Hermione look for the Horcruxes. We see Harry reunited with some Hogwarts students like Neville and Lavender, but you know who isn't there? LUNA! Anyways...you can watch the featurette here.

New Parseltongue Translator From Warner Bros.!

I am excited to write this post, because Warner Bros. has opened a new translator for Parseltongue! Now you can communicate with your friends in the Potter language...even though you may sound Satanic to people out-of-the-know...don't speak Parseltongue in front of your grandma, if she's religious. You can check out the translator here.

Deathly Hallows: Part II | Where We Left Off' Featurette

A new featurette from the new film was released, featuring cast and crew interviews as well as new clips from the final film, such as Harry flying through the Room of Requirement and Harry lifting his head from the Pensieve. The featurette is mostly a recap of the last film, and is not jam-packed with new clips, but you can watch it here.

Entertainment Weekly Releases Sneak Peek At the Gringotts Break-In

While on EntertainmentWeekly.com I found a new behind-the-scenes clip of the Gringotts break-in scene, prefaced by a series of clips, including one of Hermione proposing that a Horcrux may be in Bellatrix's vault. To watch the clip, click here

POTTERMORE Teaser To Be Released Tomorrow!

The official Pottermore Twitter has announced a new series of sneak peeks coming tomorrow!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

'The Vespertine' Book Review

The Vespertine
Saundra Mitchell
Harcourt
293 pg., U.S. Hardcover
3/5 Stars

The Vespertine (The Vespertine, #1)
This is another book I was really excited, but I wasn't a big fan of the Victorian-era thing in this book. I loved it in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, where the setting was apart of the story, and almost a character. In this book, I didn't feel like the setting really helped anything. I also didn't find a looming, immense conflict that one could expect from the cover, which features the main character running away from something, with a frightened look upon her face.
The good things I'd like to point out are that the voice of the characters was unique, and something very genuine to the time era. I also liked each character's personality, and the way they could be distinguished as characters by their actions and attitudes. The character I could easily recognize by voice and activity was Zora, the main character's cousin.
Overall, the book was average. It was a quick read, but not something I'd recommend. I might check out the sequel, Springsweet, which comes out next year.

Monday, June 27, 2011

'Fear' Cover Revealed!

In March, Isaac and I interviewed Michael Grant for an hour, an interview I will never forget and that you can find on YouTube. The cover for the fifth book in the GONE series was revealed and today and you can see it after the jump!

Third 'Body Finder' Title & Cover Revealed

Kimberly Derting reveals the title of the next installment in the Body Finder series! Check it out after the jump!

Friday, June 24, 2011

'HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART II | THE STORY" Featurette

Earlier today, Comcast debuted a new featurette from DH2 on their website. For some, it was hard to access, so we waited until it was up on YouTube. Watch it here. It includes new scenes such as Molly beginning her highly-anticipated line towards Bellatrix right after we see Ginny deflect a spell, Ariana Dumbledore's portrait in the Hog's Head after we see the Trio enter the pub, different characters running across the grounds through crowds of people, Molly and Flitwick putting up protective charms, watching crowds of Death Eaters and students, and more.

'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Official Soundtrack Samples

Not too long ago, we told you the official tracklisting for the Deathly Hallows: Part II soundtrack. If you want to here samples of all the songs, click here

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Win An ARC of 'Shatter Me'

By clicking this link, you'll be taking the Portkey to the blog of Tahereh Mafi, author of the new novel from HarperTeen, Shatter Me. All you have to do is leave a comment saying you want a copy! The book sounds amazing, and I've entered myself! Go enter now!

New 'Deathly Hallows' TV Spot Containing the (Ever PISSED) Grey Lady

I didn't want to see the Grey Lady in any promotion for the film, because she's a new character, and would confuse viewers of TV Spots who haven't read the book. She is definitely a tease, and in the new TV Spot, she is shouting at Harry, "I KNOW who he is! I KNOW what he's done with Dark magic!" In the book, I always saw her as proud and haughty, but still calm and collected. Not spazzing out everywhere.

Pottermore Unveiled!

Today is the day we've all been waiting for. As I right this post, it's 5:48 CT and I'm preparing myself for JK Rowling's YouTube announcement for Pottermore. Jo has built people's anxiety and excitement and expectations since last week when revealing the clues, Twitter, and website. It's 5:55 and I'm waiting for the LIVE MuggleCast reaction episode. I'll tease you when whatever happens to Jo's countdown actually happens!

I just watched the video after rabid shaking and overwhelming emotions. I don't know if I'm happy or sad, but right now I think that I'm happy.

Pottermore is...

"An online reading experience unlike any other ... It's the same story, with a few crucial additions. The most important one is you. Just as the experience of reading requires the imaginations of the reader and the author, so Pottermore will be built, in part, by you. ... safe, unique online experience built around the Harry Potter books ... fans can share, participate in, and rediscover the stories. It will also be the place to purchase audiobooks and, for the first time, eBooks. [Jo] will be joining in, too, because [she] will be sharing additional information [she's] been holding for years,"

Registration is open in October, and a lucky few will be selected to help shaping the community.

Well, what do you think? I am now loving this idea, and cannot wait until Jo announces the new information, and I also can't wait to see what she means by partaking in the rediscovering of Jo's tales.

Leave a comment below expressing your thoughts.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Two New 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' TV Spots

Props to Oclumencia for obtaining two new TV Spots.
The first one shows new scenes from McGonagall and Neville, and inside Gringotts. Watch it here
The second one shows a much more epic side to the film, with a lot of action, and new shots of George, the Trio, Voldemort, and Gringotts. Watch that one here.

'Paper Towns' Book Review

Paper Towns
John Green
305 pg., U.S. Paperback
Penguin Group, USA
4/5 Stars



Paper Towns is about a boy named Quentin who has been infatuated with a girl named Margo Roth Speigelman for all of his life. Margo appears in his room one night and they embark on an all-night revenge-seeking adventure. The next day at school, Margo is not there. Nor the next day. Nor the next week. Quentin and his friends discover clues about Margo and her whereabouts as the story continues.
The blurb on the cover says that Paper Towns is "profoundly moving," but I wouldn't go that far. The characters are developed very well in this story, and I applaud John Green for that. Green also took the time to carefully arrange each piece of the story arc, like it was a spider web; if you took one little strand, you'd find yourself led to the next one until you found Margo in the center. Although the book did receive a four star from me, it went downhill after the first half of the book. I became a bit confused with where Quentin was searching and why he was there, so you definitely have to pay close attention to all of Margo's clues.
Overall, the book was good and I'm glad I picked it up. You can check it out John's YouTube vlogs here, with his brother Hank Green.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Scottish Wishlist

MuggleNet provided a new editorial from Lady Lupin, where she provided a wishlist of things she hopes to see from the ever-affectionately fan-titledScottish Book, the Harry Potter encyclopedia that Jo Rowling has promised her fans. With Pottermore approaching in less than two days, I cannot stress enough how much in the past week that I think Pottermore is the encyclopedia. So here’s a mini-version of my wishlist.
The main thing I want to know is anything and everything about the Lovegoods.
-Luna’s mother:
  • What was her name?
  • How exactly did she die? I mean, we know it was because she experimented with magic, but what happened?
  • What kind of witch was she? Was she a Ravenclaw?
  • Past
-Luna and Rolf
  • How did they meet?
  • What kind of wizard is Rolf?
  • What exactly is a “wizard naturalist
  • Rolf’s, and Luna’s, early Hogwarts years
-Xenophilius’s life as a single parent/working for the Quibbler
I also want to know about Albus and Gellert’s relationship, and about the Department of Mysteries, and about who ends up with who.

Monday, June 20, 2011

New 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' TV Spot

Thanks to Leaky on Tumblr, we've found a new TV Spot for Deathly Hallows: Part II. The new clip, which can be seen here, features a handful of news clips including:
-McGonagall welcoming Harry back to Hogwarts
-The Trio + Griphook inside of Bellatrix's vault
-The Trio changing into fresh clothes after jumping off of the dragon and into the lake
-Dumbledore's Army walking through Hogwarts cloisters
-The Trio Apparating into Hogsmeade, which looks like it has snow on the ground...
-Hogwarts students cheering, presumably after the battle.
-NO LUNA FREAKING LOVEGOOD! Come on WB, where is everyone's favorite Ravenclaw?

Danny Elfman Composing 'The Hunger Games'

It has been confirmed that Danny Elfman, the composter for films such as Alice in Wonderland, Wanted, Edward Scissorhands, and a number of other Tim Burton films, has been signed on for composing The Hunger Games. Danny has a very dark element to his pieces, and I'm very excited! What do you guys think?

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Peter Jackson Produces New Character for 'The Hobbit'

As two new members have been added to the cast of The Hobbit, once choice is for a character not present in the original story. Find out more after the jump!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

New 'Deathly Hallows' TV Spot Contains New Clips, Rated PG-13

Warner Bros.'s YouTube channel has been updated with a new TV Spot for Deathly Hallows: Part II, which you can watch below. The clip includes scenes from the 'Forest Again' chapter, Kingsley and others walking into the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione deep in Gringotts. The very end of the clip provides a statement saying the film is rated PG-13, which is no surprise. The film has also been rated 12A for viewers in the UK.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Trailer Recap

To view the new trailer, click here.

*MAJOR SPOILER WARNING*



  • The trailer begins with Lily telling Harry to "be safe. Be strong" the night that she is killed.
  • There is then a series of clips from earlier films, leading up to a shot of the Quidditch pitch under fire
  • Two shots from the previous trailer air (Harry shivering, Voldemort's eyes opening)
  • Clips from earlier films resume
  • Dementors are seen watching Hogwarts
  • Snape telling Dumbledore, "You have kept him alive to kill him at the proper moment"
  • Voldemort telling Lucius in the boat house, "Bring him to me"
  • New shots of the Gringotts cart spiraling through the catacombs, then the passengers are flung out of the cart
  • Harry and Hermione leaning against some type of stone
  • Ron: "We can end this"
  • The trio on the back of the dragon, Hermione dressed as Bellatrix, and they jump off and into the lake
  • Death Eaters looking at Hogwarts
  • McGonagall and Molly announcing that Hogwarts isn't safe 
  • The trio looking at Hogwarts
  • Remus and Tonks reach for each other's hands
  • Voldemort, Nagini, and Bellatrix by the protective shields of Hogwarts
  • Ginny looking up.
  • The trio looking up
  • Flitwick looking up? YEAH, that's right. Go Ravenclaw!
  • Death Eaters shooting spells at the castle
  • A giant running to battle
  • Ron and Hermione running through the Room of Requirement
  • Lucius in the courtyard
  • Dementors swarming
  • Voldemort creepily, yet epically reaching out his hand as tendrils of his cloak reach out to Harry Potter
  • Snape Apparating
  • Harry yelling at Snape about killing Dumbledore
  • Death Eaters penetrating Hogwarts
  • Harry running through a destroyed cloister
  • Molly looking really pissed...most likely about to fight Bellatrix, or after she did? Maybe?
  • Ron and Hermione holding each other as some HEAVY wind blows their hair. Such models, they are.
  • A shot of a Hogwarts bridge
  • Crabbe falling into the Fiendfyre. His face kind of looks like Voldemort's....
  • The trio zooming by on brooms through the Room of Requirement
  • Harry in the Forbidden Forest, surrounded by Remus, Sirius, Lily, and James, as Harry asks Lily if she'll stay with him, and she replies "Always" and then Sirius says, "Until the end."
  • Neville being shot back, and it looks like he's holding Gryffindor's sword
  • Hermione and Ron running from some Acromantulas
  • Fiendfyre charging towards the Room of Requirement doors
  • Harry and Voldemort diving off of the cliff...once more
  • A Death Eater casting a curse on someone
  • Harry and Voldemort dueling on a stairwell
  • Slughorn casting a spell
  • More Fiendfyre...
  • Harry and Ginny kissing
  • Bellatrix playfully battling Molly
  • A bridge breaking
  • Figures evaporating into some kind of liquid...
  • Ron and Hermione running through the Chamber of Secrets
  • A giant blue shield blocking the Dementors. Presumably made by Aberforth. 
  • A duel in a tower
  • Voldemort and Harry reaching for their wands
  • Harry shooting a spell around a corner
  • Voldemort and Nagini Apparating (Snakes can Apparate...?)
  • Harry and Ron watching Tonks in battle
  • Harry defending the trio from an oncoming group of Fiendfyre
For more coverage (is that even possible?) stay tuned for the next episode of PPP!

'Bloodrose' Cover Revealed!

The official cover for Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer is now revealed! The book is the third in a series by Andrea Cremer, whom we interviewed. You can check out our interview with Andrea on YouTube, and check the cover out after the jump!

Official 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Tracklisting

The soundtrack for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II is released July 12th. Find out the tracklisting after the jump!

Four New Editions of 'The Hunger Games' To Be Released

Scholastic has made a very intriguing announcement for all of you The Hunger Games fans! But is this news as exciting as it is cracked up to be?

POTTERMORE Updates

Today, the Pottermore website was updates with two owls sitting on branches. If you click on the owls, they will take you to the official YouTube where Jo will make her announcement. There is a countdown where the video will be, and from the countdown, we can take that the announcement will be made late Wednesday/early Thursday.

The Pottermore website

The JK Rowling Announcement

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

'Pottermore' Revealed

All day, Potter fans have been on their toes searching for clues on a website called Secret Street View, where they would find ten letters and try and decode them. The letters were:

E    T    O    R   O   E   T  R   M   P

A lot of people thought this meant either 'More Potter' or 'Pottermore'. It turns out to be the latter. Pottermore is still relatively unknown to fans, but there is a Twitter for it and a website. What do you think Pottermore is?

New 'Deathly Hallows' Trailer To Debut Tomorrow!

AMAZING NEWS! Warner Bros. has confirmed that a second trailer for Deathly Hallows: Part II will debut on Apple's website at 4 PM Pacific, 5 PM Mountain, 6 PM Central, 7 PM Eastern. Just in case you couldn't figure out your own time zone.

What are you looking forward to from this trailer?

'Divergent' Sequel Title Revealed

Today on her blog, author of Divergent, Veronica Roth, announced that the title of the sequel to the novel will be called Insurgent. She followed this announcement with a dictionary definition of the word, and the following is the definition.

INSURGENT. Origin:
1755–65; < Latin insurgent- (stem of insurgÄ“ns ) present participle of insurgere: to get up, ascend, rebel.

1. a person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, especially a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel.
2. a member of a section of a political party that revolts against the methods or policies of the party.
3. one that acts contrary to the established leadership (as of a political party, union, or corporation) or its decisions and policies
4. (international law) a person or group that rises in revolt against an established government or authority but whose conduct does not amount to belligerency


Some of the definitions, Roth said, don't exactly apply to the book, but some do. Which ones do you think?

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

New 'Deathly Hallows' Death Eater Poster

The newest promotional poster for the eighth and final Harry Potter film features Voldemort, Bellatrix, Lucius, Narcissa, and other Death Eaters.

View it on Facebook here

Monday, June 13, 2011

'It All Ends' New Poster From Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly released a new poster of the trio and other characters in the background. You can view the poster below. Once again, we see practically every character except Luna. Warner Bros., you suck at promoting the best Harry Potter character.

Friday, June 10, 2011

'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Is 2 hr 5 min!

Yeah, that's right! Order of the Phoenix is no longer the shortest film in the Harry Potter series. Deathly Hallows: Part II is to be 125 minutes long. The longest of the films is...non-surprisingly...Chamber of Secrets.

What do you think of DH2 being the shortest? Good or bad?

New Promotional Poster Featuring Harry vs. Voldemort

Warner Bros. has released a massive banner from Deathly Hallows: Part II featuring Voldemort battling Harry, and in the background is Bellatrix, Lucius, Ron, Hermione, and Neville! It's an awesome poster and can be seen below.

Tickets for 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Now Available!

SO: I was on Twitter and as I was scrolling down, I saw the word "Hogwarts" in a Tweet from AMC. Upon reading the full Tweet, I realized that TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR 'DEATHLY HALLOWS'!! So, go to your local theatre, movietickets.com, fandango.com, or wherever you go to get your tickets!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

New 'Deathly Hallows' Poster Features the Trio Atop the Gringotts Dragon

In a new poster released today from Warner Bros., the trio is depicted as sitting astride the dragon that protects the Gringotts Bank.

The trio sit atop the Gringotts dragon as it escapes the wizarding bank.

Potter People Podcast | Andrea Cremer Interview

Riley interviews New York Times-bestselling author of Nightshade, Andrea Cremer.
We discuss
-Upcoming novels
-The possibility of a guide to the series
-Name etymology
-Harry Potter, duh


You can download that interview here.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

'Vesper' Book Review

Vesper
Jeff Sampson
288 pg., U.S. Hardcover
Balzer + Bray
5/5 Stars



Right when I began this book, I was immediately hooked on the mysterious link between Emily Webb and the murdered Emily Cooke. The book opens with a bang, announcing the death of a popular girl at Emily Webb's school. Emily soon begins to act strange when night falls and makes realizations that will blow the reader's mind. I though this book brought the right mix of action, humor, and seriousness when needed. Emily really kept me on my toes and I thought she was a freaking awesome, kick-ass kind of character! Jeff Sampson created a perfectly-crafted page-turner that will hold your attention from start to finish. A lot of the time, I don't like 1st person, but I thought it really suited this book well, along with the intervals with "Mr. Savage".

The sequel to this book, Havoc, is set to be released January 2012.

11 New 'Deathly Hallows' Character Banners Released

Yahoo! Movies has released 11 new character banners from Deathly Hallows: Part II 


You can view all of them below. Copyright to Warner Bros.











Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Chapter Recaps | Sorcerer's Stone Chapters 13-17

I discuss the last five chapters of the first Potter book.

You can download this installment here.

Chapter Recaps | Sorcerer's Stone Chapter 11 & 12

In this installment of CHAPTER RECAPS, I discuss the eleventh and twelfth chapters in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone


Download that here!

Monday, June 6, 2011

WB Releases New 'Deathly Hallows' Featurette

By clicking this link, you can watch a new featurette that Warner Bros. has released, including clips from all eight films, and extended footage from Deathly Hallows: Part II.

Credit : Apple

Sunday, June 5, 2011

New 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Clip

Tonight, Emma Watson presented the new clip/sneak peek at the newest Harry Potter film! It depicts the 'Forest Again' scene, longer than in the trailers, and we see Bellatrix and Hagrid with the obvious Voldemort and Harry!

Click here to watch it!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

MTV Movie Awards 2011 -- My Predictions

The MTV Movie Awards, to me, is a mainstream piece of crap. Sure, watching it is always fun, and I love all the clips that are shown, especially since a Part II clip will be aired. But the main problem I have with the show is that it is one of the 'choice' awards. This means that viewers can choose the winners of each category. Here's the bug: most of the viewers/voters on the show are teenage girls. What film franchise are teenage girls most likely to vote for? Twilight. If this was a show that still contained the same nominations, but critics and film professionals, then movies that will most likely sweep the awards would be Social Network, Harry Potter, or Black Swan.

Here's my opinion versus the popular opinion.

BEST MOVIE
Okay, I think it's kind of obvious who I want to win, and who I think should win. Harry Potter should definitely come out on top at this year's ceremony. But I think that if this one doesn't win, then Eclipse will probably scoop up the trophy, as much as I HATE to say it. The teenage girls will swoon over the new Breaking Dawn clip that will air, and are submitting their last-minute votes as I type.

BEST KISS
Just watch Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart walk up their as awkward as they always are, give their stuttering speeches and then walk away. Once again, the popularity vote will probably bring this one in first, then Dan and Emma, then Natalie and Mila from Black Swan. Once again, I want HP to win, but Eclipse may take the cake.

BEST VILLAIN
I think that it's quite obvious Tom Felton will win this one. It's a good thing Victoria from Eclipse wasn't put up there, or else HP might have been doomed for the night. But Draco really wasn't a villain in the film...he was weak and defenseless, and a better nominee would have been Voldemort. But, once again, they're appealing to teenage girls.

BEST FIGHT
Is it me, or is Kick-Ass really pushing it? I think that cinematically, the best fight really, truly was Harry Potter, but in a close second would be Inception. The DHI fight was very well done, as was the Inception one. I think this may be the one that Eclipse loses.

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
But 'Best Fight' won't be the only place Eclipse lacks. I think that Emma Watson will walk away with this award. Not only because she's a much better actress than K-Stew, but because HP fans will really pull through on this one. I also love Emma Stone, so I hope if Emma doesn't win, Emma Stone does. She was pretty funny in Easy A.

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
This is the second category that Eclipse gets two nods in, and I find that completely unfair. Why wasn't Rupert nominated. I bet Rob or Taylor will win, but I voted for Dan, and I am again right now.

I know I didn't discuss all of the categories, but honestly, these are the ones I care most about. Let's win this one Potter-heads!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Emma Watson To Present New 'Deathly Hallows: Part II' Clip At MTV Movie Awards

Sunday night (5th), at 9 pm ET, MTV is holding its annual Movie Awards. Emma Watson will be presenting a new clip from the final Harry Potter film at the show, so tune in for that, and we will definitely link it to you!

'Bitter End' Book Review

Bitter End 
Jennifer Brown
354 pg., ARC
Little, Brown
4/5 Stars



Bitter End is about a girl named Alex who has spent her life with one parent, two sisters, and two bestfriends. She works at a local hangout called The Bread Bowl (I love the name) and lives an absolutely normal life. It isn't like the whole "normal life" thing changes, really, but the way she looks at life and relationships definitely does change. Alex meets a boy from a different district who has moved to her school. His name is Cole, and before no time, Cole begins to abuse Alex.

I really like this book, and I wish I could give it 5 stars, but one thing really irks me. I think this book should have been told through 3rd person, because we really only see Cole as an antagonist. I'm not saying that an abuser is a protagonist, but I wish that we could have seen things from two ends of the spectrum. I would have liked to have seen Cole's home life and its affect on his abusive personality. I didn't really like the characters and their development and this book, and I think Alex was very unrealistic. She should have reported the abuse straight to the police. I know this isn't always the case, but it would have been nice to have had that type of character rather than the damsel in distress. A better character-developed novel would have shown the aftermath of this abusive relationship more in depth.

We have interviewed Jen, and we are planning on doing the same to talk about this novel, so go check out our interview with her, and stay tuned for another!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Potter People Podcast #1 - A June, A Jace, and a Julie

The first episode of Potter People Podcast on iTunes! Isaac is filling in for Alejandra, and we're discussing news, the 'Shell Cottage' from Deathly Hallows , and we interview Julie Kagawa -- the author of 'The Iron Fey'.

http://ia600608.us.archive.org/3/items/PotterPeoplePodcast1-AJuneAJaceAndAJulie/peepeepeeepisodeoneyeahithinkso.wav

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

'Born This Way' Sells 2,000,000 Copies Worldwide

Yesterday, we reported that Born This Way, the newest album from Lady Gaga, sold 1.1 million copies. Well, that was just in the US. In total, worldwide, the album sold an extra 1 million copies, bringing it up to 2 million! This is just physical album copies, as far as I know, and not digital copies. The album is the fastest-selling album of the year. This is an amazing amount, considering how many CDs are now sold through iTunes.

Rumor: 'The Hunger Games Trilogy' To Be Four Films

The following news post is a rumor, it may or may not be true. We will update you of any confirmation.


In a new press statement, Deadline provided an interview from a Lionsgate executive, stating that The Hunger Games will change Lionsgate, and that it will be an 'outsized success'. Prefacing the interview, Deadline stated that The Hunger Games was a 'series of four action films'. In April, Suzanne Collins expressed interest in a prequel to the series. Is that what the fourth film is? Or is one of the films being split? I honestly don't think Mockingjay should be split. In my opinion, if any of the books were to be split, it should be Catching Fire; the first half focusing on the building rebellion and the whole political aspects, and the second half being the Quell.

Chapter Recaps | Sorcerer's Stone Chapters 6-10

Riley discusses chapters 6-10 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

http://ia600606.us.archive.org/20/items/ChapterRecapsSorcerersStoneChapters6-10/hemeegawwdd.wav

Rumor [UPDATED]: Gabby Cunha Cast As Thalia Grace In 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Sea of Monsters'

The following news report is a rumor. It may or may not be true.


According to IMDb, a sometimes unreliable source, Gabby Cunha has been cast as Thalia Grace in the film adaption of Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. I would not be surprised if they have cast her, considering filming for SoM is expected to begin this summer. We will update you on any confirmation.

UPDATE: This rumor was proven false a while ago; Paloma Kwiatkowski has been cast has Thalia Grace. 

'Son of Neptune' Cover Released

Apparently a few days ago (yeah, shock to me, too), Rick Riordan/Hyperion released the cover to Son of Neptune, the sequel to The Lost Hero. A preview of the book was also released with the cover.

The cover looks like this:



So that the book doesn't show up in your iTunes feed, we are not linking you to it. But you can visit Rick Riordan's blog (rickriordan) to read it.

New 'Deathly Hallows' Poster Featuring Bellatrix

WB released the eighth character poster for DH2, featuring my favorite villainess: Bellatrix Lestrange. You can see that poster here.

New 'Deathly Hallows: Part II: Video Game' Trailer

Today, Rupert Grint introduced the new trailer for the DH2 video game.

The trailer features character spotlights on Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Molly, McGonagall, Neville, and Seamus (WTF?!). I have no idea why they incorporated Seamus....we have seen him in a lot of posters and photos, though. They haven't even showed Luna at all in any trailers, photos, posters or anything! Whatever...

'The Iron Knight' Cover Revealed

Today, Julie Kagawa (whom we are interviewing tomorrow, June 2nd) released the cover to her newest Iron Fey novel, The Iron Knight, which is told from Ash's perspective.

This is the cover: