The Harry Potter Reading Challenge

So, the beautiful and talented Michelle at Galleysmith posted this:

Calling all muggles! Do you aspire to master the craft of wizardry or witchcraft? Well if so you can start your research here!

**waves wand**

Introducing The Harry Potter Reading Challenge

<> Dang all that awesome mist and fog is getting me all verklempt.

Anyway, the deets:

What: Read or listen to all seven books in the Harry Potter series
· Sorcerer’s Stone
· Chamber of Secrets
· Prisoner of Azkaban
· Goblet of Fire
· Order of the Pheonix
· Half-Blood Prince
· Deathly Hallows

When: The challenge will run from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010. I know we’re all busy with life and work and other such fun things so join up whenever you want, there are no deadlines to the challenge besides the end date above.

Where: E-to the Everywhere! Post reviews on your blog, chat about it on messageboards, post vlogs or podcasts, comment on and converse about it in the monthly post I create here on Galleysmith. It’s entirely up to you, as long as there is some evidence of your having completed each book along the way you are good to go.

How: Sign up to join in and play, cause you know….Harry would want you to and all!

Honestly, what self-respecting Harry Potter fan could resist that? I think it was the wand waving along with the mist and fog that sold me. Either that or she used some sort of charm along with all that wand waving.

Since I haven’t actually finished reading the series yet (I know, I know but it’s because I’ve been reading just before seeing the movies and keeping pace with them) I have to double up on a couple of the books.

My plan is first to read the last two books, then listen to the whole series from the beginning. I had planned for a long time now that when I finished reading the books I would listen to the audio version.. I’ve heard the fabulous Jim Dale read the Peter and the Startcatchers series and I’m definitely looking forward to having him read the Harry Potter series to me. This challenge gives me a great excuse to not only finish reading the last two books but to load up my ipod and enjoy the whole thing all over again.

If you’re still not interested in participating let me tempt you with the rest of Michelle’s post:

Party Gifts!!
I mean come on….what is a party like without gifts? So, over the course of the year there will be giveaways y’all. All things Harry Potter are game so keep an eye out to see what’s happening as we’re truckin’ along.

Since I want to start this party off in style I’m going to give away two Harry Potter box sets (one paperback and one hardcover)!

All you need to do is sign up to participate in the challenge by August 15th and I’ll draw two lucky winners at random to recieve all seven books! How’s that for incentive right?

So head on over to join challenge and immerse yourself in Harry's world for the first or eleventy-first time.