Last night, I did something I’ve never done before. I went to the midnight release party at my local Barnes & Noble to get the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series. I’ve never bought the Harry books in the past, choosing instead to check them out from the library. But I don’t want the big surprises spoiled for me in this book, so I can’t chance waiting until I can get a copy from the library. I was on the waiting list, but I was hold number 178 and thus decided to reserve and buy the book.
Hubby, being the great guy he is, went with me. While I was standing in line (I was number 449), he wandered off to a section where no lines were curling around the bookshelves and read. I’m glad I reserved the book because the poor souls who hadn’t had to stand out in the mall or outside until all the reserved copies had been sold.
Hubby took this photo as I was waiting in line to get my Reserved bracelet showing my spot in line.
This cute little dude, named Griffin (or possibly Gryphon), was behind me in line. His mommies had dressed him up like Harry when he was left on the doorstep of the Dursleys. So cute! And he’s all bug-eyed here because of the flash of my camera.
At approximately 12:45 a.m., I purchased my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
This is when we got home.
I’m currently on Page 168, so PLEASE no spoilers in the comments.
July 22nd, 2007 at 5:48 am
Good for you, Trish!
I thought about hitting a Potter party (though I reserved our copies from Amazon the day it went up for pre-order). But my oldest boy is in Spain and the other two were in Denver, and Her Royal Highness isn’t really into Potter yet, so …
I was bad. As soon as our copies arrived and I opened the box, I flipped to the back and read the last chapter. Because I knew that as soon as the boys arrived home Saturday night, one copy would disappear into one boy’s room and the other would be going off to music camp. And there I would be, having read the first 100 or so pages,having to wait for a copy to be available.
So I read the ending. And now I can wait until my turn comes up in the rotation
July 22nd, 2007 at 11:00 am
Aaack! Kris, I couldn’t do that. With other books, I often flip the end, but not with Harry
I volunteered at our local library’s Harry Potter party. I was the only one sans kids there (my pregnant belly not withstanding). It was great b/c a portion of the book sales went to the library, and there was no huge line. The best part of the evening was when the “students” at “Hogwarts” took their “final exam” in the form of a trivia game that featured questions not answered in the movies–160 kids all getting answer after answer right! It was a great testament to reading 
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:18 pm
FUN! I got mine in the mail yesterday
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:52 am
We went to the party, but actually left at 12:10 when a borders rep told us that we wouldn’t get our book until like 4 am. But it was fun to attend. My son picked up his reserved copy the next morning. No line:)
Teri
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:30 am
I couldn’t look at the end either. Of course, that’s why I’ve done nearly nothing but read the past couple of days. Finally finished the book this morning.
July 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Woo hoo on speed reading!
I swear, I am stunned by the number of people who are finishing it so quickly. I know there always have been two-day readers (or even one/overnight), but it seems none of us could let it play out slowly this time.