Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling - Restarting February 1st 2023

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.

Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.

Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.

[Maddie]

I'll be starting this in a little bit! Possibly today otherwise tomorrow

[Maddie]

Chapter 4 (view spoiler)[Yaaayyy Hagrid! I love the way I'm speeding through this, it's just the same as the movie! But I think the movie details it better. The book has all of the action in the last few pages if I remember right. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Chapter 8 (view spoiler)[Ew Snape. I still never ever understood why he had to be so cruel and unfair to them... Also why did Harry's scar hurt when Snape looked at him? (hide spoiler)]

I'm just assuming people have read this? I really want to include spoilers XD

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Do you mean when they are doing the sorting? (I especially re-watched the movie to see if my guess was correct.) :P

[Maddie]

Nope when they do their first Potions class with Snape. I get so mad when I read it, even though I know what happens, because it just makes no sense

[Maddie]

Also how are things going Book?? I'm hoping to read the rest of this series in the next few months finally! I got the new sketched covers <3

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Maddison wrote: "Nope when they do their first Potions class with Snape. I get so mad when I read it, even though I know what happens, because it just makes no sense"

Huh. I never thought of it. I'm trying to re-watch the scene now to see if I can find a clue.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Maddison wrote: "Also how are things going Book?? I'm hoping to read the rest of this series in the next few months finally! I got the new sketched covers <3"

Good. Ruby has been bored lately so she's been acting out a bit but overall very good. We are finally starting to figure out how to get her to sleep through the night. That's been a huge relief.

I'm trying to read it in French. But it will take me ages. I have it in both kindle and audio. I keep only getting like a paragraph done but I already read it in English in April so French it is!

Oooh sounds pretty!

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Damn can't find the scene. Guess it will remain a mystery...

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

Maddison wrote: "Chapter 8 [spoilers removed]

I'm just assuming people have read this? I really want to include spoilers XD"


Leah and I have both read this several times. So spoilers will be okay.

[Maddie]

Okay cool I thought so XD Any idea why Harry's scar hurts the first time Snape looks at him?

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

If I remember right it's because Professor Quirrell is sitting right next to him.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

In potions class?

[Maddie]

Oh thanks Hannah! Yes that does make sense <3

@Book: I meant in the Great Hall. But the scene that annoyed me was in the Potions class. It's all good. Hannah's got it I believe.

I'll be finishing today! Where are you up to Hannah? I plan on reading #2 next month, and maybe #3, but we'll see

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Ah. I knew it was Quirell in the great hall. lol. But the potions thing is going to annoy me now too. :P

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I will be reading the whole thing on Thursday. It's my all time favorite book so I'll have it done quickly.

[Maddie]

@Book: The potions thing is just Snape being annoying, nothing I was actually asking about then.

[Maddie]

Chapter 7 (view spoiler)[Honestly Hermione is straight up me. Even still, I've got a high moral compass. These two boys are so rude and mean to her! To be fair, they are 11, but still! (hide spoiler)]

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Maddison wrote: "Chapter 7 [spoilers removed]"

SERIES SPOILER

(view spoiler)[It makes me wonder if even back then Ron subconsciously loved her? Like you know how little boys will be mean to little girls they like? (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I thought we didn't have to mention series spoilers XD

(view spoiler)[There aren't any signs though. I'm trying to see it as well. But it basically goes to show that not all great romances are insta-love. These guys have years of annoyance and angst up their sleeves. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Yeah but Hannah and Leah aren’t going to be the only ones to ever use this thread and that’s a major plot point later on. :)

Definitely. If you don’t like insta love you should try Written in Red by Anne Bishop!

[Maddie]

Haha your favourite book XD

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Yup! I literally read it two times a year. Sometimes three. I can’t get enough!

So I got done the first paragraph and with one exception understood it all! Woohoo! Now on to paragraph two.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Done the first page! In total had to look up like 3-5 words but overall not bad. Might try to get through the second page before I sleep. Or I might do sudoku instead.

[Maddie]

Sounds good! I couldn't imagine reading in another language

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

It helps that I was in French Immersion for 6 years. I actually read the first two Harry Potter books in both English and French when I was younger. Almost above both languages reading levels at the time but I succeeded!

[Maddie]

Nice!

[Maddie]

So I didn't finish. Just over 100 pages left, will get through it tomorrow for sure! After work that is.

[Maddie]

Chapter 13 (view spoiler)[Haha just laughed out loud when I read that George hit a Bludger towards Snape on the Quidditch pitch XD Fair enough penalty (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Chapter 14 (view spoiler)[Just some random thoughts that popped back into my head. A while back it said that the storm allowed only a few owls back into the mail in the morning. What happened to the other owls? Did they die? And how do they know where they're going? And does that just mean that the people who have other animals just don't get mail?

And how come this Cloak can cover Harry Ron and Norbert, but before it was struggling to cover just Harry and Ron....

And no one notices four people flying in on broomsticks and leaving with a dragon hanging between them.. Thought there were wards and spells protecting the castle from intruders?

Also how does the Snitch know not to leave the Quidditch stadium and fly away forever? (hide spoiler)]
Little things I've got issues with.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

(view spoiler)[I think it would be too grim to say they died. Maybe they just didn't get sent out or had to take cover?

I don't know how they know. I always wondered that. Much like how I wonder how the pigeons (or whatever they used) in the past knew where to go? Is it a memory thing? Then again this is a magic world maybe that's how?

The school at least has extra owls. Plus if they are wizards they probably have an owl at home at least if not a personal owl.

Magical expanding cloak? lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Chapter 15 (view spoiler)[They say that Gryffindor's now in last place... That they lost 150 points. But they gained 150 points for winning the match. So does that mean they were last before the match? (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Finished! (view spoiler)[I've never liked how they fit the whole last hour and a half of the movie (or something) into 20 pages of a book... So much action in such a short time span! I felt so disconnected (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I'll get to #2 next month :)

[Leah]

Chapters 1-5:
(view spoiler)[I had forgotten that Hagrid was knitting in this book. A nice bonus. Also, I don't think I could be as still as McGonnagll was when she was sitting on the wall as a cat. Dumbledore's scar shaped like the London Underground is interesting, if true. Diagon Alley is still one of my favorite locations in this series. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 5.


(view spoiler)[I've always hated Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley. I still love the world building in this book. Everything is new and it takes place before everything gets crazy. I still think his trip to Diagon Alley is still my favorite scene. (hide spoiler)]

[Leah]

Diagon Alley is great. There's a lot more in the book involving the journey to and from, which I enjoy reading about.

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 9.


(view spoiler)[I really can't stand Hermione at first. Thankfully after the next chapter she gets better. I get that Harry and Ron were going to do something stupid but she could have dealt with it differently. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

Maddison wrote: "Chapter 14 Just some random thoughts that popped back into my head. A while back it said that the storm allowed only a few owls back into the mail in the morning. What happened to the other owls? D..."



I know at Hogwarts you can borrow owls to send mail but I'm not sure how people without owls get their mail.

[Leah]

You can also use post owls from the post office.

[Leah]

I prefer Hermione, too, but I think they are all mean to each other at different times and in different ways.

[Leah]

Chapters 6-9:
(view spoiler)[ Train time again. This time to Hogwarts. I love the snacks they have there, except for the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Too bad there isn't an option for only non-nasty flavors. A lot of Quidditch talk, too. I understand sports love, though. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 13.


(view spoiler)[Malfoy and Snape are so hard to like. No teacher should be allowed to treat students like that. I'm glad that Hermione became more likeable. (hide spoiler)]

[Leah]

Snape and Malfoy are horrible in this book, but they get better, but Peeves and Filch are worse, and they don't.

[Leah]

Chapters 10-13:
(view spoiler)[Halloween & Christmas. Quidditch & Chess. I prefer Quidditch. Hermione is terrible at chess; Harry is a little better than her; Ron is good at it. I'm not good at chess either. I find it boring. Gryffindor won both matches. (hide spoiler)]

[Leah]

I have wondered about the Snitch, too. I don't have an answer to that question. I guess it's like how it knows who touched it first.

[Leah]

Chapters 14-17:
(view spoiler)[Easter. Preparing for exams & saving the Sorcerer's Stone. The last couple of chapters take longer in the movie than the book. I prefer the book version. There's more in the book, but it goes faster. Also, Harry really is lucky not talented. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm finished.


(view spoiler)[It was nice that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were able to get the points back for their house. I know that everyone was really mad at them. Of course it's always a good time when someone beats Slytherin. I still liked this but not as much. It seems the older I get the more things I find annoying. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Yeah it's the nostalgia. I was never a die-hard fan of HP, but I do enjoy it. I knew I'd find the first book more annoying than anything. I watched the movie last night too after finishing the first book. It was the same kind of thing.