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Free American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, Jim DeFelice

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:51:00 +0000

He is the deadliest American sniper ever, called "the devil" by the enemies he hunted and "the legend" by his Navy SEAL brothers . . . From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 150 of Kyles kills (the previous American record was 109), but it has declined to verify the astonishing total number for this book. Iraqi insurgents feared Kyle so much they named him "al-Shaitan" ("the devil") and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle earned legendary status among his fellow SEALs, Marines, and U.S. Army soldiers, whom he protected with deadly accuracy from rooftops and stealth positions. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle's masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.A native Texan who learned to shoot on childhood hunting trips with his father, Kyle was a champion saddle-bronc rider prior to joining the Navy. After 9/11, he was thrust onto the front lines of the War on Terror, and soon found his calling as a world-class sniper who performed best under fire. He recorded a personal-record 2,100-yard kill shot outside Baghdad; in Fallujah, Kyle braved heavy fire to rescue a group of Marines trapped on a street; in Ramadi, he stared down insurgents with his pistol in close combat. Kyle talks honestly about the pain of war--of twice being shot and experiencing the tragic deaths of two close friends. "American Sniper" also honors Kyles fellow warriors, who raised hell on and off the battlefield. And in moving first-person accounts throughout, Kyles wife, Taya, speaks openly about the strains of war on their marriage and children, as well as on Chris. Adrenaline-charged and deeply personal, "American Sniper" is a thrilling eyewitness account of war that only one man could tell.

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FREE Final Fantasy XIII: The Complete Official Guide by Piggyback

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:49:00 +0000

The complete official guide to FINAL FANTASY XIII

* Every secret, every side-quest, every mini-game, every bonus, every Achievement and every Trophy revealed and explained in a dedicated Extras chapter

* Dedicated walkthrough charts the most rewarding path through this epic adventure

* Strategy & Analysis chapter exposes hidden mechanics, advanced battle tactics and techniques for obtaining optimal rewards

* All-encompassing Inventory and Bestiary chapters feature exhaustive lists and tables covering all enemies, weapons and shops

* Bears all the hallmarks of a Piggyback guide, including annotated maps, hi-res screenshots and a wealth of exclusive, official artwork

* Carefully designed to avoid unnecessary story spoilers

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The Emperor of All Maladies A Biography of CanceR by Siddhartha Mukherjee FREE DOWNLOAD

noreply@blogger.com (ARK ABBOT) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:40:00 +0000

The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificent, profoundly humane “biography” of cancer—from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence. Physician, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with a cellular biologist’s precision, a historian’s perspective, and a biographer’s passion. The result is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with—and perished from—for more than five thousand years. The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries of discoveries, setbacks, victories, and deaths, told through the eyes of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely resourceful adversary that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out “war against cancer.” The book reads like a literary thriller with cancer as the protagonist. From the Persian Queen Atossa, whose Greek slave cut off her malignant breast, to the nineteenth-century recipients of primitive radiation and chemotherapy to Mukherjee’s own leukemia patient, Carla, The Emperor of All Maladies is about the people who have soldiered through fiercely demanding regimens in order to survive—and to increase our understanding of this iconic disease. Riveting, urgent, and surprising, The Emperor of All Maladies provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments. It is an illuminating book that provides hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer.

Amazon Best Books of the Month, November 2010: "In 2010, about six hundred thousand Americans, and more than 7 million humans around the world, will die of cancer." With this sobering statistic, physician and researcher Siddhartha Mukherjee begins his comprehensive and eloquent "biography" of one of the most virulent diseases of our time. An exhaustive account of cancer's origins, The Emperor of All Maladies illustrates how modern treatments--multi-pronged chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, as well as preventative care--came into existence thanks to a century's worth of research, trials, and small, essential breakthroughs around the globe. While The Emperor of All Maladies is rich with the science and history behind the fight against cancer, it is also a meditation on illness, medical ethics, and the complex, intertwining lives of doctors and patients. Mukherjee's profound compassion--for cancer patients, their families, as well as the oncologists who, all too often, can offer little hope--makes this book a very human history of an elusive and complicated disease

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz free download

noreply@blogger.com (ARK ABBOT) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:44:00 +0000

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Red Mistby Patricia Cornwell free download

noreply@blogger.com (ARK ABBOT) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:42:00 +0000

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Red Mist is Patricia Cornwell's 19th Kay Scarpetta novel. When Kay starts investigating the death of her former deputy chief, her life is threatened and she discovers and international terrorism conspiracy.

The Fire by James Patterson free download

noreply@blogger.com (ARK ABBOT) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:40:00 +0000

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney free download

noreply@blogger.com (ARK ABBOT) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:20:00 +0000

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Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.

The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

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free download The Litigators

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:06:00 +0000

The Litigators

by: John Grisham

The partners at Finley & Figg--all two of them--often refer to themselves as "a boutique law firm." Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. They are, of course, none of these things. What they are is a two-bit operation always in search of their big break, ambulance chasers who've been in the trenches much too long making way too little. Their specialties, so to speak, are quickie divorces and DUIs, with the occasional jackpot of an actual car wreck thrown in. After twenty plus years together, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg bicker like an old married couple but somehow continue to scratch out a half-decent living from their seedy bungalow offices in southwest Chicago.

And then change comes their way. More accurately, it stumbles in. David Zinc, a young but already burned-out attorney, walks away from his fast-track career at a fancy downtown firm, goes on a serious bender, and finds himself literally at the doorstep of our boutique firm. Once David sobers up and comes to grips with the fact that he's suddenly unemployed, any job--even one with Finley & Figg--looks okay to him.

With their new associate on board, F&F is ready to tackle a really big case, a case that could make the partners rich without requiring them to actually practice much law. An extremely popular drug, Krayoxx, the number one cholesterol reducer for the dangerously overweight, produced by Varrick Labs, a giant pharmaceutical company with annual sales of $25 billion, has recently come under fire after several patients taking it have suffered heart attacks. Wally smells money.

A little online research confirms Wally's suspicions--a huge plaintiffs' firm in Florida is putting together a class action suit against Varrick. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of people who have had heart attacks while taking Krayoxx, convince them to become clients, join the class action, and ride along to fame and fortune. With any luck, they won't even have to enter a courtroom!

It almost seems too good to be true.

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free download Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy

by: Bill Clinton

I wrote this book because I love my country and I'm concerned about our future, writes Bill Clinton. As I often said when I first ran for President in 1992, America at its core is an ideathe idea that no matter who you are or where you're from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you'll have the freedom and opportunity to pursue your own dreams and leave your kids a country where they can chase theirs. In Back to Work, Clinton details how we can get out of the current economic crisis and lay a foundation for long-term prosperity. He offers specific recommendations on how we can put people back to work and create new businesses, increase bank lending and corporate investment, double our exports, and restore our manufacturing base. He supports President Obamas emphasis on green technology, saying that change in the way we produce and consume energy is the strategy most likely to spark a fast-growing economy and enhance our national security. Clinton also says that we need both a strong economy and a smart government working together to restore prosperity and progress. He demonstrates that whenever weve given in to the temptation to blame government for our problems, weve lost our commitment to shared prosperity, balanced growth, financial responsibility, and investment in the future. That has led our nation into trouble because there are some things we have to do together. For example, he says, Our ability to compete in the twenty-first century is dependent on our willingness to invest in infrastructure: we need faster broadband, a state-of-the-art national electrical grid, modernized water and sewer systems, and the best airports, trains, roads, and bridges. There is no evidence that we can succeed in the twenty-first century with an antigovernment strategy, writes Clinton, with a philosophy grounded in Youre on your own rather than Were all in this together. Clinton believes that conflict between government and the private sector has proved to be remarkably good politics, but it has produced bad policies, giving us a weak economy with few jobs, growing income inequality and poverty, and a decline in our competitive position. In the real world, cooperation works much better than conflict, and we need victories in the real world.

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free download Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle)

by Christopher Paolini

Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances. The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.Sneak Peek at Chapter TItles from InheritanceMooneaterTo Feed a GodBlack-Shrike-Thorn-CaveA Crown of Ice and SnowA Cradle SongDancing with SwordsA Sea of NettlesNo Honor, No Glory, Only Blisters in Unfortunate PlacesThe Hall of the SoothsayerBurrow Grubs

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The Song of Ice and Fire Series: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

noreply@blogger.com (ARK ABBOT) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:34:00 +0000

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George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series has become, in many ways, the gold standard for modern epic fantasy. Martin—dubbed the "American Tolkien" by Time magazine—has created a world that is as rich and vital as any piece of historical fiction, set in an age of knights and chivalry and filled with a plethora of fascinating, multidimensional characters that you love, hate to love, or love to hate as they struggle for control of a divided kingdom. It is this very vitality that has led it to be adapted as the HBO miniseries “Game of Thrones.”

This bundle includes the following novels:
A GAME OF THRONES
A CLASH OF KINGS
A STORM OF SWORDS
A FEAST FOR CROWS

free download Last Sacrifice Richelle Mead

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:30:00 +0000

The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!

Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.

Vampire Academy

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free download Diary of a Wimpy Kid

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:02:00 +0000

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by: Jeff Kinney

Boys don’t keep diariesor do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, Just don’t expect me to be all Dear Diary’ this and Dear Diary’ that.” Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day.

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free download Poppy Done to Death (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 8)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:42:00 +0000

Poppy Done to Death (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 8)
by: Charlaine Harris

A "DELIGHTFUL" (LIBRARY JOURNAL) Aurora Teagarden mystery From the New York Times bestselling author of Last Scene Alive and the Sookie Stackhouse novels.Not just any woman in Lawrenceton, Georgia, gets to be a member of the Uppity Women Book Club. But Roe's stepsister-in-law Poppy has climbed her way up the waiting list of the group-only to die on the day she's supposed to be inducted. Sordid stories of infidelity in Poppy's marriage lead to a rash of suspects, and Roe begins to question her own heart. But her passion for the truth will drive her on-into the path of the cold-blooded killer

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free download A Fool and His Honey (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, No. 6)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:41:00 +0000

A Fool and His Honey (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, No. 6)
by: Charlaine Harris

Aurora’s been around long enough to know that when a day starts out with your handyman going crazy in your front yard, it probably won’t get any better. Sure enough, her husband Martin’s niece Regina shows up with a baby whom no one knew she was expecting. Then she disappears, leaving behind the child—and a murdered husband. To find her, Roe and Martin retrace her steps from sunny Georgia back to snowy Ohio, where they will uncover dark family secrets—at their own peril.

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free download Dead Over Heels (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 5)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:40:00 +0000

Dead Over Heels (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 5)
by: Charlaine Harris

Part-time librarian Aurora “Roe” Teagarden never liked Detective Sergeant Jack Burns, but she also never wanted to see him dead— especially not dropped from a plane right into her own backyard. But when other strange things happen around her, ranging from peculiar (her irascible cat turns up wearing a pink ribbon) to violent (her assistant at the library is attacked) to potentially deadly (her former lover is stabbed), she must decipher the personal message in the madness before it’s too late.

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free download The Julius House (Aurora Teagarden)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:38:00 +0000

The Julius House (Aurora Teagarden)

by: Charlaine Harris

Fourth in Charlaine Harris's acclaimed Aurora Teagarden mystery series. Wealthy businessman Martin Bartell gives Aurora exactly what she wants for their wedding: Julius House. But both the house and Martin come with murky pasts. And when Roe is attacked by an ax-wielding maniac, she realizes that the secrets inside her four walls-and her brand-new marriage-could be deadly.

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free download I, Steve: Steve Jobs in His Own Words book

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:37:00 +0000

I, Steve: Steve Jobs in His Own Words

by: George Beahm

Drawn from more than three decades of media coverageprint, electronic, and onlinethis tribute serves up the best, most thought-provoking insights ever spoken by Steve Jobs: more than 200 quotations that are essential reading for everyone who seeks innovative solutions and inspirations applicable to their business, regardless of size.Jobs, who passed away on October 5, 2011 at the age of 56, co-founded Apple in 1976. He stepped down from that role in August 2011, bringing an end to one of the greatest, most transformative business careers in history. Over the years, Jobs gave countless interviews to the media, explaining what he called the vision thing”his unmatched ability to envision, and successfully bring to the marketplace, consumer products that people find simply irresistible.Jobs made an indelible mark in multiple industries, and played an enormous role in creating others. Consider how Jobs and Apple shaped the following fields: personal computers (laptop and desktop), apps (for multiple electronic devices), computer animation (Pixar), music (iTunes), telecommunications (iPhone), personal digital devices (iPod), books (iBook), and, most recently, tablets (iPad). Jobs was the greatest business visionary of our era.I, Steve is the perfect gift or reference item for everyone interested in this great American original

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free download Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (Aurora Teagarden)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:36:00 +0000

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse (Aurora Teagarden)
by: Charlaine Harris

Third in Charlaine Harris's acclaimed Aurora Teagarden mystery series. An unexpected legacy has given former librarian Aurora "Roe" Teagarden some time on her hands, so she decides to try selling real estate. Her mother, after all, is Lawrenceton's premier real estate agent, giving Roe a head start on this new career. But at her first house showing, Roe discovers the naked corpse of a rival broker. It looks like there's a cool killer at large, one who knows a great deal about real estate- and maybe too much about Roe.

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free download A Bone to Pick (An Aurora Teagarden Mystery)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:34:00 +0000

A Bone to Pick (An Aurora Teagarden Mystery)
by: Charlaine Harris

Second in the #1 New York Times bestselling author's Aurora Teagarden mystery series. Aurora "Roe" Teagarden's fortunes change when a deceased acquaintance names her as heir to a rather substantial estate, including money, jewelry, and a house complete with a skull hidden in a window seat. Roe concludes that the elderly women has purposely left her a murder to solve. So she must identify the victim and figure out which one of her new, ordinary-seeming neighbors is a murderer- without putting herself in deadly danger

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free download Real Murders (An Aurora Teagarden Mystery)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:32:00 +0000

Real Murders (An Aurora Teagarden Mystery)
by: Charlaine Harris

A society of crime buffs discovers a mutilated body in their clubhouse kitchen and the town librarian suspects a fellow member because the crime closely resembled the club's ""murder of the month.""

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Bar Cynster Series by Stephanie Laurens free

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:38:00 +0000

One of the most celebrated and certainly the biggest Regency romance series, involving members and friends of a powerful aristocratic family. The collection includes:
1. The Promise in a Kiss
2. Devil's Bride
3. A Rake's Vow
4. Scandal's Bride
5. A Rogue's Proposal
6. A Secret Love
7. All About Love
8. All About Passion
9. On a Wild Night
10. On a Wicked Dawn
11. Lost and Found
12. The Perfect Lover
13. The Ideal Bride
14. The Truth about Love
15. The Taste of Innocence
16. Where the Heart Leads
17. Temptation and Surrender
18. Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue
19. In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster (Excerpt)
20. Wikipedia & RomanceWiki profile of the author

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Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn free

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:37:00 +0000

Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn

This is an omnibus volume of the Bridgerton Series. A Regency romance series, the novels are noteworthy because there are no external villains; the protagonists suffer from psychologcal trauma due to death of parents or loved ones and other causes. Their maladies are remedied through love. The collection includes:

1. The Duke and I
2. The Viscount Who Loved Me
3. An Offer from a Gentleman
4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton
5. To Sir Phillip, With Love
6. When He Was Wicked
7. It's In His Kiss
8. On the Way to the Wedding
9. Second Epilogues
10. The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown
11. Lady Whistledown Strikes Back
12. Wikipedia profile of the author

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harry potter books free collection download

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:27:00 +0000

The Complete Harry Potter books collection free download
(Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows free download (Harry Potter - Book 7)

noreply@blogger.com (shahid khan) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:25:00 +0000

The Deluxe Edition includes an exclusive insert featuring near-scale reproductions of Mary GrandPré's interior art, as well as never-before-seen full-color frontispiece art on special paper. The custom-designed slipcase is foil-stamped and contains a full-cloth case book that has been blind-stamped on front and back cover with foil stamping on the spine. The book includes full-color endpapers featuring the jacket art from the trade edition and a wraparound jacket featuring art created especially for this edition by Mary GrandPré.

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues. The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise. A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham Visit the Harry Potter Store Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more. Begin at the Beginning Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hardcover Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHardcoverPaperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHardcoverPaperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHardcoverPaperback Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHardcoverPaperback Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHardcoverPaperback Why We Love Harry Favorite Moments from the SeriesThere are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone * Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets * The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban * Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire * Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix * Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince * The introduction of the Horcrux. * Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur’s answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling’s most ingenious inventions.* Fred and George Weasley’s Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.* The effects of Felix Felicis. Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling "I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling. Did You Know? The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer. A Few Words from Mary GrandPré "When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

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