Harry Potter by the Numbers

July is Harry Potter Month and the Book Chewers are celebrating with a series of HP-related posts. For this LinkUp, MV posted some numbers-based HP questions.

1. How many time have you read the Harry Potter series?
Amanda's answer -
Book 1: 5 times
Book 2: 3 times (my least favorite one)
Book 3: 5 times
Book 4: 4 times
Book 5: 3 times
Book 6: 2 times
Book 7: 1 time.
I always read the entire series before a new book was released, but I sometimes skipped Chamber of Secrets. I am currently rereading the entire series now - I'm on Prisoner of Azakaban. We are doing this reread using the audiobooks. Jim Dale's narrations are great!

Ashley's answer - I reread the series every single year because I am crazy like that. I started doing when Goblet of Fire came out... so you do the math. Maybe 8 times?

2. How many times have you cried while reading certain parts? (SPOILER ALERT)
Amanda's answer - I cried for 3 days straight when Dumbledore died. I still hate JKR for that! I also cried when Dobby and Hedwig died. For some reason, the battle in Deathly Hallows didn't make me cry. I think that's because I bawled like a baby as Harry was entering the forest for his showdown with Voldemort. I was expecting the worst.

Ashley's answer - I cry every time Sirius, Dumbledore, and Dobby die. I didn't cry for Fred, I was just mad about that. Really, JKR! Really!?!?

3. How old were you when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out?
Amanda's answer - I was 25 years old. I had a math-teacher's workshop that week so I had to sneak read during training and at lunch breaks. It was the only time I wasn't able to lock myself in a room and read the newest HP book. It was very stressful.

Ashley's answer - I was 19 years old.

4. How many times have you seen the movies?
Amanda's and Ashley's answers - Countless!! We own the set, of course, and watch them whenever they are on TV, too.

Amanda wears this shirt WAY too often =)

5. How old were you when you started reading the series?
Amanda's answer - I was 18 years old when I started the series. It was the same summer that Goblet of Fire came out. I finished 1-3 just in time for the release parties. At that time, HP was a huge news story because so many kids were into the series. Adults everywhere were SHOCKED by how much reading kids were doing. hehehe

Ashley's answer - I was 12 years old. It was actually the same time as Amanda! Goblet of Fire was the first book that I ever pre-ordered!

6. How many stars do you rate each book on Goodreads?
Amanda's answer - Most of them have 5 stars, but there are a few exceptions: Chamber of Secrets is 3 stars. I know it's heresy, but I just really struggle with that one. Also, Order of the Pheonix and Half-Blood Prince are 4 stars because of the whining and complaining that Harry does in those books and the long-long-long sections where Dumbledore explains things.

Ashley's answer -
Book 1: 4 stars
Book 2: 4 stars
Book 3: 5 stars
Book 4: 5 stars
Book 5: 3 stars (all that teen angst is annoying!)
Book 6: 5 stars
Book 7: 5 stars

7. How many Harry Potter-related costumes have you worn?
Amanda's answer - None for Halloween, but I did dress up for the Order of the Pheonix and Half-Blood Prince release parties.

Ashley's answer - None. I'm not much of a costume person...

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That link-up was a lot of fun! Most people who participate probably aren't as old as we are, so that makes us extra-special Potterheads. Ha!

You should join the link-up, too. And thanks to The Book Chewers for hosting!