Did Everyone Get Their Copy of Harry Potter?

[Raineypark]

Blessings on that rare and wonderful thing: the independant local book store.  When the nearby Borders Books ran out after 2 hours,  our beloved little book store was still handing them out, wrapped up in gift paper and tied with ribbons like the gifts they were!!  You've never seen so many happy Mothers in one place in your life!

[MsCriseyde]

My sister's friend who works at a Barnes & Noble didn't get home until after 3am due to the Potter madness, and he said they weren't even allowed to open the boxes the books were shipped in until midnight. Apparently, they made a big production out of this at the store.

Meanwhile, her copy, which she pre-ordered from Amazon, was delivered by Fed-Ex at close to 6pm. The email she received said it would be delivered by 8pm. We were beginning to think it was being delivered by the Weasleys' wayward owl.

I would hate to work for a bookstore or for Fed-Ex this weekend. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Apparently, they made a big production out of this at the store.

Bookstores around here definitely made a big production out of the release. I was at Borders and Barnes and Noble last night (looking for a PHP book, which I found at B+N) and both were handing out tickets and having parents sign up for a specific time after 12:01am that they could buy their copies. The wildest part was that a lot of parents and their kids intended to wait at the store rather than go home and come back. It reminded me of the '70s when my friends and I would spend an entire night waiting in line to buy tickets to one of our favorite group's concerts.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

We picked up our pre-ordered book this morning at Borders.  It was really kinda crazy there, almost like Cabbage Patch-mania with the parents and wailing little kids in tow trying to snag a copy of the book -- but they hadn't preordered it.  The customer sales people kept explaining that they couldn't give out any books until all the customers who pre-ordered came in and picked up their copies.  I thought there was going to be a riot.  We are in the sticks and the only bookstores around are the chains.

[Raineypark]

The wildest part was that a lot of parents and their kids intended to wait at the store rather than go home and come back.

Actually, I think the 2 B&N's out here organized it as a "Sleep Over" event where the kids were expected to come in PJ's and wait till midnite to get their books.  What lunatic parent would sign on for that?

On the other hand, "Runaway Bay Books" had a pile for the folks who had pre-ordered and another for the folks who just wandered in and there was no crowd, no carrying on, no wretched over-tired children, and the resident cats were sauntering about as usual.....just another pleasant morning at the local bookshop. 

[Minja]

Didn't pre-order or wait in the hectic lines at the big name stores.....I just moseyed into Wal-Mart at 7:30 am today and there was a large stack just waiting there!  And for only $16.99!  Almost half off the cover price!  Swwweeeett!

Got thru Ch. 5 before having to go to work!  So far a great read!

But you still rule Mark!

Always, Minja [/color]

[Philippe Cordier]

It sounds like you have a nicer independent bookseller in your area, Rainypark.

One in my area was quoted in the newspaper as saying he had only ordered 4 copies but probably should have planned on a few more since other stores were selling out, but it wasn't the type of book his clientele would be interested in.

He also ventured to add that maybe Harry was the one killed off in Book 5, and then Ms. Rowling would surprise everyone by not writing any more.

Some people may enjoy his cynicism ... but I get rather tired of living in the midst of it day after day ... at least I don't work in that "hip" area any more.

My copy is coming from England, but I'm not in a hurry because I still have a little catching up to do (in my free time, when I'm not watching Dorian Gray, The Innocents, Eye of the Devil, or DS 1970 PT) ....

Sadly unhip,

Vlad

[Birdie]

I took the easy way out and ordered our copy off Amazon.  I got a notice that it would be here by the 25th.  Surpise it arrived the 21st.  My daughter ran down to the mail box, the mail man was announcing "Here Comes Harry".   She is already half way through it, and the rest of the house are calling dibs on who gets it next.  The older two are rereading the first one's while they wait.  I paid $l7.99, and it was well worth not having to get up Sat. morning anc racing to the book store.  It was a mad house at our local book store on summer reading night never mind for the arrival of book 5.

Birdie

[onyx_treasure]

     My husband found the book at our local membership discount store for 15.99.  My son said he would rather wait for the paperback.  Who would have thought a 13 year old could display frugality and delayed gratification all in one moment?  He has all the books in paperback. 

[Gothick]

Good for you, Rainey Park, supporting your local independent bookstore.
The brave folks who keep those going need all the help they can get.  I try hard to support the two stores in this area that are independent.  It is extra difficult in Boston and Cambridge because of all the used book stores around.  Still something of a bibliophile's paradise, though not what it once was.

How was your Midsummer?  We had chilly, rainy weather, so had a cosy indoor celebration.  I realized as we were getting ready for it that we've had chilly, rainy weather for the past 3 years in a row now on Midsummer.  I sometimes think the Goddess is just laughing at us!  We had smashing weather for Beltane, though, so I am not complaining.

G.

[jennifer]

i ,like Minja, got up at 9am bought it at 10 am and finished it
on Sunday. My daughter finished school today and started it and was  begging me to tell her the end![spoiler]not i! i'm not a spoiler but does have a lot of sad parts [/spoiler] now the long wait for Book 6!

jennifer
there were tons of books here! saw it at The Stop and Shop
sunday
ps i don't give anything away in spoiler text

[Midnite]

i ,like Minja, got up at 9am bought it at 10 am and finished it
on Sunday.

So THAT'S why we haven't seen you for a while!

ps i don't give anything away in spoiler text

From someone that has to read everything on the boards, it was MUCH appreciated.

[Carol]

To keep herself busy, my 20yo daughter suddenly discovered the Harry Potter books. She went thru Year One in 2 days and promptly bought Year Two which she is reading now. We bought these while on vacation in Cape May. The latest Potter book was in full supply in The Atlantic Book Shoppe and with a 30% discount.  So, it does pay to shop around.

[Luciaphile]

Got mine. Read it. 

Better than GOF, but still could have been tauter (hoping Rowling does not turn into the Stephen King of the fantasy novel). Love what they did with Snape, though...

[jennifer]

Got mine. Read it. 

Better than GOF, but still could have been tauter (hoping Rowling does not turn into the Stephen King of the fantasy novel). Love what they did with Snape, though...

[spoiler]i'mwith you Lucia,it'll be interesting to see what she does with him in the future wonder if it'll be another 3 years![/spoiler]

jennifer