IT ALL ENDED...

Friday night, with great anticipation I sat myself down to watch the final chapter of the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. I was a bit worried that the movie might not get it right as the epic ending contains some of my favourite moments of all seven books. In hindsight I had nothing to worry about. It is with delight that I can say the movie does the book perfect justice!

At the outset it must be stated that the 3D was beautifully done! It was smooth and clear, the best I’ve ever seen, and a joy to experience. The scene in Gringotts was brilliantly done, as was the final battle at Hogwarts. Very impressive!

To me, the acting in this last installment was also the best it’s ever been. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson perfectly captured Harry, Ron and Hermione’s deep friendship, their intense protectiveness of each other, and their ultimate lifelong bond. Helena Bonham-Carter was again perfect as Bellatrix, even more so as Hermione as Bellatrix (loved those scenes!), and Maggie Smith delightfully reminded me why Professor McGonnagal was always my favourite teacher at Hogwarts – totally stole the show in her scenes!

I loved the several nice touches that made saying goodbye a little bittersweet: I loved the flashback to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone reminding us how the cast looked when it all started ten years ago; I loved seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione drink butterbeer in Hogsmeade one last time; I loved seeing the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, and the DA (Dumbledore’s Army) welcoming Harry, Ron and Hermione back with open arms after a year’s absence from Hogwarts; I loved the excitement of all the portraits when Harry walked back into the castle; I loved Filch running around with his cat, shouting his trademark “Students out of bed!”. I loved getting one last glimpse of Platform 9 ¾ and the Marauders’ map, and I especially enjoyed watching Neville finally become the hero he never knew he was.

The movie had humour, suspense and mystery, and as the book lovers know we lost some of our favourite characters this time around. It was heartbreaking seeing these wonderful characters we have come to love die, but there is some comfort in the fact that it was for a good cause.

Overall, I have no complaints! I think the movie got it absolutely right and I wouldn’t change a thing… well, when Ron and Hermione finally kiss after hiding their feelings for each other for seven long years, I might have liked to see a bit more of their faces, to be honest. It was almost as if they were only pretend kissing. The film makers might have made that moment just a little more special, but in the great scheme of things the scene doesn’t really take away from the movie, and Ron and Hermione’s awkward laughing after the fact makes up for it. As does Ron’s shouting “That’s my girlfriend, you numpties!” at Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle shortly after.

For the first time in my life I was party to an entire theater erupting with cheers and applause as end credits started rolling. And yeah, I was cheering too... on the inside :)

And so it all ended. Thank you J.K Rowling for the wonderful world you created and the wonderful friends you brought into our lives. Goodbye Harry Potter!

…Until I start reading the series again, anyway :)

A FINAL NOTE ON DEE HENDERSON'S O'MALLEY SERIES

In my previous post I recommended that you read Dee Henderson's O'Malley series, eventhough at that point I had only read the first book in the series.

I have since completed all six books as well as the prequal, and have something very important I would like to add.

What makes the O'Malley series so special is the fact that it deals with legitimate concerns non-believers might have. The series questions things like why bad things sometimes happen to good people, why all prayers aren't answered, how Jesus could have been ressurected from death after three days, and why an all powerful God would like to have a personal relationship with sinners, to name but a few.

If you have friends who are struggling with the Christian faith, these books can shed a light on how you can approach their concerns. It even highlights some bible verses you can use to answer some of these questions!

These books would be a wonderful gift to Christians, old and new!

RECOMMENDATION OF THE MONTH 4: THE O'MALLEY SERIES BY DEE HENDERSON

Friends, I have discovered a really great author! Dee Henderson has the ability to build a story of suspense on a foundation of faith, an exciting combination which makes for a truly excellent read, and something really fresh for the Christian reader.

Her O'Malley series consists of six books, each covering the spiritual journey of one of the O'Malley's. There are seven of them: Kate, Marcus, Lisa, Jack, Rachel, Stephen and Jennifer. This is not your average, everyday family. The O'Malley's are not related by blood (though their bond is stronger than most family bloodlines). The seven of them met in the orphanage they grew up in, all of them abandoned or abused by their parents, except for Jennifer who is considered the only orphan in the true sense of the word - her parents died when she was a baby. Jennifer is also the only Christian in the family.

When they were all old enough, the seven picked a last name they all liked, and officially changed their last names to O'Malley and became a family. They adopted each other, if you will. The basic plot of the O'Malley series involves Jennifer, the youngest of the O'Malleys (and everybody's favourite), who is diagnosed with terminal cancer - I'm not spoiling anything for you, this is revealed very early on in the first book. Jennifer has made her peace with the fact that she is dying, but she has one self-appointed mission before she does - leading all of the O'Malleys to Christ.

The Negotiator is the first book in the series, and focuses on special hostage negotiator Kate.

As her job is the most dangerous (walking into volatile situations on a daily basis) and she could die any given day, Jennifer decides to approach Kate with her news, and her mission, first. During a sensitive negotiation in a bank Kate meets FBI Agent Dave Richman, and mutual respect soon turns into a tentative friendship. Although Kate and Dave develop feelings for each other, there is something holding each of them back; Kate doesn't want to date a cop, and Dave is hesitant to give his heart to a non-believer.

Soon Kate's life is in turmoil as she deals with being the only O'Malley knowing Jennifer's secret, falling in love with Dave against her will and better judgment, and being targeted by someone from her past. As threats on Kate's life grow more imminent, it is Dave's unwavering faith in God which seems to calm Kate as well, and as they work together closely to solve the mystery of who is trying to harm her and why, Kate finally begins to open her mind and heart to the possibility that God might not be a distant, uncaring God after all.

The order of the O'Malley series continues as follows:

2. The Guardian, which focuses on US Marshall Marcus as he has a case to solve, an eye witnes to protect and an assassin to stop.

3. The Truth Seeker which focues on forensic pathologist Lisa as she tries to track down a serial killer.

4. The Protector which focuses on fireman Jack's journey to faith as an arsonist targets his district, his shift and his friends.

5. The Healer, focusing on trauma phsychologist Rachel, trying to solve the mystery of a deadly crime which points to a child being the culprit.

6. The Rescuer, focusing on paramedic Stephen as he gets involved in a mystery of which his friend, Meghan, is caught in the middle.

The series also has a prequal, Danger Shadows, which follows Dave Richman's sister Anna, stuck in a life of witness protection, as her childhood tormenter gets ever closer to finishing what he started all those years ago.

Granted, at this stage I've only read Danger Shadows and The Negotiator, but I've already bought the other five books in the series, and can't wait to get started! I've already fallen in love with the O'Malley family, and I can guarantee you will too. Dee Henderson is a really great author with a knack for combining mystery, suspense, romance and faith - what more can a reader ask for?

Grab a book and dig in!

THE BEST-SELLING AND MOST READ BOOK IN HISTORY!

My favourite Holiday, the Easter celebration, is only two days away, so herewith my official Happy Easter to my readers and fellow bloggers!

In the excitement of days off from work and colourful Easter eggs everywhere you look, some people find it easy to forget what Easter is truly about. In short:

The tomb is empty. He has risen!

Jesus Christ came to earth, took all of our transgressions on His own shoulders and died, in our place, for our sins. Jesus paid the price for every wrong committed. He redeemed us, saved us, and gave us the greatest gift ever: The promise of everlasting life, in Heaven, with Him. All you have to do is to accept and acknowledge Christ as your saviour. Easy as that :)

So, in the spirit of Easter, let’s talk a little about the Greatest Book ever; the bestselling and most read book in history, which also happens to be the first book ever printed – that’s saying something isn’t it?! I must say, though, I never feel comfortable talking about The Holy Bible as a book, because it’s not just a book - It’s so much more than that. It is the word of God, passed down us tiny, tiny humans. How amazing is that?!

The Holy Bible was written by over 40 different authors, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It was written over a period of approximately 1500 years from around 1450 B.C. (the time of Moses) to approximately 100 A.D. (following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ). The first translation of the Bible into English was made in 1382 A.D., by John Wycliffe. The Bible was first printed in 1454 A.D. by Johannes Gutenberg who invented the "type mold" for the printing press. It was the first book ever printed, known today as the Gutenberg Bible (see my post on Gutenberg and the printing press).

The Gutenberg Bible on display in the New York Public Library

The Bible spans the entire existence of Earth, from the creation account in Genesis to the end-time visions of Revelation. The Bible contains 66 books of which 39 are in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The terms Old Testament and New Testament originated with the prophet Jeremiah when he said that God would “make a new covenant with the house of Israel.” Testament means “covenant,” and the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, made a new covenant with God’s people. The books of the New Testament provide the fulfillment of the promises made throughout the Old Testament books.

Now, check this out: The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119. The centre of the Bible is Psalm 118. There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118, which add up to 1188. The centre verse of the Bible is Psalm 118:8! So what does the centre verse of the Bible say? "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." Pretty significant, I think.

Happy Easter, friends, and remember to give thanks for the greatest gift you have ever received, and ever will receive – REDEMPTION!

Author Deeanne Gist read my blog!

Exciting news, friends! Deeanne Gist actually read my mini review slash recommendation of her book A Bride in the Bargain, and commented on it on Twitter! How cool is that?!

@NastassjaLoots Awww, thanks for the post, Nastassja. I'm glad you enjoyed the book!less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDeeanne Gist DeeanneGist

I love authors who interact with their fans, so now I love Ms Gist even more. You can follow her on Twitter @DeeanneGist.