I did the midnight thing at the local Borders for OotP. They gave you a color-coded ticket depending on when you pre-ordered the book (the earlier you ordered it, the sooner you got in line), which wasn't a bad system. The kids were cute in their costumes, and I got a chance to talk with a few of them a bit about what they hoped would happen in the book.
The HBP event in Oak Park was humongous and fun to see so I'm glad I experienced it, but just the one time. I'll just have to avoid reading any spoilers online before I get to read the book this summer.
I always do the midnight thing. It's a sickness. I've done it for books 4, 5, and 6, and I'm sure not stopping now.
Plus, I also finished all of those books by noon on the day of release. Then read them again the next day. ALSO a sickness.
Ben and I did the midnight thing last time and loved it, but by eleven he was really flagging. So we went home, because we'd finished the games and all that, and the next day we went to WalMart and picked up a copy on sale for less than they were selling at B&N.
I also finished all of those books by noon on the day of release. Then read them again the next day. ALSO a sickness.
Hee! Yeah, me too (at least, for the last two books--I was in Walt Disney World when GoF was released). I don't think I reread them thoroughly the day after, but I did go through and reread my favorite chapters.
I remember when Book 5 came out, I was flying to Korea. The supershuttle was picking me up at 3AM, and I hadn't pre-ordered, so I didn't bother to go anywhere at midnight to get it. But the next day, on the first leg of my flight (at like, 7AM), the two kids next to me were reading it, and I was *so jealous*.
I think I remember that! Everywhere you went people were reading Harry Potter!
They were!! Luckily my very kind friend who I was visiting in Korea got it at the PX after I'd been there a few days, and let me read it before her.
I don't remember why I didn't pre-order #6, after the debacle with #5, but I got so darn impatient to read it that I ended up buying it in the airport! This time, I swear, I will not pay full price...
I don't remember which volume it was, but Hubby was reading a borrowed copy in a doctor's waiting room and fell asleep with the book in his lap. When he woke up the book was missing, and it was found in the possession of a kid hiding in a corner and reading and hoping he'd get away with grand theft literary.
That's great. Darn those books, inciting children to crime!
