Jenn's Review: The Silkworm

Author: Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling
Series: Cormoran Strike #2
Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Pages: 455
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Crime, Mystert
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Captivating
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Blurb:  When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.

But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives—meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.

When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before... 

  Review:   Rowling as Galbraith is just as enthralling as Rowling as Rowling. There is something engaging about the worlds and characters she creates that makes them captivating. I’ve actually been saving this novel for a while because I knew I’d be disappointed to have to wait for the next installment… and I am.

Cormoron has been busy since the Landry case, although for once he’s not scrambling for cases, he’s scrambling to keep up with his caseload. Yet when Mrs. Quine walks into his office with an odd request that may or maynot recompense, Strike feels inclined to take on her case. From the beginning nothing plays quite right with the case and as the idiosyncrasies mount, Cormoran gets pulled further into the case.

Robin is frustrated at home and at work. Her fiancée continues to disparage her career choice and her association with Strike in general. Strike, sensing the tension, has been trying to shift investigative responsibilities away from Robin which is making her miserable as that’s the part of her job she enjoys most. When Strike is forced to rely on her, Robin does her best to prove her value but her extra efforts will not go unnoticed on the home front.

As per usual, I had no idea where the mystery was headed. The twists and turns had me completely flummoxed… and thoroughly intrigued. I had a difficult time putting it down. If you are looking for spellbinding contemporary crime novels with realistic characters the Cormoran Strike series is definitely for you.

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Jenn's Review: The Cuckoo's Calling

Author: Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling
Series: Cormoran Strike #1
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Pages: 455
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  mystery
Rating: 4.75
Bottom Line: a modern, classic English mystery
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab it

Blurb:  A brilliant debut mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide.

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is the acclaimed first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Review:  This is a classic English detective novel in every sense of the phrase.  Rowling as Galbraith has taken it and modernized it beautifully.  ...and I found it hard to put down.

As with Harry Potter, the world created through the writing, though non-magical, is palpable.  You can't help but be pulled into the story.  But that is where the comparisons ends.  Galbraith is heavier and wordier; I even learned a few new words.  That said, however, it never seemed to be forced or cumbersome in any manner.  The prose are fluid, mellifluous and throughly entrancing.

Cormoran's trying hard to fit back into the world and every time he seems to almost have it together, it falls apart.  He is downtrodden, but not broken and it was easy to fall in with him.  Robin, on the other hand starts off a little fluffy but proves herself to be solid and resourceful.  I'm glad that she stands up to fiance about finding a job that she loves, even though it's not the pay or the ideal he holds.  Galbraith does a fabulous job of keeping Robin's relationship with Cormoran strictly platonic in this first novel, leaving room for it to grow but leaving the direction ambiguous.

The pacing is steady (it is not a thriller by any means) but never seemed sluggish.   The mystery itself doesn't seem very twisted, but appearances are deceiving.  The more Cormoran learns the more intriguing things become.  As the body count rises, you know Cormoran is on the correct trail, which is why the ending is so completely shocking. Galbraith leads you right up to the final reveal with three solid suspects. I thought I had it all figured out, but I didn't have a clue.

This is the beginnings of a beautiful series.  The next novel, The Silkworm, is due out in June and it's already on my wish list.

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Book to Movie Group Review: Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows Part 2

Please note that if you haven't read the final book, the movie review could contain spoilers.

Julie's Review: I don't know why I bothered wearing makeup; specifically mascara to the movie. By the end it was gone. I haven't cried this much during a movie since I saw E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial as a kid.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is mesmerizing and exhilarating. It is momentous and upsetting. It is everything I wanted in the final movie of a beloved series. I knew what to expect and yet I still found myself anxious during the movie. I found myself easily reduced to tears and sometimes sobbing.

I loved how Harry relied on those he loved but when it came down to it, he faced Voldemort on his own. He realized that it was up to him to destroy and to face him once and for all. I'm sure people who were expecting a huge showdown between Voldemort and Harry might have been a bit taken back. I always appreciated how JK Rowling wrote the final showdown and it came across beautifully on screen. I sobbed like a baby when Severus died and again at the very end when we saw their lives 19 years later.

As with the book, I thought the movie tied up the series extremely well. Yet, both endings give the fans hope that perhaps someday we can return to Hogwarts.

While the movies are wonderful in their own right, nothing replaces the books and the imagination they encourage.

I have to say Thank You to Jenn and Lisa for harassing me until I read the series. I am so grateful that they kept encouraging me. I can't imagine what I might have missed out on if I hadn't read them.

It is hard to watch the final scene and know that there is no more future Harry Potter books or movies. It is comforting to know that I can re-read the books and watch the movies whenever I feel the need for that young boy wizard who grew up into a fine man.

Julie's Final Take:  5/5

Jenn's Review:  I saw this opening weekend, and have yet to write my review because, well I had hoped to see it again, and, most of all, I'm just not ready to say goodbye.  I started reading this series when I was teaching -I wanted to know what possessed all these middle schoolers to carry around 3" thick books all of a sudden.  I was amazed and delighted.  I still am as I read these to my daughter at nap time.

The movie was everything it should have been.  I had concerns with how the cuts made to the sixth movie would impact the final two films, but I think it was handled brilliantly.  In retrospect, I'm glad they put it together the way they did.  The battle scenes at Hogwarts were incredible.  I was awestruck to watch the school crumble, but I think the writers and directors struck the perfect balance between the devastation and levity (the destruction of the bridge, etc.).  Snape's final scene had me sobbing too.

At first I was disappointed that the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort was alone, which was not as JK Rowling's wrote it, but as I considered it further I realized that she wrote so much into that final scene that it couldn't possibly be conveyed properly on screen.  However, it did make for the only two awkward moments in the whole film though -Molly Weasley's battle with Bellatrix (fans would have been furious if this had been omitted, but it seemed out of place) and Harry explaining wandlore to Ron and Hermione after the battle.  I also felt the epilogue, which was redone after initial screenings, was a little anticlimactic, but I remember wanting more the first time I read that too.

On the whole it was a beautiful end to a magnificent series.  As book to movie translations go, these are some of the best examples I've ever watched.  I agree with Julie though, the books are the masterpieces.  I will enjoy re-reading them, and re-watching the films, for years to come.  I also look forward to keeping the world alive through Pottermore in the fall...

But now it is time to say goodbye to 'The Boy Who Lived', no, wait, not good-bye...

"Mischief Managed."

Jenn's Final Take:   5/5

Book to Movie Group Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Jenn's Review:  I know many people were unhappy with the last movie.  I wasn't one of them.  I thought Half Blood Prince captured the spirit of the book, even though so much had been cut, which is something I found lacking in Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix.  This movie blew me away though.  So much so that I was ready to go back to the theatres the next day and see it again just to take in any details I might have missed.  Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is the closest any of the movies have stuck to the book since Philosopher's Stone.

Even the dialogue is as close if not closer than ever before including some of my favorite lines, "Always the tone of surprise," and some new gems, "Dobby didn't mean to kill anyone. Dobby only meant to maim or seriously injure."

It started with the Dursley's leaving, and though I missed the awkward goodbye scene with Dudley, it was a small thing.  Lupin's self doubt was omitted as was Potter Watch, but not to the detriment of the film in any way.  The only part that was slightly awkward for me was that they threw Bill Weasley in, when, for six movies, they've ignored his and Charlie's existence.  But it was a quick introduction and it was forgiven as soon as the action started. 

And did it ever!  The cinematography was brilliant.  From seven Harry's, to mid air fight/flight scenes, to the conflict in Godric's Hollow, to Horcrux destruction. I also enjoyed the way they brought the story of the hallows to life on screen.  It would have been boring to sit around watching Hermione read from a book.  This was an elegant illustration without detracting from the overall arch.

It is wonderful to see how much the actors and the characters have grown.  They obviously enjoy each others company and it translates to the screen.  Character-wise, it was good to finally see Ron take charge and to see Hermione's vulnerabilities.  The tenderness between both couples has blossomed and was beautifully portrayed.

The split was perfect.  I was concerned it was too far along, but picking up the book today, I realized it was only a little past the halfway mark.  With what was left out of the last movie, I'm still not sure how they will know what they are looking for in the next movie, but having seen this one, I have complete faith, they'll do it justice.  This was the best film since Chris Columbus was working on them.  I can't wait to see it again!

Book To Movie Final Take:  4.9/5.0


Julie's Review: I'm not a re-reader and sometimes I think that does me good and other times I think it puts me at a disadvantage. I will admit, other than the end of the Deathly Hallows I really don't recall much. After all it was 3 years ago. Now all of that being said, the movie blew me away.

I love how the director caught the complexities of the friendships in the movies, especially between Ron and Harry. I loved the line when Ron told him that it's not just about Harry, that it is bigger than him. In ways, Ron is correct but it is ultimately about the fight between Voldemort and Harry. Good vs. Evil.

The movie kept along at a nice pace but I kept wondering where they would end it. And in my opinion (and my Brother-In-Laws) they ended it perfectly! It only sucks that we have to wait until July 2011 to see the ending. Maybe I'll go back and re-read it? Probably not.

I loved how they made the story of The Three Brothers come to life in a cartoon like sketch. It was a pivotal moment in the movie. I loved seeing Ron have a bit of fire in his belly and speaking his mind.

There was definitely a sense of foreboding in this movie unlike the others in the series. Sure the movies have gotten darker as they have grown up but I just kept waiting for something awful to happen in this movie.

I cried twice in the movie, in the beginning when Hedwig died and of course when Dobby saved Harry and the gang from Bellatrix.

My brother-in-law and I were talking about the Malfoy's on the way home and we can't quite figure out what they did to piss off Voldemort, but they are definitely not in his good graces (you know if he has them). These are probably the details that I'm forgetting.

All in all a great addition to the Harry Potter family and I'm ready for the final installment to get here and yet I will be extremely sad to see it end. Just like I was bawling when I finished the book.

Book To Movie Final Take: 4.75/5

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer Official HD

Sent chills down my spine and brought tears to my eyes at the same time!

Can't wait!

Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Sneak Peek from MTV Movie Awards

Did you see this last night? (Some of us were watching Stanley Cup hockey instead of te MTV Awards...)





Wow. I've got chills. You?

Book to Movie Group Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

WARNING: May contain spoilers in the reviews

Jenn's Review: I re-read the whole series everytime one of the movies comes out and this is the first Harry Potter movie in a long while that I haven't walked out of the theatre grumbling. Did I miss Kreacher jumping up and down screaming "won't, won't won't"? Sure, but I never thought it would make the cut.

They streamlined the Ginny & Harry relationship in order to keep the details of Ron & Hermione's relationship which is good, because if they hadn't, Ron and Hermione would barely have been involved at all. I would have liked to have seen more of Harry & Ginny together for purely selfish reasons, but I think they padded it enough to make it work.

The other lesson's with Dumbledore regarding Tom Riddle and the horcruxes would have been interesting... but those are details they can get around that in the next two films.

Yes, I would have liked the final battle scene but I knew as soon as Harry drank the entire Felix Felicitus in order to retrieve Slughorn's memory that it had been cut. Perhaps having that time to adjust to it made it easier to accept. They've pretty much cut the eldest of the Weasley boys from all the previous movies, so it wasn't too much of a surprise that there wasn't a Fenrir/Bill encounter... and the rest of that battle would have been really complicated so, with the inserted battle at the The Burrow, it wasn't necessary.

Actually, I didn't cry over Dumbledore's death as much as I thought I would. Then I remembered it's Hagrid' reaction, the discussion in the hospital ward, the phoenix song, and the subsequent funeral that make me cry the most in the book. I really think the funeral scene would have been nice; it would have given a nice sense of closure.

This book was all about growing up and young love and I think they handled that beautifully. So for me, more Ginny and a funeral would have made it perfect. On the whole, though, I'm happier with this as an interpretation than I have been since the Chris Columbus films.

Jenn's Final Take: 4/5

Julie's Review: I don't re-read books before the movie comes out because I know inevitably I'll be disappointed. The book is always better than the movie, no matter what. It's obviously been a couple years since I've read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but I did remember most of the story and the essence of it. I thought they did a great job of showing the changes that are going on between the kids (aka growing up, puberty, girls/boys, first kisses) and the wizarding world. Of course there are plot points missing, they left out a lot of the plot on the Half-Blood Prince but how do you put that in a movie and make it exciting? If you hadn't read the books the reveal of Snape being the Half-Blood Prince would have been huge and I thought it was handled well. I'm with Jenn in thinking that I would have liked more Dumbledore and Harry conversations about the Horcruxes which are so key in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I knew that Dumbledore's death was coming but I still cried. Dumbledore was Harry's mentor, father figure and friend and he will be missed by Hogwarts, the wizarding world but most of all Harry who will now need to find his way on his own. I think it was a decent movie but not the best (IMHO that is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). It's a strong segway into the final movies.

Julie's Final Take: 3.75/5

Lisa's Review:
I normally re-read before the movies, however due to lack of time in my schedule I didn't this time and I'm very glad I didn't. I've been aware for ages that the movies will never be able to capture the rich details that J.K. Rowling included in each novel. I had accepted that and have been pleased with the adaptations thus far. Up until now that is. Before I nitpick, I will say that this was a good movie and it holds up to scrutiny well but that's if and only if it wasn't an adaptation.

Besides the blossom of young love, this book was all about two things for me. The reveal of the Half-Blood Prince and Voldermort's story. I'm not quite sure how they could have done the
Half-Blood Prince story well and besides the fact that the name is included in title, this could have easily been left out. To the non-reader, it was confusing and the idea that the HBP could have been Voldermort was never well-developed, thus the Snape reveal just fell flat.

Speaking of Voldermort, the shallow part of me is very disappointed that Ralph Fiennes never appeared on screen. I mean JKR did say that Tom Riddle was handsome and Ralph Fiennes...well it doesn't need to be said. However, the lack of Ralph Fiennes (yes, I love saying his name) also meant that the horcrux story was completely half-assed. I suppose the two memories that we saw were the most relevant to this story, but I think more time should have been spent to explain exactly what horcruxes were, how they were made etc., because they figure so greatly into Deathly Hallows and the conclusion of the series. Frankly that novel is so chock full of stuff going on, that this needed explanation now and not later.

I had major issues with the fact that Harry just stood there while Dumbledore was attacked. Totally out of character for him. He really needed to be stunned, seriously. Finally, I was not affected as deeply by Dumbledore's death and I agree with Jenn, that it would have been nice to have the funeral. There are other little things, like how will Harry know that there's a horcrux in the Room of Requirement, when he didn't have to get past it when he hid the HBP's textbook? I mean he needed to kiss Ginny at some point, but I can just see how annoyed I'll be when they just figure it out while hanging out in the jungle. *sigh* Not. Happy. At. All.

Lisa's Final Take: 2.5/5

Note: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movies are to be released as follow:
Part I: November 19, 2010
Part II: June 15, 2011

as of 7/21/09 per Imdb.com

The Half Blood Prince

The official WB website is up with the longest trailer I've seen yet! It's awesome.


Check it out here: http://www.harrypotter.com/

I am so excited!!!

Time for me to re-read, anyone want to join me?

To Re-Read or Not to Re-Read? That Is The Question.

I went to see a movie Friday night and I saw two trailers for movie adaptaions of popular novels. I have a love hate relationship with movie adaptions, as I am sure most avid readers do, and I struggle with whether to see a movie that's been adapted from a novel. I often struggle with something else - whether to re-read the book before going to see a movie, or not. It's a big investment of time to re-read a book and lately I haven't a lot of time to keep up with and read the things I usually want to (I still have no idea what Stephanie was up to in Fearless Fourteen). With 5 major adaptations coming to the theatre this year, I am seriously wondering whether to invest the time. For some I already know the answer to this question, but for others, I still really don't know. Perhaps you all could offer up an opinion?

The Books/Movies

Angels & Demons
(May 15) - I vaguely remember the plot of this book. Yeah, I remember the big themes, the ending and I absolutely remember this book being really good, however the details completely escape me. Knowing what I know about adaptations in general and remembering how extremely pissed off I was at the cop-out that was The DaVinci Code movie, I wonder if a re-read is warranted?

My Sister's Keeper
(June 26) - This was one of the trailers I saw the other night and I can already tell you there are departures from the book. I still believe this will be a major tearjerker, though, that's not my issue. This book was so very good and so heartbreaking that I knew when I was done that I couldn't never read this book again. I want to, but I'm not sure I can.

The Lovely Bones
(December 11) - Umm, I haven't read this yet, so I guess I'll be reading it.

The Time Traveler's Wife
(August 14th) - Have you read this book yet? Seriously, this is a must read. I read it when it first came out, and like Angels and Demons I can't recall a lot of the details. I have some serious love for this novel, so I really won't mind another visit.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(July 15) - There's no question. Oh wait! Just one - Have you seen the new trailer?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Alert

With a heavy heart I am sad to report that it was announced yesterday that, contrary to all previous press releases, the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie will not be arriving in theatres until July 17th, 2009. Yes, we will all have to wait until next summer. Warner Brothers really doesn't give a concrete reason, but the supposition in this EW article that 'the frog' doesn't need the revenue this year (due to the success of The Dark Knight), but would rather have it figure into next years profits, seems the most logical. (I do however totally disagree with their statement that "the Potter movies have all been quite strong ever since Chris Columbus stopped directing them". I quite prefer the Chris Columbus films...)

Well, I guess my re-reading isn't such a big deal now... I'll just be doing it again next summer. As always, be sure and tell us what you think....

Coming Soon: The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Well, it's been quite the week for Harry Potter news!

Just yesterday, I alerted my friends to the existence finally of the new Harry Potter movie trailer and today Jenn saw it fit to return the favor by letting us know that this book is available for pre-order!

Say what now?!? Not too long ago scores of fans thought that they'd have to suffice with only the reviews Amazon put out late last year and now we can preorder not only a standard edition, but also a collectors edition, with all proceeds going to charity. Nicely done!

So, if you didn't know, now you do... get your orders in now, because you know hotcakes won't have anything on this book, what I suspect will be the last of any and all Potter reading material.

Me - I've already ordered both!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Alert

Wow! I'm so excited! Lisa found this but I'm posting it for her. The trailer for the Half-Blood Prince is finally here:

Movie Trailer

You can also find some nice stills at the above link too... such as Harry and Professor Slugworth (right). (And is that an allusion to the Quidditch team in those pictures?!? Hooray!)

But now the agonizing question: To re-read or NOT to re-read? I usually re-read the series prior to watching the movie. I promised myself I wouldn't do it this time; that I'll enjoy it more if I'm not counting the things omitted. But I couldn't help it. ABC Family was airing the movies a month ago and it got me all hyped up for another reading. So now I'm up to Prisoner of Azkaban and I'm trying to drag my feet (because I should be reading and writing reviews for our site) and because I promised myself I wouldn't re-read the book prior to the movie. So now I'm in a quandary. What to do? Which do you do? Advice please.

114 Days until the movie's out... *squee*

Beedle the Bard Contest at Amazon

Amazon is sponsoring an amazing writing contest open to anyone 13 and over... with a grand prize of sending you and a friend to London, England to spend a weekend with the rare handwritten book of fairy tales by J.K. Rowling.

Answer one of three questions in 100 words or less:

• What songs do wizards use to celebrate birthdays?
• What sports do wizards play besides Quidditch?
• What have you learned from the Harry Potter series that you use in everyday life?

The contest runs from April 9th through the 22nd so start scribling my friends!

To read more about the rules and to make submissions click here.

Entertainment Weekly's 2007 Entertainer of the Year

For the first time ever, EW has chosen an author as their entertainer of the year! That author - who else but JK Rowling. Well done EW. 100 % deserved.

"J.K. Rowling is our Entertainer of the Year because she did something very, very hard, and she did it very, very well, thus pleasing hundreds of millions of children and adults very, very much. In an era of videogame consoles, online multiplayer ''environments,'' and tinier-is-better mobisodes, minisodes, and webisodes, she got people to tote around her big, fat old-fashioned printed-on-paper books as if they were the hottest new entertainment devices on the planet. Let's also credit her for one more thing. What she spent the last 17 years creating turned out to be completely original. "

Check out the entire article and the other entertainers here.

Tidbits about JK Rowling

Couple of JK Rowling related stories over the last week or so.

ABC News is reporting that JK Rowling is planning to write the wizardry tales of "Beedle The Bard" but the chance that you and I, the ordinary fan likely won't get to read them. The plan is to produce on seven of these books that are handwritten and illustrated by JKR. Six books will be given to people close to the Potter franchise and the remaining book will be auctioned. So think we can all get together to raise the million or so this will go for?

According to The Press Association, Ms Rowling and her publisher has initiated a copyright lawsuit against Steve Vander Ark, a fan and a librarian who created the online encyclopedia of the Potter series. His book is planned for release in the UK next month. Now JKR has always said that she will write an encyclopedia herself. Hmm...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: UK vs US Edition

I started reading both versions of these books about seven years ago - just after I started reading the series. A friend of mine was going on and on about how much he preferred the British editions as they were closer to what JK Rowling actually wrote (not overly edited and Americanized) – not to mention the difference in artwork.

I thought it prudent to investigate for myself... and found that there is a world of difference between the Sorcerer's Stone and the Philosopher's Stone. Rowling herself was greatly displeased with the American publication as she found it to be overly translated from English (or as my mum would call it "The Queen's English") into "American." There are several times where this is understandable (for example, the difference between a jumper being a sweater in English and a dress in American) but I would have to agree with JKR that the first novel was overly edited (mum to mommy, for example), something which she made sure did not occur again in the novels that followed it.

The differences between the books from here on out are slight, with a few notable exceptions. JKR pointed one out herself in an interview a few years back about Goblet of Fire where the order of appearance for Harry's mother and father (during Priori Incantatem) get switched backwards in the first UK edition as an editor questioned JKR and thinking she was wrong, JKR changed it around.

Also, notably missing from the UK edition is part of Dumbledore's final conversation with Draco in Half Blood Prince. The text in red was omitted from the UK publications:

"He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice."

"He cannot kill you if you are already dead. Come over to the right side Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Nobody would be surprised that you had died in your attempt to kill me -- forgive me, but Lord Voldemort probably expects it. Nor would the Death Eaters be surprised that we had captured and killed your mother -- it is what they would do themselves, after all. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban...When the time comes we can protect him too. Come over to the right side, Draco...you are not a killer..." Malfoy stared at Dumbledore. ~(HBP US Edition pg 591/UK Edition pg 552)

This text also does not appear in later paperback versions of the American editions either, so apparently it was a textual cut that didn't make the first US version.

As for the Deathly Hallows, from what I have observed, the differences are minimal. There are the typical variations in spelling and the substitution of a word here or there. Otherwise, it falls in among the rest of the series.

So yes, I own both versions of the Harry Potter series. Do I have a preference? Reading book one, yes, I prefer the British edition... after that, it depends on whether I'm reading/re-reading at home or carrying it around with me... the UK versions are a little more compact, but I do so love the Mary GranPré illustrations... so it's a toss up.