Parse XML using LINQ to SQL -

im trying parse following xml using linq-to-sql visual studio doesn't seem want play ball. i've tried using xelement , xdocument , tried selecting root node or api_item node directly, doesn't seem happen me.

can advise bit of linq-to-xml?

i've tried following (and many variations of it!) no avail. (note: e.result contains xml string)

var deals = el in xelement.parse(e.result).elements("api_response").elements("deals").elements("api_item")                         select new                         {                             title = el.element("title").value,                             description = el.element("description").value                          }; 

thanks! (heres snippet of xml coming api)

         <?xml version="1.0" ?>      - <api_response>     - <deals>     - <api_item>       <title>palit geforce gtx460 768mb: £143.56 @ cclonline</title>        <deal_link>http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/palit-geforce-gtx460-768mb-143-56-a/725851</deal_link>        <mobile_deal_link>http://m.hotukdeals.com/deals/palit-geforce-gtx460-768mb-143-56-a/725851</mobile_deal_link>        <deal_image>http://www.hotukdeals.com/images/threads/725851_1.jpg</deal_image>        <description>palit geforce gtx460 768mb - ne5tx460fhd79 (free delivery or collection) graphics card require: ..pci express or pci express 2.0-compliant motherboard 1 dual-width x16 graphics slot ..two 6-pin pci express supplementary power connectors ..minimum 450w or greater system power supply (with minimum 12v current rating of 24a) ..supported operating systems: windows 7, windows vista, windows xp</description>        <submit_time>19 hours, 29 minutes ago</submit_time>        <hot_time>8 minutes ago</hot_time>        <poster_name>gads</poster_name>        <temperature>102.629997253</temperature>        <price>143.56</price>        <timestamp>1279921047</timestamp>        <expired>false</expired>      - <forum>       <name>deals</name>        <url_name>deals</url_name>        </forum>     - <category>       <name>computers</name>        <url_name>computers</url_name>        </category>     - <merchant>       <name>cclonline</name>        <url_name>cclonline</url_name>        </merchant>       <tags />        </api_item>     - <api_item>       <title>empire total war (pc) £10 instore @ hmv!</title>        <deal_link>http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/empire-total-war-pc-10-instore-hmv/725848</deal_link>        <mobile_deal_link>http://m.hotukdeals.com/deals/empire-total-war-pc-10-instore-hmv/725848</mobile_deal_link>        <deal_image>http://www.hotukdeals.com/images/threads/725848_1.jpg</deal_image>        <description>not latest game in series, still cracking game, , fiver cheaper best online price looks of things.</description>        <submit_time>19 hours, 34 minutes ago</submit_time>        <hot_time>8 minutes ago</hot_time>        <poster_name>crazy jamie</poster_name>        <temperature>98.4000015259</temperature>        <price>10</price>        <timestamp>1279920760</timestamp>        <expired>false</expired>      - <forum>       <name>deals</name>        <url_name>deals</url_name>        </forum>     - <category>       <name>entertainment</name>        <url_name>entertainment</url_name>        </category>     - <merchant>       <name>hmv</name>        <url_name>hmv</url_name>        </merchant>     - <tags>     - <api_item>       <name>empire total war</name>        </api_item>       </tags>       </api_item>     - <api_item>       <title>samsung sh-b083l 8x bluray rom + dvd-rw - £46.72 delivered or less @ overclockers</title>        <deal_link>http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/samsung-sh-b083l-8x-bluray-rom-dvd-/725984</deal_link>        <mobile_deal_link>http://m.hotukdeals.com/deals/samsung-sh-b083l-8x-bluray-rom-dvd-/725984</mobile_deal_link>        <deal_image>http://www.hotukdeals.com/images/threads/725984_1.jpg</deal_image>        <description>if free delivery overclockers being long-time forums member £43.46 delivered , same price if buy shop in stoke. samsung's sh-b083l can play blu-ray discs , record cds , dvds. plus, has fast read speeds, go way 8x. in addition 1080p hd picture support , shb083l available huge capacity of 25 gb single-layer disc, , 50 gb dual-layer disc. can breathe new life current movie collection latest upscaling technology gives standard definition dvds dramatically improved high resolution look. write speed - dvd-r: 16x - dvd-r dl: 8x - dvd+r: 16x - dvd+r dl: 8x - dvd+rw: 6x - dvd-ram: 12x - cd-r: 48x - cd-rw: 4x read speed - bd-r: 8x - bd-r dl: 4x - bd-re dl: 4x - dvd-ram: 12x - dvd-rom: 16x - dvd-r: 16x - dvd+r: 16x - dvd+rw: 12x - cd-r: 48x - cd-rw: 40x - cd-rom: 48x</description>        <submit_time>6 hours, 38 minutes ago</submit_time>        <hot_time>9 minutes ago</hot_time>        <poster_name>hajj_3</poster_name>        <temperature>96.4800033569</temperature>        <price>46.72</price>        <timestamp>1279967326</timestamp>        <expired>false</expired>      - <forum>       <name>deals</name>        <url_name>deals</url_name>        </forum>     - <category>       <name>computers</name>        <url_name>computers</url_name>        </category>     - <merchant>       <name>overclockers</name>        <url_name>overclockers</url_name>        </merchant>       <tags />        </api_item>   <?xml version="1.0" ?>  - <api_response> - <deals> - <api_item>   <title>palit geforce gtx460 768mb: £143.56 @ cclonline</title>    <deal_link>http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/palit-geforce-gtx460-768mb-143-56-a/725851</deal_link>    <mobile_deal_link>http://m.hotukdeals.com/deals/palit-geforce-gtx460-768mb-143-56-a/725851</mobile_deal_link>    <deal_image>http://www.hotukdeals.com/images/threads/725851_1.jpg</deal_image>    <description>palit geforce gtx460 768mb - ne5tx460fhd79 (free delivery or collection) graphics card require: ..pci express or pci express 2.0-compliant motherboard 1 dual-width x16 graphics slot ..two 6-pin pci express supplementary power connectors ..minimum 450w or greater system power supply (with minimum 12v current rating of 24a) ..supported operating systems: windows 7, windows vista, windows xp</description>    <submit_time>19 hours, 29 minutes ago</submit_time>    <hot_time>8 minutes ago</hot_time>    <poster_name>gads</poster_name>    <temperature>102.629997253</temperature>    <price>143.56</price>    <timestamp>1279921047</timestamp>    <expired>false</expired>  - <forum>   <name>deals</name>    <url_name>deals</url_name>    </forum> - <category>   <name>computers</name>    <url_name>computers</url_name>    </category> - <merchant>   <name>cclonline</name>    <url_name>cclonline</url_name>    </merchant>   <tags />    </api_item> - <api_item>   <title>empire total war (pc) £10 instore @ hmv!</title>    <deal_link>http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/empire-total-war-pc-10-instore-hmv/725848</deal_link>    <mobile_deal_link>http://m.hotukdeals.com/deals/empire-total-war-pc-10-instore-hmv/725848</mobile_deal_link>    <deal_image>http://www.hotukdeals.com/images/threads/725848_1.jpg</deal_image>    <description>not latest game in series, still cracking game, , fiver cheaper best online price looks of things.</description>    <submit_time>19 hours, 34 minutes ago</submit_time>    <hot_time>8 minutes ago</hot_time>    <poster_name>crazy jamie</poster_name>    <temperature>98.4000015259</temperature>    <price>10</price>    <timestamp>1279920760</timestamp>    <expired>false</expired>  - <forum>   <name>deals</name>    <url_name>deals</url_name>    </forum> - <category>   <name>entertainment</name>    <url_name>entertainment</url_name>    </category> - <merchant>   <name>hmv</name>    <url_name>hmv</url_name>    </merchant> - <tags> - <api_item>   <name>empire total war</name>    </api_item>   </tags>   </api_item> - <api_item>   <title>samsung sh-b083l 8x bluray rom + dvd-rw - £46.72 delivered or less @ overclockers</title>    <deal_link>http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/samsung-sh-b083l-8x-bluray-rom-dvd-/725984</deal_link>    <mobile_deal_link>http://m.hotukdeals.com/deals/samsung-sh-b083l-8x-bluray-rom-dvd-/725984</mobile_deal_link>    <deal_image>http://www.hotukdeals.com/images/threads/725984_1.jpg</deal_image>    <description>if free delivery overclockers being long-time forums member £43.46 delivered , same price if buy shop in stoke. samsung's sh-b083l can play blu-ray discs , record cds , dvds. plus, has fast read speeds, go way 8x. in addition 1080p hd picture support , shb083l available huge capacity of 25 gb single-layer disc, , 50 gb dual-layer disc. can breathe new life current movie collection latest upscaling technology gives standard definition dvds dramatically improved high resolution look. write speed - dvd-r: 16x - dvd-r dl: 8x - dvd+r: 16x - dvd+r dl: 8x - dvd+rw: 6x - dvd-ram: 12x - cd-r: 48x - cd-rw: 4x read speed - bd-r: 8x - bd-r dl: 4x - bd-re dl: 4x - dvd-ram: 12x - dvd-rom: 16x - dvd-r: 16x - dvd+r: 16x - dvd+rw: 12x - cd-r: 48x - cd-rw: 40x - cd-rom: 48x</description>    <submit_time>6 hours, 38 minutes ago</submit_time>    <hot_time>9 minutes ago</hot_time>    <poster_name>hajj_3</poster_name>    <temperature>96.4800033569</temperature>    <price>46.72</price>    <timestamp>1279967326</timestamp>    <expired>false</expired>  - <forum>   <name>deals</name>    <url_name>deals</url_name>    </forum> - <category>   <name>computers</name>    <url_name>computers</url_name>    </category> - <merchant>   <name>overclockers</name>    <url_name>overclockers</url_name>    </merchant>   <tags />    </api_item> </deals>   <total_results>1000</total_results>    </api_response> 

figured out:

var deals = el in xelement.parse(e.result).elements("deals").elements("api_item")             select new             {                title = (string)el.element("title").value,                description = (string)el.element("description").value             }; 

looks won't work unless cast element value before assigning it. adding casting seemed trick. how bizarre!