Rating: 
Summary: Great, but not the best
Review: After 3 years of waiting, I finally got the most awaited book in my hands. Ok, Im very very excited to read it. After reading it, I gave it 4 stars.Why 4 stars? Why not? GoF is still the best. In OotP, expect a little humour, a lot of revelations, a few moments with Cho and a very important character in Harry's life dying. Everything's serious with this one. We also soo our old characters back, Im very ecstatic to see the real A.M. (you know who Im talking about) and our dear dear (and my favorite character) R.L. (marauder). The true colors of Cho (or effects after Cedric's death) show up. J.K. amazed me again with her detailed and exciting scenes, enough to keep me hungry for more. But Harry Potter's not complete without a few pranks, laughs and new jokes. Order of the Phoenix has a few and that doesnt really satisfy me. Otherwise, it wouldve been my all-time favorite since Goblet of Fire. In a nutshell, this is truly recommended if you love reading serious books. Although this may leave you hungry for more, the book itself will not prohibit you from reading it over and over. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A Slight Disappointment, but Still Magical
Review: After a three year wait that seemed like ten times that, receiving
this book at my door one June afternoon was a long-awaited
pleasure. The obvious question is, "was it worth the wait?" Well...not entirely. Without a doubt, its an entertaining
novel. But there are plot holes large enough to stuff the
whole of Hogwarts. And the plot, annoyingly, depends on
keeping Harry, and with him, the readers, completely in
the dark. Unfortunately, (I'm trying to avoid spoilers
here, so forgive the non-specificness of this) his being
kept in the dark is out of character for the characters
who are responsible for it. It's still fun, though. And, keeping in mind that this
is ultimately children's literature, I find plot holes
more forgivable than in, say, a heavy duty spy novel. The characters are still as vibrant as ever. The new
antagonist of Professor Umbridge (I *love* that name)
is a great character, even if she is highly dislikable.
And her "cat-fight" with McGonagall is scathingly
funny. THis may not be up to the quality of the earlier books
in the series, but it only disappoints mildly.
Rating: 
Summary: Order of Phoenix not of the highest order
Review: As a fan of the 4 previous Harry Potter books, I too tackled the 5th, long awaited, book with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the high expectations that came with 3 years of waiting were not met by the time the last sentence ended. This book is a mere shadow of the previous books. Although it weighs in at a hefty 870 pages, remarkably little occurs amidst all those words. Teenage angst seems to be the pervasive underlying theme and all of Harry's other, more admirable, qualities seem to take a back seat to petty resentments and hormonal confusion. All 15 year old boys are not total idiots, but you couldn't prove it by this book. The plot and subplots meander sluggishly with very little action by any of the characters. Perhaps this is meant to build a sense of forboding, but simply serves to cause the reader's attention to wander. Plot details are introduced, then ignored or simply not developed. A slipshod lack of attention to details leads the reader to assume Rowling tired of this book herself well before the finish. Even the tragic death near the end seens to occur less as a climax in the plot than as a selfserving shock factor effect, and actually occurs with so little buildup or fanfare as to seem almost an afterthought. Everything is drawn out, washed out and tired. Hopefully this is just a temporary lapse in Rowlings' usually scintillating form. The world of Harry Potter in the 4 previous books is filled with vivid characters living in a magical, glorious, absorbing world so crisply drawn as to sparkle with life,moral struggles and emotion on every page. I look forward to revisiting it, hopefully, in Rowlings' next offering.
Rating: 
Summary: A winner
Review: After 2 years of waiting, I read this book in one sitting. I was so engrossed with the story. It was really exciting to see the development in Harry's life, how he dealt with anger and frustration after what had happened to him in the 4th book. The death of the character (which was my favorite character from Harry Potter) was so sad for me, but I think J.K. Rowling had her reason. Now, how long should I wait for Book 6.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing plots and fast-paced action await you!
Review: Deeper secrets Harry Potter is frustrated. Isolated from the wizarding world at his summer residence with his non-magical aunt, uncle and cousin, he hides in flowerbeds so he can listen to the evening news and steals newspapers from trash bins, hoping for some sign of activity from Lord Voldemort. He barely has had contact with his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. A dementor attack, a cryptic Howler, and a rescue brigade bring Harry back to the magical world, to a place where a group of wizards has assembled with the mission to stop Voldemort. To Harry's disgust, no one wants to tell him anything regarding the mission, not even when he begins to dream of a snake and a door at the end of a long, dark hallway that he recognizes as part of the Ministry of Magic. Things aren't much better at Hogwarts, where his dreams turn into visions of Voldemort's power, anger, and desire for domination. Darker powers It is a time of war in the magical world, but there are no clear lines of good and evil. The Ministry of Magic is so adamant in its beliefs that it refuses to acknowledge Harry's story of Voldemort's return. Harry is the butt of jokes in the Daily Prophet, and the only people who believe him are the ones the Ministry would discredit. According to the Ministry, Albus Dumbledore is a dangerous fool, and anyone who follows him is not to be trusted. Co-workers, friends, and even families begin to divide according to whom they support. Spies and secrets feed a new era in wizarding history and lead to changes at Hogwarts, not all of them good. The students are as divided as the adults, and discord haunts the corridors. Stronger magic Fifth year is the time for Ordinary Wizarding Level exams, or O.W.L.s, and Harry and the rest of the fifth-years find themselves working harder than ever to achieve top test results, which then dictate their careers. Spells are more complex, there's more homework, and the students have to work twice as hard as they did in previous years just to keep up. The only class that differs from this pattern is Defense Against the Dark Arts, taught by the deceptively sweet Dolores Umbridge, formerly Senior Undersecretary to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Umbridge's lesson plans leave Harry and his friends worried and wanting more from their education. Harry is also asked by Professor Dumbledore to study privately with Professor Snape, the hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions professor who has done nothing but make Harry's Potions classes miserable since the day Harry first came to Hogwarts. In order to succeed and even survive, Harry must put his trust in those who hide the truth from him. Intricate plots, maturing characters, and fast-paced action paint a picture of a magical world with a new veil of darkness. As Harry and his friends grow, they must face more adult issues and deal not only with a changing world, but also with their changing selves. Characters who have only served in the background of previous books become more important, and some of Harry's favorite people, like Remus Lupin, return. Never content to sit back and watch things happen, Harry and his friends take dangerous matters into their own hands, confronting evil and working as a team to stop it. From page one, where we see more complex sentences and an angrier, damaged Harry, this book's tone is completely different from the previous four: deeper and richer, with less humor and more detail. Rowling's tactics of inspiring fear are different in this installation, too. The horror is psychological rather than physical, and there is less Quidditch and more magic. Harry is achingly perfect and emotionally real as a typical teenage boy, confused and defiant about everything from girls to his friendships to his magical education. He has come to trust very few people, but those he takes into his confidence, like Ron and Hermione, complement him very well. Patience is recommended while reading, because the pacing lags in some places while rushing in others, and the multiple plot lines take a while to mesh. Rather than take us through a mostly linear tale with a twist at the end, as seen in THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS and THE GOBLET OF FIRE, the plotline here is built of many small incidents that come together to form the whole of the story. This new approach shows a shift in the atmosphere and targeted audience of the Harry Potter series. As Harry matures, so does Rowling's writing style, coloring the events of the past and linking them to the present. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX gives many answers and raises even more questions, setting up an excellent path for the final two books in the series. --- Reviewed by Carlie Kraft
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointed.
Review: This book was very different from the 1st four. I found it hard to get into. It dragged and it was full of anger. Yes, Harry is now 15 and suffering all teenage dilema's but the anger extended throughtout the whole school year. I felt maybe the author just wanted to get the book written as it had been 3 years since the release of book 4 and she really didn't have her heart in it. Maybe she was angry and it carried into this book.I believe the author would not finish the series if there wasn't such a great following. It didn't have nearly the humor of the last books. I was very disappointed although the new character added something to the book. I read the first 4 books 3 times each and have listened to the audio tapes of all books. I doubt I will buy the audio tape of this book nor will I read it a second time. I will not get inpatient for the next book. When it comes, it comes. I feel the author let me down in this installment. It was too long and drawn out. Sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter's fan
Review: I realy enjoyd this book. Though it took a long time to get to Hogwarts school of whitch craft and wizardry. It took me about a week to read it. I could never stop reading. It was like I was in the story. At the begenning Harry was attaked. The end was very sad. Harry dates some girl. He figures out a deep secret. And goes on thousands of adventures. I better stop now before I write the whole book.
Rating:
Summary: A literary feat of hairpin turns and surprising twists
Review: When I brought home a copy of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix on June twenty-first, I had no idea what the next three days had in store for me. The reason I love Rowling's books is because, when you are reading them, you are part of the character's adventures, You share their triumph and feel their pain. At the start of the novel Harry is awaiting his fifth year at hogwarts. There is definitely a change of attitude from the previous installment of the series. Harry is now fifteen, so naturally he has become more rebellious and angry. I believe that this novel was not only to develop the future war between good and evil, but to show the development of harry as a person. During the summer leading up to his fifth year he grows angrier every day due to the fact that he has not heard from his friends, and not to mention he has no information about anything impotant happening in the wizarding world. Later in the novel Harry finds out that nobody believes what happened between him and Lord Voldemort. People actually believe he is starved for attention, and that Dumbledore is lying about Voldemort's return. Harry arrives to Hogwarts thinking life will become easier, but later finds out otherwise. Harry realizes that Dumbledore is hiding something from him and wants to know what that something is. As you may or may not know, every year the students of Hogwarts get a new defense against the dark arts teacher, this year is no exception. Delores Umbridge(under assistant to the minister of magic)is appointed by the ministry to do the job. In no time at all she has taken over the school, removing everything that harry loved about hogwarts, she has even been given the power to "sack" teachers. This was also a very mysterious novel. Almost every night Harry has a dream about a big door at the end of a long corridor, and every night he goes deeper into the corridor. Harry's scar burns more often and vividly than before, harry then finds out that he is going into Voldemort's mind and feeling his thoughts. Harry finds out that Voldemort is after a secret weapon, something he didn't have before, could all of this tie in together? It is twists like this that make Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix such a great book, that's why I give it five stars and my highest recomendation.
Rating:
Summary: great but I have a point....
Review: What amazing,amazing books.....i can truthfully say that Harry and the others have become more real to me than some of the actual people in my life. The funny part is that whenever I say "Voldemort" I feel guilty as if I've done something wrong and should be saying "You Know Who"!!
I have a question and am waiting for people's responses to it.... Dumbledore says that no spell can bring back the dead in "The Goblet of Fire". But can't they use the Time-Turner? After all,Harry and Hermione do save Buckbeak theoretically AFTER the hippogriff has been executed.(Prisoner of Azkaban)So the person who dies in Order of the Phoenix(I won't mention who) CAN be rescued if they go back in time! Waiting to hear answers..
Rating:
Summary: Everyone has to make a transition
Review: I don't know what I was expecting but I was only mildly dissappointed.
The fifth book answers a lot of questions...but brings up a few more I'm afraid.
As much as I love Miss Rowling's writing, and I admire her for writing such a well loved character, I felt this book, while the plot was good, was a little fast paced.
I felt it was hurried...but as always Miss Rawling creates a humourous and wonderful ending.
I also think the size might scare off a few of the younger Harry Potter fans.
And while Miss Rawling wonderfully transitions between childhood and adulthood for a boy, this book breaks a few illusions some of us had about Harry's family and friends. In short I offer this advice:
This is a book that shows the life of a young boy who is part of so many tragedies, so many deaths, so many plots and secrets that a few of you must realize...he can not stay truly innocent forever.
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