Rating: 
Summary: Best one yet!
Review: This is the best Harry Potter book yet. (It's also the darkest but I've been reading The Demonwars, Shadowdale and stuff like that and so I'm used to it.) I only give it four stars because of the character death. I don't have to say anything about the plot or anything because everyone else has! (And to the person who gave it a one and said if you want a cheerful, enchanting fantasy novel read the Discworld books instead of Narnia. They make me laugh!)
Rating: 
Summary: Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix
Review: Brilliant and thought-provoking, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix marches to the beat of its own drum compared to the other four compelling novels. It is, hands down, the best installment of Rowling's unfinished chronicle series. Although the other four novels leave you thirsting for more, Order of the Phoenix leaves you curious and anxious for the next big one, The Green Flamed Torch. Although the rumors that this installment is darker and more destressing is most certainly true, the humor is also more enriching and the uncanny description of adolescance is implied. Overall, this is not only the best of the Harry Potter series, but one of the best books known to the world. I believe that teenagers and adults will find this book more rewarding and educational than the children! However, it is suitable for all audiences!
Rating:
Summary: Harry in Shades of Grey
Review: This is the Harry Potter book that moves the series firmly out of the realm of "children's fiction". I enjoyed it immensely, but what I found the most interesting was the way that Rowling shaded many of the familiar black-and-white characters as a much more ambiguous grey. The result is sometimes disconcerting. Heroic Harry is now a sullen teen who often seems to be working at cross purposes with Dumbledore. Snape, who you were never sure wasn't going to turn out to be the villain in the other books, takes a turn in a sympathetic light. James Potter turns out to have had a mean streak; Sirius has some pretty serious character shortcomings; even Aunt Petunia seems to be hiding something.Most striking is that the memorable nasty villain of this book is not Voldemort (either in his own body or someone else's) or his Death Eater cronies -- it is an overly officious, power-hungry, totalitarian bureaucrat. In a fantasy world where Voldemort represents evil and Dumbledore, Hogwarts, &c. represents good, how can this be reconciled? Rowling has introduced so much complexity of character with OOTP that it's like a whole new series. Read it to enjoy the ambiguities.
Rating:
Summary: Another example of the revealment of Light
Review: Again, in our world of physicality and cycnicsm, the Light chooses to reveal the possibilities within our our souls through a young adult book that has catured the imagination of the entire world. The question is not whether there are wizards and metaphysical possibilities within the human spirit, the question is when they will be revealed. The popularity of these is based on a human desire for fun, for joy, for an otherworldliness, and of course for the oppurtunity inherent in the goodness of man to do battle with evil. I hope all the people who read book realize that the possibilities of the human imagination are real, (as is the force of evil) and that the allure of Harry Potter and friends is tht each one of us wishs we were him (or at least like him).
Rating:
Summary: Harry P more human.
Review: I just finished the latest and I will say the greatest of JK's books. Rowling uses some standard plot developers and puzzle makers that she used previously but I must say that the final confrontations of the book were absolutely gut wrenching. She does not reveal who dies until the very last moment and until then each of the main characters could have fallen victim. That the death seems anti-climactic is a clever ruse. It illustrates how one small mistake can cost a character their life in Rowling's world. The way Harry P mourned the character who died was touching. I felt that JK actually mourned as well. Perhaps my only criticism of the characters would be directed to Umbridge. Her ability to be duped in the novel was a bit too simplistic but, suspension of disbelief helped me ease through those passages. All in all I am impressed and I look forward to the sixth novel with trepidation. Things will probably get ugly before all is made right. Cheers and have a butterbeer!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing- JK just get better and better
Review: I am a hardcore Harry Potter fan. So as I pre-ordered my copy of Ootp, five mounths ago i have been anticipating the arival of this book for ages. I made sure that i read it twice before I wrote a review, that being said, I would like to state my basic opinion of this book. JK rowling becomes more and more sophisticated with every novel. Her writting is more and more complex and grows, just as her characters are. This series began as a good childrens book, for 7 or 8 year olds. I believe the book now is for teenagers and adults. The audience has grown with her writting. In this book Harry is very angry, and irrational. Some may see him as being dumb, but I see him as being a teenager. That said the following is SPOILERS! do not read if you have not finished the book!!!!!! Harry is very grown up in this book, seeing someone die (cedric in book 4) has really changed him. He seems more revengful, and he snaps at Hermione and Ron alot. Not only that but he is maturing as a man.I don't really see a future for him and Cho, though at the end of the book, I think that Ron was hinting towards Ginny and Harry as a couple. One of my favorite parts of this book, was when Fred and George left, it was hilarious, and very well written. They will be important now, i think that their joke shope will do very well, and that they will own it until they die lol. Also we now know that Harry or Voldermort must die. I do not want Voldermort to die, just so it's a happy kid's ending. I think that JK is seriously considering killing Harry, and she is the author so I trust her.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Stupefying!
Review: Two months ago if you asked me which Harry Potter book I liked best, I would have to have said book 1. Now, though, without a doubt, it's book 5. I was a bit disappointed in book 4, and had a hard time staying interested in it. Indeed, I began to feel as if the "magic" was wearing off. Therefore, I was a little concerned about how good book 5 would be. I shouldn't have worried. I, personally, found the 5th installment of Harry Potter to be far more interesting, engaging, and intense than book 4. Yes, Harry is more self-involved than before, and comes off as a petulant, grumpy teen at times...but I chalk that up to teenage angst and think it only serves to make him seem more "realistic." Up to now Harry has basically been a pretty happy kid, despite all the bad things in his life, but in this book we see him struggle with deeper and more negative emotions. I, for one, appreciated seeing this more "human" side of Harry. Also, I must compliment Ms. Rawlings on her choice of character names in this book. The house elf "Kreacher" (I assume meaning creature), and especially Professor "Umbridge" (who literally takes umbrage at everything Harry says or does). Clever play on words! As lengthy as this book is, I still was disappointed to reach the end. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent reading it, and only hope it isn't another 3 years before the next one comes out!
Rating:
Summary: HP fans, hang onto your broomsticks, it's a wild ride!
Review: Too long? No way -- we love Potter and we don't want the fun to end. The opening line of "year 5" is deceivingly quiet. Before the first chapter is over, Harry and his ignorant cousin Dudley are attacked by Lord Voldemort's dementors, and the action continues on a fast pace. The drama seems heightened by Harry's teenaged angst (when we were teens, everything was a drama, wasn't it?). Another plus, if you've followed the series, is finding out more about some of the more curious characters: Snape. James Potter. The bumbling Neville and what happened to his parents. At the center remains the friendship among Harry, Hermione, and Ron, though their bonds are tested to the straining point. The concluding chapters were too engrossing to put down, so keep an hour or two set aside once you get to chapter 33.
Rating:
Summary: Another Harry Potter Adventure
Review: Many people say that this fifth book in the Harry Potter series is a bit of a dissapointment, but readers will find that as usual, Rowlings spends a lot of time setting up the plot and referring to history. Much of this dissapointmentlikely stems from the length of the book, which is easily overcome through the audio edition. Grammy-Winning Narrarator Jim Dale has a different voice for each character (how does he keep them all straight) and brings the book to life, more so than even the movie could do. Owning all five sets of the audio edition, I can say I have gotten my monies worth out of them all. However, this time around, I opted to go with the pricier CD version, as my experience with the tapes have been that they sometimes break from extended use.
Rating:
Summary: Mad Muggle's Mind Boggles
Review: I entered the wonderful wizarding world a little over a year ago, just before the first movie was released. I had seen previews of the movie and they looked intriguing enough to check out the 1st book. Well, 4 sleepless nights later on a Friday I had finished all four books, and my boss was ready to send me to the hospital for some unknown malady ( I couldn't exactly tell him I'd been up reading all week). I was a woman enthralled, for Harry Potter had put a spell on me. The characters were amazingly complex and 3-dimensional, the plots were rich and interweaving, and I couldn't wait for the next one to come out. For the HP books were and are NOT children books, they are books about growing up, and dealing with life.
Waiting for the OotP to be released was insufferable, and I only had to wait a year and a half instead of three, but it was more than worth the wait. In this book, gone is the wide eyed innocence of youth. No, HP is angry, pompous, edgy, confused, and he's not going to take it anymore. In other words, he's 15. Right from the beginning, the book starts with action, plot twists, intrigue, and drama, and doesn't end even when the book is over. Still reeling from the trauma of Cedric's death and Voldemort's return, HP's story begins right after his birthday, and as usual, miserable at the Dursley's, and feeling cut off from his friends. They write to him, but tell him nothing. Something unexpected happens that causes him to be in big trouble with the Ministry of Magic, and reunites him with old friends and enemies, and introduces him to new allies and foes.
No longer the HP loving government, the MoM wants him wandless and discredited, for they are ABSOLUTELY unwilling to believe in Voldemort's return. Harry comes before the court and we find out what prats Fudge and Percy can be, while also meeting the malicious, vile, Delores Umbridge, who makes Snape look kind and generous. Here enters the OotP, working in secret for fear of punishment from the government against he-who-shall-not-be-named. Returning favorites Snuffles (Sirius Black), Lupin, Mad-Eye-Moody, the Weasley's, and of course Dumbledore are all members. It is here Harry is reunited with his friends Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasley children (sans Percy). Harry discovers that Voldemort is after some secret weapon, but the order won't give him any specifics. Although sullen, he returns to Hogwarts with high hopes for the year. Unfortunately, that Umbridge woman is the new DAD teacher. She makes Harry's life a living torment. Pretty soon she's all but taken over the school, and becomes a menace to everyone, teachers and students included, although Dumbledore does impede her with regularity. To make matters worse, this is the year that 5th years take their OWL's. Every teacher has given them a colossal amount of homework in preparation. In addition, his scar is hurting worse than ever and almost non-stop. Plus, he's constantly dreaming about a long corridor with a blue light and a door at the end. Unsure of its meaning, he doesn't know who to turn to for advice, for Dumbledore won't speak to him or even look at him. He can't talk to Sirius as they are monitoring the Floo network and the owl post. Malfoy and Snape are as delightful as ever. Snape is, however shown in a new light, and we come to understand him a little better. The one thing guaranteed to alleviate Harry's anxiety, and what he likes to do above all else is taken from him. In retaliation, the triumphant trio form the DA and recruit other students who believe in Voldemort's return and want to be prepared. All of this leads to a climatic confrontation involving the MoM, OotP, Voldemorte & his Death Eaters, and the DA. It is here while protecting the weapon that Harry suffers a tragic loss that is at once poignant and heart rending, and which impact was barely covered and will definitely affect the two books to come. It also brings about the revelation of why ole Tom Riddle tried to kill Harry as a baby and what will have to happen by the series conclusion. Without Ron or Hermione, I don't know how Harry would have made it through the year. You can see how much they have grown over the last 4 years, and forged an unbreakable bond. For the reader, you will definitely be grateful for the Weasley twins as they are a refreshing touch of levity in an otherwise emotional book. There is so much more that could be discussed, but I don't want to give too much away, and there just isn't enough space. Many people are sure to mention this book is dark, and that is true, but with good reason. JKR stays true to her characters and her story and the reader will appreciate it. The only problem I have with this book is that it ended much too soon. Nope, 780 pages just aren't enough. I'm already feeling the effects of withdrawal from this imaginative masterpiece, and fear that the wait will prove to be as unbearable as Harry's 5th year. Ending on a happy note, I read an interview with JKR that said she has already started the 6th book! Please let the words flow quickly.
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