Rating: 
Summary: The Pains of Growing Up
Review: The fifth in the Potter series is by far the most complex in feeling and tone. I do feel that 100 or so pages could have been omited, but when I was finished, I found myself wishing for 200 more. I just hope that we aren't left too long without book 6. In Book 5, there is a strong sense of family. This is a story that really speaks to Harry's need for a family connection. In the end, Harry finds out that family is more than one normally thinks and has truly matured. Characters like Professor McGonnagill, Ginny, Fred, George, and especially Nevill shine in this story. Harry's circle of friends grows and there are some glimpses of Harry's parrents as they were in their fifth year. It's all quite facinating. There are so many threads left dangling in this story that the next is sure to be great as well. This whole series is well worth your time at any age.
Rating:
Summary: They get better with every year at Hogwarts!
Review: I know that there are those who have felt that this book was a disappointment, that it didn't get really exciting until the very end. Yes, I'll admit in this book we really get to see what Dumbledore can do. But we can also see what Harry can do and the resourcefulness of his cronies, even little Ginny who is not as little as we would have her be! I personally feel that this book is in keeping with the continuing spiral of development we've seen in Harry in the past 4 books. We've seen what he can and can't do, what pushes his buttons and what doesn't and how much grief he can tolerate and what he can't. It took J.K. Rowling 4+ years to come out with Book 5. I most certainly hope that it doesn't take as long to come up with Book 6. I await Book 6 most impatiently!
Rating: 
Summary: Did anyone else felt it was a waste??
Review: Hi I could not wait for book number five and stood in line from 8 pm till midnight to purchase the book and finished reading it in a mere 4 days and what a rip off it was!! It only got remotely interresting after the first 600 pages and MAN can HARRY GET ANY MORE WHINNEY??? Was Rowling in a bad mood when she wrote this book? Well it seems so and she [messed] up! This is where my collection end!
Rating: 
Summary: Here's hoping he grows out of it.
Review: J.K Rowling continues to cast a wonderful spell as the journey continues. But I disagree with the reviewers who see our Hero Harry's sudden change of temperament to that of a sullen, self absorbed and put-upon teenager as a good thing. Yes, it makes him a more realistic adolescent, but I get to deal with plenty of those in the real world. I would prefer to escape from that sort of realism in these adventures, and to spend the time they require with a hero as loveable as the one Ms. Rowling gave us in the first four books. Here's hoping he grows out of it!
Rating:
Summary: A diagnosis for Harry
Review: Harry is shunned by most of his peers and treated shamefully by many adults. Why? It's not what we've been led to believe.
Consider this. In the past five years, Harry has taken exactly one bath. That was right before the Tri-Wizard tournament. In the past five years Harry has never once brushed his teeth. Is it any wonder that other Hogwarts students shrink away, point at him and whisper?
It's surprising, really, that Snape hates him so much. After all, as we are reminded repeatedly, Snape has dirty, greasy hair. You'd think he and Harry would be soulmates. I figure that's why Harry and Sirius get along so well. Sirius also doesn't believe in grooming.
As for Harry's unreasonable outbursts, why hasn't anyone figured out the diet connection? The kid lives on pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs and those booger-flavored bean candies. In the latest book, he's also started chugging coffee and tea.
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Rating:
Summary: Harry goes to the dark side
Review: Those who complained about Harry's character change have totally missed the point - it was obvious that Harry is going to the dark side. Recently I read an article about Rowling's meeting with about 3000 children in London. She joked that Harry might not survive his 7th year at Hogwarts, she also mentioned that her favorite band was the Beatles. Now, it became clear to me that Rowling is modeling Harry as John Lennon. For example, Harry has a close circle of friends: Ron, Hermione and Neville; Harry has a dark-haired girlfriend (Cho) who causes difficulty in his friendship with his inner circle. Now the natural ending for Harry will be that he be killed by somebody other than his enemy, Lord Voldermort. In the Order of the Phoenix, Harry was full of rage and guilt. Does this sound familiar? Remember young Anakin Skywalker in the Attack of the Clones? Harry is gradually going to the dark side, no wonder Dumbledore put so many people on the "weapon". I could be wrong, but I think in Book 6 and 7 three things are going to happen. One, Harry is going to the dark side. Two, Harry is gonna kill Voldermort. Three, Harry is gonna be killed by somebody from Hogwarts.
Rating:
Summary: Better Than The Rest!
Review: The new novel in the Harry Potter series is even better than all of the others. The attitudes and personalities of the characters, especially Harry, have changed, which makes the book very exciting and worth reading. All the characters seem to be coming of age. The book starts out at the Dursleys with Harry desperatly trying to find out what Voldemort has been up to, and has no help from Ron, Hermione, or Sirius, whos letters were of no use. But everything changes when someone or something appears in Little Whinning that puts Harry on his guard. With everyone in the Order of the Phoenix watching Harry's back, and the Ministry oblivious to what's going on, Harry's anxiety only grows with the nightmares of corridors and locked doors. Hogwarts is no better, for the new DADA teacher, Umbridge, works for the ministry and puts Harry's self control to the test. With OWLs approaching, all the teachers and students don't want to worry about Umbridge, but have no choice when she puts herself on top. The end of the year leaves Harry with much more than he has ever been through. With the death of someone close to him, and hearing the prophecy that reveals Harry and Voldemort's past, as well as their fate, the book leaves both readers and Harry waiting anxiously for the next year at Hogwarts and what awaits Harry in the wizarding world.
Rating: 
Summary: 5th out of 5 in a Great Series
Review: Giving this 4 stars is fair only when comparing the book against its predecessors. There is no comparison to what Ms. Rowling is doing with this series. This book is outstanding, as are all in the series. I have nits, discussed below, but the series, book by book and as a series, compares favorably with the only other 7-book series of any significance, The Chronicles of Narnia. Head to head, only The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Voyages of Prince Caspian can stand up to any one of the Potter series. That said, my only complaint is that Harry's mood -- teen angst tempered by outbursts of anger -- needed more modulating to stand out for contrast. The book took on a kind of tension because Harry was always in a fit, never relaxed. Granted, he has a lot going against a relaxing life, but it got to the point where I suspected that the plot would reveal that he was being influenced by the herb mentioned in middle of the book that causes people to lose their tempers. Otherwise, the plot was busy but not overly so (I can only imagine, however, what a chore it will be to film this in less than three hours). An excellent way to spend a weeekend.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it--political messages?
Review: Loved the book. Does anyone else wonder if JK Rowling were American, would the book be a slam against the Republican Administration? I kept picturing President Bush as Minister of Magic Fudge. Did anyone else? And don't get me started on which Republican best fits Professor Umbridge's character. It's a great example about what happens when the "moral majority" (or religious right) interferes in our educational system--not to mention in public health, academics, the environment, etc. Great to see so many kids reading books that challenge the status quo and powers that be--even if only in a fictional world!
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Read!
Review: Once again, I found myself turning pages as quickly as I could and then hungry for more at the end. Congratulations to J. K. Rowling on another enchanting book. I really like the way she made a "real" teenager out of Harry, going through the typical growing pains of adolescence, but at the same time kept the fantasy intact. I can't wait for #6!!!
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