Rating: 
Summary: A Must read for all Harry Potter Fans!!
Review: I was just intraduced to the Harry Potter books a few Months ago! I read all 4 years and just finished Year 5! I think That J.K. Rowling is a very good Author and has a good thing going with these books! The Order of the Phenix started out good and held me in a trans to fallow through! Harry is now starting to deal with Growing into a teen and having to deal with the pressures of going up as a teen! With the struggle of adults not understanding him and the struggle of trying to understand girls, This book has it down on how it is for most teens growing up into Adults! I loved this book and can not wait for the next ones! I hope to also see more Movies come out of these books!
Rating: 
Summary: 100 pages of Action, 700 pages of SPAZ
Review: Whereas past Harry Potter books featured suspense and action that made you read straight through the night, this book was like bad driving: stops and starts, where the plot gets put on pause every few pages with Harry throwing some tantrum over very minor issues. One reason why readers like Harry is because he was always so brave, patient, and GOOD. Here we are greatly tempted to forget all about him and start rootin' for some action for good ol' Ron and Hermione instead.And why all the loose-ends? Where does Percy stand with the family, now that Voldemort is finally acknowledged as "back"? What happens with Cho and Harry? Surely so much build up can't end with nothing! There were so many more questions, and it seems that all the interesting stuff consists of what happens AFTER the book has ended! And somehow, Professor Dumbledore's long-awaited revelation of truth wasn't satisfying because we didn't need an explanation of what was happening (we all had guessed what was up by now), but rather, we needed a furtherance of plot!! Let's see Harry do something for Cho! Let's have the Order reveal more secrets! Let's see Harry GROW UP and act with some good-naturedness! Let's see some character-growth for Ron and Hermione! They are quickly becoming stock characters---and not only for other eager fantasy authors, but for Rowling herself. What did I admire (but not enjoy much)? Umbridge. She was so evil, so well-written....makes me wonder if Ms. Rowling actually KNEW someone who she immensely IMMENSELY detested, and based Umbridge on her! haha. For a second there I thought she WAS a death-eater...but was she? I don't think so. The swamp was also a brilliant stroke. I think I wanted to see more of Umbridge breaking down and crying. The revenge just didnt' balance out the suffering! And for Snape, there's no need to try to place suspicion on him anymore. He is ALWAYS the red herring suspect! Always! I give this hefty book a 3/5, simply b/c it IS a good action-novel, but it's a HOLLYWOOD B-action-novel...in need of a good plot, good twist, and likeable characters.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter
Review: ok, I really enjoyed this book I read it in less than 24 hours. However there was the Angery undertone throughout the entire book that I thought eather should have come earlier or not at all. Typicaly Adopted children who have been abused to the level that harry has been are far more Angery at a earlier stage in life if they are going to be Malajusted at all. It was my impression that Mrs. Rowling was making this series about a kid who has managed to go through life and all of the things it manages to do to him but still remain a "Nice" kid. In this book she seems to change her mind. Harry goes through what I thought he would have in the third book. I finished the book with this angery feel not because of the quality but because the entire book is angry. As a just post teenager, I felt that his anger and problems with the fairer sex were blown out of preportion. If he was going to go through all of this I feel that he should have built up to it more. The book as a whole seemed to be more prolouge than riseing action, then it was over. While we did learn a lot about Why harry was hunted, and who he was, I felt that the book was not a complete work and that it was more of a taster for the next one. This book is worth a read if you are sirusly addicted to the potter seares if you are thinking of it just as a book to read however I would advise against buying the hard cover.
Rating: 
Summary: Chill out Harry- still good though
Review: OK, so Harry's adolescent and dealing with a lot but strength of character should pull him back from a lot of the thresholds he broaches in book 5. Not to give too much away but lets have a bit of respect and STOP ALL OF THE SHOUTING!!!!! Beyond that, I hated to see it end. I wish I had another 800 pages to go but I'm sadly resigned to wait for the next installment. Let's hope that Ms. Rowling doesn't stay too fat and happy and make us wait another two years for book 6!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent piece of work
Review: This is by far the best Harry Potter book released thus far. When reading, space around you seems to disintegrate, just as if you were using the pensieve and were standing right next to Harry through all his joys and sadness. This book is guaranteed to delight and enthrall even the most Malfoy-like (aka Harry Potter haters) people. I was captivated so much by this book that I was done and finished with it in a little bit more that a day's time, including breaks such as sleeping.
The story begins with Harry searching frantically through both muggle newspapers and programs, trying to find any sign of Voldemort's return. He then wanders off to a park, sitting and thinking why his friends haven't yet written him. He then sees Dudley and his malicious gang of friends split up, so Harry goes and catches up with Dudley. The two are then cornered by two dementors, who Harry fends off with his Patronus. But, due to his using magic outside of school, the Ministry tells him that he is to have a hearing, determining whether to chuck him out of Hogwarts. Harry is then taken away to a safe house by Mad-Eye Moody, the real one and not someone in disguise, and Remis Lupin. Once at the house, they meet up with the Weasley's, except Percy who was kicked out of the house and out of the family, you'll find out why if you read the book, as well as Sirius and Hermione. The safe house that they are in is the headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix, which is a group set up to fight off Voldemort since the Ministry is in denial. Well, Harry stays there for a while and finally, goes to his hearing to determine whether he should get kicked out. Harry is then cleared of all charges, obviously since there are still more books to come.
They finally go back to school and find out several changes have happened.
1. Hagrid is missing
2. A new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who wants nothing but to take over the school while teaching the students nothing of importance Harry at this point continues on his journey, fighting off detention after detention, all while being called insane for his beliefs that Voldemort is back.
Pros: Mesmerizing storyline
Fantastic character development
Edge of your seat excitement
Enthralling action
Cons: Who knows how long until the next edition
Rating:
Summary: Book 5
Review: I have read some of the reviews. A few of the common complains have been 1. Book is too long 2. The pace is too slow 3. The plot is too dark The book being long is not necessarily a bad thing. I for one wouldn't be happy if it was really half the size (given the wait). Rowling has a very smooth writing style. So, long or short ... it's always a simple, good read. Pace is slightly slower. But it doesn't get boring ever. It's a little darker, Harry is a little edgy ... but it makes sense given the Dark Lord has returned (you certainly don't expect things to be just dandy) and Harry is now facing typical teenage stuff. All in all, I think you have to give credit to Rowling for giving us another great book. This is my personal ranking of all five books. 1. Goblet of Fire
2. Sorcerer's Stone
3. Order of Phoenix
4. Chamber of Secrets
5. Prisoner of Azkaban Bottomline is although I think the book ranks third in the series, lets put things in perspective: it's still a damn good book. So five stars from me.
Rating:
Summary: A different Harry
Review: The fifth Harry Potter book is strikingly different from the first four. Yes, Harry returns to Hogwarts. Yes, the usual cast of characters are there (Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, etc.). Yes, there are still mysteries to be solved and it all cumulates in a climatic battle of good vs. evil. However, what sets this book apart is Rowling's development of the characters, and her voyage into the psychology of anger, mistrust and betrayal. That said, I imagine that this volume will not be a favorite with most children readers, or with people who are looking for the "lightness" of the early books. Although Harry's moodiness is at times overbearing, Rowling is being true to the character and to the fact that he is a 15 year old boy who is experiencing many different feelings. First, he is dealing with his first love (Cho) and the complications resulting from the fact that he was with Cedric during the tragedy in The Goblet of Fire. Second, he does not understand why Dumbledore is ignoring him, why no one will tell him what is going on, and why he is being secretly watched. In addition, he returns to Hogwarts to the scrutiny of his classmates (who doubt his story about the return of Voldemort) and to the unrelenting scrutiny of the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. Finally, Rowling is developing her characters past the two dimensional "good" or "evil" characters into more believable and sympathetic people. For example, Harry learns some information about his father's past and he struggles to accept that his father was far from perfect. Dumbledore admits to Harry that he made errors in judgment by not telling Harry key information earlier. I really enjoyed this book, but not for the same reasons that I enjoyed books 1 and 2. And of course, I look forward to the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Darker but the best in the series yet!
Review: Aside from the long wait, the phrase I'd use to explain why The Order of the Phoenix is hands-down the best so far in the planned Harry Potter septet, is "surprising changes" and right from the outset, J.K. Rowling's fifth book opens with the best Dursleys segment ever that yanks the readers eye and won't give it back. Many changes take place in Hogwarts, disrupting the normal flow of things we expect, and one of them involves the usual Quidditch games. It's also a traumatic time for fifth formers, as they have to take their OWLS, Ordinary Wizarding Levels, the wizard equivalent of the English O-levels, which filters students into specialized areas for careers. As for the title, the Order, founded by Dumbledore, refers to the secret society who fought Voldemort the first time around. They've reconvened following the events in Book Four. Harry's halo has dipped a little, though not clear down to his neck, thankfully but who can blame him? He's fifteen, and having reached that temperamental, sarcastic, cynical stage, he lashes out at Ron and Hermione after being marooned at Privet Drive for a month: "Every bitter and resentful thought that Harry had had in the past month was pouring out of him; his frustration at the lack of news, the hurt they had all been without him, ... All the feelings he was half-ashamed of finally burst their boundaries." Harry does have cause to erupt, as he is far from ordinary and the lion's share of bad stuff happens to him--I mean, this book isn't called Hermione Granger and The Order Of The Phoenix, right? Neither she nor Ron had to face Voldemort or dementors. Ron and Hermione stand by their beleaguered friend throughout the turmoil nevertheless. As for me, to borrow a phrase from President Clinton, I'd tell Harry, "I feel your pain." As for the new Defense of the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge, well, think of it this way. Umbrage (close to Umbridge) means offense or resentment, so that should give you a rough idea. Dumbledore plays a real major role here, if one has read excerpts of the book released before the street date. However, politics in the magic world has taken a nasty turn, with Cornelius Fudge, under the thrall of people like Lucius Malfoy, refusing to recognize Voldemort's return and accusing Dumbledore of irresponsible rumor-mongering and trying to seize the Ministry of Magic for himself. Two characters really come out into the forefront. Mrs. Weasley becomes heavily involved in the Order but also comes to regard Harry as kind of family, as she scolds him as much as she does her own flesh-and-blood. She locks horns with Sirius, Harry's godfather on this. It's the kindly Remus Lupin who is the mediating voice of reason between the two. The other is Neville Longbottom, who makes an effort not to be the unassertive clumsy klutz who suffered at the hands of a broom and Cornish pixies in the first two books. No, he really shines through here. And Ron Weasley undergoes some character development here. And Hermione? Still brilliant as ever, and a good choice to be a prefect. The Order of the Phoenix is again an epic-sized book like its immediate predecessor, The Goblet Of Fire. The parallels to the resurgence of German nationalism, the brewing stormclouds of war following the Nazis' going back to Czechoslovakia for seconds, and debates between the appeaser Chamberlain and Churchill, who recognized the threat Hitler actually posed, is seen here. And more threads to the the Harry Potter tapestry are woven here by Rowling's magical hands. One of 2003's best reasons to be alive! Thanks very much, Ms. Rowling! Can't wait till the next one!
Rating:
Summary: long development, short climax
Review: I was disappointed in how much time JKR spent developing the new character, the predictably bad Defense against the Dark Arts professor. I thought the climax was hastily rushed through and lacked the depth of her earlier books. I enjoyed the vivid writing throughout - and it's fun to see Harry continue his quest, even if some of the path's seem a bit too well worn and predictable. Not a bad book, but not quite on par with the first 4.
Rating:
Summary: The best yet
Review: This book definitely lives up to the other four books. It is alittle bit darker in the plot, but is definitely another spectacular extension to the series.
I think that alot of people would like this book, because it is very entertaining and clever. Though it is around 900 pages, it seems that it just isn't long enough!!! I read the thing in two days!!!
I'm impatiently waiting for the next!!!
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