Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding!! (a step above Exceeds Expectations)
Review: A little like book 2, book 5 is darker and more intense--people who like to get upset about such things will definately be complaining that it's too scary. Even at a tremendous 870 pages, this book still seems to end too soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Glad I Got 2 Copies So I Could Read 1: Worth the Wait
Review: This long-awaited fifth installment of the HP story adds additional depth and complexity to many of the main characters, bringing faults and histories to the surface to complement their struggles and virtues. "Goblet of Fire" (Book 4) had a more direct story line with the linear elements of the Triwizard Tournament, but "Order of the Phoenix" (Book 5) has vivid visual events and new aspects of more involved relationships. Harry, Dumbledore, Sirius, and other main characters aren't as perfect and the answers aren't as clean. My only qualm is that there isn't as much complexity in He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's game plan as I would have expected so far...but it does leave me looking forward to Book 6....and to continued debates with my 7 and 9 year olds about their perspectives on the world of HP. This continues to be a series of books to bring together the whole family. (So I'm glad I bought two copies, or I would be waiting a month to get my turn!)
Rating:
Summary: Truly Amazing
Review: I must say J.K. Rowling did such an excellent job with the 5th book of the series, Harry Potter : Order of the Phoenix. For three years of waiting for the release, the anticipation was well worth it. I was unable to refrain myself sometimes to put the book down. I think in this book we begin to see Harry growing up quite a bit, even if you do not come to realize it at first. The new charachters entering the novel have made the plot even more interesting. I have to say, at the end of the novel I was in tears, of joy and yet utter saddness. I fully recommend reading this book, you won't be able to stop turing the pages until you have reached the other cover.
Rating:
Summary: Shades of gray
Review: I found book 5 to be interesting and exciting. The focus of the book are Harry's internal conflicts. As it is not our birth but our choices that make us who we are, it is Harry's state of mind that will determine his choices, and therefore the outcome of the final confrontation between H and V. So it is imperative to investigate what makes Harry's choices when he is pushed to the limits of what he can endure. It was not pleasant, it was painful and terrible to read at times. But so is age 15. What makes a hero one asks? In previous books it was blind luck, and some help from others, which was not an entirely satisfying answer. By the end Harry will have to stand alone with only himself, his skills, his pain, and his choices. This book is the path that will guide him there.
Rating:
Summary: The Fifth Harry Potter: Darker and Longer. But Better?
Review: As the end of the summer looms for Harry Potter, we find him bratty and unhappy. Much more like a normal teenager, right? Yet we are told over and over again how he is not normal. So why the change now? We don't even greet him on his birthday. He's already 15. And he has resorted to hiding in bushes. Dudley has changed, and Aunt Petunia is ...mysterious. And yet again we have a long time before Hogwarts. Nine Chapters to be exact. Now I will be the first to say I love these books. But unlike Goblet of Fire, these first chapters without Hogwarts, are, well, slow. We don't get anywhere, and we find an increasingly annoying Harry, who seems to want to take out all of his frustrations on his best friends, when its obvious they did all they could. And while we gain much interesting background, I wonder if some of these things might not have been needed. Not that I don't love knowing more about my favorite character (and NO I will not spoil it for those weirdos who haven't read it yet), I just wish we could have gotten there faster. But once at Hogwarts things get better. Almost everything is normal. Except of course the Defense teacher, who is nothing if not abysmal. She is toad like and cruel, in an infuriatingly sweet way. I myself growled in annoyance after reading some of her scenes. And Harry is more defiant and rebellious, which eventually leads to him loosing something dear to him. And I will not spoil. Reviews are to criticize. Added with Hagrid's new friend, the fact that Dumbledore is avoiding Harry, his extra lessons with Snape, and of course Voldemort, this year is nothing short of strained. And then there is the one thing that many fans have been dreading. And dreadful it is. The death of a very important character. One that was so bad, it even caused JK to cry after she wrote it. This I felt was the best and worst point of the book. Because it showed how no one was safe, and how dangerous things are going to become. But she killed someone who should not have died. In my opinion this person should have lived through all the books. But this cannot be. So I end the review saying this: Those who are not faithful fans may find this book boring. But I feel this is a very good book, filled with lots of emotion, and truth. And I have a feeling that many will be very angry with her for many things. I know I am. But this does not hide the fact that this book is simply a good one. Not better than Goblet of Fire, or Prisoner of Azkaban, my favorites, but just about the same place. Which puts it very high indeed.
Rating:
Summary: Another Magical Adventure
Review: After the months of scavenging the news for the latest clues from JK Rowling about the contents of the fifth Harry Potter book, I was relieved to finally buy my copy a couple of days ago. In my parent's eyes I spent a weekend in my room, but I was really at Hogwarts having a magical adventure with Harry Potter. Following on from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, this book sees Harry return to Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione. Along with the knowledge the Lord Voldemort has returned, Harry must cope with a horrible new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher who creates trouble for Harry. Relationships with friends, teachers and girls face challenges, set against the imaginative splendour of the wizarding world. J K Rowling has succeeded yet again in producing an unpredictable, enticing and vividly imaginative story with a powerful message. It tackles the larger issue of death established in the last book in a way that doesn't diminish the seriousness of the topic, and creates a greater emotional depth in the characters. I would recommend this book to both adults and children, as it can be appreciated on many levels. This book is an imaginative and inspiring work that isn't afraid to tackle the big issues, with a captivating storyline too!
Rating:
Summary: Finally!
Review: Well, after ages of waiting, the Order of the Phoenix has finally come out! Immediately upon returning from Phoenix, the city, I picked up the longest member yet of the Harry Potter series and read the 870 paged novel for nearly 10 hours, stopping only to eat and sleep. It was just as, perhaps more, amazing as the first four in the series. I literally fell asleep with the book in my hands because I was unwilling to put it away and call it a night. The Order of the Phoenix is much darker than the other Harry Potter books. The true peril of Lord Voldemort is realized, and the second war against him begins in earnest. Another struggle must be waged against the Ministry of Magic, who refuse to believe Voldemort has returned, and Harry must endure having the reputation of a "nutter", courtesy of the Daily Prophet. Fudge has planted a spy at Hogwarts by the name of Dolores Umbridge, whose Defense Against Dark Arts classes are a snore, and are more useless, even, than Professor Lockhart's classes. Along with heavy class loads in preparation for O.W.L.s, a teacher who is determined to "reform" the school and block out any rumors of Voldemort's return, recurring dreams and scar aches, and the Dark Lord himself, Harry struggles with the basic complaints of an adolescent boy, like mood swings and trying to understand girls (Cho Chang in particular). The book comes to a final battle waged against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry, of course, survives, but one of his friends does not. While trying to deal with his grief, Harry learns more about the mystery surrounding the murders and attempted murder of his parents and him, and the new weapon the Dark Lord seeked and failed to take. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a very worthwhile read. This latest installment of the series fits in perfectly with the other books, and it will leave you anxiously awaiting book 6.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: As I read this book, I was getting upset as the things that happened to Potter continued to get worse & worse throughout the story (conflict), but as I approached the climax, and the conclusion, every moment was worth reading
Rating:
Summary: Still great!!
Review: This book's a ton of fun. I couldn't stop reading it once I picked it up. Potter fans won't be disappointed. Now I just have to wait a couple of more years for the next book. Oh well.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the Wait!
Review: I had been reading non-stop since the book was delivered on the released day morning and finished it a day later. I thought both the tone of this installment and Harry were considerably darker and a lot more temperamental. Don't blame him though, with the raging hormones on top of everything else :). But all and all, I loved every single word of it. I was pleasantly surprised that it was action-packed pretty much throughout (ok, SOME school bits did get long-winded at times, but isn't that what school supposed to be?). I laughed out loud, cried, and became a fan all over again, for the fifth time. I absolutely adore this book and highly recommend it to anyone. You won't be disappointed!
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