Rating: 
Summary: The best book in the series so far
Review: Many people have said that JKR made Harry too unlikable in this book. What they have to realize is that Harry isn't eleven years old anymore; he's fifteen and in the middle of a SERIOUS war about to happen. He isn't going to be happy and cheerful while going through puberty, causing the death of one of his classmates, AND being ridiculed in front of the entire wizarding world. Harry's growing up.
One thing I think JKR could have done much better on would be developing the relationship between Sirius and Remus. These two have been friends since they were eleven, and she didn't show their connection well enough. Remus barely makes an appearance in the book at all, and both his and Sirius's personalities are underdeveloped.
I think JKR did a wonderful job showing Harry's reaction to Sirius's death. He seems like a real person now, someone everyone can relate to. I'm just happy she's making him grow up!
Rating: 
Summary: Great, But Perhaps Too Lenghty For Some
Review: The Order of the Phoenix is a great continuation of the wonderful Harry Potter series. Particularly, I enjoyed the showdown between Harry and the evil Valdemort, which reminded me of a showdown scene from The Adventures of Archie Reynolds, by Gifford Bailey. My only problem with the Order of the Phoenix is its length, which might be a little long for some readers. Otherwise, it's a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: AMUSING SERIES TURNS INTO CONFUSED HORROR TALE
Review: Please read the sequel first. I need to give specific details at times to prove some points:
(A)The pacing: first part of book, dragged out. Too much of Mrs. Weasley's woes, unnecessary to plot. Second part, rushed. (B) Switching genres: a lighthearted fantasy now is unfolding as a heavy, perverse horror story. Unexpected, unfair to her original readership. (C) Most importantly, THE PHOENIX BOOK DAMAGES CHARACTER CREDIBILITY: JKR is painting herself into a small corner: (1) Potter -- now consistently unlikeable, nasty, a liar for his own self-interest, out of greed, laziness. Potter and Malvoy are twins, in spirit. The true hero? Neville. Similar background with Voldemort, as Harry has. Yet family tragedy has not embittered, twisted, Neville. He's loyal, kind, brave in facing his fears, endearing in his shyness, nervousness. Open to growing, learning. When a lesser character is more appealing than the main character, an author is in trouble.
(2) Disgraced Dumbledore -- JKR needs to fix this fast. Dumbledore reveals to Harry he purposely has left Harry with the Dursleys, despite being aware how verbally, emotionally vicious they are to Harry, because it serves a greater good, in Dumbledore's eyes. Ridiculous, insensitive. How wise could Dumbledore really be? JRK unwittingly sends a message to some
children -- keep quiet in longterm abusive situations. Dumbledore should have fought for Harry, even if he ended up valiantly failing in the attempt to have him live elsewhere. So many better options the author had!
(3) No guts. If JKR wants to do a horror story, then really do one. First Cedric, now Sirius? Minor book presences. Sirius might be important to Harry, but he's not constantly in the forefront. His death evoked little sadness, which would have arisen had Ron or Hermione, or even Fred and George, been eliminated.
(4) Still not enough originality. I keep waiting for each sequel
to go beyond cliches, mundane description, and deja vu with other authors. Examples:Harry's lightning-shaped scar? Some of JKR's royalties really should go to the estate of one author: Read The Mark of Zorro, by
Johnston McCulley -- not the modern, trivialized t.v. and film versions, but the original 1919 book based on a magazine series.
A very different Zorro -- a very somber hero, with a kinship to lightning, who carved his sword into a villain's face, stomach, in the form of the lightning "z" form. Scarring them forever, whereby the wound would pulse painfully, reminding the villains of a hero's mighty mission. JKR merely toyed with this. More examples? JRK's serpent Nagini -- Read about Kipling's similarly-named, great evil serpent Nagaina in Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. JKR's evil-eyed newborn (Goblet of Fire book)? See Rosemary's Baby. The characters' backgrounds -- wealthy Harry, friends Ron and Hermione? See Richie Rich, his best friends, the moneyless, redhaired Freckles, and big-toothed, know-it-all Gloria. Peeves at school? See Spooky, Casper's cousin, with similar bowler hat and hijinks. The Quidditch races? See the Silver Age of Casper and Wendy and their witches' conventions and broom races. JKR's
portkeys? Read The Phantom Tollbooth. Along with Star Wars, Star Trek. Even the name Potter -- see the wizardly crazy inventor,
Professor Potter, of the old Superman comics. And JKR's animated portraits? let's not forget The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis, where pictures begin to move, and characters are swept up into them. Just a few I could cram in here. I know authors like to borrow from each other, but per Potter, this is getting tedious by now. Is J.K. Rowling demonstrating the Chinese Menu School of Writing: One from column A, one from column B, another from column C...? I think she'd be a great agent or publisher, with an eye for what would make a great story. I'm just not convinced, yet, that she herself can write effectively enough, uniquely, to stand the test of time (when the current popularity cools down after the final book) in decades to come.
Rating:
Summary: He's back and better than ever!
Review: Over the summer fifteen-year-old Harry Potter is mad. His friends haven't been writing to him and he is stuck on 32 Private Drive with his only Muggle relatives. One night Harry and his cousin, Dudley are attacked by dementors. He is then whisked away to his uncle (Sirius Black's) house. Where he meets his friends Ron and Hermione, and then goes to Hogwarts School to start his fifth year. The new Defense of the Dark Arts Teacher is a lady named Professor Umbridge. Harry and his friends have been very suspicious of Umbridge ever since she has been taking notes on the other teachers. Their friend Hagrid has been out of the school. When he comes back from a mountain trip, he brings someone back with him and the story begins to unfold. This book is one of the better books of the series. It is more action packed and is very exciting. This book builds up on the other Harry Potter books so I would read the others first. If you are a young reader, I would recommend having a dictionary handy. I enjoyed the book and it was my favorite of the series. It was funny and entertaining. Five out of five stars!
Rating:
Summary: Corporate Cash Cow
Review: This is definitely the worst book in the Harry Potter series. It seemed to me that this book was not written with a passion that the othe were. It was written with the publisher pushing for a release date to sell copies.
I was surprised at how little happened in this 850+ page book. Harry goes to school and he is harrased by students, Malfoy, the head-mistress, and he has bad dreams. It is not until about the last 100 pages that anything really happens that adds to the story line. It is too bad that this series has come to this. I would rather wait for a book that has been truly written with some sense of passion rather that receive the publisher's cash cow on a schedule. I think I am done with the Harry Potter series. It was fun while it lasted.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I fell in love with Harry Potter after watching the movie in the 11th grade. After that I spent the next week reading all the books. I have to say JK is on point. Harry isn't just for kids its for anyone who has always wanted something to believe in.
I know some parents won't let their kids read it but the important is not the witch craft but the fact that their kids are READING. Harry isn't about killing or witches, it's about believing in yourself and having faith in the people who love you. It opens your mind to a different world. It makes you think "What if the story went like this?" It makes you believe. And in the world that we are in today believing in something is not only important but it's needed to keep us going.
Harry is the underdog. The boy you'll probably wouldn't pay attention to in school. Harry is every type of child in the world, everyone can relate too.
I know everyone should this cause at one point there is something that connects you to Harry.
This book has family, love, drama, action and humor. But most important it has family in the most unlikely source.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is a great book, It would have been my favourite, but because of some problems it's not that great.
I don't really like Harry getting mad in the beginning, acting like the hero, and at the end, where the main part happens. He needs to lighten up a little, and be more humble, not like he is the greatest one in the world.
I liked the addition of Professor Umbridge and what she did to make the students do what they do.
It was also interesting to learn about Sirius's past, and family, and lily's, and james's past too.
I think Sirius went a little to phyco in the book. It was kind of scary, being very unruly, acting like Harry was James. That is another big change from the fourth book, where he was acting wise.
Also the length is okay, but it could have been shorter, but It's okay. The best part about the length, though is the fact I can brag to my friends about having read the book in 14 hours.
Overall the book is great, but could be even better with some changes.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!!!
Review: As I read each of the Harry Potter books I became more and more involved. This book is by far my favorite so far I can't wait til the next book is released. I feel as if I know Harry, Ron, and Hermione like they were my best friends and if they weren't fictional they would be. While reading it I really became involved and at times found myself in tears or yelling at the characters in my book. I can't wait til the next book it will certainly be better than the last.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent imaginative book series for children and adults
Review: I am an adult and I thoroughly enjoyed all the Harry Potter books and own every one of them so I may re-read them when I need to perk up. They are interesting and filled with incredible detail, and best of all touch that secret dream in all of us that looks for magic in life. I am so bored with people who have no talent or imagination of their own that lash out at these books by saying they promote witch craft. That's like saying fictional mystery books promote crime. If you are one of the unfortunate FEW who don't "get" this book, please shut up and give it to someone else who may enjoy it. I can't wait for my children to be old enough to read these.
Rating:
Summary: it had moments of exhileration
Review: I am a 15 years old american and have read all of the Harry Potter books and loved them all. The fifth one made me wanting for more and more...i read the book in a matter of days even though it is quite extensive (which i like about books). The book had it's exciting moments which actually gave me an adrenaline rush! I don't think i have ever really gotten into a book the way i did with the harry potter series and they are all my favorite books...number 2 was a little boring but it was still good. This book is all about the wizarding world trying not to accept that Voldemort is back so they make fun of Dumbledore and Harry. This book actually made me angry at some of the bad characters (not in a poorly written sense). The diologe is all too real and it still has the comic twinge to it. The details of the setting are a little foggy but i like filling in the blanks so this book is a 5 star baby! I'm off to reading the Redwall Series now!
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