Rating: 
Summary: Horrible Role Model
Review: What we liked about Harry is that he came from horrible circumstances but had a depth of character and compassion. Rowling has now turned him into a bully. He is ill-tempered, selfish, abusive and destructive. He makes hurtful comments, throws temper tantrums and leaves his friends behind to seek revenge. Many of his adult role-models were bullies too, and they think that is okay. Dumbledore, whom we have all come to respect, has turned into a snivelling, cowering nothing. Has Rowling lost her mind? Who writes a children's book that promotes horrific behavior as normal and okay because the character is coming into his own? By the time I finished 870 pages of Harry's misbehaving, I was hoping Voldemort would take him out.I recommend to parents that you not let your children read this without a preamble that this is about a spoiled brat. Perhaps it would be helpful to tell them that in book 4 1/2 Harry had a massive head injury and is suffering from a progressive brain disease that makes him act the way he does. Tell them he is about to die and Rowling didn't want it to happen in print so this is the last book you will ever buy them about Harry Potter. It is truly pathetic that by the end of the book you feel more compassion for Draco and Snape than for Harry. Regardless of how much you liked the last books, it isn't worth the time to read this one or the time it will take you to undo the damage caused to your kids. I think we need a new series and a new author. One who can stay true to a character that can be a role model to our kids while still presenting an interesting story. Oh, by the way, there is a difference between quantity and quality. I think this time Rowling hoped she could fool us. If you liked this book you might also like "Management Styles of Atilla the Hun" or "Abnormal Psychology of Adolescents".
Rating: 
Summary: a good read, but not earth-shattering
Review: Honestly, I liked "the order of the phoenix," but I guess that I was just expecting it to be better; less predictable, less repetitive. It seemed to me that some of the characters attitudes, including Sirius's and Harry's, were a little forced. Being an adolescent myself, I found Harry's change in attitude a little too stereotypical. Besides that, there's the annoying plot hole involving the mirror that Sirius gives harry, who never uses it, for some bizarre reason. Anyhow, overall, it was good read, and I'll be waiting for book 6, just like everyone else.
Rating: 
Summary: AWSOME
Review: GET IT!!! The subject matter is a bit more for older readers (5th grade and up) more so than the earlier books. I can't wait until the 6th book!!!
Rating: 
Summary: i love harry
Review: this book is long but a good read. i was a little bored close to the end with all the fighting. a little hollywoodish. i love the classes and inside gryffindor moments. i liked harry better when he was young and innocent, not so angry and easily bothered. this book made me uncomfortable alot. not so many happy moments as the earlier books.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! Intense!
Review: This book made me feel so differently than any other book I've ever read. I got angry at Harry's stubbornness, at his constant moody states of mind, at his sometimes selfish acts. I got VERY angry at the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and all the "reforms" taking place at Hogwarts. I got angry at the Ministry of Magic denying Voldemort's return. But not in a bad way! What surprised me was that I was so engrossed is this book and Rowling's portrayl of Harry as a growing teenager who's learning so much about life that he doesn't like but has to endlessly endure that it made me really, truly FEEL! I attribute that to Rowling's great sense of style and imagination that makes these characters and events become a part of you and you experience what they're feeling. You empathize with all the characters in a wonderful way! The only reason I gave this book 4 vs. 5 stars was the fact that I felt the plot plodding along until about the last 100 pages or so, and then everything was tied together so quickly that I found myself having to re-read parts. Also, I thought that the death of the character close to Harry was too anti-climatic for all of its hype. I missed it the first time I read it and had to go back to actually catch it, since it happens in a matter of a couple of paragraphs. I liked the way the character died (not to sound morbid, though!) and thought the person was appropriate, although maybe too predictable. This is a great read! Rowling definitly carries out the HP tradition, throwing in some new stuff here and there that is fun to read. Highly enjoyable!
Rating:
Summary: Eager for more!
Review: I was happily anticipating the release of Book 5, being a fan of the series but not one of the die-hard ones who go into B&N at midnight to pick up a copy. Figured I'd read it on the train, give myself a couple of weeks. HA. I ended up finishing it during a short car trip, squinting and trying to use the streetlamps to illuminate the page, as it was after dark. SO much for making a good thing last. This is probably my favorite one, yet, though it is difficult to say that as each book relies so heavily on the stories of the past - I can only safely say that the story itself has reached impressive new heights in the fifth installment. The story, as everyone swears, is much darker - I was worried after the first 200 pages that we'd be tortured without relief for 900 pages, but Ms. Rowling did a superb job, lightening the mood when we needed it most. My highest praise goes to the author's work on her minor characters. I was positively delighted with the development of so many characters, including Neville, McGonagall, Sirius, Lupin and Snape. I do have to include one disappointment - I laughed, sighed, and gasped aloud, but when the book should have been at its saddest, I didn't find myself crying. Something about the unfolding of the story didn't strike me severely enough - and I cry quite easily. I'm sure there will be more opportunities for that in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter is an Incredible Book
Review: This book is fascinating.. as you start to read it makes you want to read more and change from a half hour of reading to 2-3 hours of great joyious reading. this book pulls you in right from the start.. in my opinion everyone should give this book a chance who knows they might enjoy it.. J.K. Rowling you are a great writer keep up the great work kids admire you. I know that for a fact because I was reading a child a book and it was harry potter and the order of the phoenix this child was maybe 3 years old and they said right away this sounds like harry potter and I said yes it is and they said they love Harry Potter.
Rating:
Summary: Another Excellent Reading by Jim Dale
Review: I couldn't imagine going on to book 5 without hearing Jim Dale's terrific voices, so I was thrilled that this came out at the same time as the print version. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: First of all I would like to say how wonderful of book this is. It is truly amazing that J.K. Rowling's imagined world of wizardy can seem so unbeleiveably real as you are reading her books. I have loved all of the Harry Potter books, and was very anxious to read "The Order of the Phoenix". I spent almost all my time after I bought the book, reading it, because it is a book that you can hardly set it down. Although it was almost 900 pages, the book speeds by. Although many people think that this book is much too long to be a children's book, I beg to differ, because reading this long of book gives a child a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. I really wish that these books were not 3 years apart ( as the goblet of fire and the order of the pheonix were) because I realized it was harder to beleive that Harry was 15 and also, during those 3 years many readers lose interest. That is, until it comes time for its release, when it is on every news statioin and is widely anticipated. The next Harry Potter movie comes out in June 2004 but, although they are wonderful movies and books, I really wish they wouldn't keep us waiting so long. If WarnerBrothers makes the Harry Potter movies up to year 7 at this slow of rate ( one about every 2 years), I am afraid many Harry Potter readers will lose interest. This is simply because, by the time #7 comes out, it will have been 14 years, and many child readers will be in their 20's! Also, unless they get other young actors for the movie, people such as Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe will be much too old to look thir parts. All in all, I love the books and movies, but J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.-- please hurry up!
Rating: 
Summary: sadly, not worth it.
Review: This book was ok... but it was long, and it seemed pointless. The big finish with Voldemort hardly seemed worth reading, and the prophecy was something everyone pretty much already new- one or the other is going to die. I felt very let down my this book, in the end- a lot of horrible things happened, conflict after conflict, with no real resolutions except Dumbledore's rap up conversation with harry. And the lack of depth spent on the death of one of the best characters in the book was just saddening.
Harry is angsty to the max in this novel, which seems rather forced- none of the characters are high in depth anyway, so giving harry a major dose of teen angst just seems odd.
After reading this book I just felt very let down and empty, instead of the usual happy feeling I get after reading a HP book. It seems Rowling had a lot to say but didn't quite cover it in her regular fashion- which led to a lengthy novel which covers a great deal but doesn't say much important.
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