Rating: 
Summary: Harry Potter and the Order of Mass Hysteria
Review: Having had to wait a number of years for this book, I didn't know if I would still be in the Harry Potter fan club so to say. I like a couple thousand/million other people ordered this book well in advance so I would have one of the first copies. My wife nearly disowned me because I spent the better part of two days chugging through this nearly 900-page book.J.K. Rowling once again has written another good addition to the ongoing series of Harry Potter. My imagination and attention was kept alive throughout the entirety of this book. However, I finished the book with an empty feeling having not been fully satisfied with its conclusion. J.K. Rowling intertwined far too many stories and sub plots to wrap up at the end of the school year. Dolores Umbridge character was over the top and often too distracting to the overall direction this series has been focused on. A number of times I wondered if Umbridge or Lord Voldemort was the bad guy. The disruption caused by Umbridge at the school of Hogwarts over shadowed the overall things I've really liked about this series. I felt J.K. Rowling never fully closed out the Umbridge story to a satisfactory level. The ending of the book was like watching "Home Alone Part 22" where childish endings show a stupid person running and screams out of a building. J.K. Rowling closed out a book long story about Umbridge in three paragraphs, verses the couple of chapters spent on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I was disappointed that she never spent more time on the House competitions and Quidditch. I didn't feel the characters at the school of Hogwarts had anything to work towards without the magic and a competition of sorts. I felt the parts of this series I fell in love with was lost in this book. Harry reminded me of a spoiled, angry boy who never really developed his character in this book. J.K. Rowling weakened the bond between Harry, Ron and Hermione I felt in the other books and replaced it with frustration. I felt Harry turned into a spoiled angry kid who yelled at his friends, teachers and authority figures. Maybe she was writing about all 15-year-old boys and their frustrations, but if I wanted that I wouldn't have to go any further than my own home. Unlike the other books, I kind of missed the good feeling at the end. This book left me with more questions and the lack of accomplishing anything. What is it that Harry accomplished in this book anyway?
Rating: 
Summary: A pleasure but lacks some of the magic of the first four
Review: I waited sooo long for this book and was so ecstatic to finally have it. It took me a little less than 2 days to read all 870 pages, and like the first four, it was a page turner. But I felt that it lacked something...creativity maybe. And it seems like Harry is going through puberty because he is so snappy!! My biggest complaint about the book is that there was not enough emphasis on what the book was supposed to be titled for. The Order of Phoenix is introduced to us...but we only get a glimpse of the surface. Then Ms. Rowling swoops us back to Hogwarts and for awhile, there is so much emphasis on OWLS that I forget about the importance of the Order. I hated Umbridge with a passion...but I wasn't satiated with what happened to her at the end. As for the death of a certain character...I have but one thing to say...Ms. Rowling...COULDN'T YOU HAVE KILLED SNAPES INSTEAD??? Sorry to all those that thought Snapes was the one who died. I will always be a loyal fan to HP...but I am sorry to say that it fell a bit below my expectation
Rating: 
Summary: Not Your Child's Harry Potter
Review: After three years most people were waiting with baited breath for this novel. Does it dissapoint? Well that is up to the reader. The story is as dark as the editorial reviews allude to. In this case it is Harry getting the proverbial shaft at every turn, which causes his anger to boil over and get him into a bit of trouble. The story itself is a bit slower paced than the first four, but I found it as rich with detail as "Goblet of Fire," which is one of teh things I love about this series. Rowling really paints a picture of the world in your mind. I was also happy to see more detail about the non-Hogwart's wizarding world. We get a glimpde of what life is like for those that have left Hogwart's and how it isn't all fun and games for the wizarding world. There is in fact dull work, difficult bosses and general anxiety in the wizarding community to. All in all, I don't feel anyone who has read the first 4 books will require a good review to get their hands on this book. However, it is a great book and it is always good to visit with some old friends.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Review: This new novel by J.K. Rowling is a dark but enticing story of Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts. The reader follows Harry through a horrible new professor, strange and funny adventures, and a great loss. Through it all, Rowling draws the reader in, making it extrememly difficult to stop reading. If you're a fan of Harry Potter, get this book now - don't wait for it to appear in the library. Since many people are revealing the plot, it's better to try to read the book soon instead of hearing all the spoilers. This is a great book that is sure to delight avid readers and fantasy and magic lovers.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed Feelings: Rowling's Latest HP Installment
Review: Being on a three year publication sabbatical may translate as a definitive change in Rowling's style as her latest HP installment is seemingly driven by the tale's plot rather than her usual focus on characterization. Still, Rowling manages to scribe her lengthiest novel to-date, yet despite promises to the contrary, it results in more questions than answers. That's not to say that Order of the Phoenix was not loaded with a plethora of goodies such as a detailed look at Sirius Black's background. On the contrary, I feel this book had a great deal of exposition unlike its former predecessors, which I think also proved to be its flaw--for I believe that we (as readers) would have rathered other lingering questions answered. In retrospect, my real and only disappointment with the book is that I held certain expectations that were not met. These expectations were fueled much in part by interviews with Rowling herself. The interviews--perhaps how they were edited in US -- implied that there would be a greater emphasis placed on issues that in actuality resulted in just passing passages in a 867 pg. book i.e.--ghosts, snogging, actual death scene; Durselys' secret; someone learning magic late in life; and Lily Potter's big secret. Due to certain plot twists, readers lose the invaluable opportunity to learn more about Harry's parents and what is revealed is really mundane in the way of info. I would have been much more impressed having learned that the Potters were aurors or double agents. Even hearing about Longbottom's parents for the second time around proved far more interesting than this. What I found particularly disheartening as well was the lack of significant character development--the blossoming relationship between Hermione/Ron was all but completely neglected. Is Harry the only one among the trio experiencing a surge of hormones? Only the infamous prophecy got a full chapter and I daresay that it was a wasted one as Dumbledore spent the better half repeating what we as readers were already well aware of. The gimmick of obscuring two of the series' main characters for at least three quaters of the book was just too drawn out as was the conflict surrounding the vilified Umbridge. To that effect, the demise of her imperialist regime was remarkably tidy. Additionally, the denouement too closely resembled the confrontation between Arthur Weasley with Mr. Dursley in Book IV; I would have much preferred a funeral for the deceased especially since the death seemed a bit rushed and forced. On a lighter note, I applaud Rowling for the really radical move of progressing the HP series via this installment into darker depths, as it really promotes the growth of this fantastical world she's built effectively pruning her garden of any initial weeds of stagnation. Furthermore, the spotlight she places on otherwise secondary characters combined with the humorous antics of the Weasley twins form an unexpected treat. Overall, I really enjoyed this book as a Rowling text is never a letdown--granted the author has two books yet to scribe, but it would have been gratifying to have had some of the previously introduced questions answered and a host of others presented for any subsequent sequels. Though one thing is for certain--I will do my utmost to avoid any spoilerish interviews with Ms. Rowling prior to Book VI's debut. No good in reading between the lines if it results in misleading expectations. -Luna =0)
Rating:
Summary: finally :)
Review: WOW! I love this book. i felt like i had to wait forever to actually get it. Now since it left me hanging i feel i dont know if i can wait as long. This was a great book i really hope to give nothing BIG away but im sorry if i do.
Basically Harry Potter feels left out because he's cut off from the magical world. His Aunt and Unlce dont like him listening to the news so every time they figure out his secret to listening he has to think of another one. The letteres he gets from all his friends and Sirius are not very helpful because they are not allowed to say anything important incase the owl gets into the wrong hands. When he finally sees Ron and Hermoine he gets furious at them for not telling him even though they promised. When he gets to school everyone thinks he is a maniac and is scared of him. Plus the new defense against the dark arts teacher is even worse than Professor Snape if you can believe that.None of the teachers like her. For every detention Harry got he had to do something that none of the teachers at Hogwarts would be very happy about(sorry dont want to spoil it).Also, its their 5th year and they have to study for O.W.L.s. Thats just the beinning i dont to say too much just go and buy the book its worth it...
i can't wait to see what happens in the next one. Though i do hope nobody else important dies and i was very sad when a certain somebody died in this book but not everything can be good...
Rating:
Summary: Best Harry Yet!
Review: This is an excellent book. It is a darker, sadder story than the rest of the books, as Voldemort has returned. However, it doesn't get ever to the point that it is too sad or too hard to read. It is constantly enjoyable, and keeps the reader guessing. This is, in my opinion, the best installment of the Harry Potter series yet. At parts, it made me so angry with the unfairnesses of some of the characters, and made me love some of the characters. It's well written, imaginative, smart, funny, and full of surprises, especially with the Weasley Twins. There are new characters, both lovable and hatebale, that make this story into a fairly complex story, full of twists and turns. As the book progresses, it gets to the point that it is impossible to put down, I was constantly thinking, "Oh, one more chapter won't hurt..." This is a must buy, and the best Harry yet. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, though it deserves much more. Read it and find out for yourself, but be prepared, Harry gets a bit testy at parts, and there's a lot of "what-ifs" that you think about, but in the end, all questions are answered, READ IT.
Rating:
Summary: best book of the series so far!!!!!!
Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix is an incredible book. It is definitely the best of the series so far. The tone was much darker than in the previous books, but like with all of JK Rowling's books this was a book where I had to just keep turning the pages. Some parts of the plot were sad; others were very surprising. I did not know what to expect each time I turned the page.I recommend this book to absolutely everyone. It was superbly written and deserves its current place at the top of the bestseller list. It's so popular for a reason; Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix is a great book.
Rating:
Summary: Continuing With Perfection
Review: Ah, "Harry Potter"... say those two words, and a good many children across the US will rattle off everything they know about Harry's world -- his friends Ron and Hermione; his teachers -- Snape, Hagrid, et al; and his enemies -- Draco, and of course, You-Know-Who. But the amazing thing about this series is it's attraction to the adult world, which is the standpoint from where this review comes from. It had been stated that the Potter series would get darker and more emotional, and J.K. Rowling has not let us down. From finding out what Harry's Aunt and Uncle really think of Harry's mother, to Harry's coping with what happened at the end of the last book, Rowling again thrills with her mighty pen, making us not only read, but *feel*. Even Dudley gets some much-needed sympathy here, but only so much, as it is still Dudley. For the sake of all reading this review who may not have read this book yet, I will omit a good many plot details, but there is much still to be said. Alas, it is fifth year for the students, and that means O.W.L.s at the end of the year, and with it more homework. This bogs Harry down (and Ron) as his... relationship with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher goes awry. This gets remedied some, however, by Cho Chang, the girl whom Harry has a rather big crush on. Ron and Hermione have big things happen to them this book as well; this occupies more of their time, and the reader is left without perhaps as much of them as they would like. This book is a behemoth at 800+ pages, though, so you will still get a good dose of them, as well as Malfoy and his gang. Truth be told, almost every character in the book gets more time than in the other books, and this could work against the story. J.K. Rowling does not let it, and makes even those minor characters have an impact (even Professor Grubbly-Plank). It is noticeable at how Rowling, who has been a superb storyteller since the first book, as progressed in her writing skills; no word is wasted here (and thats a lot of words that could have been) and every action does have a reaction. There was no way possible to rate this book less than five stars, by merit of how many people it got more interested in reading alone. However, since the book is extraordinarily written, drawing in the reader to a world unlike any other, and it keeps you reading until all hours of the night, plus the strong and deep characters, this book could deserve no less than the five I've given it. I was enthralled throughout. If you haven't read any of the Potter books, it would be easier to start from book one. But if you have been reading them, and you think you should stop, DON'T! Read this one first, and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Rowling does it again
Review: Ms. Rowling has done it again. But you knew that. There was no way this book wasn't going to break all book sales records on the face of the planet. What you might not have known is that this book is dark, darker even than "Goblet of Fire", the book that came before it. Harry Potter has grown up and is struggling to become the adult that his situation demands that he should be. The frustration that most people experience at this turbulent time in their lives is faithfully recreated in "Order of the Phoenix". With themes of responsibility, loss of innocence, the stress of school, existing in an adult world while longing for the child's world, and others, this book is a great addition to the Harry Potter books. But you already knew that.
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