Rating: 
Summary: Exceeded my expectations!
Review: Even though I am long past my formative years I have been waiting impatiently for the fourth Harry Potter book since I finished The Prisoner of Azkaban. It seems like every book got better that the book before and I reread the first three several times as I waited for Goblet of Fire's release date.Goblet of Fire is much longer than its predecessors. It also unfolds much more slowly. Harry doesn't even get to Hogwart's until the 11th chapter. It is also a bit darker than the previous three books and the ending doesn't end as tidily as they did. All that being said, this is a really wonderful book. You can tell that Joanne Rowling doesn't have "a formula". She has a story to tell and stays true to that story even though telling it properly requires a change of pace from the previous novels. This book is still as gripping as are all the Harry Potter books (judging by the fact that I read all 636 pages in 2 days). This is also a novel that you can read and reread because there are so many clues that every time you read you find things you missed the first time around. To me that is the sign of a truly great novel. If you haven't read Harry Potter yet you really need to get all four books...pitch a tent away from the hubbub of daily life and immerse yourself in the magical world of Harry, Ron, Hermione (they finally tell you how to pronounce her name in this book) and the rest of the characters at Hogwart's. If you have read them, read them again - they get better the more you read!
Rating:
Summary: Anticipation Rewarded!
Review: I doubt if Harry Potter needs any introduction to anyone reading these reviews. However, this book takes a decidedly different course from the three which preceeded it. To be true, it does retain both the humor and charm of its predecessors. In fact, if anything, it contains more than they did--but then, it had better, since this book is easily twice as long. It didn't seem twice as long. The pages nearly seemed to turn themselves as I read, waiting for the other shoe to drop and the dark twists to begin. There was more than enough excitement, adventure and, yes, character development to keep me going. True, there are hints that something evit this way comes, but Ms. Rowling is far too clever a writer to let us off easily. Goblet of Fire contains far and away her best writing yet. I just hope she can somehow avoid the You-Know-Who's of this world long enough to finish the Harry Potter saga. . . . I need that fifth book now!
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter Is Magic
Review: I honestly thought that this book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, wouldn't meet up to all the hype it was getting. I thought it would drag out (I mean, 752 pages!)and the length just wouldn't work. I had no idea the skill JK Rowling has. She took her characters and really added to their life as witches and wizards. They, among other things, went to see the Quidditch World Cup, which I found an exciting addition, and a part that could even be a book itself, where the terror and intrigue you always find in a Harry Potter book started, with the return of the terrible Death Eaters, the followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. She described so vividly their return, in a way that sent horrifying prickles down my spine, the same way the first chapter, already bringing sudden deaths, did. But on a lighter side, even though evilk always stalks Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione and Ron, did begin to grow up, and found romance of sorts where they'd least expect it . . . I don't want to give anything away, but the action, and the danger with it, was unbelievable. Harry faces his greatest challenge yet, in more ways then one. No one is who you think they are, and no one can be trusted. A friend may not be, and an enemy might change. The ending was troubling, and left us wondering what is to become of the not-so-perfect life of the wizarding community. It left me with an unsettled feeling that something's just not right, and left me wanting to know more. But even as secrets are left, many are revealed. The mystery of Herry's parents is told, and you learn something rather startling about one of Harry's close friends, Neville. Although this was certainly the darkest of all of her books, I feel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was definitely a success. If you read one book this summer, I would definitely recommend it to be this one, no matter how old you are. This will appeal to kids and grown-ups alike.
Rating:
Summary: An Absolutely Wonderful Story - Again!
Review: When my mother bought the first Harry P0tter book to read to my younger brother, I picked it up and read it first. Since then, I have read each book when it came out, excitedly. My mother reserved and procured a copy of "Harry P0tter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)" on the very day it came out -- promising that I would be the first to read it (as I read the fastest). When I had finished everything else I needed to do, I went out into my family's back yard, where my mother had been reading the book. As I picked it up, she ran at me, screeching, and grabbed it right out of my hands. I finally got a chance to read it on Monday, while she was at work. J.K. Rowling has not dissapointed! The story was so captivating, I barely put it down until I had finished it -- all in one day! The book immediately grabs the reader's attention and holds it throughout the entire book. If I had to make one criticism, I would say that the book's most basic plotline (if you had to pare the p a few words) is similar to those of each of the previous 3 Harry P0tter books. Having said this, I can a$sure you that everything else is completely different and wonderful; another masterpiece by a gifted author. I look forward to any more Harry P0tter books!
Rating:
Summary: JK ROWLING'S BEST WORK YET!
Review: It's too bad that this review thing will only let you choose 5 as the highest because it deserves at least a 10. This book was the best out of the four so far but it's length made it a little harder to follow. I have read books much longer than this one but everything in this book seemed kind of hurried compared to the previous three. The events and new characters in it are just as original and creatively thought up as much of the others from the three previous books. I was afraid that Rowling might have lost a little bit of her creativity or something but I assure you, this one captured me and pulled me into it just like the other ones. The whole plot and story line are amazing and you'd never be able to guess what happens. I read the book in less than two days simply because I couldn't put it down. I was forced to keep reading and I even delayed meals to squeeze in some more reading. The entire book was thoroughly enjoyed and it was better than I expected it to be. Many unexpected turns in the book made it more enjoyable. Although this book was a little bit darker and more mysterious than the first and third ones, I still think it had the most involved and complicated plot which made it better than the others. I am very glad that I went to the bookstore at 12 o'clock on July 8th to get my book. It was extremely good and completely worth reading. I hope, and I certainly think, that everyone will agree when I say that J.K. Rowling has caught the snitch again with another awesome Harry Potter tale.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: This book was easily the best of the Harry Potter books leaving me craving more after reading the 734 pages (originally rumored to be 752 pages). Rowling brings everything to vivid life, from the Quidditch World Cup to Dumbledore's memory. Harry does fall in love (just a crush) and someone does die, but I'll leave you to read the book on your own.All I can say is "I can't wait until book 5" (probably not coming for another year). The books getting longer is great! It just thrills readers for longer (even if it is just a few days). Of course almost all children read the books numerous time.
Rating:
Summary: A really amazing piece of work
Review: This book captures the magical sense of the following three books, but adds a touch of horror and realization of how terrible Voldemort is. The ending is quite a shocker and leaves you a bit breathtaken. A must read book for all Potter fans.
Rating:
Summary: Nobody Does It Better Than Rowling
Review: There are not enough adjetives to adequately even begindescribe what is so wonderful about this book. I laughed, I cried, Ibecame part of all that is that magical world called Hogwarts. I should be embarrassed to admit that I am thirty eight and think these are about the best darn books ever written but hey let's just throw pride by the wayside......I LOVE HARRY POTTER! There is only one disappointing aspect of the book and that is that there are only going to be seven! I hope by then Ms. Rowling has conjured up another hero to sate our appetite for her wonderful storys and our longing to extend our childhood, even if only for a few hours or days, while reading her books. Thanks JK Rowling for giving me that gift this past weekend while begame lost in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was positively enchanting.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you
Review: Perhaps the greatest surprise in this book is how good it is. J. K. Rowling manages to not only to recapture the magic of the first three books but then goes on to write what I believe is the best book yet. I can only hope that the rest of the series holds true to the brilliance displayed so far. Great work Ms. Rowling, and thanks from all your millions of readers.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter's Newest Adventure is Spectacular!
Review: Seven-hundred and thirty-four pages . . . many people would think twice about picking up any book of this length off its shelf. This, however, is not just any book. This, is the fourth installment to the Harry Potter series. "The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there . . ." The preceding was the first line from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the most recent addition to the series. This first line draws you in, calling you back to the world of wizards, house-elves, muggles, and magic. Starting first where we stopped at the end of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, we find Harry staying with his insufferable relatives, the Dursleys. One night he has a nightmare, and wakes up with searing pain stemming from his lightning bolt scar. This is just a beginning to what he must endure throughout the school year at Hogwarts. Before the summer is over, Harry does manage to escape the Dursleys when Ron Weasley invites him to the Quidditch World Cup (which is hosted by Britain this year). It was all fun and games until trouble arose; a huge sign was conjured in the sky, frightening many, and causing questions over the whereabouts of he-who-must-not-be-named. Once Harry, Ron, and Hermione reach Hogwarts and attend the Welcoming Ceremony, they are unhappy to find (along with their fellow students), that Quidditch will not be played this year. Instead, an even greater event is taking place: the Triwizard Tournament! Hosted and participated in by Hogwarts, two other rival wizard schools will compete to win the Triwizard Cup. Each school is allowed one pupil, seventeen and older to contend. Things go a little wrong, and instead of three "champions" a fourth is chosen. But each chosen one must go through with the very dangerous tasks they are presented with. In a nutshell, this school year has proven to be the toughest for Harry so far: he goes from being well-liked by his peers to made fun of daily, he almost loses his best friend completely, Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape continue to be maladies, he must deal with the ravages and angst of being fourteen, all on top of the fact that someone is out to kill him and he must figure out who, what, where, and when. By the time you get to the last chapters, you're still in the dark, until the last moment, and then everything falls into place. J.K. Rowling is most imaginative, creative, and amazingly descriptive when it comes to telling us Harry's story. These books aren't just for kids, they're for people of all ages. Everyone can enjoy them on their own levels. I read this book in three days, but I would have gotten through it sooner, had I not had a brother and a sister who were also taking turns reading. Here's a post script to Miss Rowling: Hurry and write Harry Potter Five, please! My mind is craving more of your intellectually stimulating stories!
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