Rating: 
Summary: JK Rowling does it again
Review: I keep expecting the quality of her work to fall off -- faced with the overwhelming pressure of millions of fans, deadlines, and a new family, but she doesn't disappoint!I read the book in one sitting (fast reader, here) and was delighted, enchanted and left wanting more. I'd like to pretend that I got the book for some younger relative, but the truth is I'm supposed to be an adult, and I still loved it. Rowlings makes her characters believable by allowing them to grow up and face the angst of being a tweenager-- not quite child, not quite adult, that we all face -- but making it that "magical" time truly magical. I will be eagerly awaiting #6 -- and hope it doesn't take another 3 years!
Rating:
Summary: An angry young man - Harry at 15
Review: How to write down first impressions without giving away too much?
At the start of the book, Harry is angry at his friends for leaving him at the Dursleys for a full month without telling him what is going on in the wizarding world. Later, he is angry at people for not believing him that Voldemort has returned. Hogwarts is briefly run by a Ministry of Magic official who sacks Dumbledore and tries to get everyone in line with Ministry policy. Which makes everyone very angry. The Quiddich season is a very difficult one, Ron and Hermione get something Harry would like to have too, and everyone's lovelife does not develop as planned. More reasons to make Harry angry. The final scenes include a battle, a prophecy, another long talk with Dumbledore, and somebody's death. Harry ends up very sad as well as angry, but he learns about "everything" (well, not quite!) at last. And there is hope at the end of the book that the Dursleys might actually stop bullying him.
Harry, Ron and Hermione as adolescents - another credible account of their life at Hogwarts, fantastically written, full of surprises and funny ideas. (The Weasley twins flying into the sunset will forever remain in my memory!) The conflict with Voldemort gets more sinister, though it is not yet in the open for most of the book. In my view, this makes the action fragmented, sometimes long-winded, though enjoyable to read. But the book lacks a "theme" or "storyline" in the way that the other four had. Which makes it - by the high standards J.K. has given us - not as good or exciting as volumes three and four.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining but not an edge of the seat type of book
Review: This latest book of JKR is definitely entertaining, but it doesn't have the freshness of the other four previous books. Harry is now a teenager, complete with moodiness, attitude and flaws. The plot is thick with new characters, a bit light on new spells and lessons. Not all the characters seem to fit the storyline, but I guess they will show themselves in subsequenct volumes. Also, not all the characters are as richly developed as in previous books. A lot of the plot is explained, including paranthesis within dialogue! So it's almost like reading JKR's notes on the book, not so much her prose. Also, the ending is almost a little too neat, a bit too contrived. I liked the book but I wish some of the chapters were written in the style of the previous books. Also there is a lot of repetition with references to the preceding books. About 80% of these back references could be dropped.
Interestingly JRK is showing more humaness in her characters, like arragance in Harry's dad, unreasonable thinking in Harry, dating woes with Cho. I did like Ginny's emerging character.
Also, Ron and the other fifth year males have taken to calling each other "mate" - is this a substitute for "dude"?
Worth a read, but it's not as fun as her other books.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!!![.]
Review: I just started to read this book yesterday and I just finished it this afternoon, needless to say I couldn't put it down! Anybody and everybody should read this book. J.K. Rowling has outdone herself again! :P
Rating:
Summary: Another Marvel Another Capturing story
Review: It was worthwhile to wait for the "Order of Phoenix" at 12 on June 21st... took quite sometime to get a copy and I couldnt wait to read the complete story. There has been so many questions which has been in my mind... since the last part. And the expectations were high...
and JKR did it again, a marvellous story which binds you not to leave the book till you know more. The Book is lengthy but she goes more into details and describes as if I am in between them.
The story is definetly more complex this time and loads of new characters keep on appearing in every chapter.
Personally I think some of the things are repititive, like people not liking harry, mis-understanding him. This has been the plot in 2-3 books now.
But Cant complain, This is one of the best again...
Happy reading
Rating:
Summary: The Darkest Harry Potter Yet, But Still Amazing
Review: This fifth installment of the Harry Potter series was the darkest yet, but I still was unable to put it down and simply devoured it.
The fourth book leaves the reader knowing that Voldemort is back, but the wizarding world is not convinced. While Harry has been at 4 Pivot Drive for summer holiday, the Daily Prophet has been printing stories discrediting Harry and Dumbledore. And Harry's return to the wizarding world is not on a pleasant note, which sets the tone of the novel. Harry first meets the Order of the Phoenix (a secret wizarding group that rivals the Death Eaters)after he recieves some owls from the Ministry and has to go with the Order to his new summer lodging--the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
Right off the bat, the portrayal of Potter in this book is quite different from the past. Potter's much more quick tempered and a bit resentful. Potter is seen as a typical teenager who is going through adolescence with some hormonal imbalances. During the summer he isolates himself and gets into some arguements. He continues to do this throughout the story.
Once back at Hogwarts, his life doesn't get better. The Ministry has hired Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and she makes Rita (from Goblet of Fire) look like an angel. (Umbridge is a character who will definately get on everyone's nerves.) She starts off as just a teacher, but quickly becomes the High Inquisitioner and makes Hogwarts her own.
Without giving too much away, basically Harry has to deal with Umbridge, Snape (who can be looked upon actually as somewhat of a good guy in this novel), a multitude of disbeliving witches and wizards, O.W.L.s, Draco (who is now a prefect), becoming a true teenager, teaching the "D.A." (a response to Umbridge), Cho Chang and her imbalances, and of course Voldemort. The connection between Voldemort and Harry has reached more than just his scar hurting, too. Dreams and "mind reading" (and trickery) play a huge part in the novel as well. And Dumbledore finally has a sort of heart to heart with Harry and completely explains the burning question as to why Harry lived against Voldemort's attack and goes deeper into the meaning of his scar.
Yes, all the rumors are true: an important character does die (and I was heartbroken!). What is really heartbreaking is how avoidable the whole situation is and the way the incident develops. Also, as the whole incident is brought on by Potter himself, and it shows a different side of Harry--his tragic flaw (being too rash and not thinking things through).
Overall this book leaves you slightly depressed but you're on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next installment. There are twists and turns, some sad others kind of pleasant, but it is certainly a rather upsetting ending for Harry. It makes the reader want to return to Hogwarts for Harry's 6th year just as much as Harry wants to. The book is written in Rowling's typical fantastic style which makes an 870 page book actually a pretty fast read (I must admit I finished it within 24 hours of picking it up--it is that good!). It truly makes you laugh, cry, and hungry for more.
Rating:
Summary: The Darkside of Order
Review: I am afraid...very afraid! The depth of darkness in this novel is spine chilling from the very beginning. It seems that Rowling has gone ahead and plunged the wizarding world into the midst of a seething cauldron of trouble and turmoil. Poor Harry! He has lost so much already and now has to face this devestating loss.
I can begin to see the teenage angst coming out in Harry. He is beginning to question himself and his place in the universe. From young love to deep heartaches, Haryy is feeling it all now.
It was a page-turner; I absolutely couldn't put it down.I just have one more thing to say -- When is number 6 coming out? I can't wait for it...
Rating:
Summary: By far, the best in the series
Review: This book rocks! It was definitely worth the 3-year wait. I thought it would be difficult for JK Rowling to follow The Goblet of Fire - but she did so in such a magnificent way. The book starts out slow, but by the middle of Chapter 1, it takes off and doesn't stop until the end. Various supporting characters from Books 2 through 4 make appearances: Lockhart, Lupin, and Moody to name a few. And, some existing characters, such as Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley, have more prominent roles. And no, I won't be saying who dies... :) My original favorite in the series was Prizoner of Azkaban; however, I feel this book easily surpasses it. However - just a reminder that you really need to read, or have read, Books 1 through 4 in order to understand what happens in Book 5. All in all - I can't wait for Book 6 (although I'm guessing that I will have no other choice...)!
Rating:
Summary: A great book!
Review: This book kept my interest until the end! I laughed, cried, and was thrilled with the vivid language! New characters jump into the picture and the good old ones stay... There are a few twists along the way too! If you haven't read any of the Harry Potter Series (all of which I reccomend) then this one fills you in on most of the facts. This is a definite must-read!
Rating:
Summary: wow
Review: this book is quite simply amazing. It's much darker than the first four, as harry is now quite jaded, obviously he is growing a bit mroe as he is moodier as well. the story to this book(I won't reveal any of the details) is so thick that you could eat it with a spoon. The book really draws you in well, better than any of the others I would say, you become emotionally involved and feel for the characters. This book, as standing with the others...is very hard to compare, as the characters have gone through so many changes and so has everything else. I was overall very pleased with the book and am furious that I finished it in only three days, because now I have to wait so long for the sixth!
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