Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling

I started reading the new Harry Potter book whilst on a number fifty-two bus, but I didn't unwrap it from it's crinkly little plastic bag and just throw myself in. I kept it in the bag, hidden from the world, for a few minutes, and then read a chapter. Then I put it back. And let the first chapter swill around, savouring the flavour that a fever of anticipation had caused. I'm not one to bath in fever pitch anticipation but even I had to admit: "the wait was sort of worth it". I'd like to warn all non-reviewers that the way I'm advocating is not the way to read this book. While I didn't go down the Guardian route of reading it ...  Read the complete review

Louise's little sister: 'Go, on I SWEAR you'll love them!' Louise: (looking suitably snotty) 'I don't think so. I'm too old for them.' Louise's increasingly annoyed little sister: 'I promise you will! Just read one and shut up, or go to sleep!' Above is the night-time conversation that got me started on the Harry Potter series. You see, back in the day (well, about four years ago) we shared a room, and I was known to annoy my poor sister by chatting all night. Thus, she begged me on one especially sleepy evening to read a Harry Potter book, purely so I'd leave her alone. Much as I want to throttle her at times, I can say I'll be eternally ...  Read the complete review

NB: I'VE TRIED TO AVOID GIVING AWAY TOO MANY SPOILERS IN THIS!! ___________________________________________________________________ I love the Harry Potter Books. Books 1,2,3, and 4's tenure on my shelves hasn't allowed them to get dusty, so often have they been re-read. They've been read, shared, recommended. Parents, friends, acquaintances: all were enthusiastically converted! So the prospect of Book 5 was glorious. For two years, we've been metaphorically sitting on JK Rowling's shoulder, egging her on, clamouring for the sequel. And it seems she heard us. For the fifth book is out. Out for sale, and out, ...  Read the complete review

SPOILER ALERT!! Order of the Pheonix is perhaps my least favourite book of the series, because Harry seems to get very angsty and angry at everything. He doesn't listen to his teachers, who are older and wiser than him and falls out with his friends. But these are the same reasons I love this book, because he is so unbelievably wrong at points. It's natural and understandable that after the death of his school chum Cedric that he should be feeling a bit angry about it, seeing as he blames himself for it. it's natural amd understandable that Harry doesn't listen to his elders. We've all done it at some point. And we have all argued with friends and said things ...  Read the complete review

* Minor spoilers* I find that the Harry Potter series are one of those collections of books that you can go back to time and time again and still be pulled into that magical world and feel all the emotions you did first time around. That's a bit of a difficult notion when it comes to tackling the fifth story in the series. Coming in at a whopping 766 pages, it is the longest story in the massive selling series that have become classics across the world. Written by J.K Rowling, 'Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix' details the title character's fifth year at the fictional magical school Hogwarts. However, there are consequences from the ...  Read the complete review