Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: JK Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #7
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
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Harry Potter is preparing to leave the Dursleys and Privet Drive for the last time. The future that awaits him is full of danger, not only for him, but for anyone close to him–and Harry has already lost so much. Only by destroying Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes can Harry free himself and overcome the Dark Lord’s forces of evil. In a final and perilous journey, Harry must find the strength and the will to face a deadly confrontation that is his alone to fight.

There are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk.

Each time I’ve read/listened to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I’ve cried. I can’t help it. There are so many emotions that go through me as I read this book. I cry because some of my favorite and most beloved characters die. I cry because it’s the end of a story, a story that means more to me than any other story, a story that helped me discover the wondrous world of reading. I cry because of the adventure, an awesome adventure I was/am able to be a part of.

I felt so bad for Harry when Hedwig died. He had no time to mourn her. It was so sudden and there was so much going on at the time. She was his only link to the wizarding world during the summers when he was with the Dursleys. She was one of his only links to Sirius when Sirius was on the run. She meant so much to Harry. I was just so sad and angry when she died. I wish she had just been set free so he didn’t have to worry about her when he was hunting Horcruxes. But, in war, people and animals die. I’m glad Rowling didn’t take the coward’s way out and keep everyone alive, even though I didn’t want to see any of them die. But, why couldn’t Rowling have just spared Harry’s owl?! At least she had a more dignified, heroic end in the movie. It’s the only thing I prefer in the movies over what happens in the books.

Dobby’s death was the hardest death for me. I know Dobby was the “Jar Jar” of the Harry Potter universe. But, I loved him. I loved his unwavering loyalty to Harry. I loved all the help he gave Harry over the course of five years. And, I think he died how he would’ve wanted to die, saving Harry. The burial was so tender and so heart-wrenching. I sobbed.

As soon as Lupin and Tonks made Harry Teddy’s godfather, I knew Lupin and Tonks were dead. I knew Rowling was going to mirror Harry’s life with Teddy’s, but with a happier childhood because of Teddy’s loving grandma and Harry.

I love the epilogue. I didn’t find it cheesy in the least bit. Sure, the name Albus Severus is something to be desired, but I still love it. I laughed and cried. My only disappointment is that I wanted to know more about more of the characters. But, I love that we get to see what we do and that Rowling has answered questions about the other characters in interviews.

“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.” Albus Dumbledore

I loved learning about Dumbledore’s past and family. I knew that Rita Skeeter would have some truth in her book. But, I also knew that she’d have it wrong and make it worse than it really was. After Aberforth and Dumbledore told Harry what happened, it made so much sense. And, it just made Dumbledore seem more human and made my love and admiration for him grow.

I also loved learning more about Snape. We only saw tidbits about his past here and there and they were usually jaded because we saw it through Harry’s eyes and didn’t get the full picture. I loved learning the truth about Snape and all it entailed. Not only did it show us how much Dumbledore understood Voldemort and how much Voldemort didn’t know anything at all, we also got to experience some of Lily and Petunia’s childhood.

The first time I read Deathly Hallows, I just wanted to know what would happen. I devoured it and I lost out on a lot of the detail. This time, my second read but third time through the book (audiobook), I caught so much more. I noticed the battle at Hogwarts a lot more. I also realized that there really wasn’t that much camping involved. Rowling just glossed over some of the smaller places Harry, Hermione, and Ron visited. But, they did a lot while they were searching for the Horcruxes and the sword. I also laughed and smiled more during this read because I wasn’t always anxious about what was going to happen next since I already knew.

Deathly Hallows is, by far, my favorite book in the series, although Azkaban is my favorite story. I just loved seeing all my questions answered. When I first read Deathly Hallows, I had made a list of unanswered questions, no matter how insignificant I thought they were, and I loved finding out the answers. I love the complexity of this series and how much detail is involved in everything right up until the end. As I’ve said many times, JK Rowling is a genius and that’s all there is to it.

Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: JK Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #6
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
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It is Harry Potter’s sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Voldemort’s sinister forces amass and a spirit of blood and fear sweeps the land, it becomes clear to Harry that he will soon have no choice but to confront his destiny.

There are spoilers in this review. Some of these spoilers allude to the events in Deathly Hallows. I simply cannot do this book justice without discussing them. Read at your own risk.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is my third favorite in the series. There is so much that happens in this book that affects the entire series that it can’t not be high up on my favorites list. But, I do have a love/hate relationship with it because of the ending. Dumbledore’s death affected me more than any other death in the series. I knew he’d die. In fact, I had long figured out he would because Harry had to face Voldemort alone. But, I didn’t realize how he’d die and that surprised me to the core.

“When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love.” Professor Slughorn

I love the amount of romance in this book. I love the chaos it creates, even though Ron and Hermione spend a lot of the book pissed off at each other. I love the bond that Ron and Hermione gain from the chaos, though. I also love that Harry and Ginny end up together. It was the happiest moment in the book for me!

Snape stood out the most to me in this book, and for good reason, of course. He’s so involved in so many of the facets of this novel. Not only is he the Half-Blood Prince, he’s the one who kills Dumbledore. I was so angry when I first read it. I couldn’t even fathom that Snape was acting on Dumbledore’s orders. But, after I calmed down and started to form my theories of what would happen in Deathly Hallows, I finally decided that Snape had to be acting on Dumbledore’s orders. (I still didn’t like it, though.) Personally, I think Snape is the most complex, well-written character I’ve ever read. You second guess your feelings for him throughout the entire series, at least I did. You never know his motives until the end. But, knowing his motives now, I can say that I loved how he continued to teach/prepare Harry after Dumbledore’s death. Harry didn’t realize it, of course, but I thought it was a stroke of genius on Rowling’s part.

My favorite thing about this book is the amount of time Harry gets to spend with Dumbledore. I’ve always loved their little chats at the end of each book. And, this book is like one long, giant chat between the two of them. I love the insight we see into Dumbledore’s character. It almost prepared me for his death and what we learn about him in Deathly Hallows.

The Horcruxes are so interesting. I had never read anything like it. (Well, of course, I hadn’t; I wasn’t much of a reader when I first read this book. But, I still haven’t read anything like it.) They explained so much and yet so little (at least before Deathly Hallows). It showed so much of Voldemort’s true character. Before learning about the Horcruxes, you just think he’s this power-hungry wizard willing to do anything to usurp that power. But after, you realize that while he is power-hungry, he’s also quite vulnerable, afraid of death and those around him. You see his weaknesses so much more clearly.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the beginning of the end, in my opinion. You can’t read it without continuing on to Deathly Hallows. Both books are so interrelated to each other. The glimpse you get of how the series is going to end is so subtle and masterfully-crafted.

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: JK Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #5
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
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Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is desperate to return to Hogwarts and find out why his friends, Ron and Hermione, have been so secretive all summer. But before he even gets to school, Harry survives a terrifying encounter with two Dementors, attends a court hearing at the Ministry of Magic and is escorted on a nighttime broomstick ride to the secret headquarters of a mysterious group called the Order of the Phoenix.

There are a few minor spoilers in this review, mostly for the four previous books.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was the first Harry Potter book that I had to wait to be published. When I started to read the series, the first four books were already out. When I finished Goblet of Fire, I didn’t think I could wait the two long years, which turned into three, for Order of Phoenix to be published because Goblet of Fire ended in such a cliffhanger. If I felt I’d get resolution with Order of Phoenix, I was much mistaken. Resolution doesn’t come for a while.

I know many Harry Potter fans didn’t like Order of the Phoenix very much. They didn’t like how angry Harry was. While I enjoy reading about Harry when he’s in a better mood, I understood where he was coming from. If I had been in his shoes, experiencing everything he did, dealing with Umbridge, I’m sure I would’ve been angry too. It just didn’t bother me. In fact, I think Order of the Phoenix is a fantastic book for many reasons.

“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.” Luna Lovegood

First, I love to hate Dolores Umbridge. She is such a well written character. I hate her even more than I hate Voldemort because while both Voldemort and Umbridge are hungry for power, Umbridge, being a member of the ministry and not being looked upon as a dark wizard, has the ability to inflict harm and misery upon Harry (and everyone at Hogwarts) throughout the entire year. Hogwarts is supposed to be a happy place for Harry, but Umbridge thwarts that on many occasions. Oooh! I just hate her!

Second, the end-of-the-school-year-chat with Dumbledore is my favorite of all the previous ones. I love the amount of insight we get into Dumbledore’s character during this chat. I think it makes it much more poignant that he’s “ignored” Harry throughout the year. You can really see how much he cares for Harry when he finally discusses everything with him. And, even though he has to prepare Harry for what’s to come in the future, something Dumbledore isn’t at all eager to do, his love for Harry is more apparent in this novel than any of the others.

Third, I love meeting the members of the Order and spending as much time with Sirius as we do (and learning about his past). It’s so intriguing to see the inner workings of the Order. Even though we don’t get to see a lot of it because Dumbledore doesn’t want Harry knowing everything, we still get to see a lot of how the Order functions–guard detail, throwing off the Ministry of Magic, spying on Voldemort, etc.

Finally, as with every other book in the series, I love the awesome foreshadowing that JK Rowling writes into the story. I love the subtle mention of the locket and the subtle mention (just noticed during this read) of Lily’s relationship with a certain someone still at Hogwarts. I also love that you get a glimpse of what’s to come in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows with Harry’s role in Voldemort’s downfall. She’s a genius. That’s all there is to it.

While Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix isn’t my favorite book of the series, it isn’t my least favorite either. The complexity of the story is a wonderful addition and integral part of Harry’s life while he’s at Hogwarts. And, with all the darkness in this book, it makes you appreciate the lighthearted atmosphere in the others more.

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: JK Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #4
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
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The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can’t wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and there are spells to be learned and (unluckily) Potions and Divination lessons to be attended. But Harry needs to be on his guard at all times–his worst enemy is preparing a terrible fate for him.

There are a few minor spoilers in this review, mostly for the three previous books.

When I first read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I was amazed by it. I thought it was a fun change from the previous three books because it had adventure throughout the entire year rather than just at the end. At the time, it was the last book published and I felt a sense of longing and anxiety to find out what happened, especially after the ending!

Having read the book four previous times, it was fun to keep an eye out for the foreshadowing of a particular character to see how it ties into the ending and big twist/reveal. One thing I love about JK Rowling is her awesome ability to foreshadow and tie all the stories together.

Even though I give this book five stars just like I do every other book in the series, I actually have two beefs with it. One was fixed in a subsequent edition, but it still bothers me to no end because it’s in my US first edition. I’m, of course, talking about the order in which Harry’s parents come out of the wand; it’s backwards and with my perfectionistic, anal brain, I just can’t look past it when I read that part.

“If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” Sirius Black

The second thing that bothers me is at the end of the book as the students are making their way back to the Hogwarts Express, the horseless carriages are mentioned. At this point, Harry should’ve been able to see the thestrals, but there’s no mention of them. The only thing that I can think of is that Rowling didn’t want to open that can of worms until the next book. But, why did she have to mention them at all at the end of this book? She really doesn’t in any of the previous ones. I guess it could also be that Harry was too preoccupied with leaving that he didn’t notice them. But, I’d think it would be pretty obvious as it is in the next book.

Anyway, even with those two things, I still love this book. I love the Triwizard Tournament. I love the subtle humor between the characters. I love seeing Ron and Hermione’s relationship elevate to a new level. I love the amount of magic you get to read about in this book and “see” Harry perform. It’s just a good adventure. And, it’s a pivotal book in the series, the beginning of the end.