Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)

*****

         After fifteen years of peace in the Wizarding World, the war against Voldemort is back on.  The Ministry is doing its best to protect everyone, but it can only do so much against a powerful, terrifying enemy who works in stealth.  Harry Potter is coming to terms with the prophecy he heard last summer, a prophecy that brings him to the center of this war.  Now that Harry knows what he should have known years before, Dumbledore has offered to help him.  Dumbledore, the only person Voldemort ever feared, knows more about Tom Riddle's life than anyone else.  He promises to take Harry on his journey through the past, looking for the key to defeat Voldemort.
         At Hogwarts, meanwhile, strange things are happening.  Students are being poisoned, cursed, and attacked.  Nobody knows how, but Harry has a theory.  He suspects that Draco Malfoy has been made a Death Eater (something that nobody else believes) and he's determined to catch Draco in the act.  Throughout the year, Harry takes advice from the notes of a former Hogwarts student, the self-proclaimed Half-Blood Prince, who might be more trouble than he's worth.  Harry and Dumbledore dig deeper into Riddle's murky past, until they finally hit the moment when all of the pieces come together.
It is then that Harry finally understands the magnitude of what must be done to stop Voldemort once and for all.

         I think by now we've established that I am a Harry Potter fan, but I've got to say that book six is not my favorite.  True, there are some seriously exciting parts: Quidditch and romance and poison and adventures with Dumbledore.  Maybe it comes down to the fact that, goody two-shoes that I am, I hate having to sit around while characters make stupid decisions in books.  Most characters do - trust me, I know.  But here we have Harry, and he's taking advice from a book again.  I mean, what happened the last time you listened to a book, Harry?  TOM RIDDLE POPPED OUT!  Throughout book six, I get this horrible sense of impending doom, even when I know exactly what is going to happen.  That being said, this book also contains some of my favorite parts of the series (Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Harry's and Ron's relationships, and Harry's final trip with Dumbledore, to name a few).  And those things must outweigh the bad, because I still find it in me to give The Half-Blood Prince five stars ...

Rating: 5/5
Completed: June 25, 2013

Two Harry Potter reviews in a row!  And this one was particularly rambling.  Sorry, people - new content coming up soon.

BookWatch: Allegiant (Veronica Roth)

         Most people familiar with the world of YA books are probably also familiar with the dystopian future trend that's been big for the past few years.  One of the most exciting dystopian series, in my opinion, comes from Chicago writer Veronica Roth ...
         That's right - the Divergent trilogy.
         It is now officially freak-out time, because the third and final book in the series, Allegiant, comes out on October 22 (nine days from today).

         I, for one, can't wait to find out what happens to Tris et al, even if I was a bit annoyed with her in Insurgent.  Hopefully I'll have some time to skim through the books and remind myself of the finer plot points.  And, more importantly, fingers crossed that I don't have too much homework the week the book is released!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)

 *****

         Harry Potter has never enjoyed summer with the Dursleys less.  Haunted by the death of Cedric Diggory and anxious for signs of the return of Lord Voldemort, Harry wants to hear news of the Wizarding world.  When he finally does, it is nothing like he had expected.  The Ministry of Magic denies that Voldemort has returned; wizards everywhere think Harry is an attention-seeking liar; and Dumbledore has revived the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society and the only force fighting against Voldemort.  At Order of the Phoenix headquarters, everybody is determined to keep Harry in the dark.  Harry is trying to get through the usual Hogwarts drama on top of everything else: evil teachers, future-altering exams, gossip, rule breaking, and budding romance.  All the while, he knows something much worse is brewing outside the walls of Hogwarts.  And something about the strange dreams Harry has been having makes him wonder how soon it will be before he becomes a part of it.

         Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is one of my favorite books in the series (and also one of my favorite books ever).  My sister divides Harry Potter into three categories: Baby Harry, Angsty Harry, and Adult Harry.  Order of the Phoenix is most definitely considered Angsty Harry (hint: try to count the number of all-caps explosions Harry has in this book).  I know that some Potter fans think Angsty Harry is really annoying, but I kind of like it.  And after all Harry has been through, and all the pressure he feels, isn't it normal for him to get emotional?
         By the time Harry gets to his fifth year, he has seen how twisted and evil some people can be.  For him, it's more than just a glimpse into the "real world".  I would argue that it's in Harry's fifth year that he figures out what he cares about and believes in.  The realizations he comes to after all the angst prepare him to take on the challenges Dumbledore will throw at him the following year.
         Apart from all the seriousness, though, this book is really exciting.  You can't help but feel giddy as Harry and the D.A. defy Umbridge and learn defensive magic behind her back.  You have to laugh out loud at Fred and George's various attempts to cause mayhem in the school, while the teachers turn a blind eye and even encourage it.  You feel your stomach flip-flop when Harry decides that he has to take matters into his own hands to figure out what's going on.  I would even go so far as to say it's epic.

Rating: 5/5
Completed: June 19, 2013

Starting this summer, my sister and I started reading Harry Potter aloud to our younger sister.  It's been really fun to look back at all of my favorite parts of the story and live vicariously through her experience.  For those of you who have read the series, which is your favorite book?  Favorite character?  Favorite scene?  Post in the comments!