*THIS POST CONTAINS
SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES!*
Since most people have already read this
entire series, I decided to post reviews and my thoughts on all the books in
one post. As a result, some of the
reviews may be a bit shorter, simply mentioning my favorite characters or favorite
parts briefly.
After seeing
that “PriceIsWong” on YouTube (one of my favorite BookTubers) started
re-reading the Harry Potter series, I decided that it would be fun to do that
as well! I am not typically one to
re-read a book. There are just so
many other books that I want to read!
But I haven’t read the Harry Potter series since it began, when I was 10
years old. So, I thought that
since it’s summertime (and although I’m working, I have more time than in the
fall), I would re-read each book (#SummerofSpells), followed by watching the
movie again!
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #1
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Arthur
A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: June 30, 1997
Pages: 312
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; October 1, 1999
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
Harry Potter has never played a
sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility,
befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable
life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son,
Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a
birthday party in ten years.
But all that is about to change
when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation
to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends,
aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been
waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.
Characters:
Can I just say
that I LOVE all the characters? I
mean, even the antagonists bring something special to this book and this
series. Harry is incredibly
courageous and adventurous, which I love!
Ron, who might just be one of my favorite characters throughout the
entire series, adds so much humor to the novel. I especially love his relationship with Hermione in this
novel, as he struggles with dealing with her immense knowledge and will to share
it all, all the time. Hermione
definitely reminds me of myself at times.
She is always studying and reading a book, never wanting to get into
trouble or break the rules. Hagrid
is definitely another all time favorite!
He is such a huge giant, but he has the softest, sweetest heart. This is seen especially when he is
defending Harry or Dumbledore. And
lastly, I love Albus. Dumbledore
is so intelligent, thoughtful, a wonderful teacher at Hogwarts. I love the moment that he spends
talking to Harry and teaching him about the Mirror of Erised. Aside from all the characters that I
love for obvious reasons, like I mentioned, I also love (or love to hate) some
of the antagonists. Draco Malfoy
is so obnoxious, but if he weren’t there, you would have that satisfactory
feeling when Harry shows him up.
As for the Dursley’s, they are just so ridiculous and rude, and with
their spoiled son, Dudley, you can’t help but feel bad for them in their
close-mindedness; it’s like, “Really?
This is how you’re acting. So sad.” But of
course, you feel worse for Harry having to put up with that on a daily
basis.
Plot:
Upon re-reading
this, I was surprised to realize that half of the book takes place at the
Dursley’s house, before even entering Hogwarts. When I realized this, I was a little concerned on how
everything that needed to happen in this book was going to fit! Like I mentioned, I read this book back
when I was 10, so I didn’t remember that much taking place before
Hogwarts. Overall, this plot is so
adventurous and magical. From
discovering that Harry is a wizard, to shopping for his school supplies, to
discovering the lay of the land at Hogwarts, and the secrets behind the
Sorcerer’s Stone, this entire book is fast-paced and full of adventure! One of my favorite parts is the
different enchantments that protect the Sorcerer’s Stone and figuring out which
professor contributed them to the protection of the stone. I loved going back, and even though I
knew what was going to happen, I still enjoyed re-discovering Hogwarts (I LOVE
the floating candles!) and all the different classes that they take. The character development is fun to
read about, and the twists at the end in regards to Professor Snape is, dare I
say, a little heart-warming. :)
Writing Style:
The writing
style is simply amazing. In
particular, the world-building and character development. The way Harry, Ron, and Hermione become
friends is so sweet. The
world-building is just AMAZING though!
I felt like reading this book, the reader could easily see the entire
land that Hogwarts resides on, from the Potions dungeon to the Forbidden
Forest. Overall, this novel is
fast-paced with incredible description that allows you to feel as though you
are part of Hogwarts and the characters in it!
Movie:
Now, I don’t
think I have seen this movie since it came out on DVD. But, I love it! After re-watching it upon completing
the book, I felt that it was really, very close to the novel itself. Of course, there are minor changes, but
nothing that I felt messed with the story too much. Turning a book into a movie can be difficult unless it is
hours and hours long to encompass every small detail. I really love seeing the interactions between Ron and
Hermione play out, as I love those two so much in the book! I also love Hermione’s line about being
“killed, or worse, expelled.” The
actors I felt were incredible as well.
I loved Hagrid and his silly self, as he immediately wished he hadn’t
told Harry and his friends about most of the things that came out of his
mouth. I also thought that the
actor who played Professor Snape did an amazing job with the role; he had the
perfect mix of mean and mystery in his voice. As far as the magic, I felt that it was portrayed really
nicely. The floating candles and pumpkins
are probably my favorite thing! I
would love to experience that for real!
And of course, the actors playing Harry, Ron, and Hermione did an
amazing job in their parts, and it was so much fun to go back to this first
movie and watch them when they were so little! They are so cute and look like little babies! :)
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #2
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher:
Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: January 1, 1998
Pages: 341
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; September 1, 2000
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
The Dursleys were so mean and
hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the
Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags,
Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says
that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. For in Harry's
second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an
outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning
Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron
Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor
annoyances when the real trouble beings, and someone--or something--starts
turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous
rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally
told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter
himself.
Characters:
Like I mentioned
in the previous “characters” section, I love Ron and his humor, and also his
relationship with Hermione, as he gets frustrated with her know-it-all
ways. I continue to love Hermione,
as she is really holding everything together with her knowledge at
Hogwarts. LOL. I continue to love the entire friendship
between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as well as Hagrid (so sad when he is taken
away to Azkaban). I like that we
also get a little more insight into the Weasley family, Mr. Weasley’s job at
the Ministry of Magic, as well as Lucius Malfoy and his true plots.
Plot:
This is perhaps
one of my favorite books! I don’t
really know why, but I just love the concept of the Chamber of Secrets. We get more knowledge about Voldemort,
his past, the history of Hogwarts, and the development of the four houses. I also feel like everything just comes
together so nicely in the end; Harry and the Sorting Hat, and whether his
placement was in the correct house (the sword ultimately showing him that it
was), Fawkes the Phoenix and the tears that saved Harry, and the fact that Tom
Riddle turned into Voldemort, it all just wrapped up so nicely (especially with
the discovery of the Basilisk, how it travels, the entrance in the bathroom,
and Moaning Myrtle).
Writing Style:
Again, the
writing style is amazing! I just
love how much this world has come to life, especially after the first
book. Going into this book, it is
easy to know your way around Hogwarts grounds.
Movie:
I remember this
being one of my favorite movies as a child. I loved to simply watch this one over and over again. Upon re-watching it, I loved how
fast-paced the entire movie was. It
was particularly fun to see the history of Hogwarts that you read about come
alive throughout the movie! And it
is so cute to see how all the young actors grow up since the first movie! :)
Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #3
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Arthur
A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: September 8, 1999
Pages: 435
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; October 1, 2001
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
Harry Potter is lucky to reach the
age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the
feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term
concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes
from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's
assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a
coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be
taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?
Characters:
Now, like I
mentioned I read this book years ago, so I didn’t remember too much about this
aside from the “Shrieking Shack” scene and the Dementors, and that’s about
it. Reading it again, it was so
fun to get to know the characters even better, now spending 3 years with them,
and see how much closer their relationship has become. I love Hermione’s take-charge attitude
in this book, as she begins to lose her fear of getting in trouble. Ron is just as funny as ever, but it’s
Hagrid that really stole my heart in this novel, as he becomes a professor and
puts all his effort into making the lessons perfect for the students.
Plot:
I found that in
this book specifically, I was so swept up with all the small details, such as
the textbook names, their class subjects, and the candy names in
Honeydukes. It just seems like
such a cool school to be able to learn about Divination and
Transfiguration. One of my
favorite parts in this novel is Hagrid’s attitude towards teaching about
dangerous creatures. Readers can
easily tell that becoming a professor has just made his dreams come true, and
he is SO excited! I love how he
picked out what he considered a “fun” book (one that bites) that you must
stroke the spine in order to open it.
He is just such a big softy (especially with Buckbeak!), despite his
big, hairy exterior. It just about
breaks my heart when dumb Malfoy sabotages Hagrid by not paying attention to
the instructions and scaring Buckbeak, which get Hagrid into some trouble. Another plot point that I loved was the
conversation that Harry, Ron, and Hermione overhear at Hogsmeade between the
various professors that are there.
The conversation gives you so much information about the part and more
of a background story on Sirius. I
could NOT put the book down while reading this part! I also loved the twists and turns at the end; in the
“Shrieking Shack,” the history of Sirius, Remus, and Scabbers, and the “Time
Turner” taking them backing in time to “save more than one innocent life.” The ending to this novel was so sweet
that I couldn’t help “Awwww…” when Sirius gives Harry permission to Hogsmeade
as well as gifts Ron with a baby owl.
It’s just so sweet!
Writing Style:
The writing
style, surprise surprise, is amazing!
I love specifically in this book how JK Rowling includes newspaper
clippings about Sirius Black as well as other signs that Harry sees, such as
the description of the Firebolt.
This just breaks up the paragraphs in a unique way and makes the readers
feel as though they are a part of the world. The description is incredible as well, especially with the
magical creatures. I also love how
these characters go back in time with the Time Turner; I think JK Rowling did
an amazing job describing that whole process of using the device and seeing
oneself in another place.
Movie:
I really loved
this movie! It stuck fairly close
to the book (as much as it could for a 2 hour movie). I particularly liked the magical creatures like Buckbeak, as
they were shown just as they were described in the book. The only things that I absolutely LOVED
about the book that I was kinda upset it didn’t make it into the movie were
some details about the history of the relationships. For example, the movie doesn’t really go into detail about
why Snape dislikes Lupin and James.
The reason for the Whomping Willow is also left out of the movie along
with the meaning behind “Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.” Also, on a smaller note, Cho Chang
wasn’t mentioned at all in this movie; however, I really still did enjoy the
entire movie!
Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #4
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher:
Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: July 8, 2000
Pages: 734
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; September 1, 2002
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
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
learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons (sigh) to be attended.
Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on
the march...
Characters:
I don’t think I
can say enough amazing things about the Weasley family!! I just love each and every one of
them! Each member of the family
brings a new personality, and they all combine in their amazing house for a
loveable and funny time. They are
also so sweet for housing Harry and Hermione. Another new character that gets added to my favorite list is
Sirius Black! I love when they
meet up with him and how kind, sweet, and protective he is with Harry.
Plot:
I absolutely
love how this book starts! I love
that as a reader you are immediately emerged into the action of the story by
starting in the Riddle house with Voldemort and his serpent. I also love the difference between this
book’s plot and the three previous books; I feel like this book really begins
to introduce the darker magic of Harry’s world. This is shown in the very beginning at the World Cup with
the appearance of the Dark Mark. I
also LOVE the flashbacks that reveal the mysteries surrounding Crouch and his
son.
Writing Style:
Again, nothing
that I can say that I haven’t already said: amazing writing style. This book also had more mystery, like
with Bertha Jorkins, as well as more suspense in certain darker moments.
Movie:
This is
definitely an amazing movie! I
love how the dragons were well done (especially the baby ones the competitors
pulled out of the bag!). The only
thing that I really missed from the movie was Hermione’s mission to gain pay
for the house elves. I felt like
that was a major part of the story in the books because it allowed Winky to
spill some secrets about her master, Crouch. However, there was not one moment where Harry, Ron, or
Hermione visited the Hogwarts kitchen to see the house elves. There was no mention of the club that
Hermione began to gain fair treatment for house elves.
Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #5
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher:
Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: June 21, 2003
Pages: 870
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; August 10, 2004
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
Harry Potter is due to start his
fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron
and Hermione have been very secretive all summer and he is desperate to get
back to school and find out what has been going on. However, what Harry discovers
is far more devastating than he could ever have expected...
Suspense, secrets and thrilling
action from the pen of J.K. Rowling ensure an electrifying adventure that is
impossible to put down.
Characters:
As in all the
other reviews so far, I love these characters! Throughout this novel in particular, I really loved getting
to know more about Ginny Weasley.
As the youngest of the Weasley clan, she hasn’t had a major role in the
novels (aside from a little more in the Chamber of Secrets), but I feel like in
this novel she really stepped up to help Harry, Ron, and Hermione out. Another character that developed more
in this novel was Sirius Black; being that the Order is located in his house,
we find out more about his family tree, including his mother and their house
elf. Other characters that I
continued to love throughout this book included Neville (he also stepped up his
game to help Harry) and James Potter, Harry’s father. During a flashback, we get to see both James and Lily while
they were at Hogwarts themselves.
And of course, I continue to love the antics of Fred and George!
Plot:
I really enjoyed
this book, especially because it continues to take us into a darker world of
Harry Potter. I think this might
be one of my favorites from the entire series because of the background
information we get on Sirius, the Death Eaters, Professor Snape, and the Lost
Prophecy. I think the whole series
is really developing into this bigger world than could ever be imagined! And of course, I always love the end of
these books where Dumbledore has a one-on-one with Harry!
Writing Style:
As I have said
previous times, J.K. Rowling’s writing style is amazing! Her description allows the scenes to
play as a movie in your head as you are reading, and they keep you on the edge
of your seat waiting to see what happens next, especially in the fight scenes.
Movie:
As for the
movie, I thought they did an excellent job! Especially because the book is almost 900 pages long!! Obviously things had to be cut out to make
the movie only a couple hours long, but some of the things that were cut out
did seem important to me. First of
all, I was bummed that we couldn’t see Ron’s reaction to being a prefect, Dobby
didn’t make an appearance, and there were no hospital scenes or Quidditch
scenes. The plot of the movie
moved at a very fast paced; although all the scenes that were portrayed were
excellent, the movie moved along so quickly that it was a little difficult to
follow (also I had JUST read the book so I could remember all the little
details). However, I did think it
was weird that they left out the fact that the prophecy could have been
Neville…
Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #6
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher:
Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: July 16, 2005
Pages: 652
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; September 16, 2006
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
The war against Voldemort is not
going well; even the Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary
pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is
absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix
has already suffered losses.
And yet, as with all wars, life
goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate—and lose a few eyebrows in the
process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never
straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the
mysterious Half-Blood Prince.
So it's the home front that takes
center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry
Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of
the boy who became Lord Voldemort—and thereby find what may be his only
vulnerability.
Characters:
I love that in
this book we really get to learn a lot more about Voldemort. Although no one loves this character,
it is really interesting to find out more about his upbringing in the orphanage
as well as his time in Hogwarts.
Dumbledore shows us pieces of memories that fill in Voldemort’s
background. We also get to see
more of whom Draco and his family really are, as we dive deeper into the Dark
Arts. On a lighter note, Ron and
Hermione start to become closer throughout the novel as well as Harry and
Ginny, which I really love!
Plot:
As Voldemort
regains his powers and the war between good and bad continues, Harry and his
friends begin the sixth year at Hogwarts.
Despite classes, homework, and Quidditch, Harry spends time with
Dumbledore, who teaches him about Tom Riddle’s (or Voldemort’s) past. I loved the adventure and action
throughout the novel (just like any of the other books in the series)! But I particularly loved the
information regarding Horcruxes, as we dive in deeper to the darker side of the
wizarding world.
Writing Style:
The writing
style continues to amaze me! Every
novel continues to live up to the hype, as the description of characters,
places, and actions allow the reader to accurately picture the novel!
Movie:
As far as the
movie goes, I absolutely loved it!
(Though this is pretty typical.)
But I thought that this movie was really closely tied to the book,
obviously aside from minor details to quicken the movie. First of all, I absolutely LOVED the
Weasley’s joke shop, but I missed several characters that I love to see in the
movie, such as Moaning Myrtle, Peeves, Crabbe and Goyle (I would have loved to
see them as girls protecting Malfoy, and I particularly missed Dumbledore’s
encountered at the Dursley’s home. Two things in particular threw me for a loop though: 1) when
Bellatrix and a few other Death Eaters show up at the Burrow, setting fire to
the home and 2) the fact that they did not show Dumbledore’s funeral in the
end. Overall, great movie!
Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: JK
Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #7
Genre: Young
Adult, Fantasy
Publisher:
Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication
Date: June 21, 2007
Pages: 759
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; July 7, 2009
My Rating: 5/5
Review:
Goodreads Summary:
Harry is waiting in Privet Drive.
The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort
and his supporters knowing - if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can
he fulfill the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor
Dumbledore has left him?
The epic finale to an epic series.
Characters:
I don’t think
that after 7 books there is much more to say about these amazing
characters! Ron continues to crack
me up, along with Fred and George.
I also love the relationships that begin to develop between Harry and
Ginny as well as Ron and Hermione.
I feel like we get a little more perspective into those involved in the
Death Eaters, which is pretty interesting as well. (Also, those memories that Snape gives Harry open our eyes
so much to his character.)
Plot:
As this is the
finale, an epic conclusion can be expected! There is so much action throughout the entire novel. While Harry, Ron, and Hermione are
camping they come across Godric’s Hallow, Snatchers, Mr. Lovegood, and
eventually the Malfoy Manor. With
polyjuice potion and hunting Horcruxes, the action never ceases as it all comes
to a close at the Battle of Hogwarts.
Writing Style:
J. K. Rowling
wrote an amazing conclusion to this series. I don’t think there has ever been a series where I
absolutely LOVED all the novels in it.
I also thought the epilogue was perfect!
Movie:
By having this
book split into two movies, it really allowed for all the details to be
accurately portrayed. Although
there were minor issues, I felt that these movies didn’t stray too far from the
novel so that I didn’t find myself thrown off during the movie (as I would
occasionally in some of the other movies).
Overall, amazing books and movies! I would definitely recommend this
series to anyone who hasn’t started it as well as to those who have already
read it! (I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading and re-watching!)
FTC Disclaimer:
All items
mentioned were purchased by me. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions
are my own. No affiliate links were used.
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