Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

I'm going to be honest.  Compared to Order of the Phoenix, I LOVED this book! It was much better and much more action packed.  It started to weed out the main characters from those who weren't so important. The mood of the book, however, did get darker.  I started to really take sides with Harry.  I've come to the conclusion that Ron Weasley is so incredibly whiny and sort of like an emotional girl.  Harmonie Granger is different, but just as annoying to me.  She is a "know it all" who just tries to boss everyone around and I got quite agitated! I was also pleased that along with more action, it also included new relationships and new angles on already existing relationships.  Ginny dating Harry was exciting as well as the evolvement of Hermonie and Ron's "friendship".  Draco Malfoy became much more important and his role with the Death Eaters, whether he volunteered for it or not.  I'm surprised that Lord Voldemort chose him to complete this task, knowing that the Malfoy family was known for their cowardice.  After all, it was Cissy Malfoy who asked Snape to help, NOT Lord Voldemort.  This book was where I believe Harry really began to prove himself as the "Chosen One", it also reveals how serious and difficult it will be to destroy his enemy.  At the end of this book, as we all know, Albus Dumbledore is killed by non-other than his trusted friend Snape.  I believe this was an interesting twist to the tale.  Just when you think you know where he stands...you don't.

Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix

So I am a little behind the rest of the world...this is my first time reading through the Harry Potter series and finally experiencing the story "first hand".   Before starting this book I must admit I had low expectations mostly caused by those who had read it already.  All I heard about was how whiny Harry was and how dark the books were starting to get.  While I must admit that he was different in this book than in books past, but can you honestly blame him?! He had just witnessed a classmate murdered, his enemy return full force, he was pretty much exiled and didn't hear from those whom he loved.  He just waited in anticipation for something bad to happen and when it does he faces being expelled.  He goes back to Hogwarts to find out that NOBODY believes him, Professor Dumbledore won't acknowledge that he exists and now has to face the crazy Professor Umbridge.  I'm surprised Harry wasn't more whiny! If I were him, I'd be angry too!
As far as the book goes, it wasn't my favorite.  However, J.K. Rowling did an excellent job creating such a hatable character.  I couldn't wait to see what would happen to Professor Umbridge.  I was slightly disappointed in the lack of detail of what REALLY happened.  And sort of hoped that Professor Dumbledore would finally get the chance to tell her off.  I'm sure we will meet up with her again {shhhh....don't spoil it for me!}  And so I continue on my Harry Potter adventure and will next be reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.