Read-A-Ton Book Contest Week 2

I'm a little late with this one, just didn't quite get around to writing it last week, oops! :)

I added two books to my list this week:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry's fourth year at Hogwart's begins with a very exciting event, the Quidditch World Cup! But things quickly turn horrifying as You-Know-Who's mark is sent into the sky, the first time it has been seen since his disappearance thirteen years earlier. All of this is soon forgotten, however, because at the year-opening feast, Dumbledore announces that Hogwarts will be holding an event that hasn't been seen in over 200 years, the Triwizard Tournament! Three students from three schools of magic are to compete for a prize of a thousand Galleons. When the champions are chosen, somehow a fourth name is selected as well, and it is none other than Harry Potter! His selection as a second Hogwarts champion makes for one of his most interesting years yet, as well as the most dangerous... will he survive??? And just how did his name get into the Goblet of Fire, anyway?
This is one of the longer books in the series, but is also my personal favorite (so far). I can't put a finger on why, though. Perhaps just because I was so excited to see it translated to film. The movie was quite up to my expectations, too. Which makes me just look that much more forward to the adaptation of the next book...

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
It's been a frustrating summer on Privet Drive for Harry so far. After the chaotic climax of the Triwizard Tournament last year, Harry is mad for news of the wizarding world. He has even taken to watching the Muggle news, in hopes of catching some scrap of information.. much to the consternation of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Add to that the fact that Dudley has become quite the neighborhood bully, and the infuriating letters he's getting from his friends, implying that big things are going on, but they're not allowed to tell him what they are.. and Harry is quite fit to burst. Leave it to a pair of dementors to ease the tension surrounding Little Whinging! Harry's use of magic to protect himself and his cousin lands him in immediate trouble, and facing possible expulsion from Hogwarts.. what else could go wrong?
The stress of the summer amounts to nothing compared to the year Harry has ahead of him at school. A teacher planted at Hogwarts from the Ministry of Magic turns every day into a living nightmare for Harry and his friends. Things only get worse as Harry has nightmares about the activities of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, nightmares that he is supposed to learn to control with the help of none other than.. Professor Snape? In the end, it is left to him and five of his friends to attempt a daring rescue; a rescue that ends in death.. but for who?
I think this book was the fastest read out of the five I've gotten through so far. There is always something going on, something to draw you on to the next page, and the next, up to and including the action-packed ending. I would be remiss also if I didn't mention Dolores Umbridge, the most useless Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher yet to grace the halls of Hogwarts. Her passion for her ideals and absolute dictatorial rule of the school.. well, my good friend Mo said it much better than I can, in his review over at The Mo Show.

As of right now, I'm about halfway through the sixth book: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Stay tuned!