The Harry Potter Mega Review Palooza

I think we can start calling this one a classic. And if not, a modern classic.

From page one, you just know that this is going to be an amazing ride. And it's just perfect.

Discovering the Wizarding World through Harry's eyes is the most beautiful introduction. Harry goes from this suffered childhood and finds himself in a new world where not only does he find home and acceptance, but magic, too!

I love the mystery of the first three books. Every book has a level of mystery, but the first three especially. I don't think any kid reading the books didn't want to go to a magical school where they could go on adventures and figure out mysteries with their friends.

As someone who doesn't like sports, I cannot believe how much I love the Quidditch scenes. They are narrated in the perfect blend of excitement, an urgency to find the sitch and win, mystery (in this case, Harry's broom malfunction), and comic relief with Lee Jordan and Professor McGonagall. Those two are one of the funniest parts of the series and provide perfect entertainment throughout the series. I always looked forward to the Quidditch scenes in the books.

I also love the challenges the trio faces to get to the stone. They each get to shine in their own way and it is such fun to go through them with them.

Another highlight that I absolutely love is the Sorting Ceremony. All three of the songs are super fun and I just love them. (Fun fact: I used to know all three of them by heart! That's how obsessed I was.)

Chamber is, by far, the most underrated book in the series. I do not understand any of the hate. I love this book. It is one of my absolute favorite things in the world and I sincerely do not understand why people don't like it. I have heard the argument that it is the least consequential book, and it's the one that least impacts the plot. I get that, but it is also so important. This is Harry's first time really fighting Voldemort face to face (instead of face to back of head (lol)), his first time destroying a Horcrux, and him learning that a Basilisk fang is able to destroy a Horcrux.

Also, it is the funniest Harry Potter book, namely because of Lockhart. He is such a good comic relief character and completely unforgettable. I love the tests he gives the children and I love that he goes on the adventure with Ron and Harry. His scenes are always something I look forward to when revisiting the series.

Dobby, one of my favorite characters, is also introduced in Chamber. Dobby is one of my favorite things about the entire series, I love it whenever he is around, and even being a little annoying in this one, he completely steals our hearts the second he shows up. He is one of the most iconic parts of the series.

Another iconic concept introduced in this book is Polyjuice Potion. It is such a fun scene and mini-adventure the trio (but mostly Ron and Harry) get to go on and Polyjuice ends up being very important in the Wizarding World.

There are just so many iconic and ultimately important concepts introduced in this book: Fawkes, the flying Ford Anglia, the Weasleys and the Burrow, the Death-day Party, Floo Powder, Aragog, Hagrid's backstory, the Moaning Myrtle, and so much more. It is definitely one of the most fun books in the series.

Just like everyone and their grandmother, Prisoner is my favorite. As a kid reading them, especially after watching the movies, I expected Goblet to be my favorite, since it was my favorite movie and every one of my friends' favorite. But I just have the best memories of the first time I read this book. Since I already knew the twist, I caught on to all the details that gave it away from the beginning, like how the Sneakescope always went off around Scabbers. I loved how textured it was and the unpeeling of each of the layers was so interesting.

I love the introduction of the Marauders. Sirius is one of my favorite characters and I also love Remus. The map is one of the best artifacts in the Wizarding World. The scene in the Shrieking Shack is one of my favorite Harry Potter moments of all time. All of the mystery being revealed is just awesome.

There are so many great moments even before arriving at Hogwarts. Blowing up Aunt Marge is so iconic. The Knight Bus is also introduced and such a fun scene. One of my favorite bits is when Harry spends his last few free days in Diagon Alley. He just felt so at home and happy in the Wizarding World, and it's one of those moments when you remember that one of the most amazing and, dare I say, magical parts of the series is that whoever we are, we are able to find home in the Wizarding World.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is also that I can talk about it for ages and not even discuss the entire third act: the time-reversal. I love the rules of time travel in the Wizarding World and I absolutely love those chapters. In the last book, we got a Harry-Ron adventure, so in this one, we get a Harry-Hermione one. Hermione is absolutely awesome and they are some of her best moments in the series. I love that they are able to save Buckbeak and Sirius and that Harry has his moment when conjuring his Patronus where he realizes just how powerful he is.

This is one of the lighter books, since Harry doesn't fight Voldemort in the end, but it is just as compelling. It acts as a time of growth for the characters between the end of the trio's childhood and the beginning of teenagehood, where the darkness really kicks in.

Goblet gets the crown for the most world-expanding book in the series. One of my favorite parts about it was learning more about the Wizarding World at large and about how there are other schools. Even Hallows, where they are literally out in the real world doesn't have as much expansion as Goblet and I really appreciated it.

This one has an odd beginning, in my opinion. Of course, after you read it, the first chapter makes sense, but, it was the first time we aren't dropped into the world with Harry, so it was confusing at first. Even already knowing how it would start from the movies, I wasn't sure what was going on. But then, we transition to the World Cup, and you know I love myself some Quidditch.

My biggest problem with this one is the ending. Although it has quite an epic fight and Voldemort literally comes back from his previous semi-dead state, it is still a very dark third act, with the maze task, that just doesn't make me as excited to read or watch as some of the others.

I don't especially love the Triwizard Tournament. I like the first task and the Yule Ball is definitely a highlight, but the third task is a little too much for me. I prefer the books that end with the trio going on adventures.

Overall, I still love this book. I love that Dobby comes back. I love all the Yule Ball drama. The Pensieve and the unforgivable curses are introduced. Polyjuice potion is back. Twists and turns and trials on friendships make this book an awesome transition into the teenage years and the battle against the light and dark.

Order is the second most underrated Harry Potter book. Is it, perhaps too, long? Yes, 870 pages is a lot. But these are amazing 870 pages. As far as first acts go, I will admit this is one of the more tedious ones in the series, what with the dementor fights and Harry going on trial. And the ending is not one of my favorites either. I remember having trouble reading the Department of Mysteries chapters because there was just so much going on. Not to mention how absurdly sad it is with Sirius' death. But, overall, this is one of my favorite stories in the series.

Harry had been led by Dumbledore or some other mystery that needed solving in some way or another in the past few books, but in this one, he begins taking charge and acting by himself. Harry grows a lot as a character in this book and it makes him ready for what he has to do in the next two books. He proves through Dumbledore's Army that he has learned over the past few years and can take those experiences to inspire and teach others and that he has something worth fighting for.

People also don't credit this book for its comedy enough. The first time Harry and the gang meet Luna is one of the funniest scenes in the series and one of the best bits of dialogue. Luna in general is also a great addition. She has become such an iconic character and really represented the accepting part of Hogwarts. It also added more house representation, since in this one we have two Ravenclaw supporting characters.

As far as villains go, Umbridge is also one of the best in the series. She is just so hateable. This series already has a major villain, and the fact that another character was introduced in the fifth installment and most readers name her as the character they most hate shows just how horrible she is.

This book also has Dobby. What's not to love about it?!

I went into this one thinking that it would be my least favorite and was very annoyed that I would have to get through it. However, I loved it. I was so surprised at how much I loved this book.

Interestingly, this is the one that I randomly pick up the most often, for one reason: its first chapter. Although there are some good first chapters in the series, I would say that one of the author's weaknesses is the first chapters because the summaries are just too long and boring for someone binging the series. However, this first chapter, in my opinion, is just hands down one of the best chapters in the entire series. I just loved getting that recap from Fudge's point of view and seeing that part of the wizarding-muggle relationship. It was very funny and extremely entertaining.

Half-Blood also includes some more of the best chapters in the series, for example, the Felix Felicis chapter. It is one of the most fun chapters and it feels very free in such a somber era in Harry's life. The St. Mungo's chapter is also a highlight. Of course, the reason they were there was not a cheery one, but I love Lockhart's reappearance, learning more about Nevil's parents, and the world-building of the hospital. It's always fascinating to learn more about the Wizarding World outside of Hogwarts. The Pensieve chapters are also immensely interesting.

Slughorn was also a great addition. Harry enjoying potions and learning so much with the book is one of my favorite parts of the book. His importance in Voldemort's origin story, if you will, is also fascinating. Not to mention, he also facilitates a lot of the "teenage drama" that is added in Half-Blood. I love Lavender Brown and the buds of the Hermione-Ron love story. I love the parties Slughorn throws and Hermione's drama with Cormac McLaggen. And I know some people don't like it, but I am a giant fan of Ginny and Harry in this one. Ginny is such a good character in the books and I love how their relationship develops in Half-Blood. It's just a superb book.

This incredible series needed an epic finale, and this one delivered. The final fight between Harry and Tom is incredible and everything I ever wanted. Everything comes back and nothing is left unsolved. It manages to be grand and emotional at the same time.

I really love the pacing of the book. It's never too dull, there is just enough introduction, just enough camping, and just enough violence at the end. Especially coming from the movies, I dreaded getting to the camping parts because I was afraid of how long it would be, but it moved right along at a pretty fast pace.

I love all the cameos that give a sense of closure to the story. We get Fleur, Kreacher, Dobby, Olivander, Griphook and Gringotts, dragons, James, Lily, Sirius, and Dumbledore himself. Everything Harry learned throughout his years at Hogwarts comes back and he is able to overcome them all.

I do want to say, I am not a fan of Snape's and I don't really think he completely deserves his redemption because he was pretty terrible to Harry. However, I think his death was quite emotional and I love his Pensieve scene.

I also love the epilogue, which I know not everyone loves. Once again, I love the cameos in the epilogue. I don't like that Harry named Albus after Snape, he could have named him Albus Remus instead of Severus, but I think his moment with his son is quite sweet and it summarizes all of the messages the book is sending. I just love that we get to see where Harry and the gang are after all those years and that, after all that time, all was well.