HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (J.K. Rowling) - August 20/21

 This is the longest book in the series and it sure feels like it. As expected, Rowling employs an episodic structure that results in a midsection that couldn't possibly be more hit and miss. I was, as a result, kind of bored during much of this section of the book, but Rowling's done such a superb job of establishing the many characters that I never tuned out entirely. There's little doubt, too, that the proliferation of palpably exciting sequences in the second half, including Harry's confrontation with Death Eaters and eventually Voldemort himself in the Ministry of Magic, ensures that I was more and more enthralled as the story finally drew to a close. *** out of ****