J. K. Rowling continues her phenomenally popular Harry Potter series with yet another tale of magic, mirth, and mayhem. Like its predecessor, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is chock-full of fascinating characters, frightful events, and fun wizardry.p

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 Lockhart, 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 begins, 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?

Rowling packs this tale with plenty of adventure and action, keeping the pace fast and furious. There's plenty of humor, too - both subtle and bold - as well as a few moral lessons. With overlapping themes that range from the simple to the sophisticated, Rowling's Potter tales should appeal to readers of all ages - the young as well as the young at heart.

When I put down for the first time, my first thought was, “That was a really good book. Wow!” I was pretty happy to have Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to move on to right away. This one pulled me right away and had me laughing harder and gasping more loudly than before. J.K. Rowling has done it again, and the series only gets better and better after this.

While some series may suffer from a sophomore slump, this is not the case with Chamber of Secrets. Even before our heroes arrive at Hogwarts, this sequel is completely action packed. From chapter one Rowling has the reader asking questions and wanting to know more. Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys all find themselves back at Hogwarts this year, but this time they have the youngest Weasley, Ginny, in tow.

Of course, given the ending of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, not everything is perfect at Hogwarts. The danger in this novel is palpable and the stakes are higher. Rowling does an excellent job of developing each of her characters more without overloading the reader with information. Part of the reason why I love this book is because we get the opportunity to know the entire Weasley family better. I would jump at the chance to and live in The Burrow. I also feel like we get to know a lot of Hufflepuffs individually in Chamber of Secrets, which I thought was kind of cool, because they didn’t get a whole lot of love in Sorcerer’s Stone.

Can I conclude by saying how awesome the climax in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is? J.K. Rowling created a brilliant puzzle, and I didn’t quite put all of the pieces together when I first read the book. Every time I look back I appreciate how well-crafted the story is. The best part is that with every installment the world-building becomes more intricate and I rarely spot inconsistencies.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book.