Harry Potter and the Half blood Prince by J. K. Rowling (2005, Hardcover)

What can I say? J.K. Rowling has outdone herself with the 6th book in the Harry Potter series. The 6th year at Hogwart's offers new plot twists that keep the reader asking such questions as "Is Snape on our side or isn't he?" "Will Ron and Hermione get together or won't they?" "Will Harry ever learn that he should tell Dumbledore EVERYTHING that happens to him??"

Ms. Rowling's genius for writing is particularly illuminated in this latest installation as we are given pieces to the puzzle that we’ve been working on for YEARS. She tickles your mind with crazy possibilities (could Neville Longbottom really play an important role in the fight against Voldemort?). She provides just enough tidbits for us to imagine how the big picture might really look. While the cast of characters is as familiar to us as the golden snitch is fast, Rowling starts to show us a greater depth and possibility in them that we haven't seen thus far (with the exception, perhaps, of Peeves the Poltergeist who continues with his usual antics).

All in all, I would rank this book my favorite in the Harry Potter series. While it spends perhaps too much time on "who likes who" (although as a teen, what other topic is there?), it is a very entertaining page turner. In the end, you are left with the feeling that Harry is more a young man than a boy - that in the much anticipated 7th and final book he is going to step into the role that Dumbledore has been preparing him for during his time at Hogwart's. The anticipation is killing me!!