Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling

From the Publisher
The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.
And yet...

As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate -- and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort -- and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

My comments:
One of the most difficult in the series, but also one of the most poignant! I'm not too old to admit to shedding a tear at least once or twice while reading the last 3 or 4 in the Harry Potter series. This one was far from different.

I tried to make myself wait to read this one until closer to the release of The Deadly Hallows, but in the end I gave in and was so glad I did. There's nothing like reading a fantastic book like this. Taking your time. Enjoying it. Reading because you want to, not because you should. And that's why I gave in.

The powerful themes continue in this book. Friendship, loyalty (oh I shudder wonderfully when the Minister of Magic accuses Harry of being Dumbledore's man through and through), love and sacrifice. And there is also the dance Harry does on the side of wrong when he cheats in potions class and the lessons learned there. I do wish Harry had taken the high road, but that just shows you even hero's make mistakes. No one is perfect. Not even The Chosen One.

Keep It Or Pass It On?
While we let Sandi borrow Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I don't generally let these leave our hands!