I read the book every spare moment I could get and finished it Sunday night. It is by far my favorite of the books. Its a lot darker than the previous ones. As said in another post, Harry is full of teen angst. The book has its hilarious parts and its sad parts. I cried several times. The book kept my attention more than any of the other books. I was hooked by the end of the 1st chapter and that usually doesn't happen till several chapters on, usually when the get to Hogwarts. I encourage all of you to read it soon. And for those known to cry easily, grab a box of tissues.