Me too, Sheryl.

It felt like a lot of not much, compiled with too much annoying teenaged hormonal angst until about the last 100 pages.

Then again, I pretty much forgot everything that happened in the last book, so spent a good chunk of it being frustrated at myself for not having skimmed OotP again.

And also? Read so fast and semi-frustrated that I completely spaced the thought that Snape had to kill Dumbledore to protect Draco from doing it, and that Dumbledore had asked him to as well. Plus, agree that ol' Dumble was probably already good as dead from the poison.

I read this one WAY too fast, and definitely need to reread. I should probably reread OotPP too, because I'm guessing this one would have been better if I'd actually remembered anything from book 5. (I still don't remember being introduced to Tonks.)

My copy of HBP is still in transit, but Jessica, IIRC, Tonks was one of the wizards assigned to keep an eye on Harry early in OotP. Shapeshifter specialty with very colorful hair (as in, colors not found in nature).

I remember her as young, with a vaguely sort-of punkish vibe.

Okay, ya'll loved what I loved. And I'm totally with you on thinking that Snape killed Dumbledore with D's knowledge (foreknowledge) and approval. So beautiful and tragic. Also with the Snape and Lily. And Tonks and Lupin are so perfect.

(I still don't remember being introduced to Tonks.)

Me neither. I kept thinking, "WHO IS THIS?"

I've definitely been reading too much HP fanfic, because a lot of the 'ships in the book are prominent in fanfic (although I love that JKR had Remus and Tonks hook up, apparently before the end of OotP if Tonks is that depressed in HBP over their relationship) . Speaking of 'ships, "Won Won"? Love it! This book did a good job of balancing the lighter moments ( "Mollywobbles"!) with the darker ones ( the scene in the cave with the potion drinking was heartbreaking) .

I'm definitely going to have to reread it, but so far I'd rank it as my favorite after PoA.

Any hints on a good place over at lj for HPB discussion? I searched on the chapters title that was provided upthread but found nothing. There are 404 hp lists!

I'm so glad to see my views on Snape validated here. Let's just hope that JK doesn't take a wrong turning in the next 2 (Please no!) years.

I don't do LJ at all (unless linked to a particular post by someone), but I definitely can recommend the forum at The Sugar Quill, one of the top HP fanfic sites. Actually, there is an LJ by Fernwithy (just search for her LJ site) that has some excellent points about HBP, as well as links to her fanfic site with some of the best HP fanfics I've read. (Her "Of a Sort" and "Shifts" are both excellent, and she's already followed up "Shifts" with a post-HPB oneshot story that might be the first chapter of a sequel. "Of a Sort" is a look at various characters' sorting ceremonies, from Dumbledore through McGonagall and Voldemort to Tonks. "Shifts" is a possible storyline for what exactly Tonks and Lupin were up to during OotP--since she has them engaged by the end of the story, Fernwithy was thrilled at the now-canon Tonks/Lupin! )

Thanks so much! I'll check them all out.

I remembered Tonks, because she had the cool-colored hair and the attitude and I liked her vibe a lot.