by J.K. Rowling
5/5
652 pages
The war against Voldemort is not going well; even the Muggles have been affected. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.
And yet . . . as with all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Harry receives some extraordinary help in Potions from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. And with Dumbledore's guidance, he seeks out the full, complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort -- and thus finds what may be his only vulnerability.
This one is my favorite of the lot. I love Voldemort's backstory, and Professor Slughorn is one of the best characters of the series. And while I did not like the movie adaptation of this book (it's the worst one), I still laugh out loud at the entire Felix Felicis scene (enjoy gif below). Haha!
Onward to Deathly Hollows!
