HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (October 27/21)

 Like the rest of the series, this is probably longer than it needs to be but I was hardly aware of it once the book's final third rolled around. It's very exciting and tense and full of terrific set-pieces that I'm sure will look great in the movie. And the murder of Dumbledore by Snape, even though I knew it was coming, still hit me like a ton of bricks. ***1/2 out of ****

BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU (Sally Rooney) - October 11/21

 I basically enjoyed this but it's just so long and unfocused. Rooney kind of rambles and offers up several very long paragraphs that aren't super easy to get through. But the characters are well defined and there were definitely quite a few riveting stretches. But this reads like a book that the author refused to edit down. **1/2 out of ****