**edited 01/18/14 
 Hands-down, this is my favorite book in the series. Maybe it's because the monster of the week is the Billy Goats Gruff. Maybe it's because catnip and a donut end up playing pivotal roles in the plot. Maybe it's because the cast of characters is diverse and rounded. Maybe it's because, with (view spoiler)[Lash (hide spoiler)] finally out of his head, Dresden is no longer prone to intense and sickening bouts of malicious violence. Maybe it's because the writing is captivating--Butcher is quite good at striking the balance between showing and telling, and he "shows" with all five senses. Describing the smells and textures of a scene do a tremendous amount to bring it to life. Maybe it's just because this book was my intro to the series. 
 But mostly it's because Small Favor captures a great balance of humanity, humor, and pathos. In each book, Butcher has become a better writer: the characters are more rounded, the writing is more graceful, and the plots are more intricate without losing the overall flow and pace. However, with each book (excepting #3, where it was hard to become attached to the characters who bite the dust), it seems like the books get darker and the endings sadder. 
 Small Favor is the optimal point: the writing is great, the characters are strong, and the book is not yet so dark that the humor feels out of place. 
 ... 
 Due to my disapproval of GR's new and highly subjective review deletion policy, I am no longer posting full reviews here. 
 The rest of this review can be found on Booklikes.