I swear, every time I think this series can't possibly get any better it proves me wrong. I was a bit apprehensive about starting this one when I found out that my favs Tyrion, Jon, and Dany weren't gonna be in it, but I ended up loving this! As always, fantastic plotting, world-building, and character development. (I may or may no still be a little bitter about the unexpected and devastating deaths of a few characters but at this point in the series I think I've gotten better at coping.) Sooo excited to start A Dance with Dragons; I think that's how I'll be spending the rest of my day! 
 I honestly can't remember being this into a series since Harry Potter. If you haven't read these books yet, do yourself a favor and get on that. Yes, they're a bit long, but each one is a fantastically crafted work of art and I cannot express how much I love them.