Five days to read over 1,000 pages. That's got to tell you something about how good the book is! 
 I will say that book two isn't as good as book one, but I'm not exactly sure why. I liked all of the storytellers better in book two than book one, especially Tyrion and Theon. Tyrion I have always liked, but moreso in this book. Theon, I did not like in book one, loved in the beginning of book two, and loathed from the middle on. It felt like he was two different people, someone else entirely once he left Robb's presence. 
 I did not like Sansa at all in book one, but found that once she grew a backbone I liked her much better in book two. 
 Love Arya. Love Jon. Love Bran. With all of the magic I'm really hoping that Bran grows up to have his legs back. He is such an amazing character that I want to see him get everything he's lost back. Rickon, well he's annoying, but he's four, I guess that that's to be expected with a 4yr old that has had no supervision or boundaries for however long his parents have been gone. 
 This series takes turns with the storyteller, giving you anywhere from 5 to 30 pages by one person before switching off to another person. Normally this is an aspect that I absolutely despise. I find it typically diminishes the story, leaving holes, giving you a weak storyteller, or making it hard connect with any one character because you're constantly being thrust into and out of their life. This series does not do that! I feel a connection with each of the storytellers. I would tell myself 'ok I'll just finish Jon's chapter and then I'll go to bed' but then I'd finish it and see that the storyteller was Tyrion and would have to go ahead and read his chapter. But then the next storyteller was Arya and I just love her so much I couldn't go to bed until I read what she had to say. 
 I absolutely recommend these books. Don't let the size scare you. The chapters do an amazing job of breaking the book up and making the book feel much smaller than it actually is.