“As Harry leaned on the table, coffee slopped over the saucer and onto the highly-polished surface.”
I agree ... she’s like Mona Charen with “tendentious.” Okay, I looked it up - now give me a new word!
“Half-Blood Prince” was a very well-done story. As you observed, the author has improved over time; maybe she could go back and do a rewrite on the earlier books. (Sell more copies!)
There are different versions of HP, US and Brit.It’s not just the covers, it’s the text.
11 more days to go.
Funny you mention that because Rowling has actually said she wants to possibly redo much of Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix to make the story in both books "flow" better.