Sword Art Online, Vol. 05: Phantom Bullet

Watching Sinon struggle with guns in the anime is nothing compared to reading about her PTSD and flashbacks in the light novel. It's chilling to know what she had to experience as a child to save her mother and what it took away from her.
I also appreciate the fact Sinon is so different than the other female characters in the series so far. Not to say the others aren't strong or confident, but Sinon carries a rough and defensive edge that makes her unique. She's tough as nails in GGO, trying to overcome the struggles she faces outside of the virtual world.
While the GGO world itself doesn't impress me since I'm never one for gun games, Kawahara once again showcases his skill for bringing together characters from different worlds, both virtual and real, and developing relationships between them. The kinship Kirito and Sinon find from their haunted pasts shows through much better in the light novel. I can't wait to read the next.