I am a mix. I agree with many of what CT and others said about things becoming more complex and that making things more interesting. But I particularly dislike (PT/BG spoilers}what happens with Marcone, both the fact that in summary he is a wizard now and the fact that he is quite chummy with Harry. I prefer when Harry keeps the moral high ground, especially about Marcone.
Besides that, I never liked Maggie and the changes she introduced.
And, as Ed0517, I also miss the more normal setting. I have enjoyed many of the epic development along the years, so I am not really complaining, but I joined the series because it was about a detective. One who dealt with supernatural things, but a detective. Now he is much more epic than that.
Mmm so on the topic of Ramirez pretty sure he's been tampered with. Why? Mainly because of the distortions of memory coming from PT. Comparing to Thomas and his torture at Shagnasty's hands that mysteriously just stopped being a thing. Or the possible TT shenanigans all over PG changing Molly's ultimate fate. I think this shows direct meddling in the timeline, by future/alt Harry to save specific people from their particular fates.
and definitely agree with you on EB, he's been carrying the black staff for at least a century now. It might be insulation from being directly corrupted by dark magic, but he's still been USING this thing by his own choices. It's changed him in the same way classical magic does. More of what you are/choose.
The Silmarillion is my favorite LOTR too (disclaimer: I have not read the Hobbit). There are parts I actively dislike, but the parts that I like, I loved :)
I just had sooo many questions after LOTR I had to check it out. While I find Tolkien's method of describing all things like a rich and important tapestry annoying when applied to things like mountain scenery. History and lore it does quite well with.