Hello! I've just finished reading all five books (seven really, because of the two volume stuff with 3 and 5). Haven't seen the TV series but am going to ask for the boxed set for Christmas. 
My daughter has read the lot, more than once, and she has read that GoT was fairly close to the book in series 1, less so later on. I don't care. I'm just looking forward to living it all again in another medium!
I've discovered that George RR Martin has been releasing/reading chapters from The Winds Of Winter left, right and centre! This is a summary of all of them as of March 2014. OBVIOUSLY, DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS!
Having said that, although there are some nice little nuggets in there I don't think there was anything totally left field, not like the massive surprises we've all endured along the way!
Re direwolves: my theory is that all the Stark children are to some extent wargs and that Sansa is having a particularly hard time because Lady was killed and so not around to protect Sansa. There's been mention of a huge wolf roaming around the riverlands - I believe that's Nymeria. The bond between Jon and Ghost has always been shown as very, very close and taking that along with the prologue to ADWD I have a theory about something that might be revealed at some point. Will say no more!
I also have a hunch (nothing more) that Jon Snow was the child of Lyanna Stark and Prince Rhaegar. That would make sense of all the hints that have been dropped about that liaison along the way.