I don't have bad experiences of any spells.
Though I've teased my dm a lot about my next evil necromancer character, with fav. spells ray of enfeeblement and shadow touch, taking over the world with ever growing army of shadows. Sure there is limit for HD you can control, but shadows happen to control shadows they create, so you can build control chain. You don't have to even start with peasants, some 1 HD monsters nobady misses do just as fine as 'intelligent humanoid'. I'm still working over probem certain sun-spells would cause to my army of undead.
Some spells are a bit on the weak side, meaning that they try to fill niche PHB spells already fills better.
My fav spells have been 'Quick Sober' (hehee, no more 'Neutralize Poison' for this purpose needed. It always felt like an overkill), 'Etherial Bolt', 'Great Knock' (oh it's been fun), 'Sacrifise Spell' (a bit too good perhaps, but not so much), 'Nethergaze'. 'Soulstrike' and 'Shadowstorm' (though we were mostly at receiving end).
'Shockwave' is nice spell, as is 'Divane Rainment' (could become a bit too powerful in some situations, didn't happen to us),
Oh, and somebody should forbid my DM's abuse of "Two Minds" and Haste combo.