Books I Read in June

Book Club Pick:
One Day by David Nicholls

You may have already caught wind of this book as it has been made into a movie starring Anne Hathway and Jim Sturgess that comes out later this summer that looks like it could be a good one, if you ask me!  Minus Anne's fake British accent.  Anyway, this story follows two friends, Emma and Dexter, over a span of 20 years, checking in on them on July 15th of each of those years.  They are at times friends, at times estranged, at times on the brink of love, and at times right in it.  It's a somewhat light-hearted, somewhat heart-breaking, little romance story.  Did I love it to death?  Yes.  Their story took enough turns that I wasn't expecting to keep me interested, the wit of the dialogue was spot on, and it's written with a certain amount of realness that anyone who has been "just friends" with someone they knew they weren't really "just friends" with can relate to.  Was I also left crying hysterically in my bed at the end?  Yes, I was.  You have been forewarned.

Completely Random for No Reason Whatsoever Pick:
Monster:  The Autobiography of an L.A Gang Member by Sanyika Shakur, AKA Monster Kody Scott

I have absolutely no explanation as to why I read this book except that I bought it at a used book sale at the public library in Conway, Arkansas.  Besides the fact that autobiography/memoirs are my favorite genre of literature anyway, I suppose I was also drawn to this book simply because the author's upbringing and life experiences are completely, utterly opposite from mine (the streets of South Central L.A. versus a small, rural Oklahoma town).  To say this book was violent and disturbing at times would be an understatement, but the author's eventual transformation from gangster into revolutionary is an interesting one.  Also, I'm glad the cover of my book was partially ripped off and I couldn't see that picture on the front, because it scares the bejeezus out of me.
 

Soon-to-be-a-movie Pick:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling, of course!

This one is obvious, right, people?!?!  In anticipation of the greatest movie of 2011 coming out in (now) 16 days, I just had to re-read this one.  Unfortunately, I read it all in three days (and so did Brittany!) and now I still have the 16 days left to wait.  And wait.  And wait.  I could argue for hours the virtues of the entire Harry Potter series, but if for some reason you haven't read them yet...at least go watch the first seven movies and join the rest of the world for the eighth!  You would not be sorry!  AHHHH ELDER WAND HOGWARTS RON HORCRUX PROTEGO VOLDY DISAPPARATE HARRY DIADEM FORBIDDEN FOREST HERMIONE I AM SO EXCITED!!!!