Greetings nerds! You know, it’s kind of a good thing that there have only been a few “ZOMG MUST PURCHASE” books this month, at least for me. Between trying to buy a house (I’m going to write a book about that but it’ll just say STRESS STRESS STRESS in big, bold letters over 300 pages and then I’m going to title it Oprah’s Book Club Pick! and make zillions — errr, sorry, I digress) and working a lot, I haven’t had a ton of time to read or write reviews, as you may have noticed. I promise I’ll make time! Soon. Ish. I hope.

Anyway, there ARE some interesting new things for the end of this month so here are a few more to add to your list, if you’re so inclined!

Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Here, together for the first time, are the shorter works of #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher – a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a new, never-before-published novella that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of the new April 2010 hardcover, Changes. This is a must-have collection for every devoted Harry Dresden fan as well as a perfect introduction for readers ready to meet Chicago’s only professional wizard.

I know we have more than a few Dresden-o-philes in the house, so you should be pleased with this! Maybe? I’m going to give this series a good read, past the first book, sometime soon. Hopefully.

Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley
Immerse yourself in the world of the spectacular Harry Potter film series. Learn why Yule Ball ice sculptures never melt, where Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts are really “minted,” how to get a Hippogriff to work with actors, the inspiration behind Hogwarts castle, and why Dementors move the way they do. Written and designed in collaboration with the cast and crew that brought J. K. Rowling’s celebrated novels to the silver screen, Harry Potter: Film Wizardry delivers an enchanting interactive experience, transporting readers to the wizarding world by sharing filmmaking secrets, unpublished photography and artwork, and exclusive stories from the stars. Full of removable facsimile reproductions of props and paper ephemera from the movies, this collectible volume offers a privileged look at the Harry Potter films and the talented group of Muggles that has made true movie magic.

Life by Keith Richards
With The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life.

Now, at last, the man himself tells his story of life in the crossfire hurricane. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records, learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones’s first fame and the notorious drug busts that led to his enduring image as an outlaw folk hero. Creating immortal riffs like the ones in “Jumping Jack Flash” and “Honky Tonk Women.” His relationship with Anita Pallenberg and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the U.S., isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Marriage, family, solo albums and Xpensive Winos, and the road that goes on forever.

With his trademark disarming honesty, Keith Richard brings us the story of a life we have all longed to know more of, unfettered, fearless, and true.

You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secret of Happiness by Julie Klam
Julie Klam was thirty, single, and working as a part-time clerk in an insurance company, wondering if she would ever meet the man she could spend the rest of her life with. And then it happened. She met the irresistible Otto, her first in a long line of Boston terriers, and fell instantly in love.

You Had Me at Woof is the often hilarious and always sincere story of how one woman discovered life’s most important lessons from her relationships with her canine companions. From Otto, Julie realized what it might feel like to find “the one.” She learned to share her home, her heart, and her limited resources with another, and she found an authentic friend in the process. But that was just the beginning. Over the years her brood has grown to one husband, one daughter, and several Boston terriers. And although she had much to learn about how to care for them – walks at 2 a.m., vet visits, behavior problems – she was surprised and delighted to find that her dogs had more wisdom to convey to her than she had ever dreamed. And caring for them has made her a better person – and completely and utterly opened her heart. Riotously funny and unexpectedly poignant, You Had Me at Woof recounts the hidden surprises, pleasures, and revelations of letting any mutt, beagle, terrier, or bulldog go charging through your world.

Quite a hodge-podge of books, huh? I like it. Enjoy, guys! In the meantime, let’s be twitter friends. Or email buddies! I don’t mind.

Images: Riverhead Books, Little, Brown and Company, Harper Design, Roc