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It’s time once again for some fresh offerings. A word of warning: One very disturbing book made the list this month. I liked it so much that it took the top spot on the list, fact. Oh don’t worry; there are also the usual mindless, albeit entertaining offerings this month, but you really should take the time to read James Frey. Here’s another nugget of good news: The Da Vinci Code will finally be available next this month, so make sure you read this before all the kids on your street beat you up for being a loser. And before you say anything, yes I know that this month’s picks are all over the friggin’ map. Now, go read something.

For those of you who thought that Dave Eggers was a genius, please meet James Frey. Heartbreaking? You bet. Gut-wrenching? More than any other book I’ve ever read. Gritty, real, soulful, inspiring, and in some places vile, this book will not only make the murky world of Addiction stand up and smack you around, it will also make you ten thousand times more sensitive to the inner lives of those around you, the loved ones you thought you knew. It is painful, it is real, and it kicks Dave Eggers’ ass. Read this. Right now. There are no words significant enough to relay the impact of this collection of thoughts. To buy A Million Little Pieces, click here.

Did you read The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood? Do you listen to A Prairie Home Companion? This novel from Lorna Landvik (Patty Jane’s House of Curl) is a perfect blend of Rebecca Wells and Garrison Keillor. Ms. Landvik is an extremely entertaining author who, in my opinion, has gotten the shaft from the reading public. However, this may very well be her breakthrough novel, and it deserves to be. She seamlessly merges five women’s voices over three decades in Minnesota, all the while emphasizing acceptance and friendship and blending it all with humor. Yes, it screams “Mainstream Fiction” and “Book Club Selection”, but please don’t let that deter you. It is a gentle little read when you need your Chic Lit fix, and while it’s not thought-provoking, it is as comfortable as an old bathrobe. To buy Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons, click here.

Yeah, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is coming out in a few months (June 21st, to be exact), but if you just can’t wait to get your Kid Lit fix, check out Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism. True to the spirit of down-on-their-luck kids everywhere, Molly takes us on a fantastic journey from a horrible orphanage to exciting New York, and then back again. She is a heroine that every reader will admire, and while some of you may turn up your noses at kids’ books, this one will enchant you and offer you a little escape. Besides, you know you read Harry Potter…. To take Molly Moon (and her little dog, too!) home with you, click here.

If you’ve never heard of Billy Collins, shame on you. He’s the Poet Laureate of the United States. Here’s what that means to you: This is not the poetry you studied in school. Sure, I appreciate Whitman, Frost, and cummings as much as the next person, but Billy Collins has done for poetry what Oprah did for books. He’s managed not only to peak people’s interest, but he actually entertains them at the same time. Don’t believe me? Just read “More Than A Woman”, a little ode to songs that get stuck in your head. Do yourself a favor, and listen to his own reading by going here (note:You’ll have to fast forward–move the Clip Position–a bit, as Billy Collins does not appear until the time reads 14:45. To buy Nine Horses, and others, click here.

I just couldn’t resist throwing this in! Yes, I’m perfectly aware that this is a CD, but I beg your forgiveness. I haven’t listened to Erasure in 10 years, and I have missed them. So in honor of the upcoming horror of my 10 year High School Reunion, I offer you a peek into my past. It just doesn’t get any better than The Two Ring Circus. To buy it, click here.