I have become rather obsessed with the author Christopher Brookmyre. It all started when a friend gave us one of his books - Be My Enemy - which reads rather like a more violent and surreal Simon Pegg film; dark, silly, very funny. I've now read four of his books, the last two being read over the space of about fours days during the holiday, and I'm starting to feel like I not only need to read them all but own them all, which is quite a rare desire.

Anyway, I'd recommend them to pretty much anyone. Many of the jokes are very British (like taking the micky out of Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright) and may not be evident to non-UKers, and some of the jokes are very Scottish and pass me by altogether. But nonetheless his novels have me gripped throughout. The ones I read recently, The Sacred Art Of Stealing and A Snowball In Hell were just amazing and I was obsessing over them for about a week after finishing.

So, yeah - go check out!

Right now, reading through Deathly Hallows (only halfway, so no spoilers please), I want to admit that I am completely in love with Remus Luipn.

There. Said it.

:D

It's such a lovely day! All the more appreciated of course by all the horrible weather we've been having - I'd almost forgotten what sunshine looked like! It's like summer has finally decided to show its face after all these weeks of rain. Our Gloucester friends finally have running water, though it's still contaminated and only suitable for flushing to loo with. Still, shouldn't be too long before it's clean and drnkable again.

I spent my lunchtime out in a field reading Harry Potter - I've started at the beginning and plan to read them all, which shouldn't be much of a hardship. :) It was so lovely laying in the grass with the buzz of the insects and the sound of kids playing in a nearby adventure playground, the sun on my neck and a sandwich. It's just s ahem my lunchbreak is only half an hour long - I could have been out there for ages!

Planning on meeting jam_warrior after work in Victoria Park for a lounge and a beer. There's a no-alcohol law being pushed through at the moment, but I've been told I'm still allowed to drink so I'm going to take advantage of it! Of course the law is there really to stop kids inging on alchopops and being antisocial, but it's a shame not to be able to have a beer or cider or G&T as part of a picnic or after work with a friend. Oh well.

To all of your getting your copies tonight or tomorrow, have fun with it! I'm not planning on buying a copy until it comes out in paperback (though Asda are selling it for a fiver, which is kind of tempting if I can be bothered eith the crowds), and will probably borrow a copy as soon as one of my friends or family members has finished with it. It's not that I'm a cheapskate, I just don't want to weigh down my bookshelf with another hardback!