August 2008 Summation

Here is an abstract of my literary doings in August.

Books Read

Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer - 8/2/2008
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz - 8/6/2008
Creepers, by Joanne Dahme - 8/9/2008
Soupy Saturdays, by Judy Blume - 8/9/2008
Looking for Alaska, by John Green - 8/10/2008
Asking for Murder, by Roberta Isleib - 8/12/2008
84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff - 8/15/2008
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, by Trenton Lee Stewart - 8/21/2008
The Trouble with Poetry, by Billy Collins - 8/27/2008
Something Wickedly Weird: The Icy Hand, by Chris Mould - 8/29/2008
The River, by Moonlight, by Camille Marchetta - 8/31/2008

August Total = 11
Year-to-Date Total = 49

Two five-star books this month: 84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff (one of my top 10 favorite books ever) and The River, by Moonlight, by Camille Marchetta (a new favorite). Lots of excellent four-star reads this month too: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Looking for Alaska, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, and The Trouble with Poetry.

Book Club

Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer - Meeting: 8/28/2008

Our selection for this month, Breaking Dawn, was quite controversial. Everyone was generally pleased that the last book had arrived, but there was plenty to be dissatisfied with too. We discussed it all: the wedding, the honeymoon, the kid, the transformation, the imprinting, the “battle.” The overall consensus was: disappointing. The selection for next month is Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier.

Challenges

There was lots of challenge action here this month. First, I completed the Olympic Challenge and won a $5 Amazon gift certificate from Annie for tying for silver! Also, I joined one more challenge, Carl’s R.I.P. III. Finally, and most adventurously, I’m hosting my very first challenge, the Lit Flicks Challenge - but more on that below.

The Olympic Challenge - 5 Gold Medals; 1 Silver Medal COMPLETE!
Lit Flicks Challenge - 0/5 [ends 2/28/2008]
R.I.P. III - 0/4 [ends 10/31/2008]
The Wind-Up Book Chronicles Challenge - 0/4 [ends 11/15/2008]
The Classics Challenge 2008 - 0/6 [ends 12/31/2008]
Book Awards II Challenge - 2/10 [ends 6/1/2009]
The Pulitzer Project - 7/91 [perpetual]
The Newbery Project - 12/87 (+7 Honor books) [perpetual]

Miscellany

I’m hosting my own challenge! I created the Lit Flicks Challenge in anticipation of the February 2009 Bookworms Carnival (also to be hosted by me). The theme of the carnival (and the challenge) is movies and books. Thus, the challenge asks participants to read five books that have been adapted into movies and to then watch two of the accompanying movies. (As I mentioned here, this challenge will likely fit in with the rest of your challenges and reading lists easily.) Also, my brother is hosting a companion challenge reversing the requirements for movie lovers here.

In other goings-on on this blog, I created a new Blue Leaf: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz. All of the Blue Leafs available for download can be found here. I also completed a couple of memes about me and my reading habits. Also, I suffered a bout of book block. And, as always, I participated in Weekly Geeks and Booking Through Thursday.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog this month!