Books and Movies from August

I love to read.  Reading is definitely one of the great pleasures in my life.  My definition of an absolutely decadent day would be to spend the entire day in bed, just reading.  I'm still waiting for that decadent day to come.  Having said all of that, sometimes I find that I'm just reading too many books at once.  I'm always reading at least a few books at once, but right now, I've managed to start reading quite a stack!

Right now, I'm reading 8 books! 

• Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck - I'm reading this one for no other reason than pure pleasure.  Fatally Frosted is the second book in the Donut Shop Mystery series.  This will probably be the first book finished of the eight I'm currently reading.  Truly, I'm always the most motivated to read my "pure pleasure" book.
• From Bondage to Freedom: A Tale of the Times of Mohammed by Emma Leslie - I'm reading this one as part of my duties for The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew. 
• Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do To Stop It by Ken Hamm & Britt Beemer - My dear friend loaned this book to me and I'm trying to finish it so that I can return it to her.  I am more than halfway through the book and have found much of it quite upsetting.  Therefore, I only read a chapter at a time and go back to a "pure pleasure" book to lift my spirits.
• The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw - I am reading this book to my boys as our current history read-aloud.  I am definitely enjoying it more than them.
• The Phantom and the Fisherman by Terry Deary - I am reading this book so that my youngest child and I can talk about it when he reads it for his next assigned book.  I really like these "Read-It! Historical Tales Chapter Books."  They are perfect for my 9 year old son and link to our history studies well. 
• The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan - I'm reading this book alongside my middle son.  He's way ahead of me now and keeps urging me to get caught up.  I do like this one but it's definitely more on the action-packed side and light on the character development side.  Mason really likes it.
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - I'm almost done with this one.  Amber just started reading it for her Literary Analysis course.  Honestly, I haven't really enjoyed it very much but I am glad that I've finally (almost) read it.
• Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern - I am almost always reading a nonfiction book about organizing, time management, or homeschooling.  I like this one quite a bit.  So far, the one piece of advice that has stuck with me the most is that you have to plan what you want to do and WHEN you are going to do it.  I'm good with the what, not so good with the when.

So, that's what I'm currently reading.  I actually finished a few books in August, bringing my yearly total to 36!  I'm well on my way to meeting my local library's 50 Book Challenge goal again this year.  Note that three of the four books that I finished in August were pure pleasure books.  The other one was our read-aloud for history.

• Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning (4 stars)
• Gilgamesh the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean (3 stars)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (audio book - 5 stars)
• The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning (4 stars)

Movies in August

I watched quite a few movies in August and found quite a few of them disappointing.  By far, my favorite movie of the month was Mrs. Brown - highly recommended.

• The Sixth Sense (5)
• Penelope (4)
• The Proposal (2)
• The Green Zone (2)
• Mistress of Spices (2)
• Extraordinary Measures (3)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (5)
• Blades of Glory (4)
• Remember Me (3)
• Mrs. Brown (5)
• A Room With a View (5).

So, did you read anything fabulous or see any great movies in August?