I didn't read quite as many books as I had hoped to this month, which I was expecting since this was the last month before I started grad school and it was very busy - but not as busy as I'm going to be for the next year! This month's theme seemed to be "love it or hate it" - if a book was good, it was really good, but if a book was bad, it was really bad. Thankfully, though, there were a lot more good books than bad, so that helped balance things a bit. There were a few books that I missed from my reading list, but I was expecting that as my reading list was typically long and I knew I wouldn't have as much time to read as I have in the past. 

Favorite book in August:

With so many great books, it's difficult to pick a favorite! I think that I am going to go with Persuasion, though, as it is not only my favorite pick from this month, but it's now my favorite Austen novel and that's definitely a big deal!

Least favorite book in August: 

This one is also tough.. I'm torn between The Fog and Taking Lives. I think ultimately it was The Fog because it disgusted me so much, but in both cases, the premise was very intriguing, but the results were a huge let down. Taking Lives was so monotonous and The Fog varied from either horrifyingly gross or boring. I would not recommend either of these books to anyone. 

What were your favorite books this month? Have you ever read any of the books on my list? 

Martin Arkenhout found his true calling on a lonely Florida highway -- with a sharp rock to the skull of an injured friend. He didn't just take the boy's life; he went on to live it. When that life became too risky, he found another, and another, changing his name, papers and style at will, until he chose the wrong life -- a scholarly thief on the run from the determined and troubled John Costa. The two men will meet, and there will be murder. But there is something much worse: the sweet seduction of taking another's life to be your own. Chillingly suspenseful, brilliantly executed and truly disturbing, Taking Lives is an entertainment to make you think and shiver. (source)

Currently reading -- Taking Lives by Michael Pye

I start grad school at the end of this month, so this is my last chance to reeeeeeally read like I like to before my life gets totally hectic. I'll be going to school full time, I'll have an internship, and I'll be working part-time - so my schedule is going to be CRAZY and will probably leave very little room for pleasure reading, unfortunately. But I'm going to try my best to read as much as I can in the next few weeks! We'll see what happens :) 

Taking Lives (Michael Pye)