August Book Report
August Book Report
How I filled my Summer Reading Bingo board (and maintained my blackout streak!)
When you go on vacation, how many books do you bring? I know, I know, it depends on a whole bunch of factors — how long the trip is, why you’re traveling, how you’re traveling, and what your packing looks like.
But in general, I bet you either bring one single book or 12. I’m not sure there’s a middle ground here?
For context, I’m on vacation this week. We drove and did not stress about packing light. I am doing a little work, but the plans are primarily aimed toward relaxing* — with that big, bold asterisk for our toddler. She sort of controls the free time.
How many books do you think I brought with me? Is this a packing dilemma for you before traveling? 📚📚📚
I brought at least three because I’m finishing the final books of my SPL Summer Bingo board!
For summer reading bingo this year, a friend and I shared a note to help each other strategize, which was SO FUN. One of my favorite things about summer reading bingo is considering how many squares a single book could fill and moving them around as you change your plans or consider what to read next.
I think the goal of Book Bingo is to encourage people to read something they might not otherwise pick. It’s not about how perfectly a book fits within the bingo parameters — in fact, I think that getting creative about which books go where encourages us to think more about the multitudes of a single book!
In case you missed them, catch my earlier summer Book Reports, where I shared many of my favorites (on and off the bingo board).
Since I’m on vacation this week, Book Reports are on summer break, too. Next month, I’ll include my favorite reads from August PLUS whatever I love in September — stay tuned!
For now, here are all the books that filled my Summer Reading Bingo card this year! ✨💫
2024 Summer Bingo
Suggested by a Library Worker: The Maid by Nita Prose
In Translation: Hotel Silence by Audur Ava Olafsdottir
SAL Speaker: The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
Queer Joy: Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Something That Scares You: Dopesick by Beth Macy
Body Liberation: All Fours by Miranda July
Suggested by Independent Bookseller: Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Short Story Collection: Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal
Environmental: Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Sky Creatures: North Woods by Daniel Mason
Friendship: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Fantastical: Harry Potter
Retelling: James by Percival Everett
Young Adult: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
LGBTQIA+ Poetry/Essays: Blackouts by Justin Torres
BIPOC Romance: Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Housing/Poverty Justice: Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
Borrowed from Library: Titanic Survivors Book Club by Timothy Schaffert
Black Art/Artist: This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley
Cozy: Devotion by Dani Shapiro
One Big Book: The Women by Kristin Hannah
Refugee/Immigrant Memior: Solito by Javier Zamora
Read in the Sun: Thank you for Listening by Julia Whelan
How did you fill your Bingo board? What’s on your TBR pile as we head into the fall? ✨💫
Hi! I’m Liz. Thanks for being here and reading my journals on the journey. If you’re new, learn a bit more about me and this space here and consider subscribing to my weeklyish posts. You can choose which types of posts to receive via email or make other changes to your subscription with the button above.
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