Cardathon Challenge

Challenge starts January 1st 2008 (but can really begin anytime)

To qualify for the Cardathon Challenge a book needs to meet one of the following criteria:

1) a book written by Orson Scott Card
2) a book edited/compiled by Orson Scott Card
3) a book with an introduction by Orson Scott Card
4) a book reviewed by Orson Scott Card on his official website.

No requirement on the number of books. Six to twelve are recommended.

Becky at Becky's Book Reviews has set up the challenge. The blog is Cardathon Challenge

MY TENTATIVE BOOK LIST TO CHOOSE FROM

Magic Mirror
Invasive Procedures
Seventh Son (Alvin Maker)
Red Prophet (Tales of Alvin Maker, Book 2)
Rachel & Leah
Rebekah
Lovelock
Cruel Miracles
Enchantment
The Folk of the Fringe
Homecoming: Harmony
Saints
Songmaster
The Worthing Saga

I needed to linked them because I kept forgetting what each one was about.

Themed Reading Challenge

January 1st 2008 - June 30 2008

Choose at least 4 books that share a theme. Write a review about each book you complete and a final wrap up at the end of the challenge.

POSSIBLE THEMES:

* Set in Asian countries

* Cozy (never read before)

* Softball or baseball

* Involve genetics

I ended up going with none of the above! My theme is...
Books by Lois Lowry

1. The Giver by Lois Lowry (completed 1.27.08)
2. Gathering Blue
3. The Messenger
4. Number the Stars

Link to the blog here: themed reading challenge hosted by caribousmom

Just4thehelluvit Reading Challenge

No time limit, no lists. The only rule is your books cannot cross over to any other challenges. You read a book or books just for the helluvit.

Here is the link to the blog: just4thehelluvit

Books I've Read for the Challenge:

In Their Shoes Reading Challenge

This challenge is being hosted by Vasilly over at 1330V

The rules are real simple: you pick the number of books that you want to read. You also pick the books you read. They just have to be either a memoir, autobiography, or biography. It runs from Jan. 1 2008 - Dec. 31 2008.

Here is the blog In Their Shoes.

I finally decided on a list.

1. The Burn Journals (Brent Runyon) 3.12.08
2. The $64 Tomato (William Alexander) 6.12.08
3. Lucky (Alice Seibold)
4. A Million Little Pieces (James Frey)
5. Sickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood. (Julie Gregory)
6. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (Ishmael Beah) 7.22.08

The Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls) completed 2.3.08
Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil (Deborah Rodriquez) completed 4.5.08
A Piece of Cake (Cupcake Brown) completed 6.28.08

Book Review: The Ruins

Author: Scott Smith

Pages: 336

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

From the back cover:

The Ruins follows two American couples, just out of college, enjoying a pleasant, lazy beach holiday together in Mexico as, on an impulse, they go off with newfound friends in search of one of their group—the young German, who, in pursuit of a girl, has headed for the remote Mayan ruins, site of a fabled archeological dig. This is what happens from the moment the searchers—moving into the wild interior—begin to suspect that there is an insidious, horrific “other” among them . . .

I picked up this book by chance from Goodwill when I saw it was published in 2006. I thought I could get a credit for it on paperback swap. I wasn’t expecting much. At home I saw that Stephen King called it “the best suspense novel of the year” and I decided to give it a try.

Four annoying, recently graduated college students follow a newly met friend into the jungle. They are looking for the new friend’s brother, who has been missing for a week. They are searching for Mayan ruins, the last place the brother said he was going. They end up being trapped on top of a hill by vines and group of native villagers. Most of the story revolves around what happens as they are trapped on the hill.

I hated three of the four main characters. I wanted to strangle them. I almost stopped reading the book I found the girls to be so stupid and irritating. The third male character was almost as aggravating. I think Scott did a nice of job of showing how a stressful situation can bring out the worst flaws in some people. The book also has no chapters. It goes on and on, just like their ordeal.

Would I call this book the best suspense novel of the year? No. I would call it good suspense/horror novel that had some interesting aspects and ideas. I think Smith could come up with some real horrifying stories in the future, I see potential.