A New Classics Challenge

Kathrin from Crazy Cozy Murders is hosting a summer/fall Classics Challenge. I am joining up and hoping this time of the year will lend itself to reading classics better than winter did, for me at least. All the classics I've chosen overlap with other challenges, providing me with a double kick in the rear to get these read.

1. Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
2. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy Emmuska
3. The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington
4. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
5. One more that I haven't decided on yet

The challenge is to read 3 to 5 classics between July 1 and November 31. That's one classic per month. I really like the sound of that. It allows time for other reads in between.

Scavenger Hunt

Amy and Michael Christopher from Amy's Random Thoughts will be hosting a Blogging Scavenger Hunt during the first 3 weeks of May.

Starting on May 1, the will post 3 questions each day that can be answered on their blog or somewhere else on the internet. The contest will go for 21, with no questions on Sundays. The people who answer the most questions received the most points. Prizes are given away at the end of the scavenger hunt -Top prize to the person with the most points and so on down.

For the complete set of rules , etc. are included at Amy's Random Thoughts.

The Book Without Words

by Avi
I read this book for a couple of reasons. One, for the Once Upon a Time Challenge and two, because I have enjoyed the few Avi books I've read.

This is a fable with a moral. Remember the axiom: Be careful what you wish for, it just may come true? That's the message of this young teen book. One of the main characters says, at the end of the book, "Magic takes what it gives, but life gives what we take." A little bit different twist, but after reading the book, the two sayings are closer than they seem.

There's quite a bit of humor woven into this suspenseful story about trying to satisfy one's desires. The cast of characters includes an old alchemist who is making stones that will allow him to live forever. He owns a talking pet crow and has a poor, orphaned servant girl who live with him. The alchemist dies before he succeeds in his goal. The crow and girl, Sybil, have to combine wits to figure out how to survive. They have the Book Without Words that they believe will tell them how to make gold, if they can find a child with green eyes to read it. They find 2 boys that become part of the plot.

At one point Sybil says to her master, "What good is life, if, by avoiding death, you didn't live?"

I enjoyed this quick little read and will now be passing it on to someone through bookmooch. If you would like to mooch it, check my inventory.

Medical Mystery Madness

WHAT: Pick anywhere from 2 or more medical mysteries/thrillers to read and discuss with fellow medical thriller fans. WHEN: June 1 to November 1

WHO: Anyone

WHERE: Hosted by Twiga

Yippee! A mystery challenge. Couldn't pass up on this one, could I? My selections are

1. Mutation by Robin Cook (because I bought it at a library sale and it's been sitting on my shelf for several years. Time to get it read and send it on its way.)
2. Fever by Robin Cook (just mooched it)
3. Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
4. A Deadly Practice by Leonard Goldberg ( also mooched & it hasn't arrived yet)

Rises the Night

by Colleen Gleason
By the cover you can tell that this book is a romance and those who know me well know that I don't care for romances. And yet I LOVED this book. LOVED it. I prefer to think that Gleason's vampire series belongs in the suspense/thriller genre. This is not total rationalization - Rises the Night is a gripping, page-turning, nail-biting read.

Victoria Gardella is a venator, whose job is to help rid the world of vampires. She never goes anywhere without several wooden stakes, a vial of salted holy water, and a silver cross. There are two men in her life, Max and Sebastian, who we met in the first book, The Rest Falls Away. These men are not only handsome, they are mysterious. I was constantly wondering about there loyalties and agendas.

Victoria faces some especially challenging and horrifying experiences. The action is non-stop and really quite terrifying. I am in love with this series. I mean to tell you, this book rocks! Gleason has a gift, her writing is beautiful and tight. The characters are complex, the story is rife with twists and turns.

Rises the Night will be released in stores on June 5. I know, I know that's another 6 long weeks of waiting. But to offset that bad news I have some really great news: You could win a free copy of this book before the release date. Keep watching my blog. I'm going to hold a drawing for a signed copy of Rises the Night. The drawing will be held on May 20. I'll get a post up announcing the contest in a week or two.