Sunday, September 5, 2010

The One With the Challenge (R.I.P. V)

Challenges, in general, just don't tempt me anymore. Yes, I realize, yet again, that such a fact paints me as a freak among book bloggerdom. Early on, I realized that I'm pretty much the biggest challenge failure on the Earth. This didn't stop me from continuing to make lists and attempt participation only to repeatedly fail with flying colors. I guess I'm just not the sort that takes joy in reading within established parameters, that and I read at a snail's pace which means if I join more than one challenge, I'm suddenly in way over my head. This year I finally bagged even pursuing the illusion of challenge participation.



All that said, though, along comes Carl's R.I.P. challenge, a hallmark of the fall in book blogger land, and I find that despite my failure to review the one book I read for it last year (Challenge Fail Take 29!), I want to come out and play again. You know why? No, it's not an alarming compulsion to read kinda creepy books as the air gets crisper and cooler and the leaves start changing colors and people start carving jack-o-lanterns and putting them out on the porch to glow the night away, noble and rewarding as that might be (and the actual reason that most people are joining the challenge, I'd bet). It's nostalgia. R.I.P reminds me of when I was a baby blogger just starting to poke around the blogosphere and reviewing whatever books I felt like reading whenever I felt like reading them. I remember my first rounds of the blogosphere, when the first 24 Readathon was just coming to be. I remember seeing everyone reading all these atmospheric fall-ish sort of books, and it all sort of reminds me of my blogger self of yesteryear(s) who was excited about reviewing every book she read just to see if she could and wasn't busy dancing on the line between blogging as fun and blogging as chore. I miss my bloggy roots, and I guess that's why when R.I.P. comes around every year I have a bizarre compulsion to join in despite my total disavowal of challenges.

So here it goes. Again. I'll be doing the Peril the slacker Third, where you only have to read one book.

This one that everyone probably already read for last year's R.I.P. will probably be the one...



But it could be this one, too.



Or maybe even this one.



I know I've not given many details of the actual challenge, so if you happen to, um, not know what the heck challenge I'm talking about, you should absolutely go check it out. I mean, it's a book blogging tradition!

Now, wish me luck. I suck at this challenge stuff. =P

12 comments:

  1. I hope you have fun with the challenge no matter what you decide to read!

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  2. Oh Megan I can't tell you how much I love this post!!! And how much I can relate! Yes, I love this challenge for the atmosphere that comes with it, but I love it even more because it reminds me of those early days of blogging. And yes, of that first 24 hour readathon that I participated in with our dear Dewey. And I am THRILLED to see Her Fearful Symmetry on your list :D :D I hope you enjoy it!! And OMG I so hope you get to read The Knife of Never Letting Go too because it's freaking amazing!!!

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  3. It was such a good decision for me not to sign up for a lot of challenges this year. Considering how little blogging I've been doing especially. LOL I couldn't resist joining this one too.

    I hope you enjoy your book choice, Megan! All of the ones you mention here sound good.

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  4. So happy you gave in to temptation with this one. I find it so much fun!
    ENJOY

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  5. The Knife of Never Letting Go and Her Fearful Symmetry are both really good!

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  6. Wishing you luck! I'm with you that most challenges don't get to me anymore.

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  7. The Knife of Never Letting Go! The Knife of Never Letting Go! You MUST read that one. Okay, maybe "must" is a strong word, but seriously, it is a most awesome book!

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  8. RIP and nostalgia...I'm certainly happy with the connection of those two things and think it is great that you are joining in. And since I could care less if you actually review the books, I just want you to have the fun, you cannot fail! Thanks for taking part this year.

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  9. The Knife of Never Letting Go was really good. I just read the sequel recently. I am hoping to read Her Fearful Symmetry at some point!

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  10. You're not a slacker!! I can't wait to see which one you pick. Good luck!

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  11. I vote for The Knife... hands down! Go for it!

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  12. You crack me up so much with your challenge talk! lol

    I get so nostalgic over RIP, remembering when I was a baby blogger. *sigh*

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