Random Book Prize Opportunity: Judging Books by the First Thirty-Five Words of Their Back Cover

Last week we judged books by their covers.  This week you can judge by micro-sized excerpts from their back cover description (or their cover jacket description, in some cases).  We've got copies of all four of the books with excerpted summaries below.  Just tell us which book you'd most like to read based on the excerpt and you'll get a chance to win (not necessarily the one you choose, though--you shouldn't judge books by [small excerpts from the back of] their covers!)

The contest is closed now; we've identified the mystery books below, for the curious.

Mystery Book #1: All sixteen-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school--and life in general--with a minimum of effort.  It’s not a lot to ask.  But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick... (Going Bovine by Libba Bray)

Mystery Book #2: My stomach lurched with dread.  I felt like throwing up.  I couldn’t believe I was doing this.  Crazy.  Chest thumping, I hurried into the bank and stood at an ATM in the vestibule.  There was... (Bank Job by James Heneghan)

Mystery Book #3: So here I am spending spring break in California with my best friend, Junie.  Our chaperone is a teenager, like us.  And soon I’ll get to hang out with the coolest, cutest boy in the... (I So Don't Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy)

Mystery Book #4: Fifteen-year-old Sarah Greene’s father—chef by day, camera buff by night—choked to death on a piece of steak.  It was the best day of Sarah’s life.  But in the aftermath of his death, Sarah... (Leftovers by Heather Waldorf)

Mystery Book #1?  Mystery Book #3?  What's your choice?  The contest will close on Monday, August 30 (a week from today).

Alan H. is a web librarian at Toronto Public Library.  He always tries to read at least a bit of the back cover summary before judging a book.  Honest.