THE RUINS - Scott Smith (August 31/06)

A chilling, very effective novel detailing a group of friends (and a couple of stragglers) who find themselves trapped in a clearing with malicious vines. Though Smith is occasionally a little too verbose and often includes needless flashbacks, there's simply no denying the effectiveness of this book. The unbelievably bleak conclusion is downright shocking, as I would've expected one of the characters to survive the ordeal. ***1/2 out of ****