It's that time a year again and I cannot contain my excitement. See. I love the Fall. It's always been my favorite season for so many reasons. Sure the holidays are fun, and my birthday makes it a little more special, but it's the crisp air, the beautiful change in landscape and the autumn bounty that make it my favorite favorite. This challenge just adds to the goodness.
If you're new to the scene, the RIP VII "challenge" offers readers the opportunity to indulge in all the spooky titles they just don't feel right reading the rest of the year. I found it didn't take too long to put together a list since I've been saving a few for this occasion. I've decided to shoot for Peril the First.
Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (the very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature. It could be King or Conan Doyle, Penny or Poe, Chandler or Collins, Lovecraft or Leroux…or anyone in between.
My (tentative) list:
Dracula by Bram Stoker
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Make sure to visit the site to sign up and link to your own RIP list!
You're got some great choices on your list. Have a great RIP season!
ReplyDeleteBeth,
DeleteThanks! I hoping I can actually finish them with all the other fall activities planned. :)
Well, I'm a complete fan of Gone Girl, so I hope you enjoy that! I also love, love, LOVE Dracula! A perfect epistolary novel that is creepy and divinely freaky during the cooler months. Save that one for October, for sure!
ReplyDeleteNatalie,
DeleteI've heard so many great things so I'm pretty excited about finally reading it. Yes, I'm saving Dracula for Halloween. I've heard it's slow going but I'm sure I'll enjoy it. Can't wait to share!
I am SO excited for RIP! Seriously, I have a list of books for it that's like a page long (Obviously I'm not going to read them all... but it's good to have options!) Looking forward to reading your thoughts on all your books (especially Dracula. Love that book!)
ReplyDeleteLaura,
DeleteI've been waiting for it and when I saw someone tweet it I almost freaked. SO excited. I started off with only a four titles and then just kept adding those that I've been waiting to read. I'm pretty pumped about Dracula considering I've heard so many great things. Enjoy!!
Love your list of books! Dracula is awesome - you will love it! I'm reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, too! You mentioned it in a tweet and I thought it sounded like the perfect read for RIP VII. I'm so excited! Can't wait to start reading for RIP VII. I'm even thinking of watching some films this time round, too. Looking forward to your posts!
ReplyDeleteNadia,
DeleteYeah, I'm hearing from everyone that Dracula is awesome! I hear The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is slow going but I'm going to watch the Burton film afterwards for some excitement. Yeah, the RIP VII is so exciting. Have fun!
Great list! I read The Graveyard Book last year and really liked it. It's a fun, short read. I hope you get to Dracula! I've always been interested in that one and have heard great things, but never picked it up myself. Happy Fall reading!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I attempted it for last year but just didn't manage to finish in time. I keep hearing how wonderful Dracula is so here'e to hoping it lives up the hype! And I'm hoping to see some FRENCH novels on your RIP list this year ;)
DeleteI've always shied away from this challenge, because I really hate being scared. But looking at your list, perhaps they don't have to be truly creepy. I may reconsider...:)
ReplyDeleteLindsey,
DeleteThey definitely don't have to be really scary to be included on the list. I read a Flavia de Luce title for my first read of the challenge and that certainly isn't scary. Let me know if you do!
Oooh, great list! I've heard so much about Gone Girl, it can really only be a matter of time before I cave and buy a copy. I've got Dracula, A Study in Scarlet, The Graveyard Book and the first Flavia de Luce novel on my huge maybe-RIP Pile too, so we might overlap somewhere down the line... Happy (spooky) reading! :)
ReplyDeleteEllie,
DeleteThanks! I love the Flavia de Luce series no matter how silly they may be. Always a great little story that's quick to get through! Hope you enjoy it. Yes, I'd love to see your reviews of these and more! Can't wait to follow along. Happy reading to you!
Oh my, what a fantastic list of potential reads. I love the Alan Bradley. Dracula is my favorite novel of all time. Graveyard Book is a delight and I do hope you join us for the group read of that one.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to have you in on RIP VII. Thanks so much for joining in and I do hope that whatever you decide to read turn out to be gems for you.
Carl,
DeleteThanks so much for hosting! It's my favorite "challenge" of the year. I just finished the Bradley book and don't want to start the 4th because who knows when the next will be published! I've heard so much about Dracula since adding it to the list. I just got a copy this weekend and am saving it for Halloween.
So awesome that you're visiting everyone who signed up! Thanks again!
I bought the latest Flavia when it came out last year and then never read it over the Christmas season as planned. Not sure if I'll wait now or try to work it in for R.I.P. Seems like it would be more fun to read when it was snowing out, although last year we had a weird winter and didn't really get any snow. It sucked. I think I read the other day that the next Flavia book isn't out until February next year. Which, strangely enough, seems a long way away but will be here before we blink the way time flies by.
DeleteNow that you mention it I realize that the 4th takes place during that time of year. It might be a good idea to wait until December (or January with the weather) to read it. Yes, we definitely didn't have a winter last year. I actually just finished A Red Herring Without Mustard and loved it!
DeleteFebruary?! Ok, that's so much sooner than I was anticipating. I guess spacing it out wouldn't make it seem like such a long time. It's funny because I really haven't met anyone that's read the series. They're so good.
Red Herring has been my favorite thus far. Such a great book. Flavia is such a treat. Double checked and yes, the new one is scheduled for the first week in Feb.
DeleteI push this series all the time and thankfully, mostly through this event, have found several people that love them as much as I do and others that are less enthused about them, which is always the case. My wife is a big fan too. I think both her and my daughter have actually read the latest one, I'm the one lagging behind.
Carl,
DeleteI've actually seen someone from this thread mention adding Flavia to the RIP mix. I just love it. And February sounds great to me. If I tackle it sooner than December, I'll definitely share.
I've just started reading "The Graveyard Book" to one of my classes - 12-13 yr olds and they are gripped already. Also Dracula is wonderful, so atmospheric and very very creepy. Stick with 'Sleepy Hollow' - it improves towards the end. Can you recommend one of the more contemporary ones for me? I'm going to have a look at that challenge now - I've just bought Hillary Mantel's "Beyond Black" - I wonder if that would qualify. Also, have you ever tried "Affinity" by Sarah Walters? Brilliantly atmospheric and a great twist. Judy.
ReplyDeleteJudith,
DeleteI tried to read The Graveyard Book last year and found it much more juvenile than I had originally thought. Not that it's a bad thing, I mean it was written for that age group, but I just expected it to be darker (although the opening definitely is & the graphic is kind of CREEPY). But I'm definitely tackling it this year.
Everyone is telling me Dracula is great so I'm very excited. My partner bought a copy too so we're doing a mini-readalong.
I love the Tana French series if you haven't read her already. In the Woods is definitely great for a spooky atmosphere. I also loved The Thirteenth Tale if you haven't read that which is really weird and perfect for the feel of the challenge.
I haven't read Sarah Walters but I hear that The Little Stranger is perfect for the challenge (I believe there's a readalong scheduled as well).
Hope those recommendations help! Let me know if you want any more.
Gone Girl: Yes and YES!
ReplyDeleteBybee,
DeleteI just started today so here's to hoping I love it!