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11.01.2012

A Challenge: RIP VII Wrap Up

Sigh. Halloween has come and gone. I didn't do anything to celebrate. Yeah, you heard me, nothing. I sat at the apartment, alone, reading A Study in Scarlet to finally finish up, and then Dracula until I fell asleep (which wasn't very long - jokes!). 

We bought some pumpkins a couple of weeks ago, on a trip we make each year to this little patch in the mountains of Georgia, but never managed to carve them. Instead, we just placed them in spots around the house to remind us that it was autumn and the holidays were coming. I attribute the lack of celebration to a number of things: the fact that I was sick with bronchitis for three weeks straight, and then caught influenza a week and half after finally making a recovery, and then checking in on the news of the Northeast. Looking at ways I could donate or help or just make sure that the people I knew in these areas were safe and sound. I'm thinking of everyone. So.. I'll have to make up for it next year. Big time


I did, however, manage to complete the first in the Sherlock Holmes series last night and achieved:


The list:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Dracula by Bram Stoker

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel by Julia Stuart

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

6 of 7 books completed 

I'm still slogging through Dracula (which J attempted to read with me but I think I've lost him) and hope to get it wrapped up before the end of the week. I was introduced to Sherlock Holmes in book form and can safely say that I probably won't attempt another of this series for a long time. It was fun but not the most engaging. So many books, so little time!  My favorites were definitely The Pigeon Pie Mystery and A Red Herring Without Mustard, surprisingly enough. They also happened to be the least spooky of the seven chosen. Next year I'll add some horror to the mix to celebrate right. And while I did end up reading The Little Stranger, which has some fantastic paranormal activity, I didn't add it to this list in the beginning and never ended up reviewing it (I know, I know). The Graveyard Book was my introduction to the audiobook and think I might have enjoyed this title a little more reading it rather than listening. 

Look out for reviews from the titles above not highlighted (and click on others to read my reviews). 


Great RIP event again! I can't thank Carl enough for hosting. Thanks!! 

Oh, and I entered this awesome giveaway for cute family cards from an amazing designer for the upcoming season!

17 comments:

  1. I need to remember to force myself to do RIP next year. It always sneaks up on me, and the weather is never October-y enough for me until later in the month, when I wish I would have done it. Ugh. I'm glad you got so many creepy books read!

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    1. Yes, you should definitely sign up next year. It's my favorite favorite favorite challenge. I generally don't read much from the genres outlined, aside from mystery, so I've been introduced to a lot of quality titles that I never would have read before. I start out with the mysteries that I would be reading anyway and then dive into the chiller stuff as the air grows cooler!

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  2. I'm not a big fan of Sherlock Holmes either - I've tried a few of the stories but think it's just not for me.

    We didn't do anything for Halloween either but it's not as big a deal here as it is in the US. Hope you are feeling better!

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    1. Sam,
      Yeah, the Sherlock series is not for me. I enjoyed the one episode I saw from the BBC, but it's not likely that I'll seek more out.
      Yeah, I find as I get older that I just don't really enjoy it that much. If we lived in a neighborhood it might be more fun to see all the little kiddies in their costumes and hand out candy and such. :(
      One day! I did enjoy the challenge though!

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  3. I can't wait to read Gone Girl. Everyone loves it so much, that I'm really curious about it.

    A Study in Scarlet is not one of my favourite Sherlock stories, but it was definitely good, as anything Sherlock (could you tell I love him?) :)

    By the way, Twitter sent me an email in which you appeared as "People you May Know". I didn't know you, but I'm glad I was sent on your Twitter account.

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    1. Oh yay! I can't wait to take a peek at your blog too! I love Twitter for that exact reason. Gone Girl is certainly a thriller but wasn't one of my favorites of the year. I'd love to see what you think though.
      I probably won't read another Holmes book, but I'd be interested to watch the BBC series. Thanks for visiting!

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  4. Don't feel bad. My pumpkins are sitting here in the house uncarved still as well. It just didn't happen this year. But lots of good RIP books got read so that's what matters, right? :)

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    1. Kristen,
      I should keep that in mind! Next year it's definitely going to happen :)

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  5. Reading Doyle and Stoker sounds like a perfect way to celebrate Halloween! I was home alone and was playing Dishonored on the XBox while my dog alerted me every time a trick-or-treater approached the door. We didn't have many but it was still fun to hand out candy. We had carved pumpkins over the weekend and stored them in the fridge so they could be burning brightly on Halloween Night.

    So glad you got so many reads in for R.I.P.!!! Good choices too. I read Study in Scarlett a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. I meant to actually get back to more Holmes by now but there are just so many books to read. Thanks for taking part in R.I.P VII!

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    1. Carl,
      Thanks so much for hosting! Wow! I wish we lived in a neighborhood so I actually had trick-or-treaters. That's the condition with my next move! Haha. I'll definitely be participating next year. I have to incorporate more spooky reads. Stoker is just killing me right now... no action. But hopefully the conclusion will pay off.
      I'll have to keep the pumpkin-in-the-refridgerator in mind when we actually carve ours so it doesn't get all nasty on the inside.
      And there really are. I fulfilled a Classics Club read with that and Dracula, so I'm feeling good!
      Thanks again. :)

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    2. I hate to say it but if you are not liking Stoker now I'm not sure you'll like it as it goes on. It gets a little more intense but really it is what it is. I love it. My favorite book. But if it isn't grabbing hold of you right away it may not ever do so. :)

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    3. Yeah, I probably will end up being in the minority on this one. I'm going to finish but it'll be after pushing myself! I'm still looking forward to the discussion when I finally review it!

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  6. You did great!!! I'm itching to start the Flavia de Luce books (waiting for a library download), loved The Graveyard Book, and I'd be interested in your thoughts on The Little Stranger. You kicked butt!

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    1. Andi,
      Thanks! I was thinking I hadn't read that many when I was freaking about not finishing Dracula but then I realized I had read over four. I enjoyed The Little Stranger but won't say it was a favorite. I'm interested in reading more of her work because she is an incredible writer. The pacing kind of killed it for me in the end. There was a lot of build up and much I gathered after walking away but it wasn't the most engaging.

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  7. Staying home and reading Dracula actually sounds like a great, quiet way to celebrate Halloween.

    If you do decide to go back to Holmes, I'd recommend The Hound of the Baskervilles. It's my favorite, and has some fun gothic atmosphere to it.

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    1. You know, the more I think about it the more I do believe that it was the perfect way to celebrate the holiday! I didn't finish before Halloween, but I'm glad I attempted it! I'll have to keep that in mind. I think I've heard before that it's one of the best. Perhaps I was just too excited about other titles in my TBR list that I was too anxious to move on! Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. We didn't do too much for Halloween either. They actually cancelled trick or treating in NJ, so I'm thankful that David seems to have forgotten about it.
    I have to read the other Flavia books. I enjoyed the first one, so maybe this is the month!

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