RIP XI: A Recap

Another RIP is in the books and I'm happy to report that I managed to fulfill my pledge to read four spooky books plus an additional five titles. While I had so much fun dedicating a healthy portion to getting in the spirit of Halloween, I won't lie that I'm pretty excited to move on and start Nonfiction November, or books devoid of ghosts and haunted houses and murder and the like. Below is a short list of what I've read and what I thought about it. Enjoy!

Completed Titles*

*I'm just including a short reaction and star rating on those completed. Full reviews for some titles to come later.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Three and a half stars. Delightfully creepy and sometimes a bit disorienting,  We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is the perfect classic to add to your Halloween reading list.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Four stars. Categorized as a tween graphic novel, Through the Woods, is a perfect combo of creepy stories and beautiful, yet haunting illustrations. It's gorgeous! And I thought the stories were pretty good even if they didn't offer much of a conclusion.

The Forsaken Inn by Anna Katherine Green

Two stars. This one started off ok and then took a nosedive. Too many problems and little payoff.

Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses by Bess Lovejoy

Three and a half stars. Interesting stories of, as the title states, the corpses of famous people and just all around bizarre behavior on the part of the living asked to protect them. I wouldn't say it was fun because it's dead bodies we're talking here, but it was a quick read with historical facts to keep for future trivia situations.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

Three and a half stars. My first Christie (I read for Feminist Literary Society) and a great introduction to the Miss Marple character/mystery series. I could see myself reading more of these in the future.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

Three stars. Paranormal mystery with a side of steamy romance. It was a fun read and easy to get through (I think I finished in a day), but definitely had some problems. I'll note that it should come with a trigger warning as there are suggestions of sexual violence.

Listen to Me by Hannah Pittard

Two stars. This just did not work for me. I loved the premise and could really feel the atmosphere as Justin and I had just driven from Richmond to Chicago (the same drive, in reverse, that the characters undertake), but could not relate to the characters or wrap my head around the clumsy conclusion. I should also note that I started on audio and could not stand the narrator so my experience could have been clouded a bit by the intro.

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood

Two stars. Another title that had a strong start and then totally crashed and burned. It's creepy, but I was initially really lost in terms of determining what time period the action was taking place, and then found the story within a story within a story within ANOTHER story just too tiring and convoluted. I'll probably try some of this other titles next year.

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley

Four stars. Another Flavia de Luce mystery, which I love, back in England and the beloved Buckshaw. I'll probably post a full-length review in the future, but highly recommend to those who have read the others in the series.


So happy that another RIP Challenge is in the books! It's definitely my favorite reading event and know I'll start curating my list for next year soon. Here's to Nonfiction November and meeting those reading goals before the year's end!

What are you reading?

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A Wrap-UP: The RIP X Challenge with Mini Reviews

My post is a couple days late, but I wanted to share the fact that I failed to meet my goal for the first time in the five years I've participated in this challenge!! Heartbreaking, guys. I'm trying to not be too hard on myself because there were very necessary reasons for not having the time to read as much as I wanted, but I still can't help but be a little sad about missing the mark. I managed to fall one book short of my Peril the First pledge, finishing the challenge out with three spooky reads. I'm currently 75% done with my fourth title, so I've got that at least. 

Read:

I took my RIPX TBR list and ripped it into a million shreds and stuck it in a trashcan and lit that thing on fire. I didn't actually do any of those things but when you take a look at my TBR and then what I read it's essentially the same thing. 

I found The Secret History far too much of a commitment to finish (I still plan on reading it someday). I found The Uninvited boring and tossed it. I forgot about Wuthering Heights even though I just ordered a beautiful, vintage Penguin paperback version. I couldn't get The Ghost Hunters because it hasn't been published outside of the UK. I was too lazy to check out The Asylum from the library. And then left The Big Book of Ghost Stories languishing on my coffee table. I was TERRIBLE, people.

So what did I read??

Well, I listened to The Dead Duke, His Secret Wife, and the Missing Corpse: An Extraordinary Edwardian Case of Deception and Intrigue by Piu Marie Eatwell. I liked it well enough. I didn't think it was the book of the year but it was full of tidbits about Edwardian England and the legal process at this time. I found it a bit lackluster as the motive that put the whole thing in motion was never fleshed out. It's nice for long hours of editing or car rides because the reader for the audio does a great job voicing the many characters. 

I checked out a physical copy of In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware, which was pretty underwhelming considering I nailed the bad guy about 20 pages in. I thought the characters were one dimensional and felt their thoughts and feelings didn't really seem accurate for a person of 26 or 28. Honestly, I thought they were like 2 at most?? Anyway, it was a fairly fast paced read that got me one book in a weekend. I'd say go for it if you're looking for some quick entertainment, but not expecting much else.

Finally, I finished The Strangler Vine by M. J. Carter. This was my favorite of all my RIP reads, aside from In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (which I'm finishing now). The novel takes place in the early years of British imperialism in India. The author uses the language from the time period, which I thought was an interesting and authentic touch, in dialogue and in explanations of the atmosphere. The novel, longlisted for the Bailey's Prize, includes passages that immerse the reader in a rich, vivid landscape. There were momentary lulls in action and the dynamic between Avery and Blake, the novel's protagonists, was somewhat cliche. I would recommend for the atmosphere M.J. Carter is able to build alone. It gives an interesting look at greed and corruption during this very muddled time in British and Indian history. 

I'm currently finishing up In Cold Blood by Truman Capote and already know it's a 5-star on Goodreads. So gruesome, yet so beautifully written. I can honestly say I have never been more troubled by a book but also captivated to continue reading. It's definitely produced some WTF moments. Perfect fall spread pictured below--->

Headed over to now to see how others did in their RIPX Challenge!

Just a note:

I recently had the opportunity to photograph a number of writers and speakers while they toured Chicago, so stay tuned for posts on Jenny Lawson, Geraldine Brooks, Gloria Steinem, and Roxane Gay. You're going to love them!! 

What are you currently reading??!

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A Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker

(This is the copy I own. SO UGLY!) 

It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way - even by death - and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment. 

I finally finished the beast that is Dracula. While I didn't complete it by the end of RIP VII, I did manage to finish, and that's really saying something here. I know that most readers have already tackled Stoker's master work, so I was pretty late in jumping on the bandwagon. I also know that most of you guys said you liked it. A lot. I'm a little jealous. And also want some explanations. Because I just didn't get it.

The story is told through the perspectives of four characters in the form of letters and journal entries. J actually stopped me at one point (he attempted but FAILED to finish!) to ask if people seriously took their journals to heart like these folks did. Obviously, we were having a little laugh (because some of these entries just happened to go on for pages and pages and pages), but they had to be this long to tell the story (or did they?!?!). Anyway. The diary entries and phonograph recordings were long-winded and explain the story of, you guessed it, Count Dracula.

Let me also share that I have never seen a movie based on Dracula aside from Interview with the Vampire. I also haven't read any vampire stories (like Twilight) or watched any vampire related shows (I know there are quite the number at present). So. My knowledge of vampires was pretty much pathetic going in. To give you a sense, I only had a vague understanding of what they couldn't be around, you know: light, garlic and religious relics, and thought that Stoker would elucidate. Not so much the case. I still don't know too much about vampires, except that they are considered un-dead, which J explained to me a bit more in depth because I guess these creatures were also apart of his D&D games when he was younger. That's about it though.

So the daring four (actually there are six) face Dracula and then follow him here, there and everywhere. Seriously. If you haven't read it, I can't say much more, because although it's pretty much always DUH moments when a new development presents itself, saying too much would spoil the fun. So I'll leave it at that.

BEWARE! SPOILERS BELOW!

Let's talk about the fact that there was so much superfluous content to wade through.

Let's also talk about the fact that everything was obvious. So in your face obvious that I questioned the competence of the characters.

Women were also delicate flowers that needed protecting even though Mina Harker proved to be the smartest character of all. And don't give me that it's Victorian lit and it can't be done. *Brushes shoulders* and cites Wilkie "the bad ass" Collins. Yeah. (This fact didn't really bother me because I get the time period, but it did get me when male characters went ON AND ON AND ON about how women basically couldn't handle the situation YET completely controlled the situation.)

Van Helsing. What was up with that guy? And how did he know so much about the undead? And how did Jonathan Harker know him so well? Perhaps Stoker addresses this last question but I can't remember.

What I did enjoy:

Stoker created a very spooky atmosphere. The first 25 pages were the most thrilling of the entire work. Dracula's castle was creeptastic and wonderful. Jonathan visiting the basement took some real guts.

I enjoyed the fantasy element with the creation of Dracula and his ability to transform into objects and animals in order to do his bidding.

Otherwise, it just wasn't the book for me. I'm glad I read it and can add it to the list of books read for the Classics Club challenge I signed up for back in August.

Note: Today marks Bram Stoker's 165th birthday. Check out today's Google doodle! 

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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!

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