RIP IV
"What time is it kids?" (Buffalo Bob Smith, of Howdy Doody fame, is probably rolling in his grave because I used that)
Why, it's time for.... Carl's RIP IV Challenge!
Surprise, surprise, surprise! (said in my most convincing Gomer Pyle voice).. who'da thunk it'd come again so quickly?!!
Yes, year number 4 for the RIP Challenge has officially begun, and once again Carl has set a number of challenges for everyone to choose from.... and here they are:
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Peril the First:
Read Four books of any length, from any subgenre of scary stories that you choose.
Peril the Second:
Read Two books of any length, from any subgenre of scary stories that you choose.
Peril the Third:
Read One book of any length, from any of the subgenres listed earlier in the post.
This is an option that I always hope will hook those of you who are thinking, “I’m just not sure this kind of reading is my cup of tea”.
More than any other time of the year, R.I.P. season brings out my desire to explore the short story genre. We will again do Short Story Sundays, for those of you who read R.I.P. related short stories any time during the week and want to write about them. I know I have Lovecraft, Poe, and Angela Carter waiting in the wings for my short story reading.
The R.I.P. IV Challenge does not require you to commit to a pre-selected list of books, but in the past many of us have enjoyed posting Reading Pools that include books that we are considering reading during the challenge. The fun thing about this, besides just talking about books (which is always a thrill) is that it gives the rest of the participants ideas about what they might want to read. I have a very broad definition of what qualifies as a book for this challenge. If you think it fits the definition, then that is good enough for me.
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So, there you have it in a nutshell !!
I do have to tell y'all that it just won't be the same for me for several reasons, most of which I do not want to get into, but one big one is that there is no "FALL SEASON" in Florida!!
So..
No falling leaves..
No sounds of dried crunchy leaves under your feet..
No Fall smells...
No wearing "warmer clothing"..
...gads this already sucks! I had truly forgotten how I felt at certain times of the year the first time I ever lived in Florida! I once loved to bake.. but baking in 85 degree temps "in the FALL" does NOT compute! grrrrr.. ok so.. I am still determined to try this ! I just have to keep telling myself that it's cool outside. Yeah.. that's the ticket! It's cool outside, it's cool outside , it's cool outside...yeahrightsure it is!
Ok enough of this ranting and feeling sorry for myself.. but I am afraid it will emerge now and then. You know, like when y'all are wearing sweats and jackets and I'm still gettin' eatin' by mosquitoes.. yeah, like then.
Other than that I will not complain too much when everyone is having snow and I am not... just like you don't complain when we have a hurricane and YOU do not.
This isn't going well.. let's get back to business here!...
First off I've made a pool of books I will be choosing from. (I hear cheering in the background) But.. (there its is.. always a "but") I am only going to commit to Peril the Second, which is to read two books.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows I will read numerous amounts of books.. well.. unless I pick Drood first.. in that case it could well take me the entire challenge to read that chunkster! But I won't do that.. I already know that the first book that I will commit to is Neil Gaimen's Graveyard book. I read the short story version some time ago and know I will enjoy it so that's my commitment.
After that I am torn.. I want to read them all!.. but I am realistic and know I won't. I am leaning towards the fact that I want to reread the Thirteenth Tale when Cath reads it so we can chitchat about it. I love that book! And the same with Gils All Fright Diner, I would like to read it when Chris is reading it to see if he thinks the book is enjoyable too.. though both may not like the books as I did. It's a chance we all take when reading books we've heard of but not yet read.
Anyway.. drum roll please... my pool of books:
Wow.. I have never had so many choices for the RIP challenge!! I have 11 books to choose from (and probably more since I don't always consider some books to 'fit in" but in some cases they do). Anyway the pool of books are:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Woman in White by Wilke Collins
A Monsters Notes by Laurie Sheck
Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L Howell
The House of Lost Souls by F G Cottam
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
Drood by Dan Simmons
...and two rereads
The Thirteenth Tale (read twice already & love it) by Diane Setterfield
Gil's All Fright Diner by A Lee Martinez
... and of course this pool means "nothing" if I read a good review of something different I'd like to read !
So, ...
Are you joining in the RIP IV Challenge? What sort of books have you chosen to read??
posted by DesLily | 5:06 AM
33 Comments:
Lovely!!! I'll commit to The Thirteenth Tale then :)
I actually like hot weather, not extremely hot, but then I prefer it to cold anytime. Wish you loads of snow :)
I think I will participate in the RIP challenge this year... if only because if will give me the excuse to go out and buy Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and Coraline. Both books I have been wanting, but since neither is out in a 'normal' paperback I have been passing on them for other books in my preferred size editions :)
Because of my predilection this last year for a lot of Urban fantasy such as the Sookie Stockhouse series and the Women of the Underworld series I don't think I will have any problem finding something I want to read. In fact, I just picked up the latest book in the Women of the Underworld Series -Living with the Dead- and had already planned on reading it next after I finish the book I am currently reading. So now I will just read it as part of the challenge ;p
Hmmmmm... and I remember you speaking of how much you liked Gil's All Frighht Diner and it's been on my tbb (to be bought) list... ;p
I agree with you on The Thirteenth Tale! I might have to join you in that reread. Seeing it on so many lists has made me want to read it again!
You have a great list! Gaiman and Zafon are wonderful and I just adore Wilkie Collins. I'm going o thave to look up a couple of these, they sound good!
Good luck and have fun with the challenge!
Ah, I love your post...except the part about not being able to enjoy Fall weather, because that just makes me sad as those temp changes are so important to me too.
I love, love, love your book pile picture and the graphic of your version of the thinker. ;)
I'm so glad you are joining in and cannot wait to see what you decide to read and what you think about what you end up reading.
hello violet! Oh i do so love the Thirteenth Tale! I'm glad it's still so popular
JJ: I read the "short version" of the graveyard book in a book of short stories and enjoyed it so I think I will enjoy the longer version. Gil's All Fright Diner is more of a "spoof" and lighthearted, reluctant heros who just happen to be a vampire and a werewolf.. so be warned lol
Heather: the woman in white is on a lot of pool lists, but it's rather a large book.. not sure which "chunkster " I will choose after the graveyard book and the two rereads of 13th Tale and Gils all Fright Diner..
Carl: me toooo! I always loved Fall.. the temps dropped and all I wanted to do was bake all sorts of goodies for no reason at all and then for the holidays!..I stopped baking long ago but always miss it.. not to mention liking to eat it! lol (I rather liked my book photo and the thinker too! LOL)
Living in San Antonio, TX, I know exactly what you mean about the lack of fall. That's one of the reasons I really like this challenge - it injects a little autumn into my life.
I couldn't imagine not having a fall. Just as I have a hard time imagining an entire winter with no snow... I really must come up with a post for this, but I haven't taken the time to yet. Glad to see you are joining in!
You've got a great list. I notice you have A Monster's Notes on your list. I've got it on mine too. I've got it checked out from the library. But it looks a little intimidating. Still, I'm curious to read it at some point. :)
The Woman in White is one I'd like to get to but I don't know how realistic it is for this challenge. It's always really easy to make big stacks of books you want to read...
I love your pool! Lots of creepy classics and atmospheric reads. I hope you read THE GRAVEYARD BOOK; I can't wait to hear what you think of it!
First of all, YAY FOR THE GRAVEYARD BOOK!!!! It's so good Pat :D
I'm obsessed with your pile of books!! Now I want to go add everything on there that I don't already have onto my pile :p Like Johannes Cabal the Necromancer...I hadn't even heard of that but it looks awesome!! And My Cousin Rachel looks really good too!
I always trick myself into believing it's Autumn in the south ;) The trick is just to put up lots of Halloween decorations and cook stuff that has a fall smell to it. And lower your A/C ;)
Sorry about the permanent heat, Pat! It often only starts getting colder here in November, so I sympathize. As for your books, you picked some great ones, and I love the picture! Is it me or is re-reading The Thirteenth Tale becoming a yearly tradition? ;)
Hi. Just got back in town from Chicago. I am a Floridian. iIt was 70 degrees there and windy and that meant cold! Did I say I really hate the cold. I also have two trees that do a color change in the Fall in Florida. One in my front yard turns red and one in my back turns gold. So we do have a little season. And I really hate snow. Never want to have to drive through the sleet, ice, freezing slush, or shovel it, or be snow bound indoors for five months so I will just stay in the south with a glass of iced tea, under a fan and reading a good story. Love the beach as well. And while we have hurricanes on occasion, we don't have earthquakes or floods or blizzards. Okay done defending Florida. Looks as if you will have a good time reading this fall. Did a lot of horror stories when I was younger. Mostly Nathanial Hawthorne, H.P. Lovecraft, and books of that nature. I have a pile of books I am going through now though. Well Vala signing off now. Have to check out my other e-mail and lj.
Amanda: up north I like up to and including the first snow.. after that I was ready for spring! lol But I am more southern fla and it's just too hot here for too long..
Kelly: this is year 3 for me..the first year was hard bur rewarding.. and year two gave me the historian and dracula(was not thrilled with dracula) curious already to see what this year brings me.
Becky I have no idea if I will get to any of those before the challenge is over but I hope to get to most of these before winter is over!I ama slow reader.. i wish I was more like you and kelly!
memory: as soon as I finish the book I am reading that is the first RIP book I will read!!
Chris unfortunately my biggest thing for both spring and fall is to open windowns and smell the "spring/ fall" smells! ..and as we know, that ain't gunna happen! It's not to say I love winter.. I don't! I love to watch it snowing but do not like to drive in it or shovel it..and on snow is my limit lol after that I was ready for winter to be gone lol.
Nymeth: yep, I do believe the Thirteenth Take is becoming a yearly read for me... it had just the right amount of "feel" to it to hold my interest ..more mystery and not a lot of gore! But I WILL gread the graveyard book and Gils all fright diner along w/13th take for sure.. then i am not sure which I will take from the pile. Other's reviews might have something to do with my choice after that lol
LOL hi "Vala". You are far enough north to feel much more of a seasonal change.. I would enjoy that a lot more but I went here because they put an effort out for me and got me low income rent prices.. I had to go where it was the cheapest and yet not an area I'd be in fear to live in again like up north. I didn't realize how far north you are until I talked w/ a friend in winter garden. He is 1 1/2 hrs from me..and you are another 2 hrs north???
Ooh, great books. I'm reading a few of those too. I can't wait for "The Thirteenth Tale"... and I forgot about Drood! I might save that one for December. I've already reserved November for Anna Karenina! I can't wait to read your reviews!
daphne: i'm not a good writer of reviews but i can say if I liked it or not! I may not get to Drood just now either.. it would be my only read if I did.. i'm not a fast reader lol..
I have been seeing The Thirteenth Tale everywhere! I guess that is probably a good thing-- added to my list!
Love your book pool picture! Very awesome.
Love your gargoyle animation, Pat!! Heheh.
Yeah, having no autumn must really be a pain. It's just about with us in the UK and I know you would love it.
Great book photo. You're so clever and artistic with your photos. And a great choices... going to look up a couple that I've never heard of.
Pat - What a fabulous pool of books!
I am going to have to add a couple titles to my list!
Great photo! It's so much fun to see what everyone else plans to read!!
I'm so sad for you that fall doesn't exist there! I guess there must be some trade-offs, though!
I read My Cousin Rachel a year or two ago and really enjoyed it. Du Maurier is definitely a rainy weather read for me - I stuck both Jamaica Inn and Flight of the Falcon on my pool. Drood was also excellent, but a bit of a beast to get through.
Great pool!
She: i'd love to say you can't go wrong with the Thirteenth Tale but over the past 2 years I have found a few reviews of people who weren't in love with it as much as I am .. (but it is a good gothic style mystery)
Cath: oh yes.. you need more books ! hahaha
gavin: i have noticed that we all seem to have a few chunksters on our list but then avoid them so that we can read "more books" in the same amount of time...
Stephanie: I agree.. i go around and look at EVERYONES lists!! Then look up books i never heard of before...it's an addiction!!!
Kate:don't be sad.. just send me somewhere that has fall for a month or so LOL..
I think I'll be an unofficial participant for this one. (The R.I.P challenge scares me. It's the type of books. I do have some that I'll be trying to creep my way towards reading. *hides from them* And some Chris - and you - mentioned that I didn't realise would fit that I could read.)
Yours is The Shadow of the Wind, if you're curious. ^-^ It looks like a lovely pool to choose from and I wish you a lot of fun with it (even with the temperatures being what they'll be. May a cold spell find you for the challenge, sweetie!)
You have an excellent pool! The Woman in White and The Thirteenth Tale are personal favorites. I recently read The Shadow of the Wind and was profoundly moved by it. I can't wait to read The Angel's Game as well.
Best of luck and happy reading!
Shanra: oh goodness I don't read "gore"! but a good gothic mystery is just fine!.. also you need only read ONE book to join! A book a read before and may read again that is a "spoof" on vampires and werewolves is Gils All Fright Diner..it's actually worth a chuckle here and there!! So think about it! If not, I will still talk to you! lol.. I'm not in the least bit snobby!
hello Traci: ohh i love Thirteenth Tale and this will be my 3rd time reading it!..I hope to get to the Woman in White but fear i won't finish it in time (slow reader) but I am going to put an effort into reading that one and drood even if it's when the challenge is over!
The Thirteenth Tale is on my wish list. Next time I go book buying, I will pick it up!
Great list!
Here is my RIP IV read list
i have the 13th tale sitting on my bookcase! i was considering taking on world war z (horror zombie apoc, yes plz) and let the right one in (creepy young vampires? oh yes!). i think i MAY actually do this challenge, it sounds fun!
I'm in Texas so I know what you mean about no Fall season! :)
Love your pool of books. I read My Cousin Rachel earlier this year and thought it was fabulous. Now I've started The Woman in White and can't believe it's taken me so long to finally discover Wilkie Collins.
Anyway, have fun!
gautami tripathy: I don't think you will be sorry!
Melissa Dominic: it is fun!! Join!
Iliana: glad to hear you are liking wilke collins the woman in white will be my first one by him. I read my first dickens last year "the old curiosity shop" and I really want to read drood which has both wilke collins and dickens in it.
Gil's All Fright Diner looks like lots of fun. Thanks for the recommendation. And I, too, tremendously enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale. My best friend and I read it at the same time, and we were forbidden to speak to each other till we were finished, for fear of slipping a spoiler, LOL. Great, great book!
overflowing: yes it is a great book! this will be my third reading of it!
I felt the same way when I lived in California as you feel. Just a bit to the north in Georgia, we have enough of a fall to make me feel it, but it's nothing like the fall I had in Colorado growing up. One of these days, I suppose I'll have to move up north or back to Colorado. I sure get homesick for the weather, if you can believe it.
I loved, loved, loved The Thirteenth Tale and The Graveyard Book. I haven't tried the Du Maurier, but loved Rebecca. I might check out one of Du Maurier's other books for the challenge. I read The Woman in White over the summer, and it was very good. I loved Marian Halcolmbe, and Count Fosco was a charismatic villain. I haven't read Drood, but Matthew Pearl's take in The Last Dickens was good. The Shadow of the Wind is on my radar. If you try it, I'll be interested to know what you think.
Dana: I believe it. But I can't say I will miss winter. It's an age thing having to walk in snow and shovel.. can't do either anymore..but love to watch the first snowfall ..like everyone spring and fall are not to be missed!
wow you sure read a lot! me too me too me too on 13th tale! am tossing back and forth Drood and The Woman in White, I know I can never read two chunksters in our alloted time, and I hear nothing but good of the Shadow ot the Wind.
What a great pool of books to choose from! I loved The Graveyard Book, The Shadow of the Wind, The Woman in White, and The Thirteenth Tale. I have Drood in my stack too but it's such a chunkster, I'm not sure I'll get to it or not.
We do get fall here but not much in the way of winter. I grew up in the Canadian Prairies though and even though it's been years, I still miss snow!
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