Sweet Soliloquies

I’ve entered yet another book challenge and it certainly fits for this time of year as the days grow shorter, nights a bit darker and thoughts of Halloween have us searching for that good kind of scare. Carl, a self-described Renaissance Geek, created the first R.I.P. (or Readers Imbibing Peril) Challenge four years ago and describes the type of literature to be read as:

“gothic literature: dark nights; decaying, haunted castles, menacing forests; pervasive gloom; ancient prophecies, damsels in distress (or at least at the wrong place in the wrong time); blood-curdling scrams…stories with atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife.”

Just what I’ve been itching to read. We’re asked to read something from the following genres:

• Mystery
• Suspense
• Thriller
• Dark Fantasy
• Gothic
• Horror
• Supernatural

and there are two simple goals to the challenge:

1. Have fun.
2. Share that fun with others.

There are multiple levels of participation (see my chosen levels below) which you will find on the main post. The challenge runs from September 1st through October 31st but you can start now. You’re not required to commit to a predetermined list of books but it’s fun and helpful to list a “reading pool” so we can get ideas from each other. Here’s mine:

1. The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan
2. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders (P.S.) by Neil Gaiman
3. The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, Volume One by Gordon Dahlquist
4. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
5. The Spiritualist: : A Novel by Megan Chance
6. Witch Hill by Marion Zimmer Bradley
7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
8. Scarletti Curse (Candleglow) by Christine Feehan
9. Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts
10. Garden of Darkness by Anne Frasier
11. The Tell-Tale Heart (Bantam Classics) by Edgar Allen Poe
12. Renfield: Slave of Dracula by Barbara Hambly
13. Mina: The Dracula Story Continues by Elaine Bergstrom
14. A Dozen Black Roses: Poetry from A Dark Side Dwell by Drk Siren
15. The Ghost Orchid: A Novel by Carol Goodman
16. The Ghost in Love: A Novel by Jonathan Carroll
17. Her Fearful Symmetry: A Novel by Audrey Neffenegger
18. The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield.

I’ll most likely add to this list as I find more books that intrigue me.

If you’re interested in joining us, you’ll find all the rules at Carl’s blog, Stainless Steel Droppings. You may put links to you book challenge reviews at the R.I.P. IV Review Site. Please consider joining us! If you have any ideas for books to read, please leave them in my comments. Thanks and happy reading!