Readers Imbibing Peril or R.I.P. is a gathering of readers taking advantage of the encroaching darkness* of autumn to read books of mystery, horror, Gothic, suspense, the dark fantasies, thrillers and so on. It starts in September, though I usually join in October. Any reading format is game as are films, tv, web series. Don’t think of this as a challenge, but as a community of appreciators of the Dark…cue scary music. For more details you can go here. It’s not too late to join.
I made my list, read my first book and will start posting next week.
The Historical Fiction
Mistress of the Art of Death, Ariana Franklin
The Classic
The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
The Short Stories
Poe, HP Lovecraft
The Films
The Turn of the Screw, Fall of the House of Usher
I never used to read these kinds of books….just too scary. And I certainly never thought I would read an HP Lovecraft, the master of “Oh. My. God!” But after getting “horror baptized” with The Case of Charles Dexter Ward for a reading challenge a couple of years ago, I was stunned by how drawn I was to the story and realized good story telling is good story telling….as long as I am in a room with lots of lights….And now I am back for more!
In choosing the right reading challenges for me I have grown as a reader through the books I have chosen as well as discovering new ones from reading the posts of others.
Happy Scary October!
__________________
*I just realized this is a northern hemisphere concept. What must it be like to celebrate Halloween in the Spring with the light getting longer?!
Happy R.I.P reading! 😀
LikeLike
I’ve not read any of them but known about them enough to say, good choices 🙂 Hope you enjoy them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have so far, except Poe is a little hard to get into…..
LikeLike
As I think you’ve noted elsewhere, my Classics Club choice for October is also The Turn of the Screw which I prepared for by reading James’ Daisy Miller which was in the same paperback. I hope it’s as spine tingling as it’s made out to be!
H P Lovecraft is an author I went through a phase of reading after graduating from uni. I can remember little of the Charles Dexter Ward novella but I may well join you in that as it’s probably in a collection I bought recently. May your spine be suitably tingled, your toes curled and your hair stood on end! 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, I hope this James is all it’s cracked up to be….that’s why I’m reading it. Have a ghoulish time reading it 🙂
And the this particular Lovecraft really enthralled me when I read it a couple of years ago, even though parts of it are pretty horrible…as in icky. For a short story I think I am going for “The Call of Cthulhu” to start.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Once September kicks in I love this period right through to March. Great time for reading these types of books-I think we’ve spoke of this before haven’t we?
At the moment I’m reading Under The Skin, not planned as one for this ‘dark period’ though. Quite accidental 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a matter of fact, yes! I believe it was two years ago you recommended to me Carmilla and the author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. I didn’t review Carmilla, but I enjoyed it and read several other stories by Le Fanu.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Two years-how fast that has gone!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy R.I.P reading (and viewing), Laurie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jessie!!
LikeLiked by 1 person