It’s time for R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VIII, Carl’s annual event, the goals succinct and satisfying:
Mr BIP made a modification to my tombstone: whadya think?
1. Have fun reading (and watching).
2. Share that fun with others.
Mystery.Suspense.Thriller.Dark Fantasy.Gothic.Horror.Supernatural.
Some stories that I’ve already read, that I wish I could still read for the first time for this event?
The first two stories in Richard van Camp’s collection Godless But Loyal to Heaven
Kelley Armstrong’s Omens
Linwood Barclay’s Tap on the Window
Benjamin Constable’s The Three Lives of Tomomi Ishikawa
Lauren B. Davis’ Our Daily Bread
Jonathan Maberry’s Rot & Ruin
Corey Redekop’s Husk
But I hope that doesn’t sound like complaining because I’m really excited about the stack at hand too.
This year’s RIP reading list:
✔Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda
Kelly Braffet’s Save Yourself (had to return to the library – boo)
✔Janie Chang’s Three Souls
Joey Comeau’s The Summer is Ended and We Are Not Yet Saved
✔Lynn Cullen’s Mrs Poe
Craig Davidson’s Sarah Court
✔Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis’ mysteries: The Boy in the Suitcase (1)
Invisible Murder (2)
Death of a Nightingale (3)
Laurie R. King’s The Bones of Paris (Oops, never mind: I didn’t realize it was part of a series!)
I’ve already started this: deliciously creepy!
✔Stephen King’s The Shining
✔Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, ed. Dead North: Canadian Zombie Fiction
✔Claire Mulligan’s The Dark
Evan Munday’s The Dead Kid Detective Agency
✔Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin series: ✔One, ✔Two, ✔Three, ✔Four
✔George Pelecanos’ mysteries: ✔The Cut and ✔The Double
✔Jennifer Quist’s Love Letters of the Angels of Death
✔Emily Schultz’s The Blondes
Carsten Stroud’s Niceville and The Homecoming
✔Rupert Thomson’s Secrecy
✔Dan Vyleta’s The Crooked Maid
And the latest installments in The Walking Dead (Robert Kirkman, volume 18) and Sweet Tooth (Jeff Lemire’s ✔Unnatural Habitats).
And I’ve been reading it for ages, so I can’t officially count it as an R.I.P. read, but I aim to finish Charles Palliser’s The Quincunx this season.
As you’ve probably already guessed, I’m aiming for PERIL THE FIRST, a minimum of four works, along with some short stories and some films.
Books Actually Read: 18/29 (as of October 31st)
1. Emily Schultz’s The Blondes (2012)
2. Rupert Thomson’s Secrecy (2013)
3. Lynn Cullen’s Mrs Poe (2013)
4. Stephen King’s The Shining (1977)
5. Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth: Unnatural Habitats (2012)
6. George Pelecanos’ The Cut (2011)
7. George Pelecanos’ The Double (2013)
8. Claire Mulligan’s The Dark (2013)
9. Dan Vyleta’s The Crooked Maid (2013)
10. Jennifer Quist’s Love Letters of the Angels of Death (2013)
11. Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin #1-4 (2002; 2012)
12. Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics (2003)
13. Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom (2004)
14. Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin’s Monstrous Holiday (2009)
15. Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep (2013)
16. Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda (2013)
17. Janie Chang’s Three Souls (2013)
18. Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis’ The Boy in the Suitcase (2008)
Films/Shows Actually Watched:
1. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
2. Dexter: The Final Season (2012-2013)
3. Carrie (1976)
4. The Glades: Seasons One and Two (2010-2012)
5. Longmire: Seasons One and Two (2012; 2013)
As far as stacks of reading material go, I’ve never stuck so closely to my plans, so I’m thrilled with this year’s R.I.P. reading. (Although I didn’t read any short stories which fit the theme: I got caught in other collections listed for autumn book prizes instead.)
Uncertain how to explain the unexpected focus, I’m going with the story that the freshly spray-painted tombstone did the trick.
But what is truly thrilling is that when I scan the list, I simply cannot choose a single favourite.
I loved the integrity with which King returned to Danny’s story. Dan Vyleta’s novel (with its companion, The Quiet Twin) is truly outstanding: entertaining and finely crafted. Rupert Thomson’s Secrecy is deliciously unsettling. Jennifer Quist’s debut is sharp, enticing and fresh. Janie Chang’s Three Souls is one of those stories that leaves you wanting to tell everyone to add it to their TBR lists. Just so many great reads this month!
How was your RIP reading?