Owned and Unread Project

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Sunday, September 5, 2010

R.I.P. Challenge V

Lately it's been more than 90 degrees every day this, so it's hard for me to get thinking about Halloween (which I strongly believe should be chilly and creepy, just like in a Gothic novel).  However, I am inspired by all the bloggers who have signed up for the R.I.P. Challenge.  Participants are encouraged to read and post about books in the following categories:  mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, horror, supernatural, and Gothic.

I've signed up for Peril the Second, so I'm planning on reading at least two books for the challenge in September and October, maybe more.  I'm also hoping to read at least one short story collection -- I think I have four or five Gothic or ghost story collections on my to-read shelf already!  I'm definitely going to try and read books that are already owned and unread, or have been on my to-read list a long time.

Here's my list of potential titles:

  • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith
  • My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
  • We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
  • The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
  • The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett 
  • The Time of the Ghost by Diana Wynne Jones
  • The Victorian Chaise Longue by Marghanita Laski
  • Affinity by Sarah Waters
  • The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells
  • Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell
  • The Virago Book of Ghost Stories
  • Short stories by Edgar Allen Poe

So -- any suggestions?  Anyone else participating, and if so, what are you reading for the challenge?  I'm looking forward to it!
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7 comments:

  1. AmandaSeptember 5, 2010 at 11:09 AM

    The RIP Challenge helps you to FEEL like fall, even though it's so blasted hot here! :D

    I love how many crossed books we have!

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  2. UnknownSeptember 5, 2010 at 11:38 AM

    Speaking of Sarah Waters, have you read The Little Stranger? It's got that gothic thing goin' on that you like...

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  3. Kristen M.September 5, 2010 at 2:20 PM

    I'm glad to see you participating this year! I really liked My Cousin Rachel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Thin Man (but I'm a huge fan of the old films), The Invisible Man and almost everything by Poe. I wasn't as fond of The Haunting of Hill House but it's definitely scary!

    And I also have Affinity and The Time of the Ghost on my list so I can't recommend those yet. You have a fantastic list here! I probably didn't help you narrow it down much though. :)

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  4. HelenSeptember 5, 2010 at 4:26 PM

    The Victorian Chaise-Longue is on my list for the challenge too. And I loved My Cousin Rachel - I hope you'll have time to read that one!

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  5. KarenlibrarianSeptember 5, 2010 at 8:39 PM

    Amanda -- it'll be fun to read some of the same books and discuss them. Are you reading Shirley Jackson? Are we going to put it on the classics group list for next fall?

    Tom -- The only Sarah Waters I've read so far is Fingersmith, which I loved. I'll have to look at The Little Stranger also.

    Kristen -- too many books, too little time. Sigh. But I'm glad that I picked some good ones. I haven't had much luck with H.G. Wells so far but Invisible Man looks intriguing.

    Helen - I'm hoping to get The Victorian Chaise Longue it in time from interlibrary loan, or it'll have to wait. I definitely want to read My Cousin Rachel, it's been owned and unread for too long.

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  6. KailanaSeptember 7, 2010 at 1:37 PM

    I might read Affinity. I own all of Waters' books and have only read one, so now is as good a time as any to get cracking on them!

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  7. JennySeptember 8, 2010 at 9:30 AM

    Definitely definitely read Shirley Jackson. I may reread her books this year, just because I think she's so wonderful.

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