RIP – Carol's Notebook

Readers Imbibing Peril (RIP) BEGINS!

August 30, 2022October 27, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

Bonfires. Gourds. Sweaters and seasonal socks and candles. It’s time again for the Readers Imbibing Peril (RIP) challenge. The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as: MysterySuspenseThrillerDark FantasyGothicHorrorSupernatural The emphasis is never on the word challenge, instead, it is about coming together as a community and embracing the autumnal mood, whether the weather is cooperative where you live or not. The goals are simple. Have fun reading.Share that fun with others. This year the hashtag is #ripxvii. Multiple perils await. I'm not sure yet which one(s) I'll be participating in - definitely the Fiction Read and the Peril of the Listen, but we'll see if I add the others too. I will try to list my reads on this page throughout the two months. Peril of the Fiction Read! Read one (or more!) fiction books that you feel fit (our very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature. It could be Stephen King or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Shirley Jackson or Tananarive Due…or anyone...

RIP XVI

September 9, 2021October 29, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

I almost forgot to post about RIP XVI. The point is to read atmospheric books, watch movies, listen to audiobooks, etc during the months of September and October: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, or Supernatural. I will be participating in a few of the perils. You can find me here, on Instagram where hopefully I'll be posting some photos for the challenge, and on Twitter. First up is the group read. I'm looking forward to reading The Sundial. I've loved the other two of Jackson's I've read. Of course, I'll be participating in the Perils of the Fiction Read and the Peril of the Listen, which includes audiobooks, podcasts, etc. Reads: The Cure for What Ales You by Ellie AlexanderThe Fall of the House of Thomas Weir by Andrew Neil MacLeod Listens: The Family Plot by Megan CollinsThe Madness of Crowds by Louise PennyThe Sandman by Neil Gaiman, adaped by Dirk MaggsCat Among the Pigeons by Agatha ChristieThe Ex Hex by Erin SterlingGideon...

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril, VIII

August 27, 2013October 25, 2013 by Carol11 Comments

I can't believe fall is almost here. I'll admit it, I'll miss summer when the temperatures start falling, but there are some good things about fall - apple cider, pumpkin pie, lovely leaves, and, of course, Carl's R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge, now in its 8th year. September 1st is right around the corner. It is time to begin. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. Dark Fantasy. Gothic. Horror. Supernatural. Or anything sufficiently moody that shares a kinship with the above. That is what embodies the stories, written and visual, that we celebrate with the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril event. As time has wound on he's honed this event down to two simple rules: 1. Have fun reading (and watching). 2. Share that fun with others. As he does each and every year, there are multiple levels of participation (Perils) that allow you to be a part of R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril without adding the burden of another commitment to your already busy lives. There is even a...

Thursday’s Tale: The Willful Child

September 13, 2012September 28, 2012 by Carol11 Comments

I have a few irrational fears, but only one is relevant to today's tale, "The Willful Child" by the Brothers Grimm. I don't know when it started, but I was young and I think we had read a story in school that somehow contributed to it, but I've always been afraid of being buried alive. I'm not talking about being in a cave or tunnel and having it collapse, I'm talking about being buried like I'm dead when I'm not. I know it's impossible now, with all the modern science and chemicals they pump into you, and I've only recently given up the idea of being cremated when I die, but only because my husband doesn't like the idea. I doubt I'm the only person with this fear, which probably explains both why stories like this one were told and why they can still strike us with terror. "The Willful Child" is a short story, scary in its simplicity. In the...

Review: The Preacher by Camilla Lackberg

September 11, 2012October 5, 2012 by Carol11 Comments

I pick my audiobooks by what's available through my library and as I was browsing the website one day I came across The Preacher by Camilla Lackberg. I vaguely remembered reading the first in the series, The Ice Princess, and not hating it, so I went ahead and decided to listen to this one. The story is once again set in a small fishing town in Sweden, Fjällbacka, and the two main characters are back. Patrik Hedström, the local police detective, is more the focus this time around. His girlfriend, Ericka Falck, who was a major actor in the first in the series, is now pregnant and very much stuck at home on the sidelines, feeling miserable and entertaining horrible houseguests. Actually, the whole home part of the story rather annoyed me this time around. I don't think I was in love with them as a couple in the last one, either, and it's even worse here, since Ericka doesn't get to...

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril VII

September 10, 2012October 19, 2012 by Carol6 Comments

Autumn is in the air. Soon, the leaves will start changing, the days will get cooler, and I'll be craving hot chocolate and apple dumplings. It's also the season for Carl's annual reading event, R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril. As he says, "There is a wistful scent upon the air and the mood generated by this time of year turns my thoughts toward the mysterious, towards stories with gothic undertones, towards darkened streets and death and the men and women sent to detect those who do these dastardly deeds." September and October are all about the darker stories, mysteries, thrillers, dark fantasies, Gothic novels. This year I'm signing up for Peril the First: Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (the very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature. I'll keep a list here, in addition to marking my reviews as part of the event. The Preacher by Camilla Läckberg Grandad, There's a Head on the Beach by Colin Cotterill How to Date a Henchman by Mari Fee The Beautiful Mystery...