I’m a couple days late on this, but with the end of October came the end of the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril IX challenge at Stainless Steel Droppings.

The “challenge” was simply to read books that fit within the genres of mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, gothic, horror, and/or supernatural. Peril the First had a goal of four books, but I ended up reading ten:

1.) Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind
2.) Lauren Willig, The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla
3.) Ashley Weaver, Murder at the Brightwell
4.) Seanan McGuire, The Winter Long
5.) Sylvia Izzo Hunter, The Midnight Queen
6.) Roberto Ampuero, The Neruda Case
7.) Ethel Lina White, The Lady Vanishes
8.) Diane Setterfield, Bellman & Black
9.) Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Good Omens
10.) Maggie Stiefvater, Blue Lily, Lily Blue

To be fair, some of these books are a bit of a stretch…for example, while Good Omens has angels and demons and the Apocalypse, its tone is far from dark. The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla includes vampires and a murder, but it’s really a delightful Regency romp. But I’m counting them anyway, dangit! This non-challenge is supposed to be fun! 🙂

I did enjoy most of the books I read for this challenge, but my standout favorites were Good Omens and Blue Lily, Lily Blue. My least favorites were The Shadow of the Wind and The Neruda Case, both of which dragged for me. What books did you read for R.I.P.? Did any of them scare you?