R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril (RIP) X

Art work for RIP/X provided by Abigail Larson

Well, I can't honestly say autumn is in the air. Even though tomorrow is the first day of September, today is sunny, hot and humid. Definitely still summertime here in central Texas. Not even a hint of cool, crisp fall-ish weather.

But ... September 1st is almost here. And that means (ta-da!) it's time for another edition of R(eaders) I(mbibing) P(eril) (RIP for short), the reading challenge/event begun and hosted annually by Carl V. Anderson over at Stainless Steel Droppings. This year Carl is taking a little break from hosting (a well-deserved break, after nine years of being a wonderful host) and passing the duties over to Andi and Heather, of the Estella Society.

RIP is one of my favorite reading events every year. Typically I begin stalking Carl's blog around the middle of August, making regular daily visits to see if the announcement page has gone up yet. It's my idea of the perfect reading challenge event -- hardly any rules, and it encourages me to read books from all my favorite genres (Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, and Supernatural). You can read all about the challenge and sign up by visiting the Estella Society's announcement page.

This year, I'm once again going for Peril the First -- read four books of any length that fit any of the RIP categories -- and Peril on the Screen as well.  I'm also toying with the idea of joining in on Peril of the Group Read: The chosen book will be Lauren Owen's The Quick, a book I've been wanting to read. But I'll have to wait and see about that one -- it's a long book, and I'm a very slow reader.

Haven't really made any firm decisions about what I'll read or watch yet, but I have a few possibilities in mind for the reading peril:

• Blue Labyrinth. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
• The Book of Lost Things. John Connolly 
• The Colony. F.G. Cottam
• The Girl on the Train. Paula Hawkins
• The Haunted Hotel. Wilkie Collins 
• The Midnight Side. Natasha Mostert
• The Night Sister. Jennifer McMahon
• A Shadow on the Wall. Jonathan Aycliffe
• Shadow Ritual. Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne
• A Song of Shadows. John Connolly
• Tales of Men and Ghosts. Edith Wharton
• The Vanishment. Jonathan Aycliffe

I seem to  have a little shadow-thing going on here, don't I? Well, I guess that's appropriate.

I could definitely go on with the list, but I'll stop now. Over the two months, I'll be tracking my progress and keeping all my lists over on my challenge blog (HERE).  So, here we go again....

Book Beginnings: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, by Natasha Pulley (Bloomsbury USA, July 2015). These are the opening lines of Part One:

The home office telegraphy department always smelled of tea. The source was one packet of Lipton's at the back of Nathaniel Steepleton's desk drawer.

Initial Thoughts:

First thing that occurred to me: That must be one extremely strong package of tea. Other than that, I don't really have much to say. Except maybe that I'm not particularly overwhelmed by this beginning. But I like the book's description, so I'm willing to take a chance. (You can read an excerpt from the book over at BookBrowse, possibly for a limited time.)

Actually, I think I was more attracted by the cover than by any of the synopses I've read. Dangerous, I know -- picking a book for its cover art. You never do that, do you?

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

Teaser Tuesdays: The Forgotten Room

This week my teaser lines come from The Forgotten Room, by Lincoln Child (Doubleday, May 2015). It's the 4th novel in Child's "Jeremy Logan" series of thrillers. This snippet comes from page 131 (Loc.1793 of the Kindle edition):

"You think this thing was created to detect ghosts ... and was abandoned because it  didn't work?"
"Perhaps," Logan murmured. "Or perhaps because it worked too well."

Lincoln Child is probably best known for the thrillers he writes with Douglas Preston -- I've read several of those, and enjoyed them. Enjoyed this one, too. So, one more series to catch up on.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.

And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in your comment here.

Book Beginnings: Goodbye Stranger

Goodbye Stranger, by Rebecca Stead (Wendy Lamb Books; August 4, 2015). These are the opening lines from the book's Prologue:

When she was eight years old, Bridget Barsamian woke up in a hospital, where a doctor told her she shouldn't be alive. It's possible that he was complimenting her heart's determination to keep pumping when half her blood was still uptown on 114th Street, but more likely he was scolding her for roller-skating into traffic the way she had.

Initial Thoughts:

OK, my first thought was: Why in the world would she be roller-skating into traffic? Shouldn't an 8-year-old know better? The other thought that comes to me is that I used to LOVE roller-skating. Am I too old for it now? Would I risk hip-replacement just to roll around the rink a few times? Hmmm.

But I digress.

I've heard a lot about this one, so I'm looking forward to getting to it in a few days (if things go the way I'm hoping they will). Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me won the Newbery Medal in 2010 -- I haven't read that one either, but it's definitely on my TBR list. Right there, with all the four or five thousand other to-be-read volumes.

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

Book Beginnings: A Man of Some Repute

This week's beginning is from A Man of Some Repute, by Elizabeth Edmondson, just out (July 1st) from Thomas & Mercer publishers. It's the first book in the "Very English Mystery" series. These are the opening lines:

Headlines

England, January 1947

PEER VANISHES
Police are trying to trace the whereabouts of Lord Selchester, who walked out into a blizzard from his home, Selchester Castle, on Saturday and has not been seen since.
Foul play is not suspected.

Initial Thoughts:

Well, I certainly suspect foul play, don't you? I liked the sound of this one when I found it over at NetGalley, but I have to admit it was mainly the cover that pulled me in. It really reminds me of all those Golden Age mysteries I've always loved. And I suppose that's what it's supposed to do. ("Very English" and all that.) Had to put it aside to finish up two other books, so I haven't actually started reading yet. But I think it's up next.

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

Teaser Tuesday: In the Dark Places

This week my teaser lines come from In the Dark Places, Peter Robinson's 22nd Inspector Banks mystery novel, just out today from William Morrow publishers. (It was first published in the UK last year, with the title Abattoir Blues.) This snippet is from page 3, or location 110 of the Kindle version:

...he picked up that rank and coppery smell of blood. It was a smell he remembered well.
The thought came into his mind unbidden: someone has died here. 

Well, we have possible mayhem almost from the very start of this one. I think it's definitely off to a promising start.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.

And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in your comment here.

Teaser Tuesdays: Newport

This week my teaser lines come from Jill Morrow's latest novel, Newport (William Morrow, July 2015). This snippet comes from page 82:

Her expression was as guileless as ever, those big blue eyes belying any concept of deviousness. She was adorable, easily the cutest thing he'd seen in quite a while. But so were kittens, and they made him break out in hives.

Haven't actually started this one yet. And I've got to admit, it caught my attention mainly because of the cover. Now I'm just hoping the cover won't be the best part.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.

And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in your comment here.