#RIPXIII Rewind: Spooky-Good

RIP XIII began on the first of September, and I was off and running! While I did get a lot of reading done, it was a mixed bag of unsettling winners and…well…duds. Here are the books you should read and skip.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn was unsettling. Flynn can freak me out like almost no other other…to the point that I haven’t read a whole lot of her work. This short story seemed like a perfect way to kick off the season, and it definitely delivered some unsettling twists and turns.

Meg (Meg #1) by Steve Alten was just as hokey as I knew it would be. Admittedly, one of my favorite good-bad movies is Deep Blue Sea. Remember the one? With LL Cool J as a preacher and cook on an offshore oil rig? Super-sharks with incredible intelligence? It was the epitome of good-bad, and Meg was pretty close. Although, it was a lot grosser. It was just ok, so go on and skip it.

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth was a quick read in the faux realism category. Dr. Spencer Black’s work is presented as real, Blair Witch style, though it had more of a historical flavor, which I prefer. It was a fun read, but again, skip it.

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins gave me soooo many 90s throwback Scream vibes! Nostalgia for days, y’all. While it was predictable in spots, give it a try.

The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren by Gerald Brittle freaked me right on out. It’s one of those “nonfiction” books that makes you feel a little dirty for reading it. Kind of like tempting fate! If demons freak you out, go on and give it a try. I found myself deleting it and re-adding it to my Kindle multiple times.

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell was the big winner of the month. Set in a dusty, cobwebbed mansion in the countryside, populated with not entirely trustworthy characters, and packing a creepy wallop you should definitely give this book a read–especially if you like Sarah Waters, though the writing is not as engrossing as hers.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Robert Hack, and Jack Morelli is a comic book winner. I have never cared for old school Archie comics, but this one and Afterlife With Archie are my hands-down favorite horror comics.

All-in-all it was a very noteworthy RIP season, and I’m not really ready to stop. I’m sure you’ll see plenty more spooky reads here soon!

Now, what did you read for RIP? Any recommendations for must-haves?