This was my first time partaking in the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril XII Challenge (#RIPXII). From September 1st through October 31st participants read horror, paranormal, mystery, dark fantasy, and more. Basically, the dark and creepy genres that go hand-in-hand with autumn. I also watched some movies.

Overall, it felt a little forced for me. I prefer to kick off my spooky, creepy reading in late October, but this challenge did motivate me to finally watch the classic silent film, Nosferatu.

Books Read:

• Hunting Prince Dracula (2017) by Kerri Maniscalco. DNF’d this one. YA.
• Glass Houses (2017) by Louise Penny. Canadian Mystery.
• The Blank Wall (1947) by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding. Psychological suspense.
• And Fire Came Down (2016) by Emma Viskic. Australian Mystery.
• The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg. Graphic novel. Lesbian.
• Lost Voyage (2016) by Pauline Rowson. Nautical mystery.

Currently Reading:

• Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula (2017) by Bram Stoker and Valdimar Asmundsson, translated by Hans Corneel De Roos. I’m halfway through this one and digging it. Asmundsson translated Stoker’s Dracula (1897) into Icelandic in 1900, but radically changed the story, so it’s familiar yet different.

Movies Watched:

• Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) directed by Francis Ford Coppola. I saw this one when it first came out and didn’t like it. It was even worst than I remembered.
• Nosferatu (1922) directed by F.W. Murnau. An unauthorized movie (silent film) adaptation of Stoker’s Dracula. I had started this once in the past and just wasn’t up for it. I’m happy to have finally watched the whole thing, but must admit I was more interested by the background details like door knobs, furniture, and architecture than the action. My favorite scene was where Count Orlok, the vampire, carries his own coffin from the ship to his new lair.
• Dracula 2000 (2000) directed by Patrick Lussier. The film hasn’t received good ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, by I enjoyed it. Thought it was an interesting continuation of the Van Helsing character in Stoker’s original tale. It incorporates the mythology that Judas Iscariot was the first vampire. Apparently, there are two sequels to this movie that I might track down.

Here’s the trailer if you’re so inclined:

What creepy books are you reading this season? Do you have a favorite vampire movie I should watch?