Monday, September 13, 2010

Scared Sh*tless Reading Challenge



Do you get a sick pleasure out of things that go bump in the night? When you read a scary story, do you turn the lights down as far as you can and read by candlelight with a blanket over your head? Do you wait until nighttime to break out those macabre tales? Does the month of October make you giddy?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you're ready for Bites' Scared Sh*tless Reading Challenge! What is the Scared Sh*itless Reading Challenge you ask? Well that's simple! When you sign up for the Scared Sh*tless Reading Challenge, you're vowing to read something, or many somethings, horrifying during the month of October (and this does not include Sarah Palin's autobiography).

First, let us define horror -
an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear: to shrink back from a mutilated corpse in horror.
A rather simple definition, don't you think? Well, let me expound on that just a little further. Just because there are vampires in a novel doesn't make it horror. Just because there are zombies in a novel doesn't make it horror. Generation Dead: not horror. Vampire Academy: not horror. Fear Street: horror. The Devouring: horror. Anything by Christopher Pike: horror. I'm talking about the real fear-inducing stuff. Not the kind that makes you go, "OMG he's so hooooooooot!" Those books are misclassified for no other reason than because someone hasn't created a new genre yet and feels the need to ruin real horror for the rest of us.

For this reading challenge, the horror isn't watered down. Vampires are something to fear. Zombies are something to run from. Ghosts scare the shit out of you. Get my drift? I mean, what's Halloween if all that's involved is a simpering emo pussy of a vampire? Puhlease.

So if this sounds like your bag, then sign up in the comments below. Apparently a free Mr. Linky account doesn't allow you to have two active widgets and since my Ban This! linky is still running, this one's going to have to be relegated to the comments section. So have at it. And don't forget to grab the button on the left and let everyone know just how scared shitless you'll be in October.

14 comments:

Michael Antonio Araujo said...

I really want to join this! But I need to buy the books that will scare me shitless xD

I see you've mentioned a few up there but any other recommendations that will even get a 19-year-old male a bit creeped out? I've always been meaning to ready scary novels just never found a reason. Hopefully if I get some I'll join in xD

Even if I have to go to the -shudders- library. Now THAT'S a scary thought.

Nely said...

I'm so down for this!! I must come up with scare-the-pants off of me book list.

Donna (Bites) said...

Let the Right One In is supposed to be really good. Anything Stephen King, of course. John Saul. The thing is a lot of good horror isn't categorized as YA, unfortunately.

Lori Johnston said...

I love a good scary book! I have wanted to read Ghost Story for the longest time and this gives me an excuse (and an excuse to hit The Mother Ship, Barnes & Noble).

Awesome challenge name, Donna!

Lori Johnston said...

I have posted about the challenge on my blog, Donna.

http://psychoticstate.blogspot.com/2010/09/another-reading-challenge.html

Angelique said...

I'm so in, I LOVE horror and I've had a Clegg book laying around that I've been meaning to read =)

Midnyte Reader said...

I just read Neverland by Douglas Clegg and it creeped me out. Also Pet Semetary by Stephen King scared me in college in a dorm full of people. Yay! It's so hard for me to get scared.

Bitsy Bling Books said...

I'm in! I'll post challenge over at my book review site: http://www.bitsyblingbooks.com
I love Oct. reads!

Charlie

Genevieve Graham said...

I have a suggestion for a brand new book ... perfect for this kind of challenge!

The Wedding Gift by Kathleen McKenna.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453701974/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Anonymous said...

I've entered the challenge too! I'm really excited and I hope I can get some really good scary books to read for this month.

http://justblindedbookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/10/i-want-something-little-different-this.html

Katie said...

This sounds awesome. I'm entering!

(I laughed out loud at the mention of Sarah Palin's bio being scary!)

Anonymous said...

Of course I'm in. :-)

Book Loving Mommy said...

I'm so in! I love anything scary! I posted this challenge on my blog!

http://booklovingmommy.blogspot.com

Julie said...

OK; I'm in! Here's my post: http://jewelknits.blogspot.com/2010/10/scared-shtless-reading-challenge.html

Now off to visit the others!

Julie @ Knitting and Sundries

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