The summer is officially over. Kids are either back in school or heading back next week. University students are flocking back into town this weekend. It's been getting dark earlier. But the real sign that summer is over is that I'm thinking about ghoulish, ghosty and gothic reading I need to do for the annual RIP Challenge. Yes, that time of year where you will find Reader's Imbibing Peril all over the blogosphere is here.

The temptation to see and read a gloomy, gothic novel is not so tempting right now when I'm still wearing t-shirts and the sun is shining, but by October when the weather cools and the leaves change colours I'll be wanting just that kind of book. I know this because the first year this challenge was presented I didn't sign up and then as Halloween edged closer I kicked myself in the pants repeatedly. I wanted to read the creepy, crawly books about things that go bump in the night that everyone else was reading.

Carl knows that not everyone will want to commit to reading a lot of these books and has created different levels of participation: choose Peril the First and read four scary books of any length; or Peril the Second read two scary books of any length; or Peril the Third read one scary book of any length. The challenge officially starts on September 1 (although you could start today if you like) and wraps up on October 31.

Here's a peak at what people are selecting.

Bobbi of Bobbi's Book Nook is catching up on some series, including the Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine. I've seen some really good reviews of this series, including this one of the first four books in the series by Crimson Cloud Nine.

The characters are incredibly relatable, all with their own desires and agendas, all trying to survive (happily, if possible) in a town that seems to always be dark. You really start to root and hope for them.

Best of all: it's been a long time since the vampires in the story were, GASP, evil!!

I loved the title of Veronica's blog, The First Draft of Anything is Shit but also her book selections. One of her choices is The Woman in White byWilkie Collins which is the first book on my list for this challenge too. I've only read one of Collins' books and I'll admit that I wasn't a big fan of it but I've heard nothing but good things about The Woman in White. Farmgirl at Large even bought a copy to donate to her local library because she couldn't believe they didn't have it. The Indextrious Reader and Educating Petunia have it on their challenges lists as well.

One author that is popping up a number lists is Daphne du Maurier. Cupid's Chokehold, Curiouser and Curiouser, and the Bluestocking Societyare all reading her Rebecca. Read-Warbler and It's All About Books are reading du Maurier's Jamaica Inn.

Bridge of the Book God has a family thing going on in her list with Stephen King's Duma Key and A Heart-Shaped Box written by his son Joe Hill. And while the comparisons between Hill and King cannot be stopped Hill holds his ground with his dad. Colette, one of the contributors to the Plainfield Public Library District blog was recommending it to people before she finished the first chapter and said that it "was the best, hands down book of the whole summer."

Are you ready to be scared? Choose your Peril, choose your books and maybe keep the lights on...

Contributing Editor Sassymonkey blogs at Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.