Welcome to Litsy!

This is what I read this weekend. #weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

The tagged (middle) is my main read - an Icelandic thriller.
The one on the right is a children's adventure book,
the left one an illustrated encyclopedia of dragons.
They are all reads for #gottacatchemall @ThePuddleJumper

#Iceland #dragons #mythologicalcreatures #ghoststories #psychologicalthrillers #Pokemon #winter #weekend #children #nature #adventure

It absolutely is. A ghost story that had me up at night and realizing my imagination could reach concerning levels of imagery. However, that‘s what made it so much fun to read. So well written (and translated) to create a world all ghost lovers will enjoy. Highly recommend with caution. #horror #ghoststory #recommend #horrorrecommendation

Haven‘t read as many spooky season books as I planned. But the tagged book was a good one. We had out of town company for ten day so my reading suffered 🤪. We took the company for our annual fall walk at Letchworth State Park (among other places) #FallReading #spookyseason #FallVibes

I am a sucker for isolated settings with a body count. This novel has alternating POV chapters and the way they tie together relies heavily on coincidence, but it‘s still believable. The whole thing is creepy, atmospheric, and ultimately so, so sad. I just wish it had ended about three pages sooner. I HATED the very end.

This ended up being a lot sadder than I anticipated. The story follows 2 people—one with her husband and a friend to renovate an old house, the other a psychiatrist. Both are being haunted by the past, and by a ghost. It‘s definitely creepy, and somewhat predictable, but the end is just so sad. TW for child abuse.

Part mystery, part ghost story, this is a creepy little novel about wrongdoing, revenge, and rage that transcends time. It's interesting how in this novel rage is presented as a kind of infectious agent, something you can fight but never really snuff out. In tone, it reminds me a little of Michelle Paver's Dark Matter and caused the hairs on my head to stand up as I walked to bed in the dark after finishing a chapter.

Audiowalk while waiting for a teen at a music lesson. Less productive but more pleasant than the audiodusting and audiodecluttering I've been doing lately. My in-laws are coming to visit soon for the first time in a decade, and I'm somewhat frantically trying to clear up some lingering projects, mostly making more mess in the process.

Spooky as hell! Well plotted and suspenseful, with just the right amount of paranormal "WTF-ery" and a dash of "I'd better make sure to pick a well lit reading spot". I'm not usually one to seek out ghost stories, but this is an author I'll definitely be revisiting.

This book creeped me the heck out.That's saying something because ghost/horror stories don't typically affect me at all. It's the author's skillful use of imagery that got under my skin. It definitely has the atmospheric element that I look for in a story like this. Aside from that, this is a well thought out novel that kept my interest from start to finish. I'm going to read more of her books for sure. 😊

#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks
Can‘t say this was a win for me. As is often the case with translations (for me at least), the dialogue was stilted and seemed to get worse as this ghost story went along. I can‘t pan it because there were a couple chilling moments, but it was too long and not particularly satisfying.

A ghost story recommendation from #SimoneStJames

#AugustAuthors
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

Do not read this book alone at night! I thought this ghost story was actually scary, which can be hard to do in a novel-length book, and really well done.

Even though I do not like thrillers, this one is very captivating and at some points very frightening. I wanted to read on and put it away at the same time. For me a total pick. #icelandiclit #iceland

I have to read this one during daylight and out in the open otherwise I would have quit already. It is very thrilling and terrifying. But so far it is better than the other Icelandic thriller I have read before. #iceland #icelandiclit

Bookish package of a friend of mine living in Iceland. The one one the left is one of my books I borrowed to her and the other two are hers which she borrows to me. 🤗
But all of them are from Icelandic authors and are situated in Iceland.
#iceland #icelandiclit #icelandicliterature

I'm not sure why I didn't review this when I read it as I really liked it & it's easily one of the best ghost stories I've read in the past couple of years. Three friends travel to an isolated village to renovate a house. Strange & inexplicable events begin occurring. I found this book to be atmospheric, clever & unsettling.
#screamathonphotochallenge
#haunted @4thhouseontheleft

When three friends decide to renovate an old house in an abandoned village, they encounter a vengeful spirit who wants them gone. Their stories collide with a doctor investigating a suicide and mourning the disappearance (and presumed death) of his son.

Creepy!

I picked this up because I had heard from numerous people that it was genuinely frightening. Sadly, it didn‘t seem so to me. Parts of it were a little spine-tingly but mostly the ghost story aspect fell flat for me. Don‘t get me wrong, it is extremely well written and the mystery of the missing boys, decades apart, was cleverly interspersed with the supernatural happenings on the island. I was definitely driven to keep reading and enjoyed it.

Super creep mystery! I tore through this one, the author did a great job keeping the suspense going and tying all the pieces together at the end.

Friends set out to rehab and old house on a forgotten shore while a doctor attempts to unravel mysteries after his sons disappearance. This book perfectly combined mystery and horror. Which just so happen to be my two favorite genres! At times my heart pounded and I questioned whether or not I should be reading it alone! An intricate web of characters and lives intertwine in the fabulous thriller that left me needing to know more page after page.

May not be the cutest reading nook but you make due with what you‘re given at work. It‘s another one of those nights in the ICU. Phones aren‘t allowed. But I won‘t let that stop me from reading!

Part 7/10 of today‘s home-library tour! ☺️

Do you own, or have you read, any of these?

#MrBooksBooks

Started 2/16. Gave up 3/2. DNF at chapter 5, page 54. Terrific foreboding, but I just can't get into this one for some reason. Not sure if I've burnt myself out on winter reads over the last month or if the call of other books in Mt TBR is drowning out this one. I may or may not pick this back up down the road. I'll probably check out the movie and if that floats my boat, read the book next winter.

1. Kansas ?
2. The last author I read that was new to me and I hadn't heard much about before was Sarah Maine. I enjoyed it and will look for more of her books in the future.
3. 100+ counting both "piled" and ebooks. ??
4. Bed
5. I was just thinking back about the tagged book yesterday. It's spooky!
#littenintro @tessavi

I like ghost stories and I love reading #womenintranslation so I did enjoy this but I do have some questions about the ending. This is a supernatural/ mystery book and at the ending everything comes together and you see how things are linked except it didn't quite work for me. I'm going to say what didn't work in spoilers comments.
Also another spoiler is the dog is fine, if that was worrying you to read it, your safe.

Don‘t read this book! This is some scary ish. If I had any idea how freaking scary this was I would‘ve given it a hard pass. But yeah, read this now! Many, many times while reading this I was saying to myself, f-this book and it‘s couch. This is such a creep of a book I‘m going to call an old priest and a young priest right now! #nosleepnow #nightmaresfordays #FUIceland #creepyassbook

First book I've read by this Icelandic author (currently reading). Anyone read her? #dogsoflitsy

My brain has been stuck on a steady refrain of "wtf wtf wtf wtf wtf omg wtf" for the last couple hours as I finished this book. Ho. Ly. Shit.

I started this one yesterday. Well-written, unpredictable, atmospheric & creepy af. This is my first Sigurdardóttir. Certainly won't be my last.

I love creepy ghost stories!! This book delivers. There's two parallel stories that come together at the end. There's two creepy kid ghosts. There's a mystery. It's great! Horror books don't scare me, but I love to read them.

Creepy book is creepy. #socksunday

The writing was not amazing (or maybe it was just a bad translation?) But the story was compelling enough to keep me turning the pages. Two parallel narratives about strange and tragic occurrences end up being bizarrely intertwined and everything comes full circle at the end. There were some creepy moments, and overall this was an easy read that I got through quickly. It was a fun and worthwhile ghost story.

Some after-work reading curled up with two of my monsters

It's really hard to read and keep an eye on a curious kitten at the same time. Couldn't figure out why there was dirt all over the floor and kept thinking the dogs were up to something. Now I know.
#catsoflitsy #blackcatsoflitsy

#octobermustreads #hallowreads
I love horror and October just gives me another excuse to read more of it 😁

@JoeStalksBeck @Tiffy_Reads

I'm loving how much this guy likes to come curl up with me when I read. Should've gotten a kitty a lot sooner 😍

Here's a #bookrainbow of horror that's still on my TBR. A couple of these books are slated for my September and October reading list! 👻

#fallintobooks

Eek! Just started and already so creepy!

It took a bit to get going but once all the pieces began to fall into place, it got creepy quickly. A good, solid twisty thriller.

Finally getting to this creepy, atmospheric ghost story/mystery novel. I've had it on my list for awhile. Recommended by @Liberty many moons ago...

Ok, this is a bit of a stretch, but I don't have much for this one - #aintnobody could get me to go on this trip to a deserted island, and there definitely #aintnobody could get me to stay once the spooky happenings start!! This lady knows how to write a creepy story (image from the web). #junetunz

If ghost story crime novels are your thing, read this! This is not my favorite genre, and I am happy to say this is low in gore, yippee! #192019 #2012

I really need to get dinner started. I'd rather just stay here. #catsoflitsy

Pretty sure this is my first Icelandic Crime Fiction Award winner!

Woo hoo! My Book Outlet order from the Boxing Day sale was waiting at my door when I got home from work! I also got Uprooted as a late Christmas present from my friend today. I'm really excited to jump into all of these! Now obviously I shouldn't need new books for a while, but unfortunately I looked at a list of this week's book releases, so more new books will be cozying up to these on the shelves this weekend. 😄

This took weeks to start, and I found it so slow going that I had to stop to read another book. Once I hit the half way mark and couldn't put it down! I loved the way the two stories merged, loved that I had no inkling of answers until near the end, loved the backdrop and loved the creepy factor. One of the few books to legitimately creep me out! Was gonna take a pic outside but it's TOO COLD, so I took a pic from our side door looking out. Br!

I loved this book! The build up is slow, but once you get to the reveal, it's so worth it. I'm so glad I took @Liberty 's recommendation!

It's definitely snowing out! I wouldn't usually go out in it JUST for Starbucks but last night was a long one full of PTSD nightmares. The American suggested that brushing off the truck and venturing out would be a good distraction for a rough morning, and he was right ❤️ and hello holiday panini for breakfast ... no shame.

Me: Perfect Saturday night, in bed early and reading
The American: it's Friday
Me: what?
The American: it's not Saturday night, it's Friday night.
Me: oh.
The American: ......
Me: ......
The American: so basically the same thing
Me: #introvertproblems

In the middle of a spooky read inspired by All the Books! #booksfromsteinbeck