Welcome to Litsy!

Decent, gory, horror novel, but be warned, multiple dogs are killed in story!

So I hate DNF‘ing books, but I started this in October and have absolutely no want to continue it right now. Maybe later 🤷🏼‍♀️? Just too slow for me at the moment and I hate seeing it sitting in my room and waiting to be read 😳.

My Halloween read this year was a good one: a very spooky tale involving a vengeful elk spirit. While many horror tales co-opt Native American culture as almost an afterthought, having characters who are part of the same culture makes the novel richer and more interesting. I also enjoyed Graham Jones' dialogue - so good you forget you're reading and not watching a movie. I did have a tough time visualizing some of the lengthy action sequences. 👇

The author is described as the Jordan Peele of horror literature…this is very accurate. This story was a bit slow for me, and I didn‘t love the writing style. I think it would make an excellent movie, though.

Didn‘t realize my next read was going to start in my home state!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For day two‘s prompt of #creature I thought of The Only Good Indians. It‘s one of my all-time faves in horror. For those that can‘t get into reading it, I recommend the audiobook which is extremely well done!
#scarathlondailyprompts #teammonstermash @StayCurious

My current read perfectly fits the photo #scarathlondailyprompts for this first day of October: black! #scarathlon #spookyseason #teamslaughter

I think everything you want in a good horror novel is here. Some genuine nail-biting scenes. Some grotesque imagery. More importantly, though, it‘s inventive in the way it uses structure and how it builds its suspense. It takes horror tropes and uses them to make something new and to top it off, infuses it with Native lore to make it feel almost possible. The end delivers, as well, which, with horror, is usually the hardest thing to pull off.

I would love to The Only Good Indians make it to the screen. Sterlin Harjo to direct!

I'm about half way through and unfortunately I need to bail. This book has been hard to get into and wrap my head around what's going on. Which is too bad, I was so excited to read it.

This was a strange atmospheric horror wrapped in Native American folklore. It was a difficult read and I wasn‘t exactly sure what was going on at times, but I definitely respect the writing. Also definitely creepy and the author paints a cinematic picture with his prose. 4⭐️

Next up on audio. The beginning of fall has put me in a mood for creepier reads.

I am reading the book. The writing style is difficult but once I gathered how the writer speaks and thinks I understand. Not halfway there in the book but so far I haven‘t been scared. Some sad animal cruelty.

"too many horse thoughts" ??☺️

I tore threw this book. It was unlike any horror story I‘ve ever read. That said, it took a lot of suspended disbelief, even for a horror novel. It‘s definitely not for everyone.

That‘s it, I don‘t like the way he writes. The story sounded good, apart from some heavy bits that felt unnecessary to me… but I dno, it felt lacking in structure and pace. I prob made it to 35-40% and I was intrigued, but struggling, so I called it.

This was my blind date with a book! 😱

I JUST finished this book and these are the fresh thoughts I jotted down. Basically, the full length version of my brief review in my previous post. The reference to the climax gives nothing away, save for the trope used in it.
I'm between a pick and so-so
I definitely believe it's a book to be read at least once (for those who can handle it at least); but, at least for present me, it was a kind of a slog until the last section.

This is my second read of Stephen Graham Jones. The Only Good Indians is a dark horror tale of revenge and culture. What happens when one diverts from tradition?

This was more organized than My Heart is a Chainsaw, and it has the gore mixed into the story more. I would definitely recommend this to a horror nut.

Pretty creepy! It not only delivers a slow build of inexorable dread, but it gives glimpses into Native American life as it really is, not the romanticized version. The book tells the story of four Native American boys who do something reckless and wrong in their youth, with no idea of the price they will pay . . . eventually. Ten years later, revenge comes calling and finds all of them at home. One by one, they are targeted for their past deeds.

Not quite my thing, and I guess I found the ending kind of predictable in a way... but I think that's part of the horror genre, a trope that's baked in, like the happy ending in romance. Bit too much basketball for this rugby-watching Taffy.

Still, glad I gave it a shot.

And I'm so close to a bingo and it's only the 8th! #BookSpinBingo

I have a new author to add to my favorites list 😍. The tagged is the second best book I have read this year!! #nywd22

I‘m picking The Fifth Season for April

4 ⭐️s
Wow, this one will stick with me for a while! I was absolutely blown away and could NOT put this one down. The only reason it‘s not a five star read is the odd perspective change that happens halfway through. Otherwise, it‘s an absolutely epic horror. I‘ll be looking up more of Jones‘ work, he‘s an amazingly refreshing talent. I never knew what was going to happen next, it kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat the whole way through.

I am still confused on this book after re-reading it, there‘s parts I really like - but parts that make it near indigestible. Hugeeee warning for the level of graphic violence towards animals #horror

Not sure how I feel about it. The writing/character narration style is like one long run on sentence #socialhorror #popsugarchallenge2022

Nice, original horror story

I really enjoyed this book! This is a novel that focuses on the topics of revenge, culture, tradition, generational trauma/healing all through a fast paced tale of horror/supernatural. It was eerie, it was thrilling, and I couldn‘t put it down.

Satisfyingly creepy. Loses a little momentum in the middle, but the first and final sections more than make up for it.

#12Booksof2021 #1stBookof2021 #January

Thank you @Andrew65 for tagging me.

Anyone else want to join? I'd love to see your picks.

Thank you so much @Readergrrl for this assortment of #creepychristmasswap goodies! You‘re right - the tagged book looks right up my alley! I‘m looking forward to digging into the other two as well the magazine (love that cover!). The two Krampus ornaments are immediately going on my tree (the basket of kids the one is carrying kills me 😆).

Thanks @teebe for organizing this fun swap!

#jolabokaflod swap. Thank you so much @Emilymdxn - the book has been on my #tbr list forever, & i haven't heard/tried this chocolate before!

@MaleficentBookDragon thanks for organising!

Meh. Just meh.
⭐️: 2/5

One night before Thanksgiving, four friends--Ricky, Lewis, Cass and Gabe--young men from the Blackfeet reservation, went out on a hunt. In this superbly chilling horror novel, they face the consequences of their actions that night. I couldn't read this book before bedtime; granted, I am a horror lightweight, but something about the slow build of dread really got to me. Grisly and unforgettable.

Finished this horror gem for the second time for book club. I will be forever haunted by Elkhead Woman. If you like horror and you can handle animal death, you will like this one. Be prepared to be forever frightened of elk after you read it.

3rd book finished for #NovelNovember #readathon @Andrew65

This is very good, but I cannot handle how much there are animals being harmed and killed. 😥

@Eggbeater you were right, this one isn‘t for me. I gave it a go for book club but I can tell by the tone that I‘m not going to make it through so I‘m moving on to lighter reads.

Slightly underwhelming tale of four Native American men and their run-in with a ghostly elk. Lots of people loved it but I found it a bit of a struggle to be honest.

@Bookishgal71 thank you thank you thank you for an wonderfully spooky parcel!!! I‘m so excited to curl up with one of these tonight! @wanderinglynn this swap is a highlight of my year, thank you so much for putting it together! 🎃🧡🖤🎃🧡🖤

#hauntedhallowswap

My goodness. Deeply disturbing, this book is dark. Firmly in the horror camp which I don‘t read often. The writing is crisp, authentic, and fantastic. Just amazing! Parts are really hard to get through-raw and vivid and so upsetting. Violent, harm on the page to people and animals-this one is tough, y‘all. But the story? Simply amazing. And good on #audio
#integrateyourshelf #firstnations #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

The Halloween reads continue! Four men are haunted by a past misdeed that has returned to ensure they suffer for what was done. As each man falls to violence and murder in the midst of extreme paranoia, we learn the truth about what happened on a hunting trip 10 years ago.

Bk38 of #LittensDressedInBlood Bk1 of #20in4 & Bk19 of #Scarathlon2021 #Screamathon #SpookoweenReadathon #Wickedathon #Necronomathon #RoaringWolf #RIP #HalloweenReadathon #ItsBritneyBingoWitch #BookishBingo #ChapterBreakBingo #OutOfComfortZoneBingo #Pageathon #PennyPerPage #BookspinBingo is done. I‘ve had this on my TBR since last Scarathlon, glad I finally got to it. Creepy&weird but fabulous, I love indigenous horror 1,296pts #TeamSlaughter

Starting this book tonight! I don't read too much horror, so we'll see how I handle it.

What a beginning! Also great audiobook narration so far. I thought I recognized the actor's voice and looked him up to realize he also performed in Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. #IndigenousBooks #NativeReads #Horror

A nice, relaxing Sunday evening

This was a perfect October book! It was unsettling and it just drew you in quickly. A little gory, but so good.

#Haunted Day 15: #FreakyFriday should be matched with my freaky current read. Paired with loaded fries with beans and pico de gallo and cheese and all yummy goodness.

I would have loved this if it hadn‘t been for all of the violent dog deaths. I fast forwarded through the ones near the end of the book. The rest of this is a creepy revenge story that is perfect for October. I loved the ending, too. Just…ugh with the dogs. 😭😭

Some appropriately scary, creepy, and magical books I'm interested in reading this month (knowing full well I won't be able to get to all of them 😅)