Welcome to Litsy!

This one only. It's really good!

@rachelsbrittain
#weekendreads #darkacademia #gothic #uncanny #collegelife

An eerie story of a young woman who has never felt truly part of something or fully happy with her life. She joins a cult-like school to learn academia, but begins to decipher friendship, rebelliousness and belonging. The bizarre yet intriguing plasm concentration studies lurks everywhere though and it‘s up to Ines, the protagonist, to decide if she will overcome plasm or if it will overcome her. Betrayed by Theo, saved by Yaya, Ines makes her way

We're visiting my folks for the weekend and decided to spend the afternoon on the boat. I started this twisty Gothic dark academia scifi (?!) and can't seem to put it down.

Catherine House started out as a strong novel for me, but I felt the plot was lost a little bit. Maybe I would feel differently had I not listened to the #audiobook of this. I didn't hate it, it just wasn't the best type of novel to listen to. Maybe I'll try it again at a later time, but get a hard copy. Despite what I felt was lacking, it was a #creepy, dark read. Not up to par with #silviaMorenaGarcia writing, but similar vibes. #campusnovel

Half way and just can't anymore. And I was already forcing myself to listen and finding myself tune out as it's just so booooooring. Also, "I was sad like the vacuum was sad" freaking killed me ??? is my vacuum sad???? Questions I will never actually ask myself ?☠️

Is she high? Are they all high? Am I high? These questions all crossed my mind while reading this book. I have spent all day thinking about it and finally decided it was a pick for me. CH is an exclusive school with free tuition and room and board. Students must commit to staying for three years (including summers), never leaving the grounds, and then will leave to be successful. I‘m unclear if CH is a college. I know the students are adults. ⬇️

If you‘re in the mood for a slow, unsettling atmospheric read with an interesting premise and maybe Aro mc, check this out! I didn‘t end up liking it, though. It needed some serious trimming. There‘s a ton of fluff in here that seemed so unnecessary that it took away from the story. Everything that did matter took way too long to pay off, and was hard to care about because of Ines‘s detached haze.
This was one of my #Roll100 picks. @PuddleJumper

#Movie2BookRecs @klou
Day 23 prompt: Orphan

#Scarathlon2022 @StayCurious
#TeamMonsterMash

Only about 50 pages in, but loving the vibe so far and feeling like I‘m about due to revisit Kat Howard‘s Roses & Rot.

I can see why people might not dig this one, but I was drawn in. I enjoyed the characters, the banter, the slow burn that congeals into a plot, the mysterious culty-ness. Any “horror“ in this book is a vibe, a window dressing for the events actually taking place and how the increasingly unreliable narrator and her friends deal with them, or don't. And I like that stuff.

This coming of age story set in the mysterious Catherine House college did not work for me. This read more like a YA novel rather than a gothic horror story. I found it repetitive and I guessed the twist well before the reveal. Beautiful cover design.

13 pages in. Waiting to see if I love it or hate it.

This book didn't do it for me. I never found it very spooky/scary, and even though the relationships are supposed to be super intense, I never felt that closeness. The characters blend together with only a couple of distinctive voices, and there's way more mention of what people are eating than I thought necessary. I mean, sure, if there's a special meal, but I don't need to hear how the same cookies taste every time a character eats them.

Alas, my reading completion rate has gone down precipitously. Yes, a long weekend I used listening to True Crime podcasts.

BUT, I did finish Catherine House. It‘s beautifully set & told. Lots of mixed opinions on it though! It‘s not scary, if that‘s how it‘s being labeled. It‘s more an elusive head-scratcher, with you-pick-your-own interpretation ending. If you keep that in mind you may want to give it a go.

I don‘t … I can‘t … what?!

Lush and enthralling, in a creepy way — just like Catherine House the setting. This just builds and builds.
I‘m reading a library copy on an e-reader, which doesn‘t do the gorgeous cover justice, so the Canton Tower in the background will have to serve for aesthetic.

Don‘t bother. No plot. No substance and the characters are shallow. I was dissatisfied. The plot moved so slowly. No answers given. And the atmosphere was tired, not gothic.

Slow, meandering, hypnotically Gothic.

I‘m not really sure the point. This seems like a half-baked idea and it just never really gets there. A lot of build up, not a big enough payoff.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Listened to this on audio and the narration was excellent. Unfortunately I liked it more than the book itself. The main character reminded me of the one from My Year of Rest and Relaxation - pretty girl, but lazy and generally unlikeable. The book ticked a lot of boxes for me - gothic vibes, mystery, campus novel...but a lot of things just aren‘t ever explained, with many parts of the story feeling a bit purposeless - or maybe it‘s just me.

This book was awesome. It‘s about a prestigious college where the people who go there have to be smart. The main character, Ines, had basically gave up education by the time she got to Catherine. The school in general, focuses in Plasm when they‘re not supposed to. Again, this book is spectacular and I would totally recommend it to all sorts of people.

While ultimately somewhat insubstantial, this is atmospheric & lushly written, with some genuinely creepy moments. A solid addition to any dark academia reading list, but at the end I was left with the nagging feeling of wanting to reread The Secret History - is that a good or bad sign? I‘m not sure.

I think I loved listening to Inés del Castillo read this book more than the story itself, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. It gave me Kazuo Ishiguro vibes and reminded me of Bunny by Mona Awad. If that‘s your jam, give this book a try.

Finished it yesterday very late. Gothic story in boarding school. I don‘t know the purpose of the story. School has like a paranormal sense, a cult & sci fi bc the experiments? Premise was good but it was like chunk of events not well related, last pages were interesting with an end that maybe will have a sequel? I don‘t know. I‘m glad I read it because I like to discover by myself if I like it or not. So thanks @freskner book was in my tbr 2.8⭐️

Was too sleepy to post this last night — my final time count for #24in48, and a picture of the three books I finished in print. Not pictured is the one audiobook I finished (Chatter) or the other one I started (The Warmth of Other Suns). Really enjoyed this readathon!

I probably only have an hour or so of reading left in me for tonight, though I am enjoying Catherine House. It‘s strange and dark, and I think I know where it‘s going, but can‘t be sure.

#24in48 #readathon #litfic #sundaynight #amreading

My next #24in48 read. I‘ve seen this novel compared to The Secret History, so my expectations might be a tad bit too high. Hoping it lives up to them!

#readathon #literaryfiction #weekendreads #newbook

This book reads like a literary fiction novel that wasn‘t quite working, so the author plunked in an underdeveloped, poorly interrogated sci-fi plot line and called it a day. It‘s just bad. And I don‘t know if the gorgeous cover is a good or bad thing, as it might prompt people to read this when they‘d probably rather not.

My #24in48 book stack! My to-read stack is tiny because I signed up last minute, so these are two of my TBR books (Catherine House and Shame), one Agatha Christie from the library, and a reread I‘m really excited for — An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good!

I‘ve started with the Christie and am one hour in. What are you readathoning?

#readathon #24in48readathon #bookstack #bookpile

This time for myTBR I asked for a book with the same vibes as If We Were Villains🖤, a historical mystery, and I‘m always trying to read more translated fiction. My bibliologist definitely gave me what I asked for but it looks like a couple may not be super well loved so I‘m a little nervous. (Why do I even look at ratings? 🤦🏼‍♀️)
#gettbr
P.S. If anyone has book recommendations for comps to If We Were Villians please send them my way!!

I try and give myself 15 mins between when I get ready and make breakfast to sit down and read a bit. I have had this on my bookshelf for months and I‘m excited to dive into it.

This was interesting/well written enough that it kept me turning pages to figure out what was going on at this secluded college. But it‘s not a horror or sinister book. It‘s college life with weird things going on that the main character tries to understand.

This book wasn‘t predictable. I never knew what the narrators focus was going to be every section break, but it also didn‘t have a satisfying ending.

Cool concept and setting, bad execution

Kept waiting for it to start... ending sucked.

Any Bronte fans out there?

This book!!! This is one of the best books I have read in a while. It takes place in a naughty, secretive, shady Hogwarts type school (no magic wands though). I can‘t think of any other way to describe it, and I don‘t want to give anything away. If you have read it, please message me or something 😂 I need opinions.

Finished CATHERINE HOUSE last night, and I‘m still processing it. Really wanted to love this one, but I don‘t feel like the ending delivers the expected payoff. Glanced at other reviews, and was surprised at how many complain they don‘t like the main character Ines. I understand why they don‘t, but I had no issue with her. It lags a bit in the middle, but overall, this book sank its teeth into me. 3.5 ⭐️ for me.

This book is just what the doctor prescribed for me. Desperately needed something that would sink its fangs into me and not let go. Read almost a hundred pages (roughly the first third of the book) last night. If this book can stick the landing, it‘ll be one of my favorites for 2020. #CatherineHouse #ElisabethThomas

Been letting dust collect on this one for too long, so I‘m starting Catherine House tonight. Hoping for a weird ride. 😸

New #library book day! I think I‘ll have to start with Catherine House since it seems to be in quite high demand.

I really love it when library holds come in just in time for the weekend! 😊💕📚 #librarylove #librarybookhaul

Finished this one last night and then crashed. I‘m honestly not sure what I think. I kept waiting to feel more. I still feel like I‘m waiting for something. 🤔

+16 pts for this book, bringing my Week 3 total to 13,201. My best week yet! And my overall total to: 17,906. Go #TeamSlaughter! #Scarathlon2020

My snack for the day! And tagged book I‘m hoping to finish for the first day of #slaughterathon! Seriously though, these pumpkin seeds are so good!! Will definitely buy more next time I venture out. 🎃

+1 #bookandsnack #24b4monday #scarathlon2020 #readyourwayreadathon #cocoturns50

Have always loved this song - Listened to it most recently because it was referenced in the tagged book. Whenever songs are mentioned in books, I love to listen and see how they influence the atmosphere of the story or my understanding of the characters. 🎶

I‘m officially giving up on this book and returning it to the library. I put it down a week ago and have absolutely no desire to pick it back up. That seems like I‘ve already given up!

Crossing off my #BookSpinBingo box

This gives me my first bingo 🤦‍♀️

TBR stack ☑️
Homemade chai latte ☑️
Quiet house with the fall sun streaming in ☑️
Sunday afternoon, ready to go!

The writing isn‘t really doing it for me with this one. The stuff going on is weird and confusing but not in a “I have to know what‘s going on” way. It‘s more like “Isn‘t this book over already” way. I may come back to it I may not but for the moment I‘m putting it down.

Catherine House seems to be a polarizing read – you either love it or hate it. I really enjoyed it, but I can understand why it isn‘t for everyone. It is a strange read, with little to no plot, an unlikeable main character, and an ending that leaves you with more questions than answers. But all that, coupled with Elisabeth Thomas' fantastic writing, really worked for me! I can't wait to see what Thomas writes next! 4⭐

#3Books I‘m hoping to read next month!

Plus 15 others! 😂😂😂

I really tried to like this. It's completely in my wheelhouse insofar as I love the whole dark academia aesthetic. Dark and mysterious school, things not quite what they seem...all the hallmarks of something I'd rip through - but I didn't. I didn't really care for the MC. She's not entirely likeable but that's not a deterrent for me. I kept wondering when they were gonna get to the point of the story & when they did, it didn't blow me away.