Welcome to Litsy!

And now for something completely different…. I started this as a buddy read with a coworker while I was in a slump and had to focus it on it this weekend like it was my job. Over 700 pages and jn the beginning I was feeling every one of them- suddenly though it all clicked and I was there for it all the epic adventures, the violence, the vulgar insults, the friendships and betrayals. It was quite a ride.

Kept distracting myself with other things this past week which meant it took a little while to read this book…Even more entertaining than I expected, I enjoyed this story about Gabriel de Leon, the last of the silversaints, who is forced to tell his story to a jailer desperate to pry some very important information from him. Lots of action (and death), vampires, betrayal, adventure, love, danger—as I said, an entertaining fast paced story.

Vampires today…

This book was taxing, but not always in a bad way. It‘s dark, tragic, and emotional grimdark fantasy, so if that‘s your thing, go for it. It‘s also packed with action and interesting characters. However, I think the ending was the books weakest point, with sudden pacing issues and strange turns of character. Overall, an engaging start to a dark fantasy trilogy.

I finished 9 total books in June, including my #DoubleSpin All‘s Well. I was not enjoying my #BookSpin (tagged), so I DNF‘d at 6%. I might pick it up again someday, but I couldn‘t get into it, and it‘s a very long book, so I might need to be in the right mood.

I can‘t remember the last time I actually had a bingo LOL.

Serious question: does this book get better?

I am 6% in, and that much was a struggle. This is a 700+ page book, so I need to know if it‘s worth powering through. I bought it on a Kindle deal, so while I‘d like to not let it go to waste, I also wouldn‘t feel that bad about DNF‘ing if it‘s not actually worth it.

June #BookspinBingo board. This month‘s #Bookspin is Empire of the Vampire and #Doublespin is All‘s Well. I have a couple of longer books still in progress, so to be seen whether I am able to start and finish another really long one before the end of the month.

So far Empire is my front runner. Curious how it‘s gonna match up to the sequel this month. I pre ordered my copy and I can‘t wait. He‘s doing an author signing in Chicago this month but it‘s like on a Thursday and at 7pm and I work 3rd shift 😭😭😭 hopefully he will do one for the third book and I can go then.

#ReadingBracket2024 —> @CSeydel

I read 13 books in February. My favorites were Empire of The Vampire, The Fox Wife, Relic and Blue Labyrinth.
For #ReadOrDonate I plan to donate both Beneath the Shine (which I didn't read) and Spare & Found Parts (which I did read). @julieclair
@Moonprismpower How did your February go? Mine was pretty good 😺

Young Gabriel was so stubborn but it still felt believable. He wanted to be a hero, and I was curious to get to know why he was so different 16 years later - what had happened to him?! I loved to follow how his story started to unravel, it was all the time easier to understand him.

I love darker books and this had an amazing atmosphere.

This had some kind of ending, but more was left open than what I had expected.

#SeriesLove2024

“That's the awful part about it: the worst days of your life start out just like any other.”

“We carry the greatest burdens not on our shoulders, but in our hearts.“

“Your past is stone, but your future clay. And you decide the shape of the life you‘ll make.”

“Put a man in a room for a hundred years with a thousand books, and he‘ll know a million truths. Put him in a room for a year with silence, and he‘ll know himself.”

“A life without books is a life not lived.”

“There‘s no misery so deep as one you face by yourself. No nights darker than ones you spend alone. But you can learn to live with any weight. Your scars grow thick enough, they become armour.”

1. Depends on when I am reading. If it is in the morning it is usually coffee. Otherwise it is usually water. During the colder months I like hot chocolate or hot cider.

2. I just finished the tagged book this morning between rounds of shoveling my driveway. Now onto a new book during this somewhat lazy snowday.

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

This has been on my TBR for awhile now. I figured I could use the last few days of my winter break to give it a shot.

Audio was probably not the best format for this for me, it‘s told through an interview & there are time jumps back &forth.
But, it was really good, like a cross between Anne Rice (atmospheric, ancient vampires) & “The Witcher” (he‘s a 10 but his best friend is a horse)

This was my favourite for August, and my favourite overall for the year. I love a good vampire story!

#12BooksOf2023

This never really called to me but I needed an audiobook to start & it was available from Libby for me. I‘m about 20% in, it‘s good so far. It‘s a lot like The Witcher.

It is a big book but I didn‘t feel it. It was a page turner for me. I liked the story, the characters, the plot and the twists. It also has beautiful illustrations. Ready for book 2 it is supposed to be an adult high fantasy but in some areas it has some YA elements?🤔 Maybe. But I enjoyed this one. I have two editions because I didn‘t want to destroy the special edition with my annotations. Not a book holder but a book collector
📚😌 4/4.3⭐️

#Two4Tuesday

🎃Tagged book and Woman Eating

🎃Nope. I spent part of the afternoon and night reading. Tomorrow I wake up too early for swimming classes

Thank you @TheSpineView 🧡🤎💛

Tagging @mabell @Chrissyreadit @iread2much

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I admit I almost bailed on this one early on. What kept me going was knowing that it was going to pay off with #scarathlon #wordsearch words. And boy did it. But it also paid off in that I ended up really enjoying the read. I hope book two will come out soon.
(22hoursx7thonsx10)+21+(1,586words!!x10)=17,421 team #spookyghostclub @clwojick
#rushathon @Andrew65 @GHABI4ROSES @DieAReader #31by31 @Catsandbooks #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks⬇️

Super excited for my October TBR!! Finishing the Mistborn trilogy, completing Manacled, enjoying the classic Dracula, and finally getting to Empire of the Vampire, which I‘ve specifically been saving for October.

I loved this 🥰

Gabriel, the last silversaint, has been captured and forced to tell his story to the Historian of House Chastain.
An amazing vampire based story. I can‘t wait for the second book!

This was my June #BookSpin and my first read that hits the #ChunksterChallenge2023 challenge this year 😂
#ChunksterMini

Finally got around to reading this one and I‘m so distressed right now

#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Movie: Vampires

In this book you follow Gabriel, the last Silversaint, prisonner of those he swore to destroy : Vampires.
Currently sentenced to tell his story to his ennemies, you follow how he became the greatest silver saint with many actions scenes, 2 different timelines and a mastered dark fantasy universe !

I love it when a book has maps 😍🥰

And also coat of arms 😂

"Ask me not if god exists, but why he's such a prick."

That's one way to open a novel. ?

Country reading 🔥

I thought I grew out of vampire stories. I got this recommidation from a booktube and he loved. And he was right, it was epic, bloody and a very unique story.

#vampire

#12booksin2022 This was an amazing read and my pic for May!!

#ScarathlinDailyPrompt #TeamMonsterMash @Staycurious

Prompt #8- Vampire

Photo- 5 point
Post- 1 point
Total= 6 points

Of my two vampire books this week, Kristoff's was by far the better! It read very much like an epic fantasy and I enjoyed every page. #scarathlon #teammonstermash @StayCurious

⭐⭐⭐⭐
I generally don't read a lot of fantasy, bit I do not regret reading this book. This was really good!

Some days you just have to spend your lunch period hiding in your bestie's classroom with an audiobook and a craft... I can't people today... thanks, @LittleMouse5708 for the use of your space, even when you're out sick! 🤣

Tonight's post-bedtime activities... I'm like an hour away from finishing a cross stitch project I've been working on for like 8 months, so naturally tonight seemed like a good time to start a new crochet project.
I had the idea to crochet a stuffed animal for all the kids in my son's class by Christmas, so I'm going to see how many i can get done in the next couple weeks to gauge whether it's a realistic goal lol
#scarathlon #teammonstermash

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #Day8 #Vampire Running behind with the last two days, not feeling great. This is Jay Kristoff‘s last novel, the 1st in a new series. Full of violence & blood, it‘s not to everyone‘s taste but I liked it. Perfect for #Scarathlon! #TeamSlaughter 6pts

Not sure why I decided that a 700+ page book was a good idea in a reading competition where number of books counts… I need to look into the different readathons this month so I can get points for all the hours I‘m spending on this beast! 😂 Otherwise I‘m going to feel like the team slacker… 😉 On the plus side, almost 400 pages in and it‘s SO GOOD! #scarathlon #teammonstermash

Is there anything more perfect than a cuddly kitten and a new book? #catsoflitsy #kittensoflitsy

#ManicMonday #LetterC @CBee

📘 It is between Empire of the Vampire and Exit Strategy
✒️ Emily Dickinson
🎬 Erin Brockovich
🎤 The Eagles
🎶Eye of the Tiger

Only a few chapters in and I'm loving it! It's as dark and horrific as I was hoping with beautiful illustrations throughout.

#alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Letter E
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff.
I have a copy of the ebook and I can‘t wait to read it! My son @jeannasser I are big fans.
#alphabet #littens #game #lettere

#AlphabetGame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
#LetterE

I loved Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff. However I almost choose Exit Strategy by Martha Wells. Love Murderbot!

Want yo play? @DebinHawaii @Tera66 @PageShifter

Book 35 of 2022! So good! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️