Welcome to Litsy!

Eliza Caine is haphazardly recruited as a governess to two children after her father dies. However, she discovers that she is the sixth governess in a row within the year. What went wrong?

I anyday prefer psychological horror more than the in-your-face horror. Interesting plot but too obvious for me by the end. However, I really enjoyed the writing style. A quick page turner and an engrossing read.
4/5🌟

I must stick to Boyne‘s adult books. He writes so well but this was meh. I think he wanted it to be a mix of Dickens and gothic fiction but both didn‘t impress me. The old house, the governance, the ghosts, the ending: it all felt too obvious. #Roll100

#WeeklyForecast 50/23

The tagged one is for a 23 challenge but both others are, of course, for our #LitsyToB24 💃

You wanna join? Read my earlier post!

I will read books about ghosts and haunted houses that are filled with horror and terror anytime of year. During Halloween season (my favorite), I seem to scour the library to absorb as many spooky books as I can. I‘m grateful I found John Boyne‘s, This House is Haunted. It was excellent!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

finished this october readathon #readinggoals #audiophile #31by31 @Catsandbooks

Really enjoyed this ghost story. Most of the action is psychological, but I often prefer the eerie over the explicit in these types of tales.

First completed read for the #scarathlon, so I‘m already behind schedule on day 5. Hoping to catch up this weekend! #hhc #halloweenhexescoven

@dabbe @BookmarkTavern @Liatrek @JessClark78 @Chrissyreadit @TheDaysGoBy @vonnie862 @Sresendez12 @Nessavamusic @kelli7990 @JessieKB

Posting a pic for the #scarathlon photo prompt “black.”

Just a few black books I hope to get to this month, and my current read (which, yes, is mostly white but it has some black ivy accents!).

#hhc #HalloweenHexesCoven

@dabbe
@BookmarkTavern @Liatrek @JessClark78 @Chrissyreadit @TheDaysGoBy @vonnie862 @Sresendez12 @Nessavamusic @kelli7990 @JessieKB

Five ⭐️ books

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wasn't expecting this to spook me like it did. Loved it ❤️

#OminousOctober @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Haunted

#Scarathlon2022
@StayCurious #TeamMonsterMash

#ominousoctober #haunted

Every Halloween season I say I‘m going to read this one and every time I never get to it.

Ta dah! 🎉🎉🎉 Here's my book haul from earlier today! I may have...gone a bit overboard! 😅📚💕I have a staycation coming soon though, so I'm going to say this was in preparation of that! I did stick with a bit of a spooky theme! 🎃🍁🍂 #bookhaul

No matter what I may finish for #20in4 @Andrew65 I already know my book for May is the tagged one - first Boyne I have read and I loved it!!
#2022ReadingBracket @chasjjlee

Make a great day everyone - 🏊

I loved this - I loved how the story was told. I was interested the entire time. I'd say it's gothic but not a horror story - definitely mysterious and gloomy. I could see and feel the gloom (well written). Thanks to @Addison_Reads for her review - it sold me on this one -

another book read for #MarvellousMay @Andrew65

Make a great day - 🌞

A young British woman travels to a country manor for a position as a governess after her father dies. She discovers that within the year, there were five other women who had come before her. What has become of them? Where are the parents? Unlike Boyne‘s other novels, it is Gothic in feel. Excellent in audio! #authoramonth

Passed this swing while audio walking, and resisted trespassing on private property to take a ride. Almost finished tagged book. Confident I will be able to add it to April‘s reads! 🙂

This is a narrowly a pick simply because I was hoping it‘d be spookier. So much of the plot was told as exposition, which I suppose puts the reader in the place of the governess at the center of the story…but made it feel quite slow. #AuthorAMonth

Current audiobook. Trying my best to finish at least one book for #authoramonth ! Thank you @Cinfhen for the recommendation! Not like a typical Boyne novel, but I am loving it!

Surprisingly good! Audio narration by Alison Larkin was fantastic🙌🏻🎧♥️ When a young governess discovers something sinister is happening in the stately manor house where she‘s been placed, instead of taking flight she fights! I adored this creepy gothic tale written by John Boyne!!! Perfect for fans of Daphne Du Maurier, Silva Moreno-Garcia & Shirley Jackson. #AAM #Hoopla

Wow! I would NEVER guess this is a novel by John Boyne, but boy is it fantastic🙌🏻 A gothic tale, London 1867- a governess is hired to watch two young children whose parents (and prior governesses) have befallen tragic accidents. CREEPY (the good kind😁)#AAM @Soubhiville #Hoopla Excellent narration 🙌🏻🎧♥️

A book to read in one sitting. It started off bit slow but in a gracious way. With the first person narration it reminded me of Rebecca. Usually when a author uses first person narration of a opposite gender ( such as in this book it is female ) it fails. But this is an exception. Horror is not my fav genre but some books like this must not be missed! And believe me you won‘t guess that ending ! Glad to tick off #AuthorAmonth #bookspinbingo

This was my first Boyne but now I can't wait to read more.

The gothic setting in this novel was absolute perfection. A haunted house, a lingering spirit, a dad whose love knows no bounds, and two children tormented by a tragedy they experienced all make this an immersive book that had me hooked from the start.

And what an ending! 😱

#AuthorAMonth2022 @Soubhiville

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs
#SavvySettings

12. Haunted House

“Should women read, Miss Caine? There‘s a question for you. Does it excite them too much?”
😳😜

“I blame Charles Dickens for the death of my father.”
#FirstLineFridays

Just started the tagged book and I like the gothic feel. Also hiked at Letchworth State Park, hence the picture. #Fallvibes

🚨Deal Alert🚨

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs
#ConflictedWorlds

Day 6 - #Ghost

A very classical ghost story! 👻 Not my favourite John Boyne's book 😅🤷🏻‍♀️

I‘m sticking with a ghost story theme. Do any of these sound appealing to you all?
#LMPBC #ROUND12 #GroupW

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I was pleasantly surprised by this supernatural story. Definitely not what I expected from Boyne 🤓

I really enjoyed this spooky tale! It's definitely a mash up of Turn of the Screw and Dickens, but Boyne has created his own unique tale here. The audiobook kept me listening, and while it's scary at times, it's also funny too (this is one spinster nanny who's a little thirsty for almost any man she meets, lol). Read for book club, and I think it'll make for good conversation! 16pts
#Scarathlon2020 #TeamHarkness @StayCurious

I got some reading in yesterday, but mostly worked and then watched horror when I came home.

#Scarathlon2020 #Screamathon #ReadYourWay #ReadLikeHELLathon #TeamHarkness @StayCurious 121pts

Very solid haunted house story set in victorian England. Strong female lead with a voice that matched the time period. Great ending. Good pick for a Halloween read.

#3books #iwanttoreadnextmonth

Fun challenge this month! Hopin to get to these titles in October.

Posting just some of my #Scarathlon2020 TBR, as I'll probably add lots of audiobooks. So here's a list of a few book club reads and some graphic novels I have. Can't wait! #TeamHarkness
@StayCurious @Clwojick

26 pts.

I blame Charles Dickens for the death of my father.

#FirstLineFridays

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loved it - The Turn of the Screw meets Jayne Eyre. Eliza Caine is hired as a governess to two young children, but where are their parents and what happened to the previous five governesses? This book has every feature of a Victorian Gothic - lonely spinster, crumbling house, a sinister child and a cantankerous caretaker.

This book annoyed me. Nobody acted in a normal way, nobody wanted to tell the protagonist anything. That's probably normal in ghost stories, I guess U'm not a fan of the genre. Another thing that irked me: It's a big deal that there's only a few people in the house, and that the governess is supposed to cook. No servants you see. In 1867. So does she clean and light fires and wash laundry, too? She must be super woman.

Ok my fellow gothic lovers I found this John Boyne homage to the 1860‘s gothic novel on Scribd as an audio and it is fantastic! Eliza Caine is 21, her father has just died and she needs a position and a place to live- so she answers an ad for a governess... and everything gothic ensues! This is Jane Austen meets Charles Dickens (who makes an early cameo in the narrative)- evil ghosts, odd children, wonderfully told 4⭐️ @ferskner

3.5 stars rounded up.
A perfectly spooky atmosphere, and the style of the writing captured that gothic creepiness I was looking for. This ghost story has all the right ingredients... unsettling children, oppressive manor house, and suspicious characters all over the place. No great surprises, but an enjoyable read none the less.

What an amazing #WinterSwap #LitsyLove. Thank you so much @veritysalter . I love all of it especially the bookmark that's so cool. I look forward to getting to know you better.
Thank you @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks and @TheBookHippie for hosting. I know it hasn't been the smoothest.

Sunday morning reading

An interesting and engrossing ghost story set in late Victorian London/Norfolk with all the essential elements of a good gothic read...old manor house with a history, constant fog, unfriendly house staff, unusual children, reticent villagers, and a malevolent ‘presence‘. Tensed atmosphere, captivating narrative, it‘s wonderfully spooky, (nothing too scary) and well written from a skilful author.

#ScreamathonReadingChallenge
#Screamathon RC

A perfect #LMPBC package from @Avanders
The books are great for October and #screamathon #Scarathlon #TeamStoker. @TheReadingMermaid
I may have already eaten the Pocky. I ♥♥♥ the tea tins. Thank you!

The prose is so good that I was engrossed from the beginning! A crumbing house, living deaths, and grisly “accidents” make for a gothic story that fits the bill for the season. 🕷🖤🎃 There was only one cheesy element I had to 🙄 at, but I can overlook it for the otherwise excellent writing.

The copy of my #currentread is autographed! Unfortunately my name is not Elliott...this is a preloved copy and I didn‘t see the signature till now!

@Cathythoughts I saw your review 👍.

“I blame Charles Dickens for the death of my father” The first line got me hooked!

50F and dreary rain all day - perfect setting for this read. I am going to curb my guilt induced impulse to do chores and cozy up with my Kindle instead. (It‘s just so silly how cold fall feels and come spring this will be a heat wave.)