Welcome to Litsy!

One of the better thrillers our book club has read. This one had great plotting, character development, a storyline that made sense, plus an exploration of trauma that was both believable and emotional. It‘s a formula I‘ve read many times before: main character returns to hometown where a long ago murder remains unsolved. This time, the mystery involves two young boys camping out in the backyard and brings all the 90s and childhood nostalgia.

I had been hit or miss (more miss than hit) with Riley Sager books lately, but this one has everything. Secrets, ghosts, missing memories, death, hauntings, confession, redemption, forgiveness. The ending was not as sinister as I had expected. in fact, it was surprisingly heartwarming. A definite hit. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On July 15, 1994, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend Billy fell asleep together in their quiet New Jersey cul de sac.

In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. The tent was sliced open, and Billy was gone, taken. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has returned to Hemlock Circle, still desperate for answers.

Who took Billy

Enjoyable, engaging, but...
In my view, Sager has a script that he adheres to for all his books, and once figured out, it reduces the suspense.

Still I'll keep reading/listening to his work because it offers great escapism.

#BookChain2025 #OppositeColor @TheAromaofBooks
#LitsyAtoZ #M @Texreader
#Pantone2025 #WhiteGrape @Lauredhel

This is my second Sager and it was a like not a love again. I don't know what is missing, but there's something that stopped this from reaching the next level of compulsive readability.

Having said that, this book DID manage to creep me out better than any other book this year. There's a lot of off-camera stuff that managed to rattle me more than the average thriller.

Good, but not incredible.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m a day one Riley Seger fan. I‘ve read his first seven books and will continue to read his books until he stops writing. However, I was not a fan of the ending. I‘m used to his writing and the way he ends his stories, but I thought the ending was a little predictable . 3 out of 5 🌟🌟🌟. #MiddleOfTheNight #rileysager

#haikuaday I had such a good time at bookclub today.

A book about a man who is struggling with the guilt that 30 years ago he was camping with his best friend in his backyard, he wakes up and finds the best friend is gone. What a snooze fest. So repetitive. If I took a shot for every time I read I woke up and there was a slash on the tent and Billy was gone in the first 100 pages I‘d be dead from alcohol poisoning. Also, in horror movies there‘s that scary sound at the window during the storm 👇🏼

I‘ve been catching up on all the Riley Sager books I missed the past couple of years. I enjoyed this one, which is about the cold case disappearance of a 10-year-old boy who was taken out of his best friend‘s backyard tent. Lots of small town secrets and twists. 4⭐️

#audiobook
#RileySager
#thriller

I honestly can't pinpoint what it is about Sager's writing that pulls me in from beginning to end, but Middle of the Night is a perfect example of it. So good! ❤️

Not my favorite Riley Sagar book but still a good read. It took a different direction that initially thought it was going but I kind of feel like I would have liked my version lol. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4⭐️/5⭐️

I have two more videos featuring favorite books I read in 2024! One highlighting thrillers and the other highlighting romance! ❤ 📚

Best Thrillers I Read in 2024!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCeWzdU0EpE

Best Romance Books I Read in 2024!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CniOFax7Xrw

Omg so many yummies in my #littlechristmasswap package! Thank you @bookish_wookish

July was another good reading month so it was tough narrowing this down for the #12BooksOf2024– but I had a lot of anticipation for this one, and wasn‘t remotely disappointed! Couldn‘t put it down and I‘m counting down the days till Sager‘s next!
Sorry for falling a little behind, but I‘m going to catch up @Andrew65 !

Book 7 read last August (first books were posted already)

A mystery with a touch of paranormal experience. Ethan and Billy, both 10 years old, neighbors used to camp in Ethan‘s house backyard. Next day, Billy disappeared and Ethan can‘t remember what happened. Ethan returned to his hometown 30 years later and he will face Billy‘s disappearance circumstances, his guilt, grief and the truth behind Billy‘s disappearance. ⬇️

Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for not only hosting my favorite swap all year #jolabokaflodswap, but also for sending me *two* books to enjoy!! I‘ve been coveting the Sager and can‘t wait to dive in, and the Christmas book looks sweet and calming - perfect for the season ☺️?. And I‘m super looking fwd to addition orange & chocolate, mint chocolate cookies, & a cocoa bomb my evening. Thank you again!! Happy Jólabókaflód and Happy Christmas!! ?♥️

Audio Favorite Books

And with that I‘ve completed my #GoodReadsChallenge for this year.
Though I did read about 5 short stories recently so I think I still have 5 more books to read to REALLY reach my goal.

This rainy day called for a mocha and some Sager.

#WeeklyFavorites

I just got back from visiting PA. Just in time too since I wanted to read this one next and it was at home.

I always love returning to NJ (in person, in movies or in books). Another solid read by Sager. A quick, page-turning book.

If you want a quick and page turning read you can always rely on Riley Sager! Definitely not my favorite of his but still a solid mystery with that little bit of supernatural I love in his stories. This is one neighborhood where everyone is hiding something! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

10-28-24: My 38th finished book of 2024! Fabulous read. Riley Sager rarely disappoints. Ethan returns to Hemlock Circle after 30 years, to take over his parents house while they move to Florida. Problem is, 30 years ago Ethan‘s best friend Billy was stolen from their tent in the backyard and never seen again. Ethan hasn‘t slept right since. We learn what happened that night in various chapters and what Ethan is dealing with presently.

When I want a creepy bedtime story, Riley Sager never disappoints. This isn‘t my favourite of his, but it was still hard to put down. It landed on my face twice, because it kept me up past my bedtime, two nights in a row. Now I have to find something to keep me up tonight…. 4/5

I love Riley Sager and this one didn‘t disappoint!

#HauntedShelf #DeadSerious
#bookspinbingo #promptmaze #ispybingo #31by31 #spookoween #HalloweenAtoZBingo #HalloweenAtoZReadathon

I‘m having trouble putting this down. I started it last night and fell asleep with the kobo in my hand. So I took it down to my gym and read it during my rests between sets. Now if I can just find a way to keep my husband busy, I might get to read it all today. 🤞

3.5⭐️
It started off slow and was a different writing style than what he usually writes. He usually does women, but this time, he wrote about boys/men and a tragic event.
I think the problem I had with it was that it wasn't his usual writing. It's still good. The suspense wasn't stacked like he usually does.

#bookspinbingo #readaway2024

This was a slow paced atmospheric mystery with paranormal aspects , I like the story but i didn‘t like the audio
#ReadAway2024 book 40

Morning sunlight seeps into the tent like a water leak, dripping onto the boy in a muted glow.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Riley Sager books have been hit or miss for me. This is one that I really enjoyed. A couple of great twists and it held my interest the whole time ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

#CatsAndDogs @Bookwormjillk

Managed to finish We Used to Live Here & Seventh Bride yesterday. Also about halfway through tagged. Heading to the library now for Day 2

Books Read : 2
Pages Read : 565

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One of my favorite RS books. Haven‘t read them all, but this one makes me want to read the rest

3.5 ⭐

Of all the Riley Sager books I've read (listened to the #audiobook of) so far this one was my least favorite. Don't get me wrong, it was a good story with mystery and suspense that kept you twisting and turning on who dunnit. I simply didn't find it as exciting or engaging as I have his other books.

I‘ve read a few of the authors books and enjoyed this one too. A few twists I didn‘t see coming and a satisfying ending.

This was sooo good! The more I read by Sager the more I want to read. This was spooky and a great mystery about a neighborhood where something terrible happened 30 years ago. Highly recommend!

@TheAromaofBooks #October #BookspinBingo board
Im sticking to physical books that have been on my shelves for too long or borrowed books.

I enjoyed this one mostly.

Read for reading prompts.

4/5

Although I didn't love The Only One Left, I bought this at the airport because I was hoping that it would be entertaining for a ten-hour flight. I crushed it ?. I like this one way better - the creepy vibes are impeccable and it got a few "oh damn I didn't see that coming" moments out of me.

This book is giving me both the heebies AND the jeebies. Setting it aside for a couple of hours to watch a less creepy movie (Poltergeist). 👻

This is where I‘ll be for the rest of the night!

4 ⭐️
Absolutely loved this book. Everyone is a suspect. Two friends camping in their parents yard. One of them wakes up in the morning realizing his friend is gone. There is a tear in the tent. Now all grown up and returning to his hometown, he‘s being haunted by his missing friend.

What I love about Riley Sager is it looks like he‘s just phoning it in by just making shit up to suit his plot but then he just flips it around and pulls a very clever and plausible resolution out of a hat and I have to stop yelling at him to stop being so lazy.

This is not a normal, just fun crazy times book that Sager normally produces. He got deep. This book is sad and emotional. It deals with grief, loss, and trauma. He did such a good job of keeping the mystery and suspense but also putting in deep emotions and thoughts. There were many twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I actually really liked the ending. I think Sager did an amazing job writing such a beautiful and sad story. 5/5

I just love his books. 🥰🥰🥰

This may be my favorite Riley Sager book. A book about how a missing person affects a whole neighborhood, at its heart, it's about grief and the ways we are haunted by the past. 5 stars.
#ReadAway2024 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#LitsyLoveReads @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Read4life @TieDyeDude

A spooky ghost may be haunting a guy who can‘t sleep or remember things after his life falls apart and he moves into his parents‘ house. His bestie was kidnapped from the same tent and has been a mystery ever since. While labeled as a thriller, more of a mystery of rumors in a small town around a missing boy. Another Riley Sager book that didn‘t disappoint.