Welcome to Litsy!

I really got into book 1, so I wanted to continue with what a thought was a trilogy but apparently is a duology. I enjoyed this one, though liked book 1 a bit more. I really got invested in these characters. Butler really understands the risks of the far right and shows it here in a frightening way. I‘m glad I read these two books.

St. James writes wonderfully spooky novels that combine the supernatural with people‘s fears. This one does not disappoint. I loved every nail biting moment. And, I‘ll avoid Atticus Line, thank you very much! #CatsOfLitsy #SebastianKitty #SundayBuddyRead #52BookClub24 #IncludesAPersonalPhobia

I came to this #PemberLittens #HashtagBrigade #buddyread having read Little Women a couple times in the past. With this reading, I picked up on Alcott‘s casual mention of domesticity for women—so 19th century! 😂 I still like the book, but I think my love for it has quieted a bit. My feelings may change again if I reread this 10 years from now—who knows!

#52BookClub24 #IncludesAWedding

4/5⭐ I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid adventure at the intersection of horror, queerness, social commentary, and storytelling. I got hooked into the story and characters pretty early. I read through the book fairly quickly because the momentum caught me up and I just had to know what happened next.

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/07/10/review-bury-your-gays-by-chuck-tingle/

#bookspin

A dancer dies in a gruesome way in an empty theater, setting off a series of deaths among the cast of a production. It just so happens that the London Blitz is occurring, making for an interesting backdrop to the story. There were aspects of this that I liked, but I found it plodded along a bit and the detectives didn‘t so much investigate as hang around and watch things happen.

Here are my next 4 books for #52bookclub24
I wasn't blown away by The Thursday Murder Club, but it was OK. The Secret History by Donna Tartt turned out to be an unexpected gem that I had picked up thanks to this challenge. Sorry I'm Late was kind of interesting, but I found it much less relatable than expected. The 4th book was about Hungary's history in 1918-1919, super intriguing but difficult to read due to all the info that was in it.

The last book I finished in June also happened to be one of my #roll100 picks for the month (which is great, since I haven't been doing so well with those!).

This was a low pick for me -- but mostly because it's a blend of two genres that aren't my faves (horror and historical fiction). That said, I think it was well-done, and being a short, quick read didn't hurt either!

@PuddleJumper

June stats: 📚 35 books read, 8 DNF/skimmed

2024 statistics so far:
📚 238/250 books read
📚 52/52 books + 100% Bonus prompts for #52bookclub24

4/5⭐I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is peak cozy, and I am 100% here for it. The deftness with which building home, finding family, showing kindness, being yourself, resisting oppression, and doing magic unfold gradually throughout the book really makes it shine.

Full review: https://hissingpotatoes.com/2024/06/30/review-the-spellshop-by-sarah-beth-durst/

#doublespin

My next 4 books for #52bookclub24
I read book 12 of the Saxon Tales for a smelly book - lots of smells, especially in the London scenes.
Wide Sargasso Sea was kind of interesting but also difficult to read and overall a disappointment for me.
The Jókai book was full of twists and turns, I enjoyed it immensely (title translates roughly as Soul Tamer)
The Little Sister didn't quite hold my attention, but I guess I picked it up at a wrong time.