pick3.5 Stars • Birdman by Mo Hayder follows Detective Jack Caffery as he hunts a serial killer in London who murders prostitutes and sews birds into their chests. Battling personal trauma, Caffery tracks the killer through a gritty underworld, leading to a tense, violent confrontation. The dark thriller blends crime and psychological drama.
#Birdman #JackCaffery #MoHayder #Bookish
pickThis was a dark and twisted romance!
The story is basically an erotic dark romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast. As a retelling, it worked well. It followed the storyline and a lot of elements were present, including a protagonist who loves to read and a stunning library. The library was massive.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/09/01/review-a-bedtime-story-fairy-tale...
Read in August 2025
16 Books
Four 5-Star reads this month:
• Lonesome Dove
• The Man Who Fell to Earth
• All the Other Mothers Hate Me
• The Dream Hotel
#Goodreads #Bookstagram #Litsy #Libby #Audible #Kindle #StoryGraph #Bookish
pickReading on #Litsy with Christie‘s Capers (Reading Agatha Christie's books in publication order) Hosted by @Librarybelle #AgathaChristieClubR3
4 Stars • In Agatha Christie's The Big Four (1927), Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings investigate a shadowy international crime syndicate known as the Big Four. ⬇️
pick3.5 Stars • Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney is a psychological thriller about Grady Green, a struggling author whose wife, Abby, an investigative journalist, disappears after stopping to help someone on a road. A year later, crippled by grief and writer‘s block, Grady retreats to the remote Scottish Isle of Amberly. On the eerie island, he encounters unsettling events and a woman who resembles Abby. ⬇️
What a charming story!
This is exactly the kind of story I would have devoured as a kid. Growing up, I loved historical fiction, especially niche stories of children evacuating WWII London. I also enjoyed stories set in quaint country houses. This book had both!
I loved how the book incorporated Native American culture.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/08/25/review-the-blossoming-summer/
pick5 Stars • In The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis (1963), Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien from drought-ravaged Anthea, comes to Earth to build a spacecraft to save his people. Using advanced technology, he amasses wealth but struggles with isolation, alcoholism, and human corruption. His chemist friend Bryce uncovers his alien identity, and government scrutiny leads to his detention and failed mission. ⬇️
pickThis was a cute rom-com set in Ireland!
The best part of the book was definitely the setting. Ireland makes for an incredible backdrop to the story. I enjoyed how the book gave you a little tour through Ireland and explored some Irish culture like fairy stories.
The book is fairly short (around 300 pages) which was the perfect length. It was short and sweet.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/08/23/review-an-irish-summer/
pickWhat a wonderful coming of age story!
The book is set in a hotel in Seattle during the 1990s and I loved how authentically Seattle it felt. There were numerous references to Seattle pop culture (and 90s pop culture in general) throughout, including a chapter cleverly named, “Pleatless in Seattle” (pg. 114).
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/08/19/review-the-sylvan-hotel/
pick4 Stars • We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle B. Weinstein is a heartfelt story set at a cozy North Carolina B&B, Vis Ta Vie, run by Jean-Paul and Renée, who are struggling to keep it afloat. A weeklong retreat brings together eight guests: three couples—Leo and Penny, Lucy and Henry, Sienna and Adam—plus a mom, Cassidy, and her teen daughter, Rosalie. ⬇️
![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}