Litsy

Medlock | S.G. Hartnell

so-so

1978 & Mrs. Medlock is housekeeper to Lord & Lady Ashton at Marwood Manor including caring for their sickly young son. When an orphaned distant relative, a young girl named Mary, comes to live at the Manor, Mrs Medlock knows she is going to be trouble from the off. Sullen, uncooperative & unruly, the only thing that interests Mary is a locked door in a long wall outside.....

OutsmartYourShelf Probably like a lot of people, I was drawn to this one by the seeming 'Secret Garden' references (Medlock, Mary, sickly son, etc). but it feels a bit like bait & switch. Rather than a retelling or even reimagining, the similarities are surface only. I can't understand the decision to set it in the 1970s, it doesn't fit the characters who seemed like they were from an earlier time, & I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't a period piece. 2d

ShananigansReads A secret garden imagination? Interesting (at least the concept) 2d

OutsmartYourShelf Also the female characters were either vapid flibbertigibbets or matronly dragons - a bit of nuance was badly needed. Sadly I found this one to be a bit of a disappointment (except for the cover which is great). 2⭐

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Little, Brown Book Group UK/Sphere, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7731397534
Read 4th-5th Oct 2025

#GrimReaders @CSeydel #HauntedShelf
2d

See All 9 Comments

ShananigansReads @OutsmartYourShelf I should have read your whole review first. 🤣🤣🤣 2d

OutsmartYourShelf #ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#BodyCountBingo Can You Help Me Hide the Body?
#AfterDarkBingo Unfazed everyman @puddlejumper
#SPNBookBingo2025 Men of Letters
#ISpyBingo Orange Title @theAromaofBooks
#TBRCampSlasher Orange on cover

Words found: Autumnal & Darkly 2d

OutsmartYourShelf @ShananigansReads Quite a few reviewers seemed to like it. It was not for me though. 2d

DieAReader 👋🏻👋🏻 2d

TheAromaofBooks It annoys me when it sounds like a book can be an interesting riff on a classic, but it ends up just being a bit of a trick to convince you to read it. 1d

OutsmartYourShelf @TheAromaofBooks Other people liked it but it just didn't work for me. 1d

30 likes9 comments

TheAromaofBooks

The Turn of the Key | Ruth Ware

pick

This one landed as a soft pick. It kept me glued to the pages while I was reading it, but I felt a little let down by the ending. This seems to be a common theme for me with this author.

This one is on its way to you @bookandbedandtea !! And @Jerdencon - I received Her Every Fear this week!! #TravelingThrills

TheAromaofBooks #HauntedShelf #ScreamTeam @ImperfectCJ
#WickedWords - Email @AsYouWish
#ISpyBingo
#GottaCatchEmAll - Set in Scotland @PuddleJumper
#PumpkabooHunt (Large) @PuddleJumper
#OneSnacktoRuleThemAll #AllThingsApple @Bookwormjillk
#BookSpinBingo (edited) 3d

Bookwormjillk Wooo! It‘s you an me supporting the apples so far 🍎🍎🍎 3d

PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🧡 3d

TheAromaofBooks @Bookwormjillk - I have always been the apple girl, even when I was little 😂 It's probably somewhat inevitable that I ended up working at an orchard! 3d

57 likes4 comments

OutsmartYourShelf

The Lingering | S.J.I. Holliday

pick

Jack & Ali move to a self-sufficient commune in the English Fens. They are desperate for a fresh start & hope that the quiet & communal living will help. The commune is situated in 'Rosalind House' a former psychiatric facility (or as they used to be known, an insane asylum) with a chequered history & one of the commune residents, Angela, is trying to prove the existence of ghost activity there.

OutsmartYourShelf The other residents start to become suspicious when it's clear that Jack & Ali have secrets they are running from, but with the weird occurrences since their arrival & the local history of the witches who once lived there, Ali wonders why no-one seems to want to talk about it.

I wasn't sure about this one at the start but it turned out to be worth sticking with. It's told from several points of view but the main voices are Ali & Angela. 3d

OutsmartYourShelf It does jump the shark a little towards the end, but it was a good read although I'm not sure it would hold up to repeat readings once you know the ending. 4🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4589134059
Read 2nd-3rd Oct 2025

#GrimReaders @CSeydel

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#Witchathon @TEArificBooks
#ISpyBingo Initials in Author's name @theAromaofBooks
3d

OutsmartYourShelf #BodyCountBingo Evil plan #AfterDarkBingo Cute & Psycho @puddlejumper
#SPNBookBingo2025 Asylum
#FallReadingBingo Ghost book #HauntedShelf (edited) 3d

See All 6 Comments

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3d

PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🧡 3d

DieAReader 👻👻👻 2d

31 likes1 stack add6 comments

OutsmartYourShelf

As Told Under the Moon: A Collection of Haunting Works from New and Emerging Voices | Ellis Hart

pick

A collection of twenty-one short stories of haunting horror - perfect for the spooky season! There's probably something for everyone here, but be warned that there is an extensive list of trigger warnings at the start. This is not for the faint-hearted.

Usually I find that short story collections vary widely in quality, but this one was really good with some very eerie stories indeed.

OutsmartYourShelf All of the stories had merit, although one or two really grossed me out, but for me the standout stories were:

4) Dead Air by Ellis Hart (like a very twisted episode of 'Midnight Caller')

8) Dead Line by Alessandra Benini (an old style telephone brings misery to whoever owns it)

11) Kindred by Ellis Hart (The ultimate in online dating)

Very good overall & recommended for horror fans. 4🌟
4d

OutsmartYourShelf My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Dusk and Dagger Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7958462459
Read 1st - 3rd Oct 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#BodyCountBingo Free Space #AfterDarkBingo They Walk Among Us @puddlejumper
#SPNBookBingo2025 Crossroads
#ISpyBingo Fire @theAromaofBooks
#FallReadingBingo Read whilst it's raining

4d

OutsmartYourShelf #TBRCampSlasher features monster or ghost
#GrimReaders @CSeydel #HauntedShelf

An absolute goldmine for the wordsearch:

mischief, grotesque, bite, spirit, cradle, snap, warmth, creep, skin, friend, home, feast, cosy, night-time, brush, cool, owl, screech, moon, rise, blanket, dream, mystical, nightfall

(edited) 4d

See All 9 Comments

PuddleJumper Oh nicely done! Each short story will count as a 'book' so you'll get additional points 4d

OutsmartYourShelf @PuddleJumper Really? Is that in the TBR/Spooky/Other category points? 4d

PuddleJumper @OutsmartYourShelf Yes, each short story is its own thing. So if you've got an anthology with 5 spooky stories each one would get 20pts for 100pts total 4d

OutsmartYourShelf @PuddleJumper 🥳 4d

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 4d

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3d

33 likes2 stack adds9 comments

TheAromaofBooks

I Spy Spectacular: A Book of Picture Riddles | Walter Wick, Jean Marzollo

Somehow, it's already time for October's #ISpyBingo board!!! Anyone is welcome to join!! Find these items anywhere on a book's front/back cover or spine!! One book can check multiple prompts.

All of the 2025 boards can be found here - https://www.canva.com/design/DAGVO4NctsY/-lGsmflP3sUW9FsAung8hg/view?utm_content...

⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) All the 2025 prompts are also in a Storygraph challenge here - https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/85a6eb78-a914-4e84-a200-9073f75...

I am hoping to carry this challenge into 2026!!! If you have some prompts you'd like to send to me, please feel free to comment here or to email me - itsthegoodlife15 at gmail. Obviously I am going to be repeating most of the prompts from this year just in a different order, but if you have⬇ 2w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) a prompt that has driven you absolutely crazy/feels impossible, please let me know. For instance, HANDCUFFS are NOT getting mixed in again 😂

Thank you to everyone who plays these boards with me - I don't know why, but I just absolutely love treasure hunting my covers!! 2w

TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraBB @Faranae @julieclair @lauredhel @LiseWorks @LitsyEvents @Lkempf @MatchlessMarie @Read4life @peanutnine @PuddleJumper @willaful @Sarahreadstoomuch @OriginalCyn620 @Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures @cewilf @mom2bugnbee 2w

See All 15 Comments

LiseWorks It's an addiction for me lol 2w

PuddleJumper Flip flops! I don't read many summery books 🤣 2w

Faranae I barely read contemporary, so things like flip flops have been absolute nightmares 😂 Also, I mostly read e-books these days for access reasons (no money for books and no English library near me, so it's all digital library stuff) so it's hard to do anything with “spine“ prompts unless I happen to spot a suitable book I want to read in someone's book shelf or haul photos. ☠ 2w

willaful The ones that apply only to physical books are a bit annoying for me, but that's okay.

I know there was one I found so impossible recently, now what was it... oh right, power line! 2w

willaful Lol, I didn't see your comment when I made mine, @Faranae. 2w

TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper @Faranae @willaful - Thank you for the thoughts!! It helps me know how to keep it fun for everyone!! 😁 2w

TheAromaofBooks @LiseWorks - RIGHT?! Why?? 😂 2w

LiseWorks I think it's because some are hard to get, and when I have a book with no prompts, I'm so surprised 😅 like the book Well Met, absolutely no bingo spots. So, I guess my book choices are bingoless 😆 2w

Kiwidragonnerd I have to ask, what does the initials one mean? My initials? 3d

TheAromaofBooks @Kiwidragonnerd - I'm pretty flexible on interpretations 😂 In my mind, it's an author who uses their initials instead of their name, so a book cover that says L.M. Montgomery instead of Lucy Maud Montgomery. 3d

Kiwidragonnerd @TheAromaofBooks Ohhhhh thanks :) (edited) 3d

TheAromaofBooks @Kiwidragonnerd - No problem!! Also, if you'd like to be added to the tag list for each month when I post a new board, just let me know!! 😁 2d

46 likes15 comments

readingjedi

My Search for Warren Harding | Robert Plunket

Current read. Nice cover.

willaful Great for #ISpyBingo, I bet! 2w

36 likes1 comment

LiseWorks

Tombland | C. J. Sansom

pick

#ShardlakiansBuddyRead @dabbe I finally finished it. Man, I found this book long. I felt sorry for most of the people in this era. I particularly like the end of the book, where the writer explains what really happened and why. As history goes, I don't think I would want to live here at this time, 1540. King Edward was way too young to rule. Therefore, other idiots did so. I felt bad for women in this era as well. @TheAromaofBooks #ISpyBingo

dabbe Of all of them, this was a bit of a slog, wasn't it? Fab review! 💙🩵💙 3w

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w

21 likes2 comments

LiseWorks

Clifford the Big Red Dog | Norman Bridwell

pick

Another #ISpyBingo Spot. This is my grandson's favorite dog. @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo

18 likes1 comment

mom2bugnbee

I, Spy: a Bletchley Park mystery | Rhian Tracey

August was WAY better! 😁 @TheAromaofBooks #ISpy #ispybingo

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! 1mo

14 likes1 comment

mom2bugnbee

July, July: A Novel | Tim O'Brien

Somehow I missed posting my July #ISpy! #ispybingo @TheAromaofBooks

When you read three books in a series about anthropomorphic animals, you get lots of clothes not on people! 😂

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo

14 likes1 comment

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