Litsy

so-so

Book not in database

The premise of this book sounded very intriguing, unfortunately it didn't exactly click with me. The pacing was too slow for my liking. The story is slowly unfolding with an emphasis on world-building, tension and atmosphere.

I am, and I have often said this, not a fan of slow paced stories. So this might be a case of wrong reader/audience.

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

Pub Day was 02 January 2026

56 likes

julesG

Hell's Heart | Alexis Hall

pick

As a fan of Alexis Hall's work I was curious about his Sci-Fi debut. Hell's Heart is a typical Alexis Hall novel (funny, sarcastic, surprisingly deep when you least expect it), but it is also closer to his Steampunk novels than his contemporary or historical romances. Also, it is not a romance.

⬇️⬇️⬇️

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

julesG It is what it says on the tin, a lesbians in space retelling of Moby Dick; slow pacing and lots of meandering included. The world-building is where this story shines. Set in a future of our Solar System that is corrupted by capitalism and with the weirdest versions of patriarchal (mainly Christian) religions that you can imagine. ⬇️⬇️ 6d

julesG Below you can find the thoughts about Hell's Heart I shared with another ARC reader just after finishing the novel:

Lots of "sperm" jokes.
Not as boring as Moby Dick, but those 400+pp are filled with tangents and self-deprecation and horniness and Q talking in Latin.
It's very Alexis Hall by way of Melville. 6d

CarolynM I‘m looking forward to this being released even though sci-fi is very much NOT my thing. I‘ll follow Alexis Hall anywhere. I‘ll come back to your spoiler comments when I‘ve read it🙂 4d

See All 6 Comments

julesG @CarolynM it's not hard Sci-fi. It's a Moby Dick retelling, just in space. So the whaling ships are flying through space and so are the "whales". There is much more to read about the socio-economic-political-religious state of the solar system than about how whaling ships work. ? 4d

CarolynM The state of the solar system sounds much more interesting than the workings of whaling ships 🤣 I‘ll have to brush up my Moby Dick knowledge before starting it. 4d

julesG @CarolynM Cliffs Notes should be enough. 4d

50 likes1 stack add6 comments

julesG

Untitled | Untitled

so-so

Purrfect Pop Star is a K-drama in book form; a funny, low stakes, magical realism romance story that sets up the Spotlight&Stars series by Arisa May.

Yuna adopts a stray cat that is actually K-pop star Min-ho who's been cursed by a fan. Subsequently the two of them need to spend a lot of time together to work out how to break the curse before Min-ho turns into a cat for good.

A quick and easy read that will leave you with a smile on your face.

julesG #NetGalley #ARC #MountARC 6d

39 likes1 comment

julesG

Dom-Com | Adriana Anders

pan

This had a strong start. After a breakup Rae wants to explore the kinky side of life and joins a dom/sub club. She has an interesting experience on her first night there, only to be confronted with her Dom, a company consultant named Grant, when she gets to the office on Monday. What follows is a dom/sub spiced The Hating Game with predictable plot, including the third act break-up.

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

RaeLovesToRead Hold up... Rae did what? Lol 6d

julesG @RaeLovesToRead Yeah, that cracked me up the first few times too. Your namesake has been a wet rag in previous relationships and decided to doll herself up and visit a "pop-up/speed dating Dom/sub event" where she realises she likes to be dominated and that carries over into the office. ?? 6d

RaeLovesToRead Hahaha 🤣🤣 6d

39 likes3 comments

julesG

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies: A laugh-out-loud serial killer thriller from the author of Don't Swipe Right | L.M. Chilton

so-so

I liked the dual timeline/flashbacks, but I didn't like the characters. They didn't read like in their late twenties or early thirties. The plot, in my opinion, was predictable.

Old #ARC off #MountARC
#NetGalley

38 likes

julesG

Hell's Heart | Alexis Hall

This post contains spoilers

show me

😂😂😂

#ARC #MountARC #NetGalley

Dilara 😂 2w

CarolynM This is one of the main reasons I love Alexis Hall. Who else writes like that? 1w

julesG @CarolynM Right! That was my thought too. 1w

11 likes3 comments

julesG

Christmas Fling | Lindsey Kelk

pick

All Laura wanted was to measure the flat she'd move into in January. All Callum wanted was to avoid trekking home to Scotland for the holidays with his girlfriend. That was before their "meet nude" turned into meet the parents and fake dating.
It's just for a week and Laura has always wanted to see Scotland, it's going to be fun.

#RomCom #NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

Already published.

66 likes1 stack add

julesG

Second Chance Scottish: a small-town Christmas romance | Tricia O'Malley

pick

Skye's Inn in a small town near St Andrews isn't doing well. The last thing she needs right now is a rock star hiding from a scandal, especially when this rock star is the man who broke her heart 15 years ago.

Fortunately, the Book-Bitches know exactly how to handle the situation and give Noah and Skye opportunities to spend time together. There might be a second chance for love, the inn, and the music career.

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

⬇️

julesG I liked that the character were in their late 30s and willing to look back at their shared past with mature eyes. Audiobook narration by Amy Landon and Will Watt 1mo

63 likes1 stack add1 comment

julesG

Untitled | Untitled

pick

Book not in database

Low pick

This is a spicy novella. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ The emphasis is on spicy as there is very little plot happening.

The duet narration.

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

62 likes

julesG

Murder Most Actual | Alexis Hall

pick

#ChrismasCrimeChallenge @RaeLovesToRead @Ruthiella

Chimney - locked room mystery

True crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna want to spend Easter in a luxury hotel in the Scottish Highlands. Hanna planned it to rescue their marriage. It soon turns into a Murder Mystery Weekend with real victims.

Very Christie-esque, with chapter headings reminiscent of Cluedo.

RaeLovesToRead This looks cute! 2mo

julesG @RaeLovesToRead It's cozy, it blends the homage to Christie (weird characters with secret connections to each other) with modern true crime podcasting and marital problems of a same sex interracial couple. It was a good read. Different from what Alexis Hall usually writes. 2mo

RaeLovesToRead Is it only available on Kobo though? 2mo

See All 15 Comments

julesG @RaeLovesToRead Unfortunately yes. It was less than €10 in audio and the ebook would have been less than €7 2mo

Ruthiella This challenge is clearly right up your street! You are acing it! 🎄🔪💀🎅🏻 2mo

julesG @Ruthiella Thank you! It's an 'excuse' to ignore #MountTBR and #MountARC 2mo

RaeLovesToRead Sadly I have no Kobo :( 2mo

julesG @RaeLovesToRead Neither do I. Hence I got the audiobook and then downloaded the app to listen to it. The ebook would have worked on the app as well, but I don't like reading books on my phone. 2mo

RaeLovesToRead Ah, I thought I'd need a Kobo device for the audiobook! 2mo

julesG @RaeLovesToRead nope, just the app. 2mo

RaeLovesToRead Me looking for excuses to buy more devices 😏 2mo

RaeLovesToRead *buys 3 more ereaders* it's for the CHANNEL. It's JOURNALISM! 2mo

rwmg It's free on the KoboPlus subscription service. 2mo

julesG @RaeLovesToRead 😂😂 2mo

julesG @rwmg Thanks! 2mo

58 likes1 stack add15 comments

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