Welcome to Litsy!

Sixteen stories of queer women involved with crime. I probably wasn't the right audience for this. Really liked a few of the stories, and now want to try Emily Austin again, but overall I found it kind of a bummer and couldn't really relate to the stresses and motivations of the characters. Unlike Marie Kondo, I do not love mess. 😬

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A low pick for me, because it's just so depressing. It's the 1980s, Abby's been through a painful ordeal with a girl she liked, and now she's sticking out like a sore thumb in a Catholic boarding school full of bullies. The solution to the mystery is depressing too, though not at all implausible. (I also went to high school in the 80s.) Props for Abby being a strong, sure-of-herself character who comes out on top.

This isn't quite as scary as the first time I read it when I was 12, but it's still a great story. It's so much better than Kubrick's adaptation (I enjoy the movie fine, but there are too many eye-rolling 70s/80s movie cliches in it that aren't in the novel). The ending of the novel is also much more satisfying than the movie ending. I also like seeing hints of themes in other King novels on this re-read.

I wasn‘t sure about this book at first, but it slowly got its hooks into me and didn‘t let go. I could literally feel Carol‘s despair as she struggled to avoid a descent into the mind-numbing desolation of the “Village Virus.” I‘ve been where Carol is. I‘ve lived in a Gopher Prairie. I finally escaped after 15 long years. I was rooting for her all the way to the end.

It was so creepy! I loved it

The references to the Spirits series were really nice, makes me want to re read it

#QueerBC October and this was one of my Team Lead Favourites for #HauntedShelf

Another very fun entry into the series, but also a very poignant one. Amidst many of our favorite characters falling or remaining happily in love--except poor Joyce, who probably wants it more than anyone--devoted friendship is the true core of the story. Made me laugh and brought tears to my eyes, what more can you ask for.

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When Celia comes into her witch power just in time to curse her brother, the person she loves most in the world, she sets the stage for a quietly powerful tale of honor, war, and the importance of caring about people. There's a bit of a parable here, revealed in a wonderfully surprising moment that made me oooo.

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Anyone who loved the ten little girls in two straight lines will be tickled by this parody version.

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#Chocolatiers #OneSnackToRuleThemAll @Bookwormjillk

"Bonkers" is a good adjective for this shortish novel. "Brutal" and "bizarre" also come to mind, as do some words that don't start with B, like "fun," "propulsive," and "gory." Quite an apt choice for spooky month.

Coincidentally, I'm also re-reading The Shining right now, so for a brief period, I was simultaneously reading two novels with main characters named Winifred (two quite different Winifreds).