Welcome to Litsy!

Like a lot of horror, it starts off strong and then fizzles a bit at the end. Build up is great, took me a minute to get into the writing style but I love how a mundane scene is being described and then the last sentence or last few words reveals it isn‘t at all ordinary. It makes for an eerie first half. Solid three star read. If you like reading ghost stories, I do recommend it. #ReadSpooky2023

My #doublespin for February was a delight! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A sweet love story with ghosts and books.

In the back-left corner of the Days Gone Funeral Home, underneath a loose floorboard, there was a metal box with a bunch of old journals inside.
#firstlinefridays

It was ok, but not great.

The 2nd book I finished from @Laughterhp ‘s #AuldLangSpine list. I had it in my #TBR already, but I‘m glad she gave me the push to read it. A complete rom-com in book form, it was sweet, funny & poignant. Yes, predictable, I kept yelling the “twist” at the MC, Florence, almost immediately, but what rom-com isn‘t predictable?! I liked the puns & witty banter, combined with quirky characters, ghosts, books, & the family dynamics. A feel good book.🧡

There‘s no denying Erdrich writes well but there‘s something about her books where I always feel like I‘m distant; I never feel fully immersed in them. There were elements I really liked in this; the characters, the development, the setting and all the book talk. I enjoyed it but can‘t say I loved it so a low pick. I preferred The Night Watchman. #authoramonth

Louise Erdrich is brilliant. I knew that, but this book surprised me in so many wonderful ways. Tookie will stay with me. (And I just have to say how much I enjoyed the author‘s cameo in her own book!)

#AuthorAMonth

This book has interesting characters, a compelling storyline, some magical realism, and a 7-page booklist that will make your TBR cry. Tookie is a bookseller in Minneapolis and the main character. I can‘t do justice to the plot, but one significant aspect is a former customer who ends up haunting Tookie. Another major event is George Floyd‘s murder and the subsequent protests, which we see from a close view. Not to mention COVID. #authoramonth

I think I started off the year well! I definitely didn‘t stick to my planned TBR for the month, but I finished 2 #AuldLangSpine picks, one for #AuthorAMonth, and 3 off my owned TBR.

I will say, I‘m struggling to get into Harlem Shuffle. Whitehead is very hit or miss for me… might he be the year‘s first DNF? 🤔

#januaryrecap #januarywrapup

There‘s so much more to this book than about a formerly incarcerated indie bookseller who is haunted by a ghost in the bookstore. Many ‘heavy‘ topics are layered within. It‘s also a story about survival, community & second chances. I enjoyed the references to other works of literature; Tookie is a memorable character; & it‘s delightful to note that Birchbark Books is an actual store, owned by the author. My first L. Erdrich novel, and it‘s great.