I finished this too early for #scarathlon, but it still works for the #scarathlonphotochallenge Day 1: #black.

I‘m super interested in deep sea science, so I loved the info about submersibles & creatures that live that deep. I wish there was more mermaid horror in the middle like at the beginning & end, and I‘m not a fan of insta love or scientists making dumb decisions, but I still recommend for an Oct read! #batbrigade #pop23 mythical creatures

I am so excited about my #FFFS package! The big bag of m&ms, the candles, cute towels and pumpkin welcome sign!! My FAVORITE coffee!!! I‘ll be using my notebook starting today to track #scarathlon points/readathons!! And the books!! I just finished a deep sea horror book so I‘m super excited to read Meg! The other 2 have been on my TBR forever! I love a bloody fairy tale & quirky romance! Thank you so much!! @Mommamanzi I think this was from you?

Wow! I opened up Litsy today and my feed was full of #Scarathlon posts! I love it lol! This is my (sure to change) TBR of spooky and cozy reads! #batbrigade

As others mentioned, this was different from what I expected but I still enjoyed the story of 3 Ramirez women coping with the loss of Ruthy when she disappeared at 13 & the hope that drives them to track her down when they believe they see her on a reality TV show. Overall very light-hearted and humorous despite some tough topics, yet heartbreaking. The author narrates exactly how she probably envisioned for the reader to experience this. 3.5⭐️s

This looks fun!
1. I‘d say it‘s a tie between dinner and brunch. I love the creativity of brunch (and mimosas) but I also love a great dinner!
2. The Holiday Swap (tagged) was a baking foodie‘s dream and I loved the dual POVs of hosting a baking show and running a small town bakery. And a book I recently read, River Woman, River Demon was filled with authentic, delicious Latin dishes. 😋

#Two4Tuesday

My #Scarathlon #watchlist so far! I‘m thinking a mix of cozy and horror classics and eerie contemporary adaptations. There‘s still time to sign up! #BatBrigade

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnawYo1IDsBAr2s_LlqzBQlxM8KGwIqDxE1Dm4...

My #FallingForFallSwap package made it out today! Just under the deadline.😵‍💫 FYI it‘s in a bag they covered it with but the box is inside! #FFFS

Highlighted selections are my preferences for #MWS This or That! 🔮 #ModernWitchSwap

Eek!! My #FallingForFallSwap package came today and I‘m so excited!! There isn‘t a Litsy handle on the outside so the mystery continues for who it may be from! Thank you!!

There was a delay in my last book I ordered and it came yesterday, so I will be sending my package out tomorrow priority mail! 🍂 🍁

#FFFS

My aesthetic board for the #ModernWitchSwap! I‘m trying to learn more about cultural Magick rituals and healing, hoodoo, voodoo, brujería, etc. And I also love anything southern gothic! #MWS

I‘m reading more now than I have in years because of Fable, I think because all the groups I‘ve joined have helped take the pressure off of what I decide to read next lol.

Next up, something a bit different for me. A mockumentary set in the Mariana Trench. I‘m intrigued by anything deep sea related so this should be fun!

“Stumbling from the cool of the air-conditioned hotel foyer into the steamy white heat of the night does nothing to sober him up.”

I honestly wouldn‘t have known from this first line just how engrossing and addictive this story would be. My first Lisa Jewell I‘ve started, although I own several others from #BOTM that are unread. 🫣 Highly recommend the #audio for this. The voice acting is superb!

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Eek!! I won this gorgeous copy in a Fable book club and I‘m so excited to start it! I never win anything lol. Yay for #bookmail!

A refreshing blend of magical realism and mystery/thriller centered around brujeria, other cultural Magick, and being haunted by past trauma. The characters were complex and frustrating, yet at times relatable. Who can you really trust in life; can you even trust yourself? If you don't mind unlikeable characters, this is a great fall #witchy read full of culture! 4⭐️. #pop23 features 2 languages. The #audio was nicely done and lots of food refs!

I still have no idea what‘s going on in this book, it‘s like a fever dream. But plenty of beautiful, relatable quotes!

I should definitely be going to sleep, but I just started this book for a Fable book club and I‘m so intrigued. I went into it blind not knowing it was a #witchy read perfect for Fall reading and Litsy events!

3.5⭐️s rounded up. This is for anyone who simply wants to be entertained! A popcorn thriller if you will. Grab the kind with extra butter, suspend all disbelief, and enjoy this wild ride full of family drama, unlikely coincidences, an impressive number of twists, and the somewhat gothic atmosphere of a crumbling old mansion. A #BOTM I listened to on #audiobook. #pop23 #BookTok rec

Not a traditional romance or rom-com as the focus was on life. Isla battles depression and social anxiety and I really related to her. She is somehow able to communicate with her near future husband after a tragedy. As Isla learns to manage mental illness, she also must devise a plan to recreate her life with Ewan, who doesn‘t know her yet. Grief and second chances with a sprinkle of magical realism. 4⭐️ #Aardvark #pop23 song lyric title

I am so enjoying this. I was drawn to it before it came out and had a feeling I‘d love it. Horror, mental health, spousal weaponized incompetence, generational curses. I think I may have found my favorite book so far this year! This is a library loan but I‘ll be adding it to my personal library.

Working my way through this #Aardvark pick little by little. I identify so much with the MC‘s anxiety and bouts of depression and self doubt. I also don‘t typically do romances but this one really tugs at my heartstrings and I wish I had joined in time to get it in my box. I love a second chance romance plus a literal second chance at life theme! It‘s just a lot to take in at times lol. I‘m really hoping for a happy ending! #audio

I enjoy millennial corporate stories, especially when they highlight challenges black women face. I also didn‘t want to put this down because I just had to know how it would end. But it didn‘t fully work for me. The plot device of concocting something to essentially strip away your blackness was weird, and there was zero development of the “why” concerning who was really behind the sinister conspiracy. #BOTM #Pop23 Becomes a TV series in 2023

Be transported to the days of Partition! Three sisters with secret desires. Priya wants to be a doctor like her father & still have love, but ambition may cost her everything. Deepa‘s forbidden romance may also cost her everything. And forgotten Jamini, faithful yet overlooked, jumps at the chance to secure her own fate with love. They all must cope with death, political unrest, religious intolerance, & sexism. #BOTM #India #Pop23 Love triangle

A young black violin phenom navigates racism, financial disadvantages, self doubt, family drama, and conspiracies to steal his inherited, beloved fiddle, all while preparing for the biggest musical competition of his life.

My husband and I enjoyed this #audiobook on a couple of road trips. The terrible single black mom was too stereotypical, and many of the racist incidents were extreme, but based on his own experiences. 4⭐️ #pop23 friend rec

This was a fast-paced crime thriller offered by #aardvark. I really enjoyed Detective Rita. She‘s 60 with a fellow detective love interest (not the focus of her POV though) and I appreciated her character. I was wrong about who the killer was and although the motive was far-fetched, the small twist helped it make more sense. I didn‘t feel very connected to the MC but the plot was engaging and #audio was well done. 3.5⭐️ #pop23 book with a pet

Library loan and #Aardvark pick. Overall this debut was humorous and touched on some very real topics that need to be discussed more, but it was mostly surface level, and didn‘t truly incorporate Prince into the mix. I appreciated the commentary on weaponized incompetence and unreal expectations of working parents (particularly moms), but cringed at the cheating husband excuses and general expectation that he‘d be forgiven. #Pop23 about a family

A soft pick. I never thought I‘d read a Colleen Hoover book as her others seem to be focused on themes like domestic violence “romance” and that‘s just a no for me lol.🤮 But this domestic thriller got passed around during a group trip to India and it was a surprisingly entertaining guilty pleasure.🥴 Dark, fluffy, sexy. Like binge-watching a new series with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine. #pop23 a self-published book

I love satirical pieces on class, religion, sexism, and power, but I‘m not sure if that‘s what this was. It was almost too ridiculous. The childish lord with no ambition who played disgusting “games” with the servants, the priest who simply pretended to be religious, the townspeople too oblivious to make a connection between their famine and the manor‘s bounty. Cannibalism wasn‘t even the most disturbing part! I‘ll read Moshfegh again though.

Got some reading in early this morning while my work laptop updated. I just returned from a 3 week adventure in #India and this book is taking me right back! I was pleasantly surprised to see two #IndianLit picks from #BOTM this month, and I got them both along with Lunar Love.😅 Happy Friday!

SO excited about my #HHS22 package!! Thank you so much @AmyG! I LOVE the spooky socks and notepad, sugar skull kitchen towel, sweet card, yummy tea, and cute ghost candles! I jumped up and down when I saw the candy corn mix with the pumpkins!! My youngest and I have already indulged in them.😂 The skull spatula and cookie cutter are perfect!! I‘ve been wanting all of these books for a long time and can‘t wait to read them!! #HauntedHallowSwap 🤗🎃

Finished last night and I really enjoyed this magic-filled, dreamy, #witchy romance! Like the Halloween version of The Holiday Swap, but with spice. Nice unconventional small town location in the mountains of northern Georgia instead of the usual New England. Great atmosphere, Rhys was crush-worthy, and I loved Sir Purrcival, the black cat!🐈‍⬛ #ScarathlonDailyPrompts Day 26: #BlackCat #PhotoChallenge #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022 #BOTM #Pop22

Between a so-so and a soft pick for this #shortstory that I felt ended abruptly, but made me curious about the Warm Bodies series! I think I‘ll read the first one at least. A lonely zombie walks the streets during the Christmas holiday in search of brains to eat. Not exactly heart-warming. 😂🧟‍♀️ #Scarathlon2022 #ScarathlonDailyPrompts Day 25: #Zombie #PhotoChallenge #TeamSlaughter

And once again, I‘m behind! 😩 I‘ve heard good things about this #thriller. Seems like a nice pick to get lost in a twisted web of lies. 😈 #ScarathlonDailyPrompt Day 24: #Lies #BOTM #PhotoChallenge #Scarathlon2022 #TeamSlaughter

Not the typical spooky read, but I‘m using this #Nonfiction, #TrueCrime, culty pick because it‘s just as horrifying! #ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 23: #Story. #Cults #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

4,053! Had a good Week 3 thanks to the weekly game and word search! Hester and The Ex Hex have a plethora of #TeamSlaughter word search words. 😊

#Scarathlon2022

I don‘t know why but this cover makes me think of skeletons lol. I like this author even though I rarely read #YA, and one of my favorite authors (Tiffany D. Jackson) also writes YA and calls him her twin. I still need to read my #BOTM copy of his “Not So Pure and Simple.” I got a Scholastic copy of this from my daughter‘s book fair.😊

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 22: #Skeleton #Scarathlon2022 #TeamSlaughter

Black girls go missing in small-town Pennsylvania. I‘m really excited about this one! I‘ve heard it‘s like a mysterious thriller with elements of horror.

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 21: #Missing #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

A suspected murderer returns to his superstitious hometown where the murder he was accused of remains unsolved. I‘m glad I was able to grab this as a skip-the-line loan! 🥳🥳

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 20: #Murder #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

Reading (listening to) this right now and I am loving it!! Generations of women in a Scottish family all have the “curse” of seeing colors in shapes, letters, and when people talk. This would also work for the #secret prompt, because although they just see the world differently, they must keep the ability hidden because of #witchcraft mania.

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 19: #Curse #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022 #BOTM

I‘ve heard such good things about this spooky book! I‘m loving gothic stories in general. 👻

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 18: #Orange #Scarathlon2022 #TeamSlaughter

Although the murder victim (or perhaps perpetrator?) in this #TrueCrime #Classic was shot to death, it does include a character who possesses an extremely potent bottle of poison. And it took me a week and a half, but I am now officially back on track! 😅

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 17: #Poison #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

A Carrie remake by one of my favorite authors! I hear this is one of her best yet and I can‘t wait to read it!

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 16: #Scared #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

#Scarathlon2022 Week 2 Total: 824 points. #TeamSlaughter

Weekly Game: 550
True Crime Shows: 10
Bucket List: 100
Readathons: 20
Participation Points: 14
Soooky Crafts: 15
Daily Prompts: 55
Word Search: 60

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 15: #Secret #Scarathlon2022 #TeamSlaughter
I never reviewed this last year, so doing it now (not for points).

A popular true crime podcaster covers a live rape trial and begins to receive desperate pleas for help from a listener with a story to tell. As events unfold, this "sleepy" coastal town begins to show cracks in its façade, and a history of violence and rape culture starts to rear its ugly head.

Got some more things checked off my #Scarathlon2022 #OctoberBucketList! We‘ve started putting up a few decorations, and had fun at a pumpkin patch. 🎃 #TeamSlaughter

A serial murderer who leaves behind a signature “chestnut man” doll as a clue at each crime scene sounds intriguing! 😐 I‘ve had this on my TBR for a while!

#ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 14: #Clue #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

I love this cover! This works for #ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 13: #Witch as well as an option to read #WomenInTranslation.

#Scarathlon2022 #TeamSlaughter

I started this around October last year as a #Literati pick, but for some reason life got in the way so I didn‘t finish it, although it was very interesting! A #nonfiction #travelogue of sorts about death and burial rituals around the globe. Let‘s see if I can add this to my already too-long TBR for this month. 😁 #ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 12: #Grave

#TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

Late ‘90s Blockbuster nostalgia, a teenage night shift closing crew, and a stabby villain. Yes please! #ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 11: #Dark

#TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022

Using our other #TeamSlaughter #BuddyRead for #ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 10: #Crime. Can‘t wait to start it!

#Scarathlon2022

I was going to grab this fantasy pick from #BOTM, but instead I just found and bought a copy with PINK SPRAYED EDGES! I think I‘m in love. 😍 A magical One Thousand and One Nights retelling for #ScarathlonDailyPrompts #PhotoChallenge Day 9: #Magic #TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon2022