Welcome to Litsy!

Laura Carlin‘s debut novel is a gothic historical thriller that effectively recreates the squalor of the 1830s but relies heavily on credibility-defying contrivance to drive the plot. The romance between Hester and Rebekah doesn‘t convince due to its ‘insta love‘ beginnings and the failure of either woman to question it in the context of the period. Ultimately this just wasn‘t for me and I can‘t say I‘d rush to read Carlin‘s other work.

Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and along the same sort of storylines as finger smith a novel of murky London alleyways in 1831 and the disappearance of the vulnerable and poor with links to an aristocratic family with sinister secrets. Particularly like the character Hester and how her world collides with Rebekah & they begin their investigations into the wicked cometh . Perfect wintery gothic fiction

I can‘t believe the reviews are not so great for this , so far I‘m loving 🥰 it , in market Harborough UK 🇬🇧 jazz cafe next door to Waterstones book 📚 shop - Wel be having a little look 👀 me and my girl 🐶

Cosy reading 📖 ambience on YouTube with my beautiful 🤩 girl 🐶🥰and red wine 🍷 of course 😆 mixed reviews for this book 📕 it‘s been on my shelve for years and it‘s such a beautiful hardback edition , a gothic Victorian thriller perfect for early dark nights

A dark #purplecover for this dark London tale.

newYearNewYou @Eggs

Written in the style of Victorian Gothic, but actually set in the early 1830s, when William IV was on the throne, this novel has plenty of atmosphere, and an interesting plot, but is let down by the author‘s overuse of lengthy speeches by minor characters to fill in some plot gaps. Beautiful cover, though.

#TBRReads #WinterGames #ReadNosedReindeer @StayCurious @Clwojick

#WeeklyForecast
This week I aim to:
Finish Starve Acre
Read a bit more of Me
Make a start on American Gods
(All carries over from last week)

Read The Wicked Cometh
Read A Village Christmas

It feels ambitious as I will be with family most of the week, but we‘ll see how it goes.

@Cinfhen

This gothic tale with a #purplecover has been on my TBR mountain for a while, but I‘m thinking it wood be a good December read.

#NamasteNovember @Eggs

A very pretty cover from the TBR mountain

#Wicked #FallisBooked
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

#Purple Books #ColorMePretty @Sweetkokoro

You can see where I get my bookish nature... my mother ( @Mrsemz ) is visiting me leading me up to my birthday! We took a lovely visit to a used bookstore, had lunch and came back to the apartment. When I looked up, she was already in my reading chair, enjoying a book! ❤️

It‘s London 1831. Hester White is standing on a street corner waiting on a wealthier family member, when she‘s hit by a carriage. The owner brings her back to his family home where Hester meets his sister Rebekah Block.

At the same time, men, women and children from the poor areas are disappearing and never heard from again.

These disappearances catch Hester and Rebekah‘s interest, and together they look into this and discover the truth

Next up. I love this cover

Sounds like MC Hester White #soldmysoul in order to escape the London slums in this gothic tale set in 1831. Hester meets Rebekah, part of the aristocratic Brock family, and somehow a murder ensues.

As you‘ve probably guessed, I haven‘t read this yet. It‘s a gorgeous hardcover with cool endpapers though so I bought it last winter on my first ever trip to London as I shopped in Harrod‘s.

#octoberxfiles

Other people seem to have enjoyed this book but I just hated it, I barely managed to finish it. The writing was so cliched it made me laugh in places, none of the characters had much in the way of motivation I understood, I didn‘t believe the love story or have any affection for the main character. If I want to read a gothic lesbian Victorian underclass mystery I‘ll read Sarah Waters, not a book that seems like not-great Sarah Waters fanfic.

I‘m trying really hard to enjoy this but so far the only good bit is the cover. It seems like a worse written, more simplistic Fingersmith; which was very good I just don‘t think this book adds anything. No one is doing anything for any particular reason and the MC feels a bit vacuous. I don‘t wanna keep reading it but I never give up on books so I suppose I‘ll turn the speed up and keep going 🤷‍♀️

On to my next audiobook! I picked this one up on sale months ago and only getting to it now as I‘m reading through my back catalogue finally. I honestly can‘t remember a single thing about what it‘s about so I‘m diving in completely blind. Gorgeous cover image tho!

The goodreads pic doesn't do the cover justice. Really enjoyed this gothic murder mystery with a touch of Sarah Walters about it. Trigger warning for people who can't read about animal cruelty though (not done by either of the lovely main characters). Rebekah in particular is a great character, an independent woman frustrated by the expectation that she has to marry.

I have finally found my reading joy again. I had to dump a perfectly good book- simply too many characters. I dove right into the Deborah Levy book, “Things I Don‘t Want To Know” & was mightily impressed. I watched the Netflix movie Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society. Now I am curled up on my couch, diving into this beauty of a book about 1831 London! I‘m feeling a little more like myself today. As usual, reading always helps me. Always!

Delightfully wicked.

Here is my collection from Paris & London, so far. I fell in love with the VMC 40th anniversary books, many of which I don‘t have currently, with the dark green spines. I devoured Hot Milk so I grabbed two of her other work- the yellow cover is just perfect. Speaking of covers, the English cover of The English Patient (signed) & Rebecca Solnit‘s newest book (signed). And a gorgeous copy of Song of Achilles. Now I need reading time!

Picked this up in an op (thrift) shop. Graphic and gruesome descriptions of life in the London slums in 1830s. An interesting debut novel.

I can't believe it's the end of our #Whodunnituk postal group. It's been great reading books I never knew about. I hope everyone enjoyed my pick. I know it wasn't a "thriller" but it was the only crime I had on my shelf ?
@jhod Thank you so much for "The Wicked Cometh" it's been a book I keep picking up! I can't wait to try the tea either ?
@DeborahSmall I will be posting yours very soon! I'm so sorry it'll be late (I forgot about Easter) ?

Congrats on the 50K litfluence, @readinginthedark , and thank you for the giveaway fun! 😘😘

#TBRForTheWin

Wow, this book couldn‘t have been more in my wheelhouse: 19th century, slums of London, literary, suspense. It reminded me of other favorites: Michel Faber‘s Crimson Petal and the White, Emma Donogue‘s Slammerkin, or anything Sarah Waters. Thanks @SavidgeReads for turning me on to this gem.

This beauty was delivered today. I love a naked hardback!!

Such a great book! I‘m not normally a fan of this type of historical fiction but I loved the characters of Hester and Rebekah. The story is told with the intricacies of love and betrayal woven in whilst a dark and mysterious beast is roaming the streets of London. A really well-told story. 💜

Hopefully going to finish this tonight. So far enjoying the mystery and darkness in 19th century London

So having never commuted so far to work this week is really testing me but luckily I have a new book to keep me company 📚🧡
And it‘s super pretty which is a bonus!

😻📖

Well this was my stats for January. 19 is pretty good for me though I think I need to read more of my own books. Definitely gotta go on a book buying ban.

This book unashamedly wears its influences on its sleeve, Sarah Waters being the most obvious and while it's not quite in that league, it was a fairly amusing/entertaining/ engrossing Fingersmith-lite. It's not without faults - the melodrama at times feels shallow, at other's cloyed with flowery sentiment. Some of the historical details seem a little off, certain situations, turns of phrase, examples of etiquette/propriety. It took an age to ...👇

Passed a bookstore on my way home - we‘ll didn‘t ‘pass‘ it - popped in to it and accidentally made a purchase!! #mostbeautifulbookcover #impulsepurchase #sopretty

Living in the darkest area of London Hester longs for more. An accident throws her into the world of the Brocks and the beautiful Rebekah. They face peril, lies and danger in the pursuit of the truth.
This was a brilliant read. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this but I was soon hooked. There are many layers to the story and the mystery is just a part of it. I loved the twists and the ending was utterly perfect.

Well, my first Netgalley read wasn't great so I'm hoping for better things from this one.

It's easy to see the influences on this novel, Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Sarah Waters loom large but everything is just a little... flimsy. The characterisation is flat and despite all the trappings of Victorian London the historical period feels wobbly and two-dimensional. The convoluted, coincidence-dependent plot is straight out of the Victorian melodramas but Carlin's writing sadly lacks the strength and bravura to pull out off

The prettiest of Book Post! I love my job! #PerksOfBeingABookseller