Welcome to Litsy!

When you arrive at the hotel with your creepy hotel books 😎

I‘m a Collins fan, but this was not one of his better books, I fear. I‘m sure it was a creepy story for his audience at the time, but to those of us raised on Stephen King, it is rather tame in comparison. That‘s okay—I understand that it was a different time in terms of horror. However, I just didn‘t think this story came anywhere near his usual level of characterization in books such as The Woman in White. Still a fan, though!

I think we're ready for Halloween reading now! 🎃😺
#CatsOfLitsy

#FALLISBOOKED - Day Thirty - #SUPERNATURAL This is last year‘s Halloween Night read

SNOOZE FEST.

The whole book crawls up to one of the characters writing a manuscript, a couple of pages of which we get to read, which details the ‘events in question‘.

Random op shop book find didn‘t win this time.

This made me want to go back to Venice. I love all things spooky and maddening. Beautiful little penguin book.

You have gotten old when ... double-fisting means a book in each hand rather than a beer in each hand.

My night in with @SerialReader

I love Wilkie Collins and escaping to the Victorian era, which has a comforting feel and formality. But this dragged and I don‘t think is as strong or lively as Woman in white or Moonstone. The mystery plods along, the writing is overwrought at times & it felt contrived. I still enjoyed the tone & style of his writing but the characters didn‘t come to life as they do in his other work. Good for a spooky autumn / winter read!

A shorter Wilkie Collins, perfect for Halloween. It is more of a psychological suspense story than horror. If you have read Wilkie Collins (Woman in White, Moonstone) before, you know what to expect. As the story is not that meaty the length is about right. A pleasantly spooky 19th century read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Picture from English Whirled Wide on Facebook and completely unrelated to the book.

Finally getting around to my first Wilkie Collins

#februarywrapup no. 4

I loved The Woman in White and The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. This one was far inferior and knowing how good his other books are left me a bit disappointed. Just okay.
#serialreader

#bookclub read - totally not my style but I've read the first few pages and I'm intrigued! Let's do this!

Finished my first book on Serial Reader, which I entirely credit to you, my Litsy friends.

Full review: http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2017/12/13/book-review-the-haunted-hotel-by-wilkie...

I‘m at the halfway mark. It‘s alright so far. I do have to admit though: I‘m in a horrid slump.

I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Went out, did things, dressed up. Now I‘m reading and listening to Chillstep. I‘m feeling a bit blah though. I‘m recovering well from my procedure, but find myself in another slump. Here‘s a #selfie, rare as it is. Also, this book is sad thus far. Apparently Miss Lockwood and I both have poor choice in men. (Also for five of six piercings into my ears! I have three in each.)

I had a radiofrequency ablation done today on my right L4 L5 Facet Joints. The needles are nothing compared to the steady influx of electric heat to burn your nerves. It‘s like being on fire from within. Guess I‘ll spend a few hours on the couch and reading.

Pretty good mystery! My first Wilkie Collins but definitely not my last. #serialreader

I think this book may have seemed better if I had read it before The Woman in White. While I couldn't resist turning the page until I finished, I felt it lacked the narrative structure of his earlier work. After having lived in Venice, I did enjoy his eloquent descriptions of the city! It is quite the example of the differences of Collins' writings later in life, as he became addicted to Opium and lost his literary inspiration. Give it a chance!

Meh. I loved Woman in White and Moonstone so I had high hopes for this, but it was only okay.

It was an okay story. Perhaps after many, many years after its publishing too many other authors borrowed Collins's formula.

#goals #serialreader

Bit of a disappointment, ngl. It was pretty good for a while, then it got duller than donkey on a warm day, and suddenly it was really interesting and then BOOM, finished. The spooky parts were incredibly well written, though.

The plot is a little weak. I love Wilkie Collins, and this was okay, but not his best.

Well, I'm not even sure. It took a while to get to the Haunted Hotel and then it very quickly ended. I liked the characters, and had it been fleshed out (I think this is the first time I'll complain a classic is too short...) it might have been better. The characters were great and what 'haunted' scenes there were, were pretty good.

An okay read.

⭐️⭐️👻

I really enjoyed the first half of this one, but it felt like it fizzled out in the second. Loved the writing, though. I'd love to see a movie of this where Countess Narona is played by Eva Green. It would be spectacular and ease some of my dread about Penny Dreadful ending. PS: I haven't watched the last season yet, so no spoilers please!

I didn't like this one as much as I did The Woman in White. The premise is good, and it had it's spooky moments, but overall it was just really underwhelming. 😐

This was a slow burn with little payoff, imho. I really wanted to like it because I've heard such good things about Collins, but I just kept getting a misogynistic vibe from his writing and the middle part dragged on way too long. I'll give him another shot cause this wasn't completely terrible... just not for me, I guess. Is somewhat appropriate for #scaretober.

Is it just me, or does this sound like the best hot, boozy way to get through this winter? Have any of you Littens tried this before? #wilkiecollins #booksandbooze

My current serial read is very appropriate for #scaretober

This is only my second Wilkie Collins, but I am definitely a fan. 👻

Trying out the Serial Reader app that was mentioned on different posts

There are 26 "issues" of this on #serialreader , which means that starting it today, I'll finish it on Halloween ?

Jumping back into #SerialReader with their #Halloween section! Enjoyed The Moonstone so let's see how Collins does with scary stories! 👻

SUPERFUN! There was no way I could wait for the next issue; I had to keep reading. Fantastic creepy Victorian gothic mystery/ghost/horror story: Venice! Mysterious widows! A rake with an interest in chemistry! To tell more would be a disservice.

😂😂😂 #victorianladies

Yes @Litsy you made me do it! I'm now starting my first issue! #ilovereading #serialreader

I finished my first book on Serial Reader! If you enjoy Victorian Gothic mysteries, then you may want to give this one a try. I haven't read anything else by Wilkie Collins, but I did enjoy this. Up next - Northanger Abbey!

This book has been my first foray into the Serial Reader app. I only have a few days left before it's over and am thinking about what to read next on it. I'm considering a Jane Austen novel. I've only read P&P (which is coming due for a reread soon). Any recommendations on which one I should choose?

Oh, Serial Reader App, you are the best! I'm jumping into a Wilke Collins book now in little bites and it's delicious!

Started another with Serial Reader.

While this isn't a masterpiece like The Moonstone, The Haunted Hotel has its merits. Gothic mysteries are one of my guilty pleasures, and Collins is an expert at creating unreliable narrators to drive suspense. However, I disliked being constantly reminded of clues presented earlier-literal overkill

"I can't dispute your reasoning, Henry. But I feel in my heart of hearts that you are deceived. Nothing will shake my belief that we are still as far from having discovered the dreadful truth as ever."