Welcome to Litsy!

Next in quarterly faves: Horror, Short Stories and the ones that don't fit well elsewhere: I honestly think averaging one horror a month (this month was the anomaly), not including non fiction about horror, is the right speed for me. I don't mind some chills, but a lot of horror deals with depressing topics and I don't need to dwell there mentally. Overjoyed by continuing love for short story collections by one author, NO anthologies please!

More fun and more horrifying than House of Leaves. The comparison came to mind not because there is multimedia or story within story elements (though we do get pieces of a second narrative in the latter half), but the pivotal plot point of the sudden appearance of a passage to an architecturally impossible space, leading to another word, via a building that should be a known quantity. 1/?

Today's 'scratched my brain just right' sentence.

Pfft. 🤭

Voted best dressed for exploration of creepy impossible space.

ALWAYS take the Pratchett. ☺️ Especially in a crisis.

This novel about a woman who finds a portal to an isolated mysterious world in her uncle's shop of oddities is more fun than most of the cosmic horror stories I've read in the past. I love all the weird and wonderful characters in this novel!

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 44: “Sinistea: Ghost or spirit“)
#52bookclub24 (prompt 22: A plot similar to another book) This book was inspired by The Willows by Algernon Blackwood.

T. Kingfisher does it again! Divorcée Kara has to move to her uncle‘s Wonder Museum that ends up having a portal to another universe. With the help of her friend Simon, Kara explores this reality and finds that her own Narnia isn‘t so wonderful.
This is an absurdist and cosmic horror. There are elements of sci fi, gore, and lovecraftian writing that makes this novel unique and so very strange. 4/5!

reading a #horror novel
it‘s very suitable for #autumn

This was my first T Kingfisher book, and it won't be my last. It's horror with a real heart to it, populated by characters and in a setting I wouldn't mind spending more time with after the events of the story had passed. If such a thing as “cozy horror“ could be said to exist as a subgenre, this is an example, and I am here for it.

Terrible picture but it‘s all good. Very excited to sit with a book, coffee and pastry in one of my favorite cafes in the city newly reopened after a move and an expansion. Great way to start the day!

Creepy, weird and an overall off kilter vibe that I really enjoyed. I find that mystery/thriller/horror always have inconsistencies and ‘why the heck did they do that‘ moments, and those moments were present here, but not enough to ruin the story. It won‘t leave you with nightmares, but it‘ll leave an uncomfortable smile on your face.

“A man who had devoured his twin in the womb and was now carrying her eye around in his head was pitying me. That seemed as if it should be a good metaphor for my life, although I‘d be damned if I could make sense of it.”

Book 63📚 4.2⭐️

My first Kingfisher! & definitely not my last🖤

What happens when you discover a portal to another universe through a hole in your drywall?!

But this isn‘t no ToonTown, it‘s creepy and empty, yet not completely…

I love Simon! He was the source of much needed sarcasm🖤

Going to need to check out The Twisted Ones next I think!🤔

I LOVED this book. The concept was fresh and I loved the narrators voice. I can‘t wait to read more from@this author.

Thank you Melanie! What a fantastic #AllHollowsReadSwap package. I can‘t wait to dive into these books. 🖤🧡🖤🧡

I really really liked this eerie unique horror/speculative novel. A women fresh from a divorce goes to live with her Uncle to help him with his oddities museum. She discovers a hole in the wall that leads…somewhere. This is all about the vibes, so if you are for some creepy times like I was you will enjoy this. 5⭐️
#doublespin done! #trappedonanisland #31in31 #bodycountbingo #Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash #spookaween

Day 2 of #summerween. I've got coffee, tabs, a live reading sprint, and the house to myself for the next several hours. This is my read in the dark pick. We shall see how creepy it is.

This book caught my attention and had me immersed very quickly. Then it died as quickly as it started. There was so many details I could not care about and then so many lacking details where they were really needed. I had a hard time imagining this place and the main character was so naive and I caught on way quicker then she did. Also the book became very repetitive. This book reminded me of House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. 2/5

This was pretty good. Reminded me a little of the Southern Reach trilogy mixed with a Stephen King vibe that I can‘t quite put my finger on.

Loved it! Kingfisher is definitely a writer I will watch. She has a deft touch with snarky dialogue, and I consider that a rare gift. This horror story is both creepy and funny. The premise is that Kara, recently divorced, moves in with her quirky uncle to help him with his weird oddities museum while she reevaluates her life choices. When he is hospitalized and she is alone there, she discovers a weird portal to another world. Highly recommended!

If Night at the Museum, Narnia and Journey to the Center of the Earth were siblings and had a horrific secret love-child they kept stashed away in a dark basement you might get this book. Weird and kind of twisty but not in the greatest way. Started out strong but I lost interest pretty quickly. If I ever find a hidden portal in an Oddities museum I hope it leads me somewhere else

#Bookspinbingo #aestheticallymatched @TheAromaofBooks @Clwojick

I got this from Netgalley as an ARC eons ago and finally got around to reading it. I really regret not reading it sooner!

Carrot, fresh from a divorce and living in the spare room at her uncle's oddity museum, finds a portal in the back of the building that leads to another, strange world. This world seems empty, except for the willows, but Carrot and her friend soon find out that it is very much occupied.

Very creepy and fun book!

I've read this book before in print, but it's been over a year and I liked it and it was available before my holds, so I'm listening to it. But. It's the same narrator as The Twisted Ones (which I also did this with) and I really do not like the way she reads. Weirdly snarky tone for almost every sentence, which I find offputting. I'm still listening for now because I don't have a backup. If my next hold comes before the end, though, I don't know.

Audiobook pick:
I enjoyed this horror/fantasy novel, it's a weird little gem of a book. Now I want a goofy, yet loving uncle with a Wonder Museum and sassy cat.

I didn't find this as engaging and fast paced as I expected it to be. The premise was cool but didn't hook me in like I wanted. I did enjoy Simon and Kara and their banter made me laugh several times. ⭐⭐⭐

Currently reading! 👻

I was sadly disappointed in this. It had some creepy moments, most of it fell flat. I appreciate the fact that the cat didn‘t die. I did like he characters for the most part, even though some of Cara‘s decision making was laughably bad. #moremehthanyay #borrownotbuy (Also, the digital version has been on my NetGalley queue for more than a year, so Yay! for clearing some of that backlog!)

This was a quick, twisted read! Not overly scary, definitely weird, and much funnier than I was expecting. I loved the main character, who most people called Carrot, as well as her friend and neighbor, Simon. They were unlikely partners, thrust into a terrible and cruel world, forced to find their way back to civilization. Wasn‘t what I was expecting but still good. 🌟🌟🌟🌟. 16 pts for #teamslaughter #scarathlon2021 and for all the readathons 😉

4¼⭐ | NARRATION 😁=Very Good | Narrated by📣Hilary Huber
This was really flipping weird, but something about it worked for me because I liked it more than I did The Twisted Ones. It touches on so many different elements including alternate realities within parallel worlds. With some gruesome body-type horror but it‘s intermixed with some humor to keep some levity. Overall, this was equal parts fun, and freakish. A perfect Halloween read/listen.

I liked this horror story. It was spooky and creepy, but it was also sentimental and funny. The main character had a great sense of humor, which I loved.

This had some pacing issues and I wish there were more creepiness and I wish more time was spent in the willows but the mystery kept me locked in and I loved the humor. When it was creepy and suspenseful is when this was at its best. The parts that were creepy were really creepy. I just wanted more creepy lol this was still fun though !!

#LMPBC

Free Space for #BookSpinBingo

Another slow night at work (per usual) means I can dive into an #LMPBC book ☺️

This was different but very entertaining! Definitely a writer I will be following!

This book was...strange, but I ❤️ strange books! 🤪 There's some weirdly intriguing things happening to Carrot, all while she's running the Wonder Museum, since Uncle Earl's having knee surgery. Although intriguing doesn't necessarily mean good. Things become tense and nightmarish quicky. Can Carrot survive long enough to make it through the ordeal...and in one piece?

⭐⭐⭐⭐
#BookishBingo

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
While I did think this book had some issues with pacing, I still found it pretty fun. Kara and Simon made a great duo, and I enjoyed the humor more than I expected. Also, Beau is ❤️❤️❤️ He kept reminding me of my childhood cat Flower (pictured above 🐱❤️).

#lmpbc #GroupS

I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new - don‘t judge me I have a lot of books.
Join the fun if you want. This is day 218.
#bookstoread
#tbrpile
#bookstagram

This got here today! I‘ll get started on it this weekend. 😄

#lmpbc #GroupS #catsoflitsy #Phoenix

My most recent read was The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher.

Kara‘s uncle owns a quirky museum of oddities. While closing up one night, she finds a passage in the wall leading to other dimensions full of strange, disturbing creatures. So begins her adventure.

This story is unsettling, surprisingly hilarious, weirdly imaginative, and just so much fun👍👍 I absolutely loved the dialogue in this book. So many great lines.

#ShortReview #TKingfisher

There is nothing, nothing, nothing like cosmic horror beyond the scope of the human mind to make an ex pale to insignificance.

This wouldn't be suitable for the pratical approach but, where applicable, does seem like a perk.

Diverting the attention of impossible monsters through the power of fanfiction infighting? Reader, I chortled in the middle of a horror novel.

Objects you don't want to find after crossing through a portal, A+ for atmosphere.

🎧 I‘ve sat on this review for a couple days because I‘m not sure how to describe this book. Looking for a fun horror?

I loved it. It‘s quirky, silly, horror. I loved Kara & Simon. They have a fun snarky believable rapport. The dialog flows. The pacing is fast.

It‘s basically portal/multiverse but it feels so unique.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 👇🏻

Kara moves into her ailing uncle's oddity museum after her divorce. One day she finds a hole that has been knocked into the wall...through it, she discovers an impossibly long hallway and eventually another dimension. I loved the concept and I thought it was overall decent. The reason I'm giving it a so-so is that I don't know if I would recommend it to someone. I wanted more out of it, I feel like it was a bit convoluted at times.
#summerreading

I'm at the point where I'll read any horror novel T. Kingfisher writes - and I really hope she continues with the genre! I do think I like The Twisted Ones better, even if that story did give me nightmares... The Hollow Places was also creepy in a really fun way, had fantastic side characters and the same irreverent humor I enjoyed in The Twisted Ones.