Welcome to Litsy!

I picked this up randomly because I needed an audiobook to listen to. I did not really like this book. It kind of seemed like there was no point but at the same time all over the place and had a lot going on. For a book called library of the dead, there are not a lot of library scenes.

#hauntedshelf #flerken #spookoween #witchathon #31by31

This book about a Scottish & Zimbabwean high school dropout who can talk to ghosts, solving the mystery of one missing child & another resurfacing drained of his youth, toes the line between YA & Adult Fic. Is New Adult still a term people are using? I‘m not sure how much I would‘ve enjoyed this in print but I‘ll likely continue the series based on Tinashe Warikandwa‘s performance alone. 👇🏻

Considering plausible descriptors that personally count as 'marks against' for me: young adult, urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic/major societal crisis, I enjoyed this more than I might have expected.
I honestly only picked it up knowing it had library in the title and was fantasy, so vague expectations maybe worked in my favour? I enjoyed the snippets of science worked into the learning of magic, reminds me of the Rivers of London series. 1/?

Kicking off my 3rd 24hr-read-a-thone with my bestie with this book! So excited, she picked it out for me so let's see if she truly knows what I like to read.

A ghost talking girl is forced to intervene when someone is kidnapping and bewitching the children of Edinburgh.

First of all, the Library is next to useless & barely appears. But Ropa is a pragmatic & clever protagonist & a lot of fun to follow. The story comes almost to a dead stop in the middle for a magic info dump, but the rest is fast & intriguing. I think I‘ll try the next one as an audiobook because the style is pretty choppy. 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

A lazy Saturday listening to this YA urban fantasy/ ghost 👻 story- had a picnic in the Costco parking lot ( the poutine )

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Like many reviewers, I was hoping the library in question would be featured more. I liked the main characters, their loyalty to one another and an overall desire to do the right thing, even if it may be inconvenient or painful.

This was a new author to me, and I look forward to reading the 2nd book in this series.

I did a re-read of this book in the hopes I can get to the sequel soon. With that finished, I met my goal for books read for the year.

Adventure in a sort of post apocalyptic magical version of Scotland. The characters were all really appealing so this was a fun read! It could easily have ended on this note, so I‘m definitely curious to see what direction the other two books take.

 @jen_the_scribe Thank you for choosing this one for me! #NewYearWhoDis @monalyisha

I didn't connect much with this book. It felt somewhat disjointed to me. For one thing, the library was hardly featured in the book at all, so it wasn't aptly named. The story didn't quite flow. I liked the middle part the best; that was unique.

#JubilantJuly #Readathon 2nd book read @Andrew65

I was lost a bit in the middle, but that could have just been me. The ending was fantastic. #BookSpin #DoubleSpin

You know I‘m a sucker for books with “book,” “bookshop,” or “library” in the title . . . even though I know better! Read my review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#the-library-of-the-dead

This book fell flat for me. I really think if I was younger (like the target audience age of 13) I would have loved it, but I see too many flaws with the writing now. It also didn‘t have much of the library from the title in it 💀

If “library“ is in the title, I will read it. #sorrynotsorry

After a rough start, I enjoyed this book by the end. I need to see what other trouble Ropa gets herself into.

This read brought to you by a very long drive and Orlando.

I was skeptical of this book because of the reviews. I‘m thrilled I gave it a chance because I am flying through it. Fast paced and fun!

This read brought to you by a long walk and man made waterfalls.

Book in my ear, puppy on my lap.

The first in a series, set in Edinburgh, there are ghosts, magical people and a really cool library. It's definitely an interesting story, a bit gruesome at times, the MC is very cool and the cover is stunning.

I‘ve gotta say, the cover and title initially drew me in, and then I found out it‘s set in Edinburgh with Zimbabwean magic and I was even more intrigued! I‘m really looking forward to starting this one! What‘s a cover that caught your attention?

"There are pockmarks where the bullets went through. It's said their blood was the first graffiti to paint the walls. Blood is the strongest ink. You can't erase what's written in blood, ever."

pg. 165

#mystery #halloween #ghosts #amreading #readKY #zombies #creepy

I‘m actually somewhere between a pick and so-so, but that‘s not an option lol. I enjoyed the story and liked the protagonist, but was disappointed that the “library of the dead” wasn‘t more of a prominent setting in the story. It was a pretty quick read and I liked how the author made the magical aspects somewhat scientific.

⭐⭐⭐
I listened to the audio of this one, and the narration was fantastic. The story, though, was just ok. Maybe my expectations were too high, but for me this was just so-so.
#scarathlon #teamhendrix @StayCurious
15+1+(5h×10×11r)=566
#screamathon @4thhouseontheleft #littenlisten @aperfectmjk #wickedathon #spookoweenathon @thespineview #frightfall #thewitchinghour #halloweenhorrormoviemania #readlikehellathon #fallintoreading #panspookathon

"We are mind, heart, and hand. Through these our will is made manifest in the world. We shape it by touching it.... What is magic if not the thing that connects us to the land and those who rest in it, the voices that whisper in the wind - our ancestors and their forebears?"

"The auld reekie in the air tonight's louder than a Phil Collins song." ?

🎧 This isn‘t what I expected. I still enjoyed it & recommend it as maybe a family read.

Ropa is a 14 yo drop out who sees & talks to dead people. She‘s sassy & outspoken as a Ghostalker that‘s paid a lot to help the dead finish their business.

She & her BFF fall into trouble & Zimbabwean magic at the Edinburgh library of the dead. There‘s a mystery involving some children that Ropa plans to solve getting herself into some trouble!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My next read. After having my fill of nonfiction, I desperately need some fiction. And something ghostly to start off spooky season is perfect 😁👻

My #bookspin list for September. Most of these were chosen #scarathlon in mind. 💀👻🧟‍♀️🧙‍♀️

@TheAromaofBooks

It's spooky book season! 🎃💀

I'm really not supposed to be doing this, but a girl's got to get paid, so here we go. #firstlinefridays

I started this one last month but couldn't get into it on my kindle. I could tell the narrator had a distinct voice and I was having trouble hearing it in my head. I decided to put a hold on the audiobook instead. It just came in & I'm blown away by how much better this experience is for me! 🎧📖🎉

I think I've finalized my #scarathlontbr. They won't all probably fit the theme for #teamhendrix, but I think they're all sufficiently spooky, creepy, halloweeny and will likely fit other readathons I'm doing. I am soooo excited for October, I can't stand it!! ☠👻🎃

@StayCurious

My man took me to Barnes and Noble this morning, and bought me all the things. 😁 Bonus: I think most of these will work for the #scarathlon.

#teamhendrix
@StayCurious

This book just isn‘t for me. I thought it was going to be an adult fantasy but it reads much younger. More like a young YA/older Middle Grade (I think it was marketed as adult).The idea of the story is intriguing and I do enjoy YA/MG, this just didn‘t do it for me. Most likely because it wasn‘t what I was expecting and I‘m not the biggest fan of the main character. Oh well, I‘m sure many others will enjoy this one. It‘s just a miss for me.

I missed #firstlinefridays yesterday. It was my bday and I spent it mostly offline. But this morning I picked this one up and I must say, that's a damn intriguing opening! So ready! Pairing it with leftover bday doughnuts 🍩 😋

I wanted to love this audiobook, but ultimately it was a so-so leaning towards pick. A teenager who can talk to ghosts (and does so for money) in a post-something-very-bad Edinburgh, trying to solve what‘s happening to local kids who are disappearing. I loved Ropa—this is a first person narrative YA, and her voice comes through very well— and the cool Zimbabwean-Scottish elements of the story. I wish there was more of the actual library and ⬇️⬇️

🌟 🌟 🌟 https://suspensebookreviews.home.blog/2021/07/09/the-library-of-the-dead-by-t-l-...

I was a bit disappointed in this one. I loved the idea of Ropa being a ghost talker, I enjoyed the plot too. My problem laid with the fact Ropa is a teen and the narration is the first person, so it comes off extremely tweeny. I'm not a fan of YA and had no idea this was a YA novel (it was in the adult section at my library). I could not get into it.

Full review: https://scepticalreading.com/2021/07/ghosthunting-in-edinburgh/

Wanted to see more of The Library of the Dead.

Set in post apocalyptic Edinburgh, Ropa is a ghostalker who carries messages from the dead to their loved ones. Something is happening to the children and Ropa decides to investigate
This was a fun read with a strong main character
3 ⭐️

Wanted to read Harris' Orfeia with @Maike, but this book shouted at me all through my 40min yoga session. So, Urban Fantasy with a teenage exorcist it is.

Yesterday was my birthday and I got a bunch of gift cards. Safe to say I went crazy but I‘m not sorry 😁

Ropa is a ghostalker in Edinburgh after some kind of... Revolt? Catastrophe? There are a lot of good ideas - too many, actually, so that the library of the dead from the title is only one small part of the story. I think this is the start of a new series, but unless the sequel will be tighter, I don't think I will read it.

The start of a new series, I absolutely loved this one that hit the shelves 6/1! Narrator Ropa talks to ghosts to scrape by a living to support her younger sister and grandmother in a magical, post-apocalyptic Edinburgh. She makes for a terrific heroine- brave, funny and a definite survivor- this is a genuine pleasure to read and while the plot may not be unpredictable it is entirely fun and I can‘t wait for the sequel!

This was such a fun, adventurous book to read full of magic, great characters, and culture. Ropa is the perfect mix of loyal and sassy. She's become a ghostalker in order to provide for her family, but she encounters a ghost who is going to change her whole world.

Great start to this series and I'm excited for the next one when it comes out.

#NetGalley

Review copy of this upcoming book...can‘t wait to read it!

Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please!

🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻#NetGalley

These two arrived yesterday, I had forgotten that I had pre ordered them, I must admit I enjoy the surprise!
The library of the dead is set in my hometown of Edinburgh so I can‘t wait to read it. And how Britain ends speaks to me a lot, being Scottish and hoping for independence, I think this will be interesting

I‘m enjoying this book so so very much. 😍