Welcome to Litsy!

Finished this audiobook and I enjoyed the magical world and the hard scrabble life of Ropa -this is an older YA book even though the main character is 14 there are adult themes and some horror. Went to Russell Books and picked up a signed book by a local author. Also had brunch at a favourite cafe - first time back since the pandemic.

3.5 ⭐ This book is something else. It is not an easy read or listen to, because just like life, multiple things are happening all ⬇at once. Ropa is just 14. She lives in the poorest part of Edinburgh, in a caravan with her sister and her grandmother. Time is a bit hard to tell. It fells almost like an alternative universe, but Scotland is different from the one we know exists.

3.9⭐️ it was really good, it just I expected a lot more, especially were the library was concerned. There were also moments in the book where I felt overwhelmed with all that was happening, but it all tied together in the end. It did end where I don‘t need to read the next book, but I most likely will.

This was without a doubt one of the slowest reads I‘ve struggled with. I almost bailed but my friend who loaned it to me told me the last bit of the book would be good. Well, she wasn‘t wrong but dang…one shouldn‘t have to slog through 100+ pages to get to the good part.

Contrary to others, I thought the ending was well done… fast paced, interesting, left a bit of a cliffhanger while still giving a sense of being wrapped up. But for much of the book, I was… I don‘t know, a little frustrated, a little disinterested. It drags in places and seemed unfocused at times. Some telling that felt unnecessary. So, overall, ⭐️⭐️⭐️. I would read the 2nd, but I don‘t need to rush right out to get it.

Also, this soda? 🌌🫶🏽💫

I misplaced the book I‘m reading (it has to be downstairs somewhere bc I‘ve scoured up here), so I‘m picking this up for now ☺️

#SundayNight #ThatCover! #ItKindaMatchesMyPants 🤭

I want to read my book (inside the book sleeve), but someone is being very adorable 🖤🐾
#catsoflitsy

Quote: These days it's more profitable to farm human beings than it is to work the land honestly, like in the olden days. In this age, people are the livestock, they're sheep. You can make a hell of a lot more fleecing them than you would shearing sheep.

Love the cover and the title but not the book…sigh.

#coverlove

Lots going on here. Loved the premise and the #audiobook narration was good. But, ultimately, it wasn‘t as satisfying as its possibility.

#bookspin pick for June!
I liked the vibe, I liked the spunky girl protagonist, I liked the gritty near-future Edinburgh setting, and I loved the combo of African immigrant magic, very English ghosts, and an elitist, Western magic-user's society.

In related news, I've already used up all three of the free spaces I allotted myself 😅

New June #bookspinbingo board, and I just got the #bookspin book from my library hold list 👍⭐️

Hmm. Feels like this hasn't quite come together for me -- obviously some of that is because it's the first of a series, and there's set-up for an ongoing Big Bad, etc. But it feels kinda... incomplete. I might let it sit for a bit before I write up a full review for my blog, though.

At least it kept me good company while I waited the 15 minutes before leaving after getting Pfizer part #1 today!

Hmm. The science-y aspect of this makes it feel more than ever like it's been heavily, heavily influenced by Ben Aaronovitch's work. If the cover design didn't already make you think that way.

I wish it didn't feel so derivative; I want to like it, but it feels like it's Rivers of London in Edinburgh with a slightly different protagonist who still has a smart mouth and is supposedly a teenage girl.

I'm not sure from the first couple of chapters how this is going to work for me, because I don't love the narrative voice, but I'm not totally turned off or anything... Gonna see where it takes me. It's tough to fully get an idea for the setting and how magic is seen in this world so far. Hmmm.