Welcome to Litsy!

“Even a prison becomes comforting if it‘s the only thing you know.”

Whenever a book/author is popular, I go into it with much trepidation. This time, I was not disappointed. I never had firm footing (indeed no in the novel did either) and I was delightfully surprised by the twists and turns. I kept thinking I had it down, then the floor would drop out from under me. Really well done.

I don‘t know why, but I had low expectations going into this one. I think because the last Gothic novel I read was more of a ‘funny tale‘ on a gothic novel than actually one. This story was great though, good plot twists, at times I thought I had it figured out it then I didn‘t. The ‘coming apart at the seams‘ metaphor being brought to life in the physicality of the mansion. Murder, love, deceit, revenge, and so much more.

A good thriller but the twists were kind of odd, but enjoyable.

Read for reading challenges

4/5

My first Riley Sager novel. So many twists! I thought I had figured some of it out early on but things kept changing until the very end!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#botm #mystery #thriller #suspense

Here's how my #October2023 ended for #BookSpinBingo! I'm still light on my reading due to student teaching, but I only have 4 weeks left! #careerchange #lifegoals #almosthere #bookworminmetamorphisis

I was nervous about reading a Sager book so soon. But I‘m glad I did. I didn‘t like it as much as the last one but still really good. Liked how it went back and forth and the little hints that were given. I liked how it was wrapped up.

A gothic thriller that I enjoyed. A bit slow in the middle but it all moves to a surprising and great ending. I was so satisfied when the book wrapped everything up after some twists and turns. An enjoyable read.

Mixed feelings. So this started off very promising. But at some point it went off the rails of utter ridiculousness. I did hang with it and finished. I was mostly entertained. But if you are the type who can‘t stomach over-the-top, unbelievable plot twists and get frustrated with easy tied up endings, you will be rolling your eyes aggressively. If you don‘t care, you‘ll probably love it.

This is now my new favorite Sager book!

#TeamCreepinItReal #scarathlon 771 pts
#trickortreatathon #31by31 #bookspinbingo #falling4books #readysetgoreadathon #RushAThon #spookoween #promptmaze #swiftieerasghostreadingchallenge #outstandingoctober #onemorechapter

Oh a Lizzie Borden yarn! There were so many twists in this one. It was just fun to read. It took me a minute to decide I liked the MC, Kit, but once we connected, the ride was a blast. And, the 1983 playlist was a blast from the past, too.

4.5 stars because I absolutely devoured this, also in two sittings, and thought it was going to be a 5 star read ... but there's one thing that I can't get past 😂. If you're in the mood to suspend your disbelief, this is a real creepy gothic treat 👀

Twisted.

I have had the busiest week. I need to be cleaning my home, but all I want to do is read!! #31by31 #OutstandingOctober #Scarathlon #TeamCryptKeepers @LiseWorks @Andrew65

I was nervous going into this because reviews are all over the place, but I truly loved every minute of reading it. It‘s a slow-burn until the fast-paced ending with rapid-fire twists that require a suspension of disbelief. The tilted, crumbling mansion high on the edge of the cliff made for a more gothic, atmospheric feel. And it‘s easy to see that Sager drew inspiration from both Lizzie Borden and de Maurier‘s Rebecca. So much fun, I loved it!

If you read this one watch your step, there is plot holes everywhere 🤭

This one goes off the rails and just becomes nonsensical. Entertaining though, I guess.

Gothic & twisty with nods to Shirley Jackson & Daphne du Maurier, this thriller is an enjoyable ride. The crumbling mansion is a character in itself, which not every reader loves, but I do. Final twist hits the mark. Good narration. #Gothic #spooky #thriller #Scarathlon #TeamWhoYaGonnaCall #audiobook #20points

Very excited to finally be reading this one!! I‘m listening on my commute today but have a print copy for when I‘m at home in my favorite chair. I‘ve noticed mixed reviews but I love Riley Sager‘s work so I‘m crossing my fingers this will be amazing. The audio is great.

A young caregiver, trying to get back on her feet after being accused of a crime, comes to the crumbling mansion to take care of an invalid woman, blamed for a Lizzie Borden-like massacre of her entire family, years ago on the eve of the stock market crash in 1929. There‘s definitely a gothic feel to this tale. I enjoyed this book.The twists at the end are a bit ludicrous and the family members are outright horrible, but it‘s an entertaining read.

Happy #Scarathlon, everyone! These are 3 of my most anticipated reads, plus my first pumpkin spice coffee of the season and a pumpkin spice Oreo. Let the fun begin! 🎃

#TeamCreepinItReal

I have mixed feelings about this one. It started off so well and I was really enjoying it! Then it kind of lost me. The ending also wasn‘t my favorite. It was…fine? But it was almost too twisty for me and by that point I wasn‘t invested in the story anymore. Some character decisions confused me and I wish there was more resolution with the whole Detective Vick thing. Overall it was entertaining and I know a lot of people will really enjoy this.

I'm getting ready for October's #bookspinsbingo! Since I finished by BOTM challenge for the year, I'm focusing on non-BOTM books on my bookshelf until 2024!

I've been putting off starting this book, but tonight looks like the night to start.
When I first heard of it I thought it sounded so good and couldn't wait to get my greedy lil hands on it, but it's been hyped up so much I'm worried about being disappointed, especially since I normally end up disliking super popular books. Oh well, here's to hoping 🤞

I was beginning to think that Riley Sager was a one hit wonder with me! I enjoyed this a lot and I‘m glad I kept reading his books even though most are duds.

While the very, very end mollified some of what I was feeling while reading this book, I can't ignore how silly and needlessly dark it was. The plot holes, the unlikelihoods, the truly nasty things family members did, all for the gotcha? I was on the fence about gothic horror as a genre, and this is further proof that sad+creepy is not my vibe, but honestly this is a thriller, full of the usual crappy people doing crappy things. No thank you.

It‘s 1983, and after being accused of her own unthinkable crime, Kit is hired to be a caregiver for an incapacitated woman who is believed to have murder her own family more than 50 years earlier. The pacing is a bit a off, but there are some really great twists and turns.

My #bookspin and #doublespin for September. I‘m a little wary of the Riley Sager. It came in on Lucky Day at work so I thought I‘d give it a shot and see what I think but I‘m keeping my expectations low. Fingers crossed these both go well! @TheAromaofBooks

Bk5 of August & #Rushathon #readathon is done! I started this last month but lost interest a few chapters in. I‘m glad I picked it up again & finished because it‘s the best he‘s written so far! I didn‘t guess the ending at all, very few books do that anymore so bravo👏The setting was amazing, the atmosphere tense & the characters totally untrustworthy. So a perfect thriller👍 #BookspinBingo

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

REBECCA meets THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER in this twisty whodunnit from Riley Sager. Just when you think you've figured it all out, Sager hits you with another WTF plot twist.
While some of those twists gave me some pause, this is still a highly enjoyable read!

I have been saving this book for vacation!! Finally!!

I almost forgot to come back from my lunch break because I got so into the end of this book. I may have finally broken through my reading slump. I only read about 6 books January through June but I‘ve read 4 in the last 6 weeks, including the uncut version of The Stand. It feels good to be excited about reading again 🙂❤️ 📚

I feel like the outlier since everyone else seems to love this, but this ended up being disappointing for me. I liked the gothic atmosphere of the house and the overall premise, and the beginning was compelling. But everything else fell flat. The pacing/timeline was bonkers, no likable characters, and too many outlandish twists. There also seemed to be some reused elements from previous books. I‘m sad since I‘ve liked his other works. 2.5/5⭐️

“Sometimes not saying no means yes.”

Kit is hired to take care of Lenora Hope, who was accused of killing her parents and sister Virginia in 1929 but never arrested because there was not enough evidence. Lots of twists and turns about what really happened. A bit confusing at times, but overall a very good read!

2/2 on #BookSpinBingo goals for the week
Will take at least the rest of this year to finish #AlphabeticalBingo (too many T books 😂)
Make a great day everyone 🙂

#ThinkPositiveBePositive
thanks for the tag @AmandaBlaze -

This quote (and skit) always makes me smile - hope it makes you smile too @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks .

Each morning I start with meditation that affirms my positive sense of self, gratitude and purpose.

Make a great day everyone 🙂

3.5⭐️s rounded up. This is for anyone who simply wants to be entertained! A popcorn thriller if you will. Grab the kind with extra butter, suspend all disbelief, and enjoy this wild ride full of family drama, unlikely coincidences, an impressive number of twists, and the somewhat gothic atmosphere of a crumbling old mansion. A #BOTM I listened to on #audiobook. #pop23 #BookTok rec

Finished another delightful 🦇💩 😜 book by Sager.❤️❤️❤️❤️
#bookspin
#bookspintracker

My #BookSpinBingo goal for the next week is to finish 2 of the books I've started.

The first week of August on family vacation and this week was back to school so limited reading time (by choice during vacation, by exhaustion and readjusting schedule during back to school 😂)

Make a great day everyone 🙂

I enjoyed the twisty ride this took me on. The 80s setting & vibe really added to the story. This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.
#BookSpinBingo #RushAThon

Starting my 15th #botm of the year. Finish this and I'll will have completed their Reading Challenge!

Too many twists and turns in this beach read for me. Kit becomes a caregiver to Lenore, an immobile recluse living in a mansion precariously built on a cliff. I read to the end, but each turn seemed a little more far fetched than the last one. Happy to get to the end!

#colorswipes

This is the first Riley Sagar book I've read and I really liked it! Good mystery, love the 1983 setting, and love the 80s style cover.

The was SO atmospheric!! It had the same dark feeling as The Thirteenth Tale with a Lizzie Borden-esque setup. Great summer thriller!

My favorite Sager yet.