Welcome to Litsy!

I was not anticipating this #MiddleGrade to be as sad as it was in parts - the cover and synopsis made me think it would be more light and comical. Magical realism plays a role in this as the reader hears from the perspective of tween Ernest and Olivetti the typewriter. It‘s apparent early on that there is a big #ElephantInTheRoom when it comes to Ernest‘s family, and the mother‘s disappearance only adds layers to the situation. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

I admittedly picked this up because of the cover…love it!

YA Fantasy featuring sorcerers and fortune tellers and a MC with a snarky attitude and sharp wit…great story! I breezed through this one and found the layers of magic fascinating. There are grisly murder scenes - not overly graphic, but with enough detail you get the picture - and a dash of romance. One false step, and everything could #GoDownInFlames . #TeenAngst #BBRC

I‘ve heard great things about this series for years, so was glad to give it a try for the #BakerStreetIrregulars . I‘m so glad I did! Amelia Peabody is not your typical Victorian woman, and J loved her sarcasm and her views on society. It was also a nice intro to archaeology. I‘ve already purchased book 2! #192025 #1975 #BBRC #YeahBaby #PotCallingTheKettleBlack (Peabody and Emerson are so alike, it‘s like a mirrored image!).

I‘m surprised I‘m the first one to review this - it came out in 2019! Set in #Australia, this is a dual timeline double mystery, with similar situations and some trigger warnings (see below). Abby finds an injured teen in the bushlands, which triggers some horrific memories for her. This is the stage for the slow reveal of the past and present, involving abduction, violence, and what it means to forgive. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

While I wished this one had a bit more thriller aspects, I did enjoy the view of a con from the con artist‘s perspective. #IgnoranceIsBliss when the female MC is on the case, hiding her true intentions from her marks. There were a couple of twists that I did suspect and others I did not. Overall, a quick, fun read. #BBRC #Adult

Oomph…I can see why this book has a low rating on Litsy! I was so tempted to increase the listening speed just to get through the book at times. It has a good premise - friends quarantining together, and said friends have lots of issues. Not very likable characters, and that did not bother me. But, the last part of the book was like reading something completely different and just randomly added.

Using this for #BBRC #Adult #RainOnMyParade

This beautifully written novel entranced me from page one. Mason writes such a unique novel, focusing on a body of land and its inhabitants over centuries. Telling the story through various mediums - prose, diary, poem, letter, song - really made this so riveting and lyrical. The tie in with everyone too, the little nuggets thrown in over the years, just added perfectly to the story. I am so glad I read this! #52BookClub24 #AtLeastFourDifferentPOV

Light pick…the writing was less than stellar - how many times McFadden repeats the same thing over and over got on my nerves - but the thrill of the story kept me reading and the various twists. And the end - wow! I can see why she has become extremely popular, with long waiting lists for her books at the libraries. Fast read that left me gasping in parts. #52BookClub24 #AnAuthorEveryoneHasRead

I stumbled upon the short story that looks at Agatha‘s first case, way before she moves to the Cotswolds. It was okay. Short stories are hard for me, as I much prefer the development from a novel, but it was an interesting intro to Agatha Raisin. The audio is not a Penelope Keith audio, so I really missed her narration of this. #BBRC #Adult #LongStoryShort #52BookClub24 #AnApostropheInTheTitle