How Jasper likes to wake up and cuddle dad!
I feel like I missed half the story by not understanding the Japanese "creatures" they kept mentioning. Lack of depth and clarity of understanding ruined the enjoyment. I'm sure if you knew the culture, this would make much more sense. I also couldn't connect with the characters- they kept pointing out how they were tropes in a horror story and basically enacted these roles which made them very 2D.

Started on the 24th and just finished so pretty engaging, I'd say! I thought I wasn't in the mood for this story and then boom! I was hooked and just wanted to know more about the vamps, witches, ghouls, etc!
I am really glad that it is in fact a series. Can't wait for more!
Also, I quite enjoyed the narration.
Oh and usually I never do this, but I thought if this were turned into a movie Kate Winslet should play Greta.
And gratuitous pup shot🐕🐾

Thank goodness I had this audio to keep me company through the MOST wretched thunderstorm as I drove to my friend's wedding yesterday!
I watched the series a bit ago and enjoyed it so thought I'd probably enjoy the book. I definitely did! The series definitely veers from the book so the book is still full of surprises and arguably more twisted than the show. I'm pretty sure in both book and show Francis is my favourite☺️

I started this yesterday as I was needing distraction and it proved captivating enough to steal me away for a bit. Today, with a certain reveal in the narrative I was a little triggered and upset but it is a beautiful story.
I did expect the "twist" at the end, but still, give it a thumbs up. Various things did make me question if I was right.

This is the second time I've tried with this book. The first time I gave up faster. This time, well I just don't want to pick it back up. I don't know if anyone else felt this way but the sibling who's focused on for the first bit at least, Simon, just irritates the hell out of me. I'm sure the focus will change but I guess my brain isn't willing to sit through it.

This is probably somewhere between a pick and so so. I was pretty captured for the first little while and then I just really wanted "to know". But the end fell flat for me. The climax seemed to just pass by & then I was disappointed with it. Tbh I really thought there was some sub plot going on with Deckland that 110% I was there for! Lol I'm sure you could read that in a number of ways given the way the author made Jax unreliable.

"my body was a problem"
I'm walking and listening with some tears in my eyes because I don't know any woman who hasn't felt this way. Maybe not specifically in the context of X, i.e. being sexualised by men at a young age when it is unwanted, but just in general. How young we get taught that our bodies are problems to always be fixed, tweaked, solved, worked on, etc. That's just fuckin' sad.

Gratuitous "sad" puppy photo.
This book was interesting, not the best, but definitely enough to keep you interested. A few times I was worried it would get a little too gorey but it stops just before that line (for me anyway). I feel like I at least half knew what the outcome of this was going to be and also that my compassion for pretty much all the characters was low, minus one or two.

I could have powered through finally but really I just didn't want to. And this isn't the first time this hold has come in. So I give up. Because obviously I did not find this captivating enough to finish.

Still a pick though of all the Highsmith I've read it wasn't my favourite. This time I was more annoyed and put off by the constant inner monologues (whining? Lol) of the main male characters.
I do love how Highsmith so deftly gives the reader a clear picture of what is happening while simultaneously revealing how her twisted main characters (mis)perceive things.

Attention #ReadersGoneRogue !!
Ok, here's a mix. 3 fiction, 3 non fiction. I think I'm rooting for the occult mind, parallel myths, or one of the fictions the most 🤣 but vote away! Or veto away! Whichever is easier!
Actually I feel like @BookishTrish said she'd read BHPB, but I could be misremembering 🤔
@FantasyChick

Hey #ReadersGoneRogue @FantasyChick @BookishTrish don't be strangers!! 🤣
I miss our postal book club. Anyone interested in trying again...or maybe finishing our last round and starting a new one? 😜

Well obviously I loved this one since it took me 3 sittings and about 2 days to finish haha.
I could definitely see similarities to The Talented Mr Ripley, which I also loved! Highsmith really has a way of showing you the twisted workings of a twisted mind.

Apparently it's my five year litsy anniversary!!!
Yesterday I started another Highsmith audio and made a decent beginning on this Ursula Villainous puzzle. Since it's very and rainy today I'll probably just continue.

Puppy photo bomb!
Finished this audio today. Actually went through this one pretty quickly (less than a week) without losing track or getting bored. It wasn't amazing. The resort at the end i didn't see coming but I didn't find it overly believable either.

Finally started back into this book! On a mini-vacay this weekend and though it's still chilly in southern Ontario, things are warming up so it was time for some very bundled up, fire side reading. Lake in background is Erie and on the other side we can see Toledo, Ohio. 👋

Someone's getting trustworthy enough to spend some quiet, reading time on the bed 😯
Also, funny this is set in Charleston as was the Siddons I just finished and it also mentioned Sullivan's Island. Tbh thought that was made up in Islands, didn't really think to check if it was real, lol.

Someone was being very sucky and needing attention while mom puzzled and listened to this audiobook. 🐕
Third Siddons and I still like the House one best, but this was second. She can really write about friendships and develop characters (and atmosphere/settings) well.
Also this one had one hell of a plot twist I was not expecting and one I feel points towards another genre she could have written in.

Why show the audiobook when you can show the puppy??!! Lol
Also, not really anything good to say about this book. The narrator's trauma/memories situation seemed very superficial and fake, the "twist" at the end may as well have been "aliens landing and did it" b/c it was so unconnected which also means you have to suffer through the evil villain's step by step break down of how they did it. Also the epilogue? Is this going to be a series? Pass.

Current audiobook as I go on walks with this floof!
He's getting a little easier to manage on walks which means I can listen to an audiobook reasonably well!

First, how can anyone get any reading done with THIS FACE staring at you??!!
Ok, so being on walks with a puppy, I was interrupted/distracted a lot. Still, I knew what was going on so I feel that says something about how it dragged, it felt like nothing "got anywhere." And I felt really no suspense, or horror, fright, etc.
And then it just got weird, and kind of confusing. More below ⬇️

Walking around with this fool today- who super enjoyed the snow but is still wary of strong winds (among other things). It's hard to listen to audiobooks when walking a puppy because you're constantly guiding them with voice commands and of course everyone oohs and aahs at just how cute he is. Lol.

The main character picks up this book to read and I haven't heard his book mentioned since 4th year undergrad, more than a decade ago! My copy of this book states it was first published in 1976 though, so I'm a little confused how someone in the 50s is reading it.

Been MIA lately with tarot studies and Christmas BUT since we got this little guy (Jasper), I feel I may be back to listening to many audiobooks as I try to balance my own running workouts with the multiple long walks a day this dude needs! I can't wait for the day when I have a running buddy!
Currently, listening to In Cold Blood (so festive, I know 🤪).

Not as great as the House Next Door but still solid. It may also have resonated with me more if I were at a different stage in my life but I'm kind of the in between age in this set up.
And, simply to add for fun since I am seeing tarot correspondences everywhere now, The Tower seemed most appropriate for this book!

That time of year, my friends.

Returning early...largely because I totally forgot I was listening to this 🤣 let's not blame the book though, because I was enjoying it. But my head is just brimming with tarot all the time right now and feel like I don't have the time for much else between that and Christmas season now.
Time for me to start re-reading my Christmas annual book anyway now.
In the NY I'll try this again!

"so Fire and Air enjoy each other's company in their Mutual Hotness Admiration Society"
??? Now I know what this is referring to but I have no problem in reading this as my Fire Sign Self enjoys my Air Sign beau because we compliment and admire our own hotness ???

Took the day off and am studying my tarot. On top of maybe 10% finished puzzle haha.
Can't recommend this book and Deciphering Tarot enough!

Author's epilogue pushed it to a pick. I didn't realise how deeply personal this is to the author nor that actual cases are discussed (yes, sometimes I go in fairly blind). That said, I did find that the narrator's inner dialogue was peppered far too liberally with questions that drove me a little insane. I also was annoyed by her supreme authoritative view on all matters re: victims/survivors even if I agreed with a lot of it.

Really enjoyed this one! In large part due to its genre self awareness and the constant list of horror movies and books and tropes etc.
Also a perfect story to largely listen to and finish today given I drew the 3 of Swords. ♥️🗡️🗡️🗡️

So many other horror movie and book references in this! Including the one they just mentioned- the house next door. Which I just finished a book ago! Lol
The devil's in the coincidence!

Like most short story collections it's hard to rate. I gave it a 3 because some stories were quite amazing to me and others just fell flat, especially after Palahniuk's promise at the beginning that I would be rattled by these stories.
TW for literally everything and anything you can imagine in these stories, which is probably not surprising given the transgressive title applied to this anthology. Enter at your own risk. Prepare to be disgusted!

So characters just got to the "master bedroom" and the one asks, so am I sleeping in the "slave quarters"? They both pause and finally main character asks if that's where that term comes from.
Fun fact: this is why on listings in Ontario, Canada (not sure if all Canada) now use "primary" instead of the word "master".
#FunFactFriday

Ok some of you may have caught that underneath my stack of books was this behemoth of a puzzle!
I started last Sunday and listening to a couple audiobooks and bingeing on old Grey's episodes, I have finished!
Coke anyone?

Submitting first assignment and starting on second module of course!
Also finally cracked the second tarot book I bought- trait deciphered. Oooo baby, things are getting intense! 🤣

Well, that's done!
Absolutely great! This is that kind of supernatural mystery that makes you wonder- it is really happening or has fear just unwound a few people? It's filled with shocking events but nothing is gruesomely detailed. It does not rely on that sort of horror for its suspense.
Do you ever just have a feeling about a place?
Bonus, I thought this narrator was fantastic!

Still really enjoying this- never heard of this author before yesterday and I'm pretty sure I'll take a gander at her other works. Also this narration is on point, at least IMO.
But a note, a work written in 1978 about affluent (mostly white) people in southern USA undoubtedly comes with particular tones and views. The first most table is in regards to homosexuality. However, treated not as badly as one might expect?

Just picked this one up today and I'm quite enjoying it. I wanted to find something scary, chilling, supernatural, thrilling, atmospheric, or something like that for the season 🎃 and I just googled some good, Halloween books and this popped up!

What mornings look like for me doing daily draws.

Well started my tarot course yesterday and today is really first day of starting the work. Card of the day draw. I've picked this practice up multiple times over the years but always stopped for various reasons. I'm re-committing hard to it this time. Along with the course I'll be using Tarot Correspondences which is AMAZEBALLS! it's a great quick reference source (instead of me trying to cram shit in a tiny book in mishmashed order lol).

Returned this today because I hadn't picked it up in days and I always hate holding on to something if someone wants to read it. I might pick it back up later, just don't think I was in the mood.

I started this audio on the weekend. Did anyone who read it also kind of get that feeling that while you're following it you're not really sure what's happening? Haha and not in a bad way, in a trippy, dream-like way.

What did I just listen to? It started out pretty decent, maybe a few too many stilted moments of "she thought something seemed fishy here," but still OK. Then the various characters, especially women, all seemed to blend together both because of the narration but also their sheer lack of uniqueness. Then a climax, an end? But no. Last 10% was random twists that didn't make realistic and also were rushed. Maybe it's my mood...

I feel like this book just needs to end.
Why isn't it done yet?
Lol
Maybe just my mood...but probably not.

Diffused rain.
This is the only way I can describe this book; it covered multiple stories over many years in a jumping fashion and the whole story seemed understandable from the beginning and yet something foggy hung around it all. It is a story that goes along quietly, there is a hush to it. I felt no flares, no passions, no great urgency. I neither liked it nor hated it.

I finished this the other day and it really only took me 3 "sittings". We can all guess the premise, that's obvious enough but I think there were a few twists that kept it intriguing and also added a *more* disturbing air to it.

She'd never believed in love at first sight but she did believe in recognition at first sight.

Devoured in 3 days, which easily could have been 2. First Armstrong and I'm sad my library doesn't have the first in the series in audio but I got tired of waiting so I just said screw it and started with the 2nd! Honestly, you miss a little but the important background deets are reiterated so it doesn't ruin the story. I loved the Canadian, wild setting and the story. Definitely continuing

Almost at halfway and pretty sure that was the first reference to Timmy's ...which makes sense in a Canadian setting that is supposed to be off the grid.

#CanadianLit #CanadianLiterature #TimHortons