I picked this up because the premise sounded like a good suspense story—federal agents tracking down a killer or killers who copy the style of H.H. Holmes (who was depicted in Erik Larson‘s The Devil in the White City). But…I was bored. And the writing style was not to my taste. A joke about Hotel California was told twice to describe two separate inns. I was also a bit lost by some of the side storylines (random ghosts) and realized that ⬇️⬇️⬇️

The #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion title for October features magical realism with a bit of thriller elements.

Read at your own pace throughout the month. I‘ll post periodic check-ins; discussion on October 31st.

All are welcome! Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the tag list.

The form is now open to make suggestions for titles for 2026! Link in comments below. I cannot wait to see your suggestions!

My October #BookSpinBingo list! I‘m too tired to list exact titles, but I have plenty of books on my tbr that fit the listed categories. 😂

The #192030 Challenge is now live on The Storygraph! Link in comments.

The challenge runs January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2030. Read one book originally published in each year from 1920 through 2030.

The group's official hashtag is #192030 . Feel free to tag any book you are using for the challenge with the hashtag so others have some recommendations for the journey.

If you would like to be added to the tag list, comment below!

It's time for the #LiteraryCrew discussion! I have 10 questions posted as spoilers; you can find these on my feed, the book's feed or by searching for the group's hashtag.

Next month, we are reading a book that seems perfect for this time of year: The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova. Official post tomorrow!

Also, it's time to think about 2026. Use the URL in the comments to offer suggestions for next year through October 31st!

October‘s #ChristiesCapers reacquaints us with Superintendent Battle of Chimneys fame. Discussion October 26th!

All are welcome to join; please let me know if you with your be added/removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3

My brain is completely fried from last week, and I did not allow myself a lot of planning time for the discussion. My apologies, but there are 4 questions posted as spoilers that can be found on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching #ChristiesCapers or #AgathaChristieClubR3 .

Next month, we look at The Seven Dials Mystery which reintroduces us to characters we met in The Secret of Chimneys. Official post tomorrow!

I‘ve waited until the last minute to remind everyone, but our next #ChristiesCapers discussion is tomorrow! I know many have finished already, so hooray (and yes, this is MUCH better than The Big Four).

Questions will be posted before 12pm US East Coast time. #AgathaChristieClubR3

Let‘s just say Frances Perkins would be horrified by what is happening today…

What a remarkable woman and a remarkable book. Though at times very slow, the narrative takes the reader through Perkins‘ push to get social security for all older Americans. Her struggles and perseverance speaks to her commitment to a better life for laborers and the less fortunate. And her private struggles!

Great choice for #SundayBuddyRead , @TheBookHippie !

Wow! 9 years! It‘s hard to believe so much time has passed, and I am thankful for every moment. Litsy has become such a huge part of my life, and I am grateful for the special connections I have made, the books and rich discussions, and the sense of community. Thank you for being an amazingly supportive place.

Happy Litsyversary to my fellow Sept 26th Littens!

It‘s always a treat to pick up a book by Ware—perfect escapism, even if you kind of guess how things are going to go. I found I wanted to yell at Lo sometimes to be smart. Seriously, how many times can you keep second guessing yourself over a bad decision and yet still make bad decisions?!?

Fast paced and a good read for this time of year. #Zeke #CatsOfLitsy

Late night finish of this audiobook. While I‘m still not a fan of Angie, this story was a good one overall. There‘s a big plot advancement in this one, so it shows good progression of the characters. I do wish I could visit Fairytale Cupcakes and sample the cupcakes!

Special thoughts, please. My dad had a stroke tonight right before I left my parents‘ house after visiting for a few hours. Good news is we convinced him to go to the hospital quickly and thus helped make sure he started receiving treatment/monitoring right away.

My dad has a history the consists of a heart attack and two bouts of colon cancer. I so hate hospitals.

Please keep us in your thoughts. 2025 is the worst year ever. #NotBookRelated

I think we all need a laugh, and this one hit me. Found on social media.

Yesterday, not very far from me, 3 officers were killed and 2 wounded while trying to serve a warrant. It even made national news. The details slowly leaking out are absolutely scary.

Such dark times. I‘ll be here with my cats and my house (not apartment) filled with books. And I‘ll manage! 😂 #NotBookRelated

What could the clue in the old album mean?!?

October‘s #NancyDrewBR title is the 24th in the series…hard to believe we are up to 24! Discussion on October 15th.

All are welcome to join. Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the tag list.

At times over dramatic and at other times so many obstacles thrown into the narratives, this first in a projected quartet was just okay for me. I was also a little confused why the voice of a secondary character became a point of view for just a few chapters. Perhaps this is just not the book for me!

With the #192025 challenge drawing to a close, it‘s time to think about #192030 challenge—read one book originally published for each year from 1920 to 2030, starting January 1st and running through 2030.

The only rule is to select a book by original publication! You can make the challenge fit your needs in other way, including different authors, genres, or fiction or nonfiction.

Tagging those who initially expressed interest! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

We‘re two weeks away from the next #LiteraryCrew discussion! Discussion on the 30th.

As we prepare for our next discussion, start thinking about titles for next year. I‘ll post a Google form soon to submit suggestions for our voting round. Everyone came with a great list of titles this year; can‘t wait to see next year‘s suggestions!

We‘re less than two weeks away from our next #ChristiesCapers discussion! To anyone who has started it, how is it going? #AgathaChristieClubR3

It‘s been a day…month…year! Today is Zeke‘s 14th Gotcha Anniversary but it was unexpectedly spent with the roofers deciding to do my roof today (I knew they were coming this week, but not TODAY) which meant a day of noise and hiding (cats hid, I hovered especially by Xander who cannot have too many scares due to his heart).

A bright spot was my #SundayBuddyRead envelope in my mailbox. I‘m looking forward to another year of good reading!! ❤️ Yay!!

Ghosts, pirates, a bad-smelling perfume, an abandoned home, and a missing Carson Drew. Sounds like a case for Nancy! A fun read with Nancy and her friends. I commented earlier on the abruptness of Ned‘s arrival. And hooray for Bess for showing she can be extra strong in a difficult situation! #NancyDrewBR

Better late than never! It‘s been a morning here. Zeke has been unwell the last couple of days, and then the roofers came without notice to replace my roof today. Yay for a non-leaky roof, but I was not prepared for the minimal notice I received about them coming today (and neither were the cats). My apologies.

I have 6 questions posted as spoilers for our discussion. You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching #NancyDrewBR .

“At the steering wheel was Ned Nickerson, a friend of Nancy‘s who was staying nearby to sell insurance to parents of two college friends.”

Seriously?!? Can I roll my eyes that Ned happens to be in the same small town as Nancy and her friends??? It was lovely when he was in South America and not brooding over Nancy‘s mystery-loving personality. 😂

#NancyDrewBR

I picked this up from the library today—it sounds so good—and notice the end paper and the message on the page edges. I already have very high hopes for this one. Now, just to find the time to actually read it…😂

It was enjoyable to visit an older title by Krentz. The hours flew by quickly for this audio. Paranormal energy, books that give off special vibes—definitely a good distraction listen.

Xander approves of September‘s #BookSpinBingo list! #Xander #CatsOfLitsy

The September #ChristiesCapers is the sixth book featuring Hercule Poirot. Let‘s hop on the blue train and solve the mystery using our little gray cells.

Discussion on September 28th. All are welcome! Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the tag list. #AgathaChristieClubR3

We‘re two weeks away from our next #NancyDrewBR discussion! What special talent will Nancy show off this time??? Can she discover the mystery of the tolling bell? Discussion on the 15th!

Named by the Modern Library as one of the top 100 published of all time, Ragtime is the #LiteraryCrew ‘s selection for September.

We‘re a low key #BuddyRead . Read at your own pace throughout the month. I‘ll post periodic check-ins. Discussion on the 30th!

All are welcome to join. If you would like to be added/removed from the tag list, let me know!

I really enjoyed a different series by this author and though to try this. It was okay…parts of the story are slow going, and I was not very engaged with 16 year old Christopher as the narrator. The reveal is interesting, but not quite enough to move this up from a so-so. I do recommend a tissue nearby for the author‘s note—it‘s very moving.