I‘m not gonna lie- I think I am too dumb for this one. I enjoyed the imagery and ideas of a haunted house as a generational curse, but I was confused very often. I don‘t have an issue with being confused. I‘m just not sure if that was the point or not.

Not for me but not a bad book!

A five star book that I cannot tell you anything about. This novel was so odd, graphic, and perplexing that I‘m left with no words to describe it. Definitely weird fiction. Loved it, hated it, couldn‘t put it down, begged myself to bail, guessed the ending, never had a clue of how it would end. It‘s like Schrödinger‘s cat but in novel form.

As a young teen, I was so excited to see myself as a hero through the eyes of Katniss Everdeen. Rereading this book as a teacher is different. This novel is dystopian horror- The children in the arena; the gruesome deaths of babes; the sick political games The Capital plays. This novel is a work of brilliance to reread as an adult. I am in awe while terrified for my students‘ futures. Books are political- education IS political. I am afraid.

DNF at 60%. The narrative was lackluster and the world building took a back seat to instant lust between a headmaster and student. It was okay to listen to while I was deep cleaning my house today, but I have no desire to continue it. #hailthebail

I would give anything to go back to Le Cirque des Rêves for the first time. I cried because it was over. Truly one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. A masterpiece. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Snowed in with no power but there‘s no better time to read!

My first book of 2025! A creepy folk horror that takes place in the woods of Appalachia, My Throat An Open Grave oozes feminine rage, religious shame, and generational trauma. Leah wishes for her baby brother to be taken by The Lord of the Wood, and he claims her offering. This book has a rich atmosphere and dream like depictions. Much thanks to @Larkken for an excellent first read of the year! 4/5 AuldLangSpine #ALspine

1,290 for #holidaybookdragons! I was very lax this go around, as exhibited by my sleepy pup. Wonderful times all around to celebrate the Yuletide season! #wintergames24 Thank you so much for hosting!

My 2024 stats! My original goal was 50 and I‘m so excited I made it to 75!

It can really be summed up with 4 middle aged white guys fuck around and find out. Also weird groupie pagans in the second part? buddy read with @MsRadioSilence for #twoyuletidewitches #holidaybookdragons #wintergames

#20Questions #wintergames24

All holiday themed books

10pts per question and 50pts per correct guess

Yes or no questions and no back to back questions

#20Questions #wintergames24

All holiday themed books

10pts per question and 50pts per correct guess

Yes or no questions and no back to back questions

#20Questions #wintergames24

All holiday themed books

10pts per question and 50pts per correct guess

Yes or no questions and no back to back questions

#20Questions #wintergames24

All holiday themed books

10pts per question and 50pts per correct guess

Yes or no questions and no back to back questions

I LOVED this book so much. I enjoyed Brom‘s Slewfoot as well, but this one kept me on the edge of my seat while simultaneously making me laugh out loud. It will definitely be a yearly reread for the Yuletide season! The narration was AMAZING! #holidaybookdragons #wintergames2024

A continuation in Christmas Notch, this fun novel was spicy and sexy. It was a quick read with some great sexy scenes! #holidaybookdragons #wintergames2024

Oh my god I seriously need to stop trusting Booktok. Every skate of the way was awful. #wintergames24 #holidaybookdragons

A poem for #holly! Shakespeare‘s “Blow, blow thou winter wind” is a song performed in his play As You Like It. It‘s a beautiful song and you can find lovely renditions on YouTube! #photochallenge #christmascheer

My second time reading this novel this year was even better than the first. I‘ve been on a mission to reread this entire series to prepare for the newest release. I cannot talk highly enough about The Crowns of Nyaxia series!!! #holidaybookdragons #wintergames2024

God I LOVED this novella so much! The entirety of the Crowns of Nyaxia series is incredible. This series makes me want to learn how to book bind. I loved how Lilith is definitely autistic coded and I enjoyed the representation. PICK PICK PICK #wintergames2024 #holidaybookdragons

My family has a tradition called Elf Day. We celebrate the day before Thanksgiving and we eat candy, make spaghetti, and watch the movie Elf. This is from 2015! #elf #christmascheer @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

One of the best events of the year is open! #auldlangspine2025 is ready for you to be matched! It‘s so much fun and a great way to expand your horizons and see what others enjoy reading!

This or that:
1. Eggnog
2. I like opening presents on Christmas but my family has a tradition where we open 2 presents on Xmas Eve: a book and a pair of pjs
3. Neither. I find the most unhinged tree toppers. Last year was Grogu and I‘m still deciding for this year
4. Ham!
5. I travel up to see my family💜

Most anticipated read: Krampus The Yule Lord
#wintergames2024 #holidaybookdragons #earlybird

My TBR for #wintergames2024! Can‘t wait to get reading!! #holidaybookdragons

#wintergames is back!! I already signed up- have YOU??
☃️🫵 thank you @StayCurious @LiseWorks I CANT WAIT!!

I had an amazing time doing #twowitches this year! Here‘s my total points for the month. Love this and you!

I completed my goal of 60 books today! Featuring the 3 I‘ve finished this week that I haven‘t reviewed yet! #hauntedshelf #twowitches #goodreads #challenge

Told through diary entries, blog posts, newspaper clippings, and historical documents, this book was fascinating from the beginning. Childhood friends turned enemies are trying to write about Illsbeth Clark- a witch who drowned in a well. Is the witchcraft real? Is it the ramblings of mad women? Who murdered Elenor? It went in a different direction than I expected, but I liked the format of entries. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
#twowitches #hauntedshelf #frightclub

Set in WWI, this story follows the paths of the Iven siblings. Both are lost to war in their own right. Soldiers whisper tales of a devil who eats souls and memories. When Laura Iven hears that her recently deceased brother may not have died, she follows the ghostly whispers back into the war zone in Belgium. No one can keep them safe.

4.5/5. I fell in love with all of the characters & found myself enamored with the folk tales.

…ew. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Five words: blue, soft, squishy, wet, jelly

#twowitches #hauntedshelf

Southern gothic, folk, and maritime horror. Chapman does it again, still proving to be one of my favorite horror novelists. A search for a lost infant runs awry as Madi, a palm reader (con artist) becomes involved. What Kind Of Mother would abandon a child? What Kind Of Father would bring it back? What Kind Of Mother would stay? The graphic depictions made me nauseous at times. Gory body horror & truly excellent! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #twowitches #hauntedshelf

#twowitches #hauntedshelf

Existential horror that will twist you up and make you wonder about what will happen to YOU when you die. A take on “The Library of Babel”, Peck designs the perfect Hell where you can escape- even if it takes longer than time itself exists in our universe.
It reminded me a lot of Waiting For Godot. I put this book down and stared blankly ahead for at least 5 minutes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #twowitches #hauntedshelf

I am back, Listy Loves! It‘s been a busy season with my wedding, but I‘m so excited to get back to reviewing books and participating in #twowitches! Let the spooky fun begin!

*obligatory wedding photo bc I spent so much money on them*

Those We Drown is a YA horror set on the cruise line ship, The Nepethe. There is something terribly insidious and dark going on. The workers, the three influencers nicknamed “The Sirens”, and even the captain have cold, dead eyes as vast as the sea.
Going in, I didn‘t know this was a YA and I wish I did. I was not the target audience for this book. Overall, it was fun but not for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #twowitches #hauntedshelf #spooktober

Overall, the pieces of gothic horror were there and worth waiting for. I enjoyed the culture of the Nahua People. There were hard hitting truths in some aspects of the horror (colonialism, racism, police brutality, etc). I think these moments were understated for its benefit. I had two big gripes with this book. I found that Gout‘s depiction of women entirely missed the mark and the editing was truly horrendous.
3/5 stars. The ending saved it!

A solid sequel to an interesting fantasy world! I love the political aspects and the rising war. This book also developed the couple much more and actually made me want to root for them. I look forward to the next and I‘m glad I gave the series another shot!

I was left disappointed with this book after the first book. It was kind of tough to get through. There were so many storylines to follow and it truly felt like the pacing of the whole book was off. I think it‘s meant to set up the 3rd book (which I will read). Idk I‘m interested to see what‘ll happen but it was kind of a slog!

I was between pick and so-so. This book‘s plot was really good. I love the actual fantasy and world building. I think the tension between the love interests falls flat. If you‘re reading for romance, skip this one. If you‘re into cool world building and black markets, this is a pretty good one for you (if you can get over the cringe of the forced love thing). 3/5 overall, 4/5 fantasy, 2/5 romance

If you bleed red, you‘re destined for servitude. If you bleed gold, you‘re destined for death. In The Gilded Ones, 16 year old Deka goes through the purity bleed and is found to be a demon. Whisked away to a world of death shrieks, violence, and found family, she has to learn her true power or die (multiple times) trying. This is a YA but I do think the concepts were on the darker side. Check triggers for this one! 3.5/5

A beautiful mix of folklore, heroes, and love triangles, this book was truly wonderful. The writing was lyrical and the lore within the world felt *so real* I ached for it to be true. I love how Lynn Tan weaves in bits of mythological tales within the story. Gorgeous 5/5!

I picked this book up on an impulse and I am SO GLAD I did! Dubeau weaves an intricate tale of gods, cults, prophecy, and a circus? If you break it down, this book has a lot of horror tropes in it, but I didn‘t even think about that until I was finished. Dubeau does an excellent job adding all of these elements without making it a mess. A wonderful, gruesome, and at times disgusting read! 4.5/5!

Slewfoot was a wonderful balance between joy and horror. I‘ve always had an odd obsession with the Salem Witch Trials and this book had all the elements of interest. It had the most satisfying ending! 4.5/5!

Thank you so much @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for the giveaway gift!! This was so wonderful to come home to today!!

This book is all vibes and no plot. I loved every second of it. Lydia is half human and half vampire. She is also biracial. This story explores humanity, morality, ethics, sin, and eating…well, lack thereof. Basically nothing at all happens in this book but Lyd‘s character is so compelling that I couldn‘t stop listening. 4.5/5! Check triggers!

I knew I should have DNFed at 10% when I wasn‘t sure. My New Years Resolution was to DNF books I don‘t like. I did. so at about 70% of this book. Judge this book by its cover.

The writing is like Wattpad fanfic level. The romance is meh at absolute best, extremely uncomfortable at worst. Kamsin is happy when hanging out with an 8 year old thief than with this weirdo king. Overall BORING! 1/5 for bamboozling me to continue until 70% of the book.

Another 8.5 hours for #sharreadathon! I forgot to add my last reading session on the graphic though lmao.
Yellowface kept me truly entertained for hours. #listy #readathon

This book enthralled me. I picked it up Wednesday while I was doing the dishes and wasn‘t able to put it down. This satirical work was so heavy handed it broke into cringe territory, but somehow managed to make this novel even better. I found myself gasping out loud at some of the thoughts or things the protagonist said. This book is one where you peek through your fingers because “omg did she just say that?” meets I can‘t stop reading. 4/5 stars

3 hours and 55 minutes for #sharreadathon! I‘m reading The Winter King by C.L. Wilson in honor of Sharon‘s memory. I hope wherever she is, she is able to see this #readathon and know how loved she was/is!

It's been almost 2 years since we lost Sharon @sharread. In January we will have a #readathon in her honor on Litsy from January 20-27. The hashtag is #Sharreadathon. Set your own goals and make it as low-key as you want. Share what you're reading in honor of Sharon or a loved one.
Let's come together and celebrate life and our community!

Please share and repost!