Welcome to Litsy!

Raced through this for my #readingafrica Morocco option@and because I was due to land in Tangier! This was an incredibly messed up story of obsessive friendship and damaged people in Tangier in the early 1950s. The city was brought to life wonderfully and the fiesta kept on coming… on arrival this morning I dragged my husband to a cafe that features heavily!

I‘m always late but this is the first book read during #AwesomeAugust Readathon @Andrew65
Mixed feelings with this novel. Alice married John without knowing him well and moved with him to Tangier, a convenient marriage for John. But Alice is not adapting well to this new life. Then a supposedly friend, uninvited, arrived to visit Alice. Something happened between Alice and Lucy when they were in college. Lucy seems obsessed with Alice⬇️

This was an intriguing psychological thriller set in Tangier in the 1950s. Unreliable characters and unscrupulous motives made for a fast-paced story that reminded me of a classic noir movie. I liked it more than I expected to. #ReadingAfrica2022 #Morocco @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Alice has moved to Tanger with her new husband and things are not going well,out of nowhere her old friend Lucy appears uninvited.The story goes from present to past,told in the voice of the two women,it advances while we discover what happened the year before to break up their friendship.
Really enjoyed this one and it takes a very dark turn that makes it impossible to stop reading.The setting is so good that I felt like I visited Tanger.

I puzzled over the difference in words— between tourist and traveler.

This disturbing tale of obsession has a strong sense of place- I could clearly see the scenes whether we were in Tangier or a small college in Vermont & even the brief moments in NYC & Malaga, Spain. The first half was slow as I struggled to care about either of the MCs but it picked up when the manipulation became clear. The end was believable but chilling. I must find something happy to read asap.

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/semKB5EB9vo

Enjoy!

What a pot boiler! 2 🌟

As I considered possible options for a book set in Morocco, I realized I had this in my audiobook library. It was an interesting twisty listen as I worked and a reasonable choice for setting, but I wanted more from the characters and story. Although Alice & Lucy had background and secrets, the men and Moroccans all seemed one dimensional.

#audiobook #FoodAndLit #Morocco

Seems like an invitation... don‘t mind if I do!

Came for the cover, stayed for the blurb. #NorthAfrica #LitsySpringBreak

It became a #HolidayTradition to sending and receiving gifts this year. Another one came today. We already read one of them😊
#spreadsomeholidaycheer

#tangerine #christinemangan #bluebunny @StayCurious @Clwojick
#ReadNosedReindeer #wintergames #wintergames2020

This was a huge disappointment. A totally unbelievable plot in which a girl is manipulated by another. Set in Tangier, Morocco, made it a little bit better but mostly I have been rolling my eyes about the ongoing stupidity of one of the girls while she perfectly knew what was going on. Annoying!

I liked that each chapter was narrated by one of the characters.
Wasn't so enamoured by the plot... but was alright...

This was the perfect book to read right now. The ‘unreliable narrator‘ style meant that it was intriguing, with lots of twists and turns, but also ‘light‘ enough not to be hard work.

The depictions of Tangier really felt like you were there, and the characters were equally well portrayed.

I was just *slightly* disappointed with the ending but that‘s probably just me.

Thanks so much for the book @Caroline2 😘 Give it a go @TrishB ! 😘

#bookmail no 1

Thanks so much for this surprise book @Caroline2 - you‘ve no idea how many times I‘ve picked this up in shops recently, but never quite got round to buying. In fact, I reserved it on Libby as well the other day, but I‘d far rather have a ‘real‘ book!

I‘m very much looking forward to reading it. 😘 I‘ll reply to your email soon too....

Next book from the stack...
I've always wanted to visit Morocco. Plus any thought of warmth and sunshine and busyness is appealing! 🌝🌞

This psychological thriller set in Morocco in the 1950s about two roommates with a past full of secrets and obsessions kept me interested for most of the book. I am glad I listened to it via audiobook versus reading it on page, as I think the characters became more alive for me that way. That being said, I had a hard time with the choices made by the characters and had some questions that were never answered.

#24in28 #readathon #audiobook challenge! I listened to two audiobooks on my drive back to Boston from North Dakota in May. That‘s the only way I can make a 1,710 mile drive on my own! I didn‘t love Tangerine, but I think I liked it more on audio than I would have on paper.

A pity I didn‘t love the book, as the cover is just gorgeous. Love the setting of Tangier in the 1950s and the atmosphere. I like it‘s a crazy tale of obsession, jealousy, and betrayal. The narrative alternates between two women but somehow I didn‘t feel the distinct difference in their voices. Kept me reading, wanting to know how it pans out. Overall underwhelmed by it but I think it‘ll make an enjoyable movie.
#Booked2019 #bookgiftedtoyou

#bfcr2 @wanderinglynn

Doing better on the books and fruit front this week, mainly due to being on holiday!

@Cinfhen daily holiday photo for you!

With my new friend (we've called him Nevado - Spanish for snowy!) and the tagged book.

A poor ripoff of The Talented Mr. Ripley set in Tangier -to distract from the lack of originality, with a good dose of orientalist cliches about the "lawless suffocating exotic" Africa where locals are either prostitutes, conmen or simply “mosquitoes” the expats can ignore and wave away.
#bookly

I admit I bought this book based entirely on the cover. I‘m not a huge fan of psychological thrillers and the unreliable female narrator theme, but this was lifted above the routine for me in that the atmosphere of Tangier in the late 1950‘s was as much a character as the fragile Alice and her sinister, mysterious roommate Lucy. In fact, I think it‘s the setting that makes this book. Not fantastic, but a good, quick holiday read.

In this 1950s set novel, Alice is whisked away to Morocco by her new husband, John. She doesn‘t like the crowds and heat of Tangier, and spends her days in their apartment until her old Bennington roommate Lucy arrives unannounced at her door. Definite Patricia Highsmith and Shirley Jackson vibes in this sultry noir.

The quiet illusion of life Alice is leading is shattered when her ex-roommate and best friend Lucy shows up on her Moroccan doorstep, unannounced and uninvited.

A story of obsession and desperation.

This book is so beautifully designed. I‘m about halfway in so far and it‘s definitely keeping me guessing!

2 friends from school end up in Tangier together. One has married and the other incomes to find her. A bit predictable

This got positive reviews, but I thought it was predictable and full of sloppy plotting and unlikeable characters (and not fun-unlikeable. I couldn‘t care about any of them). For a physiological thriller, it was pretty light on the thriller. A huge disappointment.

This has been my phone nook book for several months now. It was fine, felt like it had been written a long time ago. Very much dragged in the middle. It is a solid 3⭐.

I got this box of goodies from my sweet friend and cohost of basically everything!! I love everything Christine!! These books have been on my list forever and did you take these pictures?! They are beautiful!! The postcard was spot on!! Loved it!! Can‘t wait for our buddy read for The Night Tiger so that we can use this guide!! Thanks for being my friend and sounding board!! Much love to you!! Stay warm 🥶🥶

#LitsyLove

These are the books I bought at Books-a-million this week.

#CurrentlyReading — so far, I‘m intrigued.

Bliss is.... going back to bed in the afternoon to finish a brilliant book.

Pumped to start this one! I hope it's as good as I've heard!

Another fruitful sortie to the marvellous Daunt Books in Marylebone, and I was given a red linen bag this time! #dauntbooks books #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookcommunity #booknerd #bookphotography #newbooks #bookish #ilovebooks #bookworm #readersofig #gordoncorera #secretpigeonservice #homer #odyssey #lissaevans #oldbaggage #aspynamedorphan #rolandphilipps #christinemangan #tangerine #dovalfon #alongnightinparis

Started with so much promise. I made it 3/4 of the way through, and just couldn‘t bring myself to care what actually happened to these people. Too many good books to waste anymore time on this one.

1. I love the cover of Tangerine
2. Valentine plans? A job interview!
3. Orange
4. @kaye ?? I don‘t remember. Bruce maybe?
5. 👋 Hidey ho, Littens!
@howjessreads #friyayintro

I consider myself an all genre reader but boy do those psychological thrillers mess with my head. While not overly graphic in violence, all the twists and turns in this book kept me guessing. I would compare it to Swan Huntley's 'We Could Be Beautiful' from 2016. The time alone that had to go into plotting out the characters deserves a "pick" rating but I'm branding it with a "so-so" as punishment for the lack of sleep I'm sure to experience. Lol

I'm halfway though this book and undecided if the women were traditional college roommates or something else entirely. At first I was convinced Lucy had a one sided fetish with her friend, enough to prompt her to track her down in another country (Tangier) and ring the doorbell unannounced. But now I'm wondering if they were more than friends, bonded through tragedy, and unfortunate events? Death, personality changes, secrets and lies.

Holiday shopping is exhausting. Time for a latte and a story set someplace warm.

The setting, Morocco in the 1950s, was the best part of this story. The writing was beautiful, but the story itself left me a bit cold. I did not connect with the main characters.
So I give it 3/5 stars.
Because of the setting I will give it a pick.

Sometimes a relaxing soak in a hot bath with a good book is needed. Tonight is one of those times! 🛁

The main trope of a colonial location with lurking dangers from the people who live there is tired & racist. It could have been a good psychological thriller had it been set in a town that wasn‘t amplifying this. You can feel like an outsider in any foreign country. No need to place it in an Arab land, in Africa to play into that. But there aren‘t any local people in this book that aren‘t malevolent grifters looking to con white people. Gross.

I enjoyed this book immensely, much more than I expected. The setting is particularly lovely—1950s Morocco—and the characters are deliciously enigmatic. One of the blurbs describes it as “Patricia Highsmith for the 21st century.” Great weekend read!

This my real-life book club‘s pick for October... and though it is a fast-paced read, other than the setting, it didn‘t feel all that new to me... Alice feels #Somebody‘sWatchingMe throughout her friendship with Lucy and just when she‘s done being #Haunted by her memories and has a fresh start in Tangiers, Lucy arrives once more into her life... #OctoberXFiles #BlackCatChallenge

I found this to be an interesting story. The beautiful setting definitely helped to make it. The big twist wasn‘t quite as exciting as I‘d hoped but I still enjoyed the book. Admittedly I wasn‘t a huge fan of the ending though, would have liked the last chapter to have gone differently. The film rights have been bought and I think it‘ll transfer beautifully to the screen.