Welcome to Litsy!

So I‘m not one to typically DNF a book but this one just isn‘t working for me. It‘s way too much romance and not enough paranormal for my liking. I‘ve loved other books by this author but, for now, I‘m putting this one to the side and moving on to hopefully much spookier reads!

Simone St. James tells such great ghost stories! If she keeps writing them, I will keep reading them.

#HauntedShelf #DeadSerious
#bookspinbingo #ispybingo #promptmaze #31by31 #spookoween #HalloweenAtoZBingo #HalloweenAtoZReadathon

#WickedWhispers #Haunt
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I still have a number of books I‘ve started that I need to finish. But….I‘m ready for spooky season 👻🎃🫣!! I have a ginormous stack of physical books I‘m hoping to get to in October (I‘ll share that for #hauntedshelf as soon as I can) so I decided to do a randomizer to pick what I‘ll read first! I have a few St. James books and decided to go with this one. And to make myself a little more scattered I picked a new kindle book to start too!

3.5 Stars • "The Haunting of Maddy Clare" by Simone St. James is a historical novel set in 1920s England, where a young woman named Sarah Piper is hired to assist a ghost hunter named Alistair Gellis in investigating the haunting of a barn by the vengeful spirit of a teenage girl named Maddy Clare. ⬇️

This month I started a one week, one shelve challenge to make me start paying attention to books I've been forgetting. I spin a spinner with all my shelves listed on it every Sunday, then read at least one book from that shelve (bonus points if I read more, but that has yet to happen). I've been busy lately, so I'm playing catch-up right now. This is the result of month 1. I still call it a success.

#oneweekoneshelf

That's a wrap on book 1 for #readyourkindle #readyourebooks.

And now on to the next one....maybe 🤔🤷‍♀️📚

As suspense, the book was disappointing in the middle. The romantic subplot gets a bit over the top, and I think the narration of the audiobook exacerbated that. The first third and the final third are well-written and suspenseful. Exciting ending. Preferred this author‘s previous book in paperback.

At chapter 19, I am feeling a little tired of the romantic subplot. Get back to the ghosts & the other crimes (no spoilers), Sarah & Matthew! The Broken Girls was one of my favorite reads this year, so my expectations were high…. #historicalfiction #audiobooks

Am listening. #audiobooks

Last book completed during the month of October. Read for AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

I liked it but not loved the story. The story behind why these places were haunted, was a sad one, terrible. The main character seems so unreal sometimes too naive🙄There is some romance, but also some triggers, dysfunctional relationships and sexual assault. 3.5 ⭐️

#20in4 Readathon @Andrew65
October #BookSpinBingo (#7) @the AromaOfBboks

I finished my #authoramonth book tonight! #scarathlon #teamcryptkeepers #spookybook #scarathlonphotochallengebook #ghost #thrillerbooksbingo #predicttheending #ispybingo #blackandorange #BINGO #falling4booksbingo #faveauthor #BINGO

“Soon, Sarah is caught up in a desperate struggle. For Maddy‘s ghost is no hoax—she‘s real, she‘s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Now, Sarah and Matthew must discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance—before she destroys them all....”

#haunt #scarathlon #blackcatcrew

The mystery not have been very mysterious and the romance not very romantic but I enjoyed every moment reading this book. The ghost was the perfect amount of creepy for me (not overly scary) and I love a character finding their sense of self worth. #authoramonth

Set shortly after the First World War, where an innocent girl is thrown into the world of ghosts that she has an eerie talent for. She must try to release a ghost and to do this must find out more about Mandy‘s life and the shocking events that happened to her. Another very good read for #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

A lowly 1630 word search points #Scarathlon

Compelling ghost story with a bit of romance. Set in post WWI England among characters who all carry some trauma from the war or otherwise. Suspend your disbelief for supernatural activity. Not my typical genre but I enjoyed it. #authoramonth

Starting my #authoramonth book tonight

Sarah accepts a temp job not knowing she‘ll be expected to talk to ghosts. Turns out, she‘s quite capable, finding herself helping to solve a town‘s dark secrets under dangerous circumstances. A compelling story with nonstop propulsive action, & some steamy parts, it‘s a fast good read. I‘d happily read more from this author. Probably my fave book for #authoramonth so far this year. #scarathlon #batbrigade

1. I like the idea of pumpkin spice coffee better than the taste of it, so I guess I‘ll go with dessert.
2. I‘m not a big fan of spooky stories, but I‘m enjoying the tagged book.
#two4tuesday

#Scarathlon Photo Challenge Day 10 prompt: Orange

#HHC

@bookmarktavern @dabbe @liatrek @jessclark78 @chrissyreadit @thedaysgoby @vonnie862 @ladyCait84 @sresendez12 @kelli7990 @JessieKB

#Scarathlon photo challenge day 10

#orange Yes you guessed correctly, books that I want to read. When? 🤷🏽‍♀️These books has a shade of orange color in their covers or spine.

This was really good! Just the right amount of scary and a dash of romance. ❤️ #hhc #HalloweenHexesCoven @dabbe #OutstandingOctober @Texreader #scarathlonatoz
@Andrew65 #31by31 @BookmarkTavern @Clwojick @JessClark78 @Chrissyreadit @StayCurious @TheDaysGoBy @vonnie862 @LadyCait84 @Sresendez12 @Nessavamusic @kelli7990 @JessieKB @JessieKB

Doing the spooky reading thing tonight. 🎃

Aaargh! It‘s the sentence no decent writer or editor would let appear in a book anymore it being so overused: “I let out a breath I had not realized I had been holding.”

I read the same line in Operation Nicaragua last night, and thought: “Amateur!” But shouldn‘t St James know better?

#batbrigade scarathlon #authoramonth

Sounds like there maybe a lot of ghosts in this story with a handsome ghost hunter.

#Scarathlon #Ghost #BatBrigade

@Catsandbooks

I need help with British pronunciation. How does one pronounce “Falmouth”? I‘m reading it like “Foul Mouth.” Surely that can‘t be right??

#authoramonth #scarathlon #batbrigade

Tonight. Yes it‘s still in the 90s here and I‘m having hot chocolate. I‘m willing colder weather to arrive. #authoramonth #scarathlon #batbrigade

I‘m excited to start this book tonight for #authoramonth

This one I had to set up. I didn‘t have as many orange books as i thought! #goclemson #autumnplease #photochallenge #scarathlon @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @LiseWorks #teamcryptkeepers

Simone St. James is #aam for October. This is the first book I read by her and I really enjoyed it. I love this cover too!

@Soubhiville Tagging you in case you want to tag the #authoramonth crew. 🙂

A solid horror story that takes place post WW1. Our main character Sarah is called into what she seems is a typical temp job and it turns into unlocking the mystery of a angry ghost. There is also a romance that develops throughout the story. Definitely an entertaining quick read. 4⭐️
#doublespin pick done!

I didn‘t have a book by this author, and after doing some research I picked this one for #authoramonth in October (I plan ahead). @Soubhiville

Home alone while William is at drill 🇺🇸 so I decided to start organizing and wrapping Christmas presents for my book friends!

Check out your email #LitsyLove family!!

📚🎁🎉🍁📮📦

Great Ghost Story! This book has it all, a raging ghost, strong female lead, a good plot, a bit of romance, and a who-done it! I highly recommend this for the spooky season! 5 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

Thank you @Nessavamusic for this spooky #AHRS #AllHallowsReadSwap package! I‘m exciting fur the tagged book and the one you recommended sound great! I dove right into the Halloween mix and I am addicted to fun socks.

Really enjoyed this one! It is different than her other books I‘ve read, but it was still very good. Also my pick for “haunted”. #ominousoctober @egg @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks #scarathlon #teamslaughter @Clwojick

Beautiful day today, and I went outside to read while drinking my apple crisp macchiato! 🍎☕️🎃📖🍂 Two more bucket list items crossed off my list!😄 #fallbucketlist #scarathlon #teamslaughter @Clwojick

Its 1922 and a young woman named Sarah Piper gets hired as an assistant to a ghost hunter investigating a haunting in an English village. The ghost named...yup...Maddy Clare committed suicide in real life & now is hell bent on vengeance. Its up to Sarah and the ghost hunting team to solve the mystery.

Not my favorite of St. James's books as the mystery wasn't that hard to figure out and the romantic interludes were too many and felt like filler.

The *perfect* ghost story… even some steamy scenes to boot. Loved this one!

50/22 Yesterday in our very non autumnal October weather I finished my first book of #scarathlon #teammonstermash. It has been sitting on my bookshelf for a little while and I‘m so glad I got round to finally reading it (and making my book club read it too). I rarely read books set around the world wars, but it really added to the Depth of the characters. I found it a quick and compelling read and it did make me blush a few times too!

I completely adore Simon St. James! She‘s never disappointed me and I plan to read her entire catalog. This ghost story was properly spooky though simpler than some of her later mysteries. I have 2 more by her on my list this month.

Listening to this spooky audiobook at night. #Scarathlon2022 #BucketList #TeamMonsterMash @StayCurious

Had a coupon for B&N and decided to treat myself for not buying a book last month outside of BOTM. I‘m excited about these! 😍

It was a dark and stormy night… so I stayed in with my book, super thick socks and cod & chorizo jambalaya. It has been Ill kid / birthday kid central here since the beginning of Oct so I‘ve been a bit quiet on Litsy. But fear not #teammonstermash I‘ve been quietly working behind the scenes stacking up points on reading and podcasts. Currently reading this as my first #scarathlon book which also works for todays #scarathlondailyprompts #ghost 👻

Kept my interest enough to know what happened but was also a little dull. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

With this being my first St. James book, I wasn‘t too impressed. Nothing really stood out to me or had a “wow” factor. I don‘t recall ever reading any ghost stories, so maybe I‘m being a little too over critical. 🤷‍♂️

3⭐️
8/5/22

Book 81

I listened to The Haunting of Maddy Clare, a ghost story/mystery featuring World War I vets turned ghost hunters. I love books about hauntings! Even as a child they were some of my favorites. This novel is more focused on the mystery of the ghost, Maddy, as well as the ghost hunters themselves. Though it was well-done, it could have been more engaging with more likable, dynamic characters. 3.5 stars