Welcome to Litsy!

If it were half as long it would have been twice as good. The over-the-top language got annoying and there were other digressions into philosophy that I didn‘t find added to the story. OK, but not great.

Read as a book in translation for my own little challenge of the year. The language in this is at times distractingly over the top - sentences and sentences where a word@or two might have worked but because of dispute this I found this mystery about an aristocratic family dark and compelling. Galicia is at times a character with its unpredictable weather and folklore. Lots of trigger warning lots of deaths!

A murder-mystery set in Galicia, with an aristocratic family, an outsider-writer, an ex-policeman and a priest. Plus Gardenias. A LOT of people wind up dead in this!

When Manuel‘s husband dies, his whole other world is uncovered to Manuel. Quite a slow read for the first half, lots of character, grief, atmosphere and life in galicia, but I really enjoyed this. #readaroundtheworld #spain

Content warnings in spoilers.

📷Gardenia from Pixabay

If you‘re doing #BFC21 and any of the place-based challenges, I stumbled across a fun app last night! World Walking connects up with your fitbit (or whatever) and Google Street View. There are ‘walks‘ from all around the world (or right around the world if you feel that way given). I‘m currently ambling through Galicia with the tagged book, stopping to admire the scenery every so often.

Love this so far. It‘s a gothicy literary crime mystery type thing (spot on with the genres, as always). Kind of slow and moody, but absorbing. Also, gardenias (I don‘t have any to photo tho!).

When Manuel‘s husband Álvaro dies in a car accident on an empty road, miles from where he should be, his other life is revealed. After the funeral, a retiring policeman takes Manuel to one side: he believes Álvaro was murdered, ‘another cover-up‘...

This translated book took me 20 days to finish - just in time for last night‘s IRL (zoom) bookclub. I always liked but it wasn‘t until my kindle was at 64% complete that I was invested. Then I couldn‘t stop thinking about it as I felt like I was one with the trio intricately solving this mystery.

#BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks

This #crime novel set in Galicia, Spain is truly a page turner. Manuel learns his husband died in a car accident, and then discovers his secret life in Galicia. While settling Alvaro‘s vast estate which includes a dysfunctional, rich family, Manuel finds Alvaro‘s best friend (a priest) and a bitter retired detective who refuses to accept an “accident” occurred; this unlikely trio goes on to solve mysteries surrounding Alvaro‘s death. 4/5 ⭐️

👇👇

These are the nights for which Kindles are made.

Book is good as well. A “First Reads” from Kindle if I remember correctly. A middle aged man is left a vast estate by his late husband who had a secret life he knew nothing about. Halfway through and all kinds of drama and intrigue. #kindle

A gripping story with a masterful writing. You Can't possibly stop it once you start reading. But I didn't like a few things: some plot lines ,I felt, are a bit too implausible (eg a legion of hair-splittingly accurate
witness), the extreme polarization of the good and bad and that it's too long(500 pages).

I absolutely loved this lit fic-esque crime thriller. Well plotted, beautifully written (and translated) and totally absorbing, it really is an excellent example of the genre. The characters were fabulous - the deliciously horrific 'Raven' being the best/worst. The lightning-lit rooftop denouement was just utterly fabulous & I demand Manuel, Lucas & Nogueira become a full time crime busting trio. I'd definitely buy that series. Sooooo good!

It's nearly half past midnight and my 6 year old likes to wake up Early with a big E. Time to go to bed ...

HELL NO! START THIS NEW BOOK, YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE! 😈😈😈😈

Yes, maybe it's too much dramatic, but I like it a lot!
It was really enjoyable! I got really into it very easily and the true identity of the killer has been a surprise to me!
So good! I really have to thank my sister for this!

#doloresredondo #allthisIwillgivetoyou #goodbook #gift #sister #birthdaypresent

I think I've found the perfect soundtrack for this book!
I prefer having silence while I'm reading and if I can't have it I put my headphones on and select music without lyrics so I will not be distracted by it!

#doloresredondo #allthisIwillgivetoyou #music #prokofiev #classical #ballett #romeoandjuliet

Soooooo... these are my new babies!
I will start with the one of Dolores Redondo, then we will see!

#doloresredondo #allthisIwillgivetoyou #elizabethday #theparty #georgerrmartin #fevredream #newin #bookhaul

This is the book that my sister gave me as a present... can't wait to read it!
Hope to do it before my holidays ends!

#gift #birthday #doloresredondo #allthisIwillgivetoyou #newin

#Februarystats

Honorable mentions: The Girl I Left Behind and Because Internet

The first two-thirds or so of this book was engrossing but very slow-moving (at one point I thought “Has it only been a week since Álvaro's death? It feels more like a month.“). But then the revelations and action come thick and fast in the final third not giving the readers a chance to catch their breath.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the author's other books.

Manuel was skeptical. “A crocodile with a heart of gold.”

“Sometimes even the worst degenerates have one. That‘s what‘s confusing. If the good folks were good and the bad ones were simply bad, the world would be a lot easier for everybody."

#lunchandabook

Amazing novel! It's described as a thriller, but I'd classify it as more of a mystery. It came together nicely at the end and I am extremely impressed by both the author and translator!

Written in Spanish by Dolores Redondo and translated into English by Michael Meigs. Redondo is also the author of the immensely popular Baztán trilogy. When Spanish businessman Álvaro is killed in a car accident, his writer husband, Manuel, is suddenly made aware of a secret life that Álvaro never mentioned. Highly recommend this mystery set in Spain! ? #translation #womenauthors #Spain

#yougivemesomething #maymoviemagic
Another unread one on my kindle 😁 keeping the others company!

Enjoyed this Spanish thriller while visiting Barcelona! 🇪🇸

#travelread

A pleasant surprise from World Book Day. An atmospheric, taut modern gothic mystery set in Galicia, Spain. I highly recommend. It may still even be free on Kindle.

Just added nine (FREE!) books to my Kindle TBR stack thanks to Amazon's promotion for World Book Dsy. Features nine books of various genres taking place in countries around the world that you can download and keep!

Love is complicated. Grief is overwhelming. And anger can be fuel. There is lovely prose in this book. Redondo has done a fantastic job setting her scene and describing her characters. However, there are too many characters. Cut, cut, cut! More on that in my extended review on the website ☝️.
Rated 3/5
#lgbtq #murder #mystery #fiction #translation

The novel although a murder mystery finds a way to wrap you in a delicate world. Dolores writes with a flair that both entrances you and lets you live this novel‘s dark underbelly. I can only imagine the full beauty that her writing would hold in her native language. If you can read Spanish I highly recommend enjoying this novel in the original language.

Lovely way to start the week.Rave reviews sounds like an emotionally moving novel.

#bookmail is the best mail. Goodreads Giveaway wins that you‘ve forgotten about and are therefore not expecting make the very best mail of all! 😂

This was a nice surprise in my inbox this morning. I don‘t remember throwing my name into the hat for it, but it looks like it could be really good. 🤞🏻