Welcome to Litsy!

I enjoyed this reread a lot although I didn‘t remember it being *quite* as dark as it is. There is a lot of covetous behavior in here, a lot of longing for things that belong to someone else. Nearly every character acts on this, and they all do bad things. There isn‘t really a good person in here. What I love about this book is the storytelling. Goolrick always blends love and tragedy so well, and it‘s the heart-wringing that I enjoy in his work.

Anybody else still have your Christmas tree up? Or is it just me?🎄I‘m unapologetic about my love for Christmas and always keep my tree up for an extra long time.

Anyway, here‘s my #currentlyreading. I love Robert Goolrick‘s work. I read this one when it first came out back in 2009 and have thought about it a billion times since then. Since I‘m reading a lot of snowy, wintry reads lately, I pulled this one off the shelf for a reread.

30 Book Recommendations in 30 Days — Day 5 — Set in the early 1900s, this novel tells the story of a man who places an ad seeking a reliable wife, and gets much more than he bargained for. Twists and turns abound. Good story, thought provoking.

You shouldn't read this in the month of February. Depressing. Everyone seems like they are crazy and noone is likeable. Plus it's cold. Everyone and everything is cold. Winter in Wisconsin. Where the country folks go mad and the city folks are full of sinful destruction.
Underrated character: Mrs. Larson. She works her butt off. She cooks fantastic meals, and goes above and beyond for her employer. It's no joke being the help in the early 1900s.

Hmmm…this was like watching a train wreck. You know you should look away. The results are predictable and tragic and yet you just can‘t help yourself.

Thanks @RamsFan1963 for the tag!
A reliable wife 😁
Library of Legends 🤨

Wanna play? @DAB @Chelleo @MaleficentBookDragon @nelehelen
#talkaboutittuesday @BayouGirl85

I‘ve been fighting with a migraine all day but here‘s this weeks #unreadandontheshelf

Apparently I was in the mood for red when I made this stack of books...

See any you think I should put higher on my TBR pile?

#AyUpAugust when a rich lonely widow places an ad for a reliable wife someone should probably warn him #DontMarryHer or maybe when a rich lonely widow places an ad for a reliable wife, somebody should warn her!!! A gothic tale of cat and mouse. I really liked this book and I‘m surprised to see such a low rating.

Does not live up to the hype

#RandomActsOfKindness

Misty, you are just too sweet. 😘 Thank you so very much for my surprises in the mail today! ♥️ I look forward to reading the book, and I ♥️ my nifty reversible bookmark. 😊 But your sweet note meant the most and made me feel extra special. 💚🧡💛💙💜💕

Thank you...we Littens are all blessed in various ways by your big, generous ❤️.

#bookishmail
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Day 25 - #wife #anewchapter

I read this book in 2010 and have never forgotten the story!

“A weighty psychodrama laced with Hitchcockian suspense.”-- Time Out New York
( USA Today)

"[A] beautifully written, beautifully dark book. Goolrick is a superb writer."― Chicago Sun-Times
( Washington Post)

“A killer debut novel . . . suspenseful and erotic . . . [A] chillingly engrossing plot . . . good to the riveting end.” –USA Today
( USA Today)

0/5⭐The characters were so thin you could see through them to the author's self-indulgent twaddle. I thought maybe I wouldn't like the characters but they'd still be compelling, but nope. Between Ralph's CONSTANT, detailed thoughts about sex &/or religious-induced guilt for wanting sex, the complete pointlessness of this extended description in regard to plot or characterization, & the repetitiveness of the narrative, I was turned off. #projectnew

So repetitive, so very sex-obsessed, and just overall "meh". The characters' motivations seemed bizarre and for that reason I couldn't really connect with them. Historical fiction, set in frigid Wisconsin in 1907. Not terrible, but not something I looked forward to reading. Others in #bookclub enjoyed it though!

#bookclub is Monday. I'm at 61% in the ebook. Very repetitive so far, and I'm wondering what others are going to think of it. 🤔 #libby

Came home from Cancun to find this in my mailbox. Starting it today do I can get it to you @cherinium #lmpbc #round3 #groupz

Here‘s my #OctoberTBR - October is one my favorite months and I‘m so happy it‘s here!

Here‘s a great fall picture! 🍁🍂📚

#OctInBooks18

Finally getting this out to you, @Lidia ! Sorry for the delay.
#LMPBC #round003
@shellleigh33 @cherinium

I was negligent in reporting that this book was sent out last week for #lmpbc #round3 #GroupZ. Sorry! It was a really rough week for me. I hope the book finds it safely to your hands, @Velvetsun !
@Lidia @shellleigh33

Easy to read. An interesting look at loneliness, love (romantic and familial), deception and forgiveness. I would have enjoyed it more with less of a sexual component.
#lmpbc #GroupZ @shellleigh33 @Velvetsun @Lidia

Indecisive up until the last moment, I have finally chosen my selection for #lmpbc #round3 #groupz. I hope it's not a dud. 🤞 @Lidia @shellleigh33 @Velvetsun

#HeyJune #CantbuyMeLove but this wealthy man bought a “reliable” wife😉Such a delicious salacious gothic tale of passion and poison ☠️ Loved it!!!

Happy Wednesday!!! This was dropped off to my by a fellow student! ❤️❤️📚

Thank you @Nebula_of_Books for my awesome #EasterBasketBookSwap package. Sorry it took me a day to post. Four books! I have only read cinder already. Thank you also for sharing some of your favorites, it‘s always a treat to get personal recs.

I enjoyed this book but did get quite frustrated with both of the characters. I wanted to shake them on more than one occasion.

#ReadingResolutions
#yellow

In ❤️❤️❤️ with this author!!!!

Coffee, crepes, and a good book 💕

With classes starting up soon I have to read when I can.

#Sears https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k8h3nJDCd-Y #JuneTunz @Cinfhen

I went with "mail order" brides, because who wouldn't want to purchase one of those through a catalog?! ?

#day18 #lyricalapril #moneygrabber Read this one with my book club and I think it fits the prompt perfectly today .... "An ad is placed for "a reliable wife" by a rich man...Catherine responds saying that she is 'a simple, honest woman.' She is, of course, anything but honest, and is determined to marry this man, kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow....But he has other plans"...I found it an enjoyably, gothic tale.... ?

I finished this only because it was a recommendation from my aunt. The writing was repetitive, overblown and impressed by itself. I guessed the "twist" immediately. Blah. Now how to phrase that to my aunt in a nicer way... ?

Mid-morning reading!

Unpleasant and overwritten (in my humble opinion)

I did love this book! And Goolrick's others also. But alas, not only does this have a headless woman on the cover, the dress is wrong for the era. The beginning of the book very clearly states that it is 1907, but this dress is more like the 1880s. Covers that get it wrong is a big pet peeve of mine! #headlesscovers

"It was bitter cold, the air electric with all that had not happened yet...Nothing says hell has to be fire thought Ralph Truitt, standing in his sober clothes on the platform of the tiny train station in the frozen middle of frozen nowhere". On the train is Catherine Land who answered his ad for a good wife. She sits before a mirror "unbecoming all that she had become" in order to deceive Truitt & claim his fortune #photoadaynov16 #trainsplanes

I just can't seem to get into this one 🙁

11 pages in and I'm calling it a night, I'm either to tired or this book is literally going no where....

I really enjoyed this book of suspense, intrigue, double-crossing, and heartbreak. This book turned into one of my all time favorites AND is only $1.99 on Kindle today. After reading this, I devoured the rest of Goolrick's bibliography and he has become one of my favorite authors. This book has so many twists and turns, you won't want to miss this.

@BookBabe 's and my recent #libraryhaul purchases! And coincidentally, I've had the pleasure of speaking with both authors at length 😁😁😁👍🏻!!! I met Bill while in college; @BookBabe & I chatted with Robert who Skyped in for a book club discussion for another of his books. Incredibly intelligent, articulate men! No more treasures from Mr. Safire, but Robert's still going strong 😎👌🏻. Ever had an author join your bookclub discussion?

The @bookriot book deal of the day. It's one I've been eyeing so I had to get it. Sigh...if this keeps up it's cheap ramen and peanut butter sandwiches for me. 😉

I didn't think I'd like this book, but i couldn't put it down. It reads like a rural noir. A lonely rich man in Wisconsin hires a bride from a newspaper ad. She plans to marry and then poison him. But he has plans of his own. Easy to read. A character study in deceit. It takes one to know one!