Welcome to Litsy!

#Bookreport

📚Currently reading:

📕Fire & Blood
📕Akechi Kogoro
📙The Witness for the Dead

Progress:

Almost forgot to post this week.

I Finished both of the Michelle Paver books. Dark Matter was far better than Thin Air but they were both enjoyable enough. Been making very good progress with F&B though I am trying to pace myself a bit to not finish it in a few days.

The setting was interesting, though this was a bit less character driver than Dark Matter was. I can't say the characters were completely flat but they felt a bit more trope-y than the other book.

My main gripe with it is that a lot of the plot was copy-pasted from Dark Matter and followed the exact same story structure. You can literally draw direct parallels from both, it's a bit too on the nose if you read both.

overall it was good, though.

I'm gonna finish this tomorrow. I'm really liking it so far but some plot elements feel directly copy-pasted from Dark Matter which is a bit disappointing.

#Bookreport

📚Currently reading:

📕Fire & Blood
📕Akechi Kogoro
📙The Witness for the Dead
🎧 Thin Air & Dark Matter

Progress:

I didn't finish anything this week but I am sure that I will finish both of the Michelle Paver books as they are on the short end of things. Made good progress with F&B, I need to stop being tired in order to read the physical books.

Word for Day 23 of #ScarathlonDailyPrompts was Story.

I really enjoyed this ghost story by Michelle Paver. Very atmospheric & for some reason, I love books to do with mountain climbing.

#Scarathlon2022 #TeamSlaughter @Clwojick

It is apt that I can see off winter in this challenge with a disturbing battle with nature as a grp of English men in 1935 try to conquer the dangerous kanchenjunga. As narrator Stephen struggles with fraternal rivalry the history of the mountain starts to haunt him + as the weather gets worse, the claustrophobia + terror increases. Atmospheric in title + prose.
#weathertermintitle #booked2022 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

My "navy blue" entry for #12ColoursofDecember
Not winter/holiday but lots of snow and ice in this book, so maybe it counts for double points?

#WinterGames2020 #MerryReaders @Clwojick

My current read! I actually brought this one with me to New York City in January but ended up at reading submissions instead. I‘m currently halfway through this chilling grade about a group of men trying to conquer Kangchenjunga in 1935.

Second Paver in as many weeks, and despite the early similarities in the work, this turns into yet another fantastic read. The creeping dread of madness invokes a Lovecraftian feel, the characters are interesting and deep and the description is rich.

My only downside is that I wish I had waited a few months between books, that way the similarities in the set up would have been less noticeable.

Paver might just be my favourite horror writer now

If you like ghost stories then give this a try. Not really scary enough for me.

#inlaws #reviews #others

I am not easily spooked by books, but this one really sent a shiver down my spine. I haven‘t been so creeped out since I read The Turn of the Screw as a teenager. A slowly developing sense of menace suffuses the entire story & that the writer manages to imbue a rucksack with malevolence is particularly impressive. A concise, powerfully evocative read that left me feeling as chilly as the Himalayas in which it is set.

I saw it just in time to snap a screenshot... 3333!! 🎊🎊🎊

Excited to be finally reading this one! The silver details on the cover are stunning. 😍

Not quite as richly atmospheric as Dark Matter, but there was some good tension built up on the mountain by the end. Quick & easy read if you are looking for a ghostly story. I‘d say this was 3⭐️.

The puzzle is a totally incongruent background. 😜

Coffee shop reading with some new blooms! Blustery & cool today, otherwise I would have come away with more. 😬

Shopping my shelves. I loved Dark Matter by Paver so my hopes are up. If it‘s similar, I read it long ago enough that that would be okay.

The story is all right. Ms. Paver manages to build up the terror quite well in a world full of otherwise well-known elements: foreboding signs, emotional repression, typical era-attitudes (including racism), upper-class superiority and so on. The problem is this book is pretty similar to ‘Dark Matter‘ to the point that it feels like reading the same story in a different setting. Nonetheless, an easy read for a Saturday afternoon.

Unexpected car trouble + repair expense means I‘m getting in bed a little earlier than usual and reading a book. Cars are the worst. I wish I lived in a mass transit friendly city!

Looking forward to starting this ... loved Dark matter by Michelle Paver and if this is as good ... wow looking forward to getting started 😊😊👍👍📚📚

#Winterwonderland #Frozen I havnt read this one yet , but it looks fairly frozen out there ❄️❄️❄️ “A heart -freezing masterpiece “ ❄️💙

I feel bad bailing on such a short book which others seemed to love but it just wasn't holding my attention. The other 4 books I'm reading are all battling for my attention with great plots and characters, and this just fell flat. Didn't like the voice of the MC. May give it another go at some point but it's a bail for now.

I'm not entirely sure what has happened but some how the fates have alined and I have 2 boys in their own beds, have been showered, and now have at least an hour of reading time to myself before I need to sleep too...I'm now wondering what is coming as payment for this good fortune.
Reading a ghost story, tis the season. Not gripping me much so far, but only on chapter 4.

@kathedron #jbuk I am really looking forward to this one , I loved Dark Matter ! Thankyou Kate for this lovely post & for organizing this #jbuk book group ...it really warmed my heart to come home to your package in my postbox. So nice ... tea & chocolate & book - gifts from the gods ❤️thankyou X

Bookmail! 📚

In the 1930s, an expedition sets out to summit Kangchenjunga, the third tallest mountain in the world, following in the footsteps of a previous ill-fated expedition, in which all but two men died. Once they get on the mountain, they discover that a restless spirit may be shadowing them.

It just sounded good so I had to gets it! 😃

This story is similar to another of Michelle Paver‘s works called ‘Dark Matter‘ but it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up so I‘m not complaining. It‘s not gory or violent, the fear slowly grows page by page until the suspense is unbearable. There are no out and out shocks, just a steady sense of foreboding which speaks volumes about the quality of the writing. This is a proper ghost story that made me reluctant to turn out the light.

Nice writing. Ghost story was ok, mountain climbing was ok. Overall so-so. I also think I‘m suffering a bit of a Sylvia hangover and maybe that‘s why it didn‘t engage me fully!

Serendipity- picked this one off the pile this morning and it fits today‘s #ghost prompt.
#getmovin
Set in the Himalayas in the 1930s, so far it‘s interesting but only read on my 25 min commute this morning so far!

It would have been a pick had I not already read her "Dark Matter": same story, different location. There's the vague unease that builds to paralysing terror (she's great at that!); there's a "heroic" expedition; there's upper class machismo (emotional repression, inability to empathise, unquestioned superiority, sense of entitlement) galore; there's a misfit on the team; one guy is secretly in love with a team-mate; even the adopted dog is there!

This was really good. A ghost story, yes, but also about mountaineering, survival and siblings. It was short, well written and just the right amount of atmosphere/creepiness/claustrophobia (I can‘t do properly scary). A great palate cleanser ⛰

Like Exit West, this was a whole new genre for me. I was intrigued by the ‘ghost story‘ element and I must say I couldn‘t put it down! Pavers‘ description of nature and especially the mountain was beautiful. There were hints all throughout that something wasn‘t quite right but I just couldn‘t put my finger on what exactly! Really great suspense.

Wheeee! So happy with my #HalloweenGoesPostal loot! Thank you @scripturient and @BookishMarginalia for making this happen! This is awesomesauce!

Certainly not bad, and Paver is good at writing unpleasant scenes, but Thin Air lacked something. It was difficult to care for any of the characters, and the build up was just a bit too slow.

This book has been terribly neglected due to The Blind Assassin and The Historian, but the Historian was too big to bring for my work trip to Stavanger, so I‘ll finally be able to finish Thin Air!

Next up! Even though everyone seems to be disappointed by this one... (And my nail polish matches the book 😀)

While it relies on similar themes to the spine-tingling Dark Matter; cold, dark, danger (natural and supernatural), isolation and crippling fear and doubt, Thin Air didn't work as well and I think the problem was the characters. The narrator was less interesting and the others half-formed. The group itself, and much of the plot were a weaker reflection of the earlier work. There are plenty of chills but they were easier to spot & made less impact

I really liked this book. It wasn't as super creepy as the author's 'Dark Matter' but it still gave me lots of goosebumps. If you like a good ghost story, this is the book for you!

I've turned #SockSunday into #SockSaturdayNight. 😊 So this is my entertainment on this cold and stormy evening. Perfect! Sorry for the bad picture. My phone is charging and my old Ipad's camera obviously isn't the best.

Starting this book right now. Yay! I loved Paver's 'Dark Matter' (not to be confused with the Blake Crouch novel) and look forward to being spooked again. #autumnghoststories #RIPxii

Having read most of the horror books in my local library I was glad when I came across this one, couldn't put it down. It's one of those books that just grabs you from the start took just over a day to read

#TBRtemptation: I was barely able to pass this at Waterstones this morning. Anyone read this one yet?

I enjoyed this book about a fictional mountaineering expedition in 1935. It had a real sense of creeping menace. Rating: 4/5.

I absolutely loved this book! Paver is a master of the slow-burn method of building from unease to terror. There is a weight to the dread she invokes. Her style falls in line with gothic ghost stories, but instead of a creaky old house, her hauntings exist in the freezing, harsh expanse of nature. Thin Air is about an expedition up Mount Kangchenjunga set in the 1930s. I didn't find this book to be quite as eerie as Dark Matter, but it came close.

Katniss isn't doing the #24in48 readathon so she's been napping. I, however, have jumped back into Thin Air. I love how Paver mixes horror, nature, and the supernatural.

It's about a terrifying expedition up Mount Kanghchenjunga. The book begins with an excerpt from the leader's published account saying that despite their losses, it was a successful journey. It's followed by a journal entry from one of the survivors who has a different opinion.

I finally settled on a TBR stack for the #24in48 readathon! I know I won't get through all of these, but I like a to have a variety.

I'm probably going to start out with Thin Air. If it's anywhere near as creepy as Paver's Dark Matter, I'll be a happy reader. 😄

Michelle Paver once again manages to rekindle the sublime uneasiness she mastered in 'Dark Matter'. The ultimate in suspense and eerie atmosphere. Literally unputdownable. I urge you to read this - and Dark Matter if you haven't already! A very worthy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ vote!

This seems a bit of a leap to me! Not enough to put me off though, loving this so far

I went looking to see if this was based in truth. Could be based on Fanny Bullock Workman, a mountaineer who was photographed with a votes for women newspaper on a Himalayan peak?