Welcome to Litsy!

With thanks to @ju.ca.no who gifted me this which took me one step closer to #readingtheamericas23 it‘s a short story collection and as ever some are stronger than others. All are dark, some exceedingly so and the writing is sparse and kind of beautiful even when subject matter is macabre@and deeply disturbing . Not something I would have bought myself but a pick

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Taken while bookshopping in Berlin, Germany
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@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

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#horror #shortstories #Argentina

Finished this in a couple of sittings. A collection of horror stories mostly taking place in Buenos Aires. Really dark and disturbing, not for everyone. Read this mostly at night and got really spooked. Really “enjoyed” it, and appreciated that the author didn‘t drag the stories out. now I‘ve purchased two of her other books based on how much I loved this one.

As I've not read many books by South American authors, I enjoyed the experience of reading these horror stories, mostly set in urban Argentina. However, the stories themselves were mixed. A couple were excellent and some were just unpleasantly disturbing.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

She is a good writer, but I found the stories to disturbing to really enjoy this collection. Sexually and intimately disturbing

A book that wants to shock you without needing to earn it, this short story collection repeats themes, names, content and disasters while cutting off the plot before most of the pieces have a chance to go anywhere. For the stylistic choices though I think the writing style works with the content.

I think this book would be better read slowly and in-between other works - reading it all together blends everything in way too much with itself.

I was curious about this one after seeing so many mixed reviews, and I see why. These stories all had creepy elements but the endings for almost all of them were very abrupt. I think maybe it was done on purpose to allow the reader to fill in those blanks. Sometimes the scariest part of a story is what we're lead to imagine, right? Almost a so-so but ultimately a pick because despite some gross scenes, it was entertaining throughout 👻

Like the best and most classic horror stories, it‘s metaphors of real life conditions like OCD, phobias, disease that make some of these stories unsettling. There‘s real supernatural stories too and they all sit side by side in this book. Not all the stories are properly rounded off but without fail they all have powerful imagery that will stick with me even if the stories don‘t. Enriquez‘s writing is easy flowing, evocative and darkly beautiful.

A short story collection where the stories is told by women and mainly focuses on ghosts. I didn‘t know there was this many different kind of ghosts and ways to interact with them.

Trying something different.

I cannot remember why I read this - perhaps a Reese recommendation or maybe from Goodreads but it just never grabbed me. That said, it is a collection of slightly creepy short stories with a South American flavor.

This was both my #Bookspin book and my first #FoodandLit title this month. This is a collection of unlinked short stories written by a single author, all with dark themes. I found it very uneven. A few of the stories were macabre and interesting, and really stuck with me, but more were just depressing, and were much closer to the superstitious than the supernatural. #BBRC Yeah Baby Monster

I love waking up to new #BookSpin numbers!!! @TheAromaofBooks

These are some very peculiar stories and I can't stop listening

In Buenos Aires, the dead don't stay dead.
They return throughout this collection of
stories, which depict struggling, ill,
impoverished protagonists drifting through
haunting, surreal worlds. This is perfect for reading in small chunks; the tone is so consistent that it feels like variations of a theme, rather than distinct
stories. The translation is also excellent,
engaging and visceral. If you're a fan of Angela
Carter, you will love these.

Both a #Scary pick & a #HispanicHeritageMonth pick.

This book of stories is creepy, dark, has a macabre sense of humor, is erotic, and unsettling. There are ghosts, curses, supernatural occurrences, and disturbing obsessions. I like allegorical horror, but I felt like some of these lacked meaning and of the few types of books that I‘ve read that are similar, this is my least favorite. Still, the writing was good and I enjoyed it.

Recommend.

Wicked, dark, often erotic, always haunting little vignettes of horrors that feel both real enough to be believable but still outlandish enough to be fascinating.

I knew nothing about this book going in. I liked the cover art and I knew from the reviews on the back that it was dark, and that was it. I didn't even realise it was a collection of short stories until the second one! But I can safely say whatever expectations I could've had, this book would've surpassed them. It was masterful, and wickedly haunting- I had a very hard time putting it down.

This surprised me, because I went into it expecting to fully love it. But while the first story really set the tone, & the following handful maintained that sense of dread, from the bizarre heartbeat story on I was less enamoured. I like my creeping horror to create a sense of unease & paranoia, & am less forgiving of, well, just a lot of gross stuff lumped in together. Enriquez is a superb writer in terms of addressing socio-political issues. ⬇️

I‘m really not a horror-reader, so I was putting this off (although I‘m not sure if it is horror - much of the horror is in the real-world elements). It took me a few stories to ‘get it‘, but once I did I was totally absorbed.

Her writing of fear and anxiety are on the mark, the feel of each situation is strong. And her portrayal of life for women/girls in Argentina was cutting & disturbing.

Still going on the #InternationalBookerPrize2021.

I would‘ve bailed after the first 2 stories, if not for @Simona ‘s review. These are classed as horror (I‘m not sure they are though), and it looks like every story will leave you hanging.

The next two I began to engage with a little more (although yuk!) and the one about the family with some form of inherited anxiety was disturbingly real.

You never know, I may even end up liking it.

Strawberry Smoothie, a good book, sun and reading time - what better way to start into the weekend💙

The book so far is quite unsettling and weird - which I absolutely LOVE! I‘m enjoying it a lot and am a bit sad, that I will finish it quickly😅

I bought this book because @Tanisha_A posted it in her Instagram Story😅 I‘m easily influenced. The cover looks so cool, and the book itself sounded brilliant as well. Can‘t wait to dive right into it after work today!

Twelve short stories and I really liked them all, except one. They are dark, twisted and gripping... They aren‘t shocking/disturbing just to cause some shock, they have base in history, superstitions, as well as they ‘commenting‘ Argentinian today‘s society. Definitely treat for short stories lovers. #InternationalBookerPrize2021

Books purchased (that are currently published) so far in 2021.

"Two very tall Scandinavians were drinking beer beside them, speaking a strange language full of the letter "a.""
-"Rambla Triste"

Finally got my finished copy! It works in interesting conversation with Things We Lost in the Fire while inviting us to new, unsettling worlds. Here our characters are often the actors of the danger. Themes of coming of age, and that being stilted are explored.

These are not safe stories. And they don‘t tie things up neatly. Rather, they often take us right up to the emotional precipice, and end a beat before we know if we fall off the edge.

I‘m still honestly a shook I took this all in with curiosity and appreciation. I think about the why of it and what I think is to blame is the writing! It‘s accessible & grabbing while not being overly punishing.

If you want to be spooked by something other than the world around us for just a bit, pick up this collection! https://youtu.be/Guxjif_elq4

At least there‘s a new Mariana Enriquez collection.

These are sophisticated socially-conscious tales of pure unsettling macabre and cotidian horror. Stories about sexual fetish, family tragedies, cursed neighborhoods, jealousy gone too far, and personal ghosts. Set against contemporary Argentina but very aware of the country's history, Enriquez is a new voice for me. She uplifts the female body and its status of unknowable, unreachable, unpredictable. (Translated from the Spanish by Megan McDowell)

Afternoon all set up ✨
I am reading waaaaaaay to many books at the same time these weeks. I'm in a slumpy mood but I'm hoping to finish some of them soon to be able to move on.