Welcome to Litsy!

Inspired by Hungarian mythology & Jewish folklore, this intense, enemies-to-lovers fantasy is a natural for fans of Spinning Silver & Winternight, though it‘s bloodier, more serious, & just a bit less fun. Reid‘s scholarly background in religion and ethnic nationalism powerfully informs the story, world-building, and Evike‘s journey from half-Jewish pagan outcast in a Christian state to finding herself in all her identities, power, and community.

I loved this book. It took me a while to finish it because school has been crazy lately but I chipped away at it. There were a few parts that were confusing like when the MC gets her magic. I had to reread it a few times to understand what happened. The plot is interesting and the characters are sympathetic. I think I resonated with the story not only as a fantasy, but the religious aspects of it as someone who has struggled with her spirituality.

"‘That is the only way to truly believe in something,‘ Zsigmond says. ‘When you have weighed and measured it yourself.‘“

My happy place…

“I have survived the worst things I thought possible… Now I must make some shape out of the unimaginable after, measure my new life by its margins and limits.”

Iced coffee and my book out on the porch. My kiddos are at day camp and it‘s been weeks since I‘ve had a moment to myself 😎

Now for some fiction…

This is a novel inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology. It has romance, Betrayal, family relationships and some violence. I liked it, the main female character Ėvike I liked.

I was expecting a lot more, and I feel like the story would‘ve benefitted from a slower pace and maybe another book for the second half. There was just a lot all the time, and it smothered what was good. I liked it, but not as much as other people I‘ve seen review the book. It was a good debut, but it could‘ve been better.

Read my full review here: https://www.rainyreader.com/single-post/the-wolf-and-the-woodsman.

I was able to finish this during my 4 day weekend. It was a good read!

Évike is the only girl in her village without magic, known as barren. When the Woodsmen arrive to collect a seer Évike is readily sacrificed. During the treacherous journey to the city all of the Woodsman are killed except for the Captain. Èvike and the Captain must learn to rely on each other for survival and, of course, the fate of the kingdom depends on them. 4⭐️

Picked this up as a potential read along choice for this year‘s #WyrdAndWonder - let‘s see what it‘s got…

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. I think the story was too slow and the characters were not overly likeable. I needed more of the forest monsters. This was my choice for a book about a cult/religion as it is based in Jewish roots. #pantone2022 #booked2022 #bookedreadingchallenge @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Wolf and the Woodsman” is a lush story filled with history, mythology, fantasy, and magic. I enjoyed the premise of the story, and I felt that the characters were well-written. The forbidden romance was well done and the plot was continuously engaging. I took a star off due to the book being a bit confusing at times, but overall I enjoyed this book.

Got some reading done while encouraging some quiet time to play individually
This book didn‘t leave a sour taste, but not race of my heart either. The storyline had a strong start that faltered for me by the end. Love the mythos of this magic world. The relationship felt forced, formed too quick for those grown up generations of hatred to the other. Felt there was too much going on in the end. Love premise of red ridding hood from Hungarian lore

This is such an easy book to get lost in. Feels loosely like Little Red Ridding Hood. The pagan wolf-girl and her magic (thou this girl has none) stuck with the feared highly religious Woodsmen. Just that setting is enough to get you going. This slow burn enemies to (maybe) loves is going smoothly so far. Love those little moments that end up adding up to something more

This beautifully crafted story absolutely captured me from page one. From enchanted forests filled with monsters and mystery to forbidden love I couldn‘t put this book down. I absolutely fell in love with the characters (even the villains), especially Gáspár and Evike, the sexual tension between the two will drive you crazy…. But I promise it‘s worth it ?

We would have called it power, magic. They called it piety. But what is the difference, if both fires burn just as bright?

This book BLEW me away. I loved the prose, the characters, and the amount of care put into the crafting of this world. can't wait to read more from Reid.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Oddly, this story reminds me of The Mercies (KMH). It's bare bones as far as the world building goes but doesn't need much in that sense. This story is about ideas and beliefs. Good vs evil doesn't really exist, everything just is. We only need to open our eyes to see that.

It wasn't my favorite story of the year but I love the rich historical and mythological value that supports the story. And the writing/story itself is superb.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of my favorites this year. If you liked The Bear and the Nightingale, Uprooted, and Spinning Silver, you will love this.

I found this one when I was straight up, aimlessly scrolling through the (low key hilariously designed) website of my local indie bookshop. It gave me Spinning Silver vibes - so obviously I needed it!

Up next #coverlove

🎧 I‘m not in the mood for another Bear & the Nightingale. I kept asking myself, why?

Just not my cup of tea but the Illumicrate version is pretty.

The protagonist was the epitome of boring. No one really changed or went anywhere. The ending, not impressed.

I would be absolutely useless in recommending this book to anyone. I finished it but so many times I asked myself, why. This isn‘t billed as such but it felt romance-y.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Litsy won't let me post this as a review, so I'll try as a blurb. I'm bailing at 16% [early C5?]. I'm not engaged, and I don't like anyone/anything in it.

There is some beautiful language and wonderful monsters in this. There were also interesting questions about intersectionality: ie if your community of magic using, pagan, wolf girls mistreats you but are themselves mistreated by a force of fanatical imperialists, where does your responsibility lie? But I did dislike the foes to lovers thing that was going on and wanted the main character to hold more grudges.

“Survival is not a battle you win only once, you must fight it again every day. And so you take your small loses so that you can live to fight tomorrow…Can Kezi not survive the loss of one girl every few years? As it has for all my father‘s reign?”
….”I was only one girl.”

I tried reading Wild Women & the Blues this morning and was just not in the mood so put that down and picked this up

This was a book I was so excited to get my hands on but it didn't end up being what I hoped it would be. It felt to me like a YA novel being marketed for adults. I have no issues with YA but this had the immature and impetuous protagonist and poorly developed, gratuitous romance that often give YA a bad name.It was an entertaining adventure but not the darker, deeper tale I was anticipating.

June 2021 #Illumicrate

1. The Wood Makes Monsters Wooden bookmark
2. The Huntress Wooden pin
3. Monthly pin
4. LOTR puzzle story
5. The Woods are Lovely water bottle
6. The Darkest Part of the Forest banner
7. Letter from author

Very pretty red hardcover with silver embossed writing, reversible dust jacket with fan art & lovely red sprayed/ stenciled edges.

My June Illumicrate box arrived, one month late! Nevermind the main thing is, it is here! The books sounds interesting. It says a dark, evocative and unforgettable fantasy steeped in Hungarian history and Jewish mythology. The glass looking object is a water bottle with trees on it.

This beauty came today! I won the Goodreads giveaway for this and I‘m stoked! 🙌🏽🙌🏽 I was hoping I would get this one! Any thoughts from those that have read it?!

#bookmail 😍

I discovered a Black, woman-owned indie bookstore in Charlotte last year - Shelves Bookstore. She does pop ups around town but is primarily an online shop. Her website keeps getting better and she has the most amazing customer service. I love finding more local indie bookstores!

I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new - don‘t judge me I have a lot of books.
Join the fun if you want. This is day 167.
#bookstoread
#tbrpile
#bookstagram

Oh my goodness- I loved this!!! A fantasy story that weaves together Jewish, Hungarian and Greek mythology that enraptured me from start to finish!! Fantastic characters and a fascinating storyline- what an impressive debut!! My fingers are crossed for a sequel! I simply love, love, loved it!!! #DogsOfLitsy

Inspired by the legends & myths of the author‘s Jewish & Hungarian heritage, this debut is a satisfying story about two enemies who must overcome their differences in order to stop an even greater threat. The setting is lush & foreboding, the characters intriguing & flawed (& all the more interesting for it), the story compelling, & the writing quite assured. First half is better than the second but overall it‘s a solid recommend. On sale 6/21.

Latest additions to my pile of ARCs.