Litsy

Matches have been sent out #AussieSecretSanta‘s - please let me know if something doesn‘t look right or if nothing has come through.

The answer to the chocolate question appears in a bolder font.

Remember to send parcels out by the 6th December so that they arrive in time for a Christmas Eve opening.

Now‘s a good time to spruce up your Litsy TBR in case your Santa needs some inspiration.

MrsMalaprop, LapReader, Jhullie, CarolynM, Teresereading, Rissreadswithcats

Jhullie I‘m having a dumb moment, I can‘t see the address details. now

Rissreadswithcats Thank you Sharni. I hope everyone‘s TBR is up to date! 🎄 now

15 likes2 comments

kezzlou85

Gone by Midnight | Candice Fox

pick

This was a dark yet at times amusing crime thriller. Its book 3 in the series. I haven't read the others but I could follow along enough without. I will go back and check them out though. The plot is clever and twisty. There's lots going on around the main plot as well but it keeps the story interesting and allows depth to the characters. The ending was well done too and tied it off brilliantly. I have to say I loved Amanda the most. #Netgalley 4*

Bette I really enjoyed this series. 👍😊 4d

kezzlou85 @Bette im going to look out for the other ones as this was good 4d

Bette We saw the Tv series on Amazon…for some reason it‘s called Troppo but it‘s based on Fox‘s Crimson Lake books. When I saw the geese I started to yell. 🪿🪿🪿🪿🪿👏🦘🐊 I loved his geese. 💕 3d

kezzlou85 @Bette ooh might have to look out for it. My grandparents had geese. They were like guard dogs it was brilliant 3d

39 likes4 comments

BarbaraJean

The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough

A couple more (non-Blue-Castle-related) questions:

Does Missy‘s journey ring true for you? Why or why not?

What did you think of the ending, and the reveal about the character of Una?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder By the end, I didn't particularly like Missy. And that ending was ridiculous. 6d

rubyslippersreads What @lauraisntwilder said. 6d

TheAromaofBooks My other comments have probably revealed that I wasn't a fan of Missy 😂 And her journey did not really make any sense to me, honestly. The whole thing with Una at the end was absurd. And it left me kind of sad because it felt like Missy lost her one friend! 5d

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BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Like you, Sarah—to me Missy's journey didn't make sense. Her changed personality/actions don't make sense in the context of the plot. I hated her lying & manipulation and I hated the ending. The ending doesn't really make sense, either—it's inconsistent with the rest of the book! Una had tea with Missy & Drusilla & Octavia, she signs legal paperwork, but she's a ghost & invisible at the end? 🙄 4d

TheAromaofBooks And somehow now no one remembers her?! It just felt like lazy writing. And I'm still not over the way that we're supposed to believe that John Smith has fallen sooooo in love after whatever it was, two days or something, that he's going to be 100% cool when he finds out that Missy literally lied about EVERYTHING to get him to marry her! 4d

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Una was right to advise Missy never to tell John Smith the truth. 😆 4d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Oh, I'm pretty certain he's not in love with her. He says pretty clearly (and very coarsely) that he changed his mind about Missy when he discovered she's good in bed. That ain't love... he's fallen sooooo in lust. 🙄 @rubyslippersreads is right, Una was right in her advice! She also should have told Missy to make sure she always puts out. That would be perfectly in line with his character, as written. ⬇ 4d

BarbaraJean Also, HOW does it make sense that John Smith's dead wife, who (according to him) was a terrible person who fought with him, cheated on him, and wouldn't let him “get his leg over“ decides to come back as his little matchmaker? They both thought the other was terrible, so why would she think he's a good match for anyone, let alone poor put-upon Missy Hurlingford? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. 4d

22 likes8 comments

BarbaraJean

The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough

The main difference between the two books is how the privileged Hurlingfords take advantage of the under-privileged women of the clan. What did you think of this part of the story—as Missy stands up for both herself and the disadvantaged women of the family?

What did you think of The Ladies of Missalonghi in its own right? Does it have merit on its own, apart from Blue Castle?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

rubyslippersreads I actually liked this part. The family menfolk were jerks in both books, but at least here, the women got the best of them. As for standing on its own merits, I wouldn‘t read this again. TBC, on the other hand, I will always reread. (edited) 6d

TheAromaofBooks Ugh, the Hurlingfords were SO unlikable. Who steals from old women?!? So I was glad that the old ladies all got some redemption and seemed to be better set for going forward. 5d

BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Yes, I liked this part of the story, too. I enjoyed seeing the men get their comeuppance, and the women be provided for through Missy's efforts. I think it's the part of the book that works the best. My opinion of the book in its own right is still pretty low, however. 4d

15 likes3 comments

BarbaraJean

The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough

What *differences* do you see between Ladies of Missalonghi and Blue Castle?

How do those differences impact the narrative?

How do those differences impact your view of each book?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder Missy actually likes her mother. Their poverty is a shared enemy, rather than a basis for dumb rules. Missy is not nearly as likeable or sympathetic as Valancy though. 6d

rubyslippersreads The quality of the writing. This author just does not measure up to LMM. (But then, who could?) And the coarseness. Obviously LMM wrote at a different time, but this book told me more than I wanted to know (especially some of John Smith‘s thoughts). 6d

TheAromaofBooks To me, the biggest difference was how Missy was very manipulative and willing to lie to get whatever she wanted. It made her character arc somewhat unbelievable for me. With Valancy, you feel that she is actually growing as a person, determined to face her fears and live life on her terms. In fact, she becomes MORE honest as a person. We're told that Missy has been living her life as a mouse, but when we meet her she is already being somewhat ⬇ 5d

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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) deceitful and underhanded, so it really just felt like she got better at manipulating people rather than having actual growth. The straight up lying, emotional blackmail, and seduction made her a really distasteful character to me. I'm not nearly as confident that John Smith will be as forgiving of her as she seems to be. I can't imagine starting my entire marriage based on complete fabrications. 5d

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Valancy honestly thought she was going to die; she didn‘t borrow the idea from a novel. 😏 5d

BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads “Coarse” is the perfect word. Reading this so soon after Blue Castle, I couldn‘t help but think what LMM‘s reaction would be. The leeches, Missy‘s lies and manipulation, the coarse comments and descriptions—I felt like McCullough took a lovely, sweet, innocent, well-written story and dragged it through the mud. 4d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks EXACTLY. I don‘t find Missy‘s transformation convincing. The reason for it is supposedly Una, and that really doesn‘t make sense (unless you throw in some backwards continuity based on who Una is revealed to be, but even then, it doesn‘t make sense that Una would manipulate her in that way. Una‘s motivations don‘t make sense, either!) I really felt like the changes McCullough made ⬇ 4d

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …make the story weaker and Missy‘s character arc just nonsensical. In Blue Castle, it DOES make sense that a beaten-down, shrinking violet personality would be motivated to stand up for herself and start LIVING because of a terminal diagnosis. McCullough removes that believable motivation and twists the diagnosis around into a manipulative thing that makes Missy, to me, a very unlikable character. 4d

TheAromaofBooks And I just have to say that the line, “Valancy found herself shivering with the rapture of her first kiss“ is far more romantic and gives me that little chest-ping more than ANY of the strange lustful passages in this book. 4d

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks I completely agree. I have a feeling McCullough never heard the saying “Less is more.” 😏 4d

rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean That‘s just how I feel too. There was really no need for this book to have been written. 4d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks No chest-ping from Missy's “small buff nipples“ and John Smith “getting his leg over“? UGH. 😖 ANYTHING would be more romantic than this “romance“!! LMM's romantic writing and this are like night and day. 4d

16 likes12 comments

BarbaraJean

The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough

There are MANY similarities between Ladies of Missalonghi and LMM‘s Blue Castle.

Do you find McCullough‘s defense of “subconscious recollection” convincing (the idea that she read Blue Castle when she was young, but any borrowing was unconscious rather than intentional)?

Or are the similarities just too close to be “subconscious”?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder The fact that there are so many similarities actually makes me think she didn't do it on purpose. She was a well-known writer by this time, since this came out after The Thorn Birds was already adapted into a miniseries, and I don't think she would have been so blatant if it was a conscious decision. 6d

rubyslippersreads I think it was probably subconscious. It started off like TBC, but veered wildly off course. 😏 6d

TheAromaofBooks First off, how could you FORGET reading The Blue Castle?! 😂 I don't know, I have mixed feelings. Some of this book felt like she had just lifted sections and changed the names. But this was sooooooo much worse than TBC that at some level they don't even feel worth comparing lol 5d

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BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Speculating about this is FASCINATING to me. I can't get over how many details line up. Reading it right after Blue Castle, just I couldn't swallow her “subconscious“ claim. But Laura, your point about her being well-known is a great one and I think you're probably right. And I'm with you, Sarah--it's SO much worse that I can't imagine someone consciously writing such a terrible rip-off!! 4d

BarbaraJean Under spoiler tags is the list I compiled of the similarities between the two books. It's a LOT. 4d

BarbaraJean Spinster MC lives with strict mother & aunt
MC has a large extended family who is prominent in town
MC has a beautiful, stuck-up, rich cousin who‘s engaged
MC has heart “attacks”
MC takes refuge in her imagination and in books
MC‘s strict mother & aunt disapprove of her reading novels
MC begins to rebel against the expectations of her family
MC begins to make scandalous comments at family events
There is a mysterious, roguish outsider in town ⬇ (edited) 4d

BarbaraJean Family/town thinks mysterious outsider has an unsavory past
MC is fascinated by MO; he shows up in her imaginings
MC proposes to MO b/c of diagnosis and asks he not refer to her illness
There‘s a mixup w/ a doctor‘s letter containing a diagnosis
MC discovers her illness isn‘t fatal and wishes for the sweetness of death
MO spent years traveling after a relationship breakup
MO goes by an assumed/changed name
MO turns out to be fabulously rich 4d

TheAromaofBooks Also the whole part where he's like “I was so excited to buy/own my own valley“ instead of island. That whole conversation sounded sooo much like Barney talking about why he bought the island. I think it's the details that make me feel like she purposefully ripped some of it off - the rich/beautiful cousin and the whole bit at the beginning where “if she hurries“ she starts feeling the pain. I don't know, I really went back and forth when I was ⬇ 4d

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) reading it! And like we briefly touched on somewhere else - it's kind of similar to the way Anne is similar to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, so do I only get mad about it when the second attempt is bad?! 😂 4d

rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean I love the list! 4d

rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean I‘m surprised the MO wasn‘t named Bernie Smith. 🤣 4d

BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads 😂 😂 It did occur to me that “Smith“ is really close to “Snaith“! Also, a couple of others for the list: both MCs suddenly become attractive when they change their style/color of clothing, both have unusual first names but their families call them by a nickname (although there's a reversal in one preferring the nickname and the other hating it) 4d

14 likes12 comments

BarbaraJean

The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough

Several of us shared LOTS of thoughts early this week, but our scheduled discussion is today! Here are some questions to start, but feel free to add further thoughts, rants, etc.!

First, some general questions (separate from Blue Castle!):
Did you enjoy the book?
Did you find the characters likable—Missy, Drusilla & Octavia, John Smith, Una?
What about the antagonists—cousin Alicia & the other Hurlingfords?
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, DrSabrinaMoldenReads, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder I will say that I liked Drusilla and Octavia better than Amelia and Cousin Stickles. And I liked Una...until the end. 🫤 6d

rubyslippersreads It held my interest, which isn‘t the same as liking it. (And I think a lot of my interest was based in comparing the two books.) Missy‘s mother and aunt were certainly kinder than Valancy‘s, but Alicia, et al, were too over the top. 6d

TheAromaofBooks Honestly, I wasn't a fan. I was prepared to like it, but I never actually connected with Missy. And I also NEVER forgot that I was reading a book that was written in the 80s. The writing style/conversation topics/things that were mentioned meant that I never was really able to be immersed in the story because it was so anachronistic. I had to look up to see when the story was supposed to be taking place. It had its moments, but the humor never ⬇ 5d

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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) quite clicked for me. I did like Missy's mother and aunt. The Hurlingfords were pretty dreadful. 5d

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Yes, Drusilla & Octavia were miles better than Amelia and Cousin Stickles. I loved that Drusilla was privately glad that Missy was finally showing some backbone (and that she was aware/in favor of the clandestine novel-reading!). They actually cared for Missy, unlike most of Valancy‘s family. I think Drusilla and Octavia were the best characters in the book. Also Una, but I agree with you about the ending—it ruins that character! (edited) 4d

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) Valancy‘s family is horrible & ridiculous, but they feel like real people. The characters here—mostly—do not.

@rubyslippersreads Me too—it held my interest but I didn‘t necessarily enjoy it. The first half I was cataloguing all the similarities to Blue Castle. By the middle, I was invested in Missy‘s scheme to stand up against the Hurlingfords (who I liked as antagonists until Alicia ran off with the chauffeur! Over the top, as you said. (edited) 4d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Exactly—the whole tone was WAY off for a supposed historical novel. 4d

13 likes7 comments

lauraisntwilder

The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough

pan

Wow. This book follows along with almost the same plot as The Blue Castle, then in the last third veers off wildly and finally falls off a cliff. Not what I was expecting! #kindredspiritsbuddyread

21 likes1 stack add

thegirlwiththelibrarybag

Aussie Jingle Bells | Colin Buchanan

It's that time of the year again! If you are wanting some bookish festive fun and live in Australia - this is it!

Fill out the form : https://forms.gle/7SEQ42n4MnoKGCnN7

Form closes : 14th November 2025, with matches sent out soon after

Tagging previous #AussieSecretSanta‘s but new Aussie Secret Santas would be very welcome!

MrsMalaprop, LapReader, Jhullie, CarolynM, Lizpixie, LeeRHarry, Teresereading, Rissreadswithcats, Freespirit

thegirlwiththelibrarybag I‘m feeling technologically inept today… Google forms felt incomprehensible to me and Litsy tagging didn‘t take (hopefully it has now) 1w

Rissreadswithcats I‘m in! Thank you! ♥️💚 1w

thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Rissreadswithcats, woohoo! 1w

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MrsMalaprop Oh thank you Sharni. I‘m in 🎄📚. 1w

thegirlwiththelibrarybag @MrsMalaprop, yay! 1w

CarolynM Thanks Sharni, count me in 😊 7d

thegirlwiththelibrarybag @CarolynM, and then there were 5! Thanks for joining! 7d

LeeRHarry I‘m going to opt out this year as I‘m not back from overseas until the end of Nov and then I feel it‘ll be a crazy few weeks until Christmas. But have fun everyone! 😊 7d

thegirlwiththelibrarybag @LeeRHarry, makes sense! Happy travels and thanks for letting me know ✈️ 7d

Rissreadswithcats Who is the 5th? 7d

thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Rissreadswithcats, me 🤣 but also @Lapreader 7d

Rissreadswithcats @thegirlwiththelibrarybag @CarolynM @LeeRHarry @Jhullie @Lizpixie @Teresereading @Freespirit @LapReader just thought I would ask you all here if anyone is going to the Adelaide writers festival next Feb/March? @MrsMalaprop and I are all ready booked! 🧡 3d

LapReader I‘d love to @Rissreadswithcats @MrsMalaprop but I think it clashes with my cruise from memory but I will double check. 3d

LeeRHarry @Rissreadswithcats ooh I‘ll look into it, I‘ve never been before but would love to go. 😊 3d

thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Rissreadswithcats - I was planning on visiting Adelaide in July for the Monet to Matisse exhibition. I went to the Adelaide Writers Festival in 2020 and it was fabulous. I see Helen Garner & Jacinda Ardern on the program for 2026 - you‘ll have a great time! (edited) 3d

MrsMalaprop @CarolynM @LeeRHarry @Jhullie @Lizpixie @Teresereading @Freespirit @LapReader @rissreadswithcats Yes! Nerissa and I (and 10 other of our bookish fiends 😜) are going to AWW2026 and we‘d love to see you there. Am getting more than a little excited now that the lineup‘s being announced. 1d

Freespirit Girls I shall tap out for this Christmas but hopefully get back to Litsy next year. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas 😘😘😘@CarolynM @thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Rissreadswithcats @LapReader @LeeRHarry @MrsMalaprop @Jhullie @Teresereading @Lizpixie 1d

Teresereading I‘ve been to AWWF twice, it‘s so good. (edited) 1d

Teresereading I‘m in 1d

CarolynM @Rissreadswithcats @MrsMalaprop Hope you have a wonderful time in Adelaide. I was there for several months in 2023 so I've had enough of it for a while. @Freespirit Hope you have a lovely festive season and we see more of you here next year. 1d

Rissreadswithcats @Freespirit Have a fabulous holiday! ♥️ 1d

LeeRHarry @Freespirit Merry Christmas and a HNY - have a great summer. 😊💕 1d

MrsMalaprop Excellent @Teresereading 👏. You can give us all the tips. Completely understand @CarolynM 18h

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