Welcome to Litsy!

Wow, another great book from @rachelsbrittain ‘s #AuldLangSpine list! It‘s another 5⭐️ for me. It was perfect timing for a book I wanted to get lost in as I had a sick day so extra reading time. (Just a cold)

Think magical boarding school, mostly from the point of view of a professor who teaches high level demon summoning and dispatching. I felt like there was some influence from Terry Pratchett and a bit of Scholomance. Bi main character. Win!

So many great books this year, but The Incandescent was my favorite.

#bookbracket2025 @cseydel

Started this one, and felt, Wow, this seems so familiar, turns out I watched it a year ago! HA!!! #BookToScreen

This was a fun audiobook, and had some interesting commentary.
When a girl who shouldn‘t have magic is discovered, a rich and powerful magic family scrambles to hide her origins and enrolls her in a magical school where she can build connections and learn to be a proper magical lady. Treachery, mean girls, and power plays threaten the new life that Sarah, now Cassandra, tried to build.
4/5 stars read for more political magic school novel

September 2025 Book #1

This was a surprise. First book in a duology I didn‘t expect much since it is a YA book. But this dark academia was entertaining. Four friends, totally different, try to reveal the school mystery and the real truth behind her best friend death. 3/3.5⭐️

Ooof. I don‘t know if I can let that be my last book of 2025. 😭

This is an American classic I‘d missed reading up till now, and I think I‘m still stunned by the ending. The characters and their friendship here are both masterfully written—an intimate portrait against the backdrop and looming dread of WWII.

The in-laws left town yesterday morning, and today I‘m digging in for the first of 3 solid year-end reading days. After church and a post-church meeting yesterday, I started in with Baldwin‘s Go Tell it on the Mountain, then read the first couple chapters of the tagged last night. Gonna make some more progress today, curled up by the tree with some candles and my tea. I may have to take an audio-walk later, given how gorgeous it is outside today!

My 2025 favorite books

First up is DLTFI

I really enjoyed reading this book and it was also one of the first ones I read this year. Just the right amount of creepy and horror. Also felt very dark academia to me. It also features asexual representation and an Achillean romance.

Trigger warnings for this book will be spoiler marked in the comments. If you do not want to know or be spoiled, simply don‘t click.

My February selection for #12booksof2025

Merry Xmas, Happy Festivus, or whatever else your doing today! Little book loot report : The Incandescent, Nock Loose, Slow Gods, and a beautiful crochet book, The Cove. Check out the Pride & Prejudice flower vase!