Gave this a try. It was penned as Adult Fantasy.

I guess I expected something different than a story with an NA main character, cringe-y "real world" banter in a High Fantasy setting, and clunky writing.

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

YA Coming of Age/Dark Academia Historical Fiction set in mid-19th century Edinburgh with a M/M romance sideplot

James Willoughby has recently decided to become a surgeon and to study at the University of Edinburgh. An excellent decision for the son of a noble family if it wasn't for the family lacking in funds. In order to afford his position in an anatomist's course, the resident resurrectionist Aneurin offers the naïve James a job... ⬇️

The winner for #WorstRead2024 is The Mars House.

Thank you, @CSeydel for creating the brackets.

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

Guess I am a Book-Dragon.🐉

The final tally says 445 books read. Not including the 8 I DNF'd. My goal was 250.

I took part in 10 #BuddyRead and 1 #ReadAlong on StoryGraph

Please ignore pages and hours on StoryGraph, they aren't correct. I was too lazy to enter the correct editions I was reading.

I finished the #52bookclub24 challenge for the first time!!!

Last finished book for 2024, probably.

Non-fiction

Preston collected formerly published stories of his about mysteries and murders in this volume. Among them are the story of the Money Pit on Oak Island, or the strange murders of couples in Tuscany, and the titular Lost Tomb (KV5).

Interesting to read and, this is why it took me twice as long as usual to finish, it sent me down several Wikipedia/Google rabbit holes.

I tried to gel with this book, but it didn't work. Due to each chapter being from a different character's POV, it was hard to follow the underlying plot of the story. The many POV were supposed to give the story a found family vibe, but I was never convinced of it. All in all, it seemed more like a collection of short stories that are interconnected than a novel with a thriller-ish plot and fully fleshed-out characters.

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

If you are looking for a cosy read that gives you Studio Gibli vibes, this is the book for you.

A hidden world behind the mundane reality, full of magic and wonder, and poetically described. A young pawnbroker brought up in this magical world and a young physicist from the 'real' embark on an adventure to find the pawnbroker's father.

I liked the whimsical nature of the book, it reminded me of The Starless Sea. ⬇️

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

I received an extract of this novel for reviewing purposes and can honestly say, those three chapters were not enough to fully form an opinion about the book. The extract packed a lot: village history, description of the game, a reading list, a true crime podcast, and some character introductions.

Six crime writers are invited to a snowy village in north Yorkshire where they are supposed to solve the ⬇️

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

#MountARC #NetGalley #ARC

Emily and Wendell embark on their journey into Wendell's realm. Having previously defeated his step-mother, taking the throne should be a formality, yet it is not so easy. A dark curse is threatening the kingdom and Emily soon realises they are living in a "fairy tale" whose many versions don't seem to have a happy ending. Emily is determined to use all her scholarly powers to find ⬇️

Listened to Levar Burton read this short story about a girl asking for a miracle.

It's part of the Dead Djinn Universe; steampunk Cairo where mechanical Angels, Djinn and, amongst others, boiler-plate eunuchs live among the human inhabitants of the city.

#SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView @Andrew65
#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #YearEnd #20in4 #readathon

Read as part of #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #YearEnd #20in4 #readathon @Andrew65

Was it historically accurate? Not entirely.
Was it fun to read and listen to? Yes!! Yes!!
Would I recommend it to anyone who likes queer #HistoricalRomance #RomCom? Of course!

#SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #YearEnd #20in4 #readathon @Andrew65

This sounded interesting but I neither liked the main characters nor the story. It was #MoreMehThanYeah and definitely not what I've come to like about Caine's writing.

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

2nd book of #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #YearEnd #20in4 #readathon @Andrew65

Third book in Devoured Worlds series.

What a ride?! At times I thought it was dragging on. Then there was so much action I had to go back and listen to some parts again. And then I checked how much book was left because it just couldn't end yet.

Definitely a series I'll be re-reading.

#SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView

First book of the #OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew #YearEnd #20in4 #readathon

@Andrew65

When Alice met Ben for the first time, she was visiting her husband's grave alone for the first time. Ben was visiting his brother's grave, right next to Alice's husbands. Ben was dressed as Kermit the Frog, a stipulation in his brother's will.

Over the next years Ben and Alice meet once a year, when Ben has to wear a costume at the cemetery. ⬇️

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

Fourth book in the Belles of London series.

Stella needs to get out from under her brother's thumb. But how shall this prematurely grey equestrian make a living for herself and her horse. Artist Teddy, bound to a wheelchair, has just found his muse, but does he dare make Stella an offer she should definitely refuse if she wants to protect her reputation?

I liked the representation of a disabled person in Victorian times.⬇️

Just finished my Mars Rover Perseverance and the tagged #audiobook.

A "Importance of Being Earnest" kind of story. Cousins Bella and Izzy are in London for the season. Noble born Izzy isn't feeling up to making her debut and since it's her aunt, the duchess, who keeps mixing up the two young women, they decide to make the most of this. Mix up, misunderstandings, but eventually happy matrimony for both cousins.

Low pick

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

Boxing Day plans: Unboxing and building the Perseverance Rover, drinking tea, listening to the tagged #audiobook and snacking on oranges. 😉

#SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView @Andrew65

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

February

Chronicles of St Mary's Christmas story. As in the past years I read the ebook shortly after midnight, but had to wait for 9:30am CET for the audiobook to drop.

Short, entertaining read.

Calvin Cutter is back to disregard all the advice St Mary's gives him on his next film. The female lead of his next film would much rather see the actual historical events than overblown historically inaccurate fiction and she might just get a chance to do so.⬇️

#12Booksof2024 @Andrew65

Using the DiscworldEmporium.com's picture to wish all of you,

Happy Holidays! 🎄

#LitsySciFiBookClub #SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView @Andrew65

At first I thought this was a slow read, but then I was drawn into the found family vibes and needed to know how they would get out of the pickle they'd got themselves into.

I will probably read the next book in the series/duology soon.

Paranormal #HistoricalRomance M/M

Lucien has returned from exile in China as the new Lord Crane. Strangely, he seems to have inherited the title and a curse, for he keeps trying to kill himself. He needs magical help.

Stephen Day, magician, hates the Cranes for how they ruined his family, yet he comes to Lucien's aid. Soon the two of them battle not only the "curse" but also with their mutual attraction.

A Charm of Magpies book 1

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Finished "The Magpie Lord" yesterday. First in a paranormal M/M #HistoricalRomance trilogy, with some ?️

Today I'm oscillating between the third Emily Wilde #eARC and the #LitsySciFiBookClub pick for December.

#SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView @Andrew65

Well, would you look at that. The first time I don't add all my reads to Goodreads and I make it into the Top 1% Readers and(!) Reviewers. 😂😂

Anyway, it's just stats and I'm not reading to outdo other people, I'm reading for fun.

I'm looking forward to my final tally from StoryGraph, which is where I tracked all of my reading this year.

Just wanted to catch up with #LittensLoveRomance but then got sucked in and read the whole story in one sitting.

Loved the banter. The mystery was well-crafted. Enough information to keep me turning the pages, but not too much so that I was bored by the foreshadowing. The snowed in manor would be a dream to visit, including the greenhouse.

After reading A Kilt for Christmas (https://litsy.com/p/T21oU0JLb3p2) I had to come back for more Ghost Coos (sadly missing in this book) and a bunch of Fairy Godmothers disguised as a book club of elderly women calling themselves the Book Bitches and wearing Christmas sweaters with puns.

There's a magical bookshop and the woman who just inherited it, a socially awkward man in a kilt with a hurt puffin, and lots of puffin puns.

#SeriesLove2024

Had the second of three MRIs this morning at 7am, which, incidentally, is the perfect time to whack up the schedule of the MRI practice when a 10-12min exam turns into a 40min exam. They found something minor but nobody told me about it at the moment and I spiraled a bit, until I read the results.

Anyway, I got myself some books, because an emotional roller-coaster is better with emotional support books.

Two audiobooks and one ebook.

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

Expected publication: 27 March 2025

I'm shamelessly quoting from the Afterword and Acknowledgements of the review copy I was generously granted: this is "a book about the moon turning to cheese, [...] each chapter represent[s] a day in the lunar cycle, each chapter with mostly different characters in mostly different places in the United States, reacting to it in ways specific [to] them alone"

⬇️

This was probably the worst book I've read this year.

You've heard of the "Saw" films? Yes? That's what this book was. A Christmas themed Saw film in book form with stereotypical characters and a predictable plot twist.

Ugh!!!

Christmas Cards from lovely Littens have arrived.

Thank you, @robinb @jenniferw88 @CarolynM @squirrelbrain!!!

by K. A. Merikan

Luke works at a burger joint when one evening the literal Lord of the Nocturne Court walks in telling Luke he's to marry him the next day under the full moon. Of course Luke thinks it's a prank, but soon he finds himself in a different realm about to face the altar.

Dark M/M romantasy, quite explicit 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Standalone

Mentioned this book to the #Gladstonerds and @Leniverse said she'd read the author and liked it.

#OokBOokClub

Just a friendly reminder that we'll be reading #GoingPostal next! Dig out your books, put in your library holds, or place your orders! The next Discworld adventure continues on January 8th! Woohoo!

If anyone wants to be tagged/untagged for future posts please let me know! Happy to oblige!

#Discworld #SirTerryPratchett #TerryPratchett #PratchettPosse #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #EpicBuddyRead

#OokBOokClub-ers, our Discworld adventure continues TODAY with #MonstrousRegiment!

Looking forward to our discussion next month!

Happy reading!

#Discworld #SirTerryPratchett #TerryPratchett #PratchettPosse #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #EpicBuddyRead

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Read "The Nightmare before Kissmas" yesterday.

Currently back in Tinsel with AJ Pine's "Not Another Christmas Rom-Com"

Hello friends! Open discussion is in the FOLLOWING POST marked as a spoiler. Find the The Truth post & tap "show me" on the spoiler tag to join in the discussion. Join in whenever you can! Today. Tomorrow. Next month! The post will always be up so just tag each other & we'll jump in to discuss with you. Feel free to chat about anything!

#Discworld #SirTerryPratchett #TerryPratchett #PratchettPosse #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #EpicBuddyRead

Thank you, @robinb for the first Christmas card this year and the bookmark. ?

My daughter brought it in and said "You have a letter from Birmingham." and my mind went through the rolodex of people I know in the UK and who might be from Birmingham. ? Well, it was soon sorted with my 14 year old declaring that the people should have called it New Birmingham, just like they called it New York. "It's just less confusing." ??

Here's the books from your #AuldLangSpine list, @sebrittainclark, that were on #MountTBR already.

I'm trying to decide which book to start with, Cascade Failure (most looking forward to) or Bride (Hazelwood's last few romances have been #MoreMehThanYeah for me).

Guess I can always add a tenth book from the list and roll a D10. 😉

@monalyisha

#AuldLangSpine 2025 List courtesy of @sebrittainclark

Thank you, Sarah. I've already read a few of them, but also saw a lot that are on the higher slopes of #MountTBR (I'll post separately).

Thanks for organising, @monalyisha

Clegg looks at the origins of the darker Christmas traditions still celebrated today. She looks at how Carnival traditions used to tie into Christmas, at Krampus and Santa Lucia, as well as the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge. And several more in between.

Short NF that's well worth a read at this time of year.

@Caroline2

"This is my account of a winter spent with monsters, but it's also an effort to understand their history, where and when they originated, and why they take the forms they do. It is an attempt as well to understand why we are so drawn to horrors at Christmastime."

This was just as good as Crazy Rich Asians.

Travelling the world one wedding at a time with the 1% crowd, who have problems I'll never have (thank F for that).

Pure escapism. 😁