And this is my final couple of hauls before starting my 3 month book buying ban. (More specifically it is a stuff-buying ban... I cannot move around the house for stuff!)

Fortunately, past-Rae preordered a lot of stuff so books are likely to still turn up. Plus I'm allowed to explore Kindle 99p deals so... 😉😉😉😉

Festive #shelfie for those who love books and crystals 💕💕

Ugh. If you want to read what annoyed me about this one, I've ranted about the insufferable characters, surface level themes, and lack of action over on Goodreads.

TLDR: read Flesh instead

⭐️⭐️

Aaaaaaand that's a wrap! (Only 2 days late, but I've done them all 😁)

Thank you to everybody who has joined @Ruthiella for the #christmascrimechallenge

It's been a blast and we'll host the event again next year, I'm sure! 💕💕💕💕

Happy New Year xx

Overall, I enjoyed this collection, and if this is anthology #7, I'm assuming the stories in 1-6 are even better!

A mixed bunch from some big names, with some stories working better than others.

I'm knocking off a star for the inclusion of a story that I read as containing a whole load of homophobic dog whistles (and not much else.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️

https://youtu.be/qqfBn4ATJOU?si=1b7fQ0IN6As0oPil

The Rae's Choice Awards 2025 😅

Instead of doing a top 10, I give a quick top 5 and then give credit to the Funniest, Weirdest, Creepiest and Most Annoying of 2025 💕

You couldn't get away with writing a character like Rebus these days. Readers are a lot less tolerant of his flavour of morally grey. I had to put my brain in neutral to read it.

Here we have a character-driven slice of Tartan Noir, that manages to be engaging and atmospheric. It is the story of a serial killer of pre-teens, and we aren't given a lot to go off suspect-wise.

Readable and gritty, but of its time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I seem to enjoy a boat mystery, despite my professed impatience with boat books in general.

This one started off well enough, but became difficult to follow due to all the names and sides and espionage.

It wasn't bad, but it could have been better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A truly ghastly woman is murdered on an excursion to Petra. So ghastly in fact that the first half of this book is quite unpleasant to read. There wasn't really anyone to root for at all.

Luckily once Poirot gets on the case, we once more have a proficient mystery to unravel.

Not my favourite, but Christie is still a better plotter than most, even on an off day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the vibe. Eating cake in my cake pyjamas.

This devilish locked room mystery pulls out so many tricks and tropes that I associate with the golden age. But it predates the golden age!

I found it much less fusty than Sherlock Holmes and it has certainly aged better.

Despite containing so many classic elements, I imagine this was breathtakingly original in its day. I really enjoyed the ride.

I hope to discover more of the canons next year!

Recommended!

#christmascrimechallenge

Me: I think you'll struggle to find a book I don't already have...

My sister: ...

My two xmas books! Cute mini-haul 🥰🥰

So happy to see everyone getting on board with the #christmascrimechallenge

Hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am!

I've still got a few squares to go, and I've found some great reads along the way so far 😊

@Ruthiella

I expected a mystery novel, but this was more like an Argentinian Desperate Housewives.

Thursday Night Widows is a portrait of social class explored through a gated community full of secrets and drama.

I'd have liked a bit more speculation about the deaths that the book opens with. A few more clues, a bit more background etc. But this was an excellent piece that satirised privilege and showed the instability of wealth and reputation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

https://youtu.be/FFIfWNyMiao?si=oMFpBk9ynW4giqFC

If you're doing the #christmascrimechallenge and want some especially xmassy mysteries, I've reviewed some here!!!!

I bought the hat just for this video 🤣

Ho ho ho etc.

@Ruthiella

This is a #blameitonLeni purchase 🤣

@Leniverse

@PuddleJumper I've got my #roll100 sorted for 2026 💕

There were exactly 100 books on this graphic in my Illumicrate book journal so I used it! 🩷

Work xmas do yesterday and my body has been totally broken from... mini golf? 😅😅😅 Oh boy.

This is one of the items from the incredible December Illumicrate box... a gorgeous, illustrated reading journal to track my 2026 year of reading!

@Branwen has one too so I can't wait to journal together 💕💕

This is kinda what's been happening for #christmascrimechallenge @Ruthiella 💕💕

This absolutely shouldn't have worked... and yet it kinda did...

Is it a novel? Is it a collection of short stories? Is it a puzzle book?

Well... yes!

I really enjoyed this quirky, chaotic read. After the ambiguous "puzzle" elements of Miss Winter, it was just nice to have the puzzles politely announce themselves!

Flawed festive fun.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

They've released the prompts for Book Riot's Read Harder challenge 💕💕

I may use this for my HRCYED readathon... or is that too ambitious 😅

Here's my video reacting to the prompts and deciding on some possibles -

https://youtu.be/aREoYEvZ0uw?si=8PifIqcwIP-Qno0q

Festive mystery number 6 this year, and I'm starting to flag.

This one is a short Christmas thriller with creepy moments of neighbourly torment.

For me, if a story requires a great deal of suspension of disbelief, there has to be other stuff to outweigh it, and this one just didn't have enough to balance out the implausibility.

If you're interested in a mildly festive romp with a psychopathic heart, give it a go, but it wasn't my fave.

⭐️⭐️

I would like it to be known that I solved both of the mysteries!

This was OK, but the characters were a bit two-dimensional and it didn't feel all that festive. If I'd travelled to a secluded village to play a murder mystery game, I'd expect more than a few A4 handouts.

It also stressed me out that I was supposed to be finding clues, but hadn't the foggiest what was meant by that. In the end, I solved it without writing much down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was so ridiculous, but SO funny 🤣🤣

Will make you feel amazing about being single ❤️

https://youtu.be/qlg0H-BbEIY?si=tM4w53okPnPlciuu

I made a Non-fiction November video!

#nonfictionnovember

A brilliantly written manifesto for inclusion, positive change, and integration. Concise, succinct, informative, and the next book you need to read on Art if you've been reading the classic texts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love reading books that are about art, but also about life. We get a blend of memoir and commentary that is greater than the sum of it's parts.

Olivia Laing explores loneliness through the lens of five artists working in New York City, and the result is an incredible piece of writing.

Laing is more attracted by the provocative than I am, and I don't agree with all of their interpretations, but that's art for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you're looking for a murder mystery with twists, intrigue, tension, and suspicion... this ain't it. Everyone is still alive 3/4 into the story.

It was, however, a cosy slice of festive cheer. So if you can overlook the glaring lack of mystery and just enjoy it as a dinner with clashing personalities and a rustic feel, it is at least Christmassy.

Despite the festive minutiae being described, I did enjoy this more than Clement's debut.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

For anyone who is thinking about writing a cosy Christmas mystery, I have some advice. If you're going to do a cheesy set up with festive puzzles or (in this case) characters called Colonel Colman and Reverend Teal... it does not work to start tackling highly triggering subject matter.

It doesn't matter how sensitively it is handled, the book loses its identity as a cosy and leaves you feeling sad.

CW in comments.

⭐️⭐️

Oh hai Good Morning... how's that TBR coming along?

#pebblecat #catsoflitsy

This was a veritable festive bloodbath!

A group of VIPs get locked in a Christmas department store by a Poundland Wonka handing out sus hot chocolates... CHAOS ENSUES.

This was packed full of secrets, deception, gaslamps, creepy passages, automata, firelight, and one grisly grotto. Twists and turns galore, this was a high adrenaline page turner that somehow still managed to feel Christmassy.

Loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you're looking for a gossipy tell-all with lots of lurid details, Tim Curry makes it clear from the start that he isn't going to spill the tea on his love life or fellow celebrities!

This is a dignified look back over the roles he has taken on over a lifetime and how they shaped a varied, ambitious and celebrated career.

My favourite of his roles is, of course, that of Long John Silver in the wonderful Muppet Treasure Island ❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a big step up from the last 2 festive mysteries Benedict put out. Much more polished, pacey and fun.

The metaphors still suck, the cheese level is insane, and the 80 year olds read like 30 year olds. That said, this was a Christmassy romp with plenty of action, and I enjoyed it more than the others!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#christmascrimechallenge @Ruthiella Set in Winter!

On today's episode of "things Rae might live to regret"...

Whose idea was this?

And why did I buy them?

I read this charming little novella on Audio, and I'm glad I did because you get the full impact of the music.

It's a book about a young man who inherited his profession from his Pop - collecting shrimp with a horse and cart. He meets a film director whose acquaintance opens up his world.

At first, I thought this was going to be very boring, but there were some truly touching moments. Moving, understated, and sweet.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

https://youtu.be/QZkjTuw3Tvw?si=97d1Shc_4_tBKZbE

Thoughts on this year's Booker winner.

Still ill and droopy lol.

An atmospheric, gothic historical mystery that was Rebecca-esque, and a poignant slow burn.

Usually I hate books that flick back and forth in time, but both threads were compelling, and the story had depth and intrigue.

With minor tweaks in the last quarter this could have been a 5 star read, but there were a couple of things that could have made the ending more impactful.

Still a very well executed novel and worth reading.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

https://youtu.be/Q6I18m5FRCo?si=twx12Al-7-3ij64c

@Ruthiella and anyone else joining in the #christmascrimechallenge ❄️🌟🎁🎅🎄

Please excuse the voice / face. I am still sick 🤒

@Ruthiella has made us a lovely Bingo board too for #christmascrimechallenge ❤️🦌❄️🐙🍷🎁🌟🎅🎄

@Ruthiella #Christmascrimechallenge 💕

@Leniverse @julesG @5feet.of.fury @AllDebooks

I've been thinking... if you want to show us all how many you've read, you can post a graphic like the one above with stickers for every book read at the end of the challenge!

That way if you want to read 3x Rudolph books, you can have extra stickers 😁

Sorry about the Lovecraftian looking Snowflake hehe 🤭

Optional, but I love stickers 😅😅

BOOKER ANNOUNCEMENT SOON!!!! Who do you think will win???

Here are my (brief) thoughts:

https://youtube.com/shorts/XHApzXfK7vA?si=7p6eGoxMp4E_QmQL

This is #pebblecat being adorable! She is another kitty friend of mine! #catsoflitsy

Join @Ruthiella and I in reading some mystery novels this Winter!

Feel free to do as many or as few prompts as you like and tag us to let us know what you are reading!

Use the hashtag #christmascrimechallenge 🎄🎅🦌🌟🎁🍷

Can't wait to see what you're all reading! All welcome to take part.

Lots of love ❤️

I found this one all the more affecting and absorbing for NOT romanticising its characters.

It's formed by layers of unresolved resentment and suboptimal family dynamics, and its very imperfection is what chipped away at my heart.

Flashlight is about family, history, migration, change, identity, Korea, America, and Japan. It's about what we take for granted and how we don't always value what is most important to us.

Quietly touching ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Please all enjoy this photo of my friend's cat, Bramble.

#catsoflitsy

Bookspinnnnnnn

https://youtu.be/etBXEVlax5s?si=VxUubwjnetfwPxnb

And here is part 2!

ONE HUNDRED BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS! Boom! 😊

Well, now I'm bummed out.

Istvan's story is one that holds the reader at a distance, while also giving us a visceral impression of his world.

I've never really read prose like it. It's so basic and pared back, but still manages to say everything that it needs to say. Imagine the absolute opposite of Charles Dickens' prose, but with some synergy with his story arcs!

This book felt intentionally directionless, which may frustrate some readers.

Hated this.

The main character is an insufferable misogynist with no redeeming features, and since he doesn't seem to care what's going on, there's no reason why we should either.

Read as an example of the Hardboiled subgenre, and suitably unimpressed.

⭐️⭐️

This one won me over by the end. The last few chapters are explosive, and I loved the devotion of the love interest 😋

Having said that, I don't disagree with the criticism either. Fourth Wing isn't perfect. It's clichéd, the MC is annoying, and the world-building is sloppy and jars with the modern language.

Still, there is a reason why it is resonating with so many readers, and I'm invested now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️