A low pick. Your typical Christmas romance, which was what I was in the mood for. Started off well, but got pretty redundant by the end.

#HolidayCardSwap #LitsyCardSwap #CardSwap Host @LibrarianRyan ✉️❄️🎅🏼

An excellent thriller about a serial killer who targets young boys, that also explores father son relationships. Fast paced, and enthralling.

It's back!! #jolabokaflodswap See @MaleficentBookDragon

I thought this was going to be a thriller, turns out it was a YA slasher horror. So not what I was in the mood for. Didn't love it didn't hate it. Definitely could have been better.

It's a swap day. #LittleChristmasSwap @bookish_wookish hosting.

I almost missed this. Last chance to sign up. @Avanders #StuffedStockingSwap #SSS

❤️

I used to save all my horror/spooky reads for October, but always ran out of time to finish my tbr. Now I just read horror year round.

#sundayfunday @BookmarkTavern

🎃📚

Cam girl Jessica has locked herself in her apartment for the last 3 years. Getting everything she needs online, because if she does leave that room she will murder someone. But sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do. There were some plot points that didn't work for me, but over all it was a satisfying read.

Spooky Season 🎃📚💀🧩🍄

YA horror. Not really what I was just expecting, but I enjoyed it. 🤡🌽

Another great read from Lucy Foley. I didn't see the twist coming in this one. It also had a bit of a creepy vibe, perfect for spooky season.

🎧📖 At first I found this book to be a bit boring, and then outright cringy. But once the twist kicked in I was fully on board.

A twist on the vampire genre. Not sure if it's YA, but it reads that way. Regardless I really enjoyed this read. Not scary, and a bit predictable, but satisfying and a bit heartbreaking.

Just OK. A quick read.

🎧📖 I adored the first book. This was a decent follow up.

Inspired by serial killer Jeffery Dahmer, this book is written from the perspective of a man obsessed with having his own zombie sex slave. Written in a kind of journal style. It was interesting and different, but I couldn't get into the style of writing. If you can't get enough serial killers, and don't mind some graphic content, then check this one out.

Honestly didn't really know what Julia Fox was famous for besides having briefly dated Kanye, but I saw good reviews of her book. And let me tell you her life is wild.

Fast paced and well written. I could go for a sequel. Psychological horror, thriller, where humans are the real monsters. Look up trigger warnings if need be, cuz there are a lot.

A YA Carrie retelling. It was a good read. Themes of racism, bullying, classism, and sexism. I did find the writing to be very YA. Everything was really spelled out for the reader, but I'm not the target audience so not a huge deal breaker.

Currently reading 🎧📖

S.A. Cosby has yet to disappoint. This has been my best read of the year so far. A school shooting leads to the discovery of a serial killer in small town Virginia.

I loved the Year of the Witching, so I was excited for this gothic vampire fantasy. Felt like a YA Anne Rice, in a good way, as I'm having a really hard time getting through IWtV. More fantasy rather than horror imo, but there is a lot of blood, cuz I mean... vampires. An enjoyable read.

It's a Monogram of the alphabet. Letters A-Zed, and numbers 0-9, so every book I've ever read is right there on my arm. I saw the image on Pinterest or something.

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern 📚

I think the title is a bit clickbait-y, her relationship and feelings towards her mom are more complicated and less callous than that. However, I don't think her situation would have gotten any better if her mom didn't die.

A super short and quick read, could have done in one sitting. I didn't really get it though.

Evelyn's husband is having an affair... With her clone. But now he's dead and she has to sort it out.

This was a good read, and would make a perfect Book Club selection. Lots of topics to discuss: cloning, ethics, morality, misogyny, motherhood, relationships, womanhood...

My last order from Book Outlet arrived. The big stack is from BO and the small one is from Chapters (Canada's B&N). I think I'm satiated for now. I'm so excited to get reading. 📖

I really couldn't stand Maite. She was whiny, immature, and ignorant. I get that it was a way to explain the political climate of 1970's Mexico, but it was distracting and often boring. Elvis's POVs were better, his naivete was more forgivable. It picked up in the end. This was a cover buy, which was definitely misleading.

I was riveted, I could not put this one down. I was invested in both storylines, and the pacing was great. Would definitely recommend this one. Check trigger warnings if need be.

@mcctrish was correct in saying that Book Outlet is like crack! I may or may not have a third order on the way... 😬📚🤓

This was excellent, I can't believe it was her debut novel. Folkloric and atmospheric. Historical fiction set in Swedish Lapland in 1717. Everyone in this remote community is hiding something. The perfect winter read. 🐺❄️

Southern gothic horror, I guess. Not a ton of horror though, more supernatural maybe. It was kind of confusing at times, but I still really liked it. I loved the Bayou setting, very atmospheric. I can't remember why I picked this one up, but it wasn't what I was expecting. In a good way it turns out. Made me think of Geek Love meets True Detective (season one). Would definitely be worth a reread in the future.

#bookhaul Book Outlet had a good sale after Christmas. 🤷‍♀️📚

Extreme horror centering around a group of Marine Corps vets who meet up a few years after returning home from service. I would have liked this to have been longer, but it still packed a punch.

It was just ok. In the first two-thirds of the book nothing happened. Just back and forth POVs of mom and daughter thinking about how they hated each other. Then things finally started to happen, but it wasn't really all that creepy or horrific or shocking. I was expecting more.

I've been looking over the books I read in 2023. It seems I read a lot of books I liked, but not a lot that I loved. I couldn't find 23 to put on a list so I did #top10of2023 . My favourite by far was No Exit, I remember being super pumped after reading that. Hopefully I have more "loves" in 2024.

❤️💚💌😍🎅🏼 #cardswap #holidaycardswap

🎧📖 Well that was unexpected. She has survived some horrific things. I respect what she's been through and how she's thrived, even if I'm not a fan of her public image and never have been.

Not in the database. A collection of 3 extreme horror, holiday theme, novellas; one Christmas, one Thanksgiving, and one Halloween. I definitely liked the Halloween one the best. Probably more suitable for an October/November read, but I still enjoyed it.

Merry Christmas Littens! 💚🎅🏼❤️🎄

A couple living secluded on a mountain side find evidence of a large creature stalking nearby. Bringing fears of the animal itself, and of the attention it will bring to their quiet area. Creature horror/Domestic horror. I liked the parts with the monster, they were suspenseful and foreboding. The couple made me very unsettled, as I think their dynamic is very realistic one. Look up trigger warnings if you need to.

From FB. 🦌

The Litsy Holiday cards are rolling in. 💌💚🎄❤️🎅🏼 #holidaycardswap #cardswap

The writing was poor, especially the dialogue. The kills weren't bad, but I was hoping for more. I have a short attention span this time of year, so it was good enough for what I was in the mood for, but not great. 🎅🏼

All the different feels this month. What's that hashtag we use when people are struggling at Christmas time?

I wasn't sure what to expect, it wasn't bad. Hit the spot for a holiday read, but not as creepy or gory as I would have liked.