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The Silent Companions
The Silent Companions: A Novel | Laura Purcell
When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husbands crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting . . . When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husbands awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figurea silent companionthat bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstitionthat is, until she notices the figures eyes following her. A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of fear, this is a tale that creeps its way through the consciousness in ways you least expectmuch like the silent companions themselves.
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MaleficentBookDragon
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Two down and two in the works for #tenbeforetheend
I‘m thinking I might actually make it.
That would also put me on track to complete my #bookspin and #doublespin reads 100% this year; something I have never done before.😸

Scochrane26 I didn‘t do the 10 but I‘m also focused on reading my missed bookspins & doublespin. 1mo
Avanders Congrats!! I think I might actually hit it too! Weirdly, the cozies have been slowing me down this year 🤔 1mo
BookmarkTavern Good for you! 🎉🎉🎉 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures Good job!!! ✅ 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo
55 likes5 comments
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MaleficentBookDragon
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Sunsets (sunrises are beautiful and peaceful but I am not a morning person)

Ghosts, Gaslighting, Both?

#two4tuesday

Tag you‘re it @Sace @Avanders

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 1mo
BookwormAHN When you get a chance I need your #HauntedShelf results 🐈‍⬛️ 1mo
MaleficentBookDragon @@BookwormAHN so sorry! I just added up my points for the month. Not as good as I had hoped. Total 🟰 1,363 (edited) 1mo
BookwormAHN Thanks 🖤 1mo
Avanders Oooh I never end up getting to these 🫣 But I looove your description of the book!! 👏🏼👏🏼😎 1mo
48 likes5 comments
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MaleficentBookDragon
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Over 5 hours of dental surgery yesterday (ouch) = A LOT of sleep and pain pills. Then laying around reading today. #weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
So, needless to say, I‘m very behind on many things. I plan on having this year‘s #jolabokaflodswap signups open in the next few days.

Born.A.Reader I do hope you feel better soon! ❤️ 1mo
ShelleyBooksie Hope you feel better soon!! 1mo
Tamra Take care! 1mo
See All 6 Comments
AmyG Yuck.I hope you are feeling much better! 1mo
Avanders Eee, hope the surgery helped!! And yay for Jólabókaflód! ?❄️ 1mo
Texreader Ouch!! I hope you feel better soon! 1mo
62 likes6 comments
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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm
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Pickpick

5 ⭐️s
This one truly surprised me. It is so haunting in its descriptions and prose. The terror of facing some supernatural evil that no one else believes in or sees, and having that compounded with how women have been treated for centuries… Absolutely chilling story. It does follow three different timelines and I know some people aren‘t fans of that sort of storytelling, but it‘s used so well here. The differing stories enrich each other rather ⬇️

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm than distracting from the mounting unease and helpless fear. 1mo
27 likes1 comment
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MaleficentBookDragon
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I ended up picking this book because I‘m feeling a bit Victorian Gothic today. #hauntedshelf #blackcatcrew
BTW this is a beautiful cover. Aside from the creepy 👁️.

BookwormAHN 🖤🐈‍⬛🖤 2mo
41 likes1 comment
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KateReadsYA
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I am working my way through this book tonight.🌙

Ruthiella Good one for the spooky season. 👻 2mo
41 likes1 comment
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KateReadsYA
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KateReadsYA
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#whimsicalreadsbookclub
REMINDER: This is an add-on read for the month of October! As always, anyone is welcome to join in, and discussions will be held on Halloween.

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RaeLovesToRead
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National Bookshop Day! (Apparently) 🥳

dabbe Yahoo! 🤩🤩🤩 14mo
Branwen Great stack! 📚 14mo
59 likes2 comments
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andrew61
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this gothic horror story set in 2 time periods, late 19th century when newly widowed Elsie Bainbridge goes to the ancestral home of her husband, a run down property which is suitably spooky. The other narrative is in 17thc when the same house hosts Charles 1 while the mistress of the house seems to have premonitions. Captured the atmosphere well, + great characters but I had some misgivings about an aspect of the plot but good ending.

AllDebooks Such a creepy story, loved it 😱 2y
RobES I liked it too, really atmospheric...but there were some odd plot holes....or maybe I wasn't reading it right- why did the companion look like Elsie? 👍💛 2y
49 likes2 comments
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TheSpineView
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#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Prompt: Suspiria

Klou Great choice!! 2y
TheSpineView 👍 2y
42 likes2 comments
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parasolofdoom
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January reads

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RobES
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Pickpick

Perfect October read- really atmospheric, with a truly chilling ending! However, one thing I didn't get- why did Hetta (the companion) look like Elsie? Has anyone else read this or have any thoughts???

AllDebooks Scared me silly. Didn't help I was reading in the dark and my door started to move. Stupid cat nearly got beheaded with my Kindle 😱🙄🙀 2y
RobES @AllDebooks lol my cats do that too ...slide through doors and it looks like they open by themselves 😆 2y
bthegood Read it a while ago, enjoyed it, but can't answer your question definitively - although often there are people coming into a house that look like previous owners in these types of stories - glad you enjoyed it 🎃 2y
RobES @bthegood good point...maybe a convention of the gothic genre!? 🎃💛 2y
30 likes5 comments
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JessClark78
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Pickpick

This was a pretty decent gothic tale; creepy and atmospheric. I like how the story unfolded along three different timelines. #ReadSpooky2022

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cathythoughts I remember liking this one 👍🏻♥️ 3y
53 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TheEllieMo
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Mehso-so

I love a gothic novel, so I fully expected to love this, but, while overall I enjoyed it, I felt it could have done with some more editing. In particular, something was referred to several times in the novel but nothing was made of it, leaving it feeling as if part of the later story had been edited out but everyone forgot to edit out the earlier references. Not a bad novel, but not great either.

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JessClark78
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Starting this next.

#ReadSpooky2022 #20in4 #Readathon

Cathythoughts I enjoyed this one 👍❤️ 3y
youneverarrived Love this cover! 3y
Andrew65 Hope you enjoy it. 3y
See All 9 Comments
reading_rainbow So good and so atmospheric! 3y
brittanyreads A favorite of mine! Such a creepy little book! Enjoy! 3y
BiblioLitten Enjoy! 3y
BooksNBowls Oooh this sounds riveting! 3y
bthegood I enjoyed this, hope you do too. 3y
AllDebooks This scared me silly 👀 3y
66 likes3 stack adds9 comments
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bthegood
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Pickpick
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 3y
Andrew65 It looks it. Well done 👏👏👏 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
38 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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bthegood
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I am reading this now, it is on Sharon's TBR ❤️
#sharreadathon
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Professional_Book_Dragon

Make a great reading day for Sharon ❤️

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 3y
39 likes1 comment
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bthegood
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Beautiful morning. Will attempt to finish tagged book. #FabulousFebruary

Make a great day😊

SRWCF What a relaxing view! 3y
rockpools Beautiful! 3y
Megabooks Wow! 3y
See All 8 Comments
JudeCC 😍 😍 😍 Be blessed!! 3y
Cathythoughts Stunning 3y
bthegood @SRWCF @rockpools @Megabooks @WJCintron @Cathythoughts thx, coming to San Diego from Midwest in February.....feeling grateful🙂 3y
SRWCF @bthegood Oh, I bet! Enjoy! 3y
JudeCC 🌊 ☀ @bthegood The best!! Have fun and make tons of new memories. 😊 3y
42 likes8 comments
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bthegood
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In San Diego visiting sister, not sure how much reading for #FabulousFebruary

Make a great day everyone 😊

Gissy 😍beautiful! 3y
JudeCC Breathtaking view!!! 😍🙏😃 Have fun!! 3y
37 likes3 comments
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j9brown
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Pickpick

This was really good! I liked it more than I thought I would. Well written and very creepy.

#readspooky2022

AmyG This sounds good! 3y
j9brown @AmyG It is! Gothic horror with three timelines that never get confusing, lots of rain and mist and very creepy imagery, and a satisfying ending (for a horror story, lol) 3y
KatieDid927 Ooo might need to check this out. 3y
See All 8 Comments
AmyG Thanks for responding…I forgot to stack it! 3y
j9brown @KatieDid927 I will put it in your pile! 😄 3y
bthegood reading it now - good to hear you enjoyed this - make a great day - 🙂 3y
j9brown @bthegood Nice! Looking forward to your review 😄 3y
Reggie Oof everytime those cardboard kids appeared somewhere different….😱 3y
57 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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bthegood
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Books in red I am currently reading (#FabulousFebruary readathon) - close to a bingo this month - if I could get 56 days (long holds at the library and overdrive) 😃

Enjoying the #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks - it is such a fun way to stay motivated to read and to tackle my TBR (although for each book that comes off the list one or two more go on it 😂)

Make a great day everyone -

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Looking fabulous!!! 3y
31 likes1 comment
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bthegood
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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#FabulousFebruary @Andrew65

These are the books I hope to finish and start -

Make a great day everyone 🙂

Andrew65 Good luck 😊👍 3y
bthegood @Andrew65 thx for hosting, have a good day😊 3y
Andrew65 @bthegood Thanks, you too. 😊 3y
29 likes3 comments
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bthegood
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#Two4Tuesday Thanks for the tags @Nute and @TheSpineView

1. I would take a book or flowers - in that order -
2. I don't read many romantic novels, so I'll list one of my favorite books and call it a “bromance“ - Lonesome Dove

Want to play @bookaholic1 ?

Make a great day everyone 🙂

Christyco125 Ah, Lonesome Dove - a book I read for a challenge that surprised me by how well written it was, the depth of the characters, and how much I enjoyed it 3y
Avanders 😂😂 Having read the tagged book… I‘m going to have to think about the bromance aspect! 😂 ETA: ooooooh, I thought you meant the *tagged* book, not the *listed* book. I‘m there 😁🤓😎 (edited) 3y
TheSpineView You know, I never read Lonesome Dove. One of these days! Thanks for playing! 3y
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bookaholic1 No, there is one of these things everyday. I will pass, but thanks for asking 3y
Tera66 Loooooove❤ Lonesome Dove🐎🤠 3y
bthegood @Christyco125 same - I had never read a western and loved it - have a great day. 3y
32 likes8 comments
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teebe
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For anyone following along with the official list, this is up next for #ReadSpooky2022

And since I‘ve finally got my StoryGraph account organized, I‘ve made a challenge there for this: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/5fc84614-830d-4ae9-b41e-629547e...

bthegood Just started this and I'm hooked and I just joined storygraph (in January) - so I'll join that challenge - thanks for hosting and putting this together - (edited) 3y
28 likes1 comment
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Angitron
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Panpan

This didn‘t work for me at all. Didn‘t like the characters, found the lack of explanation irritating, and wasn‘t the least bit creeped out. I would have DNFd, but it was a bookclub selection. I‘m in the minority though, so if gothic horror is your thing, you might like it!

Caz1 I loved it 8mo
21 likes1 comment
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MaleficentBookDragon
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This is a late post; I had received this 📦 0n the 10th.
Thank you @Avanders !!!!!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ the books and treats. I have worn the socks quite a few times. You are such a sweet and generous person.

Avanders Yay!! You‘re so welcome ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ 3y
70 likes1 comment
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reading_rainbow
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Thank you for the tag @RaeLovesToRead !! ⭐️✨

My Top 21 for the year 2021 🤖✨ This year I fell in love with Retellings and Dark Fantasy and dipped my toes back into Science Fiction. I also discovered a handful of new authors that are now my absolute favorite, Madeline Miller, Laura Purcell, Holly Black just to name a few 🖤

Not a bad year as reading goes #Top21of21

Consider yourself tagged!!

TrishB Cool 👍🏻 enjoying looking at everyone‘s. 3y
RaeLovesToRead Love it! I've got quite a few of these on my TBR, including Call Me By Your Name and The Song of Achilles 😊 3y
40 likes2 comments
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Lucy_Anywhere
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#TBRPile 📚 “The new doctor took her by surprise.”

LostInSpace Loved this book! 3y
StaceGhost The more I thought about this one the creepier it became 3y
Lucy_Anywhere @LostInSpace @StaceGhost sounds like a perfect winter‘s read! 3y
29 likes1 stack add3 comments
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StaceGhost
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Mehso-so

This book was so creepy but I sympathized with the main character too much to allow for such an unhappy ending. Spooky, yes. Horrifying, yes. Satisfying? Not at all. Still, I feel sufficiently haunted #20in4 **edit: I haven‘t been able to stop thinking about this since I read it. Now I‘ve thought of three different interpretations, none of them pleasant, but all very interesting! #itgrowsonyou

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HeathHof
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Pickpick

Finished book 1 of 2 to meet my goal of reading two books for @Andrew65 #20in4
I really liked this one! The alternating time frames were perfectly woven. Faced paced and super creepy! I'll try to get this back out to you on monday @sprainedbrain
@AFrostCauseReads @rjsthumbelina
#lmpbc

Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y
BiblioLitten Truly super creepy! 3y
59 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BiblioLitten
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A very happy birthday to you, Sarah 🎉🎂🎉📚🤗 @TheAromaofBooks

I started at midnight but decided to post this with a #BirthdayBash breakfast. I love how we are celebrating your birthday from different parts of the world. 🥐🍳

I chose your birthday to start a new book, my #halloweenread. This is my second by the author and it is set in the UK.

BiblioLitten I finally got to it, @Ruthiella 🙂 3y
brittanyreads This is one of my favorite books! It spooked the crap outta me haha enjoy! 3y
BiblioLitten @BrittanyReads I‘m enjoying it so far. Did you like The Poison Thread too? That was the first book I read. 3y
See All 9 Comments
Ruthiella Yahoo! Please let me know how it compares to The Poison Thread/The Corset. 😃 Maybe I‘ll read that next year for the spooky season. (edited) 3y
TheAromaofBooks Oh my gosh, your breakfast looks amazing!!! And one of my favorite parts of Litsy is connecting with readers everywhere, with all of us bonded together with our love for reading!! ❤ It's just so magical!! 3y
BiblioLitten @Ruthiella The Poison Thread has a better plot and is more of a thriller than a horror story. I liked this one better than TPT even though I had my reservations with a few plot twists. This definitely spooked me more. 🙂 3y
Ruthiella @BiblioLitten Cool. I think I will keep it in mind for later this winter or maybe next year October. 3y
Jee_HookedOnBookz I want your breakfast!!! 😋💕💕 3y
BiblioLitten @Jee_HookedOnBookz It‘s my go-to lazy day breakfast from a local bakery.😊 3y
51 likes9 comments
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rjsthumbelina
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this one quite a bit, but man, don't read this at night! This one was extra gothic and extra creepy. I have been wanting to try Laura Purcell for some time, and she certainly didn't disappoint! Read for #LMPBC @Mynameisacolour @sprainedbrain @AFrostCauseReads @suvata

rjsthumbelina For #scarathlon, this hit a total of 5 readathons. #spoopathon (dark or black cover), #wickedathon, #anywayyoureadathon, #spookoween. 7 hours reading time x 10 points x 5 readathons = 350 +15= 365 +1 = 366 points for this one 3y
Clwojick ☠ WAY TO GO!!! ☠ 3y
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sprainedbrain
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Pickpick

This was my pick for the current round of #LMPBC so it‘s been a couple of months since I read it. 😳 I was pleasantly surprised at this spooky classic-feeling gothic ghost story. Sufficiently scary and pleasantly unpredictable. Not going to say much more as one of my Group K buddies probably still needs to read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DebinHawaii I keep forgetting I have the e-book loaded on my Kindle. It sounds so good! 3y
julesG @DebinHawaii Same. 🙈 3y
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Ruthiella
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Pickpick

A pick with reservations. This was suitably creepy. It hit all its marks but felt predictable. I wanted something less generic.

Now in an asylum, the story flashes back to 1865, when then recently widowed Elsie visits her husband‘s estate. The decrepit manor has a tragic and haunted past. Journal excerpts from 1635 help fill in some of its history and suggest the family Elsie married into is cursed.

#RoaringWolf Ominous October (Spooky Family)

Cathythoughts Good review! I enjoyed it but agree , it was a bit generic. I love the cover (edited) 3y
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts I guess my expectations were a little too high. I rarely read spooky stuff. I googled the companions. They were a real thing, a trend in home decor from Amsterdam in the 17th century. Who knew? 😃 3y
Cathythoughts Who knew indeed !! 👍🏻😁 very interesting 3y
Reggie I really liked the creepiness of the moving eyes and how they would just appear in different places. 3y
Ruthiella @Reggie The author did a good job making them appear malevolent, for sure. 😱 3y
60 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Ast_Arslan
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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Eggs It will get better for you 😘📚👍🏼 3y
30 likes1 comment
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Ast_Arslan
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs
Tagged by: @Eggs and @persephone1408 💙🖤

1. Summer ☀️
2. Visiting new cities and travelling during holidays ✈
3. I would like to visit a lot of libraries in the world, specially San Florian Library in Linz, Austria
4. For the love and daily support of my family and friends ❤

Eggs Beautiful! Thanks for playing 📚💗☀️ 3y
Ast_Arslan @Eggs 😊😉💙 3y
22 likes2 comments
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AFrostCauseReads
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Such a wonderfully creepy book to kick off the spooky season! (My spooky season starts early, lol) I reserve a more in-depth review till #groupk has all read it for our #lmpbc

It‘s on the way to you tomorrow (weather permitting) @rjsthumbelina !!!

@sprainedbrain @Mynameisacolour

sprainedbrain I‘m glad you liked it! I did too. 👻 Your next book will be on the way a day late, on Wednesday. 😬 3y
25 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Ast_Arslan
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs
#ConflictedWorlds

Day 31 - #Amnesia

The book starts with Elsie, locked in a psychiatric institute, and she has her memories locked as well...

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks beautiful cover!! 3y
Eggs Perfect 👌🏼 3y
Ast_Arslan @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love the cover! 🤩 3y
Ast_Arslan @Eggs 😉😉❤ 3y
25 likes4 comments
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Ast_Arslan
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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Some victorian gothic vibes with a silent (?) companion of mine 🖤🤍🖤🤍
Miele is not exactly quiet 😅😂

The_Penniless_Author What a cool dog! 😄🐶 3y
Ast_Arslan @The_Penniless_Author thanks! She is very photogenic, but she doesn't like to being pictured 😂😂 3y
30 likes2 comments
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Ast_Arslan
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it. Some will be old, some will be new - don't judge me, I have a lot of books.

Day 128th

Join the fun if you want!

#tbrpile

reading_rainbow Great book !!✨✨✨ 3y
Ast_Arslan @reading_rainbow just started and it's so interesting ❤ 3y
26 likes2 comments
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DeeLew
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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This book was right up my alley. Creepy gothic horror. 🖤

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NicoleCeBallos
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Pickpick

I'm a big fan of Gothic Horror and this was fantastic! Elsie inherits a big, creepy house after her husband dies in a mysterious circumstance in it. Her sister in law and her move into the house. There's a room in the house that remains locked, but they force their way into it, where they find lifelike wooden figures, called Companions. All of the Companions are people in the book and they all move around the house by themselves.

Freespirit Sounds spooky!! 4y
brittanyreads I loved this, too!! I was seriously creeped out by it! 👀 I have The Poison Thread by her that I'm excited to get to! 4y
NicoleCeBallos @BrittanyReads I'll have to check that out! 3y
22 likes1 stack add3 comments
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reading_rainbow
The Silent Companions | Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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I had to buy the Hardcover 🖤 love it so much

brittanyreads Beautiful! And I LOVED this book 👍🏻👍🏻 4y
31 likes1 stack add1 comment
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rachaich
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Pickpick

Limited sleep due to an overactive mind, plus a demanding cat... Looking on the positive, I finished this.
Spooky throughout, lots of twisty bits and good overlap between times and setting.

Caroline2 I loved this book. ❤️ The Corset by the same author is just as good too. 👍 4y
rachaich @Caroline2 yes, I loved The Corset. Want to read Bone China now! 4y
23 likes2 comments
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reading_rainbow
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Pickpick

I loved this book!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love this kind of horror, the kind that slowly creeps underneath your skin and settles there, making you a little jumpy, a little uneasy...
atmospheric and creepy! I‘m just automatically going to buy this authors work and will probably buy this in hardback as well. It‘s a 10/10 fo me

Cathythoughts Great picture 4y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Loved this one! And that picture - 😱 4y
Caroline2 I loved this book too. The Corset is really good too. Such a fantastic writer. ❤️ 4y
25 likes3 comments
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rachaich
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My two companions this chilly morning!
Speeding through this spooky read... It does give me a chill and a shudder as we find out more about the peculiar wooden figures...

IuliaC 😻💕🐢 4y
20 likes1 stack add2 comments
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rachaich
Silent Companions | Laura Purcell
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Oooh, a gothic style mysterious tale. Apparently it is reminiscent of Rebecca and Woman in Black 😊👻😸

Cathythoughts I thought this was a good one 👍🏻❤️ 4y
erzascarletbookgasm This was enjoyable 👍 4y
rachaich @Cathythoughts that's good, Hope I will too! 4y
rachaich @erzascarletbookgasm always good to have a recommendation 4y
22 likes1 stack add4 comments
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reading_rainbow
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Now starting ✨

20 likes2 stack adds
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tracy.anne8
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Yeah #bookmail! I got these two lovelies from bookshop.org which helps support independent book stores. I can't wait to read these two. #bookhaul