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Mostly Dead Things
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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review
Coueriamb
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

First 2023 start and finish! And it‘s a good one!! 🎉

I‘ve had this one on my shelf for ages. I‘m not usually one for multi generational family drama, but this one was off the rails and disaster-y enough to hold me through. Or my tastes are changing. Who knows!

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wanderinglynn
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Panpan

Based on the synopsis, I thought it would be a hilarious dark comedy. It wasn't. It was boring, repetitive, & dismal. The characters were all self-loathing. So completely flat that I found it hard to care about any of them or what they were going through. I can root for unlikable characters if I'm given some reason to. Here, there's no reason.

TW: suicide, animal death + graphic descriptions of taxidermy

March #bookspin
#MarcellousMarch book 1

rockpools Sounds delightful 😐 2y
wanderinglynn @rockpools I‘m surprised I actually made it all the way through. Although I do admit, I skimmed the more horrible bits. 2y
TheAromaofBooks I hate getting to the end of a book and wondering why I even read it! 2y
See All 8 Comments
CaroPi Sorry that you didn't like it. 😕 I was waiting for your review before picking it up. Now I know I shouldn't. 2y
wanderinglynn @TheAromaofBooks I almost bailed but kept pushing through. Oh well, at least it‘s off my TBR shelf. 2y
wanderinglynn @CaroPi some of the taxidermy scenes were hard to read. Plus, about halfway through, the characters started killing animals to taxidermy. There was no real plot point to it and I felt it was unnecessarily cruel. 2y
Andrew65 Oh dear, shame it wasn‘t better. 2y
CaroPi Oh... Thanks for letting me know! I really don't like books were animals are kill. 2y
86 likes1 stack add8 comments
blurb
wanderinglynn
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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It‘s almost time for Andrew‘s mid-month #readathon! #MarvellousMarch starts Saturday!

Perfect timing since I‘ve slacked off on reading this week. My goals:
▪️if I don‘t finish these before Saturday, finish the tagged (#bookspin) & The Midnight Front (#roll100 roll2)
▪️ read The Nature of Witches (#doublespin) & Out of Africa (#roll100 roll1)
▪️read another book from my #pantone2022 stack

Andrew65 Good luck 😊👍 2y
66 likes1 comment
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wanderinglynn
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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#weekendreads

1. Started my #bookspin (tagged) & plan on going to Out of Africa, my #roll100 roll 1 book next

2. I haven‘t browsed the library recently.

3. Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews

Who hasn‘t played? @TheSpineView @Eggs @damselsgotballs @Blackink_WhitePaper

TheSpineView Thanks for the tag! 😘 2y
damselsgotballs Thanks for the tag!❤️ 2y
Blackink_WhitePaper Thanks for the tag 🥰 2y
56 likes3 comments
review
LadyCait84
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

Grief is messy. And so is Jessa, the central character here. But she felt incredibly real to me, in all her mess and misery, as she avoided dealing with losses old and new.

That realness of Jessa is one the book‘s true high points, as are the author‘s detailed descriptions of the taxidermy process, nimbly jumping from graphic to poetic and back again.

But something kept the book from fully clicking for me…

51 likes1 stack add
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Magpiegem
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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I managed to resist picking this one up whilst I collected my hold but only just (I know I‘m too slow a reader to pick up multiple books). But it does sound fun! Maybe next time I go.

WanderingBookaneer I loved this, but it is weird and not for everyone. 3y
18 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kathytrithardt
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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New day, new audiobook!

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MicheleinPhilly
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

What an odd and ultimately sad book. The taxidermy stuff was just gross and I certainly could have done without it. But I get why the author relied on it. The living things were what broke my heart. It was a truly unique and memorable reading experience. 👍🏼

wanderinglynn This is on my TBR. I started to pick it up a couple of months ago but wasn‘t in the right headspace for it at that time. 3y
MicheleinPhilly @wanderinglynn Had it not been for book club, I likely wouldn‘t have picked it up. I‘m glad that I did but it was so very sad. 3y
EvieBee Sounds fascinating! 3y
52 likes3 comments
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MicheleinPhilly
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Indie bookstore book club pick for June. This book is delightfully quirky thus far.

Soubhiville It‘s a strange one, gets a bit gross, but I liked it. 3y
47 likes1 comment
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kera_11
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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This book was a really unique, fictional look at how people deal with loss and love and healing. The narrator slowly reveals more about herself and her life and those closest to her as she attempts to make something whole out of loss, while dissecting the sincerity and absurdity of family, death, love and Florida.

4 likes1 stack add
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CaitlinByTheBook
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

I finished this one and needed time to think about what I had just read. It was interesting, but I didn‘t like it as much as I expected. Overall it was paced well, but had some “cringe-y” parts for me. The ending was also more upbeat and tidy that I was expecting based on the rest of the book. It was described as darkly funny, but I didn‘t find it funny really at all so that was perplexing. 3⭐️

19 likes1 stack add
review
Xubst
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
Pickpick

I would definitely recommend this one. I came by this book when I was looking for something funny to read. Now, I wouldn't say it's hilarious or laugh out loud funny. It's more of a dry, morbid kind of humour, but it did the trick and I read it in one go. If you ever wanted to know what it's like to be lesbian, a taxidermist, or both, this is a must-read. If you have siblings and were always the "example" child, it will hit home hard.

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akfreeborn
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

Not for everyone, this was about the painful loss of Jessa‘s father on his family and the loss of her brother‘s wife who deserted them all. What I loved- the not so subtle backdrop of the taxidermy business and its ability to transform death into something else. Aren‘t has nailed her sensory observation of Central Florida perfectly. Bravo for that. I live in Florida and she transports what you feel around you into words. Most excellent!

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akfreeborn
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mostly Dead Things is probably the last book I will finish this month. All and all a really good reading month for me. A little bit of everything but heavier on thrillers than usual for a month but I thoroughly enjoyed them all.

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wanderinglynn
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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#questionsandanswers

1. The tagged, Stiff, Mission to Methone, and Witches Be Crazy
2. Slaughterhouse-Five - it‘s been on my GR TBR since I joined GR in Jan 2008 😆
3. There are several, but I‘ll go with the Doors of Stone since there‘s no publishing date yet 😭
4. 50 Shades of Gray

Freespirit Yes agree..50 Shades is one I have no urges to read! 4y
wanderinglynn @Freespirit 🙌🏻 I thought I might be the only one because it seemed like everyone read it. 😆 (edited) 4y
Freespirit Ha ha I read one page and thought the writing was ordinary😬 4y
kamoorephoto I‘m with you on #4!!! 😹😹 4y
66 likes4 comments
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plemmdog
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Over halfway though.

8 likes1 stack add
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Victoria6
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Book #46: This book is about a lesbian taxidermist, need I say more?

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ChrisBohjalian
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Good-night from Jesse and me.

35 likes1 stack add
review
Tonton
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

So much pent up grief, inarticulate stubbornness, lack of self worth, identity, and inability to see what‘s right and obvious in front of Jess, whose only skill is taxidermy the way her father taught her. I felt like shaking her at times, but that just means the writer is making you care. Always Daddy‘s girl she can‘t forgive his suicide, yet keeps his memory close in desperately trying to keep his business afloat. She‘s a craftswoman who can‘t ..

Tonton admit her mother‘s creativity and artistic vision; who essentially drives away any chance for love. Tiny epiphanies and growth until there‘s a glimmer of change, hope, and happiness. Got under my skin. About time to bust out of your shell, girl! #queerlitsy 4y
sarahbarnes Loved this one, too! 4y
31 likes3 comments
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AlexGeorge
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

This took longer to read than I had anticipated, but I had a lot going on. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Smart, lovely writing, and far more touching than the overall premise might suggest. Recommended.

16 likes1 stack add
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MegCaldwell
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

YES. I love the magic Florida vibes in this book. The grief, the family dynamics, and the dead animals. Another good one looking at family relationships.

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rachelsbrittain
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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1. The City We Became, We Ride Upon Sticks, Do You Dream of Terra Two, and In Our Own Words

2. Molly Weasley (Harry Potter) and Vivian Forest (Royal Holiday)

3. Mostly Dead Things

#weekendreads

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AlexGeorge
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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I‘ve been itching to read this for ages. So far (100 pages in) it‘s been worth the wait. Quirky, funny, deeply touching.

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rachelsbrittain
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Lots of good books this month, including my final book, Finna, which was a five-star read for me.

mollyrotondo How did you like Mostly Dead Things? 4y
rachelsbrittain @mollyrotondo I enjoyed it (that feels like a weird thing to day about a book dealing that much with grief...). I don't do much literary / contemp fiction, but I thought it was well done and more unusual and interesting that I find a lot of that genre 4y
mollyrotondo @rachelsbrittain thank you I‘ll keep it on my list. I was going to try to listen to the audio 4y
See All 6 Comments
Geenie Nice 👍💖 (edited) 4y
rachelsbrittain @mollyrotondo I did the audiobook and thought it was pretty good in that format 4y
mollyrotondo @rachelsbrittain oh great! Then I‘ll stick to the audio! 4y
55 likes6 comments
review
rachelsbrittain
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

An up-close exploration of grief, love, family, & taxidermy. Jessa & Milo grieve the loss of their father in addition to the woman they both loved & lost while their mother creates sexual taxidermy displays Jessa struggles to understand much less accept. Lovely prose & exploration of the way we hold on to hurts and hurt others because of it. Contemporary fic isn't usually my go to, but I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

TW: mentions of suicide

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shaynarae
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

I appreciated this story of a lesbian taxidermist in Florida struggling with her own self, family, and romantic relationships. I loved the use of taxidermy in this book as an overlaid metaphor for working with something whose life has been taken and presenting it like nothing is wrong, that it‘s again alive and everything is fine. There are lots of layers of broken lives in the characters. My only complaint is that it went on for too long.

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Cinsarly
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

As a queer person with a love of dark humor and taxidermy, when I read this book description, I thought, "someone wrote me a book." Sadly, this book is not funny unless you enjoy laughing at characters, rather than with them. The main character is a depressed alcoholic. Yes, absurd things happen to her, but she doesn't find them funny. I finished it because it was well written, but it was depressing. Plus, there was unexpected animal cruelty. ?

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Amie
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

This book is difficult to rate/review. You need a strong stomach to read it. It's about a seriously dysfunctional family whose business is taxidermy. In addition to the many graphic descriptions of the taxidermy process, every possible gross thing is also described in detail: dirty floors, stained clothes, pimples, bugs squished on the windshield. It is well-written, but it's not a book for everyone. I'm not even sure how I feel about it. 🤢

BlameJennyJane Thanks for the heads up. I‘ve had this on my TBR for some time but I am very easily grossed out so I‘m gonna just keep it low on that list for now! 4y
Ashley_Nicoletto I‘m thinking about DNFing it. I‘m just not enjoying it. The story is weirdddd. 4y
Amie @Ashley_Nicoletto It is very weird. I thought about DNFing several times, but it was mostly just the grossness, not the weirdness, that was turning me off. Also it was a mistake for me to start it just before Christmas. Definitely not a warm fuzzy holiday read. 4y
Amie @BlameJennyJane I definitely would not recommend it if you are easily grossed out 4y
Ashley_Nicoletto @Amie No, it‘s not. 🤣 I typically like odd books. I‘m having a really hard time caring about this one. Maybe it is the grossness. 4y
43 likes5 comments
review
sakeriver
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
Pickpick

‪Taxidermy as a framework for telling a story about grief and family dysfunction is something I would never have thought of, and it works really well in this story. It‘s often grotesque, darkly funny at times, and sharply seen throughout. Really enjoyed it.‬

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Soubhiville
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

This book is gritty and raw, definitely not for everyone. I was grossed out a lot of the time, because it‘s about a taxidermy shop and the father and daughter who run it, and you can imagine the carnage that goes on there. But there‘s plenty of descriptions of bodily functions as well, more detailed than needed.

I could relate to the family, though, the lack of communication and the dark secrets that come with suicide.

Not for the sensitive.

ShyBookOwl Not for me but this is perfect for my best friend! Xmas gift, check! Thank you. 4y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Taxidermy?! Stacked! 4y
58 likes3 stack adds2 comments
blurb
sakeriver
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Next

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mklong
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

This isn‘t a bad book, but it‘s an ugly one. Not only is everything here dirty, smelly, complicated, and repressed, Arnett uses some of the ugliest sounding words and similes to describe how gross everything is. It‘s clearly intentional, and certainly not without skill, but do you really want to spend 300 odd pages in this muck? I‘ll ponder that while I take a very long, hot shower.

merelybookish My IRL reading buddy hated this book SO MUCH that I can't help but be curious. 4y
mklong @merelybookish Haha, I would love to see what you make of it! When I read thrillers, I spend most of the book yelling at people to call the police. Here, I was yelling at them to take showers. 4y
Zelma I was so excited about this but just couldn‘t do it. Bailed very early on, due to just not wanting to dwell in that world. 4y
49 likes3 comments
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rachelm
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
Pickpick

The memories sections dragged a bit for me, but the main story was compelling and the characters, complex. The “humor” here is more about irony than ha-ha humor (I think some people got the wrong impression in early widely read reviews on this book.) I loved the gritty taxidermy details, but perhaps not for everyone.

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rachelm
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Feeling super virtuous that my lunch was only 1/2 candy. Lunchtime audiobook time. Just started this family drama about a taxidermy shop.

sprainedbrain Only half candy! Yay you! 😂 4y
39 likes1 comment
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Jen2
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

A very interesting story. Still processing this one.

andrew61 Lovely photo 4y
emz711 Where is this! 4y
Jen2 Destin, FL 4y
66 likes1 stack add3 comments
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danibel
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Currently reading

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AlizaApp
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

A woman takes over her father‘s taxidermy shop in central Florida, in this novel about family legacy, queer relationships, and the nature of art. Quirky and comedic, but still deals with real issues in an appealing way.

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Nitpickyabouttrains
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

A women takes over for her father‘s business doing taxidermy. She has to deal with her mother going through a crisis, her love life, her brother, and more.

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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Bailedbailed

I thought I would love this book, but I guess not! It's just not pulling me in. #QueerBooks

Branwen I bailed on this one too! Just couldn't connect to any of the characters or the story. 😖 5y
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian @Branwen Glad it's not just me! 5y
28 likes2 comments
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Twocougs
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

Unusual and surprisingly sad. One of the the reviews called the novel funny, which I certainly would not say. About the time you think Jessa is never going to pull out of her sadness, the story changes.

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Areader2
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

This was an interesting story,the main character Jessa takes over her family taxidermy business,she is complex on many levels her relationships with her family,the business, and her memories. Some of the descriptions made me uncomfortable but I think in the end it helped shape what the author wanted to come across.

HeathHof Pretty pic! 🧡 5y
Areader2 @Mynameisacolour thanks,from the beach I went to this summer! 5y
Crazeedi ❤❤ your photo!! 5y
19 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Godpants
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Pickpick

I don‘t think this book is for everyone. It‘s depiction of taxidermy is visceral (if you can‘t make it through chapter one, put it down.) It‘s a story full of broken messy people struggling, but I think those are the stories I like the most.

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ClairesReads
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Mehso-so

It took me a long time to read this, and I really wanted to like it more than I did. It excels as a Floridian novel, one that brings that very particular place alive. But unfortunately, in spite of being dark and visceral (things I usually love) the rest was just off the mark for me. I liked what I read, but felt there were too many missed opportunities to make this something exceptional. #indiebuddyreads

Redheadrambles @ClairesReads I think you are right on the money there. 5y
ClairesReads @Redheadrambles 🙏🏻 thanks for waiting so patiently for me to arrive at this conclusion 5y
48 likes2 comments
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ClairesReads
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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#indiebuddyreads this is also apt

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ClairesReads
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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review
Redwritinghood
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Panpan

This story was just too relentlessly sad. The characters are all filthy, depressed, and passive-aggressive. They are grieving the death of their father and abandonment by a former lover. My biggest issue with the book is the lack of finesse. The reader is constantly hit over the head with repeated scenes that show just how sad and disgusting everything is. Yes - I got it! 2⭐️ #indiebuddyreads

Cinfhen Too bad, cover is JUST INCREDIBLE 5y
Redwritinghood @Cinfhen It is! Under the dust jacket it‘s that vibrant pink with silver lettering and black endpapers. It‘s a pretty wrapper for a book about a lot of ugly things. 5y
Redheadrambles Glad you made it through and it is a shame it was not the best of our IndieBuddyreads endeavours this year :( 5y
80 likes4 comments
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Godpants
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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I think I found this recommended on lithub. Hope it‘s a bit lighter than my last couple reads.

10 likes1 stack add
review
jb72
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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Panpan

Just NO! This is a definite no for me. I did not like this book. Let me say I had no issue with the taxidermy or the suicide. But the descriptions about how dirty Jessa was were too much along with Brynn. There were too many details and not enough aha moments. The characters are all confused leaving the reader confused. Jessa treats her mother as a non person. She‘s sleeping with her brother‘s wife.
#NOPE #takeashower #laundryisyourfriend

kindergartenkat I was wondering about your rating of this one. It‘s been on my TBR. I wondered why you didn‘t like it. I‘m glad you shared here! 5y
jb72 @kindergartenkat Yeah I was unsure how I was going to rate it at first (1 or 2 stars). I haven‘t really thought of my full review yet for GR. I normally don‘t like to “hate” on a book, but honestly this book is just not very good. 5y
26 likes2 comments
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jb72
Mostly Dead Things | Kristen Arnett
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1. I‘m super excited to visit Waverly Hills in a few weeks.
2. 💜 October Halloween 🎃 👻 🖤
3. On a nice breezy beach with a shade tree and quiet.
4. Scout is doing much better - a bit of a toy hog.