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Suite Francaise
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
Suite Française is both a brilliant novel of wartime and an extraordinary historical document. An unmatched evocation of the exodus from Paris after the German invasion of 1940, and of life under the Nazi occupation, it was written by the esteemed French novelist Irčne Némirovsky as events unfolded around her. This haunting masterpiece has been hailed by European critics as a War and Peace for the Second World War. Though she conceived the book as a five-part work (based on the form of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony), Irčne Némirovsky was able to write only the first two parts, Storm in June and Dolce, before she was arrested in July 1942. She died in Auschwitz the following month. The manuscript was saved by her young daughter Denise; it was only decades later that Denise learned that what she had imagined was her mother’s journal was in fact an invaluable work of art. Storm in June takes place in the tumult of the evacuation from Paris in 1940, just before the arrival of the invading German army. It moves vividly between different levels of society–from the wealthy Péricand family, whose servants pack up their possessions for them, to a group of orphans from the 16th arrondissement escaping in a military truck. Némirovsky’s immense canvas includes deserting soldiers and terrified secretaries, cynical bank directors and hapless priests, egotistical writers and hardscrabble prostitutes–all thrown together in a chaotic attempt to escape the capital. Moving between them chapter by chapter, this thrilling novel describes a journey hampered and in some cases abandoned because of confusion, shelling, rumour, lack of supplies, bad luck and ordinary human weakness. Cars break down or are stolen; relatives are forgotten; friends are divided; but there are also moments of love and charity. Throughout, whether depicting saintly forbearance or the basest selfishness, Storm in June neither sweetens nor demonizes its characters; unsentimentally, with stunning perceptiveness, Némirovsky shows the complexities that mean no-one is simply a hero or villain. The second volume, Dolce, is set in the German-occupied village of Bussy. Again, Némirovsky switches seamlessly between social strata, from tenant farmers to the local aristocracy. The focus, however, is on the delicate, secret love affair between a German soldier and the French woman in whose house he has been billeted; the passion, doubts and deceits of their burgeoning relationship echo the complex mixture of hostility and acceptance felt by the occupied community as a whole. Némirovsky is amazingly sensitive in her depiction of changing, often contradictory emotions, but her attention to the personal is matched by her sharp-eyed discussion of small-town life and the politics of occupation. In this myth-dissolving book, the French villagers see the Germans as oppressive warriors, but also as handsome young men, and occupation does nothing to remedy the condescension and envy that bedevil relations between rich and poor. Quite apart from the astonishing story of its survival, Suite Française is a novel of genius and lasting artistic value. Subtle, often fiercely ironic, and deeply compassionate, it is both a piercing record of its time and a humane, profoundly moving novel. From the Hardcover edition.
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Daisey
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

New Year‘s Eve supper & my final book of 2022 #ReadAndEat

Including only 2 parts of a planned 5 part novel set during the occupation of France in WWII, this book is unfinished because the author died at Auschwitz. Yes, the story of the story is part of what makes it great, but it also clearly and unflinchingly details the experiences of individuals caught up in the chaos of war. ⬇️

Daisey Part 1, Storm in June, switches between several characters from various situations as they attempt to flee Paris. Part 2, Dolce, focuses on the interactions of French villagers and the occupying German troops. Many of the details describe the clash between class as much as between French & German.

Sometimes I wonder if the #1001books list is worth continuing, but then it leads me to a book like this! #Reading1001 #TBRTakedown December 2022
(edited) 2y
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Astroneman
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick
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TEArificbooks
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

Read this for France for #foodandlit @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger @Texreader wonderfully written. Will be a top pick for the year.

Catsandbooks Wonderful! 2y
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wideeyedreader
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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My #bookspin list for July! I‘ve decided to go with a small selection of books I want to read so I catch up on my doublespins from the last couple months! The book with no dust jacket is the tagged.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
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Insightsintobooks
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Bertha_Mason
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky

"It wasn‘t exactly what you‘d call fear, rather a strange sadness—a sadness that had nothing human about it any more, for it lacked both courage and hope. This was how animals waited to die. It was the way fish caught in a net watch the shadow of the fisherman moving back and forth above them."

Suet624 Just read this quote in the book. It struck me too. 2y
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Bertha_Mason
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky

"Paris had its sweetest smell, the smell of chestnut trees in bloom and of petrol with a few grains of dust that crack under your teeth like pepper."

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Bertha_Mason
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Lcsmcat
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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mom2bugnbee Random thing that happened this morning - my right handed 15yo daughter was cutting a loaf of bread with her left hand. When I asked her why, she said that she always has used the knife in her left hand, because she simply didn't see the point of switching hands as most Americans do. FIFTEEN YEARS and I've never noticed 4y
Lcsmcat @mom2bugnbee That‘s priceless! I‘ve never switched, but that‘s because I‘m left handed. 4y
mom2bugnbee @Lcsmcat Yes,my husband is left handed & he doesn't switch either. 4y
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Emu
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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😎 Beautiful day today

BookwormM Pretty 4y
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runswithscissors007
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Hot, thought the Parisians.
@ShyBookOwl #bookhunt
This was tricky... authors are wordy folks. (Duh)

ShyBookOwl Lol! 4y
14 likes1 comment
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theladygreer
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Two things to celebrate on #read99women today: Julie Langsdorf recommends SUITE FRANCAISE ("a miracle of a book"), and her own whip-smart debut WHITE ELEPHANT is now available in paperback! For more on both books: http://www.greermacallister.com/blog/2020/1/28/read99women-julie-langsdorf

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Emu
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky

On today of all days it seems so appropriate to be reading this book. 📖#1001books #neveragain

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Emu
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Interesting to read the description of the breakdown of the lines between high and low, rich and poor, workers and the elite.

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Emu
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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This book is slowly growing on me. #1001books #reading1001 #tbr1001

CafeMom I am glad that it is slowly growing on you. 5y
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runswithscissors007
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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3 day book sale. Haul from day 1. I will be back. 😬. I grabbed Suite Francais because when I listened to it on audiobook I knew nothing about it so the ending intrigued/ surprised me and this copy has an interesting bunch of appendixes that I am looking forward perusing for closure lol!

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Emu
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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I just started reading this. I‘ve started it a few times before. Hoping this will be it! #1001books #1001tbr #1001tbrtakedown

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rmaclean4
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Next up for #WIT month. This classic woman in translation novel. I have recently been reading the physical book and then listening to the audio book when I have to get work done. Loving that combination!!

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CafeMom
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Read a book set in Europe. I am not going in a straight line but at least I am reading books. #ReadingtheWorld #Hunsakermountain. I watched the movie again after finishing the book.

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Mdargusch
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

The first part this book depicts life of Parisian refugees fleeing the German occupation of Paris. The author follows different families as they try to survive life on the road. The second part of the book shows a glimpse of the life in a French village that is occupied by the Germans. This book was published posthumously and I would have loved to read the author‘s finished manuscript.
#everybreatheyoutake, I‘ll be watching you.”
#anglophileapril

Lcsmcat This was the first Nemirovsky I read, but I highly recommend reading her other books, if you can find them! (Some have been translated and others are only available in French.) 5y
Cinfhen This was such a powerful book. Good choice for published posthumously 5y
Mdargusch I would like to read one of her finished books @Lcsmcat 👍🏼 5y
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Mdargusch I really thought it would be more of a historical fiction/romance by the cover @Cinfhen I‘m glad it was more on the powerful side. 5y
Tex2Flo I‘ve been holding this in my TBR for years. Glad to hear such a firm recommendation. 5y
Mdargusch I really appreciate WWII books told from a slightly different perspective @Tex2Flo 5y
Zelma I loved this book so flipping much. And the notes at the end about Nemirovsky were even better than the book, or maybe made me love it more, I can‘t remember which. 5y
LeahBergen Oh, I loved this one. ❤️ 5y
Mdargusch The notes at the end were such an added bonus @Zelma ❤️ 5y
Mdargusch I think she is such a gifted writer @LeahBergen and I hope to read another of her books. 5y
emilyhaldi Never knew this was finished posthumously!! 5y
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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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If I want to create something striking...
This exactly sums up some of the beauty of this book.

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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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The last day of 2018 was super eventful and so my #lastfirst are both Suite Francaise. Every year I get 12 books for my birthday and this is my last one of of the 12. @BookNAround

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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Dragon Happy New Year 🥳 6y
Bookzombie Happy New Year!🎆 🎉 6y
BarbaraBB Happy New Year ❤️ 6y
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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Suet624 👍🏼👍🏼 6y
i.z.booknook 😃👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
Pricel101 “Nevertheless She Persisted” was the phrase on my breast cancer fundraising T-shirt this year 💜💪 thanks for sharing! 6y
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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Taking it slow this morning. Mayhem to ensue shortly.

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DaveGreen7777
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Wonderful friends will give you books for Christmas... but only the most wonderful of friends will give books to your family members as well! When Branwen heard that my father is a history buff and reads a lot about World War II, she was thoughtful enough to send him this historical novel! Thank you for always being so kind and considerate, Becky, you‘re a superhero even Supergirl and Batgirl could look up to! 😊

Branwen Ahhhhhhh my friend, you are getting me all teary eyed! 😢 I hope it brings a smile to your dad's face! *hygs* I am so lucky to have you as my friend! 😃💕 6y
DaveGreen7777 Awww! I‘m very blessed by your friendship as well, @Branwen 🥰 6y
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Lcsmcat
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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My first Némirovsky, which opened up a world of unknown delights. Not all her books are translated into English, but many are. And her French is accessible if you have a moderate grasp of the language. #adventrecommends @emilyrose_x

LeahBergen Oh, I loved this book. ❤️❤️ 6y
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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Morning reading view

RavenLovelyReads Looks perfect! 😍 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 🎄❤️ 6y
Reviewsbylola 🥰🎄🥰🎄 6y
Lcsmcat I loved this book! 6y
Joanne1 Beautiful. Definitely not sitting in front of the fire whether here but we have had our first serious bushfire of the summer already which is frightening. 6y
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kstadt929
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Thank you so much for the replacement #JustABookSwap box @Samplergal !!! I have not heard of this book before and it looks SO GOOD!!! Thank you so much for choosing it for me 😊 I have a few books I progress, but I hope to start it soon. Thanks for making my day!!

Samplergal So glad! We read it for a book club a few months back and it was so good. I saw you enjoyed historical fiction and Ww2 so you should enjoy. 6y
kstadt929 Thank you @TheBookKeepers for hosting and for your quick fix 😊 One of my favorite things about swaps - discovering new books that I didn‘t know about! I can‘t wait for round 2! 6y
TheBookKeepers Yay!! Glad it made it to you!! And thanks @Samplergal again for your generosity!! 6y
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bookandcat
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Mehso-so

#backpackeurope travelogue *fictional*
Country 50: back to France. In honor of my countryside-set book, visited multiple locations in the countryside/coastline, such as Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, and Marseille. Too bad I missed the Cannes Film Festival!
Nemirovsky's story is so sad - she is a talented writer who was killed in Auschwitz. Her writing feels urgent, and was left unfinished. Good but I found her own story more compelling. 3/5

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Larzan
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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DreesReads
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

Such a great look at the crowds fleeing Paris in June 1942, and of a town in occupied France. Written shortly after and during the time these events were occurring, Nemirovsky never got the chance to finish her 5-part book. These are the first 2 parts. Her notes for the other 3 parts are appendix 1. 2 days after her last note she was arrested. She died at Auschwitz a month later. The survival of the manuscript is a story itself. #1001books

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Vbrrgirl
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Next up on my daily commute. The opening music is lovely. Looking forward to my ride home this afternoon.

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Samplergal
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Loved it! What is an amazing story was only a draft, as this was to be a five part story. The author was arrested and murdered in Auschwitz before she could complete the book. This was only found years later. This magical writing was a draft.

Maggie_Reads One of my favorite books! And I loved the movie! 6y
Zelma I love this book and really appreciate all of the background info about Nemirovsky that was included. I think that made me love the book even more. ❤️ 6y
Samplergal @Zelma Yes! I printed it out for our book club. 6y
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Ncostell
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

This was an incredible book for many different reasons. The book itself is a masterfully told work that lets us witness the evacuation of Paris in 1940 prior to the Nazi occupation and then a glimpse of life in the French countryside during the occupation. The story behind the book‘s publication and the death of the author in Auschwitz makes this book all the more poignant. It is a real tribute to the power of the human spirit.

cariashley Such a great book. Love your review! 6y
LibrarianJen I read this in college and absolutely loved it. 💖 6y
Ncostell @cariashley Thanks! I was really blown away by this book and the author‘s story. 6y
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Ncostell @LibrarianJen I loved it too. I had been meaning to read it for a long time and am glad that I finally got to it. 6y
mklong Great review! I love this book too! 6y
Ncostell @mklong Thank you! It‘s a book I‘ll be thinking of for a long time to come, I‘m sure. 6y
Miss_Kim One of my favourites! 💕📖💕 6y
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Caz1
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

Just started this. What‘s everyone think of this one ?

AmyG I liked this book. 7y
Samplergal I want to read this. Keep us posted. 7y
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Nitpickyabouttrains
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

A book about World War Two, written before the war was over. The author planned for the book to be longer, but was killed in the course of the war before she could finish it. It was interesting to see what people notice about what is important around them, vs what we focus on with hindsight.

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i.z.booknook
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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On the Eurostar on my way to PARIS! 😍🇫🇷

Kalalalatja Have fun! 7y
Nikki15 Have a lovely time 💛 7y
LeahBergen Oh, this book! ❤️❤️ 7y
ephemeralwaltz Gorgeous!! Enjoy!❤ 7y
Mdargusch Have fun! 7y
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i.z.booknook
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Going to Paris next week, thought I should read something themed!

About the author:
“In 1918 her family fled the Russian Revolution for France where she became a bestselling novelist. Prevented from publishing when the Germans occupied France in 1940, she moved with her husband and two small daughters from Paris to the safety of [...] German occupied territory. It was here that Iréne began writing Suite Française. She died in Auschwitz in 1942.”

LeahBergen This is a fantastic read. ❤️ 7y
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BookishTrish
Suite Francaise | Irčne Némirovsky
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Our alley is actually a waterfall so #audiobus it is

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AmberWB
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Pickpick

My first read for the @bookriot Read Harder Challenge. This one was for the “Published Posthumously” category. I am a huge WW2 buff, but the German occupation of France is a topic I haven‘t read much about, so that made this even more interesting.

RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you're interested. :) 7y
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TEArificbooks
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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Went post holiday sale shopping with the kids and my mom. We all had some B&N gift cards and we went thrift store shopping, so this is our book haul for the day. The 3 kids books had already been read by the time we got home. #raisingreaders

Amanda.T We just checked out “I Really Like Slop!” from the library and my daughter loves it! She‘s now shouting “No Way” around the house. 😂 7y
TEArificbooks @Amanda.T my youngest likes it when they change colors 7y
Kaye Dorothy and ToTo ✨✨✨✨ 7y
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hlgreenfield
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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#bookhaul so there was a Christmas charity bazaar today and I had to buy some books! I controlled myself since I am technically on a book-buying ban! 10 books for 5 euros!! Bargain!

slategreyskies I loved Chocolat!! :) 7y
hlgreenfield @slategreyskies I've been meaning to but it for a while so it was a great find! 7y
Reviewsbylola Angela‘s Ashes is excellent. 7y
hlgreenfield @Reviewsbylola yay glad to hear! Can't wait to read it! 7y
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merelybookish
Suite francese | Irčne Némirovsky
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In three weeks, I've managed to read five books on my #TBRBingo card. I'm quite pleased about that! ☺️

TheKidUpstairs Nicely done! I keep reading books that aren't on my bingo card... oops! 7y
merelybookish @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thanks! ☺️ @TheKidUpstairs Oh, I've been reading some of those too. And my next 3 reads are not on the card. 🤷 7y
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kspenmoll Wonderful!!!🎉🎉 7y
JazzFeathers 😁👏👏👏👏 7y
Ncostell Impressive! 7y
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