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The Resisters
The Resisters: A Novel | Gish Jen
An audacious wonder of a novel about baseball and a future America, from the always inventive and exciting author of The Love Wife and Who's Irish. The time: Some thirty-five years hence. The place: AutoAmerica--governed by "Aunt Nettie," an iBurrito of AI algorithms and the internet, in a land half under water. The people: Divided into the angelfair "Netted," whose fate it is to have jobs and live on high ground, and the mostly coppertoned "Surplus," whose jobs have been stripped and whose sole duty now is to consume, living in plastic houses that talk and multi-colored houseboats at the water's edge. Neither group is happy. The story: A Surplus family--he was once a professor, she is still a lawyer--has a girl child, Gwen, who's born with a golden arm. By two she can throw her toy animals straight to the same spot every time. When AutoAmerica and ChinRussia decide to revive the Olympics, suddenly Gwen, who's been playing in the Resisters League her parents have organized, is in great demand. Soon she's at angelfair university, Net U, falling in love with her baseball coach and facing questions of "crossing over," while her mother and her "group" are bringing charges before the botjudge about Surplus rights. An amazing story of a world that looks only too possible, and a family struggling to maintain its humanity in circumstances that daily threaten their every value as well as their very existence.
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

I really liked this book. While it revolves around baseball (which I find boring to watch), it‘s actually an exploration of a future US, racism, and prejudice. It features Gwen, who is discriminated against, but has one of the best pitching arms perhaps ever seen. Her talent (and development of that talent) push her places she could not otherwise have gone. Really good read.

BarbaraBB Great review! 1y
vivastory I loved this one & was greatly disappointed it didn't fare better when it was in the ToB. I think it's a sign of a great novel when I care about the characters when a good part of the story involves sports. 1y
Hooked_on_books @vivastory I think it was really well balanced between the sports narrative and the rest of the story. Plus, baseball was representative of just about anything that could stand in for it, which really made it work. It‘s such a well crafted book. 1y
37 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
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vivastory
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1) Gabe Habash's Stephen Florida & the tagged.
2) I like basketball. I don't really watch it, although I loosely follow March Madness. Especially KU games.
@TheSpineView

TheSpineView Thanks for playing and have a wonderful Tuesday! 3y
Adil_khan Football & cricket 3y
32 likes2 comments
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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

I'm not a baseball fan, but no worries to others who aren't because you'll still enjoy this book. 💚

After seeing several good reviews about this one I was happy my hold finally came through. The dystopian world created here feels very realistic and like it's something our society could easily slip into. Such a thought provoking story about resistance, family, and advancements in society.

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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

This book took me a while to get through, but it was so I interesting and clever I kept going when I normally would have bailed. This story about resistance, baseball, parenthood, and automation was like nothing I‘ve ever read before. I‘m glad I stuck with it.

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Bookwormjillk
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First outdoor reading session on the year! Yay spring!

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BkClubCare
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“How about humor? Is that above your paygrade? I wanted to say. Because that was pretty funny.”

BkClubCare #LitsyTOB21 ❤️📚🐓 3y
19 likes1 comment
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Well-ReadNeck
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Pickpick

Ooooh! Really enjoyed this #ToB21 Tournament of Books play in book. Rooting for this one to make it in.

vivastory I have a strong suspicion that this will win the play-in 3y
sarahbarnes Me too!! 3y
Karisa Sounds intriguing! So, um... Do you need to like baseball to enjoy this book? 3y
Kalalalatja Om hoping for this, too! 3y
Well-ReadNeck @Karisa No. This one is primarily dystopian and the baseball is incidental, really. 3y
93 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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BkClubCare
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“... the pie was a highlight...” #iLovePie #PieInLit #LitPie #CaresBooksandPie #ToB21

17 likes1 stack add
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rsteve388
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Pickpick

This book was amazing, highlighting what our world could look like with full automation and who would work and who would consume and how that would impact the social hierarchy of our american society. It was wild. What a great , thought provoking story. Highly recommend.

BarbaraBB I hope this will win the #ToB21 play-in round and enter the tournament 3y
34 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

Another good one from the #TournamentOfBooks. I have a fondness for near-future science-fiction, and there seem to be several books in this category on the #tob21 list. I love that baseball and knitting are both featured prominently in this story.

Third book finished for #FabulousFebruary. With luck, I'll be able to finish another one before the end of the readathon. @Andrew65

Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y
27 likes1 comment
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vivastory
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Pickpick

Set in the not too distant future where automation has overhauled society. This is a dystopia where there is a constitution & a court system, yet it's no coincidence that among the unusual names is a character named Beetle Samsa. The central dilemma of resistance, not centered on outcome but as ethics, is explored with humor & tenderness in this family portrait. A real surprise on the #tob list.

emilyhaldi Great review! 3y
sarahbarnes Great review! 3y
Kalalalatja I was really surprised by this too! It was a good read 👍 3y
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vivastory @sarahbarnes @emilyhaldi Thanks! I still need to read Down Days, but I have a suspicion that this is going to win the play-in round for #tob 3y
vivastory @Kalalalatja It's funny because the other day I was wondering what happened to the tv series Black Mirror & then I finished this. As much as I loved Black Mirror, books like this are so much more satisfying. 3y
sarahbarnes Oooh, I hope you‘re right! So did you read Red Pill? 3y
vivastory @sarahbarnes I did. I had pretty mixed feelings about it. I loved the ending, but it's definitely not as great as White Tears 3y
sarahbarnes Both you and @BarbaraBB have mentioned that White Tears is great this week! I really need to read the copy that‘s on my shelf. 😂 3y
89 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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sarahbarnes
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book! It takes on a terrifying dystopian world (that feels not all that far off as per usual these days) with a great sense of dry humor and unfailing heart and perseverance. Maybe showing that there is hope for some of us to do the right thing, even when so much is wrong.

emilyhaldi Oof, I was going to read this but didn‘t realize it was dystopian. Not sure I can handle another dystopian novel at the moment, especially considering real world events 😅 3y
BarbaraBB I‘m going to read it if it wins the play-in! 3y
sarahbarnes @emilyhaldi yes, I definitely hear you! I would say it offered me more hope than some other dystopian novels I‘ve read. But still, I hear you. 3y
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sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB I haven‘t read the other two it is up against, but I‘d selfishly love for this one to make it in! 😂 3y
BarbaraBB You‘re right. My vote goes to Red Pill because I enjoyed White Tears.. not a very good reason but I haven‘t read any of the play-ins. I will read the ‘winner‘ though! 3y
sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB I‘m interested in Red Pill too - sounds like a good one. I have White Tears but haven‘t read it. 3y
vivastory Great review! I hope to finish this one today 3y
vivastory @emilyhaldi The dystopianism in this one feels very light in some ways. If that makes sense..Still a bit depressing at points 3y
35 likes8 comments
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vivastory
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Read half today & so far I'm pretty impressed by this unique story about resistance & baseball in an automated dystopian America.

Prairiegirl_reading I just got this because Ann Patchett recommended it but she lead me astray with another rec so I‘m excited for it but a bit hesitant. 3y
vivastory @Prairiegirl_reading Which rec did she lead you astray with? I think this one has wide appeal. I can see why it's blurbed by both Patchett & King. 3y
Cortg Yay! I have a copy on hold sitting on my desk at work waiting to be checked out! I‘ve heard good things. (edited) 3y
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Prairiegirl_reading @vivastory I really hate to say this but it was Memorial by Brian Washington. It makes me sad that I didn‘t like it but honestly it I‘m not exactly his target audience. 3y
BarbaraBB You‘re even reading the play-in‘s! I think I‘ll wait until I know which makes it into the tournament. Unless you say this is a must read 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y
vivastory @BarbaraBB I am! I'm going to read Down Days in a few days. I'm enjoying this one, but it's not a must read 3y
BarbaraBB 😅 3y
Kalalalatja I really liked this @BarbaraBB but like Scott says, not a must read, compared to some of the other books 😅 3y
sarahbarnes I‘m starting this one today. I‘m glad to hear you‘re impressed so far. I was intrigued by the storyline. 3y
vivastory @sarahbarnes I need to wrap it up. I'm really enjoying it, but haven't read it in a few days since I started reading 3y
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Kalalalatja
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Pickpick

This was quite the surprise! Reading from the #ToB short list is starting out strong 👌

Set in a not-too-distant future, we meet Grant, Eleanor and their daughter, Gwen, and learn how they resist AutoAmerica in different ways, but mostly through baseball. I‘m not really a fan of sports, so I was hesitant about this, but it worked well, and it was as much about relationships and oppression, as it was about baseball 👍

#Bookspin pick from November

BarbaraBB Oooh sounds good!! 3y
squirrelbrain It does sound good doesn‘t it @barbarabb?! 3y
Kalalalatja @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain it was the perfect mix of serious dystopian with a dry sense of humour and everyday-ness I needed right now 👍 3y
sarahbarnes Yes!! I‘m excited to read this one! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Fantastic!!!

Godpants It‘s SO GOOD. 4y
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ElishaLovesBooks
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Pickpick

THIS. BOOK. What a timely and important read. And I‘m not even a baseball fan. This is fiction at it‘s finest-good story, well-written that makes the reader stop and think about society and our future. Eleanor and Grant have a daughter, Gwen, who is a pitching prodigy. In AutoAmerica, where the country is run by AI and the Net, Society is divided into the Surplus and the Netted. Baseball gives Gwen the chance to escape being Surplus. (Cont‘d ⬇️)

ElishaLovesBooks But is it worth it? Do we really have choices or is it an illusion? How much should government control? Can machines/AI substitute for humanity? What does it take to resist and can one person make a difference? These are some of the questions still rolling around in my head. Very interesting and enjoyable read. 4y
JennyM Sounds good #stacked 😊 4y
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booksaremyfavorite
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Mehso-so

Decided to try a new genre. Definitely not my cup of tea.

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Floresj
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Mehso-so

This was liked a subdued Hunger Games mixed with Brave New World that‘s focused on baseball. I was curious enough to finish it and liked a number of the characters. I normally really like dystopian novels, but this one was just ok for me.

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Meaw_catlady
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Pickpick

Guys I finished it! I started this book the day work got closed for me. 5 weeks ago. I only could focus enough to read a few pages a day. I really love the concept of this dystopian but it‘s scary how this could be real life!! The middle section was a little long for my taste. And all in form of letters from school. I thought the choice of narrator was unique. Seeing his daughter and wife‘s achievements from his viewpoint. Overall a win.

Branwen Congrats on finishing it! I'm glad you liked it! 🤗📚💕 4y
Meaw_catlady @Branwen I feel proud of myself !! Haha 😆 have you read it? 💕🥰 4y
Branwen @Meaw_catlady I have not! But I keep hearing so many great things about it, so I'm super interested to read it! 😀 4y
55 likes3 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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1. Harrow the Ninth, We Ride Upon Sticks, and She Came To Slay

2. The Resisters by Gish Jen

3. When my puppy is happy or excited (which is a lot) she wags her whole entire butt, and it makes me smile every single time

#weekendreads

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rachelsbrittain
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Total books: 14
Pages: 2,929
Audiobooks: 4
Longest: Daisy Jones and the Six (355)
Shortest: b.b free
Favorite(s): Daisy Jones and the Six, The Resisters, From Here to Eternity, and A Prince on Paper

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Godpants
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Overall, having gone on vacation and then the stress of the last 2.5 weeks at home have meant that I didn‘t read as much as usual. I‘m shocked to see it was 7 and that I‘m still on track with my goodreads goal. I loved The Resisters and really liked Real Life, the rest were okay. Except Elevator Pitch, which was pretty terrible.

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rachelsbrittain
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Pickpick

A powerful dystopian novel about the pitfalls of where capitalism can lead & how AI automation can be used to divide & conquer a nation. In Auto America, there are the haves--the Netted--and the have-nots--the Surplus--but a remarkable gift for pitching and the desire to best Chin-Russia at baseball in the Olympics gives one young woman the incredible--& terrible--choice of crossing over to the Netted. But is it really a choice at all?

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rachelsbrittain
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Today's walks brought more sidewalk art and the end of the incredible tagged audiobook

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rachelsbrittain
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A bit of macrame, a bit of audiobooks

Mitch They look beautiful 🙀 4y
Meaw_catlady Lovely ! 4y
Crazeedi It's been years since I did macrame, you are doing a beautiful job, and much better than I ever did for sure! 4y
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rachelsbrittain @Crazeedi thank you! I found a great pattern on etsy 4y
Crazeedi @rachelsbrittain it is so lovely. 4y
49 likes6 comments
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Meaw_catlady
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#thoughtfulthursday
1. Tagged. It‘s a pretty neat dystopian. I‘m also listening to Born With Teeth by Kate Mulgrew
2. I ate some delicious Chinese food I picked update from my favorite local restaurant!
3. Digital drawing! FaceTiming and writing letters.
4. “While there‘s LIFE there‘s HOPE . “ -The Hobbit
Tagging @DaveGreen7777 @Branwen @Soff @JoScho @Megabooks

Megabooks What do you think of Born with Teeth? Thanks for the tag! It‘s hard to believe Kate was my age when she started playing Janeway! 4y
Meaw_catlady @Megabooks I like it. Her life is quite sad and I can see why she plays such strong characters! 4y
DaveGreen7777 Thank you for the tag, Rachel! 😊🏷 4y
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MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing 💜🌸💜🌸 4y
JoScho Thanks for the tag 😘 4y
SCBird Love that quote 💖💖 Thanks for the tag. 4y
31 likes6 comments
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Sarz
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Mehso-so

3 ⭐

I wanted so much from this but it just fell short. The concept is pretty cool but the actual storyline did nothing for me. I also really didn't like how such a large part in the middle was told in letters from Gwen. It wasn't for me.

This is my #newin2020 pick for #booked2020
@BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft @Cinfhen

BarbaraTheBibliophage So frustrating. At least you got a prompt from it! 😎 4y
Cinfhen Too bad it wasn‘t a hit ⚾️ 4y
Mariposa_Bookworm I‘m just glad you posted this. I heard about this book on my favorite podcast but couldn‘t find it! I had the title wrong. Thanks! I‘m going to give it a shot. 4y
21 likes3 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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Finally signed up for libro.fm today in an effort to help support the new local bookstore opening in my town soon. Looking forward to listening to these two incredible sounding books on lots of dog walks over the next few weeks.

Hooked_on_books Hooray! I love libro. Glad you joined. 4y
rachelsbrittain @Hooked_on_books I've seen people posting about it and decided now was the time to do it! I hadn't realized before that it supported indie / local bookstores so I'm totally on board 4y
Hooked_on_books I know! That‘s the best part. I actually moved a year ago and didn‘t change up my libro, since it lets me support my old bookstore. Good stuff. Especially now. 4y
41 likes3 comments
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Godpants
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Pickpick

As someone who doesn‘t care about baseball at all, but loves dystopian fiction I can say that this 😉 knocked it out of the park! Seriously! Contender for best of the year already!

8 likes1 stack add
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Godpants
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When people kept describing this as a baseball book, I felt I could skip it, but now that I‘m actually reading it and seeing it classified as science fiction, I‘m glad I checked it out. I‘m still very early in though.

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QuintusMarcus
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Pickpick

Really loved this book, although it totally gave me the creeps to be reading it at the same time as the Age of Surveillance Capitalism. I was really impressed by the clarity of the author‘s vision of the near future, and the way she was able to pull together so many current trends in economic inequality, racism, surveillance capitalism, and artificial intelligence. Not a grim book at all, but clearly a warning.

7 likes1 stack add
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JoyBlue
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Mehso-so

Dystopian fiction doesn't have the same appeal for me as it did not that long ago. The genre wasn't meant to be instructional—it was supposed to be cautionary. Anyway, this one has a young female baseball talent protagonist. I'm torn between pick and so-so. If you love the genre, try it. If you're a fast reader and don't mind the risk, read it.

TheAromaofBooks Cautionary not instructional - yes! Also should allow the reader to naturally notice/question things rather than screaming at them that THIS IS YOUR FUTURE UNLESS YOU DO X! lol A lot of dystopian fiction has gotten extremely preachy. 4y
Crazeedi I'm not really interested in dystopian, seems like theres enough craziness in the world already 🤨 4y
JoyBlue @Crazeedi Right? 😢 4y
63 likes4 comments
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TheBookStacker
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Part library haul, and one book from my own collection. I feel like I read faster when it‘s a library book than when it‘s my own book. Already finished 3 books this week!

8little_paws I totally read more and faster with library books. I basically never buy books any more. 4y
Palimpsest Agreed. Especially if it‘s a new book release. I feel like I have to get it back because other people are waiting to read it too. :) 4y
53 likes2 comments
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Aimeesue
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Wow. Scary, plausible spec fic. Gripping.

jillrhudy The parents! Especially the mom! 4y
30 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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jillrhudy
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#januarywrapup Interesting reading month. Almost everything either new or upcoming. No audio. #arc and #Netgalley account for a bunch! I‘m addicted! My VERY favorite is tagged. #bookreport

rubyslippersreads I just put Oona on hold at the library. 4y
jillrhudy @rubyslippersreads I enjoyed Oona throughout! Great chick lit! 4y
31 likes2 comments
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jillrhudy
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Pickpick

In Gish Jen‘s explosive new speculative fiction novel, “The Resisters,” underclass parents risk everything in a stifling technocracy just so that their kids can play baseball. Endlessly entertaining, with an “aha” of disturbing recognition on every page. The Cannon-Chastenet family will melt your heart. Five stars! Released February 7. #arc #speculativefiction #scifi Full review at https://www.librarything.com/work/23666364/reviews/178166578

DrexEdit I'm trying to resist adding more books to my massive TBR, but your review makes me want to read this book! 😊👍 4y
jillrhudy @DrexEdit It has mixed reviews on NetGalley, but I thought it was just fantastic. It was a quick read for me! 4y
28 likes1 stack add2 comments
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jillrhudy
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Knocked my socks off. Ann Patchett does not exaggerate. Review of #arc coming soon as soon as I get a chance to write it.

32 likes2 stack adds
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LauraBeth
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Good idea, @KarenUK - here are my #mostanticipated2020.

I‘m a glutton for punishment, which is why I added Stephanie Danler‘s book! 😂

KarenUK Awesome list! More to add to my mountain, including the Stephanie Danler one! 😂📚⛰ (edited) 4y
MicheleinPhilly Masochist. 4y
Laughterhp I just added Transcendent Kingdom to my TBR! 4y
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Lindy So many great books to look forward to! I‘m most excited about 4y
Cathythoughts I‘m very interested in 4y
BookNotes is on my radar. 🙂 4y
Amandajoy Yaa Gyasi has a new one too? Need to preorder that ASAP! (edited) 4y
BarbaraBB Great ones!! 4y
DGRachel @MicheleinPhilly 😂 😂 😂 4y
TrishB Great list 👍🏻 4y
LauraBeth @KarenUK I‘m sure it will be a buzzy book! 😂 4y
LauraBeth @Laughterhp that one looks SO good! 4y
LauraBeth @Lindy Did you read Dept. Of Speculation? 4y
LauraBeth @Cathythoughts and @CherylRussell I‘m so glad that one comes out soon! 4y
LauraBeth @DGRachel she knows me 😂 4y
Lindy @LauraBeth Yes! Loved it. Also love her picture books like 4y
jillrhudy Got a galley of “Weather” and it‘s very good. (edited) 4y
87 likes20 comments