SeveredBuddyRead

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Thanks @Megabooks for the #SeveredBuddyRead and thanks to my friend @Reviewsbylola for gifting me this book. The more I read, the more I appreciated the subtle social commentaries & insights Ling Ma was taking. While this story wasn‘t exactly original it managed to keep me engaged & curious to see the conclusion. And that‘s where she failed☹️The abrupt ending felt lazy instead of literary, which might show her debut status. 3.5 stars 👇🏽

Cinfhen #MoreYeahThanMeh 💕 4y

Megabooks Yes!! The ending sucked. And the book was under 300 pages, so she easily could‘ve written 50 more and fleshed out the ending better. And, I tried to fit this in my review, but for a small group, some of the secondary characters weren‘t as well fleshed out either. I mean Emily St. John Mandel did a way better job. And she had more characters. I realize the books aren‘t getting at exactly the same point, but I can‘t help but draw parallels. 4y

Reviewsbylola I still really loved this one. Just the type of dystopian fiction I love!! 4y

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Hooked_on_books I agree about the ending. But I did really enjoy the book otherwise. 4y

Cinfhen I really enjoyed the book and will definitely read more from this author @Hooked_on_books @Reviewsbylola I loved all the cultural references and she had a witty tone that I liked too. I just get frustrated by that type of “lazy” ending after the rest of the novel was written so well. 4y

Hooked_on_books I‘ve always thought writing book endings is difficult. I feel like some authors just don‘t excel at it and/or some stories are hard to end. I wonder if that‘s what this book suffered from. 4y

Cinfhen I think the “perfect” ending is an art form and establishes the better writers @Hooked_on_books 4y

Cinfhen But when you leave a book with an ambiguous ending when you clearly have more to say it frustrates me @Hooked_on_books but that‘s my personal pet peeve 4y

Hooked_on_books I can see that. I fully respect reading pet peeves. I definitely have my own! 4y

Cinfhen Thanks @Hooked_on_books I‘d like to hear your reading pet peeves 😂 4y

Hooked_on_books The one I can think of off the top of my head is when we know the character has uncovered some information that‘s vital to understanding the situation (usually in a mystery) but it‘s hidden from the reader. When it‘s held back just for a few pages, that‘s fine, but when it isn‘t revealed for several chapters it pisses me off. 4y

Cinfhen Ugh; I hear you @Hooked_on_books my other reading pet peeve is the TOTAL SUSPICION OF BELIEF to drive a plot 🙄 4y

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Cinfhen

Severance: A Novel | Ling Ma

Initial thoughts @Megabooks @Reviewsbylola
Timing is everything...as more & more cases of Coronavirus are being confirmed this book no longer feels dystopian 😳 ✅
I‘m a fan of short chapters, especially when they have #WitAndGrit which this book contains ✅
The bright pink cover is making me happy #ThinkPink ✅
My #FridayFlowers are #PureJoy ~ and that comes from a higher power 🙌🏻

Cinfhen #SeveredBuddyRead 4y

Centique Those flowers are FAB 😍🌺🌸🌼 4y

julesG Love the flowers! I'm not a big fan of flowers in vases but I love seeing yours each time. 😍 4y

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Cinfhen Thanks so much @julesG @Centique I love my flowers to look messy and “wild” / I‘m glad u enjoy them too 💜🌻 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen flowers are gorgeous!! 😍😍 I‘m using this for #panasianauthor on my #booked2020. Now I only have tartan noir left 👎🏻 I had to look that one up on google. I have a Denise Mina on my kindle that should fit the bill. I have sooo much to read right now that idk when I‘ll get to it. I have a chance because it‘s kindle and my backlog is mainly physical and audiobooks. Lol!! 4y

Reviewsbylola I mean your timing with this one IS a little anxiety inducing. However I think COVID is being overblown. Hopefully I‘m right!! 4y

Cinfhen I think it‘s being overblown too, but it‘s starting to effect everyday life where I am. My flights to the US for mid March have been canceled 😡😩 @Reviewsbylola and several of our friends are currently in self quarantine because they were in Italy skiing and another family was in Westchester NY at the same synagogue that week where the outbreak was. Of course I was meant to have Purim dinner with both families but now it‘s canceled 4y

Reviewsbylola That‘s so annoying!! We‘re supposed to travel to Europe next month and I‘m guessing we may not be able to go now. There are no cases in Ohio (yet) so it really hasn‘t affected us. 4y

Cinfhen I think Israel is taking EXTREME precautions @Reviewsbylola hopefully your trip won‘t be effected 🤞🏼🤞🏼 4y

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Megabooks

Severance: A Novel | Ling Ma

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The night COVID officially reaches my state, I finished this dystopian book about Shen Fever spreading from China and killing most of the world.

1. Honestly, I‘m not terribly worried about COVID.
2. This is not as plausible as Station Eleven.

That said, I really liked Candace‘s story. She drew me in and I cared about her, and she had an interesting, consistent perspective. The rest of the group was dull and unexplored. 3.5⭐️ #severedbuddyread

Cinfhen

DocBrown This was one of my favorites. 4y

Megabooks #panAsianauthor #booked2020 @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft 4y

Megabooks @mdhughes72 great book!! 👍🏻👍🏻 4y

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Trashcanman I'm carrying a lighter and some hairspray so I'm set. 4y

Cinfhen I only got to page 30 before I fell asleep last night BUT my first thought was....wow!!! Timing. Coronavirus/ Shen Fever 🤒 that‘s kinda of scary. I‘m liking this book!! About to post my initial thoughts. Thanks for the #SeveredBuddyRead How r u feeling ??? 4y

Hooked_on_books I really liked this one. I listened to the audio and loved Nancy Wu‘s narration. (edited) 4y

julesG @Trashcanman 😂😂😂 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen I ended up rearranging some words and downgrading to 3.5⭐️. That‘s really what it is but I was running low on space and really tired. I‘m going to try to send you an email soon with a better update that 451 characters allows. 😘😘 4y

Megabooks @Trashcanman @julesG #truth 😂😂😂 4y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books she did really do a good job with the narration 4y

Cinfhen Totally agree and once you put Station Eleven in my mind I couldn‘t help making comparisons either 💜Still a very solid read and I‘m happy I got to it. 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen same here 🥂 4y

MicheleinPhilly I just said to J last night, “The next person that asks me if I have coronavirus is getting something licked and sent to them in the mail.” @Cinfhen 4y

Cinfhen Good thing we chat by WhatsApp @MicheleinPhilly hope you‘re feeling better xxx 4y

MicheleinPhilly @Cinfhen Definite improvement today! 😘 4y

Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly lol! I‘m sorry you‘ve been sick for so long. I‘m hoping you start feeling better soon! 💕💕 4y

Reviewsbylola Totally agree with you, this pandemic is totally overblown. 4y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @MicheleinPhilly I caught a bad cold on vacation and that‘s what everyone has been asking me too. No, I don‘t have IT. Hope you feel better soon! 4y

BarbaraTheBibliophage Now I want to read both this and Station Eleven! 4y

Megabooks @Reviewsbylola exactly!! 4y

Megabooks @BarbaraTheBibliophage you definitely need to read station eleven...my all-time fav fiction!! 4y

BarbaraTheBibliophage @Megabooks Wow—that is high praise! 4y

Megabooks @BarbaraTheBibliophage definitely deserved. I‘ve preordered her new one out later this month, her first since station 6 years ago!

The Glass Hotel

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Cinfhen

Severance: A Novel | Ling Ma

My weekend plans....for now 😜Tagged book is for a spontaneous #BuddyRead with my birthday girl to be 🥳Alias Grace is my current #Audio and for #JennyIs30 and House of Names is my #BookSpin ♥️

Megabooks, Reviewsbylola, jenniferw88, TheAromaofBooks

erzascarletbookgasm I liked Alias Grace. Have a good weekend! 4y

Megabooks Official start to the #severedbuddyread 🎉🎉 I‘m halfway through, but you‘ll probably finish first. 😂😂 4y

Cinfhen Honestly my interests are with the other 2 books that I‘m in the middle of @Megabooks so we‘ll see. How‘s that stomach bug?? 4y

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Cinfhen I forgot the hashtag- damn!!! 4y

Cinfhen I‘m really ENJOYING Alias Grace @erzascarletbookgasm ❤️ 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen still cramping and running to the bathroom every half hour or so. ☹️ too uncomfortable to sleep. I checked out the Hamilton from the library too since I don‘t want to touch my physical books while I‘m sick.

Blood, Bones, & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

Cinfhen Oh no, sounds awful @Megabooks the memoir might not be a good idea .... there‘s lots of blood and bones mentioned although I recall you‘re not put off by science-y stuff ❤️😜 4y

Suet624 I keep forgetting that I want to read Severance. 4y

Crazeedi @Megabooks oh no I'm sorry to hear you arent feeling well. I'm not sure what's going on with me, I slept most of the day yesterday, sending you healing hug🥰 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen yeah, I figured I‘d try it. It‘s hard to gross me out. 😂😂 4y

Megabooks @Crazeedi I‘m sorry you‘re still not doing well. Sending huge hugs!! 💕💕 4y

Megabooks @Crazeedi thank you for sending hugs 🥰🥰 4y

TheAromaofBooks Looks like a good weekend!! 4y

Cinfhen I‘m really LOVING the Atwood and my #BookSpin is good too @TheAromaofBooks

House of Names: A Novel

Cinfhen I‘m sorry you aren‘t feeling well either @Crazeedi sending 💜💜💜 4y

Reviewsbylola I‘m hoping you enjoy Severance! 4y

Crazeedi @Megabooks @Cinfhen thanks so much, today seems a bit better, hoping whatever I have is going away! I need warm sunshine and my garden😉💕 4y

Angitron I loved Severance! Enjoy! 4y

Cinfhen I can now “officially” say I‘m enjoying all 3 of these books!!!! I love that there is a character named Genevieve @Reviewsbylola It‘s making me smile 😊 and the timing of ShenFever/ Coronavirus is freaking me out a bit @Angitron 😱 4y

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Megabooks

Severance: A Novel | Ling Ma

Just having a relaxing day 🍕☀️📚🎧🥰

My favorite of these, so far, is actually Severance @Cinfhen #severedbuddyread

The Secret History is a reread, and I‘m just going to slowly read through it.

The audiobook isn‘t as fun as I though it would be, but a linguistics nerd would have a heyday!!

8little_paws Severance is one of my all time favorite books. Geez how prescient it was. 4y

SauerPatch A linguistic treasure trove? Sign me up! 🤓 Stacking!

What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves

Cinfhen Ohhhh, good!! Hoping to start tomorrow 💕 4y

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readordierachel Severance was one of my favorite reads last year 4y

Megabooks @8little_paws that‘s very true. 4y

Megabooks @SauerPatch it would definitely be more enjoyable for someone who likes linguistics more than I do! 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen 👍🏻👍🏻 I‘m reading so many books right now 😂😂 4y

Megabooks @readordierachel I‘m really surprised by how much I‘m enjoying it. 4y

Cinfhen I‘m all over the place too but what the hell!!! 4y

Cinfhen It‘s available on Scribd / I‘m thinking of maybe listening & read 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen I started with the stomach flu a few hours ago, so I checked out a library copy on my kindle. At least I can de-germ that with disinfectant wipes! 👎🏻👎🏻 the secret history doesn‘t sync pages and the Fowler is too new to check out. So I‘ll probably finish it today. We‘ll see. I really don‘t feel good. 4y

Cinfhen 🤦🏼‍♀️ you cant catch a break 🙁Hope whatever you picked up goes away quickly xx sending love 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen no, unfortunately I‘m a magnet for medical problems 😂😂 I‘m just on social media, reading, sipping Gatorade, and making quick trips across the hall! I‘m hoping it‘s a 24 hour bug. 4y

94 likes13 comments

Megabooks

Severance: A Novel | Ling Ma

Hey @Cinfhen I‘m starting it because I‘m between books, and I‘m probably not going to get much reading done tomorrow. I‘m still reading The Secret History and What the F, too, so I‘ll probably finish up Saturday. 😘😘

Cinfhen Ok, I have a few books going on so I‘ll probably start Friday evening/ Saturday. I think it‘s a “quick” read?!?? Keep me posted on your progress 💕 4y

BookishMe At first glance, I thought it was a book titled - I'm starting it. Lol 😁😁 4y

Megabooks @Cinfhen I think so. I‘m only 15 pages in because I walked the dog and caught up on 12 hours of litsy and Insta so probably 🤷🏻‍♀️ #severedbuddyread 4y

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Megabooks @BookishMe that would be a good title for me especially if followed by “...but I might not finish it!” 😂😂 4y

BookishMe @Megabooks that will work for me too, and possibly several others 😉😄 4y

Cinfhen I love the hashtag 😁 4y

Lizstarks @BookishMe ditto! 4y

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