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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my TBR bookshelf for March, arranged in order of my #BookSpinBINGO list.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
30 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my March #BookSpinBINGO list. Now I can check @TheAromaofBooks ‘s picks for this month. 🥳

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2w
26 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I read some great books in February!

#BookSpinBINGO

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!!! 2w
26 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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At the start of every month, I put together my To Read bookshelf based on my #BookSpinBINGO list, but I missed posting it in February! Here‘s what was on my shelf at the start of last month.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2w
29 likes1 comment
review
Caryl
Matrix | Lauren Groff
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Just finished for #AuthorAMonth, and I loved it. Took me awhile to warm up to it, but once I understood the rhythm of the storytelling, I was captivated by Marie and her sisters.

review
Caryl
Still Missing | Beth Gutcheon
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Heartbreaking, compelling, upsetting, and extremely moving. I was shocked by some of the turns the story took. I felt like I was sitting right beside Susan Selky, there in the late 1970s in her Boston home. I kept turning the pages, feeling like the more quickly I read, the sooner I might get some answers for Alex‘s mother. I quite admired her, and I appreciated the peek from Detective Menetti‘s perspective as well. (continued)

Caryl As you can see in the photo, I found my Persephone Biannually from the season it was published. I remember reading about it then. I never would have picked this one up on my own. I'm so glad I did. Thank you, @jlhammar & #PersephoneClub!

@LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @sisilia @CarolynM @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Tamra @andrew61 @Cathythoughts @jlhammar @Karons1 @julieclair @willaful
(edited) 1mo
Caryl Also: Wanted to let you all know, in case any of you live near Bath, that Persephone's Morning Book Group will be discussing Still Missing on March 21st: https://persephonebooks.co.uk/pages/book-groups 1mo
CarolynM Yes, I admired Susan too, but I could see how easily she would be misunderstood. Great review. 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Cathythoughts Great review! The characters were so well written. I‘d love to go to Persephones Book Group for that discussion …… Dream on 😆 1mo
LeahBergen What a great review and I‘m so glad we read it together, too! I‘ve bought so many Persephone books over the years but always avoided this one. 😬 I‘m with you, @Cathythoughts … I‘d love to go to that book group, too! 1mo
jlhammar Fantastic review! I felt the same. 4w
37 likes6 comments
review
Caryl
Boys Weekend | Mattie Lubchansky
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I‘m looking forward to reading more about this one in the Tournament of Books. I had a hard time with it, as I was so upset by Sammie‘s college “friends.” I think that‘s part of the point. Plus, capitalism is painful, too. The ending was a relief. Go, Sammie!

29 likes1 stack add
review
Caryl
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Pickpick

Ever wonder why the Mona Lisa is so famous? Sure, it‘s a rare painting by Leonardo da Vinci, but its theft in 1911 brought it directly into the public eye and imagination. Nicholas Day alternates between the story of its unbelievable heist and the life of its incredible artist. I was especially impressed with how Day made connections to issues relevant then and now: conspiracy theories, myth vs. truth, and the importance of critical thinking.

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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my February #BookSpinBINGO list. I liked the approach I took in January, so I‘m doing it this way again. (I already have titles selected for most of the categories, however!)

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
20 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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My January #BookSpinBINGO board is pretty full. But no BINGOs! 😂 I did read both my #BookSpin (Hello Beautiful) and #DoubleSpin (Brooklyn) picks, and enjoyed them both.

I‘m counting chapters/stories for the Shirley Jackson & Alice Munro books; I‘m doing them with two different friends as a deep-dive/study. I‘m also counting each chapter I complete of The Artist‘s Way.

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!!! 2mo
23 likes1 comment
review
Caryl
Lady Susan | Jane Austen
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What a pleasure it was to spend time with Jane Austen again! Lady Susan is a fantastic character; I sort of wish Austen had revisited this one again, once she had more experience writing novels. However, its silliness is charming. I finally watched the Whit Stillman film (because book-before-movie), and I think he got the tone just right. So funny! I highly recommend it. #AuthorAMonth

Caryl @Eyelit - I think you planned to read this one, too. I hope you enjoy/ed it as much as I did! 2mo
Eyelit I did - it was like a little confection of a novella 😃 2mo
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Caryl
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Pickpick

I‘ve been looking forward to this one, and it‘s finally out! A beautiful story and a great collaboration. I adore Gene Luen Yang‘s work, but I think this is my first LeUyen Pham. (I should read Real Friends next!) Bought this as a gift, but read it before giving it. (That way I can discuss it with the giftee! 😉)

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Caryl
Readathon: Occasional List : Geleentheidslys | Gauteng (South Africa). Education Media Service
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I‘m a couple of days late with my #JoyousJanuary wrap-up, but look! I made a thing! And I read a lot! I completed four books (1 novel, 1 middle grade nonfiction, 2 graphic novels) and started three more. (I actually finished Lady Susan, but now I want to also read The Watsons and Sanditon, likely over the next couple of months.) Reviews coming soon. Thank you, @Andrew65 !

Ruthiella Nice work! 👏👏👏 2mo
22 likes1 comment
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Caryl
Brooklyn | Colm Toibin
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I really enjoyed this quiet book about leaving your home and family as a young adult, through little choice of your own, and coming of age in an unfamiliar community. The small details made the time & place feel beautifully clear. Tóibín‘s writing has a gentleness and subtlety I loved, and that felt just right for this story.

This was my #DoubleSpin pick for January. #BookSpinBINGO

lynneamch Absolutely loved this book! The movie was good with great acting and accents, but I didn't like what they did with the ending. As always, read the book first! 2mo
Caryl @lynneamch I‘ve never seen the film— I plan to watch it soon! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
30 likes3 comments
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Caryl
Brooklyn | Colm Toibin
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Here is my book stack for the #JoyousJanuary readathon. I hope to finish the tagged book tonight and then finish at least three of the others this week.

Ruthiella I‘m eying that Shirley Jackson bio too! 2mo
Caryl @Ruthiella - It‘s really good! A friend & I are reading it together and discussing. We like reading it slowly and savoring the details as we read Jackson‘s other work, too. 2mo
Andrew65 Hope it‘s gone well. 😁 2mo
Caryl Thank you, @Andrew65 ! I‘m getting there… glad we have one more day! 2mo
37 likes4 comments
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Caryl
Huda F Are You? | Huda Fahmy
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Who is Huda (the author)? She is funny and wise and a great comic artist and a Muslim and an American. I adored her graphic novels! More Huda please, dear Huda. 😊

32 likes1 stack add
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Caryl
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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My mom read this one before I did, and she loved it. I always trust her opinion. However, she didn‘t warn me that I would cry so soon into the story! 😉Napolitano created beautiful, flawed, vulnerable, and strong characters that felt real to me. I was rooting for them all, all the way through. This is one of the #LitsyToB24 picks. 💖

BarbaraBB I loved this book too 🤍 2mo
Megabooks Fantastic review! Agree! 2mo
35 likes2 comments
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Caryl
Door of No Return | Kwame Alexander
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Visited a library book sale this week, and picked up a book that‘s been on my TBR list (tagged), and a favorite to put in a Little Free Library (The Days of Rondo).

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Caryl
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A friend and I are reading these Alice Munro stories, one at a time, getting together to discuss each one. 💖 We just finished “The Progress of Love.”

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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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This week, I put together my shelf of #BookSpinBINGO possibilities. So many great choices for January! Since I went with a more flexible list this time, these are subject to change, but for now, I‘m planning on Hello Beautiful for my #BookSpin pick and Brooklyn for my #DoubleSpin pick.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
31 likes1 comment
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Caryl
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Pickpick

The newest Enola Holmes mystery was my last read of 2023. What a great way to end the year! Oh, how I love Enola. 💖

review
Caryl
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie
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I missed Hastings, but Poirot (and Christie) made up for his absence. What a great mystery novel. (Tip: Don‘t read Louise Penny‘s introduction in this edition until you finish the book!)

batsy Does she spoil the plot in the intro? Publishers should append a spoilery intro as an afterword. 3mo
Caryl @batsy - Yes? and Yes! ITA that publishers should move this content to the back. This was a library book, so I can't double-check, but I believe there was enough to give it away, at least to a modern, astute mystery reader. There is also a forward by Christie's great grandson that is best avoided. I dislike even mild hints, so I'm extra-sensitive to this. Fortunately, I've made it a habit to avoid most front matter until I've finished the book! 2mo
batsy @Caryl I've learned the hard way to avoid it until I finish the book, too. If it's for a classic, I don't mind (most of the time the general plot is already known) but for mysteries especially publishers should do better! 2mo
28 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I‘m ready for 2024 with my first #BookSpinBINGO list! I decided to try a new approach; most of these are categories, to give me a little more flexibility in my selections for the month. Looking forward to trying this out for January!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3mo
23 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my #BookSpinBINGO board for December. I actually got a BINGO this month! Lots of short reads, which helped.

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Fantastic month!!! 3mo
21 likes1 comment
review
Caryl
How to Eat | Thich Nhat Hanh
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Recently discovered this lovely little series of books. Might read one each month.

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Caryl
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I can‘t stop thinking about this one. The story! The art! The insights in the Author‘s Note! I absolutely loved it. ❤️

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Caryl
Alebrijes | Donna Barba Higuera
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I loved Donna Barba Higuera‘s Newbery Medal winning The Last Cuentista. Alebrijes is her newest book, and like Cuentista, it showcases both her fantastic imagination and her understanding of humanity. It‘s dark, and it takes awhile to settle into its story, but by the halfway point, I was all in.

25 likes1 stack add
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Caryl
Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching (Revised) | Lao-Tzu, Ursula K Le Guin, Laozi
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I tried reading the Tao Te Ching years ago, but didn‘t get far. I don‘t remember what inspired me to give it a try again — I saw it mentioned somewhere recently — but I am so glad I came across Ursula K. LeGuin‘s version of it at my library. Her approach worked really well for me. She examined many translations, then decided on the words/meanings/interpretations that worked best for her. (cont‘d below)

Caryl Her notes were just as fascinating as the text itself, and helped me engage with its complex ideas. 3mo
24 likes1 comment
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Caryl
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Pickpick

I adored this book. (Hey, Kiddo is amazing as well.) JJK is a sweetheart — a wonderful storyteller, artist, and human being. 💖

This was my December #DoubleSpin pick for #BookSpinBINGO.

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3mo
21 likes1 comment
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Caryl
Time After Time (Best Wishes #3) | Sarah Mlynowski, Christina Soontornvat
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I attended Christina Soontornvat‘s author visit recently at a local bookstore. She was in conversation with Anne Ursu, and they were wonderful. 💞She was on tour for this one, so I picked it up as a gift — and it was my #BookSpin pick for December. Great idea for a series written by multiple authors. A sweet early-to-middle grade read. #BookSpinBINGO

Caryl I loved her books The Last Mapmaker and most recently The Tryout, and All Thirteen & A Wish in the Dark have been on my TBR shelf for awhile. (edited) 3mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3mo
16 likes2 comments
review
Caryl
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Pickpick

This is a such a fantastic little book. I neglected to take a photo of its magnificent 🍰 cover before returning it to the library, but I did snap a shot of the page with the line that made me laugh out loud (blurred further down the page, so as not to spoil the joy), so I could share it with the friend who recommended this gem to me. 💖

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Caryl
Binti | Nnedi Okorafor
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Binti and her worlds captivated me! Although I am not a big science fiction reader, I plan to read the rest of the trilogy. Thank you for inspiring me to pick this up through the #AuthorAMonth challenge, @Soubhiville !

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Caryl
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Mehso-so

My sister and I have seen all of the Hunger Games movies together. This time, I saw the movie first, then read the book. (Sis lent me her copy.) The style was different—less momentum to the story—and I felt it needed some editing. The changes for the film version worked well. I loved Lucy Gray and her music. 💖

28 likes1 stack add
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Caryl
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Earlier this year, I decided I wanted to read all of the Poirot mysteries. I found this list on the Agatha Christie website; as you can see, I‘ve made a good start! Eventually, I‘d like to watch the TV show again. David Suchet‘s portrayal is *exactement* how I imagine the little detective. 💖

Ruthiella For me too, Suchet IS Poirot. 👍 3mo
Caryl @Ruthiella - Yes! 💖 I feel like Suchet must have thoroughly studied Christie‘s descriptions so that he could be as faithful as possible to the character. I‘ve been meaning to look for an interview with him about playing the role of Poirot. 3mo
Librarybelle That‘s a great plan! 3mo
28 likes3 comments
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Caryl
The Littlest Voyageur | Margi Preus
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This was a sweet little tale, an early chapter book by Minnesota author Margi Preus. We have a voyageur from Montreal in our family history, so it was interesting to read from that perspective. (I‘m hoping he was like Jean Gentille, the book lover in this story!)

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Caryl
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I had the good fortune to hear Ed Yong speak last week. He says, “All of my work is about curiosity and empathy. It‘s about trying to take the perspective of lives that are very different from ours on the grounds that those lives are worth understanding and knowing, and that our lives are richer for making the effort.” His work is a generous, wonderful gift to us all. (Photo credit: Friends of the Hennepin County Library.)

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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my bookshelf with my December #BookSpinBINGO picks all ready for me to read. 🥰

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!!! 4mo
22 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Last-minute December #BookSpinBINGO list. 📚🥳

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4mo
14 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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My November #BookSpinBINGO board. Not bad for National Novel Writing Month. (I also wrote over 50,000 words this November!)

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fabulous month!!! And great progress on your writing, too!! 4mo
13 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my November #BookSpinBINGO shelf. 📚❤️

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4mo
16 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I forgot to post my October #BookSpinBINGO shelf! I read ten of them — not a bad reading month!

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic progress!! 4mo
16 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Ready with my November #BookSpinBINGO list.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 5mo
12 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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My October #BookSpinBINGO board.

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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Finished up my October #BookSpinBINGO list last night after book club, but then forgot to post a photo! Here it is. (Next: Checking out the post with the #BookSpin & #DoubleSpin numbers!)

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 6mo
14 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my September #BookSpinBINGO board with all the titles I read this last month — including a previous #DoubleSpin pick. 📚💕

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!! 6mo
14 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s a photo of my September #BookSpinBINGO bookshelf.

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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I‘m working on my #BookSpinBINGO lists, and realized I never posted a photo of my completed August board. It was a good reading month.

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fabulous progress!! 6mo
16 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s my September #BookSpinBINGO list!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 7mo
15 likes1 comment
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Caryl
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Here‘s the bookshelf view of my August #BookSpinBINGO titles. #BookSpin pick is The War that Saved My Life (a reread before reading the sequel); #DoubleSpin pick is A Scatter of Light (my book club‘s choice for this month).

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Enjoy!!! 7mo
23 likes1 comment
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Caryl
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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August is here! And my #BookSpinBINGO list is ready. 📚🥰🎉