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Chelsea.Poole

Chelsea.Poole

Joined December 2016

Librarian📚 Audiobook at all times. Nature writing, essays, memoirs, literary fiction are my favorite genres 🌻
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Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
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Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

Berry uses the stories of wolves released and tracked in Oregon, along with fairy tales, and other wolf lore to compare with her own lived experiences with fear, community, family, belonging, and much more. She also may be trying to make a broader point about human nature and wolves but I think it got lost in these anecdotes. I love wolves but many of the stories weren‘t new to me and the book was too long and meandering without making a point.

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Chelsea.Poole
Piglet | Lottie Hazell
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Pickpick

Piglet, actually called that throughout the whole novel, has it all. We meet her in the grocery store picking out gourmet food items to create a lovely dinner for her friends. The friends remark about how Piglet can manage it all so effortlessly with her fiancé, job, and household. This is her driving force: the need to be admired and portrayed as having it all, until her fiancé ruins it! Wedding fallout ensues. Point made, good not great.

Cathythoughts Great review. I‘ll try it 👍🏻 9h
73 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Perfect St Patrick‘s Day reading: three generations of an Irish family share a connection but are largely absent from each other. There‘s famous poet Phil, the patriarch who leaves his family, his stalwart daughter Carmel, and her daughter Nell, a twenty-something trying to find herself. Nell feels a deep connection with her grandfather and his work. I started the audio but connected much easier on the page and ended up loving this.

willaful Huh, I hadn't thought about it but my book today is also perfect. 24h
90 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Wow, what a terrific but terrifying read. This are hot and only getting hotter. Yes the heat will kill humans but of course those on the fringes first. It‘s also going to ruin our systems, notably our food supply. The global south will suffer first, and of course sea waters are rising and wildfires are happening much more often. Can we change in time? Will we? I‘m sad, but this is a great book.

Leftcoastzen Between May & September 2023, 645 people died in Maricopa county, Az. Arizona‘s most populous, home to Phoenix. While many were homeless, some people often seniors had no or less effective Air Conditioning. Heat so serious here the power companies are not allowed to turn your power off in the summer from lack of payment. Heat kills the most people, the headlines seem to go to other extreme weather events. 3d
82 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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It‘s Friday and these are the books I brought home with me #libraryhaul 📚
The bottom two because I watched a YouTube video about the Carol Shields long list. I cannot be stopped 🤦‍♀️

AnnCrystal A Council of Dolls 👏🤩👍. I've read that it is a powerful story! 3d
Hooked_on_books The bottom 2 were also longlisted for the National Book Award for 2023. Both are good reads! 3d
sarahbarnes I haven‘t even HEARD of that list! Now I must look into it. 3d
BarbaraBB Like @sarahbarnes I haven‘t heard of that list either (and I loved Carol Shields). I am forcing myself NOT to look it up 😂 3d
Donna1980 Loot is on my list too. Sounds brilliant. 3d
81 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Penance | Eliza Clark
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Mehso-so

I‘m surprised at my reaction to this book, as I had assumed it would be a great read for me. Perhaps it was the way it was told (a book within a book, with podcast excerpts or something like that😝). Or maybe Clark tried to stuff way too many “ripped from the headlines” cases into one story? Commentary on the true crime genre and how little victims matter, was the goal it seems. A shame because her debut Boy Parts was disturbing yet so convincing.

Bluebird That‘s a pity! The premise does sound good! 5d
Chelsea.Poole @Bluebird I didn‘t hate it, but definitely had higher hopes. Also, most other reviews are favorable so maybe it‘s just me! 4d
89 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
In Memoriam | Alice Winn
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Ellwood and Gaunt, two English prep school boys, tore my heart out again and again! They‘re 18 years old when The Great War takes them from school. The atrocities of the war are horrifying and recounted in this book with study of actual events. The two boys face the front together but suffer different challenges, wounds, and emotional pain. The utter loss of life is devastating and Winn handles it with care. Ultimately, a love story that I adored.

TheAromaofBooks Great review!!! 6d
BarbaraBB Looking forward to this one after your and @squirrelbrain ‘s review! 5d
squirrelbrain I think you‘ll love it @barbarabb - if that‘s the right word for a book that will break your heart.💔 5d
93 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
The Latecomer | Jean Hanff Korelitz
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Pickpick

The Latecomer is one of those #dysfunctionalfamily reads with few (maybe 2 out of the bunch) likable characters. I had the physical book, but mostly listened for Julia Whelan‘s expert narration on the audio which I recommend. A set of triplets (Brooklyn, Jewish, wealthy) grow up chaffing against each other until tragedy strikes and things take a turn right at the cusp of adulthood. The book switches gear and we get to know “the latecomer”. Pick!

Chelsea.Poole This was my March #roll100 pick @PuddleJumper 6d
JenReadsAlot This is an #auldlangspine pick on my list this year and I need to get to it! 6d
Chelsea.Poole @JenReadsAlot it‘s worthwhile, and entertaining read (listen!) if you get to it 😊 6d
See All 6 Comments
AmyG I liked the audio, too. 6d
youneverarrived I‘m all for dysfunctional family reads. Stacking! 4d
Megabooks I enjoyed this, too! 1d
85 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
In Memoriam | Alice Winn
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Reading between games ⚽️

Tragic! 😭
But so good! Nearly halfway and I‘m super invested.

92 likes1 stack add
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Chelsea.Poole
These Silent Woods: A Novel | Kimi Cunningham Grant
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Pickpick

A novel about sacrifice and risking everything for the ones you love. A remote Appalachian setting will always be a way to entice me to pick up a book, and this one delivered on that! However, the best part about this book is the ending.

Hooked_on_books A good ending is the best! Plus, I find this cover very enticing. 1w
CBee Yes! The ending had me tearing up and I even went back and read it again ♥️ 1w
BarbaraBB Such a great read. And that ending is 👌🏽🤎 1w
94 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

I‘m lukewarm on this memoir, which in theory should have worked really well for me. I found the audiobook lacking and rather rambling. Martin‘s California home is in danger of being destroyed by the ever increasing wildfires. There‘s much about her pain but mostly centers on fires, including prescribed burns, which was interesting. I also liked the parts about her garden. However, these topics lacked organization and it felt like random thoughts.

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Chelsea.Poole
The Postcard | Anne Berest
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Pickpick

Quite simply the best WWII novel I‘ve read. This book is compelling and emotional while firmly rooted in the place and time it is set, both in occupied France and the present-day narrative. I loved the way the author handled the generational impact of the trauma suffered by the Jewish community both as a result of the Holocaust and how antisemitism continues to this day.
#europacollective.

BarbaraBB Great review. I think I agree about it being the best WWII book. One of the best without a doubt. 2w
jlhammar Yes, so compelling! Especially so given that it is autobiographical, what Berest calls “a true novel.” I also love that Noémie‘s photo is the book cover. Wonderful review. 2w
tpixie @Chelsea.Poole great review! I agree this is World War II book. It also shows how relevant and current this is with the descendants of Jewish victims & generational trauma. 1w
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Chelsea.Poole
The Postcard | Anne Berest
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I cannot put this book down! Life keeps getting in the way of my reading! We are waiting for our food to come at the Thai restaurant and I‘m sneaking in a few sentences. 🤫 My family is not impressed 😝 #europacollective

jlhammar Same here about life getting in the way! All I want to do is read this book. And yum to Thai food! 2w
tpixie Yum Thai!! our families need to understand sometimes books come first! 😀 1w
83 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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I haven‘t posted a #libraryhaul for a few weeks.
300 piece puzzle
2 books for my kids
A science-y book
1 for #eurpoaeditions
2 potential #WomensPrize (?)
1 for trip ideas
1 cookbook

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Chelsea.Poole
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BarbaraBB I loved These Silent Woods, The Postcard and This Must be the Place. Looking forward to Penance and In Memoriam which are on my TBR too! 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2w
66 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
February | June Makle
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February #bookspinbingo — 6 bingos!
I had a great reading month and hope to get to the 4 I missed next month.

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fabulous month!! 2w
Gissy Wow 📚📚📚🤩👏👏👏 2w
60 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Pickpick

I‘m such a fan of Dolly Alderton! Though this is not usually my type of read, I jumped on the huge hold list for the audio because I knew there‘d be quality dialog and great characters and I was right! Nothing out of the ordinary, it‘s a story of a relationship and the aftermath. The surprising part is that it‘s mostly from the man‘s point of view. Excellent commentary about being “on the wrong side of 35”! Expert narration to boot!

AmyG I just started reading this one. 3w
squirrelbrain I enjoyed this one too! 3w
BarbaraBB I liked other books by her. Stacking! 3w
76 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

Such an interesting concept: a rental person who will walk with you, text you to remind you to go to the gym, or comment on a photo of your dog, but no real “services” are rendered. Morimoto‘s twitter account took off and part of the thrill was to be featured in his tweets, which are described in this audio.
I think a younger me would have appreciated this more. The memoir itself doesn‘t dig deep enough, tells without showing.

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Chelsea.Poole
Evil Eye | Etaf Rum
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Mehso-so

Another one I had such higher hopes for after loving the debut novel A Woman is No Man.
In some ways this was great because the MC was going through a terrible time with anxiety and depression which I felt was done well but it‘s not fun to spend an entire novel in the head of a person suffering so much. Was it intentionally miserable? Also, the sections with connection to the past was too thin, though I did like the ending.

batsy I found it a so-so read, too. Maybe my expectations were too high. It just felt drawn out and tedious in places. 3w
Megabooks Yes, this was a real #sophomoreslump! 1d
72 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Come and Get It | Kiley Reid
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Mehso-so

Disappointing after Reid‘s first novel Such a Fun Age. This one is set in a college dorm, with an RA, bratty undergrads, and a journalist/visiting professor. All parties engage with each other and morally ambiguous shenanigans ensue. Mostly a commentary on class, wealth, status, and who‘s taking advantage of whom. I wasn‘t over the moon for it but it wasn‘t terrible either. Great audio narration though!

Lcsmcat Are you trying to frighten your houseplants with that book stacked so near them? 😂 3w
71 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
The Postcard | Anne Berest
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New book, new place for soccer practice ⚽️
Starting this one for #europaeditions

BarbaraBB I hope you‘ll love it! 3w
jlhammar Yay! I‘m only five chapters in. Loving it so far. 2w
Chelsea.Poole @jlhammar I‘m not very far into it ether. I also just started chapter 5…I had to reread a bit just to get familiar with the characters. I fear it‘ll be a sad read! (edited) 2w
74 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Behold the Dreamers | Imbolo Mbue
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Pickpick

Cameroonian couple Neni and Jende immigrate to America, NYC, to provide a better life for themselves and their families. Jende comes first and works hard to bring Neni, who follows with their young son. Jende soon gets a job he‘s proud of, driving for Clark Edwards, big wig at Lehman Brothers. Neni begins school, and both work hard for the American dream though setback after setback disillusions the couple, exacerbated with the financial crisis.

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Chelsea.Poole
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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Pickpick

Greta & Valdin are a sister and brother pair, 20-somethings, sharing an apartment in New Zealand. They‘re biracial, they‘re anxious, navigating their love lives and they care deeply for each other and their family. A large cast of family members feature prominently, each with their own backstory and ongoing drama. I don‘t know how to describe this book well enough to do it justice, other than to say I loved this endearing and quirky family.

squirrelbrain Such a fab book! 3w
willaful Love the mug! 3w
Megabooks I am listening to the audiobook now and loving it! 3w
TheKidUpstairs Great review. Every time I try to describe this book to someone, I feel like I can't do it justice. 2w
CarolynM ❤️ 1w
95 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Behold the Dreamers | Imbolo Mbue
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What does a librarian do with a day off in the next county over? Find a quiet corner in a familiar (though not one where employed) library and read undisturbed!

This one is for book club on Monday and I‘m pleasantly surprised by how invested I am already.

ErikasMindfulShelf Great book! 3w
BkClubCare Sweet 3w
84 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Nothing in this memoir from Hugh Hefner‘s 3rd wife surprised me but I loved that she found her own voice and had the courage to speak about her feelings and experiences in the Playboy mansion. Hef comes off as a total narcissist though she did feel love for him in some ways. Dr. Phil‘s family seems pretty yucky too, according to this!
Crystal‘s voice felt authentic though sad as she‘s deeply affected by two deaths earlier in her life.

Megabooks Oh yeah. Dr. Phil is really bizarre! 1d
82 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Such a difficult read! I cannot believe the widespread and widely accepted state sanctioned killings that occurred in the Philippines during Rodrigo Duterte‘s era. He threatened to take care of the drug problem in his country if he would be elected by any means necessary. Evangelista‘s amazing reporting shows just how far he went and how dangerous and destructive his actions were. The book is full of heartbreaking and personal stories of murders.

TheKidUpstairs I'm on hold for this one! I told myself I wasn't going to try and read the #WomensPrizeNonfiction long list, but then they all sound so good! 3w
92 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Curtis Chin‘s family owned a Chinese restaurant in Detroit where he grew up along with his 5 siblings. He recalls his childhood in the kitchen and working alongside his family in the restaurant with some mouth-watering food descriptions. Chin touches on his political leanings and the section about his college life focuses more heavily on his sexuality which he hides from his family for some time. I appreciated the audiobook narrated by the author.

Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks —this is a different perspective, nothing too heartbreaking and entertaining. A good option to borrow, if you‘re interested! 3w
TheBookHippie I liked this one. I read the ARC. 3w
LeahBergen This sounds good! 3w
See All 9 Comments
Megabooks I don‘t think my library got this, but I will check! Just checked out this culinary/family memoir today. Plus I‘m rereading Bourdain. lol! Lots of food! 3w
Chelsea.Poole Forgot to add @TheAromaofBooks this is my #bookspin for February 3w
Chelsea.Poole @TheBookHippie @LeahBergen I liked it! The tone is upbeat which isn‘t always the case with memoirs so it was refreshing! 3w
Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks I LOVE food so food + memoirs = even better! Lol. Let me know about Slow Noodles! 3w
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3w
kwmg40 Stacked. My parents also owned a Chinese restaurant in the 70's and 80's! 3w
89 likes8 stack adds9 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

I‘m the exact audience for this book and it absolutely spoke to me! My mom gave my American Girl doll (Kirsten!) when I was about 8 years old for Christmas. I have such fond memories of her and this book brought to mind much of my 90s childhood, such as the series of books and accessories that went along with the dolls. This is authored by two “Molly”s who host a podcast about AG and share personal stories along with facts about this fandom.

Jess Globes! Beautiful. 3w
85 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

This collection of genre-bending short stories started off with a bang! I loved “The Husband Stitch” but was then disappointed by all the law & order mini episode descriptions. Others were less memorable, but engaging while I read them. So it was uneven for me but I did appreciate the focus on the ways women‘s bodies are commodified, possessed, and mistreated. I am giving this a pick because I‘m not sure I‘ll forget about that ribbon!

sarahbarnes Yes, that ribbon! I liked some of these stories better than others, too, but this collection made me a fan of Machado for life. 1mo
DimeryRene I was also not into the SVU story. 🫣 I thought it was way too long. 4w
94 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

I‘m back in my Harry Potter era thanks to my kids! I haven‘t kept up with the fandom or the actors so I was happy to listen to the audio edition of Tom Felton‘s memoir. (Tom plays Draco Malfoy in all the HP films)
I loved the behind the scenes info about being on set, meeting the kids playing the other characters, and the casting info. He touches on the family dynamics of growing up as one of 4 brothers. A bit surprising where he‘s ended up.

LinesUponAPage He's such a creative person. I've enjoyed following along on his Instagram over the years. 1mo
89 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
Begin Again | Oliver Jeffers
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I adore Oliver Jeffers‘ picture books for children so I jumped on this adult project, which is essentially just like his children‘s books. The best part about the book is the essay at the end (which is what actual makes this a work for adults) about human connection which Jeffers urges us to use to come together to overcome racism, climate change and overall hate. I liked the message and the images were lovely but found it a bit lacking.

77 likes1 stack add
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

🎶 All about that moss ‘bout that moss! 🎶
Everyone I told about this book made a face 😂
It is all about moss, but also about our connection to the natural world, which I‘m always here for. If you liked Braiding Sweetgrass, you‘ll like this one! I especially appreciated the story of the super wealthy landowner who hired Kimmerer to help establish mosses to make his golf course look old. Turns out, money actually can buy just about anything.

Clare-Dragonfly People don‘t like moss?! Their loss, I suppose! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole One of my Feb #roll100 picks @PuddleJumper 1mo
mandarchy This is one of my all time favorite books. I think I liked it so much because I couldn't believe it was about moss. I started a moss garden. Got married. Husband killed all the moss. Divorced. He's lucky to be alive. Growing moss again 3w
Chelsea.Poole @mandarchy what 😱 sounds like you need to write your own moss memoir. I have so many questions for you. But I‘ll settle on: do you make moss milkshakes? 3w
110 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Reminiscent of The Cold Vanish which I was a fan of..I‘m always intrigued by the mysteries involving those who‘ve vanished in the wilderness. Trail of the Lost is the story of the author‘s experience assisting with the searches of 3 missing hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. Each missing hiker was a young man who disappeared around 2016. Family members searching become main characters. Don‘t read for a neat conclusion but for the search.

OutsmartYourShelf I find this subject fascinating too. 1mo
86 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
Martyr!: A novel | Kaveh Akbar
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Pickpick

I started this ebook from NetGalley a bit ago and it absolutely grabbed me! I finished all other books to focus solely on this because it deserves to have a reader‘s full attention. This book is bizarre, sad, triumphant…about death, love, loss, art, family, identity, nationality and ultimately finding one‘s purpose. I laughed and I had tears in my eyes from one moment to the next. Cyrus will remain with me for some time, as will his musings.

Megabooks Okay. I was on the fence but I‘ll try it! 1d
96 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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SO EXCITED the #womensprize is doing a nonfiction book beginning this year! The longlist was announced today and I‘ve read 2, already had 1 checked out, 2 were on my tbr and the rest seem pretty interesting too!
Anyone else going to read these? I haven‘t seen any posts so far, but also haven‘t scrolled through. How about a tag? #WPNF24

vlwelser I did not care for this. And I didn't realize it was new. I'm probably going to dip into some of the others. 1mo
Amor4Libros I‘ve only read and loved 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I have only read one, these list always make me feel so Unread! Some of these sound super interesting, some not so much, I think I am going to tackle a couple while we wait for the Fiction list on the 5th! I read and loved 1mo
See All 18 Comments
Chelsea.Poole @vlwelser I believe it came out in the US in 2021, so it must have been published in the U.K. within the time frame to be eligible. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Amor4Libros I‘m really looking forward to that one!! Glad to hear you loved it. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @ChaoticMissAdventures that‘s one of the two I‘ve finished too. Thought provoking! 1mo
Hooked_on_books I‘ve read 4: All That She Carried, Eve, Some People Need Killing, and The Dictionary People. All are very good! I‘ll probably end up reading most (but not all) of them, but I‘m not going to try to do so on any timeline. I have put the ones available to me either on my library audio holds list or tagged them on Everand. There‘s some interesting looking books here! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Hooked_on_books yes there are some interesting looking titles! I‘m about to start 1mo
Graywacke I don‘t know that i can read any, but i love the list. I‘m fascinated and _want_ to read them all. I might try to sneak one or two in. 1mo
youneverarrived I love that they‘ve started doing this prize! I almost bought Eve the other week so definitely want to read that and Doppelgänger is on my tbr. I read Matrescence recently and rated it five stars ? 1mo
Librarybelle I‘ve been eyeing the list…I love that there is now a nonfiction. I‘ve placed a few on hold from the library, but selection is limited. I‘m going to check ebook options through my library‘s digital platform, but I‘m going to read what I can! I actually own a copy of Young Queens, and I have not started it yet, so this might be my big push to start it sooner than later! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Graywacke @Librarybelle I‘m in the US and there are several that haven‘t been published yet here. When they are I‘ll give them a try! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @youneverarrived I‘m interested in Matrescence but it‘s not available here yet. It‘s one I‘m interested in, so I‘ll look for it when it is available! 1mo
TheKidUpstairs I put a bunch on hold yesterday, I'm planning on dipping in and out of the list when I can! 1mo
Librarybelle Ah! That‘s why I couldn‘t find all of them. Makes perfect sense now! 😂 1mo
Graywacke @Chelsea.Poole Twelve are available now. Four have later US release dates: Intervals by Marianne Brooker-Feb 28 (?); Code Dependent : Living in the Shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia-june 18; Vulture Capitalism : Corporate Crime, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom by Grace Blakeley-March 12; The Britannias : An Island Quest by Alice Albinia-feb 27 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Graywacke thanks for the info! I should have clarified that many aren‘t available on library platforms I have access to at this time, a few due to later publication dates. Others I‘m not sure…maybe later release dates for audio versions etc. 1mo
Graywacke @Chelsea.Poole i didn‘t check library‘s, but i did check audio. 😁 Release dates are the same, but four don‘t have audio options on audible (2 are future US releases): Intervals, Shadows at Noon, A Flat Place, The Britannias. (edited) 1mo
74 likes18 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Eddie Ndopu is an accomplished South African with a great sense of humor and style. His memoir was written using his ONE finger he had control of! His determination is amazing and shown through his trials at Oxford University, where he was denied basic care needs and responsible for fund raising for those expenses. I loved his narration and learning about ableism, however, I would have liked a bit more of his backstory.

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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

What a great read! I had already written “compelling” for this review when I noticed Ruth Ware used the same word on the cover. I won‘t say much about plot or characters, as I think it‘s best to go in knowing little. But I will say this is for fans of Room, The Quiet Tennant, and Elinor Oliphant. I loved it!

Megabooks Stacking! 1mo
Leniverse I have this in my stack of library books that I'm trying to clear. 😅 Unfortunately I had a rush of holds come in that couldn't be renewed so Sally got shuffled to the bottom of the pile. 1mo
93 likes5 stack adds2 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
The House of Doors | Tan Twan Eng
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Pickpick

I thought this was great! Historical fiction: 1920s, unhappy wife stuck in a passionless marriage befriends playwright and novelist W Somerset Maugham who travels with his “secretary” [read: lover] to her adopted home of Penang. She tells him stories from her life he eventually uses in his fiction. These side stories are explored intriguingly and without losing the central story. Colonialism is a theme and the setting is amazing.

TheKidUpstairs Loved this one. The atmosphere is palpable. Beautifully rendered setting and a compelling story. 1mo
DocBrown Are those plants real? How do you keep them so lush? Mine are always on the verge of dying 😂 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @DocBrown I never water them…that‘s the secret 😆 1mo
DocBrown @Chelsea.Poole Boy that does nothing for my plants!! 😂 1mo
88 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
An Untamed State | Roxane Gay
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Weekly #libraryhaul seems to happen every Friday. This one features 4 titles in danger of being weeded. So I adopted them.

Deblovestoread Untamed State imprinted me for life. 1mo
BarbaraBB I enjoyed at least three of these. Great haul! 1mo
98 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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This was NOT a part of my reading plan for February but I innocently opened it and I‘m hooked!
Also, that glorious sun—I‘m so so happy to see it! 🌞

Suet624 I love how many of us are finally experiencing the sun! 1mo
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian I'm reading this right now too and I agree, it's very hard to put down! 1mo
Megabooks Oooo!! Can‘t wait for your review! Tag me please!! 1mo
CarolynM It‘s great, isn‘t it? Enjoy! 1mo
willaful @Suet624 I got just an hour or two today, but much better than nothing! 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
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Thanks for a great #auldlangspine list, @IndoorDame !! I read 5 (marked with 🔔) in January and I loved each! I think my favorite is Foster by Claire Keegan, so much so that I can see adding it to my list for 2025. I plan to get around to several others on the list throughout the year, namely Fingersmith. Thanks for a great match @monalyisha ♥️

IndoorDame I‘m glad you had a good reading month! loved your list too!! In addition to the 2 I read in January, I just finished The Vaster Wilds today, and am currently listening to The Only Plane In The Sky and am also planning on reading at least What an Owl Knows and North Woods at some point this year. 1mo
vivastory What a wonderful list! 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
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My bff is a total Swiftie (as am I) and she‘s constantly making Taylor-inspired friendship bracelets. “Dear Reader” is a song on her Midnights album and so I have a very fitting dear reader bracelet. I glanced down this morning and caught it peeking out of my sweater as I was reading. I thought Litsy would appreciate it ♥️

AmyG LOVE IT! 1mo
Clare-Dragonfly Is this a Taylor Swift thing? 😂 My friends made me a bunch of beaded bracelets to cheer me up as I fight cancer. 1mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love it! 😍 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole @Clare-Dragonfly I‘m so so sorry to hear you‘re going through a battle. Sounds like you have some sweet friends to support you. 🫶Wishing you all the best. It may not be a Taylor Swift thing all the time, but these types of bracelets are blowing up right now thanks to her influence. 1mo
Reggie I know horror isn‘t your thing but there is this podcast called Books in the Freezer podcast and she did an episode where her and this guest did readalikes based on Taylor Swift songs and it tickled me how much they used actual lyrics to come up with horror books. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Reggie yeah, no horror for me. But now I‘m intrigued! There‘s also a huge trend in the romance genre (also not for me!) using her lyrics as titles here‘s one 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
Erasure: A Novel | Percival Everett
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Pickpick

Oh wow, I‘ve got to read more by Percival Everett! I picked this audio up because I kept seeing references to the new film adaptation from the novel titled “American Fiction”. Thelonius, “Monk” is a published author, professor and all around academic. He thinks highly of his work but it has not taken off. He writes a “ghetto story”, which totally blows up. Add in an ailing mother and complicated family dynamics and we have a great read.

Suet624 Everett rarely disappoints. 1mo
Tamra I‘m looking forward to reading everything he has written! 1mo
Tea_and_Starstuff Reading this right now! Really enjoying the audio - though I'm in the middle of the “ghetto book“ right now and it is getting painfully long. I didn't expect them to actually show so much of it 1mo
Megabooks This was so good! Did you read Telephone yet? I still think about it! 1mo
SamAnne I have become such a fan of his! I have this on hold from the library—which ridiculously has only one e-book copy and nothing else! Loved The Trees and Telephone. Just got Dr. No from the library! 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

A great listen (audio format), but prepared to be disturbed.
This book is about surveillance, particularly by the US government and the fallout when those working in the intelligence sector become “whistleblowers”, focusing heavily on Reality Winner. There‘s also a significant dive into the US‘s use of torture techniques following 9/11 when the country had an “anything goes” mentality. (Still does?) Touches on QAnon and other conspiracies.

Suet624 Wow. I had no idea that‘s what this was about. 1mo
81 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
Wild Turkeys | Meryl Magby
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I always enjoy expanding my reading life with these lists, as many of these books I would never have picked up on my own. Thanks to the lovely hosts of the #LitsyToB24 for creating our own shortlist to read from the ToB official long list! I found some real gems in this bunch and also a few that didn‘t work for me, as is the usual case. Can‘t wait to discuss these in our upcoming tournament! 🦃

Bookwormjillk Congrats on finishing! 1mo
BarbaraBB Congratulations! We‘ll be sharing the voting form later this month! 1mo
Megabooks Fantastic!! Way to go!! Glad that you‘re joining us! 1mo
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Leniverse Wow, well done on reading them all already! Had you read any of them in advance? 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @leniverse — yes, I had already read 3 1mo
squirrelbrain Hooray! Can‘t wait to see what you vote for! 1mo
fredthemoose Wow! Congrats on getting them all in! I‘m about halfway through and need to kick it in gear this month! 1mo
AmyG Wow! 🙌🏻 1mo
Deblovestoread Well done! I‘m about half way through the list. 1mo
Kitta Wow! Can you link me to the shortlist? I‘m browsing through the posts and can‘t find it. 1mo
Suet624 Nice!!! 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Kitta I could post a blank version of this same graphic (without the check marks) for you if that would help…? 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @Kitta I found a post from @BarbaraBB with the list and which books will be up against each other here https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2680063 1mo
Kitta @Chelsea.Poole thank you!! 1mo
Hooked_on_books Nice job! I just have Julia left to go. I‘m looking forward to our tournament! 1mo
Caryl Wow!! Congrats on finishing them all! 1mo
76 likes16 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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January #bookspin reads were great and looking forward to these two February picks!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! Enjoy!! 1mo
61 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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A smaller #libraryhaul this week which includes a few #ARC and some books for my boys. Most excited about the tagged.

ChaoticMissAdventures I hope you enjoy Greta &Valdin! I loved it they are a fantastic family to spend time with. 1mo
TheKidUpstairs Super excited to read the tagged, look forward to your review! Also really looking forward to 1mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Evil Eye was really good! 1mo
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squirrelbrain Greta and Valdin is fab! 1mo
Megabooks Ooo…I‘m interested in Greta and Valdin! 1mo
Karons1 Silk - omg that is an amazing novella read it years ago and adored it ! 1mo
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review
Chelsea.Poole
Foster | Claire Keegan
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Pickpick

Foster was my final #auldlangspine read in January from @IndoorDame ‘s list. I definitely saved the best for last. I LOVED this novella. Keegan can do no wrong in my book. Her stories seem like grownup fairy tales without magic. I‘m amazed at Keegan‘s ability to create such atmosphere and character development in so few pages. A girl from a large family spends the summer with a childless couple, past traumas abound. Neglect and hints at abuse.

IndoorDame What a perfect description of her work! 1mo
BarbaraBB Fab review. I loved this one too. 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
Lovesick Blossoms | Julia Watts
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Pickpick

This forbidden sapphic love story is full of longing and obstacles. Set in a college town in the south, readers get to know two women whose husbands are colleagues at the University. I read this directly following “Same Bed” which was confusing and not my style at all, so I found the straightforward narrative such a relief. Also, the setting was well done and I could feel the repressive 1950s vibe throughout. And I‘ve finished the #LitsyTob24 🙌

cariashley Wow well done! 1mo
Hooked_on_books I just finished this one the other day and loved it. I think it‘s a beautiful story. 1mo
BarbaraBB Wow, that‘s awesome, finishing them all! I have two more to go: Julia and Happiness Falls. I am glad you enjoyed your ultimate one! 1mo
squirrelbrain Glad you liked it! And well done on finishing. I‘m just slogging my way through Same Bed, which is my last one. 1mo
Megabooks Glad you enjoyed this!! 1mo
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review
Chelsea.Poole
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Panpan

I didn‘t get it, I couldn‘t follow the bizarre fact-fiction mashup, and I was so happy when it was finally over. I listened on audio which I‘m sure isn‘t the best way to consume this but I‘d have never made it through the print either. During the majority of the book I just felt… not smart enough. Secret Korean government, book within a book, Friday the 13th….none of it was my jam. But I persevered for #LitsyToB24

BkClubCare Good effort 🏆 (tho, we are using 2024 , right?) (edited) 1mo
Chelsea.Poole lol! How have I regressed?? Changing now, thanks! @BkClubCare (edited) 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @BkClubCare did you read this? I tried but definitely not my style. 1mo
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monkeygirlsmama Such a shame as it has a very eye catching cover. 1mo
AmyG I bailed. I just couldn‘t. 1mo
BkClubCare @Chelsea.Poole - no, haven‘t had much luck (nor time?) to get my hands on it. I am thinking of bailing on All the Sinners Bleed - I can only handle warm and fuzzy these days. 1mo
Hooked_on_books This one wasn‘t what I had expected. I had high hopes based no the description and it turned out not to be what I wanted it to be. 1mo
BarbaraBB Echoing @Hooked_on_books , I was in for a weird read but this one was not what I wanted. 1mo
Megabooks Sorry this didn‘t work for you! 1mo
HOTPock3tt I‘m listening to the audiobook right now and feeling the same way!😵‍💫😖😶 (edited) 1mo
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