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Dolly

Dolly

Joined June 2016

My favorite books teach me, challenge me or make me stop and think
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Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
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A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
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Dolly
Love in the Big City | Sang Young Park
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Not sure my posts are of much interest seeing I can‘t review until after the BookTube Prize 1st round is complete at the end of March but here is my 2nd completed book out of 6.

#Booktube

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Dolly
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I‘ve finished this book assigned to me but because I‘ve agreed not to review it until this round of the BookTube Prize is done I will only make a neutral comment. This short novel takes many pages to get used to the writing style and some phrases are odd to Americans. Now on to the next assignment...

#Booktube

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Dolly
Unsettled Ground | Claire Fuller
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Panpan

Aggghhh! I wish I‘d never picked up this book. Time wasted. Writing ok but ordinary at best. Hackneyed Plot. Misery porn. This is probably not the author for me. Sooo many better books out there.

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Dolly
Terra Nullius: a novel | Claire G. Coleman
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I‘m sure I‘m going to enjoy this even at 1/4 way in. The writing style is unfamiliar and I‘m a little uncomfortable that there are some contradictions than have me stopping and restarting the images in my head or questioning my comprehension of the text. 🤷🏼‍♀️Am I the only one bothered by this? Still, I‘m enjoying this.

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Dolly
West with the Night | Beryl Markham
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One of my all time favorite books (autobiography) by a fabulously talented woman. Early Bird Books has this offered today! If you haven‘t read this you‘re missing out. Fascinating woman!

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Dolly
Burnt Sugar | Avni Doshi
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I just know this will be in the running for my best read this year. Every page has a phrase, a paragraph, or a description I want to highlight. Beautiful, beautiful writing!

A simple, hurriedly discovered line about her mother who is suspected of having Alzheimer‘s:

“Her head is still, but her thoughts run through the past few days in circles, the loop continuing to be unrecognizable with each pass”

BarbaraBB Glad you are enjoying it so much. I did too. 3y
36 likes1 comment
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Dolly
Butter Honey Pig Bread | Francesca Ekwuyasi
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Pickpick

Impressive debut novel! Loved the writing and the story line. One of my best books of this year.

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Dolly
Magpie Murders | Anthony Horowitz
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Mehso-so

After reading some great reviews I was disappointed in this. The copious name dropping of famous authors was off putting. I question the reasoning (or lack there of) behind the murders but hesitate to discuss not only for the fact it‘s a spoiler but my attention span was challenged during the read. Text supplemented audio version as change in narration was not clear when listening.

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Dolly
Wow, No Thank You | Samantha Irby
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Panpan

I‘m sure Irby has a loyal following but it‘s not me. Finished only to put it in my “done” column.

Kitta Just bailed on this one. It‘s not for me either. 2y
35 likes1 comment
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Dolly
Death in Her Hands | Ottessa Moshfegh
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Panpan

Monotonous. This was the second book by this author I really did not like at all. The other-My Year of Rest and Relaxation- I couldn‘t get through. Others may enjoy but I won‘t try another by the same writer. 🤷🏼‍♀️

TrishB I always give an author 2 goes! 3y
Dolly @TrishB For me it depends on why I didn‘t like the books. For Moshfegh I disliked both for the same reason, whereas an author like Joyce Carol Oats I will give her more leeway because her subject matter is much more varied. 3y
33 likes2 comments
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Dolly
The Weekend | Charlotte Wood
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Mehso-so

Read it. Wish I hadn‘t. The story in my head surpassed what was on the page. Juxtaposition of sentences was odd. Disappointed.

greenhairdontcare I just started this & am finding the sentences so odd! I thought it was me & my tired brain. 😂 3y
42 likes2 comments
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Dolly
Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell
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Pickpick

Possibly the best historical fiction I will read this year.

Excellent character and setting descriptions that held my interest from page one.
I wasn‘t impressed with
I Am, I Am, I Am but I will check out O‘Farrell‘s other works.

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Dolly
Three Women | Lisa Taddeo
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Panpan

Oh dear. The metaphors provoked guffaws. If you‘re into voyeuristic text however this may be for you. Wish I had those hours back.

squirrelbrain I hated this too - very cringeworthy 😬 3y
Megabooks Hated as well! 3y
Heideschrampf Yes, it frlt super voyeuristic to me too! 3y
BarbaraBB Echoing all of you! 3y
35 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Dolly
Hamnet | MAGGIE. O'FARRELL
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From page one this book grabbed me. Now one third through I am loving this book even more. It will be one of my LIFETIME favorites. ❤️

37 likes1 stack add
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Dolly
Gilead | Marilynne Robinson
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Mehso-so

I only finished this because I felt it would be unfair to review if I DNF‘d it. There was way too much religion here for me to see what others who liked this saw. I know of atheists who rated it highly so I will look into their reviews for a better understanding.

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Dolly
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Pickpick

Interesting when the reader gets to be a fly on the wall in someone‘s therapy sessions. The therapist‘s side of the sessions may be eye opening. An entertaining read and you just might learn something about yourself.

TheBookAddict Sounds interesting, I may have to find the audiobook. Thanks for sharing 🙂👍🏽. 4y
Dolly @TheBookAddict It‘s broken up into small chapters which I liked. Hope you enjoy it! 4y
TheBookAddict That sounds perfect for my current mood. Thanks, I hope so too. 🙂 4y
37 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Dolly
Nothing to See Here | Kevin Wilson
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Panpan

I didn‘t like this book. At. All. Without checking author‘s bio I would guess this was written by a teenager. Immaturity of all characters made me think the author wasn‘t in tune with adult behavior. It reminded me of the short stories I wrote in high school. It could‘ve been an interesting premise but the execution was deeply flawed.

Hooked_on_books I didn‘t dislike it as much as you did, but I was really underwhelmed by it. Such a great premise and it just fell flat for me. But everyone else seems to love it, so glad I‘m not alone! 4y
Dolly @Hooked_on_books yes! You are not alone here! Sometimes I wonder if I was in a no nonsense mood at the time - I was on my hands and knees scrubbing my kitchen floor 😆 🧽 4y
Prairiegirl_reading @Dolly @Hooked_on_books I agree with both of you. I thought it was just ok. I don‘t understand that raves this one gets. A great premise that fell flat is a perfect review I think. 4y
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JamieArc I loved it because I thought there were some incredibly sweet moments between the twins and main character, and sweet is exactly what I needed at the time. 4y
Dolly @JamieArc yes, there were those moments that surprised me a bit as I didn‘t expect the plot to go that way. 4y
ErikasMindfulShelf I‘m with @JamieArc I loved it! 4y
Dolly @irre 😊So glad you enjoyed this. 👍🏼 4y
35 likes7 comments
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Dolly
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Oh, the writing here is superb! I was grabbed right away and can‘t wait until I can pick it up each time.

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Dolly
Robin | Dave Itzkoff
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Pickpick

Some laugh out loud moments, many tragic, some surprising elements are in this bio of, IMO, a comic genius. His early life, marriages, personal and professional doubts, and death are detailed. I always worried about Williams cracking and breaking.

cathysaid I think Robin was to the comedic world what Anthony Bourdain was to the culinary world. Heartbreaking losses. 4y
Prairiegirl_reading @cathysaid definitely the two celebrity deaths I was most effected by. I still can‘t watch a Robin Williams movie. 4y
47 likes2 comments
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Dolly
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Mehso-so

This was just what I expected it would be but I didn‘t feel fascinated as I‘d hoped. Taubes goes into addictive substances quite deeply. Studies done, who paid for them, how our body reacts to sugar, and how studies have failed us and much more. For a curious mind - not the average reader.

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Dolly
Underland: A Deep Time Journey | Robert Macfarlane
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Pickpick

This subject matter is in my wheelhouse but the book fell a little short. Each foray into the underworld was a bit same-y. I was hoping for a wider view. I do appreciate the huge undertaking this book took to research, I‘m just a little more curious.

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Dolly
The Tin Man | Sarah Winman
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Pickpick

Sensitive and well written. I will read more of Winman.

Perhaps what I love most is the reasoning of the title and references throughout the book hidden in plain sight. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Reggie Sadie in the car with Michael after the wedding because she knew he would need someone...😭. 4y
Dolly @Reggie 👍 4y
47 likes2 comments
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Dolly
Unsheltered: A Novel | Barbara Kingsolver
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Mehso-so

Although this was sprinkled with some very nice turns of phrase this is not my favorite Kingsolver book. Dual storylines is problematic for me when I like one much more than the other and become impatient with the less liked story. Avoiding star ratings as mostly unhelpful I give this a 78 out of 100.

Hooked_on_books I liked both storylines in this one but I completely agree—it‘s so aggravating when you like one much more than the other. Dual storylines is always a risk. 4y
Dolly @Hooked_on_Books I just couldn‘t get into the Darwin storyline. I may‘ve missed some when gardening and lost the thread. I did learn some nature facts and, oh, those nasty Greek insults! On my! 😲 4y
39 likes2 comments
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Dolly
Braiding Sweetgrass | Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Pickpick

A beautiful look at reverent Native American values read by the calm lovely voice of the author. This book won‘t hold value to those who live fast and strive to amass material goods but for those who have studied how a raindrop is absorbed on a branch it‘s deep and soulful. I had forgotten that Native American‘s had their children taken away and were forbidden to speak their own language. 😢

43 likes1 stack add
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Dolly
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Panpan

Took a recommendation for something light amongst too much heaviness. No...nope. Not this one, it just wasn‘t for me.

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Dolly
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Pickpick

I chose this for the top spot for The #BookTubePrize round 1 group F. I recognized the great writing. It was engaging but violent with drug references. All in all it ISN‘T my kind of book. Others liked it enough so it‘s moving on to round 2.
1. Boy Swallows Universe ✨
2. The Man Who Saw Everything 🚫
3. Dominicana 🚫
4. The Starless Sea 🚫
5. Middle England ✨
6. Patsy ✨

The 3 starred books are moving into the next round of judging.

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Dolly
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Pickpick

This book made it into the #2 spot on my list of the BookTubePrize. I loved the complexity, the puzzling scenes, and the thought provoking writing. Unfortunately not all judges thought this way. It‘s been eliminated from the next round ☹️.
2. The Man Who Saw Everything 🚫
3. Dominicana 🚫
4. The Starless Sea 🚫
5. Middle England ✨
6. Patsy. ✨

CarolynM I think this is a significantly better book than Boy Swallows Universe. 4y
Dolly I was sad that it was eliminated. 🤷🏼‍♀️It‘s one of the few books I will reread. 4y
44 likes2 comments
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Dolly
Dominicana: A Novel | Angie Cruz
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Pickpick

Dominicana I placed third on my #BookTubePrize list. While this was well written, it was an immigrant story similar to Patsy of which I am growing weary. I was, however, able to sink into it comfortably. Unfortunately it didn‘t move on to the next round.
The list so far:
3. Dominicana 🚫
4. The Starless Sea 🚫
5. Middle England ✨
6. Patsy✨

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Dolly
The Starless Sea | Erin Morgenstern
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Mehso-so

The Starless Sea was placed 4th out of 6 on my #BookTubePrize judging list.* While I saw Morgenstern‘s writing talent along with imaginative ideas I became weary with its length and its endless reference to doors. “Enough with the doors already” I think I actually shouted out. While I did enjoy some aspects of this book I DNFd Night Circus and will probably not pick up another by this author.
4. The Starless Sea 🚫
5. Middle England ✨
6. Patsy✨

Dolly * I find it necessary to note that the decline in my enjoyment of this book coincided closely to the sudden escalation of the Corona virus. Whether or not this was significant in my judgment is impossible to know. (edited) 4y
42 likes1 comment
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Dolly
Middle England | Jonathan Coe
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Mehso-so

My choice for Fifth place out of the six books I read for the #BookTubePrize was Middle England. It wasn‘t a bad book. Others liked it and it‘s moving on to the next round.

My notes: Brexit info - family & love relationships- humor- boring.

So far : 5. Middle England✨
6. Patsy✨

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Dolly
Patsy | Nicole Dennis-Benn
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Mehso-so

Now that the #BookTubePrize 1st round is over I am free to publicize my opinion. Of the six books I was assigned Patsy was at the bottom of my ranking. Well written, I found it uninspiring and I quickly got bored with Patsy‘s decisions and actions. Others, many others liked this book. It was not for me. Reviews of the remaining five books to follow. Patsy is moving along to round 2.

6. Patsy ✨

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Dolly
Untitled | Unknown
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@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks What an amazing number in your near future! Doing my part to add a touch more. 😊

#5N5giveaway
1. On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous -Ocean Vuong
2. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone- Lori Gorrlieb (Heard excellent things about this one)

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Got you added!! Thank you for the book recommendations 🎊🎉📚🙌🏻 4y
33 likes1 comment
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Dolly
My Favorite Book | Regina McClinton Jackson
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Is anyone else suddenly having difficulties reading? Enjoying a book? Concentrating?

In the middle of a very good book I suddenly lost interest. I have a feeling it wasn‘t the fault of the author. 😟

Of course we are here for each other. This is an incredible community. 🥰

TrishB For about a week now. And cry randomly!! All part of the stress I think. 4y
Andrew65 Yes affecting a lot of us! 4y
Dolly Yes, I hear you. It‘s scary, but we have to remember we‘ll get through this. Talk to friends, message them and pets are helpful. It‘s just such a huge change in daily living and so sudden. I‘m delivering meals to elders so I‘m feeling a little helpful but I have almost zero income. @TrishB @Andrew65 (edited) 4y
See All 10 Comments
Lcsmcat Oh yes. I‘ve had to switch to lighter weight books than usual because I can‘t sustain my concentration. 4y
Ms_T 🙌🏻 4y
Sungirl79 Yes I definitely have!! 4y
Cathythoughts I‘m finding it really hard to concentrate & I keep turning the news back on ... 4y
Dolly @Lcsmcat @Ms_T @Sungirl79 @Cathythoughts Hang in there and be good to yourselves 4y
Sungirl79 @Dolly Thank you, you hang in there too!! 4y
Ms_T @Dolly @Cathythoughts Thank you, Dolly. #StaySafe 😘 4y
44 likes10 comments
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Dolly
Dominicana: A Novel | Angie Cruz
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Finished but cannot review until after winners of round 1 of the BookTube Prize is announced.

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Dolly
The Beekeeper of Aleppo | Christy Lefteri
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Pickpick

This was quite good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 because I‘m a tough judge. It seems that every book I pick up has one of 3-4 popular themes. I try to respect the author, story, and the plight of the characters but it will soon be difficult not to tire of these and I‘m afraid I won‘t judge each book fairly and for its own merits.

Tamra I really liked it too! 4y
Dolly @Tamra 😀 4y
54 likes2 comments
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Dolly
Giveaway | Carolyn Finlay
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Thanks for the giveaway. Cute theme!
@TheSpineView
#Two4TuesdayGiveaway

TheSpineView Good luck! 4y
23 likes1 comment
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Dolly
Giveaway | Carolyn Finlay
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Three favorite books in three favorite genres:
Nonfiction- Bad Blood
Fiction- On Earth We‘re Briefly Gorgeous
Memoir- Becoming

Thanks for the giveaway. Amazing milestone!
@Lizpixie #Lizpixies3x3Giveaway

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Dolly
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Pickpick

Astoundingly brilliant writing. Vuong is a genius with words. If this wasn‘t a library copy I‘d have notes and underlinings on every page. One of my top reads ever. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MrsMalaprop Ooooh, just bought this one thanks to @Rissreads 🤗👏. 4y
Rissreads ❤️❤️❤️ 4y
Dolly @MrsMalaprop @Rissreads Just be aware it contains a horrific animal abuse scene I hope to shake from my brain😩 4y
49 likes3 comments
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Dolly
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Mehso-so

This unfortunately didn‘t grab me. There‘s much Korean history included but when female relationships are the major story point I lose interest.

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Dolly
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“A bird flew past the window, making the room seem to blink.“

Every. Damn. Page. Holds. Brilliance.

Smrloomis True for me so far too. I‘m not very far in but it‘s lovely. 4y
Dolly @Smrloomis A word of caution: This book contains one of the most disturbing scenes I‘ve ever read. I should‘ve skimmed it but didn‘t. 😩Amazing talent from Vuong- then I find out he lives nearby. 4y
Smrloomis @Dolly 😳 thanks, I appreciate the heads up! I will be skimming whatever it is, for sure. 4y
42 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Dolly
Middle England | Jonathan Coe
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This book is called Middle England. Middle England has deckled edges. I do not like deckled edges. I fumble every blasted time I turn the page- there are 429 pages. I‘m one third of the way through this book and I‘m almost ready to search who invented DECKLED EDGES and say horrible things about him/her on every social media site I know. Growling in frustration should not be part of reading 🤯😁

Lcsmcat Are the tops deckled too? That‘s how I solve this problem - by turning them from the top. I share your frustration! 4y
Dolly @Lcsmcat Yes, I have to turn them from the top, but top and bottom edges are soft and fuzzy and the inner surface of the pages stick together enough so a sliding pinch in opposite directions (as one might do to open a plastic produce bag) doesn‘t work either. 🤦🏼‍♀️🤨 As soon as I turn the page I start working on the next. (edited) 4y
Lcsmcat 😡 4y
See All 16 Comments
8little_paws I don't like them either! 4y
rwmg 😡 I have refused to buy books before now because they had deckled edges. 4y
Dolly @rwmg Boycott! Boycott! Boycott! 😂 4y
rwmg @Dolly I asked the assistant in various shops for an undeckled copy. If enough of us do that perhaps word will filter back to publishers that the reading public doesn't like them. 4y
Bookishlie 😞 I like deckled edges. I think they make the book look classier. 😐 sorry 4y
Dolly @rwmg Some do like them but darned if I know why. The older I get the crabbier I am about nonsense in or on books like covers where the author‘s font is much larger than the title or hard to read titles and fonts. Dear Publishers, Don‘t make me struggle to read your title or books! 4y
Dolly @Bookishlie Oh goodness, don‘t apologize, I‘m just a crabby old lady. 👵🏼😊 4y
BarbaraBB I really like deckled edges even though I keep struggling to turn pages. Great point about the author‘s names! (edited) 4y
Hooked_on_books Oh this made me laugh! I actually think deckled edges look quite attractive, but they aren‘t functional at all. 4y
Suet624 Love this post. 4y
Dolly @BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books @Suet624 Kinda like the high heels of the book world. 🤓 4y
arlenefinnigan I love deckled edges. My copy of this does not have deckled edges. Perhaps we should swap. 😂 4y
Dolly @arlenefinnigan I‘m only now realizing there are options. My copy was grabbed from a distant library but now I see one in my own public library and I‘m curious to check the pages. Always learning! I do like deckled edges in stationary so it must be a functional dislike and not a visual one. 😉 4y
50 likes1 stack add16 comments
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Dolly
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
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Finished the second of six books due for review at the end of March. Review to follow.

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Dolly
Patsy | Nicole Dennis-Benn
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Finished but unable to review at the moment. Review to follow at a later date in late March.

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Dolly
The Starless Sea | Erin Morgenstern
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I am in Desperate need of a copy of The Starless Sea by Morgenstern. All libraries have a huge waitlist and I have a deadline with no book buying budget.

Would anyone be interested in trading that book for 3 or 4 or even 5 (your choice) of these books shown here? I‘m in the US.

Karkar I wished I owned it. I would trade if I did. ☹️ 4y
Dolly Aww sweet @Karkar. Maybe I‘ll work on another not so restricted trade after the smoke clears from this assignment. ❤️📚 4y
Laughterhp Sorry, I don‘t own it and haven‘t read it yet. 😬😬 4y
See All 7 Comments
Dolly @Laughterhp I heard it was disappointing 😑 4y
Laughterhp I‘ve definitely heard mixed reviews on it. Too mixed for me to purchase a hardback. 4y
Jas16 I will happily send you a copy. Just email me your address at himynameisjen@Hotmail.com 4y
Dolly OMG you are amazing! I‘ve studied your posts and you‘ve read so much! Do any of these interest you? Otherwise I‘ll send you a surprise package. 😘 4y
40 likes7 comments
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Dolly
Patsy | Nicole Dennis-Benn
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Started reading Patsy, 1 of 6 assigned reads to be judged for the fiction category BookTube Prize this year. This is my first time judging and I‘m so excited to participate. 📚🏆 I cannot post a review until after this round is finished. Yay BookTube!

I previously tagged the wrong book 🤦🏼‍♀️ (deleted)

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Dolly
Say Say Say | Lila Savage
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Panpan

Being a caregiver for a time I thought I‘d enjoy another‘s insight. Nope. The telling seemed disjointed and had sudden and alarming insertions that were unexpected and gross. Many times while listening I yelled
“yuck”, “ eeewww” or “No, please stop!” One of the worst books I read in a long time. 😖

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Dolly
Girl: A Novel | Edna O'Brien
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Pickpick

A gut wrenching brutal novel based on the Boko Haram schoolgirl kidnapping. There‘s emotional uplift at the end so the reader is not left drained and exhausted. Well written.

Sapphire I have it in audio but had to take a brake. It‘s amazingly well written. But brutal is right. 4y
Dolly @Sapphire yes, it‘s hard to say you like a book telling that story. The voices were excellent though. 4y
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Dolly
Ducks, Newburyport | Lucy Ellmann
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Are you the type of reader that gulps books and races to place a ✅ in a column? Do you ever slow down to savor, to enjoy nuances, to put the book down and image a scenario conjured up by an author? What about 📖 gives you joy and is it confined to one thing?
I urge those who ❤️ reading- really 💕 the act of reading to sit &savor Ducks, Newburyport. It wouldn‘t give you a fast ✅ like a fast food drive thru. (Cont. 👇🏼)

Dolly It‘s a meal of wine, many spices and elaborate desserts. Please consider if you love the experience of reading and not just finishing book after book. (edited) 4y
MargaretPinardAuthor I sometimes hit exactly the right speed of switching from book to book so that I can absorb some heavy stuff at a slower rate, while getting the lightness I crave after a long day. Some books just demand a chapter at a time! 🐲 4y
53 likes3 comments
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Dolly
Rules for Visiting: A Novel | Jessica Francis Kane
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Pickpick

After a slow start this book got more interesting. Revisiting old friends, May‘s mother‘s illness, and lessons in botany were intertwined throughout. I learned that the gingko tree has more than 3x DNA letters than a human, that tree was the only living thing that survived the Hiroshima bombing and the meaning of mast year.

Suet624 Sounds so interesting! 4y
Dolly @Suet624 I hope you like it. Be patient in the beginning if you find it boring. 🙂 4y
49 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Dolly
Untitled | Unknown
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So much wonderful stuff! I‘m sitting beside a steaming cup of ginger honey tea with the softest 🧦 -♥️🦶. Helen how did you know I was wanting exercise bands? Included is a 👜 hook, exercise 🎲 prompt various fitness moves & reps., luscious cosmetics, extra special 🍬 , and fabulous 📚.
Thanks Helen @nelehelen so much for so many great gifts! I noticed a familiar name on the tea box. Coincidence? @Chrissyreadit @MeganAnn #ReadInTheNewYearSwap

Chrissyreadit 😍🎉🙌🥳❤️ 4y
MeganAnn What a wonderful package!! 😍👏🏻🎉✨❤️😘 4y
nelehelen Glad you like all the goodies!! I had so much fun picking stuff out for you. ☺️ 4y
49 likes3 comments