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PirateJenny

PirateJenny

Joined August 2016

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PirateJenny
Edith Holler: A Novel | Edward Carey
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Edith Holler lives in a theater. She has never stepped outside. There is a curse that should she do so, the theater will be destroyed.
I have now gotten Edward Carey's other books.

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PirateJenny
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I'm a sucker for vampire lit. Always have been. Was completely tickled by the whole Mercy bit (I've known about Mercy for ages---Food for the Dead is a great book). I saw someone say somewhere that this is not a vampire novel. Hard disagree. There are different types of vampires in the lore. I loved this book
On a more personal note, the description of scoliosis surgery is spot-on. I had it done when I was 16. Oh, the memories.

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PirateJenny
The Pram | Joe Hill
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Willy and Marianne mive from Brooklyn to a small town in Maine. There is a religious sect known as the Sin-Planters in the town. And there is something just not right with this little pram Willy is using to haul groceries.
CW: miscarriage

12 likes2 stack adds
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PirateJenny
In Bloom | Paul Tremblay
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You've seen the algae. It turns ponds and rivers and other waterways a bright green. It's dangerous. We all know that. But we don't know how dangerous.

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PirateJenny
It Waits in the Woods | Josh Malerman
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Brenda's sister Amanda goes missing. Town lore tells of a faceless creature living in the woods. But that's a kids' tale; surely it can't be true.

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PirateJenny
The Ankle Snatcher | Grady Hendrix
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Oh memories of when I was little. I had to sleep with my covers tucked in, no body part off the bed or outside the covers. Surrounded by stuffed animals who would protect me from the monsters.

It's Grady Hendrix. Of course it's great.

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PirateJenny
Hidden Staircase | Carolyn Keene
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Very late on this so I'm not tagging anyone except @CrowCAH who tagged me

1. It's really the whole Nancy Drew series. I read and reread those books so much.
2. My dad. He was watching a Christopher Lee vampire movie. I kept creeping in to watch (I was about 4 or 5) and he kept shooing me out. But I was persistent and eventually he gave up.
3. A few weeks ago, when the new book assignments at work were given

CrowCAH Thanks for creating a post! What a fun memory for r your dad! ☺️ Yay for book assignments; must have been a good one to get ecstatic over it!!! 📚 1mo
PirateJenny Oh, there is one you're going to love! The Penguin Book of Pirates! Due out in April. 1mo
9 likes2 comments
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PirateJenny
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An excellent collection of horror, as one would expect from Peele. So many good authors, some very hard stories but all so well done

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PirateJenny
Glass House | Paul Jessup
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I won this from LT early reviewers. I hate writing bad reviews but this was bad. Factual errors like the wrong poison at Jonestown and implying it was a painless death. Icarus in the minotaur's maze. Even if this was faulty thinking on the character's part nothing shows it as such. Points of view blend--the characters can't be differentiated. The age of the two girls is extremely nebulous. The dialogue is unreal and stilted.

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PirateJenny
The Avengers | Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, John Buscema, Roy Thomas, Don Heck, Sal Buscema
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Reprinting early issues of the comics in two beautiful formats.

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PirateJenny
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The latest in the Kingsbridge series, The Armor of Light begins in 1792 and takes us through Waterloo. As always there is an intriguing cast of characters and intertwined plot lines. Plus the book itself is beautiful (shout out to the designer for this one!).

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PirateJenny
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Conspiracy theories are nothing new and especially not new when it comes to the US government. Dickey traces their development from the founding of the United States up to the present day. Tinfoil hat optional.

9 likes1 stack add
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PirateJenny
Northern Spy: A Novel | Flynn Berry
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I love Flynn Berry. I have never disappointed in a book by her. In this one, Tessa is told her sister, Marian, is part of the IRA. Tessa doesn't believe it, but there is video. What follows in a story of sisters, of Tessa the mother, and a troubled country.

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PirateJenny
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The Ghost Club (not in the database so I had to pick another book by the author) is an audio only book about London's ghost club whose members included Dickens, Doyle, and Yeats. Stories of ghosts and premonitions ahoy!

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PirateJenny
Northern Spy: A Novel | Flynn Berry
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It's not the beach, but the pool will do.

Another book I'd read a chunk of but haven't finished. I adore Flynn Berry and I know from her socials that the sequel will be out next year.

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PirateJenny
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If historical disasters are your thing like they are mine, you'll want to check out this humorous guide to surviving the greatest disasters in history.

19 likes2 stack adds
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PirateJenny
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Fantastic! A podcaster returns to her boarding school to investigate a murder that occurred when she was a student there. Makkai is a wonderful writer and the plot was so very engrossing.

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PirateJenny
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I have long said that Dan Jones's history books read like novels, so it is no surprise that his first novel is excellent. The invasion of France in 1346. Crecy. Other harrowing battles between the two. Told through the eyes of a group of soldiers who call themselves the Dogs of Essex. I loved the characters, the history, the depictions of battle, just everything about the book.

TrishB It was a good read 👍🏻 he‘s very entertaining. 9mo
PirateJenny He is SO entertaining 9mo
19 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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PirateJenny
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Grady Hendrix does it again. Of course he does. The sad parts got to me as much as the fun parts were enjoyable. I can't recommend this one enough!

OutAndAbout Such a great photo composition for this book! 10mo
PirateJenny Thank you! Those dolls just hang in my office. My husband refuses to go in there unless he's moving the dolls around to try to creep me out. 10mo
18 likes1 stack add2 comments
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PirateJenny
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Happy release day! I have been waiting for thisbook for about a year now (it feels like longer). I can't wait to dive in!

AmyG Thanks for the head‘s up! 11mo
TrishB Waiting for mine to be delivered 😁 11mo
19 likes1 stack add2 comments
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PirateJenny
Strega | Johanne Lykke Holm
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New work mail! I've read parts of both of these and now I'm looking so forward to diving in

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PirateJenny
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I'm going with a pick on this one. I am a big fan of the podcast the author cohosts (Crime Writers On). The story was enjoyable for a cozy but the book could have benefited from a bit more stringent editing and proofreading. However it is self-published, and given that I'm going with pick.
Piper Greene is a likeable protagonist and I'll be reading future books in the series.

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PirateJenny
The Sanatorium | Sarah Pearse
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A good thriller for snowy days! An avalanche at a hotel that was formerly a tb sanatorium and someone goes missing. Is it related to the past or present? There were thing I especially appreciated but those are spoilers! Anyway, well done and I will be reading the author's next.

21 likes1 stack add
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PirateJenny
The Returned | Jason Mott

I am back! I took a longer than expected hiatus. My reading really dropped during the pandemic. But I'm making a comeback.

And in a silver lining, I have moved. My company is allowing fully remote work so I am now in North Carolina, where my husband has family (I have family here too, about 3 hours away). I have almost enough bookcases to shelve my library. Two or three more should do it

So hi all!

CoffeeNBooks Welcome back! 📚 11mo
GondorGirl Welcome back! Hopefully things settle down a bit for you. 11mo
9 likes2 comments
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PirateJenny
Daughter of Black Lake | Cathy Marie Buchanan
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Oh, how I loved this book! I was fairly certain I had the major things figured out by page 40 (print edition), like the exact identity of the druid visitor. I wouldn't expect many other people to figure it out because I have a set of specific interests that dovetail in this book. And it made me so happy. It's also an excellent and well written story

19 likes2 stack adds
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PirateJenny
How to Be an Antiracist | Ibram X. Kendi
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A necessary and important read. Listen. I listened to this one and the author is the most wonderful narrator. After the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the company I work for (Penguin Random House) declared it was going to do better. One thing it did was to institute a companywide read and discussion of this book. It's important, so important, to know what unconscious racist beliefs we hold. And to work on fixing them.

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PirateJenny
Searcher | Tana French
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Another hit by Tana French. Another standalone as well, this one involves an ex-Chicago cop in the Irish countryside and a missing boy. The resolution has a special place in my heart for reasons. I can't say why--I'm not spoiling it!

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PirateJenny
little scratch: A Novel | Rebecca Watson
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This is a strange little book. The inner thoughts of one day in the narrator's life. The formatting shows how thoughts run together, in and out of one another, and is quite innovative. Subject matter could be triggering for some

I read a manuscript so no pic on this

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PirateJenny
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I grew up in New Jersey. I saw ads for Action Park all the time. I wanted to go so badly. My parents never took us. I am so glad now. Details of the insanity will make you laugh and make you glad it's not the 1970s anymore.

EclecticBookLover I saw the HBO Max doc and it was insane!!!! I'm glad it wasn't really a thing in my area of the NJ. Too far to make the trip worth it. 3y
13 likes1 comment
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PirateJenny
Survivor Song | Paul Tremblay
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Reading a book about an epidemic during a pandemic--that's how I roll. And I will devour anything by Tremblay. The disease in question here is a rabies variant and it's scary, but I love this. And yes, there are times you want to smack everybody involved but also times you understand why. Gore involved to some degree but telegraphed.

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PirateJenny
The Pandemic Plan | T. L. Oakman

Vacation day 1: I get a message from my friend from work (must be read in Thor's voice) that Penguin Random House offices are closed till sometime in 2021. Don't worry, we are all working from home to keep making books, as we have been since March 13! I feel safer this way, especially since I am married to someone who has very bad lung issues.

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PirateJenny
Walk the Wild With Me | Rachel Atwood
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In the Robin Hood genre but more about Little John. With faeries. How could I not??? Was the author in my brain? And the more I read, the more I felt she was. About 30 years ago I started a RH-related novel and it would have ended up quite similar to this one. (Sorry for the cover pic but sometimes the covers come out as more than one page one the work reader app.)

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PirateJenny
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First, hey all. I have been suffering major loss of focus with the pandemic and have not been around at all. I am still working (at home) and doing puzzles on my phone. But maybe this book got me out of the reading slump. It's somewhat like WWZ in that it's presented as true--kind of like the found footage book version. With Bigfoot. And I loved it. Worth the read for sure, if you like that sort of stuff.

BookwormM I loved it for the subject matter it did a really good job of making me think is this real of yeah and it gave me nightmares 3y
21 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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PirateJenny
Fever Dream | Samanta Schweblin
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A creepy book that will stay with me for a very long time. The reader suspects what is going on but oh it can't possibly be true.

This is important. Those words will always carry a chill.

28 likes2 stack adds
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PirateJenny
Hark! A Vagrant | Kate Beaton
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Kate Beaton is a treasure. Her comics range from history to literature to (of course) Batman. The footnotes are not to be missed. I don't remember when I first started reading her, but she's one of my go-to faves.

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PirateJenny
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I love the podcast and I enjoy the books. Fun little snippets about creepy people. Also if you ever get a chance to see the Lore podcast live, go! It's so much more fun than even the podcast.

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PirateJenny
The Remaking: A Novel | Clay McLeod Chapman
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A ghost story plus an urban legend plus a horror story. There's nothing not to love in this one. And so many little easter eggs tossed in for those of us who are fans of horror movies and books. Look, even Eleanor loves it!

Leftcoastzen 👏😻 4y
rubyslippersreads 😻😻😻 4y
21 likes2 comments
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PirateJenny
The Ruin | Dervla McTiernan
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The first in a new series set in Ireland by an author with one of the most wonderful names ever. Cormac Reilly wonders if there might be more to young Jack's suicide. His long absent sister Maude is sure there is. But just how might this tie to Reilly's first case years ago?

I loved this book and am quite ready to start the next in the series.

AmyG I love the blurb as I loved The Marsh King‘s Daughter. Stacked! 4y
Jerdencon I am really enjoying this series too! 4y
20 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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PirateJenny
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This was a wonderful sequel to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. I loved it all. I love the author. She is a witch nerd and a feel a kinship with her because of that. I wish I knew I could have studied that in school, dammit! The historical research is spot on and I love it so much for that. It makes me want to shake sloppy authors and yell "This is how it's done!"

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PirateJenny
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Another one I loved. I am a huge proponent of using DNA to catch criminals and also to identify victims (check out the Bear Brook case). The idea of crowdsourcing investigations is fascinating and one that seems to be working. Of course, there have to be rules, and Billy explains those in detail here and on the podcast he does with Paul Holes. Best quote regarding this book, from Billy: it is the true crime book with the most Star Wars references

CrowCAH Awesome; it‘s always neat to meet authors! 4y
17 likes1 comment
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PirateJenny
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As a long-time Murderino, I very much enjoyed this book. It won't be for everyone. I have made some great friends through the community and the podcast has helped a lot of women learn how to stand up for themselves. And learn that we aren't alone in our weirdness. Also pictured: obligatory cat.

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PirateJenny
American Psycho | Bret Easton Ellis
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A very late finish in the #HGPBC. I have seen the movie but was iffy about reading the book. I'm glad I read it though. I put it more in the parody or dark comedy genre than horror. I'm old enough to remember the '80s and the intense name dropping of labels and restaurants makes the ridiculousness of the gore and Bateman's one-upmanship of himself in regards to his killing spot on companions. Recommended with caveats: extreme violence and gore

28 likes1 stack add
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PirateJenny
Bunny: A Novel | Mona Awad
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I have yet to sit down and read either of these books cover to cover for pleasure but they are my two favorite summer work books. Bunny comes out tomorrow (6/11) and American Predator comes out 7/2, just in time for all your holiday serial killer reading needs. Both from Viking. #creepyfiction #serialkillers #summer_reading

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PirateJenny
Meddling Kids | Edgar Cantero
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Or Meddling Kitten! I truly loved this book with it's mash-up of Scooby Doo and Lovecraft/the Cthulhu mythos. There were literal laugh out loud moments and some good creeps as well as good storytelling. Sorry to my group I am so terribly late with this. #HGPBC #teamCthulhu @TheReadingMermaid @InBooksILive @jillannjohn

jillannjohn Glad you enjoyed it. 5y
InBooksILive I really enjoyed this one too 😊 5y
Clwojick 🐱🐱🐱🐱 5y
See All 6 Comments
MaleficentBookDragon I just got Seed in the mail last night. Can I keep it for a few weeks to read? 5y
PirateJenny @MaleficentBookDragon of course! I am behind on so much reading. There is no hurry to return it. 5y
MaleficentBookDragon @PirateJenny Thank you. It looks so good. 5y
30 likes6 comments
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PirateJenny
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This was, of course, excellent. And it is so much more satisfying reading it knowing the bastard has been caught. This is easily the best true crime book on the market. So well written and only facts.

If anyone notices a trend in my posts tonight it‘s because I managed to get tickets to see Paul Holes on Friday. I‘m over in the corner trying not to die from excitement.

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PirateJenny
Untitled | Unknown
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I can't tag this book because it isn't in the database. It's Evil Has a Name by Paul Holes and Jim Clemente. The story of catching the Golden State Killer. Audible only and narrated mostly by Paul Holes. If you are interested by this story, I can't recommend it enough.

swishandflick Ooh - this almost makes me want to sign back up for Audible 😄 5y
PirateJenny Billy Jensen also has one coming out soon that is also Audible only. They're also starting a podcast together. First episode drops April 1 5y
25 likes2 comments
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PirateJenny
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A nice creepy gothic with a widow, an ominous manor house that has a troubled past, an asylum, and some very strange wooden figures. Just wonderful!

CrowCAH Sounds very compelling! 5y
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
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PirateJenny
Untitled | Khireddine Dean Ouazaa
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1. Summers at my grandparents' house. I just loved it there.
2. Two younger sisters
3. I honestly don't recall
4. I'll Be Gone in the Dark. Which I must finish before I see PAUL FREAKING HOLES on the 22nd!!!
5. Passing since this is kinda old
Thanks @Jess_Franzino
#wonderouswednesday @eggs

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PirateJenny
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You all need to wait a bit to read this book, but you should absolutely read it. It's a sweet, somewhat sad journey of a summer in a young boy's life. It's also a musing on the nature of memory and of one man's belief in ghosts.

I cannot put into words how this book made feel, which is basically everything. It turned in unexpected ways but in the best possible manner.

Alas no photo as the US cover isn't done

mcipher Heyyy!! Good to see you! Hope your office move went okay. Did you start the new season of Magicians yet!? I‘m saving it for this weekend. 😝 5y
PirateJenny Hey!! The move went well, though I'm still adjusting. I watched The Magicians Thursday. Get ready for ALL the feels! 💖 5y
mcipher So.. I‘ve been saving it and haven‘t started this new season yet. I was thinking tonight but now it‘s too late... but I might dive in anyway! 5y
mcipher ALL THE FEELS. ELLIOT!!! Seriously, they‘re killing me. 5y
PirateJenny omg, I KNOW 5y
21 likes1 stack add5 comments
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PirateJenny
The End | Salvatore Scibona
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Hi all! I know I have been very quiet. Some of you know the Penguin offices are moving from our downtown home to the Random House building in Midtown. Most of us have to pare down to cubes. Crazy few months and yesterday was the last day. I did not have enough time to send books to my tea&book swap pals. Sorry! I had 26 years of life to cull. Here's a pic of my commute buddies on the way home last night. I expect to be around much more now.

LazyDays Hope you're settling in well!💗 5y
24 likes1 comment