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Redwritinghood

Redwritinghood

Joined June 2016

review
Redwritinghood
The Prophets | Robert Jones, Jr.
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Pickpick

This was a brutal yet beautiful book about the lives of the people on a southern plantation just before the Civil War. The enslaved people there struggle to live the best life they can, sometimes finding some respite, but mostly confronted with cruelty. It is a tragic love story in a different vein. The book did devolve into some overly ornate language at times and the narrative could have used some tightening, but overall a great debut. 4⭐️

BarbaraBB Hi Jerrie, just checking in. Hope all is well 🤍 2y
54 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

Dickinson wrote a lot of poems - there are 1775 in this collection. This collection is comprehensive and well organized. Many of her early poems are very girly things about flowers and bees, but you can see her mature as both a person and a poet as you progress through the collection. Like any artist, there is a lot of so-so stuff here, a lot of pretty good, and a few amazing. Overall, 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

While the journalistic style of this book grew thin over the course of reading, overall I thought it was a smart, relevant book about how far we still need to go regarding racism in the US. We look at the music career of Opal and Nev from the 70s to today and find that not much has changed. Opal, a Black woman, has a much harder career path than Nev, a white man. Fantastic characters and a great story highlighting a lot of current issues. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Who is Maud Dixon? | Alexandra Andrews
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Mehso-so

Entertaining enough, but wildly implausible and I figured out what was going on right away. It was frustrating to watch the narrator walk around clueless when it was so clear what the ‘reveal‘ was going to be. 2⭐️

KatieDid927 Agreed. 3y
Megabooks I thought it was just plain fun. I just realized I‘m into fun, non-thinking fiction right now. That‘s weird for me. Huh. Sorry I‘m working out my thoughts in your comments!! 😂😂 3y
Redwritinghood @Megabooks No problem. It was kind of fun, but I just kept thinking “she‘s trying to kill you, stupid!” 3y
47 likes3 comments
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Redwritinghood
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

There are a lot of heavy topics in this book. It‘s about the violence, both physical and emotional, that people can do to each other, as well as the guilt, grief, and hope for atonement that comes with it. We follow a young woman to Tanzania after a devastating traffic accident in which three children are killed. Everyone she meets there has their own pain and grief to deal with also. While not a light read, I found it immersive. 4⭐️ #hoopla

emilyhaldi I enjoyed this one! 3y
MicheleinPhilly Great review. My book club is discussing this one tonight. 👍🏼 3y
49 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Redwritinghood
Consent | Annabel Lyon
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Pickpick

This book is hard to describe. Two separate women lose their sisters in two seemingly unrelated tragedies. They are eventually brought together by this, but only briefly. It is about the relationships between sisters, how there can be both love and hate. It‘s also about grief and guilt. The complexity of the relationships here is deftly navigated in what is a rather bleak, unflinching story about loss. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Yes & I Love You | Roni Loren
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Pickpick

I don‘t usually like romance reads, but this one worked for me. The story is a pretty typical fake dating turned love story, but the characters felt real and believable. It gets pretty graphic in a few places, so if that‘s not your thing be forewarned. It was fun, with charming characters. #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
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Bailedbailed

Got to about the 50% mark and just not enjoying this at all. Felt tedious.

JazzFeathers Shame. That cover is something! 3y
41 likes1 comment
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Redwritinghood
The Divines | Ellie Eaton
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Mehso-so

The writing here was good, but the story was a bit cliche. The author introduced the idea that boarding schools impacted future relationships, but this wasn‘t as well fleshed out in the modern day timeline as I would have liked, and ultimately the boarding school experience didn‘t even seem to be the relevant issue in her relationship. 3⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Pet | Akwaeke Emezi
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Pickpick

This middle grade novel tackles some tough topics, but also conveys the message that you can‘t judge a book by its cover. Sometimes what looks scary can be safe and sometimes what seems safe can be dangerous. Audiobook narrator was great. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Exciting Times | Naoise Dolan
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Pickpick

I‘m on the fence about this one, but I think it‘s still a pick. The writing is sharp and often funny. There are good observations about family, money, and relationships. The narrative, however, is often as directionless as the narrator. I breezed through it so it is a quick and enjoyable read, but maybe not a lot of staying power. 3.5⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Milk Fed: A Novel | Melissa Broder
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Pickpick

I often find Broder‘s books as unnerving as they are refreshing in their realness. This one is about the complicated pull between desire and self-discipline. It‘s also about food and sex - a lot of food and a lot of sex. Throw in some religious doubt and some mother/daughter relationship problems and you have one really messed up character. I loved it. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Summerwater | Sarah Moss
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Pickpick

Each chapter in this book is from the perspective of a different character. It‘s a snapshot of a day at a summer holiday spot. It is a simple story, but each character was wonderfully realized with distinct voices for each. Most of the chapters center on family relationships. Lovely writing too. 4⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
Big Girl, Small Town | Michelle Gallen
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Pickpick

I tried the print edition of this, but felt it got bogged down with too many mundane details. The audiobook version is much better, because it gave a better feel for the voice and character. It‘s a story about a young woman who is a bit of a misfit in her small town, but she really doesn‘t care. A fun read. 3.5⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

This was a dual-timeline historical mystery. I found the parts set in the 1790s much more enjoyable than the present day timeline, though. It was much better written and less contrived. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read. 3.5⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Jonny Appleseed | Joshua Whitehead
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Pickpick

There is not much plot here, but I enjoyed the rawness of the writing and the depth of the character enough that the lack of plot wasn‘t a big issue for me. It is a story about a queer, indigenous youth trying to find a way through the poverty, racism, and homophobia in his life. Loved the writing and the author did a great job reading this. I also loved the way the character showed his deep respect and fondness for the women in his life. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

This had a lot of similarities with his earlier work ‘Never Let Me Go‘ in terms of themes and situations, but with some differences in the details. The book is narrated by an AI character who makes direct observations of the world that are insightful but monotonous. It was like listening to a precocious but affectless child. The book definitely needed more world building and could have done more with its characters and events. Overall, so-so. 3⭐️

BarbaraBB I can‘t wait to read it. I hope I will love it but reviews like yours make me wonder if I will 3y
Redwritinghood @BarbaraBB Everyone else in my book group was charmed by this book, so it could just be me. 3y
55 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

This was such a fun, charming, and delightful book. It is a dual-timeline story about two lexicographers and how their lives eventually intersect. Lovely writing and clever wordplay, as well as endearing characters and a cat named ‘Tits‘. Not completely happy with the ending, but it didn‘t dampen my enjoyment of the book overall. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
The Book of Lost Names | Kristin Harmel
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Mehso-so

This was pretty typical of the genre - resistance in WWII France, some romance, etc., but I felt that the dialogue was rather wooden and the part that should have been an exciting climax felt so slow. It‘s not a bad book and it is an interesting story based on real events. 2.5⭐️

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

Wonderful writing in this story that seamlessly melds a broad set of themes - science, religion, race, family, addiction, and mental illness. The narrator works to come to terms with her father‘s abandonment, her brother‘s drug addiction death, her evangelical upbringing, and her mother‘s depression. Thoroughly enjoyable read. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Death in Her Hands | Ottessa Moshfegh
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Mehso-so

This author - I always like her writing style but hate her stories. This is the stream-of-consciousness of an older woman, recently widowed from a egotistical, controlling husband. She creates a world in her head and eventually we come around to her recognizing her true feelings about her deceased husband, but it was a bit of a slog to get there. 2⭐️

Trashcanman Hugs! Big hugs! 3y
Megabooks I still gave this a pick, but it‘s my least favorite of her books. 3y
Reggie I panned Eileen, but ask me a question about it because I remember ALL of it. And if a book is that bad, should I be able to remember ALL of it? Lol 3y
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Redwritinghood @Reggie Same. Her writing is affective, but I‘m consistently disliking her books. 3y
Redwritinghood @Megabooks I have yet to read anything by her that I like, but I still respect her writing. 3y
48 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

The first part of this book is useful for readers as well as writers. It examines how a lot of literature is developed, read, and critiqued from a distinctly white, middle class, cis male perspective. It is good to help think about how one might be reading non-western literature or what one might see as challenging norms. The second part is more directed at teaching methods to overcome these biases. 4⭐️

readordierachel This sounds great! 3y
50 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

A good follow up to My Brilliant Friend. Here the relationship between Lila and Lena grows more complicated as their lives shift from childhood into adulthood. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

This book had a really interesting premise, but I often felt like the characters just weren‘t fleshed out enough. The scope of the story and the themes were good, but the people and dialog often just weren‘t convincing enough. I liked it, but didn‘t love it. 3⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

An engaging coming-of-age novel set in 1950s Naples. I loved the gritty characters and neighborhood descriptions and the friendships between the characters. 3.5 ⭐️

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

This was an insightful look at the experiences of transsexual women and their culture. It also examines the family structure, what it means and how it‘s changing. While I wasn‘t completely sold on some of the characters‘ motivations, this was nevertheless an enjoyable read. 3.5⭐️

50 likes1 stack add
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

This is a rather academic look at women and sex following the MeToo movement, but it is nonetheless engaging. The author examines three areas: consent, desire, and arousal. It is complicated territory, but important to consider. 4⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
White Ivy: A Novel | Susie Yang
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Pickpick

I see this classified as a thriller, but I didn‘t find it to be so. It is a good look at a woman‘s struggles to find her place, and the desire to achieve a better life, or at least the one you think you want. I found some passages very on point about the experiences of women. Eg, “[L]ike most men, he‘d liked her passion when he was the cause of it, but her own passion, passion that had nothing to do with him, was dismissed as foolishness.” 4⭐️

riversong153 I agree. I read and enjoyed it and love thrillers. I kept expecting something to make it thrillery but didn‘t get that vibe from it at all. Solid book though! 3y
Reggie I got this the other day and was excited for it. Glad you liked it. 3y
BarbaraBB Great review and quote. You have me intrigued 3y
57 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

This was a really good biography not just of Emily Dickinson, but of the whole Dickinson family. It elucidates how her image and reputation were influenced by those with a personal interest in promoting her poetry after her death. Here she is not quite the wilting violet she was often portrayed as. The extramarital affairs, secret illnesses and love letters, and back stabbing - who knew sleepy 19th century rural MA could be so exciting? 4⭐️

emilyhaldi Good to know! I‘ve been holding onto a copy of this forever but was worried it was too dry. 3y
bibliobliss Now that sounds interesting 3y
readordierachel Just moved this up my tbr. Sounds great. 3y
LeahBergen This is a favourite of mine! 👍🏻 3y
56 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

Fun world and main character, but I felt it was often expository instead of world-building via action.

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

Very enjoyable collection of short stories and a novella centered around the experiences of Black women in the current cultural and political climate in the US. Great characters and good variety of situations and themes. 4⭐️

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Redwritinghood
Abigail | Magda Szabo
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Mehso-so

I found the pace of this book incredibly slow. A lot of the book is centered around Gina‘s attempts to fit in at a restrictive girls‘ school and her feelings that her father has abandoned her. There is a lot of petty squabbling among the girls. Also, the mystery of Abigail is not very hard to figure out. 3⭐️

Gogobooks Thanks for the impression. Did you read, ‘the door‘? 3y
Redwritinghood @Gogobooks No, but I have a copy and plan to read it. 3y
Gogobooks I liked that one very much. It was a popular choice in my book club. 3y
43 likes3 comments
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Redwritinghood
The Stranger Diaries | Elly Griffiths
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Mehso-so

This was a pretty good murder mystery that paid homage to the greats of gothic literature, particularly Wilkie Collins. I was a little disappointed with the outcome as it seemed disingenuous, but the detective character was very well done. 3⭐️

Ruthiella I think Griffith has since written a second book with the same detective. 3y
45 likes2 comments
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Redwritinghood
One of Ours | Willa Cather
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Pickpick

A moving novel about human restlessness and search for purpose. Claude Wheeler is born into a prosperous farming family in Nebraska at the turn of the century. Finding dissatisfaction in work and marriage, Claude finally finds purpose while serving in France during WWI. A well-drawn character portrait and portrait of the time. 4⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
The Project | Courtney Summers
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Bailedbailed

Abandoned at about 50%. Just not holding my interest.

WanderingBookaneer Oh no! This one was on my TBR. 3y
Reggie Lol, there‘s been so much hype for this. So much so that it‘s making me pick up Sadie this weekend. 3y
britt_brooke I just finished it. Pan!! 👎🏻 3y
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britt_brooke @Reggie Sadie is A LOT better. 3y
Reggie @britt_brooke 😅 wheww thanks. 3y
britt_brooke @Reggie 😂😂 3y
Redwritinghood @Reggie I agree with @britt_brooke that Sadie is a lot better. 3y
Redwritinghood @WanderingBookaneer There are a lot of people rating it as a Pick here on Litsy, so maybe it will work better for you than it did for me. 🤞🏻 3y
britt_brooke @Redwritinghood Yeah, I was really impressed with Sadie. This was a total miss though. (edited) 3y
45 likes10 comments
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Redwritinghood
Memorial: A Novel | Bryan Washington
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Mehso-so

This started strong, but quickly lost momentum. It is a story about romantic relationships centered around the relationship of Benson and Mike, but it‘s also about the relationships of others in their lives (parents, co-workers). We don‘t get that much insight into the actual relationship of the two narrators so much as we do their individual hang ups. Overall, everyone seems pretty miserable and we get to find out what everyone is eating (?).

BarbaraBB I loved this one but I see what you mean. I‘m a sucker for Japanese food too 😉 3y
Ruthiella Yes! I wish he had written about why Mike and Ben came together in the first place with the same details he gave to the food. It all came at the end which was too late for me. 😬 3y
Trashcanman ❤❤😃🤗🤗 3y
47 likes3 comments
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Redwritinghood
O Caledonia | Elspeth Barker
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Pickpick

How can a book that begins with a murdered teenage girl be so delightful? When it is about the short life of the marvelously endearing misfit, Janet. Janet grows up in a decaying castle on the northern coast of Scotland following WWII. She is often unable to engage with people, but feels deeply and passionately about the natural and ancient worlds. Wonderful prose, wonderful character, and just a pleasure to read. 5⭐️

Crazeedi Hmm I've never heard of this but it sounds good! 3y
TrishB Loved this 👍🏻 3y
LeahBergen A favourite of mine! 💗💗 3y
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Redwritinghood
The Removed: A Novel | Brandon Hobson
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Mehso-so

This book centers around a family dealing with the collective grief over the death of one of the sons. Alternating chapters are narrated by either the mother, sister, or brother of the dead son. Also included are chapters narrated by a spirit. With the exception of the spirit narrator, there is no distinct voice for the individual characters. Great cover though.

Megabooks Sorry it was disappointing. I‘m glad I didn‘t add it to my BOTM. 3y
64 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Redwritinghood
The Night Watchman | Louise Erdrich
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Mehso-so

Solid writing and an important piece of history, but I felt this book suffered from too many characters and divergent plot lines. It made for a very uneven narrative. I also often felt that the author included certain characters and events solely to make a cultural or historical point and not in furtherance of the story. Very distracting and takes away from enjoyment of the main story, whose characters and plot I liked. 2.5⭐️

Lindy I‘m more curious now! I‘m sorry this didn‘t work for you, yet I‘m not discouraged by your review. I plan to start reading this in a few days. 3y
Redwritinghood @Lindy I read this with a group and a lot of the others loved it. I hope it works better for you than it did for me. 3y
Ruthiella @Redwritinghood @Lindy Exactly why well expressed “negative” reviews are worthwhile! Sometimes the sell the book to another reader! 😀 3y
Lindy @Ruthiella @Redwritinghood Ha! Yes, bring on a huge cast of characters and multiple plot lines. The more the merrier, as far as I am concerned. 3y
50 likes4 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

A very middle-of-the-road story collection. Each story was about a different love affair and many of the stories overlapped with the same characters. I found I didn‘t love or hate any of the stories, just so-so overall.

BarbaraBB A totally forgettable book, I agree! 3y
CarolynM I liked this a lot @BarbaraBB Have you read 3y
BarbaraBB No, but it does sound good indeed. Thanks! 3y
readordierachel I felt the same way about one of her other collections 3y
50 likes4 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

Excellent memoir about a topic that is, unfortunately, far too common. I was impressed with the author‘s ability to tap into her 15-year old self and honestly convey her feelings. I was worried that I would be angry the whole time I was reading this book, but instead I wound up feeling great empathy with the author.

BarbaraBB I love the cover 🥰 3y
58 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Redwritinghood
State of Wonder | Ann Patchett
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Mehso-so

Not the best of her books I‘ve read. Too many of the details around the drug research were just too far off base that it bugged me.

Tove_Reads Agree. Expected more. 3y
60 likes1 comment
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Redwritinghood
Winter: A Novel | Ali Smith
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Pickpick

As with most Smith books, there is probably just too much going on here for my feeble brain to sort out. It‘s always a fun ride, though. Our biggest cultural mishaps are handled with wry humor, never heavy-handed.

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

3.5 ⭐️ This was an interesting look at how Shakespeare‘s plays have often reflected current cultural attitudes in America over the years. Some of the early stuff in the book on how prior presidents attributed importance to the plays and the parts on early theater in NYC were fascinating. Overall a little light on both history and analysis, but a fun read.

Trashcanman ,👋👋 3y
Leftcoastzen I‘ve been debating reading this. 3y
Redwritinghood @Trashcanman 👋🏻👋🏻 How are you doing? 3y
Redwritinghood @Leftcoastzen It‘s actually a pretty quick read, so if you like Shakespeare it may be worth it. 3y
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Redwritinghood
Commonwealth | Ann Patchett
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Pickpick

Another gripping family drama from Patchett! While I didn‘t find it as strong as ‘The Dutch House‘, I still enjoyed the writing and characters. There were some sections of the book that were odd diversions from the primary story that were distracting, but still 4⭐️ overall.

Cathythoughts I bailed on this one. Dutch House definitely her best I think 👍🏻 3y
58 likes2 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

The author‘s love of the natural world is apparent in this collection of short essays. Unfortunately, her attempt to connect her understanding of the natural world with events in her life often seemed like she was really reaching. 3⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

I enjoyed the wide variety of characters, time periods, and settings in this short story collection. Each story had a distinct voice. 4⭐️ #hoopla

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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

The last of the three novels ‘Pale Horse, Pale Rider‘ is the best in the collection. It is a fever dream of a novel about one woman‘s experience with the 1918 flu. It recounts the horror of a deadly pandemic coming on the heels of a major war. The other two novels are also tragedies reflecting life in the American southwest in late 1800s-early 1900s. 3.5 ⭐️ overall

sarahbarnes I have this in my shelf and keep meaning to read it! 3y
Redwritinghood @sarahbarnes It‘s a worthwhile read. 3y
53 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Pickpick

This book was epic in every sense. It spanned generations of a Georgian family, the rise and fall of the USSR, unforgettable characters, tragic love affairs, and a magical chocolate recipe. At 934 pages, it was also epic in length, but I didn‘t find any of those pages excessive or diversionary. This book was a big investment, but completely worth it. 5⭐️

monalyisha One of my reading resolutions is to read at least one big, long book this year! I already have a few titles on the docket, but I may add this. Great review! It sounds fascinating! Maybe I‘ll rekindle a love of Big Books & end up reading more than one! 3y
Redwritinghood @monalyisha I started it at the end of June and just took my time. If a book is interesting enough, I love to have a big book to just sink into. I hope you like this one if you get around to it. 3y
BiblioLitten After reading this I have a feeling I will be able to manage a fast-paced big book. 3y
Redwritinghood @BiblioLitten I have that one my Kindle. Need to get to it too. 3y
73 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

This was just ok. Very slow in many places. I think this may be that the book tried to go in too many directions at once. It was a murder mystery, an immigration statement, a feminist statement, etc.

BookishMarginalia I started it but didn‘t get too far before I got distracted by something else 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y
Redwritinghood @BookishMarginalia Well, I don‘t think you‘re missing anything. If it weren‘t an audiobook, I probably would have bailed too. 3y
BookishMarginalia That‘s good to know! 3y
55 likes3 comments