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Texreader
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The author starts his walk across Korea at Cheju Island, or Jeju Island, the location of my most recent book The Island of Sea Women. I hope he mentions the Haenyeo.

#SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks ❤️🇰🇷 2d
31 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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#Micronesia has gone through its own painful occupations

#readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

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Texreader
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This is already a grim read about the South Pacific islands. There‘s a detailed description of the #MarshallIslands, including how dreadfully its residents are treated thanks to the ultra-secret US base there. #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

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Texreader
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I thought it‘d be neat to post my first review of this book back in 2021 to compare it with my new review:

The Korean “sea women” endure frigid waters to collect sea animals to sell & survive, for they are the breadwinners & heads of family on the island of Jeju, Korea. Men care for the children. I loved this matrifocal book about fiercely strong women thru the terrorizing Japanese & American occupations (read it & you‘ll understand) to today. ⬇️

Texreader Brutal, absolutely brutal—so beware. I learned so much history in a compelling & heartbreaking story about female friendship and forgiveness under the harshest of circumstances. This edition has an interview with Lisa See and I don‘t doubt her knowledge of the topic: her research was comprehensive. Beautifully written. Five stars in a heartbeat. #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks (edited) 2d
39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Texreader
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Pickpick

Two friends grow up on Japanese-occupied Jeju island, through WWII, marry, and suffer through the transition to the island becoming part of #SouthKorea. On Jeju, many women including the friends are haenyeo, who can tolerate extremely cold temperatures and hold their breath for inordinate amounts of time to dive for seafood. This is their astounding story, as well as the heinous acts and murder of Jeju residents by South Korean soldiers under ⬇️

Texreader America‘s watch during the transition to divide up the Koreas. The story is also a fable about the cost of hate. This is a reread and I still love it. A beautiful if not tragic tale, told by an expert storyteller. #foodandlit @catsandbooks 2d
Catsandbooks Wonderful! ❤️🇰🇷 2d
44 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Texreader
XOXO | Axie Oh
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Pickpick

American-Korean girl meets cute Korean boy in LA, has loads of fun, and falls head over heels. But he goes back to #SouthKorea & doesn‘t respond to her texts. When she travels to Korea with her Mom to help with her ill grandmother, she meets him again-& surprise! He‘s a k-pop superstar! This is a super cute fun read, with many good food references. Highly recommended! #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Bookwormjillk Sounds fun! Adding it to my list. 2d
Texreader @Bookwormjillk It‘s such a nice, well-written, sweet read…especially if you‘ve been reading dark or sad books. 2d
Catsandbooks I've heard great things about this author! 🩵 2d
46 likes3 comments
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Texreader
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My next audiobook. Works for #Korea #foodandlit and some unknowable number of countries for #readingOceania, that I will identify as I go along. @Catsandbooks @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

40 likes1 stack add
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Texreader
Lost Children Archive | Valeria Luiselli
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Little Free Library haul tonight

Graywacke Love this so much 3d
BarbaraBB Me too 3d
quietlycuriouskate Oh, I loved this! 3d
62 likes3 comments
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Texreader
Exiles | Jane Harper
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I‘ve been at these ricotta meatballs for almost 1-1/2 hours! Thank heavens for audiocooking. #authoramonth #Australia #readingOceania #serieslove2024 (book 3) and #letterE #litsyatoz

@Soubhiville @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB @TheSpineView @Andrew65

tpixie Yum!!! 😋 you‘ve been mothering those meatballs to perfection! (edited) 3d
tpixie Hum another book about Australia named exiles! 3d
TheBookHippie @tpixie I read that one! 3d
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TheBookHippie Yummmmmm 3d
tpixie @TheBookHippie 😀 🇦🇺 3d
kspenmoll Oh YUM!!! 3d
TheSpineView Looks so good! 3d
Librarybelle ❤️❤️❤️ 3d
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 3d
TheBookgeekFrau Looks and sounds delish!! 3d
Tamra Yum! 3d
64 likes11 comments
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Texreader
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Texreader
Exiles | Jane Harper
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Librarybelle It‘s a good one! 5d
TheSpineView Excellent! 5d
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Texreader
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dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 6d
Princess-Kingofkings Such detailed work 🤯 5d
Catsandbooks Adorable!! 💕 4d
55 likes3 comments
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Texreader
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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Thank you @Read4life and #litsylove for the book. Received today!!! I understand I need to be emotionally ready to read this one.

Amor4Libros It‘s so good! Enjoy…And yes, I was very emotional reading it! 7d
Read4life Yay! Enjoy. 🤓 7d
AmyG My favorite book from last year. Enjoy! 6d
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It‘s so good!! 😊 6d
63 likes4 comments
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Texreader
XOXO | Axie Oh
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I‘m enjoying all the descriptions of food in this book

#SouthKorea #foodandlit
@Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks 🇰🇷❤️🤤 4d
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Texreader
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#whatsnewwednesday Thanks @Read4life & @TheSpineView for the tag!

My life is predictable so this was a hard task—I guess it‘s the college planning for my son, who‘s been accepted to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona in the fall. The school is hosting a fancy dinner for new students at a steakhouse here in San Antonio this weekend so we‘ll start to get questions answered. It‘ll be hard as heck to send my youngest away! 🥹

Leftcoastzen That‘s impressive! 1w
Read4life Thanks for sharing. That is such a great opportunity for him. With both of my kids now away (one for work and one in college) I definitely understand how hard it will be. 💙💙 1w
TheSpineView You're welcome! Congrats to your son! 1w
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Meshell1313 That‘s outstanding! Congrats! 🍾🎉 1w
dabbe Congrats to your son! 🤩🤩🤩 Sending hugs your way, too! 🤗🤗🤗 1w
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Congratulations 🎊🎈 6h
49 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Texreader
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My Little Free Library trade tonight

Princess-Kingofkings My daughter would love this book as well where you found it. When I visit her, her husband drives us around one day for Little Free Library book bombing. 1w
65 likes1 comment
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Texreader
Untitled | Untitled
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Too good not to share!!

Ruthiella 😂😂😂 1w
vonnie862 🤣 1w
mariaku21 Love it 😂 1w
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batsy 😂😂 1w
dabbe Those were the days! 😂😂😂 1w
TieDyeDude 😂 Well played! 1w
59 likes6 comments
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Texreader
XOXO | Axie Oh
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There‘s a lot of Korean food in this book for #SouthKorea #foodandlit

I‘m glad I‘m reading this book. It‘s light reading compared to the other two books I‘m reading for South Korea this month, which are both about its independence from Japan.

@Catsandbooks

TheBookHippie Koreatown in LA is so fun! The food is YUMMMMMMMM. It‘s a lovely place to AIRBNB . 1w
Catsandbooks Oooo yum! Glad you're enjoying it! ☺️ 1w
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Texreader
XOXO | Axie Oh
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I‘m going way outside my comfort zone for my next ebook for #SouthKorea but opted for it because it also satisfies the #letterX for #litsyatoz, which is always hard to find. #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks This one is on my TBR! 1w
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Texreader
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Pickpick

As expected this was a fast read. Well-written, the best parts are the descriptions of the food (pretty much everything is cooked in coconut cream) and events, which sound fun and unique. The islands, however, all sound alike: vibrant, powder-soft white beaches, clear turquoise water. Not bad at all! But I would have liked a bit more differentiation. I hope to find a book that delves more into the island chain‘s history. #readingOceania

Librarybelle A fun way to vicariously travel! 1w
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Texreader
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For the time being, I'm going to try to read this book for #Tuvalu for #readingOceania

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Texreader
Tuvalu Traveler Chronicles | Eshaan Sombhatta
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Bailedbailed

I‘m sad to say I‘m bailing on this one. The premise is interesting but the writing is so amateurish it is difficult to read. I‘m opting for a #Tuvalu tour guide book that has history and culture and I can skim the “how to travel there” parts. I also put a library hold on a book called Pacific by Simon Winchester that comes up in GoodReads when I search for Tuvalu. It looks really good. #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Librarybelle I have a feeling the Winchester book will be more enjoyable! 1w
dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 1w
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Texreader
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Help my fellow Litten cooks. I fried up cabbage and onions thanks to the tagged book describing the family‘s garden, and it looks amazing and smells amazing and was bland as heck. Any suggestions?

#SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Captivatedbybooks Did you put any seasoning on it? Maybe some pepper? 1w
Texreader @Captivatedbybooks salt pepper and garlic 1w
KateReadsYA I like to add sweet chili sauce to my veggies :) 1w
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LapReader Bacon 1w
Sapphire Tony Cachieries 1w
Deblovestoread Fresh lemon juice 1w
LeahBergen Chili crisp! 1w
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TheBookHippie is a master chef 🧑‍🍳 1w
TheBookHippie You need to shred a carrot into it. Sometimes a little dill. Otherwise use a bit of egg and flour and fry it into a fritter. 1w
Catsandbooks Still looks good. 1w
Tamra Add some Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or Gochujang (Korean chili paste) (edited) 1w
Tamra @LeahBergen the cure all! 😄 1w
LeahBergen @Tamra Indeed! 😆 1w
52 likes13 comments
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Texreader
Devil-Devil | Graeme Kent
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Pickpick

Ben Kella is the aofia (the leader) of his people in the #SolomonIslands and a police sergeant working for the Brits as they are slowing turning the Islands over to independence. Sister Conchita is the new nun posted to his island, some of whose people are Catholic but many remain true to their mystical roots. A series of murders and other illegal activities lead the sergeant and the nun on the hunt to unravel this complex web and do their ⬇️

Texreader best to stay alive. It is a complex plot, with likeable main characters, and extremely well-written. I didn‘t mean to start out reading a series, but I will absolutely read the next two in it. #readingOceania #serieslove2024 2w
Librarybelle Sounds interesting! 2w
TheSpineView Awesome! 💜📚 2w
52 likes3 comments
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Texreader
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Pickpick

Second in the Aaron Falk series, this time he‘s pulled into heavily forested land to find a missing woman, who he‘d “recruited” to help him uncover financial wrongdoings at the company where she works. The company planned the team-building retreat, but Alice doesn‘t make it back. Meanwhile, her young teenage daughter is undergoing her own trauma. The convoluted story finally all comes together to reveal a surprising ending. If I had any ⬇️

Texreader complaint, the rapid jumping back and forth between the retreat itself and the search for Alice gets a bit tedious. But it works! I will definitely read the next in the series and anything else this author writes. #Australia #readingOceania #authoramonth 2w
Librarybelle Awesome!!! 2w
BarbaraBB I enjoyed this too. So atmospheric! 2w
63 likes3 comments
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Texreader
Tuvalu Traveler Chronicles | Eshaan Sombhatta
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I‘ve picked this for my next ebook for #Tuvalu #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

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Texreader
Devil-Devil | Graeme Kent
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I feel so fortunate. I have a few hours to read tonight with my reading buddy. I‘m about to finish the tagged ebook, then I‘ll pick up my IRL book again, Beasts of a Little Land. 😌

How are you spending your Sunday evening?

#SolomonIslandsw #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Librarybelle Looks like a cozy reading night! 2w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w
Catsandbooks Hi sweet kitty! 🐈‍⬛ 1w
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Texreader
Devil-Devil | Graeme Kent
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This sure makes me want to look up these two books!!

#SolomonIslands #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

BarbaraBB 😂😂 2w
32 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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Reread!! I loved it the first time. So I‘m doing an audiobook this time. #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks ❤️🇰🇷 2w
51 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Texreader
Untitled Addison Allen 3 | Sarah Addison Allen
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Texreader
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So perfect when my #foodandlit choice describes the food. Here‘s a breakfast in #SouthKorea. @Catsandbooks

TheBookHippie How fun is this!! 2w
Catsandbooks Perfect! 🇰🇷 2w
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Texreader
Untitled | Untitled
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Librarybelle Thanks for posting! 2w
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Texreader
The Lost Man | Jane Harper
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Pickpick

Cameron, middle son of the Bright family in the far far outback, is found dead miles from his well-stocked truck. It looks like an unpleasant suicide but why end it this way? His older brother Nathan, the town outcast for many years, has his own demons but manages to slowly put unusual pieces of information together to find out what happens—and it truly is a surprise! I did feel like things ended a little too well, everyone‘s problems solved. ⬇️

CatLass007 What happens really is a surprise. 2w
Texreader I tried reading The Dry at the same time as this one and that was a no-go. Too many similarities. Outcasts trying to figure out apparent suicides. It turns out the books have a tenuous connection that really threw me for a loop—causing such confusion! So I put this one down and finished The Dry first. This was a much slower read than The Dry and until a child in the story spoke up revealing a deeper mystery, I struggled to keep my attention. ⬇️ 2w
Texreader But the ending is such a surprise it absolutely saved the entire book. #authoramonth #readingOceania #Australia 2w
See All 6 Comments
Librarybelle Hope to get to this one soon! 2w
Susanita It was fascinating to learn about how people live in the Outback, such as the grocery delivery and the generator. 2w
Texreader @Susanita And that the outback is a character as well, how it can kill so quickly!! 2w
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Texreader
The Dry | Jane Harper
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Pickpick

Aaron Falk‘s childhood best friend Luke apparently killed his family and himself. Falk, the smalltown outcast for years, is now a Melbourne white collar crime investigator and wrangled into helping the town cop to investigate whether Luke really was the culprit. The ending isn‘t at all what you‘d expect—but entirely logical once you know everyone in town a bit better. This one was hard to put down. #authoramonth #Australia #readingOceania

BarbaraBB She‘s an excellent writer! 2w
CatLass007 She‘s tops in her field. 2w
Librarybelle It is so good! I enjoyed the series with Falk‘s character. 2w
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Texreader
Devil-Devil | Graeme Kent
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Hmmm. We humans are “long pigs.” Quite a history of cannibalism in Oceania.

#SolomonIslands #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

BarbaraBB Wow 😮 2w
42 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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Daughter and I take turns completing a bag of Legos building the Natural History Museum. When it‘s her turn I‘m reading the tagged book. #SouthKorea #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks That's so fun!!💕 2w
53 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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I finished The Dry a few days ago and just finished The Lost Man. So I‘ve picked this one as my next audiobook. #authoramonth @Soubhiville

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Texreader
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We just loved our dinner made with food from #SouthKorea

We had Korean BBQ, Korean dumplings, Korean black raspberry wine, and sticky rice (made in India). I didn‘t like the kimchi as much as I thought I would. It was fine but I don‘t anticipate eating it again. For dessert we had the Korean chocolate waffle cookies. We plan to have everything (except the kimchi) again. #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

TheBookHippie Yummm 3w
Catsandbooks That's awesome! Looks great! 🇰🇷 3w
63 likes2 comments
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Texreader
Untitled Addison Allen 3 | Sarah Addison Allen
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Texreader
Devil-Devil | Graeme Kent
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Texreader
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The plans for #SouthKorea inspired dinner! #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

KadaGul @Texreader For Winter ❄️ I mix up my soup. This is one ☝️ of the soup 🍲 i make Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup with Vegetables . If you have any Asian store you'll be able to get ingredients. https://www.koreanbapsang.com/yukgaejang-spicy-beef-soup-vegetables/. 3w
Texreader @KadaGul Mmmm! Thank you! The store is only about 15 minutes from our house so I anticipate visiting it again. It was marvelous!! 3w
Catsandbooks I really want to try rice cakes! Can't wait to hear what you think about everything! 3w
64 likes3 comments
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Texreader
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Daughter and I went shopping today here so we can make some Korean food tomorrow night for #SouthKorea #foodandlit. I‘m so excited!! @Catsandbooks

TheBookHippie Fun!!!! 3w
Leftcoastzen So cool. 3w
Catsandbooks Oh that's awesome! 🇰🇷 3w
63 likes3 comments
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Texreader
Untitled | Untitled
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Happy International Women‘s Day, what little of it is left. I have made so many wonderful female friends here on litsy. I‘m so grateful for you and all the friendships I‘ve made here!

Bklover Same to you!!! Litsy friends are wonderful!❤️❤️ 3w
BethM Same!! 3w
52 likes2 comments
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Texreader
Devil-Devil | Graeme Kent
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Texreader
The Dry | Jane Harper
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I tried reading the tagged book while also reading Harper‘s The Lost Man but it was too confusing. Both have main characters who are snubbed in town for something they allegedly did years ago, & there now was murder, deep in the heart of #Australia. To top it off, they are slightly linked. I‘ve decided to finish this one first. I just learned the “who done it,” and dang was I ever surprised! Did anyone else figure it out before the big reveal? ⬇️

53 likes2 comments
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Texreader
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Pickpick

Mensun Bound was the Director of Exploration to attempt to find Ernest Shackleton‘s shipwreck at the bottom of an Antarctic sea, the Endurance, which sank during his attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole. This book covers both attempts in 2019 (unsuccessful) & 2022, which was successful. The 2022 search was bookended first by the pandemic, and then the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both affecting the morale of the crew. Even so they ⬇️

Texreader persevered through extreme conditions and amazingly discovered it. I‘m sad I don‘t remember it in the news. I too was overwrought about the Russian invasion. This probably won‘t be a favorite of mine, the book can be extremely technical, and you have to know a lot of boating terms, which escape me. But I appreciated the history, and the palpable joy from the author from finding the ship. This is my 2nd book for #Antarctica #readingOceania 3w
Librarybelle I don‘t remember the discovery mentioned in the news either! 3w
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Texreader
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I started this book tonight, my second for #SouthKorea for #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

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Texreader
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Pickpick

An LA cop accepts the position of chief of police over all the Micronesian islands in the late 1970s to 1980s, and dang was it ever an adventurous true story. Sometimes it was downright scary and at least twice it was hysterically funny thanks to very real cultural differences from island to island. I don‘t think any book could better describe the islands‘ cultures, and adapting to them than this book. Very readable nonfiction. The author is ⬇️

Texreader impressive for his creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. His success paid off and he continues to enjoy success in his subsequent careers. #readingOceania #Palau #MarshallIslands Just 3 countries to go to finish this challenge!! (edited) 3w
Hooked_on_books I read this recently and really enjoyed it. I really appreciate how he was so respectful of the local cultures. 3w
Librarybelle Amazing progress on the challenge!! 3w
ShelleyBooksie This sounds great! Thank you for sharing. :) 3w
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Texreader
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

Hoonie is born in the late 1800s with a cleft palate and twisted foot but he‘s very strong, a hard worker, and loyal to his wife Yangjin. Their only surviving child is Sunja, and this book mainly tells her life story, her mother Yangjin‘s story, and Sunja‘s children and grandchildren through the late 1980s. Pachinko, a game of chance, makes this poor family eventually very wealthy. I like family histories but this one didn‘t work well me. ⬇️

Texreader What I liked was the book rarely delved into gory facts, such as dying. We knew a main character was going to die…& then in the next chapter, time has gone by, the death is in the past, as a matter of fact. I appreciated avoiding some cringey scenes. It was a good book. It just didn‘t flow well for me. I even waited to review it in hopes I‘d think better of it over time. Nope. So it‘s a low pick for me. #SouthKorea #foodandlit 3w
Catsandbooks I actually bailed on it 15% through. 😬 3w
64 likes2 comments
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Texreader
The Dry | Jane Harper
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I‘ve discovered the reason not to read two books by the same author at the same time. One is slow and drags, but still interesting. The other, however, is my pick when deciding which one to read. So it‘s hard to be motivated to read the other one. I won‘t tell which is which, but I‘d be interested to learn if anyone else has a favorite between these two.

mcctrish I have read The Dry and it made me want to read more by Harper 3w
AvidReader25 I‘ve read and love both, but they are definitely different stories with very different pacing. 3w
Ruthiella I read The Dry first. In fact I read all her books in publication order. The Dry is my least favorite. Force of Nature is probably my favorite because I really enjoyed the plot. But The Last Man was very good too. 3w
See All 8 Comments
DHill @mcctrish same. But I loved The Lost Man just slightly more. 😊 3w
mcctrish Looks like it can only better for me and JH ❤️❤️❤️ 3w
Susanita There‘s a little reference to The Dry in The Lost Man that amused me once I realized it. 3w
CoverToCoverGirl I actually loved them both, so I‘m no help. 🤭 3w
Texreader @Susanita I‘m so glad you dropped that hint. I was so darned confused when I read the reference, because like an idiot I was reading the books at the same time and got the storylines all messed up in my head. Then I read your comment and it all clicked. Now I‘m going to finish The Dry before I finish The Lost Man to try to eliminate the confusion. 3w
54 likes8 comments