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BarkingMadRead

BarkingMadRead

Joined May 2016

Book Reviewer, Little Free Library Explorer
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Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
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The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
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The Hotel: A Novel by Elizabeth Bowen
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Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Cuilin The image of Mrs LM sitting on the newspaper 🤦‍♀️ is it me or is her relationship with her husband just a bit strange? 21h
BarkingMadRead @Cuilin it‘s straight crazy 21h
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Ruthiella @Cuilin Mrs LM‘s energy is 100% focused on making sure her husband gets what he wants. Like he is her job. 20h
Cuilin @Ruthiella Paris Paloma‘s “labour” comes to mind. 20h
willaful Well damn, that\'s one of the stupid things I was hoping Sydney wouldn\'t do... 19h
mcctrish What happens when Mr LM doesn‘t get things his way? Cuz I‘d like to see that shit storm go down! I think heels are an excuse to not talk to people as opposed to putting off people from talking to you AND I‘d like to know why, if you think people are all so wrong, you go somewhere where all these people might be? Oh right, cuz your husband is a pervy creepasaur 18h
Bookwormjillk Happy and sad all at once is a good way to put it. 16h
28 likes8 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Ch 17: apparently it‘s Sydney‘s fault that she and Ronnie aren‘t hitting it off #kerrdrivesmenuts #ronnieisawetnoodle #ittakestwototango #justgivemethepastries #hashtagbrigade

mcctrish Kerr is mental 2d
Bookwormjillk Kerr lost me when she complained about the pastries. #ShutUpKerr Also intrude is such a middle class word. Glad someone finally said that out loud #huh? 2d
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CatLass007 OMG, I‘m gaining weight just looking at this picture! 2d
Ruthiella I think Mrs. Kerr is manipulative. 2d
Cuilin @Bookwormjillk What is a middle class word???? 2d
willaful I feel like finally things came to a head in this chapter. Sydney now knows Kerr was using her/leading her on. I hope she won't do something stupid now. 2d
Bookwormjillk @Cuilin I have no idea 🤣 2d
36 likes8 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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33 likes9 comments
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BarkingMadRead
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#currentread I‘ve had this book for awhile, I‘m so glad it‘s a #buddyread with @StayCurious this month! #littensloveromance

StayCurious Cool picture! 4d
41 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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mcctrish I honestly feel dizzy after that chapter but my favourite part is “the slight sense of degeneracy induced by reading novels before luncheon” and I wish Veronica Godspeed #dontletthedoorhityouonthewayout 4d
Bookwormjillk @mcctrish that was my favorite part too! 4d
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Bookwormjillk V seems like the type that can only feel good about herself by making others feel bad. 4d
willaful I found this an absolutely fascinating chapter. Veronica is asking Sydney to help her accept what she thinks is her inevitable dreary lot in life, but refusing to see whenever Sydney suggests to her that it's not and that she has choices. And *she* feels sorry for Sydney! Sydney is in for a world of hurt, most likely, but she has the better chance of actually achieving happiness in her life. 4d
peanutnine "She did not mind Veronica coming in but wished she did not have to talk to her." #relatable 2d
BarkingMadRead @peanutnine 🤣🤣🤣 2d
29 likes8 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Ruthiella I‘m beginning to understand why Ronnie and his mother didn‘t spend much time together previously…😳 4d
willaful Anyone else completely baffled by this chapter? It's like it was written in French. 4d
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Bookwormjillk Yeah really weird 4d
Cuilin @willaful it‘s such a bizarre mother and son conversation. 4d
Cuilin @Ruthiella or this is the result of not spending time together. They can‘t communicate effectively. 4d
mcctrish @willaful I had to go back and skim this chapter this morning because nothing stayed in my brain at all other than Kerr fell asleep 4d
Ruthiella @Cuilin Right! We don‘t anything about how they interacted previously. Was Ronald raised by nurses, governesses, boarding schools , other relatives? 4d
Ruthiella @willaful I‘ve only otherwise read The Death of the Heart by Bowen, but the writing in it was occasionally very hard for me to parse. I‘ve encountered lots of sentences in The Hotel that I‘ve had to read multiple times. 4d
willaful @Ruthiella I'm not the best at this type of prose. 4d
33 likes10 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Ruthiella Yes, Cordelia is a breath of fresh air. 5d
Bookwormjillk Cordelia is the best. But doesn‘t he like dates? 5d
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willaful I honestly don't know what I'm hoping for here! 5d
mcctrish @willaful me either 5d
Cuilin I don‘t know what it says about their society when it‘s the 11-year-old who has the best conversation that makes the most sense. 5d
willaful @Cuilin Hmmm.... 5d
rubyslippersreads @Bookwormjillk Apparently he wants to skip the dates and go directly to the marriage proposal. 🤣 1d
38 likes8 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Yall, I‘m so sorry, I have a friend visiting this weekend and I didn‘t get to today‘s chapter! I will try and catch up later tonight or tomorrow and will post as soon as I catch up! #hashtagbrigade

43 likes5 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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IndoorDame That is a cute puppy! 🐶 7d
Cuilin The tagging worked!!! As for that proposal, I was reminded of a certain Lizzy and Mr Collins. Also I like Cordelia, she may be my favorite. lol. 7d
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mcctrish That puppy is cute, referring to The Ronald #theronald as one is just weird, even Sydney thinks so! Poor Milton, he‘s as awkward as the day is long and Sydney just dismisses him #thatsahardno 7d
Ruthiella I don‘t think that Ronald is that cute! He seems to be like a bit of a snot. Maybe only child issues? 7d
Bookwormjillk @Cuilin he really is Mr Collins! Also #savecordelia 7d
willaful Sydney actually thought of the correlation between herself and Cordelia! Definitely authorial purpose. 7d
35 likes7 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Bookwormjillk This chapter felt like it was there to set up the next chapter 1w
mcctrish @Bookwormjillk truly. I did enjoy the banter between Milton and Eileen but now the he realizes he loves Sidney he‘s probably just going to mope. What is with the Colonel and LM ? Creepy lecherous old men in front of their wives 🤮 1w
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Cuilin “Eileen Lawrence, who, disconcerted at finding herself without a partner, was advancing towards him with the undulation of a Spanish dancer.” Bowen‘s writing is amazing. (edited) 1w
Cuilin I see my name is tagged, but for some reason, I‘m not getting a notification. 1w
BarkingMadRead @Cuilin that‘s so weird! I wonder if the app is glitching 1w
Cuilin @BarkingMadRead 🤷‍♀️ yeah I agree it‘s weird. 1w
Ruthiella I‘m not getting notifications either. 🤨 Is Colonel Duperrier cheating? Or is he just out of sight and Mrs. D overreacted. There‘ve been a lot of hints that something‘s not right with her… 1w
willaful @Cuilin I can't tell if I'm still being tagged but I haven't gotten them in awhile. :-( 1w
BarkingMadRead Oh no! @willaful I‘ve been tagging everybody every day, I don‘t know why you aren‘t being notified! 1w
38 likes10 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Ruthiella I also dug that reference. How appropriate since this group is an offshoot of that original #Pemberlittens Jane Austen group read. 😃👍 1w
BarkingMadRead @Ruthiella I legit squealed! 1w
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Librarybelle The reference was a delightful surprise! 1w
Bookwormjillk That reference was the highlight of my day. 1w
Cuilin @Bookwormjillk mine too!!!! 1w
rubyslippersreads At least Milton recognizes that he‘s Mr. Collins and not Mr. Darcy. 😆 4d
36 likes1 stack add7 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Ruthiella Sydney seems a little tone deaf in that she didn‘t think a mother would be excited to have her son visit her? Or is this a class thing? 1w
mcctrish @Ruthiella Kerr does say she and Ronald are never together so maybe Sydney thought that‘s partially by choice. Does Ronald have a guardian because he has no father? And Kerr has no say in what he does or where he goes ? 🤯 (edited) 1w
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Bookwormjillk The Cordelia thing was too funny. Seems like there‘s a story with Syd and Ron. Can‘t wait to read more. 1w
willaful @Bookwormjillk I wondered if maybe it was intended to mirror Sydney and Mrs. Kerr, with the younger desperately wanting something from the older. Though Kerr does seem to indulge Sydney a fair bit.

I was fascinated by how put off Sydney was. She so infatuated with who she thinks Mrs. Kerr is, she doesn't want to see anything that doesn't fit her image. It's so boringly conventional for a mother to be interested in their own child!
1w
IndoorDame @mcctrish Ronald is 20 though, right? So she wouldn‘t really have that kind of control over him even without a guardian. Perhaps the guardian is a financial thing? The executor of his trust or something like that? 1w
mcctrish @IndoorDame true enough age-wise 1w
rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella Or is Sydney a little jealous, because she‘s had Mrs. Kerr all to herself? 4d
Ruthiella @rubyslippersreads I think you are on to it! Also, I have to remember that Sydney is only 22… 4d
37 likes9 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Monster's Pet | Erzabet Bishop, Gina Kincade
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I love this series! #blackthornacademy

45 likes1 stack add
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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IndoorDame So nosy! They just kept fishing until they got Sydney to admit she was with Mrs. Kerr, as if that proved something 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w
rubyslippersreads I‘m behind, but this makes me want to catch up. #cheepcheepcheep 2w
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Ruthiella I‘m finally caught up! Who are these ladies who can‘t stay at home and don‘t know what to do with themselves? (edited) 2w
Cuilin They really can‘t stand the thought of a truly independent woman. They all spend their time doing something even though they admit it‘s not useful. Mrs. Kerr does nothing but seems happy. 2w
peanutnine I love that Sydney got the last word! She's not ashamed of spending time with Mrs. Kerr, even though it gives these ladies ammunition for gossip 2w
mcctrish I love Mrs Kerr now, she sits in the sun just to sit in the sun ☀️ 👏🏻👏🏻 I do wish she‘d read though 2w
rubyslippersreads I would go insane, sitting with those old biddies and gossiping. If you have a lovely balcony with a view, why wouldn‘t you take advantage of it? 5d
rubyslippersreads @mcctrish I thought that too. Sitting outside and reading is so delightful, I‘d be doing more of that than most of the activities the characters engage in. 5d
37 likes9 comments
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BarkingMadRead
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When in Disneyland, you must buy a Disney book!

mabell Have you been to Disneyland before? It‘s still on our to-do. The food sounds really good! 😄 2w
BarkingMadRead @mabell this was my first time! 2w
38 likes2 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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IndoorDame For real? They just refuse to go upstairs? 😂 I‘m pretty sure this is a 3 story building, no? I mean if you‘re staying above the 10th floor I start to see sitting around waiting for the elevator to get fixed, but these women are able to walk so they can walk up 2 flights of stairs. 2w
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BarkingMadRead @IndoorDame right? Like walking up is some great expedition they may never return from 🤣 2w
IndoorDame @BarkingMadRead yes, like an expedition, I love it! This book is its comic gold! I‘m totally still picturing the movie getting made 🤣 2w
Bookwormjillk This book is too funny. My favorite was the woman who traveled to a foreign country and complained that there were foreigners there. 2w
BarkingMadRead @bookwormjillk right?!? Who did she think she would see? 🤣🤣🙄🙄🤣🤣 2w
willaful I loved this chapter. Nothing happens, but everything happens! It's so evocative about peoples very weird feelings. 😁 2w
mcctrish @Bookwormjillk she reminded me of my in laws who always complain when they travel that there are too many tourists 🙄 2w
mcctrish @willaful as I read it it felt like mayhem was happening and yet nothing really was, beyond people having a sit in to protest a broken elevator ( that the kids broke ) 2w
Bookwormjillk @mcctrish yes 🤣🤣🤣 2w
willaful @mcctrish The social constraints were on the verge of snapping! A lady walked up the stairs! A gentleman ventured into thedrawing room to retrieve a pen! This could lead to dancing! 2w
30 likes13 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
This post contains spoilers
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BarkingMadRead Somehow I‘m a chapter ahead! So so sorry! 2w
willaful Oh phew, I thought I'd fallen behind somehow! 2w
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Cuilin Ok what is with the L-M‘s? It‘s like they wanted to bring a group up the mountain just so that he would have an audience for his story. Why is she afraid for him not to be happy? The kiss also disturbed them all. 2w
mcctrish @Cuilin I don‘t get it either! Is Mrs L-M more or less bizarre than her husband who makes animal noises to impress young women because she orchestrated settings so he can perform?! Also Veronica is quite mercurial with her affections! I imagine Hotel Portofino when I read this but then everyone is acting bizarrely so it wrecks my vibe 😆 2w
IndoorDame The L-M‘s are both giving me the creeps. I might be running off to #washmyhands with the first person who came along just to get away from them for a while. But if the kiss was so scandalous I can‘t figure out why Victor took her that far off but not actually out of sight of the group? 2w
19 likes8 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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mcctrish Victorian justice is a sham! #donneisadouche 2w
IndoorDame Somewhat surprised to learn he has no legal rights to the kid at this time. Still such a creep!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬 2w
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Ruthiella But kudos to Mr. Benson for dressing Donne/Bellingham down and shutting the door in his face. I think Gaskell wrote the whole novel so she could get away with that condemnation of the penis that started it all. 2w
BarkingMadRead @Ruthiella 🤣🤣🤣 2w
Cuilin @Ruthiella Yes!!!! I loved the dress down!! 2w
Clare-Dragonfly @Ruthiella Hahaha, yes! Benson is perfection in this chapter. Still so sad though 😭😭😭 Definitely makes me want to read the rest of Gaskell‘s books—I‘ve only read two others. 2w
Bookwormjillk @Clare-Dragonfly me too. I think next year will be a Gaskell binge year for me. 2w
BarkingMadRead @Clare-Dragonfly @Bookwormjillk we will have to add some to next year‘s schedule 2w
dabbe I'm going to try to look at this positively. The hero of a story usually saves or changes the community for the better. Look what Ruth did and how her village changed because of her--even Bradshaw! Unfortunately, she was a sacrificial hero, but Leonard will be okay and turn out well. I hope. 🤞 2w
julieclair @dabbe I love your positivity! 😊 2w
dabbe @julieclair 🤩😂😘 2w
KAO Thanks to all for helping me to get through this one! The tragedy was almost too much to bear. @dabbe I like your take though! 2w
dabbe @KAO I tried, but I‘m still all 😭! 2w
currentlyreadinginCO I just finished because I was vacationing and got behind and you have to be kidding me! Definitely agree w @dabbe though 4d
34 likes1 stack add18 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Bookwormjillk This should be a movie 2w
mcctrish Can we talk about Mr Lee-Mittison? He likes young single women, not young marrieds or widows ( rather sad those ones) and he likes to entertain making animal noises. #cringe 2w
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BarkingMadRead @mcctrish so so cringe 2w
IndoorDame @mcctrish and his wife is just thrilled that he‘s so “popular” 😬 2w
mcctrish @IndoorDame they are soooo weird 2w
Cuilin @Bookwormjillk I suggest we start a campaign 2w
Bookwormjillk @Cuilin yes who should we talk to? 2w
Cuilin @Bookwormjillk Merchant Ivory? 😉 2w
julieclair That photo! Perfect! 2w
rubyslippersreads Yes, Mr. & Mrs. L-M are very strange. He‘s a creeper, and she‘s his enabler. 😏 5d
35 likes11 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Cuilin I want a movie made of this book just for that scene alone. Hilarious. I get Rev Eager vibes from a Room with a View. 2w
mcctrish HE USED THE LOOFA!!! #splishsplashiwastakingabath 2w
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mcctrish @Cuilin I was totaly thinking how did Merchant Ivory not make this into a film?! 2w
IndoorDame @Cuilin @mcctrish yes!!! I totally want to watch this scene in a movie version! It would become a priceless cult classic! 2w
Bookwormjillk Amazing. Maybe my favorite chapter of the year. I don‘t think this can be topped. 2w
peanutnine @mcctrish 🤣🤣🤣 so perfect! This chapter was a hoot! 2w
julieclair This chapter was hysterical! Four chapters in, and Elizabeth Bowen has catapulted to my list of best authors of all time. And yes, @mcctrish and @Cuilin , Merchant Ivory dropped the ball… they NEEDED to make a film version! 2w
Cuilin @julieclair @mcctrish @IndoorDame Surely there is someone we can write to due to this glaring oversight. We need a movie!! 🎥 🍿 2w
38 likes9 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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willaful Soooooo depressing! Damn Victorians! 2w
rubyslippersreads I knew it was coming. There was no other way Ruth could atone for her “sins” in a book written during this era. 😠 2w
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Bookwormjillk So the man recovers and the woman dies after committing the same sin. Got it. (edited) 2w
mcctrish But #bellingshit gets to live #motherfucker Victorian morals are ridiculous #ffs 2w
rubyslippersreads @Bookwormjillk @mcctrish Boys will be boys. 🤬 2w
mcctrish @rubyslippersreads argh that saying infuriates me 2w
AllDebooks Not the ending we hoped for, but all saw coming. 🙄 2w
Clare-Dragonfly 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 2w
rubyslippersreads Someone needs to write fan fiction where Donne dies a horrible death, but not before being publicly shamed. 😏 2w
dabbe See? Just like Puritan philosophy. You died, so you must not be a witch. I mean whore. Whatever. I wish she had done to Donne what Tess did to the D'urberville dude. 😭 2w
Aimeesue @rubyslippersreads Yep. Still made me very sad though. 2w
julieclair Yup. Gaskell went there. As we all suspected she would but hoped she wouldn‘t. 😭 2w
IndoorDame I was so mad about the sermon at her funeral! She can be absolved and go to heaven, but only after she‘s died to pay for her crimes!? (and spent a dozen years living a ridiculously saint like life). WTF is that!? 2w
38 likes1 stack add16 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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BarkingMadRead I‘m traveling this week (again!) to Disneyland! I‘m going to read ahead in the airport but my posts may be weirdly timed depending on the plans for the day 🤣 2w
Cuilin I do love the people watching. Everyone is so self-conscious. 2w
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Bookwormjillk The people watching is fun. And the overthinking about omelets. 2w
mcctrish @Bookwormjillk so much omelette angst 2w
julieclair Poor Miss Pym arrived late and lost her chance at an omelette. She had to eat macaroni from the staff lunch. Such a shame. 😂 I wonder what Mrs. Kerr will have to eat - she arrived even later than Pym! 😬 2w
julieclair @BarkingMadRead Have a blast at Disney! 2w
39 likes8 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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mcctrish What could go wrong? Doc says no to her nursing but then yes but he‘s pulling her out before #bellingshit notices her ( we know how that will go) and finally a brief mention of the name change explained ( property acquired and probably a scam) 2w
Clare-Dragonfly “Never to meet in this world again?” MRS GASKELL DON‘T DO THIS TO ME. 😱 2w
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Clare-Dragonfly Also, Mr. Davis is such an ass! He says he wants Leonard to be his apprentice (does he have to adopt him for that to happen?) in the worst possible way, and refuses to take no for an answer. Does it not occur to anyone to ask Leonard what he thinks? I‘m sure Ruth would, but now that she has to be all self-sacrificing again, she won‘t have a chance. 2w
AllDebooks NOOOO! Ruth has just escaped the plague at the hospital, now she's going to look after #Bellingshit 🫣 That's very irresponsible considering she has Leonard to care for. It's also a very Ruth thing to do. 2w
IndoorDame @AllDebooks I know! She could at least make her mind up about school/apprenticeship/tutoring and and leave explicit instructions about who should take care of Leonard if something happens to her so he doesn‘t end up with #bellingshit especially now that she‘s let the cat out of the bag 2w
Cuilin I can‘t with this drama!!! I think there‘s a fine line between selflessness and abnegating your own responsibilities. Leonard should come first. 2w
Ruthiella Ruth is just too much of a martyr to be believed. The sacrifice is not worth it. 2w
dabbe @Clare-Dragonfly Oh, yea, mini-heart stop at these words. 😱 2w
dabbe @AllDebooks I love that you just turned the word RUTH into an allusion. 🧡🩶🧡 2w
dabbe @Ruthiella 🎯! 2w
Bookwormjillk I almost threw my kindle 2w
dabbe @Bookwormjillk If only Ruth could have done more of that (using objects other than Kindles, of course!) 😂 2w
willaful @Clare-Dragonfly I KNOW!

I admit, I was kind of expecting an infuriating happy ending where #bellingshit has a sickbed conversion and they get married but THIS IS WORSE! (I'm assuming from that phrase. 😭)
2w
julieclair This is off the rails. Ruth is too good for her own good (and Leonard‘s). 2w
rubyslippersreads @dabbe @AllDebooks I don‘t think Gaskell chose Ruth‘s name arbitrarily. 🙁 2w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads I keep hearing in my head, “Whither thou goest, I will go ...“ The name Ruth is a common female name of Hebrew origin that means “friend,“ “friendship,“ or “compassionate friend.“ 😢 2w
rubyslippersreads @dabbe Plus the word “ruth” means compassion or pity for another, sorrow misery about one's own misdeeds or flaws, sorrow for the misery of another; pity; tenderness. 2w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads 🎯. That was our Ruth to a tee. 😭 2w
33 likes21 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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mcctrish What is meant by ‘pussies‘? Is this the beginning of Mean Girls? #youcantsitwithus 2w
BarkingMadRead @mcctrish I‘m not sure, but it definitely gave out mean girl vibes 2w
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Cuilin So far it‘s all pretentious vignettes. Mrs. Kerr is certainly interesting. 2w
Cuilin @mcctrish I think it just means coward. Not living life to the fullest. 2w
IndoorDame Mrs. Kerr is definitely interesting, but so far all three of the Misses seem pretty neurotic 2w
BarkingMadRead @mcctrish @Cuilin I consulted the Google and that seems to be it 2w
mcctrish Thank goodness for the Google 👏🏻👏🏻😆 and yes @IndoorDame Mrs Kerr seems to hold some kind of power over all and the Misses seem lacking independent thought 2w
mcctrish @Cuilin I‘m not sure I‘m up for a book that has women tearing each other down 2w
Cuilin @mcctrish I want to avoid spoilers so I‘m not going to say too much but I would not summarize this book by describing it as women tearing women down. It‘s definitely about a privilege set of people post World War I. Quick review. Spoiler Alert ‼️ https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2017/02/01/the-hotel-by-elizabeth-bowen/ 2w
willaful @mcctrish I've run into it a lot in Agatha Christie... Miss Marple was an old pussie. It means old, out of date, unimportant... so they think. 2w
mcctrish @Cuilin I won‘t read the spoilers and if you say that the book won‘t be that way, just privileged people being privileged then on we go 2w
mcctrish @willaful I will probably see it everywhere now 🤷🏻‍♀️😆 2w
Bookwormjillk I‘m not sure what it is this book but I‘ve read two chapters and nothing is sticking in my head except people were playing tennis and now they‘re going to the library. 2w
tpixie Well despite the controversy ( I‘m not reading the book) I love the paper doll - like display of fashion!! 👗 2w
julieclair Mrs. Kerr fascinates me. I hope we learn her story… I‘ll be disappointed if she just remains a mysterious, magnetic woman throughout the book. 2w
rubyslippersreads @mcctrish I think it may mean old ladies. Definitely mean girl vibes. 7d
39 likes17 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Bookwormjillk Sweet chapter. I‘m very surprised Ruth and Leonard survived. 2w
BarkingMadRead @Bookwormjillk I was shocked! I for sure that Leonard would catch it and die 2w
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IndoorDame I was thinking Ruth might die allowing for a full circle kind of Victorian “justice” and a convenient plot opportunity to reveal Leonard‘s bio father. 2w
Cuilin @IndoorDame it‘s not over. I‘m still worried about that Victorian justice. 🤦‍♀️ 2w
IndoorDame @Cuilin I know…🤞🏼Gaskell takes pity on us 2w
mcctrish @IndoorDame I was surprised too, now I‘m afraid 2w
TheBookHippie @Bookwormjillk RIGHT?! I was prepared!! 2w
Clare-Dragonfly I‘m still worried! Ruth is pale! But I‘m glad Leonard got to hear a bunch of good stuff about his mom. 2w
AllDebooks @Clare-Dragonfly that was really heartwarming 💕 2w
rubyslippersreads @IndoorDame I thought that too. 2w
rubyslippersreads I was worried that Ruth might have to nurse Donne, since he was mentioned. That would have been a terrible penance. 2w
dabbe @Cuilin 🎯! 2w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads Did anyone read the title of the next chapter?!!! 😤😱😳 2w
BarkingMadRead @dabbe @rubyslippersreads I finished it. I‘m over here like 🤐 2w
Cuilin @dabbe I couldn‘t help it!! It was right there. 2w
Cuilin @BarkingMadRead I think we know going into these Victorian novels, we‘re not going to get a happily ever after. 😢 But there‘s always hope. 🤞 2w
dabbe @BarkingMadRead #ruhroh! I have a bad feeling ... 😂 2w
dabbe @Cuilin IKR? 😂 2w
dabbe @Cuilin Hopefully somebody has a happy ending! 🙏 2w
Cuilin @dabbe if I have to pick one, let it be Leonard!! 2w
dabbe @Cuilin 🙌 2w
willaful Anyone else have a feeling of recognition reading this chapter? Truly, the more people change, the more they remain the same.

2w
julieclair This whole discussion has me feeling very uneasy… 😬 🫣 2w
37 likes24 comments
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BarkingMadRead
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This month‘s book is #YouLikeItDarker Grab your copy and check back at the end of the month for open discussion! Don‘t forget to tag me so I can see which version you have! #LosersClub #StephenKing #StephenKingInOrder #KingFromTheBeginning #ConstantReader #ReadAlong #BuddyRead

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BarkingMadRead
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Librarybelle Yay! 3w
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Ch 1: we meet the characters #well #someofthecharacters #pymisashylittlething #mrskerrisinteresting #pymsreactiontobeingseenwithkerr #shouldgetinterestingquickly #shortbook #hooray #hashtagbrigade
Be sure and tag me in your post if you make one, you know i love seeing the different colors! Anyone can join in, just know that my hashtags are often ridiculous and always chapter spoilers

Ruthiella Still waiting on my copy. Will catch up later! 😀 3w
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Graciouswarriorprincess I will start when I get off work this afternoon. Thanks for the tag! 😊 3w
Bookwormjillk This seems like a lighter read than Ruth? Maybe? We‘ll see. 3w
BarkingMadRead @Bookwormjillk I‘m hoping! It seems so 3w
mcctrish I forgot what day it was so got my kindle copy 🙏🏻 so Miss Pym thinks she‘s a hedonist? I‘m curious about what she and Emily came apart over. It sounds like a lovely place to spend the winter sucks that I have to spend mine at work 3w
BarkingMadRead @mcctrish I hope we find out about the quarrel, I‘m also intrigued! 3w
Clare-Dragonfly Take me off the tag list for this. I‘m just too busy ☹️ 3w
BarkingMadRead @Clare-Dragonfly gotcha 3w
Cuilin I think the quarrel is a case of familiarity breeding contempt. Imagine wintering in a luxury hotel on the Italian Riviera though. 3w
willaful I'm definitely intrigued about the friendship. Miss Pym seems to be a bit of a status chaser? But perhaps will realize she's happier with someone she can be herself with. 3w
TheBookHippie My book arrives Tuesday! I‘ll catch up! 2w
rubyslippersreads I‘m just catching up, but enjoying it so far. I think the quarrel is due to too much togetherness. I live the novel‘s setting, but am not so sure I‘d love vacationing with this group of people. 😏 7d
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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BarkingMadRead Yall, i mistakenly deleted my planned post and I finished days ago! What did i forget? 3w
mcctrish I thought the idea of F being greedy, #hesherehesthereheseveryfuckingwhere while he sorts out the business mess, keeps his wife‘s family from falling apart and finds a job for Dick when he should go to jail ludicrous, but maybe we are coming full circle back to judgement without knowledge 3w
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Bookwormjillk I don‘t think you missed anything other than the Bradshaws went back to church. Who knows if that means anything. @mcctrish good point on judgement without knowledge. 3w
BarkingMadRead @Bookwormjillk yessssss thank you! 3w
Ruthiella @mcctrish Agree, this is Faith jumping to conclusions. At first I thought surely her brother put her in the know, but of course he didn‘t. He‘s too principled to betray confidences, even if it would exonerate Farquhar. 3w
mcctrish @Ruthiella @Bookwormjillk Faith just shooting her mouth off ☹️ 3w
rubyslippersreads Ruth is just too good to be true. The only thing I thought made sense was Benson‘s comment about her living mainly in the present, and that‘s what caused her ”predicament” in the first place. 3w
julieclair I‘m hoping that the Bradshaws being back at church is a sign that Mr. Bradshaw is coming down off his high horse and turning into a much less judgmental snob. 3w
willaful @mcctrish seriously! Faith is just impulsive.

Anyone else a trifle irked at how tenderly Dick has been treated? When I still haven't heard a word about Benson being paid back? Always gotta think of the future of the poor rich white man!
3w
mcctrish @willaful F seems to feel Dick‘s descent into crime is his father‘s fault ( never allowing him friends, ruling too harshly) so his new job comes with community and restrictions and his shares from the 3 way partnership ( Bradshaw, Dick and F) go to Benson to replace the missing shares 3w
mcctrish @rubyslippersreads I think her predicament was caused by her having no one ( friend or family) and no one ever telling women about the facts of life 3w
willaful @mcctrish Huh, I read it as he was saving them for Dick after he'd proved himself. I'll have to check that.

I think F is probably right, but still, it's always the Dicks who get the benefit of the doubt.
3w
rubyslippersreads @mcctrish That‘s all very true too. 2w
rubyslippersreads @willaful @mcctrish I also understood it as F putting aside Dick‘s shares for him until he cleaned up his act enough to deserve them. 2w
27 likes16 comments
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BarkingMadRead
No More Mr. Chai Guy | J. P. Sterling
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#currentread the second season of the coffee loft series will start being released on KU this week! I‘m so excited and so thrilled to be on the ARC team!

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BarkingMadRead
Life After Life: A Novel | Kate Atkinson
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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AllDebooks Great image. Dick doing what he wants regardless of consequences, particularly to others. Maybe this accident will be the wake-up call he needs to make amends. 🤔 3w
Bookwormjillk Only a few chapters left. I‘m interested to see how this all comes together. 3w
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rubyslippersreads Does anyone else think Donne is mixed up in this as well? 3w
mcctrish @rubyslippersreads it seems weird that he‘s just gone into the woodwork, that‘s for sure. Dick and Bellingshit seem to be quite similar people ( we still don‘t know why he changed his name) and while I appreciate Bradshaw finally having a heart he‘s still full crap 3w
mcctrish @Bookwormjillk me too. I hope it‘s not all tidy bows. I was thinking that despite Ruth‘s rocky start/fall from grace she‘s had more of a life than a lot of women in her time and that‘s something 3w
Clare-Dragonfly @rubyslippersreads I hope so! I‘d hate to have him just disappear from the narrative after all he‘s done. 3w
Cuilin Defraud neighbors is a forgivable offense, have a baby out of wedlock is a sin and must be excluded. At least Bradshaw and Benson though opposite in opinion are consistent. 3w
Cuilin I also hope Bradshaws softening opinion of his son leads him to change his mind on Ruth too. 3w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads I've been wondering myself what the good ol' “Donne“ has been up to! 😂 3w
dabbe @Clare-Dragonfly I also want him to pay and pay BIGLY! 😀 3w
rubyslippersreads I‘d like to find out that someone has “Donne him in.” 🤣 3w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads 😂👏😂 3w
julieclair @Cuilin Yes to everything you said! 🎯 3w
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BarkingMadRead
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No, honey, I don‘t want to come into the grocery store with you during a violent thunder storm. I‘ll just sit right here….

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BarkingMadRead
Flight Portfolio | Julie Orringer
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My stack for September is very mystery heavy. I‘m reading cozies for #cozyconsouth in October, and I‘m trying to read one booo for each author that will be there. I‘m also attending a Nancy Drew book con, so in addition to the #nancydrewbr read, I have the books that the event is based on (we are meeting up in SleepyHollow!) #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

kspenmoll Ambitious!!! Love it! 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! I've been on a mystery binge myself lately. 3w
43 likes2 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Clare-Dragonfly Did Ruth say no to F paying for Leonard to go to school? I missed that. And yes, obviously as soon as Benson said he hadn‘t gotten his bonus I suspected Dick! I‘m sure he finished Bradshaw‘s bottle of wine, too. 3w
BarkingMadRead @Clare-Dragonfly I know she said she wasn‘t liking the idea, not sure if it was a hard no 3w
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AllDebooks Dick is completely leaning into his name there 🙄 3w
mcctrish Of course it‘s Dick! But Bradshaw‘s parting words about the world being better off with more people like him instead of Benson sum it up perfectly, his kind made Dick! Following rules out of fear = shitheads and following rules B/c of empathy and community = where I want to live aka Benson ❤️ 3w
Ruthiella The Chekov‘s gun that was Richard just went off! 😆 🔫 3w
Cuilin Dick is a dumb ass, first rule of crime, you don‘t 💩 on your own doorstep. Bradshaw is about to see the evidence of his parental failings. (I realize I sound criminally inclined, nope I‘m just married to a prosecutor lol). (edited) 3w
willaful @Ruthiella yes, phew! I'm glad it wasn't something worse happening to Ruth! 3w
willaful @Cuilin I sure hope he will! He doesn't seem inclined to as yet. 3w
Bookwormjillk Finally something bad happened that didn‘t involve Ruth🤣 3w
willaful @Bookwormjillk Yeah, just to another sympathetic character who didn't deserve it! I hope he gets paid back!

I admit to feeling a touch softer towards Bradshaw for what he said about never planning for Benson to refuse his pew money. His liking to be generous isn't completely without merit.
3w
Bookwormjillk @willaful I was assuming Bradshaw will pay Benson back. At least I hope he will. Unless he decides it was his own fault for being too nice which is very probable now that I think about it. 3w
dabbe @Cuilin 🤩😂🤩 3w
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BarkingMadRead
Holly: A Novel | Stephen King
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Welcome to the #LosersClub open discussion for #Holly
 Please be mindful of spoilers. We have new readers to King who haven‘t read all of his books. When referencing his other work, please keep this in mind for our new-to-King friends. Don‘t forget to tag each other in the comments so your friends can see your reply. Have fun!
#StephenKing #StephenKingInOrder #KingFromTheBeginning #ConstantReader #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #BookDiscussion

5feet.of.fury I know we always talk about the politics SK throws in there, it felt normal to me in this book vs Elevation or Billy Summers where it was seeming no reason just because of the timeframe/nature of the character and her situation. 1/6, people calling Covid “just the flu” when you have had family members pass it was hard. So I thought it rang true for Holly & her situation. 3w
5feet.of.fury Loved the take on Liver King pseudo science meets Vampires in Love lol 3w
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BarkingMadRead @5feet.of.fury I agree, I normally hate how he puts politics in there, and a few times he toed the line for sure, but it all made sense within the storyline 3w
AllDebooks I loved this, it did feel strange reading about Finders Keepers without Bill. Holly's really coming into her own now. The covid storyline made sense and fitted well within the time frame. I didn't think King got overly political, what he did say was appropriate imo. 3w
BookwormAHN I loved it and the pseudo science nuts. I got kind of a Silence of The Lambs vibe from it. Anyone else? 3w
BarkingMadRead @BookwormAHN yessssss for sure! Those were some seriously creepy old people! 3w
5feet.of.fury @AllDebooks I agree, but Bill still lives in with his impact on Holly & Jerome ❤️ 3w
BarkingMadRead @5feet.of.fury 💯 Bill is always on their minds, especially Holly! 3w
AllDebooks @5feet.of.fury oh absolutely. ❤️ 3w
AllDebooks @BookwormAHN completely 😱 3w
34 likes11 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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julieclair It‘s nice to have some good things happening…. at last! I‘m so glad Jemima is now out from under her father‘s crushing thumb, and is allowed to visit Ruth. And a job for Ruth is great news, even if Jemima thinks the job is beneath her. How can Jemima not understand that no one will hire Ruth for the kind of job that requires Latin? 3w
mcctrish @julieclair I think Jemima is just feeling thwarted, she‘s waited 2-3 years to be able to have her friend Ruth back and now Ruth will be locked up caring for sick people. But maybe if Ruth can spend some time at the F house it will turn the tide back in her favour #lethewithoutsincastthefirststone #iwillwait 3w
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Ruthiella I hope Jemima‘s acceptance and Ruth‘s good actions will help the village come round to accepting her and also understanding as Christians that sin can be forgiven by both god and man. 3w
Cuilin @Ruthiella yes and there‘s no need for “the sins of the mother visit upon the child” bull 💩 3w
julieclair @mcctrish and @Ruthiella Fingers crossed you‘re both right and Ruth will be accepted by the town again. She deserves a break! 3w
mcctrish @Cuilin absolutely no need for that bull💩 3w
Clare-Dragonfly I‘m so happy to see Jemima and Ruth being friends again! I am annoyed that people keep talking about certain jobs as being below Ruth, though. She needs a job! It‘s also strange from my modern perspective that Jemima thinks nursing is a lowly occupation that doesn‘t require education. 3w
Bookwormjillk I'm so glad Ruth got a job, but am worried she'll bring something home to Leonard. 3w
willaful
I feel like there are too many threads that go nowhere here. What ever happened to Donne winning the seat? Why does Dick keep coming up and then disappearing again? Stop spending so much time on stuff if it doesn't matter! She screams at the long dead 19th century author writing 19th century books.
3w
BarkingMadRead @willaful when it comes to Dick #staytuned but I would really love to know what happened to Donne! 3w
currentlyreadinginCO Also that bit about Ruth and Jemima musing that it would be nice for Ruth to take care of sick Jemima was odd to me 😂 3w
dabbe @Bookwormjillk Diseases were rampant then. I'm also worried that she might contract something that will harm her. I feel Jemima's thinking the job is beneath her could also serve as foreshadowing doom. 3w
Bookwormjillk @dabbe Yes, because we know there's no way it will go right for her. They keep saying how weak Leonard is. 3w
willaful @currentlyreadinginCO I think it was considered romantic back then? Devoting yourself to someone. 3w
rubyslippersreads @dabbe @Bookwormjillk I hope the moral of this story isn‘t going to be that the only way for Ruth to atone for her sin is to die in the service of nursing the sick. 😕 3w
Bookwormjillk @rubyslippersreads and they still wouldn‘t forgive her! 3w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads @Bookwormjillk 🎯. It's like, “Hey, it's 1692 in Salem. We think you're a witch and are going to throw you in the river. If you drown, guess what? You're not a witch! If you swim, well, we'll kill you anyway for being a witch!“ 😀 3w
28 likes19 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Cuilin Leonard‘s fear of being outside 💔😢 3w
AllDebooks @Cuilin 💔 I hate how the whole household is shunned 3w
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Clare-Dragonfly Hahaha! I‘m glad things worked out for Jemima and F, even if I am rolling my eyes soooo hard at him conveniently forgetting he was ever into Ruth. 3w
currentlyreadinginCO How can this end well is right 😬 3w
Bookwormjillk I can't think of a way it will end well, but at least this chapter was a little less grim. F seems like a sort of nice guy for the times. 3w
dabbe I may be the other opinion here, but F pissed me off! He's oh-so-glad to have avoided any scandal now that Ruth has been ousted in the community as a whore. What a total sap. Oh, and now Jemima looks whole and pure and oh-so-worthy. #flipflopper #wuss The only man I like in this story is Mr. B and Leonard (though he's a boy). ARGH!!! 3w
willaful I am happy for Jemima -- and was that an Emma and Knightly allusion I spotted? Poor Jemima, she can not pull off being Emma... but at least she figured it out.

I don't think Dick being home bodes well at all.... 😬🫣
3w
Bookwormjillk @dabbe He was a jerk to Ruth for sure but I thought he was kind of nice to Jemima. Granted my standards for the men in this book are very low. I'm even a little peeved at Leonard to be honest. 3w
dabbe @Bookwormjillk You're right. He's the less of a lot of evil men in this book, right? 🤩 3w
Bookwormjillk @dabbe It's a low bar 3w
mcctrish @Bookwormjillk the bar is so low 🙄 I think Ruth has scared Leonard to death about what the neighbours will think. F just needed to wait for Jemima to grow up and his ‘dodging the bullet‘ relief is a joke since no one but him knew of his crush on Ruth except Jemima and it‘s partly why and how she grew up #ibetdickisadick 3w
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Ruthiella It‘s so hard not to read ahead to see how this will be resolved ! 😬 3w
Cuilin IT TAKES TWO!! SHE WAS A CHILD!! Sorry for screaming but nobody even mentioned the fully grown adult male!! 😡 3w
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Cuilin @Ruthiella why do I think we will not get a happy ending? 3w
BarkingMadRead @Cuilin @Ruthiella I‘m wondering the same 😢 3w
AllDebooks @Cuilin yep, it's not looking great for Ruth, is it? 3w
willaful Ugh. I feel very sorry for Ruth and I know she's a product of her times, but as a mom, her conversation with Leonard made me want to scream. The worst way she could possibly have broken the news! Crying all over your kid and wishing you could die, so traumatic for him.

And the hypocrisy of Bradshaw! “Means to an end“ is fine when *he* does it! 🤬
3w
dabbe Patriarchy is MALARKEY!!! #bradshawsuckspondwater 😤 3w
mcctrish @Cuilin YES! Can we throw Bellingshit under the bus ?! He groomed a child to be his lover 3w
mcctrish @dabbe 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3w
currentlyreadinginCO @willaful cringed at Ruth's telling to her son, too ? - sad that she's this traumatized from the "sin" and now exposure. Certain people will definitely still ostracize a young pregnant girl with no means of support but at least we've progressed slightly from the Victorian era with the darkness of this shame.... 3w
Bookwormjillk Ugh these long frustrating chapters 3w
willaful @Bookwormjillk yeah, with no doubt more misery to come. 😣 3w
Aimeesue @willaful Right? So sad. And traumatic! 3w
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Cuilin I‘ve so many questions? How did he find out? The seamstress or Donne? Is Donne wanting to marry Ruth? I can‘t understand hating/blaming a child because of their parents, it makes no sense to me. 3w
mcctrish @Cuilin these are my thoughts too! Bradshaw wouldn‘t be going to the seamstress so who did she tell that it has made it to his ears ? The Donne marriage scenario, is that the backstory for marrying Ruth? And he told her tale so she‘d be in a pickle and have to marry him? But some people have seen her with the Bradshaw family so ?? (edited) 3w
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mcctrish Also why are all the men so stupid 3w
Cuilin @mcctrish I think you‘re right about Donne, he is going to try force Ruth‘s hand. I‘m hoping F is going to swoop in and rescue her and put them all to shame but I get the feeling this is not a happy ever after novel. 3w
Clare-Dragonfly 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡 3w
Clare-Dragonfly If Donne did tell Bradshaw, I‘m even more pissed off because he‘s fully blaming Ruth and not saying Donne is a bad person at all. I know it was the way of things, but it still makes me mad! I hope he gets some comeuppance for his bribery hypocrisy. 3w
Clare-Dragonfly @mcctrish Right? 😂😂😂😂 3w
IndoorDame He said the whole town was talking, but my bet is still on Donne starting the rumor mill going not the seamstress. Men like that don‘t like being told no and rarely think through the consequences. Unless he doesn‘t care at all about the kid, and is fine ruining them both and betting she‘ll agree to be his mistress if he makes her life miserable enough. 3w
mcctrish @IndoorDame there is no way Bellingshit isn‘t pissed off Ruth turned down his proposal and maybe if he‘d led with marriage instead of initially proposing to just pick up where they left off ( like WTF dude) 3w
IndoorDame @mcctrish 💯😡 3w
currentlyreadinginCO @Cuilin would be the best possibility but alas we will see 3w
willaful We knew it was coming but it's not a relief it finally happened. :-( 3w
dabbe Bradshaw‘s holier-than-thou sanctimonious crap after the bribery scene to get Donne elected is just 💩 without the smiley face. I am beyond enraged. 3w
Bookwormjillk I am thinking it had to have been Donne. It was just too close to his marriage announcement. I‘m wondering if he‘s trying to ruin Ruth so he and new wife can take Leonard. 3w
AllDebooks With the glee the seamstress showed in telling Jemima, I think it was her passing gossip onto her customers, and it spread like wildfire. Donne didn't need to tell her as she recognised Ruth from earlier. He's still an ass tho. 3w
rubyslippersreads @AllDebooks I agree. I think the gossip has spread through the town. Maybe Mrs. B heard it and told Mr. B. (Or Mr. BS, as I like to call him.) 3w
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Bookwormjillk Ugh. I don‘t like this at all. I feel like there‘s no hope for Ruth. 4w
mcctrish This can‘t end well 4w
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willaful I'm glad that Jemima wasn't immediately vindictive and isn't letting jealousy blind her to Ruth's blamelessness re F, but, ugh, what a mess. 4w
Cuilin Poor Ruth. I hope Jemima keeps quiet but something tells me she won‘t. 4w
KAO Poor Ruth. It will all come out in the open soon, I fear! I‘m surprised that Jemima didn‘t blab right away, but it feels like a ticking time bomb now. 4w
Clare-Dragonfly Jemima doesn‘t exactly know the truth. Because of course the dressmaker blames Ruth for being a seductress, and not Bellingshit 🙄 4w
AllDebooks Crikey, it's all coming to the boil now. I just wish Ruth would stop being so good and passive and just tell all the judgemental buggers to feck off for once 🤬 4w
dabbe I am so exceedingly grateful that I was born in the 20th century. How unbelievably frustrating it must have been to have been born a Victorian woman. I think I'm still reading because I'm hoping that Ruth will (like @AllDebooks so aptly said) tell all of them to f*ck off and live her life on her terms. AUGH!!! 3w
jewright @dabbe I think about this often. 3w
julieclair @Clare-Dragonfly 🎯 3w
dabbe @jewright 🎯! 3w
AllDebooks @dabbe 😊 I was annoyed! 3w
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Ch 24: y‘all I just can‘t. So here are some damson plums that they were making into jelly 🤷🏻‍♀️ #thisfreakingguy #idonttrusthimatall #thisisntover #soproudofruththough #shestooduptohimandbrokedownafter #neverletthemseeyousweat #staytuned #hashtagbrigade

CatLass007 I love damson plums💖💖 4w
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Librarybelle He‘s such a jerk and has triggered all of my emotions about controlling men and stalkers. Ugh. 4w
Ruthiella @TheBookHippie That‘s how I felt about Tess of the D‘Urbervilles too! WHOOSH! 😡 4w
mcctrish @TheBookHippie @Librarybelle @Ruthiella when he threatened Ruth to meet with him because Leonard‘s well being depended on it and then he got Bradshaw to take him round to see Leonard OMG 😱 (edited) 4w
Librarybelle @mcctrish I know! He‘s the worst! 4w
IndoorDame Who knew it was possible for Bellingshit to continue to drop in my estimation 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 4w
TheBookHippie @mcctrish RIGHT?!?! OMG 4w
TheBookHippie @IndoorDame 🤬🤬🤬 4w
tpixie Pretty 💜💜💜 4w
mcctrish @IndoorDame RIGHT?! What has happened that he‘s gone from being self centred, spoiled, and thoughtless to cruel and vindictive 4w
Cuilin @Librarybelle yes!! I feel triggered. He is despicable. 4w
Aimeesue Sleeze. Bag. Capital SLEEZE. 4w
Clare-Dragonfly I love—in an angry way—how Bellingshit tried to bribe Leonard into liking him and Benson took it as an attempt to buy his vote. It probably never even occurred to Bellingshit that you could buy a man‘s vote by giving a gift to someone he cared about! 4w
Bookwormjillk I just caught up. Oh wow. So much to say about that man. Clueless and threatening all at once. 4w
James263 Hi 4w
jewright Damsons do make the best jelly ever!!! We had a tree when I was a kid. I was hoping he would have grown up a little, but he‘s still terrible. It‘s almost like he knew she would be pregnant, but he thought she might have died. He‘s almost surprised to see her alive and thriving. 4w
dabbe @mcctrish Well, he now has a SON. Nevermind that he's so far illegitimate ... now he'll want HIS son and might take him away from Ruth. I. Can't. Even. #steamsnortingmad 😤😤😤 3w
mcctrish @dabbe it‘s like @IndoorDame said, my mind is blown that Bellingshit is even worse than before 🤯 but I am curious why the name change ? 3w
mcctrish @jewright right? He left her, after he ruined her, how could she have not perished or become a whore on the street ? 3w
julieclair @mcctrish Ditto about the name change. What‘s up with that? 3w
julieclair I so admire Ruth‘s strength and self control. 3w
mcctrish @julieclair probably did some shady shit and needed a new identity 3w
julieclair @mcctrish That makes total, slimy sense. 3w
51 likes26 comments
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BarkingMadRead
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Thanks to @dabbe for tagging me and @rachelsbrittain for hosting #weekendreads I haven‘t had much time to read because I‘m hanging with my daughter and granddaughter, so I‘ve been trying to keep up with the #hashtagbrigade and while I‘m driving I‘ve been listening to the tagged book.

dabbe Hanging with the family trumps reading any day! 🤩🤩🤩 4w
41 likes1 comment
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Librarybelle It was almost hard to read—such a jerk! 4w
Cuilin The audacity of this man!! WTF? He really thinks he can explain why he abandoned her. 4w
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Bookwormjillk When the thing we all knew would happen actually happens. Ugh. Why did he change his name though. Such a shady guy. 4w
mcctrish I‘m so angry and upset! This chapter 🤯 and the restraint I had to show to not throw my kindle! ‘He‘ can‘t believe she is an esteemed governess after he doomed her to a life in the gutter, he keeps trying to talk to her knowing it will put Ruth into further trouble with Bradshaw and then his final outburst! The only good thing about Bellingshit is he makes Bradshaw look good 4w
julieclair Donne/Bellingham is too awful to believe! What a selfish, supercilious cad. 4w
Clare-Dragonfly I was NOT expecting that! I‘m impressed with Ruth‘s strength and ability to stay cool in public. I am NOT impressed with any of the awful things Donne-Bellingham is up to 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡 He doesn‘t want to apologize. He doesn‘t even want anything to change. He just wants to force her to listen to him and he‘s going to take advantage of Leonard to do it. UGH!!!!! 4w
currentlyreadinginCO Hard to read, I just wanted him to leave her alone !! 4w
Ruthiella Oh, the double standard reflected in this chapter is particularly infuriating. 😡 4w
TheBookHippie @mcctrish Bellingshit is a whole word. 4w
TheBookHippie @Cuilin the akin to I assaulted you but you asked for it gaslighting troupe was a throw the book moment. 4w
mcctrish @Ruthiella absolutely infuriating (edited) 4w
mcctrish @TheBookHippie I hated him before and now I‘m apoplectic 4w
mcctrish @currentlyreadinginCO the whole time I‘m reading I‘m muttering “stop fucking talking to her” 4w
TheBookHippie @mcctrish Seriously😡 4w
mcctrish @Clare-Dragonfly he is so awful 4w
IndoorDame @mcctrish apoplectic is THE word! 4w
Cuilin @mcctrish @Clare-Dragonfly @TheBookHippie @indoordame @currentlyreadinginCO it does beg the question Why did he change his name? 4w
TheBookHippie @Cuilin Indeed. WHY?! 4w
currentlyreadinginCO I'm so curious! Did he give her a false name initially bc he had malintent w her?? Did mommy make him change his name so that Ruth couldn't find him?? @Cuilin 4w
mcctrish @currentlyreadinginCO the innkeeper knew the family as Bellingshit, has he changed it to Donne to run for office ? Or does he have two names ? Family name and lordship entitled twat name ? 4w
willaful It was murder waiting for this post, because all i wanted to do is reach into my book and yeet him into the sun! The only way he could redeem himself is to marry Ruth and then instantly die, leaving her a good reputation and lots of money. 4w
Clare-Dragonfly @Cuilin Yes!!! I‘m waiting for that reveal. Maybe he was adopted by a rich relative like one of Jane Austen‘s brothers? 4w
dabbe @willaful I hope for the same outcome! 3w
33 likes25 comments
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BarkingMadRead
The Hotel: A Novel | Elizabeth Bowen
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Next up for the #hashtagbrigade is the Hotel! If you would like to join us, drop a comment below! Everyone is welcome, but fair warning: my hashtags are often ridiculous and always spoilers for the chapter, so be sure to read the chapter before you read my post! We will be reading a chapter a day, starting September 1st.

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James263 Hi 4w
IndoorDame I‘m definitely in! 😁 4w
James263 How are you doing 4w
BarkingMadRead Hi James 4w
Bookwormjillk I'm in 4w
Librarybelle I‘m in! Looking forward to it! 4w
mcctrish Off to find this 4w
Ruthiella Looking forward to it! 4w
BarkingMadRead 😍😍😍 4w
Cuilin Yes, this is a reread for me!! So looking forward to it. 4w
jewright I would like to join. I will have to find a copy of the book. 4w
julieclair Yay! I love Elizabeth Bowen, and haven‘t read this one. And that cover! It‘s one of those that would jump off the shelf at me in a bookstore or library. 4w
Clare-Dragonfly Hmm, I‘m considering it. None of my libraries have it so I‘d have to spend money 😅😂 but it says “sapphic affair”! 4w
BarkingMadRead @Clare-Dragonfly I‘ll add you, and if you need me to remove you later, just let me know! 4w
quietjenn Yes, please! 4w
TheBookHippie I‘m in!! 4w
currentlyreadinginCO Im in! I'll be vacationing in Italy so it's timely! 4w
currentlyreadinginCO Just got the ebook so I don't have to pack anything else 🤪 4w
rubyslippersreads I‘m in. 4w
BarkingMadRead @currentlyreadinginCO amazing! Have the best time! 4w
TheAromaofBooks I think I'm out for this month - September is looking a little crazy!! 😆 4w
CatLass007 I probably won‘t be joining you for September but please leave me on your tag list. I love your hashtags and the comments of the other members. I definitely will be joining you in October. I‘ve already downloaded the (free) Audible version of Dracula as narrated by Tim Curry and Alan Cumming. I don‘t see how that combination could be beaten. 🦇 4w
dabbe IN! Thanks for hosting us again! 😘 4w
Deblovestoread Please add me for September and October. Many thanks! 4w
BarkingMadRead @CatLass007 😳😳😳 4w
willaful Count me in. 4w
DebinHawaii It‘s been a few months but please count me in. I‘ve wanted to read this one for a while. 🤗 3w
peanutnine I almost missed this post! Count me in, sounds intriguing 3w
Tineke I am hoping to join. I am just waiting to get the book which I have reserved at the library.
3w
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BarkingMadRead
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Just a reminder that September‘s #LosersClub read is #Youlikeitdarker Put your library holds in now, search your shelves, or buy a new copy, and check back on or about October 1st, when we begin reading this one. Discussion will be at the end of the month! #StephenKing #StephenKingInOrder #KingFromTheBeginning #ConstantReader #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #BookDiscussion

Bookwormjillk I'm going to join you for this one since it's now available on Everand, and then I'll start over again with you and Carrie 🐷 4w
AllDebooks That's the prompt I needed to buy the book, lol. 4w
40 likes4 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Cuilin Why does Leonard look like Donne? Related to Bellingham? This is not good. 4w
currentlyreadinginCO Oof waiting for the other shoe to drop 4w
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Clare-Dragonfly Who are they even bribing??? 4w
mcctrish @Cuilin I missed this, who thinks Leonard resembles Donne? Leonard isn‘t even there. I‘m still queasy over Bradshaw asking Ruth to go with his girls to the sea but not let Leonard come 4w
Cuilin @mcctrish Mrs Bradshaw said it to Jemima. And then Jemima said he looked like a horse. 4w
mcctrish @Clare-Dragonfly Bradshaw is to give Donne money ? But it‘s not to touch either of their hands ? They both think it‘s wrong but has to be done ? Is this just more of EG ‘s social commentary ? 4w
Cuilin @Clare-Dragonfly sounds like they are paying for votes. 4w
mcctrish @Cuilin I remember the resembles a race horse part, I thought she meant that positively ; power, grace etc 4w
Cuilin @mcctrish it‘s Mrs Bradshaw saying Leonard looks like Donne that stood out to me. Why include that? 4w
mcctrish @Cuilin I went back and read and I see it now, is it cuz he‘s excitable ? They both seem to be talking about mannerisms or are they ?! 4w
TheBookHippie @mcctrish trying to work this out as well …. @Clare-Dragonfly 4w
Bookwormjillk I‘m hoping tomorrow will clear up some things because I‘m a bit confused 4w
julieclair @Cuilin @Clare-Dragonfly I, too, think they‘re paying for votes, but I‘m confused as to how they‘re doing it. (edited) 4w
julieclair The Donne-Leonard similarities are making me nervous. 4w
dabbe @mcctrish @Cuilin ... Or what if Donne and Bellingham are related? I mean, Donne “gives“ $4000 to Bradshaw (if I read that right ... the politics part makes me go 💤), so if he's an a-1 a**hole, he'd fit right in with the Bellinghams. He is coming from somewhere else, and we have no idea where. Yet. #duhduhduhduhdah 4w
rubyslippersreads @Cuilin @mcctrish Maybe she should have specified which end of the horse. 😂 4w
AllDebooks @dabbe the 'politics' frustrates me so much. There is no mention of what either candidate stands for. However, Gaskell's strength is her social commentary. She uses her plot to highlight the inconsistencies and corruption of UK politics. You could 'buy' a constituency through bribes, and this was often the case. So few people had the right to vote it was easily done. 🤬 4w
julieclair @AllDebooks That‘s interesting info. And was it okay for the person “buying” the constituency to live outside its borders? 4w
Clare-Dragonfly @AllDebooks I get the impression it doesn‘t matter what each side stands for. There are two sides and that‘s what is important to Bradshaw! 4w
rubyslippersreads @AllDebooks @dabbe @julieclair @Clare-Dragonfly The political stuff reminds me of Trollope. (edited) 4w
AllDebooks @julieclair I think so. If you had the money, you could 'buy' any constituency 4w
dabbe @rubyslippersreads Which is why I've tried him but have never been able to get through a book! 🤩😂🤗 4w
42 likes28 comments
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BarkingMadRead
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Road trip audio book!

Bookwormjillk Interested to hear what you think of it 4w
BarkingMadRead @Bookwormjillk I‘m about halfway through, it‘s really good. Lots of technical jargon but not in a bad way 4w
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BarkingMadRead
Ruth | Elizabeth Gaskell
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Librarybelle Off to the sea we go! 1mo
Bookwormjillk Politics blah when did this turn into Middlemarch? 1mo
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dabbe And now we have a new guy coming to town. Who's this Mr. Donne person going to be? #newmanintown 😱
1mo
dabbe @Bookwormjillk 😂😂😂 I tried reading that last part in bed last night and just 💤 my way through it! 1mo
mcctrish In my usual #worstcasescenario vein I assume Donne knows Bellingshit and Ruth will be exposed. I feel bad for Jemima, one can only take so much control. Half of her troubles would be solved by just talking to people but these are the times we are in so no talking allowed. Bradshaw is such a pompous asshole - he‘d rather someone went to debtors prison than offer credit for a month so they could avoid it 1mo
TheBookHippie @Bookwormjillk MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY 😵‍💫🫣 1mo
TheBookHippie @mcctrish 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 1mo
mcctrish @TheBookHippie not to conflate modern politics with these olden days, but I feel like Bradshaw‘s descendants are trying to have a go right now 🤬 1mo
TheBookHippie @dabbe one paragraph and zzzzz finished just now 🫣 1mo
TheBookHippie @mcctrish WORD. 🎯 1mo
Clare-Dragonfly @Bookwormjillk I keep thinking of the hypocritical banker guy from Middlemarch. Bradshaw doesn‘t seem to be that much of a hypocrite but I‘m reserving judgment… 1mo
Aimeesue All that stuff in the chapter and I‘m just sad that Leonard didn‘t get to pick strawberries. 🍓 1mo
dabbe @mcctrish Oh, Mr. Bradshaw's allowed to talk. A. Lot. 🙄 He fits the category of someone with logorrhea, my #weirdwordwednesday word. 😂 1mo
mcctrish @dabbe Bradshaw has got entitled white male-itus but I love your #weirdwordwednesday word ( steam literally comes out my ears whenever I read him speaking, no wonder Jemima is losing her shit ) 1mo
dabbe @mcctrish Agree 💯. 1mo
willaful What a depressing chapter! Jemima is so young and stupid. On the other hand, maybe she could never be happy married to someone so closely associated with her father. 1mo
rubyslippersreads @mcctrish I bet you‘re right. Ruth‘s past has to be revealed somehow, so Mr. Bradshaw can shame her. 4w
mcctrish @rubyslippersreads that‘s what he lives for 4w
julieclair @dabbe Logorrhea! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 That might be my new favorite word! 4w
julieclair @mcctrish Oh my... Your prediction about Mr. Donne is probably right. 😢 Poor poor Ruth. 4w
dabbe @julieclair I've had it in my head all day! 🤩😂🤗 4w
45 likes22 comments
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BarkingMadRead
Forty Elephants | Erin Bledsoe
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Reading at Panera while I eat breakfast, I think I‘ll be finishing this today!