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candc320

candc320

Joined April 2016

review
candc320
Polybius | Collin Armstrong
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Mehso-so

A video game that brings out the worst of a person‘s personality? One that literally turns people into murderers? Super creepy concept - especially given how addicting all video games seem to be for a lot of people. The author did a good job of keeping my interest and keeping me listening. The narrator though? Not a favorite. She was so monotone, no matter what was happening! Still happy I finished it! 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
The Butcher | Jennifer Hillier
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Pickpick

It‘s been a LONG time since I‘ve read a book that was actually hard to put down. I found myself sneaking little peeks whenever I could - which is easy today when it‘s a kindle book and you have the app on your phone 🤣. This was so disturbing, mainly because you know from the very beginning who the “baddy” is and you‘re just waiting for everyone else to figure it out! It‘s also got short chapters which I love! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Something in the Walls | Daisy Pearce
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Pickpick

This cover 😍!! The story was good as well, sort of a folk horror/domestic drama/gothic horror. It ended up having the roots of the “mystery” being very realistic and sad, which I wasn‘t expecting, and I think I would have preferred it if it kept its feet more in the paranormal. That being said I still enjoyed it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
The Garden: A Novel | Nick Newman
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Pickpick

This was one slow burn novel! That‘s not a dig - there was a real feeling of tension and uneasiness waiting for the other shoe to drop in this story of two elderly sisters hiding away in a garden and then forced to confront the reality outside their walls when a boy arrives. That show? When it dropped it said BOOM! I did not expect the novel to go in the direction it did but I loved it! Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

15 likes1 stack add
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candc320
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Pickpick

I don‘t typically like romance but this was dark and tragic more than lovey dovey. It was sort of an apocalyptic creature feature romance and it honestly wasn‘t bad at all. Maybe could have benefited from a little more development but for a short story it was enjoyable. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Saltwater: A Novel | Katy Hays
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Mehso-so

Rich people behaving badly - that pretty much sums this one up 🤣. There is a good twist towards the end that I didn‘t see coming but other than that this felt very similar to other books where rich people are trying to get away with everything. If you like that sort of book give this one a try! 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Haunting of Room 904 | Erika T Wurth
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Mehso-so

I love this cover!! Beyond that, there was way too much going on in this story! We‘ve got a central story of a sister who strangely committed suicide in a hotel room and a sister trying to stop the same thing happening to her mother. Then you‘ve got components of the following: a massacre of Native Americans in the past, a sort of cult ritual group in the past but at a different time, a psycho ex boyfriend, a few potential current romantic ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: interests, racism, sexism, classism…and probably more things that I‘m forgetting. It honestly was a little too much to keep up with as an audiobook and kind of pulled my mind in too many directions for me to fully care about the central story of why the sister did what she did and how our main protagonist would keep the same fate from befalling her mom. Not badly written, just too convoluted to fully enjoy. 🌟🌟🌟 1w
16 likes1 comment
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candc320
Bingo! | Rosemary Wells
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I forgot to share! Not only did I read my #bookspin and #doublebookspin picks in May I also got THREE bingos! I think these are my first bingos of the year! #bookspinbingo

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Fabulous month!!! 2w
19 likes1 comment
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candc320
Psychopath Next Door | Mark Edwards
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Pickpick

This was my first Mark Edward‘s novel and it was AWESOME! So twisted and dark and entertaining. SO…MANY…PSYCHOPATHS 🤣! I can‘t say it was particularly surprising or mysterious but definitely thrilling! Will read more by him for sure. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

20 likes1 stack add
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candc320
Cold Eternity | S.A. Barnes
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Pickpick

I‘ve really enjoyed every single one of this author‘s sci fi horror novels! I was never that into sci fi or fantasy but apparently the way to draw me in is horrific terror 😂. This was a good addition, with that claustrophobic feeling of space, creepy cryogenics, and sone super realistic AI. Somehow there‘s even a tiny bit of romance thrown in. Really solid space/monster horror! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
The Tenant | Freida McFadden
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Pickpick

I‘ve learned with Freida McFadden‘s books that you just need to put all sense of reality and likelihood aside and just enjoy the crazy ride 😂. This one is particularly crazy with a host of unlikable characters behaving badly and making each other‘s lives miserable (or murderous). There were a few twists I didn‘t see coming so I‘m counting this one as a win! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

19 likes1 stack add
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candc320
Junebug | Cherie Doyen
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I can‘t believe it‘s June! I‘m really feeling the summer reading so I‘m excited to see how many I can get through next month! #bookspin #bookspinbingo #summer #summerreading

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
23 likes1 comment
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candc320
You Killed Me First | John Marrs
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Pickpick

Ahhh this was SO GOOD!! I wasn‘t exactly sure at first what I was listening to but, once it sunk in, I really thought I had it figured out. But nope 🙂‍↔️ 🤣! This was CRAZY, in the best possible way! Twist after twist after twist. This is only the second book by this author I‘ve read but, now, I want to DEVOUR the rest! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
One in Four: A Thriller | Lucinda Berry
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Mehso-so

So, the synopsis of this story makes it sound like a locked room mystery where we‘re going to explore a murder of a celebrity on a reality tv rehab show. Well…we hardly even step into the rehab show and don‘t even meet all of the celebrities! It starts with a murder and instantly moves on to other people in a totally different direction than I thought it was going. Just not very satisfying for me overall, although not a badly written story. 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
A Map to Paradise | Susan Meissner
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Pickpick

Susan Meissner had long been a favorite author of mine and, while this book wasn‘t a favorite, it still was pretty good. I haven‘t read a lot set during the Red Scare after WWII and it was interesting to see our three women navigate this strange new world in the already strange land of Hollywood. It has a somewhat satisfying ending but there were a few storylines I wish had wrapped up a little differently. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would given the mixed reviews I‘ve read. The main character is definitely unique - being a skilled thief who is blamed for a man‘s murder and hides out from the world at a nursing school while trying to solve it - and I think there‘s a little bit for everyone to enjoy. I thought the romance was a little unnecessary and the resolution only partly satisfying, but overall it was worth the listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
A Very Bad Thing | J T Ellison
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Pickpick

I think this was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it! It‘s twisty and suspenseful and, while I could guess some of the twists, the final one I definitely didn‘t see coming! I went back and forth between the ebook and audiobook and I highly recommend the audiobook. All in all a solid mystery. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
The Book of Accidents | Chuck Wendig
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Pickpick

I finally finished it!! And…I loved it!! This took me months to get through but it wasn‘t because I wasn‘t enjoying myself, it‘s just a pretty dense, heavy story. It reminded me a lot of a Stephen King novel, which is a compliment as I love King. So much more than a horror story! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Untitled | Untitled
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Pickpick

Overall this series of Amazon Original short stories, called The Shivers, were pretty good! Night and Day in Misery was by far my favorite and might be one of my favorite short stories of all time! So much heart and development is so few pages! Definitely 5 🌟! The rest are close to even with Jackknife and The Indigo Room being my least favorite (which was a shock as I LOVE Joe Hill!). A great way to spend a few hours!

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candc320
The Mystery Guest | Nita Prose
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Pickpick

This is a really cute series! The main character is absolutely adorable and is so genuine and smart that I love reading everything from her POV. I‘ve already read the short story that comes after this book ?it was ok 🤷🏼‍♀️) so I‘m really looking forward to the newest installment. What will Molly get into next? 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Mickey7: A Novel | Edward Ashton
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Pickpick

This was a lot of fun! I don‘t picture this actor as Mickey Barnes but I always make up my own movies in my head 😆. I‘ve been trying to read more science fiction/fantasy and this was light and easy to digest for someone who isn‘t too techy or science-minded. Mickey is a great character and I‘m excited for the next book! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
You Deserve to Know | Aggie Blum Thompson
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Pickpick

I love a good domestic drama! Juicy neighborhood gossip, secrets and scandal and maybe a little murder…I eat it up! This was a good one with plenty of twists to keep you guessing and a satisfying ending, which isn‘t always the case with these sorts of stories. I‘ll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter | Stephen Graham Jones
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Mehso-so

I‘m starting to think I‘m not smart enough - or have a long enough attention span - to really enjoy this author‘s novels. I‘ve liked a few but this and The Only Good Indians are both so beautifully written but so hard to digest that I start losing interest. This is literally a story within a story within a story and it was hard to follow at times. The language used was beautiful but again hard to follow and it felt longer than it needed. 🌟🌟🌟

JacqMac I always think I should love him, too, but I have the exact same problem. I find them so hard to get through. 1mo
18 likes1 comment
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candc320
Adventures in Reading | May Lamberton Becker
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My May TBR is ready to go!! Bring on the reading! #bookspinbingo

Chrissyreadit i love your planner! 2mo
candc320 Thank you, @Chrissyreadit !! It‘s from a company called Novelly Yours. It‘s my second year buying them and I love it! 2mo
Chrissyreadit thank you!!! they are a fun company and i‘m pretty sure i will order in the future from them 💛 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
22 likes4 comments
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candc320
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Pickpick

This was amazing! Gone with the Wind was a favorite movie of mine when I was younger and I always thought Hattie McDaniel was excellent in it. Learning about her real life and all of the turmoil and backlash she suffered due to the roles she played was so sad. She was hardworking and dynamic and witty and smart and it really is horrific that she just wanted to do the thing she loved the most - act - and find a love that was true and lasting and ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: and suffered for it again and again. I loved learning about this brilliant actress! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 2mo
21 likes1 comment
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candc320
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Mehso-so

This was sort of the definition of “meh” 🤷‍♀️. There were some stories that were kind of creepy but most of them were too short to develop enough for me to find them much of anything. They did help me get out of a bit of a reading slump as they were all short and easy to digest. I do like this author, I just think I might prefer her novels to short stories. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
A Killing Cold: A Novel | Kate Alice Marshall
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Pickpick

This was a solid domestic mystery/thriller. Most of it was pretty easy to figure out but there were still some surprises to be had. Theo was a great main character, being somewhat of an unreliable narrator but also warm and funny. I really wanted her to figure out her past! Will definitely read more by this author! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
The Dream Hotel | Laila Lalami
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Pickpick

Is it just me or are these dystopian science fiction stories starting to seem a little too real?! It‘s not much of a leap to see our government detaining those that they believe might commit a crime based on data points they establish and using them for labor or experiments or anything else. Holding them for whatever extraneous reasons they want. It‘s truly terrifying! But you know what also comes of this? Resistance! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Bookwormjillk It‘s not just you. I had to take a break from them for a while. 2mo
candc320 @Bookwormjillk it‘s honestly exhausting and terrifying. 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures Last week the US ICE said they are going to stop "thoughts" from crossing the border. Utterly horrific. I am glad I read this in March, I agree it is too much now. 2mo
21 likes3 comments
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candc320
Cross My Heart | Megan Collins
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Pickpick

There was A LOT going on here: is our main character a little too obsessed with the husband of the person whose heart she now has? Did that husband have anything to do with his wife‘s death? Is there something else entirely different going on? This book will give you whiplash, but if you just go with it it‘s quite entertaining. Worth a listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Sea Sick | Iain Rob Wright
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Bailedbailed

This SEEMS like it should be a story right up my alley - zombies, a groundhog‘s day scenario, and a mystery at its heart - but I just couldn‘t get through it! It‘s supposed to be short but I‘ve been trying to read it for weeks now and I‘m only at 35% 😭. It just doesn‘t seem to go anywhere. I‘ve read and enjoyed this author before, so I‘m just going to chalk it up to wrong book at the wrong time.

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candc320
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Pickpick

Loved the movies and wanted to see how the books compare. Great first book! Really solidifies the characters and sets us up for a great storyline. It was a little darker than I was expecting - the cutting out people‘s tongues, yikes! - but that just really drives home the fact that this world is brutal! So excited for the rest of the series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Dressmakers of London | Julia Kelly
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Pickpick

I love WWII historical fiction, especially if it highlights an area I haven‘t read about before. This novel focuses on both the women of the WAAF, especially those manning barrage balloons, and the bespoke fashion industry of London. The characters are great, although Izzy did get on my nerves a little bit (that girl can hold a grudge!). I also love that the novel doesn‘t concentrate on romance but has it as a little extra thrown in. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

kspenmoll I just finished listening to this & enjoyed it! 2mo
21 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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candc320
Close Knit: A Novel | Jenny Colgan
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Pickpick

I swear, reading a Jenny Colgan novel is a balm to my very soul! I love how her novels, filled with lovely, funny characters and so much heart it could burst, draw me in and make me want to stay in that world forever. I‘m so sad when they‘re over! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

mcctrish I love Jenny Colgan so much 2mo
26 likes1 comment
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candc320
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Pickpick

This was bonkers in the best possible way! I love having a nasty character to hate and you‘ll get that in this book. There are ghosts and revenge and all sorts of goodies here. Not overly spooky and more funny scary, I‘d definitely recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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My April #bookspinbingo #tbr is ready to go! I have high hopes for next month 🤞🙏📚📖

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
15 likes1 comment
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candc320
The Farm | Matt Shaw
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Panpan

I really wanted to like this short novel as I‘ve not had the best time with physical reading lately (killing the audiobooks though!). Unfortunately this just didn‘t do it for me. The writing was a little sloppy and there honestly wasn‘t much character development to be had. The ending was also just sort of 🤷🏼‍♀️. Good premise without much follow through. 🌟🌟

ReadingOver50 That cover is amazing 2mo
candc320 Right @ReadingOver50 ! It‘s the first thing that drew me to it. 2mo
24 likes2 comments
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candc320
Cursed Cruise: A Horror Hotel Novel | Victoria Fulton, Faith McClaren
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Pickpick

I loved this! I mean give me all the ghosts in an isolated place (like a ship) and I‘m a happy camper 😆. The first book in the series was really good too and I loved finding out what the characters have been up to. There‘s nothing overly serious here or necessarily spooky but it was a fun listen and I‘ll definitely read anything else that comes out in this series. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
Nightbitch | RACHEL. YODER
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book…and I can‘t even tell you why 🤣! It‘s really weird and raw and full of grit but somehow also wholly relatable. Any mom has had that moment when you are so tired you can‘t think straight and begin questioning everything about your life. Just most of us don‘t grow hair in weird places and start thinking we become a dog at night 😳. I can‘t even properly describe this book…just read it if you want something different. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Pickpick

This was super twisty! I didn‘t realize this was part of a series, and wish I had read the previous books first, but the author does a pretty good job of filling the new reader in on what came before. I love a solid murder mystery and this one definitely fits the bill. Excited to go back and read more in this series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Mehso-so

While this was an ok mystery, there were just too many varying characters and storylines to keep up with as an audiobook. I kept getting pulled out of the story by trying to figure out what was really going on. I did read all the way to the end, however, so the overall story did hold my general attention. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
The Madness: A Novel | Dawn Kurtagich
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Pickpick

Another great listen! A modern take on vampire lore, it drew me in and kept my attention rapt. There isn‘t a lot of mystery or shock value here - it‘s easy to connect all the pieces and figure out what‘s happening - but it was dark and emotional and very different than I was expecting. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

TheLudicReader I have read a couple books by this author and really enjoyed them. I am looking forward to this one. 3mo
25 likes1 stack add1 comment
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candc320
Victorian Psycho | Virginia Feito
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Pickpick

I loved this! It‘s funny and vicious and violent and so tongue in cheek that I couldn‘t stop listening to the audiobook. The author names all the characters the funniest names - Ms. Manners, Mr. Pounds, etc - and it just felt very Dickensian. It‘s also really short and definitely could be read/listened to in a day. Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Dearest | Jacquie Walters
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Pickpick

This was nothing like I was expecting! I thought it was going to be a motherhood gone wrong sort of story - which it was in a way - but it was so much more! There are ongoing mother/daughter issues, generational trauma, and the supernatural! Just a really twisty tale that I couldn‘t stop listening to. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Dogs | Steve Harpster
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I‘ve not been getting very much reading done this last week as this little love muffin has joined our family! Meet Poppy! She‘s the sweetest little chihuahua and just wants to play and snuggle all day 🥰. I can‘t wait for her to be my little reading buddy!!!

KadaGul Poppy, you are so adorable. Welcome to the Litsy Family. #Petslife 3mo
intothehallofbooks What a cutie!!!! 🐾 3mo
dabbe Welcome to your next lovely family, #preciouspoppy! 🖤🐾🖤 3mo
See All 10 Comments
ChaoticMissAdventures OMG Poppy!! What a cute name for an adorable pup! Congrats! 3mo
BookmarkTavern Hello baby! ❤️❤️❤️ 3mo
Tamra 😘😘 3mo
candc320 Awww thanks so much @intothehallofbooks @KadaGul @dabbe @ChaoticMissAdventures @BookmarkTavern @Tamra ! She‘s just such a sweet baby!!! (edited) 3mo
Read4life She‘s so adorable!!! 🐶🥰🐶 3mo
JessClark78 ❤️❤️ 3mo
DogMomIrene She looks almost like a stuffed animal! So adorable! 3mo
27 likes10 comments
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candc320
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Mehso-so

I‘ve loved Greer Macallister‘s previous novels so I had high hopes for this one. It wasn‘t bad but it definitely wasn‘t my favorite. The story is set up as our main character recounting her life with her many husbands and lovers and the many ways she transformed over the years. Told by a psychic that her 13th husband would be the death of her she recounts how she got to 13 and a “shocking” revelation about the 13th. Just ok. 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Bailedbailed

Giving up on this one at 13%. It‘s not horrible, it‘s just meh. This is another that I might try again as an audiobook if my library gets a copy. I just need a little more to keep my attention at the moment.

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candc320
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Pickpick

I finished this last week and have been so busy I forgot to post 🤦🏼. I love this as a spinoff of the Tradd Street series (which is great) and am looking forward to more in the series! Moving to New Orleans, the perfect places for spirits and those sensitive to them, we see a young woman grappling with making her own way in the world while coming to terms with the gifts of those close to her. Definitely recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
March | Geraldine Brooks
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My March #bookspinbingo is ready to go! Bring on the reading!!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4mo
nelsonmatt890 I like to connect with you and read, lol. 4mo
21 likes2 comments
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candc320
Mark | Lee Mountford
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Pickpick

This book isn‘t in the system so I‘m reviewing it here. This is the 2nd book in the Haunted series and in it we go back to when the parents of our two sisters from book 1 first went to the house and nearly lost their lives there. We learn a pretty big revelation about one of the sisters and see some truly sinister stuff happen to those staying at the hotel the parents are helping start at the house. So excited to continue this series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Stay on the Line: A Novelette | Clay McLeod Chapman
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Mehso-so

Not bad for a short story but didn‘t really develop the characters enough to make me care what happened. A bunch of people in this small seaside town died during a hurricane and the survivors begin to be able to speak to them through a phone booth that hasn‘t worked in years. But are they speaking to those that are lost? Or is it something more sinister? Quick read but kind of forgettable. 🌟🌟🌟