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janeycanuck

janeycanuck

Joined February 2016

I work full-time to support my addictions to reading, travelling, and my pug, Penelope.
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Jane Austen's Letters by Jane Austen, Deirdre Le Faye
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janeycanuck
The Fury | Alex Michaelides
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Mehso-so

Can you really call something a "whydunnit" if you still haven't revealed who was killed, let along who did it a quarter of the way into the book?

Ultimately, this was quite predictable.

AvidReader25 My thoughts exactly. 6d
48 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

A little chewier than I expected based on the cover and what a strong debut! Cheeks does a beautiful job with developing Willie's character and exploring all the different facets of her life as she's navigating things with the Forgiveness Act.

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janeycanuck
Float Up, Sing Down | Laird Hunt
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Pickpick

The structure of this was too intriguing for me to pass up, though in the end, it didn't end up being my cup of tea. Perhaps I'd have done better if I hadn't chosen to read one chapter a day?

44 likes1 stack add
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janeycanuck
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Finally sat down to catch up on my reading journal and do my February #readingwrapup. So much reading in February!

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janeycanuck
My Murder | Katie Williams
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Pickpick

A fresh twist on a thriller but I didn't like the ending. I did figure out what was going on so it wasn't a total shock but it felt like Williams promised one thing and delivered another. It's impossible to say more without spoilers.

My Feb #BookSpin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
54 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
Flavors of the Sun | Christine Sahadi Whelan
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Holy ####, this was so good! It probably had something to do with the six cups of whole milk?

I‘ve never seen the pasta shape called for in the grocery store so I used another recommended shape and there wasn‘t enough. Next time, I‘d do 1.5x the amount of pasta and freeze half for another dinner. This also reheated way better than any other Mac and cheese I‘ve ever made.

Eighth recipe for #MtCookbook

Tamra Oh my, I would love it - harissa! 😋 2w
janeycanuck @Tamra I am not one for spice but OMG, so good! I don‘t think I‘ve dropped the recipe in that shared doc but I will later today. You could easily adjust the spice level up, if you wanted a bit more. 2w
Tamra @janeycanuck I feel so bad, neither have I! 2w
mabell Harissa is so good! We just whipped feta and harissa, and it was fabulous. We will definitely have to make this pasta! 1w
janeycanuck @mabell I still haven‘t gotten the recipe in but definitely in the next day or two! Definitely try this one! 1w
40 likes5 comments
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janeycanuck
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More jam, always more jam!!

Fourth recipe for #MtCookbook

CBee The cake looks yum but I LOVE that mug with a passion 😂😂😂😂 2w
janeycanuck @CBee Vilks Stoneware! She has so many good ones, I‘ve been eyeing Sofa King Tired for a while 😂 2w
CBee @janeycanuck thanks! I‘ll have to check it out 😊 2w
See All 9 Comments
Tamra What type of jam did you use? 2w
janeycanuck @Tamra blackberry vanilla, which was very tasty! I think the recipe recommended raspberry but any berry would be good. 2w
Tamra @janeycanuck that would be amazing! 2w
TheBookgeekFrau That mug! 😍😍 2w
BookmarkTavern Delicious! 😋 2w
mabell Beautiful swirl! 😍 1w
41 likes9 comments
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janeycanuck
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Fifth recipe for #MtCookbook was not baked goods! This was overly oily so I‘m keeping the recipe but dropping the oil drastically next time. Oh, and I couldn‘t be bothered to seek out broccolini but using broccoli was totally fine.

Tamra Yum! I wish we had broccolini here. 2w
janeycanuck @Tamra broccoli works! And is cheaper🤪 2w
mabell Looks yummy! How was the teriyaki? 1w
janeycanuck @mabell It was good but the recipe had too much oil and it separated out. I‘d cut the oil drastically next time. 1w
37 likes4 comments
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janeycanuck
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This was the ultimate banana bread! I pulled frozen bananas from my freezer and I think I should have given them a quick blend before adding to the batter because they were a bit lumpy and sunk to the bottom but the flavour was so good. New standard banana bread recipe found!

Ninth recipe for #MtCookbook

IndoorDame Yum!!! 2w
janeycanuck @IndoorDame so tasty! I love banana bread!! 2w
Tamra Banana bread is such a comfort food.😄 2w
See All 7 Comments
janeycanuck @Tamra I know, right? 2w
mabell This sounds good! So many frozen bananas to use over here 😆 1w
janeycanuck @mabell I hate bananas to eat but love them baked in stuff! 1w
mabell I like a little of both ways. 😄 We usually make a lot of smoothies, but haven‘t been as much lately so the frozen bananas have been accumulating! 1w
37 likes7 comments
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janeycanuck
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I‘m super behind on my #MtCookbook posts! I made these brownies back at the beginning of Feb and they were pretty good! I did use a different size pan (I think they would have been too thin if I used the size in the recipe) so they needed a lot longer in the oven but otherwise worked well!

My seventh recipe done!

Librarybelle They look delicious! 2w
janeycanuck @Librarybelle They were! And have frozen quite well, if you‘re the type to need a little sweet tucked away to easily pull out. 2w
Librarybelle Good to know!! 2w
See All 8 Comments
Tamra You went all out - even with frosting! My kids would be impressed. I‘m usually not patient enough to make frosting after baking anything. 2w
janeycanuck @Tamra I mixed it up while they were in the oven and it was pretty quick with a hand mixer. I should have waited a bit longer before putting it on cause it did get a bit melty but I wanted to cut in! 2w
mabell They look delicious! And I love the frosting! 1w
janeycanuck @mabell quite enjoyable! I was sceptical about the icing when I was mixing it up but it turned out great 1w
mabell I‘m definitely going to try this! After the last batch that didn‘t turn out, I got a new pan just for making brownies 😄 1w
38 likes8 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

A powerful read. Oluo digs deep into history to explain how we got where we are and the dangerous path we‘re still on.

Roll 76 for #Roll100

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2w
45 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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janeycanuck
Homecoming | Kate Morton
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Pickpick

This could definitely have been shorter and I was annoyed with how a major event was unveiled but overall, I liked the story and really enjoyed the strong sense of place Morton created.

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janeycanuck
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Bring on March! Did I read a tonne in February? Yes! Was it all from the library and not anything from my #BookSpin list? Also yes. Am I regretting putting 30+ new releases on hold and not reading from my shelves? Never!

March isn‘t going to be my month either, but hey, it‘s fun to pretend.

LiteraryinLawrence Ha, I was just talking with @BennettBookworm about how we make a list each month and then immediately deviate from it. 😋 2w
janeycanuck @LiteraryinLawrence 😆 It‘s nice to know I‘m not alone! 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2w
39 likes3 comments
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janeycanuck
The Bennet Women | Eden Appiah-Kubi
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Pickpick

I really liked what Appiah-Kubi did with updating the P&P storyline, she made the story fresh & interesting, adding her own ideas without losing the original story. I particularly like what she did with the Jane & Bingley storyline! But when she took things past the original P&P story, the pace really shifted and it felt like the story was dragging. But this is definitely one of the better adaptations that is around!

Roll 50 for #Roll100

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janeycanuck
Roll the Dice | Wayne Avrashow
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Yay, March #Roll100 time!! Some good picks for me this month.

PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 3w
24 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
Bingo Love | Tee Franklin
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Pickpick

I needed a palette cleanser after my last read so I turned to this sweet little graphic romance. Mari and Hazel are separated in their youth but reunited 50 years later - the art was so lovely but the story moved a little too quickly in places for my taste. Another 10 pages would have really helped with that.

44 likes1 stack add
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janeycanuck
The Book of Doors | Gareth Brown
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Bailedbailed

DNFing at 300 pages because of the absolutely unnecessarily graphic depictions of violence.

Seriously. I can‘t believe how much buzz this book has and NO ONE seems to be talking about the particularly graphic gun violence.

dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 3w
elkeOriginal Yikes! Thanks for the warning. 3d
46 likes2 comments
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janeycanuck
The Phoenix Crown: A Novel | Kate Quinn, Janie Chang
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Pickpick

This was an interesting one because early on, I felt like I could really tell when Quinn was writing and when Chang was writing but either I got so sucked into the story that I couldn't tell anymore or the meshing of their styles improved. Either way, I loved getting a more thriller-like story from Chang and a more character-driven story from Quinn. I hope they collaborate again!!

KristiAhlers I can't wait to start this one. 1mo
Hooked_on_books I like Chang and so plan to give this a try. Sounds promising! 1mo
44 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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janeycanuck
The Phoenix Crown: A Novel | Kate Quinn, Janie Chang
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Oh shit.

Well, I guess this is what happens when you have 35 books on hold. And only one is renewable!!!

slategreyskies I have The Book of Doors on hold too! It looks so good. 📚 1mo
janeycanuck I‘m really looking forward to that one! 1mo
49 likes2 comments
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janeycanuck
Flavors of the Sun | Christine Sahadi Whelan
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I‘m not a brittle fan and I don‘t handle spice well but this is right up my husband‘s alley so I made it for him to take on his ski weekend with his buddies. It didn‘t have a lot of kick to it but the spice is sprinkled on top so easy to adjust for taste!

#MtCookbook (6th recipe made!)

TheBookHippie Oooo 1mo
Tamra Oh yummmmy! That looks seriously good. I love anything crunchy. 1mo
janeycanuck @Tamra @TheBookHippie it got rave reviews from the fellas! 1mo
mabell Yum!! Was it a mix of nuts? 1mo
35 likes4 comments
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janeycanuck
No One Can Know: A Novel | Kate Alice Marshall
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Pickpick

I love a good dysfunctional family thriller and this family is dysfunctional AF! Marshall has some good layers here, leading to a couple of possible conclusions and while I did think I knew who did it pretty early on, she had me second guessing myself a lot. A good one to keep you turning the pages!

36 likes1 stack add
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janeycanuck
The Orchard | David Hopen
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Pickpick

I see why this is compared to the Secret History. I liked the little bits of philosophy, religion, etc. that were peppered in through Ari's lessons but it did get to be a bit too heavy b the end. And while the book isn't light be any stretch of the imagination, it gets REALLY intense & dark at the end, which makes for a page-turner but also kinda leaves you feeling like you've been punched in the face.

My Jan #BookSpin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo
39 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
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Hey #MtCookbook friends... It took me a while but here's a Google doc we can use to share recipes! Hopefully it won't take too much time to update. If you don't have a URL for your recipe, snap a photo and throw it at the end of the doc and I'll take care of linking it :)

Feel free to add all the recipes you try or just the ones that people ask for.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Ult3c_4oBXJRxZNySTk3neLRh-twMpFRof3hdpTZtY/...

TheBookHippie Yes!! I‘ll get to this this week! 1mo
See All 10 Comments
Tamra Thank you! 1mo
IndoorDame Thanks 😊!!!! 1mo
Chrissyreadit wow!! i need to post what i made this week- this is awesome ❤️ 1mo
mabell This is great! Thanks! 1mo
mabell I added the lines for my recipes so far - I just need to figure out how to post the photos of the recipes 😆 1mo
janeycanuck @mabell I just drag and drop the photo in. You can probably copy & paste, too! 1mo
mabell Thanks! 4w
28 likes10 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

Does Janice Hallett need any new friends? This was such a fun book. I love how Hallett uses the epistolary style to unfold such an intriguing mystery and does it with such humour & style! Hallett is such a unique writer and I can't wait for her next one.

LiteraryinLawrence I loved her other 3 books and just borrowed this one from the library! Hope I like it as much as you did! 1mo
janeycanuck @LiteraryinLawrence I ended up a bit disappointed in the Twyford Code but her style is just so awesome. Hope you enjoy! I still need to read The Appeal and think she has a new one out in September?! 1mo
42 likes1 stack add2 comments
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janeycanuck
Newcomer: A Mystery | Keigo Higashino
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Pickpick

Wow, I loved the way this unfolded! It‘s more like a series of short stories that form part of the larger mystery but still have their own resolution. Over the course of the book, there is a subtle shift to more of a traditional narrative. It‘s just so well done, I love how each of these Kaga mysteries is a little different!

With this finished, I‘m caught up on the Detective Kaga mysteries! First series done for #SeriesLove2024

TheSpineView Awesome! 1mo
BarbaraBB Lovinf these series 1mo
60 likes2 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

Huh. This has such a strange structure that just defies description. It works, giving such depth to Coral‘s story, but it can be hard to stay in the story. I liked the Wildfire excerpts the best, oddly, and I think if this had been longer, I‘d have better appreciated & understood the way Blackburn was telling the story.

Tiffiney That's the city I work in and used to live in...I didn't realize this book existed. I might have to check it out. 1mo
janeycanuck @Tiffiney Long Beach doesn‘t play too much of a role but it‘s definitely worth checking out! 1mo
41 likes1 stack add2 comments
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janeycanuck
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I‘m moving slowly this month but got my #FebruaryTBR sorted.

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janeycanuck
Trust Exercise | Susan Choi
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Panpan

I don't get it.

peanutnine The candle! 😂 2mo
janeycanuck @peanutnine isn‘t it fun? It‘s a local candle maker but she just announced she‘s shutting down 😭 2mo
peanutnine @janeycanuck oh how sad 😞 2mo
42 likes3 comments
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janeycanuck
Starter Villain | John Scalzi
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This is definitely the earliest I‘ve ever done my #readingwrapup! I had a really strong start with January for my reading but it kinda tapered off. I want my early Jan momentum back for February!

AmyG Loved the tagged book! So fun. 2mo
janeycanuck @AmyG it was definitely my fav for the month!! 2mo
41 likes2 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

I have no idea why I put this on hold because I‘m not much of a middle grade reader but this came in for me at the library and it sucked me in!

What a beautiful way to tell a story, the stream of consciousness approach worked so well. The lighter moments & poop stories helped break up the heavier aspects, which were told so well.

Ruthiella What a nice surprise! 2mo
41 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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No bingos for me in Jan but it was a good reading month so I‘m carrying that energy into February!

#BookSpin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
39 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
Roll the Dice | Wayne Avrashow
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February #Roll100 already?! I‘m delighted that I did actually get to all of my January rolls so let‘s hope this momentum continues!

PuddleJumper That's great! 2mo
34 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

A strong debut but there was some inconsistency in the writing - generally, it was really easy reading but Parekh would throw in words here & there that didn't seem to suit (like arrhythmic to describe a pounding heart.) But she really shines with how she sets a scene, creating such a strong atmosphere, I kept looking out the window expecting to see rain.

Just missed my last #JoyousJanuary goal by 50 pages with this! There‘s always next month.

50 likes1 stack add
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janeycanuck
My Dark Vanessa | Kate Elizabeth Russell
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Mehso-so

I probably should have known better than to pick this up. I definitely preferred the second half with more of the fallout/impact of the relationship than the time at Browick but I can‘t say I enjoyed this (if one can even say they enjoyed a book about statutory rape…)

Roll 83 for #Roll100
2/2 #BookSpin or #Roll100 books for #JoyousJanuary and 5/6 overall

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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janeycanuck
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Hey #MtCookbook friends!

Everyone is posting such delicious photos of their cooking and I just want to try so many of the recipes!!

If I set up a shared doc, would people be interested in sharing the recipes they‘ve tried with some commentary (like if you‘d make any changes next time - that sort of thing)? We‘ll keep it simple - a link if available online or a photo of the recipe and a short note

Tagging folks in comments, tag anyone I miss!

TheBookHippie Sounds good! 2mo
IndoorDame I‘m in! 2mo
See All 7 Comments
Tamra I can try! No promises because between work & family I can barely keep my head above water. 2mo
Daisey I‘m in! I can‘t promise to remember every time, but I‘ll try. Maybe include cookbook title if people want to easily check it out. Also, I was just wondering if there was a tag list, so I may copy this one for my future posts. (edited) 2mo
mabell That sounds like great idea! 2mo
SamAnne I‘m in starting in a couple weeks. Traveling…..One of my New Year‘s resolutions was to actually read my cookbooks—I cook from a lot of different cuisines and cultures and some of my cookbooks are well worth the read and I haven‘t taken time to actually read them! 2mo
33 likes7 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

Higashino constructs such an elegant resolution to the opening murder, which is both simple & insanely complicated all at the same time. I particularly like how we follow multiple detectives as they pursue their lines of inquiry, really showing how complex a case this is. And the writing is just so crisp & precise!

2/3 library books (and 4/6 overall) for #JoyousJanuary AND progress for #SeriesLove2024

jlhammar Love Higashino. Looking forward to this. Planning to read this one first 2mo
Andrew65 Looks good, well done 👏👏👏 2mo
43 likes1 stack add2 comments
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janeycanuck
Here in the Dark: A Novel | Alexis Soloski
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Pickpick

This was dark & gritty but rather ho-hum until the last 50 pages and then it just took a wild left turn and I finally understood the hype. It's a very, very slow start, though.

1/3 library books (and 3/6 overall) for #JoyousJanuary

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 2mo
50 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
The Christmas Guest | Peter Swanson
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Mehso-so

While the story was engaging, the over-production of the audio made this less than enjoyable. The sound of the pages turning was distracting and I didn't find the narrator had a particularly good American accent.

But, it got me in the Christmas spirit as we drove to my in-laws for the holiday 😛

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janeycanuck
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As I do every year, I have undertaken a strict 2-out-1-in policy to try to get my TBR under control. And also as I do every year, I went nuts during late-in-the-year sales at the end of 2023 and put myself seriously into deficit before the year even started since I was already very much behind on the 2-out part of the policy. Oops.

Lcsmcat I just decided that the kids can deal with my book glut after I die. 😂 2mo
janeycanuck @Lcsmcat 😂🤣😂 2mo
AmyG @Lcsmcat Ha…same. 2mo
See All 7 Comments
Tamra 👌🏾😂 2mo
Tamra I keep meaning to read the second in Vermette‘s series! 2mo
janeycanuck @Tamra I‘ve only read one from her but loved it!! 2mo
Ruthiella Oopsie Whoopsie! 🙊 2mo
49 likes7 comments
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janeycanuck
Malice | Keigo Higashino
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Pickpick

Wow, what incredibly precise & pointed writing. The construction of this was absolutely fascinating. The murderer is arrested before page 100? Love it! Unravelling the motive slowly for the rest of the book? Love it!

I'm just so disappointed that only 4 books of the series have been translated so far. It's easy to see why Higashino is such a success in Japan!

#SeriesLove2024

47 likes2 stack adds
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

Rich People Problems are right smack-dab in the middle of my wheelhouse and this one did not disappoint. I love yelling at people while they make questionable choices - and there were a few in Pineapple Street - plus this had some great humourous moments, with my absolute fav when Tilda made a few calls to the country clubs!

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janeycanuck
Campaign Widows | Aimee Agresti
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Mehso-so

Meh. I can‘t remember why I was excited about this but it‘s been on the shelf since 2018. It was fine but it just feels Pollyanna-ish given the current state of American politics (especially that epilogue…)

Roll 19 for #Roll100
1/2 #Roll100 or #BookSpin books for #JoyousJanuary (and 2/6 overall)

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 Love the look of that fruit. 2mo
49 likes2 comments
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janeycanuck
The Vaster Wilds | Lauren Groff
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Mehso-so

I think I need to concede that Fates & Furies was a one-off Groff.

This was interesting and unique but I didn't go absolutely nuts for it the way most people are. I felt the same about the Matrix. So I think I might need to take Groff off my must-read list.

Megabooks Interesting because I loved this and Matrix but felt F&F was just okay. 2mo
LeafingThroughLife I had similar thoughts about this one. Definitely unique and well written but by the end…it was just alright for me. This was my first Groff so I‘ll probably give her another chance, but this one just didn‘t hit like I was hoping. 2mo
46 likes2 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

I haven‘t read Lawhon before & I realise now how big of a mistake that is. Lawhon beautifully balanced giving voice & power to strong women with the historical aspects - without feeling forced or fake. And, there were some lovely light moments scattered throughout the heavier, darker story line.

But I forgot to read the author's note before I returned this to the library. Happily, it shouldn't be too long before I can get an eBook to read that!

jlhammar Just finished this last night - so good! 2mo
53 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
Joan Is Okay | Weike Wang
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Pickpick

I think this should have been longer? It's quite introspective and I would have liked more interaction between Joan & her colleagues, family & neighbours. But it was very insightful, exploring a lot of issues for a relatively short book.

1/1 (and 1/6 overall) MMD or Stacks book club book for #JoyousJanuary

JenReadsAlot That puzzle looks like something I would love! 2mo
janeycanuck @JenReadsAlot Eurographics globetrotter series. It‘s my mom‘s and I‘ve had it sitting on the shelf for probably a year, thinking it wouldn‘t be fun but it was a blast! Did it in one day ☺️ 2mo
Andrew65 Excellent , love the puzzles 👏👏👏 2mo
56 likes3 comments
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janeycanuck
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Third recipe done for #MtCookbook

These were pretty labour intensive so won‘t become my everyday brownie recipe but they are so tasty! I would increase the jam next time since our jam has big chunks of fruit to have a stronger jam flavour but otherwise, SO GOOD! (And yes, Anna Olson does say to not use jam with big chunks of fruit but I‘m loving it when I bite into one!)

mabell My husband would love these! He always wants peanut butter desserts and I don‘t prefer them 😂 But I think I would like these too! 2mo
TheBookHippie Oh these look good! 2mo
Tamra Amazing looking! 2mo
47 likes3 comments
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janeycanuck
Readathon: Occasional List : Geleentheidslys | Gauteng (South Africa). Education Media Service
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We‘re supposed to get walloped with a storm tonight, which means I‘ll be a #snowboardwidow all weekend, which means SO MUCH TIME TO READ! So I‘m diving in to #JoyousJanuary with the the goal of 6 books:
📚 3 Library books
📚 2 #BookSpin/#Roll100 books
📚 1 MMD or The Stacks book club book

Thanks for hosting, @Andrew65

review
janeycanuck
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Pickpick

This was on pace to be a 4- or 5-star read but I didn't love the "twist" - I saw it coming and it shifted the tone of the book. I didn't care for the ending, it felt like it belonged to another book. That being said, Cassandra was a wonderful character to spend time with, I admired the way Smale made Cassandra's neurodiversity A thing but not THE thing.

And I want to spend time in Cassandra's closet. It sounds amazing.

My #DoubleSpin for Jan.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
57 likes1 stack add1 comment
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

Quite interesting, as Adam Grant always is, but a few days later, I'm remembering the case studies but not much in the way of the content...

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janeycanuck
Coleman Hill | Kim Coleman Foote
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Pickpick

There were a few times I found the time jumps confusing - I wasn't sure where I was or who I was with - but aside from that, this was a great family saga read with excellent narration from Bahni Turpin.

peanutnine Beautiful puzzle! 2mo
wanderinglynn Great puzzle! 🧩 2mo
janeycanuck @wanderinglynn @peanutnine It was a fun one to do. Only 500 pieces and lots of great patterns & colours so I did it almost non-stop one afternoon! 2mo
Tamra Wow! 😍 2mo
51 likes4 comments