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k_andrws

k_andrws

Joined August 2016

Carefully written, fact-checked essay in the streets, unmoderated comment section in the sheets. Twitter & Insta: k_andrws
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k_andrws
Brideshead Revisited | Evelyn Waugh
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So excited for this one! I've been recommended it so many times in the last couple of weeks: all of my friends of Goodreads seem to have loved it! Treating myself with a couple of hours in Waterstones, drinking tea and reading the afternoon away. (Also, I made my tea too milky and I'm quite distraught)

Reviewsbylola Great book. I need to read more from him. I read this one after learning Waugh was a close friend of Nancy Mitford. 7y
84 likes6 stack adds1 comment
review
k_andrws
The Year of the Gadfly | Jennifer Miller
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Pickpick

I can understand the comparisons to Dead Poets Society, Heathers and The Secret History - this book is dark and twisted, transforming an average school girl investigation. At first, I thought it was simplistic and predictable, but Miller's writing quickly proved me wrong: suspicions and assumptions are unravelled in a sophisticated and sinister plot. Not usually a fan of multiple narratives, but such an addictive and unique read.

ElizaTodd Great review! Definitely in my TBR list! 7y
Cortg Intrigued 👀 7y
75 likes19 stack adds2 comments
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k_andrws
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Pickpick

Such a charming book! Reminds me of 'The Gracekeepers' with its romance, subtle magic, and focus on the beauty of nature. It's the perfect easy read for winter. Perhaps not ground-breaking, but certainly a very pleasant way to spend a day.

Eridau I saw this at the bookstore this weekend and almost picked it up but didn't. Thanks for the review. I will now have to go back and get it! 📚 7y
emilyesears The summary sounds lovely! And it's such a pretty book too! 7y
78 likes11 stack adds2 comments
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k_andrws
Dark Matter | Blake Crouch
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Pickpick

Okay, I'm a little behind the rest of Listy with this one... after all your recommendations for this book and my essays for the term written and submitted, it was high time I sunk my teeth into bad boy, and am I glad that I did! It took me a while to get in to but it was worth the wait: an intelligent and stimulating book, perfectly split between love story, action thriller, and sci-fi. It's a book that I've recommended endlessly since finishing!

Mccall0113 Same! 7y
k_andrws Glad you enjoyed it too @Mccall0113! 7y
BkClubCare Oh, now I really want to read this! 7y
See All 6 Comments
Kmmsellers I really enjoyed this one, too! 7y
OhNoMersault It's set in my neighborhood so I'm eager to dive in too. My last final is in two weeks and then it's a few weeks of pleasure reading to look forward to. 7y
bitterbear Ooohhhh... I love this cover. 7y
107 likes3 stack adds6 comments
review
k_andrws
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Pickpick

Finally it's Reading Week! I've survived six years of second year at uni, which has proved harder than the last, and after a train journey with Egger's newest novel as my company I'm in a tiny cottage in Cornwall with my family for a week of long windy beach walks and seaside villages - and reading of course! So glad to have started the week with this beauty: it's a wild and raw story, which is exactly what I need at the moment. A stunning tale.

eastbaykate Sounds like a perfect week! Enjoy ❤️📖📕📗📘📙📚🌊 7y
melbeautyandbooks Sounds wonderful. Enjoy! 7y
k_andrws @eastbaykate thank you! I so agree 📚 7y
73 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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k_andrws
Midsummer Night's Dream (Revised) | William Shakespeare
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Day one of second year and I am so feeling my reading list already! Hopefully this year there won't seem like so much of a divide between reading for pleasure and reading for uni. This one is for a module called 'Desire and Power in pre-1700s Literature' and I'm super pumped for it. Elizabethan folklore is kind of my guilty pleasure!

katedensen ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
Biljana Ah 😍💘 8y
TheLondonBookworm I'm kinda jealous that your studying, I miss it! 8y
Heather_Reads You should try to watch The Globe Theatre's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream - purely for study purposes (but also fun). 8y
95 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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k_andrws
Beautiful Ruins | Jess Walter
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Mehso-so

A bit of lighter reading before going back to uni. This is a vast, sprawling book; an opus of lives and complications, fame and beauty, and of love and longing. It's a world, rather than a tale. My hang up is that the book is, at times, too detailed which can lose you along the away. However, the interview with Waters at the back added a lot to what the novel tries to achieve. It's a good book, but it won't linger any longer than summer will.

Titania I felt the same about the book. So many raved about it, but it was just so so for me. 8y
BookishMarginalia I enjoyed it, and I agree that it's not a transcendent experience. 8y
Bookdodger I agree completely. It was ok but I had a hard time getting invested in any of the characters. I would rather Walter had left out the popular figures of the time and used characters of his own creation. 8y
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DivineDiana Agree, I had expected more. 8y
HotCocoaReads I loved the part of the story that took place in the past, but didn't love the more recent part. 8y
BibliOphelia I adored it! It WAS a world... And a fun story full of interesting people. Just what I love about books ❤️ 8y
SarahK That's an awesome cover! 8y
73 likes9 stack adds8 comments
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k_andrws
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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Panpan

It's taken me three weeks after finishing this to write the review: I felt like I need some space from its darkness in order to objectively form an opinion on it. But even without the raw emotional torture of its tale, I still dislike it. I think the author tried too hard to shock, competing against her own imagination to create something grotesque and painful. I certainly do not recommend it and I hope I can soon forget it.

Penny_LiteraryHoarders I can see your point too. I had some issues with it that after reflecting didn't have me giving it all the stars. But, liked the epicness of it I guess overall. If that makes any sense. 8y
britt_brooke I decided to skip this one, but I always appreciate reviews that go against the grain. 😉👍🏻 8y
LeslieO When I closed the book I loved it. But the more I thought about it the angrier I got! Still a lot I liked about the story and how it was told. 8y
Autumn Good review for me--I'll stay away from it:) 8y
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review
k_andrws
The Girls: A Novel | Emma Cline
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Pickpick

My favourite type of book are those about the darkness of women, the shadow behind femininity, the craziness woven into soft dresses and long hair. This book ticked the boxes for me: I rarely buy books for recreational reading, because I'm a poor student, but I knew as soon as I read the blurb for this that it would be one I would want to own. I was right: this book is shocking and beautiful and sickening. I loved it.

tricours Most promising review for this book that I've read so far! 8y
brendanmleonard I adore this book. I adore this cover. 8y
candc320 Wow, excellent review! 8y
wrenaymuhree I concur--great review! I loved this book as well. 😊 8y
110 likes4 stack adds4 comments
blurb
k_andrws
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On my favourite bench, in my favourite trousers, starting my pre-uni reading in my lunch break from work. Today a regular at work brought me a bottle of Prosecco as a back to uni gift! I love my job. But most importantly, I love the excitement before term starts! The books I've read for my course so far are great 📚

RealLifeReading Have a great school year! 8y
Shortstack Those pants are awesome!!! 8y
britt_brooke Great pants! I love houndstooth! 8y
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DiruVamp Love your pants!! 8y
DoodlesDistractions As a person of Irish heritage, I feel like a traitor to say I hate James Joyce. HOWEVER Dubliners was his one work I thoroughly enjoyed! 8y
DoodlesDistractions Good luck at Uni! 8y
BethFishReads @doodlesreads I too am not a fan. 8y
BethFishReads Great pants and it looks like a beautiful day 8y
utterKATEness I love those pants, I love that book. Have an awesome year! 8y
readinginthedark Oh, Dubliners! ❤️ This makes me miss school! 8y
[DELETED] 4184155464 Houndstooth for the win!👍🏻 8y
k_andrws @Purplerach10 @utterKATEness @BethFishReads @DiruVamp @britt_brooke @Shortstack thanks guys! They're from Topshop if you wanted to know 💕 8y
k_andrws @RealLifeReading @doodlesreads thank you! I'm very excited to get reading and studying again 📚 8y
101 likes9 stack adds13 comments
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k_andrws
To the Lighthouse | Virginia Woolf
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I love reading English at university because it means I can easily justify spending 668 on books ? Look at all these goodies! I'm so excited for my modules this year, I think they're going to be fascinating. It's only two weeks until I go back and I'm getting the pre-uni buzz again! This is my favourite time of year, I think. How are you all doing?

Grrlbrarian Right now I'm wishing that I, too, was reading English at your uni 😍 Enjoy! 8y
Dogearedcopy Look at all the Penguins! 😍 8y
katedensen 😍😍😍 8y
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Haley_Noel To The Lighthouse ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 8y
Nonaroo ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
quirkyreader Yea, Penguins and Oxfords. 8y
120 likes7 stack adds6 comments
review
k_andrws
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Panpan

In fairness, this has the potential to be a good story. Unfortunately, it wasn't. I found Pulley's writing terrible (would 'twerp' or 'idiot' really have been said in 1800s England? Really?) and the pace barely readable. So far, it's the worst book I've read all summer! However, my brother read it and loved it, so I am willing to accept that this is just my own particular taste...

Chelsey How disappointing! I'm always bummed when a book with a great cover isn't any good. 8y
SusanInTiburon Yes! I find those kinds of things totally distracting. I have to go look them up to see if they're as anachronistic as they sound, and then I find myself more engaged with my dictionary than with my book. (Though to be fair, I do have a special fondness for dictionaries.) 8y
Magslhalliday My dictionary of slang doesn't have idiot on its own, but the first citation for "twerp" is 1930s-40s in a letter from JRR Tolkien. 8y
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Tammygrrrl The Hangman's Daughter series is the same way, distracting due to the use of wrong words. 8y
scripturient Oh no, this is on my TBR but I hate such anachronisms. :-/ 8y
TheLondonBookworm Oh noo :( I keep seeing this In my bookstores and the cover always catches my eye, proves the old saying I guess :/ 8y
Bette I liked it, but I kinda like that about books. Some speak to a person, some don't. And that's a good thing. 📚 don't make you do anything... It's all up to you. 😊😋 8y
Laalaleighh Awww I'm sorry you didn't like it! I loved this one! I think it was the octopus that did it!! I never noticed the anachronisms though! 8y
78 likes7 stack adds8 comments
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k_andrws
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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According to Goodreads I'm about 60% of the way through this book and wow, it's horrific. I really enjoyed reading your comments yesterday guys, and I'm glad to see that some of you have been having the same questions and reactions as me - I'm just not sure what to make of this, but I certainly don't like it! At least, not in a way I'll want to read it again or treasure it; I think it'll haunt me. I'll reply to comments once I can put it down!

Hazel0303 To me reading should either be a) enjoyable or b) teaching you something - this book was neither. I didn't feel I needed to put myself through the endless suffering this character endured. I keep up with the news enough, I don't need to spend my free time going over and over and over what that character did. 8y
Flaneurette Ohhh I've got so much to say about this book but I am still pissed off about it! I agree with you and @Hazel0303 and I'm still trying to figure out what everyone else loves about it. The author has said she refused to coddle her readers but I am aware that people suffer terribly- maybe this is something others needed to learn from this book. I guess I am immature and unsophisticated for wanting redemption of some kind 8y
Hazel0303 Yeah and I feel terrible in my comment @Flaneurette bc I don't mean that these stories shouldn't be written about or told. I just don't get all the praise knowing how it ended and just in general. You need something to redeem all that dark stuff and I just didn't see it 8y
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Ericmanciniwriter When I was in the book reading it I was obsessed. Now that I'm done and have a little space from it I can't imagine I'd read it again. It's borderline sadistic in the way it dangles its horrors in front of the reader. 8y
k_andrws @hazel0303 @flaneurette I think you both make some really important point about this book; I agree that it's difficult to discuss because it seems as though you're discrediting the importance of discussing abuse and its effects, especially on men. Yet there's a part of me that really doesn't want to be confronted with this dark and disappointing side of humanity. I felt like so many things in it were unjustified, pain for the sake of pain 8y
k_andrws @eamann I can understand that - I read it in four days and couldn't put it down, but I hated it the whole time. I think that way of putting it is so true - sometimes I feel like the author just wants to rip us apart to mirror the way Jude's life has been and I was not a fan of the power of the author in the reader-author relationship here. I don't know, I just have a lot of issues with this book! 8y
70 likes1 stack add6 comments
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k_andrws
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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I'm still very uncertain how I feel about this book (about 300 pages in) but I can definitely say that it's one of the first novels that I've ever questioned why it was written. How did the author have this tale in her head? Why did she feel like it needed to be shared with the world? I've been reading a couple of interviews with her (the one in the photo is from The Guardian) and it's just raised yet more questions!

Amelie I am almost done with this book, and those are great questions; I think I will read about her after I'm done. 8y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders Love your questions about the author's intentions for writing this! Now I think I'm going to see if there are any interviews with her where she might answer this! I read it last year and it's certainly one that stays with you. I do want to read 8y
Cinfhen I asked myself the same questions...and felt the same way! 8y
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pageturnersnook This is a once in a lifetime read for me. Absolutely amazing. 8y
ReadingEnvy And she was also more resistant to changes than most authors. She had a clear sense of what she wanted. Overall I got the impression that the basic question she wanted to ask was "what if it doesn't get better?" Heavy stuff. 8y
ReadingEnvy @Penny_LiteraryHoarders I read The People in the Trees first and really hated the main scientist character. It took me a while to figure out if that also meant I hated the book. Ultimately I decided that it was her skill that made me hate him. It feels so real; glad it is fiction. 8y
cariashley Great question when it comes to this book, which has been incredibly polarizing. Love it or hate it, there's something to be said for a work that elicits such strong reactions (I'm in the "loved it" camp - it destroyed me). 8y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders Yes! That's a great point @ReadingEnvy! I struggle with it sometimes - hate the character(s) so much, but isn't that the genius of author that can provoke such strong reactions in the reader? A dilemma for sure!! 8y
JillMoore1226 These are great questions. I thought the book was genius. I was in the "loved it" camp too. @ReadingEnvy I think you hit the nail on the head. "what if it never gets better?" This book answers those questions. @cariashley I was wrecked for a week. 8y
LitHousewife I bailed on this book. I can only take so much. I got to a point probably about where you are where I said enough was enough. Whatever the pay off was to be, it wasn't worth the pain. 8y
k_andrws @Amelie it gave me a far better understanding of the book and it's purpose, I think. How are you getting on with it? 8y
k_andrws @Penny_LiteraryHoarders the article featured in this post did actually give me a lot of answers. And that book is mentioned in the interview as well, actually! The article is definitely worth a read if you have a chance 8y
k_andrws @lauraturner I will definitely agree that it's a once in a lifetime read, but I'm afraid I differ slightly in my adoration of it, I think! I'm glad you enjoyed it, though! 8y
k_andrws @LitHousewife honestly Jennifer, I'm not even sure if there was any payoff! There were so many times during reading it that I wished I could bail, but I've finished every book I've ever started... I'm not sure I think it was a good idea for this book! 8y
k_andrws @jillmoore1226 I'm really glad you liked it because I definitely think it's a worthy book, but I think my personal level of discomfort throughout all of it overrules my admiration of the author's crafting of the novel I'm afraid! 8y
k_andrws @readingenvy thank you so much for commenting, because I think you're the closest to an articulation of how I feel about it, and that the book is trying to do. I think she's a very interesting author, but the novel was too much for me to handle, I think. I couldn't quite get past the horror of it to be able to appreciate the craft and message. But it's been worth reading to discuss with all of you lovely Litsy folk! 8y
LitHousewife @k_andrws It's a hard habit to break, but there was nothing more freeing than the day I gave myself permission to bail on a book. That being said, had you not powered through, I wouldn't know for sure that there wasn't much of a payoff for this book. 🙂 8y
Amelie @k_andrws I finished it this weekend. I don't cry often when reading, but this one did me in a few times. I'm in the "loved it" camp. I am in awe of her skill in creating these characters that seem so real; the things that happened to Jude really happen, and this is definitely an unflinching look at what the consequences can be. It was heartbreaking, but I definitely don't regret it. 8y
ReadingEnvy @k_andrws I can't remember where I heard the interview with her but it all became much clearer when I understood what she was trying to do. I hope your next read isn't as taxing! 8y
106 likes6 stack adds20 comments
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k_andrws
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara

I'm still very uncertain how I feel about this book (about 300 pages in) but I can definitely say that it's one of the first novels that I've ever questioned why it was written. How did the author have this tale in her head? Why did she feel like it needed to be shared with the world? I've been reading a couple of interviews with her (the one in the photo is from The Guardian) and it's just raised yet more questions!

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k_andrws
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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I'll be updating my epic 700 page journey through A Little Life over on Twitter (same username!) if you guys want a come and watch me struggle through this heavily recommended and praised novel. Hopefully, you'll get to see me fall in love with it! But if not, at least you can have more bookish type tweets on your newsfeed, which is what everyone needs 📚

Karli One of my all time faves!!! 8y
Sweettartlaura I need to do this, too. It's sitting here, looking at me... 8y
BethFishReads I bailed! Good luck 8y
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Smrloomis Just followed you on Twitter 😬 (also same username). Good luck! I'm not going to read it (can't handle the premise) but hope it's a good read for you! 8y
BibliophileBytheSea My favorite book of all time. It took me forever to read because it was so dark. Once I finished it, I couldn't find another book to satisfy me for months. 8y
ReadingEnvy I'm somehow amazing at keeping up with Litsy but bad at it in Twitter so I hope you report back. 8y
Amelie @BibliophileBytheSea I feel almost exactly the same, except it's not number 1; probably top 5 though; it's written so well, but I definitely had to take breaks 8y
booksbaconglitter Definitely one of the best books I've ever read. Just have all the tissues ready. 😢 8y
73 likes5 stack adds8 comments
review
k_andrws
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
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Pickpick

I think this book may have changed my life, and I don't say that lightly. I turn twenty in a month and, honestly, I'm having a quarter life crisis; but this book is such a comfort for a college woman, who's world is friendship and adventure and learning to find herself. Its words on sexuality - orientation, freedom, and abuse alike - would've been such a comfort to me a couple of years ago. I treasure this book for its intelligence and kindness.

Beckys_Books Enjoy this phase of your life. It will be wonderful. 8y
susanw I have an almost 20 year old daughter. Adding to my stack and adding it to hers too! Thanks 8y
Cinfhen What a beautiful review😍 8y
Posemn Thank you for sharing in your review. I didn't necessarily like the storyline in Sullivan's Maine but it was still worth the read. I am going to add this one to my stack. 8y
Jillsandypants Beautiful review. I've been meaning to get around to reading this. 8y
112 likes20 stack adds5 comments
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k_andrws
A Little Life: A Novel | Hanya Yanagihara
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#TBRtuesday these are the books I brought on holiday with me and have another two weeks to read 📚 I'm hoping to finish Commencement tonight and leave A Little Life until last - I've started it three times already but I'm determined to finish it this holiday!

Laalaleighh I loved The Watchmaker of Filigree Street! It was so unique!! I hope you enjoy it!!! 8y
MarieA The watchmaker of filigree street was awesome! You'll love it. 8y
MichellisLife That edition of A Little Life is so beautiful. I just read 450 pages of it this month. I had to put it down though because the content was disturbing me too much. I was getting physically stressed every time I read. 8y
k_andrws @Laalaleighh @MarieA my brother has just finished it and said the same thing, so now I'm really buzzed to get started on it! Thanks for the rec guys 📚 8y
k_andrws @MichellisLife that's really interesting, I'll have to see how I fare with it (usually I have a pretty weak stomach when it comes to to disturbing content, so I'll see how I get along with it) thanks for the head's up! 8y
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k_andrws

"That's what parenthood was about, wasn't it? Slowly understanding your child less and less until she wasn't yours anymore but herself."

KimM Good quote. Very true. 8y
Posemn Yes, so true. 8y
Hazel0303 Great quote 8y
k_andrws @KimM @Posemn @Readingismyescape @Hazel0303 thanks guys, glad you enjoyed it too! 8y
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k_andrws
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Pickpick

It's time! As soon as I finished YWKM, I fangirl rampaged Megan Abbot with tweets about how is my favourite author and her book is a work of art (you can see them all for yourself over on Twitter and laugh at my love for this book - I'm at the same username!). But simply put, this book is incredible and if you don't read it this summer you are missing out on something deadly and powerful and desperate and sensational. Read it now.

JanuarieTimewalker13 Are you in sales ?? Because I fell hook, line and sinker for that review!! You can sell a book!! 8y
MCYmermaid On my stack. DARE ME was so good! 8y
Hazel0303 You know - I have been on goodreads for years and I still can't figure out how to friend people that I'm not friends with on Facebook. Do you know? 8y
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theladygreer Just picked the ebook up on sale & can't wait to dive in! 8y
k_andrws @JanuarieTimewalker13 awh thank you, I'm not yet but that's the eventual plan so that's a really encouraging comment, thank you! 8y
k_andrws @MCYmermaid yes I absolutely adored Dare Me! It got me hooked on Megan Abbott and since then I've revelled in all her books 💖 I think this one is the most similar to Dare Me 📚 8y
k_andrws @hazel0303 it's confusing, but I think all you need to do is enter their web address (mine is linked on my Twitter bio) and then there should be an option to add friend once you're on the person's profile! 8y
k_andrws @theladygreer that's great, good choice! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did 📚 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 @k_andrws you're welcome💫 you'll be great!✨ 8y
106 likes20 stack adds9 comments
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k_andrws
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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My favourite aesthetic for book covers is when they match my wine 🍷 #augustofpages #photobookchallenge @TheSpinecrackersBookClub

marixa Perfect! 8y
Marchpane Gorgeous view! 8y
RealLifeReading Ooh. Nice 8y
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Blair_Reads Love this photo! 8y
bookishkai Love the view, and also love the book. 8y
CherylDeFranceschi Beautiful! 8y
Donna_sBookMinute Perfect match. And the rooftop color complements. 8y
Bookdodger Beautiful! 8y
TheSpinecrackersBookClub Gorgeous photo 8y
Laalaleighh @k_andrws 😂👌🏼🍷🍷🍷 8y
Leanney How did you like this book? I thought I'd like it a lot more than I did. 8y
Zelma New reading goal. 🍷 8y
k_andrws @leanney it took me a while to get into, but I absolutely loved it! Such an important book. But my mum read it straight after me and detested it, so maybe I've read it at the right time in my life? Shame you didn't like it so much though 8y
k_andrws @zelma ahahah yes, living the dream! 8y
108 likes6 stack adds15 comments
review
k_andrws
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Pickpick

For those of you following me on Twitter or Goodreads (if you're not, you should for more bookishness - same username!) then you will know I have a big Megan Abbot love, and #YouWillKnowMe has ruled my first day of holiday in a frenzied and desperate read. God, I love this book. A proper review coming later today, but in the meantime be sure to check out my ramblings on other social media - and definitely pick up this book!

Yamich49 Ooooo I just bought the kindle version earlier this evening based on another Litsy post. I'm excited to read it! 8y
BookishFeminist Finding you on Twitter! 8y
k_andrws @Yamich49 I hope you like it as much as I did! Enjoy 📚💖 8y
k_andrws @BookishFeminist thank you! I followed you back 🎉 8y
110 likes6 stack adds4 comments
review
k_andrws
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Pickpick

I devoured this on a two hour flight when I couldn't run away from its heartbreak and cruelty. I've been scared to read this book because Angelou deserves so much respect, but I need to learn and recognise my privilege, so - trapped in an aisle seat on a crowded flight - I opened it and braced myself. And I was left in awe of this incredible woman, with the most forgiving heart that allows love and loyalty even when she isn't shown it.

ImaginativeMom What a fantastic review. Wholeheartedly agree. 8y
UwannaPublishme 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y
BooksBeyondtheNest Yessssss!!!! 8y
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Thedrunkstrawberry If you're looking for a real treat, listen to her books on audio. She reads them herself and it adds a very personal dimension to it. 8y
Alena What a beautiful and honest review. Whenever I read Angelou I have to confront my own demons and assumptions. But she is ALWAYS worth the risk. And @Thedrunkstrawberry is spot on - listening to her adds a whole other dimension. 8y
k_andrws @Thedrunkstrawberry this is really insightful, thank you! After reading her first memoir, I'm definitely going to seek out the others so I might try a couple of audios and see how I get on with them! I've never tried audiobooks before, but this seems like a convincing excuse to try it! Thanks for the advice - really useful comment! 8y
k_andrws @Alena thank you! That perfectly sums it up, I definitely don't regret putting myself through the uncomfortable parts of the book, as I think it's expanded my understanding of the world a little, which is always a good thing! Thanks for the advice, too - I might try it with the other memoirs! 8y
125 likes28 stack adds8 comments
review
k_andrws
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Pickpick

On parting from a boy I'd given my heart, I also handed him this book, and wrote the inscription "I bet you won't figure this book out as quickly as you did me". Months later, after our love had faded to friendship, he asked me why that book. What did it mean? What did it say about us? I told him it wasn't a metaphor at all, but just a really excellent mystery novel!

Witchy_Book_Dragon Loved this book! 8y
Hreynolds Great book!! 8y
Gonerogue Lol, fun story 8y
k_andrws @Lady-Erin @Hreynolds so glad you both liked it as well! 8y
k_andrws @Rowanwax I like to think so! ☺️ 8y
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review
k_andrws
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Panpan

Such an overrated book, the type that you will immediately forget once you turn the last page. I just wanted to show off my picnic, which was infinitely more satisfying!

LisaJo Oh dear, this is on my TBR pile. It was even on the shortlist for the Mann Booker last year. I think now I want to read it even more, perhaps the same reason one looks at an accident when driving on the road. #whyilitsy PS: your picnic mess looks delightful 8y
HardcoverHearts Absolutely agreed. 8y
Lillie Yes! I so agree with your assessment. 8y
See All 12 Comments
UwannaPublishme Cool picnic, but Bummer about the book. This one is on my #tbr list too. But as @LisaJo , I am too curious now not to read it. 😊 8y
LornaDH I love Anne Tyler, but not this book. 8y
BookReviewFAIL Sing it sister. 8y
k_andrws @LisaJo I know, it was so raved about all last summer that I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon, but swiftly wish I'd hopped off again haha! I hope you enjoy it a little more than I did, at least - let me know what you think when you've finished it! 8y
k_andrws @HardcoverHearts @Lillie @LornaDH @BookReviewFAIL glad we're all in it together guys! Well done us for enduring, at least 🎉 8y
k_andrws @UwannaPublishme the only way I was gonna finish this book was with good food! Let me know what you think of it when you do read it 📚 8y
Autumnscribe I found this book on the floor of a friend's minivan and began reading it because I was stranded for a few hours without a book. When it was time to go, I put the book back on the floor of the minivan and never once wondered how it ended. Glad to see I am not the only one who didn't like it. 8y
k_andrws @autumnscribe that's such a good story, and I think really sums up my feelings towards the book - so put-down-able! I felt completely 'take it or leave it' and I think it's put me off Anne Taylor's writing for the moment, too! 8y
Autumnscribe At least it looks like you had a great picnic. 😃 8y
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k_andrws

People are less quick to applaud you as you grow older. Life starts out with everyone clapping when you take a poo and goes downhill from there.

MrBook 😂😂😂👍🏻 Someone used this idea as part of their stand-up routine and had me in stitches. 8y
k_andrws @MrBook I'm sure that this was the line that made me fall in love with Sloane and her writing! 8y
MrBook 😊👍🏻 8y
Donna_sBookMinute ... Unless you're Al Roper. LOL. 💩😳 8y
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k_andrws

I was taught that candles are like house cats - domesticated versions of something wild and dangerous.

MrBook I like that analogy! 8y
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k_andrws

Suburbia is too close to the county to have anything real to do and too close to the city to admit you have nothing real to do.

review
k_andrws
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Pickpick

This book convinced me that Sloane and I should become great friends. She's honest about her flaws, witty in her story-telling, and earnest in her intentions. This is the most wonderful memoir of quizzically serendipitous moments captured in essays.

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