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Suet624

Suet624

Joined September 2016

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The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Covid arrives and the author decides to make a sweater from scratch. From shearing the sheep, spinning and dyeing the wool, and making the sweater. I enjoyed her humor and the particular items she chose to go into depth on, especially color and the origin of particular colors (from bugs). The last quarter of the book got a bit bogged down, but overall I enjoyed it.

58 likes1 stack add
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Suet624
February | June Makle
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February reads. I wish every book could make me speedread like I did with Pet, I love Niall Williams‘ writing (History of the Rain), and Edith Wharton‘s The Mother‘s Recompense was incredibly engaging.

BarbaraBB What a great month! 😍 2w
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I read more than I thought 😊 2w
Cathythoughts Pet was really good 👍🏻. Good reading month ❤️ 2w
Suet624 @Cathythoughts it definitely was a good month! 2w
47 likes4 comments
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Suet624
Pet | Catherine Chidgey
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Pickpick

A beautiful teacher comes to town & a class of 12 year olds are enthralled. All of the students want to please her and be the teacher‘s pet. When items of the students begin to be stolen, the story takes off. We follow our main character, still grieving the death of a parent, as she navigates the hierarchy within a teenage world & the manipulative world of an adult. It‘s a page turner I could not put down. Already grabbed another by this author.

Aimeesue Great review! 3w
Suet624 @Aimeesue thank you! 3w
Tamra I‘ve had my eye on this one. Great review! 3w
See All 7 Comments
Suet624 @Tamra I could NOT put it down. A satisfying read, for sure. 3w
BarbaraBB I am glad you liked it too. Interested in her other books too. 3w
Suet624 @BarbaraBB you were right. If all books were like this one I‘d fly through that stack of library books I picked up. 3w
Cathythoughts I agree. Such a good read ❤️ 3w
53 likes5 stack adds7 comments
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Suet624
Pet | Catherine Chidgey
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So apparently I‘ve abandoned the many books on my shelves and overindulged at the library. The pressure is now on to read them all before their due date. And I have a week coming up that is filled with elections, registering voters, and alphabetizing returning absentee ballots. Yeehaw!

Tamra I really dislike the pressure of due dates! It often detracts from my enjoyment of a book. 😔 3w
Suet624 @Tamra same!! 3w
BarbaraBB Just read Pet and you‘ll be fine 😉 Good luck doing those good things ❤️ 3w
See All 10 Comments
Suet624 @BarbaraBB just at the start of Pet and really enjoying it. 3w
Hooked_on_books Gosh, I‘ve never done that before! Nope, never! Really! 😬 3w
sarahbarnes Thanks for the work you‘re doing there! And I agree with @BarbaraBB on Pet. Glad you‘re enjoying it so far. 3w
Cathythoughts I loved Pet too 👍🏻❤️ 3w
tpixie Wow! I‘ve never heard of Pet. I‘m gonna have to check it out after all these endorsements!! I am excited to read Hannah‘s The Women 3w
Suet624 @tpixie I‘m really enjoying it. One of those books that make me rush through my chores so I can sit with it. I‘m looking forward to Hannah‘s book too. 3w
tpixie @Suet624 the best kind of book! 3w
52 likes10 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

My time spent reading Taylor‘s book included comparing it to the exhaustive study done by Homestead. That‘s not really fair. Taylor‘s book is short and informative. For those who don‘t know of Cather‘s works or her life it‘s a great intro. I appreciated the way he reviewed each book & tied it to her personal experiences. The best part of reading this was hearing my mother‘s voice again, telling me stories of Willa and Edith, my mother‘s aunt. 💕

LeahBergen I always love hearing about your family connection to Cather. 🥰 1mo
Suet624 @LeahBergen thank you, Leah. 1mo
sarahbarnes Wow, that is really cool! I grew up in Nebraska and learned a lot about her in school. I would appreciate it more now than I did then. 1mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes yes, I imagine you‘d get more out of it now. 😀 I‘d really like to get to Red Cloud to see where Willa grew up. I hope to go to Jaffrey, NH this summer to see where Willa and my great-aunt are buried. 1mo
55 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Suet624
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Pickpick

This book started as a great idea. Studying the mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., James Baldwin, and Malcolm X is a great idea. Behind every great man is a great woman, right? However, I think Tubbs took on more than she could deliver. A pet peeve was that she referred to each woman only by their first name. I spent 3/4s of the audiobook trying to remember which mother she was referring to. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I learned a few things but knew a lot already.

DocBrown I found this book fascinating! I had no idea that Alberta King was assassinated in church! 1mo
Suet624 @DocBrown I think this is an important book and hopefully people will read it. I just didn‘t like the way it was written. 🥴 Those mothers were so courageous, so loving, and so disregarded. The fear they lived with, fear for their children, was so sad. I‘ve read some other bios so I knew about Alberta. Wasn‘t that awful? (edited) 1mo
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
Suet624
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“In April 1990, a fictional library in a Richard Brautigan novel became a real place in Burlington. The Brautigan Library only accepted unpublished books. As the national media spread the news of the library's existence, unpublished manuscripts began arriving from all over North America. The library had visitors from as far away as Los Angeles & London who came to Burlington to experience it. Over 100 local volunteers kept the library running.” 🔽

Suet624 I walked by this library so often and loved knowing it was in my town. It‘s no longer there. In 2010, the library moved to Vancouver, WA, where it is overseen by Washington State University and a local museum. https:// www.toddrlockwood.com/the-brautigan-library.html (edited) 1mo
Aims42 That is so neat! I love the mayonnaise jar system 😂 1mo
Leftcoastzen I wanna go! 1mo
Reggie How cool! 1mo
Tamra How awesome! 1mo
53 likes5 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Grann knows how to tell a complex story in a way that compels you to keep turning the pages. Much like the story of the Endurance‘s struggles, the Wager‘s journey in the 1700‘s highlights just how difficult a journey by boat could be. I‘m often left wondering how I would do in a situation like this: a raging sea, climbing up masts to lower the sails in the middle of snow squalls, starving, & dealing with a murderous mutiny. I‘d give up early on.

Suet624 Ugh. And scurvy! What a horrendous experience. 1mo
AmyG I am almost done with this book….and now I understand the atories of ships and scurvy-back then. Yikes. And I would never survive this. It all sounds like a horror. 1mo
Suet624 @AmyG have you read Endurance? It‘s an amazing true story. There was no mutiny, which was nice, but what they went through - and survived - is amazing. 1mo
AmyG I haven‘t! Thanks for the recommendation. I will need a break from sea travel…it kind of freaks me out what they have to deal with. I can not imagine. 1mo
Suet624 @AmyG I read it about 15 years ago. Still remember so many of the amazing things that crew accomplished. 1mo
53 likes5 comments
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Suet624
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I‘m confused. Little random snippets from his diary. He complains about making a movie but I have no idea which movie he‘s talking about. And while I imagine he wouldn‘t have published his own diaries, I do wish he had narrated this book. I‘ll go for another hour but so far it‘s disappointing.

Graywacke Hmm. Too bad… wish he had written an autobiography. (edited) 1mo
53 likes1 comment
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Suet624
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Not book related, except for the fact that my book reading was limited a bit by my spending time/babysitting this sweetie. My 5th grandchild, Charley Jane, had her first birthday. 💕💕

BarbaraBB Ooooow, she‘s so cute 🥰 1mo
LeahBergen So sweet! 🥰🥰 1mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB @LeahBergen the best part? She thinks life is so funny! Smiles all the time. 1mo
See All 23 Comments
DocBrown FIVE grandchildren! You are blessed!! And this one looks absolutely adorable! 1mo
JenniferEgnor I love her little dress! 1mo
monalyisha Can‘t help myself. Tagging a picture book. Occupational hazard. 😉 1mo
Suet624 @monalyisha love it! 1mo
Suet624 @JenniferEgnor haha. I think it might have been her first dress and she had trouble figuring out how to crawl around in it. 1mo
Suet624 @DocBrown I was fortunate to spend 7 years babysitting two of my grandkids full time. I do feel blessed to be able to spend a good amount of time with them. 1mo
Jeg So beautiful. So lucky. You are very blessed. Especially with that beautiful hair colour. The years spent looking after my one grandchild were very precious. Enjoy. ❤️ 1mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1mo
Gissy So pretty! Adorable💖💖💖Look that skirt😍 1mo
AmyG Adorable! ❤️ 1mo
mcctrish The cutest reason not to read 1mo
Tamra Cute overload! 1mo
erzascarletbookgasm Awww 🩷 1mo
batsy She's absolutely adorable! And the contrast in size between her and the lovely doggo 🥹 1mo
Reggie What batsy said!!! Soooo cute!!! 1mo
youneverarrived So cute. Such a precious age 🥰 1mo
bthegood 💕adorable 💕 1mo
Suet624 @batsy @reggie I doubt you can tell but Biggie looks a bit stressed. He has been so great with her since she was born but she can get pretty wild with him. :) 1mo
marleed She‘s a sweetheart! Two of my 3 grandsons are one year apart and your wee one fits snuggly in the middle of their ages! 1mo
63 likes23 comments
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Suet624
Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt
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Pickpick

It is so gray here that you can‘t tell that‘s a lovely red fox staring at me as I approached. I‘m fairly picky about audiobooks & usually don‘t like fiction on audio, but this story was great & the audio kept my attention. An elderly woman mourning the death of her son 30 years ago, a young man searching for his father, & an octopus who is delightful. An enjoyable read that kept me occupied on my hour-long drive to City Hall to work on elections.

Ruthiella Hello fox! 🦊 1mo
BarbaraBB A fox! I‘ve never seen one! I‘d run for my life 😀 1mo
jlhammar Oh wow, beautiful! 1mo
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Suet624 @BarbaraBB I was surprised how long he stood there waiting for me to get closer. I‘ve seen him before and he‘s really quite beautiful. 1mo
Tamra It‘s a lucky day when you get to see one during daylight! Long story short, one time was out very late at night in my neighborhood and came across what I thought was a large cat. I called it and called it and it just stood there staring at me. 😜 It was not a cat. I‘m sure the fox thought I was batty. 😂 (edited) 1mo
erzascarletbookgasm Great photos! The one with the fox looks like something out of a fiction book! 1mo
batsy I would love to meet a fox 🦊 Stunning photos! 1mo
Reggie You should make these into postcards. They‘re beautiful. 1mo
Suet624 @Tamra This fox seems to own the territory. I see it once every six months or so from afar, running across the fields. She/he is so beautiful. I wish I could have taken a better photo. I was just so surprised that it didn't bolt as I came closer. I love your story. Very glad it wasn't a skunk that you were calling to you.
1mo
Suet624 @batsy @Reggie At one point I wondered if the fox was going to come after me. I've never had a wild animal stare at me for so long. 1mo
AnnieMcC I really enjoyed this book! Love the fox too!
1mo
62 likes12 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Lucinda Williams has worked her butt off writing songs and playing guitar since she was 12. Growing up, her mother had serious mental health issues. Meanwhile, her father, a poet, held literary parties with famous authors. Her family moved constantly. In this memoir, Williams takes us through her career, explains the background of many of her songs, and shares stories of her many love/flirty interests. The print version includes photos.

sarahbarnes I love her. 1mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes me too. 😊💕 1mo
Leftcoastzen It was a good read. 1mo
62 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Suet624
Eastbound | Maylis de Kerangal
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Pickpick

A Russian conscript trying to flee from his duties and a woman leaving a man behind meet on a train. Can the soldier escape his fate with her help? This is a very short book and like @Bookboss I‘m not sure why I‘ve heard so much about it. It was a pick because of the tension provided at the end but otherwise it was just okay.

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Suet624
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Pickpick

This is the second book I‘ve read by Williams & I just can‘t say how much I appreciate his writing. While this novel definitely has a plot and characters I grew to adore, it is the writing, the turn of phrase, the truths that so resonated for me that made this special. There is a brief lull where I wondered where we were going and why, but it didn‘t matter ultimately. It‘s a meandering, extremely Irish, tale - one I was delighted to sit with.

BarbaraBB So glad with this review 🤍 1mo
56 likes1 comment
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Suet624
The Mother's Recompense | Edith Wharton
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Pickpick

The #whartonbuddyread group selected this for February but due to work schedules & Hoopla I jumped right into it. Written a century ago this felt so current. Kate, who left her husband & young daughter behind is called to return to live with her grown daughter. Kate‘s panic as she finds who her daughter intends to marry jumps off the page. Does she reveal secrets or save her daughter from the pain of knowing. This was well written and relatable.

Gissy Sounds good stacked 1mo
Suet624 @Gissy curious to hear what you think of it. 1mo
BarbaraBB Sounds very good indeed. I have loved everything I‘ve read by Wharton so far. Stacking! 1mo
See All 11 Comments
Dilara You can't leave us with this cliff hanger! Now I'll have to find the book and read it to know 😄 1mo
batsy I know I was forgetting something! 😅 Thanks for the reminder and glad it was a pick. Sounds so good... Wharton is so good with ratcheting up the interpersonal tension! 1mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I was surprised by how much I liked it. Considering when it was written I'd be curious to see what people thought of it when it was published. 1mo
Suet624 @Dilara LOL. If your library has Hoopla, you could probably find it there. 1mo
Suet624 @batsy Happy to help. That's so true - the interpersonal tension kept me riveted. 1mo
Dilara @Suet624 I've found it on Project Gutenberg, so I'm all set 😁 1mo
BarbaraBB Indeed, her books don‘t feel outdated at all! 1mo
Leftcoastzen Wow , just about to start it. 1mo
56 likes2 stack adds11 comments
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Suet624
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I have lived with this feeling for years!

kspenmoll Ha!!!! 2mo
AmyG I‘m not even Irish and I get it. 😳🤣 2mo
AnnR 😂 2mo
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Suet624 @AmyG haha. Yup. 2mo
julesG @AmyG Same! 2mo
batsy @AmyG Yep! 2mo
AnnieMcC “Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.”
― William Butler Yeats 😏
2mo
Suet624 @AnnieMcC 🤣💕💕 2mo
44 likes8 comments
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Suet624
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My great-grandparents to the US came from Ireland. Is that why I love the writing of Williams so much? Ireland is in my blood and each line of this book feels perfectly attuned to what I need in an Irish story. It meanders & digresses. I don‘t understand how Williams writes the way he does. It‘s so potent & creative and funny and surprising. I‘m moving very slowly through the book which just demonstrates the amount of respect I have for him.

Libby1 I agree. His books are a feast. 💚 2mo
Suet624 @Libby1 I see this book has a 60% rating on Litsy. It‘s definitely not for everyone, but holy toledo! It‘s wild and magical. 2mo
Gissy It seems to be a good book for next March🤗 2mo
See All 9 Comments
Suet624 @Gissy I liked This is Happiness a lot too. He gets into minutiae which I loved, considering the fact that I grew up with a dad who told lengthy and digressive stories. I think that can be a hard book to read if you don‘t just surrender to it. 😊 2mo
Gissy @Suet624 Let‘s try it. I have read a couple of novels by different Irish authors and some stories were hard. I don‘t have the heritage as you do, but there is something I adored in those books I have read. I have a stack of books by Irish authors. I will add this one too🤗 2mo
BarbaraBB I loved this one so much more than This is Happiness. But I can imagine it adds a bit extra with your Irish roots. Have you read 2mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB Nora Webster is still on my shelf and one of the few of Toibin's books I haven't read. 2mo
BarbaraBB I loved that one too. I am pretty sure you will too. 2mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB great! I‘ll get to it soon. 2mo
52 likes1 stack add9 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

@JenniferEgnor wrote a review of this book and posted several entries and I can‘t top them. So check those out. I‘m not a novice to this subject matter. I‘ve done the type of caregiving she recommends when someone is dying. What this book does so well is remind us that dying will happen and you really do need to prepare, for yourself and your family. She outlines pitfalls and possibilities. I‘m going to purchase the paper version to refer back to.

52 likes1 stack add
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Suet624
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If you‘re a mom and it‘s the first day of school for your little one, you know this feeling.

monkeygirlsmama They don't even have to be little! 2mo
Suet624 @monkeygirlsmama great point. In this story, it‘s a mom with young kids so that‘s why I was so attuned to young ones, but I can still feel that way on occasion with my adult children. 2mo
BarbaraBB I know that feeling ❤️❤️‍🩹 2mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB 💕💕💕 2mo
50 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Suet624
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This made me laugh out loud. It seems pretty accurate. I‘m really enjoying this book. Each paragraph has a sentence that‘s so unexpected.

LeahBergen 😆 2mo
Jeg 😂😂 2mo
BarbaraBB I loved this book! I read it a few years ago but I hope you will too 🤍 2mo
See All 7 Comments
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I so enjoy his writing. 2mo
BarbaraBB I did too. And I vividly remember one scene while I read it ages ago. It‘s about hair washing… have you read it yet? 2mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB not yet! Can‘t wait though. 2mo
kspenmoll 😂😂 2mo
60 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Suet624
Yearbook | Seth Rogen
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Pickpick

This one was fun to listen to and the audio is really the way to go with it. It‘s perfect for a long drive or cleaning. Considering how many drugs Rogen admittedly does, it amazes me that he is as successful as he is at writing and producing movies. I was able to get it from Libby - definitely a borrow, not a buy.

lynneamch Good to know. Thx. 2mo
Suet624 @lynneamch you‘re welcome! 2mo
LeahBergen We listened to this on a road trip last year. 👍 2mo
53 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Suet624
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This fairly short book of essays about the author‘s time living during a war in Croatia and then living in Amsterdam and the United States is taking me a good deal of time to get through. Her experiences, reflections, and sentences require that I stop and take in some very sad truths about how those of us lucky enough to feel “safe” view the brutality of occupation/war from such an emotional distance. Written in 1993, it‘s all so accurate today.

vivastory Nadezhdda Mandelstam's memoir “Hope Against Hope“ is one of my favorite nonfiction books of all time. 2mo
Tamra 😕 sometimes fiction can evoke that emotional connection. 2mo
batsy I greatly enjoyed her essays in this one and need to read more by her 2mo
50 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Suet624
Walk the Blue Fields: Stories | J.K. Rowling , Claire Keegan
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Pickpick

(This book is written by Keegan, not by Rowling, as you can see on the cover.) These short stories are pure Keegan & of course the writing is beautiful. However, maybe because it feels like the 120th day of no sunshine in VT, these stories all felt so sad. Then I realized all of Keegan‘s stories are sad. I‘m a sucker for sad stories usually but this time it was harder for me to recover from her world of complicated & depressed Irish men & women.

Gissy I recently bought this book by in a charity store. I need to read it then❤️ 2mo
Suet624 @Gissy the stories are all quite good. As we‘ve come to expect. 😊 2mo
sarahbarnes Another Keegan I haven‘t read yet! Stacking. I love the sadness of her writing as well. 2mo
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BarbaraBB I hadn‘t heard of this one. She writes so much! And I‘ve loved each book so far 2mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB this book was published in 2007 so it‘s not new. 2mo
BarbaraBB Has she been writing for all these years? Her backlist must be enormous.. so much to catch up! 2mo
Reggie I hope the sun comes out soon for you, Sue. It rained for 6 days straight in Las Cruces in 2006. I remember thinking how down I was after the 4th day of no sun. Hope you feel better. 2mo
Suet624 @Reggie thanks for your comment, Reggie. I‘ve grown accustomed to gray skies but this phase has seemed endless. My little light box is getting a workout. Plus I‘m feeling pretty fragile around all the wars and the Republican dictator wanna be‘s. So sad books and I need to take a bit of a break. 2mo
65 likes1 stack add8 comments
review
Suet624
Fruit of the Drunken Tree: A Novel | Ingrid Rojas Contreras
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Pickpick

Near the beginning of this book I discovered that the author also wrote The Man Who Can Move Clouds (a great read) and I was delighted to know I was in good hands. This author is a “must read” for me. This book is a novelized rendering of life as she knew it while living and eventually fleeing Colombia. It is the time of Pablo Escobar and kidnappings and fear. Chula, a 7 year old, tells us the stories from that time. It‘s very moving.

Reggie So the last part of this novel, at first I didn‘t think was needed but then I was like even though you have left a situation sometimes the situation never leaves you. I loved how sometimes she would just go check on the cows and she would moo to them. I loved this book. 2mo
Suet624 @Reggie I forgot to respond! I agree. But I felt as if Peyton‘s was not willingly with that guy at the end. And that gave me the shivers. I‘m glad to hear you loved this book too. Have you read her second one? I think you‘d really like it. 2mo
59 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

I can‘t possibly review this book adequately in the space allotted here. Alberta, a pastor‘s son and very familiar with church teachings, travels the U.S. and brings us an in-depth analysis of what the mega churches and evangelicals are preaching. It‘s fascinating, infuriating, frightening. He also outlines what some leaders are trying to do to return their churchgoers to the teachings of Jesus. Please check it out. I would suggest the audiobook.

Megabooks Great review! 2mo
Suet624 @Megabooks thanks! Your review does a better job of describing the specifics of the book. I just hope more people get their hands on it. 2mo
HettyG I read an excerpt of this book in The Atlantic, it was all the things you describe. 2mo
See All 17 Comments
sarahbarnes Wow. 2mo
Amiable I‘ve had my eye on this one —thanks for the thoughtful review. 2mo
Suet624 @HettyG Alberta does such a good job of making the information accessible to all, whether you are a churchgoer or not. It was also stunning (and scary) to see in one chapter the model of Putinism turned into Trumpism in the evangelical church. I don‘t think people realize just how much certain individuals want to remove the idea of democracy and have done that through the church. 2mo
Suet624 @Amiable if I could put the book in your hands I would. 😊 it‘s worth the read. 2mo
Amiable @Suet624 The problem is that I‘ve grown numb to books that are shouting out all the warnings. The people who are already alarmed are reading them, but the people who SHOULD read them are not. And I‘m also in a constant state of incredulity that our country has gotten to a state where we even need the incessant warnings in the first place. 2mo
Suet624 @Amiable I completely understand. What I found interesting was learning about all the people in the church who are trying to open the eyes of those who have been affected by the virus of hate and us vs. them. It‘s been a difficult task but I think they are making a difference in some churches. 2mo
sarahbarnes I don‘t know if I have the stomach for this. Great review. 2mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes you know what‘s best for you. 💕💕 2mo
Deblovestoread @Amiable I‘m in the same place. I‘m reading books who are “preaching to the choir” so to speak and if I put that book in someone‘s hands who should read it they won‘t because their minds are closed. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2mo
squirrelbrain I‘ve seen so many great reviews for this, but it‘s difficult to get hold of here in the UK. I can get a physical copy, but it feels like it would work so much better on audio. 2mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain I hope the audio becomes easier for you to find. I think it‘s definitely the way to go with this book. 2mo
Suet624 @Deblovestoread I may be overly optimistic but I just wonder if a moment comes where they see the book, read one chapter and see how they‘ve strayed from what they purportedly believe in. Some people have moved so far from the teachings of Jesus that just being reminded of that can remove a brain fog of bombast and hate. Again, maybe just a hope and not realistic on my part. 🤷🏻‍♀️All I can say is I learned a lot from this book. 2mo
Singout Thank you, that looks powerful. Something I as a sheltered leftist Canadian Christian need to learn more about as it really feeds the scary changes that are happening now. 2mo
batsy I definitely want to read this, because I'm learning that the influence of American Evangelicals is being exported in many ways and works with local conservative movements to further the usual agendas 🫤 (https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/19/africa-uganda-evangelicals-homophobia-antigay-bill/) 2mo
55 likes3 stack adds17 comments
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Suet624
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This is what my #Bookspin read will be for January. It‘s been on my shelf for years. It sounds like a bit of a dark read but I‘m ready for it.

@TheAromaofBooks

BarbaraBB Sounds interesting. I always meant to read her too. 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
42 likes2 comments
review
Suet624
Mercy House: A Novel | Alena Dillon
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Pickpick

I read this book for #NunLitQuarterly and all I can say is Thank You! to @jlhammar for bringing this one into my world. I raced through it. I can imagine devout Catholics may squirm through parts of it. The story is rich, with nuns doing good works while priests carry on and abuse their power. Dillon does not hold back in her honest portrayal of what nuns face in their calling. I was not expecting to be so riveted.

Aimeesue Nice review! Makes me eager to get started on this one 💙 2mo
jlhammar So glad this was a pick for you. Fantastic review. Can‘t wait to get started! 2mo
marleed Like you, I did not expect all the feels I had for this one! 2mo
Suet624 @Aimeesue @jlhammar I hope you like it! 2mo
Suet624 @marleed I was telling the storyline to a friend and I kept realizing just how much she was able to get into that story. 2mo
52 likes2 stack adds5 comments
review
Suet624
The Prospectors: A Novel | Ariel Djanikian
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Mehso-so

From the #TOB24 long list. I listened to it, which always dulls a story down for me.

A multi-generational story of the Yukon Gold Rush and the resulting riches. The story had both too much detail and not enough, if that makes sense. Two storylines to follow, with one of them being completely unnecessary.

Megabooks Sorry you didn‘t like it. 👎🏻 3mo
Suet624 @Megabooks I really think I shouldn't listen to fiction. The stories just never settle into me the same way it would if I had physically read the book. Nonfiction on audio is perfectly fine for some reason, but not fiction. 3mo
Megabooks yes, fiction is much harder for me on audio as well. I can do it, but in months like December, where my fiction listening is higher (due to tob and few new nonfiction releases that aren‘t self help), I get a bit overwhelmed. I‘m trying Julia again on Spotify. Okay so far…🤔🤷🏻‍♀️ (edited) 3mo
43 likes3 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Keegan has a way of getting inside a setting and a feeling so quickly. It‘s really astonishing. A very small book filled with three stories that convey so much. I loved it.

Photo is of the extraordinary hot chocolates my daughter-in-law made last night after a day of ice skating at a local resort. Always fun as a local to hang with the rich tourists and see how the other half lives.

5feet.of.fury So pretty! 😍 3mo
AmyG I just finished one of her books. She speaks volumes in so few words. Love her. And those look amazing! 3mo
Cuilin 🩷 Keegan. 3mo
kspenmoll Looks so cozy & yummy. I have the book on library waiting list. 3mo
batsy Yummy! 3mo
59 likes2 stack adds5 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

This was a low pick for me. Considering how many people had this on their best of ‘23 lists I expected a bit more. Can‘t quite put a finger on my discontent but it‘s not one I‘ll be recommending to friends.

Tamra I bailed on the audio. I‘m going to wait for more reviews until I try it in print. 3mo
Hooked_on_books I‘m perplexed by the adoration for this book. I really like McBride and am thrilled to see him get accolades, but for me Deacon King Kong and The Good Lord Bird were so much better than this one, which was just ok for me. 3mo
vivastory I honestly felt the same about Deacon King Kong. It's the only McBride that I've read, so I do want to give him another chance. I have been meaning to ask, have you read Dave Grohl's newest? 3mo
See All 22 Comments
BarbaraBB I am afraid I‘ll feel the same about this one. Keep postponing reading it. 3mo
BarbaraBB @vivastory A new Grohl? After Taylor‘s death? 3mo
squirrelbrain I also hibernated the audio, but am about to start this in print. 3mo
Suet624 @Tamra As I said, I“m not sure I'd recommend it but certainly a lot of people seem to like it. 3mo
Suet624 @Hooked_on_books And the Color of Water!! I'm always second guessing myself when I don't like a book that everyone else loves but this felt like a bit of a mess. 3mo
Suet624 @vivastory BarbaraBB I would suggest reading The Color of Water. So good. As for my buddy Dave, I saw his book in the bookstore with a new cover. My understanding was that a new section had been added, but when I looked in the back of the book it seemed to me it was just some stuff that he had said in the audiobook that hadn't been included in the original book. I could be wrong though. Don't see how he could have written about Taylor so soon. 3mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain Good luck! I hope you enjoy it more than the audio. 3mo
Suet624 @vivastory @Barbarabb (continued) ... Also, I just listened to this episode of song exploder where Dave talks almost exclusively about how he wrote The Teacher, the song he wrote about his mom. I thought both Dave and the interviewer were quite good. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1FraujSXRL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loadin... 3mo
BarbaraBB Thanks Sue, such a fantastic song ❤️‍🩹 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB You're welcome. Truly fantastic song. 3mo
Graywacke @vivastory @BarbaraBB - seconding The Color of Water. A book i finished on audio with so many warm emotions. It‘s special. @Suet624 - very interesting about this one. It‘s on like every 2023 list, but I think only kirkus gave it actual independent best. Which is interesting to me. I‘m thinking about another McBride. Maybe this isn‘t it. (edited) 3mo
Graywacke @Suet624 I haven‘t read this book, so can‘t judge it truly. But i hate that so many us-focused best of whatever years lists include books that aren‘t actually great. If it‘s only ok, it shouldn‘t be on your best of list. (/rant. Love to all. 😁) 3mo
Suet624 @Graywacke @vivastory @BarbaraBB Obama even had it on his list of books! I can see why he would put it on there to be honest - the book explores people of color and Jews working/living together in a community. But as a story, something just didn't click when reading it. 3mo
Suet624 @Graywacke Exactly. I think only one newspaper put North Woods on their top ten list. I thought that book was fantastic and worthy of shouting from the rooftops about the story. 3mo
Graywacke @Suet624 noting North Woods. I‘ve seen the title come up a lot but don‘t know anything about it 3mo
Graywacke @Suet624 and i saw Obama‘s list too. Every year it‘s curiously sprinkled with ok books. I assumed we just have different tastes. I also admire how much he reads and shares about it. 3mo
sarahbarnes I gave in and ordered a copy of this because there are over 500 holds on it at my library. I am hoping it will be worth it. 3mo
sarahbarnes Also noting North Woods 3mo
TrishB Just finished this one and I really enjoyed. And really didn‘t enjoy North Woods. Sometimes it is just different tastes. 3mo
56 likes1 stack add22 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Thank you to #NunLitQuarterly for the introduction to this 1st in a series of mysteries. A Reverend Mother in 1920‘s Cork works to help solve a case. Mixing a bit of politics, a bit of social conditions and culture into the story, it was a fast paced read and one I enjoyed. Quotes from Thomas Aquinas start each chapter and made me want to read more of those! Honestly, the cover itself made me want to get my hands on the book. I love that area.

batsy Glad you liked it! 3mo
jlhammar That is a great cover. Happy to hear you enjoyed it! I‘m terrible about completing series, but would like to give the second book a try. 3mo
kspenmoll My library has some of these so I have read 2 out of order since #nunlit. All good for reading u indicated Sue-like your review. Happy Solstice! 3mo
Suet624 Same to you!! 3mo
47 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Suet624
Vaster Wilds | Lauren Groff
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Mehso-so

Groff is an auto-read for me. Love her work. However, I did not love this one. Maybe it‘s because I read it immediately after North Woods. Maybe because this book is grueling and depressing. Groff gets in a lot of great points about a woman‘s place in the 1700‘s, about men and their greed and folly, about nature. But the ongoing visuals of a young girl trying to survive in the wild was relentless. The writing itself was spectacular.

AmyG How was North Woods? 3mo
Suet624 @AmyG Oh my gosh. North Woods was perfect. I absolutely loved it. Beautiful writing with some sentences that just made me stop reading for a bit, so creative. I don't reread many books, but I'll read this one again. 3mo
Tamra I hear North Woods would be big shoes to fill! 3mo
See All 12 Comments
Suet624 @Tamra Yes, and even though North Woods dealt with sad events it had a lighter touch with them. I have a very warm spot in my heart for that book. 3mo
Tamra @Suet624 I‘m anxious to read it. 😃 3mo
AmyG Oh wow! High praise. Now if I can only get to it….many Litsy challenges. 🤣 3mo
Suet624 @Tamra @AmyG I've called 5 bookstores in Vermont and none of them can get copies of North Woods and keep them on the shelf. Backordered for the long list of folks waiting to buy it. I don't think the publishers were prepared for it being on a Best Of list and for the number of people who wanted to purchase copies as gifts. I don't want to oversell the book, but I personally would have grabbed 5 copies for gifts. 3mo
Tamra @Suet624 wow - that‘s amazing! I just put a hold on a library copy. (edited) 3mo
AmyG I got the ebook a while ago when I started reading the hype. And I guess I was lucky because I gave one as a gift. 3mo
kspenmoll My son is so good at scouring the internet local bookstores & finding books but he ran into the same problem! 3mo
Suet624 @kspenmoll there will probably be a surplus after the holidays. I bet the publisher is bummed that they didn‘t have enough copies available to sell. Or maybe it‘s the booksellers who didn‘t order enough copies that are bummed. 3mo
kspenmoll @Suet624 That sounds about right Sue. A Christmas run on. Eventually I can probably get it at the library. I don‘t mind waiting. (edited) 3mo
53 likes2 stack adds12 comments
blurb
Suet624
The Vaster Wilds | Lauren Groff
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So there I was reading my library book and what falls out of the book but a BOGO coupon for the most delicious hot chocolate in the land. I am blessed!!! The main character in my book would kill for this coupon. It‘s also so weird that I‘ve spent 2 days with this novel and I‘m only now discovering it.

Tamra Yay! ☕️ 3mo
Ruthiella Yum! 😋 3mo
BiblioLitten This was meant to be! 😋 3mo
See All 6 Comments
Jeg Lucky you. 3mo
kspenmoll I love their chocolate- but never had their hot chocolate. An unexpected gift- the best kind. 3mo
Suet624 @kspenmoll as you can imagine, their hot chocolate with a little coffee thrown in is amazing. 3mo
68 likes6 comments
blurb
Suet624
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I lived in Sonoma, California for a year. One of the places I visited weekly was Jack London‘s property. It‘s now a state park and it is a fabulous place. Trails, vineyards, and his home are very carefully taken care of. It‘s wild (mountain lions are around) but it‘s very well managed. If you‘re curious, here‘s a short video about the place.

https://youtu.be/GXyPY1U2Ti8

Deblovestoread Lovely! 3mo
Ruthiella Beautiful! 🤩 3mo
kspenmoll I am going there this May for my niece‘s wedding- my Brother & family live in Penngrove. I hope there is time to visit this park. 3mo
See All 8 Comments
Bookwomble Love JL, such a complex character. It must have been wonderful to be able to visit his home so regularly 😊 3mo
Suet624 @Bookwomble Yes, the caretakers of the property have done a great job of educating folks on all the many scientific and agricultural experiments he did which I had been unaware of. It really is a wonderful place to spend time and I gained an elevated appreciation for both Jack and his wife. 3mo
Suet624 @kspenmoll I‘m jealous. I love that area. Have a great time! 3mo
Leftcoastzen I used to live in Sonoma county as well, one of my favorite places! 3mo
Suet624 @Leftcoastzen The smells, the colors, the sunshine, the flowers, the vineyards. What a special place. 3mo
47 likes8 comments
review
Suet624
North Woods | Daniel Mason
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Pickpick

Take a plot of land in Massachusetts & tell stories of inhabitants who lived there, the forests & apple trees (tended so carefully by one of the owners), the ghosts & brokenhearted, and the insects who create change. Include poems, pictures, and numerous sentences that stop you in your tracks & you‘ll get an idea of this book. The funniest chapter on beetle sex I‘ve ever read. And the Catamount, much loved by Vermonters, is mentioned. Loved it.

CBee Beetle sex 😳😂 3mo
ravenlee I mean…have you read many chapters on beetle sex? 😆 3mo
Suet624 @ravenlee hahaha. Nope. But this description of the “erotic coupling” was just so good and so funny I‘ll not soon forget it. 3mo
See All 15 Comments
Readergrrl I loved this novel! 3mo
RaeLovesToRead Wait... beetle sex?? 😄🧐 3mo
BarbaraBB Have you read many chapters about beetle sex 😊?! 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB Maybe I needed an editor and should rephrase. :) 3mo
BarbaraBB Oh no it wouldn‘t be half as funny 😀 3mo
Megabooks This was just superb! One of my favorites this year! 3mo
Megabooks And you mean it‘s better than your subscription to PlayBeetle? 😂😂 Fantastic review!! 3mo
Suet624 @Megabooks 😂😂😂 3mo
Tamra I‘m anxious to get to this one - great review! 3mo
batsy Nice review! 🪲 3mo
Chelsea.Poole I‘m reading this now and LOVING it! 3mo
Suet624 @Chelsea.Poole I have to return this book to the library and I just stare at it and remember parts of it and wish I could dive into the book again, brand new, being surprised by sentences and story lines. I don't want to give it back. I'm so glad you're enjoying it too. 3mo
51 likes3 stack adds15 comments
review
Suet624
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Mehso-so

I listened to this while reading The Rachel Incident. I stopped listening because Rachel was so much more interesting to me. I never felt connected to Emily or Em (and why do the two main characters have the same name?). There was a section about a fight with police for housing and squatter‘s rights. I perked up at that point. Otherwise, it was just okay for me. #TOB24

Ruthiella I wonder if you had read this further in time from The Rachel Incident, would you feel differently? 🤔 4mo
Suet624 @Ruthiella I wonder that too. 4mo
squirrelbrain I wondered that too @Ruthiella - sorry you didn‘t love it, Sue. 🤨 4mo
See All 14 Comments
Suet624 @Ruthiella @squirrelbrain another thing I need to keep in mind is that audio fiction is not my friend. I‘m more able to engage with nonfiction on audio. (edited) 4mo
MicheleinPhilly Oh no! 2 main characters with the same name??? WHY? I can barely deal when an author names all of their characters with the same first letter! 4mo
Hooked_on_books I‘ve been making my way through the ebook of this one and really enjoying it. A bummer it didn‘t work out as well for you! 4mo
Suet624 @MicheleinPhilly Right? There's a lot about this book that had me wondering... the fact that a man wrote it somehow factored into my assessment of the book, (which I know sounds bad) but it was so strange to hear about female friendships and being pregnant and nursing from a man. 4mo
Suet624 @Hooked_on_books I'm as confused about why this book didn't really appeal to me as I was when I read The Bee Sting. The Bee Sting is on every prize and best of list and I just felt more annoyed by it than anything. I kind of feel the same way with this book. Also, see what I wrote to Michele about the qualms I had about the author. (edited) 4mo
Well-ReadNeck @Suet624 YES to all that about The Bee Sting. 4mo
Hooked_on_books I have definitely disliked books (or not disliked, but not had them work well for me) that I feel I should like and/or that everyone else seems to love, so I hear you! And I get struggling with a book when having qualms about an author. For me, I love it when men write really good, well developed female characters who feel real, as it seems this happens infrequently, so for me that really works. But I‘m glad the other one worked for you! (edited) 4mo
sarahbarnes I felt much the same way while reading this one. Incidentally I also felt the same way about The Bee Sting although I‘ll admit I didn‘t finish it. I‘m glad I‘m not alone in feeling lukewarm about this one at least. 4mo
Suet624 @Well-ReadNeck Every time I see that book on a list I start to grumble. 3mo
Suet624 @Hooked_on_books You're right, of course. I'm 100% sure I've read some good novels with female characters written by men. 3mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes I have a feeling that if you had finished Bee Sting you would have thrown it across the floor. The ending was ridiculous. And I'm glad to hear we have similar opinions on these two books. :) 3mo
56 likes1 stack add14 comments
review
Suet624
The Rachel Incident: A novel | Caroline O'Donoghue
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Pickpick

What‘s not to like about this book? We experience the lives of best friends James and Rachel as they move through their 20‘s. Broke, questioning their futures, falling in love with others and taking one for the team when necessary. As time moves on we see the consequences of their prior decisions. The book is meaty while also being a really pleasant way to spend time with characters you root for. #TOB24

BarbaraBB Great review! I was super charmed by this book and characters too. 4mo
merelybookish Totally agree! 4mo
batsy Great review! I've only seen such positive reviews for this so I'm looking forward to picking it up. 4mo
See All 14 Comments
squirrelbrain Great review - I‘m really looking forward to this, when it comes in for me at the library. 4mo
Ruthiella Agree. This book hit all the right notes regarding navigating early adulthood. It wasn‘t my trajectory, and yet it still felt familiar. 4mo
sarahbarnes Another great review! I‘m looking forward to reading this one. 4mo
Deblovestoread Another great review for this book. Cant wait to read it. 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB 😍 😍 😍 But of course! 4mo
Suet624 @merelybookish 👍 👍 4mo
Suet624 @batsy @squirrelbrain @sarahbarnes @deblovestoread I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 4mo
Suet624 @Ruthiella It did hit the right notes and it felt very familiar. You're spot on. 4mo
marleed Loved this one! 4mo
Well-ReadNeck I had warm nostalgic vibes from this one. Just loved it. 4mo
Suet624 @Well-ReadNeck same! 4mo
68 likes5 stack adds14 comments
blurb
Suet624
The Rachel Incident: A novel | Caroline O'Donoghue
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First world problem: I‘m listening to one book and reading the other (often between 2-4 am) and, at least at this point in the two books, I‘m confusing the two plots. They feel very similar but different. #TOB24

squirrelbrain Oh no! 😬 4mo
IndoorDame Never good when your books could live in the same world! 4mo
BarbaraBB I am reading Rachel and enjoying it. It‘s a fun read about being young. I guess the same goes for Vintage Contemporaries which I haven‘t read yet but heard a lot about! 4mo
See All 8 Comments
Suet624 @squirrelbrain @indoorDame I'm hoping as time goes on they will distinguish themselves from one another. :) 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I think I am enjoying Rachel too. As long as i can separate it from the other one. I love a book in which the characters live in Ireland. 4mo
Megabooks I‘ve had that happen before. Weird synergies that mix things up. I guess I can see it with these two. 4mo
AmyG I have done this a few times! 4mo
BarbaraBB I thought you‘d like that, the Ireland setting! 4mo
48 likes8 comments
review
Suet624
America Fantastica | Tim O'Brien
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Pickpick

This is a crazy-character-driven story of robberies, occasionally underplayed murders, & a search for meaning. It feels like a Fargo movie. It‘s about mythomania, the contagion that has spread across America in which the citizenry lie and create untruths. The book is a societal review and it‘s spot on but the story is a bit too long. Audio would be tough I think. I‘m glad #TOB24 has it on the long list but I can‘t imagine it will move on.

Suet624 I would love to tag the other TOB readers but it‘s not working despite my best efforts. 4mo
squirrelbrain Great review! This has only just been published in the UK and is still expensive - I may wait to see if it makes the shortlist. 4mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain once again the TOB nudges me to read a book I otherwise would not pick up. I think of O‘Brien as a writer of war stories. I suppose this is an updated version of a war story - the war against truth. 4mo
59 likes2 stack adds3 comments
blurb
Suet624
America Fantastica | Tim O'Brien
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BarbaraBB Super curious about this one! 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB hmm…my comment about the book seems to have disappeared. 4mo
Suet624 This is what I wrote but it doesn't seem to show up on my iphone version: “I had no idea this was going to be so funny. And intermittently so sobering. Two humorous books in a row from the #Tob24 list? Unheard of!“
4mo
See All 6 Comments
BarbaraBB Really? It‘s humorous? That is unheard of indeed but does sound attractive! 4mo
Megabooks I tried this on audio but it didn‘t work for me. I‘ll try in print if it makes the shortlist. I‘m interested to read your final thoughts! 4mo
Suet624 @Megabooks I think the charm of it for me is it's so very different from what I was expecting from an O'Brien book. So I was unexpectedly surprised to read these characters and their antics - even as he talks about the contagion spreading across the globe - the contagion of lying. 4mo
40 likes6 comments
blurb
Suet624
The Red-Headed Pilgrim | Kevin Maloney
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There I am, listening to this story while driving from Burlington VT to Maine, and all of a sudden Maloney is describing how he lived in Burlington for years AND Maine! It all felt a bit surreal. I swear I must have seen this guy in Burlington. Anyway, this is a story of his life which had me chuckling thru most of it & a short 4-hour listen. I'm surprised it's on the #TOB24 list but if you're looking for something light, it's worth a listen.

Suet624 A definite pick.
4mo
Hooked_on_books I love when that kind of thing happens! 4mo
Ruthiella Sounds good. No doubt you‘ve stood behind him in a check out line at some point in your life. 😂 4mo
See All 13 Comments
Suet624 @Hooked_on_books I kept gasping, “What???“ It was pretty cool. 4mo
Suet624 @Ruthiella He actually worked at the local Coop so I'm pretty sure I must have at least been close to him. 😃 😃 4mo
sarahbarnes I love this story. 4mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes I still can't believe this book is on the TOB! :) 4mo
BarbaraBB What a great story! And another ToB book! 4mo
Chelsea.Poole This cover 😆 I‘m interested to read it mostly because of the cover. 4mo
Suet624 @Chelsea.Poole after having read it I‘m not sure why that bear is on the cover. … Oh wait, I think I got it! He had a job at the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. 😂😂 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB 😊😊 4mo
squirrelbrain Sounds great - it‘s one I can‘t get hold of right now though. 4mo
tpixie 🐻 Fun coinkydink! 🐻 4mo
61 likes13 comments
review
Suet624
Let Us Descend | Jesmyn Ward
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Pickpick

I‘ve tried to find the words that would pass as a review. It‘s a hard thing to do. This book brings the experience of being enslaved, of being owned, directly to you. Ward‘s writing is 🔥. Spirits inhabit the story. This is a tough book to read and it must have been a tough book to write.

kspenmoll Love yr review. 4mo
61 likes3 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Suet624
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Who would have thought Sly‘s book would be sitting on the backside of the new books shelf just winking at me? My little library in my little village? How random. A great haul today.

Ruthiella Love library surprises like that! 4mo
Suet624 @Ruthiella It truly made my day. 4mo
51 likes2 comments
blurb
Suet624
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Stop the presses! Sly has written an autobiography! Not yet listed on Litsy but I just saw a review in The NY Times and I‘m ecstatic. His music still powers parts of my week. It‘s also the first title from Questlove‘s new publishing imprint.

53 likes1 stack add
review
Suet624
Psalm for the Wild-Built | Becky Chambers
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Pickpick


It still gets me when I see a Jenny review. 😩

This was an okay read for me. Any book I read after reading Hello Beautiful was going to have a hard time breaking through to me. So I‘ll let Jenny offer her thoughts instead.

merelybookish 😞 still shocking. 4mo
Ruthiella Me too. 😢 4mo
BarbaraBB I love this post 🤍 4mo
See All 10 Comments
Suet624 @BarbaraBB 😍💕😍 4mo
Billypar You reminded me I forgot to read her reviews of the last couple I finished 💙 4mo
Suet624 @Billypar 💕💕 4mo
Reggie Ughh I know, I went on Goodreads to read reviews of a book 3 books ago and she was there. And it keeps hitting. 4mo
Suet624 @Reggie It sure does. 4mo
Centique @Reggie @Billypar @Ruthiella @Suet624 i so miss her wise insights and her calm voice. I must listen to one of her podcasts again, i see theyre still there and im scared theyll disappear one day. 💔 4mo
Suet624 @Centique I listen to them occasionally just to sit with her again. 🙁 4mo
50 likes10 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Ann Patchett recommended this 69-page book on IG recently. Fortunately, one of the libraries I frequent had it on the shelf. Like Ann, I read the story, put it down, picked it up shortly thereafter and read it again with a smile on my face.

Reggie Love that cover. 4mo
Centique OMG that cover. Those illustrations take me back to old childhood books and recipes in old magazines 😍 4mo
HardcoverHearts I had given up on short story as a form and then I read this as the very last read of 2022 and spent this year digging into them! It‘s pitch perfect, in my humble opinion 4mo
See All 6 Comments
Suet624 @Reggie @Centique the cover is a showstopper. 😎 4mo
batsy Yes to that cover. These editions are so pretty. Been meaning to read this author for awhile now and @merelybookish also gave it a positive review. 4mo
merelybookish It's an exquisite story! The cover art is by Wayne Thiebaud. He has a lot of paintings of pie and they are wonderful! 4mo
64 likes4 stack adds6 comments
review
Suet624
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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Pickpick

My eyes hurt from reading so much in one sitting. I could not put this book down. Loved the characters. It‘s interesting to see such varied reviews on GR but this book was the type of story I needed right now. Immersive and engaging.

CBee This could very well end up being my favorite book of 2023! (edited) 4mo
LiteraryinLawrence That‘s so exciting! I just bought this book last week and am excited to read it! 4mo
Amiable I‘m reading this right now 4mo
See All 15 Comments
AmyG I am reading this now, too. 4mo
squirrelbrain I loved this one too! ❤️ 4mo
BarbaraBB Now I really want to read this! 4mo
TrishB I loved this too ❤️ 4mo
Suet624 @CBee I'm quite sure I'll remember a lot of this book for quite some time.
4mo
Suet624 @Amiable @AmyG I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 4mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain @TrishB I'm so glad to hear you liked it too. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just in the right mood for a book, but clearly I was in good company with both of you liking it too. 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I shied away from it for a long time for some reason. I think because it was an Oprah Book Club book and I had read one book years ago that she had recommended and I didn't like it. But yesterday I went through Oprah's list and I found that she had recommended many books I had already read and enjoyed. So maybe I'll start paying attention to her recommendations again. :) (edited) 4mo
CBee @Suet624 it‘s definitely that kind of book 💚 4mo
Megabooks Glad you enjoyed this too! @BarbaraBB you‘d definitely like it! 4mo
sarahbarnes Another great review of this one! I‘m very intrigued. 4mo
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Thanks for the heads-up! like Sue I shy away mostly from Oprah‘s recommendations (should reconsider!) and I wasn‘t very impressed by the tagged one but I am now totally convinced! 4mo
63 likes1 stack add15 comments
review
Suet624
Small Mercies | Dennis Lehane
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Pickpick

The issue of desegregation in Boston is what the book begins with but ultimately it‘s about mob bosses (think Whitey Bulger) and the devastation and chaos they bring, about Southie - the area of South Boston - and Mary Pat, a mom who lives in the midst of murder and heartbreak. The writing was great and it brought me back in time to the area and those events. Mary Pat is a complex character and I cared for her from start to finish.

BarbaraBB This is one I want to read soon. Great review! 5mo
SamAnne Really hoping to get to this one this fall/winter. 5mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB he has a way of writing about Boston that is so distinct and accurate. His characters feel very real to me. 5mo
Suet624 @SamAnne I hope you like it. Definitely has some violent parts to it. 5mo
CBee I‘m reading this one now. Great so far! 4mo
53 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
Suet624
The Friend | Sigrid Nunez
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From the Times: “It was a cloudless morning in mid-August in Middlebury, Vt., & I had gone to meet Nunez, a petite woman of almost suspicious good cheer, to talk about her half-century-long writing career. She had come up from her home in New York City to give a reading from her new, 9th novel, “The Vulnerables,” which appears this week — at the Bread Loaf Writers‘ Conference.” If I‘d known she was an hour away I would have crashed that reading.

Suet624 Great article. Elizabeth Hardwick is highlighted as well. Anyone should be read able to read it with this link: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/30/magazine/sigrid-nunez.html?unlocked_article_c...
(edited) 5mo
43 likes1 comment
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Suet624
Small Mercies | Dennis Lehane
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Reading this one now and I just keep thinking back to Michael Patrick MacDonald's book about Southie: All Souls: A Family Story from Southie. All Souls was written by a man who grew up there. He and his family lived through desegregation and the disintegration of his neighborhood as a result of drugs and Whitey Bulgher. I‘d link to my past review but can‘t figure out how. 😀

jlhammar Yes, this also made me think back to All Souls (read many years ago)! Recently watched the American Experience episode (PBS) - The Busing Battleground - and MacDonald makes an appearance. Good documentary. 5mo
Tamra I hope you like this one - I loved it! 5mo
Suet624 @jlhammar I‘ll have to search for the doc. (edited) 5mo
Suet624 @Tamra I‘m really liking it. 5mo
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