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vlwelser

vlwelser

Joined March 2017

In addition to my Litsy obsession, I also write reviews on a blog: https://vlwelser.wordpress.com and I ❤ Instagram: @vlwelser
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vlwelser
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Today's train book. This is a slow burn. But book club is in a week. Maybe if I carry it everywhere we'll get some osmosis going.

38 likes1 stack add
review
vlwelser
Birnam Wood | Eleanor Catton
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Pickpick

Still not sure what I think of this. It's halfway between a regular thriller and an eco thriller. Maybe it's just both of those things.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I just couldn't get into this one. I gave up around 100pgs and skipped to the end haha 3d
Laughterhp I‘m currently reading this one but the book is due back at the library Thursday and I‘m only 30pages in. So I‘m trying to decide if I put another hold or buy a copy.. 🤨 3d
vlwelser @Laughterhp definitely hold. You will never read this one again after you read the ending once. 3d
Laughterhp Okay, good to know! 3d
47 likes4 comments
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vlwelser
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I may have somehow acquired a book in Chelsea Market.

BennettBookworm Love Little Island! 4d
SpeculativeFemale I love the “somehow acquired“ wording. I've been know to say a book “followed me home“ so I had to “take responsibility for it. “ 😁 4d
53 likes2 comments
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vlwelser
The Weaver and the Witch Queen | Genevieve Gornichec
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#BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Cutting it close to the deadline with this one

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! 1w
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
Romantic Comedy | Curtis Sittenfeld
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Pickpick

I loved this. It's really freaking cute. It starts out as a journal of a writer from an SNL type show, switches to an epistolary email exchange between her and a guest host and then is basically prose. It has If You Ask Me vibes and reminded me how much I enjoyed Eligible. It's also possible there were some early morning tears on the train.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

#ARC #Netgalley (past pub date)

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1w
54 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
Let Us Descend | Jesmyn Ward
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Pickpick

I love this author. She could write anything at all and I would read it.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 10/3
#ARC #Netgalley

TheAromaofBooks Oooo what a fun cover!!! 1w
49 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

Every single one of these essays was well written and made me think of things in a different way. Not sure who suggested this for #SheSaid but props to whomever you are.

#SheSaid @Riveted_Reader_Melissa

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1w
vlwelser @Riveted_Reader_Melissa hi - are you ok over there? I sent you a message in the group chat about the next schedule a couple of days ago. Now just following up in my own feed to make sure you're doing ok. (F the schedule). Let me know if you need anything. 🤗😘 1w
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @vlwelser Yes, definitely start it. And yes, I‘m ok, but I am so sick 😂. I‘ve been to urgent care already, got an appointment with my regular doctor tomorrow… but I have a persistent bug that will not go away. Worse yet, reading and phone scrolling is giving me a headache & making me nauseous ….which is just not fair. I should be able to read while sick 😂. But please start reading, I‘ll get over the hump & catch-up soon. 1w
vlwelser @Riveted_Reader_Melissa that is definitely no bueno. Take care of yourself and don't worry about this stuff. We'll get caught up later even if we have to skip something or push everything back or whatever. Sending you good vibes for a speedy recovery. 1w
49 likes4 comments
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vlwelser
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Beach day! It's so cold. Came anyway.

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vlwelser
Beacon Hill Books & Café | Boston, MA (Bookstore)
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This place is freaking adorable.

Hooked_on_books Love their little book stack sign! 📚 2w
56 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
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My mum just brought me this book I bought her. 💚

Tamra Enjoy! I liked it. 2w
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

This has Kundera vibes imo. It's sort of science fiction about a dying woman who goes to meet the daughter she gave up for adoption who just happens to do longevity research. This was my April Aardvark pick.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

#Aardvark @AardvarkBookClub

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
46 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

18 hours of Churchill seems like a lot. Somehow this author pulls it off.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Suet624 He‘s pretty good at keeping the reader interested. 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
dabbe I'm reading this, too, and have learned more about Churchill than I ever cared to know! 🤣 Larson is so good, though, at clear writing and making even the most difficult aspects of WW2 digestible. Hope I finish before the end of May! 🤣🤗😍 2w
55 likes3 comments
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vlwelser
Outrun the Moon | Stacey Lee
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vlwelser I clicked on blurb accidentally. This is a pick for sure. Not fixing it. 2w
TheAromaofBooks Love this cover!!! 2w
43 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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vlwelser
Bookish and the Beast | Ashley Poston
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Someone got a little bit carried away when requesting library holds. 🤷

38 likes1 stack add
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vlwelser
Outrun the Moon | Stacey Lee
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catsuit_mango Cute bookmark 3w
34 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
What Remains | Wendy Walker
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Pickpick

This author writes very complex mystery/thrillers. I like that I don't have them all figured out in advance of the reveal.

I totally failed with the picture taking. 🤷😘

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 6/13/23
#ARC #Netgalley

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
40 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
Killingly | Katharine Beutner
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Train reads. 💛

38 likes1 stack add
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vlwelser
Speak of the Devil | Rose Wilding
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Pickpick

Great mystery. It starts with a head, but only the head, of a man with a whole list of suspects. Any one of these women he did horrible things to might have killed him. But also, where is the rest of him?

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 6/13/23
#ARC #Netgalley

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
51 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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vlwelser
The Seven Year Slip | Ashley Poston
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Pickpick

I devoured this. I love this author.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 6/27/23
#ARC #NetGalley

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🧡💙🧡 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
45 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

I loved this. This is the story of 3 women with terrible luck who meet at an important time in their lives. It's got all of the feelings. I love this author. I think these are just in French atm.

#BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks

JamieArc Is the title taken from the song by Sinsemilia? Or is this a common French phrase? 3w
JamieArc This is the song. Tout le bonheur du monde. One of my favorites ❤️ https://youtu.be/dGBQUcQZmYQ 3w
vlwelser @JamieArc that's cute. Thank you for sharing. I think it is a fairly common phrase. Basically, "and someone reaches out to you." 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
48 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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vlwelser
Trust | Hernan Diaz
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Pickpick

This has an unusual format. It's a book about a woman. A fiction book. An autobiography from the husband. A sort of memoir from the typist who wrote the autobiography. And finally a journal from the woman herself. It fell flat as an audiobook imo. But it's actually quite good.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Tamra I contemplated trying this on audio, but I think the format would be better in print. 4w
Cathythoughts I thought it was very good 👍🏻❤️ 4w
Tamra @Cathythoughts good to know bc I keep hearing mixed reviews. Might be a marmite? 😆 4w
See All 6 Comments
Cathythoughts @Tamra Those marmites will drive us mad 😂 4w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
50 likes6 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

This is so freaking cute. I loved it.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4w
Julsmarshall I loved it too! 4w
5feet.of.fury Oooh I‘m about to start this one! 4w
BarkingMadRead I loved this one, so much fun! 4w
49 likes4 comments
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vlwelser
Tender Is the Flesh | Agustina Bazterrica
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Pickpick

If this doesn't basically put you off food in general and meat particularly, you have a stronger will than I do. So this is about cannibalism. But it's not really.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1mo
53 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

This is a gender queer (questioning? IDk) retelling of Jane Eyre. It has to be one of the strangest retellings I have ever encountered. It's decently well written. I just don't know what I was expecting. A for effort regardless.

#DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 11/7/2023
#ARC #Netgalley

BarbaraBB That cover 🤩🤩 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1mo
45 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vlwelser
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Mehso-so

There's something oddly interesting about the cover art on these. That said, these covers are unlikely to compel me to read or borrow another.

This is MA so returning books with some extra beach sand has to be on point. I'm just starting the season early.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1mo
36 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
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Who reads a horror novel at the beach?

dabbe That cover! 😱 1mo
27 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

Simon Vance + NPH = magic

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I Probably shouldn‘t read this at work!! 😂😂 1mo
dabbe @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Or ... you could put a copy on your boss's desk for Boss's Day! 🤣🤣🤣 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo
Laughterhp Oo I bought the hardcover of this, but I might need to switch to audio! 1mo
37 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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vlwelser
This Bird Has Flown | Susanna Hoffs
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Finally picked my #aardvark book. I already read the really super popular one (that's already sold out on the third day of the month). It's possible I picked this for the cover. + love the logo placement.

@AardvarkBookClub

mcctrish I impulse bought this too ( for the cover) 1mo
vlwelser @mcctrish also The Bangles. Probably flying my old lady flag rn. 1mo
mcctrish Totally for The Bangles!!!! 1mo
44 likes1 stack add3 comments
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vlwelser
This Golden State | Marit Weisenberg
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Pickpick

I have no idea how this ended up on my book club's radar, but I randomly picked it and assigned it to May. It absolutely sucks you in. And the entire book club is going nutty about how much they love it. A teen girl and her fam are constantly on the run but she actually has no idea why. Highly recommend.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Oooo this one sounds so good!! Stacked!! 1mo
43 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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vlwelser
Dictee | Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
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Pickpick

This is more like performance art than any book I've ever read. The awful thing is the author was murdered right after it came out and it seems like the police did nothing to discover what happened. There is a long essay in Minor Feelings about it (most interesting part of that imo).

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks (last one from April I promise)

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1mo
45 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
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Got it! 😍 @TheBookHippie Thank you again! 😘

TheBookHippie Yay !!!!! Enjoy. ♥️ 1mo
33 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
Rogue Justice: A Novel | Stacey Abrams
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Pickpick

Stacey Abrams is a magical unicorn. This is the second in her political thriller series.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 5/23/23
#ARC #NetGalley

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1mo
33 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
What Remains | Wendy Walker
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#BookSpinBingo #BookSpin #DoubleSpin
@TheAromaofBooks

I made this last Friday and never posted. Oops. 🤷

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo
36 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

This is obviously literature. Beautifully written but not exactly heavy on plot. A varied cast of displaced persons make up this cast of characters that all find themselves in Haiti, dealing with the complexity that is Haiti. Between the politics and the environmental disasters it seems like they may have chosen the wrong place to land. This is Waiting for the Waters to Rise in English.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Oooo another lovely cover!! 1mo
42 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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vlwelser
Black Sun | Rebecca Roanhorse
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Pickpick

This is fantastic. The author uses her heritage and storytelling culture to weave a very interesting fantasy with world building and fantastical creatures. It's lovely and it lands on a cliffhanger so I will be putting the next book on my to do list. Also Nicole Lewis is becoming a favorite narrator.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

SamAnne Oh I keep meaning to get to this one!! 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo
36 likes2 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

I loved this. It has fairy tale vibes but it's totally unique. This was my #Aardvark selection for March. Plus look at this gorgeous cover.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

@AardvarkBookClub

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Looks good!! 1mo
TheBookHippie Mine too 🤣🤣🤣🤣 1mo
vlwelser @TheBookHippie forcing myself to read them or I can't have more. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Oooo sounds good! Stacked!! 1mo
51 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick
TheBookHippie 🤐🤫 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo
35 likes2 comments
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vlwelser
Chain-Gang All-Stars | Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
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Pickpick

This book is epic. It's a cross between The Hunger Games and the current US prison system. Like ancient Rome Colosseum matches but as reality tv. And there are legit prison statistics thrown in.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 5/2/23
#ARC #NetGalley

squirrelbrain It was nominated for camp Cindy, @cinfhen but unfortunately it‘s not out until July in the UK so it had to be taken out. I have a #netgalley ARC though, so will get to it soon! (edited) 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Cinfhen Bummer @squirrelbrain but there‘s 150 other books so I‘m not too worried 1mo
vlwelser @Cinfhen only 150? You guys are slacking this year. 1mo
ErikasMindfulShelf Can‘t wait to read it! 1mo
43 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

This is a perfectly enjoyable third addition to this series. Radha is navigating family life and trying to have a successful career. The Henna Artist was epic. This was really good also. I would not read it alone. You sort of need the backstory.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
49 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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vlwelser
Braiding Sweetgrass | Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Pickpick

This is interesting. There's something very soothing about listening to this author talk about science and culture for 16 hours.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
49 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
Familiar: A Novel | J. Robert Lennon
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Pickpick

This is a book that makes you think. A woman is driving back from visiting her son's grave and finds herself in an alternate universe where he's still alive. Is it all a delusion? Or did both things really happen? Soft pick. But still a pick. The characters are hard to like.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
41 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
The Madwomen of Paris: A Novel | Jennifer Cody Epstein
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Pickpick

I love historical fiction, especially when the setting is Paris. This is about women who find themselves in an asylum, diagnosed with hysteria. The doctor who studies them was a real person.

#BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks

Pub date is 7/18/23
#ARC #Netgalley

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
50 likes1 comment
review
vlwelser
The Birchbark House | Louise Erdrich
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Pickpick

This is definitely informative. And I think it's great as a kids book. Louise is a great storyteller.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
43 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida | Shehan Karunatilaka
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Pickpick

This is so well written. It's satire and magical realism and a murder mystery set against the backdrop of 1980s Sri Lanka. It's dripping in references. It won the Booker so my IRL book club picked it for April. And some of them struggled with it. It's very dark. The main character is dead. And there are so many references if you have no background in this.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Sounds interesting! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
Parvez In my TBRR

1mo
50 likes1 stack add3 comments
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vlwelser
The Bostonians | Henry James
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My local neighborhood library is ready for Patriots Day. Aka Marathon Monday 💙💛

review
vlwelser
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Pickpick

This is so fun. Definitely do the #audiobook.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
49 likes1 stack add1 comment
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vlwelser
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Pickpick

I thought this was fun and unusual even if it's slightly absurd.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
39 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
Sweet Bean Paste | Durian Sukegawa
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Pickpick

I really appreciate this book. Definitely recommend.

#DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

47 likes1 stack add2 comments
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vlwelser
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Pickpick
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
37 likes1 comment
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vlwelser
Merci, Grazie, Thank you | Julien Sandrel
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I have no idea what happened here. Probably just as well I'm leaving. Let's blame it on the buscuits.

39 likes1 stack add