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A Wizard of Earthsea
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
Originally published in 1968, Ursula K. Le Guins A Wizard of Earthsea marks the first of the six now beloved Earthsea titles. Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance. This ebook includes a sample chapter of THE TOMBS OF ATUAN.
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review
lil1inblue
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
I know I read this is junior high, unfortunately I have practically zero memories of that time, so this re-read felt like a new read with occasional flashes of deja vu. It was a solid, entertaining journey, with good world-building. I wish there had been more female representation, however.

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lil1inblue
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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"The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards."
#firstlinefridays #awizardofearthsea #ursulakleguin

review
jen_the_scribe
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Pickpick

I don‘t know why it took me so long to read this one. I found this to be a wonderful fantasy with a beautiful underlying message: there‘s power in finding out who we truly are, and no greater magic than being wholly ourselves. Le Guin‘s prose is almost poetic, the descriptions awe-inspiring. I loved the world-building and the characters, especially the MC‘s character arc. Definitely getting myself the next book in the series!

BookmarkTavern I love this whole series! 💖 2mo
19 likes1 comment
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jen_the_scribe
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

“A man would know the end he goes to, but he cannot know it if he does not turn, and return to his beginning, and hold that beginning in his being.”

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AshRaye
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Panpan

I don't know if it was the book itself or the narrator, but I struggled to stay awake while listening to this. It was boring beyond belief. I can't even tell you what happened in it because I couldn't pay attention or follow what was happening.

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jen_the_scribe
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

“To light a candle is to cast a shadow…”

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jen_the_scribe
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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I feel like I‘m finally out of my reading slump and I‘ve been craving some fantasy. This one has been waiting for a loooong time for me to pick it up off my shelf.

TheSpineView I enjoyed the whole series. 2mo
jen_the_scribe @TheSpineView That‘s good to hear! It certainly has good reviews. My local library was giving away copies for free a while back so I snagged this one. 2mo
23 likes1 stack add2 comments
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laurenkiernan
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

“As he read it, puzzling out the runes and symbols one by one, a horror came over him. His eyes were fixed, and he could not lift them till he had finished reading all the spell. Then raising his head he saw it was dark in the house.“

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laurenkiernan
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

This book would be great for 3rd graders and they would easily be able to appreciate all the aspects of the book. I also believe that because really anything can happen in this book it also allows for children to expand their imagination and gain a different perspective. Allowing students to dive into speculative fiction only helps them see the world in a different way.

review
laurenkiernan
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
Pickpick

This book shows aspects of fantasy with the use of powers and magic that cannot be taken away and the book will still be the same. The idea that spells are used within everyday actions and that more than one character can use them makes this book speculative fiction. The main character goes on a quest to rid himself of a shadow that has been following him since he was a little boy.

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sarahosterle
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

“His life is told of in the Deed of Ged and in many songs, but this is a tale of the time before his fame, before the songs were made.“ This quote introduces the story and foreshadows that Ged becomes famous.

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sarahosterle
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

This book is wonderfully written and can be used for young adults to adults. This book talks about fighting a shadow which can be turned into a lesson to kids that you should always stand up for yourself.

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sarahosterle
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
Pickpick

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin. Fantasy Fiction. This book is similar to Harry Potter as it talks about wizarding school and it is a coming of age story as well. This book is fantasy fiction because it talks about magical powers and wizards.

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LexiPrice
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

“You must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium. A wizard‘s power of Changing and of Summoning can shake the balance of the world. It is dangerous, that power.”

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LexiPrice
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

A Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy novel. Fantasy novels are a great genre to have in your classroom because these novels ignite imagination and transport the students to new worlds. They also help promote creativity, critical thinking, and empathy as students engage with the text.

review
LexiPrice
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
Mehso-so

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin is a speculative fictional novel that was published in 1968. Ged, a young magician who was born in a village on the island of Gont, is the protagonist of the novel, which is set in the made-up archipelago of Earthsea. He exhibits amazing strength while still a young child and enrolls at a school for wizardry, but his snarky personality causes him to clash with a classmate.

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mcappel
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower.

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mcappel
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin

This book is part of a series written by Ursula K. Le Guin. It is a coming-of-age novel that could be read in grades 7-9. It would be a good lit circle book to mix in with other genres students could read.

review
mcappel
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
Mehso-so

A Wizard of Earthsea is a coming-of-age fantasy about one of the greatest sorcerers in all of Earthsea. But he did not start out that way, he was a power-hungry young boy who searched for power and knowledge. He stumbled upon dark secrets and unknown ancient dragons as he was trying to restore the balance to Earthsea. This is a chapter book, that is part of a series.

review
BookwormAHN
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Pickpick

I've been meaning to read this for a while. I enjoyed it, but I feel like if I had read it when I was younger, I
would have enjoyed it more. Mostly, I loved the talking dragon 🐉
#Authoramonth @Soubhiville
#wickedwords #shadow @AsYouWish
#noshamereadathon2023 #seriesyouvemeanttostart @Nessavamusic

JazzFeathers I read it with a group here on Litsy a few years ago. I had been meaning to read it for decades, and when l finally did .. l was disappointed 🙁 9mo
47 likes1 comment
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youneverarrived
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Panpan

I found this reallly boring. Fantasy isn‘t something I generally read and it‘s YA to boot so I‘m not the intended audience but it was so slow yet packed with adventure and it all just felt meh. I tried to get invested in it and I (skimread) to the end but would have bailed if it wasn‘t for #authoramonth.

Soubhiville Hopefully next month will be better. 9mo
youneverarrived @Soubhiville I like Maggie O‘Farrell so I‘m sure it will be 😁 9mo
vivastory 💚❤️NYRB Classics 9mo
See All 12 Comments
vivastory Sorry to hear that this Le Guin didn't work for you. I haven't read it. I did thoroughly enjoy 9mo
dabbe I bailed even though it WAS #AuthoraMonth! 🤣🤣🤣 9mo
Deblovestoread I bailed, too. #AllHailtheBail so you are not alone! @dabbe 9mo
dabbe @vivastory Now that's one I didn't try. I'll giver it ago by the end of this year. Thanks! 🤩😊🤗 9mo
vivastory @dabbe I'll be curious to see what you think! It's a short one, too, but it sticks with you. 9mo
batsy We did a Litsy group read years ago (time flies!) and it was a pick for me, but I get what you mean. It's the kind of book that I wish I had read when I was younger because the YA-ish elements haven't aged well. 9mo
youneverarrived @vivastory that one does actually sound good! I‘m not a big reader of the genre in general but sometimes I‘m pleasantly surprised - this just wasn‘t for me 9mo
youneverarrived @dabbe @Deblovestoread haha you both made the better choice 9mo
youneverarrived @batsy yeah there just wasn‘t any connection between the book and me (although I tried), the YA elements of it were definitely a part of that. Saying that, I can still see why it‘s deemed a classic. 9mo
45 likes12 comments
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dabbe
Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K Le Guin
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Bailedbailed

My first “Bail.“ I tried the tagged book, I tried her short stories, I even tried her nonfiction. I did not like any of them. I guess I'm a science fiction fan when it comes to books like F451, and I'm a fantasy fan when in Hogwarts or the shire, but I couldn't get into these at all. 🤷‍♀️

Hoping I'll like Maggie O'Farrell for July.

@Soubvihille

BarbaraBB Maggie O‘Farrell is fantastic! 9mo
wordslinger42 I really disliked this when I read it! I thought it was really boring. 9mo
dabbe @BarbaraBB Well, that is encouraging to hear! Any specific one you'd recommend? 🤩🤗😍 9mo
See All 11 Comments
willaful If you ever want to give it another go, I agree that this one is dull but the second book is fantastic. 9mo
RamsFan1963 @dabbe I would recommend my favorite LeGuin novel 9mo
CBee @dabbe I loved 9mo
dabbe @willaful On my list! Thanks! 🤗 9mo
dabbe @RamsFan1963 On my list! Thanks! 🤗 9mo
dabbe @CBee That's her most recent one, right? I'll check it out! Thanks! 🤗 9mo
BarbaraBB According to my rating system this is the one I rated the highest: 9mo
65 likes11 comments
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Teresereading
Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K Le Guin
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Monday commute
#authoramonth

Smrloomis This cover is AMAZING! 😍 9mo
17 likes1 comment
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DHill
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My #authoramonth hold finally came in!

@Soubhiville

Karisimo I‘m starting it today too! 9mo
37 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
staci.reads
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Mehso-so

I decided to try the first book in the Earthsea series for my #AuthorAMonth in June. I've read The Dispossessed and some of Le Guin's short stories and liked them a lot. This fantasy, quest, however, didn't really pull me in. @Soubhiville

dabbe I didn't like it either and have never read anything of hers. Which of your choices would you recommend? 🤗 10mo
69 likes1 comment
review
5feet.of.fury
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Bailedbailed

I don‘t know if the writing is the problem here, but that narrator is certainly a problem & it‘s not holding my attention at 25% so I‘m going to keep it moving.

I have 1 other I‘m going to try from her for #AuthorAMonth

@Soubhiville

dabbe Which is it, if you don't mind me asking? I'm not keen on A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA, too. 10mo
5feet.of.fury @dabbe I just started it last night, no opinion yet but it is 10mo
dabbe @5feet.of.fury Thanks! 🤩😍🤗 10mo
39 likes3 comments
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Melismatic
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Mehso-so

My plan was to read the entire trilogy for #AuthorAMonth but I‘m choosing to stop after the first. This falls somewhere between Harry Potter & Lord of the Rings - I can appreciate the writing (& the heavy handed symbolism) but the style puts me to sleep.

5feet.of.fury I‘m starting this one next, it will be my first from this author. I have a feeling this may not be a good fit for me either. 10mo
SamAnne I‘ve had a hard time deciding what to read next by her. I loved Left Hand of Darkness. 10mo
23 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Amiable
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Full disclosure: Fantasy is not my thing. I‘m glad that #AuthorAMonth encouraged me to pick this up since it‘s considered a classic and one of those “books that everyone should read.” And I can appreciate the beauty of the writing—really, I can. But honestly? This book kind of bored me. Maybe it‘s because it‘s a middle-grade young-man-coming-of-age story and I‘m a middle-aged woman eyeing the retirement years? Thank goodness it was short. ✔️

Melismatic I‘m reading now and I totally agree! 10mo
Amiable @Melismatic Two genres that I never read/don‘t like (fantasy and YA) combined together should probably have been a clue that this one wasn‘t for me. 😬 10mo
61 likes2 comments
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AmyG
Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K Le Guin
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Thia was a wonderfully read audiobook….probably the reason I enjoyed it so much. I got the audiobook a little early so my #authoramonth is done!

@Soubhiville

Soubhiville I‘m glad you liked it! I‘m looking forward to it later this month. 10mo
62 likes1 comment
review
Deifio
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Pickpick

Last read this as a child. And I didn't remember much of it except for the ending. It's written very differently to modern children's stories, more like a myth retelling. Anyway it's a quick read and a great adventure.

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TheSpineView
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Klou Brilliant! 1y
46 likes1 stack add1 comment
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HeyT
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Pickpick

I‘m reading the omnibus for #BookSpin but my SFFBC challenge is the first three books individually so I might as well review them as such. I enjoyed this and Le Guin is a master storyteller but the ending did feel a bit abrupt. I enjoyed watching as Ged grew as not only a practitioner but as a person.
#CatsOfLitsy

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Soubhiville
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Did I go a little overboard with the fiction sale on BookOutlet? Depends on your description of overboard… (yeah, I did…)

Other than a few auto-buy author new releases, I won‘t be doing any more shopping for me until after the holidays.

aperfectmjk Sure... that's what we all say... until we see our favorite author drops a new release. Or everyone is raving about a particular book... and you just don't want to be left out. Somehow, they find their way home to your shelf. 😄 2y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego I went crazy too, still waiting on box #2. 🫣 2y
Soubhiville @aperfectmjk right? I‘m going to do my best though, knowing that it won‘t be long until I can start shopping for my holiday swap matches! 2y
See All 6 Comments
Soubhiville @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego ooo, have you posted box 1? Going to look now! 2y
Megabooks Great choices!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 2y
New Kid on the Book Nice book stacks! 2y
71 likes1 stack add6 comments
review
SleepyDragon
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4)
Reads like classic mythology. Didn't expect that.

2nd book read for #AwesomeAugustReadathon @Andrew65

Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 2y
21 likes1 comment
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bookishbitch
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Pickpick

I finished book 1 of The Books of Earthsea series today. I really loved it. It turns out books about wizards, and wizard schools, have been around a long time. I love that many of the settings are small islands and fishing villages. The magic is interesting and the world building is excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next book brings.

tenar The next one is very different and one of my favorite books! Hope you enjoy it, too. 2y
ravenlee I loved this series years ago. I‘ve been thinking about a reread, especially as a fifth book came out in the interim. 2y
bookishbitch @tenar Thank you! @ravenlee Always a good reason for a reread. 2y
30 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
word.morsels
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
Pickpick

Read this when I was 12 and am rereading it 26 years later. Still touches me so much, the journey of this young chap who learns to harness wisdom about his power, how and when to wield it... How he faces his fears and the darkness he unleashes - so classic and beautiful. And I was pleasantly surprised at living this book as if I had never read it! (I have my memory to thank for this ;) )

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JuliaTheBookNerd
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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#UrsulaKLeGuin #WeRemember 🌹💔

#BookNerd 🤓💙📚

Eggs Perfect 🧡🦉🤎 2y
53 likes1 comment
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TugstenDragon
Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K Le Guin
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Good book.

17 likes1 stack add
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Pedrocamacho
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Pickpick

I‘ve heard a lot of about Earthsea in the past and I‘ve loved Le Guin‘s work for years so it was always just a matter of time. Nevertheless, I loved meeting Ged and hearing of his adventures.

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Valiseb
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To light a candle is to cast a shadow...

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hissingpotatoes
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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That is between me and my shadow.

#haunted October 2021 day 25: shadows @eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🖤🖤🖤 2y
Eggs 🙌🏻🌒💀 2y
Kenyazero Oh man, what a perfect pick! 2y
17 likes3 comments
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hissingpotatoes
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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A wizard‘s power of Changing and of Summoning can shake the balance of the world. It is dangerous, that power. It is most perilous. It must follow knowledge, and serve need. To light a candle is to cast a shadow...

#haunted October 2021 day 16: wizardry @eggs @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🙌🏻⚡️📚 2y
Eggs Brilliant 🖤🧡🖤 2y
16 likes2 comments
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hissingpotatoes
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“Master,” said Ged, “I cannot take your name from you, not being strong enough, and I cannot trick your name from you, not being wise enough. So I am content to stay here, and learn or serve, whatever you will: unless by chance you will answer a question I have.”

“Ask it.”

“What is your name?”

The doorkeeper smiled, and said his name; and Ged, repeating it, entered for the last time into that House.

#QuotsyOCT21 day 4: trick

review
Allylu
A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Mehso-so

This was a relatively short audiobook, but I couldn‘t get into it. I must be spoiled by full cast audiobooks because it seemed as though it all sounded the same. No excitement where there should have been some. 🤷‍♀️ #113 #BFC21 #5 #SuperSeptember #FallIntoReading

wanderinglynn Disappointing narration is too bad. 3y
EadieB That is disappointing! 3y
24 likes2 comments
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TEArificbooks
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You know your mom loves you when she drives an hour out to the farm on opening day of apple cider season to wait in lines just to buy you (and herself) apple cider donuts, pear cider, apple cider, kettle corn, and fresh veggies. Recovery with my legs has been slow and steady and I may miss the pumpkin patch trip this year. So getting fall treats early made my month! Autumn can not come fast enough!

Read-y_Picker Love this! 💕 3y
DinoMom Cider donuts sound delicious 🤤 3y
WJCintron That's so sweet!!! Hope your legs get better soon! 🙏 3y
48 likes3 comments
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Court7
Mehso-so

Okay.

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kgriffith
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Another one from the looooooong-time TBR. #readathon @DeweysReadathon #24hourreadathon

31 likes1 stack add
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Kalalalatja
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Panpan

This pains me to write, but... I really wasn‘t impressed. I had such high hopes for this, but it just didn‘t keep me attention. The pacing felt off, and I almost had the feeling I was listening to an abridged audio, because everything felt rushed. I needed more world building, less action and some characters I could relate to.

#BookSpin

wordslinger42 I read this in college and loved it, but I tried to read it last year and couldn't even finish it. I can't figure out why I enjoyed it so much the first time! 3y
ravenlee It‘s been ages since I read this, but as I recall the series builds more with each book, despite having pretty disparate stories. I think I liked them better as I went along. 3y
TheAromaofBooks Ah no, so sad when a book doesn't go where you want it to!!! 3y
JazzFeathers I read it during a readalong here on Litsy some years ago, after meaning to literary for decades. I had your same experience: l expected so much more from a classic of Fantasy. 3y
60 likes1 stack add4 comments