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Today Will Be Different
Today Will Be Different | Maria Semple
A brilliant novel from the author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette, about a day in the life of Eleanor Flood, forced to abandon her small ambitions and awake to a strange, new future. Eleanor knows she's a mess. But today, she will tackle the little things. She will shower and get dressed. She will have her poetry and yoga lessons after dropping off her son, Timby. She won't swear. She will initiate sex with her husband, Joe. But before she can put her modest plan into action-life happens. Today, it turns out, is the day Timby has decided to fake sick to weasel his way into his mother's company. It's also the day Joe has chosen to tell his office-but not Eleanor-that he's on vacation. Just when it seems like things can't go more awry, an encounter with a former colleague produces a graphic memoir whose dramatic tale threatens to reveal a buried family secret. TODAY WILL BE DIFFERENT is a hilarious, heart-filled story about reinvention, sisterhood, and how sometimes it takes facing up to our former selves to truly begin living.
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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Panpan

I finally finished this book, but I would give it a thumbs down. It has a lot of similarities to Where‘d You Go Bernadette, but it falls flat. It follows the protagonist Eleanor for a day in her life when she is trying to do better, meeting her poetry teacher, getting her kid from school, and finding out a secret about her husband. This book is okay, it‘s just not that good or interesting. The plot jumps around, which was disorienting to me.

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Bibliophile004
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Pickpick

For fans of “where‘d you go Bernadette”- read this book! It‘s a day in the life of a woman trying to do better. It‘s funny, lots of dark humor, and so relatable.

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Ericalambbrown
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Pickpick

This one is a low pick for me. This is the first I‘ve read from this author - it‘s our FOTL book this month - so I had no idea what to expect. I was originally going to listen to it but had to bail on the audio because OMG Timby‘s portrayal was nothing but whiny awfulness. Reading was much better on this one for me. Terribly uncomfortable to read at times because Eleanor is such a mess and I felt for her. But I‘m still glad I finished it.

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BeeMagical
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Pickpick

Book 92📚 3⭐️

Not my typical genre but I found the main character very relatable and funny. After so many injuries Eleanor needs a spa day😂🧖🏼‍♀️

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JenlovesJT47
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Pickpick

I‘m giving this a low pick. I had to read her next book after finishing Bernadette. It took awhile to get into but by the second half I was really enjoying it. I went the #audiobook route and it‘s a quick listen. It won‘t be everyone‘s cup of tea and is really nothing like Bernadette but some people can definitely relate to it. 3.75⭐️

IamIamIam I picked this up last summer! 3y
67 likes1 comment
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BeeMagical
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New thrift finds💃🖤

What The Fact = New bathroom book😂🚽

NikkiM5 Ooooo the Dream Bible looks awesome 3y
BeeMagical @NikkiM5 It is!! And for $2 what a steal!👏🏻 3y
30 likes2 comments
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LeslieO
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Despite loving Where‘d You Go, Bernadette? I still haven‘t read this one. #CuriousCovers #Orange

Eggs Beautiful arrangement and photo 📙🧡🍊 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 🧡🧡 3y
Nute Every thing is working just right in this photo! 3y
48 likes4 comments
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dariazeoli
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I kind of hate this book. I‘ve only got about 35 minutes to go. Do I DNF or see it through?

At least it tumbles off #MtTBR and pays off some #pennyperpage debt...

Clare-Dragonfly DNF if you hate it!!! What could possibly make those 35 minutes of your life worth it? 4y
Librariana I'm with @Clare-Dragonfly - no sense in wasting any more of your time! Did you end up finishing it or DNF-ing it? 4y
kspenmoll I Would DNF- not worth it !!!! 4y
dariazeoli @Clare-Dragonfly @Librariana @kspenmoll Thanks you guys. With your permission, I‘ve DNF‘d. Off to a Little Free Library it goes! 4y
37 likes4 comments
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amyf0x
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Pickpick

Eleanor, an illustrator with a creative block, attempts to navigate a day in her life while juggling the needs of her son Timby, a distant sister, and a previously scorned intern turned famous artist, all with a new head injury.

Read September 15-19
Rated 2.5/5 ⭐️
Book 38/60

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Bstro
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Panpan

I found it annoying how cliche the characters were & the locations they spend time at in Seattle. I know the author lives in Seattle but she writes about it like a tourist would.

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Eggs
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Deblovestoread I‘m with you on Gone Girl... 4y
Ruthiella I liked Gone Girl but the Maria Semple title is one of the few cases where within the first 10 pages, I was “nope”. 4y
Eggs @Kdgordon88 Great minds... 4y
See All 8 Comments
Eggs @Ruthiella Agreed📚 4y
erzascarletbookgasm I agree ‘hate‘ is a strong word. 4y
OriginalCyn620 📚👎🏻📚 4y
meghathecloud @Ruthiella @Eggs, I am with both of you on Today will be different! It was just too mean for me. 4y
64 likes8 comments
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marleed
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Mehso-so

Maria Semple is a funny writer and this effort has Where‘d You Go feels - Eleanor is even a creative type with a scientific husband, a likable only child, and lands in Seattle from Manhattan rather than LA. There‘s some witty memorable communication but the overall story didn‘t quite gel, the ending didn‘t work for me. It was the book version of overacting. #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
73 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Eggs
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Bailedbailed

Annoying 😜

marleed Haha - I own this book and want to give it a go, but no one seems to like it. On the other hand, the title comes in handy for spine poetry and such so there is that! 4y
Eggs @marleed LOL 😂🤣 4y
67 likes2 comments
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MelKelsey
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Panpan

Book 98 I listened to this family drama (?) that is part romance, part self-actualization, completely annoying. Characters are flat with disappointing self-discovery (what the husband was hiding was...unexpected). Because of the grating voicing of the child character and the not off-tune but weird singing near the end, I cannot recommend the audiobook.

ChaoticMissAdventures I just do not like this authors characters. And not in a "hey there is something I can find here that is interesting" way. Just in a real dislike, what is the point way. 4y
Arvena I had to DNF this book. Maybe the movie would be better 4y
19 likes2 comments
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QTbebec
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Omg!!! This is ME everyday of my life!

2 likes1 stack add
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Kaylamburson
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Panpan

I didn't really get this book & found it unrelatable. There isn't a strong plot, so it feels like it's supposed to be character driven, yet the story takes place within 24 hours & not a lot of change happens in that period. Eleanor is not likeable, so it's hard to be sympathetic when we don't know much about her besides the history behind a toxic relationship with her brother-in-law. I also didn't appreciate the portrayal of the "twist".

Kaylamburson I was hoping for a light and humorous book, and this was neither. 5y
68 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Kaylamburson
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I've been in a reading slump the past few weeks, so I'm hoping that today will be different as I start this "brilliant and hilarious novel"--at least according to the jacket copy...

Skeebies05 Me too girl! Sooooo stressed out with the world. Hope this one breaks you out! 5y
Kaylamburson Same here! Thanks so much, @Skeebies05. I hope you find one, too! I just can't even make myself open a book for more than a few minutes right now. 5y
89 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Harleygirl
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Mehso-so

Started out strong but lost me towards the middle. Struggled to finish😩, didn‘t like the direction and was disappointed about the ending.

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hike.read.repeat
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Bailedbailed

After reading Bernadette a couple years ago and being disappointed by it, I gave this one a chance and made it over an hour into the audiobook before tapping out. I just couldn‘t find myself caring what became of any of them. Didn‘t help that the narrator made Timby‘s voice super whiny. #libby

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croberts51
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I‘m a little iffy about this book so far. The chapters are a decent length, the writing is pretty good, but the characters are a bit bland. The timeline is all over and I‘m unsure of why all this information is important... I guess we‘ll find out. I‘m determined to finish another one of my personally owned books!

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croberts51
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HELP! I just finished a book and I want to get to the books on my shelves. I‘m stuck between two. Comment below to give me your opinion!
Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple
-OR-
Thunderhead by Neal Schusterman

TrishB Sorry, not read either! 5y
croberts51 My insta friends voted for Thunderhead when I was ready to start reading, so that‘s what I went with! 5y
2 likes2 comments
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eggplantparmesan
Pickpick

Similar to Where‘d You Go, Bernadette? in that it is also about an upper middle class (can I say wealthy?) wife and husband with one child, residing in Seattle. Like “Bernadette,” the child in Today Will Be Different is smart and mature. Another common element: the main characters‘ marriage is rocky, partially from housewifedom. I enjoyed it but not like I enjoyed WYGB.

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 💖📚💖 5y
Eggbeater Welcome to Litsy. 🐙 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🥳 5y
CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 📚 5y
7 likes4 comments
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cleoh
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Happy Sunday everyone! Happy Thanksgiving weekend to fellow Canadians! 🎉📚🎉

Bibliogeekery Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁 5y
Prairiegirl_reading That mug is a classic!! 😄 5y
Prairiegirl_reading Happy thanksgiving!! 5y
See All 6 Comments
LeahBergen And to you! 🇨🇦🦃 5y
LeahBergen And we had these mugs years ago, too. 😆😆 5y
72 likes1 stack add6 comments
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cleoh
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• Today Will Be Different, Saint Anything, 99% Mine, and The Girl The Sea Gave Back
• 6
• graphic novels/comics are my go to! Something short means you don‘t have to focus on it too much, and it always feels good to finish something!

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

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Victoriahoperose
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Panpan

I just did not like the characters or the storyline. The main character irritated me and it made it extremely hard to read for me.

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deletedbecausethisappisawful
Pickpick

I enjoyed this one. It had a fun, stressful kind of whimsy and mystery to it, without it being "thriller/mystery" suspense.

It felt a little surreal and strange at times, but I enjoyed that aspect. It didn't go where you expected it to, and that is rare for books like these. It felt sort of like a British dramedy to me, at times.

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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 5! This humorous novel follows a day in the life of Eleanor Flood. She knows she‘s a mess, but she‘ll tackle the little things today and get some sense of order about things. Others have different plans though—her son plays sick; her husband tells his office, but not her, he‘s going on vacation; and, seeing a former colleague produces a graphic novel that can expose family secrets. Let the day begin! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

55 likes1 stack add
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Sheryl63
Pickpick

I couldn‘t stop snickering over the Costco incident. I‘m ashamed to say that I‘m “one of those people who always stash things instead of taking items back to their rightful place” that‘s what husbands are for right? But to my defense I‘ve never ditched frozen fish anywhere that‘s for sure!!!!

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CaitlinByTheBook
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Pickpick

I finished this one while traveling recently and loved it! 🧡 Maria Semple‘s writing is so quick and clever! Sometimes I had to reread a sentence or paragraph to keep up with her quick wit. I didn‘t want to put this book down and I didn‘t want it to end either. I loved this one and Bernadette so I will definitely be reading her first book now too!

15 likes1 stack add
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CaitlinByTheBook
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Currently reading and loving this one! // #fiction #currentread

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wanderinglynn
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Mehso-so

Audiobook 3/6 for #BFCr2

Although similar style & pacing to Bernadette, I found this to be more a narcissistic run-on sentence of one day in the life of Eleanor. I also didn‘t care for when it switched from first person POV to third person. I get what she was trying to do, but it failed for me. I finished it, but this one is easily forgettable.*

Not my cup of tea. But I finished it.

*except for the kid‘s name. Timby? Really?

90 likes2 stack adds
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KadeLexical
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Skunk Hour by Robert Lowell

wanderinglynn Thanks for sharing this photo! I‘m listening to the audio version right now, so I‘m missing these kind of details in the book. 5y
KadeLexical @wanderinglynn I love audio books, but they definitely leave something to be desired visually. Happy to assist 😊 5y
6 likes1 stack add2 comments
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mountainsandlace
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4 likes1 stack add
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alisiakae
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Mehso-so

More snark than satire, I was amused with the first half of the book, but put off by the direction the story went in. A year from now, I probably won‘t remember much about this one.

#pop19 #takesplaceinasingleday
#mountTBR

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alisiakae
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Thank you, Timby. 👊🏼 A pet peeve, along with when relatives introduce a child as “the adopted child”.

ravenlee My grandmother used to say my cousin “didn‘t count” because my uncle adopted him when he married the cousin‘s mom - he‘s the only father my cousin has ever known. My grandmother would talk about her grandchildren, including the two my aunt and uncle had after their marriage, and leave out the oldest. It made me spitting mad and I can‘t imagine how he felt. (Granted, being included in her count wasn‘t always a picnic) 6y
SW-T Pet peeve of mine too. 6y
MicheleinPhilly I hate this. I see it coming up a lot with the children of public figures. It‘s like they constantly have to remind us which one(s) are adopted? Why? It doesn‘t matter. It is their child(ren) full stop. Cut it out. 6y
See All 8 Comments
CoverToCoverGirl I was legally adopted myself by my Mom‘s second husband.. I so get this.. some people still think I‘m less than but I don‘t! 6y
alisiakae @ravenlee That‘s terrible! My extended family was almost always good about this, it was random church members that always seemed to bring it up. 🤷🏻‍♀️ @SW-T 💜💜 @MicheleinPhilly Agree! I have seen it on local news recently, when a child tragically unexpectedly (car accident, cancer, things like that), and happens to be adopted, they always bring it up in the story. @CoverToCoverGirl 💞💞 6y
tournevis This makes me seeth. When adults, ADULTS! ask my son if he misses his *real* mom, like I'm not right here!!! Kids are kids. There is no hierarchy! 6y
alisiakae @tournevis I heard this a lot, when I found my birth family a few years ago. I have my mom, and my birth mother, and “real” doesn‘t even belong in the conversation. 6y
tournevis @4thhouseontheleft I got this book for my son. It made it better. 6y
86 likes8 comments
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alisiakae
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Yep. Can definitely relate to these categories! Can you?

Things I should know but never learned? 1. The “correct” way that runners tie their shoes (using the extra lace hole). 2. How to knot a tie. I once knew, now forgotten. No interest in learning again. 3. Phone number to school, extracurriculars, babysitters, friends. I used to memorize numbers so easily. Now I‘m lucky if I remember my own. 😂😂 ☎️ 📲

Traci1 I blame cell phones for not knowing phone numbers. I remember my friends' numbers from 30 years ago, but the only number I know aside from my own now is my husband's (it's only 1 digit off from mine). BUT I know my debit card number including the exp. date and code on back. Though maybe that says something embarrassing about how often I order pizza... 🤔 6y
alisiakae @Traci1 Smart phones and cell phones are definitely to blame! Not complaining though, it makes life so much easier! 😃 6y
TheEllieMo @Traci1 I used to know my debit card details, but since the advent of Apple Pay I don‘t even remember them now🙄 6y
alisiakae @TheEllieMo I know all the CVV codes for my credit cards because of all the online shopping I do. But Apple Pay is definitely taking over! 6y
74 likes4 comments
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alisiakae
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I‘m quickly realizing that ADWD needs to be a slow burn read, so I‘m changing up my plan and only tackling it a few chapters at a time. Mainly because I am incredibly disappointed so far but am also a stubborn mule that wants to see this through.

So I‘m also starting this Semple book, my pick for #pop19 : takes place in one day.

Stacy_31 I loved the Semple book. ❤️ 6y
alisiakae @Stacy_31 Glad to hear it! I haven‘t read her other one. 6y
95 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Johanna414
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Mehso-so

We had the first meeting of our public library‘s Books and Brews at the local coffee shop last night and it was awesome! Yummy drinks and snacks, a nice blend of people to talk books with. Less awesome was getting sick with the stomach flu immediately after and being sick all night...
As for the book, I liked it but didn‘t love it. Parts were a little too all over the place and I wanted more closure on aspects of the story

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Johanna414
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Took a little “mom break” and retreated back to bed to start this for my library book club. It‘s not something I would have ever picked up on my own, but isn‘t bad. Some of the bits about anxiety ring a little too true right now.

44 likes2 stack adds
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Johanna414
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Our library is starting a new book club, so I signed up and got a couple friends at work to join as well. I went to pick up my book today and the library director somehow got me to agree to pick the book for May and lead the discussion... she wanted me to do April, but I said I needed to get a feel for who else was in the group before picking a book. I‘m nervous though - it‘s much easier to do this for teens than adults!

Johanna414 And now I‘m going to obsess about this for the next month... any recommendations on a recent popular title that‘s been a hit with book clubs?! (edited) 6y
Samplergal My book club is reading Behold the dreamers this month. Also 6y
kellyann28 I'm not sure what kind of books the group is going for (like feel good vs thriller) but this was a very good thriller for a book club for adults 6y
Johanna414 @Samplergal @kellyann28 thanks for the ideas! I‘ll have a better idea at the end of the month of who my audience is... our town is so small that I‘ll probably know everyone, just have to find out who joined 6y
32 likes4 comments
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BeckyandBooks
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Panpan

What in the world did I just listen to?! The narrator was enjoyable but the book was hard to follow...though there were a couple parts that made me chuckle.

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LeslieO
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B&N #bookhaul with the balance of my gift card, supplemented with my fantasy football winnings (first place, baby!!)

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sarahgreatlove
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Pickpick

This one was a totally different tone from my other reads, which was great actually. I‘d loved Where‘d you go, Bernadette, so was excited for this. I found it quirky yet relatable, I was rooting for her character and snort laughed in some occasions. Intriguing ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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lauraisntwilder
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Bailedbailed

I loved "Where'd You Go Bernadette," so bailing on this one is sad, especially considering it's a library book and the audio version. ? I didn't like the main character at all, but I bailed because my husband is an animator and her description of the animation industry frustrated me.

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Jenken1998
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Mehso-so

Lots a laughs but I just couldn't get into this one. I kept putting it down and forcing myself to pick it back up. I was hoping to love it as much as I did Where'd You Go Bernadette but I didnt. I really cant put my finger on why though. ❤❤❤

9 likes1 stack add
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tlmorgan
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This line really stuck with me, because I did think about it 💜#tattoo #ink #pancreaticcancer

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suvata
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Panpan

This is one of those books that I‘m grateful that I got it at the library so I didn‘t have to pay for it. “Where‘d You Go, Bernadette” a was so-so book, so I decided to give this one a try. For me, it just didn‘t cut it.
2 of 5 stars = It was ok

Caroline2 I LOVED Bernadette but I bailed on this book! 😒 6y
53 likes1 stack add1 comment