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A Madness So Discreet
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
Mindy McGinnis, the acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, combines murder, madness, and mystery in a beautifully twisted gothic historical thriller perfect for fans of novels such as Asylum and The Diviners as well as television's True Detective and American Horror Story.Grace Mae is already familiar with madness when family secrets and the bulge in her belly send her to an insane asylumbut it is in the darkness that she finds a new lease on life. When a visiting doctor interested in criminal psychology recognizes Grace's brilliant mind beneath her rage, he recruits her as his assistant. Continuing to operate under the cloak of madness at crime scenes allows her to gather clues from bystanders who believe her less than human. Now comfortable in an ethical asylum, Grace finds friendsand hope. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who will bring her shaky sanity and the demons in her past dangerously close to the surface.
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Gissy
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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#Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash
#ScarathlonDailyPrompt #15 secrets ((I haven‘t read this one but it seems the story has many secrets😳)

5 points
Post- 1 point
Total= 6 points

@Staycurious

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FantasyChick
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Woke up this morning and decided I was having none of it. Called out of work and it's a sugary cereal, cartoons and reading on the couch kind of morning.

Sometimes you just need a day.

#MentalHealthDay #ReadTheDayAway #FuckItFriday

ravenlee Yes! I love this #FuckItFriday! I wish I could do the same (but as a homeschool mom I don‘t get days off 😫). I wish you a good rest and recharge day. 3y
LiteraryinPA Good for you for giving yourself that time! 3y
KristiAhlers Self care is so important! That was my day yesterday. I went and had a sound bath. Realigned my chakras and came home and read and chilled. I didn‘t cook dinner. I didn‘t clean it was glorious 3y
41 likes3 comments
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SiameseCatsRead
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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What an intriguing start to this book!
#historicalfiction

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AceNoFace
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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What I read this week:

Wench: Beautifully moving story of the relationships between enslaved women.

Six of Crows: Oceans 11 with magic and teenagers. Great Dialogue!

The Need: Not my thing, but we'll written if it's yours!

A Madness So Discreet: made me forget dinner and game night. Asylums, serial killers, women's suffrage...it has everything! No romance 🙂

Storied Life of AJ Fikry: Give it to your grandma. She'll love it, but so will you!

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FantasyChick
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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It's #creepychristmas time and OMG @ulrichyumiodd you spoil me! Those stickers are amazing! I wish I could get a better picture. And that notebook! 😍 I can't believe you made that. It is soo beautiful. Did you make both the snowman and Jack as well? Jack (who glows in the freaking dark!) is currently hanging out on my tree, judging the world but he will make it to my key ring soon enough . That candle smells so good and I am not a pumpkin 👇👇

FantasyChick Person but I can't wait to light it later. Candles are my favourite! I love that you got the booksleeve from Always September. It's my go-to shop and her sleeves are amazing! Can't wait to dig into the books and treats. Thank you so much for the thoughtfulness 🥰🥰 Have an amazing New Year! @ulrichyumiodd And thanks @teebe for organizing another great #creepychristmas 😈 4y
teebe It all looks amazing! Handmade gifts are so great 4y
LeahBergen The handmade journal!! 😮😮 4y
FantasyChick @teebe Right? They are the best! @LeahBergen Pictures don't do it justice. It's so great! 4y
ulrichyumiodd I‘m so glad you like it all! I bought Jack, but made the snowman 🙂 4y
37 likes5 comments
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sharread
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

4 💫💫💫💫 Grace a woman not mad is stuck in an asylum because of an unexpected pregnancy, hidden because of disgrace. This was a difficult read with the horrific details of how the patients are treated in the asylum but a true historical account. The quick change in plot threw me a few times. But the story itself fascinating read.

#historical #youngadult #bookspinbingo #mystery

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4y
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megnews
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

Really well written young adult historical fiction with a mystery. I fell in love with the cast of characters. Will miss them and think about them for a long time to come. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Definitely recommend.

#YAApril book 11

Littlewolf1 I read this one last year… I really liked it 5y
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megnews
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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megnews
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Another one I have a #CoverCrush on.

#YAApril

Johanna414 She is one of my favorite YA authors! 5y
megnews @Johanna414 this is the first time I‘ve read anything by her and so far very good. Have you read this one? 5y
BethM That‘s lovely! 5y
Johanna414 @megnews yes, and I loved it. My favorite though is 5y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Ooh, I like this one! 5y
38 likes5 comments
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UnabridgedPod
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

I had one of those beautiful moments of bookish serendipity when I picked up Mindy McGinnis's amazing A Madness So Discreet right after reading Susannah Cahalan's The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness (I published my review here on Tuesday). McGinnis is the amazing author of YA dystopian duology Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, ⬇️

UnabridgedPod but she's one of those authors who writes widely in a variety of genres.

A Madness So Discreet is a historical fiction novel centering on Grace Mae, a young woman sent to a Boston insane asylum after her upper-class family discovers her pregnancy. She has lost her voice and her desire to live; she tries to maintain her health only for the sake of her baby. ⬇️
5y
UnabridgedPod Generally, she is treated horribly, but she finds kindness with a few: another patient placed there so her husband can remarry and take her land, an employee who wants to adopt Grace's baby, another inmate whose insanity has landed him in the horrible basement level. ⠀

What happens next is an amazing turn that's detailed on the back of the book . . . ⬇️
5y
UnabridgedPod but I wish I hadn't known about it ahead of time. So I'll stop there and just encourage you to pick up this amazing, well-written novel.⠀

What makes it such a beautiful pairing with Cahalan's book is its consideration of our definitions of sanity and insanity and of what constitutes effective treatment for those who are ill. McGinnis's focus is primarily on women who are disenfranchised because of their gender, ⬇️
5y
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UnabridgedPod though she does expand slightly to others who perhaps have one area of "insanity" but are otherwise sane, intelligent, contributing members of society who do not pose a threat to others. Complex questions of good, evil, mad, and sane permeate this novel, and my understanding of A Madness So Discreet was richer because of Cahalan's thought-provoking book.⠀

Who else is a McGinnis fan? When have you had a moment of bookish serendipity?
5y
megnews I‘ve never read McGinnis but I have this on my tbr this month. Looking forward to it even more now after reading your review. 5y
UnabridgedPod @megnews I hope you love it!! And maybe you‘ll become a McGinnis fan, too—I have a couple more of hers on my TBR for April! 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty 💗💗 5y
Johanna414 Mindy McGinnis is one of my favorite authors! I loved The Female of the Species 5y
UnabridgedPod @Johanna414 I‘m posting that review later today! I think she‘s just amazing. 5y
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Abookloverstale
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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"Grace had learned long ago that the true horrors of this world were other people."
⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Abookloverstale
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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"the insane are simply people who have chosen not to participate in the world in the same manner as the majority,"
⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Abookloverstale
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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"Emotions had welled close to the surface, and she thought her heart had never felt so full as it did standing next to the defiled grave of a whore while lunatics sang the national anthem."
⭐⭐⭐⭐

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BookDragonNotWorm
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

I read “Heroine” by this author and loved it so much that I decided to give another of her books a shot. This one was completely different, and not at all what I was expecting. Not bad, just not my ideal cup of tea. There‘s no denying that McGinnis is a talented author, and while I didn‘t love this book, I did enjoy it.

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hes7
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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“They all had their terrors.” #firstlinefridays

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GardenJess
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

Just finished the audiobook. Satisfied with the ending though a tiny bit of suspension of disbelief is necessary throughout. I‘d love to see this story carried on in a second volume.

Nute That cover gets my attention!😳 5y
GardenJess @Nute - that‘s what caught me first with this one! 5y
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SLibrarian5
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick



Finished my first Owlcrate backlog title in a week! A Madness So Discreet was an interesting read, much darker in its tones then first realized. I liked how there was no romance, (yay!) but found the last third of the book to be jarring in the plot choices. Overall, a quick read and I look forward to reading more by the author.

Owlcrate Challenge-1/19

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SLibrarian5
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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In the midst of organizing and decluttering, I realized I have a lot of Owlcrate backlog books. (How many? 37 unread Owlcrate books! 😳) I arranged them from oldest to newest and the goal is to get through 19 of them before 2020, either by finishing or DNF-ing them.

#owlcrate
#backlog

Booknerd222 I have at least 5 #owlcrate #backlog and like 6 #botm books that I need to get through. Hoping to read at least 4 #botm before I get any more. 5y
SLibrarian5 @Booknerd222 I thought about subscribing to botm, but talked myself out of it... Need to get through my current backlog first. 😅 5y
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BookNightOwl
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Bailedbailed

Started off okay and then I quickly lost interest. Finished it all but listening to the audiobook helped.
2⭐⭐😞

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SmartBookaholicsIncBookstore
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
Pickpick

Wicked, dark amazing novel!

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dizie_lizie
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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A few of the ⭐️4+ thrilling reads off of my shelves

Day 15: #thriller #blackcatchallenge

CouronneDhiver Shutter 🖤 6y
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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
CarolynM Welcome to Litsy 🌼 6y
BookNerd9906 👍 6y
Valk @CarolynM Thank you 😁 6y
Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 6y
7 likes4 comments
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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

Thornhollow said,"To me the insane are simply people who have chosen not to participate in the world in the same manner as the majority, and there are days I wonder if they‘ve got the right of it. I think we‘re all quite mad. Some of us are just more discreet about it."

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

Simply using the words sane and insane is a way for the population to draw a safe line through humanity, and then place themselves squarely on the side of the healthy.”

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

“Don‘t be deceived by a pleasant setting, Doctor,” Grace warned. “Sometimes the loveliest places harbor the worst monsters.”

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Currently reading-

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📖💙 6y
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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

It was quick indeed, nothing like the steaming baths at home, where she had taken care to clean under her nails, scrubbing imagined dirt away. She‘d never known what it was like to be truly dirty until she came here, and she washed away the asylum as best she could in the dark with a stranger only a few feet away.

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

Thornhollow nodded and then glanced about the room. “You should register a complaint about the lodgings.”
 A bubble rose up in Grace‘s throat, erupting in the form of a laugh, and she clasped her hand down on her mouth in astonishment. Thornhollow smiled.

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

This is what you ask of me, then?” He raised his eyes to hers. “You want me to cut into you, tear away your skin and your brain, and leave you a desolate, incoherent mess that feels no more?”
 “Yes,” she said, the one word heavy in her throat as a tear slid down her cheek. “Yes, I would have that.”

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

Thornhollow crossed his arms and studied her for a moment before speaking. She stared back, savoring the appearance of a new face after being denied company for so long. The meager light could hardly penetrate the hollows of his eyes, but she could see the muscles of his jaw tensing as they studied each other, the slightest tic beneath his red sideburns giving him away.

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

“Grace,” Falsteed chided in the dark. “No.”

 “The roses,” she said, sighing. “The smell of the roses, it undid me. How can I call it a life when I curl in the darkness, covered in my own filth? I was once surrounded by light and smelled as lovely as a garden. I‘d rather forget both than remember either.”

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

But Grace had sat through many sermons by her father‘s side, heard about the perils of hell and the fiery brimstone that surely awaited her if she took her own life. She doubted that hell was hot and sulfuric. Instead, she imagined it was comfortable and smelled like her own bedroom.

RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you need it. Or if you prefer how-to videos, @chelleo put some together at the link in her bio. @LitsyWelcomeWagon 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👋🏻🌸 6y
LitsyWelcomeWagon Welcome! 6y
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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

They all had their terrors, but at least the spiders that lived in the new girl‘s veins were imaginary. Grace had learned long ago that the true horrors of this world were other people
#terrors #horror

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Valk
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

The new girl wasn‘t learning the efficacy of silence, the art of invisibility. Grace had given up speech long ago. Once the words no and stop had done nothing, the others refused to come out, their inadequacy making the effort necessary to voice them an equation too easily solved.
#amadnesssodiscret #YAnovel

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SassenachTheBookWizard
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

I freaking love this book SO MUCH which is kinda weird with it being about an abusive father and an insane asylum but whatever. The characters and their relationship plus the science of the time is so wonderful.

theresidentromantic I finished this book and like stared at my fiance for a few minutes, trying to process the 112 emotions I was going through!! So good 💕 Glad you liked it! 6y
blondie I own this one and seriously need to read it soon! 6y
Johanna414 I‘ve loved all of her books that I‘ve read so far. Have you read 6y
SassenachTheBookWizard @Johanna414 oh god. That book makes me cry 6y
IheartYA TBH I thought it was awful. 😣 6y
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SassenachTheBookWizard
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Time for a reread of one of my favourite (though messed up) books.

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RebeccaRoo7
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

So much of the time I feel like I'm broken or I have a "glitch". This YA novel continues to restore faith in myself that I am capable of doing many wonderful things. That I must learn to live and appreciate my mind, body, and soul; to not feel like I'm empty or missing something. Sometimes I think certain books call to me just at the time that I need them. Books make me feel more than human beings ever have. #loveyourself #strength #kindness

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Slajaunie
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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TheFunkyBookworm Whoah! Just read the summary- I am ALL IN on this one!!!! Thanks for participating! 💜 6y
Slajaunie @TheFunkyBookworm Glad you like it. I haven‘t read it either but I will! 📚 6y
jwashreads I was thinking of doing this one!! 6y
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IheartYA
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Panpan

The beginning was promising but the story began to drag and felt as if it was going nowhere. Honestly, I skimmed the last few chapters because I just didn't care.

mariaku21 I agree, it started out with a great premise but floundered. I read another of her's which I did end up liking much better 6y
IheartYA @mariaku21 Not a Drop to Drink sounds more my style. Maybe I'll try it. Thanks😊 6y
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CrowCAH
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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#GetMovin #Ghost https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tA8AfQaUnXM

I love this song and haven‘t heard it on the radio in forever; thanks, @Cinfhen for adding it to your challenge!

theresidentromantic I love that book ❤❤ 6y
Cinfhen This month‘s awesome playlist is compliments of @eanderson 😎I get zero credit, but I‘m enjoying it too!! 6y
CrowCAH @theresidentromantic , @beccaeve said it was amazing, so I can‘t wait to read it! 6y
CrowCAH @Cinfhen awesome; thanks @eanderson !!! 😗 6y
beccaeve This is so good! I can't wait to hear what you think! 6y
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Craftylikefox
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

This is an interesting story. The mystery is like the third thing going on. It is a story of a woman who was sexually abused by her father, became pregnant by him and was sent to live in an asylum till she gave birth. The asylum is a sad state with terrible care. She is saved from that awful place by events. It leans more to a pick, because there is a good story in there. It‘s not a mystery book.

olivia.ferz Sounds interesting! 7y
Craftylikefox @olivia.ferz it is! There are some parts I wish they had given more focus on though. 7y
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Add-sanity
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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"They all had their terrors, but at least the spiders that lived in the new girls veins were imaginary. Grace had learned long ago that the true horrors of this world were other people."

I'm already hooked and it's only the first chapter!

Chelleo Welcome to Litsy! New book friends are the best! We hope you‘re loving it here! Checkout these #Litsytips: http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: http://bit.ly/litsyvideos There‘s so many fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more! Check out #LitsyHappenings for details. @LitsyWelcomeWagon 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!! 🎉🎊🙌🏻 7y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👋🏻 6y
6 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Craftylikefox
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Late “lunch” at work, it was just so crazy. I snuck in a little break at work. Starting this book and enjoying it so far. It has already made tear up a little!

theresidentromantic This book had me feeling 100 things, I'm STILL undecided. Can't wait till you finish it! 7y
jwashreads Oh man the whole beginning--was not expecting that in a YA novel... 7y
Craftylikefox @theresidentromantic I am still early in the book so I am curious to see where it goes. 7y
Craftylikefox @jwashreads it‘s a pretty intense start! 7y
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JoeStalksBeck
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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theresidentromantic Great gif! I really enjoyed this read a few years ago :) 7y
Scurvygirl 💜💜 7y
cobwebmoth So cool! 7y
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SassenachTheBookWizard
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Pickpick

And spot number nine goes to...

https://youtu.be/gEsSWmFRIcI

#booktube

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mrp27
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Time to head home from my fantastic weekend #Litsypartyofone at the beach.

MrBook Ohhh myyy! 7y
Mdargusch Sorry you had to go home. That looks amazing! 7y
mrp27 @Mdargusch Me too, but this is my aunts house. I visit frequently and I often house sit for her. 7y
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mrp27
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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#noteworthynovember #bookmarks

Took my #litsypartyofone to the beach this morning for some reading time. Finishing up this months YA book club pick. Weather turned out more gorgeous than forecasted.

Liz_M Yay Strand! 7y
mrp27 @Liz_M My favorite bookstore! 7y
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mrp27
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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#spookyoctober

Starting this one for this months YA book club. It's set in an insane asylum which I find inherently #spooky

SassenachTheBookWizard I LOVE this book! 7y
mrp27 @SassenachTheBookWizard Oh good! I've had never heard of this book or anything about it before. 7y
FelicitytheRat I‘m really liking it so far! Sooooo interesting! 7y
mrp27 @FelicitytheRat Oh good!!! I'm only a couple pages in. 7y
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Brie
A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis
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Mehso-so

A historical thriller with a social commentary that's still relevant today. Privileged Grace is committed to an insane asylum but escapes with the help of a doctor studying the early science of criminal psychology. They then investigate a series of murders together. It questions society's treatment of the mentally ill &brings up interesting points about madness in general. Loved the setting &themes, but felt the story stretched credulity at times

398.2 Interesting cover 7y
RowReads1 This has been on my TBR list for awhile. 💕🤔😂 7y
mrp27 This is my YA book clubs pick for this month. I haven't started it yet. 7y
kspenmoll I have been in & off Litsy due to just life, but as I scroll through your posts I am realizing how much I enjoy your creativity, thoughtful commentary & presentation- really a joy to visit your posts after an absence! 💙💜 7y
Brie @kspenmoll Oh thank you! That‘s really nice to hear :) 7y
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