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All the Birds, Singing
All the Birds, Singing: A Novel | Evie Wyld
64 posts | 78 read | 59 to read
From one of Grantas Best Young British Novelists, a stunningly insightful, emotionally powerful new novel about an outsider haunted by an inescapable past: a story of loneliness and survival, guilt and loss, and the power of forgiveness.Jake Whyte is living on her own in an old farmhouse on a craggy British island, a place of ceaseless rain and battering wind. Her disobedient collie, Dog, and a flock of sheep are her sole companions, which is how she wants it to be. But every few nights somethingor someonepicks off one of the sheep and sounds a new deep pulse of terror. There are foxes in the woods, a strange boy and a strange man, and rumors of an obscure, formidable beast. And there is also Jakes past, hidden thousands of miles away and years ago, held in the silences about her family and the scars that stripe her backa past that threatens to break into the present. With exceptional artistry and empathy, All the Birds, Singing reveals an isolated life in all its struggles and stubborn hopes, unexpected beauty, and hard-won redemption.This eBook edition includes a Reading Group Guide.
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TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

I honestly don't know how Evie Wyld does it. She writes about messy, complicated women with such humanity. And she delves into the horrible ways people can mistreat eachother, especially men's violence towards women, without ever feeling exploitative. She turns the focus to women's resilience and rage, and crafts an engrossing narrative around it.
Note - there is no real ending here, which I LOVE but I know doesn't work for everyone!
cont'd

Suzze One strange book. I gave it 2 stars. 7mo
TheKidUpstairs Jake Whyte is a fascinating, memorable, beautifully flawed woman living in isolation, raising sheep on an island off the coast of England. As she contends with an unknown something killing her sheep, and an unexpected stranger showing up on her property, we begin traveling backwards through her life to find out how she ended up here.

CW: physical and sexual violence against (and exploitation of) women
7mo
TheKidUpstairs @Suzze I loved it, but I get that it's definitely not a book that is going to work for everyone! 7mo
56 likes3 comments
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Jeg
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Pickpick

We read her more recent book for book club and I loved it so was happy to find this one in an op shop. I loved this too. She doesn‘t tie up endings but I sort of like that because I can make up my own. Always very happy.😊.
Having read two of her novels I hope her life hadn‘t been as traumatic as her characters. Strong women overcoming tremendous odds. Set in out back Australia and country Britain. A worthy winner.

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unabridgedchick
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Hardy, then experience, taught me that sheep can die so easily. We'll see if this book proves to be too much or just right...

Tamra I enjoyed this one - atmospheric! 3y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
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NatalieR
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Mehso-so

I am torn about this book. At first, it was confusing due to the changes in timeline. Once I sorted that out, I was loving it. However, I love animals and there are a lot of horrific scenes. In the end, I was utterly disappointed. It seemed as though the author randomly stopped writing one day and called it done. The ending COMPLETELY left me hanging. I think it has the potential to be great...if the author ever decides to finish it. 🐑 #MountTBR

Trashcanman No time to hesitate 4y
97 likes1 comment
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twohectobooks
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Pickpick

Book 5️⃣ of the #12booksof2020

An incredibly propulsive novel told in two separate timelines, one of which is related in reverse. I‘ll caution that the ending of one timeline is a bit unsatisfying. This is a story about a young woman named Jake who is running from something, all the way to a sheep farm on a remote island off the coast of Great Britain. When I finished it I immediately added Evie Wyld‘s other works to my tbr.

Andrew65 Looks good. 4y
vivastory Read this years ago & still think about it. Can't wait to read Wyld's latest 4y
25 likes2 comments
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EH2018
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Found this at the Dollar Tree....love the cover, and the juxtaposition of the title - birds singing - and what looks to be a sheep about to be eaten...intriguing

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Moray_Reads
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Pickpick

Evie Wyld writes such complex books and characters. The structure of this works brilliantly to slowly reveal more about the MC Jake's life. The present narrative moves forwards on a remote British island where something is killing her sheep while the past takes us to her Australian roots and works backwards towards the event that started her journey

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kiks
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Pickpick

My third and final book for #bookspin completed. #TripleSpin
@TheAromaofBooks

I enjoyed the writing and the way story was set up. Not my usual read but still it was enjoyable. The way story went back and forth between past and present esp how the past was told in reverse was done well. Only major problem for me was the second last chapter. I like open endings but this one dissappointed me (details in comments as it contains spoilers).

kiks The whole premise of the present was centered around who is killing the sheep but not to have that answered at the end felt like disappointing for me. 5y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Great work!! And I also hate it when a major plot point is left unresolved - sometimes it feels like the author couldn't be bothered to figure out a reasonable solution, rather than it being left open-ended in an intriguing way. 5y
kiks @TheAromaofBooks exactly, that's how it felt. If it is a major plot point, it should be resolved, it could have been left open ended in another way maybe. But still, would recommend this book. 5y
16 likes3 comments
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kiks
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Getting started on my #TripleSpin!!

LapReader I hope you love it as much as I did. 5y
kiks @LapReader I have read only 4 chapters and though not much has happened yet, I'm still loving the writing style. 5y
16 likes2 comments
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JennyM
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All the birds singing (#Music to my ears 😉) has been on my TBR for a while. Hoping to get to it by the end of the year....along with all the other ones I‘ve convinced myself I‘ll get to! #movember

Cathythoughts Lovely cover & sounds really good 👍❤️ 5y
Cinfhen Or you could wait until #Booked2020 .... this would work for a prompt #SneakPeek 5y
JennyM @Cinfhen oooo, happy days! My groaning end of year TBR says thank you! 😆 5y
JennyM @Cathythoughts it‘s been one that I‘ve been meaning to get to...gets looks of praise 5y
Cathythoughts Cindy is really teasing us with her #sneakpeek 😂😂 @Cinfhen 5y
52 likes5 comments
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MrsMalaprop
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#7days7covers #covercrush Day 2

@MeganAnn would you like to have a go at posting a favourite cover a day for 7 days?

MeganAnn I‘d love to play! I was just tagged by another litten too... hmmm now to figure out what cover to start with (edited) 5y
46 likes1 comment
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TrishB
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Mehso-so

I wish there was a not sure rating 🤷‍♀️ I suppose that‘s a so-so. I didn‘t hate it, I‘m slightly confused and very sad about it, I think!
I know I didn‘t like the ending though.

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merelybookish
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@emilyhaldi Your package arrived! Thanks so much for the two books!! I'm excited to read them. They are both right up my alley.
This is a crap photo, sorry but couldn't resist the 🐈 photobomb. He, of course, had to inspect the new merchandise. 🙂
#littensarethebest

Leftcoastzen Kitties are large and in charge!😂 6y
emilyhaldi So happy it arrived!!! Hope you enjoy both of the books 🤗 ps. Cute kittie 😻 6y
67 likes2 comments
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TrishB
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Thank you Rachel and Vikki for the book and gifts 🎁 Merry Christmas to you both 🎅have a lovely time.

Velvetfur You opened them before Christmas!! Hehe, glad you like them though, I'm going to wait until tomorrow to open my prezy from you 😂 6y
TrishB @Velvetfur I know! I wanted to make sure to be able to post thanks and tomorrow is always a bit bonkers! Have a good one! 6y
rockpools Merry Christmas Trish (and Sansa 🐶). Have a lovely time tomorrow. 6y
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TrishB @RachelO you too 😘 have a lovely day 💕 6y
Velvetfur @TrishB Ah I see, that makes perfect sense! 👍 6y
Leftcoastzen Awww, Merry Christmas to you ,your family, and the bewitching Sansa! 6y
TrishB @Leftcoastzen and to you and yours 😘 Have a lovely day. 6y
Balibee146 Awww Sansa 🐶🐶🐶 she's looks very guilty and sorry lol x x 6y
TrishB @Balibee146 that face says please love me doesn‘t it!! 🐶❤️ 6y
Balibee146 @TrishB yup but you forgot the last bit ... 'because I love you and you are my whole world' 🐶🐶😘💕 6y
TrishB @Balibee146 so true! 6y
erzascarletbookgasm Sansa! 🤗hugs 6y
TrishB @erzascarletbookgasm she knocked the tree over yesterday and was contrite all day! 6y
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Ruthiella
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I was going to take a picture of the #birdofparadise in my yard but it is too dark and rainy! Instead here‘s a book with bird in the title! I loved this book. It‘s not set in a #WinterWonderland but on an island off the coast of England on a remote sheep farm. Jake has moved there to get away from her past but can she? And who or what is killing her sheep? Creepy, sad & cleverly told.

Cinfhen I was gonna take a photo of our Birds of Paradise too but it‘s raining here too 😛 book sounds interesting!! My WANT to read pile is going to crush me or bankrupt me😝 6y
Ruthiella @Cinfhen The struggle is real! 😀 6y
TrishB Stacked this looks good 👍🏻 there was only a little Robin in my back this morning @Cinfhen and it‘s always raining at the moment! 6y
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Ruthiella @TrishB I hope you enjoy it Trish if you do read it!😀 6y
batsy Same, wanted to go out for a pic but it's raining here too?! Lol @Cinfhen @Ruthiella 6y
Cinfhen I don‘t enjoy the rain @batsy @TrishB @Ruthiella but I know it‘s much needed in this part of the world!!! So I‘ll deal 6y
Ruthiella @Cinfhen @batsy @TrishB one upside to rain, if possible, is staying cozy inside with a book! 😃 6y
Cinfhen 💯and it‘s raining again today!!! That‘s 3 days of rain in a row!!! That‘s the most rain we‘ve got since last February combined!!!!! 6y
26 likes1 stack add8 comments
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TheCuriousHousecat
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Pickpick

This is superb read although a little challenging. Throughout it I kept thinking how depressing it would have been to write it. Its melancholic tone is dark and rarely uplifting. A story of grief classic and intense. A fine piece of literature. 


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Christine89
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Woo-hoo finished this book just after I hit 24 hours. Thank you to all of the wonderful people who put in all of the work to make #24in48 two of the best weekends of the year. And thanks to all of the awesome littens, you guys make this event so much fun.

Megabooks 🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊👍🏻👍🏻🍾🍾 6y
Tomigirl44 Way to go! 🍾🙌👏🎉😁 6y
Lindy Excellent! 👏👏👏 6y
GypsyKat Congratulations!!!🍾🎉 📚⏱ 6y
12 likes4 comments
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m.galehuxley
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This one was dark and turned out better than I expected.

Tamra I really liked it! 6y
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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
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Mehso-so

Great cover, weird book. Not sure how I feel about it except kind of icky and sad.

2BR02B That's disappointing. I picked up a copy at a recent library sale, but I'm seldom in the mood for sad, and never in the mood for icky. 7y
Tamra I like icky & sad stuff and enjoyed the atmosphere. 😏 I don‘t know that I‘ve read anything else by her, but this reminded me to find out. Have you? Maybe that‘s her style. (edited) 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @2BR02B Hmm - I hate to deter you, but this isn‘t exactly a happy book. 😕 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @tamra I liked her writing style - the plot just confused me a little too much. I haven‘t read anything else by her but I‘d be willing to investigate. 7y
TheCuriousHousecat It was certainly dark and melancholy. 6y
49 likes5 comments
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Adriene.Fontenot
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Mehso-so

Intense. The writer conveys a sense of dirtiness throughout.

Chelleo Intense cover. Welcome to Litsy! 🤗 7y
Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 7y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 👋😁 7y
4 likes3 comments
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Kosugi
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My round 14 of @Ange44 and I's #tenatatime tbr project. That's 140 books so far, people!

BooksBikes12 @Kosugi I just picked up THE MANITOU from a thrift store. Can't wait to start it. 6y
7 likes1 comment
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Victoria_Clyne
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Pickpick

I finished this one this morning and I've been thinking all day what to write about it. I enjoyed the book. It felt like it was written in two different directions. You start in the middle and half the book moves forward and the other half moves backwards. The descriptions were fantastic though parts were quite gruesome.

Tamra I enjoy most stories that have a strong sense of place and this one did! 7y
Joanne1 I loved this one too and thought the audio was really well done. @Tamra I agree with you on the sense of place. 7y
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LapReader
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Pickpick

A trauma victim slowly goes mad. A quick read because you are hooked straight away. Can't wait to read her other book.

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Night_Reader
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Pickpick

Didn't love it but very glad I read it. The best part was the structure of the story . The book jumps between Jake's present life & Jake's past. The past is told in reverse order. It's a very well written book but still not sure whether I like the ending or not.

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Night_Reader
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A few chapters in & I'm spooked... must read on...

Skyrimir I just got this in the mail! Pretty excited about starting it. 7y
5 likes1 comment
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Skyrimir
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Simply an amazing read! I was hooked from the beginning.

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Bookboss
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Pickpick

I loved the structure of this book. Jake's past in Australia is told in reverse chronological order, while her present in the U.K. Is told chronologically. The atmosphere of both locations is desolate and oppressive. The character of Jake is complicated and complex. Her story is intricate, compelling, and violent. This is one of the best novels I have read this year, but be warned - it is very dark.

MrsMalaprop I loved this one too. 7y
Leelee.reads Informative review! 👍🏽 7y
32 likes2 comments
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LeahBergen
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I was so excited to find this at Dollar Tree and it's all your fault. I never knew that they sold books until I saw it on Litsy (and I didn't even know that we had Dollar Tree in Canada).

Any fans of this one?

Karkar I have it on my TBR. 📚 7y
Hollie Litsy enabling is the best. I just found out there were books at Dollar General thanks to Litsy, and now I'm going to be a regular! 7y
Leftcoastzen I was at a Dollar General but they had no books☹️ 7y
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Leftcoastzen That desk blotter rock star good by the way! 7y
JPeterson I picked this up, with no idea what it was about, and really enjoyed it 😊 7y
ReadingEnvy I have always meant to read it! 7y
Tamra It's very good - atmospheric. 7y
vivastory I dig it. I also enjoyed her quirky graphic novel 7y
LeahBergen @Karkar It will probably sit on mine for a while, too! 7y
LeahBergen @Hollie Dollar General, you say?? 👀 7y
LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen Thanks! 😊 7y
LeahBergen @JPeterson Oh, good to hear! 7y
LeahBergen @ReadingEnvy That sounds like me with half of what I see here on Litsy. 😏 7y
LeahBergen @Tamra Oh, good! 👍🏻 7y
LeahBergen @vivastory Oh, that sounds good, too! 7y
AceOnRoam It's good. I think you'll like the main character. I agree @Tamra ! 7y
Libby1 Loved this one. It was slow to get into but once I understood what was happening I loved it. 7y
readordierachel That cover 😍 7y
LeahBergen @AceOnRoam Oh, good to hear! 7y
LeahBergen @Libby1 Awesome! 👍🏻 7y
LeahBergen @ReadOrDieRachel Isn't it a great cover?? 7y
MrsMalaprop Really liked this one 👍. 7y
116 likes6 stack adds22 comments
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mauveandrosysky
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Pickpick

This is one of those books where the pacing and atmosphere get full credit for the constant feeling of tension and foreboding. The dread is near-constant—but understated with Wyld's sparse, brooding prose. We know that something(s) bad has happened to Jake, but we don't know the full extent of her story until the very end. And the truth might change the way you view everything else.

Linds I loved this one! So eerie. 7y
Lindy @Linds Me too. Great book! 7y
Tamra I loved this one! Atmospheric. 7y
Sassy_Steph I don't think I could read this one, as I think the cover would scare me every time I picked it up!! 7y
50 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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MandaChittles
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A distinctly Australian voice throughout this novel drives it forward alternating between an Aussie outback landscape and a cold British island. There is something sinister lurking in each chapter and I'm grateful for the scenery changes that give me a break from some heavy and challenging storylines. This book left me hanging with a few unanswered questions which may be clever but ultimately left me unsatisfied. Regardless, it sucked me in.

MrsMalaprop I liked this one. Can't recall the ending and whether I was satisfied by it though as I read it a while ago. 🤔 7y
Ncostell I listened to this one and really enjoyed it on audio. 7y
33 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Joanne1
Pickpick

This troubling, totally engrossing and exquisitely written Australian novel is another five star read from a new(ish) female author. Set concurrently on a craggy, weather-beaten British island and in remote sheep-farming territory of Western Australia, the story is creeping with loneliness, isolation and escape. The characters are few and all extremely flawed and the tension is, at times, hard to bear.

merelybookish I thought this was excellent. Brutal in parts, but the writing so good! 7y
Joanne1 @merelybookish so brutal at times. 7y
Fernoppy I loved this. One of those that was nearly impossible to put down. I thought she built the narrative up brilliantly. 7y
Joanne1 @Fernoppy I agree the build up was superb, I was totally engrossed. 7y
59 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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andrew61
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#Australianauthors #readingwomenmonth
I started off recalling evie wyld's brilliant first novel set in both Australia and Scotland but when I googled her she is down as Anglo-Australian so I've added another book i loved The Secret River by Kate Greville. This is definitely a rich vein of fiction and there are many i want to try particularly Elizabeth harrower The watchtower.

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Joanne1
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Only just started this one, but immediately hooked.

JoeStalksBeck Come over and win some books 📚 7y
50 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Tamra
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Pickpick

This was a page turner and I liked the two narratives running conversely, but the end??? I need to ruminate over it.

shawnmooney This sounds good! 8y
11 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Tamra
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Do not want to stop, but I really, really should. 😳

TheBookStacker Seeing all these littens reading this book makes me want to go back and reread it! 8y
merelybookish That book was do good! 8y
12 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Tamra
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"The way the land seemed to be watching me, feeling my foreignness in it, holding its breath until I passed by." ??

Tamra It has the creepiest, hackle-raising short scene wherein Jake is awakened to a strange noise & odd smell. I read it in broad daylight in a room of people and it was still a thrill. You know there's a problem if the dog is traumatized by something, whatever it is/was...... (edited) 8y
TheBookStacker I loved this book so much, the writing was phenomenal. I wonder if she's written anything else 🤔 8y
Tamra @TheBookStacker I was thinking the same! Going to have to investigate. For some reason I thought this was a debut. 8y
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Tamra @TheBookStacker looks like yes, she has written others and this wasn't her debut. 8y
TheBookStacker I will definitely be grabbing another of her books hope it stands up to this one 8y
ReadingEnvy Gah I can't believe I haven't read this yet! 8y
8 likes1 stack add6 comments
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moraghastie_author
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Libby1 I found this difficult to read but ended up loving it. 8y
TheBookStacker I loved this book 8y
moraghastie_author I'm excited to get into it. 8y
52 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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vamp
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Tamra
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This week's thrifty finds! In particular I am looking forward to All the Birds. I also have a special penchant for the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, they are my comfort feel good reads.

Joanne1 They're my comfort reads too. I just finished blue shoes and happiness. 8y
Tamra @Joanne1 The characters are interesting, the setting & culture are characters in themselves, and the goodness of life is reassuring. 👍🏾 8y
8 likes2 comments
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Ncostell
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Pickpick

I finished this one on audio today and really enjoyed it. The narrator did a great job and I loved listening to her Australian accent. Another story of a woman trying to outrun her past with her present story playing out in chronological order but her past story told in reverse chronology.

TheBookStacker Omg I love this book, the writing is so eerie and vivid! 8y
Ncostell @TheBookStacker Yes, it was eerie and haunting. I know I'll be thinking about it for days to come. 8y
38 likes2 comments
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GuiltyFeat
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Pickpick

Fine stuff. Two timelines, one moving forwards and the other backwards. Clever but also human. Events in the now force a confrontation with the then, delving further and further back to uncover the original sin which still haunts. Literary and complex while staying earthy and accessible. A fine novel.

Lindy I loved this too. ❤️ 8y
37 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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MrsMalaprop
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Libby1 Wow. This looks totally different from the UK edition. 8y
TheBookStacker I love this book so much, the writing is breathtaking 8y
MrsMalaprop @TheBookStacker I loved it too. 8y
37 likes1 stack add3 comments
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AnneCecilie
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Pickpick

This is the story of Jake Whyte. She is a sheep farmer and now her sheep are dyeing unexpected deaths. As the story progress in the present, the reader also get to now about her past.

This is a great story and I'm probably a little late in discovering this.
#24in48

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AnneCecilie
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On to the third book. So far so good 😊 #24in48

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Libby1
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My next read.

A bit of a change from Lemony Snicket.

🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑

Suzze I'll be curious what you think. Maybe I just didn't get it but i didn't like it much. 8y
Libby1 I'll let you know, @Suzze . 🙂 8y
Suzze @Libby1 Tons of people loved it, so I imagine I'm the odd one. 8y
40 likes1 stack add3 comments