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The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street
The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street: A Novel | Susan Jane Gilman
In 1913, little Malka Treynovsky flees Russia with her family. Bedazzled by tales of gold and movie stardom, she tricks them into buying tickets for America. Yet no sooner do they land on the squalid Lower East Side of Manhattan, than Malka is crippled and abandoned in the street. Taken in by a tough-loving Italian ices peddler, she manages to survive through cunning and inventiveness. As she learns the secrets of his trade, she begins to shape her own destiny. She falls in love with a gorgeous, illiterate radical named Albert, and they set off across America in an ice cream truck. Slowly, she transforms herself into Lillian Dunkle, "The Ice Cream Queen" -- doyenne of an empire of ice cream franchises and a celebrated television personality. Lillian's rise to fame and fortune spans seventy years and is inextricably linked to the course of American history itself, from Prohibition to the disco days of Studio 54. Yet Lillian Dunkle is nothing like the whimsical motherly persona she crafts for herself in the media. Conniving, profane, and irreverent, she is a supremely complex woman who prefers a good stiff drink to an ice cream cone. And when her past begins to catch up with her, everything she has spent her life building is at stake.
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CoffeeNBooks
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It's a lovely evening to sit outside and read, and I'm enjoying hearing the birds chirping in the background. 💙

76 likes1 stack add
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Onioons
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“autumn of 1918, I had just started fifth grade when signs began popping up in windows and on doors, on broadsheets plastered on streetlamps around the neighborhood. Suddenly big public gatherings were being discouraged; taverns, moving-picture houses, soda fountains—even churches—grew empty. Nobody knew what it was exactly, except that it started quickly, with a cough and a fever.”

#alphabetgame #letterI @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great cover 🍦 2y
Onioons @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks yes, really quirky story too 🤩 2y
25 likes2 comments
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mrp27
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Pickpick

July #bookspin

I really enjoyed the fist half of this book. I‘m all about early 1900‘s immigrant New York City story of rags to riches. The second half I liked less as it read like an 80‘s mini series. Still it‘s a pick and at 500 pages it was a fast read.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y
26 likes1 comment
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CoffeeNBooks
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kspenmoll Klondike bars!!! 2y
Eggs Oh lovely display!! 😋🍦👏🏻🥰📚 2y
JenReadsAlot Yum! 2y
See All 9 Comments
AmyG Wow! I love klondikes. 🙌🏻 2y
Kappadeemom Awww! They are having a big ice cream party at the St Pete pier today and we wanted to head over there - but I have COVID 😫🤬 2y
CoffeeNBooks @Kappadeemom Oh no! How are you feeling? 2y
Kappadeemom @CoffeeNBooks worst kind of sick in probably 15 years. My first round of COVID in 2021 was nothing like this. 2y
CoffeeNBooks @Kappadeemom I hope you feel better soon!! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Kappadeemom I hope you feel better ❤️‍🩹 2y
82 likes9 comments
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mrp27
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July #bookspin pick!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y
27 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Maria514626
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Oh Kindle you are such a tease. This has been in my TBR list for a few years and today it was on sale.
I‘m one chapter in and so far the MC is quite cheeky. 👍

22 likes1 stack add
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megnews
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Such a great book! On sale today.

Reecaspieces Loved this book! 4y
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
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agrondin44
Mehso-so

July 2018 at the beach in OC, MD: An ok book to read while on vacations.

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mrp27
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty 💗💗 5y
vkois88 Love this 5y
43 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
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Went to an ice cream/beer tasting pairing today at a local brewery with a friend who‘s been in my life since we were 7 years old. Not reading today. Too drunk. 🤷‍♀️😅🍻

madamereadsalot1 🙌 day drinking! 5y
LauraBeth 🍻 5y
JackOBotts That sounds like a perfect day! 🍺 🍦 5y
See All 9 Comments
BlameJennyJane 🤣🤣🤣 Cheers! 💗 5y
LeahBergen Perfect! 😂😂 5y
ElishaLovesBooks Fun! 😁 5y
TK421 Ha!😁 5y
Chrissyreadit 🤣🙃🤣 5y
Elizabeth2 Sounds (and looks) like a great time! Love the ice cream and beer tasting idea! A local brewery to me recently did a donut and beer tasting on a Sunday. Cheers! 🍻 5y
118 likes9 comments
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megnews
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Pickpick

In this rags to riches story, Malka #startedfromthebottom as an immigrant to NYC‘s Lower East Side and comes out on top.

#timbittunes

Cinfhen I LOVED this book🍦🍨🍦🍨🍦 5y
TheKidUpstairs I've never heard of this one! But if @Cinfhen loves it, must be good! 5y
Reecaspieces I adored this book! 5y
33 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Crazeedi
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Next up to read, borrowed from library. Don't know this author, has anyone read this?

rjsthumbelina Haven't read it yet, but it's been on my TBR for quite some time. Excited to hear your thoughts! 5y
Crazeedi @rjsthumbelina I will let you know! It's my read for tonight 5y
BookNAround We read it for my book club two or so years ago. I missed the meeting so don‘t know what the consensus was but I remember liking it. 5y
Crazeedi @BookNAround that's good to know it was a book club read! 5y
61 likes1 stack add4 comments
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jouleian
Mehso-so

Alright I'll give this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ bc Lillian was an amazing character, she was so three dimensional this book seemed near autobiographical. BUT, bc of this there was no real plot and I almost put it down completely due to the story being as thick as the ice cream I was reading about.. I will also add that this was an audiobook that was FABULOUSLY read by the author herself so Lillian was read as she was meant. All in all it was pretty good.

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jouleian

I love the character development but it rarely takes me this long to get through a book...

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jouleian

I'm listening to the audiobook and I have to admit I really like it. Although had i been reading a hardcopy I might've found it tedious and dense with all the details and time hopping...

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md72serenity
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Pickpick

I often gravitate towards books that somehow incorporate food as a character - what could be better than my two favorite pastimes in one - cooking and getting lost in a good read? So naturally the title of this one grabbed me and I was pleasantly surprised. In my opinion, Lillian Dunkle aka Malka Treynovsky, is eerily similar to Miranda Priestly of The Devil Wears Prada only instead of fashion she rules the world of ice cream!

RaimeyGallant Great review! And 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
Chelleo Hi and welcome! 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy. 👋🏻😊 6y
See All 6 Comments
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!!! 6y
Crazeedi Welcome! And this looks interesting! (edited) 6y
Briget66 Welcome to Litsy! 📖❤️ 6y
9 likes1 stack add6 comments
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goodbyefrancie
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This makes me want ice cream!
#riotgrams Day 7
#IceCreamSweetTreats
@bookriot

ReadingisMyPassion Great book! 6y
91 likes1 comment
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Audrey
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Mehso-so

The writer did a very good job in capturing the main character's voice. Malka, later Lillian, had a distinctive voice from the very first page. She was a hateful, annoying and needy child who grew up to be a hateful, annoying, needy AND entitled adult. I have no problems reading unlikable characters, but 500 pages, listening to Lillian was too much. There were definitely places where the plot could have been better edited.

LiteraryinLawrence Great assessment! Thanks! 6y
14 likes1 comment
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BarkingAboutBooks
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6 hour road trip reading material. Have you read it? What did you think?

8 likes1 stack add
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Cinfhen
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#Aprella so I listened to the lyrics of #BodakYellow and realized Ms. Cardi B is just giving us the 2018 rags to riches version, with a few colorful expressions 😂😂😂 One of my favorite HF novels and rags to riches story is the tagged book. Don‘t let the cover fool you...this is a well written, richly detailed, immigrant story set in the late 1800s/ early 1900s NYC. Young Malka could easily kick Cardi B‘s As$💛💛💛

Kaye I thought this book was written about me. It‘s my street name and I sure like ice cream 🍦 6y
Cinfhen I think it‘s meant to be @Kaye it‘s also really good 😍 6y
Kaye I‘ll have to look it up @Cinfhen . Thank you. ✨✨ 6y
See All 8 Comments
Mdargusch Too funny @Kaye 😂 6y
Kaye @Cinfhen @Mdargusch It‘d match perfectly if it was the Cake Queen, but ice cream is almost as good. 🍰🍨 6y
Reviewsbylola Good one!! This sounds so interesting. (edited) 6y
emilyhaldi #gotabagandfixedmyteeth #hopeyouhoesknowitaintcheap ❤️ everything about this post! (edited) 6y
Cinfhen Love the hashtags 😂😂 @emilyhaldi 6y
121 likes1 stack add8 comments
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xicanti
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Pickpick

Fiction's chock full of male assholes, but you've gotta dig around a bit to find their female counterparts. Next time someone asks me to rec a book about an asshole woman (as people do), I'll point 'em towards Lillian Dunkle.

That said, I liked, but didn't love, the book. Lillian is beautifully realized, but all the other characters are a bit flat. And while the story's interesting, I was well ready for it to be over by the time it ended.

Kaye Love this review. 😂. In other words, pretty much everybody in the book is an a**hole ? 😳 (edited) 6y
xicanti @Kaye nah, it's mostly just Lillian. The others don't leave a huge impression. 6y
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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xicanti
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Various Littens got me curious about turmeric lattes, so I found a recipe and tried it over breakfast. It tasted okay, but it took a long while to make so I probably won't do it again

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xicanti
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Ice cream book + unicorn nails (Nicole by OPI's Canadian Star over MAC's Galore Pink).

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xicanti
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I went back to McNally Robinson and exchanged my random Swedish contemporary for a random historical novel that traces 70 years of NYC history. It should fit my current mood better.

Then I bought fancy ice cream on the way home. I've always wanted to try this stuff and Safeway had it on sale.

Chrissyreadit ❤️NYC❤️ 6y
Centique Excellent book/food pairing! 6y
Booksniffer Ooh. Can't wait for review. 6y
CareBear That‘s my favorite ice cream! 6y
51 likes4 comments
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mrp27
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#heartsandhardcovers

The #keytomyheart ? Ice cream. All day everyday. I have been known to keep a gallon of ice cream in the freezer at work and ice cream cones in my desk.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Haha!!! Favorite flavor?! 6y
mrp27 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Ben & Jerrys Pistachio 6y
SilversReviews Sounds cute. Love the cover. 6y
38 likes4 comments
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GinEyre22
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This happened overnight
As usual, a big thank you to everyone!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yay!!!! 👍🏻😊📚👏🏻❤️ 7y
La_Cori Congrats!!! 🎉🎉🎉 7y
Sace Woo hoo! 📚🎉👏📚🎉👏 7y
See All 7 Comments
Jas16 🎉👏📚 7y
DGRachel Woohoo!🎉🎉🍾🎉🎉 7y
CrowCAH Woohoo 👏🏻🎉 7y
CoverToCoverGirl 🎉🎉🎈🎈😎 7y
28 likes7 comments
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GinEyre22
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#autumnreads Day 10: Favorite hot drink
Coffee is life. ☕

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GinEyre22
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#fallintobooks Day 9: bookmarks

BookBabe Pretty! 7y
diovival Ooooo 7y
27 likes2 comments
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GinEyre22
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#awesomeautumnbooks Day 9:Satisfied Saturday & #autumnreads Day 9: Book and Blanket

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MrBook
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After brunch, @BookBabe and I stopped in for a cold treat. A bunch of kids were getting their last fill of summertime fun. 😁👍🏻

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Cute little place!! 😊 7y
RealBooks4ever That's adorable! 😻 7y
Cathythoughts Very sweet 💫 7y
123 likes3 comments
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Amie
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GypsyKat Love it! Although I seriously misjudged my ability to resist sweets with all these ice cream and cake posts popping up today! 🍰🍦😆 7y
32 likes1 comment
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mrp27
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GypsyKat Thank you! Now I really want some ice cream! Haha! 😄🍦 7y
mrp27 @GypsyKat Welcome! Enjoy your week! 7y
23 likes1 stack add2 comments
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megnews
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I'm going to stay on the Lower East Side awhile longer.
#immigrantfiction #nyc

9 likes1 stack add
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Amie
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Book haul from thriftbooks 📚😁

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Purrfectpages
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The other day I tackled an ice related tag, so today with the #iceicebaby tag I decided to go in a more summery direction. #90sinjuly

Cinfhen I know lots of #IceIceBaby ☃️I used Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street yesterday - such a good book 🍦 (edited) 7y
christineandbooks Did y'all know it's National Ice Cream day in the US today? 😋🍦 7y
Purrfectpages @Cinfhen that's good to know! @christineandbooks I did not know that! 7y
41 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Cinfhen
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#sizzlinsummerreads I don't think I've ever posted this book before...it's a wonderful historical fiction, set in the early 1900's NYC and follows the raise to fame & riches of little Russian immigrant Malka Treynovski, who makes her fortune selling/branding #ice-cream🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦would make a great summer read😍I had to include adorable piggy Olivia because when I see the word #ice , I think figure skating ⛸ @Tiffy_Reads

TrishB Looks interesting 👍 7y
Hollie Im a sucker for turn of the century New York! Stacked! 7y
KarenUK This book sounds lovely! Stacked👍📚 7y
See All 9 Comments
Cinfhen Definitely stack and read this one @Hollie @TrishB @KarenUK I read it several years ago and it has stayed with me! Hey @minkyb I think you would enjoy this one too!!! 7y
TrishB Stacked. Some good offers on 2nd hand ones. 😀 7y
Zelma I ❤️ Olivia! 7y
minkyb I'm on it @Cinfhen 7y
Cinfhen Oh good @minkyb can't wait to hear your thoughts once you get to it! 7y
Cinfhen She's the cutest @Zelma 🐷 7y
97 likes12 stack adds9 comments
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JacintaMCarter
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I don't have any ice cream right now, so this will have to do for #BooksAndIceCream. #Riotgrams

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DogEaredBooks
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Pickpick

Don't get between Jake and his ice cream. I loved this book. The narrators voice is fresh and honest which made me love the narrator from the start. It told through a framed story- the narrator is in the present and telling her life story about how a young Immigrant girl becomes the Ice Cream Queen and how she got to the predicament she's in now.

34 likes2 stack adds
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DogEaredBooks
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Jake turned 8 today! He got a slightly leaning cake but he didn't seem to mind.

Soubhiville Happy birthday Jake! (Is this Jake from State Farm?) 7y
DogEaredBooks @Soubhiville one and only! Thank you! I'll pass it on to Jake! 7y
LazyLibrary So cute!!!! 7y
34 likes3 comments
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Onioons
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The people who arrived in America with money, their stories aren't interesting. So your eldest brother, Lord Such-and-such, inherited the family estate, and you, Poor Thing, had to make your fortune in the New World instead? Please. Don't even bother me with that. #setinthe1920s #marchintoreading

46 likes2 stack adds
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JewishBookCouncil
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Nothing says #autumn like a good book. Find daily new #JewLit reviews and #bookclub recommendations at www.jewishbookcouncil.org!

48 likes3 stack adds
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MrBook
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What does one do when having ordered scrumptious ice cream at the local shop? Why, pull out your copy of this book, of course, for all the world to know that a true bibliophile is the one prepared for any situation 😂😂😂👍🏻. Or, the one who just goes overboard 😆😉. There's always room for a good book and ice cream 😋. Do you concur? Do you bring books into restaurants with you?

RealLifeReading That looks like an awesome ice cream shop! 8y
mkinney10 I always have a book with me! Never know when you'll have a few spare minutes :-) 8y
BookishMarginalia Of course! And a Kindle! 8y
See All 23 Comments
ApoptyGina69 Ice cream is my favorite of all sweets. Mint chip is a favorite for sure. I always have my kindle and analog current read as well. 🍴📚 8y
Graciouswarriorprincess I always have a book!! One in my bag. One at home. One at work. One in the car. And the ice cream looks great! 8y
rubyslippersreads I always have my phone with me, and it's chock-full of books, so I'm prepared for any ice cream emergency. 😄🍦💕 8y
Lindy Books go everywhere and with everything. 😊 8y
WoodyWoodson Its always a good idea to have a book or three handy! 📕📘📖🍨 8y
Libby1 I feel naked if I go out without a book. 8y
britt_brooke I take my kindle everywhere just in case, but restaurants are a no-go. Mostly because we rarely go to them (because, toddlers), and when we do, we're hurrying to get out of there before a meltdown (because, toddlers). But maybe one day! 😉 8y
Gayan I never go anywhere without my Kindle and at least one paper book. I always carry a tote bag and a purse. I am prepared for any reading emergency. 8y
Lynnsoprano Book and/or Kindle always. 8y
Tav Is there a lot of writing about ice cream in this book, or is it just a prop? 8y
Texreader Always room for ice cream!! I just finished off Haagen Dazs while watching Hobbit. 8y
kspenmoll Always bring a book with me- saved me in lines, waiting to order- so many unforeseen situations! 💚📚💙 8y
Dogearedcopy I always have a book with me, but it and my iPhone stay on my bag at restaurants and bars/pubs. I will whip out the phone very quickly for a beer shot (Untappd); but then back into the bag it goes! 8y
Lizpixie As anyone who sees my feed knows, I'm a strong advocate for books & icecream!🍦🍦🍦🍦 8y
TheLondonBookworm 😍 nom 8y
MrBook @RealLifeReading Oh yes 😁👍🏻! @mkinney10 Exactly 😎🙌🏻! @BookishMarginalia You and @BookBabe 😉👌🏻! @ApoptyGina69 #KindredSpirits 😁🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻! @Graciouswarriorprincess The way you prep: amazing 😎👌🏻! @rubyslippersreads 😂👏🏻🙌🏻! @Lindy You are brilliant 😁🙌🏻👍🏻!! @WoodyWoodson 😂👏🏻 I usually have 2 at all times. @Libby1 Yes! Completely out of my element 😊. @britt_brooke 😂👏🏻👍🏻!!! @Gayan Wow! Zombie apocalypse bunker: ur house 8y
MrBook @Lynnsoprano Always always 😁🙌🏻!! @Tav Hmmm, it plays as much of a role as shrimp does in Forrest Gump ☺️. @Texreader Niiiiiiiiice 😁👏🏻👍🏻! @kspenmoll I see people on line just standing or sitting and staring into space--such a waste of time and space *sighs* 😊🙌🏻! @Dogearedcopy Niiiiiice 😎👌🏻! @Lizpixie 😂😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #KindredSpirits 😎🙌🏻! @TheLondonBookworm 😋☺️👍🏻!! 8y
Gayan @MrBook absolutely. 8y
MrBook @Gayan 😎👌🏻🙌🏻 8y
nickimags Always have a book in some format with me! 8y
199 likes7 stack adds23 comments
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Onioons
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#day10 #bestnarrator My favourite narrator begins her story as a 4-year old Russian immigrant and evolves into American institution, ice-cream magnate and tabloid-darling Lillian Maria Dinello. Such a powerful, resilient and entertaining voice... "On the streets of Lower Manhattan, I got my first great education in marketing. Be shameless. Be different. And appeal to the emotions-never the head." #octphotochallenge

27 likes2 stack adds
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Keegz63
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Pickpick

Liked this one a lot. It's a larger-than-life story, in a great summer read. I saw a little of everyone I've ever known, including myself, in Gilman's characters. Tragic, funny, romantic and dramatic, it managed to sneak up on me - so that by the end, I felt touched more than I'd realized.

14 likes5 stack adds
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Keegz63
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Why does the word "Summer" look really wrong to me right now? I hate when that happens.... BTW I'm liking this book a lot.

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Chelschels
Pickpick

Good read , well developed characters you love /hate