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The Library of Legends
The Library of Legends: A Novel | Janie Chang
67 posts | 50 read | 62 to read
From the author of Three Souls and Dragon Springs Road comes a captivating historical novel in which a convoy of student refugees travel across China, fleeing the hostilities of a brutal war with Japan Myths are the darkest and brightest incarnations of who we are . . . China, 1937. When Japanese bombs begin falling on the city of Nanking, nineteen-year-old Hu Lian and her classmates at Minghua University are ordered to flee. Lian and a convoy of students, faculty and staff must walk 1,000 miles to the safety of Chinas western provinces, a journey marred by the constant threat of aerial attack. And it is not just the refugees who are at risk; Lian and her classmates have been entrusted with a priceless treasure: a 500-year-old collection of myths and folklore known as the Library of Legends. The students common duty to safeguard the Library of Legends creates unexpected bonds. Lian becomes friends and forms a cautious romance with the handsome and wealthy Liu Shaoming. But after one classmate is arrested and another one is murdered, Lian realizes she must escape before a family secret puts her in danger too. Accompanied by Shao and his enigmatic maidservant, Sparrow, Lian makes her way to Shanghai in the hopes of reuniting with her mother. During the journey, Lian learns of the connection between her two companions and a tale from the Library of Legends, The Willow Star and the Prince. This revelation comes with profound consequences, for as the ancient books travel across China, they awaken immortals and guardian spirits who embark on an exodus of their own, one that will change the countrys fate forever.
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Laughterhp
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Pickpick

Wow, I loved this book (which seems weird to say). I even did some googling after I read this one, which is rare! Set in 1937 in China, Japan is attacking China so everyone is migrating to different parts of China.

This book was just beautiful. So glad I finally picked this one up.

Laughterhp #roll100 one of my January rolls! @PuddleJumper 10mo
PuddleJumper Brilliant! 10mo
54 likes2 comments
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Gissy
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#NewYearNewBooks Day 16 #Refugees

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

I read Three Souls and I really liked this author writing style in that novel. I hope I can read this one soon🤗 According to the the blurb is about refugees.

Eggs Cover Love! 10mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love this cover 💜 10mo
49 likes2 comments
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TorieStorieS
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Mehso-so

This lovely edition has been languishing on my shelves for years- so I‘m thankful that the #BOTM bonus challenge gave me the push to pluck it off and read it! It‘s a nice blend of historical fiction, with a dash of mythical fantasy and some romance to balance out the darkness of the journey and hardships across 1937 China, with the country at war with Japan & itself. I wish the characters were more deeply developed & I wanted more of the legends!

ICantImReading I felt similarly about this one! It feels so good to finally check a lingering BOTM book off the list, though! 2y
TorieStorieS @ICantImReading Indeed! Except their challenge is only accepting releases from 2021-2022 for the shelf slayer bonus challenge which is frustrating! 2y
ICantImReading @TorieStorieS ughhh I didn‘t realize that! That is disappointing 😣 2y
TorieStorieS @ICantImReading I had my first negative experience with their customer service over it, too- the poor communication of the challenge and the obvious lack of care by their representatives has me considering trying out a different subscription box for 2023 actually! 2y
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Jilly6183
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Pickpick

Historical fiction with a mythical element. I knew little about this war and enjoyed the story, but it was a bit long and slow at times. I would have also have liked the mythical elements to have played a more prominent role.

41 likes1 stack add
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Jilly6183
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This is a great thread for anyone looking for new books, even if you haven‘t fallen off with reading! The tagged book isn‘t listed, it‘s my current read. Enjoy!

https://twitter.com/literyture/status/1556633203544301570?s=21&t=AefKDozRmprHsgZ...

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TheSpineView
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Bookishlie I own this but haven‘t read it yet. Got it years ago as a BOTM. 3y
Eggs Cover Love 💕 💕 3y
TheSpineView @Bookishlie Same here!📚📚📚 3y
See All 6 Comments
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love this cover! 💜 3y
79 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

I love Janie Chang. This was better than her second book for me but still not as good as her first. I found it a bit long but the story was compelling.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love this cover 💜 3y
janeycanuck @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Isn‘t it beautiful? 3y
Nute I have loved the cover art on each of her three books (the three that I am aware of)! 3y
janeycanuck @Nute Yup, just 3 so far. And you‘re right, they are all stunning. She‘s definitely one of my favourite Canadian authors currently writing! 3y
22 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Texreader
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This looks so darned good. Ebook on sale for $1.99 but I‘m holding out for the irl book.

TheKidUpstairs This was a really good read! 3y
34 likes1 comment
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SW-T
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Pickpick

There‘s a lot to like about this one, especially the historical information. But it took me a while to finish. Some of the subplots didn‘t seem to fit and at times I hit a snag on the writing style. But the history and characters were interesting, even if at times things didn‘t seem to hold together.

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heatherspoetlife
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Pickpick

Loved this book!! I'm a sucker for stories like this. Legends and ordinary people and the way their history/mythology makes their choices different from the way those same things help mine. Fun, fun, fun

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BookBr
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TMW your book, your knitting, and your shirt all go together…totally engrossed in this magical tale picked up for a lecture series.
#heliconian #blue

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ATB
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Enjoying this book at the park.

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xicanti
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I saw some cool clouds on my lunchtime #audiowalk. The sky behind them was way more blue than my camera could pick up.

I‘ve gotta say, I groaned when I realized THE LIBRARY OF LEGENDS is read by Emily Woo Zeller, my narrator nemesis. Luckily, she doesn‘t shout TOO loudly with this one, but there‘s still a definite imbalance between the undertone she uses for the narrative and the loud dialogue. Sigh. At least I‘m enjoying the story.

Bklover Beautiful photo! 3y
xicanti @Bklover thank you! 3y
FlowerFairy Oh wow!!! Beautiful! 😍 3y
xicanti @FlowerFairy it was such an epic day for clouds. 3y
42 likes4 comments
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kwmg40
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I'm a bit late with my summary, but I finished the #20in4 readathon with a total of 11 hours and 35 minutes. In the last hours, I started this historical fiction novel about a group of students and professors fleeing the invasion of Nanking in 1937.

@Andrew65

Andrew65 Brilliant 👏👏👏🙌🥳🍾🥂🍾🥂😍 3y
35 likes1 comment
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ATB
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Finished Queenie and Olive, Again. Working on these on the final day of the May #24in4.

9 likes1 stack add
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MelKelsey
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Pickpick

Book 25
An interesting and well-written historical fiction novel set in 1930s China in the midst of war with Japan when university students carried ancient texts of Chinese myths and legends (The Library of Legends) across the country in hopes to preserve them. The book is part fantasy, as characters from a fictional legend are part of the story. It started and ended strong but was a little slow in the middle. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Crazeedi I got stuck in the middle and put down... 4y
MelKelsey Understandable, @Crazeedi!! 4y
28 likes2 comments
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mollyrotondo
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book takes place in China in 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese war. It focuses on the student refugees who needed to travel to safety to inner China so that they could continue their education and preserve the history and knowledge of China. It also weaves the story of mythical creatures moving to the safety of the heavens in order to escape the tragedies of China. It was a very beautiful story. #doublespin No. 9 pick

TheAromaofBooks Great review!! 4y
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BookwormAHN
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved this book. This book is about a college in China that has to evacuate during the war with Japan in 1937. Each student is tasked with carrying one book from the Library of Legends, an ancient set of books that contain China's myths & folklore. During the journey one of the myths plays out in a seamless blend of magical realism & historical fiction 📚
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#LittensDressedInBlood @MidnightBookGirl

TheAromaofBooks Oh wow, that sounds pretty interesting! 4y
BiblioLitten Sounds great! 4y
68 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Loreen
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Mehso-so

I like so many things about this book. But there are just so many subplots that just don‘t hang together. It was a bit frustrating.

LoverOfLearning Gorgeous cover! 4y
12 likes1 comment
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Loreen
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I want to post more on Litsy! It‘s been a while since I have. So, here is what I hope is the first of many in the weeks ahead! #mycurrentread. #mondayreads #cover #coverart #bookcover

11 likes1 stack add
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Lindy
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My review and Giller prize prediction for the tagged book: https://lindypratch.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-library-of-legends-by-janie-chang.h...

42 likes1 stack add
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Ddzmini
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Pickpick

You know there disadvantages and advantages to being able to read books in less than 8hours. The advantages are that there so good you can‘t stop reading; while the disadvantages are that you can‘t stop reading, the feelings they create, and the inability to put the book down when your doing laundry 🧺 👀😳 so this is an amazing informative read that once you start you won‘t stop it‘s so good 😊 type of book 📖

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Ddzmini
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Starting this beauty 📖

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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

Historical fiction with a magical twist. I definitely learned about a time in China I didn‘t know about.

12 likes1 stack add
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Crazeedi
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#talkaboutittuesday @BayouGirl85
A bit late! Tagged book is my current read 😊☺️🙂😁

BayouGirl85 I have been curious about this one. 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks How was this book @Crazeedi ? 4y
Crazeedi @BayouGirl85 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks well guess what, I put this one down about halfway through. And it was ok, I just found myself not engaged. You might like 4y
43 likes3 comments
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Ddzmini
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Just received my #botm cant wait to read these two books 📚 hopefully I will get back into the swing of things and keep up now 🙌🏽 just moved into our new place so hopefully I can start posting on Litsy again

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Twainy
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Pickpick

🎧 BOTM April choice with The Guest List. It was advertised as Historical Fantasy. I feel the “fantasy” description was overly generous. I totally picked this based on the cover & “fantasy” category.

Students from a Chinese university carry the books of the library of legends on a long journey to escape the Japanese Invasion of 1937. Based on true happenings, interspersed with a sprinkling of magic. Prettily written. Narration was meh ⭐️⭐️⭐️6/7

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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My two favorite colors 💜💛 #PurpleandYellowcovers

#FlyHighJuly

From my tbr shelf! 📚

Sargar114 I loved Rules of Magic!!! 4y
Eggs Cover Love 💛💜💛 4y
rubyslippersreads Love that mug! 😻 4y
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Sargar114 hoping to get to it eventually!! 4y
87 likes6 comments
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sprainedbrain
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Pickpick

I got this book for 2 reasons: I loved Chang‘s Three Souls and this cover is gorgeous. The book itself didn‘t disappoint, although I can‘t say I‘m as in love with it as I was Souls. Janie Chang writes beautifully and poetically. The story was a bit slow in parts, but overall I loved Lian‘s story as well as the fantasy elements.

I recently read about the Japanese invasion of Nanking, and that‘s where this story starts. #bookserendipity

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

sprainedbrain @Lesanne I‘m going to get this in the mail to you this week! 💜 4y
Lesanne @sprainedbrain Oh yay, thank you sooo much!! 🥰 Can‘t wait! 4y
HOTPock3tt I started this but didn‘t finish it 🤔 I LOVED her book Dragon Springs Road. Maybe I‘ll give this another try at some point! @sprainedbrain 4y
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sprainedbrain @HOTPock3tt I haven‘t read that one, but I probably should. 😉 Three Souls is really good!! 4y
HOTPock3tt I might pick up three souls before I get back to this one. I‘ve heard it‘s REALLY good! ☺️ @sprainedbrain 4y
janeycanuck @HOTPock3tt Three Souls is amazing - and is based on her grandparents! 4y
HOTPock3tt Sounds awesome! I‘m sold! #Stacked @janeycanuck 4y
100 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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Purpleness
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Purpleness
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Purpleness
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This is just such a gorgeous cover that I had to share.

Butterfinger It is gorgeous. 4y
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TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

Engaging historical fiction following a group of students evacuating Nanking in WW2 China, with touches of mythology as the gods and spirits begin their own evacuation. An interesting piece of history that I know very little about. In the West we tend to have a very Euro-centric view of WW2, and it is easy to overlook the struggles faced elsewhere in the world. 👇

TheKidUpstairs I wasn't crazy about the ending, I felt it was too neat and tidy for my tastes, but that doesn't take away from the rest of the reading experience. 4y
Cinfhen Great choice!! I often don‘t think about Asia in the WWII conflict which is really why the US entered the war!! 4y
Hooked_on_books I read this for this prompt as well and liked it, too! I agree about the ending, but overall it was lovely. 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Great job! 4y
58 likes1 stack add5 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
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Reading a good book with a super snuggly reading buddy. And a friend just dropped off Tim's for a treat. It's a good day.

AmyG How sweet 💕 4y
robinb Love, love, love ❤️ 4y
squirrelbrain Aw cutie! ❤️ 4y
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Cinfhen 💖💖💖 4y
Megabooks Super cute!! 💙💙 4y
Mcastle How are you doing? Adorable reading buddy ! 4y
TheKidUpstairs @Mcastle I'm actually doing pretty good these days, thank you for asking 🤗 How're you doing? 4y
TheKidUpstairs @AmyG @robinb @squirrelbrain @Cinfhen @Megabooks thanks guys! Sometimes I can't even handle the cuteness. Other times she screams for an entire hour long car ride. It's all about balance, right? 4y
Cinfhen Ha!! I remember the endless screaming FOR NO REASON 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @TheKidUpstairs @Cinfhen me too! Car rides were the worst for my 3rd. I drove no longer than 5 minutes in any direction for over a year because of the crying. My 1st child on the other hand, we drive the car LONGER just to get him to sleep. Dear kids. They are only babies for a short time, enjoy what you can. Hopefully they can't remember all the traumatic situations we put them in, lol. 4y
Cinfhen Ha @Curiouser_and_curiouser My babies are now 27, 25 and 18 and trust me ....They remember A LOT 😜😂💕 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @Cinfhen oh no! Well I'm sure they understand. I sure remember a lot of the trauma my mum put me through as a child, my siblings too , good thing I didn't repeat that with my kids. Although being sensitive to their needs can create extremely sensitive children, of which I have 2, and one robust one. My eldest is 18, youngest 7. They seem to have the same personalities they were born with 😉 4y
Cinfhen @Curiouser_and_curiouser they also remember all the GOOD STUFF 🙌🏻❤️🙏🏼 4y
TheKidUpstairs @Curiouser_and_curiouser Mine are the same! It's my 3rd who HATES the car, with my other two I'd take long drives just for the long naps! 4y
TheKidUpstairs @Cinfhen @Curiouser_and_curiouser I'm amazed at how much my kids remember already. Their little sponge like brains are fascinating! 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @TheKidUpstairs Yes, lol, funny how that happened. I practiced attachment parenting with my 3rd, that might have been why, she couldn't bear to be apart. Watching them grow is really lovely to see isn't it 😊 4y
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

In 1937, the students of Minghua University evacuate Nanking for interior China ahead of attacks by the Japanese. The continue to have classes along the journey and also carry important books—the Library of Legends. Based on true events, I found this utterly absorbing and enjoyed the thin thread of fantasy woven seamlessly through.

#Booked2020 Pan-Asian author/Silk Punk

Cinfhen I read a different book by this author and was really impressed 4y
Hooked_on_books @Cinfhen I‘ll have to check that out! I‘m definitely interested in her backlist now. 4y
Cinfhen It was quite awhile ago but I just remember being transported 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage I was tempted by this one. Glad to have your review! 4y
54 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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amsu311
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Pickpick

#GoodReads2020Challenge

What made me choose this book? The cover. Its really beautiful.
And once I started reading, it seems that I am also a character in the book...

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ReadingisMyPassion
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Pickpick

First, you have to get beyond that gorgeous cover. Go ahead and gaze at it, absorbing that artistry. Then once you are ready, open the cover and enter the fantastical world Janie Chang has created, a story blending Chinese history and Chinese folklore.
“Maybe immortals feel the passage of time differently than we do. Maybe a hundred years to her is only the blink of an eye, a single beat of the heart.”

16 likes1 stack add
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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Some books with a #purplecover 💜💜💜
I love purple 💜 All of these are beautiful!!

#BiblioMAYnia

OriginalCyn620 💜💜💜 5y
85 likes1 comment
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BookNAround
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Today‘s #MayARC was released this past Tuesday 5/12.

MsMelissa Such a pretty cover! I am supposed to receive my copy this week, but mail delivery is super behind around here. 5y
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DimeryRene
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Pickpick

4/5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love a good walking story. Characters grow up so much on the road.

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Reecaspieces
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Pickpick

Review is up on my blog. This one is different. Check it out https://reecaspieces.com/2020/05/13/the-library-of-legends-by-janie-chang-wmmorr...

DimeryRene Just finished this myself. 5y
Reecaspieces @DimeryRene what did you think?? 5y
DimeryRene I liked it a whole lot. Walking journeys are so fun to me. High stakes, but people always change so much after a huge physical walk. 5y
Reecaspieces @DimeryRene ha! You have a point. 5y
61 likes4 comments
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JenlovesJT47
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Pickpick

I chose this from #BOTM because of the gorgeous cover! I enjoyed it, although it was a bit slow in places. I liked the fantasy aspect mixed with the historical details. 4⭐️ Recommended!

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Caffeinated_Reader
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#50 of my year.

Caffeinated_Reader When I finished this one I needed time to really feel the beautiful weight of the story. It is so worth the read. So much Chinese history and life between these pages. I loved Sparrow the most. My heart broke for her even while she smiled and carried on as if nothing was the matter. Her story will stay with me. 5y
16 likes2 stack adds1 comment