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The Lost Apothecary
The Lost Apothecary: A Novel | Sarah Penner
In this addictive and spectacularly imagined debut, a female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman. Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register. One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose—selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register. In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive. With crackling suspense, unforgettable characters and searing insight, The Lost Apothecary is a subversive and intoxicating exploration of women rebelling against a man’s world, the destructive force of revenge and the remarkable ways that women can save each other despite the barrier of time.
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Bookish.SAM
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Pickpick

Great cover. Great subject matter to play with. Quick read. But… there were definitely some character issues. At points there were actions that just didn‘t make sense and had me shaking my head.

I‘ll still give it a pick though. It just could have been so much more.

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amsu311
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Mehso-so

For me, so-so

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Ladygodiva7
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Been wanting to read this for a while! πŸ§ͺπŸ§™πŸ»β€β™€οΈ

#snowflake #snowflakes #papersnowflakes

CarrieStavish It‘s a good one! 1mo
63 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Ladygodiva7
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Did a questionnaire for a book box from the library, they put it together and this is what I got. I‘ve been wanting to read The Lost Apothecary for a while now. Not sure if I‘ll read the rest (not enough time!) πŸ˜…

Pikathulhu This is amazing! Also, I super recommend The Girl with the Pearl Earring if you do end up with time! 1mo
Ladygodiva7 @Pikathulhu I will try!! 1mo
IndoorDame Is a book box the program where the library delivers books by mail? 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Meshell1313 This sounds like such a great service!!! 1mo
Ladygodiva7 @IndoorDame No, β€œRegister once for three months and fill out the questionnaire. Your subscription box will be available for pick up the 1st of each month” It‘s a custom made book box πŸ™ƒ 1mo
IndoorDame @Ladygodiva7 that sounds fun! 1mo
67 likes6 comments
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melissajayne
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Pickpick

4⭐️ I really liked the book. I found the story very compelling and liked how that both the modern day story and historical narrative mirror each other well. #2023 #fiction #bookreview #bookstagram #historicalfiction #bookclub

27 likes1 stack add
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LeslieO
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Time for February! Gonna try to tackle a few of my backlist #BOTM and #Bookshelftville. #BookSpinBingo #BookSpin #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
45 likes1 comment
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Eorrlopez
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Pickpick

An easy read :) a nice story that weaves in historical fiction.

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TheHungryBookworms
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Pickpick

β€œHeartache is shared by all, and favors no rank.”

Omg. What a story. I absolutely loved this one. It kept me engaged the whole time. I love the characters. Well all but one, James. I didnt liked him one bit. But i dont understand the hate for Caroline. I was rooting for her and so happy with her life decisions. I would recomend others to read this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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steph_phanie
Panpan

Had the entire novel been the historical storyline, and only the historical storyline, it would have been fine. Still not "Pick" worthy, but fine.

However, the modern storyline was dreadful. I couldn't stand Caroline or her husband. I don't think I have ever rolled my eyes so many times! My reaction to the present day chapters were always ?? and ??‍♀️.

Sorry, Sarah Penner. This one is a ⭐️⭐️ from me.

steph_phanie I almost gave it ⭐️½ but I am feeling a tad generous, and felt Nella alone was worth ⭐️⭐️ 2mo
6 likes1 comment
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steph_phanie
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CAROLINE AND JAMES ARE THE WORST!

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steph_phanie
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I bought the audiobook on sale after Christmas, and just began listening today during my commute. I'm only four chapters in but I CANNOT STAND Caroline's bit so far (the modern storyline). The narrator is distracting, and the storyline/character is very annoying and cliche! πŸ€πŸ™„πŸ˜¬ Honestly not sure I'll be able to make it through!

Does it get better???

Saknicole Ummmmmmm, my unfortunate answer is no; I don‘t think it gets better. I also listened to it and was eternally annoyed with Caroline. 3mo
steph_phanie @Saknicole Oh darn. Is the story itself worth pushing through or should I just bail and spend my time with something else? 3mo
Saknicole I finished it be because I did care about the Historical Fiction story. I often get annoyed with the unnecessary modern story lines in historical fiction. 3mo
steph_phanie @saknicole I will keep going for the sake of the historical fiction story, but I can't promise I won't give up on it. Lol. 3mo
5 likes1 stack add4 comments
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nitalibrarian
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We went to IKEA and couldn't resist buying another cart for books when I saw they now have a smaller version of their utility cart.

Please ignore Peri's overflowing toy basket.

kspenmoll Aww love the toys! 3mo
33 likes1 comment
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Librarybelle
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November was another really good reading month, so I have three for #12BooksOf2022 ! The tagged book and Beheld were both 5 star reads for me, both historical fiction that were so engaging. I also cannot pass up the opportunity to highlight the first book in the book series upon which the TV show Midsomer Murders is based - such a fun listen!

Andrew65 All sound good reads. Plenty of hours spent enjoying Midsomer Murders. 3mo
BarbaraBB Dear Jess, I received your Christmas card! Thank you so much, for the card and your kind words πŸ’• 3mo
Librarybelle @BarbaraBB You‘re welcome! ❀️ 3mo
73 likes5 comments
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Skeeterisme
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Pickpick

Like. A lot. (Dreamy cover)

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Saknicole
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Does anyone else think that the husband is the stupidest man on earth? This modern story is proving to me for the 1 millionth time why I hate modern story lines in historic novels.

GreenGrl87 OMG YESSSSSS!!!!! An absolute flipping tool! 4mo
25 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Saknicole
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I cast on a new knitting project- a red, white, and blue cowl for my mother in law. I‘m about a third done with this novel. I like it, but it also violates my big annoyance which is a dual timeline for historic fiction. I can almost always live without the modern story. In this case I do care for Caroline, but still… #knittersoflitsy #craftersoflitsy #knitting #audiobook

Catsandbooks Pretty! 4mo
29 likes1 comment
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Librarybelle
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Pickpick

Historical fiction with a bit of a mystery, and not to mention poison??? I loved this! Life has been extremely complicated as of late, and I needed a book I could easily escape into, and following the path of apothecary Nella in 1791 and Caroline in the present day was the perfect anecdote. Compelling and page turning. There are recipes in the back (not poisonous). Penner is a great storyteller, and I‘ll definitely read her next book!

93 likes3 stack adds
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Sargar114
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Mehso-so

This was a bit of a disappointment considering is was a top 5 of BOTM last year. The concept was great but seemed to fail in execution (kind of ironic considering the subject matter). Dual time lines and the historic stories were farm more interesting. I didn‘t really care for the present day main character or really any of her choices and it wrapped up a little too neatly considering the events of the book. The cover however is gorgeous!

Sargar114 Was my #bookspin for October 4mo
5feet.of.fury I had the same thoughts. Didn‘t live up to the hype for me either. 4mo
Scochrane26 I loved the historical part & really liked the present day story. I agree that she‘s annoying though. 4mo
See All 6 Comments
Sargar114 @Scochrane26 I got angry that as a history major she would disturb a possible historical finding. I liked the investigation park and process though. Plus the whole police investigation that seemed like a pretty major twist just dropped like nothing happened seemed weird 4mo
Scochrane26 @Sargar114 It drive me nuts that she threw the vial back in at the end. Just like in titanic, 😑 4mo
Sargar114 @Scochrane26 ME TOOO!!!!! I‘m like, that the basis of your masters thesis and you just throw it back??!! 4mo
24 likes6 comments
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IMASLOWREADER
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peanutnine
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this interconnected story about an apothecary who sold poisons to women and a modern woman who is determined to uncover her story. Loved the back and forth between timelines and the historical mystery of it all. This was my bookclub choice for the month so I'm excited to discuss it with everyone. #Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash @StayCurious #31by31 @Catsandbooks #Spookoween2022 @TheSpineView #Pointsathon @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES

40 likes4 comments
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erickahhh
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Pickpick

What an intriguing concept. This book was so good I finished it in 1 day! I consumed every last bit of this book. I loved the concept of an Apothecary that women would go to to commit murder. This was another story filled with twists and turns, ending in a surprising and unexpected way. It is definitely worth the read, especially for #spookyseason

I mean, druggists were kind of like witches, right?

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Serenity_Within86
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ couldn't put it down!!!

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Serenity_Within86
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Love reading on the trolley

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SheReadsAndWrites
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Because books bring us together and book clubs are the best! #bookclub #booklovers #longtimefriends

kspenmoll πŸ˜€πŸ“š 6mo
Bookpearl Love it!! 6mo
33 likes2 comments
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SheReadsAndWrites
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this one. I read it for my book club (which happens today) and am eager to hear from everyone. πŸ€“ #bookclubbook

40 likes1 stack add
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SheReadsAndWrites
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Cozy reading day... πŸ€“

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Karisimo
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Pickpick

Our library book club discussed this one last night and opinions were split. Top criticisms were flat characters and plot points that were too obvious/forced. Others liked the exposure of a lesser known part of history. What do you think?

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Kshakal
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love this cover! 7mo
Eggs Loved this bookπŸ‘πŸΌ 7mo
24 likes2 comments
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MarshmallowAdventures
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Pickpick

A suspenseful tale woven from the lives of three women dedicated to helping one another, even beyond the bridge of two hundred years. Beautifully develops two different timelines in a way that feels seamless.

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Scochrane26
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Pickpick

I‘m late to reading this compared with most Littens, but I‘m happy I finally got to it. I loved the apothecary‘s story, & the present-day was good, too. Only thing I hated was at the end when she throws the vial backβ€”it‘s a pet peeve that probably started with Titanic when a character does that. Enjoyed the characters & unique story. 4/5 🌟

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Kelican17
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Pickpick

πŸ‘πŸ» book dump 2/5
Two stories from past and present are linked. The story that takes place in the present got on my nerves towards the end but overall I enjoyed it.

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Kimberlone
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A few days late posting my June #BookspinBingo. I‘ve already finished a couple books and have started my #DoubleSpin book The People We Keep. I don‘t think I‘ll be as successful this month as I was in May, but fingers crossed 🀞🏼 that I will finish this month‘s #BookSpin and maybe catch up on some lingering options from previous months.

Saknicole Way too complicated and committed for me but your board looks PRETTY! πŸ’• 9mo
TLuvs I love this idea πŸ’‘ 9mo
37 likes2 comments
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ShyBookOwl
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Appointment this morning and forgot my kindle at home 😬 Luckily, they let you wait in your car, so I'm audiobooking instead 😌 πŸ“šπŸ“šπŸ“š
Really enjoying this one. Multi-POV across timeliness and I really feel for all the protagonists.

AllDebooks I enjoyed this too 10mo
58 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Bookwormjillk
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Mehso-so

Meh. I thought this was okay but too predictable.

BkClubCare Yay! I have been reading TOO MANY over the top gushing on this one and my reaction is shock. NO! It was way over the top melodramatic. 10mo
5feet.of.fury Agreeeee 10mo
61 likes2 comments
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ShyBookOwl
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She would come at daybreak, the woman whose letter I held in my hands, the woman whose name I did not yet know.

#firstlinefridays

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momx3nak
Pickpick

Different from other books I've read. But a page turner for sure!!

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mcctrish
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Pickpick

I liked this book, but I didn‘t love it

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amma-keep-reading
Pickpick

The historical characters were more interesting than the modern ones.

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SheilaChew
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed reading this book about a modern woman at a crossroads in her life and an apothecary who specializes in poison.

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mcctrish
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Started this last night

52 likes1 stack add
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Bklover
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Pickpick

I would have liked to know more about the characters in this book but still enjoyed this dual timeline about an apothecary who provides poison to her customers and the woman who discovers her secrets. Would definitely read another by this author. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BethM Pretty cover! 11mo
KristiAhlers I thought it was a pretty good read but like I would‘ve liked the characters to be fleshed out just a bit more. 11mo
Bklover @BethM I agree! Hope you‘re all doing well! 11mo
See All 8 Comments
Bklover @KristiAhlers I think youre right. I liked the plot a lot though. Maybe her next book!? 11mo
KristiAhlers @Bklover I will totally pick up her next book. 11mo
KristiAhlers @Bklover I‘m doing well! Haven‘t seen you in what seems like forever. Hope to run into you soon. 11mo
Bklover @KristiAhlers I haven‘t been to BN in a while. It would be fun to all meet up sometime (with Beverly too)! 11mo
BethM @Bklover busy but ok! Hope you‘re well too 11mo
93 likes3 stack adds8 comments
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Zephsomething
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Pickpick

Y‘all this book was so good, I adored every minute of it and am left with still more questions yet unanswered despite the fact that the story feels finished. Truly the mark of a wonderful book. I highly recommend it πŸ’œπŸ’™πŸ’š

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Nik_reads
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Pickpick

Loved all three points of view and the past and present timelines. I think the author did an excellent job of leaving you wanting to read just one more chapter.

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Bibliophile_22
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Panpan

Disappointing read. The synopsis sounded captivating yet I found the novel slow, dull, and somewhat predictable.

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writethelettervy
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One of my favorite book covers.i paired it with bookish candles. All from #bookofthemonthclub

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keys_on_fire
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Pickpick

Finished this last night, just in time for the end of the month! I enjoyed the dual timelines and finding the parallels between the modern story and the historical ones. I certainly could relate to the relationship issues that Caroline was experiencing, although my ex was not quite so manipulative. Love the artwork of the cover too!
#bookspin March 2022 @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 12mo
49 likes1 comment
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keys_on_fire
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β€œIn a city so grand, even a poor girl can transform into whatever she desires to be.” - referring to London.

Just getting started with this one, but when I came across the paragraph at the bottom of the picture, the scene from A Knight‘s Tale where William‘s father tells him he could change his stars immediately flashed through my brain! πŸ˜‚

peanutnine Love that movie! 12mo
32 likes1 comment
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ozma.of.oz
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Mehso-so

In the past, an apothecary makes poisons for women to use on the men that have abused them. In the now, a woman finds an empty bottle & a mystery.

It felt like Penner wanted to write 2 different stories, a historical thriller & a modern treasure hunt, & ended up splicing them together. I didn‘t really care about any of the characters, & I actively disliked Caroline. And Caroline‘s search & solve of the mystery were just too damn easy. πŸŒ•πŸŒ•πŸŒ—πŸŒ‘πŸŒ‘

Laughterhp The most annoying part about this book was her boyfriend. He was so dumb. 12mo
ozma.of.oz @Laughterhp Right?! He was awful! 12mo
Kenyazero I thought it felt a little like two separate stories the author wanted to tell too! Somehow I enjoyed this awkward element, though. Had its own weird charm! 12mo
ozma.of.oz @Kenyazero I‘m glad you enjoyed it! The rest of my book club really liked it too. But we all enjoyed trashing the husband! πŸ˜‚ 12mo
Kenyazero @ozma.of.oz he‘s extremely trashable! 12mo
75 likes5 comments
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Kenyazero
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Pickpick

Excellent! I loved the dual timeline. In the present, a woman recovering from a painful life shock stumbles upon an unexpected history mystery. In the past, a woman dealing in poisons to help women lives out said history mystery. Definitely not my usual kind of book, but I‘m glad I read it. Content warnings for infidelity, poisoning, miscarriage, sexual assault, suicide, and death. #Fiction #Poison #HistoricalFiction #Feminist

21 likes1 stack add
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BkClubCare
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Mehso-so

Points for Beautiful Cover. Points for inspiring a rather scathing but entertaining 1⭐️ review on gr that I happened to mostly agree with and points for making me want to finish and not DNF. But otherwise: eye-rolly melodrama. Would this be a Pan or a So-So? I am dreading my #bookclub ➑️ hoping somebody else will share my feelings. If everyone else loves it, I might need to find a new club.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

KellyK I‘m going to go check out that entertaining GR review… 😬 12mo
sprainedbrain I felt similarly about this one. 😬 12mo
Leelee.reads I just looked up the Goodreads review you mentioned though and it was 10/10. πŸ˜‚ (I bailed on Lost Apothecary about 1/4 in. I wanted to like it, but couldn‘t stick with it until I gave up.) 12mo
See All 7 Comments
BkClubCare @KellyK - Let me know f you can‘t find it, but should be easy (I appreciate how gr provides quick access to the 1 star reviews.) 12mo
BkClubCare @sprainedbrain - Had to check on the definition of melodrama to make sure! 🀣 12mo
BkClubCare @Leelee.reads - I couldn‘t quit - it is my #BookSpinBingo! 🀣 12mo
TheAromaofBooks Oh dear... at least you made it through!! 12mo
46 likes7 comments