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Girl A
Girl A | Abigail Dean
133 posts | 127 read | 2 reading | 41 to read
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review
Melismatic
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

Book 12 of ‘24

Took longer to finish than expected. Sad, but it didn‘t really *go* anywhere. Horrific as it sounds, I was expecting more visceral moments regarding the religious fervor & child trauma at the heart of this story. Instead, it‘s just pretty tepid and sad. There is one mild twist but not a real gotcha. Overall, not sure I‘d recommend. Not for the faint of heart.

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Jilly6183
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

The summary describes this as a thriller, but that‘s not quite accurate. It is more like a fictional “where are they now” about siblings who survived horrific child abuse. It is beautifully written, but it is very sad and won‘t be for everyone.

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jamield1911
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Bailedbailed

Bail on page 47.

This is wrongly marketed as a thriller. It isn't a thriller at all.

I couldn't get into it. The timeline is everywhere and so messy. There are decades of difference to the plot in each sentence. It's so hard to follow.

A no from me.

review
Gryffleclaw95
Girl A | Abigail Dean
This post contains spoilers
show me
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5)

“Girl A” is very dark. Do not read this book unless you are prepared to read about severe child abuse and death. As an ER nurse, I‘ve seen an example of scenes described in this book, and it‘s something I will never forget. Overall, this book was very interesting, disturbing, and had a surprising twist. However, the ending is very unsatisfying and I felt like there wasn‘t any arc or progression for Lex‘s character.

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SaraHasClass
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

Dark. Disturbing. Sad. Child abuse survivor Lex comes home to settle her parents' estate with her siblings, each of whom carry their own baggage of horrific abuse into adulthood. While I believe it was written beautifully, it left me with more questions, and I was unsatisfied in the end.

blurb
Andrea313
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Bring a new book home and immediately lose it to the cat! Life with #TomKitten. #CatsOfLitsy

dabbe Dat sweet face! ❣️🐾❣️ 13mo
Leftcoastzen Kitty says mine!😻 13mo
Amiable LOVE! 😻😻 13mo
Tamra 💜 Looks exactly my first kitty Opus! 😍 13mo
36 likes5 comments
review
DimeryRene
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

This was incredible! A story of siblings who had a horrific childhood and how they all deal with it differently in adulthood. It‘s a dual timeline story and also sort of a getting-the-band-back-together story.

batsy I really liked it, too! Felt like this went under the radar a bit when it came out. 13mo
DimeryRene @batsy definitely slept on! Loved the language and the jumping back and forth. Really my kind of book! 13mo
20 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
avxi
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

🌟3/5🌟
Not a thriller at all. It‘s more so a retelling of a traumatic, heartbreaking childhood, heavily inspired from the Turpin case. The author likes to switch different timelines a lot (almost every paragraph) and it gets very confusing which timeline you‘re in or which character is being referred to. It‘s one of those things where you gotta read a few more sentences to get the gist. Starts slow but starts picking up towards the end!

5 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Lenamarcela339
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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DimeryRene Did you like this one? I just started it. 1y
3 likes1 comment
blurb
avxi
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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I‘m back from the dead & have posted some reviews of previous reads. I lost touch with posting about books for a bit. So much has happened but here I am again and I look forward to seeing what everyone‘s been reading.

Today I continued reading Girl A by Abigial Dean with a super red strawberry chocolate drink. 🩸 I guess the Christmas spirit has not come off me yet. I hope to read more before the year ends!
#happyholidays #blurb #bookish

review
Sully1
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Tough story! Great characters. I was disappointed in the ending and was hoping for some more resolution, but overall a powerful story.

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DarkMina
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Panpan

49 of 2022. #SuperSeptember

⭐️⭐️

Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 352
Total Pages Read: 1098

Cazxxx I didn‘t like this one either. It was very disappointing 2y
Andrew65 Oh dear 😔 2y
12 likes2 comments
review
swishandflick
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I remember when this was a #BOTM pick and folks had a lot of negative things to say about it. I think the problem is honestly that it was mismarketed as a thriller. To me it felt more like *dark* contemporary fiction, the exploration of how a group of siblings were each impacted by their incredibly traumatic childhood. Told through the eyes of Girl A, Lexi, who's forced to revisit the trauma after being made executor of her mother's will. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

batsy Yeah, I didn't get why it was marketed as a thriller too. I thought it was very good, and pretty devastating. 2y
MicheleinPhilly The marketing was WAY off but I enjoyed this too. 2y
jlhammar Totally agree about the marketing. I thought this was very good. 2y
82 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
noseinabookagain
Girl A | Abigail Dean
Mehso-so

This is less of a psychological thriller; more of a psychological memoir. It was interesting nonetheless.

We go from past to present in almost every paragraph, and the constant switch became tiring quickly.

There was no ease of transition - characters would be dropped in with no introduction, leaving me wondering if I had missed something. Interesting story, however it was also flat and confusing.

review
Kgaudiuso
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I was a little unsure of this book at the beginning, but once I got into it, despite its dark and troubling subject matter (too many sad kid story lines recently!), I really enjoyed it and found it to be endearing and interesting at the same time. Something about Lex really touched me, and I loved the way the book ended.

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Booksandtea23
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Booksandtea23
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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review
Clare-Dragonfly
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Loved this dark, trauma-filled book! It crept up on me—I didn‘t love it at first—but I just fell deeper and deeper. The twisting timelines are really well done, and it uses one of my favorite tropes. It‘s SO dark but it really focuses on how the trauma affects the children, especially Lex, the main character, rather than getting too far into the gory details.

Alfoster Ooooh! I loved it too! Creepy but good!😝 2y
19 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Clare-Dragonfly
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Which should I read next and which should I put off for another day? I want to go for The Unfit Heiress, but I‘m reading (and really enjoying) Girl A right now, so maybe I should take a break between two books about abusive parents.

DivineDiana Hmm. I haven‘t read either, but curious how you were able to secure loans in two states?!? 🤔 2y
Clare-Dragonfly @DivineDiana I live in Maryland and have a library card here, and I still have my card from when I lived in Philadelphia—FLP cards don‘t expire. 2y
DivineDiana Fantastic! 2y
21 likes3 comments
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Hannah_11
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

It‘s difficult to describe this book in a few words. Brutal, traumatic, vulnerable, heartbreaking. For such a tough read I found it impossible to put down, its heavy and I had to force myself to take breaks at some points. Definitely not one for the faint hearted but if you can manage it you won‘t be disappointed. #pick

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Judybskt
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Could not put this down!

jlhammar Yes, I was surprised how much I liked this one. Difficult subject matter, but really well done. 2y
21 likes1 comment
blurb
Judybskt
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Up next for book club!

17 likes1 stack add
quote
Judybskt
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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“You don‘t know me, but you‘ll have seen my face.”

#firstlinefridays
@ShyBookOwl

review
Curvybookgirl
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this one. The subject matter is tough to read especially if you‘re a parent. But it‘s a great debut novel and I think the author is one to watch

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JillR
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

This put me in mind of a fictionalised take on Tara West‘s Educated. A family spirals downwards, and then beyond, when the father becomes more and more obsessed with religion and control. This is brutal and intense but completely compulsive reading; another I couldn‘t put down.

Cathythoughts I gave Educated a pick at the time .... but now I‘d give it a bare so-so. Is Girl A a better book ? (edited) 2y
JillR @cathythoughts I enjoyed this, as far as you can enjoy a book about something quite awful (child abuse/neglect). It goes further than Educated in that respect. I was a bit underwhelmed by the writing at first but it pulled me in! 2y
Cathythoughts Ok! Thanks. I‘ll try a sample on kindle 😃 2y
TrishB I really enjoyed this one too 👍🏻 2y
45 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Kimberlone
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

I was somewhat skeptical going into this book. I was nervous that it would just be trauma porn, since I have a rocky history with books like that. In the end, my issues with this book were more with the characterization of the narrator and the lack of closure at the end. Overall, the plot felt a little bit half baked, since the only propulsion is in the past timeline, while the present timeline was pretty boring and lacked momentum for narrator.

youneverarrived It was a so-so read for me too 2y
79 likes1 comment
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Jeg
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. I got it from book club Xmas along with others . The giver had spent her money in op shops and got some amazing recent books.
The narrator is Girl A and she goes between the then and her now. I got very involved in the story.
I‘m counting this as last book of 2021. As I read most of it then. 80 books 2021.
. @MrsMalaprop I think you might like it.
#joysbooks2021

MrsMalaprop 80 books is awesome 👏 👏👏 2y
12 likes1 comment
review
Patchshank
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

I finished my #BookSpin.
It was definitely a very dark book with a lot of really messed up parts. It was a good story with interesting twists and turns. I just didn't like how much the book jumped around and parts of it kind of dragged on.
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 2y
sharread Hope all is well sending some ❤🎄 your way. Looking forward to playing the winter games with you. 2y
50 likes2 comments
review
JaneyWaneyB
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

TRIGGER WARNING: This book is about Child Abuse.
This is a powerful story. Some have said it feels jumbled & confused but when read through a survivor's eyes then the story makes sense. Girl A is one of the children who survives the tabloid named House of Horrors. This is her chance to make sense of what happened to her and her siblings at the hands of her zealous father & mother. It is a difficult read, sometimes sickening & always deeply sad.

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TrishB
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I‘m not sure enjoyed is the right word, but I was hooked and wanted to read until the end. I sort of guessed it, but still sad.
Timelines were confusing at first, but you just stepped into her mind and it was easier to follow.
It‘s not a thriller, bad marketing.

squirrelbrain No, I didn‘t think this was a thriller either. There‘s been a few books marketed incorrectly recently: 2y
TrishB @squirrelbrain not sure how that was ever marketed as horror! 2y
batsy Yep! Thought the marketing did it a disservice. 2y
See All 6 Comments
TrishB @batsy even the cover tbh 🤷‍♀️ 2y
batsy @TrishB Yeah! It honestly annoyed me 😆 2y
MicheleinPhilly Not at all a thriller. Glad you “enjoyed.” 2y
92 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
JenReadsAlot
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Mixed reviews, but I thought this was pretty good. Changing timelines were confusing. #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks #teamslaughter @Clwojick

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y
35 likes1 comment
review
Caroline2
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Panpan

I should have trusted my instincts and bailed! The constant back and forth in time was annoying and the modern segments were dull compared to the dark, childhood flashbacks which were too brief for me to really care for the characters. It‘s very predictable with a “twist” you can see a mile off. And it‘s depressing with so much child abuse. Meh. 😒

TrishB I‘ve just put this on my list to read this week! 2y
squirrelbrain I quite liked this one 🤷‍♀️ - didn‘t love it but it was a good, distracting read. 2y
Caroline2 @TrishB hopefully you‘ll enjoy it Trish. It just felt like one of those thrillers that I‘ve already read, if you know what I mean. 2y
Caroline2 @squirrelbrain think maybe I‘ve read too many thrillers lately. 2y
91 likes4 comments
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MicheleinPhilly
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I was pleasantly surprised by this. I find myself side-eyeing any and every book being marketed as a thriller by #BOTM because they inevitably suck. This is not a thriller at all but an examination of the life-long effects of unimaginable cruelty and abuse. It was not an easy read by any means but I could not put it down.

batsy That's how I felt, too. Still think about that ending every now and then 😟 2y
TrishB Had this on my kindle for a while, may have nudged it up the pile. 2y
MicheleinPhilly @batsy I think I was waiting for a revelation of that nature but I honestly thought it would be all of the others. It was truly heartbreaking. 2y
MicheleinPhilly @TrishB You‘ll fly through it quickly. 2y
61 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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deirdrebeecher
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Like Room, this is about the survivors of a terrible act. While there is a thriller aspect, it is more about the terrible things you have to do to survive and the long term impacts of it than a mystery to solve. It is very well written, very psychological, very gritty and dark. Fans of Gillian Flynn would likely enjoy it. Strong pick.

9 likes1 stack add
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Skeeterisme
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Whoa

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MotherOfCats
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Struggling with this one a little bit… 🤷🏻‍♀️

wanderinglynn You‘re cat doesn‘t look impressed either! 😆 Beautiful kitty! ❤️🐱 3y
MotherOfCats She rarely looks impressed 🤣 3y
7 likes2 comments
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Ast_Arslan
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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I have a new friend 😍😍
How beautiful is it?

#kindlepaperwhite #newkindle

Mahatma_Canejeeves I used to read using the Amazon Fire tablet. When I got this I have never gone back to reading on a tablet. 3y
Ast_Arslan @Arkrayder I have an old version of kindle, but this one is just perfect ❤❤ 3y
17 likes2 comments
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Ast_Arslan
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it. Some will be old, some will be new - don't judge me, I have a lot of books.

Day 83th

Join the fun if you want!

#tbrpile

review
youneverarrived
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

A novel that deals with abuse, family relationships, memory, religion and living with trauma. It is well written and I liked how each of the characters dealt with things differently. I get why the slight twist at the end was in there but it didn‘t add anything for me 🤷‍♀️ A good read but one of those books that on reflection you see flaws. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alfoster I liked it too! 3y
54 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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TrishB
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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I‘ll give it a go for 99p 😁 and @batsy great review!

Cathythoughts Just got it. 👍🏻 Thankyou X 3y
batsy That's a good deal! Hope you like it 😁 3y
TrishB @Cathythoughts cool 👍🏻 3y
TrishB @batsy fingers crossed 🤞🏻🤞🏻 3y
70 likes4 comments
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Victoriahoperose
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

Wow. This book. I know the reviews were mixed, but I thought this book was really good. It was dark and difficult, but what a crazy story. This is about a family of sibling survivors who were abused by their parents as children and they were able to escape. There‘s some twists and the writing is excellent. Definitely a book that is going to stay with me for a long time.

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Annie1215
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

I always feel accomplished when I get through my backlog of #BOTM books.

This was another emotional one, but very good. I‘d steer clear if you can‘t stomach mention of child abuse, but it was very well done.

The focus is largely on the “after” of the kids lives but “House of Horrors” lives up to its name.

Checking this off my #bookspinbingo board

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
74 likes2 comments
review
Twainy
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Mehso-so

🎧 Hello darkness my old friend.

Cons: Disappointed in the audiobook. It‘s difficult to follow. The timeline shifts without notice from distant past to recent past to present day without warning. I feel the story is a knock-off of the Turbin story yet not quite as horrific.

Pros: It was well-written. The narrator‘s voice wasn‘t unpleasant. While confusing, each chapter title related to one of the siblings. Ultimately a readable story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Twainy 📚 I have the #BOTM so before I pass it along I might check it out & see if the time changes are more obvious to a reader VS listener. 3y
31 likes1 comment
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ClairesReads
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Pickpick

let‘s be honest who doesn‘t love a bit of the house of horrors vibes? I thought Dean did a really good job here, mixing timelines and central characters to slowly reveal not only the extent of the horror in the house in the past, but to develop an uneasy story about the ongoing impact of childhood trauma in the present. The big reveal early in the book only sets Dean up to slowly untangle these two narrative threads.

39 likes2 stack adds
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Howseldomtheydo
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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My library hold just came in. Seeing mixed reviews on this one🤞#currentlyreading

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 🌷 3y
78 likes1 comment
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ElizaMarie
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Thank you so so much @Avanders for the lovely package! I think some of these side books will be amazing! I really need to work on my self care! Plus... when I was on a contract in New Mexico I fell in love with this coffee! Can‘t wait to brew me a cup! (I had to transfer the baggie because I think I punctured it when opening) And kisses go to work :)

Avanders Yay!! I‘m glad you liked ☺️🤗♥️ Also — is it that brand or that specific flavor you love? 3y
ElizaMarie @Avanders I loved the flavor the most. When I went to New Mexico I had bought like a sampler pack and I remembered that Chocolate was my favorite :) 3y
MaleficentBookDragon @Avanders they make a chocolate version?!?!?! 😋 3y
Avanders @MaleficentBookDragon 😂😂 Oh yes, the Mexican spiced chocolate is yummy! 🤤 I‘ll have to send you some to see for yourself 😘 3y
27 likes1 stack add4 comments
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js0315
Girl A | Abigail Dean
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Bailedbailed

I lost interest in this one, not as good as I had heard.