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The Guest Room
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
107 posts | 141 read | 1 reading | 83 to read
From the New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Sandcastle Girls comes the spellbinding tale of a party gone horribly wrong: two men lie dead in a suburban living room, two women are on the run from police, and a marriage is ripping apart at the seams. When Kristin Chapman agrees to let her husband, Richard, host his brothers bachelor party, she expects a certain amount of debauchery. She brings their young daughter to Manhattan for the evening, leaving her Westchester home to the men and their hired entertainment. What she does not expect is this: bacchanalian drunkenness, her husband sharing a dangerously intimate moment in the guest room, and two women stabbing and killing their Russian bodyguards before driving off into the night. In the aftermath, Kristin and Richards life rapidly spirals into nightmare. The police throw them out of their home, now a crime scene, Richards investment banking firm puts him on indefinite leave, and Kristin is unsure if she can forgive her husband for the moment he shared with a dark-haired girl in the guest room. But the dark-haired girl, Alexandra, faces a much graver danger. In one breathless, violent night, she is free, running to escape the police who will arrest her and the gangsters who will kill her in a heartbeat. A captivating, chilling story about shame and scandal, The Guest Room is a riveting novel from one of our greatest storytellers.
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review
Justmyluck
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
Mehso-so

3 stars

review
AudiobookingWithLeah
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

4¼⭐Lately, I‘ve been picking the wrong books, but this one was a good choice. Packed with indelible characters, and moral dilemmas, I don't believe you can go wrong with this one...as long as you're not put off by its triggers warnings. It even ended with a harrowing conclusion.
@theAromaofBooks (This is my #bookspin for August)

TheAromaofBooks I really like this graphic!! 2y
24 likes1 comment
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sprainedbrain
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

Finally read my #AuthorAMonth book, which has been on my shelves for a loooong time. My first Bohjalian, this is a fast-paced, rather dark story dealing with some serious stuff. I have a habit of going in to books blind, and based solely on the cover, I was immediately like 😮 when I got going on this one. Not at all what I was expecting, but 100% enthralling.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Leftcoastzen Aww!😻 2y
76 likes1 comment
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Megabooks
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

I‘d definitely recommend The Lioness over this if you‘re looking for an #AuthorAMonth #audiobook. The mediocre narration pulled this to a low pick.

A wild bachelor party goes awry when one of the female entertainers kills the Russian thugs watching over them. The chapters where the enslaved sex worker explains her story were weaker and had the worse narrator than the ones following the man caught up in the scandal, which is unfortunate.

Cinfhen Yeah, I remember not quite buying this sordid tale, but I did love The Lioness and I enjoyed 2y
Cinfhen Hey, is the boot off?? 2y
Megabooks @Cinfhen no 🙄 another 3-4 weeks 👎🏻 glad you enjoyed the lioness! 2y
See All 8 Comments
EKonrad Sorry to bug you - was just wondering if you‘re active on Goodreads. Whenever I finish a book, I always want to find out if you‘ve read it and your thoughts. 😊 2y
Megabooks @EKonrad thank you so much! I am not active on Goodreads. I stopped having a laptop years ago, and GR doesn‘t have a good app/mobile interface imo. If I‘ve read a book in the last 5 years, it is reviewed here on litsy. In the last two years, I‘ve been using the storygraph for tracking/starred ratings, but I don‘t post reviews there. ⬇️ (edited) 2y
EKonrad Gotcha! Just thought I‘d check. Thank you! 😊 2y
Megabooks @EKonrad My tracking/reviewing is an ever evolving, sprawled out messy thing that I never gave much though to until 2020 when I first hit the book per day mark. 😬🤷🏻‍♀️🤣 I‘m still trying to figure it out! 2y
Cinfhen Boo 👻 that sucks about the boot 😫 2y
69 likes8 comments
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marleed
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Gosh, I love books and I‘m so grateful I have access to too many to read in a lifetime! So many good ones here with the tagged coming out as my favorite of this grid.

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Average C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

Garabrandtreviews I just started Adult Assembly Required in audiobook and am super excited about it. 2y
marleed @Garabrandtreviews oh I hope you love it. I‘m a super fan of light summer reads and this hits that mark! 2y
54 likes2 comments
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marleed
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

Oh wow. I‘ve said this before but it‘s still true: I read a pile of books written by and for women. It‘s not really by intention, just what I‘m drawn to, I guess. Then I read this author and a book like this, with a delivery very different than my typical book and I‘m reminded to keep my options open. This book drew me in.

June #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville I have 5 books to read for this challenge this month!

marleed
And btw, no one has slept on my guest room bed (pictured) since before COVID :(
2y
Bookzombie I‘m sorry about no guests, but I love the bird quilt! 2y
BookedBySunrise Chris Bohjalian is one of my all time favorite authors 2y
See All 9 Comments
marleed @MoBee I think this is becoming true for me too. I‘m excited to fall into more of his books this month! 2y
marleed @Bookzombie A sister of mine made this because of my fondness for Charley Harper art and mid- century vibes. She is truly an artist working in fabric. She just came down to gift my DIL a national park baby quilt. A response at the shower from a young friend, ‘This piece puts my ovaries in overdrive!‘ 2y
Bookzombie @marleed She is an artist! 2y
Soubhiville I also love your quilt! My mom is a quilter too and I always love seeing her creations. I‘m so glad you enjoyed this book! There is a short story that goes with it, maybe only available on kindle? Let me see if I can find the title… 2y
marleed @Soubhiville Thank you and very cool that you mom quilts. I had no idea there was a complimentary story - I‘m so excited to know this! 2y
69 likes2 stack adds9 comments
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JackOBotts
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fast-paced read, deals with heavy subject matter.

review
PoodleMama99
Guest Room | Chris Bohjalian
Pickpick

Excellent - one of his best.

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Megnogged
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

A fast-paced thriller that ramps up the intensity right out of the gates and continues to drop you tasty nuggets for the whole ride. There‘s a bit of everything packed in here...utter debauchery in the form of a wild bachelor party, complete with strippers, cheating, sex slavery, murder, blackmail, and family. What a great ride.

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BilboBookends
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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“No one, he knew, was ever going to look at him quite the same way again.”

review
KristenDuck
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Mehso-so

The premise: bachelor party gone horribly wrong.

Who would have thought the strippers hired for a bachelor party were actually sex slaves? And what already is bad just turns worse when the two bodyguards for these poor girls turn up dead.

But that is pretty much the full story right there. It was an all right listen, but don‘t expect any shocking twists.

I appreciated the different character perspectives and viewpoints. However, meh overall.

70 likes1 stack add
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KristenDuck
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Good points: I went for a three mile hike despite the heat... I had a lovely steak dinner with a new wine... I am ready for the weekend!

Onto the book. Just began The Guest Room, about a bachelor party that took a fatal turn, and I see so many positive reviews. I was intrigued for the first few chapters, and wondering if this one will keep my attention. I may end up being in the minority...

But only time will tell, and I‘ll keep listening !

TheSpineView That's great that you didn't let the heat keep you from your goal! 5y
KristenDuck @TheSpineView it‘s tough but I‘m doing my best! 5y
77 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Clwojick
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

Finished this one (which although I enjoyed, I wouldn‘t say it was amazing), and just passed my goal of 5 hrs for #24B4monday ! The weather stayed nice enough for me to walk home, so I also hit my daily step goal for #BookFitnessChallenge 🤩

I‘m off to complete my first test for my Working and Communicating in a Medical Setting class, and a little bit of Med Terminology studying, then the rest of the day it all mine to read 🤓

#MayMadness

wanderinglynn Good luck on your test! 5y
BeansPage You passed your goal already? You're going to knock this one out of the park man!!!!! 5y
Clwojick I might reassess the goal and make it 10 hours, because it should be nice tomorrow, so the walk to and from work will bring me up another 1.5 hours alone. 🤪 @TheReadingMermaid (edited) 5y
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Clwojick @wanderinglynn Thanks! It‘s all online, so I already have my marks! I got 100%, and the test was worth 25% of my grade! 😅🥳 Here‘s to hoping they‘re all that good 🙌🏻 5y
wanderinglynn Fantastic! 🙌🏻 Now to celebrate! 🥳 5y
jb72 Congrats on the test score and the reading time! 🎊🎉 5y
Clwojick @jb72 Thanks💚 5y
BookwormAHN Way to go 👏🏻 5y
Andrew65 Well done. 👏👏👏 5y
82 likes9 comments
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Clwojick
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Laughing at my previous self from 3 hours ago, thinking I would go for a walk. Nope, I‘m currently starting this audiobook while I drift off to sleep. Time for a nap/ the possibility of sleeping from 8am-6am 😅

#bookfitnesschallenge @wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Naps are essential. 👍🏻 5y
RadicalReader Love audiobooks especially Chris Bohjalian 5y
dariazeoli Naps keep our brains fit! 🙌 5y
jb72 Some days a nap is needed! 5y
81 likes4 comments
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Victoriahoperose
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

This was a really interesting book about sex trafficking and all of the scary things surrounding this nightmare that effects so many people. It really came together well and wasn‘t overly complicated. It was readable and easy to get sucked into. Definitely a compelling book.

Bookish_AF I listened to this on audio on a road trip last summer and went in pretty blind and ended up really liking it too! 5y
25 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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These words? Spoken by Alexandra, the young sex slave in THE GUEST ROOM, my 2016 novel about the world's worst bachelor party -- and sexual slavery. Today is Super Bowl⁠ ⁠ Sunday. Human trafficking is a $150 billion industry. One in seven U.S. runaways is likely a sex slave. FYI.

Lcsmcat 💔 5y
43 likes1 comment
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Amiable
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

A bachelor party goes horribly wrong when the two young women hired to provide the “entertainment” kill their Russian bodyguards and flee. And that‘s just the beginning of the book. A sobering novel about sex trafficking and decisions made and the consequences that follow. This book kept my attention throughout with a suitable and realistic ending.

Soubhiville I love seeing other people enjoy one of my favorite authors! Glad you liked this! 5y
SW-T Bohjalian does good stuff! 5y
Amiable I do love Bohjalian, but my favorite of his is still "Midwives" @Soubhiville @SW-T (edited) 5y
78 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Pandalibrarian
Guest Room | Chris Bohjalian
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I finished listening to this book tonight. While I ended up liking it a lot, I almost gave up on it part way through. The first part is quite disturbing and reading it right now (October 2018) was a challenge. Glad I stuck with it.

RadicalReader @Pandalibrarian I also enjoyed his other novel Midwives 5y
Pandalibrarian Me, too. I was surprised that I hadn‘t read this one before. Love his books! 5y
RadicalReader @Pandalibrarian how books are phenomenal looking forward to checking out the movie adaption of Midwives and Secrets of Eden 5y
16 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Bookish_AF
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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#audioroadtrip ?

Audiobooks are still a pretty new thing for me. I‘m relying on what I can get at the library and sticking with “easy” things like thrillers etc.

I am loving this book so far though! I‘m glad to have it as a companion as I spend the next 5-6 hours in the car...road trip to DC for the weekend to see friends! 😊

However, the driving time will probably be my only chance to spend with a book until Monday 😱

quote
TheBookgeekFrau
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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CareBear 💔 6y
prateeksha Too much being assumed and forethought creates a spell of awkwardness among individuals in life too. It is always good to say rather than assumes 6y
39 likes2 comments
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Marilyn1970
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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I'm so excited to read this! But I made a goal to finish knitting a sweater this weekend... This is the sad state of my Kindle. Closed. Waiting.

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Bookartbookmarks
Guest Room | Chris Bohjalian
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Guys! Can I tell you I went to an event yesterday and got some time to sit down and read and OH MY GOD! I am thirty pages into this book and it is already action packed/mystery. I did not want to put it down. Might have to let my kids play in the tub for an hour tonight while I sit with them and read this book!

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Bookartbookmarks
Guest Room | Chris Bohjalian
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I was so excited to hear this will become a movie. Although I haven‘t read it, I love the author and get so excited to see books become movies. Had to add a couple extra pictures. Look at that sweet deer.

Monica5 I like his books, too. I haven't heard of this one. 6y
tammysue Love that cute little deer! 6y
Bookartbookmarks @Monica5 I hadn‘t either. I have never seen it as a hardcover, but saw an article it was going to be a movie and there it popped up in Barnes and noble. 6y
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Bookartbookmarks @whatshesreadingnow I love that charm. You can‘t quite see it, but there‘s a butterfly in his antlers and a little birdie on his butt. 6y
tammysue Oh wow how cute! 6y
Monica5 @Babiesandbooks Thanks. I will look for it.😀 6y
93 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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BooksAtNight
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

Just finished this on audio - a very neatly interwoven story where the small details do matter. This is one of those books where the focus is all on the character; the crime is just the catalyst to being us into the story. Definitely will be picking up his other works!

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bibliobliss
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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• so far (28 pages in ebook) it‘s terrible...the writing, the pacing, the characters...can anyone out there tell me it gets better? my first book by this author. maybe I‘m just rushing to judgment here? •

#currentlyreading #ebook #digitalreads #cloudLibrary #fiction

24 likes1 stack add
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AngelErin
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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✨I‘m #currentlyreading #theguestroom by #chrisbohjalian and so far the writing is fantastic and there‘s already suspense. I‘m dying to know what‘s going to happen!!!✨ #mystery #thriller

melbeautyandbooks @ChrisBohjalian - Litsy love for a book of yours! 6y
AngelErin @melbeautyandbooks ♥️♥️♥️ 6y
45 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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"But if you need no one's approval, you are probably crazy, and live alone on an island or the top of a mountain somewhere." Happy birthday to The Guest Room: two years young this month.

59 likes2 stack adds
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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There are many reasons why I wrote THE GUEST ROOM. This is one: #HumanTraffickingAwarenessDay. My thanks to groups like CAST Los Angeles for their fight against trafficking and slavery, and my publisher, Vintage Books.

Godmotherx5 Thanks for bringing awareness to the issue. 6y
Graciouswarriorprincess Thank you for the awareness. 6y
55 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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AngelErin
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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✨Just a few of the booksI would like to read soon! A couple of these are re-reads and not all of the ones on my TBR for the beginning of the year are pictured. Oh, and of course my #tbr is already getting out of control. I went from about 10 books to 30 books I want to read immediately. 😆😩 Help! I need an intervention. Anyone want to start a support group for people with out of control TBR issues? Lol!✨ #bookshelf #shelfie

LazyOwl You should join Mount TBR, I'm doing El Toro (75 books). There's a group on Goodreads & a few here at Litsy are doing as well 6y
AngelErin @LazyOwl what is the mount tbr exactly? 😘 6y
64 likes2 comments
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Color me grateful to Salon Magazine and Marci Rae Johnson for suggesting "The Guest Room" as one of 25 great, last-minute stocking stuffers books. Thank you!

61 likes1 stack add
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Lcsmcat
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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1. Red hots;
2. The Guest Room;
3. French;
4. Seven, four still living;
5. 💖
#friYayintro @jess.how

Susanita Red hots are nasty. 6y
34 likes1 comment
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ashsbookmarks
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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I reviewed The Guest Room on my blog this weekend! I really liked it and hope to read more of his books soon. I just need to get through my huge stack of books 📚 www.ashsscript.com
#theguestroom #bookreview

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Lcsmcat
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

This book gripped me. There were moments when I thought “Oh yes, a man wrote this,” but for the most part Bohjalian writes women well. And the pacing is spot on, refusing to let you go until the bitter (and it was bitter) end. And the premise, the disastrous effects of one bad mistake, make for some great discussion possibilities.

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ReadingManda
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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My weekend plans!

4 likes1 stack add
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Soubhiville
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Red was a good choice for me @elkeo ! I was nominated by Elkeo to post a #red stack for #bookcolortag. The majority of my TBR is either red or black, so it was pretty easy. (I have read some of these though).

I nominate @LauraBeth @Hooked_on_books @Foragingfantasy @ScientistSam and @Lizpixie to make me a Rainbow 🌈💜💙💚💛💜🦄

elkeOriginal Lovely - and a chair to match❣️ 7y
LeahBergen Lovely!! 7y
71 likes2 comments
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Selfie with wonderful reader Bethany Logan, who spotted me resting at the Addison General Store during today's #Vermont bike ride. She had her copy of THE GUEST ROOM in her car. #grateful #bikelife #amreading #getcaughtreading

Bookworm83 Love this! 7y
Graciouswarriorprincess Wonderful!❤️👍🏻📚 7y
61 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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MrBook
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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#TBRtemptation post 2! From
NYT-bestselling author Chris Bohjalian! hosts his younger brother's bachelor party at his Westchester home. What happens is a dangerously intimate moment with Alexandra & 2 naked Russian women killing their bodyguards. Now, the police booted him out of his house, his firm has him on indefinite leave, & his wife pushes him away. And Alexandra, she's got 2 options: arrest or death. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Tnovo This book was really good!! 7y
75 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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SarahRotenberry
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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As a person who lost a parent to cancer as a teenager, this is the first time I've read something that really made me stop and nod my head. Not that I spend time reading about cancer- I try not to. (That "total teenage denial" lasts way longer than teen years) But every once in awhile it creeps in and I usually cringe. As usual, @ChrisBohjalian has a completely unique way with words that rings true and pure.

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Bluzygrl
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Started this today, a rainy weekend off. As usual @ChrisBohjalian writes suspenseful page turning books, this one tackles sex trafficking and how a lapse of judgement can turn a seemingly normal life into a nightmare.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I haven't read any of his, but they look good! What's a good one to start with? 7y
Bluzygrl @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I adored Water Witches one of his first. It still remains one of my favorites. 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you!! I'll check it out!! 7y
See All 6 Comments
tpixie Thanks! I'm going to attempt to read all of his books the year! #bohjalian2017 Also, @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks loved 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @tpixie that one does look good! 😊 7y
tpixie 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
17 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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tpixie
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Listening to The Guest Room. The word "Bacchanalia" was used. Just heard it again while watching The Originals! Can't think how many years ago since I have heard that word! Funny how that happens!
( this is a guest room somewhere in Edinburgh). #bohjalian2017

Bluzygrl I'm reading this currently. 7y
tpixie @Bluzygrl lol don't listen to audiobook in public!! 7y
tpixie @Bluzygrl how do you spell the guys name that takes Alexandra in ? Vacilli? Or something like that. 7y
82 likes1 stack add3 comments
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BeckaroniAndCheese
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Started this on my commute this morning.

20 likes2 stack adds
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Reagan
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

I nabbed this guy at a library book sale and will be on the lookout for other books by the author. 2 thumbs up! I was drawn in right away, and it was just a great and entertaining read.

tpixie #bohjalian2017 I'm going to try to read all of his books this year! Maybe this should be next! 7y
Reagan @tpixie do it! I really enjoyed it! 7y
tpixie @Reagan-reads ok ! Thx!! Happy Reading 📖🎉! 7y
tpixie @Reagan-reads oh my! Just started!!! 😳 7y
Reagan @tpixie haha! It certainly doesn't ease into things! 7y
30 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Reagan
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian

I used Libib to catalogue my TBR shelf yesterday. I found a few doubles, that's okay. Now that I am organized that won't happen again. More troubling was the number of unread physical books... over 200...

Suzze That's nuthin'! 😁 I have 359. 7y
Reagan Oh thank you! I feel a little better! 7y
Redjewel_7734 I don't even want to admit how many I have 😱 7y
Amanda.T I went to a library sale today and hit 199 unread. 😫 7y
25 likes4 comments
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Just visited the absolutely wonderful Vermont Barnes & Noble and signed a lot of books. Thank you ! @Crownpublishing @DoubledayBooks

Megabooks 👍🏻👍🏻📚 7y
69 likes1 comment
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readingallthetime
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Also free to read from my library and cloudLibrary app.

6 likes1 stack add
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ChrisBohjalian
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Voila! The French edition!

Hollie Sexy cover art! 7y
Mc_cart_ny Woah, love it! 7y
42 likes2 comments
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Eridau
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

This was crazy and really good! I definitely did not expect it to end the way it did. It was also eye-opening and heartbreaking. I highly recommend it.

Jillsandypants I read this book about a year ago and it has really stuck with me. You're right...it's totally eye-opening. 7y
tpixie @Jillsandypants sounds good! #bohjalian2017 i'm going to try to read all of his books this year so maybe this one should be next! (edited) 7y
25 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Eridau
The Guest Room: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Sunday night rest and relaxation. Preparing for a busy week ahead with some good reads, lovely bubbles and a latte. Hope you all are enjoying your Sunday evening.

mcipher This book was pretty crazy! I really liked it. 7y
Eridau @mcipher yes it is! I'm loving it. 😊 7y
19 likes2 comments