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A Little Hope
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
35 posts | 28 read | 24 to read
A deeply moving, life-affirming novel about residents in a small Connecticut town facing everyday fears and desiresa lost love, a stalled career, a diagnosisthat pulls at the heartstrings and provides hope, for readers of Olive Kitteridge. In the small city of Wharton, Connecticut, lives are beginning to unravel. A husband betrays his wife. A son struggles with addiction. A widow misses her late spouse. At the heart of these interlinking stories is one couple: Freddie and Greg Tyler. Greg has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a brutal form of cancer. He intends to handle this the way he has faced everything else: through grit and determination. But can Greg successfully overcome his illness? How will Freddie and their daughter cope if he doesnt? How do the other residents of Wharton learn to live with loss, and find happiness again? An emotionally powerful debut that immerses the reader into a community of friends, family, and neighbors, A Little Hope celebrates the importance of small moments of connection and the ways that love and forgiveness can help us survive even the most difficult of lifes challenges.
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marleed
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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My last grid of the year. I tagged my favorite!

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. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

Note: To equate quarter ratings to A-F scores, 3.5 and 3.25 both garner a C+, but 3.5 represents my quandary when I can‘t decide between a pick or a so-so!

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marleed
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

So many characters in this short book about a small town, but I sure thought it worked. I can‘t even tell you the MC of this story because the author made every character named worthy of a backstory. …For years traveling to my in-laws included winding through state and county roads. I would see many homes in tiny communities and imagine their story. This book made me think of that.

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Eggs
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf! Beautiful photo ❤️ 12mo
Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🌳🧡🍁 12mo
59 likes2 comments
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LeafingThroughLife
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

I was ready to not like this one because I hate when a bunch of short stories get together, throw on a trench-coat, and pretend to be a novel. Luckily, these interconnected stories of people who are weathering life‘s struggles and tragedies but finding that bit of sweetness on the other side started getting to my heart in the last half. It‘s a little too on the nose at times, but both reads easily and captures the essence of being human. #bookspin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1y
27 likes1 comment
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Thank you Cyd!! Can‘t wait to read this one! I‘m enjoying A Quiet Life 📚❤️

Love the card! 🦋
“Let the rays of your heart shine on all who pass by.” Terri Guillemets

#LitsyLove ❤️📚❤️📚❤️📚

CBee You‘re welcome, friend 😊 2y
allureofbeauty I have that one in my tbr pile. 2y
67 likes2 comments
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Eggs
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Plenty of #reconciliation in this novel - reconciling with one‘s circumstances, with loss, with family, with hope…

#IndelibleMoments @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

theokiereader I loved this book! The author has a new book coming out in November!
2y
Eggs @theokiereader how exciting!! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Do you think I would like this one? 2y
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Melkyl
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed reading this. The characters were just real people with real problems. I found the experiences the characters were going through very relatable. #BOTM

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tjwill
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

The lives of several families and individuals in the same area of Connecticut are intertwined, told in various points of view. In each chapter, the emotional pendulum would swing between despair and hope. At times, it felt like too much, but it was carefully paced to drop all the pieces together by the end.

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tjwill
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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What a beautiful and heartbreaking sentiment.

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GondorGirl
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

I listened to this entire book today and I feel sorry of wrecked over it. It takes place in a small town, over the course of one year. There is no central narrator and the chapters jump around between a dozen different people. It's beautifully written, painful at times, but ultimately hopeful and lovely. A five star read.

I'll add a spoiler comment with some trigger warnings.

GondorGirl Child death (previous), late term miscarriage, off screen drug and alcohol addiction, cancer. 3y
AmyG I enjoyed this one, too. 3y
46 likes2 comments
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Mshookquilts
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

It IS a book of hope. We get a glimpse of a small part of life in a community and how their hurts and joys tie into one another. Nothing terribly exciting in the “I‘m holding my breath” way, but just an awakening to the sweetness of life no matter where your feet are currently walking and that brings hope in itself.

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Victoriahoperose
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Mehso-so

This one wasn‘t my favorite. There were so many interconnected storylines that could have worked but it was just so much going on. There was so much tragedy in this book and I do feel like it was a good connector, but at the same time, I felt like it was hard to follow in parts and keep straight because some of the stories were similar. For me, it was a lot of characters and would have been better if it was focused on fewer stories.

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thevagabondlawyer
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

This book did not land on my radar until few days ago after hearing it on MomAdvice podcast (Thanks Amy). I thought I‘ll give it a try and glad I did. Hugely readable, A Little Hope by Ethan Joella is so rich in themes, characters are so intimately real, imbued with a fullness of human spirit as well as a celebration of the limitless varieties of human experience: pain, regrets, secrets we keep, unresolved issues, well-meaning hopefulness.👇

thevagabondlawyer Mr. Joella is exceptionally skilled, sharp-sighted, and observant writer. From this debut, there‘s seems to be nothing he can‘t write about remarkably well. This reminds me of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout but that book did not work for me. A Little Hope, on the other hand, really evokes the power of small but genuine connection of lives in challenging times. 🙂👏 3y
48 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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MotherOfCats
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Not totally sure if I‘m ready to hurt…

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CBee
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

I took a chance on this, not knowing anything about it when I chose it for #BOTM. I am SO glad I did! What a lovely book about a small town, with characters who all intersect, about love and grief and how it‘s okay to move on, to have hope, to choose happiness. I loved it ♥️♥️♥️

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Stacked 📚 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Stacked 📚 2y
CBee @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I‘ll send this to you ❤️ it‘s a good one! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @CBee awww thank you!! ❤️❤️ 2y
CBee @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks you‘re welcome! 😘😘 2y
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Rissa1
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

The more I think about this book the more I love it. The character's felt incredibly real. Kay is a story I want to hear more about. I am sad this book has ended. #JoyousJanuary #52booksin52weeks @Andrew65

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 Sounds good. 3y
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Rissa1
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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🤯💣

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jspoelker
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

A Fri night in Jan

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KadeLexical
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
Mehso-so

A lovely set of stories about people living their lives in a small community and a look into their thoughts, experiences and struggles. A bit cheesy at parts, but dealt with real and gritty topics.

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jdiehr
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

A sad, short, sweet book about grief and moving on.

Another #botm win 😊

PS - anyone else watching the Hallmark Christmas movies??

wanderinglynn Not yet (because I have to subscribe to the channel and I‘m waiting until 1 Dec). But I love your shirt! ❤️ 3y
jdiehr @wanderinglynn I work at a Hallmark store and am a sucker for the clothes 😄 3y
MemoirsForMe Cool shirt! Just watched Christmas Sail. Gotta love Hallmark! 🙌🏻 3y
43 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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tjwill
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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November 21 #botm

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FelinesAndFelonies
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

This was a beautiful exploration of how the lives of a small community intersect. It is a beautiful book full of heartbreak, struggle, triumph, & well... A little hope.
The chapters are told from perspectives of different characters & braided together to allow an intimate view into the relationships & bonds that hold the community together. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Megabooks
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

What to rate this? It depends on whether your in the mood for some fluffy moralism. The good characters are very good; there aren‘t “bad guys”, but there are hard up characters that aren‘t redeemed. Maybe I‘m a snob, but this reads unsophisticated and a bit immature, like a talented teen wrote it. However, sometimes one needs fluffy, and I did the day I started this. Definitely a book with a little hope. I‘ll go with pick. #botm

TrishB I‘m not sold! But great review. 3y
jdiehr This was my botm choice. Haven't started it yet. 3y
Cinfhen Excellent review 3y
See All 10 Comments
Megabooks @TrishB thank you! 3y
Megabooks @jdiehr I hope you enjoy it! I‘m not sorry it was my pick, but I liked (not loved) it. 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen thanks! I know it‘s not as positive as yours, but it felt heavy handed to me, yet still a heartwarming book 3y
marleed I like this review. I get what you mean when book is okay but just needs a bit more sophistication in its telling. 3y
Megabooks @marleed thanks! That was just the best word for it. It could‘ve used some subtlety. 3y
Chelsea.Poole I‘ve been wondering about this one. Great review! 3y
Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole thanks!! 3y
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Megabooks
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Leaves are falling on the deck, and my first #botm box got here!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yay!! 🎊📚 3y
Gissy Pretty!🍂🍁🍂🍁 3y
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Cinfhen So pretty😍 Enjoy 3y
BarbaraBB That room really is fantastic 😍 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB thanks! We‘ve turned it into my living room. Yay! (Not sure if I mentioned that yet. Very forgetful atm.) Molly likes to play in there, so it just made sense. My favorite chair is right next to that. Molly likes to sit in my lap and look out the window. 😁 3y
Cinfhen That‘s wonderful! A gorgeous space for you two ♥️ 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen thanks friend! We‘re sitting in the chair now watch the grass get mowed. Exciting stuff! 3y
Cinfhen Sounds exciting 😜 3y
Centique What a lovely deck 😍 3y
Megabooks @Centique thank you! 3y
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rather_be_reading
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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November books are out! #botm

iamcourtneyb Just put in my November box order for the same book 📚 3y
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TheBookStacker
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Picked my books, I leave for Germany at the end of the month so I need some books for the immensely long plane ride (I am also bring my kindle/iPad) lots of reading going to get done! #botm

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erank58
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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#BOTM was kinda blah this month ☹ it doesn't help that I'm in such a reading funk right now, and usually spooky season is my favorite for reading. I wasn't even excited to check the picks today, ugh do I hate slumps!!!

TEArificbooks I skipped too 3y
ItsAnotherJen I relate. It's been harder for me to get into books lately. I've been taking a lot longer getting through the books I'm reading too. Definitely feeling like I'm in a reading slump as well 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I also skipped 😩 3y
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EKonrad I skipped too! 😢 3y
staci.reads Same 😔 3y
erank58 @mdm139 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @EKonrad @staci.reads seems like there were a lot of skips this month!!! 3y
erank58 @ItsAnotherJen I feel the same way! I need a good one to keep my interest. I have a few lined up for my TBR that I'm going to try next week! Good luck 😊 3y
mrsthilkey I skipped for the 3rd month in a row. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 3y
erank58 @mrsthilkey oh yuck! I did not have a good BOTM year--hopefully they step up their game for 2022! 3y
rather_be_reading i almost skipped 3y
erank58 @rather_be_reading what did you ene up getting?? 3y
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Megabooks
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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LOVED this month on #botm!! I‘m very hopeful 😉 about these choices. Somehow I worked my way up to four accounts, so after these arrive I‘m canceling these two. Skipped on the other two. Excited to see what everyone else did!

Cinfhen Oh wow!!! 4 accounts 😂😂😂do you need 4 different emails??? I tried to rejoin but it keeps taking me to my current account. 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen yes! Four different emails! 😂😂 3y
Reviewsbylola I could have probably been persuaded by either of your main picks but I don‘t like the covers enough. 😂 The NF I may listen to on audio depending on reviews. And your fourth choice is def one of the adds on I was interested in! 3y
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Cinfhen I need to cutback on BOTM simply because of delivery to Israel. I‘m waiting for my “ free” book of the year book and then I‘m pulling the plug. Almost ALL of these books end up on #Scribd or #Audible so I‘m happy putting my $ towards that. But I do love the monthly excitement of a little blue box 😍 3y
swishandflick 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 3y
MicheleinPhilly 4??? Didn‘t you quit when I did??? 🤣🤣🤣 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🎉📚🎊 3y
ValerieAndBooks What @MicheleinPhilly said!! I quit at that same time too, and now somehow you have 4 accounts 😂 !! There are times I miss that blue box coming, and other times when I don‘t. 3y
britt_brooke FOUR? 😂😅💸 Too funny. 3y
Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly @ValerieAndBooks @britt_brooke I rejoined on my main account a few months later for what was supposed to be one month that has turned into three. The other ones I joined using the blue box #botmhacks to get cheap add ons that I wanted. Last month I got four add ons over two accounts. Just reminded me that it sucks when they‘re the best books. I enjoyed two, bailed on one, and am enjoying the third, so at least I‘m reading them! 3y
Megabooks @Cinfhen yeah, I can imagine that would be hard. Probably better to buy local or BD. Plus, like me, you seem to be reading more audiobooks than print. Plus you‘ve got netgalley! #NeverTooManyBooks 😉 3y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola yeah the add ons seem pretty solid. I almost decided I didn‘t need the essays in print, but I wanted to read more print NF. Or at least have one around. 😁 3y
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swishandflick
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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November #BOTM picks! 📚

Branwen YES! You're the absolute BEST! 😁💕📚 Thanks so much for posting these! 3y
Nelnjali The Keeper of the Night sounds like my kind of book, and I'm definitely curious about the Keanu Reeves book. It sounds like it could be some quirky fun. 3y
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Breanne1 Thank you SO much, I really appreciate the tag!! I‘m leaning towards A Little Hope or The Collective. Need to keep thinking on it… 3y
BookwormAHN I'm thinking Keeper of Night. 3y
AmyG Thank you! 3y
Cinfhen Ahhhh!!! Thank you!!!! You‘re awesomeness xxx 3y
swishandflick @Branwen Sure thing!! Anything jumping out at you? 3y
swishandflick @Nelnjali I felt similarly about the Keanu book! Haha. I don't usually purchase romance in hardback but that sounds fun. 3y
swishandflick @Breanne1 Definitely been doing some digging! I think I'm leaning towards The Family 👏🏽 3y
swishandflick @Cinfhen Anything striking your fancy? I saw your review on A Little Hope and that sounds good. I feel like I'm also leaning towards The Family. 😆 3y
PathfinderNicole Wooo!! Thanks for always posting these!!! It‘s really helpful for getting a jump start on my picks! 3y
Branwen I think I might get 3 again this month! 🤣😂 The Collective, A Little Hope, and the fantasy YA one look soooo good! 😍 Of course, I might change that around if there are super good add ons too! 🤔📚 3y
Megabooks I‘ll have to look these up!! 3y
Megabooks A little hope and the family look good to me! 3y
5feet.of.fury How to Marry Keanu Reaves in 90 Days? The title is selling meeeee 3y
TravelsWithBooks @5feet.of.fury Same! 3y
Hollie Oooh, The Family looks good! 3y
swishandflick @Hollie That's the one that's calling to me too! 3y
Booknerd222 I‘m kinda disappointed cause for the last few months (and this month) I haven‘t found any of the books horribly interesting. 3y
marleed Oh cool -I saw a spoiler suggesting The Family is Jenna‘s Nov bookclub pick. 3y
Cinfhen The Family is the only one calling to me!! A Little Hope is a quiet & quick read but it doesn‘t really linger once you put it away. It‘s good but not GREAT. I‘m curious to see the add-ons 3y
catiewithac Major bummer 3y
Breanne1 With @Cinfhen review of a Little Hope I‘m leaning towards The Family now. It seems like The Collective will be a potential ebook deal for me down the road…don‘t need it in hard back. 3y
Cinfhen Agreed @Breanne1 worth picking up at some point but not necessarily a book to own immediately 3y
Reviewsbylola Ok, just my first impression—none of these look like books I would read. Possibly the synopses will change my mind on that BUT even if I do change my mind, I really don‘t like any of these covers. And that‘s a dealbreaker for me for book purchases. 3y
mrsthilkey @Booknerd222 same. I will be skipping for the third month in a row 😬 3y
81 likes28 comments
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Cinfhen
A Little Hope: A Novel | Ethan Joella
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Pickpick

A special and touching debut. Ethan Joella introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters. This novel follows a group of loosely connected characters each tenderly drawn, who reside in the town of Wharton, Connecticut. The story encapsulates one year as their lives intertwine through friendship, loss, joy, sorrow and hope. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for gifting me this beautiful, quite novel. #SimonAndSchusterBookClubFavorites #ARC👇🏼

Cinfhen There are a few trigger warnings but they are also spoilers so peek at your own risk 👇🏼 3y
Cinfhen Death, miscarriage, 3y
Megabooks I think I‘m going to choose this from BOTM! Great review! 3y
Cinfhen It‘s a quiet and quick read. But it might be a #BorrowNotBuy @Megabooks 😬 3y
Megabooks I have a bunch of credits and December is usually shit, so I‘ll probably go for it. 👍🏻 3y
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