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The Girls from Corona del Mar
The Girls from Corona del Mar: A novel | Rufi Thorpe
35 posts | 51 read | 81 to read
Why did Lorrie Ann look graceful in beat-up Keds and shorts a bit too small for her? Why was it charming when she snorted from laughing too hard? Yes, we were jealous of her, and yet we did not hate her. She was never so much as teased by us, we roaming and bratty girls of Corona del Mar, thieves of corn nuts and orange soda, abusers of lip gloss and foul language. An astonishing debut about friendships made in youth, The Girls from Corona del Mar is a fiercely beautiful novel about how these bonds, challenged by loss, illness, parenthood, and distance, either break or endure. Mia and Lorrie Ann are lifelong friends: hard-hearted Mia and untouchably beautiful, kind Lorrie Ann. While Mia struggles with a mother who drinks, a pregnancy at fifteen, and younger brothers she loves but cant quite be good to, Lorrie Ann is luminous, surrounded by her close-knit family, immune to the mistakes that mar her best friends life. Then a sudden loss catapults Lorrie Ann into tragedy: things fall apart, and then fall furtherand there is nothing Mia can do to help. And as good, brave, fair Lorrie Ann stops being so good, Mia begins to question just who this woman is, and what that question means about them both. A staggeringly honest, deeply felt novel of family, motherhood, loyalty, and the myth of the perfect friendship, The Girls from Corona del Mar asks just how well we know those we love, what we owe our children, and who we are without our friends.This eBook edition includes a Reading Group Guide.
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Erinreadsthebooks
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Pickpick

There‘s a tiny section in the middle-ish of this book that didn‘t keep my interest. However, that‘s the only wee drawback I have about this book. And it‘s minuscule. Otherwise, this examination of life, growing up, luck, fate, struggles, and sadnesses beyond measure is really something special. I love books that make you ask “what if…” about the past and the effect events (that are out of ones control) have on a person‘s life. Fascinating.

33 likes1 stack add
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Erinreadsthebooks
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Rufi Thorpe is quickly climbing the ladder of my favorite authors 🤩💯✅

37 likes3 stack adds
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mrp27
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#12Booksof2020

Books 10 and 11. Once again I was surprised by these two books, I didn‘t expect to like them as much as I did and they had a lot of depth to the stories. Bluebird was a slow burn mystery and Girls from Corona was about complicated friendships.

30 likes1 stack add
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mrp27
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#boundtogetherjune

Yesterday felt like a #vacation as my sister and I ventured out to the beach with my niece and nephew for the first family outing in months. I really didn't think I'd make it to the beach this summer but SoCal is almost fully open once again. It's nerve wracking to be out and a pain to pack masks, sanitizer, wipes, etc. but my heart was bursting with joy to be outside reading again as I started the tagged book.

OriginalCyn620 Beautiful! 💙 4y
37 likes1 comment
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Megabooks
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1. Both depending on size, location (if I have my Flippy for big books), availability from the library, whether it‘s fiction or NF...
2. My library, Amazon, BOTM, book outlet, book depository
3. Abso-freakin-lutely!!
4. Overdrive, Audible through my phone or a Bluetooth speaker
5. Tagged, this morning from the library #audiobook...Rebecca Lowman‘s voice is sounding good! 👍🏻

#thursdaysurvey

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Reviewsbylola
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A coming of age novel that centers around the friendship of two girls. I loved this one. #girlgonewild #MOvember

Megabooks Did you see @ChrisBohjalian ‘s post about her new novel coming out in 2020? I‘m excited for it! 5y
Cinfhen This was a good book!! Great choice 5y
Cinfhen And exciting news @Megabooks 5y
Mdargusch Would I like it? I usually like coming of age books. 5y
68 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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ErikasMindfulShelf
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Pickpick

I listened to this in one day. It was great! 4.5 ⭐️

46 likes2 stack adds
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Well-ReadNeck
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Pickpick

A gut punch of a novel about female friendships and what happens when they end. #MountTBR

107 likes3 stack adds
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TrishB
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Pickpick

A very compelling, deep look at female friendship. Certainly had me thinking....I ‘broke up‘ with a friend of 20 years last year as she did something really awful to me...this book really made me revisit a lot of that.

Sometimes an uncomfortable read, but you couldn‘t turn away.
Another #blamitonlitsy

Cinfhen Great review! So glad this book didn‘t disappoint. Friendship breakups are traumatic 😥 6y
Cinfhen Was just discussing this topic yesterday ~ men don‘t get it but all the women did. It‘s a terrible feeling of betrayal 6y
TrishB @Cinfhen exactly! It‘s 9 months later and I still feel like it happened yesterday!! I‘ll get over it eventually no doubt. 6y
125 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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emilyhaldi
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I remember loving this book, and for whatever reason this section still sticks with me ... "we don't deserve the spring, and we don't deserve the winter either. They just exist."
#californiagurls
#heatofjuly

Reviewsbylola Great choice! I forgot about this one! 6y
Cinfhen I recently used this book for a prompt, can‘t remember which 😜but I remember the book being edgy and uncomfortable ~ what a great sentence!! 6y
97 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Cinfhen
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#HeyJune #IfIFell I take comfort in knowing I am blessed with a community of family, friends and Littens whom I could lean on for comfort, support, advice and love. The tagged book is about two girls, best friends who believe they know each other better than they know themselves but when events turn their lives upside down, they discover how little they knew. This book is way darker and deeper than I was expecting. It‘s a moving story but sad 😢

GypsyKat This one sounds like I would need to emotionally prepare myself before reading! ❤️ 6y
Cinfhen Yes!!! It‘s NOT a light breezy beach book @GypsyKat 💔 6y
TrishB I like the sound of this one! 6y
See All 6 Comments
Cathythoughts Sounds good 6y
Reviewsbylola Absolutely loved this. 6y
DebinHawaii I have had this one sitting in my #TBR stack for ages now. Glad you thought it was good. 👍 6y
129 likes5 stack adds6 comments
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m.galehuxley
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I‘m enjoying this book so far, but I always judge a little harshly when there are a few too many exclamation points for my taste. Exclamation points were near forbidden in my writing classes, so I notice them way more than I should.

6 likes1 stack add
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m.galehuxley
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I went Christmas shopping for my family today and promised myself I would not buy any books. But then my mom suggested that we stop in Barnes and Noble to get a coffee. Sigh..I‘m weak..🙄

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HardcoverHarlot
Pickpick

Like a sucker punch to the gut, but in a good way.

24 likes2 stack adds
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malloryomeara
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Pickpick

This book is charming, heartbreaking and surprises you with how poignant it is. I loved it so much!

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emilyhaldi
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Pickpick

Compelling and gripping, this book is a quick read that asks us how well we really ever know another person. It's one of those stories with a somewhat haunting ending that left me with a desire to know more about the characters.
"You were right: we don't deserve the spring and we don't deserve the winter either. They just exist."

Reviewsbylola Yes you loved it!!!! I always get worried when I recommend books. 😂 8y
Mdargusch Would I like it @Reviewsbylola ? 8y
Reviewsbylola Eh, I think you would but curious to see if Emily agrees! @Mdargusch 8y
emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola Mdargusch I think you would like it! 8y
93 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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emilyhaldi
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After a productive morning I'm relaxing with this absorbing book. Thanks for the recommendation @Reviewsbylola !!!

Reviewsbylola You could read this in one sitting if you wanted to. Very good!! 8y
emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola that's the plan! 8y
BooksForEmpathy This is a great one. Enjoy! 8y
104 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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specklife
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Pickpick

This one was kinda heavy... definitely not the one for you if you're looking for some light reading, that's for sure. A solid 4 stars, though – excellent writing on the part of Rufi Thorpe.

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specklife
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Karli
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Pickpick

This was a fantastic book that reflects on friendship, feminism and class. There are so many questions in this one, you should read it with a friend. @KimG

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Karli
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This seems especially apt tonight. In 2016 we are still in a country where a woman's voice isn't always taken seriously. Here is to shattering the last of the glass ceilings.

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brookelee
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And it's true: everyone ignores a woman in labor. This was just the way babies got born. This was just the way women were hung, like meat, from hooks upon the wall.

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brookelee
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Sunday afternoon reading. I loved the first few pages!

Sarahsbookshelves Interested to hear your thoughts on this once you get farther in...I've wanted to read it ever since loving Dear Fang, With Love 8y
3 likes1 comment
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SandraD1
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Pickpick

So good I can't put it down long enough to even dip a toe into the water!

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bellasocks
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Dear Fang, With Love was amazing! Have to read this now! 💗

MrBook Cool image! 8y
Alena I had the exact same reaction. Finished Dear Fang today and I'm having trouble loving on from it. So great. 8y
6 likes1 stack add2 comments
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giveitupforlentmom
Pickpick

I love her storytelling, even her characters that are messy. I did like Dear Fang more.

Reviewsbylola I loved this and can't wait to read Dear Fang! 8y
Librarylady I loved The Girls from Corona del Mar. Adding Dear Fang to my TBR. 8y
11 likes2 comments
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giveitupforlentmom
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I've missed you so much it feels like it's crushing my internal organs.

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giveitupforlentmom

Starting this because Dear Fang was so good!

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Reviewsbylola
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Pickpick

I read this book in 24 hours because I just had to keep going. The characters and their lives were just so huge and heavy that I kept telling myself to slow down and really reflect on everything. I am still trying to digest it, but overall I just felt like the experiences were so genuine.

LornaDH I have this one somewhere, must read it! 8y
37 likes11 stack adds1 comment
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Reviewsbylola
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So unflinchingly real. Hoping to stay up late tonight with this one!

catieohjoy Ooh, I've wanted to read this for a long time—I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Her new novel looks great, too! 8y
Reviewsbylola Yes, I am looking forward that one too! @catieohjoy 8y
26 likes9 stack adds2 comments
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Hanje
Pickpick

Life, love, loss, growing up, falling down, wash, rinse, repeat. Good stuff. Debut novel. Will read her new novel. Childhood friends find out that life gets more complicated as does their friendship.

Well-ReadNeck Loved Dear Fang, With Love. Adding this one to my TBR list. So glad to read your review! 8y
14 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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lisa.moussalli
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Just started this one at my mom's recommendation. Thorpe writes a killer first paragraph. Will keep y'all posted!

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CateKeesling
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Excited to start this one, I've heard great things. Mostly from @Liberty!

18 likes2 stack adds
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BooksForEmpathy
Pickpick

Wrecked by this one. A bunch of thoughts... motherhood... womanhood... friendship... the stories we tell ourselves and others... and how well we can possibly know those closest to us... and if it is our place to judge them or not... and when we choose to, our reasoning behind doing so... Loved it.

9 likes1 stack add
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BooksForEmpathy
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I like to read a chapter or two in between seeing clients at work. This one is perfect for today.

6 likes3 stack adds