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Monsters of Templeton
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER -- the debut novel by the acclaimed author of Fates and Furies. "The day I returned to Templeton steeped in disgrace, the fifty-foot corpse of a monster surfaced in Lake Glimmerglass." So begins The Monsters of Templeton, a novel spanning two centuries: part contemporary story of a girl's search for her father; part historical novel; and part ghost story. In the wake of a disastrous love affair with her older, married archaeology professor at Stanford, brilliant Wilhelmina Cooper arrives back at the doorstep of her hippie mother-turned-born-again-Christian's house in Templeton, NY, a storybook town her ancestors founded that sits on the shores of Lake Glimmerglass. Upon her arrival, a prehistoric monster surfaces in the lake bringing a feeding frenzy to the quiet town, and Willie learns she has a mystery father, one her mother kept secret Willie's entire life. The beautiful, broody Willie is told that the key to her biological father's identity lies somewhere in her family's history, so she buries herself in the research of her twisted family tree and finds more than she bargained for as a chorus of voices from the town's past--some sinister, all fascinating--rise up around her to tell their side of the story. In the end, dark secrets come to light, past and present day are blurred, and old mysteries are finally put to rest.The Monsters of Templeton is a fresh, virtuoso performance that has placed Lauren Groff among the best writers of today.
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PurpleyPumpkin
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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I read this back in 2008. I don‘t remember the story clearly but I do remember thinking it was weird. I enjoyed it. 😈
#monster #CoverLove

Eggs 🖤👹🖤 4mo
35 likes1 comment
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BarkingMadRead
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Starting my #authoramonth book tonight, nothing like waiting until the last minute 🤣 @Soubhiville

41 likes1 stack add
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peanutnine
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🖤🤍❤️ 13mo
32 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
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#TrappedinaSpookyHouse

@julieclair Uh oh … looks like you‘re trapped in a spooky house with just five books! Monsters, witches, murder and mayhem await…

julieclair Ooohhh..... I am very happy to be Trapped in a Spooky House with these books! Great choices! Thank you!!! 🎃🏚️☠️🕷️🕸️🖤 1y
43 likes1 comment
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ManyWordsLater
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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Bailedbailed

My sister loved this book. But I just don‘t connect with any of the characters. I‘ve been reading this on and off for over a month. That‘s enough. I‘m done.

Deblovestoread To give credit where it‘s due I stole #hailthebail from @Cinfhen 😁 1y
Cinfhen Thanks for the shoutout @Deblovestoread 😘 1y
Cinfhen And I‘ve heard mixed things about this book- so agreed… it was time to evoke the bail #AllHailTheBail 1y
62 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ManyWordsLater
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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Vacation purchases.

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MaleficentBookDragon
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My physical bookshelves are overflowing and I want to Marie Kondo them a bit.
So, I‘m posting #abookaday of my “maybes” and I hope you can help me decide.
Have you read this book? Should I? ❤️ or a hard pass? Is it on your wish list? Let me know below.

DivineDiana None of the above. But I love the cover! ❤️ 3y
Soubhiville I gave it a so-so rating. 3y
RaeLovesToRead Not read it but that is an AWESOME cover! 3y
iread2much This cover makes me want to read it 3y
MaleficentBookDragon @iread2much that‘s what grabbed me too. 3y
60 likes1 stack add5 comments
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bookishbitch
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Stephen King wrote a glowing review on the back cover of this one. Of course I had picked it up at that point, so the battle was already half won. #tbrpile

19 likes1 stack add
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Mitch
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Super happy to read about running - as long as I don‘t actually have to do it! 🤣. You might like these picks though @Blaire

Blaire Love!! I‘ll have to check these out! 4y
54 likes1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
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Pickpick

This book defies description- there are elements of HF, magical realism, genealogical mystery, among other genres. The history of the town (a fictionalized version of Cooperstown NY) was very interesting but I didn't like the contemporary characters, esp the MC, so I sometimes found this hard going. But I suspect I'll be thinking of elements of this book for some time so I'm calling it a pick.
PS- my hibiscus is blooming like crazy this year! 🌺

bookandbedandtea I forgot to mention this is another from my #BookSpinBonanza list @TheAromaofBooks 5y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! And I love that cover!!! 5y
30 likes1 stack add2 comments
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DeeLeeBooks
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Really enjoying this so far!!! ☺️

11 likes1 stack add
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shellleigh33
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#7days7covers #covercrush Day 2 Have yet to read this book but love this cover! One of the reasons I purchased it.
Tagging @Skeebies05 if you haven‘t already been tagged to play - post a pretty cover every day for 7 days, no explanation required

mcipher Oooh, I do love this cover! I‘m 75% sure I read and enjoyed this. 😆 5y
25 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LauraBeth
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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Thrift store finds 💃

squirrelbrain Love that cover! 💕 5y
LeahBergen I have both of these waiting on my shelf. 🙄 5y
saresmoore WHAT. That‘s some good thrifting! 5y
See All 6 Comments
LauraBeth @saresmoore I think I have your review to blame for wanting to ready Sympathy! I kept checking my library and they never ordered it, so I was thrilled to find it for $1! 5y
LauraBeth @leahbergen I have faith that you'll get to them one of these days! 5y
85 likes1 stack add6 comments
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GidgetsTreasures75
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8-2-19: My 62nd finished book of 2019! #themonstersoftempleton #laurengroff

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wordzie
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In the end, fiction is the craft of telling truth through lies.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks We miss you!!!! 5y
78 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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arlenefinnigan
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#MonsterMash
Did a Goodreads search and my attention was caught by this lovely Goth cover.
#OctoberXFiles @Robothugs @Cinfhen

TrishB That is a lovely cover 💕 6y
arlenefinnigan @TrishB isn't it? I mean I know you're not supposed to judge them by their covers but.... 6y
45 likes2 comments
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gracemom
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Pickpick

I‘ve fallen in love with Templeton (and the Running Buds). Thank you, Lauren Groff.

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gracemom
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This town map shows two libraries, so I‘m already smitten. 📚🖤

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kerry
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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Backlist and vacation mornings. #beachreads

17 likes1 stack add
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BookaholicNatty
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Here are the other books I grabbed today at the thrift store! Anyone read any of these? Dear Emma is a modern retelling inspired by Jane Austen. Murder at the 42nd street library has detectives, murder mystery, librarians, books, and a library. Who could ask for any more? 😂 Was happy to add another Beatriz Williams to my collection as always and another Sue Grafton as I‘m trying to collect them all. And monster in Templeton got great reviews!

peggyriley Monsters of Templeton is ace. 6y
Pamwurtzler I loved A Hundred Summers and Murder at the 42nd Street Library sounds intriguing. 6y
ofclumsywords I haven‘t read Dear Emma yet bur Katie Heaney is one of my favorite authors! 6y
109 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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REPollock
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Pickpick

A monster appears in Lake Glimmerglass... Eccentric, curious, interesting structure. Perhaps most fun if you know anything about Cooperstown NY.

10 likes1 stack add
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ninjypants
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How‘s everyone coming along? I stayed up late last night and got a fair amount of reading done. Slept in this morning and feel refreshed and ready to spend all day with my head in a book! Except I‘m hungry so maybe a bowl of cereal first. Happy reading! #24in48

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ninjypants
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Helloooo Littens! I‘m super stoked for #24in48 this weekend and my boyfriend is going to participate with me for the first time! His stack is on the left and mine‘s on the right. I think I‘m going to start with the tagged book and after that I‘ll see what grabs me. Happy readathoning!!

Samplergal Oreos.... jealous! 6y
ninjypants @Samplergal my faves! 6y
28 likes2 comments
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REPollock
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How do you feel about novels that include elements like photography and “found documents” (diaries, letters, family trees, etc.)? Do you think it generally adds to or distracts from the story?

Suet624 Love it. 6y
Eggs I love those additions 6y
batsy Depends on the novel & how the writer incorporates it but in my experience I've always enjoyed those elements :) 6y
MirrorMask If it's based on true events, I love it! It saves me from having to look it up for myself. 6y
17 likes4 comments
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REPollock
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Another inscribed score from the Tin House summer workshops! Looking forward to this one.

14 likes1 stack add
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REPollock
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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My Tin House book haul grows... ❤️📚🎉

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Aimeesue
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Lauren Groff from the 24 May NYT "By The Book" column.
I think is true, for the most part. Except when it comes to The Davinci Code, which I will always, always, always hate for its "style" and cliffhanger format. ?

CindyMyLifeIsLit I agree, for the most part. I usually attribute my low rating of a popular book to personal preference, but sometimes. . . sometimes, it‘s NOT me, it‘s them! There are popular books that occasionally provide tangible proof of their inherent unworthiness, such as bad writing or undeniable plot holes. Then I don‘t feel the need to apologize for my dislike of them! 😁 7y
Bookwomble I'd certainly agree with Groff on this one. It took me five abortive attempts at "Crime and Punishment" before I was swept away by Dostoyevsky's genius. 7y
Aimeesue @CindyMyLifeIsLit @Bookwomble I see it most clearly when I reread books I like - The Remains of the Day, The French Lieutenant's Woman - where I can then kind of see how the magic happens. Some books *are* just terrible books, and there's no getting around it, but if it's a classic, or has great professional reviews and I still hate it, I gotta believe it's me. (edited) 7y
CindyMyLifeIsLit @Aimeesue For classics, definitely! I always assume it‘s me for classics. I think of my teenage students, turning their noses up and condemning Fahrenheit 451 or To Kill a Mockingbird as “boring” or “stupid,” and I tell them that this book has been lauded long before they were born and will continue to be long after they‘re gone. I hated Ulysses, but that‘s on me!! 7y
14 likes4 comments
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KarenUK
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#marchintooz
Two from my TBR today, both with #monsters in the title... both by author‘s named Lauren...

MinDea I love Lauren Beukes! 7y
Reagan Broken Monsters is great, so is 7y
LeahBergen And both on my TBR, too. 😂 7y
Cinfhen I have both marked as Want to Read😉 7y
62 likes4 comments
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ManuelaVictoriaAronofsky
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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“I didn‘t see it until I entered the house that night and went up to my room. But there it was, framed in the twilight in a window, surreal and vivid: the monster in midair, suspended by the crane. It‘s neck was thrust backward so that it‘s head tilted toward the east mountains, it‘s arms and legs were dropping toward the ground, the great, delicate tail one long comma, looking tattered and unlovely out of the water.”

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lyssamez
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Pickpick

Just finished Lauren Groff‘s first novel this morning. While I enjoyed Fates and Furies more, this was definitely a delightful family drama with plenty of humor and just the right dose of magical realism. It definitely kept me turning the pages.

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Clwojick
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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#LibraryWishlist

I love this cover! ❤️

KCorter Ooh, I think I need to add all of the books on your #LibraryWishlist to my own wishlist! 7y
Clwojick @KCorter yes! The never-ending TBR list. 🤗🙌 7y
RealBooks4ever I really liked this book - I swear she based one of the characters on an aunt of mine! 🤣 7y
Jess_Read_This Completely stacked based on the cover alone... then was extraordinarily pleased the plot sounds good too!! 7y
76 likes1 stack add4 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 10! Spanning 200 years, it's a ghost story & historical novel. In the wake of an affair with her professor, Willie returns home to Templeton, NY, and her hippie-turned-Baptist mom, Vi. The discovery of a 50-foot monster's carcass in the lake prevents peace. Vi explains that Willie's father was not some random guy, but someone from town. She puts her archaeology skills to use to learn about him. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

BostonBookAddict It's a really good book!! 7y
CouronneDhiver Pretty cover! 7y
Nuwanda I really liked this one! 7y
8leagueboot You had me at 50-foot monster's carcass and that cover! 7y
93 likes21 stack adds4 comments
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nitalibrarian
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#unpopularopinionsbooktag
1. Chronicles of Narnia
2. The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
3. Sookie ❤️ Eric = Sooric
4. Popular literature and mysteries
5. Aslan
6. Danielle Steel
7. Motorcycle club romances
8. Little House series
9. Game of Thrones

Scurvygirl I did not know motorcycle club romances was even a genre. I guess that would not be my thing either! 😹 7y
Sydsavvy Yes what is that ! lol I think I've learned something new 🤣 (edited) 7y
Debiw781 I don't like motorcycle club romances either! But I also didn't like the book version of Eric. The tv version was a different matter 😂 7y
29 likes3 comments
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raeintheworld
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#JubilantJuly #SideProfiles
I picked this book up years ago because of this awesome cover, and it began my love and fascination with everything Lauren Groff writes.
@RealLifeReading

18 likes1 stack add
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MallenNC
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Here are some #blackorwhite (well, black and white) books from my shelves. #90sinJuly @Cinfhen @Robothugs

Robothugs Beautiful cover choices! 7y
Cinfhen All striking ❣️gorgeous 😍 7y
29 likes2 comments
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alanacristin
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This is when I realize that I have over 700 #Kindle books...and I've really only started reading ebooks with regularity since babe was born last year so it's a safe assumption the vast majority of those are unread 😲 #tbr like whoa 📚 mostly daily deals because money yikes. #mommyreads #ebook

10 likes1 stack add
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BookHermit
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Pickpick

An amazing first novel filled with dazzling words and glimmers of truth. I can't believe it took me so long to read it as I have loved Groff's subsequent books and short stories. The author interview excerpt above floors me. I cannot imagine her process but I respect her dedication to both story and craft. A fine summer read with a curious and charming cast of characters including a jogging troupe and a prehistoric lake creature.

Suet624 This is the only one of hers I haven't read. Stacked!! 7y
32 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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BookHermit
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Matilda
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📚🔔📚 I loooooved FATES & FURIES so I bought this one! Amazon/b&n

AThousandLives87 Thanks for the heads up!!! 7y
cariashley This one is almost as good as Fates and Furies! Love her! 7y
RealBooks4ever This is a great book! I was convinced she based one character on an aunt of mine! 😆💜 7y
See All 7 Comments
readinginthedark I've only read some of her short stories; I should pick up a novel! 7y
Matilda @readinginthedark my first of hers was Fates & Furies and it was epic! 7y
Matilda @AThousandLives87 gotta share the book love! 7y
42 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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BookHermit
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It's always nice when the rando sticker actually compliments the cover design. #booknerdwins

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BookHermit
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A little sunset reading

42 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
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I'm sure I have several more #BlackAndWhiteCovers, but I didn't feel like searching for them tonight. #MayBookFlowers

56 likes1 stack add
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LeslieO
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Black and white with just a hint of red! #blackandwhitecovers #maybookflowers

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LeahBergen
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I've had this one waiting on the TBR for ages and I'm not sure why (I really liked this author's Fates and Furies). #TheMonster #LyricalApril

rockpools The cover! ❤️ 8y
Bambolina_81 Love the cover 😍 8y
Cinfhen Yup! On my TBR too and that cover...what did I say #covergirl 100% 😘😘 8y
See All 15 Comments
LauraBeth Beautiful cover! 8y
cariashley I really liked this one! 8y
erzascarletbookgasm I like the cover! 8y
elkeOriginal On the TBR because of the cover. I read it just because of that cover too! 8y
raeintheworld I love this book. It was my first Lauren Groff, and know I read everything she writes. Monsters of Templeton was nothing short of magical. 8y
LeahBergen @raeintheworld Now I want to move it up the TBR. 👍🏼 8y
LeahBergen @cariashley Oh, good! 👏🏻👏🏻 8y
TheLondonBookworm Dates and duties has been on my tbr for aaages and now there's another? Oh dear I'm so behind... 8y
LeahBergen @TheLondonBookworm This one is actually her first novel. 😀 8y
TheLondonBookworm Well now I feel even more behind 😂😂😂 8y
CherylDeFranceschi I loved this book! It was my first book by her, and I've enjoyed everything since then. 8y
131 likes8 stack adds15 comments
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Mariposa_Bookworm
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Yaaaaaaaay!!!!!! Book Mail!!!! I love this cover!

Robothugs That is a lovely cover! 8y
Cinsai That is the coolest cover I've seen this year! ❤️✨📚 8y
97 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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angrylilasian
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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I love finding maps in the #endpapers! #readJanuary
@RealLifeReading

CherylDeFranceschi Love this book! 8y
angrylilasian @CherylDeFranceschi I still haven't read it! I got it because I LOVED the cover. 😊 8y
CherylDeFranceschi You'll love it. 8y
Nat_Reads MAPS in BOOKS! 7y
67 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Mc_cart_ny
Monsters of Templeton | Lauren Groff
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I actually DNFd this book years ago only a chapter or two into it, but it's supposed to be really good so I really should give it a second chance! #SilhouettesOnCovers #SeasonsReadings2016