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CSeydel

CSeydel

Joined February 2018

Science writer 🧬 Angeleno 🌴 Mom of teens 🍷 Library addict 📚⌛️😵
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CSeydel
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I‘m going to try #bookspinbingo for October! No way I‘ll read 20 books in a month, but let‘s see what happens.

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CSeydel
Three Wishes | Liane Moriarty
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#Bookspin is Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

#Doublespin is Unfinished Portrait by Mary Westmacott

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!!! 16h
BarbaraJean Ha—Unfinished Portrait is my DoubleSpin as well! 13h
27 likes3 comments
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CSeydel
Bird Box: A Novel | Josh Malerman
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October goals.
Top three were started in September.
Bottom five are #TrappedinaSpookyHouse picks.

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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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Fiction winner for September! Giant‘s Bread by Mary Westmacott (aka Agatha Christie). Special thanks to the #westmakittens - I definitely got a lot more out of it thinking it over for our discussion!

Don‘t forget to start looking for Unfinished Portrait, our #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead pick for October. Discussion will be posted Oct 15 & 22. #LMWBR

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CSeydel
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September NF pick: From Here To Eternity by Caitlin Doughty

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CSeydel
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#FFFS

Wow wow wow! Thank you so much @Chrissyreadit for the amazing #FallingForFallSwap goodies! I absolutely love the campfire/s‘mores theme, what a cute clever idea! The candle smells wonderful and I can‘t wait to bake some goodies with the loaf pan and the baking cups. I‘ve been wanting to read both of those books too - my daughter read DJ&TS and highly recommended it but somehow I haven‘t gotten around to it. Thank you! 🍁🏕️ 🔥🧡📚

CSeydel Big thanks to both Chrissy & @Avanders for organizing! Happy fall!! 2d
Avanders ♥️🍁🧡🍂💛🍎 yay!!! And happy fall!! 2d
Chrissyreadit 🧡💛💛🧡So glad you enjoyed it! 2d
CSeydel @Chrissyreadit Those marshmallow pumpkins are the cutest—I‘ve never seen them before 2d
Chrissyreadit I thought cute too- and potentially a unique twist on s‘mores. 1d
45 likes5 comments
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CSeydel
Agnes Grey (UK) | Anne Bront
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#Book2book
Woohoo! #Bookmail is the best mail. Thank you @dabbe these arrived today! Nice treat on a dreary Saturday. Thank you @AllDebooks for organizing!

AllDebooks Nice 🙌 3d
CSeydel Omg just noticed there‘s a card inside the book! Thank you so much for the tea - I absolutely LOVE ginger! - and the stickers! @dabbe that was so sweet 😊 2d
dabbe Yay! Sorry about the tiny tear from my GSD, Pip. She loves Shirley Jackson, it seems! 🤪 2d
CSeydel No worries! I‘m not precious about that sort of thing. I just want it to read 😁 (edited) 2d
46 likes4 comments
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CSeydel
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Happy Friday all! Time for the #bookishquestion of the week! Today‘s question is: if you‘re in a bad mood, do you read to lift your spirits, or do you avoid reading - in case your bad mood poisons your view of the book?
#BookTalk

Andrew65 I try to read as it can improve my mood, but depending how dark my mood is it can affect my ability to read. Sometimes an audiobook can help. (edited) 3d
CSeydel I have definitely noticed myself taking out my peevishness on a poor unsuspecting author. Sometimes I just have to be in the right mood to roll with, say, quirkiness or certain tropes that don‘t necessarily make the book objectively bad, but that I have no patience for if I‘m grumpy. 3d
dabbe I have to go to my PEANUTS' collection of comics and/or MUTTS. Usually I'll get lifted out of the doom then. 3d
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Tamra I do try to read anyway, but whether it‘s effective therapy depends on why I‘m grumpy! 😅 3d
TheKidUpstairs Like @Tamra said, it depends on why I'm in a bad mood. Sometimes a book is just the right distraction/ comfort I need. But if it's a thought spiral type of bad mood or can be really difficult to concentrate. So I'll either blast music or put something funny on to watch instead. 3d
AmyG Sometimes I can read my bad mood away. But if I am in a bad mood due to stress of a family member (illness etc)…th en I just can‘t read. (edited) 3d
Bookwormjillk Like everyone else it depends on what‘s causing the mood. Often reading is a nice distraction though. 3d
Ruthiella I can read Terry Pratchett or P.G. Wodehouse and they cheer me up. Agatha Christie soothes. 3d
SaunteringVaguelyDownwards I go for a familiar comfort read when I'm in a bad mood, unless I'm particularly driven to find out what happens next in the book I'm currently reading. 3d
33 likes9 comments
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CSeydel
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My #bookspin list for October!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4d
41 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
From Here to Eternity | Caitlin Doughty
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#SummerEndReadathon @TheSpineView

This was a great read. Caitlin Doughty has a wonderful style; her writing is informal without being cutesy and she presents the different post-mortem cultural traditions respectfully while avoiding an overly anthropological tone. I loved her perspective on American funeral culture and the chapters flew by. The illustrations added a lot as well.

TheSpineView Awesome! 4d
38 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
Book Friends | Edna Henry Lee Turpin, Rose Lees Hardy
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My #book2book parcel arrived today! Thank you @Catsandbooks !!!

Catsandbooks Yay!! 🩷 4d
38 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
Hallowe'en Party | Agatha Christie
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#SummerEndReadathon

Forgot to review Hallowe‘en Party last week! It was another solid Poirot mystery, where the solution comes not from physical evidence but from keen analysis of the characters‘ behaviors, histories, and their essential character. Published in 1969, this one features Agatha‘s perspective on the fashions of the day — both sartorial and psychological. Excellent read.

TheSpineView Great job! 7d
44 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
This Bird Has Flown | Susanna Hoffs
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Mehso-so

Another formulaic romance in which the female protagonist suffers from crippling self-doubt, feeling personally and professionally stuck; she meets a wonderful man, they fall instantly in love and have copious amounts of tremendously satisfying sex without ever really getting to know each other. The past comes back to bite them in the ass; there‘s a contrived breakup, a professional breakthrough, and the inevitable reconciliation. Cute but weak.

CSeydel Things I liked: the characters were all fun and likable; the music-industry setting was interesting; lots of literary references. 7d
CSeydel But the minor characters seemed inconsistent and vaguely unnecessary. (Cynically: felt like a cheap way to diversify the cast.)

This may be me being dense, but the Big Problem from Jane‘s past never quite made sense to me, and her reaction to the Big Problem from Tom‘s past felt excessive and unnatural.
(edited) 7d
CSeydel Oh I forgot this is book 7 of #SummerEndReadathon (edited) 7d
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TheSpineView Good job for pushing to finish this book. 7d
CSeydel @TheSpineView I shouldn‘t be so harsh; it was entertaining. It started out really promising but flagged a bit as the plot waded into the inevitable conflict and resolution. 6d
TheSpineView @CSeydel We like what we like. 6d
CSeydel But the minor characters seemed inconsistent and vaguely unnecessary. (Cynically: felt like a cheap way to diversify the cast.)

This may be me being dense, but the Big Problem from Jane‘s past never quite made sense to me, and her reaction to the Big Problem from Tom‘s past felt excessive and unnatural.
4d
46 likes7 comments
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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!!! 🎃🏚️☠️🕷️🕸️🖤 1w
42 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
This Bird Has Flown | Susanna Hoffs
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#weekendreads

Anybody read either of these?

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CSeydel
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#SummmerEndReadathon
This is a hard book to rate, because the good parts were easily 4-5 stars, but overall, the book was too unfocused and I didn‘t appreciate Ackerman‘s tendency to indulge in fanciful flights of imagination. She would say something might have happened a certain way and then describe her imagined scene in rich detail. She writes too poetically to tell this harrowing war story in a compelling way and it was a struggle to get into.

CSeydel I had to switch to audio so I could let the extensive descriptions just flow by. However, during the later part of the war, I was fully consumed by the descriptions of the Żabińskis‘ daring and the various close calls and terrors they withstood. 1w
TheSpineView Sounds good! 1w
34 likes2 comments
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CSeydel
Unfinished Portrait | Agatha Christie, writing as Mary Westmacott
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That wraps up our discussion of Giant‘s Bread! Start looking for a copy of our next selection, Unfinished Portrait. And … get your tissues handy. This one is a semi-autobiographical character study of a sensitive, thoughtful young woman who is struggling with the direction her life should take. Looking forward to discussing it with you! #LMWBR #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead #westmakittens

CSeydel This is my first time trying to host a buddy read, so please give me feedback ☺️ Would you rather I post all the questions at the same time, or do you like splitting it up between two weekends? 1w
willaful Well rats. I somehow don't own this one and none of the libraries have it. :-( Guess I'm out. 1w
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CSeydel @willaful oh darn! It is available free at internet archive https://archive.org/details/unfinishedportra0000west 1w
Librarybelle Yay! I‘ll contribute to the discussion as soon as I finish the book, and I am looking forward to next month‘s read! 1w
Ruthiella I prefer splitting up the questions. It gives a bit of a nudge to read on! 1w
CSeydel @Librarybelle That‘s the beauty of internet discussions - it‘ll be here whenever you‘re ready! You know where to find me 😁 (edited) 1w
quietjenn Ditto what @Librarybelle and @Ruthiella said! Hoping to finish this weekend. Thank you for leading us. 1w
BarbaraJean I‘m happy with either a one- or -two weekend discussion! If the questions are split up over two weekends, would the plan be to read half the book for the first weekend and the other half for the second? Or just at our own pace? 1w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean That‘s a great question. I personally find it hard to plan my reading schedule that tightly, so I would say, just read at our own pace, but I‘ll try to limit any major spoilery questions to the second week. 1w
30 likes10 comments
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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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CSeydel “A cruel giant, genius! A monster feeding on flesh and blood. I know nothing about Groen, yet I swear that he‘s fed his giant, with his own flesh and blood, and perhaps the flesh and blood of others, too … Their bones ground to make the Giant‘s bread.” 1w
CSeydel Joe: “It looks as though Vernon may make a success of it all.”
Sebastian: “I wouldn‘t say that. Vernon may be a genius—and that‘s quite a different thing. Nobody welcomes genius. On the other hand, he may be just slightly mad. He sounds mad enough sometimes when he gets going—and yet, somehow, I‘ve always got a kind of feeling that he‘s right – that in some odd way he knows what he‘s talking about.”
(edited) 1w
CSeydel Joe: The sooner Vernon gets over his silly calf love for Nell and falls in love with Jane, the better it will be.
Sebastian: “I‘m not sure I agree with you.”
1w
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CSeydel Sebastian: “Jane is a real person—very much so. To be in love with Jane might be a whole-time job. We‘re agreed, aren‘t we, that Vernon is very possibly a genius? Well I don‘t think genius wants to be married to a real person. He wants to be married to someone rather negligible—someone whose personality won‘t interfere.” 1w
CSeydel Jane: “Vernon had genius. That‘s the wrong way of putting it—he belonged to his genius. And genius is the hardest master there is—everything has got to be sacrificed to it. Your trumpery happiness, even, would have had to go if it stood in the way. Genius has got to be served.” (edited) 1w
Ruthiella I agree that the giant is genius-what drives humans to greatness as well as to inhumanity… 1w
quietjenn In the end, Jane was right and Vernon did end up sacrificing - or losing, not sure it's sacrifice when it's not entirely by your choice - everything else, and is left alone with his genius. Maybe for him it's enough? Or will be eventually, even though we leave him in a moment of frenzy? It's not something I would want - I guess I'm okay not being a genius 😅 1w
20 likes7 comments
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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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#LMWBR #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead #westmakittens

Joe chooses a tumultuous life with her artist lover over a stable, affluent life with Sebastian.
Nell chooses comfort over love, staying with Chetwynd even when Vernon returns.
Sebastian chooses his friends over money, sacrificing profits to go see Vernon and later to aid Joe when she is ill.
And Vernon — his final, terrible choice between Nell and Jane. What do you think that signifies?

CSeydel I just realized I‘m not sure what choice Jane faces 1w
Ruthiella Oof, that final choice is where the book lost me. It seemed so melodramatic. (edited) 1w
CSeydel @Ruthiella Absolutely. It was so contrived that I had to mentally compartmentalize it as pure symbolism and not anything that would realistically happen. 1w
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Ruthiella @CSeydel I mean fine, let Vernon make that split second decision, but also let Jane survive! Hasn‘t she suffered enough? 😆 1w
CSeydel @Ruthiella I choose to believe she lived and went on to find something better than Vernon 1w
quietjenn @Ruthiella Jane so didn't deserve that ending! 1w
6 likes6 comments
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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
This post contains spoilers
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The Beast comes up many times throughout the story. What did you think the Beast represented? Did you understand the Beast better as the story progressed, or did it become more murky?
#LMWBR #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead #westmakittens

CSeydel For me, I did not quite understand why music upset Vernon so much until I had the context of the other references to the Beast. I think ultimately the Beast represented strong uncontrollable feelings or a kind of internal wildness of spirit that frightened Vernon. Although I‘m not sure how the collective man reference fits into that idea. 1w
Ruthiella I think music brought out emotions in Vernon that he wasn‘t able to handle until older… 1w
CSeydel @Ruthiella Yes! I liked Agatha‘s little dig at Myra (sort of her generation‘s version of the “basic b***h”) who is so proud of playing rather complicated pieces at a young age. When Nina points out that people can be musical in different ways, Vernon‘s mother does not get it at all. “Either one was musical and played pieces, or one was not. Vernon was clearly the latter” 1w
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Ruthiella I don‘t know if you have read The Fountain Overflows by Rebecca West, but she makes the distinction between being proficient and truly talented. Not that I know the difference myself. 😁 1w
CSeydel @Ruthiella No, I haven‘t! I‘ll check it out. It‘s an interesting distinction. 1w
quietjenn Similarly, to me the Beast was any sort of big emotion that Vernon feels but can't necessarily control. It's a bit about being swept up in what you don't entirely understand. 1w
CSeydel @quietjenn Yes! I‘m so glad we have this group because I‘m not sure I would have been able to put that into words if I wasn‘t thinking about it for the readalong. It‘s so interesting to be taken to that specific time and place; I think it was probably very difficult for someone like Vernon or Joe in that era of “stuff upper lip” and rigid ideas of propriety. 1w
7 likes7 comments
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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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I‘m getting ready to post more discussion topics about Giant‘s Bread - some heavy ideas here! I‘ll hide the next post under a spoiler tag but we‘re going to explore the significance of “the Beast” and the meaning of the title—why is it called Giant‘s Bread, anyway? #LMWBC #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead #westmakittens

CSeydel I won‘t tag you all in future posts bc spoilers, but come and comment whenever you‘re ready! 1w
25 likes2 comments
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CSeydel
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Happy Friday! Although I left it so late that it‘s already Saturday for most of you. Who‘s up for a #bookishquestion of the week? This week‘s question is: what‘s a a book you read based on Litsy posts? #BookTalk #blameitonlitsy

Ruthiella So many! The first one that comes to mind is 1w
CSeydel @Ruthiella ooh, how was it? 1w
Ruthiella @CSeydel It was very good! 👍 1w
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TheBookgeekFrau Quite a few 😁 The two most recent: The Book of Lost Things; and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. 1w
julesG Lots! One of the most recent was 1w
TrishB Sooooo many! 1w
Amiable I‘ve gotten several from posts by @CBee ! Most recently 1w
mabell So many! One in particular - 1w
CBee @Amiable I read Midwives partly because you mentioned you loved it 😊 (edited) 1w
CBee #Camplitsy introduced me to some good ones over the summer! 😊 1w
Tamra Most! 😅😅 1w
Amiable @CBee Litsy is one big mosh pit of book love! 🙂 1w
CBee @Amiable true, except not quite as sweaty and crowded 😂😂😂 1w
CBee @TrishB I‘m reading The Ferryman right now partly because of your review 😊 1w
Amiable @CBee 🤣🤣 1w
CSeydel @Tamra haha true! How did I ever know what to read before Litsy? 1w
CSeydel @Amiable @CBee Yes, a quiet and comfortable mosh pit of book recommendations! 1w
33 likes19 comments
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CSeydel
Our Fathers | Rebecca Wait
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Pickpick

I absolutely tore through this one—it was incredibly compelling even through it was not especially plot-driven. The book examines the psychology of a small, tight-knit community, and how social expectations weigh differently on people of different temperaments. How pride and a desire not to be found lacking can catastrophically hinder communication and intimacy even in a place where everyone knows everyone else‘s business. Gripping and profound.

CSeydel Big thanks to #EuropaCollective for bringing this book to my attention! 2w
BarbaraBB The (lack of) communication between those two men was written so well and felt so true. Fab book and review! 2w
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CSeydel @BarbaraBB Yes, it was so poignant being in Malcolm‘s head while he struggled to come up with the right things to say. I was also thinking of the barriers to communication between Katrina and Fiona. 2w
BarbaraBB And what to think of Katrina and John? I wish they had talked more before getting married 💔 2w
TheSpineView Sounds good! 2w
jlhammar Wonderful review! This book also got me thinking about domestic abuse and how often it can get overlooked or explained away if physical harm isn‘t witnessed or there are no visible bruises, breaks, etc. 2w
CSeydel Oh I just checked my list and this was my #bookspin for September @TheAromaofBooks 1w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1w
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CSeydel
Untitled | Unknown
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Here‘s my #book2book recap!
Little Eyes - @Soubhiville
Mycroft Holmes - @dabbe
No 1 Ladies Detective Agency books 2-10 - AVAILABLE
Amazing Grace - AVAILABLE
A Crack in Creation - AVAILABLE
Liars Club - AVAILABLE

CSeydel Don‘t forget to email me your address so I can pack up the books :) 2w
AllDebooks I'd be interested in A crack in creation please 2w
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CSeydel @AllDebooks oh! I had it in my head that you were in Canada, not the UK. I will investigate shipping costs but at first glance, it looks like it will cost ~ $16, or (cb, to ship to you. 2w
AllDebooks @CSeydel oh maybe not then, thanks for checking x 2w
CSeydel @alldebooks Sorry 🫤 2w
CSeydel @Soubhiville @dabbe Your books went out this morning! 6d
Soubhiville Thank you! 6d
dabbe @CSeydel Yay, and thank you! 🧡💜💛 6d
42 likes9 comments
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CSeydel
Our Fathers | Rebecca Wait
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jlhammar Great quote! 2w
CSeydel @jlhammar There were so many wonderfully insightful quotes in this book! She really nails the psychology of coping with unhappy memories 2w
39 likes2 comments
review
CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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Pickpick

Absolutely blown away by this story of a group of young people coming of age in the 1910s. Christie explores themes of social expectations, and what happens when one tries to subvert them; what does art require of the artist; what is love; what is genius; and most poignantly, how does each character‘s sense of self hold up when they are tested by events? What do their choices say about them? Brilliant, tragic, and thought-provoking. 5⭐️

46 likes2 comments
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CSeydel
Giants Bread | Agatha Christie, Mary Westmacott
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What did you think of the different characters‘ reaction to the outbreak of WWI? Do you agree with Sebastian, that things always seem different or unique when we are living through them? What about Nell‘s emotional clarity in the face of imminent danger, versus Jane‘s stolid practicality?
#LMWBR #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead #Westmakittens

Ruthiella Considering we all just lived through a pandemic, yes, I do agree with Sebastian! I think also that Christie was reflecting an accurate array of various attitudes towards the war that would have been expressed at the time. I think she was about the same age as the characters and she and her friends and family were exposed to the war similarly… 2w
BarbaraJean I completely agree with Sebastian, that it feels different when you're in the middle of it, but that reactions to such events are fairly universal. @Ruthiella The Covid pandemic is a great example. Looking at the various responses (arguments over masks, etc.) in comparison to the flu pandemic of 1918-20--certain things don't change!! Another example of Christie's characterization--the various reactions to WWI say so much about each personality. ⬇ 2w
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BarbaraJean (Cont'd) Nell is naive, Joe is idealistic, Jane is a pragmatic realist, and Sebastian provides perspective through a broader view. I don't remember: do we get a view of Vernon's perspective on the war? 2w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean Interestingly, we don‘t get to hear Vernon‘s thoughts on this. Partly I suppose because he is “off stage” fighting but also throughout the book he‘s never shown to be much of a practical thinker. I think he just accepts life as it comes without really analyzing it. He‘s more in his own head than the others are. 2w
CSeydel @Ruthiella Yes! I‘m certain she was drawing on her experience as she created these characters. 2w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean @Ruthiella The pandemic is a good modern example, and it also reminds me of attitudes after 9/11 - how people expected the shock to never wear off, that it would infuse our worldview forever, and I‘m not sure that‘s really happened. (edited) 2w
quietjenn Sebastian is for sure the most clear-eyed about things, although I think there's a lot to be said for Jane's take as well. The various responses do seem very realistic to me. 1w
CSeydel @quietjenn I agree. Sebastian seemed the most well adjusted of all of them. I liked Jane‘s ability to cut through the social trappings and describe reality so bluntly, but she was a little too harsh with herself. 1w
24 likes9 comments
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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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@Ruthiella @KathyWheeler @quietjenn @Librarybelle @kspenmoll @BarbaraJean @peanutnine @Roary47 @willaful @batsy

Happy Saturday #westmakittens
I haven‘t *quite* finished the book yet but I thought I‘d start posting some discussion questions just to get us started. I‘m really finding it compelling! (Hard to say “enjoying” since everyone is so dreadfully angsty all the time.) What do you think?
#LMWBR #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead

CSeydel Also, did I do the tags right this time? 😂 2w
BarbaraJean My tag showed up! Definitely a compelling read. I don't think I liked or really related to ANY of the characters, though! Vernon is fascinating, but I can't stand Nell, so I really rolled my eyes at their “love story.“ I love Jane's forthrightness; she sees others so clearly and draws out the truth. I do like Sebastian, but he always seems to have his own agenda. And I wish the narrative hadn't dropped Joe partway through. I wanted more of her. 2w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean They were all so flawed and yet I enjoyed seeing how each of them navigated their lives trying to stay true to whatever conception they had of their “essential selves.” I love how Christie can accomplish so much characterization in just a snippet of dialogue, or like when Sebastian sees Nell for the first time after she‘s married: 2w
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CSeydel “To him she had always fallen into a class—a certain type of charming young girl. Now he saw her as an individual—the real Nell bursting out of her chrysalis. There was a subdued radiance about her. She was quieter than she used to be, and yet she was more alive.” (edited) 2w
BarbaraJean @CSeydel Her characterization is so, so good! She uses so many little details to build her characters. Were you familiar with Peer Gynt at all? I'd heard of it but had no familiarity with it; when so much was made of Jane's role, I looked up a plot summary. And there are SO many parallels between Vernon & Peer Gynt! Christie used that reference early on to foreshadow so much. Another way of doing so much with just a couple of references. 2w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean Absolutely! I just knew the famous Grieg pieces; I didn‘t know the plot or even realize it was an Ibsen play. 2w
Ruthiella Some readers complain that Christie‘s characterization in her mysteries isn‘t very good and that she relies on stock characters (blustery majors, feisty young women, etc.) but I agree with @BarbaraJean that she deftly draws them with just a few strokes. I agree, however, they were all pretty annoying! 😂 I like Jane for her honesty, but not for her (unnecessary) self sacrifice. 2w
Ruthiella Also #Westmakittens is awesome! 😆👍❤️ 2w
Librarybelle I need to start this! I plan to start it very soon! 2w
peanutnine Still anxiously awaiting my library hold to come in... 2w
CSeydel @peanutnine @Librarybelle I‘ll put the next questions behind spoiler tags - there are a couple of rather surprising turns in the second half! 2w
CSeydel @Ruthiella Yes! I found Jane so refreshing when she first meets Vernon, the way she takes apart his assumptions and approaches life so matter-of-factly. But I agree, I didn‘t understand her foolishness when it came to that decision. (edited) 2w
peanutnine @CSeydel thank you! I am looking forward to reading it when I eventually get my hands on a copy 2w
quietjenn I *love* the #Westmakittens tag! (edited) 1w
quietjenn I agree with y'all and thought the characterizations were terrific. I liked and disliked all of them at times! For the most part Nell was my least favorite and their romance was difficult for me to take seriously - it seemed so shallow. But, even her, I liked during her nursing career and rather wish that version of her had flourished. I do understand some of the choices that she made but ... And more Jo, please. (edited) 1w
25 likes15 comments
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CSeydel
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Time again for the #bookishquestion of the week! In keeping with the back-to-school theme the last two Fridays, this week‘s question is:
What‘s a book that isn‘t “required reading” in schools, but should be? What book would you choose for a literature curriculum? #BookTalk

AnnR This is a tough one. I can think of two books off-hand. Both are technically considered to be non-fiction or memoirs: Life Among the Piutes by Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins and (edited) 2w
Bookwormjillk I‘m not sure. My daughter‘s English teacher this year doesn‘t have any required read. She just requires reading. I like that approach a lot. 2w
Tamra For elementary students - sometimes you can‘t take back mistakes to make them right. Better to be kind! 2w
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Billypar I love this question: the canon should be refreshed with more engaging, contemporary works. I might choose Piranesi and 2w
Billypar I'm reading All's Well by Mona Awad right now and part of me wonders whether her prior novel would make for good discussion or just be too crazy: 2w
dabbe For high school, HOW TO READ LITERATURE LIKE A PROFESSOR. It would make the most interesting and useful textbook (I hate the word textbook, btw!). 😃 2w
SaunteringVaguelyDownwards I second the idea of just requiring reading so students can follow their own interests. 2w
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CSeydel
Untitled | Unknown
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Subject to change on a whim - there are so many great ones to choose from! Top of mind tonight are:

1. Penny Rush (The Dog of the North)
2. Nynaeve al‘Meara (Wheel of Time series)
3. Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables)

@dabbe #TLT

dabbe I can't believe I haven't yet read these (especially #3!) I've now added them to my TBR! Thanks for playing! 💜🧡💛 3w
CSeydel @dabbe 😊 3w
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CSeydel
Giant's Bread | Mary Westmacott
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

Thanks for the tag, @Sparklemn 😊

1. Hiking, watching football, baking
2. Answering for Wednesday, I‘ll say happy, because it was my husband‘s birthday and we got to go to a Rick Springfield concert featuring the Hooters! Woohoo
3. Giant‘s Bread for #LMWBR #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead

AmyG Hooray football! 3w
Eggs Yay #2 ❤️🎂🎉 3w
Sparklemn Rick Springfield! Good memories. 😁 2w
26 likes3 comments
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CSeydel
Giants Bread | Agatha Christie, Mary Westmacott
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“You want to be able to live in the house of your forefathers, and to marry the girl you love, and to grow immensely rich, and to be a great composer. I dare say you might manage to do one of those four things if you give your whole mind to it.

But it‘s not likely you‘ll have everything, you know. Life isn‘t like a penny novelette.” 🔥🔥🔥

CSeydel Always enjoy seeing how much people haven‘t changed! 3w
Ruthiella Ah Jane. She is a straight shooter. 3w
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CSeydel
Untitled | Unknown
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It‘s a great day!!! Two exciting things arrived in the mail:
First, my #FFFS box (pictured) - marked FRAGILE but, of course, properly battered. And it is HUGE, omg 😳
Second, my Etsy order! with the last item I was waiting on to complete my box!! It came out so cute!

I will mail my box later today, or more likely tomorrow, but definitely no later than that. #Fallingforfallswap

CSeydel Aaaaahhhh how am I gonna wait until October! This is torture 😂😂 3w
AmyG I hide mine. Most times I forget and then see people posting their goodies…and get excited all over again! 3w
CSeydel @AmyG 👍🏻 3w
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Chrissyreadit 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 3w
KT1432 Hahaha omg I sometimes think when we mark boxes as fragile they get an extra drop or two in transit because they are always battered! 😅 3w
CSeydel @KT1432 For real though!! I hope it wasn‘t too fragile! But fortunately a thorough investigation suggests it‘s just one corner that got smushed so I think it‘s probably ok ☺️ 3w
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CSeydel
Untitled | Unknown
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#HauntedHollowSwap #HHS #HHS23

1. Owl
2. Golden age crime; classic noir; ghost stories; true crime; psychological thrillers. Really anything spooky, suspenseful, mysterious, not super graphic (although I‘m ok with Stephen King-level horror).
3. I don‘t *love* dressing up but one year the 5 of us went as the Guardians of the Galaxy and that was cool
4. Sure, why not. Size 8
5. Psycho, The Sixth Sense, Corpse Bride
6. Dark chocolate anything

wanderinglynn 🎃👻🙌🏻 3w
35 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
Underland: A Deep Time Journey | Robert Macfarlane
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Underland is for my in-person book club (actually back in person this month after being virtual the last few years!) I love nonfiction and science books but I‘m having a really hard time getting into this one. Maybe it‘s just me - but my husband found it mid as well.

Giant‘s Bread is superb so far - looking forward to discussing it with the #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead #LMWBR

Ruthiella Love that cover of Giant‘s Bread. So misleading! 😂 3w
CSeydel @Ruthiella I know right? 3w
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CSeydel
The Liars' Club | Mary Karr
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Open to those who signed up for #Book2Book with @AllDebooks

Comment below if you would like this copy of The Liars‘ Club by Mary Karr. If multiple people request it, I‘ll hold a drawing to determine the winner on Sept 23.

30 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
Beatlesongs | William J. Dowlding
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On February 9, 1964, the Beatles first performed on the Ed Sullivan Show, and to celebrate the 60th anniversary of that event I‘m hosting a year-long reading challenge from Feb 2023-Feb 2024!
#bigfabbeatles

Each month I will post a prompt for a different Beatles album. Join anytime! To see all the prompts, visit my challenge page on StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/341534ff-8451-4f08-b50a-c7523a8...

35 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
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Time for the #bookishquestion of the week! Following up on last week, this week‘s question is: what‘s a book that was required reading in school that you did NOT enjoy at the time, but you enjoyed more as an adult? #BookTalk

shortsarahrose I didn‘t hate it in school, but I revisited it a couple years ago and appreciated it so much more 3w
thegirlwiththelibrarybag The only one that I really hated at the time, I still hated when I reread it as an adult to see if I was an over dramatic teen 🤔 mostly because Tim Winton is a beloved Australian author and people look at me like this 👀 when I say how much of a fan I am not ☺️ 3w
Amiable I had to get a bit more perspective on life before I could appreciate 3w
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wen4blu It seemed an odd choice for school 3w
SaunteringVaguelyDownwards I needed time to appreciate the wit and subtle satire in 3w
Tamra Honestly I‘d didn‘t really enjoy Shakespeare and while I still don‘t, I appreciate his place & influence much better now. 3w
Tamra Isn‘t it funny how so many lit teachers in the past refused to offer contemporary reading selections? That has changed! 3w
Tamra @shortsarahrose there are just books that are hard to appreciate without a bit of life experience & wisdom. 3w
CSeydel @shortsarahrose Yes! That‘s one that really endures. It‘s a great choice for school reading because it speaks to many levels. 3w
CSeydel @thegirlwiththelibrarybag oh no! As an American I‘m not familiar with that one. Good for you to give it a second chance! Also good for you to know your own mind despite popular opinion 😆 3w
CSeydel @Amiable yes, definitely! Somehow I do remember enjoying that one in school, but I think the themes really hit home better now that I‘m older. 3w
CSeydel @wen4blu oh my goodness, yes! 3w
CSeydel @SaunteringVaguelyDownwards Absolutely! I couldn‘t understand why people loved it when I read it as a teen (not for school). Maybe if I‘d read it in school I would have gotten more context and appreciated the social satire. 3w
CSeydel @Tamra it‘s so true! 3w
CSeydel @Tamra I like that teachers seem more willing to present Shakespeare on video rather than just reading the plays. They were intended to be performed and I think it it much more difficult to appreciate the dynamic when you‘re struggling with the archaic language. 3w
Tamra @CSeydel yes! My son actually liked Romeo & Juliet because they watched the 60‘s era film in conjunction with reading it. 3w
CSeydel @Tamra That‘s a really good adaptation! 3w
dabbe For me, it was MADAME BOVARY. I had to do some major growing up to truly appreciate this one. 3w
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @CSeydel, I remember Mum reading it and her absolutely thinking it was the funniest thing. He‘s better known for his books for adults… I haven‘t tried them tho (a few have been made into movies. Simon Baker was in one) (edited) 3w
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Tamra, Shakespeare is a hard one to appreciate when it‘s just being read out in class. I was lucky that my grandparents took me to see Shakespeare in the Park the summer before I started Romeo & Juliet for English class. I do also remember having to watch both Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann movie versions. 3w
Tamra Which is it for you @CSeydel? 3w
CSeydel @Tamra I would definitely like to revisit Hemingway. I‘m pretty sure that even if I don‘t become a fan, I‘ll at least “get it” now. Also, Faulkner‘s “Light in August” went straight over my head in high school, but I wonder if I‘d appreciate it more now. 3w
CSeydel @dabbe oh wow! That‘s one I haven‘t read. 3w
Tamra @CSeydel I‘m not a Hemingway fan, but yes to Faulkner! There is no way I would have gotten anything meaningful out of his books in HS. 3w
dabbe @CSeydel I appreciated it much more as an adult, and I actually enjoyed it! I also struggled with Faulkner. One chapter in AS I LAY DYING: “My mother was a fish.“ That was the whole chapter. 😳🤩🤣 3w
30 likes25 comments
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CSeydel
The Wedding Date | Jasmine Guillory
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Pickpick

#SummerEndReadathon

Read this over Labor Day weekend. I did not love it. I‘m giving it a “pick” because I‘m not a romance reader, so it seems unfair to judge it too harshly. This started out promising and I really liked both the main characters, but too much of the story was taken up with their insecurities. They‘re supposed to be 30 but they act like teenagers. “Does he really like me, or are we just having a lot of sex for some other reason?”

CSeydel It‘s too bad because there were meaty aspects to the plot - job stresses and family issues - which could have been given more attention, but the story dragged as they both tried to figure out whether they were “in a relationship” without ever coming out and telling the other one their feelings. “I‘ll just get hurt because he doesn‘t like me the way I like him and I couldn‘t bear that” - argh! Grow up! 4w
KT1432 I tried to read this one a while ago but I couldn‘t get into the writing at all. ☹️ 3w
CSeydel @KT1432 Yeah, you‘re not really missing anything 3w
TheSpineView Great job! 3w
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CSeydel
Readathon: Occasional List : Geleentheidslys | Gauteng (South Africa). Education Media Service
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Late post, but how can I not participate? #SummerEndReadathon

My goals are to keep up with the various book clubs/buddy reads that I‘m reading with, and catch up on some of the books that I planned to read in July and August but didn‘t 😣

TheSpineView Good luck! 3w
34 likes1 comment
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CSeydel
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Pickpick

This book was suspenseful, violent, and chilling (get it? get it? sorry, I couldn‘t help myself).

This was my first Jo Nesbø novel and I found it quite compelling. It was well-crafted with lots of false leads that he tied up well at the end. It did feel a little too crafted at times, rather than unfolding in the seamless, organic way a good mystery sometimes will, but maybe that‘s just me reading too many mysteries and recognizing the tricks.

Dragon Chilling 👏 4w
TheSpineView Well done! 3w
54 likes4 comments
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CSeydel
Three Men in a Boat | Jerome K. Jerome
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#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

Movie: Galaxy Quest “Do I have a last name? DO I?!?!”

TV: Arrested Development “There‘s always money in the banana stand” *wink*

Book: Three Men in a Boat “George goes to sleep at a bank from ten to four each day, except Saturdays when they wake him up and put him outside at two.”

dabbe You've given me three items to look into! I've not seen or read any of these! Shame on me! 🤣
Thanks for playing! 🧡💜💛
4w
CSeydel @dabbe Wow! Galaxy Quest is a hilarious send up of Star Trek starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman and an absolutely tremendous supporting cast. Sure Tim Allen is the comedian in the cast but Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman are absolutely genius when it comes to comedic timing.
Arrested Development is very quirky humor; it‘s not for everyone, but if it‘s on your wavelength, it is riotously funny.
4w
dabbe @CSeydel You write “Alan Rickman“, I'm there! Added to my TBV list (To Be Viewed!). And, while looking the others up, I have heard of ARRESTED and BOAT. I just haven't seen or read them. On my lists now, too! 🤗 4w
CSeydel @dabbe He‘s amazing in everything he‘s in, isn‘t he? 4w
dabbe @CSeydel 🤩💜🥲 4w
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CSeydel
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I really like this description of how psychiatric diagnoses are made.

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CSeydel
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive | Alexander McCall Smith
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CSeydel
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CSeydel
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Hey #LMWBR gang! So after a dramatic couple of weeks I‘ve finally got my hands on Giants Bread, our #MaryWestmacottBuddyRead for September. Hope you guys are enjoying it so far - I will plan to post discussion prompts on Sept 16, but this is an egalitarian project - please do post your own reviews & discussion topics as you finish and tag the group!

CSeydel All are welcome - just let me know if you‘d like to be added/removed from the tag list ☺️
@Ruthiella
@KathyWheeler
@quietjenn
@Librarybelle
@kspenmoll
@BarbaraJean
@peanutnine
@Roary47
@willaful
@batsy
(edited) 4w
peanutnine I'm still waiting on my library copy to come in. Hopefully soon 🤞🏻 4w
Ruthiella I‘m almost done with Giant‘s Bread. 👍 4w
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BarbaraJean Not sure how I missed this post! My library hold has been “in transit” for a couple weeks now, so I got impatient and started reading it on Internet Archive over the weekend. I‘m not sure if I like it, but I‘m finding it fascinating and couldn‘t put it down, so there‘s that! 3w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean It‘s one that I hadn‘t read before and as I read, I started wondering if it was the best one to start with! But - we will have plenty to discuss, I think. 3w
CSeydel @BarbaraJean I may have messed up the tagging by copy-pasting it 3w
BarbaraJean I feel like tagging on Litsy behaves inconsistently! I'm on the web version now, and the tags in your comment above show up as a clickable links like usual. But it just looks like text in the app. 3w
willaful Shoot, I somehow never saw this. :-( I'll join in on the next one. 2w
CSeydel @willaful there‘s still time if you want to read it! I will make some discussion posts later today, but you can comment on them whenever you‘re ready! I figured I‘d start the discussion mid-month to split the difference between people who read it early in the month and those who read it later. 2w
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CSeydel
Late Night Top Ten Lists | David Letterman
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dabbe Will do; thanks for the tag! 🧡💜💛 4w
BarbaraBB Awesome choices. I will check out the ones I haven‘t heard of! 4w
Cinfhen Thanks so much for playing!! A few new to me titles 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 4w
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CSeydel @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Apparently this summer was my Hollywood era! Lol (edited) 4w
peanutnine Some cool nonfiction on here! Thanks for the tag ☺️ 4w
julieclair Ooohhh… my TBR is growing! Thanks for the tag. 4w
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CSeydel
Untitled | Unknown
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Ok … this did not go the way I hoped

First of all, I only finished 7 of the 14 books I picked out, way lower than the lowest guess. But - surprise! My plan all along was to send everyone the book they picked out. (Happily, no two people asked for the same one.)

Problem: I still haven‘t read the ones you asked for. Except Dead Fathers Club, which I forgot to set aside and accidentally sold on Pango Books. 🤦🏻‍♀️What else can go wrong???
⬇️⬇️⬇️

CSeydel Anyway, if you send me your address, I‘ll still send you the book you asked for, as soon as I finish reading it. carrieseydel at yahoo dot com. @soubhiville @Ruthiella @TiredLibrarian 4w
Soubhiville Aw that‘s sweet. Sorry you didn‘t get through your stack, but sometimes you do have to do real life. 4w
Ruthiella 7 out of 14 is still pretty good! 😃 Is your email in your Litsy profile? 4w
CSeydel @Ruthiella I think so? carrieseydel@yahoo dot com 4w
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CSeydel
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Feels too early to be planning for Halloween on Labor Day, but I thought this would be a fun way to prep for the #HauntedHollowSwap #HHS #HHS23

1. Scary
2. Witches
3. Pumpkin spice
4. Both!
5. Great Pumpkin
6. Chocolate all day
7. Both!
8. Vampires
9. Both
10. Jump scares

wanderinglynn I have a couple of games like this to post this week. It‘s never too early for the best season of the year! 🙌🏻🎃 1mo
CSeydel @wanderinglynn whoops, sorry if I jumped the gun! 🎃👻🧙🏼‍♀️ (edited) 1mo
wanderinglynn Not at all! The more games, the better! 🎃👻 1mo
CSeydel 🙌🏻🎉 1mo
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CSeydel
The Witch | Shirley Jackson
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My Halloween vibe.

- spooky, eerie, psychological
- chocolate
- tablecloths, wall decor (think small space)
- bookish accoutrements
- chocolate!
- murder mystery
- ghost stories
- did I mention chocolate?

#HHS23
#HauntedHollowSwap

wanderinglynn Never forget the chocolate! 🎃 1mo
CSeydel @wanderinglynn 🥰🍫 Did I do this right? I haven‘t done one of these before 1mo
wanderinglynn There is no wrong or right way. It‘s all about your likes. 🎃 And I think you made a great collage. 1mo
47 likes3 comments