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Cathyloves2read

Cathyloves2read

Joined July 2019

review
Cathyloves2read
Horse: A Novel | Geraldine Brooks
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“Another book about horses?”I thought.I‘m glad I read this one.I really liked the “horse history”.I also appreciated most if the messages spoken in the pages.I‘ll be honest, it was a little bit too political for me at times, as my views are likely a bit different than the authors.But this didn‘t take away from the story. I loved discovering Lexington,and I really admired Jarret. Jarret was willing to give up everything for that horse, even freedom

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Cathyloves2read
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I did it! I read a non-fiction book, and actually loved it!! I can‘t believe the hurdles that the Sesame Street team has to face in order to have the show aired in Russia. This book has many touching moments, which I didn‘t expect. I found myself googling and using YouTube quite often as I read, in order to see the sets and characters that were described. I wish the ending were happier, but it‘s real life, which now involves war.

jlhammar Yay!! Isn‘t this an amazing story? And so warm and funny. I loved it. 6d
Aims42 This was such a fun and fascinating read!! I‘m so glad you liked it too!! 6d
10 likes2 comments
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Cathyloves2read
Homestead | Melinda Moustakis
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Thank you, Goodreads, for this ARC. What a great book! I love reading about Alaska. This story takes place as Alaska becomes part of the United States. This author writes like a poet, her words are very descriptive and flowing. I highly recommend this book. I found it to be a very fast and enjoyable read.

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Cathyloves2read
The Measure | Nikki Erlick
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I really liked the concept behind this story. It fell under the “lessons leaned” category for me. It goes to show you that the human race will show prejudice for just about any reason. I got a little lost trying to figure out the connection between all of the characters. Other than that, I‘d say that this was a great read!

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Cathyloves2read
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This was a tough read for me. Nothing about reading this book came easy. It was very intricate and many times confusing. There are many footnotes, some of them written in Chinese (why, I don‘t know). That being said, I did enjoy this book. The author is absolutely brilliant. Although this book is fantasy, I can‘t help but wonder how much was based on reality. I need a light read after this own. Whew!!

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Cathyloves2read
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This was the second book I‘ve read by this author. I‘m beginning to think she‘ll be one of my favorites. I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to watching the film adaption on Hulu. It‘s a story about a bookstore owner who gets a second chance at love. It‘s a very fast read that kept me interested until the end.

16 likes2 stack adds
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Cathyloves2read
Independence | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
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I learned a lot about the holy wars in India while reading this book. One of the main themes centered on the conflict between the Muslims and the Hindus. The story told of three sisters who lived during this time. I liked and respected one of the them, but disliked another. The story also told of the struggles that Indian woman faced when trying to her into the medical profession.

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Cathyloves2read
Kindred | Octavia Butler
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I read this book as last of the 52 Week Reading Challenge. The prompt was to read a book by Octavia E.Butler.She writes sci-fi, which I don‘t normally like.I was wrong about this book. I found it interesting that it showed slavery from the view of a modern day black woman and from the view of a black woman in the 1800s.This woman just happens to be the same person. Believe me when I tell you that this book is very good, and I highly recommend it

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Cathyloves2read
Once We Were Home | Jennifer Rosner
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This book opened my eyes to events that I didn‘t even realize occurred. I had no idea that children were taken from families that fostered them to be put where they “belonged” based on religion. Many times, these children established a bond with the foster families that never broke. The stories portrayed in this book were so sad. So many children didn‘t know who they really were. Many never found out. Thank you, Goodreads, for this ARC.

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Cathyloves2read
Mehso-so

My opinion of this book is that it was ok. It was your typical “Who Done It”. I can‘t remember why I decided to read this book, but I‘m sure it was recommended by someone who liked murder mysteries. So as not to take away from the author, I have to admit that
Murder mysteries aren‘t my thing. I couldn‘t relate to any of the characters, and I felt the ending fell short.

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Cathyloves2read
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I really enjoyed every page of this very long book. It was beautifully written. It spanned decades. How peoples views changed over the years! I some ways, I feel that we live in a better world today. Yet, do we? I felt close to many of the characters, and feel a bit sad to say goodbye now that the book has ended.

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Cathyloves2read
Dreamland | Nicholas Sparks
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In my opinion, you can‘t go wrong with Nicholas Sparks. This book didn‘t disappoint. I was so curious to see how what appeared to be 2 separate stories ended up blending together. The story pretty much left me guessing until the end. I‘d love actually be able to hear the songs that the characters wrote in this book if they exist. Is they don‘t, they should! This would make a great movie!!

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Cathyloves2read
Mehso-so

As part of a 2023 reading challenge, I was to read a book that contains less than 200 pages. This book fit the bill. It was a very good story that kept me reading due to curiosity. I had to see what happened at the end, after the secret was revealed. I wasn‘t thrilled with the end, but all and all it was a good, quick read.

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Cathyloves2read
The Wilderwomen | Ruth Emmie Lang
Mehso-so

I found this book to be just “ok”. I found parts interesting, and other parts not so much. Even though the story is based on women with extraordinary abilities, much of it seemed a bit too far fetched for me.

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Cathyloves2read
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I‘m grateful that my bookclub, #ReadWithSharon, selected this book for our January 2023 read. It was very interesting to learn about the movie industries in their early stages. I was especially intrigued to read about the impact that WW2 had on the movie industry. This book had a lot of characters! I grew fond of a few, especially the female protagonist, Maria. She was extremely strong.

BarbaraBB Another one I still need to read! 2mo
13 likes1 comment
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Cathyloves2read
Other Birds: A Novel | Sarah Addison Allen
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This book went from ok to good to very good. I especially liked the end. I love ghost stories. Throw in a little bit of magic, and you have a good read. I‘d say the only downfall is that parts were more than a little far fetched. This is a book that I will be passing on to friends and family. One other thing. I love birds, so that was a big plus for this book.

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Cathyloves2read
Pickpick

This book was different than any I‘ve read in a long time. I found it extremely enjoyable. It had a little bit of everything. It was educational, sad, happy, and it contained love stories. I learned a lot about China and its politics. I also learned a lot about its folklore. This book left me wanting to read more of this type. I highly recommend it.

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Cathyloves2read
Mehso-so

I enjoyed the beginning of this book, but didn‘t necessarily like the rest. I‘ve never liked action packed fiction. Car chases and gun fights have never interested me. This does not at all take away from the author, who I feel is very good. I feel that many have liked and will like story. It‘s just not my style.

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Cathyloves2read
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I enjoyed learning about Marjorie Merriweather Post.What an amazing lady she was!I truly wish I could go back in time and meet her.This is one of those stories I couldnt but share with my family as I was reading it.Its just amazing to hear of all of the achievement this woman accomplished during her lifetime.I hope to visit some of the landmarks that I learned about at some point in my travels.Heres to Marjorie for making this world a better place

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Cathyloves2read
The Lindbergh Nanny: A Novel | Mariah Fredericks
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This book read more like historical non-fiction, which wasn‘t necessarily a bad thing in this case. The story covered a topic that I knew little about. I was intrigued to learn about the Lindbergh kidnapping, such a tragic story. While the protagonist seemed brave, I didn‘t feel that she was as strong as some I‘ve read about in past novels. I look forward to our book clubs upcoming discussion with this author.

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Cathyloves2read
Mehso-so

Much of this book read an awful lot like non-fiction. I‘m not a huge fan of non-fiction.I find it boring. Although this book was well written, I found much of it to be very slow. There are some books that I don‘t want to end. This was not one of them. I did find parts interesting, as I hadn‘t previously known much about Hitler‘s mistress, Eva Braun. I also enjoyed reading about Munich‘s architecture, as I‘ve visited many of the sites described

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Cathyloves2read
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This was probably the last novel I‘ll read in 2022, and what a story it was! I feel like I know the characters personally, and I hate saying goodbye to Sadie, Sam and Marx. Is if normal to feel sad when a book ends? This is a story about the world of gaming, something I am not all that familiar with. I learned a lot, and found it very interesting. I highly recommend this book!

Addison_Reads This is my favorite read this year and I'm actually rereading it right now to end my year with it because I loved it so much. 3mo
14 likes1 comment
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Cathyloves2read
The Secret Life Of Sunflowers | Dana Marton, Marta Molnar
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I‘ve never heard of Johanna Bonger, sister in law to Vincent Van Gogh. I admire her dedication to her family, and the steps that she took to ensure Van Gogh was recognized. I also liked our modern day protagonist, Emsley. She was equally resilient. I am glad that my bookclub selected this novel, otherwise I would have missed out on a great story. I am looking forward to our upcoming conversation with the author.

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Cathyloves2read
Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt
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This book is worth all of the hype. YES, you should read it! The story and characters are just beautiful. The message that the story sends is amazing. It definitely has me thinking about octopuses and their intelligence. If you assume that we‘re the smarter species, this book might have you believe otherwise. I just can‘t say enough good about this book. Of course I highly recommend it.

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Cathyloves2read
Winterland: A Novel | Rae Meadows
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I won this advanced read book on Goodreads. I can‘t put to words how much I loved it. Learning about what the Russian gymnasts went through was almost unbelievable. I loved the main character, Anya. I love that she‘s based on a real gymnast. The atrocities that they put their bodies through for “the state” was insane. I highly recommend this book, and would love to hear what others think of it.

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Cathyloves2read
Hester: A Novel | Laurie Lico Albanese
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There was a lot of information packed into this novel. In its pages, the author wrote about the Salem witch trials, slavery, the sea trade, embroidery, and Nathaniel Hawthorne (not necessarily in this order). I haven‘t read The Scarlet Letter yet, but have a feeling that I will be reading it at some point soon after having finished this novel. I‘ve been to Salem many times, but now see it in a different light.

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Cathyloves2read
Properties of Thirst | Marianne Wiggins
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You know a book is good when it‘s over 500 pages long, and you don‘t want to to end. Much of it takes place right after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. How appropriate that I finished the book on 12/7. I can‘t put into words how much I loved this book. The characters and the settings were beautiful. This author has a wonderful way with words. The “afterword” made me so sad, to hear about the authors bad health. Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC.

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Cathyloves2read
In a Holidaze | Christina Lauren
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I wanted to read a book about the holidays, and one of my least favorite genres is romance. Needless to say, this book wasn‘t for me. I guess that just about sums it up. If you like romance novels, this book might be for you. I found it disappointing.

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Cathyloves2read
Small Angels | Lauren Owen
Mehso-so

I‘m not sure how I feel about this book. Parts of the story are good, but it just didn‘t grab me. I love a good ghost story, but this one just didn‘t do it for me. I didn‘t find any of the characters likable. I got bored while reading, but I did manage to finish the book.

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Cathyloves2read
When We Had Wings | Ariel Lawhon, Susan Meissner, Kristina Mcmorris
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What these three women (military nurses) has to go through was unreal! This book gave the perspective of WW2 from the South Pacific. I found it interesting to hear the 3 different perspectives of the friends. Each perspective was written by a separate author. A big thank you to my bookclub, #ReadWithSharon, for selecting this book for the November 2022 read! I‘m looking forward to our discussion with the authors.

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Cathyloves2read
The Good Left Undone | Adriana Trigiani
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This is one of the first historical fiction books that I‘ve read from Italys perspective. Being of Italian decent, I found it exceptionally interesting, and hope to plan a trip to Tuscany at some point in the future. This books main theme is family. It goes back and forth between 3 generations of woman. It‘s only downfall is that it became confusing at times remembering which family member belonged to who. I really enjoyed this book.

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Cathyloves2read
On the Rooftop | Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
Mehso-so

This book was different than I expected. All in all, I found it to be mediocre. As I read it, there were times I thought to myself that I‘m not the right audience for the story. I didn‘t especially find any of the characters likable. I thought the book would get more into the music aspect than it did.

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Cathyloves2read
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This book gives a strong message. The author‘s note at the end suggested it should be a mandatory read for every teenager and I agree. I can‘t say I loved the protagonist, but I do respect her for handling everything she went through so well. The story kept me interested from beginning until end. I am very much looking forward to watching the movie on Netflix. I recommend this book, but be prepared. It deals with serious subject matter.

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Cathyloves2read
Upgrade: A Novel | Blake Crouch
Mehso-so

I‘m conflicted. The last chapter of this book was excellent, especially the letter that the protagonist left for his family. But the rest of the book was just so so. It contained way too much scientific gibberish for my liking. It was also very action packed, which is not my thing. If the entire book had been more like the last chapter, I would have loved it.

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Cathyloves2read
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I didn‘t want this book to end! This is the 2nd book by A. Towles that I loved.I can‘t even say which I loved more, which says alot.The characters were amazing.This authors attention to detail made me want to visit the Metropol, but I won‘t be visiting Moscow anytime soon.So many events took place while the Count was under house arrest, you‘d hardly believe that the majority of this story took place in this one setting.I highly recommend this book

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Cathyloves2read
Mortuary Confidential: | Kenneth McKenzie, Todd Harra
Mehso-so

I read this book as part of the 52 week challenge. The prompt was to read an anthology. This book was very unique. It‘s made up of short stories written by funeral directors. Some of the stories were so cute and inspiring. At the end of the day, I learned that undertakers are just normal people living normal lives. I guess I already knew that, but expected the stories to be a bit more occult.

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Cathyloves2read
Anxious People: A Novel | Fredrik Backman
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What a strange story, with an even stranger cast of characters! This is one of those books that definitely got better as it went on. It‘s a story about 2nd chances, that had a few twists and turns towards the end. I really liked the way the book ended, which is why I gave it a higher rating than I was going to. I see that this story has been made into a Netflix series. I‘ll have to give it a try.

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Cathyloves2read
Panpan

This book was not for me. It started out so good. Then it went off on this wild tangent that I found very hard to understand. Characters were mentioned in the beginning of the book didn‘t come up again until the end. I had no idea who they were at times. I‘m not sure if the last section was a chapter or a glossary. I did like parts of the story, but as a whole, it‘s not one I‘d recommend. I do thank Goodreads for the ARC.

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Cathyloves2read
Mehso-so

I read this book because its the OCT selection for a book club I belong to.We usually read historical fiction books that contain strong female protagonists.This book read more like a murder mystery The main female character was definitely strong,but not always very likable.Im usually able to pick out the real person that the historical novels that I read are based on.I wasnt able to do that with this book.Perhaps its just the setting thats real

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Cathyloves2read
Library of Lost and Found | Phaedra Patrick
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I did the audiobook version, and found it to be very good. One of the themes involves a library, a place near and dear to my heart. This was a heartwarming story that dealt with family dynamics, good and bad. I was kept intrigued until the end, waiting to find out the answers to the many questions that the story posed. I found the characters endearing, and absolutely love books that take place on the British seaside.

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Cathyloves2read
Pickpick

Don‘t judge a book by its cover! That phrase definitely stands true with this book. Read it, and I‘m sure you‘ll agree. This book deals with very serious subject matter, presented at times in a not so serious way. It saddened me to read about the struggles that women dealt with in the past in order to be taken seriously in the workplace. I admired the main character, Elizabeth Zott. I also loved her dog, Six-Thirty. This was a great read!!

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Cathyloves2read
Pickpick

I wanted to read this book before I watched the movie on Netflix. That‘s the main reason I read it. Honestly, it‘s not my type of book at all, but I ended up enjoying it! It‘s certainly action packed, but a little far fetched. I learned more about weapons while reading, especially guns. Not sure If that‘s a good or a bad thing. All in all, this was a very good book. Now off to watch the movie.

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Cathyloves2read

This quote for me thinking ….
“Humans were strange, the dog thought, the way they constantly battled dirt in their above ground world, but after death willingly entombed themselves in it.”

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Cathyloves2read
Jar of Hearts | Jennifer Hillier
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I did the audiobook version, and thought it was very good. I especially liked way the book ended, because I didn‘t see it coming. The story was a bit graphic and twisted, which I like. If you like books a little serial killers, you‘ll probably like this one.

10 likes1 stack add
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Cathyloves2read
Mehso-so

This book was very different! It started out so good, and proceeded to get extremely strange. I get that mystical realism books are meant to be that way. I think I would have liked the story better if it had been a bit more realistic. I did love the parts that took place in the circus, as I love stories about circuses or carnivals. If you like a really bizarre read, this book is for you.

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Cathyloves2read
Her Darkest Secret | Jessica R. Patch
Mehso-so

Before I started reading this book, I wasn‘t sure how a book with religious intonations would blend with a psychological thriller. After reading this book, I‘m not entirely sure that it did. This wasn‘t a bad book, it certainly kept me interested. It just seemed a little “scaled back”. It also seemed a bit predictable.

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Cathyloves2read
Carrie Soto Is Back | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Despite the controversy that this book is causing, l really liked it. I especially liked the ending. I‘m not a huge tennis fan, but the fact that this book revolves around tennis didn‘t distract from it. I did the audio version, and feel that the multiple readers were excellent. I‘ve read several books by this author, and feel this is one of her best. I recommend it.

13 likes1 stack add
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Cathyloves2read
Booth | Karen Joy Fowler
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I‘ll admit that I enjoyed this book WAY more than I though I would.I was never interested in learning about the life of John Wilkes Booth. This author brought him and his family back to life. I am amazed at the parallels of historical events to what is going on today.It gives a whole new meaning to the term “history repeats itself “. The only difficulty that I had reading this book is that my puppy decided to chew it up twice as I was reading it.

5feet.of.fury Oh no! 6mo
18 likes1 comment
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Cathyloves2read
Darling Girl | Liz Michalski
Mehso-so

The idea behind this book is great! What a twist to the Peter Pan story that many of us grew up with. Nobody is who they seem, and everything is backwards. The book did seem to skip around more than I‘m used to. I felt lost a few times. Other than that, it wasn‘t a bad read at all. I‘ve always loved the scene where the children flew around Big Ben. Take scene also appeared in the book.

fredamans I'm with you on this one 100%! At times it was just confusing, but it was a great premise! 6mo
13 likes1 comment
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Cathyloves2read
Pickpick

I read this book as part of an A to Z challenge. I probably wouldn‘t have picked it up otherwise, but so glad I did. It was very interesting! Wow! The things people used to believe and do in the name of medicine and healing! Many of the quacky techniques didn‘t take place that long ago. I‘m afraid to admit that someday I‘ll be reading about some of the medical practices that take place today in a similar book.