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Chelsea.Poole

Chelsea.Poole

Joined December 2016

Librarian📚 Audiobook at all times. Nature, essays, bios, literary fiction and mysteries/thrillers are my favorites 🌻
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Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Engaging narrative nonfiction about the crew of a ship who became deserted on an island. Betrayal and adventure abound! I was impressed with the amount of detail, due to the fact that first person accounts of the events exist today. I actually listened to the audio which was exciting.

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Chelsea.Poole
Eastbound | Maylis de Kerangal
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Pickpick

I get list-frantic this time of year. A solution to the problem of “how am I going to read all these books!?!” is choosing shorter titles to listen to. Eastbound was first up from the #NYT top 10 list, one not on my radar. A book in translation written years ago but feels very “now” as a Russian solider meets a French traveler on a train. It felt like being on a train: chugging along at a fast pace, full of people and sights and sounds.

TheKidUpstairs I'm so excited to read this one. It took me by surprise in the NYT list because I'd never ever heard of it! Glad to see it got a pick from you! 8h
43 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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My November reads for #BookSpinBingo
Didn‘t manage to clear the board, but did get several bingos
Still have several reviews from this plus first days of December to post. Always playing catch-up!

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Chelsea.Poole
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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December #BookSpinBingo plans. Though I have a feeling things will go off the rails as I‘m inundated with best of the year lists and get squirrel-y around the holidays. 🐿️
Most of these are #tob24 long listers with a few #NYT best of the year and #NaturaLitsy and bonus #europacollective

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3d
Megabooks Great list!! 3d
64 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Feels like your grandpa came up with these one-liners. And I mean that in the best way. These little nuggets of wisdom are no-nonsense and practical. I listened to the audiobook which was nice but I must admit, I don‘t remember a single piece of advice, as it‘s been a week since listening. I think having this book to flip through from time to time would be the best format.

Suet624 I hate it when that happens. 3d
69 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
The List | Yomi Adegoke
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Pickpick

A portrait of a relationship in the era of #metoo. Semi-famous British influencers Ola and Michael are due to be married in a month when “The List” comes out: a list of men who‘ve sexually assaulted or otherwise abused women. Michael‘s name appears and Ola is assigned to write a piece about it for the feminist magazine she writes for. Does Michael deserve to be on the list? Great audio narration!

68 likes2 stack adds
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Chelsea.Poole
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Well, it‘s that time of year again: “best books” season. I love the lists but also get stressed out with my reading life 😆
I always look forward to the NYT end of the year list.
I happened to already be in the middle of two of their choices:
-Master Slave Husband Wife
-North Woods
And I read chain gang which I didn‘t love. I plan to try a few others including The Best Minds and Fire Weather (which I was already on hold for)

Megabooks North Woods was really good! 4d
ChaoticMissAdventures Sorry you didn't love Chain-Gang! It is one of my top 5 books of the year so I am so excited to see it here! I know this feeling though, every time these lists come out I get excited for the books I love but also so many I didn't read! 4d
AmyG I am hoping to get to North Woods and The Bee Sting. I love to see the NYT lists, too. I also wasn‘t a fan of Chain Gang. 😬 (edited) 4d
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Chelsea.Poole @ChaoticMissAdventures I know it‘s gotten so much love! I really tried but it just didn‘t do it for me. 3d
Chelsea.Poole @AmyG I think we‘ll both really like both books 😊 book 👯 —-glad I‘m not the only one who didn‘t love Chain Gang 3d
Suet624 I still don‘t understand the popularity of The Bee Sting. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3d
Chelsea.Poole @Suet624 it‘s on alllll the lists! 3d
TheKidUpstairs I put holds on Eastbound and Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs once I read this list, I'd never heard of either before but they intrigued me so much. North Woods is already on my TBR, not sure if I'll get to it this year or not... 3d
Suet624 I know! That book just pissed me off. 😂😂 I was so annoyed that I spent so much time on it. 3d
54 likes10 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

I‘m so torn on this one! I listened to the audiobook quickly; it was over before I could get my bearings. I kept thinking the setting was northern UK in 1666 (where my previous read took place!) but then the narrator would speak about Microsoft Teams! This is somewhat brilliant on the author‘s part: a timeless story, layering experiences of women over millennia of abuse and forced obedience. However, it was a confusing reading experience.

Chelsea.Poole There were definitely some things I missed here…but it felt like a grown up fairytale. Also, spoiler, was she poisoning/killing/hurting her brother? Hardcore unreliable narrator territory! 4d
See All 10 Comments
AmyG Let me just say….this is my Aunt‘s name. Made me chuckle. 4d
Chelsea.Poole @AmyG lol! (edited) 3d
Hooked_on_books Curious! The hold for this one at my library is super long, but I‘m on it regardless. Not sure I want to see this make the short list, as if it doesn‘t I may skip it. But you have me intrigued. 3d
TheKidUpstairs My least favourite of the year. I was left with an overwhelming feeling of “Why?!“ Why tell this story, in this way? Why these characters? Nothing felt in any way justified or necessary to be told. And every article or interview I read where she talks about the book, I feel totally disconnected, like I read a completely different book than the one she wrote! 3d
BarbaraBB I can‘t remember much beyond not liking it 🤦🏻‍♀️ 3d
Chelsea.Poole @TheKidUpstairs yes, solid point. There are many titles that are celebrated by prizes/lists that baffle me. If you want to make a point to your readers, do so, and don‘t be so obscure with the meaning. By no means a favorite of mine either, but I did appreciate the feeling of timelessness the author created. Also, at least it‘s short, lol! 3d
Chelsea.Poole @BarbaraBB probably because everything is so vague to begin with…nothing to really hang on to with this. Except for me it‘ll be the book “where the adult sister dresses her adult brother” 😬 3d
64 likes10 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Historical fiction at its very best! Lyrical writing, vivid imagery, and realistic characters helped place me right in the action of this village quarantined by the Plague in 1666 England. From the point of view of Anna, readers experience the sights, sounds, terrors, and small moments of joy while watching family and neighbors struggle, succumb to illness, hunt witches, and lose faith in God and fellow man. A contender for top of the year for me!

Q84 I really enjoyed this book as well. 6d
Texreader Such a good book!! 6d
AmyG Yes, this was an excellent book. 6d
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 😍 6d
TheBookgeekFrau Such a good book! I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 6d
Bluebird Love this book! 5d
78 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Bright Young Women | Jessica (Author) Knoll
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Pickpick

An interesting blend of fact and fiction…focused on the women who were victims of Ted Bundy who Knoll refuses to name throughout the entire book. He is instead The Defendant and gets very little attention. Readers instead hear from Pamela, head of the sorority where two women were murdered and Ruth, another victim. Smart concept, though I‘m not totally sold on the experience of blending fact and fiction in this way. Tepid pick.

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Chelsea.Poole
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Resting this morning after a trip to see family yesterday and prepping to host the other side tomorrow for another Thanksgiving dinner. 📖 ☕️

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I love your mug!! 🤣😂🤣 1w
Danay That mug tho! 😂 1w
JenniferEgnor I loved this book. 1w
89 likes3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Amazing! I loved learning about the processes of cells—the basis for understanding all other bodily functions and malfunctions and consequently how we are treating illnesses. Cancer features prominently, as its cellular complexities are still beyond our control but incredible minds are constantly advancing the field of study and treatments. The writing is accessible even if much of it went over my head. I listened to the audio and loved it!

MicrobeMom I finished this one last week. I totally agree with your review. Great book! 1w
82 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Gurba writes about her identity as a Mexican-American, her family and romantic relationships and explores the “creep”s through these stories. Horrible people but also racism and other insidious issues. I found it uneven, and wondered how some sections were meaningful to the point she was trying to make, but still pick, because I did enjoy the audio narration and most essays.

thegreensofa I spy a golden cricket! 🦗😯💛 1w
76 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Currently reading for book club on Monday. I‘m seriously loving it! Though the subject matter is tough to read, the writing is gorgeous.

TheKidUpstairs I keep meaning to read more of Brooks' work. I loved 1w
Chelsea.Poole @TheKidUpstairs I have been thinking of you while reading this one. I was going to wait until I finished to recommend it to you, if you haven‘t already. This is the first I‘ve read of hers. 1w
Megabooks I need to read her. I sat three seats down from her when I saw David Sedaris at Parnassus. (She was speaking about Horse the next night.) 😎 1w
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TheKidUpstairs If you're recommending it, I'm totally stacking it! 1w
Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks nice! I‘d love to visit Parnassus sometime. I‘m impressed by her style in this one, and I don‘t always love historical fiction. 1w
Chelsea.Poole @TheKidUpstairs hope it works for you! It‘s not a light read…I‘ve cried multiple times already. And it‘s based on an actual town during The 1666 Plague. 1w
LeeRHarry This is one of my all time faves - glad you‘re enjoying it. 😊 Eyam isn‘t far from where I grew up. (edited) 1w
BarbaraBB Gorgeous photo! 1w
jlhammar Great book! Love Geraldine Brooks. 1w
74 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Wow! Perez does an incredible job of driving the point home about how all around difficult, not to mention unfair, and even dangerous it is to be a woman in our world. Medicines were created based on male physiology, crash dummies are the size of male drivers, and MEN ARE ALWAYS PAID MORE EVERYWHERE. This book is informative, infuriating and vital for humans to read. A thoroughly researched book which I will recommend widely! #NonfictionNovember

Suet624 I stacked this on my TBR but haven't gotten to it. Thanks for the reminder. 2w
Singout Excellent! So many valuable lessons to be learned here. 2w
102 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

This memoir is about losing one‘s parents to death and disease. As my mother has recently undergone cancer treatment (3 times with different cancers) I could easily relate to the way Chung describes the feelings she had when her mother became ill with the same horrible disease. Chung lives on the opposite side of the country and was unable to visit her ailing mother during Covid restrictions which is another horrible addition to her pain.

ncsufoxes This is one I recently added to my TBR. My FIL had cancer times (colon, brain, & prostate). He had been sick on & off ever since my husband was in high school. We had moved cross country for my husband to do his fellowship (he did his PhD in Genetics & Molecular Biology, he‘s on oncology research scientist because of his dad). It was one of the hardest decisions we ever had to make moving away knowing my FIL could get sick again while we were so 2w
ncsufoxes far away. My husband knew too that he couldn‘t watch his dad get sicker when he knew how to help. But his dad didn‘t want to pursue anymore treatment after his third cancer. We were able to go back & see him before he passed but it killed my husband seeing his dad so sick. The only solace I think he‘s ever had is knowing that he‘s working to develop better treatments for people after seeing what his dad lives through. You & your mom are in my 2w
See All 7 Comments
ncsufoxes thoughts (edited) 2w
ravenlee Stacking this. My mom‘s on her third treatment, too, and it‘s hard to guess how this one will pan out. Her doctors recommended this one and I just haven‘t been able to start it yet. 2w
Chelsea.Poole @ncsufoxes Every time she‘s had treatments I think of the people who are working to make advancements in the way cancer is treated so I‘m very thankful for your husband and everyone else doing this vital work. I know so many are touched by the horribleness that is cancer and it‘s amazing your husband used his pain as a way to make positive changes. So sad to hear about your FIL. I‘m so sorry. 2w
Chelsea.Poole @ravenlee I haven‘t been able to go there with that book either. I‘m so sorry you (and she) are going through this. It‘s just horrible. My mom is currently doing well and no longer taking treatment, as of this summer. She‘s getting her strength back (again). The anxiety around dr visits is just out of this world though, hoping for only good news. Thinking of you and your mom. ♥️ 2w
80 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Points for originality! It‘s not too often you read a book from the point of view of a queer mountain lion. Hanging around behind the Hollywood sign in LA, this creature has seen some things and makes observations about humans. Observations about hikers, dog owners, and unhoused people made me feel ashamed to call myself a human. Then there‘s a strange connection with a teen girl. Based on an actual animal who lived in an LA park. #tob24

ChaoticMissAdventures I just picked this up from the library and am flying through it! Love seeing all the great reviews about it. 2w
Hooked_on_books I‘m really curious about this one. I‘ve read a little about the animal that inspired it. 2w
Fr3NcHtOaSt I read this a few months back. I liked it. 2w
87 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
Biography of X: A Novel | Catherine Lacey
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Mehso-so

A very non-fiction seeming novel, Biography of X is a fictional biography of the author, artist, and mystery of a woman known as X. Written by her wife, CM, after X‘s death the work spent on the biography uncovers much of the deceptions of their marriage. CM interviews many people from X‘s past and readers encounter an alternative history of the US, in which part of the nation is a theocracy, where X was born. Too long but thought provoking.

Chelsea.Poole Read right before the #tob24 long list came out. (edited) 2w
See All 11 Comments
Suet624 I felt the same way about this one. 2w
Ruthiella I‘ve never read any Catherine Lacey books and want to try at least one. (edited) 2w
Megabooks Too bad. I loved this one! I especially loved how she used real art/stories from musicians and visual artists. It was definitely thought provoking! 2w
Megabooks @Ruthiella they‘re all really different from each other. I loved this one, but I also enjoyed the one I‘ll tag that was recommended by MANY Littens! (edited) 2w
sarahbarnes Agree with @megabooks that all her books are so different. I really loved Pew and this one as well. I‘m sorry it didn‘t quite work for you. 2w
Chelsea.Poole @Ruthiella @Megabooks @Suet624 @sarahbarnes I‘ve had Pew on my list forever it seems, just never have gotten around to it. I still plan to! This wasn‘t exactly a miss for me, but I did lose patience with it at the 60% mark. Maybe a physical book would have worked better than audio, and though I do have a copy to page through for illustrations, I mainly listened. 2w
Suet624 Pew is 🔥🔥🔥 2w
BarbaraBB I willl read this one soon and haven‘t heard of Pew so I‘ll check that one out too. I did enjoy 2w
78 likes11 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Threw this together, Barbara. Favorites from the ones I‘ve read of the the #ToB24 long list are:
Birnam Wood
Big Swiss
Happiness Falls
Hello Beautiful
The Guest

Hoping to get to quite a few more since many were already on my list. 🐓

BarbaraBB Thanks this is so helpful to choose some books to read from the longlist until the shortlist will be dropped! 3w
Ruthiella Wow! You‘ve read a lot already! Impressive. 🤩 2w
71 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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@BarbaraBB came through with the alert for the #ToB24 list. I‘ve only read 11 of the 58 😱
These three were already on my list, so I‘m grabbing them from the shelves to take home with me. So convenient working at a library 😆

BarbaraBB I have read only nine! I am going to read Rouge and Rachel soon too. The Bee Incident is fun! Which of your 11 reads would you recommend? 3w
Flaneurette You guys are way ahead of me- I‘ve only read 2 2w
BarbaraBB @Flaneurette 👋🏽 Hi, good to see you here again!! 2w
70 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Unbowed: A Memoir | Wangari Muta Maathai
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Pickpick

I‘ve joined a new “literary club” where I was assigned this memoir. Why didn‘t I know the change-maker Wangari Maathai before this?! Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her conservation efforts by founding the Green Belt Movement, feminist activism, and peaceful demonstrations leading to bringing democratic change in Kenya. Wangari was intelligent, inspiring, but so down to earth and I loved learning about her life in her own words.

rockpools For some reason I‘ve seen lots of children‘s picture books about her, but hadn‘t realised she had ‘grown-up‘ books out there! Stacking (although I possibly stacked a different version 7 years ago 😯). She sounds fascinating! 3w
Chelsea.Poole @rockpools yes! There are so many children's books about her! I read several after finishing Unbowed. Many have excellent illustrations.
3w
85 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Boy Parts | Eliza Clark
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Pickpick

Boy Parts qualifies as a train wreck book, so horrible but impossible to look away. British young woman, Irina is obsessive: with her appearance, her work as a photographer, her relationship with an ex roommate/partner/bff, and most of all the “boys” she uses as models in her work. This one is a page turner but be prepared to feel uncomfortable most of the time. This has something to say about how society views beautiful women.

Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks I finally figured out what happened near page 200 lol. There was some foreshadowing right before with the man in the hotel room. I was still very surprised by the facts of how all that (glass in the eye) 😱 went down and especially the aftermath. 3w
Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole right?! It was super brutal!!! 😱😱 3w
Reggie You had me at train wreck. 3w
78 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
I Must Be Dreaming | Roz Chast
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Pickpick

Roz Chast is an original. Her latest is a dream diary which makes me want to start my own because I have quite the unusual dreams myself! Listening to other people‘s dreams can be tedious, so I‘m glad it wasn‘t any longer. While this wasn‘t life-changing, I found it entertaining and a pleasant enough little graphic novel to flip through. 💭

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Chelsea.Poole
The Good Egg | Jory John
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The Cool Bean
The Smart Cookie
The Good Egg

The Bad Seed and The Big Cheese wouldn‘t fit.

WorldsOkayestStepMom I love The Good Egg!! 3w
BennettBookworm Love!! 3w
84 likes2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
The Big Cheese | Jory John
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My coworkers are so talented! Look at The Big Cheese!

Ruthiella Adorable! 😃 3w
tpixie Fun! 🤩 3w
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 3w
73 likes4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Thin Skin: Essays | Jenn Shapland
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Pickpick

I love an essay collection! And this one from Jenn Shapland delivered on exactly the reason I read these: for thought provoking opinions on a variety of topics including: the human impact on the environment and consequences leading to illnesses like cancer. Racism, queer experiences, living child-free are also a focus of the essays in this collection. I listened to the audio narrated by the author which was a great listen.

77 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

I really enjoy R. Eric Thomas‘s narration, though I did prefer his first book Here For It, over his latest. This one features the pandemic (as it must—all the authors do something with it right??) and a bit of a melancholic feel throughout. Death and grief are present but lacked a meaningful impact for me. Nevertheless, I‘ll always be grateful for audio time with the author! He‘s funny though not overtly so, and seems to be a kind, standup guy.

Megabooks I preferred this one. 🤔🤔 great review! 3w
KathyWheeler I have liked both of his books, but this one may have had more of an emotional impact on me in the death and grieving section because my father just recently died. Good review. 3w
86 likes3 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

What an excellent book! Leland is going blind, just not as soon as he initially believed. He‘s a husband and a father and has known this fact about his sight since before meeting his wife. The contemplation of how his sight will affect his quality of life, relationships, work, and even safety is thoughtful and profound. Historical facts, current policies, blind communities and much more on blindness helped me gain a new perspective on sight.

83 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I‘ve been having a grand time with #bookspinbingo these days. I don‘t always remember to post the final product on here…and this is October wrap up which I‘m super late on but I managed to clear the board! 🙌
I know it‘s difficult to see some titles here. It was a great reading month!

Megabooks 🎉🎉 3w
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fabulous month!!! 3w
AmyG Wow! 3w
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 3w
66 likes4 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

Listened to this audiobook, (loved hearing the author‘s voice and inflection) but it would have been better as a physical book to use for reflection. Tasks are assigned throughout for self awareness and mindful meditation on one‘s worth and experiences. These types typically don‘t appeal to me. This would be better suited for “lost souls” as the subtitle suggests, and I‘m not in that place right now. It‘s not you, book, it‘s me!

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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

I‘m not a makeup expert and I don‘t follow the popular brands, but I‘m always here for a behind the scenes look at companies and their ceos, especially if it‘s scandalous. 😆 I‘m sorry to report that there‘s really not a scandal here. The author just seems to be mystified and fascinated by Emily Weiss, founder of Glossier, which absolutely blew up! It‘s a light pick for me, since there‘s no tell-all though I was led to believe there would be??

Megabooks I didn‘t understand what kind of book she was trying to write…business, bio, tell-all…🤔🤔🤷🏻‍♀️ 3w
Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks same! It was interesting, as a quick listen but I wouldn‘t heartily recommend it to everyone. I read your review of it and agree 😊 3w
78 likes3 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

A history lesson of life on Earth. Though much of this is dense, Halliday does a great job explaining how evolution impacted our planet by highlighting specific organisms who lived throughout time. It‘s truly remarkable how much we‘ve learned about life from fossils. This book would certainly be better suited as a physical read, as much was difficult to grasp as I listened. A great read for #NaturaLitsy readers!

77 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Liliana was murdered by her boyfriend, taken away as a vibrant young college student in Mexico City, what‘s termed “femicide” there. Garza, her sister, writes this book to bring her sister back to life through journal entries, letters, and childhood memories. It‘s obvious she wrote this for herself and less for the reader. The grief is palpable and Liliana jumps off the page. Not typical true crime, but instead a vivid portrayal of a lost sister.

76 likes3 stack adds
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Chelsea.Poole
Boy Parts | Eliza Clark
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Another soccer season begins tonight. (Just one outdoor practice for an indoor season)

Book it is! 📖 ⚽️ and woooweee is it dark!

BarbaraBB Curious about the book! 4w
Megabooks It is dark AF @BarbaraBB !! Have you gotten to page 200ish yet, Chelsea? I was not expecting that. It‘s the Bus 354 chapter. 🫣 3w
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Now you‘ve made me super intrigued! Stacking! 3w
Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks no! I‘m not there yet. I am going to try to get to it today! This MC though 😬 3w
Megabooks Totally cringe! 3w
81 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
Weyward: A Novel | Emilia Hart
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Pickpick

I so related to these women who loved bugs and were considered “weird” or different. My great aunt named me “bug lady” when I was a child. Plus this cover art is gorgeous. I wasn‘t amazed at the writing, and I think I‘ll forget most of the plot and specifics about the characters, but I‘ll remember the feeling this gave me: a cottage-core, nature-loving, Secret Garden vibe. 3 Weyward women (in different times) escape terrible men in a cottage.

Megabooks I enjoyed this too! 1mo
JamieArc I recently read this and agree with you - I‘ll probably forget the details and plot, but there essentials that will stick with me. 1mo
LeeRHarry This was my favourite read in January - definitely loved the vibes! 😊 1mo
107 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
My Husband: A Novel | Maud Ventura
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Pickpick

Does anyone really exist like this!?! I found this so bizarre…a French woman obsessed with her husband she‘s been married to for over ten years. Basically the entire book is her anxieties about his opinion of her. She goes to unfathomable lengths to keep him interested. She doesn‘t care about her kids, simply lives for “my husband”. Totally not relatable for me! 😆 The very end is worth the read!

Suet624 Yikes! 1mo
Megabooks Excited about this one! 1mo
BarbaraBB Sounds great, though totally unrelatable 😂 1mo
Lesliereadsalot Such a great ending! 1mo
thegirlwiththelibrarybag I started this on audiobook but the first day was so intense that I‘ve put it down for now 1mo
76 likes2 stack adds5 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
Lone Women: A Novel | Victor LaValle
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Mehso-so

Loved the beginning! Things fell apart for me when the many characters were introduced that felt like cardboard cutouts to me. It‘s a shame because I loved the MC and her mysterious trunk. Take this with a grain of salt though; I historically don‘t do well with supernatural elements and horror. A feminist western with horror, I mean, wow! Just didn‘t work for me unfortunately. I should have bailed.

Megabooks I bailed on this and don‘t regret it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Nice review! 1mo
BarbaraBB I was disappointed by this one too 1mo
66 likes2 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Multilevel marketing (MLM) at its most cringey! This addictive audiobook is on hoopla and I finished it in a day. I found the author to be rather phony and problematic. She even pitches her next business venture (Sober Moms or something)in this book! Though to her credit, Paulson was making thousands monthly riding the wave of her “downline” who did all the work and walked away from the beauty products company. Still enjoyed the read!

Christine YES re: phony and problematic. Well said. 1mo
66 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

I have read many memoirs about divorce/affairs/separation/marriage from a woman‘s perspective. This one is interesting because it‘s written by a man and is very different in tone (sarcastic, jokey) from the many I‘ve read. The other big difference here is the way the author centers Christianity in his marriage and the book. And my oh my does he share the gory details of his relationship! At the very end, his wife wrote a chapter. Great audiobook!

68 likes2 stack adds
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Chelsea.Poole
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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November plans. Mostly nf so we‘ll call it #nonfictionnovember 🍁

ChaoticMissAdventures I am hoping to get to Song of the Cell also! It sounds great, and perfect for Nonfiction November. 1mo
66 likes1 comment
review
Chelsea.Poole
The Art Thief | Michael Finkel
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Pickpick

A quick read about an incredibly prolific French art thief. Finkel focuses only on the thief and his accomplice gf who were focused and brazen in their pursuit of collecting stolen artifacts for their own personal collection. What makes them unique in the world of art theft is that they stole art to keep and not to sell. They ended up with hundreds of artifacts crammed in their upstairs room of his mother‘s apartment. Good audio!

86 likes2 stack adds
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Naomi Klein has been repeatedly confused with Naomi Wolf, who wrote the feminist book “The Myth of Beauty”. Wolf then “switched sides” and began appearing on Fox News against the COVID vaccine. Klein uses this mistaken identity to explore so many contemporary issues we face today: climate change, politics, the pandemic, racial justice, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, social media, autism, and so much more. Long, and all over but a good audio.

71 likes4 stack adds
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Chelsea.Poole
The Woman in Me | Britney Spears
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Pickpick

I grew up idolizing Britney. My 1st bf had her poster hanging in his closet. She was huge! Sadly, no one had her back and she fell from grace. This book shows us just how little loving support she had from her family. A bratty sister, alcoholic and abusive father, selfish mother all who used her for money. I‘m glad to read Britney‘s take, especially after the horror of the conservatorship. She deeply loves her boys, is so human and FREE! 🙌

5feet.of.fury Can‘t waittttt to read this 1mo
87 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
Whispers | Ashley Audrain
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Mehso-so

Read and loved The Push, Audrain‘s debut, so I knew I‘d be reading this despite the less favorable reviews I‘ve seen for it. They were right, this wasn‘t as good. This one‘s super dark (like her debut) but from a mother‘s perspective who basically doesn‘t like her child. I just found it uncomfortably unpleasant throughout. A neighborhood of bad people doing bad things and children around witnessing. Plus too long.

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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Count me in as a Shark Heart fan! This is a fantastic example of magical realism that‘s highly original and yet deeply felt, rooted in reality, with meaningful symbolism of people turning into creatures rather than suffering human disease as we know them. A study in grief and love. At times quietly funny and often moving. One that will stay with me.

BarbaraBB You too! I really must read it! 1mo
Jas16 I loved this book so much and am having such a hard time convincing people I know to read it. 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

HOW did I miss this icky little scandal?! I‘m not sure but this audiobook made me chuckle several times. The Falwells, (unknown to me before this book) evangelical leaders, head of Liberty University, got kinky with a 20 something “pool boy” as Giancarlo Granda became known in the press. This is his story from his own words (with the help of a coauthor of course). It‘s a short audio that filled me in on some past drama. There‘s a doc on Hulu.

Chelsea.Poole Another #blameitonMegabooks !! Thanks! 😊 1mo
63 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
The One | John Marrs
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Pickpick

So much to chew on!! This is one of those out-there concepts that seems just plausible enough to consider: a DNA test to find your perfect match. It doesn‘t get into the science at the heart of all of this, instead this shows a few of the many possible ways this can impact lives through (quite a few!) characters‘ storylines. So many twists! And I tell you I was hooked! I‘m going to read more by Marrs. Our book group loved it.

BarbaraBB Wow! I am saving this one for a holiday I think, so I can cuddle up and read it in one go! 1mo
RebelReader I really enjoyed this one. It was recommended to by someone who said it was one of their top 10 of 2021. 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
The Woman in Me | Britney Spears
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I cannot stop listening. Britney has been through it!!! No wonder she‘s made some poor choices, she‘s had no one to show her the way or have her back. How freeing it must feel to finally have a voice.

steph_phanie I have been listening to this all day too!!! She needed someone to love her and protect her, not take advantage!! 1mo
currentlyreadinginCO Me three @steph_phanie !! I have 1.5 hours left and I can't put it down 😂 1mo
Chelsea.Poole @steph_phanie @currentlyreadinginCO I just finished! very compelling. I find it to be hard hitting yet her authentic voice comes through. And feels very honest to me. 1mo
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currentlyreadinginCO I agree completely!! I was worried about what this would be but it is so compelling & authentic 1mo
Prairiegirl_reading Very authentic and vulnerable. I can‘t say I‘ve ever been a fan but I wanted to hear her side of the conservatorship. She did a great job. 1mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I have about 2 hours left. Michelle Williams did an amazing job. The book feels so authentic and honest. I feel so bad for her. 1mo
63 likes6 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
The One | John Marrs
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If you have to go to the doctor, you treat yourself after with a slice of pizza as big as your face. With orange Italian soda and book, obviously!

CBee That‘s a fantastic book 👏🏻👏🏻 1mo
TEArificbooks That is my IRL book clubs book for November 1mo
BarbaraBB I just had this in my hands a few minutes ago to help me get rid of my reading slump. I put it away again (not sure why) but am super curious about your review. I loved 1mo
rabbitprincess Oooh that pizza looks delicious!! 😋 1mo
91 likes4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

NPR host Ari Shapiro is so nice to spend time with! Obviously, the audiobook is the way to go with this one, as he narrates stories from his personal and professional life, with a heavy emphasis on public radio experiences. Gay, Jewish, musician, husband…listeners are treated to many stories of his reporting, band, and career. Thanks for the rec @Megabooks !!

Reggie I used to love listening toThis American Life. Stacked. 2mo
sarahbarnes Love Ari so much! 2mo
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