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Coleen

Coleen

Joined May 2016

LibraryThing member indygo88

(Coleen, with a long “o”) Read, drink & be happy! 📚🍷😋. Cubs fan! ⚾️. Long time LibraryThing user & Bookcrosser. (user name: indygo88)
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Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
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Juliet by Anne Fortier
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Coleen
Moloka'i | Alan Brennert
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Pickpick

I‘ve had this on my shelf for a long time and just finally now getting around to it. I won‘t say I was disappointed, but I think I was expecting a 5-star read, and it wasn‘t quite that high for me. But still really good, and a well-written novel of historical fiction about the leprosy colony of Kalaupapa.

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Coleen
The Woman in Me | Britney Spears
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Panpan

It‘s very rare to see a true “pan” from me, but here you go. This book is a train wreck. I agree that Brit is probably in many ways a victim, both of her family and of the media, but I also think she‘s got some issues she‘s brought on herself. But regardless of all that, the actual writing in this memoir was truly awful. I don‘t understand the higher reviews. Was there no one editing this thing??

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Coleen
You Are Not Alone | Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks
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Pickpick

This was my first read of these authors together and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it! A little twisted, but engrossing. I‘ll have to make sure to read their other books as well.

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Coleen
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Mehso-so

I‘ve read most of Roach‘s books and didn‘t feel this was her best, possibly because the subject matter wasn‘t as appealing to me. However, it was well-researched, as always. I do think I need to start reading her books in print, tho. My mind tends to wander on audio w/ non-fiction titles.

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Coleen
Winter Garden | Kristin Hannah
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Pickpick

Kristin Hannah tends to be hit or miss for me as far as the writing itself. I like her stories, but not always her writing style, though she has matured and her more recent novels are better. This one falls somewhere in between for me, actually somewhere between a pick and a so-so. The second half was definitely stronger than the first.

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Coleen
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Pickpick

While not my favorite of hers, this was another good one by Jojo Moyes. I felt she did a good job bringing the two timelines together.

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Coleen
The Ink Black Heart | Robert Galbraith
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Pickpick

These books seem to be getting longer & longer, but I still couldn‘t wait to get back to it every time I put it down. The Strike series is becoming one of my faves. Lots of characters to keep track of in this one (should‘ve taken notes!) but a good read! And I really want to visit Highgate Cemetery. Anyone been there?

bookaholic1 I will be reading my copy soon...I also love this series 2mo
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Coleen
Wrong Place, Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
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Pickpick

This has been on my TBR pile for quite a while, and it did not disappoint. The reverse time element was intriguing and there were several plot twists, enough to keep me guessing. Recommend!

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Coleen
Such a Fun Age | Kiley Reid
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Mehso-so

I can‘t decide how I feel about this one — I‘m kind of back and forth. Though it may make the reader somewhat uncomfortable, it‘s definitely thought-provoking and would be a good one for a book club discussion.

Gissy I think your companion agree with you☺️🐶❤️❤️❤️ 2mo
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Coleen
Wrong Place, Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
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So cold outside…. 🥶. Good day for a new book and a new puzzle!
#audiopuzzling

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Coleen
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Pickpick

I liked this slow burn, Gothic novel. My biggest problem was keeping track of all the male characters, which was important in order to follow the plot. Might‘ve been easier in print, vs. audio.

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Coleen
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Mehso-so

As much as I loved Matthew Perry and Friends, I didn‘t have a big desire to read his memoir. Until he died. His death BROKE me. And so I felt I had to read about this troubled soul. However, this is not the most well-written memoir. Lots of repetition & timelines jumping back & forth which just made it confusing. But overall, I‘m mostly just sad. R.I.P. Matty. 😢

26 likes1 stack add
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Coleen
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Pickpick

A great coming-of-age novel that‘ll make you both laugh and cry. I feel like this one should‘ve gotten more hype than it did.

WorldsOkayestStepMom I almost bought this one on Kindle a couple days ago, and then forgot. Glad to know it's good! 3mo
26 likes2 comments
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Coleen
French Braid | Anne Tyler
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Mehso-so

I would agree with a lot of other reviews on this one. I felt it was fairly well written, about a multi-generational family that just never really did connect with one another, and I can definitely see how this might be an accurate portrayal of some families. But I also felt like the book never really went anywhere and it was just kind of unfulfilling and sad. Also didn‘t feel the audiobook reader “fit” the book, which didn‘t help.

rubyslippersreads And Desmond! 😿😡 3mo
23 likes2 comments
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Coleen
Strangers in Death | J. D. Robb
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Pickpick

I‘d not read any of the others in this series, but despite it being #26, I was able to follow along quite easily and for the most part enjoyed this quite a bit. I did find the sex scenes rather cheesy & unnecessary (*cringe*), and the audiobook reader did fine with the exception of one particular character, in which her choice in voice was awful.

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Coleen
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I‘m not quite halfway with this one but really struggling. Does it pick up? Does something happen in the plot that will pull me in? I feel like everyone has loved this book, but I‘m definitely not in that place. I find my mind constantly wandering and have trouble keeping track of the names. Maybe it‘s the audiobook? 🤷🏼‍♀️

DGRachel It‘s a quiet novel. I don‘t remember much in the way of action. I loved it, but I also read it in print and it was the kind of soothing book I needed at the time. 4mo
Tamra I‘ve had this sitting on my shelf for so long, but it has yet to call me to take it down. 4mo
22 likes2 comments
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Coleen
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Pickpick

I folded to the pressure on this one, mostly because I knew the TV series was being released. I typically avoid books with covers such as these, since I can only do rom-coms every so often. I knew this one was supposed to be not exactly in that genre, but with a more serious undertone. Wouldn‘t say I loved it, but I liked it. May get some backlash for this, but even though I liked Six-thirty‘s name, I felt the dog was an unnecessary character.

julesG I honestly hate the US cover. Both the UK and German editions are much more appropriate. 5mo
julesG Have a look at @Lindy's post with the different covers: https://litsy.com/p/aWlXdGVHcDVS 5mo
Tamra My thoughts changed on the cover. Initially I hated it for the incongruity, but then I realized it‘s a good fit because the MC is critically judged for being a woman, especially an attractive one. Assumptions & and all that….. (edited) 5mo
tpixie @julesG oh! @Lindy found even more covers! Fun! I had only seen the US UK in German ones previously. @Coleen I agree the US looks too much like a romcom Once I looked at it closer, I did appreciate the beakers in the glasses and the pencil in her hair. But the US cover otherwise misrepresents the book! 5mo
28 likes4 comments
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Coleen
More Than This | Patrick Ness
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Pickpick

I mostly liked this. It‘s sort of dark yet encouraging, but I felt like there were more questions than answers. I like books like that to some degree, but I felt like this one just needed a little more closure.

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Coleen
I See You | Clare Mackintosh
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Pickpick

I liked it. I was torn between thinking it was too unbelievable and maybe TOO believable, and that was creepy. Lots of red herrings in this one, which made me go back and forth with the whodunnit right up until the end.

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Coleen
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Bailedbailed

I feel bad about this because I‘ve enjoyed other books by this author, but my mind kept wandering and I couldn‘t stay focused on the story. I think in this instance, the audiobook format may not have been the best choice.

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Coleen
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If only all Mondays could be like this…..

Riveted_Reader_Melissa So beautiful 5mo
Tamra Yes, agreed! 5mo
Chrissyreadit i agree! 5mo
27 likes3 comments
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Coleen
Heart Bones | Colleen Hoover
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Pickpick

Jumping on the bandwagon a little with the CoHo, and the romance genre is not typically my go-to, but who can‘t use a little romance once in a while? Despite the too-tidy ending, I really enjoyed this one.

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Coleen
Cracked Up to Be | Courtney Summers
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Mehso-so

I loved Summers‘ more popular Sadie, so I thought I‘d go back and give her debut novel a try. Despite a lot of good reviews for this one, I was sort of just “meh”.

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Coleen
The Great Alone | Kristin Hannah
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Pickpick

Kristin Hannah is usually a mixed bag for me. Love the stories but I sometimes find the writing cheesy. This was possibly the best-written of those I‘ve read. Some dark subject matter and it started out kind of slow, but the second half really picks up.

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Coleen
The Couple Next Door | Shari Lapena
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Pickpick

This one was all kinds of crazy! Kind of like a train wreck that you can‘t tear yourself away from.

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Coleen
What Alice Forgot | Liane Moriarty
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Pickpick

I‘ve read quite a few of Moriarty‘s novels and I think this might be my fave thus far. Fun, yet serious undertones too. Good book for discussion.

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Coleen
Pachinko | Min Jin Lee
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Pickpick

I liked this, but not sure I felt it lived up to the hype. Started out strong, but I felt it got progressively weaker as it progressed and was maybe longer than it needed to be. I‘ve started watching the series adaptation (with subtitles) and have been enjoying it so far.

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Coleen
Carrie Soto Is Back | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

Despite the fact that I do love tennis and Taylor Jenkins Reid, this wasn‘t my favorite of hers, probably due mostly to Carrie Soto‘s unlikeable character. Still a good one though. I do enjoy Reid‘s writing style and will probably read anything she publishes.

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Coleen
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Pickpick

Contrary to popular opinion, I think maybe I liked this one better than the first in the series. The plot, at least. I would‘ve enjoyed some further character development of Falk, but maybe that‘s coming in book #3. The ending was a little anti-climactic, but it did keep me guessing.

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Coleen
Salt to the Sea | Ruta Sepetys
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Pickpick

This was fantastic. I wasn‘t expecting the emotional punch of this one, but I think it‘s easily my favorite thus far of this author‘s works. It‘s technically YA historical fiction, but easily appealing to adult audiences as well. Highly recommend!

LaraReads Yes! My favorite of hers! 7mo
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Love her books. 7mo
27 likes2 comments
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Coleen
Defending Jacob: A Novel | William Landay
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Pickpick

Did I think this lived up to the hype? Mostly. I was waiting for the twist…thought I had it figured out…but I was wrong. I‘m excited to watch the series now. ☺️

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Coleen
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Mehso-so

I‘m on the fence between a pick and so-so. I‘ve read enough of Jacobs to know what to expect. This was entertaining enough, though maybe not his best. But not bad either.

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Coleen
The Book of Two Ways | Jodi Picoult
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Pickpick

This was not the classic controversial subject matter that Picoult is known for, but there was a lot going on in this one. Not my favorite, but also certainly not my least favorite of hers. I had trouble with the shifting timelines, which made more sense as I made my way through the book. Still, a good one for discussion.

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Coleen
The One | John Marrs
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Pickpick

Surprised this one hasn‘t gotten more hype — I liked it a lot, given the fact it‘s a bit farfetched. Part sci-fi, part thriller, and part romance, it was interesting and not always predictable. Would make a great discussion book.

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Coleen
Red, White & Royal Blue | Casey McQuiston
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Pickpick

Given all the 5-star reviews of friends, I was expecting to love this. I didn‘t love it (for various reasons), but I liked it well enough. I did really like the basic storyline and all the possible implications (socially & politically) such a relationship would create in today‘s world.
Pretty excited about the upcoming adaptation!

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Coleen
The It Girl | Ruth Ware
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Pickpick

This is the first book of Ware‘s that I‘ve not done on audio, and while I missed the unmistakable voice of Imogen Church, I still enjoyed this quite a lot. (It helped that it was set in the world of academia, at Oxford.).

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Coleen
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Pickpick

This was good. Disturbing, but good. Although the ending was a little odd and unbelievable.

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Coleen
The Witching Hour | Anne Rice
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Mehso-so

This was a re-read for me, since I heard they were making a TV series. I remember loving this book when I read it probably 20 years ago. I think it must‘ve been an abridged edition back then, because my reading experience was totally different this time around. Anne Rice is good at researching & creating history, but gosh, this was long and often repetitive. As for the TV series…DON‘T DO IT! Truly awful.

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Coleen
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Pickpick

Eric Weiner sets off to explore “the happiest places on earth”. His travel itinerary was not what I would have expected. How do you measure a country‘s happiness quotient? Lots of factors — some expected, some not-so-expected. Somewhere between a pick and a so-so for me.

Graywacke I felt the same when i read this, but it‘s hung around in my head. 10mo
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Coleen
Consequences | Penelope Lively
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Mehso-so

Lively‘s books seem to often be slow burns, but also sort of sad and depressing. I think this was mostly well-written, though the jumping timeline was sometimes confusing. I prefer more dialogue. I also never really felt like I knew these characters….more of an outside looking in vibe.

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Coleen
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I‘m not sure this is exactly book-related, but I feel like book people will appreciate this. I made an impulse buy this morning at a garage sale. $15! 😍

rubyslippersreads This is wonderful! I have my mom‘s old Royal (circa 1950s). 11mo
TheSpineView I love it! It would look so nice sitting on a book shelf! 11mo
AvidReader25 Ahhh so beautiful! What a find!!! 11mo
20 likes3 comments
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Coleen
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Pickpick

This falls into the “one of those cute British stories” that seem to be so popular now. It‘s not necessarily my favorite genre, but it‘s a good palette cleanser between heavier reads. This was your standard lighthearted, somewhat quirky, feel-good book. I liked it overall, though.

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Coleen
One True Loves | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

I‘m gradually making my way through Taylor Jenkins Reid‘s books and this is the first of her older, lesser-knowns that I‘ve read. I think she has matured & expanded in her writing since this one, but I still love her writing style. A little sappy near the end, but still a good story.

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Coleen
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Pickpick

I am a little surprised at all the love this book has gotten. Liked it but didn‘t love it. The nostalgia and video game theme appealed to me, though I could see where that might be off-putting to others. Thought maybe it was longer than it needed to be.

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Coleen
Pilgrims | Elizabeth Gilbert
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Panpan

I generally like Elizabeth Gilbert‘s writing and she is one author I‘ve actually seen in person. But this collection of short stories just didn‘t do it for me. 👎

marleed Yea, I was surprised when I finally read this but found it to be a meh read. I typically love her writing. 11mo
Coleen @marleed Yeah. And those endings. Every single one just kind of ended out of nowhere. Huh?? 🤷🏼‍♀️ 11mo
19 likes2 comments
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Coleen
Fin and Lady | Cathleen Schine
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Mehso-so

This was a solid “meh” for me. That‘s about all I can say.

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Coleen
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Pickpick

I liked the gradual revealing of who Owen really was. Kept me wondering throughout. I didn‘t mind the non-conventional ending, but the whole last portion of the book felt kind of weak, like it could‘ve been MORE. But still eager to see it on screen.

RaeLovesToRead Can I just say, the kitty in your profile pic looks so like #picklescat !!! 11mo
28 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Coleen
Artemis | Andy Weir
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Mehso-so

The majority of viewers are correct on this one. Weir tried to take the personality of Mark Watney from The Martian and duplicate it in a female lead character. What was snarky and endearing in Watney was annoying and eye-rolling in the character of Jazz. Weir was trying too hard and it was evident.

Bklover I agree! He needs to stick to writing men. 12mo
20 likes1 comment
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Coleen
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Pickpick

I tend to read a Sarah Vowell book about once a year. Audio is always the way to go with her books, with her quirky, nerdy voice. This one didn‘t really have a central theme, but still mostly enjoyable.

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Coleen
Wayward | Blake Crouch
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Pickpick

Started this one immediately on the heels of finishing the 1st in the series. This one had a somewhat different feel. Whereas book #1 had a lot of wtf moments where I was trying to figure out what in the heck was going on, most of that had been resolved by the end, and this book explained more of what the town was going to do about it. The first half was a little slow, but when it picked up, I was all in for the second half.

marleed Oh my gosh I just posted about this one, too! I finished book 1 just last week and will start The Last Town this evening. My library just purchased the series on audiobook and that‘s how it came on my radar. 12mo
24 likes1 comment