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DebinHawaii

DebinHawaii

Joined March 2016

Voracious reader, book hoarder, and book loving Hawaii food blogger at kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com. Love pairing my reviews with recipes.
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DebinHawaii
Sun & Moon Signs | Julia Parker
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My library bookstore #bookhaul from yesterday. The stack was $9.50 & is mostly books from my TBR. I thought the tagged book would be fun for learning more about astrology for #TravelingStars

The bookπŸ”πŸ”approve of the choices, although they reminded me how gigantic my TBR stack is & how I didn‘t *need* more books added…spoilsports! πŸ˜‰

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DebinHawaii
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New job offer accepted & now the drug test. In my car in the parking lot reading the tagged book for #diversecozy & sucking down my Starbucks & bottle of water & trying to find the sweet spot between β€œOMG I have to go enough to fill this cup!” & β€œLine, I don‘t care about any line, you let me go NOW or it‘s gonna be too late!” #bladderpressures 😬😳😱🀣

AmyG Congrats! 1w
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Congratulations πŸŽŠπŸŽˆπŸŽ‰ 1w
Bookwormjillk Congratulations and good luck! 1w
See All 16 Comments
mdemanatee Congrats! 1w
BarbaraBB Congratulations! And, if I may ask, why a drugstest? Is that always part of the procedure to get a job? 1w
DebinHawaii @AmyG @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Bookwormjillk @mdemanatee @BarbaraBB Thank you friends! Girding my loins now to resign. 😳 1w
DebinHawaii @BarbaraBB Yes, it‘s a new employment drug test. Many employers here do it especially if there is an element of warehouse & transportation (so equipment) to the company, even if that‘s not my role. 1w
Mollyanna Congratulations! Hopefully you hit the right beverage balance πŸ˜‰ 1w
BarbaraBB I see! Thanks for explaining! Wishing you good luck πŸ€ in the new job 🀍 1w
DebinHawaii @Mollyanna Thank you. TMI but the last drug test I took was 5 years ago & it was a giant cup. This was a fraction of that so I overbalanced a bit! 🀣🀣😱🀣🀣 1w
mdemanatee @DebinHawaii you‘ve got this! 1w
Smrloomis Yippee for the new job and hope the line to do your test wasn‘t too long!! πŸ˜‚ 1w
LeahBergen Congrats on the new job (and the large pee πŸ˜†). 1w
Bookzombie Congratulations! 🧁 6d
TheBookHippie β™₯️β™₯️β™₯️β™₯️ congrats!!! Oy the pee in a cup πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’« 3d
rubyslippersreads Congratulations on the new job! I hate having to β€œgive a sample,” though. 😏 3d
64 likes16 comments
review
DebinHawaii
Murder at Haven's Rock | Kelley Armstrong
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Pickpick

A spin-off series from one of my favorites, the author‘s Rockton series. Pre-ordering the audiobook got me an ebook of Dead Letter Days, a transitional novella not in the Litsy database yet.
The novella was good with a short mystery & a big event & the tagged book was a solid start for the new hidden in the Yukon sanctuary town of Haven‘s Rock where Casey & Dalton arrive early when two people on the construction team go missing.

#SeriesLove2023

TheSpineView Awesome! 1w
Andrew65 Excellent πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ 1w
52 likes2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
The House of Eve | Sadeqa Johnson
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Pickpick

Read for book tour review last week. I love good historical fiction that gives me different perspectives & this one certainly did. About two strong young black women from different backgrounds in the 1950s & the difficult choices they were forced to make. I‘ve read multiple books on unplanned pregnancy in the era but none from a black perspective. Told from both points of view, one in first person & one in third, it had me engrossed. While a bit⬇️

DebinHawaii …predictable perhaps, it was no less powerful. Picked by Reese Witherspoonβ€˜s bookclub, itβ€˜s worthy of good discussion. Hereβ€˜s a link to my full review & a recipe for carrot-pineapple cupcakes loosely inspired by my reading. http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/?m=1 (edited) 1w
59 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
DebinHawaii
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Mehso-so

Finished last Sunday & didn‘t take part in the #independentwomen #buddyread festivities. I may go back & look at the discussion questions but maybe not.πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ I wanted to love this book but found myself slogging through it-the idea was there, but it didn‘t quite hook me & I spent much of it a bit confused. Given recent life events, I was also not in the mood for a too-close-to-today‘s-world & ultimately depressing book, so just a so-so from me.

BarbaraBB I understand! The discussion was a good one but I didn‘t like the book much either. 1w
Cinfhen This book was definitely a disappointment for many of us. I‘m sure life has been difficult without your loving Max - im so sorry, Deb xx 1w
49 likes2 comments
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DebinHawaii
RECAP: the human benefit | Savita Bailur
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I‘ve been reading this month but not doing much like posting reviews or joining in on discussions. Still intensely grieving my Max & also going through final processes for a new job that I accepted verbally Friday & will be signing the offer papers on Monday. It‘s still in Learning & Development but it is a remote job with regular Neighbor Island visits, a nice increase in pay & seemingly a removal from the stress & toxicity of my current job. ⬇️

DebinHawaii …I actually did a March TBR but didn‘t post it-so here is a current status. 3 read that need reviews that I‘ll get posted soon, some in process for ongoing buddy reads & a few others I hope to sneak in before month end.

Anyway, just wanted to check in & let you know I am still here & hope to be back a bit more regularly soon. πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ
1w
Ruthiella Mourning our animal companions is such a painful process. I wish you peace and good luck with the new job. ❀️ 1w
JenReadsAlot Sending you healing vibes πŸ’• 1w
See All 10 Comments
LeahBergen Sending love to you! ❀️❀️ 1w
BarbaraBB Sending love ❀️ 1w
MaureenMc πŸ’—πŸ’—πŸ’— 1w
Bookzombie Sending you lots of love! πŸ’• 5d
TheBookHippie Sending so much love!!! 3d
TheBookHippie Also yay to the ridding of toxic πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’«πŸ˜« 3d
rubyslippersreads Sending you lots of comfort. 😽 3d
43 likes10 comments
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DebinHawaii
Murder at Haven's Rock | Kelley Armstrong
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Thank you for the #WondrousWednesday tag @Pigpen_Reads πŸ€— Sorry I‘m a day late.

1️⃣ Not in Hawaii = Fall, In Hawaii = Winter
2️⃣ Chips,🍿& 🍫
3️⃣ All shades of πŸ’™
4️⃣ Lilacs, hydrangea & daffodils πŸ’
5️⃣ The Yukon or Alaska ❄️
6️⃣ Teas-iced or hot
7️⃣ Trivia & word games
8️⃣ Current audiobook is tagged, the 1st book in series spinoff of the author‘s Rockton series, set in a hidden town in the wilds of the Yukon.❄️

Anyone still want to play?

Eggs Thanks for playing 🌷🌸🌹 2w
41 likes1 comment
review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

My 3rd book from @Laughterhp β€˜s #AuldLangSpine list & one that was not on my radar, odd since it‘s a cozy, set in 1923 London & has the academia/plant/poison thing going on, so right up my alley. I really enjoyed Saffron, the MC & her friend Elizabeth & potential love interest, Alexander. Saffron is smart & daring & probably too curious for her own well-being. Overall charming & fun & I‘ll definitely read the second book when it comes out in June.

Laughterhp Oo I‘m glad you liked this one! Can‘t wait for the next one to come out! 3w
mhillis I really liked this one! 3w
TheBookHippie Checking in haven‘t seen ya post hope you‘re feeling ok! 2w
DebinHawaii @TheBookHippie Thanks for checking in my friend. πŸ’œI‘m okay just can‘t seem to focus on much & then I spent Friday & Saturday at a seminar. I did the #SundayBuddyRead & Foul Lady Fortune but haven‘t gotten into the discussion much. I will be by at some point. 2w
TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii No worries β™₯️ I‘m just glad you‘re not sick. I totally get the not focusing!! 2w
51 likes2 stack adds5 comments
review
DebinHawaii
The Body Lies | Jo Baker
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Pickpick

Finished this week, I got the audiobook on a 2/1 credit based on liking the author‘s Longbourn. This one‘s set in modern day & more a literary thriller than the psychological suspense it‘s tagged, but the atmospheric audiobook & assorted narrators drew me in & kept me listening as the tension steadily ratcheted up. I didn‘t warm to the (nameless) main character, but I ended up empathizing with her & maybe that was the author‘s intention. Solid πŸ‘

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DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

Finished earlier this week. I‘m trying to get back to reading more non-fiction this year & this month I finally tackled Caste which has been in my TBR for ages. Wilkerson is an amazing writer & this book is both engrossing & infuriating. The comparisons of caste in America, India & Nazi Germany are shattering & I had to read this is short doses at times. The Warmth of Other Suns is loaded on my Kindle as well & I‘ll be getting to it soon.

mcctrish This book changed the way I think 3w
TheBookHippie Oh The Warmth of Other Suns is even better IMO although both excellent necessary reads. 3w
59 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
Dearest Josephine | Caroline George
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Mehso-so

There was much to like about this bookβ€”the Scottish setting & food, particularly & had the author been able to stick the landing with the ending, it would have been a pick. I felt like it wasn‘t sure how it was going to make its point & that left me unsure & confused about what the point really was.πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈBut, as always, LOVED the #SundayBuddyRead discussions, always impeccably led by our host @TheBookHippie & those make up for a lackluster read.

TheBookHippie β™₯️β™₯️β™₯️β™₯️β™₯️ 3w
52 likes1 comment
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DebinHawaii
Untitled | Unknown
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My heart is broken. Today I had to say goodbye to the best boy ever, my baby & reading companion, Max. I was lucky to have him 19 years & he was a frequent visitor on my Litsy page back in the day. He was a unique soul, a character, & my comfort. I‘m going to miss his little face, vocal personality & warm purr. If you have a fur baby (or non-furry pet friend) give them a pat & some love from me.
Rest in love, my boy.πŸ’™πŸŒˆ
#CatsofLitsy #MaxtheCat

RamsFan1963 I'm sorry for you loss πŸ’” 4w
Karisa Aw, so sorry for your loss. Cats are wonderful companions 😒 4w
jlhammar So sorry. 4w
See All 52 Comments
TorieStorieS Oh, I am so sorry for your loss. Sending comforting thoughts your way 4w
Jas16 I am so sorry! 4w
WorldsOkayestStepMom So sorry for your loss. 4w
inthegreensandblues I'm so sorry for your loss πŸ’™ 4w
erank58 So sorry, sending thoughts your way πŸ’™ 4w
LeahBergen Oh, Deb!! I‘m so sorry to hear this. 😭😭 Max was always such a bright spot on my Litsy timeline. I‘m sending lots of love to you. ❀️❀️❀️ 4w
JenReadsAlot I'm so so sorry for your loss. I loved seeing your pictures of Max. Sending ❀️❀️❀️ 4w
CoverToCoverGirl So very sorry for your loss. πŸ’™πŸ’” 4w
swishandflick πŸ’” So sorry for your loss! Sending hugs. 4w
TheKidUpstairs I'm so sorry, Deb! Sending lots of love your way. 4w
Bookwormjillk I‘m so sorry πŸ’” 4w
Kshakal I am so sorry for your loss πŸ’— 4w
AmyG I am so very sorry, Deb. My George lived to 19, too. It‘s heartbreaking. Sending a hug. May you always be comforted by the time you had together. 4w
RaeLovesToRead I'm so sorry πŸ’” 4w
Susanita Aww Max. πŸ˜’πŸ’” 4w
Bookzombie I‘m so sorry, Deb! I loved when you shared Max with us. Sending lots of love and hugs your way. ❀️❀️❀️ 4w
Soubhiville I‘m so sorry. He was famous here, and he‘ll be much missed. 4w
IndoorDame I‘m so sorry, that‘s heartbreaking πŸ’” 4w
rubyslippersreads Max was a star of Litsy. We‘ll all miss him. 😿 4w
Librarybelle I am so sorry. I always enjoyed seeing Max on Litsy. He will truly be missed. Sending lots of hugs to you. ❀️ 4w
Cuilin So sorry. Sending love your way. ❀️ 4w
Deblovestoread So sorry for your loss. It‘s never easy to say goodbye. Sending hugs. 4w
curiouserandcurioser @DebinHawaii im so very sorry for your lossπŸ’” Max will be missed. Sending hugs❀ 4w
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian I recently lost a beloved pet too. It's so hard. Sending you solidarity and πŸ’œ 4w
Suet624 I‘m so very sorry. Max was always a delight to see on Litsy. 4w
rabbitprincess Oh Deb, I‘m so sorry ❀️❀️😿 Max was a sweetheart. He will be very much missed πŸ’” 4w
Melkyl I am so sorry. I always loved seeing Max‘s pictures on your posts. 4w
MaureenMc Oh, I‘m so sorry for your loss. I always enjoyed seeing Max. πŸ’— 4w
JessClark78 I‘m so sorry. πŸ’”πŸ’”β€οΈ 4w
wordslinger42 I'm so sorry. Saying goodbye to our sweet pets is so hard. Sending love and hugs πŸ’œ 4w
Chelsea.Poole So sorry for your loss. He sounds like a special kitty β™₯️ 4w
Itchyfeetreader I am so sorry to hear this. 4w
Ruthiella So sorry to hear that. πŸ’” 4w
Dragon So very sorry for your loss πŸŒˆπŸ’” 4w
eeclayton I'm sorry for your loss πŸ’” 4w
mrp27 Oh no! I‘m going to miss Max posts. So sorry for your loss. 4w
thebackyardgnome May your beaytiful baby's memory be forever and alwajs a blessing to you βœ¨πŸ’• Max brought so much happiness to this world. Thsnk you so muxh for sharing him with us 4w
batsy I'm so sorry for your loss. I loved seeing Max in your posts πŸ’” 4w
Balibee146 I'm so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful boy πŸ’”πŸŒˆ 4w
MicheleinPhilly I‘m so sorry, Deb. We all loved Max. Sending you big hugs. ❀️ 4w
RobES I'm so sorry. Sending hugs πŸ’” 4w
SamAnne Oh, what a handsome boy. Condolences. 4w
Cortg I‘m so sorry for you loss. It‘s hard losing a fur baby. πŸ’” 4w
BookwormM So sorry loved seeing Max here πŸ’” 4w
Megabooks I am so sorry for your loss. πŸ’•πŸ’” 4w
Reggie Noooo not Max! I‘m so sorry. I remember him from back in the day on here, too. 4w
DebinHawaii Thank you all for the kind words & love for Max. πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ (edited) 3w
BarbaraJean I‘m only just now seeing thisβ€”and I‘m so sorry for the loss of your sweet Max. I remember fondly his frequent appearances during the Lord of the Rings chapter-a-day readalong, I think it was! I loved seeing him in your posts. Sending you hugs and virtual ahi in his honor. πŸŸπŸ’œ 2w
DebinHawaii @BarbaraJean Thank you for the kind words. He would love the ahi 🐟 of course.πŸ’™ 2w
78 likes52 comments
review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

Short yet powerful coming of age story about 12-year-old (Felicia) Fe Fe & the last summer spent with her friends & family in the Robert Taylor housing projects in Chicago & how their lives were irrevocably changed. The writing is evocative & amazing especially from a debut novel. It isn‘t an easy read, (TWs for gang & sexual violence & abuse) but it‘s a good one & one I‘ll be thinking about. Tagged for fans of Jacqueline Woodsen for good reason.

review
DebinHawaii
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Mehso-so

Read for #DiverseCozy This was a so-so for me. I liked the main character Halia, the restaurant setting & of course, all the southern food mentions/recipes. I didn‘t like the way some of the characters were writtenβ€”like Halia‘s cousin; more caricatures than feeling real & the dialogue felt awkward. In that regard, I wasn‘t shocked but still disappointed to learn from GoodReads that the author is not a black woman, but rather a white/Latin male. ⬇️

DebinHawaii …And, while most cozy sleuths tend to make bad choices that cause me to yell at them in my head, some of Halia‘s & her cousin‘s decisions were REALLY bad & had no repercussions at the end which was not realistic. Based on all that, but mainly the author switcheroo, I won‘t continue with this series.πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ #diversecozy2023 #serieslove2023 (edited) 1mo
TheBookHippie Like the food! No to the book πŸ€£πŸ€£πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’« 1mo
TheSpineView That's disappointing! Hopefully the next book will be better.🀞 1mo
See All 6 Comments
5feet.of.fury Ugh. I knew it was by a man but did not know he isn‘t Black. Womp Womp 1mo
kspenmoll I agree- well stated review! 1mo
Andrew65 Cozies seem to have a higher chance of being a so-so for me. Like with @TheBookHippie could eat that food! 1mo
67 likes6 comments
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DebinHawaii
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Mini #libraryhaul
Picked up my library hold yesterday for the tagged book for the #IndependentWomen weekend & renewed Chasing Plants. My favorite librarian gave me Would You Rather which she said was β€œpretty good fluff” & recommended Happening by Annie Ernayx, the 2022 Nobel Laureate to β€œcounterbalance the fluff.” Book πŸ” approved.

TheBookHippie πŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌ 1mo
Cinfhen Excited to see the holds coming in for Women 🧑😁 1mo
63 likes2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

After loving Legends & Lattes, I had to read this cozy fantasy when I heard the author on TikTok saying she got one ⭐️ reviews due to (OMG!) lesbians being in it, apparently a surprise to those readers even though it clearly states it in the blurb. So, I had to give it a try. It‘s not quite L&L for me but overall is quite delightful & the author gives credit to Travis Baldree for inspiring her. Could have used a bit more editing for the number⬇️

DebinHawaii …of times a character β€œpinched”their brow or bridge of their nose & a few sentences like, β€œShe offered a weighted pause, weighted with amusement.” Could we not have combined that? πŸ€” But still a solid pick & if you like tea, books, fantasy, sapphic romance & taking a chance/starting over stories, this is a sweet & fun cozy read. Looking forward to book 2, out soon. Read during the #FabulousFebruaryReadathon (edited) 1mo
Andrew65 Great πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ 1mo
63 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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DebinHawaii
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My #librarybookhaul from yesterday. Picked up holds on the tagged book for #Pemberlittens & A Botanist‘s Guide to Parties and Poisons for #AuldLangSpine from @Laughterhp β€˜s list & Funeral Girl & Accomplished caught my eye in YA. Then the library bookstore had 1/2-off fiction so I got the 3 remaining books there for $2.50. I‘m most excited about the pretty Waterstones Signed Exclusive Edition of Under the Whispering Door! πŸ€—
The bookπŸ”πŸ” approve!

AmyG Ooooo a signed book. And such a lovely one. 1mo
DebinHawaii @AmyG It is lovely! I have it as an e-book & was planning on reading it for #AuldLangSpine already but I had to have this signed copy with the blue painted edges for $1. πŸ€—πŸ’™ 1mo
AmyG $1! πŸ™ŒπŸ» 1mo
75 likes1 stack add3 comments
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DebinHawaii
February | Ellen Jackson
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OK, so we are 5 days in, but here is my February TBR. I won‘t read this many books & as always, it‘s subject to change to my mood, but I think I‘ll get through the first couple of rows including the books from #SundayBuddyRead #Pemberlittens #DiverseCozy #SeriesLove2023 #FoodandLit and #IndependentWomen buddy reads.

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DebinHawaii
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Joining in on the #FabulousFebruary #Readathon

My goals are to read as much as possible & finish the top two books, progress in the bottom left two #buddyread titles & at least start the two bottom right. But I am a moody reader so something else might catch my eye.πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ

Reading challenges: #SundayBuddyRead #PemberLittens #DiverseCozy #SeriesLove2023

BookLineNSinker I truly loved The Body Lies. It was just a really great character study and I love thrillers but this was so much better than my usual guilty pleasure reads. It was well written, thoughtful, and kept me on the edge of my seat. It does take a little while to build, but I found that as it was building the characters kept me fully engaged. I hope you like it as much as I did! (edited) 2mo
Andrew65 Great to have you with us, good luck 😁 2mo
TheSpineView Looks like a good list! Good luck 2mo
DebinHawaii @BookLineNSinker I‘m glad to hear you liked it! I bought the audiobook on a two-for-one credit deal because it sounded intriguing & because I liked the author‘s Longbourn. 1mo
50 likes4 comments
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DebinHawaii
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In a really busy month with lingering health stuff, I‘m pretty amazed that I read 12 books.πŸŽ‰ It was a great reading month as I had several books I really enjoyed & a couple that I‘m sure with make my Top books of 2023 list. My favorite was the audiobook Remarkably Bright Creatures which I tossed into the mix when I had headaches & work commutes & I‘m so glad I did! Close behind was The Undertaking of Heart and Mercy from my #AuldLangSpine list ⬇️

DebinHawaii …from @Laughterhp & I also really liked The Dead Romantics from her list. I read 2 series books for #SeriesLove2023 (still need to publish my list) & 1 was for #DiverseCozy #buddyread I read both a book & novella for #SundayBuddyRead & finally finished a book for review & 1 for my foodie book club. My big fail was not getting into Middlemarch with the #PemberLittens -I just couldn‘t seem to catch up or care. πŸ€¦πŸ»β€β™€οΈBut otherwise I‘m happy! πŸ“šπŸŽ‰ 2mo
TheBookHippie I can‘t believe I‘m still with Middiemarch πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’«πŸ˜‚πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ 2mo
TheSpineView Awesome! Well done! 2mo
See All 8 Comments
DebinHawaii @TheBookHippie I think if I hadn‘t gotten so far behind in the beginning. You have my respect! πŸ˜‰πŸ€£ 2mo
Bklover @thebookhippie Neither can I. I‘m there for the #hashtags ! @DebinHawaii I just used a credit to get Remarkably Bright Creatures so I‘m glad you liked it! 2mo
Laughterhp Sounds like you had a great reading month! So glad you liked the books off my list! 2mo
TheBookHippie @Bklover same the hashtags are so good!!! 2mo
Andrew65 An excellent month, especially given everything. Hope all the health things are improving. 2mo
59 likes8 comments
review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

Finished in January for my virtual foodie blogger book club. Although the MC Kate annoyed me & I would the 97-year old Cecily too gruff & grumpy to like at first, they both won me over & I ended up enjoying the book. I was going to make a carbonara as my book-inspired dish but ended up throwing together a quick Shrimp Scampi with garlicky, buttery pasta after work one night & ate it on the couch with chopsticks because it was that kind of month.⬇️

batsy That looks so good! 🍀🍝 2mo
julieclair Great review and recipe. Added. πŸ“šThanks! 2mo
53 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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DebinHawaii
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Very excited for the #AuldLangSpinegiveaway that @monalyisha is doing. Since I just finished a book featuring an MC who can see ghosts (& loved it) from my #AuldLangSpine partner‘s list, the tagged book is the one I am most interested in winning. Mahalo! πŸ€—

review
DebinHawaii
The Dead Romantics | Ashley Poston
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Pickpick

The 2nd book I finished from @Laughterhp β€˜s #AuldLangSpine list. I had it in my #TBR already, but I‘m glad she gave me the push to read it. A complete rom-com in book form, it was sweet, funny & poignant. Yes, predictable, I kept yelling the β€œtwist” at the MC, Florence, almost immediately, but what rom-com isn‘t predictable?! I liked the puns & witty banter, combined with quirky characters, ghosts, books, & the family dynamics. A feel good book.🧑

review
DebinHawaii
Ghost 19 | Simone St. James
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Pickpick

Read for #SundayBuddyRead This novella is not my favorite thing Simone St. James has written, but it was creepy & good & still a pick for me despite not loving the end. Did the novella format work well because a small dose of the unreliable main character was enough or would a deeper dive into the main character made me like her more?πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ
Waiting for her next full-length book next year.

46 likes1 stack add
review
DebinHawaii
Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt
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Pickpick

I was afraid to read this one based on all its hype but I loved it! The audiobook narration was excellentβ€”although it took me a few weeks of work commutes to get through it, I was always excited to get back to it. I enjoyed all the characters & I can‘t believe I fell so hard for an octopus. Ah, Marcellus! πŸ™πŸ§‘ A sweet, sentimental & yes, sometimes a bit schmaltzy, debut that combined predictability with enough unique aspects to make it stand out.

CoverToCoverGirl I picked this up from audible recently too. I was very intrigued, so I‘m very happy to hear that you really enjoyed it! πŸ™‚ 2mo
75 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
DebinHawaii
Winter's End: A Mystery | Paige Shelton
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Pickpick

Finished last week-Book 4 in the Alaska Wild series & another solid entry for this series about a popular mystery/thriller author β€œhiding out” in rural Benedict, Alaska while the man who kidnapped & terrorized her is at large. It‘s springtime & the annual β€œDeath March” (an event to gather to see if anyone is missing after the winter) brings mystery & murder. It‘s a bit of a transitional book, so I‘m curious to see where the series goes next.

DebinHawaii Also for #SeriesLove2023 πŸ“š Book 5 will be out in December. 2mo
TheSpineView Oh the wait!😬 2mo
Andrew65 Fantastic. Well done on getting caught up on the series, now the long wait to the next one πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ 2mo
62 likes3 comments
review
DebinHawaii
Arsenic and Adobo | Mia P. Manansala
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Mehso-so

This one was a #BOTM pick & in my #TBR stack for ages so I am glad that I got the nudge to read it from the #diversecozy buddy read. That being said, it wasn‘t my favorite. Having spent time in the Philippines & having Filipino friends, I enjoyed the dive into the food & culture but the mystery was too easily solved, the drama overwrought, the plot holes many & things,including the MC‘s choices were either over explained or not explained ⬇️

DebinHawaii … enough. Although not a love for me, I may still pick up the next book in the series just to see if things improve as I do like a foodie cozy. & the food was the best part of this one. Also adding it to my #SeriesLove2023 list & books read. 2mo
mcipher The next book is better! 2mo
TheSpineView Hopefully it will be better. Great job for sticking with it. 2mo
DebinHawaii @mcipher Good to hear! 2mo
Andrew65 Well done and hope the next one is better. πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ 2mo
64 likes5 comments
review
DebinHawaii
The Godmothers: A Novel | Camille Aubray
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Pickpick

Finished last Sunday for #SundayBuddyRead but I failed to get a review post up. I would say that mafia stories aren‘t my thing so I likely never would have read this if @TheBookHippie hadn‘t picked it but I really found myself caught up in the stories of the 4 godmothers & their life in NYC from the 1940s, through the war years and into the 1950s. It made me watch the first 2 films in The Godfather saga (I am slowly slugging through the 3rd) & ⬇️

DebinHawaii …had me Googling & looking for more info which is always a good sign in historical fiction. It‘s not perfect, I felt the ending was a bit rushed & wrapped up too neatly in some cases but I enjoyed the ride & the always interesting Sunday book discussions. 2mo
TheBookHippie It was a great way to start January!!! 2mo
55 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
The Bodyguard: A Novel | Katherine Center
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Pickpick

I bumped this up my #TBR because it worked for a Kindle challenge I‘m doing & I‘m glad I did. It was fun & funny & a nice light change from heavier books & heavier times as my work is busy & health still not where I‘d like it to be which has me spending more time sleeping than reading. Hannah & Jack are great characters & Katherine Center books tend to give me warm & fuzzy rom-com vibes. It‘s a tad predictable but engaging & I liked the female ⬇️

DebinHawaii …bodyguard protecting the hot male actor switch. πŸ˜‰ 2mo
TheBookgeekFrau I like her books; can't wait to read this one! May you feel more yourself soon πŸ™πŸΌ 2mo
ShyBookOwl Kindle challenge? Do tell! 2mo
See All 6 Comments
DebinHawaii @TheBookgeekFrau Thank you! I‘m hoping I will soon. πŸ€— 2mo
DebinHawaii @ShyBookOwl They have been doing these 3-month reading challenges where you β€œwin” achievement badges for reading on your Kindle daily. This book was one I had loaded that was a fit for their Amazon editors Best Books of 2022 badge. If you have the Kindle app on your phone I think you can see the challenge. (edited) 2mo
63 likes6 comments
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DebinHawaii
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Thank you so much @catiewithac for the wonderful & way too generous #TravelingStars gifts! I feel spoiled with the astrology calendar, the book, stamps & ink & bath bomb. I love the bookmark, post card & stickers & it made me smile because we visited some of the same sellers on Etsy!πŸ˜‰ I am enjoyed reading your note & learning more about you. Although my Libra air sign is more abstract & your Capricorn practical side are different, we both share⬇️

DebinHawaii … a live for new ideas & are initiators & can balance as friends. πŸ˜‰ Mahalo, again for my treats. β™ŽοΈ 2mo
catiewithac I thought I might as well load up the priority mail medium box. In for a penny, in for a pound!! Happy #travelingstars ! 🌟 (edited) 2mo
Chrissyreadit Wow!! @catiewithac you are fancy schmancy! Now I need to look up your sign and see more about you!!! 2mo
StaceGhost Wow! You all are killing it with this!! 2mo
49 likes4 comments
review
DebinHawaii
The Measure | Nikki Erlick
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Pickpick

Bumped this up my TBR because the e-book goes back tomorrow & the waitlist is still long. This book will have me thinking for a while. Would I open my box or not? Loved the different stories & POVs & although a bit alarming at times how it seems to mirror current events & the state of the world, that made it all the more absorbing & hard to put down. I got emotionally attached to several of the characters & found myself tearing up more than once.

Hestapleton I just finished this one last week and I‘m still thinking about it! I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. 2mo
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review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

Read for book tour review this week. I‘m giving it a soft pick for what it is, a Cinderella-ish Regency romance with spice🌢️🌢️🌢️What it isn‘t, despite the blurb on Litsy (& formerly on Amazon) is Cinderella meets Pride and Prejudice (which is why I agreed to the tour-so points off for that)☹️But it‘s a quick, cute read with some snarky humor & witty banter & a very likable heroine & a pretty good debut novel so if you like that sort of thing ⬇️

DebinHawaii …you should enjoy it. Hereβ€˜s a link to my review: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-book-tour-stops-here-review-of.ht... 2mo
Leftcoastzen Where do all those shirts go?πŸ€” 2mo
DebinHawaii @Leftcoastzen Right?! 🀣 She might have left a shoe at a party but he lost his whole shirt somewhere! 🀣🀣 2mo
52 likes3 comments
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DebinHawaii
The Godmothers: A Novel | Camille Aubray
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I was listening to a feature about this BBC podcast this morning while driving to work, my attention caught by mafia & children. Itβ€˜s about a program that originated in Southern Italy where a judge removes children from mafia families to break the cycle & reduce organized crime.

I found it interesting given our current #SundayBuddyRead pick.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct304s

TheBookHippie Oh wow!!! 2mo
AmyG Very interesting. 2mo
53 likes2 comments
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DebinHawaii
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#WeeklyForecast #BookReport

I spent more time sleeping this weekend than reading as after I shook my holiday bronchitis, I now have an ear infection/sore throat. Stupid immune system!😷 On the plus side, 5 years ago this weekend I ended up in the hospital after a severe asthma attack, so could be worse!

Anyway, in addition to finishing TUOHAM, I read the section for #SundayBuddyRead & am trying to catch up in Middlemarch for #PemberLittens ⬇️

DebinHawaii … but I‘m struggling with motivation for it, so we‘ll see. The top 3 books are started & will be my focus this week. The tagged I have a book tour review for Thursday. (Supposed to be a cross between Cinderella & Pride & Prejudice) The middle is for #SeriesLove2023 & The Dead Romantics, book 2 from my #AuldLangSpine 2mo
BarkingMadRead Oh no!! Feel better soon!! 2mo
DebinHawaii @BarkingMadRead Thanks! I am on antibiotics & feeling better this afternoon. πŸ€— 2mo
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TheBookHippie Oh no!!!! Rest rest rest hydrate!!! Ughhhhh. So so sorry. 2mo
Chrissyreadit Hope you continue with a rapid recovery ❀️ 2mo
Ruthiella Hope you feel better soon! ❀️ 2mo
Graciouswarriorprincess Oh no! Sending hugs and hope that you feel better soon! 2mo
Cinfhen Feel better β€οΈβ€πŸ©Ή hope you‘re back in full action soon!! 2mo
rockpools Oh no! Feel better soon 🌻 2mo
Laughterhp Hope you feel better soon! 2mo
BookBosomed1 I hope you feel better! 2mo
TheSpineView Feel better soon! 2mo
Andrew65 Hope you are feeling better soon. There are so many bugs around at the moment and all our immune systems seem to have been affected by COvID. Take things slowly and carefully and read when you feel able to. 2mo
Dragon Hope you‘re feeling better today. Take care and rest up. πŸ’πŸ’šπŸ‰ 2mo
rubyslippersreads Feel better soon! 😽 2mo
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review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

My first book read for #AuldLangSpine & @Laughterhp β€˜s list. I loved this book which reminded me of You‘ve Got Mail only set in a western/fantasy world. Both Hart & Mercy were great characters as were their friends & family. Sweet, funny, & a bit spicier than I was expecting-not a bad thing., I was both tearing up & smiling.

I purchased it as a Kindle Deal but it might have languished in my TBR without the #ALSpine nudge, so thanks to Mikala! πŸ€—

Laughterhp Yay! Glad you liked it! It definitely has You‘ve Got Mail vibes! (edited) 2mo
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DebinHawaii
Winter's End: A Mystery | Paige Shelton
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My library haul for today. I picked up my hold on the tagged book-4th book in the Alaska Wild series #SeriesLove2023
I found up the only copy of non-Disney Bambi my library had to maybe join in #ChildrensClassicRead2023 but it‘s an adapted picture book soπŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈThen Chasing Plants called to me (it‘s gorgeous!) & my favorite librarian gave me the top 2 books #ARC s she thought I might like (both sound good). Tagging them ⬇️ The bookπŸ”πŸ”approve!

See All 12 Comments
TheBookHippie Could be okayπŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ 2mo
DebinHawaii @TheBookHippie It‘s only about 50 pages. I‘m going to look at Kindle again. I‘m just too cheap to pay much! πŸ€¦πŸ»β€β™€οΈ 2mo
TheBookHippie @DebinHawaii I know that ! I like a 1.99 book! I‘ve been trying to find it for us on the sale too. πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’« 2mo
Soubhiville Ooo, chasing plants sounds really good. I‘m going to see if my library has it. πŸ™‚πŸ“š 2mo
DebinHawaii @Soubhiville Doesn‘t it?! I saw it on the new book shelf & had to grab it-exotic plants & travel. πŸ€— 2mo
Andrew65 That‘s excellent and I need to check out that series. 2mo
DebinHawaii @Andrew65 It‘s a good one. I‘m a sucker for Alaska-settings. Start with 2mo
TheSpineView Score!!πŸ€©πŸ“šπŸ“šπŸ“š 2mo
Andrew65 @DebinHawaii Thanks πŸ‘ Alaska is a good setting. 2mo
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DebinHawaii
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#WondrousWednesday

1️⃣ Fantasy You‘ve Got Mail (tagged book at least so far!)

2️⃣ Sadly, no. I have no talent for languages

3️⃣ Either Can‘t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne, Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams or Murder at Haven‘s Rock by Kelley Armstrong (I can‘t pick just one! πŸ“š)

Play if you want to & haven‘t yet! πŸ€—

Eggs Thanks for joining in πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ» 3mo
27 likes1 comment
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DebinHawaii
22 December | Evelin Brosi
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I was convinced with work, the holiday bustle & a bout of bronchitis I didn‘t read that much in December, but I managed to finish 14 books. πŸŽ‰πŸ“šπŸŽ‰

Overall, it was a great reading month with the top row being my standouts/favorites. 11.5 were from female authors, 3.5 male & I worked some diversity into my holiday books especially. All but 1 were fiction & 3 were lingering ARCs, 2 were BOTMs, 4 were library books & 3 were for challenges/readalongs

shanaqui I reaaaally need to get to reading Legends & Lattes, I hear such nice things about it! 3mo
DebinHawaii @shanaqui I don‘t want to overhype it but it was sweet & just delightful! πŸ€—πŸ’š 3mo
50 likes2 comments
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DebinHawaii
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We finally have a winner for the #HeiressPride πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ #chaoteraday readalong that I hosted for #PemberLittens

Apologies for the delay, between work, bronchitis, the holidays, etc., tabulating the entries & inputting all the entries per person took a while, but drumroll, please…

πŸŽ‰The winner of an Jane Austen/Austen-ish prize pack is @IndoorDame !!πŸŽ‰

We had such good & fun participation that I drew 2 more names for a few Austen-ish goodies ⬇️

DebinHawaii …Runners up are @suvata & @kspenmoll !!! πŸŽ‰ So if all of you will email me at debinhawaii@gmail.com with your mailing addresses (& @IndoorDame tell me any JA or Austen-ish book from your list) & I will get your prizes sent out.

Thanks to everyone who joined in the read-along! I really had fun reading along with all of you! πŸ€—
3mo
IndoorDame Yay!!! I‘m so excited!!! I loved this book and our read along. Thank you for being an awesome host and for this generous giveaway! 3mo
See All 13 Comments
suvata Well deserved 3mo
SamAnne @DebinHawaii you made it so fun! 3mo
DebinHawaii @IndoorDame You are welcome! πŸ€— 3mo
DebinHawaii @suvata You too! πŸŽ‰ 3mo
DebinHawaii @SamAnne Aww! Thank you! 😘 3mo
BarkingMadRead Congratulations πŸŽ‰πŸŽŠ 3mo
julieclair Congrats to @IndoorDame , @suvata and @kspenmoll ! And thank you to @DebinHawaii for being an awesome host! 3mo
eeclayton Congrats Ladies, and thanks for hosting @DebinHawaii It was so much fun! ☺️ 3mo
SarahBookInterrupted Congratulations!! 3mo
Librarybelle Thank you for hosting! It was a great book! 3mo
58 likes13 comments
review
DebinHawaii
Improbably Yours | Kerry Anne King
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Pickpick

First book finished for 2023 & it was a sweet one. On her 30th birthday Blythe gets a job, a proposal & an inheritance from her late beloved grandmother, Nomi, who died when she was a child. To get the inheritance she must take part in a treasure hunt to find the place Nomi wants her ashes spread on a small island in the San Juan‘s. I enjoyed the story & the 2 gifts wrapped gifts that were part of the Once Upon a Book Club β€œUp All Night” box.⬇️

DebinHawaii …One was a paint-by-number kit of a painting talked about in the book & the other a wooden box/treasure chest with a letter & ring & question cards to make it into a time capsule. The other items in the box were a bookish champagne glass & a 40 book challenge scratch off poster. You can see more of a description in my previous post on this book. 3mo
peaknit Clever idea! 3mo
55 likes2 comments
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DebinHawaii
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My semi-tentative January #TBR Right now the top 2.5 rows are pretty solid because of #buddyreads #readalongs & challenges, a book tour & my virtual foodie book club pick. I am a moody reader so the rest is up subject to change.

Looking to read along with #SundayBuddyRead #ALSpine #AuldLangSpine #PemberLittens #DiverseCozy & #SeriesLove2023 so far in January

Andrew65 Looks like it will be a great month! Good luck and enjoy. 3mo
TheSpineView Looks like January will be a great month! 3mo
TheBookHippie Yay!! 3mo
TheSpineView As a mood reader myself, I understand changes! 3mo
59 likes1 stack add4 comments
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DebinHawaii
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My New Year‘s Day bookish plans are to finish Improbably Yours, started last night & to get further into the tagged book which I started this morning. It‘s the first of the #AuldLangSpine books from @Laughterhp that I plan to read & 2 chapters in I‘m enjoying it. πŸ€—

What are your bookish plans for today?

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DebinHawaii
Improbably Yours | Kerry Anne King
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Still a couple hours to go to 2023. My reading for tonight & probably tomorrow too as I started it a little late to finish. I treated myself to the β€œUp All Night” box from Once Upon a Book Club. It has 2 gifts to open on designated pages as well as the 2023 book challenge scratch-off poster, β€œThe world belongs to those who read” champagne glass, confetti popper (it came popped in the boxπŸ˜†) & book club packet.

Happy New Year, friends! 🎊🍾

Ruthiella Happy New Year to you too! πŸ₯³ 3mo
Reggie Happy New Year! 3mo
53 likes2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

Finished up this epistolary novella about time-traveling female spies/assassins on different sides who fall in love during a war. I saw it on someone‘s best of 2023 on TikTok & was intrigued & my library had the e-book available last week. Beautiful writing & imagery & apparently much smarter than me as I am not sure I understood everything that happened in their somewhat cat-and-mouse relationship πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ but the evocative writing engaged me.

review
DebinHawaii
The Snow Queen | Hans Christian Andersen
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Pickpick

I keep forgetting to post this but I decided to join the #ChildrensClassicsRead2022 for December because it‘s been ages since I read this HCA classic & then I fell in love with this copy, illustrated by Sanna Annukka at my Barnes & Noble last month. I enjoyed rereading the story of Gerda & her fight to save Kai from the Snow Queen & the drawings just pulled me in further, capturing the cold winter vibe of the book. A quick & fun winter reread.πŸ’™

TheBookHippie I loved it and this book!!! 3mo
DivineDiana What a special book! 3mo
57 likes2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
VenCo: A Novel | Cherie Dimaline
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Pickpick

An enthusiastic pick for this one, publishing 2/7/23. I have had the #ARC for a few months & finally was able to pick it up. If you loved Empire of Wild, you will likely love this one too. Focusing on Lucky who is scrabbling to get by & take care of her grandmother when she finds a β€œwitch” spoon that leads her to a group of indigenous women, all witches trying to find their 6th & 7th members to form a coven before time runs out or a witch hunter⬇️

DebinHawaii …gets to them first. Darkly humorous & empowering, I loved the folklore, the strong female characters & their stories. As the author says in her closing, β€œβ€¦it‘s always a good day to hex the patriarchy.” πŸ–€

If you haven‘t read her first novel (tagged) it was one of my favorites for 2022 & this one will probably end up as an early edition of my 2023 list.
(edited) 3mo
Bookzombie I didn‘t know about this one. I loved Empire of Wild. Exciting! 3mo
SamAnne Stacked! 3mo
47 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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DebinHawaii
Foul Lady Fortune | Chloe Gong
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Anyone who wants to join in the March #readalong of Foul Lady Fortune hosted by @TheBookHippie & who doesn‘t have the book already (or is like me & likes having options of print & Kindle) it‘s $3.99 on Amazon right now. πŸ€—

TheBookHippie Ohhhh!!! Yes! 3mo
Susanita I hope you‘re feeling better today! 3mo
DebinHawaii @Susanita Yes! Not quite 100% but better every day. Thanks for asking. πŸ€— 3mo
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DebinHawaii
Guess What? Cat Butt! | What the Farce Publishing
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Thanks @Eggs for the #WondrousWednesday tag.πŸ€—

1️⃣Taken today-my Secret Santa coworker gifted me this β€œLoaf Cat” Squishable as part of my gift so I too, could have a stuffed animal in my office.πŸ€”I‘m not sure that was a *need* for me but my inner 5th grader is amused that it has a cat butt hole.🫣🀭🀣

2️⃣Still getting over the bronchitis blahs so closing up my house from fireworks & reading with Max & snacks is my plan.

Anyone not played yet?

LeahBergen πŸ˜†πŸ˜† 3mo
Ruthiella Thanks for sharing * 🀣🀣🀣 3mo
Eggs #2 I hear ya on shutting out the fireworks bc of our pyrotechnic-loving neighbors Yeesh!! Thanks for playing DebπŸ₯³β€οΈπŸ₯° 3mo
37 likes3 comments
review
DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

Read this 16th book in the Bakeshop Mysteries on its Book Birthday! After the livestream event with Ellie Alexander on Facebook last night, I had Jules & the Torte team on the brain & wanted to spend time with one of my fave cozy series. Jules is catering a company retreat with difficult clients on the Rogue River & of course, there‘s a murder. The usual fun, characters & delicious sounding bakery goods & food to enjoy with recipes in the back.🧁

Cinfhen Fun title!!! Hi!!!!! Hope all is well 3mo
DebinHawaii @Cinfhen Hey there! I am hanging in there. Hope all is well with you & that you had nice holidays! 😘 3mo
42 likes2 comments
review
DebinHawaii
The Kiss Curse: A Novel | Erin Sterling
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Pickpick

A good follow up to The Ex Hex. I meant to read it in October but my #BOTM box was late that month. No worries, the moody reader in me wanted something light & effortless this week & I‘m happy to finish it before the new year. Predictable, yes, but cute & fun. I liked the pairing of Wells & Gwyn & Gwyn‘s relationship with her baby witches, but as in the previous book, Sir Purrcival is the true star.
πŸ–€βœ¨πŸˆβ€β¬›πŸ–€

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