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Eggbeater

Eggbeater

Joined January 2018

I belong in a John Irving novel.
review
Eggbeater
Chain-Gang All-Stars | Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
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Pickpick

#20in4 @Andrew65
#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew
#readathon
Book 1

This is an incredibly powerful, brutal, scathing commentary on the justice system in the United States. In a startlingly realistic dystopian future, the government has taken death-row prisoners and pitted them against each other gladiator-style. The book is peppered with footnotes of horrific facts about real incidents of people executed and tortured while incarcerated. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 3mo
34 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Eggbeater
Readathon: Occasional List : Geleentheidslys | Gauteng (South Africa). Education Media Service
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I haven't been able to participate in a readathon for months and months, so this is a perfect way to end the year. My goal is 15 hours of reading time and finishing Chain-Gang All-Stars and Delicious Monsters and starting on The Wishing Game and The Brothers Hawthorne. Happy New Year, everyone! 🎆

#YearEnd
#20in4
#OutWithTheOldInWithTheNew

Thanks for hosting @Andrew65 ! 💕

Andrew65 Best of luck 😁 3mo
28 likes1 comment
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Eggbeater
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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The characters in this book are so rich and human that their life stories feel really vivid and real. It is a sentimental, complex book about family and relationships that is very well put together. It makes me wish I had sisters.

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Eggbeater
She Is a Haunting | Trang Thanh Tran
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If bugs and parasites really creep you out, then this book will be your idea of horror. The house is also haunted, but the bugs really stood out for me.

It also gets into the history of the French colonization of Vietnam, which is often glossed over in American history classes.

I liked the main character, Jade. I thought she was bad ass. The book had some good coming-of-age LGBTQ themes and dysfunctional family dynamics.

26 likes2 stack adds
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Eggbeater
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This was an impressive debut novel because it dealt with death and grieving in an open and positive light. Clover is a death doula by profession who is wonderful at helping people cross over, but she is very isolated and not so great at living her own life.

Grief comes in waves for me. I liked that this book addressed it as not something a person will simply "get over" within a set period of time.

38 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
Leslie F*cking Jones | Leslie Jones
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I highly recommend the audio. Leslie Jones read it herself and said she did not read it word for word, and I've heard there was added content. Listening to her was like having a conversation. It felt like she was in the room talking to me. Her story is amazing. She is amazing, and funny, and real. I was cheering her on. She is a great example of a person advocating for themselves. If swearing offends you, the book is not for you.

ChaoticMissAdventures One of my favorite things is when a funny person reads their own books and sneaks things in!
4mo
40 likes5 stack adds1 comment
review
Eggbeater
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I really got a kick out of being in those versions of London again. I missed Delilah Bard! The world and characters have always reminded me a bit of Dickens with magic. I recommend reading the Shades of Magic series first, if you haven't already. This was a 650 page book, and I almost missed my Libby return deadline, so plan accordingly.

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Eggbeater
House Across the Lake | Riley Sager
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This took a weirdly unexpected turn, and I am really impressed that the author managed to pull it off, but the novel worked.

I recommend the audio book on this one. The narrator is Bernadette Dunne, and she's got a great voice.

52 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
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Mehso-so

This is fictionalized nonfiction. There is a lot of conjecture about small details and liberal imagination used in the fact telling. I am not usually a fan of this method of writing. It doesn't feel authentic, and it doesn't quite flow. However, it's an interesting, crazy, sad story.

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Eggbeater
Starter Villain | John Scalzi
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I particularly recommend this book if you like Sci Fi and love cats, but my favorite parts were of the pissy, striking, foul- mouthed labor dolphins. It's funny and snarky and very John Scalzi.

43 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
Maeve Fly | CJ Leede
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This is extreme horror. It is memorable, incomparable, and even twistedly tragic. I liked it, but I would never recommend it to anyone. There were parts of the book that almost made me stop reading it altogether. They were that depraved. But I liked a female villain with such agency and audacity, and she was a fan of all of my favorite books..

Trigger warning if you're a decent human being.

Soubhiville 😆 your TW! I‘ve looked at this on the shelf several times at my local indie, but decided against it because horror just isn‘t really my thing. I admit to being pretty curious though! 5mo
GondorGirl I... think you sold me on reading it...? 5mo
44 likes2 comments
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Eggbeater
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I was proud of myself, I guessed right away what the ending would be and why, but it was still such a fun book. It is peppered with humor and poignant moments and one big tearjerker. These characters are drawn so amazingly well. It is so enjoyable to watch them grow, especially Joyce.

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Eggbeater
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This book grew on me more and more as the tale unfolded. It ensnared me in its faerie spell, and I read past my bedtime. I love good faerie trickery, and the book was well plotted. I enjoyed the stories. I liked Emily's scholarly approach to everything and Wendell's nonchalance and charm.

44 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
Black Sheep | Rachel Harrison
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Vesper left her devoutly religious family when she was just 18, but a wedding invitation tempts her back, and things take a sinister turn.

Religious zealots come in all kinds, but they all have some commonalities. This book went in a really interesting direction. Dark humor. Sufficiently scary and gross. I loved it. Very good for Halloween.

Megabooks Oooo stacking! 6mo
48 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Eggbeater
The Undocumented Americans | Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
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This is a difficult read because it shines the light on pain and suffering, but it is an important look at the way undocumented immigrants are treated in the United States. The book is well written and engaging. The author is unusually involved in the lives and outcomes of the people she is interviewing, so there is a clear picture of the personal impact of these issues. I'm glad I read it.

46 likes2 stack adds
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Eggbeater
Holly: A Novel | Stephen King
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It's not really a mystery because the whole time you know who the criminals are, but it does qualify as nice and gross, so I think it is horror.

The pandemic features prominently in this book, so if you're trying to escape it, you might want to table the novel for a later time. But if you're looking for validation of current events and you have liberal leaning views, it works.

No surprising twists, but I like the characters.

51 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
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What a cool, little book! It is both cute and philosophical at the time. Dex is a non-binary human in the future who is rabidly trying to find their purpose in life and comes across this chill robot. I needed to hear what this little book had to say. I recommend it if you'd like a warm hug from a robot.

51 likes3 stack adds
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Eggbeater
Other Birds: A Novel | Sarah Addison Allen
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This book was sweet. A little sweeter than what I'm used to, it takes place on a marshmallow island ffs, but I liked the ghosts and the invisible pet bird.

TheBookgeekFrau 😂 It was a sweet read 6mo
Bklover Marshmallow Islands?! Sounds very sweet! 6mo
44 likes2 comments
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Eggbeater
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Two middle-aged women meet for the first time in a restaurant, coincidentally on their shared birthday. One decides to create a podcast about the other's troubled life and finds herself dangerously over her head.

This book was a twisted character study. It was psychologically intense and well put together. I liked that it was morally ambiguous at certain points, and I had trouble deciding how to feel.

43 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
Immortal Longings | Chloe Gong
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Mehso-so

I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads contest.

This dystopian novel borrows too much from The Hunger Games and is more like a YA book than an adult debut. Some of the main characters are a little underdeveloped, but August makes a good shady potential villain. Mao Mao the cat steals the show.

I like the concept of jumping into other bodies, but the issue of consent is not addressed.
The series has potential.

Kristy_K Reading this right now and have the exact same sentiments! 6mo
decaturmamaof2 Am reading this book right now, and struggling with it although I really enjoyed Foul Lady Fortune. 5mo
37 likes2 comments
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Eggbeater
The September House | Carissa Orlando
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Do you accept the haunting of your dream house? "Needs must when the devil drives." Margaret is an endearing late, middle-aged woman who has found ways to cope, but her husband is having none of it. Delightful insanity ensues.

I'm a big horror fan, and I devoured this debut gem. It was imaginative, amusing, and suitably gross. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good ghost story for Halloween.

KT1432 I had a feeling this would be good!! I hope I get it in one of my swaps lol. 6mo
41 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Eggbeater
Their Vicious Games | Joelle Wellington
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Snobby New England, entitled, recent high school graduate girls and one outlier, participate in a competition for an elite position within a prestigious family.

This thriller takes the reader on a twisted adventure. The characters are well fleshed out and polarizing. It is an addictive read.

KT1432 Ohh I‘m about to read this for a book club! 6mo
44 likes1 comment
review
Eggbeater
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Vera Wong is the meddling grandma PI you never knew you wanted. The book is funny and heartwarming and there was a big surprise. My favorite character was the toddler Emma. This is a cozy mystery. It is creative, light, and fun. The characters are unique, charming, and endearing.

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Eggbeater
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This is a feel-good book that will make you crave a hot cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll. Viv is not your average orc. She has hung up her sword (literally) in favor of opening a coffee shop with a diverse group of beings. You have to read it to understand. It is precious. Think TJ Klune.

56 likes3 stack adds
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Eggbeater
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This book reads like fast-paced soap opera. Each character is not what they seem, and I couldn't stop reading to find out what happened.

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Eggbeater
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I related a lot to the main character, who is a loner-type obsessed with books and has anxiety. The book is humorous, but it could have used a sensitivity reader, as the jokes referencing children in Africa were not cool. If I overlook those, it was good, nerdy fun, especially with the trivia questions peppered throughout the book.

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Eggbeater
Slenderman | Kathleen Hale
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This book was so well written that the author completely faded into the background.

My big takeaway from it is that 12-year-olds should never be tried as adults, nor should they be institutionalized alongside adults. That either of those things happen is a serious failure in our judicial system.

I believe that this crime happened at all because of a lack of availability in our mental health services in the U.S.

JenReadsAlot This book made me mad! I live in Wisconsin too. 7mo
jlhammar Great review! Such a good book. 7mo
33 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Eggbeater
Threads That Bind | Kika Hatzopoulou
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Mehso-so

This was a solid 4-star book up until the end, and then it was like the author ran out of paper. It was so chaotic and rushed, and I personally found it so unsatisfying that I had to take it down a star. I did like that the threads reminded me of an old Stephen King book called Insomnia. I also thought the characterization was well done. That ending, though--so disappointing!

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Eggbeater
Demon Copperhead: A Novel | Barbara Kingsolver
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I haven't read David Copperfield in over 25 years, and my memory is bad, so I couldn't compare the two, but this novel stands just on its own merit. The story is enthralling, and the main character is endearing. My only point of contention was that some aspects of addiction were portrayed inaccurately. I don't have enough experience with life in Appalachia to know if the book portrayed those fairly, but it struck me as sympathetic.

60 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
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This book was so compelling for me because not only was it written well, but I didn't know Clytemnestra's original story. Almost everything that happened in the book was new to me, so I was in suspense.

If you don't know any Greek mythology, this is such a captivating introduction. If you are already into it, I believe you'll appreciate her point of view.

39 likes3 stack adds
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Eggbeater
Hell Bent | Leigh Bardugo
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The sequel to Ninth House is a good, spooky, atmospheric read that is perfect for Halloween. It meanders, and the pacing is slow, but for all of that, the characterization is excellent, and there are some fun surprises. I have two other comments that could be construed as mild spoilers, so I will put them in the comments.

Eggbeater For a book with hell in the title, they don't spend a lot of time there. The bunny on the cover is a glaring trigger warning. 7mo
36 likes1 comment
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Eggbeater
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Mehso-so

Unpopular opinion and maaaybe a tad spoilery. ⬇️

Eggbeater I have complicated feelings about this novel as one who has family members who died by suicide. I liked Nora. I liked the library and the adventure of parallel universes where you get to make different life choices. I just thought it was all coming from a privileged perspective, and the ending was insultingly simplistic. 8mo
MidnightBookGirl The author for sure was privileged enough to afford and have easy access to help with his depression and anxiety, although he definitely suffered in a deep depression for a long time. But he had the money and time to focus on his mental health, which unfortunately most people don‘t have. I really liked this book, but despite my anxiety issues, I‘ve been fortunate to not have major depression. If you haven‘t read his vampire novel, here it is: 7mo
Eggbeater @MidnightBookGirl I didn't know Matt Haig had depression himself. I still didn't like the ending, but it changes my perspective a little bit. I will check out his vampire book. Thanks! 7mo
37 likes3 comments
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Eggbeater
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This was hilarious and relatable for me as a divorced, childless woman. Maggie is a hot mess, and I loved her authenticity and self-absorption. It's funny because it's true. I did not act this way outwardly, but inside, I was pitching a fit.

40 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
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These poems reflect a driven, contemplative, loving, and insightful young man before his big rap career took off. He was obviously still growing into himself when he wrote these poems. They are heartbreaking, some amateur, sweet, and even naive, but always, he was thinking about the world around him and what justice meant. I wish he'd had the chance to say more.

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Eggbeater
The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza | Shaun David Hutchinson
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This book was fabulously weird in a good way. It was original and humorous and poignant. It received 5 stars from me because one of Elena's voices came from a baby Cthulhu. I think that sets the tone.

42 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
Throwback | Maurene Goo
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This is a feel-good, Back to the Future type time travel YA novel that takes place in 1995. It does not portray what I think of as serious mother/daughter issues, but it does a good job with immigrant and family identity and strife throughout the generations. Gen Z is a kinder, more inclusive generation than mine, and they do give me hope. It is cute and fluffy, but I still liked it.

48 likes1 stack add
blurb
Eggbeater
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My TBR for August book clubs @FountainBookstore came in today. I am excited for all of these books. Have you read any of them?

Ruthiella Nope. But I‘ve heard lots of good things about 8mo
mcipher Vera Wong was really cute and fun! 8mo
44 likes2 comments
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Eggbeater
Lore | Alexandra Bracken
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My knowledge of Greek mythology is very limited, but I had no problem getting into this novel. The book is fairly violent, so that tracks. The characters were dynamic, and the story was cleverly written.

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I loved this little, short book! It was hilarious and sentimental. Kevin Wilson captured 1997 so well, and the behavior of the townspeople was on point. It was a coming of age story. It could be considered YA or adult. It really works for either group. I gave it five stars. I could not put it down.

54 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
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The main character was a Black sheriff in a rural Virginia town, and he was wonderful. The book is dark. There's a serial killer of teenagers, and that was almost too much for me at times, but I was really attached to the characters and committed to an enthralling story.

I got to meet S.A. Cosby in person, and he signed my book for me. He was absolutely lovely and told the best stories and seemed so down to earth.

Cinfhen This book really was dark & grim but I loved it! 9mo
Suet624 I'm jealous you got to meet him! 9mo
Amiable OMG, I love his books! So happy to hear that he‘s a good guy in person. 9mo
marleed I just put a library hold on this. I follow Jordy‘s bookclub on Insta and he gave it 5 stars believing the author is today‘s best crime writer. I tend to like his 5 star choices so this will be my first SA Crosby and I‘m so excited.! 9mo
BookMaven9 I would love to meet the man! He‘s brilliant 8mo
51 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Eggbeater
Untitled | Unknown
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It wasn't much of a mystery to me because I was able to guess the who, but not the why, pretty much right away. However, it was a great adventure and leaned more towards action than Ware's previous books. It was a good time, and I liked Jack a lot. I recommend the audio version because Imogen Church does an excellent job narrating. Jack's struggles really come to life with her intonations.

This is not in the database yet!

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Eggbeater
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This book could have easily been split into two separate books. Ida B. Wells and the Schindler investigation only tied together loosely. But it sparked my interest in history and made me look up facts. I credit the book with peaking my curiosity.

The law declaring lynching a federal crime was not enacted until 2022 in the U.S., and three House Republicans voted against it. I'll just leave those facts.

TheKidUpstairs 2022?!🤯 9mo
41 likes1 comment
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Eggbeater
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I appreciated the quirkiness of the main character, although I'm not sure it wasn't a little over-the-top at times. I definitely felt the reason for her anxiety. The mystery was compelling.

46 likes1 stack add
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Eggbeater
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I had a strong opinion about every character in this story. It turned out I was wrong about a few of them. I really liked the particular "voice" that the author used for Bodie. I just like HER. The ending of the mystery was very New Hampshire. I appreciated the insight into the justice system.

I gave this book 5 stars. I would recommend it. It is not fast-paced or a thriller, but it is a really good story.

blurb
Eggbeater
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Photo from last night's author meet with S.A. Cosby through @FountainBookstore . He was very funny and told great stories and genuinely seemed like such a nice guy. I had a blast and can't wait to read his new book.

CBee So jealous!!! 9mo
Soubhiville 😲 that‘s so cool! 9mo
AmyG Oh wow!!!! 9mo
See All 7 Comments
CSeydel Oooh lucky! 9mo
jlhammar Awesome! Looking forward to his newest. 9mo
ChaoticMissAdventures Awesome! Was he so nice? I follow him on Twitter and he seems so nice! 9mo
Eggbeater @ChaoticMissAdventures Yes, he was very nice and funny, and he told us the best stories. 9mo
52 likes7 comments
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Eggbeater
Fourth Wing | Rebecca Yarros
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I like a good tale told with dragons. The romantic elements reminded me of Jennifer L. Armentrout. If you like her, you will probably like this book.

RamsFan1963 The romantic parts of this book is what I'm finding least enjoyable. More talk of Violet's heart going pitter pat when she sees *spoiler* is enough to make me want to bail, not to mention lines about chiseled jaws and piercing eyes. 10mo
Eggbeater @RamsFan1963 It only increases from there. Wait for it... 10mo
46 likes2 comments
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Eggbeater
Nettle & Bone | T. Kingfisher
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I absolutely adored this unique, somewhat dark but sweet, fairytale. The grumpy, possessed hen was my favorite. I don't think this book could have been written any better. The author's imagination is fantastic.

Bette Good description, I was totally sucked into it too. 👍❤️😊 10mo
51 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Eggbeater
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Mehso-so

This plot was too over-the-top. The author couldn't quite make it work. The characters were emotionally immature and annoying, and I did not like that I did not like them. There were snippets that I enjoyed that had literary potential, but they didn't transition smoothly. I liked the idea, I thought it would be fun, but I kind of wish I'd skipped this one.

4th book read for #MagnificentMay
@Andrew65

Andrew65 Doing great 👏👏👏 10mo
41 likes1 comment
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Eggbeater
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It was really fun to see the author weave all these creative threads together. This mystery was written uniquely and with great humor, but it was still a tribute to classic mystery writers like Agatha Christie.

#MagnificentMay
@Andrew65

Sharpeipup I just started this one myself. 10mo
Andrew65 Doing well 👏👏👏 10mo
62 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Eggbeater
The Black Queen | Jumata Emill
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Mehso-so

It kept me interested, but there were a few problematic issues:

The press can not go after a minor so publicly without facing repercussions.

The characters in this book were either evil or all good. In real life, people who do good things can be racist also.

The MC is a white girl when the book is supposed to be about a murdered Black girl.

My goal was to finish it, and I did. Tomorrow, I will read 100 pgs.

#MagnificentMay
@Andrew65