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Erin.Elizabeth10

Erin.Elizabeth10

Joined March 2018

Hi friends! This is my place to record my reads.
review
Erin.Elizabeth10
Mystic River | Dennis Lehane
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Mehso-so

This book is a gritty story of three friends who grow up and as adult men their lives intersect in crime, family, and mystery. I don‘t know how I feel about this book. It felt very long, it was pretty depressing, and I didn‘t like how disability was depicted. Lots of crime and sadness. But it was a gripping story and an interesting look at how childhood trauma follows us our entire lives. I don‘t mind dark books, but this one felt different.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

Wow, I wish I would have read this book sooner. It is so well written, engaging, it teaches so many things and unveils the workings of race and caste in American society. It‘s long, but it‘s not hard to read. I always wanted to keep learning and reading more chapters. This feels like it should be required reading for all Americans.

all_4_kb Loved it 2w
Leftcoastzen Great book! 2w
See All 6 Comments
Erin.Elizabeth10 @Leftcoastzen Yes, it was so good! 2w
marleed Yet, sadly it will be banned from so many schools. 2w
Erin.Elizabeth10 @marleed so sad. It just proves the point. 2w
24 likes6 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

Such a great graphic novel! The story took a lot of twists and turns, the characters were funny and heartwarming, and the art was INCREDIBLE. I got this around Lunar New Year, and I was a little late in finishing it, but so worth it. Would definitely recommend!

20 likes1 stack add
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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This was not my typical genre, so I think some of my issues with the book are just that it‘s not my usual. I‘m between a pick and a so so. It was exciting and interesting with some twists, although a generally predictable plot. The main character was a bit too incompetent sometimes, which was annoying. But it was easy and fun and overall well done.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This book won me over. Towards the beginning it felt as if the plot, though interesting, was predictable. However, as the book progressed, the characters were complex and the story took some unexpected directions. This was a great book club pick! Lots to discuss.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Never Let Me Go | Kazuo Ishiguro
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Pickpick

Kazuo Ishiguro is one of my favorite authors, I‘ve read three of his books and they are all so profound. He is also probably the best male author writing female characters that I‘ve read. This book is explores childhood and friendship in such a true and searing way. There is an overarching story/mystery that is fairly science fiction (similar to Klara and the Sun) but the heart of the book is really focused on the children and their relationships.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
People of the Book | Geraldine Brooks
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Mehso-so

“I wanted to give a sense of the people of the book, the different hands that had made it, used it, protected it.” We follow a rare book expert who is uncovering the history of an old book. In each chapter, she discovers something in the book, like a hair, an insect wing, a wine stain, etc. In the following chapter you read the backstory of how it got there. 🔽

Erin.Elizabeth10 I had a hard time keeping track of all the stories, and there wasn‘t a strong thing to keep my attention other than, “what‘s the history of this book?” 2mo
16 likes1 comment
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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This is a short little book about meditation. It is a basic guide to what meditation is and why it‘s important. Something that I thought was interesting was that he talked a lot about how meditation doesn‘t have a purpose. It‘s not supposed to make us more peaceful, happier, better, etc. Those might be side effects, but if you go into it with that expectation, you‘re missing the point. It‘s about accepting what is, not trying to get better.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This was a great book! She discusses what boundaries are, why they‘re important, and how to have healthy boundaries in all areas of life. A very good and practical book!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This book follows the stories of two sisters and their sister-in-law in Brooklyn. It explores themes of class, wealth, family, career, and how two people can be in the same situation but have totally different perspectives. This book is a character study, following a few people for a period of time. There wasn‘t a huge point. There was a plot, but it meandered. If you enjoy delving into characters, just for the sake of it, you‘ll like this.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
My Dark Vanessa | Kate Elizabeth Russell
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Pickpick

This book has been described as a modern retelling of Lolita. It‘s about a girl‘s relationship with her teacher, flashing back and forth from her teenage years while it‘s unfolding to her adult years, trying to make sense of what happened. Her adult years are set amidst the Me Too movement, which provides context for her to ask the questions: Was it love? Was it abuse? Am I a victim? Is that all I am? I loved the nuance & complexity in this book.

Erin.Elizabeth10 Just be warned there are a LOT of trigger warnings in this book. It is so well written and made me very emotional, but it‘s not for everyone if you are sensitive to these topics. 2mo
15 likes1 comment
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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Maidens: A Novel | Alex Michaelides
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Pickpick

Another thrilling mystery! I enjoyed this one, it kept me guessing, and I didn‘t see the twist coming. That‘s not saying much, though, bc I never do 😅 I didn‘t think it was as good as The Silent Patient—there were more plot holes and unnecessary characters—but I still liked it. The main character is a little clueless, but for whatever reason it didn‘t bother me that much, I just enjoyed the mystery.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Hoot | Carl Hiaasen
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Mehso-so

This book is a YA novel about a group of unlikely middle school friends in Florida who work together to save owls from a big, bad corporation. It has a strong environmentalist streak, and the writing tends to portray all the adults as bumbling or corrupt, with just a few redeeming moments. Overall I didn‘t love it, I felt like the story could have been neater. But maybe I would appreciate this more if I read it at a younger age!

SamAnne I didn‘t know Hiaasen wrote YA. That‘s kind of funny. He is a big conservationist. Big advocate of Everglades Protection. 3mo
Erin.Elizabeth10 @SamAnne Yes, that makes a lot of sense! Maybe I should try some of his novels for adults. I would love to visit the Everglades. 3mo
SamAnne @Erin.Elizabeth10 fair warning: hi novels are hilarious but raunchy and over-the-top. And his older ones have language that has not aged well. People with sleazy developers, corrupt cops, hard bitten reporters and detectives. 3mo
Erin.Elizabeth10 @SamAnne okay that fits with this book too! At some moments the language felt dated, even for a kids book. 3mo
13 likes4 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Man I Never Met: A Memoir | Michael Rosenberg, Adam Schefter
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Mehso-so

Read this in honor of the NFL‘s final week of the regular season! Adam Schefter‘s wife, Sharri, was widowed when her previous husband died in the twin towers in 9/11. This is the story of them meeting and building a life after 9/11, and Adam‘s reflections on the man he never met, Joe. It‘s a good story, but would have been better as article; the book dragged and the writing was a bit repetitive and flat. Very touching story though!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

My first book of 2024! I stayed up past midnight to finish it. 😂 I think I‘m probably the only person left who hadn‘t actually read this book, so I figured it was time. It actually was pretty slow to me at the beginning, but I really enjoyed the second half!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This series just gets better and better! I love every book with these characters. This was the perfect book to read over Christmas break, and it was full of laughter and tears.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Piranesi | Susanna Clarke
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Pickpick

I had high expectations going into this, but it surpassed them. This book does an amazing job of revealing the story bit by bit, and you start to question and realize what‘s actually real, what‘s really going on, and who can be trusted. The story is told mostly in journal entries, so it‘s so immersive, and it‘s truly just one of the most imaginative books I‘ve read in a long time. This is sneaking in at the end as my favorite fiction of the year!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This book tells the story of Clover, a death doula in NYC. Her work is spending time with people in their final days to sort through their affairs, thoughts, feelings, regrets, and more. She has lived a reclusive life, so the story is about her blossoming and embracing her life, as she helps her clients with the end of theirs. If you like stories with quirky characters, unlikely friends, redemption, and exploring deep topics, this is for you!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Sanatorium | Sarah Pearse
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Mehso-so

The final third of this book brought the whole thing down for me. All the set up at the beginning was interesting & exciting. The whole conclusion didn‘t work for me. The plot felt out of control, the motives were tenuous, some parts or characters were never resolved, & honestly I thought the motivation, as shaky as it was, was just a bad message to have in the book. I was disappointed! High intrigue in the 1st half, then letdown in the 2nd half.

16 likes2 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
Part of Your World | Abby Jimenez
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Pickpick

This was a really great romance read! I liked how the story incorporated some more thought-provoking elements, even amidst a lighthearted romance story.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
A Good Neighborhood | Therese Anne Fowler
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Pickpick

Wow, this book is so important. It tells the story of white and Black neighbors, how their teenagers fall in love, the ways that adults push their agendas, racism in the criminal justice system as well as society in general, not listening to young women, and more. It had a modern-day Romeo and Juliet feel to me. There are many trigger warnings for this book, just be aware.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Happy Place | Emily Henry
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Mehso-so

The first 300 pages of this book felt boring, meandering, and repetitive. I had a hard time believing the characters were “best friends” because they argued and didn‘t communicate. The last 100 pages were emotionally deep, exciting, and really beautiful. The plot showed up and the characters came to life. Such a mixed bag of a book, in my opinion!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

In this fascinating book, Gildiner shares the story of 5 clients she saw in her 25 year career. She describes them as “heroes” and how each one persevered through devastating circumstances. I appreciated how she acknowledged when she made mistakes in her counseling. One of the most heartbreaking & interesting stories was of Danny, a Native man in Canada who was forced to go to residential school. All these stories need to be told and listened to.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
The House on Mango Street | Sandra Cisneros
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Pickpick

This is a short book with short little chapters that paint a picture of a girl growing up in a Chicago neighborhood on Mango Street. The vignettes give glimpses into her thoughts, interactions, and desires growing up. At the end, she reflects on her duty to give back to her community when she grows up, because it will always be a part of her. 🧡

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This book is all about inter generational trauma, curse, and blessing. It‘s full of magical realism, with a strong emphasis on the magic. It‘s also dual-time! At times I was like, “this is too bonkers” but at the same time it did keep my attention. If you can just go with it, I think it‘s more enjoyable. Not my typical read, but I‘d rate it a pick overall.

TheBookgeekFrau You had me at magical realism 😄 5mo
Erin.Elizabeth10 @TheBookgeekFrau Yes! If you like magical realism you will love this! 😊 5mo
12 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
Daisy Jones & The Six | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

This was a great one to listen to! All the different actors made it feel so real and did an amazing job. I loved the story and I loved the emotion. So good!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Our Missing Hearts | Celeste Ng
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Mehso-so

I loved Little Fires Everywhere, so Our Missing Hearts was disappointing. It felt patchy with some parts so interesting and others so boring. I never connected to any of the characters—they always felt like descriptions at an arm‘s length. The dystopian elements and depictions of racism and injustice are important, but also felt like so many other things from 2020 & 2021. It didn‘t feel fresh. I did like the folklore storytelling. An uneven read.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Hotel Nantucket | Elin Hilderbrand
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Pickpick

I loved this one! It was the perfect mix of mystery, romance, and drama with a beautiful setting and likeable characters. It made me want to plan a vacation to Nantucket!! Happily enough, there is a whole fun travel guide of things to do on the island at the back of the book. This is the perfect beach read, especially if you want more than just romance in the plot!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Binti | Nnedi Okorafor
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Mehso-so

This was a quick read in one sitting. Most of the story takes place while Binti is en route to university on a starship that gets invaded and she has to step in. I wanted to like this, but it felt like there were a few plot holes (including a big one that I won‘t say because it‘s a spoiler) and also what I always struggle with sci-fi/fantasy—believing the world building. I did like the premise, though, so I might try something else by this author.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Mehso-so

I picked this audiobook because I‘m getting married next week (!) and I haven‘t had a ton of brain space recently, so I‘ve been trying to read books that are easier reads. I figured this one would be an easy page turner. It was easy to listen to and finish, so I was right with that, but unfortunately I didn‘t like it. I disliked all the characters and the Jane Eyre motif wasn‘t working for me. Anyone read this and like it?

TheBookgeekFrau Congratulations and may you be relaxed enough to enjoy every moment!! 🥂 6mo
Erin.Elizabeth10 @TheBookgeekFrau Thank you so much!! 🥰 6mo
SilversReviews A good one!! 6mo
15 likes4 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
Anya's Ghost | Vera Brosgol
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Pickpick

This was a great graphic novel that was a quick read this morning! Anya makes friends with a ghost, but then things take a turn and she has to figure out what to do. The art was really good and it was an engaging story! I always enjoy graphic novels from the :01 imprint.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Daisy Darker | Alice Feeney
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Pickpick

I loved this! It‘s an homage/retelling of And Then There Were None, so if you‘re a fan of Agatha Christie, you‘ll love this. However, it does have some twists and keeps it interesting in its own way too! I really loved it.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Loved this one! All of her books are great! 🖤 7mo
Erin.Elizabeth10 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Ooh I should try another! Is Rock Paper Scissors good? 7mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Erin.Elizabeth10 yes! So good! She is an auto buy author for me 🖤 7mo
15 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Grace Year | Kim Liggett
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Pickpick

The Grace Year is about a county where teenage girls are sent out into the wilderness for one year before they are married to break them and get rid of their “magic.” It‘s perilous and dystopian. If you are a fan of The Handmaid‘s Tale or The Hunger Games, you will probably like this book. In my opinion, it has some plot inconsistencies, but overall it was a page-turner.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This is a great book for learning about self compassion, finding resources, and being gentle with yourself.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Mehso-so

I loved the premise of this book, but the storytelling didn‘t work for me. The plot follows Nora who gets the opportunity to try many different iterations of her life in pursuit of the one that will make her happy. It just felt like an elongated metaphor, very heavy-handed, and like it wanted so badly to be profound that it took shortcuts of “this is profound!!” without actually being nuanced, subtle, innovative, and truly profound.

Erin.Elizabeth10 I also feel as if the ending of this book was too tidy and moralistic for anyone who has actually had a loved one deal with depression or ending their life. The message was basically, “be grateful and smell the flowers, and you‘ll realize everything is actually wonderful.” That‘s insulting and simplistic to people whose stories don‘t end that way. 7mo
24 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Mehso-so

I thought the Lost Apothecary was okay, but I was hoping the London Seance Society would be better. Unfortunately, I liked it even less! So this just fell flat for me. There was mystery, but it‘s mostly revealed halfway through the book, and the rest is predictable. All the bad people are men and all the good people are women. I also am just not fascinated by seances and ghosts, so… this felt boring and wasn‘t for me.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Galatea: Short story | Madeline Miller
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Pickpick

This is a striking and moving short story. I love everything I‘ve read by Madeline Miller, so I knew I would like this too. If you also like her retelling and reimaginings of mythology, I‘d say give this a read! It‘s very short, so I read it easily in about 30 minutes.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Spells for Forgetting | Adrienne Young
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Pickpick

This is a very atmospheric book, set on an island off the coast of Seattle. If you like books with a strong sense of place and vibrant location, this is for you! It‘s part mystery, part romance, part fantasy.
I have tried fantasy several times over the years, and so far the only fantasy (other than HP) that I like is by Adrienne Young. I don‘t know why, but I‘ll take it!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Panpan

Ummm. Okay. I never read horror, but I thought I‘d give this a try because I saw it recommended and it‘s very short (I read it in an hour). But, this was just so bad to me. First of all, it was so gross. But the characters were just so flat and unbelievable sounding, it just all felt very contrived. This was not worth it to me! I did have to skip a few pages because I just couldn‘t.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This has been on my list since 2020, and I finally listened! When I heard that the main character was Jesus‘s wife, I was so intrigued, and this was so good. The author imagines who the wife of Jesus might have been, their relationship, and her role in the Gospels. Rather than feeling cringy or heretical, it is a really beautiful, imaginative story that I really loved.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

I loved this one! I suspected I would, and I totally did. I loved how it chronicled all the little details in a year, the small things in relationships, a family, a day. Overall, the story is about an adult daughter who moves home after a broken engagement to care for her aging father with dementia. It was just my kind of book!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Giver | Lois Lowry
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Pickpick

I never read this book growing up, so I figured it was time to play catch up! I didn‘t actually know what this was about going into it, so the dystopian story was very interesting.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Panpan

This book was such a disappointment. It‘s a long book about a family in Ohio, spanning the lives of the parents and children from 1947-1994. The characters felt so stereotypical, the dialogue was so awkward, and the story was just kind of depressing. It felt like the book totally fell into stereotypes of men and women, and it was trying to be self-aware about it, but really it just felt so stale. I finished it, but I almost wish I would‘ve quit.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Hey, Kiddo | Jarrett J. Krosoczka
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Pickpick

“It is said that books save lives, but I also say that empty sketchbooks save lives too.” This is a fantastic memoir graphic novel about a boy, Jarrett, growing up in Massachusetts. He is raised by his grandparents because his mom is addicted to drugs and his father is estranged. It‘s a hard but also beautiful story of a very challenging childhood and how art saved his life in many ways. Definitely recommend!

19 likes1 stack add
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Erin.Elizabeth10
Malibu Rising | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

This was a fun one! It‘s got all the elements of an entertaining book with flashbacks, multiple perspectives, family drama, secrets, love, a beautiful setting, and suspense. I had high expectations, and I would say I did really enjoy it!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Measure | Nikki Erlick
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this one! Everyone in the world receives a string that measures how long they will live, some long some short. This causes division in society, & the books follows a variety of characters with different string lengths. I liked how all the characters intersected. The story was reminiscent of Covid and US elections in 2020, just everything turning upside down and how people react. My only complaint is it dragged a bit in the middle.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Mehso-so

This book had so much promise, but unfortunately just under delivered. I was really excited to read it because the author has a fascinating story of a con man she was engaged to. I thought it would be true crime meets psychology/sociology nonfiction. That‘s kind of what it is, but I feel like it was executed in a somewhat boring way. She tells her entire personal story in the first chapter. (Continued in comments)

Erin.Elizabeth10 The other chapters meander and explore other historical people who‘ve lied, polygraph tests, why people lie… but it just didn‘t quite work for me. Still interesting, but a bit disappointing. 10mo
13 likes1 comment
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Erin.Elizabeth10
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Pickpick

This is a short book with lots of chapters about all kinds of topics to encourage mindfulness and peace in everyday life. Although it isn‘t life-changing, I did think it was very calming and had some good perspective on things. I liked the parts about breathing, smiling, and making sure not to develop grudges.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
How to Do Nothing | Jenny Odell
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Pickpick

I loved this book! It hit me at just the right time. I have felt very busy and connected recently, and so her musings on disconnecting, engaging with nature, and slowing down were just perfect. Also, I read most of the book on vacation and at some gardens, which just felt ideal. I would say the title is deceptive. It‘s not “how to do nothing” as much as “how to unplug.”

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Commonwealth | Ann Patchett
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Pickpick

This was a great audiobook listen as I drove out of town this holiday weekend! If you like family dramas and different timelines, this book is perfect. I was so interested in how all the different people intersected and how different choices led to different outcomes. It seemed like a major theme was choices/fate and I thought it explored that really well.