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GlassAsDiamonds

GlassAsDiamonds

Joined June 2017

An expat .... Formerly in Mumbai, now in Singapore!!! Will read almost anything, almost. 😊 Also on Instagram @GlassasDiamonds
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Bride by Ali Hazelwood
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Not a lot of reading this week but since I‘m resolved to not be a Litsy stranger again … BEHOLD my triumph over a skirting board! 🤣 This wretched thing was glued, nailed, painted and carpeted in. It took two days, a plant lever, half my tool box and the invention of a number of new expletives to get it loose but now the cabinet that‘s going there will fit flush to the wall (after I deal with the TV antenna) 🥳🥳🥳🥳

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1w
CarolynM Congratulations, that‘s a major achievement 🎉 Always glad to see you here😘 1w
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM honestly - a pox on every social media renovator who just pops these things off like a jar lid. LIES I TELL YOU, *LIES*… 1w
18 likes3 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
Bride | Ali Hazelwood
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Enjoying this but feeling… Not 20? 🤣 I‘m glad The Youths have discovered paranormal romance. I‘m glad their fearless embrace of that which they enjoy has been empowered by social media and that that in turn has given power to honest enjoyment…. But having read this genre since I *was* 20, I‘m feeling a tad “oh sweet summer children” for The Youths discovering it… it‘s a weird and odd feeling I‘m just going to lean into and be glad 🤣💛🤣

julesG 🤣🤣 3w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
CarolynM 😆 I sometimes have to remind myself just how old I am. 3w
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM I have some zoomer colleagues who can just speak and do that for me 🤣🤣🤣 (although they are keeping me up with the lingo 🤣) 3w
25 likes4 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
Come, Tell Me How You Live (Revised) | Agatha Christie Mallowan
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Okay, gotta get back into the swing of Litsy things… (although honestly, a pox on moving)

1) I have moved 8 times in the last ten years, almost all of them intercontinentally and most with pets…and I could not be more over it (although if you need moving pointers, I‘m your gal!). Most recently was 8 months ago & this one had better stick for a bit.

2. Agatha Christie‘s memoir of her expat life is one of my all time favourites

#Two4Tuesday

TheSpineView I'll be certain to ask you any moving questions going forward. However, I hope to never move again. Thanks for playing! 4w
CarolynM That‘s a lot of moves! 4w
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM 🤣 yeah… I‘m totally over it!!! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣 3w
19 likes3 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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So. Been a lot. Moved countries, partner had an acute, terrifying mental health crisis. Covid. Best friend passed suddenly. Lockdowns. Covid deaths. Moved country again. More lockdown. Re-entered hard job market in a career I never thought I‘d work again. Divorce. Home sale. Moved again solo this time, now trying to figure out this whole weird new life… so…

Hi Listy. Like virtually everything else, I think I need to get to know you again.

CarolynM Oh boy, that is a lot! I‘m sorry you‘ve been through all that, but I‘m very glad to have you back on Litsy. Are you still expat-ing or back in Oz? 1mo
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM thank you 💛 it‘s lovely to come back & find old friends. Back in Oz (Sydney) and damn it feels weird. 1mo
Chelsea.Poole You‘ve really been through it! Welcome back to the land of Litsy ♥️ 1mo
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MrsMalaprop Oh my, that‘s tough. Welcome back 📚❤️👏 1mo
julesG Wow, a lot has happened. I'm amazed you managed to put all of it down within the 451 character limit. Welcome back to Litsy! 1mo
Librarybelle Welcome back! So sorry to hear of everything that has happened. 1mo
GlassAsDiamonds @julesG this made me laugh 🤣 thank you; it was a challenge! 💛 1mo
GlassAsDiamonds @Librarybelle thank you 💛 I really missed being here even though I didn‘t really have the capacity to read much but I‘m glad to be back 1mo
Susanita You‘ve been through the wringer! Welcome back. I hope you can take up reading again, but meanwhile you‘re in the right place among the Litsy family. 1mo
zezeki Oh, that is a lot! Sorry to hear you had such difficult times, but glad to see you back. 💕 1mo
Tamra Welcome back! Wishing you the best in a new chapter of life. 1mo
Jas16 So sorry that you have had such a tumultuous time but nice to have you back on Litsy. ❤️ 1mo
TheBookgeekFrau Welcome back!! 💕 1mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
BarbaraBB Welcome back! Hopefully better times ahead 🤍 1mo
bthegood Welcome back 🙂 4w
GlassAsDiamonds @Jas16 💛 i missed it a lot, it‘s nice to be back 4w
GlassAsDiamonds @Susanita 💛💛😁thank you! 4w
GlassAsDiamonds @BarbaraBB 💛glad to see ppl I knew! I‘m glad you‘re still here!! 4w
GlassAsDiamonds @dabbe the best kind 💛☺️🐾 4w
GlassAsDiamonds @zezeki thank you, it‘s so nice to be back 💛 4w
BookmarkTavern That sounds like a rough time. Welcome back! We‘re happy you‘re here! 💖 4w
SamAnne Welcome back. 4w
LeahBergen Oh, my goodness! You‘ve certainly had a time of it. I‘m so glad to see you here again! 4w
Cinfhen Hi!! Just popped unto Litsy and was SO HAPPY to see your handle in my feed🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼WHOA - you‘ve been through the wringer, so glad to see/ hear you‘re ok. I think I still have your email and will try to connect 😁 Life‘s been a shit show but we persist 💪🏼 (edited) 1w
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen Helloo! I‘m so glad to see you too. Absolutely, email me! 😁🥳 It‘s unimaginatively glassasdiamonds@gmail.com 🤣🤣 1w
27 likes28 comments
review
GlassAsDiamonds
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Pickpick

Ha, look!! Finished one! 😂😂😂😂

I‘ve been waiting for this series to continue for years. Thankfully it‘s been picked up by a new publishing house and book 4 was released just in time for me to buy it in Sydney. The series is a paranormal coming of age set in the NYC fashion industry. The Cobra Queen is a decent stand alone & would be great for feminist fans of Egyptian history but I‘d recommend reading the series in order for its full glory.

Cinfhen Hi!!!! Was just thinking about you🥰Hope all is well 4y
CarolynM 👋 I've missed seeing you around. How are things with you? 3y
CarolynM Just stopping by to wish you a Happy New Year 💕 Hope all is well. 3y
Cinfhen Hi!!!! Was thinking about you today!!!! Hope all is well 3y
Cinfhen It‘s been SO LONG but I was scrolling through an old hashtag and I saw your name! Hope you‘re well and staying safe - Happy 2022 xxCindy 2y
35 likes5 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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I‘m finding myself doing a lot of re-Reading but miss Litsy truth be told so even though it‘s a ramble... I‘m trying to read this. I‘m still Scandinavian obsessed with a Norwegian bent, broken arm notwithstanding so i was hoping to like this memoir / forest mushroom field guide but I‘m finding the narrator annoying and either her style or the translation, stilted (she‘s a Malaysian writing in Norwegian translated to English though so?). Ah well!

CarolynM Hi👋Nice to see you. Hope you're doing ok in this strange new world😘 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM manic re-Reading, grouchy arm, one week into a lock down.... (fine really. Trying to put my expating skills to good use managing this odd but also oddly familiar time - was apartment bound for huge swathes of time in both India and China so prodding myself to do the stuff I know I should! 🤞🏻🤞🏻 It will work 😊). How are you & hows Melbourne these days? 4y
CarolynM I'm sorry your arm is still giving you trouble. Is there any relief on the horizon? I can't complain too much. I enjoy spending time at home, it is just the thought that I may have no alternative for many months that is disheartening. Melbourne seems to be fine, but very quiet these days😂 Take care of yourself and enjoy re-reading😘 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM seriously 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ Apparently if I‘m going to do something, apparently I do it... to extremes 🤦🏻‍♀️. Relief I suspect only once the plate comes back out so 🤞🏻Singapore gets the worker dormitory situation under control because apparently it‘ll count as elective surgery. Could be worse, at least I‘m not at risk to loose range of movement though! 😊 Managed a whole new book the other day, quite chuffed! 😊😊😊 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
hello! hello! | Matthew Cordell
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Hello lovely Littens. Thinking of you all so here‘s a sentiment for your day. I hope you can see the bits of good wherever you are in the world. ♥️

BookishMe BEAUTIFUL 💟😍💟 4y
CarolynM Hello👋I'm very glad to see you. How are you faring in this strange new world? 4y
JaclynW Exactly! 💞 4y
23 likes3 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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For your amusement and because there‘s no reading happening here at all: I‘m clearing out the storage unit we packed assuming this whole expat gig would be 2yrs, then home. 6yrs later.... I literally found a skeleton in my closet and we managed to donate a bottle of Ouzo (by accident, boxes got mixed up) to the extremely teetotal Salvation Army... 🤦🏻‍♀️😂🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Going really, really well.... 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

Chrissyreadit Are you still away? Where did you go? 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Chrissyreadit kinda! I‘m at “home”, which is Australia but actual home is Singapore at the moment! We thought we‘d just be moving for a short term contract but it turned into .... an ongoing “adventure”. Unfortunately we packed for two yrs then home but now don‘t want to pay to store stuff that won‘t keep anyway... so... I‘m spending my “holiday” in a storage cage! 🤦🏻‍♀️ but satisfying! 😊 4y
Chrissyreadit That sounds like an adventure! 4y
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Lindy Great photo! Good luck with the dispersal. 🍀 4y
squirrelbrain How funny! 🤣 4y
AmyG Ha! 4y
Megabooks 😂😂😂 4y
CarolynM Well done you, I'm sure the Salvos will find some way to use your gift 😂 As for the skeleton in the closet...😂😂😂 Hope you're getting some of relaxing in too.😘 (edited) 4y
Cinfhen I was just thinking about you thinking you were in Singapore and now I see you‘re home. Sorry you had to fly in for a funeral but I‘m glad you‘re physically ok. 4y
CarolynM Hi there 👋 Just checking in with you. Hope you are doing ok. Are you back home in Singapore or did you get caught in the travel restrictions? Sending love and hugs wherever you are. 4y
38 likes10 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
Possum Magic | Mem Fox, Julie Vivas
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Horrendous photo but.... there are few things I need to send people who have babies but Possum Magic (and a glossary of Aussie recipes), is one.

Home for a funeral and trying to achieve all the things I‘ve let slip while I‘ve been overseas. It‘s chaos but I have two copies of Possum Magic here and they‘re heading to Poland and Germany. Spreading the possum love around the world!!! ♥️♥️♥️

MrsMalaprop 😍😍😍 (Sorry a funeral bought you home). 4y
24 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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How do you know you grew up in Australia? The phrase “She pokes fingers down mouse holes...” makes a portion of your brain screech “Nooooo...funnel web!!!!” 🤦🏻‍♀️😂🤦🏻‍♀️

At the hair dresser. Sometimes, life.... 😶. India was polluted. We got sick. Coughing in Singapore at the moment sends people into a panic so we stayed home until getting the news that a very close friend had died suddenly so I‘m heading unexpectedly home. Chaos. Sad chaos.

Megabooks I‘m so sorry. 💕 4y
julesG I'm so sorry. 4y
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review
GlassAsDiamonds
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Pickpick

First completed book of 2020 (yeah 🤦🏻‍♀️). Lovely travelogue on the road of India thats also an insightful and razor sharp dive into a myriad of social issues of the subcontinent, as parsed through the eyes and lives of its truck drivers. I love India‘s painted trucks and this was a delight to read. More wonderfully for anyone who‘s followed me for a while, he translates the Hindi phrases!!! 🙌🙌🙌 Highly recommenced.

ljuliel Very pretty cover. 4y
ljuliel Reminds me of this song. https://youtu.be/PDpVS7D9AJs ( a favorite) 4y
CarolynM Book sounds good.🙂 How are you? 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM moping? 🤦🏻‍♀️ Got really sick from the pollution in Rajasthan & Delhi which of course sent everyone here off into conniptions when we got home (coughing is a great way to clear a crowd in Singapore at the moment) and now packing to go home for a highly unexpected funeral. Life seems to be intent on pure chaos at the moment. Doesn‘t feel like it‘s stopped since August last year really... how are you?? Hopefully much better!!!!! 😊🤞🏻😊 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @ljuliel it‘s based on the painted trucks in India. They‘re moving to metal bodied ones which will be a horrible loss because the painted ones are such a beautiful institution!!! 4y
CarolynM Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. You are having rough time. Life really seems to have it in for us sometimes, doesn't it? Hope you're feeling better and you'll be able to spend time with loved ones at home even though it's a sad occasion. I'm good, I hope you'll be able to say the same soon.💕😘 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM thanks my dear. This really has been a roller coaster year 🤦🏻‍♀️. I‘m glad you‘re well & yes, 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻😊 4y
31 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Fabulous book - part travelogue, part commentary on India. Perfect reading (from Singapore as we attempt to recover from our most recent exposure to the appalling pollution of the sub-continent).

MayJasper Thanks for your review. Sounds a great read 🚚 4y
28 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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William Dalrymple introducing the author in my favourite venue ♥️♥️♥️♥️

julesG 😍 4y
28 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Random session - a stomach bug has swept through the presenters and this one seems to be an impromptu session to fill in for one of the handful of presenters currently projectile vomiting throughout Jaipur...

CarolynM Oh no! Hope you don't catch it. 4y
25 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
Babur | Stephen F. Dale
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“Why waste time occupying Afghanistan when you‘ve got India in front of you”...? (Barbur on empire building 🤦🏻‍♀️)

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A fantastic presentation and OMG Durbarh Hall...

BiblioLitten I miss going to JLF! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @BiblioLitten For as long as we live in the region (which I‘m drawing as broadly as “a direct flight away”), I‘m determined to go as often as I can!!! Any chance you‘ll get back next year? They look like they may have finally confirmed Neil Gaiman and Robert Macfarlane is confirmed!!!!! 😱♥️😱 4y
BiblioLitten Neil Gaiman! Wow... I would have gone if I was there!! Did you shop for books or other bookish knick knacks? 4y
28 likes3 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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😱😱😱 Jung Chang (author of Wild Swans!!!!!!) on her new non-fiction about the Soong Sisters.

ferskner What a setting! 4y
26 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Absolutely fantastic session with Peter Meech about his new release (actually early release! Rest of the World 7th Feb!) Billy (The Kid). Actually really excited to read this 😊😊😊 and apparently there may be a film in the world (helps that the author is also a film producer).

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The crowd is chaos for this session but he‘s a Nobel laureate so... fascinating presentation. His team‘s research found no correlation between pricing and use so they thoroughly debunked the theory that people should be forced to pay for mosquito nets to keep their kids safe because then they‘d use them. Malaria deaths have dropped over 25% world wide as a result of the mindset shift that now gives out the nets). Vital, wonderful work.

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😱 Standing room only for this session!

ljuliel Was this a several day event ? The building is pretty. You must be getting to see lots of authors. 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @ljuliel five days!!!!! Today is the last day and it‘s just amazing. Intense but omg amazing. If you ever wanted to travel India, ending here would be ideal. 😊 4y
ljuliel That sounds wonderful. The only books I‘ve read set in India were 2 of Rohinton Mistry‘s. A Fine Balance , and I think the other was called Family Matters or something like that. It‘s been a very long time ago. India is a fascinating place. My only other things I‘ve learned about it were by watching The Amazing Race when they went to India. I‘m glad you had an enjoyable time 🙂 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Not really a fair image of the audience - there‘s a huge late line behind me but I love the colours of the chairs and there‘s a Rose bush blooming there off to the right ♥️♥️♥️♥️

ljuliel I was going to ask about the colors. Are red and gold their flag colors or just popular colors over there ? 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @ljuliel colour is India‘s thing!!! The flag is orange, white and green with a purple wheel but these chair covers are amazing!! Make everything look amazing (and so very Indian). 4y
30 likes2 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
When the River Sleeps | Easterine Kire
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Brilliant session but I‘m thoroughly enchanted by the squirrels playing on this amazing handrail (it‘s the edge of a roof balcony and the upper part of the palace wall gateway). They‘re just bouncing away & it‘s so cute!!!

Cathythoughts Gorgeous pic ❤️ 4y
CarolynM Fun!🐿 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM I love these guys!!! When they jump onto the tent roofs and run around, it‘s hysterical!!!! 😊♥️😊♥️😊 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cathythoughts thanks!!!! It‘s a gorgeous setting so... makes it easy! 😊 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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OMG 😱😱😱😱 I met Margaret Alva!!!!!!!! Lord she‘s a firebrand, she‘s just spent most of her speech (she‘s in her 70‘s BTW) shouting about the need for civil disobedience and calling out the current Indian government and the Citizenship Act.

Now this was a rare and special privilege. ♥️♥️♥️

#jaipur #zeejaipurlitfest2020

julesG Sounds like you had a really good time! 😉 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @julesG oh yeah, there have been moments of just “WOAH...!!!!!!” 😊♥️😊 4y
32 likes2 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
COMING OUT AS DALIT. | Yashica Dutt
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This is going to be tough but amazing - Caste, class and gender. Yashica Dutt talking about her amazing blog (now book) calling out caste discrimination in India, “passing” as a higher caste and then writing a blog about the myth of a caste-less India.

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Fascinating dive into generic drugs .... (getting cold though).

Megabooks This is a great book! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Megabooks oohh!!! Good to know!!! I‘d never heard of it but it caused a huge controversy here - apparently someone decided it was part of a US-India trade war (🤦🏻‍♀️), a government minister has threatened to take criminal action against the author and another one who admits to receiving money from one of the drug companies named said it was fiction ...! 4y
Cinfhen This was an amazing book!!!! Hi 👋 so glad you‘re posting and sharing your experience xx 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Client Earth | Martin Goodman, James Thornton
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If your literary festival doesn‘t have monkeys, is it even a literary festival?
#Jaipur #LitFest

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Fascinating... they have the Maharani of Jaipur launching the book (on the Cartier family and business). 😱😱😱 Unfortunately I‘ve got a bunch of guys shouting behind me so hearing is an issue. Still.... Maharani!

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GlassAsDiamonds
Groundwater and Society: Resources, Tensions and Opportunities: Themes in Groundwater Management for the Twenty-First Century | Jacob J. Burke, Marcus Moench, United Nations. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs
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Water session. Mind boggling - apparently whole cities here are on wells and ground water so they‘re drilling deeper so they‘ve got water and the neighborhood apartments with shorter wells... don‘t.

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Jaipur Journals | Namita Gokhale
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Shashi Tharoor who I love listening to (literally, he had a great voice, isn‘t afraid of his vocabulary and speaks exceedingly well) and Namita Gokale talking about her new book, a fiction about an elderly aspiring writer based in and around the LitFest.

Soubhiville I just love the beautiful tent! And that there are monkeys ❤️. I hope you‘re having a wonderful festival. 4y
25 likes1 comment
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Early morning start for the #Jaipur #LitFest ... love this venue (entry is chaos and I‘m slightly grouchy because of wrist pain but still deeply in love).

rather_be_reading ohhh Elizabeth Gilbert just spoke there! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @rather_be_reading she did!!! She‘s also got two more sessions! She didn‘t sign but was fascinating to hear talk, really very appropriate for the audience and really astute (some authors especially on women‘s issues here are amazingly tone deaf. She wasn‘t which was lovely!!!). 😊😊😊 4y
Soubhiville The locations are breathtaking! Every photo is making me swoon a bit. Enjoy. 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Soubhiville gotta say... they‘ve got spectacular venues nailed (it‘s held on the grounds of a palace so...😱♥️😱)!. This one is my favorite but one of the tent ones has monkeys and another has these gorgeous squirrels who run on the tents 😂😂😂. 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Part Two first: I went most of the last three months without reading because I broke my arm at the wrist extremely badly. I couldn‘t hold a book, phone or eReader and the tendon pain made it difficult to concentrate once I could physically move again. So... there‘s that.
Part One: I read because I‘m voraciously curious about virtually everything and I adore the written word. Likewise, physical books make me happy even if I‘m not reading them.

Crazeedi I'm so sorry to hear of your misfortune , I hope you are healing well, it must have been so frustrating ! Are you able to read now? 4y
ljuliel Wow that does sound like a painful injury and a long recovery. Sometimes those wrist and ankle breaks are more tedious to heal that other places. Do you have a kindle with the page turn button ? You could read with one hand if you did. Thanks for answering my question. 😊. And heal up soon. All us Oldies miss the others when you‘re not around. ❤️ 4y
20 likes2 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Good morning and happy new year Litsy! Sorry for the total absence, when I realised I literally couldn‘t hold a book because of the arm and the pain screwed up my concentration for months ... I admit it, I moped for most of Q4 and then felt silly and sheepish. Trying to be less of a hermit in 2020 AND it‘s LitFest that I love sharing with Litsy and I missed you guys so: Hi from Ranthambore!! Any Littens going to #Jaipur let me know! 😊

dragondrool Welcome back! 4y
CarolynM I'm very glad to see you back, I've missed you. Hope the arm is fully recovered. 4y
Cinfhen Hi!!! Missed you!!!!! Hope your arm is fully healed!!!!!! 4y
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ljuliel Great to see you again. ❤️. Hope you are feeling better now. 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM 😊 Thanks for checking in (& missing me!!). Unfortunately no but I can type and write mostly again and hold a phone & book so... getting there? Still more rehab and another surgery to go but so much better than it was!! How are you????? 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen hi! 😊😊😊 Missed you too! Not healed yet but the pain is down and I‘m much more functional which is great!!! How are you???? 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @ljuliel 😊😊😊 Thanks! I missed Litsy (but I was being a mopey grouch so... 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️). Can‘t be grouchy at LitFest though 😊 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @dragondrool thank you!!! It‘s really very nice to be back. 😊😊😊 4y
CarolynM All good here. I'm sorry to hear you're still rehabbing but it sounds like you're making progress. You must be sick of it! Hope LitFest takes your mind off it for a while😘 4y
Susanita I‘m glad you‘re back and hope you‘re feeling better. I broke my wrist in sixth grade and was miserable. It‘s good to see your posts again. 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM omg so totally sick of it! Want to be “back to normal” but may never be, still not sure. LitFest has been amazing but exhausting, this is the first “big” thing I‘ve been able to do since September (totally ignominious). Counting it as PT! 😂😂 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Susanita thanks! Tell you what - I had no concept it would be such a huge pain in so many ways!! Next time someone in a movie breaks something then wanders out in a cute little cast for a week and is then perfectly fine and back to normal once it comes off, I will throw something at the screen!!! 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Shelf Respect | Annie Austen
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😂😂😂 I *love* this author!!! (And the nonsense of book people deliberately or wilful misquoting Kondo drives me *crazy*).

CarolynM Hello there 👋 Just checking in with you. How is the rehab going? 4y
CarolynM Dropping by to wish you Happy New Year. Hope all is well in your world😘 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Shelf Respect | Annie Austen
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There is no power on earth that‘s going to convince me that storing your books spine side in is anything less than insanity!

Soubhiville Agreed- it‘s ridiculous. 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
A Court of Mist and Fury | Sarah J. Maas
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@ljuliel asked Littens to share a book that touched them emotionally so here goes (you don‘t need to explain but ... 😊). I haven‘t been a teenager in quite some time and it had been years since I‘d read YA but something made me pick this series up at a horrific time while struggling in Mumbai. It reminded me how much of an escape and a joy reading could be & bought me back to myself. It was also one of the first books I posted to Litsy 😊♥️😊

ljuliel Wonderful story to go with this book. They really can sometimes remove us from real life and take us elsewhere. Not all books do that for me, but it‘s great when I find one like that. 4y
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Questionnaire | Evan Kindley
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Slight bandwagon but I figure one can‘t complain if one isn‘t willing to step up and try and help fix those issues!!
1. Interacting with other passionate readers and being part of a generally lovely community.
2. Popularity contests, bullying and photo contests (that ones gonna be controversial, I know 😂🤦🏻‍♀️😂)
3. Actual conversation about actual books
4. Patchily, tbh I got sick of my timeline drowning under swaps
5. Yes BUT I think they ⬇️

GlassAsDiamonds Need to be regulated, especially swaps that seem to have just become exclusionary (US Only... 😡) and excessive. I‘ve volunteered a few times to be the “back up” and sent “replacements” for those who were scammed but there doesn‘t seem to be anyone moderating/ policing the scammers or even recording them. 6. I would like Litsy to work in all ways through the app (e.g. the add function) and to have a private message option. (edited) 4y
Megabooks Definitely with you on private messages!! 4y
ljuliel Thank you for your opinions. I‘m glad to hear them. I agree on the swaps. It‘s dysfunctional in a lot of areas. Some people spend a truckload and get sometimes nothing in return. I had some long lasting interactions regarding that. ( I‘d rather not get into here): but it left a nasty taste in my mouth. I also think there have been way too many. I brought that up awhile back, it was sot down on that opinion. 4y
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ljuliel #2 has me a bit puzzled, but I guess a lot goes on in here that we aren‘t all aware of. I‘m sorry if there have been bullying and popularity issues. Since I don‘t understand what happened, I can‘t comment much further than that. If there‘s any way I can help you, tag me. You can email me if you want to discuss it further. I‘ve had a bit of my own behind the scenes stuff but I choose not to post it for everyone to read. 4y
julesG @ljuliel Oh, now that you brought it up. Yes, the bullying is something I don't want to see again. It was nasty and probably led to a few of the "old-timers" leaving Litsy. Also, private messages would be cool. 4y
ljuliel Thanks @julesG I guess all that slipped right by me. Or maybe it happened when I was gone. I‘m sorry that happened in here and hope it was somehow remedied or the bullying party has left. 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @ljuliel from what I‘v seen... unfortunately not but rehashing history is unlikely to be productive at this juncture. I think moderators would be really helpful in that sort of situation (maybe also with swaps) because the worst just turned into mob chaos. Popularity is a tad difficult - I known the advice when joining is “FOLLOW EVERYONE” but I struggled with that because I wanted interaction not just “liking random posts” if that makes sense? 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Megabooks wouldn‘t that be great??? I‘d love to actually just be able to stay in the Litsy ecosystem and chat with people! 😊😊😊 (edited) 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @julesG yeah, there were a few really nasty situations there weren‘t there? It turned me off for quite a while as well, especially since there wasn‘t really any recourse for people - shades of those viciously idiotic twitter mobs, not cool. 4y
ljuliel I understand. I‘ve been online for many years and usually if an event happens between 2 people and others jump in, it can get ugly. Sadly, Litsy isn‘t perfect and we have some of that behind the scenes stuff going on , even in the place that everyone thinks is great. It can taint your opinion a bit , I know. I don‘t believe in following everyone . I follow the ones who‘ve been in here since I started who are interesting and post books I like. 4y
Megabooks @julesG @ljuliel @GlassAsDiamonds I vaguely remember all the bullying and feeling bullied at times. (I had some medical treatments in 2018 that made much of 2017-18 inaccessible in my mind.) I don‘t think it‘s good to rehash that, but I do think there‘s still some competitive BS over litfluence, which is ridiculous. (Honestly, even if we got rid of litfluence, people some people would still want “likes” same as Instagram.) 👇 4y
Megabooks I find popularity about as interesting as belly button lint. I plan on filling this out @ljuliel but if something doesn‘t interest me, I scroll past. If someone‘s posts consistently don‘t interest me, I unfollow. I hope people find my posts interesting. But I‘m just trying my best to have fun and talk (mostly) about books! 4y
julesG @Megabooks I agree 100%. Some people just post to increase their Litfluence, posting lots of pictures off the internet to get likes. Furthermore, I dislike when Littens post several reviews of one book. It can make or break the review ratio of a book. 4y
Cinfhen #PREACH 🙌🏻 4y
ljuliel Thank you @megabooks. I‘m very sorry you also had bullying problems. I don‘t remember seeing it , but it‘s a bit hard to keep up with a group this huge , so things could slide right on by and if you don‘t read every single word of every post, you might miss something. This place is maybe a bit like Disneyland . Much more fun to visit that to wear the Donald Duck suit. What I‘m saying is, on the outside, it looks good, but underneath might look bad 4y
ljuliel And on the point thing . Who the heck cares ? I never go to someone‘s page to see how many points they have. When I left before and asked them to close my account, I had probably 200,000 posts ? I started back at zero when I came back. To me, it‘s just an extra quirk.Its not important. 4y
Megabooks @ljuliel exactly! I use my litfluence as a chance to do giveaways if I catch a cool number on a screenshot, but otherwise, I don‘t even think about it. 4y
wanderinglynn @GlassAsDiamonds @Megabooks I am so sorry you both had negative bullying experiences. You both are awesome and I enjoy reading your posts. I‘m glad you both stayed. ❤️❤️ 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Late Edition | Fern Michaels
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I‘m taking a leaf out of @thegreensofa ‘s book and tagging in Dini & his snuggle kitty for my #BFCr4 check in that I forgot 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ #BFC

Week wasn‘t bad! All OT done including scar massage, three more books read but a tad light on for outdoor exercise and journaling (can‘t hold a pen yet... this week!!!).

CoffeeCatsBooks Aww! 😻 4y
mhillis Adorable!! 4y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 4y
thegreensofa Aawww how adorable is Dini! 😻😻😻❤️ 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Pickpick

Lovely book (also my #Booked2019 #Fall #2019release book!! 😊😊😊) by illustrator and author Megan Hess about her top 10 French Fashion houses. I admit to having to google a bunch of these & learnt that I love brands I‘d never heard of (Lanvin Blue, where have you been all my life??) & that I‘m never going to view a handbag as a monetary investment piece. 😂 Still, short & enjoyable and the book itself is a delight of gilded edges & thick pages.

Cinfhen She has some stunning books! They are all gorgeous to peruse 🤩 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen I had completely forgotten I also had her Coco Chanel biography until the gilded edges triggered the memory! 😂🤦🏻‍♀️😂 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Wow — sounds like a lovely book! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @BarbaraTheBibliophage it really is! Almost like half a book, half a graphic novel... if those had gilt edges and award wining drawings of French fashion! 😊♥️😊 Worth the read I think. 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Mehso-so

Great message but not for me. Written as a plea to society at large, the author highlights just how much of a difference you can make with a small garden, especially to birds & insects & offers proof of how possible it is to effect change but she‘s so angsty & depressing that the message is all but lost. It‘s also an odd straddle of genres, part gardening & part very self facing memoir of her mothers stroke. #borrownotbuy as @Cinfhen would say 😂

Cinfhen You seem to be reading lots of those #MoreMehThanYeah titles lately 😬 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen seriously!! The anthologies I kinda expected (general rule - I usually only buy them when I really like an author. The Theodora Goss was worth the purchase price of the first but the second...🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️) but surely I deserve a break with these others?!?!?!? 😂😂😂🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😂😂😂 4y
Cinfhen I wish books weren‘t so damn expensive!!!!! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen half of me is totally with you and the other half is wondering how quickly I‘d crash my apartment into the downstairs neighbours if books were cheaper here.... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 4y
Cinfhen Hehehe!! 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Die Trying | Lee Child
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Okay! This weeks #BFCr4 update!

Books read this week: 3 so I‘m on target for the 12!

Fitness: OMFG scar massage. I‘ve done it, I‘ve sworn a lot, the scar is less horrible than it was so 🤞🏻. I‘ve done the movement exercises and am thrilled that at the start of the week I couldn‘t hold a bread knife but now I can. Still with a lot of pain but I CAN! I managed walking twice but am claiming a weather foul, it‘s rained & I can‘t risk falls ⬇️

GlassAsDiamonds Wellness is spotty: I‘ve got a 50/50 journaling success and totally missed the ball on photographing movement gains. Still, better than last week!!! #BFCr4 #BFC #bookfitnesschallenge #bookfitnesschallengeround4 (edited) 4y
CarolynM Glad to hear you're making progress with the rehab. I know it's hard. Keep at it 😘 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @CarolynM oh man (and thanks!). It‘s like nothing I‘ve ever experienced. All that glamours media of people waking from comas then walking out of the hospital the next day or getting casts off and playing basketball the next day 😡😡😡😡 TENDONS and Ligaments ! Who *knew* how much they could hurt and how quickly they constrict?!?!? 😭😭😭😭 4y
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CarolynM And no-one tells you physiotherapists are sadists before you find yourself at their mercy😂 Their methods do work, though. 4y
Chrissyreadit Glad you are making improvement. Slow and steady wins the race.... 4y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Toil & Trouble | Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood
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Mehso-so

Another anthology with much the same response: the Tess Sharpe story was brilliant. Anna-Marie McLemore & Tehlor Kay Mehia were also quite good. The others were a mix of mediocre, mhe, annoying & outright depressing. Probably someone more interested in dystopians would enjoy this more than me and I‘ve given it a higher mark because it‘s extremely diverse, well written & well edited but I‘m just not an anthology fan. #MoreMehThanYeh #borrownotbuy

GlassAsDiamonds And with thanks to @Cinfhen & @TrishB for nailing the perfect hashtag!! 4y
Cinfhen Always a pleasure 💜 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen 😊😊😊 How are things in your part of the world?? 4y
Cinfhen Good!! Hot 🥵 I had LOTS of visitors the past few weeks but it‘s finally quieting down. How about you?? How‘s that hand??? 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Mehso-so

Halloween reading!!! I‘ve rarely found an anthology in which every story was great & this did not break that streak. The Theodora Goss story was brilliant as was the Rachael Caine. Armstrong and Kenyon wrote in their own universes & it was obvious knowledge was missing. Of the others, a few were brilliant, most mediocre but it‘s an anthology so... I would recommend it if you‘re a fan of Goss in particular but #borrownotbuy as @Cinfhen would say.

Cinfhen Great review and yes... some books are #MoreMehThanYeh like @TrishB likes to say 😉😘 4y
TrishB @Cinfhen yep 😘 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen @TrishB - 😂😂😂 Love it (and totally using it for the next anthology as well which was completely #MoreMehThanYeh 😂😂😂😂) 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Pickpick

It‘s a good book and a useful addition to Rubin‘s canon but brutally, I finished it because I got sick of seeing this on my “Currently Reading” stack 😂🤦🏻‍♀️😂.

If you‘re one of her podcast listeners, and I am, the book feels like a lot of repetition with limited new material but I still think there‘s value in knowing how people, including ones self, respond to Inner and Outer Expectations and it‘s readable, well written and well collated.

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GlassAsDiamonds
Die Trying | Lee Child
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Okay, I‘m updating my #BFCr4 goals. Light-ish though the others were, I couldn‘t manage daily walks in Singapore, the heat made the swelling in my arm just too extreme BUUUT I‘ve now got hideously painful OT to do so... yay? #BFC

On last weeks goals; I read three books which puts me well on track for that at least but I only walked twice in a row and ... yeah... NOT HAPPENING AGAIN. I did however manage to take all my vitamins so 👍🏻👍🏻

mhillis Good to adapt your goals when you need to! You‘re doing great! Keep it up! 4y
ShelfRighteous Good luck! I hope you recover soon and we are always here to cheer you on💪🏼 4y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 You‘re doing great! The key is to adapt, not quit. So great job! 4y
thegreensofa I know how you feel, I am sympathising with you. I broke my actual elbow a couple years ago. You will get there, all the hard work really pays off. You are doing so well! 💋💋💋 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @thegreensofa oh man!! (& thanks!!!). The ligament and tendon damage is killing me!!! I had NO idea they got so bad so quickly or could hurt so much!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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Mixing my media (Instagram and Litsy 😂🤦🏻‍♀️😂) but @Lizpixie - were you still missing these scrunchies? I do not have enough hair for them and would be happy to send them your way. 😊

Also Puff giving total stink eyes to her brother ... 😂🤦🏻‍♀️😂
#catsoflitsy indeed ....

Lizpixie Yes! That would be awesome thank you. They said they were sending replacements but it‘s been over two months now. I am in Australia though so I‘m not sure how much postage would be. Just let me know and I‘ll send it via PayPal if you want. Give me your email and I‘ll send you my address.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 4y
GlassAsDiamonds Yeah - odd customer service going on with them at the moment, I got the September box on Monday after a series of 5 emails over 2 weeks 🤦🏻‍♀️. Email is glassasdiamonds at gmail dot com & don‘t worry about postage, they‘re light!! 😊 4y
GlassAsDiamonds Reminder: send me your address! 😉 ☺️ 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
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😊😊😊😊

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GlassAsDiamonds
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@Lindy not only a babass, but an calm anarchist as well!!! 😂😱😂😱😂

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GlassAsDiamonds
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Enough YA for a bit, now for some philosophy I‘m hoping will help with my #BFCr4 fitness and wellness goals. 😊😊😊😊

Cathythoughts Walking 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
Lindy How refreshing to think I‘m a badass because I prefer to walk whenever possible! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @Lindy I suspect you‘d enjoy this book!!! 😊😊😊 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
The Babysitters Coven | Kate M. Williams
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Pickpick

Loved it. 😊 It‘s very much the first book in a series & probably will resonate most with people who read Babysitters Club books then watched Buffy (so maybe it‘s a YA book mostly likely to be a hit with readers who grew up in the 90‘s 🤔) but it‘s light, funny, fast paced & poignant all at the same time. The editing is tight & the writing is elegantly well tuned. Teenagers might miss a lot of the pop culture but I suspect they‘d enjoy it as is.

LiteraryinLawrence Great review! 4y
hermyknee Oooh this looks great! Look at this @That-Bookish-Hiker !! 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @LiteraryinLititz thanks!!! 😁😁😁😁😁 4y
GlassAsDiamonds @hermyknee I really liked it. 😊😊😊 Clearly it‘s the first in a series and some won‘t like the pop culture but I really enjoyed it!!! 4y
hermyknee That‘s awesome! 4y
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GlassAsDiamonds
Capturing the Devil | Kerri Maniscalco
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Mehso-so

The completion of a story arc & the series, this is a much stronger offering than the last two books but it was not for me. The author has moments of amazing lyricism but she‘s also inclined to broody hyperbolic angst & florid flights of language fancy, neither of which work for me. The story also messes with historical timelines, slips between 2019 vernacular & that of the late 1800‘s & uses a thoroughly implausible mcguffin ⬇️

GlassAsDiamonds to force the action along which irritated me. I suspect if you were a teenage girl with a love for gothic melodrama, neither of which I am, the style might appeal and there are some strong, memorable quotes but having finished the series, I‘m highly unlikely to read from this author again. (edited) 4y
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