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KarenUK

KarenUK

Joined March 2016

British gal living in sunny FL 😎- Bookstore Manager, Bookseller, Book Club lover, Bookaholic, Cookaholic, and proud #starslut !
review
KarenUK
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Pickpick

This Aussie mystery was a lot of fun! Think ‘Knives Out‘ meets Richard Osman, with a healthy dose of meta-ness and a big old nod to classic era mysteries. I loved how each section was framed around a certain family member, and how the narrator broke the ‘fourth wall‘ giving the reader extra stuff along the way. I also didn‘t see most of the twists coming. Really looking forward to number 2 after seeing @Hooked_on_books review!

julesG Oh, I like your edition's cover. Mine has a pigeon and a knife on the cover. Really liked both books and hope there's going to be another one. 9mo
KarenUK @julesG I hear that HBO picked up the rights, so there‘ll be a tv show too I think…. 9mo
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Hooked_on_books Oh good! These books are both so much fun. I like how cheeky the tone is. 9mo
squirrelbrain The more reviews I see of this, the more I think I need to read it for #readingoceania24 for #australia 9mo
Librarybelle I loved both of these! They‘re so fun! 9mo
Crazeedi Ok, you convinced me!!! Another add! 9mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! This one is on my TBR! 9mo
Bette Just finished his next one, also very entertaining. 👍🤭 9mo
BarbaraBB How are you Karen? Missing you here! 4mo
KarenUK @BarbaraBB Aw thank you Barbara. I really miss it too. I‘m just really struggling to read this past year…. And don‘t feel I have much to say on here at all. Barely making it through a book or two each month… not sure what‘s going on except my panic attacks and anxiety are flaring up terribly. Just can‘t seem to relax 🤷‍♀️… sending you lots of love and hope all is wonderful with you. Xxx 3mo
BarbaraBB So sorry to hear that, that must be hard. Will you be coming to Gladstone in October? That would be lovely but I don‘t know if you‘re up to it and made a reservation? Xxxx 3mo
KarenUK @BarbaraBB not going to make it this year. Wish I could, but I‘m overwhelmed at work with so many new stores opening near me. 🙁 3mo
BarbaraBB I understand! Would have liked it a lot to meet you! 🤍 3mo
74 likes4 stack adds14 comments
blurb
KarenUK
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Catching up with yesterday‘s page…… 😏

review
KarenUK
The Measure | Nikki Erlick
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Pickpick

Loved this… such a surprise. There was a thread of hopefulness, humanity and even love, that ran through the novel that I really liked. It was perfect for my book club… lots of great discussion. Would you open the box? If you did, would it change how you lived? How would we react as a whole, individually, as nations… a speculative pick that really made us all think. #52bookclub24 #pop24 #morethan3POV #morethan4POV

51 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
KarenUK
Fourth Wing | Rebecca Yarros
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Pickpick

#52bookclub24 #anauthoreveryonehasreadexceptyou #pop24 #featuresdragons So I finally folded and read the book that ALL my booksellers love, and our biggest title of last year, and you know what…it was a great read! It‘s definitely a bit derivative in its story and themes, but I had fun. A feisty female MC, good world-building (which I normally struggle with), some spicy bits and some truly snarky and grumpy dragons. Not my usual jam for sure….

48 likes4 comments
review
KarenUK
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Pickpick

My first cry of the year! In just 30 pages, an awful lot is said. Very poignant and so personally relatable. I cared for my own mother-in-law in my home during her final days. And currently my mum is close to her end, though fundamentally lost to me already , due to the bastard that is early on-set. Complicated feelings, love in all its forms, and utterly human. Beautiful. Thanks for the recommendation @britt_brooke 💕

Librarybelle ❤️❤️❤️ 10mo
Jas16 Sending ❤️ 10mo
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julesG ❤️ Sending hugs! 10mo
CBee I‘ve been there. Sending you love ❤️ 10mo
BarbaraBB Sending love and hugs. I know what you mean, my mom is deteriorating fast too. I think I need to read this book too ❤️ 10mo
Hooked_on_books My mom‘s ok mentally, but I‘ve been watching her body slowly, and now more quickly, deteriorate for a while now. It really takes a bite out of you every day, doesn‘t it? 10mo
kspenmoll I lost my dad in increments due to dementia- but someone he knew who each of his children were & her knew my son, knew he was at UConn, etc. the fact that he lost all medical knowledge ( he was an MD) meant little to us- it was a gift he knew us. Especially near the end. doesn‘t matter when or how it‘s always a challenge to lose your parents. Love to you all. 10mo
britt_brooke So happy you picked this up. 🩷 Early onset is just awful. We lost my MIL to it four years ago this month. It started taking her in her mid 50s. Thinking of you, friend, and sending hugs. 10mo
MaureenMc 💗💗💗 10mo
CarolynM 💙💙💙 10mo
Anna40 Sorry to hear about your mother 💕 10mo
56 likes12 comments
blurb
KarenUK
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For various reasons, I had an enormous slump this year, and did a lot of rereading, so not quite my #top23of2023 but at least my top reads…. Here‘s to a better year in 2024! Thank you so much for the tag @BarbaraBB xx

squirrelbrain Great list - a few will be on mine. (Which I‘m finally getting around to posting!) 10mo
sarahbarnes Great list! Some of these made my list too! 10mo
BarbaraBB Like I said on Instagram, we share so many! Here‘s to a peaceful 2024 without reading slumps ❤️ 10mo
TieDyeDude 💪🎉 10mo
41 likes4 comments
review
KarenUK
Home: Vintage Minis | Salman Rushdie
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Pickpick

My first Vintage mini… as I ran out of month for my #authoramonth book! And it won‘t be my last…
A lovely collection of Rushdie‘s writing, collected together from 4 places (3 non fiction, one fiction), all on the theme of ‘Home.‘
The perfect author to write on the topic, this reminded me how much I love this author‘s novels, but also now I want to read his non fiction. Beautifully evocative…. Just lovely!

#authoramonth @Soubhiville

BarbaraBB Great review and format. I haven‘t seen them yet. 1y
BarbaraBB Karen! I do see you on IG but am missing your reviews and our talks on Litsy. I hope you are alright 🩷🩷 12mo
KarenUK Thank you so much for checking in @BarbaraBB I sent you an email xxx 12mo
TrishB Just echoing @BarbaraBB not seen your a review for a while! 11mo
KarenUK Aw thanks for checking in @TrishB I‘ve been a bit overwhelmed this past 6 months for various reasons, and struggling with a huge reading slump! Hope all is well with you xx 11mo
38 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
KarenUK
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Mehso-so

Read for my book club….
#pop23 #setinhollywood

Very interesting story, well written, but I found it quite repetitive. Which is understandable considering the story being told, but just not for me. The repeating pattern of Chysta‘s mum‘s new relationship, moneymaking scheme, crash and burn…. Started to feel like I was stuck in a revolving door, which I‘m sure is how Chrysta felt. But just stopped me loving what I was reading. 🤷‍♀️

squirrelbrain I can imagine how this could be rather repetitive… but at least it ticked off a prompt! 1y
38 likes2 comments
review
KarenUK
Big Summer: A Novel | Jennifer Weiner
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Pickpick

Complete fluff, but in a good way. Part cozy mystery, chick-lit & romance… influencers, high-school mean girls, a celeb wedding, and a coastal vibe, perfect to throw in a beach bag. But what made it for me, were the moments when our plus-size heroine was at her most relatable. Faking confidence, patronizing asides, aiming for body-confidence yet still being hurt by the so-called well-meaning insults disguised as compliments. All too familiar 🤦‍♀️

52 likes1 stack add4 comments
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KarenUK
Ghost Lover: Stories | Lisa Taddeo
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I love how bold this writing is. Unafraid, brutal, unwaveringly honest, let‘s it all hang out! Each story captures each woman so perfectly, warts and all, with all her deepest, darkest thoughts. Love this author….. really, really great.
#pop23 #bookwithaforbiddenromance #the52bookclub #letterG

BarbaraBB Oh wow. Sounds great, even though I wasn‘t a fan of Three Women. Stacking! 1y
Cortg @BarbaraBB @karenUK Three Women is a possible read for a book with just text on the cover. Anyone have any other recs? I may still read it, just curious of any others out there that were enjoyed. 1y
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KarenUK @Cortg I really liked it, but it‘s not for everyone….. 1y
Megabooks Fantastic review!! Agree! 👍🏻💜 1y
KarenUK @megabooks Thanks Meg! 💕 1y
KarenUK @BarbaraBB I think you‘ll like her fiction… 🤞🤞 1y
47 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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KarenUK
The Rachel Incident: A novel | Caroline O'Donoghue
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Pickpick

Much funnier than I thought it was going to be. A coming-of-age of sorts, with 20-something, besties Rachel and James, becoming entangled with Rachel‘s charismatic professor and his wife. Nostalgic and witty, Rachel is definitely a hot mess, but endearing none the less, despite her very questionable decisions! Told by Rachel, looking back at her time as a young adult in Ireland, the “incident‘ isn‘t quite what you‘d expect. A really fun read.

squirrelbrain I keep seeing reviews of this one; it sounds great! 1y
BarbaraBB Wonderful review. Now I want to read it too! 1y
CarolynM Great review! Stacked. 1y
52 likes4 comments
review
KarenUK
Yellowface | R F Kuang
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Pickpick

The success of this satire, is how uncomfortable it can make you feel. Sharp and witty yet completely cringe-inducing, June digs herself deeper and deeper, her behavior and choices getting more and more questionable, and even despicable, at every turn. This ticked all the boxes of the moment- cultural appropriation, cancel culture, tokenism, internet trolling, but manages to still feel fresh and original. Definitely lived up to the hype for me.

BarbaraBB Great review, I just finished and enjoyed it too! 1y
CarolynM Hi Karen 🖐 I've not been around much in the last few weeks so I've only just noticed you've been absent. Hope all is well with you and yours. Sending love💕 1y
KarenUK @CarolynM aww thanks so much for checking in. Been a bit of a crazy couple of months with work, moving, trip home and some health issues with my mum…. Hope everything is great with you too xx 1y
CarolynM I‘m dealing with some issues with my parents too. We are getting there. Hope your mum‘s doing better💕 1y
47 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
KarenUK
The Word for World is Forest | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Mehso-so

#authoramonth #aam @Soubhiville
I can see the brilliance of this author in this powerful novella that tackles environmental destruction and colonization, I just continue to struggle with this genre. The world-building aspect always sets me at a distance I just can‘t seem to navigate across. I can appreciate it more than enjoy the experience. Wrong reader for an author I know so many adore.

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KarenUK
Motherthing | Ainslie Hogarth
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#booked2023 #weirdreview #BNbookchallenge #scaresthepantsoffyou

Super dark, witty and weird, viscerally stomach-churning and a psychological horror of sorts. A cruel mother-in-law from hell with a borderline disorder, haunts a young couple both before and after her suicide…. Brilliant writing and completely unhinged, I haven‘t stopped thinking about it since I finished it….and too many content warnings to mention! And it got me out of my slump!!!

Cinfhen My type of #Weird 🫶🏼 1y
Cinfhen LOVE the bookcover 1y
squirrelbrain Sounds great! Stacked. 1y
KarenUK Yes the cover is awesome! @Cinfhen And I think you might like this Helen… but I warn you, it‘s odd! @squirrelbrain 1y
BarbaraBB This sounds fab! I am reading the last of the books you sent me (and loving it!) 🤍🤍 1y
42 likes3 stack adds5 comments
review
KarenUK
The Wind in the Willows | Kenneth Grahame
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#pop23 #52bookclub2023 #alliteration #bn2023challenge #nonhumancharacters

#readharder23 #favoritebookofafavoriteauthor #donnatartt

Just as wonderful as I remembered. Witty and whimsical, the perfect read for an afternoon curled up on the sofa, feeling rotten with bronchitis! Cheered me up no end. So lovely on friendship and the joys of nature… the riverbank seems a pretty idyllic place to be.

Soubhiville Hope you feel better soon. 2y
SamAnne Oh, such great memories of this book! 2y
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squirrelbrain Oh no, sorry you‘re feeling rough. Get well soon. 😘 2y
BarbaraBB Sending love and hope you feel better soon 🩵 2y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I don't think I've ever read this one. I'll have to make a note to myself since this prompt is still open. 2y
Cortg Rest up and feel better soon! This is a delightful read, indeed ❤️ 2y
Cinfhen Hope you‘re feeling better real fast - the price to pay for too much fun in NY😉 2y
Cinfhen I love that this was a Donna Tart rec!! Cool 2y
KarenUK @SamAnne @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB @Cortg @Cinfhen @Soubhiville Aw thanks you guys…. First time flying since 2019, and I go and get sick!! 🤦‍♀️ 2y
56 likes2 stack adds10 comments
review
KarenUK
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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Pickpick

Loved this so much! A (very) loose retelling of Little women, but really more a story of four sisters, their mother, and one young man who enters their lives. Beautiful character writing, melancholy at times, so full of warmth and love. Sad it‘s over 💕
#booked2023 #pop23 #classicretelling #52bookclub2023 #publishedin23 #bn2023challenge #toughchoice

Cinfhen Great choice for modern retelling! It really was a beautiful story 🥰 2y
BarbaraBB This sounds real good 2y
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squirrelbrain I‘m really looking forward to this; shame it couldn‘t make camp. (It‘s not out until July over here, although I have an ARC. Yay for me!) 2y
KarenUK @squirrelbrain I think you‘ll like it… 🤞.. And yes, shame as it would have made a good discussion.. 2y
KarenUK @cinfhen @BarbaraBB It was not what I was expecting, in a really good way! 2y
BarbaraBB Intriguing! I wasn‘t that impressed by her other book but this one seems to call out my name! 2y
Cinfhen Im not 💯 sure you‘d love it @BarbaraBB I‘d wait for a cheaper copy - I had an ARC too @squirrelbrain 🙌🏻 2y
KarenUK Good call @cinfhen , I‘m not 💯sure if it‘s for you either @barbarabb 🤷‍♀️ 2y
Cinfhen By the end I liked it @BarbaraBB but there were too many parts that really dragged for me (edited) 2y
BarbaraBB @KarenUK @Cinfhen Thanks for the heads-up, I have so many books calling my name that I‘ll wait a bit with this one! 2y
Cinfhen @BarbaraBB 👍🏽 2y
68 likes3 stack adds12 comments
review
KarenUK
The It Girl | Ruth Ware
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Mehso-so

#Authoramonth @Soubhiville #pop23 #girlinthetitle #52bookclub2023 #fashionablecharacter

A good not great mystery. Lots of red herrings, two of my favorite settings (Oxford & Edinburgh) but too much of a lackluster main character for me to be completely invested.

53 likes4 comments
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KarenUK
Hello Beautiful | Ann Napolitano
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I picked up Oprah‘s mag for the plane (and because it‘s her 100th bookclub pick edition)…. This list would probably make a great reading challenge. I‘m at only 14/100…. 📚💕

Ruthiella I‘m a sucker for book lists like that! But often I actually avoid the Oprah stamp of approval because she picks books that are so very sad. 2y
KarenUK @Ruthiella Agreed! I think that‘s why I‘ve only read 14! 2y
Cinfhen Where are you headed? #Nosy safe travels xxxx 2y
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KarenUK @Cinfhen girls trip to NYC…. Seeing a couple of shows, bit of shopping, nice food… ☺️ 2y
Cinfhen Sounds FAB! I want all the details xxxx 2y
BarbaraBB That must be a great list. I‘m going to check if it‘s online! Have a great trip 🤍 2y
41 likes6 comments
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KarenUK
Untitled | Unknown
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#CampLitsy23
Here‘s my 6 nominations for our summer challenge…
Thanks so much Helen, Barbara and Meg, for a challenge us slow readers can manage! 💕

Megabooks Big Swiss would be great for discussion and I‘m so excited about the new Fuller! Great nominees! 2y
BarbaraBB I have been looking forward to your nominations and I am super excited about them! ❤️ 2y
JamieArc I just stacked a few of these. They look great! 2y
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squirrelbrain Fab choices! I chose the Fuller too and I‘m quite keen on Big Swiss. 2y
Cinfhen I‘ve just ordered 2y
Ruthiella We have two in common: Big Swiss and The Age of Vice. 👍 I think The God of Endings is something I definitely need to add to the TBR now too because the premise sounds fantastic. 2y
53 likes6 comments
review
KarenUK
Romantic Comedy | Curtis Sittenfeld
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Pickpick

The completely perfect vacation read. Funny, romantic and real, or at least as real as a relationship between a comedy writer and a pop star heart throb can be!
Sally, a self described “self-sabotaging ass-hat,” despite her highly tuned romantic cynicism, falls for aging teen heartthrob Noah, then messes it up royally. Then the pandemic changes everything and they unexpectedly become pen-pals of sorts. (Continued in comments….)

KarenUK ….I love how Sittenfeld takes all the tropes of a rom-com, but gave me something that felt like it had genuine grown up emotions, faux-pas and hiccups. Optimistically lovely. #pop23 #52books2020 #typographiccover #bn2023challenge #makesyoulaugh 2y
squirrelbrain Great review - I‘m looking forward to this one! 2y
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LaraReads What a great review! And as it happens, I‘m compiling a list of some perfect vacation reads! 💕🏝️ 2y
Read4life Gorgeous photo 2y
Cinfhen Where every you are, it looks awesome 🤩 I‘m nearly done this audio and I agree it‘s charming and fun without being ridiculous and cheesy 2y
KarenUK @Cinfhen We were at a little B&B in a quiet road on Key West…. A lovely break…. Hope your Passover was wonderful and you had fun relaxing at the beach xxx (edited) 2y
Cinfhen Sounds like a fabulous getaway 💕 2y
BarbaraBB Wonderful review, I am so looking forward to this one. Also you seem to be at a great place. That picture 🥰 2y
Cortg Yay for vacations and good reads! Glad you enjoyed this one :) 2y
66 likes2 stack adds10 comments
review
KarenUK
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Pickpick

Love how Daunts Books are publishing forgotten classics and giving new life to them. These stories are full of quiet female rage, written in a time when this was even less acceptable than it is now. Penelope Mortimer writes so brilliantly about the ennui and dissatisfaction of women of her era, feelings of being trapped, having no voice, being both under and overwhelmed by opportunities, marriage and motherhood. (Continued below)…

44 likes2 comments
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KarenUK
Birnam Wood | Eleanor Catton
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Influenced by @BarbaraBB 😍…. Managed to grab a signed copy of this one you loved… and signed too! I always find treasures at the Books & Books in Key West…. 💕

squirrelbrain Fabulous to get a signed copy…this is one of my favourites of the year so far. 2y
BarbaraBB I hope you‘ll love it as much as @squirrelbrain and I did! 2y
51 likes2 comments
blurb
KarenUK
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Hoping for 4 days of mostly uninterrupted reading! Heading down to key west, and book 1 for car reading….. some short stories that fit a few challenge prompts.. 💕

review
KarenUK
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Pickpick

The coziest of cozies…. Made me giggle, gave me Midsomer murders meets Miss Marple meets Thursday Murder club vibes… And written by the only British clergyman to have had a number one hit single. A fun palette cleanser… and such cute endpapers of Cosmo and Hilda, our hero‘s faithful pups. 😍 #pop23 #containsamap #bn2023challenge #cozymystery #52bookclub2023 #adedication

61 likes5 stack adds7 comments
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KarenUK
Of Mice and Men | John Steinbeck
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Pickpick

#AAM First time reading this, and wow does this little book, pack a ginormous punch. This writing is spare and lovely. The story is of friendship, poverty, brutality, loneliness and the so-called American dream, and an ending so heartbreaking it will stay with me long after finishing the story.

BarbaraBB I am so glad I reread this book a few years ago. I hated it in high school but the second time I really loved it. And indeed it packs a punch! 2y
Becker I‘m so glad you liked this. I thought it was a very special book, although not everyone agrees. I‘m always happy to find someone who appreciated it. 2y
40 likes4 comments
review
KarenUK
The Lioness: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

A 60s-set safari vacation for a group of movie stars and their entourage turns deadly. Cinematic and well-paced. A bit action heavy and character light (not in number but in depth) but definitely gripping. The huge cast of characters, given multiple chapters, featuring both memories and their present horrific events, were handled so as not to be confusing. And I enjoyed the snippets of gossip rags as clues and red herrings. Just not really my jam.

46 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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KarenUK
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Pickpick

A fun read. A podcaster returns to teach a class, at the fancy boarding school of her childhood where she was an outsider and her once roommate was murdered. Reads like a mystery, layered with interesting takes on the #metoo movement and grooming, collective memory, race and privilege, the exploitative nature of true crime, wrongful imprisonment and so much more. Sharp and nuanced, I found the ending unsatisfying but all the more realistic for it.

55 likes1 stack add8 comments
review
KarenUK
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Panpan

I found this very lack luster…. And just because it‘s about three thirty-something women, does not warrant the comparisons to Fleabag or Rooney it‘s been getting. I found the ‘feminism‘ dated, the characters dull, and just generally this didn‘t seem to have anything new or interesting to say. It‘s a shame, because the reverse love story idea is a good one…. #booked2023 #pop23 #lovetriangle #52bookclub23 #letterH #bn2023challenge #aboutafriendgroup

46 likes3 comments
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KarenUK
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Pickpick

Just… so… good. Love Levy‘s writing…. These are more vignettes than stories, but still loved the heck out them. Perfectly imperfect….

52 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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KarenUK
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I arrived home tonight to a thank you card, slipped into my front door, signed by 20+ people (I‘m not familiar with) from my neighborhood, thanking me me for my LittleFreeLibrary! And a gift card for Amazon too! I‘m beyond touched, for the appreciation and so happy the little library is bringing some joy xxxx

JamieArc ❤️❤️❤️ 2y
Ruthiella How sweet! 🥰 2y
Jas16 That is so wonderful! 2y
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Librarybelle ❤️❤️❤️ 2y
BiblioLitten 🥰🥰🥹 2y
MicheleinPhilly This is so lovely. 🤗 2y
Sparklemn Fabulous! 2y
Bookwormjillk What thoughtful neighbors you have! 2y
TrishB Ah that‘s lovely ❤️ 2y
squirrelbrain Aw, that‘s so lovely! Brought a happy tear to my eye. 2y
Christine So great! 2y
Cathythoughts Lovely card ❤️ 2y
Balibee146 That's lovely ❤️❤️ 2y
LeahBergen Aww! 🥰 2y
BarbaraBB Wow that is so kind! You must feel so happy right now! 2y
Megabooks How wonderful!! 2y
Reggie How nice!!! 2y
CarolynM That‘s lovely 🥰 2y
55 likes18 comments
review
KarenUK
New Kid | Jerry Craft
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Pickpick

The 1st graphic novel to win the Newbery, this story of a city kid starting at a fancy new school, is great. Tackling topics of bullying, feeling like not fitting in, struggles in making new friends, while handling being ‘different‘ in subtle ways, this middle grade is handling tough situations with sensitivity. The art is good, but it is Jordan‘s ‘sketchbook‘ pencil drawings within the book, that I fell in love with. #52bookclub23 #newberywinner

britt_brooke Loved this one! And Class Act. 2y
BarbaraBB Is the Newbery a prize for graphic novels? I haven‘t checked yet… 2y
KarenUK It‘s for children‘s books…. This was the first time a graphic novel won it…. There‘s a ton of choices… it‘s been awarded since the 1920s! @BarbaraBB 2y
BarbaraBB Thanks! I didn‘t know! 😘 2y
49 likes5 comments
review
KarenUK
Foster | Claire Keegan
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Pickpick

#pop23 #shortestbookontbr

Just so beautiful. Keegan writes so deceptively simply, yet each sentence has purpose, captures each act of kindness with a subtle emotional punch. The rural Irish setting gives this tale a timeless feel, and the young POV an innocence that is touching. Heartbreakingly human. @squirrelbrain @barbarabb @cortg @AshleyHoss820 @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @RaeLovesToRead @MissHel

BarbaraBB I loved this one too 🤍 2y
squirrelbrain Great review - I‘m planning on reading this one soon. 2y
Cortg Sounds good! I looked and my library only has ebook/eaudiobook availability, which might be why I haven‘t heard of it before ☺️ 2y
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KarenUK @Cortg it‘s lovely in print, but a super short audio too…. Really worth the hour of your time…. I believe it was originally published as a story in the New Yorker before it was published in print. 2y
KarenUK Aw thanks Helen…. I think you‘ll love it… @squirrelbrain And it was @BarbaraBB 5star review that prompted me to pick it up sooner rather than later! 💕 2y
squirrelbrain Yes, it was @BarbaraBB who put it on my radar too! I have it on Scribd audio 2y
BarbaraBB Thanks @KarenUK and @squirrelbrain for trusting my opinion. I hope you‘ll love it as much as Karen and I did, Helen! 2y
Cortg Thanks! I‘ll have to download it! 2y
Cortg I woke up to an NPR article this morning. Apparently Foster is a movie now. I‘m definitely living under a rock 🪨😆 2y
KarenUK @Cortg me too! No idea either!! 2y
57 likes10 comments
review
KarenUK
The Cloisters | Katy Hays
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I always love me some dark academia, and although this is no ‘Secret History‘ (what is?) I still really enjoyed this NYC story. The Met Cloisters, a museum specializing in Medieval artifacts, is the perfect eerie setting, and the study at the center of this novel is of divination and historical tarot cards. Secrets are in abundance, a fish is most definitely out of water, and motives are endlessly questionable. Twisty, atmospheric and lots of fun.

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LeeRHarry Good to know this is good one as I have it on my TBR- love the cover 😊 2y
Cinfhen What an awesome review you wrote!!! You made me want to read a book I wasn‘t at all interested in!!!! #SuperReviewer ❤️🙌🏻 2y
squirrelbrain I‘ve wondered about this one but thought it wasn‘t my ‘thing‘…you‘ve made me change my mind. Stacked. 2y
KarenUK @squirrelbrain @cinfhen It‘s kind of a mash up of gothic dark academia and a mystery/thriller. I thought it was a lot of fun 😊 2y
Cortg Sounds like a great read! 2y
Bluebird Great review! Sounds like something I‘d like. Stacked! 2y
61 likes10 stack adds10 comments
review
KarenUK
Dancing After TEN | Vivian Chong
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Wow. This graphic memoir of a musician and artist, who develops a rare condition after taking a headache tablet on vacation, is moving, harrowing and so heartbreaking. Such a scary story, as ‘friends‘ abandon her abroad, she goes into a coma, loses her sight, at some point her hearing and develops a terrible skin condition. As she briefly regains some sight and races against time to collaborate on this memoir, i felt for her so much. Inspiring.

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KarenUK
The Cloisters | Katy Hays
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Just starting this one…. Trying to catch up on my endless #ARCs ! 🤦‍♀️
Feeling good about this so far… Dark Academia is usually totally my thing. 💕

Ruthiella I‘ve heard good things about this. The premise is intriguing! 2y
60 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
KarenUK
Evidence of the Affair | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

An epistolary novella, set in the seventies….. A wife of a doctor discovers the evidence of the title. As she connects with the wronged husband on the other end of the affair, a friendship forms. Told through letters between both couples, it‘s a fairly straightforward story, but the ending has a satisfying conclusion.
#Authoramonth #AAM @Soubhiville

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KarenUK
The Appeal | JANICE. HALLETT
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Pickpick

A fun epistolary murder mystery, that slowly reveals everything you need to solve the puzzle yourself. Told mostly through emails and whats app messages, ‘The Appeal‘ has a double meaning. Both as a fund raising effort for a poorly child, and for the efforts to release the wrongly convicted murderer of the late revealed victim. Clever and witty but takes commitment. It‘s not short, and there‘s a LOT of characters! But I found it worth the effort.

53 likes6 comments
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KarenUK
Woman, Eating | Claire Kohda
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Pickpick

“People, aging and mortal, are like flowers, seasonal, wilting and finite; while I'm like a tree.”
Quiet and melancholy, a vampire story planted firmly in the ‘sad girl‘ genre, and I loved it. All vibe, little plot (i.e. totally my jam!), Lydia is a lonely young artist, trying to find a place in the world, without her mother for the 1st time, struggling with her ‘food‘ issues, and her immortality. Gorgeous writing, a really great debut. #netgalley

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rmaclean4 Loved this novel. I read it almost a year ago and it has stayed with me!! 2y
squirrelbrain I borrowed this from the library, I think when it was rumoured for the Booker, but didn‘t get round to reading it. It sounds great from your review so may borrow it again…sometime… one day! 2y
BarbaraBB I‘ve never heard of is but it sounds gooood!! 2y
Cinfhen Cool 😎 2y
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KarenUK
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Pickpick

This was delightful, with definite Thursday Murder Club vibes. Richard is a middle aged Brit, running a B&B in the Loire, separated from his wife, and trying hard to blend into life‘s background. A Parisian divorcée Valarie, gives Richard‘s life the kick start it needs. They solve a village mystery, and we meet some pretty hilarious characters along the way. The sweary cleaning lady being a favorite! Funny and silly, and a lovely pallet cleanser.

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Deblovestoread Sounds fun! Stacked📚 2y
squirrelbrain I keep meaning to get this as it sounds fun; it‘s been out in UK for some time now. I saw the author on House of Games on the BBC - seemed like a nice guy, and he does actually live in France. 2y
Cinfhen Sounds fabulous oui oui 🥖🇫🇷 2y
LaraReads How fun! Sounds like a good time! 🥐 2y
60 likes5 stack adds7 comments
review
KarenUK
Yes, Daddy | Jonathan Parks-Ramage
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Pickpick

Ooh this was dark, and with too many content warnings to mention! Writing is razor sharp and fast paced, and this take on a fairytale romance gone very bad is compelling. The LGBTQ+ #metoo tale includes a human trafficking element, rape, conversion therapy and a look at telling our own stories, in our own time vs the responsibility to share to help/save others. Didn‘t care for the ending, but so worth a read if the content doesn‘t scare you off!

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KarenUK
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#netgalley #arc Charming and quirky, but nothing ground breaking. But still think the notion of ‘death cleaning‘ is just brilliant. 3⭐️
#readharder2023 #under500goodreadsratings
#bn2023challenge #ajourneyofself

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review
KarenUK
Migrations: A Novel | Charlotte McConaghy
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Pickpick

Loved this book to pieces. Beautifully melancholy, and quietly chilling, I was swept away by this heartbreaking story. In a near future, an environmental dystopia where few creatures remain, Franny finds a ragtag found family of fishermen, to take her on her journey. Whilst following the few remaining Arctic terns on their final epic migration, we slowly learn of the trauma of her past. The writing is so gorgeous, I couldn‘t put this down.

KarenUK Thank you so much @barbarabb 💕 2y
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BarbaraBB I am extremely happy you loved it as much as I did. It all seemed so real and possible. And I loved the love story. I don‘t want to push you but you should read this one too 😀😘 (edited) 2y
KarenUK Read and loved!!! And I‘ll always welcome a recommendation from you 😘💕 @barbarabb 2y
TrishB This was a lovely read ♥️ 2y
rmaclean4 One of mybtop reads in 2022! 2y
squirrelbrain This was one of my favourites in 2021 ❤️ 2y
LaraReads Lovely review! Definitely adding this one now! 💙 2y
Cinfhen So glad you loved this book - it was just breathtakingly beautiful 2y
JenniferP I loved this one and also highly recommend her newest - Once There Were Wolves. I'll read anything she writes at this point! 2y
jlhammar Great review! Looking forward to this one. 2y
Deblovestoread On of my favorites reads! 2y
AshleyHoss820 My sister JUST asked me about this book! I had placed it on my GoodReads want-to-read shelf, but have no memory of doing so! She had started reading it and was flying through it, she liked it so much! Good to see that holds up with others! ☺️ 2y
BiblioLitten My favourite book from last year! Just heartbreakingly wonderful! 2y
56 likes4 stack adds17 comments
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KarenUK
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#manicmonday @CBee
#LetterW
📚(&🎥)We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
✏️Sarah Winman
📺The West Wing
🎥When Harry Met Sally
🎤Paul Weller
🎶What you know - Ali Dineen https://open.spotify.com/track/0tyJfyJdTswLpFmK1tZuHm?si=1HeIWu4MQmmtnZ01KJFDlw&...

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KarenUK
Migrations: A Novel | Charlotte McConaghy
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5 chapters in and LOVING this so much! @BarbaraBB Thanks so much for sharing this with me…. 💕

Cinfhen It‘s SUCH a YOU book @KarenUK !!! 2y
KarenUK @Cinfhen it SO is! 😍 2y
BarbaraBB I was hoping you‘d feel this way. I loved it so much 2y
squirrelbrain I adored this one too! 2y
quietlycuriouskate Fabulous book! ❤️ 2y
51 likes5 comments
review
KarenUK
Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 1 | Ryosuke Takeuchi
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Panpan

I‘ve been meaning to try a Manga, as it is such a huge seller at work. But nope! This retelling of Doyle‘s villain, with a murderous ‘Robin Hood‘ vibe, was not for me. Lacking the wit of Doyle‘s stories and the characters fell flat. The art style lacks a bit of variety and nuance in the facial expressions for me, making it sometimes difficult to tell characters apart. I tried, and maybe I‘ll try a different manga series….But this one was just meh.

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Cinfhen Proud of you for trying🥳and I‘m sure all your kiddos at work were so happy you tried too😁 2y
KarenUK They are! They‘ve been hassling me forever to try one! Maybe I picked wrong! 😂🤷‍♀️ @Cinfhen (edited) 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures I read my first manga this month! I really loved the one I picked maybe try 2y
KarenUK Thanks for the rec! I‘ll give it a try… 💕 @ChaoticMissAdventures 2y
KarenUK @kathedron thank you! I‘ll definitely give it a try 👍💕 2y
AshleyHoss820 It‘s always so hard to venture out into a new genre and I am so proud of you! I happen to love manga, but I know it‘s not for everyone! This is one of my favorite manga series (tagged), but it would really depend on how you feel about fantasy. It also can deal with heavy themes, but it‘s a story of redemption. ☺️ 2y
batsy This is a pretty fun manga series 2y
40 likes11 comments
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KarenUK
The Sentence | Louise Erdrich
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I loved this! Fabulous characters, booksellers at the center, an unwanted ghost…. plus Louise herself being a side character! I loved spending time with Tookie and her families, both work and home. In a lesser writer‘s hands, there could have been too much to juggle, but not here. My third Erdrich and possibly my favorite… 💕 #authoramonth @Soubhiville #readharder2023 #pastprompt #setinabookstore #bn2023challenge #indigenousauthor
@AshleyHoss820

Soubhiville I thought it was great how many books got name dropped! 2y
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Cinfhen This was good and definitely a lot going on‼️ 2y
squirrelbrain I‘m so glad you loved it! ❤️ 2y
Megabooks Yes, I still think about this a lot a year later! 👍🏻💜 2y
Megabooks Also, I‘m not doing 52 books, but I do love reading your reviews! 2y
KarenUK Oops! I thought you were! 🤦‍♀️But thank you! 💕 2y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks We‘re missing you ❤️ 2y
BarbaraBB I loved this book too. It‘s one that keeps lingering in my mind. 2y
Cortg Great job! I have never read this author and almost grabbed one of her books from a Little Free Library yesterday, but decided against it as I‘ve been trying to organize and get rid if stuff rather than bring it home right now 😩 2y
65 likes12 comments
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KarenUK
End of the World House | Adrienne Celt
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Mehso-so

It‘s an apocalyptic ‘groundhog day‘ meets ‘endless sunshine of the spotless mind‘ that focuses on a friendship between 30-somethings Kate and Bertie. As a world ravaged by climate disaster and terrorism surrounds them, they take a trip to Paris before Kate leaves their hometown for a new job. As tensions arise, the time-loopy stuff commences, and things definitely take a turn. A great premise and writing, but that ending, took a pick to a so-so!

50 likes5 comments
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KarenUK
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#LetterV @CBee #manicmonday a bit late again!
📚A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Eagan
✏️Simon Van Booy
🎥Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona
📺Vera
🎤Vanessa Carlton
🎶Valerie -Amy Winehouse & Mark Ronson https://open.spotify.com/track/6kopmMZiyLmw7h66uXcXR7?si=0h2iHOVTReunkce5sN0dkw&...

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KarenUK
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#LetterU #manicmobday
📚The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma
📺Unforgotten
🎶Unfinished Sympathy-Massive Attack https://open.spotify.com/track/28jaG0nLqlijtHGQzZqGWK?si=KFuyq9KSRO2PEiKGJ-RoTQ&...

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KarenUK
Bizarre Romance | Audrey Niffenegger
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Pickpick

Oddly lovely. The title perfectly represents this collection of short stories and short comic panels, portraying all sorts of love…. I love Audrey‘s imagination, and although I‘m usually besotted with her artwork too, it was a great collaboration with her partner, artist Eddie Campbell. ‘Digging up the Cat‘ was my favorite. Perfectly weird and sentimental. #shortstories for both #booked2023 & #readharder23 and #bookimeanttorradlasyyear for #pop23

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