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Pandalibrarian

Pandalibrarian

Joined June 2016

review
Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

My first three books of 2020 included this memoir. I read this one for our book club and we had a really great discussion about it. Meredith was so lucky to have her grandfather and the bees in her life as the rest wasn‘t that great. I also finished Wolf Winter - kind of slow but good - and Shadow is the Fox which I enjoyed but probably won‘t read the next in the series.

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Pandalibrarian
Lady Clementine | Marie Benedict
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. I‘m also watching The Crown right now so this book about Clementine, Winston Churchill‘s wife fit right in. I also watched the PBS show Churchill‘s Secret recently and was intrigued by women in Churchill‘s life and their role in history.
Also finished The Light in the Ruins by Bohjalian-on a WWII kick- and Dim Sum Of All Fears by Vivien Chien.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

I rarely read the last page of a book ahead of time but I had to with this one. I had to know the ending before I decided to finish the book. This was one thrilling book. Also finished a few other books in the last couple of weeks.

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Pandalibrarian
The Red Lotus: A Novel | Chris Bohjalian
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Pickpick

I really liked this story and wanted more at the end. I really liked Alexis and her persistence in finding out what happened to her boyfriend Austin. As I was reading, I could imagine the author riding the roads of Vietnam and that expertise comes through the narrative. I hope the rest about rats and diseases is more fictional (even though I know it‘s true).

Soubhiville I can‘t wait to read this! 5y
28 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

I‘ve been lax in posting my books lately. I finished An American Marriage today and really enjoyed it. And I finished in time for book club this week. I liked hearing the story from all the different points of view - especially Roy. Looking forward to our discussion.

Cinfhen How are the Gabriel Allon books on audio???? 5y
Pandalibrarian They are awesome! The fabulous George Guidall reads them and I love his voice. 5y
36 likes2 comments
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Pandalibrarian
The Name of the Star | Maureen Johnson
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Pickpick

Finished this one on my walk today and enjoyed it more than I expected. I figured out the supernatural piece before Rory did but I enjoyed the other plot twists. I may have to look for the others on the series. So grateful for the #syncya program for audiobooks to listen to while waiting for my Libby holds.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery. I really liked Lana and her friend Megan and look forward to reading more in the series.

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Pandalibrarian
The First Mistake | Sandie Jones
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Pickpick

Finished listening to this one yesterday. I didn‘t like it as well as The Other Woman but it was still a good psychological thriller. I found myself yelling at Beth before she “invested” her mother‘s money. The twists at end kept me guessing.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

An interesting look at those left behind when someone dies. I loved Katarina‘s previous book and expected to love this one, too. It was good but not as compelling as her first. Henny dies in the first pages of the book (not a spoiler!) and we see how her friends, family, and community deal with her death. I also liked the flashbacks so we could see how the friendships developed and get to know Henny when she was alive.

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Pandalibrarian
Three Wishes | Liane Moriarty
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed reading about the triplets in this book. It was fascinating to see the relationships between them and how fierce their loyalty to each other was. And the narrator did a great job bringing them all to life.

28 likes1 stack add
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Who knew there was such drama in the fly fishing and fly tying worlds? The author did a fantastic job bringing all the research and interviews into a great story.

Lauram My book club voted to read this book in November. I‘m really looking forward to reading it. 5y
33 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Finished this book last night and I really liked it. I liked the multiple perspectives and the shifting back and forth in time. A great debut and I hope it‘s the first of many.

27 likes1 stack add
blurb
Pandalibrarian
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Finished this today after a couple of long driving days. It was good and the narrator did a beautiful job with all the characters. Kind of want to pick up the print to see what I missed while listening to the audio. Also finished a couple other books this week.

rachaich I really appreciated this book. Raised a good discssion in book club too. 5y
45 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Finished this book in just over a day - lots of traveling time to read and crochet. I loved this book - a little unbelievable- but captivating from the first few chapters. I loved the descriptions of the marsh world that Kya lived in and the friends she did end up making in her isolated life. Looking forward to listening to the audio based on others comments here.

38 likes1 stack add
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Pandalibrarian
Don't Eat Me | Colin Cotterill
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Pickpick

Now some of the events in the newest Dr. Siri mystery make sense! I‘m finally caught up on this series and I really enjoyed this entry. The characters are so well drawn, I feel like I could meet them if I ever visit Vientiane. My favorites this time are Geung and Tukta.

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Pandalibrarian
The Heart Keeper | Alex Dahl
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Pickpick

What a thrilling book. I wasn‘t sure how it would end but I kept hoping that Alison would get better. This is an interesting premise for a novel and the author does a great job bringing the characters and situation to life.

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Pandalibrarian
Olive, Again | Elizabeth Strout
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Pickpick

I loved hearing from Olive again. And I really connected with the stories this time. I finished it as we were traveling to see my mother in law in the last hours of her life. It reminded me to be grateful for all the connections in my life.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Finished this last night and I didn‘t want it to end. Beautifully written, loved the characters, and setting. I‘m also a librarian and am fascinated by these stories of librarians providing service in the best way they could - even by mule.

Birdsong28 Best thing is that it is based on true events 📚📖 5y
29 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Marathon listening session while mowing the lawn, canning tomatoes, and cooking meant I finished this in record time. I loved picking up on the lives of Polly and her friends in the second book in this series. Now to wait six months for the next one from the library! And Neil is my favorite puffin ever!

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Pandalibrarian
Vicious Circle | C J Box
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After reading the latest in the Joe Pickett series, I looked back through the series and realized I missed this one. Now a few things make sense! I always love these books and can‘t wait for the next one. Now I‘m really caught up!

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Pandalibrarian
Single Thread | Tracy Chevalier
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Pickpick

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Violet is a “surplus woman” who finally begins life on her own at 38. She moves to a new town, becomes a “broderer” or someone who embroiders, meets a man, and more. In addition to the art of embroidery and needlework, we also learn about the art of bell ringing. The relationships between Violet, her family, and friends form the core of this book. Tracy Chevalier brings in lots of historical detail.

charl08 I've not come across this one, but sounds great. 5y
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
Everywhere That Mary Went | Lisa Scottoline
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Pickpick

Went for an extra long walk so I could finish listening to this audiobook. I realized that I‘ve never read the beginning of this series - and I really enjoyed it. Loved the Mary and her sister and Judy and Mrs. P - look forward to catching up on the books I missed in this series.

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Pandalibrarian
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Mehso-so

Listened to the audiobook of this one - read by the author. He was okay - but a professional narrator would have added some polish to the audio. It was an okay book - my husband and dad were in the Navy so it was interesting to see life and leadership in the Navy. Some good leadership tips here but nothing extraordinary.

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Pandalibrarian
Night Divided | Jennifer A Nielsen
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Pickpick

Another #syncya title done. I really enjoyed this look into the immediate aftermath of the building of the Berlin Wall. It‘s not a subject that I‘ve read a lot about and I appreciated that it was from the perspective of a young girl.

Honeybeegirl I really enjoyed this one! The beginning was slower for me and I set us aside for a bit but, when I came back to it things picked up and I couldn‘t stop listening! 5y
crazyspine Loved the audio for this one 5y
27 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Pandalibrarian
Diary of a Bookseller | Shaun Bythell
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Pickpick

I now want to go visit this book store and town in Scotland. I really enjoyed seeing this slice of life through Shaun‘s dry sense of humor. I love visiting used bookstores and hope never to be one of the characters written up in a diary like this.

Crazeedi I enjoyed this book! 5y
38 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Mehso-so

I finished this book tonight but I‘m still not sure I understand it. Maybe it‘s different in Swedish? I didn‘t like the interview narrative without knowing who the interviewer was. I did get caught up in the narrative in the second half but wished for just a bit more.

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Pandalibrarian
Chestnut Man | Soren Sveistrup
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Pickpick

Finished this book this afternoon - it was a long one! And so good! I didn‘t figure out who the bad guy was which is the sign of a good mystery (in my opinion). I liked the main characters, Thulin and Hess, and hope there are more books that follow their adventures.

Victoria_C I‘m reading right now. 5y
27 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Finished listening to this book on my run tonight. It wasn‘t an easy read but it was so eye opening for me. It was great that the book was written through Cassie‘s eyes so the reader could get a sense of the family dysfunction and how past events shaped her current mental health. Thanks to the #syncya program for this awesome read!

Megabooks I really enjoyed this one, too! 5y
20 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
The Woman Who Wouldn't Die | Colin Cotterill
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Pickpick

Perfect way to end the weekend - spending time with Dr. Siri and Daeng and the gang. One thing I loved about this entry on the series is that we get some of Daeng‘s history - and it‘s quite the history. Other characters get to step up with a bigger role like Dtui and Geung. I‘ve so enjoyed seeing this series evolve over the years. This is another entry in my goal of catching up on my favorite series. Highly recommended!

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

I finished listening to this one on a long drive today. I was grateful that I had severs linger trips to listen as it helped keep track of the various characters, clues being revealed, and threads being unraveled. I enjoyed the setting immensely. While a bit long, I enjoyed the mystery and the (mostly) happy ending.

Kaleidoscope_Eyes I had never read anything like it and I had trouble describing it to my husband. I enjoyed it. 5y
Freespirit I admit I found it a bit confusing!! 5y
rretzler Loved it. My two favorite genres - mystery and sci-fi - wrapped into one. 5y
44 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Lovely catching up with Carl, Assad, Rose, and the rest of the crew. I liked getting some background on Rose and seeing the influence she has on Department Q. I wasn‘t as keen on the other storyline with Anneli and her transformation - seemed a bit far fetched too me. I think I‘m caught up with Department Q now.

Texreader I thought this was his best Q book to date. 5y
30 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
History. a Mess. | Sigrn Plsdottr
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Mehso-so

I almost bailed on this one. I got to the end of the book and wasn‘t sure exactly what was going on. The book had a good premise - I do like literary fiction especially one that revolves around books. This one was a little too slow and confusing for me. I feel like I missed something important that would have explained everything.

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Pandalibrarian
Duel to the Death | J.A. Jance
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Pickpick

Another entry on my catching up on series goal for 2019. I really enjoyed this book- maybe because Stu played more of a role than Allie and others. I really liked seeing Stu come into his own during the story. Including bitcoin and AI added to the overall mystery - which still comes down to human emotions or lack there of. Hoping for more with Stu and Frig.

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Pandalibrarian
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book | Dan Harris, Carlye Adler, Jeffrey Warren
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Pickpick

Finished listening to this today - I loved that Dan and Jeff are the narrators as well as the authors. It brought the book to life for me. I liked the behind the scenes of the bus tour and the practical tips for starting a meditation practice. I‘m still a newbie to this and it made me feel better about my struggling start. Practice, practice, practice.

LauraJ I highly recommend the app! 5y
26 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of Michael Perry and love everything he writes. That being said, i found that in this one, he shares so much more and is much more vulnerable than his other books and even than his talks (I‘ve seen him a lot). I appreciated the humor brings all the difficult topics in this book. And the scene where he drives himself to the ER? My husband did something similar. Must be something about being a Scandinavian Wisconsinite.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Love the #syncya program! This was a fun book to listen to - the narrator did a great job bringing Piddy and the rest of the characters to life. It‘s hard being a teenager and moving to a new school and have to deal with a bully. I really liked learning about the Latina experience through Piddy‘s voice.

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Pandalibrarian
And Fire Came Down | Emma Viskic
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Pickpick

Spent the holiday reading and visiting Australia. I liked this book even if Caleb hasn‘t grown and learned from the events of Resurrection Bay. I do like how Caleb jumps (or gets sucked) in to help the woman who comes to him for help. His persistence is impressive as is his dedication to helping and protecting those he loves. Looking forward to the next one.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Finished this book twice - let me explain. I got to page 250 and needed to know the ending. So I skimmed to the end and then went back and reread the last 35+ pages at a slower pace. It definitely kept me enthralled and entertained until the very end even if I found the premise a bit unbelievable. The smart technology also freaked me out. Doesn‘t make me want any of it in my house!

26 likes1 stack add
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Pandalibrarian
We Shall Inherit the Wind | Don Bartlett, Gunnar Staalesen
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A great entry in the Varg Veum series, albeit a sad one. It was interesting to learn about the wind power industry and the islands of Norway. I have to check, but I think I‘m caught up on the Varg series.

15 likes1 stack add
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Pandalibrarian
Astray | Emma Donoghue
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Pickpick

I had no idea what to expect with this book - it‘s part of this year‘s #syncya program. Once I figured it out, I enjoyed the stories and the explanations about them. I do like hearing how authors take inspiration from the smallest detail and expand it to a story or novel. The use of multiple narrators added to the experience of the audiobook.

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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

I‘m working my way through the Jenny Colgan books this year. I enjoyed this book and loved the audio. I kind of want to visit Cornwall and see these islands. And I want to have a puffin for a pet. I am loving the easy, cozy stories as a nice change from all the mysteries I‘ve been reading. Can‘t wait for the next one to be available.

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Pandalibrarian
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules | Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg
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Mehso-so

This one took me a while to get through. I kept putting it down between chapters and not really excited to pick it back up. Glad I finished it as it reminded me of our time in Stockholm and on the ferry between Finland and Sweden - minus the crimes. As I was reading it, we were visiting my MIL in a nursing home and wishing she had the same level of energy as Martha.

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Pandalibrarian
War Diaries, 1939-1945 | Astrid Lindgren
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Pickpick

This was a great book. I liked reading the slices of daily life in a time of war in Sweden. Catching glimpses of the birth of Pippi Longstocking was a bonus. Many quotes from the book ring true in today‘s world.

Texreader Gunnar Staalesen is my husband‘s fave Scandinavian author: it helps the stories are set in my husband‘s hometown of Bergen. Where we are going in a couple weeks! Have you been there and seen the Varg Veum statue? Husband went fan crazy when he saw it the first time. 5y
Pandalibrarian We haven‘t been to Norway yet. Sweden and Finland so far. I didn‘t know about the Varg Veum statue! We‘ll definitely go there. Have a great trip! 5y
cathipink I love your crocheted washcloths! Did you make them? 5y
Pandalibrarian I did! Love having projects to do while traveling. 5y
22 likes4 comments
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Pandalibrarian
How Hard Can It Be? | Allison Pearson
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Mehso-so

Finished listening to this last week. It was fun to catch up with Kate - I really liked the first book. I liked her naming of Roy for her memory, Perry for peri menopause, and I think there was a Catalina in there, too. While much of the book stretched the limits of my imagination, I liked pieces of it.

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Pandalibrarian
Chain | Adrian McKinty
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Pickpick

What a great thriller! I always hated chain letters and anything remotely like them so this concept really creeped me out. I liked the first part of the book the best. So glad to see Adrian McKinty getting attention - I love his Sean Duffy series.

suvata Sounds good 👌🏻 5y
Booknerd2 Just put it on hold at my library. 😎 5y
29 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

A bit late for book club, but I finished last month‘s choice tonight. It was a good book, thoroughly researched, and mostly easy to read. It did get a bit long at times. Overall, I liked learning about the dust bowl from those who lived through it.

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Pandalibrarian
Resurrection Bay | Emma Viskic
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Pickpick

Stayed up late to finish this yesterday. It was mostly good - have to admit that it took me a little bit to warm up to Caleb and I really liked Kat right from the start. This one had lots of twists and turns and it kept me engaged through the unexpected ending. I have the second book ready to go next. Hope there are more Caleb books in the future.

andrew61 It was a great idea having a deaf police officer, id like to read another. 5y
20 likes1 comment
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Pandalibrarian
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Pickpick

Finished this excellent book today. I am always a little sad to finish, though, as it‘ll be a while before I can visit Armand, Jean Guy, and Three Pines again. This one incorporates flooding and spring weather as part of the mystery and overall story - a scarily realistic aspect of the book. I also love the little bits of wisdom incorporated throughout like the 4 statements and 3 questions along with Noli Timere. Can‘t wait to visit again.

Booknerd2 💜💜💜🌲🌲 🌲 Can‘t wait to read this!!! 5y
JamieArc I purposefully don‘t get caught up so that I know I‘ll always have the next book to read. I don‘t want to run out! 😂😂 5y
19 likes2 comments
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Pandalibrarian
You | Charles Benoit
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Listened to this as part of the 2019 SYNC YA program. I liked the story overall. I think I need to read/listen again as I‘m not sure exactly what happened at the end. It was a sad story and I wish it wasn‘t so close to reality.

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Pandalibrarian
Wolf Pack | C.J. Box
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Pickpick

Caught up with Joe Pickett and his crew in Wyoming. Another exciting entry in the series. Lots of violence in this one as Joe and Nate tangle with the cartels and the FBI. Was kind of disappointed in the bloody ending and the many characters who won‘t be appearing in another Joe Pickett novel.

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