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AbigailJaneBlog

AbigailJaneBlog

Joined March 2019

UK | 24 | MA Kidslit | she/her | Bi/demisexual
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AbigailJaneBlog
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Been a long time (life stuff, you get it) but now I am in need of recs!

I'm teaching an English class to international students this summer and I am looking for book/movie/tv recommendations with "typically british" culture suitable for teens.

Tia x

PuddleJumper Heartbreaker TV/graphic novel.

CBBC on BBC iPlayer will have children/teenage stuff. You can find some of them on YouTube. There are a couple of school ones. I'm too old to know the names 😅

I'll have a think about books
5mo
PuddleJumper Heartstopper - autocorrect 😅

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging - bit old, think the film is a bit more recent

Ace of Spades - private school

Loveless/Solitude/Radio Silence - University age

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating/Henna Wars

London Belongs to Us

Stay Another Day/Hollow Pike/Cruel Summer
5mo
AbigailJaneBlog @PuddleJumper I know I can always count on you for good recs 🥰 5mo
24 likes3 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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Massive thanks to @Yuki_Onna for my #jolabokaflod swap 🥰🎉 absolutely adore the look of all this chocolate 😍 and thank you sooo much @MaleficentBookDragon for organising - you smash it every year! 🎄🎄🎄 Merry Christmas everybody

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AbigailJaneBlog
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Delighted to recieve my #Jolabokaflod parcel yesterday!
@MaleficentBookDragon @Yuki_Onna

Yuki_Onna Heeeyyy, how quick! 😊 I just now realized that I forgot to include a Christmas Card. 🙄 So typically me, this - Sorry, Abi... But I hope you'll like my choices! 😊🤗

@MaleficentBookDragon Could you please mail/post the tracking number of the swap parcel for me, Chelle? You know, there's still issues with the German delivery services. So many parcels are lost/dropped off randomly - with the tracking number I could investigate 🤓
12mo
29 likes1 comment
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AbigailJaneBlog
Wicked Lovely | Melissa Marr
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Love all of this, @Bookworm54 ! Particularly looking forward to having a hot chocolate in that new mug! Thank you so much @wanderinglynn for hosting another fantastic #HHS 🧡🎃🧡🎃

wanderinglynn That mug! 😍😍😍 14mo
AshRob22 OMG that CARD!!! 😍 14mo
36 likes2 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
Inkheart | Cornelia Funke
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Pickpick

Rereading one of my childhood faves between the annual post-summer deep clean

WorldsOkayestStepMom I love Inkheart!! 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @WorldsOkayestStepMom yaaas! I love it 🥰 1y
peanutnine Such a good one! I need to reread it soon 1y
42 likes3 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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Here we have our #LGBTbookclub pick for October. Discussions will be held around the 29th. Please tag me in your reviews and comments! As always, this is open to all, and content warnings can be found here:
https://booktriggerwarnings.com/Into_the_Drowning_Deep_by_Mira_Grant

ShelleyBooksie So, so good! 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @ShelleyBooksie glad to know! You're more than welcome to join us for the discussion :) 1y
See All 13 Comments
PuddleJumper I've put this on hold at the library. Hoping it'll come in in time 1y
willaful Too rich for my blood. :-( 1y
BookwormAHN Yay, love this one 🖤 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful I think it's going to be a bit much for me tbh (it was the one I didn't want lol) but I haven't really read anything outside my wheelhouse for this club so I'm going to try! 1y
AbigailJaneBlog I'm glad a lot of people seem interested though 😍 1y
willaful I really appreciate the content warnings. 💜 1y
BookmarkTavern Yay! I love this one! Murder mermaids! 💚 1y
Kenyazero Placed a hold on it! 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful I'm glad! I check for every book we do and make sure to post if I find any. 1y
peanutnine I think I'll sit this month out 🫠 1y
36 likes13 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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I love YA and kidslit, so much so that I have a Masters Degree in Children's Literature. I fell in love with books at a very young age and I love the hope in kidslit that I find often missing in adult books.

@BookmarkTavern
#sundayfunday

dabbe I took a children's lit course for my masters in reading, and it was my favorite class of all time. 🤩🤗😍 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @dabbe honestly it's so amazing, and so fascinating to learn about! 😍 1y
BookmarkTavern The hope is such an excellent point! Thanks for sharing! 1y
30 likes3 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
Clue | Michael McDowell
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Another fun game for #HHS23 @wanderinglynn

1. I'm a cat person, but love all animals

2. The graphic novel Clue (read it if you haven't)

3. My nan once made me a corpse bride costume and it was GREAT! However, I am also partial to the sheet ghost.

4. YES I LOVE SOCKS! I'm a size 4-6

5. Scary Movie, but I'm also partial to Clue and pretty much every Scooby-Doo movie

6. All of the treats

wanderinglynn 🎃👻🙌🏻 1y
29 likes1 comment
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AbigailJaneBlog
October: Code Black | Gabrielle Lord
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Vote time! I've gone for a spooky theme for October. As always, tag me in your reviews and comments. Let me know if you want to be added/removed from the tag list.

https://forms.gle/KskrwM8qxPv3Hhjw8

#LGBTbookclub

Kenyazero Voted! 1y
PuddleJumper Voted! Don't have any suggestions at the moment. Looking towards the Christmas fluff after scary season 1y
See All 8 Comments
BookmarkTavern Oh so many good choices! 1y
AbigailJaneBlog Thanks all! I too am looking forward to christmas season, so start thinking on your suggestions 🏳️‍🌈✨️ 1y
BookwormAHN I had a hard time deciding 😺 1y
peanutnine I don't usually do horror but a couple of these sound really good 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @peanutnine I tried to go for more "spooky" than outright horror as I'm not a fan either! 1y
18 likes8 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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Here's my #thisorthat for #HHS23
I have NO idea what the pumpkins are relating to - is that an age or culture thing? 🤔 anyways, thanks for hosting this @wanderinglynn and @CSeydel for creating this pic 🥰🎃

TEArificbooks Pumpkin head is horror movie, the Great Pumpkin is Charlie Brown 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @TEArificbooks charlie brown it is! 1y
wanderinglynn 🎃👻🙌🏻 1y
25 likes3 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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What do I love about Halloween? I love the parties, the excuse for coziness, campy horror, and above all, chocolate (which you can just about see in the background lol) 🎃

#hhs23 @wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn BTVS! 🙌🏻❤️ 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @wanderinglynn it doesn't get better 😍 1y
33 likes2 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
Untilted | Autechre
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#FourFoursin2023 @Lauredhel

Third box!
1. A Marvellous Light - Freya Marske
2. Ruins on Stone Hill - F.P. Spirit
3. Red, White & Royal Blue - Casey Mcquiston
4. The Flaw in all Magic - Ben S. Dobson

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AbigailJaneBlog
Untilted | Autechre
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#FourFoursin2023 @Lauredhel

Fouth box!
1. Wonderstruck - Allie Therin
2. Lockwood & co. - Jonathan Stroud
3. Iron Widow - Xiran Jay Zhao
4. The Sun and the Star - Rick Riordan

Lauredhel Congratulations!!! 🎉🎉🎉🍾🍾🍾 1y
AbigailJaneBlog Thank yooou! 🎉🎉🎉 1y
18 likes2 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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#FourFoursin2023 @Lauredhel

Second box!
1. Once and Future Witches- Alix E. Harrow
2. The Ex-Hex - Erin Sterling
3. Traitor's Moon - Lynn Flewelling
4. The Emprorers Mask - Ben S. Dobson

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Finished my #FourFoursin2023 @Lauredhel

My first box:
1. The Foxhole Court - Nora Sakavic
2. Jackaby - William Ritter
3. The Romantic Agenda - Claire Kann
4. The Sugared Game - KJ Charles

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AbigailJaneBlog
Book Boyfriend | Kris Ripper
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Gosh I cannot seem to keep on top of anything over the summer - as soon as my routine is messed up, I'm gone! So due to that, this next pick will be for September!

Discussions will be around the 24th and I can't find any content warnings so go forth with care! As always, this discussion is open to anyone who wishes to join.

#LGBTbookclub

PuddleJumper Looks cute! 1y
willaful I've already read this one so won't be participating this month. 1y
See All 6 Comments
Kenyazero Sweet! I'm joining because I just read this and finished a week or two ago 😆 1y
AbigailJaneBlog Glad to hear this one seems popular! 1y
29 likes6 comments
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BONUS QUESTION!

What was your favourite cheese pun?

#LGBTbookclub

psalva For this the first thing that I thought of was the NYT crossword Weird Al co-wrote from April 2018, full of cheese puns. Here‘s the write up about it but if you can find the puzzle it‘s a fun one to try and solve. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/crosswords/daily-puzzle-2018-04-04.html (edited) 1y
AbigailJaneBlog Omg that's so interesting!? I will definitely take a look for that! 1y
BookmarkTavern All the clothing line cheese puns just made me snort out loud while I was reading it. ❤️ 1y
20 likes4 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
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The theme of secrets is essential to the plot, but how did that work for you? Do you think Camembert should have come clean earlier?

#LGBTbookclub

willaful For me it's fairly traditional romance fare, so I didn't think that much about it. 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful see, I HATE it as a trope, so it really stood out to me. But even more than that, I liked seeing how everyone had their secrets, whether they be big or small. 1y
BookmarkTavern Usually, I hate miscommunication to create drama, but I actually really understood where Camembert was coming from, trying to balance her guardian‘s paranoia with her own outgoing nature. 1y
18 likes4 comments
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TPATGCS is a very sweet romance, but it also brings ideas of gender into question. How do you think it's handled? And how do you think Muniz links this to Fashion?

#LGBTbookclub

psalva I think in my edition the author mentions in the afterword that Camembert being so casual about gender helped them work through their own experiences with gender. It‘s an interesting point about the clothes/fashion. I really like the anachronisms such as tee-shirts and wristwatches- these aren‘t revolutionary in a modern sense but they might have been untraditional (or nonexistent) choices for women historically. They are nice touches here. 1y
17 likes2 comments
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There are lots of relationships present in this month's read; frienships, romances, familial links etc. Which ones stood out the most to you? Are there any that you felt didn't work so well?

#LGBTbookclub

willaful As a mom, I felt a lot of sympathy with the patient caregiver's frustration. 😁 (Sorry, I read it early and I'm blanking on the names.) And I loved that she had a Nintendo Switch to work out her annoyance on! It was such an odd little anachronism but I wonder if it symbolized that she was the person most living in reality. 1y
psalva I really enjoyed all the relationships. Brie‘s relationship with her friends stood out to me, as well as Zola, particularly when she related her own husband situation to Camembert‘s secret. @willaful I also really loved the anachronisms sprinkled throughout :) 1y
BookmarkTavern My favorite relationships ended up being Brie with her friends. And that‘s honestly because the story subverted what I was expecting from them. I kept expecting drama or in fighting or something, but they were all just so lovely and soft and supportive with each other. 1y
17 likes4 comments
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Time to vote for the august pick! Next months discussions will be held around the 27th.

https://forms.gle/jxFsAoQZb15b6huq5

#LGBTbookclub is open to all and, as usual, please tag me in your reviews and comments ✨️🏳️‍🌈

24 likes5 comments
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Our July pick is in! I've recently read this one and it's great! I definitely recommend for something light and silly.

Discussion for this will be around the 30th. I'm still planning on getting back to June's pick, so keep an eye out for posts about that!

As always, tag me in your posts and let me know what you think! #LGBTbookclub is open to everyone!

willaful Nice! I voted for it. 😁

But lol, I should've put a hold on when I did, I'm not sure I'm going to get it in time! 🤦🏻‍♀️
(edited) 1y
willaful Oh, got lucky and found it at a library I rarely use. Now I just have to figure out how to read it. I think I need to download an app. 🤪 1y
See All 9 Comments
PuddleJumper Oo! This one looked fun. 1y
peanutnine This looks super adorable. My library has it on order so hopefully it will come in soon 1y
BookmarkTavern Oh exciting! 💛 1y
Kenyazero Nice! I am not sure if I‘ll join because I don‘t have access to an audiobook, but if I‘m feeling like I have enough time I will borrow the digital copy my library has. 1y
AbigailJaneBlog Hopefully everyone who wants can join in! It really is a fun, quick read 😄 1y
GirlNamedJesse I just bought this! I‘ll bump it up my TBR! 😊 1y
42 likes9 comments
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Time to vote for next month folks! Don't forget to tag me in your posts ✨️

https://forms.gle/zdtfe1CS92R4j62u6

#LGBTbookclub

PuddleJumper Voted! I can't get any of these but I'm excited to see what people think. There were some really cool choices 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @PuddleJumper I'm glad you think so! I really struggled getting a good range this month - I must be out of practice! 1y
Kenyazero I have no idea what to vote for! 😨 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @Kenyazero aha, I shall take this as a personal win 1y
24 likes5 comments
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Back from my holidays and can I just say a MASSIVE thank you to @Kenyazero for recommending this book to me! Just finished book three last night and I am absolutely hooked!

Kenyazero I‘m so glad you‘re enjoying the series! ❤️📚 1y
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I absolutely LOVE your bookmark! 🤣😂🤣 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm a friend bought it for me - I want a matching one that says "is that gay?" 1y
AbigailJaneBlog @Kenyazero so good - I need to finish the series ASAP 1y
31 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
Victories Greater Than Death | Charlie Jane Anders
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Here we have June's pick!
Discussion will be held on or around the 25th and is open to everyone. I look forward to our discussions 🥰
#LGBTbookclub

PuddleJumper My library has the second in the series but not the first 🥴 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @PuddleJumper literally does not get any more annoying than that 2y
See All 7 Comments
PuddleJumper @AbigailJaneBlog It's so frustrating! I'll sit this one out. I still haven't read a marvelous light 🤣 2y
Clare-Dragonfly Ooh, I‘ve loved Charlie Jane Anders‘ adult fiction so I‘ve been wanting to read this! Hmm, my library says they have it on order. Hope it comes in soon. 2y
Clare-Dragonfly I have my maximum number of ebooks on hold. I think the limit is 10 🤣 I better read some library ebooks! 2y
peanutnine Ooo I actually own this one! Been meaning to read it 2y
32 likes1 stack add7 comments
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The Romantic Agenda | Claire Kann
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I think this book was incredibly descriptive of its surroundings and uses music in really interesting ways. What did you think? Did anywhere or any song jump out you in particular?

#LGBTbookclub

23 likes1 comment
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AbigailJaneBlog
The Romantic Agenda | Claire Kann
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Relations of all kinds play a really important role in this book. Were there any relationships that stood out for you? Why? Are there any relationships you wish could have been explored more?

#LGBTbookclub

BookmarkTavern I think what I appreciated most, was the friendship between Joy and Malcolm. Yes they came to acknowledge they were maybe a little too dependent on each other, but the narrative never said that a friendship was a less worthy type of relationship than a romantic one. 2y
BookmarkTavern And watching Summer and Malcolm from the sidelines was actually really cute as we got to learn just how much their values and goals lined up with each other. 2y
AbigailJaneBlog I LOVED Joy and Malcolm's friendship. I have some similar (albeit less dysfunctional) relationships and it really soothed me to see something similar written down 2y
16 likes4 comments
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The Romantic Agenda | Claire Kann
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APRIL DISCUSSION

Kann makes a big point within TRA to differentiate between romance and sex. How did you feel about this? Did you learn anything? How would you say this difference impacts our lives?

#LGBTbookclub

BookmarkTavern As an ace myself, it was so cool seeing Joy explain how she felt and not having the people around her tell her she was broken or cold. Seeing her so joyful in her own body and experiences was a delight. 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @ozma.of.oz I'm on that particular spectrum too and I loved it also! I was so thrilled when they had the conversation over the movie. I'm much more like Malcolm personally, so I really, really enjoyed living through Joy's pov 2y
16 likes3 comments
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Hello #LGBTbookclub

Things have been suuuper hectic for me lately, and it's not looking like it's going to let up anytime soon, so I'm adapting our schedule a little.

Rather than having a planned discussion for May, I'm going to be asking you guys to share some of your favourite queer reads! We shall resume usual discussions for June for our latest pick, and I will be posting April's comments in due course

BookwormAHN I just finished Spell bound, and it was fantastic 2y
PuddleJumper A series I recommend a lot because its feel good, a bit campy and a bit cheesy is the Whyborne and Griffin series by Jordan L Hawk. Steampunk, magic, gay MC, and a bunch of really great side characters. 2y
See All 8 Comments
AbigailJaneBlog @PuddleJumper @BookwormAHN I have just downloaded copies of both of these! 2y
peanutnine @BookwormAHN I can't wait to read that, I've loved all of Lukens' other books! @PuddleJumper storygraph keeps recommending me that series, I really must check it out! 2y
peanutnine I recently read Something Wild & Wonderful and can tell it will be a top read of the year, it was so good! Great character driven story, can't get them out of my head. It gave me the best kind of book hangover! 2y
willaful I'm a huge fan of Red, White and Royal Blue, most books by K.J. Charles -- The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting is a recent fav -- and most books by Alexis Hall. You can tell how much I love Boyfriend Material because I've read it three times and am waiting on the audiobook. 😊 These are all really good prose stylists, with lots of witty banter. 2y
Kenyazero One of my all-time favorite fantasy reads is Luck in the Shadows. It's a very fun read! (I would recommend Lynn Flewelling's other work too) 2y
27 likes8 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
The Romantic Agenda | Claire Kann
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REMINDER

Discussions for April's book, The Romantic Agenda, will be taking place next Sunday (30th). I look forward to chatting with you!

#LGBTbookclub

BookmarkTavern Woo! 🎉 2y
willaful I just decided not to continue the audiobook because frankly, I don't understand it. Nothing seems to follow from one scene to the next. Might be a me problem so I'm switching to print. 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful I had quite a few problems with this book at the beginning, but that actually wasn't one of them so perhaps it's the audio. I did find the beginning a little lacking and under developed so could be that I guess? 2y
24 likes4 comments
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Lgbtqia+ Pride Sticker Book | Jessica Kingsley
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PuddleJumper Voted 🩵 2y
BookwormAHN Voted ✔️ 2y
See All 9 Comments
BookmarkTavern Voted! ✅ 2y
Clare-Dragonfly Voted! This time there was more than one choice that I‘d heard of! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @Clare-Dragonfly does that keep happening to you!? I'll try to make more variety! 2y
Kenyazero I want to read all of those so I'm not even going to vote 😂 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @Kenyazero I want to read all of them too! Every month I just add all of them to my tbr if they aren't on there already 😭😂 2y
willaful @Kenyazero I hear that! 2y
22 likes9 comments
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The Romantic Agenda | Claire Kann
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Apologies for the delay friends, I've been down with a kindey infection.
This months pick is The Romantic Agenda - I hope you all enjoy it! Discussion will be held on the 30th and is open to everyone.

Content warnings:
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a0197b91-c2d7-407c-abdf-d8c9bdc87839/content...

#LGBTbookclub

PuddleJumper I'll sit this one out. I've still got last months to read 😂 2y
Kenyazero Wow, not even a wait at my library! 😮 2y
See All 9 Comments
AbigailJaneBlog @PuddleJumper you'll like last months! Feel free to hop in to the discussion any time @Kenyazero I'm glad, I think I may have to buy this one! 2y
BookwormAHN Found it at my library 😺 2y
PuddleJumper @AbigailJaneBlog Brilliant! Looking forward to it. Finishing up my Star Wars book then I'll read that next 2y
peanutnine My library had a copy, score! This seems like such a summery read 🌞 2y
willaful @peanutnine it does look essence of summer, doesn't it. I like the title too. 😁 Going to give the audiobook a try. 2y
psalva @AbigailJaneBlog I have been really inactive with these group reads, but I hope to catch up at some point. It‘s just been a busy few months. Thank you for continuing to tag me though. I like following along even if I have to play catch up and get to all of these later this year. 📚😊 2y
37 likes1 stack add9 comments
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A Marvellous Light | Freya Marske
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Q3: family was a big factor in this book, with many different family dynamics taking the stage. Did you have a favourite family, or favourite character? Who did you feel had the most interesting character relationship?

Bonus: how do the family dynamics in this book match up to the last books we've read, all of which have had family as a giant theme?

#LGBTbookclub

Clare-Dragonfly Edwin‘s painful relationship with his family did make for the most interesting dynamic, though it‘s awful for him! It was one of many satisfying points of contrast between Edwin and Robin: one with a good maternal relationship and awful sibling relationships, one with awful parental relationships and a good sibling relationship. 2y
Kenyazero @Clare-Dragonfly @AbigailJaneBlog I hadn't thought about the contrast between their family situations for some reason. Very interesting! 2y
See All 6 Comments
AbigailJaneBlog I loved the family dynamics tbh, I thought it was really clever how Marske was able to highlight how well Edwin's family knew each other and contrast that by the utter dislike 2y
BookmarkTavern I really loved the relationship between Robin and his sister! They are so supportive and loving! And I agree the contrast between them and Edwin‘s family is striking! 2y
peanutnine I did love the contrast between the two family dynamics, they each had their own family trauma for different reasons. I loved Edwin's relationship with his mother and was glad that he had someone in his corner to be vulnerable with. 2y
24 likes6 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
A Marvellous Light | Freya Marske
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Q2: Although this book is a dual POV of two men, gender is undeniably important. What did you think of Markse's women characters? Did any stand out to you? Why?

#LGBTbookclub

Clare-Dragonfly Um, the women characters were all way better than the men 😂 That‘s actually a joke since some of the women are awful! Actually I appreciated that there was a gender balance in secondary characters between badass and horrible, though all the serious villains seem to be men. It looks like the second book is about Maud, which is great, though I want more Miss Morrissey! 2y
Kenyazero I am very disappointed that the sequel books don't focus on Miss Morrissey. I really like her, she's a very interesting character. Her firm way of handling everything makes her a formidable character and I'd love to see her in action handling more crisis than we see her handle in this book. 2y
See All 7 Comments
AbigailJaneBlog Yes I agree with you guys about Miss Morrissey, but weirdly I wasn't surprised that she doesn't seem to be getting any individual attention 2y
BookmarkTavern I loved Miss Morrissey! And the few chapters we got with her sister were fantastic! I want her to have a story too! 2y
peanutnine Miss Morrissey is the epitome of a strong, capable woman handling the work of a man without credit just because of society standards. Loved her sass! I also got serious Caroline Bingley vibes from Edwin's sister: accepting the patriarchy and buying into the oppression in order to succeed as best she can 2y
Clare-Dragonfly @peanutnine Ooh, yes, Caroline Bingley is a good comparison! 2y
19 likes7 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
A Marvellous Light | Freya Marske
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Question 1 for the March #LGBTbookclub

What did you think of the magic system/society in this world? What intrigued you the most/least?

Bonus Q: how does this magic system compare to those found in the last two books we've read?

Kenyazero I love the magic system in this book! It's super interesting and fun to imagine. It was also interesting how the cradling with vs without a string highlights Edwin's magical disability and brings it from invisible to visible. 2y
Clare-Dragonfly I thought the magic system was great, so unusual! I liked that it had a clear physical anchor even if most characters don‘t need the physical part… and I LOVED that some women took the fact that they didn‘t get formal training, went ahead and taught themselves, and worked out a whole new path. 2y
See All 6 Comments
AbigailJaneBlog I agree with you guys - I think this is one of the most unique and well thought out magic systems I've seen in a while, right down to the women teaching themselves 2y
BookmarkTavern I love the idea of an anchor, like the string, for the magic! And I want to learn so much more about the magic that‘s bound to the land! 2y
peanutnine I loved this magic system! I liked how the cradles seemed to be formulaic, almost like learning a new language. And how women like Sutton formed a more efficient shorthand on their own like @Clare-Dragonfly mentioned. @ozma.of.oz I'm also super curious about the property magic and what affects the bond for each magician. 2y
18 likes1 stack add6 comments
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#20thingsabout me @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks this looks like fun, so thought I'd play!

Reggie What a great list. Oof I hear you on the sweet tooth. And good luck on the languages! (edited) 2y
Centique Great list! I love your masters degree subject. If I had gone on to masters I was hoping to do something around 19th century children‘s literature. Maybe when I retire I go do some further study 🤔 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @Reggie thank you! @Centique a few of the people in my class were big into 19C! I specialised in underrepresented groups in YA lit, which was fun! Definitely recommend it if it's something you're passionate about. 2y
33 likes3 comments
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AbigailJaneBlog
A Marvellous Light | Freya Marske
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Time to vote for April's pick! https://forms.gle/b98npQCMos9Zyzu46

Also a reminder that this month's discussion will be posted on the 26th (or thereabouts!) Please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed from the tags.

#LGBTbookclub

PuddleJumper Voted! 2y
BookwormAHN ✔️ 2y
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willaful I've never heard of any of these! 😮 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful it's so strange how that happens! Aces Wild has been suggested at least 3 times so I suspect that may win, but we shall see! 2y
willaful It does sound pretty fun -- I'll vote for that. 2y
BookmarkTavern Voted! 2y
Kenyazero Voted! 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
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My dad always read to me, and I can remember so many books we enjoyed together, but the last time is possibly the most important to me.
When I was 17, my lifelong anxiety came to a head and I had a minor breakdown, resulting in me taking a break from school and work. My dad came into my room to check in me one evening, and ended up reading me the tagged. I didn't especially enjoy the book, but the memory makes it special.

@ozma.of.oz

BookmarkTavern That is a lovely story! 💖 Thank you for sharing it! 2y
Bookwomble 💖 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
A Marvellous Light | Freya Marske
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And here we have March's pick! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.

Discussion will be on the 26th, content warnings can be found here:
https://booktriggerwarnings.com/A_Marvellous_Light_by_Freya_Marske

#LGBTbookclub

peanutnine Once again, I've already read this one 🙃🤣 but I might do a reread cause I bought the sequel and could use a refresher before jumping back into this universe. Either way, looking forward to everyone's thoughts, this is a good one! 2y
BookwormAHN Yeah 😺 2y
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Nelnjali Ooo, this looks good and it's on Kindle Unlimited. I'm trying to get caught up on things, so I can be more active in these discussions. I'm almost done with In Deeper Waters! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @peanutnine I'm looking forward to this one too! 2y
psalva I see there‘s a copy at my library which I can hopefully snag later today, so I‘m going to try to join in this time :) 2y
PuddleJumper I've had this one on my TBR for awhile. Looking forward to reading it 2y
AbigailJaneBlog You all look like you're excited for this one! Thanks for letting us know about KU @Nelnjali I didn't know it was available there! 2y
willaful I've already read this one too, but could probably use a refresher. 2y
BookmarkTavern I have this one! Woo! And the third one comes out in November! 2y
Gissy Great pick!! I have the Illuminate edition. There is a sequel too I believe. 2y
Clare-Dragonfly Red, White, and Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell?! I am so in! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog Wow seems like we're all excited for this - perhaps we'll have to read the sequels too! 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
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https://forms.gle/R8EBoLKbLgPQEUGNA

Last chance to vote, folks! I will be posting the results in 24(ish) hours.

Sorry for the tag if you've already voted, but it's anonymous so I can't tell!

#LGBTbookclub

PuddleJumper I've just started reading the Feb pick 🤣 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @PuddleJumper aha, I think you'll enjoy it! The main point is to try new queer books so it doesn't really matter when you read them! 2y
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psalva I‘m a bit behind with my reading groups, but I‘ll try for March 😊 2y
Gissy Voted (edited) 2y
Gissy @psalva Same here🙋🏽‍♀️I‘m very behind. I‘m still trying☺️ 2y
BookwormAHN Voted 🗳 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
In Deeper Waters | F.T. Lukens
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I would suggest that the main theme of the book is making your own way despite your circumstances. Would you agree? How did you feel Lukens handled Tal's magic?

#LGBTbookclub

Kenyazero I'd say making your own way definitely plays a part in this story, mostly from the perspective of pushing against what you think you're supposed/expected to do when it's critical to break out of the rut. 2y
BookmarkTavern Totally agree with @Kenyazero Breaking away from expectations seemed integral, even to some of the minor characters. And the magic was interesting (fire and water and animals(?)), but I felt it could have been expanded on more. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog Totally agree folks, especially with your point @ozma.of.oz Tal says he spent years learning about magic but we see very little evidence of that. I also think this breaking of expectations links to the idea of fairytale retellings, and especially family within them - how often do we see a hero with a loving family? 2y
willaful @AbigailJaneBlog Tal's family was one of my favorite parts of the book. 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful ima say it, I preferred it to the romance. Nothing against Athlen and Tal, I'm just a sucker for good family dynamics 😅😍 2y
PuddleJumper This was like a shallow dive. Everything had more potential and I wanted to know more but then it wouldn't have been as light of a read. 2y
Nelnjali I think another major theme is the idea of what you do with your gifts. Tal wasn't destined to be evil simply because he had the same magic. Both he and his great-grandfather had the same potential for greatness, but one chose to use it for personal gain and terror. 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @Nelnjali I think that's a really nice way of putting it, the idea of choices was really prevalent throughout, I think. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
In Deeper Waters | F.T. Lukens
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There are strong family ties throughout this book - how did you feel about this twis on the usual fairytale dynamics? did you have a favourite prince or princess?

#LGBTbookclub

BookmarkTavern I liked Garret a lot, but that might be a little biased because he gets his own mini arc in the story. But I wanted so much more. The bits we got with each sibling was enough to make me want a whole second novel of just the different sibling interactions. 2y
Kenyazero @ozma.of.oz same! We got so little of Kest that it felt like the author was holding back for a book focused on him. 2y
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BookmarkTavern @Kenyazero Oh yes please! I‘m dying to know more about him and learning his magic and his relationship with Shay! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog Yess Garret was my favourite too, but I think that's because he's exactly how I imagine older brothers to be. It's funny but a week after reading it, it's the sibling relationships that I remember most (that and Athlen's hatred of shoes) so a second book of just that would be ideal 2y
willaful Maybe a prequel for Kest. :-) 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @willaful omg a prequel of him just turning into a bird and sneaking off with Shay? Sign me tf up! 2y
PuddleJumper I'm voting for Garret too but he did get more development than the other siblings. I liked the dynamic the family had, it would be great to see more of that in future books 2y
Nelnjali Oh, I would love a book about Kest! Garret definitely got more screentime, but Kest won my heart at the end. He was so torn up about leaving Tal, and he is so cute when talking about Shay. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
In Deeper Waters | F.T. Lukens
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This was a new take on The Little Mermaid, but it also referenced the fairy tale genre as a whole. What did you think of this retelling and the theme? Were there any parts that you thought were discussed particularly well or were missed out?

#LGBTbookclub

Kenyazero I got a pretty good giggle when someone or the narrative referenced fairytales. Otherwise, I thought this had a lot of fun nods to the original story but it never felt like a retelling. It felt more like a heavily-inspired-by story. But maybe that's all retellings are 🤔 2y
BookmarkTavern I just finished this and thought it was charming. It did feel a little fairy tale lite, but with enough winks to Fairy Tale Things TM to make me smile. But I did like how the ending incorporated a little more of the original. 2y
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BookwormAHN I loved it. It was just fun and the little mermaid nods were bonus. Also how often do we get a merman 🧜‍♂️ 2y
AbigailJaneBlog I love this concept of retellings vs inspiration @Kenyazero I did my MA dissertation on Beaty and the Beast retellings and I never even thought to question this 😭😂 I also agree with @ozma.of.oz and @BookwormAHN that the extra references were fun :) also you're right, a merMAN!? We love to see it 2y
willaful @BookwormAHN I felt pretty much the same. Just adventurous and sweet and fun. I enjoyed the nods to TLM. I wonder if Kest was a vague nod to The Seven Swans? His magic is so different from Tal's -- though not that different from Athlen's I guess. 2y
PuddleJumper Aside from the obvious references I didn't notice any others but I'm not a big reader of fairy tales 🤣 I liked it, it was frothy and easy. I'm actually glad it took more inspiration from fairy tales rather than being a retelling. I did think the ending was a bit too quick and neat but maybe that'll come back to bite them in the butt later on 2y
Nelnjali I'm way late to the party, but I just finished yesterday and loved it. I agree that it feels more inspired by fairy tales, with some Easter eggs and nods thrown in throughout. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for Lukens' new book. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
In Deeper Waters | F.T. Lukens
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Reminder that our February dsicussion will take place on Feb 26th this month - how are you all finding the book so far? I haven't started yet!

As always, this is open to everyone and content warnings can be found here:
https://booktriggerwarnings.com/In_Deeper_Waters_by_F.T._Lukens

Voting for March's pick is now live:
https://forms.gle/Dtt5eBtTo7DHwV259

#LGBTbookclub

willaful I haven't started yet either but will as soon as I finish my current read. 2y
BookwormAHN I haven't started it yet but I do have the audiobook from the library 😺 2y
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Kenyazero I finished a few days ago and thought it was pretty fun! 2y
Nelnjali I just started it today, and I think it is going to be quite fun. I really enjoyed So This Is Ever After, so I'm hopeful. 2y
willaful Oh I thought discussion started today, rats. Do we talk about it in individual posts or here? 2y
AbigailJaneBlog I'll be posting discussion prompts tomorrow! This was just the mid-month reminder/check-in! 🥰 Everyone make sure you vote for next months pick too! (Link in post) 2y
Kenyazero I Almost forgot to vote, then may or may not have voted for a book I've already read 😆 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
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A good start this year, 10 books in and still going strong.
#Booked2023 finished 3 prompts already.
Started Gideon the 9th for #Roll100 but I'm not really feeling it so may bail. Also completed 2 prompts for #Nobuy2023
Completed 4 prompts for #fourfoursin23 so far
Started Child of Dandelions for #FoodandLit but haven't got round to making my Ugandan Rolex yet.
Pics above are my #retro crafts for #LitsyCrafters

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AbigailJaneBlog
In Deeper Waters | F.T. Lukens
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Hello folks, here is our pick for February: In Deeper Waters! Thanks to everyone who voted. Discussions will be posted on Feb 26th, and as always, this is open to anyone who wishes to join!
Content warnings:
https://booktriggerwarnings.com/In_Deeper_Waters_by_F.T._Lukens

#LGBTbookclub

Gissy Nice! I have this book!🤗 I‘m a little behind with January reading but I will finish it next month. Those are books I really want to read📚🙌I am in a couple of book clubs but I‘m a slow reader. But buddy reads and book clubs are an excellent activity to read from your tbr and know more about books😃 2y
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Kenyazero Looking forward to it! I went ahead and requested this one from the library early this month because I wondered if it would be our top pick, and I'm first in line now! 2y
PuddleJumper I've got this book so I can join in! 🎉 2y
MoonWitch94 Oh fun! Looking forward to it. 2y
peanutnine I've already read this one and really enjoyed it! I'll pop in for the discussion at the end of the month 😊 2y
BookmarkTavern Oh I have this one! I‘d love to join in! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog Glad everyone's looking forward to it! @ozma.of.oz I completely forgot to add you to the tags last month but you have now been added to my list! If you'd like to join in with the posts I just made for this month's discussions, you're more than welcome! 💕 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @Gissy this is a no pressure discussion! The posts stay up forever so feel free to comment anytime 🥰 2y
BookwormAHN I'm looking forward to this one. I read So This Is Ever After and it was fun but quite cheesey and the narrator didn't help. But I did like the complete escapism and the characters were very entertaining. 2y
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian I read another book by this author that really didn't do it for me, so I think I will pass this month. I hope you all enjoy it though!! 🏳️‍🌈📚 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
Once and Future Witches | Alix E Harrow
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What did you think of the witchcraft in this story? Was it similar or different to your personal idea of witching?

#LGBTbookclub

AbigailJaneBlog I loved the witchcraft in this story. I'd seen the idea of hiding witchcraft in womenly ways before, but I loved the use of fairytale and nursery rhymes etc. 2y
MoonWitch94 @AbigailJaneBlog I am only halfway through this one, but I am really enjoying it. I am loving the witchcraft in the story, and as you said, it‘s not a new way to tell the story, but the fairytales & rhymes, etc make it feel that way. And you can really feel the magic in the writing. 2y
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peanutnine I loved how witchcraft was portrayed in this book. I definitely believe that a lot of the rumors and fear of witching back in the day stemmed from women having agency and power in little ways like that. I liked that nursery rhymes and fairy tales were ways of hiding a spell in plain sight from men 2y
BookwormAHN I loved the witchcraft. The hidden spells in the nursery rhymes and fairy tales were fantastic. They added so much to the history of the story. Loved this book 💜 2y
Clare-Dragonfly I loved it. It felt like a great way to pull together real folklore and folk magic with the more in-your-face magic common to fantasy novels. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
Once and Future Witches | Alix E Harrow
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Each of the Eastwood sister's had a very distinct personality/vibe; which did you most relate to? Were there any other standout characters for you?
#LGBTbookclub

AbigailJaneBlog I think Bella is the sister I most connected with, but my favourite character was either Cleo or August. What can I say, I love a rogue. I was also really intigued by the idea of "mother's names" which I hadn't encountered before. 2y
peanutnine I'm a middle child of three girls so I definitely related to the sister dynamic here, but I didn't relate to any one sister but rather certain aspects of their personalities and relationships in each of them. I also really enjoyed August as a character and was rooting for him. 2y
BookwormAHN I also loved August but I think I related to the bookish Bella most. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
Once and Future Witches | Alix E Harrow
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Hey folks, welcome to this month's discussion.
First prompt: this book was very much a feminist text, but how did you find the themes of disabled/poc/queer identities? Could the writer have included more on these points?
#LGBTbookclub

AbigailJaneBlog I felt that the plight of Cleo and the people of New Cairo was the most established and felt the most real to me. The inclusion of the queer reactionships and trans identities felt a little tacked on to me. I also would have liked more of a discussion of how Juniper manages with a painful leg injury - as a person who uses a cane, I felt like the effects were almost entirely ignored. 2y
BookwormAHN I really liked Jennie even though I felt like her story was a mere side note at times. 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog @BookwormAHN yes I loved her! I absolutely did not pick up on the "hints" and was pleasantly surprised at the reveal, but then felt a bit sad that it wasn't discussed earlier on with more acknowledgement of just what she went through 2y
BookwormAHN I missed a bunch of the hints too or rather I thought there were other explanations for them 🤦🏼‍♀️ 2y
Clare-Dragonfly I was embarrassed to have missed the hints about Jennie! I also loved Cleo and the people of New Cairo, and I adored her relationship with Beatrice. Edit: Bella? One of the sisters 😂 (edited) 2y
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian I only made it 25% into this book as it didn't grab me emotionally, but from what I did read I picked up on the hints that the secretary (Jenny?) was a trans girl. I'm not a fan of hiding a trans person's status and then using it as a plot point or surprise reveal, so I wasn't into that. I am curious to know how the librarian and journalist's relationship panned out! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian yes I actually wanted to bail on this until page 301 😭 I feel like the beginning definitely could have been faster. Bella and Cleo end up together and exchange rings - it's sweet but not a wow romance for me! 2y
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian @AbigailJaneBlog oh wow that's so far to get wanting to bail!! I'm glad those two women got together, as a queer librarian I always appreciate representation! 2y
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AbigailJaneBlog
Iron Widow | Xiran Jay Zhao
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Starting this today for #AuldLangSpine . I thought it would take me a while to get into, but the prologue has me hooked straight away! @wideeyedreader @monalyisha

wideeyedreader I hope you love it!!! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @wideeyedreader I'm half way through - can't put it down! 2y
wideeyedreader @AbigailJaneBlog wow, you‘re speedy! 2y
AbigailJaneBlog @wideeyedreader I finished it last night and couldn't stop thinking about it! Thanks for the amazing recommendation 🥰 2y
wideeyedreader @AbigailJaneBlog you‘re welcome!! I‘m so glad you loved it!! 2y
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