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review
Andrea4
Nora Goes Off Script | Annabel Monaghan
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Pickpick

Ok, this is not my usual jam and yet, I found myself enjoying it up until the “twist“ that keeps the MC & love interest apart that really would have just been solved by a simple question. The “meta“ nature of the MC being the formulaic romance screenwriter is amusing but also kind of does spoil an ending....a bit. But if you want an easy read, especially if you're spending most of the day and night caring for a sick little, this is it.

ShelleyBooksie What a sweetie!!! Hope he is on the mend soon ♡♡◇ 2w
Gissy ❤️❤️❤️ 2w
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2w
Andrea4 @ShelleyBooksie thank you ❤️ he is now but now mama is sick ugh lol 2w
19 likes4 comments
review
Andrea4
The Villa: A Novel | Rachel Hawkins
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Pickpick

It took me a bit to get into this but once I was, I was hooked. There were definite twists I spotted ahead of time (wanting to scream at MC) but at least one I didn't (hello, ending ending). I kind of liked how this story really wasn't about what I thought it was going to be about.
(Labyrinth inspired Halloween costume)

Bklover Love this!! 3w
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 3w
Andrea4 @Bklover @dabbe thank you ❤️ 3w
Gissy Lovely photo❤️❤️❤️ 2w
23 likes4 comments
review
Andrea4
Secrets in the Stacks | Lynn Cahoon
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Mehso-so

I did not realise this was a series- can totally go in blind though and easily “catch up“. I was intrigued by the cover at the Lib & this is a case where maybe I could've been more discerning. I didn't really feel like the characters made life like choices, particularly Rarity. I also felt the attention to her dog was odd, out of place. Plus the narration annoyed me haha

AmyG Who needs toys when you have a box??? 3w
Andrea4 @AmyG 😂 precisely! And a spray bottle 😂 3w
dabbe @Andrea4 That you can drink out of! #priceless 🧡🍁🤎 3w
AmyG Hahahaha….I missed the spray bottle. Spot on. 3w
21 likes4 comments
review
Andrea4
What Moves the Dead | T. Kingfisher
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Pickpick

A gothic retelling, not that I know the OG. Which maybe makes it better to come to it with an open mind, since I can't compare. In any case, I enjoyed this, gothic fungi fix 😂 Easton and Potter clearly my faves 💚
I didn't know it was a series until the end had a clip of the sequel and I'll definitely be putting that in the line up.

Gissy Admiration, love for the owner of those shoes? So cute😍❤️❤️❤️❤️😂 1mo
24 likes1 comment
review
Andrea4
Haunted Nights | Ellen Datlow, Lisa Morton
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Pickpick

What's scarier than a 🦈? Haha, well these stories for one. This collection is great. There were maybe only one or two stories that didn't grab me; the rest gave me little chills or left me wondering (or both). I liked that it included stories that were based on traditional myths and rituals as well as speculative pieces. Great for getting in that Halloween mood 🎃

AmyG Too cute! 1mo
Gissy Adorable💙💙💙 1mo
Andrea4 @AmyG and @Gissy thank you ❤️ 1mo
17 likes3 comments
review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

This took a bit to get into and at times I felt the pacing was too slow. That said, it was twisty and I didn't guess many of the twists or the ultimate ending. Though really, when seemingly everyone wants to murder someone, it is hard to place bets on THE murderer. Anyone else want to both choke and throw up at “initial“ Leo? He grew on me....

review
Andrea4
The Last Book Party | Karen Dukess
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Mehso-so

It took me a bit longer than normal to get into the book, but I did. I could see what was coming a mile away, though I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be shocking. The MC's naivete just about drove me nuts a few times though. This gave me such Rory vibes from The Gilmore Girls- naivete and all. The end was definitely lackluster...and yet realistic, in part at least.

dabbe Adorable pic! 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
marleed But the pic🥰🥰🥰 2mo
Andrea4 @dabbe and @marleed thank you 🥰 1mo
22 likes3 comments
review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

This is a beautiful collection of essays that span place and time and ideas of borders, belonging, invasion, and conquering.
I am not one to read much non-fiction but this kept me engaged and both resonated with me as well as provoked more questions.

review
Andrea4
Hemlock Island: A Novel | Kelley Armstrong
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Pickpick

At first I forgot who the author was but it quickly became apparent to me as Armstrong's usual style shines through. I prefer the Rockton series to this-didn't feel that horrific or that “true“. I also guessed what was happening well before it was stated and that doesn't happen a lot in her Rockton/Haven's series. But still, a good, quick read.
Oh I can't help with hemlock poisoning but if you touch poison ivy you can put on some jewelweed (pic)!

review
Andrea4
The Blackhouse: A Novel | Carole Johnstone
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Bailedbailed

I really feel this has all the elements I like and I feel I gave it a fair shot- about quarter of the way through. I thought even the narration was good but for some reason I just couldn't get into this story. I found my mind wandering every single time I put it on.
A sad bail.
I'm sure it's not bad 🤔

BkClubCare Just not its time for you. That‘s okay 3mo
22 likes1 comment
review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

Ok, so, I realize there are similarities btw this and the last booked I just bailed on. HOWEVER, this book does not pretend to have decent people, it's right there in the title! Also, I still liked some of them and the plot was more intriguing from the get go & held some surprises along the wat. There are quite a few characters so on audio, at times, it was a little confusing (but maybe it's more due to juggling a toddler... Lol).

review
Andrea4
The Five-Star Weekend | Elin Hilderbrand
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Bailedbailed

16% through & life's too short.
All characters immediately detestable (pretty much). I would say the rich ones are entitled & self centered, which they are but somehow even the other ones are too. What kind of 50-some y.o.s still act like they are in highschool and actually maintain friendships? This confounds me tbh. In reality if I wouldn't give condolences to someone for losing a spouse, I'm not spending a weekend with them. Wth.

dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 3mo
21 likes1 comment
review
Andrea4
The Half Moon: A Novel | Mary Beth Keane
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this intimate look at the “peak of the storm“ of a couple's marriage set within the backdrop of an actual winter storm. It definitely has the atmosphere of time stopping a chance to pause and reflect, which they do with multiple flashbacks. I didnt mind the shifting in POV especially because the narrators changed for the audio. I liked and understood most of the subplots but maybe not Tripp's?

review
Andrea4
The Troop | Nick Cutter
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Pickpick

I went into this with pretty much just the description on the jacket.
It should probably contain a huge TW for all the very descriptive animal violence, so be forewarned.
This got more gruesome and gorily grotesque as it went. Not for a queasy stomach.
But it was also fantastic. didnt really match the general vibe of the PEI we saw, but glad for it, lol.
(Also pic is from cape Breton, NS not PEI)

ShelleyBooksie Thank you for the tw. I've heard a lot about this book and been tempted to check it out but animal violence is a hard no for me. ♡ 4mo
25 likes1 comment
review
Andrea4
The Last Hunt | Audrey J Cole
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Panpan

The first audio we chose for our two week road trip out East. tbh, neither of us liked it. The narrator didn't help but in general it was not a compelling storyline- it seemed too jumbled and confused with killers abounding left, right, and center. And the MC was a little annoying while her past trauma only seemed to surface when it was convenient. My thoughts when it ended “finally!“.

dabbe #fanofthepan! 🤩🤩🤩 And wowza! What a pic! 😀 4mo
ShelleyBooksie Are you in NB, Canada? We have a large axe in my neck of the woods. If so - welcome east!!!! 4mo
Andrea4 @ShelleyBooksie We were!!! world's biggest axe! We stopped over in Nackawic at the cutest motel and of course had to go see the giant axe! We were headed out to NS. We didn't see a lot of NB on this trip- maybe a future one. 4mo
See All 6 Comments
Andrea4 @dabbe haha love it! And yea, thought the axe seemed appropriate for the “hunt“ and also maybe, “give it the axe“! Haha 4mo
ShelleyBooksie How awesome that you stopped in Nackawick!! I hope you have a great time in Nova Scotia. NB is worth a longer visit for sure but I am 100% biased, LOL! 4mo
Andrea4 @ShelleyBooksie it's so hard- Canada is so large and you only have so much time! Our main goal was Cape Breton so NS is where we spent the bulk of our time this trip but we definitely need to go out East a couple more times. Where would you suggest going in NB? 4mo
24 likes6 comments
blurb
Andrea4
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My partner and I are going to drive from southern Ontario to Nova Scotia (c/ our 15m old, heaven help us! Haha) and we need audio-tainment! 🤣 He's more a nonfic guy, I'm less into that unless it's intriguing to me, which often means crime genre, or maybe some good supernatural haunting, myths, legends of certain areas. The only thing with history I don't want to listen to would be about WWI & WWII.

Any suggestions for books or podcasts?

RamsFan1963 Non-fiction? Travels with George by Nathaniel Philbrick. Its about George Washington, and the author recreating the journey Washington took to his inauguration. The author is also a very good narrator. 5mo
Andrea4 @RamsFan1963 thanks, I'll check that out! A good narrator can makes such a difference. 5mo
dabbe What a pic! 🤩😂🤩 5mo
18 likes3 comments
review
Andrea4
The Guise of Another | Allen Eskens
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Bailedbailed

Well, I really enjoyed the last Eskens but this....just not for me. An overwhelming male cast, all of whom are blah to unlikeable imho. Then there is all the sex-violence-death and I'm just not into it, thanks. It already featured in his other book but at least that seemed more quintessential to the plot. This seems like it's for “flavour“ but the flavour is giving one note and it's getting old.

dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 5mo
Andrea4 @dabbe 🙌🏽🙌🏽 5mo
21 likes2 comments
review
Andrea4
The Life We Bury | Allen Eskens
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Pickpick

I don't know how I stumbled on this book but I was hooked from the get go and ran through it in 4 days.
I loved Joe, Lila, and his brother, even Carl from the get go. Once the code was broken, I guessed the full story but it didn't deter me.
I liked that every character, even the side ones, have some “baggage“ in their past.
Also, there's something about windows and sight throughout this book that has me still musing.

20 likes1 stack add
review
Andrea4
Truly Devious: A Mystery | Maureen Johnson
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Bailedbailed

I feel like I'm in the minority here. This book returned automatically to the lib and I had maybe 20% left to go. I clearly did not care too much to finish and I'm not gonna check it out again. Definitely a YA so maybe that's why it just didn't hit me right but everyone else seemed to be loving it.
Most of the characters seemed like caricatures to me and the story line mostly didn't capture me.

ofclumsywords I 💯 agree! Maureen Johnson is one of my fav authors but for some reason I didn‘t connect with the characters at all. 5mo
dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 5mo
Andrea4 @ofclumsywords well, then in fairness to Johnson I'll have to attempt another of hers because I do believe this was my first. 5mo
Andrea4 @dabbe 🤣 I don't do it often but I find myself willing to be more picky now with more on my plate and less time. 5mo
dabbe @Andrea4 Yes! Life's short, and there are so many other fabulous books out there! 🤩🤗😀 5mo
20 likes5 comments
blurb
Andrea4
Murder at Haven's Rock | Kelley Armstrong
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Casey is up to it again- pulling bodies outta the forest before Haven's Rock is even established!
Get ready for some return faves and few new “alphas“.
Having read this many I am wondering how long Armstrong can stretch this and also getting a little tired of the constant lampshading of lines of inquiry
e.g. Casey asks some random a question and they go something like “ oh you're asking that b/c you really want to know....“

dabbe I can't stop looking at those adorable baby feet! #onajourney 🤩🤩🤩 6mo
BarbaraBB I‘m about to start my first Armstrong. Lovely pic too 😍 6mo
Andrea4 @dabbe he has some very chunky feet!!! 😍 Adorable. Difficult to shod but adorable. 6mo
Andrea4 @BarbaraBB thanks! I find they are fast and addictive reads. I actually think this series would make a great TV series. 6mo
22 likes4 comments
review
Andrea4
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Mehso-so

This is a peculiar book. I think Updike has a way with descriptions for sure & might have been a little in love with his own talent there. I'm honestly unsure what to make of this- feminist? Completely anti-feminist? Is it a sardonic satire?
IMHO This novel merits much more rumination & yet I don't really want to because the story itself was actually just meh. Is the film better? Maybe.
(we've figured out climbing! Dear lord, send help! Haha)

dabbe With a little help from a friend! 🖤🐾🖤 6mo
Susanita My roommate and I saw the movie in the theater and were both 🤷🏻‍♀️🤔 6mo
Andrea4 @dabbe 🩷🩷 they were busy watching dad mow the lawn. Good supervisors 🤣 6mo
Andrea4 @Susanita I saw it at an age that well, was probably not the most appropriate, and I think I just loved witches haha. If I were to see it now for the first time, I'd probably pick it apart too. 6mo
25 likes4 comments
blurb
Andrea4
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Just started and it saddens me though does NOT surprise me (which is even sadder) that at 5'8“ and 160lbs Alexandra is considered “plump“ with multiple references to this. This bothers me for many reasons one of which is the fact that many don't even have a conception of what that looks like. I'm pretty sure anything about 120 for a woman is considered plump, not considering any other factor. Stupid.
(Pic. Marsh marigold)

dabbe Agree 💯! 💙🩵💙 6mo
22 likes1 comment
review
Andrea4
The Deepest of Secrets | Kelley Armstrong
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Pickpick

Well, finished the Rockton series and boy, did that end with a bang!
I think this may have been one of the better ones in terms of murder mystery. Amidst the mayhem of dismantling things, Casey has to figure out a murder and an attempted murder. She and Eric are also faced with the question of “what for?“.
I'm excited to start the next series but it seems I'll have a bit of wait if I want to do it via audio.
(Pic. Common chokecherry)

review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

Of course I went on to devour this in about two days 😂
A Danish speaking stranger badly injured is found- just another tourist ill-prepared for the wilderness or is she connected to something larger? Casey finally gets answers to questions that have bothered her since she got to Rockton- how did the settlements form? Why? Who are and who were the Hostiles? Who “spiked the punch“? And why are they “drinking the Kool aid“?

review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

Well, devoured the next one in the Rockton Series. There's a number of characters and connections to keep track of between Rockton, the Settlers (encampment 1 & 2), and the Hostiles.
I like how this plot brought up things for Casey & Eric both separately and as issues to work on together.
The backdrop of winter solstice is interesting - the darkest time of year from which point the sun starts regaining its strength.
(Pic. Shaggy mane mushroom)

tpixie Loving your nature pics!! 🍄🍄‍🟫🌺🌳 6mo
Andrea4 @tpixie thank you! 🥰 My audio walks are turning into herbal audio walks 😂 6mo
tpixie @Andrea4 lol yes!!! I wish I had pretty places to walk! 6mo
Andrea4 @tpixie I'm lucky that I live in the “forest city“. We have so many trails, all within the city but they immediately make you feel like you've left it. 🥰 6mo
tpixie @Andrea4 that is lucky 🍀 6mo
22 likes5 comments
review
Andrea4
Watcher in the Woods | Kelley Armstrong
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Pickpick

Finished while foraging! (🌿 Coltsfoot)
I sped through this in a handful of “sittings (more like walkings haha).
Yet another good one in the series, and no need to read the previous if you don't want to or can't.
This plot seemed a little convoluted but still, I love the characters and the whole premise. Casey's sister will be an interesting addition to further plots I imagine. Could have used more Anders time 😏

review
Andrea4
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Mehso-so

My bookclub pick. I was hyped for it and given my Herbalism studies, this should be far more interesting and entertaining. But it fell very flat with me and in many ways far too unrealistic when it came to the modern timeline (specifically her Cambridge studies). I definitely didn't love the motivation of the apothecary either.
Pictured is Bloodroot, sanguinaria canadensis- toxic.

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Andrea4
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Pickpick

This was very entertaining! I did guess the major “twists“ but still, it was good and moved quickly.
I feel sometimes with these murder mysteries, the plot is dragged out which leads either to ridiculous events to sustain itself or just a slowdown and eventually disinterest on the part of the reader.

review
Andrea4
The Twisted Ones | T. Kingfisher
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Pickpick

LOVED this and blew through it in just a few days!
The main character is definitely my kind of funny. I found myself chuckling every regularly throughout as well as being terrified, what a combo! This definitely made my nightly breastfeeding trips to the nursery creepy. Try not looking in the small closet that leads to the attic and has no door and not think of your current horror novel. I challenge you.

22 likes1 stack add
review
Andrea4
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Panpan

A plot that started out promising and intriguing soon started crumbling much like the cliff and house at Hope's End. The term “jump the shark“ comes to mind.
The narration of some of the voices was beyond grating so really i finished this just for completionist reasons.
So, have a gratuitous photo of this little dude celebrating his first birthday this past weekend (as well as Easter); one down and a ton more to go!

Gissy One year already Awww! Happy Birthday
🎂🎉🎈 🥳Beautiful photo! This one needs to be in his photo album, so he can see it years later☺️
8mo
Tamra Cutie! 8mo
Andrea4 @Gissy I know!! It went so fast. I really can't believe it.
I definitely want to make a physical photo album for him (I'm a scrapbooker) but also feel like I have no time 😭😂
8mo
See All 10 Comments
Andrea4 @Tamra 💓I have to agree 8mo
AmyG Ha! Too cute. Kids and cake….my grandson is the same way. HBD!🎂 8mo
Gissy @Andrea4 I also do Scrabook as a hobby and also feel I don‘t have time, you are not alone☺️I have some good material waiting for me but I confess my skills are very basic. I am so bad in hobbies, I tried many things without positive result. I meaning that I tried many many activities and in Scrabook I found that I could glue photos with stickers 🤣🤣🤣 8mo
dabbe #fanofthepan + 🤩🤩🤩 8mo
Andrea4 @AmyG I'm actually surprised he ate any because he's so far not a big fan of bread textures. 8mo
Andrea4 @Gissy it is a hobby that requires a bit more time (and space) sometimes than others. I bet you're being too hard on yourself though! Also I think the benefit of doing hobbies or creative endeavours is just that you do them, not any kind of perfection 💓 8mo
Gissy @Andrea4 True🙌❤️❤️❤️ 8mo
20 likes10 comments
blurb
Andrea4
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Ok down to last 2hrs (more or less) if audio and holy, narrator shift! That was jarring.
I'm really not sure how I feel about this besides highly confused as to what is happening. 😂
I'm sure on our walk anyone who was looking at my face as they passed was amused.

Eggs Great photo 🩷🩷 8mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 8mo
Megabooks Cute!! 8mo
Gissy Lovely photo😍♥️♥️♥️ 8mo
24 likes4 comments
review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

I seem to have ended up on a (maybe) short term BIPOC dark- fiction/horror binge.
This anthology compared to others I've read probably contained more stories I really enjoyed or loved than not.
A worthwhile anthology to read- its horrors are of the kind that make your whole body cringe, flinch, viscerally react and make you wish you could turn back the clock, help undo what cannot be undone.

review
Andrea4
Rachel's Holiday | Marian Keyes
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Pickpick

Between a pick and so-so for me, or 3 stars. Not my favourite Keyes, for sure (but I will continue the series haha).
I found Rachel hard to tolerate; for most of the book I wanted to smack her across the face (a reaction not relegated only her).
But obviously I liked it enough to keep reading.

review
Andrea4
The Between: Novel, A | Tananarive Due
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this- it felt like a very quick, urgent read. To me this is more “horrifying“ than “horror“, does that make sense to anyone but me? Haha
I didn't feel chills or get creeped out or scared as some horror books can do to me but the concept was certainly horrifying and intriguing.
I loved Sue's prologue and I look forward to reading more of her works.

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Andrea4
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Just taking 15m of baby dude's nap time to do more herb related reading but not directly school related 🤪 This is actually a surprisingly short (sweetly so for me) book by just one of the many important herbalists today. I'm loving the illustrations.
And just found out vanilla beans take about as long to mature as the human gestational period. Weird.

review
Andrea4
Little Monsters | Adrienne Brodeur
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Pickpick

Sucked me in & i finished it quick. Others call it a family melodrama/dysfunctional family. I'm going to say it takes “dysfunctional“ one step further & maybe a TW for some is in order though doing so also would spoil part of the book (though pretty early on it seemed obvious, but maybe that's me with the experiences I've had). In any case, this book (esp if you're a woman, I want to say) will have you wanting to throw some punches.

AmyG I am going to call it dysfunctional but I really liked it. Those are my favorites-the dysfunctional family. 9mo
Andrea4 @AmyG agreed. Often when people ask what I like to read I say “thriller, supernatural or psychological especially, some horror, oh and f*cked up *ahem* dysfunctional families. Lol 9mo
AmyG @Andrea4 Ha, what does that say about US? 🤣 9mo
Andrea4 @AmyG haha oh I know! Here's to catharsis 🤪 9mo
24 likes2 stack adds4 comments
review
Andrea4
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Mehso-so

If we're being honest, it was a little too “sweet“. This is a book where very few characters say something straightforwardly without euphemism and I get that this is in part to reflect the Georgian way but it also comes across as the author's reluctance. It all ties up too neatly to; I would think with such revelations there would be more emotions.

review
Andrea4
In a Holidaze | Christina Lauren
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Pickpick

Who doesn't love a good Groundhog day trope?!
Again, romance not generally my thing but I love Christmas! And maybe I'm “softening up“ as of late.
But in any case, this was fun!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awww so cute ❤️ 10mo
Gissy Look who is in the photo! 👶🏻❤️❤️❤️Looks so happy! 🥰 10mo
AmyG Adorable! (edited) 10mo
28 likes3 comments
review
Andrea4
Three Holidays and a Wedding | Marissa Stapley, Uzma Jalaluddin
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Pickpick

Loved this!!! It would not have been my go to being in large part a romance but the holiday bent drew me in and I'm so glad it did! So cute!
I really wanted the movies mentioned to be real too!!

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 10mo
Gissy So cute! Adorable!❤️❤️❤️ 10mo
23 likes2 comments
review
Andrea4
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Pickpick

Finally got around to reading these!
Like many short story collections, I liked some, loved some, and others were meh. It is YA but still, I could connect or find the charm. Maybe it was the magic of Christmas 🎄🎁

monkeygirlsmama Such a sweet picture. 10mo
Gissy Cute!! Am I reading your review or admiring the baby?😂😂😂 10mo
Andrea4 @Gissy I know, it's a trap! Hahaha 10mo
See All 6 Comments
Andrea4 @monkeygirlsmama thank you ❤️ 10mo
Gissy @Andrea4 But he has grown so fast and he is so adorable! How are you doing in these new stages as a mom. Every stage is so beautiful 🥰We have seen a couple of babies here growing up over the years and it has been a wonderful experience to see how they change and become young readers📚❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 10mo
Andrea4 @Gissy it's the hardest, most rewarding thing I've ever done. It's an odd mix of extremes- feeling like minutes just draaaaag and yet I've blinked and 10m has gone, feel lonely but also never alone, constantly 'doing' and yet never feel like I've done enough, also and sometimes most starkly, I can go from super confident to utterly unsure of myself. But he amazes me and nothing changes that ❤️❤️ 10mo
25 likes6 comments
review
Andrea4
Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt
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Pickpick

Wow ok, I don't know what happened to my litsy but my last post was 4m ago and after that I couldn't get the app to load properly, find the app to reinstall, nor get my password reset. Somehow by luck I remembered the password and I'm back in on browser version at least. Anyway, hello again, this book was amazing (I know, I'm late to that game). And my own “remarkably bright creature“ is growing rapidly!

Librarybelle Welcome back! Adorable photo! 10mo
Gissy Yes, growing fast❤️❤️❤️❤️ 10mo
29 likes2 comments
review
Andrea4
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Mehso-so

Finished this on my first solo road trip with my little superhero.
I found this to be a promising start, a very slow middle, and an unexpected, heart wrenching ending.

Gissy He has gown 🥰❤️❤️❤️ 13mo
Andrea4 @Gissy very much so! 13mo
24 likes2 comments
review
Andrea4
The Long Weekend | Gilly Macmillan
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Mehso-so

Started in hardcopy and then switched to audio to finish. I think it was easier to speed through in audio but harder to keep track of which character was speaking. It was a promising start, if not dramatic, but parts of the plot deemed wholly unnecessary while others were too far fetched? Maybe it was just a case of too much going on. And then it seemed to be wrapped up rather quickly, unsatisfyingly so.

dabbe Awwwww! 🤩🤩🤩 1y
Gissy 😍❤️❤️❤️ 1y
28 likes2 comments
review
Andrea4
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Mehso-so

Photo is from March 2022 when I had picked this book back up AGAIN. I finished it FINALLY with the help of the audio.
This book was really all over the place for me. I wanted to love it but can't. It's very fever dream like. Jumpy and for its length that's hard. I enjoyed the audio but both that and the book had its drawbacks for getting into the story. Also the MANY casual references, to rape bothered me. This is def a person by person book.

blurb
Andrea4
Dearly: New Poems | Margaret Atwood
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When your nails match your book 😍

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1y
Gissy Yes! Love that color💛💛💛👌 1y
Andrea4 @Gissy thanks, me too! Haven't done yellow before but seemed quite seasonal-it's called Corn butter! 1y
28 likes3 comments
review
Andrea4
The Paying Guests | Sarah Waters
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Panpan

Ok this is gonna be longer than usual.
No, I did not enjoy this- not the first half in print or the 2nd in audio but audio allowed me to sprint to the finish line.
Started end of summer last year roughly, seemed promising enough but after almost 300pp of the same BS i was BORED. THE TEDIUM. maybe this trope works for others but OMG there is only so much of this "hidden romance" I can take especially when I don't like either MC very much.??

Andrea4 AND when it is written so...romantically? And what takes place is very lackluster. Waters tried to build suspense around something that just doesn't cut it. And it isn't until the halfway mark that the climax happens at which point, I thought, ok, I'll continue B/c SOMETHING IS HAPPENING, but OMG even that got drawn out for another 300pp and I was bored stiff. The MC talked about being bored by fear, well, I was bored by the sheer rumination👇🏽 1y
Andrea4 Of the same damn things! Where was the editor, I ask you?! Why did no one say to Waters that every movement, every spoken thing didn't need a simile or metaphor to accompany it? And the ending...really, you had me read ALL of that for THAT ending. I should not have started this book at all. 1y
MrsMalaprop Oh dear. I‘ve had this one on my #tbr shelf for years, having loved Fingersmith & Tipping the Velvet. It my stay on the shelf a bit longer… 1y
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Andrea4 @MrsMalaprop well it seems others have enjoyed it! It's unfortunate that this is my first Waters because it does NOT make me want to try anything else of hers. It was gifted to me though as well, I'm not sure if I would have picked it up. But it promised secrets, mystery, gripping suspense...just promises. 1y
MrsMalaprop I‘ve read quite a few of hers and have found they range from excellent to blah. 1y
Andrea4 @MrsMalaprop that must make it difficult to gauge the next one... 1y
15 likes6 comments
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Andrea4
Helpline | Katherine Collette
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Hey Litsy pals, I need some help!
I'm looking to get some local moms together in my area for a book club and I'm trying to think of some good beach reads that are not too cliche romance-y but are entertaining and maybe also on the shorter side, because we are all new moms so who has time? Hahaha!
Any suggestions are highly appreciated! Also doesn't have to be the "typical" beach read- we're all pretty open.

Soubhiville Maybe this? Not romancy per se, somewhat beachy… 1y
Andrea4 @Soubhiville on the possible list! It has some really good reviews, doesn't it? Thank you! 1y
LiteraryinPA Maybe the new book The Wishing Game? It‘s a fun short read with a theme of new motherhood? 1y
Soubhiville Oooo, if you want a motherhood/ parenthood theme, I loved this! I don‘t remember anything beachy about it but it was great: 1y
20 likes4 comments
review
Andrea4
The Monster of Elendhaven | Jennifer Giesbrecht
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Bailedbailed

1/2 way thru this short novel & bailing B/c: 1) I'm bored. 2) I do not care at all about these characters. 3) probably b/c the author spends more time romanticizing the horror rather than developing character, backstory, or plot. 4) the "Monster's" verbiage really strikes discordant at times and totally takes me out of the experience.
Thank you, bye, next.

(Ethan turned 3mo recently.)

Gissy Happy 3 months Ethan🥰🥳❤️❤️❤️ 1y
Andrea4 @Gissy thank you!!☺️ 1y
19 likes2 comments
blurb
Andrea4
The Monster of Elendhaven | Jennifer Giesbrecht
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So as it turns out, the two books I picked up from the library today, simply because of the fact that they are both on my TBR and the only ones that we're both available today at my local branch, are by two Canadian authors.
Woo!

review
Andrea4
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Panpan

I found this at random in the library (book not the baby ?) and was super excited because I had no idea it existed. Well, I was fine without it in my life. Really these stories added nothing to the understanding of the house nor did they provide that much background "colour"- could the third even be considered a story?

dabbe Sweet dreams, little one! 💙😴💚 1y
Gissy Beautiful, sweet photo👶🏻❤️❤️❤️ 1y
25 likes2 comments