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candc320

candc320

Joined April 2016

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End of Story by A. J. Finn
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candc320
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I found the CUTEST bookmarks on the TikTok shop!! It was so hard to just pick these 5…I already want to buy more 🤣. #bookmarks #magneticbookmarks

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candc320
Your Shadow Half Remains | Sunny Moraine
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I chose this audiobook based on this creepy/gorgeous cover and I‘m so glad I did! This was a super quick scary listen which made my Saturday morning chores go by in a flash. The loneliness and terror of not being able to look anyone in the eyes lest you go murderously crazy really got under my skin, and I loved the sort of overarching question of whether you might go mad anyways, or whether we are all inherently that way to begin with. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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I absolutely LOVE finding historical fiction based on people of history that I knew nothing about before. This was fascinating! It‘s a heartbreaking beginning for our heroine, however she fought to maintain her place in the strange world she was thrown into and did her best to live the life she wanted and deserved. The narrator was great and the story beautifully written. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Suzze I read her book, Wild Women and the Blues a couple of years ago and loved it. I just got this one recently, and need to read it soon. ❤️ 1w
candc320 Oh, I need to read that one! Thanks for the recommendation @Suzze ! 1w
24 likes1 stack add2 comments
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candc320
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I had a shitty week at work, preceded by shitty months at a newish job I THOUGHT I was going to enjoy and is instead overwhelming and managed by people who don‘t care that they need to hire more people to deal with the volume. One of the only things that makes my day better: new books! The top 3 are my #botm picks for March and the bottom 2 I found on World of Books for a great price! Now I just need time to read them 😫. Audiobooks are saving me!

monalyisha I‘m with you re: understaffing & work-related frustrations! I hope it gets better, or that you find something else sooner rather than later. In the meantime, thank god for escapism. 📚 Good luck! 💓🤞🏻 1w
dabbe Hope things get brighter for you soon. Yay to the new books! 💚💙💚 1w
TrishB I hear you! Enjoy the books, they‘ll always be waiting. 1w
candc320 Thanks @TrishB !! 1w
31 likes5 comments
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candc320
The Summer Skies | Jenny Colgan
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I love Jenny Colgan, especially her Christmas books. This wasn‘t a particular favorite but it wasn‘t my least favorite either - very middle of the pack. I wasn‘t a huge fan of either main character - Morag was kind of ditzy and Gregor was a real grump - but they both did have complicated and somewhat sad background stories that I found touching. I also always love a story set on a small Scottish isle! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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It‘s #botm time!!! All 3 of these sound good and, honestly, I could have picked more but I didn‘t want to eat up all my credits 😆

candc320 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks oh yay!! I don‘t think I would have picked it if it wasn‘t the only book of the year freebie that I hadn‘t read/had any interest in but the more I read about it the more excited I am! 3w
20 likes2 comments
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candc320
Only the Beautiful | Susan Meissner
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God this story was heartbreaking and beautiful!!! All of Susan Meissner‘s historical fiction novels are amazing and this is right up at the top. I won‘t give too much away, but I will say that it deals with eugenics around the time of WWII, including in America which I hadn‘t really read about before, as well as what makes a family. Just so much loss and hope and tenderness! Ahhh I loved it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Here‘s my March #bookspinbingo list! A good amount of leftovers from previous months, some new additions to enjoy, all in all a mixed back of genres and formats. Now let‘s see what I actually read 🤣!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
15 likes1 comment
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candc320
The Glutton | A. K. Blakemore
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First off: this might be the most strangely beautiful cover I‘ve ever seen! I can‘t stop looking at it 🤩. Secondly: this is a gorgeously written historical fiction horror novel that combines the individual story of a poor Frenchman who develops a strange hunger that won‘t dissipate with the horrific world of the French Revolution at large. I went back and forth between the audio and physical books and I will say it was easier to digest ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: pun fully intended, as an audiobook as there are no quotes around the dialogue in the physical book and the rhythm took a little bit to get used to. That being said I found this story absolutely fascinating and want to try and learn more about Tarare and his strange affliction! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 3w
21 likes1 comment
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candc320
The Sight: A Novel | Melanie Golding
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This was an original, unique mystery with a troubled young woman at the center that‘s trying to find her place within her carnival family and the world at large. She‘s seen as an outsider by everyone because of her ability to see how people will die. This ended up being more of a family drama than a thriller or mystery and it wasn‘t hard to guess the big twist pretty early on. That being said it was still quite the ride! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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I‘ve really enjoyed everything I‘ve read by Ariel Lawson and this was no exception. I will say that it felt a lot longer than it needed to be and not that much actually happens past the key murder mystery and the various lower court meetings dealing with a rape case, and to be honest I didn‘t really care about the murder mystery because the more you found out about the dead man the more I hated him. The writing was great, though, and I enjoyed ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: the slice of life for this time period and place that the story provided. Not my favorite of her books but still good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 1mo
26 likes1 comment
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candc320
Anna O: A Novel | Matthew Blake
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Mehso-so

So this one was…ok. The concept is excellent and I loved learning a bit about resignation syndrome and the phenomenon of possibly committing murder while sleep walking. However, the actions of some of the characters seemed kind of stupid (at one point a character grabs a murder weapon off the ground…everyone knows don‘t touch a murder weapon!) and the ending/big reveal was so easy to figure out! Plus side, the narrators were AMAZING! 🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
Wanderers: A Novel | Chuck Wendig
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I LOVED this story!! It took me forever to get through…it‘s really long and I haven‘t had a lot of quality time to read lately…but I truly enjoyed it the whole time. Fascinating, epic story that ends it at the perfect point to leave me itching for more. I can‘t wait to read the sequel! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. It also fits the #tbrtarot prompt for the month!

CBee So glad it was a winner 😊👏🏻 1mo
34 likes1 comment
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candc320
Mister Lullaby: A Novel | J. H. Markert
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Mehso-so

This was hard to follow at times as an audiobook. It skips around through a lot of characters and seems to go back and forth in time, which is hard to concentrate on while listening and working at the same time (which I‘m usually doing). The concept is quite scary, though….i mean, who wouldn‘t be terrified of nightmare creatures roaming around your town, killing people? Truly nightmare fuel! 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Nestlings | Nat Cassidy
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This was so deliciously creepy! I love a story set in a fancy New York apartment building (and how it‘s never as wonderful as it seems) and I found it really unique to have the main characters struggling with new parenthood set against this sort of “monster” story. I wasn‘t a huge fan of the husband but I really empathized with the wife‘s struggles being a new mother while facing her own physical and mental issues. Definitely recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

25 likes3 stack adds
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candc320
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Mehso-so

This was an ok collection of horror short stories, some much better than others. I especially enjoyed the supernatural spin on a summer camp slasher and the coming home story where all the townspeople are mysteriously missing. There were a few more I liked but I can‘t really remember much about them…which is part of the problem. Just ok 🤷🏼‍♀️. 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Delicious Monsters | Liselle Sambury
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I absolutely loved this! There are ghosts and a haunted house and people who can communicate with the dead and a mystery at the heart of the story that was just heartbreaking…what more could you want? I wasn‘t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did but it was great! And the narrator was great too. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

ChaoticMissAdventures What a gorgeous cover! 2mo
19 likes1 comment
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candc320
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My February #bookspin bingo list is ready to go! Lots of great reads on the list…let‘s see what I actually get to 🤣

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
14 likes1 comment
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candc320
A Curse For True Love | Stephanie Garber
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Mehso-so

Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I‘d just read the previous books, but as it was I had somewhat forgotten the plot of those stories and this one jumps right in. I was kind of confused at first as it heavily assumes you are fully up to speed, and once I did catch back on it just felt meh. Not bad or boring just not as good as the first 2 books (or as I remember them being). Way too much romance for me! 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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I love WWII fiction and this gave me such a warm and comforting feeling while I listened to it…there‘s just something about that whole “keeping the home fires burning” scenario, even while it can be sad, that draws me in and gives me comfort. The characters were great - other than one, which was just horrid and I didn‘t believe her big change one bit - and I definitely recommend to anyone who loves WWII fiction like I do. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
One Dark Window | Rachel Gillig
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I don‘t read a lot of fantasy but I really enjoyed this one! It reminded me a lot of both the Once Upon a Broken Heart and Caraval series and it definitely was an interesting escape of an audiobook. I will say the romance aspect didn‘t appeal to me (I‘d love to read a fantasy story without that having to be a component) but I am intrigued to see where the story takes us in the next installment! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt
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This was quite unique and I liked it more than I was expecting! Strangely I think my favorite character was the octopus 🤣…but who can blame me, he was really smart and industrious and seemed more astute than most of the other characters. That‘s not to say that I didn‘t like the others, I really did. They were all really charming in their own ways. I will say some of the connections were pretty unbelievable and not hard to figure out but still ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: good overall. A very enjoyable audiobook listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 2mo
AvidReader25 I loved Marcel! 🐙 2mo
dabbe #marcelthemarvelous! 💜🩶💜 2mo
26 likes3 comments
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candc320
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I was a little surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this one! It‘s vicious and violent and so engrossing. I will say it was a little hard to keep track of all the characters but I just went with it and tried to keep track. The story reminded me of Stephen King or Justin Cronin which is great because I enjoy both of them. I can‘t wait to read more by the author! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
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I must not have been paying attention before starting this novel because I didn‘t realize this was part of a long standing series 🤦🏼‍♀️. Luckily I didn‘t feel lost in the plot, although it was clear that you‘d have a better appreciation for the characters and their connections if you‘d read the earlier books. The story was quite dark and graphic at times so I would recommend you check trigger warnings if you need to. It‘s hard to say I ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: enjoyed this given the topic but it was thought-provoking and the characters felt very real. I‘ll definitely check out more books in the series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 2mo
24 likes1 comment
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candc320
The Night House | Jo Nesbo
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This was so different than I was expecting! It‘s like a fever dream (nightmare?) wrapped in another, wrapped in…I‘m not even sure 🤣! But I really enjoyed it! I love novels that have a psychological angle to them and the sometimes shocking horror/supernatural moments kept me listening. The narrator was pretty good as well. If you like unique/ somewhat strange horror I definitely recommend. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
A Little Ray of Sunshine | Kristan Higgins
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This was my first Kristan Higgins‘ novel and I loved it! It‘s got just about everything I‘m looking for in a contemporary story: laughs, heart, compelling and complicated characters, and just enough sadness to make me really feel for them. There‘s even a dog and a bookstore! I cannot wait to read more from this author…I just wish I hadn‘t waited so long! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Kate Morton novels are stories to be savored. They are beautifully written and full of intriguing characters and gently twisting plots that keep you turning those many, many pages. I loved this story and the only thing keeping me from giving it 5 🌟 is just how loooonnnggg and somewhat draggy it felt at times. But it‘s still beautiful. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Hooked on Bingo | Alice Andrews
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I found the best 2024 Reading Tracker on TikTok and it even has a place for me to write my monthly #bookspinbingo list 🤗! It has so many ways to track different stats so we‘ll see which ones I actually stick with 🤣.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3mo
14 likes1 comment
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candc320
Reading Goals: Extended Readers for Basic Reading | Glenn McCracken, Charles Child Walcutt
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I‘m always shocked (happily so) when I see how much I actually read during the year! I never feel like I get through enough but clearly I was busy 🤣. Most of these are from audiobooks, which have definitely become my primary way of consuming books over the last few years. I can‘t wait to see what I read next year! #goodreads #myyearinreview

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candc320
The Fury | Alex Michaelides
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I wasn‘t going to pick a book this month…then I read the synopsis for this one and it sounded so good! I‘m a little wary, though, because I wasn‘t a huge fan of The Maidens. Fingers crossed! #botm

MaleficentBookDragon I was underwhelmed by The Maidens too. I‘m hoping this one is better. 🤞 3mo
25 likes1 comment
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candc320
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I can‘t believe the fun is almost over, but here we go!

1. All the Broken Places
2. The House on Hanging Hill Lane
3. Reading and trying to stay awake until midnight 🤣
4. I‘ve never really celebrated Boxing Day but I did hit up the annual Barnes and Noble sale
5. Well here in Florida it was a green Christmas and I was definitely disappointed if not surprised!

#wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
ONCE UPON A WARDROBE. | PATTI. CALLAHAN
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Ahhh I loved this story! It was so touching and I loved learning more about C.S. Lewis and the writing of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It truly was beautifully written and I can‘t think of much better than a story about the magic and love of reading! Highly recommend. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

peanutnine This looks so good! Been meaning to read it ✨ 3mo
candc320 @peanutnine I hope you love it as much as I did! 3mo
21 likes2 comments
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candc320
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I love Jenny Colgan! Her Christmas books are especially fun and sweet and charming. This one, unfortunately, did not live up to some of her other stories, which was especially disappointing after how much I adored The Christmas Bookshop. I just found the main character especially whiny this time and the miscommunication trope to heavily used (which I find annoying). Still, I did enjoy it overall. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

peanutnine A shame it didn't live up to expectations 😕 I just started the Christmas Bookshop today! 3mo
candc320 @peanutnine I know, I was so sad! The Christmas Bookshop was great, though, so I hope you love it! 3mo
23 likes2 comments
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candc320
The Glutton | A. K. Blakemore
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I might have gone a little over board at the Barnes and Noble book sale 😬. And there were so many more I put back 😵‍💫!

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candc320
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Today‘s viewing while I baked, cooked, wrapped, and did all things holiday!! #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

Bklover Just watched Elf! ❤️ 3mo
13 likes1 comment
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candc320
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Ornaments Scavenger Hunt #4:

1. Ornament that you got this year
2. Ornament that is bookish
3. Ornament that has a character on it
4. The oldest ornament on your tree
5. Ornament that is your favorite color

#wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
Ornaments Galore | Ursula Michael
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Ornament Scavenger Hunt #3:

1. Ornament that is homemade
2. Ornament with a picture frame on it
3. Ornament that is too big to fit in the palm of your hand
4. Ornament that makes noise
5. Ornament that represents sports

#wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
Christmas Ornaments | Meredith Corporation
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Ornament scavenger hunt #2!

1. Ornament that represents a special occasion
2. Ornament with a North Pole character on it
3. Ornament with a date on it
4. Ornament that looks good enough to eat
5. Ornament you wish was life sized

#wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
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Finally posting my ornament scavenger hunts! First up (clockwise from the upper left):

1. Ornament that sparkles
2. Ornament that reminds you of a family member
3. Ornament with an animal on it
4. A gift from a family or friend
5. Ornament you can see your reflection in

#wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
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Collection #2 of the holiday movies and TV shows I‘ve been binging lately! #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
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Collection #1 of the many holiday movies and TV shows I‘ve been watching! #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
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I have a soft spot for small town Southern stories and this story scratched that itch in such a lovey holiday way. There were a number of storylines going on, which made it somewhat hard to keep track, but I just went along with it and enjoyed the ride the audiobook took me on. It‘s also in the middle of a series and I‘m excited to go back and read from the beginning. A very good listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
Royal Holiday | Jasmine Guillory
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Mehso-so

I‘m behind on posts so should have a bunch today 🤣. I REALLY wanted to love this one! Having an older main character in a romance was something I hadn‘t read before and I adored it! But at the same time I expected there wouldn‘t be as much miscommunication…I assumed the characters would just speak their mind and ask questions like a mature adult 🤦🏼‍♀️. I‘m not a fan of miscommunication so this made it less enjoyable. But not bad overall. 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens
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Some more holiday watching I‘ve accumulated this week! #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
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Mehso-so

This audiobook was definitely a so-so listen for me. It started out interesting - a bunch of cousins competing in a game to win their relative‘s mansion while one of them also searches for answers to her mother‘s murder - but it became hard to keep all the characters straight and to figure out who was siblings with whom. It wasn‘t too hard to figure out the twist either. Not bad but nothing special either. 🌟🌟🌟 #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
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Getting in some Christmas watching wherever and whenever I can! #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
The Christmas Guest | Peter Swanson
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I don‘t know about anyone else but I‘ve found a number of murdery Christmas stories to read this year 😆. This one was quick and vicious. I will say I much preferred the first half to the second. Either way the story as a whole was good but a little too quick (I would have preferred more). I guess that can be a problem with novellas! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

24 likes1 stack add
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candc320
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Pickpick

I always seem to enjoy Jenny Colgan‘s novels (I‘m reading another one right now) and the audiobooks are typically filled with British charm. This one was sweet at times, incredibly sad at times, and just a Christmassy bag of entertainment. I haven‘t read the 1st book in the series but I definitely will! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 #wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

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candc320
Christmastime | Alison Jay
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Thanks for the tag, @peanutnine !!

1. While it doesn‘t get very cold here in Florida, when it does my favorite wintery beverage is a hot chai latte

2. It changes but the most prevalent one is 🎶Rockin Around the Christmas Tree🎶 or whatever it‘s called 🤣

3. I love getting under double blankets, putting on some fireplace ASMR on YouTube, and reading before the (fake) fire

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

Eggs Thanks for the great responses 🙌🏻🎄❤️ 3mo
15 likes1 comment
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candc320
Wintergames | Litsy Litsy
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Just in the nick of time! I came up with 71 winter/holiday themed words, for a total of 710 points! Between this and the word searches I‘m really wracking up the points! Now I just have to remember when I‘m supposed to turn my points in 🤣. Go team #SantasBookshELVES go! #wintergames

peanutnine Great job! I'll give you a reminder when it's time to do a points check-in ☺️ 3mo
candc320 Thank you @peanutnine !!! 3mo
5 likes2 comments