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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

The first part of this is writer Sarah Moss‘s memoir of her abusive childhood, written as somewhere between a fever dream and verse, and revealing her initial entry into anorexia. Then she delves into the most harrowing account of anorexia in an adult I‘ve ever read. This is very well done, but a harrowing read.

squirrelbrain I borrowed this from the (digital) library, then read some reviews and decided it wasn‘t for me - it sounds very tough. 13h
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 7h
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain It‘s so tough. I went in blind because Sarah Moss and was unsure at first because I‘m not a fan of childhood memoir, but the way she wrote it was so interesting that I stuck with it. Though it was a challenge to get me to pick it up after having put it down. 5h
44 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

I‘ve seen people raving about this and I get why. Two people meet as misfit kids, forming a bond impacted by trauma, then bound together through life by the obsession of one. It‘s engaging and well balanced. I really enjoyed it.

49 likes2 stack adds
review
Hooked_on_books
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Bailedbailed

This one is me, not the book. I tend not to enjoy fiction set in Ancient Greece and this was no different. Glad I gave it a try at least. Don‘t let me deter anyone. #TOBlonglist

squirrelbrain I actively disliked this and bailed, both of which are quite unusual for me! 😬 3d
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain I‘m glad I‘m not alone! So maybe it is a little bit of the book and not just me. 😉 2d
squirrelbrain @micheleinphilly hated it too! 🫤 2d
46 likes4 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Great Expectations | Vinson Cunningham
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Mehso-so

This one really didn‘t work for me. Parts of it were good, but the structure felt choppy and a number of the religious musings felt shoehorned in, not fitting the narrative. By the end I really didn‘t care. I‘m disappointed because I lived in Detroit when Obama was elected and hearing people celebrating in the streets was extraordinary. I wish this could have channeled the actual moment. #TOB25

squirrelbrain Great review! I think I liked it better than you, but I skipped over the religious bits. (edited) 3d
44 likes1 comment
review
Hooked_on_books
Into the Fall: A Thriller | Tamara L. Miller
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Pickpick

Sarah wakes during a camping trip to find her husband Matt and their canoe both gone, setting the stage for a missing person story and the exploration of a marriage. I have some quibbles with the book, but overall it‘s a good page-turning read with some interesting reveals.

review
Hooked_on_books
Rivals | Jane Pek
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Pickpick

While I thoroughly enjoyed this follow up to The Verifiers, and especially enjoyed the humor in it, I am rather frustrated with it. By the book‘s end, essentially none of the story is resolved and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I can appreciate elements of a story threading into the next book, but too much is left unresolved here.

review
Hooked_on_books
Never Silent: ACT UP and My Life in Activism | Anderson Cooper, Peter Staley
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Pickpick

Self-proclaimed troublemaker Peter Staley was diagnosed as HIV+ in 1985. Shortly thereafter, he poured himself into the AIDS activism movement to fight an unresponsive government and greedy pharmaceutical companies. I appreciate here that he tells not just that story but the after, when he found himself miraculously alive, and what came next for him. Thanks for the rec, @TheBookHippie !

Hooked_on_books I googled air horns, and they have been used in music, so I‘m using this for my final #52bookclub prompt of musical instrument on the cover. I finally finished! @BarbaraBB 6d
TheBookHippie ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ I‘m so glad you enjoyed it! 6d
44 likes2 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Bury Your Gays | Chuck Tingle
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Pickpick

It‘s amazing to me that a book the contains a few scenes of brutal body horror (even I cringed, and I can handle a lot) is overall rather lighthearted and funny. I really enjoyed this one and wasn‘t necessarily expecting to going in. #TOBlonglist

squirrelbrain I enjoyed it too, and I wasn‘t quite expecting to. 🤪 1w
Soubhiville I haven‘t read anything by him yet, but I admit to being curious. 1w
48 likes2 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

I found this on Time‘s best books of the year and I‘m glad I did. The essays here explore a number of things recently popular in our culture, like mindfulness, Marie Kondo, consent and more, delving into them and in many cases tearing them carefully down. I enjoyed it but think I would have liked it better in print, which would have allowed me down a bit to mull it over.

Amiable Looks good —stacking! 1w
52 likes4 stack adds1 comment
review
Hooked_on_books
Instructions for a Heatwave | Maggie O'Farrell
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Mehso-so

I heard this one raved about on a podcast, but it didn‘t quite work for me. It‘s a family story and I liked the bits of the story itself, but the structure on audio really didn‘t work. It jumps around in time without any pauses or notice that that‘s what‘s happening and it was confusing and distracting.

review
Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Reading this book of interconnected short stories, many of them historical, set in the NE US and into Canada is like walking through a museum dedicated to New England and seeing different studies through the ages of people in this place. It‘s just marvelous. #ToB25

49 likes2 stack adds
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Hooked_on_books
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Bailedbailed

I‘ve been curious about Winstead for a while, so I finally dove in. I almost bailed very early when the main character discovered and fell in love with Twilight. (No, no, no.) Then I convinced myself that maybe she would start learning that women can have agency and aren‘t beholden to me. Now, just over halfway, her best friend/boyfriend “let her” do something and I‘m all done with this crap.

review
Hooked_on_books
Wild Houses: A Novel | Colin Barrett
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Pickpick

Ostensibly about a drug-deal related shakedown, this is actually an exploration of the lives of people living at the margins and at risk. It‘s described as “darkly funny” and I don‘t agree at all—I found it to be an encouragement to look more deeply at quiet desperation. #TOBlonglist

BarbaraBB You‘re right, it wasn‘t that funny. I liked it a lot 2w
Gleefulreader I thought this book was really good too. But I never understand why publishers insist on trying to make books sound lighter or funnier than they truly are. It just sets the author up for a potentially bad review through impossible expectations. 1w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1w
Hooked_on_books @Gleefulreader You‘re exactly right. And will a disappointed reader come back for the next book? Probably not. 1w
51 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Good Material | Dolly Alderton
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Mehso-so

This one was just ok to me. I found the central story of a man struggling to get through a breakup fairly dull. And by the time we got to the former girlfriend‘s breakup aftermath, I just didn‘t care. Where it shines is with some of the supporting characters and stories, like the flatmate Andy ends up with and the houseboat bit. I don‘t think I would have made it through in print. #TOBlonglist

AmyG I actually bailed. I just didn‘t care. 2w
Suet624 Oh dear. I was looking forward to this one. 😳 2w
squirrelbrain It‘s definitely not a #ToB book! 2w
See All 7 Comments
Hooked_on_books @AmyG I‘m glad it‘s not just me! 2w
Hooked_on_books @Suet624 Plenty of people like this one, so you may be among them! 2w
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain I‘m really glad they didn‘t put it in the tourney. 2w
BarbaraBB I‘ll remind your warning. I am reading it now and enjoying it quite a bit @Suet624 although it really is no #ToB book indeed @squirrelbrain ! 2w
45 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Primarily a history of rabies and its impact on the human population and our beloved dogs, this book also dabbles into very accessible science and some individual stories of infection. It‘s fascinating, though Bindi says some of the dog illness parts were upsetting.

ShelleyBooksie One of the most fascinating and scary books I have ever read! 2w
Suet624 A book I‘d love to listen to if my library could find it. 2w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w
AlaMich Did you hear about the teacher in California who found a bat in her classroom recently? She picked it up, was bitten, and died a month later from rabies. She never went to the hospital after being bitten. (edited) 2w
Hooked_on_books @AlaMich I hadn‘t heard that, but based on this book I‘m not surprised. They mention that bats are the primary vector for rabies in the US. In fact, that say anyone who finds a bat in their bedroom, even if they are unaware of a bite, should get rabies treatment, since their bites can be tiny and unnoticed. 2w
48 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Beautiful Ugly | Alice Feeney
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Pickpick

Well, it was worth succumbing to #botm to get a hold of this early. It starts out feeling like it‘s going to be a predictable thriller, but it‘s not at all. I loved the people on the island and the humor woven in. And the many layers revealed at the end were very satisfying.

CBee I got this as well! Forgot to unpause BOTM and ended up with some extra credits, oops 😂 2w
Soubhiville I got your package today, it looks like everything is in good shape 🙂 Thank you! Looking forward to Christmas now. 1w
Hooked_on_books @Soubhiville Hooray! I‘m glad it found its way safely to you and I hope you enjoy all. 1w
52 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Hooked_on_books
Help Wanted | Adelle Waldman
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Pickpick

Adelle Waldman is so very clever. She lures the reader in with a story that seems to be a bit of a madcap workplace comedy in a big box store. And once she has you hooked, she reveals that it‘s actually a critique of modern American capitalism and how badly it hurts people and communities. This is fantastic. #TOBlonglist

Leftcoastzen 🐶👏 2w
44 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
Someone Like Us | Dinaw Mengestu
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Pickpick

This dreamlike book explores an Ethiopian-American man‘s relationship to his family through his life, plus the things kept from him and why. It explores family, identity, race, and hints at mental health. It didn‘t knock my socks off, but it feels like something that might stick for a while. #ToB25

BarbaraBB One of the few shortlisted books I haven‘t read yet. 2w
Megabooks I didn‘t care for this. I had a lot of trouble following the audio! 2w
Hooked_on_books @Megabooks I can see that. I had the benefit of seeing other reviews about confusion of timelines, so when I noticed that I wasn‘t sure I just didn‘t let it bother me and focused on the relationships and it totally worked. As a plotty book, this one would have been a failure. 2w
42 likes3 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Rental House | Weike Wang
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Pickpick

An interracial couple deals with her Chinese immigrant parents, his right wing parents, and everyone‘s opinion about their choice to not have kids. This felt very topical and relatable to me as a left wing childfree person in our current moment.

Soubhiville Sounds very relatable! I got a package from Powell‘s today that I‘m guessing is from you? I opened it enough to see the books weren‘t wrapped but not what they were, then stuck the whole box on a high shelf 🙂. Thank you! According to my PO receipt your package should arrive today too. Everything in it is wrapped. 2w
Hooked_on_books @Soubhiville Yep, that‘s from me! I‘ll also be sending you a package from here tomorrow in which all will be wrapped. I‘m glad the first one arrived safely. 2w
42 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Hooked_on_books
Cuckoo | Gretchen Felker-Martin
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Pickpick

After Manhunt, I wasn‘t sure about GFM (I found it one note), but she proved to me with book 2 that she can really write. She tells the harrowing, capital H Horror story of a conversion camp here and writes the characters with more depth than the typical horror book. And I kept seeing villain pastor Eddie as looking just like Mike Johnson for some reason.

#TOB longlist

Soubhiville Great photo! 2w
Soubhiville I tried reading this but after just a few pages knew it was too heavily horrifying for me. 😆 2w
ImperfectCJ I have this one checked out from the library, but I was also tepid on Manhunt, so I've not been excited about reading Cuckoo. I'm slightly more enthusiastic after reading this! 2w
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BkClubCare I had it on hold but then canceled - maybe someday 2w
Hooked_on_books @Soubhiville I always appreciate when an author sets expectations for the reader early so one doesn‘t waste their time if the book isn‘t for them. She did that here for sure. And I had to laugh when I saw Bindi in the pic. What a silly dog! 😆 2w
Hooked_on_books @ImperfectCJ Definitely give it a try at least. I suspect you‘ll like this one a lot better. I wasn‘t super excited going in, either, and she won me over for sure. 2w
Leftcoastzen 👏🐶😄 2w
BarbaraBB I am very intrigued now because I bailed on Manhunt. 2w
squirrelbrain Good to know -I wasn‘t keen on Manhunt, but bought this one anyway. 🤦‍♀️ 2w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w
52 likes10 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Patriot | Alexei Navalny
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Pickpick

Alexei Navalny loved his county but hated the corruption of its leaders, so he used his training as a lawyer to investigate that corruption and expose it with evidence on his blog. This led him into politics and eventually into challenging Putin for the presidency. This extraordinary memoir shows his humanity, humor, and love for country and family. Everyone should read this.

Amiable Ooh, I just put this one on my TBR yesterday—glad to get your thoughts on it. 2w
Suet624 Definitely on my radar. Such a brave man. 2w
48 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

In 2 time lines we follow Natasha, Russian prima ballerina, after she has retired and may be drawn back in to dance, and as she grows up to reach the pinnacle of ballet. Overall I liked the story but I suggest sticking with print. The audio reader is awful and nearly made me bail early.

LeahBergen I‘ve been intrigued by this one! 3w
Amiable I like that cover—the colors are pretty. 3w
Librarybelle I‘m listening to this right now, and I agree about the narration! I think I would be enjoying this just more if I had the print version. 3w
marleed Yeah, I think Natalia‘s character is so distant and self-absorbed in a world where those two things are what the reader expects her to be. But it made it hard to root for her. I liked the story - the Mc born 1985 while I was expecting a HF defection story from the 19th century, but I found I observed rather than rooted for Natalia. 3w
41 likes4 comments
blurb
Hooked_on_books
Beautiful Ugly | Alice Feeney
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Well, I succumbed. #BOTM had a Black Friday offer of rejoining for free (it requires at least one month renewal) and they had the new Alice Feeney which isn‘t out until the end of January and I wanted it early. And it got here SO fast! I‘m actually stunned. And delighted. Hoping to start this soon.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
ShelleyBooksie Great reading buddy ♡♡ 3w
41 likes2 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Scaffolding: A Novel | Lauren Elkin
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Mehso-so

I‘m not sure what I think of this. I like the story split into part 1 and 3, but the story in part 2 was bewildering on audio. It took me half of it to realize the perspective kept switching back and forth between husband and wife (read by one person with no vocal changes to inform the listener), making it hard to follow and make sense of. I can‘t quite give it a pick.

#TOBlonglist

squirrelbrain Oh dear. I have the ARC of this but was dissuaded by mixed reviews in the press. @barbarabb ‘s review bumped it up again, but now as it hasn‘t made the shortlist I fear it may disappear into the Kindle ether. 😳 3w
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I‘d give it a try, especially if you don‘t do audio because I know what Holly means regarding part 2. And it‘s a quick read but less mainstream than some of the shortlisted ones. 3w
squirrelbrain I‘m sure I will read it sometime @barbarabb but *when* is the question! 3w
youneverarrived I have this in print and I haven‘t read it yet but flicking through I can imagine it being confusing to listen to - especially just having the same narrator. 3w
37 likes5 comments
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Hooked_on_books
Hilo (Hawaii) Public Library | Hilo, HI (Library)
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My latest #TOBlonglist holds came in, so here‘s today‘s library haul stack! When Bury Your Gays first came out for some reason I decided not to read it, but upon rereading the description I‘m really looking forward to it. And the Bordas has a blurb from Percival Everett, so I‘m intrigued!

bio_chem06 Please let us know about Bury Your Gays. I‘ve done the same thing. Thought nah, then thought yes 3w
squirrelbrain I started Bury Your Gays last night- I‘m not sure about it yet…. Loved Blue Sisters -it will be on my favourites of the whole year. 3w
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain Oh wow, that‘s high praise for Blue Sisters! Something tells me I‘ll like BYG better than you do. 🫢 3w
51 likes3 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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I made my graphic of my picks for December #ReadYourEbooks then promptly neglected to post it. 😬 It‘s a very blue theme this month! I‘m hyper focused on the TOB longlist at the moment, so we‘ll see if I actually get to any of these, but I‘ll try!

CBee 🤞🏻🤞🏻 3w
Hooked_on_books @CBee Oh shoot, I meant to tag you! Glad you found me anyway. 🫣 3w
CBee @Hooked_on_books no worries 😉 3w
32 likes3 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

In this sly novel, Cortes is in Tenoxchitlan facing off with Moctezuma. Is he prisoner or guest? We see the maneuverings of both sides as tension builds while the tone of the book stays light with much winking at the reader. I thought this was brilliant.

#TOBlonglist

dabbe #sweetestface 🖤🐾🖤 3w
Megabooks Oh wow! I wish I had picked this up. It‘s back ordered now. 3w
squirrelbrain This is one I can get from the library, so I‘m glad to hear it‘s good. 3w
48 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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Panpan

This book looked like a fun, light, cute read. But despite a couple of truly funny lines, I‘m afraid I thought it was silly and dumb. I really should have bailed.

review
Hooked_on_books
The Art Forger: A Novel | B. A. Shapiro
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Pickpick

Artist Claire has been blackballed by the art world and is thus working creating reproductions of famous paintings for a website. Then someone brings her a painting from the Gardner Museum heist but she believes it‘s a forgery. For whatever reason I dragged my feet to pick up this book and it turns out I loved it! The story is great and the descriptions of the artistic process are fascinating. #ReadYourEbooks

Librarybelle I read this one years ago and really liked it! 3w
44 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
December | Phil Rickman
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I‘m finally posting my #ReadYourEbooks list for December. I‘ve only read one (I‘m a little over halfway through but expect to have it finished tomorrow) for November, but I consider that a win! It‘s one I‘ve been trying to get myself to read (and it‘s so good, I don‘t know why I was dragging my feet), so I‘m so glad I‘m finally reading it. Can‘t wait to see which numbers get drawn!

review
Hooked_on_books
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Bailedbailed

This is my second attempt with Barry and I have to conclude that he‘s not for me. I read 30 pages and it‘s choppy and nonsensical and I have no desire to continue.

#TOBlonglist

Anna40 I bailed on this one too 3w
BkClubCare Oh. I am now realizing that I was thinking this was Kevin Wilson. Ooops 3w
BarbaraBB @BkClubCare I prefer Wilson to Barry too 😀 3w
See All 9 Comments
squirrelbrain I finished it but that‘s only because it was short and I struggle to bail. 🙄 I really disliked it. 3w
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain I actually find that validating. I‘m even happier now that I bailed! I used to be how you‘re describing (and can still be), but I‘ve gotten better about admitting to myself when a book isn‘t working for me. It‘s hard! 3w
squirrelbrain Thank you Holly. ☺️ I found it choppy too but also rather distasteful and unpleasant. I was reading it with a face like I could smell something bad. 😬 3w
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain 😂 That‘s hilarious! I‘ve learned to try to read my facial expressions to help me bail. If I have the face you describe or if I‘m rolling my eyes a lot I tell myself it‘s time. It doesn‘t always work, but it often does. 3w
Megabooks Good to know!! 3w
38 likes9 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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Mehso-so

What happens when one comes out of the presidency in their mid-50s? An interesting thing to contemplate. This was a very mixed bag for me. The insidery bits of it are fascinating and I wanted more, but there‘s other bits where he‘s tooting his own horn far too much. I think this is best to pick and choose and skip over some of the rest.

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Hooked_on_books
What Does It Feel Like? | Sophie Kinsella
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Pickpick

I‘ve read lots of SK but decided her books weren‘t really by thing anymore, so I was going to skip this but grabbed it as a skip the line loan on a whim. I went in completely blind and was floored by this bittersweet story. It‘s so good, with an unmissable author‘s note. I had no idea.

Deblovestoread I haven‘t read on of hers in years. Stacked! 3w
squirrelbrain I can imagine this is quite different to her others…. 3w
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain It‘s very different. In style, length, and inspiration. 3w
34 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Hooked_on_books
A Long Walk from Gaza | Asma Al-Atawna
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Pickpick

This novel starts with a woman fleeing from her home and the violence in Gaza in 2001, then goes back and recounts her childhood. It shows how so many are simply trying to live and are prevented from doing so by outside forces. A necessary reminder of the human lives impacted by violence.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
42 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
Cold as Hell | Kelley Armstrong
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Pickpick

The latest is another satisfying entry to the Rockton/Haven‘s Rock series. I won‘t give away any of the plot, but Armstrong has a knack for varying things in each book so they don‘t feel repetitive or silly. I really enjoyed this one.

BarbaraBB I only read the first installment. Maybe I should continue the series. 3w
39 likes1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

This book looks at behaviors in animals that appear very much to be analogous to mental health issues in people, from anxiety to compulsive actions. It‘s very good, but very difficult to read if you love animals. (And why would you read this if you didn‘t?) It‘s making me think a lot and perhaps realign my thinking on some things.

Soubhiville Sounds interesting and informative. I love that humans are learning more and being more open to the idea that our pets and other animals aren‘t all that different from us. 4w
42 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Ostensibly the auto fiction of a Japanese author based on a year long visit to Japanese-controlled Taiwan in 1938, this book explores colonialism, caste, racism, and love in a light, buoyant fashion drenched in food. While I do not feel it is better than The Book Censor‘s Library, it is nonetheless a worthy winner of the NBA for translated literature. I loved it.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
46 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
Headshot: A Novel | Rita Bullwinkel
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Mehso-so

I had avoided this book before because I really dislike the violence of boxing, but I figured I‘d give it a go since it was on the #TOBlonglist. I reacted to it about the way I expected—I enjoyed some of the character studies, but the boxing was too forward in the story and overall I found it a bit thin.

BarbaraBB Totally agree. 4w
Megabooks Agree. 3w
58 likes2 comments
blurb
Hooked_on_books
Cuckoo | Gretchen Felker-Martin
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I‘ve put in a bunch of holds for all formats of #TOBlonglist books and these are the ones my library had on the shelves. (They also had the Rooney, but I‘m not interested in it.) I‘ve read 28 so far, so I‘m in good shape! (I may be going a little overboard with all this. 😬)

BarbaraBB Wow, so many!! What are your favorites? 4w
squirrelbrain Was just about to ask on your Real Americans response to me if you were doing ToB! I‘ve read the top 2 and have just bought the bottom 2…. 😊 4w
Hooked_on_books @BarbaraBB The Book Censor‘s Library (of course), Colored Television, My Friends, Model Home, The Safekeep, Small Rain, and The Wedding People are all good. I also thought The Extinction of Irena Rey was interesting and unusual. 4w
See All 10 Comments
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain Gosh, of course I am! I‘ve put in so many holds I think I might be a little insane. 😬 4w
squirrelbrain We‘re insane together - I bought 8 already and have reservations on about the same number at the library…. 🤪 4w
Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain 😂 You are my people! 4w
BarbaraBB Thanks! I already read or ordered all of your favorites except for Small Rain, which I‘ll check out now immediately 😀 4w
BkClubCare My tribe! You all must read so fast! 💨 I stopped by my fave indie bookstore and purchased ONE 3w
Hooked_on_books @BkClubCare We don‘t necessarily read fast. We‘re just out of our minds. 😂 And I enjoyed Beautyland! It‘s different in a good way. I hope you like it, too. 3w
BkClubCare @Hooked_on_books - I am pretty sure BL is up my alley and I couldn‘t even begin to tell you why since I can‘t recall any reviews I‘ve read! 3w
51 likes10 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Real Americans | Rachel Khong
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Pickpick

This exploration of 3 generations of a Chinese then Chinese-American family is an interesting look at family relations, race, and immigration. It‘s good, but it‘s nonlinear and the pacing is a little off. I feel like this had the potential to be dynamite if it had been tightened up more during editing.

#TOBlonglist

AmyG I just finished this. Agree about the pacing. I enjoyed it, though. 4w
squirrelbrain We concur, as you know! 🤪 4w
Megabooks Agree re: editing! 3w
55 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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Mehso-so

I really struggled with this one. It‘s a memoir by a Palestinian man serving a life sentence from a young age in an Israeli prison. I think we need to hear more voices from inside prisons, so I‘m glad this exists, but the language is so flowery I really didn‘t like it. Then the second half of the book is entirely about the woman he falls in love with and it‘s like they‘re each trying to convince themselves they‘re really in love. ⬇️

Hooked_on_books NBA longlist, translated literature 1mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
48 likes2 comments
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Hooked_on_books
Now or Never | Janet Evanovich
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Pickpick

The latest Stephanie Plum book gives us a lot of scenes of Stephanie and Lula together (always fun), a possible vampire, and a curious ending that makes me wonder what‘s next (it literally says “Not the End” at the end…interesting). A fun installment!

review
Hooked_on_books
Someday, Somewhere | Lindsay Champion
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Mehso-so

I won this one a while back and turns out it‘s mostly a romance, which isn‘t my thing. It excels in showing the juxtaposition of how the rich and poor live and has some good humor in it. But the central relationship was silly to me and I don‘t like that one of the characters stole repeatedly and there were no consequences from this.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
40 likes1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
Eleanore of Avignon: A Novel | Elizabeth DeLozier
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Pickpick

Eleanore is a herbalist who dreams of more and manages to get an assistantship with the pope‘s doctor when he learns of her skill. Then the black plague arrives in Avignon, putting both of them to the test. I enjoyed this, though I found the doctor‘s name (Guigo) odd and it threw me off at times.

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Hooked_on_books
Masquerade | Mike Fu
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Panpan

I was really looking forward to this one, as it sounded intriguing. It wasn‘t working for me, so I looked at Goodreads and some reviewers there said it starts slowly (true) but comes together at the end (I disagree). Some of the characters were interesting and occasionally there was a super interesting moment, but then it would disappear. I considered bailing and frankly wish that I had.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
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Mehso-so

I thought this would be an interesting look at Chagas‘ disease, relatively common in central and South America but mostly unknown elsewhere, but it wasn‘t what I wanted. It was purely individual reported experiences, and even those stories were a little scanty. I would rather have had science with a deep dive into personal experience than this.

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You Have Gone Too Far | Carlene O'Connor
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Pickpick

In book 3 of the Dimpna Wilde/Cormac O‘Brien series, someone may be preying on pregnant women in a possible echo of a cult case from 30 years ago. I really like this series, especially Dimpna‘s work as a veterinarian, though there is less of that in this book. It‘s hard to beat a mystery set in Ireland!

MallenNC I just read the first of this series and really liked it. I hope to get to the next one soon. 1mo
46 likes1 comment
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Tomboyland | Melissa Faliveno
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Pickpick

I really loved this essay collection. Faliveno explores having grown up in Wisconsin (she has a deep love for the place and its people), gender (she is genderqueer), and more. Her writing is lovely and really grabbed me.

CW for rape

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 1mo
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The National Book Awards were announced tonight and here are the winners (in the categories I follow)! I‘m delighted with the NF winner and I certainly can‘t argue about Everett getting his due (though a part of me wanted to see My Friends take it). The translated pick is the only one I haven‘t read yet, as it only came out last week, so I‘m looking forward to seeing what I think.

AmyG Happy to see James won. Excellent book. 1mo
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Pickpick

I went into this one completely blind after enjoying Wahala and I‘m glad I did. I found it wholly absorbing and didn‘t want to stop listening. It explores upheaval, culture, race, greed and more. No sophomore slump for Nikki May!

LeeRHarry I loved this one - glad you enjoyed it too! 😊 1mo
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