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marleed

marleed

Joined April 2019

To this Litten community: I can‘t imagine moving through a pandemic without you!
review
marleed
Iron Flame | Rebecca Yarros
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Pickpick

This author writes great battle scenes interrupted by young angsty love, secrets, and jealousy. I noticed the good reads 2023 voting choices categorize this book as romantasy vs fantasy. Ah so,, the fusion of two genres - I get it now, but for me the descriptive sex scenes were an interruption to what I liked best. I age myself even more when this book so oft reminded me - my gosh we send babies to war.
Dec ‘23 #DoubleSpin Cat:part of a series

Soubhiville I‘m halfway through and agree with you: I could do without the 🌶️, it‘s interrupting the actual story for me. But still enjoying it! 12h
jamield1993 I enjoyed the STORY of this more than Fourth Wing but agree with the spice. I also got bored of their constant bickering! 12h
marleed @Soubhiville @jamield1993 oh I‘m glad I‘m not alone in my cringey thoughts for the descriptive sex scenes imbedded here. This type of series can be so fun to continue the shared reading experience with a growing family. Every time a mention of the ways to trigger the clitoris were used, I ewewed imagining reading along with teenagers. This, even though I strongly believe all books belong in a school libraries - just a weird ewe thing. 10h
See All 7 Comments
jamield1993 @marleed I'm all for a bit of smut 🤣🤣 but I found that in IF, the smut overtook the actual plot at points! 10h
Lin3han Their bickering was ROUGH and I had to remind myself constantly they are 20 LOL. LOVE the dragons and angsty teen Andara tho!! 10h
marleed @jamield1993 That‘s it! I didn‘t quite know how to explain my thoughts without sounding anti-some-fun-smut!… @Lin3han The angsty parts mixed with battles is what had me consider for the real life babes we send to war! 10h
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 5h
57 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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marleed
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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Switching up my BookSpin/DoubleSpin to capture the category of just about any book on my TBR has proved to be great fun in 2023. …The only thing interrupting my reading plans is life with my newest bffs, Gavan, Sparks, Canon, Banks, and RíEllie (3 grandsons, 1 granddaughter, and a grandniece)!

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

IndoorDame They‘re adorable!!! I‘ve been getting inspiration for next year from your categories 💜 2d
Megabooks Very cute!! 2d
Ruthiella Adorable picture! 🤩 2d
See All 18 Comments
Bookwormjillk Wow! That‘s quite the baby boom! 2d
TheBookHippie Awe!!!! 2d
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2d
GinaKButler What cuties! 😍 2d
marleed @IndoorDame @Megabioks @Ruthiella @Bookwormjillk @TheBookHippie @TheAromaofBooks @GinaKButler They are so much fun. I went over 25 years w/o wee ones in my daily life, I downsized to 1/3 the size of the house in which I raised my kids. And then, Hello, I get a new group of besties! 2d
dabbe We have a photo winner! A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.!!! 🤩🤩🤩 2d
Deblovestoread Such a great pic! They are all adorable and your smile lights the room. 😍 2d
marleed @IndoorDame Switching to categories was a game changer for me. Instead of stressing over a specific book I committed to, I get to shop my TBR to match bookspin and doublespin. One of my fav categories is Litsy stacked because I try for a TBR book I don‘t own but is readily available thru Libby. 2d
Gissy Lovely picture😍👌
I‘m doing something similar because I‘m a mood reader. I never know what will be my mood when I have to choose the next book.
2d
marleed @Gissy Thank you! I realized last year that I was way more of a mood reader than I‘d described my reading habits. Allowing for that this year, I realize I have way more 5* (A+) and 4.75* (solid A) than I have in years past. So I think I‘m going to stick with mood reading as my primary source for choosing my next book! 2d
jlhammar What a wonderful photo! Just adorable. 2d
bthegood Adorable and sweet - little ones are such a delight and joy!! Enjoy the kids and your reading 🙂 2d
Gabbymags123 Lucky you 2d
BarbaraBB How lovely! 1d
marleed @jlhammar @bthegood @Gabbymags123 @BarbaraBB Oh thank you. They are so much fun! I was always a work-at-an-office mom, but now I get to be a stay-at-home grandma (aka Gg) and it is simply the best of days! 21h
59 likes18 comments
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marleed
Before We Say Goodbye: A Novel | Toshikazu Kawaguchi
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Pickpick

I love this whole series of books. They are written in such a gentle way, and it makes me slow down and appreciate a good story. I particularly liked this grouping of stories as each challenged the rules and considered breaking them. …But crap, would you risk being turned into a ghost by blatantly drinking cold coffee. Ah, nooo!

tpixie I bought number 2 in Paris because of the cover, not knowing it was a series! My goal is to read them this year! 3d
MaureenMc I love this series too. ❤️ 3d
steph_phanie I love these books! I'm trying to make time to read Before We Say Goodbye before the end of the year! 3d
See All 6 Comments
IuliaC I love these! You've got the entire collection 😍 3d
marleed @tpixie @MaureenMc @steph_phanie @IuliaC I think it‘s even the sweet little size of each book - I can‘t resist them. 2d
tpixie @IuliaC they are a great size in the covers are simple and beautiful 2d
80 likes1 stack add6 comments
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marleed
Check & Mate | Ali Hazelwood
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Pickpick

The back story here had me thinking I picked up a sequel, but nope. I loved Malory‘s relationship with her younger sisters, and how the author made chess players cool. I thought the insert-conflict-here issue between Mallory and Sawyer was too predictable but that‘s my go-to issue in a romance so maybe it‘s me! I liked the ‘you‘re straight, bisexual, asexual - whatever‘ approach to the character development. Because really, who cares.

britt_brooke Nice review! Reading this now. 3d
marleed @britt_brooke I like how she makes intelligence cool! 2d
73 likes3 comments
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marleed
Tom Lake: A Novel | Ann Patchett
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Pickpick

Only once did I pay over $20 for a single drink (served in glass smaller a shot glass). It was so good! I drank it slowly allowing my tastebuds to experience the flavor as long as possible. To me Ann Patchett writes the book form of a well-made top shelf drink. This story is so good and timeless (even if Covid brought this family together) and deserves to be savored. And reading in stereo with Meryl Streep‘s narration is perfection.

BiblioLitten There‘s just something special about her writing. 1w
CatMS I lived this book as I do all Ann Patchett writes. 1w
CatMS Ooops, meant "loved" not lived☺ 1w
See All 6 Comments
marleed @BiblioLitten @CatMS she just pulls me into her stories! 6d
Suet624 sweet review and lovely photo! 3d
marleed @Suet624 Thank you! 2d
77 likes2 stack adds6 comments
review
marleed
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Mehso-so

I was on the fence as to whether I thought this a slow pick or a hot mess and I‘m leaning toward the latter. The steamy thoughts and scenes didn‘t work for me here esp when followed shortly after by graphic description of bodily smells including urine and excrement. When the story did unfold, it kept unfolding beyond where i maintained interest. Still though, this author has potential for future good yarns.

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marleed
The Good Part | Sophie Cousens
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Pickpick

Just let me wish on a star and fast forward to a point in the future where my life will surely be bliss. It‘s a well understood trope. What made this story unique was how the supporting characters were made aware and reacted to Lucy‘s situation. It was fun to read.

65 likes3 stack adds
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marleed
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Pickpick

I read just a chapter or two at a time from this book because the single POV of 20 yo Mia was so over-analytical. I didn‘t want to read too quickly and start skim her thoughts and felt I owed it to Mia to remain engaged in her telling. Both she and 14 yo Eugene intrigued me.

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The Museum of Failures | Thrity Umrigar
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I don‘t know if it‘s the books alone or my timing when reading them but 2023 has been a really good year for me. Tagged the book I think might be among my overall favorites of the year!

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

Amiable I adore Umrigar! Such a great writer. 2w
61 likes1 stack add1 comment
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marleed
The Rachel Incident: A novel | Caroline O'Donoghue
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Pickpick

Sometimes I‘m fully aware that the moon and stars aligned and provided me the right book at the right time and immersed me in the experience and joy of reading. This was that book. The whole situation read so believable to me. A reminder we just don‘t know when we are in it, the year that will become so pivotal to the rest of our life.

BarbaraBB Great review! Just bought this one. 2w
marleed @BarbaraBB isn‘t it interesting how sometimes you just know that reading a particular at a particular time was just exactly the right thing. 2w
BarbaraBB Yes it is! I love it when that happens! 2w
82 likes3 comments
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marleed
The Museum of Failures | Thrity Umrigar
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Pickpick

When I say this book gave me all the feels, I mean it literally. Seriously, my insides were in knots over the anguish I felt for these fictional characters. It is such a beautiful, compassionate story and kudos to the author for considering so many aspects to a story. I cannot imagine that I‘ll ever forgot this one - that‘s saying a lot because I can forget a story I read the previous week! Thrity is auto-read for me after 2 books.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great review! Stacked 📚 2w
kspenmoll Wonderful review! 2w
marleed @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @kspenmoll Gosh I loved this story. I‘m sure it will be among my favorites for the year. 2w
69 likes7 stack adds3 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

As I read this, I just kept thinking of the so many large Irish Catholic families that were part of my community in the same era in which Meg details her story. So many secrets because appearance was everything. I‘m so grateful the need for mental health is becoming recognized as a legitimate medical necessity.

64 likes1 stack add
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marleed
The Push | Ashley Audrain
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Pickpick

The writing is so good here and the subject matter so uncomfortable that I had to walk away from the actual story and read some reviews. It helped when I stopped reading this as contemporary fiction and read it as a creepy thriller. Kudos to the author for making me flip-flop opinions about the adults in the room. I can‘t wait for later this week and my IRL bookclub discussion about this one!

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marleed
You, Again | Kate Goldbeck
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Mehso-so

I looked forward to this one after reading the story was inspired by the banter from When Harry Met Sally. The problem for me was I liked Sally from the onset of her story. Ari, uhhh, maybe I need to get to know my characters before I chuckle at their bawdy behavior.

peaknit I felt the same! 3w
68 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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marleed
The River We Remember: A Novel | William Kent Krueger
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Pickpick

This book paints such a vivid picture of 1958 Jewell Minnesota and the community whose lives were entwined as the Alabaster River flowed through It/them. Every character good, bad, and growing was drawn so precisely. I couldn‘t stop myself from reading to its conclusion while at the same time knowing I didn‘t want to leave this community. I was grateful for the satisfying epilogue that let me imagine their completed stories.

AmyK1 I started this one yesterday and I‘m loving it so far. 3w
Leftcoastzen It‘s on my stack , nice review! 3w
MissyD I read “the levee” over the summer. It was my first book by him. This one was quickly added to my TBR 3w
marleed @AmyK1 @Leftcoastzen @MissyD I hope each of you likes it as much as I did! 3w
77 likes1 stack add4 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

I‘ve often noticed my copy of Maid on my shelves and wondered what happened to Stephanie after moving to Missoula (a town close to my heart and roots). I don‘t agree with some of the choices and decisions she made as a deeply indebted 35 yo single mother. (An IRL bookclub discussion would be so interesting). However, I respect her effort to earn an English degree and model for her daughter the goal to become who you dream to be.

72 likes2 stack adds
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marleed
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Pickpick

George was a McDreamy, and Lizzie was something shy of a nightmare. I should have been done with her since George deserved better. But something about Lizzie intrigued me, and I wanted her to understand the love in her life. The audio was available so I experienced both audio and print. It gave me Ann Patchett vibes, and I‘m not sure if it was the writing or the author‘s own narration of the story.

Nov 23 #BookSpin Cat: pub 2016-2019

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3w
64 likes1 stack add1 comment
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marleed
The Many Lives of Mama Love | Lara Love Hardin
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I‘m pretty sure I‘ve never had 3 memoirs in a single grid before so chances were good a memoir might win the grid this time. I have to give it to Mama Love!

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

56 likes1 stack add
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marleed
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Pickpick

The events of this book are dramatic but the story is calmly told. I was quickly invested in Joe and his younger sister, Ruthie/Norma. I couldn‘t wait to get to end because I needed to know the particulars when Norma finally realized her Nova Scotia roots. I thought this was a very good effort by a first time author.

71 likes1 stack add
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marleed
The Many Lives of Mama Love | Lara Love Hardin
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Pickpick

I gotta say, as this started out and for several chapters, I wasn‘t feelin‘ the love for Mama as her addiction to escape over took her ability to mother her children. But really, her ability to overcome her addiction, forgive herself, control her life, and make a positive difference in such an impressive way truly makes for a memoir well worth reading. Pic is from her Instagram.

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How to Say Babylon | Safiya Sinclair
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Pickpick

My stomach flip-flops when I read the devastation brought on a child because of their parent‘s radicalized faith. And once again it is the opportunity for education that frees a child to become. I knew nothing about what it means to be Rastafarian and found this interesting. …I did think the last part of the book took an odd turn from her personal story to her thoughts on current America.

ChaoticMissAdventures Sad, but so interesting how every faith can be twisted into radicalization to harm people. When I think of Rasta I think immediately of the Marley family and “One Love“ light. Which I know that family had/has many problems itself, but from a glance it is all Love and Weed. I didn't realize the religions stance on death/dying until I read 4w
Megabooks This broke my heart to the point where I had to bail. A terrible story I just couldn‘t deal with. I‘m glad she made it through though. I bailed at 56%. 4w
marleed @ChaoticMissAdventures Oh thanks, I just stacked your book. I think I owe it to Rastafarians to read a story of their faith that does not include this horrible father. 4w
marleed @Megabooks Boy, I understand. Reading this, I went to Safiya‘s instagram, and from her comment to her father - his page. Yikes, he‘s a narcissist. I guess every child has an inalienable right to their feelings toward their parent. I just think he‘s bad to the core. 4w
71 likes1 stack add4 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

Raised in NYC-UWS and disrespected by both parents his entire upbringing as they mistook dyslexia for a lack of intelligence, Henry persevered earning an MFA from Yale. Typecast as the Fonz, he continued to persevere in Hollywood with a drive to work. What a pleasure to listen to the life experience and wisdom of this 78 year old man where even now he evaluates who he is/was in life situations and how to be a better man. I mean, life goals.

Tamra The Fonz 👍🏾 Brings back “Happy” memories 😃 4w
marleed @Tamra oh for me too! This was definitely not the memoir of a partying Hollywood guy. He‘s just a hardworking family man consistently searching for the next opportunity. I was surprised at the many guest roles he‘s been in. Also their traveling bffs are Bob Daly and Carol Bayer Sager! 4w
Scochrane26 I grew up with the Fonz but also love him in Parks & Rec. 4w
marleed @Scochrane26 He has such great appreciation for the post-Fonz roles he was given the opportunity to play. He‘s just such a great guy! 4w
66 likes4 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

I‘m a fan of fictional family drama and when the drama is about magic, well, that just makes it fun. We are past the halfway point of the story before these three MCs come together. I thought that was a betraying way to write this because I was equally invested in Joanna, Esther, and Nicholas. The supporting characters were interesting too!

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marleed
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Wow, this month flew by, perhaps because I saved so many of these books to specifically read this month!

#indexcard collection, #MonthlyWrapUp

Ruthiella Beautiful! 😍 1mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 1mo
marleed @Ruthiella @dabbe Thank you so much! 1mo
See All 6 Comments
dabbe @marleed I look forward to seeing these every month. 🖤🎃🖤 1mo
marleed @dabbe and that makes my day! 1mo
Suet624 @dabbe same. 4w
48 likes6 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

So I read to page 50 and was ready to DNF until I read the Darker Shade of Magic series. A week later, I started over, slowed down, and was soon immersed in these magical London worlds. My plan however is to read the originating series before continuing on with book 2 of this set because I‘d love to know the backstories.

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BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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What to read, what to read!

#BookSpin November 2023
@TheAromaofBooks

JenReadsAlot That's a great list! 1mo
CoverToCoverGirl 🤩🤩 All of the books!! 🩵💙 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo
marleed @JenReadsAlot @TheAromaofBooks Thanks! Switching to categories has been so much fun for 2023. I find I can‘t wait for the 2nd of the month when I can go ‘shopping‘ for my BS and DS! 1mo
marleed @CoverToCoverGirl I just can‘t quit with the thrifted board books and my grandkids love them. Canon spends most of his time with me in this room. It‘s so funny, he‘s like a heat seeking missile to his favorites to read and then he also has his favorites to eat! 1mo
47 likes5 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

I liked this family who had magic - okay, call them witches if you must - and how their magic worked for each of them in an otherwise typical world. Sadie‘s angst over those she loved leaving Poppy Hollow to live their lives made sense had she been a young teenager but not as. Mature adult. It‘s a slow pick where better justification for her bruised heart would have made this a solid HEA pick.

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marleed
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Pickpick

Time travel books are just so much fun for me, I think because there are no rules. Each author gets to define the restrictions, the how, the why of travel. This one has a red door that might be mistaken for an hallucination. The rules here were intricate and I had do some backtracking before it all made sense. But yea, I easily suspended my disbelief for this set of rules!

ICantImReading I love the coziness and colors of this picture 😍 I‘m excited to start this one soon! 1mo
marleed @ICantImReading oh I love it when the cover of a new book matches my mood and the season! 1mo
66 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

In my blow-through-books era I‘m seldom a fan of overly descriptive books. Not this time! I was completely drawn into the details, backstories, and the Ireland history of this 1923 Cork murder mystery. When considering 2023 reading challenges I‘d have never guessed my amusement in taking part in #NunLitQuarterly. Thank you @jlhammar for exposing me to four great books I‘d never had otherwise read.

kspenmoll Love the nuns in the background. I do have enjoyed this journey I‘ve gotten behind. I‘m just starting to shameful murder right now. 1mo
jlhammar Love the tableau! Those figurines are fantastic. I felt the same way about this book. So glad you‘ve been part of the group. I‘ll be posting our 2024 options for voting soon (probably this weekend or next) so stay tuned! 1mo
rubyslippersreads ❤️ your little “convent.” 😊 1mo
See All 7 Comments
LeahBergen I love your little nuns! 1mo
marleed @kspenmoll @jlhammar @rubyslippersreads Oh thank you! The mic‘ed up nun is my oldest personal possession (well over 1/2 century!)- a gift heading into kindergarten, I suppose in hopes of qualming fears of the IRL Sr Theadotta (it didn‘t). Sr Mary Salt and Sr Mary Pepper were possessions my sister, Monica who passed away in 2021, and Sr Mary Celtic came from her Irish gift store in my hometown - Butte MT. (edited) 1mo
marleed @LeahBergen Thank you! I was typing their history as you commented! 1mo
LeahBergen I‘m so glad you added their history! 🥰 1mo
62 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

Aside from finding it odd this exited right from a death row legal thriller to become a story of international intrigue, it‘s a good book.
Mitch is now a NYC partner in a law firm spanning the world and Abby is a cookbook editor. …Funny thing is, Mitch and Abby are 15 book years older and I‘ve loved them for 30 IRL years- all I wanted was to read either or both of them in every scene and hear about their personal lives with their twin boys!

60 likes1 stack add
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marleed
Life After Life: A Novel | Kate Atkinson
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The only thing I have that say for myself is that I was saving and/or anticipating these books for October reads, and timing and mood is everything! Tagged my favorite but this was a great grid of reading!

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

sarahbarnes I have Life After Life up next on my pile right now! Have been wanting to get to it for ages. Glad to hear you loved it! 1mo
marleed @sarahbarnes Same! I really thought I was reading just to knock it gf my TBR. I loved it so much I added her brother‘s companion story to my TBR. And to my luck, I found a $2 copy at a library book sale! 1mo
64 likes2 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

Oh a Lizzie Borden yarn! There were so many twists in this one. It was just fun to read. It took me a minute to decide I liked the MC, Kit, but once we connected, the ride was a blast. And, the 1983 playlist was a blast from the past, too.

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marleed
Spells for Forgetting | Adrienne Young
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Pickpick

This was so well written, and I was completely engaged in the 14 yrs after-the-fact telling of 4 teenage HS seniors living on this witchy constricted island. I was also intrigued by the impact their families played in the story. At then the ending, I didn‘t see that coming!

Oct #BookSpin Category: Pub 2021-22 @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Ooooo I love this cover!!! 1mo
marleed @TheAromaofBooks Her covers are so pretty with her next book having starbursts on it too! 1mo
75 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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marleed
Vampires of El Norte | Isabel Caas
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Pickpick

This was great storytelling. Dracula remains my favorite vampire story, but this is certainly my new favorite vampire adjacent story!

Its_Amanda_Plz Almost got that one! 1mo
marleed @Its_Amanda_Plz It‘s a good one and easily a story that doesn‘t date itself so easily picked up down the road. 1mo
73 likes2 comments
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marleed
Lone Women: A Novel | Victor LaValle
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Pickpick

It‘s fun to read a book that crosses genres and entices you to keep reading if only to find out how in the big skies of 1917 North East Montana this will end. It‘s gothic and horror with a monster, it‘s historical fiction in part, its a western, it‘s feminism and friendship, its prejudice and assumptions, it‘s scoundrels, it‘s redemption. It‘s a great story!

SamAnne I loved this one! Will read more by this author. 1mo
68 likes1 stack add1 comment
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marleed
Wolfsong | Tj Klune
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Pickpick

Like so many others, I discovered TJ Klune in the Cerulean Sea. I preordered his next 2 books bad hadn‘t read any of his backlog until now. For me the angst in the love story between Joe and Oz took up too much of an otherwise really good story. It gives off Twilight vibes and I thought it hilarious the author even acknowledged this within the story. ↓

October‘23 #DoubleSin Category : Author‘s Canon @TheAromaofBooks

marleed @TheAromaofBooks I‘ve been lucky that Author‘s Canon has been a draw for me several times this year. Typically I try to respond with a book from my complete and thrifted John Grisham canon. But he has a new book released next week and I‘m trying to keep up with new releases which add a challenge to reading down my stack. …So thank you for the opportunity to change this category up and read from an early TJ Klune! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! I love going back and reading a new-favorite's older books. Glad you enjoyed this one!! 2mo
64 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

The Scarlett Letter is the only book I can think of that I was assigned to read multiple times so I‘ve always been intrigued by adaptations of the tale. …I really enjoyed part 1 of this story, and wasn‘t ready to leave it when Nathaniel Hawthorn‘s presence and timeline was introduced in part 2, but of course, it makes perfect Alice Hoffman sense. Beautifully written, as well.

67 likes1 stack add
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marleed
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Pickpick

Oh, this is a creepy good story about some sort of connection of a long dead serial killer to a current day disparate cast of characters and clues keep dropping to each of the them. But it is only you, Dear Reader, that is fed all the clues to know just what danger lurks ahead. And it didn‘t matter how fast I read - those clues would not congeal until the story‘s end!

cherryluvr I have been wanting to read some more mystery, definitely will add to my list 👏 2mo
63 likes7 stack adds1 comment
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marleed
What Lies in the Woods | Kate Alice Marshall
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Pickpick

Not far into this story, I was convinced this would be a meh kind of thriller because even I had figured out who the ultimate bad guy was going to be. Then the twists came and kept coming until the twists turned into a cat 2 tornado. And again I‘m forced to admit I suck at guessing a good thriller‘s ending!

Its_Amanda_Plz I didn‘t guess either 😂 1mo
marleed @Its_Amanda_Plz I‘m so entertained by my inability to guess a thriller‘s ending! 1mo
66 likes2 comments
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marleed
Life After Life: A Novel | Kate Atkinson
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Pickpick

What a treasure I had sitting for years on my shelves. I knew this was about a woman who died and lived many times over. And it is, Ursula is born many times over and always as the middle of 5 children to Sylvie and Hugh. But it‘s so much more than just that. I was aware this was not a stand-alone read but anticipated being one and done, marking it off my TBR. Now I must read Teddy‘s story that heretofore had not been on my TBR!

AnnR Nice photo! 2mo
Ruthiella I loved this one too. I felt like every iteration of Ursula‘s life was so perfectly told. 2mo
marleed @AnnR Thank you! The week before reading this, this was a rose I was given before a casket was lowered. It seemed appropriate to use here. 2mo
See All 7 Comments
marleed @Ruthiella As I realized Ursula‘s life was going to be rewritten within the same pocket of family, I thought there was no way it would retain my interest. I was so wrong, I loved all of this. 2mo
AnnR @Marleed Oh, I'm sorry. My condolences. 2mo
jlhammar One of my favorites! A God in Ruins is also amazing - enjoy! 2mo
marleed @AnnR oh gosh, thank you. It was for a life lived well and long into her 90s so it was truly a celebration of life. 2mo
71 likes1 stack add7 comments
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marleed
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Well, I didn‘t know the books that would fall in its grid when I pre-ordered the tagged, but I could have told you then that regardless the other 8 books my favorite would be the tagged!

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

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marleed
Starling House | Alix E. Harrow
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Pickpick

This book was packed with a good story! I don‘t even know how to focus on a main takeaway for this review or how to encapsulate spoilers on the 10 skinny lines of the backside my index card! I guess my least favorite part was the thoughts/hope for romance because I wanted that space for more details about the house and its former inhabitants and more Opal, Jasper and the two women that really were their unacknowledged found-family. ↓

marleed I‘ve never photographed a murmuration of starlings but I have many a pic (background of post) of the deafening plague of grackles which oft serenaded me during my five years of living on the San Antonio Riverwalk. I‘m laughing now thinking of a visiting sister crouched to the crowd covering her head out of fear of these birds. I should not have laughed I know- but really, it was just so damn funny. (edited) 2mo
Deblovestoread Beautiful photo. Love the story about your sister. I would have been cowering too, not out of fear of the birds, but out of fear of falling bird poo. 🤣 2mo
marleed @Deblovestoread I even laughed aloud as I typed that just thinking about it. Maybe it was because I knew she was safe even though she clearly did not concur. Partly it was me remembering my first grackle experience (in Austin) and then getting to watch as she had hers. There are just so many of them and they are so loud! She had no idea grackles were part of the SA experience - Spurs, yes. Grackles, no. 2mo
71 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

Oh this was good! I couldn‘t stop reading in hopes of getting to the truth at the end. Don‘t ask how that went for me :)

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marleed
The Intern: A Novel | Michele Campbell
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Pickpick

I lacked some interest in the story because I didn‘t like how the two female leads were written, but I stuck with it because the story the two women were set in was good. The ending was great so I‘m glad I hung in there.

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marleed
The Lies We Told | Camilla Way
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Pickpick

Yikes. Hannah was one scary toddler and in real life, even when the deck is stacked against a child I‘d never consider them a bad seed from the get-go. But in a fictional thriller, well, it makes for an entertaining read.

56 likes1 stack add
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marleed
Dear Child | Romy Hausmann
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Pickpick

Saturday last I landed on Netflix and binged this series. Then I saw the series was based on a German book and the translated book had a short library hold, and I had to go there. Although the series kinda-sorta aligned with the book, there were significant changes in the adaption. The book had more in-depth backstories for the adults in the story, and we were better able to ‘hear‘ the conversations in their heads.

61 likes1 stack add
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marleed
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Pickpick

Fictional moms behaving badly books may just be my guilty pleasure even if this had me groaning a few times. There where several years as a working married mom were I was completely overwhelmed and distinctly remember standing on my back deck looking across the horizon to the neighboring subdivision of many a stay-at-mom and being convinced my life would be easier if I just lived one subdivision south. Silly me!

Ruthiella Magical thinking…it‘s a human weakness. We all do it. 2mo
53 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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marleed
Bright Young Women | Jessica (Author) Knoll
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Pickpick

I know this was fictional true (well that‘s an oxymoron!) crime but it felt real, raw and horrifying. I remember 1978 and I‘m heartbroken for the women who had to move through the men in those courts to find justice for their abuse. And oh gosh. Please let‘s not roll gay rights back to this days. …Gah, to be a judge disappointed in a serial killer because said SK wasn‘t better at lawyering for himself!

64 likes3 stack adds
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marleed
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My October TBR was so stacked that I realized I better use most of September for a head start on that stack!

September 2023 #MonthlyWrapUp #IndexCard

Ruthiella Awesome display as usual! 🤩 2mo
BookmarkTavern I don‘t even know what Dark Corners is, but your card makes me want to learn. 😁 2mo
marleed @Ruthiella oh thank you. I do love to make this post! 2mo
marleed @BookmarkTavern Haha. What a great compliment- thank you! 2mo
55 likes4 comments
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marleed
She Started It | Sian Gilbert
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Mehso-so

PSA: If you spend 7 years prior to your A-levels in a 4-strong mean girl group relentlessly bullying a fellow student until she fails at her own goals, then 10 years later the four of you are surprisingly invited to an all-expense-paid private Bahama island hen party for said victim - don‘t go. Better yet, go. Just go. ↓

marleed @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thanks for gifting me this book! Wouldn‘t it be cool had cover been designed with Poppy‘s artwork!? 2mo
Eringogreen Yes! This was the unbelievable part. I can set aside the unrealistic plot generally if the lead up makes sense, but it really doesn‘t. If you‘ve never been friends, or even remotely kind to someone, why would you go??? 6d
marleed @Eringogreen it just didn‘t make sense! 6d
57 likes3 comments