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readingjedi

readingjedi

Joined September 2016

Symmetrical book stacking... just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947.
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A Single Source by Peter Hanington
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

This was actually a little belter of a book & I'm surprised it isn't more widely known/loved. It features a jaded female Death holidaying on Earth in human form. She investigates some shady business, learns about human nature, falls in love, rescues a dog & averts the Apocalypse...and it's all rather whimsical/hilarious/poignant! Death is a great character, but I also love Jesus (yes, THAT Jesus - don't ask, just read it!)

60 likes4 stack adds
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readingjedi
Somebody I Used to Know | Wendy Mitchell
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Mehso-so

Wendy was, without a doubt, an extraordinary individual with many outstanding qualities. Her strength of personality coupled with her incredible drive, determination, and positivity in the face of what for lesser mortals would've been a devastating diagnosis is inspiring and humbling.

However, I was not in the right place for this...perhaps no more medical memoirs for me for a while...

I'm sure others would find this a source of hope.

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readingjedi
Captain Corelli's Mandolin | Louis de Bernieres
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Pickpick

This turned out to be so much more than I expected. Caveat: I've never seen the film. Yes, there is a romance, but that's not the whole story. The writing is beautiful, but fairly dense - this is not an easy beach read. Nor is the subject matter feel-good fluff. Perseverance is rewarded, this was, for me, an incredible reading experience. I learnt so much, I FELT so much...just wonderful!
🇬🇷♥️🇬🇷

Tkimsal Read this 20 or so years ago and still recall it vividly. Wonderful book. 2w
67 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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Pickpick

Phew, this one is a short, sharp kick in the emotionals! It took a while to ensnare me, the understated style of writing bored me a little...until I cottoned on to its power - skimming the surface of complex emotions, concealing the slowly peeled back layers, hiding the truth in plain sight - narrative & style perfectly in harmony. And the reveal - the whole thing becomes something else altogether. It is still under my skin weeks later. Fabulous.

HeatherBookNerd I loved this one too 2w
AmyG Agree. Great book. 2w
Billypar I probably don't need the spoiler tag for this, but just to be safe. I love how the twist was hidden in plain sight. I didn't get it, but felt like I should have. It was an earned surprise, and even in the slower early moments, it did such a great job building the tension. One of my favorites so far this year. 2w
64 likes3 comments
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readingjedi
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Starting today - dredged this one up from the foothills of my towering and everso slightly terrifying Mount ToBeRead. Great cover, love the green with the splash of pink.

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readingjedi
Captain Corelli's Mandolin | Louis de Bernieres
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Sat in a beach bar, trying to read, but I keep getting distracted...🇬🇷♥️🇬🇷

Ruthiella Understandable! 🤩 1mo
wildwoodreads You can‘t beat that view 😍 1mo
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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readingjedi
My Friends | Fredrik Backman
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Pickpick

FB is one of my very few auto-buy authors. He just always delivers. And while I would rate this one just below Anxious People, it is still very enjoyable indeed. His style, all breezy banter, witty turns of phrase & jaw-busting emotional punches dropped oh so casually, is so readable, so engrossing, so SATISFYING that the plot is sometimes beside the point. But then the plot is actually 🔥 as well! This guy plays my emotions like a fiddle!

63 likes1 stack add
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readingjedi
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Mehso-so

A generous So-So from me as this really isn't my thing & was never gonna satisfy my reading needs, but I can appreciate its quality. The ideas are amazing, I hate the presentation. The disjointed structure & unknown chronology/time scales just frustrate me. It's annoying to just get into a story/engage with characters only to have it end & never followed up. The narrative is just confusing, though,admittedly, gorgeously written.

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readingjedi
The Safekeep | Yael van der Wouden
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A few treats this weekend from Waterstones. My daughter and I adore Legami pens and stationery.

rubyslippersreads Just what I need—a new brand of pen to become addicted to. 😹 2mo
BookBr The best pens!! 🥰 2mo
61 likes2 comments
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readingjedi
My Friends | Fredrik Backman
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Very excited to start this one.

55 likes1 stack add
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readingjedi
The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown
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Pickpick

Caveat: I am NOT a literary snob.

Okay, I am a tincy-wincy bit of a literary snob. But Dan Brown is a hill I'm willing to die on. Yes, this is utter tosh at the final analysis. And yes, Brown's writing style can be screamingly irritating at times.

But oh boy, is this ever a fun read! You kinda know what you're gonna get, but I devoured this in 2 or 3 breathless gulps & knew for an instance pure entertainment. Utter tosh still, but whatever!

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readingjedi
Emily Eternal | M. G. WHEATON
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Mehso-so

This one doesn't quite work for me. The writing is great & there are some really interesting ideas here, but the plot lets it down - at times it is just too ... 'out there'. The pace is inconsistent, the characters don't engage & the twists aren't very exciting. The ending is cheesy AND ridiculous. However, the premise IS actually very thought provoking- the extinction of humanity/the role of AI/off world colonisation/advanced human evolution.

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readingjedi
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Pickpick

It's not easy being a Ferrari fan. There's been a lot of highs (looking at you, Schumi ♥️) and, sadly, a lot of lows. And then, frustratingly, a lot of almosts. This book examines the Scuderia's recent history of successes & analyses the specifics - personnel, psychology, strategies - then looks at how this compares to the win-drought periods. Winning is a complex equation, it seems. For me, Leclerc is our real hope, Hamilton has lost it.

ShelleyBooksie Go LeClerc ◇ 3mo
43 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Starting this one today. Not really sure I'm feeling emotionally secure enough for "sad, but beautiful" in my current perimenopausal state, but hey-ho...

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readingjedi
The Lost Symbol | Dan Brown
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6 days out of 7, I eat healthily. Then, on the 7th, I treat myself to a dirty takeaway, full of fat & MSG, and I try to feel guilty, but I can't because it tasted SO good. This is similar to how I feel about ditching Literature (with a big L) and having me a little Dan Brown time. Sorry, not sorry.

dabbe 🎯🩵🎯 3mo
48 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Panpan

PAN INCOMING!

I've always maintained the best YA transcends the genre. This does not. It's histrionic teen drama at its most self-centered & emotionally stunted. The characters are clichés, the responses predictable, the action minimal, the development virtually non-existent. Does the FMC fall for the bad boy with a tragic backstory & a heart of gold? Why, yes, she does - how DID you know?! Intriguing premise wasted, this was shallow & boring.

52 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Emily Eternal | M. G. WHEATON
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Just getting into this one. I don't read a great deal of Sci-fi, the last probably being Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series - which I absolutely loved.

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readingjedi
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Pickpick

This one was a lot of fun! It's kinda a cross between 'Things In Jars' & Ambrose Parry's 'Raven & Fisher' series. It's a fast-paced murder mystery with a trans MC, and while the plot is a tad 'holey' & the narrative focus gets a little 'sprawly' from time to time, the non-stop action & intrigue do not let you get distracted by minor niggles in the slightest. There is a bittersweet quality to the MC's life that is really nicely done.

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readingjedi
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Mehso-so

I was a little disappointed by this one. Experiencing maternal ambivalence was, for me, the first time I'd ever felt true ambivalence & I was staggered that my brain was capable of such mental gymnastics! I couldn't fully relate to the version of ambivalence Lowy discusses here & I found her work highly repetitive & lacking in bite & depth. Really interesting & important concept, though, it's good that it's being addressed more.

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readingjedi
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A treat to myself today. Given that neither Ferrari made it to Quali 3 just now, maybe this subtitle should read "CAN F1's most famous team win again?" On today's performance, I'd have to say "probably not" ???

ShelleyBooksie Just saw that on Instagram (that both Ferarri are out for Imola) - total bummer! 4mo
47 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Starting this one tonight. Do NOT like this cover.

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readingjedi
This Is Gomorrah | TOM. CHATFIELD
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Mehso-so

A generous So-So as this really isn't my thing at all. The intricately described hacking was meaningless to this technophobe & the plot hung limply together on the very flimsiest of threads. The pace was off & the flow was disjointed. Worst of all, the bad guy was poorly written - no nuance, no understanding of her motives, no depth.

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readingjedi
Anarchists' Club | Alex Reeve
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Plucked this title from the murky depths of my NetGalley requests pile. Sounds right up my street & with a trans MC to boot!

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readingjedi
Untitled | Unknown
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Well, this is just about the most exciting thing ever!!! I have been waiting for a long time....

lauraisntwilder THE best news!! 4mo
BookBr 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 4mo
43 likes2 comments
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readingjedi
The Art of Taxidermy | Sharon Kernot
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Pickpick

This quietly powerful novel,written in verse form, works incredibly well - the form amplifies & intensifies the message. It features a young girl dealing with grief through an intense interest in dead animals, which eventually leads to her passion for taxidermy & the start of her healing. While it might sound a bit morbid, it really isn't. The language & imagery are evocative, making this a lovely read of hope, resilience & a tentative joy.

50 likes2 stack adds
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readingjedi
The Dangerous Kind | Deborah O'Connor
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Pickpick

A fairly solid pick. Entertaining and engrossing without being outstanding in terms of originality (plot, structure) or thrills generated (twist was satisfying rather than genuinely surprising). Had a slight problem with FMC, in a moment of trauma and seemingly out of character, launching herself into bed with the most unsuitable partner - a trope I'm seeing annoyingly often. Is this REALLY how women cope with upset/stress?! Sex with losers??!!

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readingjedi
This Is Gomorrah | TOM. CHATFIELD
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Starting this very old NetGalley request today. I have no idea why I might have requested this as it is really not "my bag" but I'll give it a go!

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readingjedi
The Art of Taxidermy | Sharon Kernot
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Starting this one today.

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readingjedi
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Mehso-so

A strong So-So for this one because I did enjoy it, but I'm not a huge fan of this kind of sentimental novel. I found it a little twee and predictable. The premise is intriguing & the writing is nice enough, but... I just didn't buy it. It was all just too unlikely. And the love interest being the nurse's sister AND the kid's coach - oh, c'mon! Slushy nonsense really, but fairly enjoyable nonsense. Caveat: I have a cold & cynical heart of stone

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readingjedi
The Other Guest | Heidi Perks
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Mehso-so

A weak So-So rating for this insubstantial pool-side fodder. The plot is meh, characters are meh, twists are meh - it resides quite comfortably in Meh City. It isn't thrilling in the slightest & the pace is sloooow. Ending is, quite frankly, infuriatingly rubbish. If you like a read that requires zero intellectual engagement, this is the book for you - in that regard, I enjoyed the ease of reading.

Decalino That was a very entertaining review! More entertaining than the book, from the sound of it. 🙂 5mo
61 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Home Girl | Alex Wheatle
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Pickpick

Fresh & punchy YA novel about a troubled teenage white girl placed with a black foster family. Naomi is so well written, such an authentic representation of a young girl in the care system, her thoughts, reactions & language are just so realistic. Not sure I've ever read such believable teenage dialogue as features here. Great mix of tragedy/hope, vulnerability/resilience, sadness/humour, the heart-warming/the genuinely shocking.

readingjedi Was very sad to discover the author of this book passed away while I was reading this. 5mo
TheEllieMo I didn‘t know he‘d passed away 😔 he was such a good writer 5mo
readingjedi @TheEllieMo His obituary was in the Guardian yesterday 😥 5mo
62 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

Highly recommended for the enthusiastic armchair linguist like myself. This is an absolutely fascinating read. And the bibliography is huge!!! The in depth, impeccably referenced research is presented as coming together pieces of a jigsaw, each area of discovery added to the bigger picture. Complex ideas are explained in an accessible & entertaining manner & the whole thing is just so mind-blowingly interesting/intriguing/staggering 🤯🤯🤯

63 likes5 stack adds
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readingjedi
The Dangerous Kind | Deborah O'Connor
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It's nearly midnight. Should I:

a) Go to sleep!
b) Start new book, one that, by all accounts, is virtually unputdownable.
c) (Some other option I can't even conceive of.)

It's not a hard quiz, is it?! 😁

Ruthiella Very tempting! 5mo
43 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Starting this one today.

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readingjedi
Home Girl | Alex Wheatle
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Starting this one today.

Happy First Day of Spring! 🐣🌿🐦🌞

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readingjedi
Horse: A Novel | Geraldine Brooks
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Pickpick

An amazing story written with absolute finesse, this book was The Complete Package. That is, the kind you can disappear into, totally, utterly, blissfully. Based on real events, Brooks has fleshed out characters to create a compelling story that is fascinating & memorable. The relationships here are exquisite, the author's engagement with slavery/racism is powerful, the structure is just right & the ending .... be ready.

Suet624 It‘s amazing to me that she was writing this book before, during, and after her husband‘s death. 6mo
54 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
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Starting this one today. It was a gift from my husband for International Women's Day. And a nice, fresh bookmark as well.

shanaqui I have this one! Very curious to get round to it; interested to hear what you think. 6mo
69 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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readingjedi
Verity | Colleen Hoover
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Panpan

Probably the most UNthrilling thriller I've ever read. So UNthrilling it has DEthrilled me for the next few thrillers I read that will have to work doubly hard to fill my thrill back up!

And the twist - it was more of an entirely perpendicular & totally parallel pole with not so much as a hint of rotation. I called it correctly by page 6.

Execrable.

Melismatic 🤣🤣🤣 I feel your pain. I finished this in hours because I kept feeling there was no way this was the author so many people were raving about. I was flabbergasted and not in a good way. Haven‘t read Hoover again since. 6mo
TieDyeDude I see so many mixed reviews for this 😅 I see a few positive reviews that make me think I should check it out, then one like this that completely destroys it 6mo
quietlycuriouskate Oh wow, I have been here nearly eight years and unless I'm mistaken this is the first book I've seen declared "execrable". 6mo
readingjedi @quietlycuriouskate It's one of my favourite words! 🤣 6mo
BkClubCare Agree 6mo
71 likes1 stack add5 comments
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readingjedi
Howards End | E.M. Forster
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Pickpick

This one was a mixed bag - at times, the writing is scintillating, at others, the sisters were tedious/borderline insufferable & had me yelling "shut up waffling & get on with it!" I also found the narrative voice pompous & condescending. The plot is fairly unsophisticated but brings with it a lot to unpack re: relationships, the rich & the poor, property, propriety, intellectualism, etc. But there are some really gorgeous and evocative...cont. ⬇️

readingjedi From above...passages about the English countryside and the Spring. Also, the house itself is a character in its own right... something about it seemed comforting and reliable. In the end, the quality of the writing here wins out. Glad I finally got round to reading this! 6mo
48 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Verity | Colleen Hoover
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Starting this one today. I would never have picked this one up for several reasons - a significant one being this awful cover! Also, there are a ton of bad reviews. But someone passed this on to me and now I feel compelled to give it a go - perversely because of the tons of bad reviews!!!

I actually love a 'so bad, it's good' revelation every now and then!!!

jewright Most people I know personally have really liked this one. 6mo
48 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
To the Women | Donna Ashworth
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Half-term treat!

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readingjedi
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I absolutely loved Scoff by the same author, so this was an essential purchase. Please excuse my avocado Oodie in the background - it's half-term here & we've been getting up late, hanging out in PJs and generally living our best lives!!!

67 likes1 stack add
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readingjedi
Untitled | Unknown
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Fellow Littens!

Talk to me about StoryGraph. Do I need it? What even is it?

I never liked that other one...good reads? can't remember (peri-brain!!!)

DGRachel StoryGraph is awesome. It‘s like Goodreads only (a) not owned by a psycho billionaire, (b) has oodles of monthly stats/graphs and the ability to create custom graphs, if you‘re into that sort of thing, (c) is updated regularly with new features, (d) lets you give half and quarter star ratings, and (e) is a Black woman created and owned app. There are challenges and buddy reads and a social element if you want it. 6mo
Kitta I love it but keep a goodreads list too because that‘s where my friends are. The stats in the app are great and you can view by month or year! Also agreed with all the points made by @DGRachel And adding that there‘s giveaways on it too! I‘ve never won one but I don‘t enter often tbh. I joined the LGBTQ Book Bingo challenge that‘s run by @Kenyazero since I like LGBTQ reads and am trying to prioritize those instead of straight white men stories. 6mo
readingjedi @DGRachel Having read your reply, it is now obvious I want and this app! Thank you! 6mo
See All 15 Comments
readingjedi @Kitta You had me at "stats"! 6mo
julesG What @DGRachel and @Kitta said. I like the readalong and buddyread features. Also the challenges. I still have Goodreads b/c ARCs & NetGalley, but I've been tracking books on StoryGraph mainly now. I'm using the free version of StoryGraph at the moment, but am thinking of testing the Plus version soon. 6mo
DGRachel I‘ve had the Plus version since the beginning and just started creating custom graphs this year. I kept both Goodreads & StoryGraph for a couple of years, but decided that was too much this year. I‘m trying to cut out as much Bezoszebub stuff as I can. (I wish I could take credit for the nickname, but I read it on Threads this morning 😂) 6mo
TheBookHippie Loathed good reads storygraph is cleaner and appealing to the eye and stats, yes. 6mo
Susanita I have some minor issues with StoryGraph over Goodreads, but overall I like it better. I appreciate: reviews, giveaways, challenges, overall layout, stats. Plus it‘s not Amazon. 6mo
quietlycuriouskate If you love stats, graphs, charts etc half as much as I do, you will love it! 6mo
ncsufoxes I‘m starting to transition to Storygraph from Goodreads. I‘m doing the free version now but will probably do the paid version. 6mo
Chelsea.Poole I‘m on StoryGraph! I like for tracking my reading. If you join I‘m cpoole over there 6mo
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I love Library Thing. Just sharing 6mo
Lindy I switched to Storygraph in January last year and I really love the pie charts and graphs. I don‘t pay much attention to the community features; I mostly use it as a database record of my reading. 6mo
Allthebookclubs Meh, I added it this year but I forget why 🫣. I use Library Thing to scan and catalog my books so I stop buying multiples 🤦🏼‍♀️. 6mo
Bookwomble I like StoryGraph, too, but would like to add another voice for Library Thing, if you're serious about cataloguing your books. It has a ton of graphing options, and a giveaway program, Early Reviewers, that I've actually won books from, unlike SG, where it now feels pointless entering. 6mo
50 likes15 comments
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readingjedi
Horse: A Novel | Geraldine Brooks
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Starting this one today on my old, but adequately functioning Kindle Oasis.

Wait, I think that description also applies to me 🤣

Tamra 😂 7mo
74 likes1 comment
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readingjedi
Family Meal | Bryan Washington
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Panpan

Did not like this at all. I found the dialogue particularly bad - the characters spoke to one another in a manner that seemed all belligerent "F**k you!"s and zero meaningful communication. A lot of the sexual detail is totally gratuitous (an ejaculations count?! Every time?!) and really unsexy. And the characters are self-absorbed, one dimensional & immature. Even worse - they're just not that interesting! And they don't develop much either ??

Ruthiella I felt the same about his debut novel. That style is just not for me (edited) 7mo
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

This one is a low Pick due to it taking forever to get going & nearly not capturing my attention at all before it finally moved the plot on. Sister witches wanting different things from life, curses, witchcraft paranoia, heartbreak, betrayal & forgiveness - this was actually a cracking, if slightly lowkey, read. Evocative writing, some interesting symbolism, and strong, capable, independent women at one with nature & their own worth. Nice.

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readingjedi
Untitled | Unknown
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Waaah!!!! 😭😭😭

This is a visual depiction of disappointment. On the left is my 6 year old Kindle Oasis. On the right is my brand new Signature Paperwhite. It's rubbish! And it's going back STAT.

WAAAH!!! 😭😭😭

MonicaLoves2Read Wow! That's a major difference @ 7mo
Meshell1313 I have the oasis too and have been hesitant to get the new ones. You just confirmed my suspicions! Thanks for sharing this! 7mo
tpixie Apparently Oasis has 25 LED lights compared to Paperwhite‘s 17. 7mo
See All 7 Comments
perfectsinner I like the right better. 7mo
suvata I did the exact same thing. Returned the new color paperwhite. I love me Oasis! 7mo
bookishbitch Did you check the brightness setting? 7mo
readingjedi @bookishbitch Yes, this is full brightness on both devices. The Paperwhite has a horrid yellowish-grey tint. 7mo
46 likes7 comments
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readingjedi
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Pickpick

An absolute mic-drop of a book. Immaculately written by a woman of obvious intellect, compassion, tact & wit. Impeccably researched and referenced (always a turn-on!) Fascinating, illuminating, terrifying, at times completely jaw-dropping, Klein's work here is level-headed, perceptive & accessible. Her revelations & conclusions are sometimes despair inducing, but make absolute, irrefutable sense. Her grace is just a class act. Boom 🎤💥

63 likes2 stack adds
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readingjedi
Family Meal | Bryan Washington
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Starting this one today. Hate this cover though - I can literally hear it in my teeth! If you know what I mean....!

Cathythoughts Shocking cover 😬. I hope it‘s good. 7mo
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego I know exactly what you mean. 7mo
bookandbedandtea I can feel exactly what you mean! 7mo
54 likes3 comments
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readingjedi
Quint | Lautner Robert
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Pickpick

This one was surprisingly compelling. The author has got Quint's voice absolutely spot on - gritty, no-nonsense & unmitigated, but with a grizzled poetry all of its own. Quint's WW2 experiences explain much of his established character, but his stark and uncompromising philosophy of life and of fishing gives him an unexpected depth & vulnerability. I have to say I loved every gnarly page of this!