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Suet624

Suet624

Joined September 2016

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Suet624
Mona's Eyes | Thomas Schlesser
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Sadly, this book is starting to bug me. This grandfather is explaining each painting in the museums they visit to his granddaughter who is 10 years old. His explanations are even hard for me to follow. Not sure how we‘re supposed to believe she understands what he‘s talking about. I suppose if you‘re going to visit the museums the commentary would be helpful though.

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Suet624
Untitled | Untitled
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1. A son & his wife & daughter planned a sleepover even though they live only an hour away. We spent time at a lake, ate out with other family members, and relaxed.
2. Charley and her new friend, Tenzi, that my Tibetan friend gave me ages ago.
3. A mural in Bellows Falls, VT taken during my bookstore travels.
4. The Captain and his sister on the 1st day of 6th and 2nd grade
#5JoysFriday
@DebinHawaii
5. Flowers everywhere.

lil1inblue 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 1w
Leftcoastzen Love these Joys ! 1w
Amiable Fabulous list of joys! 1w
See All 13 Comments
marleed 😍🥰😍 1w
dabbe 🩶🤍🖤 1w
LeahBergen How did The Captain get so big?? 😭 1w
AnnCrystal 💕💕💕💕💕. 1w
Gissy 😍❤️❤️❤️❤️ 1w
Jeg Great pics. 1w
Suet624 @LeahBergen I know. Kids grow so fast! 1w
sarahbarnes 💕💕💕 3d
Reggie Omg we‘re getting old. Weren‘t they just babies?!!! 1d
Suet624 @Reggie we are and they were. 😊 1d
44 likes13 comments
review
Suet624
Red Dog Farm: A Novel | Nathaniel Ian Miller
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Miller is an author who has a farm in Vermont. I really enjoyed his first book so I had high hopes for this one. This is a story of a young man watching his father farm in Iceland and helping him to take on the duties of the farm as his father falls into a depression. I feel as if I learned so much about Iceland and about farming through this book. It wasn‘t quite as good as The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven but a worthwhile read, for sure.

Tamra That cover!!! 😍 I would buy it for that reason alone. I have Memoirs already stacked, but thanks for the reminder. Moving it up. (edited) 1w
Suet624 @Tamra I know. The cover is so beautiful. ❤️ 1w
Cuilin @Tamra Same. My husband read memoirs and loved it. Moving it up the TBR. 1w
Rissreadswithcats What a gorgeous cover! But it could look like a pyramid too! 7d
49 likes3 stack adds5 comments
blurb
Suet624
Mona's Eyes | Thomas Schlesser
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The dedication page of this book. As a grandparent of children of all ages I say thank you very much. This book is giving me lots of ideas of additional things I can offer to my grandkids.

Also, the paper cover of the hardcover book opens to a large foldout with pictures of all the paintings highlighted in the book. 🔥

Tamra I‘m looking forward to looking up all of the works referenced. 😄 1w
Suet624 @Tamra i‘m really glad they paid extra to add the photos for us to see as we‘re reading it. 1w
Tamra @Suet624 yes!! 1w
AnnCrystal 🆒📚💝💝💝. 1w
LeahBergen Oh, I love that they designed the cover that way! I must check it out. 1w
47 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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Suet624
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Folks may remember I‘m attempting to complete my Vermont Independent Bookstore Passport program. While there are a great deal of independent bookstores in Vermont only 20 are part of this program this year. Yesterday I drove 5 hours in total to visit 2 bookstores. One store was in a town I‘d never visited and I spent a good deal of time exploring. I‘ve now gone to 19 stores - one more to go to complete this fantastic adventure.

Jas16 I love this so much! 2w
BarbaraBB Me too! 2w
Ruthiella Love it! Just one more to go. 👍 2w
See All 18 Comments
squirrelbrain Fabulous! ❤️ 2w
Bookwormjillk That is so cool 2w
Suet624 @Jas16 @BarbaraBB @ruthiella I‘ve gotten so much out of it - visiting so many places I‘ve never been and delighting in the individual nature of each town and each bookstore. I definitely ended up with a few favorite bookstores/towns. 2w
Cuilin I love this!!! Do you still collect the library stamps? 2w
Suet624 @Cuilin the program ended during the pandemic, but I think I‘m going to do that on my own next year. There are a lot of libraries and they all have weird hours so I think it would be a fun challenge to take on. I really enjoyed doing that when the program was running, but I was working at the time so I didn‘t get to check in with too many of them. 2w
dabbe S💙 C💙💙L!!! 2w
Cuilin @Suet624 You‘ll have to let me know when you‘re heading to southern Vermont. 2w
Suet624 @Cuilin the last place I have to go is Bennington. It‘s about three hours away. 2w
Cuilin @Suet624 that‘s a little over an hour from me. 👍 2w
Suet624 @Cuilin i‘ll let you know! 2w
kspenmoll Sue, what an adventure! 2w
AnnCrystal A grand book adventure 📚🆒📚👏🏼🤩👍🏼💝. 2w
Reggie This is so awesome, Sue! 2w
Suet624 @kspenmoll @anncrystal @reggie It's been a wonderful thing for me to do this summer. Even though I've lived in Vermont for over 45 years there are many areas of the state I've never seen. Each town is so unique and the drives are beautiful. 2w
sarahbarnes I love that you‘re doing this. 3d
64 likes18 comments
review
Suet624
King of Ashes | S. A. Cosby
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Roman comes back to his hometown when he hears his father has been badly injured. He reunites with his siblings to find that his youngest brother is involved in a bad drug dealing scheme which may have been the reason for the father now being close to death. Roman takes on the mission to get his brother out of this situation. This book is not my favorite of Cosby‘s and, as usual, it‘s violent, but I could not put it down. #CampLitsy25

squirrelbrain Yes, it‘s not his best is it? But still good! 2w
BarbaraBB Great review. I felt the same 2w
Suet624 @squirrelbrain Exactly! :) 2w
See All 7 Comments
Suet624 @BarbaraBB But of course, my friend. 2w
BarbaraBB 😂😘 2w
Gissy Agree, but I couldn‘t put it down either☺️There is something in this author writing style that captivates my attention 🤗 2w
Suet624 @Gissy some magic sauce. 😊 2w
67 likes7 comments
review
Suet624
Endling | Maria Reva
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A Ukrainian woman seeking to find snails before they become extinct & two sisters participating in the bridal tourism industry meet up & become embroiled in a journey with 13 men they‘ve abducted & placed in their mobile van. In the middle of the story things change, the Russian invasion begins, and the author begins to speak of her ancestry and her feelings about the invasion. Then we return to the story already in progress. A five star read.

Ruthiella I think this is the longlist title I am most interested in. Sounds so weird in a good way. 3w
Suet624 @Ruthiella I really liked the humor as well as the weirdness. And I wish more people would read the parts about the war. (edited) 3w
See All 7 Comments
Texreader @Ruthiella I agree. Stacked 3w
BarbaraBB Wow what a review. I‘ll make sure to read it soon! 3w
squirrelbrain Great review! 3w
sarahbarnes I‘m on the wait list for this and looking forward to it. 3d
64 likes4 stack adds7 comments
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Suet624
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I‘m not sure where I heard about this book but I knew at once I needed to own it. Organizers and movement-builders offer more than fifty rituals, prayers, and liturgies to support and sustain us in the work we need to do to work against a fascist regime, to help the unhoused, to feed the hungry, and to move forward toward social justice.

kspenmoll 💕💕💕 3w
lil1inblue 💓💓💓 3w
Cuilin Love it! 🩷 3w
AnnCrystal 📚👏🏼🦅✊🏼💝💝💝 3w
46 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Suet624
Endling | Maria Reva
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A little porch read and a little dig at the former and current White House resident.

This is referencing the text that provides details on why men would want to go to Ukraine to find a bride.

BarbaraBB What an awesome porch! 4w
Suet624 @BarbaraBB thanks. I live above a large Airbnb and when no one‘s there I get to hang out in the morning light. 4w
dabbe 🧡🤎💛 4w
AnnCrystal Your porch and view 🤩💝. 3w
46 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Suet624
BIRTHDAY PARTY. | LAURENT. MAUVIGNIER
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Thanks to @Cathythoughts for her review, I was reminded to look for this book at the library. At 400+ pages, very small type, long sentences and very few paragraphs, it would seem to be a challenge to get through. Yet I was enthralled even when I wanted Mauvignier to get to the point. The suspense builds throughout as three men invade a household during a birthday celebration. It has a series of terrific character studies that will stay with me.

Cathythoughts Oh I‘m glad you enjoyed it ! I thought it was great 👍🏻❤️ 4w
Tamra So glad you liked it! 👏🏾 I could not put it down! Highly memorable too; I still periodically think of it. For me, this is a consummate literary thriller. 4w
Suet624 @Cathythoughts thanks again for so enthusiastically supporting the book. I wouldn‘t have picked it up otherwise. 4w
See All 7 Comments
Suet624 @Tamra you‘re so right. 4w
BarbaraBB I still think of this one too. That farm, I can still visualize it. 4w
Suet624 @BarbaraBB yes, I have a feeling I‘ll remember the setting for a long time. 4w
sarahbarnes Yes. This was a great read. 3d
59 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Suet624
Mona's Eyes | Thomas Schlesser
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I have no idea how I was lucky enough to win a free copy of this book from Europa. I can‘t wait to read it.

TheBookHippie Oh wow! 1mo
Ruthiella Awesome! 👏👏👏 1mo
Aims42 That‘s awesome!!! 1mo
See All 9 Comments
Deblovestoread Congrats! Looking forward to your review. 1mo
AmyG Hope it‘s good! 1mo
BarbaraBB Lucky you! 1mo
squirrelbrain Yay! 🎉 1mo
Jeg 👏👏👏👏 4w
Rissreadswithcats That cover! 💙 3w
58 likes9 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Book 2 in this trilogy brings us inside Kristin and Erland‘s home life in the 14th century. Childbirth (so many children!), the death of Kristin‘s parents and the management of their property are all wearing Kristin down. And Erland isn‘t much help. In fact, he becomes involved in a political scheme that nearly does him in. Simon rises in every instance to help Kristin. Undset writes a great story. #KLBR @BarbaraJean

BarbaraBB Such a great character 💖 1mo
48 likes1 comment
review
Suet624
Woodworking | Emily St James
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A story unlike any I‘ve read before that brings you inside the experience of being trans, of coming out as trans, of hiding that you‘re trans. The characters are all richly drawn and ones I‘ll remember for quite some time.

Thank you to #camplitsy25 for selecting this one as a summer read.

squirrelbrain Yes, such a ‘different‘ book, in a good way! 2mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain 👍👍👍 2mo
BarbaraBB Sue! You‘ve been quiet. Hope all is well 🤍 1mo
See All 8 Comments
Suet624 @BarbaraBB Thanks for reaching out. Despite some good things happening (a wonderful family vacation at the ocean with all the kids and grandkids), I am struggling and depressed. I can't stand the cruelty and devastation going on. I find I'm looking at IG and the news more than Litsy and that equation has to change for my own mental health. 1mo
BarbaraBB Good to hear from you. Get rid of IG (not that I have 😇) it‘s so toxic. At least here there‘s a kind escape in books and talks. But I get you, the state of the world is very depressing. I do read the news but don‘t watch tv. I don‘t know. I can‘t deal with it for too long. Books are my safe place 1mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB thanks, Barbara. I appreciate your thoughts. 1mo
sarahbarnes I‘ve been feeling the same way as you lately. Everything is so bad and I‘m struggling to not feel devastated and overwhelmed all the time. I‘m grateful to have kindred spirits on here but I‘ve been so distracted lately. 1mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes I'm sorry, Sarah, to hear that you're struggling too. I really have no words to offer as far as how to move through this, but I do know that for me being on Litsy does help. Other than that, trying to find ways to support those groups who need assistance with labor or money is just about the only thing I know to do right now. 1mo
66 likes1 stack add8 comments
review
Suet624
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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Pickpick

This is about domestic violence & how it affects each member of a family. Cora goes to register the name of her baby with 3 options being suggested. What she decides to name him then affects the rest of their lives. However, rest assured that the DV affects all members of the family no matter what name is chosen. It‘s an interesting approach to telling the story & I appreciated her writing but it was a bit hard to keep track of each storyline.

squirrelbrain Great review - I have this on my physical TBR shelf. 2mo
Libby1 I loved this book! 2mo
Reggie I have this on hold. 2mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain @reggie I look forward to hearing what you think about it. 2mo
Cathythoughts Great review. Yes hard to keep track of the characters, still a compelling read. 2mo
67 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Suet624
Spent: A Comic Novel | Alison Bechdel
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Alison Bechdel and Harry Bliss, both Vermont cartoonists, interview each other in our local independent newspaper.

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/arts-culture/cartoonist-interview-alison-bechdel-and...

lil1inblue I can't wait to read this! Thanks! 🙂 2mo
Suet624 @lil1inblue I‘m glad. I was hoping someone might be interested. 💕 2mo
Leftcoastzen Cool! 2mo
55 likes3 comments
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Suet624
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Pickpick

On the left, the book jacket. On the right, the book. The story is as creative as the book design. A novel I only read because of #CampLitsy25 and one I‘m so glad I didn‘t miss out on. Immersive, page turning, and layered.

Texreader Yes this is so cool how they did this. I‘m listening to it and I really like it. 2mo
Suet624 @Texreader is it easy to tell when the robot is talking? 2mo
BarbaraBB What a great book design. My edition wasn‘t that cool. No layers. 2mo
Kitta Oh I just noticed mine is like that too! How cool. 2mo
Suet624 @Kitta Hahaha. Really cool! 2mo
69 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Suet624
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I remember borrowing this book from the library but I never had the chance to read it. I‘d forgotten all about it until this prompt came up!

@Jas16 interested in participating?

#tagyourit

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Suet624
Adventuress | Tasha Alexander
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Yesterday I drove about 6 hours round trip to hit up two more bookstores in order to try to complete my Vermont Independent Bookstore Passport. I visited two stores: one in the beautiful tourist town of Woodstock and the other in Ludlow, home to Okemo Mountain. The Book Nook in Ludlow was definitely a little nook but it had so many of my obscure favorites-ones I thought no one read anymore-that I felt truly seen. Three more stores to go!

Jeg Good on you! What a lovely activity. Happy 4th too. 2mo
kspenmoll What a fun book adventure!!! 2mo
Suet624 @Jeg @kspenmoll it‘s also a fun way to see all the back roads of Vermont. And all the creemee stands! 😂 2mo
See All 13 Comments
dabbe What a fun trip! 💙🩵💙 2mo
AmyG I‘ve actually been to both. I miss VT. 2mo
Bookwormjillk Such a fun project! 2mo
Amiable Is the Northshire in Manchester on the list? I love that bookstore. 2mo
Suet624 @Amiable it sure is! 2mo
TheBookHippie Oh fun. 2mo
Amiable @Suet624 Oops, I just saw it on there! Skipped right over it. Duh. 🙄 2mo
BarbaraBB What a fabulous way to spend your day! 2mo
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🤩🆒 Bookstore adventures! Epic fun 📚💝 2mo
youneverarrived Sounds fab 🤍 2mo
59 likes13 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Thanks to @BarbaraBB for recommending this book and thanks to Evans for writing it. A story told through letters is always a pleasure to read and the main character is a pleasure to meet. We meet her in her early 70‘s. We experience her frustration as her eyesight begins to fail, we root her on when several men seem interested in her, and we share her sadness as she writes of some past events. I really enjoyed this.

BarbaraBB I am glad you enjoyed it too I really loved it. Right book at the right time I think. 2mo
56 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Suet624
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Pickpick

If you know of Tiffany then you‘ll appreciate her recounting of her experience being a drug addict and navigating life in and out of prison.

(Photo from a nearby river on my walk where I tried to wrap my head around the cruelty of the country I live in. I‘m devastated.)

Amiable 💙💙💔 2mo
Eggbeater 🫂 me too 2mo
Reggie Before you know it, the next 3 1/2 hrs will be over Sue. I thought in 2016 the world would be over but here we are in 2025. We will make it through. Also, I walked by a river today, too. I‘m in Witchita right now. The Arkansas River, 3 miles to get some great biscuits and gravy. 2mo
AnnCrystal 🫂😍✊🏼🥺🙏🏼💝. 2mo
Suet624 @Reggie Hi Reggie, I meant to respond earlier to your encouraging words. I can't quite get there in my heart and mind yet but I appreciate and love that you can. I hope you are well. 2mo
50 likes5 comments
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Suet624
Fox | Joyce Carol Oates
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My first Oates. I did not expect to be reading what I‘m reading right now. Are her books always so creepy? The sinister undercurrent of this teacher who seeks out 12-year-olds to seduce is pretty overwhelming. At 87 years of age, she sure can still write.

kspenmoll Eew! I have the book but maybe wait on reading.., 2mo
Suet624 @kspenmoll have you read any of her books before? 2mo
Liz_M Given her output, her books span different styles/genres. But she does seem to have a “creepy book“ style and a “literary realism“ style. The latter might be represented by We Were the Mulvaneys (Oprah Book Club book), them (1970 NBA winner) and the many others nominated for NBA, NBCC, Pulitzer etc. 2mo
See All 12 Comments
kspenmoll @Suet624 I have not read anything else by her either 2mo
Gissy Not my cup of tea genre unless at the end the character pay the legal consequences. Sorry but if you have worked with this kind of persons, you will understand how disturbed are their minds. 2mo
sarahbarnes I‘m curious about this one. I haven‘t read anything by her in a long time. 2mo
Centique Ive read one of hers and it was beautifully written but i was so disturbed by the callousness of one character and the trauma suffered by another that im hesitant to read any more! 2mo
Suet624 @Centique that‘s exactly spot on for this one too! 2mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes is think twice about this one. A) find a shorter one that she written. This seems endless. B) this one feels so bleak. 2mo
Suet624 @Gissy she does a very good job of illustrating just how twisted this guy is but do I really need to know? Feels endlessly depressing and disturbing. 2mo
BoleyBooks Thank you for putting this one on my radar. 😊📚 (edited) 2mo
Suet624 @BoleyBooks enter it at your own risk. 😳 2mo
46 likes2 stack adds12 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

I read this so you don‘t have to. The author does absolutely ridiculous things to gain the professional attention & affection of her bosses at Facebook, including answering emails while she‘s supposed to be pushing her baby out into the world. Mark Zuckerburg is an absolute nut job and increasingly a dangerous nut job. And Sheryl Sandberg! Good Lord. Lean In means abuse the underlings. The book is eye opening but not a surprise.

Suet624 For the first time my French Lilac is making me sneeze and giving me a headache. 🙁. But I love the smell. (edited) 2mo
AmyG It IS beautiful. Feel better. Zyrtec! 2mo
Suet624 @AmyG I‘ve never tried Zyrtec! Does it put you to sleep? 2mo
See All 6 Comments
AmyG Not me….butI could see where it might for some. How about Nasonex? That helps with my allergy headaches. (edited) 2mo
AnnCrystal 🤩French Lilac😍 Beautiful 🌸💝 Allergies are horrible, we are also terribly allergic to some flowers. Not these, but others. We just have to stay away or wear masks. Hope you recover swiftly 🙏🏼💝. (edited) 2mo
sarahbarnes Ugh, yes my partner read this as well so I don‘t have to. 2mo
47 likes6 comments
review
Suet624
Wild Dark Shore | Charlotte McConaghy
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Pickpick

A story of a father and his three children have been living on an island that is being overwhelmed by the rising waters of climate change. Their way of life, their mission to save the seeds, their relations with each other are all being affected. A woman washes ashore and she brings a mystery and a thriller aspect to the novel. The nature writing was specific and inclusive. This was a page turner for me. #camplitsy25

sarahbarnes Me too. 🩵 2mo
AmyG My favorite of the year (so far). 2mo
Suet624 @AmyG I think I agree with you, but I‘m also reading another good book that probably will be a competitor. (edited) 2mo
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AmyG Ah, yes. I haven‘t read that yet but have heard good things. 2mo
squirrelbrain I loved it too! ❤️ 2mo
kspenmoll Just loved this book! 2mo
BarbaraBB @Suet624 Yes!! I can‘t choose between those two. Both are fantastic! (edited) 2mo
Itchyfeetreader Stacking this. Sounds great for when I allow myself to start buying books again 2mo
Deblovestoread Loved WDS and started The Correspondent today. So far, so good 😊 2mo
Reggie I really thought the author was gonna kill Orly off. Whewww. Glad you liked it Sue. 2mo
Suet624 @Reggie I was surprised by that ending! 2mo
Karisa @Reggie I did too! The ending would‘ve felt so hopeless without him… She didn‘t go the standard happy ending/romance either. I really felt like she stuck the landing! 2mo
68 likes2 stack adds12 comments
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Suet624
Wild Dark Shore | Charlotte McConaghy
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I‘ve been going through a crappy reading phase. None of the books I‘m picking up are keeping my attention. Leave it to McConaghy to reinvigorate my love for reading.

Stopped reading at the midpoint so I can stick with the #CampLitsy25 schedule. @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB @Megabooks

kspenmoll I am really loving this- the prose, the descriptive imagery, the mysterious atmosphere, the angst. 3mo
squirrelbrain Yay! I‘m glad it got you out of the reading slump! 3mo
Christine I accidentally listened a bit past the midpoint and have had a hard time resisting it since then! 3mo
See All 11 Comments
BarbaraBB So glad she does the job! 🧡 3mo
AmyG She is a HUGE favorite. Favorite book of the year for me. 3mo
Suet624 @kspenmoll All of this, yes!
3mo
Suet624 @Christine Go for it!!! 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB Me too! 3mo
Suet624 @AmyG Great to hear. 3mo
Megabooks She‘s so fantastic!! Queen of description!! 3mo
54 likes11 comments
review
Suet624
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Kristin, Erlend, Lavrans, Rangfrid! This is my third reading of the first book of a trilogy. The descriptions of the scenery & the clothing bring you into the time & place. Blame for wanting to be married to someone other than the one your father has selected is infused throughout. Do we root for a young girl who wants her own way? Do we see Erlend for who he really is? As a 20 year old I read this & supported Kristin. Now I feel for her parents.

AnnCrystal Pretty Flowers 🤩💐💝. 3mo
Suet624 @AnnCrystal 😊😊 3mo
See All 8 Comments
Ruthiella I love how we view classics as we reexamine them as we age and gain experience. I‘m reading this now for the first time, but Jane Eyre, Rebecca and Wuthering Heights are three I have read multiple times and judge differently with each reread. 3mo
Suet624 @Ruthiella I should reread Wuthering Heights. I‘m quite sure I‘d have a different feeling about it now as opposed to when I read it as a teenager. 3mo
BkClubCare @Suet624 - I just read WH for the first time (and let‘s just say I am into a few decades, ahem) - it was wild! I had NO idea. I mean, I thought I was prepared and knew what it was about but NOPE. 😂 3mo
Suet624 @BkClubCare your comment made me chuckle. 😊 3mo
50 likes8 comments
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Suet624
Fridays | Andrew Johns
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1. Lois Boisson. What a fun French Open she had. I loved watching her play.
2. My trip to Northshire Bookstore.
3. Gracie face painted at a school fair that I went to.
4. Spent a day with 2 month old Remy who is really starting to engage with folks.
5. Visited Hildene, the summer home of Robert Lincoln, the President‘s son, in Manchester, VT.

#5JoysFriday

Leftcoastzen All great joys 3mo
mcctrish What a great week 3mo
tpixie Wow! 🤩 What a week! 3mo
AnnCrystal 💝💝💝👶💖💝. 3mo
49 likes4 comments
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Suet624
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Today I drove 2 1/2 hours each way to Manchester, VT to get another stamp on my independent bookstore passport. Northshire Bookstore is a premium store in a very wealthy town and they are much loved. I have 6 stores yet to go to and the ones listed on the right are far away. Boo. But Vermont is lovely so that makes up for it. I‘m now ready for my July CampLitsy25 read.

#CampLitsy25

AmyG 🙌🏻 3mo
JenniferEgnor Indie bookstore passport??? Please tell me more! 3mo
sarahbarnes That‘s such a cool idea. 3mo
See All 9 Comments
Suet624 @JenniferEgnor VT has a list of 20 independent bookstores (we have many more than 20 in the state) to visit this year & get stamps. The map covers the entire state (I posted the map earlier - I'll try to find it). They give you a little over a year to accomplish it because it takes time to get to them all! VT may look small, but many of the roads are two lane so it takes time to get anywhere. There is a prize but I don't know what it is! 3mo
PurpleyPumpkin Love this idea! You look like you're doing very well on your journey. And you're finding new books too! A total win-win.☺️ 3mo
BarbaraBB I always love that you‘re doing this. And that VT is of course 3mo
AnnCrystal 🆒📚🤩👍🏼💝. 3mo
Reggie This book ended up being so good! 3mo
Suet624 @Reggie that‘s good to hear. 3mo
53 likes9 comments
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Suet624
Untitled | Untitled
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1. A rainbow at the end of an outdoor food truck/music/vendor event that my two sons organize every Thursday through Saturday.
2. Two grandkids exploring Oregon and reporting back on the joy they‘ve experienced.
3. Two year old Charley on the first sunny warm day in ages.
4. My garden.
5. Watching tennis with a book in hand.

#5JoysFriday
@DebinHawaii

mcctrish What a lovely week 3mo
Suet624 @mcctrish these Friday posts are helpful to me. Otherwise I forget what to be grateful for. 😊 3mo
mcctrish That is the truth 3mo
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AnnCrystal 💝💝💝💝💝. 3mo
sarahbarnes 💕💕💕 3mo
dabbe 💚💙💚 3mo
Reggie 🖤🖤🖤 3mo
Jeg Love your pics as always. Super cute grandkids. ❤️ 3mo
47 likes8 comments
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Suet624
Kristin Lavransdatter | Sigrid Undset
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This was an insert that the Book of the Month Club included when they published their special printing of this book (I‘m still trying to figure out when they published it.) I think it‘s helpful to read this if you‘re struggling at the beginning of the novel.

@BarbaraJean #KLBR

AmyG All true. Thanks for posting this. 3mo
Suet624 @AmyG they put into words what I couldn‘t. I guess that‘s why the folks at the Book of the Month Club got paid the big bucks. 😊 3mo
BarbaraJean That‘s great encouragement to keep on! Thanks for sharing this! 3mo
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AnneCecilie I‘m not so sure that the 14th century is seen as the Viking area. The Norwegian Viking area is generally seen to be between 800 - 1050 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraJean you‘re welcome! 3mo
Suet624 @AnneCecilie interesting! I hadn‘t considered that. 3mo
45 likes6 comments
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Suet624
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Pickpick

This was my favorite read in May. A story of four generations of women in Ireland, told in chapters of 500 words each. I loved the language, the lyrical prose, and the characters so much.

I don‘t think I‘ve read anything else by Ryan but I‘ll sure be looking for more of his work.

BarbaraBB I did read him but not this one! Sounds very good 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB which one did you read and did you like it? 3mo
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BarbaraBB This one not so much but I was the odd one out 3mo
AnnCrystal 😍🌸💝. 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB Thanks! I‘ll check them out. 3mo
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Suet624
Wild Dark Shore | Charlotte McConaghy
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I read a number of good books in May, several of which I haven‘t reviewed yet on Litsy. The one I‘m going to say was my favorite is a dark horse, coming in from out of nowhere. It‘s The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan. Sadly, I won‘t remember the name of it in a month or so. 😊

2. I‘m looking forward to reading the tagged book for #CampLitsy25

@TheSpineView

sarahbarnes 👯 3mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes 💕💕💕 3mo
TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 🤩📖 3mo
42 likes3 comments
review
Suet624
In Memoriam | Alice Winn
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Pickpick

It seems appropriate that I would finish this book on Memorial Day. A book of sacrifice, of thousands of boys fighting in World War I. And a love story of two young boys who head into the fray. The novel spends a good deal of time providing the specifics of fighting in a war so if that‘s not where you want to spend your time, be aware. But the story is rich and detailed and well worth the effort.

BarbaraBB I loved this one. So sad and tender 3mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB I picked this up due to your review. As usual you were 100% right. 3mo
sarahbarnes Sounds very good. 3mo
BarbaraBB Thank you my friend. I feel the same about your recs! 3mo
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Suet624
Untitled | Untitled
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I‘d be happy with any of these.

#bookspin

@TheAromaofBooks

AnnCrystal 🤩🌱💝. 3mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3mo
sarahbarnes I just picked up a copy of Antarctica this weekend at a little bookstore. 3mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes I was fortunate to find mine in a little Free Library. I‘m looking forward to reading it. 3mo
37 likes4 comments
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Suet624
Libraries | Katy Lee
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During the rains today I decided to visit Craftsbury VT, 30 minutes away. I‘d never spent time there but there was a plant sale at the library (bottom right -imagine it with rain). While there, they told me about another library 10 minutes away in East Craftsbury. This town of 1,300 people has 2 libraries! I fell in love with the Simpson Memorial Library (top photo)-104 years old, fantastic new and old fiction, mementos from the Simpson family. 🔽

Suet624 I spent an hour with the librarian and now have a library card from that library - my 6th card from 6 towns with individual selections of books according to their librarians‘ tastes. 3mo
monalyisha I always love driving past the teeny-tiny country libraries whenever we go camping in VT! I should make it a point to abandon my group for a brief solo expedition to explore. 3mo
Suet624 @monalyisha there are 185 public libraries in our small state. It‘s so fun to see what each library decides to display and purchase and what events each one organizes. I encourage you to take some time to drive around. It‘s such a beautiful viewing experience if nothing else. 😊 3mo
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monalyisha I only know the one that was on my college campus. 😅🙈 But a moose visited it once (just wandered onto the lawn). That was something to behold! 3mo
Suet624 @monalyisha that‘s a riot. Where did you go to college? 3mo
monalyisha I went to Saint Mike‘s. I left for warmer climes after graduation (only Rhode Island…but still markedly less chilly)! Still, I love Vermont & still have a bunch of friends scattered across the state. 3mo
Suet624 @monalyisha A great college. 💕 3mo
monalyisha @Suet624 Thanks! I loved my time there. So many of the professors were absolute gems. And it had such a close-knit vibe. Plus, the sky was literally bluer. I didn‘t even mind that our campus sometimes smelled like a farm. 😉 In fact, it was kind-of nice… 3mo
Suet624 @monalyisha did you ever have Elizabeth Inness Brown as a professor? 3mo
monalyisha @Suet624 I didn‘t…but she was definitely there when I was there! 3mo
AlaMich @monalyisha I spent a summer at Middlebury studying Spanish and I clearly remember the eau de manure! 🐮 3mo
monalyisha @AlaMich Middlebury is so pretty! I love the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail. 💛 3mo
AnnCrystal 🤩📚🏠📚💝. 3mo
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Suet624
Untitled | Untitled
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1. The Burlington Waterfront Park, all purply
2. My son snoozing with his daughter
3. The image on a building on a side street in Montpelier, VT
4. Flowers to plant if… (5)
5. … If it ever stops raining. At least it‘s making the fields a deep, deep green.

#5JoysFriday
@DebinHawaii

Aims42 That park - AMAZING! 🤩💜 Your joys this week are sooo sweet! Hopefully the rain pauses long enough for you to plant 🤞 4mo
Suet624 @Aims42 The Park is really something all summer long. People have had it this week with the weather. 😊 4mo
Leftcoastzen What a darling photo.precious moments! 4mo
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TheBookHippie Your son. Gosh the picture!!!! All the feels… 4mo
Suet624 @TheBookHippie @Leftcoastzen That guy is so in love. 4mo
Amiable 😍 4mo
dabbe 💚💜💚 The picture of your son and daughter: #photocontestwinner 3mo
AnnCrystal 💝💝💝💝💝. 3mo
vivastory All of these 💙 3mo
Reggie I wanted to say 2!!!! But they are all wonderful, Sue! 🖤🖤🖤 3mo
Suet624 @Vivastory Thanks so much! @Reggie Max is glued to that little 8-week old. I love watching my kids with their kids. I had actually stayed overnight that day so the parents could get some sleep at night but we all still needed a nap the next day. :) 3mo
51 likes11 comments
review
Suet624
Frozen River | Ariel Lawhon
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this story of the life of a midwife in the 1700‘s. It definitely held my attention. The story includes details of experiences of delivering babies but primarily focuses on Martha Ballard‘s pursuit of justice through the newly created legal system for a woman who was raped as well as working to hold a murderer (and all around bad guy) accountable for his deeds. This story was inspired by the journal written by Martha during that time.

BarbaraBB I found it a very engaging read as well 3mo
56 likes1 comment
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Suet624
Becoming a Matriarch | Helen Knott
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Pickpick

Finished this a while back & forgot to post about it. I read Knott‘s first book and loved it. This one took me quite some time to engage with but by the second half I was locked in. Knott lost her matriarchs - her mother and grandmother - within a short period of time and she writes of her unexpressed grief and displacement. This was a soft pick.

Thanks to @Riveted_Reader_Melissa and #SheSaid for the opportunity to read this.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa You‘re welcome. I received the book back too! 3mo
50 likes2 comments
review
Suet624
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Pickpick

Demon is someone you root for as you move through his life experiences. I had to renew this audio from Libby three times to get through the whole story. It's definitely a pick for me but the story seemed a bit long. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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Suet624
Frozen River | Ariel Lawhon
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Was on my way with plants in hand to start my gardening when suddenly my ankle collapsed on me. I‘ve broken my ankles and wrists so many times. Thankfully, this is a bad sprain, not a break. So on this bright sunny day when I‘d rather be outside I‘m lying on the couch, leg elevated, starting this book. This event could have been so much worse so I‘m trying to be mature about it and not grumble too much.

Jas16 Oh no! I am so sorry! Wishing you a speedy recovery 💐 4mo
Suet624 @Jas16 thank you. I have an air cast so hopefully I‘ll be able to hobble about in a day or two. 4mo
LeahBergen Oh no! I hope it heals quickly. ❤️ 4mo
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Suet624 @LeahBergen thank you. Me too! I have plans to put into the ground and leaves still to rake up.! 4mo
AnnCrystal Scary mishap! May you recover swiftly 🙏💝. (edited) 4mo
AmyG Oh no! Hope you are feeling better soon. I am reading this, too. Very good. 4mo
Suet624 @AmyG it is! 4mo
Tamra Heal quickly & well! 4mo
Read4life Hope it‘s better soon!! 4mo
Bookwormjillk Oh no! 4mo
TheLudicReader Hope you‘re back on your feet soon. 4mo
BarbaraBB Wishing you a speedy recovery ❤️‍🩹 and I hope the book offers some distraction. I enjoyed it a lot 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB Thanks, Barbara. And yes, this book is hard to put down. 4mo
Ruthiella Hope you heal quickly! ❤️ 4mo
Reggie I hope you feel better, Sue! 4mo
Jeg That‘s not good news. Rest, read and recover. ❤️❤️ 4mo
49 likes17 comments
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Suet624
Kristin Lavransdatter | Sigrid Undset
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I‘ve read this trilogy every twenty years. I give my copies away and then randomly over the years find them at secondhand bookstores and purchase them again. I can‘t wait to start reading this again with the #KLBR group beginning in June.

Just an FYI: Willa Cather and Sigrid Undset were friends. My mother was Cather‘s niece and she talked about Undset‘s writing and this trilogy in particular.

AmyG Oh Wow! 4mo
Ruthiella Beautiful editions! Individually, they don‘t seem to be overly long, which is heartening! 4mo
AnneCecilie I‘m more skeptical to the language, as a Norwegian I will off course one day read these in Norwegian and then the question is if they have modernized the language or not. Back in the 1920s the written language was quite different from today, more influenced by Danish. 4mo
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KCofKaysville @Suet624 I have had copies for awhile and hope to read it some day. 4mo
BarbaraBB That‘s an interesting side note Sue! I loved these books too, I read them a few years ago. 4mo
BarbaraBB @AnneCecilie I didn‘t know that Norwegian has changes so much in the last century. Interesting! 4mo
BarbaraJean Love this! I'm really looking forward to reading these. And that is fascinating about Willa Cather--what a neat tidbit of trivia from your mom! @AnneCecilie I would be so interested to know if there's a modernized Norwegian version and to hear your perspective on the language differences! 4mo
bibliothecarivs I read the first book about 10 years ago and really liked it but for some reason haven't read the others yet. I need to! 4mo
bibliothecarivs Also, I would love to watch Liv Ullmann's film of Kristin but the last time I checked it wasn't available in the US (legally, at least). 4mo
Deblovestoread That is so cool! 4mo
56 likes10 comments
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Suet624
The Night Guest | Hildur Knutsdottir
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Pickpick

A woman wakes up exhausted every morning, limbs aching, with unexplained bruising. She eventually finds out that she‘s sleepwalking. Strange things are happening - cats start to run away from her - and she tries to ascertain what is happening. It‘s a short read, a bit creepy, and one that keeps you hooked. The ending? Yeah, who knows what happened but I have several theories and I‘m okay with that. #offtheshelf #bookspin

Cathythoughts Sounds good. I have a sample on my kindle .. I‘ll try it 👍🏻😁 4mo
CBee This was definitely creepy. Normally I can‘t do sad animal things but, for some reason I could with this book? And after a minute of being mad about the ending, I decided I was okay with it 😂 4mo
Suet624 @CBee I know what you mean about the sad animal thing. She just breezes over it so quickly that it kind of didn‘t sink in as hard as it could‘ve. 4mo
CBee @Suet624 that‘s exactly it! Didn‘t have time to really ponder it before it was over 🤷‍♀️ 4mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4mo
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Suet624
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Pickpick

The author goes into great detail about the history of NASA, government contractors, and astronauts. While the book is about the Challenger you learn a lot about the workings of getting all space shuttles into orbit. Once again we find out that greed and not listening to the experts is the thing that will doom a project every time. What a tragedy. Great work writing a riveting book that was never a slog to get through despite all the detail.

Texreader I‘ve been wondering about reading this book. Your review pushed me over the edge. Excellent review 4mo
Suet624 @Texreader it‘s a thick book and looked daunting but it was so informative. Hope you like it. 4mo
Texreader @Suet624 My son hopes to work for or with NASA building rockets someday so if it‘s good writing, I want to read it. 4mo
Suet624 @Texreader definitely worth your while then. 🙂 4mo
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Suet624
84 Charing Cross Road | Helene Hanff
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Pickpick

It seemed for a time that everyone on Litsy was reading this book. I‘m finally getting to it. Such a sweet read. The NY author begins writing to a bookstore in England in order to find rare secondhand books at a good price. She ends up becoming very fond of the employees, sending them packages of food that are unavailable to them during wartime and staying in touch with the employees and their families for years. It‘s a quick and touching read.

BooksandCoffee4Me I‘ve seen it and after reading your post, I know I need to read this. 4mo
Leftcoastzen An all time favorite! 4mo
Suet624 @BooksandCoffee4Me it‘s guaranteed you‘ll like it. 4mo
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Suet624 @Leftcoastzen 💕💕 4mo
bibliothecarivs Love this one. 4mo
Ruthiella This book! ❤️😭 4mo
LeahBergen I adore this book (and have read it several times)! 4mo
BarbaraJean Ohhhh, this is so good! 💜 4mo
CarolynM ❤️❤️ I love all Helene Hanff‘s books. 4mo
sarahbarnes This sounds lovely indeed. ♥️ 4mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes as you can see, it‘s a well loved book. 💕💕 4mo
BarbaraBB I loved this one too 4mo
kspenmoll I loved this as well. 💕 4mo
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review
Suet624
Sandwich: A Novel | Catherine Newman
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Pickpick

Every year for 25 years at least 15 members of the family-my kids, aunts, uncles, grandbabies-spend a week at the ocean in the same funky house. So much of this book reminded me of the type of stays that we have. (Although I have to admit that we have some grumpy times which this author did not replicate.) I break my days down the same way she does. (Monday I‘m so relieved that we have so much time and by Wednesday I start to get sad.) 🔽

Suet624 The main character is a bit too emotional for me but I like the other characters a lot and I think most of the folks going through menopause will relate to what Newman has to say. Newman is definitely a must read author for me now that I‘ve read two of her novels. #offtheshelf (edited) 4mo
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🆒👍🏼💝💝💝. 4mo
BarbaraBB Those weeks sound great! I too found the mc too emotional to be able to relate to 4mo
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sarahbarnes Sounds lovely. 💕 4mo
Suet624 @sarahbarnes it‘s always an adventure! 4mo
Reggie Is the Jaba the Hut sand sculpture for real? That‘s pretty awesome! 4mo
Suet624 @Reggie it is!! 4mo
kspenmoll Wow! Jaba! I enjoyed this book for similar reasons- our family stays at Cape Cod- 4mo
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Suet624
Becoming a Matriarch | Helen Knott
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Is there anything better than opening up your mailbox and finding that the only things in it are books?!!!

Thank you to @Karisa for forwarding the tagged book to me so that I could read the #SheSaid selection and thanks to @Riveted_Reader_Melissa for organizing the transfer.

TheSpineView Book mail!!! ❤️📕📪 4mo
Suet624 @TheSpineView there are still good things happening in this disappointing world. 😊 4mo
Riveted_Reader_Melissa That really is the best! Book Mail! 4mo
Karisa 👏👏🥳🎉 4mo
54 likes4 comments
review
Suet624
The Dream Hotel | Laila Lalami
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Pickpick

This feels like a story that could happen soon if the tech bros and the government want it to happen. Technology is used to determine if they can stop crime from occurring by tapping into your dreams & thoughts. If you are determined to be a threat, off you go to a facility and at that point you best hope you can get out of there. This book was freaky, unsettling, frustrating and had me hurrying through chores in order to pick it up to finish it.

sarahbarnes Oooh. Stacking. 4mo
BarbaraBB What a great review. 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB awww, thanks! 4mo
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squirrelbrain Great review! Scary book…. 4mo
Suet624 @squirrelbrain thank you. 💕 4mo
Reggie There was one time I was late from break because I just HAD to finish before I went back. Totally understand this. Great review, Sue! 4mo
Suet624 @Reggie Thanks, Reggie!! 4mo
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Suet624
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A random collection of books I purchased from the four independent bookstores over the weekend. Happy to find two books by Sigrid Undset.

Texreader What an awesome stack!! 4mo
LeahBergen What a great haul! 4mo
47 likes2 comments
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Suet624
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This was the coolest thing ever. The town next to me had massive flooding several years in a row. They decided to move the library to higher ground. The route they had to take, the corners they had to turn, the bridge they had to go over….and they did it. Check out this video of the move.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJByUSBCkeq/?igsh=YmdtaWx5aGpnMjRp

AmyG Wow 4mo
lil1inblue That was amazing to watch. And so heart-warming! 🩵🩵🩵 4mo
Tamra There is always something fascinating yet unnerving about moving buildings. Edge of my seat! 😬 (edited) 4mo
See All 14 Comments
tpixie Wow! 🤩 That that community values their Library so much! Thanks for the link! 4mo
PurpleyPumpkin Wow, that was amazing!🤩 4mo
BookmarkTavern That‘s so cool! 🤩🤩🤩 4mo
Bookwormjillk Wow, I love that! 4mo
Suet624 @lil1inblue heartwarming…. Yes…that‘s the word for it. 4mo
Suet624 @Tamra I bet that guy they interviewed hadn‘t slept for days worrying about it all. I think they were all so brave to take this on. 4mo
Suet624 @tpixie I know. They really do. 4mo
BarbaraBB That‘s fantastic! 🧡🧡 4mo
squirrelbrain Amazing! 🤩 4mo
MaGoose Wow, so cool 😎, and hard to accomplish 4mo
kspenmoll Thanks Sue! What a wonderful heartwarming story about moving the library 4mo
57 likes14 comments
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Suet624
Snow Day | Mercer Mayer
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Well it‘s snowing where I live in northern Vermont today so I‘ll be reading about the Challenger, dipping into the New Yorker, watching the Red Sox play baseball and the Celtics play in the playoffs. Except for the snow, it sounds like a great day!

ChaoticMissAdventures I am reading this currently too. It is incredible the details he goes into on how the parts work (or don't) and the politics of it all. So many people raising alarms who were just ignored. 4mo
Suet624 @ChaoticMissAdventures you‘re the reason I picked this book up at the library!! And yes, the politics is infuriating. 4mo
quietlycuriouskate You've got snow... I'm sitting here in a t-shirt getting in some anticipatory apprehension for the heatwave that's in the forecast this coming week. 4mo
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squirrelbrain Snow! 😲 4mo
Suet624 @quietlycuriouskate oh no! My Lyme Disease goes wild when there‘s a heatwave. I hope you find some cool comfort during the week. 4mo
dabbe Lovely picture! ❄️🩵❄️ 4mo
TheLudicReader Blech. Snow. 4mo
Suet624 @TheLudicReader exactly my feeling. 4mo
Amiable Such a good book! 4mo
Suet624 @Amiable I‘m so impressed by people who can write a book like this. The author includes so much info and yet I never feel that I can skim because it‘s all so interesting 4mo
Suet624 @Amiable I think I took it out of the library but never read it. Then I watched a documentary about the event. Should I check it out? 4mo
Amiable @Suet624 The documentary was probably the one that was based on the book, so if you liked it then you may also enjoy the book. I found it absolutely fascinating. 4mo
55 likes13 comments
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Suet624
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This video is a Vermont news segment touting Independent Bookstore day and the Tour that I‘m in the midst of doing. I‘ve been to 14 out of the 20 Vermont independent bookstores on the tour. There are so many indie book stores that aren‘t even part of this tour - someday I‘ll get to them all.

https://www.wcax.com/2025/04/25/saturday-tour-celebrates-vermonts-indie-book-sto...

Hooked_on_books Woohoo! 🥳 4mo
5feet.of.fury Oooh I‘ve only been to 1, Everyone‘s Books in Brattleboro! 4mo
Suet624 @5feet.of.fury I made it to that one. It‘s such a good store! Are you trying to do the tour? 4mo
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SpeculativeFemale Woh, new side quest unlocked - that is going on my to do list! 4mo
LeahBergen Ooo, you lucky duck! 4mo
BarbaraBB What a fantastic day you must have had 🧡 4mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB @leahbergen it was so fun. 4mo
Reggie This is very cool, Sue! 4mo
TieDyeDude 😍 4mo
52 likes10 comments