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The Last Painting of Sara de Vos
The Last Painting of Sara de Vos: A Novel | Dominic Smith
100 posts | 92 read | 5 reading | 72 to read
A masterful new novel charts the circuitous course of the sole surviving work of a female Dutch painter This is what we long for: the profound pleasure of being swept into vivid new worlds, worlds peopled by characters so intriguing and real that we can't shake them, even long after the reading's done. In his earlier, award-winning novels, Dominic Smith demonstrated a gift for coaxing the past to life. Now, in The Last Painting of Sara de Vos, he deftly bridges the historical and the contemporary, tracking a collision course between a rare landscape by a female Dutch painter of the golden age, an inheritor of the work in 1950s Manhattan, and a celebrated art historian who painted a forgery of it in her youth. In 1631, Sara de Vos is admitted as a master painter to the Guild of St. Luke's in Holland, the first woman to be so recognized. Three hundred years later, only one work attributed to de Vos is known to remain--a haunting winter scene, At the Edge of a Wood, which hangs over the bed of a wealthy descendant of the original owner. An Australian grad student, Ellie Shipley, struggling to stay afloat in New York, agrees to paint a forgery of the landscape, a decision that will haunt her. Because now, half a century later, she's curating an exhibit of female Dutch painters, and both versions threaten to arrive. As the three threads intersect, The Last Painting of Sara de Vos mesmerizes while it grapples with the demands of the artistic life, showing how the deceits of the past can forge the present.
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LibraryCin
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Panpan

I listened to the audio, which did a piss-poor job of keeping my interest except for briefly with Jake whatever-his-fake-last-name was; anyway, Jake and Ellie ended up in some kind of a relationship, or she thought so, anyway. Near the end of the book, suddenly it was 40 years later, and I missed how that transition happened (though as I read the summary, apparently much of the story was already 40 years later? And I missed it.) Cont in comments

CarolynM This one wasn‘t a hit with me either. 1y
LibraryCin @CarolynM glad I'm not alone. It was a book club book, and I don't recall the others disliking it as much as I did. 1y
9 likes2 comments
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mcctrish
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Mehso-so

I didn‘t hate it. I‘m not sure audio was the way to go with this book. The narrator was so soothing my mind just wandered off. I think this book on audio would be fantastic to listen before bed & fall asleep to
There is lots in the story that is interesting; a Dutch woman painter trying to make it in the olden days with men running guilds - the whole guild dynamic, a modern storyline with a woman searching for the truth about Sara de Vos but 😴

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mcctrish
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The Boutique Hotel is finished 😢😢

Kayla.Adriena Are you sad you finished it? It looks great! 3y
mcctrish @Kayla.Adriena yes, I just want more, more, more Lego but where to put it all once it‘s built 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y
Kayla.Adriena Same problem here . We have a China cabinet that once upon a time I bought for Rae Dunn that I no longer collect and an entire shelf is filled with just the Star Wars Cantina 😆 3y
See All 6 Comments
mcctrish @Kayla.Adriena 🤣🤣 3y
AmyG Amazing. I can‘t wait for my grandson to get a bit older. 3y
mcctrish @AmyG these are 18+ sets so you can build them now 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3y
56 likes6 comments
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mcctrish
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Audio Lego building ❤️ I made the roof top cocktail bar today 🥂

Kayla.Adriena OOOOoooooo the new hotel! 🤤 3y
Kayla.Adriena I've got my eye on the typewriter 🤓 3y
mcctrish @Kayla.Adriena my son and I are taking turns building the hotel and I‘ve got the typewriter but haven‘t built it yet. I got it at the end of the summer to cheer me up cuz both my boys went away to school. I just kept saving it for a bad day 😂😂 3y
44 likes1 stack add3 comments
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bookandbedandtea
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Mehso-so

Goodreads gushed over this book but I found it kinda blah. Parts of it were great but those chapters were never long enough. I listened to it and it helped pass the time at work but it definitely wasn't as good as I hoped.

CarolynM Agreed. I was underwhelmed by this one too. 3y
bookandbedandtea @CarolynM I'm so glad it wasn't just me! 3y
31 likes2 comments
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Lesliereadsalot
Pickpick

Intertwined stories of a Dutch painter from the 17th century and a modern day woman who forges one of her paintings. If you like some historical fiction, this book‘s for you.

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Selena85
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Mehso-so

Check in for #mbcreadathon with the book I just finished and the last painting I completed 🖌

I didn't find this book too thrilling. A forgery of a 17th century painting intertwines the lives of three people: the artist, the owner, and the woman who paints the copy. I was hoping for some higher stakes, but don't feel it delivered.

Hours read: 7:39
Pages Read: 237
Books completed: 1

#mbcgiveaway7

anygivenmemory Entry added for check in 7! 4y
4 likes1 comment
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Selena85
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I'm old school pen and paper tracking my reading time for #mbcreadathon

Finally got some time to sit and read, so I'm about halfway through with the tagged book.

#mbcgiveaway5

MemoirsForMe Happy Readathoning! 📚 4y
Moonprismpower Does your local library do adult summer reading? Would you participate if they did? 4y
MonthlyBookClub Got your entry for check in 5! 4y
Selena85 @Moonprismpower I don't think they do, but would love it if they did. I love a challenge 4y
9 likes4 comments
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Selena85
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Planning on tackling these and some audiobooks during the readathon. I'm starting with The Last Painting, but don't know if I'll jump around or finish one before cracking the next. Today will be a bit of a slump because I have work 😒 and then a wake for a colleague's husband tonight 🙁 But most of my weekend is open and Ready to Read!
#mbcreadathon
#mbcgiveaway1

@MonthlyBookClub

Chrissyreadit I think The Dorito Effect is Amazing and eye opening. 4y
Selena85 @Chrissyreadit It's been on my TBR for a while. Thought it would be interesting, but from reviews I read recently, it sounds like it might be influential on what I choose to eat. 4y
Chrissyreadit @Selena85 It was for me! 4y
MonthlyBookClub Got your entry! 4y
8 likes4 comments
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Scochrane26

This book has 3 povs and times (1637, 1958, & 2000). It‘s about an art history student who makes a forgery of the only painting attributed to sara de vos and how it affects her and the original owner‘s life. I liked this one, especially the Sara de Vos story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Scochrane26
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1. The Last Painting of Sara de Vos
2. Literary Rogues by Andrew Schaffer- in January
3. Green
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

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S.Web
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Pickpick

I‘m big fan of the trope of following a painting or another artifact through time and seeing how it has affected the lives of the people who have interacted with it. I went into this with fairly high expectations. It was good, not great, and I think my love of this trope might be skewing my opinion slightly higher than I would otherwise rate it.

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Scochrane26
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This one was recommended by a friend. I‘m being flaky today—instead of a bday party at church for a member, I‘m staying in to read. I have a hard time being extroverted on saturdays, it‘s too much after work all week.

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Laura317
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Book haul from last night. I can‘t wait to get to them!

CarolynM I'll be interested to read your review of the tagged book. I know a lot of people love it but I was a bit disappointed. 6y
Tanisha_A 😍 6y
48 likes3 comments
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Jason7
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Pickpick

Stories about art forgeries and stolen paintings make some of the best novels. These types of novels could be classified as a sub-genre of fiction. Any time I read or listen to a novel about stolen art I‘m reminded of Donna Tartt‘s The Goldfinch. While The Last Painting of Sara De Vos isn‘t that caliber of a novel (very few are), it‘s still quite good. The narrator of this audiobook is one of the best. Overall rating: 4.24 stars

TheFunkyBookworm Ohh I know exactly what you mean by this! The Goldfinch is one of those books that has stuck with me years after reading it and I‘ve been chasing that same “book feel” ever since- if that makes sense. Any recommendations other than the pictured that would fall into this category? 6y
Jason7 I know exactly what you mean by that “book feel.” Infinite Jest has it, but it‘s a much more complicated read. The Nix by Nathan Hill comes close. A new book called The Feral Detective is a good one. The Marriage Plot by J Eugenides or any of J. Franzen‘s last 3 are high quality. I‘d love to find another like The Goldfinch. That‘s a masterpiece if there ever was one. 6y
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shaynarae
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Pickpick

This was a pretty fun historical fiction book largely centered around art history and art collecting. As a museum professional, there was a fair amount that was rather ridiculous, but the essence of the impact of art on individuals as told through the story was quite lovely.

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Wilkie
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Helpful information! #tbr

BookBabe That‘s a really great book you tagged! 👍🏻 6y
suvata 😂 HaHa 6y
Wilkie @Bookbabe I just started reading it. Loving it so far. 6y
See All 8 Comments
MicrobeMom 😂🤣😂🤣📚📚 6y
Schnoebs So true 😂😂😂😂😂 6y
tournevis What does that have to do with circuits? 6y
Wilkie @tournevis nothing, that‘s why it‘s funny. 😉 6y
tournevis @Wilkie It is funny! It's just I understood the graph on the board and got confused. 6y
41 likes8 comments
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Simone62

Glorious...Gorgeous storytelling: wry, playful, and utterly alive. - The Boston Globe

2 likes1 stack add
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KerriNTurner
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A historical fiction bedside TBR stack.

rubyslippersreads Great lamp! 7y
LeahBergen Gorgeous lamp. 😍 7y
27 likes3 comments
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TheWellAccompaniedBook
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Stop it woman! Stop searching out the $4.99 Kobo Books! When on earth do you think you are going to get around to all of these PLUS the billion or so you already have?! 😅 Oh shut up. Get. Out. Of. My. Way. Just. Need. To. Hit. Purchase... #alwaysjustified

Eggs ❤️❤️Still Alice 7y
RiotMom Still Alice made me ugly cry. 7y
50 likes2 comments
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monalyisha
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Pickpick

I wish I‘d read this book instead of listening to the audio. It‘s much more literary than I anticipated.

I found myself taking copious & garbled talk-to-text notes while driving: garbled because Smith‘s writing is so gorgeous & poetic that my phone‘s predictive text couldn‘t begin to handle it when I spoke quotations into my notes app. I can‘t wait for my book club discussion.💞 Is it possible to live an artful life free from artifice?

Casmt Isn‘t artifice an art? Her‘s was. What amazing skills she had if used for good, not evil! 7y
wen4blu This was one of my favorite reads this year. 7y
monalyisha @Casmt I guess that‘s the question, right? Is deceit an inescapable part of creation? Is there a way to be honest, upfront, & authentic *while* tricking someone? 😉 Is that what “art” is? (edited) 7y
monalyisha @Casmt “Tell all the truth but tell it slant.”? 7y
47 likes4 comments
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Cinfhen
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#EmojiNov #🎨 This was a very well written, clever mystery told in alternating narratives and eras. The #🎨 at the heart of the story begins in 1600‘s Amsterdam, travels to 1950‘s NYC where it is stolen only to reappear in modern day Sydney. It‘s a blend of historical fiction, literary drama and an intriguing art heist. Definitely worth a library request @RealLifeReading

batsy Oooh this is on the TBR too! #famouslastwords 7y
LeahBergen This DOES sound good! (edited) 7y
CarolynM I liked bits of this but not all. The Part set in Sydney I found particularly unsatisfying. (edited) 7y
See All 11 Comments
erzascarletbookgasm Sounds good, stacked! 7y
Cinfhen I picked this up on a whim, knowing nothing so I was pleasantly surprised @CarolynM and I loved Marty for some reason...and the historical parts set in 1600‘s Amsterdam 7y
CarolynM I think I got annoyed because it started so well, but then I didn't believe in the resolution 7y
Cathythoughts Must add to my list 👍 7y
AmyG I remember this book. It was good. Yeah, the end was a bit out there. But a fun read. 7y
ValerieAndBooks I‘ve had this in my mental TBR already (because art) but stacking here too! 7y
emmaturi Like the cover very much, sounds intriguing too 7y
Bluebird I've been considering this one for a while...looks like I should get it on my TBR pile. Thanks for the push--sounds great! 7y
110 likes6 stack adds11 comments
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Casmt
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Pickpick
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WanderingBookaneer
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Not only did my library hold come in, but I was also able to download it with my island's almost non-existent cell phone connection.

rachelm 🙌awesome! I look forward to your review! 7y
AThousandLives87 Do you guys have mail service yet? 7y
JSW Interested to hear what you think! 7y
WanderingBookaneer @AThousandLives87 : Some places do. I know the school is getting deliveries. 7y
103 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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mklong
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Mehso-so

Meh, the story is fine, but there is nothing special here. I've read similar, much better, books (i.e. The Goldfinch and The Girl with a Pearl Earring) so this just feels unnecessary. It's an okay, quick, unchallenging read if you happen to be in the mood for that.

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JSW
Mehso-so

Reading the first 2/3 of this book felt like slogging through water and I skimmed. A lot. The last third, I couldn't put it down. An odd book; it might appeal best to fellow artists or art history lovers. Personally I think Susan Vreeland does this style better.

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sofiaga
Mehso-so

I liked this book. However, the issue with this kind of novel is that I feel like I won't be able to recall anything special about it later.

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MandaChittles
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Pickpick

As someone who knows next to nothing about art or the art world I was wary about this novel. But now I want to go to art galleries! I want to learn how painters from times gone by made colours. I want to know how art can be valued so highly; artistically and materially. This Aussie author somehow managed to make 17th century Dutch female painters into a page turner. Smith crosses time and country effortlessly. I'm glad to have read this!

Cinfhen This was a really good read😃 7y
MandaChittles @Cinfhen surprisingly good! I would not normally have even considered it (odd title and not my favourite subject matter) but it got rave reviews on the Australian ABC Bookclub. 7y
bedandabook What a lovely review. You've definitely made me want to read it. 7y
43 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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JSW
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Next up on this glorious Saturday. I ❤️ days full of nothing but reading!!!!

BookBabe Yes! I loved this book! 🙌🏻🎨 7y
29 likes1 stack add1 comment
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sofiaga
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I am trying out a Scribd subscription and listening to to this story. I wish Sara de Vos was real

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trazo
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Picked this up today from the library. 😁 🎨 📚

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BrainyHeroine
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My house is full of bookish things and colored tissue paper!! More pics to come later but for now I truly want to thank @BookishMarginalia for my AMAZING #SummerSolstice boxes! I have coffee mugs, the cutest bookplates ever, sticky notes, and so so so many books! Including this one! This has been on my TBR for ages!!! Thank you!!!!!

DeborahSmall This is in my Amazon basket 💕 7y
BookishMarginalia Yey! I am so, so glad you love your gifts! Everything was chosen with much love and wrapped with tons of tissue paper 😂 7y
21 likes2 comments
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wen4blu
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Pickpick

Took the long way home the last few days just to extend my listening time on this one.

Bette That's a convincing review, thanks. 😊👍 7y
54 likes1 comment
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youngreadrshelf
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Pickpick

The story is told in three voices. Marty de Groot's family has had a painting, At the Edge of a Wood, in his family for almost 300 years. In the 1950s, Marty owns the painting, and Ellie Shipley is hired to make a forgery. We follow how their lives intersect and the history of the painting and the painter.

Well told. Well written. Smith does a good job helping the reader feel what the characters feel.

LiteraryinPA Interesting! The premise reminds me a little of 8y
Reese_Pearly.Pages I thought about giving this another listen. I actually liked it when I read it last year. 8y
33 likes2 comments
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Heatheringheights
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Pickpick

Vivid descriptions of art (fictional but based upon paintings of the Dutch Golden Age). Interesting peek into art restoration. Loved the beginning and the end. Tension could have been handled better in between. But still a great read (or listen).

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youngreadrshelf
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I may not have gotten to spend the day reading for #deweysreadathon, but I did get to hear Dominic Smith speak. He gave a great talk!

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youngreadrshelf
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Starting this in the last little bit of daylight on the back porch. Evie and Sadie will soon be demanding their nightly constitutional.

MrBook @BookBabe enjoyed this one 😊👍🏻. 8y
Reese_Pearly.Pages I listened to this one audio last year 👍🏾 8y
youngreadrshelf @Reese_Pearly.Pages did you enjoy it? 8y
Reese_Pearly.Pages For the most part. I listened to it before bed and I often fell asleep. It was good though! 8y
39 likes4 comments
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denise
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Sunshine + coffee + books = one happy gal.

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schwaetzchen
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"Altsein bedeutet, den Namen eines Chiropraktikers im Portemonnaie zu haben. ... Es bedeutet, ungehemmt mit den Abendnachrichten zu diskutieren."

Dominic Smith
"Das letzte Bild der Sara de Vos"

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schwaetzchen
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"Das Gemälde wird in derselben Woche gestohlen, in der die Russen einen Hund in den Weltraum schießen." Dominic Smith #ersterSatz

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kalinichta
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What happens when you try to take a book haul picture on your lap. #catsoflitsy #petsoflitsy

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dylanisreading
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Is anyone else physically incapable of sleeping in on their days off? It's 7:30 am here, and I've been awake since about 6:30. Also, I love this cover.

Notafraidofwords I always say I'm going to sleep in on the weekend only to find out that I can't. Time and time again. 8y
Viji Me too 😟 8y
Reviewsbylola This is my life. But it's always my kids that wake me up super early. I swear the only time my four year old sleeps in are on days she has school. 😭 8y
23 likes3 comments
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Megabooks
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This book has me completely enthralled! It wasn't even on my radar. I've blown through the first two cds without even realizing how long I've been listening.

In other news, my leg is getting better, but I've had the beginnings of a migraine all day, and now it's really bad. Count me in the #LitsyMigraineClub ☹️☹️ Sorry to complain. Thank you all for being so kind.

Rhondareads Feel better 😊 8y
Emiller Absolutely loved this book!! Hope you feel better soon! 8y
Moray_Reads Feel better! It's a great book 8y
See All 11 Comments
Notafraidofwords Feel better! 8y
shawnmooney This one's on my TBR - glad you're on the mend! ❤❤ 8y
CocoReads Feel better. 8y
Heatheringheights I almost bought this audiobook today. After seeing this, I think I will get it tomorrow! 8y
MrsMalaprop Did this for book club at the end of last year. Really liked it too. 8y
Megabooks @Rhondareads @Emiller @Moray_Reads @Notafraidofwords @shawnmooney @CocoReads Thanks, I'm doing much better today!! Still very much enjoying this book. 😃😃 8y
Megabooks @Heatheringheights It's very good! Story is great, and the narrator is doing a great job! 8y
Megabooks @MrsMalaprop it would be a great book club book! 8y
83 likes2 stack adds11 comments
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Sydsavvy
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Pickpick

This book surprised me in the end. I wasn't sure I was going to like any of the characters, but in the end I liked them all! This is one of those, stick with it, it's worth it books.

Bookish_B I really enjoyed the writing. 8y
Sydsavvy @Bookish_B yes 😊 8y
25 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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KerriNTurner
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#readjanuary #2016booksyoumissedouton I need to pick up my 2016 reading game. So many good ones still on my 'to read' pile!

LeahBergen I want to read a bunch of these, too! 8y
Hobbinol Oh I wanted that Dominic Smith book (et al)!!! 8y
KerriNTurner @LeahBergen @Hobbinol glad I'm not the only one to have not read these! 😄 8y
16 likes3 comments
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seebiscan
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There are a ton of awesome Kindle books on sale today! Including this one, which I read last year and absolutely loved. It's the story of a painting, a forged copy, and the people involved, told in three time periods: 17th c. Amsterdam, 1950s NYC, and present day Australia. I thought it was beautifully written and I loved all the storylines, so I highly recommend it!

BookishMarginalia I enjoyed it too! 8y
seebiscan @BookishMarginalia It was so good! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved how the three storylines wove together. 8y
26 likes2 comments
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Emiller
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These two are having a snuggle fest while I finish my first book of 2017 ❤❤

8little_paws Aren't they sweet 😍 8y
MrBook 😻😻😻😻😻😻 8y
kspenmoll 😺🐶💚 8y
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BooksForYears I can barely handle all that snuggly cuteness! 🐶💞😺 8y
respekt1111 Adorbs!🐶🐱💕 8y
Texreader Precious beyond words 8y
DreesReads ❤️🐈🐕 8y
LeahBergen 😩😩 8y
monkeygirlsmama So sweet 8y
Zelma 😻❤️💕💕💕 8y
Cinfhen Awwww🐶🐱❤️ 8y
Joybishoptx Snuggles! They are so cute. Wish my cat and dog were like this. 💕💕💕 8y
Howardsimmons That photo is adorable! ❤ 8y
Faibka So adorable! 😸🐶🐾💕 8y
71 likes1 stack add14 comments
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Emiller
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Joey has taken over my reading chair and blanket. I don't think he intends on sharing. Lol. Love him ❤❤😻😻

8little_paws Well isn't he the cutest! 8y
Emiller Yes yes he is 😻😻 8y
451Degrees Omg he's adorable 😻 8y
kspenmoll What a smart pet! 😺 8y
Sydsavvy Great pic!!! 8y
55 likes5 comments