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The Gloaming
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
Shortlisted for The Guardian's Not the Booker Prize, The Gloaming is an adventurous, haunting novel of guilt, atonement, and hope.
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review
Redwritinghood
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

There are a lot of heavy topics in this book. It‘s about the violence, both physical and emotional, that people can do to each other, as well as the guilt, grief, and hope for atonement that comes with it. We follow a young woman to Tanzania after a devastating traffic accident in which three children are killed. Everyone she meets there has their own pain and grief to deal with also. While not a light read, I found it immersive. 4⭐️ #hoopla

emilyhaldi I enjoyed this one! 4y
MicheleinPhilly Great review. My book club is discussing this one tonight. 👍🏼 4y
49 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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MicheleinPhilly
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

My local indie‘s book club pick for April. There is a palpable, ever present tension that you can FEEL as much as the descriptions of the Tanzanian heat. And while there is a mystery involved, ultimately this is a story of grief and loss and how it fundamentally alters us. Really unique and interesting. 👍🏼 I can‘t remember who sent me this eons ago - maybe you, Carrie? Regardless, thank you, whomever you are! 😂

TheLibrarian It might have been me. I do remember giving this away on Litsy!! Glad you enjoyed it. 4y
MicheleinPhilly @TheLibrarian I just looked back through the posts. You sent it to me 4 years ago! 🤣🤣 I‘m ridiculous. 😬 4y
Cathythoughts Nice review! I love the word ‘ gloaming ‘ ... I have loads of Litsy books to read too 4y
Redwritinghood I just started this on audiobook today. Have heard great things about it. 4y
55 likes4 comments
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Sarah T
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
Pickpick

Re-reading for my book goup. So glad I stumbled upon this book in a half-price bookstore last summer.

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Alicia
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

Pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! Read it somewhat randomly (I‘m not that deliberate in how I choose books...) and it was absolutely captivating! The plot kept me guessing almost until the end, and Finn‘s sense of place is magical. I highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Twocougs
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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😳😳😳Didn‘t expect that ending. Beautifully written, heartbreaking . I see why it was long listed for the Booker.

38 likes2 stack adds
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Billypar
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

They don't come much darker than this tale of a woman who escapes to Tanzania in the wake of a horrific accident in which she was implicated. Yet an eerie series of events seem to follow her. I was hooked most of the way through: I couldn't read it fast enough. Finn crafts quite a knot of paranoid connections and dread. The ending was a letdown though. It leaves some interesting interpretations open, but wasn't satisfying.
(TW for a rape scene)

Cathythoughts I love that word “ gloaming “ ♥️👍🏻 6y
Billypar @Cathythoughts Me too- it has a great sound to it. But I'm not sure I've ever heard it spoken in conversation. 6y
Cathythoughts My husband has a song - “ we were roaming in the gloaming.. we were busking in the dusk ... she played the Stack Of Barley , I played The Money Musk !! “ so I hear it sung a lot 😀 6y
Billypar @Cathythoughts Love those lyrics- thanks for sharing! 6y
38 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
emilyhaldi
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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This book is a trip. Pilgrim Jones' husband abandons her in a small Swiss town, leaving her for another woman. Confused and without direction, Pilgrim travels to a remote town in Africa. One day a witch doctor's curse is carried into town and the people are set on edge, including Pilgrim. This book is beautifully written but had me wondering "wtf?!" a lot of the time ?
#onmyown
#musicalnewyear

vivastory I completely forgot about this one. It was buried in my TBR. Will have to bump it up! 6y
Cinfhen Cool cover 6y
Megabooks You read really interesting books! 6y
See All 7 Comments
Reviewsbylola Love that it matches your new chairs. 6y
emilyhaldi I love a weird storyline!! 😆 @Megabooks 6y
Megabooks @emilyhaldi Same here. Or weird characters. Maybe I should stack this! 🤨 6y
Leftcoastzen Looks interesting!stacked! Sigh 6y
114 likes6 stack adds7 comments
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AlizaApp
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

A woman fleeing a tragedy in Switzerland winds up in a small Tanzanian village with witch doctors and mercenaries. Spooky and atmospheric, with an unexpected ending that I can‘t stop thinking about.

37 likes1 stack add
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JanJan
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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This disturbing (but excellent) book does not quite fit the mood of my sunny, happy day... I‘ve had such a hard couple of months, but today everything seems ok. I hope the trend sticks!

Reviewsbylola I ♥️ this pic. 7y
64 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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JanJan
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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I love this creepy cover!

BarbaraTheBibliophage That‘s a terrific #bookface! 7y
91 likes1 stack add1 comment
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DannyOlda
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

4.5 out of 5 - Though a serious look at guilt, grief, suffering and maybe atonement, also a quiet but very engaging mystery/thriller. Finn's prose is confident, not overly adorned, very thoughtful. Great read over the weekend; I had to pace myself.

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DannyOlda
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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A bit depressing but still...

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DannyOlda
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Package from Two Dollar Radio just arrived--2 book's for $20, awesome deal.

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akfreeborn
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

This book is so haunting! Escaping to Africa, the protagonist troubles follow her but somehow she finds herself despite so many like her that have made mostly innocent mistakes and suffered insurmountable losses. As a reader I felt a bit hollowed out by the events experienced but loved the structure and how everything revealed itself. Reminded me a bit of Vendela Vida‘s The Diver‘s Clothes...both are excellent!

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akfreeborn
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Started this one today. Don‘t you love the cover art?

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emilyhaldi
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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I put together a stack of books that made #thenicelist this year- for me that means they all had aspects that I enjoyed, but as I look back at them I feel mild indifference. Nice enough 🤷🏻‍♀️

#seasonsreadings2017

Reviewsbylola I still think about Then We Came to the End and it‘s been years and years since I read it. 7y
Mdargusch I haven‘t read any of those so I won‘t I guess. 7y
133 likes1 stack add2 comments
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JanJan
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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What a fun ending to a long day! Thank you so much @chlobee ! I love everything, what thoughtful selections! Happy Halloween!

chlobee So glad you like the books and so so happy it got to you by Halloween! Enjoy (esp those chocolates 😍) 7y
emilyhaldi Mmmmmm that chocolate looks good! Great gift! 🖤🎃 7y
31 likes2 comments
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Demanda
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

This book is incredible. I've never read a mystery like it. It's dark, and sad, and wonderful. Do yourself a favor and check it out. I hate returning it to the library, so I may have to buy a copy of my own.

36 likes4 stack adds
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Demanda
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Dog, book, couch, blanket, and favorite pillow = the makings of a perfect weekend ☺️. Not a perfectly composed picture, but I'm sooo happy it's Friday! And Nora has a new bone!

britt_brooke Nora is beautiful! 😍 7y
Demanda @britt_brooke Thank you! I love her soooo much! 7y
Bklover Looks cozy and wonderful!!😺 7y
Demanda @Bklover it is! ☺️ 7y
35 likes1 stack add4 comments
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MicheleinPhilly
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Thanks Carrie! #BookMail

Bookcation74 This one is at the top of my TBR pile! 7y
TheLibrarian You're welcome!! Hope you like it. 7y
50 likes2 comments
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TheLibrarian
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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GIVEAWAY!!!!

To enter, leave a comment below telling me your favorite animal! A winner will be randomly selected tomorrow at 8am EST (US only).

#freebie #cleaninghouse

Jess7 Dog (miniature schnauzer, specifically 😂) 7y
JPeterson Sea Otter! 7y
See All 21 Comments
KDo27 Manatee! 7y
Aluciddreamstate Basset hound 😁 7y
Emiller Rhino 🦏 7y
dariazeoli Chimpanzees. #HailCaesar ☺️ 7y
2BR02B Sandcatttt 7y
erinreads No surprise here: 🐈 7y
Scurvygirl That's too hard... alive ones! 7y
valeriegeary Bears! Polar, black, grizzly, if it's a bear I love it! 🐻 7y
emmanoble Lions! I'm obsessed with them 🦁 7y
AbstractMonica Tiger 🐅🐯💕 7y
guinsgirlreads Penguins! 🐧🐧🐧 7y
MicheleinPhilly Sloths. 7y
Graciouswarriorprincess 🐉 Dragons! 7y
peaKnit I just love the word gloaming...favorite animal...kittens 7y
coffeenebula Pet: kitteh Wild: Narwhal aka ocean unicorn 🦄 7y
TheLibrarian @MicheleinPhilly Congrats you won!!! Just send me your name and address to nelsoncarrie73@gmail.com and I'll mail it out Monday. 7y
MicheleinPhilly 🙌🏼Thank you! 7y
52 likes21 comments
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Lola
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Another #belovedreadingspot. Because sometimes The Walking Dead is just too much. #17booklove #bookandbath #bathandbook

Reviewsbylola I would read in my bath every night if I could. 😍 8y
cdreincarnate Nice bookmark 😉 8y
Lola @cdreincarnate I represent our beloved @RoscoeBooks whenever I can! 😍 8y
Lola @Reviewsbylola ME TOO!!!! ❤ 8y
52 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Lola
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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My husband built this reading nook for me so I had a place to read while the rest of the fam watches their shows. I love it because we can still be together while I'm actually doing my own thing. The prints are bookish; underneath there are big sliding baskets full of books. There's also a built-in space to the side for books, journals and other bookish stuff. And it has a view of the lake. It's my happy place #booklove17 #belovedreadingapot

Reviewsbylola I need a reading nook. I love that! 8y
CherylDeFranceschi ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
cathysaid Such a thoughtful husband! 8y
See All 9 Comments
Lola @cathysaid One of those great moments when you're like, yeah, this dude gets me ❤ 8y
Lola @Reviewsbylola It's my haven. Although I don't think the hub anticipated how many books I could stash there. If he did, he may not have built it 😂😂 8y
Lola @CherylDeFranceschi It definitely scored him major husband points 👍🏻 8y
Hooked_on_books That's a great husband! 8y
LitHousewife What a great thing! 8y
cdreincarnate So jealous! 8y
53 likes9 comments
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Lola
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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@seebiscan 's very enthusiastic review turned this one from, "I have to read this for book club on Tuesday" to "I am so excited to read this for book club on Tuesday!!!!" #sundayreading #bookandcoffee @RoscoeBooks

seebiscan Looking forward to discussing with you! 😊 8y
50 likes1 stack add1 comment
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seebiscan
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

Just finished up the pick for the @RoscoeBooks contemporary book club and I was blown away. I literally couldn't put it down--I read up until I turned off the lights and went to bed last night and then picked it up again first thing this morning. It's a fascinating psychological look at people and Finn does a great job at getting you inside the heads of her characters. If you're looking for a good literary thriller, I'd recommend this!

Alfoster Sold!!😍 8y
Lola Whoa...that's quite a review! Looks like I'll be picking this one up next! 8y
seebiscan @Lola It took me by surprise, how much I liked it! But the author created such an amazing sense of place that it really sucked me in. Hope you like it! 8y
30 likes1 stack add3 comments
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bookandcat
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

Intriguing novel about an expat woman who flees her life in Switzerland for Africa. The reasons why may give you a bit of a chill. If Francesca Marciano tries to rewrite Gillian Flynn, you might end up with something like this. It's definitely more literary fiction than thriller but I enjoyed it. Also, the physical book is a delight to hold. Love this imprint (Two Dollar Radio). #indiebooks

emilyhaldi Great review! 8y
bookandcat @emilyhaldi thanks!! I quite enjoyed this book 😄 8y
19 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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TheLibrarian
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

I picked this up since it was recommended by @Liberty and it was enjoyable. The story was broken up into a few different character perspectives but it mainly followed the life of Pilgrim. She went to Africa to get a grip on her life after her marriage broke up and a terrible car accident. This was a dark tale with a bit of a mystery. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

54 likes1 stack add
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MDodge
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

Sosososo good!! Loved this! Great characters, complex plot, so well written. Definitely grim but so enjoyable.

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TheLibrarian
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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I'm being a bad influence on my cat today. She's not allowed on the couch yet here she is. I just wanted some snuggles while watching a movie. ?Good thing the fiancé is working today!! ?

Bookzombie 💕🐱Better get the lint roller out to remove any evidence. 😉 8y
DebinHawaii 🐱❤️ 8y
48 likes2 comments
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Buddys_Momma
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

This book was twist-y turn-y in the best possible way. The story kept me guessing and rarely went the way I thought it would. Didn't take me long to get used to the shifting time frame and perspectives. Characters were very well developed. A bit slow in parts but not so much that it took away from the story. Emotional but also sensual and full of suspense. A good read 📚👍🏽😄

19 likes1 stack add
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Lacythebookworm
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

Multiple perspectives, travel to different continents, varying timelines, and a twist - this book has them all! Overall, great story. A bit stronger in the first half. I always find something interesting from the small press Two Dollar Radio ❤️🙌

Kitta Haven't heard of two dollar radio, I'll have to check it out! I love reading things from small/independent publishers 8y
Lacythebookworm @Kitta Definitely check them out! They're based in Columbus, Ohio. What are your favorite small presses? 8y
brilliantglow I just added this one to my tbr yesterday. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. 8y
87 likes8 stack adds3 comments
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Lacythebookworm
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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I'm loving this book so hard even though it has some serious librarian stereotypes. 🤓

LindsayReads This author clearly has not met me. 😂😂😂 8y
Lacythebookworm @LindsayReads My thoughts exactly (but about myself)! 😊 8y
Jokila Such a good book! 💕 8y
65 likes3 comments
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Lacythebookworm
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Time to start a new book before The Nutcracker begins 📚🙌😊

69 likes2 stack adds
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Buddys_Momma
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Excited to start this book. Not only have I heard great things about it but it is published by Two Dollar Radio, an up-and-coming publisher located right here in Columbus Ohio! This book made the NYT's Best Fiction of 2016 list. Gonna dig in......
#twodollarradio

9 likes3 stack adds
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NerdyRev
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

This is a delightfully strange book that will not be for everyone. A woman accidentally kills 3 children and then runs to Africa after being acquitted. It is there she thinks she is cursed, but people have followed her. Bulk is her narrative, but it switches at the end to several perspectives to find out what happens. It is an odd one, but really well written.

rachellayown Sounds interesting! 8y
36 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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NerdyRev
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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This is my reading/vacation week. I am juggling 5 books right now! Tried Kobo tonight as a book purchase place and I am not a huge fan of the app, but like the pricing. Trying The Gloaming which seems to be a fast read. After hitting a child, our protagonist runs to Africa where she meets a witch doctor. Good so far.

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Snakes6atx
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
Pickpick

Loved it! It is strange and heart breaking. The characters are beautifully developed. Kind of a dreamy feel and not very fast paced, yet I had a hard time putting it down!

11 likes1 stack add
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Snakes6atx
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Just started .... #fridayreads

MrBook Looks like a good pairing to me 😎👌🏻 8y
16 likes1 comment
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Jokila
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

A ghost story; an eerie, malevolent Africa; a beautiful American with an ugly past, haunted by witch doctors, mercenaries, hexes... Pilgrim knows she's being hunted, but she has nowhere to go: her future blank, and utterly alone. Every soul in which she might find sympathy is already hollowed out and hounded by its own black cloud of loss in a novel that reminded me of equal parts All The Birds Singing & Deb Olin Unferth's Vacation. 5 stars ✨

42 likes4 stack adds
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KatG
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn

'Usually,' I say. 'Usually, people don't notice I don't talk. They're happy talking about themselves.'

Texreader Great quote! 8y
13 likes1 comment
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Jokila
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn

I have nothing to live for--a bland expression that I now understand. That I welcome. Because life, like a wire, requires tension on both ends. You care to live and someone else cares that you live. What's the point of holding the slack end?

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MargieCrawford
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
Pickpick

Excellent. The characters and the sense of place will stay with you.

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MargieCrawford
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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50 pages in and I'm hooked. #readathon

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Snakes6atx
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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My @DeweysReadathon TBR. I am definitely a mood reader so not sure how the TBR thing will work out, but I am ready to read!

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RVA_Shane
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Deserthorror
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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This one is just a beauty. Prose so delicate it is like water moving around rock.

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erincp
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Picked up some books from Two Dollar Radio and Bookspace Columbus at Independents' Day.
That's six books in this week and zero out. 🙊📚💗😁
#twodollarradio #bookspace

OffTheBeatenShelf.com Something told me you'd be on Litsy! 🤗 8y
15 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Deserthorror
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Just jumped to second on my fall #tbr list after ARCADE BY David Nellins Smith

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Bookgirl96
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Pickpick

On my TBR list.

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MatthewBurris
The Gloaming | Melanie Finn
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Just dropped through the mail slot.