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All the Names They Used for God
All the Names They Used for God: Stories | Anjali Sachdeva
An exhilarating debut story collection that explores the mysterious, often dangerous forces that shape our lives. Anjali Sachdeva's debut collection spans centuries, continents, and a diverse set of characters but is united by each character's epic struggle with fate: A workman in Andrew Carnegie's steel mills is irrevocably changed by the brutal power of the furnaces; a fisherman sets sail into overfished waters and finds a secret obsession from which he can't return; an online date ends with a frightening, inexplicable disappearance. Sachdeva has a talent for creating moving and poignant scenes, making the unexpected and surreal feel true and inevitable, and depicting how one small miracle can affect everyone in its wake.
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Melismatic
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I perhaps over committed myself to too many book clubs this month but despite myself, I‘m enjoying this little short story set - it feels vaguely Brothers Grimm with a moral left to your own implications.

Stopped in to my local bookstore to pick up TJ Klune‘s latest for #AuthorAMonth 🌊💙 but their mug selection always tempts me.

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Melismatic
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Trying out the Fable app and loving it so far! Joined one of my fave bookish instafluencer, Mychal, in his Fable book club. 💖

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diovival
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CollapsingLibrary
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Mehso-so

⭐️3/5
Collection of short stories that all touch on the idea of yearning and wanting more. While I enjoyed most of the stories, they did fall short of what I hope for with a short story. I was left with my own sense of wanting more from them, which is why it‘s only getting 3 stars.

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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
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Pickpick

The writing in this strange and wonderful collection blew me away. Spanning multiple genres (science fiction, horror, magical realism, etc), the range Sachdeva showcases here is astounding. Every story felt like an otherworldly experience - unsettling, new, and beautiful. Sachdeva‘s voice is truly unique, and I can‘t wait to read more! A collection that deftly puts the reader on “the knife‘s edge between wonder and terror.” 5⭐️

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CollapsingLibrary
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About half way through and not sure how I‘m feeling about it. The stories are all interesting with some sci-fi/fantasy elements but I‘m always wanting more. And not in the way I want when reading short stories. They‘re missing something. But I like the repeated motif of people not being satisfied. I‘m going to finish it because I feel like there a strong possibility it‘s a book I like more after I‘ve sat with it for a while.

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CollapsingLibrary
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Rainy day reads

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thestarlesscasea
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The six books I finished in April 2022, all 4-star reads!
4️⃣⭐️📚

4 likes1 stack add
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

I liked every story in this collection. This is coming from someone who doesn‘t usually like short stories very much. I loved the way they mostly felt modern, but with a slight folklore twist.

If you‘ve got a challenge that calls for a short story collection, maybe consider picking this one up.

Thanks Bookclub for making me step out of my comfort zone😊.

AmyG I love dog bellies. Reminds me of Lou. (edited) 3y
Soubhiville @AmyG it‘s the cutest when they lay like this! 3y
81 likes2 comments
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MegCaldwell
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Mehso-so

Some of the stories I really enjoyed while others fell flat or needed more world building for me.

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Billypar
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Pickpick

This terrific debut has a wonderful variety of stories in different genres and time periods where adventures might include a mysterious cave, a mermaid, or an alien invasion to name a few. Similar themes run through the tales: characters are bored by their daily lives and embrace experiences that, while dangerous, shake them out of their malaise. Recommended for those who aren't usually short story fans: a little something for everyone here.

Suet624 Oh! That cave story! 😳💕💕 5y
Billypar @Suet624 One of my favorites of the collection. The title story and the Milton one were standouts too, but I liked them all, a strong collection. 5y
43 likes1 stack add2 comments
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alisonrose
Pickpick

An impressively strong collection, especially for a debut! I appreciate that each story is of reasonable length (hate when a “story” is like 3 pages) & each has a substantive plot, a full exploration. Characters & settings are quite varied, yet the theme of alienation—intentional or forced, painful or restorative—connects them beautifully. Two stories didn‘t quite work for me, but overall this was great & I look forward to more from her. 4/5 ⭐️

17 likes1 stack add
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alisonrose
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alisonrose

The look of despair on Freyn‘s face was not unfamiliar to him. Freyn had clearly believed with all his heart that whatever dream he saved himself for all these years, like a virgin bride, would reward him by promptly coming true. The younger man could be Van Jorgen years back, living in blissful ignorance of the pain of the world, only to have it pour over him in a molten wave.

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alisonrose
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I‘m not a big short story reader, but I‘ve found a few amazing collections over the years, and this one is beloved by both @Liberty and @thereadingwomen so I have a good feeling about it ☺️ #nowreading

Eyelit So many people I know have recommended this book! It sounds pretty awesome! 5y
Christine Loved this one! ❤️ 5y
39 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Liberty
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It‘s Day 15 of the @bookriot #Riotgrams Challenge! Today‘s prompt: freebie!
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My favorite book of 2018 is out in paperback on June 18th! I am excited about this for many reasons, the two greatest being that 1) the new cover references my favorite story in the collection and 2) I am quoted inside! It‘s only three of my words, but still, it is an honor because this book is AMAZING. 🧜‍♀️💙📚

111 likes6 stack adds
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kindergartenkat
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Pickpick

What a great collection of stories! I especially loved The Pleiades. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#readingwomenchallenge - a book from the Reading Women 2018 shortlist

10 likes1 stack add
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kindergartenkat
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CrossFit gym is closed today so I went to the regular gym instead and listened to All the Names They Used for God. Books + Exercise = Happy Mother's Day for me! #bookfitnesschallenge #BFC

BookwormAHN Nice job 👏🏻 5y
alisiakae Happy Mother's Day! 5y
Headinherbooks_27 🙌🙌 5y
See All 6 Comments
TheSpineView Way to go! 5y
dariazeoli Great work 🙌 5y
Clwojick ♥️🖤💜 5y
16 likes6 comments
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shaynarae
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13 books this month:
4 🎧 audio
3 🖥 ebooks
6 📖 physical books
Fiction: 7
Nonfiction/memoir/essays: 6
From my shelf: 1
#aprilstats #monthlywrapup

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shaynarae
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Pickpick

This short story collection of gripping, soulful tales filled with magical realism is nothing short of wonderful! It didn‘t compete with the fairy tale format, though there were similar tropes. And it wasn‘t as surreal as some other magical-realism type collections I‘ve read, which I think made it more accessible without sacrificing any intrigue. #catsoflitsy

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peacegypsy
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Starting this one next. Captivating title.

35 likes1 stack add
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Christine
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Pickpick

I think I‘ve checked this out of the library no less than five times (but never read). Hooray for finally getting to it, because it‘s sublime - a new favorite collection, for sure. The stories are so different, but each one has characters that grab you within a page or two and make the book really painful to put down mid-story! Best of all is her exquisite yet unfussy writing, which I L-O-V-E-D, and I will 100% read anything else she writes.

Jess I agree. One of my favorite books of 2018. Fantastic. 6y
Christine @Jess Yes! I hope we don‘t have to wait too long for another book from her. 6y
60 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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shaynarae
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So proud of myself for only buying 2 books during my NYC pilgrimage to Strand

Crazeedi The Strand, I dream of going there one day... 6y
TrishB @Crazeedi me too 👍🏻 6y
34 likes2 comments
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Leslie7
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Pickpick

This collection of short stories is surprising and engrossing. I read a few of the stories over and over. It's going to stay with you, if you read it.

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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

A really diverse book oh short stories, both in terms of genres and characters.

Becker I agree. I really enjoyed it as well. 6y
21 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jocelyn73c
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Pickpick

I think I can say that I liked this collection. Some of the stories really grabbed me while others I didn't feel too many ways about. But the longer I sit with it the more I think I enjoyed it. For me, all these stories had something to say about our humanity and our relationship to it. I'm definitely going to be rereading this in my future!

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inkantation
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Pickpick

A fantastic collection of magical realism and science fiction. Some stories we're downright bizzare but Sachdeva's language kept me interested the entire time. It absolutely disrupted the flow of books I read this year and I'm thankful for that. It's good to try something different every now and then. If you're looking for a break from the norm or excellent short stories, this is it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

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amma-keep-reading
Pickpick

It's hard to find a collection of stories where every story is memorable and thought provoking... This is one of those rare gems.

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Book_Lust
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Feeling the crunch to meet my end-of-the-year goals, and losing myself in these gorgeous stories. 4:35 PM, kicking horse coffee with coconut cream, and a mermaid. 🧜‍♀️

Avanders Hello! Have you received your #stuffedstockingswap #sss package? If so, it'd be lovely if you could post a pic & show off the goodies 🤗 If not, let me know and I'll follow up! ♥️🎄 6y
31 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Lola
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Today I‘m reading short stories and New Yorker articles. This collection was one of 3 books @Liberty chose for me via @bookriot ‘s TBR service.Tailored book recommendations sent to your inbox(or you can chose to receive the actual books in your mailbox) every quarter. Stitch Fix for Books-check it out here:https://www.google.com/amp/s/bookriot.com/2018/10/02/introducing-tbr-tailored-book-recommendations-from-book-riot/amp/ if you haven‘t already.

Cinfhen Niiiice!!!! 6y
48 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Bookswithjams
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Pickpick

Needed this to get me out of my reading slump. I enjoyed all of these with All the Names for God and Manus being my favorites.

RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you need it. Or if you prefer how-to videos, @chelleo put some together at the link in her bio. @LitsyWelcomeWagon 6y
Bookswithjams @RaimeyGallant Thank you so much! 6y
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LitsyWelcomeWagon Welcome! 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👋🏻 6y
Bookswithjams @Eggs Thank you!! 6y
7 likes7 comments
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FloralAngstMermaid
Mehso-so

I hadn‘t read a compilation of short stories in a long time and I‘m not sure how I felt about this one. I somewhat understood the overall theme that linked these stories together. The only stories that stood out to and stayed with me were Manus (I wish that this was a book all on its own) and a few others.

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thelizflynn
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Pickpick

So, so good. Manus & All the Names for God were my favorites.

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LauraBeth
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It‘s 5 pm and I‘ve only walked 942 steps today.

TrishB It‘s bed time and my phone says no dats for today‘s steps.....which is a lie cos I know I walked up stairs to have a bath!! 6y
MarriedtoMrT I was going to walk but napped instead. It was that kind of day! 6y
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Redwritinghood 😂😂 6y
Mimi28 😻😻😻 she‘s getting so big!! Don‘t worry about the steps, everyone deserves days off. 6y
readordierachel That's the sign of a good book 6y
saresmoore Sounds like a gooood day. 6y
125 likes7 comments
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Ashley_Nicoletto
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Pickpick

This is a strange little short story collection. Each story is unique and the audiobook is narrated by different narrators which was fabulous.

398.2 Really like this cover! 6y
Ashley_Nicoletto @398.2 Same! Isn‘t it gorgeous? 6y
75 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Ashley_Nicoletto
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Month end Sunday in my Hocus Pocus sweater with my holiday cup and this audiobook.

#accountantproblems

Lola This is in my physical TBR right now :) 6y
Ashley_Nicoletto @Lola It‘s so good. I struggle with short stories because I get them confused. But these are all very different and strange. 6y
Lola @Ashley_Nicoletto Good to know! I signed up for Book Riot‘s TBR (Tailored Book Recommendations/aka Stitch Fix for books) service and my Bibliologist, @liberty, chose this as one of my three recs for the quarter. 6y
See All 7 Comments
Ashley_Nicoletto @Lola Isn‘t TBR so fun?! I signed up as well and love my recommendations. 6y
Lola @Ashley_Nicoletto It‘s great! And while I love getting books in the mail and would love to have book mail from Print, I chose the email recs only option because I have so many local book stores to choose from/support. My other two books are The Book of Harlan and Days Without End. Who‘s your bib and what were their picks for you? 6y
Ashley_Nicoletto @Lola Liberty was mine as well and I said I was open to anything but requested some fantasy recs. She picked Dragon Sword and Wind Child and Ship of Magic for the fantasy and then I had just read and loved Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows so she recommended Everything Was Goodbye. I‘m hoping to read at least two of the three this month. 6y
Lola @Ashley_Nicoletto Love it! Erotic Stories is in my TBR-looking forward to it. 6y
65 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Bookmarkie
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28 likes1 stack add
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amybiscoe
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I love a good short story collection and this one is top notch. Another favorite of 2018.

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Becker
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Just about to finish up the last story in this very strong collection. Excellent storytelling right through the whole collection.👍

mrozzz I absolutely adored this collection! 6y
18 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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AllenTStClair
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Pickpick

Just finished this beautiful collection of stories, and...WOW. Sachdeva has a real knack for telling the story of a life in a few short pages. From sci-fi, to magical realism, to plain ole fiction, the stories cover several genres. And each proves Sachdeva‘s capability as a writer. Stunningly haunting, heartbreakingly beautiful, and unabashedly bold. Every story is a gem.

ephemeralwaltz Lovely review! Been meaning to get to this one. 6y
mrozzz Well said! I also loved this collection. 6y
AllenTStClair @mrozzz It was spectacular! 6y
92 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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AllenTStClair
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Gonna start this one today. It‘s one of the 5 I promised myself I‘d read in 2018, so...

Suet624 Some great stories in this one. 6y
AllenTStClair @Suet624 I‘ve read the first two. 😍 6y
73 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Bookalong
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Pickpick

Each story was like a mini novel. They were about 20+ or more pages long. In each story the characters are looking for more meaning in their lives and to find something more. And to find a connection to something. They were all very different stories. Some were magical, others scifi, and terror. All were very plot and character driven which I loved. Sanchdeva writes beautifully crafted prose.
#shortstories #bookreview #stories #goodreads

14 likes1 stack add
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Suet624
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Pickpick

This picture fits the title of this book. 😂 Some of these short stories were soooo good. The emptiness you feel after you swim with a mermaid. The claustrophobia I felt as a woman explores an underground cave during a snowstorm. I still prefer novels to short stories, but I was really happy with this one.

Billypar I'm about to post a review of Kelly Link's last collection and, while I've always liked stories, it made me hungry for reading even more. 6y
Suet624 @Billypar 👍🏼 I hope you like this one. 6y
67 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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mrozzz
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Pickpick

There have been a handful of authors in the last year to change my mind about short stories, and Sachdeva is now one of them. She's uber competent & certainly an author to watch. Her ability knows no limit of genre or period setting. She shows off her skill by flawlessly moving between both throughout her collection (sci-fi, historical, murder, all). And in my eyes, the indicator of a great writer is one who simply can't be held back by labels.

91 likes7 stack adds
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lauralovesbooks1
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Mehso-so

Sachdeva is a skilled writer, but the collection fell flat for me as a whole.

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ChasingOm
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So, the election year has wrecked my reading life, but any day I find some time and some mental energy, I take advantage! Today is a beautiful day, so I‘ve been on my porch for most of it, first catching up on my yoga teacher training reading and now cracking this one open. Short stories, fantasy, and YA have been my best bets this year (as well as audio since I‘m in the car a lot), so if you have any recommendations, let me know!

ItsAngel I bet our swap group‘s selections have been killing you. Glad to see you have some down time today. 7y
ChasingOm There‘s a lot of “sorry, I didn‘t read this” in those journals going ‘round. They all look great but I just don‘t have the mental capacity! 😕 @ItsAngel 7y
ItsAngel @ChasingOm well, you get them after me so you know what I have and haven‘t been reading. It is what it is. Sometimes a selection just doesn‘t work for us. Next month you get 2 books. FYI. 7y
ChasingOm Hooooooo boy, @ItsAngel. 😂😂 Well, this month‘s is GREAT, so that‘s a plus! 7y
36 likes1 stack add4 comments
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alvingregorio
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Bailedbailed

Not a short story kind of person. Don't know why I thought I might like this one

Suet624 😂😂 7y
16 likes1 comment
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Christine
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Mojito cookie + new library book = FINALLY-finished-our-taxes reward.

VelvetSpade Love it!! 🙌🙌 7y
emilyhaldi Beautiful cover 😍 7y
Christine @VelvetSpade Pleased with both (at least so far, re: the book)! 7y
See All 6 Comments
Christine @emilyhaldi Right?? ❤️ 7y
Lynnsoprano Mojito cookie? Is that something you made, and if so, may I have the recipe😄 7y
Christine @Lynnsoprano It‘s from my favorite Cuban bakery, but I was thinking yesterday that I should find a recipe, especially since we grow limes and mint in our backyard! Will definitely share if I do. :) 7y
65 likes1 stack add6 comments
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MadCatRamble
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Pickpick

I picked this collection up on a whim after hearing it mentioned on a @bookriot podcast. I didn‘t expect to read every story as if I were compelled, but I did. There‘s something alchemical about the way Sachdeva combines narrative with prose. At times, I wanted to stop reading, (Manus and Pleiades were especially difficult) but I couldn‘t, and now, having finished them all, I‘m very glad of that.

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theshrinkette
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Mehso-so

I typically enjoy surrealist/fabulist stories, but I couldn't quite connect with this book. She's a talented writer, I'll definitely try more of her work in the future.

37 likes3 stack adds