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A Scatter of Light
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
33 posts | 12 read | 7 reading | 6 to read
Last Night at the Telegraph Club author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful queer coming-of-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage. Aria Tang West was looking forward to a summer on Marthas Vineyard with her best friendsone last round of sand and sun before college. But after a graduation party goes wrong, Arias parents exile her to California to stay with her grandmother, artist Joan West. Aria expects boredom, but what she finds is Steph Nichols, her grandmothers gardener. Soon, Aria is second-guessing who she is and what she wants to be, and a summer that once seemed lost becomes unforgettablefor Aria, her family, and the working-class queer community Steph introduces her to. Its the kind of summer that changes a life forever. And almost sixty years after the end of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, A Scatter of Light also offers a glimpse into Lily and Kaths lives since 1955.
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Aria
What do you think?
I like her so far

So far I love the story.
I‘m trying to ignore a few things about accuracy to timeframe. Seems editor‘s no longer edit books.

On we read.

Happy Pride!!!!
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
Happy Sunday!

So glad you‘re here with me!

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🩵🩷

mcctrish I am enjoying it a lot. I love the art talk! 2h
vlwelser Totally ignoring the inaccuracies. Maybe she'll explain later. I love this one so far. 2h
TheBookHippie @mcctrish I love the art talk!!!! 1h
See All 7 Comments
IndoorDame Definitely having fun so far! 1h
AmyG I am enjoying it. YA isn‘t really my thing. But I am invested. Going to go olus in my 2008 Prius now. 😬 17m
Librarybelle I like this so far. An easy read, with the typical awkwardness in a YA novel. 8m
3 likes7 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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vlwelser I love that she's exposing us to actual artists here. 2h
IndoorDame Her work is stunning 🤩 1h
AmyG Her work is awesome. 19m
Librarybelle This is a great education in art. Awesome! 9m
4 likes5 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
This post contains spoilers
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

I would just like to say
Adrienne Rich 💜

mcctrish I actually looked up and said “Sunday buddy read connections “ and laughed 2h
TheBookHippie @mcctrish 🙃❤️🙃 2h
vlwelser It all comes full circle. I am hoping for Easter eggs with the characters from the previous book. Last Night at the whatever that title was. 2h
See All 7 Comments
IndoorDame 💜💜💜💜💜 she actually came up just yesterday at a pride shabbat thing I went to (edited) 2h
TheBookHippie @IndoorDame 🩷🩷🩷🩷 1h
AmyG I chucked at that too. Now I “know” her…whenever her name pops up. 21m
5 likes7 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Pink Saturday-Pink Saturday is a street partyheld the Saturday night before San Francisco Pride (Gay Pride Day) in San Francisco's Castro district. It coincides with the annual Dyke March in San Francisco

kspenmoll I loved the scene where Aria dressed like she was visiting the Vineyard because she had no idea what to wear to a dyke march. It was great to see that once she let herself go & got into the march that she forgot about her faux pas. 3h
mcctrish @kspenmoll yes! And the comments about her shoes 🤣 2h
vlwelser I thought it was cute she was worried about her outfit and the girls were just like can you walk around in those shoes? 2h
See All 9 Comments
IndoorDame @vlwelser @mcctrish the shoes were my first thought when she was obsessing about her clothes! I mean even if you‘ve never been to a Pride type event, can you imagine wearing shoes like that to any protest, parade, music festival…? 2h
TheBookHippie @IndoorDame I thought that too but then the shoes I‘ve seen 😅🤣 I‘m in converse, per usual. 2h
TheBookHippie @vlwelser 🤣 made me giggle! 1h
IndoorDame @TheBookHippie true, some people are WAY more dedicated to pulling off the perfect look than I‘ll ever be 😅🤣 1h
AmyG Ha! Forget pride. I know women who wear heels to the most ridiculous places. 22m
Librarybelle Yes, @IndoorDame …wedges and heels are not ideal for any party! 😂 But, this is a whole new experience for Aria, so I give her props for trying to blend in. 13m
4 likes9 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Dyke March-A dyke march is a lesbian visibility and protest march, much like the original Gay Pride parades and gay rights demonstrations. The main purpose of a dyke march is the encouragement of activism within the lesbian and sapphic community. Dyke marches commonly take place the Friday or Saturday before LGBT pride parades.

vlwelser I love this. I've never been to a dyke march. Pride parades are amazing. 2h
IndoorDame @vlwelser I‘ve never been to one either, but I‘d love to go! ❤️🧡🤍🩷💜 2h
Librarybelle I just learned something new - I was not familiar with a dyke march! 1h
AmyG It‘s all good when it comes to love and pride. 23m
6 likes4 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Gay marriage -In a landmark decision issued on June 27, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional and that the federal government cannot discriminate against married lesbian and gay couples for the purposes of determining federal benefits and protections.

kspenmoll Worried with the biased Supreme Court that too could change. 3h
TheBookHippie @kspenmoll Terrified as well. 3h
mcctrish I was thinking about random stuff today - Pride month means a significant part of the student body will skip classes due to religious differences - if one believes in God, and that God put us here, one can‘t really say that an omnipotent being made mistakes can they? If we are here, we are meant to be? Also religious texts were written by men after being oral stories for ages and ages so how much credence should be given to them. 2h
See All 13 Comments
TheBookHippie @mcctrish EXACTLY THIS.. especially that LAST PART! 2h
vlwelser Biology is science. Religion is man made. I think that's where people get confused sometimes. It seems like we should be past the point where we want to repopulate the earth with acolytes. Birth control and abortion and gay marriage seem like the future we should be promoting. 2h
IndoorDame @mcctrish @vlwelser @TheBookHippie frustratingly, in my experience, arguments based in logic don‘t work on people of faith, you have to appeal to something that resonates with their core beliefs, and it‘s really hard to do that because outsiders don‘t usually understand them well enough 2h
TheBookHippie @IndoorDame this has been my frustrating experience and I do try to explain it in their vernacular of faith when I‘m able. 😵‍💫 2h
kspenmoll @vlwelser Totally agree!!! 1h
Librarybelle I was wondering about that too, @kspenmoll . 1h
AmyG I am fearful, too. Many could lose so much. @IndoorDame I agree. Logic and religion don‘t always work. And some twist their religion to work in their favor…of the beliefs they want to have. I will never understand any of it. First be a good, kind, respectful person. The rest is not my business. 24m
Karisa @mcctrish @IndoorDame It‘s like many people have become more conservative and less tolerant lately. Instead of moving forward, we move back due to a small but powerful group. Can‘t take any rights for granted 🥺 2m
4 likes13 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Safeway
Cosmo Shampoo
Is Grandma Joan ok..
The gardener
A date?
Mixed feelings..

In the studio with her grandfather and his tapes and papers -Lovely

kspenmoll It struck me as quite odd that she responded to a “ pick up” in Safeway despite the fact that she recognized her grandmother‘s gardener & felt attracted to her. She knew absolutely nothing about these young women. Love the connection/love & scientific she is seeking by listening to her grandfather‘s tapes & (edited) 3h
mcctrish Safeway brings me back ❤️ as does Cosmopolitan 🤣 it‘s a western chain in 🇨🇦 I shopped there in Uni and my parents had an account because the cottage was north of Winnipeg which I used when we travelled in the US to get the sale prices ( we camped a lot when our boys were young) I am slightly off put by the ‘knowing‘ glances between the ‘friends‘ re: Aria 2h
vlwelser I like this character Steph a great deal so far. The struggle with the attraction seems legit for that age group also. 2h
See All 12 Comments
IndoorDame I hope Joan is okay! 🤞🏼 Aria is being painted as graceful and mature in scenes like watching her grandfather‘s tapes, and as blundering and oblivious around her new friends. Maybe because they‘re all older? Maybe because discovering your sexuality feels like that for some people? 2h
Karisa Love the grandfather shared interest and family photos. The instant new friends dynamic does feel a little off though. However Aria is in desperate need of friends and they are nice. I just get a little off put that the message seems to be she is becoming a different sexuality because of their influence… It seems like it‘d be more realistic if she had noticed some feelings before? 1h
Librarybelle Joan sounds like a delight, but it is worrisome to see memory lapses. The scene with Lisa, Mel and Steph seemed a little off. It was kind of abrupt. Though, one thing…Lisa seemed to sense that Aria was looking at Steph as if she may be interested in her. Maybe in some ways Mel saw the same thing. But, Lisa‘s grab for Steph‘s hand was a power play move. Hmmm…I can see drama in our reading future! 1h
TheBookHippie @Karisa She may have and not realised or is now attracted to someone and she‘s shocked intrigued and a bit confused -like OH this is attraction what I had before not so much … @IndoorDame I assume she‘s discovering it as well. 1h
TheBookHippie @Librarybelle DRAMA DRAMA was my thought!!! 1h
TheBookHippie @mcctrish omg Cosmo reading 🤣🤣🤣 gosh I should pick one up. It‘s been decades. 1h
AmyG @Librarybelle Oh, there will be drama. And I agree…this all happened so fast. I barely remember being 18 so who knows? 🤣 27m
Librarybelle @AmyG 😂 18 does feel awhile ago…who knows, indeed! 7m
TheBookHippie @AmyG 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I‘ve very vague memories 😅 @Librarybelle 3m
4 likes12 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

2013
Topless photo incident 😵‍💫
Summer at grandmas
Friends abandoning her
Mother screaming at her
Ummmm the guy?

🫣👀😵‍💫

This is YA so 😅

Interesting way to get to grandmas for the summer…

iPhone 5 was September 2013 FYI

kspenmoll Agree, it is so YA I almost thought about not reading it, but once in I got engaged. It does speak to relevant social media issues. 3h
mcctrish The topless incident 😡 I want to strangle that ass! 2h
TheBookHippie @mcctrish me, oh I can picture this type of asshat in high school 😵‍💫😵‍💫👀 2h
See All 11 Comments
IndoorDame The parents reactions seemed a little over the top to me considering both the kids were 18, and a little hypocritical considering they weren‘t offering to change their summer plans to keep an eye on her. 2h
vlwelser I love that this is a very real scenario that teens actually face. Both the photos themselves but also the fallout from it. And how the boy was likely not even punished. 2h
mcctrish @IndoorDame I thought so too and @vlwelser absolutely true 2h
Librarybelle Exactly, @vlwelser . I thought the same thing. 2h
TheBookHippie @vlwelser exactly. True to life. 2h
TheBookHippie @IndoorDame oh mine would do that. Although I left at 17. 🤣😅😵‍💫 2h
Karisa @IndoorDame I thought the same thing about the parents (her parents and well as her friends‘ parents). Odd but got her to the new place 🤷🏻‍♀️ @vlwelser Guy not punished (even socially rewarded) seemed very true to life unfortunately. Couldn‘t her family have pressed legal charges? 1h
AmyG I thought the same thing about the parents, too. BUT…then I wonder if Dad knows something is “off” with Joan and it became an opportunity for Aria and Joan to spend time together. 🤷‍♀️ 31m
4 likes11 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

2008
Joan
The grandma
The art
The grandpa died …

I like how the book starts laying a history before getting into the story.

IndoorDame Yes! Love that we got to see how cool Joan is, and get a sense of how sweet a kid Aria is before any bratty teenage habits take hold of her. 2h
vlwelser I also love this setup. 2h
Librarybelle I loved that too! 2h
See All 6 Comments
Karisa It does establish the setting and family dynamics well. It kind of reminds me of Secret of a Heart Note by Stacey Lee with the pretty place near California‘s Bay Area, gardening, and teens isolating one that‘s different feel. 2h
TheBookHippie @Karisa Me too. It‘s very calming. 1h
AmyG I agree. Nice setup. I want to live in Joan‘s house! 33m
5 likes6 comments
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BarkingMadRead
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#currentread this cover is 😍😍😍

35 likes2 stack adds
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mcctrish
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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I‘m getting ready for #sundaybuddyread and #pridemonth

TheBookHippie ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🩵🩷 2d
mcctrish @TheBookHippie 🌈❤️ 2d
KadaGul @mcctrish Very Colorful 💅for the summer 🌻 (edited) 2d
See All 6 Comments
kspenmoll Those nails!!!!!🌈 2d
mcctrish @KadaGul I bit my nails for decades 🤦🏻‍♀️ the one good thing about the pandemic is it absolutely cured me of biting them anymore so I always celebrate with colour, no neutrals for me 🤣🤣 2d
mcctrish @kspenmoll they bring a smile to my face 🌈 2d
46 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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AmyG
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Oh boy. The year is 2008. There was no plug-in Prius hybrid until 2011. I used to own one and when I read this…I thought…nope.
And so it begins. 🤦🏼

#SundayBuddyRead @TheBookHippie

TheBookHippie We ALLLLL need to edit books for publishers was my thought… 😅🫨 3d
KadaGul In 2008, we were just making up things as we went along 🤣🤣. #2008 3d
Deblovestoread That is unfortunate and sloppy. 3d
lil1inblue Oops! 😂 3d
Leftcoastzen So irritating. 3d
53 likes5 comments
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IndoorDame
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Hey #sundaybuddyread friends, Turns out the kindle version actually does have chapters, very convenient!

I went to bookmark these passages before I started reading and so case it helps anyone else…

June 2 we read through the end of chapter 8

June 9 we read through the end of chapter 21

June 16 we read through the end of chapter 33

(the page numbers in my version are the same as in @TheBookHippie ‘s if you want to go by those)

TheBookHippie Oh how lovely!!! I think many of us are using kindle . 3d
AmyG Mine is the regular ebook version. If anyone has that: section 1 ends page 117, 2 ends 233, 3 ends 327 (edited) 3d
Read4life Thank you for this @IndoorDame & @AmyG (edited) 3d
BarkingMadRead Don‘t they know we need chanters?!? 2d
39 likes4 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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UP NEXT JUNE #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD 🏳️‍🌈

See you Sunday! We loved this authors book last June! 🤞🏻

IndoorDame 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ 1w
mollyrotondo Looking forward to reading this author again! 7d
Sargar114 Looks like my library only has it on audio…so should be interesting 😝 4d
54 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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JUNE #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD
🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🩵🩷

Everyone welcome !!!

AmyG No chapters???? Oy. 2w
TheBookHippie @AmyG I KNOW!!!!! 2w
willaful Won't somebody think of the book clubs?! 2w
45 likes4 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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This is our JUNE #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD
Scheduled reading sections
I have the hardcover
June 30 OFF

No chapters 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫
Hopefully this works out 😝🤷🏻‍♀️🤞🏻

IndoorDame We‘ll manage 💜 3w
vlwelser We will manage. It's fine. How many total pages is your copy. I 🖤❤ math. 3w
TheBookHippie @vlwelser 335 numbered 338 total 👀 3w
See All 11 Comments
vlwelser Ok. We have 23.37%, 47.93%, 67.46% and 100%. Estimated. 3w
TheBookHippie @vlwelser 🏆 also this proves I suck at math 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤷🏻‍♀️😝👀 3w
vlwelser Meh. We all have skills. I wouldn't be able to organize all of this stuff and post detailed questions (often with additional material) every week 3w
willaful @TheBookHippie It's close enough! 3w
TheBookHippie @AmyG see above @vlwelser has it figured percentage wise. 2w
vlwelser Is it nutty that I just requested the hard cover? I may not even need all that lovely math myself. 2w
TheBookHippie @vlwelser 🤣🤣🤣🤣😅🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w
44 likes11 comments
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LitsyEvents
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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repost for @TheBookHippie

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD JUNE 🏳️‍🌈

Schedule coming soon
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🩵🩷

Original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2733851

#BuddyRead

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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD JUNE 🏳️‍🌈

Schedule coming soon
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🩵🩷

slategreyskies Oh, I‘m looking forward to this one! I‘ve already got my copy! 3w
willaful I'd like to join! 3w
AmyG Yay! 3w
See All 8 Comments
Read4life I‘ve got my copy and have been (im)patiently waiting 🤓 3w
Catsandbooks Gonna jump in on this one! Got my copy! 3w
peanutnine Planning to join this month! I loved the last one! 3w
61 likes8 comments
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Susanita
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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This is described as a “companion” to Last Night at the Telegraph Club and not really a sequel, though we do “catch up” with the characters from the first book. I liked that one better, but this is also a pick.

My #serieslove2024 list now fits in one collage, even with a book I‘d forgotten to include before and some upcoming books that now have covers. The bottom row is just UK mysteries!

TheSpineView Awesome! 4mo
Crazeedi This is awesome! And I spy several I've read and many I haven't, will have to investigate! 4mo
Andrew65 Fantastic progress 👏👏👏 3mo
40 likes3 comments
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Our JUNE #SUNDAYBUDDYREAD
is 1.99 right now
🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PZT653T?_bbid=194952069&tag=bookbubemail1-20

TheBookHippie @AmyG @DebinHawaii @mcctrish not sure who else uses kindle! Everyone welcome ! 4mo
AmyG Thanks! 4mo
DebinHawaii Yay! 🎉 Thank you! I thought I already bought this one but I had not. 🤗 4mo
See All 9 Comments
mcctrish Oooo thank you, but not in Canada ☹️ I need to keep checking my daily e book deal emails (edited) 4mo
TheBookHippie @mcctrish oh crap I have bookperk Canada I keep forgetting as well 😵‍💫😅🤦🏻‍♀️ 4mo
Read4life Thanks for the heads up. Now I‘m ready for June! 4mo
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I just saw my BookBub email, snagged my copy, & came here to make sure you knew about it. 4mo
vlwelser 😍🌈 4mo
46 likes9 comments
review
Andrea313
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Pickpick

Bringing in this new year with a much-anticipated book and my buddy #TomKitten next to me. I loved Melinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club and this one is a lovely companion novel, unafraid to lean into uncertainty, melancholy, and a little bit of mess as the young characters grapple with identities and relationships changing and growing. I'm a Lo fan for life now; excited to seek out her other titles!

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 5mo
26 likes1 comment
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TheBookHippie
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Deblovestoread Thank you! 8mo
TheBookHippie @Deblovestoread 🙃 I try to post all the sales I see! @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick & @DebinHawaii catch a bunch usually as well! ♥️ 8mo
37 likes2 comments
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Caryl
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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August is here! And my #BookSpinBINGO list is ready. 📚🥰🎉

review
thewallflower0707
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Mehso-so

This book was quite disappointing, compared to Last Night at the Telegraph Club. I really didn‘t like that the romance was an affair. The main character wasn‘t very interesting, and all the other relationships fell flat.

#MalindoLo #YoungAdult

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Addison_Reads
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Mehso-so

I loved Last Night at the Telegraph Club, but this companion read just wasn't for me.

I wanted to know more about Aria's family and the book just barely brushed the surface. The focus is on her coming out and embracing who she is, which I love, but YA romance tends to bore me.

review
Cailey_Mac
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Pickpick

Just finished this today, and I really enjoyed it! Although I didn‘t like how part of the “love” story ended up playing out, I think how it all is drawn together (finding your true self, art, family, etc) at the end is really important. I loved Joan, and Analemma is too cute; there needs to be more animals in books!🐾

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kissmehardy
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Pickpick

Brb weeping. This was so lushly written and true to life, and I LOVED the update on Lily and Kath. I wouldn't call it a romance, but it's absolutely romantic, and the growth journey Aria goes on is one of the best. #yalit

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MaggieCarr
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Pickpick

I don't think this book needed to be considered The Telegraph Club #2, but stands decades apart as it's own story/book. The updates on characters from the aforementioned as simply an Easter Egg for Malinda Lo readers.

This story is as a more modern day coming of age story set in California just as the freedom to marry who you choose is being announced and celebrated.

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Eggs
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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Interesting that it all started with Book-It program from the 1990s! My girls loved it-for reading the required # of books, they got a personal pan pizza 🍕

#YoungReaders #NovemberNarrative @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 2y
53 likes2 comments
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RavenclawPrincess913
A Scatter of Light | Malinda Lo
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