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candc320

candc320

Joined April 2016

review
candc320
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Pickpick

Chuck Wendig never fails to surprise! This was such a unique story. We go on a JOURNEY…into a kind of liminal space/game world that is truly terrifying. The characters are complicated and realistic, which is to say you don‘t always like them but you are rooting for them. I always know I‘m in for a good time when I read his books! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Tender Is the Flesh | Agustina Bazterrica
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Mehso-so

Ummmm…this one was rough! Not only is the subject matter unsettling but the audiobook narrator‘s lack of inflection or feeling in his voice was particularly disturbing and sometimes monotonous. I also really didn‘t like the ending either and there is a part dealing with puppies that I especially hated (which might sound weird given everything else going on). The overall theme though of the worth of humanity was intriguing. 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Not Quite Dead Yet | Holly Jackson
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Pickpick

I took a journey with this book! I wasn‘t a huge fan at first as it felt very YA even though I believe this is billed as the author‘s adult novel debut. The main character, while endearing and funny, was very juvenile in her choices. It almost became unrealistic - I mean, being told you have a week to live didn‘t mean you have EXACTLY a week to live, it‘s an estimate 🤣! That being said I LOVED THE ENDING!! I can‘t say much about it but it ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: saved the story for me! 🌟🌟🌟🌟 1w
21 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
candc320
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Pickpick

This was GREAT! Based on a real woman who was “the first witch of Boston”, this is a devastating story about a compelling, complicated woman and the husband who loved her through it all. If you love witch trial stories you can probably guess how this goes but the journey is amazing! The narrator of the audiobook was also compelling. Highly recommend!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Untitled | Anonymous
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Pickpick

This was a super quick, dark and disturbing short story! There are some massive trigger warnings here that I‘ll try to put in the comments as a spoiler because it will give too much away otherwise. I really enjoyed it, other than wishing the story was a little more flushed out (I know it‘s a short story but I wanted more!). If you‘re ok with graphic content give it a try! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

candc320 Trigger warnings: graphic violence, child death and mutilation, body horror 2w
17 likes1 comment
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candc320
The No-End House | Jeremy Bates
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Pickpick

This was another wild adventure of a novel! The no-end house is basically built of a series of escape rooms where your life - and your very soul - are actually at stake. While disturbing and unsettling I wouldn‘t actually say it felt like horror to me (maybe I‘m weird 🤣). Apparently it‘s based on a creepy pasta which I need to look up next. Even so it felt very unique to me and unlike anything else I‘ve read. Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

19 likes1 stack add
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candc320
My Ex, the Antichrist | Craig DiLouie
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Pickpick

This was a wild ride! Daisy Jones and the Six meets Omen with all the rock, drama, and horror that would entail. It‘s heavy on the background of what it‘s like to be in a rock band and the ups and downs inherent in that type of career. I have to admit I zoned out a little as I‘m not really into music on that sort of level, but the last 3 hours or so were solid devastation and horror…which I loved! Definitely an interesting concept! 🌟🌟🌟💫

blurb
candc320
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My #botm October pick came in and IT‘S GORGEOUS!! I don‘t know if you can tell but it‘s got a textured cover and the back is beautiful too! Book of the Month is really delivering on the book quality lately!

20 likes1 stack add
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candc320
Count My Lies | Sophie Stava
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Pickpick

Twists and turns and so…many…lies that my brain couldn‘t keep up. I actually said at one point “wait, what did they just say?!”. I had to go back and make sure I heard the audiobook correctly 🤣. These characters are just awful but it‘s definitely an entertaining ride. If you like a good popcorn thriller like I do pick this one up! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

blurb
candc320
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A visual representation of all the books on my TBR list (and more!) that I want to read next month!

kspenmoll Wow! 3w
20 likes1 comment
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candc320
Extraordinary October | Diana Wagman
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Got my #spooky #tbr ready to go! I honestly want to read all of these next month but I doubt I‘ll be able to get to them all 😬. A girl can try!! Trying to get a bingo for #bookspinbingo does help!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3w
Pogue Slewfoot is amazing, it starts slow and goes with a bang. I do recommend a physical copy for the art work. 3w
candc320 Thank you, @Pogue ! I‘ll try to find a physical copy! 3w
17 likes3 comments
review
candc320
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Pickpick

This was a solid mystery with a touch of the supernatural (I think…not sure how much was supposed to be “real” and how much was just in our main character‘s head). It was kind of slow for my tastes - not really a page turner for me - but I ended up enjoying it overall. A few twists and a satisfying ending. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
The Long Walk | Stephen King
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Pickpick

Ahh this is a hard one! Full disclosure I saw the movie first and loved it! It‘s heartbreaking and hard to watch at times but they did an excellent job of building the relationships between the walkers, keeping the tension high, and ended it in a somewhat satisfying way. The book…did not. It‘s not bad by any means - I love me some King - but it dragged on and don‘t really solidify the friendships. And the ending - no thank you! 📚🌟🌟🌟 🎬🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Play Nice | Rachel Harrison
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I loved this! Perfect for spooky season with a snarky protagonist (which I love!) and a possession story that I wasn‘t expecting but thoroughly enjoyed. It‘s also about family trauma, mothers/daughters/sisters, and the stories we tell each other in the name of protection. Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

BkClubCare If that gorgeous purple didn‘t sell it, your review does! 💜🏠⭐️ 4w
candc320 Yay, @BkClubCare !! I hope you like it too! 4w
24 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
candc320
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Pickpick

This mystery/thriller novel was SO GOOD!!! I could not put this down! I went back and forth between the physical copy and the audio and both were captivating. I will say it was pretty graphic at times but that doesn‘t bother me. I had an idea which sister was also the “butcher” but they definitely lead you to believe it could have been any of them. Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
With a Vengeance | Riley Sager
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Pickpick

Not my favorite Riley Sager novel but still very good! Twists and turns aplenty, some easy to see coming and some a little more surprising, and plenty of action to keep the reader reading. This is your typical locked room, Orient Express type story that doesn‘t really offer anything new to the trope, s if you‘re sick of this sort of structure this might not be for you. For me I enjoyed it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Dear Future Me | Deborah O'Connor
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Pickpick

This was a unique way to present a domestic drama/mystery! When letters a group of high school age students wrote to their future selves are delivered years later their lives are thrown into disarray, including a death. Was it suicide or murder? What really happened when they were kids? One of the letter writers, Audrey, is determined to find out! A solid mystery that kept my attention! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Mehso-so

While I enjoyed the family drama in this story - drama that includes cheating, betrayal, revenge, and murder - it was very predictable and middle of the road as locked room thrillers go. I did like the setting but almost all of the characters were unlikable and sadly the ending was kind of too good to be true. Not a bad story, just average overall. 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Farmhouse | Chelsea Conradt
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Pickpick

This story and It Was Her House First had very similar themes - grieving woman moves into haunted house, the people in her life don‘t really believe her, she has to solve some mystery from the past - but I have to say the former was a little better. In The Farmhouse the husband was such a jerk and not only didn‘t believe her but actively gaslit her at every turn. There also wasn‘t really any surprise to it - we know the secret and she has to ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: solve it. That being said, it did have a unique spin with the barn constantly moving around and creepy noises leading her to clues. All in all a good listen! 🌟🌟🌟💫 1mo
19 likes1 comment
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candc320
The Black Farm | Elias Witherow
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So I am fully in the mood for fall and decided to buy my first spooky blind date with a book box! It was soooo cute! I wasn‘t crazy about the plastic cup included- it got bent in the box and didn‘t match the glass/metal reusable cups in the website photos - but everything else was great! I‘m a little nervous about the book as it seems really graphic but I‘ll give it a try in October for spooky season 😳.

Chrissyreadit fun! 1mo
16 likes1 comment
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candc320
It Was Her House First | Cherie Priest
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Pickpick

Wow this was good! Our main character, Ronnie, is grieving and isolating herself from the world - what better place to do it than a haunted house 👻 😲😱! There were some legitimately unsettling parts and I absolutely LOVED the ending! I will say there weren‘t really any big twists that typically seem to be in these sorts of stories but I didn‘t honestly care. Solid spooky story! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
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Pickpick

The science behind this one was a little boring at first, but once I switched to the audiobook I enjoyed it much more. The countdown aspect kept the thrill factor up and I truly didn‘t know how this would end. I can‘t say how realistic the outcome was but it seemed plausible. The ending felt a little rushed but it was satisfying, heartbreaking, and uplifting all at once. Not my favorite of her novels but still good. 🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
September, September | Shelby Foote
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It was down to the wire but I got my September #bookspinbingo list posted in time 😮‍💨😁! I‘m almost done with both Worst Case Scenario and One Big Happy Family so I had to push those over into the new month. Beyond that I really want to make a dent in my #botm books so I can HOPEFULLY 🤞 win the challenge and get a book sleeve by the end of the year! I also want to read The Long Walk before I see the movie adaptation. #tbr #bookspin

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
14 likes1 comment
review
candc320
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Pickpick

This is a reread (or re-listen, I guess, since I listened to the audiobook this time) and it was just as good this time as before. I don‘t know what I can say that hasn‘t already been said. 5 🌟. Excited to read the sequel!

18 likes1 stack add
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candc320
Crypt of the Moon Spider | Nathan Ballingrud
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Pickpick

This was such a beautifully written story that I sometimes forgot how brutal and horrific it actually was. Then mouths would be stitched shut and heads cleaved and it was brought immediately back to me 😂. This is sort of a dark horror fantasy and I was here for it! There‘s a sequel coming out next month I believe and I, for one, am excited to read it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

robinb Creepy cover 😳 2mo
candc320 Right @robinb ?! And creepy story to match 😱🕷️🕸️! 2mo
16 likes2 comments
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candc320
Play Nice | Rachel Harrison
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It‘s #botm time and there are TWO horror novels! I‘m so excited!!

wildwoodreads Oh I want both of these! It makes me tempted to rejoin BOTM. 2mo
candc320 @wildwoodreads most months are pretty meh but this was definitely a good one! 2mo
23 likes2 comments
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candc320
The Spy Coast: A Thriller | Tess Gerritsen
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Pickpick

I read the 2nd book in this series first and I have to tell you I like this first novel better! We really get to know the members of the Martini Club, especially Maggie Bird, and it was great going into her exciting past in strange lands, working for the CIA. I would definitely recommend reading the series in order and I‘m so excited to read the next book coming out soon! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
A Happy Marriage | A. R. Torre
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Pickpick

This is the 2nd novel I‘ve read by A.R. Torre and DANG they write some sick twists!! I feel like my brain is doing loops trying to keep up with the turns. This one involves a couple - one cop and one doctor - who seem to have an unconventional if perfectly happy marriage. Mixed in with their story is the story of a girl who‘s gone missing. That‘s all I‘ll say! I can‘t wait to read more from this author! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

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candc320
Untitled | Unknown
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Pickpick

Not sure why this one isn‘t on Litsy but I definitely recommend it! It‘s a quick, satisfying whodunnit involving one man and the workers, wives, and children who all might have a reason to kill him. I listened to this is one afternoon and actually would have liked it to be a little more fleshed out - I was enjoying it so much I wanted more! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Truth Truth Lie | Claire McGowan
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Mehso-so

This wasn‘t a bad mystery/thriller but it was pretty predictable. The characters were seriously all horrid people and I didn‘t much care for any of them. Are they all murderers? Would they kill again to keep their secrets? Honestly who cares 🤣! Just kidding…this was kind of like a train wreck you can‘t look away from, which can be a good thing! 🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
The Missing Half: A Novel | Ashley Flowers
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Pickpick

Dang this book was good! You‘ve got two sisters - one that seems to have her act together and our main character who is seriously floundering - both of which had their sisters mysteriously disappear seven years ago from the side of the road within a few weeks of each other. The journey these two go on is wild and I kept changing my mind on what really happened. Let me tell you I could never have guessed the truth! Crazy ending! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

20 likes1 stack add
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candc320
Whistle | Linwood Barclay
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Pickpick

This was great! It had a Needful Things sort of feel to it and definitely had a uniquely monstrous villain. It was maybe a little longer than it needed to be, but overall it captivated my attention. I think this is the first horror novel by this author but I really hope he writes more! I‘ll also take a peek at some of his other novels as I really enjoyed his writing style. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

SilversReviews Love his books. 2mo
candc320 This also works for my #TBRTarot selection for August! @CBee 2mo
CBee Yay! 2mo
25 likes3 comments
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candc320
Cackle | Rachel Harrison
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Pickpick

I absolutely LOVED this!!! My only complaint was that I wish I‘d read this sooner and during fall/spooky season. In fact, this book has put me in the mood for all things orange, brown, cozy, and pumpkin flavored 😂. This is the story of a woman trying to find herself after heartbreak and the town - and a special friend - who help her on her journey. I will say this was more of a cozy story than a horror novel but I loved it just the same! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
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Pickpick

I don‘t think I‘ve read this author before but the premise was great! I love the idea of former CIA agents now serving as cozy detectives. The other characters were kind of meh but I enjoyed the connection between a crime in the past and a current mystery unfolding as the story progresses. This is the second book in a series but can definitely be read alone. I‘ll definitely read more by this author! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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candc320
August | Romina Paula
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I can‘t believe it‘s almost August! It‘s been insanely hot here in Florida so I‘ve been spending even more time than usual inside reading 🥵☀️. I even got a bingo on July‘s #bookspinbingo board! I have high hopes for August reading as well - hopefully i can get to a good amount of these 🤓📚🙌🏻

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candc320
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Bailedbailed

I hate to say it but I‘m DNFing this one for now. It‘s just too slow for my brain at the moment, and it‘s due back at the library in a few days and I‘ve only read 35%. I think I‘m definitely in the minority here. I can get my hands on the audiobook I might finish it that way!

Karisimo I‘m at 50% (on audio) and it has definitely gotten more interesting! 3mo
candc320 @Karisimo yay!! Sometimes audio just works better for me! 3mo
26 likes3 comments
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candc320
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Pickpick

Ruth Ware is always a fun, easy mystery read! It was interesting getting to see familiar characters again (although it‘s been a while since I read the 1st book) and to find out what they‘d been up to and where they were hoping to go. I‘m not going to lie, the mystery was extremely easy to figure out, but I still had fun anyways. I went back and forth between the ebook and audio and I really think the narrator did an excellent job! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

RaeLovesToRead I can't remember everything from book 1 - do I need to re read or is this more or less a standalone? 3mo
candc320 @RaeLovesToRead I think you can pretty much read it as a standalone. They fill in the gaps for you if you don‘t remember. 3mo
RaeLovesToRead That's good. I loved the first one, but I've got many of hers to read still and I don't think i can be bothered to re-read it right now with so much to get througy 3mo
26 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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candc320
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Pickpick

Twist after twist after twist! It‘s been a while since I was truly shocked by a book but there is one point in particular that stopped me and made me go back and listen again…is that really what‘s happening? I love that! It started off just ok, shaping up to be your typical mystery, but then definitely goes down a path I couldn‘t have predicted. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
Don't Let Him in | Lisa Jewell
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Pickpick

While not my favorite of her novels, this was still a good domestic drama with one of the most unlikeable male characters I‘ve come across. If you can imagine a man who only tells lies, leads multiple women on at the same time, and would have a master‘s degree in gaslighting if there was such a thing, you‘d have our main male character. You know from the beginning what he‘s doing and the story is more about watching all the pieces fall then ⬇️

candc320 Cont‘d: trying to uncover any mysteries. The ending is pretty satisfying as well. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 3mo
27 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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candc320
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Pickpick

This was DARK! It isn‘t as simple as a possible serial killer mystery, the entire town is hiding deep-seated secrets that I wasn‘t expecting and that were pretty disturbing. It‘s also a little bit coming of age to womanhood story combined either way family drama. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

20 likes2 stack adds
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candc320
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Pickpick

The best way I can describe this is a con inside of a con inside of a con. So many twists and misdirections and characters with surprise motives. I really loved that! I also loved how short and punchy the chapters were…that always keeps me turning those pages (or listening to those chapters). At one point, however, all of the characters were so bad that I just assumed they all had a twist, which was nearly always true. Still a fun read! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

25 likes1 stack add
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candc320
The Last Party | A R Torre
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Pickpick

Apparently my tastes run DARK because this is disturbing and I LOVED IT! These are some twisted up characters and I loved to hate them. This is the perfect example of not liking any characters but still enjoying a story overall. Now I want to read more from this author! I don‘t want to give anything away but if you like books like The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier definitely pick this one up! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

21 likes1 stack add
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candc320
Never Flinch: A Novel | Stephen King
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Pickpick

Holly Gibney is BACK! This time the big baddie is very much human and the issue is more of a psychological nature. We‘ve got all of our fav characters in the Gibney series with some solid additions, including a famous jazz singer and a brash women‘s rights activist turned famous speaker. Not his best but still worth the read. I will say one thing: can we maybe let Holly have a break and have a novel without her as the main protagonist? 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Pickpick

Now THIS was amazing!!! Absolutely horrifying, heartfelt, and even funny at times, I can‘t think of anything I would change. Oh my god these characters broke my heart 💔. Jess was AMAZING and the boy was so sincere. The ending…🤯. I would recommend this to just about everyone and will be thinking about it for a while! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Mehso-so

Another book I hoped to love but that, sadly, fell a little flat. The story took SO LONG for anything to happen (to the tune of nearly 70% in!) and during that time I really hated these characters. They were rich, vapid teenagers who were so spoiled and unlikable that I truly didn‘t care what happened. I will say I was wrong when I guessed who the big baddie was but, again, I didn‘t really care. Just not my cup of tea. 🌟🌟🌟

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3mo
20 likes1 comment
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candc320
Artificial Condition | Martha Wells
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Mehso-so

I really wanted to love this series 😫!! Everyone else seems to love it and I‘ve been really trying to expand my horizons and read more sci fi/fantasy. I‘ve been having such success but something about this series just isn‘t connecting. Maybe I‘ll try again at some point down the road but, for now, I say goodbye to the murderbot 🫡👋

candc320 This is also my selection for July‘s #tbrtarot ! @CBee 3mo
CBee TBH, I only read the first one - just didn‘t feel much like continuing 🤷‍♀️ 3mo
candc320 @cbee I‘m so happy to hear that as I thought I was the only one 🤣. 3mo
CBee @candc320 like I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I wasn‘t racing to get the next one 🤷‍♀️ you‘re not alone! 3mo
24 likes4 comments
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candc320
Atmosphere: A Love Story | Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Pickpick

Oh be still my heart 🥹😍!! This was nothing like what I expected! Yes, there‘s space travel and really cool behind the scenes aspects to NASA, but the real heart to it all is a tender love story for the ages. Joan is such a special character and watching her struggle with her hideous sister while trying to balance her love for her brilliant niece and the true love of her life, one she has to keep secret, was heart wrenching. So freaking good! 5🌟

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candc320
July, July | Tim O'Brien
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My July #bookspinbingo TBR is ready to go! Very summer murder mystery heavy 🤣. #bookspin #doublebookspin #summerreading

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4mo
17 likes1 comment
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candc320
The Devil and Mrs. Davenport | Paulette Kennedy
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Pickpick

This book is classified as horror so I was really hoping for some scares, however while good it was not what I‘d call “scary”. It‘s more of a historical fiction/domestic drama that has some mystical elements to it. I did enjoy it and thought the writing and narrator were great, I would have just preferred more horror. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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candc320
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Pickpick

Oh my gosh, I‘m going to miss Molly the Maid!! While this one wasn‘t my favorite in the series I did think this was a nice cozy way to end things. I love these audiobooks and I have to admit this one had me tearing up a little towards the end. A feel good mystery if I‘ve ever read one! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫