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kwmg40

kwmg40

Joined April 2017

I love mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction. I‘m mathgirl40 at LibraryThing and BookCrossing.🍁
review
kwmg40
Rainbow Valley | L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery
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Pickpick

Another charming installment in the Anne of Green Gables series. This one featured a few of Anne's children but was mostly about a family they befriend.

#gottacatchemall(Cottonee:friends stick together)
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean

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kwmg40
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Pickpick

Given the mixed reviews this book had received, I hadn't expected to like it as much as I did. It was definitely weird and I'm sure there was a lot that went over my head, but I was never bored and the snarky footnotes were the best!
#ToB25

sarahbarnes Good to see a positive review of this one! I haven‘t tried it yet. 3d
Ruthiella Agree with @sarahbarnes ! Nice to see some one who likes it! I need to try it myself. 3d
BarbaraBB I find myself still thinking of this book, that certainly counts for something! Even though I didn‘t like it that much 😀 3d
50 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

This was the first book I've read from the Superintendent Wycliffe series and it was a weak pick for me. The mystery was just OK but I did enjoy the cozy seaside setting and Wycliffe's character, so I'm willing to try more books in the series.

#192025 #1978 @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall (Eevee: Read a book you own) @PuddleJumper

Librarybelle I‘m not familiar with this. I may have to check it out! 3d
42 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
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Mehso-so

An interesting perspective from a quirky paranoid and neurodivergent character, but I didn't like the pacing. It felt like nothing was happening for much of the book and then suddenly there are loads of revelations.

#52bookclub25 (Author‘s last name is also a first name)

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kwmg40
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Mehso-so

Nancy and friends are on a sea voyage and discover smuggled jewels in a trunk. There were some interesting aspects to the plot but also a few crazily implausible events, like a meteor crashing nearby.

#NancyDrewBR @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall (Dhelmise: Read a book set at sea)

Librarybelle This one was not a favorite of mine either 1w
Ruthiella It wasn‘t so much that the meteor ☄️ was implausible but that it happens and they NEVER MENTION IT AGAIN! 🤣 7d
kwmg40 @Librarybelle That seems to be the general opinion. 4d
kwmg40 @Ruthiella IKR If a meteor landed that close to me, I'd be totally traumatized! 4d
36 likes4 comments
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

A memoir from a food blogger filled with recipes, many inspired by the author's visits to Paris. I made the French lemon yogourt cake from it and it was delicious!

#52bookclub25 (300-400 pages long)
#BookCrossing
#gottacatchemall (Lycanroc Midday: book with knives) @PuddleJumper

36 likes1 stack add
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kwmg40
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Mehso-so

Finally finished January's #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub selection. The story was cleverly constructed but I found the huge portion of the book that was Aunt Addie's novel really dragged.

#BookSpinBingo #BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#52bookclub25 (Includes a diary entry)
#gottacatchemall (Oricorio: a book with romance) @PuddleJumper

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 7d
LeahBergen That seemed to be a common opinion of the group! 😆 7d
Ruthiella Yes, this was a wee bit of a chore to read. 😅 7d
kwmg40 @LeahBergen @Ruthiella Despite the tedium of reading the book-within-the-book, I'm willing to read more by Eleanor Farjeon. I did like other aspects of the novel. 4d
36 likes4 comments
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kwmg40
Service Model | Adrian Tchaikovsky
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Pickpick

A humorous adventure about a robot who discovers he has murdered his master and tries to understand why and what to do next. An interesting look at AI, robots and the meaning of life (artificial or otherwise).

#52bookclub25 (Written in third person)
#gottacatchemall (Magearna: robots or AI) @PuddleJumper

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kwmg40
Someone Like Us | Dinaw Mengestu
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Mehso-so

I liked learning more about the Ethiopian immigration experience but otherwise the sprawling, disconnected narrative and bland main character put this near the bottom of my #ToB25 list.

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kwmg40
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A bit late with February‘s #FoodandLit update. I made momos. They taste good but I‘m still having trouble getting them to look as nice and uniform as shown in the cookbook. #Nepal @Catsandbooks @Texreader

Dilara Same for me! (except yours look better than mine did 😊) 1w
Texreader They look great!!! Im so impressed you made them yourself!! 1w
Catsandbooks So cool! 🇳🇵❤️ 1w
kwmg40 @Dilara @Texreader @Catsandbooks @TheBookHippie Thanks! I'm fairly experienced at making Chinese dumplings but haven't tried making the momo shape before. 5d
44 likes5 comments
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kwmg40
Sold | Patricia McCormick
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Pickpick

A very good but disturbing story about a girl from Nepal forced into the sex trade in India.

#FoodandLit #Nepal @Catsandbooks @Texreader
#gottacatchemall (Emolga: power outage) @PuddleJumper

Texreader 😞 1w
Catsandbooks 🇳🇵🇳🇵 1w
TheBookHippie I agree. It‘s in our highschool curriculum. 7d
51 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
Livesuit | James S. A. Corey
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Pickpick

A good novella in the new Captive's War series. I'd also read earlier the first novel in this series and liked it very much. Can't wait to see what the James S.. A. Corey duo gives us next!

#gottacatchemall (Rattata: set somewhere dangerous) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 2w
36 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
The Book Censor's Library | Bothayna Al-Essa
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Pickpick

A humorous, clever and satirical story about book censorship. I enjoyed all the references to Orwell's 1984 and other banned books.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Raticate: betrayal) @PuddleJumper

BarbaraBB Glad you enjoyed it too 2w
42 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kwmg40
The Bell Jar | Sylvia Plath
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Pickpick

I had this sitting on my shelf for years and was happy that the #HashtagBrigade motivated me to finally read it. I suppose I'd put it off because of the heavy themes, including mental illness and suicide. The novel was indeed disturbing and difficult to read, but also engrossing, poignant and even really humorous at times.

kwmg40 @BarkingMadRun
#52bookclub25 (Stream of consciousness narrative)
#gottacatchemall (Spinda: a book you forgot you owned) @PuddleJumper
3w
PuddleJumper 🥳🥳 3w
44 likes2 comments
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kwmg40
Making Money | Terry Pratchett
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Pickpick

I liked this Discworld installment featuring Moist von Lipwig, though not as much as I liked Going Postal, in which he was introduced. I loved the introduction of canine Mr.Fusspot as chairman of the bank! As usual, Pratchett's satirical observations of the world are spot on.

#OokBOokClub @julesG
#52bookclub25 (Shares universe with prompt 28)
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

julesG Ook! 3w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 3w
Andrew65 Excellent 🎉🎊🎉 3w
41 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
Colored Television | Danzy Senna
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Pickpick

A weak pick for me. I liked the dark humour and satirical observations but it was frustrating to see the main character make one bad decision after another!

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Luvdisc: pink cover) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🩷🩷 3w
39 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Flames | Robbie Arnott
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Pickpick

Set in Tasmania, this is an unusual story told in an unusual way, from the points-of-view of a large number of characters, most human but some not.

Very glad I got to discover this talented author via #BookCrossing.

#gottacatchemall (Komala: dreamy character) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🐨🐨 3w
42 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Landbridge | Y-Dang Troeung
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Pickpick

Cambodian refugee Y-Dang Troeung's memoir contains fragments of stories from her life, photographs, and letters to her son, written as she battled cancer. The book is poignant, sad and informative. Tragically, Troeung passed away shortly before this book was published.

#52bookclub25 (Has short chapters)
#gottacatchemall (Goodra: recommended by a friend)

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kwmg40
The Trees: A Novel | Percival Everett
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Pickpick

This was a reread for me. The story of black detectives investigating a series of murders in Mississippi, this was brilliant and darkly funny, as are all the Percival Everett books I've read.

#52bookclub25 (Final sentence is less than 6 words long)
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: a book with a murder) @PuddleJumper

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kwmg40
Bingo! | Rosemary Wells
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A really good February for #BookSpinBingo -- filled my #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin squares and got 3 bingos! @TheAromaofBooks

julieclair Congrats! 🎉 4w
kwmg40 @julieclair Thanks! 4w
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fabulous month!!! 4w
28 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
Spin | Robert Charles Wilson
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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4w
25 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Night Shift | Stephen King
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Pickpick

A mixed bag, as most short-story collections are, but definitely more hits than misses, and a few really memorable stories. A number of scenarios and themes reminded me of King's novels, and I wonder if he'd used these stories to try out ideas that he developed more fully later.

#LosersClub @BarkingMadRead
#52bookclub25 (Title starts with letter “N”)
#gottacatchemall (Dhelmise: ghost or spirit) @PuddleJumper

BarkingMadRead I loved most of these for sure! 1mo
43 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Headshot: A Novel | Rita Bullwinkel
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Pickpick

It was interesting to get into the heads of the young female competitive boxers featured in this novel. I liked how the author conveyed the intensity of the moment while also shifting to times in the girls' pasts and futures.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: fight or fighter) @PuddleJumper

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kwmg40
A Darkness Absolute: A Novel | Kelley Armstrong
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Pickpick

Last weekend, our area got 30cm of snow, and it put me in the mood to read the next book in remote and wintry Rockton. It's definitely more fun reading about snow than shovelling it! This was a good page-turning mystery/thriller.

#52bookclub25 (Genre Four: Set in Winter – thriller)
#BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#gottacatchemall (Whimsicott: storm or strong winds) @PuddleJumper

LiseWorks Great series, we got 30 cm on a Thursday and then 30 more on Saturday. 😉 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo
kwmg40 @LiseWorks Wow, that is definitely more snow than we got here in Southwestern Ontario, but I'm originally from Montreal, so I've seen some pretty massive snowfalls. I hope you're all dug out now. 4w
39 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

I loved this 4th Shardlake book, as I have every book in the series so far. Shardlake hunts for a serial killer motivated by religious fanaticism. This is a page-turning mystery/thriller in an interesting historical context.

#ShardlakeBR @dabbe
#52bookclub25 (Genre One: Set in Spring – historical fiction)
#gottacatchemall (Comfey: character in the medical field) @PuddleJumper

dabbe Can't wait for our discussion! 🤩 1mo
39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kwmg40
Indian Horse | Richard Wagamese
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Pickpick

This reread of Indian Horse was, for me, just as poignant and powerful as the first time around. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the history of residential schools in Canada and why hockey is so well-loved in this country.

#OhCanada @Jess861
#gottacatchemall (Rattata: survivor character) @PuddleJumper

Jess861 Love that the reread was just as good as the first time read! 1mo
56 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Great Expectations | Vinson Cunningham
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Mehso-so

A coming-of-age story about a Black man who works on Barack Obama's campaign (though Obama is not actually named). The novel had some interesting moments but didn't seem especially exciting or insightful to me.

#ToB25
#52bookclub25 (Cover font is in a primary color)

Hooked_on_books That‘s about how I felt, too. 1mo
55 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Martyr!: A novel | Kaveh Akbar
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Pickpick

This is among my favourites of the #ToB25 books I've read so far. The writing is beautiful, there were interesting and unexpected twists, and I spent some time mulling over the ending. Looking forward to the #LitsyToB discussion.

#gottacatchemall (Emolga: yellow cover) @PuddleJumper

Butterfinger I started it today. I think it will also be one of my favorites. 1mo
BarbaraBB I liked this one too and think it stands out on the #ToB shortlist. 1mo
squirrelbrain I agree with @BarbaraBB ! 1mo
Suet624 I liked this one so much. 1mo
61 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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kwmg40
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Mehso-so

In this installment, Nancy tap dances, communicates in Morse code and is surrounded by a huge number of Persian cats. I didn't like this one as much as earlier novels, but the 1970's white pantsuit that Nancy sports on the cover is pretty awesome.

#NancyDrewBR @Librarybelle
#52bookclub25 (Related to the word “puzzle”)
#gottacatchemall (Psyduck: involves a puzzle)

Ruthiella Is she running away from something in that outfit or is she doing The Hustle? 🕺 1mo
Librarybelle I thought of The Hustle too, @Ruthiella ! I bet she‘s an expert at that as well! 😂 1mo
catiewithac This cover is awesome! 🤩 🪩 1mo
See All 6 Comments
kwmg40 @Ruthiella Of course, it must be The Hustle! 😂 1mo
kwmg40 @Librarybelle No doubt. Nancy can do anything! 1mo
kwmg40 @catiewithac Yes, the fierce Persian cat is the perfect backdrop to Nancy in the pantsuit. 😄 1mo
47 likes6 comments
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

A charming and likable conman resurrects a post office and takes on a ruthless oligarch. In this satire, the target of Pratchett's jabs is government.

A noteworthy quotation: “What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.“

#OokBOokClub @julesG
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView
#gottacatchemall (Marshadow: sneaky character) @PuddleJumper

Ruthiella I read this 2 years ago when that quotation was just a joke. ☹️ 2mo
julesG That quote jumped out at me too 2mo
54 likes2 comments
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kwmg40
Anne's House of Dreams | L. M. Montgomery
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Pickpick

I have a much better appreciation of this book than I did when I had first read it a long time ago. I love how Anne has matured and evolved over the series but still retains much of what made so many people love her from the original Green Gables book.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean
#52bookclub25 (character with red hair)
#gottacatchemall (Dhelmise: set on an island) @PuddleJumper

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kwmg40
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Pickpick

There was a lot about this novel that I enjoyed: the diverse collection of characters, the pokes at conventional ideas about women's work, and even the unusual combination of first and third-person narratives.

#ToB25
#52bookclub25 (breaks the fourth wall)
#gottacatchemall (Drampa: protective character) @PuddleJumper

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kwmg40
Liars: A Novel | Sarah Manguso
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Pickpick

This novel was a weak pick for me. I can't say I enjoyed reading the book but it was hard-hitting and felt very honest. I was going to abandon it at first but then wanted to see how the main character would evolve.

#ToB25
#gottacatchemall (Eevee: book you borrowed) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
59 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Bingo! | Rosemary Wells
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January was a great #BookSpinBingo month for me. I don't think I've ever had this many squares filled! @TheAromaofBooks

Kimzey Impressive! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Fabulous month!!! 2mo
bthegood 🎉 🎉 2mo
37 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

A very enjoyable and informative book about eels. I hadn't realized that the reproductive cycle of the eel was so fascinating!

#gottacatchemall (Goomy: slimy character) @PuddleJumper
#BookCrossing

IuliaC I enjoyed this one very much 2mo
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
49 likes2 comments
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kwmg40
The Shining | Stephen King
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Pickpick

One of my favourite Stephen King books. This was a reread for me. I watched the movie for the first time recently and it was great too but the book had much more interesting character development.

#LosersClub @BarkingMadRead
52bookclub (Genre Three - horror: Set in Autumn)
#gottacatchemall (Psyduck: psychic character) @PuddleJumper

BarkingMadRead I totally agree. The miniseries is way closer to the book, but not as good as the movie 2mo
AnishaInkspill I really enjoyed reading this one too. 2mo
51 likes1 stack add2 comments
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kwmg40
Spin | Robert Charles Wilson
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My #BookSpinBingo list for February! @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2mo
36 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

This might be my favourite of the #ToB25 books so far. This book consists of interconnected stories that bring together not just characters but past and present. I loved the New England setting and Shattuck made its history so vivid. It's been several years since I last visited the US but now I have a longing to visit New England again.

#gottacatchemall (Pikipek: featuring a musician) @PuddleJumper

Well-ReadNeck Ooooh! I still have this one to read for ToB ! 2mo
sarahbarnes Agreed this was so good! 2mo
Tamra Loved it! 💙 2mo
56 likes3 comments
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kwmg40
Outsider in Amsterdam | Janwillem Van De Wetering
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While reading the tagged book for #FoodandLit, I enjoyed an excellent Gouda from a local business run by a family that had immigrated to Canada from The Netherlands.

I visited their farm once and asked the cheesemakers for their personal favourite, out of all the flavoured and aged types of Gouda they offered. They didn't hesitate -- it was the plainest and mildest basic one that they preferred to eat themselves!

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

AnnCrystal Gouda Cheese 😋👍💝. 2mo
kezzlou85 Yummy I love Gouda 2mo
Texreader Mmmmm!! 2mo
Catsandbooks Yum! I love cheese! 💛 2mo
BkClubCare Yum 🧀 2mo
55 likes5 comments
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kwmg40
Outsider in Amsterdam | Janwillem Van De Wetering
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Pickpick

A low pick. This feels rather dated and the writing seems a bit awkward in places (this could be because of the translation). However, I like the quirky detectives and can see myself warming up to them even more as I continue the series.

#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader
#192025 #1975 @Librarybelle
#BookSpinBingo #BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#gottacatchemall (Spinda: someone is drunk or high) @PuddleJumper

TiredLibrarian I loved this series, but I read them quite a while ago. 2mo
Texreader Looks interesting. 2mo
Librarybelle I‘m not familiar with this one! I may have to check it out. 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 2mo
Catsandbooks 🇳🇱❤️ 2mo
49 likes5 comments
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kwmg40
The Martian Chronicles | Ray Bradbury
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Pickpick

I was happy to reread this novel with #ClassicLSFBC. The setting doesn't match what we know about Mars. However, in these stories, Bradbury explores social and environmental issues related to colonizing a new planet and raises questions still very relevant today.

@RamsFan1963
#52bookclub (Title starts with letter “M“)
#gottacatchemall (Sliggoo: re-read a book) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 2mo
51 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

I enjoyed reading this installment in the Nancy Drew series. Other than the fact that Nancy turns out to be as accomplished at golf as she is at everything else, the story felt more plausible than some of the earlier ones.

#NancyDrewBR @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall (Rockruff: jewellery is important) @PuddleJumper

Librarybelle Agreed! 2mo
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
44 likes2 comments
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kwmg40
Beautyland: A Novel | Marie-Helene Bertino
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Mehso-so

I found this novel quirky and charming, but plodding as well. It's billed as sci-fi, but it mostly shows the insightful perspective of a woman who is different from everyone else.

#ToB25
#FrozenSick #gottacatchemall (Lillipup: dog or wolf companion) @PuddleJumper
#BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

BarbaraBB I felt the same! 2mo
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 2mo
42 likes3 comments
review
kwmg40
Anarchy and Old Dogs | Colin Cotterill
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Pickpick

Another good installment in the Dr. Siri Padiboun series set in Laos. I love the curmudgeonly but compassionate Siri, as well as his interesting and often humorous observations on Laotian culture and politics.

#gottacatchemall (Goomy: set somewhere humid) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
44 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
Son | Lois Lowry
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Pickpick

The first 3 books in the Giver Quartet each packed a big punch in a very compact story. This one didn't seem as strong, but it still gave a satisfactory conclusion to the series and answered questions about what happened to the various characters.

#gottacatchemall (Raticate: someone has to swim) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 💦💦 2mo
TieDyeDude Agreed, definitely not my favorite of the series, but a solid ending and ties everything up well. I am glad I read them all, but I think The Giver is the only one I'll continue to revisit (as I have revisited it for many years). (edited) 2mo
47 likes2 comments
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

Two Metis cousins steal a herd of bison to release in an urban area, as an act of environmental activism. A good story, with plenty of humour and some suspense, that looks at the complexities of Indigenous issues.

I'm glad I found a book for the #52bookclub25 “includes a heist“ prompt, though I hadn't expected it would involve bison!

#gottacatchemall (Psyduck: someone loses control ) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🦆🦆 2mo
45 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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kwmg40
My Mortal Enemy | Willa Cather
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An update on my #192025 challenge: these are the books I finished in the past few months. 79 prompts done and 27 left to go. I'm optimistic I can finish this by the end of the year!
@Librarybelle

AllDebooks Oooh well done. 👏 I was doing really well and need to get back to it to update the last 6 months. 2mo
Librarybelle Excellent job!! I still need to update my list, but I‘m not as far as you are in the challenge. 2mo
bthegood Way to go - good luck on the last 27!🥳 2mo
kwmg40 @AllDebooks @Librarybelle @bthegood Thanks for the encouragement. These last slots are getting harder to fill! 2mo
40 likes4 comments
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kwmg40
Anne of the Island | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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Pickpick

A reread of a favourite from the Anne series. This one is an excellent coming-of-age novel, with Anne going to college and living on her own. There are both hilarious episodes and very moving moments.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean
#SeriesLove2025 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

Andrew65 Excellent 🎉🎉🎉 2mo
56 likes1 comment
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this novel much more than I had expected to. It's a good exploration of grief and depression that is also funny and uplifting. The characters, most of whom were initially unlikable, grew on me as the novel progressed.

#ToB25
#52bookclub25 (standalone novel)
#gottacatchemall (Oricorio: a book with dancing) @PuddleJumper

sarahbarnes I‘m listening to this on audio right now and liking it too. 2mo
BarbaraBB I am reading it too right now! 2mo
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2mo
tpixie Someday I will drink Veuve Clicquot champagne! 2mo
61 likes4 comments
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kwmg40
Komarr | Lois McMaster Bujold
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Pickpick

This is the book that first got me hooked onto the Vorkosigan series, one of my all-time favourite sci-fi series. It's a later book but was fine as an entry point. Now I'm rereading the entire series for a third time, this time on audio during long car trips with my husband.

#52bookclub25 (Title is ten letters or less)
#gottacatchemall (Komala: someone naps) @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🐨🐨 3mo
42 likes1 comment