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Olivia Barry's avatar

A great vacation can be so therapeutic. 🩷 I've been listening to Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism. To be honest, I'm tired of all social media, the struggle for likes and comments, the fakeness of it all. Something I don't care about, to begin with. So, this book is yet another way to push me in the right direction. 😁😁

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Erin Alford's avatar

So glad you had an amazing vacation!! My reading has been a bit slow this week. I read Money Shot by Christa Faust. She’s a great writer but definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. I liked it. I started White Butterfly by Walter Mosley today. I want to read all the Easy Rawlins books this year.

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

Oh I love Christa - wow, blast from the past there! You've got a thematic year going for sure.

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Brandee's avatar

I am watching it snow pretty steadily right now. Luckily I have the day off since I am working tomorrow.

So glad you and your husband had a wonderful vacation!

Here is this week’s list:

The Cabin by Natasha Preston

The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer by J. Reuben Appelman

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools by Mary Annette Pember

Not a River by Selva Almada

The Unwedding by Ally Condie

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

Oh, I don't know if I could read Medicine River -- I got a taste of the horrors in a book I read last year, and wow, it was heartbreaking. I hope the snow isn’t too deep and you stay warm on the way to work!

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Brandee's avatar

Luckily none of it stuck. Should be 40s tomorrow and 50s on Sunday. I want to like Medicine River more than I do. The author’s personal story has been mixed very strangely with the detailed, footnoted history. It can’t decide which it wants to be. I was hoping it was more narrative nonfiction, but it’s more like a memoir and a textbook were put in a blender.

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Margo's avatar

Are you in the mountains of SoCal, your weather looks like mine Brandee.

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Brandee's avatar

Northwest suburbs of Chicago! Lol

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

I will stay away then. Thank you! Glad it’s warming up!

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Rachael Dahl's avatar

Yay for relaxation!! Hopefully, you don't wait another two years for the next one. We also had crazy winds and chilly temps like Amy Stukenholtz. The wind was so bad we had to hire roofers to fix all our missing shingles but compared to other people in our neighborhood we are lucky. The winds were so bad trees were uprooted and a large semiconductor transporter (not sure of the right technical language, but those big alien looking things that are for electrical lines are what I'm talking about) was tilting and snapped an electrical line. The town next to us lost power, but we couldn't leave out of one our entrances until it was all fixed. Fun times!!

I started HELL BENT by Liegh Bardugo. I'm barely into it, but I have high expectations as I did enjoy 9th HOUSE. I also have GOOD ENERGY on my TBR. Glad to hear Mr. Ellison enjoyed it.

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Amy Stukenholtz's avatar

We had what they call "galloping" power lines and lost power for 13 hours. Most of it was overnight but it was 53 degrees in the house when I woke up Wed. Power was restored at 10 am.

You know I loved NINTH HOUSE. I also really enjoyed HELL BENT but I probably thought NINTH HOUSE was better. Patiently waiting for the next book in this series!

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Rachael Dahl's avatar

That sounds awful and cold. I know you loved 9th HOUSE and because you told me that I stuck with it. Obviously, I loved it. I guess we’ll be waiting for book three together.

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

That's NUTS! It's almost like inland hurricanes. I see we're due for another round next week, too. Ugh...

Let me know how HELL BENT goes. I started it and it felt too dark for me at that moment, but I do want to get back to it.

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Rachael Dahl's avatar

I hope your weather is not severe next week and I will let you know how the book goes

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Amy Stukenholtz's avatar

So glad you had a great vacation and that you're feeling good. I'm so jealous of you finding sea glass. I've never been that lucky. I totally get the rock thing. I collect rocks as well and I'm just as bad at not labeling them!

I'm on a Tracy Deonn kick. I finished my re read of LEGENDBORN and then started BLOODMARKED. The new book OATHBOUND is patiently waiting on my Kindle.

We had yet more snow Tues night into Wed. This time it came with 50 plus mph winds, which created blizzard conditions. It's melting now and it's supposed to be 75 on Mon. You gotta love Midwest weather!

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

Those crazy winds and chilly temps found us -- minus the snow. It was a rough reentry, believe me. I hope you stayed warm and cozy inside!

I am waiting for OATHBOUND then I'll read two and three back to back. I love the world Tracy has created. So unique and smart!

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Emily Ley's avatar

JT!! Thank you so much!!! ❤️❤️❤️

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

I hated to miss you — I hope you’re having a blast on tour!!!

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Barb Natividad 🇵🇭🇺🇸's avatar

Julie Chan is on my TBR!

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

It’s fabulous. Rollicking good time.

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