Showing posts with label The Pub 2008 Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Pub 2008 Challenge. Show all posts
The Pub (2008) Challenge Wrap Up
Melody

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Finally I have completed on one reading challenge! Gosh, I felt like such a slow reader as compared to my fellow book blog friends, most of whom I am sure participated in more reading challenges than I did. Nevertheless, I am glad I am done with the 8 books as requested.

Here is the list of books I read:

I have to say my best reads are: Fire and Ice, The Blood of Flowers and Garden Spells. Because this is about books published in 2008, it is still not too late if you wish to join now.

Finally, thanks to Michelle for hosting this challenge!

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Garden Spells
Melody




ISBN-13: 9780553385885
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: April 2008
320pp

First line: Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood.


Claire Waverley lives in a beautiful Queen Ann style house in Bascom, North Carolina. It has been occupied by the Waverley family for generations. It has a beautiful garden and the plants they grow have magical quanlities in them. Amongst all, the most magical one has to be the apple tree because not only it bears fruit all year round, but it is known to the Waverley that whoever eats the apple from that tree will see the biggest events in their life.

Besides using some of the plants for her dishes, Claire devotes most of her time to her catering business. She will include these plants as part of an ingredient into her dishes, depending on her clients' needs or preferences. For example, honeysuckle enables one to see in the dark, pansy encourages the eater to give compliments and surprise gifts, while the rose geranium produces memories of past good times.

Alas, just when she thinks her life is quiet and peaceful, Tyler Hughes walks into her life. She only realizes he is her neighbour after a short introduction when she catered for a party event at Orion college. Tyler Hughes is an arts professor and he told her he had moved into Bascom for a year since he took up the teaching position. Though intrigued with him, Claire does not bother to know more about him, after all she is not an extrovert. And most Bascom residents think the Waverley members are different and a little weird anyway.

Then things just got more complicated when she finds Sydney, her sister back into her life since she had walked out of the family and left Bascom ten years ago. Tagging along with her is her five-year-old daughter, Bay. They are on the run from Sydney's abusive husband and she knew home would be the safest place. Claire knew Sydney is not particularly happy being a Waverley and living in Bascom in the past, but in spite of that Claire welcomes them home. They settle down quickly, though Sydney is not prepared to meet her first love and his wife, and the gossip surrounding her from the past.

There are a lot of things happening towards the middle of the story and most of the times I find myself flipping through the pages eagerly as I could not wait to find out what happened next. I liked the characters in this story, especially the quirky Aunt Evanelle who is a distant cousin of the Waverley family. She is funny and she somehow possess the ability of predicting something will happen next and will come up with all the necessary stuff. I also enjoyed reading the 'tension' between Claire and Tyler, as well as her reconnection with Sydney. I also liked reading how an outcome of events have helped Sydney changed her outlook on life and being a Waverley member.

Sarah Addison Allen has weaved a heartwarming, magical story in Garden Spells. If you enjoy mystical fictions with a little romance element, this book will surely entrance you.


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Body Language
Melody





ISBN-13: 9780553591651
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: May 2008 (Reissued)
279pp



Sandy Kirk and Clint McCade are good friends and have known each other for ages. They are like buddies; and they knew they could always count on each other whenever they encounter any problems.

Being a photographer who is always on the go, Clint gives people the impression of a free spirited bad boy due to his rugged personality. Sandy, of course, knew he is much more than that. Just when Clint decided he has had enough wandering around and is about to declare his love for Sandy, he finds she has fallen for another man.

Though disappointed and feeling heartbroken, still he supports and encourages her to pursue her dream man. But one thing is, Sandy knows nothing about men and how she should portray her image in front of them. Clint offers to coach her, giving her advice on the concept of body language and how she should read and use them to her advantage.

Sandy then realizes she has been in love with Clint all this while, however she is not sure how Clint would feel towards her while on the other hand, Clint assumes she is still head over heels in love with the other man. They will soon find out about their feelings for each other, as body language does not lie after all.

Body Language is a reissue copy which was first published in Loveswept series back in 1998. Though I find the plot a little outdated and not up to par with her current Troubleshooter series, Suzanne Brockmann penned a wonderful love story between best friends in this novel. It is a perfect read if you want something light and fun.
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The Ring
Melody




ISBN-13: 9780743297516
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Published: May 2008
392pp




Cristina Wilson receives a diamond engagement ring from her fiancé on her twenty-seventh birthday. She has anticipated this day to arrive, but she is definitely not prepared for the next ring that arrived mysteriously at her birthday party which has sparked everyone's attention and curiosity. She later found out that the beautiful antique jewelry, a ruby set in bone, is actually sent by Enric, her godfather who had passed away some years ago. She decides to wear the two rings, but since then she began to have strange dreams after wearing the ruby.

Though she finds the dreams unsettling, she is determined to travel to Barcelona for the reading of her godfather's will and to unveil the truth behind the mysterious ruby. However, Mike, her fiancé and her mother do not think it is a great idea for her to travel all alone to Barcelona, and they are worried that something bad might await her there.

Cristina has insisted, moreover she is hoping to meet up with her long lost childhood friend and her first love, Oriol and his cousin, Luis. The three of them were playmates and they had shared fond memories during their teenaged years. During the reading at the attorney office which had assigned by Enric earlier, Cristina also learnt that Enric had entrusted Oriol and Luis each a note and a triptych. In each of Enric's letters, they are requested to find a treasure which is connected to the Templar Knights which took place centuries ago. But they do not expect to face various obstacles while searching for clues as it seems they are not the only one who knew about the ring and the treasure.

The premise of The Ring is great. I have to admit the cover is the first thing that attracted me to this book. It was only after that I read the blurb that I decided to get this book. The first few chapters are really exciting and intriguing, as I wondered how Cristina would react after she received the mysterious ring through a messenger and booked a flight to Barcelona to find out the truth thereafter. However, I was disappointed with the story as I read further. First, Cristina does not strike me as a New York lawyer. Given the circumstances and the value of the ring, I thought she would be more cautious and therefore, I was perplexed and shocked to find that she would remove the ring to let a stranger, the passenger who sat beside her during the flight, to have a look at it. Not surprisingly, it turned out that this person has a link to this saga.

Towards the end of the story, I had got a feeling that she might rekindle her love with Oriol. But whether or not will she choose to be with Oriol, I would also like to find out about her fiancé reactions to everything because there is not much mention about him. It does not convince me because Cristina and her fiancé appears to be so much in love with each other in the beginning. And then again, I was stumped by the purpose of the treasure hunt.

However, despite what I thought of the above, I did enjoy reading about the history of the Templars and its legend, and not to mention the beautiful city of Barcelona. I find the history and the mythos of the Knights Templar fascinating and interesting. They are an eye-opener to me. Author Jorge Molist had done a great job in describing them.

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The Blood of Flowers
Melody





ISBN-13: 9780316065771
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Published: May 2008
441pp



During the 17th-century in a laid-back village in Iran, the narrator, a fourteen-year-old young woman is dreaming of marrying and having a family of her own. However, her hopes are dashed after the sudden death of her father as a marriage is impossible without a dowry to offer. Feeling desperate and penniless, they decided to travel to the city of Isfahan to seek assistance and protection of an uncle who is a well respected carpet maker and has his own workshop. Gostaham and his wife, Gordiyeh took them in, although they have to work and are being treated like servants in their household.

Nevertheless, the narrator did not stop her dreams. She has a passion and talents for carpet-knotting so she requested to learn carpet design from Gostaham, a profession which is often taken up by men. Having no son and thinking there is no harm in teaching her, Gostaham shares his knowledge of carpet-making to her. She has learned the skills fast, but Gordiyeh is not happy with them for not being able to contribute much to the household, and to make things worsen, the narrator made an error with a rug she had made and with nothing to pay, she agrees on a sigheh arrangement. Unlike a real marriage, a sigheh is only considered a temporary marriage and most of the times, the women are treated lowly and provide pleasure to the men in return for a payment. And this begins her three-month renewable contract with Fereydoon, the son of a horse trader when he set his eyes on her one day when he had paid a visit at Gostaham's house.

However, there is a turn of event when she later found out that Fereydoon is to marry her close friend, Naheed. It does not matter that Naheed has a man whom she loves, for her parents think that Iskandar does not make a worthy son-in-law. Though the narrator feels sad for Naheed, she is also feeling sorry for herself as she has gained nothing as compared to Naheed. As time goes by, she has mastered the art of pleasing Fereydoon although she is still feeling guilty for not telling Naheed due to the complex situation. When Naheed knows about their relationship later, there is an uproar in the households. The narrator decides to end the sigheh contract secretly on her own, not knowing that her rashness entitles Gostaham and his wife to cast them out of their house. In the end, she has to resort to begging on the streets to provide for her sick mother. However, this does not mark the end of her journey as she struggles to defy all odds and find ways to path a future for herself and her mother.

While reading this story, I felt sorry for the unnamed narrator. Although she is being forced to surrender her virginity and is being treated lowly, she is actually a strong and courageous woman in my opinion; one who is brave enough to stand on her own despite the difficult situations. Not only that, she also shows her loyalty to Naheed by refusing Fereydoon's offer when he asked for a renewal to their sigheh contract. I was also touched by the love between the narrator's mother and father, whereby he had never thought of taking a second wife even though it had took them years to conceive a child. And even after he knew the child is a girl, he still loved her unconditionally. After all, a boy is always preferred in the male dominated society.

Readers also get a glimpse of the harsh fact of life where there is this scene between a blind old beggar and the narrator when she begged for money in an area which he considered it his "turf". He lied to others about her using their generosity so that she could feed on opium, thus forcing her to leave so that he could have all the attention and a permanent place to beg again. There is another incident where she is conned by a Dutchman as she had trusted his words and passed the rug she had made to him, believing in him that he would buy it from her after his inspection but she never seen him again thereafter.

The Blood of Flowers is a wonderful read and a page-turner. Anita Amirrezvani has a way with words. Aside from the interesting premise and the engaging characters, I was also drawn by the Iranian history and culture through the author's fine descriptions in the novel. It was also an eye opener to me after reading how the carpets are being made as well as the meaning behind some of their design patterns. I know I will never look at a rug the same way again.


Note: It took the author nine years to work on this novel. She had also made three trips to Iran to research this book. The narrator of this novel is not named intentionally, in tribute to the anonymous artisans of Iran. You may wish to read more about the author's thoughts under the Author's Note of this novel.


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Fire and Ice
Melody





ISBN-13: 9780778325369
Publisher: Mira
Published: May 2008
384pp



What does a tattooed Japanese Yakuza punk has in common with a leggy and brainy California beauty? At first glance, they make an odd couple but sparks fly between them in this exciting romance suspense, Fire and Ice by Anne Stuart. This is a joint-reading with Alice and Julia, and I had a great time reading with them as usual.

20-year-old Jilly Lovitz takes off for Japan not only she wants to pay a surprise visit to her sister, Summer and her Japanese brother-in-law, Takashi O'Brien but also secretly hoping she will meet Reno, Taka's cousin. A notorious Yakuza punk with a head of flaming-red hair and red tattooed tears on his cheekbones, Reno is not your typical hero but Jilly had a crush on him ever since she had met him two years ago.

But it is bad timing for she is being chased by a group of ruthless Russian hitmen that intend to use her as a bait to lure Taka out and she has no one to turn to except Reno. She never expects them to meet again under this bizarre situation, and not only she has to get used of him being her protector but they have to stay close together wherever they go.

Reno is attracted to her, but he cannot allow himself to get any closer to her as Taka and her sister have ever warned him not to hurt her, given his notorious reputation. He did not think she is his type anyway, and he is glad of this arrangement but things are not what they had hoped or expected. There are a few occasions that each of them are separated while escaping from the assassins and though they don't want to admit it, both of them do actually care for each other. With no way to go, Reno decided to keep Jilly at his grandfather's place, knowing that no one will dare to mess around with the elderly Ojiisan with his team of bodyguards. But never did they know that a traitor is hiding in disguise being one of the bodyguards and Reno later found out that Ojiisan's heavily guarded place is as dangerous as the outside world.

Soon they find themselves on the run again, and this time their attraction for each other is coming on too strong and unfortunately when Jilly is being captured by the baddies, Reno will have to find a solution and risk himself before he gets both of them killed.

Fire and Ice is an exciting, fast-paced romance suspense that got me hooked from the very first page and never let go till the end. Besides the plot, I also find it interesting to read the two protagonists that appears to be so different from each other and yet you could see sparks fly whenever they are in each other's company. Though Reno gives me the impression of being a tough and bad boy, he is not what I expected him to be initially. Funnily, it is Jilly who annoys me at times because she can be a tad stubborn and in my opinion she is a lot more trouble than Reno appears to be.

This book can be read as a stand alone but I would recommend to read the Ice series in order:

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The Choice
Melody





ISBN-13: 9780446698337
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: April 2008
304pp



I always look forward to Nicholas Sparks new releases. Though some of his books are tearjerkers and might not have a happy ending, I do enjoy them and find them meaningful and thought-provoking. Most of the times, his stories strike a chord in my heart even though they are fictional. His stories often reflect the reality of life and how the difficult situations always made the characters into better persons which I find inspiring. It is no wonder his books made it to the bestselling list.

Set in a small town in North Carolina, The Choice is a beautiful love story of Travis Parker and Gabby Holland. Travis first meeting with Gabby is not a pleasant one. Gabby, whose job is a physician assistant, thinks Travis is a good-for-nothing and organizes too many barbecues parties outside his house. Worse still, she thinks Moby, his boxer impregnates her collie, Molly and she has made up her mind to confront him because she feels she has had enough of his inconsiderate behaviour.

On the other end, Travis is intrigued by his new neighbour who moves next to his place, and despite his friendly attempt towards her, she seems to give him a cold shoulder. And when Gabby accused his dog for impregnating her dog, he tried to explain things to her but she refused to give him the chance to talk, leaving him bewildered and amused. Their second encounter took place in a veterinary clinic when Gabby decided to have Molly examined, and this time Travis is the vet. Gabby asked him why he didn't tell her about his position when she confronted him that day, he told her that she didn't give him a chance to explain anyway. And after the examination, it turned out that Moby wasn't the one responsible for Molly's pregnancy at all, and Gabby felt bad. She thought he would be angry at her but to her surprise, he didn't seem to mind after all. It was through this incident that she began to see him in a new light.

Although they are slowly attracted to each other, Travis isn't sure if this relationship works for him because not only he enjoys his single lifestyle, but he thought his previous relationships with women are a failure. And Gabby isn't sure of Travis either as she has a long-term relationship with her boyfriend although Kevin didn't show any sign of commitment to marriage. It is at this point that there is a turn for Gabby and Travis, as both couldn't fight the attraction off of each other anymore. I think Mr. Sparks had done a great job here writing about their dilemmas and how they had came to accept each other in the end.

In the later part of the story, Gabby and Travis are married and had two young daughters. Gabby and Travis met in a car accident on a windy, rainy night. Travis blamed it on his carelessness, but it was too late, as it resulted Gabby in a state of coma. And Travis had to make a tough choice in the whole of his life.

Although the plot in The Choice is not new, I still find it a good and meaningful read. There are questions that one will often ask while reading this: What would happen if Travis had handled the situation differently? Was it he or Gabby to blame? What would happen if he took the other choice? et cetera. But the top of all is, how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

I also love this part where it described marriage perfectly:
Marriage, each of them realized intuitively, was about compromise and forgiveness. It was about balance, where one person complemented the other.

This is an emotionally charged book which I find it worth reading, especially towards the end.
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Note: I have decided to temporarily give up reading Succubus in the City by Nina Harper. I just couldn't get sucked into the story, despite it has an interesting premise and the protagonist is a sexy succubus who works with a she-demon, Satan. I liked the part where the hero is a mortal man, but regrettably I just couldn't find myself reading more, and partly I blame it on my reading mood. I have picked up the book at a wrong time. Nevertheless, I hope I will enjoy it at a later date although I have no idea when I will pick this up again.

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Dingo
Melody




ISBN-13: 9780142408162
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: March 2008
224pp






"No one likes to think it of their father; but there are days when I can't help but feel that somehow I got stuck with the biggest loser of all loser dads." And so, this sentence begins the story and adventure of Miguel Schreiber, a seventeen-year-old high school senior after he meets a girl called Lainey, whose family has moved from Australia to New ford at a lakeside beach town.

Miguel is fascinated by her instantly the moment she steps into his father's used comic and records store one evening, and not to mention she has a dog the size of a large German shepherd which its fur is the exact same colour as her hair. Miguel soon finds out that she is trying to get out of Johnny Ward's way, who also happens to be Miguel's long-term enemy from school. Miguel assures her that he and his two friends wouldn't dare to step into the store as he told her the 'history' between his father and Johnny. After this incident, the friendship between Miguel and Lainey blossoms and soon they became a couple.

But Lainey has a secret; and Miguel seems to have strange dreams after his encounter with her but that doesn't stop him from finding answers behind everything. And as it turns out, Lainey and her twin sister are shapechangers and they are half human, half dingo. Tallyman, their father is sent to capture them by Warrigal, the first Dingo, so that he can have one of their blood to free himself from being held prisoner in a tree.

And now it is up to Miguel and Johnny to find a way to defeat these two powerful enemies so that the girls will be free from their grasps ever.

Well, what can I say about this book? It was a page-turner and it has got me hooked from the first page right to the end. I have never read anything by Charles de Lint, but this story is so good and intriguing that I will make sure to check out his books in future.

Charles de Lint has portrayed all the characters very well in Dingo; and I feel connected with the protagonists in this story. And what most rewarding I find this book is, I find hope and love in this magical story. And although Miguel doesn't think he is a hero and is just an average boy, but he shows great determination and courage which I greatly admire. Dingo is one great read and I am sure it will please not only to young readers but to the adults as well.

(Click onto this link to learn more about dingo.)

Note: Again, thanks to Rhinoa for sending me Spirits in the Wires by the same author. I know I will find another winner in this book.
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The Mercenary
Melody




ISBN-13: 9780373772483
Publisher: Harlequin
Pub. Date: February 2008
256pp


This is a reissue copy, and a refreshed version revised by author, Cherry Adair which was originally published in 1994. Because this book is printed this year, I will add this book to The Pub Challenge.

T-FLAC is an elite antiterrorist task force and agent Alexander "Lynx" Stone went missing. When his sister, Victoria Jones, a sensible bookkeeper, finds out that her brother is being held prisoner, she approaches his brother's T-FLAC partner, Marc Sarvin to rescue him. However, Marc left T-FLAC after his lover Krista is dead and what's worse was she used to be a double agent and had lied to him from the start. Marc then decided to live a solitary life on a ranch and wanted nothing to do with T-FLAC anymore.

So when he finds Victoria came uninvited to his house, he is surprised because he just couldn't picture she and Alex being siblings. In the end, Victoria managed to convince him after she has told him about the special assignment Alex was in before he had gone missing, for no one knew about this and Alex has told her to look for Marc in case she hasn't heard from him for some time. Marc is reluctant to help her in the beginning; he is sure Alex is dead and she is just wasting her time but Victoria explained that she and Alex are twins and they have a special ability of communicating through telepathy. She is very sure that Alex is alive and is being held captive somewhere.

With Victoria's special ability, Marc brings her along for this rescue mission as they travel to various locations to find the man they love, and couldn't help falling in love with each other along the way.

The Mercenary starts the beginning of Cherry Adair's T-FLAC series. I didn't know about this until I read her note to her readers from this book. As I have yet to follow the series, I couldn't comment much but the heroine in this book has left a deep impression on me. Despite Marc giving her a cold shoulder in the beginning, she still manages to grit her teeth and stand her ground through the whole "confrontation" with him. Some might be put off by Marc's attitude towards Victoria initially, but then he had had a bad experience and was hurt before so that explains his behaviour and his outlook of life. I was glad he had overcame it all in the end, and that the readers of romance suspense genre will enjoy this revised copy of The Mercenary.

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Due to some medical problems, I was told by the doc to stay in bed for the past few days, thus that explains my absence from internet/blogging. Believe me, it was boring and wasn't fun at all, but I did spend some time reading a few books and clearing some from my TBR pile! I can't wait to catch up with reading everyone's blog and I too hope you all have read some good books as well. :)
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Thigh High
Melody




ISBN-13: 9780451223371
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: March 2008
400pp



I have been catching up with my reading lately, and this book is my first selection for The Pub Challenge (2008). The rule is to read books that are published in 2008 so Thigh High by Christina Dodd fits just right for this purpose. I picked up this book by chance, because the blurb caught my attention; and don't you agree this cover is eye-catching too? But of course the latter is not the main reason I picked up this book, although it doesn't hurt to have an attractive bookcover isn't it?

Though I had read Christina Dodd's historical romances in the past, I never have the chance to read her romance suspense novels so I figure this book should make a good start. Thigh High is the third book in Christina's Fortune Hunter series, following Trouble in High Heels and Tongue in Chic. This is one of those times that I picked up a book without realizing it is part of a series, but still that doesn't stop me from reading it.

Ionessa Dahl, otherwise fondly called Nessa, dedicates her hard work at the Premier Central Bank in New Orleans. Due to an error she had made out of compassion to a client, she lost the chance of a good promotion to fellow colleague, Stephanie Decker who is now bank manager. To make matters worse, the CEO of the bank assumes she is linked to the Beaded Bandits robberies of his Premier Central Bank during Mardi Gras so he decided someone has to spy on Nessa at work.

Jeremiah 'Mac' MacNaught is introduced to the staff as an insurance investigator, but actually he works as an undercover. He is intrigued with Nessa as he is with the mysterious Beaded Bandits robberies cases, and slowly both of them are attracted to each other as they began to see more of each other at work. To make things more interesting, Nessa's two zany aunts are always keen to play matchmakers to Nessa whenever they have a chance so they are delighted to find Mac an eligible applicant. But later, Mac is trapped in a difficult situation as he soon finds himself falling hard for Nessa, and on top of that he isn't sure what Nessa will think if she finds out the truth about his real identity in the end.

Christina Dodd has weaved a witty and fun romance suspense in Thigh High, taking her readers to a trip in New Orleans where readers get a glimpse of the colourful city and the residents' lifestyles. I was most amazed by their Mardi Gras parade, where during this festive event the performers will dress in different costumes with masks on their faces as they happily danced around the streets. It must be a sight to a foreigner like myself.

Besides this, I also enjoyed the characters in this book and the dialogue between the two protagonists; and I too find it a delight reading Nessa's two chirpy elderly aunts who are both young at heart despite they are in their eighties. I think readers who like a fun romance read will enjoy Thigh High. Although I'd still prefer Christina's historical romances, overall I'd say this book is a satisfying read.
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The Pub (2008) Challenge
Melody

When I visited 3M's blog this morning for my daily read, I understand that she will be hosting a reading challenge called The Pub (2008) Challenge (Please click onto the links for more details.) Like her, I find most of my books read in 2007 don't published on the same year, and here is how 3M got her idea about this challenge. The objective is to read titles published in 2008.

And here are the rules:

  • Read a minimum of 8 books published in 2008. (Library books are acceptable!)
  • No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’
  • At least 4 titles must be fiction.
  • Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
  • Titles may be changed at any time.

Although I haven't worked out the titles yet, but I will definitely sign up for this challenge. It sounds fun. I am really looking forward to another great reading year next year.

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