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Horrid katrina leno6/7/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() “Let me know if you need anything,” she’d said when they walked in. The woman behind the counter was unpacking a box of paperbacks. Nothing as dramatic as this, sheets of water falling so thickly from the sky that Jane couldn’t see a foot outside the window. If it rained at all, it was a delicate sprinkle that lasted ten or fifteen minutes and ended with a rainbow. She wasn’t used to driving in the rain-neither of them was. “I don’t want to go any farther until this lets up a little.” They’d made it to Maine about thirty minutes ago but the rain had driven them off the highway and into this town with the strange name-Kennebunkport-and Ruth had pulled over and idled on the side of the road until Jane searched bookstore on her phone and found this one. Outside, the rain pelted down angrily, it sounded like muffled gunshots on the roof of the bookstore, but inside, inside, surrounded by books, surrounded by the smell of them, she felt calm and tranquil, momentarily at ease, like the past five weeks had never happened. Had the smell of books calmed her down then, as it did now? She must have been a baby, a toddler, ripping pages out of a picture book about a talking stuffed animal. What it had tasted like, how it had felt-the scratch of it as it slid down her throat. She couldn’t remember the first book she had eaten. ![]()
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Meg cabot being nikki series6/7/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby-writing novels-for emotional succor. ![]() Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse - at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. ![]() Librarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels). ![]()
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Desperate measures by katee robert6/7/2023 ![]() ![]() If you’ve found your way onto the book side of TikTok, known as ‘BookTok,’ you’re likely familiar with the name Katee Robert. Buckle up friends, you’re in for a wild ride. But make no mistake, the book we’re reviewing today is scorching-so much so that the novel begins with a content warning for consensual non-consent. ![]() Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. And by spicy books, we mean downright hot and heavy reads that have you running into your kitchen for a cold glass of water to cool you down. What started as a joke manifested into reality-we are reading spicy books together. So grab a glass of wine and come along with us as we dissect these thrilling reads! But forewarning, there are spoilers ahead. From Katee Robert’s Neon Gods to Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians, we’re covering plenty of literature. Introducing The Reading Gals-a book review series where the writers behind Paper & Lore read books together and share our unique perspectives of the super spicy reads. ![]()
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Book the day you begin6/7/2023 ![]() ![]() The art depicts and celebrates kids of different races. ![]() The illustrations by Rafael López fit the text perfectly and are just as welcoming. A teacher pronounces a boy's name "so soft and beautifully that your name and homeland sound like flowers blooming the first bright notes of a song." A girl admires "a jar filled with tiny shells so fragile, they look like they'll turn to dust in your own untraveled hands." Yet the text is never out of reach, and the situations are carefully chosen to be ones kids will relate to - for instance, not getting picked for a team or hesitating to share in class. This sensitive and emotionally astute book about kids feeling like outsiders addresses kids directly, like welcome advice from a trusted elder, encouraging kids to "share your stories." In The Day You Begin, the prose is poetic but accessible. ![]()
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A game of thrones book list6/6/2023 ![]() Most of the characters are human but as the series progresses others are introduced, such as the cold and menacing supernatural Others from the far North and fire-breathing dragons from the East, both thought to be extinct by the humans of the story. ![]() The story of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional world, primarily on a continent called Westeros but also on a large landmass to the east, known as Essos. In addition there are three prequel novellas currently available, with several more being planned, and a series of novella-length excerpts from the main Ice and Fire novels. Originally planned as a trilogy, the series now consists of five published volumes a further two are planned. ![]() Martin began writing the series in 1991 and the first volume was published in 1996. High fantasy, Dark fantasy, Medieval fantasyĪ Song of Ice and Fire (commonly abbreviated as ASoIaF) is an ongoing series of epic fantasy novels by American novelist and screenwriter George R. ![]()
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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes6/6/2023 ![]() The insects are a symbol of Lou herself-or, in any case, of the version of Lou that has reached its fullest potential. She wears bumblebee tights, calls herself "Busy Bee" in her online chatroom, and gets a tattoo of a bee. Bees (symbol)īees crop up time after time in this book, and they're always associated with Lou. This hints that photographs in the world of this novel symbolize not only the past, but false representations of the past. ![]() The symbolism of Will's photos gets added depth when we learn about an old photo of Lou and Patrick, in which they look happy and in love despite being in a fight. Eventually, the pictures end up tucked away in a drawer, which represents the fact that Will maintains an attachment to his old life but tries not to dwell on it, and has turned his attention to the future. Alicia and Rupert's announcement that they are engaged prompts Will to recognize that he cannot return to his old life, and he violently destroys the pictures, feeling angry at Alicia and at figures from his past more generally. ![]() When Lou meets him, the pictures are still on display, signifying his attachment to that period and unwillingness to accept that it has ended. ![]() The photos that Will keeps in his room when Lou first meets him symbolize his old way of life, and Will's attitude towards the photos is a reflection of his attitude towards that period more generally. ![]()
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Chess by Benny Andersson6/6/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() CHESS is frequently revised for new productions, many of which try to merge elements from both the London and Broadway versions however, no major revival production of the musical has yet been attempted either on West End or Broadway.ĬHESS came seventh in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the United Kingdom’s “Number One Essential Musicals.” History Development A much-altered US version premièred on Broadway in 1988, but survived only for two months. ![]() The first theatrical production of CHESS opened in London’s West End in 1986 and played for three years. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the character of the American was loosely based on chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer, while elements of the story may have been inspired by the chess careers of Russian grandmasters Viktor Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov.įollowing the pattern of Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, a highly successful concept album of CHESS was released in 1984. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other all in the context of a Cold War struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, during which both countries wanted to win international chess tournaments for propaganda purposes. CHESS CHESS The Musical – a chequered history indeedĬHESS is a musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of ABBA. ![]()
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The love language book6/5/2023 ![]() ![]() Those small gestures can celebrate the relationship in a big way. It could be as simple as a hand-picked flower from the garden or getting them a cute keychain from a favorite travel destination. Win extra Brownie points with a "just because" gift. Gifts: They will remember the special occasions, so make sure to mark it on the calendar and honor the day and your partner with a thoughtful gift.Those little acts add up and can make all of the difference. Display vigilance by anticipating how you could make their life easier. Don't always make it about chores-people have different interpretations of what this love language means to them, so ask them directly what they need. Acts of service: Go above and beyond with your actions to show your love.It could be as simple as going for a walk together outside (an exciting pandemic activity) and having a good in-depth conversation about your day. Quality time: Carve out intentional space in your schedule for time together.Try not to engage in nonconstructive criticism-words have an impact and leave a lasting impression. When you notice the good things, say it and say it often. Err on the side of positivity, and communications will flourish. ![]() Words of affirmation: Words mean everything, so choose them wisely. ![]()
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Augusta scattergood6/5/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() This brilliantly nuanced novel is delivering a unique literary format. ![]() Inspired by the true stories of Chinese immigrants who came to the American south during the civil rights era, this poignant story reminds us all that home is where our hearts reside, and that friends can come to us in the most unexpected ways. Billy's parents own the Lucky Foods grocery store, where days are long, and folks aren't always friendly. And now she's been thrown together with, troubled Willis DeLoach, gossipy Melinda Bowman, and Billy Wong, a Chinese-American boy who has his own troubles. Paris Junction is nothing like her Texas hometown. September 2016 First Editions Club for Young ReadersĪzalea is not happy about being dropped off to care for Grandmother Clark. ![]()
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Legion william peter blatty review6/5/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() For this reason, and that thrilling plot twist, it is my personal favorite of Blatty’s trilogy. The result is a book that provides the reader a language to reconcile this problem in terms that Catholics, Jews, and Atheists will understand and find comfort in. Following the tradition of his Jewish faith to wrestle with God, and grieving the death of a friend from the first novel, Kinderman is struggling to reconcile the concept of a loving God with a world where pain and evil seem to rule the day. Is this a copycat, or is something supernatural afoot? After the events of The Exorcist, Kinderman is no longer sure. ![]() Impossibly the murders mirror that of a long dead serial killer. Legion follows the Jewish detective Lieutenant Kinderman as he investigates a string of murders, beginning with the cruel crucifixion of a young boy. To my surprise, I enjoyed this even more than The Exorcist. Let me just say right off the bat that this book has the single best plot twist I have ever read.Ī sequel to Blatty’s famous The Exorcist, I was initially skeptical, thinking that this might be one of those sequels that the publisher pushed the author to write, rather than one that flowed naturally from the events of the first book. ![]() |