C.C.'s bookshelf: read en-US Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:47:09 -0700 60 C.C.'s bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark, #18.5)]]> 199671073
A demon soldier of fortune . . .
R?k Kours dives into a dangerous mission, only to cross swords with the one woman who bewitched him.

A cursed Wiccan mercenary . . .
Poppy Dyer has never let her uncontrollable magic interfere with her work, but she can barely withstand one demon's charms.

Trapped in a terrifying lair.
If the two rivals can defeat Halloween's worst nightmares to escape a haunted castle, can they overcome their pasts to claim a spellbinding future together?]]>
179 Kresley Cole C.C. 5 4.20 2024 The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark, #18.5)
author: Kresley Cole
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/04/23
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review:

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The Women 127305853
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets¡ªand becomes one of¡ªthe lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm's way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.]]>
471 Kristin Hannah 1250178630 C.C. 4 4.58 2024 The Women
author: Kristin Hannah
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/02/15
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The Problem of Pain 13650513
The greatest Christian thinker of our time sets out to disentangle this knotty issue. With his signature wealth of compassion and insight, C. S. Lewis offers answers to these crucial questions and shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungry for a true understanding of human nature.]]>
162 C.S. Lewis 0007461267 C.C. 4 4.24 1940 The Problem of Pain
author: C.S. Lewis
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1940
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/12/08
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Mansfield Park 45032 488 Jane Austen C.C. 4 romance 3.86 1814 Mansfield Park
author: Jane Austen
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1814
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/02
date added: 2024/11/27
shelves: romance
review:

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<![CDATA[Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)]]> 58539300 From Stephanie Garber, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval, Once Upon a Broken Heart is the first book in a new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after.


When Evangeline Fox learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she feels her heart begin to break in two. Desperate and distraught, she offers the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts whatever he wishes in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. His request: three kisses. At first, it seems simple enough, but Evangeline quickly learns that bargaining with a Fate is a dangerous game, and it could cost her far more than she intended. For the prince has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or in the most exquisite tragedy...]]>
384 Stephanie Garber C.C. 3 3.77 2021 Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves:
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Much more juvenile than I expected. I would have loved this in middle school. Not bad, but not for me.
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<![CDATA[Hoarded by the Dragon (Monstrous Matches, #4)]]> 75424169 He¡¯s powerful and wealthy and he hates me.
But I have something he wants.
It wasn¡¯t a part of the plan.
I¡¯m the thief stupid enough to break into a dragon¡¯s hoard¡­ and walk away pregnant with his baby.

More details to come...]]>
379 Lillian Lark C.C. 3 4.06 2023 Hoarded by the Dragon (Monstrous Matches, #4)
author: Lillian Lark
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Warlord Wants Forever (Immortals After Dark, #0.5)]]> 6388558
She eludes him for five years, but he has finally chased her to ground and stolen the jewel which commands her, giving him absolute power over her. While he possesses it, he can make her do anything, and he plans to in order for her to experience firsthand the agonizing, unending lust she'd purposely subjected him to for half a decade. Yet when Wroth realizes he wants more from her and frees her, will she come.

Note: First published in the 2006 anthology, Playing Easy to Get.]]>
163 Kresley Cole C.C. 5 fantasy-and-scifi, romance 4.04 2006 The Warlord Wants Forever (Immortals After Dark, #0.5)
author: Kresley Cole
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/09/14
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, romance
review:

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<![CDATA[A Heart of Blood and Ashes (A Gathering of Dragons, #1)]]> 46021762 A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil¡ªuntil the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents¡¯ murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king¡¯s daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones¡ªbecause her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own¡­]]>
534 Milla Vane 0440000513 C.C. 3 /review/show...

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It would be pointless for me to write a review when all my thoughts are quite perfectly said by Val ?? Shameless Non-Snowflake ?? here: /review/show...]]>
3.86 2020 A Heart of Blood and Ashes (A Gathering of Dragons, #1)
author: Milla Vane
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves:
review:
It would be pointless for me to write a review when all my thoughts are quite perfectly said by Val ?? Shameless Non-Snowflake ?? here: /review/show...

Merged review:

It would be pointless for me to write a review when all my thoughts are quite perfectly said by Val ?? Shameless Non-Snowflake ?? here: /review/show...
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<![CDATA[Claiming the Dragon King (The Elite Guards #2)]]> 40041761 He¡¯s honor bound to avenge his people and take back his palace by any means necessary.
Blane has kept his people hidden from the Horde since the day they came in and wiped out the dragon race, but they didn¡¯t kill them all. Now he¡¯s back, and making a move against the Horde. He¡¯s going to take back what¡¯s rightfully his in a step to wage war against those who took everything from him. The one thing he didn¡¯t expect was to find her instead of the Horde King¡¯s offspring.
Ciara has lived in the shadows and survived torture at the hands of her own father. She¡¯s trained hard to find her place among the Elite Guard. Until she is captured by him¡­changing her destiny along with it in one fateful night.
Now, she will taste unbridled passion at the hands of her captor, and she isn¡¯t sure she¡¯ll survive the heat of the Dragon King.
Not suited for anyone under 18. If you don't like alpha a-holes, this book isn't for you. Trigger warnings and adult content. I write a-holes who get knocked down by strong, sassy females that earn and demand the respect from the men.
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410 Amelia Hutchins 0997720107 C.C. 2 4.14 2018 Claiming the Dragon King (The Elite Guards #2)
author: Amelia Hutchins
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2024/08/29
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Lies Young Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free]]> 1518189 ?
¡°I know God should be the only thing that satisfies, but if it could be Him and my friends, then I could be happy.¡±

"It seems like I have been struggling with depression forever. I always feel like I am not good enough.¡±

¡°I tell myself that I don¡¯t really listen to the song lyrics, but once I hear a song a few times and start thinking about what they¡¯re saying I realize that it's too late.? It's already stuck in my head."
?
"For me, the whole wife and mom thing is overrated. It isn¡¯t cool to want a husband and a family.¡±

Maybe you can identify. Trying to listen to the right voices can be difficult. This book has been written by friends who will help you find the Truth. Maybe your heart is telling you that some things in your life are way off course. Certain habits and relationships have left you confused and lonely. This is not the way it¡¯s supposed to be.

In this book, Nancy and Dannah expose 25 of the lies most commonly believed by your generation. They share real-life accounts from some of the young women they interviewed, along with honest stories about how they¡¯ve overcome lies they themselves believed . They get down in the trenches of the battle with you. Best of all, they¡¯ll show you how to be set free by the Truth.]]>
208 Nancy Leigh DeMoss 080247294X C.C. 4 2015 4.00 2006 Lies Young Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free
author: Nancy Leigh DeMoss
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: 2015
review:

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<![CDATA[The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder]]> 61714633 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on the Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.

On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty's Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as "the prize of all the oceans," it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The men, after being marooned for months and facing starvation, built the flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing nearly 3,000 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes.

But then . . . six months later, another, even more decrepit craft landed on the coast of Chile. This boat contained just three castaways, and they told a very different story. The thirty sailors who landed in Brazil were not heroes - they were mutineers. The first group responded with countercharges of their own, of a tyrannical and murderous senior officer and his henchmen. It became clear that while stranded on the island the crew had fallen into anarchy, with warring factions fighting for dominion over the barren wilderness. As accusations of treachery and murder flew, the Admiralty convened a court martial to determine who was telling the truth. The stakes were life-and-death--for whomever the court found guilty could hang.

The Wager is a grand tale of human behavior at the extremes told by one of our greatest nonfiction writers. Grann's recreation of the hidden world on a British warship rivals the work of Patrick O'Brian, his portrayal of the castaways' desperate straits stands up to the classics of survival writing such as The Endurance, and his account of the court martial has the savvy of a Scott Turow thriller. As always with Grann's work, the incredible twists of the narrative hold the reader spellbound.]]>
331 David Grann 0385534264 C.C. 4 4.14 2023 The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
author: David Grann
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/05/07
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<![CDATA[Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again¡­

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris¡¯s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris¡¯s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands ¨C that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper ¨C an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]>
357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 C.C. 4 4.14 2023 Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/16
date added: 2024/03/16
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023, romance
review:

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Lemonade 25730909
After a lifetime of harboring shame and resentment, Christopher, a ruthless con artist, wants revenge, and unfortunately for Anna, he¡¯s decided that she will be the perfect pawn in his terrible plot. With a fierceness of spirit uncommon in well-bred young ladies in the nineteenth century, Anna will have to use her intelligence and courage to protect her loved ones. But can she also save herself?]]>
466 Nina Pennacchi 1503999408 C.C. 0 3.64 2011 Lemonade
author: Nina Pennacchi
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at: 2023/11/14
date added: 2023/11/14
shelves:
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<![CDATA[Tall, Dark & Heartless (Pyte/Sentinel, #3)]]> 13570315 Librarian's Note: Alternate-cover edition for ASIN B007SWLLHE is located here

He should have left her and never looked back¡­....

That's not how things played out for Caine, a nearly one thousand year old Pyte, who should have known better. Instead of walking away years ago, he has been watching over the only human who has touched his heart. He stays to protect her, at least that is what he tells himself. When trouble finds her, he knows that he should just cut his losses and walk away, but there is no fighting the hold the child, who has become a woman, has on him. Now they are both paying the price.

Danni knows that she isn¡¯t technically a Sentinel and is putting her life in danger every time she goes out on patrol. She isn't worried, she has a job to do. It is the only thing that matters to her anymore and she isn¡¯t going to let it go without a fight. Unfortunately for her, she didn¡¯t foresee her ex-boyfriend selling her out to a Master, being captured, getting locked up and stuck in a room with the cranky Pyte. The same Pyte that broke her heart years ago and wont stop glaring at her as if their little predicament is all her fault.]]>
433 R.L. Mathewson 0983212597 C.C. 2 4.23 2012 Tall, Dark & Heartless (Pyte/Sentinel, #3)
author: R.L. Mathewson
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2023/11/13
date added: 2023/11/13
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023, romance
review:

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<![CDATA[Gentle Rogue (Malory-Anderson Family, #3)]]> 891812
The black sheep of a proud and tempestuous family, the handsome ex-pirate once swore no woman alive could entice him into matrimony. But on the high seas his resolve will be weakened by an unrestrained passion and by the high-spirited beauty whose love of freedom and adventure rivals his own.

Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1 ]]>
426 Johanna Lindsey C.C. 4 2015, romance, read-in-2023 4.19 1990 Gentle Rogue (Malory-Anderson Family, #3)
author: Johanna Lindsey
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1990
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/27
date added: 2023/10/27
shelves: 2015, romance, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Duke of Sin (Maiden Lane, #10)]]> 27073530 A MAN OF SIN

Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.

A WOMAN OF HONOR

Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery's household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.

A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH

Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can't resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets¡ªand neither may be as nefarious¡ªor as innocent¡ªas they appear . . .]]>
368 Elizabeth Hoyt 1455539074 C.C. 5 3.97 2016 Duke of Sin (Maiden Lane, #10)
author: Elizabeth Hoyt
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/27
date added: 2023/10/27
shelves: favorites, romance, read-in-2023
review:

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Love's Choices 6232389
He had seduced her from the shelter of the convent, then made her his pawn as he quested hungrily after revenge. She had been only an innocent girl, but at his hands she became a woman --- and now the world was hers.

In California, Hope Stanford found success and adulation and an inner strength that gave her freedom. Once a man had told her that for everything there was a price to be paid. Now he was back, but if Alexei Serivace wanted her again, he would find that the price was very high indeed.]]>
383 Penny Jordan 037383327X C.C. 5 romance, favorites 3.06 1984 Love's Choices
author: Penny Jordan
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.06
book published: 1984
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/10/21
shelves: romance, favorites
review:

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Almost Heaven (Sequels, #3) 129621
ELIZABETH CAMERON

The Countess of Havenhurst possessed a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast.

IAN THORNTON

A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, his voyage to Elizabeth's heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge.

Destined for each other, yet wary of each other's motives, Elizabeth and Ian engage in a dance of suspicion and passion that tests the very soul of their star-crossed love. As a twisting path of secrets takes them from London's drawing rooms to the mysterious Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart?]]>
544 Judith McNaught 0671011332 C.C. 0 favorites 4.33 1989 Almost Heaven (Sequels, #3)
author: Judith McNaught
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/21
shelves: favorites
review:

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Surrender To Love 1249437 704 Rosemary Rogers 1551667169 C.C. 0 favorites 3.70 1982 Surrender To Love
author: Rosemary Rogers
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1982
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/20
shelves: favorites
review:

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<![CDATA[Wicked Loving Lies (Morgan #6)]]> 448077 In the sweeping tradition of Sweet Savage Love, New York Times bestselling author Rosemary Rogers takes readers on an epic journey that spans continents and explores the depths of human passions.

Born of scandal and denied his birthright, Dominic Challenger took to the sea, charting his own future. A true rogue, Dominic answers to no one, trusting only himself. Until Marisa.

Born of wealth and privilege, Marisa is a prisoner to her father's expectations. When the sanctuary she has found behind the walls of a convent is threatened by the news that her father has arranged for her to marry, Marisa flees...right into the arms of a pirate.

From the safety of a sheltered convent to a sultan's harem, from the opulence of Napoleon's court to the wilds of the new frontier, Marisa and Dominic brave all that they encounter in this thrilling age: intrigue, captivity and danger. And above all, an enduring passion that ignites into an infinite love.

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768 Rosemary Rogers 1551669277 C.C. 5 romance, favorites 3.92 1976 Wicked Loving Lies (Morgan #6)
author: Rosemary Rogers
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1976
rating: 5
read at: 2018/06/09
date added: 2023/10/20
shelves: romance, favorites
review:

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Prisoner of My Desire 774060
Spirited Rowena Belleme must produce an heir--or incur the dangerous wrath of a ruthless stepbrother, who stands to forfeit his ill-gotten wealth. And the magnificent Warrick deChaville is the perfect choice to sire her child--though it means imprisoning the handsome knight...and forcing him to bend to her amorous whims.

SLAVE OF PASSION

Vowing to resist but betrayed by his own virility, noble Warrick is intoxicated by Rowena's sapphire eyes and voluptuous beauty. Yet all the while he plans a fitting revenge--eagerly awaiting the time when his sensuous captor becomes his helpless captive ... and is made to suffer the same rapturous torment and exquisite ecstasy that he himself has endured.]]>
425 Johanna Lindsey 0380756277 C.C. 4 4.05 1991 Prisoner of My Desire
author: Johanna Lindsey
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1991
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/07
date added: 2023/10/18
shelves: 2015, romance, favorites, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)]]> 10572
It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

Here is the second volume in George R.R. Martin magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R.R. Martin stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.]]>
1009 George R.R. Martin 0553381695 C.C. 5 4.42 1998 A Clash of Kings  (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/10/18
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Ice Planet Barbarians (Ice Planet Barbarians, #1)]]> 25128811
And the only native inhabitant I've met? He's big, horned, blue, and really, really has a thing for me...]]>
188 Ruby Dixon C.C. 4 3.65 2015 Ice Planet Barbarians (Ice Planet Barbarians, #1)
author: Ruby Dixon
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2023/09/29
shelves:
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<![CDATA[A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)]]> 13496
Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.]]>
835 George R.R. Martin 0553588486 C.C. 5 4.44 1996 A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.44
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/09/06
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, favorites, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Fire & Blood (A Targaryen History, #1)]]> 39943621
Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen¡ªthe only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria¡ªtook up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys¡¯s three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon¡¯s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire and Blood is the ultimate game of thrones, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.]]>
706 George R.R. Martin 152479628X C.C. 4 4.03 2018 Fire & Blood (A Targaryen History, #1)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/04
date added: 2023/08/04
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)]]> 2767052
Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.]]>
374 Suzanne Collins C.C. 5 4.34 2008 The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/08/03
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Lucinda's Secret (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #3)]]> 280277 Let the story of my niece and nephews be a warning. The more you know, the more danger you're in. And trust me, you don't want to meddle with the Little People. -- S.S.
One thrilling adventure -- The Spiderwick Chronicles!
Their world is closer than you think.]]>
114 Tony DiTerlizzi 0689859384 C.C. 0 3.91 2003 Lucinda's Secret (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #3)
author: Tony DiTerlizzi
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at: 2023/07/20
date added: 2023/07/28
shelves: read-in-2023, fantasy-and-scifi, childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Sweetest Oblivion (Made, #1)]]> 39083635
In the murky waters of New York¡¯s underworld, Elena¡¯s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat¡ªeven measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and wide and is darker than his black suits and ties. After his and Elena¡¯s first encounter ends with an accidental glare on her part, she realizes he¡¯s just as rude as he is handsome. She doesn¡¯t like the man or anything he stands for, though that doesn¡¯t stop her heart from pattering like rain against glass when he¡¯s near, nor the shiver that ghosts down her spine at the sound of his voice. And he¡¯s always near. Telling her what to do. Making her feel hotter than any future brother-in-law should. Elena may be the Sweet Abelli on the outside, but she¡¯s beginning to learn she has a taste for the darkness, for rough hands, cigarettes, and whiskey-colored eyes. Having already escaped one scandal, however, she can hardly afford to be swept up in another. Besides, even if he were hers, everyone knows you don¡¯t fall in love with a Made Man... Right?]]>
384 Danielle Lori 1721284443 C.C. 3 read-in-2023, romance 3.98 2018 The Sweetest Oblivion (Made, #1)
author: Danielle Lori
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves: read-in-2023, romance
review:

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The Bone Maker 53914899
Since then, Kreya, the group¡¯s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice¡ªfor each day he lives, she will live one less.

She¡¯d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned¡ªas are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.

But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don¡¯t rest in peace after all.??

Five warriors¡ªone broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn¡¯t stop just because someone once said, ¡°the end.¡±]]>
478 Sarah Beth Durst 0062888633 C.C. 0 3.83 2021 The Bone Maker
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2023/07/24
date added: 2023/07/24
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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The Underground Railroad 30555488
In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor--engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven. But the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. And even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom.

Like the protagonist of Gulliver's Travels, Cora encounters different worlds at each stage of her journey--hers is an odyssey through time as well as space. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman's ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share.]]>
320 Colson Whitehead 0385542364 C.C. 5 literary, read-in-2023 4.04 2016 The Underground Railroad
author: Colson Whitehead
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: literary, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Step Aside, Pops (Hark! A Vagrant, #2)]]> 23848561 The sequel to the hit comic collection Hark! a Vagrant, which appeared on best of lists from Time, NPR and USA Today; spent five months on the New York Times bestseller list; and won Harvey, Ignatz, and Doug Wright awards.

Cartoonist Kate Beaton returns with all-new sidesplitting comics that showcase her irreverent love of history, pop culture, and literature. Collected from her wildly popular website, readers will guffaw over ¡°Strong Female Characters,¡± the wicked yet chivalrous Black Prince, ¡°Straw Feminists in the Closet,¡± and a disgruntled Heathcliff. Delight in what the internet has long known¡ªBeaton¡¯s humour is as sharp and dangerous as a velocipedestrienne, so watch out!]]>
168 Kate Beaton 1770462082 C.C. 4 comicbooks, read-in-2023 4.04 2015 Step Aside, Pops (Hark! A Vagrant, #2)
author: Kate Beaton
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: comicbooks, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)]]> 15881
And strike it does. For in Harry¡¯s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls¡¯ bathroom. But then the real trouble begins ¨C someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects¡­ Harry Potter himself!]]>
352 J.K. Rowling C.C. 4 4.42 1998 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)]]> 5 435 J.K. Rowling 043965548X C.C. 5 4.57 1999 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: read-in-2023, fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[Blade Runner 2019, Vol. 1: Los Angeles]]> 45033606 Return to the original world of Blade Runner 2019.

Welcome to the rain soaked world of Los Angeles 2019 - a dystopic world of Replicants, Spinners and hardboiled future noir. There's a new Blade Runner in town, and she's out for blood. Replicant blood.

This officially sanctioned sequel comic to the original Blade Runner film is written by Michael Green, the screenwriter of Blade Runner 2049.]]>
114 Michael Green 1787731618 C.C. 4 4.02 2019 Blade Runner 2019, Vol. 1: Los Angeles
author: Michael Green
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: comicbooks, fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1)]]> 444304
The Grace children want to share their story, but the faeries will do everything possible to stop them...]]>
114 Tony DiTerlizzi 0689859368 C.C. 5 3.93 2003 The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1)
author: Tony DiTerlizzi
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: childhood-reads, fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #2)]]> 519048 we said no still you looked
now instead
someone gets cooked

The Grace kids are just beginning to get used to Aunt Lucinda's strange old mansion when Simon suddenly disappears. Jared and his sister have to rely on the help of a mischievous house boggart, a nasty bridge troll, and a loud-mouthed hobgoblin to get him back.]]>
114 Tony DiTerlizzi 0689859376 C.C. 5 3.93 2003 The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #2)
author: Tony DiTerlizzi
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/07/20
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, childhood-reads, read-in-2023
review:

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Matilda 39988 ¡°The Trunchbull¡± is no match for Matilda!

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world...

For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Miss ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will, and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.

Roald Dahl was a spy, ace fighter-pilot, chocolate historian, and medical inventor. He was also the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, and many more brilliant stories. He remains the World's No. 1 Storyteller.]]>
240 Roald Dahl 043512398X C.C. 5 childhood-reads, read-in-2023 4.33 1988 Matilda
author: Roald Dahl
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1988
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/14
date added: 2023/07/14
shelves: childhood-reads, read-in-2023
review:

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The Witches 6327 Note: This edition shares ISBN 0590032496 with another edition.

This is not a fairy-tale. This is about real witches. Real witches don't ride around on broomsticks. They don't even wear black cloaks and hats. They are vile, cunning, detestable creatures who disguise themselves as nice, ordinary ladies. So how can you tell when you're face to face with one? Well, if you don't know yet you'd better find out quickly-because there's nothing a witch loathes quite as much as children and she'll wield all kinds of terrifying powers to get rid of them.]]>
208 Roald Dahl 0590032496 C.C. 4 childhood-reads 4.18 1981 The Witches
author: Roald Dahl
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1981
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2023/07/13
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI]]> 29496076 ?
In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.

Then, one by one, they began to be killed off. One Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, watched as her family was murdered. Her older sister was shot. Her mother was then slowly poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances.

In this last remnant of the Wild West¡ªwhere oilmen like J. P. Getty made their fortunes and where desperadoes such as Al Spencer, ¡°the Phantom Terror,¡± roamed ¨C virtually anyone who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll surpassed more than twenty-four Osage, the newly created F.B.I. took up the case, in what became one of the organization¡¯s first major homicide investigations. But the bureau was then notoriously corrupt and initially bungled the case. Eventually the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including one of the only Native American agents in the bureau. They infiltrated the region, struggling to adopt the latest modern techniques of detection. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most sinister conspiracies in American history.

In Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann revisits a shocking series of crimes in which dozens of people were murdered in cold blood. The book is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, as each step in the investigation reveals a series of sinister secrets and reversals. But more than that, it is a searing indictment of the callousness and prejudice toward Native Americans that allowed the murderers to operate with impunity for so long. Killers of the Flower Moon is utterly riveting, but also emotionally devastating.]]>
359 David Grann 0385534256 C.C. 5 nonfiction, read-in-2023 4.12 2017 Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
author: David Grann
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/09
date added: 2023/07/09
shelves: nonfiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)]]> 60657589
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.]]>
336 Heather Fawcett 059350013X C.C. 5 3.98 2023 Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
author: Heather Fawcett
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/29
date added: 2023/06/29
shelves: romance, fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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Until You (Westmoreland, #3) 129618
For Miss Charise Lancaster, not over-gifted with intelligence, eloped with a stranger before she could meet her suitor. And Sheridan was left with the horrid task of telling Lord Burleton she had somehow misplaced his bride. As she gazed at the tall, confident man before her, her courage failed. She was doubly shocked when she heard his news. Lord Burleton, a drunkard and a wastrel, had been killed the night before. At which point fate took over. Sheridan was knocked unconscious on the quayside, and recovered to find herself in the handsome stranger's care, not knowing who she was.

It was to be the beginning of a dazzling, witty, dramatic, and romantic sequence of events in which every possible confusion was to take place.]]>
430 Judith McNaught 0552143545 C.C. 5 4.12 1994 Until You (Westmoreland, #3)
author: Judith McNaught
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1994
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/11
date added: 2023/06/11
shelves: favorites, romance, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing]]> 22318578 Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).

With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house "spark joy" (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

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213 Marie Kond¨­ 1607747308 C.C. 4 nonfiction, read-in-2023 3.88 2010 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
author: Marie Kond¨­
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/01
date added: 2023/06/01
shelves: nonfiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up]]> 25614984 Spark Joy is an in-depth, line illustrated, room-by-room guide to decluttering and organising your home. It covers every room in the house from bedrooms and kitchens to bathrooms and living rooms as well as a wide range of items in different categories, including clothes, photographs, paperwork, books, cutlery, cosmetics, shoes, bags, wallets and valuables. Charming line drawings explain how to properly organise drawers, wardrobes, cupboards and cabinets. The illustrations also show Ms Kondo's unique folding method, clearly showing how to fold anything from shirts, trousers and jackets to skirts, socks and bras.

The secret to Marie Kondo's unique and simple KonMari tidying method is to focus on what you want to keep, not what you want to get rid of. Ask yourself if something 'sparks joy' and suddenly it becomes so much easier to understand if you really need it in your home and your life. When you surround yourself with things you love you will find that your whole life begins to change.

Marie Kondo's first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, presents her unique tidying philosophy and introduces readers to the basics of her KonMari method. It has already transformed the homes and lives of millions of people around the world. Spark Joy is Marie Kondo's in-depth tidying masterclass, focusing on the detail of how to declutter and organise your home.]]>
291 Marie Kond¨­ 1607749726 C.C. 4 nonfiction, read-in-2023 3.87 2012 Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up
author: Marie Kond¨­
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/01
date added: 2023/06/01
shelves: nonfiction, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1)]]> 52735921 Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself...
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost¡ªeven if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked¡ªprinces of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...]]>
372 Kerri Maniscalco 0316428469 C.C. 3 fantasy-and-scifi, romance 3.87 2020 Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1)
author: Kerri Maniscalco
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/10
date added: 2023/05/19
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, romance
review:

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<![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)]]> 3 309 J.K. Rowling 0439554934 C.C. 4 4.47 1997 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/20
date added: 2023/04/20
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, childhood-reads, read-in-2023
review:

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Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 1 844422
Daisuke Ido, a talented cybernetic doctor, finds the head of a cyborg in a junk heap. When he rebuilds her body, Alita's only clue to her past surfaces-her deadly fighting instincts! And now she is determine to find out the truth about who she once was...]]>
248 Yukito Kishiro 1569310033 C.C. 4 manga-manhwa, read-in-2023 4.19 1990 Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 1
author: Yukito Kishiro
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1990
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/14
date added: 2023/03/14
shelves: manga-manhwa, read-in-2023
review:

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Ghosted 36114743 453 J.M. Darhower 1942206240 C.C. 0 romance, did-not-finish 4.19 2017 Ghosted
author: J.M. Darhower
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2022/01/12
date added: 2023/03/14
shelves: romance, did-not-finish
review:

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Piranesi 50202953
There is one other person in the house¡ªa man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.]]>
272 Susanna Clarke 163557563X C.C. 5 4.22 2020 Piranesi
author: Susanna Clarke
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/14
date added: 2023/03/14
shelves: read-in-2023, literary, fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence, #1)]]> 60499727
As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.]]>
467 Rebecca Ross C.C. 2 I'm so damn bored. 4.06 2022 A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence, #1)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/02/25
shelves: did-not-finish, fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:
I'm so damn bored.
]]>
The Nickel Boys 42270835 Author of The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in 1960s Florida.

Elwood Curtis has taken the words of Dr Martin Luther King to heart: he is as good as anyone. Abandoned by his parents, brought up by his loving, strict and clear-sighted grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But given the time and the place, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy his future, and so Elwood arrives at The Nickel Academy, which claims to provide 'physical, intellectual and moral training' which will equip its inmates to become 'honorable and honest men'.

In reality, the Nickel Academy is a chamber of horrors, where physical, emotional and sexual abuse is rife, where corrupt officials and tradesmen do a brisk trade in supplies intended for the school, and where any boy who resists is likely to disappear 'out back'. Stunned to find himself in this vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold on to Dr King's ringing assertion, 'Throw us in jail, and we will still love you.' But Elwood's fellow inmate and new friend Turner thinks Elwood is naive and worse; the world is crooked, and the only way to survive is to emulate the cruelty and cynicism of their oppressors.

The tension between Elwood's idealism and Turner's skepticism leads to a decision which will have decades-long repercussions.

Based on the history of a real reform school in Florida that operated for one hundred and eleven years and warped and destroyed the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative by a great American novelist whose work is essential to understanding the current reality of the United States.]]>
213 Colson Whitehead C.C. 5 read-in-2023 4.25 2019 The Nickel Boys
author: Colson Whitehead
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/02/16
shelves: read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Mystery Knight (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #3)]]> 11350430 104 George R.R. Martin C.C. 5 read-in-2023 4.26 2010 The Mystery Knight (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #3)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/02/03
shelves: read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Haunted House (Choose Your Own Adventure: Young Readers, #2)]]> 191018


There are lots of places you can look. Where do you start? If you go to the cellar to find Homer, turn to page 10. If you follow the mysterious woman who says she knows where Homer is, turn to page 6.



Everything that happens to you in the haunted house depends on the choices you make. Some of your adventures will be scary, some of them will be funny, but all of them will be fun!]]>
56 R.A. Montgomery 0553156799 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 3.70 1981 The Haunted House (Choose Your Own Adventure: Young Readers, #2)
author: R.A. Montgomery
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1981
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/01
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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Carmilla 48037
But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day¡­ Pre-dating Dracula by twenty-six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.]]>
108 J. Sheridan Le Fanu 0809510839 C.C. 0 fantasy-and-scifi 3.88 1872 Carmilla
author: J. Sheridan Le Fanu
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1872
rating: 0
read at: 2016/01/01
date added: 2023/01/23
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[The Sworn Sword (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #2)]]> 11985631 81 George R.R. Martin C.C. 5 4.12 2003 The Sworn Sword (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #2)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/16
date added: 2023/01/17
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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<![CDATA[The Hedge Knight (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #1)]]> 11970747 85 George R.R. Martin C.C. 5 4.29 1998 The Hedge Knight (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #1)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/01
date added: 2023/01/12
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2023
review:

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??? ???? 2 56235566 1080 NOT A BOOK C.C. 0 4.41 ??? ???? 2
author: NOT A BOOK
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.41
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2022/01/12
date added: 2023/01/12
shelves: romance, manga-manhwa, did-not-finish
review:

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<![CDATA[Dragon Slippers (Dragon Slippers, #1)]]> 669570
But when the beast actually appears, Creel not only bargains with him for her life, she also ends up with a rare bit of treasure from his hoard, not gold or jewels, but a pair of simple blue slippers-or so she thinks. It's not until later that Creel learns a shocking truth: She possesses not just any pair of shoes, but ones that could be used to save her kingdom, which is on the verge of war, or destroy it.]]>
324 Jessica Day George 1599900572 C.C. 0 4.25 2007 Dragon Slippers (Dragon Slippers, #1)
author: Jessica Day George
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/27
shelves:
review:

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Open House 1582622 12 Steve Noon 0789410494 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.50 1996 Open House
author: Steve Noon
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.50
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/21
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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A Street Through Time 998478 32 Steve Noon 0751355356 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.41 1998 A Street Through Time
author: Steve Noon
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.41
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/21
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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A City Through Time 1748301 Follow the story of a city from an ancient colony to a vast modern metropolis through stunning full-colour illustrations.

A City Through Time will transport you back to another age, as the award-winning Steve Noon brings the past to life in style. Panoramic scenes presented in a unique cutaway style are packed with colourful pictures showing everyday life in the city across the centuries. Clear descriptions surround each beautiful and jam-packed illustration to make sure the details aren't lost as you meet the characters who live and work there. Plus, each scene has a page devoted to key features, so you can get up close to a Roman bath-house, a medieval castle, or a modern skyscraper.

A photographic section profiles great cities throughout history and a glossary tells you what you need to know about architecture, technology, work, and costumes throughout the ages.

Steve Noon's A City Through Time is perfect for parents and children to look at together or for school projects. The more you look, the more you'll see.]]>
48 D.K. Publishing 0756606411 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.25 1993 A City Through Time
author: D.K. Publishing
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/21
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[Let's Pretend This Never Happened (Dear Dumb Diary #1)]]> 438024
School was okay today. Actually, it was better than okay. Angeline got her long, beautiful hair tangled in one of the jillion things she has dangling from her backpack, and the school nurse -- who is now one of my main heroes -- took a pair of scissors and snipped two feet of silky blond hair from the left side of her head, so now Angeline only looks like The Prettiest Girl in the World if you're standing on her right. (Although personally, I think she would look better if I was standing on her neck.)]]>
128 Jim Benton 0545010306 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.03 2004 Let's Pretend This Never Happened (Dear Dumb Diary #1)
author: Jim Benton
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/10
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)]]> 902715
Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country. Crown Prince Ladisla is poised to drive them back and win undying glory. There is only one problem ¨C he commands the worst-armed, worst-trained, worst-led army in the world.

And Bayaz, the First of the Magi, is leading a party of bold adventurers on a perilous mission through the ruins of the past. The most hated woman in the South, the most feared man in the North, and the most selfish boy in the Union make a strange alliance, but a deadly one. They might even stand a chance of saving mankind from the Eaters. If they didn't hate each other quite so much.

Ancient secrets will be uncovered. Bloody battles will be won and lost. Bitter enemies will be forgiven ¨C but not before they are hanged.]]>
441 Joe Abercrombie 0575077883 C.C. 4 4.35 2007 Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)
author: Joe Abercrombie
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2022/11/01
date added: 2022/11/01
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[The Gift of Sex: A Guide to Sexual Fulfillment]]> 20006880 Clifford and Joyce Penner, clinical therapist and nurse have written a sensitive and forthright guide to understanding sexuality and how it fits into God's design for marriage. This revised and updated version features a new introduction, new illustrations, a section on addictions and the Internet, and a timely discussion on sexually transmitted diseases and their consequences. With the latest information on sexuality and intimacy, this best-selling book is ideal whether you are newlyweds or have been married for many years.


Chapters include:


The Physical Dimension
The Total Experience
Moving Past Sexual Barriers
Resolving Difficulties
Finding Help ]]>
386 Clifford L. Penner C.C. 0 4.30 1981 The Gift of Sex: A Guide to Sexual Fulfillment
author: Clifford L. Penner
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1981
rating: 0
read at: 2022/10/19
date added: 2022/10/19
shelves:
review:

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Beautiful Darkness 17287069 Beautiful Darkness is a harrowing look behind the routine politeness and meaningless kindness of civilized society.]]> 94 Fabien Vehlmann 1770461299 C.C. 0 comicbooks, fantasy-and-scifi 3.88 2009 Beautiful Darkness
author: Fabien Vehlmann
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at: 2018/01/01
date added: 2022/09/08
shelves: comicbooks, fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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I'm Glad My Mom Died 59364173
Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother¡¯s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called ¡°calorie restriction,¡± eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, ¡°Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn¡¯t tint hers?¡± She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I¡¯m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail¡ªjust as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly , she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (¡°Hi Gale!¡±), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I¡¯m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.]]>
320 Jennette McCurdy C.C. 5 read-in-2022, nonfiction 4.45 2022 I'm Glad My Mom Died
author: Jennette McCurdy
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/18
date added: 2022/08/18
shelves: read-in-2022, nonfiction
review:

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<![CDATA[World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War]]> 8908
Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, "By excluding the human factor, aren't we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn't the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as 'the living dead'?"

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.]]>
342 Max Brooks 0307346609 C.C. 0 fantasy-and-scifi 4.02 2006 World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
author: Max Brooks
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/07/18
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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Devil Number 4 51909083 NOT A BOOK C.C. 0 4.19 2018 Devil Number 4
author: NOT A BOOK
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2022/07/14
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: manga-manhwa, fantasy-and-scifi, romance
review:

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The Castle of Otranto 12923 The Castle of Otranto purported to be a translation of an Italian story of the time of the crusades. In it Walpole attempted, as he declared in the Preface to the Second Edition, "to blend the two kinds of romance: the ancient and the modern." Crammed with invention, entertainment, terror, and pathos, the novel was an immediate success and Walpole's own favorite among his numerous works. The novel is reprinted here from a text of 1798, the last that Walpole himself prepared for the press.]]> 125 Horace Walpole 0192834401 C.C. 4 fantasy-and-scifi 3.20 1764 The Castle of Otranto
author: Horace Walpole
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.20
book published: 1764
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1)]]> 46777 Welcome to the realm of very scary faeries!

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.]]>
272 Holly Black 0689867042 C.C. 4 fantasy-and-scifi 3.72 2002 Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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Tender Morsels 2662169 436 Margo Lanagan 0375848118 C.C. 4 fantasy-and-scifi 3.58 2007 Tender Morsels
author: Margo Lanagan
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[Shades of Wicked (Night Rebel, #1)]]> 38388574
The Rule Breaker...

Master vampire Ian is unrepentant, shameless...and every shade of wicked. He's made one too many enemies in his two centuries of existence, including Dagon, a demon who now lays claim to his soul. Ian's only chance to escape Dagon is to join forces with a Law Guardian, but he's never been able to abide by the rules for long.

The Law Maker...

Veritas' normal role is police, judge, and jury to reprobates like Ian. But she has her own ax to grind with Dagon, so if she can use Ian as bait...well, all's fair in law and war. As they scour supernatural hotspots to perfect their trap, Veritas soon realizes Ian's carefully cultivated, devil-may-care roguish image hides something much more powerful. And Ian discovers Veritas has shocking secrets of her own. As they're drawn to each other with a passion as intense as their peril, either love or justice will prevail. But each will have devastating consequences.]]>
370 Jeaniene Frost 0062695614 C.C. 4 fantasy-and-scifi, romance 4.27 2018 Shades of Wicked (Night Rebel, #1)
author: Jeaniene Frost
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/22
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, romance
review:

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Sing Me Forgotten 53176389
Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house's owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she use her power to keep ticket sales high¨Cand that she stay out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.

But Isda breaks Cyril's cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she's ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.

Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place.]]>
336 Jessica S. Olson 1335147942 C.C. 3 fantasy-and-scifi 3.76 2021 Sing Me Forgotten
author: Jessica S. Olson
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/01
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[Consequences (Consequences, #1)]]> 12416934 Every action has consequences.

Waking in an unfamiliar bedroom in a luxurious mansion, Claire Nichols is terrified to discover that a chance encounter led her into the cruel hands of her abductor, Anthony Rawlings. Claire has no understanding of why she's there, but it's been made abundantly clear--she is now his acquisition and every action has consequences.

Learn the rules to survive.

Facing incomprehensible circumstances, Claire must learn to survive her new reality--every aspect of her livelihood depends upon the tall, dark-eyed tycoon who is a true master of deception. Driven by unknown demons, he has no tolerance for imperfection, in any aspect of his life, including his recent acquisition. Anthony may appear to the world as a handsome, benevolent businessman, but in reality Claire knows firsthand that he's a menacing, controlling captor with very strict rules: do as you're told, public failure is not an option, and appearances are of the utmost importance.

Captivate the captor.

To fit together the pieces of the puzzle, Claire must follow his rules. Will her plan work, or will Anthony become enthralled by Claire's beauty, resilience, and determination, changing the game forever? If that happens, will either of them survive the consequences?

Nobody ever did or ever will escape the consequences of his choices.--Alfred A. Montapert]]>
573 Aleatha Romig 0988489120 C.C. 4 favorites 3.90 2011 Consequences (Consequences, #1)
author: Aleatha Romig
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: favorites
review:

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<![CDATA[The Goblin Emperor (The Chronicles of Osreth, #1)]]> 17910048 A lush tale of deadly court intrigue and a modern classic of fantasy by Locus award winner and Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award finalist Katherine Addison

The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three half brothers in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the na?ve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne¨Cor his life.]]>
446 Katherine Addison 076532699X C.C. 4 4.04 2014 The Goblin Emperor (The Chronicles of Osreth, #1)
author: Katherine Addison
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/07/14
shelves: did-not-finish, fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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<![CDATA[Authority (Southern Reach, #2)]]> 18077769 The bone-chilling, hair-raising second installment of the Southern Reach Trilogy

After thirty years, the only human engagement with Area X¡ªa seemingly malevolent landscape surrounded by an invisible border and mysteriously wiped clean of all signs of civilization¡ªhas been a series of expeditions overseen by a government agency so secret it has almost been forgotten: the Southern Reach. Following the tumultuous twelfth expedition chronicled in Annihilation, the agency is in complete disarray.

John Rodr¨ªguez (aka "Control") is the Southern Reach's newly appointed head. Working with a distrustful but desperate team, a series of frustrating interrogations, a cache of hidden notes, and hours of profoundly troubling video footage, Control begins to penetrate the secrets of Area X. But with each discovery he must confront disturbing truths about himself and the agency he's pledged to serve.

In Authority, the second volume of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, Area X's most disturbing questions are answered . . . but the answers are far from reassuring.]]>
341 Jeff VanderMeer 0374104107 C.C. 3 3.54 2014 Authority (Southern Reach, #2)
author: Jeff VanderMeer
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2022/06/09
date added: 2022/07/10
shelves: did-not-finish, fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)]]> 944073
Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.

Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.

Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.

Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.

]]>
515 Joe Abercrombie 0575079797 C.C. 4 4.21 2006 The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)
author: Joe Abercrombie
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/07/10
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2022
review:
Well-written with great characterization, but I cannot be moved to give a single flying F about Jezal. I much preferred to read about Logen, Glokta, and Bayaz.
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<![CDATA[Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, #1)]]> 24334 Paperback 128 Anne Mazer 043954405X C.C. 0 childhood-reads 3.95 2000 Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining (The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes, #1)
author: Anne Mazer
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/10
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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™ÒÛ¤ËÇó»é¤µ¤ì¤Þ¤·¤¿ 58458665 13th month's dawn C.C. 0 did-not-finish 3.41 2021 ™ÒÛ¤ËÇó»é¤µ¤ì¤Þ¤·¤¿
author: 13th month's dawn
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2022/05/09
date added: 2022/05/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:

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<![CDATA[Under Heaven (Under Heaven, #1)]]> 7139892 Under Heaven, Kay tells a story of honor and power, this time in a setting that evokes the dazzling Tang Dynasty of eighth-century China. In recognition of his service to the Emperor of Kitai, Shen Tai has been sent a mysterious and dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses. Wisely the gift comes with the stipulation that the horses must be claimed in person. Otherwise, he would probably be dead already.]]> 592 Guy Gavriel Kay 0007342012 C.C. 5 fantasy-and-scifi 4.15 2010 Under Heaven (Under Heaven, #1)
author: Guy Gavriel Kay
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/03/21
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi
review:

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The Bone Houses 36524503 stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.]]>
335 Emily Lloyd-Jones 0316418412 C.C. 5 3.99 2019 The Bone Houses
author: Emily Lloyd-Jones
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/03/18
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, read-in-2022
review:

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<![CDATA[One Moment Please (Wait With Me, #3)]]> 43582648 That awkward moment when an ER doctor has to inform you that you¡¯re pregnant¡­with his baby.

Three things Lynsey Jones knows about the hot doctor: he¡¯s grouchy, an arrogant jerk, and strangely obsessed with pie.

Three things Dr. Dick knows: he doesn¡¯t talk about his past, he doesn¡¯t do relationships, and the crazy girl in the hospital cafeteria who ate a fistful of French silk pie¡­is annoyingly irresistible.

After a chance meetup at a bar and a heated cab ride together, things come to a head and now instead of hating each other, they¡¯re horizontal in a bed.

Three months later, the weird cafeteria stalker who crept out of Dr. Dick¡¯s house like a thief in the night, winds up as his patient in the ER after her Tinder date from hell.

Dr. Dick is prepared to keep it cool and professional. That is until her bloodwork reveals that she¡¯s pregnant.

What really throws him for a loop¡­is that the surprise baby¡­is his.]]>
307 Amy Daws 1944565302 C.C. 4 read-in-2022, romance 4.04 2020 One Moment Please (Wait With Me, #3)
author: Amy Daws
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/03/03
shelves: read-in-2022, romance
review:

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Plan B (Best Laid Plans, #2) 43425849
The moment I laid eyes on Kyle Kingston I knew he was a mistake. A satisfying, toe curling, hair pulling, best night of my life mistake, but a mistake all the same. I didn¡¯t yet know his name, or who he was, but I knew he was a bad idea.

I take comfort in that, because it means my instincts are still good. Too late, but it¡¯s something.

Because, FYI, I¡¯m pregnant

¡­ and did I mention my baby daddy is both heir to a retail empire and impossible to get ahold of?

I do what any girl would. I break into his Grandfather¡¯s retirement gala by telling the prissy gatekeeper Kyle¡¯s my fianc¨¦. It was a halfway decent plan at the time, trust me.

But it blows up in my face, disastrously so. You see, Kyle Kingston is all about representing the family values his family¡¯s retail empire was founded on. At least in public. In private- well I¡¯ll tell you about that later.

He proposes ¨C a marriage of convenience.

Convenient for everyone but me, because while I¡¯m falling in love with my convenient husband, he¡¯s keeping a billion-dollar secret. From me.]]>
280 Jana Aston 0998244465 C.C. 5 read-in-2022, romance 3.85 2019 Plan B (Best Laid Plans, #2)
author: Jana Aston
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/28
shelves: read-in-2022, romance
review:

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The School Mouse 197445 124 Dick King-Smith 0786811560 C.C. 4 childhood-reads 3.67 1994 The School Mouse
author: Dick King-Smith
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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The School Story 235117
Natalie's best friend, Zoe, is sure that the novel Natalie's written is good enough to be published. But how can a twelve-year-old girl publish a book? Natalie's mother is an editor for a big children's publisher, but Natalie doesn't want to ask for any favors.

Then Zoe has a brilliant idea: Natalie can submit her manuscript under a pen name, with Zoe acting as her literary agent. But it's not easy for two sixth graders to put themselves over as grown-ups, even with some help from a couple of real grown-ups who are supportive but skeptical. The next bestselling school story may be in their hands¡ªbut can Natalie and Zoe pull off their masquerade?]]>
224 Andrew Clements 0689851863 C.C. 3 childhood-reads 3.98 2001 The School Story
author: Andrew Clements
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #13)]]> 65112
You are presumably looking at the back of this book, or the end of the end. The end of the end is the best place to begin the end, because if you read the end from the beginning of the beginning of the end to the end of the end of the end, you will arrive at the end of the end of your rope.

This book is the last in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even if you braved the previous twelve volumes, you probably can't stand such unpleasantries as a fearsome storm, a suspicious beverage, a herd of wild sheep, an enormous bird cage, and a truly haunting secret about the Baudelaire parents.

It has been my solemn occupation to complete the history of the Baudelaire orphans, and at last I am finished. You likely have some other occupation, so if I were you I would drop this book at once, so the end does not finish you.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket]]>
353 Lemony Snicket 0064410161 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.04 2006 The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #13)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #12)]]> 65110 Dear Reader,

If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next-to-last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the next-to-last chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness.

Probably the next-to-last thing you would like to read about are a harpoon gun, a rooftop sunbathing salon, two mysterious initials, three unidentified triplets, a notorious villain, and an unsavory curry.

Next-to-last things are the first thing to be avoided, and so allow me to recommend that you put this next-to-last book down first, and find something else to read next at last, such as the next-to-last book in another chronicle, or a chronicle containing other next-to-last things, so that this next-to-last book does not become the last book you will read.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

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353 Lemony Snicket 0064410153 C.C. 5 childhood-reads 4.08 2005 The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #12)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #11)]]> 65111
Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater.

In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing.

As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket]]>
323 Lemony Snicket 0064410145 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.03 2004 The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #11)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2004
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #10)]]> 297792 Dear Reader,

Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up--and down--a range of strange and distressing mountains.

In order to spare you any further repulsion, it would be best not to mention any of the unpleasant details of this story, particularly a secret message, a toboggan, a deceitful map, a swarm of snow gnats, a scheming villain, a troupe of organized youngsters, a covered casserole dish, and a surprising survivor of a terrible fire.

Unfortunately, I have dedicated my life to researching and recording the sad tale of the Baudelaire orphans. There is no reason for you to dedicate your-self to such things, and you might instead dedicate yourself to letting this slippery book slip from your hands into a nearby trash receptacle, or deep pit.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

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337 Lemony Snicket 0064410137 C.C. 5 childhood-reads 4.05 2003 The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #10)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #9)]]> 324277 Dear reader,

The word "carnivorous," which appears in the title of this book, means "meat-eating," and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than even the most imbalanced meal.

To avoid causing discomfort, it would be best if I didn't mention any of the unnerving ingredients of this story, particularly a confusing map, an ambidextrous person, an unruly crowd, a wooden plank, and Chabo the Wolf Baby.

Sadly for me, my time is filled with researching and recording the displeasing and disenchanting lives of the Baudelaire orphans. But your time might be better filled with something more palatable, such as eating your vegetables, or feeding them to someone else.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket]]>
286 Lemony Snicket 0064410129 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.01 2002 The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #9)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8)]]> 65118 272 Lemony Snicket 1405206128 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.00 2001 The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #7)]]> 150037
You have undoubtedly picked up this book by mistake, so please put it down. Nobody in their right mind would read this particular book about the lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire on purpose, because each dismal moment of their stay in the village of V.F.D. has been faithfully and dreadfully recorded in these pages. I can think of no single reason why anyone would want to open a book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the arrest of innocent people, the Deluxe Cell, and some very strange hats. It is my solemn and sacred occupation to research each detail of the Baudelaire children's lives and write them all down, but you may prefer to do some other solemn and sacred thing, such as reading another book instead.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket]]>
272 Lemony Snicket 0060566221 C.C. 5 childhood-reads 3.98 2001 The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #7)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #6)]]> 172327 Dear Reader,

If you have just picked up this book, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read.

Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.

I have sworn to write down these tales of the Baudelaire orphans so the general public will know each terrible thing that has happened to them, but if you decide to read something else instead, you will save yourself from a heapful of horror and woe.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

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259 Lemony Snicket 0060566213 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.06 2001 The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #6)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #5)]]> 131123
If you are looking for a story about cheerful youngsters spending a jolly time at boarding school, look elsewhere. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent and resourceful children, and you might expect that they would do very well at school. Don't. For the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives.

Truth be told, within the chapters that make up this dreadful story, the children will face snapping crabs, strict punishments, dripping fungus, comprehensive exams, violin recitals, S.O.R.E., and the metric system.

It is my solemn duty to stay up all night researching and writing the history of these three hapless youngsters, but you may be more comfortable getting a good night's sleep. In that case, you should probably choose some other book.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket]]>
221 Lemony Snicket 0064408639 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.01 2000 The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #5)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #3)]]> 438492
If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted; but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all. If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair. I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket]]>
214 Lemony Snicket 0064407683 C.C. 0 childhood-reads 3.96 2000 The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #3)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #2)]]> 78418
If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery.

In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the appearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.

I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket]]>
192 Lemony Snicket C.C. 0 childhood-reads 4.02 1999 The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #2)
author: Lemony Snicket
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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<![CDATA[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1)]]> 6310 (back cover)]]> 176 Roald Dahl 0142403881 C.C. 5 childhood-reads 4.16 1964 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1)
author: Roald Dahl
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1964
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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Because of Winn-Dixie 357664
Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship¡ªand forgiveness¡ªcan sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.

Kate DiCamillo's beloved, best-selling debut novel is now available in a paperback digest edition.

Kate DiCamillo's first published novel, like Winn-Dixie himself, immediately proved to be a keeper¡ªa New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor winner, the inspiration for a popular film, and most especially, a cherished classic that touches the hearts of readers of all ages. It's now available in a paperback digest format certain to bring this tale's magic to an even wider circle of fans.]]>
182 Kate DiCamillo 0763616052 C.C. 4 childhood-reads 4.09 2000 Because of Winn-Dixie
author: Kate DiCamillo
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: childhood-reads
review:

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The Princess Bride 21787
As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.]]>
429 William Goldman 0345418263 C.C. 5 4.27 1973 The Princess Bride
author: William Goldman
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1973
rating: 5
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date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, romance, childhood-reads
review:

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Marked (House of Night, #1) 30183 Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

After a Vampire Tracker Marks her with a crescent moon on her forehead, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx and has affinities for all five elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school¡¯s most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny¡ªwith a little help from her new vampyre friends (or Nerd Herd, as Aphrodite calls them).]]>
306 P.C. Cast 0312360266 C.C. 1 3.82 2007 Marked (House of Night, #1)
author: P.C. Cast
name: C.C.
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2007
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, childhood-reads
review:

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Coraline 17061
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.

The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only it's different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages.]]>
176 Neil Gaiman 0061139378 C.C. 5 4.13 2002 Coraline
author: Neil Gaiman
name: C.C.
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/24
shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, childhood-reads
review:

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