general fiction 

2009: #71 – Do Not Deny Me (Jean Thompson)

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Jean Thompson, heralded as “America’s Alice Munro…one of the best contemporary short-story writers” by Kirkus Reviews, delivers twelve exquisite new stories that combine her beloved trademarks of dark humor, seductively sharp wit, and uncanny observations on human nature. Do Not Deny Me is a fictional primer on how Americans live day to day: Thompson’s characters — a middle manager in the midst of midlife crisis, an urban single visiting her best friend turned suburban mother, a grieving woman looking for guidance — are instantly recognizable in their predicaments, foibles, and sensibilities.

A brilliantly wrought exploration of the myriad circumstances that Americans are experiencing right now, this superlative collection perfectly captures the joys and amusements, trials and sorrows of its fictional inhabitants. Do Not Deny Me should be savored, word by word.

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challenges memes 

2009: Challenges – 2009 ARC Reading Challenge Updated

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There’s been a couple of new levels that have been added to the 2009 ARC Reading Challenge, hosted by Teddy Rose. The original guidelines were: List all of the ARC’s that you have to read right now.  Then throughout the year, you must continue updating that list as you receive more ARC’s.  (This is important). You should also strike out the ones that you finish.

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challenges memes 

2009: Challenges – The 2009 Pub Challenge Completed

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I finished this challenge last month! I usually don’t read so many new books, but getting ARCs has really changed that number.  Here’s my final list, completed in June: Plum Spooky – Janet Evanovich The Lost Hours – Karen White First Family – David Baldacci Darling Jim – Christian Moerk The Mating Rituals of the North American WASP – Lauren Lipton Dark Places – Gillian

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