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omg love this list. brb grabbing a notebook to write all the ones down i haven't read!

i'm partway through LAND OF MILK AND HONEY and the writing is mesmerizing in the best and most magical way.

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Ohhhh, yes! It's so good! Just, such luscious writing.

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Already obsessed just seeing “65 books”

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😂😂😂 💙💙💙

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I also loved Chlorine! Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang is on my list of favorites this year and has a very similar vibe.

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That one is on my list! And this definitely makes me even more excited for it.

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I’ve loved all three of these favourites Laura! Admire all your mood and theme categorising - so fun and fresh. Book favourites can sometimes feel repetitive, but not yours! Maximalism always 💚 I’m currently trying to figure out my favourites of the year list too! But some of my fiction ones are: Young Mungo, Black Butterflies, A Little Luck, Still Born and Demon Copperhead.

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Yay maximalism! I'm so glad you've been enjoying these lists. I haven't read many of your favs but I am very excited to get to Still Born next year and I also liked Young Mungo. Happy end-of-year list making to you!

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Still Born is wonderful! I’m glad you enjoyed Young Mungo, that book tore my heart out and stamped on it. I recall finishing the last page and just crying my eyes out for a long time. So well written but so horrific and heartbreaking. Thank you for end of year list making well wishes!

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I wasn't quite prepared for the brutality of Young Mungo and so I went a bit numb...this sometimes happens with queer books that are especially sad/full of suffering. So in retrospect I really loved it, but while reading it I just kept checking out. I can really understand your love of it, though.

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Yes it was incredibly brutal. I’ll be the first to admit I tend to read a lot of ‘brutal’ stories so I’m well versed in that tone being in my reading life, but I was incredibly taken aback by how brutal Young Mungo was. The checking out whilst reading it makes complete sense - it was a lot to take in. Mungo’s characterisation was done so very very well. Such a tender narrator which was the most enormous contrast to the things happening to him. Have you read Shuggie Bain? Similar themes and protagonists but slightly less brutal.

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I agree about the characterization. I haven't read Shuggie Brain. I have to ration this sort of book but it's one I'm keeping in my back pocket.

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