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bessandbooks

an artist and a mood reader escaping reality! | bookstagram @bessandbooks

461 points

0% overlap
Level 3
My Taste
The Song of Achilles
Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
Wild ​Reverence
Red City (The New Alchemists #1)
Babel
Reading...
When Javi Dumped Mari
37%
The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)
64%
  • The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)
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  • bessandbooks made progress on...

    2h
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

    64%
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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    9h
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

    57%
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    Post from the When Javi Dumped Mari forum

    11h
  • When Javi Dumped Mari
    Thoughts from 37%
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    11h
    When Javi Dumped Mari

    When Javi Dumped Mari

    Mia Sosa

    37%
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    bessandbooks wrote a review...

    14h
  • Chain-Gang All-Stars
    bessandbooks
    Feb 11, 2026
    4.0
    Enjoyment: 3.5Quality: 4.0Characters: 4.0Plot: 3.5

    This was a gritty, memorable, and thought-provoking read. The current reality we live in is not far off from the dystopian events in this book 💔.

    We’re introduced to CAPE (Criminal Action Penal Entertainment), a TV program where incarcerated individuals compete in death matches. The story is told from multiple POVs, surrounding two female gladiators, Thurwar and Staxx. All these narratives come together as Thurwar nears the end of her time in prison and has to fight for her freedom…

    Reading the multiple POVs was jarring at first, but I was impressed by all the voices Adjei-Brenyah captured. I found the writing heartbreaking, gripping, and informative. The footnotes were woven in well, providing specific context, stats and facts about the U.S. prison system. The author highlights systemic racism, problems of commercialism, and how people become desensitized and addicted to violence.

    CGAS challenged me to reflect on the flawed prison system. There were things I didn’t give much thought to before, which made me angry and emotional. It made me question my beliefs about my sense of justice. I left this story thinking how cruel and easy it is for people to dehumanize one another. Yet, I still hold the hope for change🫂.

    I encourage everyone who hasn’t read it to give it a try. I feel it’s relevant to the times we’re going through right now. As always, please check the TWs if you consider to pick this up. I also highly recommend to do an immersive read. The narrating cast did a fantastic job and elevated my experience with the book 🎧.

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  • The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)
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    1d
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

    48%
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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    6d
    When Javi Dumped Mari

    When Javi Dumped Mari

    Mia Sosa

    17%
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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    6d
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

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    bessandbooks commented on bessandbooks's update

    bessandbooks made progress on...

    1w
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

    21%
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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    1w
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    2w
    The Fox Wife

    The Fox Wife

    Yangsze Choo

    24%
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    bessandbooks started reading...

    2w
    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

    Katherine Arden

    1
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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    2w
    The Fox Wife

    The Fox Wife

    Yangsze Choo

    19%
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    bessandbooks TBR'd a book

    2w
    Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis

    Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis

    Jonathan Blitzer

    1
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    bessandbooks made progress on...

    2w
    The Fox Wife

    The Fox Wife

    Yangsze Choo

    11%
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