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kissmycass

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Fall 2025 Readalong
Winter 2026 Readalong
My Taste
The Solace of Open Spaces
Gone Girl
The Foxhole Court (All for the Game, #1)
Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
Wuthering Heights
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Here U AreThe Secret HistoryThe Stonewall ReaderThe Emperor of Gladness

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Elle Sprinkle

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Post from the The Emperor of Gladness forum

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  • The Emperor of Gladness
    the writing is so evocative - 58% (page 231)

    “‘But it sounds sad. Why would you listen to sad things when you’re already sad?’ ‘I dunno.’ Hai drew circles in the pavement. ‘Guess it gives the feelings a place to stand in. Like a little bus stop.’ The neon Subway sign switched off, and in the sudden dark he noticed the winter stars over the strip mall, clearer than they’d ever been in summer.” The way Vuong writes is just so good. His word choice and setting are so intentional and cohesive. All we have to describe things is the language of the world around us. Of course sad music would be a bus stop for the sadness, a shelter and reprieve from the rest of it all, a stopover on the way to somewhere or something else. And the sudden clarity in the winter night sky! It mirrors where Hai is in this moment so perfectly, but it’s not out of place or forced at all. The writing!!!! God! I need to go bite something, it’s just so good.

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    The Emperor of Gladness

    The Emperor of Gladness

    Ocean Vuong

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  • The Emperor of Gladness
    Thoughts from 54% (page 217)

    I am really appreciating how opioid addiction is portrayed as a factor in Hai's life. It's his default coping mechanism, he doesn't make a big deal of it, but he's aware of it. And the moment when he says "I'm in control" is so impactful because the disease of addiction means that you are not in control, even if you think you are (which is why with opioids, Nancy Reagan's campaign of "Don't do it" was useless). And the fact that he was only allowed 3 weeks in rehab with his insurance. It all just highlights in such a human way how/why long-term access to treatment (i.e. methadone/suboxone) is so important. Feeling grateful for my exceptional neuroscience teacher who gave me the background knowledge to understand this story even more deeply.

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  • kissmycass finished reading and wrote a review...

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  • The Devil She Knows
    kissmycass
    Jan 09, 2026
    2.5
    Enjoyment: 3.0Quality: 2.5Characters: 2.5Plot: 2.5
    😈
    🏳️‍🌈

    First of all, Jenifer Prince did such an amazing job on the cover art, I was so hooked. However, the story kind of just is a downward slide the whole time, the characters becoming flat and repetitive and the plot stupid. If you’re going to ask me to suspend my disbelief, can you please make the characters more real or believable? Also Daphne can come off pushy at times, which is uncomfortable to read, and also inconsistent with how other parts of her character are portrayed and not even necessary to the story. A lot of bizarre character choices. So. Many. “Meme”. References. It’s near impossible to write internet references without instantly dating yourself, so i’m not sure why so many modern romance authors do this. I was shocked to find out in fact this book came out in 2025. I don’t usually rate books so low because I feel mean, but I don’t know, I didn’t like the characters, the plot irritated me, and the writing was not inspiring. If you just need like…a book to kill time, this is fine. If you want a fun, flirty romance with lots of kissing, don’t even bother.

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    The Devil She Knows

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  • The Devil She Knows
    Thoughts from 84% (page 270)
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  • The Devil She Knows
    Thoughts from 66% (page 214)
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  • The Devil She Knows
    Thoughts from 61% (page 197)
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  • The Devil She Knows
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  • Gone Girl
    Thoughts from 53% (page 272)

    I just finished part one - it is almost 1 am where I am - I have work in the morning.

    Guess I'm gonna be groggy af cause this book is too good to put down.

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