Review: Along Came a Wolf (The Yellow Hoods #1) by Adam Dreece

Goodreads synopsis:

“It’s like discovering the Harry Potter of technology, before everyone else”

This young adult series is written and layered for the mature reader. Set in a world at the equivalent of the 1800s, the various kingdoms and nations are rapidly approaching a technological revolution brought about by key inventors who are integral to the story. 

Along Came a Wolf (Book 1) follows Tee, Elly and Richy who come together as a heroic team when a foe from Nikolas Klaus’ secret society past sends an agent to retrieve the steam engine plans. Will Nikolas’ secrets cost him the life of his granddaughter? 

Fairy-tale elements are incorporated as if they were real, in a similar fashion to how Ring-Around-the-Rosie was about the black plague. For example, Master Inventor Nikolas Klaus is a combination of the Santa Claus myth and Nikolas Tesla. These elements are present to enrich the background of story.

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4 STARS!

Along Came a Wolf combines fairy tale elements with a steampunk setting to create an action-packed adventure that children and adults can enjoy.

The story is centered around a young girl named Tee and her two best friends, Elly and Richy. They are the Yellow Hoods, and they are brave, daring adventure-seekers. Tee’s grandfather, Nikolas is an inventor who encourages Tee to be the explorer that she is. Tee and Nikolas’s relationship was a strong theme in this book, which I really appreciated since young adult novels usually lack a strong family presence.

The big, bad wolf in this story is Andre Leloup, who is after one of Nikolas’s inventions. His character is a wonderful villain with a huge ego. The Yellow Hoods are put to the test when faced with Leloup and his men. Tee and her friends face their enemy with bravery and wisdom well beyond their years. I enjoyed how well written the characters were and how they worked together.

I had a lot of fun reading this book – reliving parts of my childhood through Tee, Elly, and Richy.
I look forward to reading this story to my son in the coming years and have a feeling that it will become a classic in my house!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Rehabilitation by C.B. Stone

“My name is Sinna Reardon. I suppose deep down I’d like to believe God exists. But he doesn’t, not since the war. Most days I’m OK with that. Jacob calls me a pessimist, but I’m a realist. How can I Believe when a place like Rehabilitation and a regime like the Elite exist, dictating our every move?

If God were so great, he’d do something. But he hasn’t. We’re forgotten. And that scares me, because it means I might have to do something myself…”

Sinna has spent her life walking a fine line between breaking the rules and obeying them to a fault. In a Godless world where science and logic reign supreme and people are punished for Believing, are friendship and love reasons enough to abandon unbelief? Enough to put her faith in something bigger than herself?

Rehabilitation- Book 1 in the Unbelief Series (About 30,000 words in length.)

Ruin- Book 2 in the Unbelief Series (About 30,000 words in length.)

Revelation- Book 3 in the Unbelief Series, January 2015 (Final book.)

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I received this book in exchange for an honest review

4 STARS!

Rehabilitation is a fast-paced first novel in a dystopian trilogy. I was hooked within the fist few pages. After a nuclear war, the ‘New World’ is ruled by The Elite – who enforce rules that they hope will eradicate war and non-compliance. People are taught to have no belief in God or any higher power and that love is useless and only ends in pain.

The main characters – Sinna and Jacob – have been friends since childhood, but they have a very different outlook on the world they live in. Sinna may hate The Elite, but she agrees that there could not possibly be a God. She believes that they would not be suffering as much as they are if there was something else out there. Jacob is quite the opposite and believes that God exits. He spends his time looking for evidence of a ruined church or any books that show proof of religion.

After Jacob is taken to a camp called Rehabilitation by The Elite, Sinna is determined to get him back. With no more family left, he is the only peron she has in the world. Sinna finds a book that she knows will get her taken away and uses it to get herself into the camp. Once there, Sinna quickly finds out what Rehabilitation is all about!

I love a short, fast-paced book that can still take me deep into the setting and minds of the characters. I have a slight obsession with dystopian’s and C.B. Stone did not disappoint me! I related with Sinna’s character because I think I would have the same opinions and feelings that she did throughout this book. Her and Jacob’s relationship ignited a lot of curiosity, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

The ending was … WOW!!!!!

I love how she threw in a really interesting and intriguing character near the end. And then that twist! Whew, I can’t wait until I can read the next one!

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Review: Beautiful Oblivion (The Maddox brothers, #1) by Jamie Mcguire

Goodreads synopsis:

Fiercely independent Camille “Cami” Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt.

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red.

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

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5 STARS!

WOW. Those Maddox boys! They can fight. They can kiss. They can love.

In Beautiful Oblivion we meet Cami and Trenton. Cami has four younger brothers and a father with an anger problem. She moved out at a young age and values her independence. One night at the Red Door – where she works – Trenton Maddox decides to sit at her table and they fall into a fast friendship.

Trent has been living with his dad since he dropped out of school. He has had a crush on Cami since grade school, but she didn’t know. Once Trent squeezes his way into her life, he fights for the connection they have, not letting anything get in the way. Their relationship becomes a bit complicated due to the fact that Cami has a boyfriend! I figured out who her mysterious boyfriend was fairly quickly, but I still appreciated the twist!

I absolutely loved Trenton. I don’t think any brother will replace Travis as my #1 book husband, but Trent was pretty amazing. He fights for what he wants, and his charm would win over the toughest bitch out there.

I was so very happy that this book intertwined with beautiful disaster in some ways. And all of the new characters that we meet in this one are extremely captivating! I felt like I related to Cami and Trent more in certain ways. Especially the fact that they were working their butts off to support themselves, and they still made the most of their time.

“Because even if we were struggling, we had goals. It didn’t matter that we weren’t there yet. What mattered is that we both experienced setbacks, and full-blown failures, but we got up, brushed ourselves off, and kept going-and were making the best of it.

I definitely had a love/hate relationship with Cami. But in the end, my love for her won out! Jamie McGuire knows how to write addicting stories that keep me begging for more. WHEW, I cannot wait to get to know the rest of the Maddox brothers!

GIMME NOW!

🙂

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Review: My Soul Immortal by Jen Printy

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Goodreads synopsis:

An endless love, for an endless price.

Jack’s immortality is exposed when he prevents a liquor store heist, forcing him to flee to protect his secret—a secret not even he understands. But when he meets Leah Winters—a mirror image of his decades-lost love, Lydia—his very soul is laid bare. He begins to question his sanity. Is she real, and if so, what does that mean for Jack and his secret?

Jack’s not the only mystery man in town. A stranger named Artagan hints at knowledge Jack is desperate to possess. But can he trust Artagan, or does the dark newcomer harbor deadly secrets of his own?

As Jack’s bond with Leah grows, so does the danger to her life. Jack must discover just how much he is willing to risk in order to save the woman he already lost once.

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I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 STARS!

My Soul Immortal is the story of a man named Jack, who was born with eternal life. The novel is told from Jack’s POV, and I absolutely loved being inside his tortured mind. He lost the love of his life, Lydia, over a century ago and lives every day with a broken heart that longs to be reunited with his soul mate. Jen Printy paints a vivid picture of his depression that made me empathize with Jack’s ‘curse’. He has terrible flash-backs that force him to re-live the life and love he once shared with Lydia that has haunted him for over one hundred years. He doesn’t believe he will ever know happiness as long as he remains on earth.

After moving to a new city, Jack runs into a girl on the street who bears a striking resemblance to Lydia. He cannot stop thinking about her and the idea that she could somehow be connected to his long lost love. When he finally sees the girl, Leah, again, he ends up spending time with her and her brother and learning that she is a descendant of Lydia’s. Jack thinks this explains their resemblance until he goes to Leah’s art show and discovers that she has been painting pictures of him and his life with Lydia well before they ever met.

Jack turns to another immortal, Artagan, to seek answers about him and Leah. What he finds out is incredible. I was very pleased with the twist in this book! I was already enjoying this novel and then, BAM! I get pulled deeper and deeper. After the twist, Jack and Leah work through it and become closer as the story goes on.

“ Yes, I loved Lydia Ashford, but a lot has happened to me since then. It changed me. I’m a far different man than I was then. The man sitting before you is in love with someone else.”

Conflicts arise through the last half of the book that have Jack and Leah both fighting for their love and lives. Overall, this novel was a captivating page turner with likable characters and a swoon-worthy romance.

“Driven by a need to see her emerald eyes, I push away, take her chin in my hand, and tug her face upward. I wipe away the tears with my fingertips. “Don’t cry, love. Everything’s going to be alright,” I whisper.”

I was satisfied with the ending and then the epilogue had me screaming MORE, MORE, MORE!

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Review: The Kuthun by S.A. Carter

Goodreads synopsis:

When Elena is given a kuthun on the morning of her birthday she is unaware of the ancient magic it wields. 
Tormented by dreams, and haunted by a curse that has plagued her family of witches for centuries, she must uncover the truth about her destiny, or face an uncertain future. 
As the last remaining female descendant of her bloodline, Elena must confront her enemy in a fight for survival that sees her forced towards the brink of darkness. 
When the time comes to choose between the life she knows, and a life she must give, will she be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice?

4.5 STARS

The Kuthun is an adventurous story about a young girl named Elena. At sixteen years old, she is coming into her magical powers and facing a centuries old family curse that threatens to take her life.

All the women of Elena’s bloodline have been murdered before her, including her mother. Elena lives with her uncle (her mother’s brother) and his wife. Mr favorite thing about this book is that Elena’s Uncle Jo is involved in everything that she does. Instead of her having a love interest like most YA novels, she faces every challenge with her uncle. It made this story unique, refreshing and original because lets face it, not all sisteen year olds are in love!

In the beginning of the story, Elena receives a kuthun, which is a magical amulet, and discovers it has strong powers, including the ability to take her back in time. With the power of the kuthun – and good ol’ fashioned research – Elena and Jo start to piece together the history of their ancestors in order to try and break the curse. My excitement built with each new piece of history that was revealed.

“She who is mother, who is of pure blood, shall be the bearer of humanity. She will forge a new world, and upon it she will bring forth the light.” 

After tracing their bloodline back to ancient Egypt, Jo, Elena, and her dog, Magi, set off to go in search of the ‘light’ that could finally break their family curse for good. The author’s writing transported me to Egypt with them and once there, the suspense was killing me! I was so curious to find out what was waiting for Elena at the end of her journey, and it did not disappoint! I was so pumped up after they got back from Egypt and thought everything was going to be smooth sailing.. of course I was wrong!

The ending of the book includes a kidnapped best friend and epic face-off between Elena (new and improved) and the guy that wants her dead.

No spoilers from me .. read this magical book to find out how it ends 😉

This novel was a fantastic adventure! I am ready for the next one 😀

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A poem – Remiss by Clive S. Johnson

September 12, 2014

A #Poem – Remiss

Before me, in my hand, lies certainty,
Fast bound within its scratch of scented scrawl,
Such witness ’pon stark scrap of parchment white
To bring me sharp against remorseful heart.

So slight a burden here to hold, think I,
For weight of former years it brings to bear;
Soft Summer’s mellow laughs and shining eyes
Drawn once from depth of love’s o’erflowing well.

Before me, in my grasp, lies fresh regret,
Reminder wrought of love’s now distant hand,
Of many chances lost through thoughtlessness
To say the words I know I should have said.

What weighty heart I here do hold, know I,
For sentiments of such a lightness shown;
Late Autumn’s ochre flush and mist-filled eyes
Draw hope’s dry pail from long o’erboarded well.

Before me, in my palm, lies nothing now,
A chill not warmed by hearth’s brief flaming glow;
So final in its ashen curls it speaks
Of love’s slow fall, like sand ‘tween fingers’ hold.

© Clive S. Johnson 2014

Clive S. Johnson is a UK artist, author, poet and freelance editor.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5333506.Clive_S_Johnson/blog

If you like poetry, art, and useful writing tips, then I highly recommend checking out his blog! 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5333506.Clive_S_Johnson

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Review: Turn Our Eyes Away by Zoe Zorka

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

The way that Zoe Zorka has written this story is incredibly creative and original. The book opens up with a 911 call from Olivia and the start of an interview with the police. From the very start, this story hooks the reader in and doesn’t let go.

The novel is told in alternating points of view through the electronic journals of Olivia and Tiffany. These two girls were best friends until they were about eighteen years old and now twenty-seven, they haven’t had contact in a decade. Both girls were severely bullied throughout their childhood, resulting in deep rooted issues that they carried into adulthood.

Olivia made the decision to lose weight in college and do anything she could to improve her appearance. She thought that the only way she would be accepted was to be skinnier and more attractive. Olivia eventually reached her goal. but her insecurity issues never faded. She ended up becoming a bully towards other people as an adult. Yes, she suffered greatly as a child, it hardened her, but she was a bitch. A major bitch. I felt sad that Olivia still couldn’t accept herself as she was, but I also felt anger towards her for subjecting people to the same torment she endured as a young girl. There was some development with her near the end, but it was a bit too late.

Tiffany was a complete disaster. She has two children, who have different fathers. She cares more about finding a new man – any man- than caring for her children. It was hard for me to find much sympathy for this character. She starts working at a strip club, right before becoming a flight attendant. About this time, Tiffany and Olivia’s lives start to intersect in ways that made it impossible for me to put this book down!

Even though I didn’t LOVE the characters, I was completely absorbed in the lives of these two women, past and present. The storytelling was compelling, with the driving force being the inner torment of Olivia and Tiffany. Their unacceptance of themselves was always lurking in the shadows, stalking them at all times. This story takes a deep look into the victims of bullying, proving that not everyone can simply ‘get over it.’

This book should be read spoiler free. I will say that it has an emotional ending. No warm and fluffy here. My only complaints with the ending is that I wanted more of an explanation of the aftermath. Olivia is engaged throughout the book and the author doesn’t let the reader know what happens with them in the end.

Amazing concept and spectacular delivery. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book. It is a story that needed to be told.

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Review: Hell is Coming by N.P. Martin

5 STARS

Hell is Coming is the first book in a new urban fantasy series. If you are a fan of this genre, you will not be disappointed in this fast-paced trill ride!

Leia is an eighteen year old who grew up in foster care with her twin brother, Josh. They lost their parents when they were seven years old and only Leia knows what truly happened that night. She witnessed her father being killed and her mother taken by a demon. Ever since she turned eighteen, she has been able to see a demon’s true form, causing her to question a possible connection to the murder of her parents. After visiting her childhood home, she receives some shocking information about her mother and herself that has her head spinning. Shortly after the information bomb went off, the story quickly picks up speed and Leia gets thrust into a world that she just found out existed.

I love books that get straight to the point. This story cuts through all the bullshit and gets to the meat pretty quickly. Leia is a cool, strong chick that I could really stand behind and support as a character. In such a short time, I really felt like I got to know her. She was written with a strong, clear voice.

Leia goes to stay with her Uncle Frank after learning about his existence. Frank was just wonderful in all his brooding, anti-social glory. They had a lot to give to each other, and I loved the relationship that developed between these two characters. They spend time training and tracking down leads on her brothers kidnapping. Leia is constantly brave in the face of danger, proving herself a force to be reckoned with.

She does turn to certain vices to deal with her emotions, and after finding out some horrifying news about her brother, she goes to a demon she had recently met to indulge in one of those vices. This led to one of my favorite scenes in this book! Yes, a sex scene! I thought my tablet was going to burst into flames because that sex was so HOT! Through my travels in the world of fantasy, I’ve learned that demon sex is the best sex, and N.P. Martin did it justice and then some!

The writing, the plot, the setting, the characters – all incredibly engaging. I loved the mystery aspect as Leia and Frank were trying to discover what a certain demon had planned and the buildup did not disappoint. The ending was fierce and exciting. I went from being sad and angry to shocked and amazed!

I will be impatiently counting down the days until the next book in this series!

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Pretty Girl by Amy Heugh

Goodreads  synopsis:

If there were one day that she could change it would be the day she was taken.

After her parents’ divorce, seventeen-year-old Izzy Scott and her mother move to the old town of St. Augustine to begin a new life, a life beyond the media attention and the memories of the traumatic experiences that left an everlasting affect on their family.

The former ballerina is trying to adjust to the outside world without suffering a panic attack and exposing who she is – all while getting through her senior year at a new school. That’s easy to say until she meets local boy Mason Winchester, a boy with a tragic past.

Mason has a reputation for violence, but a love for motorcycles. At the age of eleven he lost his mother to cancer and from then he has been running from something, but could never really get away.

Like any other angry teenager, he just wants to be left alone and to have nothing to do with anyone else because he believed that he had nothing to offer. That changes the moment he saw what was in the new girl eyes.

Tragedy wasn’t new to either of their lives but among the secrets and the memories the one thing they both never excepted was to find hope.

*This book is recommended for readers 18+ for violence, language, and some adult situations.*

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5 STARS!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty Girl took me deep into the minds of two teenagers who were recovering form traumatic pasts, trying to find the strength to carry on with their lives.

This story is told in alternating POVs, which I love!
Izzy is a seventeen year old who recently moved to St. Augustine with her mother to get away from the life she couldn’t face anymore. Two years prior to her move, Izzy went through something terrible that drove her to try and take her life. We don’t find out exactly what horrific things Izzy was subjected to until the end of the story. The beauty of this story is that without even knowing what Izzy went through, Amy Heugh shows us the depths of her depression and anger. It was real. And I could feel it.

Mason is also a seventeen year old senior. He is known for his intimidating looks and hard-core attitude. He’s a love ’em and leave ’em type of guy, never giving his trust to anyone. Mason lost his mom at a young age, leaving him with an angry, abusive father. After his fathers death, Mason moved in with his aunt and two cousins. He grew up as a loner with hate in his heart.

“Monsters live in the darkest corners of our harrowing memories, reminding us of the ugliness and malice of life, as it eats at our hearts. They live in the fading smiles, turning hearts into stone to cope with the plight, and tomorrow won’t remove the sadness. We think that time will heal the pain, but it betrays us constantly with images of what we can’t erase away.”

After Izzy meets Mason (after a couple run ins were she pushed him away), they see the pain that the other tries to hide, and reluctantly, are drawn to each other. Their friendship was beautiful. They needed it in so many ways. Two people, who refused to give their trust away, slowly start trusting each other. The process was one hundred percent believable.

Just writing about this book puts tears in my eyes again because it affected me that deeply!

As the story progresses, I was struck by the realism of how Izzy was recovering. The little things she experienced (with and without Mason) that made her look at life a little bit differently were absolutely beautiful. As Mason starting giving her parts of his heart, it was incredible to feel his hope blossoming. When Mason confessed to her everything that happened to him as a child, I lost it. I thought it couldn’t get worse than that, but it did. The story has a twist near the end that is absolutely devastating. This book just ripped my heart out and I didn’t know if I’d be getting it back. Reading about these two characters was a heart-wrenching experience. Their journey of recovery, acceptance, friendship, and love made me cry and smile and laugh and grimace. I know Izzy and Mason will be living in my head for a long time to come.

Amy Heugh has written this book in a way that makes you feel the emotion. The Pain. The hope. I didn’t just read this story, I experienced it. This book will stay with me forever. It is hard to compare this book, but if you liked The Sea of Tranquility or Pushing the Limits, then you need to read this one! I could gush about the writing style, the intensity, the depth of emotion in these characters for days, but I am just going to say that this book deserves to be read!

Thank you, Amy Heugh, for telling this incredible story. You absolutely blew me away!

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Review: Halton Cray by N.B. Roberts

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

When Alexandra Turner takes a job at the eerie Tudor mansion, Halton Cray, she needs all her wit and spirit to cope with the enigmatic Thom Rues. While a near constant fog envelopes the estate, Alex begins questioning the bizarre things she’s seeing around him as gossip circulates that Thom is more than just different. Determined not to let rumours influence her, Alex tries to learn who he really is, even as he provokes her with his dark sense of humour. But discovery of Thom’s terrible secret propels Alex’s life in a direction she could have never predicted. 
Halton Cray is a contemporary paranormal romance and dark adventure inspired by Charlotte Brontё’s Jane Eyre. The first book in the Shadows of the World series.

5 STARS!!!

 I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is absolutely mesmerizing. If I could give it 100 stars, I would!

The protagonist, Alex, is a lovable twenty-one year old female. She starts working at a mansion in England called Halton Cray. The mansion is filled with a history of ghost stories, with people always claiming to see spirits on the grounds.

She soon meets the mysterious curator, Thom, and they embark on a push and pull friendship that had me begging for more. Thom is mean and sarcastic towards Alex and she holds her ground. The banter between these two characters is laugh out loud funny at times and always addicting. Everyone else at the Cray is put off by Thom, calling him ‘the ghost’, suspicious of his behavior. But Alex feels feels a connection to Thom and wants to learn more about him. I felt the same pull as Alex towards Thom’s character, always eager to see him. It didn’t hurt that I pictured him like this …

N.B. Robert’s writing style is top notch. The world that she created is beautifully descriptive. I was at the Cray with Thom and Alex! It was painful to be pulled away. The Cray itself was incredibly haunting. As strange things started to happen, I felt just as anxious as the characters in the story. During a Christmas party in the mansion, a blackout occurred and I actually felt scared! It was during this blackout that Alex started to realize that something peculiar was going on with Thom and that her feelings were growing stronger. The mystery surrounding Thom was probably the most addicting part of this story. I made plenty of predictions – I thought I knew! – but I didn’t anticipate the secret that finally came to light.

It was dark – creative – sinister – sad

I couldn’t have asked for a better twist. After the big reveal, a new storyline starts to take shape. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about much of anything without giving away spoilers. This is definitely a book that thrives on unanswered questions, making it all the more thrilling.

I felt such excitement while reading this book. I am wildly impressed with N.B. Robert’s storytelling ability, along with the impressive imagery and emotion that flew off of these pages.

I cannot categorize this novel in any one genre. It had mystery, romance, horror, and paranormal elements. It explores the curiosities surrounding life and death, having deep and dark themes. Every chapter opened up with a different quote, many from classic works of literature. These quotes related to the story and helped take me deeper into it on an emotional level.

I think it’s safe to say that this novel was near perfection for me. I have no complaints. Only one question.

When will I get to read the second installment???

Thank you, N.B. Roberts, you are Brilliant!!!

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