Category Archives: Vocabulary via Books

Reality of Fascism Portrayed in The Nightingale

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Kristin Hannah reigns in historical fiction by weaving detailed character-driven stories with historical truth. I haven’t picked up a novel of hers I didn’t devour, and The Nightingale is no exception. The novel is perfect consumption for anyone wanting a good story or a lesson in the dangers of fascism.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. I loved The Nightingale and will highlight just two relevant words from the first line of this must-read.

First line of The Nightingale:

If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.

love: noun — 1. an intense feeling of deep affection / a feeling of deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone / affectionate greetings conveyed to someone on one’s behalf / a formula for ending an affectionate letter / (Love) a personified figure of love, often represented as Cupid. 2. A great interest and pleasure in something 3. A person or thing that one loves / (a love) informal used to express affectionate approval for someone 4. (in tennis, squash, and some other sports) a score of zero; nil

verb — 1. feel deep affection for (someone) / feel a deep romantic or sexual attraction to (someone) 2. Like or enjoy very much

war: noun — a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state / a particular armed conflict / a state of competition, conflict, or hostility between different people or groups / a sustained effort to deal with or end a particular unpleasant or undesirable situation or condition

verb — (wars, warring, warred) engage in a war

Just for note, the final paragraph of The Nightingale:

I look at them, my two boys, who should have broken me, but somehow saved me, each in his own way. Because of them I know now what matters, and it is not what I have lost. It is my memories. Wounds heal, love lasts, we remain.

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To connect or learn more about Kristin Hannah, find her at KristinHannah.com.

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Another Fun Rom-Com From Ashley Poston

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I loved the emotion in The Seven Year Slip. Ashley Poston knows how to grab your heart and keep you reading. This rom-com was fun, yet it involved a story of loss. The main character has lost her beloved aunt but truly finds her person, her best friend, her true love in the process I’m not always a fan of time travel stories, but this one had me turning the pages. I previously wrote about The Dead Romantics. I can’t decide which one I like better, but will be looking for more from Poston.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Seven Year Slip I found a few interesting words, as follows:

From The Seven Year Slip:

Every touch, every brush of his fingertips across my skin, had a weight to it. A reverence.

reverence: noun, deep respect for someone or something / archaic – a gesture indicative of respect; a bow or curtsy / (His/Your Reverence) a title given to a member of the clergy, or used in addressing them

verb, regard or treat with deep respect

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From The Seven Year Slip:

“You’re a sight for sore eyes. And you’re right on time for dinner,” he said into my hair. “I hope you like japchae.”

japchae: noun, (in Korean cuisine) a dish consisting of noodles made from sweet potato starch, stir-fried with vegetables and other ingredients, and typically seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil.

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From The Seven Year Slip:

On the ride over, I imagined what his restaurant would look like—maybe it looked like the one he talked about over cold noodles. Long family-style tables and crimson-red walls, comfy and warm, the leather chairs broken in. Local artists would be on the walls, the chandeliers this amalgamation of scones and candelabras.

amalgamation: noun, the action, process, or result of combining or uniting

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From The Seven Year Slip:

Sometimes the people you loved left you halfway through a story.

Sometimes they left you without a goodbye.

And, sometimes they stayed around in little ways. In the memory of a musical. In the smell of their perfume. In the sound of the rain, and the itch for adventure, and the yearning for that liminal space between one airport terminal and the next.

liminal: adjective, 1. Occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold 2. Relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process

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From The Seven Year Slip:

Then he left for the next table, and my friends began to talk about the dishes on the menu—almost all of them were iterations of recipes in his proposal but heightened to fit this elevated space.

iteration: noun, the repetition of a process or utterance / repetition of mathematical or computational procedure applied to the result of a previous application, typically as a means of obtaining successively closer approximations to the solution of a problem / a new version of a piece of computer hardware or software

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From The Seven Year Slip:

Even though my parents were paragons of a successful romance—they fit each other’s quirks and hang-ups like puzzle pieces—my aunt had lived alone almost her entire life, and it wasn’t all that bad.

paragon: noun, a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality / a person or thing viewed as a model of excellence / a perfect diamond of 100 carats or more

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From The Seven Year Slip:

He shook his head. “I’m not talking about that. A restaurant doesn’t have to be fancy, with artfully plated smears of coulis and beurre blanc—”

coulis: noun, a thin fruit or vegetable puree, used as a sauce

Beurre blanc: noun, a creamy sauce made with butter, onions or shallots, and vinegar or lemon juice, usually served with seafood dishes

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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To connect or learn more about Ashley Poston and her books, find her at https://www.ashposton.com/.

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Love Springs from Impossible Connections in The Dead Romantics

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What a fun read in The Dead Romantics! Ashley Poston truly pulled me with this romantic comedy about a struggling writer, down on her luck when it comes to love, and then forced to deal with the death of her father. I could relate to this character. She grew up in her family’s funeral home, and I grew up in my family’s cemetery. 

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Dead Romantics I found a few interesting words.

From The Dead Romantics:

“Are you saying yes?” He arched a very pointed eyebrow. It was the kind of arch a feature writer would call belleristic when they sat down to pen his profile in GQ.

belletristic: adjective, written and regarded for aesthetic value rather than content / of, pertaining to, or having the characteristics of belles-lettres (a category of writing, originally meaning beautiful or fine writing.)

belletrist: noun, a person who writes essays, particularly on literary and artistic criticism, that are composed and read primarily for their aesthetic effect / Derivative: belletristic, an adjective

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From The Dead Romantics:

She didn’t share her stories—whether they were real or not—she didn’t wear tiny black dresses, and she didn’t drink artisanal drinks named after dead poets.

artisanal: adjective, relating to or characteristic of an artisan / (of a product, especially food or drink) made in a traditional or non-mechanized way

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From The Dead Romantics:

“Colloquialism? Yeah. I was there at the bar getting drinks with him because apparently he wanted to vent about the font they’re using in his book.”

colloquialism: noun, a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation / the use of ordinary or familiar words or phrases

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From The Dead Romantics:

“Connoisseur or lifeblood?”

connoisseur: noun, an expert judge in matters of taste / Derivative—noun, connoisseurship

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From The Dead Romantics:

“I liked the notes in some very limited roasts that I procured from—”

procure: verb, 1. obtain (something), especially with care or effort / obtain (someone) as a prostitute for another person 2. persuade or cause (someone) to do something

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From The Dead Romantics:

Mom was stalwart, sipping on a glass of champagne, so gracious to everyone who came to say their goodbyes.

stalwart: adjective, loyal reliable, and hardworking / strongly built and sturdy

ALSO – stalwart: noun, a loyal, reliable, and hardworking supporter or participant in an organization or team

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From The Dead Romantics:

I rolled my eyes. “No one will sell the next Harry Potter. It hit a zeitgeist that’ll never be re-created, and because there is so much to choose from now, it’s near impossible to predict the next publishing trend—”

zeitgeist: noun, the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time 

Origin: mid-19th century from German Zeitgeist, from Zeit ‘time’ and Geist ‘spirit’

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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To connect or learn more about Ashley Poston and her books, find her at https://www.ashposton.com/.

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Dust Bowl Comes to Hard Life in Kristin Hannah Novel

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I loved this story. Not just because I enjoy the beautiful writing and detailed historical telling in everything Kristin Hannah, but for the tale itself. The Four Winds is the story of struggle and determination in a world that seems destined for destruction. It shows us a woman whose drive to survive and protect her children gives her just enough bravery to sacrifice everything, leave her home for an unknown future, and push on no matter what stands in her way.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. I loved The Four Winds and, although caught up in this story of hardship, I found a few interesting words I’ll share here.

From The Four Winds:

Lorada felt horror rise up and turn into a tremulous terrifying anger directed at her mother.

tremulous: adjective—shaking or quivering slightly / timid; nervous

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From The Four Winds:

Mama sat down on the edge of the bed. Her hair, dyed black, was drawn back into a chignon that heightened the severity of her features.

chignon: noun—a knot or coil of hair arranged on the back of a woman’s head.

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From The Four Winds:

At church, she wore a cloche over her scandalously short hair and made the excuse she didn’t feel well and was left alone.

cloche: noun—(cloche hat) a woman’s close-fitting, bell-shaped hat / a small translucent cover for protecting or forcing outdoor plants.

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Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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To connect or learn more about Kristin Hannah, find her at KristinHannah.com.

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Meyerson’s Novel is A Twist of the Mind

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Amy Myerson’s The Water Lies is a psychological thriller that twists, turns and shoves back again. An absolutely intriguing story and enjoyable read.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Water Lies I found a few interesting words.

From The Water Lies:

He’s trained himself to remain collected no matter how vitriolic they get.

vitriolic: adjective, filled with bitter criticism or malice

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From The Water Lies:

We stand at the edge of the grass as Jasper explores the dragon head, tiptoeing into its maw before jumping back, delighted that it didn’t animate and devour him.

maw: noun, the jaws or throat of a voracious animal / (informal) the mouth or gullet of a greedy person

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From The Water Lies:

I’m still assuming my husband will tell me the truth after he’s broken our most fundamental tenet.

tenet: noun, a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy

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From The Water Lies:

It was brilliant, really. We could advertise for phenotypic and genetic matches for clients.

phenotypic: adjective, Biology, relating to the observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment

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From The Water Lies:

I lie supine, thinking back to that dinner when I told Gabe about Maya, the aroma of burnt coconut, what I thought I’d uncovered about Dan.

supine: adjective, 1. lying on one’s back with face upward / (technical) having the front or vetral part upward / (of the hand) with the palm upward 2. Failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence

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From The Water Lies:

My house has been too empty for too long. It could use the sounds and detritus of children.

detritus: noun, waste or debris of any kind / gravel, sand, silt, or other material produced by erosion / organic matter produced by the decomposition of organisms

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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To connect or learn more about Amy Myerson and her books, find her at  https://www.amymeyerson.com/

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

The Great Alone Digs Deep in Alaska and Emotion

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This novel made me fall in love with Kristin Hannah’s writing. Hannah knows how to weave detail and emotion into a reading experience that immerses the reader in not only the world she creates but also in the gut or heart of the characters.

The Great Alone starts with the tale of a girl growing up and learning her way in the lonely wilderness of Alaska. Her father suffers from PTSD and alcoholism while her mother’s love for him blinds her to his abuse and the unhinged way he views the world until it’s too late. I’m reading The Women now and finding it just as immersive for the reader.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. I listened to The Great Alone on audio and heard a number of words I found unfamiliar. I’ll define just a couple of them here.

From The Great Alone:

Whenever Leni woke in the middle of the night, she invariably found her mother drifting through the house, her diaphanous robe trailing open.

diaphanous: adjective, (especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent.

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From The Great Alone:

They hurried up the stairs and tiptoed down the unlit hallway and into the master bedroom, a huge room with mullion windows and olive-green carpet.

mullion: noun, a vertical bar between the panes of glass in a window.

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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To connect or learn more about Kristin Hannah, find her at KristinHannah.com.

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Klune Creates a World of Magic and a Tale of Prejudice

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T. J. Klune offers up a story of magic and strife against prejudice in The House in the Cerulean Sea. Yet there’s something even deeper in a theme about living a worthwhile life. This quote from early in the book summed up that thought:

“It does me no good. Facts., Mr. Parnassus. I deal in facts. Curiosities lead to flights of fancy, and I can’t afford to be distracted.”

“I can’t imagine a life lived in such a way,” Mr. Parnassus said quietly. “It sounds like no life lived at all.”

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The House in the Cerulean Sea I found a number of words that had me curious about their use or meaning.

From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

He pointed toward a copse of trees just off the beach. It looked dark and foreboding.

They eventually made their way to familiar ground, and in the distance Linus could see a copse of trees that hid the house of an island sprite.  

copse: noun, a small group of trees

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

That and the fact he’d recently turned forty, and all he had to show for it was a tiny house, a crusty cat that would probably outlive everyone, and an every-expanding waistline his doctor had poked and prodded with a strange amount of glee while bloviating about the wonders of dieting.

bloviate: verb (no object) U.S. English informal – talk at length, especially in an inflated or empty way

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

The woman’s hair was cut into a petite bob, and she wore a large brooch in the shape of a beetle, the carapace iridescent.

carapace: noun, the hard upper shell of a turtle, crustacean, or arachnid / something regarded as a protective or defensive covering

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

The air was thick and redolent, and it made him slightly dizzy.

redolent: adjective 1. (redolent of/with) strongly reminiscent or suggestive of / literary – strongly smelling of  2. archaic, or literary – fragrant or sweet-smelling

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

His aquiline nose had a bump in the center, as if it’d been broken once long ago and never set right.

aquiline: adjective, hooked, curved, hook-shaped, hooklike, bent, bowed, angular

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

There was always a note of artifice to their bright words of happiness and joy and No, Mr. baker, absolutely nothing is wrong, and I am filled with joy.

artifice: adjective, making a strong, affected, or pretentious display of being artistic or interested in the arts

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

At dinner, Lucy had been grinning at Linus the whole time, and though it had the same devilish tinge to it, Linus didn’t think it was nefarious.

nefarious: adjective, (typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

His luggage was beside him. Calliope too, in her crate, though she wasn’t amused at the early hour. Linus could commiserate, especially since he hadn’t slept a wink.

commiserate: verb, express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize

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From The House in the Cerulean Sea:

Arthur sighed. “Not—not physically. But he’s an expert in self-flagellation after. If something is broken, no matter who it belongs to , he always carries the guilt upon his shoulders.”

self-flagellation: noun, the action of flogging oneself, especially as a form of religious discipline / excessive criticism of oneself

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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To connect or learn more about T. J. Klune and his books, check out his website at tjklunebooks.com.

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Silent Sisters Tells a True Tale of Horror

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Silent Sisters is a true and horror-filled story. The reader is pulled in, hoping from the start the young daughter is somehow able to survive despite the lack of any maternal care. She survives but along the way uncovers ghastly crimes committed by her mother. It’s a story of resilience and survival, but also a tale of strength of character and mental sturdiness in the face a unbelievable evil. Silent Sisters was published in 2020. 

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In Silent Sisters I found a few interesting words to explore.

From Silent Sisters:

The very idea that mum would put herself out in any way for her children was as ludicrous as it was abhorrent.

abhorrent: adjective, inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant

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From Silent Sisters:

She hadn’t looked after me. Or Cath. And I was totally flummoxed as to why she was having another.

flummoxed: adjective, bewildered or perplexed

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From Silent Sisters:

She’d just carry straight on to the local pub and stagger home, paralytically drunk, in the early hours of the following day.

paralytic: noun, a person affected by paralysis / Derivatives—adverb, paralytically

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

A Tender Story of Love and Gravity

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I found Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid a captivating read. The book is filled with tension that carries until the very last page, fantastic detail about the space program, and a super sweet love story.  

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In Atmosphere I tried to stay away from the scientific terms and found other interesting choices.

From Atmosphere:

“My dad taught me when I was little. Bravery is being unafraid of something other people are afraid of. Courage is being afraid, but strong enough to do it anyway.”

bravery: noun, courageous behavior or character

courage: noun, the ability to do something that frightens one, strength in the face of pain or grief

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From Atmosphere:

You could develop your personality your entire life—pursue the things you wanted to learn, discover the most interesting parts of yourself, hold yourself to a certain standard—and then you marry a man and suddenly his personality, his wants, his standards subsume your own?

subsume: verb, include or absorb (something) in something else

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From Atmosphere:

The parabolas, when executed properly, simulated microgravity.

parabolas: noun, a symmetrical open plane curve formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane parallel to its side. The path of a projectile under the influence of gravity ideally follows a curve of this shape.

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From Atmosphere:

“No, nothing’s funny. It’s just … you’re so … dauntless.”

dauntless: adjective, showing fearlessness and determination

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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To connect or learn more about Taylor Jenkins Reid and her books, find her at taylorjenkinsreid.com

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Henry’s BOOK LOVERS Perfect Valentine’s Read

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Emily Henry is always a good go-to read for the month of February. Even though I really loved the tale of sisters and their relationship in Book Lovers, the spark between two publishing pros was romance heaven. Henry’s characters and their drive for family and love make Book Lovers a must read for romance lovers.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In Book Lovers I found a couple of interesting words to explore.

From Book Lovers:

I huff. I wouldn’t call it bloodsport. I don’t revel in exsanguination. I do it for my clients.

exsanguination: noun, Medicine, the action of draining a person, animal, or organ of blood

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From Book Lovers:

Nothing makes a coterie of already neurotic authors quite so neurotic as publishing’s annual slow season.

coterie: noun, a small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people

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From Book Lovers:

A force majeure intervened to keep him in San Antonio longer than planned. His appendix burst.  

force majeure: noun, 1. Law, unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone form fulfilling a contract. 2. Irresistible compulsion or greater force.

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What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

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 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

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To connect or learn more about Emily Henry and her books, find her at emilyhenrybooks.com.

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“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft