Books Read In February

A very good February of books!!

What about YOU?

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

 

Will and Sadie moved from Chicago and from their troubles to a remote island and a house Will inherited from his sister.

Not sure their troubles were left behind, though. Will became the guardian of his niece who is quite difficult, and then a neighbor is murdered.

The troubles left behind were nothing compared to what was happening to the family now. Threatening notes on their cars, intruders coming in when the house was empty, people spying on them, and Sadie being accused of the neighbor’s murder as well as her family telling her she didn’t see things she saw.

The characters in this book all seemed to have something to hide or some problem with people in their lives.

We meet husbands having affairs, a spooky, sinister-seeming house, gossipy, small-town citizens, and odd-behaving characters.

How did it all fit together, and how did everything happening follow the Fausts to this small island?

Despite the story line being difficult to follow, THE OTHER MRS is a tense, bizarre, keep-you-turning-the-pages thriller. If you can hang in there, the ending is well worth the wait.

The ending wraps up all the loose ends for a satisfying conclusion that will stick with you. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spotlight and Giveaway of No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe

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Anna Sacca of FSB Associates along with the author is celebrating the release of:

NO TRUTH LEFT TO TELL

With a USA Giveaway!!

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Information in this post is courtesy of Anna Sacca of FSB Associates

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A debut legal thriller from former federal civil rights prosecutor Michael McAuliffe.

A smart legal thriller inspired by real events, including McAuliffe's time in Louisiana investigating violent extremists and corrupt cops, No Truth Left to Tell offers the ultimate insider's take on chasing violent racists in the Deep South.

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PRAISE FOR NO TRUTH TO TELL:

“Hate is shockingly alive and well in America these days, but so is moral courage and a passion for justice. This is a compelling, emotionally taut first novel by an accomplished attorney. We are intrigued by the protagonist, a self-doubting white prosecutor who joins forces with a seasoned black agent who knows the sting of prejudice. They battle the Klan, police corruption, and sometimes each other, but in the process, forge a memorable alliance. Through it all, Michael McAuliffe's fresh, image-infused style makes reading a pleasure.”

—Rose Styron, poet, human rights activist, and journalist

“It is the rare work that can create a gripping plot—fueled with meaningful characters—that also seamlessly weaves in the law and the inner workings of criminal investigations and trials all at once. No Truth Left to Tell does just that and more, raising important questions about character, justice, and who we are as Americans.”

—Richard Zabel, former deputy US attorney for the Southern District of New York

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ABOUT NO TRUTH TO TELL:


It is 1994 in Lynwood, Louisiana, and flaming crosses light up the night and terrorize the southern town. The resurgent Klan wants a new race war, and the Klansmen will start it here. For Nettie Wynn, a victim of the cross burnings and lifelong resident of the town’s segregated neighborhood, the hate crimes summon frightful memories of her youth, when she witnessed white townspeople lynch a black man.



When federal civil rights prosecutor Adrien Rush arrives from DC to investigate the crimes with Lee Mercer, a seasoned local FBI special agent, their partnership is tested as they clash over how far to go to catch the racists before the violence escalates. Rush’s role in the case becomes even more complicated after he falls for Nicole DuBose, a successful New York City journalist who returns to Lynwood to care for her grandmother, Nettie.

When crucial evidence becomes compromised—threatening to upend what should be a celebrated conviction—the lines between right and wrong, black and white, collide with deadly consequences.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Sydney McAuliffe

Michael McAuliffe has been a practicing lawyer for thirty years. He was a federal prosecutor serving both as a supervisory assistant US attorney in the Southern District of Florida and a trial attorney in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

In 2008, Michael was elected and served as the state attorney for Palm Beach County, leading an office of approximately 125 prosecutors. He was  known for leading the ethics reform movement in county that resulted in the creation of a permanent inspector general, an ethics commission, and new ethics code.

He also has been a partner at a major law firm, a global company general counsel, a senior lecturing fellow at Duke University's School of Law, and an adjunct professor at William & Mary's School of Law. Early in his career, Mr. McAuliffe was a Civic Education Project fellow and visiting professor of law in the Czech Republic.

Aside from the law, Mr. McAuliffe is an alpine mountaineer, having climbed and reached the summits of Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro (with his daughter), Island Peak in the Himalayas, and many other mountains.

He received his JD from the College of William & Mary's Law School and his BBA from the Business Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin. Michael and his wife Robin Rosenberg, a US district judge, have three children, and live in Florida and Massachusetts.

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GIVEAWAY:

I am partnering with Anna Sacca of FSB Associates.

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PLEASE. 

USA ONLY
February 28 - March 6

Enter here

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Today's Prompt: BRIDES

Thank you to eggs of Litsy:

#FEBRUARYFEELS

@eggs

Today’s Prompt:  BRIDES

This book was a favorite.

If you enjoy odd characters, old mansions, family secrets, supposed ghosts, a stolen book, and Gothic undertones, you will want to have THE HOUSE OF BRIDES added to your TBR

FULL REVIEW HERE.

Spotlight and Giveaway of The Girl In White Gloves by Kerri Maher

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Berkley/Penguin Random House is celebrating the release of:

THE GIRL IN WHITE GLOVES

With a USA Giveaway!!

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Information in this post is courtesy of Danielle Keir of Penguin Random House.

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From the acclaimed author of The Kennedy Debutante. Maher once again shines a spotlight onto the inner life of an almost mythical female historical figure: actress and princess—and fiction’s newest “it-girl”—Grace Kelly.

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PRAISE FOR THE GIRL IN WHITE GLOVES: 

“The stunning and very human story of a beloved icon…. Full of nuance and poignancy—this novel is gorgeous.”— Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Queen’s Fortune
 


“[A] fascinating, deeply researched novel of the extraordinary Grace Kelly … establishes Maher as a true force in biographical fiction.”—Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of The Golden Hour

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ABOUT THE GIRL IN WHITE GLOVES: 

Grace knows what people see. She’s the Cinderella story. An icon of glamor and elegance frozen in dazzling Technicolor. The picture of perfection. The girl in white gloves.

But behind the lens, beyond the panoramic views of glistening Mediterranean azure, she knows the truth. The sacrifices it takes for an unappreciated girl from Philadelphia to defy her family and become the reigning queen of the screen. The heartbreaking reasons she trades Hollywood for a crown. The loneliness of being a princess in a fairy tale kingdom that is all too real.

Hardest of all for her adoring fans and loyal subjects to comprehend, is the harsh reality that to be the most envied woman in the world does not mean she is the happiest.

Starved for affection and purpose, facing a labyrinth of romantic and social expectations with more twists and turns than Monaco’s infamous winding roads, Grace must find her own way to fulfillment. But what she risks—her art, her family, her marriage—she may never get back.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Kerri Maher is the author of The Kennedy Debutante, which People magazine described as “a riveting reimagining of a true tale of forbidden love,” and This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World under the name Kerri Majors. 

She holds an MFA from Columbia University and founded YARN, an award-winning literary journal of short-form YA writing.

A writing professor for many years, she now writes full time and lives with her daughter and dog in a leafy suburb west of Boston, Massachusetts.

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GIVEAWAY:


CONTEST HAS ENDED.

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

I am partnering with Danielle Keir of Penguin Random House for this giveaway:

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PLEASE. 

USA ONLY
February 26 - March 4

Enter here

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Review and Giveaway - Red Letter Days by Sarah-Jane Stratford

Phoebe was finally making some money for her scripts and getting well known, but then for some reason she was tagged as being a communist by the government and blacklisted by the playwrights.

Phoebe had no idea what she did to be tagged, but she decided to leave the country and head to London where there was someone who would take her scripts no matter who or what she was.

We follow Phoebe on her trip across the ocean and when she arrives in London determined to make a name for herself in the seven weeks she was granted to be in the country.

I enjoyed the characters in RED LETTER DAYS.  LOVE the cover.

Phoebe was funny and lovable and eager to take chances. Hannah was talented but flighty.  Phoebe’s sister, Mona, was upbeat even though her life wasn’t.

We see the historical struggles and worries that play writes had at this time and how the blacklisted writers could get into deep trouble.

Historical fiction fans, fans of the theater and television productions, and fans of Robin Hood will enjoy RED LETTER DAYS.  

Ms. Stratford did marvelous, in-depth research, but The Robin Hood pages that took up a great deal of the book actually were of no interest, and that did make the story drag for me. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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GIVEAWAY:
CONTEST HAS ENDED!!



THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

I am partnering with Dache Rogers of Penguin Random House for this giveaway.

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PLEASE. 

USA ONLY

FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3

ENTER HERE

Books With Wife In The Title

All good reads and all reviewed on my blog.

What titles can YOU add?

This Week At Silver's Reviews

Looks like another week you won't want to miss.

 

SPINE POEM #2

Thank you to eggs of Litsy:

#FEBRUARYFEELS

@eggs

Today’s Prompt:  SPINE POEM #2

AFTER I’M GONE

ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN

Spotlight and Giveaway of One Minute Out by Mark Greaney

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Penguin Random House is celebrating the release of:

ONE MINUTE OUT

 

With a USA Giveaway!!

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Information in this post is courtesy of Loren Jaggers of Penguin Random House.

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With each book Mark grows his legion of fans, especially those across all political spectrums, including Hugh Hewitt, who featured Mark in his on-air book club, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, who mentioned the series in a recent GQ.com profile.

The series has continuously drawn comparisons to the giants of the field including Brad Thor, Daniel Silva, and, of course, Tom Clancy. Certainly the Clancy comparisons are no surprise:  Mark co-wrote Clancy’s final three Jack Ryan thrillers before the venerable legend’s death and then carried the mantle for another four novels.

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PRAISE FOR ONE MINUTE OUT:

“Remarkable….Spy thriller fans will be enthralled.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
 

“Great storytelling about the pursuit of extrajudicial justice.”—Kirkus Reviews

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ABOUT ONE MINUTE OUT:

For years, Court Gentry was the CIA’s best covert asset. Then, without warning, the agency put him at the top of its kill list. Court fled the country and became an enigmatic killer for hire known as the Gray Man. However, after a tense reconciliation, of sorts, Court begrudgingly finds himself working for his former government overseers.

In ONE MINUTE OUT, while on a mission to Croatia, Court uncovers a human trafficking operation. The trail leads from the Balkans all the way back to Hollywood. Court is determined to shut it down, but his CIA handlers have other plans. The criminal ringleader has actionable intelligence about a potentially devastating terrorist attack on the US. The CIA won't move until they have that intel. Court finds himself as the pivot of a moral balancing act.

This moral quandary becomes more engaging as this is the first Gray Man novel told in first person, which will finally allow fans of the series to dive into Court’s head and understand more of who he is and what he’s willing to do.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Photo Credit:  
Claudio Marinesco

Mark Greaney has a degree in international relations and political science. In his research for the Gray Man novels, including Mission Critical, Agent in Place, Gunmetal Gray, Back Blast, Dead Eye, Ballistic, On Target, and The Gray Man, he traveled to more than fifteen countries and trained alongside military and law enforcement in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close-range combative tactics.

With Marine LtCol Rip Rawlings, he wrote the New York Times bestseller, Red Metal. 

He is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tom Clancy Support and Defend, Tom Clancy Full Force and Effect, Tom Clancy Commander in Chief, and Tom Clancy True Faith and Allegiance. With Tom Clancy, he coauthored Locked On, Threat Vector, and Command Authority.

Visit him online at www.markgreaneybooks.com.

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GIVEAWAY:

Contest has ended!!

Our winner is Elena from Texas.

CONGRATS!!

Thank you to all who entered.

I am partnering with Loren Jaggers of Penguin Random House for this giveaway:

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PLEASE.

USA ONLY
February 21 - 28

Enter here

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Spotlight and Giveaway for The Antidote For Everything by Kimmery Martin

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Penguin Random House is celebrating the release of:

THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING

With a USA Giveaway!!

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Information in this post is courtesy of Tara O'Connor of Penguin Random House

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On the heels of her critically acclaimed debut The Queen of Hearts (2018), ER doctor-turned-author Kimmery Martin’s second novel combines the medical intrigue of Grey’s Anatomy with the humor, friendship, and suburban drama of Liane Moriarty.

Inspired by the real-life experience of a fellow physician, Martin’s new novel, THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING (Berkley Hardcover; On Sale 2/18/20) centers around what happens when a doctor is fired for treating transgender patients.

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PRAISE FOR THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING:

“The Antidote for Everything is not merely heartfelt, it's important: a moving story about the absolute power of friendship and the utter feebleness of intolerance.”—New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian

"With her signature compassion and sharp writing, Kimmery Martin delivers a poignant, yet compulsively readable story examining the timely topic of medical discrimination. I loved it—and have a new must-read recommendation for book clubs everywhere.”—Colleen Oakley

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ABOUT THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING:

“Intense and vibrant, THE ANTIDOTE FOR EVERYTHING is executed with scalpel-sharp wit and intelligence, delving into subject matter as current as the morning’s headlines. A binge-worthy page-turner that’ll rival your favorite primetime medical drama.”— Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale

"With incredible voice, Martin deftly navigates the light, the dark and the in-between of the human soul.”—P.J. Vernon

Georgia Brown’s profession as a urologist requires her to interact with plenty of naked people, though her romantic prospects have fizzled.

The single most important person in her life is her friend, Jonah Tsukada, a funny, empathetic family medicine doctor who works at the same Charleston hospital. But then the pair receive disturbing news: the hospital intends to fire Jonah, who has been providing medical care for transgender patients. 

Together, the friends create a plan to persuade the board to reverse its decision. But when the strategy spirals out of control, both Georgia and Jonah risk their careers and their friendship in a last-ditch effort to regain the right to treat their patients.

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GIVEAWAY:

CONTEST HAS ENDED.

CONGRATS!!

OUR WINNER IS DIANNE FROM ILLINOIS.

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

I am partnering with Tara O'Connor of Penguin Random House for this giveaway:

USA ONLY
February 20 - 27

Enter here

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Ten Days Gone by Beverly Long

What could the significance of ten days be for a serial killer?

For this serial killer, ten days is the time frame between murders.

How can they find the next victim before it happens? 

Detectives McKittridge and Morgan are on the case with slim leads until they find one sheet of paper that might be their main clue.

The investigation moved forward but always had some setback, and they were running out of time before the next ten days were up.

If you enjoy an intense, difficult investigation and last-minute tension, TEN DAYS GONE needs to be in your TBR stack.

TEN DAYS GONE will keep you on the edge of your seat as all the clues come together for an ending you won’t forget.  5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review and Giveaway of The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Carly left college for a "few" days so she could head to Fell, New York, to see if she could find anything out about how her Aunt Viv died or where she might be.

Viv disappeared from The Sun Down Motel where she worked in 1982 and was never found.

When Carly arrived and checked out The Sun Down Motel, she couldn't believe her aunt would even think of working there. 

It was a creepy, out-of-the way place, but Carly surprised herself and took a job there on the same shift that her aunt worked.

Carly saw strange things and knew she should leave, but she stayed. She had to find out what happened at this motel and what happens now at THE SUN DOWN MOTEL.

We follow Carly as she investigates and as Viv’s story is told back in 1982. 

Besides the creepy town and motel, we meet ghosts, creaky doors, weird guests, odd sounds, and no way to contact anyone not on the hotel grounds.  

We learn about the hotel and the murders that took place in the town of Fell as well as the connection to The Sun Down Motel.

Each chapter got stranger and stranger as the motel seemed to come to life and have a life of its own.

If you enjoy tense, creepy, spooky story lines that include unsolved murders from years ago, THE SUN DOWN MOTEL will be your perfect read.

Be careful with the motel you choose, and especially do not stay at a motel that has anything remotely close to the name of this motel.

The entire book and the ending are twisty and brilliant.  5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

GIVEAWAY:

CONTEST HAS ENDED...OUR WINNER IS CHERYL FROM RHODE ISLAND!!

CONGRATS, CHERYL.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED.

I am partnering with Danielle Kier of Penguin Random House for this giveaway.

USA ONLY

FEBRUARY 18 - 25

ENTER HERE 

BARGAINS!!

Stopped at Barnes and Nobel today and found these for 2 for $10

I have read THE CHILD, but I have never read THE BREAK DOWN.

Spotlight and Giveaway of Tidelands by Philippa Gregory

Photo Source

Lisa Sciambra of Simon and Schuster is celebrating the paperback release of:

TIDELANDS

With a USA Giveaway!!

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Information in this post is courtesy of Lisa Sciambra of Simon and Schuster.

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This New York Times bestseller from “one of the great storytellers of our time” (San Francisco Book Review) turns from the glamour of the royal courts to tell the story of an ordinary woman, Alinor, living in a dangerous time for a woman to be different.

Kirkus Reviews said, “this is Gregory par excellence. A promising start to a family saga about ordinary people.” 

And People Magazine called it "superb...a searing portrait of a woman that resonates across the ages." The next book in the series, Dark Tides, will be available in December 2020.

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PRAISE FOR TIDELANDS:

“This is Gregory par excellence. A promising start to a family saga about ordinary people.”

–Kirkus Reviews

“A gripping novel…with her usual meticulous attention to detail, the author easily elicits the chaos and dangers of the mid-17^th century…this book will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. Fans of Gregory’s works and of historicals in general will delight in this page-turning tale.”

–Library Journal (starred review)

“History buffs and Gregory’s fans alike will be anticipating the next installment.”

–Publishers Weekly

"a welcome topical pivot from gifted Gregory"

–Booklist

“Richly detailed and brimming with secrets (personal and political), Tidelands is a captivating portrait of a brave woman and a compelling start to a new series.”

–Shelf Awareness

“The first in a planned series, Tidelands has moved on from the Tudor and Plantagenet era of Gregory’s previous novels, and the author crafts her material with effortless ease. Her grasp of social mores is brilliant, the love story rings true and the research is, as ever, of the highest calibre.”

–Daily Mail

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ABOUT TIDELANDS:

On Midsummer’s Eve, Alinor waits in the church graveyard, hoping to encounter the ghost of her missing husband and thus confirm his death. Until she can, she is neither maiden nor wife nor widow, living in a perilous limbo. Instead she meets James, a young man on the run. She shows him the secret ways across the treacherous marshy landscape of the Tidelands, not knowing she is leading a spy and an enemy into her life.

England is in the grip of a bloody civil war that reaches into the most remote parts of the kingdom. Alinor’s suspicious neighbors are watching each other for any sign that someone might be disloyal to the new parliament, and Alinor’s ambition and determination mark her as a woman who doesn’t follow the rules. They have always whispered about the sinister power of Alinor’s beauty, but the secrets they don’t know about her and James are far more damning. This is the time of witch-mania, and if the villagers discover the truth, they could take matters into their own hands.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Philippa Gregory is the author of many New York Times bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, and is a recognized authority on women’s history. Many of her works have been adapted for the screen including The Other Boleyn Girl. Her most recent novel, The Last Tudor, is now in production for a television series. She graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent. 

She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and was awarded the 2016 Harrogate Festival Award for Contribution to Historical Fiction. She is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. 

She founded Gardens for the Gambia, a charity to dig wells in poor rural schools in The Gambia, and has provided nearly 200 wells. She welcomes visitors to her website PhilippaGregory.com.

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GIVEAWAY:

Contest has ended!!

Congrats to:  Kami from Florida!!

Thanks to all who entered.
 
I am partnering with Lisa Sciambra of Simon and Schuster for this giveaway:

USA ONLY
February 17 - 24

Enter here

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