Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

April 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Publisher: Yearling
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Childrens (Grades 3-7)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa’s old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about “the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth.” “Wealth?” I said. “It’s groovy, man,” said Arnold.

If I’d known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That’s when my 12th summer got really interesting.

A lawnmower leading to a fantastical situation? No way!

This is a fun little read. I dearly loved Hatchet by Paulsen, so when I saw this one, I had to pick it up. I’m glad I did. It was cute, funny and relatable.

The young man doesn’t think he’s all that special and he’s surrounded by characters, but when he’s given a lawnmower, he thinks he has no idea what do to with it. Then he decides to use it. His world opens up.

I liked that the young man realizes his power – he can help people and make a little money to get a new inner tube for his bike tire – with the help of the lawnmower. I liked that he came into his own and all because he found something that made him special. Kids do have super powers – they’re ingenious and caring.

The cast of characters around him and the situations he ends up in are fantastical, but sure to appeal to younger readers. How could one kid manage all this? That’s what makes it great.

If you’re looking for a book that features a kid, a lawnmower and even a prize fighter (don’t believe me? You’ll have to read it for yourself!), then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Daddy Needs A Date by Sean Michael

April 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Daddy Needs A Date by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

With four girls, single dad Ryan Withers has his hands too full to look for romance. He’s not complaining—he loves his daughter and the three nieces he adopted when their parents died, and he would do anything for them. He’s caught off guard when his mother and daughter decide to play matchmaker.

Alex Bernot works in disaster relief, his job taking him all over the world helping others. He’s staying with his aunt while he’s home, and she sets him up on a blind date. Finding a special someone isn’t really on his mind, but he goes to make his aunt happy.

Ryan and Alex enjoy each other’s company more than either of them expected, and they soon make a second date. Their lives are complicated, though, in very different ways, and soon family needs and their jobs conspire to pull them apart. They’ll need to figure out how to work through the things keeping them apart, but first they’ll have to decide if they even want to….

Ryan had never expected to be daddy for four young girls – but he hadn’t hesitated to adopt his three nieces when their parents died and the girls got along so well with his own young daughter he couldn’t imagine not being able to find a way to make this work. When Ryan and Alex are set up on a blind date neither of them expect to enjoy each other’s company as much as they do. But their lives are so very different and everything gets complicated so quickly – can they manage to make this work?

I really enjoyed this full length story. While Ryan and Alex are both interesting characters, I was mostly pleased that this story seems to keep away from many of the tropes so common in the “single dad to young kids finding love” type of stories that are out there. Both Ryan and Alex are up front from their first meeting that their lives are in very different places and they each are open to beginning a relationship but they also have quite different priorities. I found this made for some very interesting – and very honest – types of conflict where the two men needed to decide what they really wanted from their respective lives and relationships.

The author did an excellent job in my opinion in keeping the four girls different enough that the reader wouldn’t get too muddled by them, but equally not letting the kids’ characters take over the entire storyline either. I really feel this story has a plot and set-up different enough it should feel fresh and interesting to many readers. I greatly enjoyed that this doesn’t fall into any of the well-used cliches that make me struggle with so many other “men with an instant family of kids” type of stories.

With interesting characters and a different enough plot I was hooked all the way through the book, this is a great and steamy read.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Jimmy by Megan Slayer

April 1, 2022 By 1 Comment


Jimmy by Megan Slayer
Summon a Bad Boy 1
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

I call on the fates to bring my love to me. As I will it, so mote it be…

What if those simple words plus a name on a scroll could guarantee true love? Karey’s determined to find out if the spell, Summon a Bad Boy, works, and she knows just who she’s going to ask for. Jimmy McCreadie. The tattooed man makes her weak in the knees — he’s every naughty desire she’s had come to life. She’s nothing like the women he dates, and far too shy for her own good, but she’s not giving up.

Mix a bad boy with some magic and have faith. Anything’s possible. Karey’s desire just might come true.

You say “bad boy”, I say dream date. Karey would likely agree with me.

Although slightly skeptical, Karey agreed to her friend Sarah’s outlandish plan to follow a magic ritual to summon her true love to her. She doesn’t actually expect it to work, but once her drool-worthy crush Jimmy (that’s she’s been pining over for months) talks to her for the first time she’s left questioning everything. After all, he’s only ever dated leggy skinny blondes and she does not fit into that category. And if there was magic involved, does he really love her at all? I don’t want to spoil things, so you’ll have to read the book to find out!

Similar to Ms. Slayer’s other books, there is some established chemistry between Jimmy and Karey that’s been building for a while. Jimmy reminded me a lot of Bite Me for Christmas, in that the female main character is looking for her true love and uses magic to make things happen. Ms. Slayer did a great job with creating her characters, as I found myself quite invested in seeing how Karey and Jimmy’s relationship turned out. I want to give the author props for how well she executes all of the pairings and relationships in her books; large amounts of on-page relationship establishment are never required for such short stories, and I appreciate that she doesn’t need to bother with that.

Overall, another quick and steamy read from Megan Slayer that’s complete with a happily ever after! Readers who enjoy contemporary romances featuring a bad boy/tattooed love interest and a slight paranormal flair should definitely check out the book. If you’ve been looking for the grown-up, steamier version of How To Build a Better Boyfriend or The Perfect Date, then you’ve found it in this book. I’ve absolutely loved all of the Megan Slayer titles that I’ve read so far, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Devil To Pay by John Carson

March 31, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Devil To Pay by John Carson
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Deadly loose ends. Homicidal obsession. A mind-boggling crime locked behind lost memories.
Scotland. DCI Harry McNeil feels uneasy about visiting his late father’s dementia-afflicted former colleague. But he’s stunned when the retired policeman’s daughter pulls him aside in the nursing home to offer nervous accusations and shocking photographs. And with the images displaying a murder victim from twenty years ago, McNeil fears the senile detective might be the real serial killer long thought dead and buried.

Unable to pry answers out of the confused senior, McNeil is alarmed to discover fresh bodies in both Glasgow and Edinburgh linked to the decades-old case. And with the slayings so intimately connected to him personally, McNeil believes it’s only a matter of time before he’s caught in the crosshairs… and he doesn’t know why.

Will McNeil expose a murderous hidden agenda before it costs him his life?

DCI Harry McNeil is back again when two fresh bodies – one in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh – are clearly linked and have strong ties back to two closed cases from twenty years ago. With his colleagues and Harry’s father’s retired old friend all helping can Harry and Alex discover what’s really going on and how it links to so far back in the past?

I really feel like John Carson is beginning to hit his stride with this series. I felt that the plot was multi-faceted and really well woven together – complicated enough I could get a good sense of what was happening without actually being able to untangle it all too quickly. I also was ecstatic Robbie and Jimmy were back yet again – they’re seriously becoming two of my other favourite characters outside of Harry and Alex. They add a good counterpart to Harry’s more serious outlook and it’s always a hoot when the four of them get together to solve a crime.

In many ways this book was a solid, very well written police procedural style of Scottish mystery, but that would ignore the fact a really strong world has been created in the last six books in this series. Alex and Harry’s relationship has progressed at a solid but steady pace and really laid some strong foundations. Harry in particular has grown as a character and I’m eager to see more of his deepening relationship with the young man his son, Chance, is becoming. And added into all this other solid writing was a complicated and engrossing set of two murders running concurrently yet clearly still tied together. Some of the “whodunit” aspect was shown right up front but the author did an excellent job in my opinion keeping enough of the how and why under wraps to keep me thinking and guessing and eager to turn the pages.

While this book is clearly in the middle of a series, I feel for the murder mystery readers can certainly pick this up as a stand alone. I do feel that all the intertwining character relationships and friendships would be better served with some of the previous stories having been read to give a bit more depth, but this shouldn’t have readers shy away from cracking this book open by itself and giving it a go. I found it well written, well paced and with an excellent mystery and well worth the time and energy in reading it cover to cover. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

March 30, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Publisher: Spiegel and Grau
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a widely published author and this book, Between the World and Me, is the first of his works I have read. One of those we are all familiar with that he wrote is the Black Panther series of Marvel comics. Between the World and Me is a letter to his son. A letter to try and prepare him for the world he will grow up in.

This book is well-written, almost poetic at times. It also has an angry tone or at least it did to me. I would never pretend I could understand the trials and tribulations that a Black man in our country has had to live through, still must endure. Some of this is powerful and hurtful. It was difficult for me to admit I live in a society that could be guilty of such things.

On the other hand, I’m a solutions person, a problem solver. While I know we can’t make racism disappear overnight, I guess I was hoping the letter would be a document of Coates instructing his son about how he had the opportunity to change things. This is not that. It does not have an uplifting tone. It is the story of a Black man and what he had to live through. While it might not have been what I was expecting or even what I wanted to hear, I know it was a valuable read.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero

March 29, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Llewellyn does not like to feel afraid or sad, angry, lonely, or embarrassed. And so he comes up with a brilliant plan: he tucks each of his feelings into jars and hides them away where they won’t bother him anymore. But when he gets in trouble in class, Llewellyn finds he needs to put away excitement too. And when joy is quickly followed by disappointment, he decides to get rid of joy as well. After a while, Llewellyn walks around not feeling much of anything at all. And what happens when his emotions refuse to be bottled up any longer?

In this richly illustrated and universally relatable picture book, Llewellyn soon discovers that life is more colorful when he sets his emotions free. And only then, by facing and embracing each of his feelings, is he finally able to let them go.

All emotions are valuable.

Once again, I was blown away by Ms. Marcero’s ability to make a complex topic relatable and entertaining for small children. Emotional intelligence is a difficult but critical skill to learn. She managed to make it sound like one of the greatest adventures anyone could experience. It takes smooth writing to accomplish that, so my interest in reading more of her work has only deepened now that I’ve read two of her tales.

The only thing holding this picture book back from receiving a five-star rating from me had to do with how little time it spent explaining what to do with feelings that seem too big or overwhelming to handle. Honestly, this is something that even adults struggle with sometimes, and it can be even tougher for kids. The narrator did such a spectacular job with every other aspect of the topic. I would have happily gone with a perfect rating if they’d gone into the same amount of detail with this one.

Some of my favourite scenes were the ones that carefully wove the fantasy elements of the plot in with the author’s messages about the importance of emotions and how she thinks children should handle them. It wasn’t always easy for me to pick out where one of these themes ended and the other began. They were so well-suited for each other that I was nothing but pleased to see it written that way.

This is the sequel to In a Jar. I recommend reading this series in order because the narrator made some lovely references to previous scenes that can only be understood by readers who have already experienced them.

Out of a Jar was a wonderful starting place for talking about difficult emotions.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Xenocultivars: Stories of Queer Growth ~ Edited by Isabela Oliveira and Jed Sabin

March 25, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Xenocultivars: Stories of Queer Growth ~ Edited by Isabela Oliveira and Jed Sabin
Publisher: Speculatively Queer
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Anthology
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This collection of speculative short fiction is about all kinds of queer growth, from emerging and developing to flourishing and cultivating. Whether they’re tender sprouts just beginning to discover themselves or deeply rooted leaders fiercely defending those they love, the people in these stories have this in common: you can’t tell them what to do. They grow as they please.

The magic of plants is undeniable.

“The Thing About the Jack-o’-Lanterns” showed what happened when the main character carved a jack-o-lantern every year and spoke to the dead through it. This was a unique tradition that I was eager to learn more about, especially once the protagonist revealed that she was attracted to women and had no idea how to share that news with her mother. What an endearing and wholesome this protagonist was! I couldn’t wait to find out how she’d resolve her conflict. While the final scene did provide satisfactory answers, it also left me hoping that the author will write a sequel to it soon. This wasn’t a world I wanted to leave quite as quickly as I did.

Lumberjacks and the natural world don’t go well together at all in my opinion, so “A Lumberjack’s Guide to Dryad Spotting” made me extraordinarily curious to see how the author was planning to mix those ideas into one coherent storyline. There was something incredibly likeable about the main character from the opening scene even though I shuddered at the thought of him chopping down a Dryad to make himself rich. If only this tale had been developed more thoroughly by Mr. Payseur. The first few scenes were well done, but then it petered out just when I was expecting it to pick up the pace. This was one of the few disappointments in this collection, and even then, I’m still glad I read it. The imagery in it was so crisp and original even if the plot itself didn’t quite work for me.

Midwestern culture can be a delightful jumble of contractions, many of which were captured perfectly in “How to Make a Spell Jar.” Ash lived in a small town where everyone knew everyone else’s business which meant keeping a secret was nearly impossible. I smiled at how well the author captured both the benefits and drawbacks of living somewhere like that, and I laughed out loud when they informed the audience that Midwesterners all “live to be ninety-six out of sheer unwillingness to acknowledge the tattered specter of death.” Not only did lines like that one capture this culture perfectly, they gave the audience ample opportunities to get to know Ash as a character as she attempted to navigate them. Mx. Crawley did a wonderful job of explaining all of this, and I look forward to reading more from them.

Xenocultivars: Stories of Queer Growth made me yearn for spring.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

When the Time Is Right by Bill Bush

March 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


When the Time Is Right by Bill Bush
Publisher: Snader Publishing Company
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Eden didn’t peg bribery, kidnapping, and murder for summer activities

For eighteen-year-old Eden, her court-mandated community service is set to be every bit as punishing as prison. Sent off to work at a pizza joint while living with her grandmother in a little out-of-the-way town, at least she can appreciate the peace and quiet.

But the town is hiding its own secrets, and pretty soon peace and quiet will be very hard to come by. She might not realize it, but between the spiteful neighbor, the enigmatic mayor, and the calculating owner of the abandoned hospital, Eden’s 90 days in Halstead are set to be the most exciting of her life.

Follow Eden’s unexpected adventure in this strange and entertaining tale of mystery.

Small towns are supposed to be quiet and sleepy, right?

Some of my favorite scenes also happened to be the most realistic ones. For example, Eden struggled to figure out how to use the complicated new cash register and deal with sore legs from standing all day at her summer job. These moments of discomfort and confusion endeared me to her as I got to know her better. They were also a nice respite from the more dramatic parts of the storyline as everything steadily advanced. After all, real life often contains the same mixture of mundane and exciting moments from one hour to the next, so it was nice to see it reflected in fiction.

It would have been nice to have a few more clues about what was happening with the mystery Eden was attempting to solve. There were fewer of them than is generally the case for cozy mysteries, and the storyline would have been more satisfying for this reader if the author had stuck closer to genre conventions in this area. This is a minor criticism of something I otherwise really liked, and I’m hoping I will get to read the second instalment of this series soon.

This book was filled with amusing plot twists that kept me guessing. Some of them were a little out of the ordinary for the science fiction and mystery genres which was delightful. I always enjoy being surprised by an author’s creativity, and Mr. Bush certainly fit that bill. As much as I wish I could share some of the inventive explanations he came up with, especially as it pertained to the mystery elements of the plot, this really is something that other readers should discover for themselves.

When the Time Is Right made me yearn for a carefree summer.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Gifted by Sean Michael

March 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Gifted by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Brett Travers is one of the weekend bartenders at the Hammer Club. It’s one of two jobs that he works as he puts himself through College. On a whim, he enters the auction at the Hammer’s annual charity Christmas auction. After all, he’s interested in the lifestyle, even if he has absolutely no experience in it yet.

Tucker Sanders is one of the Hammer Club’s chefs. Working mostly evenings and weekends, he loves feeding people, in fact caring for others is one of the reasons why he’s a Top. He’s never found his very own boy, but the tall, willowy Brett has definitely caught his eye.

When Tucker ducks out of the kitchen on Christmas Auction night and discovers that Brett is the next lot, he can’t help but start the bidding. There’s no way he can compete with most of the club’s members, though, and is soon outbid. Will the magic of Christmas bring these two men together despite that?

Brett is interested in the BDSM lifestyle but hasn’t had any experience with it as yet. He’s been working on the weekends as a bartender at the Hammer club for a while now and – keen to dip a toe into experiencing the lifestyle – he enters himself into the annual Christmas auction to test the waters and see if it’s really for him. Tucker is one of the chef’s at the Hammer club and he’s been interested in Brett, and seeing the willowy young man on the stage he makes a few bids, even knowing his budget won’t stretch as far as most of the other bidders. Can the two men find some Christmas joy together this season?

I found this to be a fun and sensual quick short story. While the setting is definitely Christmas time I was pleased that the story isn’t overwhelmed by this timing, the focus remains solidly on Brett and Tucker and the two men exploring their attraction and beginning a strong foundation for their relationship. I also really enjoyed that while there are quite strong elements of BDSM and the lifestyle in this story again it was very well balanced with the two men also getting to know each other outside the bedroom and showing us other facets of themselves. It helped me as a reader not only connect and become invested in them both, but also showed me how well suited and realistic their relationship as a while was – not just their compatibility in the bedroom.

I feel it’s important to note that Brett is quite new to the lifestyle, so readers wanting some very deep or envelope-pushing BDSM story on the cutting edge might not find this quick read really suits what they’re after. Personally, I enjoyed the slightly lighter hand the author gave here, as well as the happy Christmas feel to the story as a whole. While I enjoyed harder edged BDSM stories it’s so lovely to also balance that with seeing two men dip their toe in and start a new relationship together, exploring their boundaries and learning about each other. In no way did this detract from the BDSM elements and I found this refreshing and really enjoyable to read. I also feel this is a good, quick read that would be suitable to recommend to readers interested in trying something a little more intense in their reading material but not wanting to drop into the deep end with something overwhelming or too far over the edge.

A fun, happy and really enjoyable sizzling read, this was a great short story.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Baby Shower by S. E. Lynes

March 17, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Baby Shower by S. E. Lynes
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

She doesn’t know I’m there, watching her in the mirror. She slides her hand under her blouse. And then I see something impossible. She isn’t pregnant…

She bursts into my life like a storm, and nothing is the same again. She seems so perfect, with her lilting laugh and her beautiful face. One by one, I watch as my friends fall under her spell.

Only I seem to suspect something. Only I see that her smiles don’t reach her cold, furious eyes. And when I’m accused of things I didn’t do, when my home is vandalized, I know she’s behind it. But she only lets her mask slip when no one is looking, so if I say anything, I’ll look crazy.

So when the baby shower comes around I’m there, sitting on a velvet sofa in a posh hotel room, surrounded by balloons. We share gifts, we pour small glasses of champagne, and she beams, her bump just visible under her bright red shirt.

But that afternoon, I finally learn the unbelievable truth.

There is no baby…

This was a quick and very entertaining read.

Jane Preston-Reece is happily married to Frankie Reece and owns A Roasted Development, coffee bar. I enjoy the loving marriage and closeness that the two share. Life for Jane seems to be ideal, except the fact that she hasn’t been able to conceive.

Jane has only shared this personal detail with one of her closest friends in her Runner Beans circle, Sophie.

When Sophie introduces Lexie Lane to the group their friendship takes a downward spiral. The story is fast paced, and I can’t necessarily say predictable. It’s clear the villain is Lexie Lane but what does she have against Jane? Or is Jane just jealous of Sophie and her newfound friendship? Or could Jane have underlying jealousy that Sophie is pregnant again?

I didn’t like Sophie. She was so naïve and gullible to let a stranger come between the closeness that she had with Jane. Sophie did not handle things in an adult manner. And I can very well understand Jane if she didn’t want that type of friend in her life. Jane is a likable and relatable character. I like how the author brought out the value of friendship. Who can we trust with our secrets if not our closest friend?

Frankie is also dealing with his own issues. Owner of Frank Reece Plumbing, Frankie sees his friends’ material wealth so when he wins three thousand pounds on a scratch card, he decides to purchase a Breitling Superocean Automatic 44 watch. A watch that makes him feel like a man of class, he feels invincible. While readers may think the start of Frankie’s trouble is because of a watch, readers find out it’s so much more.

The book has so many twists, all of which left me satisfied. But this book was so much more than a suspenseful read. I appreciate the author for bringing to light several issues that people shy away from. Jane dealt with early menopause. The book shows its impact on her and her relationships. I was hoping Jane would share her story with the other ladies, to be of help and a spokesperson for others that may be dealing with the same issue. But that would have taken away Lexie’s power to be the villain that she was. The author touched on sexual assault that happen to men. In addition to pointing out that not addressing childhood trauma which, in this case lead to lack of self-confidence and coveting material things that don’t matter, and that don’t belong to you eventually hurting others. And finally giving social media followers a false perspective of reality when in fact the person posting is sad and broken.

Well written and well plotted out – for those that enjoy a good suspense you may want to go ahead and add this to your reading list.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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