# Books Recommended by our Members (June 2011)



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

For the list of recommendations in May, look here:

May Recommendations

If you are an author or publisher, please do not 'recommend' your own books. Instead you may start a discussion/promotion thread in the Book Bazaar.

Generally, this thread is for quick recommendations. You know, you're sitting with a friend at dinner and you say, "Hey, I just finished this book and I think you would love it!" That kind of thing.

If you've got a book review or other site and would like to regularly share reviews with us, we invite you to start a thread in the Book Bazaar for your site and periodically post links to reviews, subject to our posting rules for authors and bloggers.

Also, please use generic links, or, even better, the Link-Maker to make KindleBoards affiliate links. But please do _not_ link through another site. 

Please see Forum Decorum for guidelines.


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## LeonardDHilleyII (May 23, 2011)

I'm currently reading Alan Dean Foster's _The Mocking Program_. So far the dark intrigue keeps you glued to the page.


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## authorandystraka (May 4, 2011)

Great YA novel. When the Whistle Blows by Fran Slayton.


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## StormyKnights (Jun 1, 2011)

Just started a book by Angela Rhodes, The King of Tahirah. About mermaids.


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## grahampowell (Feb 10, 2011)

Just finished DARKNESS AT NOON by Arthur Koestler. Published in 1940, it's the story of a committed communist who begins to doubt the revolution. Not a spoiler: in the first scene he's dragged off to prison. A great book, and a surprisingly quick read for a piece of Literature.

Darkness at Noon: A Novel

Graham


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## Katy (Dec 16, 2010)

I just finished this crime thriller by Martin Cooper and loved it! 
Cold Hillside
A bargain at $2.99


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## heatherjustesen (May 5, 2011)

I've been on a kick lately, totally enjoyed the romance novella "Matchmaker 2.0" by Debora Geary (which is available for free). Also read the first three (of four) of Apprilynne Pike's "Wings" series and I'm anxious for the fourth one to come out, unfortunately, not until next year--it's YA paranormal with fairies. Also, loved Sarah M Eden's clean and hilarious Regency romance, "The Kiss of a Stranger." I always love her stories.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I just finished _A Discovery of Witches_ by Deborah Harkness and it was awesome! The Kindle version is a little pricey but it was so worth it. My only regret in reading it now is that I now have to wait a year for the next in the trilogy.


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## Dan McGirt (Sep 25, 2010)

I just got two by James Rollins this morning. I'm not recommending them in the sense of having read them yet -- but if you're a Rollins fan, you'll want his new SIGMA short story exclusive The Skeleton Key: A Short Story Exclusive (99 cents) and also one of his earlier books, Black Order With Bonus Material is on special at $1.99. The bonus is an excerpt from his newest, (forthcoming) book The Devil Colony. I couldn't resist!


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## BirdOnTheWing (Apr 18, 2011)

While I'm Falling by Laura Moriarty is fantastic.  Loved it.


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## Rhonda Helms (Apr 8, 2011)

Ooooh I just finished Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh. It's sooooo so so so so good.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

For my fellow _Gillian Summers_ *Faire Folk series* lovers, the new book comes out on Wednesday!



The Quicksilver Faire: The Scions of Shadow Trilogy, Book 2


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## jherrick (Apr 1, 2011)

Just finished _The Long WayHome _ by Robin Pilcher. A quick, feel-good read. Enjoyed it. Working on Jonathan Tropper's _The Book of Joe _ now.


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## spiritualtramp (Feb 3, 2011)

Thoroughly enjoying Borrowed Time by Keith Hughes. It's an interesting take on time travel and its repercussions.


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## PJHoover (Jun 9, 2011)

I loved DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth. One of the top three books I've read in the last year.


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## Jessie8622 (Jun 9, 2011)

I recommend Averys Flight by Erika Lee and Divergant by Veronica Ross. Both are in the future and very disturbing - loved them!


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Jessie8622 said:


> I recommend Averys Flight by Erika Lee and Divergant by Veronica Ross. Both are in the future and very disturbing - loved them!


You may want to check Paolo Bacigalupi's http://www.amazon.com/Paolo-Bacigalupi/e/B002BM2TEK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1novels. Also of a disturbing future...great books ! I enjoyed* Ship breaker. *


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## Guest (Jun 9, 2011)

NapCat said:


> You may want to check Paolo Bacigalupi's http://www.amazon.com/Paolo-Bacigalupi/e/B002BM2TEK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1novels. Also of a disturbing future...great books ! I enjoyed* Ship breaker. *


Have you also read The Windup Girl? Is this one any better or worse? I'd be interested to hear more what you think about it.


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## Jason Kristopher (Jun 1, 2011)

Read this one not too long ago, thought it was good.

_Tooth & Nail_, by Craig Delouie


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## Usedtopostheretoo! (Feb 27, 2011)

I recently finished Towards Yesterday by Paul A. Jones. Strong post-apocalyptic, sci-fi thriller. Kept me sneaking away from my duties at home and at work to read my Kindle.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

foreverjuly said:


> Have you also read The Windup Girl? Is this one any better or worse? I'd be interested to hear more what you think about it.


I found "Windup Girl"...deeper and darker than "Ship Breaker" but enjoyed both. "Ship Breaker" is actually classified as YA.
"Pump Six" is an interesting compilation of short stories.

I think we are going to see some interesting work coming from Paolo Bacigalupi.


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## slavetoabunny (Sep 17, 2010)

Are You Positive

I just finished reading this. Excellent book! The Kindle edition is free!


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## sagambino (Jun 11, 2011)

I loved The Infected By Craig DiLouie , Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney, Mort by Rod Redux, The Strain 1&2 by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo Del Toro , Run by Blake Crouch and The Forsaken Boy, a werewolf novel by Troy Tradup. I read about ten books a month and these all really stood out.

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Michelle Muto (Feb 1, 2011)

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich. Yeah, I'm a little behind. But, for those who haven't read any of the Stephanie Plum series - I HIGHLY recommend them. Hilarious! One of my all-time fav series. Fun, fairly quick reads.


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## sagambino (Jun 11, 2011)

sagambino said:


> I loved The Infected By Craig DiLouie , Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney, Mort by Rod Redux, The Strain 1&2 by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo Del Toro , Run by Blake Crouch and The Forsaken Boy, a werewolf novel by Troy Tradup. I read about ten books a month and these all really stood out.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Michelle Muto said:


> Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich. Yeah, I'm a little behind. But, for those who haven't read any of the Stephanie Plum series - I HIGHLY recommend them. Hilarious! One of my all-time fav series. Fun, fairly quick reads.


I read this one a few days ago. I needed a light funny read and Sixteen was just perfect. 
deb


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## Tony Rabig (Oct 11, 2010)

Recently read Kealan Patrick Burke's Empathy and found it to be well-written, genuinely frightening, and one of the creepiest stories I've read in a long time. If you're one of those folks who won't shell out 99 cents for a single short work, make an exception for this one.

Am currently reading some of the stories in his collections Ravenous Ghosts and Theater Macabre. Good stuff. Highly recommended.

Bests to all,
--tr


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## K. E. Hawkins (May 17, 2011)

Nothing scarier than a book about today's bad economy and the possibility of losing all your savings. I found this nonfiction to be informative. It's called Inflation Investing: A Guide for the 2010s, Volume 1, written by Daryl Montgomery.


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## grahampowell (Feb 10, 2011)

I just finished Phillip Kerr's FIELD GRAY yesterday, and found it a really remarkable read.  This is the most recent of Kerr's Bernie Gunther stories, which started out as private eye stories set in pre-WWII Berlin.  The series has changed over time, and this latest entry is more of just a historical novel.  It definitely helps if you've read the earlier novels in the series.  Kerr blends in a lot of history here, and does it pretty seamlessly.

I'm definitely torn about the conclusion of the novel.  Bernie has been jerked around by so many people who use him when it's convenient, and toss him to the dogs when it's not... I just want him to find a little peace, but at the same time I'd hate to see the series end.


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## readingcureall (May 4, 2011)

Chasing Amanda I just finished this authors second book and loved it. It had so many plot twists I really had no idea who the kidnapper was till she revealed it. That rarely happens! I loved how she built the characters and allowed you to get so invested in their lives.


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## Tony Rabig (Oct 11, 2010)

A classic collection of the fantastic, now available on Kindle:



John Collier's FANCIES AND GOODNIGHTS. Worth the price of admission just for the closing line of the story "Over Insurance." Damon Knight once called "The Touch of Nutmeg Makes It" one of the finest short murder mysteries ever written. The Sondheim musical "Evening Primrose" was based on one of the stories in this collection. Tales from this book were adapted for the Alfred Hitchcock tv series and Twilight Zone. You don't want to miss this one; don't take my word for it -- in his intro to the NYRB paperback edition of this book (unfortunately not in the Kindle edition) Ray Bradbury said of Collier: "I can name no other writer in the twentieth century whose work has given me such constant pleasure."


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## brianspringer13 (Apr 24, 2011)

I just finished a book called LOSING THE HATE by Simon Palmer. It's a memoir talking about the authors abuse as a child. Not for all tastes but a powerful, important read. Here's my official review:

In Losing The Hate, Simon Palmer has done something remarkable. He's taken a harrowing, disturbing subject (the story of his abuse as a young child) and made it compulsively readable. He does this with a clear, engaging writing style that takes you back in time, sticks you straight in the middle of the story and allows you a glimpse of what was going on inside his head.

By presenting the material in a straight-forward, lucid manner, he maximizes the impact without getting too graphic. The personal insights scattered throughout the book are of particular notice; by helping explain what he was thinking when these atrocities were occurring, it allows you to see things from his point of view, helping you understand what allowed this terrible situation to proceed in the manner in which it did and garnering quite a bit of empathy for others who may find themselves in the same situation. Hopefully, after reading this book, you will have a clear understanding of how these terrible things can happen, and more importantly, a clear understanding of how to keep them from happening in the future.

The bottom line: Simon Palmer has written an important, meaningful book. He is clearly writing directly from the heart and what he has to say will break yours. The guts it took to put this all down on paper is remarkable and his self-analysis pulls no punches. Throughout the course of the book, he shows a clear awareness of his issues and what needs to be done to counteract them; here's hoping that telling his story to the world will help him sort through them.

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Losing-Hate-Simon-Palmer-ebook/dp/B004BDOV0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1308034602&sr=1-1

Hope you'll check the book out. Thanks.

Springer


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## KJ Kron (Mar 24, 2011)

grahampowell said:


> Just finished DARKNESS AT NOON by Arthur Koestler. Published in 1940, it's the story of a committed communist who begins to doubt the revolution. Not a spoiler: in the first scene he's dragged off to prison. A great book, and a surprisingly quick read for a piece of Literature.
> 
> Darkness at Noon: A Novel
> 
> Graham


Excellent choice. Last summer I read Crime and Punishment - another good read by a Russian author.


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## Paul Jones (Jun 11, 2011)

If you like end-of-the-world/post-apocalyptic thrillers, you should give Steven Konkoly's, The Jakarta Pandemic a try. I just finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it.


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## Bailey Bristol (Mar 22, 2011)

I have discovered that Julie Miller, who has over 40 paperbacks currently in circulation, has just released one of my favorites, IMMORTAL HEART in ebook. It's nicely priced at $2.99. Paranormal Romance.


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## Bailey Bristol (Mar 22, 2011)

This is a beautifully written contemporary romance about two childhood friends who mourn the loss of his wife who was her best friend. Together they guiltily resist the love that begins to blossom between them, but the chemistry is just too great. You really want these two to get together...but I won't tell you if they do...or not. It's only 99 cnts and made me cry AND laugh.


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## karenranney (Oct 27, 2010)

I just read the most wonderful British police procedural - Ice Blue by Emma Jameson. I loved her characterizations and the plot. Highly, highly recommend the book 

Karen Ranney


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## AlexS. (Jun 16, 2011)

I thoroughly enjoyed Verland: The Transformation released on Kindle about a week ago.

A great return to the gothic vampire tradition! It's not a gore/ splatter book at all. Really haunting and thought-provoking...


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## bethtysall (Jun 14, 2011)

'The Shack' by William .P. Young. Beautiful read - the only book that has actually ever made me cry!


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## Claude Nougat (Mar 30, 2011)

Just finished Jennifer Egan's *A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD* - much talked about Pulitzer Prize winner. A difficult book to get into but worth the effort! Difficult because every chapter is written in a different voice from a different character's point of view, and these very vivid snippets of life are not even in chronological order! In spite of this, the book remains with you as an important novel!

If you'd like more of my analysis on this (apart from the review I wrote on the Amazon site) you can find it on my blog. I do think this is a book no writer should miss out on. Everybody talks about the "powerpoint chapter" as being so innovative - and it is - though I'm not sure that too many authors will follow in her footsteps in that direction. But in other ways, yes. I particularly recommend the chapter written from the "you" point of view: a veritable literary tour de force!


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## crossagh (Jun 21, 2011)

I read this book *The Moss Wall  * by Liam Mac an Ghoill on paperback some time ago. I saw it recently on kindle thought it would be fair to say a few words on its behalf. The story is about a 10 year old boy growing up in rural Northern Ireland, but to my surprise the troubles at that time were only mentioned briefly. The book tells the story of mental and physical abuse by the headmaster and fellow pupils, which as a result the boy plays truant. Because of this the school inspector threatens his mother with court, and as a consequence the boy seeks revenge. Overall I found the book to be one of the best works of literature I have ever read. I have been reading for over forty years and I have never found anything save from the classics, with so much life ebbing from the words. The strong human emotions stirred together with myth and reality to present the reader with a strong feeling of satisfaction. The only downside is that in paperback it was only 120 pages long, but the quality of writing makes up for that in more ways than one.


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## StationAgent (Mar 14, 2010)

I'm a bog fan of all of Jon Ronson's books. This one, _The Psychopath Test_, wasn't pure greatness like _Them!_, but it was quite a good read.


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## Tony Rabig (Oct 11, 2010)

By Ann Joslin Williams: THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS, linked stories that together are as rich as a full novel.  Not on Kindle, unfortunately, but her novel DOWN FROM CASCOM MOUNTAIN (next on my list) is available as an ebook.

Ann Joslin Williams is the daughter of the late Thomas Williams, whose National Book Award winner THE HAIR OF HAROLD ROUX has just been released as an ebook.

All well worth your time.


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## MEmery (Jun 23, 2011)

MLPMom said:


> I just finished _A Discovery of Witches_ by Deborah Harkness and it was awesome! The Kindle version is a little pricey but it was so worth it. My only regret in reading it now is that I now have to wait a year for the next in the trilogy.


I read this too and did not know it was a trilogy, and was so disappointed that I had to wait for so long for the next in the series! I was glad to come into the Harry Potter series a little later (book 4) so that I didn't have to wait when I was done with one book.


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## posthocpub (Jun 22, 2011)

_The Moral Landscape_ by Sam Harris is thought-provoking. It's too high-priced for a Kindle book, but I still recommend it. It's an exploration of human morality through the lens of neuroscience. The basic theme of the book is 'does science have anything to say about ethics?'. The author thinks so, and I tend to agree.

My only criticism, which a lot of other reviewers have mentioned, is that the author bases his whole book around a concept he calls 'the well-being of conscious creatures', but he never adequately defines what he means by 'well-being'.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

You read one short story and suddenly you are inundated with more...

Love this one by Nancy Fulda:
http://www.amazon.com/Hexes-Tooth-Decay-Short-ebook/dp/B0057G467A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1309119464&sr=8-4

Very clever. Upbeat, short, entertaining. Take several more along as this one won't take long to read, but will leave a smile on your face.

Next short story:
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Feather-Bright-Heart-ebook/dp/B00558VICQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1309119553&sr=1-1 by Darwin Garrison was a decent read especially if you like epic fantasy. One of the things about epic fantasy is there are always layers--a history if you will. This one is full of past intrigue that must be dealt with and a possible new future. I found the descriptions more detailed than necessary for my tastes. There's some good action scenes and a lot of world building packed into what I'd have to call a "long" short story.


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## Michael Parker (Jun 15, 2011)

I'm two thirds of the way through 'THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO' by Stieg Larson. It's the first of a trilogy, and I intend to read the other two books. Sadly, Larson died of a heart attack when he was fifty (2004). Such a shame for all sorts of reasons.


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## Joseph.Garraty (May 20, 2011)

Sleepless, by Charlie Huston. It's a horrifying plague scenario, yet weirdly touching at the same time, and Huston is simply a great writer. Well worth the time.


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## posthocpub (Jun 22, 2011)

Just finished _Jesus, Interrupted _ by Bart Ehrman. It describes how the 27 books of the New Testament were made canonical in the first 300 years after the death of Jesus. Being a non-religious person, I don't have much knowledge of the Bible, the Koran, or other religious texts, so this book was an eye-opener.

It takes you through the years right after the death of Jesus, when stories about his life were passed through oral tradition in Palestine, where most of his followers were illiterate Aramaic speakers. It then proceeds through the time about a century later, when the first Christian texts appeared, written in Greek. It also covers the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Gnostic gospels.

I found the book very interesting as a historical summary of how the New Testament was compiled. I think both religious and non-religious readers will learn something from it.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

*Guardian Cats and the Lost Books of Alexandria
* is an absolutely delightful read. Magical, Time-Traveling Cats and the Library of Alexandria.

Enjoy !!


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## dabnorfish (Jun 30, 2011)

Probably been mentioned already, but - http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Monster-Calls-ebook/dp/B004Y4AKDU/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

My review as posted on www.dabnorfish.co.uk (I'm nice - I've saved you going over there, although, if you still want to... :shrug:

Without doubt one of the best books I've read in a long, long time. It's a children's book, but not one to be taken lightly, or dismissed. It's about a boy whose mother is suffering with cancer. At night, he is visited by a walking yew tree that is a sort of avatar of the Green Man. The tree tells the boy that he is going to tell him three stories, but that, after that, the boy must tell him his story, a true story. The book switches between the tree telling the boy stories and the boy attempting to deal with his mother's illness, being both bullied and people walking on egg shells around him at school, and his fear that he may have to live with his grandmother, with whom he has little in common. It particularly struck a chord, as last night my grandfather finally succumbed to cancer, and, although the boy and his mother's relationship is a tighter bond than one between a grandson and grandfather, some of the boy's feelings and thoughts were the same and it made me feel better to read that I wasn't alone in thinking them. As a writer of a children's book, it demonstrated to me the quality of writing that it is possible to achieve. The book was originally conceived by Siobhan Dowd and finished by Patrick Ness, whose Chaos Walking trilogy is a great series of young adult books.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

This thread is locked. For July 2011 recommendations, go here:
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,73812.0.html

Betsy
KB Moderator


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