# Books Recommended by our Members (July 2011)



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

For the list of recommendations in June, look here:

June 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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## Kristen Tsetsi (Sep 1, 2009)

I recently read this book and LOVE it. I don't get into deep, deep sci-fi, but I love page-turning, well-written mysteries with a believable sci-fi twist.

In the Time of Man by James C. Moore ($2.99) is AWESOME. He's a NYT bestselling author who, like many are doing, went indie and decided to sell his fiction on Kindle. I'm so happy he did, because it would have taken forever to get access to this book if he'd waited through the traditional publishing process.


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

I am about 33% through Nearly Departed in Deadwood and am loving it. It's a mystery but not the usual type. The main female character is sassy, fun, the men sexy - ugh. I wish Ann Charles had about six books out in the series. So far there are only two.

I keep trying to decide what actress would play a good Violet - Drew Barrymore is in the lead in my mind.

Book one - 


Book two - 


~ Jenna


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## Bren (Jul 2, 2011)

New urban novel released the other day, Bankroll Squad 2: Kyla's Revenge by David Weaver. So I read part 1 Bankroll Squad a year ago and loved it so when I saw the 2nd series I had to pick it up. I actually had to refresh my self with part 1 and when combine with part 2 it blew me away. This new aurthor is pulling out all the stops to get notice for his talent. If you haven't already picked these books up I suggest you do so.


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## tappitytaptap (Mar 3, 2011)

Loved this book by Annie Rayburn! If you like erotic romance with a touch of science fiction and the paranormal, give it a try. Her Crainesian race blends seamlessly into the human race, and her heroines are strong and capable. I hope you'll check it out!


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## shk246 (Mar 6, 2009)

I just read "A Dog's Purpose">  Great for dog lovers.  Told from the dog's perspective.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Just finished _Dead Living_ by Glenn Bullion. I am not normally into zombie books, but Mr. Bullion spins a tale in such a way that I forgot that part. 
I recommend it for anyone who does like that type of book, as well as his first book, _Demonspawn_. Both are $2.99.


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## trevorscott (Jul 4, 2011)

Another good Zombie book is Tooth And Nail by Craig DiLouie.


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## T.M.souders author (Jun 2, 2011)

I'm starting to look for my beach reads.  Any recommendations on something light and entertaining?


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

Hmm...a good beach read?

Well, I've only read the first few pages, but this one looks like it's going to be a hoot (only 99 cents!):



I've been reading something by Lois McMaster Bujold, The Spirit Ring. Although it's set during the Middle Ages (typical for a fantasy, right?), it's not the typical swords and sorcery thing going on. It's set in Italy, in a world where magic is understood as an everyday thing, with a young girl having to deal with her own magic, something that happens to her father, and a young man who just wanted a job with said father. Very good read, so far. ($7.99)


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## Demo (Jun 21, 2011)

Ok so I just read Bankroll Squad 2 by David Weaver. It was great. Things were happening that you wouldn't guess. It had so many unsuspected twist in it that makes you say "Wow where did that come from. I made a mistake and read it before I read part 1 but I will get to it now. I highly recommend this book.


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## JanetMcDonald (Jul 6, 2011)

For a Bargain:
I took a chance on getting a $2.99 Kindle book from someone I've never heard of. I thought the premise sounded interesting and I vaguely remember hearing about this story in the news many years ago. For the first time in a long time, I stayed up until 3 am to finish the book and that is saying something. It's about a hit and run car accident in a small town where this girl traps a man in her garage because she can't deal with what she has done. It has some surreal moments, and has great characters development. It wasn't life changing or anything, but it was fun and fast and interesting - and just three bucks. 
*The Lives of Skeletons:* http://www.amazon.com/The-Lives-of-Skeletons-ebook/dp/B0059JIJIC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309971470&sr=8-1

For a Laugh:
The other book I am recommending right now is When You Are Engulfed in Flames. It is written by David Sedaris - an essayist that I absolutely love. I've read almost all of his books, but for some reason had missed this 2008 release. It's just $9.99 on the Kindle. His humor is dry, sardonic, and even heartbreaking at times. This book just made me fall in love with his essays all over again. 
*When You Are Engulfed in Flames: *http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Engulfed-Flames-ebook/dp/B0013TPV0Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1309971777&sr=1-1

_*Happy reading!!*_


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## CNDudley (May 14, 2010)

Haven't tried David Sedaris yet, Janet, but everyone who reads him loves him.

I've picked up Laurie Fabiano's ELIZABETH STREET because I heard about it on Goodreads, and it's a wonderful page-turner, especially if you're interested in Ellis Island, the immigrant experience, the Mafia, and so on. She based the tale on her great-grandmother's life. Unfortunately it's $7.56 on Kindle, but so worth it!


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm only halfway through this book, but I am so in love with it I have to share...


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## MJFredrick (Jun 20, 2011)

I really enjoyed the latest Shannon Stacey book, Yours to Keep, a sexy contemporary romance.http://amzn.com/B004XVSVQW

If you like romantic suspense, the best I've read this summer is Abducted by T.R. Ragan.


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## Casper Parks (May 1, 2011)

Just finished Summers' Horses by Ralph Cotton, great read. One of the best western authors since Louis L' Amour.

http://www.amazon.com/Summers-Horses-ebook/dp/B004R1R1UU/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_ke?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310330495&sr=1-1


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2011)

I'll toss out a mention for Doors to Canellin, a new YA fantasy novel that for me bears a strong resemblance to Bridge to Terebithia, which I definitely enjoyed. I'm mid-way through now and confident that the story'll bring me home to a strong finish.


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## boydm (Mar 21, 2009)

I loved WIRED by Douglas Richards so much that I gave him an endorsement. I highly recommend this fast-paced, high-concept thriller, and it's only $0.99. Here's what I wrote about it:

"A keep-you-up-all-night thriller. Intense action, mind-blowing concepts, & breathtaking twists. Enjoy the ride."


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## Glenn Bullion (Sep 28, 2010)

intinst said:


> Just finished _Dead Living_ by Glenn Bullion. I am not normally into zombie books, but Mr. Bullion spins a tale in such a way that I forgot that part.
> I recommend it for anyone who does like that type of book, as well as his first book, _Demonspawn_. Both are $2.99.


I am SO glad you liked them Intinst 

I recently reread Death Has a Name by Jerry Hanel. Awesome story, and the sequel should have been out six months ago.


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## davidhburton (Mar 11, 2010)

For the scifi fans out there I just finished the last of the WWW trilogy by Robert J. Sawyer. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!


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## BellaStreet (Apr 15, 2011)

I've got this on my wishlist: My Life As A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland.


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## WriterCTaylor (Jul 11, 2011)

Kristen Tsetsi said:


> I recently read this book and LOVE it. I don't get into deep, deep sci-fi, but I love page-turning, well-written mysteries with a believable sci-fi twist.
> 
> In the Time of Man by James C. Moore ($2.99) is AWESOME. He's a NYT bestselling author who, like many are doing, went indie and decided to sell his fiction on Kindle. I'm so happy he did, because it would have taken forever to get access to this book if he'd waited through the traditional publishing process.


Based on what you say I'm going to purchase this book. I am not into the deep sci-fi either, but I do enjoy this type of story.


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## Joseph.Garraty (May 20, 2011)

Just finished _Juliet, Naked_, by Nick Hornby, and I strongly recommend it. It's about a woman at the end a long relationship, and a musician who hasn't been able to make music for twenty years, and it's a great story about life not going as planned.


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## Joseph.Garraty (May 20, 2011)

davidhburton said:


> For the scifi fans out there I just finished the last of the WWW trilogy by Robert J. Sawyer. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!


I second that. The conclusion of a great story.


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## Tracy Sharp (Jul 13, 2011)

L.A Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker. Fantastic! But everything he writes is phenomenal


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## joshtremino (Jul 31, 2010)

I'm reading Mira Grant's novel, Deadline. Freaking awesome zombie book.


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## kae (May 3, 2010)

For a retro mystery, NIGHT MEDICINE is very good. Set in 1940s Milwaukee.
The Third in the Lt. Joe Sonntag mysteries.


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## Tracy Sharp (Jul 13, 2011)

The Dennis Lehane Patrick and Angie series. I read them every couple of years. Outstanding!


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## erikhanberg (Jul 15, 2011)

I think one of the best "Beach Read" books I've read in a long time was The Hunger Games trilogy. Hooks you early on and doesn't stop. (And I'm a 31 year old male, so I'm not even in the target audience.)


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## Trish McCallan (Jul 16, 2011)

T.M.souders said:


> I'm starting to look for my beach reads. Any recommendations on something light and entertaining?


I just finished Denise Grover Swanks 28 and 1/2 wishes. It would make a perfect beach read. It's an entertaining combination of quirk and mystery with wonderful characters. She had me laughing out loud in several places. Rose is one of the funniest heroine's I've read in well, for just about forever.

Highly recommend it.


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

I just finished read Mind Cafe by Lizzy Ford. Whoa. This short story was very moving and brought me to tears in a few spots. It could be because I've lost loved ones recently... Not sure.

It's a short of less than 5000 words and is still free on Kindle.



~ Jenna


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## Tracy Sharp (Jul 13, 2011)

Anything by Lee Child, if you like thrillers. Fantastic stuff!


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

Tracy Sharp said:


> Anything by Lee Child, if you like thrillers. Fantastic stuff!


Lol I'm scared to try. My friend lost the entire month of June to Lee Child's Jack Reacher series.


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## Tessa Apa (Apr 8, 2011)

JennaAnderson said:


> I just finished read Mind Cafe by Lizzy Ford. Whoa. This short story was very moving and brought me to tears in a few spots. It could be because I've lost loved ones recently... Not sure.
> 
> It's a short of less than 5000 words and is still free on Kindle.
> 
> ...


thanks for the recommendation - I just got it


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## nigel p bird (Feb 4, 2011)

One Too Many Blows To The Head has been on my must read pile for a while and I finally got around to it while we were away.

Their book is sublime.

Set in the boxing world of 1939/40 it follows the lives of two characters, Ray Ward and Detective Dean Fokoli.  They take alternate chapters to give their first-person accounts of what happened after the slaying of Ray's brother Rex in the ring.

Essentially Rex has been set up and Ray needs to get revenge.  Fokoli is the man charged with the responsibility of cleaning up the mess to avoid a war between the mobs of Chicago and Kansas City.

Their lives that have strong parallels, though for now they seem to be working in reverse order.  Ray has spent his whole life on the boxing scene and has always tried to be as good as he could; it's only with the death of his brother that he releases the demons he's kept buried.  Fokoli, on the other hand, has spent his working life on the take, a cop in the pockets of the mob; it's only in recently that he has seen the light and has turned his back on corruption and back-handers.

Not that it really matters which way these guys try to go, for it seems inevitable that they're both completely on the skids whatever happens.

It's a simple idea, I suppose, but it's so brilliantly written that every page is a joy.  I had the need to race through the plot and yet to savour the language and the atmosphere created at one and the same time.  Somehow I think I was able to do both.

I rate it so highly because it picks many of my soft spots and exploits them with sucker punches.

The two main guys are tough men.  Macho guys who can fell a sturdy opponent with a solid blow or a well-placed knee.  Their lives are messed up, their loyalties strong (if sometimes misplaced), they speak in quips and lurk in shadows.  

They're supported by a list of characters who play their parts perfectly.  Seedy landlords, drunken bums, prostitutes, victims, bartenders, cops and robbers all bring an array of shades to the piece.

It has one of the best atmospheres and scenes that I've come across in a good while.  In my head it was all black and white like the films of the time.  I could smell the rings and the gyms, I kid you not, had a sense of the racial tensions and segregation, felt the blows as they came in, understood the need to start the day with a shot of the hard stuff.  I was with them every step of the way and loved the journey they took me on.

Strung throughout, like pearls on a string, are the boxing tips of Ray's father (all the philosophies Ray has seem to come from boxing):

'Pop always told us that if you get into a fight outside the ring, you don't want to play it for the decision.  You hit that guy until he goes down and you hit him so he'll stay down.  Only thing worse than a guy who is pissed off to come at you in the first place is a guy who's doubly pissed because now you hit him.'

and sharp lines:

'There was a dead plant in a pot by the window.  I figured it for a suicide.'

or:

'Memory lane is a dangerous street to walk down.'

and they use objects to tell a story with a simply turned phrase:

'I banged on the window with my wedding ring.  It was still good for something.'

The book's a collaboration between two people who haven't actually met.  How they produced something so seamless is impossible to tell.  I looked for the joins and couldn't spot a single one. What I know they managed was to cut out any waste and perfected their use of words as they worked.  If collaboration is this good, then I'm going to try getting in touch with some of my hidden personalities to see what we can come up with.

It's a book that might well have turned out as a painting-by numbers exercise; instead these guys have produced a masterpiece.  

An absolute gem.


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## JulesVerne (Jul 20, 2011)

'Timeline' is a great book by the late author Michael Crichton. I know the book been around for a while but I usually read it once a year.


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman

Sequel to IF I STAY. I liked it a bit better than IIS, actually, although the ending is a little too tidy. But they're both great reads for anyone who likes contemporary YA. Thoughtful, but not downers.


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## djgross (May 24, 2011)

If you like historical fiction, I enjoyed White Seed: The Untold Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Paul Clayton ($2.99 Kindle). White Seed was recommended as my read in the Quasi-Official July Book Reading Game (very fun, if you haven't played). I thought the author did an outstanding job of weaving historical figures into the narrative as well as putting forward a believable resolution for the members of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.



Other books I've recently read that I would recommend:

Fallen (Karin Slaughter)
The American Heiress (Daisy Goodwin)
Deadline (Mira Grant) - which has already gotten a mention 

Happy Reading!

DJ


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## lcook0825 (Jul 16, 2010)

I am presently reading The Complete Mackenzie Collection by Linda Howard. It is a very good collection of 4 books.


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## Tim C. Taylor (May 17, 2011)

I've just enjoyed _Kings of Eternity _ by Eric Brown



At one level it's a bit like an old-fashioned scientific romance of the early twentieth century. Although it's got a bit of stiff upper lip to it (kind of Sherlock Holmes encounters an alien portal), underneath is a poignant story of loss and isolation and love and hope. In other words, beneath a veneer of science fiction that could have been written in the 1930s, this is about people much more than plot.

Different and recommended.

Tim


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson. Absolutely beautiful writing, and a compelling story to boot.



At first I thought it was going to be a typical contemporary YA (quirky bookworm protag, crazy grandma, perfect gorgeous new boy, etc.), but the lyrical prose and unexpected imagery really elevate the book to a new level. It's about grief and love and how painfully intertwined they are. I can't wait for more from this author.


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## nigel p bird (Feb 4, 2011)

If you saw Lawrence Block's comments over at Do Some Damage, you'll understand me when I say that Moses McGuire is a man with `inclusions'. Lots of inclusions. 

Moses is the bouncer at a pole-dancing club. He's big, strong, professional, the butt of the dancers' jokes and maybe takes his job a little too seriously at times. 

When we meet him in `Out There Bad', he's having a bad day at the office. The girls are laying bets on who can persuade him to sleep with him and it's all quiet on the Western Front. 

It's different out on the parking lot. Seeing one of the girls in the car of a rich boy and performing acts that go beyond a shiggle round a pole, Moses steps in. The rich kid has more money than sense. Talks back to Moses. Moses gets rid of some of his pent up anger by beating him into the dust. It costs him his job and starts things ticking over in his mind about the activities of the Russian girls. 

When he meets another Russian, Anya, and falls off his wobbly wagon, things become interesting. 

It sets in motion a series of events that mean any readers will need to fasten their seat belts and prepare for a lot of bumpy terrain. 

The Russian girls are holed up in some hostel from hell and Moses decides to free Anya from them. 

Believe it or not, the Russians don't like it. Worse, they're powerful gangsters who it would normally take an army to shake down. 

Our man may be an ex-soldier, but he's not one to trust many others. He teams up with his one man force, enlists the help of a journalist and sets off to free Anya's sister from a life on the game. 

It will help, later on, that his newest Ally is to be one of the biggest killers of Russians since Stalin. Mikayla reminded me a little of Lisbeth Salander (Millenium trilogy), although instead of a taser gun, this lady has a razor with which she slashes necks with ease. With her one breast and scarred face and a gripe against the pimps who've stolen so many of her nation's beautiful women, she's on a mission of revenge. She also carries round a pack of Tarot cards, but there's only ever one future for the men she encounters. 

From early on, this book explodes into action. Stallings moves us on at a cracking pace and I'm pretty sure this one has got the lot. Sex, sleaze, car-chases, hand-to-hand, drugs, an arsenal of weapons, gangsters, assassins and booze. 

It's quite something that during all of this fiery action the characters and their motivations can be so well-understood, which is where I thing the author's skill can be clearly seen. I cared a great deal for all these guys, which made it so much more addictive as a ride because there was never any way all of them were going to get out of there alive. 

Don't read this if you like sedate stories, hate violence or want to get yourself an early night. 

If none of the above, read when you can. 

(ps Moses, no way is Give Em Enough Rope the best Album from the Clash.  Want to make something of it?)


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## hakimast (Jul 23, 2011)

I recommend Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A Heinlein.


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## Ilyria Moon (May 14, 2011)

Just finished reading this for the second time. Excellent writing, great characterization, and I related to the subject matter in many ways.



Product Description
In 1973 "crazy" Holly unexpectedly falls in love with Trevor, a roadie for a famous English rock band. From the moment they meet, dreams of marriage, children, and a normal life are suddenly - finally - within Holly's grasp.

Trevor takes her with him on tour and introduces her to the very "un-normal" backstage world of Rock and Roll. When she walks onto the band bus, she becomes part of a colorful, exciting adventure in a world completely different from the life that awaits her back home, where she chases cockroaches with a shoe, works at a low-paying job, and sleeps to escape the hunger.

Unfortunately, Holly has a secret. Plagued by panic attacks, periodic rages, and depression, she needs to learn why her mentally ill mother committed suicide, long ago, so she can save herself. Thus far, she has found no answers. She must conceal her symptoms from Trevor in order to keep him, but as their relationship becomes progressively more serious, her illness becomes increasingly more difficult to hide.

This sly and darkly humorous novel won the silver medal in the Living Now Book Awards under its original title, ALL TORC'D UP.

Caution: Some strong language.


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## BRONZEAGE (Jun 25, 2011)

Three great historical novels -- 
_An Atlas of Impossible Longing_, by Anurahda Roy, set in 20th c. India;

_Noah's Wife_, by T.K. Thorne, set at circa 5000 BCE;

and _J--The Woman Who Wrote The Bible _ ( not on Kindle), by Mary Burns, set around 1600 BCE.

Next to read: _On Canaans' Side_, by Sebastian Barry, because it has been nominated for a Booker prize; set in 19th/early 20th c. America.


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## Music &amp; Mayhem (Jun 15, 2010)

I'm currently reading The Night Spider by John Lutz and I gotta tell ya, this guy never disappoints me. Interesting protagonists and creepy killers with real depth, fleshed out in imaginative ways.


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