Giveaway Winner: The Winter Palace

CONGRATULATIONS to Kirsten winner of  The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak Random.org selected the winners.    Thanks to all who entered the giveaway and thanks for sharing your favorite historical fiction novel – I have lots of titles I will be adding to my tbr list!

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (12.17.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Well, it ended up being a rather productive week – due partly to the fact that…

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Review: Fated by Carly Phillips

Fated by Carly Phillips Penguin Group December 2012 Format: Netgalley ARC e-book First line: Kate Andrews loved a man in uniform. Synopsis from Goodreads: New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips presents a never-before-published novella set in a quaint upstate New York town—where Serendipity’s finest show exactly what they’re made of… Kate Andews is the original rebound girl. But she has had enough and has vowed to never be someone’s…

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Review: The Quilter’s Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Quilter’s Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini Plume April 2000 Format: Paperback, 272 pages First line: Sarah leaned against the brick wall and tried to look comfortable, hoping no one walking by would notice her or wonder why she was standing around in a suit on such a hot day. From the back cover: When Sarah McClure and her husband, Matt, move to Waterford, Pennsylvania, she hopes to make a fresh…

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Review: Hot Six by Janet Evanovich (audio)

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich Read by CJ Critt Recorded Books 2001 Length: 9.5 hours From the back of the audio case: Stephanie Plum, America’s favorite bounty hunter, returns to the streets of Trenton, New Jersey for another rousing adventure. With high-spirited sidekicks like the bizarre Grandma Mazur and ex-hooker Lula, its easy to see why Stephanie’s fan base grows every day.  While trying to make an honest buck apprehending…

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Book Beginnings Friday: Dreams of Joy

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.  Please remember to include the title of the book and the author.  I’m reading Dreams of Joy by Lisa See: The wail of a police siren in the distance tears through my…

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Review: Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr (e-book)

Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr MIRA February 2011 Format: e-book, 400 pages First line: “I need to see you,” Phillip said. Synopsis from B&N: Rising sous-chef Kelly Matlock’s sudden collapse at work is a wake-up call. Disillusioned and burned out, she’s retreated to her sister Jillian’s house in Virgin River to rest and reevaluate. Puttering in Jill’s garden and cooking with her heirloom vegetables is wonderful, but Virgin River is…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (12.10.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. I can’t believe there are only 21 days left in 2012…I have quite a bit of…

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1st Annual Historical Holiday Blog Hop – December 10 – 17 (CLOSED)

This blog hop is hosted by Amy at Passages to the Past This is the first time I am participating in a blog hop and I’m quite excited. I love reading historical fiction and have definitely found my niche – I adore anything Tudor related, but I’ve also become quite enamored with Russian historical fiction, particularly anything to do with Catherine the Great, so my giveaway is for a paperback…

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Review: Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts (audio)

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts Read by Rebecca Lowman Brilliance Audio Length: 15 hours, 10 minutes Synopsis from Goodreads: There’s little else as thrilling as firefighting – at least to Rowan Tripp. The Missoula smoke jumpers are in Rowan’s blood: her father is a legend. She’s been fighting fires since her eighteenth birthday. At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home –…

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Book Beginnings Friday: Rococo

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.  Please remember to include the title of the book and the author.  I’m reading Rococo by Adriana Trigiani: I want you to imagine my house. It’s a classic English country cottage, nestled…

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Review: Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson

Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson Little, Brown and Company November 2012 Format: Hardcover, 400 pages First line: The rear door to St. Anthony’s Church had been left open. From the inside cover: Detective Alex Cross is ripped away from his family on Christmas Eve – but that’s nothing compared to what awaits him on Christmas Day. SILENT NIGHT It’s a snowy Christmas Eve, and Detective Alex Cross is…

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Review: Postcards from the Dead by Laura Childs

Postcards from the Dead by Laura Childs Berkley October 2012 Format: Hardcover,  336 pages First line: A dazzling night filled with gigantic floats, silver beads, dizzying lights, fire-twirling flambeaus, and a crowd that was fueled by too much Dixie Beer and Southern Comfort. From the inside cover: New Orleans is in the throes of another fantastic Mardi Gras celebration when the party gets crashed by a murderer. Now a scrapbooking…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (12.3.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. After a busy couple of weeks, my husband and I headed up to our cabin…

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Month in Review: November 2012

Here are my reading stats for November! Books read:  11 Books I read (reviewed ones have * and link to review; books not yet reviewed will be linked up once review is posted.) Sleep No More* — Iris Johansen The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again*– Nancy Thayer (audio) The Perfect Hope*– Nora Roberts The Lincoln Conspiracy* — Timothy O’Brien Stake & Eggs* — Laura Childs High Five* — Janet Evanovich…

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Stacking the Shelves (25) 12.2.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          For Review: Vets in Love by Cathy Woodman   This looks like a cute, fun story – perfect for the holidays!         Purchased:   The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak   I’ve had my eye on this book for a while and can’t…

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Review: High Five by Janet Evanovich (audio)

High Five by Janet Evanovich Read by CJ Critt Recorded Books 1999 Length: 9.75 hours From the back of the audio case: Find out why Stephanie Plum’s racy, in-your-face New Jersey adventures are attracting a growing number of fans. Join America’s favorite bounty hunter as she scrambles to make an honest living, keep her family happy, and find true love. Desperate for money, Stephanie is trying to apprehend a surly…

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Review: Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs

Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs Berkley November 2012 Format: ARC Paperback, 304 pages First line: Ice pellets blasted the windows of the Cackleberry Club. From the back cover: New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs presents the best way to start your day—with a hearty breakfast and a side of hard-boiled murder. Suzanne, Toni, and Petra found a second life after losing their husbands—opening their own successful business, the…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (11.26.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. So I ended up taking an unplanned break from blogging last week. Between getting ready for…

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Review: The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts

The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts Berkley Trade November 2012 Format: Paperback, 336 pages First line: With a few groans and sighs, the old building settled down for the night. From the back cover: The Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother are breathing new life into the town of Boonsboro, Maryland, by restoring its historic hotel. And they’re finding their own lives revamped by love. This is Ryder’s story… Ryder…

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Stacking the Shelves (25) 11.25.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          Won: The Ruins of Lace by Iris Anthony   I won this from Library of Clean Reads and cannot wait to read it!!!       Purchased: Christmas in High Heels (free e-book) by Gemma Halliday   I have the first in this series and saw…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (11.19.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Unfortunately, I didn’t get too much done this week. I ended up with a massive headache…

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Stacking the Shelves (24) 11.18.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          Purchased: Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson   This is the latest book in James Patterson’s Alex Cross series and I am loving it!   My Kind of Christmas by Robyn Carr I’m almost caught up on the Virgin River series and I’m hoping to…

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Book Beginnings Friday: Merry Christmas, Alex Cross

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.  Please remember to include the title of the book and the author.  I’m reading Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson: The rear door to St. Anthony’s Church had been left open.…

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Review: Sleep No More by Iris Johansen

Sleep No More by Iris Johansen St. Martin’s Press October 2012 Format: Hardcover, 400 pages First line: The kill should be ridiculously easy. From the inside cover: One woman held captive for decades…Another one freed by the truth… Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan knows what it’s like to be haunted by the past.  For years after her daughter Bonnie was stolen from her, she fought for closure.  But now as she’s…

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy O’Brien (CLOSED)

The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy O’Brien Ballantine Books September 2012 Format: Hardcover, 353 pages First line: Rain kept the dust down. From the inside cover: A nation shattered by its president’s murder. Two diaries that reveal the true scope of an American conspiracy. A detective determined to bring the truth to light, no matter what it costs him. From award-winning journalist Timothy L. O’Brien comes a gripping historical thriller that…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (11.12.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Another week has come and gone. I got a lot a walking time in this week…

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Stacking the Shelves (23) 11.11.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          From the Library: The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts   This is the final book in Nora Roberts’ Inn BoonsBoro trilogy and I loved it – review should be up later this week!                 High Five (audio) by Janet…

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Book Beginnings Friday: The Perfect Hope

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.  Please remember to include the title of the book and the author.  I’m reading The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts: With a few groans and sighs, the old building settled down for…

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Review: The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again by Nancy Thayer (audio)

The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again by Nancy Thayer Read by Carrington MacDuffie Random House Audio December 2004 Length: 12 hours From the back of the audio case: The fabulous women from The Hot Flash Club are back in top form, welcoming the stressed-out and pampering-deprived through their discreet spa doors–as Nancy Thayer returns with a witty, sexy, and heartwarming novel. The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again also introduces four…

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Blog Tour and Review: Merry Ex-Mas by Sheila Roberts

Merry Ex-Mas by Sheila Roberts Harlequin Mira October 2012 Format: e-book ARC,  First line: Once in a while, if a woman is really lucky, the perfect day she envisioned turns out to be just that.   Synopsis: Cass Wilkes, owner of the Gingerbread Haus bakery, was looking forward to her daughter Danielle’s wedding—until Dani announced that she wants her father, Cass’s ex, to walk her down the aisle. Seriously? Even…

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Review: Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr (e-book)

Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr Mira Books February 2011 Format: e-book, 368 pages First line: Jillian Matlock was a natural in the business world and her ability to anticipate surprises and challenges was legendary. Synopsis from B&N: Colin Riordan came to Virgin River to recuperate from a horrific helicopter crash, the scars of which he bears inside and out. His family is wonderfully supportive, but it’s his art that…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (11.5.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. What a week! We were very fortunate to make it through Hurricane Sandy with no damage…

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November Monthly Giveaway (CLOSED)

This month there are 4 selections: Return to Rose Cottage By: Sherryl Woods Format: Paperback My review   Dune Road By: Jane Green Format: Hardcover The Apprentice By: Tess Gerritsen Format: Paperback My review By Hook or By Crook By: Betty Hechtman Format: Paperback My review     How to enter:  This contest is open to entries from the U.S. only. The deadline for entry is midnight, November 25th. I…

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Stacking the Shelves (22) 11.4.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          For Review: Merry Ex-Mas (Netgalley e-book) by Sheila Roberts   This is the second book set in Icicle Falls and I’ve already read it – it’s great and my review will be up later this week!           From the Library:   Sleep…

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October Giveaway Winners

It seems that I always forget to announce the winners of the giveaways that I host. So, in an effort to remember to post, I am now going to do one post at the end of each month announcing all the winners for the month. (Of course I am already a little late with announcing giveaway winners from October, but that’s due to Superstorm Sandy!) Now on to the winners:…

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Book Beginnings Friday: Sleep No More

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.  Please remember to include the title of the book and the author.  I’m reading Sleep No More by Iris Johansen: The kill should be ridiculously easy. I waited very patiently for this…

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Month in Review: October 2012

Here are my reading stats for October! Books read:  11 Books I read (reviewed ones have * and link to review; books not yet reviewed will be linked up once review is posted.) I’ve Got Your Number* — Sophie Kinsella (audio) Zoo*– James Patterson Promise Canyon*– Robyn Carr Home to Big Stone Gap* — Adriana Trigiani NYPD Red* — James Patterson Once Upon a Time, There Was You* — Elizabeth…

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Blog Tour, Scavenger Hunt,Review & Giveaway: Run the Risk by Lori Foster (CLOSED)

If you’re coming from the blog tour, welcome! Below you’ll find the final excerpt of Run the Risk.  If this is your first stop on the tour, you’ll need to start from the beginning to get the whole excerpt. Go here, to see the full list of blog tour stops. Run the Risk by Lori Foster Harlequin HQN September 2012 Format: Paperback ARC, 379 pages First line: Pepper Yates felt…

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Review: Fool for Love by Beth Ciotta

Fool for Love by Beth Ciotta St. Martin’s Paperbacks August 2012 Format: Paperback, 368 pages First line: “How many years do you think I’d get for death by Cuisinart?” From the back cover: SHE’S CRAVING A SWEET NEW LIFE…  Call her a fool, but chef-in-training Chloe Madison wants to have her cake and eat it too. So when her boyfriend dumps her for some French tart, she decides to start…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (10.29.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Where did this past week go? Oh, I know – I was crazy busy with work…

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Stacking the Shelves (21) 10.28.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          For Review: Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther   This sounds like it will be an interesting read – it’s set during the 1920’s and is about three women crossing the Atlantic on the SS Paris’s maiden voyage…I’m looking forward to reading this one!  …

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Review: Love Anthony by Lisa Genova (audio)

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova Read by Deborah Messing Simon and Schuster Audio September 2012 Length: 9 hours From the back of the audio case: I’m always hearing about how my brain doesn’t work right…But it doesn’t feel broken to me. Olivia Donatelli’s dream of a “normal” life shattered when her son, Anthony, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Understanding the world from  his perspective felt bewildering, nearly impossible.…

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Review: Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg

Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg Random House March 2011 Format: Hardcover, 280 pages First line: When John Marsh was a young boy, he used to watch his mother getting ready to go out for the evening. From the inside cover: From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Home Safe and The Last Time I Saw You comes a beautiful and moving novel about…

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Fall Into Reading: 1st Question and Update

We are about a month into the Fall Into Reading 2012 hosted by Katrina over at Callapidder Days. This time around, instead of weekly questions, Katrina will post a question periodically. Here’s the first one: Is there an author (or authors) whose books you are always watching for? Do you jump to snatch up the latest literary offering from certain specific authors? In other words, who are your go-to authors?…

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Review: NYPD Red by James Patterson

NYPD Red by James Patterson Little, Brown and Company October, 2012 Format: Hardcover First line: It’s the height of the breakfast rush at the Regency’s world-famous You-Can-Kiss-Our-A**-If-You-re-Not-Rich-and-Powerful dining room. From the inside cover: NYPD Red is a task force whose job is protecting New York City’s richest, most powerful A-list citizens. LIGHTS It’s the start of Hollywood on Hudson, and New York City is swept up in the glamour. Every…

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Review: Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani Ballantine Books October 2007 Format: Paperback, 336 pages First line: As the wind blows through our bedroom window, it sounds like a whistling teakettle. From the back cover: Nestled in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the town of Big Stone Gap has been home for Ave Maria Mulligan Machesney and her family for generations. But with her daughter, Etta, having…

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It’s Monday…What Are You Reading? (10.22.12)

It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Since Bloggiesta at the end of September, I have made a point of trying to stay…

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Stacking the Shelves (20) 10.21.12

  Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week.  Here’s what I got:          For Review: The Lincoln Conspiracy by Timothy O’Brien   This is not my usual type of read, but I am completely intrigued by the title. I will be participating in the tour for this book in November.             Purchased:   To…

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Review: Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr (e-book)

Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr Mira Books January 2011 Format: e-book, 342 pages First line: Clay Tahoma headed into the mountains of Humboldt County, Northern California, along Highway 36, a narrow road that had lots of sharp turns along the way. Synopsis from B&N: After years spent on ranches around Los Angeles, Clay Tahoma is delighted to be Virgin River’s new veterinary assistant. The secluded community’s wild beauty tugs at…

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