review

Audiobook Review & Giveaway: Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

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Author: L.M. Montgomery

Narrator: Colleen Winton

Length: 9 hours 5 minutes

Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press

Series: Anne of Green Gables, Book Two

Genre: Classics

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Following Anne of Green Gables (1908), this book covers the second chapter in the life of Anne Shirley. We learn of Anne’s doings from the age of 16 to 18, during the two years that she teaches at Avonlea school. It includes many of the characters from Anne of Green Gables, as well as new ones: Mr. Harrison and his foul-mouthed parrot, Miss Lavendar Lewis, Paul Irving, and the twins Dora (sweet and well behaved) and Davy (mischievious and in constant trouble). Anne matures, slightly, but she gets into a number of her familiar pickles, as only Anne can: She accidentally sells her neighbor’s cow (having mistaken it for her own), gets stuck in a broken duck house roof while peeping into a pantry window, and more.

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Amazon  ●  Audible  ●  Post Hypnotic Press

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➜Use the code Anne_VT17 to get 35% off downloads and CDs from Post Hypnotic Press.

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Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942) was a Canadian author best known Anne of Green Gables and the series of novels that book begins. The “Anne” of the books is Anne Shirley, an orphaned girl who comes to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on their farm, Green Gables. Published in 1908, the book was an immediate success in Canada, the United States and beyond. It has been adapted multiple times to screen, stage, radio, and TV.

Anne Shirley made Montgomery famous in her lifetime and gave her an international following. Anne of Green Gables was ranked number 41 in “The Big Read,” a survey of the British public by BBC to determine the “nation’s best-loved novel” (not children’s novel!). And a survey conducted by School Library Journal (USA) in 2012 ranked Anne of Green Gables number nine among all-time children’s novels.
Anne of Green Gables was followed by a series of sequels with Anne as the central character. Montgomery published 20 novels as well as 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays in her lifetime. Her work, diaries and letters have been read and studied by scholars and readers worldwide. Mostly set in Prince Edward Island and locations within Canada’s smallest province, the books made PEI a literary landmark and popular tourist site. Montgomery was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1935.
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Narrator Bio

Colleen is a Vancouver actor, singer, dancer, director and choreographer…and now a narrator. Her career has taken her all over the country and includes the Stratford, Shaw and Charlottetown Festivals, the original Canadian companies of CATS and Show Boat, extensive film/TV credits, and numerous directing/choreographing credits. Her stage work has been honoured with numerous nominations and a Jessie and Ovation award and she received a cultural award given by her local Chamber of Commerce. She was especially pleased to have recorded the works of L.M. Montgomery for Post Hypnotic Press just before she embarked on a production of the musical Anne of Green Gables at Theatre Calgary in which she plays Marilla Cuthbert.

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I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Post Hypnotic Press. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Somehow, I missed reading these classics when I was younger so I jumped at the chance to listen to the series. I enjoyed Anne of Green Gables and was able to start listening to Anne of Avonlea right away which makes it extra nice.

Anne of Avonlea is about Anne’s life after she gets out of school and instead of going to college she decides to stay at Green Gables with Marilla who needs her. She teaches school and is a very good teacher. But Anne is still Anne and she gets herself into situations on occasion. My favorite was when she climbed on top of an old duck house to see inside someone’s home and she fell through! 

I love Anne’s personality. She still has daydreams but she has matured some and she has friends young and old. She’s a responsible and caring young lady and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens as she matures. Are she and Gilbert going to end up together?

Colleen did an impressive job of narrating both the children’s and adult’s voices. Some of the adults sounded pretty much the same like Marilla and Mr. Harrison, but since they were never engaged in a conversation, it didn’t matter.

Anyone young or old who hasn’t read Anne of Green Gables series yet, should take the time to read it. I’m looking forward to listening to Anne of Isle next.

 

 

Anne of Green Gables Giveaway: Three Winners
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Book Review: Doctor-in-Law by Mandy Lou Dowson

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24718417Title: Doctor-in-Law

Author: Mandy Lou Dowson

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction

Publication Date: December 13, 2015

 

About the Book

What do you do when the therapist you attend to help alleviate your guilt, just makes you feel worse? When he’s the brother-in-law you’ve always lusted after, and you’re the reason his wife is dead…suddenly things become so much more complicated.

Alexis celebrates her twenty first birthday by having the most passionate encounter of her young life. Serendipity brought them together, and the cruel hand of Fate tore them apart. Alexis is further devastated when two years later she is introduced to her sister’s fiancé and finds herself face to face with the one that slipped away – Doctor Joshua Cain.

Fighting their feelings for each other, each trapped by the ropes that bind them, twisting and tightening with every desire.
To a boy who grew up fatherless, family is everything.
To a girl who loves her family, loyalty is everything.
But both are only human and soon Fate reminds them that sometimes, you can’t fight what’s meant to be.

Loose lips sink ships, and when secrets are spilled, tragedy tests their family to breaking point.
Thrown together in grief, they must rely on each other to get through the day, through the guilt, through the future.
Is blood always thicker than water?
Is their love stronger than their guilt?
Can the pieces of two fractured souls make a whole person?

 

My Review

I received this book as a beta reader.

Doctor-in-Law starts with a bang when Joshua and Alexis have a one night stand in a bar bathroom. They can’t get each other out of their minds but she lost his phone number so that was the end of it, or so they thought.

There is so much drama, sexual tension, and personal loss in this book that my heart ached for Alexis and Joshua. It was easy to become attached to both of them because the author does a good job at developing the characters. Yes, they made some poor choices but they were understandable choices for the most part.

Anyone who likes women’s fiction will definitely like Doctor-in-Law. Don’t let the sexual escapade at the beginning scare you off!

Available on Amazon.

 

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About the Author

(from Goodreads)

8450633Mandy Lou Dowson was born and raised in a small town in Ireland, in 1983. Family is a huge deal to Mandy. She has three wonderful children, and two dogs – a Siberian Husky who only does what she’s told if there’s something in it for her, and a little white Pomeranian who loves nothing better than to roll in mud, or worse.
In her spare time, she likes to relax with a few glasses of wine and some karaoke. She has a keen interest in special effects make-up and is part of a dramatical society which puts on one show and one concert each year.
Mandy started reading at quite a young age and her appetite for the written word has only increased with time. It would not be at all surprising to find her reading anything and everything from shampoo bottles to Edgar Allan Poe.

Book Review: Expertus by Holly Lauren

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12-7-2014 7-13-47 PMTitle: Expertus         

Author: Holly Lauren

Genre: Epic Fantasy/Science Fiction

Length: 362 & 358 pages

Release Date: 2014

 

About the Book: 

In the second installment of The GenEx Saga, high school senior Chapel Ryan continues to learn more about Tempus—the genetic exception she possesses that allows her to manipulate energy. Chapel’s worlds collide when a threat meant for her endangers someone she loves. In her search for answers and retribution, Chapel unravels mysteries surrounding the GenEx world that places her life in more peril than ever before.

Chapel thought finding out that her father was actually alive would be the biggest shock of her life. As it turns out … she was wrong.

Review:

I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.

I read Tempus, the first book in the GenEx Saga so I was excited to read and review the second book, Expertus. I was not disappointed. It was difficult to put the book down. I had a bad case of “just one more chapter” while reading this book.

Holly Lauren’s fantasy world is described well and it’s interesting to learn what gifts the different GenExes possess. 

The characters are well developed. I did have to keep reminding myself that Chapel is only 18 years old, and even though she’s special, she still has a lot of maturing to do. The love story of Chapel and Zay  continues but they face many difficulties because they’re not “normal” and have more responsibilities than normal teens.

Expertus is a great read. It has a lot of drama and several twists. I do recommend reading Tempus first, though. 

 

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About the Author:

3-1-2014 7-29-40 PMHolly was born and raised in a small town in North Georgia. The third of four children, Holly grew up telling stories to get herself out of—and her siblings into—trouble. When she was eight years old, she penned her first publication: a newspaper called Sunny Dayz News. While she didn’t sell any actual copies, her sympathetic grandmother did peruse through the edition at least once.

When Holly isn’t dreaming up new plotlines for her next book, she enjoys breakfasting at Picnic Café in Dahlonega, Georgia with her (handsome) husband and their two (adorable) daughters.

 

WEBSITE: http://hollylaurenwrites.wordpress.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/hollylauren.writes?fref=ts

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/_HollyLauren  

Book Review: Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts by John & Elizabeth McIntosh

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10-19-2014 7-39-40 PMTitle: Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts
Author: John & Elizabeth McIntosh
Publisher: GP Mx Solutions P/L
Pages: 283
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
Format: Paperback

Purchase at AMAZON

Doctor John McIntosh and Rev. Elizabeth McIntosh, authors of an important new book, MASTERING NEGATIVE IMPULSIVE THOUGHTS, use “nits” as both an acronym for their book’s title and as an analogy for the clearly unhealthy effects of negative thinking. 

“Negative thoughts occur impulsively, so that is why they are Negative Impulsive Thoughts, or NITs, for short,” the authors say. “The nice analogy is that nits are also head lice and both (nits and NITs) are irritating, contagious, hard to recognize, hard to eliminate, breed fast, and spread like an epidemic.” 

Unlike other, similar books that claim to have a magic route to happiness and health, MASTERING NEGATIVE IMPULSIVE THOUGHTS is based on solid clinical research, say the authors, who together have extensive experience in general medicine, medical research, and holistic health/wellness practices.

Review:

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts is a self help book that explains how to change your life by changing the way you think. According to Dr. John and Elizabeth McIntosh, you are completely responsible for your own life and where you are now. I agree with this 100%.

Of course, there are terrible events that you can’t control but you can control your response to them. A good example of this is after the May 2011 tornado in Joplin. We lost our store and so many people told us how sorry they were and that they’d be devastated. My husband’s response every time was that it was only “stuff,” that no one was hurt, and we still had a home to go to which many people no longer had. His response could have been negative but his positive response helped make that period of time easier for our family to deal with.

This book offers questions you can ask yourself to identify NITs and action on how to change them to positive thoughts. It even has a chart on suggestions of how to change them. It also explains how to deal with NITs in all aspects of life.

I have always believed that we can control our lives with our thoughts so I recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to learn to be happier with their lives.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Bastard’s Brew by Gillian Felix

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4-24-2014 8-10-59 PM

4-24-2014 8-10-13 PMTitle: Bastard’s Brew (Family Portrait vol. 3)

Author: Gillian Felix

Synopsis: 

When L’Wren’s ex-boyfriend Jeff suddenly disappears, she turns to Kevin to help her find him. With one phone call, Kevin makes sure that Jeff stays hidden and that L’Wren’s heart is broken, leaving the door open for Kevin to pursue her. But Kevin is not as free as L’Wren thinks; she is in the dark about his affair with her stepmother, Savi. Savi constantly reminds Kevin of his devious ways and uses their secret to keep him as her toyfriend.

 “You don’t deserve to be loved, and you don’t deserve to be happy. You and I are the same … we’re broken inside. Everything we touch, we destroy. We don’t get happily ever after … we don’t get to ride off into the sunset. You know who gets that? L’Wren … she gets it, she gets the guy, and she deserves a decent guy.”- Savi

 Kevin desires to be the man that L’Wren deserves, but before he can assume the role of white knight, he brews one last plan to get rid of Savi for good. Will L’Wren, the innocent victim in their twisted game, become a casualty?

 Kevin may have sold his body to the devil in stilettos, but he’d be damned if he let her have his heart.

 Suitable for adults 18+

Review:

I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Family Portrait series. I’d read the first two books, Changes and The Banovic Siblings, and couldn’t wait for the third one to see what happened with everyone. These books are like a soap opera and you never know what is going to happen next!

As the series progresses, the reader gets to know the characters better and better. I felt like book #1 was an introduction to the characters, book #2 had several revelations about the characters and their relationships, and book #3 is a continuation of the characters’ stories.

I really enjoy these books and Gillian Felix’s style of writing. I’m looking forward to reading her next book.

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Autographed copy of Bastard’s Brew

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Author Bio

10-24-2013-5-04-55-pm I have been writing since I was old enough to hold a pencil. I enjoy creating characters that could be your next-door neighbor, but would you want them as your neighbor is another story.

 Originally from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, I moved to the United States in 1998. Since then I have been involved in the entertainment industry for over ten years.

I am an entrepreneur and advocate for women and children’s rights and I enjoy being in nature and volunteering.

 

Contact the Author

Website: http://www.plaintalkbm.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyPortraitNovels

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/GillianFx

Follow on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/gillianfx/family-portrait-novels/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gillianfx


Book Review: Hair of the Corn Dog by A. K. Turner

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Tour Page

2014-04-10_16-20-55Title: Hair of the Corn Dog
Genre: Humor
Author: A.K. Turner
Publisher: Fever Streak Press
Pages: 220
Format: Hardcover/Kindle

About the Book: 

In the latest laugh-out-loud confessional from A.K. Turner’s “Tales of Imperfection” series, the author of This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store and Mommy Had a Little Flask relates her adventures on the Jersey Shore, at an Idaho drag show with her in-laws, and surviving the perils of an elementary school ice-cream social with equal parts wit and heart. The laughter pairs well with two parts cocktail.

 

Buy the Book at Amazon.

 

Review:

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

A.K. Turner is a great storyteller. She relates stories about her family and life with humor and honesty. This is the third book in the “Tales of Imperfection” series but it’s the first book I’ve read by this author. I plan on going back and reading her other two books in this series because I really enjoyed this one.

I definitely recommend Hair of the Corn Dog to anyone who is looking for a funny, quick read. Just be sure you’re somewhere that you don’t have to be quiet because you may find yourself laughing out loud.

 

About the Author: 

2014-04-10_16-20-14A.K. Turner is the author of This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store, Mommy Had a Little Flask, and Hair of the Corn Dog, as well as a co-author of Drinking with Dead Women Writers and Drinking with Dead Drunks. Her work has been featured in various publications and anthologies, including Folio Literary Magazine, Leave the Lipstick, Take the Iguana, and I Just Want to Be Alone. A former writer-in-residence and creator of “The Writers’ Block” on Radio Boise, she lives in Idaho with her exceedingly tolerant husband and two daughters.

 Learn more at AKTurner.com.

 

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Book Review: Broken Family by Kevin Hopson

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2014-04-07_14-42-49About the Book: 

Sheriff Joseph Mauro is summoned to a local lake in Stone County, having received a report of a dead woman along the water’s shore. With foul play a possibility, he utilizes the help of his two female deputies in questioning family members and friends. As the three of them search for clues and possible motives, the case takes an unexpected turn, and Sheriff Mauro must rely on his instincts if he is going to weed out the killer.

 

 

Review:

I received a free ecopy of this novella for an honest review.

Broken Family is a short murder mystery. It was easy to get into it, it was a quick read, and I enjoy Kevin Hopson’s writing style. I think if this had been a novel I would have enjoyed it just as much.

There wasn’t time to develop the characters too much but I was still able to get a sense what each of the characters was like. I did wonder about the point of the very end…if the author just threw that in for fun or if I missed something somewhere (that’s all I want to say because I don’t like spoilers). Anyone who likes murder mysteries will like this story…and for those who don’t have much time, this is a quick read.

 

2014-04-07_14-43-13About the Author

 Prior to hitting the fiction scene in 2009, Kevin Hopson was a freelance writer for several years, covering everything from finance to sports. His debut work, World of Ash, was released by MuseItUp Publishing in the fall of 2010. Kevin has released several other books through MuseItUp since then, and he has also been published in various magazines and anthology books. Kevin’s writing covers many genres, including dark fiction and horror, science fiction, and crime fiction.

 

You can visit Kevin’s blog at www.kevin-hopson.blogspot.com.

 

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Book Review: The Movement of Crowns by Nadine C. Keels

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 17909380Title: The Movement of Crowns

 Author:  Nadine C. Keels

 Genre:  Historical Fiction

 Publisher:  CreateSpace

 Description (from Goodreads): 

At the point when kingdoms’ ideas of humanity differ…
The nation of Diachona is celebrating the twentieth birthday and rite of passage for Constance, the Diachonian king’s daughter and heir. Yet, the pause for festivity doesn’t erase collective doubts about Constance’s aspiration for a place with the men on the National Council, nor does it eliminate fears roused by oppressive threats from a neighboring, powerful empire. Amid increasing rumors of war and personal misgivings about her own future, Constance deems this an inopportune time to be falling in love with one Commander Alexander. Will Providence keep them all through international tensions and the changing of times, or is Diachona watching its territory in vain?

Review:

I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.

The Movement of Crowns had some interesting parts but overall it was a pretty slow read. There were pages and pages of description where nothing happened and then when something important did happen, such as the first few meetings between Constance and Alexander, it was a quick dialogue and not much was described in the way of thoughts and/or feelings during the meetings. The last few chapters did pick up and I did enjoy the ending.

The characters were not as well developed as they could have been. I did like that Constance was so independent. One thing that I found unrealistic was how the queen was mentally incapacitated for so many years and then was suddenly so much better. 

I did find the Mundayne part of the story interesting as well as humorous at times.  

Now available on Amazon.

Review: Dark Luminance by E.M. McDowell

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2014-03-17_10-21-572014-03-17_10-20-11

Title: Dark Luminance

Author: E.M. McDowell

Genre: Science Fiction

Description:

Quantum energy. Unlimited power. Humanity’s salvation. 

The Frameway Project promises all of this and more, and Mackland Luther is guiding the project to its final culmination. On the eve of what promises to be their biggest breakthrough, Mackland and his friends, Billy and Sean, prepare the test that will provide the almost limitless power needed to take the human race into the future. 

Initial success and excitement quickly turn to horror as the Frame goes out of control, ripping Mackland and his friends from their world and depositing them in a world that is completely different yet strangely familiar. Along with Lily, a hard-charging security guard that was caught by the Frame along with them; and Grizzly, a rough yet gentle survivalist they meet in this new world, Mack and his friends must figure out some way to understand and undo whatever brought them here if they ever want to return to their own world. 

But first they must survive an increasingly dangerous world full of undead drug addicts, giant mutants, and a relentless telepathic madman who will do anything to get his hands on the Frame for his own purposes.

Review:

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

Dark Luminance is science fiction with a lot of action. It did get slow near the beginning because it got pretty technical when explaining the Frame but other than that it was nonstop action.

E.M. McDowell’s writing is easy to follow and the story flowed well. I liked his descriptions because they gave me a good picture without being too wordy. This book is graphic, though, so I wouldn’t recommend it for younger readers.

The characters were interesting and I felt like I got to know Lily and Mack pretty well. Hopefully there will be more about their friends in the next book…I’m guessing there will be another book based on the ending. As for the zombies, I’ve never understood their appeal but they were described well (yuck!).

If you like science fiction, zombies, and a lot of action then you’ll like Dark Luminance.

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About the Author:

Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, E.M. McDowell first started writing in high school, consisting primarily of sappy poems aimed at impressing girls. A four year stint in the Marine Corps pushed literary endeavors to the background, where they remained for the next twenty-odd years, until they were uncovered by a mild mid-life crisis. 

In the intervening years, he has worked in various technology jobs, and is currently the technology manager for a small county government. 

Married for twenty-two years to his best friend, and blessed with two wonderful daughters, he works to balance his writing while living in a house full of women.

Book Review: Arcanum by M.C. Moulton

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3-15-2014 9-21-23 PMTour Schedule

3-15-2014 9-20-52 PMTitle: Arcanum

Author: M.C. Moulton

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publication Date: November 19, 2011

Description (from Goodreads):

Between fighting a race of magic-wielding winged monsters, scaling Krakens, blinding Cyclops, running from Sirens, and being abducted by pirates it’s all Arc Arcanum can do to keep his head on straight; literally. After losing the only home he’s ever known, and with nowhere else to turn, Arc enlists with the Human Liberation Front to help fight against a ruthless species known as the Winged Ones and stop them from unleashing a world-wide human holocaust. He quickly finds that he may have bitten off more than he can chew when he’s tasked (completely by accident) with escorting humanity’s last hope, a red-eyed android named Celeste, across the sea to one of the few remaining human safe havens. To make matters worse he’s accompanied by two fellow cadets: the feisty vixen Rose and the polyamorous playboy Prince, both of whom seem entirely set on making sure nothing goes as planned. It’s a magical journey that proves blood isn’t the only bond that makes a family.

Review:

I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.

Arcanum was hard for me to put down. The basis of it isn’t a new idea: the human race is in danger of being eradicated by another race. In this case, it’s the winged ones and they’re magical as well as downright evil.

The main characters are brought together because of their desire to fight the winged ones. They meet on a base where they’re all learning to fight and they quickly become friends. Arc finds himself the leader of this small band of “heroes” but he’s young, inexperienced, and human so, of course, he’s going to make some mistakes. Rose is beautiful – so much so that all the guys want her and all the girls are jealous of her. She’s great with a bow and arrow, though, and she’s loyal to her friends. Then there’s Prince. He’s an annoying wannabe womanizer but I couldn’t help but like him. He tries too hard to be funny and, oddly enough, he ends up being funny despite his trying too hard.

The relationships between the characters are as confusing as teen relationships in real life. For the most part they don’t know what they’re feeling or how to deal with what they’re feeling.

M.C. Moulton’s writing is easy to read and flows well. I did skip a little bit when it came to the battle scenes. They seemed a bit long but that’s a personal preference.

I definitely recommend Arcanum for both young adults and adults.

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