Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Publisher : Delacorte Press (April 6, 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593173570
ISBN-13 : 978-0593173572

Praise for KISSES AND CROISSANTS

A Junior Library Guild selection

“A charming story about family, first love, and chasing your dreams. Grab a croissant, because this book will leave you smiling, swooning, and desperate to visit Paris!” —Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of American Royals

“Sweet and romantic! I couldn’t put it down.” —San Francisco Book Review, five stars

"Paris simply shines; readers’ senses will come alive with all the city has to offer." —SLJ

As sweet as a macaron from Laduree, with writing as crisp as a freshly baked baguette, this romantic novel set in Paris about an American ballerina and a charming French boy is parfait for fans of American Royals and Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Seventeen-year-old Mia, an American girl at an elite summer ballet program, has six weeks to achieve her dreams: to snag an audition with one of the world’s best ballet companies. But there’s more to Paris than ballet—especially when a charming French boy, Louis, wants to be her tour guide—and the pair discover the city has a few mysteries up its sleeve.

In the vein of romances like Love and Gelato, this is the perfect summer adventure for anyone looking to get swept away in the City of Love.

You can purchase Kisses and Croissants at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Content from Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau is a bilingual French author of young adult fiction and nonfiction. Her books have been translated into seven languages. Kisses and Croissants (Delacorte Press, 2021) is her U.S. debut. After graduating university in France, she moved to Amsterdam to begin a career in advertising. She then spent a few years in Melbourne before settling in New York City, where she lives with her Australian husband and their American cat.

        

PART ONE

MARCH 29th MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

MARCH 29th MONDAY We Live and Breath Books REVIEW

MARCH 30th TUESDAY Underneath the Covers EXCERPT

MARCH 30th TUESDAY Discover Elysian REVIEW

MARCH 30th TUESDAY Margie's Must Reads EXCERPT

MARCH 30th TUESDAY Ruei's Reading Corner REVIEW

MARCH 31st WEDNESDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT

MARCH 31st WEDNESDAY A Court of Coffee and Books REVIEW

MARCH 31st WEDNESDAY Kait Plus Books EXCERPT

PART TWO

APRIL 1st THURSDAY Sophie Reads YA REVIEW

APRIL 1st THURSDAY Whatever You Can Still Betray EXCERPT

APRIL 1st THURSDAY Kalisbookishrambles REVIEW

APRIL 1st THURSDAY Pages and Pugs REVIEW

APRIL 1st THURSDAY BookHounds YA REVIEW & INTERVIEW 

APRIL 2nd FRIDAY Emelie's Books REVIEW

APRIL 2nd FRIDAY Shelf Love REVIEW & INTERVIEW 

APRIL 2nd FRIDAY Gwendalyn's Books REVIEW

APRIL 2nd FRIDAY Twirling Book Princess EXCERPT

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Payback by Kristen Simmons

Publisher : Tor Teen (February 2, 2021)
Language: : English
Hardcover : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250175879
ISBN-13 : 978-1250175878

Praise for THE DECEIVERS

"Brilliantly plotted, tightly paced, and intensely smart. The Deceivers is the perfect con, full of clever characters, untrustworthy romance, and lie after lie after lie, with just enough truth tossed in to make you question everything. Kristen Simmons is a deceptive genius. I could not devour this book fast enough." —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

“Beneath its quick and clever dialogue, The Deceivers examines the moral grey area between good and evil. Lying has never seemed so much fun." —Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of the Thousandth Floor Trilogy

"Masterful, suspenseful, and brilliantly executed, The Deceivers is the perfect con. Kristen Simmons is an outstanding storyteller, and this is her best yet." —Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae and These Broken Stars

"Addictive and delicious, The Deceivers will keep you turning the pages well into the night!" —Katie McGarry, critically acclaimed author of Pushing the Limits

"Brynn is a sharp, analytical thinker with a soft heart - the exact kind of protagonist I love rooting for, especially as villains and heroes creep out from places I don't expect...Even the prerequisite romance was a pleasant surprise as Brynn and her love interest show complete respect for one another, giving enthusiastic consent the front seat it absolutely deserves and yet feels underrepresented in young adult literature. I devoured this book in one big gulp because I couldn't wait to see what twists and turns were ahead." —Kelly Morton, Joseph-Beth Booksellers

“The Deceivers is a perfectly paced, high stakes read that is honestly super fun for the reader. Don't plan on putting it down in the middle to do other things, you'll want to keep reading. Simmons has outdone herself with this incredible new story about con artists and a girl trying to find her own path.” —Rachel Strolle, Teen Librarian, Glenside Public Library District

The unpredictable truth will be revealed in Payback, the stunning conclusion to Kristen Simmons’ Edgar-nominated thriller series that started with The Deceivers...

Brynn Hilder has conned a lot of people. From the spoiled rich kids of Sikawa City to her mom's loser ex-boyfriend, from a motorcycle gang to a senator's son. If there was money to be gained, or a secret to uncover, she figured out how to get it done. And thanks to Vale Hall and its director, Dr. David Odin, she's found a family of hustlers just like her.

Together, Brynn and her friends have overcome doubt, deceit, and betrayal to unearth the truth--a truth even a group of professional scammers couldn't have predicted.

And now they must tackle the biggest con artist of them all: the man who brought them all together.

You can purchase Payback (Vale Hall #3) at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Credit: Sasha Ledney Photography

Critically-acclaimed young adult author Kristen Simmons has worked with survivors of abuse and trauma as a mental health therapist, taught Jazzercise in five states, and is forever in search of the next best cupcake. Currently she lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, where she spends her days supporting the caffeine industry and chasing her son.

        

WEEK ONE

FEBRUARY 1st MONDAY JeanBookNerd GUEST POST

FEBRUARY 2nd TUESDAY Kait Plus Books EXCERPT

FEBRUARY 3rd WEDNESDAY Book Briefs REVIEW

FEBRUARY 4th THURSDAY BookHounds YA EXCERPT

FEBRUARY 5th Wishful Endings REVIEW 

WEEK TWO

FEBRUARY 8th MONDAY A Dream Within A Dream REVIEW

FEBRUARY 9th TUESDAY A Bella Fairy Tale REVIEW 

FEBRUARY 10th WEDNESDAY Reading Adventures of a Book Dragon EXCERPT

FEBRUARY 10th WEDNESDAY Nay's Pink Bookshelf REVIEW

FEBRUARY 11th THURSDAY J.R.'s Book Reviews REVIEW

FEBRUARY 12th FRIDAY Pages and Pugs REVIEW

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Dead of Winter Edited by Lindy Ryan

Paperback : 270 pages

ISBN-10 : 1645480593

ISBN-13 : 978-1645480594

Publisher : Black Spot Books (January 26, 2021)

Praise for DEAD OF WINTER 

"Readers looking for a wintry fright will appreciate a few gems [among] eight winter-themed tales of terror." —Publishers Weekly

"Diverse, unexpected, and solid in characterization, plots, and evolution...horror fans will relish the creative results in [Dead of Winter] that delights with its original, thought-provoking creations and twists on holiday themes." —D. Donavan, Midwest Book Review

"Editor Ryan's selections perfectly fit the dark, gray, wintry mood that hits when cold weather has dragged on for too long. This anthology features eight short stories, each gripping, mind-bending, and truly creepy. Dead of Winter has something for every horror reader." —Carrie Rasak, Booklist

Foreword by 2018 Bram Stoker Nominated Author Monique Snyman.

Edited by Lindy Ryan

Eight chilling tales to read under the Cold Moon.

A tinker’s son acquires a cursed soul.

A dying woman is haunted by her own reflection.

An uninvited presence haunts a Christmas seance.

A festive holiday turns macabre.

Despite the twinkling lights and steaming cocoa, the end of the year is the darkest time of the year—a season of short days, long nights, and cold skies. In this special anniversary anthology, the authors of Black Spot Books mix Ye Olde Yuletide hauntings with modern-day holiday horrors to weave a chilling new collection of dark winter tales. From frozen forests stalked by eerie Christmas ghosts to rotting gifts of winter malice, the spirits of Christmas come home for the holidays in the Dead of Winter. 

You can purchase Dead of Winter at the following Retailers:

  

 

All Photo Content from Vesuvian Books

Lindy Ryan is an entrepreneur, award-winning professor, and publishing professional. In 2011, Ryan was part of the executive leadership team that founded Radiant Advisors, a business intelligence research and advisory firm, where Miller developed and launched the company's editorial and research divisions, and later its data visualization practice, for clients that included 21st Century Fox Films, Fox Networks, Warner Bros., and Disney. She is the author of numerous papers and two textbooks - The Visual Imperative: Creating a Culture of Visual Discovery (Elsevier) and Visual Data Storytelling with Tableau (Pearson). She went on to teach at Rutgers University and Montclair State University, and remains a respected academic researcher. Now an accomplished publishing professional, Ryan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA).

Ryan is an award-winning editor and author. Currently, she is collaborating as the lead author on a horror franchise project with a top veteran Hollywood director and an award-winning screenwriter. When she's not immersed in books, Ryan is an avid historical researcher, with specific interest in nautical and maritime history, cryptozoology, and ancient civilizations. She is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management. She also writes clean, seasonal romance under the name Lindy Miller. Ryan currently resides in Juneau, Alaska where she enjoys hiking, crafting, and photography. She is a member of the Horror Writers Association.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Monique Snyman's mind is a confusing bedlam of glitter and death, where candy-coated gore is found in abundance and homicidal unicorns thrive. Sorting out the mess in her head is particularly irksome before she’s ingested a specific amount of coffee, which is equal to half the recommended intake of water for humans per day. When she’s not playing referee to her imaginary friends or trying to overdose on caffeine, she’s doing something with words—be it writing, reading, or fixing all the words.

Monique Snyman lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband and an adorable Chihuahua. She’s the author of MUTI NATION, a horror novel set in South Africa, and Bram Stoker Award® nominated novel, THE NIGHT WEAVER, which is the first installment in a dark fantasy series for young adults.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Daniel Buell is working as a content creator and blogger. He is an author from New Jersey. His first debut short story is being published in DEAD OF WINTER anthology by Black Spot Books.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Laura Morrison lives in the Metro Detroit area. She has a B.S. in applied ecology and environmental science from Michigan Technological University. Before she was a writer and stay-at-home mom, she battled invasive species and researched turtles.
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Sam Hooker writes darkly humorous fantasy novels about thing like tyrannical despots and the masked scoundrels who tickle them without mercy. He knows all the best swear words, though he refuses to repeat them because he doesn't want to attract goblins.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Alcy Leyva is a Bronx-born writer, teacher, and pizza enthusiast. He graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) and an MFA in Fiction from The New School. He has been published in Popmatters, The Rumpus, Entropy Mag, and Quiet Lunch Magazine.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Cassondra Windwalker is a poet and novelist writing full time from the coast of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. She is supported by a tolerant husband, three wandering offspring, a useless dog, and a zombie cat. Her hobbies include hiking, photography, and having other people's demons over for tea.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | GOODREADS

       

Dalena Storm has lived in India, Japan, Germany, and on both coasts of the United States. She currently resides in a converted general store in the woods of Western Massachusetts with a rare Burmese temple cat, a purring black fluff-beast, a professor of magic, and an infant with an astonishing ability to resist sleep.
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

N.J. Ember is a paranormal fiction author who loves to write stories about survival and triumph over adversity. Whether her characters are dealing with the paranormal or everyday life, she seeks to show that strength is not always about being superhuman or invulnerable. She enjoys anything with mystery, suspense and horror, so when she’s not writing you can find her watching shows like Orphan Black, Penny Dreadful and Sherlock.

She currently lives in Michigan with her grandpa and a forever growing collection of books and Funko Pop! figures.
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

Tiffany Meuret is a writer of monsters and twisted fairy tales. Her publications include Shoreline of Infinity, Luna Station Quarterly, Ellipsis Zine, and others. When not reading or writing, she is usually binge watching comfortable sitcoms from her childhood or telling her kids to put on their shoes for the tenth time. She lives in sunny Arizona with her husband, two kids, two chihuahuas, gecko, and tortoise.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | GOODREADS

WEEK ONE

JANUARY 25th MONDAY JeanBookNerd CAMPAIGN VIDEO

JANUARY 26th TUESDAY Twirling Book Princess CAMPAIGN VIDEO

JANUARY 27th WEDNESDAY FUONLYKNEW CAMPAIGN VIDEO

JANUARY 28th THURSDAY Movies, Shows, & Books CAMPAIGN VIDEO 

JANUARY 29th FRIDAY A Bronx Latina Reads REVIEW 

JANUARY 30th SATURDAY BookHounds CAMPAIGN VIDEO

JANUARY 31st SUNDAY TTC Books and More CAMPAIGN VIDEO

WEEK TWO

FEBRUARY 1st MONDAY Ya It's Lit REVIEW & CAMPAIGN VIDEO

FEBRUARY 1st MONDAY Books and Zebras REVIEW

FEBRUARY 2nd TUESDAY The Bookwyrm's Den REVIEW 

FEBRUARY 3rd WEDNESDAY Gwendalyn's Books REVIEW

FEBRUARY 4th THURSDAY Book Briefs REVIEW & CAMPAIGN VIDEO

FEBRUARY 5th FRIDAY Casia's Corner REVIEW 

FEBRUARY 6th SATURDAY Insane About Books REVIEW 

FEBRUARY 7th SUNDAY Reading Adventures of a Book Dragon REVIEW & CAMPAIGN VIDEO

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Shannon Price Interview - A Thousand Fires

Photo Content from Shannon Price

SHANNON PRICE is a proud Filipina-American and Bay Area native. She once led an a cappella group for three years despite not knowing how to read music, and she carries that same level of confidence in every area of her life. When not writing, she can be found watching baking shows, exploring old bookstores, and going to the beach as often as she can. 

Her debut novel A Thousand Fires is a YA reimagining of the Iliad set in modern day San Francisco. She is represented by Elana Roth Parker of Laura Dail Literary Agency and thanks her lucky stars that she is.

        

  

Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250219426
ISBN-13 : 978-1250219428
Publisher : Tor Teen (October 27, 2020)
Language: : English

Praise for A THOUSAND FIRES

"A Thousand Fires pulls you in close and shows you the essence of what it means to keep fighting. Shannon Price is one to watch." ―Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds

"Brutal and beautiful, A THOUSAND FIRES broke my heart. A fast-paced tragedy of love, betrayal, and vengeance." ―Heidi Heilig, author of FOR A MUSE OF FIRE

"Modern, unflinching and filled with haunting, lingering imagery, A Thousand Fires gives the story of the Iliad the bare-knuckled update it deserves." ―Colleen Oakes, author of The Black Coats

"Fast-paced... Vivid descriptions and intricate details bring San Francisco to life ... A promising debut." ―Kirkus

"A heart-wrenching tale... action-packed and intense... A fantastic read." ―School Library Journal

When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
I’ve always been a creative person, but for most of my life I was the artsy kid—drawing, painting, etc. As I got older, I started dreaming up stories and characters, often drawing them out before they even had names. It wasn’t until college that I started taking creative writing courses, and that’s when I started to really invest my time into learning about publishing and how the industry works. I spent a whole summer reading every single book that my local library had about publishing. From there, I wrote, edited, and queried my first books, the third of which ended up being A Thousand Fires.
I feel vey lucky to have known what I wanted to do with my life from a young age. Now that I’m here and have “broken in” to the industry, so to speak, I feel a great responsibility to keep telling stories that help readers feel seen, and to keep finding ways to pay it forward for the next writer.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
Too many to count! But it usually comes back to hearing from readers who really understood the story and saw themselves in it. I know A Thousand Fires isn’t perfect, nor is it the book for everyone. Still, every now and then I am tagged in a review or mention of someone just loving the book, and it makes all the criticism fade away.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
I just turned in my final draft of my next book, The Endless Skies! It’s a race-against-time fantasy adventure, so very different from A Thousand Fires, but I had so much fun writing it. My heroine, Rowan, is a total badass who takes matters into her own hands, and she owns the mistakes that she makes along the way. She’s the kind of character I would have loved as a teen, and I hope that she resonates with readers.

Can you tell us when you started A THOUSAND FIRES, how that came about?
The book started as a dream I had—in it, I was what became Val’s point of view during the scene where she’s recruited by the Stags. I woke up and wrote down everything I remembered from the dream…then completely forgot about it for years. I eventually found the scribbled note during college. By that time, I’d read the Iliad for the first time and the first inklings of a story were born. Still, I didn’t set out to write the first draft until years later (I wrote and queried two others manuscripts, first!). It took me about 8 months to write and edit, then I spent about 3 months querying before I landed my agent.

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from A THOUSAND FIRES
My favorite scene is the interaction between Val and Micah right after she gets her tattoo. Micah is the Patroclus figure (from the Iliad) and one of the most emphasized characteristics of Patroclus is that he’s gentle. It’s stated several times in the Greek epic—and how strange, too, that a veteran warrior would be described as such!

Patroclus’ gentleness was the building block I needed for Micah—everything comes back to him being a little more vulnerable than the others, especially Jax. He’s kind to Valerie from day one, whereas the others make her earn their trust. The scene of them in the rain and him touching the back of her neck captures his true self so perfectly.

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT A THOUSAND FIRES

• 1. Jax was my favorite character to write, but Micah is my favorite character overall.
• 2. We went through 50 title ideas before deciding on A Thousand Fires
• 3. The title is a direct line from the Iliad, which my book is a retelling of
• 4. I got the idea for the story from a dream
• 5. It took me 8 months to write and edit the MS before I queried
• 6. My favorite side character is Aure
• 7. Theresa was inspired by Achilles’ mother Thetis, and she was the hardest character to write. She had to formidable but also realistic enough to be believable in the this version of the story.
• 8. The pupuseria mentioned in the book is a real place, and one of my favorites! You could follow the description in Google Maps to find the restaurant that I reference.
• 9. Green Apple Books, mentioned in the book, is also a real place.
• 10. My MC’s love interest, Matthew, had a last-minute name change in the second to last draft. It was originally “Matt”, but my mom suggested making it sound more formal, so we switched to Matthew.

YOUR JOURNEY TO PUBLICATION
All in all, my journey was very quick. Between 2012 and 2015 I wrote my first MS, queried it to mixed success. I then wrote and queried a second, brand new MS. When neither got anywhere, I wrote A Thousand Fires, which took 8 months to draft, revise, and polish. I had my querying routine down by then, and spent about 3 months querying before I got an offer of representation. I got the email while I was at work and just said, out loud, “Holy sh*t. An agent wants to speak with me about my book.” Everyone in the office knew what that meant, and it was a really exciting moment.

After I got my agent, we spent about a year on submission. I got the offer while on the bus home from work, and after a week or so of giving other editors time to offer, I went with Tor Teen. I happened to be really busy at work the day that my agent accepted the offer, so I didn’t let myself celebrate until I got home that day. I remember just pulling into my apartment’s parking garage, and bursting into tears. It was the most validating moment of my career at that time.

Writing: Behind the Scenes
When I write, I tend to listen to one song over and over on repeat for hours on end. It sounds a little ridiculous, but it helps me to tune things out. The song doesn’t always match the scene I’m writing, either. For instance, I recently wrote a dramatic confession of love to “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande just because that’s the song I wanted to listen to that day.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
Usually “what time is it/can I sleep more?” I’m a light sleeper and now that it’s fall, I can’t tell by just the light through the window if it’s time for me to get up. I don’t keep my phone by my bed so I never know if it’s 2AM or 6AM, or somewhere in between.

What is your most memorable travel experience?
I traveled solo to Iceland after college and saw the Northern Lights for the first time. They are just as magical as I had always dreamed they’d be.

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?
I lost a friend of mine in a horrible and totally random accident. Losing him made me re-evaluate so many aspects of my life, including how I spend my time and how/when I speak up for the things I believe in. He was a bright, loving, and gregarious person, and I try to live every day in a way that would make him proud.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
True love. You learn and grow so much about yourself when you love another person. It could only change you for the better, even if the heartbreak were always on the horizon.

When you looked in the mirror first thing this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
“My hair is so long!” I usually keep it short, but with COVID, I have not felt comfortable going back to a hair salon. Now it’s longer than it’s been in years and it’s really strange.

Most horrifying dream you have ever had?
I don’t know about the most horrifying, but I have recurring dreams about my teeth falling out. When I wake up, I always have to do a quick check to make sure everything is intact.

What event in your life would make a good movie?
I once went on a date where my date dropped his whole plate of whole in his lap at the start of the meal. We were both embarrassed, but rather than go order a new plate he just kind of re-assembled his food best he could and we went from there. It was awkward then, but I think it’d be a pretty good fit for a light-hearted rom-com.

Shannon Price's A Thousand Fires is a breakout contemporary debut―think The Outsiders meets The Iliad―that's perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Veronica Roth.

10 Years. 3 Gangs. 1 Girl’s Epic Quest…

Valerie Simons knows the city's gang wars are dangerous—her own brother was killed by the Boars two years ago. But nothing will sway her from joining the elite and beautiful Herons to avenge his death—a death she feels responsible for.

But when Valerie is recruited by the mysterious Stags, their charismatic and volatile leader Jax promises to help her get revenge. Torn between old love and new loyalty, Valerie fights to stay alive as she races across the streets of San Francisco to finish the mission that got her into the gangs.

You can purchase A Thousand Fires at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you SHANNON PRICE for making this giveaway possible.

5 Winners will receive a Copy of A THOUSAND FIRES by Shannon Price.

PART ONE - REVIEWS AND GUEST POSTS

NOVEMBER 9th MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

NOVEMBER 10th TUESDAY J.R.'s Book Reviews REVIEW

NOVEMBER 10th TUESDAY Read More Sleep Less REVIEW & INTERVIEW

NOVEMBER 11th WEDNESDAY Movies, Shows, & Books GUEST POST

NOVEMBER 12th THURSDAY BookHounds YA REVIEW & INTERVIEW 

PART TWO - REVIEWS

NOVEMBER 12th THURSDAY Emelie's Books REVIEW

NOVEMBER 13th FRIDAY Ya It's Lit REVIEW 

NOVEMBER 14th SATURDAY Reading Adventures of a Book Dragon REVIEW

NOVEMBER 15th SUNDAY Books and Zebras REVIEW

NOVEMBER 15th SUNDAY Author Kelly Risser REVIEW

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