The Girl on the Train review

When I read it: 30th January - 25th February 2016

Rating: 3/5

Overall, I'm fairly disappointed in this book. Now let me expand on this opinion... 
Imagine me with an abundance of books on my to-read list, and I choose this one because in my mind it's the most anticipated. Not only that, but hasn't everyone been rambling on and on about how amazingly just this is?
Well what did I expect? Something like In Cold Blood by Capote to turn up- well do you blame me if I did?
Anyway, getting to the point. It's terrible, honestly, if I pick it apart then maybe it has some goodness at its core, but overall, not amazing. The writing is realistic, as in, maybe a middle age drunk would speak and think in these terms but it's basic. There's no flavour, there's no trying to paint a picture, it's just well, "here is a sweater, maybe its blue, I don't know". The start is slow, but do you know what's good about that? it's a metaphor for the theme of the book, pick it apart and analysis it's pace. It begins slowly and it start to pick up by the middle and slow down as the novel wraps up, just like a train. Hawkins was lucky to have the talent to at least, know how to trail off the chapters, you want to read the next "date" no matter what.
I might be being a little rough with this review, I did give it three stars not two after all. So let's sum up my feelings for real; The book is more dull than expected but saying this it still had a trail of surprises for me, she's good at cliffhangers after every date recorded, what a clever format to write a book like a diary, as I said previously the pace of the story resembles a train, maybe she could have been less repetitive or again that resembles a life of a commuter, the end needs working on.

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The Shining review

When I read it: 27th December 2015 - 17th January 2016
Rating: 5/5

I have not got much motivation or any inspiration for that matter to write about this book. This has no relation how good this novel was (let me get to that in a second) but it just seems to be hard to wrap up and tie up all of the loose ends of all the after-thoughts I got from this book's ending and to put it into words so soon. Nevertheless I shall try my very best in doing so.

I read my Stephen King collection a little backwards, date of published-wise. I previously read Joyland last summer and it was beautiful. It had a very sticky storyline, you grab it and you can't let go, your eyes are glued to the page. I have been told though, that the newer novels are far from the same as the classics like The Shining, so I felt anxious, do I like the Stephen King books he is most famous for? 
Of course the answer would be a big fat yes. It has been a while since the last time I read and just reading his style was different to anything I have previously read before. I'm always cautious when it comes to picking up a book written in third person, it takes skills to use that objective narrative and still be flexible enough to make it seem that you're writing it in each of the main character's perspective directly as if it were first person narrative. 
I think because this is such a classic and the movie adaptation was a hit that I've seen the reworks of the original again and again in other movies, tv shows or in music videos, this gave a lot of the storyline away but the rest was easily foreseeable. Either way, that was perfectly fine with me. It's not the ending being spoiled to worry about but how it got to that.

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Joyland review

When I read it: 18th August - 24th August 2015
Rating: 5/5

This novel was certainly better than I expected. Sometimes you have to ignore some reviews and go on your own intuitive. 
This was my first Stephen King book, I have longed to read his famous novels for as long as I can remember but I am no good with horror, both movies and novels alike, therefore I was iffy on buying this one. Despite this, I bought it eagerly expecting to have half of wits running off with their tail between it's legs. In reality, I was gripped from beginning to end with small to nothing fear dwelling in my heart. It was the complete opposite to my original expectations. 
It was more mystery (and even more about romance) than horror, and maybe it said that somewhere but I didn't bother checking. I wanted a clear mind on this one. 
In hind side, Joyland has enough clichés to make you figure out who the killer is and everything that ties to him but I didn't want to find it out while reading I wanted to go with the flow I wanted to discover who it was the same time Dev did (and oh I did, unintentionally.) Nevertheless, I was thrown aback when I did officially find out in the end, I knew it was between two people but either one didn't really add up because I wasn't given the same information, history and maturity of relationships and friendships alike, as the narrator did. 
Overall, it was an amazing roller-coaster ride which is what you want from an amazing carny amusement park like Joyland.

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Dracula review

When I read it: 28th September 2014 - 16th July 2015
Rating: 4/5

This was another Gothic novel I first read in High School. Round one of reading this (now infamous?) novel was a dull and heavy duty for me. The book was thick with literature notions and Victorian lingo high school me could not, for the life of me, really, and I mean really get into it. It was a task I didn't want to deal with. So what did I do? I cheated I looked at Sparknotes and read small chunks of each chapter to get by. 
Round two: I started last summer, the warm dewy weather outside and my running streak of reading one book after another enthused my desire to re-read this masterpiece. Let me say this, it was a long tedious journey, it felt never-ending and you never want that while you're reading. But whether it was the fact that I was in a reading slump or the fact that I'm still adjusting to reading classics at a normal pace it was still worthwhile. 
I began by adoring Jonathan and his cute "picturesque" phase and his caring notions towards his wife and honestly he's a great character, this is a must in a book especially with one with multi-protagonists, the introduction of the first character needs to be a hit. I ended with being a Seward's girl (woah am I making this into a thing?)

Cutting to the chase, the story is obviously phenomenal. Despite being a classic, the feminist themes were prominent and I must say, some men of today can learn a lesson or two from this novel. They treat Mina like another man like she's part of their Gentlemen's club and the best thing is, she's a modern woman, she has new (and back then crazy) ideas for the women of that age, and they accept it with open arms! It's amazing. 
I also enjoyed that sense of unity. It may be the switching of narratives or how each character would take a bullet for one and another and it's such an intense piece of workmanship that you feel you're part of the anti-Dracula squad. 
Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed Dracula the second time round. I had so much to annotate, the past me would be proud! It may take a long process to get through it but it's certainly worth the wait.

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The Death Cure (Book 3, The Maze Runner series) review

When I read it: 31st March 2015 - 21st April 2015
Rating: 4/5

Once I saw there was only a few chapters left, I was reeling in more and more until the bitter end. That was when the book was getting really good. 
Reading this series has been a roller-coaster ride for sure. At the beginning I fell in love, I loved the story and idea of the universe James Dashner created but I felt there was something missing. To me a good book needs a good balance of action and the build up to that climatic action. The TMR series lacks this, slightly. I feel like when something was happening and my heart starts racing the pace of the tone picks up a little and then this "big" thing happens and I think to myself, "Was that it?". First hearing about this series, I was pretty damn excited, it was going to be the next big Dystopian novel I was looking for, after reading THG and Divergent, both very similar to one of another if I may add, I felt quite refreshed knowing I'm going to read a Dystopian with a male lead. I loved the series, don't get me wrong, I especially loved this particular one, Death Cure. But, but... It wasn't as good as it was hyped up to be, and I duly understand why people find it slow. 

Now let's get to specifics, let's focus on The Death Cure. Previously, I found Scorch Trials dull and a filler until I read the finale, I was worried that TDC would be the same, it would attempt to be this amazing, grand sort of thing to only expose it's true self and be a boring, rushed novel just to be written for the sake of being written. 
The start was premature and only until near the end I felt it was getting good, finally turning into the type of novel that's impossible to put down. I felt maybe the ending could of been better to do it justice but it could of been worse.

My whole review has been 90% negative but don't get me wrong it got a 4/5 for a good reason. It's just hard to explain the experience I went through, easier to explain the bad pointers than the good. You just have to go and read it to find out yourself.

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Gone Girl review

When I read it: 17th March - 25th March 2015

Rating: 5/5

“It’s a very difficult era in which to be a person, just a real, actual person, instead of a collection of personality traits selected from an endless Automat of characters.” 
Wow. What a ride.
As you can see I basically wrote essay after essay in my statuses reading throughout this book. I originally want to wait to pour all contents of my mind and thoughts of this novel until the review, but really? It's just too good to wait to boastfully shout and implore how damn fucking amazing (-Amy, *snickers) Gone Girl really is. 
Let me set the scene, (firstly, I got to stop referencing the book like this, sorry, inside jokes and all that.) I hoisted up my Kindle from my ever-growing "current reading" pile, with feisty hands! I was oh so excited to read this anticipated novel. The movie had been out and there were wondrous amounts of positive feedback, I knew this was going to be the one book that grabs me single-handedly and takes me back to their world. I haven't had a book such as that in a while; where you read these magnificently written words that creates a dream-like scene and you think "Oh, I feel like I'm in this book, feeling the same way Amy/Nick (dependent on whose side you're reading at the time) are feeling, I feel so associated and connected with them, it's unreal! What is reality?" And then you proceed to read and not put the book down- or Kindle in my case, until the bitter end with the final words, making it seem this new world exploded and all is gone and you're back at home feeling dull but crucially powerful with meaning because you were that character for no matter for how short or long and it felt damn good. 
I should cut to the chase, to the actual plot and story. 
I had a few presumptions, and a few careless people I knew online let slip a few spoilers so the big twist, bump, climax what have you within the story arc wasn't that big for me but that didn't matter, I didn't know every little necessary piece in the book just the big large chunks. But even so, I found the story can't be told so well without the smaller discoveries in the book. That how well Gone Girl is written. You feel like you finally got grasp of the plot, you think smitten, that you got the whole story under control and know the ending before it ends, and therefore your emotions on a leash, but oh no, no no, Nick lies without you really knowing until later, you're in his goddamn brain how can you not know? That's just ingenious writing there for you. Amy winds you around and around until you, a metaphorical coil tense so much that once she reveals herself, the secrets, the truth, your emotions fly out everywhere. To be honest with you, I felt physically sick and frustrated by the end of the novel but that's it, you want those physical emotions (particularly not those) to realise how attach you gotten into it, how you delved in so much that you felt like you were actually Nick. 

I mean, this is the book I have been looking for all my life! Bit dramatic, right? Sorry, so was Amy.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5, Harry Potter series) review

When I read it: 14th February 2015 - 16th March 2015
Rating: 5/5

(So, I just discovered I forgot to write my review for Goblet of Fire, atlas, there is no point now as the story is no longer fresh in my mind. Nevertheless, on with OoTP!)

Rereading this particular Potter book was very refreshing, much unlike when I first read it a few years back, it was a lot more harder to get into and read.

There is not much to say apart from the obvious, really. But I'll be saying this, one you hit this fifth book in the series it opens a lot up from the overall storyline and plot, you understand a lot more on the "why?"s and "how?"s. The character development unravels - especially, Harry's, from it's tight safe ball it was in, in the preceding novels. 

Order of the Phoenix is so beautifully written that it is no wonder you feel you were in the shoes of Harry Potter himself. Feeling his teenage angst, grief and frustration from the boundaries of himself and the truth. 

I was weeping terribly during the chapter where Dumbledore explained himself and in doing so explaining the whole story of Harry Potter. It was such a strong sense of realisation that I'm sure what was Harry going through amongst the fresh gaping hole that Sirius' death left behind. 

Not many books can do this to you, to make you laugh when the character's laugh or to cry when they're in doing so. It is the best of the best that could make you, the reader, to feel as the author wanted you to feel. J.K. Rowling is exceptional in this way, and my god, if you still have yet to read this series, go and try it now!

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Book 1, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series) review

When I read it: 19th January 2015 - 8th February 2015
Rating: 4/5

Firstly, I want to admit, when I first was introduced to this novel, I was intimidated by the front cover. I have always been frightened by old photographs, children looking like grumpy porcelain dolls, parents with rich clothing and facial expressions ready to reprimand and sometimes the occasional Santa or clown (both included in the novel) are extremely frightful. Saying this, as I poured myself into the book, it became less and less lewd to me and more heart-warming. 
The tie in of photographs scattered perfectly through the novel, making a somewhat picture book for adults and young adults alike made a new technique of reading. 
The actual storyline was plain and nothing more than you expect, in all honesty. The entrance of the story is slow and long-winded, you expect the whole thing to be like, the real climax starts in the middle of the story and that's the best that it gets. The ending was crudely tied into knots and in my personal opinion, could of stopped there, no need for a sequel. I prefer a book that pushes the action and climax to the very end. Pushing you right off the edge of the cliff and literally would be a cliffhanger, so to speak. Miss Peregrine has action and yes you do question what may happen next but you sort of accept the ending and leave it there.

I may of been a bit harsh on my review so far, especially, as it contrasts with my rating. Don't get me wrong, this book was unique, different and new. It's an amazing YA that takes you for a ride, even it was for a short duration. I definitely recommend it to anyone supernatural genre as the ideas are ingenious that it's hard to miss out.

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Black Ice review

When I read it: 11th January - 18th January 2015

Rating: 4/5

As I finished the last words, ebbing away from the world that slowly grew and warped around me these past few days, my mind's thoughts of this novel evaporated and I am not only left empty handed as I stow away this handsome hardback, but also empty headed. 
Black Ice had a very different feel and form from Becca Fitzpatrick's previous series, Hush, Hush. It has matured, and honestly without a better way of saying it, this was Hush, Hush all grown up. You can hate all you want but you have to agree with that.

My first initial thought of the story, flipping through the first few pages obediently, my mind dwell on the words again and again "Not this stereotype of a female protagonist whom is weak, relies on others to survive and above all else finds herself the 'whole package' to use for her advantage." And of course, this story prevails to mould into that shape and prove me right. I was astonished nevertheless, to find in the end, Britt finds herself, she learns how to be 'independent'. But it's like feminism for first school. Yeah, she has finally learnt how to make her own peanut butter toast, and didn't really rely on men in her life to survive but I honestly find that because it was a different scenario and the survival side of her kicked in. 
Aside from all this (and the presumptions of disliking Britt only to find out at the end of the book I ended up detesting her...) I found the story reeled you in right from the beginning. While reading you feel like you're walking on dodgy stepping stones in a rough current stream. It kept you on the edge of your seat and I couldn't literally put the book down until I really slammed it down. 

Honestly, it makes you sweat as each twist and turn makes it way through the pages. You cringe as you can predict what will occur next. And finally, you let out a hefty breath when that 'scene' happens, that seemed to be kept in your throat since you picked up the book.

Yes I hate the protagonist, and the amateur attempt of making a strong female character that doesn't rely on men and love to make her happy- because despite saying she doesn't, she did really in the end, didn't she?
But the actual storyline was gripping, realistic and darn-right scary. Opening the book I felt like I'd been pushed down the rabbit hole and found all, blatantly, crazy shit down there. This book was mesmerizing, not the best in all it's entirely but sure as hell be something I'll look back and remember from back to front. 

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The Scorch Trials (Book 2, The Maze Runner series) review

When I read it: 25th September 2014 - 1st January 2015
Rating: 3/5

I'm really not sure how I felt with this novel. I mean, firstly, the book had a good start, I was curious from the end of The Maze Runner, it's predecessor, to the beginning of this novel. The attachment and continuation between the two was thorough and well-done, it continued like I never left.
The storyline overall was a bit stretched. I thought the whole series didn't really necessary need two more sequels (let alone a prequel, may I add, I was surprised when I found out one existed). I really loved the Maze Runner and with the popularity of the series, it gave me strength to continue on with the series and set forth into the adventures of The Scorch Trials. 
What can I say about this inquisitive tale? The outset certainly gripped me with a mighty force. There was a lot of potential, They're (the Gladers) finally out of the Maze and all was fine and well at the end of the tunnel aka previous book, but like any fellow curious-minded reader like myself, would dream, is "What's after the 'happily-ever-after?'" We all want to know if it stays like that. And boy, did that idea fester, we find out that actually they're in for a lot more trouble and adventure. That, REALLY, they're still inside.

I cannot pinpoint the part where the storyline fell apart, in my eyes, but I can say it must be around the part after they met the Rat-Man who said that they would have to go through another set of trials. While I was reading I felt it was good as a whole, but disagreed with the fact that it was a whole book of another set of trials, and the trials they went through at that was a bit of a stretch. Yes, I must admit I disagree with my original predicament now that I finished this book, I still felt like some scenes were in fact just plain boring. But trust me, through the dull monologues of Thomas' thoughts and the lengthy 'supposed' action scenes (okay, some were boring when I knew they were meant to be oh so more) I felt there were in fact some enjoyable scenes, some loved characters that I would miss to lose adjacent to the story and then there's the extravagant way James Dashner pulled off as a lead on for the final instalment. 
Oh, might I add, if you don't like the popular trend in YA novels at the moment with love triangles, I would read this book with a pinch of salt, i.e. a light read, a book on the side if you will. Because oh my, how the love story ruins it all.

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War Horse review

When I read it: 25th October - 15th December 2014

Rating: 5/5

It is now midnight and I have finished the book with a heavy heart and tears threatening to come pouring out alongside my emotions. 
I have watched the movie a few times prior to reading the actual novel but if I am being honest, I feel like there was some better moving moments in the movie than the book. 

What I do love about this book is a few things; one would be the perspective the narrative takes, an unusual one at that, the narrative of Joey the horse. It makes the whole story a lot more intense and we see the whole thing from a sort of unbiased view. 

It really takes a lot out of you as you try to keep your emotions in order and keep up with the story. 
As a fan of war shows, movies and books this has certainly quenched my thirst of one of my favourite genres. 

Although, a children's book, in my opinion, this is certainly a good read for any age!

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S. review

When I read it: 10th August - 23rd September 2014

Rating: 5/5

“What begins at the water shall end there, and what ends there shall once more begin.” 

I find it indescribably hard to start writing this review with no idea why it is that way.
I'm ashamed to say, that the reason the book first grabbed my attention was the images I found of it really appealed to me, especially the extra material provided as part of the story. That kind of child-like story feature I remember oh too well, now matured as a partner of such brilliance of literature.
When the story began, I was perplexed with the format the two stories were told. It had so seemed too much to take in, but as time went by reading, I got a grasp of it and I certainly could not put the book down. 
Jen and Eric are certainly two protagonists I can really relate to, which makes the novel all that more enticing. If you're similar a reader to me, you would start to get interested into their story a lot faster than the story of Ship of Theseus. Later, as the book unfolds you'll grow to love S. and Sola and their undeniable passion of love. Although, their romance is untraditionally sung, their love shows the reader that it's more than having your SO right there, physically, to love them. It's the idea of them, it's the way they talk to you between the lines and margins of a book, how you imagine it's them walking past you on the street, how you relate them to a song or a character. Certainly, their story is the best inspiration for anyone that is in love.
Soon after reading much of the book, you dwell on the fact that Ship of Theseus is not real, it's such a great piece of literature, full of motivational, philosophical quotes that it feels like there was an author out there with the pseudonym of 'V.M. Straka' and I still, after finishing the novel hours earlier believe it has to be based on something and their written materials, whether published or unpublished.

I honestly do not know why some people don't like this book, maybe it's the format, the way they don't like the 'margin characters' or the actual story of Ship of Theseus. As always, there is never a book without it's critics.
Even so, I would recommend this book, its extra glorious wonders and the world it creates and morphs around you. 
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Rites of Passage review

When I read it: 11th September - 17th September 2014

Rating: 5/5

Honestly?
I had made too many assumptions before attempting to read this book. I feared that it would be another love story, using a military themed mask to cover just another romance novel. I was wrong and oh, I am so glad I was. 
Sam McKenna joined a -previously- all boys military academy because of a dare her late brother assigned her with. If a military school wasn't hard enough, she was one of the first females to undergo it's exercises and the treatment of the other cadets. 
As a girl obsessed with war movies and all things related, I had a lot of expectations. 
Not only that but as my brother is currently a cadet, my mum was also a cadet when she was younger and me planning to apply for the army... Not only was I expecting the information described in the novel to be on-point but I wanted to see what I was getting myself into. 
Like I said before I was worrisome about the love story but there was a good balance of romance and the actual works of the academy going through the pages that I was not disappointed. As any girl would, I fell in love with Stamm, and as a sister, I wanted Jonathan to understand what his poor sister was going through. 
If you want to read more of a romance novel I would recommend Nicholas Sparks' books, they have only a thin trace about war and the military despite some of the books basing it around those themes.

I am hoping that other authors would come and look at this book and make something inspired from it, because it certainly is an emotional roller-coaster that I would love to go through again.

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Safe Haven review

When I read it: 30th June - 28th August 2014

Rating: 4/5

** spoiler alert ** Like the Nicholas Sparks book I read prior to this, 'Message in a bottle', it has also been a slow start. I think I can safely assume I will be a slow reader from the beginning and pick up the pace as the story unfolds for all of Sparks' books.

I have seen the movie before starting this book but my original plan was to do it the other way round, the reason this didn't occur was because I found the beginning simply boring and hard to get into. All the introductory chapters in books bore me and usually put me off entirely, but as I have previously seen the movie I knew there were excitable scenes to be revealed so I kept going, hopes high.

The story tells about a woman named Erin her alias Katie, because of the past she's running away from. She was in an abusive relationship and finally found the perfect moment to escape. Obviously she finds her safe haven, this including what she really never had before, friends, a loving family and a gentle partner. As expected, the drunk abusive husband of her past drops everything in his wretched life to go find her and he succeeds.

Once you really get to grips with the story and characters you start to feel warm to Katie and feel the abuse from her shoes. The literature is really something powerful to make even you as an outside being feel terrified of Kevin and his inability to see any sense.

What I got from Kevin, if anyone has read American Psycho, is the same personality type as Patrick Bateman. The way he repeats himself, the obsession with cleanliness, his obsession to beat and finally kill his once loved wife. We get to see an inside peak of his distorted mind and it's really something rare to do perfectly for a third-person POV which would naturally makes the reader feel objective but this story on the contrary still makes you feel like you're in the characters' heads.

If you're a Sparks fan, this is definitely one of his finest works.
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Murder On The Orient Express (Book 10, Hercule Poirot series) review

When I read it: 15th August - 18th August 2014
Rating: 5/5

Another book I have skimmed through before for studies but was not quite interested enough to actually 'read' it. This time round I read out of leisure and oh my, it was superb, I wish I appreciated it more few years back when I had to study it for an essay in A Level. The famous Agatha Christie lives up to her name and reputation, the novel was certainly an amazing mystery that I would not expect any other author to do any better. She keeps on reeling you in, when you just about tied up the knot of who you think did the murder, she throws you off course and gives you yet another handful of evidence to prove you wrong and that in fact, it was someone else. All in all, you don't pick up whom it is until right at the finish line, and let me say, that's the best way to write a murder mystery.
Naturally, I came to the assumption of whom did it just before the end as I have seen many remakes and parodies of the Orient Express that I couldn't really forget it. 
If you love mystery and a novel where it gives you a chance to ponder on the evidence and accusations, and who done. This is the no. 1 book for you!

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The Maze Runner (Book 1, The Maze Runner series) review

When I read it: 2nd August - 10th August 2014
Rating: 4/5

Firstly, when I heard about this book and heard people's interest in said book, they always seemed to mention the first of the series is a slow read, so I had that assumption in mind while reading. On the contrary, personally I didn't find it slow or at least, as slow as I found many previous books I read in the past. It was in fact interesting from page one to page 371 (especially page 371). 
I did pick up on a lot of the slang they used quite fast and despite myself found I have said them a couple of times in the real world. I love how the protagonist, Thomas goes through the same disorientation as we do as we go through the book with all the new words, the setting it's taking place in, what's happening and so forth that we don't find in most dystopian novels these days. 
What put me down a little was the little bit of repetition and the over-use of catchphrases but that was a small disappointment in comparison to all the praises I give to this book. 

I agree that for some this book maybe tiresome to read from the beginning but I promise it picks up speed near the end where the chapters get shorter and you'll end up loving the whole "shuckin" thing.
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