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Updated: 5 hours 56 min ago
The Wonder Engine - Book Review
The Wonder Engine (Clocktaur War #2)by T. KingfisherWhat is it about:Pull three people out of prison--a disgraced paladin, a convicted forger, and a heartless assassin. Give them weapons, carnivorous tattoos, and each other. Point them at the enemy.
What could possibly go wrong?
In the sequel to CLOCKWORK BOYS, Slate, Brenner, Caliban and Learned Edmund have arrived in Anuket City, the source of the mysterious Clockwork Boys. But the secrets they're keeping could well destroy them, before the city even gets the chance...
What did I think of it:This was an entertaining read and a mostly cool conclusion to this duology.
I absolutely loved Grimehug, the gnole who joined Slate and her team in The Clockwork Boys. He and the other gnoles are my favorite of the creatures in the Clocktaur world.I also really liked Learned Edmund and Brenner.The story was fun and exciting as well. I was eager to find out how our band of misfits would deal with their predicaments and how they would complete their mission.
But the Romance...
I loved Slate, but Caliban...I know which Knight Commander inspired Caliban, and I can say that Caliban is just as annoying as I find that particular Knight Commander, so well done, I say.And mostly the romance is cute and sweet, and I might even have been satisfied with it, but near the end of the book something happens that for me would have meant the end of the relationship or should have had at least a different aftermath then it got. Now the Romance to me ended with a lopsided relationship that I don't think will last.
All that said: the overall story was still tons of fun, so this book will be added to my growing T. Kingfisher collection.
Why should you read it:It's a really fun and entertaining Fantasy read.
Categories: Fantasy Books
Teasing on a Wednesday - Do You Ship It?
He interjects, 'And this is my mate, Jake. He was meant to come dressed as you, actually, but had a wing malfunction.'(page 184, Do You Ship It? by Beth Reekles)
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Categories: Fantasy Books
Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die - Book Review
Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Dieby Greer StothersWhat is it about:All his life, Sir Cameron has stayed as far away from danger as possible. He is, quite frankly, too handsome to die a violent and pointless death in battle. But when the Church hands down a prophecy to his fellow knights predicting that the only way to defeat their nemesis, the mad sorcerer Merulo, is to kill Cameron, he finds himself in a situation too sticky for even his considerable wiles. Short of ideas, Cameron throws himself on the mercy of the one person who now actually wants him to survive: the mad sorcerer.
Merulo isn’t thrilled to be babysitting a spoilt, attention-seeking knight, but fate has tied them together. And transmogrifying Cameron into a vulture is at least a great source of entertainment. Cameron, meanwhile, is on a voyage of self-discovery. It turns out he’s really, really into surly sorcerers who lock him up and tell him what to do. Who knew?
As a legion of knights surround their stronghold, the sorcerer’s poisonous ambitions draw ever closer to fruition. Cameron is quite invested in not dying, but he finds he’s also invested in Merulo. And sometimes, supporting the sorcerer you care about means taking an interest in their hobbies. Even if that hobby is trying to kill God.
Even if it might get you killed, too.
What did I think of it:This was a nice enough read.
I especially liked the first half of the boo. It was fun and funny, and Sir Cameron's antics were fresh. Also: He's a vulture for parts of the story!At one point though, I thought things were going on too long and then there were revelations where it came to the world this story is set and the book lost me to be honest. I was far enough in to finish it, but it was a bit of a drag.
All in all a fun concept, with an overall execution that was just not for me.
Why should you read it:It's a fun Fantasy Romance.
Categories: Fantasy Books
Book Review - Love, Lies, and Ley Lines
Love, Lies, and Ley Lines (The Fast & the Fae #1)by Jeffe KennedyWhat is it about:It’s been years since the infamous smuggling team of Bandit and Goldilocks thumbed their noses at the fae authorities, running the priceless magical pixie dust desired by everyone from hedge witches to the storied magic academies. No one in the human principalities controlled by the fae can work even the simplest spells without the stuff. And without fae magic, humans will find themselves back in the dark ages of disease and fast mortality. But the enigmatic fae keep a tight grip on their monopoly of pixie dust, charging extortionate prices at their whim.
Bandit has been doing her best to get by on her racing wins and the quick thrill of one-night stands while her former partner and best friend, the powerful sorceress known as Goldilocks, is off playing house and having babies. But when Bandit gets the offer of a lifetime, she convinces Goldilocks to come out of retirement for one last, hugely profitable gig.
And if the Bandit picks up a mysterious and seductive hitchhiker fleeing his wedding, well that just adds a bit of spice to the job. When he refuses to tell her his name, she dubs him Prince Charming and only regrets that she won’t have time to find out more about her enticing companion—and what he looks like under those fancy clothes.
As the Bandit and Prince Charming run distraction for Goldilocks and her precious haul, they face untold dangers penetrating the arcane fae realms.
All for gold, glory, and maybe even true love.
What did I think of it:Do you even need to ask?!
Jeffe Kennedy isn't my favorite author for nothing: this book is yet another winner!
This book had Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves vibes, but did it so much better in my opinion. They absolutely should make a movie based on Love, Lies, and Ley Lines. I'd watch the shit of out of it while also rereading this book.
I absolutely fell in love with Cha & her best friend, had my doubts about Prince Charming as well as finding him super intriguing, and couldn't get enough of the cool world Jeffe created for this thrilling adventure.
You bet I finished this in one day and that I'm now eager for the next book!
Why should you read it:It's such a cool and delicious read!
Go Buy Here
Categories: Fantasy Books
Nine Goblins - Book Review (reread/repost)
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Nine Goblinsby T. KingfisherWhat is it about:When a party of goblin warriors find themselves trapped behind enemy lines, it'll take more than whining (and a bemused Elven veterinarian) to get them home again.
Nine Goblins is a novella of low...very low...fantasy.
What did I think of it:This such a fun read!It's silly, funny, and touching all in one.
The story switches viewpoints between the goblins and Sings-to-Trees, an Elven veterinarian. I loved the goblins and their view of the world, but I will confess I loved Sings-to-Trees even more. He's on the receiving end of a lot of trouble, still he keeps going and stays helpful.The goblins get themselves in hot water as well, but they're tough and resourceful in a unique goblin way.
All in all this was a delight to read, and as promised when I read it last year: I got my trotters on the hardcover for this first of many rereads!
Why should you read it:It's a super fun Fantasy read!
Categories: Fantasy Books
Teaser Tuesdays: "Look at My Pretty Book" Edition
No teaser from my current read today, but pictures of my newest arrival, just because it's pretty.
Slaying the Vampire Conquerorby Carissa Broadbent
Have you read it?What did you think of it?
Categories: Fantasy Books
Sea of Charms - Early Book Review
Sea of Charms (Spellshop #3)by Sarah Beth DurstWhat is it about:Marin is a supply runner with her own boat that she sails from island to island, delivering whatever anyone will pay her to deliver: letters, flour, even the occasional enchanted lemur. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers, and she wouldn’t trade the freedom of the sea for anything. Her only companion is a sea serpent, Perri, whom she saved from a fisherfolk’s net.
One day, she sails to Alyssium and discovers the city is on fire. There’s been a revolution, and the empire has fallen. Marin, with Perri, begins transporting refugees, finding them new homes where they can start over. One such refugee is Dax, a composer who refuses to leave behind his instruments, no matter how much she tries to emphasize the gravity of the situation. Intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, and his charming smile, Marin discovers perhaps she isn’t saving him ― maybe it’s the other way around.
What did I think of it:I absolutely love The Spellshop and The Enchanted Greenhouse so I was super happy to receive an ARC of Sea of Charms.
The book felt initially slow. I get why it started where it started, but as it overlaps time- and event-wise with The Enchanted Greenhouse it felt like a rehash at times and that's what took the speed out of it for me personally. But luckily after a few chapters the story moved away from the previous book and took on speed.
I especially enjoyed Ree, the sentient plant, and Perri, the sea serpent. I love how Durst manages to give the plants in this series their own personality.I didn't totally get into the relationship between Marin and Dax. Marin seemed unreasonably obsessed with Dax from the start even while telling herself they can never be together, while Dax is a cinnamon roll where someone forgot to add the cinnamon.
I didn't mind much though. The adventures of the four of them were more than fun and enjoyable enough to keep me entertained. I loved seeing even more of the world these books are set in, and to discover more of what happened in the aftermath of the revolution. There's exciting action, lots of humorous situations, and more. There were a few delightful cameos from characters from the other books along the way as well.
All in all a fun and entertaining addition to the series. I will most definitely get my trotters on the hard cover once it releases.
Why should you read it:It's a very enjoyable Cozy Fantasy
Expected publication July 28, 2026
Categories: Fantasy Books
On McPig's Radar - A Long and Speaking Silence
A Long and Speaking Silence(The Singing Hills Cycle #7)by Nghi VoEvery story begins somewhere.
On the banks of the Ya-lé River, the town of Luntien gathers to celebrate the start of the rainy season, but the celebration is marred by the arrival of refugees from the sea. Everyone has a story about the foreigners newly in their midst—lazy, violent, unwanted—while the refugees themselves grieve the loss of the home they loved.
Cleric Chih, very recently still Novice Chih, is also a stranger in Luntien. A moment of carelessness and bad luck leaves them waiting tables as they struggle to establish themself as a real cleric. A cleric’s job is to listen and record, but the stories emerging in Luntien are ugly and violent, as hard to predict as the river itself. With their hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant by their side, Chih must help the refugees while also unraveling a mystery that may have roots in their own faraway home in the abbey of Singing Hills.
In the seventh entry of the award-winning Singing Hills series, we meet Chih and Almost Brilliant just beginning their journey together as Chih assumes their place on the road and in the world.
The novellas of the Singing Hills series are standalone stories linked by the Cleric Chih, and may be read in any order.
Expected publication May 5, 2026
Categories: Fantasy Books
The Maleficent Faerie - Book Review by Voodoo Bride
The Maleficent Faerie (For the Love of the Villain #2)by Rebecca F. KenneyWhat is it about:A spicy, Fae Sleeping Beauty retelling with a male version of Maleficent, a dying realm, and intriguing twists on the old tale.When Malec, the Void King, attacks Princess Dawn's carriage, her Fae bodyguard Aura switches places with her. Glamoured as a human, Aura must fool Malec into thinking she's the Princess he cursed 25 years ago. Relentless and powerful, but with a vulnerable side he hides from others, Malec begins to crave Aura's respect as much as he craves her body.
What did Voodoo Bride think of it:I've very much enjoyed the other books I've read by Kenney so far, so I treated myself to The Maleficent Faerie to see if I'd enjoy stories not connected to her Wicked Darlings series.
And this book was such an enjoyable read!
I'd call this a re-imagining instead of a retelling as the story differs greatly from the original fairytale (in the most yummy ways). I fell hard for Malec (I do love a tortured hero/villain) so it was easy to lose myself in the romance between Aura and Malec. There were of course story elements connecting this story to its inspiration, but those were used in original ways to create a whole new story with a romance at the heart of it that doesn't need a prince to save Aura.
All in all I had a great time with this very steamy and delicious Fantasy Romance and you bet I got my hands on another book in this series of standalones.
Why should you read it:It's a delightful Fantasy Romance re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty.
Categories: Fantasy Books
Teaser Tuesdays - Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die
"Why should he be mad? He's the one who fucked me over," I grumbled, then winced, hoping the construct circling some distance below hadn't caught my words.(page 68, Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers)
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Categories: Fantasy Books
Awesome Book Mail - part 2
It's time to show the books Jeffe ordered for me, because I couldn't order them myself.You'll notice they have a theme ;-)
The US hard cover of Nine Goblins!Now I will confess a certain online retailer had it listed, but when I ordered it, it went in stasis for an undetermined time as is often the case when I preorder at that particular site, so I asked Jeffe to buy it for me as she was going to send a package anyway.
I confess I wanted this edition just for these end papers alone!
The other books were the Owlcrate editions of the Sworn Soldier books.Yes! I already got my trotters on the amazing US hard covers, but just look at the pictures below! I could not resist.What Moves the Dead
What Feasts at Night
What Stalks the Deep
I can tell you T. Kingfisher got her own shelf in my bookcase by now.
I hope you enjoyed seeing so many cool book mail pictures.I promise I'll have reviews again next week
Categories: Fantasy Books
Teasing on a Wednesday - Sea of Charms
This sailboat was her freedom, her heart, her hope.On the other hand, this was a plant.(page 65, Sea of Charms ARC by Sarah Beth Durst)
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Categories: Fantasy Books
Awesome Book Mail - part 1
I got the most amazing book mail at the end of February!Jeffe sent a package with both presents and books she managed to get hold for me, because I couldn't order them myself.First the presents!
There was an ARC of Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst.I'm reading it at the moment so check back soon for my thoughts on it.
Signed paperbacks of two of Jeffe's own books.
The UK edition of Never the Roses!(It's bigger than the US hard cover.)
And it's purple!
The Owlcrate edition of Never the Roses!
There's notes and other illustrations on the cover.
And Bad Bunny!
It has pretty painted edges.
Illustrations on the end pages.
Another bunny.And it's signed as well.
The dust cover is reversible and has gorgeous art as well.
Painted edges comparison.
And here are all my Never the Roses copies together!(In June I'll have to make room for the US paperback to join them)Thank you, Jeffe!
Stay tuned for part 2 of this book haul.
Categories: Fantasy Books
Red Star Rebels - Quick Book Review
Red Star Rebelsby Amy KaufmanWhat is it about:It’s 2067, and the Graves family has transformed Mars from lifeless rock into a chaotic patchwork of settlements—and everybody wants a piece.
Enter Hunter Graves: handsome, ambitious, and with spectacularly bad timing. He shows up at the United Nations base just as an emergency evacuation sends everyone scurrying for safety. Except he’s left behind. Uh oh.
Also stranded: Cleo, a sharp-tongued stowaway with no intention of dying today, and even less patience for overconfident trust fund boys. But the enemy of your enemy might just help you survive, so here we are.
Turns out the evacuation was just a cover for the mercenaries who came next, and they plan to blow up the base—and every trace of their crime—in eight hours.
Now, Hunter and Cleo have one shot to stop the explosion, escape alive, and deal with the inconvenient fact that they’re falling for each other.
The clock is ticking.
What did I think of it:This book was promoted somewhere as 'Die Hard meets...' (Yes, I forgot what the other thing was.)The Die Hard reference was enough for me to pick it up though.
And this is indeed a fun YA SciFi with elements that make the comparison to Die Hard a fair one.
The story is told from both Hunter's and Cleo's point of view in alternating chapters. After a short introduction to both and the setting, the action starts and keeps going in a pleasant pace. I really liked Cleo's fast thinking and creative solutions. There were a few surprises along the way, but those felt natural and believable.
All in all a very enjoyable read.
Why should you read it:It's YA Die Hard on Mars
Categories: Fantasy Books
Clockwork Boys - Book Review
Clockwork Boys (Clocktaur War #1)by T. KingfisherWhat is it about:A paladin, an assassin, a forger, and a scholar ride out of town. It’s not the start of a joke, but rather an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes. T. Kingfisher’s new novel begins the tale of a murderous band of criminals (and a scholar), thrown together in an attempt to unravel the secret of the Clockwork Boys, mechanical soldiers from a neighboring kingdom that promise ruin to the Dowager’s city.
If they succeed, rewards and pardons await, but that requires a long journey through enemy territory, directly into the capital. It also requires them to refrain from killing each other along the way! At turns darkly comic and touching, Clockwork Boys puts together a broken group of people trying to make the most of the rest of their lives as they drive forward on their suicide mission.
What did I think of it:I have really enjoyed Swordheart and the 3 Saint of Steel books I've read so far, so I decided to give the Clocktaur War Duology a chance as they're set in the same world.
And this was a very nice read.
I liked the characters, the banter between them, the setup. It just seemed to be a bit slow on the story. Now this might have been just me, but with a title "Clockwork Boys" I had expected more... Clockwork Boys. Our brave heroes do get drawn into other events, but they make sure to stay far away from the things this book is named after.
That aside, I had a good time with this book. Kingfisher's writing, characters, humor, and worldbuilding didn't disappoint, and I will most certainly buy the matching hardcover of The Wonder Engine when it releases in March.
Why should you read it:It's a fun Fantasy read.
Categories: Fantasy Books
Teaser Tuesdays - The Maleficent Faerie
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"It's him, isn't it?" Dawn breathes. "It's the Maleficent One, the Void King. He wants-"(page 13, The Maleficent Faerie by Rebecca F. Kenney)
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Categories: Fantasy Books
The Entanglement of Rival Wizards - Book Review
The Entanglement of Rival Wizards (Magic and Romance #1)by Sara RaaschWhat is it about:Will they conjure love, or evoke chaos? Two rival wizards are about to find out.
Sebastian Walsh: twenty-four. Grad student at Lesiara University in the Mageus of Evocation program. Human. The first of his family to go to college rather than the military (and it goes over at family get-togethers about as well as you’d think).
Elethior Tourael: also twenty-four. Also a grad student, but in the far more inferior Mageus of Conjuration program. Half-elf. The latest in a long line of Touraels to grace the hallowed halls of Lesiara U (what would the world do if the Touraels ran out of rich douches to lead their magical weapons manufacturing empire?).
―and the other finalist for the Mageus Research Grant.
Sebastian needs that grant to fund the last few months of research for his degree, after which he’ll get a job that actually helps people. He isn’t about to let anyone snatch this from him, least of all a snob who doesn’t even need the money because his family is loaded thanks to war profiteering.
But there’s something worse than having a conceited academic nemesis steal grant money from you: you could be forced to work with him. Thio is secretive, broody, and his stunning biceps take up far too much shared lab space―but even as volatile as their partnership is, Sebastian just might find himself falling for his rival―and it could blow up his whole future.
What did I think of it:I totally fell in love with this cover and impulse bought this book with birthday money after reading the blurb.
This is a really fun and enjoyable Fantasy Romance.
I will confess I thought Sebastian was a total ass at first. Even though the story is told from his point of view it's clear he's being immature and prejudiced toward Elithior. I really admired Elithior for not getting out a taser and zapping Sebastian into next week.
That said: I enjoyed the writing, Elithior, and Sebastian's roommate/best friend, so I gave Sebastian the benefit of the doubt. And he grew on me! Discovering a bit more about his past helped as well.
I very much enjoyed the romance, as well as the worldbuilding, the magic system, and Sebastian and Elithior's background stories which where woven into who they are and how they react to things in a believable way.
All in all a great read, and I will most certainly keep an eye out for the next book in this series, which will be about Sebastian's best friend.
Why should you read it:It's a fun and very enjoyable Fantasy Romance.
Categories: Fantasy Books
On McPig's Radar - Hopeless Necromantic
Looks like this is a re-release (and probably partly rewritten to add romance) of a book published in 2024, but it sure sounds fun.
Hopeless Necromanticby Shiloh Briar
When new recruit Helspira takes on the doomed mission that no other soldier wants, life - and death - start to get a little complicated.
Helspira must play escort to Sikras - a frustratingly handsome necromancer with the power to raise the dead - as he attempts a mission that he's failed twice before; stopping an undead army at the edges of the kingdom.
No-one thinks he will succeed. Not even Sikras. But the more time the two spend together, the more they find they can imagine a brighter future. As secrets come out and the two grow closer - and Sikras's lively skeleton companion Benjamin tries desperately not to be a third wheel - will Sikras' and Helspira's changing feelings for each other be enough to overcome the growing danger?
Expected Publication: 7 augustus 2025
Categories: Fantasy Books
Six Scorched Roses - Book Review
Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5)by Carissa Broadbent)What is it about:Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.
Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.
Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.
But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.
What did I think of it:First: a confession: I totally tried to read and failed to finish The Serpent and the Wings of Night.I really liked the writing and worldbuilding, but I loathed Oraya and Raihn. This whole lets act awful toward each other instead of just f@ck and get it out of our system is not my thing! No live or death tournament could persuade me to keep reading about those two jerks.
So it was with a bit of apprehension that I picked this novella up. And I totally fell in love!
This is such an amazing story. I loved Lilith from the start, and then Vale was introduced and he's amazing as well. I read this novella in one sitting, and I will most certainly reread it in the near future.
As I mentioned: Broadbent's worldbuilding is great, I loved discovering all about this world and its vampires and religion. The romance was sweet and intense at the same time, and everything I wish was in The Serpent and the Wings of Night. I will not give that book another try, but I might investigate other books by Broadbent.
Why should you read it:It's a wonderful Fantasy Romance read.
Categories: Fantasy Books
Teaser Tuesdays - Red Star Rebels
The guy from Mars didn't know I was coming. "Hi?" he says, with an upward inflection that asks who I am, what I want, and why I'm standing here when he's already checked everybody off his list.(page 1, Red Star Rebels by Amy Kaufman)---------
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Categories: Fantasy Books
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