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7/19/2017

Waiting on Wednesday #17 - Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson






Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases.

Another book by Lily Anderson and I can't wait to read it.   





Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

The sequel to The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You, inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest.

Elliot Gabaroche is very clear on what she isn't going to do this summer. 

1. She isn't going to stay home in Sacramento, where she'd have to sit through her stepmother's sixth community theater production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
2. She isn't going to mock trial camp at UCLA.
3. And she certainly isn't going to the Air Force summer program on her mother's base in Colorado Springs. As cool as it would be to live-action-role-play Ender's Game, Ellie's seen three generations of her family go through USAF boot camp up close, and she knows that it's much less Luke/Yoda/"feel the force," and much more one hundred push-ups on three days of no sleep. And that just isn't appealing, no matter how many Xenomorphs from Alien she'd be able to defeat afterwards.

What she is going to do is pack up her attitude, her favorite Octavia Butler novels, and her Jordans, and go to summer camp. Specifically, a cutthroat academic-decathlon-like competition for a full scholarship to Rayevich College, the only college with a Science Fiction Literature program. And she's going to start over as Ever Lawrence, on her own terms, without the shadow of all her family’s expectations. Because why do what’s expected of you when you can fight other genius nerds to the death for a shot at the dream you’re sure your family will consider a complete waste of time?

This summer's going to be great.



Published by: Wednesday Books
The Release Date for the book is:
November 21st 2017
Pre-Order:
Barnes&Noble  |  Amazon US
Or pre-order it from Book Depository using my Affiliate link:
Book Depository
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7/12/2017

Waiting on Wednesday #16 - A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland




Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases.

A girl who along with everyone in her family s cursed by Death to be debilitated by their fears and eventually die by them sounds so cool. Like I can't wait to get my hands on this book and see just what is going on.
Plus the cover with that pretty light purple color and a skeleton arm with a flower and the black kitty is super goth cute.
😍




A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

From the author of Our Chemical Hearts comes the hilarious, reality-bending tale of two outsiders facing their greatest fears about life and love one debilitating phobia at a time.

Ever since Esther Solar's grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther's father is agoraphobic and hasn't left the basement in six years, her twin brother can t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.

The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them.

Esther doesn't know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces, and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares.

Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn't counted on: love.


Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young
The Release Date for the book is:
September 5th, 2017

Pre-Order:
Barnes&Noble  |  Amazon US
Or pre-order it from Book Depository using my Affiliate link:
Book Depository
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7/10/2017

Monthly WrapUp | June 2017




Although in June I got a lot of books I did not read that many. But I feel that since I did a big haul I should do a wrap-up. Even if it's just for fun.

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Trusting You & Other Lies by Nicole Williams

Phoenix can't imagine anything worse than being shipped off to family summer camp. Her parents have been fighting for the past two years—do they seriously think being crammed in a cabin with Phoenix and her little brother, Harry, will make things better?

On top of that, Phoenix is stuck training with Callum—the head counselor who is seriously cute but a complete know-it-all. His hot-cold attitude means he's impossible to figure out—and even harder to rely on. But despite her better judgment, Phoenix is attracted to Callum. And he's promising Phoenix a summer she'll never forget. Can she trust him? Or is this just another lie?

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Reading this book I thought it was going to be one thing but after I finished it I noticed that I had enjoyed the story, the characters and where everything had gone. While I did thnk that Phoenix was a bit too much sometimes I ended up not hating her which is good but I kinda wanted more out of her as a character. Like part of me wanted to see here more of a character, maybe even more fearless, but definitely be more involved in the camp activities. I don't know what I mean but it's just a feeling I got after a couple of weeks have passed since I read it.

Below is a link to my official review for Trusting You & Other Lies by Nicole Williams. And below that is a link to the GoodReads page.

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The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.

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This was one of those books where I didn't really think much about it but just asked for it. And NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read it. And again it wasn't such a bad book. I actually liked it.
It definitely tugged a heart string now that it's been weeks, like with Trusting You & Other Lies. Where it settled in my mind and now I ca tell that it was a good book, I don't know if I feel this way about the others but I adored Arthur as a character. He was well rounded; a good person, caring, smart, and even his flaws were good. He talked to the gravestones of the dead at cemeteries, that alone is creepy but with Arthur it was endearing.

Below is a link to my official review for The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg. And below that is a link to the GoodReads page.

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Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson

When Cody, a troubled fourteen-year-old, witnesses a murder, she tells no one. But it begins a spiral for her from which she cannot escape. Her worried mother Skye thinks a change of scene is just what her introverted, withdrawn daughter needs and since her dream has always been to own an inn, she jumps at the chance to buy a dilapidated bed & breakfast in the Berkshires. But being an innkeeper is harder than it seems and Cody still seems to fall in with the wrong crowd. When Adam March arrives as the inn’s only guest, he is accompanied by his rescued pit bull, Chance, a dog who has saved Adam in more ways than one. Cody and Chance begin a wary bond and soon, Adam finds another rescue who needs the kind of attention he gave Chance years ago. With Adam and Skye beginning a tentative relationship and Chance showing Cody how to trust again, this new-found family seems to be on the brink of second chances. But soon, a murderer is closing in—someone hiding in plain sight, and threatening everything and everyone—even Cody’s life.

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I don't know if reading the first book would make me understand some of the characters but I enjoyed this story. 
It's such a beautiful story that hit a little home because I still hurt to remember that my dog had died last year. And seeing how much Adam and Migo loved their dogs Chance and Dawg made me happy. Definitely a book that I'm glad I read.

Below is a link to my official review for Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson. And below that is a link to the GoodReads page.

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Bookshelf Spotlight #6 - Mothership by Martin Leicht, Isla Neal



A long time ago I had started doing these posts to shine a spotlight on the books that are on my blog. Then I stopped doing them because I took a break and then just forgot. But now I want to do them again. Mostly because I got a couple of books that I want to talk about.


I bought this book in my bookoutlet haul last month. The reason why I bought it was because at the time there was that whole 50 books sale was going on and this book was on there. I checked it out, it sounded so cool. Space themed story where the main character is pregnant sounds like its going to be all over the place in a good way.
I ended up getting the cover with the girl but I kinda like it. I'm not like how some people don't like book covers to have models on them. I mean I get it but this one is cool. It's colorful, on theme and the model on the cover is close to what the book leads you to think the main character is like.


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Mothership by Martin Leicht, Isla Neal

Elvie Nara was doing just fine in the year 2074. She had a great best friend, a dad she adored, and bright future working on the Ares Project on Mars. But then she had to get involved with sweet, gorgeous, dumb-as-a-brick Cole—and now she’s pregnant.

Getting shipped off to the Hanover School for Expecting Teen Mothers was not how Elvie imagined spending her junior year, but she can go with the flow. That is, until a team of hot commandos hijacks the ship—and one of them turns out to be Cole. She hasn’t seen him since she told him she’s pregnant, and now he’s bursting into her new home to tell her that her teachers are aliens and want to use her unborn baby to repopulate their species? Nice try, buddy. You could have just called.

So fine, finding a way off this ship is priority number one, but first Elvie has to figure out how Cole ended up as a commando, work together with her arch-nemesis, and figure out if she even wants to be a mother—assuming they get back to Earth in one piece.


Published by: November 12th, 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Paperback, 308 pages




Get a copy at:

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7/09/2017

Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman | Book Review





Book Review:

Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman


Spoilers?
Maybe some.

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Disclaimer:
This book was sent to me from NetGalley.com and the publishing company in exchange for an honest review.
Title - Retribution Rails 
By - Erin Bowman
Publication - November 7th, 2017 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Genre - Young Adult, Western, Thriller, Fiction, Historical
REDEMPTION IS NEVER FREE
When Reece Murphy is forcibly dragged into the Rose Riders gang because of a mysterious gold coin in his possession, he vows to find the man who gave him the piece and turn him over to the gang in exchange for freedom. Never does he expect a lead to come from an aspiring female journalist. But when Reece's path crosses with Charlotte Vaughn after a botched train robbery and she mentions a promising rumor about a gunslinger from Prescott, it becomes apparent that she will be his ticket to freedom—or a noose. As the two manipulate each other for their own ends, past secrets are unearthed, reviving a decade-old quest for revenge that may be impossible to settle.

In this thrilling companion to Vengeance Road, dangerous alliances are formed, old friends meet new enemies, and the West is wilder than ever. 




The Rating :




My Review:


My review in a gif. Which equals 5 stars.

via GIPHY

I want to say that this was sent to me for review from publisher and that, as all my reviews, this one is full of my honest opinions.

The Cover:
Although they say never judge a book by it's cover I believe the cover should represent what the book is going to be like or at least some aspect of it.
This cover is everything!
The cover artist has achieved perfection in the form of the cover. Now all I need is to own the first one and the second one in hardcover to have next to each other on my shelves. 

From what I can tell the cover consists of shades of brown, gold and a blue color tat borders on purple. And I love those colors together. The cacti are pretty and the rails. 


The Story:

This is not a sequel to the previous book Vengeance Road. It's actually a companion to that story and even features the two main characters from VR. 
RR has a female protagonist (Charlotte) that dreams of becoming a journalist while having to deal with her evil uncle who wants her and her mother's fortune. And a guy who rides with the Rose Riders gang (Reece) against his will. Together with Kate and Jesse they get involved and try to get along despite their original dislike.


Relationships:

There were more than one couples and relationships in this book but I will only talk about one of them.


Kate x Jesse

Again I believe that these two are amazing.
They have stayed together since the end of VR and now Kate is pregnant and will soon deliver. 
Their story was a tough one and the fact that they are still together just makes me so happy. 

Charlotte x Reece
These two did not get along. Like at each other's throats. And I loved that the transition from total hate and disgust turned into friendship and trust as so nicely done. I almost didn't even notice it until the end where I was like "but didn't you guys want to kill each other".


Settings:

 Its a western so you can expect deserts, cacti, horses, saloons, and trains. And I loved it. Nearly every place in this story was amazingly described without going too into detail. It gave me e good image of what was going on and I loved that.
I think I love the train scenes, and the scenes where they are on horseback. I can totally see great panning shots if it were a movie.


Overall:

Much like Vengeance Road, I loved reading Retribution Rails. 

I read it quickly. And I loved every page of it. Yeah, it was slow for the first 200 pages but not in a bad way. Through out we learned about the characters, their pasts, and watched them grow, in a way. It was perfect.

Reece was an amazing character that you hate at first till you understand whats behind his actions. And even though I found Charlotte annoying at first I loved her as a character and was happy she grew from what happened to her. 

via GIPHY

Having Kate and Jesse in the story was perfect. They were just great in RR. And seeing that they were still together 10 years later made me feel all warm inside. And with the description of an older Jesse I kept picturing a young Clint Eastwood. 
I especially loved reading just how smart they were in having two houses and having not shown off their gold, their fortune. And Kate being a bad ass even when she was 9 months pregnant, holding a rifle and her colts was amazing. 

And as I read the last pages I felt a sense of accomplishment. Like an "I saw these people grow up" feeling. Almost like if they were stories a grandparent tells you and your happy at the end.



Get a copy at:
Barnes&Noble  |  Amazon US  |  Signed Copy


Or get it here using my affiliate link. Please:
Book Depository
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7/08/2017

Monthly BookHaul | June 2017



June had been a big bookish month since I made my first order from BookOutlet so there will be a lot of books on this list. Also, I rarely do these posts since I barely get one or two books a month so this will be fun. 
I also did a youtube video unboxing the books I got. So I will include a link to that.



I managed to get a few books that I had already read and enjoyed which was amazing. I got and read the following.
A Study in Charlotte (which I reviewed)
The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You (which I reviewed and had participated in a blog tour last year)
Flipped (which I also reviewed)

Apart from that the rest of the books here are books that interested me, books that I had heard about, and books that I had asked if I could borrow them from my friend but never got past the 20 page line and returned them and now I have my ow copy of them. So you can pretty much say I did good on this haul.

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Hauled


Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks

When Tuesday McGillycuddy and her beloved dog, Baxter, discover that Tuesday's mother―the famous author Serendipity Smith―has gone missing, they set out on a magical adventure. In their quest to find Serendipity, they discover the mysterious and unpredictable place that stories come from. Here, Tuesday befriends the fearless Vivienne Small, learns to sail an enchanted boat, tangles with an evil pirate, and discovers the truth about her remarkable dog. Along the way, she learns what it means to be a writer and how difficult it can sometimes be to get all the way to The End.

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The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su, Kate Rorick

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet takes readers deep inside Lizzie’s world and well beyond the confines of her camera—from the wedding where she first meets William Darcy to the local hangout of Carter’s bar, and much more. Lizzie’s private musings are filled with revealing details about the Bennet household, including her growing suspicions about her parents’ unstable financial situation, her sister’s budding relationship with Bing Lee, the perils of her unexpected fame, and her uncertainty over her future—and whom she wants to share it with.

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A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But the danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

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Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison

Helene Zaharis's politician husband keeps her on a tight leash and cancels her credit cards as a way of controlling her. Lorna Rafferty is up to her eyeballs in debt and can't stop her addiction to eBay. Sandra Vanderslice, battling agoraphobia, pays her shoe bills by working as a phone-sex operator. And Jocelyn Bowen is a nanny for the family from hell (who barely knows a sole from a heel but who will do anything to get out of the house.)
On Tuesday nights, these women meet to trade shoes and, in the process, form friendships that will help them each triumph over their problems---from secret pasts to blackmail, bankruptcy, and dating. Funny, emotional, and powerful, Shoe Addicts Anonymous is a perfect read for any woman who has ever struggled to find the perfect?

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The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester's debut novel has been praised by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight saga, as "the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men...Prepare to have your heart warmed." The Girl Who Could Fly is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly.

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The Boy Who Knew Everything by Victoria Forester

Here is the long-awaited companion to The Girl Who Could Fly.
There is a prophecy.

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The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

Trixie Watson has two very important goals for the senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.

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Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

“I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

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The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber

London, 1882: Queen Victoria appoints Harold Spire of the Metropolitan Police to Special Branch Division Omega. Omega is to secretly investigate paranormal and supernatural events and persons. Spire, a skeptic driven to protect the helpless and see justice done, is the perfect man to lead the department, which employs scholars and scientists, assassins and con men, and a traveling circus. Spire's chief researcher is Rose Everhart, who believes fervently that there is more to the world than can be seen by mortal eyes.

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52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

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Mothership by Martin Leicht, Isla Neal

Elvie Nara was doing just fine in the year 2074. She had a great best friend, a dad she adored, and bright future working on the Ares Project on Mars. But then she had to get involved with sweet, gorgeous, dumb-as-a-brick Cole—and now she’s pregnant.

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Princess Academy, The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

After a year at the king's palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!

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Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.

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Dracula by Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker's classic novel of suspense and horror was a bestseller in Britain when it was published in 1897. A late 20th-century biographer of Stoker has suggested that famed Victorian actor Henry Irving, for whom Stoker worked for many years, was an inspiration for some of Count Dracula's characteristics.

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After Hours by Claire Kennedy

Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn know that a job at the high-end Waterside Cafe isn't just about waiting tables. It's about the gossip, the hook-ups, the after-hours parties and, most of all, it's about Tips.

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The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Ganger

Birdie never meant to be at the party. Bash should have been long gone. But when they meet, a collision course is set off they may never recover from.

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My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten

Rowena Duncan is a thoroughly modern girl with big plans for her summer—until she catches her boyfriend making out with another girl. Heartbroken, she applies to an out-of-town job posting and finds herself somewhere she never expected: the Renaissance Faire.

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Giveaway Win



The Windfall by Diksha Basu

For the past thirty years, Mr. and Mrs. Jha’s lives have been defined by cramped spaces, cut corners, gossipy neighbors, and the small dramas of stolen yoga pants and stale marriages. They thought they’d settled comfortably into their golden years, pleased with their son’s acceptance into an American business school. But then Mr. Jha comes into an enormous and unexpected sum of money, and moves his wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, where he becomes eager to fit in as a man of status: skinny ties, hired guards, shoe polishing machines, and all.

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The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.



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Sent by Publishers

This book was sent to me by the lovely people at Picador. Thank You!



The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack 

Semele Cavnow appraises antiquities for an exclusive Manhattan auction house, deciphering ancient texts—and when she discovers a manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra, she knows it will be the find of her career. Its author tells the story of a priceless tarot deck, now lost to history, but as Semele delves further, she realizes the manuscript is more than it seems. Both a memoir and a prophecy, it appears to be the work of a powerful seer, describing devastating wars and natural disasters in detail thousands of years before they occurred.

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