Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 206

Blood Will Have Blood | The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton

Title: The Queens of Innis LearBy: Tessa GrattonGenre: FantasyPages: 576Release Date: March 27th, 2018Publisher: Tor
Summary from Goodreads: The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.
The king's three daughters—battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia—know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.

Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war—but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided.

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Review: What!!! I thought game of thrones was epic, but this book had me on pins and needles the whole time. I couldn't put it down. 
With a family divided, the poor island of Innis Lear is at the mercy of a crazy king and his daughters. We follow many different story lines, as we try to sift through the muck and figure out who is going to be crowned the rightful heir to the thrown. The world building is grand and the characters are all so unique and full of depth. I really was kept on edge, wondering who would win in the end. George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan will love this book.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Make it out Alive | Fire and Bone by Rachel A. Marks

Fire and Bone
Rachel A. Marks
(Otherborn #1)
Publication date: February 20th 2018
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

“Gossip Girl meets Percy Jackson in the glitz and grit of L.A….”
In Hollywood’s underworld of demigods, druids, and ancient bonds, one girl has a dangerous future.
Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she’s invited to a party—one that turns out to be a trap.
Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she’s the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she’s asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she’s tempted—especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld.
As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out who to trust in a realm she doesn’t understand. One thing’s for sure: the trap she’s in has bigger claws than she thought. And it’s going to take a lot more than magic for this Celtic demigoddess to make it out alive.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble—EXCERPT:LILY
I try to hide my shivering as I wait before the altar, in my position as the Bonding begins. Around me, shadows dance over the cairn walls from the restless flames licking up the ram’s body—the sacrifice on the pyre behind me—and the smell of sweat and burnt flesh smother the smoky air.
The King of Ravens paints an alarming image, standing almost naked across from me on the other side of the blood circle. He wears the corona radiata, the golden laurel-leafed crown, on his head of onyx hair. His short beard is neatly trimmed, combed with lavender oil for the ceremony. His sharp silver eyes study me beneath a heavy brow.
I try not to think about the past. Or future. I try not to think about what those hard hands will feel like on my skin when he seals this Bond.
I study the stone floor rather than look in those metallic eyes. I feel them on me, though, the same way they have been for the fortnight I’ve been here preparing for the ceremony. He hasn’t touched me; he’s only brought me gifts and insisted I sit with him beside the greatfire in the evening before he goes out for his hunt. Sometimes I smell him in the hallway outside my rooms. But he never comes in, thank the goddess. The scent of blood is heavy on him in those moments. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if he’d attempted anything.
After this is done, it won’t matter. My bed will be his. As will my life.
A druid walks back and forth behind me, tossing rosemary and lavender onto the pyre after each stanza of his spell. He calls to the wind from the east, he calls to the waters in the west, and he pulls the spirit of flame and earth into the cairn with us, asking the Penta to approve the Bond set to be made between the two most powerful Houses, as he pleads for a blessing from our mothers, Brighid and Morrígan, and thanks the Cast for their permission to seal the Bond between the two very different powers.
A female druid comes to my side with bowl and brush, beginning to paint my skin in blue woad, tracing patterns of knots and runes across my back, then baring my chest and continuing.
The king’s gaze follows the woman’s strokes, and when she’s finished, he raises his chin at me in approval but says nothing. What does he see when he looks at me? My wild copper hair? My simple features? The awkward birthmark just above my heart? I’m round of cheek and hips and not much of a beauty. But however I look to him, I will belong to him.
Determination is set in hard lines on his face, and I wonder if the torque on his neck is working properly. I can see his dark energy lifting in silver and black curls over his shoulders now. It should be tight inside his skin, as mine is. The iron shackle should be holding it in place so that we don’t harm each other in the first merging, before we can get used to the feel of each other’s powers.
The female druid moves to the king next and begins painting the woad in circles over his torso. The druid chanting behind me recites the final section of his spell, walking the ram’s-blood circle painted on the floor. He holds a rowan stick aloft, flicking rosewater over the king and then me as he passes by, mumbling, “A price paid, a covenant sealed, in earth and blood and ash, in spirit and flesh and fire.”
The price is my will, my soul, in payment for the life of the human prince that I took.
In the center of the circle, between the king and me, is an altar with two bowls set atop, one full of salt, one full of rye.
The iron union dagger rests between them.
I stare at it, imagining the blade cutting into my flesh. And I can’t help when my gaze moves to the king. I want to blink and make this moment a dream, perhaps find myself in the thicket with Lailoken, among the bluebells in the Caledonian wood.
I should run from this son of Morrígan, deny him, deny our mothers, and let the world burn. But my heart twists at the thought. I was running from duty when fate took my heart from me, when the prince succumbed to my fire’s will. It was the childish notion of freedom that tore him from me.
Now it’s time to accept my punishment for allowing the humans to glimpse our world. Time to atone.
The druid’s voice fills the room again. “When moon gives birth to stars,” he says, in a droning hum, flicking more rosewater over us with the rowan stick, “let this Bond be sealed in blood.”
My skin prickles with fear as the king takes the cue, reaching out to pick up the ceremonial dagger by the leather-wrapped hilt. I focus on not moving, not making a sound, as I watch him bring the blade to his chest, tip pricking his left breast. A drop of crimson pearls up at the spot.
With a slow hiss of breath, he cuts across.
Dark blood slides down his abdomen in a thick swath of red. “My blood with yours,” he says. And he turns the knife, holding out the hilt for me.
My hands clench into fists at my side, and I force my shaking limbs to still.
I breathe in slowly again. Then I reach out, taking the ceremonial dagger from him, careful not to touch his fingers.
I pretend not to care about the cage I’m about to be locked in. About the pain in my soul from loss, from the goddess Brighid abandoning me to this darkness, pain from the reality of everything in front of me.
I press the tip of the blade to the center of my chest, the point breaking the skin. I look into the silver eyes of the king in front of me. And consider my fate.
One deep plunge to the heart and the pain will end. One plunge.
One.

Author Bio:
Rachel A. Marks is a cancer survivor, a writer and artist, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of faerie secrets. Her four kids and amazing hubby put up with her nerdiness with tremendous grace, even when she makes them watch Buffy or Smallville re-runs for days on end. She was voted: Most Likely To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she'll never have to test the theory.
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Favorite Villains Guest Post by Mercury Rises Author Scarlett Kol

I am excited to have Scarlett Kol on the blog today talking about her favorite villains in literature. Read on for the good stuff...
Ah book villains, where would we be without them? They push our heroes to their limits, test their minds, test their mettle, and if written well, make for one great read. 
My debut novel, MERCURY RISES, is a re-imagining of Robin Hood so it definitely has its share of villains, but who is a hero and who is a villain gets blurred depending on what side of the story you are on. The true villains in the story don’t even know they’re the bad guys until they are pushed to the point of no return, but I’ll let you read the story to discover their identity for yourself.
So, who are some of my favorite book villains? Unfortunately, some of my favorites are villains who stage huge betrayals and we don’t see them coming, so to stay spoiler-free they will have to stay off my list. However, if you get a chance check out Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike and Rapture by Lauren Kate you should.
The Queen of Hearts – Alice in Wonderland – I loved Alice as a kid and the Red Queen was the first villain that really got in my head. Besides, who can beat a villain with an army of playing cards and an itch for beheading. 
Lestat de Lioncourt – Interview with a Vampire – I was a mad Anne Rice fan, and Lestat is still one of my fav villains. Charming, cunning, and absolutely ruthless. He was even a compelling enough character that he became the hero for the rest of the series. Poor Louis, he can’t beat Lestat at anything! 
Dolores Umbridge – Harry Potter – Yes, Lord Voldemort is the big bad in this series, but Dolores Umbridge is vicious. The subtle torture that she imparts on Harry and his friends all packaged up in a pink and kitty package makes her a dangerous force to reckon with. Lord Voldemort is a known evil to the Ministry of Magic, but Dolores is permitted and even encouraged to be her nasty self. The abuse of power and the fact that she believes she’s doing the right thing is terrifying.
Dante Walker – The Collector – Dante ventures on the anti-hero territory of villains. He turns around and ends up saving the world, but in the first book of this series, he’s a pretty nasty guy. To start with, he works for the Devil himself collecting souls and pressuring people into evil. If that weren’t enough, the kind of mind games he plays with Charlie are pretty awful. He’s a riot to read though with one of the best voices I’ve ever read.
Leland Gaunt – Needful Things – Stephen King has put out some notorious baddies, but the one that I thought was the best was the shop owner in this macabre tale. Leland was a genius who preyed on his customers’ needs and wants in exchange for small favors that pushed the buttons of the other residents until the whole town imploded on itself. The end of the book went a little off the rails for me, but Leland’s manipulation of the townspeople was epic.
A – Pretty Little Liars – A took the quintessential mean girl to a whole new level. The story did go to some odd places, and the television series went even weirder (that finale, really?), but the depths she pushed the Liars to go kept me turning pages.
Miranda Priestley – The Devil Wears Prada – She’s chic, fashionable, and a total tyrant, but part of me would’ve still jumped at the chance to work for her if she offered. 
River Redding – Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – River is an interesting villain in that you spend a lot of time wishing that he will somehow be redeemed. He’s charming, good-looking, and has a strange connection with Violet that you hope will be enough to save him, but underneath is a deep darkness that erupts in the sequel Between the Spark and the Burn. He’s creepy.
Drew Montgomery – Wicked Descent – You’ve probably never heard of this one, but he’s the deliciously evil villain in my upcoming novel coming from Evernight Teen on March 2nd. If you’re looking for a villain that you will LOVE to hate, you should check out Drew when his story drops next month. “Remorse is for those who feel regret. I don’t regret the things I do.” Oh Drew!
Thanks for having me at the blog today and I hope you will check out MERCURY RISES. But before I go, who are your favorite villains?
These are some awesome villains. Some I know, some I don't. I'm going to have to check some of these books out. Thanks Scarlett for stopping by and gratz on your book release.

Mercury Rises by Scarlett KolPublication Date:  February 13, 2018Publisher:  Inkspell Publishing
A girl looking for a way out.
Being the daughter of New America’s leader, Mercury Masters has everything a girl could want. A glamorous life full of beautiful people, and the power to have anything she wants, except for one thing—to escape. Because Mercury’s perfect life comes with secrets to keep. Dangerous secrets that if made public would destroy her, her family, and her father’s reign. Then she meets Hawk.
A boy looking to be a hero.
Hawk, a handsome prep school dropout turned vigilante, has his own family secrets. Deadly secrets that have haunted him since he was fifteen. But instead of fighting the ghosts of his past, Hawk has assembled a group of misfit hackers and thieves to save the future from the corrupt government of New America and the mysterious virus that is killing off its citizens. But trying to do the right thing is tough when the person you really want to save is your enemy’s daughter.
A love that could kill them both.
Powerful forces keep them apart, but coming together could be the key to saving New America from destruction—even though it may cost both their lives.
A near-future YA biopunk retelling of Robin Hood.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Scarlett Kol grew up in Northern Manitoba reading books and writing stories about creatures that make you want to sleep with the lights on. As an adult, she's still a little afraid of the dark. Scarlett now lives just outside Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with her husband and two boys, but if you need to find her she's likely freezing at the hockey rink.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

There will be Blood | Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence

Title: Grey SisterBy: Mark LawrenceGenre: FantasyPages: 400Release Date: April 19th, 2018Publisher: Ace
Summary from Goodreads: In Mystic Class Nona Grey begins to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often even the deepest truths just make our choices harder. Before she leaves the Convent of Sweet Mercy Nona must choose her path and take the red of a Martial Sister, the grey of a Sister of Discretion, the blue of a Mystic Sister or the simple black of a Bride of the Ancestor and a life of prayer and service.
All that stands between her and these choices are the pride of a thwarted assassin, the ambition of a would-be empress wielding the Inquisition like a blade, and the vengeance of the empire’s richest lord.

As the world narrows around her, and her enemies attack her through the system she has sworn to, Nona must find her own path despite the competing pull of friendship, revenge, ambition, and loyalty.

And in all this only one thing is certain.
.
There will be blood. 

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Review: Another fantastic fantasy adventure by Mark Lawrence. One thing I love about Lawrence's style is the heavy fantasy aspect that he brings to his writing. There is always background on the characters and clear world building that paints a wonderful world. 
I love the whole sister hierarchy and their inner workings. I think that's what draws me into this book. There's just enough adventure and thrill to keep the story going. Great weekend read. 

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Darkest Magic of the Witchborn | Burn Bright by Patrica Briggs

Title: Burn BrightBy: Patricia BriggsGenre: Urban FantasyPages: 336Release Date: March 16th, 2018Publisher: Ace
Summary from Goodreads: Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham face a threat like no other--one that lurks too close to home...
They are the wild and the broken. The werewolves too damaged to live safely among their own kind. For their own good, they have been exiled to the outskirts of Aspen Creek, Montana. Close enough to the Marrok's pack to have its support; far enough away to not cause any harm.

With their Alpha out of the country, Charles and Anna are on call when an SOS comes in from the fae mate of one such wildling. Heading into the mountainous wilderness, they interrupt the abduction of the wolf--but can't stop blood from being shed. Now Charles and Anna must use their skills--his as enforcer, hers as peacemaker--to track down the attackers, reopening a painful chapter in the past that springs from the darkest magic of the witchborn... 

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Review: Oh, man. I really love this stuff. Patricia Briggs always brings her A game. This book was more of a murder mystery than I think her other books have been. I really enjoyed following the characters as they rule out suspects and track down the murderer. On top of all that, you get the paranormal aspect that we love from Briggs. 
I gave this book a solid four stars for a fantastic story line and colorful characters.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

I got an Instant Pot! | #WeeklyMenu Week #237

Holly cow! It snowed. Its February and it snowed. That is unheard of here in the Portland area. We were driving home from my in-laws last night when the worst of it hit. It was white out conditions. We could only go about 20 miles per hour, and the snow was so heavy that we had white out conditions. We lost the road, it was white. The only thing keeping us in a straight line was the groves in the middle of the lane telling you that you were crossing over the middle line. It was terrifying. I'm so glad we made it home safe.
In other news, I got an Instant Pot. Its a pressure cooker. I can't wait to try it out tonight. I'm supposed to be able to cook an entire dinner in about 12 minutes... We shall see... 
Well, enjoy this weeks menu!
Monday- Chicken Taco Bowls
Tuesday- Swedish Meatballs 
Wednesday- Beef and Broccoli
Thursday- Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Friday- Frozen Pizza
Saturday- Italian Chopped Salad
Sunday
- Leftovers Night

Mother! | Movie Review

Title: Mother!Genre: Psychological Thriller Release Date: September 15th, 2017Rating: 6.7/10Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem 
Summary from IMDB: A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.
IMDB Trailer

Review: Creepy, confusing and down right strange. This movie started off with a real creep factor. Strangers come into their home and won't leave. They start taking over and then a murder happens. After that, the movie takes a weird turn and just falls apart. All of a sudden, she was pregnant, then she had the baby the next day and then a mob broke in, and the swat team came, and all hell broke lose. It was weird. I kept watching just to see how it ended, but it was really disappointing. Not Jennifer's best work.

American Ultra | Movie Review

Title:  American UltraGenre: ActionRelease Date: August 21st, 2015  Rating: 6.1/10Cast:  Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton 
Summary from IMDB: A stoner - who is in fact a government agent - is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he's too well-trained and too high for them to handle.
IMDB Trailer
 
Review: Sometimes I come across a hidden gem of a movie that I am so surprised that no one else knows about that it just blows my mind. American Ultra was crazy intense. The main character is a sleeper agent that is triggered because he is going to be killed by the people who created him. Of course, he has no idea that he has been trained to be an assassin, but that's what makes it fun. You have to see this movie. Its full of action, humor and an all around good time.

I’ve been waiting for you | Mercury Rises by Scarlett Kol

 
Welcome to the Release Day Blitz forMercury Rises by Scarlett Kol!Celebrate the release by checking out the excerpt,and be sure to enter the giveaway! 
CONGRATULATIONS SCARLETT!   

A girl looking for a way out.Being the daughter of New America’s leader, Mercury Masters has everything a girl could want. A glamorous life full of beautiful people, and the power to have anything she wants, except for one thing—to escape. Because Mercury’s perfect life comes with secrets to keep. Dangerous secrets that if made public would destroy her, her family, and her father’s reign. Then she meets Hawk.A boy looking to be a hero.Hawk, a handsome prep school dropout turned vigilante, has his own family secrets. Deadly secrets that have haunted him since he was fifteen. But instead of fighting the ghosts of his past, Hawk has assembled a group of misfit hackers and thieves to save the future from the corrupt government of New America and the mysterious virus that is killing off its citizens. But trying to do the right thing is tough when the person you really want to save is your enemy’s daughter.A love that could kill them both. Powerful forces keep them apart, but coming together could be the key to saving New America from destruction—even though it may cost both their lives.

Mercury Rises by Scarlett Kol Publication Date:  February 13, 2018 Publisher:  Inkspell Publishing Amazon |  Kobo |  Itunes |  B&N     
Excerpt #1: Running AwayI reached into my apron and pulled out the week’s rent. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me,Bill. I really appreciate you taking me in.”“No sweat. You work hard, and the regulars seem to like a pretty, young face around here. Stay aslong as you’d like.” He took the wad of bills and slid them in his pocket. “Now get out of here. I’llfinish up. You look exhausted.”Walking past, I squeezed his hand and continued on. As I glanced back over my shoulder, hesmiled, and for a minute I thought I saw him blush. Bill was the nicest person I had met since I left.I’d miss him.I ran up the stairs to my room. Time to move on. If there was still a chance of running into mypast, I was still too close to the city. Too bad. Part of my heart hurt thinking about how I was goingto let Bill down. I stopped at the door and rested my forehead against the rough wood. Maybe if Istayed the night, I could stick around and say goodbye in the morning. Better not. Fewer questionsif I left now. Safer for him the less he knew, anyway.A tight feeling spread across my lungs and up my throat as I slid the gold key in the lock for thelast time, but I’d get over it. I had to. I sighed and clicked the door closed. My hand hesitated on thedoorknob, the unexpected weight of a stare bearing down on the back of my head. I wasn’t alone.Standing motionless, I scanned the darkness over my shoulder. A voice cut through the black.“Mercury, I’ve been waiting for you.”   

Scarlett Kol grew up in Northern Manitoba reading books and writing stories about creatures that make you want to sleep with the lights on. As an adult, she's still a little afraid of the dark. Scarlett now lives just outside Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with her husband and two boys, but if you need to find her she's likely freezing at the hockey rink.

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Help Gia save the world | Assassin of Truths by Brenda Drake

 Title: Assassin of TruthBy: Brenda DrakeGenre: FantasyPages: 403Release Date: February 6th, 2018
Publisher:  Entangled: Teen
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I wanted to welcome Brenda Drake to the blog today, her new release Assassin of Truth just released from Entangled Teen. I'm excited to read it! Ms. Drake has compiled an awesome list of her favorite books. Let's dive in, shall we?...
Thank you for hosting me on your blog!

There are so many stories I loved that could go on my top list. A lot are older ones. Like practically ancient. My all-time favorite will always be The Secret Garden. It holds special meaning for me and is weaved throughout the Library Jumpers series. But for this post, I decided to leave it out and choose more current books. Have you read any of them? What are your favorites?

1. The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, will always top my list. The writing and the world building is fantastical and lovely. I want to go to Hogwarts and be a wizard. I’d so be a Hermione.

2. Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn is such an amazing story touching on sister bonds and tough decisions. The characters are well rounded and the relationship between Callie and Logan is sweet and swoon-worthy.

3. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell feels like a familiar story (see number one above) but is so different. I loved how the characters and the world feel real. Simon and Baz are just perfect together.

4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is a novel filled with memorable characters and swoony moments. Perkins does the almost-kiss so well.

5. Teach Me to Forget by Erica M. Chapman stole my heart. It made me laugh and cry. Chapman puts such raw feelings into the story.

6. This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp is another tearjerker I couldn’t put down. It’s a gripping story about a school shooting. Within the tragedy that happens throughout the story, there is hope. The ending is gut punching. I loved the diversity in this book.

7. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh was such an amazing read. It’s a reimagining of The Arabian Nights. Ahdieh writes settings that breathe life and characters that surprise the reader at every turn of the page. 

8. The Reader by Traci Chee is a fantastical adventure that is beautifully written. It’s a book about the magic of words with amazing characters, heart-pounding action, and twists. Adored it!

9. Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith is probably a series I don’t have to explain, but it’s a thrilling read with to-die (pun intended) for characters and intense romance. I do have to admit, I’m a bigger fan of the T.V. series.

10. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare is a series I came to after early readers of mine mentioned the Library Jumpers series was similar and now I’m hooked. I’ve read the first two books and have the third in my TBR pile. I love Clary, Jace, and all the shadowhunters. And Simon—swoon! Clare can really write a story.

Brenda Drake grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother's animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. With kids of all ages populating Brenda's world, it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical for both younger readers and the young at heart. And because she married her prince charming, there's always a romance warming the pages. Her favorite books are The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Kings Row by Henry Bellamann, and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. When she's not writing, she hosts workshops and contests for writers such as Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness on her blog, and holds Twitter pitch parties on the hashtag, #PitMad. In her free time, Brenda enjoys hanging out with her family, haunting libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or just reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

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