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Best Eating Disorder Books

Stories or manuals that offer insight and understanding
1

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3.96 avg rating — 118,578 ratings
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2

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4.02 avg rating — 32,647 ratings
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3

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3.82 avg rating — 40,624 ratings
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4

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4.05 avg rating — 245,498 ratings
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5

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4.02 avg rating — 3,674 ratings
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6

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3.69 avg rating — 5,099 ratings
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7

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4.24 avg rating — 416 ratings
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8

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3.68 avg rating — 5,386 ratings
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9

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3.77 avg rating — 13,757 ratings
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10

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3.78 avg rating — 1,834 ratings
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11

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4.02 avg rating — 13,871 ratings
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12

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4.04 avg rating — 3,510 ratings
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13

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3.86 avg rating — 3,049 ratings
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14

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3.72 avg rating — 2,229 ratings
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15

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3.90 avg rating — 14,756 ratings
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16

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4.16 avg rating — 80 ratings
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17

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4.10 avg rating — 9,224 ratings
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18

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4.17 avg rating — 103 ratings
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19

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3.90 avg rating — 3,742 ratings
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20

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3.43 avg rating — 6,658 ratings
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21

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4.55 avg rating — 170 ratings
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22

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3.80 avg rating — 1,033 ratings
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23

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4.18 avg rating — 2,630 ratings
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24

by
4.15 avg rating — 126 ratings
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25

by
3.64 avg rating — 615 ratings
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26

by
4.13 avg rating — 85 ratings
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27

by
3.80 avg rating — 1,811 ratings
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28

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3.57 avg rating — 1,194 ratings
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29

by
4.08 avg rating — 969 ratings
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30

by
4.30 avg rating — 61,875 ratings
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31

by
3.53 avg rating — 281 ratings
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32

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4.05 avg rating — 2,953 ratings
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33

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3.85 avg rating — 67,074 ratings
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34

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3.32 avg rating — 2,362 ratings
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35

by
3.85 avg rating — 917 ratings
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36

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3.90 avg rating — 341,711 ratings
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37

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3.67 avg rating — 683 ratings
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38

by
4.16 avg rating — 70 ratings
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39

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3.68 avg rating — 2,154 ratings
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40

by
3.63 avg rating — 227 ratings
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41

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3.48 avg rating — 2,195 ratings
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42

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3.95 avg rating — 4,628 ratings
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43

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4.32 avg rating — 28,558 ratings
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44

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3.54 avg rating — 903 ratings
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45

by
3.67 avg rating — 542 ratings
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46

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3.75 avg rating — 2,985 ratings
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47

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4.39 avg rating — 138 ratings
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48

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3.58 avg rating — 2,139 ratings
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49

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4.22 avg rating — 1,876 ratings
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50

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4.11 avg rating — 976 ratings
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51

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3.77 avg rating — 1,263 ratings
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52

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3.89 avg rating — 3,106 ratings
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53

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3.96 avg rating — 1,132 ratings
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54

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4.68 avg rating — 19 ratings
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55

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3.69 avg rating — 35,634 ratings
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56

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3.76 avg rating — 713 ratings
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57

by
4.12 avg rating — 228 ratings
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58

by
4.35 avg rating — 26 ratings
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59

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3.44 avg rating — 281 ratings
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60

by
3.77 avg rating — 538 ratings
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61

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3.56 avg rating — 55 ratings
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62

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4.26 avg rating — 19 ratings
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63

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3.91 avg rating — 33 ratings
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64

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3.87 avg rating — 628 ratings
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65

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4.40 avg rating — 6,056 ratings
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66

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3.55 avg rating — 4,282 ratings
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67

by
3.54 avg rating — 890 ratings
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68

by
3.67 avg rating — 976 ratings
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69

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4.02 avg rating — 4,337 ratings
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70

by
3.76 avg rating — 479 ratings
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71

by
3.88 avg rating — 25,940 ratings
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72

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3.76 avg rating — 2,065 ratings
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72

by
3.32 avg rating — 34 ratings
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74

by
3.79 avg rating — 730 ratings
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75

by
3.40 avg rating — 704 ratings
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76

by
3.18 avg rating — 417 ratings
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77

by
3.27 avg rating — 3,703 ratings
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78

by
3.44 avg rating — 189 ratings
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79

by
3.32 avg rating — 155 ratings
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80

by
3.92 avg rating — 175 ratings
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81

by
3.34 avg rating — 94 ratings
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82

by
4.45 avg rating — 55 ratings
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83

by
3.34 avg rating — 437 ratings
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83

by
3.97 avg rating — 1,499 ratings
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85

by
3.69 avg rating — 65 ratings
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86

by
3.81 avg rating — 201 ratings
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87

by
3.40 avg rating — 1,373 ratings
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88

by
3.69 avg rating — 7,981 ratings
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89

by
3.74 avg rating — 311 ratings
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90

by
4.10 avg rating — 69 ratings
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90

by
3.65 avg rating — 4,467 ratings
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90

by
4.31 avg rating — 35 ratings
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93

by
3.33 avg rating — 89 ratings
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94

by
3.98 avg rating — 10,588 ratings
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95

by
3.69 avg rating — 298 ratings
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96

by
3.85 avg rating — 941,753 ratings
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97

by
3.38 avg rating — 639 ratings
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98

by
3.31 avg rating — 306 ratings
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99

by
4.34 avg rating — 676 ratings
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100

by
3.23 avg rating — 236 ratings
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254 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Lisa 623 books
85 friends
Rachel 16 books
35 friends
Asli 285 books
23 friends
Gwen 396 books
66 friends
Mary 504 books
47 friends
Lee 777 books
62 friends
Tania 177 books
0 friends
Melissa 460 books
8 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-20 of 20 (20 new)

dateDown arrow    newest »

message 2: by Mary (new)

Mary I cannot believe this book isn't on the list. It's completely brilliant, and anyone interested in body disorders in Western culture should start with Bordo.


message 3: by Sirja (new)

Sirja Ellen Wasted, always and forever <3


message 4: by Ruthy (new)

Ruthy I've got to agree with Mary, Unbearable Weight by Susan Bordo really should be on this list


message 5: by Bettie (new)

Bettie (You can)add it! Click ADD BOOKS TO THIS LIST, then click the search box and enter the title.


message 6: by Morgan (new)

Morgan Vank <3 this list


message 7: by Truth816 (new)

Truth816 <3


message 8: by Jessa (new)

Jessa Just wanted to suggest that if you are recovering/have recovered/are trying to recover from an ED, you should check out my new book group on here:

Eating Disorder Recovery Reading Buddies
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/5...


message 9: by Bettie (new)

Bettie

SPAM ALERT!


message 10: by Jessa (last edited Oct 31, 2011 04:00PM) (new)

Jessa Sorry I didn't think it was spam to tell people rating a thread about eating disorders on Goodreads that there is now a group here ON GOODREADS where people can talk about eating disorder recovery and read eating disorder recovery books together, such as many of the books on this list...doesn't seem like spam to me at all. If I were posting to some external link or something, then I would totally agree.

I was really just trying to let people know it was there and reach out so that they could join and we could all help each other with this ED journey :( while enjoying good stories about it and helping each other know which books are triggering, etc. If you think that is spam, I am sorry. That is unfortunate.


message 11: by Heather (new)

Heather Faye I must admit to being sad that Wasted is number 1. For me, it did much more damage than good, triggering me and giving me more tips and strategies than it did aid my recovery. I hope that I am alone in this fact but I fear that it leads to more relapse than it leads to recovery. I actually found a book called Going Hungry to be very helpful.


message 12: by Andrea (new)

Andrea Adler PUSHING UPWARD, by Andrea Adler is another wonderful book, about to become a film, on eating disorders.


message 13: by Jenny (new)

Jenny Mary wrote: "Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body, Tenth Anniversary Edition"

I read excerpts from this book for my literary criticism class and ended up writing two papers based around its ideas. I love this.


message 14: by Jen (new)

Jen The 8 Keys to Recovering From an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin. Costin delivers an honest, realistic, authentic approach to finding your way out of an ED and finding yourSELF.


message 15: by Jen (new)

Jen Sirja wrote: "Wasted, always and forever <3"
I read Wasted several times while in my raging eating disorder. I swear this book taught me how to be a better anorexic. This book is great if you want to be sick. I appreciate her honesty but, at time, it is too honest. I saw her speak at Harvard last Fall, which helped me come to terms with Wasted and Marya. She said that when she wrote Wasted, she was very sick and did not mean for it to be a guide for killing yourself. I wouldn't read this again.


message 16: by Laura (new)

Laura Shields Heather wrote: "I must admit to being sad that Wasted is number 1. For me, it did much more damage than good, triggering me and giving me more tips and strategies than it did aid my recovery. I hope that I am alon..."

See I feel the problem with people reactions to this book is that itwas in no way supposed to aid in anyones recovery, it was simply an account of the authors personal thoughts and experiences, which can be very intense and triggering. I loved the book, it really put into words some of my own personal experiences, and it was nice to see someone else had thought like me at one point as well, if that makes sense. Yes, it was triggering, but so has been most ED books for me, especially winter girls, but if triggering is a problem, its best to stick to self help books strictly. For me it was nice to find a book that wasn't 50% BS, or some 'cute' little story about a teenager who doesnt eat for a week and miraculously gets better after she faints and goes to the hospital for a month, or a book that lies about the experience and skips all the horrible parts. Its the first ED book I've read thats been raw and honest and real about the hell that is an eating disorder. I personally think books like this are very important.


message 17: by Valerie (last edited Dec 07, 2017 12:34PM) (new)

Valerie A warrior-mother's perspective? Read this story! Dancing with a Demon
https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Demon-...


message 18: by Romy (new)

Romy I have removed Before I fall by Lauren Oliver for not meeting the criteria. It's an amazing book but not one that focuses on eating disorders.
Please stick to the theme when adding books.


message 19: by Allie (new)

Allie Hey y'all,

I just started a new book club called "Damage" under groups that you can join if you'd like! It focuses on reading a book every other month that is about physical, mental, emotional, or intellectual differences. (And yes, I redefine how "damage" should be viewed in the group description!) Hope you join!


message 20: by Jen (new)


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