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BOOK REVIEW: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

June 4, 2019 / Arielle / 12 Comments

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling duo behind The Unhoneymooners and the “delectable, moving” (Entertainment Weekly) My Favorite Half-Night Stand comes a poignant romance that follows two people who fall in love during a life-changing overseas vacation—only for the truth to change everything once they return home.

As an adventurous send-off to her childhood, eighteen-year-old Tate Jones travels with her grandmother from their small town in Northern California to London. But the vacation of a lifetime is wonderfully derailed by the appearance of two charming Vermont farmers: grandfather Luther and his handsome grandson Sam.

Sam and Tate fall hard and fast. For two glorious weeks, the couple share their hopes, dreams, and secrets. Sam admits he suspects his grandfather is dying and that this could be the last trip they take together, and Tate reveals that she is the hidden daughter of one of the biggest film stars in the world—a secret she’s never told anyone before.

But when Tate is exposed by a crush of cameras and reporters, she knows she's been betrayed by the one person she thought she could trust. She is forced to decide whether she will return to her quiet life or embrace being in the public eye. So when Sam reappears in her world more than a decade later, can Tate forgive the past and rekindle the passion they shared on their magical trip abroad? And does she even want to?

With Christina Lauren’s signature “beautifully written and remarkably compelling” (Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Twice in a Blue Moon is an unforgettable and moving novel of young love and second chances.

Review:

The range of what these two can write about and make me love, somehow still surprises me every time I open up one of their new books. Their more erotic stuff (Wild Seasons and Beautiful series), their romantic comedies (Josh and Hazel, Half-Night Stand, etc.), and their more…poignant (?) novels (Love and Other Words and now this one) have all stuck out to me as being some of my favorite romances of all time for different reasons. While there were a few parts of this one that didn’t make me feel a 100% full-on, typical Arielle obsession, there is no doubt that I felt these words deep in my bones. There are (as always) quite a few quotes that I highlighted the crap out of because I know even just reading those few specific lines over again will have my heart racing.

I’ll been that there will be some people that will say that the romance between Sam and Tate during their brief time in London at the beginning of the book wasn’t believable and I will strongly disagree. I am and always have and will be a die-hard romantic. I’d like to think that I do, in fact, believe in a variation of love at first sight. I think that it’s entirely possible to meet someone for the very first time and have a ~sense~ about them that tells you that they are special. It can be a bone deep connection that you can’t shake..a feeling that your entire life as you know it has changed by this chance meeting. That’s how I feel about how Tate and Sam met. They saw each other, spent time together, talking, and they indeed felt that pull to one another that only happens between certain people. I personally loved that first part and it reminded me a lot of Gayle Foreman’s Just One Day duology.

The story ten fast forwards to about 15 years after their week in London. After the press is alerted to who Tate really is, in a whirlwind of events she is now an actress, just as famous as her father. The two are starring in their very first movie together and they are filming on a beautiful farm in northern California. In an….interesting….turn of events, the screen writer for this film that Tate has grown to love so dearly is, yeah you guessed it, Sam. They have not seen nor heard from one another in FIFTEEN YEARS so it’s a pretty big shock to Tate to say the least. Obviously the rest of the book is about the two of them trying to wade through the ocean of feelings and hurt that lay between them.

The one thing I didn’t like about this book, kind of spoiler alert, was that they didn’t get back together until very near the end of the book. I mean….in real life it’s obviously super realistic for them to have taken a long amount of time to heal their respective wounds before they could reconnect but damn…I selfishly just wanted more time with them actually together as an actual couple lol. It just slightly dimmed the story and knocked off a star for me but that still doesn’t mean I didn’t like the book. I mean when they got back together that first time the writing gave me goosebumps and took my breath away. It was incredible.

So yes, overall, I would definitely recommend this one. As always. Just know it’s not like the last few light-hearted ones they have written!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion! ♥

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen

May 30, 2019 / Jen / 14 Comments

I am so excited to be on this tour because Fake It Till You Break was beyond adorable! So check out my review below and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen

Fake It Till You Break by Jenn P. Nguyen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Mia and Jake have known each other their whole lives. They’ve endured summer vacations, Sunday brunches, even dentist visits together. Their mothers, who are best friends, are convinced that Mia and Jake would be the perfect couple, even though they can’t stand to be in the same room together.

After Mia’s mom turns away yet another cute boy, Mia and Jake decide they’ve had enough. Together, they hatch a plan to get their moms off their backs. Permanently. All they have to do is pretend to date and then stage the worst breakup of all time―and then they’ll be free.

It’s the perfect plan - except that it turns out maybe Mia and Jake don’t hate each other as much as they once thought…

Review:

Fake It Till You Break It was absolutely adorable! If you’re looking for a book that will make you smile and laugh, then look no further. This hate to love and fake romance story was a ton of fun. I got sucked in right away and I loved how it all unfolded. So if you’re a fan of YA romance, Kasie West or cute movies like To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, then you definitely have to pick this one up!

When he hooked his pinkie against mine, I couldn’t help remembering all the times we had done this when we were kids. All the promises and secrets. Then it all went away.
We haven’t been friends for nearly ten years, but today it felt like we never stopped. And I was glad some things never changed.

Mia and Jake had known each other since they were babies. Their moms were bbfs and just knew that their children were destined to fall madly in love someday. So both of their mom’s made numerous attempts to make their dreams come true. And it was all over the top. It was impossible not to laugh or roll my eyes at their crazy antics. But all of their efforts were in vain since Mia and Jake became enemies over the year. In an attempt to get their moms off their backs, they decided to fake date and then break up. That way they’d never get shoved together again.

A small smile played on his lips. “Good night, Brat.”
“Good night.” The way he said “Brat” this time didn’t sound like an insult anymore. It almost sounded . . . nice. Sweet. Like an endearment.
**Oh, God, what was wrong with me? This was Jake. He wasn’t nice or sweet. Ever.**

I liked both Mia and Jake from the start! Mia could be so sarcastic, but she felt like the sweet, girl next door. Well except when she liked to mess with Jake, which was hilarious. And even though Jake messed with Mia too, it was impossible not fall for him. He was such a good guy who was not only kind, but thoughtful. Jake also had this boy next door vibe, even though he was a neat freak. So when I watched Mia and Jake interact, I realized they could be such good friends to each other. Well, when they wanted to be lol.

“For future reference, that’s what a kiss on the cheek is supposed to be.”
Not sure why, but the kiss took me by surprise . I stared at Mia for a moment before finally pushing her away.

When Mia and Jake pretended to date, they could be so awkward. Yet they knew each other inside out. There was a comfort level to them that made them smile. I loved that not only did they tolerate each other but they had fun together. But to make their relationship believable, there had to be touching and kissing. And when they threw that into the mix, lines between them became completely blurred. It should have just been pretend. What they felt for each other wasn’t real right? But if that was the case, then why were they excited to see each other next?

Jake pulled back slightly, and the cool air hit me in my face, bringing me back to reality. My head swirled like I had stood up too fast. What the heck just happened?

This book was so much fun, that when I was in the middle of reading this story, I went and bought Jenn P Ngyen’s other book! So if you love fake romance, hate to love and adorable stories then you definitely have pick this one up. It kept me smiling and laughing till the last page and I can’t wait to read this author’s other book!

He let out a short laugh as he reached out to touch my arm. “To be honest, I want a lot of things. But at top of the list is that I always want to see you.”

PS I would LOVE to read Finn’s story!!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

About Jenn Nguyen:

Jenn Nguyen fell in love with books in third grade and spent the rest of her school years reading through lunchtime and giving up recess to organize the school library. She has a degree in business administration from the University of New Orleans and still lives in the city with her husband. Jenn spends her days reading, dreaming up YA romances, and binge watching Korean dramas all in the name of ‘research’.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Review:

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BOOK REVIEW: Breakout by A.M. Rose

May 29, 2019 / Jen / 2 Comments

Breakout by A.M. Rose
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Six days.

That’s the amount of time until Lezah’s execution.

She’ll die never knowing what got her locked up in that godforsaken prison in the first place. Her only chance of survival is to escape. Except the monitoring bracelet that digs into her wrist, the roaming AI, and the implant in her neck make freedom close to impossible.

Her best chance is to team up with the four other inmates who are determined to break out, even if one of them is beyond gorgeous, annoying—oh, and in for murder. But he has a secret of his own. One that could break Lezah if she finds out, but could also set him free.

Figuring out how to work with him and the rest of this mismatched group of criminals is the only way Lezah will survive to see the outside world again.

But nothing in this prison is as it seems. And no one.

Review:

Breakout was an intense ride that kept me on the edge of my seat. I found myself completely captured by this story and had to know what happened next. So this book refused to be put down and I needed to know that everyone I cared for survived. There were lots of twists and turns and while I tried my hardest to put the clues together, I was still left in the dark at times. I loved that this book challenged me. So if you’re a fan of dystopian, then definitely give this book a try!

My legs beg for me to run, to find a way out, but all I’m trying to do right now is survive. Live one more day to figure out how to crack the system. Find a flaw they don’t even know exists to escape.

From that very first page, I was sucked in and terrified for Lezah. She found herself in a horrific prison, and she didn’t know what she did to end up there. But there was a countdown for her death, and if she wanted to survive then she had to escape. The scenes that unfolded were so intense. I was literally scared to move or make any noise at all. I felt like I was trapped in that hell with her. And that was only the first chapter.

Something out there’s hunting us, and I don’t have the time to be quiet or think about where I’m going, I just have to go.

But escaping wasn’t easy. The prisoners were not only monitored by a device they wore, but also by WALTERS. WALTERS were artificial intelligence that were self aware and could think on their own. They added another level of intensity and terror to the prison Lezah was in. So by the second chapter I jumped and gasped out loud from being scared and startled. And my claustrophobic self was dying in some of the situations Lezah found herself in. It just kept getting worse and worse and as the story progressed I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

His aren’t just gray; they look like the clouds, with swirls of blue around the middle. That weird feeling in my stomach is back, and I’m warm, maybe a little hot even with the chill in the air. He’s so close. Closer than he’s ever been, and for a second I allow myself to forget about the past and look at the boy who was willing to risk everything for us today.

Lezah was so easy to connect with, even if her past was fuzzy and she wasn’t able to give us a full picture of who she was. She was brave, smart, resourceful and she listened to her heart and brain, which I loved. We got introduced to other characters, but I’m keeping them a secret because this book is best going in blind in regards to them. Each one stood out brightly and it was interesting to see how they played into this puzzle. Just know that the love interest? Sigh. He was everything I love in a guy. And the tentative friendships she created with the others gave me the hope and lightness I needed in this story.

“They have to know by now that we’re all gone anyway.” And possibly they know exactly where we are, too.

So while this story was action packed, it was also filled with deception, friendship, lies, trust and love. Breakout was the perfect balance between a gripping storyline and emotional characters that pulled at my heart and grew as the story progressed. Looking back, I loved how Breakout was a maze of twists and turns the whole way through. Just when I thought safety was within reach, I had to think again, because everything would change in the blink of an eye.

“What is this place?”
He turns toward me and tilts his head. “Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?”

This book ended at a fabulous stopping point. Lots of questions were answered and problems were solved. But there’s still so much that can happen in this world, so of course I’m hoping for that next book. That way I can get a few more answers and be back with this group of characters that captured my heart. So if you’re a fan of The Matrix or dystopian books that have sci-fi twists then definitely pick this one up. I’m so glad I did!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

COVER REVEAL + GIVEAWAY: Superfan (Brooklyn Bruisers #6) by Sarina Bowen

May 28, 2019 / Arielle / 0 Comments

I am SO excited to present the cover of Superfan, the latest book in Sarina Bowen's Brooklyn Bruisers series. I was so glad when Silas started to play a bigger part in the later books and I am dying to find out what his story is about!

Superfan (Brooklyn Bruisers #6)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.

But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.

While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.

Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.

Excerpt:

“Would you like a beer?” the cute bartender asks me.

I glance at the pile of mint leaves on his cutting board and hesitate. “Sure,” I say. But the mint looks so fresh and pretty.

“I could make you something different.”

“Beer is great. A cold…”

“—lager,” he finishes. “No glass, no opener.”

When I look up to flash him a smile, my heart does a little somersault. Those kind eyes are smiling at me, too. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“It’s really no problem.” He turns toward the beer cooler. “You’re an easy customer, trust me.”

But I really meant—thank you for remembering. As he leans down to grab a bottle for me, I find myself admiring the strong muscles in his back. Stop it, I admonish myself. It only gets worse when he turns around and places the bottle in front of me. I’ve never seen hands like his. I didn’t even know wrists could look muscular.

Even so. Ogling him is not why I came here. I pull out my keychain opener and remove the cap from my beer.

He discards it, gives me another pleasant smile and then picks up his paring knife again.

I take a sip, wondering when he’s going to mention my show at the Coconut Club. He was there. I saw him.

He separates some mint leaves from their stems and says nothing.

I last about seventeen seconds. “Well?”

“Well?” He looks up. “Sorry?”

“Jesus lord.” I close my eyes and then open them again. This is not going how I’d hoped it would. “What did you think?”

“Of…?” His amazing eyes are studying me.

“Forget I asked.” I take a swig of beer.

“Think about what?” He pushes the cutting board aside, and his smile turns knowing.

“My set at the Coconut Club! I saw you holding up that wall in the back. Don’t lie.”

He tips his head back and lets out a sudden laugh. “I’m so busted. I loved your show, but I didn’t expect you to spot me.”

“You loved it so much you weren’t going to say anything?” The sentence sounds crazy to my own ears. I put down the beer. “You know what? Never mind. I’m just being psycho right now. This town is getting into my head.”

“Listen, girly.” He braces both (muscular!) hands on the bar and looks me right in the eye. “I loved it so much that I don’t even know what to say about it. From that moment at the beginning—when you shut that asshole’s maw? To the part where you made a lady cry.” He shakes his head. “I couldn’t look away. And I never wanted it to end.”

I give him a slow blink, just trying to take that in. It’s so much more than I was even hoping to hear.

“Shit, Delilah. If that set doesn’t win you whatever contract you’re looking for, they don’t even deserve you.”

Something warm and unfamiliar settles into the center of my belly. “That might be the nicest thing anyone ever said to me. Which only means you’re still trying to get my phone number.”

He laughs immediately. “Can’t both things be true? Both my musical assessment and my interest in your evening plans?”

“Because you know so much about music.” I flip my hair and take another sip of beer.

“Look. I don’t know shit about music. But I know plenty about talent.” He leans down on a set of forearms I shouldn’t be noticing. “I know that talent sometimes takes a nap at just the wrong moment, but it never stays asleep for long. I also know that luck matters, too. If they don’t give you what you want, it won’t be your fucking fault.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

But he’s not done. “I saw something else valuable the other night. You’re good in the clinch. And that counts for double, I swear to God.”

“The clinch?”

“Yeah. You’re not just good at practice.” He pauses, wrinkling up his interesting nose. “What word would a musician use? Okay—you’re not a rehearsal musician. That stage was like your home. Either that or you fake it really well. That’s going to pay your rent someday, I promise.”

“Wow.” It’s like he looked right into my terrified little soul and found the very thing I needed to hear. Those beautiful eyes of his are practically burning me right now, so I have to look away. “Thank you. Really. I really needed that pep talk.”

I make the mistake of looking up at him again, and, for a split second, I see pure yearning. It’s like our souls vibrate at exactly the same frequency. And I have no idea what to do with that.

Giveaway:

Be the first to read! Three winners (US or Canada) will win early signed paperback copies of Superfan!

Enter here: https://geni.us/SuperfanGiveaway

Superfan will be available for purchase on June 25th, 2019!

About Sarina Bowen:

Bowen is the USA Today bestselling author of 30 books, including: the True Northseries, co-author of Him/Us and the WAGs series with Elle Kennedy, The Ivy Yearsseries and the Brooklyn Bruisers. And more!
Are you looking for a friends-to-lovers story or maybe even a secret baby book? You can read a list of Sarina’s books broken out by trope and style.
Need to know what’s coming next ? Get all the latest news on Sarina’s website, and sign up for her newsletter so you don’t miss a book or a deal.

BOOK REVIEW: Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber

May 27, 2019 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

Finale (Caraval #3)
by Stephanie Garber
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in Stephanie Garber’s #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series!

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

And here we are-the end. There’s just something so magical about this series that goes beyond the actual, well, magic. The words transport you. The world makes you so thirsty for more. The boys are just so addicting and drag you in, even if you don’t want to…and the relationships make you stay.

I wish I could say that I wasn’t as big a fool for this series as everyone else…but I am. I am so trash for it and I just can’t seem to stop searching and fighting and clawing my way to all the editions of it I can muster up. I can admit it’s gotten a bit out of hand, but it’s been so fun I can’t say I even care. My husband, however…he may disagree. The whimsical feeling and the high stakes fun make this book and series something that I don’t often find anymore. And I can’t say that it’s all perfect-which is why I’m JUST NOW on the Caraval special UK edition bandwagon-but there’s just something so dazzling that finally stuck it’s claws into me-Too bad it took me years to figure out how much I loved it. Cue eyeroll.

I literally cannot say much about this story because I feel like everyone will know what happens if I do. We all know there will be romantic angst. We all know Julian and Scarlett have some things to work out (and, I’m sorry, but their story, arc, and ending were far more satisfying than any other in this book, for me). We all know Tella and-ahem-are working through major ‘I can’t be your hero’ vibes (ohh but I do so love it *heart eyes*). But aside from that, I’d be doing a disservice to all if I gave too much away. So, I’ll do my BEST to capture what made this final book like crack to me.

The romantic peril was just…out of this world fantastic. I was drooling from the declarations and pleas and cries and…OKAY I’VE SAID TOO MUCH BUT DAMN IT CAN YOU BLAME ME? Okay. Rerouting. I digress. Back to business-It was spectacular. But it really shined with one couple-And I will reread my favorite moments with this element so many times my iPad will start to smoke.

And the story. I really enjoyed where it went, in this one. Kind of. Welll…Yeah. I did and didn’t. That is one of my two biggest pet peeves. I will spoiler both. But, in general, for most of this book, I was a goner for every little thing. But, the end. The villain-This is BY FAR one of my least favorite ‘fights’ against a villain. Like…is that really how we wanted this epic story, this evil dude, to end? To Die? It basically ends with a realization, a lecture, and a quick stab…and it’s FLIPPING OVER! ‘You’ve been a badddd boy! Now DIE!’ I just…my heart. I will say, though, I calmed down enough to re-read the whole ending because I was sooo tired when I read it the first time and it DID make a difference. I still think…what I think…but it wasn’t so bad that I need to de-star it.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the men in this story (Tella is awesome, Scarlett is awesome, but the boys keep me coming back for more). Julian truly stepped up his game in this one. His heart was literally on his sleeve and I think that if anyone had a problem or was bored by him before (who even ARE you people?) you won’t be now. He shines. And my heart could hardly contain his love. And the other boy, Dante…What a flippin’ turd. And, also, why do I love him so much? He’s mysterious and sacrificial and even though he can be evasive, elusive, and altogether a flighty turd, he is utterly in awe and has utter devotion to Tella, and my heartstrings sing and flutter when he is around. Part 2 spoiler-His story disappointed me. He deserved as epic of a story as Julian. Julian was sacrificial on all fronts. He had a dramatic storyline. His love story ended with a bang. Yes, we get a confession of love by Legend, in the end-and it’s glorious-but his romantic peril was more at the beginning, and wonderful, yet at the end he was just in a sad little cage and it made my heart hurt he didn’t get to be a part of that scene in a monumental way. After everything, the fact that Dante and Tella’s story was way more dramatic, way more perilistic, way more, I don’t know, twisty turny, we get left high and dry, in the end. And I just thought they deserved more, because I think they are technically the more favorited couple.. And the jealousy-OMG. I must say….I do love some jealousy. And the cute way it’s handled-by both-it makes my heart soar.

So, yeah, it’s not perfect, but it was close to perfect for me. These characters are like my family now, and I truly never want to leave this world. Not many series make me wish for more (if ANY), but this is one of them that I could read about for years. Stephanie Garber has created an alternate universe that has enchanted the world, readers around the nation, and made us apart of the whimsical and dangerous world of Caraval. I only wish I could go see her on tour, but that’s okay- I have a great friend who has my back and is taking my books to be signed. I am a Caraval gal now, and I am just so sad this is the last book where I get to see these four wonderful characters. I will continue to read them again and again, and there’s something magical about that in and of itself.

Page 138 of 427

BOOK REVIEW: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen

Synopsis:

A small smile played on his lips. “Good night, Brat.”
“Good night.” The way he said “Brat” this time didn’t sound like an insult anymore. It almost sounded . . . nice. Sweet. Like an endearment.
**Oh, God, what was wrong with me? This was Jake. He wasn’t nice or sweet. Ever.**

“For future reference, that’s what a kiss on the cheek is supposed to be.”
Not sure why, but the kiss took me by surprise . I stared at Mia for a moment before finally pushing her away.

Jake pulled back slightly, and the cool air hit me in my face, bringing me back to reality. My head swirled like I had stood up too fast. What the heck just happened?

He let out a short laugh as he reached out to touch my arm. “To be honest, I want a lot of things. But at top of the list is that I always want to see you.”

BOOK REVIEW: Breakout by A.M. Rose

Synopsis:

My legs beg for me to run, to find a way out, but all I’m trying to do right now is survive. Live one more day to figure out how to crack the system. Find a flaw they don’t even know exists to escape.

Something out there’s hunting us, and I don’t have the time to be quiet or think about where I’m going, I just have to go.

“They have to know by now that we’re all gone anyway.” And possibly they know exactly where we are, too.

“What is this place?”
He turns toward me and tilts his head. “Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?”