Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane Arnold

September 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane Arnold
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It’s springtime and Badger is ready to plant the perfect garden. He has spent months gathering and sorting seeds. It’s been a lot of work but it’s worth it. His friends Red Squirrel, Dormouse, and Weasel come to help. They weed. They rake. And finally they plant. Afterward, everyone celebrates, and Badger can already imagine the perfect rows of flowers and vegetables. But then a rainstorm comes and washes away the beautiful seeds. Badger’s perfect garden is ruined. Or is it? Author Marsha Diane Arnold’s gentle story will encourage young readers to think beyond plans and expectations and imagine the wonderful possibilities that may occur when life and nature have other ideas.

Life is full of surprises.

I loved this picture book’s messages about being open to change and making the best of hard situations. Planning ahead and working hard are important, but they can’t guarantee that anything will turn out the way you hope it will. Sometimes all a badger, or a person, can do is go along with a sudden turn of events and see what happens next. That sort of flexibility is important for everyone, and I enjoyed the author’s take on one way to do it.

It would have been helpful to have a better flow to the storyline. The message of it was clear, but there wasn’t a lot of time to develop the characters or give the plot a chance to flourish. It had good bones, but there was so much more the author could have done with this piece. I would have happily chosen a higher rating if she’d added a few more layers to the writing to give the characters and plot some more depth.

Badger’s relationships with his friends were another highlight for me. They all cared about each other quite a bit, and it was heartwarming to see how they supported and encouraged Badger after his garden was washed away in a heavy thunderstorm. That’s exactly the sort of friend everyone should have when they’re struggling! Not every problem has an easy solution, but sticking with someone who is having a hard time can make that experience a better one for them.

Badger’s Perfect Garden made me smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Jagged Feathers by Jan Sikes

September 11, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Jagged Feathers by Jan Sikes
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Vann Noble did his duty. He served his country and returned a shell of a man, wounded inside and out. With a missing limb and battling PTSD, he seeks healing in an isolated cabin outside a small Texas town with a stray dog that sees beyond his master’s scars. If only the white rune’s magic can bring a happily ever after to a man as broken as Vann.

On the run from hired killers and struggling to make sense of her unexplained deadly mission, Nakina Bird seeks refuge in Vann’s cabin. She has secrets. Secrets that can get them all killed.

A ticking clock and long odds of living or dying, create jarring risks.

Will these two not only survive but find unexpected love along the way? Or, will evil forces win and destroy them both?

This can be read as a standalone and is the second book in The White Rune Series.

I read the synopsis and thought that it sounded like a good book to read. I started reading it and was transported into the story right away. The story begins with the hero, Vann, having a PTSD nightmare. My father-in-law is a Vietnam war veteran who suffers from PTSD therefore I’m familiar with the hero’s struggles. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Vann or any veteran to adjust to the civilian world with a missing limb from a war casualty. Vann is written as a sweet character that doesn’t feel worthy of finding his happily ever after. Vann actually hides his prosthesis for fear of being judged as an incomplete person.

There is a sentence in the story that shows up a few times that really resonated with me, “If you can’t find a reason to live, then find a reason not to die.” It’s a very powerful statement. Vann is a character that more than deserves to find peace, love and joy.

The heroine, Nakina, certainly didn’t bring solace into Vann’s life when they met. Nakina brought the suspense/mystery elements. Nakina was very lucky that Vann was in town that particular day for them to have that chance encounter. She couldn’t have asked for a better person to run into when Vann approached her. A unique characteristic pertaining to Nakina is her ability to feel and see things. She’s a psychic learning to fine tune her gift. I was intrigued by the rune stone.

Nakina and Vann’s romance journey kept me on the edge of my seat as they both pursued refuge in each other as they ran for their lives from hired killers. I felt their love story evolved at a sensual pace that was heartwarming and uplifting. Nakina and Vann filled each other’s void spots making them complete each other.

I did experience a hiccup that pulled me away from the story. There is a moment where it appears the danger was resolved. I kept thinking that was impossible. I was waiting for the shoe to drop. When I only had a few more pages left I started to relax thinking, well, I guess that was the end of the danger. I felt an anti-climax. Without giving spoilers, let’s just say that the shoe did drop. For me I felt the timing was off. The next page is titled two weeks later and then we have another titled two weeks later that concludes with an epilogue. I should have had a book glow since I love epilogues. Somehow the reality of the situation versus the ending, it didn’t jive with the rest of the story.

Overall, I did enjoy this romance book. I especially loved Vann’s dog, Champion. There is a scene involving Champion that pulled at my heartstrings. As a dog owner I was very concerned during this part of the book. Fortunately this plot thread was written well. I felt the cast of characters were well developed and relatable. I got to know Vann’s neighbors and Nakina’s sister. Everyone played an important role in the narrative.

In conclusion, Jagged Feathers was entertaining. I think we all could benefit from opening our eyes and seeing nature’s natural beauty and feeling the healing of nature when we learn to rest such as Vann and Nakina did. This story brings about solace and hope.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

September 8, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Solitaire by Alice Oseman
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: YA, Ages 14+, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The amazing novel that introduced Nick and Charlie from HEARTSTOPPER — and the unforgettable Tori Spring.
Tori Spring isn’t sure how to be happy again. Then she meets Michael Holden, and they try to unmask the mysterious Solitaire (and survive high school) in Alice Oseman’s stunning, unflinching honest debut novel, which first introduced her fan-favorite Heartstopper characters Nick and Charlie.

Teens and tragedy, but it’s so good.

I have to start this by mentioning this story will have triggers. There is a mention of suicide, thoughts of suicide, eating disorders, mental health and LGBTQ issues. These all make this book so good. They do. This is how life is seen through the eyes of teens, many who are struggling and just can’t make sense of their lives. It’s relatable and real.

Tori Spring is the sister of Charlie Spring (from the Heartbreaker books) and she’s lost. Not physically, but she feels lost in the ocean of high school. This book is set in England, but applies to students all across the world in that age range (14+). She feels lost and she’s not entirely sure why. Reading as she sorted out parts of her life was interesting, tender, sweet and so tragic at times. She’s trying so hard, but yet not trying at all.

I loved the reality of the story and how the characters popped from the page. They love themselves, but secretly hate themselves. They’re simple, yet complicated. They’re human.

If you’re looking for a complex YA book that will leave you with lots of thoughts, then this is the book for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

All Up in Your Bizness by Julianna Newland

September 7, 2023 By Leave a Comment


All Up in Your Bizness by Julianna Newland
Publisher: Fulton Books
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

All up in Your Bizness is my first book (not counting my diary). Although I have written dozens of speeches, testimonials, newsletters, and talking points, they do not contain the wit and whimsy of this book. I have been employed for more than thirty years in several jobs, where I have seen hilarious shenanigans of the men and women who worked with me and the processes and programs that often befuddled us.

A labor of love and giggles, this book is to be enjoyed as a tongue-in-cheek look at many business circumstances, such as the interview, office kiss-ups, performance reviews, working from home, and working in the open office. Practical and useful advice is also provided.

Unspoken rules can be the hardest ones of all to follow.

As soon as the blurb mentioned this was going to be a tongue-in-cheek book, I knew I had to read it. The author had a fabulous sense of humor, and I chuckled my way through her various anecdotes about what Human Resources may claim a business is like versus what it’s actually like to work there. This is a fun choice for anyone who has ever silently wished they could add a few pages to their employee handbook about what it’s actually like to work for their company.

I loved Ms. Newland’s observations about how life has improved for women in the workplace over the past few decades. It would have been wonderful to also have sections on how things have evolved for people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, disabled workers, and other minority groups over time. I was surprised that none of these topics were covered and would have happily gone for a full five-star rating if they were.

With that being said, I was pleased to see the comparisons between various generations in the workplace. Not everyone from the same generation will behave the same way, of course, but there have been some cultural shifts over time when it comes to things like what an appropriate outfit for work looks like or how much overtime a worker is or isn’t willing to do on a regular basis. Bringing these assumptions out into the open is an important part of making sure everyone is on the same page, and it can also add extra humor to the mix if finding common ground is harder than expected.

All Up in Your Bizness made me smile.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

An Unhallowed Grave by Kate Ellis

September 6, 2023 By Leave a Comment


An Unhallowed Grave by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A twisted murder mirrors a dark legend . . .

When the body of Pauline Brent is found hanging from a yew tree in a local graveyard, DS Wesley Peterson immediately suspects foul play. Then history provides him with a clue. Wesley’s archaeologist friend, Neil Watson, has excavated a corpse at his nearby dig – a young woman who, local legend has it, had been publicly hanged from the very same tree before being buried on unhallowed ground five centuries ago.

Wesley is now forced to consider the possibility that the killer knows the tree’s dark history. Has Pauline also been ‘executed’ rather than murdered, and, if so, for what crime? To catch a dangerous killer Wesley has to discover as much as he can about the victim. But Pauline appears to have been a woman with few friends, no relatives and a past she has carefully tried to hide . . .

DS Wesley Peterson is called to investigate when the body of a young woman is found hanging from a yew tree in a local graveyard. They quickly realise this death was not suicide – but certainly murder and Wesley is further confused when his archaeologist friend, Neil, points out that the yew tree the woman was hung from was previously known for public hangings and the bodies then buried in unhallowed ground nearby. Just as Wesley feels he may be getting a handle on the case, yet another dead body turns up. Can he solve what’s really going on before disaster strikes again?

I’ve been enjoying this series and found this a particularly well written addition. I am becoming familiar now with all the main characters and feel the team is beginning to really gel together and work cohesively as a unit. I also found this mystery both layered and interesting – not easy to guess at a first glance and well woven enough that it kept my interest all the way through the book.

I was pleased with the balance between police procedural work and archaeology. I felt that while the mystery and murder investigation definitely took a greater share of the storyline, there was regular and important involvement from the archaeology side of the plot and for this book I felt the balance between the two was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel readers wanting a book really steeped in history or focused more on the archaeology rather than the mystery mightn’t find the balance as enjoyable as I did – but for readers mainly after the mystery/murder aspect and with just a good amount of seasoning with the history and archaeology this book should be very satisfying.

And enjoyable and well plotted read, I absolutely will be reading more books in this series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Firebreak by Richard Stark

September 5, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Firebreak by Richard Stark
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Between Parker’s 1961 debut and his return in the late 1990s, the whole world of crime changed. Now fake IDs and credit cards had to be purchased from specialists; increasingly sophisticated policing made escape and evasion tougher; and, worst of all, money had gone digital—the days of cash-stuffed payroll trucks were long gone.

But cash isn’t everything: Flashfire and Firebreak find Parker going after, respectively, a fortune in jewels and a collection of priceless paintings. In Flashfire, Parker’s in West Palm Beach, competing with a crew that has an unhealthy love of explosions. When things go sour, Parker finds himself shot and trapped—and forced to rely on a civilian to survive. Firebreak takes Parker to a palatial Montana “hunting lodge” where a dot-com millionaire hides a gallery of stolen old masters—which will fetch Parker a pretty penny if his team can just get it past the mansion’s tight security. The forests of Montana are an inhospitable place for a heister when well-laid plans fall apart, but no matter how untamed the wilderness, Parker’s guaranteed to be the most dangerous predator around.

Parker is brought in on an interesting heist by two colleagues he’s worked well within the past. This time it’s the Montana refuge of a dot com billionaire and his very well secured mini art gallery that’s in the team’s sights. With plenty of security the team’s tech is positive he can overcome they’re keen to get the many priceless paintings. Only someone is on Parker’s tail and the team is on a tight timeframe. Can they make it work?

I’ve found the Parker heist series to be an absolute gem. Tersely written and somewhat gritty, this series might have been around for a while but it solidly holds up to time. Some things – like heisters planning and executing a heist – simply doesn’t go out of fashion to my mind. Parker himself also holds true. Focused, driven and coldly professional he’s an anti-hero but one of the absolute best to my mind and still somehow the character you’re rooting for most. Even if I’d not want to try and carry out a conversation with him.

Stark’s usual formula is also at play here. The book is divided up into four sections and they each weave perfectly together. Readers who pick this up and are new to the series are in for a treat – these are like a block of the very best chocolate or a packet of your favourite treats. Once you start you simply want another then another. The pacing is excellent – fast enough you get carried away by the action and heist itself, but not so fast you can’t work out exactly what’s happening. The characters are leanly written and there’s virtually no flourishes at all to the writing – it’s like an older, hard-boiled kind of detective novel in all the best ways.

An excellent heist story with a small but intriguing set of characters and an exceptional writing style that gives you everything you need and a few good twists in the plot I found this to be a wonderful story and another addition to a series that’s one of my absolute favourites. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Savage Moor by Robert Fael

September 4, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Savage Moor by Robert Fael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Exmoor Beast is a creature of myth and mystery. Some think it’s a phantom. Others that it’s actually a big cat that escaped from a private collection. The bloody carcasses of deer and sheep found on the moor are often quoted as proof of its existence.

Now for the first time the Beast has taken human prey, and attacks seem to be intensifying. Ex MI5 agent Hollis is called in to investigate.

What he uncovers is more than just moorland myth. It’s a clash between a quiet farming community, and big city gangsters. Things are becoming increasingly violent, and the bodies they find have been pulverized with incredible force. Shotguns may be no match for AK47s, but it seems the people of Exmoor have a surprisingly fearsome ally.

Would you stake your life on local gossip?

The complexities of small town life made this such an interesting read. Some authors and readers assume that life is slower and safer in rural communities, but Mr. Fael knew better than that. Just because everyone knows everyone else doesn’t mean that terribly dangerous things can’t happen in isolated corners of the community late at night. If anything, that false sense of security can help to cover up certain crimes if people are willing to give old friends and neighbors the benefit of the doubt no matter what oddities they might witness. I enjoyed the depth the author brought to this setting and thought he did a good job of exploring both the benefits and the drawbacks of living in such a place.

This novella included a large cast of characters that I struggled to keep up with. There simply wasn’t enough space to get to know any of them well, including the protagonist. As much as I wanted to give this a higher rating, I didn’t feel comfortable doing so due to the limited amount of character development and how confused I was by who certain individuals were.

The mystery was well-paced and exciting. I had my suspicions about the possible identity of the Exmoor Beast, especially after reading a brief, bloody scene of it attacking someone, but the author still managed to surprise me in the end. As much as I’d love to go into detail about the differences between my theory and what was really going on, that’s hard to do without giving away spoilers. What I can say is that this kept me guessing and made me nod with understanding when certain clues were revealed close to the end.

The Savage Moor kept me guessing.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Woman In Blue by Elly Griffiths

September 1, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Woman In Blue by Elly Griffiths
Publisher: Quercus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A vision of the Virgin Mary foreshadows a string of cold-blooded murders, revealing a dark current of religious fanaticism in an old medieval town in this Ruth Galloway mystery.

When Ruth’s friend Cathbad sees a vision of the Virgin Mary—in a white gown and blue cloak—in the graveyard next to the cottage he is house-sitting, he takes it in his stride. Walsingham has strong connections to Mary, and Cathbad is a druid after all; visions come with the job. But when the body of a woman in a blue dressing-gown is found dead the next day in a nearby ditch, it is clear Cathbad’s vision was all too human—and that a horrible crime has been committed. DCI Nelson and his team are called in for the murder investigation and soon establish that the dead woman was a recovering addict being treated at a nearby private hospital.

Ruth, a devout atheist, has managed to avoid Walsingham during her seventeen years in Norfolk. But then an old university friend, Hilary Smithson, asks to meet her in the village, and Ruth is amazed to discover that her friend is now a priest. Hilary has been receiving vitriolic anonymous letters targeting women priests— letters containing references to local archaeology and a striking phrase about a woman “clad in blue, weeping for the world.”

Then another woman is murdered—a priest.

As Walsingham prepares for its annual Easter re-enactment of the Crucifixion, the race is on to unmask the killer before they strike again…

When a young woman is murdered in a pilgrimage town near to where Dr Ruth Galloway lives DCI Harry Nelson is quickly on the case. While this time there isn’t much need for Ruth’s archaeological talents, she is still drawn in by the disturbing similarities to the case and some threatening letters a priest friend of Ruth’s also in the town for a conference has been receiving lately. The case grows more complicated however when a second woman is murdered and all too soon both Harry and ruth find this case hits even closer to home than either is prepared for.

I have been really enjoying this series and found this book to be an exceptional addition to it. Readers who are picking this book up by itself should be able to follow along with everything fairly easily – the links and history between the main character’s is fairly well described without too much info-dumping, though I must admit the previous books are all well worth a read in their own right. Readers shouldn’t be worried though about not understanding some of the cross-overs between the characters and their history though.

The plot itself was quite good though also I found it quite straightforward. Usually I enjoy the history of the archaeology or the links to Ruth and a dig site or something similar and that side of this book was a bit thinner than I’ve found previous. The small town is a massive local pilgrim’s site though so the history and such is there, just in a bit of a different context. I feel many readers might feel that this is refreshing and a different take – but I admit I missed some of the archaeology, just personally.

I did however like that there were some important changes and truths exposed personally with Harry and Ruth – and Michelle, Harry’s wife. A lot of the complexities surrounding their relationship and history has been bubbling under the surface for the last few books and I was pleased there was finally some decisive steps taken. I still definitely feel these relationships will remain complicated – and a part of me wishes a few different decisions had been made – but I was very pleased that things didn’t remain in a status quo as they have for the last few books. That was lovely to read and see finally happen.

For an interesting and enjoyable murder mystery this was a good book and is an excellent series I’m thoroughly addicted to.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler

August 31, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Historical
Rating: 4 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Abandoned by her wanderlusting husband, stoic Pearl raised her three children on her own. Now grown, the siblings are inextricably linked by their memories—some painful—which hold them together despite their differences.

Hardened by life’s disappointments, wealthy, charismatic Cody has turned cruel and envious. Thrice-married Jenny is errant and passionate. And Ezra, the flawed saint of the family, who stayed at home to look after his mother, runs a restaurant where he cooks what other people are homesick for, stubbornly yearning for the perfect family he never had.

Now gathered during a time of loss, they will reluctantly unlock the shared secrets of their past and discover if what binds them together is stronger than what tears them apart.

I just read “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant” and have read “A Spool of Blue Thread”. I think Anne Tyler hits close to home in some instances in her books. I don’t mean these are whole books about one’s putrid, confused, or plain old messed up childhood or lifestyle. There just seem to be pieces that you can pull out and they just fit. And…I think she makes people mad. I think she makes her readers either feel something they have experienced or feel for someone who has.

I thought Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant was stark and sad. It seems to flow back and forth from one family member to another. Yet somehow the pieces and the pictures of the family are put together. Woven into a whole horrid picture of life.

I think Anne Tyler is a somewhat profound writer. Both of these books were well-written. I found what I read sad, and they left me in a blue mood, or maybe just a reflective one. Do these things make this a bad book? Not one bit. It makes it a book to read and see what you think.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Red Tin Box by Matthew Burgess

August 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Red Tin Box by Matthew Burgess
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Like modern-day Miss Rumphius and her promise to make the world a more beautiful place, this luminous story brings the scope of a lifetime into focus for a young reader and fills it with the magic of gifts given and received.

This moving and radiant story of the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter, and the joy and promise passed down between them, begins one quiet dawn . . .
On the morning of her eighth birthday,
Maude buries a secret
at the foot of a flowering dogwood—
and inside it,
a tiny toy elephant,
a marble like a tiger’s eye,
a bird’s nest with purple string woven through the twigs,
and more.

A special box.
A gift, waiting for the right moment to be opened again.

At once lyrical and profound, this enchantingly illustrated book is a joyful celebration of intergenerational relationships and of the secret treasures of childhood. Young readers and adults will delight in the memories and magic tucked away in the red tin box.

REASSURING AND MAGICAL: In these unpredictable times, gentle stories have the power to reassure little ones that the most important things in life are still right in our hands. This beautiful book celebrates the enduring themes of family love, connection, and the power of memory with poignancy and care.

CELEBRATES INTERGENERATIONAL SHARING: The warmth between a grandmother and her granddaughter that this luminous picture book depicts serves as a beautiful model of the little moments that form fond memories and build lasting intergenerational relationships.

EVERYONE HAS A TREASURE: The collection of special objects in this story give a grandmother’s memories and connection to her granddaughter a physicality that even the youngest readers can use their own senses to understand, reinforcing the deeper meaning and mystery each one contains.

A MEANINGFUL GIFT: With gorgeous, color-drenched illustrations and lyrical text that illuminates a message of enduring love, this picture book makes a wonderful gift for any occasion, from birthdays to holidays, and every day of the year.

Perfect for:
Anyone seeking storytime books that celebrate family connection
Fans of beautiful and heartfelt picture books like The Giving Tree, One Morning in Maine, and Last Stop on Market Street
Gift book for new grandmothers, as part of a wishing well basket for baby shower, a birthday gift to a grandchild, or a classroom resource for diverse kids’ books
Any occasion that calls for distinctive books that will become treasured keepsakes

Childhood doesn’t last forever, but what if you could preserve a piece of it?

The relationship between Maude and her granddaughter was sweet and beautiful. I loved getting a taste of the sorts of quiet adventures they went on together, especially once the storyline explained what they hoped to accomplish on this trip. It’s always nice to have more stories about loving and involved grandparents, especially when they remember what it’s like to be a kid as clearly and fondly as this one did.

I was disappointed by how little time was spent explaining the contents of the red tin box. After all of the scenes that hyped up what Maude might have buried so many years before and why they were so meaningful to her, it felt odd to skim over these details so quickly in the last few scenes. If more attention had been paid to this, I would have happily gone for a much higher rating.

It was interesting to see how much the landscape stayed the same between when Maude buried her box and when she went back again to dig it up. There are a few places I know that are like that, and visiting them can feel like stepping back in the past in a soothing and wholesome way. This isn’t a feeling or a setting that’s easy to capture in a picture book, so I tip my cap to the author for pulling it off.

The Red Tin Box was a peaceful tale.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,
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