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Current Read-The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

#the poppy war #lemon8bookclub #books #bookwormsoflemon8

2025/8/13 Edited to

'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang has gained widespread acclaim for its intricate blend of historical inspiration and fantasy elements. The novel draws heavily on mid-20th century Chinese history, particularly the Second Sino-Japanese War, to craft a richly detailed and immersive world. Fans appreciate how Kuang integrates real historical events with a dark, magical narrative, creating a story that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. Central to the plot is the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery amid political upheaval and supernatural conflict. Kuang’s portrayal of military strategy and the consequences of power resonates deeply with readers who enjoy complex character development and morally ambiguous themes. The book’s popularity has sparked discussions in communities like #lemon8bookclub and among #bookwormsoflemon8, where readers exchange insights and analyses. The term "DPP FC NAR MILDLINER BotestySound" from the OCR data may refer to specific elements within reader discussions or technical descriptors related to the book's formats or fan-created content — possibly denoting fan communities or tools used to explore the narrative further. For those looking to deepen their understanding of the novel, exploring these aspects can enrich the reading experience, offering additional layers of meaning and engagement. Whether you are a lover of fantasy, history, or complex storytelling, 'The Poppy War' invites you to embark on a powerful literary journey that challenges and entertains.

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The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Currently reading 📚 #thepoppywar #rfkuang #books #kindle #kindleunlimited

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A hand holds 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang, featuring a white cover with an archer illustration and smoky text. The tagline reads: 'They trained her for a war. She intends to end it.' A bookshelf with other books like 'Yellowface' is in the background, with a 'BOOK REVIEW' overlay.

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang!

4⭐️ One thing I’m going to do after reading a R.F. Kuang book is ponder for days. What impresses me most is how Kuang draws inspiration from historical events yet makes the book entirely her own. Rin is a complex main character in the sense that she’s unabashedly flawed. Yet, at the same time

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Poppy War by R.F Kuang

My current read, and I must say I’m enjoying it a lot! #books #bookrecommendations #rfkuang #fantasybooks #booktok

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The Poppy War By R.F Kuang

woooah woke up to almost 1k followers?? UH HELLO LEMON 8 #books #reading #fantasy books #bookstagram #bookrecommendations

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A cozy flat lay shows 'The Burning God' by R.F. Kuang, Book Three of 'The Poppy War' trilogy, next to a dark mug of herbal tea on a black and white patterned blanket. The image is captioned 'current read'.

What I’m Reading 📖

finally getting around to the final book in “The Poppy War” trilogy! I love R.F. Kuang’s writing and I can’t wait to see how everything gets wrapped up. “Babel” is on my list after this and I’m so excited for “Katabasis” to come out this year! #currentbookread #the poppy war #fantasy books

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A Kindle e-reader displays the cover of R.F. Kuang's "The Poppy War," with an overlay stating "when a fantasy book..." and decorative star and lightning bolt emojis.

Anyone Else Reading R F Kuang’s The Poppy War?

my friend and i have recently started reading The Poppy War together and we have quickly become overwhelmed with information and theories 😭 we periodically check up with one another to check where we are in the book #the poppy war #fantasybookreview #lemon8bookclub

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The book cover for 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang, highlighted with annotations like 'Historical Epic Fantasy,' 'Military Academy,' 'Shamanism + Gods,' and 'Morally Gray Characters.' It also notes 'TW: Heavy Read, war, violence, graphic details' and that it's 'Inspired by the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.' A 4.5-star rating is shown.

A 'STAR RATING GUIDE' explaining the meaning of 1 to 5-star ratings for books, ranging from 'DNF- its a no from me' to 'I absolutely love this book; book hangover, highly recommended.'

Book Review: The Poppy War

⚔️ Book Review ⚔️ Libro: 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓰í𝓪 𝓛𝓪 𝓖𝓾𝓮𝓻𝓻𝓪 𝓭𝓮 𝓵𝓪 𝓐𝓶𝓪𝓹𝓸𝓵𝓪 Rating: 4.5⭐️ Author: R.F. Kuang Book: 1/3 👉🏼⚠️ Favor de leer las advertencias y TW ya que el libro toca temas sensitivos de crímenes de guerras, contenido explícito, gráficos y de alta violencia. ‼️ Está es una historia épica h

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The book cover for R.F. Kuang's 'Babel: An Arcane History' shows a tall, ornate tower in a city, with birds flying. It's a #1 New York Times Bestseller, praised as 'absolutely phenomenal' by S. A. Chakraborty, and rests on a wooden surface.

Babel by R.F. Kuang

📄 Plot: In 1828, orphaned Robin Swift is brought to London to study at Oxford’s Babel, where magical translation powers British imperialism. As he uncovers its role in colonial oppression, he must choose between working within the system or joining a revolution against it. 📖 Genre: Fantasy 📄

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but I think it’s a fantasy series worth reading

how many of you guessed the series before i revealed it? the poppy war is a grimdark military fantasy series, and it has a lot of disturbing elements. it doesn’t shy away from the realities and horrors of war, so if you find that content upsetting i would not recommend picking up these books.

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A book cover for 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang, featuring a warrior with a bow. Annotations describe it as fast-paced, grimdark military fantasy, influenced by the Opium Wars, with a strong female protagonist, and a 4.5-star rating.

My review on the first book of R.F Kuang’s series

#book #rsbookreviews #thepoppywar #reading #fantasy

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A woman in a cream dress stands in a field of orange flowers, holding a drink. Overlaid are "BOOK REVIEW" and the cover for "The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang. A review card highlights it as a 5-star historical military fantasy with themes of vengeance, loyalty, and sacrifice.

Book Review: The Poppy War🏹🥷🏽🔥🐦‍🔥

📖 The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang ✨ Spoiler-free review ✨ ✅ Military fantasy rooted in history and survival ✅ Morally complex heroine who is both inspiring and infuriating ✅ Themes of vengeance, loyalty, and sacrifice This was my second five-star read of the year and it blew me away. From the v

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An audiobook player displays R.F. Kuang's 'Babel: An Arcane History,' showing 25% progress. The cover features a tall, ornate tower in a city. The image is set against a blue sky, with text indicating 'CURRENT READ' and '1/4 the way through'.

current read : Babel

I am currently 25% done with Babel and so far I’m loving it. Feels like Secret History with the platonic love of the Raven Cycle. Excited to see what comes next! #currentread #bookaesthetic #audiobook #booktok #babel #rfkuang #booksoflemon8

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A hand holds 'The Poppy War' book, featuring a warrior and phoenix on the cover. Overlays include 'BOOK REVIEW', a pink heart, and a Lemon8 BookClub ticket detailing the title, author R.F. Kuang, 4.5-star rating, and notes on Chinese spiritual practices and ancient history retelling.

Book Review Book name: The Poppy War Author: R.F. Kuang Genre: Historical Fantasy Intro: Rin is a war orphan and is forced to live with her aunt and uncle and their son. Her aunt is forcing her into a marriage where she doesn’t want to be it, so he opted to study and go to school. She goes to a

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An image titled 'CURRENTLY READING' features the book covers for 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang and 'Her Soul To Take' by Harley LaRoux. The books are set against a background of green foliage and a white flower, with graphics of an open book and headphones, and a Lemon8 handle.

Currently Reading 7/21

I loved Babel by R.F. Kuang so I decided to read more of her books. I’m starting The Poppy War Trilogy. I was also recommended Her Soul To Take by Harley LaRoux after I read and LOVED Lights Out by Navessa Allen. Heading to the library later today to pick up a few more reads. What are you

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A person's legs are shown with the book "The Dragon Republic" by R.F. Kuang resting on them. The cover features a winged figure in grey tones. Text overlays read "Current Read What's yours?" and "Lemon8 @lillygc25".

Current Read📚

Currently reading The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang. I’m on page 283 of 654 🥲. Making slow progress but it is a really good book. This is the second book of the poppy war trilogy. #lemon8bookclub #lemon8challenge #books #reading

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A collage featuring the three books of The Poppy War Trilogy: The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic, and The Burning God. Keywords like 'Anti-hero,' 'Found Family,' and 'Historical Fantasy' are displayed around them, with trigger warnings at the bottom.

A mini-review of The Poppy War Trilogy, including a 5/5 rating, a summary of each book, and a ranking of the books by emotional impact. It also features a small image of a person and the book covers.

A fan art collage for The Poppy War Trilogy, depicting various scenes and characters. Images include emotional embraces, figures surrounded by fire, ethereal beings, and a person riding a horse through a field of red flowers.

The Poppy Wars Trilogy

• review + fanart collage My rating: 5/5. ⭐️ My review: I loved this series with all my heart !! The main character is so admirable, throughout each book you just want to fix the world for her. For the people she loves. Each side character had so much depth to them, it was so easy to understand t

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tell me something i won’t know till the end

babel: an arcane history by r.f. kuang so excited to read this!! #babel #rfkuang #books #reading

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Currently reading 📖

I’ve heard so many great things about this book and about R.F. Kaung. Can’t wait to dive in! #reading📖 #currentread📚 #lemon8bookclub

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#lemon8bookclub

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A hand with painted nails holds the cover of R.F. Kuang's book "Babel," featuring a tall, ornate tower and flying birds. The cover highlights it as a #1 New York Times Bestseller and includes a quote. Overlay text indicates "my current Reads" and "lemon8 @gabbymcor."

What am i currently reading? 🪵

My Current Reads 📖 Name of the Book: “Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution” 📄 Plot: The book blends linguistics, colonial critique, and magical realism to explore the power of language and translation in an alternate 19th-century Oxford. 📖

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A collage promoting R.F. Kuang's 'The Poppy War,' featuring the book cover, an illustration of a character with a katana, a traditional East Asian building, and a stylized bird. Overlays include 'New Read' and a quote, all on a textured background with the Lemon8 handle.

Currently reading The poppy war!

#rfkuang #the poppy war #currentlyreading #poppywarseries #booksreccomendations

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A person holds the dark blue cover of R.F. Kuang's book, "The Dragon Republic," featuring a winged creature design. Text on the cover highlights it as "Book Two" and mentions "#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Babel." Overlaid text reads "My current Read."

Reading the sequel to The Poppy War

My Current Read 📖 Name of the Book: The Dragon Republic (Book 2 in the poppy war trilogy) 📖 Genre: Fantasy 💭 My Thoughts: loving it so far

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What are you currently reading? 🍋📚

My Current Reads 📖 Name of the Book: Where the Library Hides / The Poppy War 📖 Genre: YA Historical Fantasy / High fantasy 💭 My Thoughts: WTLH, um I have been so excited to read this book, the ending to What the River Knows has been living rent free in my head for the last two years. I am in lo

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Babel R.F. Kaung

I started to read Babel by R.F. Kuang! I'm only 9% in but oh boy! The world building is pretty great, it is very much based on 1800s England so the topic of racism is pretty strong but it is portrayed correctly imo based on other historical movies I have seen (I grew up watching the classics

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POV: you read The Poppy War by RF Kuang

The people who said this book was brutal were NOT lying! #books #lemon8bookclub #lemon8bookchallenge #thepoppywar #rfkuang

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📚 Book Review: Babel by R.F. Kuang 📚 ⭐ 3.75/5 I finally finished Babel, and overall, I really enjoyed it. The biggest strength of this book was how it explored colonialism, power, language, and privilege through a fictional story. As someone who loves history, I appreciated seeing these theme

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A book cover for "The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang, featuring a woman warrior with a bow on a mountain, framed by a red border. The title is in red and black, with smoke-like elements. The image includes the text "Woman Warrior Weapon God" and "review + mood board."

A book review for "The Poppy War" by R.F. Kuang, showing the book cover alongside a detailed text review. The review highlights historical elements, character development, and themes of war. Ratings for realism, plot, and overall are all 5/5. A content warning is at the bottom.

A 3x3 mood board for "The Poppy War," centered with the book cover. Surrounding images include hands with fire, feathered wings, a silhouetted figure, traditional umbrellas, a crowd with flags, dancing figures, a dramatic sky, and a person holding a lit match.

review + mood board

Book Review Book name: The Poppy War Author: R. F. Kuang Genre: Fantasy Novel Qoute: "You have to kill them for me. Swear it. Swear on your blood that you will burn them!" My rating: 5/5. My review: This book was an extremely compelling fantasy novel that holds historical elements th

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Babel by R. F. Kuang

Really and truthfully I SO wanted to like this book.. I just… couldn’t get into it.. I really tried! I just didn’t feel any kind of draw into the story. I’m not a huge fan of that writing style so it maybe partly the writing style I just don’t care for. In reading different reviews and a couple syn

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Currently Reading - The Poppy War

Currently Reading - The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. Fantasy, library borrow, highly rated. 180 pages in, and enjoying so far. #readingfantasy #fantasybooks #booktok

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I haven’t read this trilogy yet but it’s on my list! What are some of your pros/cons about the series?? #trilogy #poppywar #rfkuang #books

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A hand holds the orange cover of R.F. Kuang's 'The Poppy War: Book One'. The cover features a figure with a bow and arrow, and text highlighting it as a 'New York Times Bestselling Author' and 'Time Magazine 100 Greatest Fantasy Books'.

Someone please tell me if you’ve read this! #the poppy war #poppywar #lemon8bookclub

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Honestly this book reminds me a lot of The Fourth Wing. Accept, there’s no dragons and the Mc was born a peasant instead. Rin the mc, passes a test and is able to attend an elite military school where she learns to hone her powers, right when a war is a foot. There is also a love interest Atlan w

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The book cover for R.F. Kuang's 'The Poppy War' features an orange background with a figure holding a bow and arrow. Text includes the title, author, 'Book One', and accolades like '#1 New York Times Bestselling Author' and 'TIME MAGAZINE 100 GREATEST'.

Finished Poppy War, and I’m devastated

⭐️Overall rating: 5/5 The first part? Slow but the world building was necessary. Looking back, there’s also foreshadowing that I completely missed the first time but it all makes sense. The lessons and going to school actually brought a great amount of world building that mattered more than I in

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Four R.F. Kuang books, 'Yellowface,' 'The Poppy War,' and 'Babel,' are stacked vertically on a textured background, illustrating a fan's suggested reading order. The image includes text indicating it's an unauthorized fan reading order with quotes to persuade readers.

The book 'Babel' by R.F. Kuang, featuring a black cover with a tower illustration, is displayed. Text recommends starting with this stand-alone book, calling it 'god-tier level,' and includes a quote about colonialism.

The book 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang, with a fiery warrior illustration on its cover, is shown. Text expresses love for the series, noting its intensity and suggesting it be read next, accompanied by a character quote.

R.F. Kuang Reading Order

Utterly obsessed with R.F. Kuang over here, so here’s where I think you should start. #fantasybooks #bookrecommendations #rfkuang

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A person holds the book 'The Poppy War' by R.F. Kuang, featuring an orange cover with a figure holding a bow. The book is described as a fantasy novel and a 'TIME Magazine 100 Greatest Fantasy Books' selection. Text overlays read 'My current Read' and 'Lemon8 @books2kathryn'.

My current Read

My Current Read 📖 Name of the Book: The Poppy War 📖 Genre: Fantasy 💭 My Thoughts: I am currently loving this book so far. It’s one of those books where you have to pry to book out of my hand if you want a conversation with me! • #whatimreading #books #bookwormsoflemon8 #ThePoppyWar

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ipad or kindle im gonna read my book regardless ;) #kindlebag #readingjournal #kindle #kindlegirl #books #foryou

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My weekly reading wrap up! I had a great week reading these 3 books and would definitely recommend them! #booktok #readingwrapup #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookrecs Books mentioned: Beautiful World, Where are You? by Sally Rooney The Poppy War by RF Kuang And Now, Back to Yo

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A hand holds the book "The Poppy War" by R. F. Kuang, featuring a warrior, a phoenix, and an army on its cover, in a bookstore setting.

R.F Kuang Book talk

I had the pleasure of listening to R.F Kuang speak on her inspiration for writing Poppy Wars and how that inspiration led to its publishing. #thankful #specialedition

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Trilogy Spotlight Part 33: The Poppy War

#booktok #book #read #trilogy #reading

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A physical copy of R.F. Kuang's book "Babel: An Arcane History" with an illustrated cover, a smartphone displaying the audiobook version of the same title, and a black Beats earbud case, all resting on a textured dark blue blanket.

Currently reading

➥ title: Babel ➥ author: R.F. Kuang ➥ format: physical + audiobook #fantasybooks #currentlyreading #readersoflemon8 #reading #lemon8bookclub #bookish #readingcommunity #historicalfiction

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A collage features a woman in an orange sports bra and shorts posing in a gym, alongside the cover of R.F. Kuang's "The Poppy War" book. The image connects the book's intense theme with the activewear.

Styled by the story:The Poppy War🥷🏽🏹🔥🐦‍🔥

Styled by the Story: The Poppy War 🏹🔥 by R. F. Kuang Wearing: Oner Active • Sports Bra: Unified Twist Sports Bra | Charged Orange | M • Shorts: Effortless Seamless Shorts | Charged Orange | S This book was fierce, intense, and unforgettable. From the very beginning, it throws you into a wor

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Completed Trilogies to Read in 2026

Already preparing 2026 to be an epic year filled with tons of completed trilogies, so here is my priority list! What series are on your radar for 2026? #books #fantasybooks #trilogy #completedseries #bookseries

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Just finished reading 🖤

📖 Name of the Book: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang 📄 Plot: “The Poppy War” follows Rin, a war orphan who escapes her life of servitude by acing a military entrance exam and attending the elite Sinegard Academy. There, she discovers her aptitude for shamanism, a powerful and dangerous magic system in

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My Next Book Club Read

The Poppy War by R.F Kuang Follow me on fable https://fable.co/abigailk-315651680051?referralID=PBxiWh1rfC #readingmotivation #currentreads #bookclubreads

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The book "Babel An Arcane History" by R.F. Kuang, a #1 New York Times Bestseller, stands on a wooden surface with bookshelves in the background. The cover features a tall, intricate tower. Text overlay reads "BOOK Review" and "Lemon8 @essroreal".

A hand holds the book "Babel An Arcane History" by R.F. Kuang, showing its cover with a tower illustration. The background is a blurred bookshelf. Overlays include "RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐" and "Lemon8 @essroreal".

A hand holds the book "Babel An Arcane History" by R.F. Kuang, displaying its cover. A detailed review of the book is presented next to it, praising its power, exploration of identity and language, and unique magic. "Lemon8 @essroreal" is watermarked.

Babel by RF Kuang

#booktok #books #bookrecommendations #BookReview

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A hand holds "The Poppy War" book by R.F. Kuang, featuring a figure with a bow. Annotations highlight it as a dark, historical military fantasy with a strong female lead, magic, and Chinese historical influences, recommended by Time Magazine.

I’m not even done with this book BUT I have to share it right now!! ‼️NO SPOILERS‼️ Dark, check trigger warnings • bad ass MFC • magic system • historical military fantasy • influenced by the 20th century Chinese history • found family (from what I think) • no romance • an orphan n

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Comment your guesses 🤭 #booktok #fantasybooks #popularbooks #thecruelprince #thepoppywar

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Next read: The Poppy War (book 1) Genre: #fantasy Pages: 527 Author: R. F. Kuang #books #book #fantasy books #lemon8books

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this is my current read. i’m really enjoying it! what are yall reading at the moment? #thepoppywar #reading #book #currentread📚 #booklovers

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The Poppy War 🔥

#the poppy war #poppywar #rfkuang #sprayededges #books

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What is your current read?🖤

My current read is The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang and is the second book in the Poppy War trilogy! What is your current read and are you enjoying it? Tags: #lemon8bookclub #Lemon8Diary #bookwormsoflemon8 #readersoflemon8 #booksoflemon8 #books #booktok #BookReview #readin

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The book cover for R.F. Kuang's 'Babel: An Arcane History' displays a detailed illustration of a tall, ornate tower and cityscape. Overlaid text identifies it as 'fantasy' and 'dark academia', and includes a quote: 'A MASTERPIECE.' by Rebecca Roanhorse, from the award-winning author of the Poppy War trilogy.

Babel by RF Kuang Review

This will be the best book I read this year. I just know it. I'm usually more of a high fantasy girly, but this dark academia did the trick for me. The fantasy elements were minimal, but awesome. Silver manifesting the gap between translations, the meaning that is lost in between words? So co

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Worlds of pure imagination✨📖

#Lemon8Diary #bookrecommendation #booklemon8 #bookobsessed #booktoker

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