Flamebound by Tessa Adams – a Review

Flamebound by Tessa Adams – a Review

FlameboundLinks to order Flameblound: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
After Xandra’s nasty run in with the Arcadian Council of Witches—where she was almost killed and her boyfriend, Declan, was almost framed for it—her plan is to lay low and figure out why its members would torment the people they are supposed to protect. Declan, temperamental and protective warlock that he is, doesn’t feel so reticent. And when violence erupts again, there’s no stopping him from pursuing revenge…

When a council member is murdered in a fashion that screams dark magic, Declan claims someone else beat him to it. Xandra doesn’t want to believe he could commit such a brutal act, but she knows he has a dark side—one that his former love interest Tsura understands better than she ever will. With Tsura back in town, Xandra doesn’t know whom to trust. And a killer targeting witches and wizards is still at large

 

Review:

Flamebound by Tessa Adams is the 2nd book in her Lone Star Witch series.  We met our heroine, Xandra Morgan, in the first book, Soulbound.  Xandra is the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter, and though she was powerless for years, and gave up any hope, she discovers that she does have some unique powers.  However, these powers are not what Xandra really wanted, as she sees and feels visions of terrible deaths that call her for help or to find the body.   In Flamebound, Xandra’s powers become much more, and with our hero, Declan’s help, they work on helping her control those powers. 

The crux of this story, besides Xandra trying to maintain control of her powers (she now can shoot flames); is her romance with Declan, which has grown magnificently, especially now that they are soulbound.  They have become such an awesome couple, and a very sexy one.  I loved Declan in this book, as he devotes himself to protect Xandra, not to mention show her his feelings.  I mean their sexual chemistry was off the wall.  I loved them together.  Also, the main storyline is a series of murders against the evil Council of Witches that tried to kill Xandra in Soulbound. Xandra worries that Declan is behind the killings in revenge against council members who hurt her. 

What follows is an exciting story, filled with non stop action, excitement and suspense.  A major part is Xandra’s physic connection to a kidnapped girl, as they desperately try to find her. Tessa Adams does a fantastic job of putting the complex pieces together, as there were a number of twists and surprises.  Will Xandra and Declan be able to find the young girl?  Who is behind the murders of the council members, and why?  Will Xandra survive her growing extraordinary powers?

Another wonderful thing about this series is that Adams has created a great group of secondary characters, including Xandra’s best friend Lily; Detective Nate, and her large royal family of witches.  The ending was very exciting, and a total surprise.  This is a great series, with a kick ass heroine, and an awesome powerful and sexy hero.  I intend to continue reading this series, as long as Tessa Adams writes them. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Cover Reveals- May 15, 2013

Cover Reveals-May 15, 2013

Behind Closed Doors June 2013png

 

TITLE: Behind Closed Doors

AUTHOR: Lisa Renee Jones

SERIES: Inside Out Trilogy Novellas

RELEASE DATE: June 3, 2013

Click HERE for full details

 

 

Shadowed Oct 2013

 

TITLE: Shadowed

AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti

SERIES: Dark Protectors

RELEASE DATE: October 2013

 

 

 

Forgotten Sins July 2013

 

TITLE: Forgotten Sins

AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti

SERIES: Sins Brother

RELEASE DATE: July 2013

 

 

 

Gravity May 2013

 

 

TITLE: Gravity

AUTHOR: Dannika Dark

SERIES: Mageri #4

RELEASE DATE: May 2013

 

 

OneMoreDay Dec 2013

 

TITLE: One More Day

AUTHOR: L.S. Murphy et al.

SERIES: Anthology

RELEASE DATE: December 2013

 

 

 

Broken-Blade-Jan 2014jpg

 

TITLE: Broken Blade

AUTHOR: J.C. Daniels

SERIES:  Colbana

RELEASE DATE: January 2014

 

 

 

Dark Series Trilogy

Dark Lycan: September 2013

Dark Wolf: January 2014

Dark Blood: September 2014

AUTHOR: Christine Feehan

SERIES: Dark (Carpathian)

 

Flamebound Dec 2013

 

TITLE: Flamebound

AUTHOR: Tessa Adams

SERIES: Lone Star Witch

RELEASE DATE: December 2013

 

 

 

Bachelor's Special June 2013

 

TITLE: Bachelor’s Special

AUTHOR: Christine Warner

SERIES: N/A

RELEASE DATE: June 2013

 

 

 

Hell Bent Nov 2013

 

TITLE: Hell Bent

AUTHOR: Devon Monk

SERIES: Broken Magic #1

RELEASE DATE: November 2103

 

 

 

Desert Tales Oct 13

 

TITLE:  Desert Tales (YA)

AUTHOR:  Melissa Marr

SERIES: Wicked Lovely

RELEASE DATE: October 2013

 

 

 

The Protected.Sept 2013jpeg

 

TITLE:  The Protected

AUTHOR:  Shiloh Walker

SERIES: FBI Psychics #4

RELEASE DATE: September 2013

 

 

 

Cursed Oct 13

 

TITLE: Cursed

AUTHOR: S.J.Harper

SERIES: Fallen Sirens #1

RELEASE DATE: October 2013

 

 

 

Forever Too Far June 2013

 

TITLE: Forever Too Far

AUTHOR: Abbi Glines

SERIES: Too Far #3

RELEASE DATE: June 2013

 

 

 

Casted June 2013

 

TITLE: Casted

AUTHOR: Sonya Loveday

SERIES: N/A

RELEASE DATE: June 2013

 

 

 

The Christmas He Love Her.Oct 2013pg

 

TITLE: The Christmas He Loved Her

AUTHOR: Juliana Stone

SERIES: Bad Boys of Crystal Lake

RELEASE DATE: October 2013

 

 

 

Midnight Lies Sept 13

 

TITLE: Midnight Lies

AUTHOR: Ella Grace

SERIES: Wildefire

RELEASE DATE: September 2013

 

 

 

Shadowlark.Oct 13jpg

 

TITLE: Shadowlark

AUTHOR: Meagan Spooner

SERIES: Skylark (YA)

RELEASE DATE: October 2013

 

 

 

The Devil of Clan Sinclair July 2013

 

TITLE: The Devil of Clan Sinclair

AUTHOR: Karen Ranney

SERIES: Clan Sinclair #1

RELEASE DATE: July 2013

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Soulbound by Tessa Adams

Soulbound by Tessa Adams

Soulbound

Soulbound is the first book in Tessa Adams new Lone Star Witch series.

Description:
As the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter—and a member of Ipswitch’s Royal family—Xandra Morgan should be a witch of incredible power. But things don’t always turn out like you expect…

While she hasn’t lived up to her family’s expectations, Xandra has come to terms with her latent magic and made a life for herself in Austin, Texas, running a coffee shop where she makes potions of a non-magical nature. While things aren’t perfect, Xandra is happy—until she runs into powerful warlock Declan Chumomisto.

Xandra hasn’t seen Declan in years, and though she’s still overwhelmed by his power, she doesn’t trust him. And when her own powers awaken one night and lead her to the body of a woman in the woods bearing the symbol of Isis—the same one that has marked Xandra since the day she met Declan—she’s filled with a terrible suspicion, soon confirmed: the woman is connected to him.

Xandra doesn’t want to believe that Declan is capable of murder, but as the body count mounts, and Xandra’s own powers spiral out of control, she’s not sure she can trust her own instincts

Review:

Soulbound is the story of a young witch, from a powerful family of witches.  Xandra Morgan is our heroine, and as the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter, she was expected to become very powerful. However, all of her life, she has not been able to perform any magic, and is considered latent.  On her 19th birthday, when she once again failed during the family magical ceremony, she runs humiliated into the woods, where she meets our hero, Declan Chumomisto.  Declan is a powerful warlock, who uses both light and dark magic.  Xandra is drawn immediately to Declan, as he is to her.  When he takes her hand, she ends up with the mark of Isis on her palm, similar to the one Declan has. They spent the night talking, and then Xandra will not see him again for 7 years. 

The story then picks up 7 years later, with Xandra living in Austin, Texas, and running her own coffee shop.  She still considers herself a magical failure, but is content where she is, living a normal life.  There is some humor where her mother and a witch whisperer continue to try to find ways to bring out her magic.  It is at this time, when Xandra goes back home to visit her family, that something awakens in her.  Her mother gives her a potion, and she later becomes violently sick; she sees and feels a violent vision of a young girl being raped and attacked in the nearby woods. Xandra runs to where senses the attack happening, and the body of the dead girl is found. The victim is discovered to have been marked with the same Seba symbol that Xandra has in her palm. 

Once she goes back to Austin, she sees Declan again, and her strange ability continues. stronger then ever.  Xandra, each time she has this vision, suffers emotionally, mentally and physically. She is compelled to follow where she senses another girl in danger. Declan always seems to come to her rescue, and both do not understand what is happening.  Together, they are determined to find the cause of Xandra’s abilities, and to find the person, who has strong magical abilities to be doing this.  The chemistry between Declan and Xandra is hot, but they both refrain from going too far, until they both need each other desperately. 

I enjoyed learning about Xandra’s family, and her new found friends.  Her brother Donovan, her friend Lily, and a cop named Nate, all play are big part in this story.  Declan is our hero, and a hot one, but he is still private, and I would love to learn more about him.  But the star of this book is Xandra, who is a great heroine; strong, independent, and has no qualms of speaking up.  The only thing I was not crazy about was that Xandra feels everything being done to the other girl, making these descriptive scenes very violent, and at times uncomfortable. 

There is a serial killer out there, and it seems that all the victims resemble Xandra.  Who is the killer?  Why are the innocent girls being tortured? Will Xandra survive?  Is Declan to be trusted, or is he too a danger to Xandra?  Tessa Adams does resolve all the questions at the end.  However, that being said, Soulbound does leave things open for Xandra and Declan to continue the story into the next book, since we need to learn more about Xandra’s powers.

The ending is tense, filled with lots of action, excitement, and surprises. Make no mistake, this is a dark paranormal story, but it is also a great story, with some excellent characters. I love Xandra and Declan, and I will be there for the next book. Great start to this new series by Tessa Adams

Reviewed by Barb

 

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An Interview with Tracy Wolff

An Interview with Tracy Wolff

Tracy_blueThe Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Tracy Wolff as our guest today.

Tracy is here today to answer our questions, as well as discuss her newest releases. Soulbound, a wonderful new series, written under the pen name of Tessa Adams, was released February 5th.  Doomed, written under the pen name of Tracy Deebs, was released in January. 

Let’s meet Tracy.

 

TRC: Hi Tracy.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today.We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

Tracy: Thanks so much for having me. I really appreciate it 🙂

TRC: Would you please tell us about yourself?

Tracy: Sure.  I’m an English professor, mom of three crazy, rambunctious boys and wife of my very own Alpha-male bad boy.  I’m crazy about reading, love to dance and spend waaaaay too much money on make-up.  I also play a mean Wii Sports, LOL.

TRC: When and how did you become interested in writing?  Have you always liked to write?

Tracy: Actually, I have.  I usually say that I’ve been writing since I first understood that letters made words and that’s pretty much the truth.  I remember the first story I wrote on my own was in second grade.  It was ten pages long and written in aqua marker while my parents were in the bank getting a car loan, LOL.  It was about a princess, a rainbow and—of course—a prince.  Happily ever after was my thing even back then.

I always knew I wanted to do this when I grew up, so I got a Bachelor’s degree in English, then followed it up with an M.A. and  Ph.D in American lit and an MFA in fiction writing. So yes, reading and writing has always been in my blood.

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you have a favorite spot or time you like to write?

Tracy: I can write anywhere, which is a good thing since I have three loud boys who are always thinking up some kind of trouble to get into.  But I do prefer to write in the morning.  I’ll start as early as 4 a.m. then write until I have to get the boys to school, come home and write until I have to leave for class, then try to do a little more in the afternoon after homework is done.  The only time I really don’t like to write is at night—my brain doesn’t function very well on the writing front after ten or eleven p.m.  That’s when I try to answer email or write blogs, etc.

TRC: What was your first book published, and how did you feel when you saw your book on the shelves?

Tracy: My first book was called A Christmas Wedding by Tracy Wolff.  It was a Harlequin Superromance and I can not actually describe how I felt the first time I saw it on the shelves.  I’m pretty sure I cried.  I know I carried pictures of it around in my phone for months.

TRC: You write as Tracy Wolff, and under a few pen names: Tessa Adams, Tracy Deebs, and Ivy Adams. Do you find it difficult switching your writing hats?

Tracy: It’s not hard, per se, but it’s difficult sometimes to go from one book directly into another.  For example, Tessa Adams writes really dark paranormal romance and urban fantasy and trying to switch from that to my light Ivy Adams contemporary romance takes a writing adjustment, especially in voice content.  I’m naturally a dark writer, as evinced by most of my books, so when I try to do light and flirty it’s a lot more work.

TRC: Along the same line, is it hard to write and switch to different genres? Do you have a preference?
Tracy Wolff – Super Romance & Erotic Romance/Suspense
Tracy Deebs/Ivy Adams – Young Adult
Tessa Adams – Paranormal Romance

Tracy: Honestly, my favorite are the paranormal of all types.  Whether it’s witch urban fantasy and dragon paranormal romance as Tessa Adams or mermaids and sci-fi as Tracy Deebs, I really enjoy the challenge of world-building and dealing with fantastical creatures and situations.

doomedTRC: In January, as Tracy Deebs, you released Doomed a YA novel.  Can you please tell us about this book?  Is this part of a series, if so how many books are planned?

Tracy: Yay!  Thanks for asking—I love to talk about Doomed.  Doomed is a modern-day retelling of the Pandora myth, except instead of opening a box, she opens an attachment and hearkens technological Armageddon.  There’s an MMO, a real-life scavenger hunt, a multi-state manhunt for my three main characters, a countdown to nuclear annihilation and a sexy little romance all wrapped up into one explosive package.

Doomed is actually the hardest book I’ve ever had to write and it’s also one I am incredibly proud of.  At the moment, I have three books planned for the Pandora trilogy and am working on the second one right now.

soulboundTRC: Soulbound is your newest release this month, as Tessa Adams.  It is the first book in your Lone Star Witch series.  Please tell us the premise of the series, and a brief description of Soulbound?

Tracy: Soulbound is the story of witch Xandra Morgan, the daughter of one of the most powerful Heka covens in the world (Heka is Egyptian magic and is considered by experts to be the oldest magical force on earth).  She was born with the promise of great power, but through the years that power never developed. She’s totally latent, and while she’s okay with this state of affairs, her mother certainly isn’t and tries everything she can to awaken Xandra’s magic.  But it’s not that Xandra is latent, it’s that she’s soulbound to a very dark, very powerful warlock and once Declan comes into the picture, her powers wake up with a vengeance.  The only problem—her powers are awful.  She sees dead people.  Not ghosts, but actual bodies of people who have died violently.  She has a compulsion to find these bodies and when she does, she relives much of their suffering.

Soulbound follows Xandra as she comes into her powers, falls in love with Declan despite a lot of warning signs to the contrary and also strives to find a serial killer who is murdering women who look a lot like Xandra and marking them with the symbol she was given by the goddess Isis at her birth.  It’s got a smoking hot hero, a tempestuous romance, and a zany cast of supporting characters who will move from book to book with her.  I’m about to get to work on Deathbound, the second book in the series, which centers around Declan and Xandra on the trail of a murderer who is killing members of the Witch, Wizard and Warlock council.

TRC: Besides the above new novels, do you want to tell us about any other new releases you have planned in 2013?  What are you currently working on?

Tracy: Doomed and Soulbound are my winter 2013 releases.  They will be followed in June by Tempest Revealed, the final book in my dark mermaid paranormal trilogy and in November by Deathbound, the second book in the Xandra Morgan series.

I’m also currently working on a new adult series about snowboarders which will be out in about a year, a series for Entangled’s Brazen line that centers around a rock band and will be out later this year, and a duet for Harlequin that doesn’t have a publication date.  Oh, and a trilogy of really fun, flirty, zany contemporary single title romances that a good friend and I are writing together.  The first one is called Lyric and Lingerie.  Oh, and I’m also working on Doomed 2 (which is currently titleless) and a new YA series as well.

TRC: Who is your favorite Female Character in your books?

Tracy: Oooh, this is hard, especially since so many of my books are series and I have ongoing heroines that I see from book to book.  I really like Xandra from Soulbound—she’s kickass but has a sense of humor about her that I really enjoy.  And Tempest, from my mermaid trilogy is pretty awesome in my opinion.

TRC: Who is your favorite Male Character in your books?

Tracy: Honestly, I don’t know.  I’m totally in love with Declan Chumomisto from Soulbound (like seriously, in LOVE with him).  I’m also crazy about Theo from Doomed (he’s my modern day representation of Prometheus as part of the Pandora myth) and Z in Shredding the Edge, the new adult romance I’m in the middle of writing.  They’re all badasses, which is something I have a real weakness for.  Oh, and there’s also Quinn, from Hidden Embers, the second book in my dragon series.  He’s dark and dangerous and sexy as hell too.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Tracy: Just to say thanks so much for having me.  I really appreciate it.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Favorite Dessert: Dulce de Leche ice cream

Favorite Book: Oh, no.  That’s an awful question. There are so many.  Okay, I can do this. Literary: Catcher in the Rye.  Romance: Nalini Singh’s Kiss of Snow (told you I like the badasses)

Favorite Movie: Good Will Hunting

Favorite TV Show: Firefly or Friday Night Lights

Last Movie that you saw: The Avengers (with my boys the other night.  I love Iron Man)

Thank you, Tracy for answering our questions. We look forward to continuing to read your books, and to work with you in the future. 

If you would like to learn more about Tracy, you can visit her at the following links:

Tracy Wolff Website:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:
Tessa Adams Goodreads:
Tessa Adams Website:
Tracy Deebs Website:


Soulbound (#1 – A Lone Star Witch Novel) – by Tessa Adams

soulbound

About the Book: Released February 5, 2013
As the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter—and a member of Ipswitch’s Royal family—Xandra Morgan should be a witch of incredible power. But things don’t always turn out like you expect…

While she hasn’t lived up to her family’s expectations, Xandra has come to terms with her latent magic and made a life for herself in Austin, Texas, running a coffee shop where she makes potions of a non-magical nature. While things aren’t perfect, Xandra is happy—until she runs into powerful warlock Declan Chumomisto.

Xandra hasn’t seen Declan in years, and though she’s still overwhelmed by his power, she doesn’t trust him. And when her own powers awaken one night and lead her to the body of a woman in the woods bearing the symbol of Isis—the same one that has marked Xandra since the day she met Declan—she’s filled with a terrible suspicion, soon confirmed: the woman is connected to him.

Xandra doesn’t want to believe that Declan is capable of murder, but as the body count mounts, and Xandra’s own powers spiral out of control, she’s not sure she can trust her own instincts…

Links to order Soulbound: Amazon/ Barnes & Noble/ Kobo/  The Book Depository


Doomed
( #1 Pandora Trilogy) by Tracy Deebs

doomed

About the Book: Released January, 2013

Pandora’s just your average teen-glued to her cell phone and laptop, surfing Facebook and e-mailing with her friends-until the day her long-lost father sends her a link to a mysterious site featuring twelve photos of her as a child. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora enters the site, where she is prompted to play her favorite virtual-reality game, Zero Day. This unleashes a global computer virus that plunges the whole world into panic: suddenly, there is no Internet. No cell phones. No utilities, traffic lights, hospitals, law enforcement. Pandora teams up with handsome stepbrothers Eli and Theo to enter the virtual world of Zero Day. Simultaneously, she continues to follow the photographs from her childhood in an attempt to beat the game and track down her father-her one key to saving the world as we know it. Part The Matrix, part retelling of the Pandora myth, Doomed has something for gaming fans, dystopian fans, and romance fans alike.

Links to order Doomed: Amazon / Barnes & NobleThe Book Depository

Giveaway-mauve

Tracy is graciously offering 4 of her books, Soulbound, Doomed, Hidden Embers, Full Exposure, to ONE lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment as Twitter and Facebook etc do not allow for email contact.

3. Giveaway run from February 8th to 11th, 2013

4. Giveaway is open to US only.

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COVER REVEALS and MORE

COVER REVEALS and MORE

 

 

MOVIE POSTER REVEAL

Cassandra Clare’s THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS City of Bones will be coming to the big screen in August 2013 and the first MOVIE POSTER has been revealed.  

I have no doubt there will be several variations before August revealing the cast of characters.

 

 

And for your further enjoyment, the official trailer for CITY OF BONES.

 

 

 

TITLE:  Twice Tempted

AUTHOR:  Jeaniene Frost

SERIES:  Night Prince

RELEASE DATE:  March 2013

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE:  Cloak and Silence

AUTHOR:  Sherrilyn Kenyon

SERIES:  The League (Maris’s story)

RELEASE DATE:  N/A

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE:  Fall of Night

AUTHOR:  Rachel Caine

SERIES:  Morganville Vampires

RELEASE DATE:  May  2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE:  Suddenly Royal

AUTHOR:  Nichole Chase

 SERIES: N/A

 RELEASE DATE:  N/A

 

 

 

TITLE:  Ink

AUTHOR:  Amanda Sun

SERIES:  The Paper Gods

RELEASE DATE:  June 2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE:  Highland Betrayal

AUTHOR:  Deborah Gafford

SERIES:  Heart of the Highlander

RELEASE DATE:  N/A

Exclusive to The Reading Cafe from Deborah Gafford–HIGHLAND BETRAYAL Teaser:   Was the night they spent trapped together in the castle cellar really an accident as she claimed or was it merely a way to entrap him into marriage?  And did he even care?

Click HERE for a direct link to Deborah’s website.

 

TITLE:  Soulbound

AUTHOR:  Tessa Adams

SERIES:  Lone Star Witch

RELEASE DATE:  February 2013

 

 


 

TITLE:  The Red Plague Affair

AUTHOR:  Lilith Saint Crow

SERIES: Bannon and Clare

RELEASE DATE:  May 2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE:   Emblaze

AUTHOR:  Jessica Shirvington

SERIES: Violet Eden

RELEASE DATEL  March 2013

 

 


 

TITLE: Heart of Iron

AUTHOR:  Bec McMaster

SERIES:  London Steampunk

RELEASE DATE: May 2013

 

 


 

TITLE:  With All My Soul

AUTHOR:  Rachel Vincent

SERIES:  Soul Screamers

RELEASE DATE:  March 2013

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE:  Heart Fortune

AUTHOR:  Robin D Owens

SERIES:   Celta Heartmates

RELEASE DATE: August 2013

 

 

 


 

TITLE:  Bronze Gods

AUTHOR:  A.A.Aguirre (Ann Aguirre)

SERIES:  Apparatus Infernum

RELEASE DATE: April 2013

 

 

 


 

TITLE:  Enthralled

AUTHORS:  Lora Leigh/Alyssa Day/Meljean Brooke/Lucy Monroe

SERIES:  anthology

RELEASE DATE: July 2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Towering

AUTHOR: Alex Flinn

SERIES: N/A

RELEASE DATE: May 2013

 

 

 

 

TITLE: Nightbound

AUTHOR: Lynn Viehl

SERIES: Lords of the Darkyn

RELEASE DATE: May 2013

 

 

 

TITLE: Malice in Wonderland

AUTHOR: H.P. Mallory

SERIES: Dulcie O’Neil

RELEASE DATE: Available Now

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE: The Keep

AUTHOR: Veronica Wolff

SERIES: The Watchers

RELEASE DATE: June 2013

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