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What She Left Behind
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
In this stunning new novel, the acclaimed author of The Plum Tree merges the past and present into a haunting story about the nature of love and loyalty--and the lengths we will go to protect those who need us most. Ten years ago, Izzy Stone's mother fatally shot her father while he slept. Devastated by her mother's apparent insanity, Izzy, now seventeen, refuses to visit her in prison. But her new foster parents, employees at the local museum, have enlisted Izzy's help in cataloging items at a long-shuttered state asylum. There, amid piles of abandoned belongings, Izzy discovers a stack of unopened letters, a decades-old journal, and a window into her own past. Clara Cartwright, eighteen years old in 1929, is caught between her overbearing parents and her love for an Italian immigrant. Furious when she rejects an arranged marriage, Clara's father sends her to a genteel home for nervous invalids. But when his fortune is lost in the stock market crash, he can no longer afford her care--and Clara is committed to the public asylum. Even as Izzy deals with the challenges of yet another new beginning, Clara's story keeps drawing her into the past. If Clara was never really mentally ill, could something else explain her own mother's violent act? Piecing together Clara's fate compels Izzy to re-examine her own choices--with shocking and unexpected results. Illuminating and provocative, What She Left Behind is a masterful novel about the yearning to belong--and the mysteries that can belie even the most ordinary life. Praise For Ellen Marie Wiseman's The Plum Tree "Ellen Marie Wiseman's provocative and realistic images of a small German village are exquisite. The Plum Tree will find good company on the shelves of those who appreciated Skeletons at the Feast, by Chris Bohjalian, Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay, and Night, by Elie Wiesel." --NY Journal of Books "The meticulous hand-crafted detail and emotional intensity of The Plum Tree immersed me in Germany during its darkest hours and the ordeals its citizens had to face. A must-read for WWII Fiction aficionados--and any reader who loves a transporting story." --Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us "Wiseman eschews the genre's usual military conflicts of daily life during wartime, lending an intimate and compelling poignancy to this intriguing debut." --Publishers Weekly "Ellen Marie Wiseman weaves a story of intrigue, terror, and love from a perspective not often seen in Holocaust novels." --Jewish Book World "A haunting and beautiful debut novel." --Anna Jean Mayhew, author of The Dry Grass of August
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AmyK1
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Mehso-so

This is the 3rd book I‘ve read by this author and my least favorite. It was a fast paced page turner but the writing was rather juvenile, especially Izzy‘s timeline.

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Jenken1998
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

Izzie is trying to finish high school and trying to live with the night that changed her life. A night that landed her in foster care and her Mom in prison. Her foster parents include her in a project of working to catalog items found at an old insane asylum. There she comes across the diary of Clara. 1920's flapper Clara is admitted wrongfully to the asylum and desperately wants to get out to return to the love her life.

Jenken1998 Dual timeline. Very hard to read at times. Triggers for pretty much everything mental health and domestic violence. I almost put it down a couple times because it is so hard to read but I think books like this are important to read. I think the more people that read them and are educated on the sins of our past (treatment of mental health) the less likely history will repeat itself. That is my hope anyhow. 11mo
52 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TheEllieMo
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

This was my March #BookSpin. Alternating between two time periods, it tells of Clara, a young woman put into an asylum in the 1930s, and Izzy, 60 years later, coming to terms with her mother‘s imprisonment, who discovers Clara‘s journal and searches for more information on Clara‘s life. It‘s a heart-wrenching story, hard to read at times but engrossing too. My one complaint is that a sub-plot of the 1990s story seemed unnecessary and faded away.

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WonderlandMind
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

This book was a roller coaster of emotions. The dark and brutal torture people were put through in asylums back in the day was shocking and horrifying to read. The bright light in this book was Izzy‘s determination to right the life of Clara who was so grievously wronged by her parents and the institution. The ending of this book was emotional and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

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redbird79
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Wow this story was so good. It left a lasting impression on me. I would probably reread this in the future.

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tdrosebud
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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#7days7covers #covercrush #day4

@quietjenn would you like to play? 7 days, 7 covers, no explanations. Tag a new friend each day.

@Lynnsoprano @vonnie862

quietjenn Sure, I‘ll give it some thought and jump in soon! 5y
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Allthingsbooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Excellent sorry....from start to finish.

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Crazeedi
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Bailedbailed

I got halfway through this very sad story. I guess I just can't read about the horrors of insane asylums of the early 1900s. And I couldn't deal with a perfectly same woman being incarcerated by her father. I had to stop. It was just bothering me way too much

TheEllieMo Aww, sorry you had to bail on this. I have to admit, the premise sounds interesting, I‘m tempted to give it a go. 5y
Crazeedi @TheEllieMo it was just breaking my heart, maybe I have too much in my heart right now to add this. It hurts to read. I may try to finish at some point 5y
TheEllieMo It‘s not good to read books that cause you hurt, you did right to set it aside 5y
Crazeedi @TheEllieMo that's how I think too, let me know what you think when you read 5y
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tdrosebud
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I love The Help 💛💛💛 5y
tdrosebud @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks The Help is such a great book. 5y
vkois88 Beautiful! 5y
18 likes3 comments
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Meglet
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

I actually stayed up late and finished this one - I was able to finish it in 2 days, which is rare for me. So it was a good balance of easy to read, fast-moving, and interesting enough to keep me engaged. I did think many of the schoolmates were one-dimensional and too conveniently used as plot devices instead of being interesting characters in their own right. Worth a read though, if the summary sounds interesting to you at all.

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LiteraryinLawrence
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

Finally finished the September #lmpbc selection and will mail it to @Mem_ugh tomorrow. I think that the author is a gifted descriptive writer. The book focuses on a woman living in an insane asylum in the 1930s and then a teenager researching it in the 1990s. It highlights parent-child relationships and madness vs sanity. Parts of it were pretty brutal to read, as you might expect. 💔 Between a Pick and So-So for me.

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LiteraryinLawrence
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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I‘ve been spending the week with my family as my dad had some major surgery. I brought lots of books with me including this one (my #lmpbc book that is overdue to my next group member), but I haven‘t had much attention for reading. My dad seems to be getting stronger every day, so I hope to keep going on this book this afternoon. It has my interest so far! @ErinSueG @Mem_ugh @kstadt929

AlaMich Glad to hear his recovery is going well! 😊 6y
Mem_ugh Glad to hear that he‘s doing well! Don‘t worry about it being overdue, I‘m a quick reader and spending the time with your family is much more important! 6y
mcipher Glad your dad is doing well! Major surgery is rough. We are hoping to take my son home tomorrow after his surgery on Monday! 6y
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kstadt929 Glad your dad is doing better! Hopefully you can get lost in this book for a while to get your mind off things ❤️ 6y
mabell Good to hear your dad is doing well after surgery! 6y
Velvetfur Good for Dad getting stronger! 💜 6y
RenePenn I have this one on hold. 6y
95 likes7 comments
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kstadt929
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

I don‘t want to say too much because the rest of my #LMPBC group will be getting this after me, but this book gave me all the feels. I was completely invested in the story and finding out about Clara and Izzy‘s lives. This was very different from other books I have read recently, I loved the view points switching off and if you are reading this you should read this book! It will be on its way to you tomorrow @LiteraryinLititz Great pick @ErinSueG

kstadt929 I ran out of characters but @Mem_ugh is in our #LMPBC group too 😁 6y
Erinsuereads I was the same way by the end! Definitely a good read! 6y
Erinsuereads Essie is coming your way Wednesday too! 6y
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LiteraryinLawrence I‘m excited to read it! (edited) 6y
LiteraryinLawrence In spite of all the rain, the book just arrived nice and dry! @kstadt929 @ErinSueG @Mem_ugh 6y
kstadt929 So glad to hear it @LiteraryinLititz !! I hope you enjoy it !! And hope your rain stops soon ☀️ 6y
LiteraryinLawrence I‘m starting the book tonight! @ErinSueG and @kstadt929 , which of you used the blue and which one used the pink? I was trying to compare the handwriting to your notes at the beginning, and then I was like, just ask them. 😋 6y
Erinsuereads Nice! I used pink! @LiteraryinLititz @kstadt929 Essie is going out this weekend. Late as usual. I‘m the worst book group partner ever but it‘s a good quick book with big font 🤣🤣 when do you get married??? 6y
kstadt929 @ErinSueG It‘s okay!! I haven‘t had much time to read lately because it is the final countdown and I feel like I‘m running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to finish last minute wedding stuff!!! I get married September 29!! 😁❤️ 6y
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kstadt929
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Finally getting to start my #LPMBC book along with my delicious strawberry açaí refresher ? @ErinSueG @LiteraryinLititz @Mem_ugh I‘ve been so busy the last few weeks with my bachelorette party, bridal shower and other wedding prep I haven‘t had much time to read, but I‘m going to see how much I can relax/read this weekend!! ?

LiteraryinLawrence Enjoy! It‘s exciting that the big day is so close. How are you feeling? 6y
kstadt929 @LiteraryinLititz So very excited!!! It‘s crazy it is getting so close now - we‘ve been engaged since April 2017 so it seemed far away for so long. But it is also stressful with last minute details, trying to organize rsvps, finishing up decorations and favors. Love all the crafty projects I‘m working on for it 😊 Hard to believe our wedding day is almost here !!!!! 29 more days is crazy to me 6y
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kstadt929
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Your #LPMBC book arrived today @ErinSueG !! I love the adorable bookmark 😍🌵 I probably won‘t get to start it until next week because I‘m leaving tomorrow for my bachelorette party weekend, but I wanted to let you know it arrived!! Looking forward to this one!! @LiteraryinLititz @Mem_ugh

Erinsuereads No wonder you are so booked up! Sorry it took so long! I‘m already halfway through the book of Essie so that one will for sure be on time! 6y
kstadt929 @ErinSueG Yeah! And next week Saturday is my bridal shower...in another town. Plus we have stuff on some of the weeknights. I‘ll try my best to fly through this one though and get it on its way 😊 6y
Erinsuereads It‘s such a quick read. Once I got through the first forty pages I read the rest in three days 6y
LiteraryinLawrence Have a great weekend, @kstadt929 !! 6y
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Pelican71
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

Fascinating story told from the perspective of Clara in the 30‘s and Izzy in the present. I couldn‘t imagine enduring what Clara went through, being committed. Interesting how people were treated in regards to mental health.

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bookkeeper26
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

This book was excellent page turning and heart-felt pounding left me wanting more all the way to the end and a big twist awesome!

Cincinnatus Good story, however it was hard for me to overcome the gory details. What do you think about writing itself? 6y
bookkeeper26 @Cincinnatus I actually liked how author wrote both that story and also the life she was given, it made me feel like I knew the characters and I couldn't wait to find out more lol..but yes very graphic.. 6y
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mowayv6899
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Another beautiful novel

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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

Well, this is why you don‘t judge a book until you‘re done. It started out good-not great-with 2 parallel storylines. Many times the main characters made decisions which caused me to yell (in my head), “Don‘t do that!! Make a different decision!!” But then, between plot twists and the historical authenticity about asylums, I was hooked. And at the end, a satisfying conclusion! Full disclosure: it is pretty dark and depressing.

TommieMarie74 You had me at asylums! Lol 6y
MiyakoBunny I loved this book it was so horribly tragic 6y
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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Well I didn‘t finished this one last night-but I did watch the last 2 episodes of Victoria! It‘s so good!! Hoping to get a few minutes before the #neveradullmoment school day to read a few pages. #4moredays😊😊

Cinfhen I‘m still fixated on that venti 6y
ElishaLovesBooks @Cinfhen That‘s coffee #1 of 2 😂😂 #4schooldaysleft #survivalmode 6y
NoahReadsBooks ☕️ 6y
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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Hoping to finish both of these tonight. . . I might be a little too ambitious but I‘m going to be happy trying!! #currentlyreading

goodbyefrancie I have What She Left Behind on my TBR. Is it good? 6y
ElishaLovesBooks It started out good and got even better! @goodbyefrancie (edited) 6y
RiotMom @goodbyefrancie I liked it a lot! I think I read it in a day and a half. 6y
AngelErin Have fun trying! Good luck 😀 6y
55 likes5 comments
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Callemarie
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

This book made me soooo angry because I would not be the least shocked if this is how people were treated who were involuntarily committed to psychiatric institutes. I have a hard time reading books when the characters are unlike able. But what that being said this was still a really good book. Heartbreaking at times but so good.

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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Finished the errands and already have dinner started! No recipe hearty vegetable soup 🍅🥒🍠🥔🥕#husbandwhocooks #icutuptheveggies

I want to read. . . but I should go for a run. . . and get some work done. . . #decisions

laurieluna I love making soups without a recipe. Just chucking what I fancy in and seeing how it turns out. Made some of my best soups that way! 6y
robinb Yum! 6y
That-Bookish-Hiker Looks delicious! 6y
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ElishaLovesBooks @miralunasbooknook I agree! So easy and hopefully tasty! 6y
ElishaLovesBooks Thanks @robinb and @That-Bookish-Hiker I hope it is!🤞 6y
SilversReviews That soup looks yummy. 6y
APLitlife Absolutely loved this book! 6y
54 likes7 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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I was hoping to be farther along in this book but today had other plans. #fivekids #someonealwaysneedstobedrivensomewhere 🚙🚙

It‘s interesting so far but not as engrossing as I thought it would be.

SilversReviews Love the cover...I hope the book gets better. 6y
49 likes2 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Hoping to start this today! I had to bring a different book than My Favorite Thing Is Monsters because that book is too big and heavy to carry around- even I have to draw the line somewhere!!😆
I‘ve heard good things about this book! I‘m trying to make my way through my library stack. 📚📚#canonlyrenewsomanytimes

bookishunicorn I've never heard of My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, but it sounds like my kind of book! Gonna have to check that one out. 6y
Bourriquet76 This one was good! (Since we keep picking the same books, I thought you'd want to know. 😂) 6y
ElishaLovesBooks @bookishunicorn it‘s a very adult graphic novel. It‘s pretty dark and twisted. 6y
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ElishaLovesBooks @Bourriquet76 Yay! I‘m one page in so far. . . 😆😂 6y
bookishunicorn @ElishaLovesBooks Yep.....sounds like my kinda book 😋 6y
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Bourriquet76
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Family reading time--the girl has The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the boy has Swindle, and I'm on my Kindle with this one.

Beckys_Books The family that reads together... 6y
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ElishaLovesBooks
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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After my target run, I stopped at the library to pick up the tagged book that I had on hold. I have #noselfcontrol and of course had to bring the other two books home! A Column of Fire is due Friday- 300+pages left! I always love a good challenge!

Thanks @Cinfhen for posting about The Devil and Webster! It looks good!

Cinfhen I‘m liking it, it‘s pretty snarky but it‘s a slow going read...I‘m curious to hear your thoughts when you get to it, keep me posted 6y
Cinfhen WindFall was fun☺️ 6y
Reviewsbylola The Windfall is hilarious! 6y
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ElishaLovesBooks @Reviewsbylola hilarious is good!😊☺️ 6y
ElishaLovesBooks @Cinfhen I‘m having a hard time managing my TBR😂😂 If only I didn‘t have a life!!! Hopefully, I can get a lot of reading done in the next few days!🦃🙌 6y
Bourriquet76 I just got What She Left Behind from my library for my kindle. It's been on my to-read list for a bit. 6y
ElishaLovesBooks @Bourriquet76 it looks good!😊 6y
39 likes7 comments
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PurpleyPumpkin
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

While this audiobook is a pick for me, I'm having a hard time explaining why. I liked the author's use of concurrent narratives. But I found myself, often at first, annoyed with Izzy, whose story was told in the present day. I wanted to hear more from Clara and her life in 1929. Later, I found Clara's storyline taking a very disturbing turn of events, and I was glad to return to Izzy's world. 🤔Both stories were sad but compelling. 3/5⭐️

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gibblr
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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I really liked this one. Def worth this price!!

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Mrsmjones
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Love all the feels this book gives

DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy! 🎉📚👍😀Hope you enjoy it here! 7y
2 likes1 comment
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Born.A.Reader
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Not nearly as many as the last couple months but this month has been rough. Hopefully I'll make up for it next month. I am halfway through my Goodreads Challenge, however, and I have only 9 left to go on #LitsyAtoZ @BookishMarginalia. Now to create my April TBR list!
#bestofmarch #marchintoreading

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Born.A.Reader
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

I've fallen into a happy niche of books that weave past history with present day and have loved every one of them so far. This one is no exception. The present day MC volunteers for a museum, doing research on past patients at an asylum, by reviewing luggage and records left in the crumbling building. This while sorting through her own life history and troubles. 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

TNbookworm I'm reading this right now! Really liking it so far. 7y
Born.A.Reader @TNbookworm I started it at the beginning of my 10 hour shift and finished it before it ended -I couldn't put it down! 7y
18 likes2 comments
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Born.A.Reader
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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I don't have a snow picture to share, but as it was in the 20s this morning here (in the middle of March in Florida -which is ridiculous), my scarf and heavy pea coat came in very handy. Since I can't be at home, snuggled under a blanket, reading, I'll make the most of being at work. And try to stay warm. Brrr. ❄❄⛄📖

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Judybskt
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

Loved this!!

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Judybskt
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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So far so good.

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Cristinemack
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Engaging story about 2 very complex families.

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thereadingowlvina
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

A poignant novel of hope, love, and freedom. Story was told from a duel timeline (1920s-1940s and 1995). Love the two main characters, Izzy and Clara. Thoroughly enjoys the writing, and I think how the author weaved the stories of these two women together (eventhough from different eras), was brilliant and flawless. Overall, it's a well written novel and I highly recommend it!
#poignantnovel #asylum

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thereadingowlvina
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Just started reading this book. It's engaging. Can't wait to find out what happens next!
#historicalfiction

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Mcoun
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Although the book was overwhelmingly sad, it did have a happy ending! I really liked the character of Clara and was feeling miserable right alongside her.

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Wojie
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

I can't stop listening to this!! #audible

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clconn17
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Pickpick

What a good book! It was a quick and easy read. Sad but happy at the same time.
It switches POV every chapter between a young girl living with foster parents and a girl from the 1920's who is put into an insane asylum by her parents. It kept me interested the entire time.

Yournewfriendsams I really liked this one too! 8y
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Yournewfriendsams
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Two young girls, one in present day - one in the past, tell their stories of love lost and family tragedy through their experiences with an insane asylum. It gave me anxiety throughout, my maternal instincts were enraged and while I was busy not loving it- I was also recommending What She Left Behind. Be in the right head space when you start this one; it's not a feel good story.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa That's a great review! 8y
[DELETED] 2232195534 I agree. Great review that conveys a lot. I have this one somewhere. Need to go look for it. 8y
60 likes6 stack adds3 comments
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Yournewfriendsams
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Just started and already so into it! The whole asylum theme is intriguing and creepy. The first book that got me interested in mental hospitals was, It's Kind Of A Funny Story. Anyone know of similar reads?

Hreynolds If you're into nonfiction check out Gracefully Insane about the McLean asylum in MA. Interesting story of an upscale mental hospital where the likes of James Taylor and Sylvia Plath received treatment. 8y
Yournewfriendsams Oo sounds intriguing. Thanks, @Hreynolds !!! 8y
Julsmarshall This one was really intriguing, fascinating and something I didn't know much about. Highly recommend! 8y
Library-Belle Omg I love books on asylums!!!! 8y
Alfoster Yes, this was fascinating! Enjoy!! 8y
66 likes14 stack adds5 comments
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MaeMaeLu
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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2 hours of reading down in my #24in48

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MelissaS
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
Pickpick

Such a good read! Interesting characters, conflict, resolution. @Kedavis53, I even liked the tidy ending!

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MaeMaeLu
What She Left Behind | Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Spending time reading today

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