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Rare Objects
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
18 posts | 17 read | 46 to read
In Depression-era Boston, a city divided by privilege and poverty, two unlikely friends are bound by a dangerous secret in this mesmerizing work of historical fiction from the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfume Collector. Maeve Fanning is a first generation Irish immigrant, born and raised among the poor, industrious Italian families of Bostons North End by her widowed mother. Clever, capable, and as headstrong as her red hair suggests, shes determined to better herself despite the overwhelming hardships of the Great Depression. However, Maeve also has a dangerous fondness for strange men and bootleg gina rebellious appetite that soon finds her spiraling downward, leading a double life. When the strain proves too much, Maeve becomes an unwilling patient in a psychiatric hospital, where she strikes up a friendship with an enigmatic young woman, who, like Maeve, is unable or unwilling to control her un-lady-like desire for freedom. Once out, Maeve faces starting over again. Armed with a bottle of bleach and a few white lies, she lands a job at an eccentric antiques shop catering to Bostons wealthiest and most peculiar collectors. Run by an elusive English archeologist, the shop is a haven of the obscure and incredible, providing rare artifacts as well as unique access to the world of Americas social elite. While delivering a purchase to the wealthy Van der Laar family, Maeve is introduced to beautiful socialite Diana Van der Laaronly to discover shes the young woman from the hospital. Reunited with the charming but increasingly unstable Diana and pursued by her attractive brother James, Mae becomes more and more entwined with the Van der Laar familya connection that pulls her into a world of moral ambiguity and deceit, and ultimately betrayal. Bewitched by their wealth and desperate to leave her past behind, Maeve is forced to unearth her true values and discover how far shell to go to reinvent herself.
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review
marleed
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Pickpick

I actually liked this book more in retrospect than the actual reading experience. It gave me Brooklyn vibes but I wasn‘t quite as invested in the MC. But in retrospect, it‘s a fascinating look at addiction, mental illness, reproductive choices, being unmarried, and being an immigrant in 1930s Boston.

#15Books15Weeks Book2

Velvetfur A Kathleen Tessaro novel I haven't heard of!! I must read it (I assume it's new or recent), she's a favourite of mine 💜 Thank you for your review 🙂 4y
TheHeartlandBookFairy Beautiful cover, sounds good! 4y
marleed @Velvetfur It was published in 2016. I just keep thinking about the MC and how the hardships she endured were things she had to do alone. I wouldn‘t want to go back to the 1930s! 4y
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marleed @TheHeartlandBookFairy The spine is unique, as well! 4y
Velvetfur @marleed Cool, thanks, I look forward to reading it one day....when I've got through all the others, haha! 4y
76 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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Jaimelire
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Pickpick

I am officially off for the next two weeks! Exhausted and ready for some R&R and time with family. Also on my to do list: read books!
This book was ok. I didn‘t really get into it until the end. I give it 3.5/5 ⭐️

Suet624 I‘m so happy for you! Enjoy your time off. 5y
Jaimelire @Suet624 Thanks! 5y
28 likes2 comments
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MrsBibliophile
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Mehso-so

I enjoyed the glimpse into history... I felt as though the author did thorough research into the era. I enjoyed the beginning of the story but wished for a better ending.
I would still recommend it.

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LadyZircon
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Pickpick

That moment I didn't know the author of one of my fave books wrote another novel until I went down just the right shelf on a nearly abandoned bookstore browse. And I wasn't disappointed! It was slow, I'll admit, to get into, but the usual web of intrigue between characters started to reveal itself a bit later than I'd like, but it promptly sucked me right in. Her writing style is beautiful.

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Amie
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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It's so weird when different books have the same cover.

tpixie Oh wow! I've never seen that before!! I wonder if publisher is the same?? 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks That's too weird!!!! 7y
MaleficentBookDragon I like the way they did Winter Garden better. 7y
johnnie_cakes They actually used the same cover for Jane Thynne's US version of Scent of Secrets. This is what happens when you use stock photos but don't buy exclusive rights for them. 7y
26 likes4 comments
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BookishMarginalia
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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This is calling my name today too. 🤷🏻‍♀️

HardcoverHearts Her books are some of my favorite palate cleanser books after a heavy read. Very consistent and satisfying! 8y
MissKitka I find myself wondering about Meave even after i have finished the book... what really was the story with her father? Does Mr. Winshaw become more? All the wonders. ♡ 8y
91 likes7 stack adds2 comments
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specklife
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Pickpick

From the author of The Perfume Collector, Rare Objects effortlessly transported me into the past once again. The only regret I have is that Mae's story ended far too soon.

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ChrisM
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Pickpick

Maeve is not sure what she wants out of life but she knows it's more than the small tenement apartment she has shared with her mother. She reinvents herself and escapes but when her life disintegrates she ends up back in the apartment with her mother . So she starts over only to discover that perhaps the rare object that she's seeking is herself.

Alena Gorgeous cover! 8y
62 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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LitHousewife
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Taking Rare Objects as my inspiration, I made new bookmarks today. While it doesn't make up for the bookmark I've lost, it does make me want to read. I made extras to give away. Stay tuned while I figure out just how to do that.

Lola Beautiful! And compliments the book to perfection! 👗📚👍🏻 8y
LauraBeth Pretty! 8y
moranadatter Lovely! 8y
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candc320 Wow what a beautiful bookmark! 8y
Well-ReadNeck 😍😍😍 8y
jennifersmeth I loved that one!! 8y
Shortstack Love it!! ❤️❤️❤️ 8y
Coleen Beautiful bookmark! ❤️ 8y
Verity Love the book mark, but can't see that cover without remembering that one of the Clara Vine books has the same picture on the front and it confuses the monkeys out of me! 8y
BookBabe Love the gorgeous bookmark! Those are my colors! ❤️ you've got skills, girlfriend. I dig the whimsical contour drawing. 👌🏻 8y
intothehallofbooks This is fantastic!!! I love it 😍😍 8y
Megabooks So cool! Gorgeous!! 😍🤓 8y
SharonGoforth Love the bookmark! 8y
Caryl Beautiful bookmark! And I was confused like @Verity, because The FitzOsbournes in Exile also uses this photo on the cover. 8y
LitHousewife @BookBabe I wish I could take credit for the drawing. It is a rubber stamp. I do love it, though. 😊 8y
LitHousewife @Caryl @Verity In that case, this bookmark coordinates with multiple books. LOL! It is weird how publishers use the same book covers, especially so close together. There's a new book coming out with the same cover as Shelter. 8y
LitHousewife Thank you everyone for the compliments! 8y
ValerieAndBooks I recognized your style right away 😊! Whoever gets your bookmarks are lucky people-- I know I am 😉! 8y
LitHousewife @ValerieAndBooks Awww! Thank you! 8y
Verity @Caryl @LitHousewife it's so weird isn't it! It's scent of secrets that's the Clara with it too. I hope the model got paid plenty/gets a reuse fee! 8y
LitHousewife @Verity @Caryl You aren't kidding! Have you read Scent of Secrets? I love the cover obviously. 😊 Although, for a book buyer, it's not as much fun to have different books with the same cover. 8y
Verity @LitHousewife @Caryl I have read scent of secrets - it's 3rd in the series, I'm waiting to borrow number 4 from a friend. They're murder mystery-y spy stories set in Nazi Germany. Really very good - tense and menacing but not too terrifyingly depressing. 8y
Caryl @LitHousewife @Verity - I love that photo! Yes, I hope that model has been well-compensated. 👍 The one I posted is second in a trilogy I've meant to finish. I loved the first book: 8y
67 likes4 stack adds23 comments
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Bookquilter
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
Pickpick

This book flits like a bee, from here to there, picking up bits along the way, to a golden purpose. I loved this book by the end.

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Bookquilter
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Reading in the car in the way to Tucson....would rather be on the couch today. Half way through this book; I can't decide if I like the book or if it is making me mad.

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candc320
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
Pickpick

Spectacular character development combined with a classic-feeling, lyrical writing style lands this one on my top ten of the year. These characters are flawed and damaged and all the better for it. I was sad for this one to end as I just wanted it to keep going.

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Bookquilter
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Feeling confused this morning...Went to start an ebook I had on hold and thought I was going to read something else.... Never judge a book by it's cover...

ramyasbookshelf Oh wow! Exact same image! 8y
14 likes1 comment
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LitHousewife
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Because partially spent gift cards burn a hole in my wallet, I picked up this book, too. I love the summary and the cover of this one.

Rhondareads Gorgeous cover on my wish list. 9y
BeckyLeJ I really love Kathleen Tessaro's books! Read this one last week and thought it was great! 9y
LitHousewife @Rhondareads A good cover sometimes is all that it takes. I'm glad that @BeckyLeJ enjoyed it. I need to read her other books. This will be my first. 9y
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Rhondareads Glad @BeckyLeJ liked it I've heard about this authors books but never read any.Love to discover new to me authors. 8y
candc320 Loved this book! 8y
LitHousewife @candc320 That is so good to hear! 8y
23 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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candc320
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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"But where Ma saw only old books gathering dust and smelling of mildew, I found comfort and possibility. Other worlds were within my grasp....I clung to them as a pilgrim whose faith is proportional to the extremity of their need clings to a relic or a prayer."

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BethFishReads
Rare Objects: A Novel | Kathleen Tessaro
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Boston, first-generation Irish 1930s, antiques. Against this backdrop, a woman tries to balance her wildness with her ambition and cultural expectations/restrictions. The first third has me hooked

hwheaties Ooh. Do want! 9y
candc320 I'm loving this one! 9y
21 likes7 stack adds2 comments