Welcome to Litsy!

Thanks to #roll100 I‘ve finally read this book that has been on my shelf for a few years.

It started out very good. Told in 3 timelines, I was captivated by Nell & Cassandra‘s search for the truth and Eliza‘s story in the past. The first couple of nights I had a hard time putting it down to get some sleep. But then part two started to drag. It felt like I was slogging through bits of each timeline waiting for anything exciting to happen. ⬇️

I've bailed from both my fiction reads for #ReadYourKindle this month. This one is interesting but too slow moving, & I'm finding myself making excuses not to read it so moving on.

@CBee

#garden #storysettings
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

There was a time in my life when I would have loved this book. I think that time has passed. This felt unnecessarily convoluted and I was tempted to start skimming halfway through. Several characters lacked development, which didn‘t help the narrative issues. And the whole thing with the uncle/brother was unnecessarily creepy. But the completist in me kept going, and now I‘ve finished #AuthorAMonth for 2023! 💃🏻🕺

It‘s been a while since I‘ve read a historical fiction but it was just what I needed. I have been so stressed out and anxious that I need low key, not stressful books.

This is my first by this author, though I own a couple of her other books.

This one was pretty good. Cassandra‘s grandmother dies and she sets off on a journey to discover her grandmother‘s history. We visit Australia, London, and Cornwall.

I don‘t think I was prepared for this sad, yet heartwarming tale of a family trying to find their past. The book was, at times, a bit slow for me but some parts I found to be completely enchanting. Heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once 😂

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#forgotten #summerspecial @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#SummerSpecial @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Forgotten

Found this one on Pango, and this was definitely an impulsive buy due to the cover 😂 Not to mention, I‘m now addicted to buying and selling books on Pango 😍

RECOMMENDATIONS NEEDED- I find Kate Morton‘s books to be utterly enchanting and fascinating. Im searching for other books and authors that would give me that same feeling. Thanks in advance!

Another gorgeously historic multi-generational tale from Kate Morton. She creates beautiful atmosphere and weaves personal tragedy and romance so we'll through her characters and their lives. A story you can picture easily in your imagination and feel that you are really there.

@IndoorDame @monalyisha Thanks to you both for such a rich list! I will be reading from it all year. The top row are books that were on my tbr. Second row are books I didn‘t know about previously but now really want to read. I‘m a slow reader so the third row are some that I may not get to until February. #AuldLangSpine

I'm so bad with keeping my inbox clean, so go I through huge unread email purges once every few months. Once in a while, you find a "diamond in the rough" of missed emails from the prior month!! ??☺️

For anyone not on her email list...Kate Morton's officially coming out with a new book next year!!

#AlphabetGame #letterF

I‘m not usually a reader of historical romance/mystery but Kate Morton‘s books are an exception. Set between two time periods & countries usually, this one in particular was amazing. Set between Australia & Cornwall in England, it has everything I love in a story. Secrets, a beautiful hidden garden & great settings. Another recommendation.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
Another multi-generational mystery by Kate Morton that drew me in. This author was on my list to read more of this year. I read The Lake House a few years ago, and I will be reading more by her.

Brought a new friend (and fellow bookworm) to my FoTL sale for her first time.😍 This was my haul, for myself and my daughter, and she left with a tote full as well! I even found a signed Clive Cussler 📖 🖊 🤩

My roses started blooming this week! Let‘s talk gardens! 🌺🌸🌺

1. I wish! I don‘t kill plants, but I‘m not quite as good as I want to be.
2. On my TBR!
3. Two on gardening, and four specializing on roses! 🌹

Bonus question: What‘s your favorite flowers? Sunflowers and daisies and nigella and daffodils for me.

#SundayFunday Have a wonderful day and don‘t forget to tag me!

1: No. My experiments in plant growing rarely end well. A shame because I love plants, but if you tell me a plant is unkillable, I‘ll find a way. 😞
2: I mostly visit botanical gardens wherever I go.
3: Probably The Forgotten Garden, even though it dragged when I read it. It‘s gotten better the more I think about it.
#wondrouswednesday

LOVED THIS! 💕 The story is wonderfully long. It spans several generations as Cassandra uncovers family secrets and works through her grief to rebuild her life. The engaging story is set partly in an English cottage with fairy tales and of course a hidden garden. 💐 #MountTBR

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs
#SavvySettings

28. Gardens

#SavvySettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Garden

#AestheticallyMatched @Clwojick

Misty, I can‘t thank you enough for this gift. I‘ve been reading it slowly for the last month, and just I adored it! I saw a review that compares this to The Secret Garden (one of my favorites) and it definitely has some of that magic, plus a mystery to hook adult readers. The one thing I didn‘t love was the inclusion of some of the actual fairy tales that are part of the storyline. They might have retained more luster if they were just hinted at.

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs
#Beginswith Garden

Day 3

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you my wonderful friend for the surprise holiday gift! You have the most generous spirit and it always makes me happy to hear from you. I can‘t wait to dive into this!

This was a good book but the characters were getting me confused. Next time I read a large book like this I will keep a book journal with the characters names. I loved how the story was told by different characters from past and present.

Someone doesn‘t want me to read this book tonight

So our library is finally open and I wanted to support them after a year of being closed to the public, so this is my first library book this year 😃

Loved this historical mystery that had major Secret Garden vibes

#thinkpositivebepositive

Although I did enjoy this book, and found the premise interesting, at times the mixed storylines threw me a bit.

A "new" author, recommended to me. Very happy to start this book ?

So lovely, intricate, sad, positive, perfect.

Unpopular opinion based on the reviews here and Goodreads, but I did not click with this one. Eliza and Nell were compelling characters but everyone else was one dimensional or awful. I figured out the final twist less than halfway through the book, so having to slog through 300+ pages for the characters to catch up was a chore. In general this needed stronger editing as the pacing was rough. I didn‘t enjoy it as much as Clockmaker‘s Daughter.

“It was such a pleasure to sink one's hands into the warm earth, to feel at one's fingertips the possibilities of the new season.”

As I post this I see that a bird crapped on the side of the fire pit!! It‘s just fitting for how I feel today 🤣🤣

#Gardening
#QuotsyJune20

Haunting and engrossing. Loved it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As always with Kate Morton, it's a chunkster, and a very dense plot that I find I needed to read slowly. Interesting characters, shifting timelines, and some unexpected plot twists. I love the images that the author evokes. Definitely recommend. Picture is from the kitchen garden at Chatsworth; the book mentions an espaliered apple tree, and this was the first time I'd seen that technique.

Super excited to discover that Kate Morton's officially working on a new book! Even though The Clockmaker's Daughter was a huge disappointment for me last year, I will continue to support her as one of my favorite authors by preordering everything she puts out 😊

I‘m really enjoying this book, but it‘s slow going. Shifting timeline, lots of twists and turns, and intermingled stories supposedly written by the writer character. Fascinating, but not a speedy read. Photo of Chinese firecracker from today‘s walk.

When I decided to read this, I had forgotten that this is national wildflower week. It‘s not a wildflower, but a bromeliad in flower that I spotted on this morning‘s walk. Walking done, chores done, it‘s reading time 😄

I have a webinar coming up for master gardener continuing education, so I‘ve brought the laptop out on the patio because it‘s a beautiful day. Also brought my book in case it‘s boring 😄

I brought this home from our son and DIL‘s library when we last visited them, more than the months ago now. I think I‘ll give it a try.

I really loved this. It‘s the best book I‘ve read in a long time. The pace is quite slow, but I found in our current crazy state of life it was just what I needed. The writing is beautiful and the characters are intriguing. I loved the slow reveal of the mystery at the heart of the story, and the span across generations. I did find Nell a puzzling character, but I still loved the book. #readingbuddy #klaus #petsoflitsy #quarantinereading

Enjoying this book more than any I‘ve read in quite some time. Sitting out in the sun with #Loki whose fur looks odd because I trimmed it myself rather than the pros he is used to. Trying to take things one day at a time and not watch news!!!! Hope you all find a moment of peace and quiet to read today. #stayhealthy #readinghelpsmymentalhealth #fictionescapefromreality #petsoflitsy #dogsoflitsy

#garden #BloomingBibliophiles
@alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

#BloomingBibliophiles @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620
#Garden

This was a great book to dip in and out of all week when I got home from work. Multiple characters and time lines and an engrossing central mystery about a young girl left alone on a boat to Australia. It was both easy to pick up and put down again when I couldn‘t focus any longer. I was disappointed by the ending. I had predicted much of it but other aspects were a bit over the top for me but the journey to get there was worth it.

The writing in this book is beautiful. I think this was recommended in a podcast somewhere and I‘m glad I decided to read it. Mystery, intrigue, the English countryside, and generations of women just looking to belong.

I have to admit... In places I find Kate Morton's writing a little... Clumsy? Cheesy? I think my expectations were a tiny bit high before I started reading her books. Nevertheless, this book drew me in and was excellent despite those small issues.

Day 1 #7days7covers #covercrush

My thanks to @megnews @TamTracy @Hooked_on_books @Suelizbeth @Texreader for inviting me to share my favorite covers. I‘m not sure there‘s anyone left to tag!