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The Secret Book of Flora Lea
The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel | Patti Callahan Henry
34 posts | 31 read | 19 to read
When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed. In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the kind Bridie Aberdeen and her teenage son, Harry, in a charming stone cottage along the River Thames, Hazel fills their days with walks and games to distract her young sister, including one that she creates for her sister and her sister alonea fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own. But the unthinkable happens when young Flora suddenly vanishes while playing near the banks of the river. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sisters disappearance, and she carries that guilt into adulthood as a private burden she feels she deserves. Twenty years later, Hazel is in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore to a career at Sothebys. With a charming boyfriend and her elegantly timeworn Bloomsbury flat, Hazels future seems determined. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing an illustrated book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the imaginary world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Floras disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years? As Hazel embarks on a feverish quest, revisiting long-dormant relationships and bravely opening wounds from her past, her career and future hang in the balance. An astonishing twist ultimately reveals the truth in this transporting and refreshingly original novel about the bond between sisters, the complications of conflicted love, and the enduring magic of storytelling.
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review
Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

I really liked the first 3/4 of this book, but the last 1/4 dragged. It was all resolved but for some reason kept going. Still pretty original for a WWII book. 3 1/2 stars.

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Bookwormjillk
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Finally settled on an audiobook to walk with on this cold and blustery day.

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TorieStorieS
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Pickpick

Our book club meets in just a few hours to discuss this one— we just can‘t stay away from WWII stories. Narrator Hazel and her younger sister, Flora, were part of Operation Pied Piper which sent London children out of the city, hoping for safety from the barrage of bombs. When Flora disappears, it changes Hazel‘s life until an unexpected book of fairy tales brings her back to herself as she searches once again for Flora. I couldn‘t put it down!

Crazeedi I have the audiobook waiting for me 2mo
TorieStorieS @Crazeedi My mom listened to this one and enjoyed the performance! I hope you like it, too! ☺️ 2mo
56 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Jerdencon
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Pickpick

Third book from #auldlangspine @kspenmoll @monalyisha

Loved this one too! Woke up early to finish it- such a great story.

Crazeedi I have this in audio to read! 2mo
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookNAround
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Pickpick

A charming dual narrative about the importance of stories and imagination, this is the story of little Flora‘s disappearance during WWII as a child of Operation Pied Piper and that of her older sister Hazel who continues to look for her sister long after the war. The end is a touch predictable. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2023/11/review-secret-book-of-flora-lea-by.html

69 likes1 stack add
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Tamra
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Cold virus + couch time = library haul. Simple equation.

Tagged novel is for work bookclub. The rest are because I have a cookbook fetish. Two of them I know I really like, but have managed to resist buying…….so far. 😅😅

mcctrish Nice haul! Sometimes it‘s nice to test run cookbooks and I hope you feel better soon (edited) 2mo
TheBookHippie Ooooo. Library is so WONDERFUL for cookbooks. Hope you feel better soon! 2mo
dabbe Feel better soon! 💜🩶💜 2mo
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Gissy Great equation 🤧 🛋 =📚 A+ 🤗wishing you a soon recovery 2mo
jlhammar Hope you‘re feeling better soon. I‘m waiting on my hold to come through for World Central Kitchen. Looks good! 2mo
Tamra @jlhammar that one I‘ve check out before and really like! 2mo
LiteraryinLawrence Hope the books are just the medicine you need! 2mo
Aimeesue Good call! Hope you‘re feeling better soon 2mo
batsy Nice! Get well soon 📚 2mo
59 likes10 comments
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OutAndAbout
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Pickpick

It‘s unusual that I think the second half of a book is better than the first. This book opens calmly and comfortably. The second half turns into a more dramatic mystery although still a bit of a cozy mystery. I appreciated the feel of the novel as much as the plot. The plot got a bit confusing at points but all made sense at the end. Would recommend for someone looking for a warm family mystery.

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AmyK1
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Pickpick

“For when you see that the world shimmers just like the outline of Whisperwood‘s doors, mystery and enchantment are everywhere just waiting to be noticed.”

I really enjoyed this ❤️

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Twocougs
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Pickpick

Absolutely lovely. Just what I needed. A calm but moving book that ends the way I wanted it to🥰

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bridge12
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Pickpick

I adored this book. The juxtaposition of so many themes made me fall in love with Henry‘s writing. One of my favorites of the year! 4.5 ⭐️ #botm

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Purpleness
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46 likes1 stack add
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janeycanuck
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Pickpick

A nice change from the typical WWII historical fiction and while I found it engaging overall, I found some of the details difficult to follow (could not keep ages straight…) and there was a bit of drama for the sake of drama, which never works for me.

Also, the end papers on this book!! Stunning!!!

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Purpleness
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Purpleness
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On a red blanket by the river, six-year-old Flora Lea Linden awakens alone, a dome of blue sky above her and birdsong about her.
#firstlinefridays

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf! 💚 8mo
60 likes1 comment
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kspenmoll
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Librarybelle This is a great stack! 9mo
TheBookHippie 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 9mo
Tamra Exciting! 9mo
See All 6 Comments
Cuilin Amazing 🎉 9mo
GingerAntics You got this! 9mo
Mitch Great stack xx 9mo
72 likes1 stack add6 comments
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suvata
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BookwormAHN
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Pickpick

Hazel lost her sister after they had been evacuated to the country during the London blitz. She's been looking for her ever since then, and now she may have the chance to finally find her.
I loved this book 💚
#tbrtarot @CBee

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kspenmoll
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Gorgeous end paper.

dabbe I thought the ribbon was real for a few seconds! 🤩🤩🤩 9mo
kspenmoll @dabbe At first glance it does look real! 9mo
67 likes2 comments
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kspenmoll
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Starting today- this cover! #coverlove

Suet624 So pretty! 9mo
67 likes1 stack add1 comment
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jdiehr
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Pickpick

A lovely story about sisters, undying hope, and the stories that bind us together.

This book has mystery, history, and a tiny bit of romance.

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SerenaCrawford
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Pickpick

Ok I surprised myself & loved this book. 4 out of 5 stars.

69 likes4 stack adds
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suvata
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Pickpick

#MMD ModernMrsDarcy Pick for June 2023 • 8 out of 5 Stars 🩵 FANTASTIC!

Two sisters, Hazel and Flora, are evacuated from London during World War II and sent to live in a rural village. Hazel distracts her younger sister with a fairy tale about a magical land that they can escape to. Eventually, the sisters become separated and Flora is believed to be dead … until a mysterious book arrives at the London bookseller‘s shop where Hazel works.

tpixie Loved this! Just learned she changed the ending at the 11th hour!! Tonight watched her on friends and fiction book club (edited) 9mo
suvata @tpixie Interesting 9mo
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Jenken1998
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Mehso-so

1939 Two young girls are sent from London to the countryside. To cope with the war they invent a secret world. The youngest goes missing. 1960 Hazel trying to live her life while blaming herself for her missing sister. A package arrives at her bookshop with a magical tale about the secret world they invented. This leads her on a quest to determine if her sister is really alive. 3 stars. Overwritten and many convenient loose end tie ups. 3 stars.

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marleed
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Pickpick

I‘m overwhelmed by the WWII era HF TBR on my shelves and somehow that often negatively impacts by desire to start my next book of this genre. I quickly forgot my mindset here as this was a beautiful drawn story about the grueling impact war takes on the trajectory of children even on the outskirts of its path.

rubyslippersreads Gorgeous photo! 💚 10mo
marleed @rubyslippersreads Ah, thank you! 10mo
Blackink_WhitePaper Wow 🤩 that painting 🖼 😻🎉 beautiful photo 10mo
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kspenmoll I just love your photo-it‘s beautiful & cheery. 10mo
paper.reveries That sounds like an impactful read! 10mo
marleed @paper.reveries yeah, it just makes me think about so many kids moved away from parents and to many locations to escape the ravages of war. But even in that safety, their lives will never be what was planned before war. 10mo
marleed @Blackink_WhitePaper @kspenmoll Thank you! I have 4 pieces of art from that artist. The first is huge (painted on a thin sheet plywood) and my late husband saved it from his work trash - a large arrow and ‘trash‘ written on the back. This second one came a few years later when we were at a local art fair and recognized the sunflowers - paintings created 20 years apart with the latter being fluffier and a quicker paint! 10mo
tpixie I can‘t believe 800,000 kids were transported in four days!! And I think three or 4 million overall!! 9mo
marleed @tpixie that is incredible. And I wonder if for most of them who they would have been before was forever changed because of that experience? 9mo
tpixie @marleed I imagine so! I wonder how many had bad homes vs good. ( I would have wanted to be the one that lived with CS Lewis & his brother!) 9mo
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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My hosta is showing out!! 🌱 💚

#BookMail
#TBR 📚📚📚

jlhammar Beautiful! Looking forward to reading this one. 10mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @jlhammar thank you!! Me too 📚💚 10mo
Julsmarshall Gorgeous! 10mo
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wordslinger42 How beautiful!!! Ours is huge already, too 😊 And all our lilies are starting to bloom 🌸 10mo
marleed So pretty! 10mo
UwannaPublishme 😍😍😍 10mo
79 likes6 comments
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BookBosomed1
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Mehso-so

3 ⭐️ I recommend this book for readers who enjoy books about stories, especially the power of imagination. I found the writing to be a bit cumbersome. I enjoyed learning about the real-life Operation Pied Piper. Something about the writing failed to transport me, however. The story‘s format is primarily from one narrator‘s voice, & alternates between 1940/ 1960. Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61964751

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Lsmoore43
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THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA

Patti Callahan Henry is a wonderful author and this is her best book yet. Her latest release and it's pure magic. Historical, magical, enchanting, filled with so many emotions.

Full review here: https://tinyurl.com/3ztrmxvb

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BookBosomed1
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Current Situation: Zen Garden Bliss.

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BookBosomed1
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May‘s #botm box arrived just in time for a rainy low-key weekend.

marleed Boy, after reading buzz on on these, I sure wish your stack had been mine this month. I already have 2 of those books currently tagged as add-ons for June. So I‘m actually hoping I‘ll only interested in one BOTM book posted for June! (edited) 11mo
BookBosomed1 @marleed ❤️❤️❤️ I hope you get to read them soon. 11mo
marleed @BookBosomed1 Me too, I‘m hoping at least Libby obliges my request! 11mo
34 likes3 comments
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angieinwonderland
Pickpick

This read gets all the sparkling stars that light up the river through Whisperwood IFYKYK

Fairy tales aren't just for children. they are for everyone who needs magic and sparkles as consolation. And this one will swell your heart before it tears it out, shows it to you, and tucks it back in to live again.

BookmarkTavern That sounds lovely! 11mo
tpixie Great description! 9mo
13 likes1 stack add2 comments
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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

I LOVED this book! This is the B&N book club selection for May and I can't wait to lead the discussion of this one! Several of my fellow booksellers have read this a well and it's looking to be an employee favorite for sure. I love the concept and the many characters. Have kleenex handy! #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

jlhammar Yay! I added this to my #BOTM box. Looking forward to it! 11mo
ashw21 I can't wait to read this one! 11mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 11mo
64 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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tpixie
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Excited to receive my ebook today! Hopefully the book itself arrives in the mail soon! Love this author!

Born.A.Reader This was one of my add-ons for BOTM this month, I'm so excited to read it! 11mo
tpixie @Born.A.Reader awesomeness! Yes!! It‘s also a Barnes & Noble book club special so I‘m gonna try to sneak over to Barnes And Noble sometime and read the little extras at the end when I‘m done. 🩷 11mo
66 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Born.A.Reader
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Finally #BOTM May picks were posted! With new add-ons that I hadn't seen before! The pick by Taylor Adam's sounds intriguing and I've been wanting to read Clytemnestra for a while. The tagged book was a delightful surprise that I couldn't pass up!

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swishandflick
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Three #BOTM pick spoilers for May! 📚

jlhammar Oooh, thank you! 11mo
marleed Oh yea -thanks! 11mo
86 likes1 stack add2 comments