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The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill | Megan Shepherd
The Secret Horses of Briar Hillhas all the elements of a lasting classic. CHRISTOPHER ROSE, ANDOVER BOOKSTORE, MAA masterful novel. CINDY NORRIS, MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE/CAF, NC There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital. In the mirrors that line its grand hallways, which once belonged to a princess. In those that reflect the elegant rooms, now filled with sick children. It is her secret. One morning, when Emmaline climbs over the wall of the hospitals abandoned gardens, she discovers something incredible: a white horse with broken wings has left the mirror-world and entered her own. Tucked into the gardens once-gleaming sundial, Emmaline finds a letter from the Horse Lord. He is hiding the wounded white horse, named Foxfire, from a dark and sinister forcea Black Horse who hunts by colorless moonlight.If Emmaline is to keep the Black Horse from finding her new friend, she must collect colorful objects with which to blind him.But where can Emmaline find color when her world is filled with gray? A story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. MARY BROWN, BOOKS, BYTES & BEYOND, NJ A classic magical feel with a heart-pounding story. RAE ANN PARKER, PARNASSUS BOOKS, TN The seven-to-ten-year-old version of myself would have been in love with this book, reading and rereading until it fell apart as badly as my well-worn copy of The Secret Garden. KARI MEUTSCH, PHOENIX BOOKS, VTFrom the Hardcover edition.
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AllisonM89
Pickpick

Heartbreaking and beautiful. Really lovely.

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
Square 11 ✔️

#novelnovember @andrew65
Finished book 2! On to And the Ladies of the Club

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 4y
TheAromaofBooks I just read this one a few months ago & it really got me! 4y
AllisonM89 @TheAromaofBooks Your review is why i picked this one up! 4y
TheAromaofBooks I always feel a heavy weight of responsibility when people read a book because of one of my reviews! 😂 So I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Don't you think that book would have benefitted from a bunch of magical illustrations? I don't always feel that way about books but the entire time I was reading this one I just wanted full page illustrations in black & white with just those rare splashes of color. 4y
14 likes4 comments
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Charityann
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And here‘s my TBR list for the #gilmoreathon 📚😁

#readathon #gilmoregirlsreadathon #readlikeagilmore

AmyK1 Love the pop figures! 4y
56 likes1 comment
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TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

This was a lovely MG read, but since it handles some darker themes and (somewhat obliquely) some horrific deaths, I would definitely recommend reading this one yourself before giving it to your younger reader. The main character is a young girl staying in a tuberculosis hospital (which was a fancy estate before the war) during WWII. She can see a different world in the mirrors around the house - in the mirror world there are winged horses. One ⬇️

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) day, one of the winged horses appears in the garden - it has come through the mirrors somehow and into Emmaline's world. The horse is injured, and with the help of encouraging letters from a mysterious person who calls himself the Horse Lord, Emmaline works to protect and help the winged horse, even though Emmaline is gradually getting sicker herself.

This is a lovely story with good pacing and an interesting look at just one small ⬇
4y
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) section of wartime tragedy. Like I said, Emmaline kind of has a dark backstory, so even though this is a MG book, I wouldn't just toss it to a random 11-year-old without making sure they were ready for it and making sure I was ready to discuss it with them, but it's a lovely story. I really wish that it had had better illustrations. A story like this would come alive with the proper artwork and could add so much. 4y
75 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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JillR
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#7days7covers (slightly late to the party 🙈) The illustrations inside are just as gorgeous as the cover. Thanks for the tag @LeeRHarry

Cathythoughts Amazing ♥️ 5y
LeeRHarry That‘s a great cover! 😊 5y
41 likes2 comments
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bookishbitch
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Pickpick

I spent my New Year's Eve reading this gem. What a darling book. So much heart. I loved it. What a great way to see the new year in. Happy New Year and happy reading everyone!

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Mccall0113
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This author spoke at my daughter‘s school yesterday. Wish I had known ahead of time. Anyone enjoy her work?

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InBooksILive
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Pickpick

What a magical, sad, beautiful little story. It made me think back to my childhood and my imagination; never ending, just like Emmaline's. I was always imagining wild winged horses all around me. This special little book made my heart so full ❤ It now has a special place on my favorites shelf. This would have easily been a book I'd have read through every single night when I was a young girl.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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AvidReader25
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Pickpick

A young girl living in a tuberculosis hospital in the English countryside during WWII sees winged horses in the mirrors. The story is wonderful and heartbreaking. It reminded me of The Book of Lost Things and the beginning of Jane Eyre.

rubyslippersreads Sounds wonderful. 😊 6y
AvidReader25 @rubyslippersreads It was a good one! 6y
26 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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hes7
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A Book Outlet sale is hard to resist. 🤷‍♀️💸📚#BookMail

Reviewsbylola It sure is!!! 7y
ElishaLovesBooks I couldn‘t resist either! That looks like a great stack!!📚😍 7y
115 likes2 comments
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missevievelyn
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book! ❤📚BUT IT'S SO UNBELIEVABLY SAD 😭😭😭😭I have to admit I picked it up mainly because of the cover, without looking closely at the synopsis, and if I'd realized it was actually about a bunch of children with Tuberculosis during WWII, I probably wouldn't have read it at this particular time haha 😭😭😭Please I need some happy books!

Chachic Pretty cover but yeah, that sounds sad! Happy books for me would be romance. Haha. 8y
missevievelyn @Chachic ooh romance is a good suggestion, thanks!! I never think of reading it, it's not one of my go-to genres. 8y
75 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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missevievelyn
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Starting this one on audio! I just feel like some magic horses right now 😀I think it might have illustrations though, maybe I'll have to get my hands on a physical copy.

bookwrm526 Love the cover! 8y
valeriegeary It does have illustrations! I gave this book to my sister for Christmas. How are you liking it? I haven't read it yet. 8y
missevievelyn @bookwrm526 me tooo! The cover is the main reason it made it on my tbr haha 8y
missevievelyn @valeriegeary oh great, thanks! In that case I definitely have to find a physical copy. So far I'm really enjoying it! I like the main character's narrative voice. 8y
74 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Katja
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This is a seriously gorgeous cover.

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BookNAround
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The Christmas presents for others are starting to roll in. Now to hide them until I get around to wrapping them.

ReadingOver50 I just wrapped presents this morning 😄 8y
10 likes1 comment
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Abookbetween
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Love the illustrations in this one. So beautiful!

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LibraryTerri
Pickpick

Excellent story! Who knew there were homes/hospitals for children with tuberculosis in England during World War 2? Have a box of tissues handy for this quick read.

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MelissaWright
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Weebumpydragon
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Pickpick

I know it is a children's book but I was moved by this story. It has touched my soul, I am always going to look for the winged horses whenever I see a mirror.

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GRgenius
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Pickpick

This was a magical tale filled with hope and wonder in some of the darkest times. Yes, there is heartache, but it is so much more than that. A must read for all ages with an ending left for you to draw your own conclusions.

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MidnightBookGirl
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So far this is charmingly old-fashioned and I'm totally transported back to my childhood favorites, curled up on a cold winter's morning with The Secret Garden or the Narnia books . It's magical and classic feeling!

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MidnightBookGirl
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For today's #booktober Debut Book theme, I'm going with Megan Shepherd's debut MG. So excited to read this and then see her at @FountainBookstore later this month!

LectricSheep What a beautiful cover! 8y
sparklemotion The cover is so lovely! 8y
MidnightBookGirl It's one of my favorite covers of 2016! It's just magical! 8y
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Missusb
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Pickpick

Poignant and moving story involving Emmy's trauma and grief during World War Two. Includes some amazing black and white illustrations from Levi Pinfold. #youngerreaders

AvidReader25 I read this one on audio, now I want to see the illustrations! 6y
11 likes1 comment
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Genrebending
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I don't always read middle grade, but when I do, it has magical winged horses in it.

Bookworm83 Haha! That's great! 8y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa That's one of the best kind! 😉 8y
52 likes5 stack adds2 comments