Welcome to Litsy!

Definitely a slow burn, atmospheric read. Set in an insane asylum in 1911, the story follows two inmates, John and Ella as well as one of the physicians, Dr. Fuller. John and Ella fall in love during a time when eugenics was a big topic. The story touched on some dark topics but my so-so rating mostly comes from the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and under explained. Not a terrible read by any standards, just a sort of meh one in my eyes.

Saturday night was brownie night! 🍫🍓😍 I now wish I made a bigger batch so I could enjoy another piece today with a cup of tea while reading The Ballroom... These disappeared in record time yesterday even though we were all full already after dinner. 😅😂😂

#ambaking #brownie #strawberry

It was particular but I just found it around so I gave it a try.
I read it until the end anyway.

Simply a beautiful and poignant book! The focus of the book is not so much the romance between two of the characters, (which I am glad about), but rather the time (1911) & the place (an asylum). Poetic, lyrical, and in-depth characters within a deeply researched historic setting. I especially loved how the character of Charles developed. Though dark, his obsession & transition was so intense!

An interesting observation, seeing how the temperature is in the 90‘s this weekend 😂 I must say, I HAVE noticed this, especially since I live in NYC. #bookquotes #quotes #summer

That feeling when you realize that you have a beach trip coming up, so you go back to the gym and start lifting again after a two-week hiatus 😂😂😂

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Normally I‘m not interested in romantic stories but this wasn‘t too 🤢 I found it readable and true to the times. However, I found the characters a bit flat and thought more could have been made of the eugenics sub plot, but that seemed to fizzle out. I was disappointed with the ending and it felt like the author couldn‘t be bothered to explain what happened to Ella.

Current read for #bookclub Started whilst early for an appointment. #theballroom #annahope #killingtime #novel

Starting this, I hear it's a beautiful story.

#ReadingOnRoam

I've just discovered BorrowBox which allows me 10 more ebook/Audiobook loans from my library. It's safe to say that I'm buried in books but absolutely loving the new variety at my disposal 📚📚📚

#ReadingOnRoam

#day4 #septembowie #letsdance .... One from my TBR I heard about on the BBC Openbook podcast.... Sounds intriguing.... Set in 1911 at an asylum on the Yorkshire moors....

What a strange read! I can't say I didn't enjoy it but don't feel the author offered any real closure to the reader that has been desperately rooting for the love birds of this book.

Fascinating, original historical fiction. Set in 19th century England, this is the story of 3 inmates at the Startston asylum, deemed feeble-minded due to "melancholia" and the doctor who wants to make a name for himself. It's insightful, tragic, and believe it or not, romantic. Great book ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Going to start with The Ballroom, but am greedily anticipating the rest of these too!! (And that's not David Mitchell's up there - A different Cloud Atlas! Looks intriguing!)

I ended up dnf'ing this book and I never do that!

Not to be disturbed! The sunshine and I have some catching to do

Not to be disturbed! The sunshine and I have some catching to do

Can you even imagine a time when reading was thought of as dangerous and unnatural for women! 'Have a break from her books?' The doctor sounds like more of a lunatic than his patients at the asylum in The Ballroom, please don't take away this poor woman's lifeline! #girlpower #womensrights #weneedbooks

Travelling back to 1911 tonight. I'm very excited for this.

Careful, ladies! Read this and thought I'd better warn you all of the dangers of "excessive reading"!! Really enjoying this book so far. Definitely want to do some reading around the history of theories, beliefs and treatment of mental illness once I've finished it

british romance + "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" = most excellent.

#TBRtemptation post! This intriguing story just came out late last year. Set in Summer 1911 in Edwardian England, on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. An asylum. In this asylum the patients get together once a week in the vast & beautiful ballroom. In that ballroom, John & Ella meet for a dance. That dance sparks love & obsession, and blurs madness & sanity. In the vein of "What She Left Behind". Sounds good to me. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook ?

I am a little behind on my ARCs (this one complimentary via NetGalley) but goodness gracious, I could not put this book down! There is a pervasive sadness, but also a feeling of determination and hope.

Oh man, I loved this a lot and I may have cried a little at the end.

My first read of 2017. So many emotions...loved this book. Horrifying, hopeful, heartbreaking; one that will stay with me for a while...

Just couldn't finish. The characters never came to life for me.

Starting this today!

I was just thinking about putting all my #LitsyAtoZ books together. But my shelves are jammed. I wondered if I could stack them. Then I looked at my stack that is bookcase overflow. Huh, it's 26 books tall! If I put my AtoZ books there, I can shelve these in their place. Yay!

The Ballroom is an engaging love story set within a very disturbing asylum setting with a focus on eugenetics. Well-written and well-paced. This was a good reading choice for an ugly, cold day. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Set in 1911, The Ballroom is an unlikely tale of love and dangerous obsession. Inside Sharston Asylum at the edge of Yorkshire Moors, where men and women are kept by high walls and barred windows, there is a vast and beautiful Ballroom. For one evening the patients come together and dance, a dance which will change the lives of John and Ella forever.

It was too slow paced, I couldn't really connect with the characters.

Set in 1911 and inspired by the revelation that her great-great-grandfather had been committed to an asylum, where he eventually passed away, Anna Hope imagines a story of two patients whose paths cross at an asylum she names Sharston. The Ballroom illustrates the ease with which one might have been committed in that era and the risks of such an experience.

#TBR 📚

What a truly beautiful love story. The escape it give me from reality was a journey I would jump at a chance to go on again and again. The story flows so smoothly I was lost in it. Just like the ballroom in the novel, the release of emotion leaves everything else forgotten.

My October stats. BOO!

31% in. This book is stunning. I love the build up so far of each character. Such a tender read.

Finally ... I make a start.

This book is set in a mental asylum in 1911 Yorkshire, England. In this asylum there is a huge ballroom. Every Friday evening the men and women are allowed to mingle at a dance in the ballroom. This is the story of a love connection that was made between two of the patients, John and Ella. It is also the story of Dr. Charles Fuller and his interest in Winston Churchill's arguments for compulsory sterilization of the "feeble minded".

Trying to catch up on my NetGalley.com ARCs.

#bookmail

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Ballroom was a very good read. Not a knock your socks off, and a wee bit predictable, but a nice and enjoyable read.

Damn those books poisoning a woman's mind. Dangerous for the female mind. Only light reading is to be allowed. 😋

1900s England- set in an insane asylum. Beautifully drawn broken characters searching for redemption and freedom. Add in a sprinkle of Eugenics and gorgeous writing and you've got this one. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Netgalley #ARC #OutSeptember #AnnaHope #CrazyHouse #England