Welcome to Litsy!

Final book of 2023! I really enjoyed it. A lot of things overlap with the beloved “Anne of Green Gables” saga, the setting, the inclination to writing and romance in the heroine. And yet, it‘s darker, the set up, the loss, the issues around her, some really unhealthy adults - from obsessively jealous or criminally neglectful parents, to creepy groomer relative. Made it more relatable. Can‘t wait to read the next book.

Emily is more demure than Anne. Far more introverted

I've finished my chapter-a-day reading of the first Emily book. I got a boxed set of all three books when my family went to PEI when I was 12, but for some reason, I never read the other two. I loved this book all over again. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, but I have a feeling I won't love them as much as this one. 💛

Lines like these are why I always liked Emily a little more than Anne.

On this week‘s episode of my book podcast, I have the chance to talk to two of my favorite podcasters — Sadie and Gavi from Leaving Eden. We focus on EMILY OF NEW MOON and the ways in which it became important to Sadie during her unusual childhood. We chat about teen angst, cats, atheism, universalism, orphan tropes, one-room schoolhouses, and grief, as well. 🌙 Link to listen in my bio!

#TemptingTitles #WithNew

Thank you for the fun April prompts! @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#TemptingTitles #WithNew @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I love the Emily books so much. I‘ve always related to her that little bit more than Anne.

I filled in a few of the early slots in the #192025 challenge in January!
@Librarybelle

I enjoyed this first book in Montgomery's Emily series. There are definitely similarities to the Anne books, but I find Emily a more realistic and relatable character.

12 hours of reading and third book finished for the #20in4 readathon. @Andrew65

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#192025 #1923 @Librarybelle

My favourite LM Montgomery. 💜
#Alphabetgame #LetterE @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Father Cassidy made me laugh 😂

Can I squeeze this into my mid-century women reading project if it came.out in 1923? I read all the Anne of Green Gables books but for some reason was never really interested in Emily as a child. (Looking at covers, I remember the dark gloomy book on the left, this newer refreshed cover may have compelled me!) ↘️

The tagged book is my #1, always and forever. Some of the rest are rereads, but they‘re all books I loved this year. #Top21od21

It‘s obvious I ❤️ vintage fiction, but I see a lot of new books on everyone else‘s lists that tempt me to branch out in 2022.

Thanks for tagging me, @Nute and @Ruthiella 😊

I don‘t know who‘s already been tagged, so I‘ll invite anyone who wants to play, because I‘m so curious to see everyone‘s faves.

I loved the part of the book where my partner gave all the characters unique voices

Sometimes you just need to spend time catching up with an old friend.

Litsy made me do it! I couldn‘t resist these editions of the Emily series. I was everything “Anne” growing up but never read this series. Can‘t wait to start in! #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #blameitonLitsy

I loved this re-read. It‘s been so long since I read the Emily books, and it all came back to me: Emily‘s writerliness, her keen observations, “the flash” & her experience of beauty, Ilse, Teddy, Perry, Cousin Jimmy—all the things I loved before. What I hadn‘t remembered—how awful Aunt Elizabeth is for so much of the book, and how problematic Dean Priest is—marred this reading for me a bit, though I do still so love Emily. #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

I fit in a couple more chapters with a supper of supreme nachos tonight. I‘m still working my way through this reread and thoroughly enjoying it.

#Reread #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #ReadAndEat

This is my second time reading the story about Emily and to be honest I was disappointed. I remember loving this as a teen. Maybe it‘s age or maybe it‘s just that I love Anne so much.

I hope these improves as I read on

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

I first read the Anne books when I was pretty young, maybe 10 or 11. At the time, Mom told me not to read the Emily books because they were "too sad." In retrospect - & reading these for the first time - I think it may also have to do with the fact that the Emily books handle some topics not as suitable for younger readers. They definitely are more serious (realistic?) & Emily herself lacks the humor that carries Anne through so many difficult⬇️

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion

Question 7:
What were some of your favorite scenes or quotes in Emily of New Moon? What were your least favorite or most frustrating parts of the book?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion

Question 6:
We see several key moments in Emily‘s journey as a writer: Miss Brownell‘s sarcasm, Father Cassidy‘s encouragement, Mr. Carpenter‘s honest feedback, Emily‘s evaluation of her old writing—which of these (or other) moments did you see as most formative for Emily as a writer?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion:

Question 5:
Emily describes her experience of beauty and inspiration as “the flash”—do you think all writers/artists experience something like “the flash,” in their own way? Have you ever responded to beauty in a similar way?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion:

Question 4:
I‘m not sure exactly what I want to ask about these three characters/plot threads, but I want to talk about them and I have a feeling you do, too:
👩‍👦Teddy‘s possessive, jealous mother
👨‍👧Ilse‘s father‘s neglect/the gossip about her mother
😳Creepy Dean Priest

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion

Question 3:
What are your thoughts on Emily‘s New Moon relatives: Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Laura, and Cousin Jimmy? What part does each one play in Emily‘s growth?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion:

Question 2:
Having just read the Anne series, I found it difficult not to compare Emily with Anne. What comparisons and contrasts stood out to you between the two characters, or between the two series so far?

Getting started with our #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily of New Moon discussion!

Question 1: Overall thoughts:
First-time readers: what were your first impressions of the book?
Re-readers: How did the book hold up for you as a re-read?

Just a reminder that our book-end discussion for Emily of New Moon will be on Wednesday, Sept. 1st. I‘ll plan to post questions around mid-day Pacific time. Join the discussion whenever you‘re able! Then we‘ll start chapter-a-day for Emily Climbs on Thursday Sept. 2nd. Looking forward to discussing with you all… I have THOUGHTS. #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

I have had a busy month and have not yet had time to read Emily although I was so looking forward to this buddy read. I managed to finally fit in the first two chapters during independent reading time with my students today. This book starts sadly, but I love the beauty in the way that Montgomery describes the natural world.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #reread

“I think I‘ll wait for you.”
“Oh, I‘m ready to go now,” said Emily, standing up.
“H‘m. That wasn‘t what I meant. Never mind.”

Ugh. I remember being creeped out by this remark when I first read the Emily books, and I find it infuriating now. Yes, okay, this was published in 1923, but still: a 36-year-old man saying this to a 12-year-old?!? I just can‘t. 😡

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

In a lot of ways, I like Aunt Nancy & overall I think the visit to Wyther Grange is good for Emily. However, this chapter doesn‘t illustrate either of those. I‘m glad Aunt Nancy feels some remorse for the damage she‘s done in dredging up scandal & gossip about Ilse‘s mother in front of Emily. But it‘s not enough. This chapter ends up as another example on the long list of horrible old women in Montgomery‘s fiction.☹️ #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

“Caroline here now never had a beau in her life, had you, Caroline?”
“Never wanted one,” snapped Caroline.
“Eighty and twelve say the same thing and both lie,” said Aunt Nancy.

I don‘t necessarily agree with Aunt Nancy on this point (on many points, actually), but this exchange is hilarious regardless. 😂 #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

This is charming and lovely for the very most part, but the adult obsession with Emily getting married or at least choosing a husband is quite disturbing! What is she, thirteen at this point? At the most? And even the narrative seems to treat all boys her age as romantic prospects instead of simply allowing them to be friends. Yuck.

I can‘t believe how quickly August is flying by! We‘re into the last third of Emily of New Moon if you‘re following along with the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead chapter-a-day. Here‘s the last bit of the schedule—and wherever you are in your reading, I hope you can join us for the book-end discussion on Wed. Sept. 1st!

“Miss Brownell held up the slate and read Emily‘s poem aloud, in a sing-song nasal voice, with absurd intonations and gestures that made it seem a very ridiculous thing… She was enjoying herself hugely. To ridicule a pupil always gave her pleasure and when that pupil was Emily of New Moon, in whose heart and soul she had always sensed something fundamentally different from her own, the pleasure was exquisite.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead ⤵️

I‘m the middle of a move that is kicking my butt…and so behind on the chapter-a-day read!! I‘m looking forward to a little Emily binge this weekend, once I have some space to breathe (literally… so many boxes of books…) BUT, for those of you who are keeping up (or who haven‘t devoured the whole book already!) here‘s the next section of the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead schedule! Book-end discussion will be Sept. 1st.

I‘m sorry but I could not stick to one chapter a day for the buddy read! 😳🙊😬 I don‘t know why I‘ve never read this book but it holds the same charm as the Anne of Green Gables series and just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I‘m lucky because I got the entire show on DVD awhile back and I can‘t wait to watch it when I finish the series. Emily is hilarious and I can‘t wait to read book 2. 5⭐️

#Classics
#LMMontgomery
#escapism

Lunchtime reading… I‘m just loving my daily chapters of Emily. I‘d forgotten the details—and it‘s all coming back. From the beauty & heartbreak of the first few chapters💔💜 to the family conclave & Emily‘s internal commentary from under the table…😂There‘s already such wonderful depth of characterization, and the horrible old women are nicely counter-balanced by Emily‘s thoughts and sweet Aunt Laura & Uncle Jimmy. #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

“It had always seemed to Emily, ever since she could remember, that she was very, very near to a world of wonderful beauty. Between it and herself hung only a thin curtain; she could never draw the curtain aside—but sometimes, just for a moment, a wind fluttered it and then it was as if she caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond—only a glimpse—and heard a note of unearthly music.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

Should I be packing for our move next weekend? Probably. Will I be reading these instead? Certainly. I have to enjoy the reading nook while I still have one! I‘ll be starting Emily for #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead, making progress in Bombay Prince (due back to the library this week), and starting Psalm for the Wild-Built because Becky Chambers. 💜

#AugustTBR
#Overbookedclub @megnews
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead @BarbaraJean

Today's the day! Have been looking forward to starting new chapter-a-day reading of both of these, for #pemberlittens and #kindredspiritsbuddyread. Although, if history is any indicator, I'll only *start* them as chapter-a-day ...

Starting tomorrow: chapter-a-day #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead of Emily of New Moon! Here‘s the schedule for the first third of the book, although it should be pretty easy to follow since there are 31 chapters and 31 days in August. 😊 I‘m really looking forward to reading along with all of you! Everyone is welcome to join—if you‘re not tagged and would like to be, just let me know!