Litsy

Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1896 To 1901 | L. M. Montgomery

What is the happiest Christmas morning you can remember?

This was another lovely story about giving to others on Christmas. So many of these stories have the same exact themes—in today‘s story, noticing someone who is lonely or less-fortunate and bringing them Christmas joy—but I LIKE those themes!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #KindredSpiritsChristmas

AvidReader25, rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Daisey, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, Prairiegirl_reading, lauraisntwilder, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean Today‘s story is “A Christmas Inspiration,” which is available on Hoopla, and also in the tagged collection. You can read it online here: https://www.online-literature.com/lucy_montgomery/1896-1901/2/

Tomorrow we‘ll be reading “The Josephs‘ Christmas,” which is available in the above-noted sources, and online here: https://www.online-literature.com/lucy_montgomery/1902-1903/13/

Christmas with Anne: And Other Holiday Stories

(edited) 2mo

lauraisntwilder The happiest Christmas morning I can remember was when my son was 3 and he got the talking Vanellope (from Wreck-It Ralph) doll he'd asked for. I made pancakes and made small ones for the doll and he thought it was to coolest thing ever. ❤️ This was a sweet story. I liked that the "needy" person wasn't necessarily poor 2mo

CogsOfEncouragement Heartwarming, with the hope they can keep up the goodwill all year. 2mo

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TheAromaofBooks My mom loves Christmas so I have loads of happy Christmas memories. But one of my favorites was a few years ago when the family had planned to get together 12/26 instead of 12/25, so a rare Christmas where the husband and I were going to be home alone for the holiday - and it SNOWED, like several inches of snow, which never happens here on Christmas and was supposed to be rain but instead it was just so perfect and fluffy!!! 2mo

BarbaraJean One of my favorite Christmases was when I was living in South Africa & didn't return to the US at Christmas. My roommate & I invited two friends for a Christmas Eve sleepover—we decorated Christmas cookies by candlelight because of a power out. Then we had what we called “Magnificent & Wondrous Christmas Breakfast“! @lauraisntwilder Aw, I love the idea of little pancakes for the doll!! @TheAromaofBooks An unexpected white Christmas—what a delight! 2mo

TheAromaofBooks Your favorite Christmas sounds exactly like one of LMM's stories! 😂 2mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks 😂 More than you know… we took a bunch of Christmas gifts to our friends out in the township later that day! And the cat would NOT come down from the huge tree in front of the house… another Christmas mishap 😂 There were no sleigh rides or sledding, however 😁 (edited) 2mo

AvidReader25 Your Christmas in South Africa sounds lovely! I do love these LMM themes too. 💙 I remember having Christmas in a hotel room one year with my family when we were traveling to Boston. There was something sweet about realizing Christmas was Christmas no matter where you were because of who you were with. 2mo

BarbaraJean @AvidReader25 Aw, yes—somehow those out-of-the-usual Christmases help us to focus on what‘s really important about the holiday. Which is funny to realize, because I‘m big on keeping up traditions! 2mo

31 likes9 comments

TheAromaofBooks

Across the Miles | Lucy Maud Montgomery

@Scochrane26 - I'm your #JolabokaflodSwap match this year!!! I mailed your package earlier this week, but in typical Sarah-Style did not actually notate on the envelope anywhere that it was a Litsy package or who it was from 😂 So be on the lookout for a blue padded envelope from Ohio - that's your Swap gift!!! Merry Christmas!!

@MaleficentBookDragon thanks so much for hosting - I love this simple swap!!

dabbe ❣️🎄❣️ 2mo

AnnCrystal 😍🎄🤩💝. 2mo

Scochrane26 Thanks for letting me know, Sarah! 2mo

46 likes3 comments

TheAromaofBooks

Across the Miles | Lucy Maud Montgomery

@BookmarkTavern - I'm your match for the #StuffedStockingSwap !!! I finally got your package in the mail yesterday and USPS says it should be there Friday!! I hope you love it!! 😁

@Avanders thanks so much for hosting this fun swap every year!!!

Avanders 👏🏼👏🏼🎄☃️❤️😘 3mo

BookmarkTavern Oh I am so excited! 💖💖💖 3mo

43 likes2 comments

BarbaraJean

The Golden Road | L. M. Montgomery

LMM called The Story Girl “my own favourite among my books” and “the best piece of work I have yet done.” Of writing it, she said: “I was sorry to finish it. Never…had I laid down my pen and taken farewell of my characters with more regret…I have written it from sheer love of it.”
Her comments above about The Golden Road were quite different.
What are your feelings about each book?
Do you think the difference LMM felt is apparent in her writing?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, Roary47, julieclair

BarbaraJean #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread Golden Road Discussion 3/3 3mo

Roary47 I think she genuinely loved these characters, and to feel rushed in writing characters I grew to love too from the attention she paid to their development I would have hated it too. These characters I grew to love more than her other books and I am sad there was not more. I think if she did have the time that she wanted she could have made more of an epilogue to finalize their stories than just predictions. 3mo

julieclair It makes me sad to think she did not enjoy writing this book. But it also amazes me that even so, she was able to create such a feeling of warmth among her characters, that radiates out to us, the readers. 3mo

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TheAromaofBooks I don't feel like The Golden Road is a weaker book than The Story Girl - to me, it picks up right where the first book left off. Like @julieclair and @Roary47 I'm amazed at how her inner turmoil and stress doesn't feel reflected in the writing, which is warm and happy. 3mo

lauraisntwilder @julieclair I completely agree! 3mo

kwmg40 Her comment about Chester suggests she was a typical overworked and tired mom. I can believe that the writing process was arduous with an infant around! 3mo

BarbaraJean @Roary47 Definitely! In some ways, I wish there had been a reunion-type scene, where they all gather at the King farm again and reminisce about the old days and we get to see where they are now and how they are as adults, both as a group and as individuals. But then again, I also like the way there are just hints so that the reader can imagine for themselves. 3mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @julieclair I didn‘t see this as weaker than SG, either—actually, I think I like this one better because it builds on the foundation LMM had already set up with these characters in SG. The Story Girl‘s stories felt a little like filler in the first book, and “Our Magazine” does a little of that here, but all the little sarcastic side comments really bring the magazine excerpts to life and make them part of the story! 3mo

BarbaraJean @kwmg40 Yes, her journal comments really show her struggling to figure out how to continue her work while balancing it with her new life as a wife and mother! Like others have said, it‘s amazing to me how she was able to deepen these characters and their stories—in such a warm, nostalgic way—while she was having to steal moments here and there to write, feeling such pressure and “little pleasure in writing” because of it. (edited) 3mo

39 likes9 comments

BarbaraJean

The Golden Road | L. M. Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread Golden Road Discussion: 2/3

Which of the characters did you relate to the most? Who would you have most enjoyed having as a childhood friend?

What did you think of the Story Girl‘s “prophecies”—and of the way the book ends?
What would you imagine for these characters‘ futures?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, Roary47, julieclair

julieclair I think of the “prophecies” as LMM‘s way of letting us know what happened with each of the characters, kind of like an epilogue. The ending of the book was so bittersweet, with the characters separating and moving on to the next phase of their lives. This was so reminiscent, for me, of leaving high school and everyone scattering to different colleges. 3mo

julieclair I think I would have loved to have Cecily as a childhood friend. She was so kind, and calming, and just plain good. 💙 3mo

TheAromaofBooks I agree with @julieclair that this was kind of an unofficial epilogue. I thought it was interesting that she gave us so much foreshadowing of Cecily's early death, and found myself wondering why she decided to sort of secondhand kill her off. But I loved the references that Bev makes throughout the narration of still seeing everyone later in life, receiving letters from them, etc. 3mo

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lauraisntwilder Weirdly, I think I related most to Bev, who, as narrator, has the least personality. But, he feels so strongly about them all and creates this record, so to speak, and I think I'm often the one paying attention and writing things down, rather than being the center of attention. I would have loved a friend like Cecily. 3mo

lauraisntwilder I have asked my husband for the DVDs of the Road to Avonlea TV show for Christmas. 🤞 The epilogue section made me think so much of the show, almost like it is filling in the blanks. I haven't seen it since I was the age of the Story Girl, but I loved it then. 3mo

kwmg40 I liked the narrator Bev. I sometimes wished we could have learned more about him. 3mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair @lauraisntwilder I agree about having Cecily for a friend! I loved how loyal she was to Sara Ray, (even though Sara Ray annoyed me as a character!), and how she so often played the role of peacemaker, wanting the others to be kind to each other and stop their bickering and baiting. I also loved the friendship between Bev and the Story Girl, the way they had little side jokes or shared secrets/knowledge. ⬇ 3mo

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) Their walk to the schoolhouse in the middle of the night and their “ramble” with Uncle Blair are two of my favorite parts of the book. I can see myself being part of that kind of friendship within this group, with their shared humor and appreciation of beauty. 3mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I loved that, too—Bev‘s comments showing they still kept in touch & talked about the old days! I love how he writes to the Story Girl to ask about the Awkward Man‘s story so many years down the road. @kwmg40 As the observer, Bev does kind of disappear into the narrative! Like @lauraisntwilder, I relate to that a bit as well. And the little glimpses of him that we do get make me want to know more about him as a character, too. 3mo

25 likes9 comments

CogsOfEncouragement

Among the Shadows | L. M. Montgomery

pick

Short stories from the author of Anne of Green Gables, many with a spooky theme. I hunted this down a couple years ago but finally read it now. Took my time and read it throughout the month. I really enjoyed these tales.

26 likes

CogsOfEncouragement

Among the Shadows | L. M. Montgomery

1. Yes, some to hand out, some to donate to the Harvest Festival at church, and treats for my big kids who don‘t trick or treat anymore. #Two4Tuesday

2. spooky short stories

23 likes

CogsOfEncouragement

Among the Shadows | L. M. Montgomery

#WhereAreYouMonday I‘ve just read the first two short stories so far. One specified Briarwold which I believe to be in Saskatchewan. The next story takes place somewhere a train delivered you to New York quickly. I‘ve had this book on my shelf for a while now and I‘m disappointed I didn‘t know about the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead when they read this together a couple years ago.

21 likes

lauraisntwilder

A Tangled Web | Lucy Maud Montgomery

so-so

I finally finished this while trapped at LaGuardia overnight on Wednesday. I'd read it in fits and starts. It didn't grab me like LMM's books usually do. There were so many storylines and I only cared about half of them. And then there was the *shockingly* horrible ending. I didn't hate the whole book, so it's one step up from a pan.

20 likes

Book_Lover95

Forever...: A Novel of Good and Evil, Love and Hope | Jude Deveraux

pan

Honestly, this was one of the most boring books I‘ve read in a long time. It took me over a month to read 359 pages. The character development was terrible and the storyline didn‘t make sense. 0/5 ⭐️. I do not recommend.

3 likes

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