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BarbaraJean
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I‘m super excited to dive into this #AuldLangSpine list from @PurpleyPumpkin come January! It‘s always a sign of a good list when I‘ve already read and loved a few titles (Burial Rites, Thursday Murder Club, Hyunam-Dong Bookshop), and several more are already on my TBR. I‘ll start with the six above, and see how far I get! And I‘m planning to save The Summer Book for… well, summer. 😊

willaful Oooo, good list! 2h
13 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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And here‘s my #BookSpinBingo board from November! I didn‘t get to either my #BookSpin or #DoubleSpin, so I‘m carrying those over into December, along with a spin from April that I still haven‘t gotten to 🫣 But I did get a bingo! 🎉🎉

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!! 22h
26 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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I don‘t usually include re-reads or books in progress on my #BookSpin list, but I‘ve done it here! With all the challenges, buddy reads, and self-created “assignments” I want to read in December—I just threw it all on the list (and then some!). I‘m hoping the BookSpin fates will be kind and land on what I‘m already planning (or secretly hoping for an excuse to read 😆) I also added a Wild Card—which I can swap with anything on or off the list!

AnnCrystal Love wildcards 📚💝. 2d
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 22h
22 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Old Curiosity Shop | Charles Dickens
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“The pony made a moment's pause; but as if it occurred to him that to stop when he was required might be to establish an inconvenient and dangerous precedent, he immediately started off again, rattled at a fast trot to the street-corner, wheeled round, came back, and then stopped of his own accord.”

😂😂 Over the course of this book, Whisker the pony has become one of my favorite characters. #WhattheDickens

Texreader Mine too!! 3d
Cuilin lol. Yes! 3d
AnnCrystal 👏🏼🐴📚💝. 3d
AnneCecilie 🤣🤣🤣 I loved that scene 3d
25 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
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A #KindredSpiritsChristmas will begin in ONE week! Join us to read a daily cozy holiday story from L.M. Montgomery. The schedule is above. Most (but not all) of the stories are available in the tagged book, and as we go, I‘ll post links to where you can read stories online. All are welcome! Comment if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be.

JenlovesJT47 Yay! ♥️💚♥️ 4d
Jerdencon Just downloaded the book! 3d
julieclair Looking forward to the coziness! 3d
29 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
Emily's Quest | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily‘s Quest discussion - 4/4

“‘The Murray pride,‘ whispered Mrs. Kent, staring at her.
‘After all, Emily Starr, I believe pride is a stronger passion with you than love.‘
‘Perhaps,‘ said Emily, smiling.”

What role do you see Emily‘s pride playing in her relationships with Teddy and Ilse?
Do you agree with Mrs. Kent, that pride is a stronger passion for Emily than love?

#LMMReread

TheAromaofBooks I completely think pride is Emily's primary characteristic. But I actually think it may have been LMM's as well, so it checks out. Emily does and says so many things based on “what people will think.“ I can somewhat understand her interactions with Teddy - fearing that her feelings are more serious than his - but she still allows pride to override her desire to be with him. 3d
TheAromaofBooks As a side note, I was also disappointed in the way that Ilse and Emily's friendship just sort of disappeared here. I understand that it's part of growing up, but it felt like Emily purposefully refused to say anything of her true feelings to Ilse - again, because of pride - and it felt strange that they could be the best friends in the world!!! and neither of them even knew that the other liked either of the boys that they also were close to?? 3d
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Oh, I hadn't thought about that pride connection with LMM! But YES, that rings true in so many ways. And I agree about Emily and Ilse's friendship. Ilse is so clueless as to what's going on with Emily, I think partly because she's kind of oblivious to emotional nuances... but also, Emily withholds SO much out of pride. Plot-wise, the withholding is necessary since the resulting misunderstanding is central to the conflict here ⬇ 5h
BarbaraJean (Cont'd) ...but it's so sad to me that their friendship becomes just this surface shell of what it was when they were younger. All four were such chums growing up... I really liked their little group. They seemed so well-matched. And the way they all withhold their true feelings breaks that up on all sides. Except for Perry. Good old Perry. 5h
25 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
Emily's Quest | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily‘s Quest discussion 3/4:

Emily‘s writing is a key theme (if not THE key theme) in the Emily books. What did you think of how LMM chose to flesh out Emily‘s writing career in this final book of the trilogy?

Do you think Emily‘s writing was overshadowed by the themes of romance and the back-and-forth with Teddy and Dean in this book?

#LMMReread

lauraisntwilder I think I might think the writing part was overshadowed by the romance, if Anne had ever gotten anywhere with her writing. Just in comparison to Anne, Emily's writing seems so important. 3d
TheAromaofBooks If anything, I think Emily's writing is held back by her own pride and ambitions. She doesn't sacrifice her writing for Dean - she does so because she thinks it's not good enough. And I actually don't get the impression that she is going to stop writing after she marries Teddy, because he understands how important it is to her. (Unlike Dean, ironically.) However, I think the STORY somewhat gets overshadowed by focusing on Emily's romance instead ⬇ 3d
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) of her writing - I feel like the main plot of Emily would be summarized by her choose between two men rather than her spending her time writing. And maybe part of the problem is that LMM wanted to write about a woman who wants to write, but her publishers/readers want to read about a woman finding love? And consequently this book feels a little compromise-y. 3d
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Yeah, Emily's writing is so central to who she is, while writing never seems central to Anne. Emily can't NOT write! That still comes across even though there's so much romance drama in this book. @TheAromaofBooks I think you're right that the story in this book specifically shifts its focus to the romance. This book overall is super uneven, and I agree--it feels like a compromise between who LMM envisioned Emily to be ⬇ 5h
BarbaraJean (Cont'd) ...and what her publisher/readers wanted the book to be. In her journals, when she was discussing the first or second Emily book, she mentioned something about how she couldn't write the romance the way she wanted to, either. I'm SO curious what these three books would have been like if LMM had been able to free herself from the “what would people think“ inhibitions! 5h
21 likes5 comments
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BarbaraJean
Emily's Quest | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily‘s Quest discussion 2/4:

LMM‘s comments in her journals about Emily‘s Quest indicate she found it difficult to write, and thought it was “no good.”

Do you think her writing difficulties show in the novel? If so, in what ways?
Do you agree with her assessment that it‘s “no good”? What do you see as the book‘s weaknesses?

#LMMReread

BarbaraJean I'll drop a little reminder here for @TheAromaofBooks and @lauraisntwilder that we'll be finishing up Vol. 6 of the journals this week! 4d
lauraisntwilder I don't think it's "no good," but I can see why she saw it as a decline in quality. But also, she didn't want to write it, so how could she love it? 3d
TheAromaofBooks I'm obviously not a fan of this book, so I tried to think about it a little more objectively, as a piece of writing and not just a story. I wouldn't say that it's “no good“ but I can see why LMM felt frustrated by it. Like @lauraisntwilder pointed out, she didn't particularly want to write this book, and I wonder if, perhaps subconsciously, some of her resentment comes through, by giving Emily a hard time and a somewhat ambiguous ending. 3d
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks Right?! It had to be frustrating to write a book she didn't want to write. In her journals she talks about hating having to write “to order,“ and she doesn't mean these books specifically, but I think that feeling shows in some of her sequels (especially the later add-on Anne books, like Anne of Ingleside). I agree, I don't think it's “no good,“ but I can understand why she felt that way. And it's not AS good! 5h
20 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
Emily's Quest | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Emily‘s Quest Discussion 1/4

What is your impression of the book overall? How does it compare to the other Emily books—in tone, theme, quality? How does it compare to LMM‘s novels overall, so far?

If you‘re reading the journals, what do you see in Emily‘s Quest that mirrors LMM‘s own life? Do you see qualities in Emily that reflect LMM?

#LMMReread

lauraisntwilder I think this one is the weakest of the Emily books, but it's still better than Kilmeny, I think, and so of her others that we haven't gotten to yet in this round of rereads. 3d
lauraisntwilder The section of Emily reading reviews reminded me of LMM's similar reactions in her journals. 3d
TheAromaofBooks I agree with @lauraisntwilder - this definitely felt like the weakest of the three books to me, but not her overall weakest book. There just isn't much “drive“ to this book - I never really got behind Teddy or Dean as love interests. The side story with Ilse and Teddy/Perry also feels kind of awkward. It's an okay story, but I think it lacks some of the “sparkle“ that her other books have - maybe because there isn't as strong of cast of ⬇ 3d
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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) background/secondary characters? Everyone abandons Emily and heads off to start new lives. Hearing that eventually Emily's cousin is going to inherit (and basically destroy) New Moon made me wonder anew why Emily chose to stay there instead of pursuing opportunities elsewhere. When Anne postponed dreams to stay at GG, it was because doing so saved her home. I still feel like Emily stayed because she was scared to take a jump. The other ⬇ 3d
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) weird thing about this book is how much time it covers, especially at the very end, where apparently YEARS go by before Teddy comes back!? It just doesn't jive for me. 3d
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks It's definitely my least favorite of the Emily books, even though I was completely on board with Teddy as the love interest! I think the Emily/Teddy/Ilse/Perry love quadrangle is one of the worst parts of the book. The Ilse & Teddy pairing seems so contrived and I hate the way LMM distances Emily & Ilse in order for it to happen. And Sarah, I felt the same way about the timing at the end. The pacing is WAY off. ⬇ 5h
BarbaraJean (Cont'd) Also, I'd forgotten that Andrew was going to inherit New Moon, and I DEFINITELY saw parallels with LMM and her awful uncle!! As well as parallels between Emily staying at New Moon and the way LMM stays in Cavendish and feels left behind...her childhood friends have all left or changed dramatically. Emily's decision to stay makes sense at the end of Emily Climbs, but LMM kind of drops that reasoning here, in favor of the Dean subplot. 5h
19 likes7 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Um…

(Obviously, connotative meanings of phrases change over time. Still: 😂😂)

#ChristiesCapers

Ruthiella 🤣🤣🤣 5d
tpixie 😅😝😂 4d
Librarybelle 😂 4d
MaleficentBookDragon 😹😹😹 3d
36 likes5 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Registration is open for the Litsy event I look forward to every year! Trade “best-of” reading lists with another Litten, carefully matched with you by @monalyisha

I had just enough time yesterday afternoon—between a committee meeting and a concert—to hop on Litsy and sign up for #AuldLangSpine2026 🎉 Check out the announcement on Alyisha‘s feed for more info and the link to sign up!

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BarbaraJean
Emily's Quest | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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My reactions as I re-read the first half of Emily‘s Quest this week:
Tearing up over Mr. Carpenter
Pleading with Emily to NOT show her book to Dean
LOATHING DEAN
Pleading with Emily to send her book to Miss Royal in NYC for another opinion
LOATHING DEAN
Thinking that buying the Disappointed House may be the only thing Dean has done that I approve of
And some agonizing about Teddy

How is your reading going? 😆
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

Ruthiella But how do you feel about Dean? 😂😂😂 2w
kwmg40 I'm only a quarter of the way through, but I'm already loathing Dean! 1w
BarbaraJean @Ruthiella I probably should have been clearer about my emotions. 😂 😂 😂 @kwmg40 Right?!? Chapter 6 is the absolute WORST. 1w
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lauraisntwilder My library card expired, so I couldn't check out the audio book as planned. I fixed it today, so I'll catch up this week! (I already hate Dean though. 1w
TheAromaofBooks I just started this one yesterday, and am NOT looking forward to Creepy Dean!! 1w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Oh no! Glad you got it sorted out… and sorry about Dean 😆 @TheAromaofBooks Every time I read this, I hate him more. 1w
32 likes6 comments
review
BarbaraJean
Beware of Chicken | Casualfarmer
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Pickpick

I‘m still not quite sure what to make of this, but it was fun! The subtitle is “A Xianxia Cultivation Novel”—a genre I had zero familiarity with. I could‘ve used a little genre primer before reading; I felt like I‘d stumbled into a world in which I was out of my depth. Which, I suppose, is appropriate for the premise here: a Canadian guy finds himself in a Chinese-inspired fantasy world, in the body of a Disciple of the Cloudy Sword Sect ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)…and decides he‘d rather be a farmer than a cultivator. The writing (and editing) was a bit unpolished at times, which made sense when I realized it was a niche genre book originally published as a web series. It‘s up to 5 published novels at this point, and I‘m interested in checking out the next book to see how the author refines his writing as the series progresses. ⤵️ (edited) 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) Overall, this is hilarious and often ridiculous, but also earnest and sweet. (Just the type of fun and cozy fantasy my book group needed after reading The Future of Another Timeline last month.) (edited) 2w
38 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Old Curiosity Shop | Charles Dickens
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“…the lady carried upon her upper lip certain reddish demonstrations, which, if the imagination had been assisted by her attire, might have been mistaken for a beard. These were, however, in all probability, nothing more than eyelashes in a wrong place, as the eyes of Miss Brass were quite free from any such natural impertinencies.”

😂
#WhattheDickens

Cuilin 😆🤣😂 2w
Texreader 🤭 2w
30 likes2 comments
review
BarbaraJean
Five Little Pigs | Agatha Christie
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Pickpick

I really, really liked this—and I also read it at the beginning of July, so my memory is a little sketchy.

Poirot is called in to solve a 16-years-old case, by the daughter of the woman who was convicted of the murder. He examines the accounts of the five people who were present, investigating the contradictions and conflicts between their memories of that day. I went back and forth on who I thought was the murderer… ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …and was conflicted about who I wanted to be the murderer! A clever mystery, with lots of great Poirot content. This was my 1942 pick for #192025, my June #BookSpin, and fulfilled prompt # 23 for #50x50: a classic mystery. @Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks 2w
TheAromaofBooks I love the alternate title for this one - “Murder in Retrospect.“ It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember it being so clever. 2w
Librarybelle Oh! I like the alternate title too, @TheAromaofBooks ! 2w
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TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle - I'm endlessly fascinated (and completely aggravated!) by why the titles sometimes changed between US and UK editions. 2w
Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks Yes! It‘s so aggravating! 2w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I like that title better! It is frustrating when titles are changed like that. Sometimes I can see the reason for changing titles (i.e. And Then There Were None), but with this one it seems so arbitrary and unnecessary. @Librarybelle 2w
40 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BarbaraJean
Destination Unknown | Agatha Christie
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I may be WAY behind on reviews, but at least my #10BeforetheEnd is on track! Five books complete, with a little over five weeks to go. 🎉 These 10 books will also complete the remaining years I need for the #192025 challenge. 😊

ChaoticMissAdventures Yay! Great job. 2w
charl08 Nice! 2w
35 likes2 comments
review
BarbaraJean
The Nonesuch | Georgette Heyer
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Pickpick

Another super-belated review—I read this back in August.

This is Heyer, so of course it was a delight. Ancilla, companion-governess and at 28, “too old” to consider romance didn‘t factor “the Nonesuch” into her plans… The two leads are as likable, witty, and intelligent as Ancilla‘s spoiled charge, Tiffany, is annoying. The misunderstanding in the middle is far too easily resolved, but I liked the characters too much for me to be put off by it.⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) I was more frustrated by the abruptness of the ending—I needed a leeetle bit more resolution—but I‘m starting to anticipate that as a pattern for Heyer, now!

This was my 1962 pick for #192025. @Librarybelle
2w
LeahBergen I liked this one, too. 2w
Librarybelle I keep saying I need to read more Heyer…perhaps for #192030 ! 2w
BarbaraJean @Librarybelle I've used the Heyers I own for several #192025 prompts, and will definitely continue that practice for #192030! 2w
41 likes4 comments
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

I have SO MANY Litsy reviews to catch up on. I read this in July!!

I‘ve loved every installment of the Morrison Crow books. I loved this, too. Silverborn explores new areas of Nevermoor we haven‘t seen yet, and reveals a bunch of previously unrevealed secrets about Morrigan‘s family. Secrets are a theme here…from the secrets Morrigan carries, to the secrets she uncovers about her past. And, the plot is basically a murder mystery, which I loved.⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) For most of the novel, I missed the setting of the Deucalion and Morrigan‘s found family there, but I loved the new complexities and depths this story brings to Morrigan‘s relationship with both Jack and Jupiter. Now I need Townsend to step it up and write these more quickly!! 2w
lauraisntwilder I still haven't read this and my copy came right when it was released. 🫤 I'm glad to hear it's good! 2w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Haha... I know how that goes. Hope you enjoy it when you get to it! 2w
44 likes3 comments
review
BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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Panpan

My sole reason for reading this was the accusation that McCullough plagiarized L.M. Montgomery‘s “The Blue Castle.” And yep, there are an uncanny number of similarities between the two books. Personally, I don‘t think this one holds its own. I told a friend that it went beyond “discount Blue Castle” and became “Temu Blue Castle.” The parts that mirror Blue Castle do it worse—the way McCullough changes certain details of the plot weaken ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …both the characters and the story. There are a couple of unique plot threads where Missalonghi differs from Blue Castle, and those were interesting…but overall, I was not a fan. Especially not a fan of the coarse, manipulative “romance” or the preposterous, nonsensical ending. I did want to know how everything turned out in the end, so it did keep me reading—but mostly in a “can‘t take my eyes off the train wreck” sort of way. ⤵️ 2w
BarbaraJean Thank you to the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead-ers who I subjected to this mess. I‘m sorry. Thanks for hanging in there and ranting about it with me! #LMMAdjacent 2w
TheAromaofBooks I'm still not over how bad this one was!! I ranted about it on Goodreads a little the other day 😂 In the process of doing that, part of what I realized was just how much I love Valancy and how taking control of her own life means doing things on her own terms - like actually helping a childhood friend. Missy just started telling people they were ugly and stupid and, literally in her own words, dressing like a whore. Just. Ugh. 2w
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julieclair @BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Yes yes yes! Having just moved into a new house, I haven‘t been spending time on Litsy, so haven‘t participated in the discussion, but your comments above mirror my thoughts exactly! 💯 2w
TheAromaofBooks @julieclair - Oh did you move?? Would you be okay with emailing me your new address? itsthegoodlife15 at gmail 😁 2w
rubyslippersreads Temu Blue Castle! 🤣 2w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Your Goodreads review is 💯 😂 It's interesting: taking control of your life manifests in SUCH different ways in both novels. Valancy's diagnosis prompts such wonderful actions. She doesn't just remove all filters & act selfishly. She simply stops feeling obligated to conform to others' expectations. Missy gets mean & awful. Plus, Missy's motivations (Una?!?) don't even make sense! GAH. The more I think about it, the madder I get! 2w
TheAromaofBooks I just... Una's like “here, read some borderline-porno 'romance' stories to get you in the mood, then go seduce my used-to-be husband because as long as you let him shag you as much as he wants, he'll totally be good to you, but if you don't, he'll neglect you and get pissy, so obvs he's perfect!! PS even though I'm a ghost, I can sign critical legal paperwork for you!!“ MAKE IT MAKE SENSE 😂 2w
36 likes8 comments
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BarbaraJean
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This week we‘ve been reading LMM‘s journals from 1927—and the quote above seems apt! What stands out to you from this week‘s reading? (Other than the convos we‘ve already been having this week!) #LMMJournals #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

TheKidUpstairs I really should try the Ontario years diaries. I live just down the way from Leaskdale! They have a wonderful LM Montgomery Society and a museum which runs lovely events and afternoon teas through the summer :) 3w
BarbaraJean @TheKidUpstairs How lovely!! It would be so interesting to read these having all the places nearby! 3w
BarbaraJean So often, LMM‘s critiques of religion (or specific sermons!) really resonate with me. I loved her take on Rev. Jackson on p. 152, and her account of the church with the mean usher who threatened to call the police because she stood in the aisle for a bit! (“Oh, no, it wasn‘t dull; but neither was it religion” p. 183-4) ⬇ (edited) 3w
See All 15 Comments
BarbaraJean “We went up to church tonight & heard the Rev Jackson display the mastery of the art of saying nothing in a sermon fifty minutes long. But I bothered myself very little about the Rev. J. The window was open and a soft rain was falling in the twilight and I thought of many things & felt very near God—but not the Rev. Jackson's God—who, according to the Rev. J.'s report, went into tantrums if anyone took a motor drive for pleasure on Sunday!“ (p152) 3w
BarbaraJean Also, the episode with the poor kitten made me ill, just as it did LMM. I was so glad to read later that she reported the boy to the Humane Society. Reminded me of Beautiful Joe! 3w
TheAromaofBooks I was also glad for the follow up on the kitten story - so horrific! I was also intrigued by the story of the lost item/heirloom that then reappeared later. Overall 1927 did seem much less stressful - still very busy, but not as many nagging worries, plus Ewan must have been well all year as she doesn't talk about his mental health really at all, which is a big change of pace. 3w
TheAromaofBooks I couldn't believe that the reason the church treasurer was on their side was because he had been embezzling money!! 😐 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Yes, the “reamer“! I was surprised how she said it was even more meaningful to her than the Woolner jug. I'm continually intrigued/puzzled by the way she talks about/doesn't talk about Ewan. He's such a background character in her journals, unless his mental health is unstable. The only appearance of note here was him being petty about her getting roses from the youth at church! 🙄 And YES, the treasurer—😳 And here I'd been ⬇ 2w
BarbaraJean (Cont'd)... thinking he was just a decent person who saw right through Marshall Pickering. I couldn't believe LMM & Ewan loaned him the money to cover it up!! 2w
lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks It really feels like Ewan is her roommate. They even go on separate vacations. 2w
lauraisntwilder I'm interested in Marigold showing up. I had already read the Anne, Emily, and Pat books (and Tangled Web) before starting the journals. I've noted things along the way that reminded me of one or the other of those. It's been interesting now to have the perspective flipped -- starting with The Blue Castle, I'm reading the novels and noticing her real life coming through, instead of seeing hints of the novels in her journals. 2w
TheAromaofBooks @lauraisntwilder - I agree with the roommate assessment. There are times where they seem like they are comradely (when she talks about them traveling together or someone visiting that they both like), but most of the time it just seems like they are more along the lines of business partners than friends, which is sad. 2w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks The roommate description feels so accurate! The separate vacations thing puzzles me--I wonder if that was more common at the time? I suppose business partner/roommate-type marriages were certainly more common. 2w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I knew Marigold was written first as short stories, but I hadn't realized the stories were written “to order“ and then rejected! It'll be interesting re-reading it with that context. That flip in your reading will be fascinating—having the books remind you of the journals/her life rather than the other way around. I've loved re-reading with the context of her life—there are so many connections I was never aware of! 2w
TheAromaofBooks They definitely did travel together sometimes (Mammoth Cave, Manitoba, etc), but it seems like they never went to PEI together that I remember. Ewan went without her a couple of times, and she's been without him. It seems strange that that specific vacation destination isn't one they share. 2w
24 likes15 comments
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BarbaraJean
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#5JoysFriday!

1. This meme and not-serious/serious discussing future bookshop/B&B ventures with a friend
2. This pic of my grand-niece reading her Pride & Prejudice counting book in her rocking chair
3. Flowers & prayer book gift for being named the “Honoree of the Year” at church
4. RAIN
5. First bouquet of narcissus from the garden (I‘m in Southern California; these poor bulbs have no idea what season it is)

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝💝💝. 3w
dabbe ♥️🍁🤎 3w
29 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
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I‘m excited for this year‘s #ChristmasCrimeChallenge! (Does it count as a challenge if I was already going to read these for other challenges/buddy reads? 😂)

3. Star: famous lead detective—Taken at the Flood (Poirot)
5. Advent calendar: short stories—Partners in Crime
7. Sleigh: set on transport (train, boat, etc.)—Destination Unknown (there‘s a plane on the cover; it MUST be set on transport, right?!)
9. Present: ANY mystery you like!—Thud!

Ruthiella Nice! I especially like working in Pratchett. All the Discworld books that I have read so far are actually mysteries, you are making me realize. 👍 3w
BarbaraJean @Ruthiella I got several books into the City Watch sub-series before I realized they had all been mysteries! I just finished Night Watch, which is the first City Watch book that *hasn‘t* been a mystery, but I‘m proceeding on the assumption that Thud will be. 3w
Ruthiella Oh, I have read THUD! and I think it qualifies. 😃 3w
28 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
Night Watch | Terence David John Pratchett
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“But the grannies, oh, the grannies... It had almost been cheating, putting them on the parapet with a megaphone during the lulls: ‘I knows you're out there, our Ron! This is your Nan! You climb up one more time and you'll feel the back of my hand! Our Rita sends her love and wants you to hurry home. Grandpa is feeling a lot better with the new ointment! Now stop being a silly boy!‘”

#OokBOokClub

julesG Don't underestimate the grannies! 🦧 3w
willaful I loved this too. 3w
30 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
Night Watch | Terence David John Pratchett
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“One thing Vimes was learning fast was the natural vindictiveness of old ladies, who had no sense of fair play when it came to fighting soldiers; give a granny a spear and a hole to jab it through, and young men on the other side were in big trouble.”

#OokBOokClub

julesG 🦧 3w
26 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
Grapes of Wrath | John Steinbeck
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“Once, after a meeting, while she was still speaking in tongues, she fired both barrels of a shotgun at her husband, ripping one of his buttocks nearly off, and after that he admired her and did not try to torture her as children torture bugs.”

Wait, WHAT?! 😳😂
#HashtagBrigade

BarkingMadRead 🤣🤣🤣 3w
35 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
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I love India Rose Crawford‘s Frog and Toad pictures so very much!!

Ruthiella Oh! I love that! So cozy looking. 😊 3w
Darklunarose That is utterly adorable 3w
willaful Awwwwww! 3w
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BookmarkTavern When I say I have plans, I mean this! 💖 3w
AnnCrystal 🤩👍🏼 This is just too adorable, LOVE Frog & Toad 😍🐸🍄🐸💝. 3w
staci.reads I love these too! 3w
Dilara So cute and cozy! 🐸 🐸 3w
45 likes7 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Join us for a #KindredSpiritsChristmas as the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead reads L.M. Montgomery‘s cozy holiday stories, one per day, Dec. 6-25.

Almost all the stories are available online (I‘ll post links as applicable), and all but the first four are in the tagged book. (Dec. 10 is ch. 25 in Green Gables and Dec. 17 is chs. 5-6 in the “Second Year” of Windy Poplars.)

All are welcome! Some past participants are tagged—comment if you‘d like to join!

monalyisha Aw! Count this mood reader who can‘t be counted on “in!” Maybe. Please tag me, anyway. 😜 3w
BarbaraJean @monalyisha 😂 I‘ll add you to the no-pressure (but daily) tag list! 😁 3w
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monalyisha @BarbaraJean You‘re the best! 3w
Jerdencon I like this idea - I‘ll try to find the stories and join too! 3w
JenlovesJT47 Yay I so enjoyed this last year ❤️💚❤️ 3w
sblbooks I'm glad you're doing this again. I've really enjoyed this tradition the past few years. I'm in. 3w
Daisey Thanks for the tag, but I think I will be skipping this year. 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! I tend to bounce in and out of these now that I've read all of them at least once, but keep me on the list for sure!! 3w
BarbaraJean @Jerdencon @JenlovesJT47 @sblbooks Yay! Glad to have you all reading along this year! 🎄 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks In past years, I didn‘t remember which stories went with which titles (for the most part—I always remember Aunt Cyrilla and her basket!!), but now they‘re starting to look familiar! Also, I added a couple “new” ones this year (not that weird Merryvale one from last year, but a couple others I hadn‘t seen before)—so keep an eye out on Dec. 8 & 9 😁 3w
BarbaraJean @monalyisha ☺️🤗 3w
AnneCecilie I might join in. It was very cozy reading these stories the first year 3w
BarbaraJean @AnneCecilie I'll tag you! Feel free to pop in and out or whatever works for you. 3w
33 likes14 comments
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BarbaraJean
Emily's Quest | Lucy Maud Montgomery
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Next up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead:
✍🏻One week of LMM‘s journals
📓Two weeks reading Emily‘s Quest
✍🏻One more week to finish volume SIX of LMM‘s journals
🎄THEN: #KindredSpiritsChristmas! (schedule will be posted separately)

I‘ve tagged my small list for #LMMJournals and Emily‘s Quest (Hi Sarah! Hi Laura!), but all are welcome! Let me know if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be.

BarbaraJean Wait, also tagging @kwmg40 for Emily‘s Quest! 3w
kwmg40 Thanks, I‘ll definitely be joining for Emily‘s Quest! 3w
BarbaraJean @kwmg40 Yay!! 🎉 3w
TheAromaofBooks Is it weird that I'm excited to get back into the journals? 😂 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks If it is, then I'm also weird. 😆 3w
32 likes5 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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A couple more (non-Blue-Castle-related) questions:

Does Missy‘s journey ring true for you? Why or why not?

What did you think of the ending, and the reveal about the character of Una?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

lauraisntwilder By the end, I didn't particularly like Missy. And that ending was ridiculous. 3w
TheAromaofBooks My other comments have probably revealed that I wasn't a fan of Missy 😂 And her journey did not really make any sense to me, honestly. The whole thing with Una at the end was absurd. And it left me kind of sad because it felt like Missy lost her one friend! 3w
See All 8 Comments
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Like you, Sarah—to me Missy's journey didn't make sense. Her changed personality/actions don't make sense in the context of the plot. I hated her lying & manipulation and I hated the ending. The ending doesn't really make sense, either—it's inconsistent with the rest of the book! Una had tea with Missy & Drusilla & Octavia, she signs legal paperwork, but she's a ghost & invisible at the end? 🙄 3w
TheAromaofBooks And somehow now no one remembers her?! It just felt like lazy writing. And I'm still not over the way that we're supposed to believe that John Smith has fallen sooooo in love after whatever it was, two days or something, that he's going to be 100% cool when he finds out that Missy literally lied about EVERYTHING to get him to marry her! 3w
rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Una was right to advise Missy never to tell John Smith the truth. 😆 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Oh, I'm pretty certain he's not in love with her. He says pretty clearly (and very coarsely) that he changed his mind about Missy when he discovered she's good in bed. That ain't love... he's fallen sooooo in lust. 🙄 @rubyslippersreads is right, Una was right in her advice! She also should have told Missy to make sure she always puts out. That would be perfectly in line with his character, as written. ⬇ 3w
BarbaraJean Also, HOW does it make sense that John Smith's dead wife, who (according to him) was a terrible person who fought with him, cheated on him, and wouldn't let him “get his leg over“ decides to come back as his little matchmaker? They both thought the other was terrible, so why would she think he's a good match for anyone, let alone poor put-upon Missy Hurlingford? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. 3w
22 likes8 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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The main difference between the two books is how the privileged Hurlingfords take advantage of the under-privileged women of the clan. What did you think of this part of the story—as Missy stands up for both herself and the disadvantaged women of the family?

What did you think of The Ladies of Missalonghi in its own right? Does it have merit on its own, apart from Blue Castle?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads I actually liked this part. The family menfolk were jerks in both books, but at least here, the women got the best of them. As for standing on its own merits, I wouldn‘t read this again. TBC, on the other hand, I will always reread. (edited) 3w
TheAromaofBooks Ugh, the Hurlingfords were SO unlikable. Who steals from old women?!? So I was glad that the old ladies all got some redemption and seemed to be better set for going forward. 3w
BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Yes, I liked this part of the story, too. I enjoyed seeing the men get their comeuppance, and the women be provided for through Missy's efforts. I think it's the part of the book that works the best. My opinion of the book in its own right is still pretty low, however. 3w
15 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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What *differences* do you see between Ladies of Missalonghi and Blue Castle?

How do those differences impact the narrative?

How do those differences impact your view of each book?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

lauraisntwilder Missy actually likes her mother. Their poverty is a shared enemy, rather than a basis for dumb rules. Missy is not nearly as likeable or sympathetic as Valancy though. 3w
rubyslippersreads The quality of the writing. This author just does not measure up to LMM. (But then, who could?) And the coarseness. Obviously LMM wrote at a different time, but this book told me more than I wanted to know (especially some of John Smith‘s thoughts). 3w
TheAromaofBooks To me, the biggest difference was how Missy was very manipulative and willing to lie to get whatever she wanted. It made her character arc somewhat unbelievable for me. With Valancy, you feel that she is actually growing as a person, determined to face her fears and live life on her terms. In fact, she becomes MORE honest as a person. We're told that Missy has been living her life as a mouse, but when we meet her she is already being somewhat ⬇ 3w
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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) deceitful and underhanded, so it really just felt like she got better at manipulating people rather than having actual growth. The straight up lying, emotional blackmail, and seduction made her a really distasteful character to me. I'm not nearly as confident that John Smith will be as forgiving of her as she seems to be. I can't imagine starting my entire marriage based on complete fabrications. 3w
rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Valancy honestly thought she was going to die; she didn‘t borrow the idea from a novel. 😏 3w
BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads “Coarse” is the perfect word. Reading this so soon after Blue Castle, I couldn‘t help but think what LMM‘s reaction would be. The leeches, Missy‘s lies and manipulation, the coarse comments and descriptions—I felt like McCullough took a lovely, sweet, innocent, well-written story and dragged it through the mud. 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks EXACTLY. I don‘t find Missy‘s transformation convincing. The reason for it is supposedly Una, and that really doesn‘t make sense (unless you throw in some backwards continuity based on who Una is revealed to be, but even then, it doesn‘t make sense that Una would manipulate her in that way. Una‘s motivations don‘t make sense, either!) I really felt like the changes McCullough made ⬇ 3w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …make the story weaker and Missy‘s character arc just nonsensical. In Blue Castle, it DOES make sense that a beaten-down, shrinking violet personality would be motivated to stand up for herself and start LIVING because of a terminal diagnosis. McCullough removes that believable motivation and twists the diagnosis around into a manipulative thing that makes Missy, to me, a very unlikable character. 3w
TheAromaofBooks And I just have to say that the line, “Valancy found herself shivering with the rapture of her first kiss“ is far more romantic and gives me that little chest-ping more than ANY of the strange lustful passages in this book. 3w
rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks I completely agree. I have a feeling McCullough never heard the saying “Less is more.” 😏 3w
rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean That‘s just how I feel too. There was really no need for this book to have been written. 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks No chest-ping from Missy's “small buff nipples“ and John Smith “getting his leg over“? UGH. 😖 ANYTHING would be more romantic than this “romance“!! LMM's romantic writing and this are like night and day. 3w
16 likes12 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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There are MANY similarities between Ladies of Missalonghi and LMM‘s Blue Castle.

Do you find McCullough‘s defense of “subconscious recollection” convincing (the idea that she read Blue Castle when she was young, but any borrowing was unconscious rather than intentional)?

Or are the similarities just too close to be “subconscious”?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

lauraisntwilder The fact that there are so many similarities actually makes me think she didn't do it on purpose. She was a well-known writer by this time, since this came out after The Thorn Birds was already adapted into a miniseries, and I don't think she would have been so blatant if it was a conscious decision. 3w
rubyslippersreads I think it was probably subconscious. It started off like TBC, but veered wildly off course. 😏 3w
TheAromaofBooks First off, how could you FORGET reading The Blue Castle?! 😂 I don't know, I have mixed feelings. Some of this book felt like she had just lifted sections and changed the names. But this was sooooooo much worse than TBC that at some level they don't even feel worth comparing lol 3w
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BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Speculating about this is FASCINATING to me. I can't get over how many details line up. Reading it right after Blue Castle, just I couldn't swallow her “subconscious“ claim. But Laura, your point about her being well-known is a great one and I think you're probably right. And I'm with you, Sarah--it's SO much worse that I can't imagine someone consciously writing such a terrible rip-off!! 3w
BarbaraJean Under spoiler tags is the list I compiled of the similarities between the two books. It's a LOT. 3w
BarbaraJean Spinster MC lives with strict mother & aunt
MC has a large extended family who is prominent in town
MC has a beautiful, stuck-up, rich cousin who‘s engaged
MC has heart “attacks”
MC takes refuge in her imagination and in books
MC‘s strict mother & aunt disapprove of her reading novels
MC begins to rebel against the expectations of her family
MC begins to make scandalous comments at family events
There is a mysterious, roguish outsider in town ⬇
(edited) 3w
BarbaraJean Family/town thinks mysterious outsider has an unsavory past
MC is fascinated by MO; he shows up in her imaginings
MC proposes to MO b/c of diagnosis and asks he not refer to her illness
There‘s a mixup w/ a doctor‘s letter containing a diagnosis
MC discovers her illness isn‘t fatal and wishes for the sweetness of death
MO spent years traveling after a relationship breakup
MO goes by an assumed/changed name
MO turns out to be fabulously rich
3w
TheAromaofBooks Also the whole part where he's like “I was so excited to buy/own my own valley“ instead of island. That whole conversation sounded sooo much like Barney talking about why he bought the island. I think it's the details that make me feel like she purposefully ripped some of it off - the rich/beautiful cousin and the whole bit at the beginning where “if she hurries“ she starts feeling the pain. I don't know, I really went back and forth when I was ⬇ 3w
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) reading it! And like we briefly touched on somewhere else - it's kind of similar to the way Anne is similar to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, so do I only get mad about it when the second attempt is bad?! 😂 3w
rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean I love the list! 3w
rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean I‘m surprised the MO wasn‘t named Bernie Smith. 🤣 3w
BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads 😂 😂 It did occur to me that “Smith“ is really close to “Snaith“! Also, a couple of others for the list: both MCs suddenly become attractive when they change their style/color of clothing, both have unusual first names but their families call them by a nickname (although there's a reversal in one preferring the nickname and the other hating it) 3w
14 likes12 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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Several of us shared LOTS of thoughts early this week, but our scheduled discussion is today! Here are some questions to start, but feel free to add further thoughts, rants, etc.!

First, some general questions (separate from Blue Castle!):
Did you enjoy the book?
Did you find the characters likable—Missy, Drusilla & Octavia, John Smith, Una?
What about the antagonists—cousin Alicia & the other Hurlingfords?
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

lauraisntwilder I will say that I liked Drusilla and Octavia better than Amelia and Cousin Stickles. And I liked Una...until the end. 🫤 3w
rubyslippersreads It held my interest, which isn‘t the same as liking it. (And I think a lot of my interest was based in comparing the two books.) Missy‘s mother and aunt were certainly kinder than Valancy‘s, but Alicia, et al, were too over the top. 3w
TheAromaofBooks Honestly, I wasn't a fan. I was prepared to like it, but I never actually connected with Missy. And I also NEVER forgot that I was reading a book that was written in the 80s. The writing style/conversation topics/things that were mentioned meant that I never was really able to be immersed in the story because it was so anachronistic. I had to look up to see when the story was supposed to be taking place. It had its moments, but the humor never ⬇ 3w
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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) quite clicked for me. I did like Missy's mother and aunt. The Hurlingfords were pretty dreadful. 3w
BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Yes, Drusilla & Octavia were miles better than Amelia and Cousin Stickles. I loved that Drusilla was privately glad that Missy was finally showing some backbone (and that she was aware/in favor of the clandestine novel-reading!). They actually cared for Missy, unlike most of Valancy‘s family. I think Drusilla and Octavia were the best characters in the book. Also Una, but I agree with you about the ending—it ruins that character! (edited) 3w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) Valancy‘s family is horrible & ridiculous, but they feel like real people. The characters here—mostly—do not.

@rubyslippersreads Me too—it held my interest but I didn‘t necessarily enjoy it. The first half I was cataloguing all the similarities to Blue Castle. By the middle, I was invested in Missy‘s scheme to stand up against the Hurlingfords (who I liked as antagonists until Alicia ran off with the chauffeur! Over the top, as you said.
(edited) 3w
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Exactly—the whole tone was WAY off for a supposed historical novel. 3w
13 likes7 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Remains of the Day | Kazuo Ishiguro
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Pickpick

The book cover‘s description of “quietly devastating” is spot on. This is another book that‘s been on my TBR forever. I knew I‘d love it, but in recent years, I haven‘t been in the mood to be devastated, even quietly so. But I decided to read it as my 1989 pick for #192025, and am so glad I did. What depth of characterization through such a slow-burn gradual reveal. The denial, self-delusion, and pretense that are slowly laid bare ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)…as pride and desperate self-preservation. Heart-wrenching perfection. GOSH, this is good. Quietly devastating. Yes. 4w
Ruthiella Great review! 👍 4w
Librarybelle It is so good! I loved it. 4w
BarbaraBB Great review. One of my all time favorites 4w
Tamra As good as the novel is, the film is even better. I can‘t say enough about Hopkins‘ & Thompson‘s performances. 💜💜💜💜 Husband and I watch it nearly annually. (edited) 4w
35 likes5 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

I‘ve loved John O‘Donohue‘s writing in the past. His book of blessings (To Bless the Space Between Us) always has something rich and meaningful to offer, and I‘ve often come across quotations from O‘Donohue‘s work that are exactly what I need when they cross my path. So I had high expectations for this one, having had it on my TBR for some time.

O‘Donohue offers an exploration of Celtic spirituality as he examines friendship, the senses, ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)… solitude, work, aging, and death. Woven throughout is a reverence for beauty and for the natural world. I enjoyed this overall, but often found it meandering & disconnected. Looking back at sections I underlined, there were quite a few gems along the way…so I‘m puzzled as to why it left me underwhelmed.

I read it over 3 months, in fits and starts, and I wonder if it would have read better for me if I‘d dipped into it more frequently—⤵️
4w
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …savoring it more consistently. I will probably read this again, more slowly, dipping into chapters and sections as I feel drawn to them.

This was my April #DoubleSpin and I also chose to read it as # 44 for #50x50—“Related to my vocation/profession”—connecting it to my coursework in spiritual direction. @TheAromaofBooks
4w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4w
27 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
Salt Dancers | Ursula Hegi
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Pickpick

This is a quiet, internal story, with abuse, abandonment, and unanswered questions at its heart. Julia—pregnant at 41—returns to her hometown after 23 years away. She‘s searching for answers & some measure of resolution about her past. I appreciated the nuance with which Hegi paints her characters—acknowledging both the repercussions of abuse & abandonment, and the unreliability of memory—as Julia struggles to reconcile the past & move forward.⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) Post-college (early 2000s), I read a couple of Ursula Hegi‘s books—Intrusions and Stones from the River—which made Hegi an auto-buy author for me for several years. Salt Dancers was one of those auto-buys from a now-long-closed Borders‘ sale shelf. Although I remember one of my best friends reading and loving this, it sat on my shelf for years. A trifecta of challenges prompted me to finally read it back in August. ⤵️ (edited) 1mo
BarbaraJean This was my July #BookSpin, and it also fulfilled 1995 for #192025, and # 38 (published before I turned 20) for #50x50. @TheAromaofBooks @Librarybelle 1mo
Librarybelle I really enjoyed Stones from the River! Stacking this one! 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4w
33 likes1 stack add4 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Dark Horse | Rumer Godden
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Pickpick

I loved this hidden gem I picked up at a library sale. It‘s based on a true story about a racehorse in the 1930s, who was shipped to India from England—and the various lives this horse brings together. There are themes of hurt and healing, prejudice and acceptance, redemption, and found family. The backdrop of 1930s Calcutta—from the poor and the privileged, to the convent and the racetrack—is fascinating. This was my 1981 pick for #192025.

tpixie Sounds great!!! 👍🏻 1mo
TheBookHippie Oh this sounds good! 1mo
Librarybelle Yay!! 1mo
LeahBergen And it‘s being republished by Virago in a nice new cover. 💚 1mo
38 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

This reminded me a LOT of Nghi Vo‘s Singing Hills books. And it was a lot funnier than I‘d anticipated! I do wish it had been fleshed out into a full novel. There were so many references to earlier events that remained only just sketched out, and just enough character development to make me want to know more. I‘m hoping Zen Cho writes more in this world!

review
BarbaraJean
Awake: A Memoir | Jen Hatmaker
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Pickpick

I admit I read this motivated in no small part by pure nosiness. I wanted to know “what happened.” I‘ve followed Jen on social media long enough to have seen some of her faith deconstruction process in real time, long enough to witness the backlash she suffered for her honesty about that process and her changing beliefs. Long enough to remember when her marriage fell apart and be curious about her divorce. This offers some of the details I was ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)…curious about, but her framing of it was refreshing. This isn‘t a petty, revenge-driven divorce memoir full of blame & self-justification. It‘s clear she‘s done the work, and so much of this is relatable as a “coming home to yourself” story. It‘s funny, engaging, and vulnerable. However, I struggled with her level of unacknowledged privilege—something I also see in her social media. Wouldn‘t it be nice if everyone, in the aftermath of ⤵️ 1mo
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)…betrayal, trauma, loss (and cancellation by self-righteous social-media crusaders) could go on a month-long “Me Camp” to an idyllic small town in Maine? Or afford extensive home makeovers & renovations? Or have such a deep, robust network of support from family & friends? I‘m sincerely glad Jen had access to the resources she did, and this is her story—not anyone else‘s. She wrote the book she needed to write & I applaud that. ⤵️ 1mo
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) But. Few people going through trauma have the resources she did, and a little caveat would have mitigated some of my “wouldn‘t it be nice” eye-rolls throughout. That said, I found a deep affirmation for myself in so much of the work she‘s done: being honest about the lies you‘ve believed and the influences that shaped you—without bitterness or blame, taking responsibility for your own heart & life & choices, and learning to dream again. 1mo
TheBookHippie 💯💯💯💯💯💯 1mo
CSeydel A thoughtful review! 1mo
32 likes5 comments
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BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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The #BookSpin fates are whispering “read your challenge books.” My BookSpin will fulfill 1953 for the #192025 challenge AND # 15 (BIPOC author I‘ve meant to read) for my #50x50 birthday challenge (which I‘ve neglected in favor of finishing 192025 😆) My #DoubleSpin is any #50x50 book. I‘m debating between the three on the right: Last Unicorn (classic children‘s fantasy), Mabinogion (Arthurian), and Hungering Dark (published before I turned 10).

BarbaraJean Oh! And my BookSpin will also complete another #10beforetheend book! 🎉🎉 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!! 1mo
28 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Old Curiosity Shop | Charles Dickens
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I pulled this off my shelf tonight to plan my #whattheDickens reading & discovered a bookmark from Hay on Wye—where I purchased this copy.😍 It was helpfully tucked in between Curiosity Shop and Child‘s History, so I only had to flip back a few pages to determine how many chapters are in Curiosity Shop. However, the last chapter is helpfully titled “Chapter the Last,” meaning I had to flip back a few more pages to find an actual numbered chapter🤪

LeahBergen What a pretty edition! 1mo
AnnCrystal 📚🤩💝. 1mo
Texreader Ok lots to say about this post! Gorgeous book! And you went to the town of bookstores??? I so want to go there someday! I love you found that bookmark in it. And finally I simply adore how Dickens names his chapters! 1mo
BarbaraJean @LeahBergen So pretty! But the print is t i n y. 🧐 @Texreader Yes! The town of books is glorious!! Highly recommended! I‘ve been so privileged as to go there multiple times 😍 I have good friends in Wales, not too far of a drive from there. 1mo
Cuilin Love this 😍 1mo
33 likes5 comments
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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“I notice Alicia has kept her choice to virgins only,” said Missy, whose stitch had been bothering her ever since the 7-mile walk from Missalonghi, and now was growing worse. To leave the room was impossible but nor could she sit still and silent a moment longer; to keep her mind off the pain, she started to talk. “Very orthodox of her,” she continued, “but I‘m *definitely* a virgin, and I didn‘t get picked.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

quote
BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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“‘Darling, you look absolutely splendid! In a paddy, are we?‘

Missy took a couple of deep breaths to calm down. ‘Oh, just my cousin James Hurlingford. I told him to go bite his bum.‘

‘Good for you! Time someone told him.‘ Una giggled. ‘Though I imagine he‘d much rather someone else bit it for him—preferably someone masculine.‘

This sailed straight over Missy‘s head…”

👀🤣
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

TheAromaofBooks This quote felt a little anachronistic to me, but maybe not?? What did you think? 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Soooo anachronistic! There were several places where the dialogue felt completely mismatched to the era in which this was set (the other quote I posted was another one). I think it was this part that made me go double check when the book was supposed to take place! It felt so off to me. 1mo
rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Much of the book seems anachronistic to me. I have more comments, but I‘ll save them for after everyone has finished. (edited) 1mo
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BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads I just finished it and I have SO MANY comments. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks I am almost done and I feel like an old lady pearl-clutching at a few of these scenes 😂 @rubyslippersreads 1mo
TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean @rubyslippersreads What in the WHAT did I just read?! 😂 I finished this this morning and it was SO FREAKING WEIRD 😆 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Right?!? I came close to throwing it across the room. 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads I kept imagining LMM doing some pearl-clutching from her grave!!! I was so shocked by the “starting your honeymoon early“ part that I handed it to my husband to read. He said: “Wait, is this a pink-shelf book?“ then his face went 😳 and he said: “A woman wrote this? Your group should not be reading this. It's misogynistic crap.“ 😂 1mo
TheAromaofBooks For real, though!!! What even! 1mo
julieclair Just posted my review, and then came to look at the discussion. I only started reading on Sunday, so hadn‘t looked at it. My oh my, I‘m glad I‘m not alone! What the heck?!?!? 1mo
julieclair I didn‘t get to read The Blue Castle, so I can‘t speak to the plagiarism issue. I‘ve always wanted to read The Blue Castle, but think I‘ll skip it if it‘s like this book. 1mo
BarbaraJean @julieclair I will say: don't judge Blue Castle based on this one!! With Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and AoGG, I felt like LMM said “I can make this better“—and she did. Here, it's like that Wuthering Heights meme: “I can make him worse.“ McCullough uses lots of similar plot points, but the quality is night and day. I feel like McCullough changed the parts that make Blue Castle work so well, wrote them poorly, then made the romance rapey and icky. 3w
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BarbaraJean
The Ladies of Missalonghi | Colleen McCullough
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Just a quick check-in partway through Ladies of Missalonghi!

How are you enjoying the book so far?
What are your first impressions?
How many plagiarism-like similarities have you found so far between this and Blue Castle?!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

BarbaraJean Besides the similarities to Blue Castle, I‘ve been struck by a lot of dialogue that‘s hilarious, but surprising, for a book set just before WWI. I‘ll post a couple quotes! I‘m really enjoying Una as a character, but was a bit ambivalent about Missy until the bridal shower and its aftermath. 1mo
DrSabrinaMoldenReads I got mine yesterday 1mo
BarbaraJean @DrSabrinaMoldenReads I feel that—I had to read the first half on Internet Archive because my library hold didn‘t come in till yesterday! 1mo
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TheAromaofBooks I just started this morning, because of the no-chapter thing I knew I wouldn't be able to stop 😂 I'm enjoying it, but parts of it do feel like quite the copy! I don't remember the history of this one - did the author acknowledge LMM in any way? 1mo
rubyslippersreads I‘ve already finished. There are certainly similarities; it feels as though the author started with the premise of TBC (whether intentionally or accidentally) and then took off from there. (edited) 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks McCullough claimed “subconscious recollection“ in response to accusations of plagiarism. She said she'd read LMM's books when she was young & the similarities were due to subconsciously remembering TBC rather than intentionally copying. That defense rings false to me! @rubyslippersreads Yep, it seems to diverge more as the book goes on (at least so far--I'm a little over halfway), but it certainly feels like she started with TBC. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks In fairness, this IS a bit like a weird fever-dream version of TBC 😂 The parts that feel plagerism-y to me are sentences that are almost word-for-word to something in TBC. The flip side is - I ended up justifying LMM's similarities between Anne and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm - is this just something similar...??? 1mo
lauraisntwilder I've just started today and, so far, it's the same book -- but this edition has illustrations for some reason. 1mo
BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Hahaha... I had the same thought about Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Anne! This is way more blatant. I could dismiss the similarities with Rebecca as coincidence or unintentional. But here, these CANNOT be accidental/subconscious similarities. 1mo
TheAromaofBooks It's true, there were definitely passages that felt like she had just kind of reworded something directly from The Blue Castle. And where Anne was a far superior version of Rebecca, Ladies definitely was the absolute worst version of Blue Castle that I could imagine (worse, really, because I NEVER would have imagined most of this 😂) 1mo
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review
BarbaraJean
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Mehso-so

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. While I‘m open to learning from faith traditions other than my own, some of the language around suffering felt a lot like spiritual bypassing. Peerman‘s definition of and subsequent approach to suffering seemed to actively exclude harm imposed by others (abuse, oppression, structural inequalities, etc.)—which often made his approach feel overly simplistic, privileged, and potentially damaging. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) The author eventually addresses how action can and should arise from the practices he describes, but it‘s late in the book & feels tacked on—I felt it was limited in acknowledging broader suffering that‘s not just a product of our own thoughts about pain. A few caveats earlier on in the book would have been extremely helpful in reframing the content to guard against the simplistic answers and spiritual bypassing that are so easy to do.⤵️ 1mo
BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) That said, I noticed a lot of helpful parallels between the two faith traditions that expanded my view of how to approach suffering in my own life. Looking back over the book, I see a lot of value in the practices he suggests—for myself and for my work as a spiritual director, to guide others through investigating thoughts and emotions with curiosity and kindness. So: this lands somewhere between a pick and a so-so! 1mo
BarbaraJean This was my October #DoubleSpin (and a required read for my spiritual direction program) @TheAromaofBooks 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 1mo
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BarbaraJean
Cozy Halloween: Cozy Mystery Boxed Set | Addison Moore, Bellamy Bloom
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#5JoysFriday

❄️ Grand-niece‘s preschool Halloween parade (she was Elsa and her bestie was Moana 🥹)
🎹 Sunday jazz with some new original tunes
🎷Spooky jazz concert last night (setlist included “Candyman,” Bing Crosby‘s Headless Horseman, “You Put a Spell on Me,” and the theme from Beetlejuice, among others!)
🎃 Frog & Toad and Pumpkin Cottage (by India Rose Crawford)
🙏🏼 Two fantastic, encouraging meetings with my spiritual director and mentor

kspenmoll Adorable! 🧡 1mo
dabbe 🧡🎃🖤 1mo
AnnCrystal 😍💝💝💝💝💝. 1mo
peanutnine Spooky jazz sounds fun! 1mo
28 likes4 comments
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BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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#BookSpinBingo for October yielded no bingos, but FOUR almost-bingos 😆 I planned to grab a bingo by reading Midnight Is a Place as my 1984 pick for #192025…then discovered I made a typo on the pub year—it was published in 1974 🤦🏻‍♀️

I DID finish both #BookSpin & #DoubleSpin, though—and am now caught up on all but one past spins! Also, some great reads this month. Favorites:
Remains of the Day
The Blue Castle (re-read)
Mr. McFadden‘s Halloween

BarbaraJean Honorable mention favorites:
Lost Evangeline
The Owl Service
Alanna
1mo
SamanthaMarie I love The Blue Castle. Such a good book. We are also huge Swallows and Amazons fans here!! 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fabulous month!! 1mo
23 likes3 comments
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BarbaraJean
BookSpinBingo | Untitled
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November #BookSpin list! I‘ve got a few for #NonfictionNovember, my remaining #192025 books which are also my remaining #10beforetheend books, and various challenges, book groups, and buddy reads!

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo
25 likes1 comment
review
BarbaraJean
The Owl Service | Alan Garner
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Pickpick

This is a creepy little tale set in West Wales, with connections to the Mabinogion (which I now want to re-read! Maybe it‘s time to pull out that Charlotte Guest translation I‘ve always meant to read). The focus is on three children and their discovery of a set of old plates in the attic—a discovery that pulls them into embodying the same legend that has played out generation after generation. ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) The book is economical in its details, offering the bare minimum for the reader to piece together connections between present day & history, folklore & legend. The slow build of tension, with children at the center, was increasingly disquieting. I don‘t know if I‘d have liked this as a child—it‘s puzzling, fascinating, and troubling. But it was well worth the read now, and a perfect book for October. 1mo
BarbaraJean Another book completed for #10beforetheend! This is my #1967 pick for #192025. @ChaoticMissAdventures @Librarybelle 1mo
Luke-XVX Childhood favourite of mine 1mo
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ChaoticMissAdventures ✔ ✔ 💓 1mo
Librarybelle Yay!! 1mo
LeahBergen It‘s so good! 1mo
Centique I loved this but I had to have a real think at the end to puzzle out what I thought was happening. A real mind bender of a book! 1mo
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review
BarbaraJean
A Spell of Good Things | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Oof. This was rough—from injustice and political corruption to violence. The title doesn‘t so much describe a season of good things, but rather comments on the impermanence of good things.

I read this based on the strength of Adebayo‘s first book, Stay with Me—which was SO GOOD. This didn‘t quite measure up. It follows two characters from vastly different circumstances: 16-year-old Eniola (“a boy who looks like a man”), whose family struggles ⤵️

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d)…to make ends meet; and 28-year-old Wuraola, a young doctor from a wealthy & well-connected family, who‘s on the verge of becoming engaged. The narrative alternates between the two, but the connections between their stories are minimal—besides highlighting the contrast between the privileged & the disadvantaged, and their common societal pressures to measure up that backfire in dramatic & horrific ways. LOTS of trigger warnings here. 1mo
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