Monica Reads is co-published by InDepthNH.org and Manchester Ink Link

MONICA READS By Monica West, a review

The Little Shop of Found Things
By Paula Brackston

An interesting read. Paula Brackston is a wordsmith extraordinaire.  You will love her descriptions of people and country side. 

She embraces the colors surrounding her as she travels from present time to the 1600s.  Yes, she is a time traveler.  She also loves her vintage English taxi.

Her mother copes well with divorce, arthritis and lack of money.  They, mother and daughter, buy an antique shop that needs cleaning, painting and advertising before they can open.  Xanthe is the main character and has a gift that transports information from antiques of their past and from people who owned them.  If you think she sees ghosts, you are correct.  There is an ethereal feeling in her descriptive powers.

Marlborough, England is an enchanting town that you will love to visit.  Her gift of voice allows her to mingle with the town citizens.  Some become her friends and they are a great collection of interesting people.  They have historical knowledge of the place and share a lot of information with Xanthe.

You will be an invited guest to the Great Chalfield Manor both presently and in the 1600s.  You will find out what a chatelaine is and its purpose.  You will also find interest in what justice was like in the 1600s in the English countryside.  You will meet her coming and going and bringing song to each era.  Xanthe helps resolve a long-past injustice to the satisfaction of those unfairly charged and helps the ghost of times past return to her rightful place of peace.

This was a really good read and you will find it very worthwhile. 

Monica West reviews books for InDepthNH.org. Monica is known for her love of history and her lifelong love for reading. She has a bachelor’s degree in History, with a minor in English. “My years of reading for leisure and pleasure have given me the insight to read a book and analyze the author’s baggage, cargo and ability to write the language of his/her mind and utilize the gift of prose to educate and entertain the reader. Go get a book, read it and enjoy the adventure.” Contact Monica at mawest@tds.net