Book: The Orphanage Author: Lizzie Page Pub Day: August 27th 2021
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 About the Book: Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1948. She was their only hope. Now they are hers. A gritty, heartbreaking and unforgettable story of love and hope in the darkest of times. Clara Newton is the new Housemother of Shilling Grange Orphanage. Many of the children have been bombed out of their homes and left without families, their lives torn apart by the war, just like Clara’s. Devastated by the loss of her fiancé, a brave American pilot, she is just looking for a place to start again. But the orphans are in desperate need of her help. Funds are short, children cry out in the night, and tearful Rita tells Clara terrible stories about the nuns who previously ran Shilling Grange. Clara cannot bear to see them suffer, but what does she know about how to look after eight little ones? Clara can’t get anything right, and then she accidentally ruins Rita’s only memento of her mother. Overwhelmed, she wonders if they’d be better off without her. But she’s not completely alone. Living next door is Ivor: ex-Shilling Grange resident, war hero, and handyman with deep brown eyes. He doesn’t trust Clara and she is fiercely independent, but he has a way with the children. And with his support and the help of other locals, Clara begins to find her way. As she heals from her grief and adjusts to her new life, Clara wonders if she has finally found her home and family among the orphans. Can she find the strength to fight for them when nobody else will? And dare she open her heart to love again? A heart-wrenching and totally gripping read. Fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloe and The Orphan Sisters won’t be able to put this book down.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Orphanage' by Lizzie Page.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lizzie Page, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 27th August 2021.
This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Shilling Grange Children's Home' series.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloe and The Orphan Sisters won’t be able to put this book down.' I am a huge fan of 'Before We Were Yours' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 51 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Clara Newton. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
'The Orphanage' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Lizzie discusses/includes child abuse and neglect.
Wow!!! What an absolutely captivating heart warning read. LIZZIE WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING ALL THIS TIME?!? This may have been the first book I have read by her but it most definitely won't be the last!!!
This book is absolutely beautifully written and it had me absorbed from the first page to the last. The vivid descriptions really put me in the storyline with Clara and the children and the cover and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.
The story itself was quite unique for me as in I have never actually read a fictional book about a children's home. I have read several non fiction foster books but never any fictional so I was looking forward to see if I would be as drawn in with fiction as I am with non fiction and I most certainly was!!! The storyline is filled with heartbreak, love, friendship, shocks, tension, sadness, hope and much more. My mind and heart was completely captivated throughout and I couldn't stop turning the pages from start to end. I was completely shocked and saddened by one event but I can't say I was completely surprised in regards to Peter, I can't say any more than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. There are several parts where I found tears running down my face which isn't an easy feat so you may want a box of tissues on standby and I would definitely clear your schedules and this really is unputdownable. I cannot wait until the next book in this beautiful and amazing series comes out!!! If it is half as addictive as this then it is bound to be a winner!!!
It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but the main characters who we see throughout the series too. I had absolutely nothing to worry about, I absolutely fell in love with the kids and I absolutely adored Clara in what she was doing for them. I love that the main protagonist was a strong female who went from someone who seemed to have certainly chosen the wrong job and really annoyed me on several occasions with her materialistic ways to a fighter and a role model for the children and I enjoyed watching her grow and develop. I look forward to meeting her again in the next book in this wonderful series. I could not stand Mrs Harrington who I found to be horrible and insensitive nor Julian who I found to be a stuck up fox killer from the start. I absolutely adored Ivor and although I was gutted for someone about something (don't want to give anything away for future readers) I am glad that it was not predictable like many books are. I am looking forward to seeing what happens with a certain Ruby. I loved all the children who each had their own unique personalities. I found Terry and Peg very sweet, Alex made me laugh on several occasions and as for Billy and Barry I must say the Weasley twins definitely came to mind!!!! An absolutely fantastic mix of characters and I am looking forward to meeting Clara, Ivor, the current children and the new children in the next book.
Congratulations Lizzie on an absolutely gorgeous book and welcome to my favourite authour list. Here is to the next book in what is promising to be an addictive series.
Overall an absolutely heartwarming, soul lifting unputdownable book that will captivate your heart, body and mind.
Genres covered in this book include Saga, Coming-Of-Age Story, Historical Fiction and War Story amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Before We Were Yours', Casey Watson, Harry Keeble, Shane Dunphy, Louise Allen, Angela Hart and anyone looking for a heartwarming book on children's homes.
373 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free if you have kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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@LizziePage @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
Author Bio
Lizzie Page is the pseudonym of Sam Lierens, a mum of three, who (for some reason) got a puppy this year. Sam has lived and worked in Paris, Tokyo and London and loves combining her love of history with fiction.
Social Media
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Buy Links:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B093X27P2Wcover
Apple: http://ow.ly/7Nld50EEanR
Kobo: http://ow.ly/2ZFx50EEall
Google: http://ow.ly/ZF3150EEaqu
Audible:
UK: zpr.io/gwTQHV5t9LNA
US: zpr.io/NHKazyTf4LBR
https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/the-orphanage-by-lizzie-page-narrated-by-emily-barber
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