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Lilly Stars #1
The Lilly Stars
In a dimly lit room in an 1890’s tenement house on Delancey Street, Lilly brushes the hair out of her mother’s face as she lies languishing in the last stages of tuberculosis. Reluctantly, Lilly succumbs to her own exhaustion, falling asleep by her mother’s side as she whispers her last words.
Lilly wakes up in Connecticut’s vast countryside on a farm under the temporary care of Doctor Ashby, the doctor who tried to save her mother’s life. Feeling alone, she struggles to accept her mother’s death while adjusting to the new world she has found herself in, a world of uncertainty.
Forging relationships with Doctor Ashby and his family, Lilly discovers they are as much in need of her as she is of them, while her loyal and untamed friend, Laurie, never fails to bring life into her soul and adventure into her heart even in her darkest times.
As Lilly is going through her mother’s things, she happens upon letters revealing a past her mother hid from her compelling Lilly to remember her mother’s last whispered words, exposing lies that Lilly built her life upon, forever altering her future.
Lilly wakes up in Connecticut’s vast countryside on a farm under the temporary care of Doctor Ashby, the doctor who tried to save her mother’s life. Feeling alone, she struggles to accept her mother’s death while adjusting to the new world she has found herself in, a world of uncertainty.
Forging relationships with Doctor Ashby and his family, Lilly discovers they are as much in need of her as she is of them, while her loyal and untamed friend, Laurie, never fails to bring life into her soul and adventure into her heart even in her darkest times.
As Lilly is going through her mother’s things, she happens upon letters revealing a past her mother hid from her compelling Lilly to remember her mother’s last whispered words, exposing lies that Lilly built her life upon, forever altering her future.
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 29, 2015
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538 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 3, 2016
This book was sent to me by the author Erin Waters. It takes place in 1890 and has great characters ... they take on a life of their own. The book is beautiful from the cover to the end. It is a coming of age story about a young girl who loses her mother early to tuberculosis and is taken in by a doctor and his family. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction. Hopefully the author will write a sequel sometime.
July 2, 2016
Lilly Farrington has spent the entirety of her young life with her mother and the companionship of her best friend, Laurie. Growing up in a tenement house in a poor part of the city, their lives are not extravagant, but Lilly has never wanted for anything. The love and affection given to her by her mother, and Laurie’s companionship, are her dearest possessions, and that she and her mother might have been less than well-off has never bothered her, nor been something to consider. Her small world is thrown into upheaval when her mother succumbs to tuberculosis, and Lilly wakes up in the home of the doctor that was fetched to treat her mother. Realizing that she is truly alone in the world - she has never met her mother’s parents, no does she know the location of her father – Lilly dares to hope that a home might be found for her at the farmhouse of Dr. Ashby, with him and his two sons.
I opened The Lilly Stars without any idea of what to expect, though I had some guesses. While it wasn’t completely what I expected, I was pleasantly surprised by this compelling coming-of-age tale. More character-driven than plot-driven, this story kept me eager to turn the pages, curious to see how things would turn out for Lilly. Steeped in the language and day-to-day life of an 1800’s Connecticut farm, this story set me firmly in the pages of history and into Lilly’s life.
These characters, this setting, and Lilly’s precarious grasp on her new life captivated me from the first page. The beauty and charm of the Connecticut farmhouse, the interaction between Lilly and the two brothers, as well as her developing relationship with Nellie, the Ashby's housekeeper, gave me the feeling of Anne of Green Gables, only more realistic and gritty. Erin somehow manages to infuse a certain sweetness into the story, without ever being too saccharine. The story remains true to the realities of that life in the late 1800’s, true to the fact that, were it not for Dr. Ashby, Lilly’s life might have taken a very different turn upon her mother’s death. Laurie is now alone in the world and must secure work in order to take care of herself, but despite the differences coming into their lives, their friendship remains stalwart, a beacon shining into the darkness of their lives.
I think I was most touched by Lilly’s memories of her mother, and how she comes to terms with her death. Her memories bring her both comfort and heartache -
I am so happy to see that there is going to be more of Lilly’s story to come. With a hint of mystery about her mother’s past, spoken of through letters she finds in her mother’s belongings, it seems this story has only scratched the surface of Lilly’s heritage, and the possibility of finding members of her family. I encourage readers who enjoy historical coming-of-age stories to pick up The Lilly Stars.
I opened The Lilly Stars without any idea of what to expect, though I had some guesses. While it wasn’t completely what I expected, I was pleasantly surprised by this compelling coming-of-age tale. More character-driven than plot-driven, this story kept me eager to turn the pages, curious to see how things would turn out for Lilly. Steeped in the language and day-to-day life of an 1800’s Connecticut farm, this story set me firmly in the pages of history and into Lilly’s life.
These characters, this setting, and Lilly’s precarious grasp on her new life captivated me from the first page. The beauty and charm of the Connecticut farmhouse, the interaction between Lilly and the two brothers, as well as her developing relationship with Nellie, the Ashby's housekeeper, gave me the feeling of Anne of Green Gables, only more realistic and gritty. Erin somehow manages to infuse a certain sweetness into the story, without ever being too saccharine. The story remains true to the realities of that life in the late 1800’s, true to the fact that, were it not for Dr. Ashby, Lilly’s life might have taken a very different turn upon her mother’s death. Laurie is now alone in the world and must secure work in order to take care of herself, but despite the differences coming into their lives, their friendship remains stalwart, a beacon shining into the darkness of their lives.
I think I was most touched by Lilly’s memories of her mother, and how she comes to terms with her death. Her memories bring her both comfort and heartache -
"Shhh," she hushed, "I am still here; just listen to the beats of my heart."
"But for how long?" I squeaked through my crying, trying to calm myself down so I could hear them."
"For as long as you need me."
"I will always need you."
"Then, I will always be with you, no matter what. You are a part of me. Since the day you started to grow inside me, you were mine, my Lilly. My Lilly with the most beautiful, big, brown eyes that stared up at me when I first held you in my arms."
She squeezed me tighter, and I held her as tight as I could back.
I am so happy to see that there is going to be more of Lilly’s story to come. With a hint of mystery about her mother’s past, spoken of through letters she finds in her mother’s belongings, it seems this story has only scratched the surface of Lilly’s heritage, and the possibility of finding members of her family. I encourage readers who enjoy historical coming-of-age stories to pick up The Lilly Stars.
May 31, 2016
A young girl consumed with grief after the death of her mother. She had no one. Her father had left before she knew him.
A kind doctor with a family took her in to care for her, since she was also sick. She became fast friends with the doctors sons.
I loved all the characters in the story. It was filled with warmth and love, just what Lilly needed.
In a loving way they let her learn from her mistakes .
I wished the story would continue.
This book need a sequel.
Kudos to the author for her beautiful style of writing.
This book was a gift from the author, for my honest review.
A kind doctor with a family took her in to care for her, since she was also sick. She became fast friends with the doctors sons.
I loved all the characters in the story. It was filled with warmth and love, just what Lilly needed.
In a loving way they let her learn from her mistakes .
I wished the story would continue.
This book need a sequel.
Kudos to the author for her beautiful style of writing.
This book was a gift from the author, for my honest review.
March 8, 2016
In 1890 Lilly loses her only parent, her Mom. The doctor that tried to treat her Mom takes her home to raise with his children, at least temporarily. The journey Lilly takes, both figuratively and literally brings challenges and surprises. Not all surprises are good. The book was well-written and the characters very likable. My only disappointment was that I didn't know it was a set up for a sequel, or two. I felt dissatisfied that some of the most important questions were not answered. I guess that is as it was intended, but not as I wished.
December 12, 2019
The novel set in the late 19th century begins with Lilly's mother dying of tuberculosis and Lilly is taken in by a kind doctor to live on his farm with his 2 sons. Lilly is 13 years old when this occurs. She has been told that her father died when she was 4 years old so has no memories of him. Lilly develops close relationships with Dr. Ashby, the housekeeper Nellie, and Dr. Ashby's son, Ethan. Another key character is Laurie, Lilly's best friend. Laurie and Lilly became friends when they lived in the same building and their friendship is a strong influence on Lilly.
I really enjoyed this novel but was so disappointed with the ending that I have only given it a 3 star rating. All the way through the novel, the author alludes to secrets that Lilly's mother had kept from her and then at the very end, Lilly remembers something very significant her mother told her just as she was dying. This memory is going to set her on a search for a key person in her life. However, then the novel just ends with no answers at all. There are other loose ends in the story as well. It appears that a sequel was intended but apparently was never written.
I really enjoyed this novel but was so disappointed with the ending that I have only given it a 3 star rating. All the way through the novel, the author alludes to secrets that Lilly's mother had kept from her and then at the very end, Lilly remembers something very significant her mother told her just as she was dying. This memory is going to set her on a search for a key person in her life. However, then the novel just ends with no answers at all. There are other loose ends in the story as well. It appears that a sequel was intended but apparently was never written.
June 2, 2016
They may not have had much, but Lilly and her mother had each other. Their small, cramped apartment in one of the neediest sections of the city is not where they truly belong as evidenced by her mother's refined manners and education. Then illness strikes and Lilly pushes herself to the point of exhaustion nursing her mother. A doctor arrives too late and Lilly collapses under her grief and fatigue. She next awakes in the farmhouse of kindly Dr. Ashby, a widower, and his sons Lawrence and Ethan. He has brought her to his home to heal, unwilling to abandon her to her own devices in the city. She thrives within the Ashby household, but feels that her fate hangs on the edge....what will happen when she recovers her health? Will she be forced to return to the city alone? And what about the bundle of letters she finds hidden among her mother's belongings? The Lilly Stars is a well written piece of historic fiction. The characters and plot are well developed, and I found myself longing to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book.
March 26, 2016
Waters effectively transports the reader to a different time, using language and imagery to paint a picture of what life was like in the late 1800s. The characters are well developed and consistent throughout the story. Some books are driven by hard story lines or plot, but I found The Lilly Stars to rely heavily on these characters (I prefer character driven stories, so was a plus for me). They were the meat of the story and your attachment to them as a reader is what kept the pages turning. Overall, a very enjoyable read!
Want to read
December 19, 2015I received this book through the First Reads giveaway program on Goodreads. Review to follow.
April 5, 2023
Just finished the book, it’s awesome
The writing style is flawless. She writes in a way that you can mentally lay out the whole book don’t to the last strand of hair in Ethan’s face. About half of the first chapter you won’t really understand what’s going on but just keep reading. It’ll make sense. She’ll jump a bit but never too much to make you confused. And it all makes sense. Like I said amazing! She writes so well you get pulled in. It wraps up well while still leaving room for the next book. I’ve already recommended it to some friends. 👍👍
The writing style is flawless. She writes in a way that you can mentally lay out the whole book don’t to the last strand of hair in Ethan’s face. About half of the first chapter you won’t really understand what’s going on but just keep reading. It’ll make sense. She’ll jump a bit but never too much to make you confused. And it all makes sense. Like I said amazing! She writes so well you get pulled in. It wraps up well while still leaving room for the next book. I’ve already recommended it to some friends. 👍👍
July 27, 2017
I couldn't put it down.
I was addicted after 5 chapters. Read it until 4 am..._and that is saying something! This book is the modern version of Anne of Green Gable.
Lilly is Anne and her best friend Laurie is Diana. You get the picture.
overall it is great read, but I did wish the editor could removed some of the useless descriptions and get to the point... Hence 1 start less.
I was addicted after 5 chapters. Read it until 4 am..._and that is saying something! This book is the modern version of Anne of Green Gable.
Lilly is Anne and her best friend Laurie is Diana. You get the picture.
overall it is great read, but I did wish the editor could removed some of the useless descriptions and get to the point... Hence 1 start less.
July 27, 2016
The cover of this book had me hooked on sight: the lush colors and pretty fonts made it nearly irresistible. And from the reviews, it sounded like a book I would absolutely love, it being character-driven, coming-of-age historical fiction. But it was not to be.
The plot centers around Lilly, a young girl who loses her mother to tuberculosis and is taken in by the attending doctor and his family. All the members of the household, the doctor, his two sons, and the housemaid, help Lilly come to terms with the death of her mother and become influential in Lilly's healing process. At the same time, Lilly unknowingly is a source of light and hope in a household also touched by sadness. A major theme of this story is grief and the healing that comes in community. Sounds amazing, doesn't it?
So what went wrong? To put it simply, this book is poorly written. It has heart and comes from good intentions but all is marred by the awful storytelling.
The story is extremely bloated with extraneous details and dialog. Most meals are described in painful detail, furniture and clothing are focused on unnecessarily. Yet in all that detail, you don't get a good feel for the historical period. And strangely some details are entirely left out. For example, I kept wondering what Lilly's best friend Laurie looks like.
Nearly every page is littered with filter words that bog down and disconnect the reader from the story. The prose is inelegant and suffers from awkward sentence structure and poor word choices.
Repetition is another of this book's great sins. Lilly's inner thought life is examined with microscopic detail and the same thoughts and questions recur endlessly. Within paragraphs, ideas are repeated multiple times. Scenes are replayed multiple times through different perspectives.
A pet peeve of mine is characters that are over-the-top emotionally and have hair triggers. This book is filled such characters, most notably Lilly, who regularly flies off the handle at the slightest provocation. Like a movie with bad actors, the overplaying of the character's emotions makes them laughable and fake.
What sealed my 1-star rating of this book, was the way it ended. Throughout the book, there is a mystery built up surrounding Lilly's father. It only makes sense that the main tension-building agent of the story would have some sort of resolution to it. But, no, you are only left with a bunch of unanswered questions. While I understand leaving some loose ends in a story for a sequel, I don't think it is fair to build up tension with absolutely no resolution.
I do think this book has potential and that there is a kernel of goodness present. With some drastic editing, it could probably be an enjoyable read and worthy of its beautiful cover.
* Many thanks to the author for sharing her work with me. I promised a review in exchange for a free copy. My review, like it or not, has been completely and painfully honest.
The plot centers around Lilly, a young girl who loses her mother to tuberculosis and is taken in by the attending doctor and his family. All the members of the household, the doctor, his two sons, and the housemaid, help Lilly come to terms with the death of her mother and become influential in Lilly's healing process. At the same time, Lilly unknowingly is a source of light and hope in a household also touched by sadness. A major theme of this story is grief and the healing that comes in community. Sounds amazing, doesn't it?
So what went wrong? To put it simply, this book is poorly written. It has heart and comes from good intentions but all is marred by the awful storytelling.
The story is extremely bloated with extraneous details and dialog. Most meals are described in painful detail, furniture and clothing are focused on unnecessarily. Yet in all that detail, you don't get a good feel for the historical period. And strangely some details are entirely left out. For example, I kept wondering what Lilly's best friend Laurie looks like.
Nearly every page is littered with filter words that bog down and disconnect the reader from the story. The prose is inelegant and suffers from awkward sentence structure and poor word choices.
Repetition is another of this book's great sins. Lilly's inner thought life is examined with microscopic detail and the same thoughts and questions recur endlessly. Within paragraphs, ideas are repeated multiple times. Scenes are replayed multiple times through different perspectives.
A pet peeve of mine is characters that are over-the-top emotionally and have hair triggers. This book is filled such characters, most notably Lilly, who regularly flies off the handle at the slightest provocation. Like a movie with bad actors, the overplaying of the character's emotions makes them laughable and fake.
What sealed my 1-star rating of this book, was the way it ended. Throughout the book, there is a mystery built up surrounding Lilly's father. It only makes sense that the main tension-building agent of the story would have some sort of resolution to it. But, no, you are only left with a bunch of unanswered questions. While I understand leaving some loose ends in a story for a sequel, I don't think it is fair to build up tension with absolutely no resolution.
I do think this book has potential and that there is a kernel of goodness present. With some drastic editing, it could probably be an enjoyable read and worthy of its beautiful cover.
* Many thanks to the author for sharing her work with me. I promised a review in exchange for a free copy. My review, like it or not, has been completely and painfully honest.
September 1, 2016
In a small, one room apartment on Delancey Street in the 1890's, Lilly watches as her mother lies dyi9ng of tuberculosis. The doctor cannot sdo anything to save gher and Lilly falls asleep in her mother's arms, her mother's final words the last thing she hears.
Lilly wakes up in the home of Doctor Ashby. She had caught the tuberculosis that killed her mother and Doctor Ashby brought her home so that she could be treated. She never expected to fall in love with the Ashby farm or to make friends with the Ashby's themselves.
As her time on the farm passes, Lilly discovers letters written to her mother, which leads her to question who her mother really was and forces her on a journey to remember her mother's dying words.
I have completely fallen in love with this book and the character Lilly.
The cover artwork is beautiful. I am happy with the beautiful ribbon which helps to capture the dress of the time period. The fact that I cannot see the girl's face, helps me to envision her the way that she comes across in my own head without feeling like I am being untrue to the character's description.
The story itself is well written, thought out and easily understood. I experienced no difficulty with any of the vocabulary. I also was happy to discover that the author knew what she was writing about, that she did the research, it is obvious by her bibliography.
I was immediately captured by the character of Lilly. Her dynamics are fitting for a girl of her age and yet she was able to grow and mature as the story progressed. She has a very interesting personality and her temper is very believable.
The Ashby's are the kind of people you want as good friends or neighbors. It's not hard at all to imagine the picturesque farm or the charming neighbors. The characters of the town and minor characters are equally as interesting in their own way. The friendships and connections are real and believable. The kind of friendships you still hold dear, or that you wish you had if you never did.
The story line itself isn't adventurous or thrilling in the normal way of many books but it is a very inviting and enjoyable historical fiction. It is a wonderful, inspiring story of one girl overcoming tragedy and discovering her way in the world.
I am a definite fan and this is now one of my favorites next to "Anne of Green Gables."
I would recommend this book to fans of "Anne of Green gables." This is another story that I feel will be loved by generations of readers both young and old.
I was sent ,my copy of this book by the author, Erin Waters, for the sole purpose of reading and writing an honest review.
stephanietiner.weebly.com
Lilly wakes up in the home of Doctor Ashby. She had caught the tuberculosis that killed her mother and Doctor Ashby brought her home so that she could be treated. She never expected to fall in love with the Ashby farm or to make friends with the Ashby's themselves.
As her time on the farm passes, Lilly discovers letters written to her mother, which leads her to question who her mother really was and forces her on a journey to remember her mother's dying words.
I have completely fallen in love with this book and the character Lilly.
The cover artwork is beautiful. I am happy with the beautiful ribbon which helps to capture the dress of the time period. The fact that I cannot see the girl's face, helps me to envision her the way that she comes across in my own head without feeling like I am being untrue to the character's description.
The story itself is well written, thought out and easily understood. I experienced no difficulty with any of the vocabulary. I also was happy to discover that the author knew what she was writing about, that she did the research, it is obvious by her bibliography.
I was immediately captured by the character of Lilly. Her dynamics are fitting for a girl of her age and yet she was able to grow and mature as the story progressed. She has a very interesting personality and her temper is very believable.
The Ashby's are the kind of people you want as good friends or neighbors. It's not hard at all to imagine the picturesque farm or the charming neighbors. The characters of the town and minor characters are equally as interesting in their own way. The friendships and connections are real and believable. The kind of friendships you still hold dear, or that you wish you had if you never did.
The story line itself isn't adventurous or thrilling in the normal way of many books but it is a very inviting and enjoyable historical fiction. It is a wonderful, inspiring story of one girl overcoming tragedy and discovering her way in the world.
I am a definite fan and this is now one of my favorites next to "Anne of Green Gables."
I would recommend this book to fans of "Anne of Green gables." This is another story that I feel will be loved by generations of readers both young and old.
I was sent ,my copy of this book by the author, Erin Waters, for the sole purpose of reading and writing an honest review.
stephanietiner.weebly.com
July 11, 2016
I do not hold onto books; when I am done I pass them on for others to read. Very rarely do I hold onto a book to possible read again. However, while I intend to share this book, I will not be giving to book away. It will have a home on my shelf for years to come. This book was delightful! When I was young I read several classic coming of age books, including Anne of Green Gables and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. This book had the same feel to it. Lilly is a young lady to fall in love with. You want to know more about her life and to see her mature into a wonderful adult. I hope that this author writes more stories about Lilly, Laurie and the Ashbys. I want to know more about them.
I want to thank the author for sending me this book to review. I can't wait to share it with my daughter.
I want to thank the author for sending me this book to review. I can't wait to share it with my daughter.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews