I must preface this by saying that I have read all of Paula Brackston’s “witch” books and enjoyed them immensely, so it went without saying that I would read anything new that she wrote. And I’m very happy that I read her newest novel, The Little Shop of Found Things. While this isn’t a novel about witches, it is a story with magical qualities and interesting characters that made it very hard to put down.

Xanthe is a special woman who sells antiques with her mother and has the ability to “feel” certain things about the most special items that come into her life. Moving to a new town to start their life over again, Xanthe and her mother, Flora, buy an old antique shop in need of a lot of love and cleaning. While attending an auction to buy items to fill their new shop, Xanthe is drawn to one particular item and must have it. That item takes her on an adventure through time where she must come to the aid of a young girl or else risk the consequences of a very angry ghost. Sounds intriguing? It is, believe me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters come to life and take you on a journey that you will not soon forget. Once again, Ms. Brackston has created a unique world with interesting characters. It is a story you will not want to miss.

(I received a copy of this novel from the NetGalley and the publisher and have given an honest review.)

The mother/daughter relationship is often a fraught one in literature. There are mothers attempting to live out their dreams through their daughters, and daughters who have to take over the running of the family when the mother is unable to. There are fewer stories where a mother and daughter have a strong relationship that doesn’t revolve around something like the gaining of political power or the drive to get one or the other married off to some desirable suitor. The Little Shop of Found Things is one of these few stories where the mother and daughter can not only stand to be under the same roof together, but each one genuinely cares about the other.

When Xanthe Westlake and her mother Flora move to the picturesque town of Marlborough, they are both seeking a chance to start anew after the disastrous implosions of both their romantic relationships. Together, Xanthe and Flora purchased an old house filled with antiques in a bid to continue the little business they began in London. This time around, though, they seek to turn their shop into a solid business aided by Xanthe’s strange gift. When she touches certain items, Xanthe can sense their history; she can tell, for example, that a century earlier a sea captain bought a tea kettle for his beloved daughter. This ability is useful for an antique dealer. Customers love a good story, after all, and Xanthe’s tales have the benefit of being true. But during an auction at a historical manor house, she becomes obsessed with a chatelaine and nearly blows their budget to buy it.

The chatelaine proves to be an item of deep, personal significance to the ghost of Mrs. Merton, who has haunted Xanthe and Flora’s house for four hundred years. She has been waiting for the right person to come along and right a centuries’ old wrong. Xanthe, it seems, is that person, and goes back to the turn of the seventeenth century. To prevent an innocent woman from being hanged in the 1600s and stop Mrs. Merton from hurting her mother back in the modern age, Xanthe must learn to blend in with people of a different era and solve a mystery before time runs out.

The synopsis for this book compares it to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, and the similarities are definitely there-- a modern woman is transported back to an earlier century and must learn to navigate through a world that is alien to her. If she fails to blend in, she could be murdered by people who suspect her of witchcraft. Along the way, our heroines find the possibility of love and wonder if their actions will change the course of history. That is where most of the similarities end, though. The Little Shop of Found Things is much lighter than Outlander and the romance is not as all-consuming. I found this to be a mark in The Little Shop of Found Things’s favor as torrid romances are not something I care for. Brackston’s characters were what kept me turning the pages, not the possibility of a romantic encounter.

A book’s characters are its prime factors, in my opinion. Great characters can pull a bad plot along, but bad characters will ruin a great plot. Brackston has a cast full of interesting and realistic characters in both the sixteenth- and twenty-first-century settings. From the exhausted but cheerful kitchen maid of 1605 to the charming auto mechanic of 2018, all the characters feel well-rounded. There are no real villains-- even the worst characters in this story have their reasons and motive. Their society's rules push them into doing what they do. They motivated by the desire to survive and keep their families from falling into ruin.

While I quickly came to care about Xanthe, I did have one issue with her ability to sense certain items’ histories: her gift seemed to have been forgotten in the latter half of the book, and so it seemed more like a plot device to get the story rolling rather than an ingrained part of Xanthe’s character.

The writing, too, let me down a few times. Towards the beginning, when Xanthe and Flora were first moving into the house, Brackston wrote about the house’s contents in great detail. I know that their antique business was the center of their lives at that moment, but I could have done without the massive inventory and descriptions disrupting the flow of the story. There were also a few instances where Brackston dumped several paragraphs’ worth of historical information on the reader’s head, which also slowed the story. I think that could have been done more concisely to keep things moving while imparting the information. Luckily, though, it only happens a few times and so is more of a minor distraction than a major stumbling block. If you can push through those few pages of excess information, you will find a solid, engaging story about a young woman who must face ghosts both within and without in to save two lives-- one in the far past and one in her own present.

Well when I first started reading I didn't have a big chunk of time to sit and read but when I had time to put my full focus into the book I read well into the night to finish it.

This was my first foray into the world of Ms. Brackston's books and characters and I was completely enthralled by her attention to detail and the flow of the storyline.

Xanthe and her mother, Flora has decided to make a big life change and start anew in the countryside village of Marlborough. They have bought a quaint little antique shop and hope to settle into a new routine and hopefully find just what they needed. Xanthe has a special gift when it comes to some of the antiques. They "sing" to her and tell their story of past owners. She has never been so drawn to an object as she is by the chatelaine that is being auctioned. She knows no matter the cost she must get it. Little does she know what it will cost her once it is in her possession.

The chatelaine is drawn to a little stone building in their garden and while Xanthe knows she should be cautious she is inexplicably curious but things are taken out of her hands when she is transported to 1605. Luckily she quickly returns to her own time but this is only the beginning of her time travel if she is to keep her mother safe from the ghost of Margaret Merton. The ghost has tasked her with changing the future but will an unexpected possible romance leave Xanthe unsure if she can return to her own time.

I really hope that this is intended to be a series because I sure did not get enough of this story and these characters. I will definitely be looking at reading more books by this author.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

I enjoyed The Little Shop of Found Things. I like books with a supernatural element and this one kept me interested. This book had mystery, a little romance, great characters, and time travel. The main character Xanthe is able to touch object and 'see' information about the objects previous owners. When she and her mother, Flora, are buying items for their new antique store she comes across something that speaks to her more than normal. In fact, the item, along with some spirit guidance, transports Xanthe back to the past to right a wrong that happens to a girl named Alice. This is where the book really gets interesting. My only complaint is it took a little long to get to what she needed to accomplish. At first there were several back and forth through time that could have been left out. I didn’t really feel the romance in the past and wish it focused more on the present day suitor. I received a free copy for my review and here it is! Get it, read it, like it, even though pace is a bit slow at times!

3,5 stars

When I was offered a chance to read this book for review through Netgalley I hesitated for a minute. I wasn’t sure if this was my kind of thing. I certainly wouldn’t have requested it on my own. But I am glad I gave it a chance and read it.

The Little Shop of Found Things focuses on the life of Xanthe who is a psychometrist, someone who can gain information or memories about items by touch. This doesn’t happen to her with all items but only those that are special. She has a draw to them. With her mother, Flora, Xanthe moves to a small town called Marlborough (England) to start their own antique shop. As they are searching for items for their new shop Xanthe stumbles upon such an special item. A special item that will let her experience things she hasn’t before. One of those things is time travel…

I really enjoyed the idea this book had. The idea to gain information about people through items, that through their special item ghosts they still try and communicate with us to settle things in our world. To slowly piece together what happened. To crack that mystery. This book attempted that but missed the mark in the build up and set up of the mystery in the real world. By the time we go into the past I wasn’t quite as invested in the story and mystery as I could have been. The fact is also that relatively little happens in the past as the story sidesteps a bit to romance. It had just the wrong balance for this book to really grab me.

The story is also written in a limited ominous point of view which felt a little weird at the start but once I got used to it managed to drag me into the story well enough.

As for the characters, Xanthe is pleasant to follow around but I’m not sure I have a handle on her character. She is a bit defensive because of the past she has had and as such has put up quite some walls. She is also fiercely protective of her mom who has rheumatism and uses crutches. I loved seeing their relationship. It has its ups and downs but they are there for each other. I also enjoyed seeing some of the vibrant side characters in the present time that really shaped the place of Marlborough. The past time didn’t quite have that.

Our ghost doesn’t quite get as much dimensions as is possible. I also thought that it was strange that at the start of the story the ghost specifically thinks that she can’t directly communicate with Xanthe and then later on in the story she can. That was never properly explained.

Lastly, as I mentioned the romance took a bit away from the plot in the past time. It is a bit of an instalove, and in a way forbidden for that period. While there was some chemistry I wasn’t wholly invested in their romance.
Having said all that, I am certainly interested in reading on with this series.

The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston features the character Xanthe who, along with her mother, just moved to the small town of Marlborough for a fresh start and to open an antique shop. Xanthe has the gift of psychometry, which can make working with antiques a bit tricky. The latest item she feels a connection was a silver chatelaine. The chatelaine leads Xanthe back to the seventeenth century where she fights to right a wrong and save the life of a young woman.

My review of 4 stars is based mostly on the second half of the book. I had a hard time getting into the story at first, but once Xanthe began travelling back in time I was hooked. There was so much going on at the same time. First there was the suspense of whether or not Xanthe could save the young woman, but also if she would be exposed when she is working as a maid. She blended into the seventeenth century far better than I ever could! Second, was a sweet love story that I found very believable. The characters in the past had a lot more layers and secrets than I was expecting. Also, I really enjoyed the historical tidbits that Brackston sprinkled throughout the story. The setting and atmosphere was described so well, down the horrid smell of the streets! She definitely didn’t romanticize what it was like to live back then which I appreciated. If you like magical realism, novels with time travel or are an Outlander fan I would recommend this novel for sure. I can’t wait to read the next novel and find out what happens to Xanthe.

This is such a great time travel book.with characters you can relate to. You will fill transported to the time and setting of the book. Historical detail is very well done and researched. I was pulled into this book from page one and did not want to put it down. The time travel scenes were extremely well written
This is the first book I have read by this author but I will definitely be reading more. 5 stars for me.

The start of a series featuring a heroine who can connect to past souls through antique objects found in the present. So there’s time travel (17th century, Marlborough, England), a ghost (not friendly like Casper), a mystery and a tiny bit of romance. While I found the story well-written, I also found it perhaps overly long and a bit slow in parts (I was easily distracted) until closer to the resolution. However, the characters were fairly endearing (I especially liked the character of Samuel), and I found myself wondering at the end what further adventures were in store for Xanthe (our heroine). So...I’ll probably give the next one a try.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

The Little Shop of Found Things intrigued me from the very beginning. I love the characters - full, richly developed, and flawed - so very real. The time travel aspect of the book is fascinating. It made me wonder just what might be possible. Ms. Brackston has done her research on the early 1600s. I definitely felt like I was there in that time period with Xanthe and can't help but wonder how or what will take her back to Samuel.

The Little Shop of Found Things was one of my most anticipated reads for 2018, and I was just thrilled to be able to read it and share my thoughts on it.

Flora and her daughter have packed up moved to a small town of Marlborough. This move was a fresh start for both Flora and Xanthe from the men in their lives. Flora has her divorce going on and Xanthe has boyfriend issues and this seemed like the perfect way for both of them to begin again. Malborough is a town where everyone know each other, and you’d think that it would be hard moving somewhere like this and not knowing anyone or much about the town itself. But towns people so welcoming, it’s just the way people are in the little towns. During an auction in town, she was mesmerized by one antique in particular, little did she know that antique would bring into her life. Or who?

Xanthe has a special ability, psychometric. She can tell an antique’s past just by touching it, which is what drew me to this book, it is quite fascinating. The antique she wanted so badly sent her back in time, to 1605 to be exact. Her ability to see items past has never done thing before, so the question was why this time? What was so special about this treasured antique?

The cast of characters were just as intriguing as Xanthe. Flora and her daughter Xanthe had such a wonderful mother/daughter bond too. And both of these were strong women in so many ways. Leaving you home for a new one has it’s ups and downs, but Flora and Xanthe were certainly up to the challenge. They met a couple of townspeople who played into their story as the story progressed. But, of course you have to have the pain in the butt, arrogant man who doesn’t believe that their store will make it and was quite snooty about it and sometimes I wanted to smack his pompous ass.

There are some characters from the era Xanthe was transported back too, were such a great addition to everything. I wanted so badly for Xanthe to be able to stay, but I also know she couldn’t. Her time there was do one thing and one thing only, save the girl who knew about from an unlikely source. A ghost, and a persistent one at that.

Brackston created such a beautiful town, the townspeople were great, especially Liam. He was kind to Flora and Xanthe. My favorite was when Xanthe was in the 17th century. It was so well described, even the little things, the building and people, their way of life and the way they saw things. Completely fascinating and engrossing. The ending left things open for the next installment and I will be anxiously wait it for that one too.

The Little Shop of Found things was filled with love, family, friends and a slow burning romance, even if it is only for a short time. The magical aspect was something I enjoyed as well, from the ley lines to xanthe’s ability. It was so easily to get swept in it all. And reading that last page, I still wanted more. I do hope I didn’t spoil anything, but it was such a enchanting read. Come on next installment…

My first impression is that it is very atmospheric. The first paragraph alone was enough to draw me in and intrigue me. However strongly I wish I could say that intrigue lasted, it didn't. It took me almost a full month to finish this book. Even though I had slightly over a week of no reading at all, I found myself easily distracted from the book and I could only read short sections at a time. What I feel like was lacking is more pressing action or more than just an atmospheric plot. Everything finally picked up in the last few chapters that were quickly paced. I would love to see this book have more of that pace throughout the whole novel itself. Although I loved the atmospheric writing, and the writing style was beautiful, I wanted more. I see this is already labeled as a series, so I am hoping to get more of what I felt was missing from the next book. I am interested enough to carry on and to read more from the author. I just felt there were more build up and visualization than action.

"The Little Shop of Found Things" is a great start to a new series! Xanthe and her mother Flora are getting a new start in small town Marlborough with an antique shop they have purchased. Xanthe has a special ability which will aid them in their endeavor- items "sing" to her, and she can know about the person who loved the item in the past. It is on a trip to gather new items for the shop that she finds one in particular, which is demanding her attention- a chatelaine from the seventeenth century.

As she inspects the item to try to learn more, she finds herself drawn in to something much bigger. A ghost (Margaret) has been haunting the shop, waiting for someone with Xanthe's abilities. The chatelaine belonged to her daughter, and she will not rest until Xanthe helps to save her from the fates of the past. When Xanthe concentrates on the chatelaine, she is transported into the past- to 1605, where Alice has been accused of theft, and the punishment in that time is death. Xanthe must balance her own life in the present with that of the past, as she must work to clear Alice's name and save her from the cruel punishments of the seventeenth century- if not, Margaret has threatened her mother's life.

As Xanthe spends time in 1605, she not only searches for ways to clear Alice's name, but also meets a dashing young man, Samuel, who aids her in her task. As she gets to know him more, she finds herself pulled into the past for another reason- she begins to care for Samuel, even though their relationship is impossible, as she must eventually return to her own time.

This absolutely enchanting story pulls you in to Xanthe's life and keeps you going with questions about Alice and the supposed theft. Although it is, at times, a little slow on the searching, the pace seems overall reasonable and there are no easy answers to what happened to the pieces Alice took nor how to clear her name. I liked that it felt like a reasonable set of steps to figure out what was going on and how to help Alice; often, it seems there are some lucky leaps in books like this, but this felt a bit more clear and evenly paced. Regarding the romance, it seemed OK- I was not super-invested in them as a couple (I maybe would have liked more getting-to-know-about-you conversations or epiphanies), but the development was mostly there.

Xanthe and her mother were wonderful characters, and I also enjoyed some of the other folks in town, such as the history-buff barkeep and the delightful bakery owner, as well as Liam, who helps repair Xanthe's old taxi car, and seems to draw her out of her shell (a romance to be developed in the future?). I definitely would love to spend more time in Xanthe's world, and I am really excited about this new series! If you like romance, mysteries, and time travel, I highly recommend you pick this one up!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Truly a magical book. Xanthe and her mother, Flora have moved to Marlborough to open a little shop of antiques and collectables. Flora and Xanthe's dad are getting divorced and Xanthe has broken up with her sorry, no good boyfriend. Xanthe has the gift of .psychometry.. She can hold things in her hand and they tell her about their history. Once they are at the shop, Xanthe feels something in the house, something she can't see. She and her mother go to an estate sale, where an item is calling her. It is a chatelaine, made of silver. She takes it into the garden to listen to it and realizes that there is a small shed hidden behind vines and brambles. The chatelaine is pulled to that place. She finds out that it is where two leylines meet and it is a place of power. When Xanthe goes in, she is transported back in time and sees a vision of a young girl. The ghost of a woman is in the building as well. She tells Xanthe that it is her daughter and she must go to the 1600 century and free her daughter who has been arrested for stealing part of the silver chatelaine from the lady of the house or she will cause problems and maybe hurt her mother. Xanthe is transported back and is taken into the household of the lady whose chatelaine was taken. Alice is already in jail. During this time, Xanthe says that she is a minstrel. She is hired to be a servant and to sing when need be. She meets Samuel, an architect who knows that she is not what she seems. She and Samuel have deep feelings for each other. Will they be able to free Alice before she is punished? What about the feelings between Samuel and Xanthe? I adored this book. There is so much more that I could write about, but I don't want to give anything away. I give it a 5+. I received this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.

I LOVE Paula Brackston. Her writing is so vivid and mysterious and wonderful, so I was excited to read her new book, The Little Shop of Found Things. I was not disappointed! We meet Xanthe and her mother Flora, who leave London to start a new life as owners of a small antique shop. Xanthe has a unique gift which pulls her to certain antiques and can sense the stories and emotions behind old things.

Soon, at a local auction, she comes across an chatelaine (not going to lie, I had to google that when I read it) and feels a strong connection to it immediately. Unbeknownst to Xanthe, there is a ghost who resides in her new home who has orchestrated the connection to the antique. Why? I'll let you discover that on your own. Anyway, Xanthe is taken back to the seventeeth century to uncover the origins of the chatelaine and comes across things (and people) who will change her life forever.

This was such a mysterious, delightfully magic book, with so much detail and intrigue that I could not put it down! I loved it! Enchanting to the very end! Definitely recommended!!

4 out of 5 stars for The Little Shop of Found Things by Paul Brackston.

The Little Shop of Found Things has history, romance,did I mention adventure, time travel with just enough paranormal to excite you. Paula you did not disappoint me with your new book. I’m excited for the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book. Little Shop of Found Things was totally what I thought it would be and I was so pleasantly surprised.  Part historical fiction and part paranormal fiction, this book is perfect for fans of Outlander.  Xanthe and her Mother are starting a new life in their newly acquired antique shop.  Xanthe has always had the ability to touch objects and have them "sing" their story to her.  When she touches an old chatelaine, she feels more connected to this object than anything else she has ever touched.  When she finds herself inextricably transported to 1605, she must find a way to get herself home and help someone from the past.  When she meets Samuel, an architect, she wonders if she will have the strength to leave. I loved the history in the book, the characters and the time travel in this book. I cannot wait to read the next one.

The Little Shop of Found Things is a wonderful start to Paula Brackston's new series. I loved it and give it five stars.

"It could not be real, and yet it was."
When Xanthe was only a child, she realized she had a gift of looking at old things and feeling their history.
Little did she realize that an old silver chatelaine bought at an estate sale, would send her back to the 1600's to save a young servant named Alice from an unjust punishment.
Nor did she fathom after purchasing the old antique shop, of an unwelcome guest roaming there.
The ghost of Margaret Merton.
Margaret Merton was searching for someone to save her daughter Alice and was not going to rest until it was done!
Xanthe is called to this task.
I could feel the anxiety each and every time Xanthe plummeted back in time and I awaited what would happen next as I turned each page.
This was my first book by this author and definitely not my last! This story has it all!

Starting over, Xanthe and her mother Flora purchase an antique store in a small town, where Xanthe’s extra-sensory connections to antiques impel her into a time travel mystery to rescue a young woman in the 17th century to save her mother’s life. Details of time travel are cleverly meted out through Xanthe’s discoveries and conclusions, increasing tension by placing credible limitations on Xanthe’s experiences. Urged on (and threatened) by the ghost of the young woman’s mother, Xanthe makes difficult decisions with every move, resolving impossible conflicts with verve and panache, even sacrificing romance for her mother, which is as it should be. Repeated references to the injustice in her own history could have been more subtle. The ghost mother could have been developed a bit more. The damsel in distress was a lovely vision of mystery even after the reader meets her in person. That she was rescued by a woman is a brilliant move on the author’s part. Readers who love time travel and / or female antagonists who save the day will appreciate this story. I received this wonderful story from the publisher through #NetGalley.

The Little Shop of Found Things is a delightful time-travel novel!  I had not read Paula Brackston before so I didn't know that she usually writes stories about witches, sorcery and time travel.  I was just looking for a new book to request and the description for this one sounded a little different than my usual and a little quirky too and here I am reviewing it:)

At first I was skeptical that I would even finish it because ghosts don't really work for me (not really a spoiler - the ghost shows up very early on), but I'm glad I kept reading!  This story has a true dual timeline with a time-traveling main character which is a little reminiscent of The Outlander (but shorter and with less violence and sex).  There are mother-daughter relationships, 17th century life, potential love interests in different centuries, and the antique business to explore.  It appears this is meant to be the first in a series and I'm already looking forward to reading the next one!