Anne of Manhattan

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

so-so

Anne of Green Gables is a favorite of mine,and love NYC. When this popped up on my Litsy feed, I thought it would be great for #booked2023 #moderntakeonaclassic. Checked off the prompt,but my enjoyment of the book was limited.While the image of Marilla in jeans and Hunter boots watching a sunset was lovely,the sex scenes with Anne and Gil were a bit too graphic for my taste. Quick read. Contemporary issues: sexual harassment,women‘s rights,LGBTQ.

BarbaraJean I had a similar response! I didn‘t need descriptions of the sex, not with these characters! I wish the author had taken more time developing some of the other relationships outside of the Anne and Gil drama. I wanted more from the Anne and Diana and Phil friendships, and Matthew and Marilla were too much in the background as well. 13mo

DivineDiana @BarbaraJean I have a feeling there will be a sequel. 🤔 13mo

59 likes2 comments

DivineDiana

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Current read. #blameitonlitsy #kindredspiritsbuddyread #latetotheparty

BarbaraJean

BarbaraJean Late but welcome! I‘m interested to hear what you think! 14mo

DivineDiana Thank you @BarbaraJean! 😊 14mo

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OrangeMooseReads

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

This is basically a retelling of Anne and Gilbert‘s love story. I will preface with romance is not my genre.
Anne and Gilbert are in Master‘s programs in modern day NYC. They are thrown together on a project. Occasionally flash backs to 7/8 grade and the end of high school.
The story is a little unrealistic, but it‘s fiction and fantasy. It works for the genre. It‘s well written and thought out.
The spicy scenes need to better.
3.5 ⭐️s
Pick.

33 likes

OrangeMooseReads

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

🔴I like how she characterizes it. It was the same but altered from the original which is good for a retelling, lol.
🔴I don‘t like E2L because I don‘t thing they were enemies. Rivals or competition,yes.
🔴Yes for a romantic fiction, for reality also kind of yes. It was resolved a little to neatly. It did leave it open for a sequel. I hate that Gil never apologized about the job and waiting to correct it.
@BarbaraJean #kindredspiritbuddyread

19 likes

OrangeMooseReads

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

@BarbaraJean #kindredspiritsbuddyread

They didn‘t to me. I know that Anne and Gil do eventually end up together in the book series, but this felt forced and unrealistic for the Anne and Gil we know.

Arguing and competing and forcing each other to be the best of themselves and being unofficial best friends.

Upheaval in her childhood. Reluctance to believe what she sees with her own eyes. The two very different types of love from Cuthberts.

BarbaraJean Yes, absolutely--the resolution felt off to me, and their relationship didn't have the right feel for Anne and Gilbert. Those essentials of who Anne and Gilbert are in the LMM series--pushing each other to be their best, their friendship once they're in college--just felt like they were missing here. 14mo

15 likes1 comment

OrangeMooseReads

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

@BarbaraJean #kindredspiritsbuddyread
What worked … I think the relationship between Anne and The Cuthberts worked and felt genuine. And Anne‘s determination in school and her future worked.
What didn‘t … Anne and Gilbert‘s relationship felt far too contrived and forced for all that they supposedly went through in middle and high school.
It works if it remains the same at the core, yet feels like a different story. ⬇️ continued

OrangeMooseReads Characteristics that it should have are the basic elements of the original. Anne and Gilbert HAD to have the animosity and competitiveness. Matthew had to shy and thoughtful. 14mo

OrangeMooseReads I‘m not sure if I liked it beyond the connection. It wasn‘t bad, just not my thing. I‘ll be honest Anne of Green Gables isn‘t in my top 25. 14mo

BarbaraJean I did really like the Anne/Marilla relationship here. It felt like a more realistic update than the other Anne relationships in the book.

I think I liked it less because of the Anne connection, because Anne is a beloved character/book for me! 😂 But even if it hadn't been framed as an Anne story, I don't think I would have been that into the book. Like you said, it just wasn't my thing. (edited) 14mo

17 likes3 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

so-so

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead I'm always interested in retellings, but usually, I end up disappointed. That was true here. I didn't hate it, but the more I think about it, the more things I realize didn't work for me. I liked a lot of Starler's ideas, she just didn't develop them enough for me to get on board with her modern tweaks. I think what makes a retelling work for me is feeling true to the spirit of the original story. This wasn't it for me. ⬇

BarbaraJean It‘s mostly a retelling of Anne of the Island, with flashbacks to Anne of Green Gables. What I love about Anne of the Island is Patty‘s Place, the friendships between Anne, Prissy, & Phil, and the genuine camaraderie Anne finds with Gilbert. All of that is missing here. There‘s no sense of place, no meaningful friendships and college hijinks. The Anne/Gilbert friendship/ romance felt bland, and the backstory & supporting characters were flat. 🙁 14mo

45 likes1 comment

julieclair

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

so-so

A modern interpretation of Anne and Gilbert‘s love story. Cute, lighthearted, fluffy and forgettable.
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead @BarbaraJean
#SayMyName @Clwojick , #BigFabBeatles @CSeydel

27 likes

BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Anne of Manhattan discussion, Part 4/4

What did you think of how Starler characterized Anne and Gilbert‘s junior high and high school dynamics?
Do you think Anne and Gilbert‘s love story translates well to a modern enemies-to-lovers romance?
Was the main conflict between Anne & Gil believable (Professor Lintford, failure to communicate, etc.)? Was it (and the book as a whole) resolved satisfactorily?

OrangeMooseReads, Centique, lauraisntwilder, StayCurious, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean I honestly really liked the scene where Gil teases Anne on her first day at Avonlea Prep. Both characters felt truer to the originals there than they did anywhere else in the book. The rest of the flashbacks felt a little forced into modern romance tropes that didn't work. I've never seen Anne and Gilbert as “enemies-to-lovers“ and I think it flattens their characters to use that trope. 14mo

BarbaraJean The main conflict felt believable but too rushed/underdeveloped. The Professor Lintford stuff wasn't a surprise, but Starler didn't do a good job of fleshing out the issue throughout the narrative. The conflict and the resolution weren't satisfying to me because it felt too low-stakes. The depth wasn't there: Anne doesn't have a night of reckoning when she thinks Gilbert is dying, and moving in together just doesn't feel the same as an engagement! 14mo

julieclair I thought the enemies-to-lovers trope and the ending were fine for a quick & easy romance book. But they don‘t hold up well when compared to the depth of a real LMM Anne story. All in all, I felt this was a fun, light, forgettable book. 14mo

TheAromaofBooks The big argument between these two towards the end felt unnatural and annoying to me. I found it hard to believe that Anne wouldn't have said anything to anyone about what was going on with the professor, and equally hard to believe that Gil wouldn't share with Anne his plans for the future. The argument felt rather petty and not worth breaking up over, so I honestly wasn't too confident in their long-term success. 14mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair Exactly--light and forgettable. I think a LOT of my problems with the book came from wanting that same depth we get from LMM. @TheAromaofBooks Yeah, the withholding of information on both sides felt unrealistic to me. And the extent of the Professor Lintford thing was also hidden from the reader, which felt way off (I mean, it was super foreshadowed early on, but we don't see other examples until Anne reacts to him at the end). 14mo

19 likes5 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Anne of Manhattan discussion, Part 3/4

Anne of Manhattan retells parts of Anne‘s life that we‘re familiar with from Anne of Green Gables and Anne of the Island, but in a modern setting. Last month‘s book, Before Green Gables, stayed in the same time period, but imagined a part of Anne‘s life we haven‘t read about.
If you read Before Green Gables, how did this book compare?
Which of the two did you prefer, and why?

OrangeMooseReads, Centique, lauraisntwilder, StayCurious, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean It's perhaps obvious that I preferred Before Green Gables. I don't have a problem with a modern setting, but this one wasn't it. I think Wilson did a better job of imagining a young Anne, and demonstrates a better grasp of who Anne is as a character. It felt like Starler was trying too hard to update things or find modern twists that weren't needed (i.e. Marilla and Rachel). I'm trying to decide if a prequel is easier than a modern retelling! 14mo

julieclair I definitely preferred Before Green Gables. I felt like that book enriched my understanding of Anne, and was very consistent with her character. This book was more like a bit of fluff… entertaining, but easily forgotten. 14mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair Definitely fluffy. I had to apologize to my husband for being offended that he called it fluffy. 😂 I like your description that Before Green Gables enriched your understanding of Anne. I think that's true for me, too. 14mo

sblbooks @BarbaraJean Yes, you hit the nail on the head. I said the same thing. I prefer Before Green Gables, I like that it stayed true to the original story. 14mo

17 likes4 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - Anne of Manhattan discussion, Part 2/4

Did this Anne and Gil “feel” like the Anne and Gilbert you‘re familiar with from L.M. Montgomery‘s books?
What, to you, are the essential traits of Anne and Gilbert, as characters?
What do you think are the essential elements of the Anne story?

OrangeMooseReads, Centique, lauraisntwilder, StayCurious, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean To me, Gil felt more similar to the books than any of the other characters. He had that teasing, playful nature that I associate with Gilbert (maybe more the Jonathan Crombie Gilbert than the books, when I think about it). But his interplay with Anne was all wrong. To me, that's an essential! Anne was missing her big imagination & big dreams and her love of place/nature. Her bookishness didn't feel right, either, and those to me are essentials. 14mo

julieclair I agree that Gil felt pretty true to character. Just a fun, nice, smart guy. And I also agree that Anne seemed to be missing her most distinctive, lovable personality traits. She just seemed flat. And I missed her big vocabulary. I did find it very believable that she worked in a book store, though. 14mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair I loved that she worked in a book store, too! And I did love the teacher/mentor aspects of her character that came out a bit in their research project. But I missed her big vocabulary, too―as well as her gift for dramatic descriptions. 14mo

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sblbooks @BarbaraJean @julieclair Agreed. Gil was similar to Gilbert. Anne did not have the personality of the original stories, at all. 14mo

TheAromaofBooks Anne was definitely the miss for me. She just felt like a stereotypical stressed college student who wants to get good grades. I missed her imagination, her kind impulses that frequently get her into scrapes, her love for the outdoors, her idealism and habit of romanticizing everything. She wasn't a bad person here, she just never felt distinctively Anne. 14mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Yep, she didn't feel like ANNE. There were maybe a couple scenes that felt right--the parallel to the breaking-the-slate-over-Gilbert's-head scene felt the closest to me. 14mo

17 likes6 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Here we go with our #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead Anne of Manhattan discussion! Part 1/4

Did the book work for you as a retelling of Anne of Green Gables/Anne of the Island? What worked and what didn‘t work?
What makes a retelling effective for you? What are some characteristics that you think a good retelling should have?
Did you enjoy the book as a story of its own, separate from the Anne connection?

OrangeMooseReads, Centique, lauraisntwilder, StayCurious, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean For me, the concept was interesting, but the execution was lacking. What I love about Anne of the Island is Patty's Place, the friendships between Anne, Prissy, & Phil, and the genuine camaraderie Anne finds with Gilbert. All of that is missing here. There's no sense of place, no meaningful friendships and college hijinks. the Anne/Gilbert friendship/romance feels bland, and the backstory and supporting characters are flat. 14mo

BarbaraJean It‘s hard to pin down the elements of a good retelling. I‘d say it must be faithful to the original characters, but then: I love Pride & Prejudice and yet I really enjoy Bridget Jones as a loose reinterpretation even though she‘s a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT character than Lizzy Bennet. (It helps that it doesn‘t claim to BE P&P.) So, I think what makes a retelling work is staying true to the spirit of the original story. Anne of Manhattan doesn‘t do it. 14mo

BarbaraJean I don't know if I'd have enjoyed the book as a story of its own, separate from Anne. It's hard to separate out my Anne-related quibbles. I don't usually read romance & found the sex scenes here a little icky. Not sure if that's because I prefer that OFFstage rather than on, or just due to the writing. Also there were some inconsistencies that drove me crazy, like the timing when she goes back to Green Gables at the end. So I guess not. 😂 14mo

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Bkwrm7 From the posts that went up as people finished, I think I liked this more than most. I liked seeing the elements tweaked to move them into modern times. I do think this works more as a retelling of Anne and Gilbert‘s relationship than as retellings of the books. Trying to smoosh three books into one meant lots was left out. I definitely found Phil to be underdeveloped and Starler doesn‘t have the same gift for sense of place that LMM has. 14mo

Bkwrm7 (Cont.) I read a fair amount of romance with varying spice levels and while I didn‘t feel the content of the sex scenes was off at all, I did find them unexpectedly disconcerting in this context. What I really liked here was the dual viewpoints. When we read the originals, I was surprised by just how little we actually get of Gil in the books - I had filled so much of him in from the characterization in the CBC adaptation in my head. Here, we 14mo

Bkwrm7 (Cont.) get to see him as a full fledged character with his own family and concerns. The Blythe parents barely appear in LMM‘s works at all, so it was nice to get some characterization there, too. I enjoy retellings in general, but agree that it‘s hard to get them just right. You need enough elements the same that it‘s recognizable, but can‘t just tell things exactly the same or what is the point? 14mo

julieclair I have not read Anne of the Island, so I can‘t compare it to that, but I was satisfied with the parts of the story that were Anne of Green Gables related. I thought the idea of Marilla and Matthew owning a vineyard was kind of fun. I did miss the PEI setting, though. (Although I thought it was kind of cute that they went there on vacation.) ⬇️ 14mo

julieclair I do think that strong sense of place was missing from this story, and it has helped me realize that keeping true to the feel/atmosphere/mood of the original is important to me in a retelling. This one fell short in that aspect. 14mo

julieclair I think that, for me, the appeal of this novel was the tie-in to the Anne books. Without that, it would have been just a mediocre romance novel. And I agree that the sex scenes were a bit much, at least for me. I prefer a more “closed door” approach. Love scenes? Yes! Sex scenes? Not so much. 14mo

BarbaraJean @Bkwrm7 I'm glad you liked it more than most! I didn't hate it, but the more I think about it, the more things I realize didn't work for me. Honestly, I liked a lot of Starler's ideas, she just didn't develop most of them enough for me to get on board with her modern tweaks. I agree―there is SO much less of Gilbert in the books than I realized! It was really nice to have more balance between the two viewpoints here. That's something I did like. 14mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair @Bkwrm7 Somehow I think none of us wanted to read about the sex life of our beloved Anne and Gilbert in any detail! I think I agree with the review @TheAromaofBooks posted, that these characters feel too close to me to want to hear descriptions of their sexy times (even if sexy time descriptions were my thing). 14mo

sblbooks Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I'm finding that to be the case on most modern retellings. It did not have the charm of the original Anne. My favorite parts were the flashbacks. 14mo

TheAromaofBooks I realized about halfway through this book that I'm just too emotionally invested in the original stories to enjoy a retelling like this. The original books are some of the first novels that I can remember reading, probably around the age of 10, and I've read them SO many times since then. They are 100% comfort reads for me and I am 0% objective about them 😂 But I think that's why I can read literally dozens of TERRIBLE P&P variations and just ⬇ 14mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) think of them as a lark, but a retelling of Anne that doesn't go exactly the way I want it to feels much more personal. Not reasonable, perhaps, but that's how feelings work sometimes haha

In this one, I just felt like all the characters lacked chemistry - I never really felt any of the friendships, much less the romance. I wonder if this book would have been better if it had been longer, with space for those relationships to develop? 14mo

rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean @julieclair @Bkwrm7 @TheAromaofBooks This was exactly how I felt. I definitely prefer “closed door” romance, especially for beloved characters whom I‘ve been reading about since I was 10. 14mo

DivineDiana @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Agree with your analysis. 🙂 14mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks It totally makes sense to me that for certain beloved stories, the stakes are immediately WAY higher when it comes to a retelling. And I honestly don't know if this would have been better if it had been longer!! I think you're right that it needed space for the other relationships to develop. But I never grew that fond of the main characters, either, so... 14mo

17 likes17 comments

rubyslippersreads

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

In case anyone needs this for the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead it‘s a #Kindledeal today. #kindle #ebook #lastminute 😄

BarbaraJean

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TheAromaofBooks

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pan

As a story, this one was okay, but as an Anne of Green Gables/Anne of the Island retelling, I felt like it failed abysmally. So much so that I ranted at great length on GR, which is unusual for me haha Short version? The characters were simply wrong, especially Anne, who is completely lacking in any sign of imagination or shenanigans. An Anne who is perfectly happy living in a crowded apartment in the city and never talks about being outside? ⬇️

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) This Anne was just a regular, boring college student obsessed with studying, work, and Gilbert, and it just didn't work for me. Also, personal preference, but I've shipped Anne and Gilbert since I was ten. Reading explicit sex scenes between them gave me the same kind of heebie jeebies I imagine I would get if my parents started telling me about what they do in the bedroom. No thank you.

However, looking forward to seeing if I was ⬇ 1y

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) in the minority for this #KindredSpiritBuddyRead @BarbaraJean 😂

And if anyone is interested in the rant... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5357471361 1y

mabell Your comment comparing Anne and Gilbert‘s steamy scenes to your parents killed me 🤣 Perfect analogy! Just no 😆😆😆 1y

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AlaMich Ewwww!!! 😳 1y

Michael_Gee Your last note on your review seems spot on: using the established characters as a short cut. Wow, this sounds so so bad. Thank you for sharing your review! 1y

vlwelser I remember kind of liking this. But at face value. Not as an Anne retelling. Definitely not enough shenanigans for Anne. 1y

BarbaraJean I‘m halfway through and I‘m feeling similarly, though not yet at the rant stage. And OMG YES about the sex scenes feeling ooky. It‘s been interesting seeing what this author does with a contemporary retelling, but so far, it‘s just not Anne to me. I will lower my expectations for the rest of the book…😆 (Also, I‘m bookmarking your rant for when I finish the book!! 😁) (edited) 1y

TheAromaofBooks @mabell @AlaMich @Michael_Gee @vlwelser @BarbaraJean - Every time I post a (very) negative review for a book, I immediately start to feel bad, because other people liked it, so what if I keep someone who would have liked it from reading the book?? 😂 So be sure to read some positive reviews as well, because some people actually did love this one haha 1y

TheAromaofBooks @vlwelser - If this hadn't tried to be an Anne retelling, it would probably have been a 3 or 3.5* read for me. Not super exciting, but not terrible, either. I just wanted more Anne-ness when I was reading this, and it just wasn't there! 1y

TheAromaofBooks @mabell - I usually prefer closed-door romances anyway, but I was trying to figure out why these felt especially ick for me, and was like, I think it's just because I've known Anne and Gilbert for too long 😂 1y

TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean - I actually love the concept of this one, and Anne of the Island is one of my favorite books. I just wanted more shenanigans with a group of friends having fun and less Gil and Anne being all angsty, I think. 1y

Daisey It‘s a personal opinion, but I absolutely do not think you should feel bad about this kind of ranting review. I love reading these kind of reviews as they often give me a truer picture of what to expect for myself as a reader than gushing reviews. In this case, your review made me laugh and kind of want to hate read this book where I had no interest before! I also feel the “updates” you noted are often why I tend to avoid contemporary retellings. 1y

thebackyardgnome Aww, thr concept sounded great, but yes, writhng sex scenes about Anne-verse cjaracters is a tightrope act. And, dear @TheAromaofBooks , don't feel guilth - I felt guilty about my review of The Boy In Striphrd Pajamas, but now thst I think of it, every opinion matters as muxh, and if it's negativr, it can also help others form their opinion. A movie critic from thr locsl newspaper had yhis luck - if he hated a film, it was a hit, and vice versa:D 1y

willaful I feel totally the same and honestly see no point to this book having been written unless you just wanna see A&G get it on. :-\ I've stalled at the flashback to 7th grade because I would rather read the real scene than this one. 1y

willaful It's a shame too, because reading your review and being reminded of the actual conflicts makes me think that an updated version could be really interesting. But you have to work with what was actually there! And I really think I prefer retellings that don't use exactly the same names. That's too close. 1y

TheAromaofBooks @Daisey - I do feel like a lot of contemporary romances spend a lot more time now focusing on sex & diversity quotas instead of an actual story & character development, & it's really discouraging to me, because it's a genre I sometimes love. 1y

TheAromaofBooks @Daisey @thebackyardgnome - I do think that negative reviews can help potential readers, because sometimes I read a negative review and think, “but those are all things I like!“ so I go for it 😂 1y

TheAromaofBooks @willaful - I feel bad because this author is trying to fit three books' of relationship-building into one fairly short book, so it would be impossible for her to truly capture the depth of the history between these two characters. But I think she cheated her readers by leaning into the sexual aspect of their relationship and skimming the friendship part. This could have been a lot of fun focusing on Anne's romantic ideals & her realizing ⬇ 1y

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) as she did in the originals, that true romance goes beyond someone being tall, dark, and handsome, and saying the right words. Somehow, in this book I just never felt like she ended up valuing Gil in the same way that original Anne does. 1y

DivineDiana Agree with your review. Glad to know that zI am not alone. 🙂 14mo

83 likes20 comments

LitsyEvents

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Repost for @BarbaraJean

A little reminder that the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead discussion for Anne of Manhattan is coming up in just a couple weeks! If you'd like to be tagged, comment on the the original post at https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2549441

#BuddyRead

BarbaraJean Thanks for the repost! 1y

29 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

A little reminder that the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead discussion for Anne of Manhattan is coming up in just a couple weeks! (I still need to start reading... 😆) I've tagged those who've said they'd like to join in this month - if you're not tagged and you'd like to be, please let me know!

OrangeMooseReads, Centique, lauraisntwilder, StayCurious, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, LitsyEvents, julieclair

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! I'm about halfway through. Really looking forward to discussing this one!! I am enjoying it as a story... but not as much as a retelling, if that makes sense 😂 1y

willaful Please tag me in. 1y

BarbaraJean @willaful I‘ll add you to the tag list! Glad to have you! @TheAromaofBooks I‘m only a few chapters in, so I‘m still distracted by Anne being short and I‘m also wondering how Mrs. Rachel Lynde, president of the Temperance Society, feels about the Green Gables Winery… 😂 1y

OrangeMooseReads I‘m several chapters in, not my typical pick, it‘s fun so far. A nice change for me. 1y

TheAromaofBooks It's little things like that that bug me about this book as retelling. Like... Diana is not athletic?? 😂 And Anne's hair has been described as “orange“ more than once... also not true; orangey-red is totally different from auburny-red lol In some ways it's just that I'm too close to the original story; it's too much a part of me for me to really enjoy someone mucking about with it LOL 1y

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BarbaraJean

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

My husband picked up this month‘s #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead from the library for me this week…and when he handed it to me, he said: “Here you go…I got your fluffy book for you.” 😠😂 I suppose he‘s not wrong, but still. Rude.

Discussion will be Saturday, 2/25–all are welcome! I‘ve tagged my full list below, minus those who‘ve said they‘re opting out this month. Let me know if you want to be tagged for this book & I‘ll make sure you‘re on the list!

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Linsy, Jerdencon, Bkwrm7, LeahBergen, AnneCecilie, Prairiegirl_reading, Centique, megnews, lauraisntwilder, StayCurious, kwmg40, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean @julieclair, @sblbooks, @TheAromaofBooks, @Centique, @StayCurious, @lauraisntwilder I have you on the list for this one already! 1y

Tamra 😂 1y

OrangeMooseReads 😄 I have this one. Could you possibly include me in the updates etc? I‘ve never done a buddy read 😬 1y

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TheAromaofBooks Honestly, this one doesn't even look that fluffy, comparatively 😂 1y

BarbaraJean @OrangeMooseReads Definitely—you‘re very welcome to join in! Discussion is on the 25th; I‘ll post some questions that day and will include you in the tag list for those posts. But feel free to post thoughts as you read! 1y

OrangeMooseReads @BarbaraJean thanks so much! 1y

51 likes6 comments

Kimberlone

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

February #BookspinBingo card set up!

Tried to focus on romance from my #TBR for #Loveathon2023.

BookSpin: Anne of Manhattan
DoubleSpin: Chain of Thorns (currently reading!)

Clwojick, StayCurious, TheAromaofBooks

BarbaraJean We‘re reading Anne of Manhattan for the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead this month! You‘re welcome to join us if you‘d like! 1y

Kimberlone @BarbaraJean good timing! Thank you for letting me know! 1y

Clwojick 💗💗💗 1y

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Saknicole I still don‘t understand any of these bookspins or bingos or whatever else. I am so bad at forcing myself to read particular books (unless I have children to teach the next day). I am impressed you do it all though! Kudos chica! 1y

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! I'm reading Anne of Manhattan this month as well. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!!! 1y

TheAromaofBooks @Saknicole - Hello!!! I host the BookSpin challenge, so if you're interested, there is more information here - https://thearomaofbooks.wordpress.com/bookspin-bookspinbingo-litsy-challenge/ - a lot of people choose to put in categories for their list (like mystery, green cover, book from the living room shelf, BOTM backlog, etc) to accommodate mood reading. No worries if it isn't your thing, but I thought I'd let you know the details!! 😁 1y

Kimberlone @Saknicole yes, what @TheAromaofBooks said! I think most people use it as motivation to clean up their TBR. To be honest, I rarely make much of a dent on the bingo card but I do try to at least finish the picked numbers! Most months I just fill up with my BOTM backlog and hope I‘ll get to a few. 1y

Kimberlone @TheAromaofBooks yay, I am also aware now that there‘s a buddy read going on this month, so I will try to join in! 1y

TheAromaofBooks Yes!! I've been really enjoying the Kindred Spirits Buddy Reads - we've gone through pretty much all of Montgomery's books and this year we're reading some nonfiction and retellings like this one. 1y

48 likes9 comments

lauraisntwilder

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Just wanted to share that the current #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead is on sale on libro.fm. 😊

@BarbaraJean

BarbaraJean Oh, that‘s awesome—great timing! 1y

13 likes1 comment

mcctrish

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

so-so

An Anne of Avonlea retell set in Manhattan when Anne is 24. It started off really well, all the flashbacks to Anne arriving at Marila and Matthew‘s are great- the author does a great job of capturing Anne in all her glory in a more modern setting, the grown up Anne is good too but then we move into the ‘relationship‘ and it‘s meh. I realized the author is known for romantic fiction and now I get it
This is fluff with some decent Anne thrown in

40 likes

Sharpeipup

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

My favorite Anne & Gilbert hands down but tagged book would make for a good movie in my opinion.

28 likes1 stack add

mcctrish

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Taking a break from Jane Austen retells for an Anne of Green Gables retell #winning doing my best to avoid any labour on Labour Day

46 likes2 stack adds

Sharpeipup

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

1. Behind closed doors
2. Depends on the story
3. Tagged
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

20 likes

ckittle019

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

The author did such a wonderful job of capturing Anne‘s feisty personality. Also, Gil Blythe is my new book boyfriend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6 likes

SilverShanica

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

Was convinced by a good friend to push this one up on my TBR pile and get it read. It was fantastic! A great refresh of the original story, keeping true to the original idea while updating and bringing it into the current world. Definitely an older teen (16+ minimum)/adult book. Highly recommend.

3 likes

SilverShanica

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new - don‘t judge me I have a lot of books.
Join the fun if you want. This is day 199.
#bookstoread
#tbrpile
#bookstagram

3 likes1 stack add

bookseller_cate

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

“Raggy-Anne” also spells her name with an E.

I‘m a longtime fan of LM Montgomery and this sweet little romance / retake was just delightful. I love how she included diversity in race, orientation, and neurology without ever being heavy handed.

My one disappointment is that the sense of place is sometimes lacking. Montgomery was so strong in this, but this book‘s Redmond College could have been located anywhere.

Fun beach read. Recommended.

21 likes

bookseller_cate

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Evening reading. #catsoflitsy

wanderinglynn So pretty! ❤️😻 3y

LeahBergen Hello, Zelda! 3y

BookishMarginalia Awwww! 3y

37 likes3 comments

bookseller_cate

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

While I do have one ginormous issue with this book (for which I blame the publisher, not the author), I am loving the diversity the author includes — she does it with wonderful subtlety; authors wanting a diverse cast of characters could do worse than look into this example.

Full review later — just wanted to share my in-progress enjoyment.

#anneofgreengables #weneeddiversebooks

bookseller_cate She‘s from Long Island??!? 😡 3y

23 likes1 comment

mcctrish

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

@StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Danielle you are the best ❤️❤️❤️ thank you for remembering my birthday ( you always have the BEST stickers 🥰🥰🥰) I got a few books for my birthday and I can‘t wait to use my new book cosy to keep them safe

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Yay! Have an amazing day! 🎂 3y

wanderinglynn Happy, happy birthday! 🎉🎂🥳 3y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Happy Birthday 🎉🎂🎁🎈🎊 3y

42 likes3 comments

OutsmartYourShelf

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

First off, this Anne Shirley is not the one we know & love made modern, she's her own character, plus there are a couple of quite graphic sex scenes. I think the key to this one is how you approach it. If you approach it as a by-the-book retelling, it doesn't work, but if you approach it as a book where characters happen to share names with characters from the classic, it works rather well. I enjoyed it. 4🌟

#20in4 @andrew65

27 likes1 stack add

Graciouswarriorprincess

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Thanks to @LibrarianRyan for sending me around the world for the #staycationswap! OMG!!!! I love the iced tea and glass jar! Plus several of these books have been on my TBR list and can‘t wait to dive into them. I can see myself lying in my hammock with the tea and books!!! I love the spoons, wine/tea cu- and the little things especially the hand written notes!! Thanks so much!!!!

Liberty, Chrissyreadit, Chrissis_Corner

LibrarianRyan Yeahhhhh. Enjoy 3y

Chrissyreadit Awesome! ❤️🙌😍🙌❤️ 3y

49 likes1 stack add2 comments

vlwelser

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

Anne of Green Gables modern retelling set in NY. Do I have your attention yet? This book is so awesome. And it's fun and funny. I devoured this yesterday. It's awesome. I love Anne and I love retellings when they're done well. As far as I know, those things have not previously come together.

#BookSpinBingo square 11
@TheAromaofBooks

Pub date was 6/1/2021. Oops.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y

30 likes1 comment

LibrarianRyan

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

4 ⭐ Full review LT, GR, TSG -
This story does not disappoint. Green Gables has moved to Long island, made it a winery, and starts with Anne in the last year of grad school for her Masters in Teaching. Gilbert has been away in California, but has moved closer to family as his father has fallen ill.

Overall, this was a really fun read that I think fans of Anne will enjoy It‘s a light comedic romance that puts a smile on the reader's face.

45 likes2 stack adds

OrangeMooseReads

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Stopped in at Barnes & Noble tonight and these 2 books came home with me.
The tagged book looked fun.

51 likes1 stack add

AutumnRLS

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

Going to give this one a go!

9 likes1 stack add

robinb

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

Full (embarrassing) disclosure: I‘ve never read Anne of Green Gables. 😱🤫😞 But I am familiar with the high points of the story. This is a modern take of Anne (at 24) and company in current times. She‘s in her last year for her master‘s degree at a college in Manhattan. There‘s some back and forth travel to Avonlea, some back and forth chapters from her life and definitely some modern-day issues/angsts. While I did enjoy it overall, there 🔻

robinb may be some purists of the original that have some reservations about it. It features a sweet, sometimes spicy romance as well as some trust/misunderstanding issues. For me the ending was a bit rushed and left me a little unsatisfied, but I still liked it overall. 4/5⭐️ (edited) 3y

jessjess Ooh this sounds interesting! I love AOGG and someday I hope to visit PEI. 😍 I'll be adding this to my stack! 3y

robinb @jessjess yay!!! As someone who has read AOGG, I‘d love to hear what you think! If you think of it, I‘d love a tag. 😊 3y

See All 11 Comments

LibrarianRyan I enjoyed this book, I just haven't written my review yet. 3y

robinb @LibrarianRyan I‘m curious, had you read the original AOGG before this? 3y

LibrarianRyan @robinb When I was a child I read all the books, saw all the movies, the TV show and the kids books Avonlea. So yeah. I mostly liked this retelling. I agree that the ending was rushed and I thought the sex scenes were unnecessary and a bit eweeeee. They felt like they were written by a guy. That was my major complaint. 3y

robinb @LibrarianRyan Yes, I agree about the sex scenes. In fact that was one of the things I thought some earlier fans might not care for. 3y

LeeRHarry I‘m currently slowly making my way through Anne of GG atm for the first time - now I want to visit PEI! 😊 3y

robinb @LeeRHarry I definitely need to get to AOGG...I really have no excuse for not ever reading it.🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y

rubyslippersreads I 💚 AOGG and want to read this, but I think I‘ll skim (or skip) over the sex scenes. 😏 3y

robinb @rubyslippersreads I hear ya! 😉 👍 3y

53 likes11 comments

lowellette

Anne of Manhattan: A Novel | Brina Starler

pick

Apparently I am into Green Gables fan fiction with steamy Anne and Gilbert scenes.

10 likes

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