If you like the plot of a lonely orphan finding a warm/happy home and love at the end then you'll never tire of Lucy Maud's many books with the exact same plot.

I really enjoy L.M. Montgomery and this collection of short stories were great.

That being said, because the stories were brought together based on theme I found that a lot of the stories ended up being very similar and formulaic. .

.. but these were stories that Montgomery published in different magazines/publications and a girl had to make a living!

Cudowny, ciepły, otulający i dający nadzieję zbiór opowiadań. Moim ulubionym opowiadaniem jest opowiadanie o Chesterze. Bardzo wciągający, angażujący.

If I remember right, the heroines had a bit of sameness to them, but the nature descriptions and variety of personalities were still a draw. Was glad to read it, and then pass it on.

The stories all follow the same formula and are too contrived to enjoy.

I read these stories over and over again. Sappy, but I loved them.

Short stories by one of my favorite authors. Some are just potboilers, but some are very good.

I was sick to death of the same stories again and again, but the last story in this book brought tears to my eyes.

After reading further, I discovered that these shorts were published years apart in various different publications, and honestly, I could have handled them much better in that form. But gathered together like this, it makes it difficult to stomach the sameness.

That being said, that very last story saved the book for me.

This is a little book full of dear little stories all about orphans. It was a quick, light read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really liked seeing how LMM crafts her short stories and brings her characters to life in such few pages. All these short stories were published at different times in different papers, but then have been gathered together to form a themed anthology. Good idea, but it does make for some very repetitive reading. But that is really the only downer from this book - the repetitiveness of 'finding long-lost cousins or half-sister's children or step-brother's granchild' or whatever... But keeping in mind that these stories were not meant to be read all together does help. And there are some really lovely stories within this book! Some of my favourites are: 'The Running Away of Chester', 'The Girl Who Drove the Cows', and 'Millicent's Double'. If you love LMM's style of writing, then this book is one for you! :)

I liked most of these stories, but I felt that having them all together made their similarities obvious to the point of seeming predictable. I think they would be more enjoyable mixed in with other short story types.

A wonderful collection of stories about orphans living through tragedy and eventually finding good homes and someone that loves them. Well written with captivating characters. There’s no way you can’t feel the desperation and longing of each character; you really see the world through their eyes and are transported to their reality.

I found this a difficult read because it is so emotionally taxing. Orphans are a weak spot of mine and I hate to hear of children being unjustly mistreated. Therefore, I had to read a few pages here and a few pages there, stretching this book out for months. Someone with a stronger constitution could easily finish this book in a couple days, being that it is only 199 pages and written simply.

L.M. Montgomery is one of my favorite authors and for good reason. She writes about what she knows and has a gift for writing all of her stories in a way that captivates her readers’ attention, transports them to the setting of the story, and then furrows her characters into the readers’ hearts. Her characters and settings are unforgettable, even decades later. I have never been bored reading one of her stories and have always been moved emotionally. She is a gifted writer, like no other. I am glad to have had the opportunity to read more of her pieces. My heart goes out to her and all of the other orphans of the world. May she rest in peace knowing she is loved and appreciated.

Go to my website thatcedalife.wix.com/home to see other book recommendations and reviews.

Cute, wholesome read.