It was the cover that drew me to this book. When I saw it, it was a magical experience for me. I found myself for the first time on a long time just staring at the cover mesmerized. One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is to try and find a "cute little town" and go antiquing followed by lunch of course at an equally quaint restaurant or pub.
So I found myself transfixed by this cover wishing that I could be transported to the Antique shop in the quaint town and get to go inside to see what treasures are for sale in the Little Shop of Found Things, One of the few times where I cursory glanced at the description of the book. I was sure that I was going to like this book from it's cover.
Well, I was right! Paula Brackston's, Little Shop of Found Things found me and I, in turn, found the start of a new series to read that are full of history, adventure, romance, mystery and a little magic all thrown in one.
Xanthe and her mother embark on a new chapter in their lives as they decide to open a quaint little antique shop in Marlborough, England.
As we find out quickly, Xanthe is able to tell the past of any item that she touches. What better gift to possess of you want to own an antique shop. As she and her mother trek to find items for the shop, Xanthe immediately feels a strong connection to an antique chatelaine from the 17th century.
Author Paula Brackston takes the reader on Xanthes "race against time" adventure/mystery with lightening speed. Her attention to all the details as Xanthe travels between current day and 17th century England are remarkable.and it is also what makes you have and "on the edge of your seat" feel when you read it.
Whether you fall in love with the cover like I did or read the description, The Little Shop of Found Things, is worth the adventure.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #LittleShopofFoundThings

The Little Shop of Found Things is the latest book by Paula Brackston. I immediately fell in love with the characters and once "into" the story found it difficult to put down. Hated to see it end. Then discovered it's the first of a series and am excited for the next adventure. I was given an early copy to review.

"Every soul that once trod this brutal earth leaves their imprint upon the things that mattered to them. The things that they held, the things that once echoed to the beat of their hearts."

I love that quote from Paula Brackston’s new novel THE LITTLE SHOP OF FOUND THINGS. When I read it somehow I knew I was going to enjoy this book. However, I didn’t enjoy it …I LOVED it! For a few delightful hours Ms. Brackston took me into the life of Xanthe Westlake.

Xanthe and her mother have bought a small antique shop in the quaint little village of Marlborough. The shop is filled with items left by its previous owner who is now deceased. This is perfect for Xanthe, having the gift of a “connection” to objects, picks up images and messages from the objects’ former owners. Now at an antique auction Xanthe is drawn to a silver chatelaine from the 1600s. But she is not the only one interested in the chatelaine. Lingering in the shop is a ghost that recognizes Xanthe as the person who can save her daughter. Against her will, Xanthe finds herself tumbling back through the centuries to 1605 to the home of the chatelaine’s original owner.

This beautiful and magical story is a blend of time travel and romance. Unlike the last book I read in this genre, this one shows true mastery in allowing the reader to suspend reality for the moment. The pacing was perfect with its slow buildup that then took off “like a rocket” and never slowed down after that. Don’t forget that there is romance, but that is all I will say as I do not want to spoil anything. This is one of those books that I truly did not want to end, so I am excited that it is the first in a new series. Please, Paula Brackston, do not keep us waiting!

Wow!I really enjoyed this book! The story and the quality of the writing really blew me away. I wasn't sure what I was going to end up reading but I was intrigued by the premise. Imagine my surprise when I found there was time travel and romance and just a soupcon of supernatural happenings! All of my favorite things! The story built slowly but confidently and I was right there with character of Xanthe all the way. My interest never lagged and the plot managed to keep me off kilter enough that I had no idea how it was going to end! This is a big deal for me. With the amount that I read, I often find myself predicting how books will end and I'm almost always at least half right. So i enjoy going on a roller coaster ride with no clear end in sight. I also was unfamiliar with the author and was surprised to many witchy titles to her name! I am so excited to discover a new author and I can't wait to read her previous books. I will be recommending this book and the author to so many readers in the future!

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Xanthe has the ability to see the history of objects by touching them. When she’s transported back to the seventeenth century while holding an antique chatelaine and confronted by a ghost who reveals that this is where the antique has its origins, she is forced by the ghost to prove the innocence of an accused thief.

The story read well enough but overall it was just an okay read for me.

3☆

Absolutely fell in love with this gem of a book. A perfect blend of time travel, mystery and romance. Looking forward to more from this author.

I received a digital galley of THE LITTLE SHOP OF FOUND THINGS from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions that follow are my own.

This is the first installment of a new book series about a mother and daughter (Zanthe and Flora) who open an antique shop. Zanthe can learn details about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Sounds like a good talent to have if your line of work involves antiques, right?

When Zanthe and Flora go to an auction to look for inventory to stock their shop, a silver chatelaine speaks to Zanthe. (Am I the only one who didn’t know what a chatelaine is? I had to Google it! ) After buying the beautiful item, Zanthe is visited by a ghost (Margaret Merton) who wants to send her back to the 1600s to help her daughter (Alice) avoid the gallows after she was accused of stealing valuable parts of the chatelaine. Margaret will go to any lengths to get Zanthe to help even if it means harming Flora. As she travels back in time, Zanthe learns about the history, laws, religions, and social customs of 17th century England.

The story has a little bit of everything: fantasy, time travel, mystery, and romance. Zanthe and Flora are a very likeable mother-daughter duo, and it was fun reading about them setting up their business. Zanthe’s love for her mother and desire to protect her really resonated with me. Some of the side characters are also interesting, and I hope there will be more about them in subsequent stories. I highly recommend this to fans of time slip novels and cozy mysteries.

The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston is a quirky little story about the art of listening to objects from the past tell their story, it's called psychometry. Flora and Xanthe, mother and daughter, both recently broken hearted move on to open a new vintage shop. They quickly become friends with a few of the new towns folk. Through listening to objects, Xanthe hears to calling to help a young girl from 1605 while in a blind (jail) house on the edge of their new property. She time travels through the blind house to save a young girl from hanging who was accused of stealing. Lots of historical fiction mixed with the current times. It's a magical adventure! Thank you #netgalley #thomasdunnebooks #paulabrackston

Once upon a time, I claimed I would never read another book involving time travel, but Paula Brackston's The Little Shop of Found Things has changed my mind.

This book first caught my attention because it is focused on an object called a chatelaine. When I was in high school, I was a member of a dance/drill team called The Chatelaines. A really silly reason to be drawn to a book, but I am so glad that this little detail found me!

The Little Shop of Found Things is set in England modern times and the 17th century. In the novel, readers are introduced to Xanthe and her mother who have recently moved and opened an antique shop in a historic town. Readers also quickly learn that the main character, Xanthe, has a unique gift where she can "read" objects - she can hear the stories of those who used objects in the past. Perfect gift for someone who spends her life living amongst antiques.

Xanthe is instantly drawn to a 17th-century chatelaine; however, what she doesn't know when they purchase the item is that it is also tied to ghost fighting to save the life of her daughter in the past. A time portal is located in Xanthe's backyard and the ghost forces her to go back in time to prove her daughter's innocence - or else.

Okay - I know this sounds a little hooky. But, I promise, it is such an enjoyable escapist read. You can trust me! I am not big on time travel and seldom read anything with ghosts!

Brackston lets the story unfold slowly. This is not a page-turner. However, the way she describes even the smallest details allows readers to also be transported back in time. And, I desperately needed an escape this month.

And, I can't go without letting you know that the novel does have a bit of romance - time travel romance. But, don't expect Outlander. This is tamer.

The Little Shop of Found Things is the first in what is going to be a series, and the author already has me looking forward to the next novel.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me with this review copy. You can pre-order your copy now - or buy it when it is released on October 16, 2018.

Wonderful enchanting book full of mystery and intrigue: I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started reading, but I was rather surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Intersecting ley lines provide a mystical energy source for Xanthe, a psychometric, to travel in time to see the people who “sing” to her through the antiques she and her mother sell. With this premise, Paula Brackston’s new series will certainly provide readers with many delicious tales of time travel and romance.

Ms. Brackston’s latest story is abounding in historical detail. Her writing style really draws you into the story. The present-day characters in the small English town of Marlborough are delightful. The ease with which Xanthe and her mother, Flora, become part of the community made me long for life in a small, cheerful town. From the teashop owner, to mechanic to pub owner and history buff, each of the secondary characters made the story richer. There were a couple instances of unexplained tertiary characters that left me wanting. Was the character meant to set the tone of the scene? Was it part of an abandoned story line that didn’t get edited? Either way, nothing was added to the story by the inclusion of the character, nor did it detract much from the novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed the historical romance as well as the present-day playful banter between Xanthe and Liam, a handsome, young mechanic in town. The charming mother-daughter story is quite sweet. I love Flora’s upbeat, positive attitude. Both the past and present have their own antagonists who are at cross-purposes. This creates a complex conflict spanning centuries.

I fell in love with Paula Brackston’s writing when I happened upon The Witch’s Daughter at my library. I’ve ready many of the author’s books since, and her storytelling never disappoints! The Little Shop of Found Things is a delightful time-travel story with just the right amount of romance and mystery to be a truly engaging read.

Xanthe and her mother, looking for a fresh start, take over an antique shop, where Xanthe is able to sense part of the past of the items in the store. While examining one item, she is taken back to the 17th century, where she's confronted by a ghost who gives her an assignment. If she fails, it may cost her her mother's life.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last. I liked the writing, the characters and the setting – in both the present day and in the past. Once I got into the story, it was hard to put the book down, and the historical aspects made it even more enjoyable for me. I will definitely look for the next book in this series when it comes out.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.</i>

When I was a young girl, my favorite stories were adventures of fantasy like The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, or Alice in Wonderland. The idea of being able to step into another life, another world has you holding your breath till the very last page. I sincerely thank St Martins Press and #NetGalley for allowing me to read this uncorrected proof of The Little Shop of Found Things. This is the second book of 2018 I found myself reading at stoplights, at my desk at work, and just like my favorite stories of days gone by with my phone light into the night.
Xanathe Westlake has had a hard life but moving to Marlbourough and strating over with an antiques business with her mother seems like a good way to start fresh. Hunting through her shops garden she comes across what the town historian tells her is the old town jail..a stone building with no windows. Xanathe soon finds her "jail" is haunted , and the ghost will not stop following her till she agrees to go back to the 17th century to save her daughter from hanging. Similar to the Outlander series, the author does well to add historical accuracy and authenticity to the story. Xanathe finds a kindred spirit in the town architect, and Ken Follet fans will adore the chapters devoted to description of buildings and estates of Post medival England. My only regret is the ending , and I hope this story doesn't end for Samuel and Xanathe, I would love this to be a duology to trilogy. Look for this release October 16, 2018

I don't know how to classify this book, as it's a mix of fantasy/historical fiction/time travel/paranormal and other genres, but I can surely say it's a wonderful book.
I loved Paula Brackston and I had high expectations that were met.
I was hooked since the first pages and couldn't put it down, it was 2 am when I ended it.
The style of writing, the world building, the characters: everything was perfect and enthralling.
It's highly recommended and surely will be a best seller.
Many thanks to St. Martin Press and Netgalley for this ARC

Well researched and written, although some parts seemed too choppy and at a fast pace. Xanthe is a complex character who has trust issues especially with men. Her father left her mother and halted any money to them, and her ex-boyfriend left her to be prosecuted for drug possession of his drugs. She has a good reason to be leary of men, but she easily falls for Samuel who is rather brisk with her but holds Liam apart from her although he helps her without question. A good novel overall.

...So, what did I like about it?
Although historical fiction isn't my usual choice of reading material, St Martin’s Press gave me the opportunity to read this and as I really enjoyed Paula Brackston’s The Silver Witch back in 2015 I thought I'd give it a try.

As before, I found myself captivated with Ms Brackston’s beautiful and descriptive use of language. The prose she uses is intelligent, eloquent and very reminiscent of a historical novel; the words chosen and the sentence formation, while still managing to set the scene beautifully in one's mind.

I liked the way that this intriguing tale was told from Xanthe’s perspective, our heroine, and as my regular followers will know, I always enjoy a story more if the lead female character is intelligent, resourceful, resilient and has plenty of gumption; in this tale both Xanthe Westlake and her mum, Flora had these traits in spades.

I felt that the sad scenes, tense scenes, mysterious scenes and romantic ones were all written particularly well giving us a good balanced plot, with a sprinkle of humour thrown into the mix.

Although this is a work of fiction, the attention to historic detail and the care that was obviously taken when writing her characters made Ms Brackston’s world and the people in it feel very real to me. I enjoyed the fact that this foray into the past is not a rose tinted one; life was harsh and the rules of etiquette numerous. Although I feel that a bit of licence is permitted to aid a fictional tale too much can turn it into a mockery; Ms Brackston hit the right balance for me.

The Little Shop of Found Things has made me rage with indignant frustration, put a soppy smile on my face as well as had me holding my breath, on the edge of my seat and I loved the way that the story kept me guessing in both present day Marlborough and in the 17th century.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
OK, so here’s when I have to be completely honest and tell you why my rating was 4 stars rather than 5.

I think that I have to recognise that my knowledge of everyday life in historical England is possibly above average (I watch a lot of documentaries) because parts of this story, e.g. some of Xanthe's thoughts and actions during her time travelling - became a wee bit frustrating.

It’s important to remember that this is an opener to a new series, I have read reviews that complained of a slow start, the introduction of too many characters without building depth and the too subtle romance aspect of the tale but I enjoyed the gentle way in which Xanthe’s and her mum, Flora’s life to date and their personalities were revealed, how the mystery in the past and subsequent dangers gradually built and I liked that Ms Brackston left enough teasers to continue in subsequent books.

...So, basically what I’m saying is...
I really enjoyed reading this cliffhanger-free book. It has everything that I look for in a story; a good mystery, a sprinkling of romance, a nice balance of gentle humour with the added bonus of being within my favourite genre - paranormal.

I would recommend this book to fans of mystery stories, historical fiction and paranormal tales as well as readers of YA novels too as there is no explicit sexual content and only a handful of expletives, having said that, some of the beliefs, customs and laws of 17th century England may cause offence to your modern sensibilities.

New York Times bestselling author of The Witch's Daughter Paula Brackston returns to her trademark blend of magic and romance to launch a new series guaranteed to enchant her audience even more.

Xanthe and her mother Flora leave London behind for a fresh start, taking over an antique shop in the historic town of Marlborough. Xanthe has always had an affinity with some of the antiques she finds. When she touches them, she can sense something of the past they come from and the stories they hold. So when she has an intense connection to a beautiful silver chatelaine she has to know more.

It’s while she’s examining the chatelaine that she’s transported back to the seventeenth century. And shortly after, she's confronted by a ghost who reveals that this is where the antique has its origins. The ghost tasks Xanthe with putting right the injustice in its story to save an innocent girl’s life, or else it’ll cost her Flora’s.

While Xanthe fights to save her amid the turbulent days of 1605, she meets architect Samuel Appleby. He may be the person who can help her succeed. He may also be the reason she can’t bring herself to leave.

* * * * *

I really wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when I started to read THE LITTLE SHOP OF FOUND THINGS. I have seen it compared to Outlander but with the exception of the time travel, I didn't really find them to be similar. I just didn't get the same depth of being immersed in the past. Now that being said, I have to admit that I throughly enjoyed reading this book.

There were a couple things that gave THE LITTLE SHOP OF FOUND THINGS gold stars. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. Xanthe is a strong woman who would do anything to protect er mother including willingly going into the past to save another woman's daughter. Not being really close to my own family, Xanthe's bond with her mother was something that I treasured about her character.

All of the secondary characters are as well drawn as Xanthe. Her mother Flora is a also a very strong women despite her disability. I also really like Liam who happens to own the local garage for classic cars and really hope to get to know him better in the next book in this series,

Now while I don't feel immersed in 17th century England, I did feel that way about the small town that Xanthe and Flora had recently moved too. The warmth of their new neighbors radiate from the pages and make me want to head there on vacation.

I do think that my readers who enjoy time travel mixed with an interesting mystery will really enjoy this book. This is the first book in the series and I am looking forward to the next part in this series. There is some talk of violence and sex but nothing in your face so this book is safe for all ages.

***I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher or author.

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Susanna Kearsley, Pamela Hartshorne, Kate Mosse, Deborah Harkness, Simone St. James and other Historical timeslip Authors and ghost story writers this is a wonderful treat. For those who love Paula Brackston's Witch series, this is a little different but just as gripping as her other novels.

This novel is about a mother Flora and her grown up daughter, Xanthe who decide to leave London to open a new antique store in a quaint English village. They both meet some lovely new neighbours including the handsome, friendly, local Garage mechanic and handyman..
Xanthe has a gift that when she holds some of the special pieces of antiques that she is drawn to, they sing to her and reveal their past story.
Xanthe becomes particularly attracted to a silver chatelaine., which not only transports her back to the 17c., but becomes trapped by a hostile ghost which has plans for Xanthe's paranormal gift. Xanthe has been chosen by this ghost to do her bidding or her mother Flora will be in danger.

I throughly enjoyed reading this ghostly historical mystery with suspense and some romance attached to the story. The characters were well -rounded and the plot was thrilling to read. I would love for Paula Brackston to write more novels like these. I look forward to her future novels.

Xanthe and her mother Flora’s arrival at the small village of Marlborough was a new start for them both. The past was not worth thinking about for either of them, although unfortunately it was still present. When Flora had discovered the old antique shop, which had been unoccupied since the previous owner’s death, she was excited. Flora’s love of antiques, along with Xanthe’s affinity to some of the pieces meant the opening of the shop was a perfect solution. Plus, the residence which was above the shop saved them much needed funds.

The sale of antiques at the old Manor house would be the start of an adventure that Xanthe could well have done without. The beautiful silver chatelaine she purchased at the auction vibrated with messages – it was a Victorian relic, reminiscent of pieces dating back to the 1600s. The shock when she was thrust through time to 1605 was immense – the immediate need to save the life of a young girl something she couldn’t ignore. But it was the malevolent presence of the ghost in Xanthe and Flora’s new home that made her fearful…

Could Xanthe save a young girl’s life three centuries before Xanthe was born? She didn’t know – but also knew she had to try, or she could well lose her mother…

The Little Shop of Found Things is the first in a new series by Paula Brackston and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Racing against time – literally – meant the pace was electric for Xanthe (and me!) It was a magical read set in a small English village, steeped in historical details (when we were back in the 1600s) and it also looked at the closeness and love between a mother and daughter. A wonderful read which I highly recommend and I'm already looking forward to #2.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.

I loved, loved, loved this story! I'm a collector of found things, so that's what drew me to this particular story.
I enjoyed the way certain "things" sang to her. I found that I was quite jealous of her talent. The fact that she encountered a menacing ghost, time-traveled, fell in loved and saved a loved one in just a short number of days is amazing!
There was a hint that this would be series. I certainly hope so. I hope she gets her Samuel!
Great book!!!!!