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kindredspiritbooks

It is November - the month of crimson sunsets, par

It is November - the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. (swipe for mood)

I feel like Anne this time of year, roaming and wandering, whether outdoors or in my imagination, letting the sweeping wind blow the fog out of my soul.

I want to light candles and write and read.
I want to savor the autumn glow.
The rain storms.
The leaves falling.
Everything golden and amber.

Flowers dried in place,
beautiful even as they fade,
as though someone hit pause.

Leaves crunching.
Winds blowing.
Temperatures rising and falling.

This is the time of year when I want to hit pause. I'm not ready for winter. I'm not quite ready to hibernate.

I need long rambles and lots of time to dream and pray and process.

What about you, Kindred Spirits? If you could ramble long with a favorite literary character, who would it be?

I think you know I choose Anne.

Rachel xx

#anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #anneoftheisland #anneshirley #anneshirleycuthbert #princeedwardisland #gilbertblythe #marillacuthbert #dianabarry #matthewcuthbert #cozycore #cozyfall #cottagecore #fallvibes #cozyvibes

A Hobbit Devotional for autumnal hobbitses... Som

A Hobbit Devotional for autumnal hobbitses...

Something about autumn makes me want to live in a hobbit hole and reread Tolkien!

I took a little walk today and captured this shot in the fall leaves.

This devotional is hard to find right now, which makes me sad, but I love this leatherette edition. If you can find a copy, I highly recommend it. It's available on Kindle too.

A Hobbit Devotional was written by the late Ed Strauss, and I'd love to see it back in print. I absolutely adore his style.

This book is soul food.
Deeply biblical and heartily hobbit.

Have you read this book? If you could spend a day in a cozy hobbit hole, what would you do?

Here's to hobbits and holes and walking in the leaves, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#thehobbit #thefellowshipofthering #thelordoftherings #tlotr #devotionalbook #dailydevotional #devotionaltime #quiettime #walkingwithgod #hobbithole #bilbobaggins #gandalf #mistymountains #theshire #gollum #slayingdragons #faithoverfear #christianbooks #cozycore #fallvibes #fallleaves🍁🍂

I can TOTALLY relate to Anne's imagination getting

I can TOTALLY relate to Anne's imagination getting the best of her, can you? 😂

Here's the scene:

“I can’t go through the Haunted Wood, Marilla,” cried Anne desperately.

Marilla stared.

“The Haunted Wood! Are you crazy? What under the canopy is the Haunted Wood?”

“The spruce wood over the brook,” said Anne in a whisper.

“Fiddlesticks! There is no such thing as a haunted wood anywhere. Who has been telling you such stuff?”

“Nobody,” confessed Anne. “Diana and I just imagined the wood was haunted. All the places around here are so—so—commonplace. We just got this up for our own amusement."

This might be controversial, but this is one time when I think the movie (1985) is better than the book! It's just so funny.

Can you relate to Anne, Kindred Spirits? Do you have a wonderful imagination like Anne or do you prefer to keep your feet on solid ground like Marilla?

Here's to allowing our imaginations to fly to places that are beautiful and inspiring… and to staying out of haunted woods… 😆

Happy Halloween!

Rachel xx

#anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #anneofgreengables1985 #bookquote #anneshirley #dianabarry #greengables #princeedwardisland #marillacuthbert #lmmontgomery #christianwomen #encouragement #soulfood #cozyhome #comfortreads

Eat with Anne Shirley? Yes, please! Look at this A

Eat with Anne Shirley? Yes, please! Look at this Anne Shirley coin and this new book by @carrottoppapershop and @thebooksellersdaughter!

Book mail is the best mail! I’m swooning over all the goodies and I can’t wait to read the book, try the recipes, and enjoy all my favorite books in a new way!

What is your favorite foodie moment from a book or movie?

My top 3 are Farmer Boy, The Secret Garden, and of course Anne of Green Gables!

Link to the book in my bio!

Happy fall and happy eating, Kindred Spirits!🍂

Rachel xx

#anneshirley #anneshirleyedit #anneshurleycuthbert #anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #dianabarry #thesecretgarden #littlehouseontheprairie #theireyeswerewatchinggod #littlewomen #farmerboy #marillacuthbert #cozyvibes #cozyvintagelife #cottagecore #cozycore

I dare you to find a more romantic quote, a more r

I dare you to find a more romantic quote, a more romantic moment, a more romantic scene in literature.

It just doesn't get better than Gilbert and the dream of Anne that he never, ever gave up on--not even once.

Here's the scene:

"Anne wanted to speak but she could find no words. Happiness was breaking over her like a wave. It almost frightened her.

“I asked you a question over two years ago, Anne. If I ask it again today will you give me a different answer?”

"Still Anne could not speak. But she lifted her eyes, shining with all the love-rapture of countless generations, and looked into his for a moment. He wanted no other answer."

Gilbert never gave up.
He never stopped.
He kept loving her.
He kept dreaming.

From the first day he saw her and wanted to meet her so badly and put out his hand and tweaked her braid...

Until he gave up everything so she could stay at Green Gables...

And every time,
he put his heart on the line...
again and again...

And finally, when she almost lost him, Anne realized the love that had always been there, that never gave up, that loved her from the start.

Ah, Gilbert. The dreamer who never gave up on the red-haired, freckled girl he fell in love with all those years ago.

You taught us what love really is.
You taught us to never settle.
You taught us to dream and wait...
and believe.

Gilbert proposed to Anne in the autumn, and I wonder if he remembered that she always said she loved Octobers best.

Gilbert was my first book crush. Who was yours?

Here's to dreams and never giving up, Kindred Spirits, because God's best for your life is always worth waiting for.

Rachel xx

#gilbertblythe #gilbertblytheedit #anneandgilbert #anneshirley #anneshirleycuthbert #anneofgreengables #cozyhome #cozycottage #lmmontgomery #kindredspirits #princeedwardisland #avonlea #cottagecore #cozycore #anneoftheisland

🍂Feeling all the fall feels… This darling vi

🍂Feeling all the fall feels…

This darling vintage book set was a gift from my brother @oppencreche when we went on a bookstore romp last week. (Swipe to see the inscription and date!!)

We both found several beautiful books. Can’t wait to show you more of our #bookhaul.

For now, I leave you with this:

What books feel like fall to you, Kindred Spirits? Do you savor the glow of candlelight as much as I do?

Rachel xx

#fallfeels #autumnvibes #fallvibes #cozycottage #cozycore #cottagecore #oldbooks #rarebooks #rarebooksofinstagram #rarebookshop #englishhistory #booksandcandles #bookishdelights #cozybookstagram #cozybooks

It’s time. Time to revel in color. Time to list

It’s time.

Time to revel in color.
Time to listen and feel.
Time to breathe deep.

Fall is all around.

Falling
Leaves
Crunching underfoot.

It’s here.

The most beautiful month of the year.

October.

The month of my birth.
Glorious end-cap.
The month I long for most.

The month I can almost taste.

The smell.
The feel.

The world around me
slowly cooling and drying.

Crisp and brittle.
Smoky mist.
Colors swirling.

It’s time to draw in and curl up.

Sip deeply, slowly
as the hearth flame
flickers and winks.

—Ode to October

This is the annual post I look forward to most each year. Here's the full quote from Anne Shirley

“Oh, Marilla,” Anne exclaimed one Saturday morning, coming dancing in with her arms full of gorgeous boughs, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it? Look at these maple branches. Don’t they give you a thrill—several thrills? I’m going to decorate my room with them.”

What do you love about October, Kindred Spirits? What are your favorite things to do in the fall?

Happy October!
Rachel xx

#anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #anneofgreengables1985 #anneshirley #anneshirleycuthbert #annewithane #callmecordelia #october #hearthfire #cozycore #fallvibes #autumnvibes #cottagecore #greengables #fallcolors #princeedwardisland #poems #poetry #inspiration #simpleliving

Dame Maggie Smith died today at the age of 89 in H

Dame Maggie Smith died today at the age of 89 in Hospital surrounded by her loved ones.

She will forever be Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Granny Wendy (Darling) from Hook, and so many other beloved characters to me.

I know so many of us loved her. The world and British films and television won’t be the same without her.

Speaking about her reputation, Smith once said, “It’s true I don’t tolerate fools, but then they don’t tolerate me, so I am spiky,” according to the Associated Press.

“Maybe that’s why I’m quite good at playing spiky elderly ladies,” she quipped in addition.

And while that’s true, and that’s why we adore her, it’s also true that her characters were complex and delightful and witty and tender.

I plan to watch some of her movies this weekend as we enjoy some rain.

Which of her acting roles did you love most over the years?

Blessings to you all, Kindred Spirits. Well done, Dame Maggie Smith.

Rachel xx

#downtonabbey #downtonabbeyfilm #downton #downtonabbeymovie #downtonabbeyedit #downtonabbeystyle #maggiesmith #damemaggiesmith #violetcrawley #dowagercountessofgrantham #matthewcrawley #lordgrantham #ladygrantham

"So up he got, and trotted along with his little s

"So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter." -The Hobbit

Hobbits may be small in stature, but they are wise and brave! Stout-hearted and stubborn and loyal, Bilbo knows forward is the only way to go.

His decision process can teach us so much for our lives...and the life of faith:

Go back? Not good at all.
Go sideways? Impossible!
Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!

Forward motion is the motion of faith.
We can't go back.
Sideways only leads us...well, sideways.
Forward is the only Way.

Perhaps there is something that's making your heart go all patter and pitter right now. Something difficult. Something you can't control. Some kind of tight spot. Or maybe there's something you need to surrender, confess, or turn from.

Whatever it is, there is wisdom in forward motion. As you trot along, hold your sword up in front of you. Don't be afraid. You may feel like you're groping in the dark, but as you move in step with the Holy Spirit, He will be your guide.

The life of faith is not for faint-hearted hobbits, but hobbits prove to us that you don't have to be big or strong or mighty in stature to take a step of faith.

Maybe today is the day you get up and take a few steps forward. Maybe it's time to pick up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

Why do Hobbits make us feel brave? Why do we love them so much?

I think it's a lot to do with the beauty of how they're made. No one would think to give a hobbit a big job, which is exactly why they are the perfect choice. And that's exactly why God might be asking you to take a brave step too.

What do you love most about Bilbo (and hobbits in general)?

Here's to hobbits and fall days and forward movement, Kindred Spirits!

On we go!

Rachel xx

#hobbitlife #hobbitcore #hobbitaesthetic #cottagecore #jrrtolkien #thehobbit #bookquoteoftheday #thelordoftherings #lotr #thefellowshipofthering #followingjesus #onwego #upwardandonward #lifeoffaith #couragedearheart #bilbobaggins

Now closed. Congrats to @alletaquilts on winning!

Now closed. Congrats to @alletaquilts on winning! Thank you to everyone who participated.

👒Calling all Kindred Spirits!!👒

We are thrilled to bring this delightful #Annetober Fall Giveaway to you!🍂

As the leaves turn, and a crisp chill comes into the air, we head indoors to while away the afternoon in front of the fire. This Autumn, we’d love for you to join us in lingering on the beauty found in Anne of Green Gables and set your gaze upwards on His goodness and faithfulness, through these companions. One winner will receive these two prizes:

💕 Rachel @kindredspiritbooks brings you a hardback copy of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional with reflections, prayers, quotes, and delightful original artwork for each chapter. Perfect for individual reflection or small groups.

💕 Jessica @lifegivingpages brings you a printable family devotional for use with the whole family, from the youngest to the oldest. With biblical reflection, discussion questions, scripture memory work, copywork, colouring sheets, and more. A beautiful way to focus on the riches of God's word, all whilst reading this beloved classic.

To enter:
🌷 Follow us both @kindredspiritbooks and @lifegivingpages
🌷 Like and save this post
🌷 Tag all your favourite friends!

We’d be honoured if you’d share this giveaway to your stories to help spread the word. Every share truly encourages and blesses us.

Blessings to you, Kindred Spirits! 🌸

Rachel & Jessica xx

Details: Giveaway closes Friday, 27 Sept. Must be 18 and over. Not affiliated with Instagram. U.S. / U.K. only. Prizes provided by us.

#bookgiveway #kindredspirits #anneofgreengables #anneshirley

And people wonder why we mood read. Here is a des

And people wonder why we mood read.

Here is a description of Beorn's table:

"There they had a supper, or a dinner, such as they had not had since they left the Last Homely House in the West and said good-bye to Elrond.

"The light of the torches and the fire flickered about them, and on the table were two tall red beeswax candles.

"They sat long at the table with their wooden drinking-bowls filled with mead. The dark night came on outside. The fires in the middle of the hall were built with fresh logs and the torches were put out, and still they sat in the light of the dancing flames with the pillars of the house standing tall behind them, and dark at the top like trees of the forest."

With descriptions like these, it's no wonder we want to be hobbits, go on a grand adventure, and slay a dragon.

It's no wonder we want to sit at a table, joined with other stout-hearted folk, listening and learning, sharing and nodding, dreaming and planning.

It's no wonder we long for nourishing fellowship over a shared meal... together... the candles list... with something hearty and warm in our bellies.

Fellow hobbits, what's your favorite place to gather with friends and family? What warms your heart most about Middle Earth?

Here's to hobbits and meals and all the cozy feels, Kindred Spirits.

Rachel xx

#hobbitday #thehobbit #jrrtolkien #theinklings #thefellowshipofthering #lordoftherings #theshire #middleearth #cslewis #bilbobaggins #gandalf #samwisegamgee #cozyreads #cozymeal #fellowship #gather #cozycore #hobbithole #hobbitcore

What’s your favorite setting for a book? I tend

What’s your favorite setting for a book?

I tend to love small towns and quirky characters in addition to the main love interest.

Which is why I’ve been waiting for this next book from @hollyvarni!! Her first book On Moonberry Lake was absolutely charming. This next installment centers on a new but related character so you can read it alone or as a sequel. Yay!

I’m all about small-town charm, eclectic characters, and a hearty warm welcome that makes me chuckle one moment and reach for the tissue the next. If that’s you, then this is your next read.

It releases next week. Run, don’t walk, to order your copy, Kindred Spirits!!

Rachel xx

#moonberrylake #hollyvarni #revellpublishing #christianfiction #hope #hopefloats #encouragement #smalltownlife #smalltown #youvegotmail #gilmoregirls #avonlea #mitford #smalltowncharm #happybooks #cozyreading #cozyreads #newbookalert

What book world do you wish you could visit, even

What book world do you wish you could visit, even for a day?

I'd go through the wardrobe with Lucy to the lamp-post and beyond into Narnia.

"This is the land of Narnia," said the Faun.

Those words elicit such a heart-pang, don't they? Those of us who consider ourselves Narnians, though we've never seen it, share that familiar pang when we hear the words Narnia, Cair Paravel, Mr. Tumnus, or Aslan.

I am convinced more and more that any heart-pang or longing we have in response to Narnia is meant to create in us a heart-pang for Heaven.

I don't know if C.S. Lewis did that on purpose, but I love to think about the fact that he is now enjoying "Narnia" to the fullest. And more than that.

Because even Narnia is merely a shadow of what's to come.

Because what God is preparing is beyond anything we can imagine.

So hold fast, Narnians! Be brave. Be heroic. Be filled with valor. Press on toward truth and victory.

Your King has come and will come again. And One Day, that lamp-post, that Light of the World, will lead us to a Cair Paravel far fairer than any we have seen here.

Take heart, my fellow Narnians. Whatever dark you see here will one fade into starlight on That Day when Aslan comes.

Rachel xx

#narnia #narniaedit #narniaquotes #cslewis #cslewisquotes #cslewisbooks #aslan #thelionthewitchandthewardrobe #thechroniclesofnarnia #christianwomen #dailydevotional #dailydevo #quoteoftheday #bookquoteoftheday #anneofgreengables #littlewomen #thesecretgarden #prideandprejudice #cairparavel #mrtumnus

What’s the last book you stayed up late to read?

What’s the last book you stayed up late to read?

I read this book in one night…

Not because my own mother is gone, but because I hate to even think about that day, and I want to cherish what I have right now.

I stayed up to read this book because some of my friends are walking through life with a mother who is now in Heaven. And I want to love them well.

I stayed up to read this book because Chelsea's words flow in gentle rhythms that soothe the soul.

I stayed up to read this book because there is wisdom in these pages about love and loss and grief. Wisdom I need.

I stayed up to read this book because each section includes an entry about the complicated parts of mother-daughter relationships.

I stayed up to read this book because it reminded me that Heaven is coming, and I can't wait for what Jesus is preparing.

I stayed up to read this book because my friend Chelsa Ohlemiller, one of the most beautiful women I know, wrote it with all her heart. And I love her for it.

I stayed up to read this book, Kindred Spirits, because I wanted to share it with you as soon as I could. I hope you'll go get a copy for yourself and a friend.

Congratulations to Chelsea @hopeandharshrealities this beautiful book! Thank you for sharing your heart!

Rachel xx

#hopeandharshrealities #nowthatshesgone #griefsupport #griefjourney #griefandloss #hopeofheaven #christianwomen #prayingwomen #lament #christianbooks #momlife #cozyreads #shereadstruth #fivestagesofgrief #griefshare #healingandhope #jesusheals #marmee #marillacuthbert #carolineingalls #megmarch

What's your favorite book in the Anne of Green Gab

What's your favorite book in the Anne of Green Gables series?

I've always loved the first one best, but several of the others, including Anne's House of Dreams, are incredibly special.

Each book grows more dear with each passing year. As I grow, Anne seems to grow with me.

I've seen this quote shared a few times this past week, and I had to add it here. It seems so perfectly fitting as August melts into September.

If you could visit any of the places where Anne Shirley lived, during any season, where and when would you go?

If I could live in PEI for one full year, even knowing I'd have to brave the snow and winds of winter, I think it would be a dream. I've been touched by Montgomery's descriptions of that beautiful place all my life. I want to feel it for myself one day.

Here's to dreamy books, northern skies, and seasons of change, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#lmmontgomery #bookquote #bookquoteoftheday #anneshirley #anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #anneofgreengables1985 #kindredspirits #anneshouseofdreams #autumnvibes #summerbreeze #changingseasons #cozycore #cozyreads #oldfashionedgirl

What’s your favorite part about walking into a b

What’s your favorite part about walking into a bookstore? Would you work at one if you could?

“Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again.” ―Louisa May Alcott

Some bookstores feel like that, too. I felt at home in my new town the day I walked into our downtown indie bookstore. Even then, I somehow knew I belonged there, with those people, in that store.

Bookstores and libraries have always been such happy places for me. I love the smell, the quiet, the peace, the books books books.

I’m wrapping up a read through this fascinating history of bookstores in the U.S. Tomorrow night, after the shop closes, we’ll gather to discuss it. All thanks to a boss who loves books and loves people and believes that books can change lives.

Here’s to all the #indiebookstores out there and to all the #bookshop owners and #booksellers who could probably make a lot more doing something else but have chosen to follow books!

Rachel xx

#bookstores #bookstoresofinstagram #readmorebooks #kindredspiritbooks #kindredspiritsclub #booktalk #cozyread #cozybookstore #bookshop #bookshops #booksellers #booksellerlife

How do you afford your book habit? Used bookstore

How do you afford your book habit?

Used bookstores...
Budget for books...
Kindle Unlimited...
Online used books...
Library books...
Library audio/ebooks...
Free books as a book reviewer...
Free Little Libraries...
Ask for books at Christmas and bday...
Borrow from friends...
Work at a bookstore...

There are so many ways to make it happen. What's your top choice?

I confess, I pretty much employ all of these incredible techniques to feed my reading habit.

How about you? Tell me what you do? What tips and tricks can you share? I know a lot of you are majorly into audiobooks and libraries...

Here's to reading all the books, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#bookstores #bookshop #bookshelf #bookcollector #bookcollection #bookaddic #librarylife #freelittlelibrary #bookish #readingallday #booklovers #readallthebooks #cozyreads #cozycore #cozyreading

Are you in your cottage garden era? I am!🙋🏻‍♀️

Jane Austen’s House is one of my favorite places on earth. It's peaceful and lovely...like stepping back in time.

The gardens make me want to wander around in a beautiful dress, dreaming and reading to my heart’s content.

I'm in the middle of writing a 12-month series on Jane Austen's life for Jane Austen's World blog, and this month is "August in Jane Austen's World."

These photos by @janeaustenshouse and @chawtonhouse are just one little peek into the beauty Jane would have known during her years at Chawton.

Have you visited Jane Austen's House? If you could visit any author's house, which one would it be?

Here's to English gardens and blooming flowers, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

P.S. To read more about August in Jane Austen's world, click the link in my bio!

#janeausten #janeaustenfan #janeaustenbooks #chawtonhouse #chawton #janeaustenshouse #summerflowers #cottagelife #cottagecore #prideandprejudice #prideandprejudice2005 #cottagegarden #thesecretgarden #englishgardens #hampshirelife #englishcountryside #englishcountrygarden

Ah, a never-to-be forgotten summer. Have you had o

Ah, a never-to-be forgotten summer. Have you had one of those? What are your current summer joys?

Here are some of mine...

Joy that we're making new memories in a new season of life.

Joy over shared books and long read-aloud hours on the couch.

Joy over shopping trips and lunch dates and the things you do with a teen and pre-teen.

Joy over travels to and fro.
Joy over visits from friends.
Joy over the zoo and the water park.
Joy over time in a cabin in the mtns.

Joy over time together.

I love to look back on each summer and think of all God has done. We started this summer worn down and weary from a long, hard school year. We felt like it might never end. But summer came, and God did a big work in our hearts. Healing and mending and restoring our strength.

If you're like me...and you're a mama who loves time with her kiddos and misses them when they are busy during the school year, take heart with me.

Fall is coming and that's lovely too. It's busy and times flies too fast, but there's goodness ahead in each season.

Because God is ahead of us, every day.

The joys will continue...
Your kids will thrive...
And God will go before you...

Because of everything you poured into them all summer long, they will do well.

Blessings to you, Kindred Spirits. May you sip and savor and linger over every last bit of summer.

Rachel xx

#summerbreak #readingwithkids #lmmontgomery #anneshirley #anneofgreengables #momlife #cottagecore #cottagelife #homesteadlife #mamaheart #prayerwarriors #prayingmom #sacredparenting

I'm ecstatic!!! Eat Like a Heroine is out today, K

I'm ecstatic!!! Eat Like a Heroine is out today, Kindred Spirits!!

I'm so excited to share this book with all of you! And I'm so incredibly PROUD of my dear chums Jenny Williams @carrottoppapershop and Lorilee Craker @thebooksellersdaughter who have poured their hearts and souls into creating this beautiful book for us to savor.

"Join book-obsessed kindred spirits Jenny Williams and Lorilee Craker as they time travel through favorite heroine classics to glean all the foodie wisdom: How to eat, picnic, comfort, host and more like your best-loved bookish stars.

"Elevate your eating life to the level of Anne of Green Gables, Jane Austen, Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Hurston; come to the table with us as we learn how to eat like heroines."

Please join me in congratulating Lorilee and Jenny and please tag at least 3 bosom friends who would love this beautiful book!

Here's to eating like heroines, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

Credit: Photos and illustrations by Jenny - of course!

#eatlikeaheroine #bakingbook #cookbooks #eatingtogether #breakingbread #anneofgreengables #kindredspirits #janeausten #alittleprincess #thesecretgarden #littlewomen #louisamayalcott #franceshodgsonburnett #littlehouseontheprairie #lauraingallswilder #lmmontgomery #foodies #newbookalert

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