Thank you so much to Legend Press and Netgalley for allowing me to review this spellbinding book.
As soon as I heard that Cassandra had a new book on the horizon, I just knew I had to read it. I adored her last book The Beach Hut so really was looking forward to getting my teeth into more of her work.
I think the cover of Lily’s House is stunning, kind of magical. The content, what can I say. Cassandras writing reminds me a little of Virginia Andrews ( Flowers in the Attic. etc) and this really is a compliment. I adore how the story pans out, how you meet the characters, yet they keep you on your toes. This is so well written, I couldn’t put it down over the weekend. This, I feel, will be a number One. ( )

Thank you so much to Legend Press and Netgalley for allowing me to review this spellbinding book.
As soon as I heard that Cassandra had a new book on the horizon, I just knew I had to read it. I adored her last book The Beach Hut so really was looking forward to getting my teeth into more of her work.
I think the cover of Lily’s House is stunning, kind of magical. The content, what can I say. Cassandras writing reminds me a little of Virginia Andrews ( Flowers in the Attic. etc) and this really is a compliment. I adore how the story pans out, how you meet the characters, yet they keep you on your toes. This is so well written, I couldn’t put it down over the weekend. This, I feel, will be a number One. ( )

Won as part of a Goodreads givaway.

I was spellbound from the beginning with Lilly's House though it was hard to follow through the time jumps but it was beautifully written with many twists and turns throughout the book.

The story is about Jen who arrives at her grandmothers flat after her death to sort out her inheritance and ends up reliving moments of her past and revealing family secrets while doing a bit of soul searching. Her husband showed from the start he was controlling and grew increasingly more disturbing as the book went on. The relationship with her daughter seemed to blossom throughout as Jen started to relax more and mother and daughter enjoyed spending the quality time together.

A really good read with final reveals you should see coming but how they are revealed was a good twist. This is my first read from Cassandra Parkin but will definitely be reading more. ( )

I have always been intrigued by books that suggest a "magical" element. I truly believe that some people do have "abilities" to see or predict things that others cannot. I guess I am just one of those people who have never grown up when it comes to wanting to believe that magic truly exists.

When I was looking for a new book to read on NetGalley I came across Lily's House by Cassandra Parkin. After reading the description, I quickly requested it. It sounded like the type of story that I could lose myself in.

Jen's grandmother, Lily, has recently passed away. Now Jen has packed up her daughter Marianne and headed to Lily's house to help get the house in order. The house and Lily were a huge part of Jen's childhood, although we learn that Lily and Jen had become estranged and hadn't spoken in many years. So, as you can imagine, coming back was highly emotional and bittersweet. As they sift through Lily's belongings they find much more than just memories. There are secrets as well as answers to questions that have long been waiting.

I really enjoyed Lily's House. I thought the author did an exceptional job with the story. It was beautifully written and brimming with all kinds of emotion. I felt every one of the characters served a purpose as well, no matter how small the part. It helped us to see the whole picture. I truly enjoyed Jen's daughter Marianne. I honestly think she was my favorite character of all.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I begin a new book I find that my mind wanders as I read. If the book is super-slow or includes too much background or non-stop banter, I find that I start to lose interest and have to put it aside for awhile. With Lily's House, I never felt the need to lay it down. In fact, I actually felt that the book got better as I neared the end.

If you are a fan of women's fiction or just enjoy a well-written book, then you should grab this one up. Cassandra Parkin has proved to be a skilled writer that knows how to keep the reader enthralled. I also appreciated the fact that she presented the more darker subject matter with sensitivity instead of just throwing it in your face. I will certainly be looking for more of her work.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy of this book to review.

( )

A gorgeously written story of a woman reconnecting with her memories of a beloved but long-estranged grandmother, and finding the strength to face the truths about the problems in her own present.

Jen, deaf since childhood, spent many summers with her grandmother Lily at her home at the English shore. They were idyllic times, when Jen could feel safe and relaxed after months in the tense home made by her parents. But shortly after Jen's marriage Lily did something which upset Jen so much she refused to see her again. Lily has left her estate to Jen, though, so she reluctantly leaves behind her insecure, unemployed musician husband and travels with her 12-year old daughter to settle Lily's affairs. Jen always thought her grandmother was something of a witch, seeming to have a second site into coming events, and she is dreading returning to this place of such happy memories. Given a cool reception by Lily's friends upon her arrival, she struggles to finish her business and get back home, but each day finds her less and less inclined to do so, and she begins having disturbing conversations in her head with her grandmother as well as dreams which point to huge upcoming changes for herself and her family.

The characters are carefully drawn, with the flow of signed, lip-read, and spoken language interwoven effectively to give a sense of the isolation and survival tactics of a deaf person. The language is fresh and evocative:

"Here is the key with the loop of plaited string that surely, surely cannot be the one I made for her, decades ago."

"All I wanted was to try on Lily's things. First the jewelry, which - jackdaw that I am - still calls to me with a siren song."

"Maybe by the time I'm old, I'll reminisce fondly about the days when everyone sat around in couch-potato silence and stared with their mouths open at the 'same program'." (This one made me laugh out loud.)

The plot, filled with Jen's texts to and from her increasingly desperate husband, and alternating chapters filling in the past, pull the reader along to ever more layers of Jen's and Lily's pasts, with a wonderfully unexpected but perfect ending. So highly recommended! ( )