Published by Inkyard Press on October 8, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
From the moment she first learned to read, literary genius Darcy Wells has spent most of her time living in the worlds of her books. There, she can avoid the crushing reality of her mother’s hoarding and pretend her life is simply ordinary. But when a new property manager becomes more active in the upkeep of their apartment complex, the only home Darcy has ever known outside of her books suddenly hangs in the balance.
While Darcy is struggling to survive beneath the weight of her mother’s compulsive shopping, Asher Fleet, a former teen pilot with an unexpectedly shattered future, walks into the bookstore where she works…and straight into her heart. For the first time in her life, Darcy can’t seem to find the right words. Fairy tales are one thing, but real love makes her want to hide inside her carefully constructed ink-and-paper bomb shelter.
Still, after spending her whole life keeping people out, something about Asher makes Darcy want to open up. But securing her own happily-ever-after will mean she’ll need to stop hiding and start living her own truth—even if it’s messy.
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Library of Lost Things drew my attention because it a book about a girl who “lives in books.” Y’all, this was me as a child, adolescent, and young adult. Even now, books are a way for me to live other lives and explore various ways of being. It was fun to see Darcy draw inspiration from bookish characters and scenarios to help her work through real life issues. I was really introverted as a child, so books were my way of understanding the world around me until I was ready to step out into the real world—a journey that Darcy undergoes in this book.
The opening chapters of the book feel like vignettes into Darcy’s life, as related through the lenses of some of her favorite books. As she gets drawn out into the real world and begins to write her own story, the vignettes come together to form a greater whole.
I love how her best friend Marisol is a large constant in Darcy’s story from start to finish. In fact, she gets more page time than the romantic interest, and she’s very involved in the process of Darcy figuring out her feelings and acting upon them. (Note: they also talk about things other than romance, such as Darcy’s financial and family issues, Marisol’s siblings, and college.) Asher, the romantic interest, acknowledges their friendships, talks to them together, and invites the two of them to hang out in a group with some of his friends. I also love how family plays a large role in this novel, how Darcy has an older woman friend/mentor figure playing an active role in her life, and how characters Darcy doesn’t like get a chance to show off their good points.
One of the best (and worst for my overburdened TBR pile) elements of a book about books is all the good books that it brings to my attention. To save my TBR pile, I’m taking away one book to read from The Library of Lost Things: Peter Pan.
In The Library of Lost Things, Darcy comes across a heavily annotated copy of Peter Pan at the independent bookstore where she works and decides to purchase it. Quotes and various annotations open up many of the chapters, giving insight into Darcy’s life and into the history of the mysterious Peter Pan scribbler. I enjoyed seeing how Darcy and the Peter Pan scribbler relate Peter Pan to their own lives, and while I am loathe to write in a book, it makes me curious how I’d relate the story to my own life. And it makes me curious how, if I take the time to slow down and reflect on the story I’m reading, how I could retell a story through the lenses of my life.
And yes, readers do get to find out who is the Peter Pan scribbler 🙂
Content
- Kissing; a couple is briefly portrayed making out in a loft at a house party.
- Mental health: Post-concussion syndrome, hoarding
- Single parent home View Spoiler »
- You find out in the end: View Spoiler ».
- Love interest has a girlfriend, View Spoiler ».
- MC steals View Spoiler ».
Let’s Chat
📚 Do you write in books?
📚 What’s a book that changed your life?
ShootingStarsMag says
Sounds like a fun book. I’m a big fan of books about books, libraries, etc. And I’m totally someone who would write in a book LOL
-Lauren
Crystal says
Same here. I haven’t been reading much contemporary recently, but I had to pick up this one since it’s a book about books! It’s fun to you can relate with writing in a book!
Summer says
Definitely added to my TBR, I love a book that mentions books, and I like that the friendship is fairly prominent in this one. As for my favorite genre, it’s probably contemporary, though I do like to read a little of everything.
Crystal says
Same. I love when books mention books, and it’s wonderful when friendship is prominent in a book. I hope you enjoy this one, Summer!
Natalie Aguirre says
I’m like Darcy too. I don’t usually read contemporary YA. But this sounds good.
Crystal says
Yes, I had fun relating with Darcy as a fellow bibliophile!