novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
RATING: 4 STARS
2019; Inkyard Press/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
I enjoyed this novel immensely. This is the kind of book I needed when I was a young adult reader (and the kind of books I enjoyed then and now). I related so well to Darcy and her life. Darcy’s mother is a hoarder, and this effects her socializing skills to an extent. She is unable to get close to anyone, or rather prefers not to as she must keep her home life a secret. She is embarrassed to show anyone, other than her best friend, the shape of their home. Darcy must also be the adult/parent and make sure they have money and that the landlord does not see the state of the apartment. Due to my parents’ mental health and the way they chose to handled it often led me into the adult position. Or, in a constant state of unpredictability and stress. Just like Darcy I escape my family/home life and retreated into books. While my memory is not as great as Darcy's I collect books as if I am collecting memories and friends, in a way. I loved the friendship between her and Marisol as it is the grounding force that allows her to be herself and survive. Namey did a great job with the relationship between mother and daughter in this context and generally. The cherry on top of this book was the romance Darcy was finally able to experience once she able to let go of hiding things that were beyond her control. If you love books, and see them more than just a story, this is the novel for you!
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
2019; Inkyard Press/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
I enjoyed this novel immensely. This is the kind of book I needed when I was a young adult reader (and the kind of books I enjoyed then and now). I related so well to Darcy and her life. Darcy’s mother is a hoarder, and this effects her socializing skills to an extent. She is unable to get close to anyone, or rather prefers not to as she must keep her home life a secret. She is embarrassed to show anyone, other than her best friend, the shape of their home. Darcy must also be the adult/parent and make sure they have money and that the landlord does not see the state of the apartment. Due to my parents’ mental health and the way they chose to handled it often led me into the adult position. Or, in a constant state of unpredictability and stress. Just like Darcy I escape my family/home life and retreated into books. While my memory is not as great as Darcy's I collect books as if I am collecting memories and friends, in a way. I loved the friendship between her and Marisol as it is the grounding force that allows her to be herself and survive. Namey did a great job with the relationship between mother and daughter in this context and generally. The cherry on top of this book was the romance Darcy was finally able to experience once she able to let go of hiding things that were beyond her control. If you love books, and see them more than just a story, this is the novel for you!
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
heroicandromache's review against another edition
1.0
OH NO.
The amount of repressed memories from 14 year old me this gave me...it was a yikes. Somehow Darcy is a combination between being pretentious and immature and “I’m not like other girls”.
I was not a fan of the romance—it felt good in some places and then unfairly hateful the next to the ex-girlfriend. And please, please let me erase all memory of the text conversations. Please.
The amount of repressed memories from 14 year old me this gave me...it was a yikes. Somehow Darcy is a combination between being pretentious and immature and “I’m not like other girls”.
I was not a fan of the romance—it felt good in some places and then unfairly hateful the next to the ex-girlfriend. And please, please let me erase all memory of the text conversations. Please.
sprucewillow's review against another edition
funny
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Audiobook narrator really made this book.
The story was okay. I picked this up expecting an easy, lighthearted romance, and that's what half of it was. Much of it was about friends, coming of age, growing up. Wonderful topics for YA to cover and this book did a decent job at that. The two BFFs of the story were really sweet friends.
This book was really hard to get through, though. I don't know if it was the style of writing or the protagonist, but everything was described as a life or death soap opera ordeal, vivid descriptions of internal agony dragging on far too long. I started to not care. The subplots could have been better woven together. Asher as a love interest was proposed far too late in the story for a book that advertises itself as a romance, and Darcy's mother was ditched for numerous sequential chapters and reappeared when her hoarding became relevant to the romantic plot.
Book is good if ur like a 13/14 y/o just don't take it super seriously in the romance or the mental illness department.
The story was okay. I picked this up expecting an easy, lighthearted romance, and that's what half of it was. Much of it was about friends, coming of age, growing up. Wonderful topics for YA to cover and this book did a decent job at that. The two BFFs of the story were really sweet friends.
This book was really hard to get through, though. I don't know if it was the style of writing or the protagonist, but everything was described as a life or death soap opera ordeal, vivid descriptions of internal agony dragging on far too long. I started to not care. The subplots could have been better woven together. Asher as a love interest was proposed far too late in the story for a book that advertises itself as a romance, and Darcy's mother was ditched for numerous sequential chapters and reappeared when her hoarding became relevant to the romantic plot.
Spoiler
Not to mention the reconciliation between her and her mother was nearly entirely about Darcy. Honestly a selfish character I hated her at the end.Spoiler
Also sorry the romance became super cringe as it developed. I swear they dated for a whole month and Asher was like "if u won't let me in ur house then it's over.... think it over...." like honey what? and Darcy thinking that Asher is her wonderful prince who helped fix her family forever... not a good mentality to have babe like, I love boys too but chill out.Book is good if ur like a 13/14 y/o just don't take it super seriously in the romance or the mental illness department.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Abandonment
Moderate: Medical content and Mental illness
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Grief
abbycostello1999's review
4.0
The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey is a book all book lovers will relate to. Like many chronic bookworms (myself included), main character Darcy Wells spends most of her mental energy living inside the little worlds of books. Inside this world, she’s safe from her grim reality — a mother who obsessively hoards, a grandmother who is about to cut her off financially, and a new property manager who is trying to nose his way into their house, which will surely lead to eviction. All of these problems need solutions, and with her mother too emotionally crippled to help, all the responsibility falls on Darcy.
Enter Asher Fleet, a recent high school graduate whose dreams of being a pilot were shattered by a car accident that leaves him suffering from migraines and all kinds of health issues. Asher is working for his uncle in construction while he tries to figure out his future, still clinging to the hope that someday he will fly again. He chooses, for some mysterious reason, to start hanging out at the bookstore where Darcy works on his lunch break, and the two grow closer. He’s cute, charming, understanding, and he loves books… but there’s one problem. Darcy has no idea how to talk to boys. She’s read more romances than she can count, but never participated in one. She constantly asks herself, “What would Elizabeth Bennet or Jane Eyre or Anne Shirley do?”
But Darcy’s problem is bigger than just talking to this boy. If she really wants to build a relationship with him, she’s going to have to trust him, and even bigger than that, she’s going to have to let him into her life, mother’s hoard and all.
As a massive booklover myself, I related to this book so hard. Throughout this novel, Darcy has to go through what all book lovers eventually need to face: how do I live my life outside the pages of a book? Darcy escapes the hardships of life through books, she learns how to act through books, and she is never without a book in her hand. She breathes other people’s stories. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but eventually you have to put down the book and live your own story. What I loved about this book in particular was that even after Darcy starts to participate in her own life more and reads less, she never stops reading. Books have become a secondary part of her life, but they will always be a key part.
Another thing to love about this book are the great characters and great relationships. The romance is adorable and fun while still being deeply vulnerable. Every book-loving girl deserves an Asher. Darcy’s best friend, Marisol, is a true gem. She comes from a big half-Mexican, half-Cuban family that just leaps off the page, and Marisol’s personality is even bigger, but what I really love about her is how much love and support she gives to Darcy. The two are complete opposites, but they fit together perfectly. My favorite relationship, however, was between Darcy and her mother. Seeing Darcy struggle to deal with her mother broke my heart. Despite how hard it is for Darcy to juggle trying to make money and deal with her mom’s hoarding while still being a teenager, she refuses to leave her mom, which I relate to, and I felt like it was such an honest portrayal of family.
If you love contemporaries about honest, painful, but heartwarming relationships and dealing with mental illness and trauma, this story is for you. It will make you laugh and smile, but it will also make your heart ache. Even if you are not a book lover, I promise you will love it, but if you are, it just makes it even better.
Enter Asher Fleet, a recent high school graduate whose dreams of being a pilot were shattered by a car accident that leaves him suffering from migraines and all kinds of health issues. Asher is working for his uncle in construction while he tries to figure out his future, still clinging to the hope that someday he will fly again. He chooses, for some mysterious reason, to start hanging out at the bookstore where Darcy works on his lunch break, and the two grow closer. He’s cute, charming, understanding, and he loves books… but there’s one problem. Darcy has no idea how to talk to boys. She’s read more romances than she can count, but never participated in one. She constantly asks herself, “What would Elizabeth Bennet or Jane Eyre or Anne Shirley do?”
But Darcy’s problem is bigger than just talking to this boy. If she really wants to build a relationship with him, she’s going to have to trust him, and even bigger than that, she’s going to have to let him into her life, mother’s hoard and all.
As a massive booklover myself, I related to this book so hard. Throughout this novel, Darcy has to go through what all book lovers eventually need to face: how do I live my life outside the pages of a book? Darcy escapes the hardships of life through books, she learns how to act through books, and she is never without a book in her hand. She breathes other people’s stories. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but eventually you have to put down the book and live your own story. What I loved about this book in particular was that even after Darcy starts to participate in her own life more and reads less, she never stops reading. Books have become a secondary part of her life, but they will always be a key part.
Another thing to love about this book are the great characters and great relationships. The romance is adorable and fun while still being deeply vulnerable. Every book-loving girl deserves an Asher. Darcy’s best friend, Marisol, is a true gem. She comes from a big half-Mexican, half-Cuban family that just leaps off the page, and Marisol’s personality is even bigger, but what I really love about her is how much love and support she gives to Darcy. The two are complete opposites, but they fit together perfectly. My favorite relationship, however, was between Darcy and her mother. Seeing Darcy struggle to deal with her mother broke my heart. Despite how hard it is for Darcy to juggle trying to make money and deal with her mom’s hoarding while still being a teenager, she refuses to leave her mom, which I relate to, and I felt like it was such an honest portrayal of family.
If you love contemporaries about honest, painful, but heartwarming relationships and dealing with mental illness and trauma, this story is for you. It will make you laugh and smile, but it will also make your heart ache. Even if you are not a book lover, I promise you will love it, but if you are, it just makes it even better.
marshmallowbooks's review against another edition
4.0
If we could all be as honest in our conversations, intentions, and hopes as Asher Fleet, that would be a really good thing.
positivelybooked's review
4.0
I've been so busy recently so I'm glad I finally got to sit down and read the rest of this book during conferences.
It also made me realize that I'm a hoarder of books and I think I need to change.
It also made me realize that I'm a hoarder of books and I think I need to change.
hunnykurls's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
chandraleereads's review against another edition
3.0
There were moments in this book that I really loved (yay for book quotes and Peter Pan diaries) and others that kind of made me want to barf from the angsty, lovey-dovey, soap opera of it all. I think it’s still a 4 star read, just one that comes with a nausea warning.
berbie's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5