Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

26 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Considering what a dud my last read was, this one could only be given a full five stars. I normally dislike parallel timelines telling two stories back and forth. This time, it felt less linear and more circular. I was yelling angered, saddened, shocked, elated, hopeful, satisfied, curious, cheerful, and so many other feelings all throughout the book. There are so open questions, but the book felt so good to finish that none of those questions actually need answers for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

beckylmartin's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

It required a lot of suspension of belief due to all the coincidences. The British researcher brought some nice humor. Women being committed to institutions is so unjust. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

aclancy974's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. The author really developed a picture for me to imagine of every setting and person. The storylines were woven together quite perfectly. Maybe one day I will find a lost bookstore! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

smreads24's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Abandonment

purplepenning's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent

earthie's review

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed the book overall, but ended up feeling more disappointed by the level of focus on romance across all people and then the parts of it that mixed between reality and not felt like it was more of wishing for a proper ending rather than something that perfectly fit together. It felt more unfortunately forced.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Violence, Abandonment, and War

peyberry's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was not expecting this book to have such complex themes! I really enjoyed the characters and joining them on their journeys of self-discovery. The tiny bit of magic was fun and brings out the type of imagination one often has as a child. This is a light and easy read but does have dark topics throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Trafficking, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and War

riverofhorton's review against another edition

I had to stop reading this book. Between the male love interests of both the women being creepy, try-hard incels, and the author telling rather than showing, I just couldn't deal with it. Usually when I DNF, there is a chance I'll return to it in the future, there is no such possibility with this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

raisavibes's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was such a breath of fresh air after reading heavy sci-fi/fantasy books. I really enjoyed the writing style. There are so many amazing quotes in this book that a reader can resonate with. If you love books, bookshops and magical realism, this is the book for you. 

"The thing about books is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of."

The Lost Bookshop is a historical fiction that covers important issues like the struggles of being an independent woman in the late 1800s-1900s with a hint of magical realism. It's crazy how women were treated and how little control they had over their own lives. 

This is not my usual genre and I am glad I picked it up, thanks to my book club. Give it a shot, you won't regret it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Minor: Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Stalking, and War

nooks_cranny's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I thought it was going to be a cozy read but it turned out darker than I thought. It was a good book to pass the time, I didn’t really feel any attachment to any character aside from Madame Bowden. I would love to know more about her but that would ruin the fun and mystery. I also didn’t know I would learn tiny snippets about Irish history

especially concerning the German soldiers

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Ableism