*All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change*

Overall: 3.5/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 3.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 3.5/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Library of Lost Things is an interesting read that’s a mix between cute romance and heavy family drama.

“The circle never broke. We lived in a home strung across tightropes.”

[ Related: The Burning Shadow (Origin #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout – Funny, Political, and Cute (ARC Review) ]

// Content Warning: Illness (Post-Concussive Syndrome), Mental Illness (Hoarding) //

Release Date: 10/8/2016
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Page Count: 384
Premise:

When Darcy Wells meets Asher Fleet, a former pilot whose dreams seem just out of reach, she doesn’t expect to care for him. For once, she doesn’t want to hide in her books. But after years of protecting her mother’s secret of being a hoarder, Darcy doesn’t know how to let anyone into her cluttered life.

“Holding a real book is like holding something alive. There’s the grit of the pages between your fingers as you turn them. The edges get soft and worn. With a real book, you feel the weight of the story more.”

Read more for all of my thoughts on The Library of Lost Things!

Writing & Setting

Laura Taylor Namey’s writing style is great for a contemporary. It’s easy to get into, blending flowery writing with a lighter contemporary feel. The tone of this book balances fairly well between lighthearted romance and darker family drama, bouncing back and forth with ease.

“He was the home for all my words, even the ones I hadn’t defined yet. He was the home for all my stories, even the ones I hadn’t imagined.”

Plot

Like I said earlier, the plot of this book goes back and forth between relationship drama and family drama. It definitely wasn’t the fluffy read I was expecting, but it handles all of the more serious aspects really well (especially the mental and physical illnesses portrayed). There is a lot of depth, which prevents it from being your typical contemporary. However, sometimes the drama could be a bit much.

“Since kindergarten, my mind has been a story bank. I read and read, and I remember.”

Characters

I really wasn’t expecting the mental health representation in this book but I was so here for it. It was handled really well, and very realistically. As for the characters, I really loved Darcy. She’s such a relatable, down to earth protagonist. And it didn’t hurt that she’s a bookworm. Meanwhile, Asher was interesting and a good love interest, but I didn’t like how his relationship that he has at the start of the book was handled. They do address it, but it still bothered me a little. Besides that, I really did like Asher’s character. Darcy’s family and her best friend Marisol also play a big part in this book and I just really appreciated the complexity of all of their relationships.

“But if you’re about to do something questionable and stupid and brilliant and cunning, you’re not doing it without me.”

Conclusion

Pros- Good characters and complex relationships, great representation for mental and physical illness
Cons- Some of the drama was a little too unrealistic
Overall- 3.5/5 stars.
The Library of Lost Things isn’t a perfect book, but if you’re looking for a cute, fun fall read, then it might just be the book for you.

If You Liked The Library of Lost Things, I’d Recommend:

• Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
• First & Then by Emma Mills

Are you excited for The Library of Lost Things?
If you could memorize one book, what book would you pick?

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