Blog Tour! The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey

10/14/2019

Hi all! So excited to be on the Blog Tour for The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey! Thank you to HarperTeen and the Fantastic Flying Book Club for sending me a copy in exchange for my review. If you'd like to follow along, click here to see other tour stops, and be sure to participate in the FFBC's giveaway (details below).

The Book and its Author

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.

Laura is a Cuban-American Californian who can be found haunting her favorite coffee shops, drooling over leather jackets, and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two superstar children.

This former teacher writes young adult novels about quirky teens learning to navigate life and love. Her debut, THE LIBRARY OF LOST THINGS will be published 10/08/19 from Inkyard Press/HarperCollins. Her #ownvoices sophomore project, A CUBAN GIRL'S GUIDE TO SWEATERS AND STARS is coming fall 2020 from Atheneum Simon and Schuster.

Review

Thank you to the Fantastic Flying Book Club and Inkyard Press for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Library of Lost Things is a sweet romance full of self-discovery and connection. Darcy and Asher had great chemistry, and every page of this book was a treat.

The literary connections strewn throughout were the charm of the whole novel. Darcy is an avid reader, with a boundless love for words. As a reader myself, I can always appreciate a literary heroine such as Darcy. She often finds herself holding books, which Namey touches on in a humorous way. I also relate to the parts of Darcy that wish she were reading when she’s uncomfortable. The bookstore that she works in plays a significant role in the novel, and I could see any bookworm loving Darcy’s job at the Yellow Feather.

Besides her job, another major part of Darcy’s life is her best friend, Marisol. Darcy and Marisol are friendship goals, honestly. I love positive female friendships in contemporary novels, and these girls will warm your heart. Marisol’s family is so welcoming to Darcy, and I was struck by how close the girls were. Marisol, the fashion queen, is always there to support Darcy and help her with various troubles, and is a wonderful guiding friend. The supporting characters in The Library of Lost Things are amazing. They push the novel and each have unique traits and fully-developed arcs. Tess, Darcy’s Grandmother, and Mr. Winston were each a joy to read about as they went about their lives and intersected Darcy’s story.

Darcy’s arc with her mother shines in this novel. It’s an incredible story of compassion, family, and memory. It was interesting to read about Darcy balancing her love for her mother with the anger she feels about her mom’s compulsive shopping. I haven’t seen a lot of YA with complex mother-daughter relationships like this one, and I recommend reading it. Darcy talks about counseling, her and her mom’s relationship with her grandmother, and her literary coping method, all of which develop the issue of mental illness so strongly in the novel.

Of course, I couldn’t review a romance novel without actually touching on the love story. Asher, Darcy’s love interest, is a great, well-developed character who is sure to make any reader swoon. His backstory? Tragic. His adoration for Darcy? Boundless. Watching them fall in love was a highlight of my reading experience. Their whole relationship is so sweet and charming, complete with romantic gestures and surprises.

Overall, this beautiful romance is a must read! 4/5 stars.