I love books about self-discovery and even more so if it involves a bookstore. Miranda thinks she has her life figured out. She's teaching history and has just moved in with her boyfriend but then news of her estranged uncle's death sends things spiraling. Years ago, Miranda's uncle disappears from her life with almost no explanation leaving a hole in her life. When she receives a mysterious package shortly before she finds out about her uncle's death she embarks on one last scavenger hunt but with much higher stakes then her childhood hunts.

I liked Miranda and sympathized with her frustration that everyone important in her life was keeping secrets from her. I was fascinated by Prospero Books and the behind the scenes with trying to haul a failing bookstore back into the black. The big secret was a surprise but one where I could sympathize with everyone involved. I didn't love the romantic element but while it is important to the story it isn't central so I it didn't bother me too much.

This is my first book by this author but I will be on the lookout for more books by Meyerson.

This book started off slow for me, but then I couldn't put it down.

I found myself engrossed in the story and enthralled by the graceful writing. The Bookshop of Yesterdays is a moving tale that captures the turmoil of families while also offering a loving tribute to the quirky characters who inhabit books and bookstores. It's an impressive debut novel by a gifted author.

The only part that left me upset was the ending. I found it hard to believe that it would turn out the way it did.

The premise of the book is great and the author really delivers. Great read. Highly recommended. .

It took me a bit to get into this book. Plus I figured out one of the issues early on. I guess I just wanted more from it.

This book was quite a surprise! I love books that take place in bookstores, and that was a center of focus for this story. You'll follow Miranda as she uncovers life secrets that she never knew through literary clues given throughout the story. The mysteries that she would uncover were unexpected and some caught me off guard. I was not able to predict a lot that actually happened in this book, which I loved. As a debut novel for Amy Meyerson, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

This book was a fun, quick read. While it was predictable, the memory of reading it will forever take me back to my balcony as the cruise ship navigated in and out of Norwegian fjords which raises my estimation for the reading of the book, unfortunately, not for the book itself.

Books about books are often some of the most treasured amoungst those of us that read a lot. I certainly find I have a soft spot for them. Let's face it, who doesn't want to read about a character like themselves that is a voracious reader and where the setting is a bookstore!

Bookish Plot
The Bookshop of Yesterday takes us on a book themed scavenger hunt and touches upon many wonderful pieces of literature including Pride & Prejudice, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Picture of Dorian Gray . It also touches on some less loved classics (at least by me) like Grapes of Wrath and Persuasion; but each reference is no less interesting and propels us forward in the plot. The books lead us to an ultimate reveal of information that impacts our leading lady's decisions on what life she wants to live.

Family
At it's core Amy Meyerson has written a story that is about family. Who our 'true' family is and why we connect with them. Of course there are the traditional blood connections that matter; but we are also treated to the idea that family can come from many places. Our leading lady is led through the book scavenger hunt by clues left behind by her deceased (and mysterious absent since she was 12 years old) uncle.
The drama with our gal's Mother is a bit annoying to me as I didn't really 'get' why Mom was so coy with information. However, the one thing that I tried to keep in mind is that, past events are oft embarrassing; even when you're not at fault for the outcome or event. The imperfectness of the characters and family really resonated with me as truthful and made it easy to relate to the majority of the characters.

Ambiance
I loved the descriptions of all the events and regulars at the bookstore. The setting descriptions include: the smell of leather, paper, ink and dust of an old indie bookshop. Even the choice of Meyerson to set our leading lady apart from her existing (and awful) boyfriend, to really reflect on her life, is intentional and contributes to the overall feel of the story. Additionally all the supporting characters at the bookstore create a sense of calm and add to the romance of the entire story which helps lead our gal in a certain direction. Meyerson uses details about people and descriptions of elements to really bring you into the bookshop setting and made it so I felt like I was there each time I picked this book up.

Overall
I really enjoyed The Bookshop of Yesterday and would say it's a good little drama-mystery book for summer. There's some good real-life situations addressed here including: the dynamics of split families, living away from home, grudges and blame, romantic relationships, and the idea of 'finding yourself' in the most unlikely place.
Overall, my favourite part of the whole book is that, it ends in a way that I (mostly) expected and so it felt comfortable. This may seem like an odd thing to say (especially by someone like me who loves a good shock factor) but the entire book feels safe and so it fit well that it ends as you are likely to expect early on. Sometimes you just want a sweet, cute mystery, without too much intensity, that makes you smile at the end; this book is exactly that for me. I look forward to more from Meyerson (this is her debut novel!) in the future when I am craving something contemporary and sweet.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

I have put this one away for so long I am obviously not coming back to it. It was just a bit too long and boring for my tastes.

I love books about books and bookshops which was what initially drew me to this novel. While it does involve inheriting a bookshop, I have to say that most of the book does not center around books or the shop. The main focus is on Miranda discovering what happened to Billy and why he left her the bookshop. It was full of things I didn't see coming and I loved that about it. However, it dragged in a lot of places that never really pushed the story forward. I found myself often just wanting to hurry up and get to the end because I was just a little tired of Miranda hitting dead end after dead end. Overall, I the book was just okay for me.

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

It took me a bit of time to get into this book, but overall, I liked it. After Miranda's uncle Billy passes away, she receives a clue to a scavenger hunt to find out why Billy and her mom had a falling out 16 years ago. The big secret became obvious to me early on, but there were still interesting tidbits through the book that I enjoyed. I loved the bookstore setting and how much the story revolved around books.

Many thanks to Amy Meyerson, HarperCollins, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Who wouldn't want to own a bookstore??? Ok! YOU! You're off GR now! The rest of you can read my review. Miranda, names after Shakespeare 's heroine in The Tempest, loves her Uncle Billy. Until he isn't around anymore and then she feels abandoned and betrayed. Fast forward about fifteen years and Billy dies leaving Miranda his bookstore! Wow But times are tough and she may want to sell it even though it was her favorite place as a child. And then she finds the clues to a scavenger hunt Billy left for her. What could this mean for her and her future? I loved the idea of the scavenger hunt back to Billy. The clues were well thought out and clearly spaced. There was no rush to the finish line, and Miranda had time to process each find. I figured out the romance angle, but I think Meyerson wanted the reader to. It was just too neat not to work out that way. I was more than satisfied with the ending too-couldn't have been happier. Meyerson wrote a good story. Anything involving a bookstore is okay with me.

The Bookshop of Yesterdays was an enjoyable read about a woman named Miranda, who inherits her Uncle Billy’s bookstore, Prospero Books, after his passing. In addition to this inheritance, Billy left her a scavenger hunt of sorts, in the form of a series of literary clues, which allow her to discover the truth about her past. The concept of this book was great, but I found the characters, including Miranda, a bit underdeveloped (and I also didn’t care for Miranda’s attitude at times).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of The Bookshop of Yesterdays in exchange for an honest review.

Part mystery, part romance, part homage to the love of independent bookstore and books. Set in L.A., Miranda has just inherited Prospero Books from her late Uncle Billy, who used to create book related scavenger hunts for her as a child. She must now decipher cryptic clues to uncover the truth about her past and also save the book store she loves from bankruptcy. Great read!

Miranda is experiencing some what of a quarter life crisis when she is given a bookstore from an estranged uncle. It is struggling and it is across the country, but somehow she cannot give up the idea, so she spends her summer falling in love with the gift of a bookshop. This book is a love story to books. It's beautiful and warm, highly recommend!

Thanks netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for a review!

Miranda is pretty happy with her life in Philadelphia. She has a teaching job where she can talk about her favorite topic, History, all day to occasionally receptive students. She has a boyfriend, who she loves even though he can make her uncomfortable sometimes. She has a new apartment, even though it's actually her boyfriend's apartment that his mom decorated. Everything is just swell! Then Miranda's mom calls to tell her that Miranda's favorite uncle, who has been estranged from the family since she was twelve years old, has died. She decides to go to the funeral, though she doesn't really know why, I mean, why put her swell life on hold? Once in Los Angeles, Miranda discovers that her uncle has created one last scavenger hunt for her, their favorite game when she was a child. However, this scavenger hunt does not lead to a puppy, but a chain of secrets that leave Miranda reeling.
Meyerson has picked a topic that all book lovers enjoy, books! I personally enjoy all books about books, it helps me relate to the characters through my own love of the topic. Not only does The Bookshop of Yesterdays feature books physically in the form of the little, old independent bookshop that Miranda's uncle used to own, but it also features literary references to The Tempest throughout the story. The author's inclusion of a scavenger hunt leaves the reader trying to figure out the next piece in the puzzle ahead of Miranda. It is a fun and enjoyable read for all book lovers.
#TheBookshopOfYesterdays #NetGalley

Not only did this have to do with reading, but it kind of promised a grown up scavenger hunt a la The Westing Game. It didn't disappoint and I liked the journey with Miranda to discover things about herself, family and even Prospero books.

I loved this novel! Any book based on books or a bookstore is a must read for me. Just a few chapters in, I was hooked by this story. Wonderful characters and a unique plot. This book is a must read for book lovers!

First and foremost, this is love song to books and those who love reading them. Miranda Brooks, a Philadelphia history teacher, inherits a bookstore in L.A. from her beloved uncle, Billy, who disappeared from her life after a mysterious rift with her mother. Besides the bookshop, he's left her a series of literary clues in aid of her search for answers. Along the way, you will meet indelible characters and remember just why you love reading. Charming and poignant coming-of-age story.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Miranda, age 30, inherits the bookstore Prospero from her late Uncle Billy, she is confused and sad. Her uncle, a man she hadn’t seen in 16 years, left her a shop that was in financial trouble, with the hope she would do what he couldn’t and make it successful again. However, Miranda lives in PA and the store is in CA. Fortunately, she is a teacher and on summer break when she learns of her uncle’s passing, so she is able to take the time to investigate and learn more.

The story progresses through a series of clues as Miranda tries to figure out her uncle’s motives for leaving her the shop, as well as a mystery related to why her uncle was estranged from the family for almost two decades. Billy set up a scavenger hunt for Miranda to complete, and as she does, she learns about family secrets while also discovering more about herself.

I enjoyed the book as it is full of literary references, family drama and relationships that are not always what they seem. The scavenger hunt includes different books and authors with quotes and prose that make people think. As a book lover, I liked being introduced to new writers I was not familiar with. I recommend this book for anyone who likes a little mystery and books.

**Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy!**

This was a pretty sweet story. Miranda is living with a guy in Philadelphia, where she is a teacher, and she thinks her life is pretty perfect. But then she finds out her uncle, whom she hasn't seen in 16 years has died.

That's bad enough, but then she finds that he has left behind one more scavenger hunt for her. She only hopes they will lead her to the answer about what the final argument was that he had with her mother all those years before.

The story had excellent pacing and I enjoyed the characters. However, it was very predictable, and that fizzled some of the excitement. But only some, I don't regret reading this as it fully held my attention from beginning to end. You find yourself rooting for Miranda all the way.