A great read from Phaedra Patrick, as regimented librarian Martha discovers a book that changes her whole life.

Martha is a librarian who has always felt better connected with books than people. But when a book of fairy tales shows up on her doorstep suggesting that her long-deceased and beloved grandmother, Zelda, may still be alive, Martha must learn the truth behind Zelda’s past.

It’s a cute story, inspired by books, fairy tales, and the English seaside- a great combination in my opinion. Martha really goes through a lot of development over the course of the book. The characters are sweet and fun, and the plot was really interesting. Overall, a whimsical and hopeful story of discovery and family.

Librarian Martha has been taking advantage of her entire life by family and friends. The only person who truly understood her was her grandmother but she died when she was young. Now in middle age, a found self published book reminds her of her grandmother and leads Martha to uncover family secrets.

I enjoyed this heartwarming story. If you like quirky characters like Eleanor Oliphant and Nina Hill you will enjoy this Martha's story as well.

4 stars.

I was interested in the premise of this book about a library and a book about long lost stories. The book itself was pleasant to read but I could not get engaged with the character and the plot seemed to meander without really going very far. I like learning more about Martha growing up though I could never get myself to like Zelda - the characters' behavior to situations were erratic like they weren't sure how they were supposed to react and changed their minds constantly. The fables were an interesting touch but seemed a little on-the-nose and I was not captured by them as stories. An easy enough read but reminded me that I am not quite a fan of this style of writing.

I decided not to finish this book. It had an interesting premise, but it didn't hold a deep appeal. I wanted more depth from the character and her exploration. The book connection pulls in a large audience, but it needs more to keep it.

Hmmm. It’s marketed as an adult book but the premise feels very middle grade. I’m also tired of books where bookish people don’t like other people or have an aversion to them. It’s a tired trope. Where are my extroverted book nerds at?

A middle-aged, single woman finds her long-lost grandmother and in the process uncovers family secrets. Women's fiction isn't my favorite genre, so it's hard to give a fair assessment of the book. While I liked some of the quirky characters and their unique voices, other elements seemed predictable and overwrought. Recommended only for those who like the genre.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick.

Martha has spent her entire life taking care of people. Having never married or having children, she finds joy in being there for others and helping her friends. But, after time Martha starts to ask herself if she hasn't left herself behind in the meantime.

While she slowly tried to untangle herself from the needs of everyone else, she begins to find remnants of her beloved grandmother who died under mysterious circumstances. This launches Martha into a different world of investigation and discovery.

I like this book okay. It dragged on a bit and honestly, I would have loved more book references, especially if it's going to have Library in the title. I did really love the characters and the overall idea of the book, it was just executed a bit slowly.

Note: I received this book from the author/publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good read and moved very quickly but I wish there had been just a little more depth. Martha finds herself in a deep hole of taking care of everyone else in her life, but not herself. And that is so relatable! It's so hard to say "no" and the story deals with how standing up for yourself can really take your life to new places. I liked the library/book lover world the story is set in and there were lots of sweet moments but some of the relationships in the book were just so silly and unnecessary, in my opinion. I'm not a fan of side characters being terrible to the main character and being instantly forgiven, it just seems so unrealistic and weak. I liked the story and the message behind the plot but it was just missing that last little bit to make it a great story.

I honestly feel bad, because I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. The overall plot was interesting enough: girl reconnects with a grandmother she though was dead through a library book. It should have been right up my alley, but I just found that I couldn't connect with the main character, so it took me a really really long time to get through this one (I'm one of those people who if I start a book, I have to finish it). If you happened to already own this book, I wouldn't suggest not reading it, but I also wouldn't suggest that you to go out of your way to find a copy to read.

Really fun read, and would be great for a women’s book club. Wonderful choice for readers who are looking for a light romance.

The Library of Lost and Found is one of the cutest books I’ve read. This romantic yet cozy book will keep you wanting more. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to find a book just for them.

I cannot say enough good things about The Library of Lost and Found! Martha Storm is a librarian who cannot seem to say no to anyone. She gave up the love of her life to take care of her ailing parents, she cannot seem to get a full time librarian job because her boss always overlooks her, and she and her sister communicate, but barely. One day, Martha receives a package in the mail. It turns out to be a book that has a dedication to her and it contains stories she wrote when she was younger and stories her grandmother Zelda used to tell her. She goes on a mission to find out the truth of what happened to her grandmother, and along the way she learns how to start putting herself first and telling other people NO. I loved this book so much. Watching Martha learn to grow and change and take charge of her life made my heart soar, and watching her deal with the past and learn to move forward was simply wonderful! I have recommended this book numerous times already and will continue to do so!!

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This has been sitting on my TBR list for a while now. I picked it originally because the title and cover are interesting and intriguing. Having read it now, I'm not sure I'd make the same choice if I could go back and do it over.

Family dramas like this one are hit-or-miss with me. My lack of enthusiasm towards this story is mostly personal so bear that in mind when reading my review! I didn't find the characters relatable and some of them were downright unpleasant. Zelda was the most interesting by far, but I still had issues with her, too. There was a vagueness to the whole thing that bothered me like an itch I can't scratch. The emotional payoff lacked a punch because it was fairly predictable. It was all kind of flat.

I also found the setting of the story problematic. It seems broadly British but there would be moments of Americanisms that stuck out like a big neon sign. It couldn't seem to make up its mind as to what it wanted to be.

I wouldn't recommend this book.

This is a magical, sweet story. I found myself growing attached to the characters, and I had to find out what happened!

Loved Arthur; had a big crush on Benedict; now, with The Library of Lost and Found, I have two new characters to add to the list: Martha Storm and her zany grandmother, Zelda. Fun read about a young librarian who thinks her grandmother is dead but finds out through a lost book that she's still very much alive. Keep writing, Phaedra!

Overall this book was a fun read, it had mystery, a little romance, and some good family drama. I liked that you got a quick background in the beginning on what Martha was like; a very big people pleaser, doing this for others only and not anything for herself. You learn more about this as the story goes on and you find out more about her family and her life. Then you get the mystery when she receives a book that is signed by her “dead” grandma! So right then you are hooked with thinking what the heck happened?! I won’t go into too much detail or it will spoil the surprise.

I thought the main character was well written. You really got the feel for why she was the way she was and you got to follow along on her journey of how she grew from this experience with getting the book and how it changed her. The supporting characters were pretty well done. You didn’t have a lot of background on all, but on some you did like Zelda you got to see her story as well throughout the book.

The plot was pretty well written, it flowed nicely, I think I wanted a little more suspense or something just a little bit more, maybe even a little more to the romance aspect of the book. I thought overall though it was a fun read and it kept me entertained and wanting to find out more.

It took me awhile to connect to our protagonist Mary. I did, however, find the little town she lived in charming. Much of this story was predictable but it was still a quick easy read. I enjoyed the stories in the book and it was nice reading a contemporary fiction book where the main character was a little older.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a nice quick read about family and all the drama that comes with them.
The main character Martha finds a book written with a dedication by her grandma Zelda. The note however, is dated after Zelda’s death....
Martha goes on a search to discover if Zelda is still alive and if she is, why Martha was told she is dead.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This story is about self-discovery, family relationships, new beginnings, the damage secrets can do to people and the importance of stories and books. It is a slow moving story, that opens up like a flower, slowly revealing one secret, one discovery at a time as the reader learns how it affects both Martha and Lillian. I enjoyed this story a lot and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written, beautifully described story of self-discovery, new beginnings, and the power of words in one's life