Recently I had the opportunity to read and review The Library of Lost and Found, the newest book from the author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper.

The Library of Lost and Found is part whimsical tale, part familial scandal, and part redemption story. It follows a woman named Martha who has devoted her entire self to serving others - to the point of losing herself.

Fortunately, in the course of the novel, Martha finds her gumption. She discovers who she is and takes steps to take her life back. Hoorah! How this happens is through a whimsical series of events. Martha is gifted a book with a dedication written to her from her dead grandmother. However, the date of the inscription is years after her grandmother died. On her hunt to discover the mystery of her grandmother's description in this magical fairy tale collection, Martha learns more about her family than anyone ever knew.

In addition to quirky characters and unique settings, The Library of Lost and Found also contains several portions of these beautifully crafted fairy tales from the special book. It makes the novel feel slightly like a children's book, but in a good way. The tales directly relate to the adult story being told.

All in all, people who love books and books about books will enjoy this steady moving novel featuring a woman who redeems her own story.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me with this copy to read and review!

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick is a charming novel which emphasizes the power that books and stories can have in our lives, if we let them.

Martha is a librarian who connects much better with the books she reads than with the people she meets. When she comes across a book with an inscription to her from her favorite person, her grandmother who is long dead, she is intrigued, because the book was inscribed long after her grandmother's death. This sends her on a search which uncovers family secrets which will change her life.

A lovely and enjoyable book, which captivated me the moment I opened the ARC and began reading. I would highly recommend it! Thank you to the author, Harlequin and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.

I loved this charming novel. Any book about books is usually a book I will enjoy! I also loved watching Martha find her grandmother and her voice.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41860714-the-library-of-lost-and-found

The Library of Lost and Found

Let me start out by saying that I had really high hopes for this book strictly off of how much I loved the dang color of the cover. It is the most perfect shade of pink/coral!!

This book started off really strong for me, I loved the character development of the main character. She was awkward and spunky and it was definitely a book about getting outside your comfort zone and standing tall and not letting people walk all over you. This is definitely a good for someone that constantly says “yes” and doesn’t know how to make time for themselves!

I also liked the way that each different character had an extremely different personality, from the main character, to the book shop owner, to her coworkers, everyone had their own unique personality.

I found this story slowed down a bit for me about halfway thru. I found myself wondering when the real plot thickening of the story would happen and found that only happened really close to the end where I had wished it would have captured my attention a little bit earlier.

All in all, I gave this book three stars. I loved the story line and characters but I really wish that the book had picked up speed a bit so that I didn’t feel like the story’s ending was dragging along. But hey, I still LOVE the cover color!

The Library Of Lost And Found

Martha Storm is a person who lived for doing other peoples tasks. She did not know how to live for herself. This caused her to be taken for granted. Martha is a volunteer librarian in Sandshift. She was on her way to the library for an author signing. As she was near the little library, she saw a man leaving a package. When Martha made it home looking around she saw her home as being full of old clutter. She decided to open the package. She found a old book with a small inscription to her from her dead Nana dating 1985. Nana died in 1982. Martha’s mind start reeling with all kinds of thoughts. There was a business card and a note with the package. Martha was so intrigued she read the book from cover to cover carefully for the age and condition of the book.
Will Martha contact the gentleman who left the book? What secrets will she find? Her Nana alive? If so why was Martha and her sister told she was dead. What family secrets will come to light on this journey? What did the stories her Nana put in the book remind her of?

This book takes you on a journey where Martha learns who she is, and how to let go of the past to start a new beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed this book…Happy reading.

Favorite Quotes:

Martha’s cheeks began to burn. If she touched them with a wet finger they might hiss.

“He said he liked your traumatic reading.” Martha hoped she meant dramatic reading.

“Is it true he was on board that fishing boat, that cat’s-eyed?” “Capsized?”

“We’ll just do a little trim,” Suki said. The bells on her ankle bracelet jingled as she circled Martha, peering into her hair as if she was looking for eggs in a large bird’s nest.

“Sometimes putting things to rest from your past can be catholic.” “Do you mean cathartic?”

I’m having a crustacean section next week.” “A cesarean?” … “The baby is lying in a beach position.” “Do you mean breach?”

My Review:

Ms. Patrick taunted me with her cunning and maddeningly paced story, I reviled this family - they were simply heinous. I enjoyed the cleverly placed use of the levity the amusing quirk of Suki’s poor auditory discrimination and confused vocabulary skills, which helped to counteract and ease the frustrating and prevalent miasma of angst and oppression. I deeply despised the selfish and abhorrent Machiavellian father as well as the mousy mother who allowed it – which was equally as vile, as was the manipulative and favored younger sister. I wanted to administer some foot to posterior therapy to those three. Yet, despite my irritation, I could not stop reading.

I adored Zelda, the colorful and unconventional Nana, although I had no pleasant thoughts for the rest of them - as they were all conniving and disingenuous conspirators. I was taut with tension and grinding my teeth, but I was invested and entrenched, and could not leave my Kindle for more than a few minutes.

I was impatient and greatly annoyed with the spineless main character of Martha for not only rolling over and allowing her continual subjugation but extended her servitude to every Tom, Dick, and Harry she knew. She permitted herself to be treated like a doormat and willingly gave her power away, which is an issue I have very little patience with. Yet, I could not walk away and leave her story hanging.

I was frustrated, bitterly antagonized, and fully vexed; yet I had to see where this aggravating tale was going. I was hooked, intrigued, and ruthlessly curious about a deeply buried thirty-year-old secret about Nana. I am delighted and pleased with myself now for sticking with it, as the last few chapters ushered in a totally unexpected, stoical, laconic, and quietly observant hero, as well as writing so poignant that my vision was inexplicably blurred and an odd wetness seemed to be leaking from my eyes while I simultaneously experienced an uncomfortable squeezing in my chest and the sensation of several hot rocks in my throat. What madness! This was my first experience of the unpredictably wily skills of Phaedra Patrick - she is a crafty one.

This story was a true gift to the reader. Martha feels invisible. She is always showing kindness to others with no recognition. Then one day she receives a book which has been inscribed by her grandmother, who Martha thought died years ago. Martha tackles the mystery and it changes her life.
This story had such a “feel good” quality to it. I really liked Martha and wanted her to be able to change her life.
Many thanks to Harlequin and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved this book and not just because it has a library in it. The characters are so real. Definitely recommend it. I need yo read her other books.

Martha Storm grew up reading mostly encyclopedias at her father’s insistence, even though her mom and grandma would sneak and tell her the occasional fairy tale. Martha loved listening, reading, and writing her own fairy tales, but unfortunately her life has turned out to be the complete opposite of one. She’s always taking care of others and never does anything for her own enjoyment until she is mysteriously gifted a book of fairy tales that read suspiciously like ones from her childhood…

Soon Martha connects with Owen, the bookseller who sent her the fairy tales, and sets out on a journey to uncover some family secrets and find her love for creating stories once more. I enjoyed this story so much but found myself getting irritated with Martha at times for being such a doormat to others!

I love books about books. They are just so charming! I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for my copy of this book.

This was an interesting story – nothing earth shattering but a nice read. It took me awhile to warm up to Martha but she eventually grew on me and I was glad she started living for herself and not for others. But my favorite characters were Suki and Owen. Suki continually made me laugh and added a lot of comic relief for me and Owen was just quirky enough to be endearing. 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy...

Well, that was very interesting book about Martha and Zelda shares some stories in a book..I enjoyed it very much!

Can’t wait to read more book from this author..

☕️ I absolutely loved this book!!! Whimsical , heartwarming, and full of charm- plus, who doesn’t love a book about books?

📚

This tells the story of Martha Storm, self-proclaimed “guardian of books”, who spends her days working at the library and lives a quiet, unassuming life- until a mysterious book of strange fairytales is left for her on the doorstep with an even more mysterious inscription written to her inside. As Martha goes on a journey to track down the book’s origin, she inadvertently unravels astonishing family secrets, solves a mystery from her past, and finally comes into her own in the process.
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This book was just what I needed, and was such a joy to read! I loved every single thing about it, but the strange, sad fairytales Martha had written as a child were actually my favorite part of all. I would love to have a book of those on my shelf in real life.... @phaedrapatrick can we make that fairytale book really happen, please?!🤞🏼
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I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Eleanor Oliphant or Fredrik Backman- that perfect mix of heart, character growth, and quirkiness makes for an unforgettable, touching read. I’m delighted to have discovered this author, and will definitely be adding all of Phaedra Patrick’s other books to my list!
☕️
Thanks so much to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks Park Row for providing this free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review- all opinions are solely my own.

A book about a book...what’s not to love?!

There’s so much more to the Library of Lost and Found than the book Martha finds in her possession. It’s the beautiful story of Martha, a woman who is stuck in a rut. She gives all of herself to helping others, to the point that it’s taken over her life and she’s being taken advantage of. A book shows up on her doorstep, inscribed to her. But the inscription is from her beloved Nana who died years before the inscription is dated. This blast from the past is just the kick in the pants that Martha needed. As she starts to delve into the mystery of the book, she discovers not only shocking family secrets but begins to find herself again.

This was a delightful book with charming characters. The character development was excellent and I adored the quirky character of Martha. I was ‘Mama Bear’ protective over her as others took advantage of her kindness. This was an easy, hopeful book that had me enthralled from the beginning. For me, The Library of Lost and Found was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @harlequinbooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

In exchange for an honest review, I was provided a free eARC copy of The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick.

Description Blurb (Courtesy of NetGalley)

A librarian’s discovery of a mysterious book sparks the journey of a lifetime in the delightful new novel from the international bestselling author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people—though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she’s invisible.

All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend—her grandmother Zelda—who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda’s past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever.

Filled with Phaedra Patrick’s signature charm and vivid characters, The Library of Lost and Found is a heartwarming and poignant tale of how one woman must take control of her destiny to write her own happy ending.

My Thoughts

The Library of Lost and Found tells a story of a middle aged woman finding herself and breathing life into her stagnant existence. She also, dare I say it, has the possibility of a love life as well after she gave up the love of her life to take care of her parents.

This book was a little slow at times, but I felt that I could relate to the main character. Martha was forever thinking low of herself and felt her only redeeming quality was to help others in order to feel like she had a place in this world. The one person that she was the closest to in her life, was taken out of her life by death, or so Martha thought.

The author’s previous work, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, is on my TBR list, but if it is as well written and thought out as The Library of Lost and Found, it will quickly move towards the top of my list.

This story was very well thought out and, again, while a tad slow at times, very enjoyable. I enjoyed how the stories that Martha, Betty, and Zelda wrote felt applicable to their lives and the reader could get a sense of what was actually happening behind the scenes in the family.

In Conclusion

I really enjoyed this book. The eARC copy I received had some formatting and grammatical errors, but that will most likely have been sorted out in the final publication.

In my opinion, if you are looking for a quicker read that is a a story about personal growth and overcoming the past, pick up a copy of The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick. I give this one 4 stars!

★★★★

The Library of Lost and Found
by Phaedra Patrick
Published: March 26, 2019 by Park Row
Dates Read: March 30 – April 5, 2019
Genre/Category: Humorous / Domestic Fiction
Read For: NetGalley Free Copy for Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 stars

Lifetime movies meets the introverted librarian and gains a 4 solid stars from me. Phaedra Patrick has written a tender and heartwarming novel with serious undertones that revolves around a library, books, and some amazing stories.
When a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep with a dedication written to her from her passed away grandmother, Martha Storm discovers a clue that her grandmother may still be alive. Determined to discover the truth, she reveals a secret that will change her life forever.
I had read a few reviews about this book and was looking forward to reading it because most people were calling it lighthearted and laugh out loud funny. I needed some sort of diversion from the serious books I have been reading lately but unfortunately this book did not check off those boxes for me. What I got was so much better. This novel was so amazingly written I actually had a HOLY CRAP moment half way through the book. I was so overcome with emotion at how brilliant a story about family dynamics and parental structure this was; I totally did not see any of it coming at all. Between the mother-in-law/husband/wife/daughter/sister/coworker and friend relationships that occur here, there’s enough psychological drama that definitely qualify for a Lifetime movie. There is a lot more lost and being found in this library than just books.
For anyone who exists in the world today, we all come with some sort of baggage, so it is easy to find some sort of personal connection to this story whether it is with Martha’s grandmother, her father and mother’s relationship, Martha’s relationship with her parents and her sister, how Martha’s handles her current personal environment, as well as the many other issues that occur that I won’t list. I mention this because I myself experienced some strong feelings as I was reading because the character development of Martha’s father hit home for me. I don’t think these feelings influenced my opinion at all but part of me feels that maybe by having them I was able to connect with this storyline just a little bit more. Martha is every person who has grown up with a sense of morality, regardless of her own wants and needs.

There’s a point before the end of the book that leaves you with this “please don’t end this way” feeling, and when you reach it, you’ll know what I mean. I mention this only because it brings an odd sense of satisfaction and disappointment all at once, like you don’t want it to end this way but if it does you’re ok with it. The storyline takes a unusual detour at this moment, but it is quite necessary for closure. The book ends with a nice wrap up, which truly was heartfelt. (I guess this is where the heartwarming feelings from the other reviewers come into play).
Overall I enjoyed this novel, I would definitely recommend it if asked, although I would not categorize it as a laugh out loud type of book, this definitely fits in the domestic fiction genre. It was well written and I found that I was interested in the characters and the plot and was vested in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and ParkRow for a Free Copy of this book for an honest and non biased review.

The Library of Lost and Found, though a gentle read, addresses some harsh subjects. Our heroine comes from a dysfunctional family and her road to wholeness and restored confidence is scattered with unfortunate memories and episodes. I really appreciate how Phaedra Patrick's characters are so layered and experience such growth throughout her books. The pacing of TLOLAF is quite even, the back and forth in time is handled smoothly and is easy to follow. As I said earlier, this is truly a gentle read, I would not hesitate to share it with family and friends. I will read more from Phaedra Patrick.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

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<p>As already mentioned, I love books about books. Let's be honest -- is there anything better than family drama combined with a literary mystery? From the very beginning, I found myself rooting for Martha. Hating the way people treated her, I wanted to step into the book and give her a hug. </p>
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<p>Similarly to Fixie from<a href="http://www.mariesjourney.com/book-reviews/i-owe-you-one-book-review/"> </a><em><a href="http://www.mariesjourney.com/book-reviews/i-owe-you-one-book-review/">I Owe You One</a>, </em>Martha has a hard time saying no. She lets people take advantage of her and measures her worth by the number of things she can do for other people. Quite depressing, isn't it? Thankfully, everything changes when she comes across a book supposedly written by her grandmother -- with the publication date three years after she passed away. </p>
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A delightful and thought-provoking book. I love books about books...and this story did not disappoint. The grandmother-granddaughter relationship reminded me of my own, wonderful grandmother. Such a wonderful, introspective story of a woman truly learning to stand up for herself.

More on www.amysbooketlist.blogspot.com

I don’t particularly like to mention other reviews in my own review, but in this book I feel I have to. When I went to create my review, I went onto Goodreads to get the book summary and was extremely surprised to find the average rating of this book at 3.72. How is this possible? I have to ask other reviewers, especially book lovers, what more can you want from a book?

The characters were simply wonderful. In the beginning, I found Martha a little difficult to connect with, but I honestly believe this was on purpose. Throughout the story, Martha finds herself and her voice. In the process, we find Martha. By the end of the book, I was so emotionally invested in her journey that I wanted so much for her.

Furthermore, sometimes it takes a certain person or people to truly see us and bring out the parts of ourselves that we have hidden. In Martha’s case, those parts were painfully and systematically obscured by an emotionally abusive father. But once she meets Owen and regains a relationship with her grandmother, she is able to see and explore her true self. She literally digs herself out of the emotional and physical tomb her father created and gets to know the woman she might have been without his influence.

The writing in this book was delightful. I found myself laughing out loud, in deep contemplative silence, and tearing up all in one reading session. And the wonderful short stories that the author expertly weaved throughout were astounding. I would love to just sit and analyze the symbolism of each story and the book as a whole. The fairy tales themselves showed such skill and brilliance that I want a real copy of them to add to my library.

This is a poignant book about books, but also about women finding and living their truths. Any book lover should fall in love with The Library of Lost and Found. Oh, and please take a minute and enjoy that freaking adorable cover. Doesn’t it just make you want to curl up and read?

* Special thanks to Phaedra Patrick, Park Row, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of The Library of Lost and Found in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the book! I loved the whole mystery behind Zelda. I never guessed the reason behind her "disappearing/dying" until it was revealed during that disastrous dinner party. I liked Martha more and more as the book went on and when she was finally able to say NO. People walked all over her and she would apologize. I hated that her father's voice kept her from enjoying cake. I had a hard time with Martha's family. It wasn't hard to see that Martha grew up in a household where her father was the supreme ruler and everything had to be his way. Lillian inherited those traits, but ends up trying to fix her mistakes. Suki was a great friend to Martha and I loved her word mix-ups. Owen was wonderful with his monogrammed red slippers and constant ink smudges. Suki and Owen were exactly what Martha needed. The family had so many secrets. Martha, Lillian and Zelda were finally able to be a family once the truth was revealed. I loved the recommendation Martha receives for her librarian application. I also enjoyed reading all the fairy tale stories.

Definitely recommend the book. I loved the characters, story and writing style. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.