This was a great book to listen to. The book is 5 stars. The audio is 5 stars. The story of AJ, Amelia, Maya, and the other characters is easy to follow, with plot twists. It kept me interested from start to finish.

I read and reviewed this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the blog tour organiser, author, publisher and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: mention of dead wife, child abandonment, suicide, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, vomit, losing a loved one, car accident.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is a contemporary literary fiction book about books and the power of words and love. It is a book I don’t think I would ever have picked up or even heard about had it not been for the email from Algonquin Books inviting me to be part of the tour, so thank you so much!

To start off, this is definitely not the kind of book that I usually pick up, as I’m not a fan of literary fiction or even contemporary fiction, I much prefer genre fiction such as fantasy or historical fiction. However, I was intrigued by the blurb and the praise this book received and it very pleasantly surprised me and I found myself reading it in a very short time. The thing that really sold it for me is that it is a book about books, about the love of the written word, how books help and heal and how they help us to love. There were some great literary references that also made me smile. I mean if you are a book lover, you can’t dislike this book for the simple reason that it’s about the love of books!!

I would say this is more of a character-driven book because even though there is a plot, about how A.J. grows throughout the book and with the people around him, but it’s a lot more character-driven in my opinion. I do prefer books to be plot-driven, but the way it was written was done really well here. Which brings me to the writing style. It was beautiful. Truly mesmerising and this is what kept me turning the pages. It was a really effortless style that made me want to know more right then and there, but also the kind of book you wish you had savoured a little longer, or want to read for the first time again.

In my opinion, this is a light “feel-good” book that you can curl up with in front of the fire, under a blanket, with a cup of something warm and something sweet to eat during the cold winter months. It feels like a very comforting read and that makes it perfect for this time of year, or if you’re in a reading slump. It’s also the kind of book that makes you feel a bit lost when you’ve finished it and I’m not ashamed to say that it was a very emotional read for me at the end and made me shed some tears — which is a true feat to accomplish when I’m the reader!

One small negative thing I will say is that I found the middle (about 150 pages in, to about 250 pages) quite slow and just something felt a bit off about the narrative. I can’t put my finger on it, but it might have been the “romantic” parts that felt way too rushed or not detailed enough. I can’t seem to find the words I need and even my brain won’t cooperate, but I suppose it was a bit slower and draggy in between those pages, but that’s only my personal opinion and could be just a “reader’s personal taste” kind of thing, so I wouldn’t let it bother you too much! Definitely give this one a shot for yourself!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and was surprised by it. I was kind of hoping that it would be a cute easy read, and the movie trailer definitely gave off those vibes.

I loved that most of this book took part in Island Books, the bookstore owned by the main character and that his daughter got to grow up there, surrounded by hundreds of amazing books. I think that’s the life all bookworms dream of, so it’s a beautiful thing to read about.

It was a really sweet, beautifully-written heartwarming story with a touch of bitterness at the end that makes you appreciate the whole story, because I won’t hide it from you, the ending is sad, but also uplifting.It definitely deserved the tears I shed about it.

I gave The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 4 stars, and I’m thrilled to have been given the chance to read it for the Algonquin Books blog tour! I’m now going to be picking up her next book that is very much hyped at the moment: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I need more beautiful writing from this author.

If you love light, feel-good, heartwarming stories, books about books and the power of words and love, you love beautiful writing that sweeps you up and makes you cry (but in a happy/sad way!), this is 100% the book for you. I highly recommend it and hope you love it!

Only my 3rd book of the year and I think I already found my favorite! A warm, cozy blanket in book form! I urge you to read this if you haven’t! It’s fast paced and has a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, humor. The characters are flawed but endearing. The love for books and bookish people is evident and makes for a delightful and captivating read.

Gabrielle Zevin does it again. After reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and being blown away, I was excited to read some of her backlist. This book gave me the same general vibe of relationship dynamics with a hint of humor and a lot of heart. It is short and sweet and one of the few books that I wish was longer. As with TomorrowX3, there are some poignant character arcs which added to the whole experience. The characters paired with the setting largely being at a bookstore, this novel is a book worm's dream.

Up until a few nights ago, I felt as though I was the only book lover who had not read The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry by Gabrielle Zevin, author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. \I am happy to report that I read The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry in one sitting, by a cozy fire on a rainy night and it was such a delightful reading experience. This is a fast-paced read for book lovers with lots of heart and so many great novel and short story references.
A.J. Fickry owns Island Books, the only bookstore in town. Widowed and a bit of a curmudgeon with a very particular taste in books, he’s not interested in what book recommendations Amelia Loman, a recently hired publishing rep, has to offer. Without saying too much, something mysterious arrives at Island Books that opens up his heart to the world again.
My favorite quote from the book is, “You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, what is your favorite book?”
And it’s been turned into a movie, which I am excited to see! I highly recommend this novel for lovers of books about books. Thank you to Algonquin Books and to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

This was a quick and thoughtful read. While deep and poignant, the story is also light and fun, full of characters that are lovable, complex and bring heart to this story.

AJ Fikry is left to run the bookstore he and his wife built, after she passes away unexpectedly. While he figures out how best to continue the business, an unexpected bundle of a child is left in the bookstore aisle, with a request for him to take care of her forever. AJ's love of books is woven through his book reviews, between each chapter. It's ultimately his love of books and what he's able to bring to the members of his community that keeps the store going and is entwined in the life and future of the child, the town and his second chance at love and life.

This is a great book club book, with many points of discussion to keep your conversations flowing. It took me awhile to pick this book off my shelf and read the story, but as expressed in the pages, a book will find you at just the right time.

3.5 stars rounded up. After reading Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow I was excited to read another novel by Gabrielle Zevin. Like Tomorrow x3, this is a very character-driven story and I think Zevin did a fantastic job developing engaging characters and building out their various arcs throughout the course of the story. That said, I felt the plot fell into some cliches/almost veered into YA territory at certain points. All in all, this was a cute and heartwarming story but probably not one I'll re-read.

A.J. Lives on Alice Island. His wife died in a tragic accident and is still grieving over her. He owns a bookstore and nothing is going right for him. He is grumpy and out of sorts until he finds a toddler left in his bookstore. His life is transformed after this happens. Even though he can be brusque and opinionated, he loves the his books that bring him comfort.

This book is an ode to great fiction and the ability of love to make a difference in life. More themes are second chances, friendship, secrets, grief and loss. It’s also about how bookstores are important in the community . Other themes are finding your soulmate, people helping people and I think the love of books. It’s an excellent to read though I’m not quite happy about the secret.

This is a heartwarming 4.5/5 stars for me.
A.J. Fikry is the owner of a small, independent bookstore on Alice island. He is lonely, angry, bitter, depressed and en route to drinking himself to death. His beloved wife died some years ago and he hasn't been able to recover emotionally from his loss. But life has a funny way of interfering with your "plans".

Other than the fact that I absolutely love a well written and developed curmudgeon character (hello, A.J.!), this story is full of a cast of characters who are unique and endearing and lovable in every single way.

The only reason I did not give this gem of a book 5 stars is because I felt like the ending was wrapped up way too quickly, leaving me wondering what exactly happened to some of my favorite characters. But otherwise, I absolutely loved it!

Charming book about a bookseller who is on a downward spiral until a little girl comes into his life, along with a publisher's rep, and the local police chief. It is about life, love, finding yourself, and sharing your life experiences.

What a lovely book, a really charming read full of delightful characters and (even more importantly) full of books! Although at times improbable the story moves along at a good pace and it's certainly made me add a few more titles to my tbr pile.

How have I been sitting on this for so long? The Storied Life of AJ Fickry may be my favorite Zevin to date. It’s quirky, romantic, involves found family, and will leave you with that hug in a book feeling.

I’m a big fan of grumpy main characters. After losing his first wife, and inheriting her book store, AJ Fickry is content to be miserable. When a beloved book is stolen and replaced by an equally intriguing gift, his world is turned upside down.

Zevin captures humanity and all its quirks with her writing. Both honest, and humorous, this book will have you laughing on one page, and crying in the next.

Saw that this was becoming a movie. So glad I requested it - what a wonderful story. Completely understand why everyone has fallen in love with it.

This book is so endearing! It hits you right in the feels from the very beginning and just keeps going. I absolutely loved the references of books throughout. The characters are so well developed and I couldn’t help but route for AJ to succeed and find love.

I think that this was Ms. Zevin’s first book to be published. She has gone from strength to strength in her subsequent novels.

This story of a curmudgeonly bookseller is definitely worth a (re)read. Do so before or after watching the new film based upon it.

I agree with this comment: “This novel has humor, romance, a touch of suspense, but most of all love–love of books and bookish people and, really, all of humanity in its imperfect glory.” —Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child

Get to know Mr. Fikrey, his bookstore, his Poe collection and the ways in which he moves forward in his life. Readers will enjoy this novel as they turn the pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Also see https://joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews.blog/2022/11/01/a-blog-tour-spotlight-the-storied-life-of-a-j-fikray-by-gabrielle-zelvin/

I don't know what I can say about The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry that hasn't been said already. I fell in love with this beautiful story from the first page and read it in one sitting. It's powerful, it's moving, and will make you believe in the power of love.

If you haven't read this book yet, you need to immediately. It's gorgeous.

Thank you Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

I loved the characters and the settings. The story was a fun read and hard to put down. I would highly recommend this to anyone

I have picked this book up so many times and heard so many good things about it. It did not disappoint. To me, the book showed the importance of people in your life and what a difference those people can make on your perception, perspective, and your life. Layering the story alongside books led to a great comparison that not all stories are created a like, that there are different seasons for different types of books, and you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. These same principles can be applied to how we view people. This is a heartwarming story of a small, isolated town of Alice and some charming people (or people who eventually became charming) in the form of A.J., Maya, the police chief, and Amy. Quick and easy read.

I mainly requested this so I could read it before I watched the movie and I’ve never been so bored. This felt like every cheesy romance in one book.

Please see me comments to the publisher - regarding the formatting - so I am really sorry that I am not able to review this- but I shall be buying it as love the premise! thank you for the advanced copy.