After loving book one, and being a little let down by book 2, "The Book That Held Her Heart, wrapped up the trilogy well.
With amazing world building, a, sometimes to vast cast, and beautiful writing, this final installment brought Livia and her friends an ending that felt very emotional.



Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this wonderful novel.

Editor's note: This roundup is scheduled to publish in Georgia June 11 online and June 14 print in several newspapers. Will also publish in Mississippi and Alabama during the month in newspapers and magazines, timing up to local editors. Link below will be active June 11.

From new series starters (Michael Connelly’s “Nightshade”) to the tried-and-true (Kendra Elliot’s “Her First Mistake”) our beach bag is already overflowing, and what we offer here are just a few — OK, actually 25 — of the best beach reads published through the end of June. Later this season we’ll round out the list, but for now, find an old favorite, a debut thriller or just about anything in between — including a North Alabama favorite who you just might see dining at a Cullman restaurant.

“Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man” (Berkley) by Jesse Q. Sutanto: A lovable Chinese tea shop owner stumbles upon a distressed, young woman — and a murder, the investigation of which she decides to serve up herself. With lots of tea and nosy charm, Vera tackles the project unasked as a “favor” to her (hoped for) future daughter-in-law. Sutanto mixes cozy mystery with smart humor and heartfelt moments.

“When She Was Gone” (Blackstone Publishing) by Sara Foster: When a young nanny working for one of Perth’s wealthiest families disappears, a tense investigation unravels the secrets of a seemingly perfect family, forcing everyone to confront the lies they’ve told themselves and each other. Foster delivers a taut, emotionally resonant thriller that lingers. And as expected from Blackstone Publishing, the story itself is packaged beautifully with subtle and tactile cover art: Buy the hardcover of this one.

“Follow Me” (Thomas & Mercer) by Elizabeth Rose Quinn: An eerie digital breadcrumb trail leads a tech-savvy woman into a web of deception and danger. Quinn crafts a smart, suspenseful mystery that taps into our modern fears of surveillance and online identity. “Heathers” meets “The Stepford Wives” in this tale of twin sisters.

“The Book That Held Her Heart” (Ace) by Mark Lawrence: In this final chapter of The Library Trilogy, a mysterious book bridges love, loss and literary magic in a haunting story that defies time and tests the bond between Livira and Evar — one that has never been more taut. Lawrence blends fantasy and emotion in this lyrical, genre-bending tale.

“The Great Pyramids: Collected Stories” (Arcade Publishing) by Frederick Barthelme: This sharp, wry collection captures small-town oddities, human longing and ironic twists with Barthelme’s signature minimalist flair. A masterclass in short fiction that’s both grounded and subtly surreal.

“The Boomerang” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Bailey: Big Pharma is on trial as Eli James, chief of staff to the president, attempts to rescue his daughter from a cancer diagnosis while simultaneously stumbling upon a cover up that could affect millions of lives — and more importantly to the bad guys, billions of dollars. Bailey keeps the thrills high and the emotional stakes higher. He also lives with his family in Huntsville — and has been know to visit Cullman County now and then. Let him know what you think of his latest if you see him around town.

“A Thousand Natural Shocks” (Blackstone Publishing) by Omar Hussain: A reporter fleeing his past while investigating a serial killer becomes entangled in a cult that promises a pill to erase his memory. The story turns to a test of time as dark secrets about the cult and the serial killer surface in an attempt to reconcile everything he’s learned with his past — before his memories evaporate.

“My Friends” (Atria Books) by Fredrik Backman: Backman returns with a moving meditation on friendship, aging, the quiet heroism of everyday people and a famous painting picturing an isolated moment of time of three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier. Tender, funny and unmistakably human, this is Backman’s most eloquent and lyrical story to date about how lives intersect in unknowable and unpredictable ways. An engaging read from the author of “A Man Called Ove.”

“The Language of the Birds” (Ballantine) by K.A. Merson: Arizona is no average teenager and when she finds a cryptic ransom note, she sets out to solve the riddles — and save her mother. Unwittingly, she becomes entangled in a worldwide treasure hunt that involves a centuries-old secret her father took to his grave. A quirky, surprising story soars in an introspective mystery.

“The Eternal Warrior” (Blackstone Publishing) by Ari Marmell: An immortal fighter who defies even death — an Eternal Warrior — is caught in a conflict that spans centuries, grappling with his past sins and the future of humanity in an attempt to reclaim everything that has slipped from his personal history. Marmell delivers epic fantasy with grit, heart and unrelenting pace.

“Nightshade” (Little, Brown and Company) by Michael Connelly: Done with Bosch and Ballard, at least for now, Connelly’s new series starter centers on another one-name detective, Stilwell. Due to department politics, the Los Angeles County sheriff detective has been exiled to a low-level post on Catalina Island, where he promptly begins to ruffle local feathers as he unearths secrets the natives would rather keep to themselves. Hopefully Connelly’s flair for backstory and depth will surface in future offerings, but for now, our first meeting with Stilwell offers a familiar, fun summer read.

“Kaua’i Storm” (Thomas & Mercer) by Tori Eldridge: In the lush Hawaiian landscape, a repatriated national park ranger uncovers a mystery surrounding the disappearance of her two cousins. Unfortunately for her, it’s a mystery and investigation that neither the family, the locals nor the police truly want exposed. Eldridge blends action and cultural depth in a uniquely tropical thriller.

“Rockets’ Red Glare” (Blackstone Publishing) by William Webster and Dick Lochte: A high-octane political thriller unfolds against the backdrop of a potentially explosive Fourth of July. Lochte’s sharp storytelling and fast pacing make for a perfect July 4 holiday page-turner. The book is the first in a series with Tribal Police Deputy Sage Mendiluze. Reacher and Pickett fans will find common ground here.

“Written on the Dark” (Ace) by Guy Gavriel Kay: Kay returns with an evocative, elegant historical fantasy set in a world where poetry, memory and fate collide. Centering on a tavern poet who must cater to both rogues and courtiers, Thierry Villar must also navigate churning political waters in a game of assassins and armies. Richly imagined and beautifully told storytelling.

“A Dead Draw” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni: In book 11 of the Tracy Crosswhite series, a pair of cold cases stir ties to the murder of Tracy’s sister in the form of suspect Erik Schmidt. When Schmidt is freed due to an investigative error, the lives of her friends and family are under direct threat. Schmidt is a master of taunt and tease as he draws Tracy deeper into his dark world. Wonderful character building in this story and the sensitive drawing of Lydia, a young woman on the spectrum whose mannerisms echo those of Tracy’s murdered sister, is exceptionally done. One of Dugoni’s best works, the author brings in just enough backstory to both start the series here, and reward long-time readers with vintage Crosswhite.

“The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club” (Ballantine Books) by Martha Hall Kelly: In a story told through dual timelines, Kelly’s narrative is a personal ode to her mother’s heritage. Involving a contemporary mystery, set at Martha’s Vineyard, whose only answers will come from the past, the story taps a wartime romance set in 1942 — and a beach read written for today. Kelly is touring extensively for this book through the end of July. Meet up with her at marthahallkelly.com/events/.

“The Turn” (Blackstone Publishing) by Christopher Ransom: An heirloom, of sorts, following his father’s death sends Casey Sweet into his dad’s past — and a current country club where Casey might just have met the long-lost son he never knew he had. Written in the tradition of “Caddyshack,” Ransom’s new novel is an engaging summer break.

“The Afterlife Project” (Podium Publishing) by Tim Weed: Humanity is facing extinction. A group of scientists with the capability to send a test subject 10,000 years into the future. One of the last women on Earth capable of getting pregnant. All of this portends that the survival of humankind is at stake in a futuristic setting evoking the ills of today.

“It Takes a Psychic” (Berkley) by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle: A psychic investigator — actually, a para-archeologist — with a flair for romance and the paranormal dives into a case filled with danger and sizzling chemistry. Castle delivers her signature mix of mystery charm in a story centering on a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. “It Takes a Psychic” is No. 18 in Castle’s A Harmony Novel series.

“The Ghostwriter” (Sourcebooks Landmark) by Julie Clark: An author’s past returns to haunt her in the form of a ghostwriting project undertaken for her estranged father. When the project turns out to be just another one of dad’s lies, writer Olivia Dumont is forced to confront her relationship with her father … and a web of family secrets.

“Stop All the Clocks” (Arcade) by Noah Kumin: Kumin’s debut is a meditative, poetic novel about time, grief and the modern-life moments that define us … in ones and zeroes. The death of a colleague and the collapse of her AI company send Mona Veigh’s life in directions not determined by any algorithm.

“Plays Well with Others” (Blackstone Publishing) by Lauren Myracle: A bout of social media betrayal forces Jake Nolan from her job, house and husband and into a receptive bungalow on Sweetwater Lane. There, she befriends those just like herself — people itching to act on entrenched thoughts of retaliation.

“Her First Mistake” (Montlake) by Kendra Elliot: Elliot has written nearly two dozen thrillers set in her home state of Oregon and this latest offering features a minor character from the Columbia River novels: Here, Deschutes County sheriff’s detective Noelle Marshall gets her own origin story. A cold case murder mystery, this is the tale that explains what happened to Marshall to make her the detective she is today, or at least what she becomes in later storylines. A fulfilling storyline delivers much more than backstory in a captivating summer read.

“Jill Is Not Happy” (Scarlet) by Kaira Rouda: In this darkly comic tale, Jill and Jack live an enviable life in South California and, as recent empty-nesters, an unbearable marriage. A road trip “to reconnect” is really a cat-and-mouse game unknown to each other as they unwittingly match their cunning to pull one in … and push the other over, the more-than-metaphorical ledge.

“The Farm House” (Poisoned Pen Press) by Chelsea Conradt: Looking for a fresh start after her mother dies, Emily Hauk and her husband depart for a farm in rural Nebraska. Learning nothing from centuries of thrillers (“The Amityville Horror,” anyone?), they should have asked why the asking price was so low. Unknown to them, everyone who has ever lived on this farm has died. The lure of the soil is compelling, though, as Emily digs into the mystery enveloping her new home.

Reach book reviewer Tom Mayer at tmayer@rn-t.com or tmayer132435@gmail.com.

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3.5 stars

The Book that Held her Heart by Mark Lawrence  is the third, and final book in a fantasy trilogy about books!  Well, a library... 

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Berkley Publishing, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


For those of us who do not read series books back to back, the author again provided a "catch-up" chapter at the front of this book that was invaluable.  Much like I always provide a "Series Background" (on my blog, and usually for my own benefit) at the top of my reviews,  this one served a much needed reminder.

Again, this book talks of love between family, species and friends.  But more importantly, it looks at how opinions can be molded and changed.  I was rather surprised throughout the three books that Yute would occasionally travel to "our" world, although in different times.  But a lot could be learned from this.  I loved Anne.

The book is told from different perspectives, and this again worked very well.  The characters are interesting, but there are a lot of then.  Surprisingly, I had no trouble keeping them apart.

The ending was....sad.  It was appropriate, and satisfying, but it was....sad.

Without a doubt, this is a trilogy which must be read in order.  Jumping in will, as they say, like jumping off a cliff without a parachute.  Don't do it.

Those of you who have been following along for a while know that I'm a big fan of Mark Lawrence. His fantasy work is always clever, always builds a richly detailed world that you can live in, and always, always, always comes with the kind of emotional honesty that leaves me feeling for the characters, and thinking about the story for weeks afterward. Not to give the game away, but The Book That Held Her Heart, the final volume of his Library trilogy, is all of those things. It promises big, and manages to deliver even more.

It's a lot of things, this saga. A love story, Livira and Evar, reaching out to each other across time and space and narrative construction. And a story with an idea, a question - is it better to build knowledge and pass it between generations, along with the attitudes and horrors that built it, biases and terrors moving between generations, pushing down on people until they're fossilised under the weight of the past - or to remove that knowledge and have people build something from nothing, making the same mistakes over and over and over again. There isn't a Big Answer for that Big Question, I think, but the book gives its characters the chance to explore the idea, to reach the edges of it, to try and unpick some of it, to perhaps build their own truths about what to do, much like the rest of us.

In looking at the big idea, the book definitely deals with some smaller ones as well. It explores the notion of identity. In a space where people skip between worlds and eras, who they are isn't necessarily who they may become. And as the space between the pages of the Library grows more unstable, people can find themselves echoes of what they thought they were, or being someone else entirely - or fighting to exist at all. There's a sense, looking around at the characters, that theyre both re-evaluating themselves and falling into versions of themselves that they're still struggling to define. Arpix and Clovis, whose budding romance was such a joy in the previous book, continue trying to find their way around their own prejudices and world shattering events to find each other, to find what they need in each over. And Livira and Evar continue t try and find each other at all, without falling into the pages of their own fictions. The book looks on these romances positively, shows us that they're people who matter, that their choices and feelings and needs matter. They're also saving the world, of course, or a world, or something like a world, but they're doing it for each other, for their friends and loves and the connections that they've made. I'm a sucker for Arpix and Clovis, to be fair, the gentle librarian and the explosive warrior, coming to an understanding across times and species that says, you're people, and you're wonderful for it. But we do see some old favourites as well - the Librarian Yute, for example, finds himself travelling a world that might be ours, in the borders of the exchange between the library (or libraries). It is...not to spoil it, but he finds himself in a part of history where librarians are less than welcome. And in struggling to understand what that world is, trying to see what makes it tear itself apart and build itself up again, in understanding costs and conflicts and humanity, Yute is our eyes into our own strength, resilience and bravery.

This is a book which isn't afraid to take chances, to flip the table and move the reader out of what they were expecting, and into something new. And it's a book with so many stories to tell. I must admit to enjoying them all - from Yute to Livira to Evar to Mayland and out into the world of siblings and friends and bit parts and people who are the heroes of their own story - and they all feel like they have self-realisation, have depth, have a reality of their own, looking back at you from the page. That they all have a story to tell. And they do. And that story, though I won't spoil it, is a thoughtful one. A kind one. Sometimes one that gives the reader a pang in the heart - good, or bad - and sometimes one that warms you from the inside out. It's a story that builds on what came before, and pushes it somewhere ne. It's a story that, at the last, will make you think and make you feel.

It's good, is what I'm saying, and if you've come this far in the series, it's worth your time.

3/5 stars.

I really loved The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence and it kicked off this series in a really phenomenal way. Unfortunately the remainder of the series failed to capture that initial magic for me. The Book That Held Her Heart didn't wrap anything up in a meaningful way for me, which is unfortunate. I really love Mark Lawrence's writing and nearly every other series of his has been a hit for me. I did really enjoy the epigraphs throughout the book and that was a highlight for me. I wish this would've worked better for me.

In comparison to the first title, this book did not answer as many questions as I hoped it would. The journey seemed more spread out and did not further the main quest much. I enjoyed the characters and the way the library continues to be known to us.

This book wrapped up the story in a powerful and satisfying way. Even though the setting isn’t our world, the themes and struggles felt deeply grounded in reality. The way it subtly mirrored a dark chapter in human history made the emotional weight of the story hit even harder, and Lawrence managed to deliver his message without ever making it feel preachy or forced. I especially liked how each character’s point of view brought something new to the table—seeing their thoughts and choices from different angles gave the whole narrative a richer, more layered feel. It’s a thought-provoking, emotional conclusion that ties everything together while still leaving room to reflect on what it all meant.

3.75

Finishing the final book in a trilogy always comes with a mix of emotions: anticipation, nostalgia, and a bit of nervousness about whether the ending will stick the landing. Thankfully, this one delivers a mostly satisfying conclusion that wraps up the story in a meaningful way, even if it takes a few detours along the way.

One of the most notable changes in this installment is the introduction of a new point of view. It was a bold move, and one that paid off in some ways. The new POV was my favorite, bringing a new time period, a fresh perspective, and emotional depth. That said, its strength may have unintentionally overshadowed the original characters we’ve followed from the beginning. While they’re still present, their storylines felt less impactful this time.

The pacing was another mixed bag. The middle of the book dragged in parts, and the momentum took a while to pick back up. But when it did, I was completely hooked. I do think in some ways that Lawrence tried to do too much in too little pages to tell the story that he was ultimately going for, but what do I know.

Overall, this final chapter might not be perfect, but it has a lot to offer.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for a gifted advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, this final chapter might not be perfect, but it has a lot to offer.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for a gifted advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have just finished read the third book in The Library Trilogy and my mind is still reeling from what I just read. While there is some minding bending storytelling between space and time, it is also a touching and emotional story of love, loss, and inspiration. Really, an ode to book collections large and small, whether in a grand library or a dusty old book shop.

The duality between the world in which the library exists and some familiar historical events were beautifully done - Anne chapters being among my favourites.

I read the second book, The Book That Broke the World, last April and I had no trouble coming back to these characters. Every one of them is memorable in their own way and you find yourself rooting for them throughout the story. Of course, there is always the recap and character guide that Lawrence provides at the beginning of each book if you need it. We love you for it Mark.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Truly an enjoyable read, and I’ll definitely have to reread it at some point. But for now, I’ll immediately be moving onto Missing Pages - a series of short stories related to The Library Trilogy!

This review does not contain spoilers!

As with the first two books, every character’s story is so perfectly woven into and throughout time. If a character is there, there’s a thoughtful and deliberate reason behind it that is probably central to a major plot point. It’s honestly incredible that Mark Lawrence was able to make this entire trilogy make sense even though by all rights the story should be extremely confusing. How does he write this stuff in a way that allows for perfect understanding?

My favorite of the books is definitely the second, but I think this was a solid followup. The release and message of the book and really, the entire trilogy, is extremely timely. There’s discussion of fascism and book banning and burning that broke my heart and had me crying. The war between Jaspeth and Irad feels more applicable to real now life than ever before and it’s a scary thing to think about.

The Book That Held Her Heart is a great ending to a fantastic trilogy. It’s not very often that I’m fully pleased with the final book in a series because an epilogue ruins it, or something is left unanswered and it feels like it was left that way just in case the author ever wants to add another book. Not this one. There are no loose ends and I don’t feel at all as though I’ve been left wanting.

Read this trilogy. Seriously. If you’ve been sleeping on the first two, waiting for the third to release, it’s out now, okay? So no excuses!

Mark Lawrence’s first title in his LIBRARY TRILOGY, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, made my Top Ten Books list the year it came out (2023), and while its sequel, The Book That Broke the World, wasn’t as strong, I still quite enjoyed it. Now Lawrence is out with The Book That Held Her Heart, and while it certainly works as a conclusion —resolving the story’s major conflict in mostly effective fashion and doing so in an often moving manner — it was the least successful of the three titles for me on a novel level.

I’m going to assume you’ve read the first two, so I’m not going to bother with a recap save of the very end of book two (thus, spoilers ahead). That novel ended with our main group of characters splitting up into three groups, each of which exited the time-and-space spanning Library via one of three portals. Livira’s group ended up thousands of years in the past, where she eventually meets up with her friend Carlotte, who has been living there for a while as a ghost (characters in their past cannot be seen and cannot touch anything). Evar’s group, which included his siblings Mayland (sworn to destroy the Library), Starval, and Clovis, eventually land in the Vaults, a great space beneath the Library where stories end up. Finally, Kerrol and Yute end up in 1930s Germany, where they befriend a young Jewish girl named Anne. Meanwhile, the Librarian Arpix (also Clovis’ lover) and several other friends of Liviras are stuck in the Library, having been captured by the appalling King Oanold.

Thus the characters have several plots/goals. One is the ultimate one of the trilogy: resolve the aeons’ old war over what to do about the Library: destroy it in hopes of disrupting the cycle of violence, cruelty, and fall of civilizations that has persisted throughout history or save it as the last hope of breaking the cycle by an accumulation of learning (and ideally, wisdom). The key artifact in this quest is Livira’s book, which has the ability to destroy the Library (whether it can also save it is a more open question). Another goal is obviously to find each other once again and reunite siblings, lovers (Evar and Livira, Clovis and Arpix), and friends. And finally, there are the separate plots within their various alternate universes. In one, that means dealing with the early stages of antisemitism and fascism in pre-war Germany, which is about to erupt into violence. In another, it’s trying to save a kingdom from an impending Skeer invasion. And in another it’s dealing with a dictatorial Potentate who overthrew the king and installed a fascist system that also uses an oppressed minority as a scapegoat and distraction.

The characters and their relationships have been a strength throughout the series, and that somewhat holds true here. The problem is two-fold. One, by scattering the characters so widely in space and time (and then sometimes re-scattering them), we end up with fewer interactions amongst them and thus a weaker sense of relationship. That doesn’t happen across the board: the interactions between Evar and Starval, and between Kerrol, Yute, and Anne are particularly compelling, but the others fare less well. What also contributes to this issue is that there is just so much plot, so much moving and transporting and fighting and overall action crammed into a relatively short, for fantasy, book (under 400 pages), that we don’t get to linger in the interaction for all that long before we’re off to another group or interrupted by another crisis or bit of violence.

I had the same sort of good-but-not-as-good response to the themes, which are seriously weighty and are explored in thoughtful fashion. But the issue I had is this was also true in books one and two, mostly involving the exact same themes, and so this all feels a bit of been-there-done-that. Here’s is what I said in my review of book one:
A partial listing of themes/subjects include: the power of stories; the nature of language, knowledge, and memory; our seemingly knee-jerk xenophobic response to “the Other” and our rationalization of such a response by dehumanizing them; our treatment of refugees; the interplay of censorship, misinformation, and disinformation/propaganda; the question of who gets access to information; the corrosive impact of a thirst for vengeance; the impact of trauma, the ease with which we weaponize seemingly every advancement in knowledge and technology, found families, knowledge versus wisdom.
And here is my list from book two:
the power of stories and word; the cycle of cruelty, violence, and self-destruction; the question of whether preserving knowledge helps maintain the light of civilization or sparks the conflagration that burns it all down; the difference between justice and vengeance, the difficulty in choosing empathy over righteous and justified anger; the ways we dehumanize the Other.

You can see the overlap, and that continues here, with nearly all those themes, save perhaps the refugees and vengeance appearing here as well. The ideas are certainly worthy of exploration, and we do drill down a bit more specifically into say, the danger of centralizing information, but I’m just not sure we needed three book to explore them. I’m also still trying to suss out my feelings on the real-world entry of the Nazis. On the one hand, I loved the character of Anne and her interactions with Kerrol and Yute, and it does ground the fantasy more firmly to out world. On the other hand, it’s about as on-the-nose a connection as you can choose, Nazis are just not subtle, and I tend to prefer the way that fantasy can make the metaphor literal in a more imaginative sense. I’m thinking some readers will love this choice and think it a brilliant move, some will absolutely hate it and think it a major misstep, and some, like me, will chew it over for a while trying to figure out just which way they are leaning.

As much as I had some issues with the book, Lawrences vivid prose, particularly in descriptive moments, and the wry bit of humor sprinkled throughout a very dark storyline, along with the still-so-very-witty epigraphs that being each chapter, make it an easy read. I never once thought about not continuing. And, as noted, it does resolve the major plot and character arcs, even if the ending feels a bit rushed, and does so while offering up several emotionally touching scenes. I think overall I would have preferred a duology (with book two closer to the length of book 1, which at nearly 600 pages was by far the longest of the three), but it’s still an easy series to recommend, even if its first novel is the strongest.

Hands down my favorite book in the series! Written with depth and description- I found myself there, experiencing it like a ‘ghost’ would. The author has a way of making you think- not telling you what to think which is what wins hearts.
We return to chaos- everyone’s gone a different direction through a different portal and no one is where they want to be. But they’re where they need to be. Sometimes I felt as confused as the characters through time and possibilities.
Livira has grown through this series and I love her determination to set things right, no matter the cost. She fights to find Evar through time and save the library. Evar’s loyalty drives him forward to be reunited with her, and there were moments that had tears rolling down my face. I came to love his family and their friends and my heart followed them through their trials as well. The adventure and suspense of everyone’s path had me holding my breath, and the ending? It hurt- but in a beautiful way.
The entire series has many profound and moving messages. I’m glad to have been able to read this series, and highly recommend it!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I've enjoyed the Library trilogy. In the first book, Livira and Evar meet and get to know each other. They find that although their species are at war, they can love each other. They are separated at the end, Livira amd Malar end up as assistants and goes back in time to help Evar and his now adopted siblings as they grow up in the library chamber after the attack on their parents.

As with the previous book, I appreciate how Mark Lawrence begins with a recap of the story so far. His characters and world are complex. I would read the books in order. The Library crosses time and spaces. After being assistants for 200 years, Livira and Malar are killed by skeer. Evar thinks Livira is dead but they are actually ghosts.

In each time and each world there are different species who end up fighting and burning down the world. The history of the library is in one story created by two brothers. One who created it and wants to have it keep educating the species so that they might become peaceful and live together in learning. The other brother wants to destroy it. Yute, a master librarian, who mentored Livira wants a compromise where the people learn to live together.

In the first book, we learn of the human and the canith. In the next book, we have more about the canith and then the ganar who created the skeer. In all the books, we see a bit of the brothers and the Library and its librarians and assistants. Always one brother encourages discrimination and hate tearing things apart, while the other supports the Library for knowledge and acceptance of others.

The Book That Held Her Heart takes us across the worlds looking at the different stories Livira has collected over the years in different places and times. This is the essence of fantasy to me. People live and die, fight and love, but everything comes back to the pureness of ideas. The various friends and lovers spend most of their time trying to find each other.

Yute and eventually more of our characters, are going between worlds to try to save the library and perhaps find a world where they can be safe and together. Over the years, they have tried many things to save the library and promote peace between peoples. I was satisfied to learn their solution and how they were able to make it work.

Narration:
The same narrator has continued through all the books. She is Livira to me. I recognized her voices for the characters and was comfortable with them. The narration added to my enjoyment of the book. I was able to listen at an increased 1.7x speed.

Mark Lawrence's "The Book That Held Her Heart" delivers a breathtaking and emotionally resonant conclusion to his Library Trilogy, solidifying his place as a master of speculative fiction. As a fellow writer, I was particularly struck by the sheer complexity of the plotlines and the masterful craftsmanship evident in every page. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest trilogies I've had the pleasure of experiencing in recent memory. With intricate plotlines and deeply developed characters, this final installment explores profound themes of knowledge, memory, and the human heart's resilience. Lawrence masterfully weaves real-world historical elements with his fantastical library setting, creating a narrative that is both timely and timeless. 1 The book's poignant ending leaves a lasting impact, cementing the trilogy's status as a modern masterpiece. This is a five-star triumph that will resonate with readers long after the final page is turned, and leave fellow writers in awe of the sheer skill on display.

Mark Lawrence's The Book That Held Her Heart is the third and final installment in the authors The Library Trilogy. The book alternates between multiple perspectives—Livira, Evar, Anne, and others—each offering a distinct lens on the sprawling conflict. The infinite library, a labyrinthine marvel that has been both sanctuary and battleground throughout the trilogy, teeters on the brink of collapse thanks, in part, to a power hungry King and 3 different species all with their own agendas. Its fate hinges on Livira's book—one with the power to "break the unbreakable."

The stakes couldn’t be higher: hearts, families, and entire worlds hang in the balance. Livira, the fiercely determined protagonist whose journey has been shaped by the library’s mysteries, finds herself separated from those she holds dear, scattered across time and space. Evar, her counterpart and emotional anchor, is similarly adrift, their bond stretched to its limits. The narrative poses a haunting question: can love, loyalty, and hope endure when everything falls apart?

Lawrence expands the scope of the trilogy and his world by introducing Anne Hoffman, a Jewish girl in prewar Nazi Germany, whose story intertwines with the library’s timeless war. This real-world thread is a bold gamble, but one that pays off, grounding the fantastical in a poignant historical context. The library becomes a metaphor for memory, knowledge, and the human cost of their preservation—or destruction. Livira and Evar remain the beating heart of the trilogy, their relationship a thread tested by distance, time, and the library’s unrelenting demands.

Livira’s tenacity and Evar’s quiet strength are pushed to their breaking points, yet their growth feels earned, not contrived. Anne, a newcomer, brings a fresh perspective; her innocence and courage in the face of encroaching darkness add a layer of urgency and heartbreak. Supporting characters like Yute, Yolanda, Carlotte, Clovis, Kerrol, and Mayland—each get their moment to shine, their arcs converging in a climax that leaves no one unscathed.

The library’s war—pitting preservation against destruction, memory against oblivion—mirrors humanity’s own struggles with history and identity. Lawrence doesn’t shy away from heavy questions: What is worth saving? What must be sacrificed? The inclusion of Nazi Germany as a setting underscores the trilogy’s relevance, drawing a chilling line from book burnings to the Holocaust, yet never feeling didactic. Lawrence, a seasoned storyteller known for his grimdark roots, proves once again that his skill lies not just in crafting brutal worlds but in weaving intricate tapestries of human experience—here, centered around the infinite Athenaeum, a library that transcends time, space, and comprehension.

I want to, firstly, thank NetGalley, The Berkley Publishing Group, and Mark Lawrence for granting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was the final book in this incredible fantasy trilogy and one of my most anticipated reads of the year!

Books 1 & 2 were each great in their own right, but I was beyond excited to dive into this one and discover the fate of our characters and the Library itself. This series follows a few groups of characters, all from different races, backgrounds, and timelines. The connecting factor is this great and wonderous library. It is more vast than you can imagine and has survived the rise and fall of civilization after civilization. In this final book, we are to learn of the fate of the library. Will those whom wish to see its destruction win out, or will our main protagonists find a way to save the Library, and maybe the world with it?

I am pleased to report that Lawrence's style of storytelling, character development, and world-building remain stellar. I have enjoyed his writing style and the way he writes his characters in each of the previous books. This book is highly quotable with some of the most illuminating and poignant quotes focusing its commentary on the power of stories, libraries, and literature. I love books that focus on these topics and that is what originally drew me to this series.

Lawrence has crafted an immersive world, centering a diverse cast of characters and has fed us an intriguing plot spanning all three books. However, some of the issues I had with the previous book remain here. The challenge of the non-linear timeline and segmented perspectives makes it hard to get a firm grasp of where the narrative is going. While it did come together in the end, I found the conclusion to be a little lackluster. It didn't have that grand feeling; a culmination of this epic story. It feels a little rushed and ends abruptly. I was shocked after flipping the back cover closed and can't help but feel that it is largely this ending that dragged down my experience of, and ultimately my rating for, this book.

Overall, I still greatly enjoyed this series. Great writing, good lessons, and an intriguing setting. A ton of characters, but each character is well written and interesting. Despite my issues with the ending, the book does feel whole and complete. I would not hesitate to recommend this series as a whole and Mark as an author. I can't wait to pick up more of his stories.

‘None of us truly know our limits. The point where we surrender hope and the point where we cease to fight may lie further apart than we imagine. Indeed, it’s often those you least suspect of endurance that will die with their teeth still locked in the enemy’s flesh.’

Put your heart in bubble wrap before reading this final installment of The Library Trilogy, because it is going to PUT YOU THROUGH SOME THINGS. This has been one of my favorite series of the past few years: such amazing world building, fantastic magical systems, characters that capture your imagination even when they only appear briefly. If you haven’t read the first two books, I’d highly recommend starting with those as there is just too much background info to understand the third if you haven’t.

This story continues the epic battle between those who want to preserve the infinite library with its multitude of spaces and times, and those who seek to destroy what they consider dangerous knowledge. Our main characters, Livira and Evar, are hurtling through fast-paced and deadly challenges, coming together and apart while dealing with some seriously heavy themes.

This is a series that I will definitely be re-reading at a slower pace; I’m tucking it away to pull out during the next long Minnesota winter.

Thank you so much to Ace Pub for the gifted copy of The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence!

Man, this trilogy is a disappointment. After loving book 1, the sequels could never recapture that magic for me. This book was too short for its ambition. There is WAY too much going on, way too many characters in way too many timelines doing way too much jumping around to satisfy this story in 350 pages. It was also so convoluted that I struggled to care about half the things happening. A new POV was introduced and while that POV was ultimately unnecessary, I actually enjoyed that POV more than most of the others in this book.

There's a book I love somewhere with the rough outline and shape of this book. But it was never to be.

6/10

thank you net galley for this arc. i really enjoyed this story. this one has a bit of slower pacing then the first two. it also deal with some heaver themes like how knowledge is a weapon. love the world building.

An emotional and heart wrenching and to what was a solid portal fantasy/sci-fi series.

Disclaimer: I read this as a tandem read with an e-book through NetGalley as well as the audiobook through the Penguin Random House audiobook influencer club. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I have never been so gut punched by the ending of a trilogy in my life. This was absolutely fantastic. I went through a whole range of emotions from start to finish. I learned to love all of these characters. The political intrigue was absolutely stellar and I love the way that portal fantasy wove together with different timelines and dimensions.

The relationship relationships between characters and the distinct exploration of "otherness" was absolutely flawless. This book explored so many topics and started so many conversations for me. All on the backdrop of an excellent storyline with layered and in depth characters.

The storyline took me places I wasn't expecting, and it was all well done and didn't feel rushed at any point. But it also didn't feel like it dragged on or was slow either. Mark Lawrence did an excellent job of balancing plot development and character develop development so I felt like I was getting something at all times.

While the ending was absolutely gut wrenching for me it is one of the most satisfying and emotional endings. I've experienced in a trilogy. It'll be hard to top this one this year.