Book 226 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I needed a book like this, especially since it has been a rough few days... or should I say that I have been too hard on myself the past few days

I needed an escape, and yet at the same time, I needed a book that would give me the feels... and boy, this did the trick.

Wonderful narrators who kept me wanting to keep going but with school having started plus my own personal stuff going on...

Anyway, the book is about an estranged mother and daughter who, through books, find themselves and rebuild a relationship and make up for lost time.

I recommend this for sure. If you have never tried listening to an audiobook, sometimes what I like doing is read the physical or ebook together with the audiobook.

Only had the advanced copy of the audiobook this time, so I didn't do that. When I did get distracted by my thoughts, I just restarted the chapter I was at and got right back into the story.

One 🌟 just for the brilliant narrators.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#book226of300 #amreading #amlistening #netgalley #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #goodreads #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2024 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds

The Memory Library is a heartwarming story about a mother-daughter relationship. Ella moves from London to Australia after her father dies and she discovers what she assumes to be a love letter that is NOT from her father. She hasn't seen her mother in over 20 years when Sally falls and needs assistance while she recovers. Ella moves back home and learns more about who her mom really was and is, and their relationship is allowed to heal.

I received a digital ARC of the audiobook thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. The narrator had a very pleasant voice, even when the speed was increased to the speed I normally listen to audiobooks. I would recommend both the book and audiobook to others.

The Memory Library is the story of an estranged mother and daughter coming back together in a moment of difficulty, as they discover that no wound is too deep to heal.

Ella hasn't seen her mother in over twenty years. After a grief-stricken fight, she moved to Australia and started her career and family away from England. But when her mother has a fall, she and her husband decide it is time for Ella to go. She is the only one who can.

While there, she and her mother, Sally, are forced to confront what tore them apart, and as the waves of healing wash over them, Ella comes to realize what her decision cost her.

Sally still lives in the same home, and has been continuing her tradition of buying a new book for Ella every year on her birthday, but since their estrangement, she's been keeping them safe in her own library at home until Ella was ready. She inscribes them each with a little message, describing why each title was chosen, but it was ruined in the flood that resulted from her accident.

The idea of this book is sweet, but for me it felt a little forced. It's an uplifting story that has a thread of sadness and grief tied all through it. It warns us to make sure we're not taking for granted even the more difficult relationships in our lives, and urges us to try harder to understand others. It's a great message, so I can forgive a few clumsy character motivations.

I can see people really latching onto this book if they have healed estrangements in their own lives, or have complicated relationships with their own mothers.

Note:: I received this book through netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know if I would like this book when I started. Ella is so hard at the beginning. As the story progresses, there are so many difficult emotions to face over the course of the book. I love the growth that comes to Ella. I love how much love grows. I like how we get to see community come together around the character of Sally.
This is a book that has much to offer if you are looking to be changed by a book you read.
I listened to the audiobook. I like the narrator.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for this chance to grow a bit myself.

Ella receives word that her mother, Sally, needs her to care for her as she recovers from an injury. Sally fell after leaving her bathtub water running for too long, breaking her wrists and flooding part of her house. Ella is hesitant to return to England after her move to Australia years earlier because of unresolved conflict that exists between herself and her mother. But away she goes, leaving her husband and young daughter behind.

Thank you Kate Storey and HarperAudio Adult for this audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are mine and mine alone.

This story started off promising, though it was slightly clichéd. However, as the story progressed, each problem that arose was not well worked through with the characters and each problem was resolved in a way that made me, as the reader, not really care. I was not invested in the characters' lives and I did not feel the pain they were feeling.

I liked the premise of the story and I thought the memory library itself was unique and a positive addition to the story. I just would have liked more well-rounded and thought out dialogue and problem-solving from the characters.

The narrators did a good job voicing the characters and I found the voices to be soothing and pleasant to listen to.

This was such a heartwarming contemporary novel. It took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story, but once I did, I was hooked. Just such a sweet second chance story and I love books about books. Ella drove me crazy a couple of times with her jumping to conclusions, but I loved seeing her character growth! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my audio ARC!

This treasure of a book is about love, growth, forgiveness, friendship, community and family. Maybe a tad cheesy but truly touching throughout. I cried a lot! Because it was moving, not devastating. I’d definitely recommend this feel good book on audio or in print.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sally has been steadily adding a book every year to her daughter’s library. She adds a book every year on her daughter, Ella’s, birthday, even though she and Ella have had a falling out. Sally has hope that Ella will see all these wonderful books and read their inscriptions and forgive her.

When Sally takes a terrible fall, Ella leaves Australia and returns to England to help. Ella slowly realizes things are not normal with her mother. Sally is having some very bad memory lapses.

Ella and Sally are at odds due to a misunderstanding and Ella holds a grudge through most of this story. But, she soon discovers that her life is not exactly what she wants it to be. And watching her change throughout this book just made the whole book for me!

This is a heartwarming story and I wish that I had thought of a library for my children like this.

Need a wonderful tale about family and second chances…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

To start off thank NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Kate Storey’s team for the audiobook version of ‘The Memory Library’.

A mother who just wants her daughter to know she is loved by dedicating a library full of memories she can only hope her daughter will come back to. After a heated exchange, Ella moves away from her mother Sally and starts her own beautiful family, but when family friend calls to let her know Sally is in need of her daughter she is persuaded to take a visit down memory lane. Come to find out Sally has added a personalized message and a book each year on Ella’s birthday, with the hopes of rekindling her and her only daughter’s relationship. What can only be described as heartfelt, sentimental, and emotional.

The novel is a coming of age, found family, and second chance narrative that will build up over time and heal the unhealed inner child of Sally’s and Ella’s relationship.

What I had issues with is that the book’s initial premise seemed very intriguing, but I just didn’t get the emotional connection to the storyline. It had a very rushed but slow start, although it finishing on a stronger note. It was unclear how much time the author would spend on adding so much details it kind of lost me. I really wanted to read about the library Sally had made for Ella. The last 10% did get really sentimental and happy but most of the book rehashed a lot of hostility towards the two while navigating with health problems that come with aging. It was starting to put me in a book slump because of how depressing the writing was.

I think if you’re into putting yourself down and throwing yourself into a rabbit hole then read this with the hope of a HEA.

It made me feel things I didn’t want to feel. It rehashed all the times of my childhood where I was quite literally a brat to my parents. And I guess the story is eye opening to the idea that you don’t truly know of you’ll ever get a second chance at something in life. But at the end of the day, the book altogether made me feel like I was sitting and having a conversation with a family member or friend and they are telling me a story that I’ve heard a million times. It wasn’t grasping my attention the way I thought it would.

I think the end goal could have been achieved as a short story. I probably would’ve loved if it was less dense and more faster paced. The last 10% is really the only thing I enjoyed about this book.

I wouldn’t recommend this because it dragged and no one likes being on the cusp of being in a book slump with no worthwhile payoff.

#NetGalley #TheMemoryLibrary

This book deeply moved me. I lost my grandparents to dementia and Alzheimer's, and now I watch my sweet mother-in-law endure the same heart-wrenching disease. The words in this story mirror the ones we've shared as we navigated the pain of memory loss. It’s a book filled with a range of emotions—both heartbreaking and beautiful. The story is raw, genuine, and utterly gut-wrenching. Be sure to have a box of tissues nearby when you read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Storey, and HarperAudio Adult for the opportunity to listen to this touching tale of love.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a heartfelt exploration of the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, beautifully capturing the highs and lows of their relationship. The story centers on Sally and her estranged daughter, Ella, who fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a heated exchange. Despite the distance, Sally continues her quiet tradition of adding a book to her shelves every year on Ella’s birthday, each with a heartfelt note to her “greatest work.”

When disaster forces Ella to return home, the pair must confront their shared past, unravel misunderstandings, and rediscover the love that has always connected them. The book unfolds like a Hallmark movie – warm, poignant, and deeply satisfying. It’s a story about love, regret, and redemption, showing that even after long chapters of silence, new beginnings are possible.

As a mother of daughters, I was deeply moved by Sally’s perspective – her love, her hope, and the pain of her choices being misunderstood. At the same time, I could relate to Ella’s journey of independence and frustration as a daughter. The story resonated with me on a deeply personal level, reminding me of the ebbs and flows of mother-daughter relationships.

The narrators, Jilly Bond and Imogene Wilde, brought the characters to life with incredible depth and emotion. Their performances added nuance to every moment, drawing me into the story and making it even more compelling. Their voices brought Sally’s love and Ella’s struggles vividly to life, enhancing the story’s emotional impact.

I’ve already recommended this beautiful tale to my own daughters, as it captures both the challenges and beauty of these enduring bonds. The Memory Library is a touching reminder that it’s never too late to rewrite the chapters of our lives with the people we love most.

This beautiful tribute to family, the connections we make that become family, forgiveness and the power of books is one of the most heartwarming books I have read in some time. Sally, the main character, has lovingly created a library for her daughter, Ella, by specially curating a new book on her birthday each year with a message for her. Due to circumstances, they become estranged for many years until Sally has an accident at home resulting in Ella, who is now a high-powered attorney, needing to come assist her both physically and with extensive repairs to the home.

During the time Ella is with Sally, she learns about her impact on those around her and that she may have been rash in her previous judgement and reasons to leave. The audiobook narration by Jilly Bond and Imogene Wilde provides an immersive experience and adds a great deal to making this audiobook truly one to not miss.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Adult Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This is an absolutely beautiful book about the relationship between a mother and a daughter, the hurt and distance that tore them apart, and the library that offers a chance to bring them back together. It gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings that I need from this kind of a story. I cried; I laughed out loud: I wanted to hug my own daughter, and I marveled at the incredible power of love within these pages. If you are a fan of women's fiction with themes of mother/daughter relationships, community, friendship, and love; don't let this one pass by without a read.

I lost my father a year and a half ago and my older brother a few months ago, and I needed to DNF this book. It was a good story, but it triggered some anxiety and sadness that I wasn't prepared to feel, so I had to put it aside for now.

The Memory Library was a heartwarming story of redemption and family. I was able to connect with the characters Ella and Sally for different reasons. The secondary characters were also very vivid to me. I was very touched by the Memory Library and plan to create my own as I think it was such a deeply thoughtful and touching tribute to Ella. The narrators fit with the story well and added to my enjoyment. I will seek out future books by Kate Storey.

Thank you Net Galley, Kate Storey and Harper Audio for the opportunity to preview this audiobook. The opinions shared are my own.
The Memory Library is expected to be released Feb. 1, 2025.

What a heartwarming read.

Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde narrate this story beautifully.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a tale of grief, family strife, the web of complex mother/daughter relationships, and community. While heartbreaking at times and heartwarming at others, The Memory Library is a must-read for book lovers.

The Memory Library

Wow, I did not expect this to be as moving and thoughtful as it was. With a focus on a mother daughter relationship and how powerful bonds are formed through the love of books, this was a truly lovely read.

At its core is the idea of a gifted book each year that includes an inscription of significance and chosen specifically for that time in life. It seriously makes me want to start a library for my daughter and also, at one particularly meaningful moment I paused listening to call my mom and check in. It’s a book that made me reflect on my life, my relationship with my mother and had me feeling more grateful and introspective at every turn. I loved it!

Thank you HarperAudio Adult for the audio copy via Netgalley!

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

This was a very sweet story about a mother and daughter who have become distant reconnecting. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow closer over a few weeks in the story.

There isn't much that happens in the story that you won't see coming. Certain parts are repetitive as characters figure things out. In fairness, they need to be repetitive or the actions would be dismissed. That may sound a little vague, but I don't want to give away any plot points unintentionally.

The story is mostly set in the current day, with just a few flashbacks chapters included. I enjoyed the cast of characters.

I listened to the audio narrated by Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde. It was very well done and enjoyable.

This book had me so in my feelings. I’ve watched from an outsider perspective as mother daughter relationships have crumbled over miscommunication so this book hit close to home. Every time I thought our main character was coming around and growing, she would let me down again. That is not at all a complaint as that is accurate of real life. Despite many opportunities to truly listen to her mom and mend things, she kept back tracking because as an adult, it’s sometimes hard to put aside your own ego and throw everything you have told yourself out the window to see a situation from a different perspective. This story was beautiful and painful and cut deep with the raw emotion.

What an amazing story. It’s not a Christmas story but should be. The story is of forgiveness, redemption, enlightenment, and overall love. Wonderful emotions go through your senses as one read or listens to the story.