4/5 ⭐

Thanks netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my unbiased review!

Ever since reading "everyone in this room will one day be dead" and absolutely loving it, I have been wanting to read more of Austin's books! Austin writes really nuanced characters that I instantly love and have empathy for. For example, I have never had an eating disorder, but Austin talks about it with such care and respect it provided me with more context. Darcy, the main character in this novel is just that, lovable and messy and real and doesn't always make perfect choices.

Austin has a way of so effortlessly articulating different perspectives like when she wrote about how the main character felt about weddings.

The reason why this is a 4/5 and not 5/5 for me like the previous book of hers I read, is at times it felt a bit monotonous, like the main character was caught up in a frustrating loop, but the frustrations didn't last long.

Austin is a fantastic writer and bounces between being funny and then poignant so quick.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC! I’m a huge fan of Emily Austin and look forward to everything she continues to come out with.

As always, Emily Austin introduces another likable, anxious, people-pleasing lesbian, and I love it! Having this representation is so meaningful and it’s comforting to see such a positive, communicative, and supportive lesbian relationship.

Overall, this book captures the mixed feelings that come with grief and misplaced guilt. The book introduces us to Darcy, a librarian back to work after a mental health break. This is such a realistic story of someone trying to heal while continue to deal with every day struggles.

This book also brings up the major subject of banning books. As stated in the book, which sums up the argument against banning books best; “having free, uncensored, access to information is a fundamental human right”.

This book was a wonderful journey alongside Darcy, learning to heal and carry on with her.

I have a confession: this is actually the first Emily Austin novel to not make me ugly cry. I hate crying, so I'm okay with this.

I have been a big fan of Austin since her debut novel. If I had to pick a favorite, well, I would have quite the conundrum because each of her books, although similar in style and tone, has been special in its own way.

This MC was markedly different to me than previous MC's. There are acute mental health issues, but the overarching themes rely less on sad girl fic (no hate, I adore sad girl fic). Instead, we are able to focus on a lot of broader themes such as censorship, LGBTQ issues, and identity/labels (just to name a few) while also examining the complex nature of grief. Juggling the nuances of individual mental health issues simultaneously with macro social and political issues is no easy feat, but Austin manages to transist between topics with ease and grace. This is THE book to read during the current sociopolitical climate.

Sometimes devastating, often devastatingly funny, Austin maintains the titleholder as my favorite contemporary author.

Also, support your local library.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

I have never been disappointed by an Emily Austin book and I don't think I ever will be. The main character in all of her books are lesbians, and this isn't explicitly stated in most of them but I personally think it's clear that they're also autistic and it feels so refreshing to read from the perspective of someone I can relate to in these ways.

I really enjoy books that feel like case studies of a character, it feels almost like being inside someone's head and truly getting to see everything they think and feel and how and why they go through life the way that they do.

I love that a lot of this story’s focus was on compulsory heterosexuality and censorship. Comphet is something I almost never see talked about so it was really nice to see a first hand experience of it, thinking about how it affected her after the fact and the comparisons she made between experiencing comphet as a lesbian and straight women’s tendency to be with certain men just because of the pressures of society and the way that they were raised to be. How it was hard for the main character Darcy to come to terms with being a lesbian even though she felt so uncomfortable and unhappy with her experiences with men because a lot of the straight women she knew complained about the same/very similar things.

On the censorship side of things, Darcy explained more than once how easy it is to go from everyone having equal access to one side/community being completely shut out and seeing her explain it to someone with a completely different “moral standing” and perspective on life from her was very interesting.

A lot of the character interactions felt a bit uncomfortable to read but it was because they were so realistic and Darcy had to deal with a lot of people and situations that made her very uncomfortable. I really enjoyed that, I also really like that even though she struggled with a lot of things, especially given that she was at work a lot of the time and was trying to remain professional, she did not put up with people treating her badly or acting outrageously in general. Once, again just very refreshing to see. And the communication she had with people in general, but specifically her wife Joy was so good to see. Even when she handled things poorly she reflected on it and came back after the fact to do better, apologized and took accountability for her actions. I wish more characters and people would do that.

Overall, I loved this book. I thought every aspect of it was very intentional and well thought out. I loved the queer and mental health representation so directly throughout the entire story. I’m sure I will read anything Emily Austin writes forever and always

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :)

Emily Austin is new to me, and I found Darcy’s inner monologue refreshingly dry and concise. As a librarian, she nailed Darcy’s career, as well as her exasperation with it, and as a lesbian, she nailed the sense of self that comes from settling into adulthood as a queer woman.

(4.5 stars)
I’m not quite sure I can accurately convey my feelings about this book. Though short, it is so deeply written and so thought through. Like Darcy, I experienced compulsory heterosexuality, and I also love books and cats. The way Emily Austin wrote Darcy allowed for a truly deep connection with the character and her story and what she is going through. It is profoundly moving and I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to read this and to experience it at the place I’m at. I feel genuinely moved by Darcy’s story.
I also appreciated how Austin wrote, alternating flashbacks in to tell Darcy’s backstory and life changing events that happened, and how they have influenced her in her present life. Some may expect more from this story, but it surrounds a pivotal moment in Darcy’s life and allows the reader to appreciate life for what it is while understanding that there are bumps in the road.

Emily Austin’s Is This a Cry for Help? captures the experience of moving through queerness, love, and loss with honesty and care. Set against the backdrop of a public library, it shows how these spaces hold both comfort and complexity, and how the people who move through them shape our lives in unexpected ways. It reminds us of the need to defend our libraries and the people who keep them alive.

Thank you Atria Books and Net Galley for the advance copy!

Is This a Cry for Help? is a beautiful love letter to libraries and the hearts that dwell within them. Emily Austin writes with a tenderness that captures both the quiet refuge of a library and the messy, complicated humanity of the people who visit them. It beautifully captures what it is like to navigate queerness, love, and loss with sharp wit and honesty. At once funny, heartbreaking, and deeply observant, the novel lingers long after you’ve closed it.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!

If it’s written by Emily Austin, I’m going to read it. IS THIS A CRY FOR HELP is another gem from Austin. It focuses on libraries and the current social/political issues such as book challenges, book banning, and other conservative political complaints that libraries have a liberal agenda. Although this book is set in Canada, the issues are also seen in the U.S., and as a graduate student in library and information sciences, I found much of this relatable.

IS THIS A CRY FOR HELP is about so much more than libraries, and Austin writes in an open and honest way about a lesbian marriage, grief, complicated feelings, and the ups and downs of being human. She always balances humor with heavy topics and feelings, and this book is no different. I look forward to reading anything else Emily Austin wishes to share.

Emily Austin did it again! Is This a Cry for Help is another darkly funny, compelling novel that features a lesbian with mental health issues in the midst of a crisis. This one was extra special for me because the mentally ill lesbian in question is a librarian. This novel showcases the ins and outs of being a librarian, and the values and difficulties of the career in such a real way because Emily Austin went to library school and briefly worked as a librarian. She knows what she’s talking about! Its commentary on censorship, book banning, and library protests is very real, and the way Austin delivers it is both bleak and somehow funny. Hers is a voice that I deeply care about because, as is shown in this novel, she is informed and takes the real issues both seriously and unseriously. I don’t really know how she manages to present dark topics so lightly, but she does it with right-wing protestors, panic attacks, and trauma.

My favourite thing about Emily Austin’s books is that they aren’t romances, but they are so romantic. No one is writing characters like her—every one is fleshed out and real, the relationships are both good and complicated, and every character has their own set of struggles that is explored throughout the entire novel that makes for excellent character development. She has this way of writing beautiful paragraphs in the simplest of ways. Her stories are the definition of heart wrenching, not because they’re particularly sad, but because they feel so real and representative to me, and I’m sure to many other people. This is another book where I felt like she was inside my brain. It’s actually kind of uncanny.

This really is a love letter to libraries and librarians. It is, of course, very well-written, informed, and perfectly paced. I had many quotes highlighted but unfortunately my kobo decided to highlight the entire book not once, not twice, but three times, and each time I had to delete all my previous highlights. Just take my word for it that it was really good, really sad, really hopeful, really funny, all at once. Everyone should be reading everything Emily Austin writes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

I think this might be a case of the book being “not for me,” but I struggled with this one. While I enjoyed meeting Darcy, Joy, and the library staff, it was quite a fluffy read and I was wanting more tension. The mental health rep was enjoyable to read about I didn’t understand Darcy’s obsession with/focus on a certain person from her past.

Rating: 2.5 rounded up

I have a feeling I could read Emily Austin’s grocery list and be fully satisfied.

This novel was such an important read for me. I wish it existed ten years ago - the trajectory of my life would be so, so different. Alas, it found me where I am now— 31 and navigating the choices I made before my brain was fully developed.

Austin managed to cover compulsory heterosexuality in a way that the reader thinks, “oh, duh, that makes total sense.” All of her novels discuss mental health in such a real and raw light, and this is no different - but it did feel a bit lighter to handle. It was a nice change of pace after “We Could Be Rats.”

I do wish we got to see a bit more of the passion in Joy and Darcy’s relationship. I understand the need for their relationship to feel stable and content, but I would have loved to feel more of the draw Darcy had to Joy. In addition, at times, the timeline was a bit confusing. I still couldn’t figure out the therapy schedule by the end, sometimes it seemed she had therapy twice in one day, and she had a very full schedule the day/morning before the meeting with Brenda. That didn’t impact my overall enjoyment and love of this book.

Thank you to Atria for allowing me to read and review this eARC. Now, I will (very impatiently) wait for its release to read it again and again.

I really enjoyed getting to read this, it was engaging and enjoyed the overall feel of this world and how the characters were used to tell the storyline. I was hooked from the first page and enjoyed how flawed the main character was and enjoyed getting to know the characters in this. Emily Austin has a strong writing style and enjoyed the overall feel of this, it left me wanting to read more.

WOW!!! I could not put this book down.

As someone who has always felt guilt for not being what others wanted me to be, this book deeply resonated with me. Emily Austin has the gift of being able to write about pain in a complex and profound way, while still managing to make me feel hopeful.

This is an essential, affirming read for any queer person who has felt the burden of fitting into other people’s expectations. (so, like all of us lol) I’m so thankful to exist at the same time as Emily Austin and have the opportunity to see myself in so many of her characters.

Austin's debut holds a special place in my heart, but I've had the pleasure of reading all of her books and I think she just keeps getting better. Admittedly, I am very biased as I am neurodivergent, a lesbian, and a librarian, so this really couldn't get any more up my alley even if it tried. In fact, I was reading it and responding (in my head) to some of the arguments being made, only to have our main character basically repeat my exact response on the next page. We were literally on the same page -which ultimately I think shows how successful Austin was at capturing certain perspectives within the field. That said, I don't think she ever made anything complicated. Whether it was to do with Darcy's trauma, sexuality, the library, bigotry, or familial issues, she kept things pretty balanced. I think someone could be introduced to these topics just as easily as they could be reassured by the content; depending on the type of reader or person they are. I liked where this ultimately ended, but I could have definitely read more, maybe in the build up to it. That's really my only "complaint" and it's not even a complaint. I read the entire book in a day. The next morning, I woke up excited to revisit the characters, only to remember I finished it lol. I can't wait to get a physical!

Thank you SO much Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book!


Wow.. wow, wow, wow, wow,wow,wow,wow!! I requested this book on Netgalley thinking that it sounded like a cute and fun time. And while I definitely had that. I also had a deep connection to this that I was not expecting!!

Oh my godddd!! I loved every second of this!! It's always nice when we find something that momentarily makes us feel a little less alone on this floating space rock. And this did that for me.

As someone who has struggled with their sexuality, this really hit home. I have always just called myself "bisexual" but I often wonder how much of that is me struggling with the truth, and a lot of that was due to how I was raised.

The library controversy also really tugged at my heart strings. As a 90's baby who grew up in the early 2000's, with no siblings or family I felt comfortable with. Books at the library became almost like a step-parent for me.

I just loved this all around! And I can't wait to buy it!

This is my review which as of today can be found on the following platforms:
Goodreads
Bookmory
Fable
StoryGraph
Tiktok

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I was genuinely beyond thrilled to receive an arc of this book as I love Emily Austin & her books. I really enjoyed this book too. The story was super compelling and the subject was very interesting. I loved the discussions of libraries and censorship and all that. I really appreciate how Emily Austin writes, it's very telling and not showing which usually I wouldnt like but she does it in a way thats so earnest that it's so great. I'll read anything Emily Austin writes.

4.25⭐ I flew through this book in 2 days and found it overall really enjoyable even if I think the story developments are a little too easy. The main emotional conflict in the book is the protagonist's complicated grief, and the plot conflict is discussion of censorship in libraries. As a book & library lover (aren't we all here?), it was interesting to read from a librarian's perspective and about the important functions of a library.
Despite the topic of grief, I found this quite a light, easy read, with Austin's familiar, easy-to-follow writing style. The shortcoming in my eyes is how easily all conflicts are resolved, but it made for a quick, fun reading experience without frustration at the protagonist's choices.

Emily Austin is set to premier her fourth novel, Is This A Cry for Help at the beginning on 2026. An important commentary on both interpersonal and parasocial relationships that form us well into adulthood. If there is anyone I would take advice from, it is a humanistic and dryly funny lesbian librarian with blue hair and a love for stained glass edged religious trauma. Austin’s character, Darcy explores and muses over relationships of censorship, sexuality, and the importance of third spaces in our communities. An instant classic and important story about the growing pains of the human condition.

I was asked to read and review “Is This a Cry for Help?” by Emily Austin.

This is my first time reading an Emily Austin novel but I was instantly intrigued as the main character is a librarian. Darcy is returning to work after a mental collapse. However, she instantly has to deal with a group of book banners, which would set anyone off, and Darcy is not about to take these threats lying down.

The author handles a variety of hot button issues but still remains true to her characters. This is a quick read but that does not mean that the author doesn’t take the time to dive into such sensitive topics. I did think some conflicts within the novel were resolved a little too readily but that is the only complaint that I have.

Four out of five stars.

Thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book.