Emily Austin always knocks it out of the park with deeply human writing and deeply unique plot, and this book is no exception to that rule. I think this is now one of my favourite Austin reads, as it wasn't as anxiety inducing as her other work and felt much easier to read. There is so much love for libraries and the queer community in this book and it's so special for that alone, but add in all the humanity that Darcey expresses through her story and it makes for something so stand out and intriguing. I love the experience of living in Austin's writing, it has so much life that it makes me feel alive.

This was one of the best books I’ve read in 2025! Loved this witty and wonderful rude of this book and the characters along the way! As a librarian I can’t relate completely to this novel! 5 stars!

This review will be short and sweet because my overwhelming response to this book is to tell people to read it. Read it now!

Emily Austin has always had a way for me that feels a little like the protagonist crawled into a corner of my brain and is weaving whatever passing thought, concern, or question that's lurking there into the narrative. As a character piece, 'Is This a Cry for Help' felt so special. There is so much love for Darcy in every word and she felt so real to me. I loved getting to spend what little time I did with her.

As an ode to libraries, it made my heart sing. As a testament to the ways we grow and change, it will be something I happily put on my shelf so that it's always on hand for a reread.

I wanted so much more out of this book. It came across as didactic; almost a primer on the current library culture wars, rather than a fully developed story.

Emily Austin does it again with a darkly funny story about love, grief, and the radical power of libraries. Is This a Cry for Help? is sharp, and unforgettable!

Darcy has built the life she always dreamed of: a loving wife, two cats, and a cozy home by the lake filled with books. But when the death of an ex-boyfriend shatters her carefully balanced world, she faces a breakdown and has to navigate her way back to the life she treasures.

When Darcy finally returns to the library, she is met with protests, calls for censorship, and a battle over DEI programs that challenge her sense of belonging. To find her way forward, she must face her grief, examine the truths of her past relationships, and discover her voice in the fight for intellectual freedom.

This is a story about resilience, queer love, community, and the libraries that hold our lives together. You will love Darcy and her friends and then want to visit your local library!

#atria #emilyaustin #isthisacryforhelp

I found "Is This a Cry for Help?" to be a fascinating read. I don't know that I've ever read something that was both so enlightening, and mundane at the same time (and that is NOT a criticism!). It's clear to me that Emily Austin has worked in a public library, or at the very least, is close with people who have, because she hit some of the nuance of public librarianship firmly on the head. And I really, really enjoyed Darcy's self-actualization and realization that she was a lesbian - while totally buying how her relationship with Ben was what she needed/thought she wanted in those earlier moments. I appreciated that the obvious villains were not villains. And i loved the story of the internet-run-amok troll, and his inevitable anticipated comeuppance. All in all, this one hit just right for me, and will definitely be a book that I recommend to my fellow librarians, as well as bookish patrons.

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for this ARC!

This was an excellent, timely read. I loved the characters and the approach to general mental health and healing. I thought it was well-written and funny. I often find it very difficult, as a librarian, to read books about fictional librarians as so many people get us wrong. THIS, however, was excellent, well-done, and relatable! Libraries are so vital in this time and this honestly felt like a love letter to the public library and the people who work in it. Love, love, LOVE!

I LOVE Emily Austen and I’ve read all her books and this is probably my favorite one yet. As soon as I saw it was queer and about a librarian, I knew it was right up my alley.
I really connected with Darcey. Her guilt over her first long-term relationship with an older man who’s recently passed away unexpectedly. I’ve been known to hold guilt for things I can’t control, like worrying for an ex I was incomparable with but still wanted the best for. I liked revisiting that relationship through Darcey’s therapy appointments. It’s felt like a cathartic and useful way to address the past.
I’m not quite sure how I felt about her wife, Joy. She really didn’t seem like the most supportive partner while Darcey dealt with drama at her library job and recovery from a mental breakdown. I feel like I was meant to like Joy but she read as pretty selfish. And there in lies the reality of life and love and the reason Austen books resonate with me so well: it’s not all roses, but there is always something to think about.
I LOVED the library staff and their handling of the right-wing complainers trying to manipulate the library to their “conservative values.” I loved the trans representation and the way they addressed the library policies.
At times there felt like some pointless details, but of course in the end it all made sense, which is such an Austen-esque way of bringing a book together. Even the most mundane details had a purpose, just as in life.
This Austen isn’t as heavy on the mental health issues as some of her others, which I think makes it even easier to recommend widely to readers who enjoy librarian MCs, queer rep including coming out/coming of age, and the examination of timely issues like the current political landscape.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of Is This a Cry for Help by Emily Austin, all opinions are my own.

The main character, Darcy, felt authentic, vulnerable, and compelling. The way she dealt with her problems felt real. However, I felt a bit the heavier political themes at times overshadowed the story. This one wasn't for me but I can see how others would enjoy this book and connect with the social commentary.

Rating: 5 stars
Format: E-arc
Genre: Literary fiction, contemporary fiction

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.

Folks, Emily Austin is 4 for 4 for me (5 for 5 if you include her poetry collection). I go in with high hopes every time and I am never disappointed. Is This a Cry for Help? felt like a natural progression of things that I adored about both We Could Be Rats and Interesting Facts About Space. This, to me, was the best version of Austin’s signature style. I’ve read many books that try to capture that feeling of anxiety through a meandering internal monologue, but not many of them are this successful. The flow from our current timeline to anxious, grief-stricken spirals, to flashbacks, therapy sessions, and memories was immaculate. It never felt disjointed or awkward to move between all these different thoughts and ruminations that Darcy guides us through. This made the book feel surprisingly fast paced for how thoughtful and emotionally intense it was. I had to know what would happen next and couldn’t put it down.

I think that it’s best to go into Austin’s books knowing as little as possible about the plot because part of the fun is having no idea where things will go. What you need to know is that this book follows Darcy, who is returning to work at a public library after a grief-induced mental health episode, where she has to work on healing while also contending with increasingly hostile ideological attacks on the library she works at.

There were moments in this book where it felt like Austin had pulled thoughts from my own head and sent them to print. Darcy experiences and ruminates on things that I have literally talked about to friends and in therapy multiple times. I was highlighting like crazy and forcing my roommates to sit down and listen to some of these quotes because they hit me so hard. As much as I can sit here and praise the technical aspects of Austin’s writing, plotting, pacing, and characterization, there’s really nothing more visceral and moving about a piece of art than just feeling like it gets you. I go to her books to feel understood and expand my own empathy, and every single time she supplies characters and situations that do just that.

Obviously, I cannot recommend this book enough if you’re a fan of queer lit, contemporary/literary fiction, and SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY. Coming out January 13, 2026!

Great cover and title 💛

I love the character Darcy ( and her name ) and how coworkers treated her after breakdown …

I could relate to her character .

I could relate to the strength and shame of publicly recovering from a mental breakdown …

Let me just say that I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was a fast read for me as I read it in a day. Is This A Cry For Help literally pulled me in and shows that’s sometimes life likes to remind you that you are alive and at any moment in time life can and will through you a curveball and you have to keep going no matter what. The main character Darcy goes through a mental breakdown due to the death of her ex-boyfriend and the story takes us through Darcy’s life post breakdown as she returns through work as a librarian and goes through therapy. Darcy is a strong woman who thinks otherwise of herself and sometimes I feel the same way even though others tell me differently. Emily Austin also portrays the importance of libraries and what a great source they are to communities all around. There were several moments in the book that I related to and felt like this book was written for me. I definitely recommend this book cause you slowly see Darcy’s progress on handling her ex-boyfriend’s death and daily life.

Thank you Netgalley & Atria Books for an eARC of this book. It has become one of my favorite books of the year so far. 😄

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!!
I was super excited when I heard Emily Austin had a new book after loving everyone in this room will someday be dead and was so glad I got an arc. This one is about a lesbian woman returning to her job following a mental health crisis. Her first day back on the job she is forced to deal with a kind of moms for liberty/book banning group stand in. As a library lover and someone from a family of teachers, this is something super important to me. The book also deals with stuff like mental health, queerness, and the important and varied services libraries provide to their community.
While I loved reading this, and finished it in one day, I do think the characters definitely spoke in “therapy speak.” I will say though I think this can be explained by all the main characters for the most part being queer, highly educated millennials. I think the themes were also pretty heavy handed at times. However none of that detracted from my enjoyment. I loved Kyle and I really liked the Sammy plot line.
5 stars to me!!

This has all the tried-and-true hallmarks of an Emily Austin novel: young, probably autistic lesbian struggles with mental illness in a darkly comedic way, with a bit of a mystery element.

I feel like every time I read an Emily Austin book, I always say, “This is my least favorite Emily Austin book, but I’ll still read whatever else she writes.” And that holds true for this one as well: I liked all her other books more, but I still enjoyed this one and will still read her future books.

Things I didn’t love:

-It felt like the book was building toward some big revelation about the main character’s relationship with Ben, but that never really happened.
-The book doesn’t really say anything about libraries that I haven’t already heard on social media. I agree with the message, and I agree that it’s important, but sometimes the book feels more like a PSA than a novel.
-The main character says “I guess most people aren’t fully good or fully bad.” That’s it? That’s your big insight at age 32? Seems kind of obvious.
-The main character promotes the myth that your brain finishes developing in your mid-20s. Not only is this annoying misinformation in real life, it also feels out of character, since normally the main character meticulously researches and verifies information before disseminating it. (See this article to learn more about what neuroscientists have to say on this topic.)

Random small thing I loved: There’s a side character who’s trans and who’s a basically decent person but also kind of annoying in a way that has nothing to do with him being trans. (Annoying as in the author clearly intended him to be annoying and the main character finds him annoying. He’s fun to read about.) He has a line that made me laugh out loud.

This is my first Emily Austin book and I can say it definitely had me intrigued! Darcy was genuine and her inner dialog was so relatable! Cute cover art as well. This book tackles serious issues and it was very well done.

Please know that if Emily Austin is writing a book, I’m doing everything I can to read it, pre order it, etc. This book is no exception.

This story has much of what I am often looking for in a book. There is a somewhat flawed, somewhat endearing main character, there are ups and downs this person must navigate throughout the story, there is queerness, there is heart, compassion, conflict and resolution. I found the personal and professional (librarian) elements of this story to be compelling and engaging, and feel like I learned quite a bit.

The complex elements of this story also hit home in a way that is authentic and will be carried with me as I continue to process this book. Emily Austin has added yet another treasure to my life and I am forever grateful for it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read it sooner!

Classic Emily Austin and I adored it!! Touching, funny, sad, thought provoking- all the things. Essentially a love letter to libraries and freedom of speech and overall just a really lovely story!

This was the first book I've read by Emily Austin, and I was really excited to receive a copy of Is This a Cry for Help? It's extremely well-written, but it tackles some really tough topics and was a bit heavier than I was expecting. Darcy is a librarian who's just returned to work after a medical leave due a mental breakdown after learning about the death of her ex-boyfriend. Then the library becomes a target of a smear campaign from people who disagree with its policies. It's a good book that tackles serious issues. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sometimes when I pick up a book like Is This a Cry for Help? I worry they're going to end up being a bit preachy about the things I already believe in. Emily Austin strikes the perfect balance of society/political commentary and just beautiful story telling with this one. This was my first book by her, but it certainly will not be my last.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Darcy and Joy are married and each in elements of the book business. Darcy is a librarian, while Joy works in book binding. Darcy suddenly gets some bad news, and she spirals downward into a mental breakdown. She must take medical leave from her library job, and when she returns the environment is different. The community is pushing for book bans and a regulation on their DEI programs. Darcy has to learn to navigate this new normal, and she does so by examining her own self, her relationships, and how she wants her life to look going forward.

This is a very quick book that any open-minded, book lover will happily enjoy. It is book-centric and 100% relevant to today's communities. Darcy is also a character that can encourage others to look deep within themselves to heal and grow, whatever issues afflict you. Though the premise seems slightly gloomy, this is quite an empowering and uplifting book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.