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Lost For Words #2
Знахідки в книгарні
Книгарня «Загублені слова» переживає не найкращі часи через вірус Covid-19, що зі страхітливою швидкістю поширюється світом. На горизонті навіть майорить примарне закриття крамниці, і Лавдей Кардью, власниця крамниці, ламає голову над тим, як утримати справу її життя на плаву. Якось на адресу "Загублених слів" надходить лист від подружжя учителів на пенсії із проханням підібрати для них книжки, які вони могли б читати одне одному вголос, сидячи у своєму саду. Це наштовхує Лавдей та її кмітливу менеджерку Келлі на ідею створення своєрідної аптеки, де замість ліків для будь-яких потреб призначалися б книжки - від страху чи розбитого серця, для уявних подорожей чи покращення кулінарних навичок… Для когось необхідність мінімізувати контакти з людьми стає справжньою карою божою, а хтось нарешті отримує час навести лад у власних оселях і головах…
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2023
4363 people are currently reading
8802 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Butland
16 books822 followersStephanie Butland is a writer, who is thriving after breast cancer. (She used to say she was a survivor, but that was a bit lacking in joie de vivre.)
Although she’d never have chosen it, her dance with cancer has changed her life in many positive ways. Now she is happier, healthier, and more careful with her precious life and the precious people and things in it.
Her writing career began with her dance with cancer, and now she is a novelist.
Aside from writing, she works as a speaker and trainer, and she works with charities to help raise awareness and money in the hope that cancer will soon be about as scary as a wart.
She lives in Northumberland.
Although she’d never have chosen it, her dance with cancer has changed her life in many positive ways. Now she is happier, healthier, and more careful with her precious life and the precious people and things in it.
Her writing career began with her dance with cancer, and now she is a novelist.
Aside from writing, she works as a speaker and trainer, and she works with charities to help raise awareness and money in the hope that cancer will soon be about as scary as a wart.
She lives in Northumberland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 955 reviews
October 5, 2022
We return to ‘Lost for Words’ bookshop in York now owned by Loveday Carew. Kelly is her manager with Madison later joining the team as a Saturday girl. Currently the shop is closed because it’s the Covid pandemic and Loveday like most other traders is very concerned about the impact on her business. One day, Kelly opens a letter from Rosemary Athey, a retired headteacher from Whitby. She encloses a cheque for £100 and asks that the shop find her and husband George some wonderful books to help them get through the next few months. This sparks an idea in Loveday and it makes her realise that there is something positive they can do to help people through the crisis and help the business into the bargain. They will offer to match books to customers needs and requirements and this could be anything from loneliness to escapism or transporting them to another part of the world.
Yet again Stephanie Butland has hit upon a wonderful idea and has created some lovely characters in these vignettes, all of whom have a different issue. George and Rosemary are a delightful couple and their lifelong love warms your heart Loveday is a fabulous quirky character and I enjoy the introduction of Kelly and Madison who are very likeable too.
At times there is humour although not as much as in the last book which is understandable given the serious nature of the times. It’s very moving and poignant with some heartbreak and it’s thought provoking too. Along the journey there is kindness and thoughtfulness, there are situations that arise that overcome preconceptions and finding commonality along with plenty of honesty.
I like the concept of the book, as book lovers we already know the joy of reading and the idea of prescribing books as a form of medicine or a remedy is a good one. To lose yourself in a book is a marvellous thing especially at a time such as Covid. My only negative is that it is perhaps a bit repetitive with the letters and the book lists as my enjoyment lies in the characters that you follow through.
Finally, you do not have to have read book one in order to enjoy this although it is a very good novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Yet again Stephanie Butland has hit upon a wonderful idea and has created some lovely characters in these vignettes, all of whom have a different issue. George and Rosemary are a delightful couple and their lifelong love warms your heart Loveday is a fabulous quirky character and I enjoy the introduction of Kelly and Madison who are very likeable too.
At times there is humour although not as much as in the last book which is understandable given the serious nature of the times. It’s very moving and poignant with some heartbreak and it’s thought provoking too. Along the journey there is kindness and thoughtfulness, there are situations that arise that overcome preconceptions and finding commonality along with plenty of honesty.
I like the concept of the book, as book lovers we already know the joy of reading and the idea of prescribing books as a form of medicine or a remedy is a good one. To lose yourself in a book is a marvellous thing especially at a time such as Covid. My only negative is that it is perhaps a bit repetitive with the letters and the book lists as my enjoyment lies in the characters that you follow through.
Finally, you do not have to have read book one in order to enjoy this although it is a very good novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
August 28, 2023
I met Loveday in the previous book “ Lost For Words” and was captivated by her. I love stories about overcoming adversity and that was Loveday in the previous book.
In this sequel, we find ourselves in the heart of the COVID pandemic. Yes, it brings back all those memories. The focus of this book is helping people through books. Loveday and her staff initiate a book pharmacy. People are encouraged to write in and explain their needs, what they are hoping to find in a book, and they will recommend books to meet their needs. As a book lover, nothing makes me happier than reading about people discovering books and finding joy and solace within the pages of books. Of course, this is the pandemic- we meet people who are struggling with COVID, with isolation, with abuse. But we meet people like Loveday and Kelly and Nathan, who want to build a sense of community. Out of the bad, there is good!
“Books are the magical everyday that is all your own.”
A lovely reminder about the power of books!
Published: 2023
In this sequel, we find ourselves in the heart of the COVID pandemic. Yes, it brings back all those memories. The focus of this book is helping people through books. Loveday and her staff initiate a book pharmacy. People are encouraged to write in and explain their needs, what they are hoping to find in a book, and they will recommend books to meet their needs. As a book lover, nothing makes me happier than reading about people discovering books and finding joy and solace within the pages of books. Of course, this is the pandemic- we meet people who are struggling with COVID, with isolation, with abuse. But we meet people like Loveday and Kelly and Nathan, who want to build a sense of community. Out of the bad, there is good!
“Books are the magical everyday that is all your own.”
A lovely reminder about the power of books!
Published: 2023
July 14, 2023
3.5 rounded up
This was a perfect book for my bedtime reading. The plot was simple, the writing engaging, and of course, the books mentioned, all kept me going.
York, England, Covid shutdown, bad news for a bookstore that depends on customers browsing. The owner gets the idea of starting a book pharmacy, responding to people who email her with their problems and feelings, her staff recommends books for mailing or curbside pickup. They get personally involved with a few of them, and of course we get the backstory of the small staff as well.
This was a sequel to Lost for Words Bookshop, which I did not read, but I didn't feel like I needed to in order to enjoy this one.
Not great literature, but an enjoyable read.
This was a perfect book for my bedtime reading. The plot was simple, the writing engaging, and of course, the books mentioned, all kept me going.
York, England, Covid shutdown, bad news for a bookstore that depends on customers browsing. The owner gets the idea of starting a book pharmacy, responding to people who email her with their problems and feelings, her staff recommends books for mailing or curbside pickup. They get personally involved with a few of them, and of course we get the backstory of the small staff as well.
This was a sequel to Lost for Words Bookshop, which I did not read, but I didn't feel like I needed to in order to enjoy this one.
Not great literature, but an enjoyable read.
May 19, 2023
I started writing a very long review of this but accidentally lost it which is probably for the best as I sort of feel that if you can’t say anything nice you shouldn’t say anything at all. However, so that I can remember it myself I will say a few words.
I loved Lost For Words so I was looking forward to this but I’m afraid I found it very disappointing.
There were two main problems for me that wouldn’t bother other readers:
1) I come from Whitby and know York very well and there were countless mistakes regarding both places which really annoyed me and prevented me believing that’s where they were supposed to be.
2) I work in the library and read over 100 books a year in various genres but still would not be so presumptuous as to think I could recommend books to people I don’t know. I found the recommendations clichéd and awful.
Far too many irrelevant characters. Cringe making crow barring in of black and gay characters. Nearly gave up at that point. Depressing depiction of Covid and it felt outdated now that the world has moved on. Who wants to reminisce about the negatives of that time?
I read it all cover to cover but I couldn’t gel with it at all.
So much for not saying anything negative but this is how much it annoyed and disappointed me.
I loved Lost For Words so I was looking forward to this but I’m afraid I found it very disappointing.
There were two main problems for me that wouldn’t bother other readers:
1) I come from Whitby and know York very well and there were countless mistakes regarding both places which really annoyed me and prevented me believing that’s where they were supposed to be.
2) I work in the library and read over 100 books a year in various genres but still would not be so presumptuous as to think I could recommend books to people I don’t know. I found the recommendations clichéd and awful.
Far too many irrelevant characters. Cringe making crow barring in of black and gay characters. Nearly gave up at that point. Depressing depiction of Covid and it felt outdated now that the world has moved on. Who wants to reminisce about the negatives of that time?
I read it all cover to cover but I couldn’t gel with it at all.
So much for not saying anything negative but this is how much it annoyed and disappointed me.
October 20, 2024
4.5 stars
Did not expect this book to tenderly rip my heart to shreds but such is life!
At the height of the pandemic, Lost for Words bookstore creates a "Book Pharmacy" helping people find comfort, escapism and meaning during “unprecedented times.” I laughed, I cringed, I gasped, and I cried MULTIPLE times while reading this book. FYI: This is the second book in a series; I did not read the first one, and while I did not feel lost or confused, I definitely want to go back and read the first book to get background info about some of the relationships.
ALSO, GEORGE AND ROSEMARY *SOBS LOUDLY* 🥹😭
*PSA: This book is set during the pandemic, so the characters are experiencing what a lot of us were experiencing during that period. So, while this was a wonderful read about the power of books, there were some chapters that were incredibly difficult to read. What I'm saying is, if you're not ready to read a book about the pandemic then please don't pick this up. Protect your peace, friends ❤️*
“Here is what I know. Sometimes, a book will sing to you. Sing to your soul, your pain, your being. Sometimes a book will know you, inside out, and it’s as though the pages have some sort of magical quality, and the words are appearing on them just a little bit quicker than you are reading, because they are so very connected to your own heart and your own story that that’s the most logical explanation for what’s happening. Sometimes a book that you once gave up on takes on a new quality when you re-read it; when you get past the part you were stuck on, when you have the brain space or heart room to experience the words for what they can be. All of these books can be your favourites.”
TW: death of a spouse (from Covid), domestic violence, parental abandonment, infidelity, infertility, racism, parental abandonment.
Did not expect this book to tenderly rip my heart to shreds but such is life!
At the height of the pandemic, Lost for Words bookstore creates a "Book Pharmacy" helping people find comfort, escapism and meaning during “unprecedented times.” I laughed, I cringed, I gasped, and I cried MULTIPLE times while reading this book. FYI: This is the second book in a series; I did not read the first one, and while I did not feel lost or confused, I definitely want to go back and read the first book to get background info about some of the relationships.
ALSO, GEORGE AND ROSEMARY *SOBS LOUDLY* 🥹😭
*PSA: This book is set during the pandemic, so the characters are experiencing what a lot of us were experiencing during that period. So, while this was a wonderful read about the power of books, there were some chapters that were incredibly difficult to read. What I'm saying is, if you're not ready to read a book about the pandemic then please don't pick this up. Protect your peace, friends ❤️*
“Here is what I know. Sometimes, a book will sing to you. Sing to your soul, your pain, your being. Sometimes a book will know you, inside out, and it’s as though the pages have some sort of magical quality, and the words are appearing on them just a little bit quicker than you are reading, because they are so very connected to your own heart and your own story that that’s the most logical explanation for what’s happening. Sometimes a book that you once gave up on takes on a new quality when you re-read it; when you get past the part you were stuck on, when you have the brain space or heart room to experience the words for what they can be. All of these books can be your favourites.”
TW: death of a spouse (from Covid), domestic violence, parental abandonment, infidelity, infertility, racism, parental abandonment.
April 24, 2023
Get the tissues ready for when you read this beautiful book. I’ve fallen totally in love with this story and all things within. I loved the quotes and the chapters where it feels that Stephanie Butland is talking to me personally about the power of books and reading. The idea about the book pharmacy and using books to fill the void whether we’re in a pandemic or just feeling a little lost in the world.
Such wonderful characters and I’ve loved having the little insights in to their worlds and lives. My favourites were George and Rosemary although the three wonderful women in the bookshop were a close second.
This book is everything and more about the beauty of reading the power of books.
Such wonderful characters and I’ve loved having the little insights in to their worlds and lives. My favourites were George and Rosemary although the three wonderful women in the bookshop were a close second.
This book is everything and more about the beauty of reading the power of books.
November 15, 2023
Eh…..
Boring. Too many characters. Hate Covid books. Could do without the authors opinions. Glad I only spent 99 cents. Pass
Boring. Too many characters. Hate Covid books. Could do without the authors opinions. Glad I only spent 99 cents. Pass
April 28, 2023
There is something extra special to spend time with a character that you really loved. Loveday is one of my heart stay characters and she definitely doesn’t disappoint in Found in a Bookshop.
I will always be honest in my reviews and as much as I enjoyed the book, it was a difficult read. It is not one I could recommend to everyone without explaining the triggers of which there are a lot. Overall the feeling of being back in lockdown and if you suffered from separation from your family or a devastating loss then really this isn’t the book for you. There is a great deal of talking about, loss in all its forms and I was very upset at times during the book. I love the premise of the book but I feel the timing of it is just not the best.
I am a person who chooses each day to be happy and positive. It annoys people, it really does. But I made that choice to live and see the beauty and the love in the everyday little things. Because the alternative as maudlin as it sounds is that I just wouldn't be here. When your whole heart shatters it is put back together in a different way. You are not the same and you have a choice. I choose to take time to find new happiness. Found In A Bookshop took me to a deep dark sad place and I just didn't like being there. It is a very personal experience and I usually adore Stephanie's books.
There was some uplifting takeaway from the book and I did enjoy all the prescriptions of books for each character I even wrote some down that I would like to try. I loved spending time with Rosemary and George, they really felt similar to my parents.
The book will surely touch your heart, as the relationships between Loveday and her customers, Rosemary and George, and the customers' reactions to their unique situation, evoke the very best in us. While the world around us changes rapidly, the emotions remain the same: fear, loneliness, and a longing for connection. Stephanie Butland shows us the healing power of literature in the darkest of times.
I will always be honest in my reviews and as much as I enjoyed the book, it was a difficult read. It is not one I could recommend to everyone without explaining the triggers of which there are a lot. Overall the feeling of being back in lockdown and if you suffered from separation from your family or a devastating loss then really this isn’t the book for you. There is a great deal of talking about, loss in all its forms and I was very upset at times during the book. I love the premise of the book but I feel the timing of it is just not the best.
I am a person who chooses each day to be happy and positive. It annoys people, it really does. But I made that choice to live and see the beauty and the love in the everyday little things. Because the alternative as maudlin as it sounds is that I just wouldn't be here. When your whole heart shatters it is put back together in a different way. You are not the same and you have a choice. I choose to take time to find new happiness. Found In A Bookshop took me to a deep dark sad place and I just didn't like being there. It is a very personal experience and I usually adore Stephanie's books.
There was some uplifting takeaway from the book and I did enjoy all the prescriptions of books for each character I even wrote some down that I would like to try. I loved spending time with Rosemary and George, they really felt similar to my parents.
The book will surely touch your heart, as the relationships between Loveday and her customers, Rosemary and George, and the customers' reactions to their unique situation, evoke the very best in us. While the world around us changes rapidly, the emotions remain the same: fear, loneliness, and a longing for connection. Stephanie Butland shows us the healing power of literature in the darkest of times.
July 22, 2023
Beautiful but heartbreaking. Depending on your COVID experiences you may not be ready to read this just yet. It's setting is UK during Lockdown. People dealing with life in the Pandemic. And there are deaths.
But then there is Loveday from The Lost For Words Book Shop trying to figure out how to keep her store afloat. She comes up with Book Prescriptions. Do you need books to help you escape, or sleep, or heal a broken heart? Loveday and her team will find you just the right book. It definitely a book for book lovers.
And 🖕🙄🖕 to that Goodreads Reviewer who gave it 2 stars just because it included a Lesbian couple.
But then there is Loveday from The Lost For Words Book Shop trying to figure out how to keep her store afloat. She comes up with Book Prescriptions. Do you need books to help you escape, or sleep, or heal a broken heart? Loveday and her team will find you just the right book. It definitely a book for book lovers.
And 🖕🙄🖕 to that Goodreads Reviewer who gave it 2 stars just because it included a Lesbian couple.
February 13, 2024
I absolutely adored this book. The writing style was a tiny bit different than I am used to, but I really enjoyed the characters and the individual interwoven storylines… I previously compared it to Love Actually and that’s not quite accurate but I really did love all of the individual back stories and how they connected to the main characters… and the very concept of a book prescription. Just found out it was part two of another book and may now have to go read that one, out of order or not.
October 24, 2023
This book annoyed me. There were so many characters thrown in randomly, so much doom and gloom and I genuinely couldn’t stand reading about COVID. The book recommendations were a bit cliche and I hated the random chapters addressed to readers, it was almost patronising.
I didn’t realise it was a sequel and so many people have said the first one is great. I might give it a chance.
I didn’t realise it was a sequel and so many people have said the first one is great. I might give it a chance.
July 29, 2023
Weird how long ago the lockdown period feels when it’s only been 2-3 years. I liked the book pharmacy concepts and there are some great tips for books.
April 21, 2023
I have read "Lost for Words" several times and loved it. The poignancy of characters and story was phenomenal and it will forever be one of my favourite books.
"Found in a Bookshop", however, fell short for me.
Part of it felt like the author's personal recommendations, which was done through letters. So many books recommended. This was unnecessary. It was very repetitive.
Parts were many different plots and characters. So many that I lost track. There should have been less characters.
It was set during the 2020 pandemic and "lockdowns" in the UK. But, these lockdowns were so different to the way my own country, New Zealand, experienced lockdowns that they didn't even seem like lockdowns. According to this book in the UK, people got to visit each other, and go to stores and have takeaways... This was so wildly different from my own experiences where we were basically under house arrest for 7 months. I didn't understand or feel empathy in the same way for the characters.
There was so much sadness in the book, so much death, and violence, miscarriage and ICU. It made me feel sad. It didn't uplift me in the same way that "Lost for Words" did.
Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with this book.
"Found in a Bookshop", however, fell short for me.
Part of it felt like the author's personal recommendations, which was done through letters. So many books recommended. This was unnecessary. It was very repetitive.
Parts were many different plots and characters. So many that I lost track. There should have been less characters.
It was set during the 2020 pandemic and "lockdowns" in the UK. But, these lockdowns were so different to the way my own country, New Zealand, experienced lockdowns that they didn't even seem like lockdowns. According to this book in the UK, people got to visit each other, and go to stores and have takeaways... This was so wildly different from my own experiences where we were basically under house arrest for 7 months. I didn't understand or feel empathy in the same way for the characters.
There was so much sadness in the book, so much death, and violence, miscarriage and ICU. It made me feel sad. It didn't uplift me in the same way that "Lost for Words" did.
Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with this book.
February 20, 2024
It took me a lot longer than usual to read this book. The beginning is cumbersome with the introduction of characters and plot lines. A constant urge to DNF accompanied every page turn for the first 30-40% and then…
Loveday and Kelly have the brilliant idea to help the bookshop survive and thrive during the pandemic: book prescriptions. I don’t want to spoil the story so I’ll leave it at that, for the most part. Those two, plus Madison, issue book scripts for readers to assist with individual problems as requested by the potential readers.
Author, Stephanie Butland, prescribes, via her characters, a bibliography of classics and contemporary titles to meet a wide variety of needs. Blessedly, she provides a detailed summary by ailment/character with the list of recommended titles. SO. MANY. BOOKS ADDED TO. MY. TBR. LIST. 🙃
As mentioned above, the setup for this story took a long time and there were too many arcs, imho. A few of the characters were expendable; again, my opinion. On the other hand, there were some great characters and some well hidden twists that made the overall effect endearing and memorable. Long live the local bookstore!
Charming characters and setting, stand alone tome, would read another book in this series; a good weekend read📚
Loveday and Kelly have the brilliant idea to help the bookshop survive and thrive during the pandemic: book prescriptions. I don’t want to spoil the story so I’ll leave it at that, for the most part. Those two, plus Madison, issue book scripts for readers to assist with individual problems as requested by the potential readers.
Author, Stephanie Butland, prescribes, via her characters, a bibliography of classics and contemporary titles to meet a wide variety of needs. Blessedly, she provides a detailed summary by ailment/character with the list of recommended titles. SO. MANY. BOOKS ADDED TO. MY. TBR. LIST. 🙃
As mentioned above, the setup for this story took a long time and there were too many arcs, imho. A few of the characters were expendable; again, my opinion. On the other hand, there were some great characters and some well hidden twists that made the overall effect endearing and memorable. Long live the local bookstore!
Charming characters and setting, stand alone tome, would read another book in this series; a good weekend read📚
October 1, 2023
Found in a Bookshop is a book set in covid lockdown in England.. A bookstore in York started a book pharmacy, selling books to help lockdown’s ailments. The love shown from the store workers to the community was special - it reminded me of the mantra in the early lockdowns, we’re all in this together.
Loved this book so much. It really captured an important moment in history, but with hope. In Melbourne, where I live, we had one of the longest Covid lockdowns in the world. Everything Stephanie Butland wrote about about that period was so relatable, even though the story was set in York - thank you. Stephanie has a great knack of weaving all the complexities of 2020-22 together - the loneliness, deaths, long covid, relationship breakdowns, work precariousness, and even including the BLM and Trans rights issues. And she captured the bonds that formed too.
So beautiful.
Loved this book so much. It really captured an important moment in history, but with hope. In Melbourne, where I live, we had one of the longest Covid lockdowns in the world. Everything Stephanie Butland wrote about about that period was so relatable, even though the story was set in York - thank you. Stephanie has a great knack of weaving all the complexities of 2020-22 together - the loneliness, deaths, long covid, relationship breakdowns, work precariousness, and even including the BLM and Trans rights issues. And she captured the bonds that formed too.
So beautiful.
May 4, 2023
This could have easily been a 5 star read as it was so heartwarming. However, she introduced wayyy to many secondary characters that were not integral to the main plot and it just got distracting. I understand why she might have done it that way to show the wide impact of books on a community. However this just left many underdeveloped characters, when she had written compelling main protagonists to begin with.
December 31, 2024
Ik vond dit boek in een boekwinkel in Londen. Dat ik al een tas met zeven net gekochte boeken zeulde was geen reden om deze niet mee te nemen.
Gelezen in de gekke periode tussen Kerst en Nieuwjaar . De gekke periode die vier jaar geleden heel vreemd was door lockdown weet ik niet meer hoeveel. Die twee jaar geleden een extra laag verdriet kreeg door het overlijden van mijn schoonvader.
Sommige boeken vinden je op het juiste moment. Misschien dat ik het daarom in Londen toch nog kocht, vlak voor sluitingstijd. Misschien dat ik het daarom pas vorige week begon te lezen.
Een ware liefdesbrief aan boeken, lezen en boekenwinkels.
Gelezen in de gekke periode tussen Kerst en Nieuwjaar . De gekke periode die vier jaar geleden heel vreemd was door lockdown weet ik niet meer hoeveel. Die twee jaar geleden een extra laag verdriet kreeg door het overlijden van mijn schoonvader.
Sommige boeken vinden je op het juiste moment. Misschien dat ik het daarom in Londen toch nog kocht, vlak voor sluitingstijd. Misschien dat ik het daarom pas vorige week begon te lezen.
Een ware liefdesbrief aan boeken, lezen en boekenwinkels.
March 3, 2024
DNF at 20%
I tried so hard to get into this book. I just couldn’t. I don’t feel right giving a star rating because I have discovered I’m a mood reader and bought this book when I was feeling more wholesome and I feel like this book could be that. However I was just so bored. I wasn’t connecting to the characters and the whole premise behind sharing stories in the bookstore still hasn’t really happened. Maybe I will try to come back to it another time.
I tried so hard to get into this book. I just couldn’t. I don’t feel right giving a star rating because I have discovered I’m a mood reader and bought this book when I was feeling more wholesome and I feel like this book could be that. However I was just so bored. I wasn’t connecting to the characters and the whole premise behind sharing stories in the bookstore still hasn’t really happened. Maybe I will try to come back to it another time.
May 19, 2023
I loved the premise of this book and was excited to read it. Unfortunately I really struggle with books set during the pandemic and for this reason couldn't finish it. It just feels too soon for me.
June 28, 2023
Zo'n boek met een warm-dekentje-gevoel
July 22, 2024
Got this book as a secret santa present last year. Thoroughly enjoyed it especially all the book recommendations
November 19, 2025
I hate books/tv/movies that have the pandemic in them, especially as a central piece of the plot
February 25, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Who doesn’t love a book about a bookshop? I loved this book, I really enjoyed the interwoven stories ranging from books and pandemics to escaping previous lives and relationships.
To be completely honest, I read the title and thought - yes, I want to read a book about a bookshop. I didn’t read the blurb.
Basically, didn’t realise it was set during the pandemic, which is why it’s important to read the blurb! I will say that I really enjoyed the characters, both major and minor, they were well rounded and had great little stories all of their own. (There’s also a previous book that I’m going to have to go and read now)
The interactions and stories relating to their customers were excellent, and these snippets of life for some during lockdown were both relatable and heart warming.
Reading for escape. Reading for knowledge. Reading for refuge. Reading for pleasure.
There are lots of excellent book recommendations scattered around in there too - frankly, loads and my to be read list has increased greatly, which is always a bonus.
Who doesn’t love a book about a bookshop? I loved this book, I really enjoyed the interwoven stories ranging from books and pandemics to escaping previous lives and relationships.
To be completely honest, I read the title and thought - yes, I want to read a book about a bookshop. I didn’t read the blurb.
Basically, didn’t realise it was set during the pandemic, which is why it’s important to read the blurb! I will say that I really enjoyed the characters, both major and minor, they were well rounded and had great little stories all of their own. (There’s also a previous book that I’m going to have to go and read now)
The interactions and stories relating to their customers were excellent, and these snippets of life for some during lockdown were both relatable and heart warming.
Reading for escape. Reading for knowledge. Reading for refuge. Reading for pleasure.
There are lots of excellent book recommendations scattered around in there too - frankly, loads and my to be read list has increased greatly, which is always a bonus.
February 19, 2024
Loved everything about this! Don’t remember the first one but apparently I read it and loved it as well! Loved all the book recommendations and the short chapters where the author talks to you, the reader, about the love of books and reading. Even though there were a lot of characters, I loved them all and it didn’t matter much if I couldn’t remember all of them. Such a heartwarming read ♥️
April 6, 2024
DNF @ 35%. The premise is cute and I’ve tried to get into it but the fact that is set through Covid, and the author very vividly describes it, was a big turn off. I don’t want to be reminded of that time.
December 7, 2025
Refined rating: 4.5 ⭐
The style of this book is something different to what most readers these days might be accustomed to. It surprised me at first, but it wasn't hard to get the hang of it; after all, there were times when a similar narrative style/technique was pretty common or even considered state-of-the-art.
This book had everything I wanted from it:
It entertained me splendidly.
It made me laugh. A lot.
It made me cry. A lot.
I made me root for people (R & G, L & N).
It got me angry and fuming about others (D, C).
It gave me plenty of book recommendations despite me being a more than avid reader who reads far and wide across [almost] all genres. But apparently I missed some newer ones and even a few of the older. Who knew.
It did not quite live up to the atmosphere the first book (Lost for Words) was able to conjure up, but that might be mainly due to the lack of Archie in this. As much as I loved Rosemary and George, they were not present enough to make up for the lack of Archie. But, they had the potential - and their story was quite wonderful.
Aside from their story, I very much enjoyed the remarks and vignettes about books and reading.
The "disjointed" storytelling is very apparently (going by some of the reviews on here) not everybody's cup of tea, but I can assure you, if you stick with it, it will all make sense in the end. I also found it by no means hard to follow the different threads of this story.
The style of this book is something different to what most readers these days might be accustomed to. It surprised me at first, but it wasn't hard to get the hang of it; after all, there were times when a similar narrative style/technique was pretty common or even considered state-of-the-art.
This book had everything I wanted from it:
It entertained me splendidly.
It made me laugh. A lot.
It made me cry. A lot.
I made me root for people (R & G, L & N).
It got me angry and fuming about others (D, C).
It gave me plenty of book recommendations despite me being a more than avid reader who reads far and wide across [almost] all genres. But apparently I missed some newer ones and even a few of the older. Who knew.
It did not quite live up to the atmosphere the first book (Lost for Words) was able to conjure up, but that might be mainly due to the lack of Archie in this. As much as I loved Rosemary and George, they were not present enough to make up for the lack of Archie. But, they had the potential - and their story was quite wonderful.
Aside from their story, I very much enjoyed the remarks and vignettes about books and reading.
The "disjointed" storytelling is very apparently (going by some of the reviews on here) not everybody's cup of tea, but I can assure you, if you stick with it, it will all make sense in the end. I also found it by no means hard to follow the different threads of this story.
October 19, 2023
As certain as I have always been that I can be alone without being lonely, opening the covers, turning the pages, I know that I will find comfort in reading a book. It is a certainty for me. The genre will not be the key to my selection; I will drift to choose a novel with a bookshop or library setting.
Now, it is my turn to welcome you to discover this marvelous book. You will travel back a few years and be inserted amid the pandemic. I didn’t know if I could find comfort in thinking about that time. We lived through it. But, within this bookshop are people who love books, people who care, people who are going to work trying to keep a business afloat, missing their customers, thinking about the women who are not safe at home, and while wondering how to help themselves, they are wondering if they can help others through this difficult time.
The solution is exquisite—a book pharmacy.
Each reader will discover life as it was during that time, and the hope that carries us forward. The next steps. The next connections.
This beautifully written novel is a tribute to all independent booksellers who have always been creatively bringing readers and books together to comfort, educate, transform, escape, remember, hope, and dream. Thank you, Stephanie Butland. Thank you for finding the words to capture the feelings of readers about different aspects of a booklover’s life, bookshops, and books interspersed through this story. I will not hesitate to read this book again and again, but first, it becomes my book shopping list.
The author provides the list of recommended books and "Questions for Book-sharers" at the end of the novel.
"To a book lover, a bookshop is not a place in the world, but a world in itself."With that need, I selected a book waiting for my attention. I was immediately comforted by the 1st few words, "Welcome to the best bookshop there is," Kelly says.
Now, it is my turn to welcome you to discover this marvelous book. You will travel back a few years and be inserted amid the pandemic. I didn’t know if I could find comfort in thinking about that time. We lived through it. But, within this bookshop are people who love books, people who care, people who are going to work trying to keep a business afloat, missing their customers, thinking about the women who are not safe at home, and while wondering how to help themselves, they are wondering if they can help others through this difficult time.
The solution is exquisite—a book pharmacy.
"You know that books are safety and escape and wisdom and peace and the things that get you through."The book recommendations throughout the story have a wide range of offerings, with a sentence or two to describe why it was added as a possibility of interest and intrigue to answer an individual’s request. Some of the titles and authors I recognized, and others I couldn’t wait to add to my tbr.
Each reader will discover life as it was during that time, and the hope that carries us forward. The next steps. The next connections.
"It’s the state of mind and heart of the person reading it that will make the book grow into something greater than the words printed in it."The novel encourages us to remember that sometimes, to move forward, there are goodbyes, and many are goodbyes that we never want to say. But as we say those goodbyes, we carry the legacy of those we loved so dearly with us. Books refresh our spirits; we carry the words we read forward in our thoughts, hearts, and actions.
This beautifully written novel is a tribute to all independent booksellers who have always been creatively bringing readers and books together to comfort, educate, transform, escape, remember, hope, and dream. Thank you, Stephanie Butland. Thank you for finding the words to capture the feelings of readers about different aspects of a booklover’s life, bookshops, and books interspersed through this story. I will not hesitate to read this book again and again, but first, it becomes my book shopping list.
The author provides the list of recommended books and "Questions for Book-sharers" at the end of the novel.
May 29, 2023
We return to Loveday's bookshop in York in this sequel. Sadly we are right in the middle of the pandemic and the bookshop is obviously struggling but so are the characters - lonely, scared, confused. Each chapter splits between characters sometimes focusing on Loveday and her worries about everything, or her manager Kelly who is enjoying a new relationship and trying to help people through the shop, and mainly George and Rosemary - getting lonely in retirement and with George I'll rosemary writes to the bookshop asking them to deliver some books they can read together. The book pharmacy is born and soon letters and emails flood in. Loveday and Kelly (Saturday girl Madison as well as Nathan) are soon all helping people in the best ways they can.
I loved this book. It's filled with the recommendations that they provide - books for loneliness, books to scare you, books for being normal or books to travel somewhere new. I'd recommend reading Lost for Words first as it's nice to return to some of these characters but this does standalone.
I loved this book. It's filled with the recommendations that they provide - books for loneliness, books to scare you, books for being normal or books to travel somewhere new. I'd recommend reading Lost for Words first as it's nice to return to some of these characters but this does standalone.
September 19, 2025
How a bookstore and those who patronize it managed to survive during the Covid pandemic. Told in multiple voices, it centers around the right book for the right need. Old and young end of every persuasion, people need books to read and escape into. The start of relationships, the end of lives, the survival in between. These are all punctuated with books. A gentle read with a couple not so gentle characters injected to round out all the good. Bookstores are more than just a place to take home a new life to escape into. They are Havens. Here we find one flowing with vitality and tenacity, compassion and hope. What every independent bookstore truly is.
March 24, 2024
This is a book unlike any fiction I’ve ever read before. I really enjoyed it. There’s a lot of POVs in here, but it’s executed beautiful and I never feel jumbled up or confused. I also haven’t read a book about/set in Covid lockdown, which was jarring and weird but also was oddly comforting to read? Really beautiful and raw story. One that makes you think and appreciate, which I love.
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