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Lost For Words #1
The Lost for Words Bookshop
The Lost for Words Bookshop is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending novel, perfect for fans of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and The Little Paris Bookshop.
"The Lost for Words Bookshop pushes all my bookish buttons."—Red (Books to Read)
"Quirky, clever and unputdownable."—Katie Fforde
"Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A rare and beautiful novel."—Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed
Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you.
Into her hiding place - the bookstore where she works - come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries.
Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2017
3175 people are currently reading
29124 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Butland
16 books824 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 3,560 reviews
May 23, 2018
Booklover, bookworm, booknerd, bibliophile--whatever you prefer to be called--this is a book for you!
“Who wouldn’t rescue a book?”
Touching read about a bookseller with a dark past who finds solace in books. When she finds a lost book, she doesn’t expect to connect with its owner in a way that forces her to come to terms with her difficult childhood. This is an enjoyable, poignant story that pulled at my heartstrings.
Loveday likes books more than people. Books mean so much to her that her tattoos are of her favorite first lines. She is 25 years old and has worked in the same secondhand bookshop since she was 15. The bookstore and books are her comfort zone; the reader doesn’t know exactly why Loveday hides amongst books and the little bookstore. Her life is quiet and she relishes in her routine. As much as she tries to stay away from people, there’s something about her that seems to attract them to her, especially the crazies.
It is not until Nathan, who is a poet and magician, comes into her bookstore to claim a lost book that she slowly starts to let down her guard.
I absolutely loved reading this--the main focus is on Loveday's traumatic childhood, which is slowly revealed. Since this is primarily a character study, there isn't much action but Loveday's character held my attention. The mystery of her childhood kept me intrigued, although the more I learned the less I wanted to know as what is revealed is pretty awful.
Loveday is a likable and witty character, and I could identify with her relationship with books. And of course, I loved the role of books and the bookshops! I really liked how Butland used books to help bring Loveday's emotions to the surface. It has some very dark moments but there's a lot of whimsy, wit, and love woven in to lighten the tone. I highly recommend!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
“Who wouldn’t rescue a book?”
Touching read about a bookseller with a dark past who finds solace in books. When she finds a lost book, she doesn’t expect to connect with its owner in a way that forces her to come to terms with her difficult childhood. This is an enjoyable, poignant story that pulled at my heartstrings.
Loveday likes books more than people. Books mean so much to her that her tattoos are of her favorite first lines. She is 25 years old and has worked in the same secondhand bookshop since she was 15. The bookstore and books are her comfort zone; the reader doesn’t know exactly why Loveday hides amongst books and the little bookstore. Her life is quiet and she relishes in her routine. As much as she tries to stay away from people, there’s something about her that seems to attract them to her, especially the crazies.
It is not until Nathan, who is a poet and magician, comes into her bookstore to claim a lost book that she slowly starts to let down her guard.
I absolutely loved reading this--the main focus is on Loveday's traumatic childhood, which is slowly revealed. Since this is primarily a character study, there isn't much action but Loveday's character held my attention. The mystery of her childhood kept me intrigued, although the more I learned the less I wanted to know as what is revealed is pretty awful.
Loveday is a likable and witty character, and I could identify with her relationship with books. And of course, I loved the role of books and the bookshops! I really liked how Butland used books to help bring Loveday's emotions to the surface. It has some very dark moments but there's a lot of whimsy, wit, and love woven in to lighten the tone. I highly recommend!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2018
Stephanie Butland writes a delightfully charming, moving and beautiful piece of contemporary fiction set in a second hand bookshop in York. It features the wonderfully prickly, hard to get to know and sarcastic Loveday Cardew, with her nose ring and tattoos of lines from treasured books. Books mean so much more to her than humans, and the bookshop is her refuge from the world. Only the endearing and eccentric bookshop owner, Archie, has managed to pierce her heavily fortified armour, with a friendship that has developed through the years, and even he has no idea of the secrets she keeps close to her chest. Archie adores Loveday, feeling that she is worth the time and effort it takes to get to know her.
Fifteen years ago, Loveday experienced a huge heartbreaking trauma that led to her being taken into foster care. One day, she happens to come across a book of poetry outside on the pavement, picks it up and puts up a found notice in the shop. This fateful act presages the entrance of the magically entrancing poet, Nathan Avebury, who sees beyond the difficult and unprepossessing exterior of Loveday's character. Strange parcels begin to arrive which have meaning for Loveday. This is a dark story of heartbreaking secrets and love. Will Loveday be able to let love enter her life after her experience with Rob? This is a novel that goes back and forth in time narrated by Loveday. This is a brilliant read with great quirky characters, the memorable Loveday and the perfect setting of a bookstore where it is understood just how special books are. Just wonderful and highly recommended! Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.
Fifteen years ago, Loveday experienced a huge heartbreaking trauma that led to her being taken into foster care. One day, she happens to come across a book of poetry outside on the pavement, picks it up and puts up a found notice in the shop. This fateful act presages the entrance of the magically entrancing poet, Nathan Avebury, who sees beyond the difficult and unprepossessing exterior of Loveday's character. Strange parcels begin to arrive which have meaning for Loveday. This is a dark story of heartbreaking secrets and love. Will Loveday be able to let love enter her life after her experience with Rob? This is a novel that goes back and forth in time narrated by Loveday. This is a brilliant read with great quirky characters, the memorable Loveday and the perfect setting of a bookstore where it is understood just how special books are. Just wonderful and highly recommended! Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.
July 20, 2018
*3.85 stars* <-- (Don't judge, book-nerd struggles are REAL)
A delicate rendering of heartache and forgiveness, and the healing power of a bookshop!
Give me a cozy bookshop setting, a quirky cast of sarcastic bibliophiles, and a shake of mystery to pepper my pages and I’ll be a happy reader every time.
LOST FOR WORDS was a lovely read, even if it wasn't a particularly lively one. This author has a unique writing style that shines as though it’s been freshly polished—sophisticated, sharp, and witty without trying too hard.
Loveday, (cute name, right?) is quite a lovable, one-of-a kind protagonist. For reasons warranted she’s generally sad, but she has a quiet spunk that’ll make you smirk when you’re least expecting to.
Her defensive tone is almost perpetual and certainly predictable, and peeks through her internal chatter as though she suspects even the reader of judging her.
She’s fragile in a way that makes you want to hold her together, but straightforward and honest in a way that’ll make you wish you had a pinch of her gumption.
She tells her broken story directly to the reader, as though she considers you her confidant. She's stronger than she feels, and her gradual character growth is both impressive and believable.
Loveday works at a bookshop—the owner, a kind older man who looks after Loveday, keeps her grounded and cared for. There’s a touching love story entwined that becomes a driving point, but doesn't absorb all the focus. Heartache, forgiveness, and inner-strength remain at the core.
This plot moves slowly and sort of coasts in a soothing motion that felt akin to the gentle swaying of a boat—rocking over ripples with few waves in sight. There were moments I wanted more of a pulse and grew slightly tired, but the beautiful writing and heartwarming connections kept me afloat.
I appreciated and looked forward to the element of poetry, which was also a gentle but lovely addition. The fractured relationship between Loveday and her parents, along with its residual effects, was executed wonderfully and dominated the pages.
I’d recommend this one after an action-packed read for a peaceful change of pace and a delightful stroll through the life of the lovely Loveday—a bonafide, quirky book-lover with issues to conquer and love to embrace. And also—for the skillful and eloquent prose upon which my reading eyes feasted!
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Contemporary Fiction/Romance/Book lovers!
▪ Characters: Quirky, fun, well-rounded bibliophiles.
▪ Plot: A young woman who works in a bookshop struggles to overcome her past while allowing love into her present.
▪ Writing: Eloquent, smooth, polished, poetic.
▪ POV: 1st Person Perspective: Loveday
▪ Cliffhanger: None. Standalone
::::Sister Read with the lovely Norma, who's discussion made this all the more enjoyable! 💜::::
A delicate rendering of heartache and forgiveness, and the healing power of a bookshop!
Give me a cozy bookshop setting, a quirky cast of sarcastic bibliophiles, and a shake of mystery to pepper my pages and I’ll be a happy reader every time.
LOST FOR WORDS was a lovely read, even if it wasn't a particularly lively one. This author has a unique writing style that shines as though it’s been freshly polished—sophisticated, sharp, and witty without trying too hard.
Loveday, (cute name, right?) is quite a lovable, one-of-a kind protagonist. For reasons warranted she’s generally sad, but she has a quiet spunk that’ll make you smirk when you’re least expecting to.
Her defensive tone is almost perpetual and certainly predictable, and peeks through her internal chatter as though she suspects even the reader of judging her.
She’s fragile in a way that makes you want to hold her together, but straightforward and honest in a way that’ll make you wish you had a pinch of her gumption.
She tells her broken story directly to the reader, as though she considers you her confidant. She's stronger than she feels, and her gradual character growth is both impressive and believable.
Loveday works at a bookshop—the owner, a kind older man who looks after Loveday, keeps her grounded and cared for. There’s a touching love story entwined that becomes a driving point, but doesn't absorb all the focus. Heartache, forgiveness, and inner-strength remain at the core.
This plot moves slowly and sort of coasts in a soothing motion that felt akin to the gentle swaying of a boat—rocking over ripples with few waves in sight. There were moments I wanted more of a pulse and grew slightly tired, but the beautiful writing and heartwarming connections kept me afloat.
I appreciated and looked forward to the element of poetry, which was also a gentle but lovely addition. The fractured relationship between Loveday and her parents, along with its residual effects, was executed wonderfully and dominated the pages.
I’d recommend this one after an action-packed read for a peaceful change of pace and a delightful stroll through the life of the lovely Loveday—a bonafide, quirky book-lover with issues to conquer and love to embrace. And also—for the skillful and eloquent prose upon which my reading eyes feasted!
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Contemporary Fiction/Romance/Book lovers!
▪ Characters: Quirky, fun, well-rounded bibliophiles.
▪ Plot: A young woman who works in a bookshop struggles to overcome her past while allowing love into her present.
▪ Writing: Eloquent, smooth, polished, poetic.
▪ POV: 1st Person Perspective: Loveday
▪ Cliffhanger: None. Standalone
::::Sister Read with the lovely Norma, who's discussion made this all the more enjoyable! 💜::::
October 7, 2025
Well what is better than reading a book that speaks to you like a book and has so many references of books that is so easily relatable to? THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP!
THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP by STEPHANIE BUTLAND is a wonderfully charming, light, moving, and endearing tale that is set in the greatest place ever, a bookshop.
Any books that have any indication that it is going to be about a bookstore or books, I’m in, no questions asked. They are by far one of my favourite settings! Also, I have to mention that beautiful cover!
STEPHANIE BUTLAND delivers an absolutely lovely, appealing, and well-written read here that was more character-driven than plot-driven with wonderful, relatable and likeable characters. Our quirky and snarky main character is Loveday (adorable name right?) and she is known to love her books more than people. My husband has accused me of that many a times! LOL
This isn’t a fast-paced read by no means, it’s slow-moving and might have lost me a few times but as we follow along Loveday’s journey and learning the mystery behind her traumatic past, I found myself totally intrigued and couldn’t help but fall in love and identify with Loveday’s character.
This book made me smile and was an absolute comfort for me to read! I truly enjoyed the escape into Loveday’s life and found this to be an entertaining, quick and easy read. Would recommend!
*~* This was a Sister Read that I read along with my dear friend, Kris. Thank you so much, Kris for reading and discussing this one with me. You made it that much more fun!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Stephanie Butland for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.
THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP by STEPHANIE BUTLAND is a wonderfully charming, light, moving, and endearing tale that is set in the greatest place ever, a bookshop.
Any books that have any indication that it is going to be about a bookstore or books, I’m in, no questions asked. They are by far one of my favourite settings! Also, I have to mention that beautiful cover!
STEPHANIE BUTLAND delivers an absolutely lovely, appealing, and well-written read here that was more character-driven than plot-driven with wonderful, relatable and likeable characters. Our quirky and snarky main character is Loveday (adorable name right?) and she is known to love her books more than people. My husband has accused me of that many a times! LOL
This isn’t a fast-paced read by no means, it’s slow-moving and might have lost me a few times but as we follow along Loveday’s journey and learning the mystery behind her traumatic past, I found myself totally intrigued and couldn’t help but fall in love and identify with Loveday’s character.
This book made me smile and was an absolute comfort for me to read! I truly enjoyed the escape into Loveday’s life and found this to be an entertaining, quick and easy read. Would recommend!
*~* This was a Sister Read that I read along with my dear friend, Kris. Thank you so much, Kris for reading and discussing this one with me. You made it that much more fun!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Stephanie Butland for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.
May 18, 2018
Do you ever open up a book and connect with it right away? That’s what happened to me with this one. The writing, the characters, the dialogue - it all hooked me from the get go and didn’t let go.
The beautiful cover is a little misleading - I thought this was going to be a light-hearted read based around a bookshop but it ended up being so much more. This is a very deep, detailed look at a woman who has gone through an unimaginable amount of pain in her life and how it affects all of her decisions and personality going forward.
This is a book for book people. The main character, Loveday (what a cool name!), has worked in a bookshop since she was fifteen years old, enjoys books more than people, and even has her favorite quotes tattooed on her body.
I absolutely loved the character of Archie (and not just because my son’s name is Archer!) he was such a charming, lovely character who always had Loveday’s best interests at heart.
This is a slow moving, highly developed story that will tug at your heart strings and give you a whole new cast of characters to love. Recommend to all bibliophiles!
Thank you to St. Martin’s press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The beautiful cover is a little misleading - I thought this was going to be a light-hearted read based around a bookshop but it ended up being so much more. This is a very deep, detailed look at a woman who has gone through an unimaginable amount of pain in her life and how it affects all of her decisions and personality going forward.
This is a book for book people. The main character, Loveday (what a cool name!), has worked in a bookshop since she was fifteen years old, enjoys books more than people, and even has her favorite quotes tattooed on her body.
I absolutely loved the character of Archie (and not just because my son’s name is Archer!) he was such a charming, lovely character who always had Loveday’s best interests at heart.
This is a slow moving, highly developed story that will tug at your heart strings and give you a whole new cast of characters to love. Recommend to all bibliophiles!
Thank you to St. Martin’s press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2019
Not being British, I had to look up a lot of words and phrases in this book but I loved them all and feel that the words and how they were said, is part of why I liked Loveday so much. Loveday had a life and parents that she loved and that she misses, after she loses both parents when she is ten years old. She then spends time in foster care and finally with a permanent foster mom. She is traumatized by what has happened to her life and won't accept help from others, especially because she doesn't even realize anyone is trying to help. She feels damaged and unworthy of anything and is determined to live life alone and with as little human interaction as possible.
This is a funny, sad, book but in the end it reminds me of a fairy tale. At one point Loveday compares herself to Cinderella, when things are going bad but she doesn't see a happy ending. For her the best ending she will get is to be left alone, left alone with her books and her little apartment and her memories. She's written her "story" and nothing is going to change that, in her mind.
Eventually she will realize that the story she has written isn't correct. Are secrets really secrets if everybody knows them? The story is told in the present with chapters that tell the past. Usually I don't like mixed timelines much but this method worked well in this book. I enjoyed the entire time reading about Loveday and would love spending more time with her.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
This is a funny, sad, book but in the end it reminds me of a fairy tale. At one point Loveday compares herself to Cinderella, when things are going bad but she doesn't see a happy ending. For her the best ending she will get is to be left alone, left alone with her books and her little apartment and her memories. She's written her "story" and nothing is going to change that, in her mind.
Eventually she will realize that the story she has written isn't correct. Are secrets really secrets if everybody knows them? The story is told in the present with chapters that tell the past. Usually I don't like mixed timelines much but this method worked well in this book. I enjoyed the entire time reading about Loveday and would love spending more time with her.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
June 12, 2018
4 bibliophile stars to The Lost for Words Bookshop! 📚 📚 📚 📚
My friend, Melisa, spotted this book even before it was listed on Netgalley. When I heard about it, I knew I had to read it, too.
Loveday Cardew is an introvert known to prefer books to people. Any of us could relate to her bibliophile ways. She is fortunate to work in a bookshop of all places, and within those walls, she holds some significant secrets about her own dark past.
This story is all about Loveday. What is she hiding, and how do books help her cope? Loveday is quirky, with a sharp wit and a heart of gold. This is an emotional read as Loveday opens up, grows up, and explores her beginnings.
Ultimately, The Lost for Words Bookshop is a serendipitous ode to the books we all know and love and how they can help us escape real-life, heal ourselves, and in turn give us bountiful hope. There’s nothing better than that, right?
Thank you to Stephanie Butland, Thomas Dunne Books, and Netgalley for the complimentary copy. The Lost for Words Bookshop will be published on June 19, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
My friend, Melisa, spotted this book even before it was listed on Netgalley. When I heard about it, I knew I had to read it, too.
Loveday Cardew is an introvert known to prefer books to people. Any of us could relate to her bibliophile ways. She is fortunate to work in a bookshop of all places, and within those walls, she holds some significant secrets about her own dark past.
This story is all about Loveday. What is she hiding, and how do books help her cope? Loveday is quirky, with a sharp wit and a heart of gold. This is an emotional read as Loveday opens up, grows up, and explores her beginnings.
Ultimately, The Lost for Words Bookshop is a serendipitous ode to the books we all know and love and how they can help us escape real-life, heal ourselves, and in turn give us bountiful hope. There’s nothing better than that, right?
Thank you to Stephanie Butland, Thomas Dunne Books, and Netgalley for the complimentary copy. The Lost for Words Bookshop will be published on June 19, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
November 7, 2018
Here I am again, in the outlier club. Did I read the same book as everyone else? Or is it just me? I picked this book up because I'd heard it described as a book for booklovers, and a charming book for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
I didn't find it charming, nor was the comparison to Eleanor Oliphant fair or accurate. What that book had was humor, warmth, a quirky, funny main character I won't soon forget, and charm. In Lost for Words, the character is snarky but in a mean-spirited, annoying way, the pace is slow, and, while there were some heartbreaking circumstances, I was left unmoved. I read 2/3 of the book and skimmed to the end. Honestly, I didn't care what happened to her by then.
Perhaps this would be a better book for fans of contemporary romance with a side of darkness. In my opinion, this plot has been done before, and done better. I recommend reading Eleanor Elephant instead.
But there are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews so it's probably just me.
*I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I didn't find it charming, nor was the comparison to Eleanor Oliphant fair or accurate. What that book had was humor, warmth, a quirky, funny main character I won't soon forget, and charm. In Lost for Words, the character is snarky but in a mean-spirited, annoying way, the pace is slow, and, while there were some heartbreaking circumstances, I was left unmoved. I read 2/3 of the book and skimmed to the end. Honestly, I didn't care what happened to her by then.
Perhaps this would be a better book for fans of contemporary romance with a side of darkness. In my opinion, this plot has been done before, and done better. I recommend reading Eleanor Elephant instead.
But there are plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews so it's probably just me.
*I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
May 11, 2018
I enjoyed this story about a quirky young lady named Loveday Cardew, with nose ring and first sentences of novels tattooed on her body, who has worked in a bookshop in York since she was fifteen years old.
Loveday had spent years in a foster home after a tragedy happened in her family life, and she just has a crazy love for books which makes her job ideal.
Because of what happened in her family, I don’t think she believes in love for herself, and she just really doesn’t like people anyway... except for the older man Archie who owns the bookshop and has taken her under his wing. Archie is a great character in this book, and is a help to her in realizing her potential.
A love interest comes around in the form of a magic man who loves poetry. Maybe things will actually be okay for Loveday!
There are a couple other stories going on within this story that kept me reading.
A light and easy read!
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC
Loveday had spent years in a foster home after a tragedy happened in her family life, and she just has a crazy love for books which makes her job ideal.
Because of what happened in her family, I don’t think she believes in love for herself, and she just really doesn’t like people anyway... except for the older man Archie who owns the bookshop and has taken her under his wing. Archie is a great character in this book, and is a help to her in realizing her potential.
A love interest comes around in the form of a magic man who loves poetry. Maybe things will actually be okay for Loveday!
There are a couple other stories going on within this story that kept me reading.
A light and easy read!
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC
May 18, 2018
I was instantly intrigued by this story by the cover and the title. The Lost for Words Bookshop... what more can you ask for?!
This novel features our main character Loveday Cardew. Loveday has worked for Lost for Words bookstore for over 10 years. She is quite the character with her nose ring and fascinating tattoos depicted throughout her body that represent quotes from her favorite books. It almost made me want to get one... :) Loveday isn't the best fan of people and loves her books way more then socializing. As the story starts to progress, you realize that Loveday has suffered a great loss has a young girl. She hides her secrets very well and doesn't want to open herself up to anyone. One day Loveday starts receiving books at her bookshop that suggest someone knows about her past. Loveday's life is about to change.....
What I really enjoyed about this novel was the characterization. I loved Archie!! It's full of warmth and love!! The story really comes to life exploring how one can overcome their fears and loss.
"A bookshop is not magic but it can slowly heal your heart."
I felt the story was a bit slow in the beginning for me and it dragged in some areas but overall it was a light, uplifting, and fluffy read :).
3.5 stars rounded up for me!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced arc!
Publication date: 6/19/18
Published to GR: 5/16/18
This novel features our main character Loveday Cardew. Loveday has worked for Lost for Words bookstore for over 10 years. She is quite the character with her nose ring and fascinating tattoos depicted throughout her body that represent quotes from her favorite books. It almost made me want to get one... :) Loveday isn't the best fan of people and loves her books way more then socializing. As the story starts to progress, you realize that Loveday has suffered a great loss has a young girl. She hides her secrets very well and doesn't want to open herself up to anyone. One day Loveday starts receiving books at her bookshop that suggest someone knows about her past. Loveday's life is about to change.....
What I really enjoyed about this novel was the characterization. I loved Archie!! It's full of warmth and love!! The story really comes to life exploring how one can overcome their fears and loss.
"A bookshop is not magic but it can slowly heal your heart."
I felt the story was a bit slow in the beginning for me and it dragged in some areas but overall it was a light, uplifting, and fluffy read :).
3.5 stars rounded up for me!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced arc!
Publication date: 6/19/18
Published to GR: 5/16/18
June 19, 2018
All the stars for The Lost for Words Bookshop and Loveday Cardew!
“God, I don't love much but I love words.”
― Stephanie Butland, Lost For Words
There are times when certain characters in a book are so vivid, so real that you want those characters to be in your life forever - in the real world and not just books. Loveday Cardew is one of those brilliant characters. Loveday is flawed, she is hurt, she is sarcastic and definitely a loner, but her soul reaches out through the pages and grabs your heart fiercely and does not let go! Not since Eleanor Oliphant have I felt so strongly about a fictional character. And yes, I know there are comparisons between Eleanor and Loveday, but they are very different and so are the two books.
Loveday has experienced more heartache in her short life than most experience in a lifetime. She finds solace and refuge in an old bookstore and through the owner, Archie, who becomes like a father to her, not that she needs one, you understand. Loveday needs nothing and no one except BOOKS. Despite her introversion, she has attracted two very dissimilar men and their stories are enfolded with Loveday's as well. She has secrets, dark secrets, that she has kept hidden since she was a child. Now, with the arrival of a box of books on their bookstore steps, those secrets are threatening to be revealed. As we learn of Loveday's past, as the secrets are revealed, we realize that either they will kill her - literally - or through their revelation she will grow.
The story is told from within Loveday's amazingly quirky, sardonic mind in three parts - the far past, the past and the present. The back and forth of these timetables can get, at times, confusing but not so much to detract from the overall telling of the story. There are marvelous references to books throughout that obviously will delight any true bibliophile. In fact, the entire book - its prose, the references, the chapter headings and the bookshop itself - are like manna for a book lover's soul.
The Lost for Words Bookshop is a narrative, not a suspense or thriller. Its story unfolds slowly but eloquently. If you don't read any other book this summer, I would suggest this one as your must read. Loveday will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
My thanks to #Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Stephanie Butland for the opportunity to read this incredible book.
“God, I don't love much but I love words.”
― Stephanie Butland, Lost For Words
There are times when certain characters in a book are so vivid, so real that you want those characters to be in your life forever - in the real world and not just books. Loveday Cardew is one of those brilliant characters. Loveday is flawed, she is hurt, she is sarcastic and definitely a loner, but her soul reaches out through the pages and grabs your heart fiercely and does not let go! Not since Eleanor Oliphant have I felt so strongly about a fictional character. And yes, I know there are comparisons between Eleanor and Loveday, but they are very different and so are the two books.
Loveday has experienced more heartache in her short life than most experience in a lifetime. She finds solace and refuge in an old bookstore and through the owner, Archie, who becomes like a father to her, not that she needs one, you understand. Loveday needs nothing and no one except BOOKS. Despite her introversion, she has attracted two very dissimilar men and their stories are enfolded with Loveday's as well. She has secrets, dark secrets, that she has kept hidden since she was a child. Now, with the arrival of a box of books on their bookstore steps, those secrets are threatening to be revealed. As we learn of Loveday's past, as the secrets are revealed, we realize that either they will kill her - literally - or through their revelation she will grow.
The story is told from within Loveday's amazingly quirky, sardonic mind in three parts - the far past, the past and the present. The back and forth of these timetables can get, at times, confusing but not so much to detract from the overall telling of the story. There are marvelous references to books throughout that obviously will delight any true bibliophile. In fact, the entire book - its prose, the references, the chapter headings and the bookshop itself - are like manna for a book lover's soul.
The Lost for Words Bookshop is a narrative, not a suspense or thriller. Its story unfolds slowly but eloquently. If you don't read any other book this summer, I would suggest this one as your must read. Loveday will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
My thanks to #Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Stephanie Butland for the opportunity to read this incredible book.
June 19, 2018
4 Bibliophile Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was a lovely quirky book filled with books and charm... this was a very uplifting read that put a smile on my face... and even though the characters in this book did not have the most ideal of lives at all times... they all had a love for books and eventually found love for themselves and others...
Loveday is a lovely quirky character... who truly underestimates herself and those around her.... my heart broke for her so many times, she really had a rough childhood and the result of that was tremendous distrust.... she was so fortunate to have two wonderful men enter her life... Archie her boss... and Nathan her love interest.... both these gentlemen were truly genuine good guys.... and I loved the development of her relationships with both of them...
This book will appeal to all book lovers! From the setting in the delightful second hand book shop... to the book quotes tattooed on Loveday... to all the many book references.... I also have to say I appreciate the fact that not every book reference in this book was made to a classic... not every book enthusiast loves the classics... including myself!
Absolutely recommend for a pleasant summer read to anyone who is a fan of quirky characters, books, or a good story...
*** Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my copy of this book ***
This was a lovely quirky book filled with books and charm... this was a very uplifting read that put a smile on my face... and even though the characters in this book did not have the most ideal of lives at all times... they all had a love for books and eventually found love for themselves and others...
Loveday is a lovely quirky character... who truly underestimates herself and those around her.... my heart broke for her so many times, she really had a rough childhood and the result of that was tremendous distrust.... she was so fortunate to have two wonderful men enter her life... Archie her boss... and Nathan her love interest.... both these gentlemen were truly genuine good guys.... and I loved the development of her relationships with both of them...
This book will appeal to all book lovers! From the setting in the delightful second hand book shop... to the book quotes tattooed on Loveday... to all the many book references.... I also have to say I appreciate the fact that not every book reference in this book was made to a classic... not every book enthusiast loves the classics... including myself!
Absolutely recommend for a pleasant summer read to anyone who is a fan of quirky characters, books, or a good story...
*** Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my copy of this book ***
July 25, 2017
What bibliophile can resist a novel about a charming used bookshop, with even more charming and quirky protagonists? I can't. To further my interest, I've read some great reviews of this novel by some of favorite fellow bookbloggers. And... did I mention it is set in York, England? What a package!
This delightful novel features a memorable protagonist, Loveday Cardew. She has worked for "Lost for Words" for the past ten years, is twenty-five years old, has a nose ring, and several tattoos which depict lines from her favorite novels. She'll be the first to admit that she likes books much better than she likes people. An introvert, she avoids confrontation at all costs. I confess that in the first chapter or so I wasn't Loveday's biggest fan, though over the course of the novel I came to love her like a daughter. The author cleverly put forth her bristly and sarcastic character so as to show how Loveday put up walls against the people she meets.
"I word hard, but I know that I'm also hard work."
Loveday's poem explaining why she loves books:
"I like books cause they don't care if your knickers match your bra. If you've washed your hair. I like books cause they don't invade your space. They sit on your shelf and don't get in your face. I like books cause they don't mind what your heart contains, who you've left behind. I like books cause they don't give a shit when you get to the end - what you think of it. Books don't care if you've got a degree or what you watch on TV. Books don't judge if you've got tattoos, if your friends are few. I like books cause they don't care."
Loveday's one true friend is the owner of "Lost for Words". More like family than he is a boss, Archie is a portly, gregarious gentleman. Generous in size and generous in nature. Archie wears a lot of tweed, smokes a pipe, and has a luxuriant moustache. He adores Loveday like a father and calls her his little 'stray waif'.
"Archie says I keep all my interesting bits well hidden and getting to know me is an exercise in faith rewarded."
One day Loveday finds a poetry book on the pavement. As any true bibliophile would, she rescues the book from the elements and takes it back to the bookshop. She posts a sign in the window "Found" with the books details. This small, seemingly inconsequential event will profoundly impact the lives of three people.
Nathan Avebury, a poet and magician, notices her sign in the window and comes in to claim his book. Nathan seems to see beyond Loveday's off-putting demeanor to the person she is underneath.
"When you're a child you don't always know the right questions, and you don't know that you don't have forever to ask them."
Though part of this novel are flashbacks to Loveday's childhood days in Whitby, her past is a well guarded secret that is not divulged until near the end of the book. We know that she suffered a great trauma in her childhood and that when she was ten years old she was put into the foster system.
"Small memories come from the kind of tiny reminders that you simply can't predict, and so can't protect yourself from, and they catch you, paper cuts across the heart."
All of the characters in this novel are so genuine and so very 'human'. Villains and angels are both represented - showing that no one is completely one or the other. This is a book that will steal the heart of ardent bibliophiles and those who carry emotional baggage from their youth. "Lost for Words" is laced with moments that will alternately make you laugh and make you weep. If you were expecting a 'cutesy' chick lit book, you will soon discover that "Lost for Words" has hidden depths with some very serious themes. In a nutshell - I loved it!
My sincere gratitude to Bonnier Zaffre Books via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I was only too happy to write this review.
This delightful novel features a memorable protagonist, Loveday Cardew. She has worked for "Lost for Words" for the past ten years, is twenty-five years old, has a nose ring, and several tattoos which depict lines from her favorite novels. She'll be the first to admit that she likes books much better than she likes people. An introvert, she avoids confrontation at all costs. I confess that in the first chapter or so I wasn't Loveday's biggest fan, though over the course of the novel I came to love her like a daughter. The author cleverly put forth her bristly and sarcastic character so as to show how Loveday put up walls against the people she meets.
"I word hard, but I know that I'm also hard work."
Loveday's poem explaining why she loves books:
"I like books cause they don't care if your knickers match your bra. If you've washed your hair. I like books cause they don't invade your space. They sit on your shelf and don't get in your face. I like books cause they don't mind what your heart contains, who you've left behind. I like books cause they don't give a shit when you get to the end - what you think of it. Books don't care if you've got a degree or what you watch on TV. Books don't judge if you've got tattoos, if your friends are few. I like books cause they don't care."
Loveday's one true friend is the owner of "Lost for Words". More like family than he is a boss, Archie is a portly, gregarious gentleman. Generous in size and generous in nature. Archie wears a lot of tweed, smokes a pipe, and has a luxuriant moustache. He adores Loveday like a father and calls her his little 'stray waif'.
"Archie says I keep all my interesting bits well hidden and getting to know me is an exercise in faith rewarded."
One day Loveday finds a poetry book on the pavement. As any true bibliophile would, she rescues the book from the elements and takes it back to the bookshop. She posts a sign in the window "Found" with the books details. This small, seemingly inconsequential event will profoundly impact the lives of three people.
Nathan Avebury, a poet and magician, notices her sign in the window and comes in to claim his book. Nathan seems to see beyond Loveday's off-putting demeanor to the person she is underneath.
"When you're a child you don't always know the right questions, and you don't know that you don't have forever to ask them."
Though part of this novel are flashbacks to Loveday's childhood days in Whitby, her past is a well guarded secret that is not divulged until near the end of the book. We know that she suffered a great trauma in her childhood and that when she was ten years old she was put into the foster system.
"Small memories come from the kind of tiny reminders that you simply can't predict, and so can't protect yourself from, and they catch you, paper cuts across the heart."
All of the characters in this novel are so genuine and so very 'human'. Villains and angels are both represented - showing that no one is completely one or the other. This is a book that will steal the heart of ardent bibliophiles and those who carry emotional baggage from their youth. "Lost for Words" is laced with moments that will alternately make you laugh and make you weep. If you were expecting a 'cutesy' chick lit book, you will soon discover that "Lost for Words" has hidden depths with some very serious themes. In a nutshell - I loved it!
My sincere gratitude to Bonnier Zaffre Books via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I was only too happy to write this review.
September 24, 2022
4-5 stars rounded up
Lost for Words is a second hand bookshop in York.
What a wonderful book. Loveday Cardew who works in the shop, is an unforgettable central character who captivates from the start. She’s funny, touchy, private and carrying some huge burdens by herself. Who couldn’t also love bookshop owner Archie and poet/magician Nathan? The locations are fantastic with beautiful York which has atmosphere in abundance and Whitby which always has its own unique appeal.
Yes, this lovely story is about books and book lovers but it focuses on Loveday’s childhood and the fallout from that which makes her the person she is. However, she learns a lot especially to trust so it fills you with hope.
It’s beautifully written, it makes you laugh, it makes you sad, it makes you angry and everything in between. It’s quirky, hard to put down, it charms as you glide through the pages. Looking forward to meeting up with Loveday soon, hopefully still in my (nearly) home town!
A Kindle Unlimited read
Lost for Words is a second hand bookshop in York.
What a wonderful book. Loveday Cardew who works in the shop, is an unforgettable central character who captivates from the start. She’s funny, touchy, private and carrying some huge burdens by herself. Who couldn’t also love bookshop owner Archie and poet/magician Nathan? The locations are fantastic with beautiful York which has atmosphere in abundance and Whitby which always has its own unique appeal.
Yes, this lovely story is about books and book lovers but it focuses on Loveday’s childhood and the fallout from that which makes her the person she is. However, she learns a lot especially to trust so it fills you with hope.
It’s beautifully written, it makes you laugh, it makes you sad, it makes you angry and everything in between. It’s quirky, hard to put down, it charms as you glide through the pages. Looking forward to meeting up with Loveday soon, hopefully still in my (nearly) home town!
A Kindle Unlimited read
September 11, 2018
I am surprised that none of the reviews I have read of Lost For Words have made a play on the title! Lots of five star raves and no one has yet said they were lost for words for what to write about it:) Maybe because it was so good we all have plenty to say.
Romances are not my thing but this is a romance with a difference. Let's start with that beautiful cover and the fact that the story is set in a bookshop in Yorkshire, England. Every box ticked for me so far. The story starts slowly but as it progresses the main character, Loveday Cardew, becomes very endearing despite her own lack of confidence. It is very apparent she has an important back story and this is revealed to the reader very slowly, first by hints and later by short chapters from the past.
The love interest is a charming young poet who is obviously ideal for Loveday but life is never that easy. The romance never takes over the book though. There is much more to it than that as we watch the redoubtable Loveday struggle with her demons. I became so involved I could not put the book down and ended up reading it until after midnight. Sure sign of a really good book.
Romances are not my thing but this is a romance with a difference. Let's start with that beautiful cover and the fact that the story is set in a bookshop in Yorkshire, England. Every box ticked for me so far. The story starts slowly but as it progresses the main character, Loveday Cardew, becomes very endearing despite her own lack of confidence. It is very apparent she has an important back story and this is revealed to the reader very slowly, first by hints and later by short chapters from the past.
The love interest is a charming young poet who is obviously ideal for Loveday but life is never that easy. The romance never takes over the book though. There is much more to it than that as we watch the redoubtable Loveday struggle with her demons. I became so involved I could not put the book down and ended up reading it until after midnight. Sure sign of a really good book.
June 12, 2018
This book was everything I hoped it would be: a book about books and life in a bookshop, a quirky main character, a handsome young man and a gentle love story. Well written with great characters and a wealth of human feelings and emotion.
Sassy, prickly Loveday Cardew is a damaged soul. Her nose-ring and tattoos of first lines from her favourite books are part of the shell she's built around herself. Something traumatic happened in her childhood and she ended up in foster care. At 15 she met Archie, the owner of The Lost for Words bookshop who offered her a part time job and 10 years later she is still there, very much an integral part of the bookshop, watched over by Archie, a gregarious and friendly man who has become Loveday's friend and family.
Loveday loves books more than people, "Books don't care if you've got a degree or what you watch on TV. Books don't judge if you've got tattoos, if your friends are few." She hates crowds and social situations and would rather be home in her small bedsit reading or writing poetry. One day all that changes when she finds a lost book of poetry at the bus stop and posts a found notice on the bookshop board. A young man called Nathan, a poet and part time magician walks in to claim it and sees beneath Loveday's antisocial front to the frightened and fragile girl hiding there.
This is a very charming and engaging book. It was lovely to watch Loveday's journey towards facing her past and learning to live and love again. Archie and Nathan are wonderful characters and the bookshop is just what every bookshop should be.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher St Martin's Press for a digital copy to read.
Sassy, prickly Loveday Cardew is a damaged soul. Her nose-ring and tattoos of first lines from her favourite books are part of the shell she's built around herself. Something traumatic happened in her childhood and she ended up in foster care. At 15 she met Archie, the owner of The Lost for Words bookshop who offered her a part time job and 10 years later she is still there, very much an integral part of the bookshop, watched over by Archie, a gregarious and friendly man who has become Loveday's friend and family.
Loveday loves books more than people, "Books don't care if you've got a degree or what you watch on TV. Books don't judge if you've got tattoos, if your friends are few." She hates crowds and social situations and would rather be home in her small bedsit reading or writing poetry. One day all that changes when she finds a lost book of poetry at the bus stop and posts a found notice on the bookshop board. A young man called Nathan, a poet and part time magician walks in to claim it and sees beneath Loveday's antisocial front to the frightened and fragile girl hiding there.
This is a very charming and engaging book. It was lovely to watch Loveday's journey towards facing her past and learning to live and love again. Archie and Nathan are wonderful characters and the bookshop is just what every bookshop should be.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher St Martin's Press for a digital copy to read.
October 23, 2022
Loveday Cardew works at a second hand bookshop called LOST FOR WORDS she has trouble communicating with people has tattoos on her body with the first words of a book & thinks books are better than people, she has worked there since she was 15 years old, the only person she has let into her life is Archie who owns the shop… that is until she meets Nathan a poet who is looking for a certain book then her life changes for the better, she is a very quirky character who made me laugh, cry.& was rooting for her from beginning to end.
I absolutely loved this book it was beautifully written with poignant subjects that were handled with sensitivity I just couldn’t put this down, the plot line being set in a bookshop was fabulous books,books, & more books that’s my kind of thing this is funny sad all at the same time a must read for those who love a contemporary read that will pull at your heart strings.
I absolutely loved this book it was beautifully written with poignant subjects that were handled with sensitivity I just couldn’t put this down, the plot line being set in a bookshop was fabulous books,books, & more books that’s my kind of thing this is funny sad all at the same time a must read for those who love a contemporary read that will pull at your heart strings.
July 18, 2018
The best possible way I can describe this book to you is that it's a book for book lovers. We get a lot of book references and a protagonist that both works in a book shop and has meaningful lines from stories she's enjoyed tattooed on her body. If I didn't already have several tattoos, I might steal that idea! It is a very charming story, but darker than the book cover and even the blurb makes it look. It's still a really enjoyable read, but more emotional than I was expecting. It's a book that I read slowly to savor more instead of devouring. I won't go too deeply into the story, because I think the blurb provided is purposefully vague. It's a story to immerse yourself into and can be very surprising at times. Four and a half stars from me for its beautiful charm, wonderful details, and intriguing story.
Loveday Cardew is most comfortable lost among the stacks of the wonderful book shop she has been lucky enough to work at for years. She's closest to the owner, a charming older man with endless stories almost too fantastic to be true. She certainly prefers books to people. Books are a comfort. A place to escape to. People simply cannot be trusted, a fact that has been proven to her again and again. This is the reason she clutches her books close to her chest and keeps almost every single person in her life at arm's length. She's been through a lot, and keeps a lot of secrets from everyone... but someone out there is ready to shine a bright light on her past.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Loveday Cardew is most comfortable lost among the stacks of the wonderful book shop she has been lucky enough to work at for years. She's closest to the owner, a charming older man with endless stories almost too fantastic to be true. She certainly prefers books to people. Books are a comfort. A place to escape to. People simply cannot be trusted, a fact that has been proven to her again and again. This is the reason she clutches her books close to her chest and keeps almost every single person in her life at arm's length. She's been through a lot, and keeps a lot of secrets from everyone... but someone out there is ready to shine a bright light on her past.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
September 15, 2019
Este libro ha sido una gran sorpresa.
No esperaba nada a la hora de escucharlo, simplemente me llamó la atención el título y no sabéis lo que me alegra haberle dado una oportunidad.
Esta es una historia ideal para los amantes de los libros y donde conocemos a Lovely, una chica que trabaja en una librería de segunda mano desde que es bastante joven y que ha tenido una vida bastante dura. En esta novela iremos descubriendo por qué es como es, por qué los libros son tan importantes para ella, por todo lo que ha pasado y lo que la está pasando en el presente, donde acaba de conocer a un chico amante de la poesía y por el que empezará a sentir algo.
Os aviso que es una novela de personajes, no os vais a encontrar un libro cuya trama sea trepidante ni vertiginosa, y que aunque el amor es una parte muy importante, no es en torno a lo que gira la historia. Pero el punto fuerte de esta historia son los personajes, sobre todo nuestra protagonista, y os aseguro que os enamorará por completo.
Es un libro muy tierno, duro, lleno de momentos literarios que os harán vibrar que os recomiendo muchísimo.
No esperaba nada a la hora de escucharlo, simplemente me llamó la atención el título y no sabéis lo que me alegra haberle dado una oportunidad.
Esta es una historia ideal para los amantes de los libros y donde conocemos a Lovely, una chica que trabaja en una librería de segunda mano desde que es bastante joven y que ha tenido una vida bastante dura. En esta novela iremos descubriendo por qué es como es, por qué los libros son tan importantes para ella, por todo lo que ha pasado y lo que la está pasando en el presente, donde acaba de conocer a un chico amante de la poesía y por el que empezará a sentir algo.
Os aviso que es una novela de personajes, no os vais a encontrar un libro cuya trama sea trepidante ni vertiginosa, y que aunque el amor es una parte muy importante, no es en torno a lo que gira la historia. Pero el punto fuerte de esta historia son los personajes, sobre todo nuestra protagonista, y os aseguro que os enamorará por completo.
Es un libro muy tierno, duro, lleno de momentos literarios que os harán vibrar que os recomiendo muchísimo.
August 6, 2018
This is one of those contemporary reads that celebrates the unique voices in wordsmithery.
FROM THE BLURB:
Loveday Cardew pulls the strings of her own life and in the end determines the outcome of everyone's lives around her, just because they love her. Her mainstay was her best friends, books, throughout the onslaught of all the curve balls hitting her so constantly, unexpectedly and unsolicited. What choices does a young girl have after all while she is unable to control her own destiny?
Like a beautiful butterfly, and despite the odds, she follows the five stages of becoming the best and most beautiful being she can be:
- As an egg she hatches within a home where tension and circumstances slowly changes the outcome of her destiny while she silently observes the drama and the outcome.
- As a caterpillar she has to navigate through her social environment and try to survive all the odds against her.
- As a pupa she discovers her own talents and abilities when she finally comes face to face with a life on her own.
- And suddenly she is the gorgeous butterfly who enters the realm of love and reproduction.
However, for that to happen, she needs to grow and trust, especially when things just start happening all at once...and messages to succeed appears in the books left at the door of the book store she came to call home. The walls of books which are her barriers against life's uncertain narrative, are not as assuring anymore when life knocks with a different tone on her door and the books start to talk back.
It is a wonderful uplifting, yet sad story, with enough chick lit tidbits to make it a delightful read for a wide variety of bibliophiles. Atmospheric, fast-moving, tense. Fantastic.
The ending was chick-lit meh to me personally. However, as a family drama, with a young woman as the protagonist it is a deeply inspiring story and palatable for most readers. The novel is a cut way above the rest. Unique and refreshing. Tastefully written, and eloquently executed. A truly great experience.
RECOMMENDED
FROM THE BLURB:
The Lost for Words Bookshop is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending novel, perfect for fans of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and The Little Paris Bookshop.The book starts out as a family drama, then slowly evolves into mystery and suspense and finally gears up for a thriller denouement with love added as the final flavor.
Loveday Cardew pulls the strings of her own life and in the end determines the outcome of everyone's lives around her, just because they love her. Her mainstay was her best friends, books, throughout the onslaught of all the curve balls hitting her so constantly, unexpectedly and unsolicited. What choices does a young girl have after all while she is unable to control her own destiny?
Like a beautiful butterfly, and despite the odds, she follows the five stages of becoming the best and most beautiful being she can be:
- As an egg she hatches within a home where tension and circumstances slowly changes the outcome of her destiny while she silently observes the drama and the outcome.
- As a caterpillar she has to navigate through her social environment and try to survive all the odds against her.
- As a pupa she discovers her own talents and abilities when she finally comes face to face with a life on her own.
- And suddenly she is the gorgeous butterfly who enters the realm of love and reproduction.
However, for that to happen, she needs to grow and trust, especially when things just start happening all at once...and messages to succeed appears in the books left at the door of the book store she came to call home. The walls of books which are her barriers against life's uncertain narrative, are not as assuring anymore when life knocks with a different tone on her door and the books start to talk back.
It is a wonderful uplifting, yet sad story, with enough chick lit tidbits to make it a delightful read for a wide variety of bibliophiles. Atmospheric, fast-moving, tense. Fantastic.
The ending was chick-lit meh to me personally. However, as a family drama, with a young woman as the protagonist it is a deeply inspiring story and palatable for most readers. The novel is a cut way above the rest. Unique and refreshing. Tastefully written, and eloquently executed. A truly great experience.
RECOMMENDED
October 15, 2019
I started reading this book thinking that it would be a light, easy breezy read that takes place in a bookstore. Boy was I surprised! This story is complex, emotional, heartbreaking and hopeful, all at once.
Loveday Cardew is a young woman who works in a used bookstore. She has the first lines of some of her favorite, most meaningful books tattooed on her. She readily admits that she doesn’t like people, and just wants them all to leave her alone. She survived a tragic childhood and does not trust anyone. The bookstore owner, Archie has a soft spot for her and has taken her under his wing, much to her chagrin. She doe not want any help from anyone, even those who care about her. She is a walking heartache, which can leave her vulnerable to the wrong type of person.
“But when you’re imperfect yourself and you come across someone more obviously broken than you, it’s both heartening and comforting.”
Loveday puts up emotional walls around herself. It takes some extraordinary people in her life to try to break them down, as much as she fights them. Just when you think things are working out for everyone, the book takes some unexpected dark turns. About halfway through you are turning the pages furiously to find out what happens next.
Loveday can be exasperating, snarky and vulnerable, all at the same time. She is broken in so many ways, as are many of the other quirky characters in the story. Everyone hides their own heartaches in their own ways. Everyone survives their lives in their own ways.
“But then again, as nobody ever says, it’s not how you fall, it’s how many people are there to pick you up and clean your knee with disinfectant and tuck you up on the sofa with some hot chocolate and a book until you feel better.”
The book is beautifully written, with a wonderful sense of place, especially in the bookstore. There is a lot of heart in the telling of this story, even though it tackles some very serious subjects: domestic abuse, mental illness, stalking, friendship and what constitutes family. Loveday, a young woman who feels she has no family or love in her life, finds that family and love come in many forms, if you allow yourself to be open to them.
A definite recommend. I’ll be looking for more books by this author.
Loveday Cardew is a young woman who works in a used bookstore. She has the first lines of some of her favorite, most meaningful books tattooed on her. She readily admits that she doesn’t like people, and just wants them all to leave her alone. She survived a tragic childhood and does not trust anyone. The bookstore owner, Archie has a soft spot for her and has taken her under his wing, much to her chagrin. She doe not want any help from anyone, even those who care about her. She is a walking heartache, which can leave her vulnerable to the wrong type of person.
“But when you’re imperfect yourself and you come across someone more obviously broken than you, it’s both heartening and comforting.”
Loveday puts up emotional walls around herself. It takes some extraordinary people in her life to try to break them down, as much as she fights them. Just when you think things are working out for everyone, the book takes some unexpected dark turns. About halfway through you are turning the pages furiously to find out what happens next.
Loveday can be exasperating, snarky and vulnerable, all at the same time. She is broken in so many ways, as are many of the other quirky characters in the story. Everyone hides their own heartaches in their own ways. Everyone survives their lives in their own ways.
“But then again, as nobody ever says, it’s not how you fall, it’s how many people are there to pick you up and clean your knee with disinfectant and tuck you up on the sofa with some hot chocolate and a book until you feel better.”
The book is beautifully written, with a wonderful sense of place, especially in the bookstore. There is a lot of heart in the telling of this story, even though it tackles some very serious subjects: domestic abuse, mental illness, stalking, friendship and what constitutes family. Loveday, a young woman who feels she has no family or love in her life, finds that family and love come in many forms, if you allow yourself to be open to them.
A definite recommend. I’ll be looking for more books by this author.
June 20, 2018
Loveday Cardew works in a bookshop owned by Archie.
Working in a bookshop is perfect for Loveday because she is a shy almost introverted person through no fault of her own.
THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP is a lovely read and will make you jealous of Loveday’s job, but not of the heartaches she keeps hidden.
Besides the books and the bookshop, the characters in THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP are the best, especially Archie....loved him. He is a bit on the unorganized and fly-by-night type of person, but he loves his job, loves Loveday, and loves how Loveday helps him keep the shop going.
Loveday is lovable, sweet, and a bit on the odd side.
Nathan is someone I would like to know and someone very sweet to Loveday.
Rob was annoying and unlikeable.
The secondary characters worked well with the main characters and added mystery and tension.
As THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP goes back and forth in time, a few mysteries and secrets about Loveday’s childhood are revealed.
Her family history definitely explained her closed-mouthed-about-her-feelings, lost-for-words personality.
If you like books, bookshops, wonderful characters, a bit of mystery, and secrets kept, THE LOST FOR WORDS BOOKSHOP is for you.
I’m sure most readers fall into most of those categories, so you won’t want to miss reading this charming, alluring read.
The cover itself draws you in.
There are some heartaches in it, but for the most part it is a lovely, bookish read.
ENJOY when you read this book. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
March 27, 2025
الكتاب ده لذيذ لذاذة مش طبيعية. 😍
شخصياته خفيفة على القلب وتفاصيلهم مسلية. البطلة شغالة في مكتبة كتب مستعملة وبتحكي عن الكنوز اللي بتلاقيها في الكتب دي مع شوية مواقف مضحكة مع زباينها فبما إني بعشق الكتب المستعملة بكل تفاصيلها فأنا مستمتعة جدًا بأجواء القصة وسلاسة الترجمة محلية التجربة أكتر وأكتر. فاق كل توقعاتي✨️❤️
شخصياته خفيفة على القلب وتفاصيلهم مسلية. البطلة شغالة في مكتبة كتب مستعملة وبتحكي عن الكنوز اللي بتلاقيها في الكتب دي مع شوية مواقف مضحكة مع زباينها فبما إني بعشق الكتب المستعملة بكل تفاصيلها فأنا مستمتعة جدًا بأجواء القصة وسلاسة الترجمة محلية التجربة أكتر وأكتر. فاق كل توقعاتي✨️❤️
June 8, 2018
For this review and others visit Carlene Inspired.
Wow, this book got to me in ways I never expected it to. The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland left me with my heart hurting, tears streaming down my face, and a desire for it to go on and on and never end. We follow Loveday in present-day 2016 and learn of her, at first wonderful and later difficult, past in flashback chapters. We see her in school plays, reading with her father, baking with her mother, and hiding with her secrets in her bedroom. She's kept her past private, her family consisting of the people she chooses, specifically bookshop owner Archie. Lost for Words is her happy place, her escape with the books she connects to better than people, but the bookstore also brings to her people, like a lover, a poet, and someone with boxes that take her right back into the past.
"It's good to be reminded that the world is full of stories that are, potentially, at least as painful as yours."
Loveday is an enigma, she functions with little help from others, shares very little personal information, but allows the first lines of novels to tell her story for her as tattoos on her skin. She's hiding from a past she doesn't want to admit she has, hiding from comfort of sharing herself with another, and yet so desperate to tie the books she reads to her past in some way. She's like a child in many ways, though more caution with her feelings and matters of the heart. I ached for her, even before I knew what her past was made up of. She was meek in many ways and yet so strong and stubborn in others. Her past making up much of who she is, though unaware of how impactful those around her presently also are in making her into someone new. Loveday is a reader and The Lost for Words Bookshop is a book for book lovers.
"I suppose it's the fact that these small memories come from the kind of tiny reminders that you simply can't predict, and so can't protect yourself from, and they catch you, paper cuts across the heart."
Stephanie Butland's writing is lyrical, the story is fresh, and the poems that tie Loveday to another such a romantic way to reveal feelings. I loved every single secondary character in this novel, even those who are more foe than friend. Each sparks a match to Loveday, pushing her to reveal more of herself, to accept more of herself, and showing her to accept the open arms of others. Archie is the best man I've ever met in a book and he's not even what one would consider handsome. He's described as portly and jovial, the kind of man who tells a tale that you know must be embellished, only he's got the odd friends to show for it. His love of Loveday, his support of her, is so much like that of a father and I really ached for Loveday and how she didn't recognize him as such. He's so important in her growth in this novel and I easily could have read the story of them working together for ten years forever. They're quite the pair, I think I would've liked to know him. Of course, there's Nathan, a boy who charms her and disarms her, bringing forth a Loveday that I had come to think we would only see in her childhood flashbacks. He's the knight who helps her take down the walls she'd spent so long building and fortifying. Every character felt so real, with Stephanie Butland's descriptive storytelling bringing each to life along with the quant York setting.
"'And be brave, Loveday. Ask the questions you want to ask. Seek out the people you want in your life. It might not be as hard as you think.'"
The Lost for Words Bookshop is not what I would call chick lit, but rather Women's Literature and really a book anyone with difficult baggage can relate to. With heavy topics covered like mental health, trauma, and abuse, Stephanie Butland tells a romantic story with a purpose. As a bibliophile I connected with this book, with Loveday and her only-in-my-dreams tattoos, and the unique take Stephanie Butland had on burying the hatchet, finding oneself, and embracing life's quirks whether joyous or difficult. I had a fantastic giggle when Loveday, as a child, pointed at that being a reader makes saying words aloud so much more difficult, as we really haven't a clue how it really should sound. So true. I do suggest you prepare yourself with tissues, because for every laugh I had at the character's wittiness I also shed a tear for the heartache Loveday had come to accept. I know this is a book I will reread many times, in fact I can already picture the cold winter nights with cocoa in hand and Loveday to keep me company.
ARC provided by St. Martin's Press and Netgalley.
Wow, this book got to me in ways I never expected it to. The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland left me with my heart hurting, tears streaming down my face, and a desire for it to go on and on and never end. We follow Loveday in present-day 2016 and learn of her, at first wonderful and later difficult, past in flashback chapters. We see her in school plays, reading with her father, baking with her mother, and hiding with her secrets in her bedroom. She's kept her past private, her family consisting of the people she chooses, specifically bookshop owner Archie. Lost for Words is her happy place, her escape with the books she connects to better than people, but the bookstore also brings to her people, like a lover, a poet, and someone with boxes that take her right back into the past.
"It's good to be reminded that the world is full of stories that are, potentially, at least as painful as yours."
Loveday is an enigma, she functions with little help from others, shares very little personal information, but allows the first lines of novels to tell her story for her as tattoos on her skin. She's hiding from a past she doesn't want to admit she has, hiding from comfort of sharing herself with another, and yet so desperate to tie the books she reads to her past in some way. She's like a child in many ways, though more caution with her feelings and matters of the heart. I ached for her, even before I knew what her past was made up of. She was meek in many ways and yet so strong and stubborn in others. Her past making up much of who she is, though unaware of how impactful those around her presently also are in making her into someone new. Loveday is a reader and The Lost for Words Bookshop is a book for book lovers.
"I suppose it's the fact that these small memories come from the kind of tiny reminders that you simply can't predict, and so can't protect yourself from, and they catch you, paper cuts across the heart."
Stephanie Butland's writing is lyrical, the story is fresh, and the poems that tie Loveday to another such a romantic way to reveal feelings. I loved every single secondary character in this novel, even those who are more foe than friend. Each sparks a match to Loveday, pushing her to reveal more of herself, to accept more of herself, and showing her to accept the open arms of others. Archie is the best man I've ever met in a book and he's not even what one would consider handsome. He's described as portly and jovial, the kind of man who tells a tale that you know must be embellished, only he's got the odd friends to show for it. His love of Loveday, his support of her, is so much like that of a father and I really ached for Loveday and how she didn't recognize him as such. He's so important in her growth in this novel and I easily could have read the story of them working together for ten years forever. They're quite the pair, I think I would've liked to know him. Of course, there's Nathan, a boy who charms her and disarms her, bringing forth a Loveday that I had come to think we would only see in her childhood flashbacks. He's the knight who helps her take down the walls she'd spent so long building and fortifying. Every character felt so real, with Stephanie Butland's descriptive storytelling bringing each to life along with the quant York setting.
"'And be brave, Loveday. Ask the questions you want to ask. Seek out the people you want in your life. It might not be as hard as you think.'"
The Lost for Words Bookshop is not what I would call chick lit, but rather Women's Literature and really a book anyone with difficult baggage can relate to. With heavy topics covered like mental health, trauma, and abuse, Stephanie Butland tells a romantic story with a purpose. As a bibliophile I connected with this book, with Loveday and her only-in-my-dreams tattoos, and the unique take Stephanie Butland had on burying the hatchet, finding oneself, and embracing life's quirks whether joyous or difficult. I had a fantastic giggle when Loveday, as a child, pointed at that being a reader makes saying words aloud so much more difficult, as we really haven't a clue how it really should sound. So true. I do suggest you prepare yourself with tissues, because for every laugh I had at the character's wittiness I also shed a tear for the heartache Loveday had come to accept. I know this is a book I will reread many times, in fact I can already picture the cold winter nights with cocoa in hand and Loveday to keep me company.
ARC provided by St. Martin's Press and Netgalley.
June 11, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This advance reader copy was provided by the publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
I was drawn to this book for its location (England, of course) and its setting of a book shop. Two great passions of mine in one tome!
The story's main character is a 25-year old woman named Loveday Cardew who has worked in a book shop in York since the age of fifteen. She has a love of reading since youth, a passion she shared with her Mom. When she was a child there were a lot of special times with her Mom. They would bake together (especially parkin, a gingerbread cake traditionally made with oatmeal and black treacle, which is often associated with Yorkshire or Leeds, England), go to the beach in Whitby (where they lived), and also visit book shops. Her dad worked on oil rigs and spent a lot of time away from home, so Loveday and her Mom were especially close.
There are alternating time periods from when Loveday was nine and the present day, when Loveday is twenty-five. Loveday is very content in the pleasant and protective bubble of the book shop. She's had a couple of romantic relationships which crossed into sexual territory, but where the body progressed the communication/emotional aspect did not. For, Loveday holds tragic secrets of her childhood and there are sensitive firewalls distancing herself from others. She has a wonderful and loyal friendship with the shop owner Archie, a decent apartment and a job that she loves. However, when she was nine something happened to shatter her normal family life. As Loveday lives her new life in a new city she's guarded when it comes to personal questions of her childhood.
Then one day Nathan comes into the shop. A somewhat elegantly dressed cravat-wearing magician, Nathan invites Loveday to a nearby club for "Poetry Night." Nathan participates each Wednesday with a new and meaningful offering. What cannot easily be said in normal conversation sometimes can be less painfully communicated through the poetic art form. Will Loveday find the emotional strength to step up to the open mike and bare her soul through poetry? Will she ever be able to really trust anybody? You'll have to read this for yourself for the mystery to unfurl. I will only share that I was moved to tears by one particularly poignant Poetry Night which prompted me to add the 4th star to my rating!
This advance reader copy was provided by the publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
I was drawn to this book for its location (England, of course) and its setting of a book shop. Two great passions of mine in one tome!
The story's main character is a 25-year old woman named Loveday Cardew who has worked in a book shop in York since the age of fifteen. She has a love of reading since youth, a passion she shared with her Mom. When she was a child there were a lot of special times with her Mom. They would bake together (especially parkin, a gingerbread cake traditionally made with oatmeal and black treacle, which is often associated with Yorkshire or Leeds, England), go to the beach in Whitby (where they lived), and also visit book shops. Her dad worked on oil rigs and spent a lot of time away from home, so Loveday and her Mom were especially close.
There are alternating time periods from when Loveday was nine and the present day, when Loveday is twenty-five. Loveday is very content in the pleasant and protective bubble of the book shop. She's had a couple of romantic relationships which crossed into sexual territory, but where the body progressed the communication/emotional aspect did not. For, Loveday holds tragic secrets of her childhood and there are sensitive firewalls distancing herself from others. She has a wonderful and loyal friendship with the shop owner Archie, a decent apartment and a job that she loves. However, when she was nine something happened to shatter her normal family life. As Loveday lives her new life in a new city she's guarded when it comes to personal questions of her childhood.
Then one day Nathan comes into the shop. A somewhat elegantly dressed cravat-wearing magician, Nathan invites Loveday to a nearby club for "Poetry Night." Nathan participates each Wednesday with a new and meaningful offering. What cannot easily be said in normal conversation sometimes can be less painfully communicated through the poetic art form. Will Loveday find the emotional strength to step up to the open mike and bare her soul through poetry? Will she ever be able to really trust anybody? You'll have to read this for yourself for the mystery to unfurl. I will only share that I was moved to tears by one particularly poignant Poetry Night which prompted me to add the 4th star to my rating!
July 17, 2019
I loved the bookshop and the frequent bookish references. I liked the main characters: Archie, prickly Loveday and Nathan. I liked the importance that books and poetry held in their lives.
I didn't need the buildup to Loveday's big secret - drumroll - her traumatic past. Her break with her mother didn't make sense. All of it seemed like an attempt to make the novel heavier than it needed to be and (for me) fell flat.
I didn't need the buildup to Loveday's big secret - drumroll - her traumatic past. Her break with her mother didn't make sense. All of it seemed like an attempt to make the novel heavier than it needed to be and (for me) fell flat.
June 22, 2018
What an enjoyable read! When I first read the summary and found out this story is about a bibliophile and takes place in a bookshop, I was immediately interested in reading it. I love “books about books” and with this one taking place in a bookshop, I anticipated that there would likely be plenty of references to various literary works. For me, as a book lover, part of the fun in reading these types of books is being able to recognize the literary references sprinkled throughout the story – of course, this one had plenty of references to books, but what set this apart from other “books about books” for me was the unique way in which some of these references were incorporated into the story: the main character Loveday Cardew, who works at the Lost for Words Bookshop, has some of her favorite quotes from books she has read tattooed on various parts of her body. It was interesting to see which quotes Loveday chose and the significance those words had for her.
Loveday is a wonderfully drawn character – flawed and broken after having endured unspeakable tragedy as a child, she was a loner who didn’t like interacting with people and instead, found comfort in the world she created for herself through books and a love of reading cultivated since childhood. She is quirky, sarcastic, unapologetic, and has a negative outlook on life due to what she endured many years ago, yet it was precisely these traits that made her such a realistic and endearing character. Having the entire narrative told from Loveday’s first person point of view worked really well with this book, as we got the chance to dive deep into her mindset and personality firsthand, which for me, also made it easier to connect with this character on an emotional level.
The other character I adored in this book was Archie, the owner of the bookshop who was eccentric and charming and larger-than-life in many ways, yet genuinely cared for Loveday and as a mentor as well as father figure, always had her best interests at heart. I loved the special bond that Archie and Loveday shared – their interactions and the way they bantered back and forth with each other always managed to put a smile on my face (which of course should come as no surprise that I cried real tears over the ending). The other supporting characters in the story (Nathan, Melodie, Rob, etc.) were also well-drawn – this is definitely a cast of characters that I won’t soon forget.
The character of Loveday reminded me of Eleanor in Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine while the bookshop setting, Archie, as well as the events that occur around the bookshop remind me of Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry . Both books were ones I read last year and absolutely adored! For me, this book was a worthwhile read that went deeper than I expected in terms of exploring important issues such as domestic violence, mental illness, love, resilience, social convention, childhood trauma, etc. yet managed to remain lighthearted and even uplifting. This is a well-written story, one that can be simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking (and will likely make you shed a few tears or two), but definitely highly recommended!
Received ARC from Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
Loveday is a wonderfully drawn character – flawed and broken after having endured unspeakable tragedy as a child, she was a loner who didn’t like interacting with people and instead, found comfort in the world she created for herself through books and a love of reading cultivated since childhood. She is quirky, sarcastic, unapologetic, and has a negative outlook on life due to what she endured many years ago, yet it was precisely these traits that made her such a realistic and endearing character. Having the entire narrative told from Loveday’s first person point of view worked really well with this book, as we got the chance to dive deep into her mindset and personality firsthand, which for me, also made it easier to connect with this character on an emotional level.
The other character I adored in this book was Archie, the owner of the bookshop who was eccentric and charming and larger-than-life in many ways, yet genuinely cared for Loveday and as a mentor as well as father figure, always had her best interests at heart. I loved the special bond that Archie and Loveday shared – their interactions and the way they bantered back and forth with each other always managed to put a smile on my face (which of course should come as no surprise that I cried real tears over the ending). The other supporting characters in the story (Nathan, Melodie, Rob, etc.) were also well-drawn – this is definitely a cast of characters that I won’t soon forget.
The character of Loveday reminded me of Eleanor in Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine while the bookshop setting, Archie, as well as the events that occur around the bookshop remind me of Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry . Both books were ones I read last year and absolutely adored! For me, this book was a worthwhile read that went deeper than I expected in terms of exploring important issues such as domestic violence, mental illness, love, resilience, social convention, childhood trauma, etc. yet managed to remain lighthearted and even uplifting. This is a well-written story, one that can be simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking (and will likely make you shed a few tears or two), but definitely highly recommended!
Received ARC from Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.
August 5, 2018
The
“Books are our best lovers and our most provoking friends.”
*Poetry*
Loveday Cardew has worked at The Lost for Words Bookshop since she was 15. Now a young woman she bears her tattoos and nose piercing as a shield. Her sarcastic laced tongue serves as her sword. She doesn’t care to fit into anyone’s box. Her best friends are her beloved books and her family consists of the avuncular book shop owner, Archie. Although Loveday keeps a journal of her poetry she doesn’t trust anyone to share her thoughts.
That is until one fateful day when she finds a book of poetry in the road. A bibliophile at heart she can’t abandon a friend. She rescues the book and posts an advertisement in the front window of The Lost for Words Bookshop which brings the handsome Nathaniel Avebury to her door.
*History*
But Loveday is not an easy egg to crack. She has built up this hard exterior over time and is cynical with good reason. Will she be able to let down her guard? Or will any chance at love and happiness evade her.
*Crime*
Certainly Loveday must come to terms with her past. Ultimately she must allow herself to forgive.
“The first lines did not define the last pages in real life the way they did in books.”
Special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Stephanie Butland for receiving an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
*Poetry*
Books Behave by Loveday Cardew
I like books cause they don’t care if your knickers match your bra
If you’ve washed your hair.
I like books cause they don’t invade your space
They don’t get in your face.
I like books cause they don’t mind
What your heart contains
Who you’ve left behind.
I like a book cause it doesn’t give a shit
When you get to the end what you think of it.
Books don’t care if you’ve got a degree
What you watch on TV.
Books don’t judge if you’ve got tattoos
If your friends are few.
I like books cause they don’t care.
Loveday Cardew has worked at The Lost for Words Bookshop since she was 15. Now a young woman she bears her tattoos and nose piercing as a shield. Her sarcastic laced tongue serves as her sword. She doesn’t care to fit into anyone’s box. Her best friends are her beloved books and her family consists of the avuncular book shop owner, Archie. Although Loveday keeps a journal of her poetry she doesn’t trust anyone to share her thoughts.
That is until one fateful day when she finds a book of poetry in the road. A bibliophile at heart she can’t abandon a friend. She rescues the book and posts an advertisement in the front window of The Lost for Words Bookshop which brings the handsome Nathaniel Avebury to her door.
*History*
But Loveday is not an easy egg to crack. She has built up this hard exterior over time and is cynical with good reason. Will she be able to let down her guard? Or will any chance at love and happiness evade her.
*Crime*
Certainly Loveday must come to terms with her past. Ultimately she must allow herself to forgive.
“The first lines did not define the last pages in real life the way they did in books.”
Special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Stephanie Butland for receiving an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2018
DNF at 30%. I received this book from NetGalley, so thanks to them and the publisher. The blurb seemed cute and it was taking place in a book shop. Who doesn’t like stories in a book shop, right? Unfortunately, this book joined the trend of having a protagonist, who suffered from domestic violence and dealing with the effects of it in her current life. The blurb doesn’t mention this. It was along the lines of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. I was not a fan of that book either. I personally don’t find it heart warming to read about someone’s difficulties dealing with the world, until someone comes to the rescue and changes everything. I also don’t find it realistic. So, sadly I DNF’ed this book around the 30% mark. If you like these type of stories and if you liked Eleanor Oliphant’s story, you might like it.
September 19, 2019
I loved this book. I have to thank Goodreads friend (artist) Laura for letting me know about the book and pushing the book and its narrator at me! She was right that it is a “Lisa book” and I’m glad that I read it. I’m waiting for so many books and it was only because I was in-between books that I decided to try it. I’m so glad that I did. I found it to be a lovely, amusing, sobering, emotional, powerful, heartwarming, and engaging book. I couldn’t give it less than 5 stars.
I simultaneously read a Kindle e-book edition (there was a wait for the hardcover edition) and an Overdrive audio book edition, both borrowed from the library. I occasionally love reading this was and this narrator is outstanding. I was irked though because the words did not match in the two editions. I love it when the words in all editions are identical. In this case not only were certain words changed but occasionally a few sentences in a row and even paragraphs were left out of the audio. Also, quite a few individual words were changed. This book had more discrepancies than any other I’ve read. It was shocking really. I don’t know if the changes were between the audio and paper editions or between the Kindle and the paper edition. I think all editions of books should have identical words. Some do but I’ve found out not all. I’m glad I read the book exactly as I did because at least I was able to read both versions and not worry that I had missed something. I loved the audio book narration and I know I enjoyed the book more than if I’d been reading only audio or only paper. The narration for this book was fantastic! She was perfect for Loveday’s voice but excellent for all of the book.
I’ve read only a few Kindle editions and once I figured it out was able to enjoy simple clicking to go from page number of total pages, %age of time left in the chapter, and %age of time left in the book. I generally stayed with page numbers but the other two options were helpful several times.
Once I got into the book I was at loathe to put it down and finished it in 4 days, and spent more time than I should have reading.
I really loved Loveday (Loveday Jenna AKA L.J.), Archie, Nathan, and a few other characters. Even the ones I didn’t love or who were unlikeable all were interesting and people I could somewhat empathize with. I was always eager to keep reading to see what would happen. One thing was obvious but a few weren’t and I was very surprised by one event.
I loved all the many literary references and loved how much Loveday read and how much she thought about books. I am not a fan of tattoos but I really liked hers, for their meaning vs. their artistry.
I thoroughly enjoyed the humor. There was much more than I’d expected and it was brilliant. In a way it was my favorite part of the book, even though I enjoyed the entire story including the serious parts. This author deeply understands children, and how people react to childhood trauma, childhood shock, foster kids, parental loss in childhood, and emotions of children who’ve been damaged by adverse circumstances.
I loved the few English settings though I wish even more about them was there. Given the way the main character lived her life I wouldn’t expect the places to be described the way a tourist might view them so I also kind of liked the subtle flavor of York and also the more detailed description of the areas near the sea. The way every place was described did make sense to me.
This is a highly quotable book and I’ll probably like more quotes from it. Some I’ve noted so far are:
“I reminded myself that a beginning and an ending are two different places, and, in real life, you might be able to make your own ending, whatever had gone before.”
“But you say it “in-TREE-ging”, LJ, not “in-trig-you-ing”.’ I said it back to her, ‘In-TREE-ging.’ (Okay, this is a problem with books. But the only one.)”
“It's good to be reminded that the world is full of stories that are, potentially, at least as painful as yours.”
“there was a big old shocked space in my head where the thoughts ought to be”
I like some others on the list too. It worries me when I see 0 liked when at least I’ve liked them:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes...
Even though painful at times this was a comfort read for me.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books about books, books about foster kids/orphans, books that are coming of age stories, books with quirky characters, and those who enjoy acerbic, witty, sarcastic humor.
The author did her research too. The Kindle edition has a short interview with the author and some discussion questions and an interesting acknowledgements section.
I simultaneously read a Kindle e-book edition (there was a wait for the hardcover edition) and an Overdrive audio book edition, both borrowed from the library. I occasionally love reading this was and this narrator is outstanding. I was irked though because the words did not match in the two editions. I love it when the words in all editions are identical. In this case not only were certain words changed but occasionally a few sentences in a row and even paragraphs were left out of the audio. Also, quite a few individual words were changed. This book had more discrepancies than any other I’ve read. It was shocking really. I don’t know if the changes were between the audio and paper editions or between the Kindle and the paper edition. I think all editions of books should have identical words. Some do but I’ve found out not all. I’m glad I read the book exactly as I did because at least I was able to read both versions and not worry that I had missed something. I loved the audio book narration and I know I enjoyed the book more than if I’d been reading only audio or only paper. The narration for this book was fantastic! She was perfect for Loveday’s voice but excellent for all of the book.
I’ve read only a few Kindle editions and once I figured it out was able to enjoy simple clicking to go from page number of total pages, %age of time left in the chapter, and %age of time left in the book. I generally stayed with page numbers but the other two options were helpful several times.
Once I got into the book I was at loathe to put it down and finished it in 4 days, and spent more time than I should have reading.
I really loved Loveday (Loveday Jenna AKA L.J.), Archie, Nathan, and a few other characters. Even the ones I didn’t love or who were unlikeable all were interesting and people I could somewhat empathize with. I was always eager to keep reading to see what would happen. One thing was obvious but a few weren’t and I was very surprised by one event.
I loved all the many literary references and loved how much Loveday read and how much she thought about books. I am not a fan of tattoos but I really liked hers, for their meaning vs. their artistry.
I thoroughly enjoyed the humor. There was much more than I’d expected and it was brilliant. In a way it was my favorite part of the book, even though I enjoyed the entire story including the serious parts. This author deeply understands children, and how people react to childhood trauma, childhood shock, foster kids, parental loss in childhood, and emotions of children who’ve been damaged by adverse circumstances.
I loved the few English settings though I wish even more about them was there. Given the way the main character lived her life I wouldn’t expect the places to be described the way a tourist might view them so I also kind of liked the subtle flavor of York and also the more detailed description of the areas near the sea. The way every place was described did make sense to me.
This is a highly quotable book and I’ll probably like more quotes from it. Some I’ve noted so far are:
“I reminded myself that a beginning and an ending are two different places, and, in real life, you might be able to make your own ending, whatever had gone before.”
“But you say it “in-TREE-ging”, LJ, not “in-trig-you-ing”.’ I said it back to her, ‘In-TREE-ging.’ (Okay, this is a problem with books. But the only one.)”
“It's good to be reminded that the world is full of stories that are, potentially, at least as painful as yours.”
“there was a big old shocked space in my head where the thoughts ought to be”
I like some others on the list too. It worries me when I see 0 liked when at least I’ve liked them:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes...
Even though painful at times this was a comfort read for me.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books about books, books about foster kids/orphans, books that are coming of age stories, books with quirky characters, and those who enjoy acerbic, witty, sarcastic humor.
The author did her research too. The Kindle edition has a short interview with the author and some discussion questions and an interesting acknowledgements section.
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