All libraries are magical. Some libraries are more magical than others.
For Alex Reed, the world is an awkward place and books are her only escape. But when she is selected by a mysterious library to be its new Keeper she discovers that some books can be a lot of work.
Now Alex must balance her new adventures with the incomparable obstacles of being an anxiety-riddled teenager. All this would be completely doable, if only Hank would do as he was told.
4 stars - English Ebook - 🦋🦋🦋 **** I grew afraid. It was dark now, and the Street lamps switched on. I was about to start for home when I noticed something on the pavement. It was a business Card, white, clean, and new. I bent down to pick it up. Fis Second Hand Books. Opening hours : spring showers and Summer snow Storms. **** While reading this book we get into the secret life of a keeper of a libary. She works with a Lady gorilla Laberian and gets in en out of the libary true a first addition of Alice in wonderland. I liked the book. 🌹🌹🌹
As a therapist that does a lot of work with young people with anxiety I very much enjoyed reading about Alex and her Hank. Alex stumbles into The Library where she finds that she’s the new Keeper of books. The book was well written and an easy read. Kept my interest and I read it in less than a day. Good palate cleanser between heavier books. Look forward to reading the next in the series and definitely will recommend to the youth I work with that struggle with anxiety.
Enjoyed the story. The story is about Alex who has serious anxiety issues when she is in her normal school. She gets a book which acts as a portal to another world. The story is about how she overcomes her fear and helps the others in the other world. Lovely world building and very interesting and simple premise.
“All libraries are magical. Some libraries are more magical than others.”
Wow. If the series title weren’t already enough to intrigue me.. a magical library?!? Hell yes, sign me up!
This book is a YA fantasy-loving bibliophiles’ dream. The characters are compelling and have dimension. I love the world-building, the lore, humour, and the magic system. And I ADORE the Scottish gorilla librarian and the concept of Hank — Alex’s anxiety personified as a hedgehog.
The book also deals with themes of social anxiety and teenage struggles in a way that feels genuine. I’ve read so many fiction books that try to look at coming-of-age paired with depression and/or anxiety that miss the mark. However, this was spot on. As someone who struggled a lot with social anxiety in my teenage years, Alex and Hank are so relatable. Some of the troubles Alex faces in real world bought up quite a few feelings of nostalgia for me.
I highly recommend this book! It is certainly a must read if you have anxiety.
This was a very quick, cute read! As a teenager with anxiety, books have always been Alex's only escape. But when she buys a book from a mysterious disappearing bookstore, this may become more literal than she ever thought possible. All libraries are magical. Some are just more magical than others. One of the highlights of the book for me was Alex herself. It was interesting to see how her anxiety affected her daily life and her relationships, and I loved how she was a generally selfless person but her anxiety made it hard for her to see past her own needs. That felt very realistic and true to life. Her arc of learning to push past her nerves when it was important and to not let her anxiety control her life was well done, and she's definitely a character I'd love to read more about. However, the writing was a bit rough-there were multiple times I was pulled out of the story by a clunky phrasing or odd word choice, and it hit on one of my personal peeves, which is not using contractions in dialogue (No one says "We are going to the store." They'd say "We're going to the store"). This bothered me a lot. That said, the concept of this book was awesome. Magical libraries are a book-lover's dream, so it was really fun to learn about that with Alex. I also appreciated that the book's plot itself was wrapped up fairly well, so even though there were untapped mysteries to explore in future books, the ending was satifying. Although I wish that some of the aforementioned untapped mysteries had been tapped a little more this book. I felt a like a lot of the more interesting aspects of the story were being neglected. I want to know where the library comes from, how it actually works, what's going on with Darcy, what happened to that one fairy . . . basically everything except the plot with Elaine. Not that the plot with Elain wasn't good, it just wasn't what I wanted to read. This was probably just me. This was still a cute, fun read, and I'll be reading the sequel for Alex if nothing else. Here's hoping the writing style improves over time, and that I get some of my questions answered. :)
I really wanted to love this book. Being an avid reader, I love the idea of magical libraries and travelling through books.
With that said, it quickly became a "read to finish the book" rather than a "read to know how the story unfolds".
I almost stopped reading at only 3% when I read: "It's kind of embarrassing, tbh." It may be a young adult book, but it's still a book. Words should still be spelled out imho. I also almost stopped reading at 4% when the author outright insulted a lot of people, myself included, with this line.
Like any worthwhile human being I had already read the series many times
I don't re-read books usually so maybe that doesn't make me a worthwhile human being.
Overall, I think this book is not fleshed out. I wouldn't be able to tell you the plot of the story. The action is quite fragmented with often weird transitions. A few times I wondered if I skipped pages somehow. It needs a lot more editing. I was also very put off when things were pointed out but not explained. You'll either understand why or you won't. Because reasons. It's a long story. I don't see how I can get to know or even get attached to a character who won't explain what seems like important details.
I think this book has potential for a re-write, but the language used completely threw me off. That would be super cringe.
This is the kind of series I would wish upon every young girl in the world.
For real.
I'm currently writing a paper on the "other" spaces young female protagonists fall into in fantasy fiction, and was super lucky to come across this novel and all the wonderful beings that inhabit it. Every single character in this book felt as though they had been truly fleshed out, from the protagonist Alex to little goblin Gorm, and I often found myself more and more immersed in both Alex's world and Elaine's (and Darcy's and Lilly's and Mr O'Connor's and, well, I could go on and on). I typically refer to myself as an ex-avid reader, but I finished this novel in a day (I can not stress how impressive this is for me, lol)!
That isn't to say it's a novel for girls, because it's truly a story everyone could enjoy, but as a girl myself I so, *so* wish I had been able to read this when I was younger and facing similar hardships to Alex (I wholeheartedly agree with the review below me - Alex's anxiety struggle is *real*, hahah). I can't imagine how empowered this book would have made me feel then, considering I put this book down last week and felt so inspired I wrote half my paper that day!
I'm buying a physical copy and pre-ordering the second book ASAP. I honestly can't recommend this magic book enough.
*Source* Amazon *Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy *Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
J.C. Gilbert's The Secret Library is the first installment in the authors The Secret Library series. Protagonist Alexandria Reed has serious anxiety issues. In fact, she named her anxiety Hank the hedgehog and he lives in her heart. She can't even get up in front of class to do a presentation without Hank making noise. For Alex, reading is her escape and her coping mechanism. She can escape from all the thoughts and feelings associated with being a totally awkward human being. She also loves libraries.
I would probably have given it a slighty higher ranking of there weren't as many typos and grammatical errors. That being said, I enjoyed it at first. I found Alex to be very similar to myself, if I were from Gen Z instead of a millennial. But, after a while, I found her annoying and the story sort of dragged on.
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Alex has crippling anxiety and has always used books as a coping mechanism, then one rainy day she discovers a book shop that disappeared when the rain stopped. She goes in the next time it appears thanks to another rainy day and searches for her favorite book. Alice in wonderland, she finds what appears to be a original copy and finds it only has a price tag of two dollars. So of course she bought it, fighting with 'hank' her self named anxiety hedgehog the entire time. When she starts reading she gets more than she bargained for... Falling into the library and meeting the librarian, a huge gorilla who tells her that she is the next keeper of the library. This book is a cute, quick read and suitable for all ages. The character development of Alex is really good, you experience the anxiety with her and I love that she learns to overcome it through the adventures in the books aka worlds she visits. I would have liked more development into Lilly and Darcy in her real world but I am sure that will continue in the next book. This is a very good first book to an interesting series and as a fellow book lover the idea that the books are actually the lives and worlds of the universe was very appealing. I received an arc for my honest opinion and I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book.
Alex is a relatable character suffering from her anxiety with whom is named Hank. Her fear of public speaking is something many of us can understand. Her life takes an interesting turn when she becomes the keeper of a magical library. Throughout her journey she learns more about herself and is able to overcomes some of her fears. Looking forward to see what comes next.
I wanted so much to love this book. I really did. I've thoroughly enjoyed a lot of YA fantasy tales in the past, and was sure this one would be in the same vein.
Don't get me wrong; I liked the main character well enough. Alex is an introverted bookworm, much like I was in school. She's chosen to be the new Keeper for the library, meaning that she has to go into books and make corrections ... and sometimes the books she finds may be about people she knows.
And here, sadly, is where things go a little south for me. I loved Jasper Fforde's books, like The Eyre Affair, which have the same basic premise. Unlike Fforde, though, these books don't really contain surprising information. It's clear when the villain is pretending to be someone good, for example.
At the end of the day, it was just okay ... and that's unfortunate, because the concept had a lot of potential.
Such a great concept to have a main character with anxiety. I know I would have related to her when I was younger. I'm sure a lot of younger readers can relate too. And who wouldn't want their own magic library? One thing I loved about this book was comment that anxiety gets easier to deal with as you get older. It's good for children/teens to know to this.
Totally unique and unusual! I'm a definite bibliophile and this book called to me (inside pun)! It's so unlike anything else I've read and the possibilities are endless in the world the author has created. Alex is the new keeper of a strange library that holds every story. This means she can travel to just about any world ever created. This book explains how she gets that new role and the danger it can bring. I'll definitely be looking out for the next book and seeing how she manages with the fallout from this book, and learning more about the mysterious Darcy.
First things first.... Look at that cover. What a beauty. The story is equally beautiful written. The Library with its heat and all the different lands in it. I would love to visit there. Alex is battling anxiety and it is good to see how books can help and teach you to become stronger. Can't wait where book 2 is taking Alex and to find out more about the mysterious Darcy.
This was the first time I was reading fantasy (other than Harry Potter) and I have to say I was not disappointed at all. This is an amazing read. Not once did I want to put it down. The story follows Alex who has terrible anxiety (who she has named Hank) and has just one friend, Lilly. Hank does not let her do anything at all. Her only escape from the world is books. One day she finds a magical bookstore and buys a book from there only to find that the book is a portal to a magical library. The book then follows her adventures in the Library and how these transform her and she finally gets control of her anxiety. The book describes the feeling of anxiety so well. I loved every part of the book.
I loved this book! I think it’s a great read for 5th grade on especially. The characters are interesting and I love how the topic of anxiety was handled. I will add more when I have access to a computer!
*Edit* So a quarter of the way through the book I realized that Gilbert's writing reminded me of Madeleine L'Engle and that is some of the highest praise in my opinion. The way he merged fantasy with some deep concepts. I also just loved how he handles and describes anxiety and depression, he writes in a way that makes me feel comforted, because someone else understands. This quote specifically: “Sometimes when I’m really upset I just sort of freeze. Like inside and out. I lie awake and just wait for time to be over. Sometimes I think that I don't really exist, or if I do exist that I don't have any free will. I imagine what it is like to not be able to move and then I do that.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone has always said that books can take you places. But for Alex, a book loving girl with terrible anxiety, this saying takes on a new meaning.
After finding a vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland, Alex quickly learners that by reading this book, she is transported to a great library that houses all the stories of the universe where she has become The Keeper.
This book is a book lovers dream! Falling into a book and being able to interact with the characters? Where can I sign up for that? 😉
Also as a librarian who suffers from anxiety, being able to see how Alex grows and learns to handle “Hank” warmed my heart and reminded me of my growth as a child. (I’m thinking of naming my anxiety as well!)
So excited for book 2!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A fantastic read. Alex gets discovered to be the libary keeper. This book pulls you into a magical world that keeps you inthralled through the whole read. I felt like I was right there with her. I could visually see myself there, the scenes are written very well. If you love the fantasy world this is the read for you. Shauna Joesten
Quick easy read. I really like the idea of being a keeper for a library. It's written in a pretty simple writing style and no romantic situations whatsoever so it is a good read for any age and a really good pallet cleanser. Very interested to see what happens in book two.
I really liked this book. It follows the life of Alex, a socially awkward teen girl with anxiety. All Alex wants is to be left alone to read and escape the real world. With the aid of a rare book from a mysterious bookstore, Alex is transported to a magical library where she learns she is the new Keeper. This library takes escaping the real world to a new level. As the new Keeper, Alex is able to transport into almost any book ever written. She must be careful for her actions can alter the story and change things forever. I look forward to reading the next book in this series!
This book is so good I really got into it. Each character like Alex or The Librarian the Gorilla or Lilly and Darcy was written spectacular. Very vivid i loved it alot
I attempted to read the book. But it was mostly references to other books and such. I love ya fantasy and will put up with a lot of craziness but this was too much. I couldn't like it. On the plus side, the cover art is amazing.
I gave up on this book due to the terrible grammar and spelling mistakes. it may have been on purpose, meaning to convey something about the narrator but, if so,it was inconsistent and distracting. I didn't care enough about the narrator or her life to want to read any more.
4,25 stars- English Ebook I thoroughly enjoyed it very much. This is story about a girl named Alex and Hank. This story truly discribes everything about a person who suffer from anxiety. Also it's a bibliophile dream to work in a library because they are magical , they are portal to another world . But what happen when this became real, a real magical library came into existence and Alex is it's keeper who sucked into through a book . Like books title Alice in wonderland this story also has a touch of Alice story . Both go on to their own adventure to different world where they encounter unique things. Down the rabbit hole.
First of all : the main character, Alex. What a joy to finally meet someone who is more disturbed than I am. Even if she is fictional. Very refreshing.
J.C. Gilbert is a majorly talented author, his story is filled with adventure and excitement. Also, the entire novel is brimming with humor.
And I love, love, LOVE all the Doctor Who references. Did I mention I love them ? Well, I do. Love them. Very much so.
I am SO going to read everything this man will ever write. Maybe even his grocery lists. Who knows how entertaining they will be?
Do you love books so much that you want to read a book about reading books? Then this is what you need to pick up next. A New Keeper is a young adult fiction novel about a girl who feels out of place in a world filled with anxiety. She has only one friend, and although that's great, she daydreams about what it would be like to have a group of friends to have around. She names her anxiety Hank, and she learns a valuable lesson to anyone struggling with it in this book.