[Asis’ Review] The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey

The Library of Lost Things
by Laura Taylor Namey
Pages: 384
Published by Inkyard Press
Release Date: October 8th 2019
Genres: YA, Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC, eBook
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From the moment she first learned to read, literary genius Darcy Wells has spent most of her time living in the worlds of her books. There, she can avoid the crushing reality of her mother’s hoarding and pretend her life is simply ordinary. But when a new property manager becomes more active in the upkeep of their apartment complex, the only home Darcy has ever known outside of her books suddenly hangs in the balance.

While Darcy is struggling to survive beneath the weight of her mother’s compulsive shopping, Asher Fleet, a former teen pilot with an unexpectedly shattered future, walks into the bookstore where she works…and straight into her heart. For the first time in her life, Darcy can’t seem to find the right words. Fairy tales are one thing, but real love makes her want to hide inside her carefully constructed ink-and-paper bomb shelter.

Still, after spending her whole life keeping people out, something about Asher makes Darcy want to open up. But securing her own happily-ever-after will mean she’ll need to stop hiding and start living her own truth—even if it’s messy.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book CW: Hoarding, abandonment

The quotes used on this Review were taken from the ARC and may change after publication.

This story as a whole brought me back to these old typical YA contemporaries I used to read in High School all the time, and that made me feel really nostalgic and happy.

As every good true YA contemporary, this one didn’t stay behind in regards to character names. Our main heroine’s name is Darcy. DARCY. Yes, in honor of THAT Darcy. It’s so cute and ridiculous and I just LOVED that name for her.

And speaking of Darcy, I want to just say, she was a magnificent main character. I can’t even emphasize how much I related to her… in so many aspects of her life, her personality and the way her mind worked.

As for Asher, he was an amazing individual to read, so interesting and dimensional and incredibly real. I couldn’t get enough of him. He was SO SO sweet and funny and all the things Darcy falls for in him are things that the reader falls for too.

The love story was so pure and sweet and SO CUTE. I loved it. It had a great build-up, we get to see them know each other and form this incredible team and friendship and I was there just shipping them SO HARD. They are an amazing couple and they truly were made for each other, we get to see them get better with each other’s help and I absolutely adored their dynamic.

Darcy and Asher’s friends were all characters super endearing, and they were also truly realistic, they really felt like regular high-school teenagers and the same goes for the dynamic of the group. I also really liked Marisol’s friendship with Darcy. It was so nice to read such a strong, realistic and supportive bond between the two girls that took such a huge part in the story. And I loved reading so much Spanish and seeing so much Mexican food in a YA book, that’s always just a very personal treat for me.

This book touched a lot on the topic of mental illness and family issues. I really liked how realistic it all seemed, how much I could relate to a lot of these things and how it all came together at the end.

The way books are talked about, and the role they play in this novel was just the cherry on top of the cake. I loved how Darcy used character’s experiences to know how to act in different situations. She had so much passion and love for words, for stories and books… and the reader can feel that through the pages. That is something that will make the heart of any bookworm out there become one with this story.

Also, fans of Peter Pan, you want to read this book. I don’t want to ruin all the beautiful things it has but Peter Pan it’s a story that plays a huge part in so many ways here and that just made me love the book SO MUCH MORE.

There’s something to be said about the author’s writing as well. It flowed flawlessly throughout the book and every word coming out of her pen completely absorbed me into it. It was an amazing debut and I am 100% going to be waiting for her next work.

FYI, THERE IS A PREORDER CAMPAIGN WHERE YOU CAN GET A TON OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS AND BELIEVE ME, YOU’LL REGRET NOT DOING THIS ONCE YOU READ THE BOOK. GO HERE TO ENTER.