The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey

☆☆☆☆
ebook, 384 pages
Published October 8th 2019 by Harlequin Teen and Inkyard Press
About the Book:
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.

Words have power. Sure, they wielded a different kind of power than guns or knives, but just one word could build or destroy. It could trick and wound and shame.
I don't know how Laura Taylor Namey did it, but she managed to create a world that captured this readers heart. There were so many reasons to love this story. Darcy is an honest and vulnerable gal. Asher is her total equal in both of those respects. Together they begin as two beautifully endearing kids and grow into interesting and admirable adults. What starts out as a relationship of innocence and first love turns into a beautifully emotional and lasting bond.

Something I have always known, but this story helped cement it in my mind, is everyone has a story and things happening in their lives. We are always quick to judge when someone is aloof or shy or doesn’t smile or does or says something different than what we expect. But we need to stop and look closer at our fellow human beings and “walk a mile in their shoes.”

This is one of those special books that makes you wish every read was the first time. A book that makes you stay up way too late because you don't want to put it down, and keeps you thinking about it long after you've finished. I had it on good authority that I would enjoy this book, even though it was YA, but I didn't know how much this book would give me all the feels. I cannot recommend this enough. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be glad you did.

Thank you NetGalley, Laura Taylor Namey, Harlequin Teen and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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