Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Last Library

"This was one of her favorite parts of the day, before Marjorie and the patrons turned up, when it was just her and seven thousand books for company. She liked to walk around the room, breathing in the heavy, still air, and sometimes when she closed her eyes, June imagined she could hear the books whispering their stories to one another."

I absolutely ADORED The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson. This debut novel was brilliant and was like a big hug at the end of the day that made me smile and cry profusely. Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy!

June Jones is 30 and working as a library assistant at Chalcot Library, the same library where her mother was a well-known librarian. After her mother passed a few years prior, June has been in a rut. She once had dreams of leaving town, going to university, and becoming a writer and full-time librarian, but they never panned out. Now, Chalcot Library is being threatened with closure by the local council, and June finally has a chance to speak up and make a difference in her life.

This book features a cast of quirky and eclectic characters that will steal your heart. It emphasizes how special and unique libraries are and made me think of my own early memories of visiting the local library with my grandpa. That's why I connected so much with the character of Stanley! (I'm not crying).

After loving this debut, I am SO EXCITED for Freya's next book, The Lost Ticket, coming this August 30! (Just in time for my birthday!)

Content Warnings

mikaelaandherbooks's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I'm surprised I haven't seen more reviews address this, but first, this is not a romance book. I would categorize it more as contemporary fiction. There is a very small romance plot, but the majority of the book focuses on saving the library and a really nice found family trope. It was slow to begin with and I didn't find June Jones to be a very lovable main character. I found myself screaming at June to stop letting people walk over her so much throughout the first third to half of the book. I was much more interested in the side characters and what would happen to them. With that said, the ending really wrapped this story up nicely.

Content Warnings