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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
A new way of looking at magic and the power it has over us. A beautiful, tense, intertwining story of lost and found things and how not every loss is a bad thing....and how some found things should never be found.
In Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle, a small town's annual bonfire is the catalyst for some very unusual occurrences.
A meandering tale with chapters alternating between three points of view, the novel has a unique premise that, unfortunately, quickly becomes repetitious and lacks any type of forward progress. The many soundalike names (Olive, Rose, Ivy, Hazel, Rowan, Laurel, Holly, Ash, etc) make is virtually impossible to tell the characters apart. The chapters are narrated in first person and with the exception of Olive, the voices are so similar, it is impossible to tell them apart. Much of the supporting cast is also somewhat bland with little to distinguish them from the others.
Olive is one of the few voices that is distinct and easy to follow. Her family is also unique and their interactions are truly delightful and incredibly enjoyable. Olive's friendship with Rose (who is rather distinctive) is quite heartwarming and their text messages are hysterical. Olive's sister Emily is also a breath of fresh air and she is wise beyond her years.
Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle's does have some unexpected plot twists and a wonderfully diverse cast of characters. However, readers will need plenty of patience as they work their way through this convoluted, incredibly slow-paced young adult novel.
A meandering tale with chapters alternating between three points of view, the novel has a unique premise that, unfortunately, quickly becomes repetitious and lacks any type of forward progress. The many soundalike names (Olive, Rose, Ivy, Hazel, Rowan, Laurel, Holly, Ash, etc) make is virtually impossible to tell the characters apart. The chapters are narrated in first person and with the exception of Olive, the voices are so similar, it is impossible to tell them apart. Much of the supporting cast is also somewhat bland with little to distinguish them from the others.
Olive is one of the few voices that is distinct and easy to follow. Her family is also unique and their interactions are truly delightful and incredibly enjoyable. Olive's friendship with Rose (who is rather distinctive) is quite heartwarming and their text messages are hysterical. Olive's sister Emily is also a breath of fresh air and she is wise beyond her years.
Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle's does have some unexpected plot twists and a wonderfully diverse cast of characters. However, readers will need plenty of patience as they work their way through this convoluted, incredibly slow-paced young adult novel.
I think if I'd had more time I'd have enjoyed it more. It was a complex plot with lots of characters so was hard to dip in and out of which is how I've been reading recently.
There were lots of good themes covered, secrets, consent, family etc and the characters were incredibly diverse and realistic.
The plot as I said is complex with many layers and told from 3 perspectives with 8 main characters which makes it hard to keep track of what is going on. There are a few twists and everything knits together at the end to leave you with a warm feeling.
Overall a good read, but to fully appreciate it I think you need at least an hour a day to read and digest it, not ten minutes here and there.
There were lots of good themes covered, secrets, consent, family etc and the characters were incredibly diverse and realistic.
The plot as I said is complex with many layers and told from 3 perspectives with 8 main characters which makes it hard to keep track of what is going on. There are a few twists and everything knits together at the end to leave you with a warm feeling.
Overall a good read, but to fully appreciate it I think you need at least an hour a day to read and digest it, not ten minutes here and there.
I can't help but feel that timing can sometimes play a role in how much I enjoy (or don't enjoy) a book. That was definitely the case with this one. After a long summer of librarianing, I wanted an exciting read - not a book that would require patience and reader fortitude.
Unfortunately, I gave up around chapter 6. This was incredibly slow moving. The premise hooked me but said premise was not yet really being explored by chapter 6. The alternating character chapters didn't do the lack of character development any favors. I found myself a bit confused and more than a little bored while trying to reach any kind of action in the plot.
With a pile of over a dozen other books vying for my attention, I ultimately decided not to finish reading. Perhaps someone with a lengthier attention span would appreciate it.
Unfortunately, I gave up around chapter 6. This was incredibly slow moving. The premise hooked me but said premise was not yet really being explored by chapter 6. The alternating character chapters didn't do the lack of character development any favors. I found myself a bit confused and more than a little bored while trying to reach any kind of action in the plot.
With a pile of over a dozen other books vying for my attention, I ultimately decided not to finish reading. Perhaps someone with a lengthier attention span would appreciate it.
**i received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
I have mixed feelings about this book. I really loved the writing style and descriptions; the book had a very lovely flow with very lovely word choices. I also enjoy magical realism and this book was teeming with it. However, I vehemently disliked almost every character in this book. For starters, it’s a big pet peeve of mine when people mess with shit they don’t understand for stupid, selfish reasons. If something warns you that you’ll have to make a sacrifice that you don’t get to choose, then don’t. mess. with. it. Olive and Hazel were both supremely annoying, I felt mostly indifferent to Rose, Rowan and Ivy. The only person I really liked was Olive’s Dad. I did like the plot twist at the end, though I guessed it long before it was revealed. Overall I give it three stars because I loved the writing and the general premise, but I can’t bring myself to give it more stars because the characters were just so annoying I swear I saw the back of my own skull rolling my eyes so hard.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I really loved the writing style and descriptions; the book had a very lovely flow with very lovely word choices. I also enjoy magical realism and this book was teeming with it. However, I vehemently disliked almost every character in this book. For starters, it’s a big pet peeve of mine when people mess with shit they don’t understand for stupid, selfish reasons. If something warns you that you’ll have to make a sacrifice that you don’t get to choose, then don’t. mess. with. it. Olive and Hazel were both supremely annoying, I felt mostly indifferent to Rose, Rowan and Ivy. The only person I really liked was Olive’s Dad. I did like the plot twist at the end, though I guessed it long before it was revealed. Overall I give it three stars because I loved the writing and the general premise, but I can’t bring myself to give it more stars because the characters were just so annoying I swear I saw the back of my own skull rolling my eyes so hard.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I absolutely love the witchy vibe (should've read this one in October) and the overall atmosphere. What lost me more than once was the sheer number of characters and POVs. I tend to be iffy on POV books because like this one they can quickly feel muddled and confusing. I had to re-read some chapters to really make sure I had not missed anything, and even then, when the book came to a close, I felt like things were missing. While it was a fun read perfect for these colder autumn months, I wish it had been a little easier to follow because I think I would've enjoyed the process of reading it more.
Spellbook of the Lost and Found had a gorgeous cover that made me want to find out more about the book. When I realized it was written by the author of The Accident Season, I was stoked. I loved The Accident Season despite all of its weirdness and I hoped this book would be just as enchanting.
I actually feel a little bad for the author because I don’t remember The Accident Season getting a lot of positive reviews when it came out and neither did Spellbook of the Lost and Found. And it’s not because they aren’t good, but more because they are weird and different and involve a certain style of writing and magical realism.
I loved Spellbook of the Lost and Found. It was enchanting from the very first page. Things started to go missing after 3 girls decide to perform a spell found in the spellbook. Then, the book made it’s way into Olive’s hands, who wanted to get back the things her and her friends lost.
The book is perfect for fans of the writing of Maggie Stiefvater and Nova Ren Suma. Like their books, this one was slow, character based, dealt with a strange bit of magic in a world otherwise resembling our own, and was a tad hard to figure out. It was told from multiple POVs and though it was difficult to piece together what was going on, it eventually came together in a satisfying way.
The book isn’t for people who prefer an in-your-face adventure with up front action because things do unwind slowly, but I felt captivated from the beginning and loved the pace. It is great for fans of YA books that deal with friendships and also a bit of diversity, as most of the characters were not exactly straight. I liked that it had a bit of LGBT aspects, but that it wasn’t the main focus or the point of the book, nor were any characters stereotyped. It felt natural and didn’t necessarily need to be constantly commented about, nor was it hidden or out of focus, either.
I loved Spellbook of the Lost and Found and I can’t wait to see what else the author writes in the future! While I’d normally rate it 4 or 4.5 stars, I decided to bump it up to 5 since I enjoyed it a lot and the book does have some low ratings from people who just don’t like magical realism.
I actually feel a little bad for the author because I don’t remember The Accident Season getting a lot of positive reviews when it came out and neither did Spellbook of the Lost and Found. And it’s not because they aren’t good, but more because they are weird and different and involve a certain style of writing and magical realism.
I loved Spellbook of the Lost and Found. It was enchanting from the very first page. Things started to go missing after 3 girls decide to perform a spell found in the spellbook. Then, the book made it’s way into Olive’s hands, who wanted to get back the things her and her friends lost.
The book is perfect for fans of the writing of Maggie Stiefvater and Nova Ren Suma. Like their books, this one was slow, character based, dealt with a strange bit of magic in a world otherwise resembling our own, and was a tad hard to figure out. It was told from multiple POVs and though it was difficult to piece together what was going on, it eventually came together in a satisfying way.
The book isn’t for people who prefer an in-your-face adventure with up front action because things do unwind slowly, but I felt captivated from the beginning and loved the pace. It is great for fans of YA books that deal with friendships and also a bit of diversity, as most of the characters were not exactly straight. I liked that it had a bit of LGBT aspects, but that it wasn’t the main focus or the point of the book, nor were any characters stereotyped. It felt natural and didn’t necessarily need to be constantly commented about, nor was it hidden or out of focus, either.
I loved Spellbook of the Lost and Found and I can’t wait to see what else the author writes in the future! While I’d normally rate it 4 or 4.5 stars, I decided to bump it up to 5 since I enjoyed it a lot and the book does have some low ratings from people who just don’t like magical realism.
Disappointing. Save yourself a lot of time and read the last couple of pages to discover the theme and point of the book.
The cast of characters is large and the names of the main characters are all names of tree or shrubs (Rose, Olive Hazel, Olive Ivy, Holly, Ash, Laurel, Rowan) so I had a problem keeping them straight, especially when two of the groups met. And one character was a total shit and she's forgiven?? Really?
And then we discover another character withholds important information from her "friends". I found her reasons weak.
The Irish accents were lovely (i'm a sucker for accents) so I continued but that was the only saving grace of this book for me. But YMMV.
The cast of characters is large and the names of the main characters are all names of tree or shrubs (Rose, Olive Hazel, Olive Ivy, Holly, Ash, Laurel, Rowan) so I had a problem keeping them straight, especially when two of the groups met. And one character was a total shit and she's forgiven?? Really?
And then we discover another character withholds important information from her "friends". I found her reasons weak.
The Irish accents were lovely (i'm a sucker for accents) so I continued but that was the only saving grace of this book for me. But YMMV.
4.5/5 Stars
This book had a weird effect on me. For all of the book I felt nostalgic. I can't explain why. I can't explain how, but I felt so nostalgic. Especially in the beginning. I loved this book. It was so good, and s whimsical. It was like nothing I had ever read before. I loved the characters. I even found a new book crush. Hazel. She was just amazing. I loved the setting, and the fall vibes I got. Almost everything about this I loved.
There are however two main things that made the rating just a little less than 5 stars.
- I thought that the romances were just a little too insta-lovey. Even though I loved the romances, I found that they happened just a bit too quick.
-There was a conversation in here with two of the characters that just rubbed me the wrong way. I won't give any spoilers. Just the page numbers: 330-331. It just rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
Other than that I loved it.
TW: mentions of sexual assault, alcoholism, domestic violence
This book had a weird effect on me. For all of the book I felt nostalgic. I can't explain why. I can't explain how, but I felt so nostalgic. Especially in the beginning. I loved this book. It was so good, and s whimsical. It was like nothing I had ever read before. I loved the characters. I even found a new book crush. Hazel. She was just amazing. I loved the setting, and the fall vibes I got. Almost everything about this I loved.
There are however two main things that made the rating just a little less than 5 stars.
- I thought that the romances were just a little too insta-lovey. Even though I loved the romances, I found that they happened just a bit too quick.
-There was a conversation in here with two of the characters that just rubbed me the wrong way. I won't give any spoilers. Just the page numbers: 330-331. It just rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
Other than that I loved it.
TW: mentions of sexual assault, alcoholism, domestic violence