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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Absolutely spell-binding, recalling my favorite novel, Jellicoe Road, but this time with Irish, bisexual spell-casters!
Listen to the audiobook, it's narrated by three lovely, accented voices.
Listen to the audiobook, it's narrated by three lovely, accented voices.
It was hard to follow in the beginning like many other reviewers said, but it gets easier to follow the characters. The ending was terrible and left some key points of the book unanswered. It seems like the plot was not finished. There was poor character development for some key characters in the end. I wouldn't suggest reading the book if you have other books you're really looking forward to!
9/10
it takes place in ireland, where there are bonfire parties and saints. there are abandoned buildings and mysterious boys appearing out of nowhere, pages of a diary and people with the names of ingredients. it rains all the time here, and somethings not right. lost diary pages sweep in town with the wind, prized possesions are lost. this book is like a dream, surreal and gloomy, romantic and ghostly.
keywords: magic, spells, spellbook, storms, lost, runaways, magical women, saints, irish alchohol
its been a while since i reread this book, but i remember raving about it to anyone who would listen. its a beautiful book.
it takes place in ireland, where there are bonfire parties and saints. there are abandoned buildings and mysterious boys appearing out of nowhere, pages of a diary and people with the names of ingredients. it rains all the time here, and somethings not right. lost diary pages sweep in town with the wind, prized possesions are lost. this book is like a dream, surreal and gloomy, romantic and ghostly.
keywords: magic, spells, spellbook, storms, lost, runaways, magical women, saints, irish alchohol
its been a while since i reread this book, but i remember raving about it to anyone who would listen. its a beautiful book.
Maybe every first is a loss. But not all losses are bad.2018: There was no doubt in my mind that I would love this book. The Accident Season is one of my all time favourite reads and, in my humble opinion, criminally underrated. The magic and the madness woven into all of Moïra Fowley-Doyle’s work speaks to a special part of my heart. If I could, I’d cut it up and patch it into my soul. It’s just so enchanting, and I want to be everything this book represents.
Magical realism is extremely hard to write and even harder to get people to like. But Fowley-Doyle seems to have the genre pinned down. Even an hour after finishing the story, I’m still reeling. And my mind is drowning in questions - questions like “how much of that was real, and how much was coincidence”, and “how old Mags Maguire and how long has she had that pub?”. I don’t even know if I want the answers, because the mystery is half the fun.
The plot was everything I was looking for - beautiful and confusing. And isn’t that what a story should be? If you had to ask me about my favourite plot thread, it’d definitely be Laurel’s diaries. Something about her, Ash, Holly, and Jude was so engaging. I would race through those chapters. I had to read the last 300 pages in one to because I needed to know how all the different POVs interlinked. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything I didn’t like about this story!
And the characters! God, I love them! It took me a while to empathise with them, but I eventually fell in love with each of them respectively. Rowan, Rose and Emily are the first that come to mind, but I do also have a soft spot for Olive and Hazel. I talked about Laurel, Ash, and Holly earlier, but I really did love them. Not Jude though, he can choke.
Can Lucky the dog - well, dogs - be counted as a character? Because I feel like he/they had real potential. He/they was a good boy.
Spellbook of the Lost and Found was such a magical story. So magical, in fact, it gave me the motivation to write a review for the first time in 10 months! Perhaps what I lost was my apathy. And not all losses are bad.
3.5 Stars
This book was honestly one big mindwarp. But I kinda liked it. It’s gritty and seductive, with an air of mystery that created a perfectly surreal environment for the story. We follow Olive, and her best friend Rose, as they begin to lose things after the town’s annual bonfire. They meet up with 3 mysterious teens, Hazel, Rowan, and Ivy, who have lost things of their own. The ragtag group begins to find diary pages from a girl named Laurel and an ancient spellbook that can recall lost things. Magic, mystery, and mayhem ensure in this seductive and enchanting read.
Things I Liked
The different friend groups present in the story are all really fantastic. I loved how Olive, Rose, Hazel, Rowan, and Ivy’s story was paralleling Laurel, Ash, and Holly’s. I also loved the friendships between Olive & Rose, and Hazel, Rowan, & Ivy. The developed and established friendships made the entire team up more enjoyable and believable.
There was this surreal feeling atmosphere over the entire story. It created this serendipitous world where everything happened and was interconnected. It really matched the subject matter and I liked that.
At the end of the story I was left with some unanswered questions, but I don’t think everything in this story needed a clear answer. I like that I’m left wondering about some aspects of the story. It matched the mysterious nature well.
There was also some great representation in this book. Hazel identifies as a lesbian, and Olive and Rose identify as bi. Rose mentions that she's half-Indian. Olive is is deaf in one ear, and uses a hearing aid. I loved the seemless inclusion of different sexuality, race, and ability.
Things I Didn’t Like
While I did enjoy the overall surreal feeling, it did have this weightless quality that made it hard to connect with the characters in the beginning of the story. The magicalness was perfect for the mystery, but it did keep the story from being grounded for me.
I found that in the beginning third of the book, the different POV chapters ran together for me; especially because we’re introduced to the three groups at roughly the same time. The different groups finding the other’s “lost things” also didn’t help differentiate the people/
Ivy left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth after a reveal that happened in the last quarter of the book, and I didn’t really like her much after that. I know everyone in this book is selfish, but I felt like that she did went a little too far.
Spellbook of the Lost and Found is a magically captivating read that draws you into a world of loss, mystery, and endurance. The dynamics really shined, while I found the romances to be a little lackluster. This is my first book from Moïra Fowley-Doyle, but it definitely intrigues me enough to check out more of her work.
I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
“Be careful what you wish for; not all lost things should be found.”
This book was honestly one big mindwarp. But I kinda liked it. It’s gritty and seductive, with an air of mystery that created a perfectly surreal environment for the story. We follow Olive, and her best friend Rose, as they begin to lose things after the town’s annual bonfire. They meet up with 3 mysterious teens, Hazel, Rowan, and Ivy, who have lost things of their own. The ragtag group begins to find diary pages from a girl named Laurel and an ancient spellbook that can recall lost things. Magic, mystery, and mayhem ensure in this seductive and enchanting read.
Things I Liked
The different friend groups present in the story are all really fantastic. I loved how Olive, Rose, Hazel, Rowan, and Ivy’s story was paralleling Laurel, Ash, and Holly’s. I also loved the friendships between Olive & Rose, and Hazel, Rowan, & Ivy. The developed and established friendships made the entire team up more enjoyable and believable.
There was this surreal feeling atmosphere over the entire story. It created this serendipitous world where everything happened and was interconnected. It really matched the subject matter and I liked that.
At the end of the story I was left with some unanswered questions, but I don’t think everything in this story needed a clear answer. I like that I’m left wondering about some aspects of the story. It matched the mysterious nature well.
There was also some great representation in this book. Hazel identifies as a lesbian, and Olive and Rose identify as bi. Rose mentions that she's half-Indian. Olive is is deaf in one ear, and uses a hearing aid. I loved the seemless inclusion of different sexuality, race, and ability.
Things I Didn’t Like
While I did enjoy the overall surreal feeling, it did have this weightless quality that made it hard to connect with the characters in the beginning of the story. The magicalness was perfect for the mystery, but it did keep the story from being grounded for me.
I found that in the beginning third of the book, the different POV chapters ran together for me; especially because we’re introduced to the three groups at roughly the same time. The different groups finding the other’s “lost things” also didn’t help differentiate the people/
Ivy left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth after a reveal that happened in the last quarter of the book, and I didn’t really like her much after that. I know everyone in this book is selfish, but I felt like that she did went a little too far.
Spellbook of the Lost and Found is a magically captivating read that draws you into a world of loss, mystery, and endurance. The dynamics really shined, while I found the romances to be a little lackluster. This is my first book from Moïra Fowley-Doyle, but it definitely intrigues me enough to check out more of her work.
I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Moira Fowley-Doyle captures youth and magic so beautifully. After reading [b:The Accident Season|23346358|The Accident Season|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428338423s/23346358.jpg|42905086] I knew i was on to something with this author, and her second book absolutely did not disappoint. Charming characters, beautiful depictions of loss and a sprinkle of magic. Bliss to read.
Liked reading a YA fantasy set in an Ireland school and town for a change. Really enjoyed the tone, creepiness, diversity, spells, and possible time travel. I definitely believe in the spell, and all the play on what all can be lost and found.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me an ARC of this book! It was AMAZING! Deliciously creepy YA fantasy, told from multiple perspectives, with a great twist towards the end. Sucks you in immediately - the kind of book you'll want to read in one sitting! I truly loved getting to know all the different characters, and the fantasy elements were unique and compelling. Highly highly recommend!
I enjoyed this so much. It's clever, enchanting, full of interesting characters, twists and turns, and beautiful writing. I listened to it, and the accents and voices drew me directly into the story. There is some more mature intimate scenes, so reader beware. ;)
[b:Spellbook of the Lost and Found|30079439|Spellbook of the Lost and Found|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492078908l/30079439._SX50_.jpg|50499449] caught my eye on the library shelf when I was looking for a sequel to another series, with its intriguing title and mysterious cover. Being a complete glutton for most stories with an Irish bent, especially those involving magic, I wasn't disappointed the book I sought was out. I was already looking forward to this read.
YA isn't my go-to genre, but as it shares so many tropes and ideals with adult fantasy, I will read it readily. [b:Spellbook of the Lost and Found|30079439|Spellbook of the Lost and Found|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492078908l/30079439._SX50_.jpg|50499449] tells a tale of mystery and darkness surrounding a spellbook through three groups of teenagers in rural Ireland. The turmoil of their young lives is woven into the story as each group struggles to make sense of the book and themselves.
[a:Moïra Fowley-Doyle|9013537|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] draws on many of her own experiences and memories in creating the characters and the details, giving the tale a grounded, authentic feel. Each of the eight teenage characters has a well-developed personality, enabling the interactions to be clean and realistic. It quickly became the kind of book that I didn't want to put down when I settled in to read it.
The magic that connects the spellbook and the three groups of kids is both enticing and dangerous, compelling them to understand it even as they fall victim to its allure. The hidden clues dotting the narrative made for fun, inclusive reading, drawing the reader further into the spinning web, where it is hard to tell what is happening in real time. Spells of all sorts ensnare the teenagers, driving them to find what they believe lost, finding what they didn't know they had.
Beautifully written, with engaging dialogue, [b:Spellbook of the Lost and Found|30079439|Spellbook of the Lost and Found|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492078908l/30079439._SX50_.jpg|50499449] is a lively, engaging read. YA lovers will enjoy this wonderful glimpse into magic and teenage curiosity. A fun read that shouldn't be missed.~
YA isn't my go-to genre, but as it shares so many tropes and ideals with adult fantasy, I will read it readily. [b:Spellbook of the Lost and Found|30079439|Spellbook of the Lost and Found|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492078908l/30079439._SX50_.jpg|50499449] tells a tale of mystery and darkness surrounding a spellbook through three groups of teenagers in rural Ireland. The turmoil of their young lives is woven into the story as each group struggles to make sense of the book and themselves.
[a:Moïra Fowley-Doyle|9013537|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] draws on many of her own experiences and memories in creating the characters and the details, giving the tale a grounded, authentic feel. Each of the eight teenage characters has a well-developed personality, enabling the interactions to be clean and realistic. It quickly became the kind of book that I didn't want to put down when I settled in to read it.
The magic that connects the spellbook and the three groups of kids is both enticing and dangerous, compelling them to understand it even as they fall victim to its allure. The hidden clues dotting the narrative made for fun, inclusive reading, drawing the reader further into the spinning web, where it is hard to tell what is happening in real time. Spells of all sorts ensnare the teenagers, driving them to find what they believe lost, finding what they didn't know they had.
Beautifully written, with engaging dialogue, [b:Spellbook of the Lost and Found|30079439|Spellbook of the Lost and Found|Moïra Fowley-Doyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492078908l/30079439._SX50_.jpg|50499449] is a lively, engaging read. YA lovers will enjoy this wonderful glimpse into magic and teenage curiosity. A fun read that shouldn't be missed.~