359 reviews for:

The Memory Library

Kate Storey

4.03 AVERAGE

emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
hopeful sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

The idea of the memory library started by Sally and chapter 31 in which the professor discusses his views on Persuasion were the highlights for me. Many of the characters seemed far too entrenched in their singular dimension of characterisation that they became groan worthy.
emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional hopeful inspiring medium-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 received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by HarperAudio.

Some stories stay with us forever.

For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library. Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves – with a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work.

But Ella – Sally’s only child – fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th, her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to dwindle.

Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew. She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow. All you have to do is turn the page.

This book had such a great premise but I do wish I loved it more. I did love the idea of creating a library for a loved one or having someone create one for me. It was a great story of a mother and daughter and how they repair their relationship with a connection through books. This one had such a great message about the importance of family, friends, forgiveness, and community. But the one thing is I just could not connect with Ella. Who would carry a grudge over such a minor thing toward their mother for such a long, long time? And she did seem really childish and annoying at times. Sally, however, really saved the story for me. I just loved the found family and community she built and reading about their stories. Definitely a great idea for a book and I think a lot of people will relate to it. Also, if you are a fan of books about books, I recommend checking this one out. 
emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

A beautiful story about grief and community. I can’t imagine anything that would ever make me mad enough to push my mom out of my life for any amount of time, especially two decades. Ella was infuriating, however I’m glad she picked up on her mother’s absentmindedness and realized her mistakes. What she does for her mother in the end had me crying warm, hopeful tears.
Book #15 in 2024
emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes