Because of my extreme love for books and desire to have a library like Dodie, I loved learning about how her books helped those around her find comfort. It was lovely getting to know her and her neighbors' experiences through the book, as well as Dodie's own!

I’m afraid I didn’t really enjoy this one, so it was a did not finish book for me.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

#TheLendingLibrary #NetGalley



When the public library closes for renovation, Dodie decides to open her own lending library from her home.

What a great idea, what fun that would be!

Somewhere along the line the library is NO longer the focus of the story, a relationship and adoption and IVF become more focal points and we go on an emotional journey with Dodie.

I couldn't relate to Dodie's near obsession with having a child. But I enjoyed her journey.

Terabithia grew on me as the story progressed, but the poor child will have to learn how to spell that long name!


I think this book should be categorized as women's fiction.

And I enjoyed the story even with the unexpected baby need plot.

So I recommend this book if people go into it knowing the Library is NOT the star of the book.


4 stars.

I thank NetGalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book.
I run out of time so sorry I wasn't able to finish this.

<i>A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

DNF at 13%.

I got to said 13% in August of last year. Almost a year ago. I haven't felt inclined to pick it up since, because even then, as shown in my updates, I was inclined to DNF.

The title drew me in. I love books, I love libraries, I love sharing books.. I was super excited! But it didn't last. At 6% I was already doubting if it was for me, and by 13% I was pretty sure it wasn't. I was here for a cute story about a lending library, not for baby drama and immature adults.

I decided to read some of the reviews just now, to see if it might perhaps be worth continuing. Going by what's to come, I am not gonna bother and am officially DNFing.

Perhaps rating it 1 star is a bit harsh, and if it was just this book not being for me, I'd agree. But when a book is this awful all around? The summary says it best 'everything else suddenly seems less important'. The library falls away, and her obsession about children resurfaces. And I already got hints of that at 13%. On top of it being cringe already.

Don't get sucked in by the title, or the fact that most of the summary is about the books and library. Don't do it. Just pass on by.

If you <i>are</i> in the market for a desperate woman's wish to have a child*, then by all means, give it a go!

*I know the word 'desperate' has negative connotations, but I promise I mean this in the most sincere way. I read reviews of people struggling to have children (now or in the past) and who really resonated with Dodie, and so if it could be helpful and/or lovely for other struggling wishful people, that's great and they should not be dissuaded if they want to read it!

I am surprised that I loved the book as much as I did to be honest… This book is was pure perfection..

Sweet but not for me! Couldn't really connect with the characters and thought it was kind of too cheesy for my taste!

The Lending Library by Aliza Fogelson

This story had such potential and had a slow start but went down hill after that.

It could have had such a wealth of characters expanded on by the author. However they didn’t choose to go that route instead decided to focus on Dodie and Shep and the fact she wanted to adopt a baby then the book lost its way.

I had such expectations having read the synopsis. However this book seemed to have an identity crisis in the middle.

I am sorry its not a favourite .

2.5/5

Who doesn't dream of having a library in your own home? Seems like heaven to me. Lovely story for a first book by this author. Always like to read stories that follow more than one story line. Loved following Dodie and Sheps story and found it very easy to read!

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley, author Aliza Fogelson, and Lake Union Publishing for giving me a free Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
2.75 stars
This book takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery, family, and love. Dodie Fairisle, a small-town art teacher, is full of love for the local town library and the life-advice the books have given her over the years, but when the library has to closed until further notice, Dodie is suddenly struck with the idea of starting a library in her unused sunroom in her house! What starts out as a hobby turns into a life line for people from all walks of life including a new possible romance.
I found the whole baby drama a little over done. I understood her need to want a baby, but Dodie had a hard time communicating with her support system around her including her fiancé. She seemed to have a hard time putting her priorities in the right order. I liked her sister Coco and thought she was the best fit to adopt! The writing was well done, but the pacing and story was a little dragged out! Overall, I liked the first part of this book, but then the later half fell flat! I would like to read more books by this author in the future.

DNF

This book is just downright awful. I picked it up because it seemed like the perfect book: sweet, feel-good, and it's about a library (books!!!!) but it turned out to be just plain bad.
It's literally just about a woman who wants to have a baby and literally nothing else happens? Or maybe something else happens and I just didn't get far enough to see it happening.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I liked this book completely. How Dodie was trying to help the community while the town Library was closed for repair of some severe damage. She sets a small library up at her home for the town to use. It was a fun read with a bit of family troubles, poor fiancé choice, sibling competition, adoption and death. The book is well written and the little emotional outbursts that create chaos are explained.
I was looking for a book to take me elsewhere and give me a break. this book did exactly that

The Lending Library by Aliza Fogelson, unfortunately was not for me. I struggled with the main character and just found that I wasn't interested.

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

The storyline in this book had so much promise, however it just didn't really deliver for me personally.

I did however find Dodie's character likeable and endearing, and felt for her as she navigated her way through some difficult times throughout. The characters around her were extremely unsupportive and only ever considered the ways in which her decisions would impact upon them.

The ending was far too quick and inconclusive for me unfortunately.

Cute idea and had so much potential but execution was poor. The plot was all over the place and seemed like it lacked direction. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Starting a library in your home sounds like a huge task for anyone, but Dodie is ready for the challenge when her small town public library closes indefinitely. What she's not ready for is the journey life takes her on, including the chance to adopt an orphaned child, and what the means for the other relationships in her life.

I loved reading Dodie's story, and how she juggles her planned life goals with the obstacles in her way. Was she perfect? Not by a long shot, but I really got to know her journey and I could relate to the way books played such an important role in her life.

I did think the people surrounding Dodie were very unsupportive, and always thinking about how Dodie's decisions affected them, without ever trying to put themselves in her shoes. I also thought the ending kind of fizzled out without any resolution. Overall, though, it was a quick, enjoyable and entertaining read.

This was a DNF for me. I really tried but just could not get into it. I thought the premise was really interesting and loved the idea but the main character irked me and honestly just wasn't very interesting.

Ahhh! I loved this, literally a hug in a book. I loved the main character and felt like I would love to do what she did. Brilliant book about community, friendship, helping out.

When I saw the word Library in the title, I was immediately excited. Being a reader, I often connect with books about readers / books and libraries and I saw this as one too. However, I was very disappointed. Way too much.

I don't even know how to tell about this book without letting it turn into a rant but I guess we'll try. Truth was, I was utterly bored and couldn't bother to read every single line and chapter, and hence I don't even remember the main character's name. While we talk about names, one that struck me the most was the little kid's name. Terabithia. Effing TERABITHIA??!! Who in their sane mind would ever name their kid that? I understand you're a reader and love and breath books but that doesn't simply mean you name your kid after your favorite fictional place. Now, I won't go ahead and name my future kid Ketterdam or Ravka you know, no matter how much I love those places?!! Do you get me? Gosh, I was so mad.

But let's leave that aside now. Let's delve into the plot. I must warn beforehand that I couldn't really bother to stay through the chapters and hence ended up skipping a lot and made up for the holes through the spoilery reviews here. Even then, I was so bored and so annoyed at everyone. Especially the MC. She is one of the stupidest and hypocritical MC I've read about. Her obsession with having a baby was annoying, irritating and all the similar synonyms. It also seemed like she gaslighted her potential husband into feeling bad that he wasn't ready for a baby. For god's sake, don't traumatise the dude. If he isn't ready for a baby, he isn't. Why would you force him to want to have a baby and feel bad because he didn't?? That is so absurd and upsetting. I just couldn't understand her obsession at all and it just annoyed the shit out of me. In conclusion, I hated her.

I don't even know what to say about the plot because it was a hot mess. The title indicates about a lending library as a prime theme in the story but it just gets pushed back into the background and the only focus is on how the MC wants to adopt her friend's adopted baby after she dies (someone kill me already). And don't even get me started on the insta love. I understand it's not impossible to happen but here it was plain exaggerated and way too fantastical. I'm surprised the dude came back; he shouldn't have.

There were no emotions, no heartfelt moments, no nothing that could pull me into the story. There was no substance, no plot except desparate for a baby. Like, gosh, ugh.

When I picked this book, I was looking for a light and fluffy read but this book just made me mad. It should've been titled 'The baby craze' instead of The lending library, is all I can say.