Member Reviews
" Alan Carver was what Tim had needed in his life. And he could have had his father back. If only his father had tried harder. Or if Tim had been able to forgive. Amy felt a wave of forgiveness wash over her like Roberta’s soap. If she had a second chance with the people she’d lost, she wouldn’t waste it. She’d forgive them and at the very least have her friends again."
I loved this book from the moment I started it. I loved the author's voice, I loved Amy. I was rooting for her from the beginning and didn't stop for a moment. I loved how she loved all these flawed people around her and could see the magic in them and how she supported who they were.
"She didn’t have the heart to tell them that really, it was not the plants that mattered to her. It seemed strange that some people could be so kind while others destroyed beautiful objects for no reason."
This is the story of Amy, whose best friend and boyfriend disappeared eleven years ago and she's not heard from them since. She started hanging on to things and never let go so her house is a full-on hoarder house now and she still works at the company where she was doing an internship at 11 years ago. Her whole life is stuck.
'Richard appeared at Amy’s gate. “We all have baggage,” replied Amy. She glanced back into her house. “No one travels lightly anymore.”'
But then a new family moves in next door and slowly little things start happening that unravels her life. I loved all the characters and how they were each flawed in their own way but none of them were perfect good or perfect bad. Even the tangential characters weren't caricaturish.
but most of all i loved the voice this novel was written with. I felt drawn to it and found so much joy reading it.
with gratitude to Gallery Books and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
This book is wonderfully charming and poignant. It is reminiscent of Me Before You with a dash of Girl on the Train. You will fall hard for these characters as they try to reconnect and overcome their traumas.
The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton is the story of a hoarder and her past. Amy is in her late 30s, trapped in an office job when she was formerly an artist, feeling stuck in her small home outside London. But she can't leave ... because what if Tim or Chantel comes back?
The great mystery of her life is how her boyfriend and best friend one day up and disappeared without a trace. Everyone assumes they ran away together, but it just doesn't seem to connect for Amy. The flashbacks we get from Amy's life, starting when she is 17 and meets Tim, fill us in and make us see how Amy could be - vibrant, artistic, and happy.
The new children and dad next door kick off a new investigation into the past when they break a pot in her collection outside. And Amy has to face what was, what she's become, and decide whether she can move on.
I really enjoyed this one, and found myself hooked and reading as fast as I could. If you enjoy a little curmudgeon (think A Man Called Ove or Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine), I think you'll quickly become attached to Amy as well.
I received an advance copy of, The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton, by Eleanor Ray. I did not like this book at all, the characters were so annoying. I could not get in to this book at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was surprised to find that it’s a debut. I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author.
Amy is a 30-something woman who is stuck...both physically (she’s a hoarder/collector) and emotionally (she has never found a satisfactory reason why her best friend Chantel and her boyfriend Tim disappeared 11 years ago). Her hoarding began shortly after the disappearances and some of her favorite treasures are intimately tied to her past life with them.
Her new neighbors begin to pull her out of her regimented life (working and staying at home with her collections). And then she discovers some clues which might explain her losses of the two most important people in her life.
In Amy, Ms. Ray has fashioned a beautiful but wounded soul and a story that encompasses a myriad of experiences...great love and great loss, the need to protect oneself from further hurt/loss, the obsession to protect one’s treasures from damage and becoming “lost” themselves. And while this is not nonfiction, I dare say that some of Amy’s life here is a glimpse into a bit of day-to-day from a hoarder’s/collector’s perspective.
I was moved by this character’s loyalty, persistence and bravery both in searching out her missing treasures from the title and for unashamedly being herself. She will stay with me for quite awhile.
Much thanks to #NetGalley and #GalleryBooks for providing me the early ARC for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
I am glad that I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. It took me a little while to get into the story, because I was a little turned off to the hoarding aspect, but I was pleased that the hoarding was only part of the story. Solving the mystery of what had happened to main character's boyfriend and best friend was much more interesting to me. I ended up flying through the book. I found it a nice combination of a mystery and "chick lit".
This was an unexpectedly exciting read! The character of Amy is flawed, scarred, and fabulous. I rooted for her throughout the entire story. Just when I thought the ending could be predicted, the author threw in a riveting plot twist. Wait for it - it's worth it! I can't wait to read and discuss with my book club. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.
I absolutely loved this heartwarming debut novel!! I was hooked from the very first page and found it quite difficult to put it down. It reminded me somewhat of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine in that the main character is a bit quirky but her quirkiness comes as a result of a traumatic event that occurs in her adult life.
The book flips back and forth between present time and past allowing the reader to get a sense of the main character’s, Amy Ashton, backstory and how it comes into play with her present situation. In her “previous” life, Amy had it all - a decent job, a best friend to share everything with, and a boyfriend she was head over heels in love with. Then she loses not only her boyfriend but her best friend as well which causes her to become somewhat of a recluse. She starts to hoard certain items - ones that bring joy to her otherwise dismal life. It is the arrival of new neighbors that helps Amy face her issues head on and allows the wall that she’s built around herself over the years to come down.
I loved the writing style of this author. Not only is she a great storyteller but I also love her sense of humor which really comes through in her writing. I’m looking forward to any future novels this talented author pens.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a free electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
This one starts out slowly, but I encourage you to keep reading as "the plot thickens" and it becomes a different - and better - book. A well-written and intriguing debut with likeable and realistic characters, the novel alternates between the present and the past of 12 years ago. The more I read, the more the story came together and my involvement grew as Amy searched for her missing boyfriend and best friend. So it's a mystery combined with a mental health/grief journey. If you like thrift shop treasure and following clues, sweet next door neighbors and stories of loyal friends, don't miss this!
This is a fun story with sweet characters. I wish Amy had grown more, but she did prove to be an interesting character. I’d recommend the book to certain readers that have senses of humor.
An enjoyable book that follows Amy as he tries to recover from a traumatic time in her life that has led her to being a hoarder. I was disappointed in the twist toward the end but other than that a fine book.
Okay, from the description I totally would never have guessed that this was about a hoarder... I expected a quirky artist, not so much a heavier story with mental illness and obsessive compulsive hoarding. It didn't go in a direction I expected and I just couldn't get into it. I struggled to find any connection with the characters and the plot felt a little forced. I couldn't finish this one... It's just not for me.
I predict many people will have this book on their summer 'beach read' list. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A sweet story-line with a quirky main character - and a little bit of suspense build in for good measure.
This book had some interesting story lines. Stories about neighbors and how much they get involved in each other's lives as well as how our past affects our lives. While I somewhat enjoyed this book it wasn't fantastic.
As a new reviewer to NetGalley, I was excited that I was approved to read this book.
Upon first reading a novel, I like to look up the author and see what books they have written. I found a book called - Everything is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray. Is this a sequel to Everything is Beautiful? It has a different publication date & a different ISBN number. On the approval e-mail, it would be helpful if it could say, if this book was a sequel.
This book grabbed my attention. I took my time reading it, allowing the details to sink in. It is important to pay attention to the details, throughout the book, as a little bit of mystery is involved.
I was cheering Amy on for her relationship with Richard.
I don't think having closure is a simple fix for people with a hoarding issue. I think some people may view this novel with a different perspective, if they have a loved one with this problem. It maybe more of an emotional experience, as opposed to someone that might not be sensitive to hoarding. This is my personal opinion.
I was happy that there was a good ending. I could imagine Amy having a happy life. I am glad she didn't keep running from people that were supportive of her past.
I am linking this review to my Goodreads account.
Hashtags: #NetGalley, #EleanorRay, #gallerybooks, #womensfiction, #collections, #treasures.
Thank you
What a wonderful book. The writer has revealed how easy it is to replace people with things when your heart is broken. Things will never leave you, they won't disappear just when you need something to hold onto. Amy is still holding onto the hope that her boyfriend and her best friend will return one day. They left without a word to anyone. It's been eleven years and Amys' house is now so full of things she can hardly navigate from one room to the next.
The story is told in a nonlinear fashion. The present alternates with eleven years ago. The time changes are seamless and the reader learns more about the life Amy and Tim shared. I felt very much at home with the character's life. I highly recommend this book.I
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Gallery Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#TTheMissingTreasuresOfAmyAshton #NetGalley
Oh what a sweet story. Dear Amy with all her sadness and trust issues. And lovely neighbors who with the help of their young boys, get Amy to slowly come out of the protective cocoon she has built around herself. I love stories about broken people who find some happiness.
Amy Ashton is lost. But wandering around among her beautiful treasures helps her forget that she is lost or maybe it just helps her forget what she lost. Either way, she is safe with her things. But when others begin to question the safety of her things, Amy is forced to face the truth. It is time to begin to find her way, as scary as the path may be.
The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton is a sparkling, light read and anyone who has ever had a favorite treasure will empathize with Amy and her struggles. The transition to a darker place in the story felt a little forced and not paced quite right, but still a delightful read!
** I received this ebook free via NetGalley **
I love a quirky main character and Amy is certainly that without being annoying or flat. She's an artist who became a hoarder after the double disappearance of her long time boy friend and her best friend. This story takes off eleven years after they've disappeared, but a few odd discoveries revive her search. To be honest I thought I knew where this one was going, but the twist was good.
This could've ended up really dark given Amy's hoarding issue but it ended up treating her softly, which I thought was pretty nice. The way she spoke about all the things she was keeping showed that she was loving towards them, rather than obsessive.
It's a pleasant read over all and had decent pacing. If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Just Fine, then you'll love this.
This is the story of a young woman who suffered a traumatic loss in her life and lets her sorrow turn her in a hoarder. She tries to keep the condition of her house a secret from everyone but a new neighbor with 2 young boys changes everything. The young boys are very interested in Amy and the stuff she has accumulated. But as her relationship with the boys and their father progresses (and after she finds out the truth about the loss she went through) she builds up her courage and makes room in her life for a new direction to her future. This was a great story. I highly recommend it.