Thank you Netgalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review!

In Amanda Block's captivating novel, "The Lost Storyteller," readers are whisked away on an enchanting journey filled with magic, mystery, and the power of storytelling. Block's masterful storytelling and vivid imagery create a world that effortlessly blends reality and fantasy, leaving readers utterly captivated from beginning to end.

The exploration of the power of storytelling is another highlight of this book. Block beautifully demonstrates how stories have the ability to connect people, transcend time, and ignite the spark of imagination within us all. The intertwining narratives within the novel emphasize the impact stories have on shaping our lives and identities, reminding us of the profound importance of storytelling in our own world.

In conclusion, "The Lost Storyteller" is a delightful and enthralling novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. Amanda Block's ability to transport readers into a world of magic and wonder is truly remarkable. With its beautifully crafted characters, captivating plot, and thought-provoking exploration of the power of stories, this book is a must-read for anyone who cherishes the magic of storytelling.

I kind of meandered through this novel. In reflection, it wasn't so much the novel as it was other things in life that interfered, but I also lacked the compulsion to pick it up every free moment I had. I didn't really find the narrator all that interesting, and sometimes she seemed a bit whiny and selfish (but she is rather young). But now that I have finished, I do keep thinking about it, especially the father character. I think there are some important messages here about mental health, especially mental health and parenting. This is one of those books I think I will re-read, when life is not being so bothersome. Overall, at this point, I am giving this 3 stars, but at another moment, I could see this becoming a 4 star read.. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

2.5 stars

Good work from a debut author. Her talent is obvious and the premise intriguing but it didn't really grab me the way it does others. I found myself needing to put this down and pick back up again.

Captivating, moving and profound. I loved it! A spellbinding novel about the power of the stories we tell both to ourselves and to others"

A lovely debut about a daughter Rebecca, though at first reluctantly, searching for her father. An emotional read where the complex familial relationships felt real. I really enjoyed the stories within a story aspect with the book of fairy tales which she used to find him.

A woman whose family has long been estranged from her father decides to seek him out when a reporter declares that he's hell-bent on find ing the man, who disappeared from public view many years earlier. Together, the woman and the reporter do some digging, begin a relationship together, and find her dad, whose story is one of mental illness, the stigma of such, and the fear of lack of control, reprisals from the woman's mother and her family, and society at large. It's a slow read and a bit pat, and the characters are all pretty awful people--privileged and snobby and not very thoughtful. Not entirely terrible, but not something I'd recommend to most people.

What a great book! I expected to be more fantasy than it was but the fairytales within were amazing! This is a great read!! I highly recommend this to Fantasy lovers and fairytale lovers! The author should write fantasy style books because wow!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!

Thank you so much for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review, I had a tough time getting through this book with how all over the place the plot was, I had to DNF

The Storyteller is a beautiful Literary Fiction that explores complex family relationships and mental health. Through seven original fairy-tales written by her long absent father, main character Rebecca is reintroduced to a man she barely knows while trying to solve the mystery of his disappearance. Where I struggled to connect with Rebecca and felt the story could be a little more streamlined, I was still enraptured by the clever and beautiful way this story unfolds. This book is perfect for readers looking for a character/relationship focused story with a little bit of whimsy thrown in.

Not wanting to risk the hurt that can come with pursuing ambitions again, Rebecca finds herself alone and stuck in a dead end job. The monotony of everyday life threatens to drag into eternity until a journalist named Ellis shows up at Rebecca’s office looking for her father. Once the famous lead actor on a show called The Stowaway, Leo Sampson had suddenly disappeared from the public eye soon after disappearing from Rebecca’s life when she was very young. Though she had not thought much about the father she could barely remember, Ellis’s appearance dredged up questions and feelings that have long been buried. Rebecca’s curiosity is stirred even further when her grandmother gives her a book of seven fairy tales written for her by her father. As Ellis and Rebecca begin their search for the missing Leo, these stories might be the key to reconnecting.

I found the fairy tales a beautiful and clever way to tell Leo’s story. Whimsical with a slightly dark twist, these stories felt like true classic stories. Though it takes Rebecca a while to catch on, each story is deeply symbolic and reveals Leo’s personal journey in a unique and intimate way. This is layered on top of the complex feelings and opinions Rebecca’s family seems to have about Leo that they refuse to share. Though Rebecca finds herself ready to delve back into the past, the same cannot be said for her other family members. This book not only does a wonderful job characterizing complex family relationships, but is great at showing how easily the social balance can shift under pressure.

Though I liked seeing the family dynamics and seeing how Rebecca’s journey affected those around her, most of the ‘in between’ sections were longer than they needed to be. A good example of this is Rebecca’s grandmother’s birthday dinner at the beginning of the book. There are some key moments during the dinner that ultimately leads Rebecca receiving the book of fairy tales. However, this section of the story also includes the walk from Rebecca’s house to her grandmother’s among other extraneous details that don’t really add to the development of the story or characters. It is fine to have this fluff on occasion, but there are definitely moments and developments that drag on more than they should because of it.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC!

One of my all time favorite types of story are the ones with a story within a story. Give me an excerpt or description and I'm all about it. Just the blurb on the front and the title were enough for me here.

One forgotten book.
Seven fairy tales.
A lifetime of secrets.

Rebecca pretty much grew up without her father and for the most part didn't think about him or dwell on it. One day a reported showed up asking questions about her father. Leo had been a beloved character on a wildly popular children's television show but disappeared after the second season. She realizes how much she really doesn't know after speaking with the reporter, Ellis. She tries to get information from her mother but is shut down and not accepting that as ok, she starts investigating on her own and with Ellis. Her grandmother gives her a small book that she later realizes is a book of seven fairy tales her father wrote for her. They interview a former colleague, his agent and even find a great aunt Rebecca was completely unaware of. She is convinced he wrote the fairy tales to lead her back to him eventually.

On the journey to find her father she finds out more about herself as well. Her and Ellis form a bond that seems like it could go on after this "quest".

I I relished the story within the story within the story. The fairy tales alone were so imaginative and make you think of childhood and I could almost picture them in my head.

I truly believe this author has some serious skills and can't wait for more from her.

It's hard for me to read stories about daughters and fathers since my own dad died 4 years ago. This one was especially hard for some reason. Rebecca hasn't seen her father since she was six years old. He was once a children't television star, but then he disappeared. She hasn't thought about or needed him in 20 years.

One day a journalist appears asking questions about her father and Rebecca wonders if maybe there is something more to his disappearance than she previously knew.

There's an interesting exploration of family relationships as well as mental illness. I did find it a little long but the included fairy tales from Rebecca's father were a nice inclusion - despite their darkness.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Rebecca's father was the beloved star of a children's tv show before he abruptly disappeared when she was six years old. When a journalist named Ellis shows up at her door to interview her about her father, the door to the pats that she thought was firmly shut begins to ease open, and questions about what happened to her dad emerge. Aided by a slim book of children's tales written by her dad, she sets off on a mission to find out about him.

I thought this was a lovely little book. It explores themes of family and mental illness. It's also a book of self-discovery as Rebecca learns not only about her family, but herself as well. I thought it was very well done.

I really enjoyed this beautifully written story! I was lost in the story from the beginning and enjoyed it until the very end. I am looking forward to reading more by Amanda Block. Thank you for my copy!

While I wasn’t “wowed” by this book, I applaud the author’s efforts in bringing life to the subject of mental illness and the impacts upon one’s life and connections. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful book! I had no expectations going into but it wrapped me up in the mystery of the fairy tales and her search for her father. Well written and a clever take on mental illness. Well done.

10/10 for this book!

The way that Amanda builds her characters and atmosphere, from the complex family relationships to the emotions behind them. She writes a wonderful story about a woman who spent her life not even realizing she was missing her father. She embarks on a journey to discover who and where her father is, along the way she discovers who she is and what really matters to her in life. This is a journey of love and self discovery that will resonate with many readers well past reading the last pages.

Amanda tells a tale of a man, a husband, and father struggling with his mental illness and the toll it takes on all of his family. We learn through the eyes of his illness how his childhood all the way to adulthood was like before he either helps himself or loses himself to his illness entirely. There is so much readers will relate to with Rebeccas familial relationships and where she has ended up in her life. I would 100% recommend this book to any reader who loves a great story and complex relationships. She builds it up in a way that has you questioning everything right up to the end.


While reading this book, I laughed, I scoffed, and I definitely cried. I am not usually a re reader of books as I read so many. However this is a book I will be re reading again and again, I am going to have my teenage children read this book and recommend it to all my family and friends,

I loved this book. I loved this story. First, it was extremely well written. It flowed well, the language was realistic, there were no confusing gaps or flashbacks. It kept me reading and reading. Second, the STORY! What a great story!

Rebecca hasn't seen her father since she was six and rarely thinks about him. Her family doesn't talk about him. She has learned over the years that no one will talk about him so she stops asking. She has hazy memories of him and knows that he used to be on a television show called The Stowaway. A journalist shows up asking questions about him for a piece he's writing and although she refuses to talk to him at first, it gets her thinking about her father, Leo, again. Ultimately, she starts talking to the journalist (a story in itself!) and does her own research, even though it is hard on her mother. What follows is a journey of sorts. It has fairy tales, magic, the love of father and daughter, a bit of romance, and tons of imagination.

This is Amanda Block's first novel, but hopefully it won't be her last. She is a fresh voice and I look forward to reading more of what she has to say!

Definitely 5 stars!

I thought this was an interesting book. I liked the idea of the missing father and the young woman trying to figure out what happened. This had a slow start, and I wasn't really sure where the story was going to go, but the pieces all started to come together throughout the middle of the story. I would have liked a bit more of an ending, but overall, this was a good story!

A well written book with an interesting framed story, but was much more serious and dark than the description led me to believe. I was expecting a more urban fantasy/magical realism story and instead its a literary fiction with excerpts of fairy tales intermingled.