Member Reviews

I really enjoyed listening to the audio book-The Lost Library. I loved how the how the book was narrated! I couldn’t stop listening and finished it in 2 days. I loved how some of the characters were animals, some were ghosts and some were people. I think this will be a must read/listen to for the end of the summer!!

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I love when a mystery for kids is FUN and engaging, but doesn’t have to involve murder, you know? I thought this was really great and had a lot of great surprises. I really enjoyed it and I think kids will really love trying to piece together the mystery as well.

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This was such a great young reader mystery and I can’t wait to read it with my 7-year-old, who loves mysteries but doesn’t love scary stories. The narration of the audiobook was excellent and I enjoyed the introduction of multiple POV stories to a younger audience! Having the perspective of the cat was cute and the ending was so sweet.

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The Lost Library is a wonderful little piece of perfection, a perfect middle grade mystery that will enchant readers of all ages. When a new Little Free Library mysteriously appears in the town of Martinville, Evan and friends embark on a magical journey to solve the mysterious connection between the books and where they came from. When I’m sad to leave the characters behind at the last page I know it was a great story. This one sucked me in from the beginning and I can’t wait to share a copy with my grandson.

The narration performed by Christopher Gebauer, Jennifer Blom and Rob Dircks really brought this one to life. Young listeners (and old) will truly enjoy this one.

A hearty thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview an advance audio copy of this wonderful story that is due to publish August 29, 2023. This is my honest review and the opinions expressed are my own.

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A LFL guarded from a cat? Sounds cozy!
This audiobook has three narrators, unfortunately I found all three a little drawn out. I think I would have rather physically read this book as i found the naration had to keep my interest.

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I love to pick up a young readers book every now and then to have a fun, little read. I got this one as an audio ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The Lost Library intrigued me as the mystery was all started by the appearance of a Little Free Library and one of the narrators is a cat!

Even stumbles upon the Little Free Library at the very end of his elementary school career and carefully selects two books. Little does he know these books will take him on a journey to find out what happened when the library in his small town burned down and why has it never been rebuilt.

Parts of the mystery are pretty predictable, but remember this is a story for children. The audio book left me a little confused as the POV changed from chapter to chapter, but I just do better with that in paper book form. My one big complaint (and this may also be audio related) is that two of the characters sounded so sad all the time and the others most of the time. It kind of left me feeling sad when I would listen to it. I think it would be better as a parent/child read together from the paper copy.

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In the middle of the night in a small town a little free library goes up, full of books from the old town library that burned down a decade ago. The questions we have to ask are who built it, why, and what really is the name of the fluffy orange cat that keeps guard over the books inside?

“Take a book, leave a book, or both.” Our main character Evan reads this plaque and takes two books. Only to discover they were from the old library, they were both checked back in on the exact same day, and his dad recognizes one but won’t talk about it. Too many coincidences means only one thing, a mystery to solve.

We follow Evan, the cat Mortimer, and the ghosts of the library’s past to unravel the mystery of the Lost Library and the new Little Free Library, learning a little about loss and a lot about hope along the way. With lessons about letting go and living well, The Lost Library is a heartfelt story that will grip most every reader.

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Evan is a 5th grader who discovers a new Little Free Library in his town. He checks out two books, makes a discovery, and decides to solve a long-held town mystery.

I would have really enjoyed this book as a 9-12 year old, and I really enjoyed it as an adult! The audiobook has 3 different narrators, and I found them all easy to listen to. A wonderful combo of family, mystery, cats and mice, ghosts, and library books. Very well written story and enjoyable for all ages.

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Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This book was so sweet. I loved how all the characters had a voice and an opinion on what happened at the Library. The mystery was fascinating and I did not see the ending coming.

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This audiobook was a really cute listen through. I loved the mystery and the talking animals!! Absolutely suggesting it to my niece and nephew. The story kept me captivated and wanting to know more of the story. The voice reader did a great job.

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This audiobook was great. I loved the narration and I loved the story. The chapters didn't seem long, was charming but also age appropriate I am assuming for middle school. Loved that the book gives praise to libraries.
How can you not love cats, mice and libraries.

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This audiobook was such a fun adventure! I really enjoyed the cat, the mice and their antics with guarding the little free library. I loved that the boy and his father have something to connect over and the mystery of the lost library.

Truly enjoyed the narration! Well done.

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Audiobook Review - The Lost Library is a fantastic middle grade novel that covers a variety of topics including grief, consequences and loss. This contemporary mystery will find a home where Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass' previous works are popular.

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Every now and then I will read a youth fiction book and if I love it will recommend it to my 10 year old so we can have a little book club about it. I was drawn to this book because of the title, description and cover. I am a sucker for books about libraries and cats.

This was a great little mystery, appropriate for the age range, about what happened to the town's library years ago.

The story is told from multiple POV - the cat, the human and the ghost. This can be confusing at times, but I thought the author did a great job weaving these stories together.

As an avid mystery and thriller reader, I was able to figure out the mysteries woven into this book. I'll be interested to see if my 10 year old will be able to figure them out too.

I listened to this on audio. I really enjoyed the narration.

I give this book 5/5 stars.

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Thank you @NetGalley for the advance audio copy of The Lost Library!
By: Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass
Macmillan Publishing
Narrated: Christopher Gebauer; Jennifer Blom; Rob Dircks

4 stars!

Anything with library or books written into the title is an automatic read for me. This story is a fun mystery with three very different narrators. Every character was vibrant and well rounded. You’ll fall in love with even the tiniest of mice. This story shows the positive impact books can have on everyone and more importantly the effect a librarian can have on the libraries patrons. It also teaching the important lesson that you parents are just people too. We all need a truth rock, like Evan and his dad.

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Thank you Netgalley for letting me listen to this audiobook. "When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change. Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself."

Rebecca and Wendy created an interesting world. It was intriguing and fun. The orange cat is adorable and I love that they guard the free library.

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This is an audio book that has several different voices. The story is confusing at first. The back story is slowly revealed helping the listener understand the story and the mystery.
This is the story of a town that lost a library by fire and how the truth of how the fire started is revealed. Two middle grade boys who are best friends work together to solve the mystery. At the same time, there are ghosts of the people who died in the fire helping a young women who thinks she is a ghost gain confidence to be the person she was always meant to be - a librarian.

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"The Lost Library" by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass was a fun middle grade mystery book. I listened to the audiobook and the different characters were done really well. The chapters were short and the book was engaging. In it, eleven year old Evan and his best friend Rafe discover a new free little library in their town which leads to a mystery. There is a cat and a ghost librarian to add to the tale. This book is about books and libraries and the value of both.

My thanks to NetGalley and Librofm for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

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This book has multiple points of view that were written well! It is a sweet story that will keep middle grade readers interested and a bit of a backstory mystery to solve. As an adult, I love a good book about books and this book didn't disappoint.

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This story was well-told and engaging throughout. I think it will definitely find its right audience and continue to inspire.

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