Debut author, Stephanie Booth, will be an author to watch out for. Libby Lost and Found is about a famous children's book author who is writing under a pen name, suddenly experiencing early onset dementia while writing the last book in the series. She seeks help from an avid fan who is only 11 years old, Peanut.
This book is for diehard fans of beloved book series who want that fictional world to go on forever. It is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and at times, real.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

i would say this one was a solid 3,75/5 rounded to 4 read.


It's a story about Libby. Libby is a very popular author of children's books and she has a really big fanbase (like the kids love her). But Libby also recently found out that she is sick. and now she can't write. Characters from her stories are now trapped in the world she created - but even if she tries really, really hard - she can't write anything to help them.
The only solution (what she thinks) is to ask some of her fans for help - and this is how she meets Peanut (i loved that name) who really want her to finish the series.


It is a story about a diagnosis changing Libby's life - and how she tries to deal with it.
I really enjoyed it, it is such a great and fresh idea to write about something like that - it shows, that even if you think everything is fine now, it doesn't mean it will always be that way. And you have to accept it.
I am always scared ob being diagnosed with something like that - i cannot imagine going through something like this - or worse, seeing one of my beloved ones like that.





i received this book via Netgalley, so thank you so much!

all of my opinions are my own.

This book is an emotional dive into memory, identity, and the love for storytelling. Libby’s struggle with dementia and her bond with a young fan bring warmth and depth to the story. While some parts feel over-the-top, the real magic lies in how it explores the blurry line between fiction and reality. It's a moving tale about connection and loss, with plenty of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed Libby's story so much! It was beautifully written and really dove into the scary diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's. Not many books talk about this where the main character is of a young age. She goes through a tough journey as an author and dealing with the life altering diagnosis. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn't put the book down. I would highly recommend this book! Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book early.

Libby Lost and Found is a heartbreakingly touching read. I found the dual main characters of Libby and Peanut to be vivid and multilayered as characters and was immediately invested in what would happen to them both. Booth does an excellent job of portraying the difficulties Libby has with daily function as she is diagnosed with early onset dementia. Her attachment to the characters in her bestselling novel series is both sweet, funny and also an excellent way of showing just how isolated and lonely Libby has become even before showing signs of dementia. While Peanut is an avid fan of the series who prefers to live in the fantasy world of the Falling Children in Libby's books rather than face growing up and coming to terms with who her real parents might be. As the two characters came together halfway through the book though, I found Peanut's determination to live out the stories a bit annoying. I also got a little aggravated with some of the secondary characters in terms of how they treated Libby even after knowing how compromised her cognitive function was and how vulnerable that made her. Some of them were still ready to turn her out on her own to go back home rather than having the compassion to help her. It seemed more than a little implausible that a doctor of all things would recommend having someone in that condition travel alone across country without assistance of some kind. But aside from those elements of the story, I really enjoyed this novel and I was satisfied with how it all wrapped up in the end. I will be interested in reading more by Stephanie Booth. I am thankful to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for giving me the opportunity to read a free eARC of this novel in return for this honest review.

“Everyone has their own shit, just in different flavors”
Before she can stop herself, Libby recites, “Black licorice. Pig slop. Bitter melon. Blood.
“Let me guess, the Falling Children?”
“No, it’s from me-the taste grief leaves in your mouth. Every book, I add it in and my publishers cuts it. She thinks it’s too sad.”

Libby is the infamous author of The Falling Children series. Infamous because nobody knows who she is. The author FT Goldhero is a true mystery, but everyone is beginning to lose their patience as they wait for the final book. Meanwhile Libby has recently gotten a horrifying diagnosis, she is in the early stages of dementia. She knows she needs to save the children though, so she calls on one of her biggest fans, 11 year old Peanut to help her finish the book.

This book was so fun, but also really sad at the same time! I had to remind myself several times that the main people dealing with Libby were kids, which would be why they didn’t understand that she was sick. I kept feeling like omg why don’t they notice the dementia? But they were so young how would they know? I just felt so much for Libby throughout the book because she understood that she couldn’t remember, but also just couldn’t remember. It really broke my heart, especially as my Grandma is beginning to become a bit forgetful and it kills me to see her that way. I really loved Peanut and the relationship she built with Libby was so sweet. Overall that is the best way to describe this book..so dang sweet!

Thank you to @bookedmarked for my gifted copy of this book!

I loved this book, which was so different than anything else I have read in the past few years. It crossed genres in the best of ways. Libby needed to finish the final volume in her Harry Potter series, yet, due to the beginnings of early onset Alzheimer’s, she was having a hard time. She desperately decided to go across the country, to the home of a 12 year-old who helps her, and writes the last book for her.

Here, in this synopsis, it sounds crazy, but it works. It’s funny and poignant, a story about family and hope and fantasy and Alzheimer’s rolled into one book. Genius, really. Loved it!

Sadly I simply couldn’t make a “go” of this book. It was confusing, it was repetitive and the characters just never came alive for me.

I hope it will be a winner with others.

I appreciate the ARC from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to @SourcebooksLandmark and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #LibbyLostAndFound. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Libby Weeks is the reclusive author (using a pseudonym) of the Falling Children series. Libby is an anxious person who experiences the world through her writing and her characters. She's missed the deadlines for the final book in the series and her publisher and her fans are ratcheting up the pressure. Libby knows her characters are in trouble, but she can't seem to help them. When she's diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Libby turns to a young superfan to help her finish the book.

The depiction of early on-set Alzheimer's felt authentic and frankly, terrifying. I enjoyed this book, but the scenes of Libby venturing far from home with her impaired cognitive abilities made me anxious. In real life, the consequences could be so different.

Libby Weeks is a 40-year-old woman with anxiety levels so high it’s a miracle she’s able to do anything. Her paranoia keeps her in a cage that prevents her from actually living her life. She has no one, except for her dog Rolf. She’s awkward. She’s quiet. And she was also just diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimers. To make matters worse, she is also the illustrious F. T. Goldhero: beloved author of the world-famous children’s series The Falling Children (think Lemony Snicket/A Series of Unfortunate Events). The manuscript for the final book is months overdue, and Libby has written the Children into a dangerous corner with no obvious way to save them. After opening a fan letter from Peanut Bixton, the Children’s biggest fan, Libby makes the dubious decision to pack up and go to Big Sky, Colorado to pay Peanut a visit and see if she know what to do next in the story.

As Libby’s memory deteriorates more and more, she becomes entrenched in Peanut’s life, which weirdly mirrors her own novels. Meanwhile, the fans of The Falling Children have grown impatient for the last book in the series, and are turning against F. T. Goldhero. A billionaire from Texas has even put a bounty on her head – one million dollars to whomever unmasks the author. Libby keeps slipping up and doing things that could reveal her secret identity as the stakes get higher and higher – culminating in a Falling Children rally in Big Sky, hosted by Peanut’s nemesis. Will Libby be unmasked as Goldhero? Will she be able to save the Children from the danger she’s written them into? Will Libby get to actually live her life instead of letting her fears hold her back?

Booth has a wonderful way with words, and this book is sprinkled with humor throughout. Her writing is smart and you’re immediately endeared to Libby and the struggles she’s facing with the loss of her memory. Libby goes on an almost cross-country adventure because her desire to save what she views as HER children outweighs her fears and anxieties – illness be damned. You keep seeing her make mistakes because she just can’t remember, and it adds a lot of needed tension – there were several moments I had to set the book down because I was stressed out about her making things worse for herself.

If you don’t know me, I’m a cancer survivor (2 years in remission baybeeee!!!). I know what it’s like to get a big diagnosis that could be fatal. I know what it’s like when your brain stops working like it’s supposed to (chemo brain is the gift that keeps on giving if you didn’t know). I LOVE that this book isn’t all sad or overly schmaltzy about illness. It means a lot to me that Libby is still Libby, even though she’s got A Lot Going On Now. Libby is ultimately not a victim here – she hasn’t let her illness take her agency away from her. Her illness actually forces her to let go of her control so that she can experience life instead of frightfully playing it safe. She’s dating and traveling and connecting with people and trying. Libby is finally LIVING, in spite of being told she’s dying. And that’s the biggest “fuck you” you can give to an illness.

A word of warning: I was about a third of the way through the book when I became CONVINCED that I knew what the bigger picture was and what was happening. This caused me to read the book in a certain way, which made it less enjoyable for me as I ended up being wrong in my assumptions. This is a book that I’ll have to go back and read again so I can get a full appreciation of it, so I give this warning so you know to read it with a more open mind than I did. Libby Lost and Found is a wonderful story about life, family, loss, and hope. If you are a fan of any serial children’s stories, I think you’ll especially enjoy this read.

Libby Weeks, the secret author of the wildly popular “The Falling Children” series, has developed early onset Alzheimer’s and is unable to finish the final novel in the series. So, she enlists the help of one of her very best fans, Peanut Bixton, a very precocious 11-year-old girl who knows the series inside and out. The storyline progresses as Libby’s condition worsens and Peanut’s help increases. Although the overall story is a charming one, it is really slow going through most of the novel. Additionally, the second half of the novel meandered quite a bit and was confusing at times, and the ending seemed somewhat rushed (although all was nicely resolved). All in all, this was a good read.

Libby Lost and Found is for all book lovers and those who love found family stories.

Libby is a 40 year old woman who writes a wildly popular children’s magical series under the name F. T Goldhero. She lives alone, is an orphan and has no friends. No one knows she is the mysterious author. Libby has been struggling to finish the final book in the series because she was recently diagnosed with early onset dementia. She is stressed and looking for a way to complete the series before her editors, publishing company and fans find out what is really happening.

The story takes us on Libby’s journey as she flies out of town to secretly meet a child super fan who she thinks will help her finish the series, and the events develop from hereThe story struggles with how early onset dementia, alters a person’s mindset and life. A fantastical element of the “Falling Children Series” is also woven through the actual story.

I loved Libby and her superfan, Peanut. I struggled with some of the fantastical elements of the story and felt we got stuck in the middle. The writing was excellent and overall a very enjoyable read.

A complementary copy was provided by publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I haven't read such an emotionally heartwarming story since "A Man Called Ova." While the premise and the writing are nothing like Fredrik Backman's books, the heart of the story grabbed me the same way. Fully developed, endearing characters, a well paced plot and unexpected twists kept me reading almost straight through. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced reader copy

Libby Lost and Found
by Stephanie Booth
Pub Date: Oct 15 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Libby Lost and Found is a book for people who don't know who they are without the books they love. It's about the stories we tell ourselves and the chapters of our lives we regret. Most importantly, it's about the endings we write for ourselves.
A heartbreaker of a story with wonderful broken characters who, along with Libby, fit like perfect puzzle pieces so beautifully. All those obsessive Harry Potter fans might be looking into a mirror and it touches on how high we place some authors atop a pedestal they can't help but fall off of. For book fans of THE WISHING GAME, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY and the tragic characters of ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK - this is your kind of book.
I loved this story~

While not quite what I expected, I was enthralled with this novel and how the pieces of LIbby's dementia and the town of Blue Skies (and those living there) slowly pieced together, Highly recommend.

Libby Lost and Found is a creative, unique novel - I feel it will appeal to a variety of readers, including those who like books about books, fantasy storylines, or heart-wrenching stories of growth, pain, and hope. Libby is the 40 year old author of a best-selling fantasy children's series, hard at work on the last novel when she is diagnosed with early onset dementia. Her life has been full of pain up until this point. In some ways, she has made the most of things, but also, she lives a very solitary life so this diagnosis is even harder to deal with alone. Her story intersects with the internet and one little fan of the series, Peanut. Peanut and her adoptive family were, by far, the best part of this book for me. I love how they allowed LIbby to explore friendship, family, and love in new and hopeful ways. There was a touch of magic throughout this book, both in how Libby experiences Peanut and her town, as well as the story within the story element of the children in Libby's book series.

I rated this novel a bit lower than I would have because I found the premise to be a) a bit far fetched, and b) a bit confusing. The story within the story and parallels between Peanut's town and the town in Libby's fantasy series were intense at times. It was hard to know what was true and what was happening in Libby's mind due to the dementia diagnosis, so that lessened my enjoyment of this book somewhat. Because of those elements, I was surprised at the ending (and also a bit disappointed). That being said, I still enjoyed this book and felt it was worth the read! The author's writing is beautiful.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5
Libby is an author, and not just any author, but the author of a major children's book series that has rocked the world with enjoyment. Only, no one knows who Libby is, she writes under a pseudonym and readers assume the author is a British male. Libby is working on the last and final installment of them series to be struggling with her memory. She can not figure out how to end this book, much less keep track of her beloved dog, and basics in life.

Things to not go according to plan, in fact Libby get's herself into a huge mess, and we the readers get to fret and stress over how she will get out of her multiple sticky situations.

I loved that this book shares the love and passion of amazing books that children love (adults too). It made me feel like she was talking about the equivalent to the Harry Potter series. Libby is endearing and I was worried for her and loved her. That said, her memory loss felt a bit too fictionalized for the sake of storytelling. Too many cliche things seemed to happen. I kinda didn't care about her children's story that we read within the pages, it was a little weird.

But overall, it was a fun book that kept me guessing on the direction it was going!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance e-copy of this book.

3.5 rounded up.

What I Liked:

The dementia aspects were very spot on and obviously well researched or familiar to this author.

I love an unlikely friendship especially with a child and adult it was heartwarming and tender.


What didn’t quite work:

There were too many plot holes that needed to be addressed.

The ending needs work, editing seems to be a factor here.

A deeply moving novel with a beautiful premise that has a fictional spin on it.

Being a psychology student aI love seeing mental health struggles represented in books, hence I quickly jumped on the opportunity to request this book when I saw it pop up. It was genuinely heartbreaking seeing Libby’s deterioration throughout the book - especially that writing was once a thing she loved, a thing she breathed with, a thing that allowed her to live a life where she did not feel the pain that her life cause her when she was younger. The only thing that took my by surprise was the speed at which she deteriorated… I guess we don’t know how long it took for her to get her diagnosis done - but it definitely went from 0 to 100 quite quickly.

I really enjoyed the idea of a young fan helping Libby finishing the last book of the series… I thought it would be quite straight forward but the journey the storyline took us on was actually quite an enjoyable one. One thing that I did find quite (I don’t know the best way to describe it but…) irksome was how everybody knew the book not just as a fan but a super maniac - as in nearly everybody was quoting the book. But I understand how it was important to set the scale of her fame.

Her actual writing (Libby’s I mean) was quite… creepy, and especially the way her writing took over her life in a way that the line between the reality and the fiction she was writing got blurred. It was quite a thrilling ride.

Overall, I quite liked the book and really enjoyed the way that the author conveyed the narrative of early-onset Alzheimer’s in the book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was hooked by this tagline: Libby Lost and Found is a book for people who don't know who they are without the books they love. It's about the stories we tell ourselves and the chapters of our lives we regret.
You’re reading reviews because you’re a reader and you love books and you love to talk story with your reading friends, right? This book does NOT disappoint!
We’re plunged right into the crux of the protagonist’s (Libby’s) situation right away. Moving through her day we come to learn more (which you already know from reading the synopsis in the book’s listing).
The way characters were introduced, and the story developed, was wonderfully organic. The supporting characters were primarily developed through the viewpoints of Libby and Peanut, the two central characters. All the characters had complexities and puzzles, so there were always lots of questions to be answered. Not a difficult read at all, but definitely not an overly simple read either. You won’t be bored, and you won’t want your reading to be interrupted by the mundane requirements of everyday life.
(I really don’t want to divulge any more of the plot than you’ve got from the provided synopsis.)
This book was clever in concept, and very well executed. And the ending was perfect. I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend. And very much hope to see more books by this author.