What a ripper Middle Years dystopian read. I must confess I tried to listen to the audio book at night at first and those dulcet tones of the narrator put me to sleep before the 30 minute timer did. I gave it another go when I wasn’t so tired and I am so glad I did.

When recommending this dystopian adventure to Year 5+ students I will be suggesting they need to give it a good 5 chapters to understand this world and its tech. Once this and the characters is established it has all the elements needed for a fabulous read. It’s thought provoking

“Imagine if we didn’t read and we relied on tech alone to experience the world”.

“Why do you think paper is so valuable when people can’t read?”

As a librarian I am no doubt biased to enjoy a book with these themes but I will definitely be purchasing for the junior library because I know I won’t be the only one to love this fantastic novel.

4.5 stars

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Book about Books, Dystopia
Audience: Middle-grade (about 7-12 year olds)

I love middle grade books for many reasons! There's still the important family relationships, and these books are so creative. *THE LEGEND OF THE LAST LIBRARY* reminds me a tiny bit of the *Cove* series by Savage because of the creatures and the idea of hidden knowledge.

The references in this book to other books is wonderful—most book lovers should get these references. Kids who love books are going to eat up the quest for the lost books. Having something as common as paper being rare will tickle kids' fancy.

I also loved the protagonist, Juni, and her relationship with her grandfather. She has a great friend and the two of them make another friend. There is also the evil "friend" which is so stunning to Juni and Doler. This moment of the betrayer threads through the story more than I expected, and I thought it was well crafted instead of having a single moment.

This is such a fun book! I hope you grab it and love it as much as I did. I listened to the audio, and it was fantastic.

Happy reading!

This middle grade novel will appeal to readers who love mystery and adventure. It's a look at an alternate future where the world has become too reliant on technology and those in power have deicded what is available to the masses. The main character is relatable and I found myself rooting for Juni.

The Legend of the the Last Library is another winning title by Frank L. Cole. I haven't decided if it was a plot twist or simply part of the plot that happened early that I did not at all see coming. The event had me eager to continue the book to see where everything was going and how it would all turn out in the end. You won't be disappointed in the beginning, middle, or end of this great book which I hope is the first in a series. I am cheering for a couple characters to continue their adventure.

Fans of City of Ember are likely to enjoy The Legend of the Last Library. This dystopian middle-grade novel gave me Indiana Jones, Night at the Museum, and City of Ember vibes, and overall, I really enjoyed it. The audio narration was engaging and flowed well. The story centers on a girl named Juni who lives with her grandfather in the not-so-distant future where a blight has killed all the trees and left paper a thing of the past. Juni's parents were killed while trying to scavenge for lost resources. Juni is following in their footsteps, always hoping to find a few scraps of paper to sell in order to pay for her grandfather's costly medical treatments. Juni is also at odds with a nefarious corporation committed to withholding information and spreading misinformation to the public. I enjoyed the character and society development that made up the majority of the book but the last third or so felt rushed and seemed set up for a sequel. If the pacing and ending would have been a little smoother, this probably would have been a 5-star read for me. Instead, it was a solid 4-stars.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy of this audiobook.

Set in a world where trees are extinct and paper is worth more than gold, The Legend of the Lost Library is a dystopian dive into a future where major corporations have a strangle hold on the world and the flow of ALL information.

The concept of this story is intriguing and it definitely has a Fahrenheit 451 vibe about it. The reason I went with 3 instead of 4 stars is that I honestly feel like it could have been split into a duology. The first 2/3rds read well and built up a lot of suspense and then the last 3rd was super rushed and felt like it was wrapping up A LOT without giving any real details.

The narration is excellent with the characters each having their own distinct sound. I enjoyed listening to it, I just wish it had not been so rushed.

After losing her parents, both archaeologists, Juniper aka Juni is living with her elderly grandfather whom she loves and looks after - with some support from their neighbour, the widowed Mrs Gupta.

Paper is extremely rare in Juni's post apocalypic world, where a blight killed off all the trees, and living conditions are harsh for most people. Juni and her friends scavenge for scrap material to help with the bills - including any precious paper they might come across.

What Juni will soon discover, to her amazement, is that the token left to her by her parents might in fact lead her to the location of The Last Library, which has long been lost to those living in Juni's world. But what will she do with this unique opportunity?

This is the perfect story for young people who love books. Creative and original, it holds the reader's interest, and Juni is an excellent protagonist - ably supported by her friends, and some rather special dogs, both robotic and real. Worth checking out.

Well. So. You know. I don't know how to start this review at all.

We live in a post Blight world where all trees are gone and paper is worth more than just about anything. (Please, someone tell me I am not the only one thinking about Lorax right now. My dude would be horrified.) Juni's parents are dead and it's only her and her grandpa who is ill. So, when not in school, Juni goes plifting—scavenging for any paper she can find.

Then one day Juni finds a library card, a book and a way to find the last library! Sounds great, doesn't it?

Yes, it does sound fantastic but it just wasn't? Like, yeah I get it, this is middle grade but I have a hard time believing that no one found the library before them. The story also felt like it was all over the place? Juni's grandpa is very present for the first half of the story but then by the end he isn't mentioned at all. (Also I feel like Lorax just thinking about what happened to the library at the end. Like I guess things were fine but I don't know? I didn't like how the story ended)

But then - there are also the bad guys. Let's not forget the bad guys! They - I don't know how to say this without spoiling a lot of information - want to control everyone? And they have these scary robotic dogs(?) that they use for surveillance and attack people who do something they aren't supposed to?

As a future librarian, my heart hurts thinking about that library. I also didn't find the plot as exciting as I was hoping. I also didn't find any of the characters relatable or even very likeable. I think the reason I was able to even finish this was because I really enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook.

Sadly not my book - but I think a lot of other people might enjoy it nevertheless. I am not a big dystopian fan but I if something has the word library on the title I feel like I need to give it a try.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This novel pulls you into a gripping, dystopian world where even paper is more valuable than gold. Juni’s journey, alongside her loyal friends, from a simple scavenger to a brave explorer hunting for the last library on Earth, is both heartwarming and full of suspense. The writing is sharp and engaging, keeping the pace swift without sacrificing depth. The high stakes—competing against a sinister corporation with robotic enforcers—add a real sense of urgency. The conclusion feels satisfying, yet leaves just enough unanswered questions to make you crave the next installment. I’d eagerly dive into more from this series or any future works by this author.

What a sweet and lovely homage to books and reading this was! I'll be honest, it started a little slow for me. I'm not a huge fan of dystopian fiction, and I was getting a little beaten down by the story, then things picked up as the mystery began to unfold and I was completely drawn into the world from that point out...

Once I got past my personal issues with the dystopian narrative, I found the story to be engaging and original, while still playing with contemporary political themes like book banning, corporate malfeasance, and socioeconomic disparity. They were managed in a way that felt age appropriate given the novel and it's intended audience, but that still made me think in a way that I appreciated as an adult.

This was a fun and smart read. The narration was excellent and really contributed a fullness to the characters and the story. The way it ended led me to wonder if there might be future adventures to be had here - and I certainly hope there will be!

A very strong middle grade! The characters were all interesting and likable. The plot was my favorite part! I loved the concept of a dystopian world looking for a hidden library. As someone who studied classics and Archeology and has always had a fascination with the Library of Alexandria this book was right up my alley! Overall I had loads of fun listening!

I really enjoyed the narrator as well!

Thank you Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this book. This wonderful story is a love letter to libraries everywhere. Interesting, fast-moving plot, lots of adventure, and a story about books and libraries! A definite recommendation from me!

Thanks to Blackstone Audio and NetGalley for the digital audio of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily

Imagine a world without paper–I think of this a lot because at work, every day, there is a 3–400-page report that is printed. Every. Day. And I keep thinking, there has to be a better way. But I digress. In this book, trees died off decades ago because of a blight, making paper a scarce commodity like gold is today. However, the reader spends the first 30% of the story getting immersed in the dystopian world before there’s a mention of the title-The Legend of the Last Library. I’m not sure if most kids would keep reading until that point without wondering as I did, “When do they get to the part about the last library?”

That’s not to say the book isn’t a good, adventurous and exciting read. The world building was great, with an environmental message, as well as one about corporate overlords overtaking countries and living in a police state. It’s important to expose young readers to these concepts so they think critically about issues that affect us today, and sow the seed of a life of action in their future.

Juni is a great character, and I really felt her struggles to help out to keep food on the table and paying the bills with a sick grandfather. She plifts (paper lifts) to supplement his pension. Along with her friends, Doler and Quake, they explore forbidden areas to find bits and pieces off paper to sell on the black market.

Narrated by Bailey Carr–very good work, although at times, I felt the narration felt more “adult” than that of a tween girl.

Content warning: parental death, ailing caregiver, brutal police state

So I really didn't like the word plifting, and every time it was used I cringed. Though I get where Cole is going with making this word up to describe those that scavenge for paper to sell for credits.

Other than that, I really enjoyed meeting Juni, her grandfather, Kobyn, Doler, and Zeno - not to mention Juni's landlord who is SO much more than that. Cole establishes an interesting postapocalyptic world where insects consumed all living plants (and paper) destroying the ecosystem and bringing society to a halt. Novexus is a realistic bad guy in this scenario and I found it very interesting how all the pieces connect in the end once Juni learns more about what's been happening over the last 100 years.

Honestly - the circumstances that brought about life as Juni knows it isn't too far fetched and could easily become reality. Both in regards to The Blight and to one corporation taking control of society and censoring people's access to information. Aspects of this are happening as I type out this review.

I think middle grade readers are really going to enjoy this one and there's something in it for older readers as well. Cole found a good balance between bluntness and hope for a better future. Throughout the entire story is a deep love for literature and for the power that stories can have over people. There's a moment where some of the characters are questioning why the actual book is better than the info dump they can get from their wearable tech and it's pointed out that a synopsis/cliff notes version can never replace the experience of actually reading the full text. Words and stories are remarkable things and can change society.

Bailey Carr does a good job with the audiobook narration.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks in exchange for an honest review.

This middle grade adventure is a rip-roaring time! Following a young girl as she scavenges for paper to sell in hopes of providing for her grandfather's medical care, the reader is transported into a dystopian future where bugs destroyed all the growing things, leading the humans to burning all paper. There are robot cop dogs, technology that makes being able to read very rare, and strong relationships.

Kids will love this book because it is a fast-paced adventure. Adults will also enjoy this title because there are some thought provoking ideas in the book about the control of information and our society.

Thank you to Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing- Audiobooks for the audioARC. All opinions are my own.