This was such an interesting premise and definitely hit the spot in so many ways that it pains me to say it wasn't really for me.

The good: well written and incorporated a lot of clever things into the plot to keep things interesting. The mix of the real story and the fictional Fallen Children series was so detailed and integrated. Also well-narrated.

Why only 3⭐ then?

One of my pet peeves in movies and books is that annoying child that just keeps getting in trouble and dragging all the sensible adults along with them. Peanut was that for me.

And while I did love Libby as a character, she made me so uncomfortable. Maybe it is too close to my own paranoia due to a family history of dementia. Everytime she had an episode, I felt the panic and just wanted to get past the scenes quickly.

So while this is admittedly an engaging read, it just honestly stressed me out too much to enjoy.

I'm not sure I had any real expectations for this book, but man the story blew me out of the water. Probably my favorite literary fiction I've read this year!

Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth was a delight to read. The premise of an author experiencing early onset dementia created a main character that tugged at your heart. Combining her most faithful fan, Peanut, and her family solidified the story. My love for juvenile fiction and for underdog characters made this a book that will stick with me for a long time. This book is perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman and Chris Colfer.
Thank you, NetGalley for providing this book.

4.5 Stars.

When the author of a super popular children's fantasy book series is diagnosed with dementia before she's able to finish the last book in the series, she becomes desperate for help. She reaches out to Peanut a super fan who has written to her every single day for years. On a mission to finish the book, Libby (the author) visits Peanut and changes not only her life, but Peanut's and her family's lives too.

This story is filled with imagination and all the emotions. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll no doubt love this feel-good book!

The audio narration is great too making this book an enjoyable, engaging experience all the way around.

Wow, with the cover of this book giving off fluffy-romance meets Where’d You Go, Bernadette vibes, I didn’t see this plot coming. Such an imaginative story that would be silly if it didn’t have me holding my breath to see what happens the whole way through!

Peanut and Libby are quirky, mysterious and lovable in their own very different ways, as is the rest of the cast of characters surrounding them. The author really brilliantly weaves together the story and the story in the story, with the latter being a spoof on the world building and manic fandom surrounding books like Harry Potter, but also kind of successfully laying out the intricate plot and language and heroes and villains that constitute that kind of captivating saga.

Kudos to author Stephanie Booth for a tremendous debut and thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance audio version of this fantastic new release.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6903338832

Libby Weeks is the bestselling author of the Falling Children books, a fantasy series about three orphaned children written under the name F. T. Goldhero. Libby has also just been diagnosed with dementia. She struggles with her diagnosis as she tries to finish the last book in the series. The deadlines pass her by, she forgets to contact her publisher, and there is growing pressure from the public for the final book. Libby is contacted by a fan, Peanut, who claims that she can help finish the books, so Libby travels with her dog Rolf to Blue Springs, Colorado where Peanut lives. The two try to figure out how to give the series the ending it deserves as Libby struggles with her health and Peanut struggles with her family.

Libby Lost and Found was an interesting listen. The narrator did a good job with the text, although I think there might have been some anagrams that got lost in translation from text to audio that made the narration seem a bit odd. The chapters from Libby's perspective really made you experience the frustration that she felt as she was trying to do the things that she had always done without issue before. Peanut's chapters were interesting, but also a bit odd. Blue Springs seemed to mirror a lot of the setting in the Falling Children books, but I wasn't sure if that was due to Peanut's imagination, Libby having been there before, or it just being a coincidence. I wish that this aspect of the book had been expanded upon a bit more. I did enjoy the characters with all of their faults and flaws, and I appreciated how everyone coped with their issues differently. This will be a good one for fans of books about books or books about complicated families.

I really loved this audiobook narrator. However, the book itself was a miss for me. Very jumbled and hard to follow some of the plot points. While I did enjoy the ending it just was not my cup of tea.

Libby Weeks is a famous author of a remarkable children’s series of books and is working on the final book when she is diagnosed with early dementia. Peanut, a 11-year-old uber-fan is just the perfect assistant to help Libby finish the book.

But it is so much more, found family, grief, friendship, and lots of emotional heartbreak.
Those that believe in the power of books will not be able to turn the pages fast enough as they enter the world with Libby and Peanut.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie Booth and RBmedia | Recorded Books.

Libby, under the pseudonym F. T. Goldhero, is the author of The Falling Children and she’s deep into the troubles of writing the final installation of the series. There are loose ends to tie up and the children are caught in a precarious predicament Libby doesn’t know how to save them from. Not to mention Libby has just been diagnosed with early onset dementia. Enter Peanut, a precocious eleven year old that’s obsessed with The Falling Children and is determined to help Goldhero end their story the right way. Desperate, Libby reaches out and falls in with Peanut and her family in a small town not too dissimilar from the one she’d created.

This story was not what I expected it to be and somehow exactly what I expected. There’s so much heart in these pages and it made me believe in Libby and this series she’s written.

There’s so, so much grief here. Libby grieves herself and the life she’s lived and the ending of something she spent an entire life loving and creating in The Falling Children. All of her grief echoes so beautifully through the rest of the cast, I could spend hours dissecting all of it. It’s not a grief without hope, though. Or without love.

The story speaks to writing and creation and all of the ways that loving something can go. The obsessive fans mercurial relationship to the author. Peanut and her family. Libby and her children. There’s a lot of love here and a lot of healing and it was a joy to read, truly. It made me want to write. It made me want to read. It made me want to sit down and obsessive explain every plot point to someone entirely uninterested just because I have to get how much I love the story out.

I think this book has its flaws, some of which may have come about simply because I read it via audiobook. I might have missed something, especially with the amount of wordplay that takes place, but I wanted a more concrete resolution by the end. I can take a real good educated guess and I understand why it’s a little uncertain, but it just irks me a little. The audiobook’s narrator also took me a while to get used to. She read with an attitude that got under my skin and made Libby’s every thought sound a little rude and judgmental to me, but that’s highly a personal preference.

All in all, I’m going to be recommending this book like crazy for a hot second.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed listening to this book! The narrator was great and easy to listen to. Libby Weeks is a world-famous writer with the pen name F.T. Goldhero. The book series is coming to an end when Libby is diagnosed with early-onset dementia. She is struggling to finish the book when she decides to turn to Peanut, a child from a small town in Colorado who has a deep love of the book series and a wild imagination. Libby is looking to Peanut for answers on how to wrap up the book series, and we realize the struggles and secrets they are facing.
I appreciate the way you can feel Libby’s confusion and fear that comes along with her dementia, Peanut’s struggles with friends and her passion for the falling children, and how their lives intertwined through their shared struggles and experiences as they were on a shared yet separate journey. I enjoyed seeing the humanity in other characters too.
There were some parts of the book that were a bit far-fetched and somewhat confusing for me to follow, but that could be because I wasn’t listening to it as closely as I could have been. There were times I couldn’t tell if an event was really occurring or if it was happening inside Libby’s head. I struggled keeping up with the characters from The Falling Children and their intricacies while also trying to understand the characters from this book.
Overall, I would recommend this book to physically read or listen to as an audiobook. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth is a heartfelt and beautifully written exploration of loss, particularly when a writer struggles to find their voice, and the power of fandom. Booth captures readers with her relatable characters, especially Libby and her relationship with her biggest fan, Peanut.

The small-town setting serves as a perfect backdrop for the unfolding family drama, highlighting the impact of community support during difficult times. The narrative deftly intertwines the literary and fantasy worlds, creating an engaging and immersive experience.

Overall, this is a captivating story that resonates with both readers of contemporary fiction and fans of fantasy, reminding us of the strength found in connection and creativity.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC

There is a great deal to unpack in this debut novel! It is well written, much more than dementia, family relationships, and self-worth. Heartwarming and engaging, I couldn't wait to see how it ended and was not disappointed. Great debut and I look forward to more. So happy it is available in audio and I will be picking up a print copy too.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing a copy of the audiobook.

Very interesting and inventive premise, but I felt like the story was all over the place. I would have like to seen more insight into the experience of dementia, rather than just sporadically forgetting words or who people are. I did enjoy reading from and author’s perspective and how the fantasy worlds and plots were created. 3.5 rating

Oh Libby was just darling!!! I fell in absolute love with her! Stephanie Booth you created such a beautiful book. This was wonderful.

Libby Lost and Found was quirky, enlightening, heartwarming, and at times, sad. A unique concept, the novel follows Libby, author of a very successful book series, The Falling Children, as she is attempting to complete the final novel in the series. Yet she just can’t seem to make any progress due to early onset dementia. She has the idea to use a child super fan to help her finish the book, yet she tries to do it without divulging her true identity and that she is having major memory lapses.

I loved the concept of this novel. The relationship between Libby, Peanut, and Peanut’s family is really great. I thought the peek into the mind of someone with early onset dementia was incredibly interesting and eye-opening. I also appreciated the ending. On the downside, the dialogue and descriptions often went so deep into the fictional world of The Falling Children that I became lost or bored. I could have done with less Falling Children and more of Libby, Peanut, and family.

I listened to the audiobook, which was done very well. Mia Barron narrates and did a fantastic job.

Special thanks to RBmedia for the audio ARC via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book.
Libby is the secret writer of The Falling Children series. With the hype and of Harry Potter and the fan base of basically all humans young and old her books are beloved by all. Everyone is waiting for the 6th and final book in the series. And Libby would love to give it to them, except she was just diagnosed with early dementia and is quickly forgetting what is supposed to happen to the falling children,and more importantly, how to save them.
This book will make you laugh. It will make you cry.
You will be as lost as Libby at times, and then at others totally found. Loved it. Such a different concept. I could see any book lover adoring this one.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC

This was such a wonderful book! It was a difficult read, as losing one's memory and mental faculties is a lifelong fear of mine. But Booth handled it with delicacy and humor in equal measure, which allowed me to not only listen but to really feel the narrative. The characters were wonderful and endearing. The storyline was enjoyable and heartwarming. The narrator did an extraordinary job capturing the pathos of the characters and the story. I will definitely be looking for more from Stephanie Booth!

never have i read anything like this and it was odd but adorable

was i confused and concerned the whole time i read this, yes. but i don't really care. the whole premise of this book was so unique and it did deliver on the quirkiness. i just think that this would work better for someone who is more used to this type of story. the book element of this story was cute but having the fictional characters be so present in the story kinda confused me. i listened to the audiobook and that really helped me, if i'd read it physically i probably wouldn't have finished it. this is not a bad book its just different and that may work really well for some.

the characters are defiantly very interesting and sweet and likable which make the book better. i did enjoy this and will be looking for other stories like this even if this wasn't 100% for me.

if you're looking for a quick and quirky book with a unique storyline and a fun fictional world and simplifications of heavy topics, look no further because its here.

When Libby gets a diagnosis of early onset dimentia, she realizes that the writer's block she's been struggling with isn't going away. She is desperate to finish her children's book series, The Falling Children. This book series is what leads her to meet 11 year-old Peanut Bixton, who is undoubtedly the biggest Falling Children fan there is. Peanut is also desperate for her favorite book series to get the ending it deserves, and feels a deep personal connection to the Falling Children.

I would say this book had a similar vibe to Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine. There is a deep penetrating sadness to Libby's plight, but the narrative is filled with antics and zany characters, and enough general chaos to keep you chuckling to yourself.

At times, while listening, I felt that things were almost too chaotic that I found it confusing. The falling children characters kept chiming in, so the lines between reality and fantasy were blurred. I flipped through the print book after finishing and I think I would have probably chosen that format for myself if I had a do-over.

Also, there was one slimy character that I'm still mad at, and I wish there was some kind of come-uppance for him.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I'll be sure to pick up and future books by this author in print!

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley
#LibbyLostandFound

I adored this book! Libby is an author struggling to finish her last book in a series about the Lost Children while also struggling with dementia. Some of this book made me sad however it was such a magical book with twists and turns and I didnt want it to end. I loved the ending! The narrator did a great job!

5 Stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Publish date: 10/15/2024