When I found out the main character was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s I had to breath. My dad had this, so it was difficult at times.

Libby is a children’s author and she is unable to finish her last book. She ends up counting on a super fan and this story is quirky and heartwarming.

Thank you RB Media for the gifted audio. The narrator was phenomenal.

Libby Weeks hides under the pen name "F. T. Goldhero" and releases the most beloved children's book series in the world called The Falling Children. The time has come to write the final book in the series, but Libby receives a diagnosis that changes her life forever. Panicking, Libby searches online for book ideas to save the falling children from peril and bring them into their happy ending. It is there that she encounters Peanut, a child with a wild imagination and a love for the falling children that might surpass Libby's own love for them.

Thank you Stephanie Booth and RBmedia for the audio version of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed here are mine and mine alone.

This was such an unusual and deeply moving book. I adored the characters, even the ones with deep issues. They all had a redeeming quality that is endearing and makes you as the reader want more of their story. Although the plot of the book is unlikely and a bit far-fetched, the way the author writes her characters makes the story feel real and relatable. The characters aren't perfect. But they are doing what they believe is best, and that I can appreciate.

The only main aspect of this book that I did not like was the ending. It wasn't realistic and it didn't satisfy my reader's heart. I wanted Libby to receive the recognition she deserved. I also don't know how anyone would believe the series was written by a child. I wanted more closure for Libby and it just wasn't delivered.

I liked the audio version and the narrator was wonderful at voicing each character. If you are looking for a quirky and unusual book that also brings in the reality of life, this book is the one for you. I recommend the audiobook, but I also know that reading a physical copy of the book would help the reader notice more of the details as some got lost in the reading (probably because of my mediocre listening skills).

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced audiobook.

This one hit me in all the feels. This was such a heartbreaking and uplifting story. I just wanted to take care of Libby and while I knew the outcome couldn't be a magically cured character I still wished for it. Stephanie Booth did such a great job of putting the reader inside the head of a person going through the beginnings of dementia. A great debut novel.

An imaginitive and interesting premise for a story with raw and poignant underlying themes. Libby Weeks, the author of a famous children's fantasy book series, suffers from crippling anxiety and is diagnosed with early-onset dementia before she is able to finish her final book. Writing under a pen name, it feels as though her only real friends are the young characters that live inside her imagination. Despite the trail of post-it notes she has left for herself she can't remember how to save them from the eminent danger she left them in her last published chapter.

Libby's publisher is demanding a finished manuscript and the media is becoming enraged in their eagerness to know what happens to The Falling Children. One fan even offers a million dollar reward to the person who discovers F.T. Goldhero's true identity. And Libby, in a constant state of lost and confused, begins to feel unsafe. Now she must save the children and protect herself.

Hidden in the hordes of fan mail are relentless messages from eleven-year-old Peanut Bixton. Peanut seems to know The Falling Children better than Libby herself, and has passionate ideas for how to end the series. Desperate for her story to come to a conclusion, Libby decides to visit Peanut. There she meets some oddly familiar faces and seemingly falls into her own story where her magical world intersects with the real world. One where Peanut, with secrets of her own, plays a vital role. Falling is Libby's favorite word. It can convey danger and hopefulness.

And this is where things become disorienting — the blur between fiction and reality. Questioning everything and everyone. Difficult to discern what happened from what didn't, or who is there to help and who means to harm. In a way, bizarrely but brilliantly written to invoke empathy and protectiveness for both Libby and Peanut.

All of this is really brought to life by the imaginative audio narration, the perfect amount of infliction to generate emotion and make this story un-pausable.

I really liked the idea of this book. I enjoyed the characters, their interactions and what they have been through and what they are going through. I thought the topic around early onset Alzheimer's disease was incredibly well done and an important topic to cover. Aside from really liking the premise of the book and the characters, the rest kind of fell short for me. I thought it was very repetitive and not all that engaging. For much of the book, very little seemed to happen. I understand that given Libby's diagnosis, there won't be a ton that happens, but it just felt that a lot of the book did not need to be written. I felt that at times it was hard to determine if what happened was real or was part of the disease - it just did not fully connect for me in all parts. THat being said, it was incredibly creative and unique, making for an overall enjoyable read.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

This turned out to be much more poignant than I anticipated.

Libby is the author of a hugely popular children's series, although know one knows it as the publisher chose to keep the author a secret. She has one last book to finish in the series, but is losing touch with the children who are the main characters as she begins to experience early onset dementia.

Peanut was abandoned by her parents at birth, but found herself in the book series. Her life in fact has some strange similarities to the story line of the novels. An avid fan, she writes to the author daily with suggestions and encouragement to spur on the completion of the final book.

The lives of these two people unexpectedly and with great kerfuffle intertwine. The impact is also felt in the fictional world of the children.

I appreciated the way we can feel Libby's fear and confusion as she experiences dementia, the deep love Peanut has for the characters in the series, and the humanity of all characters in that each is deeply flawed. This was a great read.

This book has an imaginative and interesting premise - a reclusive author of a beloved fantasy series gets a diagnosis of early-onset dementia, and she has to race against the illness to complete the last book of the series. I did find the story engaging for the most part, but it was also very messy and chaotic - perhaps on purpose to reflect the deterioration of Libby's mental state. Ultimately, I just found the storyline more and more confusing and unclear, and not in a satisfying way. There were countless people in the book who were awful, and they never got their comeuppance. There were so many bad decisions made without any real follow-through, and the ending was just odd. I'm left still wondering what actually happened and didn't happen. If that's the point of the book, then I think it could have been executed better. Mia Barron did an excellent job narrating the audiobook. Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for a digital review copy.

Thank you, RB Media, for the review copy!

Libby Lost and Found beautifully blends elements of fantasy with magical realism, paying homage to children's literature while exploring themes of grief, loss, and love. This story will resonate with fans of The Midnight Library, The Westing Game, and even The Wishing Game.

At the heart of the narrative is a beloved yet secretive author facing early-onset dementia, struggling to complete her story. Interwoven with this plot is Peanut’s journey of self-discovery as she seeks to understand her identity and uncover her past and future.

While the story is rich with potential, readers should approach it with an open mind regarding Peanut's complex, quirky character. Personally, I found Peanut to be sweet but struggled to connect with her voice, which made me feel overwhelmed at times, especially given her search for her biological parents.

Additionally, I encourage readers, publishers, and writers to consider the importance of inclusive language. I find it deeply troubling when discussions about foster children and adopted individuals reference a search for their "real parents." As an adoptive parent, I can attest that my child’s legal and loving relationship with me is very real. It's disheartening to encounter language that suggests otherwise, particularly in a narrative that often diminishes the significance of these bonds. Such terminology can detract from the enjoyment of a story, and I hope for more sensitivity in future works.

Libby is an author of an extremely popular childrens magical book series. She writes under a pen name, and no one knows her identity. She suffers from debilitating anxiety, aand is recently diagnosed with early onset dementia. Her memory is preventing her from writing the last book in the series. The fandom and her publishers are furious and putting her under a lot of pressure. But they don’t know that she is forgetting the story. Libby somewhat begrudgingly teams up with her number one fan, 11-year-old peanut, of questionable heritage.

heartwarming and quirky. The characters spring to life from the pages. Great on audiobook, this story will stay with you for a long time. I felt. I felt a parental protectiveness over peanut and an empathy for Libby.

in their attempt” to find the end of the story to “the falling children, the characters fall into their story themselves, and the magical world intersects with libby and peanut’s real world battles. Falling is libbys favorite word. It can convey danger and hopefulness.

for fans of the wishing game, the midnight library, life of pi and other magical realism. Book to be published October 15, 2024.

Thanks to @netgalley and @r__bmedia for the ARC.

#booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booklover #arcreview #booktok #netgalley #bookrecommendations #libbylostandfound

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed the first few chapters of the book but got bored about 20% in to the story. I did like the narrator (Mia Barron) and I thought she had a wonderful voice.
Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Connect with me for more reviews and content:
https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules
(includes links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, blog, and Substack newsletter)
If you're an author or publisher with questions about my reviews, stats, reach, or engagement, feel free to email me. I'm also open to book review requests. Thank you for taking the time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!