What is not to like with a book about books? Sally Harrison has been building a memory library. Every year, on her daughter Ella’s birthday, Sally adds a book to her personal library. Each book has a note to Ella who sadly has never read any of the entries. Sally and Ella have been estranged for over 20 years. Ella moved to Australia where she has a husband and an 8 year old daughter who Sally has never met. When Sally falls and injures herself, Ella returns home to England. Can they reconcile and forgive each other? This was heartwarming, well written story. I love the idea of creating a personal library of books filled with memories. A nice ending although a bit predictable.

The audiobook was very well narrated bringing the characters to life. This is a nice debut novel by Kate Storey. It’s a truly enjoyable read. I look forward to future books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader’s Copy.

Anything I liked about this book - A sweet, cozy comfort story about the power of books and love and friendship - was ruined by the absolutely infuriating, selfish and unlikable MC who ruined 20 years of her mother's life. And on the flip side of being infuriated, is the fact that her mother LET her ruin 20 years of her life. I mean C'mon lady STAND UP. 2.5 Stars rounded up.

In The Memory Library Sydney-based Ella receives word that her mother, Sally, has fallen and broken her hands and will need assistance. Sally is back in England, where Ella lived the early years of her life before fleeing from a perceived wrong by her mother. Ella reluctantly decides to come help her mother.

Once she is back living in her old house with her mother, Ella has to face that Sally's world is not as she imagined. She is loved by a wide variety of friends, Ella slowly starts to thaw towards Sally and question her long-held beliefs in the wrongs her mother did. This is a hearwarming story of redemption, forgiveness, and the power of books.

I love stories about books, so was happy to embrace their redemptive presence in this story, but for me personally it was a bit heavy handed. Ella's character was beyond annoying to me. I just didn't buy why she would flee to the other side of the world to escape her Mom, without even having a serious conversation to see that she was correct in her assumptions. Then when she started to thaw, but would quickly jump back to her original conclusions just confirmed to me she was a horrible person. So at the end of the story, Ella's change to this wonderful person just rang false to me.

I listened to an andio version of The Memory Library, and I must say it was well done and kept me listening.

I am obviously in the minority here. Most reviewers seemed to welcome the happy ending, and it is a very sweet conclusion and ending. So maybe take my viewpoint with a grain of salt.

I do appreciate the offer from NetGalley, Kate Storey and Harper Audio Adult for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Memory Library" by Kate Storey and skillfully narrated by Jilly Bond; Imogen Wilde is the story of a mother and daughter repairing their relationship. They haven't seen each other in more than twenty years: Ella moved to Australia and started a new family there and Sally stayed in England, building a library that she hopes to leave to her daughter someday. When an accident requires Ella to return to England to take care of her mother she discovers how wrong she had been all those years.
I liked how books and reading were woven into the story and I liked the setting and the details. But I just could not bring myself to like Ella at all. Who would carry a grudge over such a minor thing toward their mother for such a long, long time? She seemed childish and petulant and was really an annoying character. She did improve over time, but I found her way to selfish and self-centered. I just hope her own daughter doesn't do the same to her someday.

Ella for me was incredibly unlikable. She doesn't seem to me emotionally mature and pretty ungrateful for the things in her life. The entire book, I thought to myself whatever Sally did, it was going to have to be momumental in order to justify Ella's behavior and it wasn't. In fact, the rift was such a ridiculous thing, it would have been resolved if either party showed a modicum of maturity. I also think they went too far with the Saint Sally act. Every page it seemed like she ran into a burning building to save orphans or something. It was just very heavy handed and too long to actually get to the crux of the story.

I 'read' The Memory Library in audio form. The narrator choice is well done. She is so easy to listen to. The production itself is also well done, transitions between chapters is smooth.

The author, Kate Storey, has written a beautiful story that will make you feel all of the emotions. This book will make you feel happy and also break your heart. I love it.

Absolutely loved this story of second chances, books bringing the community together, and the power of friendship! You don’t want to miss this story! The audiobook was great to listen to as well.

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

Thank you to #katestorey #netgalley and #avonbooks for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

What a beautiful story I will be talking about for some time! At the most basic level, this is a family story of a daughter traveling to a different country to care for her mother who was injured in a fall. However, at a deeper level this was a story about relationships, appreciating others (including their differences) and showing this by one's actions, slowing down, truly seeing people and listening, priorities, values, the power of story, open-mindedness, and more. Book clubs will have much to talk about with this heartwarming tale.

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Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja
Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja's Reviews > The Memory Library
The Memory Library by Kate Storey
The Memory Library
by Kate Storey
27399370
Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja's reviewDec 09, 2024 · edit
liked it
bookshelves: 2024, netgalley, audiobooks-completed

The Memory Library is an impressive debut release by Kate Storey. This is a perfect example of how we can think we know what is the truth but we do not know the whole story which then skews our perception.

Sally, Ella's mother, has taken a bad spill and has hurt herself. Ella feels like she must leave her home in Australia and return home to England to care for her mom. The two have not been close for many years ever since Ella thought she knew what her mom was doing in a certain situation. Ella struggles returning to her childhood home and quickly discovers she knows nothing of her mom's life as it is today.

This is a good example of how a unique set of people make a beautiful story. I did find this story very heavy at times. As someone who is currently in the sandwich generation, I found much of this story hit too close to home. I often found that I didn't want to pick up the book. This is not a reflection of the writing or the story.


Possible triggers: parental aging, Alzheimer's diagnosis

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey
This book almost broke me. It was so beautiful and tinged with sadness.
Ella doesn’t want to return home but she has to. The mother she left without a backwards glance has hurt herself and needs help for a few weeks. She hasn’t wanted to be part of her mothers life since the argument after her dads death. Coming home is a challenge and when she finds out her mother has flooded a room she has kept locked, she breaks a bit at the realization that the room held the greatest treasure, a book bought every year on her birthday and a handwritten note by her mother in each copy. Can the ice be thawing in Ella's heart?
MY HEART! What a beautiful book. What a lovely story. It broke my heart that books were destroyed but what comes out of the pages is some rapid healing for a woman who wouldn’t bend for her mother or the family she left in australia.
Ella was hurt by the past but little did she know she didn’t even know the truth. The time she wasted. Sally is such a sweet lady. UGH it pains me, PAINS ME!! Second chance at love.. Second chances all round. It was simply breathtaking and I cannot find the words to tell you to read this book, right now. Like run to the store. GOOOO.


It is poetic and you won’t want it to end.


4.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley, Kate Storey and publisher, this was great. I didn’t fall in love until the second half or so, so if that’s how you feel, I promise you’ll end up loving it if this is your kind of book.
After being apart for years, a mother and daughter find a way to reconnect - part of which is through a love for books. The narration on the audio made this even better!

I was not expecting to hate the main female character in this as much as I did. She was so terrible in the start. Why is she so mean and hateful to her husband? I know the story is about her strained relationship with her mother, but she was so unlikeable. I wasn't able to get past how terrible the inside of her head was in order to get to the rest of the story. Clearly other people have enjoyed the book, but I did not.

The Memory Library, written by Kate Storey and narrated by Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde, tells the story of mother and daughter Sally and Ella. The two have been somewhat estranged for many years, but Ella needs to put this behind her when Sally has some health issues that require Ella to move home and help her. Throughout their time together Sally and Ella both Come together and grow in different ways, while also experiencing joys and challenges.
I really loved this book, loved the mother daughter relationship and how it grew and developed. I also really enjoyed how Ella learned more about her mother, her past and current life. I appreciated meeting the various neighbors and friends that Sally has, as well as how they all worked together for a common cause. I really enjoyed the writing and narration of this book, and definitely recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and to the author, publisher, and narrator of this book for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow where to begin! This book has inspired me in so many different ways as a mother, as a daughter and as a friend. This book is about all those relationships we have in life and how we navigate them as they grow and change. I loved the narrators of this book I felt Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde were perfect choices for the main characters of Sally and Ella. This book truly displays a mothers love for her child no matter how old they are or how distant and estranged from them we may be. This book is also about community and how important that relationship is. Kate Storey has written a book that will resonate with so many people it has something for everyone. A beautifully written story I didnt want to end and that is still in my thoughts after several days. I am also excited to read many of the books that were written about in this book as well. I am currently working on a memory library list for both of my children and books I would like to have in my own. A truly inspiring read!

Lovely story, Ella has went "home" after being away 21 years to help her estranged mom. While visiting she learns of the library her mom has made for in her absence and finds it humbling after learning about her mom's illnesses and secrets she kept. .

A sweet, heartwarming story that feels like a cozy hug for the soul. It's a quick read that explores the bonds of family, particularly the sometimes strained and sometimes beautiful relationship between a mother and daughter. As someone with Mommy issues this theme always gets to me! The story also included such a supportive, caring community. The inclusivity of the characters, makes the story feel fresh and welcoming.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved the narration—it brought the characters and emotions to life perfectly.
If you’re looking for a feel-good story with a lot of heart, and a reminder of the power of family, community and second chances, The Memory Library is a must-read.

This book will pull on your heartstrings! It explores themes of forgiveness, mother/daughter relationships, community, and second-chances. It made me laugh and cry! There were certainly a lot of repetitive moments though, and I was very frustrated with the main character, Ella, throughout a lot of the book. She came across as bratty, immature, and selfish. She severed her relationship with her mother over a misunderstanding for years. Sally, her mom, gave her space but never stopped caring. Eventually the two learn to move forward and communicate better. I loved the idea of giving a book as a gift every year on a birthday with a personal inscription and loved the book connections throughout. I also loved Hadron the cat.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Kate Storey, for letting me read and review this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Memory Library AUDIO by Kate Storey is the touching story of a mother and daughter rekindling their relationship; a relationship that had been broken by a misunderstanding over twenty years earlier when Ella has misunderstood something and her mother, Sally let her have time to get over it. Sadly that time had morphed into a lifetime on the other side of the world, and a not happy life for her darling daughter. Now Ella was home. Sally had fallen and hurt herself and Ella had come to help. The things she learned upon her return were astounding and insightful. Lessons for all of us.

Ella’s father had not been all she had thought he was. Rather than tell her the truth, Sally kept to herself. She had started the tradition, forty-two years earlier, of buying Ella a book for her birthday and inscribing it, often with the lesson the book carried. Ell had not taken any when she left, but Sally kept up the tradition and had remodeled a box room into a small library for all the books. The bathwater that Sally had forgotten about had leaked into the library and destroyed nearly all the books, so Sally and Ella started over reading them. Charlie, Ella’s almost estranged husband in Australia, read, too. This simple action opened up a new world for all of them, as books do. It changed perspectives, especially those of Ella.

Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde were the readers who changed an already poignant narrative into a small masterpiece. Their caring voices lent reality to this lovely story. Good job, ladies! A lovely listen.

I was invited to listen to The Memory Library by Harper Audio Adult. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HarperAudioAdult #KateStorey #TheMemoryLibrary

For 42 years, Sally Harrison has been building a library by adding a new book on her daughter's birthday each year. Her daughter, Ella, left for Australia 22 years ago after an argument. Sally continues to add books to the library, hoping Ella will return one day. When disaster strikes, Ella is forced to come back home and discovers that new chapters in their relationship are about to unfold.

I believe this book serendipitously came into my life when I least expected it. I found a deep connection with the story, as I too experienced estrangement from my mother and relocated to a different continent from Europe. The book exudes a comforting tone and offers valuable insights that resonate with me on a personal level. Each chapter conveys a clear message that has made me laugh, cry, and reflect deeply.

I urge everyone to carve out some time in their hectic schedules to read this book. Its writing is not only inspiring but also enlightening. It beautifully captures the unconditional love that only a mother can possess, shedding light on the sacrifices and emotions that come with motherhood. The narrative unfolds gracefully, leaving a lasting impact with its heartfelt conclusion.

I sincerely hope that this book finds its way to you when you need it most, allowing its messages to strike a chord with your own experiences. If you appreciate literature that delves into themes such as family dynamics, caregiving for elderly relatives, feelings of isolation, and the enduring strength of hope, then this book is must-read. I am drawn to stories that explore the complexities of human relationships and the resilience of the human spirit, and this book does just that.

The audiobook was narrated by my favorite narrator, who skillfully balanced emotion and humor throughout the narration. It was a fantastic choice!

Thank you, HarperAudio Adult | Avon for the audio ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a sweet family story that celebrates community togetherness, integrity, growth, forgiveness, and, of course good literature. It has a slight Hallmark feel--kind of predictable and "squishy," if you know what I mean. But I like a hopeful, uplifting, light book now and again. I want to be more like Sally (minus the dementia and bum hubby, of course). I'm married to a guy that's kind of like Charlie, but I hope I treat him better than his wife does in the first part of the book. I appreciate the way many characters showed vulnerability and respected honesty in others. I enjoyed the audiobook narrator's interpretation.