Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced audiobook of THE MEMORY LIBRARY by Kate Storey. At heart, this is the thought-provoking story of the mother Sally and her daughter Ella and the growth of their relationship. The title of the novel was what first caught my attention as anything to do with books will. The memory library is the library that Sally has created for her daughter by purchasing a special book for her every year on her birthday. When her daughter left the country, getting the book for Ella continued, though because their relationship was strained, did not give them to her. The title also refers to the memories of both mother and daughter and the memory issues that Sally is having. The novel shows the growth and change of both mother and daughter.

This was a great book to pick up and read and I truly enjoyed the immersive experience. I loved the way the author used the prose and it worked excellently for me. Looking forward to more from author

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
What a sweet and magical story. Starts off a bit rough and smooths out into a lovely book about family and doing what is right. Great job by the narrators. Well written and hard to put down.

A beautifully written story between an estranged mother and daughter reconnecting with books. Daughter Ella, travels from her home in Australia to help her mother Sally, in London after a fall. As the pages turn the tale peels away not just the rift between them but how important it is to have community. Ms. Storey fully develops her characters in such a was one wishes they could be a part of the collective neighbors. This was one of the most lovely stories I've read this year. If you're looking for a heartwarming book for yourself or as a gift, this just might be the one. I am officially in a book coma! Highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Kate Storey for trusting my honest review with the advance reader copy.

This is exactly what you'd expect it to be, for the most part: a sweet redemption story about family and missed opportunities and coming together. I will admit that I found Ella (the daughter) to be rather seriously difficult and irritating for much of the book. I know her mother wasn't perfect. Nor her childhood. I know she missed her father, but she seemed to go out of her way to nitpick and find fault with so many people in her life who seemed to be trying to do the right thing even if they, like all of us (Ella included) occasionally missed the mark... It's a heartfelt family drama about realizing the people in your life (you included) are only human and loving them for their humanity.

This should be on every BOOK CLUB LIST of 2025. There is so many wonderful things to learn, to talk about, to feel in this book that I could not recommend it more. I know I will be recommending it to everyone. It's a MUST READ!!

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperAudio Adult for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a truly remarkable book! And the crazy thing is that it essentially revolves around books!
AND…it features many great reads along the way….

Sally has created a ‘library’ for her daughter Ella.
EVERY year, at the stroke of midnight on her birthday, Sally places a new book, one with a special meaning, on the shelf for Ella. AND, she inscribes it with a special blurb…about the book, and their relationship…
This has been going on for 42 years.
But, when Ella left for college, they had a fight/disagrreement. Ella left, and never looked back.
But faithfully, Sally continues building her library for her daughter.

When something happens, and Ella is forced to return home, she starts to see things differently… maybe through her mother’s eyes.

And this is when THE MAGIC happens. Friendships are formed, and some old ones are resurrected. Community gathers together for one of their own. And…hearts begin to heal!

This is a truly magical story. It found me laughing one moment, then tearing up the next, all the while…wishing the book did not have to end! This is the meaning of a terrific book in my eyes! 👀

And it dealt with multiple problems: Alzheimer’s, Separation of family, Holding on to anger and resentment..to name a few. But it also shined with love, and caring, and neighbors and friends. ❤️❤️❤️ Oh..and old loves…

All the stars for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫💫💫✨✨✨✨✨

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HarperAudioAdult and #Harper360 for an ARC of the audiobook which *** WILL BE RELEASED IN 2 DAYS *** on 12/3/24!! Look 👀 for it then!

#TheMemoryLibrary by #KateStorey and narrated beautifully by #JillyBond and #ImogenWilde.

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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

Very powerful story! A story of hope and forgiveness.

I read a book similar to this before picking it up and it was too much to process at the time. Dementia/Alzheimer's plots are becoming very common but I think it should be in the subject headings so a person knows what they are getting into, it is a trigger for me.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

"The Memory Library" is a beautifully titled 'book about books', family, community and complex relationships. Ella (the FMC) left her home of Greenwich England after suffering a traumatic experience coupled with deep misunderstanding over 20 years ago, and moved to Australia where she has built a life with her husband and daughter. Due to circumstances, she returns home for 6 weeks where "The Memory Library" unfolds magically. This story is filled with love, heartache and connection. I listened to the audio version and loved the narration. The characters have an accent, which is usually difficult for me, but this narration was easily understandable. The story alternates between England/Australia, Mom/Daughter, present/past. I could easily relate to the FMC in the "sandwich" generation who has her own family to take care of but also has parents who are getting older and have their own needs. This book is truly a gift. 5 stars! *I received a complimentary audio ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon, Harper Audio/Harper 360 for gifting me an audio ARC of this wonderful debut book by Kate Storey, beautifully narrated by the team of Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

For decades, Sally has been building a library. Each year, on her daughter, Ella's, birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves with a handwritten note. But Ella knows nothing about the library. After a heated exchange with her mother 22 years ago, she fled to Australia and never looked back. Now married and with a daughter of her own, Ella is forced to come back to London to care for her mother.

I absolutely loved this novel - it's relatable, hopeful, full of community support and second chances. Parenting is not always easy, and this highlights how miscommunication can cause irreparable harm. Sally was a beacon of right choices though, never pushing her daughter but instead protecting her and her choices and keeping doors open. Ella was so focused on her work in Australia that she lost sight of the important people in her life until she was forced onto a different path and perspective. I loved her lines, "If I was queen of the world..." Plus, if you love books and books about books, this one will be right up your alley. The audiobook narration was perfect and I enjoyed both voices of these main characters (as well as the others).

Family dynamics, mother/daughter relationships, truths discovered, letting go of old hurts, friendships, community, old and rekindled love, understanding, acceptance and so much more. Sally and Ella have been mostly estranged for years, though Sally has never let go of hope of them reconciling. When Sally has an accident and according to a friend of her moms, really needs her help, Ella finally has to go home after many years away. And so begins the first steps to their new adult relationship, the sharing of truths, a life altering diagnosis and learning to love each other again. I started out with a dislike for Ella. So hard, distant and cold, but her character developed beautifully as the story progressed. She makes peace with the truth of the past, rekindles her own relationships and discovers the true sense of community. As the story moves along we learn so much about them, how they got to where they are and we join their truly heartwarming and beautiful new relationship. I truly enjoyed listening to this well narrated second chance story.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lovely story of a mother-daughter relationship. Charming and tear-enducing at times. Wonderful read.

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

Such a touching book - and relatable to many people with aging parents. This is one of my favorite books this year.

Ella left her mother, and England, shortly after her beloved father's death, 21 years ago. She moved to Australia and built a life there, with work her primary focus, but also with a husband and little girl. When her mother, not in her 70's, falls and breaks one wrist and two fingers on her other hand, Ella begrudgingly takes time off and returns to help her mother.

She finds her mother quite the invalid and the house has not been kept up. In fact, an internal flood has completely destroyed parts of the house. As they struggle to get along, Ella finds that her mother is making mistakes, including some dangerous and costly one. This frustrates Ella, who was raised by her father to expect perfection.

While Ella visits Sally, she finds the beauty in her old home and village. She begins to learn deeper things about her mother and develops insight into herself. She learns that she has also made some big mistakes. As the two women start to peel back the layers of hurt and misunderstandings, they find love and compassion.

This book touched my heart and I will be sharing how it affected me with other readers. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this book - the audiobook is releasing December 3, 2025

On the day of her father’s funeral, Ella finds something that changes her relationship with her mother forever.

She flees to Australia and decades pass. But when her mom has a fall and she is brought back to the UK, she has to confront what happened all those years ago.

And, as with everything, there are two sides to every story.

Thoughts:

The way miscommunication or really in this case misinterpretation can just erode a family is so real.

I really resonated with Ella in a lot of ways, mom with a busy job who is in the messy middle of her life and takes some things for granted.

This story really highlighted how reunions can be lifechanging... if people are willing to listen.

Mothers love is a big theme in this book

In this story, Ella returns home after being estranged from her mother for 21 years. She is surprised to find out that her mother has been continuing the tradition of adding a book to her library every year on her birthday. Each book includes an inscription that tells why Sally has chosen the book to add to the collection. When Ella returns home, she finds that things were not what she thought and examines her part in the break-down of the relationship.

I originally picked up this book because it was recommended by a book club, but when I started reading, I realized that it touched me in ways I wasn't expecting. I've been both a daughter and a mother. I've been the one to walk away for periods of time, and I've been the one to have my whole life walk away for periods of time. I think this is pretty common among mothers and daughters for unexplained reasons. I couldn't imagine a 21-year estrangement, though. Both of these characters definitely had some healing to do. The events of the story lead the reader to think through important relationships and how a little bit of communication can go a long way.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a relationship that ended too soon or who needs to feel hope that all can be well with the world again after experiencing an estrangement. Keep the tissues handy. This is one book that will stay with me for a long time. It is touching and thought-provoking. This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won't be the last!

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing a free audiobook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed this book. I have an affinity towards books about books, so the idea of a library consisting of special and meaningful books spoke to me. British narrators are my favorite storytellers, so the book was easy to listen to as well as maintain my interest. The conflict between the two main characters, Sally and Ella (mother and daughter) are relatable to me as I am both a mother and a daughter. One of the character development issues prevents me from giving this a higher rating. Although I understand how Ella was so frustrated and angry with her mother, I am not really understanding why she has such an extreme reaction before her mother even has the chance to explain her situation. Although Sally's life has been full of friends and people who appreciate her, she has a gaping hole in her life for over twenty years and
Ella's path to forgiveness is so tenuous when she finally visits her mother. It is heartbreaking and very frustrating to read/listen to Ella's grievances. I did enjoy the story and dialogue, but I was less excited about the character development. All in all, I thought "The Memory Library" was a great book for fiction readers who don't mind a tearjerker.

I have read this book in traditional format and had to opportunity to listen to the audio version. The book still blew me away and the audio narration of this book was excellent!!

Oh my heart this book gave me all the feels. It’s a book about a mother who is estranged from her daughter. The mother buys a book for her daughter each year on her birthday which is intentionally selected based on the theme and she writes an inscription before adding it to a library she’s building for herself (and the daughter).

The mother has an accident in her home and the library she has built is ruined by water damage. The daughter comes to help her mom recover from the injury and also learns of the library. The mother is later diagnosed with dementia and the daughter has builds a special library with inscriptions for her.

Tissues please 😭😭😭. Amazing story, beautiful writing and I cried several times at the end of the book (which if you know me is NOT a regular occurrence). I totally loved this book and give it a 5/5

The good:

*second chances
*mother daughter relationships
*books
*found family
*quoteable
*narration

*and a cat


The not-so good (for me):

*terribly unlikeable main character
*serious lack of communication

Most readers loved this one but I wasn’t ever able to connect with the story (mostly due to Ella); I wasn’t the right reader for this.



Thank you to Harper360 and NetGalley for the ALC

The Memory Library by Kate Storey is a heartwarming story between a mother and a daughter. Ella left home when she was a teen and didn’t return until 22 years later, when her mother had a an accident. The story follows Ella and her mother as they reconnect after a misunderstanding.

I really loved the tradition in the book where the mom bought a new book each year and wrote a personal note to her daughter inside. I wish I had done something similar with my own kids while they were growing up.

#TheMemoryLibrary #NetGalley
Publication day- December 3. 2024

This book is about healing. Ella fled England after her father's death and her mother's betrayl. She comes home after twenty-one years when her mother has an accident causing her to lose the use of both hands (one full arm). Seeing her childhood home and mother for the first time in decades is odd. Somethings are exactly how she remembered and others are not. As she spends the next several weeks caring for her mother, she learns that she made a lot of false assumptions. They both get the chance to heal as the truth is revealed.

Very sweet with a whole lot of character growth. I just didn't emotionally connect, which is why it is not rated higher.

Both narrators (Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde) did a good job on the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.