Have loved the curious charms of Arthur Pepper I had to pick this book up and it didn’t disappoint. A beautiful easy read. Look forward to next book

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher.  I could not wait to start this book as I love going to the library.  This was a really nice easy read and I so desparately wished happiness for Martha.  A good feel good read.

This book was not at all what I expected but was still a good read.  It was about complex family issues and the main character finding herself and breaking out from the shadows.  I was hoping for something more magical but the story line did hold you and I needed to keep reading.  It is a gripping book that lots of people will love as it is a story of our times.  Thank You

This charming family drama is complete with a serendipitous mystery and a humble, considerate, super-organised librarian who has been assigned to one of the loneliest, darkest shelves in this world – the one where everyone presumes that being unmarried and childless makes Martha Storm completely lifeless by default, and therefore she should be delighted to fill her surplus, lonely hours doing thankless tasks for them. 

While most people are preoccupied with being incredibly selfish, Martha obediently indulges their requests. As a result she has little time to keep on top of her own domestic issues or even take time out for herself, like following the trail of an enigmatic book of fables that will make events in her life feel more like fiction by the end of it.

Most of the characters were fleshed out, particularly nana Zelda with her love of turquoise and huge talent for being a spontaneous orator of tall tales. Above all there was a lot of book love (always a bonus!), pleasant storytelling sessions (even better!!), and many fond memories that simply must be revisited before being erased and re-written with a version that is much closer to the truth.

Although it does have many merits, its potential thought-provoking issues lacked a strong enough punch to satisfy my own personal reading tastes. Still, I enjoyed the time I spent watching Martha regain her lost confidence and discovering more about herself and the imaginative stories that occupied her as a child.

The title is very deceptive. Was expecting a story about a magical and whimsical library. It even hints at it during the first few paragraphs: If anyone asked about her job she had an explanation read. 'I'm a guardian of books,'

Alas, to my disappoint, it quickly diverged down another path and became a story of destructive family secrets and self discovery: a timid and submissive house-mouse learns to emotionally distance herself from her selfish, passive aggressive family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues and spread her wings. "Something her father used to say, when she was younger, popped into her head. "Watch your cake potions, Martha. You'll always be beautiful to me, but you're the type to put on weight easily."

[I had so much cake rage after reading that line]

Although the rest of the story was a wee bit predictable, it was a nice reminder about how life would be exceedingly dull if we didn't have free-spirits who gatecrashed into our lives and brought their own brand of sunshine and sparkle. The stories within the story were also a delight.

Recommeded for: holiday beach read.

A beautiful story.  I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I started reading it.  I felt that it wasn't really my cup of tea, but as the story progressed, I couldn't put it down.  It is a heart warming story of Martha, an emerging butterfly, breaking free of the past and her self-imposed duties.  I loved the characters and the light, easy to read plot.  There were quite a few plot twists along the way, many of them cliches, but that didn't detract from the beauty of the story.  Highly recommended.