Title: The Lost Bookshop

Author: Evie Woods

Publisher: One More Chapter 2023

Genre: Magical Realism

Pages: 435

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Lower Case on Spine; In Case You Missed It - 2023

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

I won’t be around for this book discussion, but a friend had already told me that I needed to read this one, so off I went. And what a delight this was! We get three characters’ stories interwoven into a magical tale of books, stories, and identity. Martha and Henry are our present day characters, both running from situations and lives to something new. And we get Opaline back into 1920s also escaping an unwanted life. I love seeing all the parallels between the characters and timelines. Usually I don’t love a dual timeline book, but this one was done very well. I cared about all of the stories. I was rooting for both Opaline and Martha to find some semblance of happiness in this harsh world. And all throughout we get the magical nature of the lost bookshop and possible the house at 12 Ha’penny Lane. There was a section in the middle dealing with an asylum that was hard to get through, but the story pays off in the end. I’m sad to miss the discussion. But at least I can discuss it with a friend.

Next up on the TBR pile: