Dec 11, 2023sjarrell0 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5- Not your average book about books. A charming and quiet novel that will chip away at your heart little by little. The ending was a bit of a disappointment which left readers with a few questions left unanswered and I strongly believe…
Jul 31, 2023trickbag22 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A charming story like A Man Called Ove or The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle
A small town bookstore owner who is recently widowed finds an abandoned toddler in his store. He improbably adopts her, finds a new woman to love and his…
Jun 01, 2023crimesagainstliterature1 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book is beautiful. I may never see the movie that's streaming on the VPL website, but I'll definitely read this book again, maybe several times. The characters are already in my head and movies kind of forget details that matter. This…
A.J. Fikry owns Island Books on Alice Island off the coast of New England. He is a young widower. His beloved wife, an admittedly bad driver, died in a car crash. Grieving A.J. is cranky with his customers, whom he finds intellectually…
Apr 16, 2023mjk236sb rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I read this book for the second time and loved it just as much this time as when I read it back in 2014 when first published. So nice to read about the simple life of AJ and how is was impacted by those around him. He had love and lost it…
Mar 20, 2023mcarrig rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Like "How Not to Die Alone" and "A Man Called Ove" this is a story about a small life and its impact on the people around them. It's a short and charming read. And while some may look down their noses at that type of story, recalling…
Mar 12, 2023emmckee rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book - but it didn't necessarily have a happily ever after so I can't recommend it as highly as I had been while I was reading it.
It is on some level a retelling of "Silas Mariner". I like retellings, but I don't…
Feb 27, 2023Griffeth rated this title 1.5 out of 5 stars
A harmless little book with good intentions, but really not my cup of tea. There’s quite a bit of arm twisting going on here from the author. “Unearned pathos” is the phrase that leaps to mind. The whole thing is a little too forced.…
Jan 10, 2023leahrei rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I read this after reading "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow", also by Gabrielle Zevin. This has the same great character development. A. J. Fikry is a widowed bookstore owner who adopts a baby who has been dropped off in his store. The…
Oct 20, 2022peacebenow rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A sweet story about the Alice Island Bookstore's owner AJ Fikry and his growing family, Amy and Maya, who make him want to live life and embrace his small community. Lots of literary references and a quick read. Enjoyable!
Oct 09, 2022esrobbins rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A cute story and a quick read. It was very enjoyable and very sweet. It's one of those that just makes you feel good as you read. The main characters are likable and relatable and the setting is a place I wished actually existed. And…
Sep 23, 2022lynbrennem rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Loved the story and the layers of character development. Especially liked the short stories referenced at the start of each chapter-I need to reread each of them to reveal the significance of the short story to the book’s event of each…
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The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry