The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending novel, perfect for all book lovers. “In The Lost for Words Bookshop, Stephanie Butland has created a bibliophile’s delight. Witty and irreverent, funny and sad, this is a charming tribute to stories on the page and in our lives–and the powers they can hold over us.”–Matthew Sullivan author of … us.”–Matthew Sullivan author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A rare and beautiful novel.”–Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed
Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you.
Into her hiding place – the bookstore where she works – come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries.
Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?
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“Why say something useful when you say something stupid?” OR Loveday is constantly commenting on her lack of people skills such as “Are you okay? I asked, because I am the queen of stupid questions.” The author of this very entertaining book has created a character who is (endearingly) sarcastic and sharp tongued in a blunt sort of way. She chooses few words needed to express herself. You are slowly drawn into her rather tragic past through repeated flashbacks which actually work very well. Loveday has drawn herself into a shell to defend her whole being from “hurt” following events in which she losses both parents. I like how the author has Loveday talk directly to you, the reader: “Do I sound jaded? Well, let’s swap places and see how you do.” I enjoyed The Lost for Words Bookshop so much, both the characters and the story. I am actually planning to read it again one day which I very seldom do!
I loved this book! I laughed, I cried!
This novel was wonderful! I enjoyed the way it was a book world full of literary references. And set around a bookshop! And in London! It is a book lover’s dream world. Loveday works in a bookshop in London for Archie. Archie is full of life and endearingly kind. Loveday has been working there since she was a teenager. She has a childhood where something painful happened to her. She stays distant from others except for Archie and her beloved books. She meets a poet who takes an interest in her. And she stumbles upon something from her past in the bookshop. She has to decide if she can face her past, let others know what happened, and if she will let others in to her life.
The portrait of a girl who is lost in the foster child system. She is Saved by a bookshop owner and her own love of books. This young introvert discovers that to grow and blossom she has to face her past head on. This lovely portrayal of difficult situations and relationships is a real winner.
I read this book because it was recommended (by a librarian) and I loved it. (There are a few “bad” words but not so much so that it takes away from the book.) The writing is excellent. You get so caught up in the lives of all of the characters that you feel you know them. The writing method used to tell Loveday’s story helps to build the plot. I couldn’t put it down. I loved the “voice” of the writing.
I loved it. The effect of childhood trauma on the adult as a story.
I bought this book based on the many positive reviews on Amazon, but it just wasn’t for me, I didn’t like the writing style, I just couldn’t get into the story no matter how hard I tried. I didn’t care much for the main character Loveday, I couldn’t warm to her languid world-weariness at all. Loveday is an introverted young woman, who chooses books as her only friends and finds refuge in an old second-hand bookshop in York. There are a few colourful characters in the story, like Archie, the likeable eccentric bookshop owner, and Nathan, a charming and kind-hearted magician and poet, who eventually helps her to reveal herself, but oh the effort to get there. Loveday has had a sad beginning in life, but you don’t really find out about this for some time into this slow-moving story, it takes quite a while to get to know her and for me a least, it wasn’t worth the time and effort. Ultimately, the story itself was ok, but I just couldn’t get on with Stephanie Butland’s writing style.
This novel, was a very powerful story of a young woman, Loveday Cardew who struggled to trust life and herself after a tough childhood which started at age 10, where she ended up separated from her parents and then put into foster care. Growing up not trusting anyone and living in self imposed solitude doing what she liked best, reading and writing. Loveday never learned to really make a close friend, until at the age of 15 when she goes into a used bookstore seeking a job.
This is a story of her and the other characters ability to let down their guard and letting others in, learning through experiences and self expression. From books, to tattoos, to expressing oneself through poetry, dropping the fears of what was or what could be. In other words to be able to relate to your world and the circumstance around you.
This was another great story for me with rich and interesting characters, a book which has every emotion, and one that gives you hope.
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book.
Lost for Words is a bibliophile’s dream book. It is set in a charming used books store, filled with quirky characters who love and live books. The book is a beautifully written, heart-warming story about Loveday, a young woman with a traumatic childhood, who finds refuge working in the bookshop, surrounded by books she loves. It’s her journey of healing and making peace with her past with the help of people she meets in the bookshop.
I loved Loveday, even thought she is quite grumpy and anti-social and prefers a company of books to people. I loved watching her opening up to people who care about her. I loved the secondary characters: Nathan, Archie and even Melody. And I loved poems sprinkled throughout the book. Lost for Words is a love letter to books and literature and should be on every book lover’s radar. Don’t miss this gem!
I love the characters in this book soooo much! I want a sequel!
Loveday Cardew experiences a very traumatic childhood which results in an extremely guarded and lonely adulthood. When she finds a book on the street on her way to work she decides to post a flyer in the window of the bookstore where she works. Once the owner comes to claim the book her life begins to change. Pieces of Loveday’s past start showing up at the store as well and suddenly the protective shell she has developed for herself begins to crack. I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its complex characters and clever plot. While I would have preferred a more definitive ending, I do appreciate the author leaving some things to the imagination. I will look for more from Stephanie Butland.
I loved the twists and gradual pace at which things were revealed – even though I guessed pretty early on what happened to Loveday, there were still some surprises in store.