The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks
Books | Fiction / Literary
4
(57)
Shauna Robinson
"From acclaimed author Shauna Robinson comes a bookish, millennial story about a young woman looking to start a new chapter in her life, and in doing so finds a community built around the books we love and the stories we can't forget. Who decides which stories are worth telling? Maggie Banks's life is a bit of a mess. After losing a job and moving back home with her parents, she's desperate for a new Life Plan. So when her best friend asks for help running her struggling bookstore in the quaint town of Bells River, Maggie jumps on the opportunity. She doesn't even like books, per se, but anything's better than obsessively checking job boards from her childhood bedroom. It turns out Maggie's not prepared for small-town life. More specifically, the strict rules enforced by the local historical society: the bookstore is only allowed to sell "classics". But with a town full of people looking for fresh stories, Maggie knows she'll have to get creative to keep the store afloat. And so begins Maggie's underground book club: fun, goofy, and totally against the rules. Catering to the stories folks actually want to read and making fun of the stuffy "classics", Maggie falls in love with books and realizes the power stories have to build community. But with a historical society itching to catch her and shut her down for good, and a budding relationship with an adorably strait-laced inspector weighing on her conscience, everything starts to fall apart. And just as Maggie feels herself becoming a part of the community, she unearths a town secret that could ruin everything. She'll have to figure out what's more important: the books that formed a small town's history, or the stories poised to change it all. A warm, funny book club read about community, finding yourself, and the transformative power of stories, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks is a much-needed novel perfect for readers of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. Praise for Must Love Books "A heartfelt and exciting debut...a wise and honest story of how it feels to be a young woman in search of yourself."-Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising "A tender reflection on finding your person while you're still desperately searching for yourself."-KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters "A book for book lovers... It's impossible not to root for Nora!"-Jesse Q. Sutanto, National Bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties"--
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More Details:
Author
Shauna Robinson
Pages
336
Publisher
Sourcebooks Landmark
Published Date
2022
ISBN
172824644X 9781728246444
Community ReviewsSee all
"I loved, loved, loved this book!! I loved the quaint little town & friendly people. I loved the main characters & supporting characters. I loved the book club and wanted to be a part of it. I have already ordered a second book by this author. Although I loved the ending..I hated that it had to end. Why is this not a movie yet??! Highly recommend!"
"Enjoyed this book set in a small town focusing on creativity and a bookstore with a little romance sprinkled in. "
J
Jonna
"3.5 stars, rounded up to four because the story was really creative and fun. <br/><br/>I discovered this book because it was on a list of must-read romances. However, the romance in this story was more of an afterthought. There was a robust plot that happened to have two characters hit it off. There was very little chemistry, the enemies to lovers thing fell kind of flat. Even the one intimate scene was abrupt and didn't really evoke any romantic feelings.<br/><br/>That being said, I absolutely love the quirky mysterious town and all its charming residents, especially the town grump Vernon. The plot was a bit far fetched but I enjoyed it nonetheless. <br/><br/>This was a fun, safe read."
"Hated high school English class? Ever felt an aversion to reading? Do you think classics are stuffy and hard to understand? New to leisure reading or need somewhere to start back up again? This book is a great place to just dip your toes in the water. There's a relatable character for almost any book lover or those with book aversions. There are themes of both finding oneself and finding community. Some cheeky romance, just a touch of mystery, and friendly humor all stirred together makes for a good book I could recommend to just about anyone."
"This sounded so intriguing but I did not realize that it was a romance before picking it up, and that really ruined the experience for me. Also, the writing seemed a bit stiff in some places, but it didn't bother me so much. I may try to come back to it one day, but it definitely wasn't right for me at the moment."
A W
Allykay Willims