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The Book of Lost Hours
For fans of The Ministry of Time and The Midnight Library , a sweeping, unforgettable novel following two remarkable women moving between postwar and Cold War-era America and the mysterious time space, a library filled with books containing the memories of those who bore witness to history.
Enter the time space, a soaring library filled with books containing the memories of those have passed and accessed only by specially made watches once passed from father to son—but mostly now in government hands. This is where eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in 1938, waiting for her watchmaker father to return for her. When he doesn’t, she grows up among the books and specters, able to see the world only by sifting through the memories of those who came before her. As she realizes that government agents are entering the time space to destroy books and maintain their preferred version of history, she sets about saving these scraps in her own volume of memories. Until the appearance of an American spy named Ernest Duquesne in 1949 offers her a glimpse of the world she left behind, setting her on a course to change history and possibly the time space itself.
In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning the disappearance of her uncle Ernest when an enigmatic CIA agent approaches her to enlist her help in tracking down a book of memories her uncle had once sought. But when Amelia visits the time space for the first time, she realizes that the past—and the truth—might not be as linear as she’d like to believe.
The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and what we sacrifice to protect those we love.
Enter the time space, a soaring library filled with books containing the memories of those have passed and accessed only by specially made watches once passed from father to son—but mostly now in government hands. This is where eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in 1938, waiting for her watchmaker father to return for her. When he doesn’t, she grows up among the books and specters, able to see the world only by sifting through the memories of those who came before her. As she realizes that government agents are entering the time space to destroy books and maintain their preferred version of history, she sets about saving these scraps in her own volume of memories. Until the appearance of an American spy named Ernest Duquesne in 1949 offers her a glimpse of the world she left behind, setting her on a course to change history and possibly the time space itself.
In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning the disappearance of her uncle Ernest when an enigmatic CIA agent approaches her to enlist her help in tracking down a book of memories her uncle had once sought. But when Amelia visits the time space for the first time, she realizes that the past—and the truth—might not be as linear as she’d like to believe.
The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and what we sacrifice to protect those we love.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2025
730 people are currently reading
32771 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 765 reviews
August 30, 2025
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The Book Review Crew Blog
I can't believe this beautiful book is a debut. In this story, eleven-year-old Lisavet is taken away by her watchmaker father into the “time space.” It is a huge, hidden library where every memory is in a book. Unfortunately, there are spies who try to change history by destroying what they deem inconvenient. When a timekeeper from the good old USA arrives, Lisavet forms a bond with him, which starts the rebellion. Many years later, in 1965 Boston, teenager Amelia is asked by a creepy CIA agent to find a lost book of memories in the “time space.” That's when she realizes the truth about family, memory, and the past.
All I can say is this was beautiful and very imaginative. I found the idea of "time space" haunting and a very unique concept. The worldbuilding was magnificent and vivid. I love books with dual timelines, and I usually enjoy the older timeline more, but in this instance, I enjoyed both equally. They complemented each other and had both emotional depth and interest.
What's really at the heart of this story is the power of memory and the ways our stories and histories relate to us and all of the world as a whole. You can't just remember the good things; you have to learn from the hard things in the past so as not to repeat them in the future. This story was so thought-provoking without shoving it down your throat. It was deeply moving without being saccharine. It is a stunning debut that I will be thinking about for a long time. This is the perfect book for those of us who love books about books that are as thought-provoking as they are enchanting. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The Book Review Crew Blog
I can't believe this beautiful book is a debut. In this story, eleven-year-old Lisavet is taken away by her watchmaker father into the “time space.” It is a huge, hidden library where every memory is in a book. Unfortunately, there are spies who try to change history by destroying what they deem inconvenient. When a timekeeper from the good old USA arrives, Lisavet forms a bond with him, which starts the rebellion. Many years later, in 1965 Boston, teenager Amelia is asked by a creepy CIA agent to find a lost book of memories in the “time space.” That's when she realizes the truth about family, memory, and the past.
All I can say is this was beautiful and very imaginative. I found the idea of "time space" haunting and a very unique concept. The worldbuilding was magnificent and vivid. I love books with dual timelines, and I usually enjoy the older timeline more, but in this instance, I enjoyed both equally. They complemented each other and had both emotional depth and interest.
What's really at the heart of this story is the power of memory and the ways our stories and histories relate to us and all of the world as a whole. You can't just remember the good things; you have to learn from the hard things in the past so as not to repeat them in the future. This story was so thought-provoking without shoving it down your throat. It was deeply moving without being saccharine. It is a stunning debut that I will be thinking about for a long time. This is the perfect book for those of us who love books about books that are as thought-provoking as they are enchanting. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
September 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review!
This was a very intriguing and enjoyable read. The premise was such an incredible and exciting idea, and the plot was very well formed. It was beautiful, imaginative, and an exciting read. I'll admit, it took me quite a while to get into it, and it spent a fair amount of time just sitting at three percent. However, when I finally picked it back up, I couldn't put it down. I ended up finishing it within the day.
The charecter dynamics were so fun to read, with interactions ranging from wholesome to unsettling. Although it did get a bit confusing sometimes, it was overall a great read! Check it out once it's released!
This was a very intriguing and enjoyable read. The premise was such an incredible and exciting idea, and the plot was very well formed. It was beautiful, imaginative, and an exciting read. I'll admit, it took me quite a while to get into it, and it spent a fair amount of time just sitting at three percent. However, when I finally picked it back up, I couldn't put it down. I ended up finishing it within the day.
The charecter dynamics were so fun to read, with interactions ranging from wholesome to unsettling. Although it did get a bit confusing sometimes, it was overall a great read! Check it out once it's released!
August 2, 2025
4.5 stars
Another Book That Chose Me... and Wouldn’t Let Go
Confession time. I only downloaded The Book of Lost Hours because it was part of the Camp NetGalley lineup. Honestly, I almost didn’t even start it. I thought my mood for danger, high stakes, and fast pace would put me off. But then it caught me. And didn’t let go.
In 1938, young Livavet is pushed into a strange time-space library by her father, a watchmaker trying to protect her from the Nazis. The library isn’t filled with stories. It holds memories from people across time. But when “time-wakers” begin erasing those memories to rewrite history, Livavet realizes there’s something darker going on. Something tied to power, control, and the question of who gets to decide what truths survive.
What Lit My Mood: The Realization
There was a moment I paused and thought… wait. This feels familiar in a chilling kind of way. Memory manipulation and the quiet rewriting of truth that hits our reality. Whether it was intentional or not, the real-world echoes gave this story extra weight.
The concept of a library holding memory, not fiction. Hooked me completely.
Livavet’s growth, both emotionally and in her strange new powers, to manipulate memories.
The dual timelines. One thread follows Livavet in 1938. The other, set in 1965, follows Amelia, who’s grieving her uncle and gets pulled into a complex mission by a CIA agent to find a powerful book of memories. They connect in ways I didn’t see coming, but the clues are there.
And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the soft little romance subplot. My mood usually rolls its eyes at love stories, but lately I have been enjoying some romance.
Where My Mood Flickered
The library’s magic system is a lot. I got a little foggy trying to track the rules. It’s a rich concept, but I needed a simpler system to understand.
Also, like a lot of dual timeline books, one side hit harder. I was more interested in Livavet, and I found myself less invested in Amelia’s timeline, but loved how it all came together.
Still, those flickers didn’t dim the glow. The vibe was strong.
Witchy Mood Meter Rating:
Fully Aligned: Even when my focus drifted, the spell was too strong to break. I’m so glad I didn’t put it down.
Verdict: 🌕 Full Moon Enchantment
A time-bending, memory-holding, truth-twisting story that feels eerily relevant.
The energy was at its peak, the magic worked fully, and I was under this book’s spell.
My recommendation:
Add this one to your altar. Summon it when you're in the mood to wander through time, memories, and the question of whose truth gets to survive.
Thank you to Camp NetGalley for the arc.
Another Book That Chose Me... and Wouldn’t Let Go
Confession time. I only downloaded The Book of Lost Hours because it was part of the Camp NetGalley lineup. Honestly, I almost didn’t even start it. I thought my mood for danger, high stakes, and fast pace would put me off. But then it caught me. And didn’t let go.
In 1938, young Livavet is pushed into a strange time-space library by her father, a watchmaker trying to protect her from the Nazis. The library isn’t filled with stories. It holds memories from people across time. But when “time-wakers” begin erasing those memories to rewrite history, Livavet realizes there’s something darker going on. Something tied to power, control, and the question of who gets to decide what truths survive.
What Lit My Mood: The Realization
There was a moment I paused and thought… wait. This feels familiar in a chilling kind of way. Memory manipulation and the quiet rewriting of truth that hits our reality. Whether it was intentional or not, the real-world echoes gave this story extra weight.
The concept of a library holding memory, not fiction. Hooked me completely.
Livavet’s growth, both emotionally and in her strange new powers, to manipulate memories.
The dual timelines. One thread follows Livavet in 1938. The other, set in 1965, follows Amelia, who’s grieving her uncle and gets pulled into a complex mission by a CIA agent to find a powerful book of memories. They connect in ways I didn’t see coming, but the clues are there.
And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the soft little romance subplot. My mood usually rolls its eyes at love stories, but lately I have been enjoying some romance.
Where My Mood Flickered
The library’s magic system is a lot. I got a little foggy trying to track the rules. It’s a rich concept, but I needed a simpler system to understand.
Also, like a lot of dual timeline books, one side hit harder. I was more interested in Livavet, and I found myself less invested in Amelia’s timeline, but loved how it all came together.
Still, those flickers didn’t dim the glow. The vibe was strong.
Witchy Mood Meter Rating:
Fully Aligned: Even when my focus drifted, the spell was too strong to break. I’m so glad I didn’t put it down.
Verdict: 🌕 Full Moon Enchantment
A time-bending, memory-holding, truth-twisting story that feels eerily relevant.
The energy was at its peak, the magic worked fully, and I was under this book’s spell.
My recommendation:
Add this one to your altar. Summon it when you're in the mood to wander through time, memories, and the question of whose truth gets to survive.
Thank you to Camp NetGalley for the arc.
![Profile Image for ari [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1755568674i%2F180071670._UY200_CR33%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 23, 2025
4.7⭐
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
now playing: ocean eyes - billie eilish
minor spoilers
15+
romance: 7/10 (Lisavet and Ernest have sex but it is not on page or described. The sexual relations lead to a pregnancy. Kisses. Dirty jokes. Some of Moira’s coworkers are shown sexually harassing her. While kissing, Ernest has an erection, which is described as a “tingle”, that he is embarrassed about. Several easy to skip fade to black scenes.)
cursing: 2/10 (infrequent hell, damn, shit, and bitch, with occasional uses of the Lord’s name in vain.)
violence: 8/10 (gun violence. Death. Blood. Secret war. Terrorism.)
other: Smoking. Mentions of alcohol. Teen pregnancy. A mention of two men stealing longing glances.
tw: Suicide. Depression. Grief. Lack of father figure. The Holocaust
tropes: Enemies to lovers (kinda? lol), who did this to you?
third person
multiple pov
publish date: 8-12-2025
“i’ve been watching you for sometime can’t stop staring at those ocean eyes”
– OVERVIEW –
The way this book slaughtered me…
Words cannot even begin to describe this experience. The amount of tears shed is not good. I’ve been beaten and bruised, and left to stumble along with half a heart barely beating in my chest. HAYLEY HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME???
Someone put me out of my misery 😭😭
Read this if you fancy a broken heart, love, or books of any kind.
The Timespace was excellent in theory, but I feel like it was poorly explained bc I’m confused as hell, BUT that’s ok. I love the Timekeepers and the memories stored in books and all of that. But, I don’t understand the history. Like the first Timekeepers got to the timespace through mediation and sundials, so what’s the deal with the watches being so important? Why couldn’t the TRP just train their Timekeepers to mediate and solve the problem all together? It’s kinda backwards to me buttttt okie.
The poetry references were so amazing and I loved that aspect.
ARE WE GOING TO IGNORE HOW AMAZING A MAN ERNEST IS? He’s standards. Period.
the writing
-> starting out strong, this is somehow a debut novel??? Bro, I honestly can’t even believe that. This book was so well written, the style is my favorite kind (descriptive and lyrical). It was lush and flowery while maintaining reading ease. The pace was a little bit off, at times it could be unputdownable and others I would struggle to read a page. Which, I guess, isn't too bad. But just be warned.
I can’t wait to see what else Hayley has in store for us.
“burning cities and napalm skies, fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes”
– PLOT –
It was engaging, and intriguing. It kinda switched from two different plots as the time we read in switched, giving us the whole history and a full meaty book.
The amount of point of views we have in this book is actually kind of wild– but it’s all to tell the story in a way that even though we know more than the mc’s we are JUST as clueless.
The second half of the book was really confusing and I had no idea what was going on, or why characters were making the decisions they made.
“no fair
you really know how to make me cry when you give me those ocean eyes
i’m scared
i’ve never fallen from quite this high
falling into your ocean eyes
those ocean eyes”
– CHARACTERS –
ERNEST (aka best gentleman of all time) the amount of times I sobbed over this man is in no way healthy or normal, but WHO CARES bc I love him more than Lisavet ever could. He’s kind and caring and thoughtful and smart and nerdy. WHAT IS MORE TO LOVE? There was one time when he was kissing Lisavet and it’s their first date/kiss and he (as mentioned above in the content warnings) has an erection and his embarrassment killed me. It was cute in a way I probably shouldn’t think is cute… UHHH it’s fine. I’m fine 😋
He’s definitely one of my book boyfriends now. I’m in love.
BUT who names the MMC in a ROMANCE book after their grandfather? UHM… especially a guy who falls into bed with Lisavet more than once, who has passionate kisses with Lisavet, and even has his ✨desire✨ make an appearance. How did she not get crazy uncomfy? I could never…
“You’re like the moon, only brighter.”
LISAVET this girl is a queen, albeit stupid at times, but that’s fineeeee. Her fierce love for her baby and for Ernest is so sweet and I loved reading her story. Her pain is my pain. Her grief is my grief.
“I’ll take care of you. I won’t let anything happen to you,” she promised her. “I’ll rewrite all of history if I have to.”
Hayley ate with that.
AMELIA I feel like we’re kinda similar and completely different. If she were real and from THIS time we would probably be friends ngl. She reminds me of my best friend, Maylee.
MOIRA when I first read her name I thought I had read it wrong. But girlie needs to quit smoking, she’s destroying her lungs. I hated her in the second half of the book. WHY did she sleep with Jack??? EW. Like there was no point in sleeping with him, she could have stolen his memories a different way. That just made me really uncomfortable bc he was weird with the “my girl” thing and it was just ick.
“Are you always this rude or am I just getting special treatment?”
SPOILER
END SPOILER
ANTON STOPPPP him and Amelia are so cute. And koshka??? BROOOO– bc of
“You think I want to keep arguing with you? It is like talking to a cat. I do nothing at all and scratch, scratch, scratch.” 😭😭😭 I was giggling my head off.
JUSTICE FOR ANTON. I’m seriously so sad we didn’t see more development in their relationship, they had all this cute banter and tension and then it disappeared literally at the end… disappointing.
JACK go to hell.
“i’ve been walking through a world gone blind
can’t stop thinking of your diamond mind
careful creature made friends with time
he left her lonely with a diamond mind
and those ocean eyes”
– QUOTES –
They’re not in chronological order lol
Not knowing the outcome was one of the many dangers of living
Living was not the most dangerous thing after all. Loving was.
“So you decided to shoot your boss for what? The thrill of it?”
The eyes that had become his moon, his sun, his entire world, were full of mistrust. He couldn’t bear it.
“Whatever I have to do, as long as I don’t lose you.”
She had spent years timewalking through every age and era in history. Going everywhere yet belonging nowhere except for right here in his arms.
“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”
Ernest stepped toward her, smiling coyly. “Oh, I’ve seen better.”
“Where?”
“I’m looking at it.”
A blush rose in her cheeks. He caught her hand and pulled her closer, wanting to feel her against him once more. He held her the way he had in the dance, drunk on the feeling of being so close to her.
“But have you looked at the moon?” Lisavet asked, her voice soft, eyes wide.
“I don’t need to,” Ernest whispered, touching her cheek. “You are the moon.”
“Lisavet,” Azrael said sternly. “I’m dead. Not blind.”
A memory, once it’s over, is never exactly what it was when it was happening.
“That’s stupid.”
“Stupid?”
“And wrong. And chauvinistic. And imperialistically minded.”
“Whoa there, Merriam-Webster, calm down. English please.”
Lisavet glared at him and repeated her words in German just to make a point.
Ernest gave her a sardonic look. “Cute.”
“The past is a mirror of us, It tells us who we’ve been and what we have become,”
“no fair
you really know how to make me cry when you give me those ocean eyes”
– CONCLUSION –
So concludes another book, another life, another escape. So ends another review, another experience I can never live for the first time again. What I would give.
Read it. Please.
“i’m scared
i’ve never fallen from quite this high
falling into your ocean eyes
those ocean eyes”
– PLAYLIST –
Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish
Before You Leave Me - Alex Warren
If I Would Have Known - Kyle Hume
Better Off Without Me - Kyle Hume
Yours - Conan Gray
Best Sea In The House - Jamie Miller
Empty Room - Jamie Miller
Falling Up - Dean Lewis
One More Light - LINKIN PARK
See You Again - Jake Cornell
Astronomy - Conan Gray (idk man it just vibes)
I Love You, I’m Sorry - Gracie Abrams
Water Fountain - Alec Benjamin
And Then Some - Alex Sampson
Those Eyes - Michael Gerow (literally Ernest)
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
now playing: ocean eyes - billie eilish
minor spoilers
15+
romance: 7/10 (Lisavet and Ernest have sex but it is not on page or described. The sexual relations lead to a pregnancy. Kisses. Dirty jokes. Some of Moira’s coworkers are shown sexually harassing her. While kissing, Ernest has an erection, which is described as a “tingle”, that he is embarrassed about. Several easy to skip fade to black scenes.)
cursing: 2/10 (infrequent hell, damn, shit, and bitch, with occasional uses of the Lord’s name in vain.)
violence: 8/10 (gun violence. Death. Blood. Secret war. Terrorism.)
other: Smoking. Mentions of alcohol. Teen pregnancy. A mention of two men stealing longing glances.
tw: Suicide. Depression. Grief. Lack of father figure. The Holocaust
tropes: Enemies to lovers (kinda? lol), who did this to you?
third person
multiple pov
publish date: 8-12-2025
“i’ve been watching you for sometime can’t stop staring at those ocean eyes”
– OVERVIEW –
The way this book slaughtered me…
Words cannot even begin to describe this experience. The amount of tears shed is not good. I’ve been beaten and bruised, and left to stumble along with half a heart barely beating in my chest. HAYLEY HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME???
Someone put me out of my misery 😭😭
Read this if you fancy a broken heart, love, or books of any kind.
The Timespace was excellent in theory, but I feel like it was poorly explained bc I’m confused as hell, BUT that’s ok. I love the Timekeepers and the memories stored in books and all of that. But, I don’t understand the history. Like the first Timekeepers got to the timespace through mediation and sundials, so what’s the deal with the watches being so important? Why couldn’t the TRP just train their Timekeepers to mediate and solve the problem all together? It’s kinda backwards to me buttttt okie.
The poetry references were so amazing and I loved that aspect.
ARE WE GOING TO IGNORE HOW AMAZING A MAN ERNEST IS? He’s standards. Period.
the writing
-> starting out strong, this is somehow a debut novel??? Bro, I honestly can’t even believe that. This book was so well written, the style is my favorite kind (descriptive and lyrical). It was lush and flowery while maintaining reading ease. The pace was a little bit off, at times it could be unputdownable and others I would struggle to read a page. Which, I guess, isn't too bad. But just be warned.
I can’t wait to see what else Hayley has in store for us.
“burning cities and napalm skies, fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes”
– PLOT –
It was engaging, and intriguing. It kinda switched from two different plots as the time we read in switched, giving us the whole history and a full meaty book.
The amount of point of views we have in this book is actually kind of wild– but it’s all to tell the story in a way that even though we know more than the mc’s we are JUST as clueless.
The second half of the book was really confusing and I had no idea what was going on, or why characters were making the decisions they made.
“no fair
you really know how to make me cry when you give me those ocean eyes
i’m scared
i’ve never fallen from quite this high
falling into your ocean eyes
those ocean eyes”
– CHARACTERS –
ERNEST (aka best gentleman of all time) the amount of times I sobbed over this man is in no way healthy or normal, but WHO CARES bc I love him more than Lisavet ever could. He’s kind and caring and thoughtful and smart and nerdy. WHAT IS MORE TO LOVE? There was one time when he was kissing Lisavet and it’s their first date/kiss and he (as mentioned above in the content warnings) has an erection and his embarrassment killed me. It was cute in a way I probably shouldn’t think is cute… UHHH it’s fine. I’m fine 😋
He’s definitely one of my book boyfriends now. I’m in love.
BUT who names the MMC in a ROMANCE book after their grandfather? UHM… especially a guy who falls into bed with Lisavet more than once, who has passionate kisses with Lisavet, and even has his ✨desire✨ make an appearance. How did she not get crazy uncomfy? I could never…
“You’re like the moon, only brighter.”
LISAVET this girl is a queen, albeit stupid at times, but that’s fineeeee. Her fierce love for her baby and for Ernest is so sweet and I loved reading her story. Her pain is my pain. Her grief is my grief.
“I’ll take care of you. I won’t let anything happen to you,” she promised her. “I’ll rewrite all of history if I have to.”
Hayley ate with that.
AMELIA I feel like we’re kinda similar and completely different. If she were real and from THIS time we would probably be friends ngl. She reminds me of my best friend, Maylee.
MOIRA when I first read her name I thought I had read it wrong. But girlie needs to quit smoking, she’s destroying her lungs. I hated her in the second half of the book. WHY did she sleep with Jack??? EW. Like there was no point in sleeping with him, she could have stolen his memories a different way. That just made me really uncomfortable bc he was weird with the “my girl” thing and it was just ick.
“Are you always this rude or am I just getting special treatment?”
SPOILER
END SPOILER
ANTON STOPPPP him and Amelia are so cute. And koshka??? BROOOO– bc of
“You think I want to keep arguing with you? It is like talking to a cat. I do nothing at all and scratch, scratch, scratch.” 😭😭😭 I was giggling my head off.
JUSTICE FOR ANTON. I’m seriously so sad we didn’t see more development in their relationship, they had all this cute banter and tension and then it disappeared literally at the end… disappointing.
JACK go to hell.
“i’ve been walking through a world gone blind
can’t stop thinking of your diamond mind
careful creature made friends with time
he left her lonely with a diamond mind
and those ocean eyes”
– QUOTES –
They’re not in chronological order lol
Not knowing the outcome was one of the many dangers of living
Living was not the most dangerous thing after all. Loving was.
“So you decided to shoot your boss for what? The thrill of it?”
The eyes that had become his moon, his sun, his entire world, were full of mistrust. He couldn’t bear it.
“Whatever I have to do, as long as I don’t lose you.”
She had spent years timewalking through every age and era in history. Going everywhere yet belonging nowhere except for right here in his arms.
“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”
Ernest stepped toward her, smiling coyly. “Oh, I’ve seen better.”
“Where?”
“I’m looking at it.”
A blush rose in her cheeks. He caught her hand and pulled her closer, wanting to feel her against him once more. He held her the way he had in the dance, drunk on the feeling of being so close to her.
“But have you looked at the moon?” Lisavet asked, her voice soft, eyes wide.
“I don’t need to,” Ernest whispered, touching her cheek. “You are the moon.”
“Lisavet,” Azrael said sternly. “I’m dead. Not blind.”
A memory, once it’s over, is never exactly what it was when it was happening.
“That’s stupid.”
“Stupid?”
“And wrong. And chauvinistic. And imperialistically minded.”
“Whoa there, Merriam-Webster, calm down. English please.”
Lisavet glared at him and repeated her words in German just to make a point.
Ernest gave her a sardonic look. “Cute.”
“The past is a mirror of us, It tells us who we’ve been and what we have become,”
“no fair
you really know how to make me cry when you give me those ocean eyes”
– CONCLUSION –
So concludes another book, another life, another escape. So ends another review, another experience I can never live for the first time again. What I would give.
Read it. Please.
“i’m scared
i’ve never fallen from quite this high
falling into your ocean eyes
those ocean eyes”
– PLAYLIST –
Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish
Before You Leave Me - Alex Warren
If I Would Have Known - Kyle Hume
Better Off Without Me - Kyle Hume
Yours - Conan Gray
Best Sea In The House - Jamie Miller
Empty Room - Jamie Miller
Falling Up - Dean Lewis
One More Light - LINKIN PARK
See You Again - Jake Cornell
Astronomy - Conan Gray (idk man it just vibes)
I Love You, I’m Sorry - Gracie Abrams
Water Fountain - Alec Benjamin
And Then Some - Alex Sampson
Those Eyes - Michael Gerow (literally Ernest)
July 12, 2025
This book totally reads like a cinematic TV or film story. The setting is so darn atmospheric, in a way it reminded me of House of Leaves with how vast and void-like the time space felt.
All the characters, especially Lisavet Levy and Amelia Duquesne, has a distinct voice and feel. Lisavet’s quiet strength and Amelia’s confusion and curiosity carried me through the decades of this book. You really see how life shapes them, and changes them.
The reason I removed one star is because the story hops between timelines and POVs—a clever structure, but it sorta lags in the beginning. Getting used to the setup took time, so it doesn’t catch attention right away. But hang in there, the pace picks up big time in the second half. Everything clicks in the final chapters. The threads tie together, emotions land, and you're left satisfied, not dangling. No unresolved drama, just a thoughtful, well-wrapped finish.
I would highly recommend this book to people that love a book set in our world, but it also contains a speculative, metaphorical twist.
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Will be reading this to earn my 2025 Camp NetGalley badge hehehehe
All the characters, especially Lisavet Levy and Amelia Duquesne, has a distinct voice and feel. Lisavet’s quiet strength and Amelia’s confusion and curiosity carried me through the decades of this book. You really see how life shapes them, and changes them.
The reason I removed one star is because the story hops between timelines and POVs—a clever structure, but it sorta lags in the beginning. Getting used to the setup took time, so it doesn’t catch attention right away. But hang in there, the pace picks up big time in the second half. Everything clicks in the final chapters. The threads tie together, emotions land, and you're left satisfied, not dangling. No unresolved drama, just a thoughtful, well-wrapped finish.
I would highly recommend this book to people that love a book set in our world, but it also contains a speculative, metaphorical twist.
---
Will be reading this to earn my 2025 Camp NetGalley badge hehehehe
August 25, 2025
THANK YOU, Atria Books!! So excited to get this ARC. 🥹
"The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and what we sacrifice to protect those we love."
If you love books like The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, or The Unmaking of June Farrow, then this is a story you will fall in love with. I know, I did.
It's the perfect blend of my favorite genres: sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, and romance, all seamlessly combined.
These types of books just swallow me up, and I'll forever be stuck in their pages. The writing is absolutely beautiful. I loved the world-building, the characters, the plot, and the little twists along the way. The ending was also everything I didn't know I needed - perfection. 🥹
But seriously, I couldn't put this one down. 10/10 recommend! GO GET THIS BOOK! It will be a classic in my library. I am already looking forward to rereading it once it is published. Maybe I will try the audio version.
Pub Date: Aug 26 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own.🖤✨
"The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and what we sacrifice to protect those we love."
If you love books like The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, or The Unmaking of June Farrow, then this is a story you will fall in love with. I know, I did.
It's the perfect blend of my favorite genres: sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, and romance, all seamlessly combined.
These types of books just swallow me up, and I'll forever be stuck in their pages. The writing is absolutely beautiful. I loved the world-building, the characters, the plot, and the little twists along the way. The ending was also everything I didn't know I needed - perfection. 🥹
But seriously, I couldn't put this one down. 10/10 recommend! GO GET THIS BOOK! It will be a classic in my library. I am already looking forward to rereading it once it is published. Maybe I will try the audio version.
Pub Date: Aug 26 2025
As always, all thoughts are my own.🖤✨
August 23, 2025
I won a softcover copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway in April and then downloaded the Kindle edition for the Camp Netgalley challenge but for some reason I thought I had until the end of August to complete it. So I guess I flunked Camp but I still earned a Netgalley credit!
The time space is a soaring library filled with books containing the memories of those who have passed and can be accessed only by specially made watches once passed from father to son but mostly now in government hands. This is where eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in 1938. As she realizes that government agents are entering the time space to destroy books and maintain their preferred version of history, she sets about saving these scraps in her own volume of memories. In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning the disappearance of her uncle Ernest when she is approached by a CIA agent wanting her help in tracking down a book of memories her uncle once sought.
Those of you who are familiar with my reading habits probably wonder what the heck I'm doing reading this book. It's totally out of my wheelhouse - part science fiction, part fantasy, encompassing time travel and an epic romance - but I actually liked it quite a bit. It was exceptionally well written and an interesting story. I kept thinking about a certain very public figure and his attempts to control history via the Smithsonian Institute. I have to admit I had a hard time picturing some of the situations in the book since I've never been able to wrap my head around the concept of time travel but I have no doubt there are many who will love it. Even though this book is different from my normal reads, I have no problem giving it 4 stars. Done correctly, I think this would make an excellent movie.
My thanks to Goodreads and Simon & Schuster Canada, sponsor of the Goodreads giveaway, for the softcover copy of this novel and to Atria Books, via Netgalley, for providing access to the electronic edition of the novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
The time space is a soaring library filled with books containing the memories of those who have passed and can be accessed only by specially made watches once passed from father to son but mostly now in government hands. This is where eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in 1938. As she realizes that government agents are entering the time space to destroy books and maintain their preferred version of history, she sets about saving these scraps in her own volume of memories. In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning the disappearance of her uncle Ernest when she is approached by a CIA agent wanting her help in tracking down a book of memories her uncle once sought.
Those of you who are familiar with my reading habits probably wonder what the heck I'm doing reading this book. It's totally out of my wheelhouse - part science fiction, part fantasy, encompassing time travel and an epic romance - but I actually liked it quite a bit. It was exceptionally well written and an interesting story. I kept thinking about a certain very public figure and his attempts to control history via the Smithsonian Institute. I have to admit I had a hard time picturing some of the situations in the book since I've never been able to wrap my head around the concept of time travel but I have no doubt there are many who will love it. Even though this book is different from my normal reads, I have no problem giving it 4 stars. Done correctly, I think this would make an excellent movie.
My thanks to Goodreads and Simon & Schuster Canada, sponsor of the Goodreads giveaway, for the softcover copy of this novel and to Atria Books, via Netgalley, for providing access to the electronic edition of the novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
August 22, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
“There are no secrets that time does not reveal.” – Jean Racine
It was a night like any other for eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy in 1938. Tucked under her covers, her father Ezekiel told her a bedtime story about a watch, a friend, and an enemy who wants to destroy what he and so many others hold dear. But for Ezekiel, it was more than just a story–and for Lisavet, it turned into her reality when her father hid her in the time space, closing the door behind him and never opening it again.
She grows up among the endless rows of books that contain memories of everything that has happened on earth, knowing this is where she wants to stay for the rest of her life. But when government agents begin to destroy memories they deem “dangerous,” Lisavet does her best to save them, which leads to her meeting an American spy Ernest Duquesne in 1949, who shows her his world, the world she has never seen or experienced and changes hers, something that put them on a journey that changes time and history as they know it.
Fast forward to 1965, where sixteen-year-old Amelia and a cold, mysterious CIA agent meet at her Uncle Ernest’s funeral. Grieving and angry at the world, Amelia doesn’t want to do anything the agent wants her to do, especially with her uncle’s watch. But curiosity gets the better of her, and when she finds herself amongst the shelves of books of memories, her journey of finding the truth of not only time but her own life begins.
This book is nothing like I expected. Can we give Hayley Gelfuso a round of applause, please, because ho-ly cow! This was AMAZING! 👏🏼👏🏼
Think of it like The Book Thief, The Giver, and Interstellar had a love-child while Avengers: Endgame watched.
Although I found some of the plot points predictable because I make it my life mission to figure out the story and the ending to any movie or book I consume before it ends (it’s always been that way–please send help), the story was so interesting, so mind-boggling, and oh-so nothing like I have ever read before but it delivered. There was science, there was romance, there was adventure–it’s the whole package. It’s going to be on my mind for the rest of the month, and I’m not mad about it.
The characters were written very well. They had flaws, they weren’t the plot’s punching bag, and as the story progressed, so did they. Did they make mistakes and decisions that made me shake my head? Yes, but I make dumb decisions all the time, so it just made them more relatable and realistic. And Jack? What a douchebag. (Pardon my French. 😅😂) He infuriated me every time he dared to show his face.
And the ending? It was not at all what I was expecting, yet it felt right. Absolutely brilliant.
Besides All the Tomorrows After, it’s been a while since a book made an impact. It has left me feeling dumbfounded and grateful. I’m blessed to be alive in this flawed yet beautiful world, making memories with friends and family and loving them to the best of my ability with the time I have on this earth. ❤ I highly, highly recommend this book, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you to Atria Books for inviting me to read the arc via NetGalley! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Murder, death, grief, blood, misogyny, & violence.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Closed-door (Doesn’t go into detail.)
“There are no secrets that time does not reveal.” – Jean Racine
It was a night like any other for eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy in 1938. Tucked under her covers, her father Ezekiel told her a bedtime story about a watch, a friend, and an enemy who wants to destroy what he and so many others hold dear. But for Ezekiel, it was more than just a story–and for Lisavet, it turned into her reality when her father hid her in the time space, closing the door behind him and never opening it again.
She grows up among the endless rows of books that contain memories of everything that has happened on earth, knowing this is where she wants to stay for the rest of her life. But when government agents begin to destroy memories they deem “dangerous,” Lisavet does her best to save them, which leads to her meeting an American spy Ernest Duquesne in 1949, who shows her his world, the world she has never seen or experienced and changes hers, something that put them on a journey that changes time and history as they know it.
Fast forward to 1965, where sixteen-year-old Amelia and a cold, mysterious CIA agent meet at her Uncle Ernest’s funeral. Grieving and angry at the world, Amelia doesn’t want to do anything the agent wants her to do, especially with her uncle’s watch. But curiosity gets the better of her, and when she finds herself amongst the shelves of books of memories, her journey of finding the truth of not only time but her own life begins.
This book is nothing like I expected. Can we give Hayley Gelfuso a round of applause, please, because ho-ly cow! This was AMAZING! 👏🏼👏🏼
Think of it like The Book Thief, The Giver, and Interstellar had a love-child while Avengers: Endgame watched.
Although I found some of the plot points predictable because I make it my life mission to figure out the story and the ending to any movie or book I consume before it ends (it’s always been that way–please send help), the story was so interesting, so mind-boggling, and oh-so nothing like I have ever read before but it delivered. There was science, there was romance, there was adventure–it’s the whole package. It’s going to be on my mind for the rest of the month, and I’m not mad about it.
The characters were written very well. They had flaws, they weren’t the plot’s punching bag, and as the story progressed, so did they. Did they make mistakes and decisions that made me shake my head? Yes, but I make dumb decisions all the time, so it just made them more relatable and realistic. And Jack? What a douchebag. (Pardon my French. 😅😂) He infuriated me every time he dared to show his face.
And the ending? It was not at all what I was expecting, yet it felt right. Absolutely brilliant.
Besides All the Tomorrows After, it’s been a while since a book made an impact. It has left me feeling dumbfounded and grateful. I’m blessed to be alive in this flawed yet beautiful world, making memories with friends and family and loving them to the best of my ability with the time I have on this earth. ❤ I highly, highly recommend this book, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you to Atria Books for inviting me to read the arc via NetGalley! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Murder, death, grief, blood, misogyny, & violence.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Closed-door (Doesn’t go into detail.)
August 1, 2025
Interesting concept. I admit, I got lost at times and wasn't sure what was in the past and what was the present. And oh, how I hated Jack's guts..... I just wanted to jump into the book and slightly turn his head a 330°
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Let's try and see if I can finish this book in one day, Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC 💕
Find my review on Instagram
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Let's try and see if I can finish this book in one day, Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC 💕
Find my review on Instagram
February 4, 2025
4.33 stars
Oh
My
Gosh
i think this book gave me a million heart attacks and killed me 😭😭
This was amazing!! I can't believe that this was a debut novel!! The writing was beautiful, and I kept forgotting I was reading!! I love how Ernest loves poetry!! The fact that Ernest was named after her grandpa was kind of weird... but oh well 🤣
I didn't like some content in it, thus the 2/3 of a star that I cut, but I LOVED this book otherwise!! I couln't stop reading it, and read it for almost 7 hours straight!!
I was also crying for like half this book it was SO. SAD. 😭😭
Thats part of the reason that I loved it, though!
If you enjoy fantasy, romance, and heartbreaking books that will leave you sobbing at 2 am, I'd reccomend this!!
✿•° ↪ pre read
omgosh omgosh omgsoh i got the arc!! I've only read two pages so far and its already AMAZING!! I've heard great things about this book so I can't wait to read the rest!
Oh
My
Gosh
i think this book gave me a million heart attacks and killed me 😭😭
This was amazing!! I can't believe that this was a debut novel!! The writing was beautiful, and I kept forgotting I was reading!! I love how Ernest loves poetry!! The fact that Ernest was named after her grandpa was kind of weird... but oh well 🤣
I didn't like some content in it, thus the 2/3 of a star that I cut, but I LOVED this book otherwise!! I couln't stop reading it, and read it for almost 7 hours straight!!
I was also crying for like half this book it was SO. SAD. 😭😭
Thats part of the reason that I loved it, though!
If you enjoy fantasy, romance, and heartbreaking books that will leave you sobbing at 2 am, I'd reccomend this!!
✿•° ↪ pre read
omgosh omgosh omgsoh i got the arc!! I've only read two pages so far and its already AMAZING!! I've heard great things about this book so I can't wait to read the rest!
June 26, 2025
This story offers a richly imaginative blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery. The concept of the time space—a vast, secret library of memories accessible only through heirloom watches—is both original and haunting. Lisavet's journey, from abandoned child to memory-keeper defying government censors, is emotionally resonant and deeply compelling. Her resilience and quiet rebellion highlight themes of memory, loss, and the power of truth.
Amelia’s storyline in the 1960s adds a fresh layer, connecting past and present while raising questions about how we understand history and who gets to preserve it. The dual timelines weave together beautifully, and the evolving mystery keeps the reader invested. Overall, this tale is a poignant exploration of legacy, agency, and the fragile line between reality and remembrance. It's perfect for fans of introspective speculative fiction with emotional depth and historical intrigue.
Amelia’s storyline in the 1960s adds a fresh layer, connecting past and present while raising questions about how we understand history and who gets to preserve it. The dual timelines weave together beautifully, and the evolving mystery keeps the reader invested. Overall, this tale is a poignant exploration of legacy, agency, and the fragile line between reality and remembrance. It's perfect for fans of introspective speculative fiction with emotional depth and historical intrigue.
August 25, 2025
“History isn’t written by the victors, but by the ones holding the pen.”
“A memory, once it’s over, is never exactly what it was when it was happening.”
Set against the shadows of post-WWII and Cold War America, "The Book of Lost Hours" intertwines two lives across time and memory:
1938: Eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy is hidden in the mysterious “time space” - a vast, timeless library of human memories stored as books - by her watchmaker father, who never returns for her. Growing up among specters and volumes of the past, Lisavet discovers just how far those in power will go to erase and rewrite history.
1965: Sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning her uncle Ernest when a CIA agent recruits her to track down a stolen memory-book. But when Amelia steps into the time space for the first time, she learns that history - and reality itself - may not be as linear as she once believed.
With a hefty dose of magical realism, a touch of fantasy, and a sliver of historical fiction, "The Book of Lost Hours" is an engrossing, all-encompassing love story. There is science, there is romance, there is adventure - it’s the whole package. For readers who loved the speculative explorations of "The Midnight Library", the historical layering of "The Ministry of Time", or the portal-like mysteries of "The Book of Doors", this book will feel both familiar and refreshingly original.
Both timelines are well-constructed, though I was more deeply invested in Lisavet’s story, and I correctly guessed how the two threads would converge. The mechanics of the library and the layered references to time travel and parallel worlds occasionally went over my head, but the book's protagonists captured my heart, especially the star-crossed lovers at its core. The background world is undeniably complex, but the payoff is a richly imagined and rewarding narrative.
Written with a lyrical, descriptive style that crosses genres and decades, it’s hard to believe this is author Hayley Gelfuso’s debut novel. Ambitious and heartfelt, "The Book of Lost Hours" is a magical and moving story about time, memory, and the enduring power of love. At the same time, it serves as an urgent warning against censorship, the manipulation of truth, and the erasure of inconvenient histories.
A sweeping love story - and a reminder of the price we pay to keep memory, and history, honest.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
"The Book of Lost Hours" is slated to be published on August 26, 2025.
“A memory, once it’s over, is never exactly what it was when it was happening.”
Set against the shadows of post-WWII and Cold War America, "The Book of Lost Hours" intertwines two lives across time and memory:
1938: Eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy is hidden in the mysterious “time space” - a vast, timeless library of human memories stored as books - by her watchmaker father, who never returns for her. Growing up among specters and volumes of the past, Lisavet discovers just how far those in power will go to erase and rewrite history.
1965: Sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning her uncle Ernest when a CIA agent recruits her to track down a stolen memory-book. But when Amelia steps into the time space for the first time, she learns that history - and reality itself - may not be as linear as she once believed.
With a hefty dose of magical realism, a touch of fantasy, and a sliver of historical fiction, "The Book of Lost Hours" is an engrossing, all-encompassing love story. There is science, there is romance, there is adventure - it’s the whole package. For readers who loved the speculative explorations of "The Midnight Library", the historical layering of "The Ministry of Time", or the portal-like mysteries of "The Book of Doors", this book will feel both familiar and refreshingly original.
Both timelines are well-constructed, though I was more deeply invested in Lisavet’s story, and I correctly guessed how the two threads would converge. The mechanics of the library and the layered references to time travel and parallel worlds occasionally went over my head, but the book's protagonists captured my heart, especially the star-crossed lovers at its core. The background world is undeniably complex, but the payoff is a richly imagined and rewarding narrative.
Written with a lyrical, descriptive style that crosses genres and decades, it’s hard to believe this is author Hayley Gelfuso’s debut novel. Ambitious and heartfelt, "The Book of Lost Hours" is a magical and moving story about time, memory, and the enduring power of love. At the same time, it serves as an urgent warning against censorship, the manipulation of truth, and the erasure of inconvenient histories.
A sweeping love story - and a reminder of the price we pay to keep memory, and history, honest.
Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
"The Book of Lost Hours" is slated to be published on August 26, 2025.
September 5, 2025
”Time was an illusion and memory even more so…”
I AM CRYING! I LOVED this book so much I’m actually mad I can’t read it for the first time again. Went in kinda blind and WOW… my brain is blown , my heart is shattered. This story was so creative, inspiring and beautiful. I finished it in a single day because I couldn’t put it down. Honestly, I only have good things to say. Wow. ★★★★★★ [6/5]
Okay, the story jumps between timelines… in 1930s Germany, Lisavet is the daughter of a Jewish clockmaker whose family guards this secret watch that can literally control Time ⏳. When tragedy hits, she ends up trapped in this eerie, magical place between worlds. Then decades later in 1960s Boston, Amelia inherits a watch and finds herself tangled in Cold War spies, family secrets, and the dark side of timekeeping. This book is full of danger, mystery, magic and twists all wrapped up together. 🖤
So yep… the writing was absolutely gorgeous. The pacing was perfect, with so many twists and heartbreaking moments. And the vibes? I don’t even know how to explain it; maybe fantasy + historical fiction + magical realism + sci-fi + romance all blended together so seamlessly.
I did the audiobook and the hardcopy and honestly?? Best decision ever. The narration was stunning and made it all even more emotional and immersive. PERFECTION. 🎧📖
——————————————————————————
“…all of Time was a miraculous construct that gave shape to conscious thoughts and wrote a thousand versions of a single life.”
“History isn’t written by victors, but by the ones holding the pen…”
“We’re linked, you and me. No matter where we end up, be it a country, an era, or an alternative version of the past, we’ll always find each other.”
“…She began to wonder if what danger really was, if what it really meant, was living. Maybe the only truly safe thing was death. Ernest Duquesne was alive, she thought, a small thrill running through her…If living was dangerous, then he was the most dangerous thing there was.”
”She had spent years at a time walking through every age and era of history. Going everywhere yet belonging nowhere except for right here in his arms.”
I AM CRYING! I LOVED this book so much I’m actually mad I can’t read it for the first time again. Went in kinda blind and WOW… my brain is blown , my heart is shattered. This story was so creative, inspiring and beautiful. I finished it in a single day because I couldn’t put it down. Honestly, I only have good things to say. Wow. ★★★★★★ [6/5]
Okay, the story jumps between timelines… in 1930s Germany, Lisavet is the daughter of a Jewish clockmaker whose family guards this secret watch that can literally control Time ⏳. When tragedy hits, she ends up trapped in this eerie, magical place between worlds. Then decades later in 1960s Boston, Amelia inherits a watch and finds herself tangled in Cold War spies, family secrets, and the dark side of timekeeping. This book is full of danger, mystery, magic and twists all wrapped up together. 🖤
So yep… the writing was absolutely gorgeous. The pacing was perfect, with so many twists and heartbreaking moments. And the vibes? I don’t even know how to explain it; maybe fantasy + historical fiction + magical realism + sci-fi + romance all blended together so seamlessly.
I did the audiobook and the hardcopy and honestly?? Best decision ever. The narration was stunning and made it all even more emotional and immersive. PERFECTION. 🎧📖
——————————————————————————
“…all of Time was a miraculous construct that gave shape to conscious thoughts and wrote a thousand versions of a single life.”
“History isn’t written by victors, but by the ones holding the pen…”
“We’re linked, you and me. No matter where we end up, be it a country, an era, or an alternative version of the past, we’ll always find each other.”
“…She began to wonder if what danger really was, if what it really meant, was living. Maybe the only truly safe thing was death. Ernest Duquesne was alive, she thought, a small thrill running through her…If living was dangerous, then he was the most dangerous thing there was.”
”She had spent years at a time walking through every age and era of history. Going everywhere yet belonging nowhere except for right here in his arms.”
April 19, 2025
pre read┆🕰️ ‧₊˚ ⋅.
one of my most anticipated reads!!! this sounds honestly so cool 🤭 i honestly love how its narrated by a clockmaker thats so interesting 🥹🥹🥹 thanks a lot to netgalley for the arc <3
one of my most anticipated reads!!! this sounds honestly so cool 🤭 i honestly love how its narrated by a clockmaker thats so interesting 🥹🥹🥹 thanks a lot to netgalley for the arc <3
![Profile Image for joni ౨ৎ - [semi hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1752411492i%2F167534965._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
Want to read
May 2, 2025🕰┆⌕ ༘⋆ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 ༄
thank you to simon and schuster canada for sending me a #gifted copy of this book 🤍 so excited to read this one!!
thank you to simon and schuster canada for sending me a #gifted copy of this book 🤍 so excited to read this one!!
Currently reading
January 29, 2025I got an arc!
September 5, 2025
"To know too much about the course Time is taking before it happens is to fill oneself with torment. Living is the most dangerous thing, after all. More than death. More than memories."
July 11, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 26, 2025
“The Book of Lost Hours” by Hayley Gelfuso is the ideal read for fans of “The Midnight Library” or “The Invisible Library”.
In 1938, Lisavet Levy’s father is captured by the Nazis and, to keep her safe, he puts her in “the time space”. The time space is the magical in-between where human memories are stored, captured in books by “the timekeepers”. Trapped without means of escape, Lisavet finds herself wandering through the immeasurable rows of books, where she finds timekeepers destroying books, and the memories they contain. In her quest to uncover why certain memories are being destroyed, Lisavet disappears without a trace.
In 1965, Amelia Duquesne is grieving the loss of her beloved uncle, Ernest, when she is approached by a CIA agent who asks for Amelia’s help in retrieving a book. The book once belonged to her uncle and hasn’t been seen for years, but the secrets it contains could cause utter chaos, chaos that the CIA wants to avoid at all costs. But the book is in a magical place called “the time space”, and Amelia knows it’s risky to enter, but will her curiosity get the better of her?
Gelfuso’s “Hours” is a dual-timeline novel, narrated by Lisavet, in 1938 and Amelia, in 1965. The “CIA agent”, Moira, also has her turn at centre stage, as she helps readers understand the secrets of the time space. All three characters have a deeper connection than it appears, although it isn’t that difficult to figure out what that connection is, so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise when it’s revealed. However, that doesn’t contribute in any way to the overall entertainment value of this novel.
The time space was a fascinating and unique concept. A library of memories of sorts, where you can spot the occasional spirit caught between worlds, where timekeepers store and destroy human memories, changing the outside world in an instant. A complicated imagining, but Gelfuso manages to explain the illogical physics of the time space in a digestible and generalizable way.
In “Hours”, there are timekeepers and there are “rebels”; one group who wants to destroy certain memories and the other who believes all memories are sacred and want them all to remain safely stored away. Neither side is the “bad guy”, per se, as they both have logical reasons for doing what they do, but it can be a little difficult to keep track of who is on which side (especially when certain characters play both sides, or start on one side and then switch).
“Hours” is charming, intelligent and imaginative and I thoroughly enjoyed the immersive plot and likable characters.
Expected publication date: Aug. 26, 2025
“The Book of Lost Hours” by Hayley Gelfuso is the ideal read for fans of “The Midnight Library” or “The Invisible Library”.
In 1938, Lisavet Levy’s father is captured by the Nazis and, to keep her safe, he puts her in “the time space”. The time space is the magical in-between where human memories are stored, captured in books by “the timekeepers”. Trapped without means of escape, Lisavet finds herself wandering through the immeasurable rows of books, where she finds timekeepers destroying books, and the memories they contain. In her quest to uncover why certain memories are being destroyed, Lisavet disappears without a trace.
In 1965, Amelia Duquesne is grieving the loss of her beloved uncle, Ernest, when she is approached by a CIA agent who asks for Amelia’s help in retrieving a book. The book once belonged to her uncle and hasn’t been seen for years, but the secrets it contains could cause utter chaos, chaos that the CIA wants to avoid at all costs. But the book is in a magical place called “the time space”, and Amelia knows it’s risky to enter, but will her curiosity get the better of her?
Gelfuso’s “Hours” is a dual-timeline novel, narrated by Lisavet, in 1938 and Amelia, in 1965. The “CIA agent”, Moira, also has her turn at centre stage, as she helps readers understand the secrets of the time space. All three characters have a deeper connection than it appears, although it isn’t that difficult to figure out what that connection is, so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise when it’s revealed. However, that doesn’t contribute in any way to the overall entertainment value of this novel.
The time space was a fascinating and unique concept. A library of memories of sorts, where you can spot the occasional spirit caught between worlds, where timekeepers store and destroy human memories, changing the outside world in an instant. A complicated imagining, but Gelfuso manages to explain the illogical physics of the time space in a digestible and generalizable way.
In “Hours”, there are timekeepers and there are “rebels”; one group who wants to destroy certain memories and the other who believes all memories are sacred and want them all to remain safely stored away. Neither side is the “bad guy”, per se, as they both have logical reasons for doing what they do, but it can be a little difficult to keep track of who is on which side (especially when certain characters play both sides, or start on one side and then switch).
“Hours” is charming, intelligent and imaginative and I thoroughly enjoyed the immersive plot and likable characters.
July 27, 2025
˗ˏˋ꒰🌊꒱ 𝟒.𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
↠━༻◆༺━↞
ᴺᵒʷ ᵖˡᵃʸᶦⁿᵍ; [ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 ] [ 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐨]
1:07 ——◦———— -4:05
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ
» 。° .• ⏳ ༄
This book put me through so much turmoil for sixty percent of it. This book is one word, and that word is pain. It felt like my whole world was being turned upside down and that I had to drop EVERYTHING in my life to see what happened. I wanted a CERTAIN ending, because the characters deserve it. It didn't matter that the chapters were long for me (one chapter was over 40 pages), they were VERY easy to read and felt like I was watching a movie. This is one of the only books where I wasn't guessing what certain places and people looked like and felt like I was wrong. Gelfuso does a WONDERFUL job with character descriptions and also dialogue tags to help readers know what certain characters are doing, body language wise.
༄ 📘 .• ° 。«
I was surprised to see that this is Hayley Gelfuso's debut novel??? I thought she had published tons of books, but when I went to her Goodreads page and saw that this was her first one, I was shaken. Authors that have dozens of books out don't have the same quality as this author's debut has. You could tell that Gelfuso did her research on history, spent time worldbuilding, doing boring research like PHYSICS (how did she not pull her hair out?), and also developing wonderful characters. I love to physical see with my own eyes how much an author is obsessed with their story. It's really easy to tell and once you see it, really see it, you will want to see it in every story. I hope that when Gelfuso releases her next novel (I'm already looking for it, and she better write more) we get this same quality of writing.
» 。° .• ⏳ ༄
Some of the events that happened in this story rubbed me the wrong way, which is why it isn't a full five star. It made me think about that certain situations really did happen in history but were covered up. The early to mid 1900's, to me, have always seemed so innocent, at least in the old movies. It seems like nothing bad could have happened in those time periods, but they did. This book really made me think about how people want to have their own memories and viewpoints be the universal truth. It reflects a lot of modern-day problems we have and proves that mankind is the same as we were almost a 100 years ago.
༄ 📘 .• ° 。«
After the 60% mark, I found that I wasn't as invested in the plot. I think I was just ready to find out how everything was going to be wrapped up that I wanted to skip the BIG stuff. It wasn't bad content, I was just ready to see if my predictions were true! I did guess a big plot twist, but I'm not mad about it because I'm happy I actually guessed one for once and also because it's a good twist. Hayley Gelfuso's plots do not disappoint.
.。༅:*ﾟ𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ꒱
💛 ·˚ 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐲 ˊˎ
༻————↠
This poor child. The violence of this time period changed her life forever. She didn't have choices, so when she was given them, she did what she thought was right. And when I thought they were wrong, I saw why she chose those. She really did believe she was helping the people around her. I became SOOOO attached to her, especially after the first chapter. It didn't take long at all. When she became an adult, I wasn't so sympathetic with her because her situation had changed. Either way, she is a great character, and she should have DEFINETELY been born in a different century.
💙 ·˚ 𝐄𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐮𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐧𝐞 ˊˎ
༺————↞
My first thought when he showed up was "new book boyfriend." He was SO gentle when he was first introduced, and just the definition of a soft teddy bear. I definitely liked him better when he was younger because the adult version of him, to me, was kind of mean? The situation shaped him to be that way, so I understand, it's just that I liked him better when he was still full of hope and wonder about the world.
💛 ·˚ 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐧𝐞 ˊˎ
༺————↞
If my mom died, I would be acting salty too. Amelia never deserved to be abandoned, and that's all she really feared. I think that's why she acted so hostile and mean, was because she didn't want to give people the chance to leave her behind. I felt sorry for her and didn't want ANYONE to hurt her. She can take her own though, so don't be too worried.
💙 ·˚ 𝐌𝐨𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 ˊˎ
The whole time Moira spoke, I heard a 1950's actress, and I LOVED IT! She is definition of class and confidence but also shows how human she can be. I wasn't 100% in love with her because...she threw Amelia into some unexpected placed...BUT she was a good character!
↠━ ⏳ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ━↞
This book was SO GOOD! Definitely is going to become a bestseller and sell TONS of copies. I'm still speechless and need to recover from the PAIN, but it was so worth it. For this being Haley Gelfuso's debut book, I have high hopes for her next releases, if she decides to write more. Her writing is just beautiful. Not cringey but vivid and full of emotion. I can't wait to see what everyone else thinks of this book once it's officially published. I literally can't recommend this enough.
Thank you Netgalley and the author for providing me with an arc copy!
🌊 ––––———–––––———–┊༄
↠━༻◆༺━↞
ᴺᵒʷ ᵖˡᵃʸᶦⁿᵍ; [ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 ] [ 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐨]
1:07 ——◦———— -4:05
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ
» 。° .• ⏳ ༄
This book put me through so much turmoil for sixty percent of it. This book is one word, and that word is pain. It felt like my whole world was being turned upside down and that I had to drop EVERYTHING in my life to see what happened. I wanted a CERTAIN ending, because the characters deserve it. It didn't matter that the chapters were long for me (one chapter was over 40 pages), they were VERY easy to read and felt like I was watching a movie. This is one of the only books where I wasn't guessing what certain places and people looked like and felt like I was wrong. Gelfuso does a WONDERFUL job with character descriptions and also dialogue tags to help readers know what certain characters are doing, body language wise.
༄ 📘 .• ° 。«
I was surprised to see that this is Hayley Gelfuso's debut novel??? I thought she had published tons of books, but when I went to her Goodreads page and saw that this was her first one, I was shaken. Authors that have dozens of books out don't have the same quality as this author's debut has. You could tell that Gelfuso did her research on history, spent time worldbuilding, doing boring research like PHYSICS (how did she not pull her hair out?), and also developing wonderful characters. I love to physical see with my own eyes how much an author is obsessed with their story. It's really easy to tell and once you see it, really see it, you will want to see it in every story. I hope that when Gelfuso releases her next novel (I'm already looking for it, and she better write more) we get this same quality of writing.
» 。° .• ⏳ ༄
Some of the events that happened in this story rubbed me the wrong way, which is why it isn't a full five star. It made me think about that certain situations really did happen in history but were covered up. The early to mid 1900's, to me, have always seemed so innocent, at least in the old movies. It seems like nothing bad could have happened in those time periods, but they did. This book really made me think about how people want to have their own memories and viewpoints be the universal truth. It reflects a lot of modern-day problems we have and proves that mankind is the same as we were almost a 100 years ago.
༄ 📘 .• ° 。«
After the 60% mark, I found that I wasn't as invested in the plot. I think I was just ready to find out how everything was going to be wrapped up that I wanted to skip the BIG stuff. It wasn't bad content, I was just ready to see if my predictions were true! I did guess a big plot twist, but I'm not mad about it because I'm happy I actually guessed one for once and also because it's a good twist. Hayley Gelfuso's plots do not disappoint.
.。༅:*ﾟ𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ꒱
💛 ·˚ 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐲 ˊˎ
༻————↠
This poor child. The violence of this time period changed her life forever. She didn't have choices, so when she was given them, she did what she thought was right. And when I thought they were wrong, I saw why she chose those. She really did believe she was helping the people around her. I became SOOOO attached to her, especially after the first chapter. It didn't take long at all. When she became an adult, I wasn't so sympathetic with her because her situation had changed. Either way, she is a great character, and she should have DEFINETELY been born in a different century.
💙 ·˚ 𝐄𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐮𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐧𝐞 ˊˎ
༺————↞
My first thought when he showed up was "new book boyfriend." He was SO gentle when he was first introduced, and just the definition of a soft teddy bear. I definitely liked him better when he was younger because the adult version of him, to me, was kind of mean? The situation shaped him to be that way, so I understand, it's just that I liked him better when he was still full of hope and wonder about the world.
💛 ·˚ 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐧𝐞 ˊˎ
༺————↞
If my mom died, I would be acting salty too. Amelia never deserved to be abandoned, and that's all she really feared. I think that's why she acted so hostile and mean, was because she didn't want to give people the chance to leave her behind. I felt sorry for her and didn't want ANYONE to hurt her. She can take her own though, so don't be too worried.
💙 ·˚ 𝐌𝐨𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 ˊˎ
The whole time Moira spoke, I heard a 1950's actress, and I LOVED IT! She is definition of class and confidence but also shows how human she can be. I wasn't 100% in love with her because...she threw Amelia into some unexpected placed...BUT she was a good character!
↠━ ⏳ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ━↞
This book was SO GOOD! Definitely is going to become a bestseller and sell TONS of copies. I'm still speechless and need to recover from the PAIN, but it was so worth it. For this being Haley Gelfuso's debut book, I have high hopes for her next releases, if she decides to write more. Her writing is just beautiful. Not cringey but vivid and full of emotion. I can't wait to see what everyone else thinks of this book once it's officially published. I literally can't recommend this enough.
Thank you Netgalley and the author for providing me with an arc copy!
🌊 ––––———–––––———–┊༄
March 26, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review
⭐️ - 1 star
Dnf at 45%
So I usually write long detailed reviews…but this book isn’t worth any more of my time. The entire plot was so unrealistic and lacked the magical spark that would’ve kept me interested. I was just so bored through the whole thing, finding myself literally praying the chapter was almost over. On top of that, the writing style was just super dry and I mentally couldn’t get through it.
To be fair, I’m not a fan of time travel romance to begin with and thought that this might change my mind, but I was so wrong. I think I’m ok never picking up a time travel romance again, I’ve had my fill with this. I respect the author for putting so much time and worldbuilding into her book, but it just wasn’t for me.
⭐️ - 1 star
Dnf at 45%
So I usually write long detailed reviews…but this book isn’t worth any more of my time. The entire plot was so unrealistic and lacked the magical spark that would’ve kept me interested. I was just so bored through the whole thing, finding myself literally praying the chapter was almost over. On top of that, the writing style was just super dry and I mentally couldn’t get through it.
To be fair, I’m not a fan of time travel romance to begin with and thought that this might change my mind, but I was so wrong. I think I’m ok never picking up a time travel romance again, I’ve had my fill with this. I respect the author for putting so much time and worldbuilding into her book, but it just wasn’t for me.
August 17, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
WOW. Just wow. This has become one of my favorite books I have read this year, and potentially one of my favorite books I’ve read in a really long time, if ever. Immediately the author entangled me into these timelines & the worlds of these characters with her writing.
Hayley Gelfuso writes characters you cannot get enough of. I felt a connection to Lisavet, Ernest, Moira, Amelia, Azrael, Anton and even Jack. I normally am not the biggest historical fiction fan, but this was everything I wanted and more. History, magic, mystery and romance.
My book hangover has officially taken over. This was everything.
WOW. Just wow. This has become one of my favorite books I have read this year, and potentially one of my favorite books I’ve read in a really long time, if ever. Immediately the author entangled me into these timelines & the worlds of these characters with her writing.
Hayley Gelfuso writes characters you cannot get enough of. I felt a connection to Lisavet, Ernest, Moira, Amelia, Azrael, Anton and even Jack. I normally am not the biggest historical fiction fan, but this was everything I wanted and more. History, magic, mystery and romance.
My book hangover has officially taken over. This was everything.
September 1, 2025
The Book of Lost Hours
This audiobook captivated me from beginning to end! If you loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or The Midnight Library, I think you will devour this novel. Full video review on my social.
This audiobook captivated me from beginning to end! If you loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or The Midnight Library, I think you will devour this novel. Full video review on my social.
August 27, 2025
The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso is an entertaining read that explores thought provoking concepts of erasing history. The novel weaves a nice love story throughout its narrative.
While some parts felt a little disjointed, the author's writing is well written. I never quite understood how Lisavet was able to live without food in the timespace.
The blend of fantasy and historical fiction is nicely done. There was a few good twists.
Overall, a compelling and engaging read.
Thanking Good Reading Magazine and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Release Copy.
Also thanking NetGalley and Allen and Unwin.
While some parts felt a little disjointed, the author's writing is well written. I never quite understood how Lisavet was able to live without food in the timespace.
The blend of fantasy and historical fiction is nicely done. There was a few good twists.
Overall, a compelling and engaging read.
Thanking Good Reading Magazine and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Release Copy.
Also thanking NetGalley and Allen and Unwin.
August 10, 2025
4⭐️
I really loved the chapters with Lisavet in the time space. It was so atmospheric I could picture it so easily in my mind. I loved Amelia learning languages and art and sciences alongside history, gently being guided by Azrael. And once she meets Ernest? God they were so cute, just so gentle and wholesome with each other. It was also a little bittersweet to read them, because we know what Ernest's timeline leads to in 1965.
I didn't enjoy the 1965 timeline quite as much, but I think that was more because when we jump into it we're only given half the answers. Amelia is approached by the CIA and really doesn't have any clue about what's going on or who to trust. This plotline really kicked up in the second half of the book though!
In terms of plot, I don't want to say too much to avoid spoiling anything. I will say, by the conclusion things sort of felt like they had lost their meaning. Like what had these characters really been fighting the entire book for?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"I'll take care of you. I won't let anything happen to you.Wow. This was seriously so good. From the moment I read the first page I was hooked, right up until the end. This felt like such a unique story, about a girl lost in time and the lengths people will go to for the ones they love. In 1938 Lisavet Levy is hidden in the time space by her father, only to never see him again. She spends her time walking through memories with the ghost Azrael, separated from her life and the world outside. In 1965 15 year-old Amelia is grieving the death of her Uncle Ernest when she is tasked with finding a lost book of memories that he was searching for.
I'll rewrite all of history if I have to."
I really loved the chapters with Lisavet in the time space. It was so atmospheric I could picture it so easily in my mind. I loved Amelia learning languages and art and sciences alongside history, gently being guided by Azrael. And once she meets Ernest? God they were so cute, just so gentle and wholesome with each other. It was also a little bittersweet to read them, because we know what Ernest's timeline leads to in 1965.
I didn't enjoy the 1965 timeline quite as much, but I think that was more because when we jump into it we're only given half the answers. Amelia is approached by the CIA and really doesn't have any clue about what's going on or who to trust. This plotline really kicked up in the second half of the book though!
In terms of plot, I don't want to say too much to avoid spoiling anything. I will say, by the conclusion things sort of felt like they had lost their meaning. Like what had these characters really been fighting the entire book for?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
January 23, 2025That summary is low-key giving the random story idea I had the other day lol.
August 4, 2025
This is an emotional roller-coaster. There are some fun twists in the book. Some I saw coming, but they were still fun to read. I really enjoyed the characters and the romance. the relationships in this book are beautiful.
July 11, 2025
4.5 ⭐
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC.
Wow. This was not what I expecting. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This reminded me so much of Addie LaRue and the Midnight Library but better. This is the first time travel romance that I've read and actually liked. The timeline switches were super smooth and at one point in the book everything clicked into place, especially some of the smaller things like habits and mannerisms from before start to make sense. The characters were also well fleshed out and I really liked the ending. The writing was beautiful, especially for a debut novel. Honestly, I have nothing to complain about. Overall, this book had great plot, characters, romance and atmosphere all at once. I would absolutely recommend. I'm so glad I chose this for NetGalley Camp.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC.
Wow. This was not what I expecting. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This reminded me so much of Addie LaRue and the Midnight Library but better. This is the first time travel romance that I've read and actually liked. The timeline switches were super smooth and at one point in the book everything clicked into place, especially some of the smaller things like habits and mannerisms from before start to make sense. The characters were also well fleshed out and I really liked the ending. The writing was beautiful, especially for a debut novel. Honestly, I have nothing to complain about. Overall, this book had great plot, characters, romance and atmosphere all at once. I would absolutely recommend. I'm so glad I chose this for NetGalley Camp.
July 28, 2025
In 1938, eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in the time-space library, waiting for her father, a watchmaker, to return to get her. He never returns, and she grows up surrounded by books and endless corridors. The tale that unfolds is fantastic.
In the time-space library, Lisavet experiences no hunger or thirst and meets specters who wander the aisles. She befriends one specter, whom she names Azrael. Azrael explains how the library works, and Lisavet spends her days opening books and walking through history. While wondering, she discovers that Men and women who possess watches like her father are entering the time-space library and destroying books to alter events, memories and history. Unlike time-walkers, who can only access the library and read or burn books, Lisavet soon discovers she can walk in memories and eventually touch things.
Lisavet is furious that memories/books are being burned and begins thwarting the time-walkers' efforts. She saves what she can of the books and hides them inside another book. The world-building was intriguing, and while it took me a moment to understand how the time-space library worked, I found myself fully engaged.
The tale offers romance, intrigue, and plot twists. Lisavet meets a young American time-walker named Ernest, and the two develop a relationship. Ernest understands why Lisavet saves the burning books, but not before he tells his boss, Jack, about the mysterious young girl who is saving memories. Jack demands that he capture the girl and bring her in. After a romantic encounter, Ernest confesses and asks Lisavet to leave the library and run away with him. She makes a decision that impacts everything.
I laughed, cried, and wanted to slap Jack. The tale is told from multiple POVs. We have Lisavet, Ernest, a time-walker and romantic interest. Then we have Jack, the head of the US time-walkers; Moira, Jack's secretary, who has a special gift; and Amelia, Ernest's niece. The author does a splendid job of fleshing out each of them and twisting their fates together. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
In the time-space library, Lisavet experiences no hunger or thirst and meets specters who wander the aisles. She befriends one specter, whom she names Azrael. Azrael explains how the library works, and Lisavet spends her days opening books and walking through history. While wondering, she discovers that Men and women who possess watches like her father are entering the time-space library and destroying books to alter events, memories and history. Unlike time-walkers, who can only access the library and read or burn books, Lisavet soon discovers she can walk in memories and eventually touch things.
Lisavet is furious that memories/books are being burned and begins thwarting the time-walkers' efforts. She saves what she can of the books and hides them inside another book. The world-building was intriguing, and while it took me a moment to understand how the time-space library worked, I found myself fully engaged.
The tale offers romance, intrigue, and plot twists. Lisavet meets a young American time-walker named Ernest, and the two develop a relationship. Ernest understands why Lisavet saves the burning books, but not before he tells his boss, Jack, about the mysterious young girl who is saving memories. Jack demands that he capture the girl and bring her in. After a romantic encounter, Ernest confesses and asks Lisavet to leave the library and run away with him. She makes a decision that impacts everything.
I laughed, cried, and wanted to slap Jack. The tale is told from multiple POVs. We have Lisavet, Ernest, a time-walker and romantic interest. Then we have Jack, the head of the US time-walkers; Moira, Jack's secretary, who has a special gift; and Amelia, Ernest's niece. The author does a splendid job of fleshing out each of them and twisting their fates together. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
August 4, 2025
I was drawn to this book because I loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and indeed it had very similar vibes. I also liked how it brought science fiction into a time travel love story in a way I haven't seen from other time travel stories, when time travel can seem too much like a magic system. But ultimately I was underwhelmed and this just wasn't for me.
Lisavet Levy is thrown into the time space when her German Jewish watchmaker father is taken by the Nazis in WWII. But she can't escape since she doesn't have a watch to get back to the real world. She soon learns that government regulators burn memories and control time, and she tries to sneak behind their backs and save the memories. The time space is visualized as a library. Along the way Lisavet meets an American timekeeper and they have a love story across time and space, and have a child together.
The story jumps between time periods and characters in confusing ways, but I guessed all the plot twists early on. I was also underwhelmed by the love story; it felt more like a situationship to me. The science of memories and quantum theory was interesting, but I had a hard time visualizing the time space and the characters spent most of their time around shelves of books. I was hoping for more of a Studio Ghibli or lush, fantastical descriptions. Instead it was mostly characters talking and revisiting memories.
I was disappointed this didn't work for me as it really seemed like my cup of tea. Ultimately I just found it boring, repetitive and predictable. I will keep trying time travel stories anyway.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Lisavet Levy is thrown into the time space when her German Jewish watchmaker father is taken by the Nazis in WWII. But she can't escape since she doesn't have a watch to get back to the real world. She soon learns that government regulators burn memories and control time, and she tries to sneak behind their backs and save the memories. The time space is visualized as a library. Along the way Lisavet meets an American timekeeper and they have a love story across time and space, and have a child together.
The story jumps between time periods and characters in confusing ways, but I guessed all the plot twists early on. I was also underwhelmed by the love story; it felt more like a situationship to me. The science of memories and quantum theory was interesting, but I had a hard time visualizing the time space and the characters spent most of their time around shelves of books. I was hoping for more of a Studio Ghibli or lush, fantastical descriptions. Instead it was mostly characters talking and revisiting memories.
I was disappointed this didn't work for me as it really seemed like my cup of tea. Ultimately I just found it boring, repetitive and predictable. I will keep trying time travel stories anyway.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 23, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Atria publishing for this ARC of The Book of Lost Hours!
The concept of this story is extremely clever. The merging of the real world with this magical element in a way that needs to be built within the story was extremely well written. It was easy to follow as far as how they accessed the time space and what it was used for. There were some points where I thought “ok so where did this person come from why do they matter” and everything lined up so well in such a satisfying way. At no point did it feel like the ending just needed to be tied off with a bow. The chapters had felt a bit lengthy, and there were a lot of sentences that just felt long. But it wasn’t that the story was boring, just wordy in my opinion. It didn’t take from the story, just made it take longer for me to read personally.
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SPOILERS FROM HERE ON!!!!
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Watching the growth of the characters at the end of the book was so emotional for me. Ernest and Lisavet of course found each other, “we’ll always find each other”, they had said. And of course they did. Amelia got to have her family, her amazing loving family, that “would rewrite all of history” for her. And we finally get to see the changes their story had on the outside world, and see Anton join them. This timeline seems to give everyone just the right amount of happiness and was the best.
The concept of this story is extremely clever. The merging of the real world with this magical element in a way that needs to be built within the story was extremely well written. It was easy to follow as far as how they accessed the time space and what it was used for. There were some points where I thought “ok so where did this person come from why do they matter” and everything lined up so well in such a satisfying way. At no point did it feel like the ending just needed to be tied off with a bow. The chapters had felt a bit lengthy, and there were a lot of sentences that just felt long. But it wasn’t that the story was boring, just wordy in my opinion. It didn’t take from the story, just made it take longer for me to read personally.
.
.
.
.
SPOILERS FROM HERE ON!!!!
.
.
.
.
.
Watching the growth of the characters at the end of the book was so emotional for me. Ernest and Lisavet of course found each other, “we’ll always find each other”, they had said. And of course they did. Amelia got to have her family, her amazing loving family, that “would rewrite all of history” for her. And we finally get to see the changes their story had on the outside world, and see Anton join them. This timeline seems to give everyone just the right amount of happiness and was the best.
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