Review by Booklist Review
Miranda Brooks is a history teacher in Philadelphia who has just moved in with her boyfriend, Jay. Then she learns her estranged Uncle Billy has died and left her his bookstore, Prospero Books, in Los Angeles. She hasn't visited the bookstore or her uncle since he fought with her mother shortly after Miranda's twelfth birthday. Up until that time, Billy had been a fun, if intermittent, presence in her life, planning outings and adventures. Miranda heads home for Billy's funeral, only to discover he left her one last scavenger hunt. The manager and employees of Prospero Books are reluctant to welcome her, fearing she'll close the store. Her parents are oddly reticent on the topic of Uncle Billy. Jay is impatient for her return to Philadelphia. And Miranda needs more time to find the rest of the clues Billy left behind. Meyerson's debut is the coming-of-age story of a young woman who thought she knew what she wanted from her life and must reckon with game-changing discoveries about her past and future. Recommended for bibliophiles who have ever fantasized about inheriting a bookstore.--Moroni, Alene Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In her heartfelt debut, Meyerson brings readers on a scavenger hunt full of literary clues and family secrets. Miranda Brooks feels her life is finally coming together-she adores teaching high school history in Philadelphia and has decided to settle there, taking the big step of moving in with her boyfriend, a fellow teacher. But Miranda's cozy life is thrown into tumult when she receives a mysterious package after the sudden death of her estranged uncle Billy, who she hasn't spoken to since a falling-out between him and her mother years before. Once a huge part of her life, Billy used to invite Miranda to his Los Angeles bookshop, Prospero Books, where they would read and solve riddles he thought up. But, on Miranda's 12th birthday, her mother and Billy had a mysterious fight, and Miranda hasn't heard from him since. After his death, Miranda travels to L.A., where she learns that Billy has left her Prospero Books-along with a literary clue to one final adventure he wanted to share with her. She works with the devoted staff to revive the old store, all the while following Billy's clues, which lead her to hidden family secrets. Filled with quotes from and allusions to The Tempest, The Wizard of Oz, and Jane Eyre, Meyerson's evocative novel is a fun homage to book lovers and the eclectic spirit of L.A. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT Sixteen years after she last saw her Uncle Billy, Miranda Brooks learns that he has passed away and she has inherited his Los Angeles-based store, Prospero Books. Named for Prospero's daughter in The Tempest, a theme recurrent throughout the novel, Miranda follows clues she believes her uncle sent her to unravel the story of his past. The path leads her to people who fill in the holes she didn't know she had in her own story. At first, Miranda's parents are thrilled that she has returned home, but soon her mother is not talking and a wedge is driven between them. With her personal life in shambles and the bookstore in financial straits, Miranda moves into Billy's apartment above the shop and sets out on a quest of self-discovery, taking a chance on revitalizing the store and discovering love where she least expects it. VERDICT Meyerson's debut is a sweet read filled with family, love, and healing. Readers who enjoy Robyn Carr and Debbie Macomber will be charmed by this tale of self-discovery and new beginnings.-Jane Blue, Andrews P.L., NC © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A woman inherits her late uncle's struggling bookstore in Meyerson's debut novel.Miranda once idolized her uncle Billyhe was charming, adventurous, and always let her pick out any book she wanted from his store, Prospero Books. He planned elaborate scavenger hunts and was full of surprises. But on the night of her 12th birthday, Billy and her mother have an explosive fight. Miranda doesn't know what happened between them, but she loses touch with Billyuntil years later, when she's a teacher in Philadelphia. Billy is dead, but he left her his bookstoreand a mysterious book and letter. Determined to figure out what's going on, Miranda returns to Los Angeles and embarks on her final scavenger hunt, following clues that introduce her to books and people from Billy's past. No one will tell her why Billy disappeared from her lifenot her mother, her father, or the employees at Prospero Booksso the scavenger hunt is her only hope to figure out what happened. Miranda quickly finds out that Billy wasn't just the fun-loving uncle she remembershis life was also full of tragedy. As Miranda learns about his history, she must also juggle trying to save Prospero Books and deciding what she wants out of her life. Should she return to teaching and her boyfriend in Philadelphia, or would she rather stay with her family and her bookstore in LA? Miranda's quest to learn more about her uncle leads to some surprises and plenty of references to literature, with clues hidden in classics like Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, and Bridge to Terabithia. Meyerson writes beautifully, with lush descriptions of LA and believable interactions between characters. Prospero Books is warm, inviting, and populated with lovably quirky employees readers will want to get to know.A lovely look at loss, family, and the comfort found in a good bookstore. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
