Book Review: The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 

Book Review: The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

Written by: Q. Gypsee Hunter
Genre: Historical Fiction | Mystery | Bookish Fantasy

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is more than a story about a lost bookshop. It’s a haunting, emotional dive into women’s autonomy, abuse, and the generational echoes of self-worth and survival.

When I picked up this book, I expected a light, bookish escape—something whimsical, maybe even a little magical. What I got was way deeper. This isn’t just a book about missing stories; it’s about who gets to tell them, who gets erased, and what it takes to reclaim your own voice.

The novel follows three lives connected across time—Henry, a historian obsessed with lost literary treasures; Martha, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage; and Opaline, a woman in the early 20th century fighting for freedom while being hunted by a man who refuses to let her go. As Henry and Martha uncover the past, Opaline’s story unfolds, revealing just how much history repeats itself.

The bookshop itself isn’t just a setting—it’s alive, waiting, holding onto secrets, calling out only to those ready to hear them. You can almost smell the aged paper, feel the dust settle on your skin, hear the whispers of the stories begging to be remembered. Fans of The Night Circus and The Shadow of the Wind will love how Woods blends history, mystery, and just a touch of magic.

But at its core, this book is about women fighting for themselves. Martha and Opaline might be separated by time, but their struggles are the same—both trapped, both searching for love in places that can’t give it to them, both unsure if they even deserve more. They’re drawn to the “magic men” in their lives, thinking they might save them, but in the end, the real fight is about saving themselves.

If there’s one thing I wanted more of, it’s space for the emotional weight of certain moments. Some scenes—especially when Martha starts putting the pieces together—felt rushed when they deserved to linger. And at times, the introspection slowed things down more than necessary. But those are small things in a novel that delivers so much depth.

The Lost Bookshop is both cozy and unsettling, magical and painfully real. It’s a book about hidden histories, lost voices, and the stories that refuse to be forgotten.

If you love mysteries wrapped in books, settings that breathe, and characters who linger in your mind long after you turn the last page, this book is waiting for you.

⭐ 4.9/5

A book lover’s dream—mysterious, layered, and full of literary magic.

Looking for more book recommendations? Follow along for my next review!