The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso

If you loved The Midnight Library, The Book of Lost Hours will feel like a kindred spirit—rich in imagination, emotional depth, and time-bending wonder. Hayley Gelfuso’s debut novel, The Book of Lost Hours, is a sweeping historical fantasy that blends the poignancy of memory with the thrill of time travel. Like Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, it explores the weight of personal and collective history—but through a darker, more haunting lens.

 

The story begins in 1938, when eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy is thrown into Time Space by her father as he goes to save her brother. Tragically, neither return—victims of Kristallnacht. Lisavet is raised in Time Space by Azrael, a ghostly guardian, and grows up surrounded by books that hold people’s memories. When she discovers that people are entering Time Space to burn these memories, she makes it her mission to protect them. In 1965, Amelia inherits a special watch from her Uncle Ernest, granting her access to Time Space. After his death, she learns he was working with the American government and is tasked with retrieving a book he was safeguarding. As Amelia’s journey unfolds, her timeline begins to merge with Lisavet’s, creating a rich and layered story that’s hard to put down.

 

It’s a fascinating read—thought-provoking, imaginative, and emotionally resonant. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a twist of fantasy.

 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8029651677