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The Last Bookshop
Cait is a bookshop owner and book nerd whose social life revolves around her mobile bookselling service hand-picking titles for elderly clients, particularly the grandmotherly June. After a tough decade for retail, Book Fiend is the last bookshop in the CBD, and the last independent retailer on a street given over to high-end labels. Profits are small, but clients are loyal. When James breezes into Book Fiend, Cait realises life might hold more than her shop and her cat, but while the new romance distracts her, luxury chain stores are circling Book Fiend’s prime location, and a more personal tragedy is looming.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2021
About the author
Emma Young
2 books25 followersAfter five years in bookselling, Emma retrained as a journalist and has been reporting since 2011: first for community papers, then as a digital journalist for WAtoday, the Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. The Last Bookshop was shortlisted for the inaugural Fogarty Literary Award in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 23, 2024
An interesting book based around the character of Cait, owner of the Book Fiend, a bookshop in the Perth CBD. She is managing quite well with one part time assistant until a property developer decides the area is due a revamp and the rent is raised beyond Cait's ability to pay. I very much enjoyed the story of how her regular customers joined together to try and save the shop.
The author just has to have worked in a book shop herself. Either that or she interviewed a lot of people who did, and who gave her such fun examples of how silly customers can be. Imagine going into a shop and asking for a book which they are sure has a blue cover.
The characters were well written. I liked Cait and disliked James which is presumably what the author intended. Seb should have had more pages to himself. He sounded delightful! All in all a nicely written and entertaining book - four stars from me.
The author just has to have worked in a book shop herself. Either that or she interviewed a lot of people who did, and who gave her such fun examples of how silly customers can be. Imagine going into a shop and asking for a book which they are sure has a blue cover.
The characters were well written. I liked Cait and disliked James which is presumably what the author intended. Seb should have had more pages to himself. He sounded delightful! All in all a nicely written and entertaining book - four stars from me.
May 10, 2021
Cait Cooper is the proud owner of the last bookshop in the Perth CBD. Reduced income due to on-line book sellers, ebooks and rising city rents have forced all the others to close including the big chain stores. For Cait, her bookshop is more a way of life than an income. She loves finding the perfect book for each reader and with her mix of new and used books and has a regular clientele that she loves to interact with. She knows if she’s forced out of the city to the suburbs, she’ll struggle to make ends meet and will lose her loyal customer base. When her rent is raised by thirty percent she tries to stay afloat by sacking her weekend casual assistant and working seven days per week herself, but knows she is going to have to face the fact that she still can’t make enough to pay her rent.
At the end of the novel, the author Emma Young, notes that in real life, bookstore chain, Dymocks did remain open in Perth in 2015, after announcing that it would close and that some independent bookstores have survived in the CBD, but only by being adaptable and changing the way they do business. With her first-hand experience of bookselling Emma Young’s debut novel not only highlights the difficulties independent bookshops have surviving in our modern world, but also demonstrates why it is important to support them for the personal touch that they provide in being able to lose ourselves, browsing amongst real books and finding the books we want to read.
Cait is an unusual character with no real friends her own age. Not naturally athletic, she preferred to read during school breaks rather than play with her classmates and is still socially awkward. She is dating a man she met in the bookshop, who seems quite controlling and not at all sympathetic to her problems and her best friends are her casual assistant Sebastian and her beloved nanny June who more or less brought her up and understands her better than anyone. They both love books and Cait keeps June well supplied with new reading material which they can later enjoy discussing together. In addition to June, Cait takes books regularly to two isolated elderly people and to a nursing home, a great community service, but not one that makes her much income. If you enjoy browsing in your local bookshop (and who doesn’t) you’ll enjoy reading this engaging novel about one woman and her loyal customers banding together to try to save her bookshop.
At the end of the novel, the author Emma Young, notes that in real life, bookstore chain, Dymocks did remain open in Perth in 2015, after announcing that it would close and that some independent bookstores have survived in the CBD, but only by being adaptable and changing the way they do business. With her first-hand experience of bookselling Emma Young’s debut novel not only highlights the difficulties independent bookshops have surviving in our modern world, but also demonstrates why it is important to support them for the personal touch that they provide in being able to lose ourselves, browsing amongst real books and finding the books we want to read.
Cait is an unusual character with no real friends her own age. Not naturally athletic, she preferred to read during school breaks rather than play with her classmates and is still socially awkward. She is dating a man she met in the bookshop, who seems quite controlling and not at all sympathetic to her problems and her best friends are her casual assistant Sebastian and her beloved nanny June who more or less brought her up and understands her better than anyone. They both love books and Cait keeps June well supplied with new reading material which they can later enjoy discussing together. In addition to June, Cait takes books regularly to two isolated elderly people and to a nursing home, a great community service, but not one that makes her much income. If you enjoy browsing in your local bookshop (and who doesn’t) you’ll enjoy reading this engaging novel about one woman and her loyal customers banding together to try to save her bookshop.
November 20, 2023
Three and a half stars.
Sometimes you expect to love a book. It appears to fit right in your wheel house. After all who doesn’t love books and books about books and bookshops? And yet….this one never quite grabbed me the way I thought it would. I loved all the info about books and the comments and reactions from those who come into the bookshop. It is obvious a lot of research and experience as a bookseller by the author has gone into this novel. Some made me smile. I really liked Cait. She is a lovely caring person with heart for others and choosing the right books for her elderly friends and clients.
I admit to tears at one point and anger at others at the way people treated each other, so the emotions were involved. So what was the problem? The romance. Something about the romance with James, never hit the right note with me. I was simply was never convinced. Whereas Cait, her workmate and friend Seb , the elderly June, Max and several others are well developed, James seems rather one dimensional.
However I loved the west Australian city setting of Perth and whole premise of the importance of books and bookshops. At times though it seemed rather slow going as Cait struggles to keep her bookshop, Book Fiend, open despite rent increases.
Despite those quibbles, this is a really good debut novel from journalist Emma Young and overall an enjoyable read. It will be worth keeping an eye on what this author writes next.
Sometimes you expect to love a book. It appears to fit right in your wheel house. After all who doesn’t love books and books about books and bookshops? And yet….this one never quite grabbed me the way I thought it would. I loved all the info about books and the comments and reactions from those who come into the bookshop. It is obvious a lot of research and experience as a bookseller by the author has gone into this novel. Some made me smile. I really liked Cait. She is a lovely caring person with heart for others and choosing the right books for her elderly friends and clients.
I admit to tears at one point and anger at others at the way people treated each other, so the emotions were involved. So what was the problem? The romance. Something about the romance with James, never hit the right note with me. I was simply was never convinced. Whereas Cait, her workmate and friend Seb , the elderly June, Max and several others are well developed, James seems rather one dimensional.
However I loved the west Australian city setting of Perth and whole premise of the importance of books and bookshops. At times though it seemed rather slow going as Cait struggles to keep her bookshop, Book Fiend, open despite rent increases.
Despite those quibbles, this is a really good debut novel from journalist Emma Young and overall an enjoyable read. It will be worth keeping an eye on what this author writes next.
June 7, 2021
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**4.5 stars**
The Last Bookshop by Emma Young. (2021).
Perth bookshop owner Cait's best friends have always been books - along with the rare souls who love them as much as she does, like the grandmotherly June. June's sudden interest in Cait's lacklustre love life and the appearance of a handsome man force Cait to concede there might be more to happiness than her shop and her cat. The city is transforming, with luxury stores wanting her location. A personal tragedy is brewing. Soon Cait is questioning not only the viability of the shop, but the life she's shaped around it. An unlikely band of allies is determined she won't face these questions alone; but is a love of books enough to halt the march of progress and time?
Look honestly, just from reading the synopsis I knew this was going to be a book for me. Booklover - tick. Set in Perth - tick. About a bookseller - tick. Cait would rather read than socialise - tick, tick, tick. So it was no surprise to me that I absolutely loved this novel. For me, I felt like in an alternate universe I could have been Cait. Her love of books shone off each page, and I enjoyed all the references to novels throughout the story. The situation with the shop rent increase and Cait feeling pushed out of her prime location was all too believable and you'll find yourself filled with tension just hoping Cait and her shop can come through this. Not only do we have this issue going on, we have some romantic drama and the exploration of the relationships Cait has with some special mobile customers as well as the physical patrons that frequent her shop. These experiences are combinations of touching, humorous and at times frustrating.
Overall: a fantastic debut for the author that I would happily recommend, especially for those that have a real love of reading.
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**4.5 stars**
The Last Bookshop by Emma Young. (2021).
Perth bookshop owner Cait's best friends have always been books - along with the rare souls who love them as much as she does, like the grandmotherly June. June's sudden interest in Cait's lacklustre love life and the appearance of a handsome man force Cait to concede there might be more to happiness than her shop and her cat. The city is transforming, with luxury stores wanting her location. A personal tragedy is brewing. Soon Cait is questioning not only the viability of the shop, but the life she's shaped around it. An unlikely band of allies is determined she won't face these questions alone; but is a love of books enough to halt the march of progress and time?
Look honestly, just from reading the synopsis I knew this was going to be a book for me. Booklover - tick. Set in Perth - tick. About a bookseller - tick. Cait would rather read than socialise - tick, tick, tick. So it was no surprise to me that I absolutely loved this novel. For me, I felt like in an alternate universe I could have been Cait. Her love of books shone off each page, and I enjoyed all the references to novels throughout the story. The situation with the shop rent increase and Cait feeling pushed out of her prime location was all too believable and you'll find yourself filled with tension just hoping Cait and her shop can come through this. Not only do we have this issue going on, we have some romantic drama and the exploration of the relationships Cait has with some special mobile customers as well as the physical patrons that frequent her shop. These experiences are combinations of touching, humorous and at times frustrating.
Overall: a fantastic debut for the author that I would happily recommend, especially for those that have a real love of reading.
July 10, 2021
The best thing about ‘The Last Bookshop’ is its graceful articulation when discussing literature, coupled with an insider’s guide to bookselling, bookshops and running your own business. Certainly a very enjoyable read from these perspectives, but there’s a tendency to sentimentality and the book feels a tad overlong in all.
But let’s look on the bright side - Perth bookies are already familiar with ‘Book Fiend’ in its various guises and it’s fun to let your imagination fill in the gaps while reading along.
And any book that references C.S. Lewis so thoroughly and engagingly has my love any day.
But let’s look on the bright side - Perth bookies are already familiar with ‘Book Fiend’ in its various guises and it’s fun to let your imagination fill in the gaps while reading along.
And any book that references C.S. Lewis so thoroughly and engagingly has my love any day.
February 23, 2021
What's better than visiting a quaint bookshop? Reading about one!
Since a child, Cait Copper has always loved books- they've always been her friends. Now as an adult, she owns and operates Book Fiend, an independent bookstore located in Perth's CBD.
It's the only remaining bookshop left open in the area and Cait is very proud of her business. She has created a sense of community and is well loved by the public. For many, like Cait, it's their second home.
However, the economy is changing. Shops in the area have been forced to close down to sell off to bigger chains. Cait thought her unique business was safe in its prime location. Until she receives a notice from her landlord..
Now she has to fight to keep her dream alive. With a lot of help from some very special friends.
The Last Bookshop is a promising debut from journalist Emma Young. Primarily a tale about taking on the big corporations with vegeance, it's also a warming tale about friendship and love. Most importantly, Young's admiration for books shines: there are plenty of references to well known books and authors scattered throughout this charming book! Book nerds, you'll be extremely happy.
Thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle Press for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Since a child, Cait Copper has always loved books- they've always been her friends. Now as an adult, she owns and operates Book Fiend, an independent bookstore located in Perth's CBD.
It's the only remaining bookshop left open in the area and Cait is very proud of her business. She has created a sense of community and is well loved by the public. For many, like Cait, it's their second home.
However, the economy is changing. Shops in the area have been forced to close down to sell off to bigger chains. Cait thought her unique business was safe in its prime location. Until she receives a notice from her landlord..
Now she has to fight to keep her dream alive. With a lot of help from some very special friends.
The Last Bookshop is a promising debut from journalist Emma Young. Primarily a tale about taking on the big corporations with vegeance, it's also a warming tale about friendship and love. Most importantly, Young's admiration for books shines: there are plenty of references to well known books and authors scattered throughout this charming book! Book nerds, you'll be extremely happy.
Thanks to Better Reading and Fremantle Press for providing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
April 9, 2021
I devoured this book over three nights, all of them well spent in the aisles of Book Fiend
and in the company of Cait Copper, whose selection of life drama was so well curated it
begs a second reading.
This is a deftly funny, deeply moving and uplifting story that weaves so many threads into
one tight package.
How wonderful book shops are. How glorious those moments of discovery and happenstance, of change and delight, confrontation and mystery.
As a younger reader when I finished a book I would tap its cover and say "read you," before putting it back on the shelf. Haven't done that in years. But I said it to The Last Bookshop, which connected me to things long neglected and sorely needed.
Emma Young is a talent to watch - there'll be more I'm sure. And I'll be ready to say "read you."
and in the company of Cait Copper, whose selection of life drama was so well curated it
begs a second reading.
This is a deftly funny, deeply moving and uplifting story that weaves so many threads into
one tight package.
How wonderful book shops are. How glorious those moments of discovery and happenstance, of change and delight, confrontation and mystery.
As a younger reader when I finished a book I would tap its cover and say "read you," before putting it back on the shelf. Haven't done that in years. But I said it to The Last Bookshop, which connected me to things long neglected and sorely needed.
Emma Young is a talent to watch - there'll be more I'm sure. And I'll be ready to say "read you."
September 7, 2021
Purchased this one on the strength of the author presentation at the Great Big Book Club - an event that started normally, but thanks to YOU KNOW WHAT finished with us masked and distanced.
As I read this, I wondered, Perth-centric as it is, how it would be received out of this little part of the world, but it’s worded with so much heart and humour that any reader would be able to recognise their local equivalent. Emma’s description of the seasons, the city, the lifestyle of here are spot on, likewise (as a former business owner myself, with the 2011 Big Bad Landlord’s eviction drama of our own) the stressors of being at the whim of a faceless corporation. An acquaintance actually works for one of these putting in the Big Names leasing companies, so I could see this happening - or, I’d just need to walk down the street in question to feel the lack of warmth in the tenancies and dearth of variety in the shops there. Overpriced handbag vs book….
So, Cait owns a quirky little bookstore - Book Fiend - and it forms the whole of her life. That, and her regular oldies, June, former babysitter, now inhabiting that region between friend and family, Max, the ‘oldest and grumpiest person’, but as with all these people, with a heart of gold and a cooking skill to match, and Dorothy the elderly dog groomer, who all receive home deliveries of thoughfully selected books by Cait.
Add in Seb - employee, James - love interest, a friend who features only rarely, and later on, the leasing company staff, then you have a story of believable characters, and an undertone of the loss of the small business, the one that knows you, the one that feels like home when you’re in there. Like they said in Cheers (showing my age alert!) - Sometimes you wanna go/where everybody knows your name/and they’re always glad you came…
Will Cait triumph,or go the way of so many independent shops? Will she finally snap when someone tells her it’s cheaper at Chemist Warehouse? (Oops. I meant Amazon.) What will happen with her oldies?
A solid 4 stars, nicely dealt with the emotion, however predicted her eventual choices (improvise, adapt, overcome!)
Gorgeous cover photo of a book shop I know well, if only to walk in and inhale deeply the scent of literature.
With thanks to Megan for the invite to the Far North for the tea party with books.
As I read this, I wondered, Perth-centric as it is, how it would be received out of this little part of the world, but it’s worded with so much heart and humour that any reader would be able to recognise their local equivalent. Emma’s description of the seasons, the city, the lifestyle of here are spot on, likewise (as a former business owner myself, with the 2011 Big Bad Landlord’s eviction drama of our own) the stressors of being at the whim of a faceless corporation. An acquaintance actually works for one of these putting in the Big Names leasing companies, so I could see this happening - or, I’d just need to walk down the street in question to feel the lack of warmth in the tenancies and dearth of variety in the shops there. Overpriced handbag vs book….
So, Cait owns a quirky little bookstore - Book Fiend - and it forms the whole of her life. That, and her regular oldies, June, former babysitter, now inhabiting that region between friend and family, Max, the ‘oldest and grumpiest person’, but as with all these people, with a heart of gold and a cooking skill to match, and Dorothy the elderly dog groomer, who all receive home deliveries of thoughfully selected books by Cait.
Add in Seb - employee, James - love interest, a friend who features only rarely, and later on, the leasing company staff, then you have a story of believable characters, and an undertone of the loss of the small business, the one that knows you, the one that feels like home when you’re in there. Like they said in Cheers (showing my age alert!) - Sometimes you wanna go/where everybody knows your name/and they’re always glad you came…
Will Cait triumph,or go the way of so many independent shops? Will she finally snap when someone tells her it’s cheaper at Chemist Warehouse? (Oops. I meant Amazon.) What will happen with her oldies?
A solid 4 stars, nicely dealt with the emotion, however predicted her eventual choices (improvise, adapt, overcome!)
Gorgeous cover photo of a book shop I know well, if only to walk in and inhale deeply the scent of literature.
With thanks to Megan for the invite to the Far North for the tea party with books.
November 9, 2023
I love reading books that are set around bookshops or books, so when I saw this book I knew I would enjoy it. Aussie author Emma Young has done a great in creating this story and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Recommended.
April 1, 2021
I was so disappointed with this book.
I think my main issue was that I couldn’t connect with the main character, Cait, at all. I honestly found her to be unlikeable, selfish and frustrating.
I found the dialogue to be at times, really awkward? Might have just been me but I had to read over dialogues because they didn’t make sense or felt so inauthentic.
James was a terrible character and I was so happy to see him go.
I wish we got more of Seb (though, his race was never mentioned but he had dreadlocks. I hope the author didn’t write a white man wearing dreadlocks. There was also a weird and slightly racist dialogue about how disgusting the dreads were - which kind of makes me think that Seb is white because it would have been INCREDIBLY RACIST to write such a dialogue if Seb was a person of colour. But it was overall kind of racist and problematic).
Also found it ironic that the character spends most of the book being bitter and resentful about all the young people with their phones and the take away coffee and existing within the digital age, but it was THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA that saved her bookshop.
I think my main issue was that I couldn’t connect with the main character, Cait, at all. I honestly found her to be unlikeable, selfish and frustrating.
I found the dialogue to be at times, really awkward? Might have just been me but I had to read over dialogues because they didn’t make sense or felt so inauthentic.
James was a terrible character and I was so happy to see him go.
I wish we got more of Seb (though, his race was never mentioned but he had dreadlocks. I hope the author didn’t write a white man wearing dreadlocks. There was also a weird and slightly racist dialogue about how disgusting the dreads were - which kind of makes me think that Seb is white because it would have been INCREDIBLY RACIST to write such a dialogue if Seb was a person of colour. But it was overall kind of racist and problematic).
Also found it ironic that the character spends most of the book being bitter and resentful about all the young people with their phones and the take away coffee and existing within the digital age, but it was THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA that saved her bookshop.
September 14, 2021
This book, like a good bookshop, rewards time spent within. It is however pedestrian to begin with and I might well have abandoned it but for it is set in my home town and the cover photo is one of my favorite places.
In writing, often it is the case that we ought to throw out the first. Word, sentence, paragraph, chapter. Or in this case several chapters. This story really begins about half way through and my sense of it is that nothing we are told in the first half (and we are for the most part told) could not be revealed in the rather good second half.
So, persist. In the second half we are brought to tears from laughter as customers ask the inane (do you have the Anne Frank diary sequel?) in a scene that is interrupted by tragedy.
And a thing I really really like is the ending that I will not spoil for you here, suffice to say that from telling us at the start Emma Young has learnt not to by the end.
In writing, often it is the case that we ought to throw out the first. Word, sentence, paragraph, chapter. Or in this case several chapters. This story really begins about half way through and my sense of it is that nothing we are told in the first half (and we are for the most part told) could not be revealed in the rather good second half.
So, persist. In the second half we are brought to tears from laughter as customers ask the inane (do you have the Anne Frank diary sequel?) in a scene that is interrupted by tragedy.
And a thing I really really like is the ending that I will not spoil for you here, suffice to say that from telling us at the start Emma Young has learnt not to by the end.
October 10, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. It’s about Cait who owns a bookstore in Perth WA and is loosely based on another bookstore who used to be there. She has her ups and downs but truly loves her shop and has made many friends she did not even realise she had until she may face the worst time of her life! No spoilers! I have always loved books since I was a child even before I could read I’d pretend I was telling myself a story. Yes I can remember being that small. Mum never read a book but always read to me a lot. She also took me to the public library and book shop every weekend. It was magical for me and this book just brought back all those fabulous memories. There’s love, there’s loneliness, there’s heartache and everything thrown at you but in the end of you have such a good story to read, and I mean physical books not tablets or audio, you have everything you need. Happy reading and as a bonus you’ll find other titles within the book to read!
March 23, 2021
The Last Bookshop is a book that will touch the heart of every book lover who loves entering and browsing the shelves of their local independent bookshop. It represents the modern era and the way technology and the larger retailers are forcing these independent stores to close but it also represents the coming together of friends and a community who are ready to fight and support for something they care about as much as the owner of the shop herself.
Cait, the main protagonist and owner of Book Fiend was a likeable character whose passion of books and her love of sharing them was evident in the welcoming environment of her bookshop, with the way she was able to recommend books for all reading types, young and old and with her enthusiasm to go above and beyond, even conducting a home delivery service for her vulnerable customers. It was devasting when the rent on her shop is increased by the landlord by an unrealistic 30% increase resulting in the unforeseeable future of Book Fiend, the only independent bookshop in Perth closing down for good.
This book was filled with delightful customers that made you feel invested in Cait and the outcome of Book Fiend the same way they were, particularly June who was like a grandmother to Cait. The fight she had for Cait and her determination was so awe-inspiring. Young has incorporated references to many well known books and authors among the pages, a delight for any booklover! An overall perfect read filled with love, friendship and fighting for what you love and believe in.
Thank you to @betterreadingau
and @fremantlepress for the #gifted copy in return for an honest review.
Cait, the main protagonist and owner of Book Fiend was a likeable character whose passion of books and her love of sharing them was evident in the welcoming environment of her bookshop, with the way she was able to recommend books for all reading types, young and old and with her enthusiasm to go above and beyond, even conducting a home delivery service for her vulnerable customers. It was devasting when the rent on her shop is increased by the landlord by an unrealistic 30% increase resulting in the unforeseeable future of Book Fiend, the only independent bookshop in Perth closing down for good.
This book was filled with delightful customers that made you feel invested in Cait and the outcome of Book Fiend the same way they were, particularly June who was like a grandmother to Cait. The fight she had for Cait and her determination was so awe-inspiring. Young has incorporated references to many well known books and authors among the pages, a delight for any booklover! An overall perfect read filled with love, friendship and fighting for what you love and believe in.
Thank you to @betterreadingau
and @fremantlepress for the #gifted copy in return for an honest review.
April 17, 2021
The Last Bookshop’ is Emma Young’s debut novel and is a delight to read. Cait Copper operates ‘Book Fiend’, the only remaining independent bookshop in Perth, WA. The bookshop is Cait’s life but running a small business is not easy in the current environment. There are challenges when the landlord raises the rent but there are supportive customers who are like family to Cait.
I really enjoyed this book. If you like reading and browsing bookshops then this book is for you. There are so many titles mentioned throughout the book which not only brought back wonderful memories of books I had read but also gave me a new list of books to read and to revisit.
Would be a great bookclub read.
Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review.
I really enjoyed this book. If you like reading and browsing bookshops then this book is for you. There are so many titles mentioned throughout the book which not only brought back wonderful memories of books I had read but also gave me a new list of books to read and to revisit.
Would be a great bookclub read.
Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review.
February 10, 2022
Easy read with a predictable story line…..but it does tick some boxes.
I love quirky independent book shops…. Tick
I hate ruthless property developers… tick.
It’s set in the city I live in….tick.
It’s not a soppy romance….tick.
It’s quite well written and an enjoyable read….. tick, tick.
A 3.5
I love quirky independent book shops…. Tick
I hate ruthless property developers… tick.
It’s set in the city I live in….tick.
It’s not a soppy romance….tick.
It’s quite well written and an enjoyable read….. tick, tick.
A 3.5
April 11, 2021
Oh so average ... disappointing .
May 20, 2021
Book lovers and bookshop lovers will love this debut novel by West Australian journalist Emma Young.
Cait is a 30-something booklover who shunned the path to uni taken by her friends to work in bookstores before opening her own bookstore in the heart of Perth's CBD. She has a loyal following and a beautiful mobile book service where she visits elderly people and takes them a selection of books each month.
Set in 2016 just as the mining construction boom was coming off Cait's bookstore is the last one in the city and has just had a massive rental hike.
A lovely story about the joys of small, unique local shopping and the people who love books. This book has shades of Shaun Blythell's bookstore memoirs (for the characterisations and bookstore chat) and the movie You've Got Mail about a little children's store in NYC, and it is also all on its own.
Full of bookstore characters and book references, a hint of romance and a love story between the protagonist and her grandmother-like former nanny, this is a treat of a novel.
Cait is a 30-something booklover who shunned the path to uni taken by her friends to work in bookstores before opening her own bookstore in the heart of Perth's CBD. She has a loyal following and a beautiful mobile book service where she visits elderly people and takes them a selection of books each month.
Set in 2016 just as the mining construction boom was coming off Cait's bookstore is the last one in the city and has just had a massive rental hike.
A lovely story about the joys of small, unique local shopping and the people who love books. This book has shades of Shaun Blythell's bookstore memoirs (for the characterisations and bookstore chat) and the movie You've Got Mail about a little children's store in NYC, and it is also all on its own.
Full of bookstore characters and book references, a hint of romance and a love story between the protagonist and her grandmother-like former nanny, this is a treat of a novel.
February 22, 2023
Cried at multiple points throughout the story - my heart was constantly aching for the characters. An extremely comfy and relaxing read, highly recommended.
July 10, 2021
I LOVED this book! Emma Young’s debut novel, this book had everything a book lover needs: bookshops, wit, heartbreak, love, and a passion for reading. It will make you laugh and cry. Being a bookseller myself, I related to it perfectly. I could not recommend it more.
June 23, 2021
This was a lovely story. Touched the heart as well as tickling the mind. It wasn't weighty or complex, but was real and engaging and kind.
February 14, 2022
A book about a bookshop, filled with literary references classic and new.
It has a book store we all dream about, a token cat character, an introverted red head that somehow comes out trumps, a tragedy, a love triangle and of course all the humanitarian do goodery to make the battler that much more loveable. Us Aussies love an underdog right? Except this one I didn't.
Too light, too repetitive (I skimmed LOTS), so obvious and cliched, and did I mention how obvious the ending was...picked it a few chapters in...only thing missing was June's biscuit recipes in the Cafe or Max joining to cook in the Cafe, because believe me it was set in to go that way...
I rarely write a low review, especially for Aussie writers, and the novel was good, just very predictable...
I would've liked more character development and less Name dropping of books and boring CS Lewis facts...
If you are going to half do a romance novel...commit and give the audience what they want...right there.....and then it ends...
Sigh
It has a book store we all dream about, a token cat character, an introverted red head that somehow comes out trumps, a tragedy, a love triangle and of course all the humanitarian do goodery to make the battler that much more loveable. Us Aussies love an underdog right? Except this one I didn't.
Too light, too repetitive (I skimmed LOTS), so obvious and cliched, and did I mention how obvious the ending was...picked it a few chapters in...only thing missing was June's biscuit recipes in the Cafe or Max joining to cook in the Cafe, because believe me it was set in to go that way...
I rarely write a low review, especially for Aussie writers, and the novel was good, just very predictable...
I would've liked more character development and less Name dropping of books and boring CS Lewis facts...
If you are going to half do a romance novel...commit and give the audience what they want...right there.....and then it ends...
Sigh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2021
This beautiful book was as comforting as curling up with a cuppa in front of the fire on a winters day!
Emma Young is a very clever author has an amazing way of drawing you in and feeling like you are part of the story - I could smell the 'inkiness' of Book Fiend and I could feel the pages between my fingers, I just wished I really did have a local bookshop just like this one. The characters were like old friends, each with their own little quirks, and Cait felt like family.
Thank you Emma for writing this wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish! Anyone has ever stepped foot in an independent book store and felt that rush of adrenaline jolt through their body will love this story.
With thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to review this book.
Emma Young is a very clever author has an amazing way of drawing you in and feeling like you are part of the story - I could smell the 'inkiness' of Book Fiend and I could feel the pages between my fingers, I just wished I really did have a local bookshop just like this one. The characters were like old friends, each with their own little quirks, and Cait felt like family.
Thank you Emma for writing this wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish! Anyone has ever stepped foot in an independent book store and felt that rush of adrenaline jolt through their body will love this story.
With thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to review this book.
July 28, 2022
I really liked this book. Probably because I could identify with her story as a fellow Perth resident , small business owner and someone that lost some very important people recently. When she talked about the bookshop I pictured the second hand Elisabeth Book shop on Hay Street I also know exactly which shops she's talking about (King Street area with Prada & Gucci stores & the little laneways). Perth CBD has definitely lost some really awesome small businesses over the past few years and I'm glad someone actually wrote a book about the struggle of small businesses in a world full of chain stores & online shopping. I also really liked the books she mentioned as I've read quiet a few of them...Shantaram, the Alchemist...
Thank you Emma and congrats on your first book!
Thank you Emma and congrats on your first book!
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January 29, 2021This review was first published on the Underground Writers website: http://underground-writers.org/review...
Emma Young’s debut novel The Last Bookshop could not have come at a better time. Shortlisted for the Fogarty Literary Award, this story finds its bittersweet relevance in today’s economic climate by providing a glimpse into the struggles that independent stores face in a competitive market.
The Last Bookshop follows the story of Cait, the owner of the last independent store on Hay street. Having always felt most at peace surrounded by books and booklovers alike, Cait is completely content to have her days occupied by her store Book Fiend and her mobile bookselling service for elderly clients—that is until a mystery shopper appears. But the city is evolving and Cait can no longer deny that her livelihood is being threatened. Now she fears that Book Fiend will become the next independent store to be lost to another luxury chain.
Despite being Young’s debut novel, her experience as an award-winning journalist truly shines in the development of atmosphere and the nuances of conflict that play into the struggles and dedication of local businesses. Cait is passionately stubborn in her attempts to save Book Fiend, and in doing so, makes several sacrifices that start to intrude into her personal life. Young’s attention to detail of tiresome routines to the ridiculous requests of customers, creates a light-hearted tone that easily transitions into an atmosphere that feels overwhelming and helpless. Much to my surprise, this attention to the development of conflict extends itself to side characters in order to provide the reader with a broader insight to the overall plot. While these characters’ opposing point of view isn’t as in-depth as Cait’s, it is this duality that captures an emotional response and forces the reader to answer a simple question: ‘What would you do?’
Cait’s relationship with her store and the people around her play a huge role in the story. Young’s ability to capture the conflicting demands of each relationship in such a realistic way entices a sense of familiarity and sympathy towards Cait. As a reader who enjoys character-driven plots and the intricacies of relationships, I was excited to see the different interactions between characters both young and old—and for the most part I was impressed. Each character has their own distinct personality and relationship with Cait that exists beyond their love of books. But while I enjoyed these interactions for majority of the book, some characters and their accompanying relationships would have benefitted from more scenes to assist in their development between the introduction and the body of the story. Some important characters had little presence in the beginning that their role later on felt sudden, whereas others were hindered by a time skip that left me disconnected and unfamiliar with what had previously been established. But despite this initial distraction, the characters began to land for me towards the latter half and became a joy to read.
Emma Young does a great job of bringing attention to the finer details of what it takes to make a relationship—whether it be between a romantic partner or a profession—truly work. Full of love, resilience, and a call to support the local businesses that bring life and character to our cities, this story will have you anticipating your next visit to your local bookshop.
Emma Young’s debut novel The Last Bookshop could not have come at a better time. Shortlisted for the Fogarty Literary Award, this story finds its bittersweet relevance in today’s economic climate by providing a glimpse into the struggles that independent stores face in a competitive market.
The Last Bookshop follows the story of Cait, the owner of the last independent store on Hay street. Having always felt most at peace surrounded by books and booklovers alike, Cait is completely content to have her days occupied by her store Book Fiend and her mobile bookselling service for elderly clients—that is until a mystery shopper appears. But the city is evolving and Cait can no longer deny that her livelihood is being threatened. Now she fears that Book Fiend will become the next independent store to be lost to another luxury chain.
Despite being Young’s debut novel, her experience as an award-winning journalist truly shines in the development of atmosphere and the nuances of conflict that play into the struggles and dedication of local businesses. Cait is passionately stubborn in her attempts to save Book Fiend, and in doing so, makes several sacrifices that start to intrude into her personal life. Young’s attention to detail of tiresome routines to the ridiculous requests of customers, creates a light-hearted tone that easily transitions into an atmosphere that feels overwhelming and helpless. Much to my surprise, this attention to the development of conflict extends itself to side characters in order to provide the reader with a broader insight to the overall plot. While these characters’ opposing point of view isn’t as in-depth as Cait’s, it is this duality that captures an emotional response and forces the reader to answer a simple question: ‘What would you do?’
Cait’s relationship with her store and the people around her play a huge role in the story. Young’s ability to capture the conflicting demands of each relationship in such a realistic way entices a sense of familiarity and sympathy towards Cait. As a reader who enjoys character-driven plots and the intricacies of relationships, I was excited to see the different interactions between characters both young and old—and for the most part I was impressed. Each character has their own distinct personality and relationship with Cait that exists beyond their love of books. But while I enjoyed these interactions for majority of the book, some characters and their accompanying relationships would have benefitted from more scenes to assist in their development between the introduction and the body of the story. Some important characters had little presence in the beginning that their role later on felt sudden, whereas others were hindered by a time skip that left me disconnected and unfamiliar with what had previously been established. But despite this initial distraction, the characters began to land for me towards the latter half and became a joy to read.
Emma Young does a great job of bringing attention to the finer details of what it takes to make a relationship—whether it be between a romantic partner or a profession—truly work. Full of love, resilience, and a call to support the local businesses that bring life and character to our cities, this story will have you anticipating your next visit to your local bookshop.
October 4, 2021
A gentle book which meanders along, mostly inside the busy head if its protagonist, Cait. Occasionally we get a nice break from it. A satisfying, emotional ending.
March 26, 2021
This book was delightful, entertaining, and at the same time, pulled at my heartstrings. I enjoyed reading about the trials and tribulations of the main character and was happy to see how the book ended...just how I proposed it might be! A must for all readers who enjoy browsing through quaint, local bookshops!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2021
What a bookish book!! So much fun for anyone who loves books or has worked in retail..so much love for it 📚💙📚
March 19, 2022
A good read with lots of titles name-dropped.
April 5, 2023
The writing was a bit too ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’, especially at the beginning, but a lovely story with endearing characters.
April 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and it struck such a chord with me that on my last day of reading it I visited my local independent book shop, bought a book and ordered another.
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