The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Author : Kate Quinn

Book : The Astral Library

/ Fantasy, Historical Fiction /

Publication date : February 26, 2026

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Blurb:

Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives...inside their favorite books.

The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?

My thoughts:

The first thing that caught my attention was the beautiful, absolutely perfect cover, and when I read the synopsis, I was officially hooked.

Every dream, cliché, and favourite habit of readers gathered in one place, wrapped with a gorgeous bow, sprinkled with magic and a pinch of humour, and packed with constant action.

Left to fend for herself without parents, Alix is working various jobs to make ends meet. Until one day everything crashes spectacularly - her bank account is hijacked, so she can't even pay for food; her roommate wants her out of the apartment, and she has nowhere to go. So she turns to the only place she could call home in her life - the library, where she works as a page.

But this time, even the presence of her favourite books can't ease the feeling of hopelessness... until she walks through a door that leads her to a whole different library with so many possibilities and, most importantly, a sanctuary.

I loved this story so much and had so much fun with the book references and worlds you get to dive into, combined with all the book-nerd quirks. It's just a balm for the soul, and you feel SEEN and understood as a reader 🥰❤️

Not to mention, I ADORED Beau as a character, all the layers behind the glam and confidence, and the way he saw Alix as a queen despite the rough state she's in - for him, she was always beautiful and resilient.

The moment he opened up to her and showed that not everything is as wonderful as it seems, it was such a heartwarming gesture, and they clicked so perfectly 💜

Fast-paced little gem of a story made with love for book readers 💜