I’m happy to be joining in the blog tour to celebrate the theatrical release of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (available in select theaters, with a planned release on Hulu in time for the holidays), as well as the movie tie-in edition of the book. I have to confess, I have not read this one yet, but I’ve seen so many of you rave about it. I’ve received a digital copy, so I’m hoping to read it in the next few weeks. Be on the lookout for my thoughts, but in the meantime I wanted to make sure you knew this sweet story has been adapted! I have to admit, the trailer is what convinced me to add the book to my already toppling TBR. But at less than 300 pages, it’s an easy book to squeeze in before I watch the adaptation. 😍

Fall in love with A.J. Fikry all over again—or for the very first time!

Film synopsis:

A.J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over–and see everything anew.   

starring: Lucy Hale (who starred in the adaptation of The Hating Game, which I loved!), Kunal Nayyar, David Arquette, Christina Hendricks, and Scott Foley


Book synopsis:

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto “No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World.” A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

“Readers who delighted in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,  The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and Letters from Skye will be equally  captivated by this novel.” —Library Journal, starred review

Movie tie-in edition

Add on Goodreads

Have you read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry? Will you be watching the adaptation? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Wandering!