"A. J. walks over to the crime section. He looks across the spines, which are, for the most part, black and red with all capital fonts in silvers and whites. An occasional burst of fluorescence breaks up the monotony. A. J. thinks how similar everything in the crime genre looks. Why is any one book different from any other book? They are different, A. J. decides, because they are. We have to look inside many. We have to believe. We agree to be disappointed sometimes so that we can be exhilarated every now and again."

A completely delightful book. A complete package for booklovers and book-snobs alike. The overall tone and writing style kept this story moving along a comfortable and enjoyable pace. I just loved the grumpy titular character, A. J. Fikry. The blurb is true when it says: 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.