Book Endings- A Call Numbers Novel: Loss, Pain, and Revelations (Call Numbers Book 2)

The 58^th Street Library in New York City is a prominent, respected branch of the New York Library system. But the 11 main characters who work in the branch lead very tumultuous lives. This story follows these 11 coworkers as secrets are revealed and kept. Working together, their lives often intertwine not just at work but in recreation too. In a city as large as New York, the interwoven stories show how small the world is. Through pregnancies, loss of family members, teenage angst, workplace drama, revenge, and love interests, the backbone of the library begins to take on more depth following the workers as they navigate these trials.

For any reader who’s ever had a coworker, the drama in this story will at times feel familiar. Readers will want to like the characters, but with the bouncing between storylines it is hard to get deeply into any one plot or bond with any one character. Trigger warning: some of the storylines contain suicide, rape, racism, and violence. There are some aspects of the story that don’t work; like crocheting with two crochet hooks, or a grand piano that is disassembled and stored in a closet each year. The coming-of-age female sexuality storyline also does not ring true. The plot holds a lot of anger and revenge, with many characters having similar motivations and voices. The bond of coworkers is something easy to relate to and adds to the crossover between storylines. With surprising twists at the end, one will never guess where the stories are headed.

Cara Cieslak