title: Is This a Cry for Help
author: Emily Austin
publisher: Atria Books
publication date: January 13, 2026
pages: 304
peppers: 2 (on this scale)
warnings: violence, abortion, homophobia, acute mental illness/anxiety, death (before the story)
summary: While her wife is out of town helping with their new niece, librarian Darcy is learning to deal with the death of her ex-boyfriend and trying to handle a library patron who launches an attack on the library's diverse offerings and "political agenda."
tropes:
- discovering one's sexuality
- coping with loss
- therapy
- book-banning
- libraries as safe spaces
what I liked:
- library information
- humor
- the main character's marriage
- therapy sessions
- political non-agenda
what I didn’t like:
- sometimes soapboxy
overall rating: 4 (of 5 stars)
As always, you can click on the photo above if you want to buy the book.