Book Review: Is This a Cry for Help by Emily R. Austin

Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily R. Austin
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
on January 13, 2026
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 304
Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads

Emily Austin, the bestselling “queen of darkly quirky, endearingly flawed heroines” (Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus), returns with a luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.
Darcy’s life turned out better than she could have ever imagined. She is a librarian at the local branch, while her wife Joy runs a book binding service. Between the two of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and bobbles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out their ideal life is two cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake.
But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library. When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community, and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch’s upcoming DEI programs.
Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself. Is This a Cry for Help? not only offers a moving portrait of queer life after coming of age but also powerfully explores questions about sexuality, community, and the importance of libraries.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Emily R. Austin’s books. I find her stories deeply touching in a way that other books aren’t. This was a very expected book, and I even had the release date marked in my calendar (I do that for authors whose work I love).

I liked the book, hence the four stars, but I didn’t feel it was as round as some of her other works, like Interesting Facts About Space or We Could Be Rats. I had the feeling that Austin tried to deal with several subjects in this book, like grief and guilt, but also DEI in public spaces like a library, a topic that feels very current. I would have loved to read about grief and guilt, and I would also have liked to have read a book about DEI and this bigoted world we’re living in, but I feel that the book constantly moved from one to the other without focusing enough on any of them. I think focusing on one of the topics would have made for a stronger, more well-rounded book. I did enjoy it a lot, and I plan on immediately reading anything she publishes next.

I listened to the audiobook version and enjoyed Natalie Naudus’s voice and acting skills. She also narrated Interesting Facts About Space, which she also aced, so I was glad to be able to enjoy a narration of hers again.