Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

4 reviews

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was my first festive read of the month and I absolutely devoured it! Cosy and utterly heartwarming The Christmas Bookshop was just what I needed to get me into the Christmas spirit. 

Jenny Colgan’s writing is always soo beautifully descriptive and the character driven stories so compelling— And this one is no different. 

The characters we meet were all utterly fascinating and loveable— (except for Skylar and Blair) and I adored the found family-esque dynamics that protagonist Carmen finds in struggling Bookshop owner Mr McCredie, and the tight-knit group of business owners who work on the same street. 

But what I loved the most (besides the wonderfully bookish setting) was the exploration into family and complex sisterly bonds that I found pretty relatable. There is some romance (which I really enjoyed) but I felt Carmen’s emotional journey to self acceptance (and reconnecting with older sister Sofia) were a bigger focus of the story. 

Nevertheless, a really enjoyable feel good read that festive fiction lovers should definitely consider picking up! 
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soph22's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Maybe it’s because I know Edinburgh at Christmas time but this book really spoke to me. I loved all the characters and the festive feelings - finally a book that feels like it’s Christmassy, not just set at Christmas! I’ll happily read the sequel next year!
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corrabelle4493's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a fast post-christmas read. I took it out before christmas, started reading it after christmas but had to return it to the library so I borrowed the audio version. 
The book was charming and I enjoyed the part I read out of the paper/physical book but the audio version was borderline fingernails to a chalkboard. 
The narration of the main character's voice was like the Edinburgh version of a valley girl. She may as well have been cast in "clueless"... which I found strange, because the voice of everyone else in the book was absolutely fine. 

Unfortunately, this shaped my view of the main character more than I'd imagined it would and probably more than is fair. 

I usually like Jenny Colgan books but the story in this seemed to drag a bit and had far more profanity than necessary (especially for a Christmas book.)
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darylreads's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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