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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a great follow-up story to the Christmas Bookshop. I ate up this entire series and loved how this picked up right where the Christmas Bookshop left off. I love it when a book can just transport you away. I found myself picturing Scotland. Jenny Colgan's writing is very descriptive, and I loved it. This was the third book that I've read by her and I thoroughly enjoyed every book.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Christmas books are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. I love losing myself in a world of snow, presents, family, and traditions. Jenny Colgan wrote a book that gave me all that and took me into a bookstore with unique titles, a grumpy owner, and a secret upstairs.
I really enjoyed reading Carmen’s story. She has an interesting life. Living with her sister’s family, working at the bookstore, and possibly falling in love. Of course, the road to life is not easy but Carmen takes each bump as it comes and does her best to figure out how to come out for the better on the other side.
If you are a Christmas book reader, pick up this book! Enjoy the cute setting, the fun characters, and the storyline that will bring Edinburgh to life.
I really enjoyed reading Carmen’s story. She has an interesting life. Living with her sister’s family, working at the bookstore, and possibly falling in love. Of course, the road to life is not easy but Carmen takes each bump as it comes and does her best to figure out how to come out for the better on the other side.
If you are a Christmas book reader, pick up this book! Enjoy the cute setting, the fun characters, and the storyline that will bring Edinburgh to life.
I unfortunately did not read the first book that went with this so with it jumping right into it. It was a bit challenging for me to know who everyone was and what was going on.
Besides that, I still enjoyed the book. The banter was to my liking. I love plot twists in a book and there were definitely a few. I would like to go back and read the first then read this again to tie it together.
Thank you, Netgalley for the EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.
Besides that, I still enjoyed the book. The banter was to my liking. I love plot twists in a book and there were definitely a few. I would like to go back and read the first then read this again to tie it together.
Thank you, Netgalley for the EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.
What is it about Jenny Colgan??
I sometimes get annoyed with her long, long, slightly breathless descriptions of couples "laughing their heads off," and mulled wine, and twinkling fairy lights, and on and on and on to bring places to life.
And yet I love it, too.. I do feel like I am quite nearly there, and I want to snuggle under lots of blankets reading about the Grassmarket, and the cave of books, and Carmen in her absolutely freezing new home... I think I have become addicted to the thoughtful coziness of her writing voice.
Like others, I was irked by the love story. I am sorry but it just didn't really click for me.
And I would have liked to have seen more development of her relationship with her nieces, especially Phoebe.
But that's okay. The quiet (hardly there, so don't get excited) little witchiness in the background sort of compensates. A bit.
I might be done with this series, because honestly, the thing between Carmen and Oke is not that convincing. But still, a very fun read. (But only if you have read the first part of the series).
I sometimes get annoyed with her long, long, slightly breathless descriptions of couples "laughing their heads off," and mulled wine, and twinkling fairy lights, and on and on and on to bring places to life.
And yet I love it, too.. I do feel like I am quite nearly there, and I want to snuggle under lots of blankets reading about the Grassmarket, and the cave of books, and Carmen in her absolutely freezing new home... I think I have become addicted to the thoughtful coziness of her writing voice.
Like others, I was irked by the love story. I am sorry but it just didn't really click for me.
And I would have liked to have seen more development of her relationship with her nieces, especially Phoebe.
But that's okay. The quiet (hardly there, so don't get excited) little witchiness in the background sort of compensates. A bit.
I might be done with this series, because honestly, the thing between Carmen and Oke is not that convincing. But still, a very fun read. (But only if you have read the first part of the series).
This book is the sequel to The Christmas Bookshop, which I enjoyed (Hallmark-y but perfect cozy reading during the holidays). Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop picks up a bit after the ending of the first book and features the same setting and characters. There are two main storylines: the romantic relationship between Carmen and Oke, and a local millionaire trying to take over all the independent little shops. Weirdly, neither one is super strong.
Without spoiling anything, I will say that I think the romance part of the book would have more impact if it were read immediately after the first book. The situation that Carmen and Oke are in in this title is jarring right off the bat, there's not a great explanation or background of who these people are and how they got involved, and without having read the first book recently I don't know if readers will feel any connection to them or their relationship (I didn't). The second storyline is interesting and probably realistic but not enough to carry the book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
Without spoiling anything, I will say that I think the romance part of the book would have more impact if it were read immediately after the first book. The situation that Carmen and Oke are in in this title is jarring right off the bat, there's not a great explanation or background of who these people are and how they got involved, and without having read the first book recently I don't know if readers will feel any connection to them or their relationship (I didn't). The second storyline is interesting and probably realistic but not enough to carry the book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really hope someday Goodreads will allow for partial stars… I think this is a 3.5, maybe 3.75 book. It’s got a few issues, like the overall character growth, but, then again, it takes place over the span of less than 2 years. But, overall, I enjoyed this series. I hope we might even get to see what comes next for Carmen, Mr McCredie, and the lovely bookshop that I conjure in my mind while reading this story.
I thought the book dragged terribly after a while.
Full review: Honestly, this just missed the magic and fun of the first book I thought. A strong three stars, but most of the book had me getting sick of Carmen acting like a brat and being really tired of Oke.
"Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop" is the second book in the "Christmas Bookshop" series. The book jumps forward a few months to show how Carmen and Oke are doing and then jumps forward again and again til we get to the following Christmas. Carmen is at a crossroads in not just her relationship, but her living situation, and her job as well.
I have to say though the story is supposed to be about Carmen, Colgan gives us so many points of view I stopped caring. It was driving me up the wall after a while. It hampers the flow and makes the book so much longer. Also as I said above, Carmen pretty much sucked. I think it was sad that her character really didn't experience any kind of growth I could see outside of realizing that living rent free in her sister's home and acting like a jerk about things and bad talking her parenting was probably not a thing she should have been doing each and every time. But it was like the 70 percent mark when that came up.
The book is light on romance and honestly did not feel enough like a "Christmas" book to me. We spent so much time about and around other things I was just wanting for the book to end.
Full review: Honestly, this just missed the magic and fun of the first book I thought. A strong three stars, but most of the book had me getting sick of Carmen acting like a brat and being really tired of Oke.
"Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop" is the second book in the "Christmas Bookshop" series. The book jumps forward a few months to show how Carmen and Oke are doing and then jumps forward again and again til we get to the following Christmas. Carmen is at a crossroads in not just her relationship, but her living situation, and her job as well.
I have to say though the story is supposed to be about Carmen, Colgan gives us so many points of view I stopped caring. It was driving me up the wall after a while. It hampers the flow and makes the book so much longer. Also as I said above, Carmen pretty much sucked. I think it was sad that her character really didn't experience any kind of growth I could see outside of realizing that living rent free in her sister's home and acting like a jerk about things and bad talking her parenting was probably not a thing she should have been doing each and every time. But it was like the 70 percent mark when that came up.
The book is light on romance and honestly did not feel enough like a "Christmas" book to me. We spent so much time about and around other things I was just wanting for the book to end.