Blogmas 2022: Review of the Christmas Book With One of the Prettiest Book Covers I Have Ever Seen

BLOGMAS 2022: Review of the Christmas Book With One of the Prettiest Book Covers I Have Ever Seen

Annual holiday drive thru AKA one of my favorite family holiday traditions! This lit up tunnel was STUNNING!

Ok so WOW. My little book blog BLEW UP with page views yesterday…apparently you guys really liked my list of the 13 best books I read in 2022! I hope you found some good suggestions as obviously every book on that list is coming at you highly, highly recommended. If you missed that post, HERE it is :). It’s filled with the very best books I read this year (and I read many, many, MANY books this year)…

Review of the Christmas Book With One of the Prettiest Book Covers I Have Ever Seen:

The Christmas Bookshop {Jenny Colgan}

I received this book during last year’s holiday season from a wonderfully kind blog reader. I couldn’t get my hands on a copy and I desperately wanted to read it! I’m still not over the generosity of this person. SO AMAZINGLY KIND!!! You can read about that lovely gesture HERE.

So halfway through reading Joanne Demaio’s Winter Novels, I pivoted my reading plans and basically stopped everything to read this book! You can read all about that decision HERE.

Out of the 8 holiday books that I was excited to read, THIS book was the one that I was the MOST excited to read (you can read that post with the other 7 titles HERE).

Can we talk about this GORGEOUS cover??? It’s BEAUTIFUL! The colors are so bold and amazing. Bookshop AND Christmas?! Absolutely love everything about this cover!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Christmas Bookshop {Jenny Colgan}:

When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.

Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.

At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?

My Review of The Christmas Bookshop {Jenny Colgan}:

It’s a beautiful story! So descriptive and lovely with wonderful characters and beautiful settings.

In our hotel room last Christmas Day! We took a staycation in downtown Chicago and this book came along for the journey!

My ONLY complaint…so…the bookshop was just 1 of the many storylines in this book. I wanted the bookshop to be the MAIN storyline. I wanted this entire book to revolve around a lovely Christmas bookshop

I think I went into reading this book thinking it was a light, easy read and wasn’t prepared for the depth that it provided. At ANY OTHER TIME during the year, I would have wholeheartedly welcomed that depth but during the holiday season I really just want light, easy, fluffy books.

Trifecta.

I did love that I found myself googling picturesque Edinburgh (and various tree types that were mentioned throughout the story) and seeing pictures of the exact area where the fictitious bookshop is supposed to be. What a stunning backdrop for this story! If you do read this, I highly suggest doing a bit of research on this beautiful area. It helped to have a bit of background knowledge when reading the descriptions of the area.

Side Note: One of the most beautiful book covers I have ever seen.

Bottom Line:

A beautiful book…just don’t expect the majority of it to be about the bookstore, lol.

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Blogmas 2022 Posts:

12/1 Welcome to Blogmas 2022 {Video)!!

12/2 BLOGMAS 2022: Happy Birthday to ME {Target Gift Card Giveaway}

12/3 Blogmas 2022: Book Review: The Holiday Swap {Maggie Knox}

12/4 Blogmas 2022: The Bookish Gift I Bought For Myself

12/5 Blogmas 2022: Winter Wonderland Book Tag

12/6 Blogmas 2022: 6 Books I Want To Read in 2023

12/7 Blogmas 2022: Book Review: Kiss Her Once For Me {Alison Cochrun}

12/8 Blogmas 2022: Book I’m Currently Reading, Coffee I’m Currently Drinking, 1 Thing Making Me HAPPY!

12/9 Blogmas 2022: Non Holiday Audiobook Review: Maybe Someday {Colleen Hoover}

12/10 Blogmas 2022: The Christmas Book I Started Reading and Didn’t Finish

12/11 Blogmas 2022: Book Review: Christmas in Winter Hill {Melody Carlson}

12/12 Blogmas 2022: 2 Books For Upcoming Blog Giveaways

12/13 Blogmas 2022: Non Holiday Book Review: Skinny {Donna Cooner}

12/14 Blogmas 2022: INTERNATIONAL BOOK GIVEAWAY (2 Signed Copies): The Mommy Clique {Barbara Altamirano}

12/15 Blogmas 2022: The Holiday Book I’m Most Excited to Read NEXT Holiday Season

12/16 Blogmas 2022: Book Review: The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas {James Patterson, Tad Safran}

12/17 Blogmas 2022: The 13 Best Books I Read in 2022

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

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*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

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The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

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BLOGMAS: A Change In My December Reading Plans!

BLOGMAS: A Change In My December Reading Plans!

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I showed you my neighbor’s gorgeous holiday display? It’s even more beautiful at night! They have lights shining on it to make it twinkle and I’m absolutely obsessed.

I have been spending all of this holiday season in the ADORABLE town of Addison, Connecticut. Well, in reality I have been spending all of this holiday season in the nice (I wouldn’t say adorable but definitely nice) suburb of Chicago where I live, lol. The book series that I am currently reading takes place in the most adorable little town and I want to move there! Or at least visit. Indefinitely.

I have been LOVING this book series (link to the books is above). The characters are adorable, the town is adorable, and it’s the most PERFECT series to read during the holiday season. A wonderful choice, indeed.

I am currently on book #3 (out of 6 total):

A Change In My December Reading Plans

My plans were to finish reading this series during this holiday season….and then….I checked my mail 2 days ago. If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, HERE is a link to it so you can see the amazing package that arrived in my mailbox)!

The Christmas Bookshop!!!

The 1 book I have been wanting to read all season! Amazon was sold out (although I just checked…it’s finally back in stock! I will include the link below), Barnes and Noble was sold out, and I have been on the library waitlist FOREVER.

And now I own it 🙂

Hell yeah!!!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Christmas Bookshop {Jenny Colgan}:

When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.

Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.

At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family? 

What to do? What to do? I originally planned on reading this book but when I couldn’t get my hands on a copy, I pivoted and found the adorable Winter Novels! And I’m loving them! But now I have The Christmas Bookshop. AND 3 more Winter Novels books. Decisions, decisions…

I should be done with Cardinal Cabin in the next day or so and then I HAVE to read The Christmas Bookshop! I’ve been DYING to read it! So as much as I will hate to leave Addison, I must say good-bye. For now.

If I must stop reading them, It actually seems like a good stopping point for the Winter Novels. Halfway. And now I have 3 brand new wonderful books to read NEXT holiday season (because I’m WAY too Type A to read holiday books at any other time of year other than the holiday season). Blogmas 2022: I’m apparently starting to plan for you!

Until next winter, Addison. I’ll keep you 3 beauties tucked away on my bookshelf until then! Xo!

If I finish The Christmas Bookshop in a timely matter, I do have this book that I checked out of the library before the holiday season even started. I’ve heard it’s wonderful!

Goodreads Synopsis of Christmas in Winter Hill {Melody Carlson}:

Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.

As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn’t always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, “Where’s the snow?” Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista’s Christmas spirit before the big day?

So that’s my plan. Cardinal Cabin, The Christmas Bookshop, Christmas in Winter Hill. And then comes January and I have a whole SLEW of non books on my list to read!

I’ll miss you, Addison! I can’t wait to return next year :). I’ll have my review of the first 3 books in the Winter Novel Series posted on here ASAP although I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you that it will be a very positive review 😉

What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

Have you entered the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway? There’s still time! All entries must be received by 6:00 CDT tonight! See THIS POST for details!

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

12/4: BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

12/5: BLOGMAS: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading

12/6: BLOGMAS Book Review: The Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}

12/7: BLOGMAS: (Non Holiday) Book Review: Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffmann}

12/8: BLOGMAS: I Bought 5 New Books!

12/9: BLOGMAS: 8 Holiday Books I Want To Read

12/10: BLOGMAS: Must Have Book Accessory #4

12/11: BLOGMAS: The Holiday Drinks Book Tag

12/12: BLOGMAS: Book Review (Non Holiday): The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend {Katrina Bivald}

12/13: BLOGMAS: Book I’m Currently Reading, Coffee I’m Currently Drinking, I Thing Currently Making me HAPPY!

12/14: BLOGMAS: (Non Holiday) Book Review: The Photographer {Mary Dixie Carter}

12/15: BLOGMAS: 6 Books I Want To Read in 2022

12/16: BLOGMAS: GIVEAWAY {Amazon Gift Card}! Book Coffee Happy Readers Are The KINDEST!

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

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The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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BLOGMAS: 8 Holiday Books I Want To Read

BLOGMAS: 8 Holiday Books I Want To Read

Love my wooden floor snowman! He even has twinkle lights!

Starting around mid November and lasting through mid January, the only books I want to read are holiday books. Everything else on my To Read List gets pushed aside and I welcome alllllll the holiday books!

I’m Jewish but you wouldn’t know it by my love of ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS. Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas EVERYTHING! I just love this time of year so, so much. And the books I read reflect that love! Give me a feel good Christmas book and I’m allllll in. Bonus if it includes a small town romance! Interestingly enough, this is the only time of year that I seek out books in the romance genre.

This year is a bit different because rather than reading a bunch of holiday books from different authors, I have found 1 holiday book series that I am LOVING and want to read them all now! So from mid November to mid January, I will be spending all of my time in the beautiful fictional town of Addison, Connecticut reading THESE BOOKS. I’m currently on Book #3 and I’m ABSOLUTELY LOVING THIS BOOK SERIES!

Now that being said, there are a bunch of other holiday books currently out that I would love to read…and I already have them on Holiday 2022 Reading List!

Here are 8 holiday books that I have on my To Read list for next year’s holiday season (but if you want to read them now, they are all currently available). Click the photos below to take you directly to Amazon where you can read the book synopsis and buy your copy through my affiliate link! When you purchase through this link, the cost is the exact same to you but I receive a tiny percentage of the sale. Thank you for your support of Book Coffee Happy!

8 Holiday Books I Want to Read:

Have you read any of these books? Which holiday books are your favorites? Any others that I should add to my list? I know I’ve mentioned it so many times before but I absolutely love THIS SERIES!

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

12/4: BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

12/5: BLOGMAS: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading

12/6: BLOGMAS Book Review: The Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}

12/7: BLOGMAS: (Non Holiday) Book Review: Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffmann}

12/8: BLOGMAS: I Bought 5 New Books!

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*

*”Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

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*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links.  The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

I had a few hours smack in the middle of the day on my birthday all to myself. I debated what to do with my time. Manicure? Maybe. Pedicure? Perhaps. Bookstore? Ummmm YES PLEASE. What a glorious way to spend my special afternoon! Barnes and Noble, here I come!

I drove straight to Barnes and Noble and found…drumroll please…IT. WAS. GONE. Ummm whaaaaat? Has it been THAT long since I last visited??? It’s not a secret that I would rather check out a library book than buy a book aaaaaaany day but still…how did this massive store just GO AWAY and I had no idea???

I found myself doing a Google search for “bookstores near me” (NERD ALERT) and found the closest Barnes and Noble was only 15 minutes away. Phew. I drove straight there, singing Christmas songs aloud in my car the entire time. Glorious.

Oh hello lover.
Gorgeous holiday display as soon as I walked in. I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR SO MUCH!

So the entire reason (ok obvi not the ENTIRE reason) that I went to Barnes and Noble was to buy myself a birthday present. Do any of you do that? I do it every single year, lol.

This was last year’s birthday present to myself:

Love!

So this year I decided that I wanted to buy myself a book and not just any book…but this beautiful Christmas Book:

Photo Credit: Amazon

Considering I had to credit the above photo to Amazon should be a spoiler on what I did NOT buy myself for my birthday, lol. Ugh I cannot find this book! Amazon is sold out, Barnes and Noble is sold out, and my name on the library waitlist seems to be quite far from the top. Grrrr.

They had plenty of Jenny Colgan’s other books in stock! Have you read any? I have not but they all look wonderful!

I DID come across these 2 books which I considered buying but ultimately did not. They both look so good!

Random bookish finds as I wandered aimlessly and happily around the store:

Fur lined tote…how CUTE!
I almost bought this until I decided that it resembled a Christmas tree just a bit too much for this Jew, lol 🙂 However, just looking at this picture makes me think that I made a mistake. It’s so cute! I may need to go back!
Kate Spade. Gorgeous.
Birthday Girl by the pretty wall in the bathroom, lol 😉

Thank you, Barnes and Noble, for an absolutely lovely afternoon. Although I didn’t buy a thing, I so appreciated just being there surrounded by my favorite objects: BOOKS!

What did I end up buying myself for my birthday? Random holiday jammies from Old Navy! I was excited about them until I took them home to try on. They are cut SO WEIRD!!! I l just loved that holiday sweater mug so much that I never even took the time to unfold them in the store. Oops. Lesson learned! Old Navy is so hit or miss and these are most definitely a MISS (although I still do love that holiday sweater mug). Back to the store they will go. I clearly still owe myself a birthday present! Maybe that adorable mug from Barnes and Noble…

Ugh.

If you can’t tell from the above photos, I am 100 percent obsessed with this time of year! Holiday scented candles, Christmas station on Pandora, holiday books, sweaters, scarves. NOW IT JUST NEEDS TO SNOOOOOOOW! MY FAVORITE!!!!

Birthday Giveaway Winner Video:

**Video has been deleted**

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

Have you been to Barnes and Noble recently?

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*

*”Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links.  The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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