Recent Reads Reviewed #19

The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin - 5/5

The story of Sarah, the characters she meets while in Paris and the bookshop swap between her and Sophie really drew me in. There was a real emphasis on the beauty of literature and books throughout, and some really lovely poetic verses. I’ve never been to Paris but from the descriptions of the city in this, I felt like I was there for myself. A rollercoaster of tense, romantic and sugary sweet moments; I thoroughly enjoyed this addictive, escapist read.

Dressage (Usborne Riding School) by Gill Harvey - 5/5

I noticed this book on a shelf at the library and on the whim of enjoying horse riding in the past I decided to pick it up. I used to go horse riding a few years back, I did a bit of trekking on the local beach in a group as well as a few private lessons to improve my skills. I’ve not had dressage training but I was quite inquisitive to learn a bit about it.

This book was a perfect introduction and I surprised myself with how much I learnt. The book covers key terms, tricks and tips as well as diagrams and photos to explain. When I watch dressage on the TV, I feel like I would now have more insight into the sport. Overall it was a very interesting and inspiring read that I would recommend!

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts - 5/5

The story focuses on Ambrose the cat, who is in danger of losing his ninth and final life, makes a deal with his creator. Ambrose meets his new owner Zach and encourages a romance with pet store assistant Merilee, as a couple they are lovely and together Ambrose hopes for a happy ninth life as a family.

The chapters from the cat’s point of view were really good fun, and it made me want a cat of my own. The concept of this book, and the way the author wrote about cats worked well. I couldn’t fault the story in any way, it was a lovely, warm hearted Christmas read.

The Oxford Treasury of Christmas Poems by Michael Harrison - 3/5

I was looking for some light reading to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas and I was successful with this collection of poems. Aimed at children but also appropriate for adults, they cover the religious side of Christmas with some traditional poems as well some more festive and seasonal.

The quality of poems varied a little, I think maybe some were written by children but I found many had a lovely sentiment to them. My favourites were the classics such as The Twelve Days of Christmas which brought back childhood memories of singing. I give this book 3/5 because while I enjoyed reading it, some poems were better than others.

An English Boy in New York by T.S. Easton - 5/5

This was one of my favourite and most memorable reads of 2018. It’s actually the second book in the series, and although I’ve not read the first book, it can be read as a standalone. We follow Ben who has been invited to New York for a knitting convention. He absolutely loves knitting, and is excited to take along his girlfriend for a trip of a lifetime. Unfortunately she pulls out, and he ends up taking his unreliable friend, Gex. I found this book highly inventive, original and laugh out loud funny. I intend to lend out the first book from the library, Boys Don’t Knit sometime soon.

Thrifty Ways For Modern Days by Martin Lewis - 5/5

This was a very insightful book full of tips to help readers become thriftier in every aspect of their lives. My favourite chapters include growing your own, clothing, gifts, and Christmas. I came away inspired to be inventive with living better for less. I might reread this one sometime soon, as I’ve been getting more into sustainability since I first read it.

There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber - 4/5

Every year around December time, the past couple of years I’ve read a Debbie Macomber book. All her books are pure escapism and I have a soft spot for the Christmas themed ones. There are two stories in this collection, which were both enjoyable reads. In the first story we follow journalist, Emma who is assigned to interview the finalists in a Christmas cake contest. Along the way she meets pilot, Oliver who gives her a ride to her destination in a helicopter. The romance is fun and flirty, and I would recommend it. The second story was much shorter and was about a touching Christmas miracle which I found quite sweet.

Do you like Christmas fiction too?

Which of these reads interested you the most? :-) Xx