I haven't read anything by Jenny Colgan before but when Amy over at Love Made My Home recently wrote a post, Irked....... or offended actually, I was a bit unsure whether to start Welcome To Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop Of Dreams which I'd got in a pile of books waiting to be read. I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed it. The book follows the stories of two women, the modern day tale of Rosie, and that set back in the 1940s of her Great Aunt Lilian. Being set in an old fashioned sweet shop, it brought back lots of memories of the sweeties I used to buy as a child and even includes some recipes too. A very enjoyable read.
My Agatha Christie read this month was Appointment With Death. I thought I was on a roll having guessed the identity of the murderer in some of the recent Agatha Christie books I've read but I didn't guess the ending of this one at all, it kept me guessing the whole way through. There were lots of red herrings which threw me off the scent. Another good book.
I read Sleigh Bells In The Snow by Sarah Morgan back in August, it was the first book in a trilogy and this month I've read the second book, Suddenly Last Summer. The setting is the same as the first book, the beautiful Snow Crystal resort in Vermont and it includes the same characters too but this time, it's centred around a different couple. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I shall be looking out for the last book in the trilogy as I really want to read that now.
I don't usually read books with a specific Christmas theme around Christmas time but I thought it might be fun this year so I've got a few lined up for my December reads. I'll tell you about them next time.
Always interesting to hear book reviews because we are all different. Sometimes the official spin on the book is different to what I've found.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I usually read reviews before I buy a book to see what other people think of it.
DeleteFor some reason my reading has also slowed down too ... perhaps it's just that time of year!
ReplyDeleteI read this Jenny Colgan book too and thoroughly enjoyed it.
There seems to be a wealth of Christmas books around - I may just find one or two in my Christmas Stocking!!!
Enjoy your day
All the best Jan
I think we all must be too busy getting ready for the festivities ahead instead of reading. There's a further two books in this Jenny Colgan series so I shall be reading them too.
DeleteOh it sounds as if you've enjoyed what you have read Jo. Like you I've got some themed books lined up for December. One exception though is Claire King's latest 'Everything Love Is'. Do you remember how much we both enjoyed 'The Rainbow'? I thought that I would treat myself so it's lined up waiting on my Kindle :)
ReplyDeleteEverything Love Is sounds right up my street. I really enjoyed The Night Rainbow on your recommendation so I think I'll put this one on my books to read list too.
DeleteThe Jenny Colgan one sounds like my kind of read, i'll look out for that at the library... thanks for the recommendation
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the two stories running together. There's another two books which follow on so I shall be reading those too.
DeleteI like the sound of the Jenny Colgan book, I love a bit of cosy nostalgia. I think there's less time to read as Christmas approaches and there's so much more to do xx
ReplyDeleteI thought the modern day story running alongside the older story worked really well together. I think you're right, reading's taken a bit of a back seat but I hope to have a little more time again for reading over the Christmas holidays.
DeleteI haven't read that Agatha, it sounds like a good one! So glad you enjoyed the Jenny Colgan book. I have tossed the one I didn't like to the charity shop, but I have kept the other two I had on probation, I will give them a reprieve following your review. I hope the one I wasn't keen on was a rare one off! Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this Agatha Christie book, it's set around a bit of a strange family, and that's quite intriguing. I enjoyed the Jenny Colgan book too, nothing like what you mentioned in your post, but I find that quite strange that she should write two books in totally different ways. I hope yours was the rare one off and not this one otherwise I shan't be reading the other two of hers that I've got waiting to be read.
DeleteMy friend retrieved the one I didn't like from my charity shop pile today, I will see what she thinks of it. She says she has a "bad language filter" perhaps my filter is just set to really sensitive!
DeleteYours and lots of other people's going by the reviews on Amazon, you're certainly not alone in your thoughts on the Jenny Colgan book you reviewed. I'm glad this one was better.
DeleteThat's an Agatha Christie I don't remember reading so I've put it on my 'to read' list.
ReplyDeleteI've got two specific Christmas themed books to read which I'll be mentioning in a forthcoming post.
Happy reading. Flighty xx
I think this Agatha Christie book is definitely one worth reading. I'm looking forward to hearing which Christmas themed books you've got planned to read, I know you'd definitely enjoy one that I've got lined up. I wonder if they're the same.
DeleteI like the sound of the Agatha Christie book, I may have to look that one out for a bit of cosy reading over the Christmas holiday........I thought you did really well managing to read three books, my reading at the moment has slowed down to almost nothing, although I'm still enjoying reading my way through my Bible.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying working my way through the Agatha Christie books, she definitely knew how to tell a tale well. You need never be short on reading matter with the Bible, that should definitely keep you going.
DeleteVery true.
DeleteSome interesting books here Jo, glad you enjoyed the first one despite the review.xxx
ReplyDeleteIt was a different Jenny Colgan book which Amy reviewed but this one seems to be much better, thank goodness. I enjoyed it anyway.
DeleteJo I'm having problems getting hold of my swap partner for the 12 Days swap. She emailed me and I emailed back straight away, but haven't got her address, and I've emailed twice since then and still nothing.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid Jules has pulled out of the swap as she hadn't heard anything from you despite sending three emails and leaving a comment on your blog. I emailed you myself and also left a comment on your blog which you can see on your Films Of The Month - September post letting you know that I'd emailed you and asking you to contact me if you hadn't received it. I assumed that as neither Jules or myself had heard from you, that you no longer wanted to take part in the swap.
DeleteI emailed back! I've emailed her three times and don't have any replies! I can forward them to you if you'd like? They originally went to another email address, but I replied and gave her my more used one.
DeleteThere's obviously been some sort of technical problem, which is a real shame as you both seem to have wanted to take part in the swap.
DeleteThose books sound wonderful. My reading has not been going as well as usual, to many things on my mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised. I have times of the year when I read more than others, it definitely slows down if I'm busy or if my mind is elsewhere.
DeleteI used to read all the time but have slowed down since I've had my girls. I've been trying to get back to it and have finished several books since summer. I still have a pile waiting to be read and hopefully I'll get back to them again once all the festive busyness settles down a bit. x
ReplyDeleteI hardly read at all when my children were young, it's only the last few years that I've got back in to reading properly and I'm loving it again now. I think there's a time for everything and some things take priority over others. It's nice to have plenty of books ready to read for when you've got time.
DeleteI might just add these to my reading list! Happy Wednesday to you ♥
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed them all.
DeleteSome good reads this month - esp. the Sweet Shop one - I too find that reliving our youth through the pages of a book is really enjoyable. And I think reading 3 books in one month would be a world record for me ;)
ReplyDeleteThe book brought back lots of memories of sweets I used to eat as a child which had long since been forgotten. I hardly read at all when my children were young, it's only the past few years that I've started reading again now that I've got more time on my hands, though I only read when I'm in bed.
DeleteHow fab that the AC kept you guessing right to the end. The other two sound like good reads too!
ReplyDeleteLisa x
I enjoyed all my reads this month but Agatha Christie certainly knew how to keep the suspense going.
DeleteI enjoyed this post, I love to read about what other people are reading and my 'to read' list is growing ever longer because of it! I haven't read any of the books you mention so more to add to the list. xx
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading book reviews too and I often add to my list of books to read when I hear of a good story. I've got quite a few lined up at the moment so I'm hoping I have a little more time over Christmas to do some reading.
DeleteReading three books in a month is slowing down?! I'm lucky if I get through one.
ReplyDeleteWelcome To Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop Of Dreams sounds good but I can't add yet another book to my to-read pile. It's big enough already!
My reading's definitely got quicker over these last few years now that I've got more time on my hands. My books to read list gets longer every time I read a good review, it's so hard to resist a good book.
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