Between wrapping gifts and watching Hallmark Christmas movies, I managed to squeeze in some time to read a festive-themed novella, a Christmas gift, and a book that’s been on my reading list since the summer.
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The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan
I’ve read all of Jenny Colgan’s Christmas books, so I was thrilled when she released a novella called The Christmas Book Hunt just in time for the festive season.
The story centres on Mirren, a devoted niece whose great-aunt Violet is very ill. Violet’s Christmas wish is to find a cherished, hand-illustrated book from her childhood. Determined to grant this wish, Mirren embarks on a quest through the enchanting world of rare books, following leads from London to the cobbled streets of Edinburgh.
Along the way, she encounters the mysterious and charming Theo. Unknown to Mirren, Theo is also on the hunt for the same book, but for very different reasons.
The Christmas Book Hunt is a festive treat that beautifully blends the joy of Christmas with a love of literature.
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
The Berry Pickers is a poignant exploration of family and identity. Set in the 1960s, it follows a Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia who travel to Maine for the blueberry harvest. Tragedy strikes when their youngest, four-year-old Ruthie, disappears without a trace. Ruthie’s six-year-old brother, Joe, is the last one to see her. This event shatters the family and leaves Joe burdened by guilt and sorrow throughout his life.
In a parallel story, we meet Norma, an only child raised in a wealthy Maine household. Norma is plagued by recurring dreams that she isn’t allowed to talk about. Her growing sense of disconnection leads her to question her past and her parents’ secrecy.
As the story progresses, the lives of Joe and Norma intertwine, unveiling long-hidden family secrets and the enduring impact of Ruthie’s disappearance.
The Berry Pickers is a captivating story that also explores the broader themes of loss, betrayal, and cultural identity.
Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths by Maisie Chan
Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths has been on my reading list since I watched Maisie Chan speak at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last summer. Over the Christmas holidays, I finally got round to it and I loved it.
Danny claims he has a hate-hate relationship with maths. He enjoys drawing, but his parents insist that drawing has no purpose. One day, his parents surprise him with a set of bunk beds. He assumes it’s for sleepovers with his best friend Ravi, but his parents have other plans. The bed is actually for Danny’s granny who is moving in with them all the way from China.
Danny’s parents think he’ll be thrilled, but he feels more like prey being squeezed by a python. Sharing his bedroom is tough enough, but Granny has claimed the top bunk and snores like a herd of rhinos. She’s a maths champion, but they don’t speak the same language, and she even shows up at Danny’s school to feed him chicken feet in front of his classmates. Just when Danny thinks things can’t get any worse, they do!
Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths is a funny story of embarrassing families and accepting people for who they are.
