Tag: fiction

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Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is the first novel from Korean author Hwang Bo-Reum and was translated by Shanna Tan.  I was interested in the book first because I love reading books about books and bookshops.  The story centers on Yeongju, who used to be married and have a demanding career in Seoul, but abandons her husband and her job to move to a small residential neighborhood and open a bookshop.

As Yeongju runs her new shop, she explores different ways to bring in new customers and keep the shop open.  She makes several new friends along the way, and the bookshop becomes a place for people to gather together.  Throughout the novel, we are taken on a journey of self-exploration as each of the characters grows and develops in new ways.

This novel is part of a genre called “healing fiction” that has become a trend in Korean literature.  It does not have an action-filled plot, but instead focuses on comfort, empathy, courage, and solidarity.  I found it to be both contemplative and encouraging.  I am looking forward to reading more of this genre.

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Books About Books That I Recommend

I recently posted books about books that were on my TBR, and this time I wanted to post books about books that I have read and enjoyed. I just love reading books that have something to do with books, whether it be a book club, a bookshop, a library, or even the publishing world.

  • The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  • The Break-Up Book Club by Wendy Wax
  • The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick
  • The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson
  • The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser
  • The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
  • The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
  • The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
  • The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore
  • The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
  • The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay
  • The Lending Library by Aliza Fogelson
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Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

This intriguing novel by Rebecca Serle is the story of Daphne Bell and her lovelife. Each time she meets a man, she receives a slip of paper with the man’s name and a number which represents the amount of time she will spend with him. The number varies from person to person, but it is always right. After twenty years of this, she finally meets someone and the paper she finds has only his name. She is elated at first but soon begins to question her fate.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The touch of magical realism adds a unique twist to the common story of a woman looking for love. Having read so many of these stories over my life, I appreciate when a book offers something unusual to the mix. When the book opens, Daphne seems almost resigned to the way life is for her, always knowing what will happen each time she meets a new love interest. But then she meets Jake and starts hoping for a more permanent future, which sounds great until she starts to realize the reality of their relationship doesn’t match the dreams she had of what true love would look like.

I have read two other books by Serle, both of which include aspects of magical realism as well: In Five Years and One Italian Summer. I highly recommend giving this author a chance.

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What I’m Reading – October 2024

What I’m Reading Now

Passions in Death by J.D. Robb – This is book #59 of her In Death series about Eve Dallas, a homicide detective in futuristic New York City. I always love these!

Freckles by Cecelia Ahern – I have enjoyed several books by this author. This one is middling for me so far.

Her Gates Will Never Be Shut: Hope, Hell, and the New Jerusalem by Bradley Jersak – I had put this book down a few months ago and recently picked it up again. I have read some other nonfiction in the meantime that I liked, so I’m hoping this will be easier for me to read this time.

What I Recently Finished

Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg – Berg never disappoints. I raced through this enjoyable novel about a woman who makes major changes in her life after the death of her best friend.

The Fifth Avenue Apartment by Pamela M. Kelley – This was a fun, lighthearted read about a woman who has been searching for what she wants to do with her life and how she finds a career that seems right for her. It was enjoyable. The author also released a bonus short story that set the stage for a possible second book.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum – This book was recommended by someone on Instagram, and I am so glad I took a chance on it. It was very thoughtful and warm. I appreciated both the story and the lessons shared as the characters grow.

The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church by Sarah McCammon – Very well-written book that is part memoir and part informational discourse on the issues that arise for people who don’t fit or start to question the church. I really liked this book.

Natural Selection by Erin Hilderbrand – Nice short story about a woman in love who has things turned upside down on what is supposed to be a romantic trip to an exotic location.

Look on the Bright Side by Kristan Higgins – A fake relationship romance with a twist. Cute book.

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio – Loved this magical realism novel about a woman whose life changes in an instant and how she copes with her new reality. I wrote a longer review of this a couple of weeks ago. Highly recommend!

What I’ve Added to my TBR List

I added a lot of books again this month. A lot of them are my standard fare, but I’m also trying to expand my horizons a bit:

  • The Anti-Heroes by Jen Lancaster
  • When We Were Friends by Jane Green (short story)
  • Smells Like Tween Spirit by Laurie Gelman
  • Nantucket Summer House by Pamela M. Kelley
  • Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
  • The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
  • The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
  • More of Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
  • The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick
  • The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
  • Rise & Shine, Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick
  • The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick
  • Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
  • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
  • Summer Island by Natalie Normann
  • The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake
  • The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
  • Crime Scene by Jonathan Kellerman
  • Lethal Prey by John Sandford
  • Gryphon’s Valor by Mercedes Lackey
  • Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb
  • Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld
  • Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman
  • Billy Straight by Jonathan Kellerman
  • UnClobber by Colby Martin

If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!

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Books about Books on my TBR

I recently added a post to Instagram featuring books that I have on my Goodreads Want to Read shelf that are about books or bookstores. I have come across quite a few of this type recently and am looking forward to reading them as I usually enjoy them.

Here is the list of books pictured:

  • The Library by Bella Osborne
  • The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore
  • The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak
  • The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  • Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland
  • The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
  • The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn
  • The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison
  • Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
  • What You Are Looking For Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama
  • Welcome to the Huyanam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

I actually just started reading the last one on the list and am finding it very enjoyable so far.

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The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

I did a thing – I started a Bookstagram. My handle for that account is jumbledbookshelf, and I just have one post so far. I’m not sure what all I am going to post on there, but I thought it would be nice to have an outlet to share the books I am reading.

I used Canva (the free version) to create the graphic. Here’s what I came up with:

And here’s my review:

This debut novel by Holly Gramazio is the captivating story of Lauren, a single woman who returns home from a night out with friends to find that her reality has shifted and she has a husband, Michael. As she is trying to figure out what is going on, Michael goes to the attic to replace a lightbulb and disappears, only to be replaced by a different husband and a slightly different reality. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?

I was drawn in from the beginning and was fascinated by how Lauren’s thinking changes and grows throughout the course of the book. I have read several reviews where people lamented the slower pace of the middle of the story, but I didn’t mind that – I simply enjoyed the journey she was on.

This book spoke to the part of me that regularly wants to reinvent my life or get a do-over when I make a mistake. As Lauren moves through husband after husband, changing her reality each time, she finds a lot of freedom because she can do what she wants and avoid the repercussions by just sending the current husband up to the attic. As this continued, I started to wonder what the point was and where it was headed, but I don’t see this as a flaw in the story, I see it as reflective of the emotional journey Lauren is on herself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Looking forward to more from this author!

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What I’m Reading – September 2024

What I’m Reading Now

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio – This is Holly’s debut novel, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The main character, Lauren, returns home one night to find that reality has somehow shifted and she is married. As she tries to figure out what is going on, her husband goes to the attic to change a light bulb and disappears and a different husband comes down the ladder. So fun!

What I Recently Finished

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes DuMez – This was a fascinating account of the development and evolution of white evangelicalism in America written by a historian. I found it very easy to read and extremely educational.

Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins – This novel is about a man whose wife wrote him letters before she died and had them delivered to him every month for the first year after she passed. It was reminiscent of P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern – in a good way!

The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore – I love books about books, and this novel features a librarian who discovers a 60-year old love story written in the margins of books. It was a charming book!

Earth’s the Right Place for Love by Elizabeth Berg – This is a another great installment from a writer I have admired for many years. It is a coming of age story which provides the backstory for the Arthur Moses, the main character in The Story of Arthur Truluv.

Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg – This is the story of John and Irene, who are divorced but are still connected by their 18-year old daughter Sadie. It is beautifully written, as are all of her books.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare – This is Book 1 of the Infernal Devices series, which is the prequel to the Mortal Instruments series. Both of these series are part of the Shadowhunter Chronicles. It was a recommendation from my friend Kim, who is a big fan of young adult romance and fantasy books. I don’t always love her selections, but I really enjoyed this one and am going to continue reading the series.

What I’ve Added to my TBR List

I added quite a few books to my list this month:

  • The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman (short story)
  • The Bookstore Wedding by Alice Hoffman (short story)
  • The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman (short story)
  • Fatal Intrusion by Jeffery Deaver
  • Natural Selection by Erin Hilderbrand (short story)
  • Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman
  • The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore
  • Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
  • Close Knit by Jenny Colgan
  • The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin
  • The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers
  • The Life Impossible by Matt Haig
  • Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
  • The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak
  • The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
  • Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland
  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  • The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn
  • Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
  • Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum
  • What You Are Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama
  • Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
  • Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
  • Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
  • The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church by Sarah McCammon

If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!

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What I’m Reading – August 2024

What I’m Reading Now

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes DuMez – I am just a few chapters in and I am totally engrossed in this book.

Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins – I just got this one on my Libby app; haven’t started it yet.

What I Recently Finished:

The Sister Effect by Susan Mallery – I gave this one five stars. It was so well-done.

The Excellent Lombards by Jane Hamilton – I gave this one two stars, which is pretty rare for me. I did finish it, but it just wasn’t my favorite style of writing.

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center – This was an enjoyable book about two writers writing and falling in love. Very good.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle – Another five star book. I loved the premise and I didn’t guess the twist, which doesn’t happen very often.

The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery – This was a good read.

Toxic Prey by John Sandford – Yet another five star rating – I have hardly given any this year and now I have three in one month! This is listed as #34 in the Lucas Davenport series. Goodreads also has it filed as #3 in the Letty Davenport series since it includes her as well (she is Lucas’s daughter.) I flew through this one.

What I’ve Added to my TBR List:

Miss Amelia’s List by Mercedes Lackey – This is #17 in the Elemental Masters series

Nashville Dreams by Pamela M. Kelley

If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!

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What I’m Reading – May 2024

What I’m Reading Now:

Random In Death by J.D. Robb – this is #58 from the In Death series, and it’s great so far, as they all are!

Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple by Scot McKnight – I haven’t made much progress on this one since last month. I’ve been reading mostly fiction.

What I Recently Finished:

What is Love? by Jen Comfort

Second Chance at Christmas by Emily Engberts

Blank by Zibby Owens

Secrets of Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth

Christmas at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth

No Home Like Nantucket by Grace Palmer

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery

A Little Ray of Sunshine by Kristan Higgans

What I’ve Added to my TBR list:

Beyond Fragility: A Skills-Based Guide to Effective Anti-Racist Allyship by Yara Mekawi

A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today by Bonnie Kristian

I also added 63 fiction books to my TBR list. Instead of participating in Stuff Your Kindle Day, which gave me mixed results in book quality, I went through my list of books I have read and looked up what my favorite authors had written since I last read them.

If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!

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What I’m Reading – April 2024

What I’m Reading Now:

What Is Love? by Jen Comfort – I think this was a free book from Amazon First Reads. I just started it and it looks like it will be cute, if formulaic.

Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple by Scot McKnight with Cody Matchett – I just started this one but I like it so far.

What I Recently Finished:

Sunshine of Your Love by Kirsty McManus – I got this book for free from Stuff Your Kindle Day. The premise was a bit odd – two people have to job share for three months to compete for a job. It’s a typical enemies to lovers story.

The Irish Cottage: Finding Elizabeth by Juliet Gauvin – Another free book. This is about a woman trying to find herself after losing a mother figure in her life. I really enjoyed it.

Airborne Hearts by Maggie Louzella – Another free book. A cute romance.

She Deserves Better: Raising Girls to Resist Toxic Teachings on Sex, Self, and Speaking Up by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky – 5 stars to this one. It is written to mothers and daughters specifically. I don’t have a daughter, but I was raised with a lot of harmful teachings in this area, and this book was very helpful in recognizing and addressing those issues.

Return to Serendipity by Liza Lanter – Another free book. A standard story of a woman who both gets a divorce and inherits property from a deceased relative. Not bad.

Cottage at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth – Another free book. Another divorced woman who inherits property, this one also includes three friends who all move to the location where she inherits property over the course of the next few books. I enjoyed this one enough that I kept reading the series.

Bakery at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth – Book 2 in the Bella Beach series

Bookshop at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth – Book 3 in the Bella Beach series

Lighthouse at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth – Book 4 in the Bella Beach series

Payback in Death by J.D. Robb – This is book 57 in the In Death series. I love these books, and this one did not disappoint. The series centers around Eve Dallas, who is a homicide detective in futuristic New York City. So good!

Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories, and Hope by Rachel Gilmore, Candace Lewis, Tyler Sit, and Matt Temple – I read this Lenten devotional in conjunction with a virtual Bible study led by my pastor. It was very good. It dealt with a lot of topics that are new for me to consider and showed me areas that I need to learn more about.

The Worst Christmas Ever? by Rebecca Paulinyi – Another free book. Woman gets cheated on and runs away to find herself. Ends up starting a new business and a new relationship within a few weeks.

What I’ve Added to my TBR list:

The Last List of Muriel Beaumont by Laura Pearson

Secrets of Bella Beach by Kate Wentworth

Return to Bella Beach by Kate Wentwortj

Christmas at Bella Beach: A Novella by Kate Wentworth

Random in Death by J.D. Robb

Passions in Death by J.D. Robb

Lawyers and Lattes by Rebecca Paulinyi

The London Flat: Second Chances by Juliet Gauvin

If you’re on Goodreads, feel free to add me as a friend. I’m always looking for new recommendations!