The Bookshop on the Corner

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan


A quirky librarian who has the uncanny ability to match readers with that perfect book they've been looking for, discovers that taking a chance on her own life has unexpected rewards.

Nina Redmond loses the one thing she loves more than anything in the world; a job surrounded by books. She's at a crossroad in her career, short on money, and at odds with her roommate, Surinder, who's tired of housing all those books Nina has rescued from libraries that are giving them away. If only she could make her dream come true of opening her own little bookstore.

With keen ingenuity, Nina buys a lumbering old van, moves to the Scottish Highlands and opens a library on wheels, much to the delight of the locals. Just like the endless blue skies that follow the relentless rains in the village of Kirrinfief, Nina finds that deep disappointments can lead to everlasting happiness.

Fun, playful, and humorous, this feel-good novel is an ideal choice to usher in the holiday season.  Any reader who fondly remembers when the traveling "bookmobile" came to town, will enjoy this easy read.

It's like spending time with an old friend.

Faithful

Faithful by Alice Hoffman


How long do you punish yourself for living?

That's the question Shelby Richmond asks herself every day after the tragic accident on any icy road that left her best friend, Helene, in a peaceful coma, while she herself walked away with just a scratch.

So Shelby chooses to live in drug-induced darkness and despair in her parents' basement, speaking in monosyllabic sentences and shunning anyone or anything that reminds her of the past. After all that's happened, it's what she deserves.

But then the postcards arrive from an anonymous sender, each one beautifully sketched with one word of encouragement. Slowly, the armor around her broken heart begins to crack, revealing the slightest glimmer of hope. Shelby ventures outside, cautious to cover her shaved head and gaunt, waif-line appearance that makes bystanders stare at her in fear and disgust. She begins to look beyond the pain, buoyed by unlikely, newfound friends, a chance at romance, and the undying love of a mother she never understood. Secretly, she dreams of an elusive career as she remembers the girl she used to be.

This moving story from a distinguished author, examines the power of forgiving yourself and reaching deep inside your soul to believe in your own self-worth. The re-connection between mother and daughter is especially touching, revealing the possibility of redemption for the lost and lonely who dare to let go of the past and believe in a new tomorrow.