This book was utterly delightful. Reading it felt as if I were reading a classic. Truly superb, and a beautiful work of art.

Awwww this book! I love a book about bookshops. Carl was an adorable character and I was drawn to him immediately. I loved all the characters in this book and was so sad to say goodbye. It had a heartwarming plot and wonderful ending. Highly recommend.

A book about books, what every book lover loves to read and what a story this was! I loved it, the friendship between Carl and Schascha is heartwarming. Everyone needs a Carl in their life to match them to the right book! This is sure to be every book lover's talked about book.

I fell in love with this book at some point, although I'm not sure when exactly that was. Maybe it was when I realised how much I liked the characters - and how they felt about books and each other. Such a beautiful book.

This book was pure magic.
There wasn't a defining moment when it made that connection with me, or garnered that one word description, but rather every moment, ALL the moments went into making it the beautiful work it truly is.

The good ones like when he finds a somewhat kindred spirit in his new little companion. The bad ones like when we discover what's truly behind Essi's bleak reading habits. The everyday ones like traditions, and habits, where Carl goes through the motions of gathering and wrapping the chosen tomes, and setting out on his rounds to make his deliveries. The scary ones like when he visits the dark alley that's always seemed so sinister, and proves itself, in a fashion, to be. The surprising ones like when Schascha seems to be harder to find than Dog...which is actually a cat, but I'll let you unravel that story between the pages for yourself. The bookish ones like when Carl explains how everyone in his 2 km radius, especially his customers, has a literary name, not from birth, but given by him to bring his world into fine print focus. The astounding ones where you as a fellow reader and lover of the written word really GET where he's coming from. Even the tragic ones where all seems lost and tears are streaming down your face, but you keep turning pages or flicking the screen to carry on alongside your newfound literary friends. ALL the moments, mentioned and beyond, go into making this a truly remarkable book.

For me, it's now on my VERY short list of books that I think all true book lovers should read. Don't get me wrong, there are PLENTY of stories out there that will resonate with readers, but two from my point of view are THIS ONE, and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. Very different works, different genres, and different story lines, but they both speak to the bookish soul. This story certainly gets a high recommendation from me, and I would definitely suggest if you love reading as much as I, you make haste to add this to your MUST READ list.

This book had much promise and I enjoyed the story. The characters were all interesting and well described. For me it was a little slow and while the story was clever it didn’t always hold my attention. Thank you Net Galley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes, I pick up a book that's usually aimed at adults, could probably fall into literary fiction and typically should be the sort of book I'd struggle with, not really connect to or care about, and ultimately just find a solid 3 stars... but something about the book makes me appreciate it more. It tugs me in, I don't have the words to describe what it does, what they make me feel, what these books are like. They just are.
They don't always get 5 stars, but something about them stays with me. Something about them is comforting.

Maybe one day i'll find the words, but for now, simply, I really enjoyed this.

Has anyone read the door-to-door bookstore? If not, really do. While reading it, I was thinking how good it is that these characters exist and that they do what they do, say what they say and are who they are.

What a beautiful story about the book walker, in which you can join him in his daily walks to his 'clients'.
Carl used to works in a bookstore but when things changed he started to deliver daily books to his special clients as he calls them. Carl knows exactly what book they want and each have a special relationship with him. His special clients are friends to Carl, as much as Carl is a friend to them. He is a connection for them to the world, but Carl notices that every day further they create a world for him too.
Suddenly Carl loses his job and his world comes to crash. Around the time a young girl comes part of his world too and Carl isn't sure if he likes it.

The bookwalker.
Carl is named the Bookwalker because he delivers books to various people in the town where he lives. The shop where he works has been taken over by the daughter of the owner as he is in a care home.
Carl's various clients include a nun who lives alone in a convent which developers are trying to take over, Effie whose husband beats her and the Reader who reads to the workers in a tobacco factory. Carl is followed and eventually helped by a young girl Schascha, she interacts with Carl's customers and understands their needs.
A gentle charming book, thank you Carsten and NetGalley.

I was initially drawn to this book by the colourful cover and who can resist a book about books/bookshops!

I loved all the references to different books and characters, it was right up my street.

Carl is a character that was so loveable and relatable that I wish I could meet him in real life. Schascha was also adorable and her happiness was infectious.

This book should be on any book lovers wishlist!

A charming novel set in a quaint German town about books and people's love of books. I loved the characters, my favourites the wise beyond her years Schasha and Dog the feral cat. Feel good and magical. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

Delivering personalised book to people? How perfect is that and imagine receiving a book that’s been hand selected for you, it’s the absolute dream!.

This story is like heaven on earth for a book lover like me, from the first page you’ll feel like you’re amongst old friends.

I soon become to realise that the people Carl was delivering books to needed him and the books plus the routine just as much as Carl if not more, some of the stories broke my heart if I’m being honest.

It’s a solid story with so many themes including loneliness and friendships, it’s so heartwarming and endearing.

I’d recommended this book so highly to all my fellow bookworms.

Impeccably translated from the German by Melody Shaw, The Door-to-Door Bookstore is perhaps the most wondrous novel I have read this year. I mean, what could a booklover enjoy more than reading about the power and the magic of words and novels?

An ode to literature and reading for pleasure, this book is bursting at the seams with wonderfully warm-hearted characters… well, apart from one exception, but she carries a lot of baggage so I’ll forgive her. It is also a book about friendships found in unexpected place, and about the importance of community.

It is a gem of a story, one that will make you reach for your books with one hand, and for your loved ones with the other!

#blogtour

I adored this book. The writing was truly beautiful and transported me on the Book Walker’s journey. Things I REALLY loved about the book… Schascha and her little yellow coat. She was intuitive and kind and just the right amount of obnoxious. (?self confident), the people buying the books, the story- a book lover’s dream! Things I didn’t lové quite so much….. the Book Walker’s almost obsession with Schascha (this could be the school head in me!), Sabine (very well written, intensely dislikeable!, the story seemed to end abruptly- though maybe this was because I so wanted more? It seemed to build up for ages and then just stop. Oh and that Schasch’a father had no repercussions from hurting Carl so badly. Perfect read, beautifully written- but I would have liked more

The Door To Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn is a very charming novel that I loved.
There is a serene beauty to the tale which is about books and friendship. Characters bond over books, as books are a great leveler. People of different ages and backgrounds unite over books. Books bring out the best in us. The walking bookseller knows just what each of his customer’s wants – but is it what they need?
A young nine year old girl is wise beyond her years. She watches, and takes in everything. She knows what people need, even though they don’t say a word. She loves books too and this makes her a misfit at school.
The friendship between the walking bookseller and young girl is beautiful to watch unfold. He is reluctant to engage with her at first but her enthusiasm is infectious. She is loved by all his customers. We, as readers, love her too. She is a breath of fresh air, brightening our day.
I absolutely adored The Door To Door Bookstore. The unlikely pairing of a seventy two year old man and a nine year old girl works well. Both bring out qualities in the other, and also everyone they meet. The girl is openly full of joi de vivre and is perfectly captured by the author.
I loved the stray cat named Dog. He was also a misfit who wandered the streets, joining with the other two misfits. They all bonded.
This was such a charming and beautiful read. I am sorry it is ended.
I will leave you with my favourite quote:
“Within each book lies a heart that begins to beat when someone reads it.”
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Is there anything that a book lover loves more than a book about books? I am sure that it is appealing to most of us, and this is a good one! And given that this was originally published in Germany, this love is worldwide.

Carl Kolhoff has worked at the City Gate bookstore for many years, almost considered part of the owner's family. But things are changing. His boss has retired, and his daughter Sabine has taken over and is making some changes. Carl's job is to hand deliver books to a select group of customers. He knows exactly which book that each of them needs, and he meticulously wraps each book ready for delivery. Carl has made up literary nicknames for each of them, and whilst he would like to have a more personal interaction but his own rules prevent him from getting too involved. One of his main rules - he delivers alone. Well, except for the cat he has named Dog.

Among the people he delivers to are an impeccably dressed woman whose smile never reaches her eyes, a nun who refuses to leave her nunnery, and a man who reads to the the works in a cigar factory as they roll the cigars.

One day, Carl is not pleased to be joined by a young girl called Schascha, despite his protests. She doesn't respect his rules and soon his interactions with his customers are changing. This is not the only thing that is changing. The kind of service that Carl provides doesn't really have much of a future in this world where you can order online, but the question is, who would Carl be if he wasn't the Book Walker?
There were so many things to love about this book. Obviously, a book about books is already a bonus, but adding in things like a heartwarming cross-generational friendship, and the development of community makes it a winning combination.
I thought in closing, I would share a quote about readers:
Carl divided readers into hares, tortoises, and fish. He himself was a fish, allowing a book to carry him in its current, as its pace moved between fast and leisurely. Hares were speedreaders, hurtling through a book and promptly forgetting what they had read just a few pages earlier, forever needing to flip the pages back to check. Tortoises flipped back too, because they read so slowly that months passed before they finished a book. Every evening they would read a single page, then fall asleep. Sometimes,they would read the same page again the next night, because they weren't sure how far they'd got. Each of these animals could, at a moment's notice, transform into a curious lapwing, leaping to the back of the book to see the ending first, before reading the rest. To Carl's way of thinking, that was like going to a restaurant and eating dessert first. Of course it was sweet and delicious, but the anticipation fueled by the preceding savory courses was lost.

Regardless of which animal a reader was, opening a new book was always a significant moment. It made Carl uneasy each time. Would it live up to the expectations generated by title, cover, and blurb. Would the language and style succeed in moving him?

This reader's expectations were definitely met!

This book was billed as being like A Man Called Ove, and I can see why. It has similar charm, and is very well written, with strong characters driving the narrative.

Carl Kollhoff works for a bookstore, and every evening he delivers books to those that can't get to the store. When his boss has to go into a home and his boss' daughter takes over, his time delivering books should be terminated too. However, Carl can't bear to leave his customers, that he has begun to think of as friends, and he continues delivering books - financed from his own pocket. Carl's life is slowly changed by a 9 year old girl called Schascha who opens his eyes, and his heart, to the world around him.

A beautiful story with wonderful characters which will leave you smiling .

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62192261-the-door-to-door-bookstore

All the bookish feels and love for this one!! I can never turn down a book that’s about books or a bookshop, and this one underlines why I love them so much!! Understanding that connection between books and people is here for all to see and it’s just such a wonderful story that it left me loving books even more!!

We are introduced to Carl who is a bookseller who loves and understands books and readers well! He is so committed that he even delivers books to the customers, knowing the right books for them and getting to know his customers really well. He lives on his own so visiting the customers brings him comfort and companionship.

But one day he has a young girl tagging along with him, despite him not being so keen but she’s very persistent and tags along at a distance. But her eagerness to ask questions and keep him company override that and she’s soon a really pleasant part of his day. It also seems to perk up his customers, who fall in love with this inquisitive young girl and begin to open up about their lives. She really is the sweetest!!

But the bookshop starts to go through changes and not in a good way and his way of life is being threatened. You really sense the importance of just how big a part of his life that books and delivering plays to him and it’s so touching and wonderful to see how things begin to pan out.

It’s a wonderful story full of humour, emotion and all the good things about books!! highly recommended!!

The Door-To-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

The bookseller Carl Christian Kollhoff delivers books to special customers in the evening hours after closing time, walking through the picturesque alleys of the city. These people are almost like friends to him, and he is their most important connection to the world.

When Kollhoff unexpectedly loses his job, it takes the power of books and a nine-year-old girl to make them all find the courage to rebuild their bonds with each other.

My Opinion

This is such a sweet read about an elderly gentleman who is determined to share his love of books with others. I was drawn in by the concept of this book and it turned out to be a real page-turner. This will appeal to book lovers and as it is a relatively short book, it is easy to squeeze into a weekend. This is a book that won't be easy to forget.

Rating 4/5

There is a book for every reader......................

The Door to Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn is a fantastic work of fiction that is going to be definitely etched in your heart. The book is a perfect masterpiece for lovers of Midnight Library. The story starts from a bookstore run by Carl, he thinks that there is a book for everyone. Carl with Schascha, his new friend embark on an adventure of delivering the book orders. The most fascinating thing about the plot is the relation between a book and a reader. Carl's character is amazing who has devoted his whole life around books. He loves to give books to people. The other characters are totally distinct from each other. For every character, there is a different book. It was lovely to read a book that touched my heart. You will witness lots of books and people and who knows may be you will also find a book made for you.

It is not just a book but an emotion that a book lovers share with their book. Definitely, the book deserves 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for providing me with an opportunity to read and review the book.