The Little Christmas Library has everything I crave from a christmasy contemporary fiction
An atmospheric setting, a warm and cozy feel, great characters, a plausible plot linking all the different characters and good writting.
Unfortunately I just couldn't get into the narration style. I just didn't emotionally connect to the characters.
Apparently I'm not a fan of third person omniscient narration.
But since that is a me problem and overall I still enjoyed the book I will not hold it against it too much.

I should have known better than to touch this book. Fluffy, cutesy, cozy. Words that I am not the target audience to be moved by. BUT. I thought 'come on, it's Christmas. What harm can it do to you?'' Well, other than wasting a week of my life reading this drivel?

The premise is perfect. However, a fine premise doesn't guarantee a good result. Far from it. We are talking characters that have no substance. Dialogue that is painful. A plot that is non-existent. A character called Frankie that should have never been born in the mind of the writer. Talking dogs. Idiots who fall in love at first sight.

You know what is worse than a cutesy, Christmassy novel? A cutesy, Christmassy novel written by a man.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for a fair and frank review.

This was a fabulous book and encompasses Christmas spirit on every page. This was about creating a mobile library that provides a safe space for lonely people to come together. Beautiful story.

This was miles away from my usual genre but I fancied a quick Christmas read and this delivered! It's not often I laugh at books and this book tickled me for sure. There are definitely bleak parts, it's a true reflection of the state of things in the UK these days with the need for warm spaces and lack of funding for votallresources, but at it's heart it was a festive tale with a sprinkle of Christmas magic.

The "Publife" chapter was genius and I've had the Blur song in my ear all afternoon now 😂.

Santa, for Christmas can I have a magic mobile library please?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Netgalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author.

Christmas spirit and Christmas magic rolled into a fabulously festive read. Great characters and a novel that will warm your heart. Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author for the chance to review.

Molly moved back to her home town of Merry-le-moors following the breakdown of her relationship. The town seems rather misnamed at first being a rather bleak ex-mining town but the magic of the little mobile library that her dad drives helps to bring together a rather unlikely and diverse characters together. This is a bit different from the typical Christmas rom-com set in the Highlands or Cotswolds and I absolutely loved it.

This has a sweet festive central idea: a travelling library brings a group of lonely misfits together at Christmas. Unfortunately, the narration style affected my enjoyment of the story itself.

I struggled with the attempts at dialect, the ‘talking’ dogs, the swearing, and the mystery narrator who interrupts (no, we would never have figured that out from the ‘clue’).

A story with a heart that perhaps isn’t told in the best way.

Little Christmas Library is a light hearted seasonal read for book lovers. After being unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend, Molly heads back to live with her Dad Jack in the northern town of Merry-le-Moors. Together they run the mobile library and encounter Cliff, an elderly man in search of friendship and a place to go.
I enjoyed the characters of Jack and Cliff especially, although some of the way the sweary Northern characters were portrayed grated on me a little.
Overall, a warmhearted book that helps get one in the festive spirit!
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, it’s the perfect warm and fuzzy Christmas read. The story builds well and is perfect for those cold evenings with festive snack and a warm drink.

Small town cosy Christmas vibes - loved the northern setting and characterisations! This was done so well and made me feel right at home.

I really enjoyed how each chapter focused on a different character - the narrator was giving us the info and insight we needed to get a a good sense of the character in that chapter. This really added to the small town cosy feel and enabled me to get to know the characters well.

What I loved most about this book is how it’s so reflective of how life actually is - it’s perfectly encapsulated small village community coming together to help those in need. From an elderly man who can’t afford to help his home, to widows who just want some company and helping small local businesses so they don’t go under. There’s just something about this book that I found so special.

The way everyone’s stories interconnect, yet the book still flows really well. Even though the omniscient narrator takes us through the story from the perspectives of multiple characters, swapping each chapter to focus on a different person, the story fits together well.

Overall a really cute holiday read that I would highly recommend!

ARC copy provided by Orion & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the perfect festive read that offered comfort, romance and a sprinkling of Christmas magic.
I really liked the characters within the story and adored the relationship between Molly & Jack, offering the sweetest father/daughter bond. I liked how you can evidently see their character development as the story progressed and the way they each navigated their grief, was so well written. They each got their own happy ending and this was so nice to see.
I adored the mobile library! It sounded so perfect and I loved how it brought such a diverse group of people together. They were each in need of company and you can see how it helped each of them throughout the story and they all offered friendship, strength and love to one another.
I really liked the Christmas magic at the end and it was such a nice ending to the story, that you couldn't help feeling so happy for them all.

I loved the sound of this book from the synopsis, but unfortunately, I didn't gel with the writing style. If you enjoy more character driven books then this one is for you. I definitely don't think it was bad in anyway, just not for me.

Firstly, I'd like to say that this is not the cozy Christmas story that the cover and title imply.

After the death of her mother, Molly left her childhood town of Merry-le-Moors to start a new life in London. Ten years later, after a failed relationship, she returns to live with Jack, her dad, and finds everything has changed. All of her friends are married, and have their own homes, the community is struggling financially - no jobs, people can't afford to heat their homes, and the new supermarket is taking business away from the local shops.

It's a story about the lost and the lonely, friendship and families, fighting for things that you believe are worth fighting for, racism and at times, is very political..

It took a few chapters for me to get into the author's writing style, but when I did, found it hard to put down. I loved the magical ending, with Jack being the true hero of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for letting me read a copy of this book in return for my honest review

It took me a while to get going with the book, I think that was just a writing style I’m not used to, but once I was in the book I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was great, it made me feel nostalgic and warm and happy. I’d definitely be up for reading more from this author.

I wanted to read this book for a cozy Christmas feel.
Unfortunately I could not get into the story and did not enjoy the writing. I decided to DNF it.
Thank you Netgalley and Orion Publishing group for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Small town cosy vibes ✅
Christmas setting ✅
Friendships and new beginnings ✅
Magical Christmas spirit and a united love of books ✅
What else could you possibly want from a book? I absolutely loved this festive read!
Perfect for fans of Sally & Libby Page.
A heartfelt and heartwarming book!
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, I’ll be recommending this to everyone at book club!

Charming book set in a small town. Showing the power of libraries being a hub for people to meet in a warm place. Friendships developed and new new beginnings. Neve judge a book by its cover!

Molly McGinley escapes London to start over in Merry-le-Moors. Already, it has the feel of a cosy read. It has lots of festive warmth, with an edge.
Molly's dad, Jack is inspirational! He's lost his wife and yet he shows resilience and positivity and helps Molly.

There are cute dog moments, community and friendship amongst real issues the UK is facing today in-terms of the future of libraries hanging in the balance. It also addresses loneliness, but also the upside being that a librarian can ease this, even if it's just for a while.

The connection between the challenges being faced and something festive is well-written and works well.
It's not schmaltzy, but there is romance and the connecting of people that does give it a festive heart-warming feeling that's well-worth investing in.

I was looking forward to reading this book as the description made it sound like a really exciting, cosy Christmas read. Unfortunately, I was left feeling rather disappointed. I found the book to be rather boring and predictable. I didn't find the characters particularly likeable. The writing is all over the place, suddenly jumping between character viewpoints and internal monologues, often without warning, which made it hard to follow at times. I found it very difficult to get through this book as it didn't grip me at all, I spent the whole time waiting for something unexpected to happen, but that something never came.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a proper Christmas story, with all the typical things I would expect, the magic of Christmas, girl meets boy, a tragic back story. I love these kinds of reads, you can just switch off and get lost in the world set in front of you. This book contains a plot twist, a narrative from someone runs through the book, but so we find out who's telling it?? Each chapter has a title, which relates to what you're about to read. Molly has left London to move back with her dad, she starts working in his mobile library and connects with many people along the way. I enjoy reading books for pleasure and this book was a lovely read.