For many of us early December is a time to relax and unwind at home, before getting out for various Christmas dinners and New Year Eve´s parties at the end of the month. This time Marina and I have selected five great reads – three for adults and two for children.
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
Richard Osman- an author, producer and television presenter – has made a name for himself with his previous two murder mystery novels, The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice. Both were multimillion-copy record-breaking bestsellers all over the world.
In his third novel – The Bullet That Missed – a decade old case leads our characters to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers. Elizabeth´s mission is to kill – or to be killed. See how she gets on in this fantastically entertaining page turner of a book.
The Nordic Baker by Sofia Nordgren
From mystery murder to something very different and much more serene…baking! The Nordic Baker is described as a collection of “plant-based bakes and seasonal stories from a kitchen in a heart of Sweden. Sofia Nordgen “guides you through a year of baking” and “invites you to keep thing simple, go back to basics and cook with nature n mind”.
The book is full of stunning photos on locations and general tips and tricks related to the Nordic way of life. Sofia´s Lingonberry roll cake reminded me of a similar roll my mother and grandmother used to make with plum jam – a real seasonal treat for the autumn. For Christmas, she shares her own take on hot chocolate for the kids and mulled win for the adults.
Stories of Trees, Woods and Forests by several authors
From mystery murder to something very different… Stories of trees, woods and forests is “an enchanting anthology of tales by a surprising mix of writers who have been inspired by trees”, edited by Fiona Stafford. It is a part of a beautiful hardback series by Everyman´s Pocket Classic that includes Stories of the Sea, Christmas Stories and a couple of dozen other collections.
I particularly liked A Tale by Jane Austin, but also The Shade of Spring by D.H. Lawrence and Love by Yuri Olyesha, whose work I have not read till now. There are 29 stories in total and you could read one or two each evening during Advent, as an alternative to an Advent Calendar.
The Gruffalo and Friends Advent Calendar Book Collection by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Talking about Advent Calendars, I think you will be hard pressed to find a better calendar for any kids in your life than The Gruffalo and Friends Advent Calendar Book Collection by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler!
First of all, this large book is visually stunning and I guarantee that it will put a smile on the face of any little recipient lucky enough to get children’s favourite monster this Christmas. Secondly, the calendar is made up of 24 mini books, one for each bedtime story during Advent, meaning that your little ones might start looking forward to their bedtime routine. There are even several new, never published books in this collection.
Kid Christmas of the Claus Brothers Toy Shop by David Litchfield
Last but not least, Marina and I would love to recommend another gorgeous looking Christmas themed children´s book. It is about a boy called Nicky Claus (clever character naming, don´t you think?) who is working with his three uncles at Claus Brothers Toy Shop. One of the uncles adds a special, magic sparkle to each toy, meaning that it will find a perfect child it is meant for. There is a little love story in there too, some sad social issues are discussed, but – as it should be at this time of the year – there is a happy end to it all!
About Marina´s Book Club
Marina also runs a couple of popular monthly book clubs in English and Spanish at La Salina. The English book club is usually set for the first Monday of the month and lasts for about 1.5-2h each time. You can check La Salina´s Instagram account for the currently read title and the date for December, get the book at La Salina and join the club by messaging Marina.
Word count: 730
La Salina Bookstore
C/ Bayarte 21 Palma
Instagram: @lasalinapalma
Web: www.lasalinapalma.com
Text: Mia Naprta
E-mail: mia.naprta@gmail.com
Instagram: @mianaprta
Photos: Private archives
