The Bookshop on the Shore (Scottish Bookshop, #2) by Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this 2nd book I have read by Jenny Colgan and in the Scottish Bookshop series awesomely narrated by Eilidh Beaton!!!! Zoe is a mess, a single parent living with a selectively mute son in London barely making ends meet while his father, Jaz, does his own thing (not around and not helping pay for Hari's needs) and worse yet, Hari adores his father who calls his son, Bro! When things look really bleak Zoe gets 2 job offers in Scotland by way of Jaz's sister, Surinder (from the first book, Bookshop on the Corner). But as Zoe dares to hope things will get better she realizes the family she is the 7th Nanny for and live on the shores where the Loch Ness monster is sighted has many failings- an absent father, angry daughter, and 2 sons who all eat cereal with a mean maid who has lived and worked there all her life. But the reason you have got to love Zoe is because she has empathy, pluck and a can do attitude; there was lots of humor, sadness, and mystery in this book and I could not put it down. Even during Covid, this book kept me hopeful and rooting for Hari, Zoe and the kids! A must read!

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Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray

Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a great story of loss, bullying, and ultimately the power of friendship. Three friends from England decide to "take" their dead friend's ashes from the family home and spread them in Ross, Scotland which Ross talked about constantly. Friends Blake, Sim and Kenny are best friends who feel that their friend Ross's funeral did not honor him as the great person he was in life. They go through adventures on trains, in taxis, on motorbikes, meeting girls, bungee jumping and confronting their own involvement in their departed friend's final days. Each of the three friends have to cajole, embarass and psyche each other throughout the book to do this one last act for their friend,Ross. The only problem I see is that this book is so English teens will not understand their grammar, slang, etc. and may not persevere which would be a shame because this is a rollicking good, funny, sad, and in the end, redemptive read.



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