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Review: The Midnight Bookshop

The Midnight Bookshop The Midnight Bookshop by Amanda James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

🌅 A bookshop that only appears when you need it most—what reader could resist that premise? The Midnight Bookshop invites us into the lives of Jo, Adelaide, and Kye, three strangers weighed down by secrets, disappointments, and broken relationships. Each stumbles across a mysterious flyer that leads them to Fay’s bookshop, where the motto is simple but powerful: “You don’t choose the book, the book chooses you.” From there, their paths begin to shift in unexpected ways, suggesting that stories can help us rewrite our own.

At its best, this novel is warm, comforting, and steeped in the quiet magic book lovers will immediately recognize. The underlying themes of healing, resilience, and friendship shine through, making this an easy, cozy read for a rainy afternoon or a lazy beach day.

That said, the execution didn’t always match the promise of the premise. The multiple points of view were tricky; while Jo, Adelaide, and Kye each had compelling struggles, their voices sometimes blurred together, and the dialogue occasionally fell flat. I also found the second half weaker than the first—after the characters uncover the messages meant for them, the narrative feels stretched and less impactful. In addition, some storylines, like the depiction of abuse and crime, lacked the nuance and realism that could have made them resonate more deeply. I was also left wanting to know more about the bookshop itself, which remained a more mysterious device than a fully realized setting.

Still, despite these flaws, I found comfort in the heart of the story. The reminder that books can guide, heal, and connect us is always welcome, even if the delivery wasn’t perfect. This isn’t a novel that digs into the raw complexities of trauma or human behavior, but it doesn’t need to—I felt it was meant to be a gentle, uplifting tale about second chances and the quiet ways stories can change our lives.

If you’re a bookworm drawn to stories about stories, you’ll find something to enjoy here. Just temper your expectations: The Midnight Bookshop offers comfort more than depth, magic more than realism.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
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