Confessions of a Curious Bookseller: A Novel

Before such things as Facebook and emails existed, authors sometimes wrote books called epistolaries, written strictly in letter form and other typically non-fictitious, nonnarrative prose. One of the most famous is Dracula, made up of letters, ship logs, telegrams, diary entries, doctor's notes, and newspaper clippings. (Other books have used letters to great effect, like Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, even if the rest of the book is standard narrative prose.) This book takes that old writing format and adds a modern twist. It is told strictly in emails, tweets, texts, and other electronic forms of communication. Parts of it are certainly laugh-out-loud funny, but as a whole, I found it to be an unfulfilling way to show plot and development, though it is pretty good for showing characterization. Because essential elements were missing, however, I ultimately found myself disappointed in the book. Kudos to the author, though, for trying such a literary experiment.

I can't even finish this book. That's how much I dislike the protagonist. She's whiny, self-absorbed, stuck-up, and not as intelligent as she thinks she is. I think the modern twist on epistolary novels can be fun, especially in a light-hearted read, but much of this was like reading online comments--painful and disheartening. The stuffy bookish woman trope is one I often enjoy, but only when the heroine has some redeeming qualities. I hope this author will try again, but give the reader some reason to hope for (or even care about) the main character's redemption.

I love indie bookstores and wanted to like this book. But the main character is someone I couldn’t like, not even a little. To me, Fawn wasn’t funny or endearingly quirky; she was petty, incompetent, dishonest, unkind and self-absorbed. The jokey parts fell flat. The use of emails to tell the bookseller’s story felt outdated and already done. The plot in which someone is opening a rival bookstore nearby — ditto. Overall, this book was boring when it wasn’t downright irritating. I couldn’t summon any empathy for, or interest in, this pathetic shop-owner. Although the author can write, in this effort she didn’t create an engaging character or tell a story worth reading.

tells the story of a daughter trying to rise above her father’s expectations. Dueling bookstores is something I’m quite familiar with. Back in the 80 - 90’s I was highly involved in the superstore phenomenon that plastered green & white free standing chain book store locations in most A, B an C sized cities across the US. Independent stores were greatly impacted and many of the ideas implemented in this story brought back tho’ts from those days. It was akin to the online explosion that undid that transformation. Change is hard both in business and in one’s personal life and the heroine of this story is dealing with both. Fawn is the epitome of the charming, quirky, nerdy bookstore owner. Her store is part of the neighborhood, her employees are family and she takes care of the alley cats. When a new, bigger, brighter store comes to her block, it is almost complete devastation and the bulk of the story is Fern’s battle plan for survival. The story is told by way of e-mails between Fern and her 3 employees, her family, the new store owner, and everyone she deals with. There’s no dialogue, per se. History on her character is filled in by way of a diary and snippets that appear in lengthy entries of letters between her and a long time pen pal. Family relationships are difficult and long distance with lots of issues. Fern is a flawed character but somehow manages to evoke empathy. Her heart is good and she does have the ability to look at herself honestly on occasion. I like characters that show the ability to grow and change over the course of a story; it makes them more relatable. The cast of characters in the bookstore are all younger and make good counterpoint for the story. Author, Elizabeth Green, is best in this element. The descriptive portions are adequate and there really isn’t true back and forth dialogue due to the epistolary nature of the book. It is written without any foul language, sexual content or violence and could be enjoyed by anyone. My only criticism for the book is that the time period seems out of place. Perhaps it’s my own experience but the plethora of e-mails between characters seems out of keeping for 2018-2019. I’m 60 something and even my friends and I text most of the time or call on the phone. My youngins text each other sitting on the same couch, in the same room! It’s just a bit incongruous. It’s not enough to ruin the book but it did tick around from time to time. Easy to read, highly enjoyable and relaxing without offense; makes “Confessions of a Curious Bookseller” a worthy FirstReads title📚

I like the idea of this book. But the main character was so incredibly terrible that it made me hate this book. I can appreciate a book about flawed humans, but she has no redeeming qualities and is downright terrible to all of the people in her life. That being said, I like the way this author writes. I like her descriptive moments. I'm not a huge fan of reading a story told through notes and emails, but it worked just fine. I'd be interested to read something else the author writes in the future but I couldn't get past how terrible of a person with zero redeeming qualities the character was.

Cruel, vindictive, certainly not funny. Glad I did not pay for it, total waste of time and money. Author should be ashamed of herself.

I found the electronic delivery of plot and characters through text, email and so on, BORING! Forced myself to read for a while but couldn’t get very far. One star is too much!

I was browsing the titles for Amazon Prime's First Reads program and was debating between a few of the titles offered and while I clicked on a DIFFERENT title to actually read, this one got downloaded and was NOT a title I was interested in reading. Very disappointed that I'm not able to return it and therefore am now stuck with a title I didn't even want and unable to get one I actually wanted to read for free.

This month I was getting a little tired of reading mysteries and other "serious" stories. I was in a hurry and didn't read the reviews as I normally do. I saw this one and the term "hilarious" was used. So I "purchased" it. I am now on page 79 and it will be the last page read. First of all, I don't remember even a slight chuckle up until now. As has been written by others, this is a boring read. The protagonist is a self absorbed, completely unsocialized, manipulative, whiner. Enough! I quit!!

In my youth, a book called UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE, by Bel Kaufman, achieved best seller status. A movie was made from it. CONFESSIONS OF A CURIOUS BOOKSELLER takes it's cue from the same style of literature, which, admittedly, is not for everyone. The epistolary format relies on notes, letters, email, emessages, diary entries, all collected and presented in order, to tell the story. In the whole book, there are no quotation marks, because there is never any active face to face conversation going on. And what a story! Fawn is a woman of a certain age, who lives a dull, repetitive, life. She has come from a less than happy childhood, and it becomes apparent that her coping mechanism is her imagination. She lost herself early on in great literature, and by projecting her literary self into every aspect of her life, she can survive. Within is an echo of 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL', with old and new competing bookstores; the made-up persona swapping that is the lynchpin of a number of classic Hollywood screwball comedies, from IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, to MRS. DOUBTFIRE. There are picturesque Dickensian details, presented with some of the same (now pretentious) language that one might find in a typical Victorian book. There is poignant loss, uproarious humor, and the interesting linguistic accidents accomplished by emailing when not sober, and living without a lot of common sense and good use of an education. (It did strike me as incredibly odd that Penzance was misspelled as Penzanse. In that case, I'm not sure whether we were being treated to a glimpse behind the stage curtain, or just stumbling over a proofreader's oversight.) This is a book that needs to be read with attention to detail, in smaller bites perhaps, rather than ingested at a single sitting. It is marvelously crafted, imaginative, atmospheric, and most enjoyable. Still, it may not be for everyone. I must take exception to other reviewers who could only write that it was a one-star book because they didn't like the main character, or the format. An unlikeable character is no reason for a poor review. That sort of shallow dismissal overlooks attention to detail, vocabulary, structure, atmosphere. The movie GOODFELLAS was well constructed, with (to me) believable dialogue, great costuming, stunning cinematography, and the pinnacle of great acting. It was a fabulous movie. But, I didn't like it. I didn't like the ugly lives that were portrayed, the subject matter... I never would watch it again. But, I'll be the first to say, 'Wow! what a movie!' I felt exactly the same way about PULP FICTION: dynamite acting, great work on script, story, costumes, camera, lighting...but in the end, people I wanted nothing to do with. But - it still was a great movie. Our heroine sails gallantly through life, adrift on a sea of genteel poverty and languishing Victorian architecture, insufficient love and advancing years, but with a soul that burns with literary fervor, recreating herself as a character within her own life's story. This is a lovely piece of fiction; I trust it will be followed by more work that is as carefully constructed.

Before such things as Facebook and emails existed, authors sometimes wrote books called epistolaries, written strictly in letter form and other typically non-fictitious, nonnarrative prose. One of the most famous is Dracula, made up of letters, ship logs, telegrams, diary entries, doctor's notes, and newspaper clippings. (Other books have used letters to great effect, like Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, even if the rest of the book is standard narrative prose.) This book takes that old writing format and adds a modern twist. It is told strictly in emails, tweets, texts, and other electronic forms of communication. Parts of it are certainly laugh-out-loud funny, but as a whole, I found it to be an unfulfilling way to show plot and development, though it is pretty good for showing characterization. Because essential elements were missing, however, I ultimately found myself disappointed in the book. Kudos to the author, though, for trying such a literary experiment.

I can't even finish this book. That's how much I dislike the protagonist. She's whiny, self-absorbed, stuck-up, and not as intelligent as she thinks she is. I think the modern twist on epistolary novels can be fun, especially in a light-hearted read, but much of this was like reading online comments--painful and disheartening. The stuffy bookish woman trope is one I often enjoy, but only when the heroine has some redeeming qualities. I hope this author will try again, but give the reader some reason to hope for (or even care about) the main character's redemption.

I love indie bookstores and wanted to like this book. But the main character is someone I couldn’t like, not even a little. To me, Fawn wasn’t funny or endearingly quirky; she was petty, incompetent, dishonest, unkind and self-absorbed. The jokey parts fell flat. The use of emails to tell the bookseller’s story felt outdated and already done. The plot in which someone is opening a rival bookstore nearby — ditto. Overall, this book was boring when it wasn’t downright irritating. I couldn’t summon any empathy for, or interest in, this pathetic shop-owner. Although the author can write, in this effort she didn’t create an engaging character or tell a story worth reading.

tells the story of a daughter trying to rise above her father’s expectations. Dueling bookstores is something I’m quite familiar with. Back in the 80 - 90’s I was highly involved in the superstore phenomenon that plastered green & white free standing chain book store locations in most A, B an C sized cities across the US. Independent stores were greatly impacted and many of the ideas implemented in this story brought back tho’ts from those days. It was akin to the online explosion that undid that transformation. Change is hard both in business and in one’s personal life and the heroine of this story is dealing with both. Fawn is the epitome of the charming, quirky, nerdy bookstore owner. Her store is part of the neighborhood, her employees are family and she takes care of the alley cats. When a new, bigger, brighter store comes to her block, it is almost complete devastation and the bulk of the story is Fern’s battle plan for survival. The story is told by way of e-mails between Fern and her 3 employees, her family, the new store owner, and everyone she deals with. There’s no dialogue, per se. History on her character is filled in by way of a diary and snippets that appear in lengthy entries of letters between her and a long time pen pal. Family relationships are difficult and long distance with lots of issues. Fern is a flawed character but somehow manages to evoke empathy. Her heart is good and she does have the ability to look at herself honestly on occasion. I like characters that show the ability to grow and change over the course of a story; it makes them more relatable. The cast of characters in the bookstore are all younger and make good counterpoint for the story. Author, Elizabeth Green, is best in this element. The descriptive portions are adequate and there really isn’t true back and forth dialogue due to the epistolary nature of the book. It is written without any foul language, sexual content or violence and could be enjoyed by anyone. My only criticism for the book is that the time period seems out of place. Perhaps it’s my own experience but the plethora of e-mails between characters seems out of keeping for 2018-2019. I’m 60 something and even my friends and I text most of the time or call on the phone. My youngins text each other sitting on the same couch, in the same room! It’s just a bit incongruous. It’s not enough to ruin the book but it did tick around from time to time. Easy to read, highly enjoyable and relaxing without offense; makes “Confessions of a Curious Bookseller” a worthy FirstReads title📚

I like the idea of this book. But the main character was so incredibly terrible that it made me hate this book. I can appreciate a book about flawed humans, but she has no redeeming qualities and is downright terrible to all of the people in her life. That being said, I like the way this author writes. I like her descriptive moments. I'm not a huge fan of reading a story told through notes and emails, but it worked just fine. I'd be interested to read something else the author writes in the future but I couldn't get past how terrible of a person with zero redeeming qualities the character was.

Cruel, vindictive, certainly not funny. Glad I did not pay for it, total waste of time and money. Author should be ashamed of herself.

I found the electronic delivery of plot and characters through text, email and so on, BORING! Forced myself to read for a while but couldn’t get very far. One star is too much!

I was browsing the titles for Amazon Prime's First Reads program and was debating between a few of the titles offered and while I clicked on a DIFFERENT title to actually read, this one got downloaded and was NOT a title I was interested in reading. Very disappointed that I'm not able to return it and therefore am now stuck with a title I didn't even want and unable to get one I actually wanted to read for free.

This month I was getting a little tired of reading mysteries and other "serious" stories. I was in a hurry and didn't read the reviews as I normally do. I saw this one and the term "hilarious" was used. So I "purchased" it. I am now on page 79 and it will be the last page read. First of all, I don't remember even a slight chuckle up until now. As has been written by others, this is a boring read. The protagonist is a self absorbed, completely unsocialized, manipulative, whiner. Enough! I quit!!

In my youth, a book called UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE, by Bel Kaufman, achieved best seller status. A movie was made from it. CONFESSIONS OF A CURIOUS BOOKSELLER takes it's cue from the same style of literature, which, admittedly, is not for everyone. The epistolary format relies on notes, letters, email, emessages, diary entries, all collected and presented in order, to tell the story. In the whole book, there are no quotation marks, because there is never any active face to face conversation going on. And what a story! Fawn is a woman of a certain age, who lives a dull, repetitive, life. She has come from a less than happy childhood, and it becomes apparent that her coping mechanism is her imagination. She lost herself early on in great literature, and by projecting her literary self into every aspect of her life, she can survive. Within is an echo of 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL', with old and new competing bookstores; the made-up persona swapping that is the lynchpin of a number of classic Hollywood screwball comedies, from IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, to MRS. DOUBTFIRE. There are picturesque Dickensian details, presented with some of the same (now pretentious) language that one might find in a typical Victorian book. There is poignant loss, uproarious humor, and the interesting linguistic accidents accomplished by emailing when not sober, and living without a lot of common sense and good use of an education. (It did strike me as incredibly odd that Penzance was misspelled as Penzanse. In that case, I'm not sure whether we were being treated to a glimpse behind the stage curtain, or just stumbling over a proofreader's oversight.) This is a book that needs to be read with attention to detail, in smaller bites perhaps, rather than ingested at a single sitting. It is marvelously crafted, imaginative, atmospheric, and most enjoyable. Still, it may not be for everyone. I must take exception to other reviewers who could only write that it was a one-star book because they didn't like the main character, or the format. An unlikeable character is no reason for a poor review. That sort of shallow dismissal overlooks attention to detail, vocabulary, structure, atmosphere. The movie GOODFELLAS was well constructed, with (to me) believable dialogue, great costuming, stunning cinematography, and the pinnacle of great acting. It was a fabulous movie. But, I didn't like it. I didn't like the ugly lives that were portrayed, the subject matter... I never would watch it again. But, I'll be the first to say, 'Wow! what a movie!' I felt exactly the same way about PULP FICTION: dynamite acting, great work on script, story, costumes, camera, lighting...but in the end, people I wanted nothing to do with. But - it still was a great movie. Our heroine sails gallantly through life, adrift on a sea of genteel poverty and languishing Victorian architecture, insufficient love and advancing years, but with a soul that burns with literary fervor, recreating herself as a character within her own life's story. This is a lovely piece of fiction; I trust it will be followed by more work that is as carefully constructed.

Uproariously funny? Not in the least. This story wasn’t even slightly funny. How is alcoholism, elder-abuse, and fraud supposed to be funny? I kept waiting to get more invested in the characters. After the first 100 pages, I skipped to the middle, in hopes that something might inspire me to hang in there. I ended up fast-forwarding to this review. While the author mechanically writes well, she developed several characters that were truly unlikeable. The only one I partially enjoyed was the ‘nemesis’ and even then, he was too accommodating to be believable. No one with enough business sense to create a thriving small bookstore in just a few short months would roll over as often as he did with that shrew. And, I just don’t buy it that the three employees would’ve stayed at the bookstore as long as they did, especially with no heat, no working bathroom, and an increasingly weird set of job requirements. It was just too strange to even be considered quirky. Why did Prime offer this book as a First Read? In summary: yuck.

I chose this from my First Reads options because the blurb was intriguing, and it was the only upbeat book in the bunch. It was not clear that this was written in epistolary form, something that should be referenced in the blurb before people commit to buying this. Yes, I got it for free but it is going on sale on January 1 and readers need to be forewarned. I don’t mind books that interweave epistolary with other narrative but really haven’t the patience to wade through an entire book that is written in this form. I got to 18% before I just couldn’t take it any more. There was certainly a plot developing, but I, like many other reviewers, found Fawn truly unlikeable. If someone like Fawn is going to be the central character, then she needs to be surrounded by more compelling characters than were actually in the book who are able to offset her neediness, pettiness, and general lack of perspective about the world. She was not cute or funny and those she corresponds with took her very seriously, which only served to emphasize her unlikeability. I stopped out of the book and deleted it from my library.

I chose this book as my Prime free book for the month of December because the review made it sound lighthearted and funny. What a disappointment. The book is a series of whiny, boring complaints by a quite unenlightened character. Especially in this dark, sad year of 2020, nobody needs more complaining nor has the patience for petty whining. One star was required. I gave it grudgingly, with the hope that the author will find a more appealing topic for her next book.

Although the format was a little Interesting I found that the owner of the book store was not funny but Devious and untruthful. I really didn't like her. I only read about 8% of the book before I just quit.

I do not understand the negative reviews! I really enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would after reading some of the reviews. This book is an adorable blend of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and 84 Charing Cross Road. Bookseller Fawn is deluded, funny, tragic, and frankly, a pathological liar. I won't reveal more but I totally related to her. If you haven't read 84 Charing Cross Road and other epistolaries like it, this might be a different book to read but all the emails and short notes are delivered in bite-size pieces so they're easy to read. I found myself waiting for certain characters to pop back up to see how they react to Fawn's increasing fantasies and/or hostilities. I laughed out loud several times. Maybe I related to her too much because my dad had me and my brothers working in his jewelry stall when we were children. So, I understood her workaholism and mingled fury at her lost childhood. I really cared about her and the strange, hard life she had that led to her being A Curious Bookseller. If you love books, if you love people who love books, and if you even vaguely love cats, I highly recommend this book. It is one of the best ones I've picked from Amazon First Reads.

It is hard to understand how I can enjoy a book so much even though I throughly disliked Fern. Talk about rose colored glasses, and epic grudge holding. Fern is a consummate liar, necessary for her to always appear to be right or the victim of other’s nastiness. The more I read, the more I got fed up with her, and the more I was hooked to this story. What a talented author who can pen such an unpleasant character that has you subconsciously rooting for her and wishing an epiphany to find pleasure in her life. Unusual but captivating.

I loved reading this book. Many books do not hold my interest, but this well-written e-pistolary novel is by turns hilarious and excruciating. The narrator's persona is brilliant, acerbic, funny, and sad. Her cranky resistance to the father/family she resented and the book-store ownership she chose produces laugh-out-loud jokes and disturbing surprises. I admire the author's skill in bringing such a complex character alive. Fawn's creative, but self-destructive, attempts to deceive others (no spoilers of the wonderful schemes she comes up with) made me smile and tear up at the same time. Having been a voracious reader for most of my life, now in my retired 70s, I was delighted to come across this book to help me jump-start my renewed resolutions to tackle piles of books. Good job by Elizabeth Green.

In the classic tradition of Dracula and Frankenstein we are introduced to a new monster via their correspondence. I'm guessing other's have done this, and digital reality has certainly been a part of film fiction, but this is the first full length modern novel I've read using this old style. It was not nostalgic, it was in fact very refreshing. Spoiler alert: like all the best monsters, it turns out she's actually human.

I got about a third of the way through this book and just couldn’t anymore. It’s the letters/emails/diary ramblings of a bitter, nasty, old woman who doesn’t seem to notice how obnoxious she is. There is no actual story to go with it, at least in the first third of the book, to break up her outlook on everything, which *might* have made this more bearable. As it is, I’m glad I didn’t spend money on this book.

This was one of my Amazon First Reads picks. It sounded interesting in the blurb I read. It started out interesting but . . . well, once I realized how Fawn was trying to fool others I was less sympathetic to her. I started out feeling sympathetic to Fawn as a new bookstore moves in down the street and competes for her business and hoping that Fawn's bookstore would survive. I had to ask an English teacher if "The Curious Cat" had a particular connection to Mark Twain. But then... -Fawn pretends to a pen pal that she has an entirely different life than what her is truly like. (If it was only this, I probably would have looked past it.) -Fawn is the owner, but she seems to shovel a lot onto her employees and just expect them to comply. (Such as telling them at the last minute that they have to work certain days. I'm not saying it's wrong to have days that retail employees must work, but it should be spelled out when they're hired or at least a month in advance so that they can make their plans accordingly.) -For being the owner, Fawn doesn't seem willing to jump in to do many of the tasks that her business requires. She seems to constantly be asking others to do tasks instead of doing them herself. -Fawn seems to jump from one scheme to another trying to draw people into her bookstore. She spends money on some of these schemes that might be better spent in other ways IMO (such as repairing the customer bathroom) -Fawn tries to hide what her life is like from her parents and sister, painting a rosier picture of her business than it really is while making excuses as to why she can't come see them. -Fawn's business proposals to some of the other businesses that she wants to "partner" with come off as her being very entitled. She demands discounts--to be fair she does offer discounts in return, but I can't see everyone wanting discounted books in exchange for their services. She might get better results if she approached the caterers with a budget and said "Is there anything you could do for this amount?"

I was so disappointed in this read. Supposed to be a light airy fun humorous book. Sadly it’s about a blackout drunk bookseller with Daddy, sibling and Ethical issues. I’m local to Philly which is the setting of this book. But the author does not use the setting very well. Nor is the setting of the curious bookshop believable. The book seller has structural issues with the property that aren’t solved appropriately. Perhaps that is due to the blackout drunk episodes eluded to. I don’t know. But I haven’t taken this much of a dislike to a book like this in a long time. The format is disturbing to. The story is told in a series of emails and journal entries. Ugh. I hate that I spent 5 bucks on this. Looking over the reviews I wonder. Did I read the same book as the others?

This book is a refreshing and entertaining delight! I read a few comments before giving this books a shot and was pleasantly surprised from the ride i went on. The quirkiness of the protagonist( Fawn) made me laugh sheerly from how ridiculous her mindset is and how she can easily justify all of her actions. The best part of the book is its modern style of writing. I was hooked from page one cause i expected a straight ahead novel. But my own curiosity was peaked instantly from having to figure out the significance of the first email message. I was soon sucked in and needed to know who was gonna be next to be entangled in the ridiculous(and mostly self-made) turmoil of this curious bookseller. Will be ordering this for friends as a great way to start off 2021 my peeps!

This was my pick for Amazon First Reads. The reviews weren't that great, but I have liked epistolary novels, so I thought I would give this one a try. The protagonist is eminently unlikable and I questioned her perspective on the world. I'm okay with this, though, because Fawn was like any other person -- sometimes our perceptions are slightly different than the reality. This was a fast read for me. I liked the side characters, especially Jack. There was some comic relief. Overall, I felt pity for Fawn. I liked this book. I feel that the negative reviews were looking for a sympathetic protagonist. That's not really the idea here -- towards the end, the reader starts to see glimmers in Fawn, but she will always be Fawn.

This book was a completely different type of book then I usually read. It was taunted as being hilarious. I didn't find it that way at all. It was kind of sad to me but I am happy for how it ended. I am glad I read it. Sometimes different is nice. Thank you for reading this review.

I don't usually pick up a book like this but, once I started I couldn't lay it down. Very entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.

This is one of the cutest stories that I've read in a long time. I absolutely love the way that it was written. The characters are fantastic and one is crazier than the next. I loved everything about it and had a hard time putting it down. I highly recommend this book.

I must have missed something in the book description because I wouldn't have picked this title if I had known the entire story would be told through a series of unending emails. My work life is all emails...I read to escape from that tedium. To add insult to injury, the author relied on the reader paying attention to all of the info in the message header. Who does that??? I found myself having to page backwards to learn that Fawn was sending an email at 1:00 a.m., or that emails were sent in close succession. And then getting annoyed because it really didn't matter. Fawn, the main character, was odd. Not even quirky and cute. Just odd. So if you like reading someone else's emails about odd people, go ahead and give this a try. Plus, the ending was predictable, yet far-fetched in the way the author got there. I tried to like this book. I'll email you later to let you know what I really thought.

Middle-aged Fawn, bookstore owner and lover of email communication, is the lead character in much need of serious therapy. In fact, tweak this book with a different title and a darker cover image, and it could move to psychological suspense. Told through Fawn's emails, diary entries, blog posts, and the responses of her family, employees, childhood pen pal, and bookstore competitor, the story follows Fawn's self-delusions, manipulations, and bizarre world view. The epistolary style is interesting and makes this an easy read, and there are some humorous moments - mainly the reactions of the people who have to deal with Fawn. However, most of the time I kept muttering, "Why isn't she in a hospital or jail?" (I won't even touch on Fawn's treatment of her elderly tenant.) This isn't a bad book. It just isn't my cup of tea. I need someone to root for - good or bad - but what I ended up rooting for was the various cats to make a meal of Fawn.

I have often gone thru my correspondence with family members and surprise myself with what is written. This book takes that format and runs with it. I did find myself backtracking a few times because of the lack of background location but all in all the storyline was strong. I found the main character slightly irritating, witty, A bit rude at times; basically she was a true reflection of many of us .

I'm so grateful I didn't pay for this book. The premise seemed promising but our main character is such a grumpy jerk that I seriously cannot get past 20% in kindle. It's awful. She is so mean and self centered. Lying to herself, lying to people who care about her, and being rude to everyone else. Maybe it gets better, but I will not waste my time finding out Also, it's completely in email correspondence format, that was fun and quirky in the early 2000s but now, it's just more of what I'm doing literally all day. No thanks.

I must be a glutton for punishment. Like some other reviewers, I was seriously considering bailing out of this story before even reaching the halfway point. Unlike them, I decided to press on and read through to the end. I did find the main character, Fawn, incredibly irritating. Words beginning with the letter "d" kept popping up in my head to describer her and her behavior, such as deceitful, duplicitous, and delusional. Fawn is convinced that the owner of the new bookstore down the street is the enemy, even though he is nothing but friendly and professional towards her. She is proud--but not in a good way, more like a snobbish way--and she doesn't have anything to be proud about! She is manipulative and tries to force her own way upon people even after they have told her "no." She has concocted an outrageous fantasy life that she maintains with a pen pal and she is always making exaggerated claims (lies) about how "well" her own business is doing when in fact the store is failing and literally falling apart. She claims that she is far too busy to visit her ailing father despite repeated pleas from her mother and sister. She spins yarns about how fascinating her business and personal life are and makes blatantly snide remarks to said mother and sister, implying that they are too stupid or provincial to relate to what she is telling them. Oh, and she clings ferociously to the belief that her life was utterly and irredeemably ruined by her father because he made her and her sister work in the family store when they were growing up. So yeah, I did not like her one bit. I thought Fawn was going to be "curious" in the delightfully odd and quirky sort of way. She's not. If the reader can stomach reading the tale, they will eventually be rewarded in that Fawn finally does have some revelations about herself but they come very late in the story. I am just glad that I received this book for free as an Amazon First Reads selection, and did not pay for the privilege of slogging through it.

I got this book as an Amazon First Reads. I was drawn in by the title and the unique way the story was told through emails, social media posts and some journal entries. At first, I wasn't certain I would be able to finish the book because I found Fawn so incredibly unlikeable. She reminded me of the worst boss I ever had but x 1,000! Her audacity coupled with a complete lack of self-awareness was PAINFUL to read. I was about to DNF but then I thought to myself that if a writer can create a character that I dislike THIS MUCH, doesn't that speak to the skill of the writer? So I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. I moved from nearly hating Fawn, to pitying her, then finally to feeling proud (?) of her. Perhaps not proud, but just glad to see that she had evolved a bit. While I might not like WHAT Fawn said, I enjoyed the WAY she said it. She was quite verbose and at times even eloquent. I gave the book 3 stars for having a character that may not be likeable but was certainly fleshed out and made the reader feel something. Also, there was a great deal of humor in this book and I didn't find it predictable. It was enjoyable but I don't know that I would suggest it to a lot of my friends, also I was confused for the first 20% as to exactly how old Fawn was so I didn't quite know how to picture her in my mind. I would also like to have seen more out of some relationships and side characters but I won't go into that in order to avoid spoilers.

I don't normally quit books before the end, but I couldn't even get through the first chapter. The main character is a thoroughly dislikeable, self-centered, nit-picky, whiney shrew who lies with impunity for any reason or no reason. When deciding whether or not to break it off with a guy she's been seeing, she can find nothing wrong with him except for his having spilt soup on his shirt during their most recent date. She even manages to make his virtues sound like vices (opening the door for, having a stable income,etc.). She even criticizes his interest in trains. She refuses to go see her aged father, who is in hospice care for dementia. When addressing her family, she whines about how he made her slave away in his store while she was growing up, while in another missive to her pen pal, she waxes rhapsodical about the very same childhood experience prepared her for running her own shop. She calls on her employees to do everything from helping her figure out her email to fixing the bookstore toilet, and preferring to spend Thanksgiving weekend with their families to working in the store on Black Friday is an unforgiveable sin.

I'm struggling to finish this mess of a book. It's not at all as advertised -- nothing funny here. Just a whiny, opportunistic, mean-spirited, and pathetic woman who views life through a miserable window of her own making. It's hard to be even slightly sympatehtic towards her. Most og the other characters don't merit much more credit either, as they mostly contribute to their own fates as well. Despite the afvertising for this book -- it is anything but uproariously funny. In fact, there is little to even crack a smile over. As the book wears on, I only find myself shaking my head at not only Fern (which should be her name), but the author too -- who has chosen to assault the reader with this drivel. Amazon monthly free book chice -- these have been getting very poor as late with "test" books being offered to unsuspecting readers who are looking for something GOOD to read -- not to be guinea pigs for a new author's debut. Please stop this, Amazon. Free doesn't have to equal "awful." As a footnote -- I finished thsi book. Ugh. It really is every bit as dreadful as it seems. But the real prize is at the end of the book in the "About the author" section. Would it really hurt o use gender specific pronouns? Elizabeth Green is not Queen Victoria, so the whole "they" and "thekr" nonsense only confirms the tediousness of this author's approach to her craft. So much BS -- in the book and in her own self-description. Pretentious rubbish. Elizabeth Green "lives with their husband and their two cats." What? Glad this was a free book.....

From the description, I expected to love this book. Unfortunately I didn't. There was nothing particularly funny about the antics of the delusional, bitter main character. If your main character is unlikable, please give me someone else to like. None of the other characters were developed enough to be likable. I almost stopped reading several times - I was losing patience with the main character's behaviour. But I decided to keep going. The events leading up to the ending were a bit too contrived to seem realistic. Still, I'm glad I read the whole thing. It was a good example of how childhood affects the adult we become, how siblings have different opinions and memories of said childhood and how people hold on to their misconceptions. This book offers an interesting look into these subjects if you can tolerate the abrasive, pathetic main character.

I came into this novel with an open mind. While it was well written and I enjoyed the different style it was written in, I did not enjoy the seriously flawed main character. I *somewhat* disagree that you cannot base your review rating on whether or not you liked a character. Had the main character had any redeeming qualities or was likable in ANY way, reading this book would have been a breeze, and an uplifting escape, which is exactly what I thought it was going to be. I would have given a full 5 stars had this book had a main character who was actually enjoyable. However, our main character was unlikeable, dishonest, a thief, and quite frankly, not a very good pet caretaker, friend, family member, or basic human being. She had zero redeeming qualities and was difficult to read about or empathize with. I couldn’t connect with her. While she had a small epiphany at the end, it was really far too little, too late for her in my book, after all of her many, many transgressions. Reading Confessions was a lot like a train wreck. I tried to put it down and look away, but inevitably, I could not be pulled away from the wreckage. For the fact that I actually completed this novel -mainly because I kept thinking, “This woman couldn’t stoop any lower, could she?!” this gets 4 stars from me. It is a testament to the author that I actually finished this in a sitting. So engrossed was I in this awful human being that I couldn’t put this down. This book just really made me think of how too many everyday people out there are like our protagonist: jaded, sad, and always thinking the world is against them when really, it is they who are holding themselves back. They spew nothing but hate into the world and expect to get praise from everyone else. Not the escape I had hoped for based on the description, but something that made me think nonetheless. If you are looking for some light reading that is fun, funny, a nice escape from the world, this isn’t it. If you are looking for something different from the norm with an awful main character with zero ethics, this may be for you!

Spoiler..... When l realized the form this book was going l almost stopped reading. 1st person is not my favorite type of writing. So glad l didn't. You rooted for the main person, then wondered if she was crazy, then cried for her. I couldn't put it down. I really liked this book.

I really wanted to love this book, I even went over halfway in on it and I usually LOVE reading books about bookstores.. But I dont actually like the main character in this one. I understand it was supposed to be semi-sarcastic, I got a few chuckles here and there, and I did think the style was good so I gave it a 2 star but I only got a real glimpse of the character when we got bits of her diary. She just seemed whiney and had 0 character development. I read some bits that I thought, Oh! This could turn out to be a game changer, but then it fell flat. I cheated and read some of the last few pages, it doesn't appear to turn around until the last 10% which means it would have been another 100 pages of depressing content but it didn't like the protagonist may have changed a bit. Maybe im not the right audience but this is a moment when im glad I read it for free..

I was surprised to see so many poor reviews for Confessions of a Curious Bookseller. I then noticed that a lot of those customers didn't bother to finish the book! I'll admit, the main character Fawn is deeply flawed personality-wise but THAT is what is so intriguing about her and this story! Her interactions with others are cringe-worthy, to say the least, but it led me to not being able to put the book down at times. I caught my jaw down to the floor, shocked with Fawn's decisions and her communication choices with her family, staff and other business owners in her community. I feel that those who did not enjoy this book, may not have understood the humor (and tragedy) behind it all. This is NOT a romanticized Nora Roberts novel where the characters are TOO perfect - no money problems, flawless bodies, just happen to find and marry their soulmate within three hundred pages... this is about a woman who owns a used bookstore who you more than likely would not enjoy being around if you met them in real life. I felt Elizabeth Green took a giant leap with this one and I can NOT wait to see what they surprise us with next. Sybil C. (Just kidding... my name is Rachel - that's just an inside joke for those of us that thoroughly enjoyed this literary masterpiece.)

I had a high school English teacher say once that a sign of a well-written character is if they evoke an emotional response from you. By that test, Fawn is a very well written character, as she is so unlikable I stopped reading the book about a third of the way through. I've stuck with some terrible writing, and this wasn't bad writing, it was just a character so unlikable I could not have cared less how her story ends. She's a liar, selfish, dilusional and she is a crappy family member. If she were a friend, associate or relative of mine, I would have cut all ties/blocked all media/told her to lose my number. In the year we had, the last thing I wanted to do was spend any more effort reading a book about someone so unlikable.

This was somewhats interesting but about 150 kindle pages could have been taken out of the middle. Multiple times I skipped pages and pages. I think protagonist was supposed to be charming but I found her grating. Her verbosity was not charming and her tricks against competitor were seldom cute. I kept hoping she would just close the bookstore in mid-sentence and check herself in to a mental facility. Author writes well but needed to move the story along better. I will point out that I didn't abandon the book altogether.

I love reading brooks in the form of letters, but this book was unique as the main character was so incredibly flawed. I laughed my way through the book and found myself rooting for her to get over herself and find happiness. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The feature of this story that first attracted me was the unusual form it took. The story is told through the blog,journal, and emails of a middle aged bookstore owner. She has been in a long,hard unsuccessful struggle to stay afloat. Initially she is not a likeable character, and I was kind of questioning my reading choice. But the twist and turns as the main character evolves are worth reading on. This book is worth the time invested.

As soon as I purchased this book I started reading. I loved the way the author kept me hooked. I had to keep reading until it was finished. Lighthearted reading and quit enjoyable.

I went into this book with such high hopes. I love epistolary books, I love books set in bookstores. And the bookstire us set in my hometown of Philadelphia! What could be bad? The protagonist is Fawn, who is the longtime owner and proprietor of the Curious Cat Bookstore, a used bookstore, the kind I love to poke around and can haunt for hours. A shiny new bookstore opens down the block from her and she immediately begins plotting how to put it out if business. She estranged from her family in Norristown, mostly her doing as they often ask her to come visit. She goes to her father's funeral, but that's about it. For the non-Philadelphians reading this, it's about a 30-45 minute ride, and I think the Reading Railroad might go there, so this is a self-exile. The part that made me stop reading about a third of the way through and skip through the rest of the book to see if there is redemption or an epiphany or anything that makes slogging through 400+ page book about a disagreeable, lying, sneaky, bitter woman who thinks she is erudite when she is actually pretentious. I suspect the reader is supposed to feel sorry for her, but do many of her problems are self-inflicted, often caused by her own obliviousness. I think there is a relatively happy ending of sorts, if one can believe her and that it is really happening. At that point, I had no idea.

This book was written in an unusual format. Instead of dialog, it is written as a series of letters and journal entries. They are very revealing of the booksellers personality and reminded me of one of my friends. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Like many have already said: I have a softness for quirky bookstores and quirky characters. I'm also the sort of reader who *will* finish even a speak book just to have the satisfaction of completion even if the read itself isn't stellar. I was looking forward to relaxing with this over the holidays. But... Just over 20% in I found myself annoyed and started skimming. By 30% I decided it wasn't worth the irritation. Main character is hardly amusing and comes across as entirely self-serving and self-centered. I know it is fiction but I also started to feel bad for her fictional employees and the annoyance/discomfort she foists on her fellow fictional business owners. The writing itself: totally fine. Even the kind of worn plot (competing business moves in down the street) could have had legs with the right lead character. Maybe the author just did too good a job making Fawn disagreeable. Just...blech. Save yourself the annoyance and find something better to do with your time. (Maybe clip a coupon and a comic and put them in the mail to *your* mom!)

I was so looking forward to reading this novel. A book about books? Yes, please! Then I realized it was written exactly like the emails of Coco Pinchard which I found to be hilarious. I made an effort and read 77 pages (16%) of the book hoping it would get better. The writing and grammar were well done, the main character Fawn. I disliked her. When I read a book I want to root for the main character, I would love to have them over for a cup of tea. This one I would ask her to place duct tape over her mouth so I wouldn't have to hear her be rude, uncharming, pretentious, always being the victim when she is in fact the victimizer, this woman has no redeeming qualities. On the bright side the book was free however, I believe I should have been paid for the time I spent reading this novel. Luckily no trees were harmed in the making of this novel as it was an e-book otherwise I would have forced myself to read it all so the tree would not have gone to waste. I hope this author does continue to write something that is uniquely hers instead of doing a Coco Pinchard knockoff. I believe if she would be able to write a protagonist who is charming and witty I would very much enjoy her writing.

The writing style was unusual and I personally found it very hard to get into. I kept wanting to like the main character, but simply could not. She literally wanted her employees to work for free, she stole from her tenant, she was clearly an outrageous liar; just very unlikeable all round. Because of the characters inability to relate truth in her “diary” or “blog”, I found it questionable to even believe her ending. Not to be a “spoiler”, but are we meant to believe she changed in the end and was going to lead a better, truthful, and/or more interesting life? Maybe I missed something but the book was not compelling to me....sorry.

I love epistolary novels like this one. I've had my local librarian run a search for them years ago until I figured out the method. When this popped up, I grabbed it, and it did not disappoint. Fawn Birchill is one of the worst characters in literature by her own words. She's horrible to her family, employees, shopowners, her tenant, and dates. Her used bookstore is terribly run and like none I've seen. For example, no one brings in books for her to buy, conditions are nauseating, and books are filthy and beyond help. By the time a competitor moved down the street, were there verisimilitude, the business would have been bankrupt and the building condemned. Fawn spends nearly nine months trying to denigrate and run out her competition. There's no bottom to her chicanery. I found it to be cleverly written and an excellent character study. I recommend it for any who are up for an unrepentant MC.

This is a fast-paced, contemporary reading experience. Contemporary in that the story's entirety is revealed in the written communications of the protagonist, i.e. E-mails, texts, journal notes, etc. and the responses. The characters, the metaphors, the human condition and the revelations, are brilliantly conveyed in the modern fast-paced style of electronic communications of the written word. I loved it! I spent the entire day squeezing in completing this book between my own commitments because I was totally engaged. It is nearing midnight, and I have finished, and am so pleased I let myself get swept up into it. The story illuminates the struggle of finding oneself, defining oneself, within and separate from one's upbringing. It is a meaningful story with lessons throughout, yet presented with lightness and humor. This is a thoroughly entertaining read on so many levels. Two thumbs up!!

There were some great moments that had me laughing out loud in this book and I really loved the protagonist, Fawn- she had plenty of flaws and a much bigger and bolder personality than one usually sees in a book’s main character. She reminded me a lot of Moira from the show Schitt’s Creek, and actually, I think if you like that show, you’ll probably really like this book! The plot was kind of thin, which wasn’t the point, anyway- the excellent character development meant a lot more to me. I did, however, get a little annoyed with Fawn’s lack of tech-savvy. She’s not very old (midfifties) and talks about refusing to get a smartphone, etc. She’s younger than my grandparents, who happily text and adopt new technology when it suits them (including smartphones for a while now!) and it felt a little silly to see her made into an outdated stereotype of an “old person”. This book was written in 2018- maybe if it were 2008, I could see that being a little closer to accurate, but definitely not in today’s world! That being said, I definitely enjoyed reading this book, and it made for a fun way to spend a few hours.

From the beginning - a with-the-times (cool and hip), neat way to write (and read)! The short correspondence(s) with the many different players were easy to read, and engaging for the short-game aficionados. Ms. Green has, perhaps, invented a new genre? The multiple storylines are not for the simple - strike that - they ARE for the simpleton, and the analytical, and the educated, and so on. I would certainly sign-on for another, and another...The writing style is fun, and the content? “Relatable” as they say today. Never a dull “page”!

As a ravenous reader, I am committed to finishing every book I start. This book was no exception, though it was painful to get through. I confess that I found myself skipping great swaths of it, skimming only lightly to ensure I didn't miss anything of import. The main character is seriously flawed, a vindictive liar, most notably. Even though we see an epiphany at the end of the book, I never did get the sense that she truly let go of her past, only that she subjugated it in favor of more selfish pursuits. In the end, I felt sad...for myself for having wasted hours on the book, and for the main character, who had a chance to learn something deeply but chose to skip along the easy path instead.

A lot of the negative reviewers have said how terrible a person the main character is and that’s why they didn’t like the book. Well, they are right, Fawn is a terrible person, but in a way that many of us are terrible people. Perhaps those reviewers saw her in themselves and that bothered them. All that to say, I think she’s still redeemable, and her actions speak to someone who has been hurt, who is dealing with a failing business, who feels like the world and technology are leaving her behind. It’s actually really well done, and while I at times laughed aloud and inwardly cringed at her actions (selling her elderly tenant’s furniture, making her employees work for almost nothing, etc) I still related to her and felt sorry for her, and in a way, rooted for her (while hoping she’d stop being mean to her mom and sister). The email/text/blog posit format makes this a quick and engaging read. And as a bibliophile and Anglophile who has had my share of feeling awkward around people, and who tends to speak pretentiously without intending to, I couldn’t help but appreciate and relate to Fawn.

I almost always have to finish a book. Not so this one. After 20 pages, I couldn't bear being in that petty, self-centered, dishonest, two faced dramatist's head another second watching her abuse the people she was writing. 400 pages of that one sided relationship was too much. I've known people like this character. The kind of people that make life for the rest of us hell. Reading this dribble was like forcing my brain to walk through broken glass. I can't think of a book I've disliked more. I scanned through and read the last page and it was more of the same. So glad it was free. I do feel bad for wasting my free monthly Kindle though. Well, there's the library...

Fun and entertaining! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The main character Fawn was such a personality! Life in her bookstore was never perfect but her normal was far from dull. Of course her love of cats never hurt my feelings a bit either. In my reading of a wide variety of authors and subjects, first books are always gems.

I read the WHOLE book! This is important I think. Because this is a WHOLE book, full circle kind of story. Scrooge is not a likable character, and this main character is pretty terrible lol & it’s done on purpose! You can tell by the pert responses & reality checks she gets from those around her. The author does not think Fawn is a likable character, is not trying to convince the reader that she is a likable...it’s made very clear that she’s a super messed up alcoholic with daddy issues & she is a very broken person. What I liked: The writing style! And that it surprised me. It’s a story that starts off seemly campy...but takes you down a very philosophical & pensive path. The story is woven & structured very carefully & cleverly. Nothing is wasted. Which I really enjoy in plot making. Things that seem random come back around in surprising and satisfying ways. The main character is basically on a journey of self discovery & it gets... surprisingly deeeeep. Her seemingly rambling tellings about her days spent working with her father as a teen & how much she hated it. —Then you see later in the book the same scenes being recreated where she is doing the same things her father did. There is so much symbolism in this book I can’t possibility spell it all out without giving too much away. I will say that she is a very frustrating character... she’s crashing and burning. It’s a bit like the characters in “It’s Always Sunny”. She’s just becoming more & more of what she claims she hates. But.... there are nuggets of hope along the way. And near the end—does she get redeemed?? And become—gasp!!! Likable!!? Lol I guess you will have to read to find out. — The competing book store is not what you probably think it is. And is also probably not used how you probably think it will be. Fawn creates all her own drama in her life... nothing comes to her. She literally creates it. She a manic whirlwind lol. I just want to say that this book is not about romance. If that quells your fears. Kinda of refreshing actually... it really is about a woman...a Scrooge of sorts... realizing why they are the way they are...that maybe what they are fighting isn’t worth fighting. But all written very wittily & with unannounced visits from her mother while in her bathrobe, & with a mysterious magician named rainbow who does headstands on her bookstore’s roof. — What I didn’t care for? It breaks in a bit slow—at first I was wondering why this author was writing on & on with this egotistical character but about a third of the way in you get correspondence back from her family where you begin to understand. Ah. Yes the author is explaining to us...that indeed this woman is a jerk. And this book is about her internal journey. And about Fawn coming to terms with her weaknesses. But it takes a bit until this is revealed. Which is why sadly I think so many people read just a ways in & said “whoa! No way!” Another thing I didn’t care for was certain details that were dragged out too long. Like the Christmas party........& the decorations & how to do them. Or not do them. Boring. And it did nothing for the plot. Nothing for character development. It just felt like filler. But this was not most of the book. Most of the book was deep. Very fun to dig into once you knew everything was connected & going somewhere. And once you knew Fawn’s personality is headed somewhere as well. It a funky book. And maybe it’s too honest about how flawed we all are when we feel hurt or broken. I found the book really unique & well written. Writing style plays in big with me in as to how well I can enjoy a book. It’s also very creative with its characters & voices. This book deserves more stars on Amazon. You can’t judge this book from just the first few chapters. It’s a full circle kind of book. No one would like “Christmas Carol”, if they didn’t read it all the way through. Don’t judge Scrooge on just page 2!

I see the less than stellar reviews here but I am going with a three. It did take me a while to get into the swing of things. At the beginning of this epistolary novel (told through emails, "Parrots" (Tweets), Yelp-like reviews and journaling), I was a more than a bit annoyed and perplexed by Fawn the Curious Bookseller from the title. Actually, I thought she was a brat. Somewhere about halfway through, I decided she was just tragic and I had to see what happened. Can I say that I really wanted Fawn to get some comeuppance? Something to would merit the crimes she had committed (some petty, some unethical, some downright horrendous). I thought the ending was a bit too tidy and that her transformation from brat to a somewhat empathetic person was a bit strained.

So glad this was a free book. Hated it. Don't like the format and the main character is horrible. Supposed to be funny no doubt, but in actuality it is uninteresting and a hard slog. Wish I had picked a different one...

The main character in this story is self-centered, self-obsessed, and seems fairly out of touch with reality and how to have any amount of grace in the world and lacks any display of kindness to others. I kept thinking something would happen and she would have some epiphany that would redeem her negative and consistently snarky nature, but I have officially given up after getting 3/4 of the way through the book. Reading it just made me want to drink wine and drown my sorrows, as the main character does repeatedly in this book. I’m really at a loss as to how this book gets the discription it does as it is ultimately dark and a real downer, and the style in which is written is awkward and a challenge to follow. If this writer continues to write, I certainly hope her next book includes a main character with some redeeming and likable qualities (besides her love for cats). The writer clearly is witty and displays the potential to be quite humorous, I just hope she can hone that skill in her next endeavor and create a main character who is likable and one worth cheering for.

That the entire book is written as emails and other electronic communications didn't bother me. This book was so hard to read. I couldn't stand Fawn and the ridiculousness of every scenario. I get that we all lie to ourselves at times but the way she antagonized the people around her while she lied to herself and everyone else just drove me nuts. I kept wondering why her employees would even work for her. Most of the time this book made me feel uncomfortable. It is not a fun book, it's kind of dark and sad. I wish I hadn't wasted my First Read on this book.

I got about one third of the way through this book and couldn’t read anymore. The entire book is letters between the characters, none of which are likable, but the most boring is the main character, a middle aged bookstore owner who does dirty deeds to everyone she knows. She makes her employees work for free, steals from an elderly tenant, insults people, lies monumentally, and has no love for her family of origin, either. Her only semblance of caring for another being is her feeding of alley cats and her own Butterscotch. I quick skipped the rest of the book and it never gets any better.

I read for enjoyment and to put the workday behind me. This book, however, is over 400 pages of emails, texts, blogs,etc. This is not written in normal book format. It felt like being back at work. I gave up at page 78 and deleted it from my reader. The description mentioned e-correspondence, but not 400+ solid pages of it. Very disappointed! The description should have been more upfront.

I started reading this in the "look inside" sample. When I got to the end, I bought the book. Read the first half in one sitting and the rest in the second sitting. I couldn't wait to see how it ends, but I didn't want it to end. Thank you for crafting such a compelling, funny, touching, cathartic read.

I selected this book as my December First Read because I wanted something lighter than my usual fare. Based on the Editor’s notes describing it as an “incredibly funny and smart novel” and a “sparkling gem of a tale”, I made this selection. Imagine my surprise then, when, after reading about 25% of the book, I thought about not continuing. I always finish what I start, and so I continued. It didn’t get either funny or smart, but I persevered... Alas, I have now finished “Confessions of a Curious Bookseller”, and, although I never review books I don’t like, I am making an exception because of the Editor’s Notes... The bookseller herself seemed like an unhappy individual who made everyone around her unhappy. As a lover of used book stores, I’m not sure I would have frequented her emporium and would have chosen the one down the street as did many of her customers... 8

Imagine the movie You've Got Mail, substitute the lead character with the person of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "bouquet") from the UK sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (or, if you've never heard of her, David Brent from The Office, or heck, even Donald Trump will do), add some toxic black mould and leaky toilets, and you have this quirky little story. As stories go, it wasn't bad. But for dull readers like me who mostly wander around the non-fiction aisles, it has other mighty uses too, like recommendations on what great fiction books learned people should read if they don't want their friendly, cat-loving local bookseller to think them dim-witted and hopelessly under-educated. First, I must say, as some others have posted here, that it would be a mistake to down-star this book simply because the main character is, well, a bit of a tosser. And to leave a review when one hasn't even finished the book is just lazy and insulting to the writer. So please stay silent if you have not read to the last page (and no, I am not the writer of the book nor a stalker of hers nor a fond pen-pal; I am a fair and just person who likes to read reviews of books both before and after I buy and read them). There - 'Fawnism' over. Now to the meat and vegetables of my review. I was not halfway through this book before I was thinking, "Genius. This woman is a genius!" After finishing it, however (and finding out the author is actually E-gender), I wasn't sure what to think. It starts out like a rickety old train. I'm not used to epistolary novels but I grew to appreciate the brevity. It also made me think, rather than spoon-feeding me the plot, which was refreshing. About a third of the way through, you really start to get into it. If you are like me and live for quirky characters with obvious flaws, you become addicted. Then you round a corner and everything starts to go really fast, a lot is happening, and you're expecting a nice, juicy denouement bringing together all the great characters you've grown to love throughout the book ... and it never comes. ***Spoilers*** After getting to know Sam, Kyle and Angela, I was expecting a reunion at the end. These three people supposedly become Fawn's family, since she never deigns to visit her biological one. They do all the dirty work in her store and bear the brunt of her sharp-cornered ego. Then they end up working for Mark who then buys Fawn's bookshop. So where are they? Like Rainbow and her many "objets d'art", they pull a vanishing act. Are we supposed to believe they're not important to the story? (Or less so than a few cups of coffee re-materialising on a counter?) This didn't sit well with me, especially after the icky things Fawn writes about Angela on her blog. I wanted some payback. I wanted Fawn to be made accountable and made to feel uncomfortable and be forced to put things right. She's let off far too easily to escape into the sunset, and I feel like I'm being manipulated into feeling sorry for this lying, self-obsessed, people-using, in-ground pool-fawning, bitter old bag. I felt I needed a sizeable epilogue or even a sequel in order to feel real satisfaction. I get that sink holes and family deaths can change a person dramatically, as can bonding over cats, but the ending of this book failed to hit the spot where I feel everything is coming together and just falling into place. It was a bit like a wonky cake that the baker packs extra icing onto, hoping nobody will notice the uneven base. Maybe I was just hoping it would be Fawn's shop that the earth swallowed up instead of Mark's; I don't know. But there was a definite feeling of anticlimax on finishing the book. What I did like was the way the emails and other posts came together to paint a picture of the various characters' mindsets and intentions. I thought that was brilliant. I also loved how Fawn, though being totally clueless about business relationships, was able to help out Rainbow and see her potential. This was a shining moment in the whole book for me. In doing for Rainbow what possibly no other human being ever had, Fawn transcended her abusive father's legacy. I also liked how I was able to get a whole picture of Fawn's family relationships, especially with her sister, who is a much more easy-going and forgiving person than her. It's a very grown-up book that can make you stop and not take sides but love everybody in the book for themselves. Even Fawn. Though probably the most difficult character I've ever had to sit through, she showed what true heroism is in the end. And perhaps that's the message the author wants us to take away, that is, the nature of a hero. They're amazing at those golden moments when they show up to save the day; but what are they like at other times? And should the world cut them a little more slack? Are they annoying because they're simply struggling under the weight of a generational curse that won't budge until a key parent leaves this earth? Or maybe, as I was thinking the whole way through the book, certain people simply have no business selling books when their true calling is obviously to open up a cat shelter and read dusty old tomes in their free time instead. What do you say, Fawn?

I'm 61% of the way through this book and omg it's so painful. It's written in the form of emails, texts, blog posts, diary entries, and store reviews, which would normally be novel and interesting, no doubt just as the author thinks her main character is. But the main character happens to be an out of touch, fully delusional and toxic person who blames everyone around her for everything bad in her life as she systematically destroys everything she cares about through her own actions. Even that should be interesting except the author clearly intends for her to be a sympathetic and quirky character that people identify with. If you identify with this character please analyze yourself and your life choices and take responsibility (also please get therapy). I'm trying hard to finish just so I can say I did, heaven give me strength lol

Made it to 49% of the stupid book, the same annoying tone throughout , no one called Fawn (the main character) out on her ‘arrogance, ignorance, and disillusionment’. The one character who I think would have been worth it is Mark from the new bookstore. Very disappointing when even at page 230, I still haven’t officially met him. Character development is slow, monotonous; and painful. I hate leaving books unread, no matter how badly written it is or how strange the plot development gets, but this book has been permanently deleted. I’m surprised I made it to 49%. We tried to read it for our book club, the other members quit at less than 5%.

What on earth? A spiteful, delusional, dishonest bookseller, who spends her days in a dream world writing letters, emails etc to family, staff etc. criticizing, whining and outright lying. I kept waiting for a big change, a reveal, something to redeem this pathetic character. Never happened. Glad I didn't pay much for this waste of time.

I rarely write reviews but this is an exceptional book. It’s very honest but also at times aggravating. So what? Do we always have to love the main character? There are unpleasant people in this world. Why shouldn’t we hear what’s going on in their heads?! I really liked hearing the ramblings of this character. And the ending was very uplifting. The book is written through emails which I actually very much enjoyed as it reminded me of daddy long legs by Jean Webster (admittedly Judy is a much lovelier personality). Read the book to the end before you judge it.

This book was not worth my time to download as an Amazon First Read. I made it halfway through this book and realized I was decidedly disgusted with the main character. Fawn is a manipulative liar who feels entitled to use and abuse her neighbors, coworkers and family to achieve her desired outcome. She can't keep her mouth shut, and needs to learn manners as well as how to be a bit less self-centered. I just couldn't finish this book...not sure I've ever reviewed a book I didn't complete, but I wanted to throat punch this whining brat. If there had been ANY redeeming quality about this lady, I may have at least finished it...but halfway in I lost hope and gave up. It was just ridiculous.

I enjoyed this book very much! It's written in epistolary style, and the author did a great job of making the main character with her many, many quirks come to life...very funny with a bit of a sad undertone, but it all ends quite satisfactorily for the character(s) and reader. Highly recommend for a fun read.

The book was written in emails and journaling. The character Fawn is a bit of a curious sort. She has issues with her past. Is not close with her family and is a bit of a loner. She has a cat named Butterscotch whom she adores. A new bookshop open up down the street. The Grumpy Mug. These two become reviles. Mostly on Fawn's part, Mark tries to be cordial. It was a delightful book. I really enjoyed it!!

I obviously should have read the description more closely. Didn't realize that this book is just a series of messages, letters, emails etc. I can't bring myself to contine reading it. The lack of a full story makes it incredibly difficult to immerse myself in the book. Disappointment is my primary emotion, a lively story about a bookstore is what I expected, a series of messages written by persons unknown and unknowable is what I got.

The title of this book is a misnomer. There is indeed a bookseller, but "CURIOUS" she it not. The main character continuously misreads events in her life to fit her own thinking, which is for the most part negative. Continuously she lies about her situation to all who care about her or try to reach out to help her. There is no true conflict with anyone but herself and her ill-drawn conclusions about other people's motives and actions. Humor is non-existent and the story-line element is absent as well. Though creative in the writing style, instead of narrative it is written through emails, texts and letters, that aspect does not overcome the lack of "story".

This "novel" appears to be written as a collection of emails and blog posts. I kept reading for a while, thinking this was all a lead-in to the actual novel, where we might get some plot and/or character development. I finally had to give up after getting so bored of random communications that I skimmed ahead and determined the entire book is this same format. I don't, if you can get far enough maybe there actually is a plot, and characters you can recognize. I just couldn't get that far.

I once read a contest winner for Vanity Fair writing about youth that was done all in texts. It was an article, so short, interesting, and brilliant. This email tome did not fit the bill. It drew me in with the title and the concept initially, but Fawn is so self-centered and self-deceptive, after a while you just can't like her. The treatment of the competition, Mark, who reaches out to her, is painful to read. I'm surprised her crew didn't abandon the ship of this self-described captain at the helm, and go work for the very successful Grumpy Mug instead. When I got through about 30 percent, I realized the book was going nowhere and stopped reading. Her relationships are all surface. If you can't be honest with yourself, how can you be honest with anyone else? It wasn't funny; it was sad.

It took me a few pages to 'get into' this book and the flow of it, but once I did... The book was described as a funny story. I actually found it kind of sad. That being said, I still found the book very entertaining.

I don't even know where to start. As someone who has been reading upwards of three to four books for over 40 years, to say that this is the worst book ever is a statement I really never thought I would make. Mostly it is because the main character is completely unlikable and is written as if the author can't stand older women and is doing their best to show anyone over the age of 50 as crazy and horrible. The framing device of emails, texts, blog posts, diary entries and social media feeds became very wearing after a while. I desperately wished for some real exposition and narration. The only thing I enjoyed about this book were the cats.

The book was free, so no loss -- except for my time. I only read about 30%. "Uproariously funny?" Not. I didn't even crack a smile. The protagonist is antagonistic. If I ever met anyone like her, I would walk away quickly and quietly, and certainly never do business with her. At least in the part of the book that I read, the woman has no redeeming qualities other than being nice to cats and reasonably kind to her elderly tenant. Pick another book!

Thought this would be a fun read but I have up on it after only reading about 7℅ of it. It takes a lot for me to give up on a reading a book. Only ever happened maybe 5 times in my 60 decades of reading! Hated the format of nothing but emails, reviews, pms, and cards. Just write a story! A reader shouldn't have dig through so much to find the story. So glad I got this for free and didn't pay for it.

I bought this book because the first chapter seemed hilarious, and how I need some laughter in my life right now, but....... the main character is deplorable, self absorbed and despicable! What a disaster of a life, and hugely hurtful to everyone around her. Simply put, its gross, and not funny or light hearted at all. WWII Historical fiction , offers more humanity than this.

It was hard to get into Confession as it is written as a series of emails between the disfunctional Fawn and all she deals with trying to run her decaying bookstore when an upscale one opens a few doors down. Her relationship with her family was decaying as well since she was still harboring grudges from her childhoods' life of always working in her father's store as what she perceived as slave labor instead of a happy childhood. Only after her father's death does she open her eyes to what is around her and try to change her life to her own instead of still trying to prove to her father that she could succeed where he failed.

The best thing about this book was the price, free. Stylistically, it was hard to read. Considerably less than humorous.

The method of telling the story via emails works well. I have known several flawed managers in my 33 year career, aren't we all flawed in one way or another? Its an interesting story that sucks one in. For some reason, there's a lot of critics of this story, but i found it easy reading and enjoyed it. Just for fun, I was also a member of an art gallery in a small town older building for several years Like this story, we had a number of similar issues to deal with like a failing furnace, an occasional intoxicated guest, bathroom issues, etc. Thats why i thought this story was quite rational/funny in its own way.

Couldn’t come anywhere near to finishing this awful book. By page 100 I absolutely LOATHED the main character, Fawn. She is selfish, entitled, and rude. There was not a single thing about her to like or empathize with. The other characters are cardboard cutouts, and there is no plot worth mentioning. Horrible and boring. It’s only the second book I will ever have permananetly deleted from my library — and I’ve been using Kindle since it first came out.

I rarely give up on a book, plowing through on the hope that the author will find their voice/way/ Not this book. at 25% through a book should have established characters, plot, setting. This book had little to none at this point. I get the format, but it just felt like uncomfortably reading someone's emails. I gave up and moved onto a book I enjoyed.

I absolutely loved this book. Fern is a curmudgeonly character for the ages - I could see her as a reoccurring character on Saturday Night Live. She is a real "get off my lawn" kind of woman, who exhibits slow growth and personal revelations as the novel progresses. I found it laugh-out-loud funny and enjoyed the unusual storytelling format.

I found this book on Amazon prime first reads and thought it would be a cute quick read. Definitely not. The whole book is in email, letters, journaling and reviews. The primary character is a book store owner in her fifties that acts like a teenager holding onto old grudges and family conflicts. It was not an overwhelmingly heavy read however it was in a format that required attention. I liked it and recommend it for anyone. The life lessons sneak in on you and give you just enough feeling without making it seem like it's harsh. Very simple. I will add more later.

The author writes very well in some ways, but the story arc had a lot to be desired. It says something about the writing that I was able to stick with the book until the end even though I really disliked the main character. There were parts that were very engaging. I loved that the main character was over 50 and quirky, but sometimes she was downright disgusting and horrible. Qualities that make a character complex are great, but Fawn was all over the place. The structure of the book, which does not have chapters or divisions is somewhat frustrating. The story is told completely though Fawn’s emails, social media posts, journal entries, etc. The reader doesn’t know how to feel about Fawn. Parts of the story are incredibly tragic and other parts are humorous. Some parts are just WTF. Fawn herself is an unreliable narrator and it leaves the reader unsure if we are supposed to be rooting for her or not. I will say, that had I stopped before the end of the book, I would have hated the book. The ending was *somewhat* satisfying, there is a bit of character growth and some resolution, but it felt like too little too late. I was not a fan of this book, but I would consider possibly trying another book from this author in the future.

I liked the format of book, written as letters, emails, and texts between characters, as well as the main character’s journal entries. I was not expecting to like the book as much as I did after reading several less than stellar reviews. I wish the star ratings had half steps- I would like to rate this book higher than three but not sure it lives up to a four star rating. Granted, Fawn is not an especially likable character, but as such she is infinitely interesting! She made me think of how many lonely people there must be out in this world who must resort to invention to sustain their sanity in life. So in a way, kudos to Fawn for successfully resolving her issues although the ending does leave us wondering if she is truly going to exist in the reality of her life rather than some flight of fancy.

I chose this for my free reading cuz the description had it sound uproariously funny and heartwarming. The narrative comprised emails, advertisements, and journal entries instigated by the main character, Fawn, At first it threw me off, but once I got used to it, it was a dynamically delicious way to get to know the characters and the story. The end appeared a bit in left field, but maybe Rainbow was that good! It also left the reader not quite sure if Fawn’s life was back in reality or starting another fantasy—could be that was the author’s intent! Got a little confused on the wording of “About the author” piece, but it could’ve been written by Fawn after an evening of wine.

I expected nothing from this book, but it immediately took hold of me. I have recommended it to friends and family purely for the hilarity value. The main character is such a well-written combination of phobias that she becomes entirely caught up in falsehoods in order to ‘sell more books’ and be more successful than her ailing father to spite him. The supporting characters are nearly as quirky and charming. Her house/store is a crumbling Victorian in a not so nice neighborhood with a new sparkly competitor just down the street. The email format is genius! I enjoyed it to the end, although 4 stars for a slight lag in the middle. Highly recommend.

Imagine You've Got Mail with a 50 something neurotic book store owner, who loves cats and pictures herself as a movie star look alike. She drinks too much. Her store is falling down physically and financially, especially when (surprise!) a new upscale bookstore opens up down the street. The entire novel is told through emails and journal entries. That got a bit tiresome. There were parts that were humorous, other parts touching, and others tedious. I've known women like our heroine Fawn, who obsess over imagined slights and events from the past. I find them tedious, which as well. Thank goodness it didn't turn out to be a romance!

What a unique tale. The author weaves emails, a few journal entries, and Twitter-type ads into a story of a woman in a downward spiral. Fawn’s life is going nowhere despite her intellectual flair. Her “loyal” employees are hiding on different floors where she shoots emails at them about every need. A pen pal from grade school provides her an escape from the reality of her hard life. Her dysfunctional family touches base via email. This story presents the reader with an electronic nightmare. Waiting for the collapse kept me reading. Ending wraps up nicely though I find it remarkable she could change.

The book was well written for an afternoon read. I just did not like the lead character. I would not have put up with her for a day, let alone a lifetime. Since I am either drawn into a story or not by the depth and personality of the characters, I had a hard time finishing this. I know it's not easy to write a book. I always try to give the author the benefit of the doubt and finish, and the quality of the writing was not the problem at all. I would have liked to see the character grow a little more through the challenges. I wish I'd have been able to like her by the end of the story.

A different sort of novel with a character (pawn) leading the way, who is intelligent, and who appears to be a bit ditzy. if that's the right word. Fawn owns a book store. We learn about her pretty much through her communications. We, as readers, are living her life vicariously. kind of like spying on neighbors, like reading their mail, Fawn appears to be both conventional (not so much) and unconventional. In her emails, she sometimes takes on a different personality, a fantasy life so to speak. Reviewed by the author of The Children' Story, About Good ad evil.

this entire book is a collection of snippets of emails and website review back and forth about the store. each one is only a page. very loosely speaking there is some kind of story to be eaked out, but it is akin to trying to figure out a person by reading their twitter feed. very unsatisfying. i’d like to read an actual book, not “excerpts from @catbookstorelady #midlifecrisis”

Update 2/15/21 - After thinking about this for a bit, I decided to add 2 more stars to my original 2 star review. This one took some time to sink in. At first it was annoying to think that it was a copycat of the movie "You've Got Mail", but after reflection I started to think about it differently. The absolute annoyance at the beginning, the sadness in the middle, and then the redemption in the end turned out to be quite an interesting story after all. 2/13/21 Another version of “You’ve Got Mail”, but not as good. It’s missing the charm. I didn’t find it funny, but actually quite sad. It was just so-so for me.

This book is notable for its modern and unusual writing style, being entirely in email format. Dry humor and a charming setting make it very readable. I enjoyed the plot very much. I had a different ending in mind for it, so was surprised and delighted with the author’s twist. There was only one happening in the book that I felt uncomfortable with, and it pertained to Butterscotch the cat.

I gave a 5 Star 🌟 because I was totally engrossed from page 1 to the ending. The beginning was very funny and full of laughs. And the more I read the more interesting the story line. I couldn't wait to see 👀 what this x?#;% Bookseller was going to do next. My applause to Elizabeth Green for an entertaining and kool book. I highly recommend Confessions of a Curious Bookseller.

I have some mixed feelings about "Confessions of a Curious Bookseller." At first I did. not like the notion of a story being told in notes, in fact, I kept waiting for the tale to begin! It is a novel -- please forgive the play on words - way to tell a story. I really thought that Fawn, the main character, was unbalanced... Which I presume she WAS. But too much centered on her being imbalanced. The other characters seemed as flighty as Fern, and Jack seemed to me an unbelievable character. I was not.impressed with this novel and may.not read anything else written by Ms. Green.

The format of this book (all emails/text) took a little bit of time to get used to, but it was a very unique way to get a glimpse into the lives of the characters. That being said, I found it extremely difficult to actually want to root for or connect with the main character. Until the very end, she really didn't have many redeeming qualities. Maybe this was the aim of the book, to show some sort of character redemption, but ultimately...I found the main character to be selfish, self-centered, and flat-out not a good person. I would still recommend someone read this book if they are interested in a relatively easy read with a unique structure. But don't expect to be enamored with the lead character.

I know this book was meant to be humorous and I did find several LOLs while reading, but I found it hard to warm to the self-delusional main character. Even at the end it seems she never grew up, although she does finally shed some of the fantasy world she lives in, I can't help feeling she will soon fantasize whatever her new surroundings will be. I wasn't overly fond of the method of using emails and a personal diary to tell the story either. I feel that perhaps I may have read this in the wrong frame of mind to appreciate it fully and that other readers would enjoy it more than I.

A satisfactory, though predictable, ending for a book that i was planning on giving 2 stars to. The main character, Fawn, is quite annoying and unlikable for the first half of the book. I was ready to be done with it after about 30 pages. But, there was something that kept me wondering how far Fawn would go with her deception and delusions. It was like watching a train wreck. But you sensed that Fawn had reasons for being slightly crazy and i was curious enough to finish the book. And there were a few laugh out loud lines too. The book is written as a series of letters, emails, and journal entries which i thought charming in The Guernsey Literary... Society but here it fell flat and was somewhat obnoxious. Not a bad read but certainly not a favorite.

Fawn is a 50+ year-old bookshop owner in Philly. Nothing is ever her fault. She is constantly putting everyone around her down and is incredibly judgmental. Everything is viewed as an attack. She lies and steals. And then something happens, she does a quick 180 in the final pages, and I guess the reader is supposed to believe that an entire lifetime of being a complete jerk has been instantly undone. I will say that being from the Philly area it was nice to have a familiar setting. I did get a chuckle out of the Paoli joke, only because I’ve met people from the city that actually think that way.

Fawn, the MC, is one of the most despicable MCs I’ve ever come across. A habitual liar, she lives a life blaming her father for her failures in life. She 50+ years old but behaves like a whiney toddler. Her biggest sin is her envy of others successes. But the book was excellent. The development of each character amazing. Definitely worth at least 5*!

I wasn't convinced I liked this book until the last few pages. That is when it all came together. It had me hooked all along but I wasn't sure why. The characters are so unusual and loveable (?) They have a little bit of everyone in them. You will recognize parts of many souls you have come across in life. Fawn didn't disappoint me in the end.

An interesting format, a bit difficult to get comfortable reading, even in this digital age. Fawn is an complex character study of old hurts, denials and not wanting to become our parents, only to find out its frequently a losing battle. But much to our delight there can be epiphanies that allow us to move forward, if we are brave enough and honest enough.

The main character was quite annoying. She embodied a few good qualities, but so many despicable ones. I kept waiting for her to realize where she was going wrong, but it was literally only at the end that she did. She alienated a bunch of people. Fawn’s journal entries were more enlightening and better written than the rest of her correspondence, and I wish she was that honest with everyone in her life. But she seemed to expect that people owed her something, even people who didn’t know her. She was lacking common sense and common decency. My favorite character, though, was Jack, who was only in the last 1/4ish of the book. He was so sweet and the type of person I’d love to know.

At first I thought Fawn's antics and views of life hysterical. As the book continued in it's strange format I would respond to her January 9th, 2021 Dear Fawn, You are misguided, delusional and mean spirited, except to stray cats. I wish I had more sympathy towards you but you clearly need help. This could be from any of the poor souls she mistreated being her employees, her pen pal or her competitor Mark. Or from me, the reader, who always insists on finishing what I start. So many books so little time.

The written style of the book was a method I enjoy, however the main character was just an awful person. This story could have had great potential if Fawn wasn't such a devious, deceitful, unhappy ingrate. I stopped reading it halfway through. I always finish every book, and maybe I'll come back to this one but I feel it would be a waste of time.

The format of this book...email exchanges between various characters is annoying. And given we have only emails and no character development, we are left to make our own assumptions about the characters. The main character, the owner of the bookshop, is annoying, petty, mean, and unfair to just about everyone she interacts with. She makes stupid choices. I didn’t like her at all. And I am confused as to how this book was “uproariously funny”. I found the main character pathetic.

What a fun book! The bookseller emails/texts all her requests to everyone. That is how she handles her life. And they do whatever she asks!! A very quirky, enjoyable, at times funny, some times sad, but I went along for the ride.

It's a new writing style, but I don't care for it. The book seemed to be only told in email correspondence. I guess I am a traditionalist. Full disclosure, I read only partway as I was waiting for the narrative on what the story was about to wrap up and the "real" story to begin. In the little bit I read, the store didn't seem to be taking care of its customers and the owner was just giving flippant answers to people who gave her bad reviews. I gave an extra star for the cute title.

I usually try not to give anything below 2 stars, but this book was simply awful. The protagonist was a simply horrible person & not at all even remotely likable. The publisher compared it to A Man Called Ove & Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Nothing could be further than the truth. I was so disappointed in this book. Terrible.

To be blunt, this book is a slog to get through. I have nothing against the format versus a more traditional layout, but when you're telling a story through the interactions of the main character with others without much else to flesh it out, it would probably help to have a more likeable protagonist. Fawn is irritating, frustrating, and blinded by her own grandiose sense of self-importance, and she left me continually wondering how she managed to keep her store going for even two years, let alone twenty, prior to Mark coming along and shaking things up. An abrasive character isn't always a death knell for a book, but... well, let's just say that this book showed as 481 pages long in my Fire, and it took me until page 312 before I felt even the slightest of interest in Fawn's story outside of simply being able to mark it as complete on my Goodreads account. Most people are going to give up on this book far earlier than 2/3s of the way through - understandably so! - but, for those willing to grit their teeth and stick it out, there is a small payoff in the end with a little personal growth for Fawn and a bit of relief for the reader in seeing her finally learn to be a slightly better person. Does this make the book worth reading? Sadly no. But, if you've made it over halfway through, you can at least rest assured that there's some point in seeing this novel through to completion.

This book was pretty hard to read. It has a main character who is a complete narcissistic person. She is only interested in herself and dismissed everyone else in the story. The ending is not to be believed. No one will understand that a person who is obsessed with themselves throughout their life will make that big a change in their life.

I kept reading waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did! The protagonist reminded me of Trump, honestly - a bit of a delusional narcissist - and her redemption arc was late and hurried. Blah.

I commend the author for a unique take on a quirky proprietor. Well written, though a bit hard to continue to bear witness to the booksellers self delusion and self degradation. Thoroughly enjoyable, when not covering your eyes ;) Sybil C.

I picked this book From a list of suggestions from amazon kindle. It caught my attention For the story. I'm in love with bookstore's And As long as there is a few dollars left on the debit card I'll go in and spend it there. I thought the writers method of telling the story using email conversations Was interesting; I've never seen it used before, it was daring b ut it worked. I could relate to the central characters Dilemma, Life evolving around the bookstore but life moving forward At the same time. As I said, a great read for winter afternoon.

I selected this book because it was billed "hilariously funny" and I wanted a break from the current negative culture in our country. Unfortunately, the protagonist is just another narcissistic whiner. There is nothing likable about this character, she's ridiculous but not funny. I kept hoping she'd have an epiphany but it never comes. 85% of the way through the book, I had a glimmer of hope but not until 98% through did she finally have an epiphany of some sort yet still enveloped in her being a self-absorbed victim who was wiser and kinder than everyine else when in reality she mistreated everyone around her, uncluding the reader. Hopefully we won't hear from her again.

I'm sorry, but I just couldn't finish this book. This is rare for me. I usually slog through a book because I want to find out how it ends. I stopped about a quarter of the way through. At the beginning, I felt sorry for the main character, but ended up feeling sorry for everyone she was in contact with. Perhaps it was the format. A series of emails, texts, reviews and blogs just didn't pull me into the book. Others may enjoy the format, and may enjoy the wacky main character. It just didn't work for me.

I wanted to like this book. As a native Philly gal, I loved that it was set in my city. And I thought that writing the book in emails and other correspondence was interesting. But that's where it ended. A main character has to be sympathetic in some way. The main character was not sympathetic in any way. She's someone I would never want to be around, even as a fictional character. I also didn't buy for a second her sudden epiphany, although the ending was somewhat predictable. There aren't many books that I thoroughly do NOT enjoy. Unfortunately, this was one of them.

I chose this as my free book for December. If I had known the whole thing was a series of emails I would have passed. The story itself was good and sometimes numerous. If it had been written as a regular book with actual conversations among the characters I would have enjoyed it more. The emails were just annoying.

This book is very good. The writer has a fresh voice and a unique style that I haven’t encountered before. I thought it was wry, witty, smart, entertaining, and creative. I ate it up like dessert and wished there was more. I laughed so much and could relate to the characters, I really felt like I knew them. I kinda missed them when the book was over. Outstanding first novel! Give us more!!

I really tried to like the main character in this story, but I found her insufferable. She was selfish & self-centered & paranoid. And an entire story written in emails & blogs?!? YUCK! I read about half the book & had to quit. I'm glad I got it for free as a Kindle book of the month. It was truly awful!

The character Fawn, has absolutely no redeeming qualities. I wanted to like her, and the story started out slightly whimsical and slowly began to change. She is petty, manipulative, passive aggressive, extremely rude, a thief, and treated her employees like garbage. I honestly can't imagine anyone wanting to finish this book. She has some self realization at the end, but by then I had no sympathy for her and was surprised that the author expects us to believe that the owner of a competing bookstore, that she harassed repeatedly, stole from and generally made his life a living hell, would offer her a job as a manager of his store. Please dear reader save your money and read something else. 2020 was a terrible year, don't make 2021 terrible by reading this horrible book.

This is not my favorite style of fiction. Many times I wondered if I would ever finish but I read on. Not far in I realized there was a character with daddy issues, financial problems, social isolation, a drinking problem.... all other characters were props. This book is not one I rushed through to complete. However, it's done. Am I sorry? No ...would I recommend it? Maybe, I might to a person who likes short pieces. You can leave this for a few days and return.

I like the idea of a book being written in this format of dialog. It was creative. I think I mostly did not bond with the main character, as she was very odd, dishonest, and self-centered with lots of emotional baggage. I was hoping to find humor in this book, but I really found it to be sad and disturbing. I did finish it and the ending was satisfying, I guess. The author can clearly write well - I just did not care for her main character nor the subject matter.

I liked the main outspoken character; Fawn can teach us a great deal. The letter format took some adjusting, but now I can’t imagine it written another way. This is a coming of late age story. Surrounded by a quirky staff, the bookstore owner tries to survive competitors, family, and a floundering business. Fran’s optimism is frustrating for me, though, She is verbose, spinsterly and charming. She’s real to me. Recommended. (especially if you like cats)

I chose this book as part of the Amazon free monthly Reads without fully reading the description, so I was surprised and disappointed to learn that the entire story is told as part of a series of emails, journal entries, etc. Definitely not a style I like or appreciate. The story itself was also disappointing, and the only positive things I can say are that it was a quick read and the journey the main character took as part of self-discovery was interesting.

I got this book from Kindle Firsts, thinking it would be a very quirky book, but I would give it a chance. I loved the format of all emails and thought it had a powerful message in the end. It is very dreary in parts but gives you great insight how so many people lead very lonely lives and how a successful business can deteriorate over time if it does not keep up with the times. Fawn is a very selfish character, but at the same time likable once the author shows where she comes from and what transpired. I am surprised I liked this book, but I did and highly recommend it.

This is not your normal novel. I developed an affection and farming for this bookseller. There is humor, and sadness, and interesting moments. This story is written as a journal, not your common style. I read in one day because I was so interested in where her story was going.

Written in the form of letters and emails, it chronicles a woman with delusion and snark. Estranged from her father, exaggerating successes while flailing into bankruptcy, there is not a single thing that I could point to that even came close to entertaining. Avoid this one..... not worth the effort.

The entire novel unfolds in the written words (emails, journals) of the protagonist. As the reader follows that voice, the protagonist begins to reveal to the astute reader what she can’t see herself. I was a little disappointed in the rather abrupt ending, because the transition wasn’t as clearly set up as the previous aspects. However it is well worth the read as insight into one person’s mind. Intriguing way to manage the novel, and it really worked.

Excellent. The story built on itself at times with such a quickened pace I couldn’t put the book down for fear I would be left behind. The ending is perfect. Not at all what I expected but I as I came to know Fawn better I found myself being her champion. Telling her story. Great read.

I like how the book ended. I felt like it took a bit long to get there. I really, really started disliking Fawn halfway through the story; I’m glad the author allowed Fawn to grow and redeem herself.

This story evolved through the emails and journal entries of the owner of the bookstore. I felt like I stumbled into her room, found her computer on - and had to sneak a peek and then got sucked right in. I love how intimately I now know Fawn. I hope she sends a ton of postcards.

Fawn is delusional in all aspects of her life but you can’t help cheering her on. We all know someone like Fawn. Written in a unique format, you feel like a neighbor listening through thin walls or that you’re eves dropping on an old party line phone. A fun read that made me giggle out loud on several occasions.

Being fairly new to Amazon First Reads, I was excited to try this novel. What was Amazon thinking? I wanted to like this book. I loved the quaint bookshop setting and found the format intriguing but it was all downhill from there! It was just not possible to develope any warmth toward the petty, sometimes mean-spirited Fawn and her often self-righteous attitude. I've probably not finished maybe a dozen books in 65 years of reading and I had to force myself not to give up on this one. Perhaps others will enjoy this novel, just not me.

Book was free through Amazon Prime and comprised of emails between a bookstore owner and her employees, rival, and family. Did not think I would enjoy but could not put down, it was laugh out loud funny, thought-provoking, and enjoyable. Recommend even if you have to purchase

Very imaginative and good fun. The characters were true to life. I saw and understood the aging spinster, the jealousy, the love of cats. The colorful characters and family disputes and rivalry. All of this done through the technique of emails and adverts. Brilliant.

With rare exception, most of this book is told by e mails. While most e mails Are between the book seller, her staff, her competitor book store owner,contractor, etc many are between her mother, sister and even a pen pal She has never met. While a few of these are straight forward most demonstrate a very unhappy person who sheds these negative feelings on all. Book is different but ends on a positive solution and a surprise ending.

I love epistolary format. I do not love unredeemed protagonists who are self serving and undeserving. I skiminished (skim finished) this one. I gave more than 1 star because the format was great and well done throughout combining emails with blog posts, ads, etc. People like Fawn exist and we don't like them. We read books to escape reality and find that people like Fawn can be redeemed and enjoyed as a fellow human since they'll never do it in real life. Bummer of a book.

I wasn’t expecting to read this book over the holidays but it was offered as a first read choice and it looked like some fun. And such a fun read it was. For anyone who adores bookstores and can find something to admire in a hyped-up unreliable cat lady narrator. But there’s more. There’s the tender backstory, and the redeeming quality of a protagonist’s radical concern for her band of ragtag charges. You’ll want to keep flipping pages. You’ll find you are moved.

This book was a surprise to me in that I normally don't enjoy books with such a generally unlikable protagonist. However, Fawn did grow on me eventually, and I came to almost root for her success. The story being entirely told through email messages and journal entries was fun and refreshing as well.

I found the entire premise of the book annoying. Reading the bookseller's answers to the reviews immediately set me on edge, as did her complaining about dating Richard. I disliked her from the beginning, and I couldn't get past it. I gave up and deleted the book. It wasn't my cup of tea.

Definitely a different story, and very depressing at times, but stick with it. I do believe the story is worth your time. The story is written almost entirely as a succession of emails. Different. But again, stick with it. I feel that Fawn deserves the time.

This selection was a shot in the dark for me. Had no preconceived ideas as to what the story would be about except possibly from the title. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was slow going at first but I found myself longing to get back to it when i had the time.

Usually I enjoy books written as letters or emails. Not this time. There seems to be no plot. The main character seems to be an awful person. She is rude and unlikable. Seems to have difficulty with truth. Pretty sure there are better books out there.

An intriguing presentation through email correspondence, social media posts and journal entry. It brought to mind my own difficult relationship with my parents and my perceptions of their failures as parents. If Fawn had married and had children, she may have come to realize two things--there are no perfect parents and children resent their parents sometimes without reason. Glad it ended on a high note, with truth and clarity!

When I began this book I enjoyed the format and the story line. But as I kept reading I felt like I was waiting for something to happen that didn’t. I wasn’t thrilled with the way the book ended. I kept trying to see this as light reading but deep down I don’t think it really was. PLM

I love books and books about bookstores and was thrilled this is also available as an audiobook. My delight was shortlived, especially trying to listen to it. The format was an attempt to be innovative but it just didn't work. Hearing the email headings from/to/date/time over and over gave me a headache and interrupted the content. So I gave up and decided to read it. I could only endure skimming to the miserable end. The bookstore owner is despicable, lying to everyone, stealing from her elderly tenant as her bookstore sinks in decay around her. Nothing to enjoy. Sorry to have to be so negative.

The main character was quite annoying, not at all funny as advertised. After a while I found her tiresome and didn't finish the book. She was shallow and self-centered with no redeeming qualities. I am sorry I wasted my First Reads choice on this book.

This is not a book to read in the doldrums of winter or in the isolation of the pandemic. It is not a very cheerful tale and I found the character of the store owner to actually be somewhat annoying, self centered and delusional. There are some interesting life lessons she learns along the way but much of her story is sad and depressing so if you're looking for a book to brighten your day I would suggest looking elsewhere. There is truth in this story but it carries with it a sizeable tinge of sadness. Most of us have enough of that around us already. Not sorry I read this but I will not be recommending it to friends.

This has been the very strangest book I have ever read. But it kept me reading all the way to the end.

I got this book as a pre read on Amazon. It was terrible. The letter writing style is obsolete and certainly doesnt translate to email. To then have to read this pompous, lying, selfish, righteous bookkeeper was painful. There is no time to waste on bad books.

A really strange book written all in the first person via letters and a diary. That was very well done. However, I tend to avoid books in which I find no character with which to identify. This was such a book. I actually disliked the protagonist - couldn’t even feel sorry for her; nor, could I find her humorous. I did read through to the end which I don’t regret. Just would rather I hadn’t even begun.

I almost didn’t finish this book. Fawn was just not easy to like, and I know she wasn’t supposed to be, but I didn’t find her behavior humorous. I found it off putting to say the least. Having said that, I did finish it mostly to see how all of her lies and BS would play out. I was truly stressed out for her plight towards the end, which I suppose says something about the writing. I would recommend it mostly to see what other people think about it.

I found myself laughing, relating and almost crying with this bookseller competing with the bookstore down the street as more things befell her. The literary style of the book, the cats and tone had me really enjoying it, from start to finish. It was such a fun book! I loved the older protagonist as well. Also, the references to homeschooling, even in jest made it like little nuggets to relate to.

It was a very entertaining read. I did not want to recommend it whole heartedly to another upon reading it, but I had no negatives I wanted to blurt. It was a sweet story, but not in a sugary context. I enjoyed the story. 03/08/21

Quirky, smart, pleasant read. The relationships Fawn develops with those in her life are charming. Her love of cats is charming. And her openness to adventure late in life is inspiring. I enjoyed this story written through emails and journal entries.

Loved this book! I laughed so hard at one point that I woke my wife up from a deep sleep. I loved this story and I loved Fawn's strong voice and hilarious point of view. This is an excellent example of epistles style.

This is a diary of a young single woman ( not so young) lamenting about her life; family, opportunities lost, risks not taken, her cat and her book store which is going downhill. She is funny, sad and pathetic all at once. If I met her, I’d either be totally intrigued or I’d run for the hills. Not everyone would read to the end like I did. What does this say about me? Hummmm

This book was... eh. The main character was unlikable and a chronic lier. The entire book was her finding herself while lying to everyone, ignoring or acting snobbish to her family and refusing to speak to her dying father. Meanwhile she is running a failing business... I was so board. If there was a big plot I missed it. This book just felt like a bunch if tiny annoying sub-plots.

I wasn’t sure about the format of this book when I started reading but soon fell in love with the kooky bookseller email author. I found myself looking forward to retiring with my Kindle in the evenings and will now miss Fawn and her quirky antics. Anyway, it’s a good read, I enjoyed it very much.

I kept expecting the lead character, Fawn, to become likeable. I love used bookstores - I will travel for a good one - so I was thrilled to find this book until I started reading. It started like a bizarre version of “You’ve Got Mail” if Meg Ryan’s character never met Tom Hanks. She doesn’t like her family, she has lied for her entire life with a long-time corespondent, she has no friends and is completely out of touch with the real world. I felt sorry for her employees, her parents, her sister.... Probably my favorite “character” was the building she was in there in West Philadelphia. The writing was good enough, so I hope the author comes back with a more likeable character: the last 50 pages were somewhat redeeming but I really don’t care what happens next.

The concept of the novel was a character study of a delusional, perpetually optimistic character struggling to keep her only true relationship (her bookshop) alive. After the initial development of her personality and hints at the reasons for it, the events and reactions became very repetitive. This story would have moved along, holding the reader's interest in about 150 pages less.

I actually liked the book. It surprised me at first with the way it was written, but once I got into it, it really caught me up. I read the other reviews and who says the main character always has to be sweet, beautiful and always right. I liked this character because she was human, made mistakes, said the wrong thing and like I said, she was HUMAN just like the rest of us.

This was one of the dumbest books I have ever read. It had such an incredible sameness and repetitive style that I had to start skimming. The relationship that the owner had with Jack was the only redeeming feature. The ending attempts a complete turnaround by the owner which, while a relief from the sameness of most of the narrative , was hard to believe. Skip this book.

Fawn owns and operates an old fashioned book store. She is resistant to change. She also is quite distant with her family, and completely resists seeing her father who is gravely ill. When a young man opens a new bookstore, just down the street, Fawn feels threatened, and becomes adversarial. She must come to realize what important in her life and stop living in the past.

This was not for me. I found the main character unlikable and hard to empathize with. She was critical of others with no ability to self analize. It was also difficult to imagine the bookstore staying in business given the description of the condition of the store and merchandise, but the employees never seemed to be bothered by it or address it. Overall a disappointing read.

Reading the Confessions... Was at best tedious. After what we are going through with the pandemic it seemed like a good idea to try something light to read. This was the wrong choice for me. The style of writing a whole book based only on email, memos and diary entries isn't for me. I disliked Fran and the way she treated her employees, her family and her neighbors. Her very relaxed relationship (or non-existent) with the truth is infuriating. The fact that I disliked Fran means that the author developed the character well enough to cause this reaction. However I disliked the writing style and the story line. Elizabeth Green is an author who will probably not be my favorite.

One star is too much. Particularly the part where the author breezily has the character say her cat is declawed. No cat should be declawed for fashion! Onchyectomy is a severe operation which should only be performed to save the life of a cat, NOT to save the life of a book. But what would you expect from a cold, callous, mean spirited character such as this......also, i think the author should have taken into consideration the effect of the events of September 11 2001 on the lives of the families and loved ones left behind, before one of her sub characters wanted to recognize the holiday of a certain people. Never judge a book by its cover. I was expecting a fun, silly light read, not to be offended twice before i got to 25% read...... oh well, they can't all be winners. On to the next book!!

Sad humor and somewhat frustrating - to see lives when one is not only sawing off the branch she is sitting on, but own legs too. Maybe I was disappointed because expected "turning round one's life" part - earlier in the book. Useful lesson for me nonetheless - be patient to understand others' quirks, give them time to figure things out on their own.

I was hesitant to buy this book because I don't read much fiction. What a pleasant surprise I was in for. Written in a completely novel idea of back and forth emails I found myself relating to the heroine and laughing out loud frequently. The characters were brought to life by this talented author and I was genuinely sorry when I came to the end. I hope she writes a sequel following the further adventures of Fawn!

It was a different type of book than I expected with all the dialog through emails and journal entries, and it took a little while to get into the rhythm of it. In the end the story line was resolved and left me smiling.