Twice Sold Tales (reread review!)

Title: Twice Sold Tales

Series: Bookstrings #1

Author: Chautona Havig

Publisher: Havilah Press Publications 

Genre: Books About Books, Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance,

Source: Own

My thoughts upon reading for the second time:

 My second reading of Twice Sold Tales was even richer than my first reading. I recently read the novella Spines and Leaves which gives us great background on Milton (the book doctor) and Atticus (his parrotlet).

Twice Sold Tales brought out more feels this time, I even choked up at one point in time (with my daughter asking me if I was okay 😂). I have since read several books  Havig recommends throughout the story (which is where I originally learned about them), so I understood the context even better.

In my original review, I stated the only thing that disappointed me was that there was not a list of all the books she mentions throughout the story, but NOW there is!!! I was ecstatic to find that at the end of the book. I marked the ones I have already read, and the ones I now want to read because of this story. 

I can't say enough good things about this story! I am thrilled to own a copy and I know I will read it again (high praise since I rarely re-read books).

This one still gets all my stars and more. Oh, and one more note, it is not preachy Christian fiction either, nor does Christianity over shadow the story. I would recommend this one to anyone who loves a good book about books.

★★★★★/5

My ORIGINAL Review:

It's been a while since I have read a book by Chautona Havig. I was drawn to Twice Sold Tales when I heard the setting was a bookstore (plus that cover!!!). It started getting a lot of hype, and I decided to reserve it from the library.

I adored this book. It is a book lover's dream! There are SO many literary references. I love Harper's snarkiness, but it almost seems like she has a form of Asperger's or something, though it isn't mentioned. She did not like to show her emotions and did not like to let people get close to her (physically or emotionally). 

Noah and Bennie's story will pull on your heartstrings. Noah is trying so hard to be a good father, but raising a child he hasn't known very long is difficult at best. It was also hard for him to relate to the hobbies that Bennie wanted to explore.

There is also a lovely group of side characters that make this story what it is. The only thing I did not like is that the author did not include a list at the back of the book with all the books she referenced. It is needed 😂

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

If only owning a bookstore didn't mean dealing with people.
No one was more surprised than Harper Brevig when Great Aunt Lorene (not "Lori," thank-you-very-much) died and left her least favorite niece her bookstore--including a prime piece of real estate in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota.

Making a go of the place shouldn't be too hard. With her library science degree, she should be set. Then again, the website describing library degrees had said it would teach her excellent communication skills. It had not. Could she get a partial refund?

Still, owning the building should mean crazy-low overhead to offset her less than optimal "book-side" manner.  Ahem.

So when yet another huge bill arrives, and she starts getting twitchy about the low bank balance, Harper does the only thing she can think of.

Enter Milton Coleridge. He'd been excited about the possibilities of the store last year, but Harper had sent him packing before he could talk to her about them.  Now he has a chance to make a difference. But she's right. She's bleeding money, and it doesn't make sense!

Milton's job is to figure out what's going on, plug the financial leak, and maybe... do a little matchmaking. That dad with the adorable little boy would be good for her... and she'd be good for him. Probably.