For a while now, I wanted to find a way to bring games into this corner of the interwebs. While I don’t play as much as I used to (I also have another thousand and one hobbies I didn’t have before), from time to time, some games steal my heart and time. They are all I can think about. And so, I want to share my love for them here as I do with books. But I’m not quite sure how to do it. Showing gameplay in video form is way better to get a grasp of what the game is really like… And I’m not doing that. I’m sorry. I’m not adding video editing as yet another thing to learn.
So fast forward to 2024, I discovered a little indie game called Tiny Bookshop. And it immediately reminded me of The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan. In that moment, I knew I had to do a combined review of the game and of the book. The only thing left was for the game to be released… And in August of this year, the game came out.
Firstly, let me introduce you to The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan, the first book in the Kirrinfief series. I read this book back in 2022, so I have to rely on my reading journal to write this review. But one thing I remember for sure is that this is a book for readers.
Title: The Bookshop on the Corner Author: Jenny Colgan Series: Kirrinfief #1 Publication year: 2016 Length: 9 hours 47 minutes Genre: Romance Pace: Medium Story focus: Character
Nina loves her job as a librarian in the city. And she’s good at it too. But one day, that job is gone. Without anything else tying her to the city, she moves to a sleepy town up north, in Scotland. There, she ventures into her dream job, owning her own bookshop. She buys a van and transforms it into a travelling bookshop. Going from small town to small town selling books.
Setting the story in rural Scotland created a marvellous ambience. I just wanted to move there. Those chill mornings with the cold wind in the face while cosying up in a warm jacket made it the perfect story to read during autumn or winter, even though the story is set in summer.
This isn’t a Jenny Colgan’s book without some romance, specifically the grumpy-sunshine trope. But that’s not what I want to focus on. Yes, the male lead was nice. A Scottish man. A farmer. A handyman. Rough on the outside but soft on the inside. Their romance was cute, but I was really there for the books and for Nina to live our readers’ dreams: owning a bookshop.
It really is a book written for the love of reading, for readers, how such a solitary activity is a collective experience. Colgan’s dedication is for every reader, her included, because writers are readers too. So that part of the story will resonate with readers everywhere in the world. And that’s kind of magical.
I remember writing down somewhere, this is a very dangerous book to read. You will feel the urge to buy a van and do your own travelling bookshop. And a certain BookTuber decided to do just that. Ariel Bissett was one of those OG BookTube channels, but now she focuses more on her house renovations. She still does book content, in a podcast with Raeleen Lemay, called Books Unbound. And a year ago, she decided to set up a mobile bookshop and document the process on YouTube. She’s living the dream! I’m also guessing a stressful one since legalities, taxes and all that boring stuff can leave your head spinning for hours and questioning how much of your mind capacity it is really worth it. But then that’s when Tiny Bookshop comes into play!
Title: Tiny Bookshop Developer: neoludic games Publisher: Skystone Games Release year: 2025 Genre: Cosy, Simulation, Casual
Tiny Bookshop is here to deliver on the dream without the headaches! It’s a game about owning your own travelling bookshop. That’s the game. You can decorate, choose which genre of books to have on the shelves, and even recommend books to the customers. And the best part…The books are real! You can recommend books you have already read. You can recommend A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, or any book in the Series of Unfortunate Events. Even cookbooks, architecture books, classics like Beowulf or a Shakespeare play, Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own. And since you can recommend books you are familiar with, you can also get recommendations for yourself. One that recently piqued my interest and I added to my Goodreads was The Fisherman by John Langan. I’ve never heard of this book before. So while I’m enjoying myself playing a game, I’m also growing my Want to Read list. If only there was now a game that would let you read the books as well.
The game isn’t only about travelling from spot to spot to sell books. There are also small stories to follow along as you get to know the people around town. With it come small objectives and quests that spice things up and give the gamer more to do than simply recommend books (which already is enough). It’s the epitome of cosy gaming. It’s a relaxing time. No run against the clock. No danger. Even if a recommendation isn’t quite right, nothing bad happens. It’s just a sale not made.
I know gamers and readers don’t often overlap, but this game is a sure hit for any reader. Even for those who don’t play games. I can’t believe any reader wouldn’t enjoy this game. It’s owning a bookshop and recommending books. Tell me if these two activities aren’t in the DNA of every reader? And the plus is it’s hassle-free. You can live the dream… A virtual one, but still. All the fun, zero headaches. So think about it. And next time you stop by Steam or Nintendo eShop, give it a look. For 20€, it is far cheaper than a real mobile bookshop.
