Reading Lots of Cosy Crime! 📖 | Reading Vlog

[@alexs3768]

Watching your videos feels like therapy

[@ameliareads589]

The passage you read to us about everyone hoping for snow and then getting annoyed by it, might sound British, but for me it sounded German as well. 😂

[@Nickelini]

I do read seasonally but not necessarily Christmas. I like books set in winter in winter

[@summerseasstitch]

For a complete zero waste wrapping paper, use food dye and then boil and mash the potatoes. Mr M will love them x

[@MilenaReads]

Such a cosy vlog! That wrapping paper is gorgeous! I’m becoming more of a seasonal reader every year, wintery reads are so comfortable ❄️🎄

[@paulwinchell6904]

Thank you for this. Helped light a small Christmas light in my soul.

[@meinTraumschloss]

I'm a seasonal reader, not just around Christmas. A good book stays a good book, but if I read it at the "right" time it's even more enjoyable. I f.e. go for roadtrip and travel stories during summer and pick up cosy reads or classics during autumn and winter. Some of my favourite Christmas books are "When Santa fell from the sky" by Cornelia Funke and basically anything Christmas related by Astrid Lindgren like "The Tomten".

[@wordscaninspire114]

I'm definitely old school. Just re read Poirot's Christmas. And I'm currently re reading Jamaica Inn and of course I forgot that the wreckers do their wrecking on the night before Christmas 🌲

[@josephinewinter]

i read a letter someone wrote home to Cardigan, Wales (far west) about travelling up to London during the Blitz, and during the bombing raids the train had to stop for long periods, it took him 24 hours to get to London, which is insane (it's seven hours now, five of which is just in Wales cos Westminster refuses to electrify the line to annoy the Welsh devolved government) and he finally gets a cup of tea to drink and a ham sandwich from a women's voluntary aid stall at the station. It was very atmospheric, but also very phlegmatic/stiff upper lip/understated.

[@FaeryLaume]

I'm reading The Santa Klaus Murder right now, and I have Mystery in White on my bedside stack. As for being a seasonal reader, very much so in the autumn and winter, less so in spring or summer.

[@butteredflies]

This video was just what I needed to wind down! Thank you for this little book tasting!

[@claris3056]

I'm too late this year, but I'm definitely going to try your wrapping paper idea next year!! Also those gingerbread cupcakes, but like, in the next few days 😆

[@janebeyondtheacademy_]

Your videos are such a balm, Jen, especially at this time of year! Thank you!

[@sandrinedurand3203]

Jen, your plants look so happy! Mine are a bit sad with the lessening light. I live in New England and the snow tends to block my windows.

[@sydneysomer9958]

What a WONDERFUL, creative job you guys did for Christmas 🎄 wrapping paper!!! Loved it!

[@krissyn.3366]

This is such a cozy vlog! I loved it. I think I need a Christmas murder mystery. Great suggestions Jen, thanks! 💗📚📖🎄

[@mikithompson745]

I love your wrapping paper. I have been finding myself seasonally reading lately. I think it’s because I’ve been doing a lot of season read a longs.

[@sandrinedurand3203]

And, as always, this video made me really happy.

[@emmabeckman6022]

I'm planning to read The Christmas Card Game & Other Stories (I think that's the title) from the British Library Crime Classics this season! I found it at a library sale here in California, and I recognized the spine from last year's video.

[@susannacain3564]

I’m most definitely a seasonal reader and i come to your channel every time I’m stumped for what to read next! This Christmas I’m trying out Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh for some suspenseful Christmas and snow storm vibes.

[@chatelaine7325]

I like you talking through/over the baking more relaxing. Not thought about Christmas reading yet. Done the wrapping paper drawn with coloured sharpies, trees. Holly stars. Mistletoe. Puddings. Have a good Christmas

[@demeldapenkitty7937]

A few seasonal reads have crept into my tbr pile this year

[@anasky00]

Thank you for all these lovely recommendations!!! Always love your videos!!!

[@amandanicholls2796]

You’ve inspired me Jen to search through my TBR and pull out my Christmas themed unread books. I’m tempted to buy the British library ones but am pretty determined to read what I already have first.

[@sibilant_sibyl]

I'm definitely a seasonal reader. I reread The Children of Green Knowe by L M Boston and The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper in December. Moonwise by Greer Gilman seems to fit in that space between Christmas and New Year's Day. This year I also want to read Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake, as it seems wintry.

[@daysleeper1989]

Those books sound so good 🥰

[@Emmie4497]

The music playing during your baking clips... I'm sure it's from the Railway Children. Such a happy blast from the past!

[@eyrecester]

My God, I really like those British Library Crime Classics covers. Many of them have an oil painting quality to them 💞

[@sassafrass3636]

I am definitely not a seasonal reader...however I totally have those reading ambitions you mentioned! I just finished my second to last semester of grad school and I want to do a read-a-thon this winter break to finish the 7 books I started this semester and didn't finish. I'm hoping to finish A Match to the Heart by Gretel Ehrich tomorrow. We will see....Also those cupcakes look delicious yum

[@lindseysbooklife]

Loved this, Jen! 💕

[@lindaw8958]

Hi Jen - you just reminded me that I have “The Santa Klaus Murder” and haven’t read it yet. Just pulled it down off the shell to read this weekend!

[@rymhreads]

I love reading wintery/ Chrismassy 'cosy crimes' at this time of year! I would recommend An English Murder by Cyril Hare (has a lot of commentary on social class and attitudes towards immigrants which errr... makes it very timely!) which is set at Christmastime. For non-Christmas but winter vibes I'd say The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (a locked room mystery where the murder weapon is found in the snow outside the scene and there are no footprints to be found). Finally gotten around to reading Santa Klaus Murders as my current read, and I think Somebody at the Door will be next up ⛄

[@paperbackmo]

My baking is never that peaceful 😂

[@jenvcampbell]

😂

[@AthynVixen]

I love to read Christmas books in December - especially this year. I love the British Crime Classics - havent read any yet but I think I'm getting some for Christmas gifts. I also have Murder In The Snow by Gladys Mitchell i found in a charity shop. I am not sure of any crime ones though I did read one a few years ago Dying For Christmas by Tammy Cohen that had a lot of twists and I really enjoyed it. I just bought Christmas Hauntings in Foyles this evening.. hahah

[@ina_loves_books]

Martin Edwards, the editor of many of these classic crime books (or all of them? 🤷🏼‍♀️), was on the latest episode of the Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast. The interview was quite interesting. I love your wrapping paper 👍🏻 And I saved the cupcake recipe, of course 😄 Lovely video, thanks 🙂

[@hanghuhn]

I looked up „A Surprise For Christmas“ online but the paperback won’t arrive before Christmas. 😞 And I don’t think that local bookshops can get them earlier because I live in Germany. Ebook or wait till January? Hmm.

[@mradcaqbdb]

I have a tremendous collection of Crime Classics. When I visit London, I frequently stay directly across Euston Road from the British Library, so I always stop in. Sometimes they have an exhibit I want to see. Other times, I just hit the bookshop and grab all the latest Crime Classics since I was last there. I think I have all the novels you mentioned but only one of the anthologies. I will have to read one of them for Christmas this year. I’ve just be on a blitz through Agatha Christie audiobooks, all read by the amazing Hugh Fraser. He does all the voices so delightfully, men and women, all different accents. I’ve tried a couple of her books read by women and just found them pretty dreadful in comparison. But it has been a comfort having Agatha Christie stories to keep me company through all the craziness here. Did the potatoes gunk up your ink pads? ❤️ Almost forgot. I’m going to reread Miss Marley (Jacob’s sister) this year over Christmas. It is such a special book but hardly a happy one, as you can imagine.

[@jenvcampbell]

They didn't clog them up at all :) I have a few for signing books (I have a heart rubber stamp for 'The Beginning of the World...') so it was fun to use them for something else. x

[@sarahrussett2803]

curious: when you are making the ginger cupcakes, what rendition of that christmas carol is playing?

[@jenvcampbell]

Bethlehem Christmas by Kevin MacLeod (KZbin audio library) x

[@Lionheart5375]

Do you know - I've never been a seasonal reader but hearing you say that it's been a way of marking time this year I was like "YES!"

[@theresepazell7875]

Thank you from chgo I'll.Terrific suggestions.Take Care.

[@donreadsalot4932]

REALLY glad to see your post today, it made me check out The Santa Klaus Murder and it's only $1.99 today for Kindle! Thank you! OH, and check out the interactive picture book Cocoa's Cranky Christmas; so cute and a fun read because kids interact with the story on every page.

[@-ParisTexas-]

'[....]murder on a train, which is one of my favourite things' LOL

[@jenvcampbell]

We love to see it.

[@sLOTFY100]

I wish I were more of a seasonal reader because I invariably end up reading winter-y books by the beach.

[@mikefolie9919]

Jen, do you ever do videos focusing on science fiction books? If not, would you ever consider it?

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I’m reading all my unread thrillers in December and January. I especially like reading crime fiction from Australia 🇦🇺 during our winter ❄️ & their summer. So I go for authors like Emma Viskic Sarah Bailey Chris Hammer I recommend to you the InnisOwen series from Andrea Carter. They’re set in Donegal and the first book is Death At Whitewater Church It’s rumoured to be in production to become tv series. I also love reading thrillers set in snow ⛄️ at this time of year. Anything from Nordic climes/Canada. Authors such as Will Dean. 👋☘️☕️📚🦋📖😷🤩🎄

[@MaggsMomo]

Hello! Good to see you! I read a lot of nonfiction about very serious and difficult topics and my mom is always asking me to read some “fun fiction.” If you have any recommendations I would love to know what you think. I

[@laisseus]

What`s the frosting on the cupcakes?

[@jenvcampbell]

Cream cheese frosting. The recipe is in the description box.

[@carly885]

I don't really read wintery books for Christmas, but Christmas is the time where I reread some of my childhood comforting favourites. P.s. in January I read the Crimson Petal and the White and absolutely loved it, however, I don't really like creepy books or sci-fi books so sadly I don't like Fabers other books. I wonder if you could recommend anything similar to crimson petal? I loved how long, detailed and intriguing it was, and I loved the characters (except William of course). I'm so sorry for being annoying, I feel like I've asked this a few times now haha!

[@jenvcampbell]

Still looking for something I love as much as that but I’d recommend Sarah Waters x

[@carly885]

@@jenvcampbell thank you! 😊