The Main Characters in This Book Call Each Other Fartheads.
Gorgeous Mother’s Day flowers from my family đ
If you follow me on Instagram, you already know how I felt about the dialogue in this book. Grown ups do NOT call each other fartheads. They just don’t. If you have someone in your life who calls you a farthead, for the love of God find yourself a new partner.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Goodreads Synopsis ofThank You For Listening {Julia Whelan}
For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. Sheâs found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.
On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the worldâs most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last bookâwith Brock McNight, the industryâs hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesnât buy what romance novels are sellingânot after her own dreams were tragically cut shortâand she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.
As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.
If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.
My Review ofThank You For Listening {Julia Whelan}:
Not for me. Nope. Nope.
So I loved that it was about audiobook narrators…obviously since I have been so obsessd with audiobooks lately! That part of this book and it’s behind the scenes was super interesting to me.
Something else that I found SUPER interesting about this book was the fact that the author was the narrator! I don’t think I’ve every listened to an audiobook narrated by the author before. I thought she was great (mostly…a few voices I wasn’t a huge fan of but overall she was great).
Every other part of this book? Eh. Not nearly as interesting.
SO. MANY. FEELINGS.
So. Much. Talking.
So. Much. Backstory.
So. Much. Heaviness.
And obviously the dialogue was super cheesy and unrealistic. Grown ups do not talk to each other like this!
I have so many complaints about this book but one of the biggest was the big “twist” that I literally predicted from the very beginning and spent the entire book waiting to be revealed.
If you love audiobooks, you might (most likely will not, lol) enjoy this book. If you don’t listen to audiobooks, this is definitely NOT a book for you.
The main character is named Sewanee. Her grandmother is named Blah Blah. Swanee and Blah Blah. I hate this book.
How on EARTH did Jodi Picoult and Taylor Jenkins Reid blurb the cover?!
It was boring. So boring. Although it did hold my attention enough to keep listening so there’s that.
Moving on…
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
The main characters called each other “fartheads”. Enough said.
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
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I Was Wrong. So Very Wrong. This Book is AMAZING. {Part 2}
I posted this on Instagram exactly a year to the DAY before I finished reading the book! So random. I posted this last year when Jenna Bush Hager was announcing that it was the book of the month for her Read With Jenna book club and I was NOT feeling it!
Many times when a book is gaining lots of attention, I don’t feel that attention is deserved (examples of this HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).
Sometimes….sometimes…the popularity of the book is a direct and well deserved representation of the beautfully written words written inside (examples of this HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).
There’s also the category of “Ok the book is WILDLY popular and so well loved but I have ZERO desire to read it and I’m not going to….but then eventually I will cave and read it and I will hate it just as expected”. (Examples of this HERE and HERE).
But then there’s an entirely different category. A very special category. The category of EXTREMELY popular books that I have ZERO desire to read and then I cave and read them and then…I get it. I totally get it. Every last bit of hype and praise so well deserved and I realize how wrong I was to resist reading it for so long. A few years ago there was a book that I was VERY against reading and when I finally did…it was one of the best books I’ve ever read (you can read part 1 of “I Was Wrong. So Very Wrong. This Book is AMAZING. HERE).
It’s happened again.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Goodreads Synopsis ofRemarkably Bright Creatures {Shelby Van Pelt}:
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
My Review ofRemarkably Bright Creatures {Shelby Van Pelt}:
A gem. A total gem of an absolutely beautifully written book. One of the very best books I’ve read.
When I tell you that I had ZERO desire to read this book, I mean I had ZERO desire to read this book. An octopus?!? Hard pass. But I promise this book isn’t like that. It’s a beautiful story with such depth and perfection. And dare I say that my favorite chapters were the ones told from the point of view of the octopus???
This book made me think and left me with a whole slew of emotions. I smiled, I cried, I felt it all. This book is wonderful.
I saw this gorgeous statue while I was shopping last weekend and I immediately thought of Marcellus! See my daughter’s shoe beneath the table? Imagine her saying, “Mom…are you taking a picture of an…OCTOPUS statue???” Why yes darling, I sure am đ
The one and ONLY unglowing (not a real word) thing I will say about this book was that I did find it quite predictable. I’m usually horrible at making predictions and I basically predicted this entire book. However, it didn’t even matter because the book was so incredible and beautiful.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrators were PERFECTION. I loved, loved, loved the voices of Marcellus and Tova. After I finished reading and did my own research, I was blown away to find out that the voice of Marcellus belongs to one of my favorite characters on Shrinking (side note: if you haven’t yet watched Shrinking on Apple TV….watch Shrinking, it’s amazing).
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
Let go of how weird this book sounds and just READ IT. It’s perfection.
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
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I bought a new candle a few days ago and put it on our dining room table. Apparently my husband has noticed it (insert eye roll emoji here).
Hi Friends!
How are you??? My audiobook game is still going strong (yesterday I finished listening to one of the best books I’ve ever read/listened to…I’ll write a blog post about it ASAP) but it does also feel nice to read an actual print book. Absolutely nothing could ever compare to holding an actual print book in my hands. The best!
Book I’m Reading
I was sent this book a while back and I’m so happy to start reading, I think it sounds great! Have any of you read it?
Adorbs Cover Art!
Amazon Synopsis of Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life… and a Man {Reenita M. Hora}:
Ila, a Mumbai-based teenager, is going nuts with Veena, her controlling, single mother who prevents her from stalking her pop idol, Ali Zafar. Veena wants her daughter to date real guys in the lead-up to finding a husband. But Ila decides that the only way to get her mom off her back is by finding her a boyfriend instead. With the help of her best friend Deepali, her crush Dev and her motherâs best friend Maleeka, they will come up with a plan to make it happen by setting up a profile in dating apps.
Stay tuned for my full review (and blog giveaway!!) once I finish reading!
What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
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The right wick on my new candle doesn’t burn as highly as the wick on the left. For someone as Type A as I am, this is making me insane. It’s also a perfect comparison for the 2 books I am discussing on my blog today. Book #1 burns BRIGHTLY and Book #2 does…not.
UGH. That’s all I can say. I’m so disappointed. I was SO excited to read this book. It sucked.
The Big Book Disappointment of 2023
Let’s start from the beginning…
Book #1: Things We Never Got Over
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this adorable book. A charming town, colorful characters, spicy sex scenes…this book had it all. Cheesy? Oh lord yes but somehow it all just worked. I smiled, I cried, I LOVED it. If you haven’t yet read Things We Never Got Over, it’s a must read for me. HERE is my full review (including the book synopsis).
So naturally when Lucy Score announced that a sequel was in the works, I was ALL IN. I was actually counting down until it’s release (February 21, 2023). I went to Barnes and Noble that week because I couldn’t even wait for a copy to come in at my library…I needed to own this beautiful book STAT. I couldn’t wait to dive right back into the little town with it’s interesting residents. HERE is the post where I was so excited to buy this book (how happy was I??). Reading that post now just makes me sad.
Hoooooow is this book in the same book series as the first book??? It’s so completely different than Book #1. I think a big part of it is the perspective from which it’s told. Book #1 is from the perspective of someone who isn’t from this town and is learning all of the town’s intricacies, meeting all of it’s residents, etc. It focused so much more on the town and the residents. Book #1 really only had 1 storyline that I didn’t enjoy…aaaaaand THAT storyline is the entire premise of Book #2. It makes sense….Book #1 was really introducing everything and now Book #2 dives deeper into the story but the one particular story that it dives deeply into was my absolute LEAST favorite thing about Book #1.
The main characters that I fell in love with all make such tiny appearances in Book #2 and the other, more minor characters that Book #2 focuses on are ANNOYING.
I really can’t say too much about this book without giving away spoilers from both books so I’ll just say this: everything about Book #2 is different than Book #1.
The one constant between the books is the adorable banter between the characters. Lucy Score has such a lovely way of writing dialogue! I just wish the dialogue had been between different characters and talking about different things, lol.
One more thing to note: Book #1 ends with not only 1 epilogue but also a BONUS epilogue. Book #2 ignores both epilogues and just continues the story right where it left off before them. Ummm HUH?? So now we know what happens in the future AND in the farther off future but now we are back in time to reading before any of that actually happens?? I feel like a book series should be in completely chronological order. Obviously Lucy Score shouldn’t have included either epilogue in Book #1 if she was thinking a book series might follow but she did….and now I feel like Book #2 should start right where Book #1 left off.
Basically this book is all a bit of a mess.
One thing I will say is that the covers of the books in the Knockemout series are STUNNING. Book #3 is going to be purple!
I stopped reading at page 270 out of 574 pages. I just couldn’t do it for another 300 pages and even getting to page 270 TOOK FOREVER. I should have been able to read this 600 page book fairly quickly but I was just too bored to ever want to pick it up.
I’m heartbroken, I can’t believe this second book was so terrible when the first was so wonderful. I appreciate that sequels are rarely AS good as the first but this wasn’t even in the same category.
According to reviews online, many many many others hated this book as well. More than one review I read referenced how this book “should be hidden from the light”, lol.
Moving on….but sadly not to the 3rd book in the Knockemout series, Things We Left Behind, which is expected to be released 9/5/23.
Have you read either of these books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate links (obviously I would recommend Book #1 MUCH more than I would recommend Book #2 lol). When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Never Ending Book, Exciting New Book Mail, Ugly Book Giveaway Winners
Newest addition to my laptop courtesy of my 11 year old daughter. She traded gibbetz (IYKYK) to one of her friends just to get this sticker for ME! Love, love, love her đ
Never Ending Book
Hiiiii Book Friends!
I am still slowly chipping away at this almost 600 page book but admittingly it’s taking me significantly longer than necessary to finish it!
I just need a day with zero distractions where I can hunker down and READ! Who’s with me??? Add in coffee, delicious food, and a beach. Soooo a vacation. Turns out what I need is a vacation…
Exciting New Book Mail
Look at this beauty that I received in the mail last week! I can’t wait to read it, it sounds so amazing.
Goodreads Synopsis of Typecast {Andrea J. Stein}:
Callie Dressler thought she had put her past where it belongedâbehind her. But when she learns her ex-boyfriend is bringing their breakup to the big screen, she must face the fact that their history has been looming over her all along.
At thirty-two, Callie Dressler is finally comfortable in her own skin. She loves her job as a preschool teacher, and although living in her vacant childhood home isnât necessarily what dreams are made of, the space is something she never could have afforded if sheâd stayed in New York City. She knows her well-ordered life will be upended when her type A, pregnant sister, Nina; adorable four-year-old niece; and workaholic brother-in-law move in, but how could she say no when they needed a place to crash during their remodel? As Nina pointed out, it is still their parentsâ house, even though their mom and dad have relocated.
As if adjusting to this new living situation isnât enough, the universe sends Callie another wrinkle: her college boyfriend, Ethanâwho Callie dumped ten years earlier for reasons known only to herâhas a film coming out, and the screenplay is based on their real-life breakup. While the movie consumes her thoughts, Callie canât help wondering if Nina and her friends are right that she hasnât moved on. When a complication with Ninaâs pregnancy brings Callie in close contact with Ninaâs smart and funny architect, Callie realizes she had better figure out whether she wants to open the door to the pastâor sheâll risk missing out on her future.
Sounds so good, right?? I will post my full review (and host a giveaway!!) once I finish reading….stay tuned đ
Ugly Book Giveaway Winners Video
Thank you to everyone who entered to win a signed copy of Kelly Vincent’s gorgeous book, Ugly (book synopsis and my full review HERE) ! I know you will love it as much as I did. Here is a video of me choosing the winners:
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*
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Book Giveaway (3 signed copies): Ugly {Kelly Vincent}
As soon as I read the synopsis of Kelly Vincent’s Ugly, I immediately knew this was a book that I wanted to read and review on Book Coffee Happy. I was so excited when I received my print copy in the mail. I love the interesting cover!
Goodreads Synopsis of Ugly {Kelly Vincent}:
Sophomore Nic Summers tries to ignore the taunts of âugly lesbian.â
Because sheâs not sure theyâre entirely wrong. But she also has bigger concerns for now, including prepping for the schoolâs art contest. And while she isn’t certain of her sexuality, she does know her life is on the verge of falling apart when her best and only friend, Sam, drops the bomb that her familyâs moving to Scotland. Together, to soften the blow and distract themselves from the inevitable, they start Operation Social Interaction for Nicâor OSIN for shortâto try to find her some new friends.
But itâs an uphill battle for the introverted teen artist.
As Samâs last day nears, Nic’s self-confidence wavers even more, and she starts questioning everything. If lesbian doesnât feel quite right, maybe sheâs transgender? It isnât until she stumbles across the label âgender nonconformingâ that things start to make a little more sense, and fall into place. But finding the right label doesnât really tell her what to do next, and before she knows it, Sam is gone.
Mustering all her resources, Nic realizes she needs to find her own path and live her own truth.
My Thoughts on Ugly {Kelly Vincent}:
Oh this book.
I absolutely loved it. What a beautifully written story with wonderfully descriptive characters. I felt all of Nic’s emotions as well as their emotional struggles as the story went on. My heart went from smiling to breaking as I read about how people treated and reacted to Nic. This book allows the reader to feel these emotions through such a personal perspective.
The biggest emotion that I felt while reading? I just wanted to hug Nic.
I had such a hard time saying good-bye to these characters (especially Nic) when I finished reading. You know the books where you close the cover and mentally just canât move on? That was this book for me. I’m so happy to know that Kelly Vincent is busy working on a sequel! Uglier comes out in July and I love it already.
Every teenager (and adult!) should read this book. I truly can’t recommend it enough. You will smile, you will cry, you will LEARN. This is such an important book and absolutely one of the very best I’ve read in a very long time.
For a book titled Ugly, every single thing about this book is truly beautiful.
I absolutely loved it.
A Conversation With Kelly Vincent, in Her Own Words:
What was the hardest aspect of writing Nic’s story?
This was a very personal story and revisiting things that happened in my childhood stirred up a lot of feelings I’d sort of buried. But this actually helped me write the story, because I was able to still remember how those experiences felt so I could accurately convey how Nic felt when she experienced them. So even though it was hard and got me thinking about long-buried things, it was worth it.
Without giving away spoilers, what are some takeaway messages that you hope readers will gain from reading Ugly?
You can’t always change the world and people around you, but you do have the power to change some things in your life. Sometimes it’s just a matter of thinking outside the box or being patient. As a teenager it can be hard to be patient–I remember that well–but things can change as you get more autonomy when you get older.
Where can your book be purchased?
Ugly is available at all major book retailers, including in paperback through Amazon and Barnes and Noble and in ebook for Kindle, Nook, Apple, Google Play, and Kobo. It can also possibly be ordered through your local bookstore, depending on their policies.
Any additional information that you would like to provide about you or your book:
I am getting ready to send the sequel to Ugly, currently called Uglier, out to beta readers. I plan to release it in July. I absolutely love where Nic’s story has gone–it completely surprised me. If you are interested in being a beta reader for Uglier or future books, you can contact me at kelly@kellyvincent.net. (Uglier should work as a standalone if you are interested but haven’t read Ugly.)
Book Giveaway (3 Signed Copies):
***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***
Would you like to win a signed copy of Ugly? I have 3 signed copies to give away! If you are a US resident, your signed book will be mailed directly to you. If you are an international follower, an ebook will be emailed to you.
To be entered, just leave a comment below (on this blog post)! Your comment can be about anything!
**You must comment below to be eligible for the giveaway and you must comment here on this blog post (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**
Giveaway will close tomorrow (4/20/22) at 6:00 pm CDT and the 2 winners will be randomly chosen and announced here on my blog on Friday (4/21/22).
I will post a video here on Friday of me choosing the winners!
Good luck! Can’t wait to read your comments!
Xo,
Jenny
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Fantastic Author Event, What I’m Reading, Upcoming Book Giveaway!
Fantastic Author Event
Hiiiii!
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I went to an amazing author event on Thursday night at the Deerfield Public Library to support my girl, Lisa Barr. She was awesome as usual and told absolutely fascinating stories! If you get the chance to go and see her speak, I would highly recommend doing so. She’s adorable, such a wonderful speaker, and I LOVE her books.
Here are some links to past blog posts of mine if you aren’t already familiar with Lisa or her work:
Is it even a trip to the hair salon without a book and coffee??? I think not.
Things We Hide From the Light is taking me FOREVER to read. It’s great, I’ve just been so focused on listening to audiobooks lately! Usually listening to audiobooks compliments my reading of physical books but in this case, it’s actually taking AWAY from the time I usually would be spending physical books. Since I have started reading ThingsWe Hide From the Light, I have listened to 4.5 audiobooks!
Things We Hide From the Light is book #2 in the Knockemout series. HERE is a link that will tell you all you need to know about book #1…definitely read book #1 before book #2. Highly recommend!
Upcoming Book Giveaway
Ahhh I’m so excited for an amazing book giveaway that will go live on Wednesday! Be sure to check my blog then for a chance to win a signed copy of one of the best books that I’ve read so far in 2023. I’ll have 3 signed copies to give away!
I hope you are having a lovely weekend đ It’s GORGEOUS here in Chicago. I’m happily sitting outside and writing this blog post.
Happy.
I hope that you are enjoying a beautiful day wherever you are today!
Xo,
Jenny
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
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Wesley Gates is down on his luck. Heâs drowning in debt. His demanding career isnât letting up. And, to top it all off, after years of ignoring their failing marriage, his wife has had enough.
Heartbroken and in desperate need of a place to stay while he gives his wife the space sheâs asked for, Wes is shocked when he runs into a familiar face from his past. As they catch up, Wes quickly learns his old classmate has an extra room and a non-existent social life. He canât help feeling grateful to spend time with someone who remembers who he was during their glory days, long before his life fell apart. So, when Elias offers to rent out his spare bedroom, it seems like the answer to all Wesâs problems. Wes takes his old friend up on the offer without hesitation.
Living with someone you barely know is better than living with a stranger⌠Isnât it?
But soon, Wes realizes moving in with Elias may have been a mistake. Between the wild mood swings, strange occurrences, and total disregard for his new roommateâs privacy, Wes begins to wonder if Elias will be his savior or his worst nightmare.
When his wife reveals devastating news that destroys the final bit of shaky ground Wes was standing on, his new roommate may be all he has left.
Maybe thatâs what Elias wanted in the first place⌠Or maybe itâs all in Wesâs head.
Elias invited him in⌠Will Wes ever be able to leave?
My Review ofThe Roommate {Kiersten Modglin}:
For whatever reason, I historically don’t choose books with male points of view when choosing books or audiobooks. The Roommate is told entirely from a male point of view which did cause me to pause before I chose it, but decided to give it a try anyway. I’m glad I did! Listening to this from a male point of view was interesting and it opened my eyes to choosing more male points of view in the future.
So this book was interesting in the fact that literally NOTHING happened for the first 90% or so. Like…how is that even possible?? And then the last 10% was super weird. I actually enjoyed the 90% where nothing happened more than the 10% where things actually did.
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
Skip it. It’s about nothing.
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*
*”Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)*
*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links. The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*
A nice change from the plethora of audiobook reviews I’ve been posting recently, right?? I recently returned 7 library books before I had a chance to read them (well, I did read a bit of 1 of them…I’ll get to that in a minute).
I think all 7 of these books sound GREAT and I can’t wait to read them eventually!
**Please make sure to take note of the beautiful, artful, and professional photography throughout this blog post. I decided to write this post as I was looking at the pile of these books sitting next to me on the passenger seat of my car as I was filming an Instastory. All of these photos have the lovely background of my dirty car = crumbs and all. And some even include my chipped nail polish. So pretty. Enjoy!**
Book #1 I’m NOT Reading: The Bookshop on the Corner {Jenny Colgan}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Bookshop on the Corner {Jenny Colgan}:
Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion⌠and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.
Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobileâa mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.
From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers thereâs plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place thatâs beginning to feel like home⌠a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.
Book #2 I’m NOT Reading: Mika in Real Life {Emiko Jean}
Goodreads Synopsis of Mika in Real Life {Emiko Jean}:
One phone call changes everything.
At thirty-five, Mika Suzukiâs life is a mess. Her last relationship ended in flames. Her roommate-slash-best friend might be a hoarder. Sheâs a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents. And, most recently, sheâs been fired from her latest dead-end job.
Mika is at her lowest point when she receives a phone call from Pennyâthe daughter she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Penny is determined to forge a relationship with her birth mother, and in turn, Mika longs to be someone Penny is proud of. Faced with her own inadequacies, Mika embellishes a fact about her life. What starts as a tiny white lie slowly snowballs into a fully-fledged fake life, one where Mika is mature, put-together, successful in love and her career.
The details of Mikaâs life might be an illusion, but everything she shares with curious, headstrong Penny is real: her hopes, dreams, flaws, and Japanese heritage. The harder-won heart belongs to Thomas Calvin, Pennyâs adoptive widower father. What starts as a rocky, contentious relationship slowly blossoms into a friendship and, over time, something more. But can Mika really have it allâlove, her daughter, the life sheâs always wanted? Or will Mikaâs deceptions ultimately catch up to her? In the end, Mika must face the truthâabout herself, her family, and her pastâand answer the question, just who is Mika in real life?
Book #3 I’m NOT Reading: The Babysitter {Sheryl Browne}
I actually DID start reading this book and read to page 83 before I called it quits. It was ok…and if I hadn’t bought THIS BOOK that I was so excited to start, I probably would have continued reading The Babysitter…
Goodreads Synopsis of The Babysitter {Sheryl Browne}:
You trust her with your family. Would you trust her with your life?
Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, canât it?
As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, itâs Jade who is left picking up the pieces.
But Mark soon notices things arenât quite as they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. Heâs met Jade before. And now he suspects he might know what she wants âŚ
Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?
Book #4 I’m NOT Reading: The Second Wife {Sheryl Browne}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Second Wife {Sheryl Browne}:
She made her bed. Youâll lie in it.
Rebecca and Nicole swore to be best friends forever. But three years after they last met up, Rebecca receives a phone call from Nicoleâs devoted husband, Richard. Nicole is dead, a tragic suicide. Drowned in a river close to her family home, Richard was the one who pulled her body from the water. Now he canât even speak about what happened.
While Rebecca reels from the news, she reads her friendâs last letters to her and begins to wonder if she knew Nicole at all. What secrets was she keeping from all the people who knew and loved her?
As Rebecca gets closer and closer to Richard, things go too far and she begins to slip into Nicoleâs old life â staying in her home, sleeping in her bed⌠But if sheâs going to become the wife Nicole never was, can she keep herself safe?
Book #5 I’m NOT Reading: The Book Haters Book Club {Gretchen Anthony}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Book Haters’ Book Club {Gretchen Anthony}:
All it takes is the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book LoverâŚ
That was Elliottâs belief and the reason why he started The Book Hatersâ Book Clubâa newsletter of reading recommendations for the self-proclaimed ânonreader.â As the beloved co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookstore, Elliottâs passion and gift was recommending books to customers. Now, after his sudden death, his grief-ridden business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell Over the Rainbow to a developer who will turn the cozy bookstore into high-rise condos.
But others wonât give up the bookstore without a fight. When Irma breaks the news to her daughters, Bree and Laney, and Elliottâs romantic partner, Thom, they are aghast. Over the Rainbow has been Bree and Laneyâs sanctuary since childhood, and Thom would do anything to preserve Elliottâs legacy. Together, Thom, Bree and Laney conspire to save the bookstore, even if it takes some snooping, gossip and minor sabotage.
Filled with humor, family hijinks and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters’ Book Club is the ideal feel-good read. Itâs a celebration of found family and a love letter to the everyday heroes who run bookstores.
Book #6 I’m NOT Reading: Eden’s Children {V.C. Andrews}
Goodreads Synopsis of Eden’s Children {V.C. Andrews}:
Mother doesnât always know best in this atmospheric and twisty novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic series and Landry seriesânow popular Lifetime movies.
When former teacher Paula Eden adopts Faith and Trevor, she is astounded by their natural intelligence and decides to homeschool them to nurture their brilliance. But as the years go on, Faith and Trevor itch for more independence.
When Faith sets her sights on a handsome young man visiting from out of town, Paula grows increasingly desperate to preserve her small family and her plans for the children to carry on her legacy. Luckily, she has a cohort in loyal Trevor, who will do anything to please his mother, even at the risk of hurting his sister and potentially changing their lives forever.
Book #7 I’m NOT Reading: Faking Reality {Sara Fujimura}
Goodreads Synopsis of Faking Reality {Sara Fujimura}:
Dakota McDonald swore after âThe Great Homecoming Disasterâ that sheâd never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parentsâ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.
Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping his small town Arizona life and the suffocating demands of working in his familyâs restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goalâthanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakotaâthe more reasons there are for him to stay.
Have you read any of these books? Which look interesting to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
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My husband caught my hat from the t shirt cannon at a basketball game we went to a few weeks ago. Itâs massive, I canât see anything because it covers my eyes, the front is furry, the bull is shiny, it’s all kinds of insane, and I love it so much!
I feel like with the way my reading habits have been lately, this blog should be named AUDIObook Coffee Happy đ I tend to go through phases when it comes to audiobooks…I listen to them back to back to back to back and then I take a break??? Obviously right now I’m in the middle of a major audiobook binge. If audiobooks aren’t your thing, just remember that many, many audiobooks can also be found in print! Here is one of the many audiobooks that I have listened to recently:
The Inmate {Freida McFadden}:
Photo Credit: Amazon
Goodreads Synopsis of The Inmate {Freida McFadden}:
There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a menâs maximum-security prison:
1) Treat all prisoners with respect.
2) Never reveal any personal information.
3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.
But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiaryâs most notorious and dangerous inmates.
And they certainly donât know that Shane was Brookeâs high school sweetheartâthe star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke’s testimony was what put him there.
But Shane knows.
And he will never forget.
My Review of The Inmate {Freida McFadden}:
So it held my interest long enough that I listened to it fairly quickly butâŚSO MUCH of this story was so incredibly unbelievableâŚand not the good kind of unbelievable.
The kind of unbelievable where there is NO WAY that so much of this story could have ever happened! Just so completely unrealistic in so, so many ways. A true work of fiction indeed, lol.
So many plot twists which I loveâŚsome predictable, some not. Overall it was just eh. The first half of the story was way more interesting than the 2nd half (shouldn’t it be the other way around??)
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
Would I recommend it? I guessâŚ.??
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*
*”Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)*
*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links. The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*
Book Coffee Happy 