Author: bookcoffeehappy

I'm the blogger behind www.bookcoffeehappy.com!

Weekend Book Blogging Thoughts

Hiiiiii!

New Fancy Computer:

I got a new computer this weekend (obsessed) and of course I wanted to try it out ASAP. What better way than a random weekend blog post? This post will be a bit all over the place but I really just want to try out all of this new computer’s features. I’m in LOVE!

Obsessed.

Street Fest:

Yesterday we went to a street fest by our house. It was a perfect outdoor activity!

My daughter had so much fun doing the pony rides. My son…cried because it smelled like horse doodie and refused to get on. The lady gave me back my money but she wasn’t thrilled about it. #fail

Iced vanilla latte at the fest! Delish!
Saw this at the fest yesterday. It’s so true!

Book I Finished, Book I Started:

As for books, I finished reading this book last night and I have allllll kinds of thoughts. Review coming soon!

Synopsis from Goodreads of Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffman}:

Gail and Jon Durbin moved to the Chicago suburbs to set up house as soon as Gail got pregnant. But then she miscarried—once, twice, three times. Determined to expand their family, the Durbins turn to adoption. When several adoptions fall through, Gail’s desire for a child overwhelms her.

Carli is a pregnant teenager from a blue-collar town nearby, with dreams of going to college and getting out of her mother’s home. When she makes the gut-wrenching decision to give her baby up for adoption, she chooses the Durbins. But Carli’s mother, Marla, has other plans for her grandbaby.

In Other People’s Children, three mothers make excruciating choices to protect their families and their dreams—choices that put them at decided odds against one another. You will root for each one of them and wonder just how far you’d go in the same situation. This riveting debut is a thoughtful exploration of love and family, and a heart-pounding page-turner you’ll find impossible to put down. 

I started reading this one this morning. I’ll let you know my thoughts ASAP! I’m currently on chapter 3…

Synopsis from Goodreads of The Photographer {Mary Dixie Carter}:

WHEN PERFECT IMAGES

As a photographer, Delta Dawn observes the seemingly perfect lives of New York City’s elite: snapping photos of their children’s birthday parties, transforming images of stiff hugs and tearstained faces into visions of pure joy, and creating moments these parents long for.

ARE MADE OF BEAUTIFUL LIES

But when Delta is hired for Natalie Straub’s eleventh birthday, she finds herself wishing she wasn’t behind the lens but a part of the scene―in the Straub family’s gorgeous home and elegant life.

THE TRUTH WILL BE EXPOSED

That’s when Delta puts her plan in place, by babysitting for Natalie; befriending her mother, Amelia; finding chances to listen to her father, Fritz. Soon she’s bathing in the master bathtub, drinking their expensive wine, and eyeing the beautifully finished garden apartment in their townhouse. It seems she can never get close enough, until she discovers that photos aren’t all she can manipulate. 

EXCITING BOOK NEWS:

I absolutely loved Lisa Barr’s The Unbreakables. If you haven’t read it yet, I HIGHLY recommend that you do so! You can read my (glowing) review HERE.

Throughout the years, I have come to know Lisa on a personal level and I can attest that her beautiful personality is just as wonderful as her writing. The cover revel for Lisa’s newest book, Woman on Fire, has been released and it’s STUNNING! Check this out:

Absolutely LOVE!

And a blurb from one of my all time favorites, Mary Kubica??? YES PLEASE!

“Incredibly fast-paced and savvy, Lisa Barr takes readers into the high stakes world of art theft through the eyes of a young, gutsy journalist. Thick with history, scandal, romance and deceit, WOMAN ON FIRE is a truly compulsive read.”  – Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of LOCAL WOMAN MISSING

HERE is a link where you can read the Woman on Fire synopsis AND preorder your own copy ahead of it’s March 2022 release date. I can’t WAIT to get my hands on a copy and I can’t WAIT to meet you for coffee ASAP, Lisa! Xo!

I hope you are having a lovely weekend filled with love and BOOKS! I’m off to play with my new computer…

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

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The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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A Wonderful Book! Review: The Mothers {Genevieve Gannon}

Book Review: The Mothers {Genevieve Gannon}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Mothers {Genevieve Gannon}:

Grace and Dan Arden are in their forties and have been on the IVF treadmill since the day they got married. Six attempts have yielded no results, and with each failure a little piece of their hope dies.

Priya Laghari and her husband Nick Archer are being treated at the same fertility clinic, and while they don’t face the same time pressure as the Ardens, the younger couple have their own problems.

On the same day that Priya is booked for her next IVF cycle, Grace goes in for her final, last-chance embryo transfer. Two weeks later, both women get their results.

A year on, angry and heartbroken, one of the women learns her embryo was implanted in the other’s uterus and must make a devastating choice: live a childless life knowing her son is being raised by strangers or seek custody of a baby who has been nurtured and loved by another couple.

My Review of The Mothers {Genevieve Gannon}:

As a mother, this book absolutely shredded me. My poor heart BROKE while reading…what an impossibly horrific story.

It made me think…what truly makes a mother? Biology? Environment? Both? Neither?

I personally did not go through the IVF process but I know plenty of women who did…and I can’t even imagine reading this book having gone through that process.

As I was reading, I couldn’t help but wonder how this book was going to end. All I will say is that the ending was PERFECTION. Quite possibly one of the best written endings to a book I’ve ever read.

I absolutely loved this book for so many reasons. It was SO well written, extremely thought provoking, and incredibly beautiful.

And can we talk about the STUNNING cover? Absolutely gorgeous!

Bottom Line:

This book is absolutely brilliant.

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

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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The Guilty Reader Book Tag

I saw The Guilty Reader Book Tag on Zeezee With Books and immediately knew I wanted to participate! This was a fun one to do! Thanks so much for posting, Zeezee! If you haven’t yet checked out Zeezee’s lovely blog HERE is a link 🙂

Without even thinking about it, I recently gave myself a French braid while reading. Does anyone else do this??? I do this all the time while reading, lol…

The Guilty Reader Book Tag

HAVE YOU EVER REGIFTED A BOOK YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?

I find that I hardly ever want to read a book that someone gives to me. While I SO appreciate the kind gesture, choosing a book to read is such a personal decision. Rarely are books given to me that are actually books I want to read! I don’t gift them to others for this exact reason but I do try my best to find them good homes. I give away my books during my annual garage sale and I LOVE to donate to Little Free Libraries.

HAVE YOU EVER SAID YOU’VE READ A BOOK WHEN YOU HAVEN’T?

Nope! In case you haven’t yet figured it out…I really, really love to read 😉

HAVE YOU EVER BORROWED A BOOK AND NOT RETURNED IT?

No but people have done this to me and it’s AWFUL. If you borrow a book from someone, please always return it! I’ve actually recently stopped loaning out my books because of exactly this.

HAVE YOU EVER READ A SERIES OUT OF ORDER?

Only once and it was a total mistake! I read THIS BOOK and only when I finished did I realize it’s #2 in a series. Oops. I loved that book so much that I must go back and read book #1 at some point! I’ve heard it’s wonderful!

HAVE YOU EVER SPOILED A BOOK FOR SOMEONE?

NO NO NO NO NO. NEVER EVER. NOT EVEN ONE TIME. HELL NO. HARD PASS. You can read more about my thoughts on this and why I will NEVER spoil anything on my blog (or in my life) HERE.

HAVE YOU EVER DOG EARED A BOOK?

Every single day, lol. Read about it HERE.

HAVE YOU EVER TOLD SOMEONE YOU DON’T OWN A BOOK WHEN YOU DO?

Nope!

HAVE YOU EVER TOLD SOMEONE YOU HAVEN’T READ A BOOK WHEN YOU HAVE?

Ummm why would anyone do that?

HAVE YOU EVER SKIPPED A CHAPTER OR A SECTION OF A BOOK?

NEVER. I read every single word every single time. I see other bloggers who say things like, “I skimmed the middle few chapters” and it blows my mind every single time. Why read a book just to skip over parts of it? If you do this, I’d love hear your reasoning!

HAVE YOU EVER BAD MOUTHED A BOOK YOU ACTUALLY LIKED?

No but if you read my blog for any length of time than you are WELL aware that I have bad mouthed plenty of books that I hated, lol. I pride myself on always sharing my truest feelings on books…good and bad! For example, my review of one of the worst books that I have ever read can be found HERE.

If you are reading this, consider yourself tagged! If you do particapate on your blog, please tag me so I can see your answers!

**I’ll be back here on Wednesday with a review of a WONDERFUL book!**

Readers, I’d love to hear your answers to some or all of these questions from this book tag in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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What I’m Currently Reading (HEART POUNDING), What I Recently Read (Review ASAP), What I Think I’ll Read Next (Sounds Amazing)

I love when Book Coffee Happy can participate in WWW! The Three Ws: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?

Thanks so much to Sam from Taking on a World of Words for hosting this fun weekly post!

I came across this gorgeous bookshelf while shopping today. How BEAUTIFUL are these books??

What Are You Currently Reading?

Omg this book. It’s so INTENSE! I’m almost done reading and I don’t think my poor heart will ever go back to beating calmly ever again. OMG.

Goodreads Synopsis of Bath Haus {P.J. Vernon}:

Oliver Park, a young recovering addict from Indiana, finally has everything he ever wanted: sobriety and a loving, wealthy partner in Nathan, a prominent DC trauma surgeon. Despite their difference in age and disparate backgrounds, they’ve made a perfect life together. With everything to lose, Oliver shouldn’t be visiting Haus, a gay bathhouse. But through the entrance he goes, and it’s a line crossed. Inside, he follows a man into a private room, and it’s the final line. Whatever happens next, Nathan can never know. But then, everything goes wrong, terribly wrong, and Oliver barely escapes with his life.

He races home in full-blown terror as the hand-shaped bruise grows dark on his neck. The truth will destroy Nathan and everything they have together, so Oliver does the thing he used to do so well: he lies.

What follows is a classic runaway-train narrative, full of the exquisite escalations, edge-of-your-seat thrills, and oh-my-god twists. P. J. Vernon’s Bath Haus is a scintillating thriller with an emotional punch, perfect for readers curious for their next must-read novel. 

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

I’ll post my review of this one ASAP!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Wife Upstairs:

A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, Rachel Hawkins’s The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Megan Miranda.

Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates—a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie—not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past—or his—catches up to her?

With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?

What Do You Think You’ll Read Next?

Goodreads Synopsis of Other People’s Children:

Gail and Jon Durbin moved to the Chicago suburbs to set up house as soon as Gail got pregnant. But then she miscarried—once, twice, three times. Determined to expand their family, the Durbins turn to adoption. When several adoptions fall through, Gail’s desire for a child overwhelms her.

Carli is a pregnant teenager from a blue-collar town nearby, with dreams of going to college and getting out of her mother’s home. When she makes the gut-wrenching decision to give her baby up for adoption, she chooses the Durbins. But Carli’s mother, Marla, has other plans for her grandbaby.

In Other People’s Children, three mothers make excruciating choices to protect their families and their dreams—choices that put them at decided odds against one another. You will root for each one of them and wonder just how far you’d go in the same situation. This riveting debut is a thoughtful exploration of love and family, and a heart-pounding page-turner you’ll find impossible to put down.

Have you read any of these 3 books? What did you think (no spoilers)? What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Click on the images below to order through my Amazon links. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo



This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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Sex. Hot, Steamy Sex. And so Much More…This Book is AWESOME.

Sex. Hot, Steamy Sex. And so much more…this book is AWESOME.

Hiiiiiii 💗

READ. THIS. BOOK. It’s hot, it’s scandalous, it’s juicy, it’s amazing! Have any of you read it? If not, you MUST. Like…today.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Idea of You {Robinne Lee}:

Solène Marchand, the thirty-nine-year-old owner of an art gallery in Los Angeles, is reluctant to take her daughter, Isabelle, to meet her favorite boy band. But since her divorce, she’s more eager than ever to be close to Isabelle. The last thing Solène expects is to make a connection with one of the members of the world-famous August Moon. But Hayes Campbell is clever, winning, confident, and posh, and the attraction is immediate. That he is all of twenty years old further complicates things.

What begins as a series of clandestine trysts quickly evolves into a passionate and genuine relationship. It is a journey that spans continents as Solène and Hayes navigate each other’s worlds: from stadium tours to international art fairs to secluded hideaways in Paris and Miami. For Solène, it is a reclaiming of self, as well as a rediscovery of happiness and love. When Solène and Hayes’ romance becomes a viral sensation, and both she and her daughter become the target of rabid fans and an insatiable media, Solène must face how her romantic life has impacted the lives of those she cares about most.

My Review of The Idea of You {Robinne Lee}:

This is one of the hottest, most addictive books I’ve read in a very long time. I absolutely LOVED IT.

Everything about this book is easy to love…even the chapters broken up into sections. Just ONE more section and then I’ll go to sleep. Ok just ONE section more. Oh lord I must know what’s going to happen…one more section. I flew through this book.

I was totally one hundred percent in from the very first page and quite literally couldn’t put it down. When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about the characters. I loved the writing, I loved the characters, I loved the storytelling. I loved it all.

And those sex scenes? I really loved those too. LOVED 😉

This book is a GEM. How is it not more popular? Read this. You’ll love it. It’s fascinating. And HOT.

If you have a vacation coming up, bring this book. A perfect vacay read! You’re welcome.

Bottom Line:

One of my favorite reads of 2021 thus far!

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

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

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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2 Books I Recently Started Reading…and Didn’t Finish.

I HATE starting books and not finish reading them. Absolutely HATE. It feels like such a waste of time…getting to know characters, immersing myself in story lines, etc. just to put the book down without finishing? Ugh.

Bookshelf at an antique store I visited a few weeks ago. Beautiful ❤️

I once wrote an entire post on abandoning books and I must admit…my thoughts on this have most definitely changed over time. Now I just stop reading as soon as I realize that I’m not EXCITED to pick up the book. Reading is my favorite hobby and as soon as it doesn’t feel fun, I’m OUT. Books should never feel like a chore and as an adult there is no required pleasure reading (professional reading, yes…but never pleasure reading).

Here are 2 books that I recently started reading and gave up before ever finding out what happened in the end.

Book #1 That I Started Reading and Didn’t Finish:

Favorite coffee mug. Not favorite book.

Goodreads Synopsis of Destination Wedding {Diksha Basu}:

Tina Das wants to belong, but she just isn’t sure where. India or America? Brooklyn or Bombay? Manhattan or Delhi? Or start from scratch in London–she still has fond memories of her one-night stand with Rocco Gallagher, the handsome Australian, as they traipsed through Covent Garden and Seven Dials, but he never called back so maybe it’s time to let that dream go, and focus on finding the next big story for her streaming network instead.

She’s hoping she’ll find it at her cousin’s lavish, weeklong Delhi wedding, and has taken her best friend Marianne Laing along for the ride to Delhi’s poshest country club, Colebrookes. Marianne has always had international tastes, in life and in love, yet can’t help but think of sweet, steady, khaki-clad Tom back home in New York.

Also in attendance are Tina’s divorced parents: her mother, Radha, who’s bringing her American “boyfriend,” David, to the wedding, and her father, Neel, who’s using the visit to India to explore the idea of dating again, only to discover it and he have both changed completely in the decades he’s been away.

Infused with warmth, charm, and wicked humor, Destination Wedding grapples with the challenges of work, love, and finding the people who make a place feel like home.

My Review of Destination Wedding {Diksha Basu}:

It PAINS me to write this review. I was SO EXCITED to read this book! I first mentioned it waaaaaaaay back in 2019 as one of the books that I couldn’t wait to read in 2020. I then mentioned it again when I was discussing my trip to the most amazing bookstore I’ve ever visited! That awesome store didn’t have Destination Wedding in stock (I asked!) but they did have THIS BOOK by the same author which I bought and ended up loving! A few months ago, my library FINALLY was able to locate a copy of Destination Wedding for me and I was READY. I was so prepared to love it!

I didn’t love it.

I was so BORED. It wasn’t a horrible book it was just…boring. I so badly wanted to feel SOMETHING while reading but the further I got into the book, the more bored I became. I stuck it out waaaaaay longer than I should have but I just so desperately wanted to love it. It became more and more clear that this was not the book for me when I continued to be completely disconnected from the characters and didn’t care what ended up happening in any of the storylines.

It literally PAINED me to put this book down after waiting YEARS to read it. Ugh.

Bottom Line:

Hands down my most disappointing book of 2021 thus far.

Aaaaaaaaand Book #2 That I Started Reading and Didn’t Finish:

Goodreads Synopsis of Are We There Yet {Kathleen West}:

Alice Sullivan feels like she’s finally found her groove in middle age, but it only takes one moment for her perfectly curated life to unravel. On the same day she learns her daughter is struggling in second grade, a call from her son’s school accusing him of bullying throws Alice into a tailspin.

When it comes to light that the incident is part of a new behavior pattern for her son, one complete with fake social media profiles with a lot of questionable content, Alice’s social standing is quickly eroded to one of “those moms” who can’t control her kids. Soon she’s facing the very judgement she was all too happy to dole out when she thought no one was looking (or when she thought her house wasn’t made of glass).

Then her mother unloads a family secret she’s kept for more than thirty years, and Alice’s entire perception of herself is shattered.

As her son’s new reputation polarizes her friendships and her family buzzes with the ramification of her mother’s choices, Alice realizes that she’s been too focused on measuring her success and happiness by everyone else’s standards. Now, with all her shortcomings laid bare, she’ll have to figure out to whom to turn for help and decide who she really wants to be.

My Review of Are We There Yet {Kathleen West}:

The writing was good! The depressing family drama…was not. Reading books about other people’s drama can be done in a way that the reader can find interesting. The way this book played out wasn’t interesting, it was…depressing. As a mother, reading about another mother’s struggles wasn’t interesting…it just made me feel sad.

I DO think there is probably a really wonderful and important life lesson within these pages but unfortunately I just didn’t care enough to stick around and find out.

Bottom Line:

I closed the cover and found myself YEARNING for a really wonderful book to read next. And BOY DID I FIND ONE! Review for that book will be posted here on Friday…one of the best books I’ve read all year! Stay tuned…

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Clearly these books weren’t for me…but you might love them! 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

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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Book Lover Life Lesson {Video}

I made this video to share an important life lesson for all of you book lovers. LEARN FROM ME!

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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Book I’m Currently Reading, Coffee I’m Currently Drinking, 1 Thing Currently Making Me Happy, AND Giveaway Winners!

Book Coffee Happy’s newest series where I share the book I’m currently reading, the coffee I’m currently drinking, and 1 thing that is currently making me happy!

Hiiiiii!

Book I’m Currently Reading:

I’m so excited to start reading this one! It’s been on my to read list for MONTHS. I’ll let you know what I think, I’m starting it TONIGHT!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Wife Upstairs:

Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates—a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie—not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past—or his—catches up to her?

Coffee I’m Currently Drinking:

If you have been reading my blog and following me on Instagram for long enough, you have seen countless photos of me drinking coffee from this mug.

2 weeks ago I threw it in the garbage. #freebritney

Currently Making Me Happy:

Last week as I was laying in bed, I reached for my book that was on my nightstand and I was greeted with this. I feel like this could be one of those “show me you are living with a 5 year old boy without telling me that you are living with a 5 year old boy” situations. Hilarious!

Oh hey, Spiderman.

The Seven Day Switch Giveaway Winners Video:

Thank you to everyone who entered! Here is the video of me randomly choosing the 5 winners:

**Video has been deleted**

Aaaaand about 2 minutes after I shot the above video featuring my lovely collectible “Share” jar, this happened:

Crap.
Dyson Animal to the rescue!

Happy Friday! May your weekend be filled with love, BOOKS, and nothing that shatters all over your carpet, lol.

What are you currently reading?

What coffee are you currently enjoying?

What is 1 thing currently making you HAPPY?

Xo,

Jenny

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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BOOK GIVEAWAY (5 Copies) Open to US and International Readers! The Seven Day Switch {Kelly Harms}

I am so happy to welcome guest blogger Melissa Amster from Chick Lit Central back to Book Coffee Happy today! I always love working with Melissa. If you haven’t checked out her lovely book blog, you absolutely must! Hers was the very first book blog I ever read and she definitely was one of the inspirations for me to start blogging myself. We have a GREAT book (and giveaway!) for you today! Thank you so much, Melissa, for sharing an Advance Reader’s Copy of The Seven Day Switch by Kelly Harms with me this past spring.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Seven Day Switch {Kelly Harms}:

Celeste Mason is the Pinterest stay-at-home supermom of other mothers’ nightmares. Despite her all-organic, SunButter-loving, free-range kids, her immaculate home, and her volunteering awards, she still has time to relax with a nice glass of pinot at the end of the day. The only thing that ruins it all is her workaholic, career-obsessed neighbor, who makes no secret of what she thinks of Celeste’s life choices every chance she gets.

Wendy Charles is a celebrated productivity consultant, columnist, and speaker. On a minute-by-minute schedule, she makes the working-mom hustle look easy. She even spends at least one waking hour a day with her kids. She’s not apologizing for a thing. Especially to Celeste, who plays her superior parenting against Wendy whenever she can.

Who do Celeste and Wendy think they are? They’re about to find out thanks to one freaky week. After a neighborhood potluck and too much sangria, they wake up—um, what?—in each other’s bodies. Everything Celeste and Wendy thought they knew about the “other kind of mom” is flipped upside down—along with their messy, complicated, maybe not so different lives.

Jenny Share’s Review:

I read (and loved!) The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms a few months back (you can the synopsis and my review HERE) and was so excited to read her newest book The Seven Day Switch. She has such an easy to read, easy to love style of writing and I am a BIG fan. I had a pretty good feeling about this book before I even opened to the first page and I’m so happy that my first thoughts turned out to be correct.

I absolutely loved this wonderful book.

This book should be required reading for every parent out there! You truly don’t ever know what somebody else is going through and what that person chooses to reveal to the world does not in fact always tell the entire story.

This book has made me look at so many people in my life in a whole different light and has made me wonder about what is going on in their lives that I am not privy to.

“Mommy Wars” are a very real thing and moms are constantly comparing themselves to each other. STOP THAT! The decisions that you make for your own family should never be compared to decisions that somebody else is making for her own family.

I recently came upon this quote and it really spoke to me:

“Your kids don’t care what other moms are doing.”

How incredibly true is that? Your kids really don’t care what other moms are doing as long as you are doing the right thing for them. Parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual and what is right for one family may not be right for the next.

This book really spoke directly to my heart and if you are a mother, it will speak to yours too! Every mother will be able to identify with at least something within these pages. The characters, the storylines, the messages…I truly loved this beautiful book so very much.

***I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t say the following. Those who know me in real life know that I am a HUGE advocate of breastfeeding. Extended breastfeeding (breastfeeding toddlers) is normal, beautiful, and something that I did with both of my children. As much as I love this book, I did not love the negative connotation that came with this particular storyline. For a book about breaking judgmental parenting barriers, this storyline was clearly negative against parents who choose to feed and nurture their children in this way. I really wish that this particular storyline and all that went along with it could have been written with a bit more objectivity.***

Melissa Amster’s Review:

I’m always a fan of surreal stories, where you have to suspend disbelief. So the premise of The Seven Day Switch was definitely up my alley before I even opened it! And what was inside was even better than what I was expecting. Even though the topic of switching minds has been done before, such as in Freaky Friday, Kelly Harms puts a fun and refreshing spin on it, while also emphasizing the importance of balance in one’s life. As soon as I read just one chapter, I knew I had to tell my friend who runs Balanced Working Moms on Facebook about it. And, of course, I knew this book would be perfect for Jenny and I was not only excited for her to read it, but also to review it together at her blog.

 
I really liked and identified with both Wendy and Celeste in different ways. I enjoyed seeing them navigate each others’ lives and the things they did to try to help each other out, even if it wasn’t always with the best of intentions. There was one part I didn’t agree with at first, but I’m glad it was recognized and hashed out between the two women. Wendy’s son reminded me so much of my younger son. (Even Celeste’s son was similar to him in some ways.) I think, personally, I am more of a Wendy. However, I am thankful to have a relationship with my husband and kids that is more on par with Celeste. There were a lot of great moments, as well as some humorous ones. It’s always tricky to write about one character living another character’s life, but Kelly did this flawlessly throughout the novel.

 This was a sweet and touching story that I definitely recommend!

Movie casting suggestions:

Wendy: Piper Perabo

Celeste: Ginnifer Goodwin

Seth: Alexander Skarsgård

Davis: Sam Page

Hugh: James Roday Rodriguez

Ruthie: Mary Elizabeth Ellis

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

Would you like to win a copy of The Seven Day Switch? We have 5 copies to give away (open to our US and International readers!)

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 (7/8/21) at 6:00 pm CDT and the winners will be randomly chosen and announced here on my blog on Friday (7/9/21).

Make sure you check the blog on Friday to see if you’ve won (you will have 48 hours from the time I post the winner to email me the mailing address where you would like your book sent.  If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner).

Good luck!  We can’t wait to read your comments!

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The 12 best books that I read in 2020 can be found HERE

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

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READ THIS BOOK STAT!

READ THIS BOOK STAT.

Yesterday’s Mystery Drive Thru Coffee. I paid and pulled away. I took the first sip and quickly realized that this was most definitely not 3 cream/3 Splenda. However, it was DELICIOUS so I just kept on driving, lol. Thanks for the mystery, Dunkin! Xo!

I rarely buy books. The minimalist in me LOVES borrowing (and then returning) books to the library. It’s such a win win…I read so many books and if I don’t love them…eh…I just bring them back.

Do I have big, colorful bookshelves proudly displayed in my home artistically filled with all of my reading adventures? I do not. Do I sometimes get Bookstagram Envy on Instagram? Oh I sure do. Do I love having a clean, clutter free home? YES YES YES.

Sometimes, I cave.

Barnes and Noble gift card? I bought THIS BOOK. Global pandemic? Ordered THIS BOOK on Amazon.

Needless to say, I hated both of those books and gave both away as soon as I finished reading. Ugh.

And then I bought THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK while on vacation a few months ago and I loved every word. A smart purchase indeed. I also bought THIS BOOK on that same trip and it ended up being the very best book I’ve ever read!

And I DID just buy 2 books last weekend when I just so happened to be a few miles away from the MECCA of bookstores…

A few weeks ago I put my name on the library waitlist for Taylor Jenkins Reid’s newest book, Malibu Rising. I was so excited to read it! In the meantime I read THIS BOOK. And hated it. And when I finished reading that awfully boring book, I KNEW I needed something AWESOME to read next.

Approximately 5 clicks later and Amazon Prime promised me that I would have Malibu Rising in my hands the very next day. And I did 🙂

Goodreads Synopsis of Malibu Rising {Taylor Jenkins Reid}:

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over–especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud–because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own–including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind. 

My Review of Malibu Rising {Taylor Jenkins Reid}:

EVEEEEERYONE is reading this book right now. And there’s a reason.

I. ABSOLUTELY. LOVED. IT. I finished the last page, heard myself breathe a huge breath I didn’t even know I had been holding , and out loud (to absolutely nobody but myself) said “WOW”.

This book was amazing and I was completely all in from the very first sentence. It was interesting, it was fascinating, it was AWESOME.

PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE THIS BOOK INTO A MOVIE. OR A TELEVISION SERIES. OR A MINISERIES. ANYTHING ON A SCREEN!!! This would be an amazing story to be able to actually see unfold on a screen.

I do have 2 complaints…

1. There were so many characters and so many backstories that I’m STILL not even sure I know who everyone was. I think there were definitely wasted pages talking so much about these unnecessary characters but I suppose it did give an overall feel to the depth of the partygoers?

2. A few of the big twists were highly predictable (although a few were NOT).

However, these complaints are SMALL in comparison to how many things I absolutely loved about this book. It’s a wonderfully written story, so complex and so amazing.. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished reading. An absolutely perfect summer read.

Bottom Line:

Buying this book was such a SMART decision, so happy that I did!

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

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support!  Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Please share this page 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)*

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The ultimate list of my top book suggestions can be found HERE

The 12 best books I read in 2020 can be found HERE

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