Author: bookcoffeehappy

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Why I Stopped Reading The House in the Cerulean Sea {TJ Klune}…But You Shouldn’t!

Why I Stopped Reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune…But You Shouldn’t!

Hiiii! I’m so sorry I went a bit MIA last week. It was my daughter’s Spring Break and while I had every intention of still blogging, spending that extra time with my kids just felt so good. I usually blog each morning while my son takes an online class but last week I traded that in for daily breakfast in bed with my daughter while we snuggled up to watch iCarly. It was my favorite part of the whole week and I’m missing it today 😦

I had promised you my thoughts on The House in the Cerulean Sea last week…here they are today!

**This is book #1 of the reading challenge that I set up for myself. For more on this challenge and why I’m forcing myself to do it, read THIS POST**

Goodreads Synopsis of The House in the Cerulean Sea {TJ Klune}:

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

My Review of The House in the Cerulean Sea {TJ Klune}:

So the book begins with a girl levitating blocks above her head. That’s page 1. Already I wasn’t into it but I decided to keep reading.

And then the main character meets a sprite. I googled the defination of sprite and here’s what Marriam- Webster had to say: An elf or a fairy.

By this point, I was reaaaaaaaally struggling to continue reading but forged through in hopes of expanding my literary genre comfort zone.

And then around page 70ish there was a statue. That moved. On it’s own.

Aaaaaaand I was DONE.

The writing itself was good! The fact that I read 70 pages is proof of that!

I just absolutely hate this type of fantasy. SO. MUCH.

I hate books in this genre, I hate television shows in this genre, I HATE movies in this genre. The whole “alternate universe where things aren’t what they seem” is NOT something I enjoy.

Now, I must say that I’m disappointed that I just couldn’t do it. I’ve heard such BEAUTIFUL things about this book! Yes I went in with a nervous energy but I really don’t think that hindered my acceptance of any of it. Nervous energy or not, moving statues are just not for me.

I am 100 percent positive that this book gives a beautiful message but unfortunately I just couldn’t get past all of the fantastical elements to find it. People say that this book is WONDERFUL! If you love (can tolorate?) fantasy, this sounds like a truly fantastic read. I stopped reading..but you shouldn’t!

This book reminds me of Harry Potter in so many ways. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will probably love this book! I read the first 2 Harry Potter books and just couldn’t read any more.

Now what does this mean for the other 2 fantasy books that I will be (forcing myself?) to read? Well, 2 things actually:

#1 I wasn’t excited to read them before but now I’m REALLY not exited to read them….but I will! At least I’ll TRY.

#2 I think I actually might feel differently about them that I do about this book because although they are clearly fantasy, I do think they are a different TYPE of fantasy. From what I’m gathering, they are about real people who do fantastical things. No made up worlds, no moving statues, no levitating blocks, etc. Am I wrong? Please tell me (warn me?) if I’m wrong. The Time Traveler’s Wife is an example of a book like this and that book is most definitely fantasy! BUT it’s about real people who do fantastical things. Does that make sense? All of the statues in that book aren’t able to move. As it should be. I LOVED The Time Traveler’s Wife (read my thoughts HERE).

Reading challenge or not, I will forever stand by the fact that there are too many good books out there to continue reading one that you aren’t enjoying. And I reaaaaaaally wasn’t enjoying this one. So I stopped reading. Just like I always tell all of you to do!

Moving on…

Bottom Line:

This type of fantasy is just not for me no matter how hard I try.

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

Xo,

Jenny

This book clearly isn’t for me but you might love it!  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!*

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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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The #1 Reason Why Everyone Should Read This Beautiful Book

My 9 year old daughter drew this picture of me last night and I love it so much!

I read this book last week and I absolutely loved it. It’s such a wonderfully written book with such a loud and clear message.I had never heard of it but randomly found it on the shelf at my library a few weeks ago and it’s synopsis immediately grabbed me! It’s such a wonderfully written book with such a loud and clear message. If you haven’t yet read this book, READ THIS BOOK!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Bright Side of Going Dark {Kelly Harms}:

As one of the most popular influencers on social media, Mia Bell has lived her life online for years. With her celebrity dog and gorgeous fiancé, she is planning the ultimate virtual wedding—expensive, elaborate, and entirely paid for by sponsors. But off-camera, her world is far from picture perfect. After being jilted by her fiancé and faking her nuptials to please her sponsors, Mia finally has had enough. She heaves her phone off a cliff, ready to live—and maybe find love—offline for a change.

Mia’s sudden absence doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by techie loner Paige Miller, who hacks Mia’s account and begins impersonating the internet celebrity. Paige has her reasons. Her half sister, Jessica, idolizes Mia and desperately needs something to believe in. If taking over Mia’s online persona is Paige’s only means of connecting to her sister, so be it.

Creating a like-worthy life is more fun than Paige expected. But when she grows too bold and is caught in the act, a fiasco ensues that could forever change Mia, Paige, and the people who love them. Because somewhere amid the chaos is an invaluable lesson—one that only real life can teach.

My Review of The Bright Side of Going Dark {Kelly Harms}:

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.

Oh it’s such a beautifully written book, one that made me THINK.

I can admit that I am fully, 100 percent obsessed with my phone. Who isn’t???

This book made me think about so much about the digital world in relation to the everyday, real life world. From social media to apps to influencers and how each of them relate to our own lives, this book truly opened my eyes on so many levels.

EVERYONE should read this book as it will open your eyes to exactly how much we are all UNNECESSARILY relying on our phones for HOURS each day. This book seriously made me think about just how much time I am spending on my phone from using Google maps when I need directions, emails, text messages, SOCIAL MEDIA, the reality tv websites that I visit daily for updates (!), all of my apps, etc. And don’t even get me started on Amazon 😉

This book made me THINK. Is all of this time spent on our phones really necessary? Spoiler: It’s not.

These characters are so endearing, so lovable, and so special…this book and it’s deep messages will stay with me for a very long time. I read this book over 3 days but could easily have read it cover to cover in 1 day. It’s delightful!

I highly recommend The Bright Side of Going Dark for anyone but ESPECIALLY for those (like me) who are unnecessarily obsessed with their phones. Such an important topic and so wonderfully addressed.

This was my first Kelly Harms book and I’m a big fan! I love her writing style! Can’t wait to read more 🙂

Bottom Line:

This wonderful book and it’s important message gave me SO MUCH to think about…

**I’ll post my thoughts on The House in the Cerulean Sea later this week! Stay tuned!**

Have you read The Bright Side of Going Dark? 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*

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*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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3 Reasons I’m Dreading Reading This Book…But Will Anyway

Ok I’m doing it. The first of the 3 books that I’m determined to read sometime in 2021 to push me out of my reading comfort zone (read THIS POST for my full explanation of what I’m doing and why). I’m DREADING reading this book…but will anyway.

I’m starting this one tonight. It was tough for me to choose which of the 3 to start with and MANY of you gave me your opinions on here, Facebook, and Instagram on which of these 3 books I should read first.

Am I excited? Eh.

This is how I’m feeling about starting this book.

Do I reaaaaaaaaally hope I love it because so many people have recommended it? YES!

Goodreads Synopsis of The House in the Cerulean Sea {T.J. Klune}:

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Reason #1 I’m Dreading Reading This Book:

I’m not a fan of fantasy.

Reason #2 I’m Dreading Reading This Book:

I’m not a Harry Potter fan and I’m already getting Harry Potter vibes with the fantasy, the children, etc.

Reason #3 I’m Dreading Reading This Book:

I feel like I’m going against everything I believe in and stand for when it comes to reading for pleasure. Nobody should read something they aren’t excited about! HOWEVER, I vowed to complete this little experiment and I’m not a quitter.

Cerulean Sea, I’m coming for you!

I’ll keep you posted….

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

Xo,

Jenny

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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This Book Is Amazing! Lost You {Haylen Beck}

Haylen Beck’s Lost You had been on my TBR for quite some time and I was so excited to finally be able to get my hands on a copy! Spoiler: It’s AMAZING. Check out this synopsis…

Goodreads Synopsis of Lost You {Haylen Beck}:

A provocative and unputdownable psychological suspense about two women locked in a desperate fight over a child each believes is rightfully hers

Libby needs a break. Three years ago her husband split, leaving her to raise their infant son Ethan alone as she struggled to launch her writing career. Now for the first time in years, things are looking up. She’s just sold her first novel, and she and Ethan are going on a much-needed vacation. Everything seems to be going their way, so why can’t she stop looking over her shoulder or panicking every time Ethan wanders out of view? Is it because of what happened when Ethan was born? Except Libby’s never told anyone the full story of what happened, and there’s no way anyone could find her and Ethan at a faraway resort . . . right?

But three days into their vacation, Libby’s fears prove justified. In a moment of inattention, Ethan wanders into an elevator before Libby can reach him. When the elevator stops and the doors open, Ethan is gone. Hotel security scours the building and finds no trace of him, but when CCTV footage is found of an adult finding the child wandering alone and leading him away by the hand, the police are called in. The search intensifies, a lost child case turning into a possible abduction. Hours later, a child is seen with a woman stepping through an emergency exit. Libby and the police track the woman down and corner her, but she refuses to release Ethan. Asked who she is, the woman replies:

“I’m his mother.”

What follows is one of the most shocking, twist-y, and provocative works of psychological suspense ever written. A story of stolen identity, of surrogacy gone horribly wrong, and of two women whose insistence that each is the “real” mother puts them at deadly cross-purposes, Lost You is sure to be one of 2019’s most buzzed-about novels.

My Review of Lost You {Haylen Beck}:

I. Could. Not. Put. This. Book. Down.

Omg.

From the very first page, I was ALL IN. It literally GRABBED me! The first night I picked it up, I thought I would read 10 pages and then go to sleep. Aaaaaaaand 70 pages and 1:00 AM later…

Everything about this story was CRAZY and AWESOME. Such detailed characters, such detailed stories, and every single prediction that I had turned out to be incorrect. LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

As a mother, this book absolutely angered me, warmed me, scared me, broke my heart, and made me hug my kids even tighter. I felt EVERYTHING while reading this book. Do you remember that shirt that I wore during my recent trip to Tennessee?

I kept thinking about the term “Mama Bear” the entire time while I was reading! Mama Bears will do ANYTHING to protect their children and they love their children FIERCELY….this book sums up those feelings so perfectly.

I loved Haylen Beck’s writing style and I’m excited to read more of his books (FYI Haylen Beck is actually a pseudonym of author Stuart Neville). And…SHORT CHAPTERS! You KNOW I love that 🙂

I finished reading this book late last night and I hard time sleeping because I couldn’t stop thinking about these characters and their stories! Omg.

Bottom Line:

Absolutely loved it.

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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I Hate This Book and I Love This Book: Ghosted {Rosie Walsh}

Man do I have a lot to say about Rosie Walsh’s Ghosted. I HATE this book…..aaaaaaand I LOVE this book. How does that even happen???? My thoughts on this one are truly all over the place.

Goodreads Synopsis of Ghosted {Rosie Walsh}:

When Sarah meets Eddie, they connect instantly and fall in love. To Sarah, it seems as though her life has finally begun. And it’s mutual: It’s as though Eddie has been waiting for her, too. Sarah has never been so certain of anything. So when Eddie leaves for a long-booked vacation and promises to call from the airport, she has no cause to doubt him. But he doesn’t call.

Sarah’s friends tell her to forget about him, but she can’t. She knows something’s happened–there must be an explanation.

Minutes, days, weeks go by as Sarah becomes increasingly worried. But then she discovers she’s right. There is a reason for Eddie’s disappearance, and it’s the one thing they didn’t share with each other: the truth. 

I Hate This Book and I Love This Book: Ghosted {Rosie Walsh}:

First of all, it’s like 3 separate books in one. The first third of the book is…not good. Not good at all. It’s super confusing, super hard to follow, and super boring because there is quite literally nothing explained. It’s like the story just STARTS and the reader is thrown right into it without ANY explanation or background knowledge. I HATED the beginning of this book mostly because I had no clue what the hell was going on! A lot of the book is like this but the beginning is especially confusing. Hated it. Almost gave up reading.

The next third of the book is…better! The story starts to come together, characters aren’t quite so random, and you begin to get the sense of what is happening.

And then the last third of the book is….dark. Dramatic. Heavy. AMAZING. SPECTACULAR. IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT DOWN.

Before reading, I assumed this would be a light hearted and fun read! Girl meets boy and boy doesn’t call, sounds light! Spoiler: It’s not.

Something I loved: While I found a few parts of this book very predictable most of it was NOT! The best part of this book were the surprising twists that it took when I least expected it. Story lines completely took paths that I NEVER saw coming.

Something I didn’t love: I found more than 1 story line quite unbelievable and a bit TOO coincidental.

This overall story was incredible…but the actual writing was not. I am NOT a fan of Rosie Walsh’s writing style. I found it so confusing and I kept mixing up the characters right up until the very end. Story lines weren’t fully developed, everything kept bouncing around in terms of timelines and points of view, and overall it all just felt so disjointed to me.

And I’ll just say it. Sarah’s obsessive behavior was cringe worthy.

HOWEVER….the actual story was INCREDIBLE and quite literally left me breathless at the end. I actually heard myself give a big audible sigh after I closed the back cover, lol. There was A LOT of story packed into those 337 pages! I guess that’s what happens when each character and each story line isn’t given enough time to be properly developed and you don’t waste pages filling in the reader of any background knowledge for the entire beginning of the book, lol.

But here’s the confusing part: even though it was completely disjointed, this book as a whole was WONDERFUL. I’m not sure how that even happens but looking back on what I just read…it somehow all just worked to come together to tell this amazing story.

Although I’m clearly not a fan of Rosie Walsh’s writing style, I do respect her ability to write a book like this. Wow.

It turns out that my review of this book is just as confusing as the beginning of the book, lol.

I find it perfect that Liane Moriarty gives her recommendation of this book right on the front cover. I have such a love/hate relationship with Liane Moriarty (you read more about that HERE) and I also have a love/hate relationship with this book! Perfect pairing 😉

Would I recommend Ghosted? For the story as a whole and for the last 100ish pages alone…..HELL YES. I can’t stop thinking about it. Omg. WHAT. A. STORY.

Bottom Line:

If you can make it past the first 100ish pages…this story is truly incredible.

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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1 Book I Started and Stopped at Page 50 and 1 Book I Started and WANTED to Stop at Page 50

Sitting outside and drinking Dunkin! Spring is COMING!

This has not been the best week of reading for me. I started reading a book and didn’t finish…and then I started another book and didn’t WANT to finish but I decided to keep going.

The Book That I Stopped Reading at Page 50

After the poll that I had posted on Instagram asking if my next read should be Invisible Girl or The Last Flight, I started reading Lisa Jewell’s Invisible Girl. I’ve previously read 2 of Lisa Jewell’s books…1 that I LOVED (READ THAT BOOK) and 1 that I didn’t.

Goodreads Synopsis of Invisible Girl {Lisa Jewell}:

Owen Pick’s life is falling apart.

In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.

Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.

Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.

Why I Stopped Reading Invisible Girl {Lisa Jewell}:

Invisible Girl just didn’t grab me from the beginning. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t poorly written, it was just…eh? I really do think it would have gotten much better the more I kept reading but unfortunately I just wasn’t willing to stick around to find out.

I once write an entire blog post called How Long Until You Officially Abandon A Book? In that post, I said that I always read the first 100 pages of a book before putting it down. Sometimes I break my own rule…I made it about 50ish pages before I decided that I was going to move on.

***Side Note*** I absolutely HATE starting books and not finishing them but do you know what I hate even more? Doing something for fun that isn’t feeling fun. Reading is one of my most favorite hobbies….why would I want to spend time doing one of my favorite hobbies while not enjoying myself? Long gone are the days of required reading for school (although I LOVED the days of required reading for school) and now that I am a proper adult, I choose what to read…and what not to read!

The Book That I WANTED To Stop Reading at Page 50…But Didn’t!

Once I decided to move on, I browsed through my stack of books waiting to be read and decided on this book.

I bought Ghosted from the ADORABLE used book store on a trip to Michigan that I talked about in THIS POST.

Goodreads Synopsis of Ghosted {Rosie Walsh}:

When Sarah meets Eddie, they connect instantly and fall in love. To Sarah, it seems as though her life has finally begun. And it’s mutual: It’s as though Eddie has been waiting for her, too. Sarah has never been so certain of anything. So when Eddie leaves for a long-booked vacation and promises to call from the airport, she has no cause to doubt him. But he doesn’t call.

Sarah’s friends tell her to forget about him, but she can’t. She knows something’s happened–there must be an explanation.

Minutes, days, weeks go by as Sarah becomes increasingly worried. But then she discovers she’s right. There is a reason for Eddie’s disappearance, and it’s the one thing they didn’t share with each other: the truth. 

So I started reading….aaaaaaaaand wasn’t so impressed. The storylines and complete lack of background knowledge were super confusing and frankly, quite boring. I had even posted this on Facebook:

I searched through other blogger reviews and there seemed to be a common theme with this book: it starts off slowly but eventually turns amazing???

So I kept reading. I’m now on page 150ish and I will say…it’s definitely getting better! Not amazing by any means (yet? I’m optimistic that it’s going to turn around like everyone says that it will) but better than those first few pages. Eh. I’m sticking with it mainly because I own it! If this were a library book, I’m confident that I would have returned it before I even got to page 50. I will say that I already have SO MANY THOUGHTS on this book, I will post my full review once I finish reading.

Have you read either of these books? 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 link. 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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How I Became A Library Hero

How fun is this?!? I’m officially a Library Hero! Here is how I became one 🙂

It’s meeeee!

Back in early October, I randomly received the following email from my wonderful local library :

I responded that I was IN! How fun!

Library Hero

And then at the end of January, my friend Allison texted me a screenshot of an email that she had received from the library…with my picture on it! Turns out, this email was sent to 21,000 people!

Next thing I knew I was featured on their Facebook page…

…and Twitter…

…and Instagram!

My family and I visited gorgeous Indian Trails this past weekend and my kids thought it was so cool that THIS is what greeted us riiiiiiiiight as soon as we walked in the front door!

#noautographsplease
The words written underneath my gigantic picture!
My kids hangin’ with Mama!

As we walked through the library, we kept being greeted by my picture! My son literally pointed and yelled, “Moms on the screen! Moms on the screen!”

On your way to the first floor bathroom? Stop by and say hello!
Have a question for Adult Services on the upper level? Wave hello to me when you are there!

I’m so honored to be the face of this important campaign for one of my most favorite places. How fun is all of this?!

WEAR YOUR MASK, EVERYONE!

My dear friend (and fellow book lover) Megan texted me this:

If you go to Indian Trails, text or email me (bookcoffeehappy@gmail.com) a selfie with my poster! I’ll put it on my blog, lol 🙂

Thank you, Indian Trails, for reaching out to ask me to be a part of this! I would love to do it again for you in the future….next time I promise to wear makeup and properly style my hair, lol 😉

Between this and one of my blog posts going viral back in January, I’m feeling quite fancy over here! I should probably start holding interviews for bodyguards, limo drivers, publicists, etc…

And speaking of Indian Trails, I’m so excited about their new App which has now officially launched! You can find it in the Google Play Store and in the Apple Store (search Indian Trails Public Library). You KNOW I got mine all set up immediately! It’s GREAT and very user friendly!

I hope you are having a lovely day! Don’t forget to WEAR YOUR MASK!

Xo,

Your Favorite Library Hero 🙂

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!*

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

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Why Parachutes By Kelly Yang Was Wonderful {Book Review}

Kelly Yang’s Parachutes had been on my radar for months ever since it’s release in May. I was excited when my copy arrived at my library and I started reading immediately (after first Clorox wiping it down and then letting it dry. Pandemics are weird).

Goodreads Synopsis of Parachutes {Kelly Yang}:

Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the US while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang never thought she’d be one of them, until her parents pluck her from her privileged life in Shanghai and enroll her at a high school in California. Suddenly she finds herself living in a stranger’s house, with no one to tell her what to do for the first time in her life. She soon embraces her newfound freedom, especially when the hottest and most eligible parachute, Jay, asks her out.

Dani De La Cruz, Claire’s new host sister, couldn’t be less thrilled that her mom rented out a room to Claire. An academic and debate-team star, Dani is determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. When her debate coach starts working with her privately, Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course.

Desperately trying to avoid each other under the same roof, Dani and Claire find themselves on a collision course, intertwining in deeper and more complicated ways, as they grapple with life-altering experiences. Award-winning author Kelly Yang weaves together an unforgettable modern immigrant story about love, trauma, family, corruption, and the power of speaking out.

My Book Review of Parachutes {Kelly Yang}:

I really, really loved this book.

This is the kind of book where if I had an entire day to myself I could have EASILY read this entire book in 1 sitting.

476 pages absolutely flew by! The interesting and extremely complex story lines, the characters, all of it.

Short chapters are my absolute FAVORITE…whyyyyy do authors write long chapters???? This book had 85 (!) chapters, each just a few pages long. I absolutely LOVE this and wish every book could be written like this! The BEST!

After I closed the back cover, I sat in silence to reflect upon this book. So much to think about and so many viewpoints to consider.

What a special book! It explores SO many relative and important topics and issues….the specifics of which I will not be discussing (see THIS POST for details as to why).

Highly recommend!

This book should absolutely be required reading for all high schoolers. So much that teenagers (and adults) would learn from reading this wonderful book.

Bottom Line:

If you are a fan of YA, this book should absolutely be on your to read list.

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)*

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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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3 Books To Push Me Out of My Reading Comfort Zone

I think part of truly immersing yourself in any experience is the ability to be able to push yourself out of your own comfort zones. I have seen countless upon countless book bloggers absolutely LOVE these 3 books. Each time I see another positive review, I think, “Maaaaaaaaaabye I should be reading it…???” I then Google the synopsis, decide it’s not for me, and move on. I have been doing exactly that for these 3 books for MONTHS UPON MONTHS. I think I have read the synopsis for each of these 3 books probably 20 times each.

It’s time to take my own advice and push myself out of my reading comfort zone! At some point during 2021, I will read the following 3 books. Am I excited to read them? Not so much. Is this the type of situation where I think I will be pleasantly surprised once I read them? Absolutely. Obviously I am NOT giving up reading the types of books that I usually love to read…these 3 books will just be in addition to those 🙂

It should be worth noting that the only (?) book I’ve read in this fantasy genre is The Time Traveler’s Wife and I LOVED THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (read my thoughts HERE). So maybe there is hope in these 3 books for me after all? **shrugs shoulders**

So here we are. I would like to read all 3 of these books sometime in 2021! Definitely not all in a row and definitely with time in between…

How I’m feeling about this decision. Yikes.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

Click the images of the book covers 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

3 Books to Push Me Out of My Reading Comfort Zone:

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue {V.E. Schwab}

Synopsis from Goodreads:

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

The Midnight Library {Matt Heig}

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea {T.J. Klune}

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours

Have you read any of these 3 books? Which one should I read first? Please NO SPOILERS! Like…NONE. And if you aren’t sure if something might be a spoiler…it’s a spoiler. Thanks 🙂

The Gift of Time Giveaway Winner Video:

Congratulations!

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

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*

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*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.*

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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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**Childrens Book Giveaway** The Gift of Time {Kendra Esbrook}

I am BEYOND excited to review and host a giveaway for this beautiful book today! Everything about Kendra Esbrook’s The Gift of Time speaks directly to my heart. For years my husband and I have been asking our family members and friends to give our kids “experiences” for birthdays and holidays, even providing them with a list of ideas! As every parent knows, toys get played with for about 5 minutes and then quickly get forgotten but spending time with those you love….those memories last forever.

Synopsis of The Gift of Time {Kendra Esbrook}:

My Review of The Gift of Time {Kendra Esbrook}:

There aren’t enough words for me to use to describe how much I absolutely adore this book.

The perfect rhyming, the adorable pictures, the BEAUTIFUL message…all of it combines to create an absolutely wonderful children’s book that would be a perfect addition to any child’s library or classroom.

Spending quality time together is always number 1 in our house. My husband and I work so hard to create special memories for our kids. Sometimes they are elaborate….family vacations, etc. Sometimes they are simple…picnic lunches on our trampoline, etc. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to create beautiful and meaningful memories! Last week I let my daughter do my makeup and her and I literally laughed together the entire time. Let’s just say that the end result was that my face did NOT look perfect but the memory of those giggles from both of us and the quality time we spent together…PERFECT 🙂

Some of my absolute favorite memories of spending time with my children include baking together, playing in the snow together, cuddling on our couch while watching tv, and taking walks together around our neighborhood. Sometimes even the simplest of activities can turn into the most special memories 🙂

Teaching our kids that spending time together should always the most important thing has been something that my husband and I have felt strongly about since day 1. The Gift of Time exemplifies this in the very best of ways. Such a beautiful book with such a beautiful message! Children should understand from the youngest of ages that spending time with those they love is the greatest gift of all. A book such as The Gift of Time is such a perfect way to lead into a discussion about this with a child.

This book would make the perfect gift for any child in your life! Your own child, grandchild, niece, nephew, friend…any special child in your life would absolutely love the gift of this book and the opportunity to spend quality time with you.

And a bonus of gifting your time to a child? Not only do THEY receive those special memories of spending time together…but YOU also receive those special memories as well 🙂

Today is my son’s 5th birthday and this book is one of his gifts! Something tells me that it will be his favorite one 🙂 I love that this book has a page for you to write your gift. Such a special keepsake!

We can’t wait for him to open it so we can to read it to him!

I am a HUGE fan of Kendra Esbrook. I reviewed her first book A Bag for Santa on my blog 2 years ago and I LOVED that book and it’s beautiful message. You can read my post all about A Bag for Santa HERE. I’m already excited about book #3!!!

A Conversation with Kendra Esbrook About Her Newest Book, The Gift of Time:

What ages would be the ideal readers for your book?

2-10 but even adults can appreciate the lesson

How did you create the idea for your book?

We are strong believers in experiences over things, I wanted kids to appreciate how special time together can be. I also made sure to have ideas in the book that didn’t cost any money so readers would be inspired by free time together.

What are some examples of “gifts of time” that parents could provide for their children?

Movie night at home with popcorn

A trip to a favorite place or new place

Ice cream date 

Family bike ride

Picnic

Tea party

A trip to a new or favorite location 

Set up a tent in the living room and have a sleepover 

Baking together 

Making a fairy garden together 

Park hopping 

Create a treasure map and follow to a prize

Write and illustrate a book together 

Where can your book be purchased?
https://kendraesbrook.bigcartel.com
And digital copy on amazon 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZJZ4N9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_7N4NWVEH8VFY5VK3YB3B

Any additional information that you would like to provide about you or your book:

This is my second book, check out A Bag For Santa. And be on the lookout for a 3rd book coming 2022!

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

Would you like to win a copy of The Gift of Time? I have 1 signed copy to give away (open to US only for this giveaway)!  

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 (2/25/20) at 6:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced here on my blog on Friday (2/26/20).

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!  Can’t wait to read your comments!

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 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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