Category: Uncategorized

***GIVEAWAY*** I’m Going to Gramma’s In My Pajamas! {Barbara Berg Mies}

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What an adorable children’s book this is!  My kids loved reading it and so did I.  This is definitely a book you can read over and over with your kids and smile each time you read.

Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to read and review for my blog.  All opinions are my own. 

Giveaway details will be given at the bottom of this post!

Synoposis from Amazon:

Have you ever wondered why your kids love to go to their Grandparents house? Enjoy this fun and light-hearted book that shows the special relationship between Grandmothers and Grandchildren.

My Thoughts:

I loved the word repetition and so did my daughter.  In fact, she kept saying along with me, “I’m going to gramma’s in my pajamas” each time it was written in the story.  My 2.5 year old son loved it as well!  My kids both laughed out loud at various parts (eating cereal with feet, drawing on the floor, etc.).  They loved the story and they loved the pictures!

The story was simple, funny, and adorable. I love that all of the drawings were completed by a 12 year old boy!  He did a fabulous job and it adds so much character to this charming little book.  This story will absolutely appeal to boys as well as girls.  Such a cute book. 🙂

As a teacher, my students would have loved this story and it would have led to a great classroom discussion!  As a parent, I really enjoyed reading it and laughing aloud with my children.  I will be passing this book along to the grandparents…they will so love reading this story with my kids!

My 6.5 Year Old Daughter’s Thoughts:

“I like when he says “I’m going to gramma’s in my pajamas” and I like when he said he can color on the floor and eat cereal with his feet. I can’t believe a 12 year old can draw pictures like that! How did he DO that? I would read this book again!”

A Conversation with Barbara Berg Mies, In Her Own Words…

How did you create the idea for your book?

My children and their grandmother were the inspiration for this book. They have a very special bond. One morning they asked if they could go visit Gramma in their pajamas….and the book was born. I slowly started writing lines for the book and once I put them all together, I needed to find an illustrator. I thought, what better way to connect with kids than to have another kid draw pictures for the book. My friends 12 year old son loves to write and draw his own stories, so I asked him if he was interested in illustrating my story. He did an amazing job bringing my story to life with his drawings.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

2-6 year olds (preschool and kindergarten ages)

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

Fun, Light-Hearted, Rhyming

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

“I’m Going To Gramma’s In My Pajamas!” was illustrated by a 12 year old boy.  Every image was thoughtfully hand drawn, which brought the words of the book to life.

This is Barbara Berg-Mies’ second children’s book (the first is titled “The Silly Sneeze”).  Barbara Berg-Mies started writing children’s books after her two beautiful little girls entered her life. Children are such an inspiration and they bring joy, love, and laughter to people everyday! Their laughter and innocence can never be re-created, but hopefully, with a few words, these books can be enjoyed by many.

To order your own copy of this adorable book, click the image below (affiliate link):

***GIVEAWAY***

Would you like a chance to win an autographed copy of this adorable story?

I have 1 autographed copy of I’m Going to Gramma’s In My Pajamas! to give away!  This would be a perfect book for parents, grandparents, teachers, or anyone else who has a special child to share it with.

The autographed paperback will be mailed directly to you from the author (US only for this giveaway).

To be entered, please complete these 2 simple steps:

1. Follow and/or subscribe to my blog

2. Leave a comment below telling me the color of your favorite pajamas

**You must complete both of these steps to be eligible for the giveaway**

Giveaway will end Friday morning at 6:00 am CDT and winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday morning’s blog post.  If you already follow and/or subscribe to my blog, you are still eligible…just leave a comment below to be entered 🙂

Good luck!  Can’t wait to read your comments!

Book Review: Wonder {R.J. Palacio}

It will be hard to find the words to describe just how much I loved this book but I’ll try…

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse. 

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

My Thoughts:

(Disclaimer: I will never post spoilers in my reviews HOWEVER the comment section is completely fair game to discuss any and all specifics including spoilers)

5 Stars (would give it a million stars if I could)

I am writing this review with actual tears in my eyes.  This book is perfection and the various messages that it sends are some of the strongest, most impactful, and most important messages one can learn.  I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it enough.

The story is written from the different perspectives of various people and each chapter is short and very quick.  This is one of those books that could so easily be read in one sitting!  I read it over 2 days but if I had the time (and the quiet!), I easily have devoured it all at once.

It’s technically “Young Adult Literature” (YA) but truly can (and should) be read by all ages.  The life lessons taught here are applicable and necessary to everyone.

This beautiful story will have you laughing, crying, and feeling every emotion in between.  If you haven’t read this one yet, you are in for such a wonderful treat!

Bottom Line:

Many people think this book should be required reading for all middle schoolers.  Those people are wrong.  This book should be required reading for all middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults.

On Wednesday I will have an adorable CHILDREN’S book review and GIVEAWAY of it for you!

Please enter your email address to receive notifications each time I post on my blog, please “like” my Facebook page (search Book Coffee Happy), and follow me on Twitter @bookcoffeehappy!  Please tell any other book lovers to do these 3 things as well!

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

Let’s Chat: When Your Opinion Is The Unpopular One

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The older I get, the more I find myself in situations where my opinion differs from those around me.  I embrace this about myself!  I have always had a strong personality with lots of opinions and I’m proud that even if they are unique, they represent me.  I have never had an issue sharing my opinion, even if I know that people may not always agree.

After I published my most recent post (Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine {Gail Honeyman} it got me thinking about other books that I hate but yet other people love.

For years, I listened to everyone talk about The Glass Castle: A Memoir.  I heard only wonderful things, everyone around me absolutely loved it.  When I finally sat down to read it, my expectations were obviously very high and I couldn’t wait to dig in!

So I began to read…and immediately I hated it.

But this couldn’t be!  Everyone else loved it!  I must forge through.  So…I kept reading.

Hated it even more.

I must have the wrong version!  Maybe I’m reading the same title by a different author?  So I checked…I had the exact book everyone around me seemed to love.  Except I didn’t love it.  In fact, quite the opposite.

I read until page 100 or so before I decided that I hated every single thing about that book and needed to call it quits.  Would it eventually have gotten better?  Maybe…but I wasn’t willing to stick around and find out.

Another example is  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Series).  OMG DID I HATE THAT BOOK.  Somewhere around 200 pages in, I actually THREW it across the room and it hit my husband’s dresser.  The only time in my life where I actually physically needed to just get a book away from me.  Far away.  Quickly.  I could not have hated that book more.  Again…would it eventually have gotten better?  Possibly…but there was no way I could have stuck it out even for 1 more page.  Honestly, I’m impressed that I made it as far as I did.

And lastly…  Small Great Things: A Novel.  I did read the entire book.  I liked it…the story was fascinating, the characters were interesting, and the messages and lessons behind it were so, so very important.  However, that book was LONG.  And not just a bit long, like 200 pages too long.  An almost 500 page book which quite honestly felt like a million pages.  In other words, NOT a small great thing (get it?!).  I remember reading and thinking that it was never going to end, it was just so LOOOOOOOOONG.  Everyone around me was loving it!  I liked it, I didn’t love it.  Longest book ever written.

It’s hard when your opinion differs so greatly from those around you, but that’s also what makes the best discussions.  Which book (s) have you not loved that everyone around you has raved about?  Have you read any of the 3 that I mentioned?  What did you think of them?  Looking forward to reading the comments!

Xo,

Jenny

If you enjoyed this post, check out my previous Let’s Chat posts (the first one listed below is currently my most viewed blog post of all time):

Let’s Chat: When Did This Happen? More Importantly…WHY Did This Happen?

Let’s Chat: Book Clubs…Yay or Nay?

Let’s Chat: How Long Until You Officially Abandon A Book?

Let’s Chat: Tablet Vs Book Vs Audiobook?

*This post contains affiliate links.  I receive a tiny commission if you order on Amazon by clicking on these links.  Thanks so much for your support, Xo*

Please enter your email address to receive notifications each time I post on my blog, please “like” my Facebook page (search Book Coffee Happy), and follow me on Twitter @bookcoffeehappy!  Please tell any other book lovers to do these 3 things as well!

 

 

 

 

 

An Unwanted Guest {Shari Lapena}

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Read my thoughts below to see why I took this a photo of this book with my robe, lol:)

About a week and a half ago in my review of A Stranger in the House {Shari Lapena} I mentioned that I was looking forward to reading Shari Lapena’s newest novel.  After I wrote that review, I did read this one…and it was GREAT!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway… but when the storm hits, no one is getting away.

It’s winter in the Catskills and Mitchell’s Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing – maybe even romantic – weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off all electricity – and all contact with the outside world – the guests settle in and try to make the best of it.

Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead – it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, everyone starts to panic.

Within the snowed-in paradise, something – or someone – is picking off the guests one by one. And there’s nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm – and one another.

My Thoughts:

(Disclaimer: I will never post spoilers in my reviews HOWEVER the comment section is completely fair game to discuss any and all specifics including spoilers.  Contains affiliate links.)

4 Stars

As I mentioned in my review of A Stranger in the House {Shari Lapena} I was 50/50 on Shari Lapena’s books.  I LOVED The Couple Next Door: A Novel and I did NOT love
A Stranger in the House: A Novel.  I was excited to read her newest book and I am happy to report that it was great!  Not as great as The Couple Next Door: A Novel, but I definitely would recommend this one.

The chapters were short, the characters were developed, and the use of description was amazing.  I had such a clear vision of the hotel as I was reading based on her amazing use of words.  I also actually felt COLD while reading…the winter storm in the book was so well described that it came straight through the pages.  Amazing.

*I actually had to keep putting my robe on each time I read because I was SO COLD.  Hence the picture above, lol.*

I’m giving this 4 stars only because I felt some of the characters and their reactions to what was happening around them were a bit unrealistic.  Also…how is it possible for SO MANY of these characters to have SUCH dramatic backstories?!

Basically, just don’t read too much into this story…and just enjoy the mystery.  It had me guessing right up until the final twist (which I thought was AWESOME and did NOT see coming)!

Bottom Line:

Shari Lapena’s first and third novels are both great…so what happened with that boring one she wrote in between?!

Please enter your email address to receive notifications each time I post on my blog, “like” my Facebook page (search Book Coffee Happy), and follow me on Twitter @bookcoffeehappy!  Please tell any other book lovers to do these 3 things as well! 

Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link.  Thank you for your support, Xo

Book Coffee Happy Random Thoughts

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New reading material from Thursday night.  As for my review of the play…is it really fair to review ANY play that you see 5 days after you see Hamiltion???

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When I receive children’s books from authors to review, I let my favorite helpers open the packages and the books are read immediately 🙂

(Spoiler: both books I received were ADORABLE!  Reviews (and giveaways!) coming soon…)

10 days ago, you might have seen that I posted this on Facebook:

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Switched On was excellent!  Easy to read and a fascinating topic which I probably would never have discovered on my own.  I loved how each “chapter” was broken down into short categories, this made it a very quick read. I learned so much and all of it was very  interesting.  I now find myself looking at everyone around me in public places in an entirely different way than I did before and reminding myself to “switch on”.  This was a great book and I really enjoyed it! My husband can’t wait to read this one this next 🙂  Visit http://www.switchedonagent.com to learn more and to order your own copy.  Thanks again, Eric J. Caron!  You wrote such an interesting book! 

Earlier in the week, my daughter and I walked past this and my heart broke:

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We stood there and she listened as I told her how important it is to support businesses that you love or they will not be able to succeed.  She patiently let me reflect on so many memories of this particular bookstore and the beauty that it brought to our community.  I told her that seeing this sight truly was breaking my heart and how it’s our responsibility to support our local businesses. She just stood there quietly as I went on and on about what a sad sight this was and how we cannot allow this to keep occurring. Aaaaaand then a man walked over to us and this happened:

“Excuse me.  I have been listening to your beautiful speech and I just thought you should know that they closed this location only so they could rebuild a much larger and more beautiful location across the street.”

So basically I had the opportunity to teach various meaningful life lessons to my daughter AND we get a new gorgeous bookstore?!?  #Winning

Check out this beautiful display at the front entrance to one of our local libraries:

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Facebook/Twitter Maddie’s Miracles Giveaway ends tonight at midnight!  I’ll announce the winner tomorrow morning…Good luck!  (Search book coffee happy on Facebook and @bookcoffeehappy on Twitter)

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and that you are reading something amazing!  I finished an AWESOME book yesterday…my review will be on the blog tomorrow morning 🙂

Xo,

Jenny

 

 

****GIVEAWAY**** Maddie’s Miracles {Scott Kramer}

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Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to read and review for my blog.  All opinions are my own. 

Giveaway details will be given at the bottom of this post!

It is with my sincerest honor to be able to review such a wonderfully written story.  Everything about this book is beautiful.  The writing is conveyed in such a way that truly reflects the love, bond, and strength that this family has for each other.  I laughed, I cried, I felt every emotion in between.  I am in awe of Maddie’s strength and the strength of her entire family.

I loved reading the book…and I discovered as an added bonus that the author is a wonderful person!  Him and I have been emailing back and forth about his book and he couldn’t be a nicer or more generous man.  He is just as nice in real life as he appears in his book which makes me appreciate the book even more 🙂

A conversation with Scott Kramer, in his own words…

Briefly give a description of your book:

A book of life. That is exactly what awaits inside the inspirational pages of this true story.

On April 26, 2017, a loving father opened his laptop with the intent of simply keeping his family and friends updated on the condition of his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Maddie. Just days prior, Maddie had undergone emergency surgery to remove a rare, cancerous tumor from her spinal cord. Her battle would continue with an aggressive treatment protocol that would have been taxing on even the strongest of adults.

With Maddie as the perpetual force of positivity, her father continued to document her miraculous journey. Factual updates quickly transformed into a series of inspiring and unforgettable vignettes. Anyone following Maddie’s story began to realize that the daily doses of joy she dropped upon her loved ones were not fleeting tales of a fighting toddler. Instead, there was something deeper about Maddie. Something more profound. Something you will discover as you delve into Maddie’s story.

That Maddie – with her boundless miracles and incomparable spirit – offers unique insight into tackling any challenge life may bring our way. That Maddie – from the very beginning – was giving us all the gift of this beautiful book of life.

How did you create the idea for your book?

Each chapter of this true story was written in real time.  Inspired by my daughter Maddie, the stories inside are real-life reflections on the rays of sunshine she dropped on a daily basis during her journey through darkness.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

Maddie’s Miracles is not just a book about cancer.  It’s a book for anyone who has experienced adversity or struggle of any kind.  And for anyone who appreciates the power of an inspirational life story.

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

  • Inspirational
  • Beautiful
  • Life-changing

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


A portion of the proceeds of sale for Maddie’s Miracles are donated to Dancing While Cancering, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Maddie’s parents in her inspirational memory.  Dancing While Cancering is committed to bringing joy to the inpatient hospital experience for children with cancer.  To learn more about this special organization, please visit their website at http://dancingwhilecancering.org.

To order your copy of this beautiful book (paperback or Kindle), please click the image below (affiliate link):

**GIVEAWAY**

Would you like a chance to win an autographed copy of this beautiful story for you or to give to someone you love?

I have 1 autographed copy of Maddie’s Miracles to give away!  The paperback will be mailed directly to you from the author (US only for this giveaway).

To be entered, please complete these 2 simple steps:

Follow and/or subscribe with your email address to my blog

Leave a comment below telling me your favorite inspirational quote

**You must complete both of these steps to be eligible for the giveaway**

Giveaway will end Friday 6:00am CDT and winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday morning’s blog post.  If you already follow and/or subscribe to my blog, you are still eligible…just leave a comment below to be entered 🙂

Good luck!

 

 

My Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1 Picture From Each

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Friday:

Is there truly a more glorious way to enjoy a book?!  This was my 2.5 year old’s afternoon naptime on Friday.  The sound of rain was heard on the window behind us. Absolute perfection.

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Saturday:

Check out the reading material I received on Saturday night!  As a blogger and as an avid reader, I love the use of descriptive words…and there isn’t a thesaurus on the planet which contains enough descriptive words to describe the Hamilton experience.  The songs, the acting, the choreography, the lighting, the costumes…there simply are no words.  Our seats were incredible (6th row center!) and made the whole experience even more magical.

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Sunday:

Sitting down this morning and happily going through these. Over the past 48 hours, I have received these packages of books mailed directly to me to read for the blog from various authors around the country!  Is this real life?!?

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!  Thanks for stopping by my blog today 🙂  I’ll see you tomorrow morning with a post on my feelings on a topic which I already know many of you probably won’t agree with…

Xo,

Jenny

Please enter your email address to receive notifications each time I post on my blog, please “like” my Facebook page (search Book Coffee Happy), and please tell any other book lovers to do these 2 things as well!