Category: Uncategorized

Weekend Plans: Printer’s Row Lit Fest

This weekend marks the 35th anniversary of the Printer’s Row Lit Fest and I can’t WAIT  to attend!

You can learn more about the Printer’s Row Lit Fest HERE.

The Printer’s Row Lit Fest prides itself on being the “largest free outdoor showcase in the Midwest” and it’s AWESOME.  On Sunday I will be taking myself on a special date downtown and will spend the day meeting authors, browsing books, listening to speakers, watching demonstrations, and so much more all in my very favorite city (Chicago).  I wonder what treasures I will come home with?!? As a bonus, the Midwest Writer’s Association and the Windy City Historians will have a tent and I’m excited to stop by and say hi (read about the first time I met these lovely groups of people HERE).

Check out this video to see Lit Fest highlights from 2 years ago:

The last time I attended the Printer’s Row Lit Fest was in 2004 and I absolutely loved it.  My best friend and I went specifically to listen to Julie Andrews speak about her new children’s book that had recently been released.  I am a HUGE Julie Andrews fan (The Sound of Music is hands down one of my all time favorite movies) and listening to her speak was pure magic.  I cried. 🙂 I’ll never forget the kids in the front row holding up a poster that read “Please be our nanny!”  So, so cute.

I will write a recap blog post all about the Printer’s Row Lit Fest once I’m back but if you would like to follow along on my adventure, I will be posting live to my Instagram stories throughout the day on Sunday!

I’m A Chef and My Kids Want Buttered Noodles Giveaway Winner:

Thank you to everyone who entered the I’m A Chef and My Kids Want Buttered Noodles Giveaway!

Congratulations Jana H (My absolute favorite meal is crab cakes! I’d love to check out some new recipes!)!  Please email me your mailing address to bookcoffeehappy@gmail.com!  Enjoy your new cookbook 🙂

If you didn’t win this one….fear not!  I have some wonderful giveaways scheduled throughout the summer.  Stay tuned 🙂

What are your plans this weekend?  Anything exciting?  Are any of you going to Lit Fest?  If you do and happen to see me there…please come say hi!  I’ll be the one aimlessly walking around with a gigantic smile on my face.  I’m so excited!

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

Cookbook Giveaway: I’m A Chef and my Kids Want Buttered Noodles {Heath Schecter}

I have such a fun book giveaway for you today…a cookbook!

This blog has awarded me with the unique opportunity to meet so many authors.  I’ve read such lovely books and have met such lovely people.  It has been an amazing experience, that’s for sure!

But today is a brand new experience for me.  Today, I get to review my FRIEND’S book!

I’ve known Heath for years.  His sister, Becca, has been a really close friend of mine since the day we met at overnight camp.  Her and I have been through it all…side ponytails, overalls, and our favorite show “My So-Called Life”…anyone else LOVE that show as much as her and I did?!?  Becca has the cutest family…check out and subscribe to their YouTube channel HERE!  Love you so much, Becca 🙂

Heath married Becca’s sister and we now live about 2 minutes from each other.  When he first wrote his cookbook back in 2017, my husband and I bought our copy immediately!  We love it!

Fun Fact: My husband is a HUGE fan of Heath’s cooking.  For Jon’s 40th birthday, I hired Heath to come to my house and cook a 5 course MEAT dinner for Jon and his best friend.  Both men declared that dinner that Heath cooked to be one of the best meals they have ever had.  A huge success!

You can see Heath in action in this link to an awesome news segment that he filmed a few months ago:

Midday Fix: Hangover Help Recipe from Chef Heath Schecter

I’m both honored and excited to share his awesome cookbook with all of you today!

The book itself is gorgeous.  It’s filled with beautiful, colorful pictures and has so many interesting and unique recipes.  It includes starters, soups & salads, main courses, sous vide cooking, desserts, sides, sauces, seasonings, and so much more!

This chef knows his stuff.  You should have smelled my kitchen when he came over to cook for Jon and his friend…DELICIOUS.

This book would make a perfect Father’s Day gift or any gift!  It’s a fantastic addition to any kitchen.  We love our copy and know that you will, too 🙂

A Conversation with Heath Schecter, in His Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?

When my photographer friend, Garry Rosenfeldt, asked to take chef pictures of me. When he did, one of the pictures looked like it would be a great photo for a book. Over the years, as a chef, I have created a lot of recipes. Over those years, my kids wouldn’t really eat most of the food I created. So, having this picture and all these recipes, I decided I’d write a cookbook. I needed a title and figured I’d create a title based off my experience of cooking all these dishes and my kids not wanting any of it, and just wanting buttered noodles, or chicken fingers, etc.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

I think the audience for my cookbook would be anyone that likes to cook. I tried to write the recipes so that anyone could reproduce them.

Where can your book be purchased?

You can find the book on Amazon

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

This isn’t a cookbook filled with recipes for kids. These are a collection of recipes I have created over the years. It is filled with a bunch of different dishes that should satisfy all palates.

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

I have 1 autographed copy of I’m a Chef and My Kids Want Buttered Noodles to give away (US only for this giveaway)!

To be entered, please complete these 2 simple steps:

1. Make sure that you are following and/or subscribed to my blog

2. Leave a comment below describing your favorite meal!

**You must complete BOTH of these steps to be eligible for the giveaway and you must complete them here on my blog (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**

Giveaway will close tomorrow (Thursday) at 4:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday’s blog post (6/7/19).

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 your mailing address.  If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner).

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!

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

My #1 Must Have Book Accessory

I am a true minimalist and hate owning unnecessary items (don’t even get me started on the baby industry and how many unnecessary things parents feel they need to own to care for their babies. So ridiculous).

When it comes to reading, I truly feel there are only 4 things one NEEDS to have to achieve the perfect reading experience.

1. A book (obvi)

2. A delicious cup of coffee

3. A delicious smelling candle

And….

4. A BOOKLIGHT.

Thank God for booklights.

At the end of a long day, relaxing in bed with a book is the perfect activity.  Reading calms me and helps to pave the way for a peaceful night of sleep.  Unfortunately, I am married to someone who cannot fall asleep with the light on (lame) and so booklights are an absolute necessity for me.

I am often the first person awake in my house long before the sun rises (yup…I’m often the last one to fall asleep and the first one to rise over here). Nothing better than waking up and reading a few chapters before the craziness of the day begins. Booklight to the rescue!

Whenever I go on vacation, my trusty booklight is high on my list of items to pack. I could never travel without it (apparently unless my destination is here where relaxing with a book is virtually impossible).  Late at night or first thing in the morning reading in the same hotel room as my sleeping family? Booklight for the win!

Here is my old, broken, and yet completely perfect and lovely booklight:

(Slooooowly still making my way through How to Find Love in a Bookshop.  My full review will be posted when I finally finish)!

The backing has long since broken off and the entire thing is currently being held together by painters tape. Adds to her charm 🙂

The one I have has led lights which are both a blessing and a curse. This baby is BRIGHT. As in, if it’s mistaking pointed at my sleeping husband he is immediately woken up (and momentarily blinded. Oops). It can truly light up our entire bedroom which is crazy…and yet amazing!

I bought mine on Amazon many years ago and it came in a pack of 4. I’m not sure why anybody would need 4 booklights and I gladly gave 2 of them away to 2 fellow bookloving friends of mine (Hi Julie and Beth!). I don’t believe the exact ones I bought are still available but here is one that looks awesome (AND you can apparently adjust the brightness level so you won’t momentarily blind your spouse!  Sorry Jon…)

Do you read with a booklight? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Be sure to check the blog on Wednesday…I’ve got a super fun (and different) giveaway for you!

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

 

3 Free (And Amazing!) New Books

There is a local community building not far from my house which always has the best selection of free books donated by one of our wonderful local libraries.

Whenever I happen to be there, of course I always stop to browse the selection. Who on Earth could walk past free books and not stop to look through them?! Monsters.

Usually I find books I have either read or don’t have a huge interest in reading. I’ve never actually brought any of them home with me.

Until today.

There were SO many amazing titles! The first one to catch my eye was this one. Since I already own it (it’s awesome by the way), I kept looking…and quickly came across these 3 treasures!

Each one looks fantastic and 2 have been on my radar for quite some time!

Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts (no spoilers please)???

But the coolest takeaway was when I opened the front cover of Pieces of Her ….and discovered that I now apparently own a SIGNED copy?!? How amazing is THAT?!?

I plan on paying it forward and donating a bunch of books to our local Little Free Library ASAP! I’m actually waiting for a time when I can bring both of my kids with me…what a perfect lesson to teach them on so many levels.

And obviously I will pass these 3 new books along as soon as I finish reading them (and post my reviews for each on my blog).  The minimalist in me will be happy to get rid of them. 🙂

Thank you, Vernon Area Public Library!  I feel blessed to live in a community which clearly values the importance of spreading literacy to all.  And no…lovely Vernon Area was NOT the local library I was talking about in this post 🙂

Do you ever pick up free books?  Where?  Which free book has been your greatest find?

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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


Book Blogger’s Instagram in an Instant {Part 3}

On this Memorial Day, I’m so thankful for everyone who has sacrificed for our freedom.

Today, I have part 3 of a series I call “Book Blogger’s Instagram in an Instant”!  You can see Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE!

I joined Instagram in November and I must say that I’m pretty obsessed.  I try to post daily videos in my stories and I love it!  The #bookstagram community is amazing!

Here are a small sample of photos that I’ve recently taken and posted to Book Coffee Happy’s Instagram account (see my account for photo explanations, lol).  Just like my blog, it has lots of posts about books and being a book blogger with bits of my personal life sprinkled in. 🙂

Do you follow Book Coffee Happy on Instagram?  If not, please do!

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

 

 

Let’s Chat: Unfamiliar Words

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We’ve all been there.

You’re reading a book, totally sucked into the plot, and BAM…a word shows up and you have absolutely no clue what it means.  Completely unfamiliar in every single way.

In my previous life, I was as an elementary school teacher for 14 years.   I always taught my students to use context clues to “debug” those tricky words.  Look at the other words in the sentence.  What would make sense?  Look that the pictures.  What is the author trying to tell us here?  Can you continue reading without knowing that one word?  Will that one word make a difference in the author’s message?  These are the same strategies that I now teach my own daughter.

And yet as an adult…I do absolutely none of those things.  Zero.  I only have one thing I do when I come across an unfamiliar word while reading:

I Google it.

Every.  Single.  Time.

I truly cannot read a book without my phone next to me for this exact reason.  I simply can’t let it go…I MUST know the definition of every single word as I read! Even if I am able to figure it out by using context clues, I always look it up just to be sure.

I have this fear that I will miss an important piece of the story and/or character by not knowing every single word.

Am I alone?  Does anyone else do this? Is this just another trait of my type A personality?

What do you do when you come across an unfamiliar word while reading?  I’d love to hear your responses in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

 

Book Review (Unpopular Opinion): Then She Was Gone {Lisa Jewell}

When I mentioned on Facebook and Instagram that I was going to read this book, I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who said that they LOVED it!  I was so excited to read and review it!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?

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)

3.5 Stars

My vacation is officially over and I officially hardly read ANYTHING while I was there.  SO WEIRD.  I have decided that Disney World is truly the only vacation spot in the history of the world where it is physically impossible to sit down and relax with a book.

The plus side?  I am now having a glorious time back at home working my way through this stack of books, lol!

Two of them have already been returned to the library.  I’m currently reading this one. I’m not quite sure when I will read this one???

I recently started AND finished Then She Was Gone! I read the whole book over a handful of days.  If you follow me on Instagram you know that I’ve been home with 2 sick kids.  Thank you for these extra germy souvenirs, Disney World!  My poor little babies have been sleeping so much so I’ve had extra reading time.  Thankfully everyone is feeling better and today is the first day where they are BOTH back at school!

As for my review, my feelings about this book are so incredibly mixed.

Overall, it was GREAT, I couldn’t put it down! I loved the short chapters, the different points of view, and the highly complicated plot. It held my interest from page 1. Such a quick, fantastic read and so well written!  I can’t wait to read more titles by this author and already have 2 of them on my library waiting list.  She’s clearly talented.

However…

This is one of the most predictable books I’ve ever read. I figured out every major (and more than one minor) twist almost immediately. That NEVER happens! I hate spoilers so much that I don’t even TRY to figure out twists but this book basically begs you to spoil it for yourself.

I kept waiting to be wrong, I kept waiting to be shocked, I kept waiting to be surprised. And yet…I felt none of that. At all.

There were a few minor occurrences I didn’t see coming, but none of them were important enough to the story that they made any kind of difference.

This book reminded me SO much of this one! So well written, so great….but yet so incredibly predictable.

There is absolutely nothing better than a blindsighted twist in a psychological thriller and unfortunately there wasn’t a single one in this book. No big defining moment. No big shocking ending. Unfortunately this will be one of those books months down the road where I won’t be able to recall details.

I wasn’t satisfied with the ending as there were still storylines that weren’t completely tied up and explained.  Plus, the entire ending was just so weird.

Also, this book is DARK.  And disturbing.  So disturbing. All psychological thrillers are dark and a bit disturbing but the subjects in this one took that to a whole different level.  I actually found parts hard to read because of the dark subjects being discussed.

Clearly not my favorite psychological thriller.  If you are looking for a good one in this genre, I HIGHLY suggest reading this one! I loved that book.  Much more than I loved this one.

Bottom Line:

I think I figured out this entire story before all of the characters were even introduced, lol.

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  What did you think?  So many people love this book…are you one of them?

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

The Reader Problems Tag

As soon as I saw this Reader Problems tag on www.roaringbookworm.wordpress.com, I knew I wanted to participate!  This was such a fun one to fill out!  Here are my answers:

You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How do you decide what to read next?

I basically choose my next book based upon the book which I’ve just finished.  If the book I just finished was heavy, I tend to choose a lighter read for my next one.  If I just finished a lighter romance novel, a deep psychological thriller would be a good choice for my next.  I rarely read 2 books in a row of the same genre (unless it’s a series).

You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you put it down or are you committed?

I wrote an entire post on this!  You can read it HERE!

The end of the year is coming and you’re behind on your reading challenge. Do you try to catch up? And if so, how?

I’m very proud to say that I’ve never encountered this problem. 🙂  I always surpass my reading challenges and create higher ones for myself for the coming year!

The covers of a series you love do not match, how do you cope?

I.  HATE.  THIS.  I don’t cope well when this happens.  I’m way too type A.

Everyone and their mother loves a book that you do not. Who do you bond with over your shared feelings?

My blog readers 🙂  See THIS POST for more on this!

You’re reading a book in public and you’re about to start crying. How do you deal?

I sob.  Like a child.  Mascara everywhere.

The sequel to a book you loved just came out but you’ve forgotten a lot of what happens. Are you going to reread it?

Absolutely.  I have been known to reread an entire series in anticipation for a new release!

You do not want anyone to borrow your books, how do you politely say no when someone asks?

I always love sharing my books as long as I get them back 🙂

You have picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over this reading slump?

#1 worst reading problem to have!  I. HATE. THIS.  The only thing that gets me out of a reading slump is eventually discovering a fantastic book.  After that, they all just seem to come back!  Until they don’t…and then it all starts again.  Ugh.

There are so many books coming out that you are dying to read. How many do you end up buying?

Zero…but I put them all on hold at the library asap.  I’m a proud minimalist!  You can read more about that amazing life changing decision HERE.

After you purchase all of these books that you’re dying to read, how long do they sit on your shelf before you read them?

A huge reason I love being a minimalist (see above question)!  No clutter 🙂

These questions were such fun to answer!  I would love to hear your answers to some or all of these questions in the comments below!

I now tag:

www.starringpamela.com

www.confessionsofayareader.com

www.booksandblends.com

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

Book Review: Dumplin’ {Julie Murphy}

This book had been on my radar for months…I couldn’t wait to read and review it!

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

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)

3 Stars

I’m so torn with my review of this book. I REALLY wanted to love it. It has everything in terms of story line that a great book should have. Interesting characters? Check. Interesting story line? Check.

And yet…eh. I found this whole book just fell flat.

If the story had really focused on the pageant and everything leading up to it as the synopsis promises, it would have been so much better. However, the majority of this book focused on a teenager’s day-to-day life which I found boring.

Also, this book has WAY too many characters and WAY too many story lines. None of the characters even had a chance to become fully developed and therefore became unforgettable and interchangeable as the story went on. I also found the majority of these characters to be very unlikable! The only characters I truly liked in the entire book were Mitch (and Lucy).

The main character (Willowdean) was extraordinarily judgmental of other people (and obviously of herself) which is ironic since the entire premise of this book is about breaking through stereotypes.

I found her relationship with her best friend to be obsessive and unhealthy.  I get that we are viewing this relationship through the eyes of a (dramatic) teenager but still…it bothered me that she felt she NEEDED this relationship to feel whole.  In fact, I believe she even made this exact comment in this story!

I had one MAJOR issue with this story which I will say in the comments because it’s also a major spoiler 🙂

However, in between the parts of the book where I found fault, I also found beauty.  There ARE beautiful and important messages, lessons, and moments delivered throughout this story.  Unfortunately, combined with all of the reasons stated above, this book just wasn’t nearly as great as I was expecting it to be.

There is a sequel to this book which unfortunately I have zero desire to read. Ugh! I really thought I was going to love both of these books!  I have already returned both to the library.  Sad.

But here’s the weird thing…The trailer for the movie looks AMAZING. Could this possibly be one of those rare occurrences where the movie is better than the book??? Check out the movie trailer starring Jennifer Aniston:

Looks so amazing, right?!?  Have any of you seen it?  I would love to hear your thoughts.  If any of you have read the book AND have seen the movie, I’m really wondering how they compare?

Bottom Line:

If the movie is truly as wonderful as the trailer makes it out to be, I say skip the book and just watch the movie.  And I NEVER say that.

Foam on the Crest of Waves Giveaway Winners:

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the Foam on the Crest of Waves Giveaway!

Hard Copy Winner:

Melissa A (I am subscribed via my blog account (chicklitcentral). I just went to Miami a few weeks ago and loved the beach there! I used to go to Pompano Beach (also in FL) every year as a kid and that also brings back great memories. I live in the US. Hard copy preferred. Thanks for the chance!)

E-Book Winners (There were so many entries for the hard copy but only 3 for the e-books! So…congratulations to all 3 of you!):

Kelley Blair (My favorite beach is Ocean Isle in North Carolina. I am USA and either hard copy or e-book works for me. Thank you kindly.)

Melissa Strader  (This sounds like a great book! I already follow your blog and love reading it! My favorites beaches are located along the coast of La Jolla, CA – so much to see and do there, not just water activities, but also restaurants and shopping and biking. Kayaking the Sea Caves is the best! I’m ok with a real book or electronic copy. I live in the USA!)

Mistysbookspace (Thank you so much for the chance. I am already a follower. I have only ever been to two beaches and those are New Smyrna beach and Myrtle Beach. I don’t really remember much about my visit to New Smyrna beach because I went when I was younger so I’m going to say Myrtle beach is my favorite. It’s a little crowded at least when I’ve gone but it’s gorgeous and there are so many other activities to do there as well. I live in the US. I would prefer a hard copy but I’m ok with ebooks too. Thank you again for the chance.)

Ladies, please email me (bookcoffeehappy@gmail.com) with your mailing address (hard copy winner) or your email address (e-book winners) of where you would like your book sent!  Congratulations and enjoy!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  I hope you fill it doing things with those you love!

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

***INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY (6 Winners)*** Foam on the Crest of Waves {Silke Stein}

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments and messages from my last post.  I so appreciate all of you!  Xo!

I have a great book to review for you today and I HAVE 6 COPIES of it to give away!

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!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In a small fishing town on the Mendocino coast, the tides of time have washed over rumors and suspicions, yet the members of a maimed family still struggle to cope with their memories.

A broken woman, refusing to let go of her vanished husband.
Her widowed brother, clinging to the shatters of the life he loved.
His delusional daughter, planning to turn mermaid on her fifteenth birthday.

But when a young man realizes he made a mistake, secrets start emerging from the deep. Will they bring further grief, or possibly redemption?

My Thoughts:

This is a lovely, beautiful, thought provoking book.

The book design itself is simply gorgeous. The cover, the chapter pages with their images, all of it.

At the very beginning of this book, I found myself googling the history and pictures of sea glass.  Fascinating!  I can only imagine the beauty of this beach with these little colorful bits of glass everywhere. Such a beautiful setting for such a beautifully complicated and intriguing story.

This book paints such a descriptive picture of this town and it’s residences.  The characters and stories were so interesting (especially Abalone’s) and I love how the characters were all connected to each other.

I’ve never read a story quite like this before.  The topics discussed are not ones I would usually gravitate to but I’m so glad that I allowed myself the opportunity.  This book is a wonderful example of why sometimes reading a book outside of your comfort zone is so important.  I believe that in doing this, you learn to become a deeper reader, broaden your literary understandings, and learn/appreciate new topics.

This book made me both smile and cry.  These characters were not easy to say good bye to and have stuck with me since I turned the last page.

This is such a beautiful book.

A Conversation with Silke Stein, in her Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?

The story ides was sparked by my obsession with sea glass. Early in 2014, I became a member of ‘SeaglassLovers’, a Facebook group comprised of people from all over the world who show each other their fabulous finds and daydream of being mermaids. There I learned about the place every sea glass aficionado has on her bucket list: Fort Bragg in Northern California ― home of the legendary ‘Glass Beach’, which became the enchanting setting of Foam On The Crest Of Waves.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

Anybody who loves the sea, mermaids, and a good dose of mystery.

Where can your book be purchased?

The ebook is available for Kindle. The paperback can be ordered from all major online retailers and in every brick-and-mortar book shop.

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

Poignant, captivating, beautiful

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

More info: www.silkestein.jimdo.com

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

There will be 6 WINNERS!  I have 6 copies of Foam on the Crest of Waves to give away!! 
I have 1 hard copy and 5 e-books (A chance to win the hard copy is open to US readers only.  A chance to win one the 5 e-books are open to both US and International readers)! 

To be entered, please complete these 4 simple steps:

1. Follow and/or subscribe to my blog

2. Leave a comment below describing your favorite beach!

3. Mention in your comment if you are located within the US or if you are located internationally.

4. Mention in your comment if you would like to be entered to win the hard copy of this book, an electronic copy of this book, or either 🙂 

**You must complete ALL 4 of these steps to be eligible for the giveaway and you must complete them here on my blog (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**

Giveaway will close tomorrow (Thursday) at 4:00 pm CDT and the 6 winners will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday’s blog post (5/17/19).

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 your mailing address.  If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner).

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!

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

2. If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine

3. “Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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