This Book Did NOT Get Me Out of My Book Rut. Ugh.

This Book Did NOT Get Me Out of My Book Rut. Ugh.

While I’m clearly not loving any books at the moment, I’m LOVING Halloween decorations!

Book Rut

Ugh. I was so thinking this book was IT. The one to get me out of my STUPID book rut. But alas…nope. Still in my book rut. Still not happy about it.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Guncle {Steven Rowley}:

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

My Thoughts on The Guncle {Steven Rowley}:

Ok I need to say…I actually was LOVING this book. It was adorable and charming and FUNNY. The characters were lovable and complex. The writing was GREAT. I smiled, I laughed, I was ALL IN.

Except…

I wasn’t.

Why did I stop reading this book? Simple. It didn’t “grab” me. Now I understand that every single book I read isn’t going to “grab” me. However, being smack in the middle of a book rut means that in order for me to actually finish reading a book, I need it to grab me! And I don’t mean a light grab…I mean, I need it to HANG ON to me and not allow for me to put it down. I need to be thinking about it even when I’m not reading it. I need to look forward to picking it up and I need to feel sad when I need to put it down.

This book just wasn’t any of that for me. A charming and heartwarming story? Absolutely. One I HAD to read because there was no way I could not? Nope.

So as much as I HATED putting this one down, I knew it was time. I just wasn’t 100 percent into it. Do I recommend it? Absolutely, it’s wonderful. Do I recommend it if you are in the middle of a book rut and need something to GRAB you? I do not.

So I begrudgingly closed the cover of this one 124 pages in and started reading yet another book to try to pull me out of this stupid book rut. So far so good…I’ll reveal it’s title once I can figure out my feelings on it!

I. HATE. BOOK. RUTS.

Xo,

Jenny

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

Xo,

Jenny

Clearly this book wasn’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!*

*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

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_5573-1.jpg

Book I’m Currently Reading (Is My Book Rut Over?), Coffee I’m Currently Drinking (Delicious), 1 Thing Making Me Happy

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

Beautiful old books I came across while at an antique store a few weeks ago!

Book I’m Currently Reading:

So I THINK my book rut miiiiiiight just be over?

Goodreads Synopsis of The Gungle {Steven Rowley}:

I’ll post my thoughts when I finish reading!

Coffee I’m Currently Drinking:

Delicious coffee while watching the new season of Nailed It with my kids (Do any of you watch it? We LOVE Nailed It over here!)

Currently Making Me Happy:

I write notes in my kids’ lunchboxes every day and about once a week I sneak a little present in there, too. These were last week’s lunch surprises! They were a hit!

Happy Friday (almost…it’s currently 10:00 PM on Thursday)! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

What are you currently reading?

What coffee are you currently enjoying?

What is 1 thing currently making you HAPPY?

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links. The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

Book Review: The Last Thing He Told Me {Laura Dave}

I was looking forward to reading this book for MONTHS and was obsessively checking the library to see if my copy was in! I was already prepared to buy it in case it didn’t come before our trip to Michigan because I knew that it would be the perfect vacation read.

I DID in fact get my copy from the library before my vacation and I DID in fact bring this book with me to Michigan a few weeks ago!

Once I got back home from our trip, I had posted this video in my Instagram stories after I had repeatedly tried OVER AND OVER to get the sand out of the plastic cover. Total fail. Oops.

Yikes.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Last Thing He Told Me {Laura Dave}:

Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her.

Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

We all have stories we never tell.

My Review of The Last Thing He Told Me {Laura Dave}:

I know this is going to be quite the unpopular opinion but…

Man is this book overrated.

The very best part of this book was the fact that I didn’t actually end up buying myself a copy!

I really didn’t like this book.

I felt like there was absolutely no character development and certainly no development between characters. Relationships that should have been important seemed trivial based on zero development in their storylines.

I found each character more unlikable than the next and therefore I wasn’t nearly as invested in the outcome of the story as I should have been.

People describe this book all the time saying that they couldn’t put it down. This confuses me because I had a much harder time picking it UP than I did putting it down, lol.

The story itself was confusing and VERY, VERY far fetched. Completely unrealistic for SO many reasons. I had many issues with the way that the main character (Hannah) reacted to so many things.

Oh and the ending? I hated it. Like REALLY hated it.

Bottom Line:

For the life of me I cannot understand why so many people love this book.

This book is just further proof that Reese Witherspoon and I could never be real life friends. We disagree waaaaaaaaay too much on what makes for a great book. There have been very few exceptions to this…but the biggest exception where her and I actually agree is hands down THIS BOOK. One of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read!

PLEASE TELL ME I’M NOT ALONE. Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

HERE is a link to another book that everyone loves and I hate.

Xo,

Jenny

Clearly this book wasn’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!*

*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

82 Pages In and…I GIVE UP ON THIS BOOK.

I tried to read this entire book. I really did. And then as much as I REALLY wanted to, I just couldn’t continue. I was DONE. After only 82 pages. Ugh.

I read (and posted on Instagram) through 2 school pick up lines (side note: whyyyyyyyy are school pick up lines the worst??):

Goodreads Synopsis of The Good Sister {Sally Hepworth}:

There’s only been one time that Rose couldn’t stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be…dangerous.

When Rose discovers that she cannot get pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple.

Fern’s mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of what families keep hidden.

My Review of The Good Sister {Sally Hepworth}:

I thought that this book was going to be a thriller. Maybe it’s the creepy girl on the cover, maybe it’s the “everyone has a dark side” quote on the cover. For whatever the reason, I expected this to be a psychological thriller. AND I LOVE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS.

So my general reactions of boredom and confusion can be understood when 82 pages in, I finally accepted that this book wasn’t at all what I went into it thinking that it would be.

I absolutely, positively, unequivocally love Sally Hepworth! She is truly one of the funniest people on Instagram…I LOVE watching her stories.

So…this book…isn’t funny like Sally and isn’t a thriller like the cover led me to believe.

Granted, I only read 82 pages so maybe things would have turned around had I read more? The reviews that I’ve seen of this one have been wonderful and some even suggest that it IS, in fact, a thriller? Maybe it’s just a slow start? Unfortunately, I just didn’t feel the need to stick around to find out. I was honestly just so BORED. And sad. Parts of this book were heartbreaking. And dark. But mostly I was just really bored.

Once I had decided that I was officially done reading this book, I googled the summary. I’m glad I stopped reading when I did. That’s all I say.

I still love Sally Hepworth and I still love her writing style! HERE is a great book that she’s written (one of the very first books I ever reviewed on my blog! It’s so funny to see how different my posts are now than they were when I first started blogging) and HERE is another example of one of her books that I loved! I will definitely keep reading her books…just not this one. Nope, this one was just not for me.

Bottom Line:

Moving on…

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

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

Xo,

Jenny

Clearly this book wasn’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!*

*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

Book I’m Currently Reading, Book I Recently Read, Book I Think I’ll Read Next (Weekend Edition)!

Hiiiiiii! Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments and messages about my last post where I explained where I’ve been. I’m still very much trying to find a new balance of blogging/life but I promise I’m working on it! I had a little bit of time this morning so I thought I would give you a random weekend blog post! Here is the book I’m currently reading, the book I recently read, and the book I think I’ll read next :). I hope you are having a lovely weekend!

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

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

What Are You Currently Reading?

I started reading this one in Michigan last week and I just finished it this morning! I’ll post my review ASAP!

Goodreads Synopsis of Falling {T.J. Newman}:

You just boarded a flight to New York.

There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

I started reading this one at home and finished it while in Michigan last week! I’ll post my review ASAP!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Last Thing He Told Me {Laura Dave}:

We all have stories we never tell.
Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her.

Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

What Do You Think You’ll Read Next?

This one has been on my to read list forever! Excited to start reading!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Good Sister {Sally Hepworth}:

There’s only been one time that Rose couldn’t stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be…dangerous.

When Rose discovers that she cannot get pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple.

Fern’s mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of what families keep hidden.

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

I’m working on some great upcoming blog posts…stay tuned!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

*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

Where I’ve Been {Video}

Hiiiii! I’ve been a bit MIA from the blog for a few weeks. Here’s a video of me explaining why!

Omg the still shot. Whyyyyy, lol???

Hope you are reading something FABULOUS! I’ll be back soon (hopefully!) with some new blog posts.

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links. The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

MY HEART IS STILL POUNDING FROM READING THIS BOOK.

Do I have a great book for you today! Holy hell. My poor heart may never be the same after reading! This book was HEART POUNDING. If you are looking for an INTENSE read, this is the book for you…

Goodreads Synopsis of Bath Haus {PJ Vernon}:

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

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

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

My Review of Bath Haus {PJ Vernon}:

My heart literally didn’t stop pounding while reading this book.

The first 100ish pages were GREAT. Intense, frightening, awesome. The second 100ish pages were…good. A bit long. But those last 100 pages??? Those last 100ish pages were AWESOME. Twisty, juicy, fantastic.

Some twists I saw coming, some I did NOT.

The writing was simply…beautiful. I was completely struck by how talented PJ Vernon is. The descriptions, the WORDS…all so beautifully written.

This book was an absolute nail biter for me pretty much throughout the entire time I was reading.

I’ve mentioned before how I like to research topics I read about. I always have to have my phone next to me so that I can research places, look up definations, etc. Well this book’s Google searches were VERY different from my usual Google searches. Let’s just say that the search history on my phone is now filled with some VERY descriptive gay sexual terms, positions, and so much more. Omg. I learned SO MUCH from this book about topics I never even knew existed, lol.

Bottom Line

AWESOME book!

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!*

*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

2 Books, 2 Hijacked Planes, 1 Decision

2 Books, 2 Hijacked Planes, 1 Decision

Only I would get stuck slowly driving behind a bookmobile right next to a sign pointing out a different library…

A few weeks ago, I put this book on hold at the library.

Goodreads Synopsis of Hostage {Claire Mackintosh}:

You can save hundreds of lives. Or the one that matters most.

A claustrophobic thriller set over twenty hours on one airplane flight, with the heart-stopping tension of The Last Flight and the wrenching emotional intensity of Room, Hostage takes us on board the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney.

Mina is trying to focus on her job as a flight attendant, not the problems of her five-year-old daughter back home, or the fissures in her marriage. But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination. Someone who needs Mina’s assistance and who knows exactly how to make her comply.

It’s twenty hours to landing. A lot can happen in twenty hours.

I received the notification that the book was in and I could pick it up at any time. I was so excited! I thought it looked so good.

Aaaaaand a few hours later ON THE SAME DAY THAT THE BOOK CAME IN, I received a text from my book twin.

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you are well aware of my Book Twin, Jana. Jana and I (almost) always agree on books and we take each other’s recommendations very seriously. If she loves a book, there is a HIGH chance that I will as well. If I love a book, I can’t wait for Jana to read it. We text each other often with book recommendations, especially if one of us reads a book that we KNOW the other will love.

Jana’s text:

This text from Jana really threw me. She recommended Falling. And not just recommended it but used the phrase “READ THIS ONE.” I immediately googled the synopsis and realized that there is no way I could possibly read BOTH of these books back to back. 1 book about a hijacked plane is definitely more than enough for an already generally anxious person who loves to fly.

Goodreads Synopsis of Falling {T.J. Newman}:

You just boarded a flight to New York.

There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.

So I suddenly found myself in a bit of a conundrum. Which to read??? The one already waiting for me at the library or the one I’d have to order and possibly wait a long time to read???

If you are lucky to have someone in your life who recommends books to you and is always (or almost always) SPOT ON…you listen to them.

Many of you tell me that I’m that person for you…I’m flattered! I write this blog with the intention of helping as many people as possible find books they will love. Some of my reviews you may agree with, some you may not…but in the end, I love knowing that I’ve introduced so many of you to books you may not otherwise have picked up.

So, back to my conundrum. Random book I found on social media or Book Twin recommendation?

I canceled my hold request for Hostage (which pained me a bit…who cancels a request for a book when the book is WAITING for you to pick it up???) and I immediately put in a request for Falling.

A few weeks later…

I’m so excited to read it! I may wait a few weeks as I’m going on a vacation (NOT flying, lol) and I think this may be the perfect vacay read.

And let’s take a moment to talk about my book twin and the fact that she did indeed read BOTH OF THESE BOOKS BACK TO BACK. That’s A LOT of hijacking! I don’t think I would ever fly again! Here are her thoughts:

Looks like I made the best decision. I’ll let you know my thoughts once I read it!

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

Xo,

Jenny

Have you read either of these books? What did you think (ZERO SPOILERS ALLOWED)? 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!*

*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

Book Review: The Wife Upstairs {Rachel Hawkins}

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins was on my to read list FOREVER. I was so excited to finally get my hands on a copy to read and review!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Wife Upstairs {Rachel Hawkins}:

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

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

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

My Review of The Wife Upstairs {Rachel Hawkins}:

This book is a “modern retelling of Jane Eyre”. I read the original Jane Eyre over 20 years ago so I really can’t speak to the similarities and differences between them. However, I CAN say that one book is clearly known as a true classic and this one…well…I REALLY do not foresee the same for this one.

I really just didn’t like this book.

It was all a bit of a mess for me. Different perspectives, flashbacks thrown in the middle of current storylines, characters so unlikeable that I found myself not caring enough about what happened to any of them.

It’s like the first 200 pages were told in tidbits of stories and only in the last 90 pages did any of them start to make sense. Which is fine, but…what a boring first 200 pages of reading a book and not completely understanding what was going on.

This book just lacked so much depth. Depth in stories, depth in character development, depth in all of it.

It was only 290 pages but it took me so much longer than it should have to read because I was just so bored! As I was nearing the end (yaaaay) around midnight, I found myself closing the book with 5 pages left to finish in the morning. Who puts a THRILLER down with only 5 pages left??? That right there should tell you how bored I was with these characters and storylines.

Plus, I absolutely hated the writing style. Nope, not for me.

This book DID have 2 things that I quite enjoyed. A major twist that I did NOT see coming and…the cover art. I liked the cover art. Aaaaand that’s about it. I didn’t like anything else.

Bottom Line

This book had been on my to read list for so many months. Such a disappointment. Ugh.

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!*

*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

Weekend Book Blogging Thoughts

Hiiiiii!

New Fancy Computer:

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

Street Fest:

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

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

Saw this at the fest yesterday. It’s so true!

Book I Finished, Book I Started:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHEN PERFECT IMAGES

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

ARE MADE OF BEAUTIFUL LIES

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

THE TRUTH WILL BE EXPOSED

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

EXCITING BOOK NEWS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

*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