2 Author Events, What I’m Reading, Best Coffee News Ever

2 Author Events, What I’m Reading, Best Coffee News Ever

On Tuesday night, I went to see my girl, Lisa Barr, speak about her AMAZING book, Woman on Fire, at my local Barnes and Noble. She was adorable as usual and it was so wonderful to listen to her talk all about her book, her research, and everything that went into creating her amazing finished product.

Shout out to my dear friend, Megan, for joining with me!

Speaking of Lisa Barr, I had mentioned that I went to her release party last month when Woman on Fire was officially released. It was an AWESOME party. Thank you so much for including me, Lisa! I had the best time and I felt so honored to be included. I adore you and I love being able to celebrate your amazing success!

So nice to see Francie Dickman! Francie was one of the very first authors to send me her book back when I had JUST started writing my blog. You can read my review of her lovely book HERE.

Goodreads Synopsis of Woman on Fire {Lisa Barr}:

From the author of the award-winning Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables, a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece–forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth. NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Actress Sharon Stone set to produce and star in the film adaptation of WOMAN ON FIRE.

After talking her way into a job with Dan Mansfield, the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual–and very secret–assignment. Dan needs her to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan’s help to find it. But Jules doesn’t have much time; the famous designer is dying.

Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family’s millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet the passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including Adam Baum, Ellis’s grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux’s clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he’ll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.

A thrilling tale of secrets, love, and sacrifice that illuminates the destructive cruelty of war and greed and the triumphant power of beauty and love, Woman on Fire tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history.

You can read my full review of Woman on Fire HERE.

You can read my full review of another of Lisa’s amazing books, The Unbreakables, HERE.

What I’m Currently Reading:

He Gets That From Me {Jacqueline Friedland}

I quite literally cannot put this book down. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that it has made me THINK…and I find myself thinking about it so often throughout the day when I’m not reading. The ethical and moral dilemmas that this book questions are FASCINATING and as of this point (I have exactly 99 pages left) I’m not sure how it will end and I’m also not sure how I WANT it to end. It’s amazing, I HIGHLY recommend this book. I’ll post a full review once I finish reading but in the meantime…READ IT. It’s awesome.

Goodreads Synopsis of He Gets That From Me:

As a young mother with a toddler and a live-in boyfriend, Maggie Fisher’s job at a checkout counter in downtown Phoenix doesn’t afford her much financial flexibility. She dreams of going to college and becoming a teacher, options she squandered when she fled her family home as a teenager. When Maggie stumbles onto an ad offering thousands of dollars to women who are willing to gestate other people’s babies, she at first finds the concept laughable. Before long, however, she’s been seduced by all the ways the extra money could improve her life. Once she decides to go for it, it’s only a matter of months before she’s chosen as a gestational carrier by Chip and Donovan Rigsdale, a married couple from New York.

After delivering twin babies and proudly handing them off to the Rigsdales, Maggie finally gets her life on a positive trajectory: she earns her degree, lands a great job, and builds a family of her own. She can’t fathom why, ten years after the fact, the fertility clinic is calling to ask for a follow-up DNA test.

Best Coffee News Ever:

As for the best coffee news ever (for me at least)…a brand new and sparkling Dunkin’ WITH A DRIVE THRU has opened within a walkable distance from my house. It’s clean, it’s beautiful, it smells amazing (new construction), the employees are so nice, and the owner told me…and I quote…”Make yourself comfortable. This is your home now.”

Dreams really do come true.

My current view as I’m typing this blog post:

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

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

*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 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE

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

The 1 Phrase That I WISH Authors Would Stop Using!

I have never written a book. I can’t even imagine how hard it ust be for authors to find words to convey to the reader the innermost thoughts and emotions in characters. That being said, there is 1 phrase that I WISH authors would stop using. I cringe every single time I read it and authors use it OFTEN.

Authors: STOP DARKENING THE EYES OF YOUR CHARACTERS.

Examples:

“His eyes darkened”

“Darkness spread over his eyes”

“His eyes suddenly went dark”

Like…What does that even MEAN? He intently stared? His eyebrows furrowed? He frowned?

The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of the work “darken” as a verb :

VERB

2 Make or become gloomy, angry, or unhappy.no object ‘his mood darkened’
1. 2.1 no object (of someone’s eyes or expression) show anger or another strong negative emotion.‘his face darkened and he lunged away’
2. 2.2 with object (of anger or another strong negative emotion) show in (someone’s eyes or expression)‘misery darkened her gaze’

Thanks Oxford. Still a stupid verb.

“His eyes got wide”…Ok so THIS I can understand because it actually is something physical that can happen. But…how does someone’s eyes go DARK?

Eyes suddenly darkening is my #1 most hated phrase in books and for some reason authors use it ALL THE TIME. I notice it each and every time and I hate it so, so much. It takes away from whatever scene I’m reading because all I can think is, “UGH! Not again! Whyyyyy???”

Other examples of things that I wish authors would stop doing can be found HERE and HERE!

Do you agree with me? What is an expression that authors use that you hate? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

*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

I SO Wish Authors Would Stop Doing This {Part 2}

I love authors and I have an incredible amount of respect for all they do.

However, there are certain things that I so wish they would stop doing! You can read Part 1 of this series HERE.

Part 2 of this series will focus onnnn….drumroll please…

TOO MANY CHARACTERS!

Omg this is SUCH a pet peeve of mine.

I would so rather read a book with a handful of well developed characters than a book with so many characters that none of them are developed or even mentioned enough to make significant contributions to the story.

I hate, hate, HATE when I have to flip back through pages (I only read paper books) to try to figure out who a character is because there were just too many to keep straight.

I find this especially frustrating while reading thrillers. I get it…there needs to be a fair amount of characters introduced so the “who done it” isn’t completely obvious. However, it’s more than annoying to find out that the “who done it” turns out to be a meaningless character who I never even had the chance to get to “know” in the first place. Nothing worse than a huge plot twist at the end revolving around an insignificant character.

What do you think? Do you agree with me? How many characters is too many?

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

And just an FYI because a few of you have asked…yes, I’m still reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo! I usually finish reading books must faster than this…but…I’ve been spending any and all of my quiet time on a Bachelor BINGE. I was 5 episodes behind and it was time to just sit and BINGE so I would be caught up for the finale. I’m alllllmost caught up but not quite so until I do, Evelyn Hugo is taking a backseat. As soon as I’m all caught up to Bachelor nation, I will finish Evelyn! My 2 spolier free thoughts on this season:

This is the first season in the history of The Bachelor that I don’t have a favorite contestant and I haven’t had one all season.
Peter has made some absolutely HORRIBLE choices. Like…throughout entire time.

Do you watch the Bachelor? Please NO SPOILERS and NO PREDICTIONS if you do!

**Winner of the Spring! Time to Build a Nest, A Story About Trumpeter Swans Giveaway:**

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*

I SO Wish Authors Stop Doing This {Part 1} and our Family Getaway to Great Wolf Lodge

I find that as I read different books, there are common thoughts that run through my mind. Things that I wish authors would stop doing and things that I wish authors would do more often are always among those thoughts. I present to you a new series I’m calling “I Wish Authors Would Stop Doing This” which will highlight some of these common thoughts. Aaaaand just for fun, a little glimpse into our fun family getaway to Great Wolf Lodge at the end of this post 🙂

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw in my stories that I recently started reading this book.

I don’t have much of an opinion on it yet as I’m not very far into it but I do have one opinion on something that I instantly loved…

SHORT CHAPTERS.

Oh how I love when books have short chapters! I just love flying through short chapters! It holds my interest so much better than long chapters do.

I HATE when I decide to “read just one more chapter”…and find that means I will now be reading 30 more pages. More often that not this means I won’t even begin reading the next chapter and the entire book will therefore take me longer to finish.

I SO wish more books could be written with shorter chapters. I understand that sometimes stories simply won’t allow for it at certain times in the plot…but how wonderful if they could! Break up that scene! Leave the chapter with a cliffhanger that won’t allow the reader NOT to continue reading!

The best example of a book with perfect short chapters (some even just 1 page) is THIS BOOK. There are over 100 chapters in that book…but each is only between 1-3 pages! I literally FLEW through that book because those short chapters held my interest in a way that 30 page chapters simply never could have.

I SO wish authors would STOP writing lengthy chapters!

I personally believe that the perfect length of a chapter ranges somewhere between just a few pages and maybe 10-15ish?

How about you? Do you like it better when books are written in shorter chapters? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

And now I’ll leave you with some pictures of our family getaway last weekend to the Great Wolf Lodge (Gurnee, IL). There were 15 of us total, we all wore matching wolf t-shirts, and we had the best time.

My sister-in-law gave this to me a few months before I got married. It has come with me on every single vacation, overnight stay, getaway, etc. that I have taken over the past 10 years!

My little wolves:

Check out this video…I did the ropes course! It was terrifying.

Have you been to Great Wolf Lodge? We are big fans! This was our 5th visit 🙂

Hope you are having a great Wednesday!

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*

October Reflections

October was a great month! I have now had my blog for a little less than 2 months and have been having such fun with it. There is so much to learn about having a blog and I’m having the best time expanding my knowledge through such a creative outlet. Thank you all so much for your support!

Let’s reflect on October…

My favorite (and most controversial) post: Let’s Chat: When Did This Happen? More Importantly…WHY Did This Happen?

Man, do you all have opinions on this topic! I also posted this in a few Facebook groups that I belong to and people had all sorts of things to say. Some agreed with me, some did NOT, but everyone was respectful. I absolutely love the discussions that this post started. So many different views, so many different perspectives. Without a doubt, this is also my favorite post that I wrote this month (actually that I’ve ever written on this blog)! I loved writing this because I truly spoke from my heart about a topic which was so close to me and had tears in my eyes as I wrote. Writing those words brought back so many special and cherished memories.

Best Book I Reviewed This Month: This one is a tie between Book Review: Wonder {R.J. Palacio} and The Hate U Give {Angie Thomas}

These books changed my outlook on so many things. Both YA. Both beautifully written. Highly, highly recommend.

Worst Book I Reviewed This Month: Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine {Gail Honeyman}

I hated this book. So much.

Giveaways I hosted: ****GIVEAWAY**** Maddie’s Miracles {Scott Kramer} and ***GIVEAWAY*** I’m Going to Gramma’s In My Pajamas! {Barbara Berg Mies}

I had such fun hosting 2 giveaways on the blog this month plus more giveaways exclusively on my Facebook/Twitter pages. If you aren’t yet following me on those platforms, I would be so thankful if you did (www.fb.com/bookcoffeehappy, @bookcoffeehappy) as I’m regularly posting content (and exclusive giveaways!) on those platforms. I loved working with these kind and generous authors and sharing their lovely books. Both books were fantastic in their own ways and it was my honor to be able to share them with all of you. Spoiler Alert: I have some AWESOME blog giveaways already scheduled for November…

Favorite Blogging Experience: As many of you saw on Facebook/Twitter, this happened last week:

This was such an amazing opportunity and experience for me. I met some very interesting people and learned a great deal. Just being surrounded by so many passionate authors was so wonderfully inspirational. I loved being included in their thought provoking discussion.

Favorite Personal Experience: My Life: Our Perfect Getaway

Take me baaaaaack.

Total Combined Number of Book Coffee Happy Facebook, Twitter, and Blog Subscribers/Followers: 720

Not bad for less than 2 months of blogging! I’m so thankful for every single subscribe, follow, like, share, and comment. I am overwhelmed at the kindness and generosity of the book blogging community and how many people have helped my blog to GROW! To the many of you that I do not know in real life, I’m so looking forward to getting to know you though my blog. I love sharing pieces of my life and thoughts with all of you and I have some upcoming blog posts which I am really passionate about.

One thing that would really help me would be to please subscribe/follow on my actual blog. There is a place to do this right at the top of this page where you can enter your email address (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page if you are on an a mobile device). If you have already done this, THANK YOU so much!

I would also love if you would follow me on Facebook and Twitter (www.fb.com/bookcoffeehappy, @bookcoffeehappy).

I have discovered some AWESOME blogs over the past few weeks…and I love that so many new people have discovered mine. If you are new here…welcome! I’m so happy that you’re here 🙂

Happy Halloween! I am dressing up today as the Evil Queen and my daughter will be Evie (Descendants). My husband will be Willy Wonka and my son will be an Oompa Loompa (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Fingers crossed for no rain!

How was your month? I would love to hear some highlights in the comments! Bloggers, feel free to link your most memorable October posts for others to check out in the comments as well 🙂

Xo,

Jenny

Book Coffee Happy Random Thoughts

FullSizeRender

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???

FullSizeRender (1)

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:

FullSizeRender (2)

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:

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:

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

My Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1 Picture From Each

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.

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.

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!