Tag: book coffee happy

BLOGMAS: (Non Holiday) Book Review: Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffmann}

Blogmas: (Non Holiday) Book Review: Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffmann}

Today I have a NON holiday book review to share with you! I read Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffmann} a few months ago…here are my thoughts!

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

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.

My Review of Other People’s Children {R.J. Hoffmann}:

This wasn’t a lighthearted read by any means. It was dark, heavy, and thought provoking.

As I was reading, I kept wavering on how I wanted it to end and I found myself coming up short as I really didn’t like any of the characters. I think in which some of the storylines were wrapped up was perfect but others I didn’t agree with.

Overall, I just wanted MORE. More feeling, more connection, more everything! More connection was the biggest one. I just felt that all of the characters were so disconnected from each other and even disconnected from their own feelings if that makes sense. Like I said…I REALLY didn’t like ANY of the characters and by the end I found myself thinking that NONE of them should have custody of this child (although the cover promised that I would “root for each one of them”). The disconnection that I found between the pages mimicked my own disconnect from all of the characters and story lines. Ugh.

I DID love that it was set in Illinois and I LOVED all of the local references. My hometown even got a shoutout!

This book was good…and made me think. Did I love it? I did not. Would I recommend it? Eh maybe? It was an easy read and I LOVED the short chapters (just a few pages each…THE BEST).

***Something to note***

On the Amazon link below, the book is by “Jeff Hoffman” yet on the copy that I read, it was authored by “R.J. Hoffman“…???

Bottom Line:

I just really wanted to like at least ONE character in this book…NOPE.

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

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

12/4: BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

12/5: BLOGMAS: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading

12/6: BLOGMAS Book Review: The Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}

Xo,

Jenny

This book wasn’t my favorite…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!*

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

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

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

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BLOGMAS Book Review: The Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}

BLOGMAS Book Review: Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}

I read this book last December while our family was on vacation in Tennessee. You might remember how I was stuck on a mountain during a blizzard with no power and low food supply? If not, you can read that crazy story HERE 🙂 While on that mountain, I read a very long, dramatic, and HEAVY book (review of that wonderful book HERE) and when I finished, I knew that my next read needed to be something much lighter. The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson (and Richard DiLallo!) was a perfect selection to read starting on the last day of our trip and review once I came back home!

The only issue was that I literally finished reading this book on December 31, 2020 and by December 31st…who wants to read a Christmas book?! I figured that I would wait and review this one during the appropriate holiday season, even if my review had to wait a year before I published it!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}:

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill’s wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby’s four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven’t celebrated Christmas together since their father’s death, but when Gaby announces that she’s getting married–and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day–she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.

But the wedding isn’t Gaby’s only surprise–she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever. With deeply affecting characters and the emotional twists of a James Patterson thriller, The Christmas Wedding is a fresh look at family and the magic of the season.

My Review of The Christmas Wedding {James Patterson}:

This book is EXACTLY what I was hoping it would be. Light, quick, easy to read, nothing too deep. After just finishing my previous book, I NEEDED something LIGHT. This book was perfect.

My only complaint…how is this not a book series??? This book follows the lives of a big family and each has chapters dedicated to their stories. It reminded me SO MUCH of Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter series (if you haven’t read those books, READ. THOSE. BOOKS. You can check out my review of them HERE). The Christmas Wedding feels so little like a standalone novel…this family really should be a series.

I read this book over a few days but honestly could have easily read it in one sitting. It’s only 266 pages long (short like Winter Street) and composed of 64 teeny tiny chapters…my favorite!

And it has a cheat sheet with all of the characters! WHY DON’T ALL BOOKS DO THIS?!?!? First 3 pages of the book. I probably looked back at this “cheat sheet” 20 times while reading the rest of the book. There were a lot of characters in this book but this basic summary made it so easy to keep everyone straight. LOVE. I so wish every single book had something like this. You can read more about why I hate when books have too many characters HERE.

Bottom Line:

If you are looking for an easy holiday read, this book is great! I actually enjoyed it way more than I was expecting to.

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

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

12/4: BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

12/5: BLOGMAS: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

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BLOGMAS: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading

Blogmas: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading

I recently saw this bookshelf while shopping at a craft mall. How beautiful is this display??

Is there anything worse than returning a library book without reading it??? Yes…returning THREE of them!

Once mid November hit, I made the switch to reading ONLY holiday books for the remainder of the year. More specifically, feel good, Christmas spirit type holiday books. No genre better this time of year!

Unfortunatly I had a stack of NON holiday library books waiting for me to read. And they were due back to the library. STAT. So…back they went.

It hurts my heart when I have to return library books without reading them first! These 3 books look GREAT and I absolutely plan on reading them…but only during the non holiday season 😉

***All photos taken from the front seat of my car as I was parked in the library parking lot about to slide each into the return slot on the side of the building, lol. All shadows, angles, backgrounds, reflections, etc. are courtesy of my extremely last minute thought to turn this library excursion into a blog post, lol **

Returned Library Book #1: Yes Daddy {Jonathan Parks-Ramage}

This book synopsis somehow gives me the same vibe as THIS BOOK which I loved!

Oh hi iphone reflection, lol 😉

Goodreads Synopsis of Yes Daddy {Jonathan Parks-Ramage}:

A propulsive, scorching modern gothic, Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man who is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying world of wealth and an idyllic Hamptons home where things take a nightmarish turn.

Jonah Keller moved to New York City with dreams of becoming a successful playwright, but, for the time being, lives in a rundown sublet in Bushwick, working extra hours at a restaurant only to barely make rent. When he stumbles upon a photo of Richard Shriver—the glamorous Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and quite possibly the stepping stone to the fame he craves—Jonah orchestrates their meeting. The two begin a hungry, passionate affair.

When summer arrives, Richard invites his young lover for a spell at his sprawling estate in the Hamptons. A tall iron fence surrounds the idyllic compound where Richard and a few of his close artist friends entertain, have lavish dinners, and—Jonah can’t help but notice—employ a waitstaff of young, attractive gay men, many of whom sport ugly bruises. Soon, Jonah is cast out of Richard’s good graces and a sinister underlay begins to emerge. As a series of transgressions lead inexorably to a violent climax, Jonah hurtles toward a decisive revenge that will shape the rest of his life.

Riveting, unpredictable, and compulsively readable, Yes, Daddy is an exploration of class, power dynamics, and the nuances of victimhood and complicity. It burns with weight and clarity—and offers hope that stories may hold the key to our healing.

Returned Library Book #2: The Sanatorium {Sarah Pearse}

I have had this book on my to read list for months. I just wish it didn’t have a Reese’s Book Club sticker on it! As you are well aware, I love Reese…but I do NOT always love her book selections. UGH.

This book already makes me think of THIS BOOK which I loved!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Sanatorium {Sarah Pearse}:

Ummm…????

Ummm…that’s not a language that I speak. Huh. Hey Goodreads? Might want to fix that…

Let’s try this again.

Here is the Amazon.com Synopsis instead, lol:

Half-hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel.

An imposing, isolated getaway spot high up in the Swiss Alps is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But Elin’s taken time off from her job as a detective, so when her estranged brother, Isaac, and his fiancée, Laure, invite her to celebrate their engagement at the hotel, Elin really has no reason not to accept.

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge–there’s something about the hotel that makes her nervous. And when they wake the following morning to discover Laure is missing, Elin must trust her instincts if they hope to find her. With the storm closing off all access to the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic.

Elin is under pressure to find Laure, but no one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she’s the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they are all in. . .

Returned Library Book #3: Survive the Night {Riley Sager}

The only book I have ever read by Riley Sager was THIS ONE and it was great! Makes me excited to read Survive the Night!

Oh good, the iphone reflection is back!

Goodreads Synopsis of Survive the Night {Riley Sager}:

Charlie Jordan is being driven across the country by a serial killer. Maybe.

Behind the wheel is Josh Baxter, a stranger Charlie met by the college ride share board, who also has a good reason for leaving university in the middle of term. On the road they share their stories, carefully avoiding the subject dominating the news – the Campus Killer, who’s tied up and stabbed three students in the span of a year, has just struck again.

Travelling the lengthy journey between university and their final destination, Charlie begins to notice discrepancies in Josh’s story.

As she begins to plan her escape from the man she is becoming certain is the killer, she starts to suspect that Josh knows exactly what she’s thinking.

Meaning that she could very well end up as his next victim.

Have you read any of these 3 books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

12/4: BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

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BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

BLOGMAS: My Birthday Visit to Barnes and Noble!

I had a few hours smack in the middle of the day on my birthday all to myself. I debated what to do with my time. Manicure? Maybe. Pedicure? Perhaps. Bookstore? Ummmm YES PLEASE. What a glorious way to spend my special afternoon! Barnes and Noble, here I come!

I drove straight to Barnes and Noble and found…drumroll please…IT. WAS. GONE. Ummm whaaaaat? Has it been THAT long since I last visited??? It’s not a secret that I would rather check out a library book than buy a book aaaaaaany day but still…how did this massive store just GO AWAY and I had no idea???

I found myself doing a Google search for “bookstores near me” (NERD ALERT) and found the closest Barnes and Noble was only 15 minutes away. Phew. I drove straight there, singing Christmas songs aloud in my car the entire time. Glorious.

Oh hello lover.
Gorgeous holiday display as soon as I walked in. I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR SO MUCH!

So the entire reason (ok obvi not the ENTIRE reason) that I went to Barnes and Noble was to buy myself a birthday present. Do any of you do that? I do it every single year, lol.

This was last year’s birthday present to myself:

Love!

So this year I decided that I wanted to buy myself a book and not just any book…but this beautiful Christmas Book:

Photo Credit: Amazon

Considering I had to credit the above photo to Amazon should be a spoiler on what I did NOT buy myself for my birthday, lol. Ugh I cannot find this book! Amazon is sold out, Barnes and Noble is sold out, and my name on the library waitlist seems to be quite far from the top. Grrrr.

They had plenty of Jenny Colgan’s other books in stock! Have you read any? I have not but they all look wonderful!

I DID come across these 2 books which I considered buying but ultimately did not. They both look so good!

Random bookish finds as I wandered aimlessly and happily around the store:

Fur lined tote…how CUTE!
I almost bought this until I decided that it resembled a Christmas tree just a bit too much for this Jew, lol 🙂 However, just looking at this picture makes me think that I made a mistake. It’s so cute! I may need to go back!
Kate Spade. Gorgeous.
Birthday Girl by the pretty wall in the bathroom, lol 😉

Thank you, Barnes and Noble, for an absolutely lovely afternoon. Although I didn’t buy a thing, I so appreciated just being there surrounded by my favorite objects: BOOKS!

What did I end up buying myself for my birthday? Random holiday jammies from Old Navy! I was excited about them until I took them home to try on. They are cut SO WEIRD!!! I l just loved that holiday sweater mug so much that I never even took the time to unfold them in the store. Oops. Lesson learned! Old Navy is so hit or miss and these are most definitely a MISS (although I still do love that holiday sweater mug). Back to the store they will go. I clearly still owe myself a birthday present! Maybe that adorable mug from Barnes and Noble…

Ugh.

If you can’t tell from the above photos, I am 100 percent obsessed with this time of year! Holiday scented candles, Christmas station on Pandora, holiday books, sweaters, scarves. NOW IT JUST NEEDS TO SNOOOOOOOW! MY FAVORITE!!!!

Birthday Giveaway Winner Video:

**Video has been deleted**

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12:2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

12/3: BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

Have you been to Barnes and Noble recently?

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

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BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

BLOGMAS Book Review: One Day in December {Josie Silver}

Ok first of all, OMG you guys left the kindest and most lovely comments on my LAST POST! I was overwhelmed by all of your sweet words, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love writing this little blog and I love that so many of you shared how much you love reading it! I promise to respond to all of your comments ASAP but in the meantime, please know how much they mean to me and how each one made me smile.

There is still time to enter the Amazon gift card giveaway! All entries must be made by 6:00 CDT tonight in order to qualify. All of the giveaway details can be found on yesterday’s post! Good luck!

Today I have a review for you of a book that I read LAST December:

Goodreads Synopsis of One Day in December {Josie Silver}:

Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn’t exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there’s a moment of pure magic… and then her bus drives away.

Certain they’re fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn’t find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they “reunite” at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It’s Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness. 

My Review of One Day in December {Josie Silver}:

I love Reese Witherspoon but MAN do I disagree with SO MANY of her book club picks!

Unfortunately this book was just not for me. I REALLY wanted to love it but sadly…I really didn’t.

This book felt looooooong. I won’t sugar coat it…I was so bored. The entire time. Even the “big” events somehow lacked the ability to feel big and the whole book just dragged for me.

A big part of the reason that I didn’t like this book was the fact that I didn’t like ANY of the characters. Each was so unlikable and so completely unrelatable in their own way!

The relationships between the characters in this book were so BEYOND flawed and many of the situations were so unrealistic. Ugh.

I LOVE romance. I LOVE fate and destiny and I LOVE Serendipity! This book was absolutely none of those.

The most annoying part? I waited for SUCH A LONG TIME to read this book because people say it’s a “holiday book” so obviously I had to read it in December. It’s NOT! Yes, the holidays are mentioned but overall I would NOT say this is a holiday book by any means. If you still want to read this book despite my scathing review, feel free to read it at any time throughout the year 🙂 If you are looking for an amazing holiday read, I highly recommend THESE BOOKS.

I was nervous to post the best books that I read in 2020 a few weeks before the year’s end in fear that I would read another book that should have been included in my list! Thankfully after reading this book, my list still stands firm, lol. I read this book at the very end of 2020! I have waited an entire year to post my review because…who wants to read a book called One Day in December during any other month? Not I!

Bottom Line:

392 pages….of nothing happening.

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

Blogmas 2021 Posts:

12/1: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

12/2: BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

Xo,

Jenny

Clearly this book was not 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!*

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The 12 Best Books I Read in 2020 can be found HERE

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

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BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}!

BLOGMAS: Birthday Giveaway {Amazon Gift Card}

Welcome to Day 2 of Blogmas…a birthday Amazon gift card giveaway 🙂

Here is a link to yesterday’s video post about Blogmas if you missed it: Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

Today is my birthday! Every year on my birthday I do a giveaway to celebrate…what’s more fun that sharing my birthday joy with all of YOU???

This is the 4th year I have done this and I love doing it so much. This year’s giveaway will be a $10.00 Amazon gift card. You can use it to buy yourself coffee, a new book, or anything else on Amazon that makes you happy :). I’ll send it directly from Amazon straight to your email address.

All of you have to do to enter is leave a comment right here on this blog post. Your comment can be about anything…make me smile!

**You must comment below to be eligible for the giveaway and you must comment here on this blog post (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**

Giveaway will close tomorrow (12/3/22) at 6:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced here on my blog on Saturday (12/4/21).

Make sure you check the blog on Saturday to see if you’ve won (you will have 48 hours from the time I post the winner to email me the email address where you would like your Amazon gift card to be sent.  If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner).

Good luck!  I can’t wait to read your comments!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

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Welcome to Blogmas 2021 {Video}!

Blogmas 2021 is HERE and Book Coffee Happy is officially participating! Watch this short video which explains what Blogmas is, how Blogmas works, and why I’m so excited to finally be able for Book Coffee Happy to partake in the Blogmas fun:

Here’s to a fun month! Let’s do this!

“Oy to the world” Happy Hanukkah!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

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Book Review (Unpopular Opinion): In My Dreams I Hold A Knife {Ashley Winstead}

Book Review (Unpopular Opinion): In My Dreams I Hold A Knife {Ashley Winstead}

I had said this in a blog post that I wrote a few weeks ago about In My Dreams I Hold A Knife {Ashley Winstead} and I still stand by these words today:

“It seems EVERYONE is reading this book right now and I’ve heard it’s AWESOME. I can’t wait to get started! If you are someone looking to read the latest book that EVERYONE will be reading and talking about…here you go :)”

Goodreads Synopsis of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife {Ashley Winstead}:

A college reunion turns dark and deadly in this chilling and propulsive suspense novel about six friends, one unsolved murder, and the dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other—and themselves—for a decade.

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent—not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. Ten years ago, everything fell apart, including the dreams she worked for her whole life—and her relationship with the one person she wasn’t supposed to love.

But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.

Told in racing dual timelines, with a dark campus setting and a darker look at friendship, love, obsession, and ambition, In My Dreams I Hold A Knife is an addictive, propulsive read you won’t be able to put down. 

My Review of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife {Ashley Winstead}:

I didn’t love it and it CERTAINLY isn’t worthy of the hype it has created.

Before I get into all of the reasons why this book wasn’t for me, I must say that it is SUPER popular right now and many other people LOVE it!

Now that I’ve cleared up that so many people love this book, I will indulge you with all of the reasons that I, in fact, did not.

I found each character more unlikeable, more immature, and more unrelatable than the next. These 20 somethings acted like children half the time! Some twists I found predictable, some I didn’t but overall I just didn’t love it. I found the entire book incredibly cliched and so, so cheesy.

The timelines in this book are allllllll over the place. Present, past, more recent past, back to present, more recent past, FAR away past, present, etc. I HATE WHEN BOOKS DO THIS. WHY DO BOOKS DO THIS????

Now all of that being said, it DID hold my interest long enough for me to actually finish reading it which is more than I can say for many of the other books I’ve been reading lately! So there’s that.

Bottom Line:

SO many people are loving this book! I am clearly not one of those people 😉

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

Xo,

Jenny

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I’m Back and I’ve Been Reading!

Well. That was QUITE unintentional blogging break! I’m so sorry! Things in my life have been crazy and busy and unfortunately my favorite hobby has clearly suffered a bit as a result. However, as busy as I’ve been, I most definitely have still been reading!

Before I get into exactly WHAT I’ve been reading, I should probably do a bit of catching up. The last post that I published included a picture of a Halloween skeleton. As I’m typing this, my favorite holiday scented candle is next to me and Pandora is playing my favorite holiday station. Clearly time has passed!

Bath and Body Works Winter Candy Apple is one of my absolute favorite scents on Earth.

In my last post, I mentioned that I was reading The Reading List and was looking forward to reading In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. I never finished The Reading List although I honestly was LOVING it. I was just…not captivated enough. Do you remember all of the reasons I stopped reading The Guncle? Replace that book title with The Reading List and those are literally the EXACT same reasons that I stopped reading this one (you can see the post with those reasons HERE).

Ugh.

Aaaaaand while we are talking about books that I indeed did NOT finish because I wasn’t captivated enough…let’s just go ahead and add The Paper Palace to that list as well.

I wish WordPress would let me insert the face palm emoji here…

As for In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, I DID in fact read (and finish!!!) that book! I’m working on my review and will have it posted here later this week!

I’m currently celebrating my favorite time of year by reading this book with the most GORGEOUS cover:

I randomly found this little gem in a Little Free Library last spring and have been saving it to read during this holiday season (I could never read a book like this at any other time of year…anyone else feel this way?) When I went on Goodreads to check it out after I got it last spring, I noticed that it’s technically the 2nd in a series. I immediately messaged the author about this and here is what she said:

Perfect! I’ll post my review here as soon as I finish reading 🙂

Do any of you have suggestions of other holiday books? I already have a few lined up but I cannot get enough of them during this time of year! If you are looking for some GREAT holiday reads, HERE is a link to my absolute favorites! I’d love to hear about yours…please post in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What I’m Reading (It’s WONDERFUL), What I Recently Read (It Was Good), What I Think I’ll Read Next (Looks Amazing)

I love when Book Coffee Happy can participate in WWW! And this week I’m doing it actually ON a WEDNESDAY, lol! Amazing! 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!

Absolutely. Love. Her.

Before I dive into the wonderful book that I’m currently reading, I would like to thank you all for you kind words and condolences on my last post. She sure was a beauty. I’m currently working through my grief and trying to figure out how to move on 😉

What Are You Currently Reading?

I’ll post my full review once I finish reading but so far it’s wonderful and BEAUTIFULLY written.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Reading List {Sara Nisha Adams}:

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.  

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

Goodreads Synopsis of Firsts {Laurie Elizabeth Flynn}:

Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.

Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.

When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. 

Read my review of this one HERE.

What Do You Think You’ll Read Next?

It seems EVERYONE is reading this book right now and I’ve heard it’s AWESOME. I can’t wait to get started! If you are someone looking to read the latest book that EVERYONE will be reading and talking about…here you go 🙂

Goodreads Synopsis of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife {Ashley Winstead}:

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent—not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. Ten years ago, everything fell apart, including the dreams she worked for her whole life—and her relationship with the one person she wasn’t supposed to love.

But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.

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

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!*

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

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

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

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