I’ve been staring at Emily Henry’s Beach Read sitting on my bookshelf for months but refused to read it until the summer because I cannot read a seasonal book during a non corresponding season, lol. Summer in Chicagoland is officially HERE and so is the time to read and review this book! I was so excited to start reading, I couldn’t wait to see what the hype is all about.
Goodreads Synopsis of Beach Read {Emily Henry}:
Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.
They’re polar opposites.
In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.
Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.
My Review of Beach Read {Emily Henry}:
I REALLY didn’t like this book.
So with a title such as Beach Read, one would assume this would be a light hearted story, correct?
Wrong.
This is most definitely not a lighthearted story. It’s deep, it’s sad, It’s so boring, it’s NOT what I would call a “beach read”. Not at all. There were definitely some parts where I smiled but mostly I was just bored.
And the words. THE WORDS. There were just so many words, so many descriptions, so many thoughts, so many WORDS. Like…it’s a book, of course there are words. But this book just had SO MANY DESCRIPTIVE WORDS. And thoughts. SO MANY THOUGHTS. Every character just did SO MUCH THINKING.
Aaaaaand one would assume with all of those descriptions that the sex scenes would be steamy and amazing, right? Nope. They were CRINGEWORTHY. Ugh.
I really didn’t like this book and it absolutely dragged for me the entire time. The one and only reason that I even finished it was because so many people love it so much!
There were definately some good life lessons and the last 50ish pages were definitely the best parts BUT…I still really was not a fan of the overall book.
This is just one of the amazing things about books…each reader can view them so differently. Years ago I wrote an entire post about this after I reviewed another book that everyone else loved and I hated! You can read that post HERE.
If anyone local would like my copy of Beach Read, I’ll leave it on my front porch for you. Free to a good home! Clearly, I don’t recommend it but you might love it (everyone else seems to)! If nobody wants it, I will put it in a Little Free Library.
Bottom Line:
I have no idea why there is so much hype surrounding this boring book.
Have you read Beach Read? Do any of you agree with me? Or…did you love it? 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
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I hated the story of Tarryn Fisher’s The Wives but I didn’t actually hate the writing so I thought that maybe I would like The Wrong Family??? When I saw it on the shelf at my library, I decided it was time to read and review another one of Tarryn Fisher’s books. Maybe I would like this one better?
Goodreads Synopsis of The Wrong Family {Tarryn Fisher}:
Juno was wrong about Winnie Crouch.
Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son—the perfect life. Only now that she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling facade are too deep to ignore.
Still, she isn’t one to judge. After her grim diagnosis, the retired therapist simply wants a place to live out the rest of her days in peace. But that peace is shattered the day Juno overhears a chilling conversation between Winnie and Nigel…
She shouldn’t get involved.
She really shouldn’t.
But this could be her chance to make a few things right.
Because if you thought Juno didn’t have a secret of her own, then you were wrong about her, too.
My Review of The Wrong Family {Tarryn Fisher}:
This book was a bit of a mess.
So many storylines, SO many insignificant characters, not nearly enough character or storyline development. The “twists” weren’t nearly as twisty as they could have been and my prediction for the ending would have been a million times better than the ending which I got.
I will say that there was one FASCINATING storyline in this book but…the rest of the storylines just fell so flat. I can’t elaborate on this as it would give away a huge spoiler and you know how I feel about spoilers 😉
It’s like 5 separate books with a million characters and storylines…and although they were supposed to all fit together at the end, they did not.
Bottom Line:
1 FASCINATING storyline. The rest of the book? Not nearly as fascinating.
Psychological Thrillers:
If you love psychological thrillers like I do, HERE are a few of my recommendations!
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
I wasn’t a fan of this book…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:
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The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.
A huge thank you to Mani from Mani’s Book Corner for this nomination! If you have yet to check out her lovely blog, you must! She’s such a nice person and her book blog is wonderful.
My Answers to Mani’s Questions:
1. What’s the biggest book you have read?
Probably THIS BOOK…which is absolutely one of the very best books I’ve ever read!
2. What was your favourite book when you were a kid?
The Baby-Sitters Club! I read every single one and LOVED them all. Team Claudia and Stacey forever 🙂 My daughter is reading the graphic novels now and she’s obsessed with them!
3. What’s the last film/TV show you watched?
iCarly! My daughter and I are working our way through the series before the reboot comes out next week! She’s already watched the whole series but is rewatching them with me. We snuggle up in my bed whenever we can fit in an episode. Love it!
4. Would you accept a job as a librarian in an haunted library?
Hard pass.
5. What would be the title of the book based on your life?
Happiness 🙂
6. If they make a movie based on your life, who would you cast as actor/actress for your role?
Not just the actress but the character: Beverly Goldberg from The Goldbergs. Hands down. I feel her in my soul.
7. Who is your absolute favourite writer?
Oh man I don’t have just one! A few that I love: Gabrielle Zevin (she wrote the VERY best book I’ve ever read!), Claire Lombardo (read THIS BOOK), and Liane Moriarty (but only sometimes…read my thoughts on my love/hate relationship with her HERE).
8. Are you keeping up with your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions? (it doesn’t have to be reading goals)
I’m proud to say that I am! Both blog related and personal 😉
9. Is there a book you keep saying “One day I will read it” but you never do?
Love in the Time of Cholora! I’ve owned it and have been wanting to read it for years! Read my thoughts on why HERE.
10. Can you name an underrated book you read and loved?
THIS BOOK. I loved it so much and am shocked it’s not more popular?
11. What’s one movie you want to be novelized?
Eh. None? I would never watch a move and then read the book….but I ALWAYS read the book and then watch the movie! And truth be told, I’m actually not a big movie fan. I’d much rather read a book or watch a tv show.
I nominate:
Anyone who would like to participate! Please tag me so I can read your answers 🙂 Mani’s questions were great so I will keep them for you to answer. Aaaaaaand I didn’t have a Sunshine Blogger logo to use so I just tossed a selfie on the top of this post instead. Basically I followed exactly none of the rules but I enjoyed answering the questions, lol…???
**You can read my answers to a whole different set of bookish questions when I was last nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award HERE.**
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:
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Oh how I LOVED this beautiful book! So will you! Starfish {Lisa Fipps} was such a joy to read and review.
Goodreads Synopsis of Starfish {Lisa Fipps}:
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules–like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” And she’s found her safe space–her swimming pool–where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.
My Review of Starfish {Lisa Fipps}:
I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical when I saw it was written entirely in verse. I got past those concerns once I got to page 2. I actually LOVED reading a book written this way. It made it SO EASY to FLY through these pages! I could have easily read this book cover to cover in 1 sitting. Don’t let this unique writing format intimidate you…it’s truly so easy to acclimate to and made this story even more meaningful. Perfect format for this lovely story.
I read this entire book in less than 24 hours.
Only being 244 pages, written completely in verse, and a story so beautiful = 24 hours FLEW by.
I absolutely loved this beautiful book. I smiled, I cried, I loved these characters so much.
My dear friend and “Book Twin” Jana said it best…this should be required reading and it’s comparable to Wonder (and I loved Wonder!!! Read my thoughts HERE).
I truly feel that some of the very best and most meaningful life lessons can be found amongst the pages of YA books. This book is such a perfect example.
Starfish is important for EVERYONE to read. It’s beautifully written, beautifully told, beautifully perfect.
Bottom Line:
Read this. And if you have children of any age middle school and up…please encourage them to read this as well.
Happy Friday, Friends! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Have you read Starfish? 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!*
*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*
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Oh do I have an AWESOME book suggestion for you today! My dear friend Jana texted me as soon as she finished reading the last page and told me that I NEEDED to read it. I always take Jana’s book suggestions VERY seriously…her and I have such similar tastes in books and call each other “Book Twin”…and I immediately put this one on hold at the library. I couldn’t WAIT to read it.
Jana, you could NOT have been more correct…OH HOW I LOVED THIS BOOK. Book Twin for the WIN.
Goodreads Synopsis of The One {John Marrs}:
How far would you go to find The One?
A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.
That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.
Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…
A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.
My Review of The One {John Marrs}:
What the HELL did I just read?!
Omg.
It. Was. AWESOME. My heart is still pounding.
Like…it had EVERYTHING. Detailed and awesome story lines, extremely short chapters, in depth characters, etc.
But hands down the best part…THE TWISTS.
Most books have one, two, maaaaybe three “big” twists…this book literally had a twist at the end of just about every chapter. Howwwww??? This entire book made me feel like I was riding a twisty roller coaster in every direction possible. Amazing!
Some twists I saw coming, some I did NOT, some I figured out riiiiiight before they happened…and I loved every single one.
This book took me on a RIDE and I LOVED IT. It kept me up reading way too late each night and had me reaching for it first thing each morning!
I loved, loved, LOVED it. It was fascinating, thought provoking, disturbing, awesome, and brilliant.
Netflix has turned it into a series but…just from the trailer…it looks to be SO different from the book. Like, VERY different. Have any of you watched? I would be so curious to hear how it compares to the book!
I haven’t seen any of the series so I can only speak to the book when I say:
Read it. Trust me.
Bottom Line
READ THIS. READ THIS. READ THIS.
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 (the hardcover that I read has a different cover than the paperback linked below). 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*
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I love when Book Coffee Happy can participate in WWW! The Three Ws: What book are you currently reading? What book did you recently finish reading? What book do you think you’ll read next?
This book was one of the 3 psychological thrillers that I had posted about on Wednesday. I’ll post a full review posted once I finish reading. So far it’s…eh. Fingers crossed it will get better!
Goodreads Synopsis of The Wrong Family {Terryn Fisher}:
Juno was wrong about Winnie Crouch.
Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son—the perfect life. Only now that she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling facade are too deep to ignore.
Still, she isn’t one to judge. After her grim diagnosis, the retired therapist simply wants a place to live out the rest of her days in peace. But that peace is shattered the day Juno overhears a chilling conversation between Winnie and Nigel…
She shouldn’t get involved.
She really shouldn’t.
But this could be her chance to make a few things right.
Because if you thought Juno didn’t have a secret of her own, then you were wrong about her, too.
What Book Did You Recently Finish Reading?
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry {Gabrielle Zevin}
I am OBSESSED with this book. Best book I’ve ever read…EVER. Read it’s synopsis and my thoughts HERE.
What Book Do You Think You’ll Read Next?
Starfish {Lisa Fipps}
I’ve seen this book being read around the book blogging community and THEN my dear friend who KNOWS my taste in books also recommended it. I think it sounds wonderful and I LOVE a good YA book with a meaningful message! I’ll let you know my thoughts 🙂
Goodreads Synopsis of Starfish {Lisa Fipps}:
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules–like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” And she’s found her safe space–her swimming pool–where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.
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!
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
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!*
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A few days ago, I decided to read this book…and 24 hours later I finished it. I very literally DEVOURED IT and savored each and every word. I couldn’t put it down, couldn’t stop thinking about it, and couldn’t do ANYTHING other than read it. I absolutely loved every second of this beautiful book.
The Best Book I Have Ever Read:
Synopsis of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry {Gabrielle Zevin}:
**I usually provide the Goodreads synopsis of the books I review.HOWEVER, I think the Goodreads synopsis actually is a bit TOO detailed and reveals a bit TOO much about this particular book that the reader shouldn’t know before reading! Here is the short synopsis from the back of the book which is perfect and gives absolutely nothing away**
My Review of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry {Gabrielle Zevin}:
This was one of the 4 books I recently purchased and I must say…I’m so glad I did. This is not the kind of book I could return to the library! I’m so happy to own my own copy.
This. Book. Is. MAGICAL.
I read it cover to cover in just over 24 hours and I think it’s the most beautifully written book I’ve ever read.
This is a VERY bold statement but I honestly think it’s the truth!
I loved every single word, every single message, every single literary reference, every single EVERYTHING.
I stopped giving books “stars” a long time ago but if I could give this book alllllll the stars, I would.
The words in these pages will stay in my heart forever. These characters, these stories lines, these MESSAGES…oh how I loved this beautiful book.
Do yourself a favor. Read this book, devour this book, cherish this book.
Thank you to my friend Jenna, Stop Reading! for introducing me to what has now EASILY slid into my #1 favorite book. I’ve been hearing her sing it’s praises for years and I’m absolutely kicking myself for not reading this beautiful book long ago.
This book is a GIFT for booklovers to enjoy. The descriptions of the bookstore and the special books it houses are perfection. If you have a special place in your heart for books, you will absolutely ADORE this special book. If you are looking for a gift to give a book lover, here it is.
This is NOT a new release…it was published in 2014. This is EXCELLENT news for you library patrons…the chances of you quickly receiving a copy are most likely quite high! However, I would recommend just buying it. You won’t want to give it back.
Gabrielle Zevin’s Young Jane Young was one of the very first books I ever reviewed on my blog. It will always be a special post to me because she was the very first author to “like” my review of her book. It ignited such a fire in me to know that she read my words about her writing. Since then, I have met and interacted with SO MANY AUTHORS and I must say that it’s one of my favorite parts about blogging.
Gabrielle, if you read this post…thank you. I absolutely love this book and I love being able to share it with others. What a special book you have written!
Here are links to 2 other books which are absolutely 2 of my other VERY FAVORITES! You can read about those books HERE and HERE.
Bottom Line
This is the best book I have ever read. And I have read A LOT of books.
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!*
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Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years was one of the books that I recently purchased while on our recent getaway to Galena, IL. You can see pictures from our beautiful trip HERE and you can see the other 3 books that I purchased while on that trip HERE. I absolutely LOVED this beautiful book, it was such a wonderful choice for me to purchase. Trust me…you will also LOVE THIS BOOK.
How stunning is this cover???
Goodreads Synopsis of In Five Years {Rebecca Serle}:
Where do you see yourself in five years?
When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Kohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.
But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.
After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.
That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.
Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.
My Review of In Five Years {Rebecca Serle}:
There is quite literally nothing I can say in this review that wouldn’t spoil this book for someone who hasn’t read it. Knowing how much I LOATHE spoilers, I would never do that!
So this review will be very broad, very generic, and yet…very positive 🙂
I absolutely loved this beautiful book. Everyone does. Because it’s WONDERFUL.
I posted this on Facebook right after I finished reading the last page:
The writing was beautiful, the chapters were short, and the story was amazing. The characters and settings were so perfectly descriptively written. Rebecca Serle is an absolutely phonominal writer…I can’t wait to read more she has written!
I am fully aware that this is the most broad review I’ve ever written but I want to be clear in NOT spoiling any of this book for future readers. It’s such a lovely, lovely story….one that will be in my heart for a very long time.
Bottom Line
READ. THIS. 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!*
*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*
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I read Wendy Clarke’s We Were Sisters while on our recent getaway to Galena, IL. I hadn’t previously heard of this book but it caught my eye on the library bookshelf weeks ago. The cover says that it is “An absolutely gripping psychological thriller” Ummmm….YES PLEASE. I was super excited to read and review it!
Goodreads Synopsis of We Were Sisters
I turn to where I left my baby in his pushchair and pull up short. With a racing heart, I look around wildly, fear gripping my stomach. I only looked away for a moment. The pushchair and my baby are gone.
Kelly is taking her twin daughters to their first day of school, ushering them into the classroom, her heartbreaking to think they might not need her anymore when she turns around and sees that her newborn baby is gone.
As a desperate search ensues, baby Noah is quickly found – parked in front of a different classroom. But when Kelly reaches forward to comfort him, she finds something tucked beside his blanket. A locket that belonged to her sister Freya. A locket Kelly hasn’t seen since the day Freya died.
And then Kelly’s perfectly-ordered life begins to unravel…
We Were Sisters is a heart-pounding suspense thriller that will grip you until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to stop reading this incredible book.
My Review of We Were Sisters {Wendy Clarke}:
As it turns out, this is NOT an “absolutely gripping psychological thriller.”
Eh.
So this book was good…it held my attention, had short chapters (the BEST), and an interesting plot.
However…
It was SO predictable and so much of it was just so unbelievable. Also, so many side plots meant to throw the reader off from figuring out the twists but instead just felt like unnecessary noise.
Years ago, I wrote a blog post and I explained my requirements for books I bring on vacation (check out that post…I still stand by all of the recommendations on there! You can read that post from 2019 HERE)! Would I have chosen to bring this particular book with me on vacation? Probably not as it just wasn’t “unputdownable” enough for me. However, we booked this trip quite literally 48 hours before we left (!!!) and this just happened to be the book I was reading at the the time soooo….into my suitcase it went 🙂
Reading with the prettiest view! Take me baaaaaack!
Would I recommend We Were Sisters? Well I wouldn’t NOT recommend it…but I definitely would recommend a whole bunch of other psychological thrillers instead. HERE are some of my psychological thriller recommendations!
Bottom Line
Eh.
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
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Last week my family and I took the most lovely getaway to Galena, IL. You can see pictures from our beautiful trip HERE.
We had rented a house right on the water with a massive wrap around porch. The whole scene was just begging for someone to read a book there! I happily obliged 😉
I came home refreshed, relaxed, and of course with plenty of souvenirs. Somehow 4 new books came home with me!
Fantastic Book #1:
We spent one morning visiting Dubuque, IA and the very best part of that morning was visiting the most wonderful local bookstore. River Lights is such a charming bookstore and the beautiful lady working and I had the most lovely conversation discussing books. When we left she told me that she enjoyed our visit…so did I 🙂 If you are ever in the area, I HIGHLY recommend visiting this charming bookstore!
Dead body in front of the thriller section!
When I spotted Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years on the shelf, I knew that I wanted to purchase it…I absolutely love supporting independent bookstores, especially one as wonderful as this.
This book has been on my TBR list for what feels like forever. I started reading it on our last night of our amazing trip and I finished it a few days ago. I’ll have my review posted for you soon!
How stunning is this cover?
In Five Years {Rebecca Serle}
Goodreads Synopsis of In Five Years {Rebecca Serle}
Where do you see yourself in five years?
When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Kohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.
But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.
After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.
That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.
Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.
Fantastic Book #2:
When I see a sign like this…I get very, very excited.
Obviously I knew I had to visit and that amazing store did not disappoint! I could have spent hours in that store, omg.
So many rooms and so many nooks all covered in books! A dream!
I saw Primates of Park Avenue on the shelf and I was reminded that I had wanted to read it when it first came out. It reminds me of The Nanny Diaries which I LOVED when I read it almost 20 (!!!) years ago! I’m a bit nervous because I usually HATE reading memoirs (even if they ARE written by Michelle Obama. You can see my thoughts on her book HERE) but…I do think this one sounds great???
Primates of Park Avenue {Wednesday Martin}
Goodreads Synopsis of Primates of Park Avenue {Wednesday Martin}:
Like an urban Dian Fossey, Wednesday Martin decodes the primate social behaviors of Upper East Side mothers in a brilliantly original and witty memoir about her adventures assimilating into that most secretive and elite tribe.
After marrying a man from the Upper East Side and moving to the neighborhood, Wednesday Martin struggled to fit in. Drawing on her background in anthropology and primatology, she tried looking at her new world through that lens, and suddenly things fell into place. She understood the other mothers’ snobbiness at school drop-off when she compared them to olive baboons. Her obsessional quest for a Hermes Birkin handbag made sense when she realized other females wielded them to establish dominance in their troop. And so she analyzed tribal migration patterns, display rituals, physical adornment, mutilation, mating practices, extra-pair copulation, and more. Her conclusions are smart, thought-provoking, and hilariously unexpected.
Every city has its Upper East Side, and in Wednesday’s memoir, readers everywhere will recognize the strange cultural codes of powerful social hierarchies and the compelling desire to climb them. They will also see that Upper East Side mothers want the same things for their children that all mothers want: safety, happiness, and success;and not even sky-high penthouses and chauffeured SUVs can protect this ecologically released tribe from the universal experiences of anxiety and loss. When Wednesday’s life turns upside down, she learns how deep the bonds of female friendship really are. Intelligent, funny, and heartfelt, Primates of Park Avenue lifts a veil on a secret, elite world within a world: the exotic, fascinating, and strangely familiar culture of privileged Manhattan motherhood.
Fantastic Book #3:
Driving home from Galena, we stopped in Rockford, IL for lunch and my husband suddenly spotted the MECCA.
He immediately turned into the parking lot, dropped me off, and took the kids for dessert so I could have time to browse all by myself. HELL YES. It was AWESOME in there. I must get back there asap!
One of my favorite Bookstagrammers/bloggers, Jenna Stop Reading, absolutely LOVES this book and has convinced me that I need to read it. I LOVED Gabrielle Zevin’s Young Jane Young so I’m excited to read this one (if you haven’t read Young Jane Young, you must! HERE is a link to it’s synopsis and my review….one of the very first blog posts I ever wrote!)
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry {Gabrielle Zevin}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry {Gabrielle Ziven}:
As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.
We are not quite novels.
We are not quite short stories.
In the end, we are collected works.
A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Chief Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward him; from Ismay, his sister-in-law, who is hell-bent on saving A.J. from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who persists in taking the ferry to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, he can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.
And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, though large in weight—an unexpected arrival that gives A.J. the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J., for the determined sales rep Amelia to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light, for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world. Or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming.
Fantastic Book #4:
While at the Half Price Books Outlet, I randomly came across this book on the clearance shelf. I had never heard of it but think it sounds great! And it was $1.00 so…
Lost and Found {Carolyn Parkhurst}
Goodreads Synopsis of Lost and Found {Carolyn Parkhurst}:
A gentle satire on reality TV, as a mother and daughter face numerous challenges both on and off the show. As the game escalates, tensions mount, temptations beckon, and the bonds between teammates begin to fray. The question is not only who will capture the final prize, but at what cost?
What do a suburban mom and her troubled daughter, two recently divorced brothers, a pair of former child stars, born-again Christian newlyweds, and a couple of young millionaires have in common? They have all been selected to compete on Lost and Found, a daring new reality TV show. In teams of two, they will race across the globe – from Egypt to Japan, from Sweden to England – to battle for a million-dollar prize. They must decipher encrypted clues, recover mysterious artifacts, and outwit their opponents to stay in play.
What starts as a lark turns deadly serious as the number of players is whittled down, temptations beckon, and the bonds between partners strain and unravel. Before long the question is not only who will capture the final prize, but at what cost.
Have you read any of these 4 books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, X
o
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)*
*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.*
Book Coffee Happy 