I Got A Job (!!) and a Book Review: The Husbands {Holly Gramazio}
I got a job!! Starting this fall, I will be a school secretary at a middle school :). I’m so excited about this for so many reasons! My commute will be approximately 4 minutes long, my best friend is a teacher there (!!), I already know many of the families and staff because they live in my community, etc. Best of all, the hours/days off so wonderfully align with my own kids’ schedules. Love.
Selfie right after I officially signed and returned all of the paperwork to my new school district office!
Being that I was a teacher for such a long time, I already am more than familiar with the school environment and how important having an amazing secretary truly is. I honestly think this new role is a perfect fit for me and I can’t wait to get started 🙂
I’m going in for a few days of training next week and then will officially start full time in August! Nothing should change with the blog but as always, know that I am WAY more active on Instagram than I am on my actual blog. I post an Instastory pretty much every single day! If you don’t already follow Book Coffee Happy on Instagram, HERE is the link to do so!
Book Review: The Husbands {Holly Gramazio}:
Ok so the first thing I noticed when I picked up this book (other than the weird cover art) was that 2 of my ABSOLUTE favorite authors blurbed this book.
When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
My Thoughts onThe Husbands {Holly Gramizo}:
Eh.
I wasn’t even aware that it was possible for a story to go on for 338 pages without anything actually progressing but turns out…it’s possible! Like, how does that even happen???
Everytime I was staaaaarting to become invested in a storyline…BAM…storyline gone.
The one and ONLY thing that I liked about this book was the fact that this entire book is basically just a series of metaphors for other things. I love that.
Zero character development because the characters came and left too quickly. About 100 characters too many. Storylines were introduced and then just dropped.
All of the reviews that I have read have mentioned the amazing ending…I didn’t like the ending?
Not sure why this book is as popular as it is but so many people are loving it right now. Eh.
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
Can someone please explain why everyone loves this book so much?
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Xo,
Jenny
**Clearly I didn’t love this one but you just might! Click HERE 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**
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
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Last weekend, I attended the most gorgeous release party for Lisa Barr’s newest (and in my opinion BEST) book, The Goddess of Warsaw. If you missed my review of this amazing book, you can read all of my thoughts HERE (spoiler: loved it).
Candles! I can’t wait to light mine, it smells divine.Love you, Lisa 🙂These gorgeous light boxes were placed all around the room. So beautiful!My name in the Author’s Note at the end of the book. No words for how touched I feel to be included!
I also went to an event at Barnes and Noble which occurred ON this awesome book’s publishing day! The Good Book Fairy was in conversation with Lisa Barr and it was an amazing discussion. It was interesting to hear them discussing the book without giving ANYTHING away as the book was just released that day! I was only 1 of a handful of people there who had already read an advanced copy so I really enjoyed hearing this discussion from that perspective.
Love.Lauren (AKA The Good Book Fairy) brought me a copy of her daughter’s new release, Drive Me Crazy! Thank you so much, Lauren…so sweet! I can’t wait to read it, Carly Robyn :). It looks super cute!
What I’m Currently Reading
I recently received an advanced copy of Emily Giffin’s newest book, The Summer Pact! I’m currently about 100 pages in. I’ll share my thoughts when I finish! This one releases in July.
Goodreads Synopsis of The Summer Pact{Emily Giffin}:
Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and law school hopeful from D.C.; Summer, a recruited athlete and perfectionist from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after moving into their shared dorm, they strike up a conversation in a study lounge, and the seeds of friendship are planted.
As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, a pact is made to be there for each other in their time of need, no matter how separated they are by circumstances or distance.
Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.
In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides to help pick up the pieces?
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Xo,
Jenny
**Click HERE to order The Goddess of Warsaw, and click HERE to preorder The Summer Pact (both through my Amazon affiliate links). When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo**
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
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Blogmas 2023: I Loved This Gorgeous Holiday Book…About BOOKS!
Hi!
FINALLY I read Christmas by the Book! This book has been on my TBR since 2021. You can read the post where I first discussed that HERE (along with 7 other holiday book titles that I was dying to read at the time…and I eventually did read 5 of them)!
Goodreads Synopsis ofChristmas by the Book {Anne Marie Ryan} AKA A Holiday Book About BOOKS:
Nora and her husband, Simon, have run the beautiful oak-beamed book shop in their small British village for thirty years. But times are tough and the shop is under threat of closure–this Christmas season will really decide their fate. When an elderly man visits the store and buys the one book they’ve never been able to sell, saying it’s the perfect gift for his sick grandson, it gives Nora an idea. She and Simon will send out books to those feeling down this Christmas. Maybe they can’t save their bookstore, but at least they’ll have one final chance to lift people’s spirits through the power of reading.
After gathering nominations online, Nora and Simon quietly deliver books to six residents of the village in need of some festive cheer, including a single dad of twins who is working hard to make ends meet, a teenage boy grieving for his big sister, a local Member of Parliament who is battling depression, and a teacher who’s newly retired and living on her own. As the town prepares for a white Christmas, the books begin to give the recipients hope, one by one. But with the future of the bookshop still up in the air, Nora and Simon will need a Christmas miracle–or perhaps a little help from the people whose lives they’ve touched–to find a happy ending of their own….
My Review ofChristmas by the Book {Anne Marie Ryan} AKA A Holiday Book About BOOKS:
Omg SO. MUCH. YES.
Oh I loved this book so, so much. It’s a beautifully written book with such beautiful messages throughout. And if you love books (which I’m assuming you do if you read Book Coffee Happy), you will LOVE this story. Books are at the heart of this one!
Lovely, well developed characters and a lovely, well developed story. I smiled, I cried, I truly loved it. An absolutely beautiful book…a perfect holiday read.
The one and ONLY thing I didn’t absolutely love about this book were the very large amount of characters. There were A LOT of characters. If you read this one, I suggest a paper next to you (or your phone…I’m so old) for you to jot down quick notes on each character to help keep them straight. I wish I had done this!
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
A perfect holiday book for a book lover.
Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Click HERE 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
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
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Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! I had a glorious holiday filled with family, delicious food, friends, and lots and lots of shopping 🙂
I received these turkeys when I was student teaching during my senior year of college. I hung them in my own classroom for YEARS after I graduated and then started hanging them in my house after I left teaching. This is my 24th year celebrating the holiday season with them 🙂
I love this time of year so much. Although we should be looking around all year long to reflect on our blessings and things to be thankful for, November is a great reminder to really stop and look around.
While I do this year round in my personal life, lately I’ve been thinking of all of the blessings that I’m thankful for when it comes to my blogging life! In no particular order, here are some things I’m grateful as they relate to Book Coffee Happy.
Things I’m Thankful For: Blog Edition
Instagram
Truth be told, Book Coffee Happy is MUCH more active on Instagram than any other platform. While I do post on this site, Facebook, and Twitter (X???), Instagram is my favorite. It’s so much easier, faster, and more fun to post a quick Instastory than to type up an entire blog post. I try to add to my stories on Instagram daily. If you don’t already follow Book Coffee Happy on Instagram, please do! HERE is the link.
Authors
Without authors there would be no readers and without being a reader there would be no Book Coffee Happy. Thank you to all of the authors out there who give me topics to entertain myself and to blog about!
Fellow Book Bloggers/Bookstagrammers
Ahhh the blogging/Bookstagramming community is so amazing and I have made some wonderful new friends all through our mutual love of BOOKS. We inspire each other, tag each other, and support each other and I’m so thankful. I’m even a member of a local group of book bloggers/bookstagrammers who meet up from time to time (I have yet to actually make it to a meet up but it’s something I’m so looking forward to SOON)!
WordPress
Writing this little blog is my favorite hobby and I couldn’t do it without the support of WordPress. Thank you for making it so easy for someone like me to create and run a website! WordPress has been amazing to work with and the customer support has been incredible. Between chats and emails, I have asked mannnnnnnny questions and the support I have received has been amazing. WordPress is the only server Book Coffee Happy has ever been on and I have absolutely zero plans to ever switch.
Libraries/Book Stores
Forever thankful for the places which allow me access to books (and so much more)! Thankful that the library is my happy place where I can quietly walk the stacks, work on my blog, or just peruse the shelves.
YOU
Without readers, I would have no blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for visiting my little corner of the Internet today and everyday. I love writing this blog and I’m extrodinarily thankful for the people and the experiences which it has provided.
Happiest of Thanksgivings to all who celebrated! Stay tuned…my next blog post (will be posted mid week) will be a very special one 🙂 And the post after THAT will kick off BLOGMAS on 12/1!
Xo,
Jenny
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
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BOOK (AND BOOK SWAG) GIVEAWAY: What You Do To Me {Rochelle B. Weinstein}
**What You Do To Me {Rochelle B. Weinstein} will be published on October 17, 2023. There is a link at the bottom of this post to preorder yourself a copy. I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy…and I have another early copy to give away to a lucky reader!**
This is the 4th book of Rochelle Weinstein’s that I have read. Here are my reviews of the other 3 books (Spoiler: loved them all):
As much as I adored her other 3 books, this one is HANDS DOWN my favorite.
Is this cover not STUNNING?!
Goodreads Synopsis ofWhat You Do To Me {Rochelle B. Weinstein}:
From the bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends comes a moving novel of two unfinished love stories and the music and lyrics that bring them together.
Journalist Cecilia James is a sucker for a love song. So when she stumbles across a clue to the identity of the muse for one of rock’s greatest, she devotes herself to uncovering the truth, even as her own relationship is falling apart.
While writing an article for Rolling Stone, Cecilia works to reveal the mystery that has intrigued fans and discovers a classic tale of two soulmates separated by fate and circumstance. Rock star Eddie Vee once sang with his soul, dedicating love songs to Sara Friedman, his inspiration and first love. Now, Eddie takes refuge in anonymity, closed off to the past. Sara, too, has distanced herself from their love, moving thousands of miles away to live the life she once railed against. As Eddie and Sara tentatively open up to Cecilia about broken dreams, she struggles to give them a happy ending. In the process, she learns that broken hearts can be healed—even her own.
What You Do To Me is the story of a love song and of the triumph of the heart over the greatest of odds. Even for those who have written off love forever.
My Review ofWhat You Do To Me {Rochelle B. Weinstein}:
Oh this beautiful book…
The characters, the settings, THE MUSIC. I might never be able to listen to a song again without wondering who it was written for and the story behind it.
There are so many storylines in this book ranging from past to present and all of them came together to tell such an amazingly beautiful story. Everything is written with such depth and such heart.
The creativity is took to write a story like this..taking a modern song (a song which I have always LOVED by the way) and creating a different time AND different people all contributing to it’s beautiful lyrics all the while connecting different storylines to come together in such. a special and unique way?? Amazing.
My plans of getting a manicure prior to Rosh Hashanah dinner were foiled by the fact that I couldn’t put this book down and spent the entire day reading. I didn’t even remember that my nails looked like this until I was walking out the door. Lovely.
I smiled, I cried (tears streaming down both cheeks), I hummed song lyrics, I loved this whole book. I never wanted it to end! I felt so connected to these characters and their stories. This book is so BEAUTIFULLY written.
Love you, Rochelle 🙂
Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:
Loved every single word…and song lyric.
Book Giveaway (1 Signed Copy):
**Rochelle herself had sent me a copy of this book (along with the cutest book swag) and her publisher had ALSO sent me a copy of this book (along the cutest book swag)…which means…I have an extra copy to give away before the publishing date to one VERY lucky reader (along with the cutest book swag)!**
Matches!Notepad!Sticker!Pen!One lucky winner will receive everything in this picture!
***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***
If you are local, we can arrange pickup for you to get your book (and book swag!) directly from me. If you aren’t local, I will mail it all to you! Open to US residents only for this giveaway, please.
To be entered, just leave a comment below (on this blog post)! Your comment can be about anything!
**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 on Sunday (9/24/23) at 6:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced here on my blog on Monday (9/25/23).
I will post a video here on Monday of me choosing the winners!
Good luck! Can’t wait to read your comments!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to preorder the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site 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.*
PIGS ARE FLYING {aka I Bought a Kindle Unboxing Video}
This photo has nothing to do with books but the Poke Bowl that I ate for dinner last night was so pretty that it deserves to be on the Internet.
Well. Here we are. I have always SWORN that I would never, ever, EVER own an e-reader…and now I…DO. What is happening?!? Here’s a video of me unboxing my new Kindle (!), and the reasoning behind why I finally caved and bought one.
I Bought a Kindle Unboxing Video:
I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with love and BOOKS!
Do you own an e-reader? Any advice for a newbie?
Xo,
Jenny
Here is a link to the exact Kindle that I bought! Click the image below to order this Kindle through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site 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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*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.*
#1 BOOK IN MY LIFE! {Erin Condren Life Planner Unboxing Video}
**This post isn’t sponsored nor do I earn anything from posting about this company in any way, I’m just so in love with these planners and want to share all about them with YOU!**
If you have been following me for any length of time OR if you know me in real life, you know that I simply could not live without my Erin Condren Life Planner. I couldn’t imagine anything else on the planet ever keeping my life as organized and have loved these planners since 2012. I have written about these planners for years (I’ll link my previous posts and videos below) and my love for Erin Condren runs DEEP.
#1 BOOK IN MY LIFE:
So without further ado, I present to you my brand new GORGEOUS 2023-2024 (my first ever metallic!!) edition. This video talks all about the specifics on what the Life Planner is, how I use this planner, why I’ll never go digital, why I think this is the very best planner out there, etc. This video even has a very split second special guest surprise appearance by my husband!
2023-2024 Erin Condren Life Planner Uboxing Video:
Here is a link to Erin Condren’s website! Have fun shopping!
Planners–paper or digital?? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
Xo,
Jenny
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Book I’m Currently Reading (Amazing), Coffee I’m Currently Drinking (Perfection), 1 Thing Currently Making Me HAPPY!
Ahhh I used to do these posts all the time and I haven’t done one in forever!
Book I’m Currently Reading:
The Happy Ever After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}:
I cannot include the synopsis of this book because it’s actually book #2 of a series and the synopsis gives away a MAJOR spoiler from book #1!
Here is book #1 (I’ll have a review posted on here soon buuuuuuut since I’m currently reading book #2 you can safely assume that I LOVED IT):
Synopsis of The Friend Zone {Abby Jimenez}:
Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.
Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.
Coffee I’m Currently Drinking:
As part of my Mother’s Day gift, my in laws gave me a very generous Dunkin’ gift card. THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING! It has brought me such joy over these past few weeks….
Currently Making Me Happy:
Charging my Book Light
My amazing book light just got even more amazing! If you missed it, HERE is the post where I talk allll about it and it’s awesome features. I love it so much!
I bought it and I use it ALL THE TIME. In all of this time (I bought it exactly TO THE WEEK one year ago), I’ve never had to charge it even once! Until this week…
I was so pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to charge…just plugged it in like my phone! I’m not sure what I was expecting (I tend to get intimidated with anything that has wires and/or buttons) but this was a total breeze.
I didn’t think it was possible to love this book light even more than I already did but I now do! BUY THIS BOOK LIGHT (there is a link to it in the post above).
Operation Mom Signed Copy Book Giveaway Winner:
Thank you to everyone who entered! Here is a video of me randomly choosing the winner:
What are you currently reading?
What coffee are you currently enjoying?
What is 1 thing currently making you HAPPY?
Happy Friday, Book Friends 🙂 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
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
*Please share this site 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.*
The right wick on my new candle doesn’t burn as highly as the wick on the left. For someone as Type A as I am, this is making me insane. It’s also a perfect comparison for the 2 books I am discussing on my blog today. Book #1 burns BRIGHTLY and Book #2 does…not.
UGH. That’s all I can say. I’m so disappointed. I was SO excited to read this book. It sucked.
The Big Book Disappointment of 2023
Let’s start from the beginning…
Book #1: Things We Never Got Over
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this adorable book. A charming town, colorful characters, spicy sex scenes…this book had it all. Cheesy? Oh lord yes but somehow it all just worked. I smiled, I cried, I LOVED it. If you haven’t yet read Things We Never Got Over, it’s a must read for me. HERE is my full review (including the book synopsis).
So naturally when Lucy Score announced that a sequel was in the works, I was ALL IN. I was actually counting down until it’s release (February 21, 2023). I went to Barnes and Noble that week because I couldn’t even wait for a copy to come in at my library…I needed to own this beautiful book STAT. I couldn’t wait to dive right back into the little town with it’s interesting residents. HERE is the post where I was so excited to buy this book (how happy was I??). Reading that post now just makes me sad.
Hoooooow is this book in the same book series as the first book??? It’s so completely different than Book #1. I think a big part of it is the perspective from which it’s told. Book #1 is from the perspective of someone who isn’t from this town and is learning all of the town’s intricacies, meeting all of it’s residents, etc. It focused so much more on the town and the residents. Book #1 really only had 1 storyline that I didn’t enjoy…aaaaaand THAT storyline is the entire premise of Book #2. It makes sense….Book #1 was really introducing everything and now Book #2 dives deeper into the story but the one particular story that it dives deeply into was my absolute LEAST favorite thing about Book #1.
The main characters that I fell in love with all make such tiny appearances in Book #2 and the other, more minor characters that Book #2 focuses on are ANNOYING.
I really can’t say too much about this book without giving away spoilers from both books so I’ll just say this: everything about Book #2 is different than Book #1.
The one constant between the books is the adorable banter between the characters. Lucy Score has such a lovely way of writing dialogue! I just wish the dialogue had been between different characters and talking about different things, lol.
One more thing to note: Book #1 ends with not only 1 epilogue but also a BONUS epilogue. Book #2 ignores both epilogues and just continues the story right where it left off before them. Ummm HUH?? So now we know what happens in the future AND in the farther off future but now we are back in time to reading before any of that actually happens?? I feel like a book series should be in completely chronological order. Obviously Lucy Score shouldn’t have included either epilogue in Book #1 if she was thinking a book series might follow but she did….and now I feel like Book #2 should start right where Book #1 left off.
Basically this book is all a bit of a mess.
One thing I will say is that the covers of the books in the Knockemout series are STUNNING. Book #3 is going to be purple!
I stopped reading at page 270 out of 574 pages. I just couldn’t do it for another 300 pages and even getting to page 270 TOOK FOREVER. I should have been able to read this 600 page book fairly quickly but I was just too bored to ever want to pick it up.
I’m heartbroken, I can’t believe this second book was so terrible when the first was so wonderful. I appreciate that sequels are rarely AS good as the first but this wasn’t even in the same category.
According to reviews online, many many many others hated this book as well. More than one review I read referenced how this book “should be hidden from the light”, lol.
Moving on….but sadly not to the 3rd book in the Knockemout series, Things We Left Behind, which is expected to be released 9/5/23.
Have you read either of these 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 book through my Amazon affiliate links (obviously I would recommend Book #1 MUCH more than I would recommend Book #2 lol). When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…
*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)
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A nice change from the plethora of audiobook reviews I’ve been posting recently, right?? I recently returned 7 library books before I had a chance to read them (well, I did read a bit of 1 of them…I’ll get to that in a minute).
I think all 7 of these books sound GREAT and I can’t wait to read them eventually!
**Please make sure to take note of the beautiful, artful, and professional photography throughout this blog post. I decided to write this post as I was looking at the pile of these books sitting next to me on the passenger seat of my car as I was filming an Instastory. All of these photos have the lovely background of my dirty car = crumbs and all. And some even include my chipped nail polish. So pretty. Enjoy!**
Book #1 I’m NOT Reading: The Bookshop on the Corner {Jenny Colgan}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Bookshop on the Corner {Jenny Colgan}:
Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.
Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile—a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.
From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home… a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.
Book #2 I’m NOT Reading: Mika in Real Life {Emiko Jean}
Goodreads Synopsis of Mika in Real Life {Emiko Jean}:
One phone call changes everything.
At thirty-five, Mika Suzuki’s life is a mess. Her last relationship ended in flames. Her roommate-slash-best friend might be a hoarder. She’s a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents. And, most recently, she’s been fired from her latest dead-end job.
Mika is at her lowest point when she receives a phone call from Penny—the daughter she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Penny is determined to forge a relationship with her birth mother, and in turn, Mika longs to be someone Penny is proud of. Faced with her own inadequacies, Mika embellishes a fact about her life. What starts as a tiny white lie slowly snowballs into a fully-fledged fake life, one where Mika is mature, put-together, successful in love and her career.
The details of Mika’s life might be an illusion, but everything she shares with curious, headstrong Penny is real: her hopes, dreams, flaws, and Japanese heritage. The harder-won heart belongs to Thomas Calvin, Penny’s adoptive widower father. What starts as a rocky, contentious relationship slowly blossoms into a friendship and, over time, something more. But can Mika really have it all—love, her daughter, the life she’s always wanted? Or will Mika’s deceptions ultimately catch up to her? In the end, Mika must face the truth—about herself, her family, and her past—and answer the question, just who is Mika in real life?
Book #3 I’m NOT Reading: The Babysitter {Sheryl Browne}
I actually DID start reading this book and read to page 83 before I called it quits. It was ok…and if I hadn’t bought THIS BOOK that I was so excited to start, I probably would have continued reading The Babysitter…
Goodreads Synopsis of The Babysitter {Sheryl Browne}:
You trust her with your family. Would you trust her with your life?
Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can’t it?
As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, it’s Jade who is left picking up the pieces.
But Mark soon notices things aren’t quite as they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. He’s met Jade before. And now he suspects he might know what she wants …
Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?
Book #4 I’m NOT Reading: The Second Wife {Sheryl Browne}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Second Wife {Sheryl Browne}:
She made her bed. You’ll lie in it.
Rebecca and Nicole swore to be best friends forever. But three years after they last met up, Rebecca receives a phone call from Nicole’s devoted husband, Richard. Nicole is dead, a tragic suicide. Drowned in a river close to her family home, Richard was the one who pulled her body from the water. Now he can’t even speak about what happened.
While Rebecca reels from the news, she reads her friend’s last letters to her and begins to wonder if she knew Nicole at all. What secrets was she keeping from all the people who knew and loved her?
As Rebecca gets closer and closer to Richard, things go too far and she begins to slip into Nicole’s old life – staying in her home, sleeping in her bed… But if she’s going to become the wife Nicole never was, can she keep herself safe?
Book #5 I’m NOT Reading: The Book Haters Book Club {Gretchen Anthony}
Goodreads Synopsis of The Book Haters’ Book Club {Gretchen Anthony}:
All it takes is the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book Lover…
That was Elliott’s belief and the reason why he started The Book Haters’ Book Club—a newsletter of reading recommendations for the self-proclaimed “nonreader.” As the beloved co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookstore, Elliott’s passion and gift was recommending books to customers. Now, after his sudden death, his grief-ridden business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell Over the Rainbow to a developer who will turn the cozy bookstore into high-rise condos.
But others won’t give up the bookstore without a fight. When Irma breaks the news to her daughters, Bree and Laney, and Elliott’s romantic partner, Thom, they are aghast. Over the Rainbow has been Bree and Laney’s sanctuary since childhood, and Thom would do anything to preserve Elliott’s legacy. Together, Thom, Bree and Laney conspire to save the bookstore, even if it takes some snooping, gossip and minor sabotage.
Filled with humor, family hijinks and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters’ Book Club is the ideal feel-good read. It’s a celebration of found family and a love letter to the everyday heroes who run bookstores.
Book #6 I’m NOT Reading: Eden’s Children {V.C. Andrews}
Goodreads Synopsis of Eden’s Children {V.C. Andrews}:
Mother doesn’t always know best in this atmospheric and twisty novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic series and Landry series—now popular Lifetime movies.
When former teacher Paula Eden adopts Faith and Trevor, she is astounded by their natural intelligence and decides to homeschool them to nurture their brilliance. But as the years go on, Faith and Trevor itch for more independence.
When Faith sets her sights on a handsome young man visiting from out of town, Paula grows increasingly desperate to preserve her small family and her plans for the children to carry on her legacy. Luckily, she has a cohort in loyal Trevor, who will do anything to please his mother, even at the risk of hurting his sister and potentially changing their lives forever.
Book #7 I’m NOT Reading: Faking Reality {Sara Fujimura}
Goodreads Synopsis of Faking Reality {Sara Fujimura}:
Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.
Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping his small town Arizona life and the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal—thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota—the more reasons there are for him to stay.
Have you read any of these books? Which look interesting to you? 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 links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
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