Tag: #bookblogger

This. Book. Is. AWESOME.

Omg this book.  It’s AWESOME.  From page 1 I was ALL IN…you will be, too.  Couldn’t put it down!  LOVED.  IT.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Natalie, a young art student in New York City, is struggling to pay her bills when a friend makes a suggestion: Why not go online and find a sugar daddy—a wealthy, older man who will pay her for dates, and even give her a monthly allowance? Lots of girls do it, Nat learns. All that’s required is to look pretty and hang on his every word. Sexual favors are optional.

Though more than thirty years her senior, Gabe, a handsome corporate finance attorney, seems like the perfect candidate, and within a month, they are madly in love. At least, Nat is…Gabe already has a family, whom he has no intention of leaving.

So when he abruptly ends things, Nat can’t let go. She begins drinking heavily and stalking him: watching him at work, spying on his wife, even befriending his daughter, who is not much younger than she is. But Gabe’s not about to let his sugar baby destroy his perfect life. What was supposed to be a mutually beneficial arrangement devolves into a nightmare of deception, obsession, and, when a body is found near Gabe’s posh Upper East Side apartment, murder.

My Thoughts:

(Disclaimer: I will never post spoilers in my reviews HOWEVER the comment section is completely fair game to discuss any and all specifics including spoilers)

4.5 Stars

This was the 2nd Robyn Harding book that I’ve read and although I didn’t love the last one, I truly did love this one!  Her writing is descriptive, easy to follow, and definitely captivating.  I flew through this book and it held my interest from page 1.

I literally could not put this book down. I LOVED IT!

I found the “Sugar Baby/Sugar Daddy” lifestyle absolutely fascinating…people really live like this?!?  Apparently so and the details behind it are so involved.  Who knew???  Clearly I need some more interesting friends…

The ONLY reason I’m not giving this gem 5 stars is because the last 75 pages or so didn’t capture my attention as much as the rest of the book did.  I still LOVED it and couldn’t stop reading but those last 75ish pages definitely weren’t the best part of this book.  I obviously wasn’t nearly as interested in learning the details of the murder as I was in learning the details of the Sugar Baby/Sugar Daddy lifestyle!

Bottom Line:

READ THIS.

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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

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

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

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

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WWW Wednesday #2 {Book Coffee Happy}

I’m not going to participate in WWW Wednesday every single week but I loved doing it last week so I thought I would do it again this week 🙂  I first saw WWW Wednesday on Wonderfilled Reads and I immediately knew I wanted Book Coffee Happy to participate!  Thanks so much to Sam from Taking on a World of Words  for hosting!

The Three W’s are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

Read this post to see the desperate measures I took just to get my hands on a copy!  Full review coming as soon as I finish reading!

What did you recently finish reading? 

Full blog review coming your way SOON! 

What do you think you’ll read next?

Oh man, I’m just not sure.  Here is my current stack of library books (it keeps growing). None of them are especially calling to me although I’ve heard great things about all of them (especially The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo).  Have you read any of these?  Which should I read next?  **No spoilers please!!**

Did you read any of the above books?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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


Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The First Book I’ve Bought in YEARS!

The older I become, the more I believe in and practice minimalism.  You can read more about this decision in this post!  I am constantly tidying, decluttering, and getting rid of things around our house.  My annual garage sale has become one of my favorite events!  Whenever anyone asks for gift ideas for anyone in our family (especially for our children) I always respond with EXPERIENCES OVER PHYSICAL THINGS.  My children will gain so much more from an enriching experience than any toy could ever provide.  I proudly keep my house clean, organized, and as clutter free as possible (If you are interested, I can do an entire post on this…just let me know in the comments). One area that I’ve come to realize gets out of hand quickly when I allow it to is BOOKS.  As you know, I’m a huge book lover (obvi) and reading books truly brings me happiness (hence the name of my blog).  It took me many years to realize that my joy of READING does not in fact mean that I find joy in OWNING books.  Libraries have become my happy place as they allow me the opportunity to read any book I want without having the physical book in my possession when I’m done.

As a book blogger, I’m extraordinarily blessed that authors are constantly mailing me copies of their books on a regular basis for me to read and review on my blog.  These books are in a whole separate category of things that I own.  They are so much more than just books to me…these are actual reminders of my hard work and dedication to this blog as well as the actual reminders of authors and publishers who believe in my value as well as my opinion.  Minimalism dictates not keeping anything which doesn’t hold a special meaning to the owner…these special books are some of my prized possessions!

It’s the books that I seek out on my OWN to read…the books where buying them will eventually mean one more thing on my bookshelf to keep tidy…it’s THOSE books where I love reading (and returning) a library copy.

I have been wanting to read this particular book for MONTHS.

I went to the library yesterday…no copies in stock.  I checked out 2 books that I wasn’t even that excited to read for the simple fact that they weren’t this particular book.

When I got back to my car, I called our other local library (the one where I had placed a hold on this particular book) from the parking lot of the first library.

I’ve been on this library’s wait list FOR. EV.  ER.  The library recently started a new system where they won’t tell you what number you are in line! They are now part of a consortium that receives books from all other surrounding libraries so there really is no way to track when your book will be in. It’s both wonderful and FRUSTRATING. It’s wonderful because you theoretically could receive your book much quicker as it could be coming from a multitude of libraries and not just from one. I called our library yesterday to see if they could give me ANY indication…am I #2 or #200??? They wouldn’t tell me. I hung up and drove my annoyed self straight to Barnes and Noble.  I couldn’t wait even another day to start reading this book.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I’ve been holding on to this beautiful gift card from one of my best friends for months waiting until there was a book I’ve reaaaaally been wanting to read. The time has come!

How cute are these tote bags???  Barnes and Noble for the WIN!

I’ve seen this before and I think it’s a fun idea. You get a book without knowing which book you are receiving! There are descriptions written on the covers and you make your decision based upon those descriptions without ever seeing the actual cover. Love it!

HOWEVER…

I love it for a library where you aren’t paying actual money to blindly make a purchase. $16.00 to buy a book I very well might not want to own? That’s the exact OPPOSITE of minimalism (and smart purchasing in general). Hell no!

Besides, I was there on a MISSION.  No time for cute tote bags or mystery purchases. I hobbled (stupid broken toe) straight to the fiction section, found my book waiting for me on the shelf, quickly scooped it up, paid with my beautiful gift card, and happily drove home.

I started reading this afternoon! It’s making my broken toe feel better already…

Polygamy is absolutely fascinating to me…I could NEVER share my husband/life with another woman.  EVER.  Sister Wives on TLC is one of my very favorite shows.  Do you watch Sister Wives?  Which wife is your favorite?  #teamchristine

I’m currently on chapter 2 of my new book and from what I’ve read so far…this was a smart purchase.  A very smart purchase indeed.

Sometimes, minimalist or not…a girl just wants to read what a girl wants to read.  NOW.  And this girl is doing just that 🙂

Did you read this book?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

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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.*

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Book Review: Such A Fun Age {Kiley Reid}

This was the book I was most excited to read in 2020 and had been waiting for MONTHS for it to be released.  There’s such a buzz around Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age right now and people seem to either love it or hate it.  Have you read it?  I did…and my review is a bit all over the place.  There were parts of this book that I loved and parts of this book that I did not.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living showing other women how to do the same. A mother to two small girls, she started out as a blogger and has quickly built herself into a confidence-driven brand. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains’ toddler one night. Seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, a security guard at their local high-end supermarket accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make it right.

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix’s desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix’s past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone “family,” the complicated reality of being a grown up, and the consequences of doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

My Thoughts:

3.5 Stars

(Disclaimer: I will never post spoilers in my reviews HOWEVER the comment section is completely fair game to discuss any and all specifics including spoilers)

Man, my thoughts on this one are a bit all over the place.

First and foremost, this book brings awareness to such an important topic of equality.  It’s very candid in the way it discusses race.  Books like this NEED to be written and NEED to be shared.  I’m so glad I read it and I’m so glad that the buzz is focusing around a book which is such an important read for so many reasons.

There were a few things about this book that I didn’t love.  For one, I had a hard time truly liking ANY of the characters (especially Alix who I found creepy, extremely immature, and overall just awful from the very beginning). I also found this book quite predictable in many ways in terms of story lines…and I’m the WORST when it comes to correctly predicting story lines, lol.

(Complete side note…The teacher in me (I was an elementary school teacher for 14 years) has to wonder if Briar falls somewhere on the autism spectrum?   Did anyone else think this while reading???)

I liked this book and it held my interest from page one but…I just kept waiting for the big climax which unfortunately didn’t even happen until almost the end of the book!  I would say that he majority of this book was interesting although not very exciting.

It was a SUPER easy read, I read it over a few days.  Although it wasn’t very exciting, it absolutely held my interest from page 1.  I would 100 percent read another Kiley Reid book again, I really loved her writing style!  For such a heavy topic, this book was actually a light and easy read.  I give her credit…this alone will make people want to read this important book.

Told you my feelings on this book are a bit scattered 😉

Bottom Line:

I would recommend this book but only for the awareness that it brings to such an important topic….not for the actual story lines or characters.

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

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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.*

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WWW Wednesday {Book Coffee Happy}

I first saw WWW Wednesday on Wonderfilled Reads and I immediately knew I wanted Book Coffee Happy to participate!  Thanks so much to Sam from Taking on a World of Words  for hosting!  Such a fun idea 🙂

The Three W’s are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently 115 pages in…LOVING it!  I had been waiting for months to read this one and was excited to start reading.  (Amazon Affiliate link  HERE to read more about the book and to purchase).

I started reading over the weekend and posted this picture on Instagram.  How fun is Robyn Harding’s comment???

Full blog review when I finish!  Stay tuned:)

What did you recently finish reading?

I finished reading this one last week and I have lots of thoughts!  My full review will be up on Friday!  (Amazon Affiliate link HERE to read more about the book and to purchase).

What do you think you’ll read next?

My recent library haul.  Not going to lie…I’m not overly excited to read any of them!  Have you read any of these?  Which should I read next? Or…should I take all of these back to the library and read something else?  **No spoilers please**

The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache Giveaway Winner:

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for Lori Orlinsky’s newest book, The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache!  Watch the video below to see who won!

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read any of the above books?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

***GIVEAWAY (Open to International Readers)***The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache {Lori Orlinsky}

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest blog review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Lori Orlinsky sent me a copy of her first book a few months ago, I instantly loved it and couldn’t wait to share it with my blog readers.  Over time and many emails, I came to realize that I not only love her book but I also love Lori!  Her and I have become “real life” friends and we even met for a fun and delicious dinner (local friends, if you haven’t yet tried The Hampton Social you MUST…aaaaand now I’m craving one of their AMAZING lobster rolls).  Lori, let’s go back!

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Lori’s newest book, The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache!  And exactly as predicted…it’s every bit as adorable as her first.

Synopsis:

Ellie has been eagerly awaiting the day she can finally trade in her first baby tooth for a coveted prize from the Tooth Fairy. But when the time comes, the unthinkable happens! Ellie swallows her tooth!

Knowing she can’t disappoint the Tooth Fairy, Ellie decides to lie about what really happened to her tooth. But when her fib leads to big trouble in Fairyland, will Ellie be able to set things right again?

My Thoughts:

Man, this book could not have come to our house at a more perfect time.  My daughter has lost so many teeth recently that I am back to cutting her produce off the core just as I did when she was a toddler 🙂

Talking about the tooth fairy is a daily occurrence in our house.  My daughter LOVES her tooth fairy.  Who wouldn’t?!?  Check this out…

Every time her tooth fairy comes, she leaves money sprinkled with pink fairy dust!

She also always leaves a beautiful gem picked especially for my daughter.

The very first time she came, she left this gorgeous tooth fairy necklace!

Last week, my daughter lost 2 teeth IN THE SAME DAY!  Obviously her tooth fairy had to leave something extra special that night.

As both a teacher and a parent, I can attest that nothing is better than when children can learn an important life lesson without actually having to be “taught”.  This book is such a perfect example of this.  A lesson about why lying is wrong woven throughout a fun, entertaining, captivating book that any child would love to read??  YES PLEASE!

The rhyming is spot on, the word choices are age appropriate, and the lesson behind the story is brilliant.

As for the illustrations, I absolutely love them.  The characters are ADORABLE and everything is so wonderfully and colorfully drawn. Beautiful, whimsical illustrations for a beautiful, whimsical story.

My 8 Year Old Daughter’s Thoughts:

“I liked it because this author used her imagination with what tooth fairies do with the teeth.  This book says to never lie.  I liked the pictures because they had a lot of color!”

My 3.5 Year Old Son’s Thoughts:

“THUMBS UP! I liked seeing the pictures of the Tooth Fairy.  You can’t lie because people won’t know it’s the real thing.  They were the best pictures I ever saw in a tooth fairy book.”

A Conversation with Lori Orlinsky, In Her Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?

I’ve always been interested in the Tooth Fairy. Growing up Jewish and not having Santa or the Easter Bunny to believe in, I believed VERY HARD in the Tooth Fairy! When my first tooth came out, I lost it. I remember searching through garbage cans with my parents, and I was so scared the Tooth Fairy wouldn’t come and played so many scenarios out in my head. That’s where the inspiration came from.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

Early readers with a special focus on K-3

Where can your book be purchased?

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target.com, WalMart.com

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

Imaginative, silly, lesson-based

Any additional information that you would like to provide about you or your book:

 I believe reading often naturally leads to important discussions we want to have with our children in a way that doesn’t feel forced. Instead of sitting your child down and saying “we need to talk about honesty,” where they may feel like they are in trouble, I created this book as a lead-in to that topic by using the Tooth Fairy of all things!

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

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

Would you like to win a signed copy of The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache?
I have 1 signed copy of to give away which will include the name of the child who will be receiving this book!
If you live in the US, the book will be mailed directly to your home.  If you live internationally, an electronic copy will be sent to you.

To be entered, please complete these 2 simple steps:

1. Make sure that you are following and/or subscribed to my blog

2. Tell me about your experience with the Tooth Fairy.  Does she currently visit your house?  Or…did she visit you when you were a child?  What does/did she leave behind?

**You must complete BOTH of these steps to be eligible for the giveaway and you must complete them here on my blog (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**

Giveaway will close tomorrow (2/4/20) at 6:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Wednesday’s blog post (2/5/20).

Make sure you check the blog on Wednesday to see if you’ve won (you will have 48 hours from the time I post the winners to email me your mailing address.  If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner).

If you already follow and/or subscribe to my blog, you are still eligible…just leave a comment below to be entered 🙂

Good luck!  Can’t wait to read your comments!

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

Quotes to Live By and 4 of My Favorite Quotes from Where the Crawdads Sing

I have a very special place in my heart for quotes. I LOVE quotes. I am constantly writing them down or adding them to the self created “quotes” folder on my phone! Years ago I had entire notebooks where I would write down my favorites. I’m constantly taking pictures with my phone of quotes I see while in public. My house is decorated with inspirational sayings!

My most recent blog post received an overwhelming amount of comments on both Facebook and Instagram. Clearly people love Where the Crawdads Sing just as much as I do! What I DIDN’T mention in that post were the 4 quotes that I took pictures of with my phone while reading so I would remember them. I often will take pictures of quotes that touch my heart while I’m reading.  Anyone else do that?

**I used my extremely subpar photoshopping skills to block all other language and cropped out all page numbers…no spoilers here!**

This is just a gorgeous quote and deeper meaning into life:

Interesting perspective on how we treat others:

The power of words is spectacular:

And then there is this. Not inspirational, not motivating…but…holy hell is this fascinating (and super weird and super creepy, lol):

So now you know THAT little random tidbit.  You’re welcome 🙂

Did you read Where the Crawdads Sing? Any quotes that stuck out to you? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

The following quote has been my absolute favorite for as long as I can remember. It was even my “senior quote” when I graduated from high school! It has truly applied to every single stage of my life and continues to do so:

“I always knew I’d look back on the times I had cried and laugh but I never knew I’d look back on the times I had laughed and cry.”

Love. It.

Be sure to check the blog on Monday…I’ll be having a giveaway for an ADORABLE book!

Do you have a favorite quote or saying? I’d love to hear what it is in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

I was Wrong. So Very Wrong. This Book is AMAZING.

For a year and a half, I had less than zero desire to read this book.

The reviews were glowing, everyone kept recommending it to me, and yet…I was determined to read EVERYTHING else.

I even posted on Facebook and Instagram about this book telling people that I had absolutely no desire to ever read it and I just didn’t understand its popularity. Nope. Never reading this boring sounding book. Not for me.

Then I broke my toe and was in desperate need of a good book. I went to the library and nothing stood out to me. I so randomly saw one lone copy of this book on the shelf. I ignored it and kept searching. About 20 minutes later I went back to the shelf, grabbed it, and begrudgingly checked it out. There was simply nothing else!  I figured that if I was EVER going to read this book, this was the time…where I was literally forced to lay down and ice my toe for 20 minutes 3 times each day.

I came home, propped up my toe with ice, opened to page 1…and promptly and happily devoured every single page after that.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

My Thoughts:

(Disclaimer: I will never post spoilers in my reviews HOWEVER the comment section is completely fair game to discuss any and all specifics including spoilers)

1,000,000 stars

Oh this book. It’s absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

One of the best books I’ve ever read (which if you are a faithful blog reader you realize that I’ve now discovered TWO of my all time favorites over the past 6 months! How amazing is that???)

I very literally could not put this book down. I found myself reading whenever I could spare a few minutes. I thought about it ALL the time (and still do). I theorized so much of what was going to happen in the end (I was waaaay off, lol).

This is such a special story from beginning to end. I can’t even begin to imagine how beautiful this movie will be! The movie rights have already been purchased but the release date hasn’t been announced yet…READ THE BOOK FIRST! I can promise that even if the movie will be amazing, there is just no way it can capture the depth of the book. I can already say with DEFINITE clarity that the book is better 🙂

When books are overly hyped I find myself either LOVING or HATING them but rarely are my feelings somewhere in the middle.  This book deserves every single bit of hype it has received.  Delia Owens wrote such a lovely story.  I smiled, I cried, I loved it all.

I do have 2 issues with this book:

1. The absolute biggest issue that I have with this book is how the synopsis on the cover is written. It sounds BORING. It’s not…it’s actually anything but. I’m not exactly sure how I would have written it differently but it just doesn’t do this book justice. If not for the hype surrounding this book there is NO way I would have picked this one up on my own. A big thank you to whomever gave this book a chance before it was popular and helped give it the popularity that it has so rightfully gained.

2. The imagery in this book is spectacular. The details used to describe even the tiniest of objects were amazing. There was only 1 thing not described well…the main character!!! For the first 1/3 of the book I pictured her with black skin until I finally Googled “What color is Kya’s skin in Where the Crawdads Sing?” because I was starting to think I was wrong. Sure enough…I (and apparently a whole lot of other people) was wrong! Once I got it in my head that her skin was white, I immediately pictured her as a shoulder length blond until they mentioned her long black hair about HALFWAY through the book. Ummm…what?! These details should have been solidified early on. Not to mention that I’m still not 100 percent sure I’m pronouncing her name correctly (I say it like Kaia which after another Google search I learned is also apparently how it’s pronounced in the audio version?? However, it’s supposed to be short for Catherine which makes makes me think that maybe it’s meant to be pronounced Ka?)

Even with these issues, I truly loved this story.  BEAUTIFUL!

It was so meant to be that there was that one random lone copy of this book on the library shelf.  This was the PERFECT book to help me though that first week with only 9 working toes!

This was the type of book where once I finished, I wasn’t emotionally ready to start reading another book right away…I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!  When characters truly make their way into my heart, I have a hard time “leaving them”…does this happen to anyone else????

**As I was working on this post, I noticed that it’s on sale for only $9.59 on Amazon today for a HARDCOVER copy!  Amazing deal!  Amazon Affiliate link below…**

Bottom Line:

Truly one of the best books I’ve ever read.  If you haven’t read this one yet…it’s a MUST.

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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 Broke My Toe!

Unfortunately this might just become a new series here on my blog!  You can read last year’s first installment of “I Broke My Elbow” here, (insert face plant emoji).

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know all of this because I’ve been updating my Instastories like crazy…it has kept me entertained!  God bless Instastories.

See this railing in my dining room?  I used to love it.  Now it scares me.

Here’s the short version of the story:

Railing + pinkie toe + trip to the ER + x rays + getting home from the ER at 10:43 + 22 girls at our house at 11:00 for my daughter’s birthday party +medical tape + ugly boot + frozen peas + orthopedic surgeon + more x rays = 6 weeks of boot wearing, medical taping, icing, and elevating until my next appointment with my orthopedic surgeon for more x rays in March.

UGH.

Emergency Room selfies that I had sent to my best friends:

Even my beloved Dunkin’ coffee couldn’t keep my tears away.

Thank GOD for frozen peas!  Regular ice packs won’t work since I broke the tip of my pinkie toe and the ice packs won’t stay put.  Frozen peas for the WIN.

I basically spent 2 straight days in bed.  It was awful!   I finally told my husband that I needed to get out of the house and I needed to go somewhere to make myself feel better.

I took a shower (FYI shaving your legs with a broken toe is hard), I drove straight to Dunkin’ to get coffee, and then I took myself on a much needed trip to the library (aka my happy place).

Hobbling (!) silently through the stacks was EXACTLY what I needed.  Just being in the library surrounded by books gave me such a sense of peace.  Some people would go to a bar and drink in a situation like mine…I just go where the coffee and the books are 🙂

I try to find the silver lining in situations and this situation most DEFINITELY has a silver lining.  I checked out a library book that day and because I’ve been spending so much time icing and elevating my poor toe, I’ve already finished it.

Hands down one of my top 5 favorite books I’ve read.  EVER.  In my entire life.

Omg this book.  It was so beautifully written, I literally devoured it.  Literally couldn’t put it down.

I can’t WAIT to share it with you!  Full (beyond glowing) review coming later this week!  Any guesses??????

As for my poor toe, it’s very sloooooooowly healing.  It still hurts just as much but the bruising is SO much better.  It was so disgusting when it first happened!  It’s still black and blue but doesn’t look nearly as frightening.

I would say it’s taking “baby steps” but…more like “baby hobbles”.  UGH!

Here are my beautiful best friends and I over the weekend.  We were celebrating Amy and Beth’s birthdays!  Trying my best to hide my ugly boot but not really succeeding, lol…

My orthopedic surgeon promised me that I’ll wear high heels again “someday”.  Someday better get here quickly!

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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***INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY*** This is Not How it Ends {Rochelle B. Weinstein}

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest blog review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved Somebody’s Daughter by Rochelle B. Weinstein.  I read that book over a year ago and I still think about it.  If you haven’t read that one yet, do yourself a favor and read it.  It’s such an important topic and the way she presents it is incredible.  You can read my review of Somebody’s Daughter here.

So obviously when I was asked if I would like to receive a copy of Rochelle Weinstein’s newest book ahead of it’s January 1st release, of course I said yes!

When it arrived in the mail, I was surprised to find that it also contained this adorable little package of Kleenex.  How cute is that?!

Receiving this package of Kleenex was my first clue that I might cry while reading this book.  Ummm…I didn’t cry.  I SOBBED.  In the absolute very best way.  In fact, I messaged Rochelle Weinstein very late one night to share a fun fact that I discovered while reading…eye cream BURNS when it mixes with tears!  Who knew?! Like…for real. It hurt.

Synopsis:

When Charlotte and Philip meet, the pair form a deep and instant connection. Soon they’re settled in the Florida Keys with plans to marry. But just as they should be getting closer, Charlotte feels Philip slipping away.

Second-guessing their love is something Charlotte never imagined, but with Philip’s excessive absences, she finds herself yearning for more. When she meets Ben, she ignores the pull, but the supportive single dad is there for her in ways she never knew she desired. Soon Charlotte finds herself torn between the love she thought she wanted and the one she knows she needs.

As a hurricane passes through Islamorada, stunning revelations challenge Charlotte’s loyalties and upend her life. Forced to reexamine the choices she’s made, and has yet to make, Charlotte embarks on an emotional journey of friendship, love, and sacrifice—knowing that forgiveness is a gift, and the best-laid plans can change in a heartbeat.

This Is Not How It Ends is a tender, moving story of heartbreak and healing that asks the question: Which takes more courage—holding on or letting go?

My Thoughts:

(Disclaimer: I will never post spoilers in my reviews HOWEVER the comment section is completely fair game to discuss any and all specifics including spoilers)

I truly loved this book.  In fact, it was among my favorites that I read in 2019!

The multifaceted characters, the intricate storylines, the beautiful settings…all of it spoke directly to my heart.  The depths of emotions that each character felt were so beautifully articulated and made my heart continuously see characters from different angles the further I read into the story. I LOVED it.  I found myself thinking of these characters when I wasn’t reading which is always the sign of a great book. I couldn’t wait to pick it up again each day!  I wanted to read quickly to find out what would happen and yet at the same time, I wanted to read slowly just to savor it so it wouldn’t end. I LOVE books that make me feel like that.

Over the past year, Rochelle and I have become friends and I’m so proud of her and of her beautiful new book.  It’s always tricky for me to review a book written by someone whom I adore…what if I don’t adore the book???  I’m happy to report that I truly love this book and it has absolutely nothing to do with how much I love it’s author.  Both this book and this author are absolutely beautiful!

These characters, these storylines, these settings…all of it will stay with me for quite some time. I really loved this book. You will, too.

Bottom Line

Read this book now.  Apply eye cream later.

A Conversation with Rochelle Weinstein, In Her Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?

The idea for This Is Not How It Ends came from her big sister What We Leave Behind. An early fan favorite, the novel captured a heart-wrenching love story that resonated with many readers. I’d been itching to write a similar story, one which pulled all the heart strings. And here we are.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

I’d say my books are for women of all ages. Especially book club readers. And I do have some awesome male readers. If you’re the kind who’s willing to go deep, I think you’ll find my work satisfying.

Where can your book be purchased?

Amazon and some select independent bookstores.

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

Heartbreaking. Emotional. Unforgettable.

Any additional information that you would like to provide about you or your book:

I love connecting with readers.  Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Book Bub, Goodreads, or Instagram. Also, sign up for my newsletter at www.RochelleWeinstein.com
Thank you! I’m so grateful to all the readers and bloggers.

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

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

Would you like to win a signed copy of This is Not How It Ends ?
I have 1 signed copy of to give away! 
If you live in the US, the book will be mailed directly to your home.  If you live internationally, an electronic copy will be sent to you.

To be entered, please complete these 2 simple steps:

1. Make sure that you are following and/or subscribed to my blog

2. Tell me about your favorite love story (it can be from real life, a book, a movie, etc.)

FYI here’s my answer:

**My favorite love story is my own!  My husband and I are high school sweethearts.  We broke up the night before I left for college…and got back together 11 years later.  We now have 2 children, bought a house in the town where we grew up, and our kids will one day attend the same high school that we did!  We drank out of our prom champagne glasses at our wedding and Jon’s prom bow tie is current;y displayed in our china cabinet).**

**You must complete BOTH of these steps to be eligible for the giveaway and you must complete them here on my blog (not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)**

Giveaway will close tomorrow (1/21/20) at 6:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Wednesday’s blog post (1/22/20).

Make sure you check the blog on Wednesday to see if you’ve won (you will have 48 hours from the time I post the winners to email me your mailing address.  If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner).

If you already follow and/or subscribe to my blog, you are still eligible…just leave a comment below to be entered 🙂

Good luck!  Can’t wait to read your comments!

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

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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.*

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