Tag: #bookrecommendation

Book Rut: The 2nd Book In A Row That I Haven’t Finished

There is nothing worse than being in a book rut.  When you read book after book IN A ROW and neither of them pull you in and are both just kind of blah.  Welcome to the current state of my life.  I HATE when this happens.  First there was this book.  And now…this one.  Book rut.  The worst.  I need to get OUT of this asap!  Someone please give me a great book suggestion that you KNOW will save me.  I cannot read a 3rd book in a row without finishing.

*Wordpress doesn’t allow emojis but if they did…Insert poop emoji here*

A few months ago, I stumbled upon the Indian Trails Public Library’s #givereading table located in a local community building (you can read more about my experience HERE).  I loved the idea of the program and was so excited to handpick a book to bring home with me.

After carefully looking though all of the books, I selected this one.  I had never heard of it but had heard such great things about Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows and this was written by the same author!

Fun fact about me: Since I have been a little girl, I have always been particularly drawn to learning about Indian Culture.  I have always found it so beautiful and interesting!  So much so that when I was getting married, apparently my bridesmaids even discussed throwing my bachelorette party as an Indian themed event.

So naturally this book JUMPED out at me.  I was so excited, it sounded fantastic!  All the makings of a great story AND it takes place in India???  Clearly this was the book for me.  Done.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The British-born Punjabi Shergill sisters—Rajni, Jezmeen, and Shirina—were never close and barely got along growing up, and now as adults, have grown even further apart. Rajni, a school principal is a stickler for order. Jezmeen, a thirty-year-old struggling actress, fears her big break may never come. Shirina, the peacemaking “good” sister married into wealth and enjoys a picture-perfect life.

On her deathbed, their mother voices one last wish: that her daughters will make a pilgrimage together to the Golden Temple in Amritsar to carry out her final rites. After a trip to India with her mother long ago, Rajni vowed never to return. But she’s always been a dutiful daughter, and cannot, even now, refuse her mother’s request. Jezmeen has just been publicly fired from her television job, so the trip to India is a welcome break to help her pick up the pieces of her broken career. Shirina’s in-laws are pushing her to make a pivotal decision about her married life; time away will help her decide whether to meekly obey, or to bravely stand up for herself for the first time.

Arriving in India, these sisters will make unexpected discoveries about themselves, their mother, and their lives—and learn the real story behind the trip Rajni took with their Mother long ago—a momentous journey that resulted in Mum never being able to return to India again.

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)

2 weeks ago I started to read it.  I read until page 133…and called it quits.

I liked it. I did.

The IDEA behind this book is so interesting but the execution was just so…not.

The characters were interesting, their stories were interesting, and the setting was interesting.  The problem?  Somehow all of these interesting pieces came together and I’m not sure how but…the finished product was actually pretty boring.

The author also kept alluding to situations where things happened in the past but didn’t describe them.  Obviously this is a tactic used to keep the reader interested in learning more as the story goes on but instead it just made me frustrated.

The main reason I stopped reading?  I found myself never wanting to pick this book up. I was doing everything else during those times when I usually love to read.

When catching up on my dvr suddenly appeals more to me than picking up a book, something isn’t right (although I do love me some Sister Wives and I Am Jazz)…

There are too many books out there to keep reading one that I’m not loving…so…I’m done.  Time to move on.

Bottom Line:

I DO think this book has serious potential to turn itself around…I’m just not willing to stick around to find out.

Which book should I read next to get me out of this book rut???  Comment below!!!  I need to read something awesome…thanks in advance 🙂  

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  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*

I obviously don’t recommend this book…but if you want to see for yourself, I would appreciate you doing it through my link, lol 🙂

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

I Hate This Book.

Hate is a strong word.  It’s more like…I just don’t care about this book.  The characters, the mystery, the back stories.  Sometimes in life you just need to take your own advice and close the cover.  Put the book down.  Move on.

I tried. I did. I made it to page 69…and then officially called it quits.

I just couldn’t get into it. It was dark, it was weird, it was boring…it was just not for me.

People on Bookstagram (Instagram for book lovers) have been RAVING about this book.  Maybe if I had stuck with it a bit longer?  However, my theory remains that there are too many good books out there for me to have to “stick” with any of them.  I usually try to at least read 100 pages but this time?  Eh.

Perhaps if the library due date wasn’t here (without an option to renew) I may have a different opinion.  But knowing that I would have to PAY to keep reading???  Nope.

My son and I have lots of errands to run this afternoon and a quick stop by the library return drop box will most definitely be included in them.

I was SO excited to read this!  I’ve been waiting for months and I’m super disappointed!  I absolutely hate when this happens.

Peace out, The Silent Patient

Ugh.

Xo,

Jenny

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

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

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

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

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

Obviously I don’t recommend this book…but if you do buy it, I would love if you would do it through my Amazon link, lol!

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

What Are YOU Currently Reading?

Hi Friends!

Over the past 9 months I have shared alllllll of my feelings on books.  I have updated you on what I’ve been currently reading, books I have read in the past, and books that I can’t wait to read in the future.

Today it’s your turn 🙂

I want to hear from YOU!  In the comments below, tell me what YOU are currently reading!  I love posts like these because people feed off each other and learn about some great books.  I will often host discussions like this on my Facebook page but I’ve never done one on my blog…today is the day!

Please comment down below with the book title that you are currently reading.  Feel free to share your thoughts on it but absolutely NO SPOILERS!  Don’t be that person who ruins books for other people (aka my enemies)…

Have fun with this!  The more people who comment the more book ideas we can all get.  Absolutely feel free to reply to other comments as well!

I’ll leave the first comment…although the jury is still out on whether or not I will end up recommending this book once I finish.  IF I finish…Ugh.

Xo,

Jenny

***INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY*** Hidden Treasure {Margaret Rodeheaver} AND My Own Personal Flea Market/Antique Store Finds!

As soon as Margaret Rodeheaver emailed me asking if I would like a copy of her book to review, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.  I LOVE thrift stores, flea markets, antique stores, garage sales, etc. and reading a book in this setting was exactly that type of book I knew I would love!

Over the years I have found some absolute treasures in stores such as the fictitious one in this book.

This gorgeous piece:

Such an exquisite piece of art that someone sat and patiently, lovingly glued together.  It’s created entirely of antique jewelry!  I think about each individual piece and wonder about the stories behind them.  Who did they belong to?  Where were they worn?  I love this piece of art so, so much not only for it’s beauty but for the deep history that each facet of it contains.

I saw it on a table at a flea market and instantly fell in love.  For some unexplainable reason, I left the booth without buying it…and then couldn’t get it out of my mind after I walked away.  Hours later (in POURING rain), I made my poor mom walk alllllll the way back through that massive flea market with me until we found it once again and I could buy it.  I’m so glad that I did (even if we got completely soaked.  Love you, Mom).

And being that we’re Jewish, it wasn’t until we got home that my mom and I even noticed the non Jewish religious figure at the very center of my new piece of art 🙂  Makes me love it even more!

And then there’s this…

Years ago and merely a few weeks after I became pregnant with my son, I saw this $2.00 lampshade in a gorgeous antique store in Wisconsin and instantly KNEW I had to have it.

At the time, I didn’t even officially know that he was a boy…but in my heart I just KNEW that he was…and I couldn’t leave without this gorgeous vintage lampshade!

As it turned out, the lampshade’s shade of blue didn’t end up matching his nursery but to this day it remains high up on his closet shelf as a reminder of the very first thing he ever owned 🙂

Have you ever discovered a treasure in a thrift shop, antique store, garage sale, flea market, etc?  The BEST!

Book Giveaway:

Hidden Treasure By Margaret Rodeheaver

Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to read and review for my blog.  All opinions are my own.

Giveaway details will be given at the bottom of this post!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Welcome to the small town of Chinkapin, Georgia, where recently-divorced Laurie Lanton is starting her new life in a warmer climate. To keep her mind off her ex, Laurie joins Mary and the other volunteers at the Treasure Chest, a charity thrift shop run by ‘St. Mark’s Across from the Tasty Chick.’ Anything can happen at the Treasure Chest – and does. Two robberies, a leaky roof, and an invasion of mice give Laurie plenty to think about. But a couple of new men have also caught her attention.

Will she pick Chase, the interesting and talented musician from St. Mark’s choir? He sure is easy to be with, but there’s something in his past no one wants to talk about.

And what about Jeff, the new painting instructor at the local arts center? He seems to have a few secrets of his own, including something he’s discovered about an old painting at the thrift shop.

Laurie soon learns just how important the Treasure Chest is to her new hometown. When disaster threatens to close the shop, will her ‘his super power’ be enough to save it?

My Thoughts:

I want to visit The Treasure Chest!  Reading about the store was definitely my favorite part of the book.  I found the “behind the scenes” of running a thrift store so interesting!  I just so happen to be reading this book at the same time as I was running my annual garage sale and it made me view my “products” in a whole new way 🙂

This was a light, easy to enjoy novel set in what sounds to be a delightful small town.

I appreciated the church references throughout the book.  This Jewish girl learned a great deal 🙂  St. Marks sounds just lovely!

I enjoyed this book and appreciated how my perception of certain characters changed throughout the story as I was granted more insight into their personalities.  Characters who I initially liked I ended up hating and characters who I initially wasn’t a fan of morphed into lovely people.  Love when that happens!

A cute, easy read!

A Discussion With Margaret Rodeheaver, In Her Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?
I volunteer in a thrift shop similar to the Treasure Chest where, as it says on the back of the book,“anything can happen!” We have some interesting customers, and receive some surprising donations, including the emerald necklace I mention. A large, beautiful painting was donated to us, and one of our volunteers with connections in the art world was able to have it auctioned, which of course brought in more money than we ever could have sold it for. Meanwhile, I had vacationed with my husband in Homosassa, Florida (near the Gulf of Mexico, about 300 miles from my middle-Georgia home) and learned that Winslow Homer had fished and painted there in the early 1900’s. So it seemed plausible that someone from my fictional town of Chinkapin might have encountered Homer on a fishing trip to Florida and received a painting, which was
passed down through the family and ultimately ended up at the Treasure Chest.
As far as some of the characters in “Hidden Treasure,” I’ve known lots of musicians and several guitar players, so Chase was easy. And an artist in my family has led a lot of paint-along classes like Jeff does in the book. The scenes in St. Mark’s church were also easy, because faith plays an important part in my life, as it does for Laurie.
I’ll leave it to readers to figure out what small Georgia town Chinkapin is based on. Sadly, the original for the Coffee Pot café is closed!

What audience would be most interested in your book?
Fans of Debbie Macomber, Kristy Woodson Harvey, or Jan Karon would love “Hidden
Treasure” and the rest of the Chinkapin series (Book 2, “Finders Keepers,” has just been
published!) It would appeal to adult women who enjoy a feel-good story of friendship, faith, love, and second chances, who enjoy art and music, and like a little romantic sizzle to spice things up.

Where can your book be purchased?
Paperback and Kindle versions of “Hidden Treasure” can be purchased from Amazon. The eBook is also available from many online retailers, including Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo. https://books2read.com/b/4EMpMY

Use three adjectives to describe your book.

Engaging. Entertaining. Uplifting.

Any additional information that you would like to provide about you and your book.
“Finders Keepers,” book 2 of the Chinkapin series, has just been published, and book three is coming in November, so stay tuned for more. And remember, writers love readers! You can help your favorite writers by sharing your thoughts with friends, via social media, or anywhere books are discussed or purchased.

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

Would you like to win a copy of Hidden Treasure?
I have 3 signed copies to give away! 
If you are located in the US, a hard copy will be mailed to you and if you are located internationally an e-copy will be emailed 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. Leave a comment below telling me about a treasure you have found at a flea market, thrift shop, antique shop, garage sale, etc.!

**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 (Thursday) at 4:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday’s blog post (8/2/19).

Make sure you check the blog on Friday to see if you’ve won (you will have 48 hours from the time I post the winner 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!

***INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK GIVEAWAY*** Being Small (Isn’t So Bad After All) {Lori Orlinsky}

Oh do I have an adorable book to give away today!

As I said on Instagram, Lori Orlinsky’s book was delivered to our house at the PERFECT time.  It was like a gift from the heavens above on that dreadful day, lol.  I’m so excited to be hosting an international giveaway for it today!

Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to read and review for my blog.  All opinions are my own.

Giveaway details will be given at the bottom of this post!

I absolutely love this book and so do my kids.  It’s adorable!  The pictures are so cute.  One thing that I am very particular about is how the rhyming and the flow of a children’s book is.  As a former teacher (and now as a mother) reading books aloud is part of my everyday life.  It is so much more enjoyable for both my kids and myself if the rhyming and overall flow of the words is smooth…and this book is a joy to read.

The message of this book is beautiful.  Acceptance of things that cannot be changed is one of the most challenging things for a child to understand.  This book is a beautiful way to help a child understand that acceptance.

I also appreciate that this book finds the “silver lining” in the situation by highlighting all of the positive aspects of being on shorter side.  This is a tactic that I often try to teach my own kids when faced with any problem.  Always looking for the positive aspects of the situation and learning to “turn the situation around” are always such hard concepts to teach.  This book does such a lovely job and sets such a perfect example of how to do this!

I would have loved a copy of this in my classroom when I was a teacher and it would have been one of my favorite read alouds.  Teaching tolerance and social awareness of accepting the differences in others is something that every teacher pursues and this book would have led to such wonderful classroom discussions.  Teachers, your classrooms need a copy of this book!

Fun Height Fact:  I’m 5’1…and my husband is 6’3!

A Conversation with Lori Orlinsky, In Her Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?

When my daughter Hayley was 3, she told me she didn’t want to go to school anymore because she was the shortest kid in her preschool class. It turns out, the teachers hung a growth chart on the wall, and while all of Hayley’s friends were at the top and middle of the chart, Hayley’s name was at the bottom, with no other names in sight.  For the first time in her 3 years of life, I saw my outgoing, confident girl feel a sense of shame about the way she looked. I tried to find a book with a short heroine in which she could relate to, but no book on the topic existed, until I wrote “Being Small (Isn’t So Bad After All).”

What audience would be most interested in your book?

The book is geared towards babies through elementary school aged children. Despite the title, “Being Small” it isn’t just for short kids – there are wonderful messages in the book about self-confidence, which every child needs to hear in a world filled with bullying. Additionally, the book is also designed to give all children perspective on the power of their words. Told in rhyme, the topics in the book are more approachable, often leading to post-book discussions about self-acceptance and how to recognize and prevent bullying behavior.

Where can your book be purchased?
Online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million. It is also available in select Barnes & Noble locations.

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

Empowering, inspiring, sweet

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

Hayley is now 6 years-old and just graduated from Kindergarten. I truly believe the book has helped her embrace being short. Just last week, we went to the playground, and she was excited to show me the monkey bar flips that only she could do because of her height. I hope this book will make a difference in the lives of other children, too. It is a perfect read for anyone who has ever felt different.

“Being Small (Isn’t So Bad After All)” was recently named a Gold Award Recipient of the 2019 Mom’s Choice Awards in the children’s book category. Additionally, the book is a Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Recipient

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

Do you have a special child in your life who would benefit from learning the beautiful messages taught in this book?
I have 1 autographed and dedicated copy of Being Small (Isn’t So Bad After All) to give away! 
If you are located in the US, the hard copy will be mailed to you and if you are located internationally an e-copy will be emailed 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. Leave a comment below telling me how tall you are!

**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 (Thursday) at 4:00 pm CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday’s blog post (6/28/19).

Make sure you check the blog on Friday to see if you’ve won (you will have 48 hours from the time I post the winner 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!

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

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

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

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

Book Review: The Mother-In-Law {Sally Hepworth}

Before I review Sally Hepworth’s AMAZING new book, The Mother-In-Law, I want to thank all of the bloggers and vloggers who left their links to their websites in the comments on my last post!  I’m still in the process of checking them all out and I’ve already discovered some great new ones 🙂  If you haven’t added your information on that post yet, please do so!

A special welcome to all of my new readers!  I’m so glad you’re here 🙂

*This post contains affiliate links*

The Mother-in-Law was my 3rd Sally Hepworth book that I’ve read. I read The Secrets of Midwives years ago (I thought it was just eh) and last year I read The Family Next Door (you can read my review of that one HERE).  I had been waiting for months to read her newest book, The Mother-in-Law, and it was so worth the wait!

I devoured this book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A twisty, compelling novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder…

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana was exquisitely polite, and properly friendly, but Lucy knew that she was not what Diana envisioned. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice who helped female refugees assimilate to their new country. Diana was happily married to Tom, and lived in wedded bliss for decades. Lucy wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana has been found dead, a suicide note near her body. Diana claims that she no longer wanted to live because of a battle with cancer.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.
The autopsy does find traces of poison and suffocation.
Who could possibly want Diana dead?
Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her adult children and their spouses?

With Lucy’s secrets getting deeper and her relationship with her mother-in-law growing more complex as the pages turn, this new novel from Sally Hepworth is sure to add to her growing legion of fans.

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 Stars

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

This review will be a bit difficult to write without giving anything away but I will say that this book was absolutely nothing like I was thinking it would be. Maybe it was because of the title that I just assumed it was going to be a similar read to this book? It was NOTHING like that one although I did enjoy that book as well (for completely different reasons).

I absolutely love when books contain the magic to make you think about your own experiences and relationships with others in different ways and this book absolutely did that for me. I’ve been quite reflective thinking about various relationships in my own life after finishing this book.

The Mother-In-Law had short (some just a handful of pages) chapters which is always my favorite way for books to be written.  I find it’s so much easier to read books this way as I read them at a quicker pace and they hold my attention for longer period of time!

The Mother-In-Law is a beautifully written, thought provoking, fantastic read that will make you look at all of your personal relationships in a different light. Highly recommend.  I haven’t stopped thinking about these characters and their situations since I finished reading 3 days ago.

The reason for my 4 star review was that some of the time frames were a bit confusing, a few character relationships weren’t as developed as they could have been, and the second half of the book was overall so much more captivating than the first.

Another flaw I did notice about this book is the ridiculous amount of screen time the children have! I’m most definitely NOT one of those moms who never allow TV or the iPad but truly it felt like every time a child was in a scene in this book they were attached to some device.  Play!  Talk!  Create!  There are so many things for children to do to entertain themselves…devices shouldn’t be the only answer.

(And on a side note which has nothing to do with this book…don’t even get me started on seeing children on devices while sitting at tables in restaurants and completely tuning out all of the social situations surrounding them.  MY. BIGGEST. PET. PEEVE).

I digress…

Even with the few flaws that I did find with this book, it’s overall so wonderfully written and fantastic!

A beautiful book.

Did you catch Sally Hepworth on the Today Show last week?  She’s adorable!

Bottom Line:

Read this.  Today.  And then take a step back and look carefully at how you perceive the others around you.

Be sure to check the blog on Wednesday for a GIVEAWAY of an ADORABLE book! 🙂

Xo,

Jenny

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

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

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

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

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

Book Review: How To Find Love In A Bookshop {Veronica Henry}

This book was sitting on a shelf at the library with the front cover facing outward. I walked past, saw the title, and that alone was enough to make me want to read more! A title which contains both the words love AND bookshop?!  Sign me up!  I’d never heard of this book or of this author…but I was intrigued enough to take it home with me and I’m so glad that I did.  I read it and now I have so many thoughts.  There were definitely parts of it that I LOVED…aaaaaaaand then there were parts of it that I didn’t.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The enchanting story of a bookshop, its grieving owner, a supportive literary community, and the extraordinary power of books to heal the heart

Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers–a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father’s death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia’s loyal customers have become like family, and she can’t imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive.

There’s Sarah, owner of the stately Peasebrook Manor, who has used the bookshop as an escape in the past few years, but it now seems there’s a very specific reason for all those frequent visits. Next is roguish Jackson, who, after making a complete mess of his marriage, now looks to Emilia for advice on books for the son he misses so much. And the forever shy Thomasina, who runs a pop-up restaurant for two in her tiny cottage–she has a crush on a man she met in the cookbook section, but can hardly dream of working up the courage to admit her true feelings.

Enter the world of Nightingale Books for a serving of romance, long-held secrets, and unexpected hopes for the future–and not just within the pages on the shelves. How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia, the unforgettable cast of customers whose lives she has touched, and the books they all cherish.

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)

3.5 Stars

I’m conflicted with my review of this book.  I loved it…truly!  I thought it was sweet, charming, heartwarming, and lovely.

But I just never felt like picking it up to read it.  Ever.

In all fairness, I started reading this book as soon as I finished this one.  Now THAT book was one that I couldn’t put down and I read it over the course of a few days.  The genres of these 2 books are so completely different but it’s hard to dive right into a book like this one after just finishing a book like that one.  I usually love switching genres before starting a new read but I think this might have just been too great of a switch.  Does that make sense?  Has this ever happened to you?

Of course this lovely book wasn’t suspenseful…it wasn’t supposed to be!  But after just finishing one which quite literally had me on the edge of my seat, this one just felt…a bit…too calm.

The sheer amount of characters in this book were insane.  There were WAY too many characters, WAY too many story lines, and WAY too much jumping around from one to the other!  Just as I was really starting to fall into a story line, the story lines would change and honestly many of them were predictable and unrealistic.  I also didn’t love the endings of more than 1 story line.

HOWEVER…

Despite my issues with this book, it truly is a gem. It’s sweet, touching, and overall just lovely. I teared up quite a few times while reading!

Nightingale Books sounds so charming! If that store were in my neighborhood I would be in there everyday. If you are a book lover like I am, hearing all about Nightingale Books will be your favorite part of this book.  In fact, the entire town of Peasebrook sounds just lovely!  I Googled it and learned that it’s not a real town.  I wish it were, I would so love to visit such a cute and special little corner of the world. 🙂

If you are looking for an easy, lighthearted book…this is a good one!

I truly wonder if my review would have been different had I not just finished such an intense psychological thriller right before I picked this one up?

Bottom Line:

It’s got some issues…but overall I truly did enjoy it!  Also, any book which focuses on an charming independent bookstore is absolutely a book worth reading.

Xo,

Jenny

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

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

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

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

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

Book Review (Unpopular Opinion): Then She Was Gone {Lisa Jewell}

When I mentioned on Facebook and Instagram that I was going to read this book, I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who said that they LOVED it!  I was so excited to read and review it!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?

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)

3.5 Stars

My vacation is officially over and I officially hardly read ANYTHING while I was there.  SO WEIRD.  I have decided that Disney World is truly the only vacation spot in the history of the world where it is physically impossible to sit down and relax with a book.

The plus side?  I am now having a glorious time back at home working my way through this stack of books, lol!

Two of them have already been returned to the library.  I’m currently reading this one. I’m not quite sure when I will read this one???

I recently started AND finished Then She Was Gone! I read the whole book over a handful of days.  If you follow me on Instagram you know that I’ve been home with 2 sick kids.  Thank you for these extra germy souvenirs, Disney World!  My poor little babies have been sleeping so much so I’ve had extra reading time.  Thankfully everyone is feeling better and today is the first day where they are BOTH back at school!

As for my review, my feelings about this book are so incredibly mixed.

Overall, it was GREAT, I couldn’t put it down! I loved the short chapters, the different points of view, and the highly complicated plot. It held my interest from page 1. Such a quick, fantastic read and so well written!  I can’t wait to read more titles by this author and already have 2 of them on my library waiting list.  She’s clearly talented.

However…

This is one of the most predictable books I’ve ever read. I figured out every major (and more than one minor) twist almost immediately. That NEVER happens! I hate spoilers so much that I don’t even TRY to figure out twists but this book basically begs you to spoil it for yourself.

I kept waiting to be wrong, I kept waiting to be shocked, I kept waiting to be surprised. And yet…I felt none of that. At all.

There were a few minor occurrences I didn’t see coming, but none of them were important enough to the story that they made any kind of difference.

This book reminded me SO much of this one! So well written, so great….but yet so incredibly predictable.

There is absolutely nothing better than a blindsighted twist in a psychological thriller and unfortunately there wasn’t a single one in this book. No big defining moment. No big shocking ending. Unfortunately this will be one of those books months down the road where I won’t be able to recall details.

I wasn’t satisfied with the ending as there were still storylines that weren’t completely tied up and explained.  Plus, the entire ending was just so weird.

Also, this book is DARK.  And disturbing.  So disturbing. All psychological thrillers are dark and a bit disturbing but the subjects in this one took that to a whole different level.  I actually found parts hard to read because of the dark subjects being discussed.

Clearly not my favorite psychological thriller.  If you are looking for a good one in this genre, I HIGHLY suggest reading this one! I loved that book.  Much more than I loved this one.

Bottom Line:

I think I figured out this entire story before all of the characters were even introduced, lol.

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  What did you think?  So many people love this book…are you one of them?

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

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

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

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

Book Review: Dumplin’ {Julie Murphy}

This book had been on my radar for months…I couldn’t wait to read and review it!

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

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)

3 Stars

I’m so torn with my review of this book. I REALLY wanted to love it. It has everything in terms of story line that a great book should have. Interesting characters? Check. Interesting story line? Check.

And yet…eh. I found this whole book just fell flat.

If the story had really focused on the pageant and everything leading up to it as the synopsis promises, it would have been so much better. However, the majority of this book focused on a teenager’s day-to-day life which I found boring.

Also, this book has WAY too many characters and WAY too many story lines. None of the characters even had a chance to become fully developed and therefore became unforgettable and interchangeable as the story went on. I also found the majority of these characters to be very unlikable! The only characters I truly liked in the entire book were Mitch (and Lucy).

The main character (Willowdean) was extraordinarily judgmental of other people (and obviously of herself) which is ironic since the entire premise of this book is about breaking through stereotypes.

I found her relationship with her best friend to be obsessive and unhealthy.  I get that we are viewing this relationship through the eyes of a (dramatic) teenager but still…it bothered me that she felt she NEEDED this relationship to feel whole.  In fact, I believe she even made this exact comment in this story!

I had one MAJOR issue with this story which I will say in the comments because it’s also a major spoiler 🙂

However, in between the parts of the book where I found fault, I also found beauty.  There ARE beautiful and important messages, lessons, and moments delivered throughout this story.  Unfortunately, combined with all of the reasons stated above, this book just wasn’t nearly as great as I was expecting it to be.

There is a sequel to this book which unfortunately I have zero desire to read. Ugh! I really thought I was going to love both of these books!  I have already returned both to the library.  Sad.

But here’s the weird thing…The trailer for the movie looks AMAZING. Could this possibly be one of those rare occurrences where the movie is better than the book??? Check out the movie trailer starring Jennifer Aniston:

Looks so amazing, right?!?  Have any of you seen it?  I would love to hear your thoughts.  If any of you have read the book AND have seen the movie, I’m really wondering how they compare?

Bottom Line:

If the movie is truly as wonderful as the trailer makes it out to be, I say skip the book and just watch the movie.  And I NEVER say that.

Foam on the Crest of Waves Giveaway Winners:

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the Foam on the Crest of Waves Giveaway!

Hard Copy Winner:

Melissa A (I am subscribed via my blog account (chicklitcentral). I just went to Miami a few weeks ago and loved the beach there! I used to go to Pompano Beach (also in FL) every year as a kid and that also brings back great memories. I live in the US. Hard copy preferred. Thanks for the chance!)

E-Book Winners (There were so many entries for the hard copy but only 3 for the e-books! So…congratulations to all 3 of you!):

Kelley Blair (My favorite beach is Ocean Isle in North Carolina. I am USA and either hard copy or e-book works for me. Thank you kindly.)

Melissa Strader  (This sounds like a great book! I already follow your blog and love reading it! My favorites beaches are located along the coast of La Jolla, CA – so much to see and do there, not just water activities, but also restaurants and shopping and biking. Kayaking the Sea Caves is the best! I’m ok with a real book or electronic copy. I live in the USA!)

Mistysbookspace (Thank you so much for the chance. I am already a follower. I have only ever been to two beaches and those are New Smyrna beach and Myrtle Beach. I don’t really remember much about my visit to New Smyrna beach because I went when I was younger so I’m going to say Myrtle beach is my favorite. It’s a little crowded at least when I’ve gone but it’s gorgeous and there are so many other activities to do there as well. I live in the US. I would prefer a hard copy but I’m ok with ebooks too. Thank you again for the chance.)

Ladies, please email me (bookcoffeehappy@gmail.com) with your mailing address (hard copy winner) or your email address (e-book winners) of where you would like your book sent!  Congratulations and enjoy!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  I hope you fill it doing things with those you love!

Xo,

Jenny

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

1. 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)

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

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

4. Follow me on Instagram

5. Follow me on Twitter

6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (search Book Coffee Happy)

7. 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.

8. Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page

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

**DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK** Book Review: Tampa {Alissa Nutting}

This book has been on my radar to read for years due to how highly controversial it is.  Admittingly I have put it off for so long because the subject just made me so uncomfortable.  My fears were warranted.  This entire book was HIGHLY uncomfortable to read. And yet…I couldn’t put it down.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Celeste Price is an eighth-grade English teacher in suburban Tampa. She’s undeniably attractive. She drives a red Corvette with tinted windows. Her husband, Ford, is rich, square-jawed, and devoted to her.

But Celeste’s devotion lies elsewhere. She has a singular sexual obsession—fourteen-year-old boys. Celeste pursues her craving with sociopathic meticulousness and forethought; her sole purpose in becoming a teacher is to fulfill her passion and provide her access to her compulsion. As the novel opens, fall semester at Jefferson Jr. High is beginning.

In mere weeks, Celeste has chosen and lured the lusciously naive Jack Patrick into her web. Jack is enthralled and in awe of his teacher, and, most important, willing to accept Celeste’s terms for a secret relationship—car rides after school; rendezvous at Jack’s house while his single father works late; body-slamming encounters in Celeste’s empty classroom between periods.

Ever mindful of the danger—the perpetual risk of exposure, Jack’s father’s own attraction to her, and the ticking clock as Jack leaves innocent boyhood behind—the hyperbolically insatiable Celeste bypasses each hurdle with swift thinking and shameless determination, even when the solutions involve greater misdeeds than the affair itself. In slaking her sexual thirst, Celeste Price is remorseless and deviously free of hesitation, a monstress driven by pure motivation. She deceives everyone, and cares nothing for anyone or anything but her own pleasure.

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)

The above black and white picture that I took is of the cover of the book that I read.  Note the boring cover.  Apparently THIS is the other cover version which my library did NOT have…

tampa

So there’s that.

This book has been banned at many bookstores across the globe. Others have agreed to stock it but only with a warning sticker affixed to the cover warning patrons that this book is only appropriate if you are over the age of 18.

I’m over 18 (way over). I read it. And while I was reading, the same questions kept repeating themselves in my head:

What the HELL am I reading???

HOW do books like this even get written in the first place?

How do authors even come UP with ideas like this?

How do publishers agree to publish books like this?

If you have a preteen or a teenage son, I would highly recommend skipping this book.  Someone on my Facebook page mentioned that she has a 14 year old son and wanted to know my opinion on if she should read this or not.  I told her NO!  I have a 3 year old son and this book was tough for me to read.  There is no way I could have read this if my son were older.

Also, if extremely graphic and detailed sex scenes aren’t your thing, this is NOT a book you will want to read. There are MANY of these scenes.  Graphic isn’t even an adequate word for how descriptive and detailed these scenes are. Now I love to read a good sex scene and the more detailed the better…when it’s consensual sex between 2 adults.  Reading detailed sex scenes of adults with minors?  Absolutely horrific.

The publisher should be ashamed in publishing what is essentially a step by step guide in how to lure and groom underage children into sexual relationships with adults.  Disgusting.

At the bottom of each of my book reviews, I link an affiliate link to buy the book and I make a small commission from your purchase.  I’m not linking this book because honestly, I can’t in good conscience promote anyone to purchase this book.

If you do feel compelled to read this to see what the hype is about (as I did) I would encourage you to check it out of your local library (as I did) and not give the publisher or the author any reason to believe that creating this type of book and making it available to the public is ok.

If you do choose to buy it…that’s your choice but I truly don’t want any type of commission from such a disgusting and dangerous piece of literature.

I cringe to think what could happen to an innocent child if the wrong person got their hands on this book.

In terms of a literary review, the beginning of the book was so disgusting that it was nearly impossible to read. I absolutely hated every second of reading about how to lure a child (14 year old) into a sexual relationship with an adult. From the reviews I’ve read online, many people never make it past the first few chapters. The middle of the book was a bit easier (not much) to read as it focused more on the story and not on the intentional grooming of a child into a sexual relationship with an adult. The end of the book just seemed rushed.

HOWEVER…

Aside from the rushed ending, the actual writing in this book is fantastic although the subject is so, so awful. I literally couldn’t put it down and read the entire book in 2 days. I HAD to know what was going to happen next! I hate to give this book any kind of positive review but I have to say…I couldn’t stop reading. This author is definitely talented.  I would be interested in reading more of her work if the subject was pretty much anything but this.

Also, I can appreciate any book which brings awareness and promotes discussions on otherwise taboo topics such as this. I absolutely hated the way in which this book was written to allow us into the mind of an adult who’s sole purpose was to meticulously create a plan on how she was going to molest children. However, the author clearly has enough literary talent to keep the reader interested enough to continue reading until the end.  At least this reader.  I truly couldn’t stop reading!

I’m so incredibly conflicted on how I would even rate this book and therefore…I’m just not.  No affiliate link, no rating.

The only reason that I’m even writing this blog post is because I mentioned on Facebook and Instagram that I was about to start this book and I know that people are waiting to hear my reaction.  I honestly wish I never would have mentioned this book to begin with…I hate that I’m even putting it out there for people to learn about.  The very last thing that I would ever want to do with a book such as this is to help promote it in any way (even negatively).

Bottom Line:

The mother in me was furious reading this book.  The former teacher in me was appalled reading this book.  The woman in me was disgusted reading this book. The reader in me couldn’t put it down.

I would be so curious to hear other opinions on this controversial book.  Did you read this one?  What did you think?  If not…would you want to?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

It would really help me if you could follow/subscribe to my blog.  Also, please “like” my Facebook page ,  follow me on Twitter, and follow me on Instagram!

Local friends, I run a storytime every Tuesday and Friday at Whimsy Cafe in Buffalo Grove, Illinois from 10:00-10:30! Bring your kids (6 months-5 years) for stories, songs, and lots of fun. Price is included in your child’s admission, no need to sign up. If you are a blog reader, please be sure to introduce yourself!  I can’t wait to meet you and your little ones. 🙂