Tag: #bookreviewblogger

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

The Secret Life of a Book Blogger Tag

I saw The Secret Life of a Book Blogger tag on Adventures of a Bibliophile and knew I wanted to participate!  I love participating in tags and this was a fun one to fill out 🙂

How long have you been blogging?

10 Months

At what point do you think you’ll stop blogging?

I don’t ever want to stop!  It’s one of my most favorite hobbies I’ve ever had!  This is such a fun and creative outlet for me, I love it so much.  I’ve been reading other people’s blogs every single day since 2007 and I’ve always wanted to have one of my own.  Now is the time. 🙂

What is the best thing about blogging?

I’ve made some lovely new friends.  Blog readers, other bloggers, and authors!

What is the worst thing? What do you do to make it okay?

Absolutely nothing 🙂  This is my hobby….so absolutely zero pressure on me. I work on it when I want and create my content exactly how I want!

How long does it take you to make/find pictures to use?

It takes me a LONG time to do EVERYTHING for this blog, lol.  All of this is still so new to me therefore creating any type of content takes me quite a large amount of time.  I’m definitely getting better the more practice I get but I would NOT say that any of this has been (or currently is) easy for me, lol.  However, I’ve learned SO much along the way and am learning more each day which is definitely a bonus.  There is so much to learn when you create/maintain a blog!  I love learning new things and having this blog is such a great fit for me.

Who is your book crush?

Nobody!  My real life marriage is my own personal fairy tale…#cheesyandproud

What author would you like to have on your blog?

Liane Moriarty! I would ask her how she has the unique ability to write such amazing books and then be able to turn around and write such mediocre books, lol. (read more about my complicated thoughts on her HERE)

What do you wear when you write your blog posts?

I’m a stay at home mom…so 99% of the time I’m wearing the official stay at home mom uniform: black yoga pants. The best.

How long does it take you to prepare?

Oh jeez….see above.

How do you feel about the blogging community?

This was one of the unexpected surprises that I received when I started writing this blog.  I was (and continue to be) blown away by the kindness and generosity of the blogging community!  People have been so accepting, kind, and helpful to me.  I’m extraordinarily thankful!

What do you think one should do to create a successful blog?

Be willing to take risks, put yourself out there, and always be open to learning new things!

I nominate these wonderful bloggers to now participate in this tag:

Bookathon

Mrs. B’s Book Reviews

8 Ways You Can Help Support Book Coffee Happy:

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Book Review: A Simple Secret {Darcey Bell}

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I picked up 3 new (to me) books from a generous library donation?  Last week I decided to read one of them and it was AMAZING.  This book review was such an easy one to write because my feelings about this book were so clear cut.  I LOVED IT.  I was so impressed with this debut novel by Darcey Bell and I’m anxiously awaiting future works by this clearly gifted writer.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

It starts with a simple favor—an ordinary kindness mothers do for one another. When her best friend, Emily, asks Stephanie to pick up her son Nicky after school, she happily says yes. Nicky and her son, Miles, are classmates and best friends, and the five-year-olds love being together—just like she and Emily. A widow and stay-at-home mommy blogger living in woodsy suburban Connecticut, Stephanie was lonely until she met Emily, a sophisticated PR executive whose job in Manhattan demands so much of her time.

But Emily doesn’t come back. She doesn’t answer calls or return texts. Stephanie knows something is terribly wrong—Emily would never leave Nicky, no matter what the police say. Terrified, she reaches out to her blog readers for help. She also reaches out to Emily’s husband, the handsome, reticent Sean, offering emotional support. It’s the least she can do for her best friend. Then, she and Sean receive shocking news. Emily is dead. The nightmare of her disappearance is over.

Or is it? Because soon, Stephanie will begin to see that nothing—not friendship, love, or even an ordinary favor—is as simple as it seems.

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)

5 Stars

From page 1, I was hooked.  This book is AWESOME.  I read it in 3.5 days although if I had the time I could easily have knocked this one out all in one sitting.  There were twists and turns all throughout this story (some I saw coming, some I did not) that kept me interested until the very end.  I loved the writing style, I loved that there weren’t too many characters, I loved that the story wasn’t told from too many perspectives, I loved the twists,  I loved how utterly MESSED UP some of the parts were (I actually felt my eyes widen quite a few times while reading…the sign of an awesome book), I loved it all!

And obviously, I loved that Stephanie (one of the main characters) was a blogger 🙂

I posted about my love for this book on Instagram:

And in the true spirit of paying it forward, I held a giveaway on Facebook for my personal copy of this book to share with someone else in the community:

Congratulations Dianna!!!

As I was reading, I was told there was a movie version of this book starring Blake Lively (Love her, LOVED Gossip Girl) but I reused to watch the trailer as by now you know how I feel about spoilers 🙂  Within 5 minutes of finishing this book, I Googled the trailer…and was completely underwhelmed by what I saw.  Even from watching this 2 minute clip of the movie, I can already tell that there are WAY too many differences from the book!  I know people who loved the movie and people loved the book…but I’m curious as to how they compare.  Have any of you seen the movie AND read the book?  They look so completely different!  Based upon this trailer I have no desire to now watch the movie…

Here is the movie trailer:

Bottom Line:

LOVED.  THIS.  BOOK.  The movie looks to be waaaay too different (not in a good way) from the book!?!?  Why do movie studios do this?!?!  Don’t mess with a great thing!!!  Ugh.

Xo,

Jenny

Did you read this book?  Have you seen the movie?  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

4 Books I Started But Didn’t Care To finish {Part 2}

**You can read 4 Books I Started But Didn’t Care to Finish HERE  and my requirements for deciding when not to finish reading a book I’ve started HERE.**

**This post contains affiliate links (both through the words as well as through the book cover pictures). I receive a small commission if you purchase through any of these links. I obviously wouldn’t recommend buying ANY of these books but if you do…I would be thankful if you could do it through my links, lol 😉**

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

Oh man did I HATE this book.  So many people love it, I was excited to read it, and I absolutely hated it.  Dark, awful, depressing, etc.  I got about 200 pages in before I officially called it quits.  WHY do people love this one so much?!?

Class Mom

Being that I’m the PTO President of my daughter’s school, I thought I would find this book hilarious.  Instead I just found it annoying.

Nineteen Minutes

I honestly don’t even remember details of this book.  I just remember starting it and putting it back down after only a few pages.  This is probably one of those books I should give a second chance, I’ve heard it’s actually really well written???

Pretty Ugly

I randomly stumbled upon this book on a bookshelf at my library and was so excited to read it!  The synopsis sounded great!  I immediately went to the “Quiet Reading Room” (aka my heaven), pulled a chair close to the fireplace, and started reading.  An hour later and a few chapters in, it was time for me to leave the library.  I took this book with me as I exited the room but instead of heading for the check out desk…I headed straight back and placed it on the shelf exactly where I had found it an hour prior.  Hated it.

Have you read any of these books?  Were you able to finish them?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  What are other titles that you didn’t finish???

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

The Currently Reading Book Tag

I first saw the “Currently Reading Book Tag” on Perfectly Tolerable and thought it would be fun to participate!  I always love seeing glimpses into the reading habits of others…here are some of mine:

The Currently Reading Book Tag

How Many Books Do You Usually Read At Once?

ONE.  How in the world do people read more than 1 book at a time???

How Do You Decide When To Switch Between Multiple Reads?

See above.

Do You Ever Switch Bookmarks Partway Through A Book?

This is what I do.  Every single time.  Yikes.

Where Do You Keep the Book(s) You’re Currently Reading?

Wherever I am…the book is.  Usually in my purse, my car, or on my nightstand. A friend once laughed at me as she was watching me unload groceries from my car and noticed I also unloaded a book. “You brought a book with you to the GROCERY STORE?” she asked. My response was, “I bring a book with me everywhere!”

(#nerd)

What Time of Day Do You Read the Most?

My son’s afternoon nap time! 90 percent of my Instagram stories are shot while he’s sleeping, lol.

How Long Do You Typically Read in One Session?

Until a child wakes up, a child needs water, a child wants to cuddle, a child needs help….or….until I fall asleep.

Do You Read Hardbacks with the Dust Jacket Off?

Always!  Doesn’t everyone?

What Position Do You Mainly Use to Read?

Sitting behind the wheel of my (parked obvi) car while my son is napping in his car seat.

Do You Take Your Current Read with You Everywhere You Go?

Literally everywhere.  I RARELY leave the house without a book.  What if I suddenly find myself in a situation where I could enjoy a few chapters?  Always prepared. *See grocery store story above.*

What book(s) are you currently reading?

The Mother-In-Law By Sally Hepworth

I Tag:

YOU!

Confessions of a YA Reader

The Red Hatter Book Blog

A Book.  A Thought.

Xo,

Jenny

I would love to hear your answers to these questions in the comments below! Do you have the same habits as I do?

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

Cookbook Giveaway: I’m A Chef and my Kids Want Buttered Noodles {Heath Schecter}

I have such a fun book giveaway for you today…a cookbook!

This blog has awarded me with the unique opportunity to meet so many authors.  I’ve read such lovely books and have met such lovely people.  It has been an amazing experience, that’s for sure!

But today is a brand new experience for me.  Today, I get to review my FRIEND’S book!

I’ve known Heath for years.  His sister, Becca, has been a really close friend of mine since the day we met at overnight camp.  Her and I have been through it all…side ponytails, overalls, and our favorite show “My So-Called Life”…anyone else LOVE that show as much as her and I did?!?  Becca has the cutest family…check out and subscribe to their YouTube channel HERE!  Love you so much, Becca 🙂

Heath married Becca’s sister and we now live about 2 minutes from each other.  When he first wrote his cookbook back in 2017, my husband and I bought our copy immediately!  We love it!

Fun Fact: My husband is a HUGE fan of Heath’s cooking.  For Jon’s 40th birthday, I hired Heath to come to my house and cook a 5 course MEAT dinner for Jon and his best friend.  Both men declared that dinner that Heath cooked to be one of the best meals they have ever had.  A huge success!

You can see Heath in action in this link to an awesome news segment that he filmed a few months ago:

Midday Fix: Hangover Help Recipe from Chef Heath Schecter

I’m both honored and excited to share his awesome cookbook with all of you today!

The book itself is gorgeous.  It’s filled with beautiful, colorful pictures and has so many interesting and unique recipes.  It includes starters, soups & salads, main courses, sous vide cooking, desserts, sides, sauces, seasonings, and so much more!

This chef knows his stuff.  You should have smelled my kitchen when he came over to cook for Jon and his friend…DELICIOUS.

This book would make a perfect Father’s Day gift or any gift!  It’s a fantastic addition to any kitchen.  We love our copy and know that you will, too 🙂

A Conversation with Heath Schecter, in His Own Words:

How did you create the idea for your book?

When my photographer friend, Garry Rosenfeldt, asked to take chef pictures of me. When he did, one of the pictures looked like it would be a great photo for a book. Over the years, as a chef, I have created a lot of recipes. Over those years, my kids wouldn’t really eat most of the food I created. So, having this picture and all these recipes, I decided I’d write a cookbook. I needed a title and figured I’d create a title based off my experience of cooking all these dishes and my kids not wanting any of it, and just wanting buttered noodles, or chicken fingers, etc.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

I think the audience for my cookbook would be anyone that likes to cook. I tried to write the recipes so that anyone could reproduce them.

Where can your book be purchased?

You can find the book on Amazon

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

This isn’t a cookbook filled with recipes for kids. These are a collection of recipes I have created over the years. It is filled with a bunch of different dishes that should satisfy all palates.

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

I have 1 autographed copy of I’m a Chef and My Kids Want Buttered Noodles to give away (US only for this giveaway)!

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 describing your favorite meal!

**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 (6/7/19).

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

Let’s Chat: Unfamiliar Words

l

We’ve all been there.

You’re reading a book, totally sucked into the plot, and BAM…a word shows up and you have absolutely no clue what it means.  Completely unfamiliar in every single way.

In my previous life, I was as an elementary school teacher for 14 years.   I always taught my students to use context clues to “debug” those tricky words.  Look at the other words in the sentence.  What would make sense?  Look that the pictures.  What is the author trying to tell us here?  Can you continue reading without knowing that one word?  Will that one word make a difference in the author’s message?  These are the same strategies that I now teach my own daughter.

And yet as an adult…I do absolutely none of those things.  Zero.  I only have one thing I do when I come across an unfamiliar word while reading:

I Google it.

Every.  Single.  Time.

I truly cannot read a book without my phone next to me for this exact reason.  I simply can’t let it go…I MUST know the definition of every single word as I read! Even if I am able to figure it out by using context clues, I always look it up just to be sure.

I have this fear that I will miss an important piece of the story and/or character by not knowing every single word.

Am I alone?  Does anyone else do this? Is this just another trait of my type A personality?

What do you do when you come across an unfamiliar word while reading?  I’d love to hear your responses in the comments below!

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

 

The Reader Problems Tag

As soon as I saw this Reader Problems tag on www.roaringbookworm.wordpress.com, I knew I wanted to participate!  This was such a fun one to fill out!  Here are my answers:

You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How do you decide what to read next?

I basically choose my next book based upon the book which I’ve just finished.  If the book I just finished was heavy, I tend to choose a lighter read for my next one.  If I just finished a lighter romance novel, a deep psychological thriller would be a good choice for my next.  I rarely read 2 books in a row of the same genre (unless it’s a series).

You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you put it down or are you committed?

I wrote an entire post on this!  You can read it HERE!

The end of the year is coming and you’re behind on your reading challenge. Do you try to catch up? And if so, how?

I’m very proud to say that I’ve never encountered this problem. 🙂  I always surpass my reading challenges and create higher ones for myself for the coming year!

The covers of a series you love do not match, how do you cope?

I.  HATE.  THIS.  I don’t cope well when this happens.  I’m way too type A.

Everyone and their mother loves a book that you do not. Who do you bond with over your shared feelings?

My blog readers 🙂  See THIS POST for more on this!

You’re reading a book in public and you’re about to start crying. How do you deal?

I sob.  Like a child.  Mascara everywhere.

The sequel to a book you loved just came out but you’ve forgotten a lot of what happens. Are you going to reread it?

Absolutely.  I have been known to reread an entire series in anticipation for a new release!

You do not want anyone to borrow your books, how do you politely say no when someone asks?

I always love sharing my books as long as I get them back 🙂

You have picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over this reading slump?

#1 worst reading problem to have!  I. HATE. THIS.  The only thing that gets me out of a reading slump is eventually discovering a fantastic book.  After that, they all just seem to come back!  Until they don’t…and then it all starts again.  Ugh.

There are so many books coming out that you are dying to read. How many do you end up buying?

Zero…but I put them all on hold at the library asap.  I’m a proud minimalist!  You can read more about that amazing life changing decision HERE.

After you purchase all of these books that you’re dying to read, how long do they sit on your shelf before you read them?

A huge reason I love being a minimalist (see above question)!  No clutter 🙂

These questions were such fun to answer!  I would love to hear your answers to some or all of these questions in the comments below!

I now tag:

www.starringpamela.com

www.confessionsofayareader.com

www.booksandblends.com

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

100 Things I Love and 8 Ways You Can Support Book Coffee Happy

This is officially my 100th post! How have I written 100 posts on Book Coffee Happy?!?  This little blog has proven to be the most fun hobby I have ever had.  I have loved writing posts, reading amazing books, meeting lovely authors, and meeting/interacting with YOU!  In honor of my 100th post, I present you with 100 things (other than books) that I LOVE!

Coffee

Dunkin’ Hot Coffee (all time favorite), Starbucks Chai Tea Latte, Joffrey’s/Dunkin’ Vanilla Iced Latte, Kona Coffee

Movies

Fun Fact: I pretty much hate watching movies.  I ALWAYS choose to watch tv or read a book over watching a movie! Serendipity is one of the only movies I could truly watch over and over (I saw it 10 times in the theater)!

Fashion 

INFINITY SCARVES, fuzzy boots, humongous sunglasses, yoga pants, crossbody purses, ankle boots

TV Shows

Anything reality (Bachelor, Bachelorette, Big Brother, etc.), The Office, Beverly Hills 90210 (original), Parks and Recreation, Friends, Shameless, Orange is the New Black, Schitt’s Creek, Sex and the City

TV Shows I Watch With My Kids

Kid’s Baking Championship, Full House, Fuller House, Sophia the First, Doc McStuffins

Vacations

Mexico (over the past 2 years we have been to Cabo without our kids and Puerto Vallarta with our kids), Great Wolf Lodge (Wisconsin Dells is our favorite location), Jamaica (our honeymoon in 2010), Michigan (Saugatuck), San Diego (La Jolla), DISNEY WORLD!

Plays

HAMILTON, Evita, Aladdin, Bridges of Madison County, The Little Mermaid

Food

CHINESE FOOD (Chicken in a Nest, pot stickers), bananas, lobster, purple grapes, pizza, tofu, salmon, scallops, tacos, pasta, cupcakes, eggs, cheese, Thai food (tofu pad thai, crab rangoon)

Best Things About Being a Mom

Watching them experience joy, hearing them say I love you, holding their hands, laughing with them. BREASTFEEDING (I nursed my daughter until she was 2.5 and my son until he was 2), Co-sleeping, cuddling, being called “Mommy”…and SO much more!  *My favorite parenting books can be found here*

Color

PINK.  Obviously.  There are no other colors.

Posts I’ve written

Let’s Chat: When Did This Happen? More Importantly…WHY Did This Happen?

My Life: Our Perfect Getaway

4 Best Friends, 1 Alma Mater

SNOW, My Favorite Quote, and a Book Review: Little Fires Everywhere {Celeste Ng}

Birthday of a Book Blogger

Book Coffee Happy Now Has Over 300 Blog Followers/Subscribers!

My Favorite Books for Pregnancy/New Parents/Baby Shower GiftsGREETINGS FROM THE

POLAR VORTEX and a Book Review: The Light Between Oceans {M.L. Stedman}

My First VLOG! Book Review: Becoming {Michelle Obama}

Spring Break 2019 Book Recommendations {Book Coffee Happy}

A-Z Book Tag {AKA Random Facts About Myself as a Reader}

Walt Disney World Vacation Tips and Tricks VLOG!

Music

BRITNEY SPEARS, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli

Smells

Coffee, Clinique Happy , libraries, bookstores, Little Trees New Car Smell

Candles

Bath and Body Works Winter Candy Apple, Yankee Candle Brandy Pear Tart

To Cook

Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf, Vegetable Lasagna, Spinach Stuffed Shells, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

Stores

Target, Homegoods, independent bookstores, Hobby Lobby

Chicago Restaurants

I lived downtown for 8 years (LOVED IT SO MUCH) and some of my favorite places to eat included: Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders, Tiparos Thai, Pockets, Grand Lux Cafe, Lawrys, Pizanos Pizza, Tempo

And that makes 100!  Thank you for supporting my favorite hobby, Book Coffee Happy!

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

I would be so thankful if you could do these things for me.  So many of you already do these things and I’m very thankful for your love and support 🙂 I have truly loved writing these 100 posts for you!  Best hobby ever!  Happy 100th post to ME!

**Check back here on Wednesday…I will be reviewing and giving away 6 COPIES of a beautiful book (open to US and International readers)!  I can’t wait to share this one with you!**

Xo,

Jenny

***CHILDREN’S BOOK GIVEAWAY (2 Copies)*** Ben’s Adventures: A Day at the Beach {Elizabeth Gerlach}

Full disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to read and review for my blog.  All opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

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

As soon as I finished reading this book with my children, I sent Elizabeth Gerlach an email which contained only 1 sentence:

“This might just be one of the most beautiful books I have ever read.”

Description from Amazon:

Awarded 5-stars from both Reader’s Favorite and the award-winning “Read With Your Kids” podcast, as well as a Certified Great Read.

Meet young Benjamin who takes us on an inspiring & fun adventure to the beach in this first book in the Ben’s Adventures series. You’ll smile and be inspired as you follow Ben into his imagination and he shows us that all kids can play and dream.
 
In his first adventure, Ben imagines a perfect beach day where he builds sand castles, flies kites, plays with crabs and enjoys special moments with his family. Ben loves the sun on his face and the wind in his hair. He can dream, he can play, and he can interact and have meaningful experiences. Ben smiles, and you will too.

“Let’s build a sandcastle”, I say to my friend.
He says, “Sounds good.”
And we make our plan.
With one tower built,and two more to go.
I kick and laugh and then think “Oh No!”

A Great Book for Introducing Special Needs or Disability to Young Children Ben’s Adventures provides a simple and subtle way to introduce special needs and disability to your child. It can easily open the discussion for what disability means. Why does someone need a wheelchair? If someone’s in a wheelchair, can they still play with me? It will help young minds recognize and understand differences among us and ACCEPT those differences. And the main character Benjamin will reinforce the important take-away that just because someone might be different or need assistance, he/she is still a kid, can be a friend, and can enjoy kids’ play.

Teach Empathy, Inclusion and Acceptance from an Early Age Kids will have as many (if not more) similarities than they have noticeable differences.It’s our job as parents to talk about these issues with our kids. Understanding and accepting others throughout our lives is learned in childhood.

Ben is a young triplet brother that shows all kids can play & dream. Ben’s Adventures was inspired by the author’s son Benjamin who had cerebral palsy. Despite Ben’s challenges in life, he smiled everyday. It’s a wonderful message that is important for typical families AND those with special needs. And it provides a good introduction of disability for any family. In writing it, Gerlach wanted to show that all kids are capable and able to do great (or even simple) things.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely, positively love this book.  So much.

The story itself is beautiful, the pictures are adorable, and the discussion that it created between my 7 year old daughter and I after we finished reading was amazing.  We discussed differences in people and even though someone might not always be able to communicate in the same way that you do…they still have feelings, thoughts, and dreams.  It was an amazing and inspiring discussion and this book was a perfect catalyst to discuss such an important topic.

It would also be a wonderful book for a classroom!  The discussions and writing assignments that could follow would be endless.  If you have any teachers in your life, their classroom would greatly benefit from this book.

I love, love, love this special book.  In fact, it’s one of my favorite books that I’ve ever reviewed on my blog.

A Conversation with Elizabeth Gerlach, in Her Own Words:

Briefly give a description of your book:

Ben’s Adventures is about a young triplet brother who has cerebral palsy. He loves his family/friends, creating memories and taking adventures! He’s in a wheelchair but shows that ALL kids can play & dream and create meaningful connections and memories.

In this first book, Ben takes us to the beach where he plays with crabs, builds sandcastles and flies with kites.

How did you create the idea for your book?

It’s inspired by my triplet son Benjamin. Ben passed away from a serious illness in 2016 at almost 4 years old. Despite his/our challenges, he always had a smile on his face and laughed quite a bit. As a family, we loved to have different experiences and adventures and just spend time together. I wanted to show that even though a child might have additional needs, it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy ‘kid things’ and have fun. And I wanted to represent disability in a children’s book by creating a main character who uses a wheelchair.

What audience would be most interested in your book?

Ben’s Adventures is probably most suited for Preschool through second grade. It’s a good message for any child/family (not just one with additional needs). I’ve been told it helps to introduce the concept of disability with kids that aren’t yet familiar. Families have been able to have meaningful conversations around the book.

Where can your book be purchased?

Signed/Dedicated copies are available on my website here: www.Bens-Adventures.com

But it’s also available on Amazon in both Hard Cover and Kindle format.

https://www.amazon.com/Bens-Adventures-Day-at-Beach/dp/173270340X/

Use 3 adjectives to describe your book:

Inspirational

Sweet

Touching

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

Ben’s Adventures just received a 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite and has average 5 star review on Amazon.

As a family, to honor Benjamin, we established the Ben Smiles Memorial Foundation to purchase switch-adapted toys and other devices to kids with motor challenges. www.BenSmiles.org

***GIVEAWAY DETAILS***

I have 2 copies of Ben’s Adventures: A Day at the Beach to give away (US only for this giveaway)! 
Winners will receive an autographed and dedicated copy of Ben’s Adventures: A Day at the Beach

To be entered, please complete these 2 simple steps:

1. Follow and/or subscribe to my blog

2. Leave a comment below telling the first name of the person you would have the author write the dedication inside the cover to if you are chosen to win a copy

**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 end Friday morning at 6:00 CDT and the winner will be randomly chosen and announced in Friday morning’s blog post.

Make sure you check back 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!

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!

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