For the past 2 years on this post I have used a picture of the year’s number all lit up in beautiful lights from an annual drive thru light show. This year they had the lights set up in a weird place and I couldn’t get my annual blog picture! Soooo….random selfie it is, lol.
It’s heeeeeere….the post I wait all year to write! This post is always so much fun for me because it allows me the opportunity to think about and reflect on alllllll of the books I’ve read this year (and I’ve read A LOT of books this year). It’s also always one of my most visited posts due to the fact that I include it in my blog signature at the very bottom of each post that I write.
If you are a regular blog reader, you know that I always include my “bottom line” on the bottom of my reviews which is a quick way for me to recap my feelings. Just like I have done in past years, I thought it would be fun to list these books only by the bottom line that I gave to them in my reviews. Click these bottom lines to take you directly to my review of each book (which also includes the synopsis for each book).
Here are links to my favorite books from past years:
What are some of the best books that you have read this year? Have you read any of my 2022 favorites? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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The First Book I Put Down Without Finishing in 2022
👑
It was bound to happen sooner or later. I’ve been on such a GREAT reading streak…since…NOVEMBER! I’ve read some amaaaaazing books over the past few months!
A few weeks ago I asked which of these books should be my next read:
I even created an Instagram poll asking for your thoughts which yielded a completely inconclusive result….so…I was forced to make the decision on my own.
Aaaaaaaand I made the wrong choice.
The First Book I Put Down Without Finishing in 2022:
Goodreads Synopsis of Tweet Cute {Emma Lord}:
Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.
Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.
All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.
As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.
This book is…fine. Eh. Felt like a YA novel. Yes, it IS a YA novel but the best YA novels don’t FEEL like Ya novels. Does that make sense? This book is written for teenagers. As all YA novels are! However, I think a good YA novel can and should appeal to adults as well. This one did not.
It wasn’t bad, it was just…boring. So boring. And unrealistic. So unrealistic.
It’s the influencer’s golden rule: know your niche. Kit Kidding has found hers on Instagram, where she gets paid to promote brands and share expertly curated posts about her fun, fabulous, child-free life. Kit likes kids just fine, but she passionately believes that women who choose not to become mothers shouldn’t have to face guilt. Or judgement. Or really hot chefs who turn out to be single dads.
Will MacGregor is aggravating, sexy, persistent, averse to social media, and definitely a bad idea. As soon as Kit learns his parenting status, she vows to put their scorching one-night stand behind her and move on. But Will and Kit are thrown together on an Instagram campaign, and the more time she spends with him—and his whip-smart, eight-year-old daughter, Addie—the more difficult it is to stay away, much less sustain what Will so cleverly calls her “Resting Beach Face.” Kit’s picture-perfect career path is suddenly clashing with the possibility of a different future—messy, complicated, and real. Which life does she truly want? Will she have to re-invent herself? And will love still be waiting by the time she figures it out?
Fingers crossed I love it!
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Have you read either of these books? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below (absolutely no spoilers please)!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
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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I bought this little guy from a grocery store in Tennessee a little over a year ago. He makes me happy!
As you are very well aware by now, I hardly actually buy books. I am a minimalist at heart! While the thought of a gorgeous bookshelf filled with books does appeal to me, the clutter of those books that I probably will read one time and never again does not. However, I DO end up buying (or somehow acquiring) books sometimes and often I find them mounting and mounting without actually being read. I’m starting a new series called “Books I’m Not Reading” and this is the first installment! From time to time, I will select books from my shelf and show you the books I’m NOT reading, as opposed to my usual routine of showing you the books that I am 😉
These are 3 of books on my shelf that currently haunt me. They stare at me day after day and ESPECIALLY when I bring home new books. Ugh.
Here are just a few of the books from my shelf that I’m NOT reading.
Book I’m NOT Reading #1:
The Last Mrs. Parrish {Liv Constantine}
I’m honestly not sure why I’m not reading this one. Everyone loves it! I’ve heard it’s great! So…why aren’t I reading it??? Eh.
Goodreads Synopsis of The Last Mrs. Parrish {Liv Constantine}:
Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.
To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.
Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn’t have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.
With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent.
Book I’m NOT Reading #2:
Lost and Found {Carolyn Parkhurst}
Ok I’ll be honest. I started reading this one about a year ago and after the first chapter, I just wasn’t hooked. However, I felt like I didn’t want to give up entirely so I put it right back from where I took it…my own shelf! I keep saying I’ll try again but then I never do. Have any of you read it? Should I?
Goodreads Synopsis of Lost and Found {Carolyn Parkhurst}:
A gentle satire on reality TV, as a mother and daughter face numerous challenges both on and off the show. As the game escalates, tensions mount, temptations beckon, and the bonds between teammates begin to fray. The question is not only who will capture the final prize, but at what cost?
What do a suburban mom and her troubled daughter, two recently divorced brothers, a pair of former child stars, born-again Christian newlyweds, and a couple of young millionaires have in common? They have all been selected to compete on Lost and Found, a daring new reality TV show. In teams of two, they will race across the globe – from Egypt to Japan, from Sweden to England – to battle for a million-dollar prize. They must decipher encrypted clues, recover mysterious artifacts, and outwit their opponents to stay in play.
What starts as a lark turns deadly serious as the number of players is whittled down, temptations beckon, and the bonds between partners strain and unravel. Before long the question is not only who will capture the final prize, but at what cost.
Book I’m NOT Reading #3:
Arranged Marriage {Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni}
I bought this book at the Printer’s Row Lit Fest before the world shut down waaaaaay back in 2019 (you can read all about that magical day HERE). I had SO MUCH FUN that day and promised myself to make it an annual tradition. Well, enter Covid….aaaaaaaaand I haven’t been back since. It was canceled in 2020 and although it did happen in 2021, I wasn’t quite ready for a crowded festival. FINGERS CROSSED I CAN GET BACK THERE IN 2022!!! For more information on the Printer’s Row Lit Fest, you can visit their website HERE. It’s an awesome event!
Goodreads Synopsis of Arranged Marriage {Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni}:
Although Chitra Divakaruni’s poetry has won praise and awards for many years, it is her prose that is quickly making her one of the brightest rising stars in the changing face of American literature. Arranged Marriage, her first collection of stories, spent five weeks on the San Francisco Chronicle bestseller list and garnered critical acclaim that would have been extraordinary for even a more established author.For the young girls and women brought to life in these stories, the possibility of change, of starting anew, is both as terrifying and filled with promise as the ocean that separates them from their homes in India. From the story of a young bride whose fairy-tale vision of California is shattered when her husband is murdered and she must face the future on her own, to a proud middle-aged divorced woman determined to succeed in San Francisco, Divakaruni’s award-winning poetry fuses here with prose for the first time to create eleven devastating portraits of women on the verge of an unforgettable transformation.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think?
What books are currently on your bookshelf that you aren’t reading?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
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I mean…I’m not sure how much of me you can actually see but it’s still a lovely sign, lol 🤪
Happy New Year! I hope your year is filled with love and BOOKS!
1 Book I AM Reading:
My first official book read of 2022:
I bought this book from the most beautiful little bookstore in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin this past fall (you can read about my lovely visit to that bookstore HERE).
Goodreads Synopsis of The Charm Offensive {Alison Cochrun}:
Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.
Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.
As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.
I’m almost finished reading and can’t wait to share my thoughts with you! I’ll actually be doing a joint review of this one with Melissa Amster from Chick Lit Central at the end of the month…stay tuned!
2 Books I’m NOT Reading:
I think both of these books sound GREAT but alas, the library needed them back before I even was able to crack either cover. This is what happens when the only books I will read in November and December are holiday books 😉
Oh perfect, this was such a random last minute photo thought that I didn’t even have time to take away my bottle of water from the nice shot taken in my front seat, lol.Another wonderful photo. I especially enjoy the reflection of my yellow iphone and my face. And oh look! My bottle of water is still there!
Goodreads Synopsis of Five Strangers {E.V. Adamson}:
With its grassy hills and breathtaking city views, London’s Hampstead Heath is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with friends and loved ones—and on an unseasonably warm Valentine’s Day, the lawns are especially full. So when an aggressive lovers’ quarrel breaks out, there’s an audience of park goers nearby to hear the shouts traded back and forth, and to watch as the violence escalates suddenly to murder, then suicide.
For the five strangers who observed the gruesome act, the memory of the gore is unshakable. But one of them—disgraced journalist Jen Hunter—is compelled to question the truth of what she thought she saw. Are the facts of the case plain as day, or were they obscured, in the moment, by the glaring sunlight?
As she mounts an obsessive investigation for a seemingly-impossible alternative, the lives of the other witnesses begin to unravel, each in its own particular way. Soon one thing becomes clear: the crime they witnessed was more terrible, more twisted, and more far-reaching than they ever could have imagined.
iphone, face, water bottle. My photography skills are ON POINT in this post today.
Goodreads Synopsis of Cul De Sac {Joy Fielding}:
A shooting lays bare the secrets harbored by five families in a sleepy suburban cul-de-sac in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Wrong Places.
Someone on this quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac will be shot dead in the middle of a sultry July night.
Will it be Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can’t quite live up to her expectations? They’ve packed up their two children and fled their life in California, hoping for a fresh start in Florida, only to find the demons of the past hovering on their doorstep.
Maybe it will be Nick, a highly respected oncologist, or his wife, Dani, a successful dentist, both with well-kept secrets of their own.
Or Julia, an elderly widow, whose troubled grandson has recently moved in with her, introducing unsavory habits and even more unsavory acquaintances into her formerly quiet existence.
Then there’s Olivia and her husband, Sean. Having lost his job at a prestigious advertising agency, Sean is depressed, resentful of his working wife, and drinking heavily. He is also prone to increasingly violent fantasies.
And what of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, whose marriage is already on the rocks, due to Aiden’s reluctance to stand up to his intrusive mother? Matters aren’t helped when Heidi befriends Julia’s grandson, setting the stage for a major blowup.
A diverse group of neighbors, to be sure. Yet all harbor secrets. All bear scars. And all have access to guns.
Not all will survive the night.
Have you read any of these 3 books? What book are you currently reading? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Do you remember a few weeks ago when I showed you my neighbor’s gorgeous holiday display? It’s even more beautiful at night! They have lights shining on it to make it twinkle and I’m absolutely obsessed.
I have been spending all of this holiday season in the ADORABLE town of Addison, Connecticut. Well, in reality I have been spending all of this holiday season in the nice (I wouldn’t say adorable but definitely nice) suburb of Chicago where I live, lol. The book series that I am currently reading takes place in the most adorable little town and I want to move there! Or at least visit. Indefinitely.
I have been LOVING this book series (link to the books is above). The characters are adorable, the town is adorable, and it’s the most PERFECT series to read during the holiday season. A wonderful choice, indeed.
I am currently on book #3 (out of 6 total):
A Change In My December Reading Plans
My plans were to finish reading this series during this holiday season….and then….I checked my mail 2 days ago. If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, HERE is a link to it so you can see the amazing package that arrived in my mailbox)!
The Christmas Bookshop!!!
The 1 book I have been wanting to read all season! Amazon was sold out (although I just checked…it’s finally back in stock! I will include the link below), Barnes and Noble was sold out, and I have been on the library waitlist FOREVER.
And now I own it 🙂
Hell yeah!!!
Goodreads Synopsis of The Christmas Bookshop {Jenny Colgan}:
When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.
Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.
At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?
What to do? What to do? I originally planned on reading this book but when I couldn’t get my hands on a copy, I pivoted and found the adorable Winter Novels! And I’m loving them! But now I have The Christmas Bookshop. AND 3 more Winter Novels books. Decisions, decisions…
I should be done with Cardinal Cabin in the next day or so and then I HAVE to read The Christmas Bookshop! I’ve been DYING to read it! So as much as I will hate to leave Addison, I must say good-bye. For now.
If I must stop reading them, It actually seems like a good stopping point for the Winter Novels. Halfway. And now I have 3 brand new wonderful books to read NEXT holiday season (because I’m WAY too Type A to read holiday books at any other time of year other than the holiday season). Blogmas 2022: I’m apparently starting to plan for you!
Until next winter, Addison. I’ll keep you 3 beauties tucked away on my bookshelf until then! Xo!
If I finish The Christmas Bookshop in a timely matter, I do have this book that I checked out of the library before the holiday season even started. I’ve heard it’s wonderful!
Goodreads Synopsis of Christmas in Winter Hill {Melody Carlson}:
Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager . . . well, manages.
As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn’t always feel welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, “Where’s the snow?” Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista’s Christmas spirit before the big day?
So that’s my plan. Cardinal Cabin, The Christmas Bookshop, Christmas in Winter Hill. And then comes January and I have a whole SLEW of non books on my list to read!
I’ll miss you, Addison! I can’t wait to return next year :). I’ll have my review of the first 3 books in the Winter Novel Series posted on here ASAP although I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you that it will be a very positive review 😉
What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Have you entered the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway? There’s still time! All entries must be received by 6:00 CDT tonight! See THIS POST for details!
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
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In case you missed my last post (because I posted it at 11:00 pm last night), HERE is a link. Blogmas is still going strong…I’ve posted 15 days in a row so far! 10 more days to go…I got this 😉
There are some AWESOME books being published in 2022 that I can’t wait to get my hands on! Here is a list of some of the books I’m most excited to read being published in 2022. Let the countdowns begin!
I listed these 6 books in order of their expected publication dates. Click the picture of each book cover to preorder your copy through my Amazon affiliate links! When you purchase through these links, the cost is the same to you but I do receive a tiny commission. Thank you so much for your support of Book Coffee Happy!
**6 Books I Want to Read in 2022**
The Perfect Escape {Leah Konen}
Expected Publication Date: 1/4/22
Goodreads Synopsis of The Perfect Escape {Leah Konen}:
A girls’ weekend to die for.
New friends Sam, Margaret and Diana are thrilled to be getting out of the city for a girls’ weekend—they’ve bonded over their messy divorces, and every mile on the odometer feels like another step towards putting their exes in the past. But when car trouble halfway into their trip strands them in the most unlikely of mountain towns, they come face-to-face with the hurts and betrayals they were so desperate to leave behind.
When Diana doesn’t return home after a night out, Sam and Margaret’s search for her reveals just how little they know about their friend. As eerie coincidences and secrets begin to pile up, and an ex-boyfriend arrives in the tiny town, the women realize that their detour may not have been a mistake…and that someone wants to guarantee that they never make it out.
The Paris Apartment {Lucy Foley}
Expected Publication Date: 2/22/22
I absolutely loved THIS BOOK by Lucy Foley so I can’t wait to read The Paris Apartment!
Goodreads Synopsis of The Paris Apartment {Lucy Foley}:
Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.
The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.
The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge
Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.
Woman on Fire {Lisa Barr}
Expected Publication Date: 3/1/22
**I already own an advance readers copy of this beautiful book sent to me by the beautiful Lisa Barr! I will read and share my thoughts with you closer to it’s publication date…stay tuned! I absolutely loved THIS BOOK by Lisa so I can’t wait to read her newest!**
Goodreads Synopsis of Woman on Fire {Lisa Barr}:
After talking her way into a job with Dan Mansfield, the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual–and very secret–assignment. Dan needs her to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan’s help to find it. But Jules doesn’t have much time; the famous designer is dying.
Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family’s millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet the passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including Adam Baum, Ellis’s grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux’s clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he’ll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.
The Impossible Us {Sarah Lotz}
Expected Publication Date: 3/30/22
Goodreads Synopsis of The Impossible Us {Sarah Lotz}
Bee thinks she has everything: a successful business repurposing wedding dresses, and friends who love and support her. She’s given up on finding love, but that’s fine. There’s always Tinder. Nick thinks he has nothing: his writing career has stalled after early promise and his marriage is on the rocks, but that’s fine. There’s always gin. So when one of Nick’s emails, a viciously funny screed intended for a non-paying client, accidentally pings into Bee’s inbox, they decide to keep the conversation going. After all, they never have to meet.
But the more they get to know each other, the more Bee and Nick realize they want to. They both notice strange pop culture or political references that crop up in their correspondence, but nothing odd enough to stop Bee and Nick for falling hard for each other. But when their efforts to meet in real life fail spectacularly, Bee and Nick discover that they’re actually living in near-identical but parallel worlds. With a universe between them, Bee and Nick will discover how far they’ll go to beat impossible odds.
Greenwich Park {Katherine Faulkner}
Expected Publication Date: 4/1/22
Goodreads Synopsis of Greenwich Park {Katherine Faulkner}:
Helen’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way (after years of trying)—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class and meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be. Rachel doesn’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears.
But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.
A Tidy Ending {Joanna Cannon}
Expected Publication Date: 8/2/22
Goodreads Synopsis of A Tidy Ending {Joanna Cannon}:
Linda has lived in a quiet neighborhood since fleeing the dark events of her childhood in Wales. Now she sits in her kitchen, wondering if this is all there is: pushing the vacuum around and cooking fish sticks for dinner, a far cry from the glamorous lifestyle she sees in the glossy magazines coming through the mail slot addressed to the previous occupant, Rebecca.
Linda’s husband Terry isn’t perfect—he picks his teeth, tracks dirt through the house, and spends most of his time in front of the TV. But that seems fairly standard—until he starts keeping odd hours at work, at around the same time young women in the town start to go missing.
If only Linda could track down and befriend Rebecca, maybe some of that enviable lifestyle would rub off on her and she wouldn’t have to worry about what Terry is up to. But the grass isn’t always greener and you can’t change who you really are. And some secrets can’t stay buried forever…
Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2022?
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Do you remember from THIS POST when I said that I hadn’t bought myself a birthday present yet this year? Well, I now have and I think it’s a lovely present indeed. 5 new books!
I discussed this story before but I’ll quickly summarize the backstory in fragments: Last spring, Little Free Library, found book, took book, researched book, discovered it was #2 in a series, emailed author, was told although it’s a series each book can be read as a standalone novel, waited until holiday season to start reading, read book.
Ok now that you are all caught up, let’s move on.
So I read Snow Deer and Cocoa Cheer, absolutely LOVED it (review coming soon), and immediately decided I needed book #1. My library didn’t have it so I made a quick Amazon order and my new book arrived within 48 hours.
Halfway through reading Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes (book #1), I decided that I definitely wanted to read the rest of this series! I’m just loving it so much! At this point I was also in search of a birthday present for myself and suddenly I knew just what to do.
A few clicks later and the other 5 books had been ordered. I’m loving this adorable town in this series so much and I’m just not ready to leave the wonderful little town of Addison, Connecticut!
If you are looking for a super light, small town, Christmas, feel good, heartwarming, Hallmark movie type book series….this series is GREAT so far. I’m currently reading book #3 (Cardinal Cabin). I am absolutely loving this small town and it’s adorably lovable residents so much. This series is WONDERFUL and makes my heart so happy.
Side Note: These are some of the most beautiful book covers I’ve ever seen. How absolutely gorgeous are these books???
Thank you SO MUCH to whoever put Snow Deer and Cocoa Cheer in that Little Free Library last spring! Because of you, I’ve had the most lovely few weeks getting to know the residents of this adorable little town. Absolutely perfect books to read this time of year to fill my heart with holiday spirit!
It’s definitely taken a few years but I have FINALLY found another worthy holiday series to read during the holiday season after reading THIS SERIES (which I LOVED) years ago.
***NOTE***
While I agree that each of these books can be read as stand alone novels, I do recommend reading them in order. Some characters/storylines make appearances in each book and reading them in the proper order just adds to the overall storyline development.
Here is the order of the books in this series (The title of this series is The Winter Novels):
Book 1:Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes
Book 2:Snow Deer and Cocoa Cheer
Book 3:Cardinal Cabin
Book 4:First Flurries
Book 5:Eighteen Winters
Book 6:Winter House
I can’t wait to share my thoughts on each of these individual books with you soon!
Have any of you read any of these books? I’d love to hear your thoughts! I had never heard of them until I found book #2 in that Little Free Library! Hands down my most favorite Little Free Library find EVER.
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
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Blogmas: 3 Library Books I Recently Returned Without Reading
I recently saw this bookshelf while shopping at a craft mall. How beautiful is this display??
Is there anything worse than returning a library book without reading it??? Yes…returning THREE of them!
Once mid November hit, I made the switch to reading ONLY holiday books for the remainder of the year. More specifically, feel good, Christmas spirit type holiday books. No genre better this time of year!
Unfortunatly I had a stack of NON holiday library books waiting for me to read. And they were due back to the library. STAT. So…back they went.
It hurts my heart when I have to return library books without reading them first! These 3 books look GREAT and I absolutely plan on reading them…but only during the non holiday season 😉
***All photos taken from the front seat of my car as I was parked in the library parking lot about to slide each into the return slot on the side of the building, lol. All shadows, angles, backgrounds, reflections, etc. are courtesy of my extremely last minute thought to turn this library excursion into a blog post, lol **
Returned Library Book #1: Yes Daddy {Jonathan Parks-Ramage}
This book synopsis somehow gives me the same vibe as THIS BOOK which I loved!
Oh hi iphone reflection, lol 😉
Goodreads Synopsis of Yes Daddy {Jonathan Parks-Ramage}:
A propulsive, scorching modern gothic, Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man who is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying world of wealth and an idyllic Hamptons home where things take a nightmarish turn.
Jonah Keller moved to New York City with dreams of becoming a successful playwright, but, for the time being, lives in a rundown sublet in Bushwick, working extra hours at a restaurant only to barely make rent. When he stumbles upon a photo of Richard Shriver—the glamorous Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and quite possibly the stepping stone to the fame he craves—Jonah orchestrates their meeting. The two begin a hungry, passionate affair.
When summer arrives, Richard invites his young lover for a spell at his sprawling estate in the Hamptons. A tall iron fence surrounds the idyllic compound where Richard and a few of his close artist friends entertain, have lavish dinners, and—Jonah can’t help but notice—employ a waitstaff of young, attractive gay men, many of whom sport ugly bruises. Soon, Jonah is cast out of Richard’s good graces and a sinister underlay begins to emerge. As a series of transgressions lead inexorably to a violent climax, Jonah hurtles toward a decisive revenge that will shape the rest of his life.
Riveting, unpredictable, and compulsively readable, Yes, Daddy is an exploration of class, power dynamics, and the nuances of victimhood and complicity. It burns with weight and clarity—and offers hope that stories may hold the key to our healing.
Returned Library Book #2: The Sanatorium {Sarah Pearse}
I have had this book on my to read list for months. I just wish it didn’t have a Reese’s Book Club sticker on it! As you are well aware, I love Reese…but I do NOT always love her book selections. UGH.
This book already makes me think of THIS BOOK which I loved!
Goodreads Synopsis of The Sanatorium {Sarah Pearse}:
Ummm…????
Ummm…that’s not a language that I speak. Huh. Hey Goodreads? Might want to fix that…
Let’s try this again.
Here is the Amazon.com Synopsis instead, lol:
Half-hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel.
An imposing, isolated getaway spot high up in the Swiss Alps is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But Elin’s taken time off from her job as a detective, so when her estranged brother, Isaac, and his fiancée, Laure, invite her to celebrate their engagement at the hotel, Elin really has no reason not to accept.
Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge–there’s something about the hotel that makes her nervous. And when they wake the following morning to discover Laure is missing, Elin must trust her instincts if they hope to find her. With the storm closing off all access to the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic.
Elin is under pressure to find Laure, but no one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she’s the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they are all in. . .
Returned Library Book #3: Survive the Night {Riley Sager}
The only book I have ever read by Riley Sager was THIS ONE and it was great! Makes me excited to read Survive the Night!
Oh good, the iphone reflection is back!
Goodreads Synopsis of Survive the Night {Riley Sager}:
Charlie Jordan is being driven across the country by a serial killer. Maybe.
Behind the wheel is Josh Baxter, a stranger Charlie met by the college ride share board, who also has a good reason for leaving university in the middle of term. On the road they share their stories, carefully avoiding the subject dominating the news – the Campus Killer, who’s tied up and stabbed three students in the span of a year, has just struck again.
Travelling the lengthy journey between university and their final destination, Charlie begins to notice discrepancies in Josh’s story.
As she begins to plan her escape from the man she is becoming certain is the killer, she starts to suspect that Josh knows exactly what she’s thinking.
Meaning that she could very well end up as his next victim.
Have you read any of these 3 books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Click the images below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
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Only I would get stuck slowly driving behind a bookmobile right next to a sign pointing out a different library…
A few weeks ago, I put this book on hold at the library.
Photo Credit: Goodreads
Goodreads Synopsis of Hostage {Claire Mackintosh}:
You can save hundreds of lives. Or the one that matters most.
A claustrophobic thriller set over twenty hours on one airplane flight, with the heart-stopping tension of The Last Flight and the wrenching emotional intensity of Room, Hostage takes us on board the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney.
Mina is trying to focus on her job as a flight attendant, not the problems of her five-year-old daughter back home, or the fissures in her marriage. But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination. Someone who needs Mina’s assistance and who knows exactly how to make her comply.
It’s twenty hours to landing. A lot can happen in twenty hours.
I received the notification that the book was in and I could pick it up at any time. I was so excited! I thought it looked so good.
Aaaaaand a few hours later ON THE SAME DAY THAT THE BOOK CAME IN, I received a text from my book twin.
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you are well aware of my Book Twin, Jana. Jana and I (almost) always agree on books and we take each other’s recommendations very seriously. If she loves a book, there is a HIGH chance that I will as well. If I love a book, I can’t wait for Jana to read it. We text each other often with book recommendations, especially if one of us reads a book that we KNOW the other will love.
Jana’s text:
This text from Jana really threw me. She recommended Falling. And not just recommended it but used the phrase “READ THIS ONE.” I immediately googled the synopsis and realized that there is no way I could possibly read BOTH of these books back to back. 1 book about a hijacked plane is definitely more than enough for an already generally anxious person who loves to fly.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Goodreads Synopsis of Falling {T.J. Newman}:
You just boarded a flight to New York.
There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.
What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.
For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.
The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.
Enjoy the flight.
So I suddenly found myself in a bit of a conundrum. Which to read??? The one already waiting for me at the library or the one I’d have to order and possibly wait a long time to read???
If you are lucky to have someone in your life who recommends books to you and is always (or almost always) SPOT ON…you listen to them.
Many of you tell me that I’m that person for you…I’m flattered! I write this blog with the intention of helping as many people as possible find books they will love. Some of my reviews you may agree with, some you may not…but in the end, I love knowing that I’ve introduced so many of you to books you may not otherwise have picked up.
So, back to my conundrum. Random book I found on social media or Book Twin recommendation?
I canceled my hold request for Hostage (which pained me a bit…who cancels a request for a book when the book is WAITING for you to pick it up???) and I immediately put in a request for Falling.
A few weeks later…
I’m so excited to read it! I may wait a few weeks as I’m going on a vacation (NOT flying, lol) and I think this may be the perfect vacay read.
And let’s take a moment to talk about my book twin and the fact that she did indeed read BOTH OF THESE BOOKS BACK TO BACK. That’s A LOT of hijacking! I don’t think I would ever fly again! Here are her thoughts:
Looks like I made the best decision. I’ll let you know my thoughts once I read it!
Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!
Xo,
Jenny
Have you read either of these books? What did you think (ZERO SPOILERS ALLOWED)? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the image below to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
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Last Saturday, my family was at a massive barbecue competition. There were tons of competitors, each with their huge equipment. My husband is actually a certified barbecue judge and when he’s not judging, he’s competing! It’s his most favorite hobby and our patio is always overflowing with smokers, grills, etc. We have entire pieces of furniture and sheds devoted solely to his grilling supplies.
But we weren’t there on Saturday to support my husband. He wasn’t judging and he wasn’t competing. We were there to support my 9 year old DAUGHTER! There was a kids BBQ competition happening right next to the adult BBQ competition and my daughter entered. It was awesome! She NAILED IT! She worked SO HARD with absolutely zero help from us (and by us I obviously mean my husband…I have no clue how to grill). My husband, my son, and I sat on a bench and watched as my daughter made DELICIOUS looking burgers from scratch, plated them, and turned them in. She used secret ingredients, fancy methods, and was so proud of herself.
Once her burgers were officially turned into the judges, we had to wait for 2 hours until the winners were announced. We hung around the competition for a bit while we waited and then my husband had a GENIUS idea.
As it turned out, the competition was just a few miles away from the GLORIOUS Half Price Books Outlet that we stumbled upon when returning from our beautiful Galena getaway (you can read about our vacation HERE and about the amazing Half Price Books Outlet that we found HERE). My husband asked if I would like for us to drive there while we awaited the competition results.
Ummmm do I even need to answer that?! GET. IN. THE. CAR.
We jumped in the car and headed straight to the MECCA. We did some quick math and realized that I would have approximately 20ish minutes to be in there before we needed to head back to hear the competition results. Would I have preferred 3 hours? Hell yes. Was I prepared to take advantage of the 20 minutes that I had? Also hell yes.
The last time I was here I purchased what turned out to be the very best book I have ever read so my expectations from now on when making purchases here will remain HIGH, lol.
We pulled up, I threw on my mask, and I quite literally JUMPED out of the car.
I took this photo WHILE I WAS SPEED WALKING IN. I’m shocked it’s not blurry! No time to stop for a photo, lol! Aaaaand as I uploaded it to the blog, I noticed my reflection in the window! I’m cracking up…actual PROOF that I didn’t even stop walking as I was snapping this photo, lol!
There was no time for selfies but I did manage to snap a few pictures while inside!
#happyplace
I have now been to this amazing place 2 times and each time I was super limited on time with my family waiting in the car, ugh. I MUST get back there alone one day when I have lots of time to browse the shelves! It’s so incredibly AWESOME there.
20 minutes to run in, browse, AND pay? I got this. My husband and daughter might win barbecue competitions but if there was an award for shopping, Mama would be the CHAMPION.
I Bought 2 Books
While browsing (and by browsing I mean frantically scanning each shelf as my 20 minutes quickly ticked by) throughout the young adult section, this book caught my eye. Have any of you read it? After reading Starfish (oh Starfish is so amazing, synopsis and my review HERE), I’m curious as to how this one will compare with a similar topic.
Goodreads Synopsis of 45 Pounds:
Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:
She is 16. And a size 17. Her perfect mother is a size 6. Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 10 weeks, and wants Ann to be her bridesmaid. So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less) in 2 1/2 months.
Welcome to the world of infomercial diet plans, wedding dance lessons, embarrassing run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—-and some surprises about her NOT-so-perfect mother.
And there’s one more thing. It’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin-—no matter how you add it up!
A quick glance at my Fitbit told me that I literally had 3 minutes. 3 minutes! Only 1 choice on what to do! I clearly BOLTED to the clearance section. The first book that caught my eye was a hardcover copy one of my favorite books of all time for A DOLLAR. A DOLLAR??? Someone is going to hit the JACKPOT finding this beautiful $1 gem on that shelf. (You can read why this book is so special to me HERE).
And then I noticed this book. For some reason I haven’t read it although it’s been on my list to read for YEARS. Why have I not read this book yet? Have any of you read it? I’m sure many of you have, lol. I definitely grabbed this one for $1.00! I have very high hopes for this book since I LOVED Liv Constintine’s The Wife Stalker (synopsis and my review HERE).
Goodreads Synopsis of The Last Mrs. Parrish:
Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.
To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.
Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn’t have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.
With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent.
Once I purchased my books, I literally RAN back to my waiting family in the car, jumped in, and we headed back to the competition to hear the results.
2ND PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, so proud of her!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE DID IT!!!!!!
Proudly hanging in her bedroom. Note the cloth on top so she can polish it each time it’s touched. She’s the cutest 🙂
I hope you are having a good day! I’ll be back on Friday with a review of an AMAZING book that I recently read and LOVED!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Xo,
Jenny
Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo
This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Please share this page with your book and blog loving friends!*
*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*
*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*
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Book Coffee Happy 