The Big Book Disappointment of 2023

The Big Book Disappointment of 2023

The right wick on my new candle doesn’t burn as highly as the wick on the left. For someone as Type A as I am, this is making me insane. It’s also a perfect comparison for the 2 books I am discussing on my blog today. Book #1 burns BRIGHTLY and Book #2 does…not.

UGH. That’s all I can say. I’m so disappointed. I was SO excited to read this book. It sucked.

The Big Book Disappointment of 2023

Let’s start from the beginning…

Book #1: Things We Never Got Over

I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this adorable book. A charming town, colorful characters, spicy sex scenes…this book had it all. Cheesy? Oh lord yes but somehow it all just worked. I smiled, I cried, I LOVED it. If you haven’t yet read Things We Never Got Over, it’s a must read for me. HERE is my full review (including the book synopsis).

So naturally when Lucy Score announced that a sequel was in the works, I was ALL IN. I was actually counting down until it’s release (February 21, 2023). I went to Barnes and Noble that week because I couldn’t even wait for a copy to come in at my library…I needed to own this beautiful book STAT. I couldn’t wait to dive right back into the little town with it’s interesting residents. HERE is the post where I was so excited to buy this book (how happy was I??). Reading that post now just makes me sad.

Hoooooow is this book in the same book series as the first book??? It’s so completely different than Book #1. I think a big part of it is the perspective from which it’s told. Book #1 is from the perspective of someone who isn’t from this town and is learning all of the town’s intricacies, meeting all of it’s residents, etc. It focused so much more on the town and the residents. Book #1 really only had 1 storyline that I didn’t enjoy…aaaaaand THAT storyline is the entire premise of Book #2. It makes sense….Book #1 was really introducing everything and now Book #2 dives deeper into the story but the one particular story that it dives deeply into was my absolute LEAST favorite thing about Book #1.

The main characters that I fell in love with all make such tiny appearances in Book #2 and the other, more minor characters that Book #2 focuses on are ANNOYING.

I really can’t say too much about this book without giving away spoilers from both books so I’ll just say this: everything about Book #2 is different than Book #1.

The one constant between the books is the adorable banter between the characters. Lucy Score has such a lovely way of writing dialogue! I just wish the dialogue had been between different characters and talking about different things, lol.

One more thing to note: Book #1 ends with not only 1 epilogue but also a BONUS epilogue. Book #2 ignores both epilogues and just continues the story right where it left off before them. Ummm HUH?? So now we know what happens in the future AND in the farther off future but now we are back in time to reading before any of that actually happens?? I feel like a book series should be in completely chronological order. Obviously Lucy Score shouldn’t have included either epilogue in Book #1 if she was thinking a book series might follow but she did….and now I feel like Book #2 should start right where Book #1 left off.

Basically this book is all a bit of a mess.

One thing I will say is that the covers of the books in the Knockemout series are STUNNING. Book #3 is going to be purple!

I stopped reading at page 270 out of 574 pages. I just couldn’t do it for another 300 pages and even getting to page 270 TOOK FOREVER. I should have been able to read this 600 page book fairly quickly but I was just too bored to ever want to pick it up.

I’m heartbroken, I can’t believe this second book was so terrible when the first was so wonderful. I appreciate that sequels are rarely AS good as the first but this wasn’t even in the same category.

According to reviews online, many many many others hated this book as well. More than one review I read referenced how this book “should be hidden from the light”, lol.

Moving on….but sadly not to the 3rd book in the Knockemout series, Things We Left Behind, which is expected to be released 9/5/23.

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

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Never Ending Book, Exciting New Book Mail, Ugly Book Giveaway Winners

Never Ending Book, Exciting New Book Mail, Ugly Book Giveaway Winners

Newest addition to my laptop courtesy of my 11 year old daughter. She traded gibbetz (IYKYK) to one of her friends just to get this sticker for ME! Love, love, love her 🙂

Never Ending Book

Hiiiii Book Friends!

I am still slowly chipping away at this almost 600 page book but admittingly it’s taking me significantly longer than necessary to finish it!

I just need a day with zero distractions where I can hunker down and READ! Who’s with me??? Add in coffee, delicious food, and a beach. Soooo a vacation. Turns out what I need is a vacation…

Exciting New Book Mail

Look at this beauty that I received in the mail last week! I can’t wait to read it, it sounds so amazing.

Goodreads Synopsis of Typecast {Andrea J. Stein}:

Callie Dressler thought she had put her past where it belonged—behind her. But when she learns her ex-boyfriend is bringing their breakup to the big screen, she must face the fact that their history has been looming over her all along.

At thirty-two, Callie Dressler is finally comfortable in her own skin. She loves her job as a preschool teacher, and although living in her vacant childhood home isn’t necessarily what dreams are made of, the space is something she never could have afforded if she’d stayed in New York City. She knows her well-ordered life will be upended when her type A, pregnant sister, Nina; adorable four-year-old niece; and workaholic brother-in-law move in, but how could she say no when they needed a place to crash during their remodel? As Nina pointed out, it is still their parents’ house, even though their mom and dad have relocated.

As if adjusting to this new living situation isn’t enough, the universe sends Callie another wrinkle: her college boyfriend, Ethan—who Callie dumped ten years earlier for reasons known only to her—has a film coming out, and the screenplay is based on their real-life breakup. While the movie consumes her thoughts, Callie can’t help wondering if Nina and her friends are right that she hasn’t moved on. When a complication with Nina’s pregnancy brings Callie in close contact with Nina’s smart and funny architect, Callie realizes she had better figure out whether she wants to open the door to the past—or she’ll risk missing out on her future.

Sounds so good, right?? I will post my full review (and host a giveaway!!) once I finish reading….stay tuned 🙂

Ugly Book Giveaway Winners Video

Thank you to everyone who entered to win a signed copy of Kelly Vincent’s gorgeous book, Ugly (book synopsis and my full review HERE) ! I know you will love it as much as I did. Here is a video of me choosing the winners:

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

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Fantastic Author Event, What I’m Reading, Upcoming Book Giveaway!

Fantastic Author Event, What I’m Reading, Upcoming Book Giveaway!

Fantastic Author Event

Hiiiii!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I went to an amazing author event on Thursday night at the Deerfield Public Library to support my girl, Lisa Barr. She was awesome as usual and told absolutely fascinating stories! If you get the chance to go and see her speak, I would highly recommend doing so. She’s adorable, such a wonderful speaker, and I LOVE her books.

Here are some links to past blog posts of mine if you aren’t already familiar with Lisa or her work:

The Unbreakables Review

Woman on Fire Review

Woman on Fire Book Release Party

Love you, Lisa!

What I’m Reading

Is it even a trip to the hair salon without a book and coffee??? I think not.

Things We Hide From the Light is taking me FOREVER to read. It’s great, I’ve just been so focused on listening to audiobooks lately! Usually listening to audiobooks compliments my reading of physical books but in this case, it’s actually taking AWAY from the time I usually would be spending physical books. Since I have started reading Things We Hide From the Light, I have listened to 4.5 audiobooks!

Things We Hide From the Light is book #2 in the Knockemout series. HERE is a link that will tell you all you need to know about book #1…definitely read book #1 before book #2. Highly recommend!

Upcoming Book Giveaway

Ahhh I’m so excited for an amazing book giveaway that will go live on Wednesday! Be sure to check my blog then for a chance to win a signed copy of one of the best books that I’ve read so far in 2023. I’ll have 3 signed copies to give away!

I hope you are having a lovely weekend 🙂 It’s GORGEOUS here in Chicago. I’m happily sitting outside and writing this blog post.

Happy.

I hope that you are enjoying a beautiful day wherever you are today!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

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Where I’ve Been, An Audiobook Review, What I’m Reading

Where I’ve Been, An Audiobook Review, What I’m Reading

I saw this painted on a bathroom wall yesterday…love it 🙂

Where I’ve Been

CONSUMED WITH MY FIVE WIVES. That’s it. Not some big dramatic story…just absolutely enamoured by this 9 year old reality show that only lasted 2 seasons and I’ve devoured every single episode over the past 3 weeks, lol. It’s wonderful and a million times better than Sister Wives (which I also watch). These wives are better, the husband is a TRILLION times better in every single way, and their relationships are all so beautiful. 5 wives, 1 husband, 24 children.  While I still don’t understand why anyone would choose this lifestyle,  I CAN appreciate the beauty of the relationships between the wives (personally I would choose finding some wonderful BFFs and knowing that they AREN’T sleeping with my husband…??)  If you have no idea what this show is, here’s a preview:

Watch this show. You’re welcome.

An Audiobook Review

I have listened to a few audiobooks recently including this one by Kierseten Modglin!

Note: This book is not to be confused with The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth! Same title, totally different book. You can read my (GLOWING) review of Sally Hepworth’s book HERE!

Photo Credit: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis of The Mother In Law {Kiersten Modglin}

There’s something strange about Loren’s new mother-in-law…

When Loren meets Jack, she’s sure he’s the man she’s been waiting for—a perfect husband and a father for her young daughter. Shortly after their wedding, their plans to start a life together are put on hold when the couple receives word that Jack’s father has died.

In an effort to appease her new husband, Loren invites her mother-in-law, Coralee, to stay with them while she grieves. When strange things begin to occur just after her arrival, Loren questions how much she knows about the woman she invited into her home.

One calculated move after the next, Coralee attempts to drive a wedge between Loren and her new husband. Jack believes his mother’s strange behavior is just further proof she needs their help, but Loren isn’t so sure. As Coralee’s actions become increasingly sinister, Loren is pushed to her breaking point and she realizes she must do whatever it takes to get rid of her mother-in-law for good.

What she doesn’t know about her new family could kill her…

My Review of The Mother In Law {Kiersten Modglin}:

Eh.

It was boring. Not much else to say. I hated all of the characters, I found the storyline way too far fetched, and I will never for the life of me understand allllll of the actions of the main character.

It held my interest enough to finish listening which is more than I can say for a bunch of other books/audiobooks I’ve started reading/listening to recently.

And…something happened that has NEVER happened to me EVER in the history of ANY book I have EVER read. Are you ready? There was a big twist at the end that I…didn’t understand. Like, the wording was so strange and I just didn’t understand what happened. Ummm huh??? I tried googling the ending but to no avail. If you have read this one (and understand the ending), please message me so we can discuss! I have a big question!

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Sally Hepworth’s book was a MILLION times better than this one. Read hers instead.

What I’m Reading

Still reading this beauty! Just not as quickly as I would like…#myfivewives. I’ll post my full review once I finish reading!

Have you watched My 5 Wives???

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

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I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. TO. READ. THIS. BOOK.

I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. TO. READ. THIS. BOOK.

#obvi

Back in October, my family and I took such a lovely vacation down south (you can read all about our awesome trip HERE). While we were there, I read the most beautiful book: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score (you can read about my decision to buy that book HERE and my glooooowing review of that lovely book HERE).

I have been not so patiently waiting for it’s sequel (Things We Hide From The Light) to be released and this was the week! FINALLY! This is one book that I knew I wanted to own so I happily bought myself a copy. Released on Tuesday, purchased on Friday. EXCITED!

Goodreads Synopsis of Things We Hide From the Light {Lucy Score}:

Nash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling. But his new next-door neighbor, smart and sexy Lina, sees his shadows. As a rule, she’s not a fan of physical contact unless she initiates it, but for some reason Nash’s touch is different. He feels it too. The physical connection between them is incendiary, grounding him and making her wonder if exploring it is worth the risk.

Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him.

Hoping for Sex Scenes

As I mentioned in my review of Things We Never Got Over, the sex scenes were surprisingly HOT and I am crossing alllll of my fingers that the sequel will also deliver the goods. I loved Things We Never Got Over for so many reasons and those awesome sex scenes were such a FUN and unexpected bonus 😉

Bring on the sex!

Just like Things We Never Got Over, Things We Hide From the Light is THICK. Very, very think. Almost 600 pages (589 pages to be exact) thick.

A 3rd Book in The Knockemout Series Will Be Coming in September!

I can’t wait!

As always I’ll share my full review once I finish reading!

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

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

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

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Book Review: Things We Never Got Over {Lucy Score}

Book Review: Things We Never Got Over {Lucy Score}

The bar was set HIGH for this one and my expectations were through the roof. When I actually purchase a book rather than check it out from the library, you KNOW I’m expecting it to be great.

I started reading this book right before my family and I took an epic road trip and this book came along on the adventure! I’ve read parts of this book in 4 different states!

Started in Illinois
Continued in Indiana
Reading while watching the sunrise over the mountains in Tennessee
Read more in Indiana
Aaaaand finished the book while back home in Illinois

Goodreads Synopsis of Things We Never Got Over {Lucy Score}:

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

My Review of Things We Never Got Over {Lucy Score}:

I really loved it.

There is so much hype surrounding this book right now and there is a reason…it’s wonderful.

Set in a charming small town with charming characters, I found myself smiling while reading. It’s light, easy to read, and a perfect book to bring on vacation.

It’s LONG (552 pages!) but the story never dragged, it just intensified. A bit cheesy at times and I didn’t always love the actions of one of the main characters (Knox)…but overall I really loved the story.

The biggest surprise of the book was the way the author went from cheesy, overly saccharine writing to…EXTREMELY HOT AND DIRTY SEX SCENES! Like, holy fuck did those scenes come out of left field. They were awesome and a very pleasant surprise indeed. Loved them 🙂

The second biggest surprise to me was that there was one storyline that I predicted from the very beginning that I felt was glaringly obvious throughout the entire book…AND IT TURNED OUT THAT I WAS WRONG! I absolutely LOVE when that happens!

The author’s note at the end was so beautifully written and made me respect the whole book even more.

The sequel comes out in February 2023! I’m excited to revisit Knockemout and to revisit these beautiful characters. I already LOVE the gorgeous cover:

Bottom Line:

Sweet, innocent, cheesy words of a really beautiful story and suddenly…BAM…dirty sex scene. Loved this book so much!

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE

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Currently Reading, Finished Reading, Reading Next

My daughter has had Covid for the past week! She’s thankfully feeling much better and as of yesterday is finally allowed to leave her bedroom (masked of course) and rejoin the world. My husband, my son, and myself all feel great and keep testing negative…fingers crossed it stays that way! I’m drinking my coffee out of this mug (my 2020 souvenir) today because it’s been a loooooong week in our house!

I love when Book Coffee Happy can participate in WWW! The Three Ws: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?

Thanks so much to Sam from Taking on a World of Words for hosting this fun weekly post!

What Are You Currently Reading?

As I was nearing the end of finishing Things We Never Got Over, I put a poll on Instagram yesterday asking which of these 2 books should be my next read and here are the results from all of YOU:

I started reading The Perfect Neighborhood last night and I’m currently 60 pages in…I’ll post my review when I finish reading!

Goodreads Synopsis of The Perfect Neighborhood:

When actress and model Allison Langley leaves her former rockstar husband, Christopher, in the middle of the night, it’s all her Oak Hill neighbors can talk about. The gossip comes to an abrupt halt when five-year-old Billy Barnes goes missing on his walk home from kindergarten.

Billy’s mother, Rachel, blames herself for being at work and letting her only child walk alone. Cassidy, Billy’s teenage babysitter, was also late to arrive on the afternoon he disappeared and blames herself for his disappearance.

As the clock ticks down, police are unable to find any trace of Billy, forcing Rachel to ponder the enemies she’s made in their well-off suburb. Could it be one of her neighbors who stole her son? Would they abduct Billy to hurt her? How easy would it be to take a child while the parents or nannies are distracted?

When another child goes missing, the town is put under a microscope as the police try to get to the bottom of the disappearances. Will they be able to find the two children, or will it be too late? What secrets lie at the heart of this tragedy, and how far will one go to keep those dangerous secrets buried?

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

I finished reading this giant book yesterday and I’m working on a blog post with my review! I’ll have it up soon…stay tuned!

Goodreads Synopsis of Things We Never Got Over {Lucy Score}:

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Deciding between these 3 beauties…

Goodreads Synopsis of We Do What We Do In The Dark {Michelle Hart}:

Mallory is a freshman in college, reeling from her mother’s recent death, when she encounters the woman. She sees her for the first time at the university’s gym, immediately entranced. Soon, they meet, drawn by an electric tension and shared past wounds; before long, they begin sleeping together in secret. Self-possessed, successful, brilliant, and aloof–the woman is everything Mallory wants…and wants to be. Desiring not only the woman but also the idea of who she is when they’re together, Mallory retreats from the rest of the world, solidifying a sense of aloneness that has both haunted and soothed her since childhood and will continue to do so for years even after the affair ends. As an adult, Mallory must decide whether to stay safely in isolation or step fully into the world, to confront what the woman meant to her and how their relationship shaped her, for better or worse.

Mallory’s life is transformed by loss and by love and by discovering who she is while enduring both. In this enthralling debut novel, the complexities of influence, obsession, and admiration reveal how desire and its consequences can alter the trajectory of someone’s life.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Messy Lives of Book People {Phaedra Patrick}:

Mother of two Liv Green barely scrapes by as a maid to make ends meet, often finding escape in a good book while daydreaming of becoming a writer herself. So she can’t believe her luck when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero, megabestselling author Essie Starling, a mysterious and intimidating recluse. The last thing Liv expected was to be the only person Essie talks to, which leads to a tenuous friendship.

But when Essie dies suddenly, a devastated Liv is astonished to learn of her last wish: for Liv to complete Essie’s final novel. But to do so Liv will have to step into Essie’s shoes, and as Liv begins to write, she uncovers secrets from the past that reveal a surprising connection between the two women–one that will change Liv’s own story forever… 

Goodreads Synopsis of Bookish People {Susan Coll}:

Independent bookstore owner Sophie Bernstein is burned out on books. Mourning the death of her husband, the loss of her favorite manager, her only child’s lack of aspiration, and the grim state of the world, she fantasizes about going into hiding in the secret back room of her store.

Meanwhile, renowned poet Raymond Chaucer has published a new collection, and rumors that he’s to blame for his wife’s suicide have led to national cancellations of his publicity tour. He intends to set the record straight—with an ultra-fine-point Sharpie—but only one shop still plans to host him: Sophie’s.

Fearful of potential repercussions from angry customers, Sophie asks Clemi—bookstore events coordinator, aspiring novelist, and daughter of a famed literary agent—to cancel Raymond’s appearance. But Clemi suspects Raymond might be her biological father, and she can’t say no to the chance of finding out for sure.

This big-hearted screwball comedy features an intergenerational cast of oblivious authors and over-qualified booksellers—as well as a Russian tortoise named Kurt Vonnegut Jr.—and captures the endearing quirks of some of the best kinds of people: the ones who love good books.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think (no spoilers)? What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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Road Trip Adventures, Best Bookstore EVER, 4 New Books!

Road Trip Adventures, Best Bookstore EVER, 4 New Books!

Last week, my family and I took an incredible road trip. Here is the explanation that I wrote on Facebook of where we went and why (my husband is a certified BBQ judge and he also competes in competitive BBQ competitions):

If you follow me on Instagram, you were along for the ride as I posted Instastories all throughout our vacation. We had such a wonderful trip filled with so much fun and laughter. There is absolutely nothing I love and cherish more than family time and having my family all to myself for the past week was such a gift. We made INCREDIBLE memories and had the most wonderful time.

Road Trip Adventures

I had 5 goals for this trip:

  1. Do NOT Get Stuck on A Mountain Without Food Like Last Time (Link to that ridiculous story HERE)
  2. Do NOT Come Home With Such a Dramatic Story That it Makes Google’s Homepage Like Last Time (Link to that awesome story HERE)
  3. Eat Cookie Dough From Cookie Dough Monster
  4. Spend Quality Time in My Most Favorite Bookstore (Link to the last GLORIOUS time I visited HERE)
  5. Make AMAZING memories with my family

I am happy report that I accomplished all 5 of my goals!

Somehow within the span of 6 days, my family and I saw an insane amount of sights, did an insane amount of activities, and created an insane amount of memories. WE HAD THE BEST TIME! Here are some snapshots from the first 4 days of our trip:

Best Bookstore EVER and 4 New Books

And then…

My FAVORITE.

Read THIS POST that I wrote 2 years ago after visiting for the 1st time.

Moon Pie General Store and the Original Book Warehouse, I’m baaaaaaaack!

It was just as massive, just as glorious, and just as wonderful as I remembered it to be. A true book lovers dream come true! If you are ever visiting the area, this wonderful place is a MUST VISIT.

I was so excited to be there that I left my purse sitting in the front seat of the car and didn’t even realize it until we got back INTO the car when we were leaving, lol. As soon as we parked, apparently I FLEW out of the seat with such excitement that I couldn’t even be bothered to grab my purse on the way. I love that so much, lol.

My family went straight for the Moon Pies and I went straight for the books. I never even made it to the Moon Pie side of the store!

Moon Pie General Store and Original Book Warehouse Souvenirs:

ABSOLUTELY LOVE.
I bought 1 for each of my kids. It doesn’t matter that it says it’s “for boys”…my daughter will also love doing the challenges in this book! Saving this one for a rainy day when we need an indoor activity!
A special present for my son…it’s a black bear figurine! We searched for bears throughout our trip but unfortunately saw none. He will love this (they did such a good job wrapping it that I don’t want to open it until I give it to him)
Does your husband own a Moon Pie t shirt? Mine now does.
Just SOME of the Moon Pies that my husband and children brought home. My kids also brought some home to give to their teachers 🙂

And of course…book souvenirs for ME! Have read either of these books?

Synopsis from Goodreads: The Little Paris Bookshop {Nina George}:

“There are books that are suitable for a million people, others for only a hundred. There are even remedies—I mean books—that were written for one person only…A book is both medic and medicine at once. It makes a diagnosis as well as offering therapy. Putting the right novels to the appropriate ailments: that’s how I sell books.”

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can’t seem to heal through literature is himself; he’s still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people’s lives.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Summer Hours at the Robbers Library {Sue Halpern}

People are drawn to libraries for all kinds of reasons. Most come for the books themselves, of course; some come to borrow companionship. For head librarian Kit, the public library in Riverton, New Hampshire, offers what she craves most: peace. Here, no one expects Kit to talk about the calamitous events that catapulted her out of what she thought was a settled, suburban life. She can simply submerge herself in her beloved books and try to forget her problems.

But that changes when fifteen-year-old, home-schooled Sunny gets arrested for shoplifting a dictionary. The judge throws the book at Sunny—literally—assigning her to do community service at the library for the summer. Bright, curious, and eager to connect with someone other than her off-the-grid hippie parents, Sunny coaxes Kit out of her self-imposed isolation. They’re joined by Rusty, a Wall Street high-flyer suddenly crashed to earth.   

In this little library that has become the heart of this small town, Kit, Sunny, and Rusty are drawn to each other, and to a cast of other offbeat regulars. As they come to terms with how their lives have unraveled, they also discover how they might knit them together again and finally reclaim their stories.

After 3 days in Pigeon Forge, TN we were off to Louisville, KY.

WORTH. THE. HYPE.

Nothing is more welcoming after an exhausting five hour car ride then to walk into your hotel room and then be greeted by this:

BOOK. WALLPAPER.

It was an amazing week with my family! I have a million more pictures but they include my children (which as you know) I keep off of my blog. They had a BLAST! Absolutely nothing better than family time and making memories together. I’m already starting to think about where we can go on our next trip! I hope all of you had a nice week, too 🙂 Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of my personal life with you today. I’ll be back on Monday with a review of a book that I finished reading a few weeks ago…stay tuned…

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

Xo,

Jenny


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

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The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

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I Bought This Book and I’ve Heard It’s Awesome.

I Bought This Book and I’ve Heard it’s Awesome.

I was texting with my friend Megan a few weeks ago and she asked me if I’ve yet read this book because she “really enjoyed it” (I hadn’t even heard of it). And then days later, my friend Jeana posted on Insta that it was “hands down one of the best books I’ve read”. Ummm so those are some pretty solid recommendations if you ask me!

Goodreads Synopsis of Things We Never Got Over {Lucy Score}:

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

I Bought This Book and I’ve Heard it’s Awesome

I put it on hold at the library but weeks have passed and this book is still not in my hands.

My family is going to a vacation next week and I REALLY want a good book to bring with me…and I think this might just be it.

Sorry, Library, I just can’t wait anymore. We leave on Tuesday! So a quick jaunt to Barnes and Noble yesterday and I am now the proud owner of this lovely book. I hope I love it as much as my friends did!

My first impression: This book is THICK. Very thick. 552 pages thick! And heavy!

While I was at Barnes and Noble yesterday, I sat in their cafe and started working on this blog post!

I finished reading Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (review coming soon! Spoiler: It’s AMAZING) this morning so I plan on starting Things We Never Got Over tonight. At 552 pages, I think it’s safe to assume I won’t be finished by Tuesday so it will be traveling with me! This actually works out perfectly as I like to bring books on vacations having already started reading them. This way, I can just dive right in while traveling and not have to start the book from scratch and learn all about the characters, the settings, etc. Does anyone else try to always this?!

I’ll post my thoughts on this book when I get back into town. In the meantime, follow Book Coffee Happy on Insta...I’ll be posting stories throughout my trip (and I’ll reveal where I’m going…there’s a crazy story behind our destination)!

Xo,

Jenny

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below (ZERO SPOILERS OF ANY KIND PLEEEEEASE)!

Xo,

Jenny

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Follow me on Instagram*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE

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