Latest Library Book Haul and Giveaway Winner

A peek into my latest library book haul!

*The What You Do To Me book and book swag winner is announced at the bottom of this post!*

Library Book #1: The Mothers {Jennifer Gilmore}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Mothers {Jennifer Gilmore}:

Jesse and Ramon are a loving couple, but after years spent unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, they turn to adoption, relieved to think that once they navigate the bureaucratic path to parent-hood they will have a happy ending. But nothing has prepared them for the labyrinthine process—for the many training sessions and approvals; for the constant advice from friends, strangers, and “experts”; for the birthmothers who contact them but don’t ultimately choose them; or even, most shockingly, for the women who call claiming they’ve chosen Jesse and Ramon but who turn out never to have been pregnant in the first place.

Library Book #2: Prom Mom {Laura Lippman}

Goodreads Synopsis of Prom Mom {Laura Lippman}:

Amber Glass has spent her entire adult life putting as much distance as possible between her and her hometown of Baltimore, where she fears she will forever be known as “Prom Mom”–the girl who allegedly killed her baby on the night of the prom after her date, Joe Simpson, abandoned her to pursue the girl he really liked. But when circumstances bring Amber back to the city, she realizes she can have a second chance–as long as she stays away from Joe, now a successful commercial real estate developer, married to a plastic surgeon, Meredith, to whom he is devoted.

The problem is, Amber can’t stay away from Joe. And Joe finds that it’s increasingly hard for him to ignore Amber, if only because she remembers the boy he was and the man he said he was going to be. Against the surreal backdrop of 2020 and early 2021, the two are slowly drawn to each other and eventually cross the line they’ve been trying not to cross.

And then Joe asks Amber to help him do the unthinkable…

Library Book #3: Big Swiss {Jen Beagin}

Goodreads Synopsis of Big Swiss {Jen Beagin}:

Greta lives with her friend Sabine in an ancient Dutch farmhouse in Hudson, New York. She spends her days transcribing therapy sessions for a sex coach who calls himself Om. She becomes infatuated with his newest client, a repressed married woman she affectionately refers to as Big Swiss, since she’s tall, stoic, and originally from Switzerland. They both have dark histories, but Big Swiss chooses to remain unattached to her suffering while Greta continues to be tortured by her past.

One day, Greta recognizes Big Swiss’s voice at the dog park. In a panic, she introduces herself with a fake name and they quickly become enmeshed. Although Big Swiss is unaware of Greta’s true identity, Greta has never been more herself with anyone.

Bold, outlandish, and filled with irresistible characters, Big Swiss is both a love story and also a deft examination of infidelity, mental health, sexual stereotypes, and more—from an amazingly talented, one-of-a-kind voice in contemporary fiction.

Library Book #4: Stone Cold Fox {Rachel Koller Croft}

Goodreads Synopsis of Stone Cold Fox {Rachel Koller Croft}:

Like any enterprising woman, Bea knows what she’s worth and is determined to get all she deserves—it just so happens that what she deserves is to marry rich. After a lifetime of forced instruction in the art of swindling men by her mother, Bea wants nothing more than to escape her shadow, close the door on their sordid past, and disappear safely into old-money domesticity.

When Bea finds her final mark in the perfectly dull blue-blooded Collin, she’s ready to deploy all her tricks one last time. The challenge isn’t getting the ring, but rather the approval of Collin’s family and everyone else in their tax bracket, particularly his childhood best friend Gale. Going toe-to-toe with Gale isn’t a threat to an expert like Bea, but what begins as an amusing cat-and-mouse game quickly develops into a dangerous chase. As the truth of Bea’s past threatens to come roaring out, she finds herself racing against the clock to pass the finish line before everything is exposed.

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

What You Do To Me Book and Book Swag Giveaway Winner Video:

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway on my last post! Here is a video of me choosing the lucky winner :

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)

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

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1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Loved and 1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Did NOT Love

1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Loved and 1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Did NOT Love

We have a season pass to the Six Flags amusement park here in IL which is verrrrrry conveniently located right by a Dunkin’ drive thru. That drive thru has somehow become part of our visit on our way home each time! Being outside in the heat riding roller coasters all day calls for an iced coffee…I simply can’t handle hot coffee on these HOT roller coaster days!

***These are reviews of books #2 and #3 in The Friend Zone series! Definitely start by reading book #1 before reading either of these books. You can read all about book #1 (including the book synopsis, my review, and a picture of a cake shaped like a vagina) HERE.***

The Friend Zone Book #2: The Happily After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Happily Ever After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}

Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can’t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a “take me home” look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker’s owner reaches out. He’s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.

Well, Sloan’s not about to give up her dog without a fight. As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can’t deny a connection. There’s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

My Review of The Happily Ever After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}

Loved it! It’s adorable. The characters, the storylines, all of it…adorable. Totally held my interest enough to breeze right through it just so I could continue on with the series. I wasn’t surprised that I loved it considering how much I loved the first one in this series! Abby Jimenez has a great writing style, I’m a big fan.

So alllll of that being said….

Man, did I NOT enjoy book #3….

The Friend Zone Book #2: Life’s Too Short {Abby Jimenez}

Even reading this book during a beautiful vacation wasn’t enough to make me enjoy it.

Goodreads Synopsis of Life’s Too Short {Abby Jimenez}:

A brilliant and touching romantic comedy about two polar opposites, one adorable dog, and living each day to its fullest.

When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn’t expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn’t just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn’t want to take anything for granted.

But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, life goes from “daily adventure” to “next-level bad” (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she’d be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.

Now she’s feeling things she’s vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.

My Review of Life’s Too Short {Abby Jimenez}:

Aaaaaand I didn’t finish it. I read 200 pages and then…I was OUT. And those 200 pages took my significantly longer to read than they should have.

It wasn’t bad, not at all! It was just…completely character driven (which I hate, give me a plot driven book anyday over character driven). So many thoughts, so many feelings, so much drama, so much backstory, just so, so much…eh.

Was it peppered with adorable banter? Yes. Was it sprinkled with adorable situations? Absolutely. Was it enough to keep me reading? Nope.

I loved the first 2 books in this series but this one was a miss for me. I will most likely read the next 2: Part of Your World and Truly Yours…I just need a bit of a breather first. I’ve heard both are wonderful!

Not sure what’s worse…this book or my manicure?

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Book #1: LOVED Book #2: LOVED Book #3: Did NOT Love!!!

Book #1, Book #2, Book #3

Have you read 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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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

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Must Have Reading Accessory #7 and Our 2 Bathroom Remodels!

Must Have Reading Accessory #7 and Our 2 Bathroom Remodels!

I believe this is the 7th Must Have Reading Accessory that I’ve published on Book Coffee Happy! I’ll link to my previous 6 posts from this series at the bottom of this post!

Entertaining myself in Sephora while waiting for my daughter because even after an HOUR she wasn’t done exploring all the beauty products! #tweenager

I love listening to audiobooks. Some of my favorite times to sneak in a few chapters: driving, cooking, folding laundry, straightening my hair, walking, doing dishes, doing my makeup, wrapping presents, painting my nails, etc. There are SO many times during my day when an audiobook adds the perfect amount of entertainment to otherwise mundane, everyday tasks.

Except for one.

SHOWERING. Oh how I would love to listen to an audiobook while showering! My phone speaker isn’t loud enough and I despise Alexa so I don’t want one in my bathroom. Every SINGLE time I’m in the shower, I think of how wonderful it would be to listen to an audiobook. Seems like such a perfect opportunity! I finally mentioned this to my husband a few weeks ago and…he bought me surprise on Prime Day!

Must Have Reading Accessory #7

Behold…my new waterproof, bluetooth, super loud best friend. She’s an absolute beauty and she brings me immense joy.

She gets LOUD. Like, I can’t have the volume all the way up or she will be TOO loud. Even over the water in my shower. Her sound quality is GREAT!

She’s tiny and portable and even came with a travel case…she will most definately be accompying me on all vacations moving forward!

Our 2 Bathroom Remodels

When I went to take a picture of the niches in our bathroom where I keep her, I realized that I never showed you a picture of our 2 recent bathroom remodels! If you follow me on Instagram, you are WELL AWARE of the remodeling process as I talked about it on my stories pretty much every single day. It was…loud and chaotic…but so,so, so worth it. Here are some photos of my favorite parts of our 2 remodels (our master and our kids’ hallway bath). The shower with the 4 niches (top center photo) is the one in the master and where my new little waterproof speaker happily sits! Also, worth noting is my makeup vanity where I literally sit for hours on end doing my hair, makeup, and nails. The mirror slides to each side with shelves behind it housing all of my beauty products. JOY I tell you. PURE JOY.

Did you enjoy this post? Here are the 6 previous posts in this series of my top MUST HAVE reading accessories:

Must Have Reading Accessory #1

Must Have Reading Accessory #2

Must Have Reading Accessory #3

Another Must Have Reading Accessory

Must Have Reading Accessory #4

Must Have Reading Accessories #5 and #6 {VIDEO}

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)

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

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The Main Characters in This Book Call Each Other Fartheads.

The Main Characters in This Book Call Each Other Fartheads.

Gorgeous Mother’s Day flowers from my family 🙂

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know how I felt about the dialogue in this book. Grown ups do NOT call each other fartheads. They just don’t. If you have someone in your life who calls you a farthead, for the love of God find yourself a new partner.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis of Thank You For Listening {Julia Whelan}

For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.

On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.

My Review of Thank You For Listening {Julia Whelan}:

Not for me. Nope. Nope.

So I loved that it was about audiobook narrators…obviously since I have been so obsessd with audiobooks lately! That part of this book and it’s behind the scenes was super interesting to me.

Something else that I found SUPER interesting about this book was the fact that the author was the narrator! I don’t think I’ve every listened to an audiobook narrated by the author before. I thought she was great (mostly…a few voices I wasn’t a huge fan of but overall she was great).

Every other part of this book? Eh. Not nearly as interesting.

SO. MANY. FEELINGS.

So. Much. Talking.

So. Much. Backstory.

So. Much. Heaviness.

And obviously the dialogue was super cheesy and unrealistic. Grown ups do not talk to each other like this!

I have so many complaints about this book but one of the biggest was the big “twist” that I literally predicted from the very beginning and spent the entire book waiting to be revealed.

If you love audiobooks, you might (most likely will not, lol) enjoy this book. If you don’t listen to audiobooks, this is definitely NOT a book for you.

The main character is named Sewanee. Her grandmother is named Blah Blah. Swanee and Blah Blah. I hate this book.

How on EARTH did Jodi Picoult and Taylor Jenkins Reid blurb the cover?!

It was boring. So boring. Although it did hold my attention enough to keep listening so there’s that.

Moving on…

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

The main characters called each other “fartheads”. Enough said.

Have you read this book? 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!*

*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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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

I Was Wrong. So Very Wrong. This Book is AMAZING. {Part 2}

I Was Wrong. So Very Wrong. This Book is AMAZING. {Part 2}

I posted this on Instagram exactly a year to the DAY before I finished reading the book! So random. I posted this last year when Jenna Bush Hager was announcing that it was the book of the month for her Read With Jenna book club and I was NOT feeling it!

Many times when a book is gaining lots of attention, I don’t feel that attention is deserved (examples of this HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).

Sometimes….sometimes…the popularity of the book is a direct and well deserved representation of the beautfully written words written inside (examples of this HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).

There’s also the category of “Ok the book is WILDLY popular and so well loved but I have ZERO desire to read it and I’m not going to….but then eventually I will cave and read it and I will hate it just as expected”. (Examples of this HERE and HERE).

But then there’s an entirely different category. A very special category. The category of EXTREMELY popular books that I have ZERO desire to read and then I cave and read them and then…I get it. I totally get it. Every last bit of hype and praise so well deserved and I realize how wrong I was to resist reading it for so long. A few years ago there was a book that I was VERY against reading and when I finally did…it was one of the best books I’ve ever read (you can read part 1 of “I Was Wrong. So Very Wrong. This Book is AMAZING. HERE).

It’s happened again.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis of Remarkably Bright Creatures {Shelby Van Pelt}:

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

My Review of Remarkably Bright Creatures {Shelby Van Pelt}:

A gem. A total gem of an absolutely beautifully written book. One of the very best books I’ve read.

When I tell you that I had ZERO desire to read this book, I mean I had ZERO desire to read this book. An octopus?!? Hard pass. But I promise this book isn’t like that. It’s a beautiful story with such depth and perfection. And dare I say that my favorite chapters were the ones told from the point of view of the octopus???

This book made me think and left me with a whole slew of emotions. I smiled, I cried, I felt it all. This book is wonderful.

I saw this gorgeous statue while I was shopping last weekend and I immediately thought of Marcellus! See my daughter’s shoe beneath the table? Imagine her saying, “Mom…are you taking a picture of an…OCTOPUS statue???” Why yes darling, I sure am 🙂

The one and ONLY unglowing (not a real word) thing I will say about this book was that I did find it quite predictable. I’m usually horrible at making predictions and I basically predicted this entire book. However, it didn’t even matter because the book was so incredible and beautiful.

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrators were PERFECTION. I loved, loved, loved the voices of Marcellus and Tova. After I finished reading and did my own research, I was blown away to find out that the voice of Marcellus belongs to one of my favorite characters on Shrinking (side note: if you haven’t yet watched Shrinking on Apple TV….watch Shrinking, it’s amazing).

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Let go of how weird this book sounds and just READ IT. It’s perfection.

Have you read this book? 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!*

*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)*

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

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

Book I’m Reading!

Book I’m Reading!

I bought a new candle a few days ago and put it on our dining room table. Apparently my husband has noticed it (insert eye roll emoji here).

Hi Friends!

How are you??? My audiobook game is still going strong (yesterday I finished listening to one of the best books I’ve ever read/listened to…I’ll write a blog post about it ASAP) but it does also feel nice to read an actual print book. Absolutely nothing could ever compare to holding an actual print book in my hands. The best!

Book I’m Reading

I was sent this book a while back and I’m so happy to start reading, I think it sounds great! Have any of you read it?

Adorbs Cover Art!

Amazon Synopsis of Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life… and a Man {Reenita M. Hora}:

Ila, a Mumbai-based teenager, is going nuts with Veena, her controlling, single mother who prevents her from stalking her pop idol, Ali Zafar. Veena wants her daughter to date real guys in the lead-up to finding a husband. But Ila decides that the only way to get her mom off her back is by finding her a boyfriend instead. With the help of her best friend Deepali, her crush Dev and her mother’s best friend Maleeka, they will come up with a plan to make it happen by setting up a profile in dating apps.

Stay tuned for my full review (and blog giveaway!!) once I finish reading!

What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear 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!*

*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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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

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…

*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!*

*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)*

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

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

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…

*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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7 Books I’m NOT Reading!

7 Books I’m NOT Reading!

A nice change from the plethora of audiobook reviews I’ve been posting recently, right?? I recently returned 7 library books before I had a chance to read them (well, I did read a bit of 1 of them…I’ll get to that in a minute).

I think all 7 of these books sound GREAT and I can’t wait to read them eventually!

**Please make sure to take note of the beautiful, artful, and professional photography throughout this blog post. I decided to write this post as I was looking at the pile of these books sitting next to me on the passenger seat of my car as I was filming an Instastory. All of these photos have the lovely background of my dirty car = crumbs and all. And some even include my chipped nail polish. So pretty. Enjoy!**

Book #1 I’m NOT Reading: The Bookshop on the Corner {Jenny Colgan}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Bookshop on the Corner {Jenny Colgan}:

Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.

Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile—a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.

From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home… a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.

Book #2 I’m NOT Reading: Mika in Real Life {Emiko Jean}

Goodreads Synopsis of Mika in Real Life {Emiko Jean}:

One phone call changes everything.

At thirty-five, Mika Suzuki’s life is a mess. Her last relationship ended in flames. Her roommate-slash-best friend might be a hoarder. She’s a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents. And, most recently, she’s been fired from her latest dead-end job.

Mika is at her lowest point when she receives a phone call from Penny—the daughter she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Penny is determined to forge a relationship with her birth mother, and in turn, Mika longs to be someone Penny is proud of. Faced with her own inadequacies, Mika embellishes a fact about her life. What starts as a tiny white lie slowly snowballs into a fully-fledged fake life, one where Mika is mature, put-together, successful in love and her career.

The details of Mika’s life might be an illusion, but everything she shares with curious, headstrong Penny is real: her hopes, dreams, flaws, and Japanese heritage. The harder-won heart belongs to Thomas Calvin, Penny’s adoptive widower father. What starts as a rocky, contentious relationship slowly blossoms into a friendship and, over time, something more. But can Mika really have it all—love, her daughter, the life she’s always wanted? Or will Mika’s deceptions ultimately catch up to her? In the end, Mika must face the truth—about herself, her family, and her past—and answer the question, just who is Mika in real life?

Book #3 I’m NOT Reading: The Babysitter {Sheryl Browne}

I actually DID start reading this book and read to page 83 before I called it quits. It was ok…and if I hadn’t bought THIS BOOK that I was so excited to start, I probably would have continued reading The Babysitter

Goodreads Synopsis of The Babysitter {Sheryl Browne}:

You trust her with your family. Would you trust her with your life?

Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can’t it?

As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, it’s Jade who is left picking up the pieces.

But Mark soon notices things aren’t quite as they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. He’s met Jade before. And now he suspects he might know what she wants …

Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?

Book #4 I’m NOT Reading: The Second Wife {Sheryl Browne}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Second Wife {Sheryl Browne}:

She made her bed. You’ll lie in it.

Rebecca and Nicole swore to be best friends forever. But three years after they last met up, Rebecca receives a phone call from Nicole’s devoted husband, Richard. Nicole is dead, a tragic suicide. Drowned in a river close to her family home, Richard was the one who pulled her body from the water. Now he can’t even speak about what happened.

While Rebecca reels from the news, she reads her friend’s last letters to her and begins to wonder if she knew Nicole at all. What secrets was she keeping from all the people who knew and loved her?

As Rebecca gets closer and closer to Richard, things go too far and she begins to slip into Nicole’s old life – staying in her home, sleeping in her bed… But if she’s going to become the wife Nicole never was, can she keep herself safe?

Book #5 I’m NOT Reading: The Book Haters Book Club {Gretchen Anthony}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Book Haters’ Book Club {Gretchen Anthony}:

All it takes is the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book Lover…

That was Elliott’s belief and the reason why he started The Book Haters’ Book Club—a newsletter of reading recommendations for the self-proclaimed “nonreader.” As the beloved co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookstore, Elliott’s passion and gift was recommending books to customers. Now, after his sudden death, his grief-ridden business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell Over the Rainbow to a developer who will turn the cozy bookstore into high-rise condos.

But others won’t give up the bookstore without a fight. When Irma breaks the news to her daughters, Bree and Laney, and Elliott’s romantic partner, Thom, they are aghast. Over the Rainbow has been Bree and Laney’s sanctuary since childhood, and Thom would do anything to preserve Elliott’s legacy. Together, Thom, Bree and Laney conspire to save the bookstore, even if it takes some snooping, gossip and minor sabotage.

Filled with humor, family hijinks and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters’ Book Club is the ideal feel-good read. It’s a celebration of found family and a love letter to the everyday heroes who run bookstores.

Book #6 I’m NOT Reading: Eden’s Children {V.C. Andrews}

Goodreads Synopsis of Eden’s Children {V.C. Andrews}:

Mother doesn’t always know best in this atmospheric and twisty novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic series and Landry series—now popular Lifetime movies.

When former teacher Paula Eden adopts Faith and Trevor, she is astounded by their natural intelligence and decides to homeschool them to nurture their brilliance. But as the years go on, Faith and Trevor itch for more independence.

When Faith sets her sights on a handsome young man visiting from out of town, Paula grows increasingly desperate to preserve her small family and her plans for the children to carry on her legacy. Luckily, she has a cohort in loyal Trevor, who will do anything to please his mother, even at the risk of hurting his sister and potentially changing their lives forever.

Book #7 I’m NOT Reading: Faking Reality {Sara Fujimura}

Goodreads Synopsis of Faking Reality {Sara Fujimura}:

Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.

Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping his small town Arizona life and the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal—thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota—the more reasons there are for him to stay.

Have you read any of these books? Which look interesting to you? 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)

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Audiobook Review: The Inmate {Freida McFadden}

Audiobook Review: The Inmate {Freida McFadden}

My husband caught my hat from the t shirt cannon at a basketball game we went to a few weeks ago. It’s massive, I can’t see anything because it covers my eyes, the front is furry, the bull is shiny, it’s all kinds of insane, and I love it so much!

I feel like with the way my reading habits have been lately, this blog should be named AUDIObook Coffee Happy 😉 I tend to go through phases when it comes to audiobooks…I listen to them back to back to back to back and then I take a break??? Obviously right now I’m in the middle of a major audiobook binge. If audiobooks aren’t your thing, just remember that many, many audiobooks can also be found in print! Here is one of the many audiobooks that I have listened to recently:

The Inmate {Freida McFadden}:

Photo Credit: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis of The Inmate {Freida McFadden}:

There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men’s maximum-security prison:

1) Treat all prisoners with respect.

2) Never reveal any personal information.

3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.

But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary’s most notorious and dangerous inmates.

And they certainly don’t know that Shane was Brooke’s high school sweetheart—the star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke’s testimony was what put him there.

But Shane knows.

And he will never forget.

My Review of The Inmate {Freida McFadden}:

So it held my interest long enough that I listened to it fairly quickly but…SO MUCH of this story was so incredibly unbelievable…and not the good kind of unbelievable.

The kind of unbelievable where there is NO WAY that so much of this story could have ever happened! Just so completely unrealistic in so, so many ways. A true work of fiction indeed, lol.

So many plot twists which I love…some predictable, some not. Overall it was just eh. The first half of the story was way more interesting than the 2nd half (shouldn’t it be the other way around??)

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Would I recommend it? I guess….??

Have you read this book? 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!*

*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 Twitter*

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

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

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