The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams - Reshelved Books

We're just going to talk about how adorable and amazing The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams. 

As we know, I haven't been exactly shy when it comes to saying that I've read less than stellar books lately.  

This book is the welcome change!!

I had posted a booksagram of this book over the weekend and a fellow book reader had commented on it saying that she was about 40% through the audiobook and totally loving it!  She also said how much she was loving Gavin's character.  

Within the first 25 pages of this book, I was smiling to myself while reading.  I *loved* the interactions between Gavin, Del and Mack.  I thought that they were too funny.  It was so easy to fall in love with Gavin.  From the moment I read about his story with Thea, I was rooting for them.  

I liked the idea behind the story. It was different!  I thought it was cute that this group of guys (who I'm assuming are in their late 20s, early 30s) are looking to romance novels as ways to win back their significant others!  I would have to say that if that happened to me, I would be cracking up. 

I think I've done this before where I've associated a song to a book here.  
Guess what?  
I'm gonna do it again here in this post!

There's this song... It's a country song.  It's super catchy and it's TOTALLY appropriate to this book! 

It's called "Drop" and it's by Dallas Smith.  (If you're interested in hearing the song, you can check it out here!)

Smith starts off the song by singing about everything needs to drop and to come together.  They're in a fight and they need to come together.  But to come together on this raw level, to be with each other and to find each other again. 

I feel like I could see this song playing for Gavin and Thea when they were in the hotel in my head. 

Back to the book - I can't stress to you how much I liked this book. 

But with the likes of the book is met with some dislikes. 

For one thing, I could NOT stand Liv!  She was the antagonist to Gavin's protagonist.  She a lot to say and none of it was really great.  She was so negative.  Some support system she was for Thea... One thing that was interesting, that I wish was elaborated on but was not... was what Liv meant when she said that at least she (Thea) was her mother's daughter.  Maybe that'll come to light in the second book? 

Anyone who's in the market for a new book should totally pick up a copy!

The Bromance Book Club is an 5 coffee beans out of 5. 

- Jillian

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella - Reshelved Books

Hi Dewey Readers!

Are you looking for a funny and quick paced read? If so, look no further than I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella. 

Poppy is engaged, and the ring her fiance proposed with is an exquisite family heirloom, an emerald ring worth a fortune.  Poppy can't really believe it.  Not only does she get to wear a beautiful ring but she's also marrying the man of her dreams.  But then a terrible, terrible thing happens.  Poppy loses the ring, and shortly after her cell phone is stolen. Now she won't be able to get any phone calls should someone magically find her ring.  

The now ringless Poppy is supposed to meet her fiance's parents within a couple of hours, she can't let them see her hands, and she has no phone- until she finds one in a garbage can that belongs to a personal assistant of a business man who quit her job and tossed the phone away.  Poppy did what anyone else would do- she picked up the phone, gave the new number out as her own, and proceeds to carry on with her life intervening as a PA, while hiding her ring-less hand. Oh and as if that weren't enough, Poppy also just learned that her fiancé's parents were not happy to find out they were engaged.

Complete with witty footnotes and outrageous humor, Kinsella's novel is the perfect chick-lit read worth 5 out of 5 Coffee Beans!

Until the next read!
~Jessica

The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson -- Reshelved Books

Hello Dewey Readers!

Have you heard of The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson?  If you haven't grab a pen and write down the title ASAP!

I borrowed this book from Jillian and it is an absolute adorable read.  Ginny and Charlotte are twins.  Charlotte is a librarian.  She loves books, loves staying home to read, and isn't big into make up.  (She's basically me.)  Ginny is a pageant queen.  Charlotte goes to visit Ginny and watch her compete, when one night while the two are eating dinner, Ginny has a terrible allergic reaction that swells her entire face!  This is the last year that Ginny can compete before she turns 30.  Under normal circumstances it might not be a big deal, but it was Ginny's dream to win just like their mother did before she passed away from cancer.  So, Charlotte does something crazy, she pretends to be her sister. 

I loved this book and blew right through it.  I feel like I am on a roll- I've been loving all the books that I have been reading.  I leave you with a rating of 5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  Until the next read!

~Jessica 

When You Read This by Mary Adkins - Reshelved Books

Hey there Dewey Readers!

I recently finished Mary Adkins' book When You Read This.  This book is a piece of expository writing written in the form of e-mail correspondence. 

This novel is a bout a young professional woman named Iris Massey who finds out she is dying from cancer.  A heavy topic, made lighter by the form in which it is written, and especially by the junk e-mails that randomly pop up and give the reader a little bit more insight into the personal nuances of the characters.  For comfort during this time, she turns to writing her emotions out on a blog, who's posts also are included within the book as well.

This book is about the end of life, and about how those who were touched by that life are forever affected.  It is about learning to come to peace with tragedy and also learning to be grateful for the moment.  It is also a quick read that is excellently written and one that I give 5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.

Until the next read!
~Jessica  

The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel - Reshelved Books

Hello Dewey Readers!

So Jillian has gifted me a small pile of books that have been abandoned from her to-read pile.  In my pursuit of being the best blogging cousin that I could possibly ever be, I have made it my mission to read these books and post about them pronto.  The first book from this pile was The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel.

This book is cute, even though I found the setting to be a little bit disorienting.  The main characters live in NYC, but then a few supporting characters also live in Millburn, NJ, and then some of them end up going to England for a wedding...and there's talk of New England, so it's sort of like wait... where were they from and where are we now?  

Quick story about Millburn.  I have a new job that is about a 10 minute drive to and from Millburn.  Right now I'm still living with my parents and my commute is about 50 minutes with traffic.  Right before I stated reading this book I told my mother I might look for an apartment in Millburn, "But that's so far...." Then the town pops up in this novel...... Dare we say fate? Maybe, maybe not.   

Now, since we're familiar with part of the setting, the characters go to Engalnd for a wedding because the bride wants to get married in a castle.  There are castles right here in Jersey.  Lambert Castle in Paterson is only an hour away (with traffic) from Millburn, or 33 minutes without traffic, I just checked. And, Kipps castle in Verona is even closer.  Plus, I'm pretty sure Kipps does weddings. Going to England was just so unnecessary.    

Now, a bit about the book. The premise of the novel is that a 21 year old woman had a relationship with a man. Shocker.  She was from a wealthy family and he was just a bartender. Then they split up. Now he's making A LOT of money from developing an app and she's doing well but not as well as him.  She's a little jealous about this. They meet again in England at this wedding.  

The story is told in dual time periods (present day and the past), which I think does well to give a sense of why he is "the one who got away" and not just another ex boyfriend with a bridge that should be burned.  This read is quick, cute, and slightly funny, making it an enjoyable read.  I'm not sure why it ended up in Jillian's abandoned TBR.  So Dewey Readers, I give you a rating of 4 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  

~Jessica 

The Good Neighbor by Amy Sue Nathan - Reshelved Books

Hello Deweys!

Yes, that is our P.O. Box key!

Today I finished a book that I had found on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble.  I brought this novel home with me, not because I needed to buy another book.  Really, I should NOT be buying books.  I brought it home because the main character's situation reminded me of us, and such brings me to my review of The Good Neighbor by Amy Sue Nathan.  

This is a classic women's fiction / chick lit novel.  We meet Izzy Lane who is a divorced single mother of a little boy who's ex-husband, while he's there for is son in theory, is flighty and can't be trusted.  When Izzy's ex husband tells her that he doesn't have the money to help pay for their son's daycare and that he is leaving the state with his new girlfriend to "look for work," she is faced with quite a dilemma.  To make a little extra money, Izzy begins blogging for Philly Over 40, specifically about dating over 40.  The only problem is that Izzy hasn't gone on a date since her divorce.  Izzy's nights out consist of visiting her elderly neighbor who has become a dear friend and confident.  But that's not going to help her meet any men, and quite frankly Izzy doesn't seem like she wants to go out and meet any men.  Sure, the idea of dating is interesting in theory, but why be bothered? Men are just too messy and there are SO MANY weirdos out there....So, Izzy begins to invent herself an imaginary boyfriend named Mac with whom she writes about for her blog purposes.  

But you see, the small blog begins to become more and more successful.  & Izzy can't tell anyone that Mac is made up, because if her secret is out, the blog will tank.  Even her best friends think that Mac is real.  Throw in a deeper secret that Izzy's elderly neighbor has been hiding for years, and you get one messy (yet light) novel about truth, love, family, and blogging.  

So dear Dewey Readers, if you like blogs (which if you are reading this we're assuming you do!) go pick up this book and give it a read!  And dear readers, I leave you with a rating of 3.75 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  

Until the next read!
~Jessica

Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan - Reshelved Books

Hello everyone!

As we enter fall, I leave you with my last beachy summer read... soon I'll be reviewing beachy winter reads (insert girl with hand-flip emoji here).  Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan is everything that a summer beach read should be.  It's light, but not air-headed, it's beachy, but not overly, and it talks about food in a way that doesn't leave you too hungry.  

I really wanted to take a cute picture of this book with a cupcake....
but here's my pumpkin iced latte and fish named Shamu Pitbull Bielen-Ward.  

This novel follows the story of Polly, a young woman in her twenties who recently separated from her husband after their advertising business tanks.  During this separation, Polly is forced to move onto an island off the Cornish coast called Waterford.  Waterford is a town strictly and primarily made up of locals.  There is a bridge connecting Waterford to the mainland, but this bridge goes underwater depending on the tides at various times during the day.  So it's safe to say that people don't venture out too often, nor do people venture in.  There is one bakery in town, which is run by a grumpy older woman who just so happens to be Polly's landlady.  

I'm not always crazy about novels that take place in other countries, at least with regards to chick-lit.  I always seem to have the Kinsella's Shopaholic series in my head when I read British slang within chick-lit novels.  However,  I wasn't put-off by that in this novel.  Colgan tackles tough issues such as death, tragedy, change, and growing old to realize that you might no longer be needed -- at least not in the same capacity you were before.  Throw in Polly's love for baking, her friendship with the local fisherman, a love interest with a beekeeper, a pet  Puffin, and wa la! 

On the back of this novel (the paperback  U.S. version) there are reviews by other authors such as Jane Green and Meg Donohue that proclaim this novel to be "delicious" and "cozy."  I can ascertain that yes, it is.  

So dear For the Love of Dewey Readers, I leave you with a review of 4 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  Colgan also has a novel called The Bookshop on the Corner (about a librarian who quits her job to drive a book truck!)  I think I'll be putting that on my to-read list!

Until next time!
~Jessica