We’re back with another round of Coffee Talk Tuesday!   I’ve always said that when I die, bury me in a bookstore. With a coffee shop built in.  My parents planted the seed that would soon grow into my love, my passion, for reading very young.  Mom’s heart flutters for history biographies while dad is more of a sports book kind of guy.  I’m somewhere in between.

I’ll read anything from romance to biographies, but mystery thriller is by far my favorite genre.   But we’re not talking creepy thriller. I would rather read Dan Brown and Ted Dekker than Stephen King.  Sorry, Steve.

A bookstore is my happy place.  As soon as I step through the doors of a Barnes and Noble, I feel at home.  I slowly move from aisle to aisle, carefully choosing my next written world to enter.  Then, after I’ve meticulously combed over every shelf of interest, I settle in at the cafe with a large cup of my favorite coffee.

Colton already knows this, but my favorite date with him doesn’t involve fancy dinners that we’ve dropped a couple hundred on (oops).  It happened after our actual date had ended.  I needed to use the restroom so we walked into a Barnes and Noble and ended up browsing through the books.  The aroma of coffee finally convinced me that I needed a cup before the hour-long drive back home and  Colton’s ever-empty stomach decided he wanted a chocolate chip cookie.  So we sat down in the cafe at 9:30 pm for dessert and one of the best conversations we’ve had.  Pure, perfect heaven.

My personal library is ever growing and ever changing.  I’m constantly selling and donating old books in order to make room for my new favorites.  As I’m planning a trip to Dallas and the famous Half-Price Books in a couple of months, I decided to organize and clean up my ridiculously large inventory.  In the process, I found a few of my absolute favorites, both new and old.

If you’re looking for a controversial thriller with a deeper meaning….
Look no further than Immanuel’s Veins by Ted Dekker.

Ted Dekker is by far one of my favorite modern writers.  He manages to churn out the most complicated, perfectly impossible plots in record time.  Immanuel’s Veins is labeled Christian fiction, but don’t expect it to read anything like the Bible (it’s actually been banned in The Netherlands).  Do your own research, read it, and tell me your life hasn’t been changed.  I dare you.

If you’re looking for a romance novel with a sassy heroine….
Much Ado in the Moonlight by Lynn Kurland is for you.

Much Ado in the Moonlight was my entry into the world of adult romance.  Up until that point, my romantic novel experience had included Twilight and Pride and Prejudice.  Hate the former, love the latter.  My mom lent me the book after she had finished reading it and quite a few years later, I have yet to give it back.  It has everything you could possibly want in a star-crossed romance: Shakespeare, a diva villain, time travel, sarcastic humor, a sexy Scottish laird, and a fiery heroine.

If you’re looking for a fashion book that will help you build the perfect wardrobe….
The Cool Factor: A Guide to Achieving Effortless Style, with Secrets from the Women Who Have It by Andrea Linett is your new best friend.

All fashionistas are striving to achieve that seemingly effortless style that says, “Oh, this old thing?  I just threw it on and walked out the door.”  The Cool Factor breaks down your wardrobe to help you find your tailored look.

If you’re looking for a mystery with excellent writing….
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith is the stuff of legends.

Now, you may have heard of Robert Galbraith already.  Why is that?  Because Robert Galbraith is simply a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling.  In her second adult novel after the (sort of) conclusion to Harry Potter, J.K. dives into a captivating murder mystery in the world of high fashion modeling.  It’s the first in the Cormoran Strike Series of detective novels and I’m in absolute love with them.  If you miss the beautiful writing from Harry Potter minus the magic, you won’t be able to put this one down.  Once you’re finished, pick up the second and third novels in the series, The Silkworm and Career of Evil.