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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
The main character, Maya, has a really cute voice. And you adore her in spite of herself.
I was a little disappointed with the ending but it was still good...
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
I'm torn about this story. I knew it was Christian fiction & that's fine. I'm Catholic & have no problems with a story where the characters have a strong Christian faith it's clearly expressed. However, many of the Christian references were awkward & unnatural.
Examples: "Oh Maya, he's so cute & a Christian and my age." Seriously?! Is that something a person, especially a 20+ year old finds out about an individual as soon as they ask them out? (In most cases, highly unlikely). The character, Travis is explaining how he met his friend at church. Ok, but for a guy who's athletic, why not having met him at the gym/health club, or perhaps he's a co-worker, etc. why church? It seems odd. Of course, let's not forget that a Bible study group takes place at the coffee shop. It's during these situations that I think the author was trying too hard to get across it was Christian fiction. While the Bible verse quotations seem to flow with the story, the various other overt Christian references detracted from it; & in many ways slowed the read.
I did enjoy Maya's voice. Her conversations with her dog felt normal & fit her often quirky, simple, slightly neurotic personality. I laughed out loud a few times at how she perceived her predicaments & the comments that would come out of her mouth or just pop in her head. I did like the coffee shop atmosphere.
There were enjoyable characters & even though the ending was standard "Hallmark movie" obvious, I enjoyed the story at times. Many will find this a feel-good, chick lit book & thus will enjoy it immensely. If I could keep from getting a headache from the falling Christian anvils I might consider reading more of this series; but I don't think that will happen.
Examples: "Oh Maya, he's so cute & a Christian and my age." Seriously?! Is that something a person, especially a 20+ year old finds out about an individual as soon as they ask them out? (In most cases, highly unlikely). The character, Travis is explaining how he met his friend at church. Ok, but for a guy who's athletic, why not having met him at the gym/health club, or perhaps he's a co-worker, etc. why church? It seems odd. Of course, let's not forget that a Bible study group takes place at the coffee shop. It's during these situations that I think the author was trying too hard to get across it was Christian fiction. While the Bible verse quotations seem to flow with the story, the various other overt Christian references detracted from it; & in many ways slowed the read.
I did enjoy Maya's voice. Her conversations with her dog felt normal & fit her often quirky, simple, slightly neurotic personality. I laughed out loud a few times at how she perceived her predicaments & the comments that would come out of her mouth or just pop in her head. I did like the coffee shop atmosphere.
There were enjoyable characters & even though the ending was standard "Hallmark movie" obvious, I enjoyed the story at times. Many will find this a feel-good, chick lit book & thus will enjoy it immensely. If I could keep from getting a headache from the falling Christian anvils I might consider reading more of this series; but I don't think that will happen.
Erynn Mangum became one of my favorite Christian authors with her Lauren Holbrook series and when I found out she had another series I could not wait to read it!
Cool Beans follows Maya Davis from day to day and we watch her go to work, home, workout, visit her parents, and more. But wait! It may sound boring and "blah", it's really not though. Erynn Mangum has such a funny and light-hearted tone in her writing and it makes this book so incredibly enjoyable. While it isn't a fast-paced "what's going to happen next" kind of book, it is one of those easy going books that makes you happy.
One of the main reasons I love Erynn's books are because of her smart and witty protagonists. Maya is so funny and independent and God-loving, all are qualities that I personally love in my main characters. Her day-to-day story may not sound interesting, but it is. I laughed a lot and worried a lot and that was in just the first half of the book! Maya is not the only lovable character though, every character in this book has Erynn's touch and they all became like family to me.
Because this is a Christian book there is a large element of Christianity in Maya's life. It defines who she is and I love the way it was incorporated. Erynn showed us that not everyone is perfect and made Maya and her relationship with God incredibly relate-able. I found myself taking a step back and setting my priorities straight again. Erynn is not preachy or very "do this or else". The way she weaves her Faith into this story is light, but very powerful.
Overall Erynn Mangum knows how to write a good story and this was no exception. I can't wait to read the rest of this series to see where Maya ends up.
Cool Beans follows Maya Davis from day to day and we watch her go to work, home, workout, visit her parents, and more. But wait! It may sound boring and "blah", it's really not though. Erynn Mangum has such a funny and light-hearted tone in her writing and it makes this book so incredibly enjoyable. While it isn't a fast-paced "what's going to happen next" kind of book, it is one of those easy going books that makes you happy.
One of the main reasons I love Erynn's books are because of her smart and witty protagonists. Maya is so funny and independent and God-loving, all are qualities that I personally love in my main characters. Her day-to-day story may not sound interesting, but it is. I laughed a lot and worried a lot and that was in just the first half of the book! Maya is not the only lovable character though, every character in this book has Erynn's touch and they all became like family to me.
Because this is a Christian book there is a large element of Christianity in Maya's life. It defines who she is and I love the way it was incorporated. Erynn showed us that not everyone is perfect and made Maya and her relationship with God incredibly relate-able. I found myself taking a step back and setting my priorities straight again. Erynn is not preachy or very "do this or else". The way she weaves her Faith into this story is light, but very powerful.
Overall Erynn Mangum knows how to write a good story and this was no exception. I can't wait to read the rest of this series to see where Maya ends up.
Very cute story. Not my typical genre, but the Christian aspect wasn't overbearing.
This was an adorable read. Maya was a fun protagonist and I quite enjoyed being inside of her head. Although I practically got diabetes reading about her pure sugar diet... hahaa.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes