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archive: 2016

3:28 PM
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling | Rating: ★★★★★  "My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice." A lot of people are going to blow the lid off on this one for various reasons. I'm not going to argue with you on that--there are many reasons to be put-off by this one. There's no use denying it. That's...

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archive: 2016

2:55 PM
Dark Parties by Sara Grant | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ I can't change what happened. If I'm honest, I don't want to. I won't regret it. I'll keep those memories trapped in a bubble away from labels of good and bad and right and wrong.  I've been trying to put together my thoughts on the good, the bad and the in betweens in Sara Grant's...

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archive: 2016

1:05 PM
Girl Online by Zoe Sugg, Siobhan Curham | Rating: ★★★☆☆ “Sometimes you have to face up to your fears to realize that they aren’t actually real.”  As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. I've been a fan of...

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erotica

12:43 PM
Priest by Sierra Simone | Rating: ★★★☆☆ "...it was rewriting my mind and my soul, my future and my life..."  If you’re not easily offended, or overly religious, and you love some seriously steamy sexy times and if you are just looking for an easy read to pass the time, Priest is for you. I'm pretty positive it's going to be one of...

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!jessica talks

Instagram Roundup: November 2016

2:12 PM
Just like that, November has come and gone! What a month, though, what a month. I'll let my pictures tell the story--because really, what else can you do when you're rounding up your Instagram posts for the month? For those of you who don't already follow me on Instagram, I mostly post bookish stuff, and plants if I'm feeling ambitious, you can find...

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archive: 2016

1:54 PM
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, Sarah Rees Brennon and Robin Wasserman | Rating: ★★★★★  As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. There's no shortage of companion novels these days amongst the young adult...

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archive: 2016

5:50 PM
The Amateurs by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★☆ Raise your hand if you're utterly addicted to anything that Sara Shepard writes! ME! That's me. I'm a self-proclaimed uber fan of Sara Shepard's work and probably always will be. She is one of the few authors that I've carried over from my teenage years (has it REALLY been ten years since PLL was first...

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archive: 2016

5:33 PM
Kiss Cam by Kiara London | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5) Kiara London's Kiss Cam is another case of the "I wanted to like this novel, but couldn't get fully into it" blues. You know the type: an interesting premise, a promise of fluffy fun and a whole lot of romantic goodness. In terms of a contemporary novel, it wasn't at all bad. Sadly, it...

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after series

3:36 PM
Nothing More by Anna Todd | Rating: ★★★☆☆ Let's just be upfront about it, shall we? I'm becoming more and more of a sucker for trashy romance novels. It's not that I love them, it's more or less that they are simply a good escape from life. Anna Todd has, in just under a few years, become something of a fan favourite due...

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a doubter's almanac

3:12 PM
A Doubter's Almanac by Ethan Canin | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5) "Are there not a thousand forms of sorrow? Is the sorrow of death the same as the sorrow of knowing the pain in a child's future? What about the melancholy of music? Is it the same as the melancholy of a summer dusk? Is the loss I was feeling for my father the...

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a mad wicked folly

2:58 PM
A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5) A strange thing, words. Once they're said, it's hard to imagine they're untrue. I wasn't sure what to expect when picking up A Mad, Wicked Folly. Like, at all. Speaking from experience it often feels overdone when it comes down to historical fiction in that era. And, I'll admit it, I...

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archive: 2016

2:39 PM
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee | Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ It's safe to say that most of are familiar with Lee's classic To Kill a Mockingbird--for years, it's been one of the most challenged books and is a frequent in high school curriculum. If you've never read it yourself, you almost absolutely know it from a distance and have formed your judgment on...

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alice hoffman

12:50 PM
Faithful by Alice Hoffman | Rating: ★★★★☆ As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. In true Alice Hoffman fashion, Faithful is one of the most buzzed about releases this year. If you're as big of a fan as...

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12:19 PM
The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace | Rating: ★★★★★ The Princess Saves Herself in this One is a triumph in modern poetry and I'm not just saying this because I've followed Amanda for years on her Tumblr and admired her blog from afar. I'm saying this because it's the first thought that comes to mind when reading this. If...

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archive: 2016

1:45 PM
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur | Rating: ★★★★★ As a note, Social Book CO provided a copy of this novel for review purposes. This does not effect my opinions in any way.  Where to begin, where to begin, where to begin? Oh, bother. I feel like I have to stress that Amanda's thoughts on this novel is the exact feeling I possessed...

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archive: 2000s

1:22 PM
Invitation Only by Kate Brian | Rating: ★★★★☆ Sequels can often be a bore but in the case of the second novel in the best-selling Private series by Kate Brian, it's even better than our introduction to Easton. Invitation Only picks up immediately where Private ended and toys with us as we grow more and more captivated to the now-luxurious everyday life of...

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archive: 2016

12:47 PM
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins | Rating: ★★★★★ But then I think, this happens sometimes, doesn’t it? People you have a history with, they won’t let you go, and as hard as you might try, you can’t disentangle yourself, can’t set yourself free. Maybe after a while you just stop trying. Let's start with one simple fact: this is one...

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archive: 2016

12:17 PM
Grave Surprise (Graphic Novel) by Charlaine Harris & Royal McGraw | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5) As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. It's no secret Charlaine Harris has been one of my favourite novelists for years. After the captivating...

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archive: 2006

11:55 AM
Private by Kate Brian | Rating: ★★★★☆ Here were buildings of brick and stone, topped by shingled roofs and spires, tradition and pride oozing from every dated cornerstone. Here were ancient, weathered, arched doorways, thick wooden doors on iron hinges, cobblestone walks lined by neat beds of flowers. Here were pristine playing fields of bright green grass and gleaming white lines. Everything I...

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archive: 2016

11:31 AM
The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford | Rating: ★★★★☆  As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. The relationship between reader and novels set in historical time periods can be a tricky one to navigate....

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!jessica talks

Instagram Roundup: October 2016

1:27 PM
That awkward moment when you blink and the month is literally over. October was a busy one for me! Aside from general autumn hijinks (i.e. Halloween) I was quite active over on Instagram. Here are my favourite posts I uploaded in October 2016. If you don't already follow me on Instagram, you can click here to view my page. *I'm only including the...

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a shadow bright and burning

3:14 PM
A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess | Rating: ★★★★☆ As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.   First things first: I have to admit, I had both doubts and intrigue when it came to this novel. Mostly doubts....

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archive: 2016

2:53 PM
Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehric | Rating: ★★★★☆ As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. Readers who appreciate a good old fashioned mystery/thriller will flock to one of the latest YA offerings in the genre above. Last...

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archive: 2016

12:18 PM
Marrow: A Love Story by Elizabeth Lesser | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.5) As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.   When I was growing up, my Grandmother used to tell me I had to give a book a real chance and...

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allison van diepen

11:39 AM
Run the Risk by Allison van Diepen | Rating: ★★★☆☆ As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. First things first: I'm relatively unfamiliar with Allison van Diepen's work and I had to get acquainted to her previous releases...

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!ad

12:39 PM
Lucy & Andy Neanderthal by Jeffrey Brown | Rating: ★★★☆☆   As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.   As someone who is looking further into graphic novels and children's books for my best friends young daughter, it goes without...

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archive: 2016

12:21 PM
Four by Veronica Roth | Rating: ★★★★★ “Dead people can be our heroes because they cant disappoint us later; they only improve over time, as we forget more and more about them.”  What's the first word that comes to mind when I think of Four? Four as in both this collection and the character? Swoon. Swoon, I think about swooning. Actually, come to...

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archive: 2016

6:32 PM
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi | Rating: ★★★☆☆ “And we are quotation marks, inverted and upside down, clinging to one another at the end of this life sentence. Trapped by lives we did not choose.” My first thought on the action-packed finale of the Shatter Me series isn't all that full of praise. Whereas the two which came before it were magical, steamy...

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archive: 2016

1:21 PM
The Girls by Emma Cline | Rating: ★★★★★ That was our mistake, I think. One of many mistakes. To believe that boys were acting with a logic that we could someday understand. To believe that their actions had any meaning beyond thoughtless impulse. We were like conspiracy theorists, seeing portent and intention in every detail, wishing desperately that we mattered enough to be the...

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archive: 2016

12:48 PM
Losing Gabriel by Lurlene McDaniel | Rating: ★★★☆☆ It is no secret that I have been a fan of Lurlene McDaniel's work for over a decade. I am proud to say that I've read nearly all of her printed works from her career, which has spanned for multiple decades,  and to say I was excited for Losing Gabriel would be an injustice to the...

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alloy

1:25 PM
The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee | Rating: ★★★★★ As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. There's something sparkly and new yet oddly undeniably familiar about The Thousandth Floor. Think of it as Gossip Girl set in the...

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addicted series

12:52 PM
Hothouse Flower by Krista & Becca Ritchie | Rating: ★★★★★ “You’re a hothouse flower,” I tell her. “You can’t grow under natural conditions. You need adventure. And security and love in order to stay alive.” Is anyone completely addicted to Addicted and The Calloway Sisters? It's relatively new territory to me because I find it so difficult to get attached to most new...

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alloy

2:24 PM
Homecoming (The 100 #3) by Kass Morgan | Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5) Endings and beginnings are inseparable, like the moment before dawn and the moment after. I waited so long to get my hands on this bad boy and now that I have it, and have read it, I can't decide what I'm feeling. On one hand, I am glad to see how the...

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book reviews

1:49 PM
What the Dead Want by Norah Olson | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.5-ish) As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.   With a premise as unique and chilling as What the Dead Want, it's easy to see why I was so excited...

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!jessica talks

Wattpad Wednesday: Twelve Stories to Check Out

1:24 PM
PrevNext
Like all online writing communities, there are many hits and misses amongst the self-published fiction. People of all ages come together to read, write and review in the little corner of the internet titled Wattpad. From fanfiction to plain old fashioned fiction to the guiltiest of pleasures, Wattpad has something for everyone. If you're looking for something to fill in the gaps between...

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!jessica talks

Shopping Haul #1: Hobby Lobby

1:07 PM
 You know that feeling you get when you discover some place new?  Or, in my case, when you rediscover something? All kinds of fuzzy buzzy and fluffy-ness? Okay, so I'm totally making up that phrase but it's all I can do to explain how lovely I feel right now. At this very moment. Warm and fuzzy seems adequate. It's just a wonder what...

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!jessica talks

Monday Mailbox: What the Dead Want by Norah Olson

10:43 AM
You know that part where I said I was only going to post my book mail and the things I purchase on Sunday? I lied. I lied big time. As a brief "I'm too excited to wait until Sunday for my Stacking the Shelves entry!" post, to hold you guys over until then, and by "you guys" I clearly mean myself, I present...

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!jessica talks

Twelve Books to Read This Autumn

1:17 PM
I can barely believe August is already here and that my favorite season is just around the corner. Autumn, as a lot of you know, is my favorite time of the year. As summer begins to fade into fall, and we ditch the unbearable heat, I often find myself with the desire to lounge around coffee shops with a hot drink, a warm...

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archie comics

Comic Corner Roundup: Right on, Riverdale!

3:56 PM
Everyone knows Archie. Or, at least, everyone has heard of Archie Comics and the nostalgia inducing world of Riverdale. Lifelong fans, such as myself, are positively in heaven right now as publication of several new issues (and series) have been on their way as well as the upcoming CW adaptation Riverdale, which includes some of our favorite kids from the cheery town of...

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archive: 2016

2:21 PM
The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach | Rating: ★★★★★ Holy shit. Holy. Shit. You. Guys. Where do I begin to describe this gem? Breathtaking? Smart? Moving? Dark? As compelling as it is exquisite? A modern literature masterpiece? A total god damned triumph? Shall I continue, or do you lot get the idea? I may be a bit over the top...

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archive: 2016

1:59 PM
Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad | Rating: ★★★☆☆ If you're looking for a dishy, quick and non serious read for your bedside table, then you should look no further. Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy trilogy is fun, dramatic and indulgent. Over the course of two previous books, we've witnessed a great deal of drama catered to young adults with a love for reality...

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archive: 2016

1:33 PM
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne | Rating: ★★★★★ Like most fans, I had marked down my calendar for July 31st, 2016. Although I had known ahead of time that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child wasn’t a book, instead it was a script, and that a great deal of the story itself wasn’t penned...

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book review

4:27 PM
Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ *To clarify, this is a rewrite of an old review, as my thoughts of the novel have changed through the years.   Ages and ages and ages ago, I loved this book. It is still something I appreciate, on some level, even if my feelings have changed in the years. I certainly loved...

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a.j. low

4:00 PM
Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning by A.J. Low | Rating: ★★★★☆ As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.    There's something delightful about Sherlock Sam and his detective work. Bringing a new generation into the...

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archive: 2016

2:31 PM
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi | Rating: ★★★★★ "Sticks and stones keep breaking my bones but these words, these words will kill me." Tahereh Mafi’s prose is magic. Oh, I could say so much more to start off my damn review but that is the first thing that comes to mind whilst looking back on how it felt to read Unravel Me. Shatter...

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addicted series

2:09 PM
Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie | Rating: ★★★★★ People hope to touch the sky. I dream of kissing it.  The Calloway sisters are back! Rose, Daisy and Lily have had their fair share of ups and downs since we were introduced to them a few books back. Up until this point we have been primarily witnessing these moments through the...

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book to screen

Weekly Television Roundup | July 18th-22nd

2:40 PM
Oh, yes. It's time to discuss some of my favorite shows currently on air--and let out all the love... or hate towards each program. Summer time means most shows are on a hiatus, with the exception of Pretty Little Liars and Aquarius. I'm perfectly fine with this, given my state of mind in good weather--I seem to be lazy and scatter brained when...

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a.j. low

3:23 PM
Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong by A.J. Low | Rating: ★★★★☆ As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.   Now that one of my best friends' daughter is at an age where she is beginning to...

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!jessica talks

Announcement | Booked J, a Lifestyle Blog?

3:04 PM
 T H E  E N D  O F  A N  E R A? I'm trying something incredibly new for this blog. In an effort to save time for my life outside of the internet, I've decided to mash-up my other blogs with this one. Why? Because I have so much more to say about more than just literature but not enough time to...

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