November 2016 - Booked J | in the Land of Stories

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Welcome, Welcome

BOOKED J was created by a group of friends who wanted nothing more than to discuss literature with the world. In the time since, Booked J has gone through a number of changes in name and content.

Presently run by Jessica, a freelance writer, singer, Goodreads Librarian and avid reader, Booked J is--somehow--still going strong. With several years of book blogging under her belt, and a desire to work with the literary community in making it more diverse, she is always open to collaborations.

You can always find Jessica obnoxiously singing show-tunes into her morning coffee. When not reading or researching true crime, she is likely running around outside with her dogs and generally making a fool of herself.

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