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archive: 2020

Enjoyable but a Little Flat and Forgettable | Review: Older by Pamela Redmond (Satran)

6:33 PM
 Given that Younger is one of my comfort shows (a show with Hilary Duff and Sutton Foster? C'mon!) and my obvious love of books (is that a spoiler?) when I heard that the source material had a sequel I had to get my hands on both books to do a bit of a binge read. While I really, really enjoyed Younger, Older was...

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archive: 2020

Mysterious, Thrilling and Completely Indulgent | Review: They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

5:33 PM
The good news is I'm still trash for mysterious and indulgent campus (boarding school, university) set stories. The better news? THIS MAY BE MY FAVOURITE OF THE VARIETY. At least, since S.T.A.G.S. and Truly Devious. (Also, before you ask, yes I'm excited for the adaptation and the inevitable newly drawn obsession.)  The good news is I'm still trash for mysterious and indulgent campus...

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archive: 2020

This Book Wasn't For Me and That's Okay | Review: Credence by Penelope Douglas

8:00 AM
After years of hearing nothing but great things about Penelope Douglas' brand of steamy romances, I finally icked up one. Picked. Well, actually, also ick. Credence was kind of like a mix of contemporary NA romances with V.C. Andrews and... it did not work. (For me.)  After years of hearing nothing but great things about Penelope Douglas' brand of steamy romances, I finally...

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archive: 2020

A Highly Engaging and Unique Story | Reviews: Ricochet by Kathryn Berla

8:00 AM
Ricochet was an unexpectedly thrilling read. And completely unique--it left me feeling jolted by its final pages. ...

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archive: 2020

Another Day, Another Amazing Read | Reviews: The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

7:30 AM
The Black Kids had me hooked immediately with its stunning cover and highly engaging synopsis. There was something about it that screamed 'READ ME' almost instantly and it's such a fantastic read. Trust me on this one, guys. The Black Kids is another must-read release of 2020. ...

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archive: 2020

The Arthurian Legend Gets the Upgrade It's Always Needed | Review: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

7:00 AM
We all know I love a good Arthurian Legend retelling--and Legendborn is one of the best since Once & Future. Get ready for Black Girl Magic and a well woven fantasy. Legendborn kept me on the edge of my seat and was the perfect retelling. We all know I love a good Arthurian Legend retelling--and Legendborn is one of the best since Once...

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archive: 2020

Raybearer is the Vibrant YA Fantasy of My Dreams | Review: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

7:00 AM
 When Once Upon a Book Club reached out to send me their YA box last month, I nearly exploded in excitement. (And, yes, it is totally worth it. Not to be all Influencer, but use my code for 10% off: JESSICAB10!) Raybearer just might be my favourite fantasy of the year.   When Once Upon a Book Club reached out to send me their...

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archive: 2020

A Haunting, Atmospheric Exploration of Grief and Guilt | Review: Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

7:30 AM
 Nina LaCour is one of those authors who writes such lyrical stories, she continues to outdo herself in the best ways possible. Naturally, Watch Over Me was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it definitely lived up to the hype! (Well, the hype I gave it.)   Nina LaCour is one of those authors who writes such lyrical stories, she...

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archive: 2020

The One Where an Inluencer With a History of Plagiarizing Writes a Few Books | Review: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

9:30 AM
Fans of Rachel Hollis, beware: I didn't like this one. Which is probably unsurprising, considering I'm not a huge fan of hers to begin with--but I still wanted to give her a shot after all the buzzy praise that has surrounded Girl, Wash Your Face since its release. Really, I did. (It just didn't work out.)  Fans of Rachel Hollis, beware: I didn't...

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archive: 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers with Fall Colors/Vibes (#101)

11:00 PM
I know what you're thinking: it's been so long since you've done an entry for Top Ten Tuesday! It's true. I've been taking a much needed hiatus and sticking to the surreal experience that has been my TikTok (ahem, BookTok) account. How I've got almost 36k followers on there is beyond me. Even further beyond me? The fact that my account was featured...

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archive: 2020

Heart-Warming, Thoughtful and Full of Life | Review: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

6:00 PM
Felix Ever After is the novel we all need in our lives. It's the young adult contemporary we've been waiting for! Needless to say, Kacen Callender did it AGAIN and delivered one of the best books of the year. Felix Ever After is must-read material and an instant classic. (Sorry in advanced if this post shows up weirdly formatted--no matter what I do,...

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archive: 2020

One of the Biggest Must-Read YA Contemporaries of 2020 | Reviews: You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

2:49 PM
Consider this your not-so-gentle-reminder to pick up You Should See Me in a Crown if you haven't already.  Consider this your not-so-gentle-reminder to pick up You Should See Me in a Crown if you haven't already.  ...

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archive: 2020

An Odd, but Enticing Mix of Mystery, Trauama and Romance | Review: Sugar Daddy by Sawyer Bennett

2:08 PM
Long time no speak! With all the changes Blogger has recently made to its interface (I hate how everything looks right now and it's made me want to not update this blog or switch to a different site), general anxiety over the global pandemic and keeping up with my TikTok/BookTok, I had to take a little unplanned hiatus from the blog. Everything was just...

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archive: 2020

True Story is Undeniably One of the Best Novels of the Year | Review: True Story by Kate Reed Petty

6:30 AM
This story tackles a lot of heavy subject matter, jumps between genres, and gets under your skin in a similar way to My Dark Vanessa. (Although, these stories aren't the same. It's just a similar feeling and exploration.) ...

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archive: 2020

Megan McCafferty is BACK to the World of YA | Review: The Mall by Megan McCafferty

6:30 AM
Let's step back to 1991! Which is now, cringe, considered historical fiction. If the 1990s are now in the historical fiction genre, does that mean I am a historical artifact? (I legitimately asked my friend this. Hello, Sammy.) ...

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archive: 2020

An Incredibly Breath-taking Start to a New Series--Get Ready for Your Next Obsession! | Review: Lobizona by Romina Garber

5:16 PM
How many times have I exclaimed, in the purest form of excitement, that even though this year is not a good one, we've been seeing some exceptional releases in literature? I say it at least six times a month, I think, but that doesn't make it any less true--Lobizona is proof of that. ...

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archive: 2020

Stephenie Meyer Takes Us Back to the Beginning of Twilight | Review: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

4:55 PM
Before we get started, please consider donating to Quileute Move to Higher Ground. Click the link to learn more. Thank you! Somewhere in time, super-young-Jessica has been slowly having a complete emotional fit of excitement over Midnight Sun. I mean, how long have we been waiting for this to be released in full? A LONG TIME. And Stephenie Meyer finally delivered. ...

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alexandria bellefleur

The Best Rom-Com of 2020 | Review: Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

3:56 PM
I was going to wait until a bit closer to its November, 2020, release date but I can't anymore. I have no self-control and this novel has had me grinning in memory of it for weeks. Written in the Stars is certifiably warm and fuzzy. ...

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archive: 2020

A Lovely WLW Romance About Finding Your Way Back to Your First Love | Review: The Secret of You and Me by Melissa Lenhardt

3:36 PM
Everyone say thank you 2020 for doing one thing right: some really great books. The Secret of You and Me? ONE OF MY FAVOURITE WLW BOOKS OF THE YEAR. ...

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!jessica talks

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Loved but Never Reviewed (#100)

11:00 PM
At first glance, I thought this week's prompt was going to be difficult for me to actually answer. Mostly because I feel like I often forget what books I review. I have a fairly good memory but that's one of my blind spots. So, I was basically bouncing around in confusion trying to think about what books I've reviewed and which I've not....

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!jessica talks

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Colors In the Titles (#99)

11:00 PM
It's time to get colourful! (If you sang this in your head to the tune of Let's Get Physical: good news! We share the same brain cells!) Ah, this week's prompt was a lot more difficult then I expected! But, I do love a good challenge. ...

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archive: 2020

Summertime Just Got Brighter | Review: Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu

6:00 AM
Looking for an under-hyped gem to round out your summertime reading list? Destination Wedding is here to save the day! ...

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archive: 2020

A Gripping, Poignant, Heart-Aching and Brilliant Debut | Review: This Is My America by Kim Johnson

6:00 AM
This Is My America is destined for beloved status. This is the young adult contemporary you need to be reaching for this year. Toss everything aside to boost it up on your TBR. It's time. But. How can I begin to describe its beauty? ...

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archive: 2020

Kevin Kwan Holds Tight to His Crown | Review: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

6:00 AM
Retellings. Give us all the glamorous and witty retellings, Kevin Kwan. IT'S WHAT WE DESERVE. (Also, yes, I am making grabby hands at my screen. No, I have no regrets.) Sex and Vanity was kind of everything, okay? ...

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archive: 2020

Erin Hahn's Writing is Like Music to My Ears | Review: More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn

6:00 AM
Erin Hahn proves once again that she's one of the best voices to come to modern young adult fiction. ...

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!jessica talks

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Make Me Smile (#98)

11:00 PM
Woo, woo! Still catching up with prompts. Fortunately for me, there was a freebie week this week! And nothing says, "Jessica has good timing for once!" quite like listing a few books that make me smile. ...

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a wicked magic

Wickedly Compelling and Atmospheric. Is It Autumn, Yet? | Review: A Wicked Magic by Sasha Laurens

6:30 AM
Obviously Sasha Laurens had me at the comparison to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The Craft. (And I'm over here wishing desperately for autumn to hurry up and arrive.) I'm not going to lie to you guys, there was a HUGE disappointed sigh from me knowing that I am not reading this during the autumn. ...

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archive: 2020

Mesmerizing and Completely Worth the Read | Review: The All-Night Sun by Diane Zinna

3:55 PM
Did I request The All-Night Sun solely because of its stunning cover art's aesthetic? Yes. But, boy, oh boy,  you guys: this book was fantastic and so much more than I expected. ...

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archive: 2020

Sharp, Timely and Highly Entertaining | Review: He Must Like You by Danielle Younge-Ullman

3:36 PM
Spoiler alert: He Must Like You is yet another book I wish I'd had when I was just starting, or the middle of, high school. AND IT'S SO GOOD. ...

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!book tags

the folklore book tag

3:12 PM
Remember last weekend when we knew peace and didn't have the faintest clue that Taylor Swift was about to drop a folksy inspired record full of some of her best, most atmospheric, story-telling lyrics? Nope, neither do I. The bottom line is folklore is basically the older sister record to Red that longtime fans have been waiting for. AND IT IS SO GOOD....

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archive: 2020

The Voting Booth is Basically the Perfect YA Contemporary | Review: The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

7:00 AM
Filed under: books I cannot stop thinking about. Or grinning over. Or attempting to shove down people's throats. (Er, okay, I wouldn't do that to a book. I AM, HOWEVER, BUYING COPIES TO PUT IN SOME LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES BECAUSE I HAVE NO CONTROL. All caps. ...

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archive: 2020

The Secret Women is the Ultimate Beach Read (and I NEED to Dive into Sheila Williams' backlist) | The Secret Women by Sheila Williams

6:30 AM
Sheila Williams should have been on my radar sooner. But, better late than never, right? The Secret Women was everything I didn't know I wanted from the year in fiction. ...

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!jessica talks

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By (#97)

11:00 PM
Ah, I've been having a bit of a case of writers block AND laptop issues these last few weeks. It's good to be back. (Although, my laptop is still frustrating me.) You know what that means. Time to play catch up with Top Ten Tuesday prompts! I decided to take on a prompt from a couple of weeks ago instead of discussing book...

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archive: 2020

Renée Ahdieh is Now the Queen of Vampire YA | Review: The Damned by Renée Ahdieh

7:00 AM
Last year if you told me that, exactly one year later, I'd be frothing at the mouth for vampire fiction during a global pandemic I would have asked you who your dealer was. This year, I'd say, "READ THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE DAMNED. Both are by Renée Ahdieh and you are missing out." Word for word. ...

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archive: 2020

Short, but Fiery: Sierra Simone is the Queen of Smut | Review: The Awakening of Ivy Leavold by Sierra Simone

4:44 PM
Am I still avoiding reading the third installment of Thornchapel? Yes. Was I having withdrawals of the Sierra Simone variety? Also yes. So, on a whim, I decided to start the Markham Hall trilogy. And. Um. Hoo, boy. ...

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archive: 2020

Beautifully Written and Thoroughly Engaging | Review: Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee

4:18 PM
Page Street Kids continues to slay with their highly engaging, diverse YA novels and I'm forever in awe. Forest of Souls is the latest atmospheric release from their lineup--and you definitely need to be keeping an eye out for Lori M. Lee. ...

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archive: 2020

Cinderella is Dead, but I'M FEELING VERY ALIVE RIGHT NOW | Review: Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

3:54 PM
Young Adult Fantasy in 2020 continues to be the only saving grace of an otherwise shit-tastic year. I stand by that and am listing Cinderella is Dead as a leading example. (ALSO!! That cover!!!) ...

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archive: 2020

Addictive, Explosive and Entering New Territory | Review: Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

3:15 PM
If your question is, "Does Jessica still hate Bill?" The answer is a resounding YES. (Seriously. Thank you, Charlaine, for Club Dead and its lack of Bill.) ...

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archive: 2020

Houe of Night Other World Continues to Impress... I'm Sad it's Over! | Review: Found by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

2:54 PM
The explosive conclusion to House of Night Other World is finally here. AND I'M SO SAD ABOUT IT? In an excited, feeling revitalized, way? It's time to get Found. ...

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archive: 2020

Not Nearly as Fun as its Predecessor or Adaptation (But Still Fun!) | Review: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

6:00 AM
Season two of True Blood is, honestly, my favourite season of the show and maybe even my favourite season of any series ever. Although this is where the series starts to deviate pretty evenly from its source material, I had high hopes for Living Dead in Dallas. ...

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archive: 2020

Mixed Feelings, Galore! | Review: The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

5:30 AM
Although I adore Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses and Crescent City series, we all know my feelings for the Throne of Glass series are mixed at best. I definitely delayed diving into the novellas in The Assassin's Blade. ...

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archive: 2020

After Years of Saying I Would, I Finally Began the Sookie Stackhouse Novels and Regret Nothing | Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

4:30 AM
Already familiar with Charlaine Harris' characters, via its television adaptation True Blood, and fed up with 2020's general tone, I decided now was as good a time as any to begin this series. And, spoiler alert? It's just as fun and trashy as the show. I'm going to be real with you guys, though! It was almost overwhelming figuring out what series title...

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archive: 2020

While I Love Marissa Meyer, Renegades Wasn't My Cup of Tea | Review: Renegades by Marissa Meyer

7:00 AM
There was a substantial amount of hype surrounding Marissa Meyer's Renegades series. Alas, it was not my favourite. (Although, I can see why so many people might love it.) ...

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archive: 2020

Chosen Ones Solidifies My Theory That Veronica Roth's Books Don't Do It For Me Anymore | Review: Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

5:30 AM
After rereading the Divergent trilogy and lowering my rating considerably, and the miss that was Roth's Carve the Mark, I've come to the conclusion that I just don't connect with her writing. (But, because of her connection to Chicago and my youthful nostalgia for Divergent I always want to.) ...

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!jessica talks

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020 (#96)

11:00 PM
So many books, so little time. It's wild to me that 2020 is halfway over. (But also, it's wild to me that 2020 has felt like at least six years crammed into one.) ...

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archive: 2020

Sarah Rees Brennan is the Best Thing to Happen to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina | Review: Path of Night by Sarah Rees Brennan

6:47 PM
In an absolutely unsurprising move I'm ecstatic to inform you guys that I am still 100% Sarah Rees Brennan and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina trash. ...

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archive: 2020

Every Bit as Breathtaking as The Storm Crow | Blog Tour, Review + Playlist: The Crow Rider by Kalyn Josephson

6:30 AM
Non-spoiler spoiler alert: The Crow Rider is brilliant. Just as brilliant as The Storm Crow. No, no, I take that back. It's even better. UGH. I'm in love. ...

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archive: 2020

Breathtaking, Action Packed and Completely Electric | Blog Tour, Review + Playlist: Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena

6:30 AM
We all know how much I adored Tanaz Bhathena's debut novel A Girl Like That. So, it should come as no shock to anyone that I was absolutely excited for her first dive into fantasy. Boy, oh boy, did Hunted by the Sky live up to every hope I had. ...

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!jessica talks

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

7:00 AM
After reading Ren's post re: this tag, I decided I'd join in on the fun! (Note: the original tag was created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books; it has since gone through several variations!) I always find myself wanting to go all out for the mid-year book freak out tag, but I kind of always forget to actually do it. And then suddenly...

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archive: 2020

Addictive, Swoon-Worthy and Undeniable Proof That Talia Hibbert is the Best Voice in Romance | Review: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

10:00 PM
Recently, I had the pleasure of binge-reading The Brown Sisters, and oh my God, it was perfect. And one thing is official: The Brown Sisters series is taking its place on my shelf with my favourite series, Krista and Becca Ritchie's Addicted/Calloway Sisters/Like Us/Bad Reputation. I. AM. IN. LOVE. ...

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