Or! Also known as: nine books that Jessica has been obsessing over since finishing. (OH MY GOD, 2020, YOU'RE LEAVING ME WINDED ALREADY AND IT'S ONLY MARCH. HOW?!)

March has shown no sign of slowing down, in terms of quality reads. Honestly, I'm thrilled about it. It's caused me to dub 2020 as the year I'm hopelessly devoted (cue Grease) to YA once more. Part of me is feeling overwhelmed by all the goodies that have been thrown our way in terms of reading material, while the other part of me is convinced that the publishing industry has somehow channeled a rejected Black Mirror plotline and hacked my brain.

New conspiracy theory? Sign that I need more sleep and less The X-Files? Not sure. I'll get back to you on that one...

Regardless and for real, though! This year is on fire. (Which is fantastic, considering how the world is, at present, a total shit-show.) It's almost like they've found all my weaknesses re: what makes me want to read something. Sometimes, after reading a synopsis, I'm like, oh, okay, we've clearly found my weak spot, mhm, might as well take my wallet.

• EXCELLENT WORLD BUILDING. Given how tense and dangerous our world has grown, not to mention the current illness sweeping the world, I'm itching for an escape. Give me all the world-building that makes escapism possible. I want to feel the world coursing through my veins. I want to forget our world, for a small time. 
• Writing with a pulse. We love a story teller with a standout voice. Good writing is like good music production for me. If it has a pulse of its own, it gets my pulse fired up. 
• CHARACTERS THAT ARE BEAUTIFULLY DEVELOPED, DIVERSE IN ALL WAYS AND WHO GET UNDER MY SKIN. Give me sexual and racial diversity. Yes, please. Show me characters that are real and reflect the world we live in, even if it's not set in said world. I don't care if they're the chosen one, the villain, or obsessed with vintage watering cans: if they're written well, I'm hooked. 
• Snarky dialogue. GIVE IT TO ME NOW. DON'T CARE HOW, I WANT IT NOW. 
• Concepts that stick with me all day and literally burrow themselves into my thoughts. 
• Magic. It's no secret I love fantasy and the many forms of magic found in them. Still, magic could be more than just power--it could be as simple as the character's voice feeling like magic.