IT'S OFFICIAL, FOLKS! We have only 7 days until Kathy Coopmans latest, The Right Direction, is released. In honor of that, please allow me to squeal about it--the final countdown is here for the official release. I REPEAT: SEVEN MORE DAYS.

Are you ready? To learn more about the novel, follow the cut.

And just like that, November is nearly gone...

The last few weeks, I have been feeling rather bittersweet about where the time has gone. It's merely a symptom of being me--I often think of how quickly life passes us by. Soon enough, the year will be over. In between sessions of re-watching The Tudors and Victoria, and seeing friends, and preparing for the holidays, I have been trying to knock a few dozen more books off my TBR pile from this year.

Which is great! Because this week's topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted, as always, by The Broke and the Bookish--read about it here) is all about the TBR pile! In addition to the TBR stack, I tend to reread various favourites during the winter months--Wuthering Heights, Harry Potter, The Infernal Devices, The Hunger Games, Addicted/Calloway Sisters, etc.

Winter is the time of the year where many of us stay indoors for a good chunk of time. I seem to get some of my best reading done when the weather outside is... well, frightful. I have many books that I would like to read before the winter is over, so I narrowed it down to the books I want to finish by the end of the year--the first big chunk of winter.

Let's do this!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo | Rating: ★★★★★

We are all someone's monster.

First, you should know that I am severely hungover from this book and its final pages and I need to get my hands on the second one immediately. A-ha! Just kidding, I have it right next to me and I am going to dive into it literally the second after I finish my review for Six of Crows. So. What to say, what to say, what to say? Where to begin? Besides, "No mourners..." Let me just take a moment to praise Leigh Bardugo's ever evolving Grisha Verse. I could go on and on about how luscious and darkly intriguing Bardugo's world is but the fact of the matter is that no words can do it, or the author, justice.

There's so much depth in the way that Bardugo has gone on to develop the world we met originally in Shadow and Bone. Although Six of Crows is set in the very same world, and readers will be happy to spot various references to favourite characters of the past, it is undeniably a story of its own. Everything about Six of Crows was frantic heartbeats and tense curiosity. Think: the thrilling fantasy of Grisha Verse, the original trilogy's magical twists of smoke, all of that world building and romance and intrigue, mixed with a cast of new characters who are fleshed out beautifully. Add in a sprinkle of a high-stakes heist that all but spells disaster from the very beginning and you have the formula for one of the best YA fantasy novels, ever.

Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy by Various Authors, Edited by Ameriie | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

Firstly, I have to say how exhausting it was to see some responses to the prompts in this collection being provided by the very admirable and very hard working Booktube community. I can see a lot of unfavorable comments to them, which is entirely unwarranted, and I just have to say: everyone who has been spending their time since Because You Love to Hate Me was announced, all the way to its recent publication, just slamming the mere presence of Booktubers in the collection, I am ashamed of you. There's no reason to be so tacky and mean spirited. Unless you are striving to have a book written about your rudeness. Perhaps the next topic should be about judgmental internet trolls--now that's an anthology I'd get behind just as easily. Can some-one make that happen? Pretty please?

As for the collection itself, I really enjoyed most of the stories from Because You Love to Hate Me. In all its delectable, villainy glory--from the wide range of unforgettable talent and the contributions brought forward by some of the most prominent book vloggers of the last decade, there was a little something for everyone. Certainly, there were some flaws--a few duds in terms of short stories--but for the most part, I had a little difficulty in putting the book down for even lunch. The way the stories each flowed and tangled themselves in your mind caused a massive (!!!!!) addiction on my part and I had a blast just reading it!

On the seventh (!!!!!!!!!!!!) week of Shadowhunters celebration and madness, Cassandra Clare gave to me: Seven (hundred?) fictional characters to obsess over, six books to CRY ON, five seconds of sanity (!), four... yeah, I actually can't finish this.

I was like, "Hey. Let's try and be witty today, Jessica, shall we?" but turns out I suck at this. Now, I can feel your judgment through the laptop. It's okay, though. We made it through this together and now you guys have something to blackmail me with. It's all in good fun. Real talk, though, can you believe it's week seven in Ten Years of City of Bones? I can't.

Lovers Like Us by Krista & Becca Ritchie | Rating: ★★★★★

"His satisfied smile stretches from cheek-to-cheek. Somewhere in some alternate universe, I'm a philosopher writing dissertations on that fucking smile. And its sheer effect on me." 

I'm not crying, you're crying. There's nothing like a good book to really kick you in the gut and then proceed to snuggle you afterward. Lovers Like Us is another display at how brilliant Krista and Becca Ritchie are when it comes to crafting a series of characters so real, they may as well be your best friends. It's the same feeling we got while reading Addicted and Calloway Sisters. Nothing can beat that emotion.

Picking up quite quickly after the strained events of the first installment, Damaged Like Us, we pick right back up on the romance between Maximoff Hale and Farrow Keene. As always, their chemistry is sizzling; their banter high paced and fun, their love for one another strong as love can be. If you haven't found yourself shipping these two yet, you will soon. This is their story--and it's beautiful, full of trust and flat out steamy. You can literally feel the pull as you read their interactions and I adore it. As always, the romance is out of this world.

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins | Rating: ★★★★☆

The very first thing (the most important thing, really) you should know about There's Someone Inside Your House is that its entire storyline is a mix of genres. At its core, it's very much so a typical Stephanie Perkins novel--with a lot of thrills, chills and twists sprinkled in for good measure.

This seems to be some level of confusion or distress for some readers, due in part to the way it was marketed (as a full on slasher novel) and the manner in which we--as readers--take upon ourselves to build up an image of what we believe the story will be before picking it up. At the end of the day, this is what brings in the disappointment afterwards... our inability to understand that a story isn't always our first impression of it.

Truth is: in There's Someone Inside Your House, Perkins pens a wickedly delicious thriller, slashed deeply with romance, wit and lovable characters. The novel itself is exactly how you might picture a horror novel by her to be--and I found it thoroughly entertaining. So, no. In my eyes, it didn't feel quite as frustrating for me as many other readers have seemed to say. There's Someone Inside Your House is not a full-blown horror novel but it still twists the reader in their seat from suspense and is far from a letdown.

It's that time again! For us in the USA, it is time to wrap ourselves up in thoughts of thankfulness and then stuff our faces with some home cooked meals if we're lucky enough. With the holidays just around the corner and end of our year getting closer and closer, it has completely thrown me off my game to realize that Thanksgiving is this week!

Still, I was incredibly excited to see that the theme for this weeks Top Ten Tuesdays (hosted by the Broke and the Bookish: click here for details)--Ten Books That I'm Thankful For. As a reader, it is one of our favourite topics; to be given the opportunity to speak freely about the books that have shaped us since reading them.

For me, hundreds of books have woven themselves into parts of me and there's no going around that. I may not be able to remember every last detail, of every page, in every book, that I have ever picked up. But to an extent, they have all given me reason to be thankful. Which leads me to a couple of nods I want to make before diving into this week's post: thank you, to a l l of the authors out there. For believing. For creating. For doing. For being.

Your work means everything. And you mean more.

And to wrap things up quickly, I'd also like to say thank-you to everyone who has ever visited my page or reached out to me in the past. Lastly, to all the book bloggers out there who keep the love of reading alive and present in our world. You mean something. You mean everything. I'm thankful for you.

Let's get down to business, shall we? Here they are! The books (and series) I am most thankful for, now and forever. If the book listed is part of a series, I will link only to the first book/installment. I'm mostly just winging it by picking the first ten books or series that comes to mind. Again, I am thankful for many books--some of these won't be exceptionally moving, some of them will be.

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin | Rating: ★★★★☆

“You are what happiness means to me. And I would rather have today with you than forever with anyone else.” 

I'll admit that this revision of my first review (posted originally sometime around the publication date) is a lot more positive. I had originally given the novel a 2.5-3 star rating but during my series reread, I found I enjoyed The Retribution of Mara Dyer far more than before. Even with this second, more positive experience with the conclusion to the original trilogy, it's--without a doubt--the weakest of the three book run.

First thing's first: Michelle Hodkin is a pro at penning a captivating romance. We knew that from the first moment tension sizzles between Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Up until now, in the startling conclusion to Mara's point of view, we see just how much of an impact this relationship has and to what manners their lives are forever entwined. 

Answers are revealed. There are new spine-tingling revelations. The past comes to play. And... well, RETRIBUTION is an accurate addition to the title because holy moly--BOOM. Let's just say boom. When the series hits you, it hits you hard and reminds you why Hodkin's work has become so beloved in its fanbase. We left Mara Dyer in pieces--she's been taken into the care of some very sketchy people, her "dead" ex-boyfriend really was alive and stalking her, and now it's all too possible that her current boyfriend is dead.

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater | Rating: ★★★☆☆

She had still been learning how to live with the hard truth that the most interesting parts of her thoughts usually got left behind when she tried to put them into words.

A quick recap to those who don't know me: this review may, perhaps, appear unfavorable. This is not directed towards Maggie Stiefvater in any way--I adore her writing and almost every book she has penned in her career thus far. Not everything is going to be my cup of tea. All the Crooked Saints, firstly, was not my cup of tea. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that  I hated the novel because I didn't. It has her suggestion writing; detailed, haunting, full of that hypnotic prose that makes her stories so brilliant. But at its core, there was so much about it that simply did not strike a cord within me quite like other releases have in the past.

I had a similar problem with the conclusion to The Raven Cycle, which is one of my favourite YA series. What brought me down about All the Crooked Saints (aside from its obvious flaws and previously mentioned critiques from other bloggers, re: problematic) was that despite all its stellar prose and fascinating characters and unique worldbuilding, there was just a lot that didn't feel... there. This isn't to say that the story itself was empty. It was merely lackluster to me in all the points that really and truly mattered.

I've got a special treat for all of you CD Reiss fans today! As of November 14th, 2017, Bodyguard was officially released. You may have heard the buzz surrounding this new standalone novel if you are keen on contemporary romances. If not, it's no worries--now's your chance to learn all you can about the novel.

As part of the blog tour, I have an exclusive excerpt for you and all the details you need to know about Reiss' latest release. What are you waiting for? Follow the cut.

*Sniffles* This meme is officially over half way done and I'm totally not ready to say goodbye. They all just grow up so fast *blows into tissue* don't they? It's not to late to join in on the fun--if you're a fan of The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, you can join in on our weekly celebration at any time you want. It could literally be 2027 and you could join in. To learn more about it, click here.

This weeks theme is the age old question: WHO THE FRICKITY FRACK AM I? Or, rather, who would I be in the pages--ahem, the world--we've come to know and love. Which, to be honest, sent me into a bit of an identity crisis! Who am I? What will I become? What characters would have a restraining order against me IRL?

Yes, yes, yes. I know what you're thinking, "Jessica. Didn't you, like, so totally write the questions for this meme? Shouldn't you have made it easier on yourself?" the answer is yes, I did. But where would the fun be in the easy route? Is it really a day if I haven't spun myself around in about forty different circles?

I'm not sure. Probably not. Sounds pretty fake to me. #ALTERNATIVEFACTS

And now... without further ado...

ALERT: ON THE WAY TO YOU by Kandi Steiner is officially out in the wild! And I for one am more than ready to embark on this emotionally charged romance--who can resist!? Now available to purchase--the novel is also available for free on Kindle Unlimited!

To read more about the novel and its beautiful author, follow the cut! Congrats, Kandi! I can't wait to dive into On the Way to You. I'm ready to swoon. 

It is finally here! J. Kenner's latest of the Stark World series, Wicked Torture, is here to bring you all the satisfaction of a steamy, second chance romance. The question is, are you ready for ALL THE FEELS?

I'm going to lay it out there for you--my maternal skills are lacking in the worst possible ways. No joke, my close friend tried to hand me her three month old daughter once (this was years back, mind you) and I almost started crying. Not to sound like a total b*tch. The little nugget did grow on me with time (not that I had any real aversion towards her--she's an angel and everything but me holding a child is SPOOKY) and I'm perfectly content with spoiling her with gifts and treats.

(In particular, the kinds that make messes for her dear mother. Finger paints. Chalk. So-on.)

So, this list is purely hypothetical. I also don't have any siblings, therefore the future does not hold nieces and nephews for me, and all of my cousins are growing up--so, to my non-existent future child (let's call you Josie, not to be mistaken with Josie Grossie), please read these books and make mama proud.

And guess what? I couldn't narrow it down to ten--literally, the lowest number I could narrow it down to was twelve.

Meghan March's The Mount Trilogy continues with newly released Defiant Queen (out today!). It's time to celebrate. Best of all, the release is followed closely by Sinful Empire. It's time to treat yourself to your next favourite. To learn more about Meghan March's The Mount Trilogy, follow the cut!

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin | Rating: ★★★★★

"I’ll walk forever with stories inside me that the people I love the most can never hear." 

There's always this feeling that comes with this trilogy. It is not unlike feeling mildly disturbed. Something about it messes with your senses. I'd released long ago that I love stories that have that creepy edge to them; the kind that makes you question what you're reading and the reliability of the narrator. The Evolution of Mara Dyer dives deeper into the dark end of the plot-line, sprinkling in a great combination of psychological thrills and swoon worthy romance. Further, it conveys just the right amount of coming of age snark that is so very prominent in young adults lives.

To put it bluntly: Michelle Hodkin makes your heart thud in anticipation all the while your skin is crawling at the general creepy atmosphere. I love this trilogy and on my second reading of it, I can honestly say that--despite its flaws--this certainly holds up. It's one of those books that screws with your mind and gets under your skin in a way that makes it impossible to put down. You devour it. Or it devours you.

I've spent the better part of my week (1) Trying to hunt down a copy of the anniversary edition of City of Bones (to no avail--guess I'll have to suck it up and order online and hope my idiot neighbors don't steal the package) and (2) Listening to the new Taylor Swift record on repeat (I'm not going to apologize about this just so we're on the same page) while trying to plot this weeks post out in my head. As you can imagine, that didn't go off as well as I'd hoped--however, I finally got off my arse and got it done. I know, I'm proud of me too.

To be honest, this is a pretty short post compared to the other topics. I have no idea why I procrastinated like I did. Whoops. 

I'm so excited to continue my celebration. Which, if you're confused as to what I'm talking about--click here. Basically, my stan is at its highest level when it comes to Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series.

I'm going to be tackling my favourite parabatai pairings from The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices because reasons. So let's get down to business. Grab a drink. And blast "I Did Something Bad" by Taylor Swift because it's what I'm doing--it's a total banger.

Shattered Memories by V.C. Andrews | Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

I'll be honest, I fell into the trap with The Mirror Sisters. The first book was relatively rubbish but the second one was thrilling enough that I had high hopes for the series conclusion in Shattered Memories. Undoubtedly, we all know that V.C. Andrews' name needs to be retired as she passed away decades ago and the ghost-writer has more misses than hits.

While Shattered Memories had the potential to conclude the stories of Haylee and Kaylee, the finale was beyond underwhelming and left me feeling like there was no real end, no closure, and it fell as flat as it felt messy. I'm not sure how it even got published--or if it really is the series end--but damn, it was a let down. Especially when you consider how thrilling (and darkly twisted) the ending of The Mirror Sisters was leading straight up to Broken Glass. It had the potential to build onto that and show both sides of Haylee and Kaylee--but it just didn't.

And, as per usual, it shows how lackluster the ghost-writer has become in the years since he took control of the books published under the V.C. Andrews name. Something about it was all to familiar when it comes to the modern "V.C. Andrews" and that's not even the worst part.

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo | Rating: ★★★★★

I hope you weren't looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.

Admittedly, Ruin and Rising started off a bit slower than the previous installments in the trilogy. Bardugo doesn't let the pace slack for long though and once it really kicks into gear? BOOM. I'm blown away once more. Ruin and Rising is that perfect combination of romance, action, darkness and fantasy. It is everything I wanted from the conclusion and then some.

While my favourite in the series remains to be the second book, it's still a fantastic novel and positively brilliant. I know that a lot of people weren't altogether keen on the endgames in this novel but I loved that Leigh Bardugo took a path a little less unknown when it comes to, ah, unhealthy relationships in YA literature. You know who I'm talking about--I've been pretty vocal about my general dislike of one relationship and love of another.

I was pretty surprised that the novel went the way I wanted it to. As always, Alina is fantastic and just what I want from my main characters.

Here we go! NYT Bestselling Author, Annika Martin, returns with Most Eligible Bastard! I'm not sure if it's inappropriate to be THIS excited about being a host on the blog tour but when the damn description involves the end-note of "Oh well, who needs panties anyway?" I think it's safe to say you are in for a fiery treat. And who can say no to an enemies-to-lovers standalone full of just as many comedic elements as romantic ones? 

Let's get started! I'm so excited to be participating. Today I have an excerpt and review for you guys.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo | Rating: ★★★★★

When people say impossible, they usually mean improbable.

It's not a shock to me that I devoured Siege and Storm almost as quickly as Shadow and Bone. If the first book in the trilogy captivated me, I would say the second engulfed me in a sea of emotions. All too easily the second installment of a series can become mundane in comparison to the first but in the case of Siege and Storm, it was even better than the first book and this is entirely due to Bardugo's unique prose and compelling, fantastical weaving of stories.

There's something about the way she builds characters and worlds and power. It's all about the balance of many things but still managing to keep his readers on their toes. Bardugo manages to explore many traits that make the genre of fantasy so intriguing, whilst still sprinkling in other plot points. There's magic, intelligence, action, thrills and romance--all of it blends together effortlessly and in one of the most delicious of ways. I loved the way the story unfolds and how much Alina has changed from the first book right up to the end of the second. Siege and Storm would be nothing without change. Because, trust me, there are a lot of changes in this book.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare | Rating: ★★★★★

There's something about a place you've been with someone you love. It takes on a meaning in your mind. It becomes more than a place. It becomes a distillation of what you felt for each other. The moments you spend in a place with someone... they become part of its bricks and mortar. Part of its soul.

Five months. Five. Freaking. Months. That's how long it has taken me to recover from Lord of Shadows and I have to admit, I'm not even remotely over it. I just reread Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows over the course of one week because (1) I missed this world and (2) It's getting to be chilly outside so I typically go for comfort in Harry Potter or Shadowhunters. I figured now was the time to get up and write my review despite my inability to come to terms with the final chapter of this book as well as who we lose this time around. Basically, I am having a struggle when it comes to comprehending my emotions.

I think we all know how far up Cassandra Clare's ass I am at this point. That is a very vulgar way of putting it but, eh, what can you do? The Dark Artifices began with a really solid first installment and I briefly wondered if she could top it. I know better than to underestimate Clare because once again she proves she just keeps getting better with age--the writing in Lord of Shadows was phenomenal. I felt every word. Every heartbreak. Every butterfly. Every tingle and shock. There was something so good about Lord of Shadows that I can't quite put my finger on its pulse--it is perhaps one of her best works to date.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo | Rating: ★★★★★

They are orphans again, with no true home but each other and whatever life they can make together on the other side of the sea.

OH MY GOD, you guys. This book. I'm completely in a pile of emotions over here. I read it in one sitting, after just procrastinating picking it up for a while--much like I did with Throne of Glass. Except, in this case, I cannot fathom why it took me so long to get up off my arse and read it. Shadow and Bone was nothing like I expected but everything I desired when it comes to YA literature. I was emotional. I was cheerful. I was angsty. I swooned often. The world building was incredible. Leigh Bardugo really created something special with this one and based on all of your insistence that it only gets better from here on out, I am so beyond hyped to give the rest of the series a go.

There's something about the world in Shadow and Bone that is so compelling and dark; woven tightly in fantastical elements and intrigue. It lays somewhere between fantasy genres and keeps its pace up wonderfully. I genuinely had such a fun time reading this book that one minute, it was 9AM and the next it was early afternoon. I didn't move at all. See, Bardugo has a prose that is dark and mysterious and at its core, what fantasy needs to be to keep things fresh. Something about it blends entertainment into fantasy, which blends fantasy into romance, and romance into something obtainable. Even in all its magic, you can't help but to feel as though it's bordering on real life and fiction. I can't explain it other than that, but there was something striking about it--it makes you root for the characters even against your better judgment.

First of all HOW ARE WE ALMOST HALF WAY THROUGH THIS CELEBRATION?! This is nuts. Completely bonkers. It's, dare I say it, cuckoo bananas. This week's topic in my celebration of the 10th anniversary of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones is all about the relationships of The Mortal Instruments. Romantic, platonic/parabatai, family bonds, etc. Part of me wants to really expand this week's theme to extend to The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices since they all technically do make an appearance in one way or another throughout all the Shadowhunters novels.

So. Guess what I'm doing? *Evil laughter* Besides drinking coffee and ogling lipsticks on Temptalia, of course.  I'M GOING WILD WITH IT. Or, at the very least moderately untamed fangirl levels of joy and squeals and probably a lot of tears because Cass does tend to have that effect on us, right? Right?! No--but for real, I am extending this weeks theme to those three series because I'm a little feral this evening, as I just finished rereading Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows this week. And it's one of those moments where our beloved characters just pop up at random or are at least mentioned.

(And I'm still procrastinating writing a review for Lord of Shadows. Which, yes, is pretty sad as I've read it twice since it was released in the spring.)

I feel winded. Can you possibly feel winded from typing? I am pretty sure you can. Let's just get down to the good stuff. Grab a drink. Snuggle in. Find something to use as a tissue just in case the mere mention of a relationship causes total tears and distraction. We're going to be here for a good bit of time.

Are you ready to be tempted by an epic new romance? Jessica Prince's novel Tempting Sophia is here to save the day. Contemporary romance has never looked so appealing--so prepare to be breathless. It is officially out there in the wild--released literally today, November 2nd! Follow the cut for all the information you need to know.

Best of all? The book, along with Seducing Lola, is free to read on Kindle Unlimited. Users should definitely take advantage of that!

I Wrote This For You: 2007-2017 by Iain S. Thomas | 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.

Sometimes, poetry is the only thing that speaks to certain parts of our souls or minds or hearts. It can scrape past the superficial lines of who we are and touch on something deeply. I Wrote This For You: 2007-2017 is one of those collections that touches on something so raw and vulnerable, you often squirm from the way it makes you feel. This is my first experience in Iain S. Thomas' work but I can see what compels his fans to reach out and hope to touch the words he pens.

Life is full of so many complexities and like so many of his counterparts, he exposes parts of these traits in a way that makes readers feel attached to the very words he writes. It also lends a hand in exploring who we are as people--connecting our thoughts to his and then back again. When reading I Wrote This For You, you find yourself in the lines of a poem and suddenly, you're no longer completely alone. This is not something to be taken lightly; you will find yourself highlighting and tabbing many sections of the prose. It is the very type of collection you pick up and by the time you're finished, you are itching to submerge yourself in the pages once more.