Everyone who knows me, knows that Fall Out Boy is my favourite band of all time. Growing up not far from the same area as they did contributed a lot to this! This statement isn't out of a place of "I was here first" and whatnot, but I can remember the days where they played smaller gigs. So when I say I've been a fan of them for what feels like forever, I'm not completely exaggerating.

When they made it big, I was SO impressed and overjoyed because they really do deserve it. They are one of those musical artists that have been with me through some of life's most pivotal moments and my love for them is basically a personality trait now.

And, not to drag myself, but in middle school I DEFINITELY wrote I HEART PATRICK STUMP on a good chunk of my notebooks. Oh, yes, that was completely on brand for me at the time. What can I say? MY LOVE WAS REAL. (Er, as real as a music obsessed then-teenager can manage when it comes to someone she's literally never met.)

So, you guys had to know that I'd be 100% down to participate in Raine Reads' Fall Out Boy Book Tag. I mean... duh.

I'm going to be real, I was intrigued by Maggie's Ruse the second I saw the cover and the synopsis. The cover reminded me of an episode of Doctor Who, but the plotline had a general premise worthy of Sara Shepard. AND, it takes place in New York. So, I was obviously IN from the start.

Thanksgiving is nearly here for those of us in the states! This year, I had a rough start--as the year went on, though, I felt very thankful in spite of the bumps. Thankful to literature. Thankful to this community. Thankful to the fact that my father was able to find a new beginning after being laid off last year. Thankful to all the friends who helped me help my parents in the six months my dad had no job for the first time since he was a teenager.

A tale of faeries. A tale of snakes. A tale of the games that play. And a tale of those who play said games. I AM GOING TO NEED AT LEAST A MONTH OF RECOVERY FROM THIS ONE, okay?

OKAY, OKAY, this might be a spoiler. BUT! A Constellation of Roses is one of the best YA novels of the year. (Seriously, 2019, I NEED A BREAK but also KEEP IT UP, we're totally killing it with great releases this year.)

Serpent & Dove was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019. I was SO excited to finally get to it.

Would Like to Meet should be at the top of your winter reading list--especially if you have a soft spot for charming rom-coms!

If you haven't caught up with Krista & Becca Ritchie's dazzling Like Us series, there's no better day than today! You now have six books to binge read! Which is why I'm so hyped to be celebrating the release of Headstrong Like Us, while rocking my Asshole Merit Badge that Krista & Becca sent me last week. It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of these two and the endlessly swoon-worthy books they have released, so when I say I'm excited to devour Headstrong Like Us--we all know that is an understatement!

Speaking of changes, YES, I *did* already ditch my autumn TTT banner. I just really didn't like it. I'm also not terribly satisfied with this one. So, it's likely going to change again before December. Oopsies.

I've always said that Instagram is a great place to meet fellow readers amongst our little community, but another fantastic perk is the discovery of authors and literature that were previously unknown to you. HELLO, Carson McKenna! (And, P.S., dearest readers, if you missed Carson's guest post last week--definitely check it out here!)

Little Women is one of my favourite classics. And, well, we know I'm trash for retellings! Get ready for Meg and Jo.

I love a good Sara Shepard book! I've been feeling quite nostalgic for Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game and The Perfectionists the last few months so this book came at just the right time! While Reputation wasn't my personal favourite of her published works, it was a wildly entertaining ride.

I know what you're thinking. Jessica, isn't this tag from 2016? YES. Yet, here we are. What can I say? I'm trash for a good bookish tag. And this is one of the tags that I've always seen floating around in the community.

In the world of Caster, magic is forbidden and comes at a great cost. As soon as magic is exposed to the world, it is blamed for the hardships they face. Get ready for a entertaining and complex read--another fantastic YA release.

I haven't shouted about The Shadowhunter Chronicles in a good five minutes so how about we review Ghosts of the Shadow Market? (And, yes, I'm playing catch-up on my reviews. Because I am ALWAYS behind.)

After a ton of mixed reviews, I finally finished Not the Girl You Marry and I REALLY ENJOYED IT.

I know that a lot of people didn't love The Surface Breaks quite like they seem to love Louise O'Neill's backlit but I ADORED (!) it.

One of the best collections of 2019: Take the Mic should be at the top of your TBR. There's no better day but today to get started.

I don't own many bookmarks at the moment, so I changed things up for this weeks prompt and dug into the archive of prior topics. The topic? I've read a lot of books that I can't believe I've, well, read. Which is totally fine. Because I'm not exactly known for my exceptional taste. (Its fickleness. I'm known for my fickleness.)

I have this theory that even though I know that something won't be my cup of tea, I'll probably still try it and then be surprised when I dislike it. It's basically my calling card.

For example, I hate the texture/taste of donuts and every year or so I try one just to see if I still don't like them. I usually don't. (Although, there is a comic shop in my hometown that sells yummy home-made donuts and that is the exception.) I tried pumpkin spice flavored beer once (it was a dollar and I'm cheap) and drank about half a bottle of it before calling defeat. Sometimes, I drink an entire cup of bad coffee just to be certain it's bad. I'm awful.

No, seriously. Ask my best-friend. She told me not to go see the final Divergent film because it was *bad* and not like the book but I still went to see it. She literally warned me. Naturally, I went to see it and then I was SHOCKED AND CONFUSED by how bad it was. And she probably wanted to knock me out with an 'I told you so' but she's beauty she's grace she'd never knock me in the face.

Well, unless I wore crocs. Which, let's be honest, I'd probably deserve it, then. (I could never pull off crocs. Ever.)

Now is the time to be proud of me! Not only did I finish reading A Discovery of Witches in such a short amount of time, I binge watched the entire first season of its television adaptation!

I've always found it intriguing that we often are able to associate certain memories with various items. Life's Accessories takes this fact and runs with it; creating a stylish and honest memoir.

Ready yourself for one of the best releases in non-fiction this year: That's Mental! This book is a total must-read for anyone who struggles with mental illness.

I've got a serious treat for you guys today! Carson McKenna, the highly engaging and talented author of Misercordias, has graciously stopped by Booked J to discuss her use of astrology in writing. Each writer has a wit and process of their own, and McKenna masters hers beautifully--every word she pens sparkles against the page like the very stars she looks to. (Yes, Misercordias will be making my best of 2019 list come December.)

If you've yet to discover this gem of a novel for yourself, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Misercordias to experience it immediately. Carson McKenna has a voice that demands to be heard. Finding McKenna on Instagram was one of the highlights of my year in both reading and blogging--and I do mean that genuinely.

But, back to the topic at hand: her guest post.

As an obscenely curious person, I've always found that the best way to understand a person creatively is to simply ask. Or to wait a moment and listen as they speak. Er, write. As writers, we all have our own processes and sources of inspiration. It's what makes our prose as individual as our personalities. In the case of Carson McKenna, her biggest strength is in crafting a world that is as whole and lively as the one off page--this is, of course, due primarily to sheer talent and the use of astrology to better understand her characters.

With all that being said, I'm ecstatic to introduce to you Carson McKenna! 

Can you believe it's NOVEMBER? I say this every month of every year but like, uh, how? Where is my life going? Where is the year going? CAN WE SLOW DOWN? (I'm being dramatic.) So, to be real, I probably will only get to ONE of these books, knowing me, but I was feeling ambitious earlier and here we are.

Today, I'm so excited to be sharing the book blitz for Find Me Their Bones, the hotly anticipated sequel to Bring Me Their Hearts! If you guys have been following me for a while--on here, Twitter or anywhere really--you know that I've been itching to get to read this series! Now that Find Me Their Bones has officially landed, I'm definitely going to have to get my hands on it!

The artistic process of combining two very different forms of art has always been of great fascination to me. Being a creative person myself, I find that I often wonder how specific works came to be; what the artist's process is, how and when they know their essence is complete, where they draw their inspiration from, etc.

In this curiosity, I have to frequently control myself from bombarding other's with questions. There's just something about it--surrounding yourself in art--that makes me want to know everything. Which is why 2019 has been the year of interviewing creatives on Booked J.

Today, I am excited to be briefly interviewing one of my closest--oldest and dearest--friends and her creative partner. Earlier this year, they embarked on the journey of releasing their first collection of poetry and accompanying artwork online. Ever since, I've been itching to discuss with them what it is that made the pieces fall together.

Together, they have a future ahead of them (as individuals and as collaborators) that seems bright and breathtaking. When you read, when you see, what they've accomplished so far, you will feel this. I am so excited to share with you all this brief Q&A on developing and collaborating. I highly recommend looking into their collaboration, which you may find on their social media.

I was expecting something of a mashup between the complex, rich, familial relationships featured in Gossip Girl and Crazy Rich Asians, plus a little of Arrested Development sprinkled in. The blurb, too, features a similar sentiment. Make no mistake: this is definitely its own story.

Happy November, my little booklings! So, I had every intention of making a more autumn-themed header for November's Top Ten Tuesday posts; dark colours, hints of the fall and Thanksgiving, but ended up liking this one more? I guess we're having a lighter look this season. Can you believe we're almost through with 2019? I honestly feel like Halloween didn't even happen last week for some reason. It was all a blur.

Regardless, October has come and passed, and November has officially arrived. Before we know it, it will be December. Ah. Wild.

I'm so much later to posting this than I intended. BUT, long story short, Tarnished Are the Stars is FABULOUS.

Anybody else feel like this year has been giving us SO many warm and fuzzy reads? I feel like we've been getting some really fantastic novels this year that give that feeling of warmth.Given the fact that it is getting close to the end of 2019 (!! how) and those of us in the U.S. are celebrating Thanksgiving this month, I thought this month would be a great time to start diving into some of the best novels of the year so far. (Or just, you know, showing appreciation towards these particular novels.)