My Twitter Followers Choose What Books I Bring To College

Published on September 1, 2018May 16, 2019 by Jessica2 Comments

I leave for college tomorrow! That is so scary but so exciting !!

If you follow my blog Twitter, which you can find here, then you may have seen the series of polls I tweeted asking you to choose between two books. I have been having such a hard time deciding on which books to bring to school with me since I won’t have a lot of room in my dorm. So, I narrowed down my list of books to 12- from those 12 you guys voted on 6 that I am going to take with me!

Now, this does not include the ebooks and audiobooks I am going to have on me at all times, plus I also have the libby app on my phone to borrow more if I need to. That’s why I was able to narrow it down to just bringing 6 physical books. Also, I only live about an hour away from my school, so I can go back home and switch these out periodically.

Maybe this will even become a series on my blog!

With all of that being said, let’s see what book you guys chose for me.

When We Collided vs The Way I Used to Be

For this first one, I chose two contemporary novels I have been wanting to read for the longest time. You guys chose When We Collided for this one, which I am pretty happy with! I didn’t know which one I was leaning towards more for this one, so I was happy with either one. I honestly don’t even remember what When We Collided is about, so I can’t wait to read it!

Hopeless vs November 9

This next poll was for two Colleen Hoover books! I was supposed to read November 9 for the booktube-a-thon, but I wasn’t feeling it then. You guys chose Hopeless, though, so I guess I won’t be reading November 9 for a while! I also didn’t have a preference for this poll, so it didn’t matter which one won to me!

The House vs Gerald’s Game

These are two mystery/thriller books I have been dying to read. I want to bring both of these so bad, but they are sort of my thicker books, so they would take up too much space. Luckily, Twitter decided for me, and you guys chose The House! I have put this on many TBRs, so I am very excited to read it!

Joyride vs Your Voice is All I Hear

This poll had a clear winner in my head, and I am happy that you guys chose that one! It was Joyride- so thanks for picking it! While both of these books interest me, I really wanted to bring Joyride with me!

Before I Fall vs Afterparty

For this one, I was really hoping you guys would choose Afterparty, because it is a book that was on my TBR for a long time and I was getting in the mood to read it! It’s ok though, I have also wanted to read Before I Fall for equally as long, and I am sure I will enjoy it, too!

1984 vs From a Low and Quiet Sea

This is one that I am a little sad about the outcome. I was leaning more towards From a Low and Quiet Sea than 1984 just because it’s much thinner and more compact. Plus, I have the ARC of it that I still never read and I am obsessed with the edition (it’s a hardcover ARC that I won in a giveaway). I’ll (hopefully) bring it with me in my next rotation!

Aside from these six, I am also bringing 3 poetry books that I have read but want to keep on hand for inspiration! Those were hard to choose as well… oops.

Thank you guys for choosing these for me! If you want to help choose the next books I bring, be sure to follow me on Twitter to see when I tweet more polls :)

Xo, Jess

Books I Want to Re-Read This Year

Published on May 13, 2018May 16, 2019 by Jessica13 Comments

I rarely ever re-read books. There are just so many books I want to read that I feel like I’m wasting time re-reading older books. But, I know that re-reading some of my old favorites would be so beneficial. It could help me get out of a reading slump, or I can see how my reading tastes have changed.

This year I plan on re-reading at least 6 books. I already re-read one, so I am just going to talk about the other 5 I want to re-read.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I read Harry Potter in 5-6th grade, and I watched the movies a little after that. Since then, I’ve re-watched the first movie, but none of the others. I haven’t re-read the books at all. I do want to start re-reading them, but I don’t know how many I’ll get to this year. I finally bought them so I can start reading them whenever I please.

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

This is one of the first books featuring mental health that I read and it really stuck out to me. I had connected to the main character so much and I know I would love it a lot if I re-read it. This one is very high on my priority list of books to re-read, so I’ll probably get to it in a few weeks!

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

I originally listened to this book in audio form, so I want to read the physical book and annotate the copy I have. I absolutely adored this book and even though I read it fairly recently, I know I want to read it again.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Yes, another John Green book. I know a lot of people have mixed opinions on him, but I really love his books. This is the first book of his I’ve read, and I really want to see if my opinion changes at all. Plus, it’ll be cool to see his writing evolve.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This book meant so much to me growing up, and I associate so many good memories to it. I bought it when I went on a trip to Florida with my cousins and read it in basically one sitting. I loved it so much and watched the movie as soon as it came out. I really hope my expectations aren’t too high for it!

Do you ever re-read books? Have you read any of the books I talked about? Leave me a comment letting me know :)

Xo, Jess

Twenty Questions Book Tag

Published on April 29, 2018October 13, 2018 by Jessica3 Comments

Hey everyone! I’m here today with another tag post :) This tag was so much fun to do, so I hope you guys like it!

Also, quick update- there will be a break in my book club for May because I have a lot of books I need to read (due to release dates and loan dates) so I will not be able to fit another one in to my schedule. The club will pick back up in June, so make sure you check back later in May!

How many books is too many books in a book series?

Honestly, anything more than 4 books is too much for me. I just did a post talking about series vs standalones, and I explained how I can’t keep up with a series too well.

How do you feel about cliffhangers?

They are the absolute worst but I (lowkey) like them because it means I felt something from the book.

Hardcopy or paperback?

Definitely paperback! I just did a post all about this, too!

Favorite book?

I always answer with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee because it’s been a favorite of mine for the longest time!

Least favorite book?

I don’t rate a lot of books 1-2 stars because I am a pretty good judge of what books I will enjoy or not. I would have to go with either Passenger by Alexandra Bracken or Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard just because I found both of them very slow/boring.

Love triangles, yes or no?

I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles, I prefer the MC having one love interest but I won’t stop reading a book just because of a love triangle.

The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?

I just recently DNF’d an ARC I got called The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky because it was really boring. Nothing was happening, so I just couldn’t get myself to continue.

A book you’re currently reading?

I am finishing up The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson right now because it was part of my April Book Club!

Last book you recommended to someone?

Probably Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett! That book just came out and it is amazing.

Oldest book you’ve read? (Publication date)

I am not sure if I am being honest, but probably Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (first published in 1813).

Newest book you’ve read? (Publication date)

The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic. I received an e-ARC so I read it right before it came out.

Favorite author?

Jenn Bennett is a current favorite of mine, but some old favorites are Jenny Han, John Green, and Nina LaCour.

Buying books or borrowing books?

I always prefer to buy books because I like to write/tab my books.

A book you dislike that everyone else seem to love?

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. I really wasn’t of fan of this book at all.

Bookmarks or dog-ears?

Both. I typically use those cool magnetic bookmarks because I don’t like regular bookmarks. But sometimes I just dog-ear a page if I can’t find a bookmark.

A book you can always reread?

I honestly very rarely re-read books. The only book I’ve re-read 3 times is To Kill A Mockingbird, so that is what I’m going to go with!

Can you read while hearing music?

I can but it’s definitely not ideal. When I’m in public and there’s music playing it’s fine, but when I am at home I can’t play music.

One POV or multiple POV’s? (POV’s = Point of views)

I like both, and I really don’t have a preference for either of the two.

Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?

Almost always over multiple days but I have been able to finish a book in just a day in the past!

Who do you tag?

Everyone who wants to do this! It was a really fun tag, and I want everyone to have the chance to answer these questions :)

I have just signed up for Book of the Month, and you can use my link here to get a free book! This is not a sponsorship, but I also get a free book if you use it, so be sure to check it out :)

What did you think of this tag? Please leave the link down below if you decided to do it!

Reader Problems Tag

Published on April 18, 2018October 13, 2018 by Jessica12 Comments

This is a bit of an older tag, but I have seen it many times both on Booktube and on WordPress, so I really wanted to add to it! This is a bit of a longer tag, so let’s just get straight into it!

You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

I am a huge mood reader, so I would first look at the books I own and pick one based off of its genre, the cover, or just how much I want to read it! It honestly really just depends on what I’m feeling haha

You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

I used to be completely committed and I would finish a book no matter what. Now, if I am not enjoying a book, I quit. I don’t usually get 1/2 through it though, I stop much earlier.

The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

I definitely try to catch up. If I am behind, the entire month of December I am basically spending all of my time reading. Like, actually. It’s all I do.

The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

This actually does not bother me that much. First off, I do not read/own a lot of series because I prefer standalones or duologies/trilogies. Second, I think it’s kind of interesting to have mismatching covers, even though I know almost everyone else in the book community would hate this!

Every one and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

I typically turn to Goodreads and try to find other reviewers with similar opinions to mine! I try to comment on their reviews so that we can talk about it together! Otherwise, I sometimes come across booktubers with similar taste to mine and if they talk about the book I hated, I comment on their videos!

You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

This has actually happened to me at school when I was in 8th grade reading TFIOS. Yes, that book made me cry. I was in class with some friends though so they just let me pour my emotions out with no judgement. If I happened to be alone, I would hold in the tears until I got home.

A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

I never really re-read the first book, I usually just read a synopsis and hope that is enough information to start the second book. Usually, I begin to regain some memory of the previous book as I read the next.

You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

People don’t typically ask to borrow my books because I don’t talk about them that often. I only lend out books to people I trust, though. If someone I didn’t trust were to ask me, I would probably just say I don’t own it, or that they should just get it from the library because it’s an important book to me. (Lying is bad, I know. But when it comes to my books I gotta do it)

You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I don’t try to force myself to read if I am really not in the mood. I just slowly get back into reading usually by picking up a fluffy contemporary, or something super light/short! The only type of slump I force myself to get over is a writing slump, because that is something I lack motivation for quite frequently because I get stuck or frustrated. However, a reading slump is nothing I need to focus on immediately, and I just go with the flow.

There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

Currently, I am on a book buying ban because I don’t have a job and I am starting college in the fall, so a girls gotta save money. BUT, when I do have some cash, I usually buy 2-3 books (at the very most 4) in one Barnes and Noble run.

After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

Right now, they are probably sitting on my shelves for at least a month before I get to them. Usually so much longer. I have 3 shelves in my room dedicated to books I haven’t read yet, so that gives you a bit of a picture. It’s a really big struggle.

That’s it for the tag! I tag all of you to do it (if you want!) because it was super fun. Let me know if you agree with any of my answers down in the comments below :)

Xo, Jess

5 Star Book Predictions

Published on April 14, 2018May 16, 2019 by Jessica4 Comments

I have been seeing a lot of people doing this post recently and I figured I should join in on the fun! I have over 60 books that I own but haven’t read yet, so I chose 6 of these that I really think will be 5 star ratings for me! I based this off of their descriptions, the genre, and the hype around them.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

There is so much hype around this book, especially because of the movie that just came out. I can really see myself loving this book because it is contemporary and features many aspects of a book that I really like! This is also high on my priority list of books to read!

From a Low and Quiet Sea by Donal Ryan

I honestly do not know much about this book at all, but one of my favorite booktubers, Ariel Bissett, has hyped this author up a lot. I actually won this book from a giveaway she was doing on her Instagram for it. I like her taste in books, so I am hoping this is another recommendation I end up loving.

By Your Side by Kasie West

This is another book that I believe will be a 5 star for me because of Laura (another booktuber). I think me and her have almost the same exact taste in books, and she recently posted a March TBR and she read a lot of Kasie West books in it! By Your Side is the only one I own right now, but I really feel like I will love it!

We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

I am the biggest Jenny Han fan ever. I give basically all of her books 5 star ratings, and this is the last book in her Summer trilogy, so I have really high expectations. I loved the first two books, and my hope is that this one really ends the trilogy well.

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

I just read an e-ARC of Jenn Bennett’s newest novel, but before that I had never gotten around to reading any of her other books! I loved the book I read, and I am dying to get to another one. I have a feeling that she is going to become one of my newest favorite authors!

Beholding Bee by Kimberly Fusco

I bought this book so long ago from Bookoutlet because the description really interested me. From seeing other ratings on Goodreads, I really think I will love it! It is not a typical book that I would read, but it seems super interesting, so I am dying to get to it.

Have you read any of these books before? Let me know in the comments what you thought of them!

Xo, Jess

Goodreads Book Tag!

Published on March 7, 2018October 13, 2018 by Jessica3 Comments

Hello everyone! It’s finally March. That is insane! February went by so fast and so much had happened during that month. But it was time for a fresh start.

Today, I have a book tag to start the month off with. I saw this tag on Abigail’s Books, and I really liked the idea!

What was the last book you marked as read?

It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han! I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to finish the last book in the trilogy!

What are you currently reading?

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson and Under Rose Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall. Both books are ones that have been hyped for a long time in this community so I am finally getting around to them!

What book(s) do you plant to read next?

The House by Christina Lauren and We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han. Like I mentioned before, I really want to finish this Jenny Han trilogy, so I will definitely be picking up that book soon. As for The House, I have recently discovered a love for thrillers/mystery novels, so I want to read this soon!

Do you use the star rating system?

Yes, I do. I think it is a great way to keep track of books, and especially as a book reviewer, it really comes in handy to summarize your thoughts. I do wish you could give 1/2 stars though!

Are you doing a 2018 reading challenge?

Sort of. I have my goal set to 1 because I don’t want to focus on the quantity of books I read this year. Reading became a competition for me, so this year I am just focusing on quality.

Do you have a wishlist?

Yes! I am always hoping to get my hands on books so when I am at a bookstore, this helps me decide what to buy next. Otherwise I would get distracted by so many other books!

What book do you plan to buy next?

I really want to buy Gemina soon because I read Illuminae so long ago and I loved it. Plus, with Obsidio coming out this month, I would love to be able to read that soon as well.

Do you have any favorite quotes?

I have a few favorite quotes from so many books! The recent one that comes to mind is from The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas:

“Brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared, Starr,” she says. “It means you go on even though you’re scared. And you’re doing that.”

Have you joined any groups?

I have joined a few, but I don’t really contribute anything to them. I would love to get more involved once I find a group I really like!

Leave me a link to your post if you’ve done this tag before! I would love to check it out :)

Also!!

I am looking for someone to host either a read-a-thon with me, or a monthly book club! If you are interested, please leave a comment down below, or DM me on Twitter!

Thanks for reading!

Xo, Jessica

The Book Blogger Test

Published on February 19, 2018May 16, 2019 by Jessica6 Comments

Hello everyone! I am here with a book tag today because I haven’t done one in a really long time. I wasn’t tagged to do this but it seemed like fun so I just couldn’t resist! I’m not sure who the original creator of this tag is, but I saw it over on Drizzle and Hurricane Books.

The Questions

Describe your perfect reading spot:

I would love to have a comfy seat in a corner of a room near a window. It would need lots of pillows and a big comfy blanket. Currently, I just read in my bed, but I would love to have a spot like this in the future.

Tell us 3 book confessions:

I write in my books- Please don’t hate me!!
I read multiple books at a time
I get in reading slumps pretty often

When was the last time a book made you cry?

I believe it was Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. That book really touched me and I fell in love with it. The parts where Aza has thought spirals was really difficult to read and it made me so upset.

How many books are on your bedside table?

Surprisingly, it is only 1 right now. It is usually 2 or 3, but I cleaned my room and moved some from there. The book is This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills.

What’s your favorite snack to eat while you read?

I rarely ever eat while reading, but I would have to go with pretzels or cheez-its. I prefer to have something to drink, like tea, lemonade, or hot chocolate.

Name 3 books you would recommend to everyone:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- hands down my favorite book
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour- definitely recommend this
Caraval by Stephanie Garber- it was a quick but amazing read

Show us a picture of your favorite bookshelf on your bookcase:

This one is my favorite because I went with a blue theme for the shelf. It is one of my two TBR shelves so I haven’t read any of the books on it. I just really like how it looks.

Describe how much books mean to you in just 3 words:

Can’t live without.

And that’s the end of the tag! I hope you enjoyed it :)

I’m going to tag a few people down below, but anyone can do this tag!

I tag…

xo, Jessica

Popular Books I Haven’t Read

Published on January 25, 2018May 16, 2019 by Jessica9 Comments

Many of you are going to be shocked that I haven’t read some of these books yet, but please don’t be offended! There are so many books that I have been dying to read, but with my TBR list constantly growing, it would be impossible to get to them all.

The Sun is Also a Star

This book hasn’t been out for too long, so that is my excuse for not reading it yet. I swear I will get to it soon because it sounds really good. I read Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon and I really enjoyed it. I just have too many books to read right now and this is not at the top of my list.

Heartless

I am not a huge fan of fantasy books to begin with, so that is why I never really got around to reading this. It has been on my TBR list for a really long time but I don’t know if I will ever even read it. I don’t really have the desire to anymore.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Out of the 5 books on this list, this one is at the top of my priority reads. I can’t believe that I still haven’t purchased a copy of this book. I need to get around to it really soon because I don’t want to watch the movie until I read it.

Eleanor and Park

I used to want to read this so bad back when everyone was extremely obsessed about it. However, I am not really interested in reading this or any of Rainbow Rowell’s books anymore (sorry don’t be mad at me).

The Night Circus

I have heard about this book for such a long time now on Booktube and book blogs. Especially during the time that Caraval was hyped, everyone was talking about it. I really enjoyed Caraval and everyone compared it to this book, so I know I want to check it out soon.

Did any of these books surprise you? Let me know if I absolutely need to read any of these books on the list!

xo, Jessica

Books I Will Probably Never Read Tag!

Published on October 9, 2017May 16, 2019 by Jessica10 Comments

A really hyped book that you’re not interested in reading

I was super interested in these books a few years ago, but I kept putting them off. Now that I have grown up, I don’t think these books will be as interesting to me and I won’t relate to them as much. I have a little regret about not reading these when I was in my prime fangirling phase, because I don’t think I will ever read these now.

A series you won’t start/won’t be finishing

Passenger was such a boring book to me. I could barely get through it, and although there was a cliffhanger at the end, I don’t see myself ever picking up the next book. Red Queen was alright, but just too slow for me. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped, and I don’t really want to read the rest.

A classic you’re just not interested in

I honestly don’t know much about this book but it has never appealed to me and I really don’t see myself ever picking this up on my own.

A genre you never read

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction I realized, because I tend to lean towards books that are set in modern times. I am not a history person in general, so I don’t pick these books up often. I also don’t read a lot of Non-fiction, but I am hoping to start reading some more!

A book on your shelves you’ll probably never read

I bought both of these without realizing they aren’t the first books of the series. I haven’t had the desire to buy the rest of the series of either of these books, so I probably won’t be getting to them anytime soon (if ever).

What are some books you probably won’t read? Let me know in the comments!

Automatic Read Authors

Published on August 16, 2017May 16, 2019 by Jessica6 Comments

I saw this topic on numerous Youtube videos, and I thought it was incredibly interesting. I am not one to read every single book by one author, but recently there have been many I tend to pick up more.

Colleen Hoover- She is the first adult fiction author I read and enjoyed a couple of years back. Since the first two books I read, Maybe Someday and Ugly Love, I have fallen in love. I read two more of her books after, and I own a ton more that I have yet to read.
Nina LaCour- I LOVED Everything Leads To You by Nina so I had to check out We Are Okay a few months later. While I didn’t like it as much as the Everything, it was still amazing. I know I will read the rest of her books soon.
Stephanie Garber- She only has one book out (Caraval), but I really really liked it and I can not wait for the second book to come out. I know I will pick it up.
John Green- Everyone knows who he is, and chances are you have read one of his books. I haven’t read all, but I enjoy his writing, and I can’t wait to read his new book.
Tamara Ireland Stone- Again, I have only read one of her books, but Every Last Word spoke to me on such a deep level, and I really want to get my hands on more of Tamara’s books.
Amanda Lovelace- Of course she has to be included in this list. She is a poet who wrote The Princess Saves Herself In This One. I own both her self-published book, and the one published by Andrews McMeel. If you haven’t read Princess, give it a shot before her next book comes out (which I will be reading the day it comes out!).

Thanks for reading! Let me know who some of your favorite authors are in the comments.