Bullet Journal Setup for 2020 ft. January Spread

Published on January 9, 2020January 5, 2020 by Jessica C Writes10 Comments

If you’ve been here for a while, you know how much I L O V E organization. Planners, to-do lists, notebooks- anything I can use to make my life less chaotic.

I’ve used a bullet journal on and off for years now, but I recently started using it more consistently. I knew that it was something I wanted to continue to use in 2020, and I designed it in a way that I really love and that I think will suit my needs very well.

Today I wanted to show you what that looks like! I went for a very minimalistic theme- I’m sticking to black, white, and grey. Eventually, I want to incorporate some gold, but I need to buy a gold pen first.

Anyways, let’s move on to my key and cover page!

2020

The key is a fairly plain page- I drew a key on it just for that play on words, and I kept the actual symbols I use very simple. I use a square for tasks, a circle for events, and a bullet point for notes. I also have an index but it is very basic and not very interesting, so I did not include a picture. Basically, it just has the name of the page plus the page number next to it.

Then, for my cover page, I just printed out a little graphic I made that says “Hello 2020” and I wrote a quote at the top that says “Let this be the year you go after courage.” I am not entirely happy with this page, but I’m glad I made some mistakes right from the start, so now I don’t have to worry about keeping the journal perfect.

From there, I have my year-at-a-glance pages which I just use to keep track of holidays and birthdays. It’s also helpful to refer back to when I’m creating my monthly spreads. I’m really happy with the way this came out!

The next page is one I absolutely needed to include- it’s my goals for the year page! I divided it up into personal and professional goals (professional being school and blog related; personal being everything else). I talked more in-depth about my reading goals here, and I will have a post dedicated to my personal goals up soon!

I also have a stats page because I think it’s fun to look back at my growth for the year. I don’t want to focus on the numbers in 2020, but I do like to have some sort of record, just so I can see what I should be working harder on, what I need to change, etc.

Next up we have some reading related pages! Last year I kept track of the books I purchased, and I wanted to do that again this year- especially since my goal is to limit my buying to 10 books or less. I also created a list of the top 15 books I absolutely want to get to this year. I have a huge backlist of books to read, but these are the ones I’m most excited about.

Next up is my ARCs list- I have a ton of backlist ARCs, but I decided to only list 2020 ARCs on here because those are ones I want to make sure I get to! After that is a page where I can write down blog post ideas as they come to me!

From there we have my wish list page, which is just a place where I can keep track of all of the things I want to buy if I have the spare money. I’m trying to save more money this year, so I wanted to include this page to keep track of things I would like to get rather than buying them on impulse as I tend to do.

The last page before we get to January is a brain dump page. Basically, this is just a spot where I can jot down random things that come to mind or that I want to remember. Rather than having a ton of sticky notes lying around (as I usually do), I can keep them stored here!

January

Here are the main spreads I did for January! Of course, the first page includes my goals as well as a TBR for the month. I am big on monthly goals, and I try to align my monthly goals with my yearly goals so that I am constantly working on them. The other side of the spread has a calendar that I use mainly to plan out my blog posts and the occasional birthday or big event. I have a separate school planner that I use to keep track of assignments and social activities, so this one is more business-related.

Then, I have a page to track some habits. I’m not sure how I feel about this layout for it yet; I usually do one big table that I think I like better from a practical standpoint. Though, the aesthetic of this one makes up for it a bit.

The following page is for tracking my expenses. I am slowly getting into budgeting, so this is something that I always try to incorporate in my monthly trackers.

This is how I decided to set up my weekly spreads in my BuJo this month! I don’t love the way it is looks, but it’s quick and simple, which is what I care about the most. The practicality of the journal is more important to me than the looks, which is why I don’t do elaborate spreads (even though I think they are gorgeous).

Finally, I have a very simple wrap-up page where I am just going to write down the books I read plus what rating I gave them!

On the page next to that, I glued in a list of the American Film Institute’s “Top 100 Best Movies.” One of my goals for 2020 is to watch all of them (about 2 per week). I inserted the list in my bullet journal so I can track my progress.

That is it for how my bullet journal looks! If you use a bullet journal, definitely let me know what other spreads you use, so maybe I can incorporate them in future months!

Thanks for reading, see you soon!

2020 Reading Goals

Published on January 7, 2020January 2, 2020 by Jessica C Writes19 Comments

Hello and happy Tuesday everyone! It’s that time of year again- the one where I set my goals for the year, which I will hopefully accomplish.

Today I’m going to specifically talk about bookish goals, but in a future post, I will talk about my personal and blogging goals in case if you’re interested in that, too!

I kept my goals pretty simple this year, and a few are repeat goals I had in previous years. I didn’t want my goals to be unattainable, so hopefully, with just these 5 simple ones, I will be able to accomplish them successfully.

Read 52 Books

First up, of course, is the number of books I hope to read. I decided to keep the same goal as last year- 52 books, which is about 1 a week. This is something I know I can manage because there are times when I will read 3 books a week, some where I only read 1 or 2, and even some where I don’t read any at all. But, I have read over 52 books for the past few years now, so I’m not worried about this goal.

I knew I could have easily increased this goal to 70+ books, but this year I don’t want to focus on the number of books I read. I want to take my time with each book rather than feel rushed with them.

Read 1 ARC a Month

I have about 20 physical ARCs on my TBR, as well as another 20+ in e-book version. I’m definitely trying to get this number down, so by reading AT LEAST one of them a month, I think that will be doable. Obviously, I am hoping to read more than 12 by the end of the year, but I do want to keep myself accountable in some way, so a monthly goal of 1 is perfect.

Read 1 e-book a Month

Similar to the last goal, I also want to read at least one e-book a month. I’m really bad at reading my e-books. I just never tend to gravitate towards them because I prefer to read physically. But, I have created a TBR jar for e-books, so every month I will pull one that I have to read. Hopefully, this will help me get the number of e-books I own down.

Get My Owned TBR Down to Less Than 50 Books

I have about 100 unread books on my shelves between physical books, e-books, and audiobooks. I did a good job of not purchasing any books in 2019, but somehow I still ended up with the same number of unread books (even though I read over 100 books- how does that even happen?).

This year, I want to focus on reading the books I already own. I want to read at least half of the ones I had prior to 2020, and continue to keep that number down.

Buy Under 10 Books

Going along with that, I also want to put myself on a ban. I’m trying to save my money because I am going to have a ton of expenses in the near future. Therefore, I am not allowing myself to buy over 10 books this year. There are going to be releases that I want to get my hands on, or just books that I can’t resist buying, which is why I’m giving myself this little bit of room to purchase those if I really want.

Those are all of my reading goals for 2020! What are some of yours? Leave a comment letting me know.

January TBR 2020

Published on January 2, 2020January 1, 2020 by Jessica C Writes11 Comments

Happy New Year, old sports! Welcome to the roaring twenties, the gatsby age, a time for fresh starts. I always love the new year, but this one is even more exciting because we’re entering a whole new decade.

I am so excited about everything I have planned this year, and I can’t wait to use the momentum of this new year to bring me closer to my goals (which I will talk about in a future post).

First, I want to share my January TBR with you guys because this is the year I finally defeat my TBR. I am so excited about all of these books and I can’t wait to dive in. Let’s take a look at what they are!

the ladys guide to petticoats and piracy

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

This book has been on my TBR for quite a while now, and I have a feeling it’s going to be a book I absolutely love. All I know about it is that it’s about a group of actors in college. I want to go in knowing as little as possible since it is a mystery novel.

Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

This is the only book on this list that I don’t own yet, but I’m borrowing the e-book from my library, so I NEED to finish it this month. I enjoyed the first two books of this trilogy, but I didn’t LOVE them. I do want to finish this book, though just so I can know how it all ends. It’s a shorter book, so, hopefully, I will be able to read it quickly.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

I read A Darker Shade of Magic MONTHS ago. I really did mean to read this one in 2019, but I just never got around to it. This year, one of my priorities is to finish the series I’ve started, so as you can see, there are a lot on this list.

The Art of Mindful Relaxation

Another thing I’m trying this year is a TBR jar but only for my e-books. I’m awful at reading the e-books I have, so I want to get through more of them this year. This month I picked out The Art of Mindful Meditation which is a Netgalley title I got a while back. I want to get my Netgalley ratio to 95% this year. I’m currently at 80%, so I’m not too far off!

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Again, I am working through my series, so this is another I want to read. I actually own an ARC of it, so I really do want to get to it. I really enjoyed the first book, though I have heard mixed opinions on this one. Also, the third book in the series comes out this year, so I want to be able to read it!

I am so excited for this year, and I can’t wait to get started on my reading. What do you hope to read this month? What is your first read of a new decade going to be?

My Favorite Reads of 2019

Published on December 26, 2019December 24, 2019 by Jessica C Writes10 Comments

2019 was my best reading year yet in terms of the number of books I’ve read: I’m at 107 and I think I’ll still be able to fit it one more!

But looking back, it was really hard to choose a top 10 for the year! I read a lot of great books, but not too many absolute favorites. I learned to be more critical and picky with books this year, so my ratings were lower than in previous years.

I managed to create a list nonetheless (of my top NINE favorite reads rather than 10), so here it is, in no particular order. Also- I didn’t include any re-reads on this list, though there were quite a few that would make my favorites list, too.

Honorable Mentions:

First, I have a few honorable mentions that I want to include because they were great reads, just not necessarily my absolute favorites.

Sadie by Courtney Summers
The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakovic
To Drink Coffee with a Ghost by Amanda Lovelace
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman made it onto my top 10 list of 2018, so it was no surprise that another book by this author is on my list again. In fact, there are quite a few repeat authors from previous years (I’m very predictable sorry).

This book has such beautiful writing, and I related to our main character, Kiko, so much. She has anxiety, which is something I also struggle with, and the way it was described was very accurate in this book. It is a heartbreaking story, but an important and eye-opening one that I highly recommend.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” made my favorites list in 2017, and she is one of those authors that I know I will love everything she writes. I actually might have even enjoyed On the Come Up more than her debut novel, which I didn’t think she could beat.

This book really blew me away. It was so powerful, Bri is a badass, and the writing was so good. I also love that there are parts that pay homage to Starr from The Hate U Give in this book. It was subtle but a nice touch.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Everyone and their mother has read this book, but the hype around it is very real. I’m disappointed in myself that I didn’t pick it up in 2017 when it came out, but instead waited until 2019.

I’m glad that I did jump on the train eventually, though, because this book is unforgettable. The story follows a Hollywood movie star as she recounts her life story to a magazine writer. It was so interesting and it felt so real, which is why I loved it.

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Oh, look- another TJR book. I really went head-on with Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books this year- I’ve read 5/7 of them. I have to say, I loved this one a little bit more than Evelyn Hugo. In fact, I loved this one so much that immediately after finishing the audiobook the first time, I restarted it and finished it for a second time within a couple of days. I have never done that with any other book before.

Just like Evelyn Hugo, this book felt so real. I was upset that I couldn’t actually listen to the songs they talk about in the book. Why isn’t this a real band? Also, both of these books are getting tv show adaptations, which I could not be happier about. I’m definitely going to try to re-read both in 2020.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Yet again, we have another author who had made it onto a previous “favorites of the year” list. I love Elizabeth Acevedo’s writing and the way she handles difficult topics in her books. This one follows Emoni, a teen mom, as she tries to decide what she wants to do post-high school. She loves cooking, and it is a passion of hers she would love to pursue, but she doesn’t think it is a realistic goal. She is faced with some tough decisions to make.

Overall, this was an incredible read. It was fast-paced, full of some delicious foods, and made me smile a lot. I can not wait to pick up more books from Elizabeth in the future- I know they will all be great.

Aphrodite Made Me Do It by Trista Mateer

I wasn’t going to include a poetry collection on here this year because there were so many that I loved. BUT, when I saw this one, I knew I had to include it. This is the first collection by Trista Mateer that I’ve read, but now I know I have to pick up more by her.

I could not put it down once I started it. Trista’s words have the ability to make you feel so many emotions at once. This collection was extremely powerful and beautiful.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

I absolutely loved this book!! I do know that it is pretty polarizing- it’s one of those books that you will either love or hate. I fell into the former category. I will be thinking about it for a long time.

The writing style was incredible. It was told in dual POV, and the second one was really unique. I don’t want to describe the plot too much because it’s better to go in without knowing anything in my opinion. I will say, though, that it will leave you confused but also wanting more.

The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

Would it be a favorites post from me if I didn’t mention Jenn Bennett? No. Jenn Bennett is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. This year she came out with a historical/paranormal fiction that I was so excited to read. It’s obviously very different from previous books I’ve read by her, but it surpassed all of my expectations. It had all of the witty banter, unique characters, and fun surprises that I loved in her romance books.

You can check out my full review here.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

And finally, we have the book that, if I had to choose, would take the number one spot on this list.

I discovered my love for Erin Morgenstern this year with a re-read of The Night Circus and later her newest release. She has become my favorite author of all time, which is something that I didn’t think I would ever be able to say.

I’ve gushed about this book so so many times on the blog and Instagram and Twitter, so I won’t say anything other than this: Just go read it.

These are all of my favorites! Please leave a comment letting me know what some of your favorite reads of the year are (maybe I’ll read them in 2020!).

Do we have any of the same favorites?

All the Books I Bought in 2019 // Book Haul

Published on December 19, 2019December 18, 2019 by Jessica C Writes2 Comments

This year I set a challenge for myself to not buy any books. I was only allowed to read books I already owned or borrowed from the library. There was a 5 book freebie. Unfortunately, I did not accomplish this goal. BUT, I definitely purchased far fewer books than I have any previous year.

I tried only to purchase books that I absolutely wanted, not just impulse buys.

In total, I bought 23 books. To some, this may seem like a lot, to others it may not seem like much at all. To me, it was at least half of what I bought in the last two years, so I consider that a win.

I won’t tell you my goals for 2020 yet (that post is coming soon), but I will be trying to keep my number low again.

Now for the books:

E-Books

A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert
Dragonhearts by Amanda Lovelace, Trista Mateer, Nikita Gill
Water Runs Red (bundle w/ physical copy)
Storyteller by Morgan Harper Nichols

Special Editions/Extra Copies of Favorite Books

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- Hardcover
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- Special Edition
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee- Special Edition
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern- Special Edition

Other Physical Copies

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
You Asked For Perfect by Laura Silverman
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu
Final Draft by Riley Redgate
Still Here by Rowan Blanchard
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Beloved by Toni Morrison
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

That is all for the books I bought this year! Again, I am very proud of myself for not buying too many books this year.

What were your book buying habits this year? Leave a comment letting me know!

Silhouette of a Sun-Kissed Soul // Review

Published on December 12, 2019December 19, 2019 by Jessica C WritesLeave a comment

Hello! This is Jess from the past here to tell you about a book I recently read. More specifically, a poetry collection. As you’re reading this, I am in the middle of my finals, so I haven’t done much of anything besides studying. I prepared for this though, by writing this post now (a few weeks ahead of time).

Anyways, today I have a review like I mentioned. This poetry collection, Silhouette of a Sun-Kissed Soul is by Aida Abdykashova. It was sent to me by the author herself, but all opinions are my own- this is a completely honest review!

Goodreads Synopsis:

“silhouette of a sun-kissed soul” is a collection of poetry that captures both delightful and sorrowful fragments of the heart. it is about rotting and blooming, about loving and hurting, healing and forgiving. the poems take you on a journey of three phases: the burning, the rising from the ashes, and, eventually, the glory. this collection explores days of the everlasting youth of a sun-kissed soul amongst the beauty of art, polaroids, flowers, hummingbirds, letters and sunshine.

My Thoughts:

The Good-

This was a very well done collection. It surprised me in many ways. I thought the writing style was great- the poems were written beautifully and it definitely showed that the author put a lot of care into her words and the way sentences were phrased.

I think each poem was very meaningful, and I related to many of them. There were quite a few lines that I really enjoyed, so I circled/underlined them. They were thought-provoking and unique.

Also, there were little photographs in between some of the poems which added to the experience. It became a multi-media piece, which is something I always appreciate and find so intriguing.

The Cons-

While I did enjoy many of the poems in here, I think the organization of them was not done in the best way possible. I wish that the poems followed a different sequence. The poems would often jump from one theme/topic to another, which isn’t something I’m always opposed to, but I do wish this one was more linear.

Also, there were a few typos every now and then, which is understandable for a self-published book. However, they were distracting quite a few times.

Aside from that, though, there are not many negatives to this collection!

My Favorite Poem:

Overall-

I would recommend this one for fans of contemporary poetry! It was a solid collection filled with many amazing poems. It is a worthwhile read.

Rating-

Have you read or heard of this collection before? Let me know in the comments!

See you next week :)

December TBR

Published on December 5, 2019December 3, 2019 by Jessica C Writes6 Comments

Hello! Happy December. I did not have a new post up last week because I just wanted to enjoy time at home and not worry about anything going on online.

I am back with a TBR post today, though. I am really excited to share my reading plans with you all because 1. it’s the last month of the year and 2. I’ll be home by the middle of December for winter break so I’ll have a whole lot of time to read!

I’ve luckily already hit my goal for the year, so I’m not stressing myself out to read too much, but there are a couple of books I want to finish!

Let’s just get into what I’ll be reading!

The Turn of the Screw and Other Ghost Stories by Henry James

This is my current read. I’ve actually gotten through 3-4 stories, so I’m almost halfway through it, but November was a slow reading month, and I never got to finish. My goal is to read 2 stories a week, but I don’t know if that’ll actually happen because of finals. I’m going to try, though!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

It’s the last month of the year. I really need to finish this one because I think I started it in the Spring. I am definitely going to do it. It’s the next book I’m going to pick up, so it will get read! I swear!

I’ve talked about how I’m going to read this one so many times this year, so I’ll just leave it at that.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

This one is another that has been on my TBR before (I think October?). I am definitely going to get to it, too, because I am part of a blog tour for it! That post will be up in January, so be on the lookout for that!

I’ve also been in the mood for cute contemporary books to get me out of my mini slump, so I’m hoping this one will do the trick!

Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham

This is the last book I’m going to try to read this month. The cover is a girl surrounded by snow, so obviously, this would be the perfect time to read it. Plus, I just really love Lauren Graham, and I’ve owned this book for way too long. I think it’s time to read it!

Have you read any of these? Let me know what you thought of them if you did! Also, feel free to share your TBR with me :)

The Mystery Blogger Award

Published on November 21, 2019November 20, 2019 by Jessica C Writes14 Comments

Hello everyone! I hope you are having an amazing week :) I was recently tagged by Sofi to do the Mystery Blogger Tag! I am extremely honored that she included me, and I am so excited to share my answers to her questions.

THE RULES:

Put the award logo/image on your blog.
List the rules.
Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
Nominate 10 – 20 people. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice.
Share a link to your best post(s).

The tag was created by Okoto over at OkotoEnigmasBlog.

THREE FACTS ABOUT ME:

I am a sophomore Public Relations student.
I speak Polish.
My favorite color is pink.

SOFI’S QUESTIONS:

Have you ever felt so identified with a character that you end up picturing it as yourself?

Yes, 100%. I’ve talked about these two books many, many times, but I really identified with Aza from Turtles All the Way Down by John Green and Sam from Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone.

Both of these books center around a character with OCD (and anxiety). They captured the thoughts I have in my head so perfectly. I related to these characters so much that both of these books made me cry.

What thoughts do you have about ARCs?

I think ARCs are really important- there have been many instances where problematic elements were caught before publication, which meant that they were able to be corrected. Also, it is great to be able to read

However, I do know that receiving ARCs is a privilege, and unfortunately, not everyone is able to get one. Getting an ARC in countries outside of the US and UK can be very difficult. This is extremely unjust, and I wish more could be done to get ARCs to other countries.

Also, many times, own-voices ARCs are not given to own-voices readers, which is another flaw in the system. I think publishers need to research who they are sending certain ARCs to and should try to find readers who are being represented in the book.

Do you think that a person who gives 5 stars to everything reads is questionable? What’s your thought about giving low ratings?

I do not think someone who rates every book 5 stars is questionable. I personally give a lot of high ratings (4-5 stars), but it’s because I’ve learned to only pick up books I know I will actually enjoy. Of course, there are times when I think I will enjoy a book, but I don’t. BUT, the majority of the time, I do end up loving those books. I think if you love everything you’re reading, that’s all that matters. How other people rate books shouldn’t be a problem unless if they are lying/rating books without reading them.

Giving low ratings is completely fair and valid. Obviously, you should be honest in your reviews and share your thoughts. However, I do not

Name 3 book bloggers that inspire you!

Picking just three is SO. HARD. I’m going to write about just three, but there are tons of bloggers I could mention.

Marie will always be an inspiration to me- her writing style is so beautiful, she updates consistently, and her content is incredible.

Vinny’s blog design is one of my all-time favorites. I think it is so aesthetically pleasing, and it is what I aspire to have my blog look like.

Kristin’s recommendations are some of the best. I really trust her reviews, and I read all of her posts!

Can an author’s reputation affect your thinking about his books?

Yes. If an author writes a problematic book or is just an overall problematic person, it definitely puts me off from their books. Obviously, if they apologize and take action to fix their wrongdoing, I am all for second chances. Often times, that is not the case, though. Some authors do or say problematic things, they argue with the readers who point this out to them, and they never apologize. I do not want to support people like this, so I try not to.

MY QUESTIONS:

What is the last book that made you cry?
How many books do you have on your TBR?
Would you rather only be able to reread books or only be able to read new books?
What was your reading goal for 2019? Did you reach it yet?
What is your favorite book quote?

I TAG:

I hope you enjoyed this post! I had a lot of fun answering these questions, and I’m excited to read everyone’s responses to mine :)

See you next week!

Ways to Organize Your Shelves

Published on November 14, 2019November 13, 2019 by Jessica C Writes2 Comments

I rearrange my bookshelves on a seasonal basis- at least. I acquire new books, or I get bored with the way my shelves look, so I change them. It’s something I do pretty frequently. Luckily, there are so many different ways to organize your shelves, and today I’m going to share 3 of them.

*All images used in this post were taken from Pinterest. They are not my own.

By Genre

This is how I typically have my shelves organized. I like this method of organizing because I’ve found it’s easiest for me to find a book I’m looking for. It’s also a good option for mood readers. You can see all of the fantasy books you have or all of the romance books you have, and choose from those sections. I also separate the books I have read from the books I haven’t read, and from there I split them into genres.

It also helps with blogging because when I’m looking for specific books for recommendations, I can easily see all of a certain type of book in one section.

This can also be separated into sub-genres: first YA vs Adult vs Middlegrade, then into contemporary- romance, mystery, literary fiction, etc. vs fantasy- urban, dystopian, etc. Or it can even be divided into different tropes or elements!

Your shelves can be arranged in a variety of ways using this system, which is what makes it such a great option for most.

By Author’s Name

This one’s for all my Ravenclaws.

Organizing alphabetically is something I’ve grown very accustomed to after both volunteering and working at a library. This can be combined with the previous one, or done on its own. It is pretty self-explanatory, but it means putting your books in order of the author’s last name from A-Z (or first name, if you prefer).

If you are good at memorizing an author’s name, this one might be perfect for you! I’ve had my bookshelves organized this way before and I loved it. I’m actually thinking of going back to this way because it’s such a nice system where there isn’t a lot of question over which book to put where.

With genre, it can be a little difficult to decide where to put certain if they fall into multiple genres, or if you only have one or two books from a genre. This one is simple- there isn’t that same room for confusion. Plus, all of your books from an author can be placed next to each other.

By Color

This is one that scares me, but I love the end result of so much. That is by turning your shelves into a rainbow! I’m sure you’ve all seen rainbow bookshelves before. They are a huge trend in the book community.

I love how these look. I personally just don’t think I have enough books for each color to be able to successfully do this. It also just stresses me out to have my authors and series separated.

But, if that doesn’t bother you and you are a visual person, this is perfect for you!

Tell me, how do you have your bookshelves set up? I would love to know!

The End of the Year Book Tag

Published on November 7, 2019November 6, 2019 by Jessica C Writes4 Comments

Hello everyone! I am back from my week-long hiatus after Blogtober. I thought that now that we’re in November, meaning there are only two months of the year left, that I would do this fun tag! It was created a few years ago by Ariel Bissett on Youtube, so be sure to watch her video as well.

Before I get to the tag, though, I just wanted to ask if you all could fill out this quick survey for the end of the year. It’s a list of questions about my blog and what you would want to see in the future. It should only take a couple of minutes to complete, and it would help me out a ton! Thanks!

Okay, let’s get to the questions!

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

The Secret History. I have not yet finished this one. I’ve been reading a chapter or two every month for the past 5 months now. I am determined to finish it (hopefully this month) before the year is over. I will not go into 2020 with this book still unread.

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

The Starless Sea (I will be recommending this book for the rest of my life). It is such a cozy, feel-good book full of magical descriptions and complex characters. And it’s out as of a couple days ago! I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

The only release I’m waiting for is Queen of Nothing by Holly Black but only because I want to finish the Folk of the Air trilogy. I gave the first and second book both 3 stars I believe. There was nothing special about them to me, but maybe I’ll finally see all of the hype about Jude and Cardan in this one.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo- I don’t know if this one will happen yet. I might save it for 2020 so that I don’t rush through it.
A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti- This one is going to be on my December TBR, so hopefully I will actually get to it!
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord- This one is on this month’s TBR, and I definitely think I will finish it fairly soon. I have high expectations for this one, though, so I’m a little nervous.

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?

I honestly don’t think anything can beat out my favorite book of the year (The Starless Sea if you didn’t know). I’m not going to say it’s impossible, but it’s pretty unlikely for anything I read to top that one!

Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

Sort of. I decided that my reading goal was going to be 52 books again, just as it was this year. Even though I surpassed this goal fairly quickly, I liked that I didn’t feel pressured to read too much. That’s about as far as my reading plans have gone, though.

What does your reading look like for the rest of the year? How many books have you read? Let me know in the comments!