RECENT READS & TBR

[@tibbarasden]

I love how our personal experiences can color our enjoyment of a book, like yours with Fault Line. Looks like a lot of amazing reads even with the two DNFs.

[@parkercrystal1]

Me: Hears Jessie pronounce Kazuo Ishiguro's name and thinks: "I think she speaks Japanese. " Jessie (next scene): "I lived in Japan for 7 years" Me: HA!!!

[@JessieMaeBooks]

🤣🤣

[@stevenstackpoole8358]

It's good to see you read a mix of genres: more traditional epic high fantasy, with historical fiction, and domestic fiction. And it's cool to learn you grew up in Tokyo! I went on a summer trip to Osaka for college and just loved the people there. Just too bad I didn't have the opportunity to return there as an expat.

[@selantrian]

Half a soul!!! My fave book of the year!!!

[@ScullyPop]

Jessie is so entertaining.

[@MoJordanReads]

I have Half a Soul on hold at my library and I'm so glad to hear you are enjoying it! I can't wait to read it! I totally know what you mean about being in the right space for certain books, especially fantasy. I've paused on a few series because I am too mentally exhausted to get to them right now! I hope things calm down for you soon ❤️

[@Kristenisfullybookd]

I have my eye on half a soul, it sounds really relaxed and cozy

[@RodgersReads]

That’s so cool I didn’t know you’d lived in Japan. How fun!

[@AbbySalter]

I recently got Half a Soul I really does sound so super cute.

[@johnsaxongitno4life588]

Congrats to you on your amazing recent reading 📖 and wishing you the best of luck with your reading your July tbr list please stay safe and enjoy your reading 📖 love your family friend John from Australia xxxx

[@esmayrosalyne]

I don't know what this says about me, but hearing you say how sad Firefly Lane was made me immediately want to pick it up, lol. I guess I just like books which make me suffer 🤣 And I can definitely see why you are liking Riyria a bit less after LotFE, because I think the character work in LotFE was so strong that it's really hard to beat that. Great to hear that you are still enjoying it though! Heir of Novron is a fantastic finale, can't wait to hear your thoughts 🥰

[@greeneggsandsambooks]

I watched Firefly Lane on netflix before I knew they were books, and it tore me to pieces but I loved every second. I bought the duology but I'm scared to pick it up lol! I haven't read a Kristin Hannah yet, I don't normally grab for Historical fiction though. I got The Unsinkable Greta James when it was the BOTM so I'm glad to finally hear someone review it and I'm glad it's positive!

[@selantrian]

Definitely be in a good headspace for assassins apprentice… the writing style really tries me & my brain. I was kind of dreading Heir of Novron when I read it bc I didn’t like rise of empire, but heir flew for me and the last book was SO FUN. Like campy, d&d, lord of the rings quest vibes

[@amacina]

Book of the month box twins! I’m about 40% done with T&T&T and really enjoying it!

[@kerisbookishcorner2864]

I can’t wait for you to read ‘The Magic Hour’ and ‘Night Road’ by Kristin Hannah. Those are two of my all time favorites from her.

[@rosskissa]

Where would you recommend getting started with Michael J Sullivan? Hope you love Assassins Aprentice - but even if you don't - push through ! It gets better and better. Robin Hobb is my favorite author of all time!

[@angelaholmes8888]

So far in July I have read Mean baby by Selma Blair her memoir Pride and prejudice Murder of crows by anne bishop 99 percent mine by sally Thorne The war of two queens by Jennifer l armentrout Ravage the dark by tara sim

[@Freakgirl1985]

I loved "Fault Lines", mainly due to its being married / being a mother content, but also because of all the details about Tokyo.I have never been but I have been a gamer for pretty much my whole life and because of that I always wanted to go. PewDiePie recently moved to Tokyo and I am devouring his vlogs. They are so wholesome. And I love how you pronounce Japanese names. Shows that you used to to live there :D I read "Educated" last summer and am recommending it still to everyone. Just last week, during a night shift, I talked to a patient who was reading "The Midnight Library" and he was amazed that I had also read it and asked for more recommendations. So in the morning, before leaving work, I handed him a post- it with a couple of book recs. and one of them was "Educated" :D

[@jennthebookwyrm5484]

I love some of the ideas you gave me for future reads! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

[@heathersmoot8003]

Great video!!! I can definitely relate to some really stressful work stress lately affecting my focus on reading as well, especially epic fantasy. You're not alone - hopefully it will get better soon for you :)

[@FunFantasyBooks]

I’ve never read any Kristin Hannah’s book! Which one would you recommend for a newbie? 🤓✨ Can’t wait to hear your thoughts about Locklands!! I ended up loving it 🥹!! How can I follow the readalong for Fireborne?? Can’t wait for Furysong!!! 🔥

[@racheldavis122]

Oh my gosh! I picked the exact same two picks from Book of the Month this month! 😊

[@laurenschenck5355]

Happy Saturday Jess have a great day of reading 📖 xoxo 😘 💚💕💞💞💝💗💖💖🌈🌈🌈📖📙🧡💗❤️❤️💗💜💛❣️💘💞💞🖤💚💔💙❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹💙💓💛❣️💘💕💕💝💜💖❤️📙📖📚🌈🧡🧡🧡🌈📚📖❤️❤️💗💜💚🖤💞💕💛💛💛💚🖤🖤

[@novelideea]

I have had a hard time with both Ishiguro and Marukami. I read them both in hopes that eventually I will feel like others do, but so far I'm batting a zero! I have a hold placed on Locklands at the Library. All my holds usually come in at once 🤦‍♀! I hope work really does calm down for you soon.🥰

[@juliejanisbooks6580]

I too don't remember a lot of details from Fireborne so I'm going to do a reread of that series soon as well

[@MaxFidler]

Yeah Assassins Apprentice is very on my list too. I’m finishing Rhythm of War and the Legends and Lattes and then Shadow of the Gods and then I’ll try Farseer!

[@Mano-Wan]

I was a mess reading *Firefly Lane* 😭 If you haven't watched the Netflix series, don't... It's so bad(although it seems like people who watched the series first and then read book, have the opposite opinion 🤷🏻‍♂)... I read the sequel too, and while it wasn't necessary, I still quite enjoyed... Loved *Educated* 👍🏽👍🏽 And I remember enjoying *Never Let Me Go* but I did see the adaptation first... It starred Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Ella Purnell, & Andrew Garfield... All actors I LOVE, so I had the movie in my head as I read 😊 I STILL want to get to that Founders Trilogy! 🤗

[@lorbito155]

I read Assassin’s Apprentice earlier this summer and I hope to pick up Royal Assassin soon =)

[@safinan8008]

Hi 👋 I hope ur July reads goes well for you?!! Happy reading to you!! 👋😊🦋

[@gabieger]

I have very much felt the same with Never Let Me Go, however I somehow persisted and struggled through and the third part was very worth it, it felt totally different, I liked that part way better than the first chunk. I have also kinda spoled myself on the "twist" because I could not decide whether to continue or not. But in the end I am glad I read it.

[@LiteratureScienceAlliance]

I need to try more Kristin Hannah cause I loved the great alone but I am nervous that nothing else will live up to that

[@zeldadesantiago6974]

You made me want to 😢

[@laurenschenck5355]

YAY SO EXCITED!! 💕💚💞💞🧡💜💛💝💙💞💚💕💘🌈❣️💖💔🌈💗💗🧡💓🤎💛💜❤️💜💜💛💛💝💙💙💓💗💕❤️‍🩹💞💖💔🌈💘🌈❣️💖💘❣️💖💝💝❤️❤️❤️💜💝💛💜🤎💓🧡💗💕❤️‍🩹💚💞💖💖❣️🌈🌈💘💗🖤🧡🧡🌈🌈✨⚡️📖📚📙📙📚📖📖📙📙📙📖📖📖📚📙📙📚📖📖📖📙📙📙📖📖📚📙

[@onfaerystories]

Firefly Lane's cover is so beautiful! I immediately looked it up and it does sound draining, so it'll have to wait, but it does sound interesting indeed! And I have Educated on my shelves waiting for me, but I fear it'll be heavy for me (as a child abuse survivor) and so I've put it off for now. I'd still like to read it this year, but we'll see. 🥴 I have not picked up Foundryside yet, but Locklands' cover is so gorgeous it just makes me want to own it 😍 I'm hoping Assassin's Apprentice will be available at my library soon, but I have enough already to work through with Gardens of The Moon. What I find most difficult with this one are the dialogues because you're just thrown in without much context about the world and politics (but just enough to keep you intrigued), so those military/politically-driven conversations about people we know almost nothing about take a lot of brain power for now. 😅

[@liessssje113]

Aah i’m reading the last book in riyria revelations and i love it so much. I don’t want it to end and very nervous about the first empire series.

[@kit888]

Now on book two of Heir of Novron. I'm enjoying it more than Legends of the First Empire, so far, because it is less gut-wrenching. I read First Empire first too and also enjoyed the callbacks and distorted history in Riyria. It is hard to believe he wrote Riyria first because the callbacks to the previously unwritten books are so well done.

[@JessieMaeBooks]

Yes it’s definitely a bit of a lighter tone with not quite so many emotional gut punches haha

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yeah I didn't enjoy what you wished for either but I really enjoyed her other books they are way better

[@claudiastreffpunkt2365]

Great video! I loved your description of Itami's book and your personal connection to the place. i didn't know that about you and I'd love to hear more japan stories plz 🥰💖 One thing concerning the mike: it seems to me that the movement around the mike and touching it directly causes disturbing noises. Maybe somebody mentioned this already and i dont mean to be critical. It's just sth i noticed in this and your last video, which wasnt the case before.

[@M_D2]

Hi! Where would you suggest starting with Michael J Sullivan?

[@JessieMaeBooks]

I’m still waiting to see how I feel at the end of Riyria Revelations before recommending a starting place! Hopefully I’ll have an answer for you soon! 😄

[@megravitt33]

Either riyria or legends are good places to start, just kinda depends on the vibe you want. Lighter, more humor, heist like stories-riyria Epic fantasy, large character cast, big world-legends

[@amusicalbookworm]

I picked the exact same two book of the months picks, lol

[@JessieMaeBooks]

Haha yesss hopefully we both love them!

[@macinnismama]

Ugh, it's the worst when work life starts to impact our enjoyment of things at home. Hope things settle down for you soon

[@zubaerchaudhari8267]

Hello

[@txdave]

the show for firefly lane unfortunately put me off the book! i was bored to tears! i ended up watching the movie for never let me go years ago and wow it was amazing! i think the ending alone is worth it!

[@JessieMaeBooks]

Oh no what a bummer that the show wasn’t good! The book was amazing!

[@annmoore321]

Now, the “romance” in The Unsinkable Greta James knocked it down to a three star read for me. *spoiler below* . . . . In fact, her whole “love life” was messed up. She is a pretty selfish, crappy person. She cheats on her boyfriend with an old childhood friend (who she hooks up with in between relationships), and then she has a fling with a man who she knows is STILL MARRIED.

[@hayleya.439]

I found Never Let Me Go pretty boring but I loved the ending. Then I read The Buried Giant by the same author. I wanted to DNF it sooo bad but there's a central mystery so I assumed there would be a big shock reveal and maybe I would love the ending like I did with Never Let Me Go - NOPE. Awful. Hands down the absolute worst book I've ever read.

[@laurenschenck5355]

I read firefly lane it is SO GOOD I enjoyed it so much! 💓💙💙💝💝💖📙💕💞🧡📖📖💚🖤❤️💛💕❤️💚💚📖📖🧡💞💕💞💝💝💖📙💗💗💖💓❤️‍🩹💘💙💘❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹💔💙❣️💖🌈🧡💞💞💛❤️💚📖📖💚🖤❤️💕💕💜🌈💝📚💗📚💖💝📖🌈❤️‍🩹❣️💘💙❣️❤️‍🩹💔💙❣️❤️‍🩹💖🌈📖📖🌈

[@selantrian]

Definitely be in a good headspace for assassins apprentice… the writing style really tries me & my brain. I was kind of dreading Heir of Novron when I read it bc I didn’t like rise of empire, but heir flew for me and the last book was SO FUN. Like campy, d&d, lord of the rings quest vibes