Jessica is my literary friend.  I imagine as a child that she kept her nose buried in a book at all times, with a waiting stack not too far out of reach.  Her apartment has multiple walls dedicated only to the storage of books, and this girl reads mostly on a Kindle.  She has collections of books… old books, pretty books, classic books.  She is funny and smart and creative and happens to know me super well.  So, whenever I’m looking for something new to read, she’s my first, and well, only stop.  Because anything that she has every recommended to me is absolutely superb!  She gives me books that I absolutely can’t put down.  Books that I never thought I would enjoy.  Books that I try to go back to after the last page, forgetting that the story is over and the characters aren’t moving on among those pages.  Books that make me sad they aren’t part of a trilogy!

So, my lovely friend has been kind enough to be a contributor!  I know that I find her recommendations absolutely wonderful, and I hope she can inspire you!

Hello, my name is Jessica and I have a reading problem. (This is where you’re all supposed to say, “Hi Jessica.” Do it. It’ll be fun.)

I was beyond thrilled when Jordana asked me to contribute this little series on everything book-related! It is my firm belief that one cannot lead a truly fabulous life without a regular reading regimen. In other words, books are my cardio. This does nothing for my figure, but if only you could see my soul! After majoring in English Lit in undergrad and grad school, I have a pretty solid foundation to build upon. That doesn’t mean I’m (too) snobby about what I read. After years (and years) of being told what to read and when, my philosophy is: pick whatever strikes my fancy at this very moment. This means choosing from all (err…most) categories and genres, to whatever makes me happy. Because Jessica’s Reading Rule No. 1 is: Above all, have fun. I find that after I’ve finished a book I truly enjoyed, I want to run out and tell everyone about it. The best thing anyone can ever say to me is, “I’m looking for a good book.” There’s just nothing better than passing on a great read to someone I know will love it as much as I did! So, so looking forward to sharing all my great book finds here with all of you!

Here are some of my most memorable reads over the years. Some of them are embarrassing.

1. The Great Gatsby. I come back to it every few years and it’s always absolute perfection.

2. A Song of Fire and Ice. Ok, here’s where I really let my dork show. Yes, this is a fantasy series. Yes, there’s magic and dragons. But I stand behind my love of this series and remain forever thankful to good ole’ George R. R. Martin for leading me on an unforgettable journey through this incredible world.

3. Anything Jane Austen. My favorite is Persuasion, but I hold a deep and burning love for all of Austen’s novels. They’re such cheeky fun.
4. Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea. I loved Jane Eyre as a child, but enjoyed it even more as a grown-up. Jean Rhys’ quasi-prequel, set in the West Indies, chronicles the life of Bertha, Mr. Rochester’s ill-fated first wife.

5. Charlotte’s Web.  I recently read this to a child and found myself sobbing as poor Charlotte said her goodbyes. Made a mental note to compose myself a bit before reading it to my own children someday.

6. Moonstone. A completely engrossing Victorian detective novel that kept me awake, reading furiously for several nights.

7. The complete works of David Sedaris. At least once a week, I lament not being born a Sedaris. I go back to his stories over and over again and find they still make me ugly-laugh every time. They’re also great as audio books because, to be honest, Sedaris’ voice is hilarious all on its own.
8. The novels of John Grisham. These really did it for me during junior high. I definitely knew more legal jargon than most 13 year olds.

9. Babysitter’s Club. I was so engrossed in this series that my parents had to intervene. They’d pry the book out of my hands and force me to play outside. I still hold this against them.