nomadreader

Welcome to day five of Megan McCafferty and Jessica Darling week at nomadreader ! I have finally written my last catch-up review for my summer reading and vacation from blogging. This book is the fifth in Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series, and both the review and summary contain spoilers from the first four novels. Summary: This book takes place a few months in the future (as in early 2010), which makes the timing of Marcus and Jessica's stories work. Jessica has a perfect job, and she spends her life on the road working. Marcus is finishing up at Princeton. When they run into each other at the airport, they talk about life, love and their relationship. Review: The entire book takes place in one day (with a few flashbacks and backstory to fill the readers--and Jessica and Marcus--in on what's been happening.) I can't imagine taking longer than a day to read it. It's the first book told with a more traditional narrative rather than in diary-style. It was ...

Welcome to day four of Megan McCafferty and Jessica Darling week at nomadreader ! This book is the fourth in the Jessica Darling series, and the summary and review will have some spoilers if you haven't read the earlier books. Summary: Jessica Darling is out of college and believably barely working. She nannies for her sister (who pays her an obscene but believable amount of money), and she lives with Hope (Hope!) and another familiar Pineville face. As Jessica is celebrating her independence and adulthood, Marcus is starting college, as a first-year-student, at Princeton. Cue relationship drama: once again, Marcus and Jessica are not at the same place in their lives. Review: I love the opening scene of this book. Our beloved Jessica has discovered some of her own bad- assness ! As perhaps the only fan of these books who doesn't really care about Marcus (I don't necessarily dislike him, and there are times I'm rooting for them, but mostly, I'm a pure Jessica fan: ...

Welcome to day three of Megan McCafferty and Jessica Darling week at nomadreader ! This books is the third in a series, so the review and summary will include some spoilers from the first two books. Summary: Jessica Darling is finally out of Pineville and in college at Columbia. She lands the dream internship at a snarky Brooklyn magazine. Review: I expected to love Charmed Thirds as much as I loved Second Helpings . I'm a huge fan of New York City, snarky magazines and college life. I was thrilled for Jessica to experience all of these things and hear her insights. Sadly, I was a little underwhelmed; it's my least favorite Jessica Darling book. My biggest problem with Charmed Thirds was how much and little it covered. McCafferty condenses all of Jessica's college life into one volume. Sloppy Firsts covered a year and a half, while Second Helpings, the longest book, only took on one year. In order to fit in four years worth of work, school, love, anguish and humor...

It's day two of Megan McCafferty and Jessica Darling week at nomadreader ! I loved this series, which I read over the summer, and each day I'm posting a review to celebrate finally catching up on summer reviews. Because this is a se quel to Sloppy Firsts , there will be some spoilers for the first book in this review and summary. Summary: Jessica Darling is a senior now, and she's making the hard choices about where to go to college and what she wants out of life. She's still dealing with the fallout of a broken heart, dating her academic rival, and dealing with an anonymous and accurate school gossip ezine . Once again, the reader is privy to Jessica's thoughts through her diary. Review: After getting to know Jessica Darling in Sloppy Firsts , I was really rooting for her in this novel. I desperately wanted her to make the right choice for college. There is still plenty of candor, insight and humor, but Jessica's reactions to the September 11 th attacks stil...

In honor of finally catching up on the last five reviews from books I read this summer, it's Megan McCafferty and Jessica Darling week here at nomadreader . Each day this week, I'll post one review for each book in the five book series. Summary: Sloppy Firsts is the story of Jessica Darling, a high school junior in New Jersey. Her best friend, Hope, has moved to Tennessee after Hope's brother died of a drug overdose. Jessica is a faithful diarist, and her story unfolds through diary entries and a monthly letter to Hope. Review: One of my best friends recommended this book to me, and I'm so glad she did! I loved Jessica Darling from the very beginning, and I wished the books were around when I was in high school because I would have loved them then too. Jessica is a wonderfully honest narrator, but the reader can still see how she struggles with her self-esteem. Jessica's perception of herself is not always the exact reality, but it's refreshing to read a story...