In December 2015 my family and I lived in Staten Island, New York. One thing I LOVED about living there is how much everyone decorated their homes for the holidays ... even for Halloween. So here is a short video of a few of my relatives and I driving, sometimes then walking some others, around Staten Island, New York with videos and photos of the Christmas Decor & Christmas Lights that we had seen. 🎄 💡 Enjoy!
What did your Halloween being like for this 2020 Quarantine-o-ween?
Was it sorta the same as you do every year?
Were you more cautious and staying in? Let me know in the comments!
SO! For my family ... we stayed in. Yet I still wanted to "celebrate" .... therefore I have a Halloween video for you that features myself -- because HI it's my social stuff -- and EIGHT other lovely, wonderful, entertaining Booktubers! We are having fun with JibJab videos and recommending various Halloween books! In addition, at the bottom of this post you can see some of what my kids did to celebrate too. Enjoy!
Booktubers Celebrate Halloween (includes Halloween Book Recs) | From Jess to You Services [CC] by From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews
Shala (over at Shaegeeksout) mentions my BookTube account in her video! SO .. this is a post showing off that video and giving you a meet-and-greet of Shala's BookTube Account.
Temecka from Library of Tomes' has been doing her best to host collabs and post new videos on her YouTube / BookTube channel every day of October and she was kind enough to let me join in the fun! So, the topic was Books I want to Read because of Booktube below are both our takes on this topic with our cooresponding videos, books mentioned, booktubers mentioned, & more! Enjoy! Also, subscribe to our accounts!
If you can't see/watch the above video then click here to watch it. Or check out the bigger version below.
If you can't see/watch the above video then click here to watch it. Or check out the bigger version below.
Soo ... since September 2013 I have had a different blog called Jessica's Adventures in Cooking and Baking because at that point I had become a stay-at-home mother of almost two kids and though I did not enjoy cooking (still don't) yet I enjoy baking (still do) I felt the need to record some of my successes, failures, and just random food treat thoughts that I had along the way. Below is a video that I probably should have shared over on that blog instead of this website/blog but felt inclined to share it here anyways. Technically "my vision" for this video is not what this turned out to be ... actually I like how it turned out more. Yet I'll be the first to admit this is NOT my best video creation ... but I have had these sequence photos since 2016 when this video idea was created and after recently watching an article about how I should be the one to "publish my stuff not just finish it" here you go ...
Are you ready for your children to give out gifts for your relatives?
Truly ... every year I always feel like I am never ready. But in this post I have one gift idea for your children to give out to a relative, friend, or teacher!
It is garden pots!
I'll admit it isn't an original idea as I got it from my cousin around 2015 when my daughter was getting into school and needing to find a creative yet cheap idea for teachers gifts. And this is what my cousin (who has four kids) said she had all of her kids do every year for their teachers as "goodbye" gifts. Yet this is my take on it ...
Cristal (over at Reading & Retail) promoted my BookTube account in a recent video! SO .. this is a post showing off that video and giving you a meet-and-greet of Cristal's BookTube Account. Actually I did notice her watching my channel when it was happening, but at the time I just didn't know it was her. **hahaa** You can check out my happy reaction here or below.
Today I'm showing off Jacqueline Simon Gunn's "Chasing Kat," which is her recently released novel, the THIRD novel in her Hudson River Series, and TWO guest posts!
ALSO -- Be sure to check out Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post to be able to sign up for this blog stop's GIVEAWAY!! [Blog Tour & Giveaway will run from August 18 - September 18, 2020]
Chasing Kat
Hudson River Book 3
by Jacqueline Simon Gunn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
It’s been twelve years since Kat laid eyes on Baxter Adams, her first love, her best friend, the boy who broke her heart. Though Bax shied away from commitments, Kat was the one girl he wanted to know forever, someone he would do anything for. Except date. Then in a moment that ripped both of their hearts out, they ended a friendship they thought would last a lifetime.
Now, Kat believes her past with Bax is finally behind her… until he’s hired at the magazine where she works. At first, they slip easily into their close camaraderie, ignoring events of the past. But is rekindling their old friendship enough? Or is something deeper still between them?
While Bax wants nothing more than to earn back Kat’s trust, blaming himself for the way things ended between them, he has no idea that Kat still harbors guilt for breaking a promise that changed the course of his life. And she never had the courage to tell him.
In an emotional story about long-lost friendships, passionate love and the bonds that endure, will the past that ties them together also tear them apart?
This is book three in the Hudson River series but can be read as a stand-alone.
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
You can check out Rakuten Marketing's privacy policy here: https://rakutenmarketing.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ **
My friend India of Life Is A Page Turner has a candle company called Page Turning Products / Page Turning Candle Co.. Recently (technically in July 2020) I purchased some of her candles ... this is my unboxing and reaction video of getting those candles. YAY!! Check out India's candles, India's IGs, MY video, and MY promo photos of the candles!
That all being said I want it stated that this is not a sponsored video. Though I am a huge fan of my friend, I did purchase these candles and all of the reviews within my video are my own. Enjoy!
Desirai (over at Libri Labra) mentions my BookTube account in her video! SO .. this is a post showing off that video and giving you a meet-and-greet of Desirai's BookTube Account.
Hi! So, I am sharing (with permission) two videos that Mahalia from Nerd It This Way! posted on her YouTube/Bookube channel in June 2020. Both videos were of Mahalia with her family (or just her husband) discussing past situations they had to deal with growing up, discussing the Black Lives Matter movement, and more. I truly encourage you to watch all of both videos. Also I appreciate Mahalia and her family for filming and posting these videos as they gave me (a white gal) more insight.
I was invited to join in Episode 5 of Steph from Steph's Romance Book Talk's Collaboration Series and HERE IT IS! Check it out in the below video and if you want to pick the novels up that is listed below too.
Best Underrated Book I've Ever Read
| Collaboration Series | Episode 5 | 2020 by Steph's Romance Book Talk
Confession time ... I am not sure what went down on Twitter about Book Bloggers ... and in some ways I am completely happy to be in denial about whatever it was. Yet, I am a book blogger (I have been since this blog began in 2008) and I am a booktuber (I have been since I included "bookish" videos on my youtube channel in 2017) ... therefore I find what Ben is putting together really important.
Yes BookTube is an important venue for Authors, however Book Bloggers have been around for generations and we do not plan on going away. So I truly appreciate Ben of Benreadsbooks & BenReadsBooks trying in bring everyone together in his own way. I did comment on Ben's tweet and no I do not know if or when he'll mention my blog ... or if he'll mention it at all. That is fine. I would love the support but it is not needed. I have come to terms with how much "support" I will get over the years and in truth I get more support from authors than I have from supporters or followers. It is why I do what I do and why I have created a small business in assisting authors the best I can.
Please watch Ben's video below. If you are a book blogger be sure to comment on Ben's tweet too.
In 2018 I featured Lauryn of The Novel Lush's video titled Racist BOOKTUBE DRAMA? Reaction to Entitlement vs Elitism on Booktube and the quote from Lauryn I posted with that video was "We gotta do better.", which truly is still completely relevant today. I find that to be really sad but it is not untrue ... society needs to do better. But to be more specific BOOKTUBE needs to do better too. So, when Lauryn posted this video (the one below) I asked if she would be alright with me featuring here and I am only doing so because she stated it would be okay. Watch it!Watch it ALL.Are you wanting to hear all the spilled tea .... watch it. Are you here because BLACK LIVES MATTER ... watch it. Also, after watching it you should check out these links in support of the BLACK LIVES MATTER too: blacklivesmatter.com & blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
We Are Not Your Token Knee Grows | Blackness and the Book Community by The Novel Lush
** This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
You can check out Rakuten Marketing's privacy policy here: https://rakutenmarketing.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ **
Amanda knows what she wants and what she doesn’t want. Raised by a mother who tore her down and made her feel unworthy, she’s now determined to finish her journalism degree and stand on her own two feet.
But when an irresistible connection tempts her, will she find the love she never had with Harry, the talented and gorgeous musician with secrets behind his eyes? Or will she once again learn that she can’t depend on anyone but herself?
In a story that delves deeply into how the past choices and unlived lives of those close to us affect our own journey and how difficult it is to change when everyone expects you to be the same as you’ve always been, there’s even more at play than Amanda and Harry’s passionate and tumultuous relationship. Lurking in the past are secrets that hold the key to and threaten to change the lives of almost everyone close to them.
Will they be able to hold on to their love, even when they are their own worst enemies? Or will the answers to long-asked questions blow their world apart?
"Before the Footprints Fade" is a love story that explores philosophical themes about love, memories, nostalgia and how the path not taken creates a ripple effect on the lives of those close to us.
This book is a spin-off of "Forever and One Day" but can be read as a stand-alone.
This site is a participant in various affiliate advertising programs through Amazon.com, Rakuten Marketing, Commission Junction, IndieBound, Smashwords, Book Depository, and more that are designed to provide a means for Jess to earn minimal advertising fees by showcasing the areas you can purchase the corresponding products that Jess discusses within her blog posts. Basically Jess earns from qualifying purchases.
More specifically Jess partners those websites' programs and you should be aware that they may collect personal information when you interact with their sites. The collection and use of this information is subject to their own privacy policies.
You can check out Rakuten Marketing's privacy policy here: https://rakutenmarketing.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/
