Jessica McCarty, Author

It's often the simple things that make life worthwhile, is it not? As a proud aunt, I have to tell you the highlight of my day was clomping footsteps breaking the quiet. It was quickly followed by a voice shouting, "Jessitta! Jessitta! Jessitta!" I scooped up that little bean in my arms to give him a big hug.💙 I hope you find something sweet in your week as well. A text from a friend. A word of encouragement. A joke that makes you laugh until you cry. A song you fall in love with and sing at the top of your lungs. A sunshine filled day. Speaking of sunshine, February is over! Sunnier days are coming! But if it's still dreary and cold where you are there's always a good book and a hot cup of coffee to bring one cheer.  As always, feel free to steal from my reading list.😉 My February Reads From Darkness Won  by Jill Williamson This book, this entire series, was absolutely amazing. They are probably the biggest books I've ever...

Is it just me or did January last forever ? We finally started getting real snow here after a winter of no shoveling. Sickness is going around the schools like crazy. Can it just be spring now? Anyone else? That being said, I hope you have some good books to cozy up with. If not, maybe my January reads can lend some help. 😉 The Piper's Pursuit  by Melanie Dickerson This is book ten in the Hagenheim series. Not only is there one more book coming, but Melanie is working on a new series! The Piper's Pursuit  is a historical fiction novel and retelling of The Pied Piper. There's also a mysterious beast and a rat plague. One of my favorite things in the book was the children. I don't want to give any spoilers, but keep your eye on them. It really made me chuckle! To Darkness Fled  by Jill Williamson This is the second book in the Blood of Kings trilogy. Guuuys! The books are HUGE, but that doesn't matter. They are so incredibly good....

Welcome to the first day of 2020, my friends! I hope you're taking the day to lounge and relax, perhaps jotting out your resolutions to take this year by force. Maybe you're contemplating a word for the year, something to ground you and help you be more intentional. Or you could be looking for titles to add to your TBR list. If that's the case, I think I can help. The following are all the books I read in 2019. In order this year! I credit this organization to a friend who introduced me to Goodreads, the same friend who introduced me to Google Docs. I should listen to her more often. 😉 January Title: Amish Vampires in Space Series: Peril in Plain Space, #1 Author: Kerry Nietz Genre/Type: Science Fiction These books are huge, but you fly through them. They shift between multiple character viewpoints seamlessly. It's a believable blend of Science Fiction and Amish Fiction. Title: The Cruel Prince Series: The Folk of the Air, #1 Author: H...

Happy December, friends! I have to admit, I cannot believe it's almost Christmas. Small confession: I have done exactly zero shopping. My husband, however, is almost done with his. Go hubs! Next month I'll be sharing ALL my reads for 2019. Today's blog should be a short list as I didn't get a lot of reading done last month. My November reads . . . Unraveling  by Sara Ella This was a re-read for me. I loved the Unblemished trilogy. Sara packs so much in her books. I felt a second time through was needed for me to truly appreciate it. Coral  by Sara Ella Coral  is a Little Mermaid retelling. As a huge, forever fan of the movie (and of Sara's) this was a must read for me. The book touches on difficult topics such as depression and suicide. It is a story handled with care, truth, whimsy, and all kinds of heart. I think I'm honestly still processing it and will likely come back to it as well. The Queen of Nothing ...

Happy first day of November, friends! We had a great time last night at my local library. The first one hundred trick-or-treaters received a full size candy bar. There were princesses downstairs for the kids to get candy from and take photos with. Upstairs I passed out candy and business cards. It was a lot of fun and I was so glad to be a part of it. It was nice, too, that the kids had a warm place to go last night. It snowed here. And when I say it snowed, I mean for hours . Hello, fall? Where did you go? Cue awkward bathroom selfie. It was late, so it was either my bathroom or the library's. Library for the win! Just a girl hanging out with her child at the library. I don't know which of my friends keeps putting my baby on the Staff Picks, but, bless you. On my playlist Free  by Riley Clemmons Not Today  by Hillsong UNITED Dead Man Walking  by Jeremy Camp Anxious  by Sarah Reeves Graveyard  by Halsey (...

Hey, friends! Happy Friday! 🧡 Yes, you read that right. This will be the last blog post until November 1st. In order to bring you a more quality product, I will be limiting my posts to once a month. You will still be able to find me weekly on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  If there's anything you'd like to see in the "new and improved" blog, please let me know! So I'll see you back here in a month, just in time for turkey season. Yum! 😋 Blessings, -- J

Is it pirate week? I kind of feel like it is. Wednesday was the one year anniversary of A Desperate Love 's release! My week was filled with all kinds of piratey goodness. To kick things off, our library had a pirate themed story time on Tuesday. I wasn't there, but the irony wasn't lost on me. Thursday, of course, was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, when people speak like pirates by throwing pirate lingo into their conversations. Wednesday I did a "short" video on my book and my current WIP. It was a bit scary getting my face out there like that, but my sweet girl's worth it. I spent a good part of the day working on draft #2 in my fantasy series. Then I topped it off with an Instagram story featuring A Desperate Love and the cheesecake I made, because what's a book birthday without cake?! And if all that wasn't enough, YouTube keeps slipping Burn the Ships  by For King and Country into my suggested mixes. Let's k...