The Novel Navigator

Helping readers plan their next adventure

recent posts

    • BR: Into the Darkness Series

      I’ve never done a book review before so stick with me through this first attempt…..

      I put off reading the first book of the Into the Darkness series by Navessa Allen for months. Lights Out was all over Booktok and Bookstagram and I knew it would be good but it was everywhere and for some reason that turns me off from picking up a book. I’m not sure if it’s nerves that it’s overhyped and won’t live up to my expectations or if I’m just a rebel and like doing things differently, but here we are. Back in May, our Smut Club read Lights Out and it was 100/10. We all LOVED it; the witty banter had us all laughing out loud (literally), pop culture references (mention Gilmore Girls and you have my heart), SPICE, the pace… everything about that damn book was perfect. We loved Josh (the MMC) and the line he toes but also the work he puts into bettering himself, his hilarious inner monologue and thoughtfulness for Aly (and Fred), and the deep love he has for his people are chefs fuckin kiss. He is top tier book boyfriend material.

      With such a high bar set, we were excited for Caught Up which released earlier this month and is June’s book of the month. However, I always feel a bit of trepidation when the first book in a series is SO good and it sets the bar crazy high. I get it though, the second can’t be a copy/paste situation with the exact same type of characters, balance of funny-spicy-dark, and plot… but damn do I always wish for that. While Caught Up and Lights Out are very different, it still has similar elements that I thoroughly enjoyed. The spice is actually next level and I can say for certain that it has 3 of my top 10 favorite spicy scenes I’ve ever read. Our side characters played a bigger role in book 2, we were introduced to Lauren’s grandma (Nonna) and her roomies/besties Taylor and Ryan. While Lauren is an absolute queen and possibly one of my favorite characters ever, her Nonna and Walter (dog) are top tier supporting characters, bringing the lighthearted funny moments that Josh gave us so effortlessly in book 1. Overall, I’d say that book 2 lived up to my hopes and expectations and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Go read ’em and come back to commiserate on how long we’ll have to wait until book 3 with me!

      Check out the series here

    • Ambiance

      Alex recently reminded me that I should romanticize my life…. I was describing how there are times when I catch myself making dinner, reading or folding laundry and it’s dead silent and often relatively dark or low light (cause who needs big lights when you’ve got natural light) and she reminded me that YouTube Ambiance is a thing! As one does, we proceeded to share links back and forth for some really great ambiance videos which we’re gonna share with you dear reader (any Bridgerton fans reading this??).

      Here are a few to get you started… Alex promises to provide more of her favorites ASAP and I’ll add ’em to the list!

      For Reading:

      Summer Mornings:

      Summer Evenings:

      Evening Chill:

      Some other ways I add vibes and ambiance in my space include making my bed every morning (its important, I swear!!), having all the windows open, Govee light strips (above the kitchen cabinets and behind the tv), bulbs and lamps everywhere (death to big lights), plants…. all the plants, soft blankets and pillows of all colors, and rainbow prism window cling film. Looking for inspiration? Here are a few instagram accounts I love!

    • My First Rodeo!

      Last night, my bestie and I went to our first ever rodeo! It was heart pounding and jaw dropping…. we screamed our heads off along with a whole arena full of spectators. From mutton bustin to bareback riding (aka bucking broncos), barrel racing to bull riding, we saw it all. The outfits were fabulous, the music was on point and the whole experience was an absolute vibe. Eight Seconds Rodeo “celebrates the cowboys of today and the legacy of Black rodeo”, cultivating community and love of the land. It was an honor to join the community for a night and I hope to be back next year!

      The crazy part? I’m in the middle of a cowboy romance right now! While Braving the Storm is more cowboy rancher and not rodeo cowboy, it still is quite fitting and a lovely coincidence. I’ve read a few cowboy romances and in making the list of series below, I’ve come to realize they’re all by Elsie Silver. LOL But I love Elsie Silver and so should you. Most of what I’ve learned about rodeo comes from her Chestnut Springs series and while it sounds silly, it was pretty legit. For one, I learned about how most athletes on the circuit are actually quite young, which was definitely proven at the rodeo last night. The feeling of being at a rodeo and watching a bull fly around an arena with someone holding on for dear life was riveting and I got my first taste of that feeling in Elsie’s books. Her accuracy and ability to portray the fear, excitement, anxiety, and rush that a rodeo brings is outstanding. Give one (or all) of them a try!

      • Gold Rush Ranch
        • Horse racing
      • Chestnut Springs
        • Bull riding
        • Rancher
      • Honorable mention- The Rose Hill series is less cowboy and more small town romance but is still a chefs kiss.

      Cowboy books on my TBR:

      • Cash, Jessica Peterson
      • Done and Dusted, Lyla Sage
      • Buckled in Barbwire, Harloe Rae
      • Cowboy Casual, Holly Renee
      • A Cowboy in the Streets, Elizabeth Bright
      • Alive and Wells, Bailey Hannah
      • Rein Me In, Kayla Grosse
      • The Badge (a mafia cowboy romance), Lena Hendrix

      If you prefer to watch your cowboys on screen, here are a couple recs for shows & a movie!

      • Ransom Canyon on Netflix (all the great romance vibes, not so much rodeo)
      • Yellowstone on Peacock & Apple TV (drama, suspense, not so much rodeo)
      • Walker on Max (drama, suspense, not so much rodeo)
      • Godless on Netflix (badass frontier women)
      • The Longest Ride on Netflix (rodeo romance)

      Check out the Eight Seconds Rodeo HERE

    • An Endless TBR

      Crazy to think that someone who’s read every single day for the past *726 days* would have a smaller TBR than I do, but damn that thing just keeps growing! I purchased my Kindle in May 2022 in preparation for an off-the-grid motorcycle trip with my dad the following month. I met him in Canada and we rode and camped through the Yukon and around Alaska for 2 weeks. Knowing cell service would be very spotty and physical books would take up room we didn’t have to spare, I went out and purchased a Kindle and immediately subscribed to Kindle Unlimited. Exactly 3 years later, I can say with absolute certainty that that was the best decision I’ve ever made. For those who don’t know, KU is essentially a library of hundreds of thousands of books that you have at your fingertips for a mere $12/month subscription. If you’re anything like me and read at least 1 book a month, that basically pays for itself! TBH that’s probably not the right saying here but you catch my drift- that’s the cost of a single physical book at your local book store. Granted, I do love supporting local and hope to actually own a book store one day, but KU offers an avenue for indie authors to circumvent the traditional publishing path. Whether they can’t afford that route, are turned away by publishers cause what they wrote about didn’t vibe with the person reading it, whatever reason it may be, KU is an opportunity for authors and readers alike to try something new without a big impact.

      With KU, I downloaded a handful of books and started my journey into the world of smut on that motorcycle trip and with one of my (now) favorite authors- K.F. Breene. I read 4 completed series and started a 5th (incomplete) series by her that year. If you’re wondering “Who is K.F. Breene” and/or “What should I read next?”, I urge you to dive into any of the series listed below. They all happen to be some of my favorite series and also in some of my favorite categories of smut- urban fantasy and romantasy. I can promise you that… they’re cheeky, often laugh-out-loud funny, sexy, and just an absolute adventure! Hopefully you end up just as obsessed as I am. ❤

      **reading streak as of 6/14/25

      Demon Days, Vampire Nights

      Deliciously Dark Fairytales

      Demigods of San Francisco

      Braving the Elements

      Leveling Up

    • Chapter 1

      Ha! Got you… I’m not writing a book, just a blog! My name is Jessie and I’ve been an avid reader pretty much all of my life. Some of my best memories are of my mom reading to our family while on roadtrips and sharing beautiful adventures with my favorite people. While I can read like the wind, writing isn’t so much my forte and I’ve never really considered myself a creative. I like to color (not draw), listen to music (not make it), and (obviously) read not write. But an angel encouraged me to try this out as it seems I’m pretty decent at recommending really good (and most of the time really smutty) books for my friends to read- insert book planning blog! Here’s what I hope to do… write about the books I’m reading, help you plan your next read, push myself out of my comfort zone, create more, and maybe even share bits and pieces of myself along the way. Anywhooooo here’s to hoping you enjoy my ramblings and if you know Alex (the aforementioned angel), tell her Hi from Jessie’s blog! ❤