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star-crossed smile

NYC life and style blog

Life
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Travel
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Beauty

Christmas

17 Dec 2010

Good Girl

I love this dress I found at Savers- I think the fit is very flattering plus it’s black, so it will go with everything! I…

6 Dec 2010

Holiday Cheer

Perhaps my favorite Christmas song- and who doesn’t love Frank?! Less than a week until I get to go home!

29 Nov 2010

In a Holiday Mood

Well I’m back from break, but maybe just as tired as when I left. Does that every happen to you guys, where you come back…

Hello!

I’m Nnenna and this is my online journal where I write about the books I can’t put down, my personal style, the places I’ve traveled to, the products I love, my favorite spots in NYC, and more!

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@scsreads

Book Review • YOURS TRULY (@readforeverpub #gift

Book Review • YOURS TRULY (@readforeverpub #gifted) • This romance had several things that I love: Fake dating! Letter writing! Journaling! A male lead who’s in touch with his feelings! This book was really fun to read and I thought it had a lot of warmth, humor, and heart.
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I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope and I loved the way that the main characters got to know each other by sending letters and notes back and forth. Adorable! They did fall pretty fast, but at the same time, it did feel like they could get to know each other pretty quickly since they spent a lot of time together.
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Jacob, the male lead, has social anxiety, and I thought that the author wrote about that with a lot of tenderness and care. I loved that Bri made him feel safe despite his anxiety, rather than making him feel weird, or like something was wrong with him.
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Just as the lack of communication was starting to get to me, the two main characters finally talked and got on the same page. However, there was one aspect of the ending that I didn’t love, but I can’t really talk about it, because spoilers! But I can say that I felt like the third act conflict came too late and was resolved too quickly.
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Overall though, I was definitely rooting for Bri and Jacob. It’s the type of romance that I love, one that’s both lighthearted and deals with heavier issues. It made me smile and I thought it was a really enjoyable read.
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Is YOURS TRULY on your TBR?
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#YoursTruly #bookreview #scsreadsreviews
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yours truly review, romance book recommendations, romance books, 2023 reads, books I loved, abby jimenez, contemporary romance

I was sad when I heard that McNally Jackson was mo

I was sad when I heard that McNally Jackson was moving, but after visiting the new location last weekend, I can confirm that it’s beautiful and feels more spacious! 😍

Have you been to any of the McNally Jackson locations?
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#mcnallyjackson #bookreels #bookstagramreels #bookstorelove

bookstore vlog, indie bookstore, independent bookstore, bookstores of instagram, nyc bookstores, mini vlog, mcnally jackson, bookstore trip

Book Review • THE HOUSE OF EVE (@simonbooks #gif

Book Review • THE HOUSE OF EVE (@simonbooks #gifted) • I really enjoyed this well-written and immersive historical fiction book!
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It’s about two young Black women: Ruby, a teenager living in Philadelphia who’s hoping to be the first person in her family to go to college, and Eleanor, a young woman at Howard who feels out of place when she realizes that she and the young doctor she loves come from different social circles.
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I was invested in both of their stories and I felt so much sympathy for both characters. They were both so young too, and yet they had to deal with two very difficult situations. Ruby is trying to raise herself up by securing a scholarship to college, so that she doesn’t have to end up cleaning white people’s homes like her mother. Meanwhile, Eleanor’s desire to fit into William’s world and to have a child are both so strong. Both of these women have to make sacrifices, which just made me think about how limited options were for women during the late 1940s.
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Johnson did a great job bringing these characters and this history to life. I also thought the writing felt really accessible and I definitely learned about a few things as I was reading this. I didn’t read much of the synopsis before I dove in, so I wasn’t really prepared for how sad this story would be. I really appreciated how the author brought this difficult piece of history to light and I thought this was a great historical fiction novel.
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Have you read THE HOUSE OF EVE or is it on your TBR?
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#TheHouseofEve #bookreview #scsreadsreviews #20BooksByBlackWomen
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the house of eve review, books by black authors, historical fiction, sadeqa johnson, historical fiction book, 2023 reads, books I loved

#GetUnderlinedPartner @GetUnderlined #sponsored • Have you heard about QUEEN BEE by @amaliehoward? It’s described as “Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo” and that’s all I needed to know to add it to my TBR!

Check out the full synopsis below ↓

Lady Ela Dalvi knows the exact moment her life was forever changed—when her best friend, Poppy, betrayed her without qualm over a boy, the son of a duke. She was sent away in disgrace, her reputation ruined.

Nearly three years later, eighteen-year-old Ela is consumed with bitterness and a desire for . . . revenge. Her enemy is quickly joining the crème de la crème of high society while she withers away in the English countryside.

With an audacious plan to get even, Ela disguises herself as a mysterious heiress and infiltrates London’s elite. But when Ela reunites with the only boy she’s ever loved, she begins to question whether vengeance is still her greatest desire.

QUEEN BEE is at the top of my TBR this month and I’m excited to dive into this regency-era novel! What do you think? Are you adding this to your TBR?
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#QueenBee #AmalieHoward #historicalromance #cottagecoreaesthetic #bookvideo #bookreel #whattoreadnext #regencyromancebooks #bridgerton #yahistoricalfiction #onmyTBR #historicalfiction #yaromance #cottagecoredress #booktok #cottagecoreblackgirls #regencyera

MARCH WRAP-UP (thanks to the publishers tagged bel

MARCH WRAP-UP (thanks to the publishers tagged below for the free copies) • I feel like my reading was a bit all over the place last month! It was the most books I've read in one month so far in 2023 (I finished 7), but my ratings were very up and down 😅 Swipe left to see what I thought about all the books I read last month!
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📖 THE HOUSE OF EVE (via @stmartinspress)
📖 THE GOLDEN SPOON (via @atriabooks)
📖 A HUNDRED OTHER GIRLS
📖 THE LIES I TELL
📖 THE WRITING RETREAT (via @atriabooks)
📖 ACE
📖 REALLY GOOD, ACTUALLY
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If you've read any of these, I'd love to hear what you thought- let's chat in the comments!
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#TheHouseOfEve #TheGoldenSpoon #AHundredOtherGirls #TheLiesITell #TheWritingRetreat #Ace #ReallyGoodActually #2023reads #bookratings #minibookreivews #monthlywrapup #booklist #bookstoread #nonfictionbooks
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[reading wrap up, march reading, monthly reading wrap up, book reviews, march books, thriller books]

Book Review • THE GOLDEN SPOON (@atriabooks #gif

Book Review • THE GOLDEN SPOON (@atriabooks #gifted) • When I read the synopsis of this story, I was immediately sold. It’s basically Great British Bake Off: Mystery/Thriller Edition. I'm a huge fan of the show, so this was such a fun read for me!
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At first I thought it would be too confusing to read the perspectives of all the different contestants on the show, but then I grew to like it. I definitely thought some characters were better developed than others. And Lottie was my favorite character.
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I thought the writing was good, and so was the pacing, although it does all come to a head very quickly at the end. The setting also reminded me a bit of Downtown Abbey and parts of the story were giving upstairs vs. downstairs vibes.
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I loved the premise of this novel and overall it was a quick and enjoyable read. And it’s going to be a TV series too! I’m excited to watch it because I think this story will translate well to the screen.
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What do you think, does this sound like a book you'd pick up?
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#TheGoldenSpoon #GBBO #bookreview #scsreadsreviews #cozymystery
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[the golden spoon review, thriller books, mystery reads, book to tv adaptation]

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