252 ratings | 181 reviews | avg rating:4.26

Jessica’s Year In Books

Jessica’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Jessica’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Jessica’s 2025 Year in Books

Jessica McCann’s Followers (210)

Jessica’s Bookshelves

to-read (978)
currently-reading (0)
read (291)
did-not-finish (1)
books-of-interest (9)
first-reads-win-from-goodreads (10)
my-all-time-favorite-reads (20)
on-pause (3)

Jessica’s Friends (350)

Katrina Shawver

1,075 books | 63 friends

Melissa Crytzer Fry

3,315 books | 479 friends

Sarah

2,227 books | 273 friends

Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews

2,342 books | 1,746 friends

Leslie

2,325 books | 97 friends

Elle

2,845 books | 591 friends

Katy

18,490 books | 646 friends

Susan

4,547 books | 88 friends

More friends…

Jessica McCann

Goodreads Author

Website

http://www.jessicamccann.com

Twitter

JMcCannWriter

Genre

Historical Fiction, Literature & Fiction, Nonfiction

Member Since

February 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/jessicamccann

edit data

Reading and writing historical fiction is my passion, though I'm also drawn to memoirs, contemporary fiction, nonfiction, literary classics -- anything with a compelling story. I only review books I enjoyed reading, hence the abundance of 4- and 5-star ratings!

My monthly email is bookish and brief, informative and inspirational. Every month includes a giveaway -- inspirational journals, notecards, signed paperbacks, audio books and literary merch. Subscribe to my newsletter here! ...more

133 posts
Jessica McCann's Blog

My Debut on the Peculiar Book Club Podcast

It was so much fun chatting with author Brandy Schillace for her podcast! We discussed my historical novel set in the 1930s Dust Bowl – Peculiar Savage Beauty (how could we not!). We also explored the writing life, book publishing, and the geological and agricultural science and history that are big part of the novel. … Read More Read more of this blog post »

View more on Jessica McCann's website »

1 like · Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on January 20, 2026 11:16

View all 133 posts »

Combine Editions
Jessica McCann’s books

Average rating: 4.22 · 1,606 ratings · 289 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	All Different Kinds of Free 4.19 avg rating — 1,442 ratings — published 2011 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Peculiar Savage Beauty 4.55 avg rating — 109 ratings — published 2018 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bitter Thaw 4.18 avg rating — 39 ratings — published 2023 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Words: Essays on Writing, Reading, and Life 4.50 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2020 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

rss
Jessica’s Recent Updates

Jessica McCann wants to read Jungle of Ashes by Brynn Barineau (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6 hours, 21 min ago · like
Jessica McCann wants to read The Descendant by Linda Stasi (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6 hours, 22 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Descendant by Linda Stasi. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Descendant by Linda Stasi <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jessica McCann wants to read Five Weeks in the Country by Francine Prose (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6 hours, 24 min ago · like
Jessica McCann wants to read Women Make History: Fifty-Three Stories of Courage, Strength & Resilience by Sharon Spaulding	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6 hours, 26 min ago · like
Jessica McCann wants to read If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 14, 2026 09:36AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jessica McCann and 5 other people liked Annette's review of Who Was A.A. Milne?: "Who Was A.A. Milne? - a playwright, poet, and an author – best known for his books about the teddy-bear Winnie-the-Pooh. Alan Alexander Milne (1882-1956) was born in London, England. Both his parents were teachers and education was important to them, " Read more of this review »
May 13, 2026 08:56AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Who Was A.A. Milne? by Sarah Fabiny. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Who Was A.A. Milne? by Sarah Fabiny <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jessica McCann wants to read Small Town Girls: a writer's memoir by Jayne Anne Phillips (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 13, 2026 08:56AM · like
Jessica McCann and 1 other person liked Karen's review of Small Town Girls: a writer's memoir: "SMALL TOWN GIRLS BY: JAYNE ANNE PHILLIPS As a reader of Jayne Anne Phillip's fiction starting in the 1990's and loving all her novels including her 2024 Pulitzer Prize Winning novel I feel that even though I grew up in New England, and she is a generat" Read more of this review »
May 13, 2026 08:56AM · see review
Jessica McCann wants to read The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 13, 2026 08:55AM · like
Jessica McCann and 26 other people liked Annette's review of Frida's Cook: "This historical novel explores the character of Frida Kahlo and her fascination with Tehuanas – indigenous women from Oaxaca, renowned for their strong matriarchal society and vibrant traditional attire – famously adapted by Frida. Nayeli Cruz is a f" Read more of this review »
May 05, 2026 10:56AM · see review

More of Jessica's books…

Quotes by Jessica McCann (?)

“A book is like the best friend you can imagine. Once you read a book, it stays with you forever.”
― Jessica McCann, All Different Kinds of Free

12 likes

“I had no vote in the making of such a law, and I have no intention of abiding by it, either.”
― Jessica McCann, All Different Kinds of Free

tags: humor, politics

4 likes

“But our tiny home is so much more than its four ramshackle walls and lopsided roof would have you believe. Inside, it’s big, full of love. It’s a hospital where my babies can be born. It’s a schoolhouse where my children can learn. It’s a mansion where my husband and I can enjoy the riches of our life together.”
― Jessica McCann, All Different Kinds of Free

2 likes

See all Jessica McCann's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Romance Readers R...: 2012 August Pick It For Me! Challenge	520	364	Sep 04, 2012 08:07AM
Crazy Challenge C...: * R2: Team Six - Page Chewers	308	116	Nov 17, 2012 02:40AM
Challenge: 50 Books: Vicki's 2015 Books	14	51	Dec 07, 2015 04:54PM
The Challenge Fac...: The Gruesome Ghouls (Team 7)	160	50	Oct 31, 2017 12:38AM
The History Book ...: * CIVIL RIGHTS IN AMERICA	299	593	Dec 23, 2024 08:35AM

More…

Jessica’s Quotes

“Like works of literature, mathematical ideas help expand our circle of empathy, liberating us from the tyranny of a single, parochial point of view.”
― Daniel Tammet Thinking in Numbers How Maths Illuminates Our Lives

tags: empathy, literature, mathematics

4 likes

“The hardest choices in life aren't between what's right and what's wrong but between what's right and what's best.”
― Jamie Ford, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

tags: choices

382 likes

“If you’re going to risk and maybe fail, fail at something that matters. Fail gloriously so that even in failure, lives change.”
― Jon Acuff

tags: inspirational

34 likes

“Too many of us are hung up on what we don't have, can't have, or won't ever have. We spend too much energy being down, when we could use that same energy – if not less of it – doing, or at least trying to do, some of the things we really want to do.”
― Terry McMillan , Disappearing Acts

2526 likes

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.”
― Herman Melville

5280 likes

More of Jessica’s quotes…