370 ratings | 44 reviews | avg rating:4.52

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Jess’s Year In Books

Jess’s 2024 Year in Books

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Jess Riley’s Followers (107)

Jess’s Bookshelves

to-read (271)
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read (399)
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Jess’s Friends (492)

Lisa

1,059 books | 414 friends

Jill Dobbe

2,886 books | 333 friends

Laura Cutmore

698 books | 53 friends

Kris

3,155 books | 568 friends

Tove Bibliotek

555 books | 319 friends

Boyd Walker

64 books | 167 friends

Tony Fahkry

928 books | 1,283 friends

Lauren (Shooting Stars Mag) Becker

1,658 books | 390 friends

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Jess Riley

Goodreads Author

Born

in Milwaukee, WI, The United States

Website

http://www.jessriley.com

Twitter

jessrileywrites

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Fiction, Humor and Comedy

Member Since

February 2008

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Wisconsin native Jess Riley spent much of her childhood being punished for lying and/or passing notes during class, both of which qualified her for a possible future as a novelist. She won her first short story contest in high school for a tale told through the point of view of a seven-year-old black boy living in Cabrini Green because as a middle-class white teenager, she knew a lot about that kind of life.

Jess has been a waitress, a blue cheese packager, and a school grant writer. She worked at a toy store during the Tickle Me Elmo craze and lived to tell about it. She's also worked at a medium-security men's prison, which was much less stressful. Jess graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1998 with degrees in English and History. She shares a dr ...more

162 posts
Jess Riley's Blog

I Once Was Lost ...

Last weekend my college roommates and I rented a house in Door County—I hadn’t seen two of them in over two years, and it was such a lovely reunion. I haven’t laughed that hard in months…maybe years. I love these amazing women, and I’m so grateful we met (nearly 30 years ago!)

We're down one due to Covid--boo!
We parted on Sunday, and the weather was mild enough that I decided to take a hike at Read more of this blog post »

View more on Jess Riley's website »

1 like · Like • 1 comment • flag

Published on April 29, 2022 10:37

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Jess Riley’s books

Average rating: 3.66 · 2,267 ratings · 408 reviews · 13 distinct works • Similar authors

	Driving Sideways 3.64 avg rating — 1,475 ratings — published 2008 — 6 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
	All the Lonely People 3.70 avg rating — 479 ratings — published 2012 — 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
	Mandatory Release 3.77 avg rating — 236 ratings — published 2013 — 2 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
	Closer Than They Appear 3.75 avg rating — 60 ratings — published 2013	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
	How to Make Friends: A Step-By-Step Guide to Meeting People and Building Relationships 2.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 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
	The Dsyphagia Cookbook Diet:: 40+ Friendly Delicious Recipes for soft food & Puree For Management, tips and tricks with Treatment for All Levels 1 2 3 4 5 liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	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
	The Low Carb Diet Cookbook & Weight Loss Plan:: A Complete Guide To Start Losing weight With 30+ Essential Recipes 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 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
	The Dysphagia Cookbook Diet:: 40+ Friendly Delicious Recipes for soft food & Puree For Management and Treatment of Dysphagia 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	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
	Complete Keto For Foodies:: Unique Fat-Burning Foods To Keep You In Ketosis - Good Foods to Eat On A No Carb Diet Along For Healthy Living And Weight Loss 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 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
	Renal Dialysis Diet Breakdown:: Kidney Friendly Recipes That Are Low Sodium, Potassium and Phosphorus foods to Avoid Dialysis and Reduce Your Kidneys’ Workload 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 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

More books by Jess Riley…

Jess is Currently Reading

Jess Riley is currently reading

Snake-Eater

by T. Kingfisher

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Nov 12, 2025 09:08PM

Jess Riley is currently reading

A Cosmology of Monsters

by Shaun Hamill (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Sep 24, 2025 09:12PM

Jess Riley is currently reading

The Book Eaters

by Sunyi Dean (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

read in January 2025

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Sep 19, 2025 07:55AM

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Jess’s Recent Updates

Jess Riley wants to read The Glass Eel by J.J. Viertel	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
Nov 23, 2025 05:06PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Glass Eel by J.J. Viertel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Glass Eel by J.J. Viertel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley wants to read Wife Shaped Bodies by Laura Cranehill (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
Nov 19, 2025 07:24PM · like
Jess Riley entered a giveaway Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen (Goodreads Author) 20 copies available, ends on November 27, 2025 Enter to win »
Nov 17, 2025 10:56AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley rated a book it was amazing A Better World by Sarah Langan (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
Nov 17, 2025 10:14AM · like
Jess Riley rated a book it was amazing Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford	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
Nov 17, 2025 10:06AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley wants to read Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar	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
Nov 17, 2025 10:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley wants to read I Think We've Been Here Before by Suzy Krause (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Science Fiction	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
Nov 17, 2025 10:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Think We've Been Here Before by Suzy Krause. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Think We've Been Here Before by Suzy Krause <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley wants to read You Like It Darker by Stephen King (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
Nov 17, 2025 10:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of You Like It Darker by Stephen King. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — You Like It Darker by Stephen King <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley wants to read Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond (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
Nov 17, 2025 10:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jess Riley wants to read The Fisherman by John Langan	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
Nov 17, 2025 10:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Fisherman by John Langan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Fisherman by John Langan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Jess's books…

Quotes by Jess Riley (?)

“It’s only physical, she reminded herself. Just lust. Some kind of twisted, mutual escape valve. And those physical things, with no love or respect or loyalty to bind and preserve them, had a short shelf life. They were limited-time offers. Three months, tops.”
― Jess Riley, Mandatory Release

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“I want to move to the mountains. I want to live in a little cabin next to a towering, tenacious mountain fourteen thousand feet above sea level and eat a bowl of raisin bran every morning in its shadow.”
― Jess Riley, Driving Sideways

tags: inspirational, travel

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Challenge: 50 Books: Vivian's fifty in twenty ten - done!	31	82	Oct 12, 2010 11:29PM
Crazy Challenge C...: Celebrating the Barcode Challenge	201	137	Sep 18, 2013 06:29AM
Crazy Challenge C...: Spring 2013 Scavenger Challenge - Spring Cleaning	304	151	Oct 16, 2013 11:16PM
Crazy Challenge C...: 2013 Countdown	415	324	Jan 14, 2014 06:52PM
Crazy Challenge C...: The Language of Flowers Challenge	312	170	Mar 31, 2014 08:27PM

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Jess’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-6) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 6: by Jeannie

Nov 10, 2008 07:26PM

Hi Jess and thanks so much for the add! I love your website, btw. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Smiles,
Jeannie

reply | flag

message 5: by Roger

Oct 30, 2008 10:38AM

Hi Jess,
No jokes about what made Milwaukie famous,
glad to have your friendship on Goodreads.
ROGER

reply | flag

message 4: by Kate

Sep 15, 2008 04:37PM

Thanks for connecting as readerly friends. I'd like to invite you to read the first chapter of my new novel:

http://forthemayqueen.blogspot.com/

Sincerely,
Kate (PS: I added your book to my "to read" list!)

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message 3: by Kate

Sep 11, 2008 12:06PM