Author | Lightnews

Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Jun 5

Teenage me who danced and sang to The All American Rejects in her room all the time is absolutely rejoicing in this moment.

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · May 23

It’s a Reputation kind of day.

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · May 18

I wonder how many times I see ads for products that were created to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.

Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · May 14

I’m so excited! Also, this cover is so cute! 💙📚🌶️📚🌈

Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake on pink and purple pillows.

Cover description: The cover is a romantic blend on pinks, purples, and blue. Two white women sit on a pink striped blanket on the bank of a small body of water. One woman has long lighter brown hair, wears a white t-shirt, light wash skinny jeans, and converse. She gazes down with arms wrapped around a woman with dark hair, hoop earrings, a pink cherry sweater, dark straight leg jeans, and pink sandals. Behind them are reeds, the water, trees and mountains in the distance. Next to blanket a basket of mushrooms and what appears to be a manuscript.

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · May 11

This week, Republicans in the House Energy & Commerce Committee will vote on a bill that cuts Medicaid. Please call your representative, especially if they’re one of the republicans on the committee. act.ocasiocortez.com/call/save-me...

Save Medicaid

Please call your Representative right now and leave a voicemail, or first thing on Monday morning before the mark up session begins.

act.ocasiocortez.com

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · May 1

I can tell last month was rough because I didn’t read a single book outside of teaching. This month should be better since I have fewer responsibilities, but first, I am going to finish this school day and take a nap.

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Reposted by Melissa Newkirk

MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · Apr 17

JUST IN: Deputy Assistant to the President and "Counterterrorism Czar" Sebastian Gorka says anyone advocating for due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia could be viewed as "aiding and abetting a terrorist" and be federally charged. (h/t Philip Germain)

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Apr 15

I’m a mood reader, for sure, but now, I’m wondering, is there such a thing as a mood writer? Like, I’m over here trying to write this fun little fantasy adventure, but my mind is like, no, today, is for dark fantasy.

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Apr 11

It’s officially iced coffee weather. 😎

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Apr 4

“Quick, quick
Tell me something awful
Like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy” -Taylor Swift (The number of times I’ve listened to this song today is probably not a good sign.)

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Apr 3

Favorite Song from each Taylor Swift album.

Debut: Our Song

Fearless: You Belong With Me

Speak Now: Back To December

Red: All Too Well (IO MIN)

1989: Style

Reputation: Don’t Blame Me

Lover: I Forgot That You Existed

Folklore: Seven

Evermore: Gold Rush

Midnights: Maroon

The Tortured Poets Department: The Prophecy

Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Apr 1

Not bad for being busy half the month and sick the other half. 💙📚

@bookishmelie's
March 2025 Wrap-Up
BOOKS: 3
PAGES: 982
Average rating: 4.33
Average book length: 282 pages
Average time to finish: 3 days

Highest rated reads:
Noor by Nnedi Okorafor was 5 stars
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer was 4 stars.
The Devil Wears Tartan by Katia Rose was 4 stars.

Genre Breakdown:
Contemporary x2
Fantasy x1
Romance x1
Science Fiction x1
LGBTQIA+ x1

fiction (100%)
print (100%)

IN
THE
STORYGRAPH

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

Out for everyone (almost) in the end because the heartwarming family vibes at the end and the adventure on the island were lovely. End

Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

I also loved how Lucy and Jack were with each other. They have similar character flaws with their desire to care for children being reckless and getting in the way of doing what is right for the child. I also loved how Jack helped out all of his “kids” at the end, and I like how things worked 2

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

Some spoilery positives: I absolutely loved Reese the love interest/illustrator for Jack’s books. Jack is also amazing. They have a father son dynamic that is really sweet, and I loved how Reese was with Lucy. It’s so cute when he catches himself smiling and is irritated by it. 1

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

Anyway, that part killed the immersion for me, but once I go past that part, it was really good. End

Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

It is awful, and you wish more than anything that you could take them in and give them a loving and stable home, but you can’t string them along because Plot isn’t going to step in with a miracle, and if you do, you’re another lie and broken promise they have to deal with in the future. 5

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

Author stepping in to help. I wish it had been written to where he had just stayed with her, and there hadn’t been time for this weird dynamic to fester. I work with kids. I know what it’s like to have to tell them you are unable to take them in when they’re being bounced to a new foster home. 4

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

Long to get her financial life together to qualify for fostering to adopt him. This relationship is wholly inappropriate. It is terrible to make that kind of a promise to a child when you don’t have any concrete way of making it happen. The only reason she is able to make it happen is the rich 3

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

The book takes place a long while after that. She tutors him after school. They make wishes, and their main wish is for her to be able to adopt him and be his mom. She regularly encourages this, kisses him on the forehead as if she was his mother, and he is heartbroken because it’s taking her so 2

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

Spoiler: The thing that bothered me was Lucy’s (mc) relationship with Christopher at the beginning of the book. She is a Kindergarten TA, and sometime after he was in her class, he found his parents dead. He ended up staying with her for a week while they found a foster placement for him.1

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 29

I finished in time! It was fun, and I liked the relationships between the adult characters. Parts of it were really heartwarming, and I liked how the main conflict resolved. But, there was one thing that really irked me, spoiler thoughts on that in the comments. 💙📚

Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 28

I’m trying to read as fast as possible because my book club is tomorrow, and I procrastinated because when I have to read a book, I suddenly don’t want to, even though it’s literally a book I had already wanted to read. Anyway, it’s good so far. 💙📚

Book cover: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer, the cover is black with bookshelves covered in books, between the books you can see the night sky over an island with a house and lighthouse which is likely Clock Island from the book.

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 28

I’m trying to read as fast as possible because my book club is tomorrow, and I procrastinated because when I have to read a book, I suddenly don’t want to, even though it’s literally a book I had already wanted to read. Anyway, it’s good so far. 💙📚

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Melissa Newkirk @melissanewkirk.bsky.social · Mar 27

I got my copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows today! I can’t wait to dive in.

Reposted by Melissa Newkirk

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · Mar 25

🔑 under-discussed point — why they were on signal:

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