It’s time for another one of my favorite posts: a book tag! There’s something about hunting down books to fit with all the different prompts that I just love. And this one seems like it’s going to be extra fun as it’s centered around the Percy Jackson universe! I’m gonna be honest, I’ve only read the original Percy Jackson series. I did, however, really enjoy it and have wanted to read The Heroes of Olympus for quite some time. So this should be a fun time!
Before we jump in, I want to thank Danni @ _ForBooksSake for tagging me! She’s an incredible book blogger and you all should definitely check out her answers to this tag and her blog in general ❤ Her pictures are just… *chef’s kiss*
Alright! Let’s get into the tag!
Rules
Thank the person who tagged you and link to their post.
Link to the original creator: May @ Forever and Everly! Please note that she made the artwork/graphics, if using them. *If you care about graphics having a clear quality, make it big enough so that the dimensions are 1103 x 175!
Match books with the given prompts.
Tag however many people as wanted!
Copy-paste the rules and list of prompts.
If you want to use the graphics, feel free to just copy-paste from above or get them from this Drive folder, and please credit May if you decide to use them. If not, you can just click this and copy-paste the list!
As mentioned in the rules, all of the lovely graphics I’m using in this post were created by May @ Forever and Everly!
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Like anyone who reads my blog is surprised by this 😂
Honestly, though, this book snuck into my life and absolutely blew me away. I entered a giveaway because the cover is just drop-dead gorgeous and then I read the book and my fate was sealed. I will never stop yelling about how incredible this story is and how much I love it! The world-building! The richly rendered setting! The characters! It just all flows together and creates, to me, the perfect freakin’ book.
It’s time, once again, for yet another blog tour post. This was is a little different for a couple of reasons, though. First, this is my first time working with the lovely folks at TBR and Beyond Tours! They are a new blog tour company that has put in a lot of hustle to bring the book community some pretty amazing tours. Second, the book I’ll be reviewing is one of my most anticipated reads of 2020: The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen! I cannot tell you how excited I was when I found out I had been chosen for this particular tour. Please click HERE to check out the schedule with all the wonderful bloggers and bookstagrammers participating.
I want to say thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours and the publisher, Henry Holt and Company, for a couple of things. First, for selecting me to be a part of this tour. And, second, for sending me an ARC and giving me the chance to be a part of promoting one of my favorite books of the year!
But I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I? Let’s dive right in!
Synopsis
“Kings become outcasts and lovers become foes in the thrilling sequel to Margaret Owen’s The Merciful Crow.
As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana’s merciless bid for the throne.
With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.
A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.”
Book Details
Author: Margaret Owen
Series: The Merciful Crow #2
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan
Publication date: August 18th, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Age group: Young Adult
Content/Trigger warnings: Child death (off-page), Gore, Violence
Born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail, Margaret Owen first encountered an author in the wild in fourth grade. Roughly twenty seconds later, she decided she too would be an author, the first of many well-thought-out life decisions.
The career plan shifted frequently as Margaret spent her childhood haunting the halls of Powell’s Books. After earning her degree in Japanese, her love of espresso called her north to Seattle, where she worked in everything from thrift stores to presidential campaigns. The common thread between every job can be summed up as: lessons were learned.
Fortunately, it turned out that fourth-grade Margaret was onto something. She now spends her days wrestling disgruntled characters onto the page, and negotiating a long-term hostage situation with her two monstrous cats. (There is surprisingly little difference between the two.) In her free time, she enjoys exploring ill-advised travel destinations, and raising money for social justice nonprofits through her illustrations
“She felt dangerous, she felt raw and undeniable, like vengeance made flesh, like a walking curse. And she was not done with any of them yet.
Oh man… how does one talk eloquently about a book that left your heart feeling full and completely gutted all at the same time? A book that is the perfect conclusion to an incredible duology? Something that you were nervous to read because you loved the first book so much but it not only lived up to expectations, it completely outstripped them?
…If you figure it out, let me know 😂 In the meantime, I’m going to try and cobble together my feelings for The Faithless Hawk into something that is more understandable than the incoherent pterodactyl shrieking that happened after I turned the last page.
“He gestured awkwardly at his shirt. “Should I be, er, not wearing clothes for this?”
“I’s rather you weren’t,” Fie blurted out, then wondered if she could knock Tavin out with a handy rock and insist he’d imagined everything when he woke up.”
First, let’s talk about how much I adored the humor in this book. It’s dry, it’s deadpan, and it usually hits in a tense situation when you least expect it. It jives so completely with my own sense of humor that it felt like hanging out with a close friend! Someone who just gets me, ya know? It also helped make the tone of the book a little less bleak. I mean… it’s still bleak as hell, but it helped to break up all the danger and darkness so you could catch your breath between the tears. Which I appreciated 😅
“What happened to Prince” – Fie fluttered her hands, warbled her voice, and mummed dewy-eyed dismay – “‘Oh no we can ‘t, it’s the la-a-a-w!‘”
“First of all, ‘we can’t, it’s the law’ is not the wildly unreasonable statement you’re pretending it is,” Jasimir said peevishly.”
“I’m fine, Jas,” she wheezed, but she hugged the prince back anyway.
Jasimir didn’t let go, but still managed to point a finger at *redacted*. “You’re not allowed to yell at her,” he said, voice muffled in her shoulder. “I – I forbid it, do you understand me?”
Second, let’s talk about the characters in this book and, more importantly, their relationships. Margaret Owen is a master at crafting real, flawed characters that you can’t help but fall in love with! Fie, our main protagonist, is just such a fantastic lead character. She has a lot to figure out, a lot she has to shoulder, and she does it in her own, unique way. She’s far from perfect but she reminds me a lot of my younger self. Especially her tendency to think that she has to do everything on her own, even when she’s surrounded by people who want to help her.
And that’s where the relationships come in. The nuance! The depth! I loved how the messiness and the joyfulness of close relationships were explored. I loved how we poke into the dark corners and look at the ugly parts of letting people into your life. But we also get to see what amazing things can happen when you open your heart to others. I think my favorite thing, though, is the friendships. I’m not a huge fan of romance, to be honest, but I absolutely love when friendships are a big part of a narrative. It was so wonderful to watch Fie and Jasimir’s friendship develop over the course of this book!
Also, can we talk about the gang of cats? Because, seriously, it’s like this book was written specifically to appeal to me. (Team J, all the way!)
“He’d always known she wasn’t immortal, that she could bleed and weep and fall like anyone else. But deep down, he’d never really believed it. He’d never believed she’d do anything but simply refuse to die”
Okay, I know I said I’m not a huge fan of romance, but the one in this duology had me feeling a lot of F E E L I N G S! It was just so well done, where it didn’t feel forced or like it was simply there as a plot point. It felt natural and definitely recalled me to what it felt like to fall in love for the first time. Instead of detracting from the overall plot, it added a beautiful wrinkle that will play with your emotions.
“We’ll make them pay.”
“We’ll burn it down.”
Speaking of plot, this one grabs you from page one and will not let you off the ride until the last word is read. Talk about a fast-paced read! There is so much happening, but it’s never to the point where you get lost or confused. You will be ripping through the pages because you need to know what’s going to happen next. The pacing is flawlessly done, where you feel neither rushed nor bored. I also loved the examination of some real-life social issues you can pick out in this tale. Just look at the caste system and how the Crows are treated… it’s important commentary about how we treat people we view as “other” or “beneath us”.
I also found myself completely engaged in the story and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, even when I wasn’t actively reading it! I love when I get so wrapped up in a book that it permeates my thoughts and that definitely happened with this one. And, now that I’ve finished, I’m actively trying to fight off the book hangover because BOY IS IT A REAL POSSIBILITY! I just want to stay in Sabor and find out what happens next! Even though this is, honestly, the perfect duology, I’m still not ready to let go 😭
Final thoughts: This is an heart-pounding, teeth-clenching end to an amazing duology! Fie is an incredible main character, with a power and force of will that seeps throughout this book. The writing sucks you into the world, the characters worm their ways into your heart, and the plot is thrilling! If you’re looking for an exciting fantasy which explores some dark themes and takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride, I think you’ll love The Merciful Crow duology. And, if you loved The Merciful Crow and you’re wondering if the sequel would measure up… trust me, The Faithless Hawk, does not disappoint!
Star rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Giveaway
But wait, there’s more! TBR and Beyond Tours is running a giveaway to celebrate the release of The Faithless Hawk! The giveaway is running from August 23rd to August 29th, so you still have time to enter. If you win, you will receive finished copies of both The Merciful Crow and The Faithless Hawk! Unfortunately, this is US/Canada only.
If you would like to enter, click HERE to be taken to the Rafflecopter page. And good luck!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Current Reads
No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe: Yeeeaaahhhh…. I’m still reading this one. Honestly, it’s not a bad book. I think it’s well-written and the subject matter is interesting. It just seems like court dramas only work for me if they’re on TV. Shout out to you, Law & Order, in all you iterations! I’ve considered DNFing, but I got this from the publisher and I would really like to finish it and review it.
The Black Sky by Timothy D. Minneci: This book I received from the author and it is a trip. It’s definitely action-packed! I’m getting through it at a steady clip, but I keep getting distracted by Trope-ical Readathon books and blog tours 😅 Still, I’m having fun with this one!
The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen: THIS SEQUEL IS (so far) EVERYTHING I WANTED IT TO BE AND MORE!!! Part of me can barely put it down to do important life stuff and the other part wishes it was going slower because I don’t want it to end. The eternal dilemma with reading a fantastic book, ugh…
Recently Finished
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus: Y’all, this was quite the ride! I knew this author has a way with sucking you into her mysteries after reading Two Can Keep a Secret, and this book was no different! I will say I guessed the culprit this time, but I still thought the ending was superbly done. My review will be up soon!
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden: This was absolutely, deliciously spooky and I loved it! This was the Middle Grade Marvels BOTM for August and, hoo-boy, it did not disappoint! I think pretty much everyone in the group really enjoyed this quick, engaging little book. Now I really want to pick up Dead Voices, the companion book!
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: This was my audiobook for the month and I enjoyed it immensely. The titular musketeers and their pal, d’Artagnan, are like a rolling disaster just waiting to strike, I swear 😂 I haven’t had that much fun reading a classic in quite some time! Now I’m kind of interested in the sequel, which I didn’t even know existed until Audible brought it up as a suggestion after I finished this one. I’ve heard nothing about it, but I’m still intrigued.
What’s Next
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: One of the last two books on my Trope-ical Readathon TBR! I do like to take it to the wire, lol. Thankfully, this book isn’t very long and I’m in the mood to be freaked out. So bring on the gothic horror! My body is ready!
All Systems Red by Martha Wells: The other unread book on my Trope-ical Readathon TBR! This one is a novella, though, so I’m not too worried about completing it on time. I’ve also heard amazing things about this sci-fi series, so I’m excited to get into it. Let’s end August with a bang, yes?
What are you currently reading? Read any new favorites lately? Did you do your own WWW Wednesday? Let me know in the comments!
#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook where you chose five books from your to-be-read pile that fit that week’s theme. If you’d like more info, head over to the announcement post!
Hello, reader!
It’s the start of another week and one step closer to the best month ever! (You would never guess I was born in September, would you?) But, more to the point, it’s time for another #5OnMyTBR! Today, I’ll be talking about a trope that is near and dear to my heart: ensemble cast. Why do I love an ensemble cast so much? Because, more often than not, when you have the ensemble cast trope, you also have the found family trope. And found family is one of my favorite tropes to exist in the history of forever.
With that being said, I have quite a few ensemble books chilling on my TBR! Today, I’ve picked the five that I’m the most excited to read. Let’s get to it!
#1. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
This book just sounds like everything I could ever want. There’s a treasure-hunter seeking a rare artifact in exchange for something he truly desires. There’s a rag-tag team of experts pulled together because of circumstances. There’s the dazzling backdrop of 1889 Paris. It’s practically begging me to read it! I’ve heard mixed reviews about it, but it sounds like the perfect book for me. Now I just need to pick it up and read it!
#2. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
First of all, as I was getting the link to this book’s Goodreads page, I happened to glimpse the page count. I did not realize this book was so long! Perhaps that’s why it’s still on my TBR…
Be that as it may, this book features an orphan who has made a place for himself in the world. And that place is at the head of band of thieves called the Gentleman Bastards. It sounds dark and treacherous and just delightful! I just need to stop being intimidated by it’s size and give it a go.
#3. There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
I remember when the cover to this book first started circulating. I had started using Twitter more for bookish things and this beauty popped up on my feed. I knew I was going to read it then and there. It’s so gorgeous! Then I found out that there was a cast of characters all brought together by a dark prophecy and I was completely hooked. I do love an ensemble, as mentioned. Dark prophecies just add that extra bit of spice! I would like to say I’m going to get to this before the sequel, As the Shadow Rises, comes out, but… *glances at her TBR shelf groaning under the weight of books*… yeeeeaaahhh 😅
#4. The Black Veins by Aisha Monet
This book involves a group of magicians going on a road trip.
Like… what more did I need to know?!
Seriously, though, it sounds like it’s going to be action-packed book with a splash of that found family which I love so much. And it involves the main character trying to save her family, so you know there will be peril. And who doesn’t love a good road trip with some peril? I can’t wait to read it!
#5. Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
A good crew in a novel is a beauty to behold. There’s something about throwing that crew into space that just adds another level, though! This one has been on my TBR ever since it released last year and my desire to read it hasn’t dimmed. Something about the top cadet in a space academy getting “stuck” with the leftover crew that nobody wanted and them all turning into badasses (I’m assuming) just sounds incredible. And it’s about time I gave something by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff a try. I swear, for authors I’ve never read, I have an awful lot of their books on my shelf.
Also, this tag line:
“They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic“
Like, yes, give it to me *grabby hands*
There we have it! My top five ensemble cast books that I can’t wait to read. Have you read any of these books? Which books with an ensemble cast are on your TBR? Let me know in the comments!
It’s been a minute since I’ve brought you a blog tour, hasn’t it? Well, you are in for a treat today! It’s my stop on #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour for a gem of a middle grade called The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips. I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads, Egmont Books, and the author for sending me an e-ARC so I could participate in the tour! I had such a fun time with this book and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
That being said, let’s get to it!
Synopsis
“Lemony Snicket meets Roald Dahl in this riotously funny, deliciously macabre, and highly illustrated tale of a hungry beast, a vain immortal man, and a not-so-charming little girl who doesn’t know she’s about to be eaten.
Beauty comes at a price. And no one knows that better than Ebenezer Tweezer, who has stayed beautiful for 511 years. How, you may wonder? Ebenezer simply has to feed the beast in the attic of his mansion. In return for meals of performing monkeys, statues of Winston Churchill, and the occasional cactus, Ebenezer gets potions that keep him young and beautiful, as well as other presents.
But the beast grows ever greedier with each meal, and one day he announces that he’d like to eat a nice, juicy child next. Ebenezer has never done anything quite this terrible to hold onto his wonderful life. Still, he finds the absolutely snottiest, naughtiest, and most frankly unpleasant child he can and prepares to feed her to the beast.
The child, Bethany, may just be more than Ebenezer bargained for. She’s certainly a really rather rude houseguest, but Ebenezer still finds himself wishing she didn’t have to be gobbled up after all. Could it be Bethany is less meal-worthy and more…friend-worthy?”
A lot of great books came out this week. Like… a lot of them! My wallet and my TBR are screaming, y’all. But there was one book that came out on Tuesday that I’ve been looking forward to owning since May. It currently holds the number one spot in my favorite books of 2020 list and it’s going to take an amazing novel to knock it from the top. The book I’m talking about is Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko!
Y’all. This book is I N C R E D I B L E. If you’d like to read me gushing about it for paragraphs on end, check out my review HERE. I could honestly take up another blog post to just gush about it some more. I will spare you, though. Instead, what we’re doing today is a fun and creative book tag centering the world of Raybearer and created by the wonderful Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads! The Aritsar Book Tag prompts are based on the 11 Council positions that are in change of ruling the fictional kingdom by the Emperor’s side. It looked like too much fun to not participate!
Rules
Thank the person that tagged you and link to their post. (When Leelynn asked if anyone wanted to be tagged on Twitter, I couldn’t type yes fast enough! Thanks for the tag 💕)
Link to the original creator: Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads! (She also made the artwork/graphics, so make sure to credit her if you end up using them.)
Answer the prompts to the best of your ability. No wrong answers here!
Tag some people you think would would have fun doing this tag.
I know this seems like a weird answer. I suppose I should say that it didn’t heal my “soul”, per se. It more healed my reader’s soul. I had been in a massive reading slump for going on a year (I know…) and I decided to pick up this chunker to see if it would help. Fantasy is my comfort zone and I had been hearing so many good things about it. It took me an entire month to read but, when I was done, I felt revived. I remembered why I loved reading so much… for the adventures and the glimpse outside of my small sphere into worlds unknown. I ended up crushing my Goodreads reading challenge that year and have been keeping steady ever since! Sometimes we just need to go back to what’s familiar to reignite that reading spark 💕
The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Crazy-For-Books and is currently being hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. Every Friday, a new question is posted for book bloggers to answer in the coming week. The purpose of the hop is connection and community. You can discover new blogs to follow, new books to read, and you may end up with some new followers, as well!
This Week’s Question
Do you look at your shelves and stacks and books and wonder how you have ever read so many?
Seriously, though, when I was unpacking my books after the move, it kind of boggled my mind that I had read a vast majority of what I had on my shelves. I mean, I suppose it shouldn’t since my favorite past time is reading. There’s something about seeing them all in one space,though, that makes it hit home.
And that’s not even all the books I’ve read! I’ve been a loyal library-goer since I was old enough to have a library card (and even before when I had to use my parent’s card). There are quite a few books that I’ve read that I don’t actually own. What really shocks me is looking at my Goodreads Read shelf. According to that, I’ve read over 550 books in my lifetime!! And it’s probably quite a few more since, as I’ve mentioned, I have a shit memory for books, lol. There could be books I read when I was younger that I just don’t remember.
Honestly, though, that sense of wonder and surprise at seeing all these books that I’ve read is part of the reason that I like to hang on to the books I’ve bought. Even if I know I’m never going to re-read them, I just like having them there to remind me of the stories I’ve loved over the years.
And they look pretty in my living room 💕
Do you hang on to your read books? Do you ever stare at your shelves and wonder how you’ve read so. many. books?! Let me know in the comments!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Current Reads
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: I’m making slow but steady progress in this audiobook. I’m really enjoying it, though d’Artagnan is, if not a complete idiot, something very close to it. Man has gotten into so many fights and fallen in love with, like, five different women and I can’t keep up with his D R A M A! And yet I love it 😂
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus: My third Trope-ical Readathon book has officially been started! I’m reading this one for Team Horror/Mystery/Thriller challenge number one, which is to read a book involving dark secrets. And HOO-BOY are there some secrets in this one! I’m only 100 pages in and there are already so many secrets that have been spilled with more broiling under the surface. I’m enjoying it, so far, and it’s definitely going to be a quick read.
Recently Finished
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: YOOOO, WHY DOES EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK SUCK???? I was so angry the entire time I was reading this and yet I couldn’t stop! I went into this thinking it wasn’t going to affect me that much because I already knew the big twist. But I did not account for the visceral rage at all the players in this story. UGH! But I did give it 4 stars, soooo… clearly I enjoy pain 😅 Review to come soon!
What’s Next
The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen: I know, I know… this was on my last WWW Wednesday! I am starting it this week, I promise! I’m so excited to read this and I keep putting it off. It’s the end of our time with Fie and Tavin and Jasimur and… I’m just not ready 😭 Still, I have to bite the bullet since I’m on the TBR and Beyond Blog Tour for this beautiful book. I’m preparing my heart.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells: Another Trope-ical Readathon book! This is the one I’m picking up for the Artificial Intelligence challenge for… obvious reasons. It works for the alternate challenge, too, because I have this one in e-book format! I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book and I’m excited to dive into this series.
What are you currently reading? Read any new favorites lately? Did you do your own WWW Wednesday? Let me know in the comments!
#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook where you chose five books from your to-be-read pile that fit that week’s theme. If you’d like more info, head over to the announcement post!
Hello, reader!
How are you on this fine Monday? I’m feeling refreshed after a weekend of yardwork and best friend visits! I also spent quite a bit of time reading this weekend, which has me close to the end of one book and checking out my TBR for the next. So, with TBRs on the brain, it’s time for another #5OnMyTBR Monday!
The theme for this week has me giddily checking out books that have yet to be released. Why? Because, this week, we’re talking about 2020 releases! But Kerri, you say, that could be any book published in 2020! And you’re right, of course, but I’ve chosen to focus on five books from the five months (including August) we have left in this year. So, without further ado, let’s get into the list!
#1. Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
Publication Date: August 25th, 2020
This book is billed as a mixture of Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge. You know the musical theater nerd in me just had to read it! I was also lucky enough to win a copy in a Goodreads giveaway. I know, I know… I’m one of those rare unicorns that has actually won a Goodreads giveaway. No worries… it was probably the last one for at least a year 😂 Annnyways, I’m super excited to dig into this one!
#2. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Publication Date: September 1st, 2020
I first came across this book after following the author on Twitter. Which, honestly, is how I stumble across most of the books I want to read. Who can resist a story about a young trans man trying to be the best brujo who accidentally summons a ghost and potentially falls in love with said ghost. Who, I ask?! Also, the cover is just stunning and we all know I appreciate a beautiful cover. My copy will be coming soon and I can’t wait 😁
#3. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Publication Date: October 13th, 2020
Do I want to read this simply because I was blown away by this author’s debut, Ten Thousand Doors of January? Yes. Yes I do. (It was so good, y’all!) But I’m also really intrigued by the synopsis on this one. There’s witches and suffragists and I am here. for. it! And, again, the cover is just a treat to behold. If this is as richly told as Harrow’s first book, I’m eager to sink into it.
#4. The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter
Publication Date: November 10th, 2020
One of my most anticipated sequels of 2020!! The first book in this series, The Rage of Dragons, took me by surprised and completely enveloped me in the world that Evan Winter created. It’s so evocative and intense and I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen to our boy Tau in this one! I can almost guarantee it’s nothing good 😅 After all, the stakes are high in this one, with Tau helping the queen fight to regain what she has lost. I’m excited!
#5. The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Publication Date: December 1st, 2020
Okay, so I don’t know much about the newest Karen M. McManus book. What I do know is that she has a way of writing thrillers that completely captivate my attention. Admittedly, I’ve only read one of her books (Two Can Keep a Secret) but it left a great impression! Especially since I couldn’t guess what was coming. I do love a thriller that can surprise me. Also, it’s set on an island and I have a special fondness for island mysteries.
So those are the five (of many… so very many) 2020 releases that have found their way to my TBR. I can’t wait to get my grubby little reader hands on them! What are some 2020 release you’re looking forward to? Did you do your own #5OnMyTBR? Let me know in the comments!
Time for another Kerri-fun-fact: I love music. I can often be found singing to myself as I work or blasting music while I drive. And my love of music is all-encompassing, i.e. I will listen to pretty much any genre of music. That being said, I’m not a huge fan of Taylor Swift, but there are definitely a few songs of hers that I’ve enjoyed. But it’s not like I follow her music closely.
Still, when one of the most popular musical artists of our time drops a completely unexpected full length album and the collective book community LOSES ITS MIND… you kinda have to give it a listen. Well, if you’re me, you do 😂 So when T-Swift was like “Oh, heh, have folklore!”, I put it on Spotify as I drove to work. And, perhaps, maybe I had it on repeat the entire rest of the work day. Maybe! So when @shelvesofstarlight asked if anyone would like to tagged for this folklore book tag, I was primed to say yes! (Side note: you should totally go check out her blog, as well 💕)
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanne Clarke
Hahahaha, THERE ARE SO MANY. But I suppose I’ll talk about the one book I actually own that has been on my bookshelf for… ever. I remember initially becoming interested in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell because my mom was reading it and I always thought my mom read the coolest books. So I “borrowed” it when I moved out. It’s okay! She never even noticed it was gone 😅😂
Anyways, now it just chills on my shelf and I want to read it but… she thicc. I am intimidated. But I will read it one day!
Kerri McBookNerd 