Month: July 2021

Zodiac Sign Book Tag
book tag

Zodiac Sign Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd7 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another tag! Now, I’m not someone who is super into astrology. I can’t tell you what are the typical characteristics of signs (that aren’t mine, lol) and I know nothing of the difference between your moon sign, rising sign, and all that. But I do book tags and I learning about the various signs! So I’ve been very excited to get to this tag.

Before we dive in, though, I want to thank the lovely Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog for tagging me! I’m sorry it’s taken me forever to get to it 😅 Becky runs a fantastic bookish blog that I think anyone could love. Definitely go check her out and maybe give her a follow!

Alright, now let’s get to the tag!

The Rules:

  • Link back to the creator, Just Dreamland
  • Link back to the person who tagged you!
  • Answer all the prompts.
  • Use the original graphics and credit the creator (The graphics don’t seem to work anymore soooo *shrug*)
  • Tag at least 5 bloggers and provide links to their blogs.
  • Name your Zodiac sign!
  • Don’t forget to add #ItsAZodiacThing tag.
  • You can either do the zodiac book tag /the zodiac music tag or both of them. Graphics for separate tags should be given at the end.
  • Enjoy!

The Prompts:

Well, I’m a Virgo. Virgos are, apparently, hard-working, creative, reliable, critical, and stubborn which… I can see, lol. Now to get to the prompts!

ARIES: A wild and powerful book, compelling from start to finish. Every page intoxicated your heart with incredible imagery.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

“Wild” and “powerful” are definitely two words I would use to describe Black Sun! This book was a ride and half from page one onward. I loved everything about this tale, but one of my favorite things was definitely the vivid imagery that runs throughout. You feel like you’re in the world of Tova as you read and it is fantastic! I can’t wait for the sequel, which just had a cover/title reveal. If it’s half as amazing as this book, it’s gonna blow me out of the water.

TAURUS: A heart-wrenching story of a forbidden love that could tear a family apart

What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson

Nothing describes this story better than “heart-wrenching”. This was a dark, atmospheric thriller that has a forbidden romance running throughout. It is also potentially triggering, so please check trigger and content warnings before giving it a go! Still, I fell into this story quickly and was completely wrapped up in the unfolding drama. It’s beautifully written and I’m glad I got a chance to pick it up as part of a The Write Reads blog tour.

GEMINI: A book that is cheeky, quippy, and witty

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

One of my favorite things about the Rivers of London series is the witty and funny tone. The main character, Peter Grant, is most definitely cheeky, quippy, and witty and that bleeds into the overall tone of the story. I have laughed out loud numerous times and it just bring the story to another level, in my opinion. This series has been incredible, so far, and I can’t wait to continue!

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First Lines Friday #13
first lines friday

First Lines Friday #13

kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?  If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re using Twitter, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to another Friday and that means it’s time to do one of my favorite bookish memes: First Lines Friday! Today, I’m featuring a book that I just started yesterday and I’m already completely hooked. It’s a middle grade fantasy that is the July pick for Middle Grade Marvels and I think it’s gonna be a wild ride! But before I give everything away, let’s see if you can guess what the book is from the first few lines and a couple of hints.

The Line(s):

“I remember the bear who raised me. Nuzzling my face into her warm belly. Huge furry limbs shielding me from the biting snow. I remember the deep rumbles of her snores through the silent winter, and clouds of steamy breath smelling of berries and pine nuts.”

The Hints:

This book is based on Slavic folklore.

It’s a great book to read if you’re looking for winter vibes.

There’s an animal companion!

The Reveal:

Click the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page

Goodreads Synopsis

“The newest heart-expanding, magical adventure from Sophie Anderson, author of the critically acclaimed House with Chicken Legs.
“They call me Yanka the Bear. Not because of where I was found. Only a few people know about that. They call me Yanka the Bear because I am so big and strong.”


Discovered in a bear cave as a baby, 12-year-old Yanka dreams of knowing who she really is. Although Yanka is happy at home with her loving foster mother, she feels out of place in the village where the other children mock her for her unusual size and strength.

So when Yanka wakes up one morning to find her legs have become bear legs, she knows she has no choice but to leave her village. She has to find somewhere she truly belongs, so she ventures into the Snow Forest with her pet weasel, Mousetrap, in search of the truth about her past.

But deep in the forest there are many dangers and Yanka discovers that even the most fantastic stories she grew up hearing are true. And just as she draws close to discovering who she really is, something terrifying happens that could trap her in the forest . . . forever.”

Did those first few lines capture your attention? Did they make you want to read the rest of the story? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

ARC Review: The Project by Courtney Summers
book reviews

ARC Review: The Project by Courtney Summers

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Title: The Project

Author: Courtney Summers

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Source: e-ARC (Netgalley)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Physical abuse, emotional abuse, cults

Rating: ★★★★

Book Links:

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

Lo Denham’s sister disappeared into The Unity Project when she was a young girl and, years later, Lo takes it upon herself to save her sister from them.

Favorite Quote

“Having a sister, mom says, is a place only the two of them will share, made of secrets they never have to say aloud – but if they did, it would be in a language only the two of them could speak. Having a sister is a promise no one but the two of you can make – and no one but the two of you can break.”

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Mid-year Freak Out 2021 Book Tag
book tag

Mid-year Freak Out 2021 Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd6 Comments

Hello, reader!

June is over which means that we are over halfway done with 2021. Which, frankly, blows my mind. I don’t know if this year seems like it’s speeding by because 2020 was such a freakin’ slog, but I can’t believe it’s already July! But, seeming as we are past the midpoint of the year, it’s time to do the Mid-year Freak Out Book Tag! This tag is all over the bookish community, but I most recently read the tag that Fiona @ Fi’s Bibliofiles did. You should check out her blog because it is fantastic! Also, if anyone knows who originally created this tag, let me know so that I can properly credit them.

Alright, time to get to the tag!

The Questions:

WHAT IS THE BEST BOOK THAT YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2021?

I’ve only had 5 five star reads so far in 2021, but even if I had 100 by now, Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse would still be at the top! This book was SO GOOD. Like… it’s hard for me to explain in words how good this book was, even though I want to tell everyone about it because everyone needs to read it. Seriously, it’s incredible!

This is the beginning of an epic fantasy series set in Mesoamerica before colonization. It’s a beautiful and evocative tale that follows multiple characters as they prepare, in their own way, for the coming eclipse. Oh, and one of them may possibly be turning into a god. Everything about this story hooked me in and, though it’s a bigger book, I found myself flying through the pages. You can read my slightly more coherent review here!

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE SEQUEL OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR?

I just started the Rivers of London series this year, but I’m already loving it so much. So far, the second book in the series, Moon Over Soho, has been my favorite! It felt like the series really hit it’s stride in that book and it’s been steadily fantastic ever since.

This series follows a policeman, Peter Grant, who discovers there is an entire magical department of the London Met that no one talks about. He soon finds himself as the newest (and only) wizard in training and it just gets better from there. There’s something about the combination of fantasy and a crime thriller just hits perfectly, I swear. It doesn’t sound like it would work, but it truly does! It helps that Ben Aaronovitch has a great, conversational tone to his writing and his main character, Peter, is just as sarcastic as I am. It makes for a very fun time!

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