Month: May 2022

WWW Wednesday: May 11, 2022
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: May 11, 2022

kerrimcbooknerd4 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:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. 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

  • Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega: This is the Middle Grade Marvels pick for May and I’m absolutely loving it! I love the glimpses of Dominican culture, I love all the spookiness, and I especially love Lucely and Syd. There are some heavier themes in this book, but that’s something I really enjoy about Claribel A. Ortega’s stories. They don’t shy away from tough aspects of life just because they’re geared towards a younger audience. Also, the audiobook narrator is incredible! Massive props to Almarie Guerra.
  • The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart: I picked this up slightly on a whim, but mostly because it’s due back to the library soon and my renewal limit has been reached 😅 Thankfully, it’s proving to be a quick, engaging read! I’ll admit that time travel books always leave me scratching my head a bit, but even when I’m mildly confused, I’m still fully invested in the story. January, our main character, is a true asshole and I often want to slap some sense into her. At the same time, I can’t help but root for her to get to the bottom of whatever is going on. I just started this last night and I’m already over halfway through, so I think I can safely say I’m enjoying this one.
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: May 11, 2022” →
Top 5 Tuesday: Drink For Reading
top 5 tuesday

Top 5 Tuesday: Drink For Reading

kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Top 5 Tuesday is a fun, weekly meme that asks you to pick 5 books that fit that week’s theme. It was created by Bionic Bookworm and is currently being hosted by Meeghan Reads. You should check out their wonderful blog for more details and the list of prompts!

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top 5 Tuesday! Today’s topic is a fun one. Instead of focusing on books, we’re talking about my top five drinks for reading! Personally, I don’t usually drink when I’m reading. Not because I have anything against it, but because I am a giant klutz. I can already see myself spilling a beverage over one of my beloved books and it makes me wanna cry. So I figured I’d do something a little different. Why not pair my favorite drinks with some of my favorite books?

That being said, let’s jump into today’s post!

#1. Hot Chocolate/Hot Cocoa

I’m a woman with a giant sweet tooth, so hot chocolate (or hot cocoa) is probably my favorite beverage. I even drink it when I’m roasting in the summer time! Ever since I read Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James I can’t think of hot chocolate without thinking of this book. There’s a cute café in the bookstore where Tilly lives and there’s a description of the hot chocolate served there that made my mouth water! Also, this book always makes me feel cozy, as does my favorite beverage.

#2. Cherry Slushies

Cherry slushies are one of my weaknesses. They aren’t good for me in any way, but I loooove them! They also make me think of the summer and sitting on the porch sipping a cool, sweet drink. One of my favorite books that makes me think about summer is A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. This humorous non-fiction follows the author and his friend as they attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail. I can’t remember when they make their attempt, but hiking always makes me think of summer. And I bet they coulda used a nice slushie to cool them down out on the Trail!

Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: Drink For Reading” →
April 2022 Wrap Up
wrap up

April 2022 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

Hello, reader!

How is it already May?? I feel like April flew by and I’m not ready for it to already be the fifth month of 2022. We’re already almost halfway through the year! Still, with as fast as the month went, I still somehow managed to one of my best reading months of the year, so far. Dare I say, one of my best reading months ever. I managed to read 19 books last month. NINETEEN BOOKS! That is definitely a new personal record! On top of that, I also have 5 five star reads. Like, what?!

I fully credit two things for how great my reading was last month: rediscovering the wonderful world of audiobooks and the incredible Magical Readathon hosted by G @ Book Roast. Seriously, I had so much fun participating in the Orilium Spring Equinox round of the Magical Readathon. I managed to complete all the classes my character needed for her chosen calling, plus six additional side quests. G did a fantastic job of building a creative and fun readathon and I’m excited to participate again in the fall!

Alright, enough stalling… let’s talk about all the great books I read in the month of April.

Books Read

  • Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick: I read this for a The Write Reads blog tour and found myself loving this creepy middle grade horror! If you’re not a fan of spiders, I would maybe steer clear. Otherwise, this was a fast-paced, properly spooky story that had me on the edge of my seat. You can read my full review here. ★★★★
  • The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman: The printed version of Amanda Gorman’s incredibly compelling inauguration speech was just as moving as watching it live. It was profound; a rallying cry for a country that was finally getting a smidge of hope. And that’s what the tone of this poem was, overall… hopeful. I adored it. ★★★★★
  • Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica: This was my first Mary Kubica book, but it certainly won’t be my last! I loved this twisty, suburban mystery. I thought the characters were intriguing and the twists had my mouth hanging open! There was one plot point that felt a little out of left field, but, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. ★★★★
  • Scorpica by G.R. Macallister: I was given an e-ARC of this book on Netgalley. I knew nothing about it until the publicist emailed me, but, once I read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read the book. I’m glad I gave it a go, too, because I ended up being sucked into this world! Slow on plot, but tons of great character building, which I love. And all the tangled political maneuverings were a definite bonus, as well. You can find my full review here. ★★★★
  • The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary: This contemporary romance was SO STINKIN’ CUTE! I mean, it dealt with some heavier topics, like emotional abuse and stalker behavior, so know that before diving in. But the romance between Tiff and Leon was absolutely everything I could have wanted and more. They are so cute and made this book a joy to read. ★★★★
  • The Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie: I was truly in my audiobook era during April and used that mojo to try and catch up with a Poirot readalong. Still not quite there, but I did manage to read two last month and they ended up being two of the more enjoyable ones! This was probably my favorite of the two because I enjoyed the set up much more. A little sad that Poirot wasn’t a big part of this book, but, overall, I had a ton of fun with it! ★★★★
  • Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie: This was the other Poirot novel I read in April and, though I enjoyed it, it definitely wasn’t as good as Three Act Tragedy. I do love a locked room (or plane, in this case) mystery and this delivered! My only sticking point with this one was that the big reveal felt so underwhelming. There was more Poirot in this one, though, so he made up for it. ★★★★
  • May Day by Josie Jaffrey: This was another blog tour read, this time for the first place winner of last year’s Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA). I can see why this book won first place because it was a wild ride! Who knew that all you needed to do to get me to like a vampire novel was to make the vampires detectives 😂 This was a gruesome and intricate mystery that definitely left me wanting to pick up the next book. You can read my full review here. ★★★★
Continue reading “April 2022 Wrap Up” →
Blog Tour: The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston
blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston hosted by The Write Reads! If you read my First Lines Friday post, you’ll know that this book drew me in pretty much immediately. Now it’s time to tell you about my full thoughts on this fantasy novel filled with cards and political intrigue.

Before we get to my review, though, I have to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour. It’s always great working with everyone involved with The Write Reads! I also want to thank the publisher, Rebellion Publishing, for sending me an ARC of the book so I could be a part of this tour. All opinions in this review are my own.

Now, let’s get to the post!

  • Title: The Knave of Secrets
  • Author: Alex Livingston
  • Publication date: June 7th, 2022 (June 9th in the UK)
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, violence, gang violence, gambling

Book Links

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

A twisty tale of magicians, con artists and card games, where secrets are traded and gambled like coin, for fans of The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Mask of Mirrors.

Never stake more than you can afford to lose.

When failed magician turned cardsharp Valen Quinol is given the chance to play in the Forbearance Game—the invitation-only tournament where players gamble with secrets—he can’t resist. Or refuse, for that matter, according to the petty gangster sponsoring his seat at the table. Valen beats the man he was sent to play, and wins the most valuable secret ever staked in the history of the tournament.

Now Valen and his motley crew are being hunted by thieves, gangsters, spies and wizards, all with their own reasons for wanting what’s in that envelope. It’s a game of nations where Valen doesn’t know all the rules or who all the players are, and can’t see all the moves. But he does know if the secret falls into the wrong hands, it could plunge the whole world into war…

Continue reading “Blog Tour: The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston” →
Book Blogger Hop: May 6 – 12
book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: May 6 – 12

kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

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

Image by Coffee Addicted Writer

Have you ever participated in a book tour?

Submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer.

Continue reading “Book Blogger Hop: May 6 – 12” →
First Lines Friday #44
first lines friday

First Lines Friday #44

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

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 (I cheat a little bit here *cough*)
  • Finally… reveal the book!

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

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to the end of another work week! To celebrate, how about a lovely First Lines Friday? The book I’ve selected this week is one I’m reading for a blog tour. I read the first chapter and immediately knew I was gonna love it! So far, it’s living up to that first impression.

Now, let’s see if the first few lines can get you interested, as well!

The Line(s):

“Never stake more than you can afford to lose. One of the cardinal rules of gambling, and one which Valen Quinol was utterly breaking in a casual game at a highwayside inn.”

The Hints:

This is a fantasy that has been comped to The Lies of Locke Lamora.

It is centered around gambling and card games.

It sounds like it’s going to have a lot of political intrigue, as well.

The Reveal:

Continue reading “First Lines Friday #44” →
The Ultimate Recommendations Book Tag
book tag

The Ultimate Recommendations Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd8 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today is a good day for a tag, no? I certainly think so! I was recently tagged by Danni @ _ForBooksSake in the Ultimate Recommendations Book Tag. This tag was created by Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx and it looked like too much fun to pass up. Let’s hope I do better with these recommendations than when people ask me in real life. Then, I usually freeze up and forget every book I’ve ever read 😂

Before I get to my post, if you haven’t checked out Danni’s blog, you should definitely give it a peek! She has a lot of great content, especially if you’re into thrillers and horror. And she’s also an incredibly be talented artist. Go give her a follow cause she rocks!

Now, let’s get to the tag!

Rules:

  • Thank the person who nominated you (Thanks, Danni!)
  • Answer all the questions down below
  • Pingback to the creator: Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx
  • Nominate 5+ bloggers to do this tag

Prompts:

1 – A book from one of your favorite genres

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

I’m probably not gonna shut up about this book for a good long while 😂I loved it so much! It’s a fantasy with flavorings of sci-fi that is absolutely captivating. It’s raw and dark and so compelling I found it hard to put it down! Excellent world-building, fascinating characters, and incredible writing all combined to make a book I won’t soon forget!

2 – A short book

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Dex and Mosscap deserve all the rights forever and I will be hearing NO ARGUMENTS. I adored this short little book but my favorite part was definitely the characters. They brought such heart and joy to this story! Becky Chambers has a way of writing a book that just makes it so freakin’ cozy. Everything about this, from Dex striking out into the world as a tea monk to them meeting Mosscap, combined into a story that feels like a warm hug ❤

3 – A book-to-screen adaption

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I’m gonna steal Danni’s answer because, honestly, is there a better adaptation than the Lord of the Rings movies? The three LotR movies directed by Peter Jackson are damn near perfection! I think it’s even more astonishing that all three of them are so freakin’ good. One, sure. Two, that’s pretty impressive. But all three?! Pure magic. To this day, I can still quote whole scenes from any of the movies off the cuff. I really want to re-watch them all now…

Continue reading “The Ultimate Recommendations Book Tag” →
WWW Wednesday: May 3, 2022
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: May 3, 2022

kerrimcbooknerd7 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:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. 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 Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston: I’ve barely scratched the surface of this novel and I already know I’m going to love it. I already love Valen and his crew and want to know more about this world! The magic system and the various different games that seem to play a major part in this world have definitely piqued my interest. This seems like it’s going to be a quick read and I’m eager to get more into it.
  • Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire: I’m halfway through this book and I’m loving it! Cora is one of the characters in the Wayward Children series that I’ve grown attached to. She’s gone through a lot and come out the other side a strong person. To see her have to face old demons at a new school makes me want to fight everyone, but it’s great to watch her not lose herself in the face of terrible odds. Also, I love the randomness that is Sumi 😂 I dunno if this is going to be a new favorite in this series, but it is going to be high on the list!
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: May 3, 2022” →
Blog Tour First Impression: The Carnival of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge
blog tour · book spotlight

Blog Tour First Impression: The Carnival of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge

kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today is my stop on another incredible blog tour organized by The Write Reads! The book I’m featuring today is a literary fiction that showcases an alternative history that centers around a city of poets. The Carnival of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge is a feast for the eyes and unlike anything I’ve read before!

Before I get into more of my first impressions, though, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and all the folks behind the scenes for giving me a spot on this magical mystery tour. I also want to thank the publisher, Rebellion Publishing, for sending me an ARC so that I could participate! All opinions in this post are my own.

Alright, now let’s get to my stop!

Book Details

  • Title: The Carnival of Ash
  • Author: Tom Beckerlegge
  • Publication date: March 15th, 2022
  • Genre: Literary Fiction/Alternative History
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

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

Synopsis

Cadenza is the City of Words, a city run by poets, its skyline dominated by the steepled towers of its libraries, its heart beating to the stamp and thrum of the printing presses in the Printing Quarter.

Carlo Mazzoni, a young wordsmith arrives at the city gates intent on making his name as the bells ring out with the news of the death of the city’s poet-leader. Instead, he finds himself embroiled with the intrigues of a city in turmoil, the looming prospect of war with their rival Venice ever-present. A war that threatens not only to destroy Cadenza but remove it from history altogether…

Continue reading “Blog Tour First Impression: The Carnival of Ash by Tom Beckerlegge” →
#5OnMyTBR – At Work
5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – At Work

kerrimcbooknerd3 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 time for another 5 On My TBR post! This one seems rather appropriate for the beginning of another work week. That’s because this week’s topic is books set at work. I’m taking a bit of liberty with a couple of my choices, but I think I make it *ahem* work 😆

Alright, enough of my bad jokes, time to get to the list!

#1. While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

This thriller certainly fits the bill since the drama focuses a young law clerk who suddenly finds herself entangled in a political mess. She becomes the power of attorney for her boss when he falls into a coma and discovers he’s been working on something very controversial. It sounds like a thriller I could definitely sink my teeth into. I’ve also been wanting to try a Stacey Abrams book for a minute! This seems like a good jumping off point for me.

#2. The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

Here’s one where I’m kiiind of flexing the definition a bit. I don’t think most of this book takes place at work, but the inciting incidents are two workplace murders, so I think it counts! Besides, I really want to give this one a read and I figure if I just keep talking about it, I’ll finally pick it up. It’s a thriller with multiple POVs, which I usually enjoy, and it promises some early 2000s pop culture. I’m definitely on-board!

Continue reading “#5OnMyTBR – At Work” →