Month: August 2022

Blog Tour: These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall
blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a blog tour, hasn’t it? It seems like it has! I’m happy to dive back in with a young adult horror novel that sent shivers down my spine: These Fleeting Shadows! This tour is hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours, so I must thank them for introducing me to such a perfectly creepy tale. I also want to encourage you to follow along with the tour, as there are a ton of incredible bookish content creators involved! You can find the tour schedule here.

Now, I’ve thanked TBR & Beyond Tours for introducing me to this book, but I also need to thank them for giving me a spot on this tour! And a special thank you to the publisher, Viking Books, for sending me a finished copy to review. It is, as always, very much appreciated! All opinions contained within this post about the book are my own.

Alright, now let’s get to my blog tour stop!

  • Title: These Fleeting Shadows
  • Author: Kate Alice Marshall
  • Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
  • Publication date: August 9th, 2022
  • Genre: Horror
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, body horror, murder, child death/murder, queerphobia, abuse, alcoholism, sexual assault (referenced), lobotomy

Book Links

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

The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out in a bid for an inheritance that will leave Helen Vaughan either rich…or dead.

Helen Vaughan doesn’t know why she and her mother left their ancestral home at Harrowstone Hall, called Harrow, or why they haven’t spoken to their extended family since. So when her grandfather dies, she’s shocked to learn that he has left everything—the house, the grounds, and the money—to her. The inheritance comes with one condition: she must stay on the grounds of Harrow for one full year, or she’ll be left with nothing.

There is more at stake than money. For as long as she can remember, Harrow has haunted Helen’s dreams—and now those dreams have become a waking nightmare. Helen knows that if she is going to survive the year, she needs to uncover the secrets of Harrow. Why is the house built like a labyrinth? What is digging the holes that appear in the woods each night?And why does the house itself seem to be making her sick?

With each twisted revelation, Helen questions what she knows about Harrow, her family, and even herself. She no longer wonders if she wants to leave…but if she can.

Content Warning: Harm to children/death of children – non-graphic and not on the page, but prevalent in backstory & plot, Death & dying, Body horror (surreal, not gory), Violence (against MC & others), Alcoholism (not a main character), Discussion of a lobotomy performed in the 1800s

Continue reading “Blog Tour: These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall” →
WWW Wednesday: Aug 10, 2022
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WWW Wednesday: Aug 10, 2022

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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

  • Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler: I’m slowly, but surely, making my way through this one, haha. It’s not a bad book! The writing is quite good and I love the characters that Octavia E. Butler has created. I’m just so bored. And I can’t even put my finger on why! There’s so much going on. There are secrets and murder and vampire courtroom proceedings… and I just don’t care about any of it. I’m really beginning to wonder if it’s the narrator’s sleepy tone that’s the cause because, with all this action and drama, you’d think I’d be riveted! Sigh… perhaps the ending will blow my mind.
  • Hag of the Hills by J.T.T. Ryder: I’m reading this for a blog tour and, so far, I’m certainly intrigued. I’ve only just begun, so I haven’t gotten far into the story, but the setting is interesting and I feel like this is going to get magical fairly quickly. I’m stoked to be reading another fantasy centered around Celtic mythology! Here’s hoping I have a good time with this one.
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Top 5 Tuesday: Books With Crowns
top 5 tuesday

Top 5 Tuesday: Books With Crowns

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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! For this week’s cover scavenger hunt, I’ll be looking for some of my favorite books with crowns on the cover. This was, once again, surprisingly difficult, though not as bad as last week’s keys. That being said, I managed to find five books that I truly enjoyed that also have a crown on the cover.

So let’s jump into the post!

#1. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

Are you looking for a dark fairytale that features a kickass female main character? This might be the book for you! And it has a teeny, tiny crown right about the title, so I get to include it in this list. I loved this story so much; it made me emotional in ways I wasn’t expecting and it was such an incredibly written story. It’s also the first in a series, so I get to read more about our fine gremlin girl, Vanja, and the encyclopedia who loves her, Emeric.

#2. Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko

You all know how much I love Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko. It’s definitely in my top five favorite books of all time! That being said, I don’t talk about the sequel, Redemptor, nearly enough. I loved this book so much! It built on what Raybearer started, growing the world and the characters in the best of ways. It also had some pretty creepy elements that I just ate up! I’m glad Tarisai is rocking a crown on the cover so I could include it on the list.

Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: Books With Crowns” →
Down the TBR Hole #35
down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #35

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It’s time for a new round of Down the TBR Hole! This is where I go through my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf and do a bit of cleaning up. If you want to see the full description of what this post is all about, check out my first round HERE.

Hello, reader!

I’m back with another round of TBR trimming! This is going to be a shortened one like last time because ya girl has been working for eight days straight and I am T I R E D. But we’re still gonna sift through five books and see if I want to keep them on the TBR or if they’ve gotta go. Also, I went from having 708 books on my Goodreads ‘Want to Shelf’ to 718 books… I honestly don’t know how that happened 😂

Alright, let’s get to trimming!

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

This is a start to yet another fantasy series that I shouldn’t be keeping… but the synopsis sounds so good! It follows two different people in two different timelines who are inextricably linked. I’ve heard so many good things about this book/series, as well. So here I am, keeping yet another series while I finish none, lol.

Verdict: Keep

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

So, if I hadn’t recently read The Paradox Hotel by the same author and thoroughly enjoyed it, this would probably be getting the chop. But I did so here we are! I really loved Rob Hart’s writing style and I’m interested to see what he does with the dystopian world in this one. Also, this one sounds deliciously sinister.

Verdict: Keep

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Sundays In Bed With… Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
sundays in bed with

Sundays In Bed With… Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

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Sundays in Bed With… is a meme that dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

Hello, reader!

I hope you’ve had a restful Sunday, so far! I’m epically tired because I stayed up ridiculously late playing D&D and then had to wake up this morning to go to work. Very bad combo. Would not recommend. Now that I’m home, though, I’m happy to curl up in my bed and read.

That being said, let me tell you a little about my Sunday read!

My Sunday Read Is…

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

This is Octavia E. Butler’s take on the classic vampire story with bits of sci-fi dropped in. I’m… enjoying it? I guess? I’m listening to the audiobook and, while I’m listening, I’m having a good time. But I’m never eager to pick it back up 😅 I don’t know, I think it’s because this book is quite happy to meander as it goes and, even though exciting things are happening, I feel so bored reading them. Part of that is the narrator. Her voice is the kind that makes me want to take a nap which is not helpful when I’m trying to pay attention! I like the unique vampire lore in this, but, so far, I’m feeling pretty ‘meh’ about this one. Perhaps that’s just my generally ‘meh’ feelings about vampires popping up.

Continue reading “Sundays In Bed With… Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler” →
Book Blogger Hop: Aug 5 – 11
book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Aug 5 – 11

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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 switched reading genres? If so, why?

Submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer.

Continue reading “Book Blogger Hop: Aug 5 – 11” →
First Lines Friday #56
first lines friday

First Lines Friday #56

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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!

It’s time for another First Lines Friday! This is another work weekend for me after a week filled with overtime, but, happy news… I got a promotion at work! So I’m feeling a bit more optimistic about working over 7 days in a row 😂 In celebration, I want to talk about a book that I am truly enjoying at the start to this weekend. I’m reading it for a TBR & Beyond Tours book tour and absolutely tearing through it!

The first lines certainly captured my interest. Now to see if they’ll do the same for you!

The Line(s):

“I promise I will tell you the truth. But first, I need to lie. It doesn’t make sense yet. It will. Be patient.”

The Hints:

I’m entering my horror era, I think, because this is the third horror I’m picking up this month.

It will be released August 9th.

It features a creepy (and possibly sentient??) house.

The Reveal:

Continue reading “First Lines Friday #56” →
Magical Readathon: Orilium Autumn Equinox TBR
readathon

Magical Readathon: Orilium Autumn Equinox TBR

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Hello, reader!

That’s right. In the month of August, you get not one, but two TBRs from me! Readathons are great TBR-creating motivators 😂

It’s time to continue my character’s journey at the magical academy called Orilium in one of my favorite readathons: the Magical Readathon! I’ve been on-board with this Orilium journey since the beginning and managed to complete all the prompts for the Spring Equinox. Now it’s time to dive further into my studies with this latest round.

But what is the Magical Readathon? It is the brain child of the marvelous G @ Book Roast, who created the world of Aeldia, where Orilium dwells, and every aspect therein. It’s an incredibly creative readathon where you build a character, choose and guild, and guide your character through classes to achieve their calling. I am notoriously bad at giving all the details in a coherent way, so you should definitely watch G’s announcement video for the scoop:

My Character

Before I jump into my TBR for this round, I wanted to re-introduce you all to the character I created for this readathon! She’s living her best life at this magical academy so far.

✨✨✨Name: Korrin Musgrave✨✨✨
✨✨✨Guild: The Order of the Crescent Moon✨✨✨
✨✨✨Current Guild Standing: Assistant (110 gp)✨✨✨
✨✨✨Legacy: Wolf familiar (Venandi)✨✨✨
✨✨✨Background: Wildling✨✨✨
✨✨✨Province: Irtheria✨✨✨
✨✨✨Heritage: Earthling (earth element)✨✨✨

Don’t know what any of that means? You can check out the Brief History of Aeldia on the Google drive. The drive also has the syllabus for this round and lots of other incredibly imaginative information all from the mind of G!

Continue reading “Magical Readathon: Orilium Autumn Equinox TBR” →
WWW Wednesday: Aug 3, 2022
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Aug 3, 2022

kerrimcbooknerd6 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

  • These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall: I’ve just started this spooky YA horror and, already, I’m entranced! The atmosphere is pitch perfect, the little hints that something is not right have me intrigued, and I’m truly interested in finding out more about our main character, Helen. I’m very much getting an The Inheritance Games vibes, what with her inheritance of this creepy house hinging on her staying in it a full year and some less than friendly relatives who seem upset about the will. But this is definitely got a more paranormal vibe and I am here for it!
  • Hide by Kiersten White: I literally just finished the first chapter of this horror novel and, in comparison, I’m not as immediately into it as I was with These Fleeting Shadows. Maybe it’s because I’ve only read one chapter so far. Maybe it’s because nothing has really happened yet. I’m definitely intrigued enough to keep going but the writing hasn’t really gripped me yet. The main character, Mack, certainly seems like she has a Past and I’m interested to find out more about her. Here’s hoping I get more invested as I continue.
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: Aug 3, 2022” →
Top 5 Tuesday: Books With Keys
top 5 tuesday

Top 5 Tuesday: Books With Keys

kerrimcbooknerd6 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 pretty late on a Tuesday and I’ve had quite the day 😅 Still, before we roll into the middle of the week, it’s time for another Top 5 Tuesday post! The themes during August are all scavenger hunts and, I have to admit, this one threw me for a loop. I, apparently, have not read a ton of books with keys on the cover. That being said, I’ve cobbled together a list that only stretches the theme a teensy bit, haha.

Let’s jump into the post, shall we?

#1. Duma Key by Stephen King

So there’s definitely not a key in this beachy cover, but there is one in the title! This also happens to be one of my favorite Stephen King novels, if not my favorite. I feel like this is one that people don’t talk about often or really know about, but it’s absolutely incredible! It follows a man named Edgar Freemantle who moves to the beaches of Florida after a construction site accident leaves him without an arm. He gets back into art, something that used to bring him joy… and things get weird from there. This is well worth the read!

#2. Nightbooks by J.A. White

We’re playing a little bit more loose with this scavenger hunt with this one 😂 There’s no key in the cover image or in the title… but there is a keyhole! Shape! The suggestion of a keyhole at the very least! Look, I told you I had a rough time with this one, haha. All that aside, I loved this middle grade horror. It was spooky yet endearing and left me wanting more from this author. My favorite bits were the scare stories sprinkled throughout the already scary story, curtesy of our MC, Alex. I could read a whole book just filled with those!

Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: Books With Keys” →