Author: kerrimcbooknerd

April 2023 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

Here I am, keeping up my new routine of waiting until a month is almost over to go over my reads from the month prior 😂 Look, life has been especially hectic in the McBookNerd household lately and my blogging has reflected that! Still, I want to talk about my reading in April because, honestly, it was a fantastic reading month. It was the Orilium Spring Equinox, which always is a ton of fun. I managed to read everything I needed to move my character along on the path to becoming the greatest Beast Master of all time! And I participated in an ARC reading challenge that got me to finally read one of the oldest books on my Netgalley shelf. On top of that, I just really enjoyed pretty much all of the books I read in April. All in all, it’s gonna be a tough month to beat!

That being said, let me share what I read in the month of April.

Books Reads

  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill: I had so much fun with this middle grade fantasy! It was the March pick for Middle Grade Marvels and I’m so glad that pushed me into finally reading it. It’s been on my radar for awhile, but I just never picked it up. Now I’m firmly on the hype train because this was such a great read! It was whimsical, magical, and had me crying in public at a McDonald’s 😅 It made me want to read more from this author! ★★★★
  • Dark Eyes: White Lies by M.R. Noble: This is the sequel to a book I read for a tour hosted by The Write Reads, so when I saw it was going on tour with them, as well, I jumped on board! I enjoyed the first book in this series and this one was equally as enticing. The action picks right up from where it ends in the first novel, but things get a lot more intense very quickly. I enjoyed this read and the ending left me eager to continue this paranormal series! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
  • Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy: I read this book for a blog tour hosted by Hear Our Voices Tours. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this contemporary adult romance, but I had a great time reading it! The fact that it featured Black characters and book nerds just made my heart happy. And the steam was definitely on point! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
  • Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah: I spent a lot of April trying to catch up with Netgalley books and this was one that had been on my TBR for a minute. This YA horror ended up being an atmospheric, compelling read that hits on some dark topics in an interesting way. I thought the story was compulsively readable though the characters felt a little all over the place. In the end, though, I overall had a good time with this book. You can read my full review here. ★★★
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WWW Wednesday: May 24, 2023

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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

  • Cursed in Love by Zoe Ashwood: I have been “reading” this for a minute now, but I have to be honest and say that I put it down for awhile. Not because I wasn’t enjoying it! This reverse harem paranormal fantasy has been such a wild ride so far. I put it down because I was feeling a bit of a burnout with paranormal books because I read quite a few back to back to back. Now that I’ve had a bit of a breather, I’ve dived back in and I am loving it!
  • Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells: I’m continuing my reread of the Murderbot series and, so far, this book is just as much of a good time as the first two. I could probably read about Murderbot watching TV for a week and still love it, lol. I adore their character and their thought processes and their wit. I’m really looking forward to getting to the full length novel of this series because getting to hang out with Murderbot for more than a 150 pages sounds incredible.
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#5OnMyTBR – Number in the Title

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#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!

I’m back! I feel like I’ve been away from the blog for way too long. Lots of life things getting in the way of both my reading and my blogging. Chief among those is that I got rear-ended coming home from work and my car ended up totaled 😑 It sounds a lot worse than it was, I promise! I could even drive the car home, but my insurance company was like “Nah, we’re not fixing that.” So my poor baby Escape is gone forever and I’m a sad panda. But at least I wasn’t hurt too bad (little neck strain) and the insurance company took care of me quickly!

But enough of my car woes. It’s time for another 5 On My TBR! This time, our theme is books with numbers in the title and I had quite a list from which to choose. I’ve narrowed it down to five books that I would love to read sooner rather than later. Perhaps y’all can help me pick which one to read next 😁

All that said, let’s get to the list!

#1. One for All by Lillie Lainoff

I’ve always been fascinated with the story of the Three Musketeers. So when I learned about this retelling that casts our swashbucklers as women, and the main character is a disabled woman on top of that, I instantly added it to my TBR. This sounds like it would be such an incredible read and, so far, I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. I’m always here to support disability rep in books, as well!

#2. Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese

I’m not gonna lie. I 100% added this book to my TBR because of the cover ✨drama✨. Ya know, when Tessa Bailey this cover ripped off a cover for her book and they looked nothing alike. Sigh… book Twitter is always there for me if I want a bit of manufactured rage. Anyways! Having read the synopsis now, I think this could be a romance that I love. It’s a Shakespeare retelling and that will always get my attention.

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Book Blogger Hop: May 12 – 18

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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

Do you have a “trademark” that everyone would know it’s you whether you said your name or your blog name?

Submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews.

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Blog Tour Spotlight: Straight Expectations by Calum McSwiggan

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another blog tour hosted by The Write Reads! I’ve got a spotlight for a queer Freaky Friday that sounds like an incredible time! Straight Expectations by Calum McSwiggan promises fun and romance, all contained in quite a gorgeous package.

Before I jump into my spotlight, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and all the lovely people behind the scenes for allowing me to participate in this tour! It is, as always, very much appreciated.

Alright, now let’s get to it!

  • Title: Straight Expectations
  • Author: Calum McSwiggan
  • Publication date: May 4th, 2023
  • Genre: Contemporary/LGBTQIA+
  • Length: 272 pages
  • Age group: Young Adult

Book Links

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

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WWW Wednesday: May 10, 2023

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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

  • Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames: This is a book that has been on my TBR since it was released. I loved the concept of a band of adventures being treated like a rock band! So far, the author is pulling it off in a way that has me laughing and completely stuck into the story. I love the characters, the world, and the plot so far and I’m excited to continue!
  • A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: I’ve had this book on my TBR longer than I can remember, honestly. And I’m sure it had made its way to a few monthly TBRs but I never picked it up. I finally decided to crack it open and, so far, I’m glad I did! I’m enjoying the scholarly setting and the interesting world. Not sure how I’m gonna feel about the vampire, yet, but time will tell, haha.
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ARC Review: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao

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Title: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Publisher: Delacorte Press/Harper Voyager

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★★★

Book Links: 
Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her. She spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.

No one can see the mysterious mark – until the night Zen appears at the teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner, one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden at all costs.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

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Blog Tour: If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come by Jen St. Jude

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Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I’m bringing you a blog tour for a YA debut I truly enjoyed! If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come by Jen St. Jude is an incredible speculative story that had me on an emotional rollercoaster. I’m so excited to join The Write Reads in shouting its praises!

But, before I get to my review, I have people to thank. First, thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour! Second, thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC of the book so that I could participate in this tour. It is, as always, appreciated!

Now, let’s get the post!

  • Title: If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come
  • Author: Jen St. Jude
  • Publication date: May 9th, 2023
  • Length: 416 pages
  • Genre: LGBTQIA+/Contemporary Romance/Science Fiction
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Suicidal ideation (on page, frequent), grief, violence, sexual harassment, homophobia, blood

Book Links

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

We Are Okay meets They Both Die at the End in this YA debut about queer first love and mental health at the end of the world-and the importance of saving yourself, no matter what tomorrow may hold.

Avery Byrne has secrets. She’s queer; she’s in love with her best friend, Cass; and she’s suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression. But on the morning Avery plans to jump into the river near her college campus, the world discovers there are only nine days left to live: an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it.

Trying to spare her family and Cass additional pain, Avery does her best to make it through just nine more days. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery would do anything to save the ones she loves. But most importantly, she learns to save herself. Speak her truth. Seek the support she needs. Find hope again in the tomorrows she has left.

If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come is a celebration of queer love, a gripping speculative narrative, and an urgent, conversation-starting book about depression, mental health, and shame.

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BBNYA 2022 Finalist Tour: Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper

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Hello, reader!

I’m bringing you another blog tour post for one of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award finalists from 2022! Today, I’ll be reviewing my personal favorite read of the entire competition last year and our fourth place finisher! Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper is a short, horror novella that features perhaps one of my favorite heroines I’ve read in awhile. Doesn’t hurt that she has two awesome dog companions, as well!

But, before I go on, let me tell you more about this award. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

And, now, let’s talk about this book!

  • Title: Inheriting Her Ghosts
  • Author: S.H. Cooper
  • Publisher: Sleepless Sanctuary Publishing
  • Publication date: July 9th, 2021
  • Length: 120 pages
  • Genre: Horror
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, violence

Book Links

Bookshop::Amazon::Goodreads

Inheritance often comes with strings attached, but rarely are they as tangled as those hanging over High Hearth.

When Eudora Fellowes learns she’s the sole heir of her estranged great-aunt’s seaside manor, she believes it will be the peaceful escape she’s longed for. What awaits, however, is a dark legacy shrouded in half a century of secrets, and it doesn’t take long before Eudora realizes she’s not the only one to call High Hearth home.

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Blog Tour: DeadEndia Vol I and II by Hamish Steele

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Hello, reader!

I have another TBR & Beyond Tours post to share with you today! Today, I’ll be talking about the graphic novel series that became a Netflix show: DeadEndia by Hamish Steele! This fantasy horror graphic novel series is a fun ride, with a diverse cast and a found family element that was *chef’s kiss*

Before I jump into my review, though, I want to say thank you. Thank you to the people at TBR & Beyond Tours for choosing me to take part in this tour. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of both volume one and two of this series. And thank you to all my readers for supporting my little blog! Also, if you’d like to support the other incredible bloggers and bookstagrammers participating, make sure to check out the tour schedule by clicking here.

Alright, now let me tell you more about these books!

  • Title: DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test
  • Author: Hamish Steele
  • Publisher: Union Square & Co
  • Publication date: May 2nd, 2023
  • Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel
  • Age group: Young 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::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

  • Title: DeadEndia: The Broken Halo
  • Author: Hamish Steele
  • Publisher: Union Square & Co
  • Publication date: May 2nd, 2023
  • Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, torture, violence

Book Links

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

The Watcher’s Test:

Barney and his best friend Norma are just trying to get by and keep their jobs, but working at the Dead End theme park also means battling demonic forces, time traveling wizards, and scariest of all–their love lives!

Follow the lives of this diverse group of employees of a haunted house, which may or may not also serve as a portal to hell, in this hilarious and moving graphic novel, complete with talking pugs, vengeful ghosts and LBGTQIA love!

The Broken Halo:

In the second installment of this quirky, heartfelt, LGBTQ adventure comic, war is brewing across the thirteen planes and as always, haunted house attraction and portal to hell Dead End is right at the center of it.

It’s been weeks since Dead End was destroyed and as it reopens as a hotel, resident tour guide turned hotel manager Norma is determined to leave the ghosts of the past where they belong. But with her friendship with Barney up in the air and angels and demons using the hotel as their literal wrestling ring, Norma soon finds that unwanted ghosts can appear at any moment, especially when they’re your own.

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