Category: book tag

The In Or Out Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today feels like a good day for a tag! I’ll be doing the In Or Out Book Tag, which asks whether you love (or hate) certain bookish tropes. I was tagged by the wonderful Ashlee @ Books Are 42 and it looked like a lot of fun. By the way, if you haven’t visited Ashlee’s blog, you should definitely take a look. Go for the awesome blog name, stay for the even better blog content! This tag was created by Rick MacDonnell over on BookTube.

Now, let’s get to the tag!

1. Reading the Last Page First

Out!! I avoid spoilers for books as much as possible, so there’s no way I’d read the end of a story before I had read the rest of it. If I know how a story ends, what’s the motivation to continue reading? Although, if it’s a book I’m thoroughly enjoying it, I’m sure it would be fine, but still… I like the satisfaction of waiting til the end. There are times where a book is giving me ✨anxiety✨ and I skim ahead a bit to make sure everyone is okay, but, other than that, no reading ahead.

2. Enemies to Lovers

In! This is one of my favorite tropes. In romance, it’s my favorite trope, but in other books it’s still pretty high up there. Though, let’s be real, most books are really just rivals to lovers, but I’m okay with that, too. There’s something about the tension between two characters who are attracted to each other but refuse to acknowledge it because they “hate” each other that is just *chef’s kiss*

3. Dream Sequences

Out? I’ve honestly not read a lot of books where a dream sequence was a big thing in the story. I feel like I wouldn’t like it, though. Depending what happened in the dream, I’d probably feel cheated, haha. I know I’ve always disliked it when it happened in a movie or TV show, so I feel like that would hold true for books, as well.

4. Love Triangles

Out. This is probably my least favorite trope because, in my opinion, it’s very rarely done well. It feels formulaic and dull, for the most part, and it’s usually fairly obvious which love interest the author has picked as the end game. Now, if said love triangle leads to a possible polyamorous relationship that is done well… then I can get on board. I’m not poly, but I feel like we need more polyamorous rep in books!

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Characters of the Year Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today is a good day for a tag! I’ll be doing the Characters of the Year Tag, which I always mean to do at the beginning of the year, but never quite manage, haha. Thankfully, I was tagged by Ashlee @ Books Are 42, who is an incredible book blogger and helped remind me to get this done in 2023. If you haven’t checked out her blog before, I highly suggest you do ❤ I’m not sure who originally created this tag, but if you know, please share!

Alright, now let’s get to the tag!

Favorite Male Character of The Year

Piranesi (Piranesi by Susanna Clarke)

I found the titular character in this book to be absolutely fascinating! I loved getting the story through his various journal entries and seeing the world through his eyes. It made learning about the world feel more personal, somehow, and certainly connected me to Piranesi quickly. I was very invested in his well-being!

Favorite Female Character of The Year

Eudora Fellowes (Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper)

I read a lot of incredible female characters this year, but Eudora stands out in my mind. It read this book closer to the end of the year but I knew I was going to love her from the moment I read the first excerpt for BBNYA. She’s independent, smart, and a great dog mom. I also love that we get to see both her strong and softer sides throughout this story. And she’s an older character which we need more of, honestly!

Most Relatable Character of The Year

Literally all the POC characters (Babel by R.F. Kuang)

Literally all of them! Though mostly Robin, Ramy, and Victoire, of course. The things they had to put up with resonated to my soul and the willful ignorance of their white counterparts made me want to rage right alongside them. I will admit to relating to Victoire the most, which makes sense as she is a Black woman, but I felt a true connection to all three of them in one way or another.

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New Year’s Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd10 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s time for my first tag of the new year! I’m going to try to keep up with these in 2023 because I very much failed to do so in 2022 😅 This tag seems to be a perfect one for a fresh start. It’s the New Year’s Book Tag and I was tagged by the wonderful Ashlee @ Books Are 42. If you haven’t checked out her blog before, I highly suggest you do!

Alright, now let’s get to the tag!

How many books are you planning to read in 2023?

My goal for this year is my most ambitious yet. I’m hoping to read 100 books this year! I think it’s totally doable as I’ve read over 100 books the last two years. It’s still daunting to see that number sitting on my Goodreads homepage 😂

Name 5 books that you didn’t get to this past year but want to make a priority in 2023.

Hahaha, there are so many books that I wish I had gotten to last year. I had two whole TBRs that I left… quite a few books on. I would love to get to all of the books that were left behind, but these five are ones I am going to try and prioritize in 2023.

What genre do you want to read more of?

I’d like to continue my romance journey and delve more into the genre! I’ve really only been reading rom-coms, so far, and I wouldn’t mind dipping my toes into different romances. If I don’t like them, I can just retreat into my fluffy, rom-com world 😂 I’d also like to make a conscious effort to pick up more science fiction this year! I feel like I’ve been ignoring the SF side of my SFF roots, lately, and I want to get back into it.

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Encanto Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a book tag, hasn’t it? Let me remedy that real quick and do one that speaks to my Disney-loving soul! The Encanto Book Tag is exactly what it sounds like… a tag focused on the songs of the incredible Disney movie, Encanto. How many times have I seen it? Probably too many. How many times have I cried while watching it? Pretty much every time 😂 It’s a beautiful movie and the songs are absolute perfection, so this was an easy choice when looking for a tag to do today!

Before I jump in, I want to thank Danni @ _ForBooksSake for tagging me! You should definitely check out her blog if you’re a fan of thrillers. Even if you aren’t, Danni’s blog is a great, bookish spot on the internet! This tag was originally created by Passport To Eden.

With that said, let’s get to it!

The Family Madrigal

Name a book that explores multiple family generations

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray

This is a book I don’t talk about often, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s a contemporary novel about a group of sisters who return home after their parents are arrested. There’s drama, there’s heart-wrenching emotion, and there’s a lot to unpack. It’s all told in such a tender way, though, that you can’t help but love it.

Waiting On A Miracle

What Is A Book You Enjoyed But Took Longer Than Expected To Finish

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

I ended up giving this book five stars because it was absolutely incredible. And yet it took me months to read it! Sure, most of those months I wasn’t actively trying to read it. I got distracted by blog tours and review copies. Once I buckled down and devoted my attention to this book, though, I knew it was something special. Definitely worth a read!

Surface Pressure

Name A Character Who Has To Do It All

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Gwen Proctor is probably one of the more badass characters I’ve read recently! I suppose, in the end, she doesn’t do everything by herself, but for most of the book she is struggling to keep herself and her kids hidden and safe all on her own. It’s freakin’ intense! I think Gwen would relate to this song on a deep, personal level, haha.

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The Afternoon Tea Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s Thursday and that seems like the perfect time for a book tag! Today, I’ll be doing the Afternoon Tea Book Tag which combines two of my favorite things: food and books. I’m looking forward to giving this one a go.

Before I do, though, I must thank Ashlee @ Books Are 42 for tagging me! She has an incredible blog (with an incredible name!) and y’all should definitely go check her out. This tag was created by The Incessant Bookworm and you should check out their blog, as well!

Alright, now let’s get to the post!

Finger Sandwiches – A Book You Savored Every Minute Of

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

I talk about this book… a lot. But there’s a good reason for that! I truly loved every minute of this reading experience! So much so that this book has quickly become one of my most re-read books of all time. I just can’t get enough of Tarisai and company. And it helps that I loved the sequel just as much! I’m eager to read whatever Jordan Ifueko comes out with next.

Scones – A Book Everyone Should Own

Hmm. I don’t think there’s a book that everyone should own. Different readers have different tastes, after all. There’s no one book that is going to loved so much by everyone that it should be on all the bookshelves of all the readers of the world. I like Ashlee’s answer, that everyone should own a childhood favorite! I’m going to go in the same vein and say everyone should own a book that is their go-to escape from the world. A book they can come back to time and time again that will make them feel good.

Biscuits – A Book That Can Be Finished In One Sitting

Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo

I recently picked up the first manga in this series because I was seeing it everywhere. Now I’m fully obsessed, so I guess I know why 😂 If you like found family, this is a manga for you! Add in the fact that there are spies and assassins and telepaths and it’s just an incredible fun, fast read. It’s also hilarious! I would suggest the whole series if you’re looking for a quick read.

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The Cheesy Goodness Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s Thursday and that seems as good a day as any for another book tag! Today, I’m doing one that combines two of my favorite things: books and cheese! Makes me want to whip up a charcuterie board and have a snack whilst reading after I finish this post 😂 But maybe first I should tell you what it actually is… The Cheesy Goodness Book Tag!

Before I start, I must thank two incredible bloggers for tagging me! Shoutout to both Ashley @ Books Are 42 and Danni @ _ForBooksSake for thinking of me! You should definitely check out both of their blogs because they are fantastic. Lots of wonderful, bookish content!

Now, it’s time to get to the tag 😊

The Rules:

  • Pingback the original creator (Sydney at Fire and Rain books) so she can see all your cheesy goodness answers.
  • Pingback the person who tagged you or you stole this from (Thanks Ashley and Danni!)
  • Have fun!

The Prompts:

Cheddar – The Traditional Cheese: Name Your Favorite Classic Novel

Oh, it has to be The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas! I was so nervous about reading this book. Mostly because my experience with classics has been very hit or miss, but also partly because this book is THICK. Eventually, though, my curiosity won out and I picked up the audiobook. I absolutely fell in love with the king of all revenge stories! This was such an incredible novel and it made me want to explore more books by Dumas.

Swiss – A Hole-y Cheese: Name an Emotional Roller Coaster

I just finished Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley yesterday while I was at work. I probably should have held off until I got home because, dear lord, does this book pack a punch! My heart was in my throat for most of the last few chapters, from both joy and sadness. I was prepared for an intriguing thriller that kept me engaged. I was not prepared to have my feelings bounce around like a ping-pong ball 😂 Suffice it to say, I loved this book!

Blue Cheese – The Controversial Cheese: Name an Unpopular Book Opinion You Have

I’m slowly starting to realize that I’m not a fan of e-books 😬 I love the concept of them! I love that they make books more accessible and easy to bring wherever you go. But the actual experience of reading them? No thank you. I don’t know if it’s because I stare at screens all the time and adding one more screen to my routine is too much or if I just really prefer having a physical book in my hand, but they’re definitely my least preferred reading format.

Brie – The Favorite Cheese: Name an Author You Always Want More Of

Top of the list has to be Erin Morgenstern. She has written two of my favorite books of all time. She’s one of the few authors where I read one book they wrote and immediately added them to my ‘favorite authors’ list. And I cannot wait til whatever she’s working on next is announced! I just need more of her beautiful, lyrical writing and the fantastical worlds that she creates. Until then, I’ll just have to re-read The Night Circus and The Starless Sea until my books fall apart 😂

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Get to Know the Fantasy Reader Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd8 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s Thursday and that seems a good time to do a book tag. And what better tag for a fantasy lover like myself than the Get to Know the Fantasy Reader Book Tag! This is very much inside my wheelhouse 😆 Thank you to the wonderful Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog for tagging me!

Alright, now let’s get into the tag.

The Rules:

  • Make sure you give credit to the original creators of this tag – this tag was originally created by Bree Hill.
  • If you want to, pingback to the post you first saw this tag!
  • Have fun!

The Prompts:

What is your fantasy origin story? (The first fantasy you read.)

I’m sure there were fantasy novels I read before this, like Dahl, but Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede is the first one that I truly fell into. I devoured the Enchanted Forest series and legit made it my entire personality for a looooong time. I wanted to be Cimorene, I wanted to hanging out with the dragons, I wanted to go on adventures. This book/series is what really made me fall in love with fantasy and I still think about it all the time. It really is time for a re-read!

If you could be the hero/heroine in a fantasy novel, who would be the author and what’s one trope you’d insist be in the story?

Ooo, that’s a really good question! Hmm… and kind of hard to answer, lol. I think I would want Jordan Ifueko to write my story because she builds such beautiful, lush worlds. She has a way of writing that is so evocative, so immersive, that you can’t help to lose yourself in her stories. She’s also great at writing the ‘found family’ trope, which is the one I would absolutely insist on in my story.

What is a fantasy series you’ve read this year, that you want more people to read?

Okay, there’s only one book in this series, so far, but I still need everyone to read Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega! This was an incredible middle grade fantasy that I absolutely devoured. It has magic, it has an awesome friend group, and it tackles some pretty tough topics that I’m sure a lot of kids will relate to. I loved the writing in this and the world that Ortega created. My favorite part of this story, however, were our three main characters, Seven, Thorn, and Valley. I can’t wait to continue their story.

What is your favorite fantasy subgenre?

That’s another good question! I would have to agree with Becky and say folklore/mythology retellings. Retellings are some of my favorite stories, especially if it tends to focus on the characters that are usually in the background of such tales. I fell in love with Circe by Madeline Miller for that reason! I’ve also enjoyed Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and, recently, The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec.

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Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag

kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s the last day of June, which means we’ve made it halfway through the year! There’s been a lot of ups and downs (mostly downs, if I’m being honest), but I can say with all honesty that I have been having a fantastic reading year. I love doing tags like this one because I get to look back fondly on all the books that I’ve read and loved already in 2022. It’s just the bit of happiness I need these days!

Now, sources seem to differ on who created this tag. I’m going to say it was originally created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books because that’s the version of the tag I’ll be completing today. Thank you to them and all the other credited creators with slightly different tags for such a fun idea!

Alright, now let’s get to it.

Best Book You’ve Read So Far In 2022

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

I’ve read quite a few five star books this year. The one that stands out the most in my mind, however, is The Fifth Season! What can I say about this book other than it was absolutely incredible? All that hype? Worth it. This book took my expectations and launched them into space. It has incredible characters, superb world-building, a plot that kept me engaged throughout… in short, it has everything!

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far In 2022

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse

This has to go to Fevered Star! There’s really no contest, at this point. Any book that can get me to like Naranpa automatically gets five stars 😂 I’m kidding, of course, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the character growth in this sequel is on another level. Every single POV character is Going Through It and the author makes you feel their struggle as though it were yours. I connected so much with all of these characters and that’s quite a feat. I cannot wait til the next book 😆

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Probably the new release that I’m most excited to read and that I actually own is Gallant. I’m a big fan of V.E. Schwab’s writing. I’m also a big fan of books with big, creepy houses in them. This seems like it’s a guaranteed win for me! I’ve been wanting to read this since it arrived in an Illumicrate box and just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Which is the fate of so many of my anticipated reads these days, heh. Soon, though… soon.

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20 Questions Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd8 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s Thursday and that seems a perfect day to do a tag! Today, I’ll be doing the 20 Questions Book Tag, which looks like a ton of fun. I was tagged by the awesome Esther @ Cozy With Books. She has such a fun blog! The aesthetic is so bright and cheerful and, if you like authors like John Sanford, you’re going to love her content. You should check her out if you haven’t already!

I went into a blog deep dive to try and discover who originally created this tag, but I came up empty handed. If any of you know, please fill me in so I can give credit where credit is due!

For now, though, let’s jump in.

1. How Many Books Is Too Many Books In a Series?

I tend to get bored with a series when it moves past ten books, I’ve realized. That’s what happened with the Anita Blake series and I started losing steam on the Wheel of Time series around book ten. I do want to re-read the Wheel of Time series, though, because now I know there’s an end, haha. I think that’s what turns me off… I start to wonder if there will ever be resolution and then I get annoyed 😂

2. How Do You Feel About Cliffhangers?

Again, as long as I know there’s going to be a resolution, I’m all for it! I love the suspension of a good cliffhanger and how hyped it gets me for the next book. That being said, I’m okay with an open-ended ending to a book or series, but if it has the excitement and the nail-biting quality of a cliffhanger, then I’m upset. I guess I just don’t like being left in suspense!

3. Hardback or Paperback?

My heart says ‘hardback’ but my baby wrists say ‘paperback’, haha. Honestly, though, a far amount of my books are hardback and I love the feel of holding/reading one. At the same time, as a fantasy reader who finds herself drawn to epics, I have a lot of chonky hardbacks on my TBR that just look like they’re gonna hurt to hold/read. Like The Jasmine Throne… my wrist were crying out for relief once I finished that book! So, sometimes, I’m kind and give them a break by picking up a nice paperback.

4. Favorite Book?

This is just a cruel question to ask a book lover! How am I supposed to pick just one?! I have quite a few favorites, but I suppose I’ll pick a more recent favorite to feature here. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin was a recent read that instantly jumped onto my ‘favorites of all time’ list. I had been wanting to read it for forever, but the hype intimidated me. Thankfully, this blew the hype out of the water. It was so good!

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I Should Have Read That Book Tag

kerrimcbooknerd8 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today felt like a good day for a book tag. I was tagged to do the I Should Have Read That Book Tag quite a bit ago and I’m finally getting around to actually doing it. This one looks like fun (and probably a bit of a call out), so thanks to Danni @ _ForBookSake for tagging me! If you’re not already following Danni, you should go check out her blog. I promise you, you’re gonna have a good time!

This tag was originally created by Book’s Nest, which is another blog you should definitely check out.

Alright, now let’s get to the tag!

A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read

There are… so many, but the first one that popped into my mind was We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. My best friend has been trying to get me to read this book for ages. She said it’s a disturbing, but interesting read and probably something that I’ll enjoy. I just know this is the kind of book I need to be in the right mindset to read. That said, I do want to eventually get to this one.

A book that’s been on your TBR forever and yet you still haven’t picked it up

Hahaha, again, there are so many 😅 We’ll go with one that has been on my Goodreads TBR since I set up my account: Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. This book remains on my TBR because I’m legitimately intimidated by it. It’s a classic and I have a strained relationship with classics. It’s also freakin’ huge and big books intimidated even when they aren’t classics. But… I’ve heard some incredible things about this one, so I will give it a shot. Eventually…

A book in a series you’ve started, but haven’t gotten round to finishing yet

I am forever ashamed that I still have not read Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine. This is the last book in the Great Library series, which is absolutely phenomenal! I don’t know why I keep skipping over this book to pick up other ones. I know I’m going to love it! I think I’m just not ready to say goodbye to Jesse and crew. I adore the characters in this book and I’m sad that I only have one more book left with them.

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