Category: wrap up

March 2026 Wrap Up
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March 2026 Wrap Up

Featured kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

How is it already April?! How was March longer than February but felt like it went infinitely faster? March may have flown by, but it was also a pretty great reading month. I don’t think I read anything below 3 stars! Was it a good month for my reading challenges/projects? Well… perhaps we should just get to the wrap up 😅😂

March Reading Stats

In March 2026, I read 8 books for 3,130 pages. That’s way more pages than both January and February and I’m not 100% sure why… none of the books I read were really chonkers. Then again, I only read one novella in March whereas I read several during the first two months of the year. I need to get back to novellas. They are excellent pallet cleansers between bigger books!

I was apparently into horror in March because it took the top spot along with historical. Again, I think this is because I read a lot of books that were a blend of genres. I’m quickly learning that books that blend multiple genres are kinda my thing. I need to explore that more, I think. I’m surprised that literary muscled its way up there… I’m not sure I would consider anything I read literary. But the Storygraph community has spoken 😂

Oooo, audiobooks are taking over my reading life! That works well with one of my reading challenges and, honestly, my life right now. I feel like I’ve become so busy lately and my ability to focus is suffering. But I have no issue focusing on an audiobook. My frazzled mind wouldn’t let me focus on physical books for too long in March, so thank goodness audiobooks were there to carry me through.

I had another month with no five stars. Still, an average of 4.06 stars is nothing to sneeze at! I thoroughly enjoyed my reading in March, but it would be nice to find another five star in April. I am hoping to read a couple of favorite authors this month, so maybe they’ll get me there!

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February 2026 Wrap Up
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February 2026 Wrap Up

Featured kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

We’ve entered a new month which means I need to wrap up my reading for the last one! First of all, I know February is the shortest month of the year, but it feels like it absolutely flew by. How is it already March?! Still… the faster we get to Spring, the better, so let’s freakin’ go.

February wasn’t quite as good a reading month as January, but I still had a good time. So now let me share what I read!

February Reading Stats

In February 2026, I read 7 books for 2,435 pages. Funnily enough, that’s 5 more pages than last month even though I read two less books! No DNFs this month, though there was one that I kind of wish I did… Curse my need to finish book club books.

Look at mystery/thrillers knocking fantasy out of the top spot! My genre list is a lot more colorful this month and I think that’s because I read quite a few books that could fit into multiple genres. I do love a novel that subverts expectations, so I love a genre-bender!

I love that my physical reads and my audio reads are neck-and-neck this month. I only read one digital book, which doesn’t feel great, but I’m hoping to improve that number in March. Especially since most of my Netgalley books are gonna be read via e-book (if I don’t already own it… I know, kind of defeats the point😅). But I’m hoping to keep up the good work with the audiobooks! I’m really loving them this year.

I flew too close to the sun last month with two five stars… I didn’t have a single one in February! Most of the books I read were 3.5 stars this month and that feels… okay? At least they all weren’t two stars! Still, here’s hoping January hasn’t cursed me and those five stars from last month are my only two of 2026… 😬

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January 2026 Wrap Up
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January 2026 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

One month of 2026 is done and dusted. That means it’s time to wrap up my reading from January! We’ll start with stats from the ever wonderful Storygraph, then we’ll see how I’m doing with my multiple challenges/projects for 2026. Spoiler alert: January really kicked off my reading year with a bang!

Let’s jump right into it 😁

January Reading Stats

In January 2026, I ended up reading 9 books (for 2,430 pages) and DNFing one. I’m not mad about that! Last January, I read seven books, so I’m already off to a good start to meet my 2026 Goodreads reading challenge.

My most read genre should come as no surprise: fantasy! It’s my favorite genre, after all, so I’m not surprised to see it up at the top. I think this is the first time the essays genre has appeared on one of my wrap ups, though, haha. I really need to stop being such a hater when it comes to non-fiction.

I’m happy to see the digital format making a comeback on my pie chart! Print will always be number one, I think, but I’ve been avoiding my e-books like the plague and it’s time to rectify that. I mean… it’s why I’m so far behind on my Netgalley reads 😅 Audio is holding strong, as it typically does. I won’t be surprised if that number jumps up more throughout the year.

My average star rating for January was 3.89 stars. I told y’all I had a good reading month! I had two five stars in the month, which hasn’t happened in forever. I did end up DNFing Supermarket by Bobby Hall, so that doesn’t have a rating. If it did, there would probably be a 1.5 star on this chart… 😬It was just not for me and that’s fine! I’m trying to be better about dropping books that just aren’t working for me.

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April 2023 Wrap Up
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April 2023 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

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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March 2023 Wrap Up
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March 2023 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

Look who is finally wrapping up her March reading! Yes, I know it’s the last day of April and I’ll soon need to be doing that wrap up, but better late than never, right? That’s what I’m telling myself 😂 In March, I participated in the Trope-ical Readathon, which usually corresponds with me reading a ton of books! This March, however, I found myself in a weird, kind of reading slump. Like, I was enjoying most of what I was reading, but the urge to read was super low. Still, I managed to get through 8 books and I ended up with two five star reads! I’m gonna count that as a win.

Now, let me wrap up all my reading for last month.

Books Reads

  • Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano: I read this book for the Literally Dead Book Club. It was the February pick and I vastly overestimated how quickly I could read it, haha. That being said, I had a good time with this book but I think I would have benefitted from not binging all the books in a row. This is the third book in a mystery series and, though I loved the concept at first, but this third book it was starting to get a little too absurd, haha. I still love Finlay and Vero, but the things they get themselves into (and out of) are starting to really stretch my suspension of disbelief. I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the next book… perhaps with a little time between reading about these characters will make me like it a lot more. ★★★
  • Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie: This was my first Trope-ical Readathon read and I enjoyed it! Hercule Poirot books are just a comfort read, at this point, because they’re so easy to get into and entertaining. I’m always a little put out when it takes forever for the famous detective to make an appearance in the story and that is definitely the case with this book. Still, I liked the mystery, I liked the investigation, and I liked the reveal. This was a solid addition to the series and I ended up having a good time reading it. ★★★★
  • The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill: I participated in the TBR & Beyond Tours book tour for this middle grade graphic novel and I absolutely loved it! K. O’Neill’s art is always gorgeous and this graphic novel is no different. This was a beautiful book containing and important story. It’s about a young girl who has been tapped as her community’s new Moth Keeper, a very important job because the people really depend on the moths she’ll be protecting. It talks about loneliness and burnout; topics that I think it dealt with in a wonderful and accessible way. You can read my full review here. ★★★★★
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February 2023 Wrap Up
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February 2023 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd6 Comments

Hello, reader!

Now that the month of March is almost over, perhaps it is time that I finally wrap up my reading from February 😂 March has been A Month and my focus has been shot because of it. I meant to get to this post ages ago but, hey, at least I’m here now, right? Right! February was a decent reading month, though I didn’t read as much as I did in January. Still, I read a lot of books that I thoroughly enjoyed and even had a five star read!

But enough of my rambling. Let me tell you all about the books I read in Feburary!

Books Reads

  • Sacrifice by Vicky Walklate: This was my first read for the currently running blog tours for all of BBNYA’s 2022 finalists! I say this every time I read one of these books, but I can see why this made it to the final round. This was such a quick read that had me immersed in the world the author created. I loved the characters and the worldbuilding. This book certainly made me excited to pick up the next in the series! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
  • Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano: Here begins my binging of the Finlay Donovan series, haha. I wanted to join in on the Literally Dead Book Club discussion of the third book in the series, the pick for February, so I had to catch up! This first book was definitely my favorite in the series so far. It was fun, quirky, and charming in a way that had me completely invested in Finlay and her shenanigans. I have to give props to the audiobook narrator, Angela Dawe, because she really made the story come to life! This was a great first installment to a cozy mystery series. ★★★★
  • Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano: I immediately jumped into the sequel because, ya know, I was on a timeline, lol. I enjoyed this one as well, but not as much as the first book. It was still fun and charming, but the shenanigans started to really stretch my suspension of disbelief. I think this is a concept that can only continue to get more and more unbelievable and I know it’s eventually gonna lose me because I can’t 😂 Still, this was fast-paced, engaging and I still love Finlay and Vero to pieces. Steven can die in a fire, but those two are great! ★★★★
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January 2023 Wrap Up
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January 2023 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

Hello, reader!

Seeming as we’re well into the second week of February, I thought it was time to wrap up my reading for last month. January is typically one of the months of the year where I read less than I do the rest of the year. I dunno if it’s my recovery month after trying to cram in as much as possible in December or if it’s because I’m so busy in other areas of my life that I don’t read as much. That’s just usually how it is.

So imagine my surprise that I managed to read 11 books last month! To be fair, a couple of those were part of a Amazon Original short story collection and others were fairly short, but I’m still surprised! I even had two five star reads in the first month of 2023, so I feel like my reading year is off to a great start.

Now, let me share all the books I read in January.

Books Reads

  • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert: My first read of the year and it was this fun, sweet, Black romance that I ended up giving five stars! What a way to kick off 2023. I read this book for a tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours and I loved every second of it. The main characters were both wonderful and had me rooting for their love from page one. There’s also OCD rep that I thought was handled well, though I’m not a part of that community, so I can’t say for sure! Still, this was a great YA romance and has cemented Talia Hibbert as a new favorite author. You can read my full review here! ★★★★★
  • The Garden by Tomi Champion-Adeyemi: This short story is part of one of the Amazon Original Stories series that caught my eye. It surrounds characters that delve deeper than others and peek behind the curtain. Who aren’t afraid to look into the darker side of things. This story in particular was about a young woman searching for a mysterious garden that drew her mother away from her years ago. It alternates between prose and poetry, which I enjoyed. The overall story, however, was just… okay? I think the concept would have made for an incredible novel. As a short story, it felt like a read a couple of chapters in a book that was never finished. Interesting story, but I would have loved more. ★★★
  • Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren: I buddy read this book with a bunch of bookish friends. I was excited because I liked The Unhoneymooners. This, however, was not it. The ending was trash, the male love interest was low-key a stalker, and there was a sexual assault (not on page) that was just not discussed at all. I spent most of the book annoyed with one (or both) of the main characters and that’s not what you want when you’re reading a romance! If I don’t like the characters, I can’t get behind the romance, so there’s really no point, is there? I will say, I loved how bookish both the main characters were, but that was pretty much the only thing. I can recognize why people enjoy this one, but it was definitely not for me. ★★
  • Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney: I’ve been wanting to read an Alice Feeney novel for awhile, now, and I’m so glad this was the first one I picked up! This was a perfect homage to one of the most prolific mystery writers, Agatha Christie, specifically her novel And Then There Were None. The atmosphere was spot on, the characters were intriguing, and I thought the twist was executed so well! I guessed it about halfway through the book but the way the author crafted her story had me second guessing myself up until the reveal. I love that in a mystery! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
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December 2022 Wrap Up
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December 2022 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

As we start to settle the new year, I figured I would wrap my last month of reading in 2022. Honestly, December was a bit of a blur for me. Mostly because of the holidays but also because I was trying to squeeze in books that I needed to read! This is why I need to stop procrastinating on my BBNYA reads… I love being a panelist but I really need to plan better 😂

Either way, I think that’s why my December reading felt a little all over the place and frazzled. I didn’t read nearly as much I did for most of the year and the ratings fluctuated a bit more, but I still had a good time. And I will say that I closed out the year with an absolute winner!

That being said, let’s jump into the wrap up.

Books Reads

  • The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight: This was my first BBNYA read for the final round. I don’t want to talk too much about it because there will be tours coming up for all our finalists, but I found myself really enjoying this book! It was interesting, dark, and humorous in the best way. It didn’t blow me away or anything but it was definitely a solid read. Stay tuned for my more in-depth thoughts once the tours begin! ★★★
  • Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead: I’m not a big historical fiction reader, but I continue to enjoy pretty much any historical fiction that Colson Whitehead writes. This book is no different! It focuses on a Black furniture salesman in Harlem during the 1960s and his fall into (and rise from) a life of crime. I loved following Carney on his journey and getting to know the varied personalities he runs into throughout this book. And I didn’t realize this was the first in a series, but I’m excited to give the next one a read! ★★★★
  • Lesser Known Monsters by Rory Michaelson: This was my second BBNYA read for the final round and I loved it! Again, I don’t want to talk too much about it because I want to save it for the tour, but this book totally sucked me in. I have so many angry notes about people being mean to Oscar, so you know I was invested in his story 😂 He is such a compelling character with flaws and nuances that makes him feel so real. I’ll tell y’all more once the tours start, but I highly recommend this one if you enjoy horror and would love to read one with strong LGBTQIA+ representation. ★★★★
  • Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper: And then I read my final BBNYA read for 2022 and it smashed it out of the park! I adored this gothic book so much! First of all, the main character is a middle aged woman and I’m here. for. IT. Second, she has two huge dogs that are her constant companions and I would die for them 😭 You know I’m going to be gushing about this book when the tours swing around, so stay tuned! ★★★★★
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November 2022 Wrap Up
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November 2022 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

We’re getting to the point where I need to start planning my December (and yearly!) wrap ups, so I figured this was the perfect time to wrap up what I read in November! One of these days, I will write these wrap up posts in a semi-timely manner 😂 I’m going to blame the fact that I’ve been wrapped up in BBNYA business for pretty much all of December, which was a blast! Now, it’s time to get back on track and actually tell you all about what I read last month.

And try not to have a crisis over the fact that 2022 is almost over!

Books Read

  • Spy x Family Vol 7 by Tatsuya Endo: I continue to love this manga series, though this one was probably my least favorite of the ones I’ve read so far. If I remember correctly, Yor’s brother featured prominently in this volume? That would explain why I didn’t like it as much because he truly creeps me out 😂 Even with him, though, I love watching Loid, Yor, and Anya grow closer and closer. Even if Loid pretends like they aren’t. This reminds me that I need to catch up with the anime… ★★★
  • The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow: My goodness, this book was a freakin’ gem. Harrow’s writing is always magical and it lent well to this story about witches and suffragettes. I adored the three sisters featured in this story and how this book is not only about women’s rights, but the fractious relationship between the Eastwoods. I’m a sucker for a book with great characters, so when I’m presented with three of them, you know I’m gonna love it. I also thought the magic in this was fascinating! This has certainly cemented Alix E. Harrow as one of my favorite authors. ★★★★
  • The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill: Last month, a bunch of the TWR gang got together and decided to do Netgalley November. The ARCs are getting out of hand, y’all! A good problem to have, but I joined in to try and start knocking some books off of my shelf. This was my first e-ARC of the month and I enjoyed it! It was an interesting story about a young woman who finds herself whisked into another life after a mysterious benefactor includes her in his will. The concept was intriguing, though the main character made me want to shake her. And the love interest was pretty… meh. Overall, though, I had a fun time reading this! ★★★
  • Nubia: The Awakening by Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes: This was my second Netgalley read of the month and I loved it! It’s a young adult fantasy that features young, Black kids gaining superpowers. It is an adventure that you are happy to jump into because the writing absolutely pulls you in. I loved how cinematic the writing could be and I found myself enthralled with the story. I also loved that this book tackles some social issues within the story and I think the authors did a great job incorporating it. I’m eager to read the sequel! ★★★★
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October 2022 Wrap Up
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October 2022 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd8 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another monthly wrap up! I read the same amount of books in October as I did in September, though I felt like I was taking forever to read. October was also the month of buddy reads, so I was trying to break up my reading to keep pace with the readalongs. It worked better with some books than others 😂 Still, it was a great month for spooky reads and books that got me into the fall/winter mood. I didn’t read anything under four stars, so I’m definitely counting it as a great reading month!

Now, let’s talk about all the books I managed to finish in October.

Books Read

  • The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery: I was reading this as part of the Middle Grade Marvels buddy read in September. Clearly, it took me a wee bit longer since it’s in my October wrap up 😅 This is through no fault of the book, though! This was an incredible read that had me hooked from the beginning. It just suffered because of my weird reading mood in September. This was a wonderful middle grade story about friendship and fighting for what’s right, even if it feels like everything is against you. The backdrop of this story is WWII and there is an air raid on London that is intricately detailed, so it can get a bit intense. Still, I had a great time with this book and really fell in love with the characters. ★★★★
  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones: I’ve read a few Stephen Graham Jones novels now and I think I’ve found my favorite, so far. This was such a dark, atmospheric, incredible book! The entity stalking the main characters in this book was suitably creepy and I loved the background story that was created for it. The fact that this is rooted in Blackfeet culture was interesting, as well. This was a frightening, engaging read and makes me want to read even more from this author! ★★★★★
  • The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling: I read this book as part of a buddy read. I did not stick to the reading schedule, though, because, once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! This was such a fun, witchy romance that had me enthralled from page one. It was a quick, cute read and I was hardcore rooting for our main couple, Vivi and Rhys. I haven’t read many second chance romances, but if they’re all like this, I can see myself wanting more! I also love the town in which this was set. It was so cozy and gave the perfect Halloween vibes. I liked this book so much that I pretty much immediately picked up the next book in the series, which you’ll see later in this post, haha. ★★★★
  • The Legend of Black Jack by A.R. Witham: I read this fantasy novel as part of a tour hosted by The Write Reads. You can tell the author really thought about the world he created in this book a lot because the worldbuilding was top-notch! I was enchanted by this portal fantasy and found it easy to picture it all in my head. This book read like a movie, which is something I always love! I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed but, overall, this was such an engaging and enjoyable read. You can find my full review here. ★★★★
  • Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher: I’ve been hearing more and more about the author T. Kingfisher lately but I hadn’t read anything by her. I figured it was spooky season and this looked probably creepy, so I picked it up at the library. I’m so glad I did because I ended up loving this! It was a dark fairytale that starred all of the side characters that don’t usually get the spotlight. It was dark and funny and digs into some real world topics in a way that I very much enjoyed. And there’s a bone dog and a demon chicken! What more do you need, right? After this experience, I’m excited to give more of her books a try! ★★★★
  • The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley: Similarly to the last book, I’ve heard so much about Lucy Foley but had yet to pick up any of her books. I found this book on Scribd and figured, “Why not?” Again, I’m so glad I gave this a shot because I had a great time! This was a wonderfully atmospheric thriller that made me want to never go to Paris 😂 The apartment building itself is almost a character of its own it has so much sinister personality. I wanted to strangle a good portion of the characters and I guessed a few of the twists, yet I still found myself on the edge of my seat, eager to read what was going to happen next. And I certainly didn’t see the ending coming! Again, now I’m excited to pick up more from this author. ★★★★
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