#5OnMyTBR – RomComs

March 23, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

Hello, readers! Today, I’m taking part in a brand new meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook. #5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme 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!

This week’s theme is RomComs. I have mentioned before that I am new to the romance genre, so I’m still learning what I like an don’t like. That being said, I do have five romantic comedies that I’d love to get to soon!

#1. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

I’ve been wanting to read this since last year, when my random interest in romance novels popped into my brain. All the other romance books I read because of that random interest I ended up loving, so I’m feeling this one is gonna be a winner. Besides, the whole concept of the First Son falling in love with the Prince of Wales just sounds like it’s going to be amazing!

#2. Beach Read by Emily Henry

The rest of the books on my list haven’t come out yet, but I cannot wait for them! Beach Read is publishing in May and centers around two author with severe cases of writer’s block. Augustus writes literary fiction while January writes romances. They meet while on vacation and decide that the best way to combat their mutual writer’s block is by switching genres. The concept sounds like it’s going to be an interesting ride and, perhaps, we’ll get a bit of the “book within a book” trope going on? Either way, it sounds fun!

#3. By the Book by Amanda Sellet

By the Book will be publishing in May, as well, though this is a YA romance as opposed to an adult one. This one also involves books in a fashion because I have a Type, apparently 😂 In this novel, Mary Porter-Malcolm compiles a list of bookish bad boy traits to avoid in real life men after someone at her school almost gets her heart broken by a cad. Unfortunately, Mary also starts to fall for a boy that displays all of these traits. I’m here for all the literary references in my romance!

#4. Well Played by Jen DeLuca

I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK! I read Well Met earlier this year and absolutely loved! It was so much fun and the fact that it was set at a Renaissance Faire just spoke to my nerdy heart. Imagine my pleasure when I discovered it was the first in a series! Well Played will be published in September and it’s following Stacey, who was head wench in the first novel. I’m so ready to watch Stacey find love!

#5. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Not gonna lie, I added this to my TBR as soon as I saw the cover. I mean, look at it 😍 This follows the story of two nerds falling in love through their fandom. Except one of those nerds is a cosplayer who gains popularity after posting her plus-size take on a character and the other… is the star of the show from which the fandom spawned. It sounds like it’s gonna be so good! Spoiler Alert will be published in October and I cannot wait!

Do you have any RomComs on your TBR? Did you join in on #5OnMyTBR? Drop a link or let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

book reviews

ARC Review: The Last Human

March 21, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

Title: The Last Human

Author: Zack Jordan

Genre: Sci-fi/Space Opera

Publication Date: March 24th, 2020

Source: e-ARC (Netgalley)

Rating: ★★★★

Book Links:

Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

Sarya, a secret human raised by a murderous alien, is obsessed with finding out the truth about what happened to her species and why they were deemed too dangerous to exist.

Favorite Quote

This quote is from an uncorrected copy and may change in the final version

“In My galaxy, there is order and there is chaos. You Humans are always dreaming of the first, but your pitiful attempts to create it always result in the second.”

Continue reading →

book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Mar 20 – 26

March 20, 2020March 20, 2020 kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

Book Blogger Hop

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

This week’s prompt is submitted by Kri @ The Tired Buyer.

This is an awesome question!! And like five different answers popped into my head and were immediately scraped as soon as I read it.

Like scratch and sniff. I mean, if it were a book with a lot of tasty being described or a cookbook, that would be awesome. Other than that, though, I’m sure it could go very badly very quickly…

After sitting with this question for awhile, I think I have a much better answer:

Moving pictures!

Imagine it! You’re reading a high fantasy and our heroes are in the midst of taking on the Big Baddie. You’re deep into the action and you flip the page to find a two page spread of the battle scene. But it’s not just a picture… it plays like a movie, showing you the battle in action! I mean, we’d have to develop some Harry Potter-esque technology to make it a thing.

Or it could be an exclusive ebook feature, I guess.

Either way, that would be incredible! I feel like the reading experience would be that much more special. Of course, I’m a visual person. I love illustrations in books, anyways. Though I do enjoy picturing characters and settings in my head, I love when there is art for me to drool over, as well.

What interactive feature would you like to see in books? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Mar 18, 2020

March 18, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd2 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:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
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

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko: I’ve only read the first couple of chapters of this book and I’m already in love! This is the story of a young girl named Tarisai who has grown up under the cold tutelage of her mother, The Lady. The Lady has a mission for Tarisai that sends her into a world where she can find the closeness that she craves. But her mysterious mother has a command for her that could ruin everything: kill the crown prince. This is an African inspired fantasy tale and, if the first few chapters are any indication, it’s going to magnificent!

Recently Finished

The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor: This book was so creepy and twisty and good! It’s not a perfect thriller, but it surprised me more than once. You can read my full review here.

The Last Human by Zack Jordan: I just finished this book and, my goodness, what a ride! I bounced through so many emotions while reading this book that I might need to sit with this one for awhile before I can write a coherent review. Was it good? Yes! Did it make me want to strangle the main character multiple times? …Also yes! Just… there’s a lot of complex emotions going on. Review to come!

What’s Next

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie: Currently, this is the only book I plan on picking up besides Raybearer. They are both April ARCs, so I want to focus on finishing them or at least getting a good chunk into them before we get too far into April. Especially since I have four other books to read in April for the Magical Readathon.

Also, I’ve been so hyped about this book for a long time, so I’m ready to dive in!

What are you reading this week? Finished any books recently that are your new favorites? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2020 TBR

March 18, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and, as is stated on the blog, it was “born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

We’ve come to another Tuesday and today, we are anticipating Spring! I’m overly ready for the warm weather, the budding plants, and the sunshine. And, of course, I’m ready for the books!

This Spring, however, is a weird one, with the coronavirus looming over all of us. It’s especially a weird one for any authors that have books coming out from now until June! So I decided to highlight those ten of those books for my TTT. I’ll also leave a link to their Indiebound pages, as well, because our independent bookstores need some love during this crisis, too 💕

Alright, let’s get to my list!

Continue reading →

book reviews

Book Review: The Chalk Man

March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Title: The Chalk Man

Author: C.J. Tudor

Genre: Thriller

Source: Bought (BotM)

Rating: ★★★★

CW: Rape, graphic violence

Book Links:

Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

Eddie and his friends discovered a body when they were young and, in 2016, now they are being haunted by the chalk men that led them to it.

Favorite Quote

“There are some things in life you can alter – your weight, your appearance, even your name – but there are others that wishing and trying and working hard can never make any difference to. Those things are the ones that shape us. Not the things we can change, but the ones we can’t.”

Continue reading →

readathon

Magical Readathon: O.W.L.s 2020

March 15, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd12 Comments

Magical Readathon 2020

One of my favorite times of the reading year is almost here! It’s almost time for the Magical Readathon O.W.L.s!

What is the Magical Readathon?

Every April for the last three years, the Magical Readathon (created and run by Book Roast) is held. It’s a readathon based on sitting the O.W.L.s, which is a test that exists in the Harry Potter universe. I love Harry Potter and I love readathons, so it makes sense that I would love this one! What makes the Magical Readathon extra special, though, is how much thought and preparation Book Roast puts into it. It’s so beautifully creatively!

There is a pamphlet that lists all the possible magical careers that you could possibly want. It includes things like the ever popular Auror and more obscure jobs like Mind Medic. Once you have chosen your job, it lists what O.W.L.s you will need to sit in order to start down the path towards your chosen magical career. Each O.W.L. subject correlates to a reading prompt and you choose books to fit said prompts. Then you have all of April to read those books and finish your O.W.L.s!

This is, of course, a very basic explanation, so if you’re interested, head over to the Magical Readathon website to learn more. The website has the info you could possibly want and there are a ton of links to great resources.

My Chosen Magical Career

There are a TON of careers to choose from and they all sound so freakin’ cool. Honestly, I’m in awe every year with the creativity put into the pamphlet and the career descriptions! This year, I was having a difficult time picking. Last year, I chose the Magizoologist career path because, come on… who doesn’t want to learn how to take care of their favorite cryptid? I considered doing that one again, but I kind of wanted to go for something different this year. After browsing the pamphlet for waaaay too long, I finally settled on a career that sounded right up my alley. And the winner is…

Trader of Magical Tomes

The description starts with the question, “Have books always been your one true love?”, and if that ain’t me, I don’t know what is! And I don’t have to sit too many O.W.L.s, which works for me cause I am not a fast reader 😅

So What O.W.L.s Must I Sit?

To start down the path that will lead me to owning the swankiest magical bookstore in Diagon Alley, I have to sit four different O.W.L.s

Ancient Runes
Charms
History of Magic
Transfiguration

As I mentioned, each of these subjects corresponds to a different reading prompt. You can find all the subjects and their corresponding prompts on the website, so I’m just going to talk about the above four and tell you what I’m planning on reading for them.

#1. Ancient Runes:

The prompt for this subject is to read a book with a heart on the cover or in the title. For this, I’ll be reading…

I got this book from Book of the Month Club forever ago and it has been chilling on my bookcase for MONTHS. Seems like a perfect time to pick it up. It’s the chonkiest book on this TBR, so I’ll probably start this right at the beginning on the month so I have enough time to finish, lol.

#2. Charms:

The prompt for this subject is to read a book with a white cover. For this, I’ll be reading…

I just finished The Chalk Man and now I’m in a mood to read all the thrillers! I got this book from BotM, as well, though it hasn’t been on my shelf nearly as long as the last book. It sounds like it’s going to be spooky and I’m excited to read it!

#3. History of Magic:

The prompt for this subject is to read a book that features witches/wizards. For this, I’ll be reading…

Imma be honest, I found this book on my Kindle app, it’s short, and it had witches so… here it is! I don’t even remember buying this, but it does sound interesting. And I realize I have a lot of books on my Kindle app that I don’t remember buying. Because I have a problem.

#4. Transfiguration:

The prompt for this subject is to read a book/series that includes shapeshifting. For this, I’ll be reading…

I’ve been wanting to read this graphic novel for a long time! And I love reading graphic novels for readathons so it’s a win-win! The main character is a shapeshifter so it is a perfect fit for this subject.

So it looks like my reading plans for April are set 😁 Are you planning on doing the Magical Readathon? What career would you like to do? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: Mar 13 – 19

March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

Book Blogger Hop

This Week’s Question

This week’s prompt is submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews.

Other than book reviews, I love doing the weekly memes like Top Ten Tuesday, WWW Wednesday, and, of course, the Book Blogger Hop! I think TTT might be my favorite because I love the varying topics. They are always so creative and helps to get the blogging inspiration flowing. Even if sometimes I find it hard coming up with ten things to write about! The variety is why I like the BBH, as well. The questions tend to be very thought-provoking!

I also enjoy doing book tags. There are so many unique and fun book tags out there! I love reading book tags on other blogs and I love coming up with my answers. I mean, I loved doing that before I had a blog, but now I have a space to actually participate! I’m terrible at actually tagging people, though, because I feel like I’m excluding people if I tag specific people. I want everyone to do the tags so I can read everyone’s answers!

Beyond that, this is still but a baby blog, so I’m still exploring other ideas for posts. I’m keeping it kind of simple, for now, but my brain is definitely ticking. If you couldn’t guess, I like variety and I want my blog to reflect that!

What kind of posts do you like to feature on your blog? Any suggestions for book tags to check out? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

cant wait wednesday

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Mar 11, 2020

March 11, 2020March 23, 2020 kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

Ya girl is still reading the same books she was reading last week, so instead of doing WWW Wednesday, I thought I’d try out Can’t Wait Wednesday! I discovered this meme over at One Book More, which is a great blog you should all give a look/follow, just sayin’. It is currently hosted by Wishful Endings and was previously hosted by Breaking the Spine. The point is to highlight an upcoming book which you are excited to read.

I have so many books that I’m anxious to read in 2020, so I decided to focus on the one that is coming out the soonest. Want some hints?

It’s a young adult sci-fi romp
There’s an empire and a rebellion, so I’m expecting C H A O S
GAYS IN SPACE 🌟🌈🌟

My book for Can’t Wait Wednesday is…

Goodreads Synopsis:

“A young pilot risks everything to save his best friend–the man he trusts most and might even love–only to learn that he’s secretly the heir to a brutal galactic empire.

Ettian Nassun’s life was shattered when the merciless Umber Empire invaded. He’s spent seven years putting himself back together under its rule, joining an Umber military academy and becoming the best pilot in his class. Even better, he’s met Gal Veres–his exasperating and infuriatingly enticing roommate who’s made the Academy feel like a new home.

But when dozens of classmates spring an assassination plot on Gal, a devastating secret comes to light: Gal is the heir to the Umber Empire. Ettian barely manages to save his best friend and flee the compromised Academy unscathed, rattled both that Gal stands to inherit the empire that broke him and that there are still people willing to fight back against Umber rule. As they piece together a way to deliver Gal safely to his throne, Ettian finds himself torn in half by an impossible choice. Does he save the man who’s won his heart and trust that Gal’s goodness could transform the empire? Or does he throw his lot in with the brewing rebellion and fight to take back what’s rightfully theirs?”

Publication Date: April 7th, 2020

Why I’m Excited:

I mean, did you read the synopsis? It sounds like it’s gonna be a RIDE! I’ve been really loving sci-fi, lately, and I’ve been wanting to read more books with LGBTQIA+ rep. When I found out about this book, my heart did a little dance. It sounds like it’s going to play with my emotions and I am R E A D Y.

Also, I kind of love the cover 😍

Also also, I really need to stop starting all these dang series when I have so many to freakin’ finish…

…Like that’s ever gonna happen 😂🤣

Did you find the synopsis of this book intriguing? What’s an unreleased book that you can’t wait to read? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!