Blog Tour: The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan
blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan

kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

Hello, reader!

Today, I have an exciting blog tour post for y’all! The Write Reads is hosting a tour for an action-packed middle grade novel that had me up late reading: The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan! This was such a fun read with some great lessons woven in.

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 and the publisher, Aladdin, for providing me with a free ARC of the book so that I could participate in this tour. It is, as always, appreciated!

Now, let’s get the post.

  • Title: The Legendary Mo Seto
  • Author: A.Y. Chan
  • Publisher: Aladdin
  • Publication date: June 4th, 2024
  • Length: 320 pages
  • Genre: Action Adventure
  • Age group: Middle Grade

Book Links

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

A fast-paced, high-kicking debut that’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Stand Up, Yumi Chung as a young taekwondo artist uses an ancient book to help save her dreams—and her father.

Twelve-year-old Modesty “Mo” Seto dreams of being a taekwondo champion. Even though her mom disapproves, Mo can always count on her dad, who is her number one fan and biggest supporter. Lately, Mo has been on a losing streak, and it doesn’t help that she keeps losing to her archnemesis, Dax, who’s much bigger than her. If only she were faster, stronger, not so petite. Mo can’t even lean on her dad like usual with how distracted he’s been lately.

When Mo learns about the chance to audition to star alongside her idol and legendary martial artist and movie star Cody Kwok, she knows this her chance to prove to her dad, to the world, and to herself that she can compete with anyone, no matter her size. Unfortunately, Dax is auditioning, too. As Mo and her nemesis progress to callbacks, someone attempts to sabotage the movie set and Mo’s dad disappears—and both events seem linked to a mysterious book, the Book of Joy.

The book contains information on a secret dance-like martial art developed by Mo’s ancestral grandmother. Armed with these powerful moves and an unexpected ally, Mo embarks on a high-octane adventure to rescue her father, save the movie, and discover an unexpected joy in being small.

Continue reading “Blog Tour: The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan” →
Book Review: Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews
book reviews

Book Review: Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews

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Book Details

Title: Against the Currant
Author: Olivia Matthews
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Age Group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Murder, gun violence, stalking, bullying, death
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

In Olivia Matthews’s Against the Currant , the first Spice Isle Bakery Mystery, investigating a murder was never supposed to be on the menu…

Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New Lyndsay Murray is opening Spice Isle Bakery with her family, and it’s everything she’s ever wanted. The West Indian bakery is her way to give back to the community she loves, stay connected to her Grenadian roots, and work side-by-side with her family. The only thing getting a rise out of Lyndsay is Claudio Fabrizi, a disgruntled fellow bakery owner who does not want any competition.

On opening day, he comes into the bakery threatening to shut them down. Fed up, Lyndsay takes him to task in front of what seems to be the whole neighborhood. So when Claudio turns up dead a day later―murdered―Lyndsay is unfortunately the prime suspect. To get the scent of suspicion off her and her bakery, Lyndsay has to prove she’s innocent―under the watchful eyes of her overprotective brother, anxious parents, and meddlesome extended family―what could go wrong?

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#5OnMyTBR – Starts With I
5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Starts With I

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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!

It’s Monday and that means it’s time to poke through my TBR and talk about another five books. This week’s 5 On My TBR is all about books with titles that start with the letter I! Which, apparently, is not common, at least on my TBR. That made picking five books to feature at lot easier than usual, haha.

That being said, let’s dive on in!

#1. I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones is slowly becoming one of my favorite horror authors. I loved his take on werewolves in Mongrels, the first book in his Indian Lake trilogy blew my mind, and I devoured The Only Good Indians. So I have to assume that his newest release will keep the hits coming. The premise is that we’re following a kid that has been cursed to kill for revenge. It sounds like it’ll be a wild ride and I’m excited to jump on board!

#2. Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor

Nnedi Okorafor is another author that I love to read. Her science fiction and her afrofuturism always pull me in and I have a great time reading her novels! This is a middle grade novel she wrote in 2020 that is about a young boy on a quest for revenge. It sounds like it will be action-packed and filled with magic! Besides, I need more books in the house with young, Black boys as the protagonists and this seems like it’ll be the perfect fit.

Continue reading “#5OnMyTBR – Starts With I” →
Book Review: The Drift by C.J. Tudor
book reviews

Book Review: The Drift by C.J. Tudor

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Book Details

Title: The Drift
Author: C. J. Tudor
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Thriller
Age Group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault, blood, graphic violence, death, gore, suicide
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

Survival can be murder . . .

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors.

Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She’s in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board.

Carter is gazing out of the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, the threat of something lurking in the chalet’s depths looms larger.

Outside, the storm rages. Inside each group, a killer lurks.

But who?

And will anyone make it out alive? . . .

Continue reading “Book Review: The Drift by C.J. Tudor” →
WWW Wednesday: August 7th, 2024
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: August 7th, 2024

kerrimcbooknerd9 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

  • Nine Tailed by Jayci Lee: I received an e-ARC for this romantasy that just came out this month. I figured I should stick it on my Trope-ical Readathon TBR so that I will read it before it has been over a year like some of my e-ARCs 😅 So far, I’m interested in the world but, be warned… here thar be insta-love. Like… the most instant of insta-love. I mean, the two leads did know each other for a long time, but they haven’t seen each other in eight years, they were never together previously (as far as I know), and they are currently investigating the male lead’s brother’s murder. Maybe not the time to be so dang thirsty? The world is intriguing enough that I’m willing to continue, but the relationship is a little ick for me at the moment.
  • Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend: I’m finally continuing the Nevermoor series! I’ve just started this book and I’ve already fallen back in love with the world that the author has created. I missed Morrigan and Jupiter and everyone in this magical series! I’m also interested to see how Morrigan gets on with her training at the Wunderous Society and with her mysterious powers. And Jupiter has somehow managed to already be awesome in the first 50 pages. I think this read is going to go very well, haha.
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: August 7th, 2024” →
Blog Tour: Scareground by Angela Kecojevic
blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: Scareground by Angela Kecojevic

kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today is my stop on a blog tour hosted by The Write Reads for a middle grade horror novel that fully captured my imagination: Scareground by Angela Kecojevic! This novel is perfect for young middle grade readers who are ready for books with a few more chills. It was creepy and mysterious and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

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 and the publisher, Neem Tree Press, for providing me with a free ARC of the book so that I could participate in this tour. It is, as always, appreciated!

Now, let’s get the post.

  • Title: Scareground
  • Author: Angela Kecojevic
  • Publisher: Neem Tree Press
  • Publication date: August 6th, 2024
  • Length: 304 pages
  • Genre: Spooky Mystery
  • Age group: Middle Grade

Book Links

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

Roll up, roll up, the Scareground is in town!

Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love. Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?

Everything is about to change when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. Nancy is convinced it holds the answers to her parents’ disappearance. Nancy and her best friend Arthur Green meet the fair’s spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery. Nancy must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is she ready for all the secrets the Scareground will reveal?

Continue reading “Blog Tour: Scareground by Angela Kecojevic” →
Book Review: All Hallows by Christopher Golden
book reviews

Book Review: All Hallows by Christopher Golden

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Book Details

Title: All Hallows
Author: Christopher Golden
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Horror
Age Group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Body horror, murder, death, blood, gore, child sexual abuse (implied, off page), child death, domestic abuse
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

With the 80’s nostalgia of Stranger Things, this horror drama from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden follows neighborhood families and a mysterious, lurking evil on one Halloween day.

It’s Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, and two families are unraveling. Up and down the street, horrifying secrets are being revealed, and all the while, mixed in with the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four children who do not belong are walking door to door, merging with the kids of Parmenter Road. Children in vintage costumes with faded, eerie makeup. They seem terrified, and beg the neighborhood kids to hide them away, to keep them safe from The Cunning Man. There’s a small clearing in the woods now that was never there before, and a blackthorn tree that doesn’t belong at all. These odd children claim that The Cunning Man is coming for them…and they want the local kids to protect them. But with families falling apart and the neighborhood splintered by bitterness, who will save the children of Parmenter Road?

New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Christopher Golden is best known for his supernatural thrillers set in deadly, distant locales…but in this suburban Halloween drama, Golden brings the horror home.

All Hallows. The one night when everything is a mask…

Continue reading “Book Review: All Hallows by Christopher Golden” →
#5OnMyTBR – Already Bought
5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Already Bought

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

#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!

It’s time for another 5 On My TBR! And this week’s topic definitely had me rethinking my life choices, lol. Why? Because it’s all about books on your TBR that you’ve already bought, so I went about updating my physical TBR bookshelf on Goodreads. Guess how many books there are? 406! And I don’t think I actually got them all! At least I had plenty of books from which to choose for this 5 On My TBR, right? Hahahahaaaaaa… right 😅

Anyways! I decided to go with five on my TBR that are newer purchases because, let’s be honest, I’m more likely to go for the new and shiny than my poor TBR veterans. Let’s get into it!

#1. The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

I’m starting with this one because, embarrassingly enough, I recently discovered that I have two copies of this book because I forgot I had bought it 🙈 Book hoarder problems, amiright? Still, this is the second book in the Broken Earth series that starts with The Fifth Season and I absolutely adored that book. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to get to the sequel. Probably because I lost the copy I had on my shelf for quite some time, heh. But now that it has resurfaced, I’m eager to jump back in!

#2. The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

This was a recent Book of the Month Club pick and I’m so excited about it! It’s a book with bookish themes which is one of my favorite things to read, so I’m pretty hyped to give it a go. I’m also a big fan of the cover and I can’t even say why. It just looks so whimsical and intriguing and I makes me want to know more! The synopsis also says that this is “a fairy tale for grown ups” and that’s really all they needed to say. Sign me up expeditiously.

Continue reading “#5OnMyTBR – Already Bought” →
WWW Wednesday: July 24th, 2024
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: July 24th, 2024

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:

  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

  • Role Playing by Cathy Yardley: I was randomly scrolling through my Kindle, trying to find an ebook to read, and this popped up. I’ve had it on my Kindle for awhile but just hadn’t read it yet. I decided to give it a whirl and I’m so glad that I did! This is a contemporary romance that features older love interests (late 40s-early 50s older!), who are both video game nerds, and it’s grumpy x sunshine where the woman is the grump. This romance was basically handcrafted for me to love, haha. So far, I’m really enjoying the banter and, much like Maggie (even if she won’t admit it), I would fight someone if they were mean to Aiden 😤 I’m loving this so far and I’m eager to continue.
  • Heartstopper Vol 5 by Alice Oseman: I’m finally reading the next installment in the Heartstopper series! It’s been a minute since I’ve checked in with Nick and Charlie, so I’m looking forward to getting more into the fifth volume of their story. I’ve only just started but, so far, this is just as adorable (and potentially heart-wrenching) as the other volumes. This graphic novel series will forever be a favorite, so I’m sure I’ll love this one.
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: July 24th, 2024” →
Book Review: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
book reviews

Book Review: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

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Book Details

Title: The Tainted Cup
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Publisher: Del Rey
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Body horror, murder, death, blood, gore, drug abuse (off page), sexual harassment, death of parent, animal death.
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.

Continue reading “Book Review: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett” →