BBNYA 2024 Finalist Tour: Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson
blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA 2024 Finalist Tour: Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson

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Hello, reader!

Our finalists for 2024’s Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award are on tour and I’m joining in! Today, I’ll be bringing you my thoughts on our 7th place finalist, a fun and funny witchy fantasy called Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson!

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, typically, 15 finalists (though we had 16 in 2024) 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 Glunda the Veg Witch!

  • Title: Glunda the Veg Witch
  • Author: Keith W. Dickinson
  • Publisher: Hammersmyth Press
  • Publication date: October 31st, 2023
  • Length: 149 pages
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: New Adult

Book Links

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

“A witch’s boots told the story of her life. They showed you where she’d been, where she was going, and what kind of a witch she would be when she got there. And, most importantly, they were proof that said witch was not someone to be trifled with. She was to be listened to, and obeyed, and yes sometimes even feared, because her wisdom was hard earned and her wrath swift and mighty. They would have to be, for her to have lived in such boots for so many a year. No one trusted a witch in brand new boots, and rightly so as far as Glunda was concerned.”

Glunda Ashwillow is on top of the world. About to become head witch, and the youngest ever Guardian of the Golden Key, the only thing standing in her way is her old enemy, the Drupe Mages. They have the key, and they’re not willing to give it up without a fight.

With a coven of quarrelsome witches to contend with, and a fief full of farmers on the verge of revolt, can Glunda beat the mages and get the key before she runs out of veg? Or is there a cold, hard, carrot-less winter ahead for all concerned?

A tale of heroism and hotpots, Glunda The Veg Witch is a fun fantasy adventure everyone can enjoy.

Continue reading “BBNYA 2024 Finalist Tour: Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson” →
Blog Tour: Eerie Exhibits by Victoria Williamson
blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: Eerie Exhibits by Victoria Williamson

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Hello, reader!

Today is my stop on the a blog tour run by The Write Reads! The book I’ll be reviewing today is one filled with tales meant to sent a shiver down your spine: Eerie Exhibits by Victoria Williamson. This collection of short stories is perfect for a night in front of the fire when you’re in the mood for something a little spooky.

But, before I give you my full thoughts on the book, 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 for providing me with a free copy of the book so that I could participate in this tour. It is, as always, appreciated!

Alright, now let’s get to the post!

  • Title: Eerie Exhibits
  • Author: Victoria Williamson
  • Publisher: Silver Thistle Press
  • Publication date: March 6th, 2025
  • Length: 221 pages
  • Genre: Supernatural Fiction
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Loss of a child, death, miscarriage, emotional abuse

Book Links

Amazon::StoryGraph::Goodreads

Five unnerving tales of the weird and uncanny from award-winning author Victoria Williamson.

A room full of screaming butterflies.

An unsettling smile on the face of a carved sarcophagus.

A painting that draws its viewer into the disturbing past.

A stuffed bear that growls in the dead of night.

And a shell that whispers more sinister sounds than the sigh of the sea…

Dare you cross the threshold of the old Museum and view its eerie exhibits?

Continue reading “Blog Tour: Eerie Exhibits by Victoria Williamson” →
Book Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
book reviews

Book Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

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Title: A Drop of Corruption
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Series: Shadow of the Leviathan #2
Publisher: Del Rey
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Age Group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, body horror, blood, colonization, gore, animal death
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.

Continue reading “Book Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett” →
Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2025
monthly tbr · readathon

Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2025

kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

Hello, reader!

Classes are starting once again in the magical academy that is Orilium! This is one of my favorite readathons of the year and also one of the only ones I ever complete. I always get so excited going into the Orilium Spring Equinox and this year is extra special. Why? Because there are dragons!

But what is the Magical Readathon? It is the brain child of the marvelous G @ Book Roast, who created the world of Aeldia, where Orilium dwells, and every aspect therein. It’s an incredibly creative readathon where you build a character, choose a guild, and guide your character through classes to achieve their calling. I am notoriously bad at giving all the details in a coherent way, so you should definitely watch G’s announcement video for the scoop:

My Character

✨✨✨ Name: Korrin Musgrave ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Guild: The Order of the Crescent Moon ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Current Guild Reputation Points: 655 gp✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Conduit: Quarterstaff ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Legacy: Wolf familiar (Venandi) ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Background: Wildling ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Province: Irtheria ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Heritage: Earthling (earth element) ✨✨✨

If you want to learn more about these various choices, you can check out the Brief History of Aeldia on the Google drive. It’s awesome what G has dreamed up!

Continue reading “Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2025” →
WWW Wednesday: March 19th, 2025
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: March 19th, 2025

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

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

I’ve had this book for quite awhile and now I’m finally reading it. It’s the AFB Book Club pick for March, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give it a try. So far, I’m having a great time with this Norse inspired fantasy. The insta-lust is a tad funny, but I’m loving our female main character. Especially after a certain event in the first few chapters that had me cheering… iykyk.

    Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: March 19th, 2025” →
    Top 5 Tuesday: Books With An Emotion in the Title
    top 5 tuesday

    Top 5 Tuesday: Books With An Emotion in the Title

    kerrimcbooknerd6 Comments

    Top 5 Tuesday is a fun, weekly meme that asks you to pick 5 books that fit that week’s theme. It was created by Bionic Bookworm and is currently being hosted by Meeghan Reads. You should check out their wonderful blog for more details and the list of prompts!

    Hello, reader!

    I haven’t participate in Top 5 Tuesday in a minute and I thought it was high time I rectified that! This is a fun little meme that lets me revisit some of my favorite books. This week was a bit of challenge for me, though, I’m not gonna lie! I had to find five books with an emotion in the title and that was no easy task. Still, I managed to round up five (though I may be fudging it a bit 😅) that fit the bill.

    That being said, let’s get to the books!

    #1. The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

    I’ve always been a fan of epic fantasy, but I can count on one hand how many I’ve read that were written by a Black author and featured Black people. This book is definitely on the top of that pile! I loved this intense, revenge-fueled novel for all the worldbuilding and action, but mostly for the deep dive into the main character’s psyche. The second book is even better and I can’t wait til I get to read the third, which is, hopefully, coming out later this year!

    #2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

    I promise there is not a theme to the emotions I’m picking! This modern classic got me to realize that I could, in fact, enjoy a young adult contemporary novel. I’m sure this is partly the subject matter, but it was mainly Thomas’ incredible writing. She has a way of weaving a story that makes it very difficult to stop reading! I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by her, but this is by far my favorite.

    Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: Books With An Emotion in the Title” →
    Let’s Talk Bookish: Blogs and Book Reviews
    lets talk bookish

    Let’s Talk Bookish: Blogs and Book Reviews

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    Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and Dini @dinipandareads! This meme has a discussion format, where participants get to talk about certain topics, share opinions, and spread the blogging love by visiting other posts. You can learn more about this meme here!

    LTB Topic of the Week
    Writing and Posting Book Reviews

    Prompts: Writing book reviews is a huge part of running a book blog. Do book reviews make up a big part of your blog content? Do you prefer to write long or short reviews? How does reviewing advance copies (ARCs) and working directly with authors and publishers change your approach to writing the reviews? Do you post on platforms other than your blog (i.e. Goodreads, The Storygraph, social media) and do those reviews differ from what you share on your blog?

    Writing book reviews is a huge part of running a book blog. Do book reviews make up a big part of your blog content?

    I would say that book reviews make up a fair chunk of my content. I think the majority of my content leans more to bookish memes, but reviews are probably my second most common blog post. A large chunk of that is because I participate as a panelist for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award run by The Write Reads and that involves reading/reviewing quite a few indie books! It’s one of my favorite consequences of starting this blog because I always find some new faves whenever I participate.

    The other chunk of my reviews would be Netgalley reviews, especially since I’m trying to catch up on my backlog 😅 Every once in awhile, when I want to gush about a book I love, I’ll write up a rambly review (see my most recent review for Painted Devils, haha), but, for the most part, my reviews are either for a blog tour/BBNYA or for Netgalley.

    Continue reading “Let’s Talk Bookish: Blogs and Book Reviews” →
    WWW Wednesday: March 12th, 2025
    www wednesday

    WWW Wednesday: March 12th, 2025

    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

    • In the Woods by Tana French: This book has been on my TBR for ages because my best friend used to love this series. I say “used to” because I asked her recently if she was still following the Dublin Murder Squad and she was less than enthusiastic, haha. Having started this book, I think I know why… If any of you have read this book before, can you let me know if the main character is meant to be so insufferable?! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rolled my eyes at some throwaway comment he says or, especially, at his apparent intense dislike of all women. Except for his partner, Cassie, of course because “sHE’s NoT liKE otHeR giRls” 🙄 I currently have the audiobook on 1.5x speed because I really don’t want to spend more time with this man and his obnoxious POV. I suppose I could just DNF… but it’s part of my Trope-ical Readathon TBR! Sigh…
    • You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego: I quite literally just started this today and have barely read three pages, so I really can’t give you my feelings on this one. I will say I love that there’s a map in the beginning that looks like the Clue boardgame! And it seems like we’re going to get a bit of a book inside a book throughout this story and that’s a trope that I enjoy. What I’m saying is we’re starting off strong solely based on superficial aspects!
    Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: March 12th, 2025” →
    Let’s Talk Bookish: Women in STEM
    lets talk bookish

    Let’s Talk Bookish: Women in STEM

    kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

    Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and Dini @dinipandareads! This meme has a discussion format, where participants get to talk about certain topics, share opinions, and spread the blogging love by visiting other posts. You can learn more about this meme here!

    LTB Topic of the Week
    Women in STEM in Books

    Prompts: Over the years, there have been an increasing number of books about women in STEM. What do you think of this trend? Do you like it or is it/can it be poorly done? In honour of International Women’s Day tomorrow (March 8), what are your favourite books ft. women in STEM and what books are still on your TBR?

    Over the years, there have been an increasing number of books about women in STEM. What do you think of this trend? Do you like it or is it/can it be poorly done?

    Let me tell you, when I saw the topic for this week’s Let’s Talk Bookish, I smiled from ear to ear. As a woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), I think you can probably guess how I feel about the rise of femme or femme presenting characters in books being in the STEM field. I love it! I know we’ve all heard this phrase before but, representation matters, and the fact that girls and young women can now freely get their hands on books featuring women in typically male-dominated fields is the kind of representation I can absolutely get behind. Books like that weren’t around when I was a kid. I still aspired to do something science-based, but I was never exposed to women in fields I was thinking of going into. The lack of representation wasn’t exactly a deterrent, but it wasn’t encouraging, either. I’m so happy we’re getting more women in STEM books and I hope this trend continues!

    Now whether or not it can be poorly done… I think that’s a matter of personal taste. I’m sure there are books out there that have poor representation because people do love to jump on a trend without doing proper research, but I don’t think that’s overall the case. I also think it’s easier this days to seek out the gems while avoiding the trash, haha. So even though some of the books featuring women in STEM might be not-so-great, I don’t think that takes away from the impact of the trend overall.

    Continue reading “Let’s Talk Bookish: Women in STEM” →
    WWW Wednesday: March 5th, 2025
    www wednesday

    WWW Wednesday: March 5th, 2025

    kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

    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

    • A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett: I’m so happy to be back in the world of the Shadow of the Leviathan series! I’ve missed Din and Ana! This is the sequel to my favorite read of 2024, The Tainted Cup, and, so far, I’m having a good time. It feels easy to settle back into this world and I’m enjoying the fact that we’re getting more worldbuilding as the scene is being set. And I’m a sucker for a locked room mystery, so the shenanigans happening in this book is right up my alley! I’m trying to get my e-ARC read and reviewed before this releases on April 1st, so let’s hope this continues to be great.
    • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods: I picked this up at the library simply because I liked the cover, lol. Having finally started reading it, I’m glad the cover caught my eye! This follows three people who are all in someway attached to a bookshop that mysteriously vanished. I love that there’s just a dash of magic in what would otherwise be a fairly mundane tale. Don’t love some of the relationships going on in here, but trying to look past that and focus on the story. We’ll see how I feel by the end 😅
    Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: March 5th, 2025” →