Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox TBR 2023

April 3, 2023 kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

April has arrived and that means it’s time for the Orilium Spring Equinox readathon! This is a part of the Magical Readathon that I’ve been participating in since it’s conception and, I promise you, it is a blast. I always get pumped to head back to Orilium and help my character achieve her goals.

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 Standing: Revered (210 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!

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Mar 29, 2023

March 29, 2023 kerrimcbooknerd3 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 Read

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

I just picked this up and I’m already captivated by this story! This is the Middle Grade Marvels pick for March. And, yes, I know there are only two days left in March, but I think I’ll fly through this! The writing in this is incredible and I find myself completely pulled into the world the author has created. I’ve honestly not heard a bad thing about this book and I’m starting to see why! I’m excited to read more and (hopefully) finish it soon.

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wrap up

February 2023 Wrap Up

March 28, 2023 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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5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Over 500 Pages

March 27, 2023 kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

#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!

I hope you’ve had a great start to your week! I’m recovering from a busy work weekend and I am tiiiiired. But I have the next two days off so I’m pretty stoked about that. Now, though, it’s time for another 5 On My TBR! This week’s theme is all about books on the chonky side. That’s because I’m featuring five books on my TBR that are over 500 pages. I honestly have a long list of bigger books on my TBR because I’m easily intimidated, haha. Still, I’m sharing five that I would love to get to sooner rather than later.

With that said, let’s get to the list!

#1. The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

Perhaps the more times I put this book into a post, the more likely I’ll actually read it, lol. This book is doubly intimidating because it’s a bigger book and I know R.F. Kuang is gonna hurt me 😭 I just want Rin to be okay but I get the strong feeling that ain’t gonna happen. Still, I really need to finish this series! I loved the other two books and I know I’m gonna love this one.

#2. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

I’m so curious about this book. I’ve heard there’s illustrations and it’s like a book within a book which are both aspects that make me want to read it! I’ve also heard a lot of conflicting reviews so that makes me a little hesitant. But I already bought it so I suppose I’m committed now, haha. I’m hoping I love this because the synopsis is super promising!

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA 2022 Finalist Tour: Bloodlaced by Courtney Maguire

March 20, 2023 kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another blog tour for one of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2022 finalists! Today, I get to share my thoughts on a book that a lot of panelists were buzzing about last year. Bloodlaced by Courtney Maguire is a paranormal fantasy that has some dark themes and fantastic writing. I can see why the book made it all the way to the finals!

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 15 finalists 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 me tell you more about this book!

Title: Bloodlaced
Author: Courtney Maguire
Publisher: City Owl Press
Publication date: September 29th, 2020
Genre: Paranormal
Age group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Physical abuse, sexual abuse (off-page), self-harm, blood, graphic violence

Book Links

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

Kanjin hardly view their servants as human. Even less so when they are different.

Asagi is different. Both a man and a woman.

In the wake of his failure to protect a boy they saw as a son from their abusive master, Asagi is sold into the house of a young nobleman, Mahiro, who is the opposite of everything Asagi has ever known—gentle, kind, and generous.

Mahiro bonds with Asagi and their friendship blooms into a deep and profound love. But when Asagi is poisoned out of jealousy, Mahiro reveals himself to be youkai, a demon who feeds on blood, and he has no choice but to turn Asagi to save their life.

Asagi awakes reborn, strong, and eternally youthful. But the price for Asagi’s new life is high.

The blood of the innocent.

Just as Asagi’s trust in Mahiro falters, the boy they failed to protect, now a man, reappears.

New master, same threat.

With both a literal and proverbial monster at the door, Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what they loves most.

If you like Bella Forrest, P. C. Cast, AJ Tipton, or Anne Rice, you will love this beautiful dark paranormal fantasy romance.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday #75

March 17, 2023 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first (I cheat a little bit here *cough*)
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re using Twitter, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

I feel like it’s been a minute since I’ve done a First Lines Friday post. So, today, I wanted to feature a book I’ve been reading (and loving!) recently. Kick the weekend off the right way, ya know? This is a book I heard a lot about last year and definitely wanted to read. That’s why it was an easy add to my 12 friends, 12 recommendations challenge for 2023!

The first few lines definitely intrigued me. Lets see if they’ll do the same for you!

The Line(s):

“I was nine the first time the Physicians came to the house.”

The Hints:

This is a fantasy that was released in September 2022.

It features a magic mist that encases an entire kingdom.

The main character is a young woman with a Nightmare living in her head.

The Reveal:

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Mar 15, 2023

March 15, 2023 kerrimcbooknerd10 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

Bloodlaced by Courtney Maguire: I’m reading this book for a blog tour currently running for all the finalists of last year’s Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Awards. I have to say, I can see why this was a finalist because it is intensely readable. It has some dark themes and hard topics, so definitely check trigger warnings before jumping in. The way the author has built this world and the characters that populate it has me captivated. I’m flying through this, which is always a good sign! My full review will be coming soon, so keep an eye out for that.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gilling: I just picked this up as it’s my 12 friends, 12 recommendations read for the month and, wow, I’m already hooked! It’s a problem because I want to reading this and Bloodlaced at the same time 😂 The world is so rich in this book, so far, and I can already tell I’m going to love our main character, Elspeth. I’m so glad this was my pick for the month cause I feel like I’m going to love it!

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA 2022 Finalist Tour: Lesser Known Monsters by Rory Michaelson

March 13, 2023 kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another blog tour for one of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2022 finalists! Today, I finally get to share my thoughts on one of the books I actually got to read in full as a panelist last year. Lesser Known Monsters by Rory Michealson is a new adult urban fantasy that had me absolutely hooked! I’m so excited to get to share my thoughts.

And, now, let me tell you more about this book!

Title: Lesser Known Monsters
Author: Rory Michaelson
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: October 31st, 2020
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age group: New Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, blood, blood ritual/sacrifice, depression, mental health struggles, death

Book Links

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

Being the chosen one isn’t always a good thing…

Oscar Tundale is not a hero. Anxious, indecisive, and awkward, he can barely get through a normal day. Now he’s about to find out monsters are real. Oscar’s friends: brave, stubborn Zara, and hyperactive, paranoid Marcus, might help discover what hunts him, and unravel the truth about the handsome doctor he pines for. But only heroes can save the world, so maybe the best Oscar can hope for is to not end it by accident.

The LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS series is a dark queer fantasy featuring diverse characters on a found family adventure. Perfect for fans of horror and paranormal romance who seek LGBTQ+ heroes.

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bbnya spotlight · blog tour

BBNYA Finalist Spotlight: These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden

March 10, 2023 kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I have a spotlight for our 11th place finisher in last year’s Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)! These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden is a romantic dystopian that promises a lot of twists and turns. It sounds like it would be a wild ride and definitely has me intrigued! Before I tell you more about the book, though, let me give you more info on BBNYA.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists 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.

Now, let’s get to today’s spotlight!

Title: These Violent Nights
Author: Rebecca Crunden
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Publisher: Self-published
Length: 620 pages
Genre: Romantic Dystopian, Fantasy
Age group: Upper Young Adult, New Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

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

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blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill

March 7, 2023 kerrimcbooknerd7 Comments

Hello, reader!

I have another TBR & Beyond Tours post to share with you today! I’m so excited to give you my thoughts on a beautiful graphic novel that absolutely captured my heart: The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill. I love a graphic novel that makes both my eyes and my heart happy and this one certainly accomplished that!

Before I jump into my review, I want to say thank you. Thank you to the people at TBR & Beyond Tours for choosing me to take part in this tour. Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to the book via Netgalley. And thank you to all my readers for supporting my little blog! Also, if you’d like to support the other incredible bloggers and bookstagrammers participating, make sure to check out the tour schedule by clicking here.

Alright, now let me tell you more about the book!

Title: The Moth Keeper
Author: K. O’Neill
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Publication date: March 7th, 2023
Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel
Age group: Middle Grade
Content/Trigger Warnings: depression, trauma, burn out themes, abandonment (historical, shown on page through flashback), ableism (historical, minor)

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Indigo::
Amazon::Goodreads

Being a Moth Keeper is a huge responsibility and a great honor, but what happens when the new Moth Keeper decides to take a break from the moon and see the sun for the first time? A middle-grade fantasy graphic novel about passion, duty, and found family.

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn’t exactly what Anya thought it would be?

The nights are cold in the desert and the lunar moths live far from the village. Anya finds herself isolated and lonely. Despite Anya’s dedication, she wonders what it would be like to live in the sun. Her thoughts turn into an obsession, and when Anya takes a chance to stay up during the day to feel the sun’s warmth, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences. K. O’Neill brings to life a beautifully illustrated fantasy world about responsibility to yourself and your community. The Moth Keeper is filled with magic, hope, and friendship.

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