May 2026 TBR

Hello, reader!

After using my Magical Readathon TBR as my April monthly TBR, I’m back to my regular old TBRs. This month, I’m hoping to get back into my book club reads, get some more books off my Netgalley shelf, and finally start reading some books from my 26 in 2026 list. I know, I’m a slacker! But May is the month where I start to turn it around, I can feel it.

With that being said, let me share with you my May TBR!

The Book Club Reads

AFB Book Club
- Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
- I’m still on the fence about whether or not I want to read this one. I enjoyed the first book in her original YA series, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, but wasn’t a huge fan of the sequel. So much so that I kiiind of DNFed the series 😅 This is an adult book, though, and the premise is very intriguing. We shall see if I squeeze it in this month.
Literally Dead and Weirdo Book Club
- The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke
- I’m so excited that two of the book clubs I usually participate in picked this book because it is one of my most anticipated books of 2026! I have my Book of the Month copy and I am ready! This is a book written by two authors: Cat Clarke and V.E. Schwab. I’ve never read anything by Cat Clarke, but I’m a big fan of Schwab’s work. Looking forward to this thriller!

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: May 4th, 2026

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Goodreads Monday/TBR Monday is a bookish meme hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog invites you to post about what books are on your Goodreads “to read” lists or TBR lists, the progress you have made on your current books and reading challenges, and any other bookish news!

Hello, reader!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a good start to your week. I had a busy weekend and, as a result, I’m freakin’ exhausted today. My bed beckons but first… it’s time for Goodreads Monday! Let’s poke through my ever-growing Goodreads TBR and find a book to judge 😂

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
Gardens of the Moon

Author:
Steven Erikson

Publisher:
Tor Books

Publication Date:
April 1st, 1999

Pages:
666

Genre:
Fantasy

Synopsis:
Vast legions of gods, mages, humans, dragons and all manner of creatures play out the fate of the Malazan Empire in this first book in a major epic fantasy series from Steven Erikson.

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.

However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…

Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order–an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.

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book blogger hop

Book Blogger Hop: TBR Veterans

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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 Prompt

Is there a book you’ve been meaning to read forever but haven’t gotten to yet?

Submitted by Billy, Coffee-Addicted Writer.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: May 1st, 2026

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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
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

Happy Friday and happy first day of May! I can’t believe that April is already over and we’re not in the fifth month of 2026. The beginning of the year always drags for me, but now it seems like time is flying! But, for now, it’s time for this week’s First Lines Friday post. I’ve picked a book that is the latest in a long series that I love. I’m excited to get to this one because I just know I’m going to love it!

The Line(s):

“Doors are magical things. Always. It doesn’t matter whether they connect two familiar, well-known rooms or two entirely undiscovered spaces: to travel from one distinct location into another simply by passing through a portal, whether bound in wood or carved from stone, is a magical act.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

Book Review: Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

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Title: Nine Goblins
Author: T. Kingfisher
Publisher: Tordotcom
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Adult
Format: Physical
Content/Trigger Warnings: War, violence, death, mass murder
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Nine Goblins, a tale of low fantasy and high mischief.

No one knows exactly how the Goblin War began, but folks will tell you that goblins are stinking, slinking, filthy, sheep-stealing, henhouse-raiding, obnoxious, rude, and violent. Goblins would actually agree with all this, and might throw in “cowardly” and “lazy” too for good measure.

But goblins don’t go around killing people for fun, no matter what the propaganda posters say. And when a confrontation with an evil wizard lands a troop of nine goblins deep behind enemy lines, goblin sergeant Nessilka must figure out how to keep her hapless band together and get them home in one piece.

Unfortunately, between them and safety lies a forest full of elves, trolls, monsters, and that most terrifying of creatures…a human being.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: April 24th, 2026

April 24, 2026 kerrimcbooknerd1 Comment

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
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

It’s finally the weekend! This week has felt ridiculously long and I have been ridiculously tired today, so I’m happy to have some time to relax. I’m also happy to do another First Lines Friday! This week, I’m giving a little sneak peek of my April library haul. This is a novel I’ve been seeing around the bookish community and, when I saw it on my library’s shelves, I decided to see what all the fuss is about.

Now I’ll see if the first lines can pull me in!

The Line(s):

“I decided to write this all down while on a business trip to my European offices in Florence It was one of those romantically black and violent autumn days when the rain does not fall so much as dash itself against the city.”

The Build Up:

The Reveal:

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book reviews

DNF Review: The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton

April 23, 2026 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Title: The Vermilion Emporium
Author: Jamie Pacton
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-book
Content/Trigger Warnings: Emotional distress, parental death, kidnapping, violence, grief
Book Links: Bookshop::B&N::Goodreads::Storygraph

The heart-wrenching story of The Radium Girls meets the enchanting world of Howl’s Moving Castle. Jamie Pacton’s fantasy debut is a story of timeless love and deadly consequences.

It was a day for finding things . . .
 
On the morning Twain, a lonely boy with a knack for danger, discovers a strand of starlight on the cliffs outside Severon, a mysterious curiosity shop appears in town. Meanwhile, Quinta, the ordinary daughter of an extraordinary circus performer, chases rumors of the shop, The Vermilion Emporium, desperate for a way to live up to her mother’s magical legacy.
 
When Quinta meets Twain outside the Emporium, two things happen: One, Quinta starts to fall for this starlight boy, who uses his charm to hide his scars. Two, they enter the store and discover a book that teaches them how to weave starlight into lace.
 
Soon, their lace catches the eye of the Casorina, the ruler of Severon. She commissions Quinta and Twain to make her a starlight dress and will reward them handsomely enough to make their dreams come true. However, they can’t sew a dress without more material, and the secret to starlight’s origins has been lost for centuries. As Quinta and Twain search the Emporium for answers, though, they discover the secret might not have been lost—but destroyed. And likely, for good reason.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: April 22nd, 2026

April 22, 2026 kerrimcbooknerd4 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

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune: I’m a good chunk into this one and I’m having a good time! The chapter I’m currently about to read promises some drama and I’m looking forward. I’ve adjusted to the choppy writing and now I’m just immersed in the story. Still a little skeeved out by the fact that Ox met the love interest, Joe, when he was ten and Ox was sixteen… Six years is a pretty minimal age gap, I suppose, but still.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: I was looking for an audiobook to read while at lunch today. Lucky for me, a lot of my Libby holds came in recently, so I had plenty from which to choose! I ended up picking this one because I’ve returned it so many times because I was in the middle of reading something else and it’s also due back the soonest, haha. I’m glad I picked it though because I feel like I’m already falling in love!
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman: I’m so behind on the group buddy read I’m participating in for the Dungeon Crawler Carl series 😅 But I’m still having a great time with this series! I just started this today when I got home so I’m not too far in. Far enough to be excited about the set up of this newest level, though!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: April Showers Bring Blue Books

April 21, 2026 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

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.”

Hello, reader!

Tuesday has arrived and that means it’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday. April is winding up and New England has been living up to the “April showers” part of “April showers bring May flowers” 😂 Though the sun has definitely been making appearances and I’m not mad about the temps lately! It’s chilly but not as bad as it has been in previous years. Either way, I’ve had a lot of nice, rainy days for some reading, so today’s prompt being “April showers” felt perfect.

I decided to pick ten of my favorite books that have blue covers to share with you today. So let’s get to the list!

My Fave Blue Books

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

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goodreads monday

Goodreads/TBR Monday: April 20th, 2026

April 20, 2026 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

Happy Monday, everyone. I’m hoping you had a good start to your week. Today has been a busy one, for me, and I’m happy to finally be home and ready to do Goodreads Monday! I’m sitting at 842 books on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf, so let’s see what the random number generator picks for me today.

Random Goodreads Pick

Book:
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians

Author:
H.G. Parry

Publisher:
Redhook

Publication Date:
June 23rd, 2020

Pages:
531

Genre:
Fantasy/Historical Fantasy

Synopsis:
A sweeping tale of revolution and wonder in a world not quite like our own, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians is a genre-defying story of magic, war, and the struggle for freedom in the early modern world.

It is the Age of Enlightenment — of new and magical political movements, from the necromancer Robespierre calling for revolution in France to the weather mage Toussaint L’Ouverture leading the slaves of Haiti in their fight for freedom, to the bold new Prime Minister William Pitt weighing the legalization of magic amongst commoners in Britain and abolition throughout its colonies overseas.

But amidst all of the upheaval of the early modern world, there is an unknown force inciting all of human civilization into violent conflict. And it will require the combined efforts of revolutionaries, magicians, and abolitionists to unmask this hidden enemy before the whole world falls to darkness and chaos.

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