Tag: fantasy

Mini Reviews: Reading Challenge Edition
book reviews

Mini Reviews: Reading Challenge Edition

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

I am, once again, woefully behind when it comes to writing reviews these days. 2022 has been a busy year with loads of change happening and I’ve found myself with less and less time to sit and write reviews. Though I’ve been reading a ton! Perhaps that is the problem 😂

That being said, I thought I would try and catch up with some of my reviews by talking about three books I’ve finished from one of the year long reading challenges I’m doing in 2022. I’ve not been doing great with my 22 in 2022 TBR, but I’ve checked up a good amount from my 12 friends, 12 recommendations TBR! And, today, I’m going to finally review three of them.

Title: Battle Royal

Author: Lucy Parker

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Romance

CW/TW: Death of a parent (past), abusive familial relationship, emotional abuse (past)

Rating: ★★★★

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

This was such a delightful read! It made me realize that food + romance may just be my thing, because I loved the backdrop of this sweet story. Two rival bakers competing to bake a royal wedding cake while also working together on a hit baking competition is apparently the recipe to win my heart, haha. Not only did I get a cute (and sometimes steamy) romance, but I got to drool over delicious sounding desserts at the same time. Win-win!

I truly enjoyed the chemistry between Sylvie and Dominic, though Sylvie is hands-down my favorite character. Sorry, Dominic… but she has an enchanted forest in her bakery’s basement! That’s a default win! They were both wonderfully written and complex characters, though, and I truly enjoyed getting to know them throughout this book. There were a few plot points that stretched the imagination, but, overall this was a charming and fun romance that left me smiling from ear to ear.

And the steamy bits weren’t half bad, either 😈

Continue reading “Mini Reviews: Reading Challenge Edition” →
WWW Wednesday: Jul 6, 2022
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Jul 6, 2022

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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

  • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: I’m gonna be honest and say that I had only the vaguest sense of what this classic was about before I started reading it. I knew that there is a painting that takes on the sins of it’s subject, Dorian Gray. I wasn’t prepared for how terrible Dorian actually is throughout the story! Like… why is anyone friends with this man?! Well, I know why… because he’s rich and handsome. But dear lord, he sucks! Suffice it to say, I’m having a great time reading about this terrible person 😂
  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint: Dipping back into Greek mythology retellings with this one and, so far, I’m really enjoying it! I want to fight some people (LOOKING AT YOU, THESEUS) and loads of poor decisions have been made, but I’m liking how we get to see more of who Ariadne is beyond her part in Theseus’ tale. I’m already wishing that this book was a little longer because I would have loved to spend more time with Ariadne when Asterion was a baby. I’m intrigued by their relationship, but it’s a blip in this story. Still, this book is scratching that mythology retelling itch and I’m enjoying it!
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: Jul 6, 2022” →
Top 5 Tuesday: Anticipated Reads From Jul – Sep 2022
top 5 tuesday

Top 5 Tuesday: Anticipated Reads From Jul – Sep 2022

kerrimcbooknerd8 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!

We’ve made it to another Tuesday and that means it’s time for Top 5 Tuesday! This week’s topic is a tough one. Out of all the incredible books that will be releasing between now and the end of September, I have to choose my top five. Which is gonna be tough! I’m so excited for a lot of books that will be releasing soon, so whittling this down to my top five took some effort.

But the books have been chosen, so let me show you which ones made the cut!

#1. Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston

Starting off strong with one of my most anticipated reads of 2022! I absolutely adored Amari and the Night Brothers, this first book in this magical middle grade series. It’s such a beautiful book with strong characters and a lot of fun ideas going on. I’m eager to jump back into Amari’s world!

Expected Publication Date: Aug 30th, 2022

#2. Babel by R.F. Kuang

I’ve wanted to read this book ever since I saw the full title: Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution. Like, come on! That sounds absolutely intriguing! The fact that it’s written by R.F. Kuang, who wrote the incredible Poppy War series, makes me even more eager. Kuang + dark academia = I NEED IT!

Expected Publication Date: Aug 23rd, 2022

Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: Anticipated Reads From Jul – Sep 2022” →
Down the TBR Hole #33
down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #33

kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

It’s time for a new round of Down the TBR Hole! This is where I go through my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf and do a bit of cleaning up. If you want to see the full description of what this post is all about, check out my first round HERE.

Hello, reader!

I figured it was time for another round of Down the TBR Hole because I feel like I’ve been adding a lot of books recently. Time to continue trimming off older books in which I’m no longer interested! That being said, I haven’t added nearly as many as I thought I had. I ended last round with 710 books on my Want to Read shelf and will be starting this round with 714 books. That’s not bad! For me 😂

Now, let’s see which books may (or may not) be leaving.

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair

I don’t read a ton of non-fiction, but this one certainly caught my interest. It’s about how certain hues came to be and it sounds fascinating! Who knows when I’ll actually pick this one up… we all know I’m easily distracted by fiction. Still, I want to keep this one on my radar, so it gets to stay.

Verdict: Keep

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Historical fiction is another genre that I don’t read often, though I tend to enjoy it when I do. This one follows several people in the aftermath of WWII, one of whom may be a Nazi murderess called the Huntress. The synopsis makes me think there will be thrills and tears involved with this one. It definitely keeps me interested in the book!

Verdict: Keep

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

Now we’re back in my wheelhouse, haha. This YA fantasy sounds like something that would be right up my alley. It has politics, reluctant allies, and, clearly, quite a few murderous plots. The premise is certainly interesting and the fact that it’s a standalone makes it less intimidating. I really don’t need to be starting another series.

Verdict: Keep

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

I’ve had an interesting relationship with Ruth Ware’s books. I started reading them when she published The Woman in Cabin 10 and, with each subsequent book, I liked her writing more and more. So that makes me think that, if I go back to her first book, I may not like it as much, haha. Besides, I have so many other books to read 🤷🏾‍♀️

Verdict: Remove

Continue reading “Down the TBR Hole #33” →
First Lines Friday #51
first lines friday

First Lines Friday #51

kerrimcbooknerd4 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!

We made it to the weekend and, for me, it’s a long one! I am a big fan of three day weekends, haha. We don’t have any big plans, but I’m looking forward to relaxing and reading. Preferably outside while I enjoy all the sunshine recently. The book I’m featuring today is one of the books I hope to start this weekend! It’s something that I’ve been wanting to read for a minute and I’m finally picking it up.

Let’s see if the first few lines can get me even more excited to read it!

The Line(s):

“The two would-be jade thieves sweated in the kitchen of the Twice Lucky restaurant. The windows were open in the dining room, and the onset of evening brought a breeze off the waterfront to cool the diners, but in the kitchen, there were only the two ceiling fans that had been spinning all day to little effect.”

The Hints:

This is an urban fantasy with a mafia-esque vibe.

It’s the first book in a trilogy.

I may have bought the entire trilogy from Illumicrate because the books were so pretty!

The Reveal:

Continue reading “First Lines Friday #51” →
Top 5 Tuesday: 2022 Reads
top 5 tuesday

Top 5 Tuesday: 2022 Reads

kerrimcbooknerd12 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!

It’s a lovely Tuesday here in New England and I’m with another Top 5 Tuesday post! And this one is focused on a great topic: my top five reads of 2022 (so far). Now, I did an entire post at the end of last year just listing all my five star reads because I didn’t want to have to choose. I’m bad at making decisions when it comes to favorite books, okay?! However, the tiny caveat of ‘so far’ works to make me feel less guilty about picking up five books to feature.

That being said, let’s get to my list!

#1. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

I gotta give a shout out to my first five star read of the year! Actually, this was the first book I read in 2022. Talk about starting my reading year off with a bang! This duology has been everywhere and I had an e-ARC that was staring at me accusingly from my Netgalley shelf. I’m so glad I finally picked it up because it was phenomenal! It was a fast-paced thrill ride through 1926 Shanghai and I fell in love with our two main characters, Juliette and Roma.

#2. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

This is probably one of my biggest surprises of the year, so far. I had seen the cover of this book and that was enough to make me want to read it. I knew very little about the book before picking it up, so I had no idea what I was getting into. I then proceeded to devour it in one day! Which is an accomplishment for me as I’m typically a slow reader. This fantasy wrapped in a mystery was truly captivating and made me want to read everything this author has written.

Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: 2022 Reads” →
Sundays In Bed With… Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
sundays in bed with

Sundays In Bed With… Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Sundays in Bed With… is a meme that dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to the end (or beginning?) or another week and I, for one, am ready for this week to be over. It’s been a stressful couple of weeks, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. So, I’m going to spend my evening curled up with a book and I want to tell you all about it. The book I’m featuring today is a gothic horror that just released last week. I’m a fan of horror and gothic horror is the top tier of horror, in my opinion!

Want to learn more about the book? Keep reading!

My Sunday Read Is…

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

I’ve had Ava Reid’s debut, The Wolf and the Woodsman, on my TBR for awhile. So it’s a little funny that I started reading her second book first 😅 I received an e-ARC through Netgalley and I’m trying to catch up with my Netgalley backlist, so here we are! Besides, I do love gothic horror, so that aspect intrigued me. Now that I’ve started reading it, I can firmly say that Ava Reid’s writing alone is going to get this book at the very least three stars. I love her writing so much! The story is engaging and definitely has that unsettling vibe that I expect from a gothic horror. I’m not too far in, only about 21%, but I’m loving what I’m getting so far!

Continue reading “Sundays In Bed With… Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid” →
#5OnMyTBR – Translated
5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Translated

kerrimcbooknerd4 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!

Welcome to the beginning of another week! The beginning of the week means it’s time for another 5 On My TBR post. This week’s theme focuses on translated books and I found that I have a lot more translated books on my TBR than I thought I did! I’ve always wanted to try and read more translated books, so it’s good to know I already have a few on the TBR from which to choose.

Now, let me show you which five made the list!

#1. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

This has been on my TBR for quite awhile because of a few reasons. The main reason, though, is that it’s a classic. If you’ve been around my blog for awhile, you’ll know that I have a strained relationship with classics, haha. Still, the premise is so intriguing that it stays on the TBR. I even bought a copy, so I’m clearly planning on reading this! Eventually… I’m hoping that I love this once I get around to reading it.

#2. Beartown by Fredrik Backman

I’ve only read one book by Fredrik Backman but that book made me want to read his entire backlist. I love his writing so much! At least, I love his writing in A Man Called Ove. I’m hoping that style carries over to the rest of his backlog! I have quite a few Backman books on my TBR, but Beartown is definitely the one I want to read the most. I’ve just heard so many great things about it and I’m excited to give it a go.

Continue reading “#5OnMyTBR – Translated” →
Down the TBR Hole #32
down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #32

kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

It’s time for a new round of Down the TBR Hole! This is where I go through my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf and do a bit of cleaning up. If you want to see the full description of what this post is all about, check out my first round HERE.

Hello, reader!

I’m back to try and trim my ridiculous TBR! Okay, it’s not that bad. I mean, if I read one book off my TBR a day, it would only take me a little under two years to clear it all 😅😂 That’s if I don’t add anymore books and we all know that’s not gonna happen. I’m currently sitting at 715 books on my Goodreads Want to Read shelf which is the same amount I ended with last round! I’m pretty proud that I didn’t add anymore in the interim.

Now, it’s time to trim it down a bit more!

Pop Travel by Tara Tyler

I know exactly why I added this book to my TBR. It was for a Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt years ago. Do I actually have any interest in this science fiction novel? Not in the slightest. The premise is alright, but it certainly doesn’t capture my interest.

Verdict: Remove

Bitter Harvest by Ann Rule

One day, I’m going to read an Ann Rule novel. One day! But that novel probably won’t be this one. I already have The Stranger Beside Me on my TBR and I’m far more interested in that one. I think, until I decided whether I like her writing style, I’ll stick with one of her books on my TBR. I can always add this back if I end up loving her style!

Verdict: Remove

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This book sounds like it would be incredibly moving. It follows two Nigerians who leave their home country, one going to the USA and one heading to London. It follows their struggles and, then, their reunion years later. I feel like I would enjoy this one and I want to give it a chance.

Verdict: Keep

Continue reading “Down the TBR Hole #32” →
ARC Review: Oneyka and the Academy of the Sun by Tọlá Okogwu
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ARC Review: Oneyka and the Academy of the Sun by Tọlá Okogwu

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Title: Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

Author: Tọlá Okogwu

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Content/Trigger Warnings: Bullying, emesis, blood

Rating: ★★★★

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

Goodreads Synopsis

Black Panther meets X-Men in this action-packed and empowering middle grade adventure about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, The Marvellers, and Rick Riordan!

Onyeka has a lot of hair­—the kind that makes strangers stop in the street and her peers whisper behind her back. At least she has Cheyenne, her best friend, who couldn’t care less what other people think. Still, Onyeka has always felt insecure about her vibrant curls…until the day Cheyenne almost drowns and Onyeka’s hair takes on a life of its own, inexplicably pulling Cheyenne from the water.

At home, Onyeka’s mother tells her the shocking truth: Onyeka’s psycho-kinetic powers make her a Solari, one of a secret group of people with super powers unique to Nigeria. Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies…

Continue reading “ARC Review: Oneyka and the Academy of the Sun by Tọlá Okogwu” →