Top 5 Tuesday: Books On Books

March 29, 2022 kerrimcbooknerdLeave a comment

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!

After quite the break, I’m doing another Top 5 Tuesday! I’m bad at scavenger hunts, so I’ve kinda been avoiding the March topics, heh. But today’s hunt is an easy one… I had to find books with books on them! Which, as someone who loves to read books about books, was pretty simple. That’s not to say that all the books I picked have bookish themes. Just four out of the five 😂

Alright, let’s dive into the post, shall we?

#1. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Starting off with an incredible story that was one of my first “book about books” read. I loved this tale about an elusive author who hires a young writer to write her biography. It’s an eerie and intriguing story that had me hooked from the beginning. Just talking about it now kind of makes me want to read it again! But, first, there are other Setterfield novels I would love to pick up.

#2. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

This is one book on this list that isn’t explicitly a book about a book or one with bookish themes. I’ve heard it’s supposed to be a loose fairytale retelling, though I couldn’t tell you which one off the top of my head, so there’s that. And, if you squint, you can see a teeny, tiny book on the right side, lol. Either way, I really enjoyed this story and I found myself completely enthralled with the world.

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5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Published Before 2000

March 28, 2022 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 once again Monday and that means it’s time for another 5 On My TBR! This week’s topic had me struggling, I’m not gonna lie. I had to find five books on my TBR that were published before 2000! It’s not that I don’t have books on my TBR that were published that long ago. It’s just that most of the ones I could think of off the top of my head (Assassin’s Apprentice, Les Misérables) are books I’ve talked about over and over again on this blog. So I decided to root around for some older books that I don’t talk about nearly as much!

After a lot of combing through my TBR, I’ve found five that I really want to bump up my TBR pile.

#1. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

This is one of those books that just sounds like it’s going to be quite the experience. It’s a glimpse into the mind of a psychopath going about his life. If the movie is any indication, it won’t shy away from some gruesome stuff. I’m excited to give it a try and see if I get on with the writing and the story. From the reviews I’ve glanced through, it is either going to be a hit or a huge miss, lol.

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

I honestly don’t remember what compelled me to add this to my TBR. But, having re-read the synopsis, I have to admit that I’m intrigued. A man that waits literally decades to re-confess his love to a woman? Sounds like it could either be real sweet or super creepy (leaning towards creepy… does that make me jaded?). Either way, I’m interested enough to read the book and find out for myself!

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down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #28

March 27, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd4 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!

You’ll be proud of me. For the first time in the history of my Down the TBR Hole posts (I think), the number of books on my Goodreads Want to Read shelf has gone down instead of up! My end total last round was 730 books and I’m currently sitting at 729 books. Yeah, I know, it’s only one book, but I’m gonna take it 😂

We all know this is subject to change at any moment, especially if I spend any amount of time on book Twitter, so let’s see if I can trim a few books I’m no longer interested in to make room for new ones!

Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan

Okay, this book sounds like it could be dramatic and intriguing. It’s a generational family drama following two Irish sisters as they move to the United States in the 1950s. It has incredible reviews. And, yet, I am completely uninterested in reading this. Perhaps it will make its way back at some other time? But, for now…

Verdict: Remove

Gwendy’s Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

This has a lot going for it. It’s a short collection of short stories that sounds like it would be chilling. I typically enjoy Stephen King’s writing. But it also sounds like it may be connected to some of his previous work that I haven’t yet read. I have so many Stephen King books on my TBR. I think I can sacrifice this one.

Verdict: Remove

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

I will fully admit that I added this book because I liked the cover. Until today, I had no earthly clue what this book was actually about. Having read the synopsis, though, this sounds right up my alley! A thriller involving an author and his editor? In which the author’s latest novel might not be entirely fictional? Sign me up!

Verdict: Keep

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Mar 23, 2022

March 23, 2022March 22, 2022 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:

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

Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid: Yup, I’m still reading this non-fiction. Don’t worry, though… I’m not taking awhile with this one because I don’t like it. On the contrary, I’m finding it fascinating! Heartbreaking, yet fascinating. And I think that’s why I’m taking my time with it. I want to absorb all the information this book has to offer on the struggles First Nations women and girls have to deal with simply because of who they are. It’s a topic I know only a little about and I want to expand my knowledge. This book does it in a way that is both respectful to the victims and doesn’t feel like I’m sitting in a lecture. I’m really enjoying it, so far.
Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega: I finally started one of my most anticipated reads of the year and, so far, it’s just as magical as I was imagining! I’m only a few pages in, but there’s already a toad named Edgar Allan Toad and Seven is utterly endearing. I can’t wait to continue!

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5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Duologies I Need To Finish

March 21, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

Happy Monday to you all! Today is a very special 5 On My TBR. Why? Because it’s the 2 year anniversary of this wonderful, bookish meme! The theme this week is a freebie, so, to celebrate a whole 2 years of 5 On My TBR, I figured I would talk about some duologies that I need to finish. Not to say that there are only five still on my TBR buuuuut we’ll not talk about that 😂

Alright, let’s get to the list!

#1. A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown

This is one of the newer duologies on my TBR and one I’m very eager to continue. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin was one of my favorite reads last year! It has a tense plot that is built around a gorgeous world and fantastic characters. Karina and Malik are fascinating to watch as they navigate all the dangers throughout this story. And I need to know whether or not they’re gonna be okay! Also, the covers are just incredible 😍

#2. Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

Here’s another sequel that I’m eager to read and just keep putting off, heh. I had such a great time reading Spin the Dawn! It’s an engaging read that pulls you into the fantasy world that Elizabeth Lim has created. I loved the quest, the contest, and all the intriguing aspects of the story. So I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to pick this one up! I feel like Unravel the Dusk is going to be just as good as the first one, so I really need to prioritize picking it up.

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book reviews

Mini Reviews: Recent Reads Edition

March 20, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

Because of who I am as a person, I am, once again, behind on reviews. I thought I’d take a moment to catch up with another edition of my mini reviews! This time, I’m focusing on three recent reads that I still need to put thought to paper (or keyboard) for since finishing them. These books are an eclectic mix, so there might be a little something for everyone here, haha.

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

Title: Nothing But Blackened Teeth

Author: Cassandra Khaw

Publisher: Tor Nightfire

Genre: Horror

CW/TW: For a list of content and trigger warnings, please check out BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★

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

Well, this was certainly… a book. With words. Lots of five dollar words that seemed a tad bit unnecessary, if I’m honest.

At the heart of this story is a ghostly tale of love and betrayal. Unfortunately, the ghost story is not the focus of this novel. I say “unfortunately” because the ghost/ghost story was the best part about this book! The focus, however, is on a bunch of the most unlikeable characters I’ve come across in awhile. I’m not saying I can’t enjoy a book that has unlikeable characters, but these characters came across as caricatures of their unlikeable traits. They all fell incredibly flat for me which, when the whole book is centered around them, didn’t make for an enjoyable experience.

However, where this book shined was in the atmospheric writing and the beautifully creepy ghostly elements. There are some gruesome scenes in this book that fix themselves in your mind as you’re reading with the way they are written. Definitely check trigger warnings before getting into this one! This author has an incredible talent for building tension and setting the tone of a horror novel. As I mentioned, if we had more of that and less a bunch of horrible people being horrible to each other, I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more.

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA Finalist Blog Tour: Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn

March 18, 2022March 17, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

I’ve got yet another blog tour for you today, this one featuring one of the 10 finalists from last year’s Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)! I got to read Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn as a 2021 panelist and absolutely fell in love with the book! Finding new favorites is one of the many reasons I love being a BBNYA panelist. This diverse fantasy was fast-paced, spell-binding, and so much fun. But, before I get into my tour stop, let me tell you more about BBNYA.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where Book Bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website www.bbnya.com or twitter @bbnya_official.

The sign-ups will soon be open for the 2022 BBNYA competition, be it for authors to enter their books, or for bloggers wanting to be part of the new panel, so keep your eyes peeled!!

As a note, I received this book to read and review as part of the 2021 BBNYA tours organised by the TWR Tour team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. Now, let’s get into the post!

Book Details

Title: Our Bloody Pearl
Author: D.N. Bryn
Publication date: July 26th, 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Age group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

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

Synopsis

The ocean is uncontrollable and dangerous. But to the sirens who swim the warm island waters, it’s a home more than worth protecting from the humans and their steam-propelled ships. Between their hypnotic voices and the strength of their powerful tails, sirens have little to fear.

That is, until the ruthless pirate captain, Kian, creates a device to cancel out their songs.

Perle was the first siren captured, and while all since have either been sold or killed, Kian still keeps them prisoner. Though their song is muted and their tail paralyzed, Perle’s hope for escape rekindles as another pirating vessel seizes Kian’s ship. This new captain seems different, with his brilliant smile and his promises that Kian will never again be Perle’s master. But he’s still a human, and a captor in his own way. The compassion he and his rag-tag human family show can’t be sincere… or can it?

Soon it becomes clear that Kian will hunt Perle relentlessly, taking down any siren in her path. As the tides turn, Perle must decide whether to run from Kian forever, or ride the forming wave into battle, hoping their newfound human companions will fight with them.

This adult fantasy novel featuring an nonbinary disabled protagonist is a voyage of laughter and danger where friendships and love abound and sirens are sure to steal—or eat—your heart.

Trigger warnings: mild gore due to carnivorous sirens and sensations of drowning.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Mar 16, 2022

March 16, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd7 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

Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid: I’ve just started this non-fiction about missing and murdered Indigenous women, so I don’t have a true feeling for how I’m liking it. So far, I’m liking the tone of the story. It doesn’t read like a textbook, which is something I’m always worried about when going into a non-fiction book! As predicted, I’m already angry about the injustices that have been highlighted so far. Initial thoughts? I’m going to love this and also want to fight people after reading it.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi: I have read a page of this so I truly have no thoughts yet. I’m picking it up for the various readathons I’m participating in this week/month! It’s been on my TBR for what feels like forever and I’m excited to finally give this heist story a shot!

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blog tour · book reviews

BBNYA Finalist Blog Tour: Odriel’s Heirs by Hayley Reese Chow

March 10, 2022March 9, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd3 Comments

Hello, reader!

I’ve got yet another blog tour for you today, this one featuring one of the 10 finalists from last year’s Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)! This YA fantasy is a quick, exciting read that had me completely wrapped in the story. It’s easy to see why Odriel’s Heirs by Hayley Reese Chow made it to the finals! But, first, let me tell you more about BBNYA.

The sign-ups will soon be open for the 2022 BBNYA competition, be it for authors to enter their books, or for bloggers wanting to be part of the new panel, so keep your eyes peeled!!

As a note, I received this book to read and review as part of the 2021 BBNYA tours organised by the TWR Tour team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. Now, let’s get into the post!

Book Details

Title: Odriel’s Heirs
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Publication date: March 1st, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Age group: Young Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

Synopsis

The brave, burning with fire, harnessed the Dragon’s Rage….

As the Dragon Heir, seventeen-year-old Kaia inherited the power of flame to protect her homeland from a godlike necromancer’s undead army. But after centuries of peace, the necromancer has faded to myth, and the Dragon Heir is feared by the people. Persecuted and cast out, Kaia struggles to embrace and control her seemingly useless gift while confined to her family’s farm.

But when the necromancer’s undead terrorize the land once again, Kaia runs away to join the battle.

With the help of her childhood rival, the handsome Shadow Heir, and a snarky, cursed cat, Kaia must figure out how to control both her fire and her confidence in time to save Okarria. If she fails, she will sacrifice her family, her new friends, and the enchanting world she has only just begun to see.

And time is running out.

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blog tour · book spotlight

Blog Tour Spotlight: Princess Ever After by Connie Glynn

March 9, 2022March 8, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

Remember my review last week for Undercover Princess? And how I said there would be more Rosewood Chronicles content coming soon? Well, here it is! Today, I have a spotlight for the fifth and last book in this YA fantasy series, Princess Ever After by Connie Glynn! Now, after loving the first book so much, I knew I was going to want to continue with the series. I also knew that there was no way I was going to read three other books before it was time for me to post this, so I opted for a spotlight instead. If you haven’t read any of the Rosewood Chronicles series, I would suggest checking out my earlier review instead.

Of course, I want to thank The Write Reads team and the publisher, Penguin, for giving me a spot on this tour. I always appreciate it!

Now, let’s get to the spotlight 👑