Blog Tour: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd6 Comments

Hello, reader!

I’m excited to bring you a review today as part of my stop for a book tour run by Turn the Page Tours! This tour is celebrating a book that I actually picked up in my recent Book of the Month club box. It sounded so fascinating, I couldn’t resist. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd is a mystery that is also a fantasy and it absolutely blew me away!

Before I get into the post, however, I want to send thanks to the Turn the Page Tours team and the publisher with providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my participation with this tour and an honest review. It is always appreciated! Also, if you’d like to check out the other bookish creators helping out with the tour, you can find the full schedule here. Make sure to check out my Instagram post, as well, for a giveaway!

Alright, let’s get to the post!

Book Details

Title: The Cartographers
Author: Peng Shepherd
Publication date: March 15th, 2022
Genre: Mystery/Fantasy
Age group: Adult
Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, violence, stalking, mental heath issues, obsession, cheating, fire, death, strained parent/child relationship

Book Links

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

Synopsis

What is the purpose of a map?

Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.

But why?

To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps…

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readathon

WomenInMyth-athon TBR

March 5, 2022March 4, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

What’s this? Another TBR? That’s right because, in March, I’ll be taking part in not one, but two readathons! The WomenInMythAThon is a readathon that speaks to my Greek mythology loving heart. It’s also put on by one of my favorite bookish people, Livy @ Shelves Of Starlight! There was no way I wasn’t going to give it a go. Check out her post to see all the rules and prompts for this fun readathon!

Now, if you read my Trope-ical Readathon TBR, you’ll probably noticed a lot of carryover from that one to this one. That’s because there ain’t no way I’m reading 12+ books this month! Maybe I took the entire month off from work I could make it happen. As it is, I’m going to try and make books I’m already planning on reading work for this readathon.

With all that said, let’s get to the TBR!

Athena – Read a book focused on academia.

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

So this doesn’t necessarily focus on academia. A big part of the story, however, is about a woman who is both witch and wizard delving into the world of the Unseen University… so I think that counts! It’s also short, so I could probably squeeze it in with all my other reads.

Aphrodite – Read a romance book.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

This romance about two roommates that share a bed but have never met is not only on my other readathon TBR, but it’s on my 12 friends, 12 recs TBR. So it makes the most sense to stick it on this one! That just makes it more likely that I’ll actually read it! I’m so excited to give it a try.

Artemis – Read a book with ace and/or are rep.

Bloody Spade by Brittany M. Willows

I received a copy of this book forever ago from the author for review and I’m embarrassed that I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. Life has certainly gotten in the way, but this seems like the perfect excuse to finally get to this one! I’ve heard great things about the novel and its rep, so I’m looking forward to diving in.

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5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Already Owned

March 3, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd7 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 a bit late in the week for 5 On My TBR, but I really wanted to join in on this week’s theme! Why? Because it’s all about books I already own that are still chilling on my TBR. Which is… a lot. Like, over 300 a lot 😬 I wanted to take this opportunity to not only shame myself into reading more of my own books (#BeatTheBacklog, Kerri!) but to talk about some books I really want to read, but don’t mention nearly enough on the blog.

So, without further ado, let’s get to the post!

#1. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

I’ve been meaning to start this series for what feels like forever now. I genuinely have enjoyed everything I’ve read by V.E. Schwab, so I can’t see why this would be different! Plus, it’s a dark look at superheroes which sounds right up my alley. Should I be starting a new series when I’m in the middle of so many series? Probably not, but when has that ever stopped me before 😂

#2. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

After reading Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, I instantly became interested in reading everything else she’s ever written. Loved that freakin’ book! On that note, I picked up An Enchantment of Ravens off of Book Outlet. And then I shoved it one my bookshelf and promptly forgot about it, haha. Ah well… it’s still something I would love to read and I’m sure I’ll get to it soon.

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blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn

February 28, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

Back at you again with a fresh new The Write Reads blog tour! It should be very obvious that I just can’t say no to Dave @ The Write Reads at this point 😂 Honestly, though, when I heard the premise of this story, I couldn’t help but sign up. Today, I’m featuring a book all about rebellious princesses and striving to be the person you want to be in a world that would tear you down for it. It’s an incredible YA fantasy called Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn!

I’m excited to participating in this unique blog tour as this post is a lead up to another I’ll be making later that highlights the fifth book in the Rosewood Chronicles, Princess Ever After. Having never read any of this series, but want to join in on the tour, I signed up to give this book a read and I’m very glad that I did! Before we get into my review, though, I want to thank all the crew at The Write Reads, the publisher, Penguin, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for my participation with this tour and an honest review. It is, as always, very much appreciated.

Alright, now let’s get to the tour stop post!

Book Details

Title: Undercover Princess
Author: Connie Glynn
Series: The Rosewood Chronicles #1
Publication date: November 2nd, 2017
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

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

Synopsis

When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life.

Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty – a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she’ll soon discover that reality doesn’t always have the happily ever after you’d expect…

A thrilling world of parties, politics and bad ass princesses, this is the first book in the brand new series THE ROSEWOOD CHRONICLES.

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blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: Blood of the Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward

February 27, 2022February 27, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd5 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today, I’m bringing you another blog tour hosted by The Write Reads! This one is for a sequel to an intriguing fantasy series that builds on the exciting world we encountered in the first book: Blood of the Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward! I was actually on the blog tour for the first book in this series, The Girl of Dorcha Wood. I enjoyed that one so much that I had to jump on board for book number two!

Before I get to my review, though, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads (and all the behind-the-scenes folks!) and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review and my participation in this tour. It is very much appreciated!

Alright, let’s dive in, shall we?

Book Details

Title: Blood of the Lost kingdom
Author: Kristin Ward
Publication date: August 3rd, 2021
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

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

Synopsis

Mysterious. Hidden. Sacred. Erabel is the beating heart of Dorcha Wood. And its heir has come home.

Fleeing the man who betrayed her, Fiadh returns to her beloved forest, into its heart, to discover her people. And herself. With the aid of Veren, an Aos Sí warrior, she explores her birthright, a world safeguarded from the corruption of mankind. There, she learns the history of a mighty race and the vastness of the power coursing through her blood.

But beyond Erabel’s boundaries, men are flocking, rallying to an evil lord who covets the strength flowing in Fiadh’s veins. They have their eyes fixed on the lost kingdom of the Aos Sí, and it’s only a matter of time before they breach those borders and come for Fiadh and all who protect her.

All around her, the world is closing in, as some plot in shadows, and others in the stark light of day.

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday #36

February 25, 2022February 24, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd6 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!

Welcome to another First Lines Friday post! I’m happy to have made it to the end of another week and even happier that I have the weekend off. I have a lot of reading to catch up on before the end of the month! It’s also time to start looking forward to my March reading and the various readathons I’m going to try to do. The book I’m featuring today is one of many that I’m hoping to get to next month.

Now, let’s see if the first few lines can get me excited to pick it up!

The Line(s):

“The dead boy’s face was as gray as a cloudy sky moments before a storm. His short black beard sculpted and whittled his cheeks down to a point. Thin lips glittered in the watery moonlight that managed to penetrate the canopy, brighter than the famed rubies of his home province.
But Vira knew it was blood that made them shine so enticingly.”

The Hints:

This YA fantasy was just released in January 2022.

It features four estranged royal siblings.

It is the first book in an Indian-inspired duology.

The Reveal:

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bbnya spotlight

BBNYA Finalist Spotlight: Beneath Cruel Fathoms by Anela Deen

February 24, 2022February 23, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd4 Comments

Hello, reader!

Today, I have another spotlight for one of the fantastic finalists of the Book Blogger Novel of the Year Awards (BBNYA)! This spotlight is for a fantasy novel that promises adventure, romance, and mermaids: Beneath Cruel Fathoms by Anela Deen! But, first, 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!!

I’m excited to bring you more details about one of the books that made it all the way to last round. So let’s jump right in!

Book Details

Title: Beneath Cruel Fathoms
Author: Anela Deen
Publication date: May 17th, 2019
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

Amazon::Goodreads

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Feb 23, 2022

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd8 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

Blood of the Lost Kingdom by Kristin Ward: I’m reading this for a blog tour run by The Write Reads. I read the first book in this series, The Girl of Dorcha Woods, for a Write Reads blog tour, as well. I enjoyed it so much that I jumped on the chance to be on the tour for the second book! So far, I’m loving this one just as much, if not a tad bit more than the first book. Perhaps because our main character, Fiadh, is really coming into her own. I can’t wait to see where it goes.
Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn: I’m reading this for another The Write Reads blog tour, haha. This one I quite literally just started (as in, I’m on page 5 or something like that), so I can’t really say if I’m liking it or not. The synopsis is promising me a world of politics and badass princesses, though, so I am ready to absolutely love it!

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5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Guardian

February 21, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

It’s time once again for another 5 On My TBR! This week’s theme had me scratching my head (and maybe being a bit creative…) as I was trying to find books that fit. That’s because the theme is guardians and I feel like that can be interpreted in so many ways! Which is just me saying, don’t judge me for my choices 😂

Anyways, let’s jump into the list!

#1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This one seemed like a good fit. Our protagonist, Nobody, is being raised in a graveyard by a bunch of ghosts. So the ghosts (and one entity that is somewhere in between) are his guardians, boom! Besides, I really want to pick up this book sooner than later. Every time I add it to one of these lists or mention it, I kick myself a little for not having read it yet. I’m a big Gaiman fan and I especially love his middle grade work, so this promises to be an excellent read!

#2. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Here’s another one I’m kicking myself for having not read yet! I even mentioned it recently in a blog post. But Fitz, our main character, is a bastard son of royalty who is taken into court to train to be an assassin. I have to assume he has some type of guardian! I also assume that the relationship is going to hurt me somehow. Why? Because every time I see someone talk about a Hobb book, there are tears involved…

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down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #25

February 20, 2022 kerrimcbooknerd2 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!

Another round of Down the TBR Hole has arrived and I have a confession to make. I may or may not have gone on a Goodreads giveaway spree. I don’t know why I enter them as I’m about 95% sure no one actually wins Goodreads giveaways. I mean, I’ve won in the past but I swear the algorithm has come to hate me because I haven’t won in years!

Still, my entering spree is what I’m blaming for the fact that my TBR jumped from 728 books to 739 books 😬 There were so many good books that I could, potentially, win! Let’s see if I can trim some older books I’m less interested in to make up for it.

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

We all know this is staying! Not only do I own the book, but I adored the first one in this duology, Strange the Dreamer. I don’t know what the disconnect is in my brain when I devour the first book in a series, immediately buy the second… and then never read it. Send help, please.

Verdict: Keep

The Collector by John Fowles

Complete side note, but this cover makes it seem like this book is written by someone named Vintage Fowles 😂 Anyways, this classic horror about a man who kidnaps an art student and keeps her in his basement sounds… kind of dull, if I’m being honest. Nothing about the synopsis captures my attention, so I think I’m gonna let this one go.

Verdict: Remove

Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple

I added this book because I really enjoyed Where’d You Go, Bernadette by the same author. Having read the synopsis again and a few reviews, though, I don’t think this book and I will get along. I’m not a huge contemporary reader, anyways, so realistically, this would be at the very bottom of books I would reach for if I needed something to read.

Verdict: Remove

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