Tag: historical fiction

WWW Wednesday: Jul 27, 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

  • Jade City by Fonda Lee: I’m not too far into this book but it certainly starts off with a bang! I also kind of already love Hilo and this seems like a bad choice to make? I dunno, there’s something about that hot-headed idiot that entices. The entire Kaul family are an interesting bunch and I can’t wait to learn more about them. I’m loving the writing, as well! So… so far, so good.
  • Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett: I’m finally continuing on reading the Discworld books! I’m glad that you can kind of pick these books up at your own place and easily fall back into the story. And I had forgotten how much I enjoy Sir Pratchett’s writing! I love the humor and the wit. The fact that this story centers around a girl who is determined to become the world’s first female wizard is certainly making this an interesting read. Esk is such a great character and I can’t wait to watch her kick the patriarchy’s butt.
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WWW Wednesday: Jul 20, 2022

kerrimcbooknerd5 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:

  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

  • Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Not gonna lie, I only picked this book because it’s a book of the month pick for one of my Goodreads groups. Nothing about the synopsis really appealed to me because it sounded like it was just going to be a story of rich people making terrible decisions. Which… it kind of is, but it’s more so a story about family and familial bonds. And I’m kind of loving it!
  • Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert: I started this book yesterday and stayed up way too late because I did not want to stop! I loved the other books in the Brown Sisters series, but this book? This book is top-tier, chef’s kiss, cannot be beat. Eve and Jacob? Jacob and Eve?! I adore them so much and I want nothing but wonderful things for these precious beans. I’m currently deep enough into the book that I am dreading the probable third act breakup because why can’t they just be happy?! I mean… I know they will be in the end, but why can’t they be noooow 😭
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First Lines Friday #53

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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 (I cheat a little bit here *cough*)
  • Finally… reveal the book!

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

Hello, reader!

Happy First Lines Friday! This has been quite the week and I’m working this weekend, but I’m still happy to be chilling at home on this Friday. As I chill, I’ll be picking up a fairly popular book that was picked as a book of the month for one of my Goodreads groups! I’m honestly not sure how I’m going to feel about this one… I’ve loved previous books from this author, but the synopsis doesn’t have me sold.

Let’s see if the first few lines can make me excited to pick this up!

The Line(s):

“Malibu catches fire.

It is simply what Malibu does from time to time.

Tornadoes take the flatlands of the Midwest. Floods rise in the American South. Hurricanes rage against the Gulf of Mexico.

And California burns.”

The Hints:

This is an historical fiction by a pretty popular author.

The story in the more current timeline takes place all in one day.

And it has characters that you can find in the author’s other books.

The Reveal:

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Down the TBR Hole #33

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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

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The Count To 10 With Me Book Tag

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Hello, reader!

It’s Thursday which means it feels like a good time for a book tag! I was tagged by the lovely Danni @_ForBooksSake to do the Count To 10 With Me book tag. It looked like so much fun there was no way I wasn’t going to do it! So, of course, I want to thank Danni for tagging me ❤ This tag was created by The Bumbling Blogger’s partner on YouTube, so thank you to them, as well!

Now, let’s get to the post.

First Book In A Series

I feel like it’s been awhile since I’ve talked about Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko. It probably hasn’t been, but this is the first book that popped in my head! This is the first book in an incredible YA fantasy duology that has become an all-time favorite. The first book is definitely my favorite of the two. It’s immersive, engaging, and I found it very hard to put it down. I’ve re-read it so many times in the past two years which is a big deal for someone like me! I adore this book so much.

Two Or More Copies Of The Same Book

Welp, can’t use Raybearer again 😂 I’m gonna go with the book I have the second most copies of: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! This is also an incredible book and an all-time favorite. That’s why I couldn’t resist when Illumicrate announced their 10th anniversary edition! It’s absolutely stunning and I’m still trying to find an appropriate place to display its majesty.

Three Colors On The Cover

I just picked a random one for this, but I do love how colorful the covers for the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman are. I recently finished volume two, which is why it’s the one I picked, but they are all beautiful! Also, I adore Nick and Charlie and look at how happy they are, I can’t 😭 This is such a beautiful series that always has me in my feelings when I read it. I really need to watch the Netflix show now, I’ve been hearing such great things about it!

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Down the TBR Hole #29

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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!

It’s been a bit since I’ve done a Down the TBR Hole round. Time to climb back on that horse! It’s, apparently, also been awhile since I’ve added a book to my TBR because I ended last round with 725 books on my Want to Read shelf and I’ll be starting with the same amount! I would like to say that I’ve exhibited restraint. But I would be lying 😂 I’ve definitely added books, but I’ve also been reading backlist books off my TBR lately. I count that as a win!

Alright, let’s continue the TBR cleanout and get into round 29.

My Sister’s Bones by Nuala Ellwood

This is a psychology thriller featuring a war journalist that is haunted by her experiences. When she moves back home, she’s also haunted by what she suspects might be happening in her neighbor’s house. This sounds like it has potential… but reading the synopsis left me feeling rather ‘meh’. I think this one has to go.

Verdict: Remove

The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham

We have another thriller here and this one definitely sounds like it could get my heart racing. Only problem? It involves two pregnant women. Miscarriage is one of my few triggers, so a thriller + pregnant women? Imma pass. Even if it never happens, the anxiety that it might would haunt me throughout the book. No thanks.

Verdict: Remove

Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl

I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, but some of my favorite books in the genre are travel non-fiction. I like to live vicariously through wealthier people who can afford to go to places I dream of visiting 😂 This book is less about a dream location, but it still sounds fascinating. It’s about this man and his crew’s journey sailing the Pacific on a balsa log raft. I’m definitely intrigued!

Verdict: Keep

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Down the TBR Hole #28

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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WomenInMyth-athon TBR

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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WWW Wednesday: Feb 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:

  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

  • 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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Down the TBR Hole #25

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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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