5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Beach Reads


#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunterโ€™s Nook where you chose five books from your to-be-read pile that fit that weekโ€™s theme. If youโ€™d like more info, head over to the announcement post!


Hello, reader!

My slow return to blogging life continues! I’m really trying to come up with a schedule for myself because I have lost the groove and it’s taking me a minute to get back into it ๐Ÿ˜… I figure if I have some kind of schedule, that will kick my overachiever gene into drive and compel me to actually sit down and write. Today begins that schedule which is great for me because it’s a 5 On My TBR day! The theme for this week is beach reads, a very fitting topic as we settle in summer. A beach read can honestly be anything you read while chilling on a beach, but when I hear the term, I always think of thrillers and romances. I’ve dug through my ever-expanding TBR and found five in particular that are calling to me this summer.

Now let me share them with you!


#1. A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

First of all, can we talk about how much I love this cover?? The colors! The font! The everything! I also happen to love this authors’ works, so I’m eager to pick up her new romance. The fact that it’s about a woman that finds herself lost in the literal town from her favorite romance series makes me want to read it even more! I love a book about books or with bookish themes, so this is really set up to be an absolute winner for me.


#2. Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

I quite literally own every single book that Riley Sager has written. Guess how many I’ve read? One ๐Ÿ˜… Look, the hype got me when it comes to this author’s books! I will say, though, I did enjoy the one book of his that I did read, so I see no reason to end my Sager collection, haha. This book deals with a man going back to his childhood home, where his best friend went missing when they were only ten. Of course, now strange things are happening that may be related to that long ago disappearance.

Continue reading “#5OnMyTBR – Beach Reads”
monthly tbr · readathon

Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2024 TBR


Hello, reader!

It’s time once again to go back to Orilium in one of my favorite readathons of the year! Having just completed my other favorite readathon last month (shout out to Trope-ical Readathon!), I feel myself being solidly back on my reading grind and it feels gooood. So I’m going into the Orilium Spring Equinox feeling refreshed and with high hopes!

But what is the Magical Readathon? It is the brain child of the marvelous G @ Book Roast, who created the world of Aeldia, where Orilium dwells, and every aspect therein. It’s an incredibly creative readathon where you build a character, choose a guild, and guide your character through classes to achieve their calling. I am notoriously bad at giving all the details in a coherent way, so you should definitely watch G’s announcement video for the scoop:


My Character

โœจโœจโœจ Name: Korrin Musgrave โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Guild: The Order of the Crescent Moon โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Current Guild Standing: Exalted (390 gp)โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Conduit: Quarterstaff โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Legacy: Wolf familiar (Venandi) โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Background: Wildling โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Province: Irtheria โœจโœจโœจ
โœจโœจโœจ Heritage: Earthling (earth element) โœจโœจโœจ

If you want to learn more about these various choices, you can check out the Brief History of Aeldia on the Google drive. It’s awesome what G has dreamed up!

Continue reading “Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox 2024 TBR”
5 on my tbr

#5OnMyTBR – Happy 4 Years Freebie!


#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunterโ€™s Nook where you chose five books from your to-be-read pile that fit that weekโ€™s theme. If youโ€™d like more info, head over to the announcement post!


Hello, reader!

As I ease my way back into blogging, I’m trying to jump back into some of the bookish memes that I always enjoyed. One of the big ones was 5 On My TBR and it’s kind of fortuitous that I decided to do it today because it’s the 4 year anniversary! I can’t believe that this meme has been around for four years! It’s always been a ton of fun to do and I’m excited to jump back in. Since this is a freebie, I’ve decided to celebrate by sharing five 2024 new releases that I’m desperate to read this year. It’s got a 4 in it, so I figure it works, haha.

Now let me share them with you.


#1. Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White by Amรฉlie Wen Zhao

When I read the first book in this series, Song of Silver, Flame Llike Night, I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. The synopsis was intriguing but I mostly read it because it came in an Illumicrate box and it fit a prompt for a readathon, haha. So I was pleasantly surprised that the first book completely sucked me in! Now, of course, I am more than eager to read this sequel. So much so that I got the Illumicrate edition, as well! Gotta have a matching set, ya know?


#2. Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

I’ve been hearing so much about Lore of the Wilds since sometime last year. I wasn’t reading much at the end of the year, so this remained on my periphery. Now that I’m actively reading again, this has firmly planted itself in my radar. I mean… Black faeries? And enchanted library? This sounds like something that I would absolutely adore! I’m hoping my library will have this soon so I can give it a read and let y’all know my feelings.

Continue reading “#5OnMyTBR – Happy 4 Years Freebie!”
bookmark chat

Bookmark Chat: Guess Who’s Back…

Back Again…

Hellllllo reader!

I know, it has been a minute since you’ve seen a post from yours truly. What happened? Where did I go? How could I leave y’all with nary a peep?

Short answer? Stress is a bitch.

Long answer? I recently (as in last July) became not only the Microbiology supervisor at my job, but the team lead AND, since the end of December, the Molecular supervisor. My days at work have been long, difficult, and have consumed all the mental energy I have to give and, not gonna lie, that’s not much on a good day. This first affected my posting schedule here and then affected my reading. Before the beginning of the year, I hadn’t picked up and completed a book since September. So not only was I stressed at work, but I was feeling kinda miserable for not reading at all. Like I was failing at my favorite hobby.

Which, I know, is such a silly thing to think, but my brain is not always the kindest.

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been easing myself back, trying my best to be kind to myself in regards to my reading. I read a whole book in January! And three in February! Baby steps, ya know, but I’m finding the joy in reading again. I’ve also been reading books that I already own and finding I have damn good taste. I haven’t given anything I’ve read this year, so far, less than a four star rating. There’s something to be said for reading books you personally picked out for yourself instead of books you perceive you have to read. I think that was part of my issue; my reading had started to feel like a chore instead of what it really is. Something I love to do, my escape from the world, and part of what makes me… me.

They’ve also FINALLY hired more staff so I’m not doing three jobs at once and I could cry from happiness ๐Ÿ˜ญ

Kerri’s Back…

So what does that mean for the blog?

Well, my husband I are were talking about just yesterday and I said “Maybe I’ll start back with the blog next year.” The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized how much I missed my little bookish corner of the internet. I missed my site, I missed rambling about books, and I missed the community. That’s one thing I never stopped doing, visiting bookish blogs that I enjoy, though I have been terrible about promoting and boosting, I fully acknowledge that. I missed being a part of that and why wait til 2025 to get back into it when I’m finally feeling the fog lift?

That being said, I’m coming back! At the moment, I’m hoping to do at least a couple of posts a week. I’m trying not to push myself too hard as I jump back into blogging. I’m mostly avoiding commitments that have might bring back that feeling of reading as a chore, like blog tours, BBNYA (though I’m hoping to jump back in next year), and any new Netgalley reviews. I have enough of those to catch up with as it is, heh. I’ve signed up for exactly one (1) blog tour so far in 2024 and I think that was my biggest sign that I’m in a good space to come back.

I also gave the blog a little bit of a new look and that’s making me feel better already, haha.

Tell A Friend!

What kind of posts can you expect now that I’m dipping my toes back in? Beyond sporadic?

Welp, I’m going to be focusing on book reviews at the moment. I have a lot of Netgalley e-ARCs that I’ve read and never reviewed. Which is typically not the problem I have when it comes to Netgalley ๐Ÿ˜‚ Those will be the majority of my posts going forward until I’m caught up.

I do love a good #TopTenTueday or #WWWednesday post, though, so those might start sneaking in every now and then. They’re fun and quick and easier to do when my brain feels a little fried!

I’d also like to keep these more chatty posts around, so expect more of these Bookmark Chats!

And, from, there… who knows! All I know is that I’m excited to be back โค๏ธ

book tag

Meet the Book Blogger Take Two

Hello, reader!

Today felt like a good day for a book tag, so I thought I’d bring you the Meet the Blogger Book Tag version 2.0! I did this tag awhile back, but the questions were completely different. So now I’m gonna do this new version because it looks like fun and I was tagged by the wonderful Danni @ _ForBooksSake! You should definitely check out her blog if you’re looking for that good, bookish content and especially if you like a good thriller. Danni knows her stuff ๐Ÿ˜Š

Alright, let’s get to the post!


The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who tagged you (Thank you, Danni!)
  • Mention the creator Lauren @ย Lalaโ€™s Book Reviews
  • Tag as many (or as few) people as youโ€™d like
  • Have fun and get to know one another!

Introduction:

Introduce yourself!

Hello again, reader! I’m Kerri and I wear a lot of hats outside of the blogging world. I work as a medical laboratory scientist in microbiology and molecular which is both a lot of fun and a lot of work. I’m a mom to a 15 year old and an 8 year old which certainly keeps life interesting. I’ve been married to my husband for almost nine years (the mind, it boggles!) and I can’t imagine life without my weird, loving family.

Something most everyone wants to knowโ€ฆdo you have any pets?

Of course! We have three cats; Felicia (our void kitty), Nelson (our grey boi), and Marmalade (our smooth-brained orange laddie). Our most recent addition is our pup-pup, Aspen, who is very much a mutt, but mostly lab… we think.

What is your favourite thing to drink?

I suppose my go-to beverage is boring, ol’ water because the military drilled the importance of staying hydrated into me. My favorite “treat yo self” beverage has to be hot chocolate! Preferably french vanilla hot chocolate ๐Ÿ˜‹

What is your favourite season?

Spring and Summer! Basically whenever it’s warm because I live in New England and I hate being cold, lol. I also love when the plants and animals start to bloom/re-emerge after Winter. And I hate Winter so much I’m happy to see its backside. Winter is the WORST.

Do you have any special talents?

Err… not really? I do have a good singing voice and was in an All-State choir you had to be specially picked for when I was in fifth grade. I miss being in choir, honestly, which is probably why I randomly sing all. the. time. Seriously, you follow me around for a couple minutes and you’ll probably hear me sing ๐Ÿ˜‚

Blogging:

When and why did you start your blog?

I wrote my first post in August of 2019, but I didn’t truly start blogging until around November of that year. Something like that! It took me a moment to gather my courage to actually start blogging for real. As for the why, I wanted some place where I could completely geek out about books and be among similarly minded people. Reading has always been my preferred hobby, but I really didn’t have anyone to talk to about it at length like I wanted to. Thus my blog came into being!

What is something that you wish you knew about blogging when you first started?

That, no matter how much I want to, I cannot do ALL the blog tours/review requests! When I first started, I tried to sign up for every, little tour I could and I tried to accommodate every review request that came my way. And I burned myself out super fast. I had to pull back within a few months because this thing I had created for fun was starting to feel like a chore. I certainly didn’t want that! There are still moments when I overbook (haaaaaaaa!) myself, but I’ve gotten better at keeping a good balance.

What has been the hardest part about blogging?

For sure making myself a blogging schedule and sticking to it. I still don’t have a schedule I’m happy with, though I am pretty proud of the fact that I have posted at least once a day since the beginning of 2022. That’s the goal, but I want to get to the point where I also have a day dedicated to blogging where I can write my posts for the week and schedule them. That way I don’t feel so stressed out during the week when I have work and chores and tons of other stuff to worry about. I will get there one day!

What has been the most rewarding part of blogging?

Oh definitely the friends I’ve made and the bookish community! This is absolutely my favorite corner of the internet and I’ve met some of the best people because of my blog. I’m so glad to have these awesome folks in my life.

Do you write your posts ahead of time or write them the day of posting?

Heh, I was just talking about this ๐Ÿ˜… I try to write my posts ahead of the day that I want them to go up. Mostly because I’m usually pretty tired after getting home from work and it can take extra motivation to sit and write. That doesn’t always happen, though, so there are plenty of times I write posts the same day I post them. I’m hoping to get to a place where I can consistently schedule posts! Perhaps when life in general is less chaotic.

Reading:

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Oof, this is a tough one. Umm… this is subject to change and in no particular order, but we’ll go with:

  • Jordan Ifueko
  • Margaret Owen
  • Erin Morgenstern
  • Angie Thomas
  • V.E. Schwab

What genre do you read the most?

Most definitely fantasy! Fantasy will always be my first and one true love โค

What genre surprised youย by how much you love it?

Probably romance. I mean, I didn’t think I was going t absolutely hate romance, but I’m surprised at how much I’ve loved the ones I picked up so far. I should have explored this genre ages ago!

Which popular book didnโ€™t live up to the hype for you?

Sigh… the answer right now has to be Witches Steeped in Gold. It pains me to say it, but I had a hard time getting into that one, so much so that I still haven’t finished it! I’ve heard it picks up later on in the book, but I just couldn’t motivate myself to continue. I’m hoping to pick it back up soon and re-attempt finishing it. Perhaps I’ll love it once I’ve actually read it.

Who are some popular authors you havenโ€™t read?

There are tons, haha. I think the big two are Sarah J. Maas and Cassandra Clare. I do want to try a book by SJM but I honestly have no interest in the Shadowhunter books.

What upcoming release are you excited to read?

I can barely contain my excitement for R.F. Kuang’s newest novel, Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution. And it’s not simply because I’m love with that long ass title ๐Ÿ˜‚ This sounds like the dark academia book of my dreams! I may have pre-ordered the shiny Waterstones edition as soon as the author posted about it because I couldn’t resist! I can’t wait to have this book in my hands.

Do you listen to music while reading?

Usually, no, but I can listen to music while reading. I do sometimes enjoy the experience of it, as well. It can’t have words, though. If it’s music that I can sing along to, I’m gonna start singing and then my book will be forgotten, haha. I’ve been known to put on a lo-fi channel and just vibe and read, though.

Where else can we find you online?


Tagging:

Uncategorized

Book Blogger Hop: Jan 17 – 23

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created byย Crazy-For-Booksย and is currently being hosted byย 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 Question

Image by Coffee Addicted Writer
Continue reading “Book Blogger Hop: Jan 17 – 23”
Uncategorized

WWW Wednesday: Nov 27, 2019

Itโ€™s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted byย Taking on a World of Wordsย where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. What do you think youโ€™ll read next?

Current Reads

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

So, I think I’m abandoning The Bone Ships, for now because I just… can’t with that book at the moment. I’ve decided to move on to another Netgalley book dealing with dragons and, so far, it is WAY better! I’m already hooked and I’ve just started! Hopefully this will get me out of my reading funk. And, bonus, I’ll check one more book off my Netgalley backlist.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

My library hold came in for the audiobook of Cinder. I’ve been wanting to check out this series for a long time, but it was always passed over for other books. I figured getting the audiobook from the library would be a good way to finally start reading the Lunar Chronicles. And then I’ll know if I want to continue!

Recently Finished

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I tore through this book and discovered that I am as much a fan of YA thrillers as adult ones! This kept me guessing until the very end!

What’s Next

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

This one got bumped up the list because on of my Goodreads groups chose this as the adult BOM and the group read starts December 2nd. So it’s time to dive into this dark and twisty tale! Not that I’m complaining.

I do still plan to start The Starless Sea and The Deep, but they will probably be read later in the month. And then, maybe… I’ll give The Bone Ships another shot. We shall see.

Anyways, have y’all read any of these books? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!

And, as always, happy reading!

Uncategorized

End of the Year Book Tag 2019

While I was at work today, I realized that December is literally next week! I’m honestly shocked that this year (and this decade!) is almost over. It was a busy year so that probably contributed to the fact that it feels like everything flew by.

It’s been a busy reading year for me, too. That was a big change for me after a year where I barely read two books. I’m currently sitting at 70 books on my Goodreads Reading Challenge, which blows my goal of 50 out of the water! It’s been a great reading year, y’all, but it’s not quite over. It’s time to look at what I’ll be doing for the last month of this decade.

I was tagged by the lovely Nikki @The Night is Dark and Full of Books! Thank you so much for the tag! Y’all should check her out because her blog is fantastic. This was originally created by Ariel @ArielBisset.

On to the questions!
Uncategorized

WWW Wednesday: Nov 20th, 2019

We have hit the middle of the week, y’all! That means 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?

Current Reads

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

I just started this one yesterday and I’m already almost done. So… yeah. Pretty good so far!

The Bone Ships by RJ Baker

Still working my way through this one. I started over (since I didn’t get very far when I first tried to read it) and it’s definitely interesting! I don’t know what’s stopping me from really getting into this.

Honorable mention to The Count of Monte Cristo which I promise to finish… one day…

Recently Finished

Warrior of the Altaii by Robert Jordan

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Finished up this manly man’s man book of manliness. Seriously, this book was dripping with testosterone and it was… a bit much. Still, a pretty solid story, especially considering it’s the first one he ever wrote.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This was incredibly creepy and twisted and I loved it. There were some bits that were a little overboard, imo, but I still think it was a great sequel.

What’s Next

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I both reaaaaaally want to pick this up and am dreading picking it up. This is my most anticipated read for 2019! I want to savor it. And what if I hate it?! I’m skurred…

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

One of my Netgalley backlog books. Also, Daveed Diggs is involved and I am intrigued!

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

Another of my Netgalley backlogs! I saw dragons and I needed it. I’ve heard good things about it, so I’m excited to finally get to it.

Have you read any of these? Any thoughts on which of my three upcoming books I should pick up first? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!

Uncategorized

WWW Wednesday

My first WWW Wednesday! This is a tag, hosted by Taking on a World of Words, in which all you have to do is answer three questions. I discovered this through The Bibliophagist’s blog and it sounded like fun. So let’s dive in!

What are you currently reading?

The Count of Monte Cristo

In an effort to read more classics, I’ve been listening to a bunch on audiobook. I’ve been listening to this one for what seems like forever, heh. It’s just so long and I keep getting distracted by other books I’d much rather be reading! That being said, it’s pretty entertaining once I get into it.

Continue reading “WWW Wednesday”