Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 10

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Darkly!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released.

Darkly by Marisha Pessl

Young Adult, Horror/Thriller, Standalone

eBook, Hardcover, 416 Pages

November 26, 2024 by Delacorte Press

Blurb:

A must-read thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page from the New York Times bestselling author of Night Film.

There’s nothing special about Dia Gannon. So why was she chosen for an opportunity everyone would kill for?

“Pessl is gargantuan: wildly smart, extremely surprising, a wordsmith, a queen. Read her.” —E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars

Arcadia “Dia” Gannon has been obsessed with Louisiana Veda, the game designer whose obsessive creations and company, Darkly, have gained a cultlike following. Dia is shocked when she’s chosen for a highly-coveted internship, along with six other teenagers from around the world. Why her? Dia has never won anything in her life.

Darkly, once a game-making empire renowned for its ingenious and utterly terrifying toys and games, now lies dormant after Veda’s mysterious death. The remaining games are priced like rare works of art, with some fetching millions of dollars at auction.

As Dia and her fellow interns delve into the heart of Darkly, they discover hidden symbols, buried clues, and a web of intrigue. Who are these other teens, and what secrets do they keep? Why were any of them really chosen? The answers lie within the twisted labyrinth of Darkly—a chilling and addictive read by Marisha Pessl.

This summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.

Why I Want to Read This Book:

I read Neverworld Wake several years ago and it was a twisty mindf*ck that I loved every minute of. I also have Night Film on my TBR and this one sounds like another twisted must read.

Will you be checking this book out? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Destination Titles

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish and currently hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books Involving Food 

This week’s TTT is about books with a destination (real or fictional in the title!

Destination: (noun) the place to which someone or something is going or being sent.

(adjective) being a place that people will make a special trip to visit.

1. Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan2. Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco 3. Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore 4. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane 5. The Monsters of Selkirk: The Duality of Nature by C.E. Clayton6. The Island by Natasha Preston7. Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts8. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid9. Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong10. Death on Cozumel Island by Cindy Quayle

What books did you pick for this week’s theme? Did any of mine make your list?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 11 November 2024 and WWW Wednesday – 13 November 2024

This week I’m linking up to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date and WWW Wednesday hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words!

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

WWW Wednesday was created by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and was taken over by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. To participate answer the 3 W’s:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I have a couple new books to read and I’m trying to decide where to start!

Currently Reading:Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare

I think I saw this one on Instagram and put a hold on the audiobook on my library’s Libby program. My hold came in this past week and I started listening on Saturday. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet.

The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

Both my library hold and my writer friends’ secret santa brought me this book and I’m so excited to finally start reading it today after the year delay!

Recently Finished:Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie

As always I enjoyed my reread of this one. Now I have to make myself wait at least a year to read it again!

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison

I was able to finish my re-listen to this one last week while working out and I still enjoyed the story! It’s been a while and I had forgotten a few of the details.

80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence

I enjoyed this one! At times I had a little trouble connecting with the main character but overall I liked the concept and the writing!

Reading Next:The Last One At the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

I was also gifted this one and I’m really looking forward to reading it!

Razor Thin by Amy Frances

This one is still pretty high on my TBR! I’m hoping to get to it next week or the week after!

What are you reading and loving this week? Have you read any of these?

The Sunday Post: Social Media Breaks, Walking Pads, and Getting Organized

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Social Media Breaks, Walking Pads, and Getting Organized:

Hey Book Blogger Friends!

This week was unpleasant to say the least. Wednesday I decided I couldn’t people for a while and logged out of all of my social media accounts. I’m planning to take a break from IG, Facebook, and the rest until December. It’ll help me focus on figuring out my writing (I’m in a slump) and hopefully cure me of my inability to go more than a few minutes without checking my phone. I’ll still be blogging though.

Monday I finally received my walking pad/treadmill from Deer Run. I ordered the Halloween one I kept seeing ads for. So far I really like it. I’m able to just get up and get my exercise done which is really appealing as we get into winter where I won’t want to drive to the gym.

I’ve also wanted to get going on putting together a cleaning routine that I can stick to. Most of the time with my work schedule/hours I’m so tired that I usually let things slide but this week I sat down and made a list of the things I can do once a week, once a month, and some home projects I want to tackle over the winter.

Last Week on the Blog:

It’s Monday! What are you reading? – 4 November 2024 and WWW Wednesday: 6 November 2024

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Thorns

Time Travel Thursday and Throwback Thursday: 7 November 2024

First Line Friday: 8 November 2024

Stacking the Shelves: 9 November 2024

This Week on the Blog:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 11 November 2024 and WWW Wednesday – 13 November 2024

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Destination Titles (if I have time)

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Darkly!

Time Travel Thursday and Throwback Thursday: 14 November 2024

First Line Friday: 15 November 2024

Stacking the Shelves: 16 November 2024

New Book Mail on My Shelves:

eARC:

Physical:

eBook:

Stacking the Shelves: 9 November 2024

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

Books Added to My Shelves This Week:

I attended an author event last weekend and picked up a copy of a psychological thriller written by the author at the table next to me. It’s also the beginning of the month which means new Amazon First Reads!

Physical:

This is the book I picked up at the author event and I’m so excited to read it!

Amazon First Reads:

I usually go for the thrillers but this historical fiction with a dash of mystery jumped out at me and sounds really interesting! I can’t wait to check it out further!

What books did you add to your shelves this week? Have you/do you plan to read either any of these?

First Line Friday: 8 November 2024

This week I’m joining First Line Friday. First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower! So grab the book nearest you, your current read, or the book on top of your TBR stack and share the first line.

My pick this week is…

80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence

And the first line is…

“Closing her eyes, Chrissy took a deep breath and reminded herself that it was only a house.”

What is the first line of the book you’re reading this week?

Time Travel Thursday and Throwback Thursday – 7 November 2024

Time Travel Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog where readers take a look back at what they were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and compare it to what you are reading now. I’m also joining Susan @ Susan Loves Books and linking up to Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for Throwback Thursday which discusses books you want to read that were published one year ago and also shares a past review so here we go…

7 November:Holly by Stephen King

One year ago today I had just finished the audiobook of Holly by Stephen King.

Currently Reading:

Today I’m starting 80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence.

Comparison:

These are obviously both horror novels but while 80s Ghosts is Supernatural Horror, Holly deals with flesh and bone killers.

Have you read either of these books?

New Release – 1 Year Ago Today:The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard

I had mixed feelings about the first book, The Luminaries, but I like the premise enough to read the sequel, The Hunting Moon, which released November 7, 2023!

New Eyes on An Old Review:

Book Review: A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

Note: I did go back and reread The Haunting of Hill House after I read this one. My feelings on it being the “first ever authorized novel/sequel” still stand.

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Thorns

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released.

The Thorns by Dawn Kurtagich

Adult, Horror/Thriller, Standalone

eBook, Paperback, 383 Pages

March 4, 2025 by Thomas & Mercer

Blurb:

In this hauntingly twisted tale, an author reconnects with an old boarding school friend, forcing her to reckon with their shared past and the imaginary creature she thought they left behind.

Touch a line, you break your spine.

Stacey is the dusty air, the cracked soil, the drought. To fourteen-year-old Bethany Sloane, she’s everything.

Abandoned by her mother at a remote African boarding school, Bethany will do anything to stay in Stacey’s good graces. And that means learning the rules of each twisted game.

Touch a crack, you break your back.

Seventeen years later, Bethany is a bestselling author. Disabled now, she can’t remember what happened back in the bush. But there’s no mistaking Stacey Preston’s name in her inbox.

Glassy, glassy, cut my arsey.

That email brings Bethany’s childhood rushing back. The Glass Man was just a story the Thorns invented, a game of wits. But every game has its rules—and consequences for breaking them. To stay alive this round, Bethany needs to play right into Stacey’s hands.

Dark and disturbing, The Thorns explores the horrifying world of adolescent abuse, controlling friendships, and blinding obsession.

Why I Want to Read This Book:

Dawn Kurtagich is my favorite author and I’ll gobble down anything she writes. I actually have an eARC of The Thorns on my Kindle judging me for not pushing it ahead of my fall ARCs and starting it immediately. I believe Dawn said this will be her scariest book yet and I’m so excited!

Will you be checking this book out? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 4 November 2024 and 6 November 2024

This week I’m linking up to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date and WWW Wednesday hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words!

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

WWW Wednesday was created by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and was taken over by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. To participate answer the 3 W’s:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m still in spooky season mode with my current reads as well as my two upcoming reads.

Currently Reading:Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie

Both this and my current audiobook are rereads. This one is a cozy second chance romance with ghosts / a loose reimagining of The Turn of the Screw that is in my top 5 favorite books of all time.

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison

I started my reread of this one on Halloween but I haven’t had a lot of time to listen over this past weekend.

Recently Finished:The Remains of Christmas by Megan Montgomery

I was so looking forward to getting this ARC and was anticipating loving it and recommending it to everyone… so sure was I that I’d love it. But the minute the female love interest started calling the geeky male lead “daddy” in spicy scenes I wanted to hurl. I don’t mean to yuck anyone’s yum but that’s a no for me.

Reading Next:80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence

This author and I follow each other on instagram and I’m considering buying a signed copy of this one for myself for Christmas but I want to read it in ebook first.

Razor Thin by Amy Frances

Amy was at the table next to me at the author event and I knew I had to grab her book. She comped it to Gone Girl and the Girl on the Train but honestly she had me sold at psychological thriller!

What are you reading and loving this week? Have you read any of these?

The Sunday Post: Halloween, Author Events, and Brain Fog

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Halloween, Author Events, and Brain Fog:

Hey Book Blogger Friends! How was your week? Or rather two weeks since I didn’t post last week since things got busy… but anyway, happy November!

I spent all week binging horror and seasonal movies to celebrate Halloween. Since I went away for the night on Halloween to do some writing at the writing center I go to in Door County, I got to enjoy Halloween in front of a nice gas fireplace with a delicious pizza. It was the perfect night to unwind

Yesterday I attended a last minute author signing at my favorite coffee shop. I got to meet a bunch of new to me authors as well as one I knew through social media and made a few sales!

Lastly, the downside of this week is that I’ve been bogged down with brain fog worse than I’ve ever experienced before. I literally walked into a grocery store to pick up a bottle of iced tea, paid, and walked out without the bottle – and the cashier said nothing. I don’t know if I’m tired or run down or sick… I just sort of feel off. I hope this week is better since I have a short week at work.

Lately on the Blog:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 21 October 2024 and WWW Wednesday – 23 October 2024

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Remains of Christmas

This Week on the Blog:

It’s Monday! What are you reading? – 4 November 2024 and WWW Wednesday: 6 November 2024

Time Travel Thursday and Throwback Thursday: 7 November 2024

First Line Friday: 8 November 2024

Stacking the Shelves: 9 November 2024

New Book Mail on My Shelves:

eBook: