Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 114

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #124

This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm catching up with an ARC of a recently released Rock Star Romance before diving into the next Throne of Glass novel. This week I'm reading...
Rock Legends (Nothing But Trouble, #2) by Tara Leigh Blurb:Fans of Kristen Callihan, L.J. Shen, and Kylie Scott will scream for this sizzling bad boy rock star romance!
I'm no Prince Charming.
Most people know me as the drummer for Nothing but Trouble. Depending who you ask, I'm also a playboy, a loner, the life of the party, a screw-up, or according to my fans, "The Sexiest Rock Star on the Planet." Apparently, I'm a legend.
Am I surprised? Hell, no. It's a reputation I've earned behind my drum kit and behind closed doors. No one thought foster kid Landon Cox would become famous. Infamous, maybe. Notorious, probably. But successful? Never. No one except Piper Hastings. But I had to make a choice: my woman or my career. I picked fame and fortune... and spent every damn day since pretending I don't regret it.
Now fate's dropped Piper back into my life. I want to believe it's a second chance for me - for us. But while I can give her a few great nights, I can't give Piper a future.
Because there's a difference between a legend and a fairy tale...Only one of them ends happily ever after.
Why I Requested This Book | What I Think So FarI requested to be part of the Blog Tour for Rock Legend after reading and loving Rock King. When I got the ARC I was afraid I wouldn't like it as much as Rock King but so far I like it a lot. It's always kind of strange to see characters I loved so much in a previous book just in the background of the next book like Delaney and Shane are but I'm easily falling for Landon and really liking Piper which I wasn't sure I would. I kind of skipped to the end and now I can't wait to get there!
next up for me...
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas Blurb:Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?
The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Timesbest-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish.

{Release Day Blitz} ROCK LEGEND (Nothing But Trouble Bk 2) by Tara Leigh

Today we are celebrating the release of ROCK LEGEND by Tara Leigh! Check out the links and teasers for it below, and links for the previous book in the Nothing but Trouble series, ROCK KING. Join Tara's newsletter for exclusive news about the book. 
Grab your copy now!Kindle  |  Universal LinkiBooks  |  Nook  |  Kobo  |  Purchase in PaperbackROCK LEGEND by Tara Leigh Available NowBlurb:Fans of Kristen Callihan, L.J. Shen, and Kylie Scott will scream for this sizzling bad boy rock star romance!
I'm no Prince Charming. Most people know me as the drummer for Nothing but Trouble. Depending who you ask, I'm also a playboy, a loner, the life of the party, a screw-up, or according to my fans, "The Sexiest Rock Star on the Planet." Apparently, I'm a legend. Am I surprised? Hell, no. It's a reputation I've earned behind my drum kit and behind closed doors. No one thought foster kid Landon Cox would become famous. Infamous, maybe. Notorious, probably. But successful? Never. 
No one except Piper Hastings. But I had to make a choice: my woman or my career. I picked fame and fortune... and spent every damn day since pretending I don't regret it. Now fate's dropped Piper back into my life. I want to believe it's a second chance for me - for us. But while I can give her a few great nights, I can't give Piper a future.
 Because there's a difference between a legend and a fairy tale... 
Only one of them ends happily ever after.
  Grab your copy now!Kindle  |  Universal LinkiBooks  |  Nook  |  Kobo  |  Purchase in PaperbackAdd ROCK LEGEND to Goodreads    Purchase the previous book in the series...   ROCK KING (Nothing but Trouble, #1) purchase linksKindle  |  Universal LinkiBooks  |  Nook  |  Kobo  |  Purchase in Paperback-------------------------------AUTHOR BIO: Tara Leigh writes steamy contemporary romance featuring tortured heroes worth lusting after and the women they didn't know they needed. She attended Washington University in St. Louis and Columbia Business School in New York, and worked on Wall Street and Main Street before “retiring” to become a wife and mother. When the people in her head became just as real as the people in her life, she decided to put their stories on paper. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children and fur-baby, Pixie.AUTHOR LINKS:Website  |  Facebook Profile  |  Facebook Page  |  Bookbub  |  Amazon  |   Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Book + MainJoin Tara Leigh's NewsletterJoin Tara Leigh's Reader Group 
 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Novellas/Short Stories

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Novellas and Short Stories
This week's TTT is all about novellas and short stories so lets countdown some of my favorites including anthologies...
1-5. The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas- The Assassin and the Pirate Lord- The Assassin and the Healer- The Assassin and the Desert - The Assassin and the Underworld- the Assassin and the Empire
6. The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo 
7. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer
8. Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover
9. Shirley and Jim by Susan Dennard
10. The Blood of Imuriv by Renee Ahdieh What are some of your favorite short stories / novellas? Did any of your favorites make my list?Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your TTT!Happy Reading Bookdragons!-

Book Review: CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas Blurb:An assassin's loyalties are always in doubt but her heart never wavers
Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become the King's Champion. But she is far from loyal to the crown. Though she hides her secret vigilantly, her deadly charade becomes difficult when she realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. No one is above questioning her allegiance—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie ... and whom she is willing to fight for.
My Review:Crown of Midnight begins two months after Celaena Sardothiaen was named the King's Champion. Since then she has been sent to dispatch several of the King's enemies. But Celaena is far from obeying the King's wishes - a secret she must keep to herself if she doesn't want to watch more of her friends die because of her. When the King orders her to kill a courtesan she knew when she was younger, Celaena will fall into a deadly game where she doesn't know who to trust and a tragedy will tear her whole world apart. She will have to face her truth, admit who she's truly loyal to, and what she'll do to protect the ones she loves the most. 
I'm not sure I loved this one as much as I did Throne of Glass but I still really enjoyed this book and I loved the ending! Once more this book is filled with danger, adventure, mystery, magic, and swoon-worthy romance. Your heart will break for Celaena and you'll be on the edge of your seat wanting to know what is going to happen next. 
The plot keeps your attention, the writing and worldbuilding was exactly what you'd expect from a SJM book (as in AMAZING), and I can definitely see why people ship Celaena and Chaol. We see more of Celaena's backstory in this book, the introduction of magic, and the beginning of a rebellion but I missed the closeness between Dorian and Celaena for most of this book. It made me sad that after their fling ended at the end of Throne of Glass they didn't spend much time together or exchange as much amusing banter. 
Overall, this probably will never be my favorite book of the series but its definitely a must read stepping stone in the evolution of Celaena/Aelin's journey from assassin to who she must become. 
My Rating:

Book Review: The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace

The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One (Women Are Some Kind of Magic #2) by Amanda Lovelace Blurb:2016 Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet Amanda Lovelace returns in the witch doesn't burn in this one — the bold second book in her "women are some kind of magic" series. 
The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one.
My Review:Calling all women out there that have ever felt oppressed, abused, discriminated against because their seen as too far or too thin, the women fighting against inequality in the work place, the women who will not stand for the turn our country is taking: this book is for you!
This book will make you feel empowered, confident, strong. It's a tribute to feminists. It will make you want to stand up for what you believe in and show the people that try to keep you down that you don't care what you think.
I loved this book and I like the way the poems were formatted into a verse novel. It was a quick read that made me feel good, although in spots I thought the poetry became a little too man-hating. 
Overall, this is a definite must read for women, especially these days. 
My Rating:

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #123

This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading an ARC of a fantasy novel I posted about several weeks ago in a "Waiting On Wednesday" post...
Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd Blurb:Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.
Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.
From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.
Why I Requested This Book | What I Think So Far:I requested this book on Netgalley after reading an excerpt online and loving the beginning of the book. I was approved for an ARC and started reading this book late Monday night. I like the book so far but for a main character Anouk is a bit too sheltered and innocent for my taste. I'm hoping she'll grow some steel and become a strong female lead by the time the book is done. I'm curious about the much-mentioned Luc and sure that Beau is interested in Anouk and fascinated by the witches and the baubles they create for "the pretties." I'm interested to see how this book ends. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Authors I'm DYING to meet

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I'd Love To Meet
This week's TTT gave you two options: Best Books I've Read So Far in 2018 or A TTT Throwback. Since I already covered my favorite reads of the year so far in a previous post I'm throwing back to a TTT from almost seven years ago!
1. Sarah J. Maas (Author of the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses Series)
2. Wendy Higgins (Author of the Sweet Series, The Eurona Duology, the Unknown Trilogy, and See Me)
3. Leigh Bardugo (Author of the Six of Crows Duology, the Grisha Trilogy, The Language of Thorns, and Wonder Woman)
4. Meg Cabot (Author of the Princess Diaries, Heather Wells, Queen of Babble Series and more)
5. Kerri Maniscalco (Author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series)
6. Katharine McGee (Author of the Thousandth Floor Trilogy)
7. Shea Ernshaw (Author of The Wicked Deep)
8. Abbi Glines (Author of the Sea Breeze Series, the Rosemary Beach Series, the Existence Trilogy, the Field Party Series, As She Fades, and more!)
9. Nora Roberts (Author of The Obsession, Come Sundown, Year Zero, Midnight Bayou, Carolina Moon, Montana Sky, Northern Lights, Angels Fall, and more)
10. Dawn Kurtagich (Author of The Dead House and And The Trees Crept In) What authors would you love to meet? Did any of your favorites make my list? Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your TTT!Happy Reading Bookdragons!-

Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas Blurb:"Nothing is a coincidence. Everything has a purpose. You were meant to come to this castle, just as you were meant to be an assassin."
When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.
Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her.
And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she'd have again: a friend.
But something evil dwells in the castle—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world.
My Review:The first time I tried to read this book I had to put it down after 34 pages because I disliked Celaena. But as I mentioned in my recent review of The Assassin's Blade, I really think you have to read The Assassin's Blade before you even attempt Throne of Glass because you'll appreciate it more. 
I went from disliking Celaena (but loving her as Aelin in EOS because I have read that one) to understanding her and loving her cunning and fearless spirit in Throne of Glass. I also had a deeper appreciation of Dorian in TOG and met Chaol for the first time and enjoyed him. I loved his banter with Celaena. And Nehemia... ah sweet, wise Nehemia! She was possibly my favorite character. 

I liked the plotting and pace of this book and the vivid description of the Glass Castle. I thought the training and competition scenes as well as when the lesser Champions were killed off and the manner they were killed was well written, although I'm still fuzzy on the description of the ridderak. 

Overall this book has something for everyone. We already know Celaena is a badass female lead and there's plenty of action, adventure, political intrigue, and a dash of mystery and romance to balance everything out. I can honestly say I'm looking forward to reading Crown of Midnight to see what Celaena will get up to now that she's the King's Champion.

My Rating:

Book Review: LEGENDARY by Stephanie Garber

Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber Blurb:A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.
The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval...the games have only just begun.
My Review:Welcome one, Welcome all back to the world of Caraval! Re-enter the vivid world Stephanie Garber introduced us to in book Caraval - but remember, it's only a game. Or is it? Julian and Scarlett seemed to have gotten their happy ending at the end of Caraval but Tella owes a debt to someone, but who? Legend? Or someone else? And exactly who is Legend? 
While the first game of Caraval was all about finding Tella, this game is all about the mysterious and thought-banished Fates. 
I enjoyed this book much more than I enjoyed Caraval. While it took me until halfway through the book to get swept up in Caraval, Legendary grabbed me right away and kept me engaged (even if I guessed at some of the big reveals in this book long before they were unveiled). 
Tella makes a fantastic heroine because you realize the girl you thought was a flighty airhead in Caraval has many more layers to her than it first appears and I liked her much more than Scarlett - who changes in this book as well. Scarlett is no longer the reluctant spoil-sport we met in Caraval but a girl armed with a fiery temper and secrets of her own. Most of this book I couldn't help thinking, where is Scarlett anyway? And Dante - *swoon* - I loved Dante, give me more! But even the villains were swoon-worthy in this one... I'm looking at you Jacks.
Overall, if you liked Caraval you will love Legendary so sit back, relax, and hang on for this breathtaking adventure! The ending will leave you craving the next book right now. now. now!
My Rating:

Book Review: The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass Series #0.1-0.5) by Sarah J. Maas Blurb:Discover where Celaena Sardothien's thrilling saga began
Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassin's Guild, Celaena yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam.
When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes—and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn's orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn's clutches—and if they fail, they'll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives...
A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers listeners a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling—and deadly—world.
Included in this volume:
The Assassin and the Pirate LordThe Assassin and the HealerThe Assassin and the DesertThe Assassin and the UnderworldThe Assassin and the Empire
My Review:I've been holding off on reading The Assassin's Blade for a while now because I wanted to read all of the currently published books in this series fluidly. I admit, I've read Empire of Storms all the way through (and loved it) but it was the only one I've read completely before The Assassin's Blade. I tried reading Throne of Glass several years ago but book it down because I couldn't get into it and didn't much care for Celaena. 
After reading The Assassin's Blade and seeing what Celaena went through before she ended up in the Salt Mines of Endovier, I like her much better now. These novellas show her humanity more, show the scared girl she was under all the cockiness and bravado. We also find out about Sam in The Assassin's Blade and how they went from rivals-to-love throughout the five novellas. While I completely ship Rowan and Aelin, I loved Sam in this book. 
The Assassin's Blade also shows you how Celaena met some of the characters who will pop up later in the series - from her hatred for Lysandra to helping Yrene forge her path to her new life in the Southern Continent, and the friendship-turned-betrayal she experienced at the hands of Ansel. 
There were stories in this book that I liked more than others such as The Assassin and the Desert over The Assassin and the Healer, but I believe this book should be read as one book instead of as separate ebook novellas because in my opinion they're not really separate stories/novellas as they all flow together. You wouldn't, for instance, read The Assassin and the Empire before The Assassin and the Pirate Lord. It wouldn't make any sense. 
Overall, I enjoyed this book as a whole and I think it's required to read before you even attempt Throne of Glass because it will help you understand Celaena's backstory so much more. 
My Rating: