Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 115

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #122

This "WIR"-Wednesday I've just finished The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke and am trying to finish Legendary by Stephanie Garber as my new "morning read" with this book as my "night read"... This week I'm starting...
The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass #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
Why I Chose This Book:As you probably know by now I have an unusual talent for reading series out of order. I did it with Kylie Scott's Stage Dive Series, Ann Brashares's Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series, and most notably with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. 

So far I have only read the fifth book in the Throne of Glass series, Empire of Storms. And with a few months to go before Kingdom of Ash releases I've decided to catch up on the series, starting of course with The Assassin's Blade. 

Unfortunately, I have many other books (including a few ARCs) to read during the same timeline so it is my goal to read one book during the day and one SJM at night, before bed. I'm starting The Assassin's Blade today and plan to get through the first two novellas by tonight! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Red, White, and Blue Books!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Red, White, and Blue Books
This week's TTT is in honor to the Fourth of July with books with red, white, and blue covers.
Red1. The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
2. Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie
3. Lick by Kylie Scott
4. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
White5. Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett
6. The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
7. Paper Princess by Erin Watt
Blue8. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
9. The Obsession by Nora Roberts
10. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
What are some of your favorite book covers in your nation's colors? Do any of my choices make your list?Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your TTT!Happy Reading Bookdragons! And have a happy and safe 4th!-

JULY 2018 Releases Spotlight

We're already at the halfway point of summer and with July's arrival comes a plethora of amazing new releases hitting the shelves his month. July is also the three year anniversary of Taylor Fenner's Bookish World Blog. From debuts to sequels I'm spotlighting  books I think should be on everybody's radar this month. 
JULY 3, 2018 YA Fantasy                          Thriller                      Historical FictionJULY 10, 2018 YA Fantasy                                                                                                           YA HorrorJULY 17, 2018 (Also my Grandmother's Birthday)
JULY 24, 2018 JULY 31, 2018

#BookTag Saturday: The Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag!

I've seen this tag floating around quite a bit lately and since it's almost July I'd like to reflect on the books I've already read this year. 
*Note - As of today I've read 44 books in 2018, 23 5-Star Reads, 12 4-Star Reads, 5 3-Star Reads, 1 1-Star Read, and 2 DNF-Books.


Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag!1. Best Book You've Read So Far in 2018?Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
2. Best Sequel You've Read So Far in 2018?The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco3. New Release You Haven't Read Yet, But You Want To?My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton4. Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of 2018?The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee!5. Biggest Disappointment?The Cruel Prince by Holly Black6. Biggest Surprise?Ryan's Bed by Tijan7. Favorite New / New To You Author?Tyffany Hackett8. Newest Fictional Crush?Rush from Rebel Heir and Rebel Heart by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward9. Newest Favorite Character?Frey from The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke10. Book That Made You Cry?Bad Boy Brody and Ryan's Bed by Tijan and As She Fades by Abbi Glines11. Book That Made You Happy?Chaser by Kylie Scott12. Favorite Book-to-Movie Adaptation You Saw This Year?Forever My Girl13. Favorite Review You've Written This Year?Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young or Imber by Tyffany Hackett14. Most Beautiful Book You've Bought So Far This Year?Legendary by Stephanie Garber and An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson15. What Books Do You Need to Read By The End of the Year?1. The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee2. Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco3. House of Furies by Madeleine Roux4. Heartless by Marissa Meyer5. Beyond A Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake

"What I'm Reading" #121

This "WIR"-Friday I've started reading an amazing ARC that should definitely be on everyone's TBR list this fall! I'm reading...
The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke Blurb:A dark and gorgeously drawn standalone YA fantasy about a band of mercenary girls in search of female glory. Won in a major six-house auction!
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life. 
When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.
Full of fierce girls, bloodlust, tenuous alliances, and unapologetic quests for glory, this elegantly spun tale challenges the power of storytelling—and who gets to be the storyteller. Perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater, V.E. Schwab, and Heidi Heilig.
Why I Requested This Book | What I Think So Far:Immediately when looking at this book from a surface level, the covers beautiful and the blurb makes you want to open the book and see what's inside. When I heard this book was a a female-driven retelling of Beowulf I had to have it. I've had another book by this author sitting on my TBR shelf for a while but this book I jumped right into and I'm loving it so hard already. It's dark, it's beautifully written, and it's utterly unputdownable!

Book Review: Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga

Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga Blurb:In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.
Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.
With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.My Review:I was intrigued by the idea of this book - a kiss that can heal or make the receiver stronger in  battle. I liked the mythology of how the Royals came to be even though it seemed a little like sister wives that first Raed had kids with Myriana then turned around and had kids with her friend to "continue the species." Now, at present time it seems anyone can be a "Royal," which struck me as odd since most books I've read lays out a kingdom with one king and queen, their children, maybe some siblings as Dukes and Duchesses, etc. So it felt like the idea of being Royal wasn't so special after all.
First we meet Ivy, and of course being a direct descendant of Myriana she's more powerful than the rest of the "Royals," but her battle partners keep getting killed. She's afraid she'll be put out to pasture for breeding purposes, so to speak. Insert Zach, a prince with legendary swordsman skills from a neighboring kingdom. Together they could be unstoppable - but Zach's mother was a "Romantica," a believer that Love - not a Royal's kiss - would defeat the dark forces. On this, I kind of have to see Zach's point - Ivy's world is so cold; do your duty then when you're too old or your kiss isn't good enough anymore you get sent away to make more royals. There's no real family connections, no warmth, no love. 
Kiss of the Royal moves quick enough but I feel like the world and minor characters could have been a bit more developed. The whole point of this book is two people who don't agree on how things should be falling in love and true love's kiss triumphing over evil which is all fine and good but reads more like a Disney fairytale. It's filled with magic, curses, witches, and dragons to be slayed. 
Overall, I liked this book and I'm glad it was a standalone. I think this is a perfect book for readers looking for a YA Fantasy reminiscent of fairytales of old.
My Rating:

{Book Review Blog Tour} Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf Blurb:Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unaging soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum: if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy Zera’s heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him—every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him—until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally.
Add to Goodreads
Get yourself a copy HERE!
My Review:Meet Zera, second Heartless of the witch Nightsinger. Her sole purpose after Nightsinger saved her from the bandits who killed her parents and nearly killed her is to protect Nightsinger and kill any threats. Nightsinger has control over her because Zera isn't technically alive - Nightsinger keeps Zera's heart in a jar forcing Zera to do her bidding. 
The witches fear another war is brewing between them and the nobles so they devise a plan. They'll send a Heartless to infiltrate the palace posing as a potential bride for Crown Prince Lucien d'Malvane to literally steal his heart so the witches can hold him captive as a Heartless.
Unfortunately, Zera is the right age and look to pose as one of the Spring Brides, but she's far from what anyone would think of a girl from noble blood. Zera is crass, sarcastic, and sassy - not to mention she constantly has to feast on raw meat. But the witches have no choice and Nightsinger proposes a trade - the prince's heart in exchange for Zera getting her heart back. But if she's caught infiltrating the court Nightsinger will destroy her heart. 
She's out to steal the prince's heart. But will he end up stealing her non-existent heart instead?
First off, let me say I've loved the cover of this book from the first time I saw it. It is seriously gorgeous.
As for the story, I liked it - it was a really unique idea. I loved Nightsinger and the other witches names and I enjoyed Zera's sassy, unpredictable banter. I kept having to remind myself that she wasn't a zombie throughout this book (because of the eating raw meat and not having a heart/being technically alive). 
I thought the world-building and backstory of the witches and other characters was well-plotted and kept me engaged, although I felt the story dragged at certain times. This book does end in a cliff-hanger which makes me eager to read the next book.
Overall, if you're looking for a unique fantasy novel with a smart-mouthed heroine, look no further than Bring Me Their Hearts.
My Rating:

Book Review: One Small Thing by Erin Watt

One Small Thing by Erin Watt Blurb:Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.
Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is…
Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.
Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.
My Review:Two years ago Beth's older sister Rachel was killed in a horrible accident and ever since her parents haven't allowed her an ounce of freedom. On her last night before school starts she goes to a party in a neighboring town against her best friend Scarlett's wishes. There she approaches the most attractive boy she's ever seen and they hit it off - and one thing leads to another...
But at school she realizes that her random party hook up is the last guy she should want. He's the boy that accidentally hit and killed her sister. Once Chase finds out who Beth is he's horrified and doesn't want to be involved with her but Beth is persistent. The heart wants what the heart wants, despite what her parents, her friends, and the rest of the town thinks. 
In pursuing a friendship (and more) Beth is finally able to face her grief for her sister and starts to see the world around her and the events leading up to Rachel's death in a new way. Will her strict parents ever condone a relationship with the guy they hold responsible for their eldest daughter's death? Or is Beth better leaving Chase far enough alone?
Honestly, I don't know how to feel about One Small Thing. It was a quick, easy read and I loved Beth and Chase together. It was the rest of the book that bothered me. 
One Small Thing takes a set of parents even more extreme than Elle's parents in Katie McGarry's Say You'll Remember Me and crosses with a similar (sort of) plot to Tijan's Ryan's Bed. 
I admit I think Beth's parents are my major problem with this book. Every time I read an interaction between Beth and her parents I wanted to reach into the book and slap them silly. They were insane, they were unfair, and they were ridiculous. I think the point the reader is supposed to get is that parents only want what is best for their kids - but this wasn't at all best for Beth. I actually really disliked almost every character except Beth and Chase if I'm being completely honest. Beth's friends were judgmental and fickle, Jeff was the worst kind of human being, and Beth's classmates and the school administration needed a serious intervention about bullying and herding mentalities. 
Then there were the people Beth met along the way like Ashleigh and Jay who I kept waiting for Beth to befriend after her one night meeting them only to end up disappointed. 
Overall, I could have used more Beth and Chase and less of everything else. Even though the story kept me engaged it was probably one of my least favorite Erin Watt books. 
My Rating:

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Series I Don't Plan to Finish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Series I've Given Up On
This week's TTT is all about series that we've started reading yet for whatever reason just don't plan on seeing through to the end. 
1. Fallen Quartet by Lauren Kate Loved Fallen and Torment... Passion was kind of "eh"... never got into Rapture...hated Unforgiven.
2. Hereafter Trilogy by Tara Hudson Can someone please explain to me how an author can get a reader to ship a couple for two and a half books then not have them end up together at the end of the trilogy?!?! Come on!3. The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris I lost interest in this series after the sixth book. I'm not even sure I finished the sixth book...
4. The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth How does an author kill off THE MAIN CHARACTER in the middle of the third book. Are. You. Insane????
5. The PSS Chronicles by Ripley Patton I really liked Ghost Hand and thought it was unique... I just don't have any desire to read the other three books.
6. The Clann Series by Melissa Darnell I wasn't too into Crave, I wouldn't read the rest of the series.
7. The Saints of Denver Series by Jay Crownover The Saints of Denver is basically a cheap knock off of The Marked Men Series and while I thought it would be about the tattoo artists at Rule and Nash's new shop, the series is about minor characters I didn't care much for in the initial series.
8. Ruined Series by Amy Tintera I picked up Ruined because a blogger I know raved about it. I had to force myself to get through it and I skimmed a lot. No plan to read the other two books.
9. The Folk of the Air Series by Holly Black Loved the cover and was majorly excited for this book. Then I basically hated every single character. I have no interest in reading The Wicked King. 
10. The Bring Me Their Hearts Series by Sara Wolf It was okay, I just don't want to read a second or third book.  What series/trilogies/duologies did you lose interest in or just chose not to continue reading? Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your post!Happy Reading Bookdragons!-

Book Review: Broken Promise by Tara Thomas

Broken Promise (Sons of Broad #3) by Tara Thomas Blurb:SHE SWORE TO KEEP HER PROMISES. 
BUT CAN SHE KEEP THEM SAFE…AND PROTECT HER HEART?
Charleston Police Officer Alyssa Adams made a promise years ago to protect innocent women from harm. Now, she won’t rest until she can reunite every lost daughter with her family.Bring closure to every grieving husband. And, most of all, find out what happened the night her own sister disappeared, more than ten years ago…
As the eldest of the Benedict brothers, Kipling will stop at nothing to protect his family from a threat that aims to destroy them once and for all. But when a long-lost sibling is kidnapped by a powerful adversary, Alyssa is the only one he can turn to to get her back.
As Alyssa and Kipling band together to find their lost siblings, a powerful attraction builds between them that they can’t ignore. As the truth comes to light, will one broken promise tear them apart?
My Review:Broken Promise is the third book in the Sons of Broad Trilogy by Tara Thomas and focuses on eldest son, Kipling Benedict and Officer Alyssa Adams.
Years ago, a tragedy shaped Alyssa Adams' future, turning her from her dream of pursing a degree in history to a career in law enforcement. She made a promise to protect women from harm and to find out who murdered her sister. What she never planned on was Kipling Benedict or the shocking connection between her family and his.
Kipling Benedict's family has been through a lot. First his brother Keaton and his fiancé were targeted and the family housekeeper was shot, then his brother Knox's wife was attacked and the man they hired as a bodyguard for Bea turned out to be that attacker, evidence uncovered that the plane crash that killed his parents years earlier was no accident, and now the madman orchestrating all of these plots against the Benedict family and their nearest and dearest has kidnapped Jade, the sister Kipling didn't know he had until recently. He'll have to work closely with Officer Alyssa Adams to uncover the identity of the man targeting his family before it's too late. But will he and Alyssa be able to ignore their undeniable connection? Or will they give into one another?
Of the three main books in this series, Broken Promise was the most predictable and anti-climactic book in my opinion. It also felt shorter than the other two, but that might be my imagination. I had an inkling of who The Gentleman was in Darkest Night but I wasn't positive until his identity was revealed in Broken Promise. His motivation for attacking the Benedict family was a bit of a disappointment. I expected a better - or maybe juicer is the better word - motive than what his reasoning turned out to be. It was unoriginal. 
Thankfully, all unanswered questions from past books seem to be wrapped up in Broken Promise which is a huge relief as the reader sees everything come together. 
Overall, this book is a quick, enjoyable read and a must if you've read the first two books and the novellas that come with the series but in my opinion it's more predictable and not quite as good as the first two books. 
My Rating: