Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 131
December 5, 2017
Book Review: Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill
Ever the Brave (A Clash of the Kingdoms #2) by Erin Summerill
Blurb:Ever the Divided. Ever the Feared. Ever the Brave.
After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.
The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.
My Review:Ever the Brave picks up where Ever the Hunted left off. Britta has just saved King Aodren's life which has created an unwanted (on Britta's part) bond between the two - a much stronger bond than the one she shared with Cohen. Cohen is still the King's Bounty Hunter and now he's been tasked with tracking down Phelia, the channeler who joined with Lord Jamis to control and usurp King Aodren.
Ever the Brave is told in Multiple POVs; Britta's, Cohen's, and Aodren's and we follow each of them throughout their journeys - together and apart. I love stories told in multiple POVs, so that didn't bother me but to be honest the only character of the three who's perspective I found myself liking was Aodren's. That really surprised me considering how much I loved Ever the Hunted.
For some reason I just couldn't connect with Britta in this book. I know she's supposed to be all "outdoorsy, kickass hunter" girl but I thought her aversion to the things Aodren tried to do for her was annoying. Instead of acting ungrateful couldn't you have just sucked it up? And I didn't like Cohen at all in this book. He acted like a little too much of a jealous jerk for me, then at the end was like a martyr with his "I get what you'd want to be with him" thing. I actually was kind of hoping Britta would end up with Britta in a 'Tamlin-to-Rhysand' kind of way (ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas).
While the story kept me mostly engaged, I was not a big fan of the writing. I read an ARC, so this issue might have been fixed in the finished copy, but I kept seeing sentences that I felt a word was missing in which made for awkward reading. Example: Didn't want to upset you. (Should probably read: I didn't want to upset you.) The way it was written seemed choppy, like the thought was just jammed in there haphazardly.
Overall, I liked this book but it took me a while to warm up to it. I still like Ever the Brave better.
My Rating:

After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.
The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.
My Review:Ever the Brave picks up where Ever the Hunted left off. Britta has just saved King Aodren's life which has created an unwanted (on Britta's part) bond between the two - a much stronger bond than the one she shared with Cohen. Cohen is still the King's Bounty Hunter and now he's been tasked with tracking down Phelia, the channeler who joined with Lord Jamis to control and usurp King Aodren.
Ever the Brave is told in Multiple POVs; Britta's, Cohen's, and Aodren's and we follow each of them throughout their journeys - together and apart. I love stories told in multiple POVs, so that didn't bother me but to be honest the only character of the three who's perspective I found myself liking was Aodren's. That really surprised me considering how much I loved Ever the Hunted.
For some reason I just couldn't connect with Britta in this book. I know she's supposed to be all "outdoorsy, kickass hunter" girl but I thought her aversion to the things Aodren tried to do for her was annoying. Instead of acting ungrateful couldn't you have just sucked it up? And I didn't like Cohen at all in this book. He acted like a little too much of a jealous jerk for me, then at the end was like a martyr with his "I get what you'd want to be with him" thing. I actually was kind of hoping Britta would end up with Britta in a 'Tamlin-to-Rhysand' kind of way (ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas).
While the story kept me mostly engaged, I was not a big fan of the writing. I read an ARC, so this issue might have been fixed in the finished copy, but I kept seeing sentences that I felt a word was missing in which made for awkward reading. Example: Didn't want to upset you. (Should probably read: I didn't want to upset you.) The way it was written seemed choppy, like the thought was just jammed in there haphazardly.
Overall, I liked this book but it took me a while to warm up to it. I still like Ever the Brave better.
My Rating:
Published on December 05, 2017 06:00
December 4, 2017
Grab A Mug of Hot Cocoa & Cozy Up With These 13 Upcoming Winter Releases!
Published on December 04, 2017 06:46
December 2, 2017
#BookTag Saturday: The Gilmore Girls Book Tag
I found this book tag on Coffee Break YA/NA/MG on Goodreads and since I've been rewatching Gilmore Girls (again) I thought this would be a great prompt for this week's Book Tag Saturday!
1. Lorelai: A character with a sarcastic sense of humor-
Shane Collins (Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine)2. Rory: Your favorite classic book -
Persuasion by Jane Austen3. Luke: a book that you love but are afraid to admit it -
Claiming Addison by Zoey Derrick4. Lane: A music character -
Mal Ericson (Stage Dive Series by Kylie Scott)5. Dean: Your first book love -
I don't know... Nat from The Witch of Blackbird Pond? Ty from Heartland?6. Suki: A book that you devoured -
The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich7. Jess: A book that you love that everyone hate -
Twilight (or at least I used to. It's been years since I read it)
8. Ms. Patty: A book that was ruined by all the hype -
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas9. Emily Gilmore: Your most expensive book -
A Collector's Edition of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I think I got it at Half Price Books for $50. 10: Paris: Name an uptight/intense character -
Elizabeth from The Witness by Nora Roberts. She was a child genius and all but it was like reading the perspective of a computer operating system. Very dry.

1. Lorelai: A character with a sarcastic sense of humor-
Shane Collins (Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine)2. Rory: Your favorite classic book -
Persuasion by Jane Austen3. Luke: a book that you love but are afraid to admit it -
Claiming Addison by Zoey Derrick4. Lane: A music character -
Mal Ericson (Stage Dive Series by Kylie Scott)5. Dean: Your first book love -
I don't know... Nat from The Witch of Blackbird Pond? Ty from Heartland?6. Suki: A book that you devoured -
The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich7. Jess: A book that you love that everyone hate -
Twilight (or at least I used to. It's been years since I read it)
8. Ms. Patty: A book that was ruined by all the hype -
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas9. Emily Gilmore: Your most expensive book -
A Collector's Edition of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I think I got it at Half Price Books for $50. 10: Paris: Name an uptight/intense character -
Elizabeth from The Witness by Nora Roberts. She was a child genius and all but it was like reading the perspective of a computer operating system. Very dry.
Published on December 02, 2017 07:13
December 1, 2017
November Wrap Up
It's December! How did that get here? Where did 2017 go? It's what some people (not me) call the 'most wonderful time of the year. December is the time of year when people are hurriedly searching for deals and maxing their credit cards out on gifts that their "loved ones" are most likely going to cash in for store credit anyway, but I digress. Let's just call me the Grinch reincarnate. November was a month that seemed to pass in the blink of an eye and I don't feel like I got much done at all. Here's what I got up to last month...
READING
Books I Reviewed In November:
- Haven by Mary Lindsey
- Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff
- Glitter by Aprilynne Pike (Reread)
- Begin Again by Mona Kasten
- Six Little Secrets by Katlyn Duncan
Books I Read In November:
- Glitter by Aprilynne Pike (Reread)
- Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff
- CurseBreaker (by me!) - PROOFREAD
- Undone by Wendy Higgins
- Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill
Books to-be-read in December:December is going to my ARC catch up month:
- Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones
- Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh
- The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
- By A Curse and A Charm by Jaime Questell
- Furyborn by Claire Legrand
- Renegades by Marissa Meyer
eBooks I Want To Squeeze In:
- Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April
- Legacy by Jesikah Sundin
WRITINGNovember was a really bad writing month. I did some short story writing, but my main writing project for NaNoWriMo, Monsters & Mist finished the month almost where I started... at about 6700 words.
BLOGGING In November participated in my usual cover reveals and release day blitzes (although there were more cover reveals than anything else), participated in a blog tour for Six Little Secrets, and read Undone by Wendy Higgins for an upcoming December blog tour.
PUBLISHINGIn November, I got the Kindle Preorder up for CurseBreaker, did one last round of proofreading from my paperback ARC, and put up a sign-up for the CurseBreaker Blog Tour (Jan. 1-5, 2018) besides promoting my books and stories on social media.

- Haven by Mary Lindsey
- Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff
- Glitter by Aprilynne Pike (Reread)
- Begin Again by Mona Kasten
- Six Little Secrets by Katlyn Duncan
Books I Read In November:
- Glitter by Aprilynne Pike (Reread)
- Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff
- CurseBreaker (by me!) - PROOFREAD
- Undone by Wendy Higgins
- Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill
Books to-be-read in December:December is going to my ARC catch up month:
- Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones
- Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh
- The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
- By A Curse and A Charm by Jaime Questell
- Furyborn by Claire Legrand
- Renegades by Marissa Meyer
eBooks I Want To Squeeze In:
- Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April
- Legacy by Jesikah Sundin
WRITINGNovember was a really bad writing month. I did some short story writing, but my main writing project for NaNoWriMo, Monsters & Mist finished the month almost where I started... at about 6700 words.
BLOGGING In November participated in my usual cover reveals and release day blitzes (although there were more cover reveals than anything else), participated in a blog tour for Six Little Secrets, and read Undone by Wendy Higgins for an upcoming December blog tour.
PUBLISHINGIn November, I got the Kindle Preorder up for CurseBreaker, did one last round of proofreading from my paperback ARC, and put up a sign-up for the CurseBreaker Blog Tour (Jan. 1-5, 2018) besides promoting my books and stories on social media.
Published on December 01, 2017 07:45
November 30, 2017
Cover Reveal: ROOMMATES: The Series by Kendall Ryan
Today, I am thrilled to join InkSlingerPR and Kendall Ryan in announcing the release of ROOMMATES: The Series from Kendall Ryan coming on December 26! Check out the sexy cover...**********
BLURB:
Life is smooth sailing until these new roomies find themselves stuck between a rock and a very hard place. Because lusting after the one person you shouldn't ever mess around with--your new roommate is like cardinal rule number one.
Get ready for 4 complete friends-to-lovers rom-com standalones.
The Room Mate - Her best friend's younger brother moves in and rocks her world with his amazing bedroom Olympics.
The Play Mate - Her older brother's best friend becomes the financial backer to her lingerie company then these two office-mates decide to become play mates. What's the worst that could happen?
The House Mate - He's the hot single dad, and she's the new live-in nanny. This is swoonworthy perfection if you like single dad romance!
The Soul Mate - The smoking-hot one-night stand she was never supposed to see again? She's pregnant, and he’s her hot doctor.
ADD TO GOODREADS | SIGN-UP FOR AN ALERT WHEN THE BOOK GOES LIVE ON DEC 26
ABOUT KENDALL RYAN: A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world.
She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.
Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras
Subscribe to Newletter Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Bookbub

BLURB:

Get ready for 4 complete friends-to-lovers rom-com standalones.
The Room Mate - Her best friend's younger brother moves in and rocks her world with his amazing bedroom Olympics.
The Play Mate - Her older brother's best friend becomes the financial backer to her lingerie company then these two office-mates decide to become play mates. What's the worst that could happen?
The House Mate - He's the hot single dad, and she's the new live-in nanny. This is swoonworthy perfection if you like single dad romance!
The Soul Mate - The smoking-hot one-night stand she was never supposed to see again? She's pregnant, and he’s her hot doctor.
ADD TO GOODREADS | SIGN-UP FOR AN ALERT WHEN THE BOOK GOES LIVE ON DEC 26


She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.
Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras
Subscribe to Newletter Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Bookbub
Published on November 30, 2017 07:00
November 29, 2017
"What I'm Reading" Wednesday #101
This "WIR"-Wednesday I'm reading a book you probably heard me mention way back in July. It's an ARC I need to finish and form a review for by next week so I better finish soon. This "WIR"- Wednesday I'm reading...
Ever the Brave (A Clash of the Kingdoms #2) by Erin Summerill
Blurb:Ever the Divided. Ever the Feared. Ever the Brave.
After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.
The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.
What I Think So Far:
I started reading this book back in July but put it down because I wasn't liking it as much as the first book. I'll save most of my comments and thoughts for the review, but I can say that I think I can push through to the end, and although the books is okay it's not as amazing to me as Ever the Hunted. Hello unpopular opinion.
Ever the Brave (A Clash of the Kingdoms #2) by Erin Summerill

After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.
The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.
What I Think So Far:

Published on November 29, 2017 06:55
November 28, 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books On My Dec-Jan TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books On My December-Early January TBR
This week's TTT, not to be confused with my upcoming winter release recommendations, is all about the books I want to read in December and early January. Some of these books are backlist, some are ARCs, and some are brand new releases...
Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert




The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins







Published on November 28, 2017 07:26
November 27, 2017
Man Crush Monday: Book Boyfriend Edition #3
This MCM I couldn't decide between two book boyfriends both from one book...
Man Crush Monday: Book Boyfriend Edition #3
Rylen Fite and Jacob "Tater" Tate
(I used the orignal covers for MCM visual idea purposes)
Books Rylen and Tater Appear In:
- Unknown by Wendy Higgins
- Unrest by Wendy Higgins
- Undone by Wendy Higgins
Why I'm Crushing:
I was crushing on Rylen alongside Amber all the way back in book one, where as my crush on Tater grew throughout the books. I watched him go from just Amber's brother to a guy struggling to cope with the horrible things he'd seen yet still being strong and resilient throughout it all, to a man trying to fight the feelings he has for his sister's best friend - especially in the face of a terrible situation. Meanwhile, Rylen I loved as the type of male character that's oblivious to the fact that the girl he likes has feelings for him too, to a man that's grieving yet can't deny the attraction between himself and Amber, to a true hero to swoon over. Both these characters are fantastic - but if I'm completely honest I swooned a little for most of the guys in the Unknown Trilogy: Texas Harry, New York Josh, Devon, Matt, even Sean and Senator Navis.
Book 3 of the Unknown Trilogy, UNDONE comes out December 5th!

Man Crush Monday: Book Boyfriend Edition #3
Rylen Fite and Jacob "Tater" Tate


Books Rylen and Tater Appear In:
- Unknown by Wendy Higgins
- Unrest by Wendy Higgins
- Undone by Wendy Higgins
Why I'm Crushing:
I was crushing on Rylen alongside Amber all the way back in book one, where as my crush on Tater grew throughout the books. I watched him go from just Amber's brother to a guy struggling to cope with the horrible things he'd seen yet still being strong and resilient throughout it all, to a man trying to fight the feelings he has for his sister's best friend - especially in the face of a terrible situation. Meanwhile, Rylen I loved as the type of male character that's oblivious to the fact that the girl he likes has feelings for him too, to a man that's grieving yet can't deny the attraction between himself and Amber, to a true hero to swoon over. Both these characters are fantastic - but if I'm completely honest I swooned a little for most of the guys in the Unknown Trilogy: Texas Harry, New York Josh, Devon, Matt, even Sean and Senator Navis.
Book 3 of the Unknown Trilogy, UNDONE comes out December 5th!
Published on November 27, 2017 06:05
November 26, 2017
#SundayBlogShare: How My Perfectly Organized TBR Reading Schedule Got Screwed Up
Every month I set out a list of books I want to read by the end of the month. Sometimes I stick to the list, sometimes some of the books end up in the DNF pile, some months I deviate from the schedule altogether, and some months I get surprises.
This was my TBR List for November:- Glitter by Aprilynne Pike ✅
- Legacy by Cayla Kluver (DNF)
- Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff ✅
- The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett (Returned to Library Without Reading)
- Recreated by Colleen Houck (Returned to Library Without Reading)
- The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics (Returned to Library Without Reading)
- Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April (Haven't gotten to)
- Legacy by Jesikah Sundin (Haven't gotten to)
So, as you can see I didn't read most of the books I intended to. So how did I get so off-track? Well I tried to flip through some of the books that I got from the library: Legacy, The Last Harvest, Recreated, and The Ravenous but none of them really grabbed me. Then I did a proofing of my print ARC of CurseBreaker, taking my time to hopefully catch any last mistakes and see if there were any changes I wanted to make.
I also got approved for two e-ARCs that I was not expecting:
Coming May 2018
Coming Feb. 2018
But I couldn't read these right away because I was having trouble with my eyes and needed to get new glasses. Long story short, I got new glasses about a week ago and was able to use my Kindle again but then I found out I got picked for an eARC for the blog tour of...
Which became a priority since it's coming out on December 5th and I'm just finishing it now.
Speaking of December 5th, I remembered that Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill is coming out the same day and I left off at page 66 so I have to get on that PRONTO.
And to top it off, I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Hazel Wood on Goodreads which comes out the end of January!
So pretty soon, my clean, well-structured TBR schedule became more of one of those conversations where you start on one topic and twenty minutes of rambling later you've off-shot to one hundred other subjects and you have no idea how you got talking about socks when you started off talking about the new season of Stranger Things. Does anyone else have those kind of moments? Or is it just me?
Do you plan out your reading schedule every month? How well do you stick to it? Let me know!

This was my TBR List for November:- Glitter by Aprilynne Pike ✅
- Legacy by Cayla Kluver (DNF)
- Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff ✅
- The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett (Returned to Library Without Reading)
- Recreated by Colleen Houck (Returned to Library Without Reading)
- The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics (Returned to Library Without Reading)
- Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April (Haven't gotten to)
- Legacy by Jesikah Sundin (Haven't gotten to)

So, as you can see I didn't read most of the books I intended to. So how did I get so off-track? Well I tried to flip through some of the books that I got from the library: Legacy, The Last Harvest, Recreated, and The Ravenous but none of them really grabbed me. Then I did a proofing of my print ARC of CurseBreaker, taking my time to hopefully catch any last mistakes and see if there were any changes I wanted to make.

I also got approved for two e-ARCs that I was not expecting:


But I couldn't read these right away because I was having trouble with my eyes and needed to get new glasses. Long story short, I got new glasses about a week ago and was able to use my Kindle again but then I found out I got picked for an eARC for the blog tour of...

Which became a priority since it's coming out on December 5th and I'm just finishing it now.
Speaking of December 5th, I remembered that Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill is coming out the same day and I left off at page 66 so I have to get on that PRONTO.

And to top it off, I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Hazel Wood on Goodreads which comes out the end of January!

So pretty soon, my clean, well-structured TBR schedule became more of one of those conversations where you start on one topic and twenty minutes of rambling later you've off-shot to one hundred other subjects and you have no idea how you got talking about socks when you started off talking about the new season of Stranger Things. Does anyone else have those kind of moments? Or is it just me?

Published on November 26, 2017 06:30
November 25, 2017
#BookTag Saturday: The #MyBookHomeTag
Another week, another Instagram/Bookstagram Tag for #BookTag Saturday. This week I'm doing the...
1. A Book You'd Like To Live In:
Splintered by A.G. Howard
I love her twisted reimagining of Wonderland.
2. Author You'd Like As A Roommate:
Kelly Creagh or Jessica Verday
Because they like dark, gothic things like me.
3. Fictional Place You'd Like to Live In:
Prythian or Caelira
I'd love the Autumn Court or the land of magic storms!
4. Book That Gives You Comfort:
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie
This book is a forever favorite and it always makes me feel better.
5. Fave Reading Spot:
In my big chair by the patio door or in bed.
6. Character You Could Never Live Without:
Mal from the Stage Dive Series by Kylie Scott
My Bae

1. A Book You'd Like To Live In:
Splintered by A.G. Howard
I love her twisted reimagining of Wonderland.
2. Author You'd Like As A Roommate:
Kelly Creagh or Jessica Verday
Because they like dark, gothic things like me.
3. Fictional Place You'd Like to Live In:
Prythian or Caelira
I'd love the Autumn Court or the land of magic storms!
4. Book That Gives You Comfort:
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie
This book is a forever favorite and it always makes me feel better.
5. Fave Reading Spot:
In my big chair by the patio door or in bed.
6. Character You Could Never Live Without:
Mal from the Stage Dive Series by Kylie Scott
My Bae
Published on November 25, 2017 20:54