Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 30

Book Review: A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth HandBlurb:

From three-time Shirley Jackson, World Fantasy, and Nebula Award-winning author Elizabeth Hand comes the first-ever authorized novel to return to the world of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House: a suspenseful, contemporary, and terrifying story of longing and isolation all its own.

Holly Sherwin has been a struggling playwright for years, but now, after receiving a grant to develop her play, The Witch of Edmonton, she may finally be close to her big break. All she needs is time and space to bring her vision to life. When she stumbles across Hill House on a weekend getaway upstate, she is immediately taken in by the ornate, if crumbling, gothic mansion, nearly hidden outside a remote village. It’s enormous, old, and ever-so eerie—the perfect place to develop and rehearse her play.

Despite her own hesitations, Holly’s girlfriend, Nisa, agrees to join Holly in renting the house out for a month, and soon a troupe of actors, each with ghosts of their own, arrive. Yet as they settle in, the house’s peculiarities are made known: strange creatures stalk the grounds, disturbing sounds echo throughout the halls, and time itself seems to shift. All too soon, Holly and her friends find themselves at odds not just with one another, but with the house itself. It seems something has been waiting in Hill House all these years, and it no longer intends to walk alone . . .

My Review:

I was so excited to read this one, not because I love the original novel – to be honest I DNF’d The Haunting of Hill House but I love the 1999 movie adaptation, The Haunting, and the Netflix tv show adaptation, The Haunting of Hill House and was eager to see the spin the author would bring to this “authorized sequel.”

This was an easy book to get into with a straightforward plot. A playwright, her singer-songwriter girlfriend, her sound producing friend, and the star of the play come to Hill House to workshop a play about a witch. The play sounded interesting in a way while Nisa’s ballads were awful. I kept trying to get a melody for them in my head and failed.

I’ll warn you, none of the characters are particularly likeable, although if I had to pick one I tolerated the most, it was the actress, Amanda.

While this book was straightforward and easy to read quickly, I find myself wondering what made this book so fantastic it was allowed to be the “first ever authorized novel/sequel.” As I mentioned, I DNF’d the original novel, mainly because I hate the character Nell, in all iterations. But perhaps the original novel was like this book. An attempt at horror, that although had a few bizarre scenes, was not at all scary. No jump scares, no taut bits of tension as you flip through the pages anticipating what will happen next. In this book, they basically blather on and on about the play and then in an odd turn one of the characters dies and they realize they have to leave Hill House.

Overall, despite this not having a particularly thrilling plot, I did enjoy it.

My Rating:

4 of 5 Knives!

Book Review: Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny ReidBlurb:

Winnifred Gobaldi and Byron Visser are not best friends.

Yes, they’ve known each other for years, but they’re not even friendly. Winnie considers them more like casual, distant acquaintances who find each other barely tolerable, especially when he’s being condescending (which is all the time).

The truth is, they have nothing in common. She’s a public school science teacher with stars in her eyes, and he’s a pretentious, joyless double PhD turned world-famous bestselling fiction author. She loves sharing her passion for promulgating women in STEM careers and building community via social media, and he eschews all socialization, virtual or otherwise. She’s looking for a side hustle to help pay down a mountain of student debt, and his financial portfolio is the stuff of fiduciary wet dreams. So why are they faking a #bestfriend relationship for millions of online spectators?

When a simple case of tit-for-tat trends between nonfriends leads to a wholly unexpected kind of pretend, nothing is simple. Sometimes, it takes a public audience to reveal the truth of private feelings, and rarely—very rarely—you should believe what you see online.

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend is a full-length, complete standalone, adult contemporary romantic comedy.

My Review:

This book was recommended to me by an author friend of mine and I picked it up right away.

I loved the first half of this book. It was cute and swoony and I found myself wanting to squee over so many things. Winnie and Byron had so much chemistry and I couldn’t wait to see where it was going.

Then we got about halfway through, when it took a left turn into giving Byron a label. Because he can’t just dislike people he has to have a disorder It felt like after that point the author poured a bucket of water on the story and everything slowed down.

It’s not as if I hated the book as a whole. I actually really liked it. I just saw it going in a different direction than the author did I guess.

What I liked: the chemistry between characters, the videos they made, drunk Byron, the grumpy/sunshine trope.

What I disliked: the STEM stuff (sorry, not my thing), labeling Byron, the slow physical development between the characters (literally no actual sex until the epilogue!), and Winnie’s low self esteem.

My Rating:

4 of 5 Knives!

November Hopefuls

Hey Bookdragons! Happy November! It’s a busy month for a lot of people. Writers are doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), Thanksgiving and Black Friday are coming up in the US, a highly anticipated sequel is coming out, and I’m trying to finish the first draft of my WIP. With all that I also have a full TBR this month. Here are my November Hopefuls…

AudiobooksA Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare

This is the book club I’m in’s pick for November. I’m not too excited to read it. It looks cheesy and awful. To be honest, I haven’t been thrilled by any of the picks so far and the ones for the next 3 months aren’t thrilling me either.

Virgin River by Robin Carr

This one I am looking forward to. I’ve been meaning to catch up on season 5 of Virgin River but maybe I’ll read book 1 first.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

This has been on my TBR for a while and I think I might get through it faster in audiobook.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

I keep seeing this one on Instagram and it looks so good!

Physical/eBooks:The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector

This was recommended to me by a friend months ago and I’ve been meaning to read it. I think I’m taking it on vacation with me this weekend.

Famine by Laura Thalassa

It is taking me literally years to finish this series. I read book 2 last spring and I’m making a point to try to read 3 and 4 by the end of the year.

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

This was on my October TBR and I didn’t get time for it.

In These Hallowed Halls Anthology

Another book from my October TBR I didn’t have time for.

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

I have an eARC of this one which releases in January. It fits in well as I’m still in spooky season mode.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

What books are on your TBR this month?

Top Ten Tuesday: Halloween Freebie – Spooky Season Wrap-Up

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: Halloween Freebie – Spooky Season Wrap-Up

Happy Halloween Bookdragons! This week’s TTT is a Halloween Freebie! What better time to wrap-up all the spooky reads I’ve read in the past couple months. In no particular order, here are 10 of the 15 books I read that were spooky season related…

1. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie2. The Only One Left by Riley Sager3. Vampires of El Norte by Isabel CañasDNF4. A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford5. The Last One by Will Dean6. You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose 7. The Return by Rachel HarrisonReread – 8. A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand9. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix10. Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

Have you been reading any books for the spooky season? What were some of your favorites? What did you do for today’s Halloween freebie?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Hey Bookdragons! I got a fair bit of reading done last week including an eARC I’m really excited for everyone else to read.

Last Week I Read:A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

I enjoyed this one but I do have some thoughts on it. My review will be up later this week. It is a fast, interesting read overall.

Until the Stars Fall by Vanessa RasanenCover Not Revealed Yet

I don’t read fantasy often but I loved this one! It took me a bit to get up to since I was listening to a Poirot mystery and finishing A Haunting on the Hill at the same time but once I got into it I loved it! Releasing February 2024.

Currently Reading:The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

I’m doing my yearly re-read of The Dead House for Halloween.

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

I’m about halfway through this one. I like it but it’s not one of my favorites I don’t think.

Next Read:Holly by Stephen King

I have a short 3-hour audiobook I want to listen to tomorrow for Halloween and then I want to start the audiobook of Holly. I’ve heard good things so far.

What are you reading this week? Are you reading anything spooky for Halloween?

The Sunday Post: Vacation Week, Sick Cats, and Priorities

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.

Vacation Week, Sick Cats, and Priorities

Hey Bookdragons! I’ve been somewhat absent lately and I apologize. I’ve been really tired and low-energy so I’ve been focusing on reading, work, and movie marathons.

From this past Friday through November 7th I’m on vacation days through work. I’m planning to spend the next couple days celebrating Halloween and then the 1st through the 6th I’ll be up in Door County, Wisconsin for a solo writing retreat as well as an author event for charity.

This week my main cause of stress was my cat becoming ill. After numerous tests at the vet it was learned that he has crystals in his bladder and a UTI and is on a course of antibiotics and a painkiller through Wednesday. He also has to eat special food for the rest of his life to prevent crystals from forming again.

With my absence lately, I’ve decided to re-devote myself to blogging. I’m going to do more reviews as some of the weekly memes I’ve been doing are on hiatus.

Posts from the last 2-3 weeks:

Spooky October Book Cover Challenge & Giveaway – Part of FraterfestRAT 2023 (Posted 10-12-2023)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 16 October 2023

Book Review: The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Midnight on Beacon Street

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 30 October 2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Halloween Freebie – Ten Spooky Books I Read This Season

November Hopefuls

Book Review: Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid

Book Review: A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

None This Week

None This Week

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Midnight on Beacon Street

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.

Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona

Standalone, Horror, Thriller

eBook, Paperback, Audiobook, 208 pages

January 30, 2024 by Harper Perennial

Blurb:

A suspenseful and entertaining debut thriller—and love letter to vintage horror movies—in which a teenager must overcome her own anxiety to protect the two children she’s babysitting when strangers come knocking at the door.

October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body.

When single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out a for a much-needed date night, she leaves her two young children —sweet, innocent six-year-old Ben and precocious, defiant twelve-year-old Mira— in the capable hands of their sitter, Amy. The quiet seventeen-year-old is good at looking after children, despite her anxiety disorder. She also loves movies, especially horror flicks. Amy likes their predictability; it calms the panic that threatens to overwhelm her.

The evening starts out normally enough, with games, pizza, and dancing. But as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn —unexpected visitors at the door, mysterious phone calls, and by midnight, little Ben is in the kitchen standing in a pool of blood, with a dead body at his feet.

In this dazzling debut novel, Emily Ruth Verona moves back and forth in time, ratcheting up suspense and tension on every page. Chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, Midnight on Beacon Street is a gripping thriller full of electrifying twists and a heartwarming tale of fear and devotion that explores our terrors and the lengths we’ll go to keep our loved ones safe.

Why I Want to Read This Book:

You have me at “chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties.” I love horror movies, especially the older, cheesier ones that we all still watch today – Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc. Everything about this sounds deliciously creepy!

What do you think? Will you be checking this one out? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

[image error]The Christmas Guest: A Novella by Peter Swanson

Standalone, Christmas Thriller

eBook, Hardcover, audiobook, 112 pages

October 17, 2023 by William Morrow

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson pens a spectacularly spine-chilling novella in which an American art student in London is invited to join a classmate for the holidays at Starvewood Hall, her family’s Cotswold manor house. But behind the holly and pine boughs, secrets are about to unravel, revealing this seemingly charming English village’s grim history. Ashley Smith, an American art student in London for her junior year, was planning on spending Christmas alone, but a last-minute invitation from fellow student Emma Chapman brings her to Starvewood Hall, country residence of the Chapman family. The Cotswold manor house, festooned in pine boughs and crammed with guests for Christmas week, is a dream come true for Ashley. She is mesmerized by the cozy, firelit house, the large family, and the charming village of Clevemoor, but also by Adam Chapman, Emma’s aloof and handsome brother. But Adam is being investigated by the local police over the recent brutal slaying of a girl from the village, and there is a mysterious stranger who haunts the woodland path between Starvewood Hall and the local pub. Ashley begins to wonder what kind of story she is actually inhabiting. Is she in a grand romance? A gothic tale? Or has she wandered into something far more sinister and terrifying than she’d ever imagined? Over thirty years later the events of that horrific week are revisited, along with a diary from that time. What began in a small English village in 1989 reaches its ghostly conclusion in modern-day New York, many Christmas seasons later.

My Review:

This Christmas will be killer.

This book begins with a woman reflecting on her life and how she doesn’t accept invitations to people’s houses for Christmas. Instead she cleans, and comes upon an old journal from many Christmases ago.

We follow Ashley Smith as she is invited to pretty, more popular Emma’s house in the Cotswolds for Christmas. She diligently recounts through a series of journal entries her arrival at Starvewood Hall, meeting Emma’s parents and charismatic brother Adam who she immediately falls for.

But a darkness follows Adam, who has been accused of murdering a girl he was involved with some months earlier.

This book was a fast, interesting read that held my interest to the very end. It has a twist halfway through that the reader may or at not suspect but is still thrilling nonetheless followed by a second half that seems to explain the behind the scenes of part one.

I honestly did love it. This was my first read by this author but I will definitely check out his other books as I have been meaning to for a while.

For anyone wanting a seasonal read filled with murder and mystery, I definitely recommend The Christmas Guest!

My Rating:

5 of 5 Knives!

Get your copy!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 16 October 2023

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Hey Bookdragons! Happy Monday! I admit, my reading progress has been a bit slower in the past two weeks as I’ve been focusing much of my free time on writing. I have finished a couple books though…

Lately I’ve Read:The Return by Rachel Harrison

Reread – even better in audiobook!

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Book club pick. The book was good, I just didn’t care for the narrator on the audiobook.

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid

I devoured the first 1/2 of this book, the last 1/2 was a bit slower but over a definite 4-Star Read!

Currently Reading:Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

I’m about to finish the audiobook of this one and I’m loving it. Yes, I still love Death on the Nile better but this one is good too! I love Kenneth Branagh narrating!

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

I’m just starting this one but I’m really excited! It’s one of my most anticipated new releases!

Next Read:A Ghost of A Chance by Brittany Kelley

This one sounds cute and it’s a perfect palate cleanser before my annual reread of The Dead House for Halloween!

Have you read any of these? Are any on your TBR? What are you reading this week?

Spooky October Book Cover Challenge & Giveaway – Part of FraterfestRAT 2023

Welcome to the 2023 Fraterfest Readathon Spooky October Book Cover Challenge! This event is open to participants of the 2023 Fraterfest Readathon. Fraterfest Readathon is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer! You must take part in the Readathon to enter the giveaway but everyone is welcome to do the cover hunt.

Spooky October Book Cover Challenge

Find a cover that best matches the descriptions below. If you are taking part in the readathon, add your linky # in the rafflecopter and titles. If you aren’t part of the readathon and want to play along, leave answers in comments!

Find A Book Cover With:

1. A cat on the cover

2. Ghosts

3. Vampires

4. A moon on the cover (crescent or full is fine!)

5. A creepy/haunted house

6. Flames/Fire/Candles

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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