Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 37
June 23, 2023
Book Review: Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah
Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah
Standalone, YA, Horror/Thriller
eBook, Hardcover, 320 Pages
February 21, 2023 by Wednesday Books
Blurb:Andrea Hannah’s Where Darkness Blooms is a supernatural thriller about an eerie town where the sunflowers whisper secrets and the land hungers for blood.
The town of Bishop is known for exactly two recurring windstorms and an endless field of sunflowers that stretches farther than the eye can see. And women―missing women. So when three more women disappear one stormy night, no one in Bishop is surprised. The case is closed and their daughters are left in their dusty shared house with the shattered pieces of their lives. Until the wind kicks up a terrible secret at their mothers’ much-delayed memorial.
With secrets come the lies each of the girls is forced to confront. After caring for the other girls, Delilah would like to move on with her boyfriend, Bennett, but she can’t bear his touch. Whitney has already lost both her mother and her girlfriend, Eleanor, and now her only solace is an old weathervane that seems to whisper to her. Jude, Whitney’s twin sister, would rather ignore it all, but the wind kicks up her secret the summer fling she had with Delilah’s boyfriend. And more than anything, Bo wants answers and she wants them now. Something happened to their mothers and the townsfolk know what it was. She’s sure of it.
Bishop has always been a strange town. But what the girls don’t know is that Bishop was founded on blood―and now it craves theirs.
My Review:The best part of this book was the prologue. After that it goes and stays downhill riddled with plot holes and a storyline that doesn’t make sense leading up to a lackluster end that doesn’t make any sense.
I was drawn to this book based on the description, the gorgeous cover, and the vibes that reminded me of The Dead and The Dark by Courtney Gould but this book was a disappointment that left me, as a reader, with more questions than answers. The author doesn’t flesh out the story enough to explain to the reader why this is the way things are… perhaps we’re supposed to draw our own conclusion as to why the sunflowers crave the blood of women for example. Maybe the point was to be vague and mysterious… it just didn’t pan out.
I see what the author was trying to accomplish with this book but it just didn’t work for me as a reader.
My Rating:
1 of 5 Stars (I’d rather poke my eye out)
June 21, 2023
Book Review: Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
YA, Thriller/Mystery, Sci-Fi
eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 352 pages
June 20, 2023 by Wednesday Books
Blurb:Two sisters travel to an isolated Arizona town to investigate its connection to their mother’s death, but uncover more than they bargained for in this supernatural thriller from the author of The Dead and the Dark.
Beck Birsching has been adrift since the death of her mother, a brilliant but troubled investigative reporter. She can’t stop herself from slipping into memories of happier days, longing for a time when things were more normal. So when a mysterious letter in her mother’s handwriting arrives in the mail that reads Come and find me, pointing to the small town at the center of her last investigation, Beck hopes that it may hold the answers.
But when Beck and her sister Riley arrive in Backravel, Arizona, it’s clear that something’s off. There are no cars, no cemeteries, no churches. The town is a mix of dilapidated military structures and new, shiny buildings, all overseen by a gleaming treatment center high on a plateau. No one seems to remember when they got there, and when Beck digs deeper into the town’s enigmatic leader and his daughter, Avery, she begins to suspect that they know more than they’re letting on.
As Beck and her sister search for answers about their mother, she and Avery are increasingly drawn together, and their unexpected connection brings up emotions Beck has fought to keep buried. Beck is desperate to hold onto the way things used to be, but when she starts losing herself in Backravel―and its connection to her mother― she risks losing her way back out.
In Where Echoes Die, Courtney Gould draws readers into a haunting desert town to explore grief, the weight of not letting go of the past, first love, and the bonds between sisters, mothers and daughters.
I was looking forward to this one after reading and loving the author’s first book.
This one takes on a more sci-fi plot line than her first book’s paranormal dynamic (which I preferred) but still keeps true with the sapphic love interest for the main character.
This book doesn’t hold as much mystery as I would have liked. The sisters arrive in this weird town that has no cars, cemeteries or churches but instead looks like a military simulation of what a town should look like and for some reason I felt like Dean and Sam Winchester from Supernatural might end up investigating a town like this. The author does do well using the setting to give the reader all the creepy and unsettling vibes.
But moreover this book is about loss and grief as Beck and her sister have lost their mother and Beck is desperate to find out why – what was in Backravel, AZ that caused them to lose the only parent they were really close with. It’s an accurate depiction of how two people, sisters in this case, can show grief in completely different ways.
I still prefer the author’s first book to this one but I did enjoy it.
My Rating:
3.5/5 Rounded to 4 (I Lived to Tell the Tale+)
June 20, 2023
Can’t Wait Wednesday: Hemlock Island!
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.
Hey Bookdragons! Happy Wednesday! I missed last Wednesday because I got super busy and hadn’t scheduled my post ahead of time. This is one in definitely looking forward to…
Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
Standalone, Horror/Mystery/Thriller
eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 304 pages
September 12, 2023 by St. Martin’s Press
Blurb:A standalone horror novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.
Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who’ve fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out…and failed.
When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.
There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone―or something―that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive.
I’ve read and enjoyed books by this author before and this one sounds like a perfect book to kick off the spooky season this fall!
Will you be checking this one out? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?
Book Review: You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
YA, Horror, LGBT, Standalone
eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 240 Pages
June 20, 2023 by Bloomsbury YA
Blurb:At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game . . . but can you survive the night?
This heart-pounding slasher by New York Timesbestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street.
Charity has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, The Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business.
But the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity’s role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they’ll need figure out what this killer is after. As they unravel the bloody history of the real Mirror Lake, Charity discovers that there may be more to the story than she ever suspected . . .
Friday the 13th meets that one episode of Psych from season 3 – Tuesday the 17th (minus the comedic bits) in You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight.
Every summer Charity goes to work at Camp Mirror Lake. But don’t let the name fool you — this is not a summer camp, it’s a terror simulation where people go to be chased around by a Jason Voorhees-like masked killer where they will have to survive the night or be plucked off by the masked killer. This year Charity is playing the coveted role of Final Girl. But when her coworkers start disappearing and mysterious things start happening she realizes that this year someone has decided to make the game real… and if she’s not careful she won’t make it out alive.
I was hooked on this book right from the start. I love horror movies, especially Friday the 13th, and I also love thriller/horror novels with camp settings so this was the perfect read for me. I wish I could work at a place like this, it sounded awesome at the beginning!
It’s easy to connect with the characters and be rooting for them throughout the book. It’s also a fast-paced, easy read. I’m not scared of horror movies/books but this got my heart racing in the best of ways as I furiously turned pages eager to see who would make it out alive.
I also thought the ending was cleverly written and left you wondering what the consequences of the character’s action will be.
If you’re a fan of horror you will love this book! It’s definitely in the top of my reads so far in 2023 and will probably make it onto my favorites list at the end of the year!
Rating:
5 of 5 Knives!
June 18, 2023
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 19 June 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! I had a really busy week last week but I managed to finish one fantasy book and one novella.
What I Read Last Week:Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I finished this one yesterday and I really liked it. I’ve already preordered book 2 so I don’t miss out on the special edition or have trouble finding a physical copy.
Then She Said Hush by Cordelia Kelly
I really liked most of the stories in this collection of short stories!
Currently Reading:Happy Place by Emily Henry
Since The Wicked Unseen won’t hit my Kindle until after midnight on Tuesday I’m starting Happy Place by Emily Henry which I just picked up at Walmart after seeing it all over Bookstagram.
Next Read:The Wicked Unseen by Gigi Griffis or Reckless by Elsie Silver
I’ll be getting The Wicked Unseen soon but Reckless is another book I keep seeing on Bookstagram and I’m dying to start it.
What have you been reading and loving lately? Have you read any of these?
June 17, 2023
The Sunday Post: Long Week, Stressors, and Driving Practice
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.
Long Week, Stressors, and Driving PracticeHey Bookdragons! Happy Sunday! How was your week? I hope you’ve had a relaxing weekend and are ready for a new week.
I had a really long, stressful week. Work was full of crazy, stressful calls during my last rotation and one of my coworkers is thinking of quitting which would take us down to only 2 full time dispatchers instead of 4 (since we already had a vacant post) which is not at all what I needed to hear right now.
My mom quit the clinical trial she was on for her cancer because it was making things somewhat worse instead of better so she’s been doing radiation on the cancer in her rib this week which will end on Monday. Her spirits have been down and I’m concerned about the future.
I spent my days off driving my mom back and forth to appointments which allowed me to get in a lot of driving practice. I drove a few miles on the interstate and then about 30 miles on another major highway so I’ve had practice with merging, higher speeds than I’m used to, and driving in a lot more traffic which is good. Now I just need to practice parallel parking before my road test in July.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 12 June 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Bookish Wishes
First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: Fourth Wing
What I’m Binge-Watching: June 2-17, 2023
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 19 June 2023
Book Review: You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
Can’t Wait Wednesday: Hemlock Island (make up from last week)
Book Review: Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould
The Friday 56: Happy Place
Kindle Unlimited/eARCs/Free Books from Newsletters
Things I’ve Bookmarked This Week:
How to Parallel Park: 10 Ridiculously Easy Parallel Parking Steps
What I’m Binge-Watching: 2-17 June 2023
What I’m Binge-Watching is a weekly meme to document all of our favorite binging obsessions. Follow along and let me know what you’ve been binge-watching lately!
Hey everyone! June has been a busy month so far – filled with work for me and doctor appointments for my mom and trying to keep up with everything. Plus summery weather making me get out of the house more. But that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped binging shows…
Recently Watched/Finished:Stranger Things
I finished this one up about a week and a half ago and now I’m with everyone else waiting for season 5.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
This was a re-watch for me and I liked it much better the second time and now I’m kind of sad there won’t be a season 2.
New Binges:Virgin River
I’m about to start Season 3 of Virgin River. It’s a very relaxing show which I needed this month and I’m almost caught up so where I started watching.
Ongoing:CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
I’m up to Season 11, episode 17.
What are you currently binge-watching? Let me know in the comments! Happy binging!
June 12, 2023
First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: Fourth Wing
First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros is a weekly meme hosted by Socrates Book Reviews where you share the first paragraph of one of the books that you are currently reading. Each week bloggers will choose a book or books of the week (which will be one of the books that you are currently reading) and that book will take part in this book blog meme.
This week I’m participating with: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
First Chapter, First Paragraph:Conscription Day is always the deadliest. Maybe that’s why the sunrise is especially beautiful this morning – because I know it might be my last.
Blurb:Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
What do you think? Would you keep reading? This is the most hyped up book of the moment. I picked it up thinking I wouldn’t like it and wanting to prove it to myself but it’s not bad so far.
To Ten Tuesday: 10 Bookish Wishes
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 Bookish WishesThis week’s TTT is about books on our book wishlists. My Amazon wishlist can be found here
1. All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauly
2. In Nightfall by Suzanne Young 
3. An Improbable Season by Rosalyn Eves
4. Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
5. Rocked by Love by Melissa Foster
6. Of Beasts and Bruises by Rebecca F. Kenney
7. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
8. The Inadequate Heir (Alternate Paperback) by Danielle L. Jensen
9. Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer
10. A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle
What books are on your book wishlist? Drop me a link to your post!
June 11, 2023
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 12 June 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! Did you get a lot of reading in over the weekend? Am I the only one that finds that my reading slows down in the summer because there is so much going on?
Last Week I Read:The Upstairs Wife by Rachel Hawkins
I finished up my audiobook listening of this one last week and I loved it. I already can’t wait for her next book coming out next year.
Where Echoes Die by Courtney GouldI made time for this eARC last week too. I liked the author’s first book better but I still enjoyed this one. My review will be up on release week next week.
Currently Reading:Fourth Wing by Rebecca YarrosI’m finally reading the much hyped about book. I’m not far into it but it’s not bad so far. It might take me a while to get through this one because fantasy novels take me forever lately.
Then She Said Hush by Cordelia KellyThis author and I follow each other on Instagram and I just got this collection of short stories for signing up for her newsletter. I’m 40% through it and I’m definitely enjoying these little flash horror stories.
Next Read:The Wicked Unseen by Gigi GriffisBy the time I finish Fourth Wing, The Wicked Unseen should have releases and I’m really excited to read this one.
What have you been reading and loving lately? Have you read any of these?
