Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 43

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees

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.

My book of the week is: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees by Samantha Eaton

First Chapter, First Paragraph:

People say the trees keep the secrets of killers, and so we fear them.

The forest surrounds me, no matter where I go in this county, and it taunts me with memories it will never share. It shields the people here from the worst crimes committed among the evergreens and aspens and maples, but woven within its branches, there is violence. The bare skeletons of deciduous trees whisper new tales to the needles of conifers, a language dead to humans.

Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Cara Hughes doesn’t have time to believe in monsters.

When Cara’s older sister, Shelby, returns home after a year-long disappearance, unable to say what happened or where she went, Cara’s family is thrown into turmoil-again. As it is, Cara’s barely juggling her job, school, and volunteer work, and she’s desperate to be chosen for a corporate internship-something that would guarantee a two-year degree she could never afford without relying on the same loans that left her parents struggling.

At first, Cara is just worried about Shelby’s odd behavior and unpredictable moods, then she discovers the body of a teenager, viciously attacked, in the very woods where Shelby vanished. And the teen is just the first victim. Cara clings to the belief that an animal is responsible for the deaths until she realizes she’s being stalked by a strange creature in the woods-and it’s no animal.

Plagued by strange visions and with her carefully-balanced life falling apart around her, Cara reaches out to the only person who can help her, Lucas Powell, a self-proclaimed monster hunter. His theories are outrageous, and Cara hopes her decision to trust him isn’t a mistake, but the only way to know is by putting his theories to the test. Cara must face the woods herself, where the creatures she’s tried so hard to deny lurk in the dark.

What do you think? Would you read this one? I read it in two days last week!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 27 March 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! After last week’s major book catching up, this past week was a little bit more normal for me. I do have to say I am rocking my audiobook challenge this month though!

Last Week I Read:The Fae Princes by Nikki St. Crowe

Unpopular Opinion: I didn’t like this book much. It just felt like it was lacking something. It was alright but when I skip over *the* major spicy scene in the book because I’m bored… you know there is a problem.

My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood

This was a cute, fun short story that has an underlying message about appreciating the people in our life, especially our parents, before it’s too late. It really touched me in a way.

The Insatiable Hunger of Trees by Samantha Eaton

I’d been looking forward to this one and I definitely liked it.

Currently Reading:The Fear by Natasha Preston

I’m not as into this one as I was The Island by this author but I’m going to try to stick it out.

Impact Winter by Travis Beacham

I started this one on Friday when I had some time to kill before work and it’s a really unique listening experience.

Next Read:The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

This will be my next audiobook read.

Sun Touched by Becky Moynihan

I know I have said this about 4 times in the last 4 months but I mean it this time! I’m going to read this book! It’s in my work bag and everything!

Have you read any of these? What book(s) do you plan on finishing March out with?

The Sunday Post: Uneventful Week, Mud Season, and Fun Book Mail

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.

Uneventful Week, Mud Season, and Fun Book Mail

Hey Bookdragons! Happy Sunday! How was your week?

Mine was pretty uneventful overall. I worked a lot. (54 hours total) and mostly just slept and ate on my time off. My mom had her first clinical trial appointment at UW-Madison on Thursday and had to spend the night. So far she says she’s feeling good.

Could it be? Is winter releasing us from its death grip? Eh, too soon to tell. But most of our snow melted and turned our yard to mud. When it dries up my sister and her boyfriend will have to clean up the yard a bit. But then we got an inch of snow yesterday. Luckily we’re supposed to be in the low 40s most of the week.

The one cool thing this week was getting a fun swag/review package from my author friend Samantha Eaton with her debut book: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees. I’ve already finished reading it and I liked it. For the swag she sent me a tote bag, some bookmarks, and stickers.

The Sunday Post: Never-Ending Winter, Ghostface, and St. Patrick’s Day

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 20 March 2023

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: The Hike

Top Ten Tuesday: TTT Rewind: 10 Bookish People I’d Like To Meet

Can’t Wait Wednesday… The Chateau!

The Friday 56: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees

The Sunday Post: Uneventful Week, Mud Season, and Fun Book Mail (You Are Here)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 27 March 2023

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for People Who Liked “Author X” – I’m picking Agatha Christie

Can’t Wait Wednesday… The Game She Plays!

The Friday 56: The Fae Princes

Physical:Kindle Unlimited: Netgalley ARC:

Do Not Share This Book, A Popular Fantasy Series Warned Readers

The Friday 56: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees

The Friday 56 is a weekly blog meme hosted by Freda’s Voice. How to participate: Grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and link up on Freda’s Voice so everyone knows to visit.

This week I’m participating with: The Insatiable Hunger of Trees by Samantha Eaton

Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Cara Hughes doesn’t have time to believe in monsters.

When Cara’s older sister, Shelby, returns home after a year-long disappearance, unable to say what happened or where she went, Cara’s family is thrown into turmoil—again. As it is, Cara’s barely juggling her job, school, and volunteer work, and she’s desperate to be chosen for a corporate internship—something that would guarantee a two-year degree she could never afford without relying on the same loans that left her parents struggling.

At first, Cara is just worried about Shelby’s odd behavior and unpredictable moods, then she discovers the body of a teenager, viciously attacked, in the very woods where Shelby vanished. And the teen is just the first victim. Cara clings to the belief that an animal is responsible for the deaths until she realizes she’s being stalked by a strange creature in the woods—and it’s no animal.

Plagued by strange visions and with her carefully-balanced life falling apart around her, Cara reaches out to the only person who can help her, Lucas Powell, a self-proclaimed monster hunter. His theories are outrageous, and Cara hopes her decision to trust him isn’t a mistake, but the only way to know is by putting his theories to the test. Cara must face the woods herself, where the creatures she’s tried so hard to deny lurk in the dark.

The Friday 56 Excerpt:

“She said she came home to see us one last time, like she plans on something happening to her. And she said she did something bad that followed her here. I don’t know. I don’t know how she got here, or what she meant.”

What do you think? Would you read this book? I’m hoping to finish it this weekend. It’s definitely a creepy, wintery read even though we’re now into spring technically.

Can’t Wait Wednesday… The Chateau!

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.

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis

Standalone, Thriller

eBook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 336 Pages

May 23, 2023 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Blurb:

A dream girls trip to a luxurious French chateau devolves into a deadly nightmare of secrets and murder in this stylish, twisty thriller for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell.

Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group’s deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?

Amid winery tours, market visits, and fancy dinners overlooking olive groves and lavender fields, it becomes clear that each woman has a hidden reason for accepting the invitation. Then, after a wild evening’s celebration, Séraphine is found brutally murdered.

As the women search for answers to this shocking crime, fingers begin pointing and a sinister Instagram account pops up, exposing snapshots from the friends’ intimate moments at the chateau, while threatening to reveal more.

As they race to uncover who murdered Séraphine and is now stalking them, they learn the chateau houses many secrets…several worth killing for.

Why I Want to Read The Chateau:

Friend Group with Secrets: Check

Beautiful Setting: Check

Online Stalker Threatening to Spill the Secrets: Check

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

Top Ten Tuesday: TTT Rewind

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 – TTT Rewind: 10 Bookish People I’d Like To Meet

This week’s TTT is a rewind post to do prompts we missed or would like to re-do/update. I really wanted to do the 10 Bookish People Id Like to Meet prompt from 2 weeks ago but life got in the way so it’s make-up day. These are going to be some of my author friends and fellow bookstagrammers…

1. Tyffany Hackett (Indie Author, Bookstagrammer, and all around Bookish Bestie) – find her on IG as @ tyffany.h 2. Chelscey Clayton (Indie Author, Bookstagrammer) IG: @ Chelscey 3. Jade Presley (Indie Author of one of my favorite series) IG: @ jadepresleyauthor4. Jenn @ read.like.a.girl (Bookstagrammer)5. Becky Moynihan (Indie Author) IG: @ Becky_Moynihan 6. Hannah (Indie Author) IG: @ hannah.marae7. A.J. Torres (Indie Author, Bookstagrammer, Overall Supportive Human Being!) IG: @ a_j_torres08. Ashleigh (Bookstagrammer) IG: @ edwardanddamon9. Debbie Russell (Author, Twitter friend in the Writing Community) Twitter: @ DebbiesStories10. Samantha Eaton (Horror Indie Author) Twitter: @ Samantha_Eaton3

What rewind did you decide to do this week?

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: The Hike

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.

My book of the week is: The Hike by Susi Holliday

First Chapter, First Paragraph:

He is in much worse shape than she is. Half of his face is obscured by dried blood and muck. One of his eyes is puffed up and squeezed shut. His shorts and t-shirt are ripped. Muddied. Bloody. She knows she doesn’t look too great herself. Sweat patches under the arms of her sweatshirt. Grazes on her knees. She tries to stay focused. Keep the pain at bay.

Blurb:

Four hikers enter the mountains. Only two return. But is it tragedy? Or treachery?

When sisters Cat and Ginny travel with their husbands to the idyllic Swiss Alps for a hiking holiday, it’s not just a chance to take in the stunning scenery. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with each other after years of drifting apart—and patch up marriages that are straining at the seams.

As they head into the mountains, morale is high, but as the terrain turns treacherous, cracks in the relationships start to show. With worrying signs that someone might be following them, the sun begins to set and exhaustion kicks in. Suddenly, lost high on a terrifying ridge, tensions spill over—with disastrous consequences.

When only two of the four hikers make it down from the mountain, the police press them for their story—but soon become suspicious when their accounts just don’t add up.

What really happened up on that ridge? Who are the survivors? And what secrets are they trying to hide?

What do you think? Would you read this one? I’m hoping to start this one this week.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 20 March 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! It’s been two weeks since I last updated you on my reading and I’ve dabbled in a few books since then…

What I’ve Read Lately:Does It Hurt by H.D. Carlton

I still couldn’t get into this one so I’m giving up.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

I’ve finally finished this audiobook I’ve had in progress since January. I really enjoyed it, I just never have time to listen to audiobooks lately! I was actually threatening to get an ebook or print copy and finish it that way

For the Fans by Nyla K.

I was really excited for this one but it was so slow burn (which I hate) and the eBook is 736 pages so I didn’t even get to the spicy bits. Contemporary Romance should not be that freaking long!

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

One of my Bookish besties raved about this one. I was in until I got to the perspective of the Dustwalker and he sounded really… I don’t want to say dumb, but I just didn’t want to continue.

Fallen by Linda Castillo

I really enjoyed this one. As a dispatcher I thought it was cool to see all the ten-codes in dialogue as Kate talked to other officers and dispatch on the radio. And the author was certainly dedicated to making it authentic by using Amish words and phrases and luckily explains what they mean.

The Island by Natasha Preston

Loved it! Devoured it in 2 days! Brb while I buy up the author’s backlist!

Stolen by the Wolves by Lyx Robinson

I need to learn that except in rare occasions fantasy doesn’t do it for me anymore. I was intrigued by the prologue but then chapter one went 3 years back in time and it doesn’t look like we get back to the timeline of the prologue until a future book. Nope. Not with the rate I actually return and continue series – even ones I love. DNF.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

I just finished the audiobook of this one last night and I really liked it! The decision Emily makes at the end about her book and Chess is the only part I didn’t care for but otherwise I couldn’t stop listening to this one!

Currently Reading:The Fae Princes by Nikki St. Crowe

I’m almost finished with this one as I got an ARC for being part of Nikki’s Patreon. I’m enjoying it so far, but it has a little bit of a different tone than the first 3 books. I can’t wait to see how it will end.

Next Read:The Fear by Natasha Preston

I picked up The Fear, The Twin, and The Lake when I was at Meijer over the weekend and I can’t wait to get to these.

Have you read any of these? Was I too ruthless in my DNF’ing of a few of them? What are you reading and loving lately?

The Sunday Post: Never-Ending Winter, Ghostface, and St. Patrick’s Day

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.

Never-Ending Winter, Ghostface, and St. Patrick’s Day

Hey Bookdragons! I fell off the grid again last week but I made up all of my posts this week. How have you been?

Are you stuck in the never-ending winter saga like me? When will all the snow end?!?!

Last weekend was release weekend for Scream 6 and you know I went to see it. Scream is hands-down my favorite horror movie franchise and I loved Scream 6! Then on Sunday night I was sitting at work when the phone rang… and who was on the other end? Ghostface of course! I swear I almost ran out the door screaming. But after doing a little digging apparently as some sort of promo for the new movie they set up a website where you can supply a phone number and Ghostface calls you. Apparently someone decided it would be an awesome idea to put in the non-emergency phone number for the police department where I work.

This past Friday was St. Patrick’s Day! My mom and I had some errands to run and I enjoyed getting out of town for a few hours. We had a relaxing lunch at Olive Garden then came home to watch movies and completely avoided the drunken insanity in the next town over which always is bad this time of year. Did you do anything for St. Patrick’s Day?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 6 March 2023

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: The Island

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books on My Spring 2023 To-Read List

Can’t Wait Wednesday… The Invisible Hour

Book Review: The Island by Natasha Preston

The Friday 56: The Island

The Sunday Post: Never-Ending Winter, Ghostface, and St. Patrick’s Day (you are here)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 20 March 2023

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros: Book TBD

Top Ten Tuesday: Make Up Week – 10 Bookish People I’d Like To Meet

Can’t Wait Wednesday… The Chateau!

The Friday 56: Book TBD

From PangoBooks:

10 Violent Books Just Like Your Favorite Slasher Films

5 YA Books to Read if You’re a Fan of These Horror Movies

17 Book Recs for SCREAM Fans!

The Friday 56: The Island

The Friday 56 is a weekly blog meme hosted by Freda’s Voice. How to participate: Grab a book, any book. Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay. Find a snippet, short and sweet. Post it, and link up on Freda’s Voice so everyone knows to visit.

This week I’m participating with: The Island by Natasha Preston

Blurb:

Hot on the heels of the New York Times bestsellers The Twin and The Lake, another pulse-pounding read from the undisputed queen of YA thrillers!

They said goodbye to their friends and family for the weekend. They weren’t counting on forever.

Jagged Island: a private amusement park for the very rich—or the very influential. Liam, James, Will, Ava, Harper, and Paisley—social media influencers with millions of followers—have been invited for an exclusive weekend before the park opens. They’ll make posts and videos for their channels and report every second of their VIP treatment.

When the teens arrive, they’re stunned: the resort is even better than they’d imagined. Their hotel rooms are unreal, the park’s themed rides are incredible, and the island is hauntingly beautiful. They’re given a jam-packed itinerary for the weekend.

But soon they’ll discover that something’s missing from their schedule: getting off the island alive.

The Friday 56 Excerpt:

I’ve also made notes on the sixteenth-century Gothic era Malcolm is obsessed with and the weapons in his little chest of horrors.

Were they used for torture and murder? I mean, what else would vou need a mace for?

What do you think? Would you read this book? I finished this one earlier in the week and I loved the And Then There Were None, stranded on an island with a killer, twisty vibes!