Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 6
January 19, 2025
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 20 January 2025
This week I’m linking up to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date!
#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
I feel like I’m dragging my way through books this month even if I have finished quite a few so far. Last week wasn’t a great reading week…
Last Week I Read:The Family Plot by Megan Collins
I was so eager to read this book but I ended up hating most of the characters but especially the main character and I shelved it for now. I may go back to it, I may not.
Currently Reading:Holly Horror by Michelle Jabes Corpora
This one has been on my TBR since before it released and I got it through my library’s Libby app. It’s kind of predictable and I’m just trying to get through it.
What The River Knows by Isabel Ibanez
I’m doing a buddy read of this one with one of my friends. I’m enjoying it so far but I’m way ahead of my friend. Oops. It is a library audiobook borrow and it’s due tomorrow though so I’ll either have to binge it to finish or renew it.
Reading Next:Mister Magic by Kiersten White
This is another library audiobook hold that just came in. I didn’t love Hide by this author (it was okay, 3 knives) but I’m intrigued by this one and hope I like it!
What are you reading and loving this week? Have you read any of these?
January 11, 2025
The Sunday Post: Flu, New Coffee Shops, and Candle making
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.
Flu, New Coffee Shops, and Candle MakingHey Book Blogger Friends! How was your week?
After everyone around me had some type of flu right after New Year, last Sunday I finally succumbed. Thankfully I had the flu shot so I had a really minor case and only was out of work one day.
Friday was my only day off this week (besides having a sick day on Sunday I mean) and I needed to get out and do something and after much debate I went to the gourmet food store in the next town for charcuterie supplies and then checked out the new coffee shop I was supposed to go to with one of my friends last week. I had a cortado and it was really good.
This weekend I busted out the candle making kit I gifted myself for Christmas and made a candle. It turned out pretty good for my first attempt in about 6-7 years.
Last Week on the Blog:
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 6 January 2025
First Line Friday: 10 January 2025
My Year In Books: A Meme – 2024
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 13 January 2025
ARC Review: The Lost House by Melissa Larsen
First Line Friday: 17 January 2025
This week I borrowed Holly Horror from the library’s Libby program.
Bookmarked This Week: My Year In Books — a meme (Head Full of Books)
January 10, 2025
My Year In Books: A Meme – 2024
Anne Bennett from Head Full of Books is bringing back this meme from 2017 and I had so much fun joining in. All my thriller reading in 2024 made for some fun answers!
My Year In Books 2024Rules?
Answer the questions with titles from books you read in 2024. (Some may end up being silly, others may seem overly serious.) The goal is to have fun. Participate by copying the questions below. Erasing my answers and inserting you own. Once you’ve created your post, link it at Head Full of Books so others can see it, then visit others’ posts to see how they answered the questions.Spread the word. Let’s see if we can make this a thing again this year!Questions:In high school I was: Keyless at the Coffee Station (Bee Littlefield)
People might be surprised: Everyone on This Train is a Suspect (Benjamin Stevenson)
I will never be: In a Dark, Dark Wood (Ruth Ware)
My fantasy job is: Beyond Those Gilded Walls (Jessica S. Taylor)
At the end of a long day I need: Mad Love (Wendy Walker)
I hate it: What Grows in the Dark (Jaq Evans)
Wish I had: The Long Weekend (Gilly Macmillan)
My family reunions are: Twelve Days of Murder (Andreina Cordani)
At a party you’d find me: Only If You’re Lucky (Stacy Willingham)
I’ve never been to: The Midnight Feast (Lucy Foley)
A happy day includes: One Poison Pie (Lynn Cahoon)
Motto I live by: No Strangers Here (Carlene O’Connor)
On my bucket list is: Coram House (Bailey Seybolt)
In my next life, I want to have: The Hotel (Louise Mumford)
January 9, 2025
First Line Friday: 10 January 2025
This week I’m joining First Line Friday. First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower! So grab the book nearest you, your current read, or the book on top of your TBR stack and share the first line.
My pick this week is…
Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Blurb:Amy Goodnight knows that the world isn’t as simple as it seems. She also understands that “normal” doesn’t mix with magic, and she’s worked hard to build a wall between the two worlds. Not only to protect her family, who are all practicing witches, but to protect any hope of ever having a normal life herself.
Ranch-sitting for her aunt in Texas should be exactly that: good old ordinary, uneventful hard work. Only, Amy and her sister, Phin, aren’t alone. There’s someone else in the house with them–and it’s not the living, breathing, amazingly hot cowboy from the ranch next door.
It’s a ghost, and it’s more powerful than the Goodnights and all their protective spells combined. It wants something from Amy, and none of her carefully built defenses can hold it back.
This is the summer when the wall between Amy’s worlds is going to come crashing down.
And the first line is…
The goat was in the tree again.
This is one of my favorite opening lines of all time and I love any opportunity to trot it out, this time because of my recent re-read.
January 5, 2025
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 6 January 2025
This week I’m linking up to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? Hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date!
#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
I took a languid reading start to 2025 and finished up my two end of 2024 reads this week and started an ARC and a reread…
Last Week I Read:Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-MooreI always finish the year with Texas Gothic and 2024 was no exception. I never get tired of this one.
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
I started this one earlier in the year in eBook while waiting for my audiobook hold at the library to come in. It finally did right before New Year and I was finally able to finish it. I loved the end of this duology!
Currently Reading:One by One by Ruth Ware
This is a reread for me, this time in audiobook and I’m really enjoying it since it’s been a few years since I read it the first time.
A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
I’m just starting this one but I love the writing already!
Reading Next:Spectacular by Stephanie Garber
All of my library audiobook holds are coming in at once and I can’t keep up! Spectacular will be my next audiobook read and I think I’ll do The Family Plot by Megan Collins as my next physical read.
What are you reading and loving this week? Have you read any of these?
January 4, 2025
The Sunday Post: Hello 2025
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.
Hello 2025Hey Book Blogger Friends! Happy New Year!
The week or so between Christmas and New Year is always weird, right? New Year’s Day was the beginning of my “weekend” and I decided to go see Nosferatu. I thought the acting and the overall visual of the movie was really good. Would I watch it again? Eh, probably not. I’m not sure how to put my finger on why it was just okay for me other than it had a run time of 2 hrs 12 minutes and that felt more like 4 hours. And I have a short attention span.
Thursday I was going to have coffee with a friend to talk about Nosferatu (since she’s a scaredy cat and won’t go see it) but her child was sick so she had to cancel so I went to get my nails done instead. They’re a gorgeous shiny blue color that I love.
I’m trying to decide going forward how many weekly blog posts I want to participate in this year to avoid burnout, especially while working on 4 novels, working with a new schedule at work starting on the 11th and trying to keep up with social media. I may cut down to 2-3 posts per week with an ARC review as those come due.
Last Week on the Blog: Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Best Books I Read in 2024
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 6 January 2025
WWW Wednesday: 8 January 2025
First Line Friday: 10 January 2025
The Family Plot has been on my TBR for a while and I found a nice hardcover copy on PangoBooks for $1.75!
Mind Games was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and I finally grabbed a physical copy since I had some earnings to spend after unhauling a couple books on PangoBooks
Another book I loved last year that I grabbed a physical copy of and another under $2 steal!
Bookmarked This Week: 10 Excellent Mystery Thriller Movies For Fans Of Agatha Christie – I’ve seen some of these and added others to my watchlist. I’m definitely in an Agatha Christie mood right now
December 30, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Best Books I Read in 2024
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 Best Books I Read in 2024It’s NYE! This week’s TTT is a year-end wrap up with the 10 best books we read in 2024! Here are mine as well as a few bonus lists!
10. The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis
9. Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman
8. Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand 
7. The Madness by Dawn Kurtagich
6. The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger
5. Mind Games by Nora Roberts4. Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson
3. Saint by Eva Simmons
2. Lights Out by Navessa Allen
1. This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer
New Auto-Buy Authors of 2024:Eva SimmonsLisa UngerAlison WeirAmy DawsTop Indie Reads of 2024:1. Forever Touched by Becky Moynihan 
2. Clueless at the Coffee Station by Bee Littlefield
3. Ready or Not by Jenn Plummer 
4. Wait with Me by Amy Daws
5. Icebound by Meredith Trapp
2024 Reading Stats:Total Books Read: 177
Audiobooks Read: 100
Top 3 Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Romance
3 Most Read Authors: Agatha Christie, Alison Weir, Amy Daws
December 28, 2024
The Sunday Post: Christmas, 2024 Audiobook Challenge Wrap-Up, and Winter Projects
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.
Christmas, 2024 Audiobook Challenge Wrap-Up, and Winter Projects:Hey Book Blogger Friends! How was your week? Did you have a good Christmas if you celebrated?
It was a very low-key Christmas for me. My sister and her boyfriend went to his family for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so I was alone. It didn’t feel much like a holiday and I don’t know if I’m going to bother next year. I did make a delicious rum pudding cake though which was fantastic!
Yesterday I linked up for the end of the 2024 Audiobook Challenge. I pushed through and made it to The 100 Club with exactly 100 audiobooks not counting my current listen!
I’ve started planning a crafty project for 2025. Last year I saw temperature blankets on Pinterest and decided 2025 is the year I’m going to give it a go. You pick yarn for a certain temperature range (example: 32-42 degrees) and then you knit or crochet a row each day based on the temperature it is on that day. At the end of the year you should have a multi-colored blanket representing the temperatures it’s been during that year.
Last Week on the Blog: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 23 December 2024
First Line Friday: 27 December
Stacking the Shelves: 28 December
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? – 30 December 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Best Books I Read in 2024
WWW Wednesday: 1 January 2025
First Line Friday: 3 January 2025
December 27, 2024
Stacking the Shelves: 28 December 2024
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.
Books Added to My Shelves This Week:This week I gifted myself a signed copy of a book I read in October and was surprised with book mail from Flatiron Books!
Signed Book:I ordered a signed copy from Becky as a Christmas present after I read it around Halloween and have been making myself wait to open it until Christmas.
Surprise Book Mail:On Christmas Eve I received surprise book mail from Flatiron Books, a PR package with an ARC of A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall! I’m planning it as my first read of 2025!
What books did you add to your shelves this week? Have you/do you plan to read either of these?
December 26, 2024
First Line Friday: 27 December 2024
This week I’m joining First Line Friday. First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower! So grab the book nearest you, your current read, or the book on top of your TBR stack and share the first line.
My pick this week is…
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
Blurb:Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.
The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas.
Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:
She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.
He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.
She hates his guts.
He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)
But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.
That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.
She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?
As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.
Assuming they don’t kill each other first.
And the first line is…
Excerpt from the Official Police Interrogation of Margaret Chase and Ethan Wyatt
December 25
Ms. Chase: Well, of course I have his blood on my hands.
I added the chapter subtitle and date for context since the first line is from an interview. What is the first line of the book you’re reading this week?
