Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 65

The Sunday Post - 11 April 2021

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

Hey Bookdragons! I spent most of last week relaxing and resting after having a bad case of the stomach flu the previous weekend so I caught up on a lot of reading and blogging. 
🍀 It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 5 April 2021🍀 Top Ten Tuesday: 4 Books I'd Gladly Throw in the Ocean🍀 I Can't Wait For... Witch Please!🍀 {Excerpt Reveal} Not Pretending Anymore by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward🍀 {Book Review} SHIVER by Allie Reynolds🍀 What I'm Binge-Watching - 10 April 2021

🍀 It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 12 April 2021  🍀 Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Book Titles That Sound Like They Could Be Crayola Crayon Colors 🍀 I Can't Wait For... My Heart Is A Chainsaw! 🍀What I'm Binge-Watching - 15 April 2021


Learn More:The Next Wife by Kaira Rouda

💀 This Week I Bookmarked: 50 Simple Instagram Reels Ideas for Bookstagram

What I'm Binge-Watching - 10 April 2021

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!
As new shows come on Discovery+ and I get back into watching some old favorites, I've had a really eclectic array of shows I've been binging lately...

Continuing

Current Episode: Season 6 Episode 15 - Fixer Upper I love Murder, She Wrote. I watched it in reruns with my grandmother when I was a kid and I just never stopped. I stopped watching it for a while after my grandmother passed away in December but I recently dove back in where I left off. Season 6 isn't one of my favorites because this is the season where Jessica narrates some of the episodes, they're not really about her solving crimes and I find those episodes really boring, but I should be getting to season 7 soon!

 

New Obsessions & Recent Binges

Current Episode: Season 1, Episode 3 - Royal Beginnings

So... weird fact: my mom loves pigs. We have a pot-bellied pig along with the Saint Bernard and our four cats. So when we saw the ad for this show she definitely wanted to watch it. We've watched 2 out of 3 episodes and I really hope they make more episodes. It's kind of like Toddlers and Tiaras with pigs. 🤣

Current Episode: Season 1, Episode 11 Who doesn't love the 90 Day Fiancé world? When I saw this spin-off, The Single Life, I decided to check it out. Most of the cast are past people on the show I couldn't stand (Danielle, Colt, and Brittany I'm looking at you) but it's still interesting to watch. 

Just Added to My Watchlist/Waiting on Watching

Premieres: April 23, 2021 Only 2 weeks until Shadow and Bone premieres on Netflix! I've read the books and I'm nervous/excited to see them come to life on Netflix!

Season 4 Premiere Date: April 28, 2021 I have about 3 more episodes to catch up on before season 4 premieres on Hulu. I'm both looking forward to and kind of sick of this show. I wish we would be moving toward some kind of conclusion. 

What are you currently binge-watching? What are some of your latest obsessions that you couldn't get enough of? Let me know in the comments!Happy binging!

Book Review: SHIVER by Allie Reynolds

 

Shiver
Standaloneby Allie ReynoldsThrillerRelease Date: January 19, 2021 from G.P. Putnam's Sonsebook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 400 Pages
Blurb:In this propulsive locked-room thriller debut, a reunion weekend in the French Alps turns deadly when five friends discover that someone has deliberately stranded them at their remote mountaintop resort during a snowstorm.

When Milla accepts an off-season invitation to Le Rocher, a cozy ski resort in the French Alps, she's expecting an intimate weekend of catching up with four old friends. It might have been a decade since she saw them last, but she's never forgotten the bond they forged on this very mountain during a winter spent fiercely training for an elite snowboarding competition.

Yet no sooner do Milla and the others arrive for the reunion than they realize something is horribly wrong. The resort is deserted. The cable cars that delivered them to the mountaintop have stopped working. Their cell phones--missing. And inside the hotel, detailed instructions await them: an icebreaker game, designed to draw out their secrets. A game meant to remind them of Saskia, the enigmatic sixth member of their group, who vanished the morning of the competition years before and has long been presumed dead.

Stranded in the resort, Milla's not sure what's worse: the increasingly sinister things happening around her or the looming snowstorm that's making escape even more impossible. All she knows is that there's no one on the mountain she can trust. Because someone has gathered them there to find out the truth about Saskia...someone who will stop at nothing to get answers. And if Milla's not careful, she could be the next to disappear...
My Review:Five arrive for a reunion, but they won't all leave it alive.
It's been ten years since Milla gave up snowboarding. Ten years since the cruel, yet magnetic Saskia disappeared. Ten years since Milla has seen any of the people she spent that winter with. But when Curtis, Saskia's brother and Milla's crush from back then emails her inviting her back to Le Rocher for a reunion she jumps at the chance to see him again.
Also arriving are Brent, the talented snowboarder Milla warmed the sheets with that winter, Dale - another of their snowboarder friends, and Heather, now Dale's wife, who was a bartender Dale was sleeping with that winter. They've all changed so much and gone their separate ways. Because of the tragedy of that winter? Or because someone doesn't want the others to know what they did?
Shiver is a locked-door thriller perfect for fans of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. The tension is high as the group of five realize someone brought them there for a much more sinister reason than they could have imagined. Someone who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth about what happened that winter. But is it one of them? Or is there a sixth person hiding in the shadows waiting to strike as the others turn on each other? Could Saskia still be alive?
I loved this book! It alternates between the present and the events of ten years ago, explaining the events that lead up to Saskia's disappearance on the morning of the British Championship. Saskia was not a good person, and a lot of people had a reason to want her out of the way and the reader will constantly question which of the characters could have killed her. And the ending was definitely a twist worth waiting for. This is the kind of story where nobody is truly innocent, everyone is kind of morally gray, and I really didn't want to put it down. 
My Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟.754.75 of 5 Stars!
Purchase SHIVER:Add to Goodreads | Amazon | Snowbound Books (Help Support My Favorite Indie Bookstore)

{EXCERPT REVEAL} Not Pretending Anymore by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Title: Not Pretending AnymoreAuthors: Penelope Ward & Vi KeelandGenre: Standalone Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: April 12, 2021


Excited about Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland’s upcoming release, Not Pretending Anymore?
Check out this SNEAK PEEK of CHAPTER 1!
DOWNLOAD HERE





CHAPTER ONE
Molly
“So, what do you do for a living?”The woman drummed her fingers on her thigh. “I’m a musician.”I glanced down at the renter’s application in my hand. Lyric Chords was the name listed at the top.I bit my tongue and tried to keep an open mind. This was the twelfth woman I’d interviewed as a prospective roommate. Just because she had a few safety pins in her eyebrow and what looked like a dog collar around her neck didn’t mean I should rule her out.“Oh. That’s nice. Are you a singer?”Lyric shook her head. “Drummer. Do you know the dimensions of the bedroom I’ll be sleeping in? I have two sets of drums I need to fit.”“Umm... I think it’s fourteen by fourteen. But you don’t practice at home, right? I wrote in my ad that I’m looking for a quiet roommate because I work nights.”“I do. But no worries. I’ll practice in my room.”My bedroom and my potential roommate’s bedroom shared a wall, so that was the end of interview number twelve. I sighed and forced a smile. “Thank you for coming. I have a few other people left to meet with before I decide. I’ll let you know.”“Great.” The woman stood. “Also, I know your ad said two months’ rent up front, but I’m running a little short right now. Would one be okay?”I smiled. “Sure, no problem.” Since you’re not going to be living here.After Drummergirl, I interviewed two more candidates. One wanted her boyfriend to move into the room with her, even though my ad had specified I was only looking for a single. And the other arrived twenty minutes late, reeked of alcohol, and slurred her words…at three thirty in the afternoon.Why in the hell was it so difficult to find a roommate in a city of almost three-million people? I needed my last interview of the day to be a miracle, or I was going to have to shell out money for another ad and start the entire process all over. And I definitely didn’t have the time or the funds for that. Rent was due in two weeks. If I got stuck paying the full amount on this place myself again, I’d be eating cat food for a month.When my last appointment knocked right on time, I took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling, and asked the big guy in the sky for a little assistance.Opening the door, I blinked a few times. Uhhh. I think you answered the wrong prayer, God. A man stood in my hallway—and not just any man, an absolutely gorgeous one with a perfect, straight nose, cheekbones to die for, a masculine, square jaw, full lips, tanned skin, and the sexiest chocolate brown, almond-shaped eyes I’d ever seen in my life.“Uh. Can I help you?”He flashed a killer smile, one that I immediately suspected had made countless women remove their panties.“Hi. I have a four-thirty appointment with Molly Corrigan.”“You do?” I had the last application in my hand and looked down at the name on the top. “I don’t think so. My appointment is with a D. Tate?”He extended a hand. “That’s me. Declan Tate.”“But…you’re…not a woman.”He smiled again. “You’re correct. Very observant. I am most definitely not a woman. But my last roommate told me I should’ve been because I use moisturizer at night and cried at the end of Marley and Me. And if I’m being honest, I also got a little watery at the end of Toy Story, so maybe I’m a bit of a wuss. Either way, I think you should consider those my positive feminine qualities.”I was thoroughly confused. “Umm… I’m sorry. You must’ve missed that my ad said female only.”“Actually, I didn’t. But if you’ll give me just five minutes, I think I can convince you I would be a better roommate than a woman.”I chuckled. “Let me get this straight… You hid your first name—what did you say it was again?”“Declan.”“Right. Declan. Anyway, you applied to an ad for a female roommate, intentionally deceiving the person who is going to decide if you get the room by leaving your first name off. And your strategy is to convince me I don’t really know what I want in less than five minutes? Do I have that right?”He flashed that boyish charm again. “You sure do.”I debated how to handle the situation. On one hand, he was going to waste my time, and I had done enough of that today. But on the other, my curiosity was definitely piqued. Something about his grin told me this could be amusing. Screw it. I had nothing better to do anyway.I opened the door wider and stepped aside, holding my hand out for him to enter. “I’m setting the timer on my phone, and I’m getting a glass of wine before you start. I like a drink while I’m being entertained.”Declan smirked and strolled into my apartment.I motioned to the couch. “Have a seat. I’ll just be a minute.”When I got to the kitchen, he called after me, “Hey, Mollz?”I turned back. “Yes?”“How about you make that two glasses of wine?”I chuckled. “Sure. Why not, Decs.”I poured a couple of glasses of pinot grigio and returned to the living room.“Here you go. Hope you like white.”“You see? We’re perfect together already. I prefer white over red.”I brought my wine to my lips. “Yes, perfect. A match made in heaven. I think we might even be soul mates.”Declan showed me his pearly whites once again. He really did have a great smile, nice teeth, too. Too bad he also had a penis. I knocked back half the contents of my glass and placed it on the coffee table. Picking up my cell, I swiped to the timer app and set it for five minutes.I showed him the screen. “You ready?”“I’m always ready.”I pressed start, placed the phone face up on the coffee table between us, and folded my hands. “Go.”“Okay. Well…what’s your favorite color?”“My favorite color?”Declan pointed to the timer. “Time’s a ticking, Molly. I’m going to need you to not repeat questions.”I laughed. “Fine. My favorite color is pink.”Declan reached into one of his pant pockets and pulled out a set of keys. The keychain had a bunch of pink beads with white letters between each one. The letters spelled out his name. “Mine too.”I arched a brow. “Did you make that yourself?”“No. My niece, Arianna, made it for me.”“So how do I know that isn’t just Arianna’s favorite color?”“Good point. Let’s move on. Your ad said you work nights.”“That’s right. I’m a nurse. I work the night shift on the maternity ward.”“So you sleep during the day, then?”“I get off at seven, and I try to get to sleep as soon as I get home.”He held his hand to his chest. “I work days. I leave for the gym by six and usually don’t get home until after seven at night. So the apartment will be quiet when you need it to be.”I nodded. “Okay. I’ll give you that that would make you a good roommate. But most people work days, so it’s not really something that makes you too special.”“Do you cook?” he said.“Does macaroni and cheese count?”“I grew up in a multigenerational Italian home. My nonna taught me how to make sauce from scratch.”“So you’re going to cook for me?”“If that’s what it takes to get this apartment, yes.”“As tempting as that might be, there’s an Italian restaurant around the corner that makes great food. Funny enough, it’s called Nonna’s Place, and an actual nonna makes most of my meals. Not a knockoff.”Declan took an exaggerated breath and blew it out. He glanced at the cell on the table. “Three minutes and thirty-eight seconds. I can see you’re not going to make this easy. How about you tell me why you can’t have a male roommate so I can address that head-on. Is it because of the toilet-seat thing? Because I have four older sisters, so I’m appropriately trained. When I was eight, I made the mistake of leaving it up once, and my sister sat down where I’d accidentally left a little pee. She dunked my head in the toilet bowl before she flushed. That was the last time I left the seat up.” He held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor. It won’t be an issue.”I smiled. “It’s not because of the toilet thing.”“Alright. So why don’t you want a male roommate, then?”I’d actually never given much thought to why my roommate had to be female. It just seemed natural to have another woman sharing the apartment. “Well…I don’t really have a specific reason. I would just be more comfortable living with another woman. For example, I sleep in a T-shirt and underwear. When I get up to start the coffee, I don’t get dressed. It would be weird to do that in front of a man.”“Why?”“Why would it be weird to walk around with my ass cheeks on display in front of a man and not a woman?”“Yes.”I shrugged. “I don’t know. It just would. I guess because the women I’ve lived with aren’t attracted to other women, so it doesn’t feel sexual in any way.”“Ah. Now we’re getting to the crux of your issue. So you’re afraid of some sexual tension going on between you and me? Is it because I’m so handsome?”“What? No! And aren’t you full of yourself, assuming I think you’re handsome, and I’m worried I won’t be able to control myself.”“Just keeping it real, Mollz. You’re only giving me five minutes, so I’m trying to get to the heart of the reason.”“I guess I just don’t want to feel like I have to cover up to come out of my bedroom. When I dry my hair, I wear a towel or a bra and underwear—that type of thing.”“Would you feel you had to cover up if I told you I was gay?”That question gave me pause. Would I? I wasn’t sure. “Are you?”“Fuck, no. I was just trying to pinpoint your issue. Is it the fact that I’m a man, or the fact that I might admire your ass if it were on display? Sounds like it’s the latter. So let me put your mind at ease: I won’t.”I felt oddly offended. “What’s wrong with my ass?”He chuckled. “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t looked. You know why?”“Why?”“Because I’m in love with someone else.”As insane as it was, I felt a pang of jealousy. “Oh. Well, why aren’t you moving in with her?”“Because she doesn’t return the feelings…yet. So basically, if your concern about having a guy for a roommate is that he’s going to be checking you out, you have nothing to worry about with me. I’m a one-woman man. If you want, I can give you the numbers of some of my exes for references. I’m no cheater.”Hmmm… “I don’t know…”Declan looked down at the clock. Thirty-one seconds were left. “We’re running out of time, so we need to speed things up. How about if I just give you the facts you need to know?”“That would be good.”“I’m twenty-eight years old. I make six figures. My credit score is eight hundred and ten, and I have references from previous landlords. I’m neat and clean up after myself. I’m not home a lot, but when I am, I’m pretty quiet. I’m also damn good with a hammer.” He glanced around my apartment and pointed at a hole I’d accidentally made in the wall when I flung the closet door open too hard. “I can spackle that and put on a door stopper so it won’t happen again.” He pointed to the kitchen. “And those cabinets are pretty tall. I’m six foot one. No more having to stand on a chair to reach something on the top shelf. And—”The timer on the stopwatch buzzed.“Can I just say one last thing?”“Sure. Why not?”“I’ll share my Hulu and Netflix passwords. I have the premium Hulu account.”I laughed. “Well, those are some pretty enticing qualities for a roommate.”He smiled. “So I’m in?”I sighed. “I’m sorry. While I appreciate your tenacity, unfortunately, you’re not. Though I interviewed fourteen other people today, and I have to say, you do seem like you’ll make some other lucky person a fantastic roomie.”Declan frowned, but nodded. “I figured it was worth a shot. This is a great building, and I work right around the corner. It’s hard to find an apartment where it’s only a six-month commitment.”“My lease is up then, and I haven’t decided if I’m going to extend or not.”“See? That’s another reason I’d be perfect. I’m only in town for six more months.”“I’m sorry. This is definitely a case of it’s me and not you.”He picked up his wine and guzzled it down before standing and extending his hand. “I appreciate you giving me your time. And thanks for the pinot.”We shook. “It was nice to meet you, Declan.”After I walked him out, I shut the door and leaned back against it. What a shame; he really seemed like a nice guy and the best candidate I’d met by a mile. I was just about to go wallow in another glass of alcohol when there was a knock at my door. Checking the peephole before opening, I found Declan standing there.“I forgot something important,” he said.“Oh? What’s that?”He took out his wallet and produced a photo of a nun. “This is my sister Catherine, and it’s not a costume from Halloween. She’s a legit nun. How bad can a person be if his sister is a nun?”I laughed. “Is this the sister who dunked your head in the toilet?”He grinned. “It is, actually.”“Well, I’m not sure there’s a direct correlation between your sister deciding to dedicate her life to the church and you being a good person. Though, even if I take your word for it, it still doesn’t change my answer.”Declan’s shoulders drooped. “Had to try. She tells me her being a nun won’t get me into heaven. Thought maybe it was good for something.”“Goodbye, Declan.”“Later, Mollz.”
***
“So…how’s the roommate search going?” Emma poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the small table in our break room.I sighed. “Why is it so hard to find a normal person these days? I’ve interviewed more than a dozen people, and not one suitable candidate.”“Did you post an ad on the employee bulletin board, like I suggested?”I shook my head. “I don’t want another nurse or tech. It makes it weird at work if things don’t work out.”“Maybe Dr. Dandy will apply.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I heard he’s sleeping on Dr. Cohen’s couch until he finds a place.”That information certainly perked me up. “Really? Will and whatshername broke up?”“Yup. Lisa in X-ray told me Dr. Cohen told her he’s staying with him. Apparently he and the wannabe actress are finito.”“Wow.”Emma smiled. “Yup. And fair warning, my friend… I’m allowing a ten-day grace period for him to grieve the end of a year-long relationship. But after that, I’m going to be up your butt making sure you let the man know you’re interested. He’s not going to be on the market for long, and you missed your opportunity last time he was single. You can’t keep pining for the guy.”Of course she was right. And while I felt elated that Will was back on the market, the thought of coming clean to him about my feelings made me want to throw up. Will Daniels—or as Emma called him, Dr. Dandy, because of his last name and uncanny resemblance to a male model named David Gandy—and I had been good friends for four years now. We’d started on the very same day at the hospital and had gone through orientation together. I’d had a boyfriend back then, and he’d been seeing a girl from med school at the time, so even though I’d always thought he was insanely handsome, things didn’t bloom until two years ago. And most of the time since then, he’d been seeing one woman or another. Emma was right that the man never seemed to stay single for long.“He’s going to be at happy hour this Friday night,” I said. “A few of the crew from CCU are meeting up over at McBride’s. I’m curious to hear what he says about the breakup.”“Does he know you’re looking for a roommate?”“I don’t think so.”“Well, he needs a place to sleep, and you need a roomie.” Emma shrugged. “Timing is everything. Maybe it’s fate and he’ll move in and take care of two of your needs.”“I think your imagination might be getting ahead of itself. Why don’t we start by seeing if things are really over with him and whatshername? They’ve split up a few times, but he always winds up going back.”“Okay. But I have a good feeling about you two.”“Could you possibly have a good feeling about me finding a roommate instead? I just had to pay for another damn ad.”Emma shook her head. “I can’t believe you didn’t find one decent candidate.”Remembering my last interview, I said, “Actually there was one who would’ve been perfect—great credit score, neat, cooks, leaves early in the morning, and works long days.”“So why didn’t you take her?”“Because she was a he.”

★★★
Excited? We are too!
RELEASING APRIL 12th!





PRE-ORDER LINKS
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Please note: There will not be an Amazon ebook pre-order, but it will be available on in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon on release day.
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PENELOPE WARD

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance. 
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism. 
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
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VI KEELAND

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
FACEBOOKPROFILE / PAGE / GROUP WEBSITE TWITTER INSTAGRAM
GOODREADS

I Can't Wait For... WITCH PLEASE!

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.
I saw this book while I was scrolling through Goodreads the other day and it sounds really good.. 

Witch Please
Fix-It Witches Book 1
by Ann Aguirre
Paranormal Romance
eBook, Paperback, 352 Pages
September 7, 2021 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Blurb:
Danica Waterhouse is a fully modern witch—daughter, granddaughter, cousin, and co-owner of the Fix-It Witches, a magical tech repair shop. After a messy breakup that included way too much family “feedback,” Danica made a pact with her cousin: they’ll keep their hearts protected and have fun, without involving any of the overly opinionated Waterhouse matriarchs. Danica is more than a little exhausted navigating a long-standing family feud where Gram thinks the only good mundane is a dead one and Danica’s mother weaves floral crowns for anyone who crosses her path.

Three blocks down from the Fix-It Witches, Titus Winnaker, owner of Sugar Daddy’s bakery, has family trouble of his own. After a tragic loss, all he’s got left is his sister, the bakery, and a lifetime of terrible luck in love. Sure, business is sweet, but he can’t seem to shake the romantic curse that’s left him past thirty and still a virgin. He’s decided he’s doomed to be forever alone.

Until he meets Danica Waterhouse. The sparks are instant, their attraction irresistible. For him, she’s the one. To her, he’s a firebomb thrown in the middle of a family war. Can a modern witch find love with an old-fashioned mundane who refuses to settle for anything less than forever?

Add to Goodreads | Amazon ***Will you be checking this book out? 

Top Ten Tuesday: 4 Books I'd Gladly Throw in the Ocean

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: 4 Books I'd Gladly Throw in the OceanThis week’s TTT is all about books we'd gladly throw in the ocean. I'm taking that to mean books we didn't like? Books we want to get rid of? Well that's the way I'm interpreting it anyway. Honestly, I could only think of 4 books I hated so strongly I'd want to obliterate them off the face of the earth. Sure, there are other books I've DNF'd but these four I definitely have an issue with... 1. Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis This book was such a let down. It had all the set up to be a creepy read but you have a main character that is so annoying it's hard to get past the beginning. (I didn't. She used the word 'optimal' too many times in the first chapter or two and I just couldn't. Want a book that is similar in subject but way better written and a lot creepier? Go with The Lost Village by Camilla Sten)

2. Barking Madness by Ryan Hill The author contacted me to review this book and it was so bad. I tried to give it a chance but the way it was written was portrayed the female character in such despicable and misogynistic ways I wanted to throw the book. Ha - I get it now... gladly throw it into the ocean 🤣


3. Heart of Ash by Kim Liggett I don't know if this is technically "throw in the ocean"-worthy but it's a prime example of a sequel being completely different (in a bad way) from the first book. It was such a confusing read when compared with the plot of the first book.
4. You by Caroline Kepnes
I watched the show first. The first season was okay, typically Lifetime stuff. I didn't like the second season and stopped watching. But the book? Joe is way more messed up and gross on the page. I couldn't get past page 60. 

***What books would you gladly throw in the ocean?Let me know in the comments or drop a link to your TTT!Happy Reading Bookdragons!-Taylor

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 5 April 2021

#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.
Happy Monday Bookdragons! March was a bad reading month and I didn't finish any books toward the end of the month but I did get back on track at the beginning of April... 
What I Read Last Week: The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn I started The Duke and I while I was in my reading slump but I didn't actually finish it until April 1st. This may go as part of me watching the show first but I did and didn't like the book. I feel like we see a lot less of characters like Eloise in the first book who was such a strong character in the show. And I did not like the book version of Simon. He was hot one minute then he was throwing a hissy fit because of something someone said the next minute. How is someone supposed to know not to ask about your childhood or father if you never explain why it is such a sore subject? Especially when it's your wife. There were humorous parts of the book which I enjoyed but overall it was kind of a 'meh' read. 
The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
Holy S! This book! Before it released I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but after reading some positive reviews I decided to give it a chance. And it paid off huge! This book was amazing! It was deliciously tense and eerie, definitely creepy to read at night, and perfect for a reader looking for a book that will leave their heart-racing and stay with you after you finish the last page. Mark my words: this book will make it onto my 'best of' list at the end of the year! 
Currently Reading:Shiver by Allie Reynolds
After my slump, rearranging my TBR, and having the stomach flu over the weekend (I'm better now thankfully) I just started Shiver last night finally. But with a prologue like that I'm definitely intrigued to see where it's heading. 
Next ReadMina and the Undead by Amy McCaw
I've been waiting for this book since I first heard of it and I got my copy on Saturday! The paperback edition is really cool in person also!
*** 
 What are you reading this week?

I Can't Wait For... SHADOW TOUCHED!

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.
I met Becky through Bookstagram and I love her books. I really can't wait for her upcoming release...

Shadow Touched
A Touch of Vampire Book 1
by Becky Moynihan
Paranormal Romance
eBook, Paperback
May 11, 2021 by Broken Books

Blurb:
Perfect for fans of Twilight, Vampire Diaries, and modern Beauty & the Beast retellings. Sink your teeth into a world of dark mystery and forbidden desire.

Some truths are best kept in the shadows . . .

At nearly eighteen, I'm months away from escaping my aunt's secrets and lies. Except, I'm harboring a big secret of my own.

A red-eyed man cloaked in shadow has been stalking me at night.

I wanted Rosewood, Maine to be my final destination before college. My chance at normalcy. But strange, unexplainable things are threatening to derail my plans.

The red-eyed man followed me here, and he's not the only one. Two hot guys transfer to my new high school right after I do. They track my every move, especially the aloof and mysterious Lochlan D'angelo.

As I'm sucked into a dangerous world embroiled in secrets, I start to question everything I've ever known. Including who I am.

SHADOW TOUCHED is the thrilling first installment in a steamy upper YA/NA paranormal vampire romance series. If you like enemies-to-lovers and fated mates, heartrending twists, a tough heroine, and a sexy antihero, this book is for you.

Get ready for a fresh take on vampires, werewolves, and witches by one-clicking today!

*This book is part of a series and ends in a cliffhanger. Best suited for ages 16+ due to sexual situations.

Add to Goodreads | Amazon | Sneak Peak (Chapters 1-3 and Prologue)
***Will you be checking this book out? 

Book Review: THE DEAD AND THE DARK by Courtney Gould

 

The Dead and the DarkStandaloneby Courtney GouldLGBT, Horror, ParanormalRelease Date: August 3, 2021 from Wednesday Booksebook, Hardcover, Audiobook, 352 Pages
Blurb:Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut The Dead and the Dark is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places―and people―you didn’t expect.

The Dark has been waiting for far too long, and it won't stay hidden any longer.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV's ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there's more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness.
My Review:Snakebite, Oregon is a dark place full of a lot of hate. 
Six months ago, Logan Ortiz-Woodley's father Brandon returned to his hometown to scout locations for his and his husband's hit show ParaSpectors (a ghost hunting tv show) but is being elusive as to why he's there and what he's looking for. Now Logan and her other father, Alejo, are joining Brandon in the hopes of making some progress. Alejo tells Logan they'll be fine as long as they're together as a family. But what are Brandon and Alejo afraid of?
Six months ago Ashley Barton's boyfriend Tristan disappeared without a trace. She's not willing to give up and accept that Tristan is most-likely dead unlike everyone else in town. To her, nothing bad ever happens in Snakebite. That is until Brandon Woodley returned to town. But is Brandon somehow responsible for Tristan's disappearance? Or is the town just against him and his family because they're different?
To figure out the mystery and get to the bottom of what's wrong with Snakebite Ashley and Logan will have to work together before someone else disappears. 
This book started out kind of slow for me and I wasn't sure I was going to like it. It had lots of things I like in books - a dark 'paranormal' force, a mystery, and a touch of romance. Once I got into it, I did really enjoy the book as a whole. Like Logan, I seriously thought maybe Brandon did have something to do with the disappearances and I was dying to find out if I was right. 
I got really annoyed with the people of Snakebite over the course of the book, which I guess is the author's intent. Overall, the book kept me reading and I like the hate-to-love trope between Ashley and Logan. But as the book is billed as horror, I could have done with a bit more of the chill factor. Everything was kind of expected along the way with little-to-no tension or build-up. 
My Rating:3.75 of 5 Stars!
Preorder The Dead and The Dark:Add to Goodreads | Amazon | Snowbound Books (Help Support My Favorite Indie Bookstore)

The Sunday Post - 28 March 2021

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

Hey Bookdragons! I seem to have had time for everything except reading over the past week and a half with my new book out and trying to promote that, trying to pick a new theme on IG, having a bad day that left me wanting to quit bookstagram altogether, and honestly contemplating getting rid of 80% of the books I bought just because they were hyped on social media and now I'm trying to get back on track. Actually read something. Anything. Hope your week was better last week. 
🍀 {Release Day Blitz} Monsters & Mist🍀 Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Funny Book Titles🍀 I Can't Wait For... The Anatomy of Desire🍀 What I'm Binge-Watching - 25 March 2021

🍀 Book Review: The Dead and The Dark 
🍀 Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Places In Books I'd Love to Live
🍀 I Can't Wait For... SHADOW TOUCHED!
🍀What I'm Binge-Watching - 1 April 2021


Learn More:Bridgerton: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

💀 This Week I Bookmarked: The Mary Shelley Club Preorder Incentive