Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 76

50/50 Friday: Best/Worst April Read

50/50 Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader.
What is 50/50 Friday?
Everyone has a favorite and then we also have something we dislike. Like a coin, there are two sides to every question. Example: best sequel you've read/worst sequel you've read. So that's what 50/50 Friday is all about. Carrie posts a new topic every Friday so be sure to check out her post to see the topic for the following week!
Topic for the Week
Best/Worst Read of April 2020
I read a lot of books I really liked in April so this is tough... 

Best

Worst I feel bad calling this one the worst... it really wasn't too bad. But it was only a 3 star read compared to the other books I read in April.
Next Week’s Theme: Favorite/Least Favorite Book You Had To Read For School

Writer Thursday: April Wrap Up & May Goals

Hey readers! This #WriterThursday I'm giving you updates on all my bookish projects...
Bloodstone Manor
April Progress:- Project Named: BLOODSTONE MANOR- Project Outlined (14 Chapters)- Character Development- 3 Chapters Written/Rewritten- Cover Created- (Working) Synopsis Written
Synopsis:Inspired by classic novels Northanger Abbey and Rebecca, Bloodstone Manor follows naive heroine Edylynne as she spends the summer in the Hamptons with friends of her parents and meets an attractive, older man whose past is shrouded in the mysterious death of his Hollywood starlet mother nearly thirty years earlier. When their whirlwind romance takes a serious turn and family secrets unleash Edylynne's boundless imagination she will try to uncover the truth about the mysterious death of the mother of the man she loves... before history repeats itself.
Pinterest Idea Board
Goals For May 2020:MONSTERS & MIST
- Keep editing Monsters & Mist
- Add to the mythology/history of the world sections

BLOODSTONE MANOR
- Write Chapters 4-8

I Can't Wait For... The Redpoint Crux

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 found out about this book recently when I got an email about a blog tour sign up. When I saw that fans of Phantom of the Opera would like it I was sold...

The Redpoint Crux
Standalone
by Morgan Shamy
YA Mystery
eBook, Hardcover?, 290 Pages
June 9, 2020 by Parliament House Press


Blurb
Fans of The Phantom of the Opera and Black Swan will enjoy this thrilling debut.

When Megan Van Helsburg gets kicked off the U.S.A. Climbing Team, she has no choice but to return home and leave her climbing career behind. With no coach, no money, and no prospects, she joins the corps de ballet determined to improve her strength and agility. But the ballet theater is in dire straits. Not only do a series of murders break loose, but the ballerinas are becoming deathly thin and brain-dead. As Megan investigates, she meets Bellamy, a tortured young man who lives beneath the depths of the theater. Megan falls hard and fast for Bellamy, who becomes her mentor, but something is off about him.

It isn't until the company announces they're doing Giselle for the fall performance that Megan realizes the parallels between the ghost story and the lives around her. Megan must find a way to not only save her climbing career, but balance her feelings for Bellamy, and stop the murders and dying girls before she, too, is numbered among the dead.
Add to Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |


What do you think? Will you be checking this one out?

Top Ten Tuesday: 9 Books I Wish I'd Read As A Child

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 Books I Wish I'd Read As A Child

 This week's TTT is all about books we wish we'd read as a child/preteen/teen (I'm bending things a little). Most of these I honestly didn't read at the time because I read mostly YA Contemporary novels as a preteen/teen. I don't think I started reading fantasy until whichever year A Court of Mist and Fury came out... and by then I was in my 20s. So without further delay...

1.The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan I know everyone loves these books and they came out when I was in the 7th grade... but at the time I was more interested in reading about romance and boys. haha.2. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle  I think a teacher tried to read this to the class once, I just didn't pay too much attention to it. 3. Artemis Foul by Eoin Colfer
4. Eragon by Christopher Paolini  I never liked books narrated by male characters when I was younger. Most of the time I still don't. 5. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
6.The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman I saw a lot of people reading these when I was in elementary/middle school but it never appealed to me.7. I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan You know, I love the movie adaptation but I never got around to reading the book. I have read other books by Lois Duncan though and enjoyed them. 8. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead I think the first one of these came out around the same time as the first Twilight book but for some reason I never picked up on it.

9. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz These were popular when I was in elementary school but I was a total scaredy cat. What books were popular when you were a kid that you skipped or missed out on?
In my defense, I read the major ones that were popular as I was growing up... Harry Potter, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Twilight, all of those terribly depressing books where the dog or the best friend dies that school make required reading, the middle grade books meant to teach about the holocaust... the ones listed above were just ones I either was scared to read (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Coraline, Scary Stories) or didn't like the genre of when I was younger.  
Let me know  in the comments & drop me a link to your TTT!Happy Reading Bookdragons!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 27 April 2020

 
#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.

What I Read Last Week:
Reborn Yesterday by Tessa Bailey I finally finished this one. I enjoyed the first half of the book but it may have been the duration of time that I let it sit aside or that I saw the ending coming about halfway through and actually reading it became tedious that I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped I would. 
Rating - 3.75

{Book Review} THE ALIEN'S FUTURE by Ella Maven

The Alien's FutureDrixonian Warrior, #0.5
by Ella MavenPublisher: Self-PublishedRelease Date: February 1, 2020Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
Blurb:Meet the Drixonian Warriors who are bred to fight, f*ck, and shake things up.
Space ship travel when you’ve been kidnapped sucks. I don’t get a pillow, there’s no snacks, and worst of all—the whole ship crashes. Except, it doesn’t crash on Earth, or even Mars. Nope, I’m in a whole new galaxy on a foreign planet and some body-builder-looking blue horned aliens with lots of piercings have decided I’m their new play thing. And not in a good way.
Until one alien decides he’s not going to share, and maybe I have a concussion from the crash, because I’m all about the possessive way he protects me. But there’s no way he’ll fight his whole clan for me… right?
Review:
I've seen books in genres like this before but this is the first one that made me want to check it out. I found out about this book during Virtually ApollyCon and got it free for signing up for the author's newsletter. 

I wasn't expecting much going in... like I said it's a sub-genre I haven't explored too closely yet. But I ended up loving it. It was fun, sexy, sassy, and a quick, enjoyable read. It gives you just enough of a taste and set up for the books to come and leaves you wanting more. 

I can't wait to read the full-length books in the series.               

My Rating:

{Excerpt Reveal} ADAMANTINE by Rosie Weir

We have an exciting excerpt reveal from Rosie Weir and her debut sci-fi romance, Adamantine! Check out the excerpt and pre-order your copy today! Title: Adamantine Author: Rosie Weir Genre: Sci-Fi Romance Release Date: June 1st About Adamantine: Deep in the Appalachian Mountains, a brilliant scientist and his daughter retreat from a catastrophic global plague. Worried for Molly’s future, James crafts the ultimate gift for his lonely little girl: A sentient AI charged with the task of protecting her and keeping her company in the event he is no longer able to do so. His creation, Will, is bestowed with an expansive intellect, superhuman strength, and a fierce protective streak. However, as year go by, Will’s feelings start to change from duty and service to something more. At eighteen, Molly knows little of the world beyond a collection of grainy VHS classics. Life with Will and James is idyllic. But Will’s mission to protect involves keeping dangerous secrets, including some that could destroy the trust between them forever. Will struggles with the rigid self-discipline of his programming, versus turbulent, irrational feelings that grow stronger each day. True love can’t exist without honesty and risk; the two things Will has been programmed to control at all costs. But trouble is brewing outside their sheltered utopia, and ignorance might be a luxury neither of them can afford any longer. From the primitive heights of the Appalachian Mountains to the revolutionary scientific breakthrough hidden within, Adamantine, a story of love, sacrifice, and sentience is scheduled to be released in June 2020.
Pre-Order Today: Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | B&N | Publisher
Exclusive Excerpt: Fatigue lines circled James Walkers eyes and forehead; dry canals of wrinkled flesh ran down the sides of his face. A flood of light washed over him, flickering ever so often. He found himself hissing at that inconvenience before resuming his examination. James spent months inspecting every piece of hardware and taking voice notes—he was ready to proceed. “James Walker, Ph.D.,” he said into the recorder. “After meticulous examination that produced minor wins and fails, everything seems to be in order. The mechanism is responsive. I’m proceeding to the next step—implementation. Cooling systems have taken to the previous modifications, refer to doc-234. Internal examinations will continue intermittently.” James clicked off the recorder and sighed. He walked across the room and paused inches from his destination, letting his eyes scan the table and its contents. The thin, silicone-based polymer suit reflected the soft light in the room. The project was close to completion and when he thought of what was at stake, the usual litany of questions and doubts arose. He scratched his stubble and pushed aside thoughts of consequence. He knew all too well that one wrong move might bring down his research like a flimsy deck of cards. “Positivity doesn’t exist in the realm of fringe science, but you have to try,” he muttered under his breath. Those words fueled James, who focused on the most favorable outcome. The augmented bio-hybrid suit had muscles, tendons, and ligaments designed to replicate the human body—an exact replica. He rolled the table close to the gurney then proceeded to couple the parts together. It took thirty minutes of concentrated effort to get the body sheathed. James took a step back and admired his masterpiece. It reminded him of a Renaissance anatomical painting he once saw in a museum. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but he wiped it away with the back of his hand. He attached a transfusion tube to the small glass cylinder filled with dense liquid. He injected the mixture into the body’s cervical vertebrae. Spider-like microscopic nanocells hurried down the spine and spread into the hybrid suit. The muscle tissues expanded and solidified over the impenetrable frame underneath. James watched the process unfold. His heart beat in double time, eager to move to the next phase. The pulsating vibe in his ears synced with his anxiety. He ambled to a wall lined with metal cabinets and retrieved the synthetic skin from its compartment. At the table, he arranged them over the entire body like a giant jigsaw puzzle. He watched the panels of skin adhere to one another. His hands imprisoned within his pockets to resist the urge to touch. Soon, skin covered the mechanical suit and a man lay in its place. The transformation was a success. Exhausted, James glanced at his watch and wondered if he should call it a night or continue to the next phase. Logic advised against that course of action, but the restless inventor needed to proceed. A tremor ran through his hand, a reminder of the imminent situation he was in. Time was no longer a commodity he could afford. He shook off the reverie and began the final phase. He flipped a switch and waited. James didn’t expect movement, so when the eyes fluttered, he was startled. Rapid eye movement meant the system transmitted the packets of data through a private server James created, which allowed limited access to a vast global network. “William? Can you hear me?” James whispered. He moved closer to the table and repeated the question. The eyes continued to flutter for a moment, then flew open. Gracefully, the body sat up and surveyed the room. It—he—was trying to assess its surroundings. “How do you feel?” James asked tentatively. “William? Is that my name?” His deep voice resonated throughout the room. His eyes stopped on the bespectacled man in a dark green, cable knit sweater, who stood next to the table. He looked to be in his fifties with tired blue eyes and short, graying, brown hair. “Yes. Your name is William. And my name is James. I am your creator.” The AI tilted his head to the side. His dark brown eyes rose to meet James’. “You’re ill. You ha—” “I-I know,” James interrupted. “Do you know what you are?” Will held up his hands and flexed the digits. “Am I awake, or am I programmed to feel awake?” James smiled and sat in a chair near the wall. Excitement welled up inside him. “The fact you even ask that question gives me hope that you are exactly what you’re meant to be.” “I’m not human,” Will stated. “No, you’re far more advanced. I was able to correlate specific patterns of the central nervous system with emotions and thought processes to create something beyond a program—an organism. You are the first AI ever to have this organism installed.” They held each other’s gaze for a moment before James broke contact and continued. “This evolutionary system will gradually alter and determine your choices based on the human interaction you experience throughout your life, much like a regular person. Over time—I’m not sure how long—but over time, you will start to engage in a more human-like behavior. You will continue to write code as a sentient being.” Will canted his head and blinked rapidly. “I’ll be able to freely write my own code?” “To a degree. There are restrictions, uh, goal-oriented programs. More specifically, there is a source code which will prevent you from accessing data that can alter or corrupt your program. Once certain milestones are crossed, you will have the ability to act upon your own thoughts and emotions.” James looked at Will and let out a deep sigh. The expunged breath formed a visible cloud over his face before it dissipated. “For the time being, I need you to remain here in the lab until I’m certain your program is fully functional and is safe enough.” “Safe enough for what?” William asked. James didn’t answer.
About Rosie Weir: Rosie Weir is an authoress by passion and now profession. She penned her first story at the age of 10 and has been writing ever since. Obsessed with science fiction, horror, and sometimes dark historical romances, her writing repertoire is wide-ranging and wildly diverse. On a quest to tell unconventional stories, human behavior and humanness are at the heart of all her literary works; stories that inspire readers to rethink and reshape their perspectives. When she’s not busy writing, she’s baking and chasing after a tiny, and rambunctious human. Her debut novel, Adamantine, is scheduled to be released in June 2020 with The Champagne Book Group.  
Connect with Rosie: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads Subscribe for Release Updates!

50/50 Friday: Favorite/Least Favorite DC Character

50/50 Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader.
What is 50/50 Friday?
Everyone has a favorite and then we also have something we dislike. Like a coin, there are two sides to every question. Example: best sequel you've read/worst sequel you've read. So that's what 50/50 Friday is all about. Carrie posts a new topic every Friday so be sure to check out her post to see the topic for the following week!
Topic for the Week Favorite/Least Favorite DC Character
I'm not big on comic book stuff but here are two characters I like...

FavoriteHarley Quinn
Wonder Woman

Next Week’s Theme: Best/Worst Read of April 2020

Writer Thursday: 5 Books I'm Excited About Reading in May

Writer Thursday: 5 May Releases I'm Excited to Read

This Writer Thursday I'm discussing five books I'm excited to read that will be releasing next month...
1.Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I loved the first book in this series and I've enjoyed reacquainting myself with the characters during the reread so I'm excited to see what Squad 312 gets up to next.
2. The Betrothed by Kiera Cass 
I loved the first book in the Selection series when I read it years ago (the rest of the series not so much) but I'm excited to read this book which gives me definite Selection vibes.
3. The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton
I loved Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands trilogy and when I heard about this new series it was an automatic add to my TBR list.
4. Of Literature and Lattes by Katherine Reay
This isn't the sort of book I usually read but I've been in such a slump lately it sounds like the perfect quick, easy read for me.
5.Ghosting by Tase Skilton
This book sounds hilarious and I can't wait to pick it up. 

What May releases are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!Happy Reading Bookdragons!

{Book Review} THE MIST by Stephen King

The Mistby Stephen KingPublisher: BloomsburyRelease Date: (Original) 1980Genre: Adult, Horror, Sci-Fi
Blurb:In the wake of a summer storm, terror descends...David Drayton, his son Billy, and their neighbor Brent Norton join dozens of others and head to the local grocery store to replenish supplies following a freak storm. Once there, they become trapped by a strange mist that has enveloped the town. As the confinement takes its toll on their nerves, a religious zealot, Mrs. Carmody, begins to play on their fears to convince them that this is God’s vengeance for their sins. She insists a sacrifice must be made and two groups—those for and those against—are aligned. Clearly, staying in the store may prove fatal, and the Draytons, along with store employee Ollie Weeks, Amanda Dumfries, Irene Reppler, and Dan Miller, attempt to make their escape. But what’s out there may be worse than what they left behind.

This exhilarating novella explores the horror in both the enemy you know—and the one you can only imagine

Review:
This isn't my first technical foray into the works of Stephen King but it's the one I've enjoyed the most so far. 

Is it weird that I sort of draw a parallel between the storm that hit the lake by David Drayton's family home and the mad rush at the grocery store that follows or the feeling of being trapped with the survivors in the grocery store? That feeling of hopelessness and wondering if this horror will ever end? Okay, okay... that's the safer-at-home cabin fever talking.

Even so, you have to admit it's relatable in a way. And the build-up and the fear Mr. King weaves into this story is masterfully done. 

This is a quick, hard-to-put-down read that I binged in a single evening. I have a love-hate feeling toward the ambiguous end, although like the narrator says, it's Hitchcockian in nature... which in a way can be better than a happily-ever-after ending. 

My Rating: