Book Blogger Hop - 29 July 2022

Book Blogger Hop

 About the Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer's permission, Billy @ Ramblings or a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

July 29- August 4, 2022

If you mean follow along in the sense of having the book open in front of me while I'm listening, then no. For two reasons...

1. I usually listen to audiobooks before bed so I usually have the lights off.

2. I once was listening to an audiobook where words that were in the physical book were completely being dropped so it was hard to follow along. 

But I do sometimes switch between listening to audiobooks and reading the physical copy or ebook based on where I am. If I'm at work (I'm a police dispatcher), I have to be able to hear the radio if the officers are trying to talk to me so I stick to the physical copy or ebook. 

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What about you? Do you follow along with the print version while listening to audiobooks? Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your post!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 1 March, 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! I hope your week is off to a good start! I had two job interviews this morning and I hope one of them works out. 

What I Read Last Week: 

Final Girls by Riley Sager

I finished the audiobook of this last night and it was just okay. In comparison to Mr. Sager's other books this one was night and day and I found myself wondering what it's point was more than once. But I reminded myself this was his first book under this pen name and I've loved everything he came out with after that.  

Moon Child by Gaby Triana

This book was fantastic. I couldn't stop reading and almost finished it in one day. I've read Gaby's books before but this is definitely my favorite by her. I really want to buy a physical copy too because I love the cover 

Currently Reading:

The Dead and The Dark by Courtney Gould

Wednesday Books (the publisher of this book) had a bunch of books that were "Read Now" on Netgalley for 48 hours last week and since I've been looking forward to this one, I picked it up along with Cool For The Summer by Dahlia Adler and Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin. This book kind of started out slow but I'm liking it so far.  It's about the daughter of a couple who have a paranormal investigation show on tv who goes with them to their small Oregon hometown where teens are disappearing. 

Next Read

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

My library's Hoopla has the audiobook of this in their system and I've been wanting to read it so I made it one of my last borrows for February. I'll probably start it tonight. 

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 What are you reading this week?

Taylor Fenner's Bookish World's 5-YEAR Blog Anniversary!

Hey Bookdragons! It's my 5-year blog anniversary! 

Five years ago I posted my first book review and changed my blog name to Taylor Fenner's Bookish World. The blog has had a few facelifts over the years and I've tried different memes and even dabbled in a couple of my own. 

Right now I'm on a hiatus but I had to pop in and commemorate the day. Here are a few fun facts...

10 Fun Facts About Taylor Fenner's Bookish World...

1. First Review:

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

2. First ARC (Advance Reader Copy)

3. First Physical ARC

4. Most Popular Post to Date:

My first time as an author doing the Young Adult Scavenger Hunt in 2017

5. Favorite Genre in 2015:

Fantasy

6. Favorite Genre in 2020:

Horror/Thriller

7. Average Number of Books Read Per Year:

92

8. Favorite Authors: Wendy Higgins, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Jay Kristoff, Lisa Jackson, Dawn Kurtagich, Helena Hunting, Penelope Ward, Tyffany Hackett

9. First Audiobook Listen:

10. Current Read/Listen

In the past two months I've decided to take a hiatus and learn to enjoy reading again and I feel so much better. I'm enjoying reading what I want to read, when I want to read it without having to adhere to review schedules, monthly TBRs or being influenced to read what someone else thinks I should be reading. I no longer feel the need to finish a 500 page book in 2 days either.

I also, when I'm done with my hiatus, want to move into blogging about other things... tv shows I love, movie rankings, seasonal things I want to try, etc. So be on the lookout for things to come from Taylor Fenner's Bookish World!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 30 December 2019

#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 the last Monday of 2019! Wow --- where did the year go?? I didn't get as much reading done last week with Christmas stuff going on but I did read a couple books...

What I Read Last Week:

I wasn't sure about this one at first but it took a turn for the best when Dax went to CVS to buy feminine products for his sister. I almost died laughing. And the narration on the audiobook was good. 

I loved this author's Pretty Little Liars series but I haven't read any of her adult books until now and I found myself loving this one right off. Everyone is hiding something... but is one of them hiding something worth killing for?

What I Am Reading Now:

I'm back to my traditional read going into the new year... I've read Texas Gothic every New Year's Eve for the last seven or so years and it still cracks me up. When the first line reads "The goat was in the tree again." you know you're in for something funny.

Up Next:

I haven't entirely figured out my TBR for January except for the two audiobooks I want to listen to: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas and Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. Since I've already read the rest of the books in the Throne of Glass series and have put off the finale for so long already I'm going to tackle Kingdom of Ash first.

How many books have you read in 2019? How many do you want to read in 2020? Do you have a January 2020 TBR list in place or are you winging it?

Bookish and Not So Bookish Thoughts - 13 June 2019

Bookish (And Not So Bookish) Thoughts is a Weekly Meme hosted by Christine @ Bookishly  Boisterous.

Happy Thursday Bookdragons! I hope you're having a good week.

1. I'm having another not-so-great week. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm starting to think I've been misdiagnosed and the depression is just a small part of a bigger problem. I'm so angry all the time lately, just furious over small stupid stuff. Doing a little digging it looks like bipolar but I'm scared to go to the doctor because the last time I went my PA treated me like I was making things up for attention. I just wish I had some answers.

2. Have you ever read a book by an author you've read before and found that the book is essentially the same as another one of their books except with a different title and just a few different details? I read Escape from Asylum by Madeleine Roux earlier this week, which is a prequel to her Asylum trilogy but this one is set in the late 60s. Other than Brookline being in this book a working Asylum instead of converted into a college dorm I feel like this book and Asylum are basically the same plot. I ended up DNF'ing it which is disappointing because I love horror novels and movies set in asylums. 

3. I'm finding lately that I have more time to listen to audiobooks than reading actual books the normal way so I've been listening every night before bed. I tried while I was working out but I couldn't heard it so well over the exercise bike, my iPhone doesn't have a headphone jack anymore, and I'm not buying an adaptor. 

4. I finally tracked down a copy of the Dutch edition of Heartless by Marissa Meyer! I've been looking for this one since I first saw the cover and I finally found a copy on Amazon. It's even more gorgeous in person!

5. I got a new bookcase today! Right now it's still in the box but I'm planning to assemble it either tomorrow or this weekend and get my books transferred in! My cat won't be to wipe his damn butt on top of my books anymore! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 10 June 2019

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Hey Bookdragons! I'm plowing through my June TBR so far. Let me get you caught up...

What I Read Last Week:

I finished reading this one on Friday and I enjoyed it a lot. Funnily enough the characters I liked the most were Selah's suitors and the secondary characters. 

The Haunted is such an awesome read! I read it in a single sitting.

Hello Bookish Obsession! I loved this book from start to finish. If you like thrillers/suspense/murder mysteries, feuding siblings, and prestigious boarding schools you're going to love this one!

What I Am Reading Now:

Following my plan of reading a physical book by day and listening to an audiobook at night before bed I started listening to Aurora Rising over the weekend. I'm not far in yet but I'm intrigued. 

As for my physical read I'm continuing my horror trend with Escape from Asylum. I've read the Asylum trilogy but hadn't had a chance to read this one yet and I'm interested get into this prequel. 

Up Next:
Next up for me is...

It's time to wrap up my time in the world of Caraval. I've loved listening to these books in audiobook so I had to have it in both HC and audio formats like the previous two.

The next (and last) physical book on my June TBR is Warcross, a book I have been meaning to read since it first released. 

What are you reading this week?

F is for Friday - 22 February 2019

F Is For Friday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Nomadic Worlds.

How it Works:

1. Credit the creator of this tag (Nomadic Worlds ) and link back.

2. Answer the four questions to the best of your ability.

3. Most important of all, enjoy yourself!

Questions:

F – Feature your latest book obsession (it doesn’t have to be your current read)

I – Indicate which book/s you are looking forward to reading this weekend.

F – Favorite quote of the week/day

F – Five things you’re happy or grateful for this week.

F- Feature your latest book obsession (it doesn't have to be your current read)

I'm not quite halfway through The Black Witch but I'm kind of obsessed with this series already! The next book looks especially good and I'm eager to finish listening to The Black Witch (audiobook) and check The Iron Flower out from the library!

I – Indicate which book/s you are looking forward to reading this weekend.

I'm going to try to finish this one by Monday which shouldn't be hard because I love this series so much and can't wait to see how it ends! Seriously, if you want a fantasy trilogy infused by stylized Asian culture, gorgeous clothing descriptions, and awesome monsters, you need to read this series!!

F – Favorite quote of the week/day

“People see what they expect to see,” he says sharply. “Through a filter of their own hatred and prejudice.”

 ― Laurie Forest, The Black Witch

This is true. Sometimes people are so steeped in their prejudices that they judge everyone by the actions and reputations of a few.  

F – Five things you’re happy or grateful for this week.

1.  My Beat the Algorithm ladies (always)

2. Surprise book mail

3. Sympathetic people who take pity on me when I fall on ice

4. My boyfriend
5. Takeout

Have a great weekend Bookdragons!

Audible Book Review: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Blurb:

A coming-of-age tale for the young and naïve 17-year-old Catherine Morland, Northanger Abbey takes a decidedly comical look at themes of class, family, love and literature. Reveling in the sensationalist - and extremely popular - Gothic fiction of her day, the story follows Catherine out of Bath to the lofty manor of the Tilneys, where her overactive imagination gets to work constructing an absurd and melodramatic explanation for the death of Mrs Tilney, which threatens to jeopardize her newly forged friendships.

This Audible Originals production of Northanger Abbey stars Emma Thompson (Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA winner, Love Actually, Harry Potter, Sense and Sensibility), Lily Cole (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Snow White and the Huntsman, St. Trinian's), Douglas Booth (Noah, Great Expectations, The Riot Club), Jeremy Irvine (Warhorse, The Railway Man, Now Is Good), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark, The Illusionist, Alice in Wonderland) and Ella Purnell (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Never Let Me Go, Kick-Ass 2), amongst others.

My Review:

Let me start by saying that I've tried reading this book 4 times previously and never been successful. It's just so dry on the page, though I've always loved the gothic setting of Northanger Abbey.

That being said, the audible adaptation is fantastic! I liked how this was set up with a cast of narrators so that it played out like a stage play that you couldn't see. It made the story much more enjoyable. 

Catherine is sweet, but very naive - definitely quick to believe whatever people tell her and imagine that the things she reads could truly come into being. I've always hated Isabella Thorpe and her brother, John and I thought their personalities were well portrayed in the audiobook. And then, of course, there is the flirtations Mr. Tinley and his family. 

In case you are wondering, I did finish Northanger Abbey this time. I soaked up Jane Austen's words in this wonderful adaptation. If this were the first time I'd listened to an audiobook, I'd marvel at why I hadn't given them a chance sooner. I really wish more audiobooks were made in this fashion. Sometimes having only one narrator gets boring, it was nice for each character and the narrator to have a distinct voice in this one. 

Overall, I give the story a 4, or perhaps a 3.75 - I feel that sometimes Austen got lost describing rooms and dresses and such which got tedious and boring. But the audiobook I give a solid 5 stars! Well done Audible! 

Audiobooks vs Physical Books and eBooks

I recently hit a wall with a book I was reading (Caraval by Stephanie Garber). I was getting bored with the book but I wasn't sure whether I wanted to drop it or not. Then I remembered I had a code thing from OwlCrate for an extended audio excerpt and decided to download it onto my iPod. I'd never listened to an audiobook unless you count those books that came with accompanying tapes that I remember from my childhood and I've been hearing how much people are loving audiobooks so I decided to give it a try. 

Here is my opinion on listening to books versus reading them:

1: For this particular book, I hated the narrator's voice, especially when she tried to speak for the different characters. It reminded me of this one episode of Murder, She Wrote where Mrs. Fletcher had created a detective character for her grandnieces and nephews and they decided to make it into a puppet tv show using the voice of a woman with "1000 voices" - and they all sounded stupid. 

2. I know people say how convenient audiobooks are: they can listen to them in the car on the way to work, they can listen to them while working out, etc. But for me, it wasn't like that at all. Seriously, unless I was in my room listening to the book after I'd turned off the lights and the tv, I couldn't focus. And even then the digital clock distracted me as I tried to focus on what the narrator was reading. This may be a "me" issue, I tend to zone out when someone is trying to read me something.

3. I'm afraid of not retaining what I'm hearing. When I'm reading a book, seeing the words on the page, I can absorb the story and get lost in it. While I remember parts of what I heard, I can't remember it that well... 

4. I'm on the fence about much quicker it would be to listen to an audiobook vs. reading the actual book. Sometimes if a book moves quickly I can finish reading it in a day or two, but if it drags and it's taking forever (like Caraval) maybe it would get me through it quicker. It's something to think about with books that are really long and/or a slow read. 

My Verdict:

Audiobooks may be more convenient for some, and in the future, it might come in handy when I'm having difficulty getting through a book I'm reading, but I still prefer reading over listening. It also really depends on the narrator.