audiobook

Audiobook Review: Off Grid by Magnus Leijon

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“Daniel feels trapped by the daily work grind in the financial world, and the harsh Swedish winter climate. He accepts an offer to manage and develop a tourist business in Belize, and moves there with his American wife and two young daughters. Initially, they seem to have found paradise on earth, but little by little he finds himself involved in a psychological game unveiling the ultimate stake… life itself.
OFF GRID tells the true story of a family that decides to pursue their dream, and their experience when the dream transforms into the most horrific of nightmares.”

Amazon

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Magnus and his wife did what many of us dream of doing: leaving the grind of every day and moving to Belize. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be paradise turned out to be a terrifying experience. That sounds like a good novel, but to be a true story…yikes!

This is a theatrical audiobook in which the Magnus Leijon’s family performed their roles from the experience. I thought that was great. I usually enjoy theatrical audiobooks, and I liked the different voices in this one, but the music was distracting. It also took some getting used to the author’s voice as narrator.

This is a good story, but I think I would have liked it more if I had read the book rather than listening to the audiobook.

Audio sample

About the Author

Magnus Leijon was born 1979 in Värnamo, Sweden. As a kid, he was fascinated about the rainforest and spent countless hours drawing pictures of wild nature, telling his mom that one day he would indeed live there. He even sold shampoo to his neighbors, by buying one bottle at the store and mixing it up with 3 parts water.

All the money gained from shampoo production was donated to purchase raw forest in South America, to be protected from mankind. He met his wife, a Texas native Swedish exchange-student, and on their first date, it became clear that she shared his dream of living in harmony with wild nature, specifically in the tropics. Magnus pursued a career within Finance and was appointed Global Head of Derivatives Sales at Swedbank, one of the top four largest Scandinavian banks, by the age of thirty. But the dream was still calling, from deep within, until they could no longer resist.

Off Grid, is Magnus’s first novel and depicts the true story of how his dream turned into a real nightmare.

Audiobook Review: Our Dried Voices by Greg Hickey

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In 2153, cancer was cured.

In 2189, AIDS.

And in 2235, the last members of the human race traveled to a distant planet to begin the next chapter of humanity.

Several hundred years after their arrival, the remainder of humanity lives in a utopian colony in which every want is satisfied automatically, and there is no need for human labor, struggle or thought. But when the machines that regulate the colony begin to malfunction, the colonists are faced with a test for the first time in their existence.

With the lives of the colonists at stake, it is left to a bright young man named Samuel to repair these breakdowns and save the colony. Aided by his determined friend Penny, Samuel rises to meet each challenge. But he soon discovers a mysterious group of people behind each of these problems, and he must somehow find and defeat these saboteurs in order to rescue humanity.

Amazon

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The idea that the human race gets lazy because everything is provided to them is interesting and probably spot on. From what I witness these days, if everything was provided for us, it wouldn’t take long for most people to devolve.

The main characters, Samuel and Penny, aren’t very well developed but that’s as it should be. The way Samuel solved problems was interesting, but there was too much detail/focus on those tasks.

It took me a while to get used to listening to the dialogue in Our Dried Voices. The narrator did a good job, but it was hard to get used to the way the people communicated with each other.

The book starts slowly, and I kept waiting for it to pique my interest, but it wasn’t until the last few chapters that I really got into the book. I’m glad I read Our Dried Voices, but it’s not a book I’d pick up to read a second time.

About the Author

Author of entertaining stories for smart readers. Download the short novel The Theory of Anything for free at https://www.greghickeywrites.com/anything-amazon.

Greg Hickey wrote his first novel, Our Dried Voices, while spending a year in Sundsvall, Sweden and Cape Town, South Africa, playing and coaching for local baseball teams. That novel was published in 2014 and was a finalist for Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Science Fiction Book of the Year Award.

Today, he still loves sharing stories while staying busy with the other facets of his life. He is a forensic scientist by day and endurance athlete and author by nights, lunches, weekends and any other spare moments. After his post-college travels, he once again lives in his hometown of Chicago with his wife, Lindsay.

Website: http://www.greghickeywrites.com/
Twitter: greghickey5

Audiobook Review: Burglary at Barnard by Lynn Morrison

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Author: Lynn Morrison
Narrator: Pearl Hewitt
Length: 8 hours 32 minutes
Publisher: Marketing Chair Press⎮2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Oxford Key Mysteries, Book 2
Release date: Nov. 16, 2021
Synopsis: A secret chamber. A dead body. And one ghost who won’t tell the truth!

The Master’s assistant has been murdered, and although Nat figures out who is responsible, finding the evidence is a challenge. Especially when the one ghost who witnessed the crime refuses to say what happened.

The closer Nat comes to finding the proof she needs, the more tempers flare and threats fly. The situation becomes a race against time, and just when she thinks she’s won, Nat realizes the murderer is willing to do whatever it takes to escape justice, including getting Nat out of the way.

Permanently.

Nat’s miscalculation will cost someone their life, but whose?

If you like cozy mysteries where ghosts walk the halls, paintings come to life, wyverns play around, and magic seems within reach, the Oxford Key Mysteries are sure to delight.

Buy on Audible

My Review

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Lynn Morrison. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

This is the second book in the Oxford Key Mysteries, and I liked it even better than the first book, Murder at St. Margaret. It’s full of magic and is a fun read. There’s a lot going on and it not only kept my interest, but it was difficult to stop listening at times.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters more. Nat gets to meet some interesting ghosts as well (I don’t want to spoil it). I still really like “H” who is with Nat all the time.

Pearl Hewitt does a great job with narration. Her pace and timing are good, and she’s able to make each character sound distinct.

I look forward to listening to more of the Oxford Key Mysteries. They’re so much fun to listen to!

About the Author

Lynn Morrison lives in Oxford, England along with her husband, two daughters and two cats. Born and raised in Mississippi, her wanderlust attitude has led her to live in California, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, in addition to the UK. It’s no surprise then that she loves to travel, with a never-ending wish list of destinations to visit.

She is as passionate about reading as she is writing, and can almost always be found with a book in hand. You can find out more about her on her website LynnMorrisonWriter.com.

If you want to chat with her directly, join her Facebook group – Lynn Morrison’s Not a Book Club – where she happily talks about books, life and anything else that crosses her mind.

Website

Originally from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in Northeast England, audiobook narrator Pearl Hewitt currently lives with her husband and two children in Houston, Texas. Over the years she has worked as a customer service rep, a teaching assistant, and a teacher, but deep down there was always a performer wanting to get out. In 2007 her twelve-year-old son told her that he believed she was so good at reading stories out loud that she should do that as a job. That was her defining, eureka moment, and she’s never looked back. Pearl immersed herself in training and pursued a career in general voice acting but in 2012 she decided to focus her attention to narrating audiobooks in a wide range of genres. It was then that her professional career blossomed. She regularly works directly with indie authors but also narrates for a number of major publishers and has gained lots of recognition in the process including IAAIS awards, a Voice Arts Award nomination and Audiofile Magazine reviews. Pearl’s is comfortable narrating both fiction and non-fiction titles and has been very successful reading British Regency romance, cozy murder mysteries, fantasy/science fiction, children’s literature, the classics, history, biographies and more.

Website

Tour Schedule

Click here to view the full tour schedule!

Audiobook Review: Murder at St. Margaret by Lynn Morrison

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Author: Lynn Morrison
Narrator: Pearl Hewitt
Series: Oxford Key Mysteries, Books 1-3
Publisher: Marketing Chair Press
Genre: Cozy Mystery

A dead chef. A ruined gala. And the ghosts didn’t see a thing.

 As Oxford’s new Head of Ceremonies, Natalie Payne’s first task is to organize St Margaret’s autumn gala. However, her plans are dashed when she finds their famed chef dead in the kitchen.

 And then a centuries-old cat informs Nat she has her own magical legacy…and responsibilities. A murder in the halls is a sure sign that something has gone wrong with Oxford’s magical protections.

 Now Nat has to solve the murder, find a new chef for the gala, and figure out why Oxford’s magical defenses are down. With the help of Oxford’s magical Eternals and some new friends, Nat has a chance.

 But can she do it before St Margaret loses its connection to the magic of Oxford?

 If you like cozy mysteries where ghosts walk the halls, paintings come to life, creatures play, and magic seems within reach, the Oxford Key Mysteries are sure to delight.

Buy on Audible

My Review

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Lynn Morrison. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

When Natalie becomes Oxford’s new Head of Ceremonies, she has no idea what she’s in for. When she learns that her grandfather’s fairy tales were true and that there is a world of magic at Oxford that only a chosen few can see, she’s thrilled. But now, not only does she have a gala to get ready for, she also needs to find out what is going on with the magic and a murderer needs to be found.

I enjoyed reading about the magical side of Oxford. I especially liked “H”. What a fun character!

Pearl Hewitt does a great job with narration. Her pace and timing are good, and she’s able to make each character sound distinct.

I’m looking forward to listening to the next book in this series.

About the Author

Lynn Morrison lives in Oxford, England along with her husband, two daughters and two cats. Born and raised in Mississippi, her wanderlust attitude has led her to live in California, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, in addition to the UK. It’s no surprise then that she loves to travel, with a never-ending wish list of destinations to visit.

She is as passionate about reading as she is writing, and can almost always be found with a book in hand. You can find out more about her on her website LynnMorrisonWriter.com.

If you want to chat with her directly, join her Facebook group – Lynn Morrison’s Not a Book Club – where she happily talks about books, life and anything else that crosses her mind.

Website

Originally from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in Northeast England, audiobook narrator Pearl Hewitt currently lives with her husband and two children in Houston, Texas. Over the years she has worked as a customer service rep, a teaching assistant, and a teacher, but deep down there was always a performer wanting to get out. In 2007 her twelve-year-old son told her that he believed she was so good at reading stories out loud that she should do that as a job. That was her defining, eureka moment, and she’s never looked back. Pearl immersed herself in training and pursued a career in general voice acting but in 2012 she decided to focus her attention to narrating audiobooks in a wide range of genres. It was then that her professional career blossomed. She regularly works directly with indie authors but also narrates for a number of major publishers and has gained lots of recognition in the process including IAAIS awards, a Voice Arts Award nomination and Audiofile Magazine reviews. Pearl’s is comfortable narrating both fiction and non-fiction titles and has been very successful reading British Regency romance, cozy murder mysteries, fantasy/science fiction, children’s literature, the classics, history, biographies and more.

Website

Tour Schedule

Click here to view the full tour schedule!

Audiobook Review: The Fall of Mrs. Parsons by Phil Geoffrey Bond

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Author: Phil Geoffrey Bond
Narrator: Jenn Lee
Length: 50 minutes
Publisher: Chess Books/Above Deck Entertainment
Producer: Audiobook Empire
Released: April 15, 2021
Genre: Fiction

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Mrs. Parsons lives a quiet life in a small cottage in the woods on the outskirts of town, having woken next to her husband Lloyd, and has gone about with her normal routine every day for the past 50+ years. But on this most extraordinary day, she will venture out into the world, reclaiming her place in it and, in so doing so, rediscover herself.

In this lush, romantic short tale from Phil Geoffrey Bond, the simple life is revealed as not so simple at all.

Buy Links
Buy on Audible

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Mrs. Parsons and her husband have lived in a small cabin for 50 years, and their lives are routine and simple. One day, though, she decides that she wants to “find herself.” She leaves their home and buys a ticket for somewhere far away. But she realizes that she truly loves her husband and that he loves her.

This is a short story but it delves into something that we all go through at least once in our lives. The question of whether our lives could be more, that we could do more with our lives is a common one. I think that some people take a lot longer than Mrs. Parsons to figure things out.

The narrator did a good job with pace and timing and her voice is pleasant to listen to.

If you like to listen to short stories, this is a good, sweet, romantic story that may have you looking at your own life.

PHIL GEOFFREY BOND is an award-winning author, best known for his collection of short pieces, All the Sad Young Men, and the celebrated picture book, My Friend, the Cat, based on the popular stage show. Often mixing dramatic prose with live theatre, his original pieces My Queer Youth, The Disney Diaries, My Friend, the Cat, My Roaring Twenties and Small Town Confessions have been embraced by a wide range of off-Broadway audiences. As a playwright, Phil has developed work at The Sundance Theatre Lab (The Citadel), and many regional theatres throughout the states. A fixture on the NYC nightlife scene, he is a seven-time MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets), two-time Bistro and one-time Nightlife Award-winner. Currently, he is the writer/producer/host of Sondheim Unplugged, now enjoying it’s 6th year at Manhattan nightspot Feinstein’s/54 Below. 2016 will see the release of his debut novel, The Last Year at Low Tide (Chess Books). In 1993, he was awarded the Presidential Medallion from President Clinton on behalf of his work as a young playwright.

Twitter⎮Amazon

Narrator Bio

After 20+ years as professional NYC actor, I stumbled into some documentary voiceover work. From that moment on, I knew the trajectory of my career had been changed forever. I adore narrating and doing VO, and every job feels like a gift.

Website⎮Instagram

Q&A with Author Phil Geoffrey Bond

  1. Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    1. Not at all. I wrote this when I was in my early twenties, before such things existed.
  2. How did you select your narrator?
    1. My dear friend Jenn Lee Andrews began narrating books — she’s a wonderful actress with whom I’ve worked before many times. It was just a natural fit. She’s sublime.
  3. How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
    1. No – she invented it all herself, marvelously.
  4. Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    1. I grew up in a small town in Indiana with rural towns, rivers, creeks, etc., named after Native American tribes. That’s really the background for the sense of place in the story. The characters are just my own imagination, although I think we’ve all known people like Maybelle, at least.
  5. Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    1. I’m a novice and have no experience here. However, I remember “Books on Tape.” I eagerly devoured, after I’d read it, Katherine Hepburn’s book, “Me,” which she read herself.
  6. If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
    1. I would have liked to have seen Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall on April 23, 1961.
  7. If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
    1. Meryl Streep as Maybelle. David Stratharian as Lloyd. Glenn Close as Emma, the friend from the dance — former Miss Fire Engine. The young couple in the restaurant could be cameos by Lily James and some dashing young gentleman.
  8. What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
    1. I’m new to it, as well. But I do appreciate hearing a human voice embody my words and, if it gets people paying attention to the written word, I’m all for it.
  9. How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
    1. I throw a plate and a glass into the lit fireplace aka Kathleeen Turner in Romancing the Stone. Then I pet my cat, Romeo.
  10. What gets you out of a writing slump? What about a reading slump?
    1. Scotch.
  11. Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
    1. They mostly come from my dreams, originally.
  12. What’s your favorite:
    1. Food – Chinese — really fried, bad for you chicken – like sesame or General Tso’s.
    2. Song – anything sung by Streisand. Also, Etta James, Dinah Washington, Lady Day, Carole King, Maureen McGovern, Sally Mayes, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway… the story goes on…
    3. Book – trick question.
    4. Television show – The Golden Girls/anything Star Trek.
    5. Movie – Funny Girl.
    6. Band – rubber.
    7. Sports team – what’s that?
    8. City – London.
  13. What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
    1. Don’t ever listen to me.
  14. Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?
    1. Be absolutely fond of your narrator. I am.
  15. What’s next for you?
    1. My partner’s 40th birthday was this week and there remains leftover cake in the fridge… probably that.

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Audiobook Review: Bernie and the Putty by Steve LeBel

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Title: The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Putty
Author: Steve LeBel
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Publication Date: 12/4/20

Not all gods are created equal….

Even on a world where everyone lives forever and abilities are god-like, there’s always one who struggles to keep up. His name is Bernie.  

More than anything, young Bernie wants to be a great universe builder like his father. In school he learned to build suns and planets and to create life. When he gets the chance to build his own universe, Bernie finds it full of problems: mysterious asteroids, unexplained volcanoes, and shifting continents, all threatening to destroy his beautiful planet.

Bernie discovers the problems were caused by an evil god who will do anything to destroy Bernie and his planet. Can Bernie save his world? Maybe, but it would have helped if he’d studied harder back in school. You’ll laugh out loud as the plot takes twists and turns that even omniscient gods could not have foreseen.

If you enjoy imaginative and unpredictable worlds, like Harry Potter, Peter Jackson, or the tales of Terry Pratchett (Diskworld), then The Universe Builders is for you. It’s epic fantasy and science fiction at its best – for both adults and young adults. 

Winner of 16 Awards for Excellence:

  • Grand Prize, Writer’s Digest
  • Best Book of the Year, IAN
  • Gold, Readers’ Favorite
  • Gold, San Francisco Book Festival
  • Gold, eLit Awards
  • Gold, Independent Author Network
  • And 10 more awards…

My Review:

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I had read this book when it first came out, and I thought it was great, so I jumped at the chance to listen to the audio version. Bernie and the Putty is fantasy/science fiction full of drama and suspense. There are more books about Bernie, and I’ve read them all. It’s been several years since I read the first book, and as I listened, I was surprised at how much I had forgotten.

Steve LeBel has created a world full of gods who are more like humans than we would imagine. Unfortunately, most of the gods believe that their creations have no feelings so they have no qualms about destroying a universe if it didn’t turn out the way they wanted. Bernie is not like other gods and refuses to blink out a universe because of a mistake or two or ten.

The characters are well developed and have mostly human characteristics. Bernie, the main character, is a young god, just out of school and a good guy. He doesn’t have many friends because of Billy, a typical bully, who threatens anyone who tries to be Bernie’s friend. He does have two good friends though who stick by him through thick and thin. When it looks like Bernie will probably lose his job as a builder, they do what they can to help.

The narrator did an excellent job with timing and with the different voices. I hope he continues to narrate the Universe Builder series.

Bernie and the Putty is mostly about the conflict between Bernie and Billy but there are side stories that are just as important. The book is well written and it even makes it easy to understand how to build a universe! This would be a great addition to any library. This is the book that made Steve LeBel one of my favorite writers.

About the Author

How best to describe an author who writes humorous fantasy?

Do we tell about bookshelves full of fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal books, his love of mythology, or the years he spent as dungeon master? Or is it more important to know his favorite player-character was a chaotic-good elven fighter / mage? And what about that stack of old comic books he never seems to get rid of?

There’s a serious side too. The other half of his bookshelf bulges with titles on management, marketing, computer programming, and financial analysis. What about his years as a hospital president, the many businesses he created, or all the time he spent in board rooms? What about his early years counseling drug addicts, or his years as a stock trader?

Is there a pattern to his travels around the world? Why choose places like King Arthur’s Camelot, the Temple of Delphi, Buddha’s Tree of Enlightenment, China’s Forbidden City, or the Great Pyramids of Egypt? What is he seeking?

And what does this have to do with writing good fantasy?

Perhaps it’s that dichotomy within Steve that makes The Universe Builders such a compelling read.

Book Site:  www.TheUniverseBuilders.com
Email:  Steve@TheUniverseBuilders.com
Facebook:  SteveLeBel.Author
Twitter:  SteveLeBel

Audiobook Review & Giveaway: Burden of Hate by Helen Starbuck

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Book Title: The Burden of Hate (An Annie Collins Mystery) by Helen Starbuck
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 216 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Routt Street Press
Release date:  March 2020
Content Rating: R. Several explicit sex scenes, profanity, medical scenes

How far would you go for someone you love? How much hate would you need to commit murder? Revenge. Hate. Fear. Not exactly traditional wedding gifts. But when convicted killer Ian Patterson escapes from prison, operating room nurse Annie Collins and fiancé assistant district attorney Angel Cisneros are forced to confront these realities head on. Will Ian Patterson’s quest for revenge toward the two people responsible for sending him to prison—Annie Collins and Angel Cisneros—bring them face to face to settle the score once and for all? Find out why Kirkus Reviews calls The Burden of Hate, “A thriller that offers a master class in suspense.”


Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Audible
B&N ~ BAM  

My Review

I chose to listen to this audiobook after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Burden of Hate can be read as a standalone but it would be better after reading Mad Hatter’s Son and No Pity in Death.

Annie and and Angel are getting married! Angel’s mom makes sure that it’s a beautiful wedding, but sometimes you can’t plan everything.

The main focus of Burden of Hate is how Annie and Angel deal with Ian breaking out of prison. He’s back, and he’s making clear that he wants revenge. The police are trying to find him, but he’s good at being invisible. Even if he can’t get close enough to kill Annie or Angel, he’s causing a lot of stress in their marriage.

Once again, Annie ends up involved in investigating a murder. This time, the priest who was supposed to marry them was found murdered. She doesn’t plan on investigating it, but her mother-in-law knows the family and promises that Annie will look into it. Annie does come up with some clues for the police.

Annie continues to grow. She’s able to keep her temper under control most of the time, but there were a couple of times she overreacted. Angel doesn’t handle being forced to stay home well. It’s a side of him that I haven’t seen before, and it’s not pretty. It makes him more human, though, rather than the perfect boyfriend he was in the previous book.

I enjoy Helen Starbuck’s writing. It flows well. The narrator, Suzanne T. Fortin, did a fabulous job. Her timing is spot on and vocal expression helps tell the story.

I liked all three of the books in this series that I’ve read so far. I would prefer more focus on the mystery and a little less on the drama, but that’s a personal preference, and I’m sure there are readers who disagree. I enjoyed the ending of Burden of Hate, and I hope there are more Annie Collins stories to come.

About the Author

Helen Starbuck is a Colorado native, former OR nurse, and award-winning author of the standalone romantic suspense novel Legacy of Secrets, and the Annie Collins Mystery Series. She loves mysteries, suspense, romance, and any book that is well written. She’s a huge fan of books with independent, strong, women characters and, as Neil Gaiman says, “…stories where women save themselves.”

Connect with the author:  Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

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Follow the Tour

Jan 13 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 13 – Literary Flits – books spotlight / giveaway
Jan 14 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 14 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 15 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 15 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 15 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son
Jan 18 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Jan 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author blog – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 19 – – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 19  – Bigreadersite – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son
Jan 20 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 21 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 22 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jan 26 – Bigreadersite – book review of No Pity in Death
Jan 26 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Jan 27 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 28 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 29 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 29 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of No Pity in Death
Feb 1 – Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 1 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 2 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 2 – Bigreadersite – book review of The Burden of Hate
Feb 3 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 3 – Pine Enshrined Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 4 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 5 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 8 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 8 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate
Feb 9 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 9 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway

Audiobook Review: No Pity in Death by Helen Starbuck

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Book Title: No Pity in Death (An Annie Collins Mystery #2) by Helen Starbuck
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 249 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Routt Street Press
Release date:  2019
Content Rating: R. Two explicit sex scenes, profanity, medical scenes.

Struggling to put her life back together after almost being murdered, operating room nurse Annie Collins agrees to help homicide Detective Alex Frost investigate a troubling number of patient deaths in the ICU step down unit at her hospital. Are the patients succumbing to life threatening illnesses or is someone helping them die? Assistant district attorney and close friend, Angel Cisneros, worries about Annie’s involvement with Frost’s investigation, and his concern escalates after a person from her past contacts her. His feelings for her, which have grown deeper, complicate everything. Dangerous enemies are something Annie and Angel have in common. As they quickly discover, paybacks can be hell.


Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Audible
BAM 

My Review

Annie and and her neighbor Angel have been close friends for quite a while, and I was happy to see them become more than friends in No Pity in Death. They’re good for each other.

Once again, Annie ends up involved in investigating murders. This time, there are an unusual number of terminally ill patients dying in the hospital. It is suspected that someone in the hospital is helping them die. Since Annie already knows Detective Frost, she agrees to help investigate by going through charts and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, which she’s good at.

Annie is still trying to get over the fact that she almost died at the hands of Ian, and him contacting her doesn’t help at all. And now Angel is in danger as well. Can these two not catch a break?

I thought Annie wasn’t quite as clueless as she was in the first book. I was getting tired of her temper but had to remind myself that she’d been through a lot, and she did eventually realize that she was being nonsensical. I was impressed by the fact that things weren’t blown out of proportion like they are sometimes in fiction. She and Angel fought and made up.

I enjoy Helen Starbuck’s writing. It flows well as does the narration by Suzanne T. Fortin. I liked No Pity in Death more than The Mad Hatter’s Son, and I am looking forward to Burden of Hate, the next book in the series.

About the Author

Helen Starbuck is a Colorado native, former OR nurse, and award-winning author of the standalone romantic suspense novel Legacy of Secrets, and the Annie Collins Mystery Series. She loves mysteries, suspense, romance, and any book that is well written. She’s a huge fan of books with independent, strong, women characters and, as Neil Gaiman says, “…stories where women save themselves.”

Connect with the author:  Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

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Follow the Tour

Jan 13 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 13 – Literary Flits – books spotlight / giveaway
Jan 14 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 14 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 15 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 15 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 15 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son
Jan 18 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Jan 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author blog – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 19 – – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 19  – Bigreadersite – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son
Jan 20 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 21 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 22 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jan 26 – Bigreadersite – book review of No Pity in Death
Jan 26 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Jan 27 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 28 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 29 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 29 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of No Pity in Death
Feb 1 – Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 1 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 2 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 2 – Bigreadersite – book review of The Burden of Hate
Feb 3 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 3 – Pine Enshrined Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 4 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 5 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 8 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 8 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate
Feb 9 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 9 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway

Audiobook Review: The Mad Hatter’s Son by Helen Starbuck

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Book Title: The Mad Hatter’s Son (An Annie Collins Mystery #1) by Helen Starbuck
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 285 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Routt Street Press
Release date:  2018
Content Rating: R. Two explicit sex scenes, profanity, medical scenes.

Curiosity killed the cat, so the saying goes, and it may end up killing operating room nurse Annie Collins. Annie’s estranged friend Libby Matheisen needs Annie’s help to discover what is causing her vague, puzzling symptoms. Unwillingly drawn into her friend’s life, Annie must discover whether Libby is really ill or if there is a hidden agenda. Faced with Libby’s apparent suicide, Annie is unable to stop asking questions to uncover the truth about her illness and death. The answers to these questions don’t come without a price, and pursuing the mystery of Libby’s death threatens to end her life as well. Friends change, love betrays, and the end results are never what you anticipate. Find out why the BookLife Prize called The Mad Hatter’s Son“An outstanding debut,” and it was the winner of The National Indie Excellence Book Awards mystery category.


Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Audible
B&N ~ BAM 

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Annie and Libby were roommates until Libby got married to a rich man whom Annie didn’t like. Libby also seemed to change once they were together. After Libby moved out, they didn’t see much of each other and eventually lost touch. That is, until Libby called and asked Annie to help her.

Annie was understandably conflicted about caring for Libby who she no longer thought of as a close friend. What I didn’t understand is why, as a nurse, Annie wasn’t more curious about Libby’s symptoms. Yes, the doctors thought her problems were mental, but all nurses know that doctors aren’t always right.

I thought Annie was fairly clueless, and I thought her relationship with Ian was a bit odd. It seemed like they were instantly a couple, and he seemed too clingy. I liked Angel, Annie’s neighbor, a lot, and wished he wasn’t just a friend.

Although the killer was obvious pretty quickly and the protagonist was clueless, I still enjoyed The Mad Hatter’s Son. The author’s writing flows well, and this was an overall good read. It even had a little suspense at the end. I look forward to reading more by Helen Starbuck.

About the Author

Helen Starbuck is a Colorado native, former OR nurse, and award-winning author of the standalone romantic suspense novel Legacy of Secrets, and the Annie Collins Mystery Series. She loves mysteries, suspense, romance, and any book that is well written. She’s a huge fan of books with independent, strong, women characters and, as Neil Gaiman says, “…stories where women save themselves.”

Connect with the author:  Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

rafflecopter.com

Follow the Tour

Jan 13 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 13 – Literary Flits – books spotlight / giveaway
Jan 14 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 14 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 15 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 15 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 15 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son
Jan 18 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Jan 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author blog – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 19 – – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 19  – Bigreadersite – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son
Jan 20 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 21 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of The Mad Hatter’s Son / giveaway
Jan 22 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jan 26 – Bigreadersite – book review of No Pity in Death
Jan 26 – She Just Loves Books – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Jan 27 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 28 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 29 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of No Pity in Death / giveaway
Jan 29 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of No Pity in Death
Feb 1 – Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 1 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 2 – CorinneRodrigues – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 2 – Bigreadersite – book review of The Burden of Hate
Feb 3 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 3 – Pine Enshrined Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 4 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 5 – Books Lattes & Tiaras – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 8 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 8 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of The Burden of Hate
Feb 9 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of The Burden of Hate / giveaway
Feb 9 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway

Audiobook Review: Believe by Nanette O’Neal

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Best friends share everything, right? Unless it’s a secret that could cost them their lives. Robyn and Kit are born with forbidden magic-sense, the power to see and hear beyond Earthly sight and sound. It’s a curse that haunts them, but the girls are strangely drawn to it—could there be more to this power than they’ve been told?

When they spill their secret, it opens a doorway back to Forever—a beautiful realm where magic-sense began. They learn the truth: they have been given a noble gift. It connects them to the Skyborn royalty of this new world. They’ve been summoned back by the forces for good to preserve the kingdom and revive the power where it once flourished—on Earth. It can thrive again, if Robyn and Kit are brave enough to follow.

However, the doorway awakens more than magical fairy-tales. A dark force is unleashed—one that has battled the Skyborn since time began, and it wants the girls dead, the Earth destroyed.

Beyond the doorway is where the adventure begins—trickery, kidnapping, a prison break, rescue teams, sword fights, magical gold-dust, holographic medallions, and singing orbs—but only for those who have the courage to believe.

Buy Now

~ Amazon ~ 

My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Kit and Robyn are new friends, but they both believe in magic which is now a crime. In fact, they both have magic-sense, the power to see and hear more than most people on Earth can. They end up in another world where magic, both good and bad, is everywhere. Nanette O’Neal has built an interesting new world, and I look forward to reading more about it.

Kit, Robyn, and Cam (Robyn’s brother) are just starting their adventures in Believe. They each face their own challenge as they face the dark force that wants them dead. Will they all survive the threats that they face?

The narrator, Joe Christensen, has a voice that is pleasant to listen to. He has good pace and timing, and he brought the story to life.

Believe is a great book for middle-grade readers. It has magic, adventure, fantasy, suspense, battles…it has everything most kids love to read about!

About the Author

Nanette O’Neal is a five-time published author, certified transformational story coach, and professional speaker. Ever since childhood, Nanette was fascinated with the nature of storytelling and how it has the ability to connect us to our higher self and change lives for the good. She uses the power of story to help people find clarity, gain courage, and walk with confidence to become the hero of the most important story of all—the story of you.

A Doorway Back to Forever is a seven-novel series for teens and families designed to entertain, awaken courage, and magnify the divine power within the human soul. The books of the series are Believe, Trust, Defend, Honor, Remember, Restore, and Become. Remember is the most recently released (October 2020) while Restore and Become are scheduled for publication in 2021. Nanette O’Neal is a 2020 top-ten finalist in Fantasy for the global Author Elite Award for Honor, book four in the series. Nanette currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband. She loves her family, hiking, Star Trek, and dogs. 

  ~ Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~
~ Linkedin ~ Alignable ~

Snippet

Robyn and Kit are best friends who share everything—unless it could get them killed. They both have magic-sense, a dangerous curse where they see and hear things beyond earthly sight and sound. Robyn sees things that aren’t there, and Kit hears voices when no one is in the room. They dare not tell each other because it could get them arrested, but they can’t stop thinking about it. Finally, when the local bully, Logan, goes too far and teases Robyn about her secret in front of Kit, they spill their guts to each other and a magical doorway appears. It has a special message carved on it: Welcome Skyborn Warrior. Your Awakening is Now. It’s an invitation to step through, but there’s a problem: Robyn sees it, but Kit doesn’t.

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