The Bourbon Kings by J.R. Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was fantastic! The story read like Dallas, or Knots Landing. So much happening, and I couldn’t stop reading. This is not normally they type of book I read, but I trust J.R. Ward, and was willing to give this a try. No disappointment here!
The narrator, Alexander Cendese, has a perfect southern gentleman voice. If you are not sure which version to get, I highly recommend the audiobook.
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Wicked Gods by Eilís Leyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“It’s about the ways people abuse religion, not about the question of God’s existence.”
– Eilís Leyne
I enjoyed this book immensely! This book reminds me of The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown. Not in the way of topic, but in the way of a thriller with a purpose. This book forces us to ask ourselves questions about what we believe, why we believe it, and how we believe it. It’s the how that gives this book the fuel it needs to take us on an adult version of Mr. Toads Wild Ride, and lead us to some insanely scary truths about society and its motivations.
I found this novel by randomly clicking on an article on Facebook, then another article from that page, and then another click or two that brought me to a site with this novel mentioned on it. I was intrigued by its description, and, well, here we are.
Something that I especially liked about this novel by Eilís Leyne is that I was drawn in, and held there. When I stopped reading to give my eyes a break, I watched the clock and wondered if sufficient time had passed and my eyes were ready to continue. I also appreciated the use of words that were unfamiliar to me. I learned new words, and they were words that fit perfectly as opposed to words that were obviously found through use of a thesaurus.
Don’t pass this book by because you think it’s bashing religions, it’s not. Not at all. Don’t believe me? Then read it.
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The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The writing in this novel is beautiful. In fact, it was so emotional, so suspenseful, and so filled with fitting concerns and reactions from the female characters, that I wrongly assumed the writer was a female. I’ve given many novels 5 stars, and right now, I feel like I may have been too generous. That most likely is not true, and the other novels were deserving of their ratings from me; however, right now I am smitten. I love this novel. I do. Take from that what you will.
I chose to listen to the audiobook of this, and it was phenomenal. While I am sure that I would have adored Melanie with just reading about her, the inquisitiveness and awe that Finty Williams (Narrator) gives Melanie is a dimension that I don’t think can be inferred with words on a page. In fact, Flinty Williams is able to do that with all of the characters, and I think she may be my new favorite narrator.
I honestly cannot think of a criticism for this book. I am sure there are many critics out there who have much to say, but this reader is not unhappy with this book at all. I love it, and I look forward to the movie as well.
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Americosis Vol. I by Haydn Wilks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This novella has it all. I am not just saying that, it really does! If you’re reading this review, then you have most likely already read the blurb about the book, and it intrigued you enough to read some reviews. Let me tell you, READ THIS!!
This first volume is a quick read, and it was over before I knew it. I sit here feeling so lucky to have been offered a free copy for an honest review, because it is the most unusual and addictive story I’ve read in awhile. I will be anxiously waiting for volume two, and reading any other works by Haydn Wilks. Wow. SO good!
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Tarnish: The Thunderstrike Saga by J.D. Brink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was exactly what I’ve been missing! An epic tale with swords, magic, and heroes!
Since finishing series’ such as The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (James Oliver Rigney, Jr.), and The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind, I have been trying to fill a void I didn’t know I had, that is until reading Tarnish. While the writing style is different, it’s just enough to show the reader how unique J.D. Brink’s telling of this type of story is. This is a wonderful fantasy novel with everything a fantasy lover could want. Do not miss out, and lose yourself in J.D. Brink’s world. You will be so glad you did!
Audiobook Narrated by Todd Menesses: I enjoyed Mr. Menesses’ voices and reading very much. He was the perfect choice for this novel, and would be excellent in the next in this series.
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Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What am I taking from this book? Kill your heroes. Think for yourself, and don’t accept that change cannot happen. Work to make it happen, in whatever capacity you can.
There are a lot of reviews out there tearing this book apart. That’s cool, but seriously, we don’t need 13 paragraphs to tell us your beliefs.
As for me… I liked it a lot. There is SO MUCH to think about and consider. Nothing is as straight forward in this book as many people like to think.
Reese Witherspoon (Narrator): She was amazing! Her voice was perfect for this novel.
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The Place of Voices by Lauren Lynch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thought this was a good book for preteens. It reads like a Narnia novel, and is obviously rooted in Christian beliefs. Story is about life, what is important, and the choices we make. While this is not the type of book I enjoy, and would not have volunteered to read for an honest review, I will say that the writing and story was good for a young audience.
Narrator Felisha Caldeira: I have not listened to any of her previous work, but I enjoyed her voice, and the voices that she used for the characters. It was easy to imagine the story as it unfolded.
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Protect Her: Part One by Ivy Sinclair
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I wanted to like this, just like I do any book I accept in exchange for an honest review. I just didn’t like it. To me, the characters in this book spoke, and acted like people in the show ‘Mad Men’. I’m used to strong female characters that don’t take crap, kick ass, and and would scoff at a man who would call a woman a ‘broad’.
The story itself might be good if there was enough of it to get into, but I couldn’t be sure, this first volume is quite short. I also found much of the phrasing to be cliche, which often made me think Ms. Sinclair either wanted to write using canned phrases, or was too rushed to care. I’d like to think she would have been more creative with the telling of the story if she were able to.
The narration is okay at best. Both Angel Clark and Robert Neil DeVoe sound unsure of themselves, and give the feeling that they are uncomfortable reading aloud. I will admit that Angel seems to feel more comfortable at times, but overall I was not impressed.
It’s not long, so it can’t hurt to give it a read/listen. Or, you could wait for the next installment, and get a better feel for the story in a way that I was not able to.
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The Hunt Chronicles Volume 1: Awakening by J.D. Demers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just finished this book 2 minutes ago, and had to hurry here to write about how amazing this book is! This is my first zombie book, and I had no idea how exciting it could be. Or, maybe it’s just the wicked fun writing style of Mr. Demers. I want to gush about the many facets of the story, and how each one gave this book depth, and emotion in a way I didn’t expect.
The story is well written, exciting, tense, and gross at times. In other words, perfection! I audibly groaned when the story ended knowing it might be awhile until Volume 2 comes out. Read. This. Book.
Joshua Story (Narrator): He did a fantastic job! The voices were were distinct and consistent, making it very easy to listen to. I hope to hear more from him.
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The Fold by Peter Clines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was into this book from the first page. There is something about Mr. Clines’ writing that immediately gets my attention. I fell in love with the central character Mike, and never got tired of his dialogue. The story was enthralling, and I had to pace myself so I wouldn’t gobble it down in one sitting. Fantastic scifi, and I plead with you, if you’ve not read Mr. Peter Clines before then wait no longer. You won’t be sorry.
Audiobook Narrated By Ray Porter: What an amazing voice actor! I say voice actor, because I swear I was listening to different people read. Mr. Porter had not only different voices for each character, but different accents, and intonation also. Excellent choice for this novel.
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