Audible Book Review: Junkyard Bargain by Faith Hunter

I like Shining Smith, her cats, and the action of this series.

Junkyard Bargain
By: Faith Hunter
Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Series: Shining Smith, Book 2
Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
Release date: 02-25-21
Publisher: Audible Originals
Categories: Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Sometimes before you can face your enemies—you need to confront yourself.
Time is running out for Shining Smith and her crew to gather the weapons they need to rescue one of their own. But will they even make it to the ultimate battle? First, they’ll need to hit the road to Charleston—a hell ride full of bandits, sex slavers, corrupt lawmen, and criminal bike gangs looking to move in on Shining’s territory.
Shining’s human allies will do anything to protect her—because they must. But will victory be worth it if she must compel more and more people to do her bidding? And will her feline warriors, the junkyard cats, remain loyal and risk their lives? Or are they just in it for the kibble?
Shining knows she’ll need to keep her friends close and her enemies closer. That is, if she’s able to tell which is which.
©2021 Faith Hunter (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC

Review:
Shining Smith receives a package that reveals that a friend, Evelyn, has been taken prisoner by Clarrise Warhammer. Clarrise is a woman with nanobots like Shining but, unlike Shining, Clarrise has no reluctance from using her nanobots to enslave those she touches.

Shining and crew, Cupcake, Mateo, and a group of the junkyard cats, set out to retrieve special weapons needed to pursue a rescue attempt. They head to Charleston and soon run into an ambush by bandits. They discover sex slavers along the journey and Shining and Cupcake are determined to return to save the women…assuming they can get what they want and escape from the city.

Once they reach Charleston, Shining is surprised to find her short term love interest, Jagger, watching her. Their reunion quickly begins to spin out of control until others bring them back to their senses. Shining is not surprised to find that she is in danger from rival motorcycle gangs who don’t want anyone else taking resources from their territory. But she is surprised when it appears her ‘thralls’ seem to be thinking for themselves and not as much under her control as she thought. That has good and bad aspects.

This is the second book in the series, and it picks up where book one ended, and moves quickly forward. These are short books but packed with action and intriguing world building of nanobots and hive minds. I enjoy the action, the character interactions, and the addition of the cats, who aren’t always clear allies. I recommend this story and series to fans of futuristic fantasy. But do start with the first book.

Audio Notes: Khristine Hvam continues to do a great job with the narration. She presents the characters with distinct voices and wonderful energy. The narration enhances this story for me.

Source: March 2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet Series goals.

Junkyard Cats Shining Smith, Book 1 - My Rating 4.25.