#NetGalley Audio Book Review For the Loot, Goblin Mode, Book 1 by Han Yang and Pearce Adams

This is a fun story but I didn't like the foul language.
For the Loot
Goblin Mode, Book 1
By: Han Yang, Pearce Adams
Narrated by: Evan Sibley

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
Release date: 07-25-23
Publisher: Dreamscape Lore
Genre: Fantasy, GameLit, LitRPG
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75 (due to language); Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Bogart casts aside his humble origins, becoming an adventurer. He must gain levels in the guild and fight alongside his allies, both within and outside the law. For fame and fortune! Maybe even to save the world. But mostly for fame and fortune!
You only get one chance at the big leagues, and nobody knows it better than Bogart. He's going straight from the badlands to the top of the world, or he'll gladly die trying. If only he knew the truth about the life he's chosen. There are wars, dark gods, and eldritch horrors on the horizon. And nothing is as it seems. Join Bogart as he quests for riches!
©2023 Royal Guard Publishing LLC (P)2023 Dreamscape Lore

Review:
Bogart’s clan of Goblins is attacked by a small group of adventurers, and he is one of the few survivors. He plans to follow them to steal their loot. Instead, he ends up joining the adventurers to pursue further loot.

They run into struggles along the way and have to find and rely on the skills for each. Bogart adds his stealth and thieving skills to the existing group. Freya is a paladin with healing powers and the ability to fight with special weapons. The others are a half-orc barbarian and a human spellsword, all led by the spellcasting gnome, Lang.

There are plenty of battles with creepy and unique villains. This isn’t strictly LitRPG but there are opportunities to increase powers and upgrade weapons. I enjoyed the success of the little goblin, especially since goblins are considered on the level of rats. The adventures were fun but the ugly, foul language turned me off. This might have been cute for middle graders but not with that language. Because of the language, I will probably not continue with the series. I recommend the fun adventure to GameLit fans who do not mind the bad language.

Audio Notes: Evan Sibley does a great job with the narration. I enjoined the energy and voices given to each character. I appreciated the opportunity to listen to this through NetGalley.

Source: July 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Flop Dead Gorgeous: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by Davide Rosenfelt

This is another good Andy Carpenter legal thriller that was a quick listen.

Flop Dead Gorgeous: An Andy Carpenter Mystery
By David Rosenfelt
Narrator: Grover Gardner

Series: An Andy Carpenter Novel, Book 27 Length: 6hr 43min
Release date: 07-04-23
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Legal Thriller
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Lights, camera, action in bestselling author David Rosenfelt’s Flop Dead Gorgeous , as Andy Carpenter goes bicoastal to prove an old friend’s innocence.
Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that’s come through the Tara Foundation’s doors, but the most well-known alum of the dog rescue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie. Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols―Andy’s high school girlfriend―the miniature French poodle is now practically a starlet in her own right.
Andy doesn’t hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, have dinner with Jenny while she’s in town filming her next big hit. But after an eventful meal, there’s a plot twist the next morning that none of them see Jenny’s costar is found dead, a knife in his back. It’s not long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of Andy’s legal services.
While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy’s golden retriever, Andy digs into the lives of the rich and famous.

Review:
Andy Carpenter is a millionaire lawyer who would rather be retired and working with his dog rescue, Tara’s Foundation, named after his golden retriever. But Andy is continually pulled in to representing people he knows, or are friends of friends, who are in desperate need of his services. A famous actress, Jenny Nichols, who rescued a miniature French poodle from Tara’s Foundation, has now been accused of killing her current costar. Few people know that Andy dated Jenny in high school so of course he is going to step up to take on her defense.

All of the usual investigation team get pulled in to help. This includes Andy’s wife, Laurie, a former Paterson police officer, Marcus, Andy’s brutish bodyguard, Sam, the finance / computer wizard, and investigator Corey with his K9 partner, Simon. The team begins to pursue connections that bring threats to Andy’s life.

The pattern of these stories is similar. It seems pretty clear the accused is innocent. The actual killer is often attached to the mob, a terrorist group, or similar crime syndicate that has an obscure connection to the victim. Andy and his team are able to gather details but may not be able to get admissible evidence in time for the trial. At the last minute some evidence or admission (often with the help of Federal agents) is delivered to save the case.

Even though this story fits the repeated pattern, the investigation into connected clues and ‘Andy snark’ make the story worth the read/listen. This is an on-going legal mystery series I enjoy and recommend. I have missed a few stories in the middle of the series and I am glad that the later stories are able to be read as stand alone stories with the proviso that you have read the first several books so that you get to know Andy and his team.

Audio Notes: Grover Gardner has this series down pat. He provides the perfect accents and attitudes of the characters. I totally enjoy listening to Gardner’s performance of this series.

Source: June 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Never-Ending End of the World by Ann Christy

This is a very good end of the world and dystopian story with a unique mystery event.
The Never-Ending End of the World
By: Ann Christy
Narrated by: Thérèse Plummer, Ari Fliakos

Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 08-08-23
Publisher: Campfire Publishing
Genre: Dystopian, EOTW, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.75; Narration 4.75.

Publisher's Summary
Station Eleven meets The Last of Us in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic from USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling author Ann Christy.
Coco Wells hasn’t seen another living person since she was a teenager. All of Manhattan is reliving the same few seconds, minutes, or hours on a loop…and they have been for years. Everything looks normal from a distance, but up close, it’s a nightmare.
Coco is a survivor. She scavenges for food, reads, and—most importantly—avoids loopers. They ignore her, but only as long as she’s silent. She’s learned the painful lesson that a broken loop can mean death.
After eight years of solitude, learning to survive and precisely timing the loops that weave around the city, Coco wonders what lies beyond New York and what has become of the rest of the world.
As she leaves home for the first time, one question haunts her above all:
“Am I the only one left?”
Speculative sci-fi, dystopian apocalypse, and scientific mystery coalesce into The Never-Ending End of the World—a gripping tale of survival, hope, and love from retired Naval Officer Ann Christy.
©2023 Ann Christy (P)2023 Ann Christy

Review:
Coco was a 12 year old when her world changed. Suddenly her family members appeared only in a loop of time…some seconds and some as much as hours. But if the loop is interrupted, there are immediate reactions. Coco breaks a few loops before she realizes the harm that she has caused. She learns to map out the loops in her Manhattan community so she can scavenge real food and resources. She also keeps a journal of her activities and some of the more remarkable loops she observes. For years she is able to take pictures of time and leave them carefully behind…just in case time ever gets fixed.

Surprisingly, after many years alone, Coco meets another person who is alive like her. Sadly, the woman is ill, and Coco only gets a short time with her. But this gives her hope and sends her out to explore the world beyond Manhattan and New York. When she finally meets others, she learns there are two divisions. Her newest friends are Seekers who will go out to explore, find other living beings, and look for a way to fix the frozen time problem. They are soon joined by some members of the Chosen who is a group who believe they were chosen to live and start a new world society. The Chosen are willing to break loops if it is necessary to their plans for development.

The story continues to a new generation where it is learned that some children develop new skills relating to the loops. Hidden information regarding the cause of the event is discovered. This leads to hopes of discovering the possibility of fixing it. But there is a huge cost, and not everyone wants to fix the past as it threatens their current and future lives.

I enjoyed the creativity of this EOTW dystopian story. I was pulled in to caring for Coco and other characters. I was invested in discovering how the event occurred and if and how it could be fixed. I recommend the story to fans of EOTW with rival groups of survivals and elements of mystery.

Audio Notes: Thérèse Plummer and Ari Fliakos are skilled narrators. They provide distinct voices and their delivery helps the characters to be real to the listener. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: May 2023 NetGalley, This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Leila Nugget Mystery: The Case with No Clues by Deserae Brady, Dustin Brady

This is a fun 'treasure hunt' mystery for young people.

Leila Nugget Mystery: The Case with No Clues
By: Deserae Brady, Dustin Brady
Narrated by: Emily Eiden

Series: Leila and Nugget Mysteries, Book 2
Length: 1 hr and 32 mins
Release date: 06-27-23
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Genre: Children’s, Chapter Book, Mystery
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Mr. McGee was the principal of Englewood Elementary in 1947, and the students have just discovered that he created a massive treasure hunt all those years ago... But Mr. McGee disappeared before he could share any of the clues. Seventy years later, Leila and Nugget are ready to crack the case and find that missing treasure.
Leila & Nugget Mysteries reward developing listeners with nonstop laughs, twists, and—of course—cute pets.
©2023 Dustin Brady (P)2023 Andrews McMeel Publishing

Review:
Leila is a third grader who, with her small dog Nugget, likes to visit neighbor, Mrs. Crenshaw, who used to be a teacher at Englewood Elementary where Leila attends. Leila likes mysteries and is excited when Mrs. Crenshaw tells her that the first principal of the school, Mr. McGee, created a treasure hunt for the students seventy years ago. The special event never took place and the treasure has never been found.

Leila and Nugget set out to look for clues. The search distracts her from even her best friend, and Leila begins to be disappointed after months with little progress. Finally, she gets a breakthrough and it isn’t long before her friend and other students are looking too. Can they solve the case and find the treasure?

The clues are wonderful riddles and the author takes Leila (and the reader) on a search up and down halls in the school, through a Hall of Presidents, and finding a “zoo” of critters with the help of some older teachers and the elderly janitor. There is history of the school, and, along the way, Leila learns a few lessons on friendship and working together. The story is sweet, and I enjoyed the treasure hunt. I do think that my grandchildren (4th and 1st graders) would enjoy this story. The images that are available at the Amazon link are very cute too so I would recommend the print version as well as the audio.

Audio Notes: Emily Eiden does a very nice job of narrating this children’s audiobook. The voice fits Leila and she provides distinct voices for the other characters too. I enjoyed the audio experience.

Source: 4/1/2023 NetGalley Title. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Bewitching a Highlander by Roma Cordon

This is a sensual Scottish romance.

Bewitching a Highlander
By: Roma Cordon
Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 06-07-22
Publisher: CamCat Books
Genre: Historical Romance, Scottish Historical Romance
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Defying all for the love of a bewitching lass.
Breena MacRae, a healer from Skye with a touch of witchery in her blood, embarks on a dangerous search for her missing father. She arrives on the Isle of Coll, seat of the vile Campbells. There, she encounters the debonair future chief to the Dunbar Clan, Egan, who rescues her from a Campbell sentry.
Egan Dunbar is on Coll to keep the peace between the feuding Campbells and Dunbars. But when he catches Breena in a lie, he agrees to help her find her father to pay back an old debt and get to the bottom of the secrets she's hiding.
As their attraction for each ignites like a firestorm, Breena and Egan realize a future together could trigger deadly consequences—a clan war between the Campbells and the Dunbars. Is Egan willing to betray his clan for love, even though he knows Breena is keeping secrets from him? Can Breena trust him with her family secret and put those she loves at risk?
©2022 Roma Cordon (P)2022 CamCat Books

Review:
Breena is a 25 year-old young woman who lost her parents at age 6 and was raised by her wise grandmother. Breena comes from a family of healers…and witches. They have been good witches, but she hides this part of her nature because of the prejudices of others and the dangers disclosure presents.

Until very recently Breena thought her father was dead. Now she has learned that he may be alive an a prisoner of the chief of the Campbells who had her mother hung as a witch. Breena insisted on her uncle taking her to the Campbells land, the Isle of Coll, to secretly hunt for her father. Breena faces resistance and danger before even getting into the keep. She is ‘rescued’ by Egan, the debonair future chief of the Dunbar Clan, who helps her gain entrance and introduction to The Campbell.

Egan is enchanted but puzzled by this young woman. She has introduced her companion as her father, but something doesn’t ring true to her story. Egan is already having to walk a fine line as he is there to confront the vile Campbell chief over the death of some of the Dunbar men. It doesn’t help that he has to worry about Breena and her secrets as she sneaks around the keep.

Egan has been directly instructed by his father not to instigate a war between the Dunbar clan and the Campbell clan. Egan is also keenly aware that he is expected to marry a woman of high blood, not a common born woman like Breena. How much is Egan is willing to risks to help this woman who has ensnared his interest? And how far will he go to protect her?

The story pulled me in and I basically liked the characters and the touch of magic. I also enjoyed the underlying story but not the extra drawn-out sensual scenes. I could sense the chemistry without the extensive scenes and flowery descriptions to draw it out. Breena really seemed like a younger character as it didn’t seem likely that she would remain unmarried at 25 and she was obsessed with secrets and insecurities. Romance readers who like the long build up and tension will likely enjoy this more than I did.

Audio Notes: Moira Quirk does a nice job with the narration. She provided distinct voices and fitting emotional energy. I was glad for the opportunity to listen to this historical romance.

Source: June 2023 "Listen Now" audiobook at NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023 NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Wolves & Roses by Christina Bauer

This is an engaging 'fairy tale' story with shifters, wizards, and fae.

Wolves & Roses
Fairy Tales of the Magicorum
By: Christina Bauer
Narrated by: Christina Bauer

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
Publisher: Monster House Books LLC
Genre: Fairy-Tale, Fantasy, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She is descended from one of the three magical races - shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template.
In the case of Bryar, that template should be Sleeping Beauty. Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the Sleeping Beauty life template. Not even close. She does not like birds or woodland creatures. She cannot sing a note. And she certainly cannot stand Prince Philpot, the so-called His Highness of Hedge Funds that her aunties want her to marry.
Even worse, Bryar finds herself attracted to a hottie werewolf named Knox and is under attack by evil mummy-zombies. If Bryar cannot figure out who - or what - she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives...as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.
©2017 Christina Bauer (P)2017 Christina Bauer

Review:
Bryar Rose is one of the Magicorum and her life template appears to be sleeping beauty. But she hasn’t discovered any type of magic in her being and doesn’t seem to fully meet the template either. She’s stuck in a special school for students like her, who haven’t shown their magical abilities. The teacher is a bully, especially attacking Bryar.

Bryar’s three aunties are pushing her to date and marry Prince Philpot whom she finds greatly lacking. But Bryar loves to study hieroglyphs and historical papyri. She would rather work with her best friend, Elle (as in Cinderella – but don’t call her that), to sneak pictures of papyri while playing Robinhood by stealing items from the rich and returning them to the rightful owners.

Bryar slips out of a party with pompous Philpot to sneak pictures of papyri in the office of Alec LeCharme. She’s caught red-handed by Alec, a wizard, and his buddy, Knox, part werewolf. There is instant pull between Bryar and Knox even though they are both resistant. Both young men realize they want to have Bryar work with them as they are all trying to decipher the papyri which holds the secrets of magical code.

Knox, whose wolf wants to claim Bryar, begins to think there is something very special about her. He is inclined to follow to make sure she is okay. This turns out to be a good instinct although he isn’t in time to save Bryar from being kidnapped. Can Bryar figure out who she is and escape from the evil mummy zombies? Can Knox and friends get through the tangle of thorns to rescue Bryar?

Teenage angst is present but light in this entertaining story. The overall plot and character twists kept me engaged and I wouldn’t mind reading/listening to more in the series. I recommend this to fans of fairy tale retelling with magical creatures.

Audio Notes: The author does a fine job narrating her own book. Not surprisingly, she captures the pacing, the voices, and the energy. I enjoyed the narrated story.

Source: May 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway

This is a different mystery, sci fi mix, which I enjoyed.
Titanium Noir
by Nick Harkaway

Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 16, 2023
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf (May 16, 2023)
Genre: Cyber Punk, Genetic Engineering, Mystery, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.

Cal Sounder is a detective working for the police on certain very sensitive cases. So when he’s called in to investigate a homicide at a local apartment, he is surprised at first to see that the victim appears to be a rather typical, milquetoast techie. But on closer inspection, he finds the victim is over seven feet tall. And even though he doesn’t look a day over thirty, he is actually ninety years old. Clearly, he is a Titan—one of this dystopian, near-future society’s genetically-altered elites. There are only a few thousand Titans worldwide, all thanks to Stefan Tonfamecasca’s discovery of the controversial T7 genetic therapy, which elevated his family to near godlike status. A dead Titan is big news... a murdered Titan is unimaginable.
But Titans are Cal’s specialty. In fact, his ex-girlfriend, Athena, is a Titan. And not just any Titan—she’s Stefan’s daughter, heir to the Tonfamecasca empire. As Cal digs deeper into the murder investigation, he begins to unweave the complicated threads of what should have been a straightforward case, and it soon becomes clear he’s on the trail of a crime whose roots run deep into the dark heart of the world.
A virtuosic mash-up of Philip K. Dick and Raymond Chandler by way of Marvel—the story of a detective investigating the murder of a Titan, one of society’s most powerful, medically-enhanced elites, Titanium Noir is a tightly woven, intricate tale of murder, betrayal, and vengeance.

Review:
Cal is a detective with a specialty in “sensitive” cases that involve Titans. Titans are genetically altered elites who go through a process that makes them larger than normal humans. These people have enough wealth to obtain the medicine, surgery, and treatment that is necessary to survive the transition to giant status. Cal is familiar with the Titans because his ex-girlfriend, Athena is the Titan daughter of the head to the Titan’s, Stefan Tonfamescasca, who discovered the genetic therapy that allows the procedure.

It is very rare to find a dead Titan as they can usually get the treatments necessary to regenerate their bodies. So to find a murdered Titan is remarkable. Cal has been called into the investigation of a death that appears, at first, to be a suicide. But Cal isn’t so quick to accept appearances and he is prepared to dig even if it ruffles the tempers of the highest Titans. Needless to say, Cal soon finds himself facing assassination attempts.

This is a twisty, sci fi murder mystery. It is more complex and intense than a cozy mystery and took attention to follow. I liked Cal’s character with his determination and resistance to Athena’s invitations to become a Titan himself. The interesting world of the Titans and the twists of the mystery kept me glued to the story. I am impressed with the high level or writing and would be interested to read more by this author. I recommend this to readers who like an intense mystery woven with sci fi elements.

Source 3/4/2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley goal.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Instructor by T.R. Hendricks

I enjoyed the military survival training in this suspenseful story.
The Instructor
By T.R. Hendricks
Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Series: Derek Harrington, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 04-11-23
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Military, Suspense, Thriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Derek Harrington, retired Marine Force Recon and SERE instructor, is barely scraping by teaching the basics of wilderness survival. His fledgling bushcraft school is on the cusp of going out of business and expenses are piling up fast. His only true mission these days? To get his ailing father into a full care facility and to support his ex-wife and their son.
When one of his students presents him with an opportunity too good to be true―$20,000 to instruct a private group for 30 days in upstate New York―Derek reluctantly takes the job, despite his reservations about the group's insistence on anonymity. But it isn't long before the training takes an unexpected turn―and a new offer is made.
Reaching out to an FBI contact to sound his concerns, Derek soon finds himself in deep cover, deep in the woods, embroiled with a fringe group led by a charismatic leader who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. When what he wants becomes Derek's head, the teacher is pitted against his students as Derek races against time to stop what could very well be the first attack by the domestic terrorist cell.

Review:
Derek is a retired expert teaching the basics of serious wilderness survival. At the end of the most recent class, one man offers him a significant fee to come train his team. Derek goes reluctantly because he has to leave behind his ailing father and his son who expects him to attend his games. Derek has some concerns about the training when he is delivered blind folded to a compound that raises lots of questions. Especially when he is offered another significant sum for extended training.

On a very brief break from the compound training, Derek reaches out to a friend in the FBI. His friend agrees convinces Derek to go back undercover to gain more information. Derek has to do the training and increase the skills of the compound team over the weeks, or it would be suspicious, even though Derek fears that he may be training terrorists. He finds another undercover agent and they try to plan an exit before they are exposed. But things aren’t quite as they seem, and Derek really hasn’t managed to shelter those he should be protecting.

The story has a good bit of Rambo action. It is filled with wilderness training that I did find interesting. The full-on action and suspense are a great element. Unfortunately, there were some obvious flaws as Derek fails to take some protective steps and falls into some obvious traps. Overall, I did enjoy the action and I would try the next book. I recommend this to fans of military action.

Audio Notes: Jay Snyder does a good job with the narration. He provides distinct voices and emotional feelings to fit the text. I appreciate getting to listen to this audiobook.

Source: 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Deadlands: Hunted by Skye Melki-Wegner

This reminds me of Land Before Time and I enjoyed the characters and their outcast clan.

The Deadlands: Hunted
by Skye Melki-Wegner
Narrated by: John Pirhalla

Series: The Deadlands, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 04-04-23
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Action, Adventure, Dinosaurs, Middle Grade
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle grade debut series about five outcasts—and former enemies—who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.
"My favorite middle grade book of the year.”—New York Times-bestselling author Amie Kaufman
Battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.
When the Fallen Star struck, it brought death and despair, ash and toxic rain. But some dinosaurs survived . . . and were changed. Their minds grew alert. They learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.
As the two remaining dinosaur kingdoms fight for territory, Eleri, the disgraced son of a prince, is exiled from his home for saving an enemy soldier. Banished to the merciless Deadlands, a terrifying desert full of tar pits, poisonous gas, and ruthless carnivores, he must join forces with a group of questionable allies—including the enemy soldier he saved—to avoid becoming prey.
When Eleri and his fellow exiles discover the horrific truth behind the war, the unlikely heroes must do all they can to save their kingdoms from a lurking predator. . . and a secret plot that might destroy them all.
A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.
©2023 Skye Melki-Wegner (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Review:
Eleri is the disgraced son of a clan prince. He is a small dinosaur who likes storytelling and isn’t interested in battle like his larger brother. Eleri and his brother were out on the edge of territory to see the large longneck dinosaurs go by. When they hide from an air predator they stumble upon three enemy scouts. When the bird dives, Eleri shouts out resulting in saving the life of one of the enemy dinosaurs. Eleri’s own brother declares his action as treason. Eleri is quickly taken before the tribunal and king and exiled to the Deadlands. It is expected that outcasts to the Deadlands will not survive long.

Eleri manages to get to an oasis but finds that enemy raptors are stock piling food. Then he stumbles upon another outcast – the young dinosaur whose life he saved. She was raised to be a warrior but failed to kill Eleri when directed to. Now she wishes she had killed him rather than getting outcast. Eleri has to convince her to work with him so they can both survive. They manage to sneak into the oasis to get food. They also learn that there is a great conspiracy setting the woodland clans against each other.

Eleri and his new companion join forces with two more dinosaurs they meet, a cheery vegetarian who loves math, and a young longneck who was banned as a prophetic dreamer. As they try to find a way to save their clans back home, a fifth dinosaur, a messenger bird, joins their outcast clan. Can they do anything to thwart the Deadland tribes, of raptors and T-Rex, and save their clans?

I liked the outcast dinosaurs with their unique quirks. They each brought a useful skill that helped them  as they worked together. It is sweet how they realize they can be their own clan. This is a nice story showing how not everyone has to be a warrior or go the way of the majority. I recommend this as an entertaining adventure for middle graders and adults who like dinosaur adventure.

Audio Notes: John Pirhalla does a lovely job with the narration. He provides very distinct voices and tones that fit the natures of each character. The narration helped me to “see” the story and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Location goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Good Dog, Bad Cop by David Rosenfelt

I enjoyed this entry in the K Team series.
Good Dog, Bad Cop
By: David Rosenfelt
Narrated by: Fred Berman

The K Team #4
Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
Release date: 03-14-23
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Animals, Private Investigators
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

For the K Team, playing "good dog," "bad cop" is all fun and games...until there's a body on the scene, in the next K Team Novel by bestselling author David Rosenfelt.
The K Team enjoys investigating cold cases for the Paterson Police Department. Corey Douglas, his K-9 partner Simon Garfunkel, Laurie Collins, and Marcus Clark even get to choose which cases they’d like to pursue. When Corey sees the latest list of possibilities, there’s no question which one to look into next.
Corey’s former mentor, Jimmy Dietrich, had his whole identity wrapped up in being a cop. When Jimmy retired three years ago, his marriage quickly deteriorated and he tried–and failed—to get back on the force. Jimmy was left to try to adjust to life as a civilian.
Not long after, two bodies were pulled from the Passaic River. A local woman, Susan Avery, and Jimmy Dietrich. With no true evidence available, the deaths went unsolved and the case declared cold. This didn’t stop the whispers: an affair gone wrong... a murder-suicide committed by Jimmy.
Corey never believed it. With this case, the K Team has the opportunity to find the real murderer, and clear Jimmy’s name. Bestselling author David Rosenfelt returns in Good Dog, Bad Cop, where there’s little to go on, but that won’t stop Paterson, New Jersey’s favorite private investigators from sniffing out the truth.

Review:
The K Team has been hired by the Paterson, New Jersey, police department to work on cold cases. The team consists of former police detective Corey, his K-9 partner Simon, former officer Laurie, and the ‘hulk’ bodyguard, Marcus. They get to call in the help of computer hack wizard, Sam, and of course they get a little legal input and financial support from Laurie’s husband, Andy Carpenter.

The team has picked up a suspected murder-suicide case where the victims were found dead and adrift from a boat outing. The case involved Corey’s police mentor and a local woman who was the wife of  another police officer murdered earlier than this pair. Because the cases may be tied together, the team will look at all three.

Very quickly the team is able to pull records from a local restaurant that begins to give leads the detectives never followed. One lead moves to another and it isn’t long before Corey finds himself being attacked. Fortunately, he has Simon, and Marcus, as backup. Clearly the team is rocking the boat, and someone wants to stop them from digging deeper. This just gives them more incentive to push along the investigation even as it takes them to other states.

The story is told from the view and voice of Corey so it has the police/investigator perspective. I always enjoy these characters with their humorous banter and interaction. Then there are the plots that start locally but soon spread out to more nefarious conspiracies. This one twists and turns to a terrorist threat that drags in Homeland Security. I will continue to read, and enjoy, the novels by David Rosenfelt. I recommend this book and the series to fans of K-9 characters and private investigator mysteries.

Audio Notes: Fred Berman does a good job with the narration. The character voices are clear and distinct. Berman also is able to deliver the narration with the underlying dry wit of the author’s work. The enjoyed the audio version and appreciate the opportunity to listen to this story.

Source: 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Occupation goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Last Saxon King by Andrew Varga

I liked the history and mostly enjoyed this story (although there are young teen "flaws" IMHO).

The Last Saxon King
A Jump in Time Novel, Book One
By: Andrew Varga
Narrated by: Mark Sanderlin

Series: A Jump in Time Novel, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
Release date: 03-07-23
Publisher: Imbrifex Books
Genre: Adventure, Teen and YA, Time Travel
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
One jump to save all time.
Life is progressing normally for sixteen-year-old Dan Renfrew when he accidentally transports himself to England in the year 1066. He soon realizes that he’s trapped there, and that’s not his only astonishing discovery. Dan learns that he’s descended from a long line of time jumpers—secret heroes who travel to the past and resolve glitches in the time stream that threaten to alter subsequent history. The only way Dan can return home is to set history back on its proper course in the Anglo-Saxon age. This is no easy task. A Viking horde is ravaging England in the north while a Norman army threatens to invade from the south. In between and desperately struggling to hold on to his throne is Harold Godwinson, the newly crowned English king. Dan is fighting to ensure that events play out correctly when he finds himself plunged into an even more lethal conflict. To save history, Dan must battle a band of malevolent time jumpers whose lust for wealth and power threatens the entire future of the world.
©2023 Andrew Varga (P)2023 Imbrifex Books

Review:
Sixteen-year-old Dan is home schooled by his professor father who has him studying all sorts of history. Dan has been sent out of the house so his father could have a private meeting at home. When Dan returns home a little earlier than expected, he finds his father in a physical sword fight. Dan stands in shock as his father tosses him a strange metal baton and tells him to “Run!” And then tells him to “say the rhyme” he has been taught since childhood. Dan doesn’t understand but will obey his father rather than give the device to this threatening man.

Dan is whisked off and finds himself in a strange land where his phone has no service. He is shouting for help when a young ‘Robin Hood’ steps out of the woods and tells him to be quiet. Sam tells Dan that he is in England in the year 1066. Sam explains that they are rare descendants of time jumpers. Sam had a brother trained for the task but Dan’s father didn’t tell him anything about the process and duties. Apparently, the time jumpers have to fix the time glitch and then can return home.

Dan isn’t physically trained but he has the historical knowledge to know the glitch when he realizes the situation. Now he has to step out and find a way to reach an Anglo Saxon king to give him battle advise. He doesn’t even have Sam to help although Sam will be hiding in the woods nearby.

I enjoyed the detailed setting and battle history and the adventures that Dan muddles through. I wasn’t crazy about the teen hormones acting up but I suppose that is realistic, especially for a boy who is probably considered a brainiac and has little social interaction at home. This also fits for the young teen target audience. On the other hand, I loved how Dan made friends along his journey and was loyal to fight for and with them. This is a fun listen and I recommend it to young teens and fans of history.

Audio Notes: Mark Sanderlin does a wonderful job with the narration. He is able to provide clear voices with distinct accents. I was glad to have the opportunity to listen to this in audio.

Source: 2022 NetGalley choice. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, 2023NetGalley, and 2023Occupation goals.