Audible Book Review: Not Alone by Craig A. Falconer

This first contact story is long but mostly engaging.
Not Alone
By: Craig A. Falconer
Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

Length: 22 hrs and 59 mins
Release date: 08-09-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Aliens, First Contact, Science Fiction
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's summary
Aliens exist, the government knows, and Dan McCarthy just found the proof. When Dan McCarthy stumbles upon a folder containing evidence of the conspiracy to end all conspiracies - a top-level alien cover-up - he leaks the files without a second thought. The incredible truth revealed by Dan's leak immediately captures the public's imagination, but Dan's relentless commitment to exposing the cover-up and forcing disclosure quickly earns him some enemies in high places. For his whole life, Dan McCarthy has searched for a reason to believe. Now that he finally has one, he might soon wish he didn't.... Not Alone is a stand-alone tale of contact and disclosure for the 21st century. ©2015 Craig A. Falconer (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Dan McCarthy is a sensitive, intelligent, but socially awkward man working two jobs to make ends meet. He stumbles upon proof that aliens have been on earth and a US agency has been hiding the truth. Rather than turning the information into officials, Dan releases it anonymously through the internet. His identity is soon exposed, and his efforts are condemned by a few but applauded by many. Dan could be overwhelmed by the media while he waits for his former military brother to get home to help him.

But suddenly a PR expert, Emma Ford, shows up to guide him. Emma doesn’t necessarily believe in aliens, but she has been assigned to take charge of the story for as long as it is worth news. Emma is sure Dan sincerely believes and as Emma lines up interviews, she slowly begins to accept that Dan may be right.

The American agency leader denies the story, calling it a hoax. Political figures, particularly the British Prime Minister and American President begin to take sides. Soon more evidence appears that supports Dan’s version of the facts. And Dan hasn’t revealed everything he found yet.

There is interesting worldwide discussion by experts and public reaction ranges from fear to excitement. There is political involvement and twists as the story continues. The public responses and political involvement may be a little overdone, but they are within the realm of possibility.

There is minimal alien activity and conflict. The story is focused on the characters and the author does a strong job of sharing the personal touches of the main character. The story is long at 738 Kindle (740 pint) pages and almost 23 hours of audio. Although the writing seems cliched and amateurish at times, the character driven story kept me engaged. I recommend this to die hard fans of first contact stories.

Audio Notes: James Patrick Cronin does an excellent job with the narration. He clearly portrays the characters as drawn by the author, even to the peripheral friends. I appreciated having this on audio rather than trying to read through 700+ pages.

Source: 1/27/19 Audible Daily Deal Rewind Sale $1.99. This qualifies for2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Dragon and the George by Godon R. Dickson

This is a good dragon, magic adventure.
The Dragon and the George
By: Gordon R. Dickson
Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Series: Dragon Knight, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
Release date: 09-23-14
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Classic, Epic, Sword & Sorcery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's summary
Through no fault of his own, the once human Jim Eckert had become a dragon. Unfortunately, his beloved Angie had remained human. But in this magical land anything could happen.
To make matter worse, Angie had been taken prisoner by an evil dragon and was held captive in the impenetrable Loathly Tower. So in this land where humans were edible and beasts were magical - where spells worked and logic didn't-- Jim Eckert had a big, strange problem.
©1976 Gordon R. Dickson. ©2004 the Estate of Gordon R. Dickson (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Review:
Jim and his fiancé, Angie, are house hunting in hopes of being able to marry soon and move in together. Jim is a little frustrated that he isn’t getting the promotion he wants and also that Angie spends extra time with her professor. When Angie is late coming out of the university,, Jim finds that the professor has accidentally transported her somewhere and sometime, but he is not sure where. Jim believes it would be with dragons so the professor agrees to send Jim’s psychic only to find Angie and bring her back. While focusing on Angie and dragons, Jim wakes up to discover he is a dragon!

When Angie as a human (a “George”) is taken prisoner by an evil dragon, Jim aka Gorbash the dragon, has to find a way to save her. He speaks to the local wizard who sends him on a quest for companions so that he can prevail in approaching the Loathly Tower and saving his lady love.

I was not aware of this classic dragon tale. The story is entertaining on a low-key level, likely because it was written in the 1970s. I enjoyed the collection of companions, both beasts (wolf and dragons) and human and the dangers and monsters they faced. I also enjoyed the medieval history and the magical elements. I am glad that I have more books in the series to listen to. I recommend this to fans of dragon adventures.

Audio Notes: Paul Boehmer does a nice job with the narration. He provides good energy and distinct character voices. I enjoyed the audio presentation.

Source: September 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Murderer's Son, A Jackman and Evans Thriller by Joy Ellis

This is a good thriller and I’ll look to listen to more in the series.

The Murderer's Son
A Jackman and Evans Thriller
By: Joy Ellis
Narrated by: Richard Armitage

Series: Jackman & Evans (Published Order), Book 1,
Jackman & Evans (Recommended Listening Order), Book 2
Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 10-16-18
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Police Procedural, Psychological
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Twenty years ago: a farmer and his wife are cut to pieces by a ruthless serial killer.
Now: a woman is viciously stabbed to death in the upmarket kitchen of her beautiful house on the edge of the marshes.
Then a man called Daniel Kinder walks into Saltern police station and confesses to the murder.
But DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans of the Fenland Constabulary soon discover that there is a lot more to Daniel than meets the eye. He has no memory of the first five years of his life and has a rather unusual obsession with his mother....
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you gripped until the shocking ending.
©2016 Joy Ellis (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

Review:
Daniel Kinder is a news reporter who has just finished an effective article regarding nursing at the local hospital. It is a shock to his girlfriend and those he interviewed when he walks in to the police station to confess to a grisly murder. The murder is similar to a murder committed twenty years earlier. Daniel has periods of blackouts but he believes he is the killer because he believes he is an infamous murderer’s son.

DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans of the Fenland Constabulary are not inclined to immediately accept the confession. On the other hand, the young man definitely has issues and knowledge that is close to the crime scene. They pull in a skilled psychologist who has worked with serial killers before. It seems that those around Daniel are willing to work with him to prove he is not a killer. Unfortunately, each time he runs off there is another murder. If the real killer isn’t discovered, Daniel won’t be the only victim yet to suffer.

This story has good character development and good twists in the mystery. The pacing is steady and although I guessed the villain, there was suspense in how the investigation played out until the end. I like DI Jackman and his partner DS Evans who are not romantically involved but make a good team. They have different skills that complement each other. I’m glad I had this on my shelf and listened to it while it was available. I did read this first and saw that some reviewers preferred this as book 1 instead of book 2. I will note the series for more reading when I need a good police thriller.

Audio Notes: Richard Armitage is a skilled narrator and did a wonderful job with this work. His character voicing, emotional energy and pacing added to the story.

Source: August 2022 Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: If Angesl Fall by Rick Mofina

This crime thriller has good twists.
If Angels Fall
By: Rick Mofina
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Series: Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski, Book 1
Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
Release date: 12-22-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Crime Fiction, Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Tom Reed is a crime reporter with The San Francisco Star whose superb journalistic skills earned him a Pulitzer nomination. But years later Reed's life is coming apart. His editor wants him fired. His wife has left him to wrestle with his demons. Alone, Reed is tormented by the fear he may have caused the suicide of an innocent man suspected of murdering a two-year-old girl.
Reed's friend on the case is legendary San Francisco homicide inspector Walt Sydowski, who has one of California's highest clearance rates. He is also a lonely widower haunted by the fact he cannot solve the girl's heartbreaking death. Both men grapple with the past while they race the clock to learn the truth behind several new abductions that have anguished the Bay Area in this acclaimed thriller set in the late 1990s.
©2000, 2013 Rick Mofina (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Tom Reed’s was once a star crime reporter. But a year or so ago his aggressive approach resulted in a potential child killer committing suicide. This event tumbled his career and sent him to the bottle causing the further deterioration of his marriage and his work. Now Tom is trying to report on a new round of child kidnappings.

Meanwhile the head detective on the case is homicide inspector Walt Sydowski who struggles with the fact that he wasn’t able to save the child a year before. The current case isn’t a homicide yet but the authorities recognize he may have some additional insight from his previous investigations. Sydowski and Reed were friends before Reed crossed the line. Now they are a bit standoffish. When Reed has additional information and suspicions, he is reluctant to take them to Sydowski.

The reader/listener is also offered a few of the gritty villain. There is a good progression from his traumatic event, through his continued pain, to his twisted plan. It is creepy and had me routing for Sydowski and Reed.

After a slower start, the story proceeds with good pacing and building tension. I enjoyed the police procedures and the twist in events that brings the story rushing to a suspenseful conclusion. I will be glad to read more by Mr. Mofina and I recommend this to fans of intense crime thrillers.

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel is the voice of another series that I love (D.J. Molles sci fi). I had a few moments of surprise hearing his voice in a different genre. Then I was pleased to hear his distinct voices for the characters and the spot-on emotional input for the story.

Source: July 2023 started as Audible Plus (finished at $1.99). This qualifies for 2023Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: A Road Unknown: Amish Roads Series, Book 1 by Barbara Cameron

I enjoyed this view of an Amish young woman looking for a life beyond being the eldest sister helping to care for eight younger siblings.

A Road Unknown: Amish Roads Series, Book 1
By: Barbara Cameron
Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Series: Amish Roads, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
Release date: 10-14-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Amish, Family, Mennonite, Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Elizabeth is at a crossroads. Will rumschpringe lead her away? Or bring her home? She's been given the chance to experience life outside of her community, away from the responsibility to care for her eight younger siblings, but Elizabeth Bontrager can't decide which road to take. Goshen has its charms and pressures, but Paradise, Pennsylvania, sounds...well, like paradise. And it's also home to her Englisch friend, Paula. Decision made. Elizabeth is Paradise bound. But will the small town live up to its name?
When Elizabeth meets Paula's friend, Bruce, she quickly learns he wants more than a friendship. And the same might be true of Saul Miller, her new boss at the country store that sells Amish products to the Englisch community. As the two compete for her attention, Elizabeth is surprised to realize she misses her family and becomes even more uncertain about where she belongs. She has a choice to make: return home or embrace this new life and possibly a new love?
©2014 Barbara Cameron (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Elizabeth is a young Amish woman of twenty who has grown tired of helping to care for her eight younger siblings. As the eldest helping her maam, Elizabeth hasn’t even had the chance to attend singings or other youth activities. She has chosen to take her small savings and go to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to share an apartment with an Englisch friend, Paula. Elizabeth has guilt leaving her home unannounced and she misses her young siblings, but she feels she has to see another side of life before she can decide where God wants her to be.

Elizabeth meets a nice Amish man, Saul, who helps protect her on the bus. She doesn’t really expect to see him again, but she does meet him in town. Meanwhile, Paula introduces Elizabeth to a friend, Bruce, who is interested in dating Elizabeth. Now Elizabeth gets to be conflicted about these two young men as well as struggling with her choices of returning home or staying in this new situation where some people have welcomed her, but others are adding to her guilt.

I enjoyed the characters of Elizabeth and Saul particularly. There were other supportive characters who add to the story, including Paula. It was nice to listen to a story of friendship developing into stronger, but gentle feelings. Ms. Cameron shares through the story traditions of the Amish in church and home which I found interesting. This is a pleasant story and I recommend it to readers who enjoy Amish stories.

Audio Notes: Coleen Marlo does a lovely job with the narration. Her performance conveys the frustration that Elizabeth is experiencing and also the feelings and energies of the other characters. I am glad that I pulled this in to listen before the free book was unavailable on my Audible library.

Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Location (Road) goals.

Audible Book Review: When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti

I enjoyed the three character lines of this touching story.

When the Morning Glory Blooms
By: Cynthia Ruchti
Narrated by: Melinda Sward

Length: 9h 27m
Release date: 08-05-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Gender: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Becky rocks a baby that rocked her world. Sixty years earlier, with her fiancé, Drew, in the middle of the Korean Conflict, Ivy throws herself into her work at a nursing home to keep her sanity and provide for the child Drew doesn't know is coming. Ivy cares for Anna, an elderly patient who taxes Ivy's listening ear until the day she suspects Anna's tall tales are not the ramblings of dementia. They're fragments of Anna's disjointed memories of a remarkable life. Finding a faint thread of hope she can't resist tugging, Ivy records Anna's memoir, scribbling furiously after hours to keep up with the woman's emotion-packed, grace-hemmed stories. Is Ivy's answer buried in Anna's past? Becky, Ivy, Anna - three women fight a tangled vine of deception in search of the blossoming simplicity of truth.
©2013 Cynthia Ruchti (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
This story follows the lives of three women who have connections through babies born to teens out of wedlock. The reader first meets Becky who is a current day grandmother raising her grandson while her teen daughter finishes high school. Becky loves her grandson but wasn’t expecting to be homebound at this time of her life. The little life they are nurturing impacts the whole family as they struggle with finances, time schedules, and prejudices of even close friends.

Ivy is a young woman in the 1950s whose boyfriend has gone off to war in South Korea. She is afraid to tell him the truth in a letter and can only dream and hope that he will come back and want to marry her. Ivy moves away from her former home to move in with her less than embracing father. She gets a job as a caregiver in a nursing home where she meets Anna.

Anna, a woman in her 80s is the first person to suspect that Ivy is pregnant and alone. Anna has a history that gives her insight into these matters, and she asks Ivy to write down her wonderful story of God’s fulfilling the dream of her youth and how her dram touched so many young mothers – her morning glories.

This was on my list for "Time of Day" goal and I saw that the free audio was expiring. I am glad to have read this sooner than later. The story seemed a little slow, dramatic, and depressing at first, but once I got to the second character, it pulled me in. I wanted to know what happened to each life and how they were connected in the end. I especially loved Anna’s story and how she encouraged Ivy. This is a story of God’s love, personal relationships, redemption, and second chances. I recommend this to readers who enjoy good Christian based, family stories.

Audio Notes: I was comfortable with the narration by Melinda Sward. The voices were distinct and the emotions well conveyed. I note some other reviewers mentioned mispronounced words, but I did not notice this problem. I appreciated having this audio, especially as a free title.

Source: 10/9/2021 Audible Plus Catalog title. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Time of Day reading goals.

Audible Book Review: Kindred by S.J. West

This is interesting fantasy, but a romance that drags.
Kindred
By: S.J. West
Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

Series: The Watcher Chronicles, Book 2
Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 11-01-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
In the second book of The Watcher Chronicles series, Jess finally learns where her father has been since the Tear first opened. While Mason tries to keep his distance from her, Jess continues to search for the other vessels with Chandler by her side.
This series is intended for a mature audience. Recommended for ages 17 and older due to sexual situations and adult themes.
If I were to use the movie rating system, I would rate this series an R.
©2013 S.J. West (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Jess has met her father and learned more about the history and workings of the Tear. Jess is looking for more of the special guardians, like Chandler. They each have a crown, a special artifact and an angelic being who is their guide. They need to find all seven in order to have a chance to close the Tear.

Meanwhile, Jess wants to continue her growing friendship with Mason, but he is convinced that he will only put her in danger so he stays away… until he accepts that she will be in danger with or without him. Maybe he can help protect her.

I do enjoy the underlying storyline, but the romance is pervasive and just too frustrating. It detracts from the story. I’m not sure why the author says this would be rated R as there is no active sex. However, there is description of sexual abuse in the past. There is intrigue that ends this story and leads to Book 3, Oblivion. I may pick that title up in the future. Like Book 1, Broken, I recommend this to fantasy readers who like slow building romance.

Audio Notes: Brittany Pressley continues to do a nice job with the narration. I am glad I had the story on audible.

Source: May 2023 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: Broken by S.J. West

I found this fantasy engaging and will continue the series.

Broken
By: S.J. West
Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

Series: The Watcher Chronicles, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 11-01-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.
 

Publisher's Summary
At the tender age of seven, Jess Riley's parents were ripped out of her life by the Tear, a ripple of white light in the sky which randomly transports people from Earth to alternate realities and distant planets once a year. On the night the Tear first appeared, the Watchers, a mysterious group of men possessing supernatural powers, made their presence known to the leaders of the world, earning their complete trust to deal with the turmoil the Tear caused.
Now 22 years old, Jess is an agent working for the Watcher Agency searching for a way to bring her parents back home. When the leader of the Watchers, Mason Collier, recruits her to join his team, Jess quickly discovers she is meant to play a major role in sealing the Tear forever. Mason and Jess instantly find themselves drawn to one another but they both resist their mutual attraction for different reasons. Broken by past events in their lives, they each struggle to overcome their fears and find the strength to take a chance on one another.
©2013 S.J. West (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Jess lost her parents when a ripple of light in the sky opened up a portal to alternate worlds. This became known as the Tear which returned once a year. Random people, like her parents, would leave Earth, and others would arrive. Jess was convinced that her parents would return one year. When the first Tear appeared, Watchers, men with supernatural powers, also appeared. At age 22, Jess became a Watcher Agent hoping to find a way to get her parents back.

An event on a Tear night brings Jess to the attention of Mason Collier, the leader of the Watchers. He explains that they are seeking a way to seal the Tear and it is apparent that Jess has a role to play. This is even clearer when Jess meets the dark opposition to the Watchers.

Jess and Mason are drawn to each other but they both have suffered huge pain and loss in their pasts that make it difficult for them to come together. Their histories are disclosed as the story moves along. The story progresses with the two dancing around each other. The ending has a surprise that leaves the story open to book 2.

I found the story engaging although the relationship between the lead characters is a bit frustrating and annoying. I had to remind myself that Jess is young and has a tragic history. Especially with the surprise as the end, I did want to read the next book in the series and was glad it was available. I recommend this to fantasy readers who like a slow building romance.

Audio Notes: Brittany Pressley does a really good job with the narration. She provides clear and distinct voices for the characters and conveys the emotional turmoil. I’m glad I had the book on audible.

Source: 9/27/2022 Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice

I enjoyed this Regency Romance.
The Wicked Wyckerly
By: Patricia Rice
Narrated by: Eliza Jane Cornell

Series: The Rebellious Sons, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
Release date: 12-23-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: English, Historical Romance, Regency
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
NYT and USA Today best-selling author! Nominated for the prestigious romance Rita award!
John Fitzhugh Wyckerly has been the spare heir all his life, supporting himself with gambling and charm. The news that he's inherited the bankrupt title of earl of Danecroft shatters his indolent world. Even penniless, he's always paid his debts, but now the estate's creditors are closing in. He can fake his death and run for cover or accept overwhelming responsibility and find a rich wife - one who will also accept his illegitimate terror of a daughter.
On his way to find an heiress, he meets Abigail Merriweather, who is neither rich nor aristocratic, but she can tame The Terror and stomp cockroaches. Unfortunately she needs a wealthy, powerful man who will fight her father's executor and retrieve her four half siblings. When an unexpected inheritance falls into Abby's lap, she sets out for London to seek a lawyer.
Can Fitz charm his practical Abby into trusting him to save her siblings when it's doubtful that he can even save himself? And can Abby surrender reason and logic for the folly of love offered by a man who can have any woman he wants but insists he wants only her?
©2010 Patricia Rice (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
John “Fitz” Wyckerly is a second son who, as the spare heir, has supported himself with careful gambling and charm. He isn’t thrilled when he inherits his family’s bankrupt title. Unlike the rest of his male kin, Fitz has paid his debt. Although the collectors are circling and the debt is daunting, Fitz won’t run away. Instead, he will seek an heiress. But first, he collects his illegitimate daughter, Penelope, who hasn’t been well trained…okay, really, she is a terror.

Fritz is traveling to his estates by mail coach, but he and his unruly daughter are dumped outside a home in the country. There they meet Abigail who struggles to keep her farm and her servants while trying to figure out how to get her four half siblings back. Surprisingly, Abby immediately takes Penelope in hand and tries to explain to the clearly unprepared Corinthian what the child needs. Fitz and Abby soon find themselves trying to help each other through their troubles. When Abby gets a letter with an unexpected inheritance, she plans to engage a lawyer to help her get custody of her siblings. The inheritance isn’t enough to solve the debt for Fritz, but perhaps there is a way to make it work for both of them.

Both the hero and heroine have backgrounds that give them unique strengths and weaknesses that make them different than the standard bankrupted nobleman and penniless young woman. Their interaction is witty and fun, and the children add a nice element too. There is chemistry and a bit of sexual content that comes after friendship has developed and well into the story. I have enjoyed Patricia Rice in the past and was glad to get to listen to this sweet romance. I recommend this to fans of historical romance with quirky characters.

Audio Notes: Eliza Jane Cornell does a pretty good job with the narration. I was concerned a few times that the accent of the characters seemed to shift. Other than that happening, I found the voices distinct and suitable to the characters. I am glad I had the audio experience.

Source: 2/6/2021 Audible Plus title. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Terminus, Lee Harden, Book 6 by D.J. Molles

I enjoyed this series and will need to find a good replacement. Maybe one of Molles’ other series.

Terminus
Lee Harden, Book 6
By: D.J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
Release date: 01-11-22
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Military, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The only way out is through.
Greeley, Colorado lies before him. Griffin’s army presses at his back.
Lee Harden is out of options, and out of time.
Inside the city, Sam Ryder is trapped behind enemy lines, and Acting President Briggs still maintains his stranglehold on the country - and Lee’s destiny.
Choices. We are made by choices. And they make us. Choices are being made by every individual swept up in this conflict. Abby - Sam - Abe - Brinly - Angela - all of them making choices, with irreversible consequences.
And all of those consequences fall on Lee.
As Lee fights to adapt and maintain control amid the chaos of a city under siege, all of those choices will reach their terminus in this explosive conclusion to the Lee Harden series.
©2021 D.J. Molles (P)2021 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Lee Harden has had several years of struggling to keep civilians alive. That was his original mission: Survive, Rescue, Rebuild. He wasn’t given orders of how to rebuild America but thought he was on the way by developing Fort Bragg Safe Zone with leadership known as the United Eastern States (UES). The growing community was taking in refuges while defending against the infected ‘zombie’ hordes. But the tyrannical, self-proclaimed President of the United States, Briggs, based out of Greeley, Colorado, decided to take down the UES. Then the mindless hordes became Primals with reasoning and reproductive abilities.

Lee was hoping to raise allies, but US troops under the command of Briggs were willing to slaughter communities rather than allow them to help Lee and the UES. Ultimately the better armed and trained US forces, led by Colonel Griffin, attacked Fort Bragg and routed the UES partially by allowing the Primals to gain access.

Lee and a band of survivors set out to make a last ditch attack directly on Greeley. Lee has been placed in command, a job he never wanted. He is a soldier, trained to fight. It was hard enough to be responsible for a platoon of other soldiers. As he leads the rebellion into Greeley, a battered Lee now struggles with the burden of being responsible for not only his civilian companions but the innocent civilians caught in the middle of an unwanted power war.

This final installment features the tactical plans employed by Lee, his young protégé, Sam, and the US forces led by Griffin. Meanwhile, Lee’s friend and other Project Hometown Coordinator, Abe, is driven by vengeance to take out Briggs. There is depression, trauma, frustration, and a few moments of relief woven in between the active battles.

I like the action and the emotional realities. There were some twists that I appreciated for making the ending better than it might have been. Lee Harden was introduced in the Remaining Series which went through eight books before breaking into the six books of the Lee Harden Series. I have enjoyed it all and recommend it to readers who enjoy zombie type danger set in post-apocalyptic survival stories. My thanks to D. J. Molles for hours of entertainment!

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel has been the voice of Lee Harden and comrades. He provides unique voices for the characters and delivers the angst and emotional trauma that fills the story. I am so glad that I listened to the series (other that the short novellas in the Remaining series). The narration added to my enjoyment.

Source: 6/17/2022 May Audible Credit. This qualifies for TBR2023 and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Cat o' Nine Tales by Faith Hunter

This is a great collection that gives the background of several of Jane's friends.
Cat o' Nine Tales
The Jane Yellowrock Stories
By: Faith Hunter
Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Series: Jane Yellowrock
Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
Release date: 12-10-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Categories: Fantasy, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Urban
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
For the first time - in one Audible-exclusive collection - it's 13 stories of Jane Yellowrock, the shape-shifting skinwalker and vampire hunter for hire whose business card reads, "Have Stakes - Will Travel". Jane carries inside her the soul of her Beast, the mountain lion's soul which merged with hers when she accidently performed black magic as a child. Now, she and her Beast stalk the dark streets of New Orleans, bringing rogue vampires true death.
In Cat o' Nine Tales, you'll discover how Jane turned into a big cat for the first time; how she and Molly became friends; how Rick LaFleur got his tattoos. You'll go along on some of Jane's early vamp hunts. You'll even hear two short tales through Bruiser's eyes.
Once you experience these stories set in the fantastic world of this New York Times best-selling series, you'll surely agree with Kim Harrison that Jane Yellowrock is "smart, sexy and ruthless".
The stories included in Cat o' Nine Tales are:
"WeSa and the Lumber King"
"The Early Years"
"Cat Tats"
"Kits"
"Haints"
"Signatures of the Dead"
"First Sight"
"Blood, Fangs and Going Furry"
"Dance Master"
"Cajun With Fangs"
"Golden Delicious"
"Beneath a Bloody Moon"
"Black Water"
©2013 Faith Hunter (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Review:
I have read a lot of Jane Yellowrock’s so I was only familiar with a few of her friends and associates. I enjoy Jane’s character – a skilled vampire hunter for hire, who happens to be a shape-shifting skinwalker. This collection provides the history of Jane’s Beast, a mountain lion, and the reader gets to see several other of her transformations.

I also enjoyed learning how about Jane’s friends. Molly is a witch who helps Jane in several situations especially after Jane saved Molly’s daughter. Jane’s sometimes boyfriend, Rick LaFleur, a former detective, got his tattoo in a situation that almost cost him his life, and brought him back into Jane’s life. Then there is Bruiser, the head enforcer for the local Vampire leader, who is drawn to Jane’s mysterious personality and assured confidence.

Having enjoyed the action, characters, and mysteries of this collection, I know that I will continue reading (listening to) more in the series. I think a new reader should read at least one or two of the Jane Yellowrock stories before enjoying this collection.

Audio Notes: Khristine Hyam does a wonderful job with all of the characters. I even enjoyed the voice of the Beast. I find the audio enhances these stories for me.

Source: April 2021 Audible Plus Catalog free audio. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Number goals.

Audible Book Review: The Cowboys of Copper Mountain: A Christmas Collection by Katherine Garbera, Jane Porter, Melissa McClone

I liked all of these stories.
The Cowboys of Copper Mountain: A Christmas Collection
By: Katherine Garbera, Jane Porter, Melissa McClone
Narrated by: Loretta Rawlins

Series: Copper Mountain Christmas, Book 1-2
Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
Release date: 03-24-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Anthology, Christmas, Contemporary, Holidays, Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Three novellas and an unforgettable short story, now available together in one festive package!
"A Cowboy for Christmas" by Katherine Garbera. Annie Prudhomme never expected to be back in Marietta, Montana, and her family is fond of reminding her that she left them and the town behind in search of better things. A humiliating divorce that cost her everything she'd gained has driven her back home, and her family isn't about to welcome her back into the fold. She's in town to rebuild the old home that she inherited and to move on once again.
"Christmas at Copper Mountain" by Jane Porter. Since the loss of her family in a plane crash, Harley Diekerhoff has led a quiet life and keeps to herself. Taking the temporary job at the Copper Mountain Ranch as widower Brock Sheenan's housekeeper seems perfect for her. But her calm cocoon is invaded with the arrival of Brock's preteen twins, Mack and Molly, who've never experienced a proper Christmas, and before she knows it Harley's determined to make their holiday perfect.
"Home for Christmas" by Melissa McClone. Ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Rachel Murphy loves the scent of gingerbread baking almost as much as she enjoys creating custom edible houses at Christmastime. But she needs a bigger kitchen if she wants to make the most of her impromptu holiday business. Enter Nate Vaughn, handsome venture capitalist turned Montana dude ranch owner - and her brother's boss.
"Mistletoe Magic" by Melissa McClone. Spending a quiet Christmas housesitting and reading novels about hot cowboys sounds perfect to Caitlin. Until a stray kitten brings her face to face with Noah, her crush from college. Watching the handsome vet in action melts Caitlin's heart and brings back long-forgotten emotion. She would be safer back at the house, lost in the pages of a book. But a toe-curling mistletoe kiss tempts her to stay. Maybe she won't be spending this Christmas...alone.
©2013 Home For Christmas 2013 Melissa McClone. Christmas at Copper Mountain 2013 Jane Porter. (P)2015 Audible Inc.

Review:
These four sweet romances are tied together by the location. I enjoyed that some of the characters were mentioned in the different stories. The writing styles have some differences, but all are easy reading/listening. There is a little bit of sexual content but nothing over the top in my opinion. I plan to read more in the series. I recommend this to fans of second chance and injured party romances.

"A Cowboy for Christmas" by Katherine Garbera.
18-year-old Annie got out of Montana and married a man who set her up in the wealthy style she wanted. But fifteen years later he was arrested as a con man and everything they owned was taken. She has returned to Montana to rebuild the family home that she bought from her sister after their father’s death. The sisters aren’t talking since Annie seemed to have abandoned the family when she left. But now she is back hoping that, somehow, she can rebuild the house and her life.

Carson, a rancher, one of five brothers, is a widower with a young son, Evan. Years ago, Carson had a relationship with Annie, before she kept her promise to get away from Montana. He doesn’t know what brought her back and resulted in her working as a waitress at a favorite eatery. But he doesn’t need to be drawn in by a woman who doesn’t want to stay in Montana.

Neither of these characters are really looking for romance. It appears they may have a second chance at love, with the approval of a sweet son and a town that hopes they both find happiness.

I enjoyed these characters, and the writing was fine. I liked the description and plot even though there was a little repetition in the conflict issues. 4.5.

"Christmas at Copper Mountain" by Jane Porter.
Harley lost her husband and three children to a tragic plane crash. She is still trying to recover her footing several years later. Rather than face Christmas with her family, she chose to take a temporary housekeeper position with Montana rancher, widower, Brock Sheenan. She understands that he is hard working and pretty reclusive, which suits her fine. The ranch crew are happy with her cooking and care.

She is settling into the routine of cooking for Brock and his crew, when Brock chooses to go out late one stormy night to find lost cattle. Concerned Harley is concerned and then shocked when a knock at the door reveals two young children who have returned early and unexpectedly from boarding school.

Harley didn’t bargain for children and wants to get away, as soon as she can get a replacement. Brock is annoyed and disgusted thinking she doesn’t like kids, especially when she seems set on telling him he isn’t listening to his kids and isn’t allowing them to be kids and enjoy the holiday.

The lack of communication between these characters is frustrating. I was glad they finally saw the potential of a future together. 4.0.

"Home for Christmas" by Melissa McClone.
Rachel has agreed to visit her brother who is a foreman on a ranch in Montana at a time when she needs to escape having her dreams pulled out from under her by a supposed business partner. She is thrilled to discover the ranch house has a state of the art kitchen and jumps right in making her delicious ginger bread and unique ginger bread building designs.

Ranch owner Nate is surprised to find yummy treats in his kitchen and then he meets the beautiful woman creating these masterpieces. He immediately orders one of his own ranch. Then he sets out to work his entrepreneurial skills by directing Rachel on how to promote her business, including encouraging her to open a local shop.

Based on her recent experience, Rachel is quick to distrust Nate’s intentions. Can she overcome her distrust to accept help from Nate? Can Nate get out of business mode long enough to share his personal feelings with Rachel?

As much as I liked these characters too, it was another instance of lack of clear communication combined with unreasonable distrust. I wasn’t pleased with Rachel’s lack of self confidence and her swing to the total distrust realm. I was glad for their final HEA. 4.25.

"Mistletoe Magic" by Melissa McClone.
Caitlin is home in Marietta house sitting and reading books. She expects a very quiet Christmas. She discovers an abandoned, half frozen kitten in the snow. When she takes the kitten to the vet for attention she is shocked to discover her college crush, Noah, is the vet.

Noah remembers Caitlin from college but he could never find her after he walked away to concentrate on his school work to become a veterinarian. He doesn’t want to let her slip away again. This is another sweet, second chance romance that is an easy listen. 4.25.

Audio Notes: Loretta Rawlins does a lovely job with the narration. She provides distinct voices and personality traits. I am very glad to have the opportunity to listen to this collection.

Source: 11/7/22 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: An Univited Ghost by E.J. Copperman

I enjoyed this as a lighter, haunted, cozy mystery.

An Uninvited Ghost
By: E.J. Copperman
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Series: Haunted Guesthouse, Book 2
Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
Release date: 10-22-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, Woman Sleuth
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Alison and her resident gumshoe ghost are on their next case when the deceased Scott MacFarlane floats in worried that he accidentally killed a prominent local woman. Turns out she's still alive...that is, of course, until she's murdered - in Alison's house. Now, between the demands of her guests and the arrival of a reality television crew, Alison must find the killer before she sees reality from the other side.
©2011 Jeffrey Cohen (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Alison is hosting a group of guests who signed on for a ‘unique tour’ that includes “ghost” experiences. Fortunately, Alison is able to accommodate as she works with her house ghosts, Maxi, a former owner, and Paul, a PI hired by Maxi. Other guests who arrive to camp out back are teens from a reality television show. This increases the suspect pool as well as elevating the drama around the ongoing events.

Another ghost, Scott, shows up worried he was tricked into killing a local woman. Alison checks into the situation and learns that the woman is alive. She invites her to visit the next night for a séance but then the woman is murdered at the event. Now Alison, with some help from Paul, is intent on finding the murderer before the authorities shut down her guesthouse.

There is plenty of background banter between the ghosts and Alison. I enjoyed the quirky characters and the pursuit of the mystery. I appreciate that this is an easy, and enjoyable listen. I will continue more in the series. I recommend this to fans of cozy mysteries, especially if they like ghost characters too.

Audio Notes: Amanda Ronconi continues to do a nice job with the narration. I like her clear, distinct voices, and the appropriate energy that she gives the characters. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Wolves by D. J. Molles

I like this author and narrator. This story is a bit brutal and sad - but engaging.
Wolves
by D. J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 18 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 08-30-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Dystopian, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
From the best-selling author of the Remaining series...
They took everything - killed his wife, enslaved his daughter, destroyed his life. Now he's a man with nothing left to lose...and that's what makes him so dangerous.
Ten years after the collapse, Huxley has built a good life again. He has a loving wife, a farm with fields of golden barley, and a daughter with a strange and wonderful gift. Then the slavers come. Working out in the fields during the attack, Huxley returns too late. His daughter has been taken, and his wife is bleeding out, her last whispered words about a man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck.
Where do the slavers go? Huxley has no idea. He knows only that they head east, and so will he, setting out on foot across the desert of the Wastelands. Eighteen months into his journey, he has no hope of ever seeing his daughter alive. Dying of thirst in the open desert, he doesn't even expect to see another day.
Then a man appears out of the desert and offers Huxley water from his canteen, an unheard of kindness in these savage times. Jay is an odd man, full of violence and guided by his hatred of the slavers, but he helps Huxley survive. And he gives Huxley a new purpose: Nothing can bring back the dead, but the two men can chase down the slavers and make them bleed.
Together Huxley and Jay carve a path of destruction across the remains of a once-great land. The slavers are brutal, but they have no idea what's coming for them. Huxley has found something to live for again: blood and vengeance.
In his most powerful work yet, New York Times best-selling author D. J. Molles delivers a carefully woven novel of violence and redemption, bringing to life a devastating portrait of a man pushed to the edge of his own humanity.
©2015 D. J. Molles (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Huxley, his wife and daughter survived the collapse and got out of the city to set up a modest farm in the country. Ten years later he is working when Slavers arrive in his community. They take his daughter and kill his wife. Huxley sets out to find the slaver with a scorpion tattoo. Eighteen months later Huxley is about to die in the Wasteland dessert. But another man, Jay, offers him water and proposes a purpose to live.

Jay is clearly set on vengeance against those who took all from him. The men agree to follow the slavers east to a place of “blood and death”. Jay convinces Huxley to take a “no-holds barred” attitude to his ‘mission’. To be successful in their goals, they need to get weapons and supplies. So begins a journey of violence.

Along the way a mixed group of men and women join the two men, some seeking their own revenge and others for their own private reasons. The path becomes very brutal and more dangerous as it becomes clear that there is authority behind that slavers that has the real power. Huxley worries that if he finds his young daughter, she will not recognize the killer he has become.

This story is full of brutality and sadness. It is well written and includes some internal thought struggles for Huxley. I liked his daughter’s unique talent, and I did sense for most of the book that Huxley hoped to find his daughter as well as hoping to have the opportunity to kill the slaver who took his family.

I have now read/listened to Molles’ series Remaining followed by the Lee Harden series. I was interested to see if this standalone would feel like the other books. There is some of the same violence and internal debating, but this seemed darker and more disturbing. The world of the Wasteland and the surviving cities is not pretty, and I admit that I could have used a little shorter time in this dark world. I am likely to continue to read the books by this author. I recommend this as an engaging story to readers of post-apocalyptic.

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel does a wonderful job with the dark nature of the story. He is able to provide distinct character voices and energy. I have found that Rummel’s performance will contribute to my enjoyment of the story he narrates.

Source 9/18/18 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian

I like friendly gargoyles and enjoyed this paranormal.

The Accidental Alchemist
By: Gigi Pandian
Narrated by: Julia Motyka

Series: Accidental Alchemist Mysteries, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
Release date: 01-08-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
From USA Today best-selling author Gigi Pandian comes a modern tale of ancient intrigue.
Unpacking her belongings in her new hometown of Portland, Oregon, herbalist and reformed alchemist Zoe Faust can't help but notice she's picked up a stowaway. Dorian Robert-Houdin is a living, breathing three-and-half-foot gargoyle - not to mention a master of French cuisine - and he needs Zoe's expertise to decipher a centuries-old text. Zoe, who's trying to put her old life behind her, isn't so sure she wants to reopen her alchemical past... until the dead man on her porch leaves her no choice.
Includes recipes!
Download the accompanying reference guide.
©2015 Gigi Pandian (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Review:
Zoe is an herbalist and a 'former' alchemist. While unpacking from her move to a deteriorating house in Portland, she is surprised to discover a box with a gargoyle statute. She is more surprised when she realizes the gargoyle is breathing and not a statute at all. Dorian explains that he was brought to life by an alchemist, and he needs an alchemist to help him read a centuries-old text and find a cure for his declining life. Although Zoe is a Vegan, Dorian is hungry and a master of French cuisine. He is willing to cook while she helps him with the deciphering.

Unfortunately, a local teen took a dare to inspect the “haunted house” and he saw Dorian moving and speaking. The local police officer, Detective Liu, is soon called in by the teen’s friends to ‘rescue’ him. Zoe and Dorian try to stress upon Brixton that he cannot tell anyone what he has seen. But of course, a 14-year-old just can’t resist telling his friends and then trying to get pictures to convince them.

Things get more involved when the contractor that Zoe hired is found dead on her doorsteps the next morning. Zoe puts herself in the line of suspects when she promptly tells Detective Liu that the man was poisoned. Zoe explains to Liu that her sense of smell is enhanced due to her plant alchemy and herbal skills but the authorities are skeptical.

I really enjoyed the characters of Zoe, Dorian and even the mysterious Detective Liu. Brixton, on the other hand, was annoying most of the book. The descriptions and prose are nicely done. I found the elements of plant alchemy very interesting. The murder plot is well laid out with a few red herrings. Foodies will enjoy the cooking descriptions. I will get more in the series and I recommend this to fans of cozy mystery and supernatural.

Audio Notes: Julia Motyka does a very nice job with the narration. I felt she captured the emotions and tones of the characters. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: February 2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Sidekick, Raptors, Book 1 by Jaime Castel and C.J. Valin

I found this to be a hero, comic book type story.

Sidekick
Raptors, Book 1
By: Jaime Castle, C.J. Valin
Narrated by: Jack Meloche

Series: Raptors, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
Release date: 03-23-21
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Action and Adventure, Comic, Teen and Young Adult
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Winner of the 2021 Best Indie Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.
My name is Sawyer William Vincent - I know, it sounds like three first names - but most people know me as the Red Raptor.
Well, technically no one knows I'm the Red Raptor, he's just a bit more popular.
Wow. Enough about my name. Let me start over. I’m a superhero - the legendary Black Harrier’s partner. Not sidekick. I don't care if I'm still in high school. We work together to bring down the city's most dangerous villains.
When the Black Harrier gets a mysterious note, then goes missing in New York City, things are pretty much left up to me. But don’t worry...I’ve got this. Piece of cake.
If you like Tim Drake as Robin or ever wondered what Peter Parker would be like if he lived in Gotham, Raptors is right up your alley.
From number one Audible best seller Jaime Castle and CJ Valin comes a new superhero universe perfect for fans of both DC and Marvel.
Actually, it’s for fans of anything superhero-related. You’re gonna like it. Promise.
©2021 Aethon Books (P)2021 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Sawyer has a very unique and helpful talent. He has been recruited and trained by a superhero, the Black Harrier. Sawyer knows the real identity of the Black Harrier, but the public doesn’t, and they don’t know the identity of the Red Raptor, formerly known as the Red Kite, either. Actually, Sawyer is the third Red Kite and he is becoming frustrated that his hero won’t tell him about his predecessors and really won’t share much at all. Plus his ‘partner’ has loaded his AI interface with a seductive woman’s voice that teenage Sawyer finds annoying.

Sawyer meets another masked person on the roof top during his nightly rounds. After a short confrontation the two begin to face a gang of thieves. Sawyer and Osprey may have good skills against normal criminals, but they aren’t prepared to take on super villains without the help of others. Sawyer wants to continue to work with Osprey, but the Black Harrier tells him she is not licensed by the guild and Sawyer shouldn’t work with her.

Sawyer is facing two difficulties: hiding his superhero status from his mother and classmates and trying to find the Black Harrier when he disappears. Sawyer finds another superhero at headquarters, and they learn that a super villain previously thought to be captured or dead is threatening Black Harrier. As crime increases in the city, will they be able to find Black Harrier and rescue the city while maintaining Black Harrier's primary rule: "No killing"?

I picked this out as a short and lighter listen. It definitely has a Batman and Robin or Superman and Super Boy theme and tone. There is an interesting plot, but I wasn’t enthralled with the delivery from the perspective of a teenage boy. It just isn’t my cup of tea but would very likely be fun for young adult readers and fans of the superhero genre.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Jack Meloche. He delivers a wide range of voices for the good and evil characters. The pacing is good and moves along well. I am glad I had the opportunity to listen to this.

Source: 6/10/2021 3 books in the series Free from Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Prador Moon: A Novel of the Polity, Book 1 By: Neal Asher

This is creative military space opera.
Prador Moon: A Novel of the Polity, Book 1
By: Neal Asher
Narrated by: David Marantz

Series: Polity, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 10-22-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Alien, Military, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Neal Asher takes on first contact, Polity style. This original novel recounts the first contact between the aggressive Prador aliens, and the Polity Collective as it is forced to retool its society to a war footing. The overwhelming brute force of the Prador dreadnaughts causes several worlds and space stations to be overrun.
Prador Moon follows the initial Polity defeats, to the first draws, and culminates in what might be the first Polity victory, told from the point of view of two unlikely heroes.
©2006 Neal Asher (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Review:
The Polity is the Earths’s societal government entity that is led by AI with humans often integrated. Polity has been in space but over many years only found one other intelligent species. Now they have met another – the Prador.

The Prador are a species comfortable on land and in the sea. They resemble standing shrimp with a hard carapace and crab claws. They have technologically advance ships that appear to be undefinable as they proceed to annihilate worlds. The creatures themselves are led by Captains who breed children who are the soldiers. Only the best of the young live to become Seconds or Firsts and the Captain will kill and sometimes devour those who don’t make the grade.

Vortex is a First Child of Captain Immanence. When he leads a party of Prador to a meeting with the Polity he has no intent of friendship. Instead, he and his smaller soldiers attack the human and partially human hosts leaving a bloody room.

Jebel is a Polity, enhanced-human soldier who has been fixed with AI technology and parts. He suffers under the initial attack of Vortex, but lives to face the enemy again.

Moria is a brilliant scientist, technician, who has been promoted to a level beyond her capability to understand the gate technology she is tasked to study. The only way to manage is to accept augmentation in the form of AI nano tech inserted to connect with her own brain synapses. After surviving the aug installation, Moria begins to advance in her understanding to a point where she is able to comprehend the gate technology that will allow new leaps in space travel. Can she use her new knowledge to help stop the Prador?

Captain John Varence remembers vaguely when he was once only human, now he is mostly AI on (or part of) the ship Occam Razor. They have been in stasis for years but now awaken to the call of danger. They are ready to fight the Prador and make the first successful blow against the impenetrable Prador ships. But they can’t fight the enemy alone.

These three characters and their comrades must find a way to work together if they want to keep the Prador from taking out another Polity world.

This book jumps quickly into an alien bloody attack. There is plenty of action that moves the story along. The Polity characters are interesting although shallowly developed. On the other hand, Asher gives more depth to the Prador species. The world building is creative. There is some political commentary twisted into the story but that can be overlooked if the reader chooses.

The story is entertaining but did not pull me into committing to the Polity world of space sci fi. I will probably get another Asher title at some point, but I am not rushing. Space Opera fans should check out other reviews and consider reading/listening to this title.

Audio Notes: The narration by David Marantz is mixed. At times I thought Marantz was doing a good job delivering the energy with the underlying excitement and humor of the text. Other times I cringed at the mispronunciation of terms. Still, I am glad I had the chance to listen to this audio from the Plus Catalog.

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

Audible Book Report: Just Before Sunrise by Carla Neggers

This is a quick, easy-listening, mystery, romantic suspense.
Just Before Sunrise
By: Carla Neggers
Narrated by: Cassandra Livingston

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 05-01-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Carla Neggers' sizzling novels are loved for their deliciously funny dialogue, electrifying suspense, and heart-stopping romance. Here, the New York Times bestselling author presents a fast-paced, scintillating tale of love, art, and danger....
Annie Payne realizes her dream when she moves to San Francisco and opens an art gallery. But when she accepts a secret commission to bid for a painting going on the auction block, she finds herself thrown into a haunting swirl of events linked to a five-year-old unsolved murder. Who is this secret client?
Marina owner Garvin MacCrae was determined to have the portrait of his late wife, and knows of only one person who would want it enough to outbid him. Could the intriguing art dealer who represented the auction winner hold the key to the mystery of his wife's death? Working together to untangle a murderer's clues, Garvin and Annie strike so many sparks off each other that they could start another San Francisco fire - a four-alarmer fueled by an explosive mix of suspicion, attraction, and love.
©1997 Carla Neggers (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
I saw that the handful of Neggers' titles I picked up in 2021 on Audible Plus were going to be unavailable after 2/18 so I decided to listen to at least one. I enjoyed this and it reminded me of the author's style of romantic suspense. I hadn't read this author for years and was glad to be drawn right into listening to the story.

Annie, with her unruly rottweiler, Otto, has moved across the states from Maine to San Francisco where she is pursing her dream to have her own art gallery. An eccentric woman who visits Annie’s newly opened gallery turns out to be an undiscovered painter named Sarah. Sarah

engages Annie to bid for a particular painting at a local art auction. Annie is surprised when she gets into a bidding war with a handsome man in the rear of the room. She also experiences a negative response from the other participants and learns after winning the bid that the woman in the painting was the wife of the man who was bidding against her. That is only the tip of the story and Annie soon finds herself embroiled in a family scandal involving a five-year-old, unsolved double murder.

Gavin wanted the portrait of his late wife and suspects there is only one other person who would press the bidding. Has the artist herself, who disappeared after the murders of her father and niece, returned to town? And if so, why now? But Gavin isn’t the only person trying to get to Sarah through Annie. Another, more sinister man is pressuring Annie with intimidation. At least Otto is near by to intimidate back.

Attraction is drawing Annie and Gavin together, but Annie finds herself trying to juggle the emotional traumas of the family members while protecting her new friend, Sarah, and protecting her own heart from a man whose motives are in question. Intrigue surrounds them with the knowledge that a killer is still on the loose and he may have unfinished business.

The suspense in this plot leans more heavily on mystery than physical threats although those do build late in the story. The whole story was lighter, rather than intense. The characters are well developed, and the romance moves quickly which (based on my recollection) is predictable in Negger’s writing style in the 1990s. The art element is not my forte, but I found it interesting. I appreciated that the romance has some umph without being sleazy or unnecessarily graphic. I recommend this to readers who enjoy what I identify as an older style of romantic suspense.

Audio Notes: Cassandra Livingston does a fine job with the narration. I liked her clear, distinct voices and the emotions she provided the characters. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 6/10/2021 Free from Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, 2022Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Defiant, Lee Hardin, Book 4 by D. J. Molles

I enjoyed this episode in the series, even as I felt the loses.

Defiant
Lee Harden, Book 4
By: D. J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 06-23-20
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Action & Adventure, Military Sci Fi, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Don't ever let it break you.
The United Eastern States is crumbling. The fragile house of cards that Lee Harden and Angela Houston have built has begun to fall. Lee is up against a ticking clock, as he is recalled from Texas and given the last thing in the world that he wants: a promotion.
Forced into a command role, Major Harden is thrust into a sharp learning curve that goes against every instinct he's developed over years of fighting. As Lee races to find his footing in a mire of shifting loyalties and opposing goals, Safe Zones are being overrun by massive hordes of primals exhibiting strange behaviors and uncanny levels of intelligence, and Greeley is moving toward an invasion of the UES. The envoys from Canada and the United Kingdom know it - but they're refusing to take sides and give Lee the intelligence he desperately needs.
As the tides of war reach the doors of the UES, horrific secrets are revealed that will change the future of their fight for survival. Friends become enemies, and enemies become allies. But no matter what happens, no matter what - or who - he loses, Lee can't let it break him. He must remain defiant to the last.
©2020 D.J. Molles (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Review:
This is book 4 in the series and picks up from the prior book. Lee Hardin is in Texas but gets the call from United Eastern States President, Angela Houston, to return to the home base to take military command. The UES has already been forced out of the Fort Bragg that Lee and Angela helped build when the infected Primals overran the base with the unwitting help of the Lincolnist rebels. Angela is coping with internal threats in the form of the continuing hidden rebels, unrest due to overcrowding and boredom. The external threats are increasing in the form of threats from President Brigg’s forces seeking to squelch the UES as well as the infected Primals who seem to be getting more organized. Several more of the Safe Zones in the Southeast have fallen and been demolished as the Primals kidnap the women and wipe out the surviving human communities. Envoys from Canada and the United Kingdom are monitoring President Briggs in Colorado and Angela in the UES. They are trying to determine if it is safer to lend their support to the rational but weakened forces and civilians in the UES or President Briggs, a clearly power hungry leader, who has stronger and better prepared military forces but has lost control of the necessary fuel sources.

When arriving to the new base of operations, Lee immediately sees areas of loyalty concerns, but he would rather continue to be fighting in the field than being the Major in charge in the tactical operations center (TOC). He struggles trying to find the right place and right approach to help Angela and the people. Unfortunately, while he is stumbling, the advance forces of President Briggs’ army are moving into the UES territory.

The local scavenging and hunter forces are able to uncover more information about the Primal activity. They also are pulled into a dangerous rescue attempt to save some of the kidnapped women. The information comes to Lee at the last minute as he is busy planning to defend the home base against expected exterior attack and suddenly facing unexpected attacks too.

My heart felt the continual attacks, deaths, and betrayals in this book. I enjoyed the action and Lee’s external and mental internal struggles. There is more bad language than I like to deal with but I can get past it. I am looking forward to picking up the next book in the series. I recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic military stories that include more advanced zombie elements.

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel has been the voice for this series and he continues to enhance my enjoyment in the books.

Source: 6/18/2021 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Here are links to the earlier books in the Lee Hardin series:
Harden, Lee Harden, Book 1 by D.J. Molles 4.5
Southlands, Lee Harden, Book 2 by D.J. Molles 4.75
Primal, Lee Harden, Book 3 by D. J. Molles 4.5

Links to my reviews of the earlier books before this series:
The Remaining, Book 1  4.25
The Remaining: Aftermath, Book 2  4.5
The Remaining: The Refugees, Book 3  4.25
The Remaining: The Fractured, Book 4  4.5
The Remaining: Trust: a Novella  4.0
The Remaining: Faith: a Novella  4.0
The Remaining: Allegiance, Book 5 4.25
The Remaining: Extinction, Book 6 4.5

Audible Book Review: Deathbeast by David Gerrold

This is tough reading with a little bit of philosophizing.
Deathbeast
By: David Gerrold
Narrated by: Andy Caploe

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
Release date: 05-14-14
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Sci Fi, Time Travel, Vintage
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Timebeam to danger
Six hunters and two official guides are going on the trip of their lifetime. Their destination? Earth as it was 100 million years ago, long before human dominion, when the great hot-blooded dinosaurs ruled supreme.
Each of the time travelers has a different motive. Some are on the strange safari for pay. Others are taking a psychological and sexual holiday from civilization. There are women who wanted to show themselves the equal of men - and men out to test and prove their manhood.
But whatever their drives and desires, their strengths and weaknesses, the ultimate horror awaits them...deathbeast.
©1978, 1999, 2014 David Gerrold (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Review:
Of course, it must be exciting to travel to prehistoric times and the ultimate challenge to hunt dinosaurs. Not just any dinosaur, but, if the group is lucky, the king of dinosaurs, the T Rex. The official guides are supposed to be in charge and try to discourage the hunters from specifically hunting the T Rex. The chartered event is of to a rough start when they land on an large predator who wasn't spotted on the scanners. After trampling a lot of the specialized equipment, the safari sets out in search of more predators. Fortunately for the macho, enhanced warrior leader of the hunters, Ethab, the group stumbles upon a T Rex the first night. When one of his friends falls prey and a female hunter goes catatonic, Ethab becomes obsessed (think Moby Dick) to take down the ‘Deathbeast’.

There is plenty of hunting action, if rather ineffective. Humans hunt, become prey and get eaten. The head guide is professional but soon loses control. The second guide has a snarky wit trying to cover his insecurities. The hunting team members have different motives and less sense than you would think experienced hunters should have. Each member of the hunting crew has their own character foibles and flaws. There is a side thread of sexual undertone that, in my opinion, diminishes the story. As the number of the group dwindle, the survivors have the opportunity to ponder who is the greatest beast as they philosophize on life.

The story is dark and moves from alarming to grim with some roll-your-eyes scenes sprinkled in. Although it was different from what I expected, I did find the prehistoric world and detailed creature descriptions quite interesting. I didn’t realize that this was originally released in 1978 so the descriptions were based on information available then. Since this is a vintage sci fi, I am glad I got to listen to it for free. Fans of classic sci fi might want to give this a try.

Audio Notes: Andy Caploe does a good job with the narration. He provides distinct voices and portrays the gruesomeness of the deaths. I am glad I was able to do a quick listen.

Source: November 2021 Audible Plus Catalog - in library only until 12/30. This qualifies for 2021Audiobook goal.