Audible Book Review: Werewolf Cop by Andrew Klavan

This is a dark story with a positive ending.

Werewolf Cop
By: Andrew Klavan
Narrated by: Andrew Klavan

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
Release date: 03-24-15
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Occult, Police Procedure, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Zach Adams is one of the best detectives in the country. Nicknamed Cowboy, he serves on a federal task force that has a single mission: to hunt down Dominic Abend, a European gangster.
After a brutal murder gives them a lead, Zach feels like he's finally on Abend's trail. But things get complicated and very, very weird. Zach is beginning to suspect that Abend's evil goes beyond crime - perhaps to the edge of the supernatural.
In a centuries-old forest under a full moon, a beast assaults him, cursing him forever. In the aftermath Zach is transformed into something horrible - something deadly. Now the good cop has innocent blood on his hands. He has killed - and he will kill again - in the form of a beast that can't be controlled or stopped.
©2015 Amalgamated Metaphor (P)2015 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Review:
Zach Adams is on the hunt for a crime beast, Dominic Abend. A clue involving a strange ritualistic blade takes Zach to an obscure professor in Germany. The circumstances of their first meeting are strange, but their second meeting in a forest under a full moon leaves Zach with broken memories, flashes of violence, and an encounter he attributes to a nightmare until he recognizes the truth.

Zach met Abend once before leaving for Europe. Zach was almost overtaken by evil creatures in the dark, somehow controlled by Abend. When Zach returns to America, he begins to realize that Abend has occult powers. Abend has crossed Europe leaving devastation in his wake and now he is in America, not far from Zach’s territory.

While Zach is chasing the criminal, Abend seems to be one step ahead and there is the suspicion of a mole in Zach’s police office, and Zach is left at odds with his partner. Zach may have the only chance to take Abend down, but he may lose his family, if not his very life, in the process.

I like werewolf stories, so I was interested in this. Zach’s character is well developed so the reader feels his pain when he becomes the beast. I was definitely rooting for him to kill the horribly evil villain and resolve his personal issues. I liked the redemptive conclusion. The story read fairly quickly and would make a good October/Horror read if a reader likes to read dark stories near Halloween. I recommend the book to fans of occult and dark stories.

Audio Notes: Andrew Klavan, the author, did a good job with the narration. Not all author narrations are successful, but I thought this one worked really well. I am glad I listened to the audio.

Source: 10/31/2020 Audible Two for One Credit Sale. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook,and 2023Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams

I had seen mixed reviews but I enjoyed this easy listen mystery.
The Secret, Book & Scone Society
By: Ellery Adams
Narrated by: Cris Dukehart

Series: The Secret, Book & Scone Society, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 11-03-17
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery, Woman Sleuth
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Miracle Springs is a place of healing. Strangers flock there hoping that the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. And, if none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That's Nora's special talent: prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person's deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.
But when a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, he's found dead on the train tracks before he can keep their appointment. Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman's demise, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, and, as the society works to untangle the web of corruption surrounding the murder, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge.
©2017 Ellery Adams (P)2017 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Review:
Nora Pennington is the owner of Miracle Books in Miracle Springs, a town known for resting and healing. The bookstore is in the old train station and her tiny home is a former caboose. Nora has a special talent for getting patrons to share their stories while she picks just the right books for their situation. She has become known as a local “bibliotherapist”. She isn’t trained in psychology, but she is well trained in observation and empathy, especially after experiencing a traumatic event in her own past that left her emotionally and physically scarred. Although she welcomes sharing stories in exchange for book ‘therapy’, Nora tends to remain on her own with books as her best friends.

Nora has just met a visiting businessman and is anticipating his visit to the bookshop. Instead, the man is found dead, having been pushed onto the train tracks. At first Nora is afraid the police department will treat the incident as a suicide. Then she is concerned when they arrest a local woman.

Nora soon gathers several other local shop owners or employees into a group they name ‘Secret, Book and Scone Society’. Hester runs a bakery across the street and makes "comfort scones," that fit the customers. Estella is a trashy hair stylist, with a blatant tendency to flirt. June works at the hot springs hotel where tourists are attracted. These women are initially a loose group willing to help investigate and solve the murder. Along the way they agree to share their own secrets and solidify their friendship.

The women get some help from other locals. One is a nice paramedic who, to her surprise, seems to be interested in Nora. Another it a town deputy who is involved in the case but is willing to listen to the conjectures of Hester and the other ladies. Finally, there is a bartender who expresses great affection for Estella.

I enjoyed the characters and their unique ‘abilities’ which might be a bit magical, or just insightful and led by experience. The mystery winds around with greed and corruption and one of the evil does stands out pretty quickly, while another appears in a twist. I enjoyed the mystery and plan to read more in the series. I recommend this to fans of cozy mysteries and small town settings.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Cris Dukehart. The voices are sufficiently clear and distinct for each character. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 5/6/18 Audible Daily Deal $2.95. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audio Book Review: Joy to the Wolves, Red Wolf, Book 1, by Terry Spear

I enjoyed the mystery and shifter romance in this story.

Joy to the Wolves
By Terry Spear
Narrated By: Mackenzie Cartwright

Series: Red Wolf, Book 1
Duration: 10 h 28 min
Release date: 10-08-20
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Holiday, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Summary
As Christmas approaches, red-wolf shifter Brooke Cerise unexpectedly inherits an antique shop in Portland, Oregon. But when a missing reindeer calf turns up on her property, she becomes embroiled in a kidnapping case and the primary suspect of far-too-intriguing shifter Detective Josh Wilding. Josh doesn't intend to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, but Brooke gets under his skin from the moment they meet, and he can't help his instinct to protect her. These red wolves are both on the hunt for love, but there's a mystery to solve before they can enjoy their holiday happy-ever-after.

Review:
Brooke wasn’t really ready to move to Portland, Oregon, when she inherited her Aunt’s antique shop there. But the inheritance came with a treasure hunt, so Brooke was intrigued. She was surprised when she found a reindeer calf in her courtyard. Josh, a local Detective and part owner of the Wilding Reindeer Ranch, is suspicious of Brooke when he finds the cute calf drawing in customers to see the reindeer while they shop. He is also surprised to realize that she is a red-wolf like him.

Josh begins to hang around the shop a lot first to investigate how the reindeer got there. Then he remains after Brooke experiences a break in. She was able to overhear the intruders and knows they are hunting something that was sent to her Aunt. Josh and Brooke now have two mysteries to solve as they begin to deal with the attraction drawing them together.

This is an engaging shifter story. I enjoyed the mysteries, the bit of suspense, and the growing romance relationship. There are several intimate scenes that were more detailed than I prefer but those were balanced with the plot mysteries. I found it a little unrealistic that Josh and some other detectives were so readily available but there is leeway in fiction. The story isn't particularly a Christmas story but the reindeer is a nice addition. I recommend this story to readers who enjoy shifter romance with a good side of mystery.

Audio Notes: Mackenzie Cartwright is a good voice for this book. She provides a nice energy and distinct reading even if her male voices aren’t really differentiated. I did enjoy the audio.

Source: 9/26/2021 Audiobooks.com Two for One Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

This is a sweet, light, friends to lovers romance.
Lovelight Farms
By: B.K. Borison
Narrated by: Pippa Jayne

Series: Lovelight, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 09-20-22
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
A pasture of dead trees, a hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons, and shipments that have mysteriously gone missing—Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.
In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, she enters a contest with instafamous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, she might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on the application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only there is no boyfriend.
Enter her best friend Luka Peters. He just came home for some hot chocolate, and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process.
Lovelight Farms is a romantic comedy featuring a handsome freckled data analyst, a messy, optimistic Christmas-tree-farm owner, and a small town with the best hazelnut lattes on the east coast.
This sweet and steamy romance is a holiday happily ever after and the first book in a series of interconnected standalones following the three Lovelight owners.
©2021 B.K. Borison (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Review:
Stella’s left the normal work world to pursue her dream of creating a magical winter wonderland at her Christmas tree farm, Lovelight Farms. She has invested all of her savings and would feel like things would be okay except for a run of bad happenings. Fencing is collapsing, one whole section of trees is dead, a family of raccoons seems to have taken over the barn, and a shipment of fertilizer keeps going astray. As a means to revive the tree farm, she enters a contest with a famous travel spot influencer to promote the farm as a romantic destination for the holiday. The publicity and $100,000.00 prize would be a great boon for her situation. The only issue is that she lied on the application saying the farm was co-owned with her boyfriend. But Stella doesn’t have a boyfriend.

Since the influencer, Evelyn St. James, is showing up soon to check out the farm, Stella has to come up with a serious boyfriend. Fortunately, her best friend, Luka Peters, comes in from out of town and agrees to play the part. Stella immediately begins taking walks with Luka so the townsfolk can see them together and get the picture they are serious.

Luka and Stella have been best friends since being childhood neighbors. It is clear to everyone, including the reader, that they have great affection for each other. But, having had a father walk out on her when she was young and a mother who bounced from relationship to relationship, Stella has always held men at a distance. She has been determined not to mess up her friendship with Luka by having a sexual relationship with him.

Luka has always cared for Stella but has not known how to show her how he truly feels. He doesn’t want to risk their friendship either, but he may not be able to continue without revealing his feelings.

Matters get more complicated as Evelyn arrives and loves the farm but suspects a problem. Then it becomes clear that the incidents of damage have not been accidental but have been sabotage. Luka may find it easier to help the town sheriff stop the harassment than getting Stella to acknowledge the feelings between them.

I did enjoy this sweet romance but got annoyed by Stella’s lack of courage. She seems totally blind to how much Luka, and her friends, love her and want to help. Someone really needed to wake her up! Luka was a great character and Stella had friends who were supportive too, especially once she let them in. I recommend this to reader who enjoy friends to lovers stories. And the Christmas magic is an extra bonus.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Pippa Jayne. Her voice fit the story and the character of Stella perfectly. She didn’t do as well on the male voices but it didn’t hurt the story. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 2022 NetGalley. This qualifies for my 2022NetGalley goal.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Leila, The Perfect Witch by Flavia Z. Drago

This is a sweet story.
Leila, The Perfect Witch
by Flavia Z. Drago
Narrated by Marisa Blake

Audible.com Release Date July 12, 2022
Publisher Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Children, Siblings, Witches
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

In this charming picture book from the author-illustrator of Gustavo, The Shy Ghost, a witch who is spellbindingly good at everything discovers that baking is no piece of cake.
Leila Wayward is a little witch who excels at everything she does. She’s the fastest flier, the most cunning conjuror, and the most superb shape-shifter. She has won trophies for potions, herbology, and alchemy—and now she dreams of winning the Magnificent Witchy Cake-off! As the youngest in a long line of masters of the Dark Arts of Patisserie, Leila wants her entry to be perfect. But even with the most bewitching of recipes, she realizes a terrible truth: she’s a disaster in the kitchen. Luckily, Leila has three magical sisters who are happy to share their culinary secrets with her. What’s more, Leila discovers that baking with them is fun! Win or lose, she has already tasted the sweetest thing of all: acceptance—with a pinch of nightshade and a bit of mandrake. Filled with expressive and fancifully offbeat illustrations, Flavia Z. Drago’s enchanting story of trying your hardest despite your imperfections is sure to delight little witches and novice bakers alike.

Review:
Lelia, a young witch, is one of those young people who succeeds easily. She is accustomed to winning the awards and blue ribbons. This year, Lelia has hopes of winning a cake-off. The problem is that baking doesn’t come as easy as so many other tasks. She tries but the cakes fall or slide.

When Leila’s sisters offer to help, Leila, must accept their help if she wants a chance in the Cake-off. And, as a plus, Leila has fun with her sisters.

This is a very sweet children’s story. The message of accepting help and sharing a workload are clear and engaging.  Since I listened to the audio, I didn’t get to enjoy what look like charming illustrations. I recommend the story and it might be good to get the audio and the print book to share with children.

Audio Notes: Marisa Blake does a very nice job with the narration. Her voicing enhanced my enjoyment of the book, even though I did miss the images.

Source: 2022 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2022NetGalley and 2022Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: Striking Range (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #7) by Margaret Mizushima

This is an entertaining mystery in a good series.

Striking Range
(Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #7)
by Margaret Mizushima
Narrated by Nancy Wu

Series: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, Book 7
9 hours and 46 minutes
Release date: 09-07-21
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Crime Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedures, Women Sleuths
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Content 4.25; Narration 4.0.

He was suspect number one - the man who tried to kill Deputy Mattie Cobb and may have killed her father 30 years earlier. But when Mattie and cold-case Detective Jim Hauck reach the Colorado state prison where they will finally get to interview him, he's found dead in his cell. There's only one clue: a map leading to Timber Creek and rugged Redstone Ridge.
Following the clue, Mattie and her K-9 partner, Robo, journey into the burned forest surrounding Redstone Ridge. But before they can finish their search, they're called to help investigate the death of a young woman found in a campground filled with elk hunters. Identification of the deceased points to her having recently given birth, but the infant is nowhere to be found.
As a deadly storm descends upon the mountains, covering everything with a layer of ice and snow, Mattie and her team search for the missing newborn. The storm batters the area, taking its toll on the team and forcing the sheriff to call in reinforcements. When new evidence surfaces, they decide that finding the woman's killer will lead them to her baby, making them even more desperate to solve the case.
Then veterinarian Cole Walker goes missing, stranded alone in the high country with a person that Mattie now suspects is the mastermind behind several murders, including her father's. She and Robo take to the trail to find Cole - but the killer has a cold-blooded plan that threatens them all.

Review:
Deputy Mattie Cobb escaped from a man who tried to kill her and she thinks he is the man who killed her father 30 years ago. Maddie has teamed with cold-case Detective, Jim Hauck, to interview the man in prison. As they are waiting for the interview, the prison goes on lockdown and they soon learn that the man has been found dead in his cell. Upon viewing the body and inspecting the man’s belongings, Maddie finds clues that direct her back to her own community in Timber Creek.

Mattie and her K-9 partner, Robo, find suspicious sites in the mountain forest and caves. Before they can dig out the sites, Mattie and Robo are called in to investigate a missing young pregnant girl. They find the girl dead and no longer pregnant. Now they are looking for the baby.

Maddie’s beau, veterinarian Cole Walker, and other K-9 units are called in to help with the search on the mountain before a deadly storm wipes out more evidence. There are several suspects to interview and watch as the situation intensifies. Meanwhile, a local officer is found injured on the side of the road.

As Maddie pursues the missing baby she and another officer stumble upon a crucial bit of evidence. Now Maddie has to worry about Cole and the other officers left on the mountain with a man that might be involved with the killings.

This moved very quickly, and I enjoyed the multiple crisscrossing investigations. Ms. Mizushima creates life-like characters with real-life personal problems to deal with as they juggle their official duties. The story involves timely criminal issues including drugs and child trafficking. There are several suspects and clues to keep the reader eager to find the true villains. And of course, I like the K-9 dog elements which describe differences between the different search and cadaver dogs.

I liked the first book in this series and have more to listen to. I read this one out of order which was okay although I would suggest reading at least the first book so that you know the characters. I recommend this to mystery and K-9 fans.

Audio Notes: I guess I am not a huge fan of Nancy Wu’s narration. She supplies some voices but they are not totally distinct. For me there is more breathy reading than voice and emotional performance. Still, the audio moves quickly for me and I am thankful to have snagged this audio from NetGalley.

Source: 9/8/2021 from NetGalley. This qualifies for 2021NetGalley and 2021Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Killing Trail (Book 1) by Margaret Mizushima