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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Audible Book Review: The Queen and the Cure by Amy Harmon

This author and narrator make for stellar entertainment!
The Queen and the Cure
The Bird and the Sword Chronicles Series, Book 2: Booktrack Edition
By: Amy Harmon
Narrated by: Steve West

Series: The Bird and the Sword Chronicles, Book 2
Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 06-12-18
Language: English
Publisher: Novel Audio
Genre: Fairy-Tale, Fantasy, Romance
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall, Story and Narration.

Publisher's Summary
The Queen and the Cure: The Bird and the Sword Chronicles Series, Book 2: Booktrack Edition adds an immersive musical soundtrack to your audiobook listening experience!*
There will be a battle, and you will need to protect your heart.
Kjell of Jeru had always known who he was. He'd never envied his brother or wanted to be king. He was the bastard son of the late King Zoltev and a servant girl, and the ignominy of his birth had never bothered him. But there is more to this man than his parentage. More to this man than his blade, his size, or his skills, and all that Kjell once knew has shifted and changed. He is no longer simply Kjell of Jeru, a warrior defending the crown. Now he is a healer, one of the Gifted, and a man completely at odds with his power.
Called upon to rid the country of the last vestiges of the Volgar, Kjell stumbles upon a woman who has troubling glimpses of the future and no memory of the past. Armed with his unwanted gift and haunted by regret, Kjell becomes a reluctant savior, beset by old enemies and new expectations. With the woman by his side, Kjell embarks upon a journey where the greatest test may be finding the man she believes him to be.
*Booktrack is an immersive format that pairs traditional audiobook narration to complementary music. The tempo and rhythm of the score are in perfect harmony with the action and characters throughout the audiobook. Gently playing in the background, the music never overpowers or distracts from the narration, so listeners can enjoy every minute. When you purchase this Booktrack edition, you receive the exact narration as the traditional audiobook available, with the addition of music throughout.
©2017 Amy Harmon (P)2018 Novel Audio Inc.

Review:
Kiell of Jeru is the son of the late king and an unknown woman whose name was Cora. Kiell never wanted to be royalty and preferred being a warrior, the Captain of Guard, protecting his brother, the King of Jeru. Kiell is also one of the Gifted although he’d still rather be a warrior than a healer. Kiell sets out with his troop to find and eliminate any remaining Volgar, the birdmen who feast on human flesh.

Along the journey tracking the Volgar, Kiell comes upon a young woman lying broken on the rocks below a cliff. He chooses to heal her and as she recovers, he learns that the woman has had visions of him and the future.

Sasha has been a servant for the past four years. She does not remember her past, but she is learned which is unusual. Of more concern is the fact that Sasha sees visions and most often they signal trouble without clarity. When her mistress dies, the people of the village want to get rid of Sasha because they don’t like what she has tried to tell them. After falling from a cliff, Sasha wakes from pain to see a face she has known in her dreams and visions. She is afraid that Kiell won’t believe her, but she is quickly able to convince him that she is a Gifted sear.

Sasha commits herself to stay with Kiell in spite of his efforts to leave her behind. Kiell once loved a woman who used and betray him. He no longer does love and isn’t too quick to give compassion. Sasha pushes him to find his suppressed emotions.

Sasha announces that she ‘belongs’ to him and doesn’t give up until Kiell acknowledges the he ‘belongs’ to her. Then a stranger steps up to reveal Sasha’s true identity and help her remember her past. Now Kiell has to step away or guard her as he returns her to another kingdom, to lands that may still contain the remnants of the Volgar. Meanwhile, an old, ambitious and dark enemy is stalking Kiell. Kiell has to fight to survive external enemies even as he has to struggle to keep his heart from breaking.

I had forgotten how lyrical this author is. I was engaged from the moment the story started. The characters are complex with hidden feelings and emotions that are drawn out during their journey. There is intrigue, danger, and wonderful romantic conflict. My heart yearned for this couple to accept their love and find a way to be together. This is a story where I was glued to finish but reluctant to be done. I will be looking for other books by Amy Harmon. Although this book could be read as a standalone, I recommend reading book one, The Bird and the Sword, first which introduces most of the characters and gives important background to the world they live in.

Audio Notes: Steve West is a perfect match for the lyrical writing and emotion. He smoothly provides distinct voices and nails the emotional depths. I will be looking for other books narrated by West as I totally enjoyed his presentation. The audio production has soft background sounds such has horses neighing and turmoil during battle. These enhanced the listening experience for me.

Source: Purchased at Kindle for $.99, then Audible at $7.99. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet goals.