IRead Book Tour Audio Book Review: The Registration by Madison Lawson

Please See Tour Feature HERE.

This has a different premise and lots of action.

The Registration
By: Madison Lawson
Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
Release date: 09-27-22
Publisher: CamCat Books
Genre: Dystopian, Psychological
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
You can’t outrun the Registration.
Imagine it’s legal to commit one murder in your lifetime—if you Register the victim and accomplish the kill within fourteen days. So when Lynell Mize stands in line to Register the man who abused her as a child, she’s shocked to hear a stranger Register her to be killed. Why would anyone who doesn't know her squander his one legal murder on her? Desperate to survive the next two weeks, she must find out who wants to kill her—and why.
Easier said than done, as Lynell soon discovers that multiple strangers have used their Registration on her. Along the way, she reunites with her estranged husband who is determined to dig up a past Lynell prefers to keep buried. With only days left to live, Lynell is determined to uncover the truth and survive a destiny not of her choosing. Everyone she knows could be her killer. Any day could be her last.
©2022 Madison Lawson (P)2022 CamCat Books

Review:
Lynell Mize lives in a world society where each person can Register one person to kill without facing penalty, provided the killing is completed within fourteen days. Lynell has struggled through a childhood under the constant threat of an abusive step-father. Trying to start a new page in her life, Lynell goes to Register the abuser. While standing in line, she hears someone in front of her Register her.

Lynell is stunned and realizes she must get away; even her home will not be safe. She suddenly finds her estranged husband, Daniel, insisting that she go away with him. He thinks he has whisked her away safely but they are soon accosted on the train by Zachery Price, a man who has been a best friend to Daniel since Lynell left him and also the man who Registered Lynell.

Lynell learns that more than one man has Registered her. She has something she didn’t realize was important and there is a very powerful man who wants her to be brought to him. Once in his clutches there are surprising revelations and it is nearly impossible to escape. But with the help of unexpected sources she does escape. Once again she goes on the run but they are very poorly prepared. Day to day Lynell struggles to stay out of the hands of her enemy while trying to puzzle out the code he is desperate to obtain. She also wonders whether the Registration system is really a positive thing.

The premise of the story is very interesting and I did enjoy the conflict and action. Lyndell is a young character struggling with her own self-esteem. I appreciated the growth she went through. I was frustrated however by how unprepared Lynell and her rescuers were to run and hide. At one point Lynell and Daniel lead a path to the person they want most to protect, putting many innocent lives in danger. I just shook my head at the stupidity. Fortunately, the ending made me a little happier. I recommend this story to fans of dystopian and other readers who may be interested in an action chase story with a puzzle to solve.

Audio Notes: Kathleen McInerney does a good job with the narration. She manages to convey the youth and inexperience of primary character. She also delivered distinct voices. I appreciated getting the audiobook to share during the book tour.

Source: Author via Bookfunnel for IRead Book Tours. This qualifies for my 2023Audiobook and 2023Author goals.

Audible Book Review: Let Her Be by Lisa Unger

This is a dark, rather depressing, but ultimately intriguing listen.
Let Her Be: Hush Collection
By: Lisa Unger
Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Series: Hush Collection
Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 07-30-20
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Genre: Domestic Thriller, Psychological, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
A writer’s misguided suspicions ruined his life once before. This time he plans to prove he’s right in a New York Times bestselling author’s haunting short story of what happens when seeing is not believing.
Will, an aspiring novelist, can’t stop parsing his ex-girlfriend’s popular social media accounts for clues that her ideal new rural life with the perfect man has a dark side. After all, nobody he knows has actually seen the blissful blogger in the flesh for nearly a year. When Will draws a wary friend into his “investigation,” the real question becomes who’s truly in danger.
Lisa Unger’s Let Her Be is part of Hush, a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. Each piece can be read or listened to in one truly chilling sitting.
©2020 Lisa Unger. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Review:
The story opens with Will describing his depression and attempted suicide. He was upset by the apparent rejection and abandonment by his ex-girlfriend. Her social media posts would make it seem she is enjoying a simpler lifestyle in seclusion with her new boyfriend. Will is obsessed with her and begins to think that the blog posts are faked. One of his ex’s best friends is trying to help Will work past his obsession and depression. She begins to believe there may be something in his suspicions and she travels with Will to investigate a location they think has appeared in the posts.

The best friend has long had a crush on Will. But her interest in him may put her in danger she doesn’t suspect as the web of deception gets more clouded.

I was a little bit uncomfortable with the negative emotions…but perhaps that is the author’s intent and a sign of successful story telling. I did appreciate the twist revealed in the end. To that point, I recommend this quick listen to fans of dark, phycological stories.

Audio Notes: Chris Andrew Ciulla seemed to provide spot on narration. The tone fit the dark nature of the primary character and the female voices worked as well. I enjoyed the audio presentation.

Source: August 2020 Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Hold Your Breath: A Novella by Wendy Walker

This is an engaging little suspense.
Hold Your Breath: A Novella
By: Wendy Walker
Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Series: Audible Original Stories
Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 10-01-20
Publisher: Audible Originals
Categories: Mystery, Psychological, Thriller & Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

About This Audible Original
From the best-selling author of All Is Not Forgotten and Don’t Look for Me comes a sharp, compulsive thriller about a young woman who narrowly escapes a violent crime and the psychiatrist helping to recover her memory of the suspect.
Gabby Ashford has just survived an attempt on her life. Detectives have connected her story to two other cases in the area: Professional women drugged at a bar, brought to their homes, and drowned in their bathtubs. Gabby, who miraculously woke up in her own bathtub unharmed, could be the key to finding a serial killer on the loose—but she has no memory of the attack.
Gabby admits herself to a high-end rehabilitation center to recover and to seek the help of a psychiatrist renowned for his work with memory recovery. As Dr. Forrester works with Gabby—interviewing not only her but her overbearing fiancée, her emotionally fragile brother, and the local detective working the case—questions about Gabby’s story, her past, and the ethics of memory recovery emerge.
Dr. Forrester, the central voice of Walker’s breakout debut All Is Not Forgotten, is a fascinating and deeply complicated character, barreling toward the truth of the case at hand while wrestling with the demons of his own past. Shocking and succinct, Hold Your Breath will have you on the edge of your seat from the first minute to the last.
©2020 Wendy Walker (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

Review:
Gabby has reported that she has survived an encounter with a serial killer. She checks herself into a rehabilitation center where she hopes to be safe and where she can seek the skills of Dr. Forrester, a renowned psychiatrist. Dr. Forrester experienced a traumatic event after gaining fame a few years before while helping to solve a mystery with his work in memory recovery. He doesn’t see patients anymore, but Gabby has specifically sought him out. Forrester interviews Gabby, her fiancé and her strange, damaged brother. He obtains file notes and information from the local detective on the case.

Dr. Forrester is also spending time with a young patient, Billie, who diligently observes the other patients, sets up projection models and eagerly shares them with the Doctor. Billie has questions about Gabby, but the Doctor explains that he can’t share any information with her.

While Dr. Forrester is ruminating on the facts and evidence surrounding Gabby’s event, he also shares rambling memories from his own past. Slowly the reader gets a better understanding of Gabby and Dr. Forrester that results in a twisted climax.

I liked the intrigue and psychological twists in this mystery. There were several suspects to work through and good details and clues to piece together. This was a quick read/listen and I will be interested to read more by Ms. Walker. I recommend this to fans of psychological mystery. I think you’ll get a kick out of the ending.

Audio Notes: Dylan Baker does an excellent job as narrator. He carries the mysterious tone while providing clear and perfectly fitting cadence and emphasis. The narration added to the twisting story.

Source: October 24, 2020 free with Audible Plus Catalogue. This qualifies for 2021TBR, 2021Audiobook and 2021Alphabet goals.