Audible Book Review: Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn

This is engaging Asian fantasy - action, love, evil and magic.
Across the Nightingale Floor
Tales of the Otori, Book One
By: Lian Hearn
Narrated by: Kevin Gray, Aiko Nakasone

Series: Tales of the Otori, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-12-03
Language: English
Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
Genre: Epic Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
A tour-de-force novel set in ancient Japan filled with passion, fantasy, and feuding warlords. The first volume in the highly anticipated Tales of the Otori trilogy.
Sixteen-year-old Takeo's village has been massacred by an evil warlord, and he is about to be slain by the men who murdered his parents and neighbors. At the last moment, his life is saved by a nobleman, who claims the boy as his kin and begins his education.
But nothing is as it seems. Takeo discovers that he has rare powers that are useful to those around him. As he grows into manhood, he must decide where his loyalties lie: with his noble master and adoptive father; with the Hidden, a secret, spiritual sect whose beliefs are forbidden; or with the Tribe, the assassins and spies who consider him one of their own.
A story of treachery, political intrigue, and the intensity of first love, set in a world ruled by formal ritual and codes of honor, Across the Nighingale Floor crosses genres, generations, and genders to captivate fans of all ages.
Don't miss the rest of the Tales of the Otori series.
©2002 Lian Hearn (P)2003 HighBridge Company

Review:
Takeo, a young boy of 16, is rescued just before being murdered like the rest of his massacred village. Takeo has already set his mind on revenge against the evil warlord who killed his family and friends from the Hidden, the secret religious sect where he was raised.

Lord Otori Shigeru, a nobleman, rescued Takeo to adopt him and educate him in many things, including ninja skills. During lessons it is discovered that Takeo has some rare and useful powers. As he matures he continues to harbor his plans for revenge. But his actions are tempered by the wishes and loyalties to the Otori clan who took him in, accepted him and helped him to grow.

Shirakawa Kaede has had a difficult childhood. She was placed with another household as a political prisoner. She was treated as a slave instead of being educated and respected as the noblewoman she is. Takeo’s adoptive father is directed to marry Shirakawa. This union has been dictated by Iida Sadamu, the evil warlord. who seeks to control the Otori clan and the bride’s clan so they will not join the rebellion against Iida. But the intendeds have other ideas.

As the people come together at Iida’s fortress, each has a different goal. Takeo is kidnapped by another group who what to explain his abilities and show him his responsibilities to their clan. Now his loyalties are torn between three clans and three desires.

This story is quite lyrical which pulled me in and is enjoyable to listen to. I like the writing style with the scenes alternating between Takeo and Shirakawa. I also like the special paranormal skills that Takeo displays. I found the difficulties of the feudal system and the details of the nightingale floor fascinating. The struggles, conflicts and intrigues keep this interesting. I recommend it to reader’s who like Asian fantasy with romance and intrigue.

Audio Notes: Kevin Gray and Aiko Nakasone do a wonderful job with the narration. They present the characters with good accents and portray the emotions fitting the characters and the slightly mysterious tone of the story.

Source: Audible 2012 credit purchase. This title qualified for my 2018TBR, March Take Control, Audio and Alphabet Challenges.

#NetGalley Book Review: The Edge of Memory by Maura Beth Brennan

This is an interesting profile with bit of mystery.

The Edge of Memory
by Maura Beth Brennan

File Size: 716 KB
Print Length: 230 pages
Publisher: First Edition Design Publishing (December 12, 2017)
ASIN: B0788828JG
Genre: Drama, Psychological Thriller, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

When your childhood is cut short by murder and treachery, it's not easy to live a normal life. At the tender age of nine, Harriet witnessed her father beat her mother to death, and she holds herself partially responsible. Still haunted by half-memories, guilt, and disturbing dreams, she has constructed a solitary and joyless existence, with little room for men or romance. Facing her thirtieth birthday, she knows she must do something to change her life. Like an omen, she meets Agnes, a rich elderly widow looking for a companion at her summer home in Maine, and the two forge a business deal. Thinking this will be like a vacation and a time to plan a better future, Harriet is shocked to discover challenges and obstacles she hadn't anticipated. Agnes' nephew and sole heir resents Harriet and wants her gone. And then there's Eli, the local artisan who makes her reconsider her decision to avoid men. Can he possibly return her feelings? Soon, the nephew's schemes, along with a heartbreaking betrayal, culminate in an event that changes her life forever. Will she fail Agnes as she failed her own mother years ago? Will she lose the man she loves? Or will she find her own strength and realize happiness at last?

Review:
Harriet was only nine when her father beat her mother to death. Harriet has blocked the memories but still has always felt responsible and unworthy to be happy. As her thirtieth birthday nears, she decides that she must change her life. Fate steps in when she meets a rich elderly widow, Agnes, who hires her as a companion. Agnes asks Harriet to accompany her to her summer home in Maine. Bit by bit Agnes gets Harriet to step out of her comfort zone and begin to truly transform herself.

Harriet meets Eli, an artist in town, who takes an interest in her, but they have misunderstandings to work through. Meanwhile Agnes’ nephew and heir visits on the weekends. He is arrogant and rude. Feeling threatened by the growing friendship between Agnes and Harriet, he accuses Harriet of not taking good care of Agnes as she seems to be having stomach illness. He blames Harriet for other accidents and missing items around the house too.

Intensity increases with Agnes' life threatened and Harriet's relationship with Eli challenged. Will her newly found confidence allow her to face the dangers to life and heart? 

Although I had a lot of trouble relating to Harriet’s insecure character, the author makes a clear portrayal of a young girl who was the victim of abuse as a child and never received counseling to help resolve her feelings of shame, guilt and inferiority. I had to keep this in mind throughout the story. I thought some of the mystery was pretty obvious, but I still liked how it played out. There was one sexual scene that seemed a bit cliched. It was more detailed than I like but not totally graphic.

The writing has some light descriptive prose and is an easy read. I would recommend this to readers who like family drama, women’s growth, a little suspense and a touch of romance.

Source: NetGalley 2017. This qualified for 2018TBR, March Take Control, NetGalley and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: Fledgling by Nicole Conway

I enjoyed this coming of age fantasy adventure with warrior dragons.
Fledgling
The Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 1
By: Nicole Conway
Narrated by: Jesse Einstein

Narrated by: Jesse Einstein
Series: Dragonrider Universe, Book 1, Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 02-01-16
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Dragons, Fantasy Adventure
Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war?
Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless - until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy, a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal.
But Jaevid's case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline. Lieutenant Sile Derrick, a sternly tempered man with a mysterious past, becomes his instructor and immediately takes a peculiar interest in Jaevid's future. While struggling through the rigorous physical demands of training, things begin to go awry. Jaevid witnesses the king's private guards kidnapping Sile in the dead of night. When none of the elder riders is willing to help him, Jaevid begins a dangerous adventure to save his instructor. Everything Jaevid learned at the academy will now be put to the ultimate test.
©2013 Nicole Conway (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Jaevid was raised by his mother in a war-torn ghetto as a refugee where the guards scorned the gray elves but other refugees scorned Jaevid as a half breed. He never met his human father until his mother died when he was 12. His father reluctantly allows him to sleep in the barn where he is mistreated by his hulking father, hated by his step mother and tormented by his younger half-siblings.

His father makes fine saddles for the dragon riders. A few years after living with his father, he is taken along to work with him as he goes to the Blybrig Academy to deliver the load of saddles to the dragon riders there.

Jaevid is a brave young man especially considering he is often bullied for being small and thin. He is fascinated by the dragons and sneaks in to see them. He encounters a wild dragon and is able to convince the dragon that they need each other. His being chosen by the dragon gets him accepted into the academy although the rich students don’t think he belongs and are ready to pummel him. He is lucky to make a friend in a mentoring knight, Lieutenant Sile Derrick, and another young student. Sile works the two boys hard in training suspecting that there is something special about Jaevid.

As Jaevid’s training continues it becomes apparent that someone is plotting against Sile. Jaevid and his dragon, Mavrik, are able to step up to save Sile from sabatoge. Months later Jaevid sees Sile kidnapped. Jaevid is unable to convince the other instructors to help so he sets out, with only his dragon, his young friend and a young girl, to attempt a rescue against the king’s guards.

Through the dangerous adventure Jaevid and Mavrik build a stronger bond and more secret talents are revealed. I really enjoyed the development of the friendships for Jaevid who had always been alone. I also liked the fast paced action and intrigue. There are clearly political upheavals surrounding the dragon rider knights though the details are not fully revealed in this first book of the series. I enjoyed this and will want to continue the series at some point. I recommend this to middle graders and adults who enjoy dragon adventures.

Audio Notes: Jesse Einstein does a really fine job with the narration. He portrays Jaevid at the right age and temperament and is able to give the other characters their unique voices too. The audio made the story more engaging for me.

Source: Audible 2017 Kid's Sale. Qualifies for TBR, March Take Control, Audo and Alphabet Challenges.

MBS 2018 Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge Wrap-Up

Caffeinated Reviewer is hosting the Sixth annual Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge!

The rules are simple: for the entire month of March, you focus on reading/listening to books in your TBR pile released before March 1, 2018. They can be eBooks, physical books or audiobooks.

I have already been trying to focus on TBRs.
I hope to read at least 12 books in March. Since I know I have at least 3 titles that will release in March, my goal will be to read 8 TBRs in March. 

I am very happy that I doubled my goal with 16! Three have not yet been reviewed so I didn't get to include them in the rafflecopter but I think they still count for me. I read one other that qualified as a TBR since I had it from 2017 but it didn't qualify for Take Control as it released in March.

1. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Golden Son, Red Rising Trilogy, Book II, by Pierce Brown; Dystopian, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 5.0.
2. NGTBR-#NetGalley Review: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip; Fantasy, Magical, Romance; my rating 4.75.
3. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Dead Ever After, A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 13, by Charlaine Harris; Fantasy, Paranormal; my rating 4.0.
4. ATBR- Audio Book Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock; Christian, Mystery, Suspense; my rating 4.25.
5. PLBCTBR- Book Review and Giveaway: When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall; Amish, Romance; my rating 4.5.
6. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Hell Divers, The Hell DIvers Series, Book 1, by Nicholas Sansbury Smith; Dark Fantasy Sci Fi, Technothriller; my rating 4.0.
7. NGTBR- #NetGalley Book Review: Consent of the Governed by Bernard LoPinto; Dystopian, Political; my rating 4.0.
8. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell; Mercantile, Sci Fi, Space Opera; my rating 4.5.
9. NGTBR- #NetGalley Book Review: In Wolves' Clothing by Greg Levin; Crime Fiction, Thriller; my rating 4.5.
10. NGTBR- Audible Book Review: Lords of Space by Michael Wallace; Action, Sci Fi, Space Marine; my rating 4.0.
11. ATBR- Audible Review: Xenos: Warhammer 40,000, Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett; Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 4.25.
12. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Warship by Joshua Dalzelle; Sci Fi, Space Opera; my rating 5.0.
13. Fledgling, The Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 1, by Nicole Conway
14. The Edge of Memory by Maura Beth Brennan
15. Across the Nightingale Floor, Tales of the Otori, Book One, by Lian Hearn
16. ATBR- Goodreads Audio Book Review: She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith; Classic, Poetry & Drama; my rating 5.0.

Audible Review: Warship by Joshua Dalzelle

This started slowly but really picked up!

Warship
Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 1
By: Joshua Dalzelle
Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 06-30-15
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0
Audio Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
From Joshua Dalzelle, author of the best-selling Omega Force series, comes an all new vision of humanity's future.
In the 25th century, humans have conquered space. The advent of faster-than-light travel has opened up hundreds of habitable planets for colonization, and humans have exploited the virtually limitless space and resources for hundreds of years with impunity. So complacent have they become with the overabundance that armed conflict is a thing of the past, and their machines of war are obsolete and decrepit. What would happen if they were suddenly threatened by a terrifying new enemy? Would humanity fold and surrender, or would they return to their evolutionary roots and meet force with force?
One ship - and one captain - will soon be faced with this very choice.
©2015 Joshua Dalzelle (P)2015 Podium Publishing

Review:
Humans have conquered space but still have seen no aliens in the 25th century. Resources are abundant and space travel has provided sufficient living spaces so there has been peace and no wars for centuries. The last fleet of warships are years old, without the speed and technology of the more recent ships. Of course, the recent ships don’t have the weapons that the older ones do. But no one thinks they need sophisticated weapons… or even to maintain the old ones.

Captain Jackson Wolfe is an Earther so he is looked down upon by many; especially by his superior Admiral. She is looking for any reason to get rid of him. She assigns a new Executive Officer to the ship which is already full of sailors who are considered less than top notch. Based on the Admiral’s recommendation, the consortium which governs has chosen to retire the black fleet of unused warships. The Admiral sends Wolfe and his ship on a fairly routine mission. The only quirk is a detour to deliver an arrogant Senator’s aide to a secretive meeting. The man turns out to be more than expected as does the mission.

Wolfe flies into a settled colony system and is confused by what he discovers. Although some think he should turn and run, he chooses to investigate. The findings are even more alarming and set Wolfe and ship on a new, unapproved course. Wolfe sends his reports back to the Admiral but gets a rejected reply. Meanwhile Wolfe is pursuing a dangerous enemy. He has to call upon his ragtag crew, not of all whom are supportive, to make the ancient weapons work and to help strategize to face a killing foe.

The story started slowly but once the mystery of the passenger and then the mystery of the enemy begins, it gets really engaging. I really enjoyed the crew interaction, including the mysterious passenger who has a connection throughout the journey. I liked how the crew was able to find means of fixing and using the old weapons to attack a much stronger enemy. They may be the underdogs but they aren’t going out without a fight.

There is some bad language but not excessive. I will definitely continue listening to this exciting series. I recommend this to space marine, sci fi fans.

Audio Notes: Mark Boyett does a fantastic job with the narration. He nails different voices and conveys the emotions of disdain, confusion, determination and more. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of this story.

Source: Audible 2016 Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Review: Xenos: Warhammer 40,000, Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett

I liked this action packed sci fi/ dark fantasy.
Xenos: Warhammer 40,000
Eisenhorn, Book 1
By: Dan Abnett
Narrated by: Toby Longworth

Series: Eisenhorn, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 09-27-17
Language: English
Publisher: Black Library
Genre: Fantasy, Sci Fi,
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
Narration Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
The Inquisition moves amongst mankind like an avenging shadow, striking down the enemies of humanity with uncompromising ruthlessness. When he finally corners an old foe, Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn is drawn into a sinister conspiracy. As events unfold and he gathers allies - and enemies - Eisenhorn faces a vast interstellar cabal and the dark power of daemons, all racing to recover an arcane text of abominable power: an ancient tome known as the Necroteuch.
©2001 Games Workshop Ltd. (P)2016 Games Workshop Limited

Review:
Eisenhorn is an imperial Inquisitor. He has great power, cunning and is near, but not quite, immortal. He has psychic skills in addition to weaponry skills and physical prowess. Still, he faces enemies of equal abilities, sometimes even greater, being enhanced by evil magic.

Eisenhorn chases an old foe who has caused great damage. His pursuit reveals a strange artifact that is clearly very dangerous. Eisenhorn travels to unravel the source of the artifact and its intended purpose. He learns that a powerful and corrupt family is seeking to recover a forbidden text of the Necron. The Necron are a species of Xenos, aliens, who had extremely advanced technology which was/is capable of horrible chaotic power. That is why the text has been forbidden by Imperium powers.

Eisenhorn has a few very loyal friends one of whom is Betancore who seems to be an especially brawny warrior and bodyguard. There is also an aged scholar and during this investigation Eisenhorn adds a young woman who has a unique skill that is very helpful.Eisenhorn gets help along the way from a tradership captain.

The investigation takes this team from danger to danger and finally to a world of chaos and warped time and space. The action starts from the first and never stops till the end. I liked the style of storytelling which is presented as a first-hand accounting from Eisenhorn’s experience chasing the villains through space.

I had no idea what Warhammer 40,000 meant until I looked it up after finishing the audiobook. I thought it might help to know what that was before I started this review and really it might help to look that up before reading/listening. Apparently, there is a war game and huge world building platform based on this game. There is enough background given so I was able to enjoy the book without knowing the full extent of the world, planets and races involved.

I liked Eisenhorn as a strong character and found the world of humans fighting demons and aliens fascinating. There is a dark undertone due to the evil and twisted religious themes. The mystery was well crafted, and the author does a great job in the chase against the villains to reach the artifact.

It is not necessary to understand the Warhammer world to enjoy this audiobook. I recommend this to readers who enjoy dark, action packed fantasy.

Audio Notes: Toby Longworth does a superb job with the narration. His voice captures perfectly the sci fi setting and strength of Eisenhorn and his companions. This is a wonderfully entertaining listen.

Source: Audible 2017 Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, Audiobook and Alphabet challenges.

Audible Book Review: Lords of Space by Michael Wallace

This story has strong action but some weaker elements.

Lords of Space
Starship Blackbeard, Book 2
By: Michael Wallace
Narrated by: Steve Barnes

Series: Starship Blackbeard, Book 2
Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 04-15-15
Language: English
Publisher: Balsalom Publishing
Genre: Action, Sci Fi, Space Marine
Story Rating: 3.75 of 5.0
Narration/Audio Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Captain James Drake is desperate to clear his name. Pursued relentlessly by the Royal Navy, he takes his loyal crew to attack Admiral Malthorne's estate and seize the evidence that will prove his innocence.
But their search uncovers something else the ruthless admiral has secreted away - the key to stopping a brutal and decades-old war with the Hroom, an ancient alien race. What they find sends Drake on a dangerous mission deep into Hroom territory. Joined by his valiant crew and the daughter of a former rival captain, Drake risks his life and his freedom to stop the war and save what's left of his world.
Book two in the Starship Blackbeard series by Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author Michael Wallace.
The series continues: book three - Dreadnought; book four - Rebellion of Stars.
©2015 Michael Wallace (P)2015 Michael Wallace

Review:
Captain Drake is on the run with his crew and a pirated spaceship dubbed the Blackbeard. Drake insists on striking back at Admiral Malthorne who has manipulated the predicament that set Drake and his crew on the run. He leads his loyal crew to raid the Admiral’s estate looking for evidence that will prove him innocent of the accusations made. Instead he finds another secret that could change the face of the decades old war with the Hroom. Of course they will have to escape and get somewhere safely with their find which may not be too easy with all the Royal Navy fleet pursuing them.

Drake teams up with an unlikely ally in the daughter of a former rival ship captain. They are two strong personalities and she envisions then as “lords of space”. He is more interested in clearing his name, but he is practical enough to accept help to fend off the enemy. The two dance around trust until they form a shaky alliance – in more than piracy. Captain Drake and his XO, Commander Tolvern, have an interesting and sometimes tense relationship. Their camaraderie is stressed by the female ally.

As the journey deep into enemy territory continues Drake comes face to face with his old friend, Captain Rutherford, who has been following orders to chase Drake down. Their encounter sets the stage for more intrigue in book 3.

I enjoyed the action in this story but the plot didn't move along as much as I would have liked. The entertainment was marred for me by a bit of crudeness and gratuitous sex (including a beginning in rather poor taste). The awkward love triangle with the Captain was another area that I wasn’t taken with. These have left me somewhat ambivalent about proceeding with the rest of the series. I might, but probably not anytime soon.

Audio Notes: Steve Barnes does a good job with narration. He portrays the strength of Captain Drake, the emotional upheavals of the women, and he provides good accents for various characters making them easily distinguishable. I also liked the intensity and energy he brings to the audio. I enjoyed listening to this book.

Source: Audible 2017 Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Book 1 Review: Starship Blackbeard by Michael Wallace; My Rating 4.75

#NetGalley Book Review: In Wolves' Clothing by Greg Levin

This is gripping and well written.
In Wolves' Clothing
by Greg Levin

File Size: 1556 KB
Print Length: 273 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0990402940
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: White Rock Press; 1 edition (October 11, 2017)
ASIN: B075WSMPBT
Genre: Crime Fiction, Thriller
My Rating: 4.5 0f 5.0

On his best days, Zero Slade is the worst man you can imagine. He has to be. It's the only way to save the Lost Girls.
During his seven years on a team fighting sex trafficking, Zero's become quite good at schmoozing with pimps, getting handcuffed by cops and pretending not to care about the young girls he liberates. But the dangerous sting operations are starting to take a toll on his marriage and sanity. His affinity for prescription painkillers isn't exactly helping matters.
When the youngest girl the team has ever rescued gets abducted from a safe house in Cambodia, Zero decides to risk everything to find her. His only shot is to go rogue, and sink deeper into the bowels of the trafficking world than he's ever sunk.
It's the biggest mission of his life. Trouble is, it's almost certain death.

Review:
Zero’s is an ex military man who has an intense, tough job. He and his team mates pretend to be wealthy men seeking to party with young girls. They are really there with authorities in the wings to capture the pimps and free the young girls who are an unwilling part of the child sex trade industry. The job takes Zero’s team to all parts of the world, from cities in Asia to Central and South America. There is lots of planning and most times things go smoothly; but not always. There is always danger, risk and emotional trauma to be contained.

Zero is already self-medicating from injuries, pain and guilt from his military loses. Between coping (or not) with those memories and trying to minimize the emotions caused during his missions, he is struggling to keep proper communication with his wife, Nina, whom he adores. Problem is, he is gone a lot and even when he is home he is not always connected. Nina loves Zero but knows he needs help and she may have to take drastic steps for him to cooperate.

The team rescues a group of particularly young girls and the youngest clings to Zero. The youngster has touched a place in Zero’s heart and he returns to visit her. Then he gets news that she has been kidnapped from the facility. Zero can’t, or won’t, wait to ask for a team to go in. He chooses to go himself, even with recent injuries, and even though it will risk everything – his career and his marriage. Still, he feels he must rescue Sung before it is too late.

I really liked the writing style which is direct and presents the story in first person through Zero’s voice. His internal thinking is very real and sometimes gritty. There is also a subtle, self-deprecating humor. He is a man with integrity but also plagued with problems and flaws. Mr. Levin presents strong background information on the issues of painkiller addiction and sex trafficking. These are not easy subjects, but they are handled in a manner that makes a point of the devastating trauma and problem.

There is some material that is tough to read as well as some strong foul words. These are (sadly) a natural part of the story that is presented. I do recommend this to readers who like crime fiction suspense and those who may find combating sex trafficking interesting.

Source: NetGalley 2017. This qualifies for my 2018TBR, Take Control, NetGalley and Alphabet Challenges.

#NetGalley Book Review: Consent of the Governed by Bernard LoPinto

This is a dystopian with political subcomments.

Consent of the Governed
by Bernard LoPinto

File Size: 2429 KB
Print Length: 107 pages
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (September 1, 2017)
ASIN: B073XZ8QRF
Genre: Dystopian, Political
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

It’s 2029, and the United States has fallen under the sway of an oppressive government where all citizens’ rights have
been stripped, Red Shirt platoons patrol the streets, and people die for voicing opinions. Into this chaos step Sid and Annie Winthrop. The elderly couple sets out on a deadly journey of revenge against the Red Shirts who murdered their son.
Red Shirt members Victor and Brooklyn have devoted their young lives to the cause of the president in protecting the nation. When attacks on their home town leave dozens of Red Shirts dead, Victor must help his superiors find the vigilante.
At their darkest moment, each couple finds a common bond in their suffering and must decide where their loyalties lie.

Review:
Sid and Annie Winthrop are children of the late 60s and 70s. Annie left her strict and strife-ridden home when they objected to her teen-aged rebellion. She moved in with Sid and they became a couple who stayed together for over 50 years. They remember the days when people got to speak in public freely and could vote for their representatives.

Times have changed. A dictatorial president has declared martial law and suspended the constitution, taking away many freedoms that Americans have taken for granted. The president set up an enforcement group of young thugs called the Red Shirts. They are not allowed to carry guns but they carry batons and swing them with vigor if anyone tries to speak out negatively against the current government.

The Red Shirts bludgeoned Sid and Annie’s son to death and the couple are ready to fight back. Although the youth do not know the history of freedom, there is a good group of older folks who remember and know the truth.

The author tells the tale between two love stories: Sid and Annie and a young couple who are members of the local Red Shirt troop. I enjoyed this engaging political dystopian and cautionary commentary. There are clear implications toward specific leaders, but I didn’t let that bother me. The writing is direct and the message reminds us not to take freedoms lightly. I recommend this to readers who enjoy political dystopians.

Source: NetGalley 2017. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, NetGalley and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell

I really liked this surprisingly engaging tale which is business trading rather than space action.
Quarter Share
A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 1
By: Nathan Lowell
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Series: A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 05-10-16
Language: English
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Mercantile, Sci Fi, Space Opera
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
What if we sent freighters instead of frigates?
In a universe run by corporations, where profit matters more than life, how can an orphan with no skills, no money, and no prospects survive?
When Ishmael Wang's mother dies in a senseless accident, he's given a choice: leave the planet on his own, or the company will remove him. To avoid deportation Ishmael finds work as a mess deck attendant on an interstellar freighter.
Find out what Ishmael must do to earn his Quarter Share.
©2013 Nathan Lowell (P)2016 Podium Publishing

Review:
Ishmael’s mother dies when he is 17, leaving him on his own with no place to go. Ishmael takes the initiative to get a job as a mess deck attendant on an interstellar freighter, the SC Lois McKendrick. One of his first acts in his new position makes an impression and secures his job. Ishmael knows nothing about space freighters or protocol, but he gets a little help, learns quickly and works hard.

Ishmael’s mess companion and ‘trainer’ is a young man named Pip, a small fellow who left another freighter where he was mocked and bullied. Pip is from a trading family and uses his family skills to enhance his meager wages by trading goods. This task is a balancing act as each spacer only has so much weight allotment on ship and must fit trade goods within that limit as well as within their monetary budget.

Pip and Ishmael begin to combine their efforts to make a few trades. This process expands until it has a surprising impact on the other crewmates and even the ship officers of the SC Lois McKendrick.

There is fascinating detail of day to day life and interaction on a mercantile space ship. Ishmael is a wonderful character with clever ideas and a good work ethic and an attitude that encourages cooperation. I am not a huge fan of coming of age tales, but I found this fully entertaining. It doesn’t have the usual action of military battle that I am accustomed to so I was even more surprised at how engrossed I became. I enjoyed the tensions, surprises and successes of the crew. I plan to pick up the next book fairly soon to follow the bartering talents of Ishmael, Pip and his crew mates.

Audio Notes: Jeffrey Kafer does a fine job with the narration. His voice fit the young, direct personality of Ishmael. He also presents appropriate accents for Pip, Cookie, the Captain and the other crew members. The narration added to my enjoyment of this story.

Source: Audible 2016 Credit Purchase. This qualifies for my 2018TBR, Take Challenge, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Audible Book Review: If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock

This middle book continues the tension in this engaging series.

If I'm Found
By: Terri Blackstock
Narrated by: Kate Rudd

Series: If I Run, Book 2
Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 03-21-17
Language: English
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Christian, Mystery, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Is Dylan hunting Casey to prosecute her or protect her?
Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn't commit. Dylan Roberts - her most relentless pursuer - is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist that he knows the truth and wants to help her. He's let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn't come easily.
As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who's also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormenters. But doing so is risky and just may result in her capture - and if she's captured, she has no doubt she'll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail.
In this riveting sequel to the USA Today best seller If I Run, evil lurks, drawing Casey out of the shadows...but there is light shining in the darkness. Is Dylan a provision from the God who loves her or another heartache yet to happen?
©2017 Terri Blackstock (P)2017 Zondervan

Review:
Casey risked herself in her first undercover city by insisting that a missing girl is being held in a basement around the corner. She has to escape and find another location. There she finds work but again becomes involved in a local problem even though it risks her cover.

Other witnesses interviewed by Casey’s murdered friend Brent are turning up dead. Dylan is becoming more convinced that Casey has been framed and he is desperate to reach her before Detective Keegan. Keegan is intent on capturing Casey but Dylan is concerned that the police officer won't return her safely.

This book continues the suspense in the plot. There was a little more development for Casey and Dylan, as well as the villain Keegan who even had a couple of chapters from his view. There is some repetition and some filler that might have been eliminated but then it might impact the trilogy. My hubby and I enjoyed listening to this second book and were excited to read book three.

Audio Notes: Kate Rudd’s narration is an improvement over the narration in the first book. Ms Rudd provides some distinct voices and good pacing. The narration helped me to enjoy this second book.

Source: 2018 Audible Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control and Audiobook Challenges.

Book 1: Audio Book Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock, 4.25

Audible Book Review: Hell Divers, The Hell DIvers Series, Book 1, by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

This is a dark, action-packed sci fi thriller.
Hell Divers
The Hell Divers Series, Book 1
By: Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Narrated by: R. C. Bray

Series: The Hell Divers Series, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 07-19-16
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Dark Fantasy Sci Fi, Technothriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
An Audible Editor's Pick of 2016 and An Audible Best of 2016 Science Fiction.
More than two centuries after World War III poisoned the planet, the final bastion of humanity lives on massive airships circling the globe in search of a habitable area to call home. Aging and outdated, most of the ships plummeted back to Earth long ago. The only thing keeping the two surviving lifeboats in the sky are Hell Divers - men and women who risk their lives by diving to the surface to scavenge for parts the ships desperately need.
When one of the remaining airships is damaged in an electrical storm, a Hell Diver team is deployed to a hostile zone called Hades. But there's something down there that's far worse than the mutated creatures discovered on dives in the past - something that threatens the fragile future of humanity.
Narrator Interview: vimeo.com/188195570/ad4a958906
©2016 Nicholas Sansbury Smith (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Mankind managed to poison their world through nuclear war and waste. There are only two airships remaining with the last human survivors. The captains of the ships continue to look for a safe place to land and recolonize their own world. First, they have to survive in space to find that safe place.

A fierce electrical storm has endangered one of the ships by damaging it and leaving it stranded above one of the most dangerous places on earth, a city known as Hades. Xavier Rodriguez, 'X’, is a Hell Diver on the second ship. Hell Divers are the men and women who accept the challenge of diving to the earth’s surface to scavenge for supplies needed to keep the ships operating. ‘They dive so humanity survives”. But no sky diver has ever returned from Hades. Yet the divers must try as the necessary fuel and repair parts are located in this hostile area.

Hell divers have shortened life expectancy as many perish after less than 20 dives. X is the longest surviving diver with over 90 dives! He leads a team to the edges of Hades hoping to find supplies on the outskirts. Instead of supplies they find a horrendous monster of great strength and agility, with the ability to climb walls and even fly. These mutant monsters, dubbed ‘sirens’, are vicious killers who eat the prey they catch.

X has been an almost careless diver since he lost his wife a few years back. But a new death leaves him in charge of his best friend’s young son, a child prodigy. X faces the most dangerous dive of his life as he and the other team members agree to dive into Hades to seek the needed supplies.

X was initially presented as a cold, uncaring character but the author did develop his traumas and his depths. I think my favorite character is the boy, Tin. I also liked the captain who fights personal health issues as she desperately tries to save her ship and humanity There is plenty of action in this story, but I wasn’t fully enthralled. It may be because it borders on a horror story but that shouldn’t bother me too much. I felt the beginning was a bit disjointed and maybe I never got back on track. Still, I enjoyed the intense entertainment and I will probably continue with the next book at some point.

Audio Notes: R. C. Bray does a fine job with the narration. He provides depth to the tense scenes and gives the characters unique voices. The narration follows the story with precise timing and pacing. The narration enhanced this reading experience for me.

Source: Audible Daily Deal 2017. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Take Control, Audiobook and Alphabet Challenges.

Audio Book Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock

This is an engaging suspense; strong beginning to the series.
If I Run
by Terri Blackstock
Narrator: Nan Gurley

Series If I Run Series
Runtime: 6.7 Hrs. - Unabridged
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Genre: Christian, Mystery, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Casey knows the truth.
But it won’t set her free.
Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.
But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?
Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

Review:
Casey Cox found her officer father dead when she was 12 years old. The police ruled it a suicide, but Casey knew the evidence supported murder. Someone was covering up the facts.

Thirteen years later Casey’s good friend, Brent, a journalist, was digging into her father’s death. He called her to say he had news, When Casey arrives at his apartment she walks in to find his bloody body. Casey stumbles in the blood and leaves her footprints and handprints at the scene. She knows she will be the number one suspect, so she goes on the run.

Dylan Roberts, Brent’s childhood friend, is a stressed veteran suffering from PTSD. He was an investigator in the service and is hired by Brent’s parents to hunt down the murderer and bring her back. As Dylan views the crime scene he quickly sees evidence that indicates that Casey may not be the murderer. He heads out to follow the clues of Casey’s flight run.

Casey is good at disguising herself and staying off the grid. Still she leaves a few clues. Casey has a caring heart and can’t stop herself from becoming involved in the sorrows of others. She chooses to investigate the kidnapping of a missing teen even though it puts her undercover situation at risk.

I enjoyed the suspense and Casey’s cleverness in staying hidden. Both Casey and Dylan are flawed and well-developed characters. The story has steady pacing with strong details and interesting plot lines. I liked how the chapters cover different events alternating between Casey and Dylan. Although there is no real romance in this first book, you can see the anticipated direction. This is a series and the reader should expect to get books two and three.

I have read Ms. Blackstock before and appreciate her writing style. I recommend this to readers who enjoy clean suspense. Even my husband, who is not much of a book reader enjoyed the story though and was ready for book two as we finished book one.

Audio Notes: The narration by Nan Gurley is disappointing. There is no effort to distinguish the female and male voices which sometimes caused confusion, especially for my husband who doesn’t have the same practice at following along as I do. The narration did help me share this with my husband as we listened together. Listen to the sample to decide if you want to listen or read this one.

Source: ChristianAudio Sale 2017. This qualifies for my 2018TBR, Take Control TBR and Audio and Alphabet Challenges.

MBS 2018 Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge

Caffeinated Reviewer is hosting the Sixth annual Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge!

The rules are simple: for the entire month of March, you focus on reading/listening to books in your TBR pile released before March 1, 2018. They can be eBooks, physical books or audiobooks.

I have already been trying to focus on TBRs.
I hope to read at least 12 books in March. Since I know I have at least 3 titles that will release in March, my goal will be to read 8 TBRs in March.

Here are additional rules:
Begins midnight March 1st, 2018 and ends March 31, 2018, at 11:59 pm.
Read/listen to books from your TBR pile.
ALL books/audios must have been published before March 1, 2018.
Post a review to Goodreads, or your blog then add the URL link it to the Rafflecopter for an entry. ( These can be a mini review. Just one or two sentences)

Page count must be over 100 pages to qualify.