Audible Book Review: To Serve and Protect by Glynn Stewart

I enjoyed this action story with supernatural villains and heroes.
To Serve and Protect
Onset, Book 1
By: Glynn Stewart
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
Release date: 10-24-17
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Action, Paranormal, Superhero, Supernatural, Urban
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
A small town cop with an unexpected gift. A shadowy government agency on the side of justice. A call no good man could turn away.
When vampires attack David White's small town, only luck, firepower, and the intervention of an elite government task force saves his life. The aftermath of the attack leaves him in the middle of the world's biggest secret: the existence of government agencies that regulate the supernatural.
They insist that David's "luck" is actually a supernatural gift, and he's immediately recruited into ONSET, the most shadowy part of America's thin blue line of police protectors.
Questioning both his gifts and the agency he now serves, David is drawn into an escalating battle that threatens all of humanity. If he isn't what ONSET thinks he is, the entire world may pay the price.
©2016 Glynn Stewart (P)2017 Podium Publishing

Review:
David White is a small town cop, dedicated to the mantra of “serve and protect”. One day he chases after a group of young ‘punks’ who have murdered a store clerk in a bloody fashion, and on their escape path they also brutally murdered his own partner, a young, new officer.

A secret government police force known as Onset sees his valiant efforts to fight the pack of vampires. They barely save his life and take him to their secret facility to heal his injuries. When he wakes up they offer him the chance to work with the elite supernatural team. They recognize he has skills that he isn’t even aware of, just as he wasn’t aware of the existence of vampires, werewolves, and other creatures from the realm of fantasy and myths.

Initially David isn’t sure but a discussion with an old friend convinces him that he can “serve and protect” in a broader sense with this covert organization. Can David really help this team that includes a werewolf leader, a good demon, a mage and more? His initial training doesn’t reveal the extent of his powers but when he gets in the thick of battle a hidden ability appears. The dangers progress to a deadly battle with a large terrorist organization and the evils they summon. Not all of the good guys will make it out alive.

I liked the moments of introspection included in a consistent pace of action. I enjoyed the development of the primary character and the uniqueness of the supporting teammates. I will be getting more in the series. I recommend this to fans of action and supernatural characters.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter is a wonderful narrator. As with most of the works he narrates, his performance with distinct voices and fitting energy, added to my enjoyment of the audio.

Source: 7/31/2022 July Audible Credits. This qualifies for 2023TBR 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: Soul Taken, A Mercy Thompson Novel, Book 13, by Patricia Briggs

I enjoyed the latest in this series which is one of my favorites.

Soul Taken
A Mercy Thompson Novel, Book 13
By: Patricia Briggs
Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 08-23-22
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural, Urban
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking me, some may see it as no great loss. But, warned that his disappearance might bring down the carefully constructed alliances that keep our pack safe, my mate and I must find Wulfe—and hope he’s still alive. As alive as a vampire can be, anyway.
But Wulfe isn’t the only one who has disappeared. And now there are bodies, too. Has the Harvester returned to the Tri-Cities, reaping souls with his cursed sickle? Or is he just a character from a B horror movie and our enemy is someone else?
The farther I follow Wulfe’s trail, the more twisted—and darker—the path becomes. I need to figure out what’s going on before the next body on the ground is mine.
©2022 Patricia Briggs (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Review:
Mercy is a coyote shapeshifter married to the Alpha of the local wolfpack, Adam. Not too long ago, Mercy declared that the Tri-Cities area was under the protection of the pack. This resulted in allowing some supernatural creatures to come into the area, but also resulted in isolating the local pack from the lead wolfpack in the United States who chose not to get drawn into potential issues between the pack, other supernaturals, humans, and the fae community.

Wulfe is a traumatized vampire who has a bit of an obsession with Mercy. When Wulfe goes missing, the head vampire mistress places the burden to find him on Mercy and Adam at the threat of terminating the vampire and pack alliance. While beginning the hunt for Wulfe, Mercy discovers that other people are missing, and bodies are being found. The bodies display a distinct pattern of brutal cutting which links them to a mythical murderer, the Harvester. This comes just as a new horror movie is bringing the mythical killer to the big screen.

The search gets darker and more dangerous as Mercy discovers that her vampire friend, Stephan is missing too. And her fae friend, Zee, is insistent on getting his hands on the Harvester’s cursed weapon that makes anyone who is touched by the blade seems to go crazy. Would it be safe to give the weapon to Zee? Will he destroy it, or will its darkness twist him?

I totally enjoy this series. The relationships between Mercy and the other characters are a big part of the story. I am ever impressed by Ms. Brigg’s ability to continue to create interesting plots and dangers for Mercy and her pack to work through. I recommend the whole series – preferably read from the beginning.

Audio Notes: Lorelei King does her usually superb job narrating these characters. It is wonderful to hear her distinct character voices. I love to listen to this series on audio.

Source: 8/28/2022 Audible August Credit. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Murder by Magic by Glynn Stewart

I totally enjoyed this combination of magic and mystery.

Murder by Magic
By: Glynn Stewart
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Onset, Book 0.5
Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
Release date: 02-25-20
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Urban
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.75; Narration 4.75.

Publisher's Summary
Before he was an Elfin Lord - before he even joined that secret group of Mages - Jamie Riley was a Mage recruited by the FBI and the Office of Supernatural Policing and Investigation. A new-minted Inspector sent into one of the most complicated supernatural regions in the country: Los Angeles.
The rest of OSPI’s LA team has grown comfortable with allowing politics and pragmatism to decide which cases they pursue, which criminals they charge - but when Jamie’s investigation suggests that a pillar of the supernatural community has killed in cold blood, he will let nothing get in the way of getting the murderer.
Not even his career.
©2019 Glynn Stewart (P)2020 Podium Publishing

Review:
Jamie Riley is a young mage and a new FBI agent assigned to the special Office of Supernatural Policing and Investigation (OSPI). His new partner seems like a good guy, but he is attention is focused on a serious case related to drugs made with deadly magic. Jamie’s brusque supervisor assigns him two small cases. One case is a “murder by magic” where the obvious suspect is a wife learning new magic skills.

Jamie’s boss expects him to make a quick arrest. However, when he interviews the wife, he is sure that some stronger magic was involved. First he needs help to release the information from the magic chains on her mind. Then he will have to face political backlash as well as a powerful mage to take the real murderer into custody.

Jamie is a very likeable character – a man of self-motivation, integrity, and determination. The other characters are not deeply developed but I like the variety in their backgrounds and attitudes. I enjoyed the magic elements in the world building and enjoyed the mystery. The blurb implies this is an early story of Jamie who later becomes a famous Mage. However, the next books in the series feature a different lead character. I do have the first book in a different series by this author on my Kindle TBR shelf. I will read or listen to more by the author. I recommend this short novella as a good standalone for a quick listen.

Audio Note: Ray Porter is a skilled narrator. He brings to the work clear voices and fitting energy and emotion. Porter’s narration easily enhances the story for me.

Source: February 2022 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: The Monster Hunter Files Anthology by Larry Correia, Jim Butcher, Faith Hunter and more

I enjoyed this collection of stories full of monsters and snark.
The Monster Hunter Files
By: Larry Correia, Jim Butcher, Faith Hunter, Jonathan Maberry and others
Narrated by: Oliver Wyman, Khristine Hvam, Bailey Carr
Series: Monster Hunter
Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 10-03-17
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Anthologies & Short Stories, Contemporary, Paranormal, Urban
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
For well over a century, Monster Hunter International has kept the world safe from supernatural threats small and large - and, in some cases, very, very large. Now, join us as MHI opens their archives for the first time. From experienced hunters on their toughest cases to total newbies' initial encounters with the supernatural, The Monster Hunter Files reveals the secret history of the world's most elite monster fighting force.
Discover what happened when Agent Franks took on the Nazis in World War II. Uncover how the Vatican's Combat Exorcists deal with Old Ones in Mexico. And find out exactly what takes place in a turf war between trailer park elves and gnomes. From the most powerful of mystical beings to MHI's humble janitor, see the world of professional monster hunting like never before.
Featuring 17 all new tales based on Larry Correia's best-selling series, from New York Times best-selling authors Jim Butcher, John Ringo, Jessica Day George, Jonathan Maberry, Faith Hunter, and many more.
Also includes stories by Larry Correia, John C. Wright, Jody Lynn Nye, Mike Kupari, and Brad R. Torgersen.
©2017 Larry Correia. All stories 2017 by Larry Correia, except "She Bitch, Killer of Kits" 2017 by Larry Correia and Faith Hunter. (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Review:
I enjoy the Monster Hunter International (MHI) characters, and this is a fun collection that focuses on side stories for several of the well-known characters. There are stories of Julie Stackleford’s childhood, her husband’s, Owen’s, current day, and Franks facing a major threat in WWII. There are also some new monsters and hunters I would like to read more about in the future.

Another fun thing about this collection is that there are so many authors who brought their talents to share in the MHI universe. I honestly can’t say that I recognized distinct author voices because they blended so well with the world of MHI.

There are 17 stories making for quick listens. My top picked stories include:
• Thistle by Larry Correia (I hope to see this character in future stories.)
• Small Problems by Jim Butcher (Even janitors can be successful hunters.)
• Sons of the Father by Quincy Allen (These sons may not have met their hunter father before his death but they sure got his skills.)
• A Knight of the Enchanted Forest by Jessica Day George (Light, fun turf war between elves and gnomes.)
• Huffman Strikes Back -by Bryan Thomas Schmidt & Julie Frost (Revenge sought against one of the top MHI hunters.)
• The Gift by Steve Diamond (A Secret Order of Vatican's Combat Exorcists

I recommend this book for MHI fans that need a hunter fix (like me). And readers who enjoy monsters and heroes would like this too.

Audio Notes: Oliver Wyman, Bailey Carr, Khristine Hvam did a great job sharing the fun. Wyman is the usual narrator for the MHI series and I love returning to his voice for so many of the characters. The other narrators added to vary the tone and provide more female voices which enhanced my listening engagement.

Source: Audible Daily Deal 4/24/2018 $4.95. This qualifies for 2021TBR and 2021Audiobook goals.