Sunday Post June 18, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 19, 2017.

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.
Thank you to Sheila for the years that she handled this meme.
Thank you to Kathryn for taking up the baton.

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I had a busy week of catch up at the office particularly and we got to have our granddaughters several evenings. I suffered backache and migraine nausea on Friday and Saturday. It carried over to today so I think it might have been a bug of some sort. Extra naps helped.

I enjoyed my reading this week. I finished one ebook and two audio books. I only posted two reviews and a narrator interview with giveaway, along with all of my usual memes.

I visited about 29 blogs last week.
Shout out this week is to Herding Cats & Burning Soup Blog - Love the cat graphics.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post June 11, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 12, 2017.

• MBS 2017 Audiobook Challenge Semi-annual Update and Check-in.

• AAuthor Tour- Audible Book Review and Feature: Hounds Bite by E.J. Stevens; Urban Fantasy, Paranormal; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway June 16, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 6/22/2017.

• ABB- Audio Book Review: Quest of the Dreamwalker: The Corthan Legacy, Book 1 by Stacy Bennett; Epic Fantasy; my rating 5.0.

• Interview with Narrator Zachary Johnson and Giveaway for Quest of the Dreamwalker.

• Sharing Beyond Books #307 Comment Giveaway June 17, 2017. Open Worldwide, Ending 6/24/2017.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement June 18, 2017.

Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (NG Tour)

Infinity (Horizon)
by Tabitha Lord
This is another sci fi action and emotional read.
I received this through NetGalley for tour review through iRead Book Tours. My review will post 6/20.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/mp3 (TBR)

The Ghost Brigades
Written by: John Scalzi
Narrated by: William Dufris
Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
I enjoyed the plot and the narration on this sci fi.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

You Will Not Have My Hate
Written by: Antoine Leiris
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
This is very well written and narrated. 
Poignant in it's message.
This is from my TBR for "Y" in Alphabet Challenge.
Publisher's Summary
Number one international best seller
"On Friday night you stole the life of an exceptional person, the love of my life, the mother of my son, but you will not have my hate."
On November 13, 2015, Antoine Leiris' wife, Hélène Muyal-Leiris, was killed by terrorists while attending a rock concert at the Bataclan Theater in Paris, in the deadliest attack on France since World War II. Three days later Leiris wrote an open letter addressed directly to his wife's killers, which he posted on Facebook. He refused to be cowed or to let his 17-month-old son's life be defined by Hélène's murder. He refused to let the killers have their way: "For as long as he lives, this little boy will insult you with his happiness and freedom." Instantly that short Facebook post caught fire and was reported on by newspapers and television stations all over the world. In his determination to honor the memory of his wife, he became an international hero to everyone searching desperately for a way to deal with the horror of the Paris attacks and the grim shadow cast today by the threat of terrorism.
Now Leiris tells the full story of his grief and struggle. You Will Not Have My Hate is a remarkable, heartbreaking, and indeed beautiful memoir of how he and his baby son, Melvil, endured in the days and weeks after Hélène's murder. With absolute emotional courage and openness, he somehow finds a way to answer that impossible question: How can I go on? He visits Hélène's body at the morgue, has to tell Melvil that Mommy will not be coming home, and buries the woman he had planned to spend the rest of his life with.
Leiris' grief is terrible, but his love for his family is indomitable. This is the rare and unforgettable testimony of a survivor and a universal message of hope and resilience. Leiris confronts an incomprehensible pain with a humbling generosity and grandeur of spirit. He is a guiding star for us all in these perilous times. His message - hate will be vanquished by love - is eternal.
©2016 Antoine Leiris (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Currently Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle (eNG)

Dear Heart: The Courting Letters
by Judith Pinkerton Josephson (Author), Kirsten Josephson (Illustrator)
I am enjoying this sweet read;
received through NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/mp3 (Author tour)

The Zoo at the Edge of the World
Written by: Eric Kahn Gale
Narrated by: Julian Elfer
Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins
This story shows the genre as ages 5-7 but so far I am finding it engaging and good beyond those ages. This is from my TBR shelf for "Z".
Publisher's Summary
Marlin is not slow or mute; he is a stutterer, and that makes it impossible for him to convince people otherwise. He is also a Rackham: the youngest son of the world-famous explorer Roland Rackham, who is the owner and proprietor of the Zoo at the Edge of the World, a resort where the well to do from all over the world can come to experience the last bit of the wild left in the world at the end of the nineteenth century.
In order to impress a powerful duke who comes to visit the zoo, Marlin's father ventures into the jungle and brings back a mysterious black jaguar, now the only one in captivity. Everyone is terrified of the jaguar, including Marlin - until one night when the jaguar confers upon him a powerful gift. Soon Marlin finds himself with a difficult choice to make and, finally, something to say. If only he can figure out how to say it.
©2014 Eric Kahn Gale (P)2015 Recorded Books

3. eBook/Kindle (NG)

When the English Fall
by David Williams
I like the premise of this book
and look forward to reading it.
Received from the publisher through NetGalley.
A riveting and unexpected novel that questions whether a peaceful and nonviolent community can survive when civilization falls apart.
When a catastrophic solar storm brings about the collapse of modern civilization, an Amish community in Pennsylvania is caught up in the devastating aftermath. Once-bright skies are now dark. Planes have plummeted to the ground. The systems of modern life have crumbled. With their stocked larders and stores of supplies, the Amish are unaffected at first. But as the English (the Amish name for all non-Amish people) become more and more desperate, they begin to invade Amish farms, taking whatever they want and unleashing unthinkable violence on the peaceable community.
Seen through the diary of an Amish farmer named Jacob as he tries to protect his family and his way of life, When the English Fall examines the idea of peace in the face of deadly chaos: Should members of a nonviolent society defy their beliefs and take up arms to defend themselves? And if they don’t, can they survive?
David Williams’s debut novel is a thoroughly engrossing look into the closed world of the Amish, as well as a thought-provoking examination of “civilization” and what remains if the center cannot hold.

4. Audio/MP3 (ABJ)

Mission Impawsible: Paws & Claws Mystery Series, Book 4
Written by: Krista Davis
Narrated by: Elise Arsenault
Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
This sounds cute. 
I received this from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.
Publisher's Summary
Holly Miller and her grandmother, Oma, are working their tails off to prepare the Sugar Maple Inn for an upcoming matchmaking event for pet owners. While Holly has no interest in pairing up, Oma plans on playing Cupid and finding someone to warm her reluctant granddaughter's heart. Unfortunately, one man Holly does meet is cold - dead cold - and he has a personal letter from Oma in his pocket. As suspicion is cast over the inn's guests, Holly - with the help of her furry friends, Trixie the Jack Russell and Twinkletoes the cat - must fetch the real killer, or she may soon have a date in court.
©2017 Cristina Ryplansky (P)2017 Tantor

June 18, 2017 - I am a day ahead in the One Year Bible; reading along with my husband and others from our church. I hope to take more time this year, staying on the day and listening to the companion commentary online.

Some of my reading time is going to a Wednesday night study we are doing called Freedom Course.

I completed three books and posted two reviews; this means I have five reviews current and one for later release. I still need to add the children's books at Goodreads and get other reviews linked.
I am still at 11 NetGalley Titles and 10 author titles in my queue.

This week we will upload Parrots of the Caribbean children's story at eTreasure's NetGalley page.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and (yours truly).  
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I got one audio review title this week.
I resisted all the Audible Daily Deals again this week but picked up a couple of $.99 Kindle titles.
I also picked up more free kindle titles as usual. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I picked up an Audio Book from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.

Mission Impawsible: Paws & Claws Mystery Series, Book 4
Written by: Krista Davis
Narrated by: Elise Arsenault
Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
See full description above under current reading.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I purchased two Kindle titles for $.99:

The Economic Collapse Chronicles Three-Book Box Set: 
A Post-Apocalyptic Novel of America's Coming Financial Downfall
Mark Goodwin

The Summer Hideaway: Lakeshore Chronicles Book 7 
(The Lakeshore Chronicles)
Susan Wiggs

Free

I picked up Week Eight SYNC Audio titles:
THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK by W.E.B. Du Bois, Narrated by Rodney Gardiner (Dreamscape Media)
THE RED UMBRELLA by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Narrated by Kyla Garcia (Ideal Audiobooks)


Here are five of my Free Kindle Picks: (most of these may still be free)


Read, Write, Love at Seaside (Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers Book 1)
Addison Cole

Momentary Stasis (The Rimes Trilogy Book 1)
P R Adams 

Under a Black Sky (Part of the Daniel Trokics Series)
Inger Wolf

Terminus (Fringe Worlds #1)
Kevin Hardman 
 

Cruising for Death: Kate Jones Thriller #5 (Kate Jones Thrillers)
D.V. Berkom


I added another 45 free Kindle titles to my library this week. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement June 18, 2017

Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s out there! 

Our Sunday School teacher lost his father last Friday. He shared part of the eulogy he gave for his father which was lovely. Although he and his family were sad, they had the comfort of knowing his father was a committed follower of Jesus and his hope was in eternal life. 2 Corinthians 5: 1-5.

He then asked for everyone to share characteristics of a father that earthly fathers share with our heavenly father. These are the characteristics that were shared: Love, discipline, forgiveness, grace, encourager, teacher, provider, protector, strong, faithful, trustworthy, kind, patient, giving, compassionate, rewarder, understanding, counselor, wise, they sacrificed for us and they want to talk to us and hear from us.

Those traits that our earthly fathers don’t have are: omniscience, omnipotent and omnipresent.

Pastor continued his Sermon on ‘Dependent’ from James 4:11-17. He noted that as soon as men become fathers they discover they need to become expert at various things. Expert at loving spouse, leadership, managing stress; building, fixing and becoming a prayer warrior. To be an expert we must always learn and improve. (Kids see fathers as heroes and don’t learn until they grow that their fathers are just human.)

But there are two major dangers in becoming 'expert'. First, we look down on others and more importantly, we trust ourselves instead of God. James tell us that we can’t judge others. God never tells men to compare themselves. If you criticize others then you are criticizing God and you may discover that God will defend them against you.

The Point: God is THE expert! This is an indisputable law.

God knows more than we do. He knows what to say. He knows how to use our resources.

Proverbs 3:3-10 tells us to Trust in God… We must learn to surrender to God; to obey Him and cast our nets where He directs.

Trust in God with all your heart; Obey God; cast the net when and where He directs and he will pour out blessings on you. Honor God with your first fruits.
God loves you. Trust Him.

This song fits perfectly for me today:

Verses For Today:
Proverbs 3:7-10 (NIV)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.


Lord, I thank you for the many blessings you have poured out on me and I pray that you help me to submit to You in all things, every day.

 

Sharing Beyond Books #307 Comment Giveaway June 17, 2017

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.
I enjoyed learning what movies are coming up. Five of us don't like movies to enough to pay attention. Wonder Woman got one "loved it" and 3 looking forward to it. Valerian and Spiderman each got 2 votes. 1 vote each went to Transformers, Blade Runner and Justice League.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #306 comments is: #1 Natalijia who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post.

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles -- someday.
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #307

(One Question.)

Fredamans asks: What genre do you tend to stay away from??

I like to read a wider variety. However, the obvious genres I stay away from are erotica and most horror. Less obvious are family drama (I'll read with mystery but tend to avoid straight drama) and stories with obvious and excessive foul language and stories with obvious adultery.

Image found at Boats Against the Current.

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify.

Your turn to share. Fredamans asks: What genre do you tend to stay away from??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday June 24, 2017 at 5 PM central.

Interview with Narrator Zachary Johnson and Giveaway for Quest of the Dreamwalker

Please help me welcome audiobook narrator Zachary Johnson to Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf.

M: Hello Zachary – Thank you for joining me in the blog world at Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf and for sharing a bit about your experience as a book narrator.

ZJ: Thank you so much for having me! I'm thrilled to be here!

M: I’m going to jump right in and ask if you would briefly share a little of your background and more particularly, what experience you had with theater, media, announcing etc. that led to you becoming a narrator.

ZJ: Sure thing! In school, I was always the kid teachers would call on to read stuff out loud, so you could argue I got my start very young, but I actually didn't start formal training in acting until I was 21. I studied at a school called Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop for two years. My dad and I actually took some classes there together. It was one of those “I secretly really want to do this but I'll only do it if you do” things. Probably one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. I think that was what really made me want to give it a try in some form. The transition from the stage to the booth was somewhat jarring at first, but I'm an introvert, so it works well for me. It's kinda nice to have a little imagination chamber where I can act out the books as I read them and get paid for the privilege!

M: That is very cool to have taken classes with your Dad. As more background, did you always like reading and did you listen to audiobooks before entering the field?

ZJ: I loved reading from a very young age. My dad actually read the first four Harry Potter books to me when I was little. I think my interest really started there. I was just old enough to read books three and four myself, but I always liked it better the way he told it. There was something magical about it being brought to life by a good reader. He always put expression and nuance in the dialogue. It was wonderful. Plus we could geek out about it afterwards. I think, looking back, that's where my interest in the whole craft of reading out loud started, even if I didn't know it at the time. I became a pretty avid reader after that. I was always the kid with a book in high school, and in my adult life I really fell in love with science fiction and fantasy. I started reading Neil Gaiman, James S.A. Corey, whatever I could get my hands on. Still do. I just finished The Fold by Peter Clines, and, as of the time of writing, I'm reading The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.

As for audiobooks, I had listened to a few before I tried my hand at it. Jim Dale's reading of Harry Potter was a big one for me. I absolutely loved his voice. I think that was my first example of an audiobook so perfectly cast you really can't imagine anyone else reading it. My in earnest consumption of audiobooks began shortly after I finished my third project, a book called SIMPOC: Human Remants. Someone who had listened to and enjoyed one of my projects was kind enough to invite me to a group of avid audiobook listeners on Facebook and I mentioned that I wasn't a huge consumer of the medium. A fellow narrator in the group promptly set me straight with the admonition that “listening to audiobooks is a critical part of our jobs.” I can emphatically state that he was right. I started listening to Scott Brick and was immediately hooked. Now I frequently have one playing on my commutes to work or any long drive, really. It's amazing what one can learn from another narrator's style of performance. They might have a speech quirk or an emphasis pattern or a delivery style or character voice that could be just what I need for a future project!

M: I agree that Jim Dale did a fabulous job with the narration of the Harry Potter series. 
How do you prepare for a particular work? Do you read the book or talk to the author beforehand? For example, when I listened to Quest of the Dreamwalker, it seemed like you knew the characters and you knew exactly where the book was going so it seemed that you had read the entire book first.

ZJ: Oh yeah. Both. All the time. Talking to the author and hashing out the voices is absolutely critical, as is reading the book beforehand. I like to go through and highlight the text to help me when I'm narrating. It indicates what lines require emphasis or signify a tonal shift of some kind. Notes in the margins, things like musings on the tone of the piece, or even just one-word reactions are good (frequently my one word reactions are just things like “s***” when something bad happens; seeing it while I'm narrating helps me get in that state of mind and live it with the characters). It also helps to know of any plot twists or major developments in advance of performing the book, as it helps to highlight the foreshadowing during the narration. For Quest of the Dreamwalker, I think I ended up reading it three times before I recorded it. I kept getting sick and couldn't record, so I'd just make more and more notes in the text so that, when I finally could, it would be the best it could be.

M: I was certainly impressed with your narration in Quest of the Dreamwalket which seemed "spot on".
Do you work on developing special voices for each character or do you focus more on the emotional inflection to carry the personality of the character? Does this vary depending on the project?

ZJ: I use accents frequently, though I always check with the author before incorporating those. Some, like Quest of the Dreamwalker, feature sprawling fantasy universes wherein it makes sense for the language to have diverged a bit from culture to culture, so I can vary accents by the region the character hails from, some with a Scottish accent, some with a British one, others borderline Australian, that kinda thing. In terms of doing special voices, I would say I'm definitely more in the “emotional inflection” camp if characters are from the same area and have the same accent. Certainly I can make one voice lower and another more nasal and another a bit more gravelly, but I have to be careful not to stray into caricature territory unless that's what the character calls for. Sometimes ridiculously exaggerated mannerisms work, but in those cases, I've found the author usually has a pretty specific voice in mind.

How I approach it is indeed unique to the project I'm working on, but I've found that, by and large, my biggest asset in character voice development is my tendency to read character dialogue out loud to myself anyway when I'm reading, whether for business or for pleasure. Usually, as I get to know a character, their voice will start to take on certain characteristics that come to define them, and, in some cases, it's even helped to write down a list of adjectives to describe the voice as it's forming. I also like to send a sample reel to the author before I begin performing, containing a line from every significant character in the book. That way, the author can direct me as much as possible before I really dive in.

M: I really enjoyed your accents in Quest of the Dreamwalker.
I'm curious, do you work in a studio or at home?

ZJ: At home. I lined my closet with foam mattress toppers to sound treat it and set up a microphone, an audio interface, a chair, and a little desk with a wireless keyboard on it so I can keep my computer outside and my booth free of fan noise. It also doubles as a wardrobe and a triples as a small book repository. It's cozy.

M: That does sound like a cozy spot - if a bit crowed - in a nice way with books especially.
In your opinion, what makes a good narrator? Do you have any advice you would you give to narrator-hopefuls?

ZJ: I would say that a good narrator is someone who is able to feel what the characters are feeling and who can bring that emotion into their read. I love when the narrator seems emotionally invested in what's going on. An audiobook told that way can take on the magical quality of stories told by firelight during childhood. It's amazing.

As for hopefuls, here are a few things I've learned:

1. If you've not yet tried the craft, but are considering it, test yourself by reading out loud to yourself in a closet for an hour or two a day. Do this every day for two weeks. If you enjoy it, you're probably possessed of the temperament to narrate. So happy reading!
2. Don't skimp on the equipment. Really do some research and get the tools that will make you sound professional. It'll take some saving up, but it's worth it. If you know a good sound engineer, talk to them. See what you can get that's both capable of producing a quality sound and saving your bank account undue evisceration.
3. Listen to audiobooks. You never know what you can learn from a fellow performer.
4. Understand that rejection is almost never personal. That author you've submitted to wants to make the job offer as badly as you want to get it, but it's just the nature of creative work that certain people are better suited for certain jobs. You could be an absolutely sterling example of your narration niche, but it's just that: a niche. No one voice is suited to every single story. Some require a deep, thrumming tone. Some require a gentle, soothing read. And some require you. Find those jobs, and be at your best when they appear. Lincoln said it best: “I will study and prepare myself, and someday, my chance will come.”

M: That sounds like very good advise.
I don't think I really appreciated how much work is involved, in addition to skills, in being a good narrator. The narration in Quest of the Dreamwalker helped me recognize this in you as a new narrator for me. You certainly succeeded as a wonderful storyteller for me. 

Thank you again for stopping by. It was nice chatting with you, Zach! Where can folks go to find out more about you and your work?

ZJ: It has been my pleasure! If you're interested in checking out projects I've narrated, you can follow this link here:
http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_1_srNarr?searchNarrator=Zachary+Johnson&qid=1497326122&sr=1-1

I can also be found on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/zacharyjohnsonvo/
[M comment: Zach has a cute bunny gif if you scroll down his facebook; not to mention a photo with his mouth stuffed with marshmallows for voice effect!]

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/zjohnson1020

And, of course, ACX:

https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A3BTDM4SYY7KM1

And again, thank you! Happy listening, everybody!
-Zach

[M: Image from ACX]

GIVEAWAY:
TWO WINNERS: Audible Credit Code for Quest of the Dreamwalker download. One for US Listener and One for UK listener.
(Codes courtesy of the author and narrator.)

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!)
For 3 Extra Bonus entries
(a) comment on the review, OR
(b) Comment on this Narrator Interview.

* This contest is open to US and UK for Audible Code.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) July 1, 2017. Winner will be announced in the Sunday Post on July 2, 2017.
Winners are asked to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email

Audio Book Review: Quest of the Dreamwalker: The Corthan Legacy, Book 1 by Stacy Bennett

This epic fantasy is well-written, a page-turner and wonderfully preformed!
Quest of the Dreamwalker: The Corthan Legacy, Book 1
Written by: Stacy Bennett
Narrated by: Zachary Johnson

Written by: Stacy Bennett
Narrated by: Zachary Johnson
Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-05-17
Publisher: Miramae Press
Genre: Epic Fantasy
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Cara has been a prisoner all her life, shackled by a broken soul and fear of her father's temper. When a mercenary captain is taken prisoner, he sparks something in her she doesn't recognize - rebellion. Determined to save the captain's life, she flees with him intent on leaving her past behind. It isn't love that drives her father's zealous pursuit, but a hidden magical birthright she never knew about. Now she must solve the puzzle of her past before her father kills everyone she loves in his bid to reclaim her.
©2016 Stacy Bennett (P)2017 Miramae Press

Review:
Cara has been “used” by Father all her life as she dutifully obeys the only human she has ever spoken to. Cara has never been allowed beyond the stables where she cares for her beloved bears. The people who come to the Keep are captives who become no more than dust in Father’s ceremonial room. Cara has strange dreams of a beautiful woodland where she finds shelter when Father “feeds” on her soul.

A new set of captives is delivered to the fortress where they are greeted with a bountiful, feast – for one night anyway. Cara is forbidden to share in the bounty and forbidden to talk to the “guests”. But this time she sneaks into the great hall to steal some food and finds two men hidden behind a pillar. One is a big, young man with striking red-gold hair and beard. The other is a dark haired, rough man, a bit more mature and with an imposing look of strength. Cara is startled when the young man speaks one word: “Please”.

Cara is drawn to the dungeons where the red headed man, Archer, speaks kindly to her and asks about his friend, Captain Khoury. Father threatens that these men will be his next sacrifices. For the first time in her life Cara dares to rebel by releasing the two men who have been kind to her. There are dangers before the men break out of the keep which is just the start of the trouble. They take Cara with them, but can they elude the evil sorcerer?

After escaping the first obstacle the captain, Archer and Cara seek shelter in Archer’s homeland. Cara is befriended by the Bear-Clan chieftain who senses the magic hidden within her. The village is attacked by giants and many new friends are lost. Cara, Archer, the chieftain and the captain escape, setting off again to find a way to fight the sorcerer. Along the journey Cara stumbles into a forbidden forest where no men are permitted. They are spared when a leader helps them by sending a social misfit, brave and resentful Falin, to help lead them out of the forest and to their next destination.

Each of the characters has a depth of history and pain which is shared in brief glimpses, with mysteries swirling for all of them. The strong-willed, independent Falin is an interesting contrast to the caring, dependent Cara. There are hints and twists, but most of the character backgrounds are not revealed until late in the story.

There are a few respites between the fast-paced action scenes. The escaping companions did not realize the powerful sorcerer would use an arsenal of tools- storms, giants, fire, a dragon and more- to get Cara back. Khoury might not readily acknowledge his love for Cara but he isn’t about to let her go easily. Khoury is a darkish knight (in truth a mercenary) but he is still a knight in my eyes. I loved the spellbinding story, the strong characters and the steady action. I guessed a few parts but there were still secrets at the end. This story comes to a conclusion but there is a clear path for the next book which I look forward to. I highly recommend this gripping page-turner to fantasy lovers!

Audio Notes: Zachary Johnson provides amazing narration that I thought was 'spot on'. It was clear he put in a lot of preparation so that the story flowed seamlessly from beginning to end. Zach provides wonderful accents for the characters and although he doesn’t present 'female' voices he clearly portrays the females by inflection, emotion and nuances that fit the characters. The combination of the story and the narration made this audio hard for me to turn off!

I received this audio title from the narrator through AudioBook Boom. It qualifies for my Audiobook Challenge. 
***Please enjoy the narrator interview and enter the giveaway for a chance to win an Audible Code for this wonderful audiobook.

Author Website for Stacy Bennett