Audio Book Review: Hunted by Meagan Spooner

I was impressed by this creative Beauty and the Beast retelling!

Hunted
By Meagan Spooner
Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, Will Damron

Publisher: HarperCollins
Date: March 2017
Duration: 9 hours 20 minutes
Genre: Action & Adventure, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Summary:
New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner spins a thoroughly thrilling Beauty and the Beast story for the modern age, expertly woven with spellbinding romance, intrigue, and suspense that readers won’t soon be able to forget.
Beauty knows the Beast's forest in her bones—and in her blood. After all, her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering its secrets. So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters out of their comfortable home among the aristocracy and back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas . . . or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. The Beast.
Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange creature back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of magical creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin, or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

Review:
Yeva, nicknamed Beauty, has always loved the forest and hunting since her father taught her how to hunt as a child. But over the years he became a wealthy merchant and his daughters had to behave properly for society and hopefully to secure a favorable marriage. When her father is told that he has lost his fortune he moves the family back to their cottage in the forest.

Yeva is happy to be back in the forest but frustrated that her father won’t allow her to go out hunting with him. He has become obsessed with finding the rumored monster known as “The Beast”. When her father fails to come home Yeva finally sets out to find him. She goes deeper and deeper in the woods, stumbling through the snow. At the point of exhaustion, she comes to face with The Beast. The Beast believes that Beauty can save him from the curse that he can’t speak of. He shows her his cursed valley, crumbling castle and a world of creatures in the magical realm. Beauty is drawn to a magical creature from her childhood fairy tale stories. She realizes that creature has a crucial role in freeing The Beast or maybe freeing Beauty from the Beast.

I found this story wonderfully creative. It has basic similarities but is distinct from the well-known fairy-tale version. The story builds slowly but is worth getting into the depths. The tone is dark which fits the strong character of The Beast. Beauty is a strong-minded character too although there are times she is young and foolish. I enjoyed the twists and I really liked the views of The Beast that are interspersed between the story following Beauty. I will be looking to read/listen to more retellings from Ms. Spooner. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings.

Audio Notes: Saskia Maarleveld and Will Damron do a wonderful job on the narration. Saskia delivers the majority of the story with energy and emotion. Then Will steps in with the dark, growling nature of The Beast. Very well done and I found it all entertaining. I’m glad that I listened to this.

Source: March 2019 TWO FOR ONE Fairy Tale Fantasies with my February Audiobooks.com credit. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Snowflakes by Ruth Ware

I snagged this as I thought this was a good way to try Ware as a new-to-me author. It is a quick, engaging story.
Snowflakes
Hush Collection
By: Ruth Ware
Narrated by: Jess Nahikian

Series: Hush Collection
Length: 57 mins
Release date: 07-30-20
Genre: Collection, Mystery, Short Story, Thriller & Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
When a barrier between truth and illusion grows stronger, a family’s trust crumbles in this arresting short story by the number one New York Times 

bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10.
Leah has spent her formative years isolated on a remote island with her family. But their quiet existence, far from the devastated mainland, is cracking. Father, sensing a coming threat, demands that a wall be built. As the stone blockade rises, Father’s paranoia escalates. So does Leah’s dread that the violence the family left behind has found its way to their sanctuary.
Ruth Ware’s Snowflakes is part of Hush, a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. Each piece can be read or listened to in one truly chilling sitting.
©2020 Ruth Ware. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Review:
Leah has lived on a remote island with her father and siblings. Her father has insisted that they have to remain away from the war ridden mainland where their mother was shot and killed. Now Father is obsessed with building a stone blockade around their small cottage. He drives Leah and another brother to get up early and go gather the rocks needed for the wall. When they resist or don’t work hard enough he punishes them. Leah puzzles at his actions but she really becomes concerned when her father pulls their eldest brother away from work in the food gardens which is necessary for their survival.

The children are becoming more and more fearful of what is coming. When confrontation arrives they are shocked.

I picked this story up because I had not yet read anything by Ms. Ware (and the Audible was free). Ms. Ware creates a very real scene with believable, real to life characters. The development of the story and mystery is very well done, and I didn’t catch on to the truth of the situation until just before it is revealed. Although this was short, I felt the situation and characters were well developed.

Audio Notes: Jess Nahikian does a good job with the narration. She provides distinct voices and her inflection enhanced the mystery of the Story. I am glad that I had the chance to listen to this.

Source: August 2020 Free Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2020TBR goal.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway September 11, 2020

Happy Friday! 

I will be looking to gather another box of books soon.

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.

INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the September 4, 2020 Pick. There were no automatic wins this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was no title blocked.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from September 4, 2020 Pick:
MIKI gets a GC
and
LINDA gets a GC.

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

Are you watching for particular books?
Image found at The Uncorked Librarian.

New Book Group #90 June 19, 2020
Quite a few mysteries in this box. 

PAIRS:
Mary Jane Clark:  Hide Yourself Away and Do You Want to Know a Secret
Maggie Shayne:  Embrace the Twilight and Colder Than Ice
SINGLES:
On Thin Ice by Cherry Adair
Siren's Song by Trish Albright (personally autographed)
Cutting Edge by Allison Brennan
Summer Skies by Judy Christenberry (I apparently had a duplicate of this title)
Alias by Smy J. Fetzer
Angel Face by Suzanne Forster
Stalking the Puzzle Landy by Parnell Hall
Hunting Fear by Kay Hooper
Statute of Limitations by Tamar Myers
The Missing Heir by Gail Rainstrom
Hot Sex by Janet Evanovich (Audio cassettes)
The Warrior by Frances Richey (poetry - hardcover)


New Book Group #89 March 6, 2020

Pairs:
Brenda Joyce: Firestorm and Innocent Fire
LaVyrle Spencer: Morning Glory and Bitter Sweet
Singles:
Open House by Elizabeth Berg (Hardback)
My Surrender by Connie Brockway
What the Heart Knows by Kathleen Eagle
Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman
How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holoquist
Angel Creek by Linda Howard
Montana Mavericks - Big Sky Grooms Anthology
Shadow and Silk by Ann Maxwell
Tempting Fire by Carla Neggers
Suicide Club by Gayle Wilson
Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere
Through the Years - Three Novels, Linda Howard, Fern Michaels and Debbie Macomber


New Book Group #88 November 8, 2019

PAIRS:
Stella Cameron: Body of Evidence and Fascination
Singles:
A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp
Dawn of Redemption by Starla Childs


New Book Group #87 August 23, 2019

SINGLES:
Captain's Paradise by Kay Hooper
Open Season by Linda Howard AUDIO CASSETTES


New Book Group #86 June 7, 2019
Another group of variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek
King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls


New Book Group #85 March 22, 2019
A variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Summer Skies by Judith Christenberry
Windfall (two stories) by JoAnn Ross
Daddy's Little Cowgirl (two stories) by Judith Bowen and Kimberly Raye
The Forever Year, Cold Pursuit, Lover's Lane and Temporary Sanity (Reader's Condensed)
ToxiCity by Libby Fischer Hillmann

New Book Group #84 December 15, 2018
Here are some Christmas titles to pick from.

SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
On this Holy Night
Christmas Haven
King Harold's Snow Job


New Book Group #83 November 30, 2018

(Starting bottom left and continuing up then down)
SINGLE
Seductive Secrets by Lynne Connolly
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - Audio Cassettes
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein Audio Cassettes
Three Reader's Digest Condensed Books - each hardback:

Cold Harbour and The Courtship of Peggy McCoy
The Things We Do for Love, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Murder Artist and Night Train to Lisbon
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

Stella Cameron: Key West
SINGLES:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018

SINGLES
Best Laid Plans by Allison Brennan
Darkness Tell Us by Richard Laymon
Cooking Most Deadly by Joanne Pence


New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
Summer’s Moon by Lacey Baker
The Final Judgment by Richard North PattersonAudio Cassettes
Firebird by Janice Graham
No Getting Over a Cowboy by Delores Fossen
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer Audio Cassettes


New Book Group #79 July 13, 2018
I found this box of books buried under some other boxes.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lenox by Maggie O’Farrell
P.S. by Helen Schulman
Her Sexiest Surprise by Dawn Atkins (personally autographed)
Dakota Child by Linda Ford
Calling the Shots by Ellen Hartman
Promises, Promises by Amber Miller
This Time for Keeps by Jenna Mills
A Daughter’s Legacy by Virginia Smith
Another Man’s Baby by Kay Stockham


New Book Group #78 April 27, 2018

SINGLES
Blackberry Bush
Breaking Point
A Tangled Affair
Too Wicked to Love
Roses are Red Audio Cassettes


New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018- All gone

New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
13 books remain of the original 37:

I finally Have them Listed!
Boots & Booties by Kristine Rolofson
Saucer the Conquest by Stephen Coonts
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
White Night by Jim Butcher
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
101 Commonsense Rules for the Office by John R. Brinkerhoff


This shelf of 35 books are what is left from Groups #1 (11/27/09) through Group #75 September 29, 2017

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 14 titles.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
Named of the Dragon
Daring by Jillian Hart
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
JoAnn Ross: Confessions
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I found.
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost NINE years I have posted 88 groups of 16 plus an additional 21 totaling 1,429 books to find new homes! (as of November 8, 2019).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,327+ books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A year or so ago I posted I had reached 2000 books given away. As I calculated the numbers 11/2/17 I realized that had to be an error. I realized I went from 1098 to 2001 instead of 1101. Guess I was tired; sorry for the error.] I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors, your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to faraway places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

Audible Book Review: Machine World, Undying Mercenaries, Book 4, by B. V. Larson

This is another good installment of this military sci-fi series.
Machine World
Undying Mercenaries, Book 4
By: B. V. Larson
Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Series: Undying Mercenaries, Book 4
Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 05-12-15
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Hard Science Fiction, Military Space Sci-Fi
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell burners, Earth joined a vast empire that spanned the Milky Way. Our only worthwhile trade goods are our infamous mercenary legions, elite troops we sell to the highest alien bidder.
In the fourth book of the series, James McGill is up for promotion. Not everyone is happy about that, and McGill must prove he's worth his stripes. Deployed to a strange, alien planet outside the boundaries of the Galactic Empire, he's caught up in warfare and political intrigue. Earth expands, the Cephalopod Kingdom launches ships to stop us, and a grand conspiracy emerges among the upper ranks of the Hegemony military.
In Machine World McGill faces an entirely new kind of alien life, Galactic prosecution, and thousands of relentless squid troopers. He lives and dies in the falling ashes of the empire, a man of unique honor at the dawn of humanity's resurgence.
Machine World is a military science fiction novel by best-selling author B. V. Larson. (To find the first book in the series, search for Steel World by B. V. Larson.)
©2015 B. V. Larson (P)2015 Audible Inc.

Review:
James McGill is one of the ‘undying mercenaries’ in the least respected Earth troop, Legion Varus. Earth is a lowly planet on the fringe of the galaxy that is controlled by the Empire. Legion Varus is the lowly of the mercenary troops that are sent out as expendable soldiers. They are known as the ‘undying mercenaries’ because they can be regenerated as they die in the field.

McGill gained rank moving from recruit to regular to specialist all while being known for stumbling into, and remarkably out of, trouble. He has a strange relationship with highly ranked Imperator Turov. She has pulled him into more than one bad situation where they then have to keep each other’s secrets. This leaves James in an awkward situation as she could order his permanent death at any time.

As Legion Varus prepares to go to another world confrontation, McGill faces hazing and testing but gains the rank of Veteran, the highest rank for enlisted soldiers. Now McGill is in charge of troops supporting the officers in battle. Fortunately, even though McGill seems to get into bad situations, he thinks fast under stress and tends to move his troops in the right format and direction.

Once again McGill and his friends and band of superiors face a new alien force of a distant planet. In addition to the indigenous Machine creatures, the Earth mercenaries find an old enemy, the Squids (see book 2). The Earth leaders think that they can win during the initial engagement but then some other alien ships show up and things go from bad to worse.

I enjoyed the creative plotting of these stories. I might have liked a little more development of the Machine aliens but still, they were interesting and the encounter with McGill is engaging. There is power corruption, some little bad language, and female entanglements that tend to follow McGill. All of this makes for an entertaining listen. I recommend the series for fans of military sci-fi.

Audio Notes: Mark Boyett is a consistently effective narrator for this series. He helps draw the listener into another realm and provides distinct voices and emotions. I totally enjoy this listening experience.

Source: 5/12/19 Audible April Credits. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goal.

Dust World: Undying Mercenaries, Book 2 by B. V. Larson 4.5
Tech World: Undying Mercenaries, Book 3 by B.V. Laron 4.5

MBS August 2020 Reading List Wrap Up

MBS 2020 Reading List - AUGUST

Code for the list is:
A = Audible; ABJ = Audiobook Jukebox; ABB = Audiobook Boom
e = eBook; eA = eBook from Author; eT = eBook from Tour
NG = NetGalley
P = Print; PT = Print from Tour
LBC = Ladies Book Club
TBR = From the TBR shelves prior to 2020
Favorites for the month:
5 Stars = none
4.75 Stars = none
4.5 Stars = Seven titles...so favorites: Caffeine, The Lane Betrayal and Agent 355.

1. A2020- Audible Book Review: Caffeine by Michael Pollan; Genre: Home & Garden, Food & Wine; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.
2. NG2019- #NetGalley Book Review: The Wolf at the End of the World by Douglas Smith; Genre: Paranormal, Shapeshifter, Urban Fantasy; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.
3. A2020- Audible Book Review: You Need A Budget by Jesse Mecham; Genre: Budgeting, Money Management, Non-Fiction, Self Help; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.
4. Audible Book Review: Monster Hunter Siege by Larry Correia; Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.
5. ATBR- Audio Book Review: Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer; Genre: Christian Romance, Historical, Inspirational; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.
6. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Catalyst Downward Cycle by J K Franks; Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.
7. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Dodge & Twist by Tony Lee; Genre: Literature & Fiction, Classics; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.
8. Author2020- Book Review: The Lane Betrayal (Time Box Book 1) by John A. Heldt; Genre: Historical Fiction, Time Travel Romance; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.
9. ATBR- Audio Book Review: Woof by Spencer Quinn; Genre: Animals, Kids, Middle Grade, Mystery; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.
10. A2020- Audible Book Review: Rocky River Bridge, A Grower's War Prequel by D. J. Molles; Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.
11. ATBR0- Audible Book Review: Prominence by A.C. Hadfield; Genre: Alien Invasion, Colonization, Military Sci-Fi; My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.
12. A2020- Audible Book Review: Agent 355 by Marie Benedict; Genre: Historical Fiction; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Total read = 12; TBR = 8; New to Me Authors = 7
Audio/Audible = 10 (7 TBRs)
eBook = 1 (0 TBR)
NetGalley = 1 (1 TBR)
Review books (other than NG) = 1 ebook
Print = 0 (0 TBR)
• Series: 8
• New to me Series: 7 (6 most likely to continue)
• Continuing for me Series: 1
• Finished for me Series: 0

Goal Progress (Year to date meaning through the end of the given month):
Goodreads Goal Read to Date: 100 of 150
TBR to Date: 73 of 100 total
TBR ebooks: 3 of 24
Audio to Date: 65 of 75
NetGalley to Date: 27 of 40
Author Reviews: 10 of 12
Nonfiction: 8 of 12
Series to Date: 62 (42 New and 20 Continued) 4 Finished
• Seasonal title: Winter 1, Spring 1, Summer 1,
• Alphabet letters covered: 10 Jan; 7 Feb; 5 March; 0 April; 0 May; 1 June; 0 July; 1 August