Audible Book Review: Dark of Night, A Joe Ledger Novella, by Jonathan Maberry and Rachel Lavin

This is a good zombie survivors' story that can be read outside of the series.
#FRATERFEST-4
Dark of Night
A Joe Ledger Novella
By: Jonathan Maberry, Rachael Lavin
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Dead of Night, Book 2.5, Joe Ledger, Book 8.5
Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
Release date: 06-21-16
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Action, Horror, Zombie
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The dead rose. We fell.
The survivors are trapped in a world of monsters who prey on the helpless. Some of them are zombies...but they are not the only predators who feed on pain and suffering.
Dark of Night is a story of worlds in collision. Three heroes who have survived the apocalypse are in a deadly race to save a busload of children from ravenous zombies and ruthless human scavengers.
This brand new novella brings together three of New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry's award-winning series. Captain Joe Ledger (Patient Zero and Code Zero), Officer Desdemona Fox (Dead of Night and Fall of Night), and Rachael Elle (Bits & Pieces) are caught between an endless wave of the living dead and an army of corrupt men who want to enslave the last human survivors.
©2016 Jonathan Maberry and Rachael Lavin (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Many years ago the zombie virus started taking over the world. The rare survivors are still struggling to find safe refuge.

Officer Dez Fox is struggling to get a busload of children to a safe camp under control of the National Guard. Then they see the dead passing the bus and realize that these dead are wearing National Guard uniforms. Fox will continue to do whatever it takes to protect these young survivors.

Meanwhile, Rachael Elle is a young woman who has managed to survive the zombie apocalypse in cosplay or LARP gear, fighting the dead “Orcs”. She stumbles upon the bus after Dez has gone out to scout and ends up leading the children by harnessing their superhero inner voices.

Joe Ledger is a career military man who sought to take down Patient Zero. Although he couldn’t stop the virus, he is a legendary warrior against the dead, traveling with the help of a smart warning and killing dog, Captain Joe and Baskerville stumble on the scene and is quick to step into the fray. First he saves a young girl from horrible NKK (New Klux Klan) bad actors. Then he proceeds to fight both enemies, the dead and living, to help the girls save the children.

I’ve read the prequel to this series, so I am aware of the beginnings of Joe Ledger facing the zombie hoard. I enjoyed the startling meeting between Joe and Dez and I appreciated the determination of all three characters to fight the dead and help other survivors. I had not met the two female characters and I will definitely backtrack to find their stories. There is plenty of fast paced action. However, the story is really only about two and a half hours as there is a second, totally unrelated story written by someone else that is tagged on. I am glad I got to listen to this and I will be reading/listening to more in the series. I recommend this to fans of battle action and some snarky character interaction.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter is an excellent narrator. He does such a good job with action and distinct character voices. I would feel comfortable searching out books narrated by Porter, and I could likely enjoy those stories. His narration enhances the story for me.

Source: 3-3-2022 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022Audiobook goal.

Audio Book Review: Night Shift Witch by Cate Lawley

This is another light and fun cozy mystery set in a funeral home.

#FRATERFEST-3
Night Shift Witch
Written by Cate Lawley
Narrated by April Doty

Length 3h 32m
Release Date: May 26, 2021
Publisher: Cate Lawley
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Ghost, Woman Sleuth
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.25.

Publisher Description
A witch with a side hustle
Star needs another paying gig while she finishes her witch training. Why not at a funeral home? It fits her goth image, and the funeral director is sort of hot…even if he does wear a suit and tie.
Less than a day on the job as makeup artist to the dead, and Star discovers one of their accidental death clients didn’t die accidentally.
Before she knows it, she’s neck-deep in paranormal intrigue and her completely human, way-too-nice-for-his-own-good boss is right there with her.

Review:
Star doesn’t see herself as a strong witch. In fact, she struggles with her training. She takes a job at a funeral home as a makeup artist to the dead. The proper looking funeral director, Ben Kowalski, is sort of hot, but he may think twice about hiring her when he realizes that Star could read his mind if she was so inclined. Then there is the matter that Star is planning to abscond with the latest ‘customer’.

Apparently, the dead body is a golem, a magical construct, rather than a real human. Star has called her former boyfriend, Alex, the area magical enforcer, to deal with the issue. Add to the problem of properly disposing of the golem, there are clear signs the death wasn’t accidental.

As Alex and Star set off to discover the murderer, Ben refuses to be left behind. He is soon exposed to the world of golems, vampires, witches and wizards. Surprisingly he takes it in stride. But now that Ben has seen and heard more about magic than he should have, Star is trying to figure a way to keep Alex from wiping Ben’s memory.

I really enjoyed these characters, their interaction, and the quick mystery. I would love to listen to more, but the regular prices don’t work for such short works. I recommend this fun mystery, especially if you can buy it at a deal price.

Audio Notes: I found the narration by April Doty fit the story well. The male voices aren’t quite distinct, but I didn’t have confusion following the characters. I enjoyed the audio entertainment.

Source: October 27th, 2021 Chirp $0.99. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Werewolf's 15 Minutes by Jonathan Maberry

This is a perfect, quick, fit for October and #Fraterfest.
#FRATERFEST-2
The Werewolf's 15 Minutes
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Ray Porter, Dina Pearlman

Series: Audible Original Stories
Length: 1 hr and 42 mins
Release date: 10-28-21
Publisher: Audible Originals
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Werewolf
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

About This Audible Original
Gary Bruce is a slacker of epic loserness. Can’t keep a job. His friends are as bad as he is. No girlfriend. No direction.
Gary Bruce is also a werewolf.
Desperate for any kind of success, Gary decides to out himself on YouTube. The moment this ordinary guy goes full-on fur, fangs, and claws, the world can’t get enough of him. He’s the biggest thing on social media, he’s on every talk show, book and movie deals fall in his lap, and for the first time in his life he gets invited to all the best parties.
But celebrity is a special kind of voracious monster. And when Gary’s star begins to lose its luster, he has to decide how far he’ll go to stay relevant in a world that discards has-beens in favor of the next big thing.
Fortunately, Gary has a plan....
The Werewolf’s 15 Minutes is a brand-new short story by New York Times best-seller and five-time Bram Stoker Award winner Jonathan Maberry, author of Bewilderness and V-Wars (Netflix).
©2021 Jonathan Maberry Productions, LLC (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.

Review:
Gary and his friends are not particularly impressive young men. They struggle to keep a job, much less a girlfriend, or a sense of career direction. Gary has decided to take drastic steps to get attention, so he outs himself as a werewolf on YouTube. Gary gets his 15 minutes of fame but for the wrong reasons. The audience wants to know the secret to his excellent make-up. It takes another step to really be taken seriously and get an agent with all the star hype.

Of course, that only lasts for a limited time. As his star dims, Gary formulates a plan to renew the interest. But he might carry things a bit too far.

I enjoyed this quick story with an appropriately ironic twist that brings a chuckle at the end. There is a bit of lazy-side male banter that wasn’t my favorite but certainly fit the characters. I recommend this as a good, quick Halloween read.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter and Dina Pearlman share the narration on this. I like Porter’s straightforward narration with good pausing and emphasis. Dina also has fitting energy, and I enjoyed the shared segments. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the quick story.

10/27-30/2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audio Book Review: A Ghostly Undertaking by Tonya Kappes

This is a light, fun cozy mystery.
#FRATERFEST-1

A Ghostly Undertaking
Author Tonya Kappes
Narrator: Tiffany Morgan

Duration: 5 h 39 min
Release date: 12-24-19
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Ghost, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Summary
A funeral, a ghost, a murder . . . It's all in a day's work for Emma Lee Raines . . .
Bopped on the head from a falling plastic Santa, local undertaker Emma Lee Raines is told she's suffering from 'funeral trauma.' It's trauma all right, because the not-so-dearly departed keep talking to her. Take Ruthie Sue Payne-innkeeper, gossip queen, and arch-nemesis of Emma Lee's granny-she's adamant that she didn't just fall down those stairs. She was pushed.
Ruthie has no idea who wanted her pushing up daisies. All she knows is that she can't cross over until the matter is laid to eternal rest. In the land of the living, Emma Lee's high-school crush, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, isn't ready to rule out foul play. Granny Raines, the widow of Ruthie's ex-husband and co-owner of the Sleepy Hollow Inn, is the prime suspect. Now Emma Lee is stuck playing detective or risks being haunted forever.
Contains mature themes
.

Review:
Emma Lee Raines was hit on the head by a plastic Santa. When she woke up from the knock-out she thought a dead man was talking to her. The doctors, her family, and friends say she is suffering from ‘funeral trauma’ having grown up and now working in the family funeral parlor.

Emma isn’t suffering from a disease, but she is definitely struggling with keeping a quite image while the ghost of Ruthie Sue Payne, local innkeeper, is ranting about those attending her funeral. She is also carrying on about being pushed down the stairs, not accidentally falling. Ruthie was pushed from behind so she doesn’t know who her killer is, but she has some clues to share with Emma. But one of the suspects is Emma’s own Granny, the widow of Ruthie’s ex-husband and part owner of the inn.

Emma determines she must prove her Granny’s is not the killer. She is okay with teaming up with her high-school crush, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross. But what will he think of her if he learns that she is being aided by the dead victim?

This is a cute cozy mystery, with the added fun of ghostly input and a developing romance. The story moves along well, and I liked the clues that help reduce the suspect pool. The story ends with Ruthie taking her leave and another ghost seeking Emma’s help. Yep -- I’ll look to read/listen to more in this series. I recommend this to fans of cozy mystery, especially if you enjoy ghosts in the mix.

Audio Notes: Tiffany Morgan does a nice job with the narration. Her voice is light and totally fitting to a Southern damsel – maybe not something I would want to listen to for a long haul but good for this quick cozy. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 12/12/2021 Audiobooks.com Two for One Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Martha's BookShelf Friday Pick November 4, 2022

Happy Friday!
TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.
I am feeling a little breathing space and even got a couple of reviews up so far this week.
I still have some GC emails and payments to complete and books to pull for mailing soon.

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 October 28, 2022 Pick. There was one automatic win last 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.
BN100 gets Texas Born.

CONGRATULATIONS to one winner (under 10 entries):
Random.org picked Winner from October 28, 2022 Pick:
#1 from last week but listed as Anonymous gets a GC.
Hopefully I can figure out who it is.

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.}

This is cute - based off Candyland.
Image found at Pieces by Polly.

New Book Box #96 June 10, 2022

PAIR:
Liz Carlyle: Three Little Secrets and My False Heart
Johanna Lindsey: Brave the Wild Wind and Fires of Winter
SINGLE TITLES
Against the Sky by Kat Martin
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

The Eagle and the Dove by Jane Feather
Heir to a Dark Inheritance by Maisey Yates
The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood
Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour
A Legacy of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
Marry in Secret by Anne Gracie
No Greater Treasure by Ellen Kelley
One Minute Out by Mark Greaney
Texas Born by Diana Palmer
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (Illustrated Classic Edition)
While Others Sleep by Helen R. Myers


New Book Box #95 November 7, 2021

I'll add the titles through the week (16 including 2 doubles, 1 pair).
(on top) (Two) Rancher's Wild Secret and Hold Me Cowboy by Maisey Yates
(on top) Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl
(Two) The Taming & The Conquest by Jude Deveraux
My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
Love's Surprise by Karen Ball
Manhunt by Wayne Barton and Stan Williams - Audio CDs
After the Light by Kimberly Clark Sharp (Hardback)


New Book Box #94 May 28, 2021 (10 books)

Three One Audio CD Books:
Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
SINGLE TITLES
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
The Hidden Heart by Laura Kinsale

New Book Groups #92 and #93 November 13, 2020.
#92 (15 books):

A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley
The Tender Stranger by Carolyn Davidson
Her Wedding Wish by Jillian Hart
Heart's Desire by Ruth Ryan Hagan
The Deputy's Duty by Terri Reed

Box #93 (14 books)

Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
There's Only Been You by Donna Marie Rogers (personally signed)
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
The Irish Bride by Alexa Harrington
When We Met by Susan Mallery
All of Me by Lori Wilde

New Book Group #91 October 2, 2020 - Suspense themed

SINGLES: Ten books in this box:
Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder


PICK TWO  your choice (listed below the picture) Nora Roberts:

Born in Fire Audiobook Cassettes
Montana Sky
Valley of Silence


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

SINGLES:
Alias by Smy J. Fetzer
Hot Sex by Janet Evanovich (Audio cassettes)

New Book Group #89 March 6, 2020

Singles:
My Surrender by Connie Brockway
How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holoquist
Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere

New Book Group #88 November 8, 2019

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:
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek


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

SINGLES:
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
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
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

SINGLES:
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018
All Gone

New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
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.

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
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
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
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.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three One more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four One 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 TWELVE years I have posted 91 groups of mostly 16 books plus an additional 21 totaling approximately 1,535 books available to find new homes! (As of November 26, 2021).

I am happy to say that so far at least 1,407 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, 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!