Audible Book Review: Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon, Dirk Maggs

This is a good dramatization and made me want to see the movies again.

Alien: Out of the Shadows
An Audible Original Drama
By: Tim Lebbon, Dirk Maggs
Narrated by: Rutger Hauer, Corey Johnson, Matthew Lewis, Kathryn Drysdale, Laurel Lefkow, Andrea Deck, Mac McDonald.

Series: Audible Original, Alien, Book 1, Alien, Book 3
Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
Performance
Release date: 04-26-16
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Categories: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Dramatizations
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.25.

About This Audible Original
In space, no one can hear you scream. In this gripping Audible Original performance, Ellen Ripley, the last human survivor of the salvage ship Nostromo, once again takes on the relentless Xenomorphs: vicious, intelligent extra-terrestrials notorious for tearing humans apart. When her lifeboat Narcissus locks onto the mining ship Marion, she awakes from hypersleep to a nightmare: the dreaded creatures are lurking on board, ominously prowling a sealed-off shuttle after slaughtering the crew. When one of the merciless beasts escapes the hold, acting Captain Chris “Hoop” Hooper and his team are faced with an unimaginable horror—and Ripley just may be the crew’s only hope.
An ensemble cast, featuring film icon Rutger Hauer and Harry Potter’s Matthew Lewis, commands this unforgettable performance, punctuated by immersive sound design from audio master and fan favorite Dirk Maggs. Awarded the 2017 Audie for Excellence in Production, the result is terrifying–and utterly pause-resistant.
©2016 20th Century Fox (P)2016 Audible, Ltd.

Review:
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Xenomorphs alien attack on the Nostromo, is in hypersleep in a lifeboat headed home… at least that was the plan. She is awakened when her ship is diverted and pulled onto the mining ship Marion. Apparently two ships went to the surface and ran into trouble in the form of an alien attack. Snagging Ripley’s ship is fortuitous for the mining crew since Ripley is the only one who has experience with these aliens.

While Ripley was longing to get back to earth, it turns out the disembodied AI, Ash, who tried to take back an alien, is controlling her ship. Ash redirected Ripley’s ship so he could get to the aliens again. Now he is prepared to take over the mining ships and again try to get an alien to take back to earth… even if it means leaving most of the humans behind.

The action is fast paced, and Ash makes a creepy, strong villain. I like how his journal entries fill in backstory on ‘the Company’. Chief Engineer, now acting Captain, Hooper, “Hoop”, and Ripley share bantering chemistry and begin to form a supportive friendship as they try to survive the alien beasts. Sadly, most of the other characters are disposable. Beyond humans trying to sneak past the aliens, while Ash steers them into trouble, there isn’t a huge plot line.

Audio Notes: The dramatization makes this an interactive, movie-like (at least in sound) experience. I loved Rutger Hauer as Ash and Laurel Lefkow does a great job portraying Ripley. At times she sounds just like Sigourney Weaver. There are a few times I had to strain to hear the voices over the dramatic music and background sounds but overall the performance is engaging and exciting.

Source: 2016 Audible Original. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

eBook Review: Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff

This is true, scary horror, complete with sci-fi cyber elements.
Investing Isobella
by Jason Werbeloff


File Size: 1417 KB
Print Length: 38 pages
Publication Date: February 20, 2017
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01N26RM2Y
Genre: Cyberpunk, Horror, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.

Paul Sanders is a desperate man. He and his daughter, Isobella, are weeks away from living in the Gutter.
Enter Jono Falanges, a greasy stockbroker promises Paul all the money he needs, and more. The only catch is, Paul must invest Isobella’s health on the stock market.
Plunge down the slippery slope of morality with Investing Isobella, a horrifying sci-fi novella. You won’t look at your investments the same way, ever again.

Review:
Paul Sanders is afraid he and his beloved daughter, Isobella, will soon be living on the streets. He struggled after the death of his wife and is now, out of work, he is desperate to make the last bit of his funds protect his family. He is afraid to gamble but afraid not to. Paul seeks advice from a slick technology stockbroker. The man convinces Paul that he has an asset he can invest and that the risk is minimal. But Paul doesn’t understand the true deal he is making – it is more life and death than he realizes until much later.

I was intrigued by this presented as a sci-fi horror story. And oh – this is true horror. I winced when I realized the deal he was making and at the end my reaction was “AARGH!” The story is well-plotted and well written. I don’t know if all of the works by Werbeloff are horror and I will have to brace myself to try more from him (having just picked up three more freebies). This is a short story well worth reading especially if you enjoy horror.

Source: April 2018 Free Kindle. This qualifies for 2019TBR/ebook goals.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 25, 2019

Happy Friday! Happy News: books through early September are in the mail! Now I'll have to start adding up for GC and Paypal wins again.

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 October 18, 2019 Pick. There were TWO automatic wins this week. (I'll have to start pulling together another box for November!) Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There were no titles blocked.
bn100 gets Dawn Encounter and
Elizabeth gets Rainbow Mars

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from October 18, 2019 Pick:
CAROL L gets TEMPT ME
and
ASHFA 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.}

Sounds like a plan I would like!
Image found at Pinterest linked by Brenda DiPaola on Instagram.

New Book Group #87 August 23, 2019

PAIRS:
Joan Johnston The Bodyguard and The Bridegroom
Nora Roberts: The MacGregor Grooms (1998) and The MacGregor Brides (1997)
SINGLES:
Siren's Song by Trish Albright (personally autographed)
Dawn Encounter by Jennifer Blake
Flame Lily by Candace Camp (spine creasing)
The Wedding Promise by Carolyn Davidson
The Devil's Daughter by Lara Drewry
Touch of Texas by Tracy Garrett (now Texas Gold)
Captain's Paradise by Kay Hooper
Open Season by Linda Howard AUDIO CASSETTES
Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell (hardback)
Tempt Me by Lucy Monroe
Abandon by Carla Neggers
The Perfect Gift by Christina Skye


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

SINGLES:
Forged in Steel by Maya Banks
The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
A Place Called Freedom by Ken Follett
Eco-Sisters: The Car by P. Ryan Hembree and Mary Ann Gustin
Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze
Preaching to the Corpse by Roberta Isleib
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
Pursuit by Karen Robards
Murder at Granite Falls by Roxanne Rustand
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.

Roxanne Becknel: When Lightning Strikes
SINGLES:
Summer Skies by Judith Christenberry
Windfall (two stories) by JoAnn Ross
Daddy's Little Cowgirl (two stories) by Judith Bowen and Kimberly Raye
Almost Forever by Linda Howard
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.

One PAIR:
Susan Wiggs: Snowfall and Fireside
SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
On this Holy Night
A Rancher for Christmas
Christmas Haven
Christmas Homecoming
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
Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018

There are three audios at the top:
Kisscut is Cassettes
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
PAIRS
James Patterson NYPD Red 2 and NYPD Red 3
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)
The Maverick Preacher by Victoria Bylin (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
To 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 EIGHT years I have posted 82 groups of 16 plus an additional 21 totaling 1,333 books to find new homes! (as of November 9, 2018).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,281+ 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 far away 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: FREE: Crackanory Too Cracked for TV

I enjoyed this humourous collection of macabre British stories.

FREE: Crackanory Too Cracked for TV - exclusive to Audible
By: Crackanory
Narrated by: Toby Jones, Katherine Parkinson, John Robins, Robert Bathurst, Simon Bird

Length: 1 hr and 38 mins
Radio/TV Program
Release date: 01-25-17
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: British, Entertainment, Humor
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Imagine if Jackanory was set free from its childish shackles. What twisted, funny tales would it unleash upon the world?
Combining some of the UK's best and brightest comedy writers and performers, this exclusive to audio edition of UKTV's Dave Channel Crackanory is a master class in storytelling and features an all-star cast including Toby Jones, Katherine Parkinson, John Robins, Robert Bathurst and Simon Bird.
Episode List:
'Kill Phil'
'Mummy Business'
'The Character Assassin'
'The IT Man'
'The Egg That Knew Too Much'
©2017 UKTV (P)2017 Audible Ltd

Review:
I really did not know what “Crackanory” meant. I found this in a Goodreads review by Paul E. Morph: “For the uninitiated, Crackanory is a British t.v. show that spoofs Jackanory, an older British t.v. show.” Apparently, the original show featured celebrities reading short stories to children. The Crackanory version presents stories that have a macabre or dark sense and might be considered inappropriate for TV. I found all five stories entertaining and nothing that would alarm me (as an adult anyway) on TV since I have seen – and turned off – worse. The stories are full of dry British humor and irony.

The five stories in this free Audible are:
1. Kill Phil by Ali Crockatt & David Scott
    Phil accidently gets his dry cleaner assassinated which results in a humous twisting threat to Phil and his girlfriend. Robert Bathurst delvers the dry humor with fitting voice nuance.
2. Mummy Business by Barunka O’Shaughnessy
    This a ghostly tale told with great humor by narrator Katherine Parkinson.
3. The Character Assassin by Tanya Qureshi
    A reclusive author suddenly meets her character and then tries to change the ending of her novel. The narration of this ironic piece is provided by John Robins.
4. The Egg That Knew Too Much by Steve Burge
    This is the story of Ted, who loves eggs, One day he cracks open an egg and finds a tiny scroll predicting a horse race winner. Now he gets a new prediction with each egg and is able to follow the leads to fortune. But after a time the predictions begin to accurately forewarn of deaths. When a death is predicted that Ted dreads, he travels far trying to find the egg farm in hopes of breaking the curse. I enjoyed the fun story and the accented narration by Toby Jones
5. The IT Man by Tom Meeten
    Two nerdy type friends, Mike and Rob, grow up together and seem to proceed along the same path until Rob gets married, leaving Mike to needle him. Mike gets more resentful after Rob gets a dream IT job. When they go off to a conference together their paths take a surprising, unexpected twist. This was narrated by Simon Bird.

I don’t know any of the authors and I don’t recognize any of the narrators either. The package was fun, macabre listening perfect for October, or anytime, entertainment. And I believe it is still available for free! (I have a 7 hour Crackanory collection on my Audible TBR shelf for listening in the future.)

Source: September 2017 Free Audible Original. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Lullaby by Jonathan Maberry

This is what I consider a true horror story.
Lullaby
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Scott Brick


Length: 37 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 10-04-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Fiction, Horror, Short Story
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 5.0.

About This Audible Original
The fears and horrors of being a new parent take on a shocking dimension in in this heart-stopping original story, only from Audible. A young married couple, Matt and Gillian have just bought a gorgeous house located next to a lake in the Catskills. They want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city to raise their baby girl, Hope, in relative peace and quiet. When night falls, however, their dream home becomes a house of nightmares. Matt and Gillian soon learn that darkness takes many forms. And sometimes, darkness is hungry.
New York Times best-selling author and Bram Stoker Award winner Jonathan Maberry delivers a haunting Audible Original that will give listeners the Halloween creeps all year round. Scott Brick, the man with the golden voice, perfectly captures the experience of hearing a classic ghost story told around the campfire.
This product features adult language and themes.
©2018 Jonathan Maberry (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC.

Review:
Matt and Gillian plan to raise their coming baby away from the rat race of the city. They buy a gorgeous home in the Catskills even though they know the house has a dark history. All seems good until one night Gillian wakes up startled and thinks she sees something strange on the baby monitor. She and Matt try to convince themselves everything is fine even as they install more security systems. Events escalate and they have to rush the baby to the hospital. Tension grows and horror follows.

This is what I consider true horror. The writing is direct, clear and appropriately dark. I liked the dark tone but admit that (like another reviewer) I questioned the behavior of the parents. I can’t imagine taking my infant back into that house after the crises that occurred. I still enjoyed the quick “fright night” story and recommend it to those who enjoy a short horror tale.

Audio Notes: Scott Brick does a perfect job of narration for this work. He carries the tone wonderfully making it a ‘fun’ listen -- especially for a free listen.

Source: 10/29/2018 Free Audible Original. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.