Month: May 2019

4/5 Kurt Hunter Mysteries Volume 1

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, mystery , ,
Got the cover from Amazon.

Narrated by Paul J. McSorley

Summary:

This omnibus consists of 3 books: Backwater Bay, Backwater Channel, and Backwater Cove. Let’s be honest, you aren’t going to learn jack from the titles. But they’re cute when listed side by side. The series is about Kurt Hunter, a National Park Service Ranger in Florida. (Or is it U.S. Forest Service. I think it may have started as one and ended up the other.)

Additional Comments:

  • Plot 4/5 stars: Can’t remember too much about the individual plots, but they moved along nicely. Things are contrived quite regularly to get Justine more involved, but it’s understandable.
  • Characters 4/5 stars: Kurt’s resourceful but he’s not perfect. He’s got family issues, but he also has a new girlfriend he’s trying to balance. Justine (the girlfriend/forensic tech) is reminiscent of Pauley Perrette’s NCIS character (Abby Sciuto). Martinez (Kurt’s glory hound boss) is the typical mix of incompetent and supportive when it suits him.
  • Who would like these? Fans of Anna Pigeon and Joe Pickett will enjoy this series.
  • Narration 4/5 stars: The voice fits. I played it at 2x speed to get it moving at something that seemed normal to me, but that’s an easy fix. I think if I was reading, this might be a very different review.
  • Content Warnings: Offscreen adult stuff. Overall, relatively clean for murder mysteries.
  • At $2.99-$4.99, they seem way overpriced as standalone books. At ~186 pages, they’re on the short side for novels. If you like supporting small press/indie publishers, go for it, but otherwise, you’d be better off hunting up some Anna Pigeon or Joe Pickett in the library for free. They’re in KU though, so if you have that, you should also consider checking it out.
  • They’re branded right. You couldn’t tell one cover from the next if it didn’t clearly tell you in the description that it’s book 1, 2, or 3.
  • Quick, clean reads that have garnered a fair number of reviews.
  • Don’t think park rangers are known as special agents.
  • Note: You may not like them if you actually know something about law enforcement or boating.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a clean mystery series to dive into and can take the mistakes in research, check the series out.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

Movie Reviews 4/5 Stars: Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Fantasy, monsters, Movie Reviews , , , ,
1 Generic movie poster.

*Will attempt to keep spoiler free until after the ads

Introduction:

Apparently, there are a lot of Godzilla movies, so I’m guessing this one will become known as Godzilla 2019. The original title (King of the Monsters) is a tad clunky. Anyway, I had the privilege of seeing an early screening of the film 5/22/19. I’m going to preface with this might be the only Godzilla movie I’ve seen start to finish because I’m not a huge monster movie fan.

Summary:

At the opening, Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and her daughter, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown), get kidnapped from a Monarch site where they’re keeping Mothra on ice. Kyle Chandler’s character, Mark Russell gets called up to help with the rescue efforts. The bad guys, led by Charles Dance’s character, Jonah Alan, want to bring balance back to the Earth by loosing the titans.

Additional Comments:

– Special effects (4/5 stars): They’re pretty. My major fear going into the movie consisted of there being so much going on that I’d get motion sick with strobing lights. Thankfully, that did not happen. The monster battles turned out epic and satisfying.

– Story (3.5/5 stars): The general premise (bad guys wreaking havoc in the name of righting the world) has been done before, but they pull it off fairly well.

– Characters (3/5 stars): I didn’t really connect with any of the human characters, even the Russell family. The “twists” and turns to their fate don’t really surprise. Godzilla is indeed impressive, as is the dragon critter.

– Fight Scenes (4.5/5 stars): The talking time got a tad boring, but the fights had sufficient space between them to each appear epic in their own right.

– If you’re a Godzilla fan, you’ll likely find a heck of a lot to nitpick, but you’ll also probably come out satisfied overall. It may not land up in your “BEST Godzilla movie EVER” category, but it’ll be decently high on your list.

– The audience at the pre-screening responded well to most of the points.

– The writers attempted humor where appropriate and sometimes where not appropriate. It landed well most of the time.

Conclusion:

Worth seeing? Yes. Worth seeing in theaters? Definitely, yes. This type of movie really ought to be seen on a big screen. Going to the movies can get expensive because of the ticket prices, food, etc, especially if you want to bring a family. That said, the larger than life struggles portrayed are definitely enhanced by a theater experience.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

 

Randomness some might count a spoiler

– The credits were hilarious (King Ghidora – HIMSELF, Godzilla, HIMSELF, Mothra – HERSELF, Rodan – HIMSELF).

– End credit scene tied up a loose end, sort of. Overall, it was kind of boring as a last scene though.

Audiobook Reviews 4.45/5 The Wrath of Lords by Kyle Alexander Romines

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Fantasy , , ,

Narrated by Matt Addis

Summary:

A dark, sometimes rambling fantasy set in an intriguing world. Berengar’s simple task spirals into a series of jobs and side jobs, quests and fights.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

Additional Comments:

  • Content Warnings: Heavy fantasy violence.
  • Main Character (4/5): The hero is more of an antihero. He’s a guy who’s comfortable with doing the dirty work for the High Queen. But there’s also good in him. He seeks to help the innocent where and when he can.
  • Side Characters (4/5): They’re r
  • World-building (5/5): It’s not exactly the sort of place you’d want to visit. Also, the accent marks would drive me nuts if I actually read the book, but having it narrated was awesome. The world is rich and full and brutal and dark.
  • Plot (4/5): A lot happens. Some of it’s relevant, some of it’s ramblings on the author’s part, but it’s still interesting. The predictable bits still worked out satisfactorily.
  • Closure (4/5): It’s definitely a cliffhanger, but the main events here have been wrapped up.
  • Narration (5/5): Narrator was a great choice. He read a tad slow, but I just played it 2x to fix that. Voices were distinguishable. Emotions fit. Quality of voice paired well to the story.

Conclusion:

Not without its flaws in storytelling, but one of the most enjoyable fantasy stories I’ve heard in a long time.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

3.5/5 stars: Don’t Mess with Mrs. Sedgwick by Marie F. Martin Narrated by Becky White

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, contemporary, mystery , , ,
Got pic from Amazon.

Summary:

A 70-something widow, Roberta Sedgewick, gets 3 of her golfing buddies to buy condos near each other so they can keep each other company as they enjoy their golden years. Unfortunately, old secrets and a snooping maid don’t mix well, leaving the ladies scrambling to secure silence.

Additional Comments:

– Characters 4/5: It’s got quite the cast. I heard the audiobook, and I’m pretty sure I missed some details. I can’t tell if they’re too realistic or not realistic enough.

– Plot 3/5: It meanders a lot. I almost gave up on the book at one point because of the maid’s devious dealings. I was really rooting for one of them to just off her.

– Not usually a fan of flashbacks, but it was intriguing to get a glimpse into each of their lives and see the “sins” of their youth.

– It kind of bothered me that the author never mentioned Roberta’s kids’ names. I think she even waffled between the number of them (3 in one place, 4 in another). The book discusses that at least some of the others too have kids, but I don’t think they’re named either. I get that they’re minor characters, but it’s hard to think of them as having any sort of connection to the main characters if we don’t even have a name for them.

– Narration 4/5: The chosen reader fit the content well. The reading was super slow, but I fixed that by going 2x normal reading speed.

– I hadn’t read any books featuring older characters in a long time, and this is the second such one recently. All the main characters are in their 70’s or late 60’s, unless you count the really, really, really annoying maid.

Conclusion:

If you can take a slow start and love character-driven stories, give this a shot.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

Interview with Author Kim McMahill

Julie Gilbert Interviews, mystery , ,

(Plus info on her new release)

Introduction:

Today, we have an interview with Kim McMahill. She’s excited to tell you about her new release. It’s called A Foundation of Fear, just in case you totally skipped over the giant cover above.

What inspired you to write this series?

KM: A Foundation of Fear is the third novel in the Risky Research Series. The series explores the diet, nutrition, research and pharmaceutical worlds. The book topics range from a miracle weight loss pill, to a deadly sweetener, to the political influence exerted in order to maximize profits from an industry worth roughly 40 to 100 billion dollars annually. Health and nutrition are such complex topics and impact nearly everyone, and the money involved is definitely worth killing for.

What makes your main character unique?

KM: Devyn is a fearless FBI agent who definitely leads a much more adventurous life than I do. Well, she has no fear of drug dealers, crime bosses, or back-alley thugs, but she does have a fear of relationships and having her heart broken.

When you’re brainstorming for a new story, what usually comes first for you, the plot or the characters?

KM: Usually the plot comes first. Once I know how the story will unfold it is easier to determine the types of characters that I need in order to accomplish the mission in an interesting and entertaining way.

Tell us something about yourself that we don’t know.

KM: Hold on to your hats! I don’t own a Smart Phone. I don’t have anything against the device and suspect I’ll get one in the not so distant future, but for now I haven’t felt the need for one and fear it may consume time I don’t have to spare.

Me: Yup, that’s different.

Do read in the same genre you write in, or do you avoid reading that genre?

KM: I love to read suspense and action adventure. I can’t imagine writing in any other genre. Action adventure and romantic suspense can take the reader on journeys to places they can only dream of and put them in situations that make their hearts race, something very far from most of our daily lives.

Besides writing is there another career you would have liked to pursue?

KM: I always dreamed of being an archeologist, but when looking into college majors I thought I should pursue something more practical. Writing action, adventure, and suspense allows me to explore and solve mysteries. My goal in the next phase of my life is to find and take advantage of volunteer opportunities to participate on digs.

Blurb for A Foundation of Fear:

FBI Special Agent Devyn Nash is obsessed with taking down Coterie, a deadly group out to control the multi-billion-dollar diet product industry. The FBI’s plan to expose Coterie places Devyn’s best friend and her partner’s fiancé in the crosshairs of this ruthless organization. Can Devyn protect her friend and bring the coldblooded killers to justice before they strike again while distracted by injury, a sexist bully, and a long-distance relationship with a handsome Wyoming sheriff?

Lobbyist and Coterie assassin Sofia Wilks wants nothing more than to regain control of her life. Sofia knows Agent Nash is nipping at her heels, but the FBI agent isn’t the worst of her fears. She is drawn to a man who has the power to destroy her.

Excerpt:

The man flipped the sign outside the door to read “Privacy Please,” before slipping silently into the dimly-lit room. The sound of the harmonic overtones from the Tibetan singing bowls reverberated throughout the serene space. Aromas from exotic oils and incense assaulted his senses, momentarily distracting him from his mission.

As he shut the door, it clicked loudly.

“It’s about time. I thought maybe you had forgotten about me,” the woman in the hot tub stated.

“Of course not, just continue to relax while I prepare your robe,” he replied.

He noticed cucumber slices obscured her vision. He silently walked up behind her and knelt down. Placing his hands on her shoulders he began to gently knead her muscles.

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” she said as she slid lower into the water.

He continued to masterfully massage her shoulders until her body became limp from complete relaxation. He slowly eased her lower and lower into the steaming cauldron. The water began to lap at her chin. He could feel her tense.

“That’s enough. I’m ready to get out now,” she demanded as she tried unsuccessfully to push herself up from the tub.

She was so reclined that her feet were unable to get any purchase on the sloped surface to counteract the downward pressure he exerted on her shoulders. She struggled against him, but her position and his size made the attempt futile.

About the Author:

Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. She started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense and adventure fiction. Along with writing novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel story anthology. Kim currently resides in Colorado, and when not writing, she enjoys gardening, traveling, hiking, and spending time with family.

Buy Links for A Foundation of Fear:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PVL4391

Barnes and Noble Buy Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131000069?ean=9781522398547

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-foundation-of-fear/id1457767041

Social Media Links:

Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

4/5 Stars: The Road to Chidarra

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Audiobooks, Fantasy , ,
Got the cover from Amazon.

*mild spoilers possible in the discussion

Summary:

Three-ish loosely connected tales set in a dangerous, dark land.

Additional Comments:

– Note: I heard the audiobook, so I’m probably gonna butcher names left and right.

– Plot 2/5 stars: If you try to beat it into one coherent story, you’re going to get seriously peeved. I think it would have been better to bill it as 3 short stories set within the same world. A lot of things happen, but there’s no overarching start to finish plot, just vignettes of bad things happening and good guys dealing with it.

– Content warnings: violence, talk of rape, talk of transformation into evil creatures, general fantasy fights

– World-building 4.5/5 stars: Clearly, this is a lovingly crafted world.

– Characters 3/5 stars: They’re intriguing but hard to connect to. There are the soldiers of Chidarra, the prophet, and the little people (not sure if they were named or not, they probably were).

– Narration 5/5 stars: voice picked was perfect for the story.

– It’s very clear about being Christian fantasy. What surprised me was how bluntly it tried to merge Earth Christian beliefs and fantasy things. It’s an intriguing approach, but I don’t think it quite worked for me. The story takes place in a world of ogres, werewolves, and other mythical creatures, and then it’ll says stuff like the God of Israel. Don’t get me wrong here, the portrayal of God seems accurate, but making the God of this world the God of that world just poked holes in my little fantasy bubble.

– Cover fits the story well.

– Narration style (voice of the writing) takes some getting used to, but I think it was a good choice for a story like this.

Conclusion:

If you very clear-cut battles of good versus evil told in parable fashion, check out this book.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

Movie Reviews: 4/5 Stars Pokemon Detective Pikachu

Julie Gilbert Fantasy, Movie Reviews , , , ,
Random internet pic. showing the star of this movie.

Summary:

*Should be relatively spoiler free

Detective Harry Goodman disappears, and his son sets out to find him. Could be any story, but it’s not. It’s set in a world of pokemon. So the weird and the cute co-exist side by side with humanity.

Additional Comments:

  • Pros: Beautiful music (most of the time). Pikachu’s freaking adorable.
  • Cons: If you don’t know pokemon, it’s a bit of oh, look that weird thing and that weird thing and that weird thing.
  • Story (3/5): I did bump up my overall score by a half point because of the way the story unfolded in the end, but overall, it’s a hot mess as a detective story. Essentially Harry’s son, Tim wants to find him only after Harry’s pokemon partner, Pikachu, insists he’s still alive. They bumble around from one lead to the next.
  • Main Characters (4/5): Going to go with 4 here because CGI Pikachu indeed came across as cute. Tim’s okay, but kind of forgettable.
  • Side Characters (3/5): Lucy got better over the course of the movie, but in the beginning especially, she was overbearingly annoying and stupid and vapid. Mewtwo was kina awesome. Some of the other pokemon that showed up had hilarious cameos.
  • Commentary: It’s probably more enjoyable if you actually like pokemon and know the game. As a movie, there’s hardly anything normal about it. You start out with a Disney-like intro of little birdlike things flying around all peaceful like with fancy music in the background.
  • Humor (3.5/5): Somewhat hit or miss, but the ones that stuck the landing made up for a lot that didn’t.
  • My overall rating might be slightly generous. But the movie did have some good moments.

Conclusion:

Worth seeing once. Probably worth seeing once in theaters because the larger than life setting of a big screen enhances the flashy parts of the movie.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

2.5/5 stars: The Last Volunteer by Steve Wetherell

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, comedy, scifi , ,
Got the picture from amazon

Mild spoilers possible in discussion

Summary:

Bip is useless but chosen to save the world. Handin is amazing and on a different quest… err not sure what his role was exactly.

Additional Comments:

  • A lot of people are going to disagree with me here, but I found the book exceedingly boring.
  • It’s been likened to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and I can see vague resemblances. That story was ok. If you are a diehard fan of that you may enjoy this as it really really strives for the same brand of dry, stupid humor. (I’m going to describe something in 89 words and maybe on the 90th we’ll get to the punchline.)
  • Who is this book for? Also reminds me of Abbot and Costello’s Who’s on First routine. If you like that, you may like this. I find that skit annoying.
  • The author relies very heavily on the humor brand to carry the book, so if that brand annoys rather than amuses, it falls flat on its face.
  • Content Warnings: there is a naked harpy at one point and maybes curse or two. There’s also a part so irreverent as to kick the border of crass.
  • Narration (4/5): the audio performance was well-handled.
  • Plot (2/5): a lot of things happen but it meanders to nowhere. Kid is a failure at the beginning and a lucky failure at the end. What are the stakes? Oh, just the world ending… ho hum. That is the way things are presented. It’s so cold and impersonal that I don’t care 1 whit about any of the characters.
  • Characterization (1/5): I get that this is a spoof on sci-fi but there is a reason most heroes have some likable/ remarkable trait. The one guy is so overpowered, but I still don’t know his role. The other is pathetic. That’s cool if that’s the start but when that is all there is start and finish, it makes one feel cheated. Everybody else is forgettable, except maybe the thief.
  • If this is representative of sci-fi comedy, I have to conclude this is not a genre for me.

Conclusion:

This is probably a polarizing work. If you love the ultra dry humor, give it a go. It’s reminiscent of Hitchhiker’s Guide. If that annoyed or nonplussed you, this is likely not a book you will enjoy. Best I can say is read a sample and see if you like it. If you connect with the sample, go for it.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

4/5 Stars The Executrix by Courtney Pierce Narrated by April Richwine

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, contemporary, mystery , ,
Got pic from Amazon.

Summary:

Olivia Novak’s a successful author who should have it all, but she’s still mourning her husband who was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Her mother’s been ill for a while now and finally dies. As her mother’s executrix, it falls to her to deal with her mother’s estate, including a very old manuscript. She’s also got to deal with her two sisters, Lauren and Danielle, and an eccentric neighbor with a soft spot for dogs.

Additional Comments:

– Not sure why the cover and blurb for the book highlights the dog when at best he’s a side character thrown in because it’s a cozy mystery that needs a token dog thrown in.

– Plot 4/5: There’s a lot going on for these ladies, some good, some bad. Things are a little too neat and tidy, but that’s the nature of a cozy mystery for you.

– Characters 4/5: Ryan the cop is a saint. Danielle’s got attachment issues. Olivia’s obsessed with tracking down her husband’s killer. Lauren likes wine. In short, these people ain’t perfect. In truth, they’re sometimes annoying. Oddly, that makes them more realistic, so if you enjoy that sort of thing, it’s here for you.

– It’s refreshing to have a story where the heroine’s aren’t 20 something fine looking women. (I love those books too, but it’s nice to have a more realistic approach to characters.)

– Narration 4/5: Nicely handled. The lady chosen fits the characters well.

Conclusion:

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a lot of sideplots, this is a good choice for you.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.

Beyond Broken Pencils – Contemporary literary tale of a school shooting. Ian unleashes his inner demons on his classmates and teachers…

Scratched Off – FBI agent vs a serial killer. When Sam Kerman sets out to hunt a serial killer, he has no idea how personal the case will become.


OR

Audiobook Reviews: 4/5 stars: War Dog: Boneyard Dog by Andrew Beery

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, scifi , ,

Narrated by Dave Cruse

Summary:

Jeremy Riker wakes up feeling like he must have had a really bad night. Turns out he’s been elected to save the galaxy.

Additional Comments:

– Aside from the main characters affiliation to his past job, the whole boneyard dog angle is kind of lost on me.

– The blurb is stylistic but tells the reader zip about the story. The only thing you get out of it is a sense for the writing style. It’s first person, lighthearted, and tongue-in-cheek for the most part. If that style works for you, you’ll probably enjoy it. If it ticks you off, avoid like a plague.

– Quite a few places have comments referencing future events. While an okay tactic to use once in a while, it got old very quickly.

– Content warnings: Nothing described but a lot of innuendo. I think there might be a curse word or two.

– Lacks a sense of closure. It’s very short for a scifi story, which isn’t necessarily bad. It falls into that series trap of “we won, or did we”?

Conclusion:

An intriguing start to a fun series. If you can get past the few annoying quirks, you’ll probably enjoy the tale.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.

If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.

Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.


OR