3.5/5 Stars Those Who Wait by Milo James Fowler

April 30, 2021April 23, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, drama, thriller Milo James Fowler, thriller

Narrated by Gina Marie Davies

Narration 4 stars; story 3 stars

Run Time: 10 hrs and 56 minutes

*mild spoilers possible in discussion

Summary:

Jillian’s vacation quickly turns into a nightmare. She ends up hurt and stuck in a cabin with a scary mountain dude and his hell hound.

Additional Comments:

Main character 3.5/5 stars: Jillian’s okay as a main character. She comes across as the quintessential “good girl” who gets in way over her head. She’s somebody you can root for, but there were many, many points in this book where I could only shake my head and wonder how the kid got so dumb. That level of dumb is kinda hard to achieve.
Villain 3/5 stars: He fits his role well.
Content Warning: This is clearly not a Christian book. There are some Christian views expressed, but as is, with them being expressed by the cannibalistic, backwards, hick holding the MC captive for 4/5 ths of the book, it skews a lot of the views.
2.5/5 Stars Plot and Pacing: There are some cool twists, but the book seems to go on forever for no good reason. If about 4 hours were cut of random conversations with the crazy dude or descriptions of the MC being dumb or hobbling here and there, would have been much better. You definitely need some of that, but the amount of that just seemed excessive. Even the beginning part was insanely slow. I think it took an hour for them to drive up to the cabin.
4/5 Stars Narration: Nicely performed. Characters are distinguishable, which is tough seeing that there were 4 teenage girls right off the bat.
2.5/5 stars Sense of closure: Eh, it’s okay. It’s not exactly a “happy ending.” Guess I’m just a sucker for happy endings. I think it may have been angling for a sequel.
Content Warning: It’s been a few weeks, so I honestly can’t remember if this one had any cursing in it. I do remember it has quite a few gruesome injuries to various characters.

Conclusion:

Long thriller with some decidedly dull sections. Last quarter had a lot of action and decent suspense though, so if you’re willing to put in the time investment, you may enjoy this book.

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Many of my 42 audible titles are listed on Audiobooks Unleashed.
Whether you’re looking for mystery or suspense or fantasy, I’ve got a title for you. Free codes are probably on audiobooks unleashed.
Normal links go to audible. *The Amazon labeled links are affiliate links. That means I get a very small payment from Amazon if you go through with a purchase.*
Note: Filter by US if you’re looking for those codes as many titles are out.
Ones I think may still have US codes: Reshner’s Royal Ranger, Never Again, Innova, The Golden City Captives, The Holy War, Reclaim the Darklands, Eagle Eyes, Treachery Makes it Tense, Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts, The Dark Side of Science, Ashlynn’s Dreams, Nadia’s Tears, Malia’s Miracles, and Varick’s Quest
There are plenty of UK codes, but not many US ones left.

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Awakening – Redeemer Chronicles Book 1, MG fantasy (Amazon) (free codes)
The Holy War – Redeemer Chronicles Book 2, MG fantasy (Amazon) (free codes)
Reclaim the Darklands – Redeemer Chronicles Book 3, MG fantasy (Amazon) (free codes)
River’s Edge Ransom – Prequel to Redeemer Chronicles (Amazon) (email devyaschildren @ gmail.com for free codes)

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Devya’s Children Series Links:

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – short stories featuring Jillian. (Amazon) (free codes)
The Dark Side of Science – official prequel to Devya’s Children; Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live. (Amazon) (Please email devyaschildren @ gmail.com for free codes)
Ashlynn’s Dreams – Genetically altered Dream Shaper learns her gift. (Amazon) (free codes)
Nadia’s Tears – Jillian tries to awaken her sister, Nadia, from a coma. (Amazon) (free codes)
Malia’s Miracles – Jillian and her siblings try to save a friend’s mother. (Amazon) (free codes)
Varick’s Quest – Jillian and Danielle get kidnapped. Nadia’s also in trouble. (Amazon) (free codes)
More Scifi:
Reshner’s Royal Ranger (epic sci-fi) just made it there. (Amazon) (free codes)

Guardian Angel Files:

Spirit’s Bane – Allister and Mina are training to be Guardians. Satan’s out to get them. (Amazon) (free codes)
Kindred Spirits – Mina’s exiled to Earth. Allister’s stuck in the Heavens. (Amazon) (free codes)

4.5/5 Stars White Wolf and the Ash Princess by Tammy Lash

April 27, 2021April 23, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Christian, historical Adele Adler, Christian, Tammy Lash

Narrated by Adele Adler

Run Time: 12 hrs and 57 mins

Genre: Christian-ish historical fiction

Summary:

A traumatic event in Izzy’s childhood causes amnesia. She doesn’t remember life before she was seven. Jonathan’s always been a friend to Izzy, but he keeps terrible secrets to himself in an effort to protect Izzy.

Additional Comments:

Jonathan and Izzy’s relationship isn’t immediately clear. I think it took about an hour to unfold that he’s her guardian, not an older brother, because their interactions certainly have a sibling vibe.
But Izzy’s entire story isn’t immediately clear. That’s kind of the point. I’m typically not a fan of flashbacks, but these enhanced the story. Flashbacks are a natural thing with a character with amnesia.
4/5 Stars Main Characters: Jonathan and Izzy’s relationship is mildly frustrating, as most romances are – at least fictional ones. He loves her, but she doesn’t love him like that. He keeps secrets to protect her, but that makes her distrust him. Huzzah for a character I don’t want to reach in and smack some sense into. Izzy’s a bit naïve and selfish, but she comes out of her shell nicely throughout the course of the book.
4/5 Stars Plot: The epic journey through the American wilderness is interesting, though there are few enough landmarks mentioned to even get a feel for where they are on the continent.
4/5 Stars Side characters: Tubs is adorable, though his character reads a bit younger than 13.
5/5 Stars Narration: The narrator handled the characters well.
4/5 Stars Fit with the Title: Very nice.
There are little inklings like this wanted to be a steampunk novel and just never made it there.
3.5/5 Stars Cover Fit: The cover’s absolutely gorgeous. While I think it fits the book very well, I don’t think it tells you the genre right off the bat. I had to look up what it’s categorize as because I went in expecting a fantasy. While there may be mild fantasy influences, it’s definitely historical romance and adventure. I do not get that vibe from this cover.
Strong Christian influences, though I’m not sure I’d outright stick it in that genre. It’s certainly not a stereotypical Oregon trail/mail order bride flavor book, though plot-wise there are strong resemblances to that.

Conclusion:

A unique and beautiful tale of love, redemption, forgiveness, and finding oneself.

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3/5 Stars Eternal Curse by Kara Leigh Miller

April 24, 2021April 23, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Fantasy Andy Garcia-Ruse, Kara Leigh Miller, vampires

Narrated by Andy Garcia-Ruse

Narration 4.5/5 Stars, 2/5 Stars Story

Run Time 11 hrs and 40 mins

Disclaimer: Fans of Twilight may have a COMPLETELY different view of the story than I do.

*Mild spoilers possible in discussion of where the story didn’t connect with me.

*I am not the target audience. They might be more forgiving of the story’s varied flaws.

*Remember this is 1 person’s opinion. Clearly, others like such drivel. And stuff I love comes across as drivel to them.

Summary:

This is a fantastically narrated story that comes off as either Twilight fan-fic or a labor of love in homage to that series. When her mother dies, Chloe Madison moves from Florida to a new hometown (I forget it if it was mentioned) to live with her aunt and uncle. There she meets and falls head over heels in love with a devastatingly handsome vampire.

Additional Comments:

4.5/5 Stars Narration – Stories are nearly always better aloud. I do change the playback speed to a level that’s comfortable as 1x sounds insanely slow to me. That said, there was good variation in character voices.
1/5 Stars Story Plot – I have no idea why this book is just shy of 12 hours long. I was a nearly endless parade of dated/unbelievable school descriptions, middle school-esque pre-teen type boy troubles, and angsty navel-gazing combined with dashes of an intriguing backstory about the vampires’ history in the area and a blood feud. They sneak off from school, lie, go to a party, kiss deeply, admire his smell, admire his gorgeous eyes, hear of his concern, rinse and repeat. There’s one redeeming part literally 1.5 hours from the end where the MC gets kidnapped. I swear, all books get better once the MC gets kidnapped.
Clarification on the dated pieces – The MC doesn’t have a cell phone for a while. Perfectly legitimate given the move and all. But passing notes sounds like something the author remembers from her time in a school. Most kids flat-out don’t bother. Half the stuff’s online now anyway and was even before the pandemic. Oh, many don’t pay attention if they don’t want to. There were several points like that that just didn’t ring true for a modern high school. (I am aware every school is different, but kids are similar all the world over. I am a high school teacher.)
2/5 Stars Suspension of Disbelief – Takes some severe hits. So, these creatures are immortal, and they bother going to high school? She tried to explain that one away (they were bored.) The bad guys can put the mental whammy on anybody, and their best shot is messing with a teenage girl’s head? Revenge for something a hundred years in the past is kinda weak as a motive.
2.5/5 Stars End Fight: Cool, but lasts about half a second, maybe 1 solid paragraph.
2/5 Stars Closure: Clearly angling for a sequel, but there is the feeling that this part came to a close. So, why is the rating so low? It pulls one of the cheapest outs possible. I can’t say more than that without blatantly spoiling it, but suffice to say, it’s on par with “whoops, none of that happened, it was like a weird dream.” The end twist is predictable but mildly satisfying.
2/5 Stars Main Characters: Trent’s pretty much perfect (gorgeous, kind, strong, fast, etc, etc, etc à vampire; why are we driving home a message that the only “perfect” guy/ the soulmate is a mythical creature?). Chloe varies from useless to incredibly stupid and deceptive to sweetly naïve. Okay, so maybe the adult me is just being stodgy and doesn’t “understand” how the teenage heart and head works.
2.5/5 Stars Side Characters – Abby’s sweet. Everybody’s tool, but sweet. Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean are sweet. The other side characters are a blur. Dead characters were pretty much people the MC didn’t care for, so I found it hard to care as a reader/listener.
Clean of curse words and described sex scenes. Some chatter about sex, but that’s about it.

Conclusion:

If you love Twilight, you’ll likely enjoy this. If you don’t love Twilight, avoid at all costs.

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Choices Stories Review 3.5/5 Stars Distant Shores

April 21, 2021March 27, 2021 Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, romance, Young Adult Choices Stories, pirates

One of the general promo pics they put out as a teaser for the story.

Summary:

You’re auditioning for a role in a pirate movie when you step through a time rift directly into the past to a life of adventure on the high seas.

Additional Comments:

I appreciate what they tried to do with the scifi angle, but honestly, it probably would have been better as a true set-in-the-time period piece.
Characters are interesting. You’re not meant to like Robert, but of the characters Choices has put out, he has a particularly punch-able attitude and face. I really liked Charlie. Edward was okay. He’s kinda a little too full of himself for comfort. Side characters are just okay. Kendrick’s annoying. The Twins are fun. Jones is typical hard-boiled softee when it comes to Ginny. Samuel kind of makes no sense. Henry’s typical pirate. Oliver’s just kind of their “shoot. We need another love interest option” add-on.
The extra scene’s honestly not worth collecting the cabin pieces, though I probably would have collected most of the things anyway. I think the only extra scene that kinda seemed worthy was the Elementalists Book 1. As usual, I’m a sucker for pets and weapons.
Not my favorites Choices story. Not my least favorite (I don’t think … think that goes to The Haunting of Braidwood Manor).
End kind of disappointed. Like the end of their other scifi adventure (Across the Stars), it just sort of fizzled out, like they hit their quota of chs and decided to put more effort into their VIP stories instead. I get it, they gotta make money, but still wish it was a stronger ending.

Conclusion:

Worth checking out, but in my opinion, not their finest piece.

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3.5/5 Stars A Deadly Course by Diane Weiner

April 19, 2021April 4, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, cozyish, mystery Diane Weiner, Rhonda Krachmer, Sugarbury Falls

(3/5 Stars Story; 4/5 Stars Performance)

Narrated by Rhonda Krachmer

Summary:

When Emily Fox finds a body during the course of her daily run, she naturally gets curious enough to investigate the murder. Her faithful husband, Henry, is right there playing amateur detective. Emily’s also a NY Times Bestselling author who happens to be teaching a writing course for the summer that happens to have every single suspect of the whodunit. Typical cozy mystery.

Additional Comments:

4/5 Stars Main Characters: Cozies live and die on their characters. Emily’s kind of normal, though she does have a cat, which I think is an unwritten requirement for middle age amateur detectives. She also has a husband. Midbook she picks up the title Mom because her best friend’s death leaves a 14-year-old kid in the lurch. Madeline isn’t exactly enough of a hellion to warrant Emily and Henry’s fears, but they collectively make a cute newbie family.
3.5/5 Stars Side Characters: The rest of the cast was filled in by people who had their own heartaches. Not many were very likable, except maybe Coralee, the bed and breakfast owner. However, they came across as authentic people.
3.5/5 Stars Plot: Nice, clean, cozy whodunit type mystery. A few nice twists are included. You can see them coming a few miles away, but they’re still satisfying.
2.5/5 Stars style/mechanics: Heard the audio so I can’t comment on the stuff like comma usage, but the author has a very odd way of describing phone conversations that makes them utterly unbelievable and annoying. I don’t remember exact examples, but it involved pretty much repeating something one should be able to see verbatim. At that point, it would have been way more natural to just describe both sides of the phone conversation. It wasn’t first person, so there’s no reason for the reader to not know what the other person said. Quite a few spots reiterated stuff the reader should already know. With numerous suspects, I can see why she chose to do that, but it just seemed to go overboard. It also fell into that age-old trap of the bad guy yammering about the entire plot for absolutely no good reason, so the good guys get a chance to not die.
Cover’s nice, but I legitimately thought this would be a book about murder on a golf course. I think that false assumption came from the combination of overly green grass, the layout, and the title.
4/5 Performance: Narrator fit the characters very well and had enough variation to distinguish characters.

Conclusion:

Solid entry to the cozy canons.

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4.45/5 Stars Long Way from Paradise by Kevin M. Kraft

April 16, 2021April 4, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Christian, drama doboro series, Kevin M. Kraft, Todd A. Thompson

(Sequel to Doboro the Bottlenecker)

Narrated by Todd A. Thompson

Summary:

Doboro (the reborn Dave Granger) tries to lay low by staying with a friend in a small town, hoping his enemies will move on to bigger and better things. But the traveling blues singer and guitarist can’t just stand by when trouble springs up in the peaceful town of Paradise.

Additional Comments:

4.5/5 Stars Characters: They’re not always super realistic, but most are awesome all the same. Doboro, the hero, is a blind guy who can whip a sword out from his walking cane. Not realistic. Still very cool. His friend Summer Winter is a hot mess. That probably is more realistic, but she’s likable, even if a bit of a hopeless romantic. Drew’s really only got a bit part in this book, but I’m betting she’ll be back in a greater capacity sometime in the future.
4/5 Stars Plot: If this book was one’s only exposure to small town America, you’d think everybody studied martial arts, got into sword fights, and had to rescue damsels in distress from street punks. There’s certainly a high amount of action in here, which I count an improvement over the last book. (The first story had to do a lot of setup in telling how Doboro came to be. That put a lot more emphasis on the character development and less on action plot points.)
Can you read this as a standalone? I believe so though you will enjoy it more having already known some of the characters. It’s definitely a self-contained story. I listened to the first story and still felt a bit dropped into the story because Summer Winter and Doboro greeted each other like very old friends, but I think they referred to events that happened in the time between books 1 and 2 of the series. Their interactions were natural and comfortable enough to sell the friendship.
Doboro’s kind of a nice-guy vigilante.
New characters: Mae Linn’s a nice addition to the cast. Stu’s a bit 1-dimensional, but he fulfills the role as punchable bad guy nicely.
What kind of a book is this? I’d categorize it as light drama with some Christian themes. There’s a little romance thrown in. (Honestly, I’m about to add chick magnet to Doboro’s resume, right up beside sword master and vigilante.)
Narration adds a very nice aspect. Narrator has a lovely voice.
The song included was at the end of the previous book. Still a cool song.
Favorite part? I always love the parts where Doboro’s showing the blind man magic.
How does this measure up to book 1? I liked it a hair more than book 1, though I enjoyed that one too. I think it’s the fact that it got right into the action without half the book being spent on creating the character/ changing everything about his world. To be clear, book 1 needed all the background. It provides excellent anchoring and reason to like the character.

Conclusion:

An excellent entry into a unique, fun series.

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4/5 Stars: Post Dunkin Carmel Macchiato Cereal

April 13, 2021April 3, 2021 Julie Gilbert Recommended Products cereal review, dunkin

Summary:

A cereal made with coffee lovers in mind.

Additional Comments:

– The marshmallows have the same consistency as Lucky Charms marshmallows. It’s a tad strange to have that consistency but coffee flavor.

– The puffs are also coffee flavored but they’re like Cocoa Puffs in terms of size and shape.

– Best part is the milk afterwards. It takes like very light and sweet coffee, which happens to be how I like my coffee.

– I grabbed a box for $0.99 when they were trying to push this cereal. Not sure I would pay $3.99 for a box, but then again, I usually just wait for any cereal to go on sale. I like a wide enough variety of cereal to cycle. They are probably on the sweeter side for my cereal preferences.

– I do not like soggy cereal, so I am happy to report that this cereal stays crisp throughout the eating process. I think the marshmallows might be hydrophobic.

– ratio of marshmallows to puffs is decent.

– I had it two days in a row, but I am not sure I would have it for a week straight. It’s very sweet.

– I am sure if I looked at the sugar content and cared about that sorta thing, I would cringe.

Conclusion:

A worthwhile addition to cereal creations. Would buy again.

Interested in a fun writing course designed for teens? Check out Storyquest Academy. (Note: affiliate link – if you sign up for the class through this link, I earn a commission … you get a great deal – win-win 😉 … seriously, most writing courses are a LOT more expensive.)

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4/5 Stars: Mercury Rising by Jerusha Jones

April 10, 2021March 27, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, cozyish, mystery Carrie Coello, Jerusha Jones

Narrated by Carrie Coello

Run Time: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Summary:

Typical cozy mystery with a likable if somewhat bumbling main character. Eva Fairchild moves across the country to settle down by her sister. She lives on a houseboat made from old shipping containers, which is where the series name comes from.

Additional Comments:

Eva’s likable. Kind of a people magnet. People confide in her pretty easily. She’s nosy but not stupidly so.
There are suitable side intrigues to fill in the space.
Random mentions of the main love interest smelling good.
Eva’s sister’s family is cute. They have a nice, hunky dory sort of relationship.
It would have helped if I cared more about the victim, but he’s presented as a womanizing environmental crusader. That’s a double-edge sword that also reads meddling whack-job.
The bad guys are development companies and crooked politicians. Who doesn’t love to dump on politicians? The presentation of progress being all about money at the detriment of the environment was a pretty heavy-handed, preachy message in here, but as long as you concentrate on the characters and their charms, it’s easy to ignore.
There’s enough small town sort of charm and intrigue to keep me from mentally screaming: MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN, which is sometimes the case with cozy mysteries.
Distinct lack of cats in the story. I think it’s made up for by meddlesome mother figures and people in love with their hair dye.
There’s so much other stuff going on that the title mystery is almost an afterthought. I generally don’t nitpick titles, but it might have been better served with a cutesy cozy sort of name. The title just doesn’t scream cozy mystery or have the feel of the story that’s within.
Willow’s cool. She’s a good excuse for the MC to have random side adventures.
Performance is decent. I’ve got to hunt up some other books by Carrie Coello or I’m going to type cast her as always playing this sort of character – sweet but slightly clueless.

Conclusion:

Okay cozy. Worth a listen.

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Second Interview with Janice Cole Hopkins

April 7, 2021April 3, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Author Resource, Interviews

Hi Janice, welcome back.

Let’s remind everybody of your background.

I grew in the eastern part of the North Carolina mountains. I often joke that I write a lot of historical fiction because I grew up much like people did in the 1800s, however, there’s also some truth in that statement. As an only child in a rural setting, I developed a vivid imagination early. This gave me a foundation to dabble in many arts and crafts, and especially storytelling. I’d began writing my own stories by the time I was in third grade, and I’ve never stopped.

What do you do for fun?

I find so many things fun that it’s difficult to list them all. I love reading and writing and spend most of my time doing those. I enjoy travel, history, arts & crafts, theater, folk studies, nature, decorating, etc.

Who or what inspires you the most?

The Bible and my walk with God.

If you had a tagline, what would it be?

“And the greatest of these is love.”

What other writers/people do you consider inspirational?

I’m an avid reader, reading almost 300 books a year besides all the writing I do. I love many authors. Some of my favorites are Francine Rivers’s earlier works, some of Lynn Austin, Tessa Asfar, and Kate Witemeyer, just to name a few. There are many others. I like writers who pull me into the story, and I live it with the characters. That’s the type of writer I try to be.

What got you into writing?

That’s a good question. I think I had stories within me begging to be told. I began to write as soon as I learned enough in elementary school to know how. At first, I wrote short stories, but I was never satisfied with them. I always thought they needed more. When I taught school, I wrote for magazines because they were shorter projects that I could fit into my busy schedule. But looking back, I think God may have been molding me all along for the writing I’m doing now. I just didn’t realize it at the time.

What is your writing process?

I’m a more of a pantser. I have multiple ideas in my head at any one time. The ones that stick and don’t fade away, I write. I live with my characters in my head for a long time and know them well. I know my setting and vaguely where the story will end up. I write to see how it gets there. Because of this, if I can find the time, I write fast, just like I read, because I want to see what happens. I have published 30 books in 5 ½ years.

When do you consider a work complete?

I put each rough draft aside for a month or more before I edit it, and I may edit it several times. I send it to beta readers and reedit and revise from their suggestions. I submit it to my editor (sometimes two editors) and make any needed changes. Then, I publish.

About When Winter Is Past

Link to book.

Pennsylvania 1739

Stanton Klein’s father had given up on life after his wife died and left Stanton orphaned to live with his grandparents. He decided he would never love like that. He and his first wife had fared well together, but she’d died in childbirth. Now he’s decided to find another woman to marry. After all, a farmer needs a wife and sons. However, with the changes come important lessons and dangers that Stanton never imagined.

Beth Evans has taken care of her father, since he fell from a barn roof and can no longer walk. People, like Fiona, have always made fun of her, because she has a limp. When Stanton befriends her, she’s wary but also intrigued. Her father encourages her to give Stanton a chance, but how can she be sure what’s best?

Are there any deep themes or messages in the book the readers should be aware of?

Love is one of God’s special gifts.

What gave you the idea for this book?

Like most of my books, the idea just came to me. If anything triggered it, I don’t know what it was. However, I chose the setting because I lived in Pennsylvania for three summers and studied much of their rich colonial history. I went also went back later for additional history seminars.

How long did the book take to write?

It took about 3 months to write the rough draft. However, it took much longer to get through all the editing, etc. I didn’t keep track of how long the complete process took.

Who designed the cover?

I designed the cover. I have a background in art, and I enjoy the design process.

Do you write in other genres?

I mainly write Christian romance, but my books have varying degrees of romance – some with very little, and others with more. I also have two Christian non-fiction books (On the Road to Jericho and From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea: Lessons from Elijah and Jonah).

Tell us about one other book or series and why it’s important to you.

With Summers Songs

Tara Kildare’s sister gives her a cruise so she can escape her troubles for a while. Her husband had become abusive but was killed in Iraq. Now his parents are trying to gain custody of her son, Ricky. Tara knows she’ll never trust another man, but would a husband help her court case as her lawyer says, and would she do even that to keep her son?

Sean Murphy might be impulsive, but he’s also an optimist. He’s had about enough of sailing around the world, and Tara might just be the woman to give him the home and family he wants. She’s certainly captured his interest and then his heart. Now he’ll need to convince the stubborn woman that they were meant for each other.

Although When Winter Is Past is a historical novel, and With Summer’s Songs is more contemporary, they have a slight connection. Tara in With Summer’s Songs inherits Stanton’s farmhouse from When Winter Is Past and finds Beth’s journal.

If you could go anywhere for a special vacation, where would you go?

I’ve traveled extensively, going to all 50 states, and 45 other countries. The next place on my list is Australia and New Zealand. I would love to fly down and cruise around them. I actually have a good number of readers and fans from Australia.

What’s the most adventuresome thing you’ve ever done?

I’m not sure. Would it be when I rode the elephant in India, handled the snakes (non-poisonous, of course), hiked the mountain by myself in Alaska, or went to the Philippines by myself to fill in for a missionary for a semester? There are also many others to choose from.

How do we reach you?

Website: https://janicecolehopkins.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/JaniceColeHopkins/ (Author’s page)

https://www.facebook.com/Appalachian-Roots-1560747940894713 (Book series page)

https://twitter.com/J_C_Hopkins (Twitter)

Thanks for stopping by again.

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Audiobook Reviews 3.45/5 Stars: Transcription by Tyler Michael

April 4, 2021March 27, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Millitary, mystery, scifi Brian Ross, Tyler Michael

Narrated by Brian Ross

Performance 4, story 3.

Run Time: 4 hrs and 24 mins

Summary:

Reads like a very long book report. That’s not a knock against the narrator. He did fine. The style the author chose is the cold, sterile dude analyzing a tragic accident set in space. Premise is that the military had a secret installation in space to do some medical research on transcription.

Additional Comments:

It’s like the author loves bio but fell asleep during the whole transcription/translation thing. I get that this is science fiction, but the author doesn’t really provide a satisfactory answer to why the government would put that much time, energy, and effort into the program. One of the “side effects” could be seen as the main reason, but the billed reason—for space travel—is way less convincing. If you don’t have the machinery in place for terraforming, fueling, etc, having a completely healthy copy of a person on a distant planet, does zip.
4/5 Performance: The narrator chose sort of an announcer style, which fit the story but isn’t exactly my favorite. He distinguished characters pretty well.
There does manage to be some fitting twists and turns throughout the story, which is cool, if you don’t mind mad scientist tropes.
The characters are fine, but none are truly likable people.
Writing mechanics 2.5: I usually don’t pick up on stuff in audio format but there were a few instances of the wrong word choice in a dialogue tag. Things like replied when no question was asked or as the tag for a question. Also, it seemed like a few places were straight up infodumps with the wrong character (the LT) explaining all the science-y stuff.

Conclusion:

If you don’t think too deeply about the science described, you may enjoy this scifi tale. As I said, it’s got some satisfying twists and a solid performance.

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Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

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