4/5 Stars Abandoned Wharf Sisters by Faye Godwin

August 5, 2021July 30, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, historical British, Faye Godwin, Gareth Richards, historical

Narrated by: Gareth Richards

Run Time: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Summary:

Effie and John, 13 and 10/11 respectively, struggle to help their 3 younger sisters alive. But the best they can do is beg or work on the docks selling fish. London in 1895 is unforgiving to poor people in the winter, especially kids on their own.

Additional Comments:

The title fits but is kinda unfair to poor John because he too was abandoned.
One can’t help but want to hug Effie and her siblings. Not sure how anybody could just abandon their kids, but I guess people do what they do.
There are several time skips in here, but it makes sense in this story.
There are quite a few repeated lines in the book, which is downright disconcerting to hear.
The romance angle was okay. The kid didn’t have much choice even if she didn’t fall in love with her childhood friend.
Several plot points were a stretch.
I had to stop listening at some points because it was just downright depressing.
I wondered why they selected a male narrator when the MC was a 13-year-old girl. He did a nice job, but a woman probably would have fit Effie better. As this did not have a first-person perspective, it worked out fine.

Conclusion:

Not much happens if you think about it. Try not to starve. Try not to starve. Rinse and repeat. But rendered in the lovely British accent and complete with the descriptions of the 1890’s, it’s still worth experiencing.

Audiobook Promotions …

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Many of my 44 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 Stars Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon

August 4, 2021July 20, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, scifi Firefly, Joss Whedon, Tim Lebbon

Narrated by James Anderson Foster

Run Time: 7 hrs and 18 mins

Genre: Scifi

Summary:

A mysterious star map leads the crew to the equivalent of buried treasure, and a whole heap of trouble. River senses something in the ship, but is it a good something or a bad something?

Additional Comments:

The beginning was kind of amusing. It told the tale of how the star map ended up in Mal’s hands. The prologue could probably have been skipped, but I found the mini history intriguing.
The odds of Mal ending up with that map are astronomical, but it’s fine. Falls under the suspension of disbelief.
The middle and end of the story struck me a bit like one of the old school horror Star Wars books. I think it was Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber. (I didn’t like that book, but people who have read that and this one may pick up on the similar vibes.)
River gets a wee bit of a bigger role in this one, which is nice.
The plot’s pretty simplistic, yet it works.

Conclusion:

If you’re still suffering from Firefly withdrawal, these books provide a nice fix of scifi action and adventure.

Audiobook Promotions …

Many of my 50 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)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

4.45/5 Stars Coffin Creek by Ben Bridges

August 2, 2021July 30, 2021 Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Audiobooks, Western Ben Bridges, Coffin Creek, Western

Narrated by J. Rodney Turner

Run Time: 4 hrs and 11 mins

Summary:

Starts with a bang, ends with a bang. A train robbery that ends tragically with several deaths is just one of a long string of robberies perpetrated by several masked men. Lane was once a gunslinger but had that beaten out of him long ago. He may have to return to those roots to protect what and who he loves.

Additional Comments:

The back cover copy does a thorough job of spelling out the story. You’re better off NOT reading it.
This is classic western. I had to stop at one point because it seemed the bad guys were getting too much page time.
Performance was solid. I’d listen to the narrator again.
It weaves a halfway decent mystery in and around the high action.
Fairly clean. Oh, there’s plenty of violence, but nothing is really described in gruesome detail.
Lane’s likable. The Marshall’s niece is likable. There’s not much memorable about anybody else, even the bad guys, but I don’t think it’s mean to be a story where you fall deeply in love with every character.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a classic, high action Western, this is a good choice.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

Path to the Chosen Redeemer by Julie C. Gilbert

August 1, 2021July 20, 2021 Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Audiobooks, Fantasy, middle grade Aeris Legends, fantasy, Julie C. Gilbert, Middle grade, Young Adult

This is the box set cover … Individual audiobooks have their own covers.

River’s Edge Ransom, Aeris Legends Books 1-3, and Redeemer Chronicles

Note: There’s no rating b/c these are my books.

Summary:

River’s Edge Ransom tells the tale of what happened in the Bereft village of River’s Edge. That incident sets many things into motion. Things that lead to Redeemer Chronicles. On the surface, it’s a story about greed and sibling rivalry. It’s got a little magic and mystery.

Aeris Legends Books 1-3 continues weaving the backstory for Marina Castaloni, Daniel Saveron, and Jackson Castaloni.

Redeemer Chronicles switches gears in several ways. The biggest, most notable switch is a flip to first person narration. Awakening picks up immediately after The Lady’s Grace. Vic starts on her journey to find her father. It’s also where we really start to get to know her, Katrina, Tellen, and Shadow. They show up in Aeris Legends as children, but those stories aren’t truly theirs.

Additional Comments:

These are my books, so the rating’s going to be extremely biased.
Teralyn Davis’s performance was spectacular on all 4 of the first stories. She’s got a very impressive range of voices in her. (Raelyn is one of my favorite voices.)
Caitlin Jacques was actually the first narrator hired to do one of the stories. Awakening was written first. I lost touch with her after that book though, so Jacqueline DeGraff picked up where Caitlin left off for The Holy War and Reclaim the Darklands. Both women did a stellar job with their assignments.
There are a few production (2-ish) mistakes that made it through to the final version of Aeris Legends, but I’m pretty sure people who aren’t me and/or don’t have a manuscript in front of their faces might only catch one of them.
Story: Aeris Legends is kid-safe, but the main characters aren’t kids. The MCs in Redeemer Chronicles, which this was meant to lead to, are teenagers. Aeris Legends is the backstory for Vic’s parents and scheming uncle.
If you’re willing to review the book, I might still have a free code for some of these stories. I am likely out of Redeemer Chronicles unless you’re willing to do Author’s Direct codes. Audible ones are likely gone.

Conclusion:

I generally don’t end books on cliffhangers, but this one was always meant to dump the reader right on Redeemer Chronicles’ doorstep. If you want the full Aeris tale, you’ll have to continue on to get Vic’s tale (and the story for Shadow, Tellen, Sara, and Katrina) in Awakening, The Holy War, and Reclaim the Darklands.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

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Julie C. Gilbert – Writer, Teacher, Believer

Words live on forever, use them wisely.

Month: August 2021

4/5 Stars Abandoned Wharf Sisters by Faye Godwin

Narrated by: Gareth Richards

Run Time: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Summary:

Additional Comments:

Conclusion:

Audiobook Promotions …

4/5 Stars Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon

Narrated by James Anderson Foster

Run Time: 7 hrs and 18 mins

Genre: Scifi

Summary:

Additional Comments:

Conclusion:

Audiobook Promotions …

4.45/5 Stars Coffin Creek by Ben Bridges

Narrated by J. Rodney Turner

Run Time: 4 hrs and 11 mins

Summary:

Additional Comments:

Conclusion:

Audiobook Promotions …

Path to the Chosen Redeemer by Julie C. Gilbert

River’s Edge Ransom, Aeris Legends Books 1-3, and Redeemer Chronicles

Note: There’s no rating b/c these are my books.

Summary:

Additional Comments:

Conclusion:

Audiobook Promotions …