3.5/5 Stars Roza Shanina Russian Sniper by Robert Corrigan

November 27, 2021October 23, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction Robert Corrigan, Roza Shanina, Russian Sniper

Narrated by Kay Webster

Run Time: 38 mins

Genre: Biography

Summary:

This is a very short news article style tale of one of Russia’s most successful female snipers.

Additional Comments:

Felt like a really long book report.
The lady has an incredibly interesting life, but the clinical way this is told makes it feel like 8 degrees of separation. It’s very hard to connect to her as a person, a woman, a soldier, a patriot who fought for—and ultimately died—for her country.
Even with it being very short, parts meandered off away from her tale. It would have been way more interesting if told as historical fiction or fictionalized history with quotes from her journal entries.

Conclusion:

Despite it’s shortcomings, it’s an intriguing tale and worth listening to.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

Audiobook Promotions …

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is rc-1-3-audio-ad-1024x536.jpg

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)

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)

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is DC-set-ad-1024x536.jpg

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)

3.45/5 Stars Rampage by Harold Schechter

November 24, 2021October 23, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction mass murder, nonfiction, Steven Weber

Narrated by Steven Weber

Run Time: 1 hr and 23 mins

Genre: True Crime

Summary:

In 1949, Howard Unruh lost it and killed 13 neighbors.

Additional Comments:

It would have been nice to learn a bit more about his history.
Short tale basically explained on the back cover copy.
He’s heralded as the face of modern mass murder.
Performance was adequately done.
Even clocking in just shy of an hour and a half, it feels long and unnecessarily drawn out in parts.
I’m still relatively new to the True Crime scene. But seems to me this dude got off scott free. I 100% agree with the headlines that decried his move to a less restrictive mental facility. Because he was cool, calm, and collected, they gave him a pass on the 13 cold-blooded murders. Stupid doctors.

Conclusion:

It’s an interesting tale that left me almost—but not completely—feeling like I’d wasted my life listening to it.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

5/5 Stars In the Name of the Children by Jeffrey L. Rinek and Marilee Strong

October 16, 2021September 16, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, mystery, Nonfiction Jeffrey L. Rinek, Marilee Strong, P.J. Ochlan

Narrated by P.J. Ochlan

Run Time: 13 hrs and 10 mins

Genre: True Crime, nonfiction

Summary:

Aside from the intro stuff and maybe the first few cases, there’s no real timeline to follow here. It follows the career of FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Rinek through a select number of his horrifying, heartbreaking cases.

Additional Comments:

If you’ve followed my reviews, you know I don’t hand out 5’s like candy. I listen to a lot of different kinds of stuff. I’ve only recently started listening to true crime stuff. It’s all for research, promise, but it’s also just fascinating, disturbing, morbid, and crazy too.
This is hands-down one of the most interesting and simultaneously horrifying and disquieting books I’ve ever listened to. It’s the first book in a long time, I finished because I wanted to finish it, not just because I had free time to listen.
Like young Jeff, I’ve been fascinated by the FBI for a long time, but he pursued a career with them, while I just write stories about agents. I have the utmost respect for those like Agent Rinek who dedicate their lives to giving victims a voice.
Content Warning: This book is disturbing on so many levels. Even hearing some of the horrific things people have done is gut-wrenching, especially when the crimes are committed against their own children.
The selection of cases worked out well. There was variety.
The narrator had good reading instincts.
Being around death, darkness, and evil took its toll on Rinek and his family. He brought that part up a few times, but I don’t think it was overstated. It wasn’t just about missed birthdays and key events and broken promises. The man almost killed himself because of the craziness he dealt with on a daily basis.
This book, way more than the fiction works, emphasizes the fact that some cases go unsolved, some take years and years and years to complete, and many don’t have satisfactory conclusions. They don’t always “get their man,” and nothing can bring back the dead or return a sense of innocence to the victims.
It’s the kind of book that’s hard to say one enjoys. It was excellent and compelling, but still disturbing.

Conclusion:

This is a brief glimpse into some of the dark side of humanity. Jeffrey Rinek and other law enforcement officials face monsters so some can sleep easier. Their service often goes unsung and unnoticed or just relegated to things like “oh, that’s the job they signed up for.” Statements like that do the profession an injustice. They truly are heroes.

*Found the book on Audible plus.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

Audiobook Promotions …

Many of my 55 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:

4.5/5 Stars The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer by Anthony Bruno

October 1, 2021August 23, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction, True Crime Anthony Bruno, Bronson Pinchot, serial killers

Narrated by Bronson Pinchot

Run Time: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Genre: Nonfiction, serial killers, true crime

Summary:

Nobody knows how many people got iced by Richard Kuklinski. He got the nickname The Iceman because he once put a body on ice 2 years to see what it would do in terms of preservation.

Additional Comments:

There’s hope for the true crime genre yet!
Richard Kuklinski led quite the interesting double life. Family man and hit man.
He’s not your stereotypical mob hitman. You wouldn’t cast a Hollywood heartthrob to represent him. He didn’t lead a heart-pounding life of danger and thrills. He did dark deals in back rooms.
His first crime was running off with a crate of wine, then puking his guts out. Later he killed a neighborhood bully.
Most of the people who got killed kind of deserved it, so it was a little hard to feel sorry for them.
There were tales of bravery too. Found it intriguing that the one dude went back to die to protect his family.
It’s like a true Sith tale, a master, an apprentice, and a betrayal when things go wrong.
Kind of makes you wonder about the history of the place you live in.
Was one heck of an investigation.
Cyanide is an undervalued poison. I found the range of Kukinski’s weapons intriguing. He didn’t hesitate to shoot people, but he also claimed to be able to make it look accidental with cyanide mist.
I found it even more fascinating because I recognized some of the places in New Jersey. Most of the famous serial killers come from other places.
Narration was fine. It’s not exactly a book that calls for a million voices, but the actor did a nice job distinguishing the 8-10 different people, both male and female.
Content Warnings: flagrant use of f-bombs. It fits the moment, but I wouldn’t exactly count this as a clean book.

Conclusion:

An interesting account of Richard Kukinski’s life and work and a bit about the guy who took him down.

*I got the book from Audible plus.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

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:

3.25 Cold-Blooded by Carlton Smith

September 27, 2021August 11, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction, True Crime Carlton Smith, Paul Heitsch, true crime

Narrated by Paul Heitsch

Run Time: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Performance 4 stars, story 2.5 stars.

Summary:

This is a rambling account of stupid people. Rich, stupid people.

Additional Comments:

This is one of my first forays into true crime as a genre. My tenure here might be short. This was kinda boring.
I think it could have unfolded in about 4 hours, tops.
The author goes on major tangents that have zip to do with the murder. I don’t need to know the history of Reno to get to the murder mystery here.
Once upon a time, there was a sleazy, charismatic lawyer named Larry who had a drinking problem and a weakness for women and no ability to learn from past mistakes. Wife one, understandable. Wife two. Okay, okay, we all make mistakes. Wives 3-5?? Like yo, don’t get married unless you want to get taken to the cleaners, again.
Wife 5 for Larry was a doozy. She was a petty criminal turned big time by bigger opportunities. She won’t go down as the world’s smoothest crook. If fraudulent check writing were an Olympic sport, she’d at least make it there.
About an hour in to the actual story of Larry’s history (so about 5 hours into the book), I’m like, wow, this guy’s criminally dumb when it comes to his personal life.
Lauren and Sarah weren’t much more sympathetic as characters. Their life choices went from bad to worse. In that sense, it’s just kind of sad.
The tone of the story was so matter-of-fact that nobody came off as even remotely somebody you could root for. The cops were glossed over.
The performance was fine, though with 2/3 of the main people being women, it kind of would have made more sense to hire a lady to do the narration.
This book pretty much gives shady lawyers their bad reputation. Ambulance chasing personal injury lawyers just looking for a payday and cooking their own books.

Conclusion:

It’s really, really difficult to feel sorry for these people. Any of them. The book would have been much better if it focused some on the cops and their pursuit.

About the only life lesson in here is to avoid sleazy law offices like a plague.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

3.45/5 stars Empress Wu Zetian by Laurel A. Rockefeller

September 22, 2021August 11, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, historical, Nonfiction historical, Laurel A. Rockefeller, nonfiction, Richard Mann

Narrated by Richard Mann

Run Time: 1 hr and 5 mins

Genre: nonfic, historical

Summary:

Wu Zhao is the woman who went from low-level concubine to trusted confident of Emperor Taizong. Got that from the back cover copy. This is a very short history. It was not clear in the story that she was 14 at the time she was married off to the emperor. I think the back cover copy stretches the truth a bit from the presentation in the book. It didn’t seem like she climbed the ladder, the emperor was like “yo, you want to be my trusted confidante and secretary? These other jerks only want power” and she was like “yup.”

Additional Comments:

She’s presented in very favorable light here. The account kind of glosses over a few things like her ordering the death of pretty much anybody who didn’t agree with her utopian, very progressive ideals. And stealing power whenever she needed to because she could run the country better than anybody else.
Lady’s got grit, gotta give her that.
She also behaved exactly like those she fought against, having male concubines of a sort. Excuse: everybody else is doing it. Awesome, there’s who we should hold up as the moral paragon.
The reforms she wanted were great. It probably moved the country many leaps and bounds forward, but the greater good theory of excusing bad behavior just doesn’t fly.
I haven’t read many of these, but this was the better of the two.
The author’s views definitely flavor the telling.
The main message is twofold: positions should be given out based on merit not wealth and prestige already inherent to certain families and anything men can do, women can do.
I think the point the author is semi-burying under a rug of heaping praises is that power corrupts. Even in the name of doing good, power corrupts.

Conclusion:

If you can get around the very heavy-handed slant of setting this woman up for sainthood, it’s a decent story of a strong lady.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

5 Stars FBI Undercover: The True Story of Special Agent Mandrake

September 10, 2021August 6, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Based on True Story, Nonfiction, True Crime Carlton Stowers, FBI, Larry Wansley, Shawn Compton, true crime

Narrated by Shawn Compton

Summary:

Subtitle pretty much spells out what you’re going to get.

Additional Comments:

Narrator did a nice job, but I don’t think he fit the main character very well.
This brings to light some of the stress that undercover work puts on any family, especially in prolonged campaigns.
Johnny was by far my favorite character. My favorite line was a question about somebody threatening the main character’s chastity.
It also brought to light some of the complications of bringing down likable bad guys. People make choices to do this or that for the money. Sometimes, that puts them on the wrong side of the law. Doesn’t make them any less likable in certain cases.
I’m not sure if they changed any names for the sake of privacy.
Content Warning: High profanity. I lost count of the f-bombs, but I don’t think there’s a way around that in a work like this. Speaking like a choir boy most likely would have gotten this guy shot and dumped in a storm drain.
I’m used to mostly fictional accounts of agents, so it was nice to hear something from somebody who actually lived the excitement and danger.

Conclusion:

The FBI fascinates a lot of people, me included, but it takes a special kind of person to be able to walk in those shoes.

If you want to get 5 clean audio promos a month. Sign up here.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

3.5/5 Ballasted Wings: Why That Day? By Susan Knox Kopta

July 5, 2021June 24, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction Kathleen Li, nonfiction, Susan Knox Kopta

Narrated by Kathleen Li

Run Time: 1 hr and 13 mins

Summary:

A mother recounts the heartbreaking journey of her bipolar daughter’s life.

Additional Comments:

The back cover copy pretty much spells out the story, but since I didn’t read it, the conclusion struck me as a twist.
Performance/reading 4/5 stars: Kathleen Li has a nice voice for nonfiction. Her reading rhythm is natural, which is good when given a book like this.
Story/writing 3/5 stars: The writing itself is very stilted with very little flow.
There are sections written in third person with a very far perspective. It has a caveman style ring to it. Alexis does this. Alexis does that. I guess it could be going for clinical detachment. Other sections are written in first person, which makes sense since this is the mother’s recounting based on notes and journals.
Story itself: Is sad as promised.
The retelling comes across as the mother’s coping mechanism. She wants her daughter’s life to mean something, so this stands as a “there’s hope and resources, get thee to some before it’s too late” sort of tale.

Conclusion:

It’s a short and bittersweet tale of a bright life cut short by a mental illness.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

3.5/5 Stars 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Agility by Yeo Chuen Chuen

June 17, 2021June 13, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction Chuen Chuen Yeo, Kathleen Li, leadership

Narrated by Kathleen Li

Run Time: 3 hrs and 25 mins

Summary:

This book covers some of the basic conflicts and choices leaders face and goes through a case study on each.

Additional Comments:

This is a good overview of the types of problems people face when they have high pressure jobs. Do you pay attention to family or marry the job? Do you focus on fixing one slacker or spread your attention for the good of the team as a whole? Do you go with a top-down approach and rain directives from on high or go with a bottom-up approach and fix the bottom, hoping it’ll work its way up from there?
Not all books translate well to audiobook. I think this is one such book. You can get a pdf of the worksheets, which is fine, but since not everybody’s going to have all 8 of the paradoxes, it would probably be easiest to have a paperback and be able to flip to the one you need to cover.
The reading by Kathleen Li is clear and articulate. Can’t speak much to pacing because I played it faster than normal speech.
The book kind of comes across as a big ad for the author’s business. Many books are and this is a fine tactic, but if I had to hear about the “proprietary”, Re4 coaching model one more time, I was gonna chuck the book.
Pros: it’s a straightforward book.
Cons: it’s a repetitive book. A choice was made to include the backmatter, which involved the people’s answers to the questionnaire. I’d rather that have been in the heart of the book and then be given the author’s commentary, analysis, and happy-ending news. As is, the entire book wraps up and then we get to hear what the people actually answered, which is almost identical to the summary provided within the text. The positioning makes it lose pretty much all power.

Conclusion:

A solid overview of some problems faced by modern leaders.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files:

3.45/5 Stars Easy Peasy Potty Training by Julie Schooler

June 11, 2021June 5, 2021 Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Nonfiction Julie Schooler, Kathleen Li, nonfiction

Narrated by Kathleen Li

Performance 4 stars, story 3-ish stars

Run time: 3 hrs and 9 mins

*Disclaimer – not in the target audience

Summary:

A collection of anecdotal stories and a survey of some of the differing opinions about how to potty train a child.

Additional Comments:

There’s a disclaimer that this should not stand in for medical advice and doesn’t cover situations with mental, physical developmental issues.
Honestly can’t evaluate the effectiveness of the advice in a real-world situation, but all the advice given seemed to be common sense stuff. Praise small triumphs. Be specific about what the praise is for. Going to the potty involves a lot of steps – kid needs to recognize the urge to go, get to the appropriate location, etc. Be calm and cool about accidents.
Book came across more as a cheerleading, rah-rah, you can do this spiel.
I did appreciate the lengthy list of terms for body parts, kids, and bodily functions in the beginning. And, yes, I found that part amusing. Tiny human is indeed a favorite term for toddlers.
Part of the advice was to not read a certain section unless you had to in order to avoid potentially muddying the issue. That makes me think that audiobook format is not the best medium for the book.
Narration was fine. The reading was clear and engaging. There wasn’t much need for alternate voices due to it being nonfiction.
The stages thing was helpful until the general note that stage 3 could last until high school. Me: ???? Pretty sure unless something is horribly wrong that will sort itself before then.
The other piece of advice I found less than stellar was basically lie to the daycare if needed and/or conveniently forget to send in the proper supplies like diapers. I’m not saying there’s never a situation where a lie is the lesser of two evils, but condoning, normalizing, and even encouraging young parents to flat out lie to a daycare seems irresponsible.
Advice is pretty surface-level, but it’s still nice to have it laid out in an organized manner.
The book claims to contain all the info one needs for potty training and nothing you don’t need. The claim’s baseless and hard to prove or disprove, but it sounds hella good.

Conclusion:

The strong point of the book is it has a survey of a lot of the collective wisdom gained over the years by every set of parents to ever accomplish the feat of potty training a youngster.

Audiobook Promotions …

Redeemer Chronicles (Fantasy)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Guardian Angel Files: