thriller

4/5 Traitors Within by James Rosone & Miranda Watson

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, thriller , ,

A Michael Stone Series, Book 1

Narrated by John Tanner

Summary:

Although the book claims to be about Michael Stone, he’s only one cog in the machine of good guys and bad guys. The premise is terrifyingly realistic. Traitors have helped Isis slip terrorist sleepers into the United States and Europe through their refugee programs.

Additional Comments:

  • I was in the middle of the book when the world had a pandemic meltdown. It’s not exactly a light-hearted read, but it is good.
  • John Tanner does a decent job bringing the story to life. I always listen at 2 or 2.5 x speed, so I didn’t have any problems with the diction or flow. It’s always interesting when people complain about speed. Most audio apps have given people the ability to change things like that.
  • The end is pretty open. They’re definitely angling for sequels.
  • There are a lot of sections and characters that come and go. You don’t really get a chance to get attached to any of them. Michael is one of the central characters, but he’s less central than I like for a series like this (billed as being all about him).
  • It’s pretty standard fare as far as thrillers go. If you like some of David Baldacci’s spy thrillers, you might like this. Baldacci’s better at character development, but Michael Stone fits the bill for standard spy guy. They even poked fun at this in describing him.
  • While the book offers a fair look at a scenario like this, I can see it skirts very close to that line. People act irrationally when it comes to terrorist acts. Whether it wants to or not, the book points out some rather large gaping holes in national security when it comes to letting in a bunch of refugees. Balancing humanitarian efforts and security is a headache I’m glad not to claim.
  • Content Warnings: Some violence; some language; no adult scenes

Conclusion:

If you can get past the horrible acts of terrorism that have to be described in order to have a book like this, you’ll probably like it.

Audiobook Promotions …

Were on Audiobookcrave.com (which just went under). Ones with links are relisted at Audiobooksunleashed.com.
5 Steps to Surviving Chemistry
Spirit’s Bane (Guardian Angel Files Book 1)
Kindred Spirits (Guardian Angel Files Book 2)
Violence in Vegas (Eagle Eyes Book 1) – not relisted yet
Rescue in Reno (Eagle Eyes Book 2)
Danger in Dallas (Eagle Eyes Book 3)

Devya’s Children Series Links:

Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – short stories featuring Jillian.
The Dark Side of Science – official prequel to Devya’s Children; Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Ashlynn’s Dreams – Genetically altered Dream Shaper learns her gift.
Nadia’s Tears – Jillian tries to awaken her sister, Nadia, from a coma.
Malia’s Miracles – Jillian and her siblings try to save a friend’s mother.
Varick’s Quest – Jillian and Danielle get kidnapped. Nadia’s also in trouble.

Check out my other titles available on Audiobooks Unleashed:

Beyond Broken Pencils – contemporary, literary
Shadow Council Combo (Books 1-4)
The Individual titles are available but not yet listed on an ad site
SC 1: Money Makes it Deadlier
SC 2: Revenge Makes it Sweeter
SC 3: Christmas Makes it Chaos
SC 4: Treachery Makes it Tense)

Eagle Eyes – mystery thriller

Scratched Off – mystery, thriller; FBI agent vs serial killer, more intense than Shadow Council/Eagle Eyes

Awakening – Redeemer Chronicles Book 1, MG fantasy
The Holy War – Redeemer Chronicles Book 2, MG fantasy
Reclaim the Darklands – Redeemer Chronicles Book 3, MG fantasy

The Collins Case – Heartfelt Cases Book 1, Christian mystery
The Kiverson Case – Heartfelt Cases Book 2, Christian mystery
The Davidson Case – Heartfelt Cases Book 3, Christian mystery

Other titles:
5 Steps to Better Blurbs – for authors
5 Steps to Better Audiobooks – for authors/narrators
Innova – Christian Dystopia
The Golden City Captives – short fantasy
Fatal Interest – short mystery/thriller

Choices Stories Review: 4/5 Stars: Most Wanted

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Choices Stories, mystery, thriller , ,
promo pic for the game

Genre: Action/Thriller

Summary:

Been a while since I read this one. I believe it was one of the early Choices Stories. These days, they usually let you name the character. This round you played as either Sam, a US Marshall, or Dave, a detective.

Additional Comments:

  • Pretty sure this one was action-packed because I can remember some of the chs even though it’s probably been over a year since I finished reading this story.
  • Samantha’s a bit more bull-headed. Her investigative style is in-your-face.
  • Dave’s the nice guy. He likes to talk his way out of trouble.
  • When the chips are down, either would make a great partner to watch your back.
  • They’re after Tully, a dude with a serious mean streak who’s not afraid to kill anyone and everyone in his way.
  • They didn’t continue the series, so it probably wasn’t a huge money-maker for them.
  • The premium choices that they had on offer had more to do with seeing little glimpses into history than collecting something. Like it or not, the collection choices tend to be ones that are more tempting to spend diamonds on.
  • They left it at a bit of a cliffhanger, which is sad, but oddly, I still find the ending satisfying. That’s a rarity as I tend to hate cliffhangers with a passion.

Conclusion:

I hope they return to the storyline at some point. They’re kinda hard core into the romances, but it’s nice when they put out a pure mystery/action thriller once in a while.

Associate links to follow…

Available Audiobooks: I have free codes for almost everything.

New Release: The Shadow Council Series 1: Money Makes it Deadlier – An FBI agent gets caught up in a robbery gone wrong.

Shadow Council Book 2: Revenge Makes it Sweeter – A midnight summons calls FBI Special Agent Megan Luchek into a fight for a young girl’s life.

Shadow Council Book 3: Christmas Makes it Chaos – The FBI agent gets a strange ally in the quest to prevent chaos from rocking a lot of people’s holiday season.

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.

Nonfiction:
5 Steps to Surviving Chemistry – A primer for chemistry students. Breaks down concepts into simple terms. 

5 Steps to Better Blurbs – A book for writers looking to improve their book descriptions

4/5 Stars Bad Boys for Life

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Movie Reviews, thriller , ,
promo pic for the movie

Starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence

Summary:

Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett, veteran cops go up against a drug cartel. Marcus just wants to retire and enjoy the good life, but he come back to help when it becomes clear somebody’s out to kill his former partner, Mike.

Additional Comments:

  • Action packed
  • I enjoyed the fact that there was a decent plot with some twists for the MCs to encounter
  • Will Smith and Martin Lawrence make a good team.
  • Most of the funny parts were in the trailer. That’s neither here nor there, but it would have been more fun to discover some of the gems.
  • The cops have some cool tech toys.
  • The bad guy was a tad overpowered but it made for good movie.
  • Content warning: strong language, pervasive violence
  • I have not watched the others in the series.

Conclusion:

Not every action movie must be seen on a big screen, but this is one where I do think the bigger screen enhances the experience.

Associate links to follow…

Available Audiobooks: I have free codes for almost everything.

New Release: The Shadow Council Series 1: Money Makes it Deadlier – An FBI agent gets caught up in a robbery gone wrong.

Shadow Council Book 2: Revenge Makes it Sweeter – A midnight summons calls FBI Special Agent Megan Luchek into a fight for a young girl’s life.

Shadow Council Book 3: Christmas Makes it Chaos – The FBI agent gets a strange ally in the quest to prevent chaos from rocking a lot of people’s holiday season.

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.

Nonfiction:
5 Steps to Surviving Chemistry – A primer for chemistry students. Breaks down concepts into simple terms. 

5 Steps to Better Blurbs – A book for writers looking to improve their book descriptions

4/5 Stars Charlie’s Angels 2019

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Movie Reviews, thriller , , ,
Standard promo pic I grabbed off Google.

Directed by Elizabeth Banks.

Starring: Ella Balinska, Kristen Stewart, and Naomi Scott

Summary:

Standard girl-power sort of action flick. Premise is that the next high-tech gadget ready to light up the world has a flaw, meaning it could be turned into a weapon. Contrary to many action flicks, I don’t think it’s the blow-up-the-world type. It’s more of a perfect-assassin’s-tool.

Additional Comments:

– 95% of the soundtrack is pop-esque. I appreciated the fact that occasionally the music matched the country. It might have done so more often and I just didn’t catch it. Haven’t downloaded it yet, but I got a code from an AMC promo. I enjoyed most of the music.

– I liked that they attempted some interesting twists.

– Pretty sure it involved some cursing, but it didn’t rely on hard language to carry a non-existent plot, which I appreciated.

– Aside: I did not remember Scott was also Princess Jasmine in the latest Disney money grab reboot of one of its classic animated movies.

– Plot 3.5/5: I’m pretty sure it’s on par with most action movies. Lots of sleek tech, people trying to kill the heroines, fighting, etc. Strangely, all the globetrotting slowed the movie down.

– Characters 4/5: The trio of leading ladies works with the stereotypes. You have a tough girl (Jane Kano played by Ella Balinska), the maverick (Sabina Wilson played by Kristen Stewart), and the newbie (Elena Houghlin played by Naomi Scott). Incidentally, there is decent character development which I appreciate. Also, Kristen Stewart successfully rocks the short hair look as Sabina.

– A few scenes probably could have been safely cut, but it’s still entertaining overall.

– The movie has a strong, over-the-top, feminist message that sort of backfires. It might have been a better show if it had a good balance of characters.

– Passes the Entertain-me test.

Conclusion:

Not bad for a reboot. It’s a fun movie to see in theaters with the larger-than-life screens. Most action movies miss something when they’re played back on a itty-bitty phone screen. A home theater system might suffice. Charlie’s Angels is worth seeing once on a big screen and maybe once later on Netflix or TV.

Associate links to follow…

Note: I’m starting to use a few ad sites for audiobooks, so codes are disappearing quickly.

Available Audiobooks: I have free codes for almost everything. That will change very soon.

New Release: The Shadow Council Series 1: Money Makes it Deadlier – An FBI agent gets caught up in a robbery gone wrong.

Shadow Council Book 2: Revenge Makes it Sweeter – A midnight summons calls FBI Special Agent Megan Luchek into a fight for a young girl’s life.

Shadow Council Book 3: Christmas Makes it Chaos – The FBI agent gets a strange ally in the quest to prevent chaos from rocking a lot of people’s holiday season.

Shadow Council Book 4: Treachery Makes it Tense – The agent and the assassin have to team up if they want to survive.

Shadow Council is also available as a ~13 hr bundle.

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.

Movie Reviews 4.5/5: Angel Has Fallen

Julie Gilbert Action Adventure, Movie Reviews, thriller , ,

Starring: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman

Co-starring: Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick, Piper Perabo

Summary:

Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is experiencing some health fallout from the other few hectic days (Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen). This round he’s got to prove he’s not he bad guy and save the President from evildoers.

Additional Comments:

  • Plot 3/5 stars: Seriously, you never go into this type of movie expecting a plot. Oh, they throw in plot twists, but they’re straight out of the how-to-write-a-thriller manual. I won’t give spoilers in case you’ve never seen an action movie ever. I think they managed to slip in one thing I didn’t think they’d do.
  • Action 4.5/5 stars: Things explode. There is one major car chase. It’s satisfying on the action front.
  • Main Characters 4.5/5 stars: By this story in the series, you should be comfortable with Banning and President Trumbull. Love Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler typically plays the same type dude. They tried to make him deeper by giving him headaches and stuff, but it wasn’t really necessary.
  • Side Characters 5/5 stars: Hands-down, my favorite side character was his father, Clay Banning (Nick Nolte). The section in the woods near his cabin was hilarious. I enjoyed seeing Piper Perabo as Banning’s wife. I hadn’t seen her since way back in the Covert Affairs days. Don’t think I ever saw the end of that TV show. I should do that. Anyway, side note: that baby was adorable. The rest of the supporting cast pulled off their roles believably. You end up hating whom you’re supposed to and loving/fearing for the good guys.
  • Content Warnings: As with the other two movies, half the lines of dialogue consist of the f-bomb. There’s also a sprinkling of less “shocking” curse words. Also, don’t get attached to characters. I feel like that should be a given in this type of movie, but it bears reiteration.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a high-action thriller, this fits the mold nicely. I know the critics don’t agree with me this time, but my bar for thrillers consists of entertain me. This met that bar nicely.

Associate links to follow…

Available Audiobooks: I have free codes for almost everything.

New Release: The Shadow Council Series 1: Money Makes it Deadlier – An FBI agent gets caught up in a robbery gone wrong. (Narrated by Liz Brand)

Shadow Council Series 2: Revenge Makes it Sweeter – A mysterious midnight summons sends FBI Agent Megan Luchek on a wild quest to save a young girl’s life.

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.

Nonfiction:
5 Steps to Surviving Chemistry – A primer for chemistry students. Breaks down concepts into simple terms. 

5 Steps to Better Blurbs – A book for writers looking to improve their book descriptions

Movie Reviews 2.5/5 Stars: Shaft

Julie Gilbert mystery, thriller ,

Summary:

The next generation of Shaft detectives is on the rise. JJ Shaft wants to investigate the mysterious death of a friend. But his job as an FBI data analyst doesn’t exactly leave him well prepared to walk on the wild side. He turns to an unlikely source for help: his old man.

Additional Comments:

– I have not seen any of the others, but I’m assuming they’re much the same.
– Humor 3/5: There were definitely quite a few amusing points. Unfortunately, most of them relied on innuendos to work. (I’m guessing that’s a series thing, so this won’t bother 99% of the audience.)
– Action 4/5: The action portions were cool.
– The running gag of them being completely oblivious to traffic around them stayed true throughout the movie.
– Plot 3/5: There’s only one point that makes zero sense unless you want one of the characters kidnapped. Other than that, it works decently. They also chose the politically correct “bad guy.”
– I think 90% of the script consists of expletives.
– Samuel L. Jackson was great, as usual. Rest of the cast did fine too, but I probably wouldn’t have bothered seeing it just for them.

Conclusion:

Not my thing.

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: Exit Strategy

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, thriller , ,
book cover from audible

Summary:

Kat’s a forensic accountant. Her personal finances are a bit of a mess, but she knows how to track down money. She’s been hired by Liberty Holdings (they run Diamond Mines) to recover 5 billion allegedly stolen by one of their top execs.

Additional Comments:

– What follows the opening sequences is a series of unfortunate events for the accountant. But in the end, it ends the way you’d expect it to end.

– Kat and Jace are an interesting non-couple.

– Uncle Harry’s endearing in a bumbling sort of way.

– Content Warnings: I probably would have rated it higher if there weren’t random f-bombs (at least 2) being dropped for no good reason. It doesn’t make the characters sound tougher. And they would be just as credible without that. Other than that and a few other curse words, the book’s surprisingly clean. Violence is included, but no racy scenes.

– A few plot points had pretty convenient coincidences or wild leaps of logic that panned out perfectly, but that’s a minor complaint.

– Narration fit nicely.

Conclusion:

It’s an enjoyable thriller.

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: The Equalizer 2

Julie Gilbert Movie Reviews, mystery, thriller ,

Summary:

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is a Lufthansa driver and hard-handed do-gooder. He rights wrongs with violence and enjoys helping the helpless and down trodden. So, when a friend gets murdered, it’s logical that he goes on a revenge bender.

Additional Comments:

– Miles is a good side character. He could go either way in terms of being good or evil but McCall steers him right with typical bluntness.

– The twists and turns are predictable but still fun.

– They spend a fair amount of time on sidestuff that fleshes out his character. 

– The bad guys are more that just masked goons. 

– The events seem random but things work out. I often wonder where characters like that – McCall, Jack Reacher, etc- get the funds to wreck havoc day and night.

– Content warning: strong language and violence.

Conclusion:

If you don’t mind entire lines of dialogue being a string of curses (f-bombs), then you’ll be fine with this 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.

FBI agent vs serial killer: Scratched Off

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

Awesome Audiobooks: 4.45/5 stars Cast a Long Shadow by Kwen D Griffeth

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, mystery, thriller, Western , ,

Narrated by Paul J McSorley

Summary:

Bobby Trent takes on the task of investigating his father’s murder to clear the man’s good name. As the Sheriff of Lodge Pole, Bobby’s father had a great reputation until the very end when questions arose concerning a drug shipment discovered in the county.

Additional Comments:

– Bobby’s attitude is typical of a thriller star. He’s innately aligned good but willing to drink hard and play hard and take out the bad guys. In that sense, he’s a tad unrealistic. Most people’s fear of consequences have them walking more of the straight and narrow.

– The romance angle is secondary and sends up mixed signals for two different women, but that’s fine. It would lose a lot of the thriller aspects if the book focused on that side.

– There’s a fun, exotic atmosphere in the book for those used to suburban or city life rather than small town western life.

– The characters filling the world are fun and pretty well fleshed out.

– The book has a nice sense of closure. There’s clear to-be-continued vibes but at least the reader gets a feeling that this arc has been closed.

– It falls into that thriller trap of don’t get too attached to any characters, except maybe the hero boy.

– About the only tie-in to the title is the last few lines of the book.

Conclusion:

Excellent modern day western.   

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

FBI agent vs serial killer: Scratched Off

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

Audiobook Reviews 4.45/5: Midnight Black The Purge by R.J. Eastwood

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, dystopia, thriller , , , ,
Cover’s okay. Novel’s much better than cover.

Summary:

Billy Russell’s career as a cop ended abruptly when he went down for murdering the man who killed his wife. He’s shipped off to prison but gets a reprieve 15 years later because the new government wants men with his particular set of skills to work for them.

Additional Comments:

– Characters 4/5 stars: Billy’s an amusing narrator. He doesn’t try to pass himself off as the perfect guy, but his morals are firmly set in their ways. It’s clear he’s willing to stand by his beliefs. Jade’s a bit flat as a character, but their interactions are believable. The cast of other characters fulfill their roles well without standing out one way or the other.

– Plot 4.5 (until the very end): Billy’s stint in prison and his trip back to Earth are well-described. His fish-out-of-water feel comes across as very genuine. The progression through his early days on the job unfolds naturally.

– World-Building 4.5/5: We know it’s a disaster out there, and Billy slowly comes to understand the new world and how it works. The world is superbly crafted, but not very likable (as one would expect from dystopia).

Side note: I feel like this world and the one from Captive State have a similar vibe.

– Ending 3/5 stars: Kind of disappointing. I expected more since there was great build up to that point. Billy’s largely a spectator in the end events.

– Content Warnings: some violence, some cursing (~3 fbombs), a few adult scenes started then fade to next day

Conclusion:

If you enjoy a well-crafted world and don’t mind that world being grim, this is a solid choice for you. Billy’s a hero you could see as a normal guy.

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