AudioBook Review – Paragons

Sometimes you know a review gets stuck in the weird thing that is audible limbo! and this one was there for a week or more. But here it is – finally! I think there was one more! haah will go route it out.


 

Sigil Online: Paragons | [Jeff Sproul]

“Good listen, but needed a bit more…”

I’m still pretty new to LitRPG and this is mostly brought on by facebook and the fact I’m a huge Jeff fan, so taking that into account, I’ll post my review.

Jeff did a really great performance with this, some really good female characters as usual, Brenda and Laura for sure. Even with Chace and Aaron, and then Riley as well. I don’t know how they put it all together, but with a Voice actor like Jeff there’s something worth listening to in all the stories he’s done.

So, a little bit of feedback on story. I enjoyed the story don’t get me wrong, but there were some things that just left me feeling a little cold, and miffed. I get that the MC – Riley as Radiance was an ass and being knocked down a peg or two really was tough. But as a character, he didn’t really seem to grow so much and there were many times throughout the story that I wondered why he never thought about certain things, why other characters never got a mention until it seemed it was past late. Some small parts of seeding in his thoughts here and there would have really benefited the story, no matter how much of an ass he was, no one just doesn’t think about certain life events for so long or more so people, things like that play on your mind no matter who you are, or what you’re doing.

Having said all that, and no spoilers for anyone else. There were some things I personally guessed really early on, maybe that’s just my film background, I’m not sure, so I did think that was a little bit of a letdown, not too sure what the writer might have done to aid that. Building their characters up some more, inside the game and out of it might have helped. I understand that maybe LitRPG’s just want to be inside the game but for a real story to take place, there are things we do, on a day in day out basis that are interesting. That needs to be said and done.

Not a bad length, but I think it could have been longer, with better set up and story building. There’s so much potential I’m still interested to see where this one goes, and what they do with the next ‘game upgrade’ so I’m not lost on it, like I have been with others. I’ll be looking out for more, and will poke about to see any ebooks 🙂 thanks for the entertainment.

Cover Reveal – C.L. Schneider

Cover Reveal

I’m excited to share with you the cover for my upcoming release! After completing the Crown of Stones Trilogy last year, I wanted to do something different. And this series is it! Flash Point is the 1st book in The Nite Fire Series, a fast-paced, entertaining urban fantasy full of action and mystery. Nite Fire centers on the character of Dahlia Nite, a shapeshifting creature-hunter from a parallel world—ruled by dragons.

FlashPointFinalFullCover.jpg

BLURB

Nite Fire: Flash Point

Slated for execution, shapeshifting assassin, Dahlia Nite, flees her world to hide in the human realm. As payment for the shelter they unknowingly provide, Dahlia dedicates herself to protecting humans from what truly lives in the shadows. Moving from town to town, she hunts the creatures that threaten an unsuspecting human race; burying the truth that could destroy them all.

But the shadows are shifting. The lies are adding up. And when Sentinel City is threatened by a series of bizarre brutal murders, light is shed on what should never be seen. The secrets that have kept humanity in the dark for centuries are in danger of being exposed.

Wrestling with a lifetime of her own deceptions, Dahlia investigates the killings while simultaneously working to conceal their circumstances. But with each new murder, the little bit of peace she has found in this world begins to crumble. Each new clue leads her to the one place she thought to never go again. Home.

EXCERPT

His roar blew the hair back from my face. His oddly pliable jaw opened with a wet crack of cartilage. Dropping, extending past throat, then chest, the square edge of his jaw came to rest even with the center of his abdomen. Outlined by fleshy lips, the dark maw within held an inner ring of uneven teeth, all stained with a deep red grime. Pushing out from their center, the del-yun’s gray tongue ejected like a whip. A heavy discharge of green followed. Hitting the floor in front of me with a moist splat, the glop of saliva gurgled and smoked as it devoured the concrete. A smaller rivulet of smoke curled up from the front of my left boot, where tiny beads of the creature’s spit were eating through the laces.

“Come on,” I groaned, “not the boots…” Bending, I slid my knife in behind the black crisscross. In the corner of my eye, I saw his tongue emerging again.

I broke the lace with a quick yank.

Flinging off the still-bubbling piece as I straightened, I flung the knife next. My throw was directed at his tongue, hoping to sever the bit wagging down over his teeth. But at the last second, he moved. My weapon sailed past his tongue, in through his wide mouth, and impaled his left cheek. The tip of the blade pushed out with a spill of yellowish blood and sliced tissue.

I raised a finger. Fire trickled from my nail. It slid off the side of my hand and onto the floor. Watching its journey, the del-yun knew: one little touch was all it would take. His blood would catch like kindling, and my fire would follow it down inside him like a flame on a fuse.

*Flash Point will release in paperback the last week of February with a pre-order for the ebook to follow.

C. L. Schneider.jpg

BIO

  1. L. Schneider is a New York-based author of adult epic and urban fantasy. Born in a small Kansas town, she grew up in a house of avid readers and overflowing bookshelves. Her first full-length novel took shape in high school, on a typewriter in her parent’s living room. Schneider’s epic trilogy, The Crown of Stones, tells the story of Ian Troy, a man born with an addiction to magic. Nite Fire: Flash Point is the first book in a fast-paced urban fantasy series with shapeshifters, dragons, and parallel worlds.

Learn more about C.L. Schneider and her work at clschneiderauthor.com where you can read reviews, excerpts and sneak peeks, and subscribe to her newsletter. An active part of the indie author online community, you can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Google+, where she is often found chatting about books, zombies, coffee, and the daily ups and downs of writing.

 

Links

 

Website http://www.clschneiderauthor.com/

Twitter  https://twitter.com/cl_schneider

Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/CLS.Author

Google# https://www.google.com/+CLSchneider

Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCLSchneider

Universal Link to Crown of Stones Trilogy  http://mybook.to/COSTrilogy

Amazon Author Page http://author.to/CLSchneiderAmazonPg

AudioBook Review – DeathMatch – Arisen book 11

This series is by far the longest I’ve listened to, and would do again. This turned me into a zombie fan!

Review as follows –

Deathmatch: Arisen, Book 11 | [Michael Stephen Fuchs]

“More, more, more.”

This has been the longest series I’ve listened to, and I’m on the edge for the next. This series is so addictive, you just can’t even compare it to TWD which I only went to watch after this amazing series. You can’t compare it.

Of course theres some things that will always make us cringe characters here are so deep, so into the ZA that life is everything, means everything and is so tough, they do crazy things.

It was awesome to get back into this, and from the beginning till the end I was heart in mouth. Just loved it. I know there’s not much more to go in the series, and I waited patiently for this one, I really can’t wait to see how this all draws to an end, to who survives to who makes it with the scars they all already have. I’m going to seriously miss this story and these characters. The best writing and narration team on the planet. Just amazing.

(I will not buy the e-book to find out, I will wait, I will) honest!!! but you guys are killing me here. I so want the next one.

🙂

AudioBook Review – Clan

If you really love Sci Fi like I do. This is a total MUST listen. I loved, loved it.


Clan | [Realm Lovejoy]

“One of the best I’ve ever listened to.”

This was a really interesting story. As a Jeff fan, I can’t help myself, so picked this up as soon as he posted on facebook.

What I really loved about this story was just that, the story. It was so intricate, so well written and of course performed that I was totally hooked in from the first five minutes. This is, in fact going to be one of my all time favourites probably for a long time. If I could give this one 10 stars I would.

The characters in here, were so deep and wonderfully developed, their backstory and lives just so heartbreaking and wonderful. I felt and went through their journey with them and was on the edge of my seat with it many, many times.

I think my only criticism was the ending and I won’t spoil it for anyone, honestly I think it could have ended much sooner. But, that’s my only real quibble. I don’t know if this is going to be something there can be another story with but I’ll be watching for more, especially from the writer, it was just brilliant. Thank you very much for this. Some of the best hours I’ve spent listening.

🙂

Our books are not free!

The biggest event on facebook, I’ve seen in a while! and it starts soon!

https://www.facebook.com/events/206705409792190/

Sorry facebook for the double tap. Well worth it I think. 🙂

I’ve had the best time since we launched TSK’s second book in December, with a really well laid out plan of attack and some well-placed blogs and adds, we’re doing okay, sales and KU reads are really steady! and I’m proud of that.

But in the launch I did what most authors do, I had giveaway prizes. I love and will always love doing things for others if they REALLY want them, but I gave away between 2 events over 16 audiobooks, out of those prize winners only 6 actually have claimed their books.

These books cost a tonne of money to produce, and each gift costs around $20 or £20 (we’re almost even in cash value)

So I gave away £200 worth of goods, that no one really wanted.

So when a facebook friend decided enough was enough and she shared her idea on this event, I fully supported her, and I’m very proud of the gathering that is involved with this event.

Writing is not easy, it’s fun… sure.

It can be highly stressful too.

It is expensive.

To compete in the real world we have to pay out for many things.

Editing,

Cover art…

Proofing.

Marketing.

Our time is worth something.

Yet, all the time, artists and not just in the writing world are berated and asked for stuff for free.

My other qualm was before my book launch in December I took part in a big event for a $100 amazon gift card. We gathered email addresses for our mailing lists, which was fab.

However in January and up to date, because I gave my email address in, I’ve had over 350 emails, with authors GIVING books away for free 😦

I am very saddened by this, and it has to stop.

We are worth it!

Our time is worth it. You as a reader want hour after hour of entertainment, right?

But you won’t pay more than 2.99 ?

What’s that coffee cost you there, that you’re drinking? how much is that barista on per hour?

Yeah, you get my point, right?

I love my readers, and I love my fans, the comments and notes I get all over social media make my day, but I have to eat, I have to put a roof over my head.

Hugs to you all, and I really, really hope you guys will support this fab event.

I’ve got spending money tonight! So I’m going to buy some amazing books from some of these fabulous authors!