Category publishing

Aug 18 2016

AudioBook Review – Years best Hardcore Horror

 

I’m really behind on posting my audiobook reviews, so I kinda just jumped a few. Sorry.

There are a few really good ones, I’ll get to linking in here, but for now, this has been one of my fav this last couple of weeks.

You can check out the review or buy it from –

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Years-Best-Hardcore-Horror-Volume-1-Audiobook/B01IIHMUEK

 

Review is as follows 🙂

“Horrific! but so good.”

I did write this review the other day, can’t remember exactly what I wrote though, but for some reason I either didn’t push send or something went wrong.

So here goes.

This was a fantastically horrific and just gross out collection of horror stories. But they were so so good, and in bite sized chunks that were great for listening at work. There was a couple of them I really wished were much longer and this was the only reason I marked it down a bit. We only just got a good feel for the characters and what was going on around them that when it ended it was too soon.

I also felt there wasn’t quite enough time in-between the stories, because if I put it down at the wrong time, and it moved to the next I sometimes found myself confused.

The two stories that stuck in my mind more than the others were the opening one, Worth the Having. Which I found to be so sick, but crazy awesome at the same time, and Eleanor, because it really made me think.

For a collection to contain everything you can think of. Babies born from the worst possible thing, to suicide pacts, to going ghost hunting only to be murdered. This was a great collection.

What also set it aside were the amazing difference in characterisation from Joe, as a narrator I follow and (buy a lot from) I loved each one, there were distinct differences, some funny voices and tones and even laughter in each tale.

For anyone who loves horror, gore, and a good surprise, this is a good audiobook to buy, you won’t be disappointed.

Looking forward to more 🙂

Aug 9 2016

SciFi Blog Hop – Author Interview – Imogen Keeper

 

For my first interview for the SciFi blog hop. I’m excited to welcome Imogen! 

MY BIO

Imogen Keeper started writing seriously after trying on a few dozen other hobbies, but in a lot of ways, she’s written her whole life. In third grade, she tried to write a mystery, and in fifth, she tried again, with limited success. College brought a passion for literary analysis and art history. So many papers written in those four years.

An MFA in design, and a brief career in Interiors, followed by the hard decision to be a stay-at-home mom resulted in a lady who didn’t enjoy sitting idle, a long-napping baby, and a lot of time on her hands. The result – fantasies finally getting put down on the blank page!

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The release date for The Bonding is 8/12/16….

So, what have you written?

I recently finished a full-length novel called The Bonding. It’s a very steamy sci-fi that was, quite honestly, a blast to write. I made every possibly mistake a writer could make, plot circles, dead spots, and filters. Editing was a disaster, but so much fun.

In so many ways, that was me at my purest, because I wasn’t hemmed in by all the writerly laws that I know about now. I just sat down at my computer and the words poured out. All my beta readers have torn through it. Reading it in a matter of days, rather than the weeks allotted. It’s been called addictive. I just wanted it to be fun, and I think I succeeded there.

Who’s your main character? What inspired you to write them?

I work on multiple pieces at once to keep my mind fresh and my level of engagement high. There are so many characters I love, bouncing around in my head…. How to choose one?

I suppose, at the moment Cara, from a story I’m working on now called The Night Market. I’ve been in her head the most recently. She lives in my take on an Omegaverse, and she’s one of the omegas. Poor thing. In my world they are called Felinas, and they’ve got a rough lot in life. She resists becoming just one more omega with teeth, nails, knives and spit. She’s a fighter, and she’s snarky, and she’s definitely not a pushover. I always feel invigorated after spending a little time in her head.

And then there’s Tam from The Bonding. My favorite creation ever. I’m not sure what it says about me that a gruff, potty-mouth alien came so naturally from my fingers as I typed, but he just poured out. I never had to pause to wonder, what would Tam do? I just knew. Tam curses, and kicks butt, but at his core, he’s just a good guy who loves his lady, Nissa.

When did you decide to become a writer?

I’m not sure I did. I quit working when I was in my 6th month of pregnancy. And I dabbled in every hobby under the sun. I gardened. I baked. I cooked. It was sad. I’m not lying when I say this: for about three months, I planned my menus a month in advance. My husband would come home, there would be music playing that coordinated with the country I’d chosen to cook that night. So Jamaica – reggae. Jerk chicken, mango rice, and black beans. Seriously. The amount of time I put in to finding popular Greek music on Greek night, or choosing what went best with Borscht on Russian night was pathetic.

Anyway, I nearly blew up the oven making wheat bread, and my husband and I had gained some weight, and it was time to say goodbye to cooking.

I painted until there was no wall-space left in our house, and one day just sat down at the computer with Tam and Nissa in my mind. I’d dabbled in their story for years, had the first seven chapters down, and the rest just flowed. As I got more serious, my writing got better, and I learned about plotting, and had to do some major edits. I sat down to write thirteen months ago, and in a lot of ways, I never really stood up again. If a day goes by without writing, I feel twitchy, and nervous.

Any tips on what to do and what not to do when writing?

No. Find a way of telling a good story that works for you, or more importantly, your characters as you write. Forget the rules about what not to do…. I’d have said, “don’t head-hop,” about a week ago, but, recently, I was shocked to read – and enjoy – a story that hopped-heads like lice on a nursery playground.

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

My son, though I’m not sure it’s an inspiration, so much as not having much of a choice. I think with longing of the lazy Sundays my husband and I enjoyed before we had a child. We slept until ten. Now we’re up at seven like clockwork. There’s nothing like a grinning toddler-alarm clock. He’s always happy, and even when I’m so tired, I can barely stand, it’s impossible not to smile when I see how happy he is to see me again.

Link to my blog is –
https://imogenkeeper.wordpress.com/

 

Aug 3 2016

AudioBook Review – Fringe Runner – 1

There are so many book reviews I need to post, but I can’t, so I’m going to carry on from where I’m just finishing.

This was a new narrator for me, even if I’ve seen him around the audiobook forums and we’ve chatted 🙂

I’m patiently waiting for the next… oh yeah, sorry, don’t do patient… where is it now! lol…. anyway, review is as follows.

– ——

Fringe Runner: Fringe Series, Book 1 | [Rachel Aukes]
Fringe Runner: Fringe Series, Book 1
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 03/08/16

“Good first book!”

I am always picking up new books by narraters who I follow 🙂 this was a pleasant listen.

From the interesting characters of Rain, Throttle (his daughter) and his crew, while picking up a package from a dead whose circumstance are beyond questionable, things start to get interesting…. the package is taken from them by a CUF Commandant….. There are some twists and turns in this story I wasn’t expecting. Rain seemed to be a strong Captain, but then he almost blew that by doing some silly things to get himself injured. But his loyalty to the cause, and to his crew is commendable. And I really liked him for that.

I think my fav characters were Throttle and Demise, the pirate Tech. He had such humour even in the worst situations. It added a great dimension to the story. I do wish it were longer, and that it didn’t end as it had. But with traitors around and his previous history expunged so to speak this might be a very great series to look out for. 🙂

This was the first one from James Foster that I’ve listened to, and he had a great tone for Rain… even his female characters were distinct enough for me to know who they were without the tags. haah.

Thanks for letting me listen in and I’ll watch for more.

Jul 7 2016

AudioBook Review – Man of War

Great listen this week, with author M.R Forbes and narrator Jeff Hays. It has been an interesting week. But at least I had one great book on the cards. As soon as it was live, I wanted to listen. So I finished the audio I had on the cards and dived right in. I wasn’t disappointed. By the author or the narrator. Which to me says a lot.

You can pick up the audiobook here

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Man-of-War-Audiobook/B01GQO9R4S

I am already a fan of Jeff, so now I can add the author to my list of who to follow, and have already picked up some other audiobooks he’s had done. 🙂

 

Review as follows —– with some spoilers sorry….

Man of War: Rebellion, Book 1 | [M. R. Forbes]
Man of War: Rebellion, Book 1
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 7/7/16

“Excellent listen!”

I think when you start to listen to AudioBooks in the way I have, you do become fans of people. Jeff’s books were some of the first I had the pleasure of listening to, even within a genre I wasn’t a lover of, and I am a fan of his.

Add in the sci fi element and well I’m sold before I even know the premise. 🙂 Some things you know are just going to be a good listen. The fact that a story can be written so many ways just excites me.

You might say that I’m biased, but no I’m not. I love a good story and these are my reasons for enjoying this audiobook and yes, it does include some spoilers.

– ——- —– apologies for the spelling of names… and in no real order, just as I remember my fav bits.

I think one of the best decisions that M.R made was to keep the POV’s to two really amazing characters.

You have Donovan, and Gabriel. Both very strong men, and totally different in their upbringing and beliefs. I liked that a lot.

And saying that… the writing entwined these both so vastly different worlds perfectly. The supporting characters.

For Donovan, there was Diaz, who was not just an amazing runner, but an awesome strong woman to boot. Even if she had fallen in love with her superior. (I can’t blame her, what a totally full on hero and stubborn man he is)

For Gabriel he had Miranda, Daphnia and her husband Soon. The of course the old gater, his father General St Martin. Who I must admit I never expected to make a come back. When he went to his room on Major Choi’s hint/order. I was so surprised but in a nice way.

I must admit that I do think the start is a little slow, but I believe the characters saved it there. I wanted to know more about them and why they thought and acted as they did. The ‘science’ in here is a little over exaggerated, and for someone like me who isn’t that much in the know over it, it might well prove to be a very entertaining story. But, I did have to knock it down a peg for some of the things that didn’t quite add up in my head. Still it was one of the better books I’ve listened to so far.

So yes, character wise, I really enjoyed the interaction between Donovan and Diaz, I knew she had a crush on him even before he mentioned it, because it was defo going that way. Though I’m still very glad that they stuck to military protocol and didn’t do anything, even if she kissed him towards the end. It was just a step over the line that I could live with despite the circumstances.

Gabriel I think went through the most in my mind being the pilot who lost everything in the woman he loved to just existing to evade the Dread, and to do his missions. The last one almost cost him his life, but was also the downside to the decisions on the colony he was settled in. If it wasn’t for Major Choi and a few others, Sturges.. I think he would have stayed in his hole and never come out to rescue the scientist, and to then go about and take the Majellen with his father. Which of course I’m glad he did.

The story did pick up in the latter half, but I do believe that the story had to be done this way, we wouldn’t understand the characters as much nor would we want ton get to know or understand them without seeing what they went through before the big battle etc. Could it have started a lot sooner too, yeah maybe. General St Martin and his wife’s story are also very compelling… even that of Rodriguas as the 17 year old back when the first evac happened. All just depends on what the writer wants us to witness…

I do think that Donovan and Diaz in the Dread mothership seems a little weird at first. Too good to be true… thought they were both gonners. but I was so glad they got out okay with the help of another.. a clone, and a clone no doubt of Gabriel’s mother… It’s like you can see all the pieces the author wants you to put together, and you come up with 10 instead of 12, but the fact is you’re kept guessing and wanting and needing more.

I do think that the ending leaves us with a lot of questions and a lot of them might never be answered for a while, but I think they’re really good ones. This is the kind of book I would listen to, wait for the second and then listen to this again before I dived back in for more. This is to me because there were hidden depths to all the characters and some i might have guessed wrong and others I know I guessed right. Because they did things as I expected.

I had hoped that Aria wasn’t a spy, and that the trip into the Dread’s mother ship was as unexpected as it seemed, but the more things she did and the more she seemed to give them in their escape the more I doubted her. Again though a great turn around for her, when she admits to the ProDom hunters that her plan worked and yet she still turned around and helped the rebels. 🙂 fab…

Gabriel meeting her… well that’s something I really do want to listen in on as he tells his father. We only learn after his departure what his mother meant to the Dread and to Aria… even if she didn’t meet her. And I think that is the saddest part. General St Martin, hopes his wife is still alive, or is it just that kind of blind hope…

Overall this is an epic start to something much bigger, and of course there will be parts some don’t like and others love. All in, this was a great book, well written, voiced and delivered by Jeff… I couldn’t ask for more in the genre. And I totally look forward to more..

I even went to check out other titles by this author… and low and behold Jeffery Kafer is the narrator on the others. I have tagged these for the future, but all in, please M. R Forbes, you have to write more on this, and soon… I can’t wait too long. 🙂

Jun 29 2016

AudioBook Review – Half Share

 

Excellent to be back with this very different Space Opera : ) written by Nathan Lowell and narrated by Jeffery Kafer.

You can pick the book up here –

 

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Half-Share-Audiobook/B01GEWKMH8?

 

—————-

“Great book 2! ”

It was nice to be back with Ismail and the crew of the Lowis and I really did enjoy everything that happened here.

Jeffrey Kafer, does an outstanding job with the character voices and emotion he puts in. He’s a joy to listen to, (so much so I have the complete Exodus trilogy on at the moment now too haha)

I must admit though, I wanted this book/listen to be a bit longer, or in this one something to go wrong, even if it were an environmental problem, but it didn’t and I honestly think that was the only thing letting it down here. Just not quite enough conflict. Of course, that being said, this series really isn’t like anything I’ve ever read/listened to before. It’s not the gun toting action packed Sci Fi SO where aliens invade and everything goes wrong, so it was kind of nice for there to be all internal character developments here.

Contains Spoilers ——

One of the many great things about listening to Ismail is the facts that we’re watching and learning more about him with every episode, shocked to hear he wasn’t a virgin, as I thought he would have been for sure, but I was okay with it.

This book focussed on his new job, the people around him which we really get to know a lot better here and in his own developments. There’s a new crew member on board, and Ismail’s caring nature brings the very hurt Sarah into her own. I’m glad of this, but again I think there was just a little bit to much of a ‘good thing’ here, most people who are battered, used and abused carry a fair few more demons than the author lets rip here, and either she’s going to blow up in the next book or she really should have had an episode to counteract all the good that goes on.

The trip to the tailor was very interesting, they went in as friends but came out as more. I can see that. 3 young eligible women cooing over an 18 years old in his underwear… lol must have been a sight to see either way, but there’s lots of growth here, and it fits for their relationship.

I do wonder though if Ish, is actually really sorry that he and Big B can’t get together, or one of the others, or is he just not sure at all what he wants… there’s still so much room for him to grow and do things, I wonder.

The fact he’s questioning his own life here, is also very good and I’m glad he’s also the people around him who care about him to make him question himself. I think he is destined for more, and having not read the books, I’m only guessing. But the mention of the academy and becoming an officer… ooooo squee. I can totally see Ismail Wong a Captain of a great ship! go Ishmail!

Anyway, just those two little cravats. But can’t wait for more 🙂