Category Reviews

Apr 20 2016

AudioBook Review – Broken Skies Book 1

Getting through my Audio list, haha but it’s tough, so so many good books to choose from. And the last couple of days I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Broken Skies by Therresa Kay and narrated by Andrea Emmes. I’m a fan already of Andrea and this was a must listen to in my book because of the premise, I just adored it.

So review as follows, and I admit, this is the first one in a series I’m totally disappointed that there’s not a second narration for me to buy. boo hooo….

🙂 you can pick up the book here – http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Young-Adults/Broken-Skies-Audiobook/B00LSYXFZY

and my review is –

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“Very cool!”

There were several things I really loved about this story, and a few I wasn’t so keen on.

I did receive a code from the narrator for one of her books in return for an honest opinion, but I can’t remember if it was this one or the last one I listened to, so I’m saying this one, and either way all reviews off me are honest wether they be gifted or not.

Jaz-Jasmine was a good character for the most part, but her panic attacks and personal weakness grated on me quite a bit. I have to admit I loved the story line and most of what she’s been through, but there were moments when I really think especially towards the end of the book that she would just get a grip and start to process things and move forwards as her own person. She was almost there when she first faced her brother, but she almost insisted with real conviction that things were the same, and they really weren’t. I had hoped she really knew and understood that before that moment.

The whole Lir storyline was very interesting and well written. (I do wish that Jax was a little more grown up with it, but she’s a young, and love struck teen who knows nothing about the aliens or their love/bonding rituals, so I can kinda forgive the writer for some of these things.

For the most part this story kept me on edge and I wanted to know what happened. I can’t believe the Author hasn’t had the narrator back to do the second book, I’m just gutted, so much so I had to buy the book, and I don’t often do that. I don’t have the time to read a real book. So I do hope that the author will have this on the cards next.

The narrator brings such an abundance of life, joy, love and heartache to Jax, that you just can’t stop listening even though sometimes, or most of the time she’s a pain in the butt and really can’t see the wood for the tress, silly girl.

So yeah, I was left with a book/narrator hangover. and I’m not used to that. You both make the best combination. And I do hope you’ll work together again.

~ Dawn

 

Apr 18 2016

AudioBook Review – WormWood Dawn Ep 1-3

I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to this series, last week. With the hope of buying more!
I’ve never really been into Zombies, or the Apocolypse, but I admit this was fun, scary and the characters go through so much, I really enjoyed them all.
You can pick up the series from –
My reviews are as follows 🙂
Episode 1
“Pretty scary suff! “
What did you love best about Wormwood Dawn?

I’m not an active horror pursuer, but I do like zombie films, so this was a good change. I loved the sense of humour of the main character, Dan.

What did you like best about this story?

It has to be Dan, as the world ends around him he’s just so bent on getting wasted still that you just can’t help but feel for him. A normal day starts out and ends pretty badly for him. The end of the world and he’s goosed, but his outlook is still awesome.

What about Clifford Edwards’s performance did you like?

This was the first one I’ve listened to from Cliff, and I enjoyed the fun he brought to Dan’s character, in the darkest moments, Dan’s thoughts are delivered with just the right amount of sarcastic and edge that you really do believe he’s telling you his life story. Great job.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were some pretty gruesome moments, and at the time I started to listen to this, 6am in the UK, there was a nice blanket of Fog, which I was driving though! the atmosphere created with the narration and my actual life was just so freaky, it scared me silly. haha.

Any additional comments?

I’ve listened to all three so far, so I’m going to post a longer review on story and content there.

Thanks!

 

Episode 2 

“Great second episode!”
Would you consider the audio edition of Wormwood Dawn, Episode II to be better than the print version?

I haven’t personally read the book, but the narration always adds another dimension to a story. Because they put so much into the acting. There is a lot of work gone into this and it’s obvious. 🙂

What other book might you compare Wormwood Dawn, Episode II to and why?

I’m not a huge zombie reader, so can’t really compare, I do however like the Dawn of the Dead movies, and Shaun of the Dead, which is the more comedic version. I defo love the comedy side of this, and the eery side. It’s not quite zombies, but mutations as well, so it adds that extra layer, which is horrid and gruesome, but fascinating as well.

What does Clifford Edwards bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The humour, Dan’s inner dialogue can be so brilliant. Like you’re thinking it, but Clifford delivers perfectly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I’m not so sure ‘moved’ is the right term, but there are plenty of ‘egggh’ and ‘yuk’ moments, described very well and given just the right tone in delivery that you really do feel utter sick by the gruesome monsters in this story.

Any additional comments?

Nope, reserving it for the third 🙂

Ep 3

“Just gets better! “
What did you love best about Wormwood Dawn, Episode III?

These characters are just so ‘real’ that the story is fab and this episode is by far the best as things come to a real head for the group…

What was one of the most memorable moments of Wormwood Dawn, Episode III?

There have been a few good memorable moments throughout the series so far. I have to say that Dan’s own internal transformation is starting to rock. He started out such a loser, that bumbled along with his life and he really made you feel sorry for his stupid life, but here he is fighting for survival with friends, and friends he now cares about. What a change in his whole attitude.

What does Clifford Edwards bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Again, just the whole tone and characterisation of all the characters, he does a great job with them. Personality and flare.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I listened to all three in three days. I drive for a living, and can listen to 4 hours or more a day, this was a great way to spend my time. 🙂

Any additional comments?

Okay, so some major thoughts here…. I can’t not say that the recording quality difference was apparent from ep 1 and 2 to this one. But, it certainly doesn’t detract from the effort by the narrator or the written story. In all honesty I actually think it added to the ambience of the world Edward created.

I also have to admit here, that because I listened to them all at once, 3 days in a row, I can’t remember which Ep certain key moments are in, but I’ll mention the ones that stick in my mind the most.

The fact that Dan is a loser and a drunken one at that, is kinda hard to get into at first, he really doesn’t help himself at all be being as he is. His life seems so meaningless and his outlook is pretty bleak. But he’s funny, and that carries him, I like his attitude even though it is pretty selfish. Drink or pills, and I’m kinda glad he changed his mind and went for the pills. I actually don’t read the blurbs or other reviews, so when it started off, I had no real clue it was a proper horror/zombie story.

The sickness is awful and described very well, makes you feel yuk yourself. What I liked about this one more than anything is that Dan’s now got a friend and I don’t mean the cat… although that was one horrible and scary darned cat, you know 😦 I felt sorry for it, can understand why Dan did too.

EP 2 This is a more interesting Ep because of Drew, and the bulletin board, meeting Jake is very cool, the dog also, although I was worried it would end up like the cat. There are some amazing creepy things going on with the whole world. The cat, the fact the horse is bitten and we know it’s going to turn, (just when) and then the psycho serial killer whose house they burn down. Gee what a neighbourhood this guy lives in, I kinda think no wonder he was a drunk.

The third guy they team up with while out getting supplies is sad, he loses his brother here and that does suck. They’re really up against a lot of crap here and now and it really hits the fan towards the ending when the rogue military groups turn up and start to blast his house apart. However we think that he’s going to be captured, and he’s not, it’s this psycho killer who nabs him, the one whose diary he’s been reading and finding out about, the shocking truth is that he’s alive and changing! into what we’ve no idea, but it’s not looking good for Dan if he’s ended up in this guys clutches….

So, overall I really enjoyed these so far, I was given them so I’d provide honest feedback, and I have, however, I’m now off to buy the next installment! haha.

Thank you very much Clifford and Edward for a very entertaining few days. 🙂

 

Apr 13 2016

AudioBook Review – Clockwise

 

So far this week I have a full on Audio selection. Hehe. And this was my first choice. A YA time travel novel written by Elle Strauss turned AudioBook by Andrea Emmes.

YA is something I delve into quite often because there’s nothing better than letting your younger self back out hehe. And I’ve never been disappointed.

This was no exception, I had a great ride with Andrea and Elle, what a wonderfully narrated and well told story. 🙂 Really enjoyed this, I was sorry there wasn’t more in the series already to download, and I just don’t have time for real books (even e-books ) aha you can find the AudioBook here – please check it out…. it’s worth it.

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Children/Clockwise-Audiobook/B01DL0UXOI

My review is as follows. –

“Fantastic! loved it. “

 

Okay, spoilers follow.

This is a YA, which will defo entertain any age. It’s such a fun and enjoyable listen.

Casey is a very normal kid in the fact she’s not gorgeous and she’s smart, with nobly knees and fly away hair. I think half the teenagers around will be able to identify with her. She’s 15 approaching 16 and her parents are separated.

But her life is far from normal as she time travels, well not totally sure if it’s in as physical a sense as she thinks. But time her end doesn’t move, and she jumps back to the 1860’s.

Her biggest issue is not only doing that, and knowing when she can travel back home, but that with skin to skin contact she can take someone else or other objects with her.

This is a bad thing she’s taken her best friend there when they were 10, and now at 15 she takes her high school crush, Nate.

This is an adorable journey for them both because Nate can’t believe what’s happening and can’t believe that Casey (a girl) knows how to kill and cook a wild animal.

There’s so much fun in here, yet, there are also some very serious undertones, on slavery and the governments from the 1860’s 1960’s and of course present day inter-relationships.

What Andrea brings to the table is a wonderful young and excitable voice, she does both Casey and Nate’s voices with great skill. Then of course add in Samual, and the other members of the Watson family and she’s perfect.

I have to admit, when Samual kept disappearing just like Casey does, I was suspect. And Casey kept saying there was a reason she kept going back to the 1860’s… of course there was, she and Nate needed to save Samual from being killed by Robert. uggh what a horrid horrid man. I also know he was going to be the worst kind of human being.

Sarah and the Watsons’ got a lucky escape in her not having to marry that awful man either. Maybe Casey was supposed to stop her marrying that awful man to.

I have learned this is a series of books! Squeee….. my inner 16 year old is very happy now, and I can’t wait to listen to more of Andrea’s narration within this Time Traveling world.

A match that was made for each other, I will keep looking for more in this series. Thank yo both for the very entertaining few days while at work. Just loved it. 🙂

Dawn

Apr 1 2016

AudioBook Review – Only For Him

I had the experience of Chic Lit this week… You might think WTH because I am totally not a romance or a chic lit kinda girl, but hey this was an experiment to see what duel narrators sounded like together.

What a ride… that’s pretty much all I can say. Yeah, maybe I’m a big softy at heart for the high-school romance and full on life battle story.

–  You can find the First Audio Book here – http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fiction/Only-for-Him-Audiobook/B0149GD9MG along with my review.

“Enjoyed it a lot, but….”

I’m leaving the biggest part of my review for the fourth in the series.

YOU have to listen to ALL of the series!!! I can’t say that loud enough. Wonderful Roller coaster of emotions, laughter, joy, pain, almost had me in tears.

But, I say the above because I wasn’t going to listen to the rest of the series, just because of the ending in the first part. I have to be honest. It was in your face, scream at the writer. For all the right and all the wrong reasons. I could have quite easily gone away and said ummp okay… and it’s the only reason I marked it down because it did feel awful. Maybe that was the writers intention, to leave us with no hope, but it wasn’t what I expected.

The thing was I hadn’t even known it was a series, I’d bought this in the interest of taking a listen to duel narrators to see what they were like. And although the story is good. Guy and girl get together etc, with wonderful narration from both XE and Jeffrey, the attention to detail and wonderful expressions the ending was a bit of a let down… If a friend hadn’t pointed it out that it was a series, and I should give the rest a chance, I wouldn’t have carried on. I am so glad that I did. Thank you. Well worth listening to and the second in the series made a good come back, winning me over. So yeah, you got off on that one… but only just….

Think I’m gonna be saying, S Shoot S for a while though it has to be my fav laugh out loud moment, and XE brings such life to it, sad or happy. Great stuff.

If you read this review and are unsure, don’t be. One of the best books you’ll listen to.

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But there are 4 parts to this story and if you want to get the full benefit, you have to listen to them all 🙂

So go on. Do it, I know you want to…

Full review on all four parts to the series is –

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Fiction/Only-Forever-Audiobook/B0149M8J6G

Of course, when they finally post it haha I’m getting used to how Audible allow their reviews up. (took two weeks to get some approved) hopefully not that long on this one.

 

Mar 29 2016

AudioBook Review – The Eaton

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Jeff Hays this week, with one of his new released Audio books, The Eaton by John K. Addis.

I don’t mind Horror stories at all, and have to admit this was a pretty good scary listen. 🙂

If you like classic 80’s Horror stories, then this is a must for you!

Blurb –

The Eaton is the debut novel of John K. Addis. Spanning over 100 years of mid-Michigan history but written in the gruesome style of ’80s horror classics, The Eaton tells the story of Sam Spicer, who purchases the dilapidated Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Eaton Rapids with the dream of opening a hot new martini bar. But when he and his friends discover an abandoned underground hotel directly beneath the property, they must discover what happened to the original guests – before their own time runs out.

Check the book out at –

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Crime-Thrillers/The-Eaton-Audiobook/B01CKLAVDW

Review –

“Scary stuff…”

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, because it had lots of wonderful elements in it, it was scary, heartbreaking and just terrible all at once. 🙂

What did you like best about this story?

The fact that it took you on such an emotional journey with the characters, it takes you by surprise because even I wasn’t expecting it as a horror. It was very character driven.

What about Jeff Hays’s performance did you like?

Jeff has quite the difference in character voices. I enjoyed all of them, and when the characters were excited and scared so was I…. I really enjoyed his characters voices for Sarah, Kinsey and Janet. : ) so different, yet so woman like. Great job.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were several moments that really got me. I have to admit, Janet and seeing ‘the baby’ in the linen basket. Would be horrid for anyone… Sarah and having her nipple in the chomper, and for me that moment when someone you love and care about is crying out to you ‘Sarah, I’m hurt… please don’t leave me’ ugggh, just heart wrenching. I don’t know how they could ever leave them, belief or not that it’s the creature. What if it just wasn’t?

Any additional comments?

Okay, so for the most part I did enjoy the performance of the book. It was great to listen to, had it’s ups and downs, what I wasn’t so sure about was some of the flashbacks and places of ‘backstory’ I know most of it seemed really relevant, and it was and it was much better than the ‘reader of the journal’ just recanting events as Jonathan experienced them. But, they did interrupt some of the story for me. Mostly because of their timing. I wasn’t so sure some of them were totally relevant till I’d gotten past them and into the next scene or chapter.

What this as a book did do for me, was take me back to the scary films I used to watch and the stories I used to read as a young adult. It had good tone and great characters. I will defo come back and see if there are more in the future from this author, and yeah Jeff has a new fan to 🙂 so thank you to both for the 10 plus hours of entertainment. Well worth investing my time, and energy into.

Extra thoughts – Prologue – Not so sure on it they’re almost always not needed, but it ended well enough for Zeke, and the creature got out after all! damned. Sarah if she’s still alive better run….

Author note – Interesting to hear that I’m not the only Author who takes their dreams and writes them out. Thank you for that. And pretty interesting that there are real facts in here. 🙂 Kudos to the writer, for research. (heck you talk fast though)

~ Dawn