Category Reviews

Dec 28 2016

AudioBook Review – Another Man’s Treasure

I was interested to listen to this story, a genre I wasn’t sure of at first.  But I was given a chance by the narrator. I enjoyed it, as I said. And Janelle has a really great voice to listen too. 

Another Man's Treasure: Palmyrton Estate Sale, Book 1 | [S.W. Hubbard]

Another Man’s Treasure: Palmyrton Estate Sale, Book 1
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 12/26/16

“Enjoyed it a lot.”

I noticed Janelle post on a facebook group I’m in looking for reviews on the next book, she was kind enough to let me listen to this one (with no obligation to review)

What I found in this story was a very interesting main character who had a pretty ordinary life. But that life is blown out the water by a treasure chest. And a whole load of mystery revolving around her family.

Janelle has a wonderful sweet character voice for Audrey and she even plays really well the gents characters, just enough lower depth to them. I liked Tai too he had such awesome drawl. 🙂

What kept me entertained had to be the whole mystery, I can admit that I’ve not listened to or read many in this genre so the twists and plot points around the story kept me very entertained, and wondering the who, what and why. I was glad that it played out as it did and the ending was extremely well done.

I’d like more in this series to see what happens with Audrey and her friends, and maybe even to see if there’s some genuine romance between her and the policeman. Their relationship was great, protector to friend. That’s the kind of story I’m interested in, not the posh guy who was asked to date her, then kidna fell for her that trope is over done. I think my only main concern was the length of the overall story, it held my interest but it might have been a little on the long side.

Looking forward to more. Thank you for the opportunity to get to listen in. 🙂

Dec 27 2016

AudioBook Review – Anomalies

It isn’t too often that I don’t get that sucked into a world. This happened to be one of those stories I was a little on the fence over. The audio narrator did a wonderful job, and kept it pretty exciting even though there were some repetitive plot points. But I was wanting to show some of my other thoughts on writing and that obviously not everything is 5 stars.
A good listen still though despite a few flaws.
Anomalies | [Sadie Turner, Colette Freedman]
Anomalies
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 12/19/16

“Different….”

I liked the premise of this book so requested to listen to it, and this was provided without obligation.

This is the first time I’ve listened to Lucinda, and I think her first book, though not sure. However, although her accent seemed very well pronounced, can I use the word posh, lol I really enjoyed the performance. She had a nice spin on Keeva as a 15 year old. And she kept me going on a story that maybe wasn’t something I’d actually keep on listening to.

Writing wise, I did think the story had some pretty weak spots. The fact some things were repeated from one chapter to the next, really grated on me. Almost the same info, just from two perspectives.

I did enjoy the POV switch to Calix, (apart from that one repetitive chapter) and his life and the life his father wants for him was well developed. I could really get behind him and the way his mother brought him up, and to the way his father wanted him to take over ruling.

I think there were some good twists, Son, and the traitor within the rebels, but Keeva was a little slow in the uptake there… and I wonder why.

The whole novel seemed to only just really get going….when it ended. The battle itself to stop the desalination plant, a huge let down. There really wasn’t a lot to win, it seemed just too easy. And so the kidnap of Kai just didn’t work for me and left the end of the book on too much of a downer. I almost wished it was just slowed down a bit more, a little more of a fight…

Overall thoughts though, this was different, and the world building was good and the characters, a little young, but they do grow. And they grow into much better characters. I do hope there’s another because I would like to come back and find out what happens to Keeva and her friends.

Thank you for the entertaining hours 🙂

Dec 21 2016

AudioBook Review – Independence

Love Nick Webb and would defo recc this one if you enjoyed the Legacy Series. 🙂

——————

Independence: The Legacy Ship Trilogy, Book 1 | [Nick Webb]
Independence: The Legacy Ship Trilogy, Book 1
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 19/12/16

“New series to follow?”

Overall
Performance
Story

I had this on pre order and when I got to listen found it very interesting.

Much later on in the life of Proctor, which I found to be cool. After all there would have been a hopefully good space of peace etc. But, it seems not everything went as well as we’d hoped for humanity after Granger saved us. There’s been a lot of controversy still. And when Proctor is asked back to Captain a new ship because of a new threat, it soon becomes clear that there’s more afoot and has been for many years.

There’s a fair bit of will she won’t she at first, and learning her nephew’s involvement with a planets annihilation and the hows and why is what drives her to do the best she can.

Good to see some gamiliar faces in here too, and his son, who is mostly like his dad, and does exaclty what his dad does disobey orders.

Lots of exciting battles fought, loved the grangerites, haha I guess a hero really can be idolised that much, but somehow they were right and there was a message for her.

Greg, as usual does a great job with the narration. He puts so much effort into each character, and he really makes the older ‘proctor’ such a gem to follow into space. We are really routing for her in this story, and for those under her command. Some don’t make it, but what war can be fought without losses. Good emotional story… kudos to both writer and narrator 🙂

As an aside, I did think there were a couple of funny moments, where I laughed at the writing choices, like tranny-jump… but the science still behind the new tech, the aliens and the war is good. Enjoyed it a lot, and will look out for more.

Pokes to see if there are any written… Oh yes, lots in Nick Webb’s Kindle Worlds… they’re great BTW shame Greg isn’t narrating all those as well 🙂

Dec 21 2016

AudioBook Review – Owners Share

Got behind already with my reviews, sigh.

Finished this about two weeks ago! eeek. But life got in the way, so I’m scheduling these over the holidays.

 

Review – Owners Share ——-

  • Owner's Share: Trader's Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 6 | [Nathan Lowell]
    Owner’s Share: Trader’s Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 6
    UNABRIDGED
    Reviewed: 19/12/16

    “no way… last one!”

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    It’s taken me a while to get to writing up some reviews, my bad.

    I was excited for this, because I knew it was the last in this series. But also a little worried about the length of it. Most of the other books were a lot shorter.

    However, I didn’t think at all that it was overly long at all. Each day I listened (about 4 hours a day) there was enough entertainment and interest for me to keep on wanting more and more.

    The death of anyone can upset the apple cart, but to lose the main man who he reports to is tough, and the echo from that, and the proposal that comes his way is very intriguing. There are so many hidden depths to the story and you’re guessing what is going on, and making wrong calls, because we don’t expect things. Ishmael takes on a new ship and crew and amazingly enough seems to do okay.

    And this audiobook took us through, okay, anger, heartache, love, heartbreak, and had me totally on the edge of my driving seat. I admit, there were a couple of things I saw coming, but they also had me crying. With one deft twist there too. So be prepared to be emotionally involved a lot with this book, it’s gripping to the point you won’t want to stop listening. (and in fact after getting home one day from work, I couldn’t I had to get to the end) Kudos to Nick for that.

    There’s a couple of things that grated on me a little more than it did in the other stories, some repetitive word choices that I really think he needs to watch out for in his other works, as well. haha.

    but other than those, I was extremely glad to have been on this journey with Ishmael, handled expertly well by the great voice of Jeffery Kafer. Is there going to be more? I hope so, because it’s interesting to actually see and witness, the cooking and cleaning and the basic rituals of life on board a ship. Yes it seems to be just that, and stocking and supplying everything on a ship you’d think to be totally boring, some might, but it doesn’t come across like that in the novel. It seems just right, and seems to work. 🙂

    I am going to take a look around and see if there’s anything else by this fab team. I’m going to miss Ishmael and his life.

    Thank you very much for the journey. It’s been a pleasure.

Dec 9 2016

AudioBook Review – Silicon World

I had the great opportunity to finish this trio off. And I was very happy with the twists, and characters, although not tied together unless you count just AI’s and super twisting plots.

Review as follows, if you’ve something to spare, and want a good few hours worth of story telling, this is a bargain!

Silicon World: Man vs. Machine: 3 Book Bundle | [William Massa]
Silicon World: Man vs. Machine: 3 Book Bundle
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 12/9/16

I was excited to get the last in the series on this, and it didn’t disappoint. It was great to re-listen to these amazing stories.

Silicon Dawn

The whole story didn’t linger, it started off fast paced and didn’t let up. I am not a ‘drawn’ out person and it held my attention from start to finish and it held my attention throughout. It wasn’t something I wanted to put down, although, during my day, I have to. I get to listen in 30 min sections.
What I enjoyed the most, was the fact that even though there are many AI stories, and some are very similar in nature. This didn’t follow the ‘plan’ I first envisioned. I’m an avid reader, of both scripts and stories, and listening to this was great.
There were quite a few to be fair. And Adam’s realisation’s came with great consequences, the fact that he could and would have jumped into the crusher to save his partner, and the fact that Tera basically had been lied to and abused all her life. There were huge decisions going on as Adam processed all these.
I think everyone will be glad when Adam isn’t dead. We all think Tera’s killed him off. It was both written well and narrated well. Just enough emotion, sadness and then joy when we switch chapters and into Adam’s POV inside the police computer.
Considering I’m not a ‘cop’ kinda girl and thriller stories really aren’t my thing either, this was well executed. I would defo listen to more from both the writer and narrator.
I did buy this the other day and hadn’t expected to get through it so quick. I kinda wished it had been longer, because I’d only just started to get into it, and then it was over.
Although the story itself didn’t warrant being any longer, perhaps I just hoped there was more for the pair, then I went to look and I guess there is, as this is book 1. So now I’m happy.
Thanks for the ride, I’ll be back! lol

Silicon Man –

Thoughts as follows and some SPOILERS

I was interested to follow this series and see what happens next. Or with whom I’m kinda glad that we got new characters to enjoy. Though it was a little predictive, (hence the mark down) I still enjoyed the performance from Joe and got involved with all the characters.

Cole Marcellus, is a cop with a terrible past, he’s dedicated to his cause and wants to stop all AI from hurting others, or running away.

There are some very interesting facts given very early on in this story. The Alsatian. The procedure for the upload… (which I have to say had me cringe over anyway, I mean uploading to a mechanical body… if this were possible… and it got out, how many ‘people’ would want to do just that. Doesn’t bare thinking on. However it does seed doubt in your mind from the get go.

So when AI cole is out and on his mission he gets to see some really awful ways that humans abuse the AI’s, and it’s kinda sad. The AI that rescues the cat is great, cause I am sure Cole was going to do it otherwise. But I do agree with him Cole should have let the enforcer zap him, he got in a whole lot of trouble. haha but saying that he wouldn’t have got to the underground as quick otherwise.

In regards to the whole underground and getting Solace. I honestly thought this whole section of the story was way to quick. Really stupid, no QT period or checks, or well it was just that, too quick and stupid on their part. And for me listening to it, I was shaking my head all the way through.

I did love Kira, and her background with Ron, that was well interspersed. When the Tak Team came in and they broke the underground up again another thing that was a little too predictive was the fact that Cole was still human and AI cole was never going to get back to his body.

The realisation for him though was well played. Even down to Zora putting in a safety memory wipe.

Solace was also one that was never going to get out of AI tak’s grips. I think for me what let me down here wasn’t the fact that I knew it was coming, but if there had been that little bit more build up with Cole and him (not just that one conversation) then it might have felt harsher in my ears, I might have gotten to know him and care for him. When they find him as a blank, I’m pretty indifferent to his story. Even if he’s been this huge hero for everyone, he kinda wasn’t for me.

The ending was pretty awesome, Joe added a depth to the excitement with the tone and pitch of his voice. Human against machine, brilliant and so so glad that Human Cole went back to see to Janson.

So much scope for this world, and the series. I’m still a fan, but sometimes slower is better with the story 🙂

Waiting on the next instalment!

Crossing the Darkness.

This was a shorter piece, and not really interactive with the others, but it held the same ideas and style of characters. This I enjoyed, along with William Massa’s usual traits, it was well written and very thought provoking. I could imagine the characters, and I was really routeing for Faith, she wanted everything to be so much better. She never imagined what she would wake up to. As a wide read and listened reviewer I found all of these stories very refreshing, thought engaging, and real. They make you think on so many different levels, that sometimes it really hurt.

Joe’s narration sets all these stories off to an amazing start, from the get fo there’s feeling, inflection, and character traits that you learn to love through each story. What Joe puts into each person is something second to none. And I have him very high on my narrators to follow list. I don’t think anyone would be disappointed in these tales.

I think really my only quibble was the length of the last story, of course, it sets of the set, but I thought and felt there could have been more from the writer on this. That it just didn’t quite satisfy me in as much as I got to know the characters, the story unfolded with a few twists, and it left me satisfied, but still like I needed more.

Overall this is a set I’d highly recommend, because of the content throughout and the narrator. I look forward to more from these two, I know they are a great pair.

🙂