Apr 2 2016

Listening to your own work as an audiobook!

 

Well it kinda says it all really. The last few weeks and well the whole of this year so far almost seem a blur, from one thing to another, ups and downs as with life always…

Yet today I had plans, I woke early and couldn’t focus, back on the good ole plan (lipotrim) to get me in the healthy zone in the docs. I did so fab last year, but I’m still at the top end of the weight I want to be, and what is healthy for me, so almost 2 weeks in and feeling the pain of it all haha, the second time is so much harder. But the benefits are worth it, I know they are.

So yeah, no focus and you know when you really need it and it’s just not there yeah. So, ibuprofen, some paracetamol and lots of coffee and I just about started to come around.

I have always so much to do, that never ends, write up crits for the team on Scribophile, (which I’m near done on) and continue with a script I’m working on, I did sign up for camp nano and my cabin is awesome, yesterday I hit the ground running with a few wordwars after work to write 3.5k on my futuristic SO with my fav female character, Sarah Mendoza. I have to warn everyone this is a little out of my comfort zone, space battles and hardship I can handle, but she’s leaning towards a slightly erotic tone of content, haha, I love her but boy she’s opening my eyes.

But, I had an email late last night… A good one, squeeee and cue all excited jumps etc. I had the go ahead to go over the first section of audio for both TSK’s book 1 – Lethao narrated by Greg Tremblay and for our Shorts, The Truth Hurts narrated by Holly Adams.

I’ve only just got into listening to AudioBooks, so the experience of living inside the world someone else created for a few hours is just settling into my mind.

It’s a whole different ball game when someone else is narrating your world, your characters and their story.

It’s not like I write it and forget the story, no, but it’s like experiencing it all for the very first time.

I still haven’t done as much as I’d like, a house to clean and stuff to do here, but I listened to Holly’s work twice (loved it) and then moved onto the first book which I’m now up to chapter 4 on. This might take me all weekend. Haha, but I’m loving it. Kinda here thinking, I didn’t write this did I? but yes, I did. I’m very proud of the team where we’ve come from and where I hope we’ll go.

Thanks for being there with me @TeamSecretKing you brought to life what was only in my head. Now it’s free for everyone else to enjoy or hate, hehehe

Hugs –

 

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.

—————-

 

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 30 2016

AudioBook Review – Rationality Zero

This was a great listen. Absolutely really enjoyed both the story and the narration.

The AudioBook is available here –

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Crime-Thrillers/Rationality-Zero-Audiobook/B019QOY3HG#publisher-summary

Review –

Kanundra

“Just Fantastic! I hope there’s more!”

What did you like most about Rationality Zero?

Umm I have to say the lovely tone of voice from Joel. It was one of the best performances I’ve listened to in the last few weeks. Great narrator.

But, it’s defo a toss-up over that and the actual story. What an interesting story and world. I can’t say enough about that either, so will go into more detail below.

So both, together these two are a fab team.

What other book might you compare Rationality Zero to, and why?

Honestly, don’t know on this one. I’m a sci fi girl, but this sub genre was a different take on it.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The characters are just so well drawn out, that even when they’re in the darkest of situations their humour and banter carries you off. I have to admit, when Wyatt’s face is taken off and Anya’s deploying them the right pain and healing meca the fact that he’s just his usual self is a very good thing.

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

There were some really awful and cringe worthy moments, with the creatures and the Verum. I think the whole journey in the facility is just that on the edge of your seat, that the defining moment has to be when they finally do get near leaving it’s makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

Any additional comments?

Okay, so there were several things I did love about the story and a couple of things I wasn’t so keen on.

The world building and understanding of science in here must have been a huge undertaking, because although I’m no scientist, it felt so real. Like the tiniest part of the story just made so much sense. All with irrational and rational space. I’d love to know how much effort this was while writing. 🙂 I felt like there was an amazing amount of knowledge in here, yet I didn’t feel like it was that heavy that it bogged the story down at all.

I do remember thinking that sometimes the explanation of the mecca came a little late when it was being used and not first taken from their white room.

I think what I would have liked more was that human connection, having said that. I got the feeling that Bishop really started to like Anya towards the end of the narration. Was there more to that than I thought, maybe I’ll listen to another book in the series and find out. hehe. I do hope that Wyatt’s face isn’t that badly scared as well. Even with the time taken in the hospital I felt so bad for them all. Maybe a little more at the end of the novel would have been a good idea. I know they’ve got all that great information, and are prepared better for the invasion… I think with the MC having a life outside of his job the start of the story and the ending, though they tie in well kinda left me with a little headscratch. More because of Bishops lack of personality there or it felt like it. The woman he was with in the start, just a throw away. And in the beginning, that made me not like him as a MC, however, he did care for his job and what he was doing, so he kinda won me over in the end, and the fact he cared for his friends, especially Wyatt, who he does call his best friend at one part. I liked that.

Thank you for the awesome job that you both put into this. 🙂 I’ll happily buy the next in the series, and the one after that, lol

—–
Loved it!!!! not sure what I want to listen to next now. haha.
~ Dawn
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

 

Mar 26 2016

AudioBook Review – The Atomic Sea

Having quite the adventure with AudioBooks 🙂 This was the latest pick up, and quite the story to boot 🙂

Check out my review – If you like deep dark and gritty worlds, this one is for you 🙂

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Atomic-Sea-Omnibus-of-Volumes-One-and-Two-Audiobook/B01BW0PNCG#publisher-summary

Which due to an error is not showing on Audible just yet. I have contacted Amazon over these issues, waiting to see what the problem is. Sorry. Review is posted below though, as I seem to have lost one from last weekend.

“Dark, mysterious and action packed!”

Would you listen to The Atomic Sea: Omnibus of Volumes One and Two again? Why?

I would listen to both of these books again, because there was so much to the world and story, I felt it was a lot to take in and digest as an audiobook.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Atomic Sea: Omnibus of Volumes One and Two?

I actually liked the attack on the beach with the large crab things that melted people. Avery was and did accept that his life could be over and all throughout the story there were interspersed parts about his wife and child, I found some of his internal monologue very thoughtful and deep at times.

Then when Jenx’s gang sit down to tattoo the names of their fallen friends on their bodies, it was so deep and meaningful. Avery stood up here, and throughout the novel learned and became a much better man for the journey.

What about Ray Greenley’s performance did you like?

Ray brought with him a deeper voice than I’ve heard so far. But the characters were unique enough that I knew who they were and enjoyed them. Especially the voice of Avery. Who I admit I did not like at all at the start of the book.
There was excitement, sentiment and real dire situations every moment had the right tone, and delivery. 🙂 great to listen to.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Wild sea adventure with monsters and traitors. haha. I suck at these.

Any additional comments?

I would be crazy not to mention the facts that these books do just kinda stop. It is one of the worst things you can do as a writer, but it’s almost forgivable because the characters are so well rounded.

So, characters, yes I didn’t like Avery. He’s an idiot at the start of the story and one who I just didn’t like or understand. Yet our writer has quite the journey for this guy and Avery’s back story and life unravel through out the book in a way that’s not invasive but interesting and true to him.

Sheridon I wasn’t sure was a traitor at first, but there were deft clues here and there leading towards me believing there were several people involved there. And of course there was. Janx. (sp) was great to, I loved him. I did think at first he was called Jinx. Could have just misheard it as they were catching the whale.

Layanna is for the most part in a coma in the first book, so the story focusses on Avery and Sheridon’s bad relationship the actual world that they’re in and the war with the Octung, which is very dark and foreboding. Not just because of the world war feel to everything, but for the dark and twisted creatures that they use and the weaponry they have. This is a fight that I don’t think Ganeshi (sp) can win. And with traitors around they’re defo got no chance.

I did think there were some overused terms. Avery drinking, boy that man’s an alcoholic, if that was the intention it’s fine, but it was so bad at some points I needed a drink! also a good few of ‘he said, she said’ I personally didn’t think were needed. Some bothered me enough to pull me out the world.