Tag Archives: audiobooks

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 9 2016

AudioBook Review – The Atomic Sea, pt 3 and 4

So great to be back with these characters. 🙂 I’m glad I’ve got two to listen to on the trot though, just never enough in them!

Written by Jack Conner and narrated by Ray Greenley –

The book can be found on Amazon along with the rest of the series and on Audible .com and .co.uk 🙂

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Atomic-Sea-Part-Three-Audiobook/B01547ND1G

Review is as follows. –

“Great to be back…”

So today and tomorrow, I’m back with Avery and the crew in the fight against the Octung!

It was great to be with them again. I can’t help but totally get involved in the world here, Avery as a character had come on in leaps and bounds. I must admit, I was a little shocked that he and Layanna get together. But, the more their relationship grew through this part of the story I can see why. Avery is a vastly different character than when he started this. He’s stronger and more resilient than anyone I’ve met, but he’s still vastly flawed in some of his decisions and I guess that is what still makes him human.

Janx and Hilde are such fun characters, Janx will pretty much do anything for the cause now, and Hilde’s constant ‘this will never work’ but ‘oh well, lets go’ is funny.

The explanations in here of the Collosom and then the Overloards and gods is really good, it’s great to start to put together the whole world that is inside Jack’s head. Sad to see MurBlog back though on the other side 😦 that’s really bad for their friends.

There weren’t any really moving moments in here, in regards to story. Perhaps because of the grisly nature of the sacrifices, and the overlords. It’s horrific to think that these people are so brain washed that they’d go in their willingly. Was also quite shocked that Avery poisoned himself so that he could go in the inner temple. Uggh, glad at least that his mutations weren’t so bad he was totally deformed.

Sheridon and Annie turning up was quite a surprise, and this is where Avery makes the biggest mistake and takes her back to the Black Sect. Which is their downfall, you know it’s coming because of it. I have to admit, I didn’t like that Janx, Hilde and Layanna didn’t inform Avery that the weapon they’ve been building to stop the war needs extra dimensional fuel to work, this is a big wrench when Avery’s at the end of his tether.

In regards to narration, excellent job from Ray, there’s some moments in here that I would not be happy reading aloud haha, because they’re just cringe worthy, he does a fab job of sticking to character, and totally is entertaining with his different voices.

I am looking forward to what happens next, will they catch Sheridon and make it to the Atomic Sea…. but I’ll have to wait till I’m in work again haha. I am defo an audio book covert.

—————————–

Kanundra 09/04/2016

“This is too exciting now!”

This series gets better, and better with every part. I’m totally invested in these character now. The good and the bad…. don’t think I ever like a bad guy before. 🙂

As always spoilers follow…

Okay so this has to have been one of the most emotional and hard parts for me to listen to and I shall tell you why.

Three major dynamics are at play here for me, and they’re emotionally very strong, which is what the writer’s been building for. And he’s done a great job.

Avery and his daughter… Such deep seeded background and emotion for us to follow here. Every situation is marred by these characters pasts, if only they could move past some of what happend to them and look to a better future. This book shows how tough a decision that is actually to do in real life. It’s a constant battle for Avery to think of the bigger picture and not just his daughter, who he would die for.

Sheridon and Avery – I have to say here. I do not hate Sheridon AT all. Her goals aren’t that far stretched for me to actually believe now that she is trying to fight for a better world but in her own way, within her own closed in life. She’s emotionally scared just as Avery is, and she’s actually finally shown some real emotion here, which took some horrendous amount of courage for her. I’m admit I was almost on the verge of tears for her because Avery does the ‘right’ thing in his world and takes back the device.

Avery and Layanna – Again another huge dynamic here, that really tugs at the heart strings. They’ve almost broken up because Layanna accepted sacrifices to finish the device (the device to save the world) and Avery can’t get over that horrid thought that she ate some innocent lives. There is such a bigger picture issue here for everyone that it’s hard to grasp everything in your own head untill you actually sit and think about it. So much action, travel and so many decisions to be made.

For Layanna seeing her husband and son after all these years is awful. They hate her, but don’t, and that’s difficult for her. But the one thing it does do is bring Avery and Layanna back together, phew. I don’t want them to suffer any longer…

Janx and Hildra, well they’re still such fun and wonderful characters on their own, Janx with his stories, and Hildra with her swagger, and need for hildebrand. you can’t help but love them all. I do hope this journey isn’t going to be any harder on these four.

Overall. This is a series that has your head in the clouds one minute with it’s wonderful descriptive sea creatures from another dimension, then back down in hell as we realise they’re more horrid in nature than beautiful. Such terrible sickening things they do to people. ugggh the writer really makes you want to vomit sometimes. Yet, I have to say its as fascinating as it is horrid.

Ray’s performance in this part I totally believe is the best I’ve heard from him so far. The book itself has so many emotional scenes, that his effort in delivery of them is 100% so thick with feeling that you can’t help but be right there with the characters in their world. Feel the devastation they’re going through and then sometimes (very rare) the joy at that emotion.

This is a long series, and my only wish was there were some better breaks in-between the books. But, I guess because it’s so long there kinda isn’t many good places to stop…

Looking forward to the next in the series… come on guys!

Apr 6 2016

AudioBook Review – Silicon Man

I’m back with Silicon Man by William Massa, narrated by Joe Hempel.

I can’t help but love I-Robot, as the original story and as the film, so there’s so much potential I see in this series, even after the TV show Humans, which was pretty awesome. So diving into this story was great. 🙂

You can pick up the audiobook at –

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Silicon-Man-Audiobook/B01DCMFIU4

and read my review there to. (always copy them here now) Spoilers follow.

————

“If you love Cybernetics you’ll love this. “

 

Thoughts as follows and 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 installment!

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.