Audiobook Review: Riveted by Jay Crownover

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Riveted
Saints of Denver #3
Author: Jay Crownover
Narrator: Stephanie Wyles and Sean Bassett
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: February 14th 2017
Review Source: HarperAudio

Everyone else in Dixie Carmichael's life has made falling in love look easy, and now she is ready for her own chance at some of that happily ever after. Which means she’s done pining for the moody, silent former soldier who works with her at the bar that's become her home away from home. Nope. No more chasing the hot as heck thundercloud of a man and no more waiting for Mr. Right to find her; she's going hunting for him...even if she knows her heart is stuck on its stupid infatuation with Dash Churchill.

Denver has always been just a pit stop for Church on his way back to rural Mississippi. It was supposed to be simple, uneventful, but nothing could have prepared him for the bubbly, bouncy redhead with doe eyes and endless curves. Now he knows it's time to get out of Denver, fast. For a man used to living in the shadows, the idea of spending his days in the sun is nothing short of terrifying.

When Dixie and Church find themselves caught up in a homecoming overshadowed with lies and danger, Dixie realizes that while falling in love is easy, loving takes a whole lot more work…especially when Mr. Right thinks he's all wrong for you.

Since I have started working overnights audiobooks have become my saving grace. Last year I binged all of Jay Crownover;s books and couldn’t wait to get my hands or ears on Riveted. We are finally getting Dixie and Church's story! Dixie, a glass is always half full type of gal, and then Church a brooding soldier, but something drew Dixie to him and she knows he’s the one, but will he ever realize it or just get better at running?

Denver isn’t home for Church, he’s been avoiding something back home but when his father calls with some news Church knows it’s time to come home. Church may or may not have used the excuse of a girl keeping him in Denver, so he must bring the “lucky girl” home. He knows how much Dixie loves to help, so he shows up at her doorstep at way too early o’clock, and begs for a favor. Dixie of course can’t say no to helping him and hops on the back of his bike for a road trip to Mississippi.

Now let me also comment on Church’s narrator because holy shi*t he was amazing. They found the perfect slow sexy southern drawl. It made the audiobook. Now I don’t know if I got real attached to Church and his drawl during this book or what, but his story definitely had me shedding tears every so often. This sexy drawl telling you his sad story just breaks you in a million pieces.

Obviously, I love Jay Crownover’s books, I also absolutely love them in audiobook form and nothing is different with Riveted. While Crownover can turn up the steam and swoon,  and she can also give you a character's back story that breaks you and builds you back up. Her characters and real and authentic and so goddamn swoonworthy.

Blog Tour: The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer | Review | Audio Book Excerpt | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on The Cemetery Boys Official Blog Tour. There is a lot going on during this stop. So be sure to check it all out!

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The Cemetery Boys
Author: Heather Brewer
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Thriller
Released: March 30, 2015
Review Source: Harper Collins

When Stephen is forced to move back to the nowhere town where his father grew up, he’s already sure he’s not going to like it. Spencer, Michigan, is like a town straight out of a Hitchcock movie, with old-fashioned people who see things only in black-and-white. But things start looking up when Stephen meets the mysterious twins Cara and Devon. They’re total punks–hardly the kind of people Stephen’s dad wants him hanging out with–but they’re a breath of fresh air in this backward town. The only problem is, Cara and Devon don’t always get along, and as Stephen forms a friendship with the charismatic Devon and something more with the troubled Cara, he starts to feel like he’s getting caught in the middle of a conflict he doesn’t fully understand. And as Devon’s group of friends, who hang out in a cemetery they call The Playground, get up to increasingly reckless activities to pass the summer days, Stephen worries he may be in over his head. Stephen’s fears prove well-founded when he learns of Spencer’s dark past. It seems the poor factory town has a history of “bad times,” and many of the town’s oldest residents attribute the bad times to creatures right out of an urban legend. The legend goes that the only way the town will prosper again is if someone makes a sacrifice to these nightmarish creatures. And while Stephen isn’t one to believe in old stories, it seems Devon and his gang might put a lot of faith in them. Maybe even enough to kill for them. Now, Stephen has to decide what he believes, where his allegiances lie, and who will really be his friend in the end.

Yeah...Did that just happen??? I think it really did. Heather Brewer brings pure horror and darkness to the pages of a young adult novel. Here name is on many novels on the shelf of my oldest, however, this is first Brewer read for me and horror at that, which isn’t something that is always on the top of my list to read. However, I was brave enough to give it a try. Thankgoodness I was not disappointed at all. The beginning was a slower pace than I normally like to engage in, however it quickly started moving with twists, events, and secrets. Really just about a little bit of everything in an horror showered with mystery.

Stephen. Poor Stephen. Faced with moving to a new town. Forced to move in with a grandmother, who seriously doesn’t appear to like him. Forced to make new friends. The only constant in his life is his father. As Stephen begins to make friends, those friendships begin to change. Weird things are beginning to happen and somehow Stephen is caught in the middle. There is a little love interest between Stephen and his new friend Cara, however this is so minor compared to the dark story elements that truly build throughout the novel. Told from Stephen’s point of view, Brewer’s written expression and character development is very evident throughout the novel. She even talks a little bit about author Stephen King, in her acknowledgement pages. It comes to know surprise. If you like darkness and horror when you read and above all, the unexpected, this is one title not to miss.

    

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Heather Brewer grew up on a diet of Twilight Zone and books by Stephen King. She chased them down with every drop of horror she could find—in books, movie theaters, on television. The most delicious parts of her banquet, however, she found lurking in the shadowed corners of her dark imagination. When she’s not writing books, she’s skittering down your wall and lurking underneath your bed. Heather doesn’t believe in happy endings . . . unless they involve blood. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two children.

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Audiobook Reviews: Stuck in Neutral & Life Happens Next by Terry Trueman

Stuck in Neutral

Author: Terry Trueman

Narrator: Johnny Heller

Reading Level: YA

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Run-time: 2 hrs 36 mins

Released: July 24th 2012

Review Source: Harper Audio

Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle—he can't even move his eyes. For all Shawn's father knows, his son may be suffering. Shawn may want a release. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger.

To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead. Within these pages, however, we meet a side of him that no one else has seen—a spirit that is rich beyond imagining, breathing life.

This audiobook is narrated by Johnny Heller. Although I liked the way he narrated, I felt that his voice was more suitable for Shawn’s father than for Shawn. He does however not miss a beat when he reads. If a character should sound confused or sad or happy or angry, he carries the emotions through his reading allowing the listener to feel the emotion.

This story was a little hard for me to get through at first. I found myself battling with the entire scenario. Shawn McDaniel the main character of this story is wheelchair bound and has absolutely no control over his physical body. He can see, hear and think but he can’t move a muscle and to everyone around him he is a vegetable.

At first I was not sure I could get through this story even though it was very short. Some of the author’s word choices seemed harsh at times. I got used to it and its political un-correctness became less of a shock as the story went on.

Shawn’s parents are separated because of the strain his condition put on their marriage. His father an award winning author, for writing a book about his son Shawn and his disability, feels that his son is constantly suffering. Shawn has seizures and to his father they appear to be the most painful experience and his heart breaks for his son and what he perceives to be his tortured existence. Hearing the story through Shawn’s mind you realize that he is actually pretty funny and quite enjoys his seizures as they allow him to escape his body and wander freely. He also has an amazing memory. Shawn can remember everything he has ever heard. Almost like he has a tape recorder embedded in his brain. Unfortunately this story ends on a very intense note. Shawn’s father wants to ends Shawn’s life in order to end his suffering and the story just kind of ends leaving the reader wondering about what happened to Shawn and whether or not his father went through with it. On a high note, there is a sequel to this book, Life Happens Next. I can’t wait to find out how this plays out.

Life Happens Next
Author: Terry Trueman
Narrator: Johnny Heller
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Run-time: 2 hrs 54 mins
Released: August 21 2012
Review Source: Harper Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Stuck in Neutral, a Printz Honor Book, introduced the world to Shawn McDaniel, a fourteen-year-old kid with cerebral palsy. But what happens next?

Shawn's got a new perspective on life. But no one has a clue. That's because they can see only his wheelchair, his limp body, his drool. What they don't see? His brain, with perfect auditory memory. And his heart, which is in love with a girl. And his fierce belief that someday someone will realize there's way more to him than his appearance.

How do you connect with others when you can't talk, walk, or even wave hello? In the sequel to Stuck in Neutral, which ALA Booklist called "an intense reading experience," Shawn McDaniel discovers a new definition of "normal" and finds that life happens next for everyone.

This audiobook is narrated by Johnny Heller. Again, I liked the way he narrated, but I wish there had been a little more variety in his character voice changes. Overall, Mr. Heller did quite well getting the emotion of the book across in the audio.

The sequel to Stuck In Neutral was so much easier for me to get through. I felt so much more at ease with Shawn’s condition and the events that took place in this story. It was sweet to hear his thoughts when he was telling us about the girl he loves and to see the new annoying dog that could sense when Shawn was going to have a seizure. I was a little unsure how this would play out when new characters were brought into this story, especially one with down syndrome, but to my surprise it was a wonderful combination. There was a point in this story that I was so relieved for Shawn that I cried. This story left me with a spark of hope for Shawn and his future. So much happens in this book it’s hard to write a review and not give anything away but I will say it is worth reading. Even if you had a hard time with Stuck in Neutral, Life Happens Next will make up for it.

Audiobook Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter
The Madman's Daughter #1
Author: Megan Shepard
Narrator: Lucy Rayner
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Historical Fiction/Gothic/Fantasy
Released: January 29th 2013
Review Source: Harper Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

(audio portion)

This is my first audio book I have listened. It is something that I have to get used to, but have found that I actually enjoy. When I was given The Madman's Daughter to listen to and review, I didn't know what to expect. I quickly looked it up and discovered that it is based on the classic novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells which was written back in 1896. I have to say that the cover sort of threw me off because the story is pretty disturbing and the cover looks beautiful and sweet. But I think the cover and story’s contrast actually work great together in this case.

(book portion)  

Juliet, the main character is left to fend for herself after her mother passed away a couple of years back and her father, a well-known physician in London, was accused of horrible crimes against animals. Juliet doesn't really believe the rumors as her father shortly disappeared and had been presumed dead after the rumors began. She was just a little girl, but she remembers her father working crazy hours in his lab, but her father was sweet and gentle with her, he couldn’t possibly be the monster everyone was accusing him of being. Now that her mother is dead and all her family has turned their backs to her, she finds a job cleaning. Then one day, she sees a childhood friend of hers, Montgomery. Montgomery has come back to London to gather some supplies to take back with him. That’s when she learns that her father is very much alive. She manages to convince Montgomery to take her back with him so she could see her father. There on the ship, she meets Edward, who is found floating almost lifeless after his ship sunk. So just like you expect, there is a love triangle and you probably guessed it – Montgomery and Edward. Juliette has known Montgomery ever since she was a little girl. But here comes Edward with his mysterious and hero characteristics, manages to capture Juliette’s attention and possibly her heart. Montgomery loses some points when Juliette discovers her father in his lab one night with Montgomery right by his side experimenting on a cougar. This really bother’s Juliette because it just confirms all those horrible rumors about her father back in London. After seeing her father doing this, Juliette runs into the forest. That’s where she sees this strange looking creature that also has human features. Not quite a man, but also not an animal. Then she manages to see Edward and they both end up in a tiny village where people were half human and half animals. This was definitely her father's work.
This was a great remake of a classic novel. It still had the original characters and some new ones so it gave it a twist, but still followed the original classic. It also managed to give me the heebie jeebies - when Juliette walked in on her father doing his experiment. So if you are into gothic novels, The Madman's Daughter is perfect for you. I truly enjoyed listening to Lucy Reyner. She truly brought this book to life.

Audiobook Review: Starling by Lesley Livingston

Starling
Starling #1
Author: Lesley Livingston
Narrator: Lesley Livingston (author)
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology/Paranormal
Run-time: 8 hrs, 1 min
Released: August 28th 2012
Review Source: Harper Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life. Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. Mason is besieged by nightmarish creatures more terrifying than the thunder and lightning as the raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name—the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him. Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family—with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods—is at the heart of the mystery, Fennrys and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.

Set against the gritty, shadowed back-drop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.

WOW! I just finished listening to the audio version of this book and I am blown away. This story is not at all what I expected. When the story first started out I was a little confused because I thought Mason was a boy. Once I got past that part and realized Mason is a girl, the story flowed a lot better lol.

The story starts out with action and ends with action and a tiny spoiler here, it ends on a cliffhanger that left me sitting at my desk at work and I had to stop what I was doing with a very loud "WHAT?" and my mouth completely dropped open. The story did have some slow parts but being that this will be a series, there was just enough information in this book to get the reader, or in this case listener, familiar enough with the characters to want to come back and see what happens to them and see where this saga goes.

Narration:

To be honest I was a little skeptical when I heard that Lesley Livingston, the author was narrating this story. I thought to myself, wow this is going to be awkward. I was pleasantly surprised. From the very beginning of this story I was sucked in. The story was good but what had me was the way Lesley portrayed her characters. It was evident from the very first line that there is a special connection between Lesley and her characters. She gave them real voices unlike any other audio book I have listened to. The fear, joy, love and sadness that came through in her reading was breathtaking. If a line said "he said with a laugh", she read it that way and it was so believable I was astonished. There was once scene where Mason was talking to another character and just listening to the audio I could hear her crying like the she would have been if I was watching the scene in a movie.

A good book will take your mind away from the real world and transport you into the story itself so you can see what you are reading. With this audio book, I felt like I was listening to a movie and I had seen over and over again because it was just so REAL.

If being the creator of a story and its characters allows you to read them with such emotion then more authors should take the time to narrate their stories. It made all of the difference in the world and I look forward to hearing more of Lesley's stories if she will be narrating them. So a small shout out to Lesley Livingston...YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!

Audiobook Review: Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Fire and Thorns #1
Author: Rae Carson
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Adventure
Released: July 24th 2012
Review Source: Harper Audio
Available: Amazon

OUaT Reviews: Yara's

Summary: (from goodreads) Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

I have loved books all of my life and though I find that I tend to lean more towards the Paranormal Romance type books, I feel that stories about magic and love transport me out of my real life and make me feel like I am where I really belong. I enjoyed every second of this audiobook.

Elisa the younger of two princesses in her kingdom, and is not the typical Fairytale Princess. She is overweight and in no way fits the typical stereotype written in most books of breathtakingly beautiful with a tiny figure which is so often perceived as perfect. She is in my opinion a more relatable princess for today’s YA audience.

Elisa is the “Chosen one” of her generation which only happens once every one hundred years. A sign of her being the chosen one is the blue stone, The God Stone, which is located on her abdomen in place of her belly button. Even though she is the chosen one, Elisa struggles with her self image and does not feel as though there is anything particularly special about her and does not understand why her sister was not chosen in her place.

On her sixteenth birthday, Elisa is to be married to man she has never met and she fears that he will not be happy with her because of her “not so perfect looks”. She even goes so far as to wish him fat and ugly so that he would not be disappointed in her looks. She ends up with the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on. He is a widowed father and his kingdom is in turmoil. When she first arrives to her new home, her husband and King asks that she keep their union a secret until he deems it appropriate. Her self esteem takes a plunge but she agrees. She ends up spending more time with his son than with him. And even has to deal with his “former” companion and her sneaky maid, both of which go out of their way to make Elisa feel unwelcome.

Elisa ends up being kidnapped and taken on a journey of real self discovery. Although she is taken captive she finds herself understanding the purpose behind her capture and even learning about her true purpose. She finds love along the way and suffers great loss.

This story has a very strong religious base and is truly a beautiful story. The world that is set out for us in this story is done with such detail, it is hard not to find yourself wandering the lands even after you have put the book down. Since I reviewed the audio book I found the words playing in my head even as I slept at night.

I am so proud of Elisa for what she accomplished in this story and my heart breaks for her as she suffers loss after loss, but I could not be more excited about diving into the next book in this series to see what journey she will be taken on.

Jennifer Ikeda has such a lovely voice and did this story more justice than I think anyone else could have. She brought Elisa and every other character in this book to life and made me feel like I was a part of the story myself. I was honestly lost in this audio version of this book and can’t wait to hear more.

Book & Audiobook Review: Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Don't Turn Around
PERSEFoNE Trilogy #1
Author: Michelle Gagnon
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Science Fiction
Released: August 28th 2012
Review Source: Harper Teen
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa's talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation called AMRF threatens his life in no uncertain terms.

But what Noa and Peter don't realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who'd stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Fans of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will devour the story of Noa, a teen soul mate to Lisbeth Salander.

As readers we are always searching for the hidden gem in the sea of books available. A book that is unique and leaves the reader satisfied, with all the books out there, is sometimes hard to find. That’s why I’m glad I had this book sent to me. Michelle Gagnon’s first young adult novel is a fantastic debut to the genre. With well-developed characters and an interesting storyline this new series has the potential to be something very big.

In Don’t Turn Around the main protagonists are teenagers Peter and Noa. Peter is a funny and witty guy whose seemingly posh life isn’t as it appears. Noa is a girl whose led a harsh life and has had to care for herself. The meeting between these two is initially kicked off by Noa awakening to find herself in a strange lab leading to an intense adventure like no other. Dealing with a mysterious disease that is consuming teenagers and a company’s sketchy dealings with cops and the government, Don’t Turn Around is a great thriller. Gagnon writes in a modern style allowing the action to flow seamlessly with the times of peace. The characters each have a personality that I’m sure any reader can relate to. The development of the characters were not forced and came together nicely. Certainty a book that leaves a lot of room for a sequel, Don’t Turn Around is a new addition to the must read list for the year.

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Don't Turn Around
PERSEFoNE #1
Author: Michelle Gagnon
Reader: Merritt Hicks
Run-time: 8 hours 31 mins
Review Source: Harper Audio
Available: Amazon

So not what I was expecting. I really enjoyed listening to Noa’s story. It starts out in the middle of her story with Noa on a medical table. She doesn’t know how she got there but she does know that what the doctors are telling her is not right. The journey begins.

Noa is all alone since her parents died in a car crash and she has jumped from foster home to foster home until she finds a way to survive without a real foster family. Noa is one of the best hackers out there and keeping corporations computer systems safe from hackers like her is what she gets paid to do. Her employers have no idea who she is or even that she is a “she”. Since her work is all computer based, she can work from anywhere without ever stepping foot into a client’s office which allows her to stay off the grid. She is also part of a very secret hacker community called Alliance. Alliance was started by Peter.

Peter is a teenage boy that comes from a wealthy family. His Mom is a Lawyer and his father is a very well off business man. Peter was snooping around in his father’s home office one day when he came across a folder with the name AMRF on it. He decided he was going to look into AMRF so he popped open his laptop and started digging. 5 minutes later his front door was kicked in and he was surrounded by goons who had a strange interest in his laptop. They gave him a message for his parents and took his laptop.

Now the excitement starts. Peter & Noa spend the rest of the story on a constant run. Planning and strategizing to find out 1. Who is chasing them and why? 2. Why she feels so strange since waking up 3 weeks after her last memory? 3. Why does she have a new scar and? 4. How are Peter’s parents connected with all of this?

Merritt Hicks narrated this story and she did an amazing job. I found myself thinking out loud, “one person is really doing all of these voices?” She really sounds like a dude when the story calls for it and she really sounds sweet, girly and innocent when the story calls for it. The only thing that was strange for me was with a name like Noa sometimes it sounded like it was pronounced (NO) and sometimes it sounded like it was pronounced (NOAH). Other than that I really enjoyed Merritts narration of this story and I look forward to hearing more of her work.