Tuesday, 18 June 2024

TWILIGHT RUN


Twilight Run by Daniel Potter
Book 0.5 in the Full Moon Medic series
Narrated by Cindy Kay
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: audiobookAudiobook


Join Abby on her first supernatural adventure in this prequel short story to the Full Moon Medic series.

Magic is coming back into the world. Slowly, inexorably, and mostly at night. But it is coming … Abby is an EMT in Portland. Along with her partner, Cindy, she works the night shift, answering emergency calls and rushing patients to the nearest hospital. Tonight, however, what starts out as a (fairly) ordinary call turns into something else completely. Cut off from the mortal world, trapped in a house with a feral patient and Death itself, Abby and Cindy will have to use all of their wits, strength, and medical knowledge to win their freedom and make it safely home ….
Source: Info in the "About Twilight Run" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57816306-twilight-run on 14/01/2024.


My Thoughts:
This short story is a freebie at the end of the first book, Emergency Shift, audiobook.

This novella tells the story of how Vicky met Abby and Cindy.

In this world magic is coming back after having faded away for a very long time. Like it was a cyclic thing. It comes and goes. Only in terms of hundreds of millennia per cycle. Where cycles of magic and no magic swaps with each other. This time around magic is coming back. Very similar to the world of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews where magic waves comes and goes as the "magic cycle" starts to return. So, originality-wise, this series does not win awards. The theme has been around the block already.

Unoriginal or not, this short story still managed to deliver a nice, pleasurable listening time.

I am normally a fan of Cindy Kay, but, when the narrative says that she shouted "Cindy!" and I heard a normal tone instead, that is not a good interpretation of the story in my way of thinking. I expected a higher tone or a shriek with that "Cindy" in chapter 4. However, other than that one time, the rest of the narration was good.


Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Narration = 4


Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Full Moon Medic Series:
Book 0.5: TWILIGHT RUN Book 1: EMERGENCY SHIFT Book 2: MIDNIGHT TRIAGE Book 3: SOUL SHOCK Book 4: MOONSILVER TRANSFUSION Book 5: (TBC)


 
Meet The Author

About Daniel Potter:
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.

When he's not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.


The Narrator

About Cindy Kay:
Cindy Kay is a Chinese-Thai-American narrator and educator who grew up in the California Bay Area and lives in the Rockies. Her work has been described as listening to a "cozy best friend." She narrates fiction and nonfiction, and has studied Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, and Japanese.



FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.

Thursday, 13 June 2024

GUNNING FOR TROUBLE


Gunning For Trouble by Renée Pawlish
Book 1 in the Jo Gunning series
Narrated by Erika Calvert
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobookAudiobook


Ex-Army Civil Affairs specialist Jo Gunning is a loner. No commitments. No fixed address.

She's enjoying her anonymity in Virginia when she crosses paths with a runaway teenage girl in need.

Assisting the girl in getting home leads to a phone call for help, and a claim from the girl that her father is holding her hostage. As Jo searches for answers, she finds that nothing is what it seems, and no one is telling the truth.

With both assassins and a shady government agency watching her every move, Jo must use all the skills the military taught her... and some they didn't.

Walking away would’ve been easier, but Jo is always willing to help someone in trouble.
Source: Info in the "About Gunning For Trouble" was taken from amazon on 07/06/2024.


Buy Link(s):
  Audible Books


My Thoughts:
Gunning For Trouble is a very apt title for this book because almost everything is supposed to be none of her business but can't help helping anyway.

The action has appropriate "pace" that lets you breathe but keeps you hooked anyway. If I wasn't listening to the audiobook, I would say that the printed version of this book is fast-paced!

For a crime thriller the plot wasn't that twisty. However, the action and the story telling quality keeps you reading/listening. Besides, I was not really looking for twisty. I was looking for something to take me away from reality.

And of course I've bought the second book in the series!

Erika Calvert doesn't read with a singsong nor is her voice grating to the ears. Kudos to the narrator!


Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (7 hrs and 56 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5


Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Jo Gunning Series:
Book 1: GUNNING FOR TROUBLE Book 2: GUNNING FOR TRUTH Book 3: GUNNING FOR HIRE Book 4: GUNNING FOR PENANCE Book 5: GUNNING FOR EVIL Book 6: GUNNING FOR VENGEANCE Book 7: GUNNING FOR SECRETS Book 8: (TBC)


 
Meet The Author

About Renée Pawlish:
Renée Pawlish is the author of the Reed Ferguson mysteries, the Dewey Webb historical mysteries, and the Sarah Spillman police procedurals. She also wrote the standalone suspense novels The Girl in the Window and What's Yours is Mine, Nephilim: Genesis of Evil, a supernatural thriller, along with children's novels and other short stories. Renée's early career as a counselor gives her a unique ability to write characters with depth and personality, and she now works as a business analyst. She lives in the mountains west of Denver, Colorado, and when she's not busy writing her next novel, she enjoys hiking, cycling, and reading.


The Narrator

About Erika Calvert:
Voice Over Artist and Audiobook Narrator working with clients to bring their stories to life. The voice for Fiction & Non-Fiction Audiobooks, Commercials, Explainers, E-learning, Book Trailers, Guided Meditations and more! Former HR Manager with extensive experience in all facets of HR management, including recruiting, onboarding, coaching, training, workflow coordination and performance management.



FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.

Wednesday, 5 June 2024

WOLF SPIRIT


Wolf Spirit by Craig Zerf
Book 2 in the Project Bloodborn series
Narrated by Matt Waldron
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobookAudiobook


About Wolf Spirit:
The Wolf Spirit continues the story of Ded Benner and Reece Griffins from book 1, Wolf Man, where our two heroes continue to fight evil. This time around the bad guys are blackmarket human organ ring who are ubber rich people with very many resources like being able to hire crazy long-lived paranormal paramilitaries to fight our duo of protagonists. The fight took them to Mexico and back.

Ded is still being hunted by that old government military group that experimented on him in vietnam and the Watchers are still watching.
Synopsis is provided by me.


Buy Link(s):
  Audible Books


My Thoughts:
This book picked up exactly right where the first book left off, which gave it a satisfying sense of continuity.

I don't really know why this book is titled "Wolf Spirit". Just because our main protagonist is a werewolf?... maybe. By the way, Ded still refutes being a werewolf. Anyway, if the reason this book is called "Wolf Spirit" is just because Ded is wolf, then the rest of the books in the series can be titled the same too...

So our hero seems to find a love interest which spiced things up in between fighting the bad guys. The plot is still thin on the ground. But, the author's voice is also the same compelling quality so I bought Wolf Killer.

This book is just as violent as book 1, so I still do not recommend it to young readers.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 4

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In Project Bloodborn Series:
Book 1: WOLF MAN Book 2: WOLF SPIRIT Book 3: WOLF KILLER Book 4: WOLF WARRIOR Book 5: WOLF PACK Book 6: WOLF KING Book 7: WOLF GUARDIAN Book 8: WOLF SOLDIER Book 9: WOLF SHEILD Book 10: WOLF MESSENGER


Meet The Author

About Craig Zerf:
Craig Zerf is a full-time writer who has been awarded the Golganooza Gold medal for Fantasy as well as being voted 'Best Read' by radio BBC United Kingdom.

His novels have been translated into French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and German.

Craig has lived in America, Africa and Europe and now resides in England with his wife and two imaginary cats.

His books have reached the number one Best Seller spot in both the United Kingdom and Germany and he reckons that writing is about the most fun that you can have without actually blowing things up!



FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.