WHAT VENGEANCE COMES

What Vengeance Comes by Anthony M. Strong
Book 1 in the John Decker series
Narrated by Jet Malakai
Genre: supernatural thriller
Format: ebook & audiobook

About What Vengeance Comes:

John Decker left Wolf Haven, Louisiana, to escape the memories of his troubled past, believing he would never return. But after twenty years working for a big city police department, he suddenly finds himself back in Wolf Haven, taking the reigns as the town’s sheriff. Expecting to spend his time dealing with the trivialities of small town life, the occasional drunk, cats stuck in trees, and domestic altercations, he instead finds a vicious killer picking off the residents one by one. Scrambling to find answers before anyone else dies, Decker stumbles across an age-old superstition, a terrifying creature conjured from the depths of hell to seek revenge.

Source: Info in the "About What Vengeance Comes" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28248204-what-vengeance-comes on 19/07/2022.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

I was looking for another supernatural thriller good read after reading Counting Crows by Joe Talon. I was having a post-good-read-hang-over.

There is a big, scary monster in front of you who already killed a lot of people you knew. So, what do you do?! You stand around and make conversation! **face-palm**

Fight scenes and plot building is not this author's forte.

Jet Malakai reads with just a tiny bit of sing-song. I do not like sing-song narrators. However, I soon forget about the sing-song as I get pulled into the story.

Empirical Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4
Cover art = 4
Pace = (5 hrs and 40 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The John Decker Series:

 

Meet The Author

About Anthony M. Strong:

Anthony M. Strong is a British-born writer living and working in the United States. He is the author of the popular John Decker series of supernatural adventure thrillers.

Anthony has worked as a graphic designer, newspaper writer, artist, and actor. When he was a young boy, he dreamed of becoming an Egyptologist and spent hours reading about pyramids and tombs. Until he discovered dinosaurs and decided to be a paleontologist instead. Neither career panned out, but he was left with a fascination for monsters and archaeology that serve him well in the John Decker books.

Anthony has traveled extensively across Europe and the United States, and weaves his love of travel into his novels, setting them both close to home and in far-off places. Anthony currently resides most of the year on Florida’s Space Coast where he can watch rockets launch from his balcony, and part of the year in beautiful New England, with his wife Sonya, and two furry bosses, Izzie and Hayden.

anthonymstrong.com | twitter | facebook | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Jet Malakai:

I’m an audiobook narrator and all around voiceover artist based out of South Florida. I can alter my voice to suit many tones and many characters, from booming announcements to the deep and dark. Whether its an audiobook ready for the world to listen to, a commercial, or a voiceover for your presentation, my sound will bring it to life.

jetmalakai.com | goodreads

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

Merry Christmas!

THE LOST DRAGONRIDER OF LAMAR

The Lost Dragonrider Of Lamar by A J Walker
Book 1 in the Dragonriders of Lamar series
Narrated by Fajer Al-Kaisi and Amanda Dolan
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Lost Dragonrider Of Lamar:

A stolen relic. A forgotten past. A power to change the world.

When Lamar’s greatest dragonrider falls in battle, the kingdom’s last hope seems lost… Until a woman is found wandering the edge of the Everburning Forest with no memory of who she is, how she got there, or why she carries the very object the dragonriders have been warring over — a Hyalite.

The Hyalite, an artifact containing the power to forge a new dragonrider and tip the scales of the conflict, has been declared stolen by the enemy. Now, with the relic in her possession, Lark — an amnesiac with no clue about her connection to the war — finds herself thrust into the center of a world poised to unravel.

Humans, elves, and dwarves clash with orcs and mythical beasts as Lark uncovers truths too dangerous to ignore. Her fighting skills rival even the most seasoned warriors, but it’s the cryptic visions haunting her dreams that continue to expose her checkered past. As the stolen Hyalite’s power stirs, kingdoms send ruthless assassins to claim it, each step pulling Lark deeper into a destiny she never wanted — and cannot outrun.

Source: Info in the "About The Lost Dragonrider Of Lamar" was taken from amazon on 01/12/2025.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

When I first encountered this book, I thought, Eragon. But nope! A bit different.

Having lost one's memory, it is understandable that Lark hesitate sometimes. However, standing still for no reason in a fight. In a life and death situation, is too stupid to live (tstl) to me. Giving-Rain is approaching. Another dragon is approaching. So, you just stand there while Venrick repeatedly shouts at you to mount Ingamar the dragon, so you could flee... I really do not like stupid heroines. Fight scenes is not this author's forté. I even like it less when the author tries to make the character(s) act stupid to give the story some tension. Some drama. And that is not the only tstl scene in the book. Plot building is not this author's forté either. But, by god! He could weave a world so beautiful I could live in it! Plus the fact that there are dragons, elves, dwarves and mages in it which speaks to my fantasy geek heart!

During the times that I come across the tstl scenes, I swore that I would not read another book by this author ever again... But the world building is beautiful!

The title is a lie. She's not Lamarian. So there is a big possibility that the cover art of book 2, The Dragonrider And The Void, could be lying too. But... I really wanted to know if Venrick got to be a paragon!!

I kinda knew who Lark was even with the confusion of the third rider thrown in. Predicatable endings is not a good idea...

This is my first Fajer Al-Kaisi audiobook listen but not for Amanda Dolan. I'm an old Amanda Dolan fan. But I am also fast becoming a Fajer Al-Kaisi fan, too! Will listen again to these narrators.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 3
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 3
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (16 hrs and 32 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Dragonriders of Lamar Series:

 

Meet The Author

About A J Walker:

A J Walker, A.K.A. Andy, is an award-winning fantasy author, world traveler, extreme sports enthusiast, outdoorsman, fourth-generation pilot, and a committed husband. Hailing from Bozeman, Montana, he currently resides in the Stillwater Valley at the foothills of the wild Beartooth Mountains. Despite A. J.'s severe dyslexia, he finds joy in writing and publishing unique fantasy adventure stories. Drawing from personal experiences in his wild outdoor adventures, he infuses a realistic touch into his works.

A J Walker holds a bachelor's degree in the Science of Forestry from the University of Montana, where he laid the foundation for his career as a fantasy author. His transition from writing scientific papers to crafting epic fantasy stories began during creative writing classes at the U. Today, he juggles a day job at an environmental company while continuing to write novels.

When he's not hard at work, A. J. enjoys spending time with his wife, dogs, family, and friends. Whether it's floating the Yellowstone River, backpacking in the Beartooths, flying over the valley in a Cessna 172, or enjoying a food truck in Columbus, MT, A. J. embraces life. If you happen to spot him, don't hesitate to say hi and share your thoughts on his stories.

twitter | facebook | instagram | bookbub | amazon | goodreads

The Narrators

About Amanda Dolan:

Amanda is a New York City based actor, improvisor and voiceover artist, who has recorded over 100 audiobooks. She has an MFA in acting from Brown University, and is a member of Actors’ Equity.

Born in Astoria, New York, but lucky enough to have been transplanted to sunny Orange County, CA, Amanda’s upbringing was a perfect mix of East meets West (And by East she means bagels, not sushi).

Amanda loves to develop new plays and musicals. She has workshopped new work with Trinity Rep, Pipeline Theater Company, Soho Rep, Marginal Man Theater Company, The Lark Play Development Center, Playwrights Rep, Brown University and many more.

In addition to stage and film work, Amanda can be heard voicing hundreds of characters in over 100 audiobooks for Audible, Inc., AudioGo (BBC Audiobooks America), Blackstone Audio, John Marshall Media, HarperCollins, and Tantor Media.

www.amanda-dolan.com | facebook | youtube | pinterest | goodreads

About Fajer Al-Kaisi:

Fajer Al-Kaisi is an actor for the stage and screen as well as an accomplished voice-over artist and narrator with over a hundred audiobook credits.

Fajer is currently the voice of Shazzan on Jellystone (HBO Max) as well as cohost of the podcast BardQuest Empire. His TV appearances include Law & Order, Future Man, The Code, 30 Rock, Nurse Jackie, The Blacklist, The Onion News Network, Person of Interest, Delocated, Search Party, Madam Secretary, and Deadbeat. His film credits include "Karim" in I'll Come Running, "Ali Soufan" in The Report, and as "the interpreter" in Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.

His theatrical credits include: Tareq in the Guthrie's production of Nora, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Aeneas in Troilus and Cressida at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Grahm/2 in the world premiere of Informed Consent at Cleveland Playhouse, and Shahid the translator in the NYTW world premiere of Aftermath and the subsequent Arktype World tour. His additional regional credits include: The Humans, Disgraced, and The Invisible Hand.

Fajer has been nominated for a Drama Leagues Award (Aftermath, Best Ensemble 2011) as well as a finalist for best male performance at the Audies (Fives and Twenty-Fives, 2015). He has also received several AudioFile Earphones Awards.

www.fajeralkaisi.com | facebook | instagram | goodreads

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

CRIMSON AWAKENING

Crimson Awakening by Edmond Geanta
Book 1 in the Blood Calls for Blood series
Genre: urban fantasy zombie apocalypse / dystopian
Format: kindle ebook

About Crimson Awakening:

When the undead came…
…she didn’t expect them to be so fast.
Could she survive the bite?

Gabi, a descendant of Vlad the Impaler, had a great life. Married to Rey, an Icelandic ex special forces soldier with more than a little viking blood in him, he was a wonderful husband. They had a delightful daughter named Eve. When the zombie apocalypse began, nobody was prepared for what came next.

Then she got infected.

Was a cure possible?

For Rey, giving up wasn’t in his DNA.

At a clinic in California, in the midst of all the chaos, they did the only thing that gave Gabi a chance. A massive transfusion could save her. What they didn’t expect was the reaction to mixing her daughter’s and husband’s blood.

She began to change…

…and a whole new reality opened up before her.

Was it a curse or evolution?

You’ll love this unique take on the zombie apocalypse, because in the dark underworld of vampires and the paranormal, one woman’s struggle may just be mankind’s greatest hope.

Source: Info in the "About Crimson Awakening" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59245532-zombie-evolution on 06/02/2022.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

The books in this series has obviously gone through a few re-makings with the cover arts and the titles. Not sure about the content. Anyway, this version of this book is good enough that now this series has a new fan in me, and that is saying a lot because I am not a zombie fan. I've watched a few zombie movies, sure! But I do not seek out the genre.

I didn't know that the author wrote this series during the covid lockdown. So when the book mentioned covid, I was shocked! Then I wanted to know when was this book released?! That was a good dose of something familiar! Talk about realism! The greatest contributory factor that is holding this book from a 5 out of 5 is the ending. Of course, it is a cliffhanger... and I do not like cliffhangers!

Of course the ending is a cliffhanger leading to the next book in the series... What I really wanted though are audiobook versions of these books!

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

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Blood Calls for Blood Series:

                   

Meet The Author

About Edmond Geanta:

Born in the land of Vlad the Impaler, Edmond Geanta grew up and studied Cybernetics in Romania.

At twenty-four he emigrated to America and on 4th of July 1990 with only $23 in his pocket, Edmond landed in New York. Later that year, he somehow ended up in Detroit, Michigan. He is still wondering about that…

After years of consulting in project management and strategy, it dawned on him that project management was like constantly dodging zombies. Inspired, but mainly bored to death during the Covid shut down, he put his thoughts on paper and his first book, “Project Z” was launched in June.

In his new series – “Blood Calls for Blood” Edmond takes the reader through a mind-numbing action ride. The series is peppered with love, humor, horror, but mainly the human spirit for hope and survival. But make no mistake, although vampires and zombies are the backdrop of his writing, the human element surfaces in every one of the pages of this thrilling saga.

On a personal level, I enjoy a glass of good scotch and love to travel around the world. My favorite places are San Sebastian in Basque country, and Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Saturday afternoons are usually spent at the local Barnes & Noble immersed in reading history and biographies while sipping a never-ending espresso.”

If you want to know when Edmond’s next book will come out, please visit his website at http://www.egeanta.com, where you can sign up to receive an email when he has his next release.

egeanta.com | twitter | facebook | instagram | pinterest | youtube | amazon | goodreads

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