I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Iris’s sister, Stella, disappeared a year ago and she This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Iris’s sister, Stella, disappeared a year ago and she wants to know what happened. Everyone seems to think that Stella ran away but Iris doesn’t believe it. When her ex-girlfriend, Heather, goes missing, Iris knows that she needs to find out what is really happening. We get to experience the podcast Heather did about Stella’s disappearance while we follow Iris and her friends as they try to solve this newest crime.
I liked Iris and her friends. I appreciated the fact that they were determined to try to figure out what happened. Since the police were quick to label Iris’s sister a runaway the year before, I understood why they felt that they would need to take action. They do take some big risks, especially Iris. I liked the way that podcast was woven into the story. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Gail Shalan did an amazing job with this story. I thought that the production was very well done and love how authentic the podcast felt. I felt like these narrators expertly brought this story to life which added to my overall enjoyment. I had a great time with this Young Adult mystery and will be recommending it to others.
I received a review copy of this book from Little Brown Books for Young Readers....more
This was an incredibly exciting installment! There is a killer on the loose and he seemThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was an incredibly exciting installment! There is a killer on the loose and he seems to be playing games with Eve. He gives her just enough hints to keep her in the game but he always seems to be one step ahead of her. The fact that the victims seem to be connected to Roarke and Summerset is her number one suspect only adds to the suspense. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end and I was satisfied by how the story drew to a conclusion.
Susan Ericksen did a phenomenal job with the narration. I really enjoy the consistency that she has brought to the series and the voices and accents that she uses for the characters adds a lot to the reading. I definitely recommend this series to others who are looking for an engaging mystery. The mystery in this book was top-notch and the characters were incredibly well-done. I cannot wait to read more of this fantastic series!
This was another great installment! Eve is put into a bad situation when she is asked tThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was another great installment! Eve is put into a bad situation when she is asked to investigate the death of a former cop. It seems like everyone but Roarke was a little mad at her at some point during the story. Have I mentioned that Roarke is awesome?! I really liked some of his actions in this installment and there is no question that he would do anything for Eve. I was kind of irritated by Eve’s superiors for putting her in such a bad situation and her co-workers for not understanding but I thought that Eve handled everything brilliantly.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Susan Ericksen did a great job once again. She has become the voice of these characters for me and I cannot imagine experiencing the series in any other way. I definitely recommend grabbing the audiobook if you decide to give this series a try which I hope you do. I cannot wait to listen to the next installment!
I loved this book! It probably wasn’t the perfect book but I had a ton of fun with it aThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this book! It probably wasn’t the perfect book but I had a ton of fun with it and had a hard time putting it down so it was perfect for me. Cassidy needs to go home in time to fulfill her maid-of-honor duties at her sister’s wedding when she runs into Luke, who is heading home to deal with some family issues. This turned out to be quite an entertaining journey.
Cassidy and Luke were great and I had a blast watching them navigate one obstacle after another. It became obvious as they spent more time together that they were perfect as a couple and had a lot of chemistry. Both of these characters were dealing with some family issues and I liked that they were both able to make some progress in that arena before the book drew to a close so they could focus on moving forward.
I listened to the audiobook for the second half of the book because I hated to put the book down and thought that Zura Johnson and James Cavenaugh did a fantastic job with the story. I thought that both of the narrators did a great job of bringing the characters to life. Their voices complimented each other’s very well and I loved that they were able to add just the right amount of emotion to their reading.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a fun book that had just the right amount of humor worked into the story. The romance was incredibly well done and I couldn’t wait to see Cassidy and Luke figure things out. I hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Entangled: Amara....more
Initial Thoughts This was great! Eve has her work cut out for her in this one. A model is murdered and her friend, Mavis, is in the middle of everythinInitial Thoughts This was great! Eve has her work cut out for her in this one. A model is murdered and her friend, Mavis, is in the middle of everything. The model isn't the only one dead and Eve needs to get to the bottom of the murder and help clear her friend. We do learn more about Eve's heartbreaking past and there are some pretty big developments in her relationship with Roarke. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job with the story.
I really enjoyed this one! I am a bit surprised by just how much I liked it and am kickThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this one! I am a bit surprised by just how much I liked it and am kicking myself for waiting so long to read this book. I think that I have seen pieces of the movie but have never sat down to watch the whole thing so I wasn’t overly familiar with the story. I have only read a handful of King’s work and I thought it would be interesting to go back and read his debut novel. I have to say that his talent was evident from the beginning.
I felt bad for Carrie right from the start. Her home life was absolutely horrible and the way that she was treated at school only made things worse. Carrie lives with her extremely religious mother and is forced to follow a harsh set of rules. After an incident in the high school locker room, Carrie is ready to push back against her mother. Things reach a climax at the high school prom when Carrie is crowned queen. She has recently rediscovered her telekinetic power and she has had enough. By the time the night is over, it will be a night the town will never forget.
I thought that Sissy Spacek did a fantastic job with the narration. This isn’t the first time that Ms. Spacek has brought this character to life and I thought that she was the ideal choice to voice this audiobook. I thought that she was able to add just the right amount of emotion and excitement to her reading. I do believe that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. This is one of King’s shorter works but it packs a big punch. I ended up listening to this book in a single day simply because I didn’t want to put it down. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.
My Thoughts I was a bit surprised to find that this book featured Sabine as the main character instead of Maryse. I had been looking forward to more ofMy Thoughts I was a bit surprised to find that this book featured Sabine as the main character instead of Maryse. I had been looking forward to more of Maryse and Luc but it didn't take me long to warm up to Sabine and Beau. Maryse, Mildred, Raissa, and of course, Helena, all play important roles in this story. Sabine needs a bone marrow donor so she needs to find her biological family and soon it seems that her life is put into more jeopardy than it was before. Helena has evolved a bit and I liked the fact that she was able to help out a bit more in this story. I liked the mystery quite a bit and thought that the narration was incredibly well done.
I thought that this was a fun story! It has been a little more than a year since I listThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I thought that this was a fun story! It has been a little more than a year since I listened to the previous book in this series and I really enjoyed getting back to it. Verity has her work cut out for her once again with a new mystery and a frustrating ghostly sidekick. I had such a good time with this one that I was able to listen to the entire book in less than a day.
Verity receives a call for help from a historic home, now a museum, but when the police arrive there is nobody there. Her ghostly sidekick, Frankie, is busy turning her home into a gambling paradise for all the neighborhood ghosts. To top it off, a society group wants her to join their ranks and her boyfriend’s mother is out to cause trouble. When a dead body shows up, Verity thinks it is more than just an accident and wants to get to the bottom of things but she may find out the answers to a few other mysteries before she is done. I really liked all of the characters in this book and especially enjoyed what we learned and some of the developments involving some of the ghosts.
Tavia Gilbert does a fantastic job with the narration of this series. The voices that she uses for the various characters are all very distinctive and help to bring the characters to life. I thought that she added a lot of excitement and some humor to her reading which helped to make this a very pleasant listening experience.
I would definitely recommend this series to others. This is the fifth book in the series which could work as a stand-alone if necessary but the series is best when read in order if at all possible. I really enjoyed trying to figure out this mystery with Verity and was pleased to find a few surprises along the way. I look forward to reading more of this series very soon.
I enjoyed this book and the series overall. This is the sixth and final book in the ScoThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book and the series overall. This is the sixth and final book in the Scorpius Syndrome series and I was eager to see how everything would wrap up. I have been very curious about Marcus since he first appeared in the series so I was excited to finally get his story. Penelope was the perfect match for Marcus so it was easy to get behind the romance in the story. I am so glad that I finally took the time to tackle this entertaining series.
Before we met Marcus, he spent time as a prisoner enduring a series of experiments run on him. This experience not only changed his personality but also stole his memories. He is determined to keep Penelope safe and will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. I really enjoyed watching Penny start to connect with Marcus on a deeper level. Penny is a busy woman since she is the only doctor around and she needs to find a way to help women carry a pregnancy to term as soon as possible. This story was exciting with a nice blend of romance and action.
Michael Pauley did a wonderful job with the narration of this book. I think that he was a good choice to narrate this series. The voices that he uses for both the male and female characters were very well done. I had no problem listening to this book for hours at a time and believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this series to others. I really liked the end-of-the-world scenario and enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. The series really does need to be read in order since each installment builds on the events from previous books. I thought that this book brought the series to a very satisfying conclusion. I hope to read more of Rebecca Zanetti’s work very soon!
Initial Thoughts I enjoyed this book and the series overall. I like end of the world scenarios so this series appealed to me from the start. I have been very curious about Marcus since he was introduced so I was eager to get his story. There were some pretty big issues to wrap up for the series in this book and they were addressed, although a little too quickly at the end of the book in my opinion. The narration was well done which added to my enjoyment.
This was incredibly interesting! I don’t read a lot of non-fiction but every once in a This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was incredibly interesting! I don’t read a lot of non-fiction but every once in a while I come across a book that calls to me and I feel compelled to pick it up. I have no idea why I was drawn to this book since I don’t really pay attention to art but I am so glad that I decided to give it a try. I was captivated by Tony Tetro’s story and didn’t want to stop reading once I started.
If you had asked me what an art forger does before picking up this book, my answer would have been very different than it is now that I have read it. It is not just the process of copying art. I learned that provenance is even more important than the actual art being made. Mr. Tetro went to a lot of work establishing provenance for his pieces which is one reason he was so successful. It was very eye-opening to learn what went into making a piece look older than it really was. I was surprised that I was able to relate to Mr. Tetro because I too tend to almost obsess over problems until I figure out a solution. I guess it is a good thing that the things I am usually trying to figure out are much tamer than those Mr. Tetro dealt with.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narration was very well done. Richard Ferrone handled the bulk of the narration and I thought that he helped bring the book to life. I really felt like I was right there listening to Mr. Tetro tell me exactly how he did what he did for so many years. I thought that the narrators had very pleasant voices which added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very interesting and sometimes thought-provoking look at a crime that I never really considered before. There were a few times in the book when I felt like the author’s point of view was somewhat biased. I will definitely look at art a little differently after reading this book.
I received a review copy of this book from Hachette Books and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts This was incredibly interesting! I don't read a lot of non-fiction but every once in a while I come across a book that just calls to me as this one did. I am not a huge fan of art and wouldn't consider myself artistic in any way but I couldn't stop listening to Tony Tetro's story of his life as an Art Forger. A whole lot of work went into what he did and there were times that I could easily relate to his desire to figure everything out. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job with this book....more
I thought that this was really good! This is the first time I have read any of Anita KeThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I thought that this was really good! This is the first time I have read any of Anita Kelly’s work and I was impressed. Alexei and Ben were fantastic characters and I really enjoyed watching them open up to one another. They seemed perfect together even if they each had a few issues they needed to work through independently. I had a great time watching them find a future together.
Alexei and Ben were wonderful together. They meet on the Pacific Coast Trail and eventually decide to walk together. Alexei is a bit of a loner so this is a big deal for him to agree to walk with Ben. I liked watching these two get to know each other and I thought it was interesting that they were both at a crossroads in their lives. I felt that the descriptions of life on the Pacific Coast Trail were wonderful and almost made me want to pack up and take the journey myself (but then I remembered how much I like sleeping in beds and air-conditioning).
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Mark Sanderlin did an excellent job with the narration. I liked the way that he was able to bring each of the characters to life and added just the right amount of emotion to his reading. I found his voice to be very pleasant and had no problem listening to the book for hours at a time. I am certain that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful romance featuring two characters that were easy to root for. I hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Forever and purchased a copy of the audiobook....more
I liked this book! If you have been following my reviews for any amount of time, you haThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book! If you have been following my reviews for any amount of time, you have probably noticed that I am a fairly eclectic reader but I tend to stay within the realm of fiction. Every once in a while, I am drawn to a non-fiction title and it is usually books that tell the story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things that I choose to pick up. This book features not just one member of the Feehan family but 4. I learned a lot about the history of the New York Fire Department along with some of the experiences this family has had while doing the job.
As a general rule, I don’t cry over books. I have cried while reading but it is not a common occurrence. For the first time in quite a few years, I found a book that made me cry. This novel touches on 9/11 early on and it really transported me back to that day. I vividly remember watching that second plane hit while packing my lunch to go to work, knowing how terrible it was. Only to realize how much worse it could be when those towers fell. This book made that scene come alive and I guess it is safe to say that I am not completely over those feelings from that time.
This book covers a lot of ground going back to the very early days of NYFD to 9/11 and after. There were some events that were touched on that I remember making the national news when they occurred but it was eye opening to get the perspective of someone tasked with dealing with these scenarios. I liked the camaraderie that the members of the fire department shared and how serious they were about their responsibilities. There was some politics in the discussions of how the department has changed over the years which I found interesting.
P.J. Ochlan did a great job with the narration of this book. I believe that this is my first experience in listening to this narrator but I thought that he was a good choice for this particular book. I found his voice to be pleasant and I had no problems listening to this book for hours at a time, except that one time that I stopped to cry for a bit.
I think that a lot of readers will find this book interesting. There are photos in the hardcover which really help to make the members of this family come to life. I am glad that I decided to give this book a try.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central publishing and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts This was interesting. Early in the book, I shed a few tears and I almost never cry over books. I think that all of my feelings surrounding 9/11 came flooding back as they talked about a few details from that day. While 9/11 is covered in the book, this book covers so much more and I really felt like I got a nice history lesson about the New York Fire Department. The four generations of the Feehan family chronicled in this book were all very brave men that served their community well. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with this book....more
I enjoyed this book! I have been enjoying myself as I have worked my way through RebeccThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book! I have been enjoying myself as I have worked my way through Rebecca Zanetti’s Scorpius Syndrome series this year. This is a series that I would recommend reading in order if at all possible since so much of the story builds upon the events from previous books. I was hooked by this installment right away and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out.
April is a character that I have been eager to learn more about since she was introduced at the beginning of the series. Things have not been easy for April and I really wanted to see good things come her way. Damon was very easy to like. He is genuinely a nice guy who is willing to put himself in danger to protect others. I thought that they made a great pair working undercover at the cult. This story had a lot of really emotional scenes that really got to me. I thought that April and Damon were a perfect match and was eager to see them form a connection.
Michael Pauley did a wonderful job with the narration of this book. He has narrated all of the books in the series so he has become the voice of these characters for me. I think that he has a great range and is able to portray both male and female characters quite well. I liked that he is able to add some emotion and excitement to his reading. I am certain that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of this book.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. This has been an entertaining series filled with great characters and quite a bit of action. I cannot wait to pick up the next book to see how the series wraps up.
I really enjoyed this book! If you have been following my reviews, you know that I haveThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this book! If you have been following my reviews, you know that I have been working my way through Rebecca Zanetti’s books and you can call me a fan at this point. I am especially drawn to this series which is set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a deadly bacteria. This is the fourth book in the series and I would recommend reading this series in order since events from earlier books come into play in this book. I found this to be a very entertaining and exciting story.
Maureen Shadow is a Biotechnology Engineer whose skills are more important than ever now that what’s left of the world’s population is struggling to survive. Greyson Storm is the leader of a group of mercenaries who happen to be at odds with the Vanguard group that includes Maureen’s brother, Raze. Despite the fact that Greyson originally kidnaps Maureen, the pair are eventually drawn to each other and she even agrees to spend more time with his group later on. I thought that Maureen and Greyson made a great pair and I liked the chemistry between them. As expected, the book has a lot of action and excitement and I had a great time watching this group of characters navigate another set of obstacles.
Michael Pauley does a wonderful job with this series. I am liking his narration more and more with each book that I listen to. I thought that he does a great job with the various character voices including both males and females. He adds just the right amount of emotion into his voice to help take the story to the next level. I do believe that his narration added to my enjoyment f this story.
I would recommend this series to others. I have enjoyed meeting each of the featured couples in the series and Maureen and Greyson were no exception. I am looking forward to listening to the next book very soon.
My feelings about this book are rather mixed. If you have been following my reviews forThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
My feelings about this book are rather mixed. If you have been following my reviews for any amount of time, you probably already know that I am a huge fan of The Dresden Files. Over the course of 17 books, I have fallen in love with Harry Dresden and all of the other characters that make up this series. There was a lot that I liked about this book but there were things that I didn’t care for.
The title of this book is Battle Ground which is probably the perfect title since almost the entire book is a battle. I am all for action but as much as it pains me to say it, this book may have had too much of it. It became almost repetitive at a point and ceased to be as exciting as it might have been if the battle scenes were broken up by some more character-focused scenes. I hate to say that there were times that I was a bit bored by the story.
The biggest issue that I had with this book was how a character’s death was handled. I have been with these characters for a very long time and losing one of them at this point is hard. I did not feel that this character’s death was necessary and the way it was handled didn’t do the character justice. I know that the author probably has a master plan for the series that made this death an essential part of the puzzle but as a reader, I am more than a little upset by the whole thing.
James Marsters continues to do an excellent job with the series. I love the voices that he uses for Harry and the rest of the characters. He added just the right amount of excitement and emotion into his voice to really help to bring the story to life. I am certain that his narration added to my enjoyment of this book.
I would recommend this book to others. I am curious to see where the series will go from here. This book was filled to the brim with excitement and heartache. I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.
Initial Thoughts That was a bit of a letdown. I think that there was just too much battle and not enough of anything else. I liked it but I found my mind wandering in a way that it just hasn't with the other books in the series. Still, there were some pretty important things that happened that should have a big impact on future books in the series. James Marsters did a fantastic job with the narration.
This was great! I have been a huge fan of this series from the beginning and I was eageThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was great! I have been a huge fan of this series from the beginning and I was eager to read this final installment. I thought that this was a fitting end to the series and I am satisfied with how things turned out. This wasn’t a happy ending but it felt very real.
Tomas goes through a lot in this book and he will stop at nothing to get the vengeance he feels that he is owed. The politics kept me guessing and I was never quite sure who could be trusted. This book had all of the bloody action and excitement that I have come to expect from the series which kept me glued to the pages. I loved the fact that there were some pretty big surprises worked into this story. Tomas paid a huge price to get what he felt he needed and I felt a little sad for him in the end.
I would recommend this series to others. This is a darker fantasy that I have found to be incredibly entertaining and well-written. This is a series that should be read in order since each book builds on the events of the previous installment. I look forward to reading more of this author’s books in the future.
I thought that this book was fantastic! This is only the second Katherine Center book tThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I thought that this book was fantastic! This is only the second Katherine Center book that I have read but I am convinced that I need to get busy reading the rest of her books after finishing this one. I was hooked by this story! Once I started listening to this book, I did not want to put it down because I was hooked. This book was the perfect combination of funny, romantic, and exciting, and I loved all of it.
Hannah and Jack were perfect together. This story is told from Hannah’s point of view and I felt for her at the start because she was really having a hard time. She was pushed into taking the lead in protecting Jack Stapleton, who is a famous movie star. Jack is in town because of his mother’s health and doesn’t want to worry his mom so he convinces Hannah to pretend to be his girlfriend instead of his bodyguard.
I fell in love with these characters and finished the book with a giant smile on my face. Hannah and Jack were perfectly matched and I really enjoyed their banter. It was great seeing them spend time with each other and start to fall for one another. This book had some great moments that I know will stay with me for a long time.
This is the first time that I have listened to Patti Murin’s narration and I think that she has earned a spot on the list of narrators that I will look for. She did such a great job in bringing these characters to life and I thought that she delivered the humor in the story expertly. I am convinced that her narration added to my enjoyment of this delightful story. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen and hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.
I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts Okay, I absolutely loved this book! It was funny, romantic, and exciting. I fell in love with these characters and finished the book with a giant smile on my face. Hannah and Jack were perfectly matched and I really enjoyed their banter. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator was the perfect voice for Hannah. She really brought all of Hannah's emotions to life and delivered the humor of the story expertly. I will definitely be recommending this one....more
This was wonderful! This is the fourth and apparently final book in the series. This isThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was wonderful! This is the fourth and apparently final book in the series. This is a series that really needs to be read n order since each book picks up right where the previous one left off. I expected this book to be exciting and it absolutely was. Owl has to somehow juggle saving her boyfriend, keeping her dragon boss happy, and staying alive. I was hooked by the story from the beginning and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out.
Owl’s boyfriend, Rynn, was taken by the Electric Samurai armor in the previous book. She knows that it could have been her in the armor so she is determined to save Rynn and stop the armor from becoming more powerful. I was kind of surprised when Artemis showed up to help her out but I thought that they made an interesting team, even when I wasn’t sure if he should be trusted. The stakes are high and things are incredibly dangerous. There were a few instances where Owl only had her cat, Captain, there to help her out. He is a special cat, but he is still a cat. I was entertained throughout this story.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Christy Romano did a wonderful job with the narration. She has a pleasant voice that was easy to listen to for extended periods of time. I thought that she did a great job with the various character voices and really brought the story to life. There were a few times during the audiobook that I heard a bit of an echo which was somewhat distracting but it was otherwise a great performance.
I would recommend this series to others. My only complaint is that there are quite a few things left unresolved in this book and additional installments do not appear to be coming anytime soon. I feel like Owl has more left to do and hope that we will see more books in the future but I’m not holding my breath.
Initial Thoughts I enjoyed this one. The story was exciting as expected. Owl is hoping to save her boyfriend, Rynn, from the Electric Samurai armor that took him in the previous book. Owl is teamed up with Artemis for much of the book which added an interesting dynamic to the story. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with the story but there were times that the sound quality had a bit of an echo which was distracting. I am a little sad that there are no more books available in the series currently and it has been a few years since this book was published. I feel like there are a lot of things left for Owl to do and hope to see more books in the series in the future.
I had a good time with this book! After reading and enjoying the third book in this serThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a good time with this book! After reading and enjoying the third book in this series, To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before, I was eager to go back and read the first book in this series. This book was just as enjoyable as I had hoped it would be with tons of small-town charm and a whole shelter full of adorable dogs. This was the holiday romance that I didn’t know I needed.
Ally is in Pine Hollow to visit with her grandparents while helping them out with their shelter. When she literally runs into Ben, things don’t go well and that is before he casts the deciding vote to close the shelter. Ben wants to help find homes for all the dogs before the shelter closes just after the holidays so he works with Ally to help feature the dogs in the local newsletter and a few local events. Ben is raising his niece, Astrid, who happens to be determined to have a dog of her own.
I really liked the characters in this book. Ally was easy to like. She was very thoughtful and just wanted to find a place where she felt like she belonged. Ben was determined to be everything he believed his niece needed him to be. He had a very hard time asking anyone for help and tended to shut down anyone who offered. Ben and Ally had fantastic chemistry and I thought that they were very good for each other. There was a lot of growth for both of them over the course of this story. The supporting cast of characters was also a delight and added a lot to the story.
I decided to listen to the audiobook and I thought that Alastair Haynesbridge and Greyson Ash did a great job with the narration. I thought that the voices that they used for each of the characters helped to bring the story to life. I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to either narrator and I would definitely want to listen to more of their work.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful small-town romance with just the right amount of holiday cheer and enough furry friends to keep things interesting. I cannot wait to read more of this fantastic series.
I received a review copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and purchased a copy of the audiobook....more
I. Loved. This. Book. Loved it! There are very few authors that I will drop everything This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I. Loved. This. Book. Loved it! There are very few authors that I will drop everything that I am doing just to start reading their newest book. Sarah Lyons Fleming is at the top of that list. I have looked for this book several times this year just hoping that it might have become available. So yes, I have eagerly been anticipating the release of this book and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint. It didn’t take long before I was completely hooked by this story. I even considered calling in sick to work just so I could keep reading. I didn’t because I am a responsible adult but I did think about it. I really enjoyed the entire reading experience.
Sarah Lyons Fleming writes the best characters. The absolute best. I have talked to some people who aren’t sure if they should try her books because they “don’t read zombie books”. These books are character-driven stories that just happen to be set in the zombie apocalypse. Yes, there are zombies and some pretty intense scenes but there are also long stretches of the book without any zombie action. I do love the zombies but I am here for the characters.
This book is told from four different points of view: Rose, Craig, Tom, and Clara. The book picks up shortly after the events of the first book and I do feel that this is a series that really does need to be read in order. The characters, along with their friends, are getting by inside the safe zone. The man in charge is not a nice guy but they are dealing with it. I loved the descriptions of their living conditions and I could imagine the challenges of living in a large group setting. Relationships within the group are changing. Some are stressed while others are growing stronger. Danger is just outside the gates and they must face it anytime they need to leave to help get supplies or any other essential activity.
This book had plenty of excitement. There were a few times that I was holding my breath just hoping things would work out for the group. I also really enjoyed seeing how some of the relationships between the characters changed and there were a couple of romances that kept things very interesting. I could totally imagine hanging out with this group and just having a good time but without the zombie apocalypse. Their interactions and the way that they depend on each other just felt completely authentic.
I highly recommend this series. Readers should start at the beginning of the series with World Departed but this is a series that should not be missed. This is a book that I am sure that I will be reading again in the not too distant future as I patiently wait for the next installment in the series.
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