jbronderbookreviews

Author: Nick Vossen

Narrator: Marcus Rothenberg

Length: 8 hours 30 minutes

Series: The Eldritch Twins, Book 1

Publisher: The Parliament House

Released: Jan. 5, 2021

Genre: Horror; New Adult

(more…)

Read Full Post »

Author: Charmin Blazier

Narrator: Alex Black

Length: 12 hours 1 minutes

Series: The Longblood Series, Book 1

Publisher: Charmin Blazier

Released: Feb. 12, 2021

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Love will make him a better man. If it doesn’t kill him first. Nineteen-year-old Daniel Marco is about to start the life he’s always wanted. But when he blacks out and etches a mysterious code on his arm, it changes his plans in ways he never imagined. The code leads him to the grounds of an ancient British asylum housing a secret society where he learns the unthinkable – he’s lived before. As his past life begins to resurface in unpredictable and terrifying ways, Daniel seeks answers and learns his life is in danger. And he’s not alone. When he meets bold Ainsley Fairfax, who is working in the shadows to solve a mystery tied to both their fates, Daniel is intensely drawn to her in ways he can’t explain. Ainsley believes Daniel is the key to solving the mystery and keeping them alive. But the more time Daniel spends with Ainsley, the deeper he’s drawn into danger. And the more he begins to lose control… Together, they must solve the mystery before it’s too late. Will he prevail? Or will all he cares for be destroyed? Be on the lookout for the second audiobook in this paranormal new adult romance – Lost Longblood: The Longblood Series, Book 2 (coming soon).

Charmin Blazier is a writer of paranormal romance and a mother of chihuahuas. She lives in Northern Virginia with the most amazing sister and blue-eyed pup on earth. Her poetry was published in the Heart 11 Poetry Journal, and she holds a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy from George Mason University. Additionally, she’s currently working on the next installment in The Longblood Series. Be on the lookout for Lost Longblood: The Longblood Series Book Two (coming soon)!

Website

Alex Black is a professional audiobook narrator who has performed and produced over 75 audiobooks. Many of his audiobooks have made the top 20 Amazon best sellers list within their category. He has received hundreds of 5 star reviews across various genres. Audible listeners have this to say: “Fantastic narration! The narrator weaves a spell reading this book!” “I felt all the emotions these characters experienced through his voice and I was totally pulled into this story!” Location: Vermont, United States

Twitter

Author Charmin Blazier’s Reasons Why You Should Give Audiobooks a Listen

You deserve to hear a great story. And how long has it been? For some, far too long. As we grow up, we often leave great joys behind. We forget to play, lose interest in drawing for the fun of it, and no longer ask those in our lives to crack open a book and read us a story. I mean, why would we do that? We can read it ourselves, right? Yes, but in our quest to be silently independent in the presence of books, we’ve lost something vital. We’ve lost a realm of creativity, a place like no other, a place that belongs to us. It doesn’t have to be this way. The realms we leave behind might be forgotten for a while, but they don’t disappear. And though we have tight schedules, bills to pay, and doings to do, we also have a way to reclaim long-forgotten joys even as we speed through our over-tasked lives. Enter audiobooks. Glorious, magical, irresistible audiobooks. For me, they’ve done the impossible—made otherwise hideous commutes enjoyable. And that’s just the beginning of their talents. Audiobooks change our relations to stories; they expand our creative collaborations. After all, when you engage with fiction, you become a creator of worlds. When you read, you and the writer come together to craft something utterly unique in your mind. And when you listen, you, the writer, and the narrator come together. Voice brings another layer to the collaboration, another soul to the story, another existential form via external sound. The jump from book to audiobook is more subtle than the one from book to movie. It’s a mid-way point—a zone of twilight that retains intimacy and imaginative engagement yet draws the inward nature of reading ever so slightly outward. And all this is done with just a bit of breath and sound. People sometimes ask whether listening to a book is as good as reading it. Some even suggest that listening equates to “cheating.” Such notions miss the larger point. It’s not about what’s as good or better. It’s about you as a creator and what a different artistic collaboration can bring to your life and imagination. It’s about fun, expansion, and learning that in the best possible way, you and I are not so different than we used to be. So, go ahead. Give an audiobook a listen and reclaim your forgotten creative realm. Your collaborators are waiting. Happy listening. -Charmin Blazier

Author Charmin Blazier’s Top Ten Perks of Being an Author

1. The possibility that your story might bring a little lightness and joy into a reader’s vacation/rainy day/train ride/life in general. There’s nothing better than that.
2. Being able to collaborate with other creative people such as cover artists, narrators, and bloggers.
3. Being able to dedicate your work to all the people who’ve supported you along the way.
4. That moment when you hold your paperback book for the first time.
5. That moment when you hear your audiobook for the first time.
6. Creating story worlds where the impossible becomes possible.
7. The sense of accomplishment when you learn a new writing skill (and there’s always more to learn!).
8. Being able to connect with your audience in so many ways.
9. The joy of creating characters out of your imagination.
10. Having an excuse to spend countless hours in Starbucks.

Daniel Marco is nineteen and ready to start a musical career. Unfortunately just before a performance he blacks out and carves some numbers into his arm. Then he severely beats up a man that was hitting a woman. Although he is worried that he is taking after his abusive father truth is stranger than fiction.

Daniel learns that at a British asylum they are working or past lives and bringing them into the present. Daniel meets Ainsley Fairfax, who he is instantly drawn to. As he is going through the motions to being his past life into the present he learns that Ainsley and he are connected and they have a mystery to solve.

I am torn on how to rate this book. It skims the surface of the whole past lives concept and I’m still not really sure what is going on. I also understand how Daniel is worried that he is going to lose his current life a stranger in the past and is not really a willing participant.

But I have so say that I get it that he doesn’t want to be part of this life. He complains about it all the time. I had a hard time getting into the story because of this. Alex Black does a great job narrating the story but I lost interest and didn’t really care how it ended half way into the story. Now the mystery was great and I think that is what hooked me to finish the book.

Overall this is not what I was expecting for the story and I loved part of it. Unfortunately I just got bored with Daniel and him fighting his past so hard. I do think some people might just love this book but for me it was a meh story.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Charmin Blazier. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

VIEW THE FULL Tour SCHEDULE HERE!

Plugging you into the audio community since 2016.

Sign up as a tour host here.

I would like to thank Jess @ Audiobookwork for the opportunity to listen to and share this book.

Read Full Post »

Author: H.J. Ramsay

Narrator: Caroline Holmes

Length: 11 hours 2 minutes

Publisher: Red Rogue Press

Released: January 19, 2021

Genre: Fantasy; YA

(more…)

Read Full Post »

Red Virus (Zommunist Invasion – 1) by Camilla Picott

Invading troops with a deadly virus.
A young man fighting for his life.
Will flesh-eating monsters run out the clock on America’s future?

Northern California, 1985, Former high school quarterback Leo Cecchino sacrificed his dreams his family. Unfulfilled by the daily grind of their ailing farm, he can’t help but feel resentment.But he’s soon redirecting his smoldering frustration into battle rage when his small town is invaded by bloodthirsty Russians armed with a zombie virus.

Forced from his home to a secret hideaway, Leo tries desperately to spread the word and defend his country. But with the Soviets and their ravenous puppets firmly in control, it may rest on Leo and his hastily created counterattack playbook to save them all form a grisly death.

Can Leo snatch victory from the undead jaws of defeat?

Amazon     Goodreads

About the Author

Camille Picott has been writing Stories from the End of the World since she figured out how to turn on her family’s Apple IIe computer and wrangle a floppy disk into the drive. She loves nothing more than penning an epic action scene or pushing a character to her limits.

Her books, which range from zombie apocalypse, YA dystopia, and epic fantasy, are all Stories from the End of the World. There’s no fun in writing a story if the stakes aren’t high and the fate of the world isn’t in jeopardy. 

When Camille isn’t writing or spending time with her family, she loves to run absurdly long distances. It’s not unusual to find her hitting the trail in her running shoes long before the sun rises or cranking out miles (and stories!) on her treadmill desk.

Website     Facebook     Instagram     YouTube

My Review

5 stars

It is 1985 in Northern California and we meet the Cecchino family. The family has a small apple farm that they work. One day while everyone goes about their normal lives the Russian’s attack. They arrive on the Grey Hound bus and start shooting people with automatic rifles and dart guns. It is unknown what kind of attack is happening but it’s clear that we are being invaded.

It seems the Russian’s have a plan to stop all communication, turn people into zombies, then invade after the zombies have died out. The Cecchino family on the other hand is trying to get everyone back to the farm them up to a hunting cabin. Not everyone will make it but they are all willing to fight for their country and those that have already lost their lives.

I really enjoyed Ms. Picott’s Undead Ultra series and was excited to start reading Red Virus. I am just old enough to remember 1985 and really enjoyed being back there with Leo, Dal, and Lena. Although I absolutely loved Nonna, I hope to be like her when I’m her age.

Of course, when I got to the end, I just had to purchase book 2, Snipers. I can’t wait to jump back into this world. I was also surprised to received book 3, Scattered from the author. Now I just need a weekend to bing these books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Read Full Post »