A. Renee Hunt's Blog, page 4
September 3, 2019
The Mist
The Creepiest Horror Short Story by Stephen King
Narrated by Will Patton
Even if you've never read the short story, by Stephen King, you know The Mist. It was the talk of the day when the movie released, in theaters, back in 2007. I'd read the story back in high school, but when I saw there was a movie, I told my hubby he had to read it with me, so he'd be familiar when I dragged him to view yet another horror flick. He loved them both! So why, after reading it, re-reading it, then seeing it multiple times on cable and my iTunes library was watching the lame made-for-tv series, would I listen to the audiobook?
Because it's just that good!
Today's review is The Mist. #element-dd493de9-6670-4571-a8ee-d4dcd0e6c2e9 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
A nearby military base, known for the Arrowhead Project, caused something to happen. The incident abandoned the residents of nearby Bridgeton, ME in mortal danger of the worst kind. Their mistake produced a mist. A mist that hid things. Things that wanted to eat them.
Okay, so it's so easy to blend the movie and the book, but I won't. Since speculation was pretty much blanked out in the book, I loved how King left the book's ending. I can't say exactly what he did; if you've never read the book, you have to! The movie's ending is totally different, and the television series was so awful, it didn't get to end.
The horror was so rich, raw and amazingly terrifying, it was the best and explained why King has always been the king of horror! The description, details, both of which King is known for, was perfect, which allowed my imagination to do the work necessary to join in the fantastical world. The terrors of Maine were from a world only he could create.
I've literally- literally loved this story all of my life! If you haven't read it but love King, you must grab yourself a copy. Oh, if you own Skeleton Crew, it's in there! It's the first story, beginning on page 21. Happy Horror Reading- Cheers!
The Mist
Stephen King
Narrated by Will Patton
An Audible Studios Production with Simon & Shuster Audio
Released May 2017
Runtime 5h 19m
Narrated by Will Patton
Even if you've never read the short story, by Stephen King, you know The Mist. It was the talk of the day when the movie released, in theaters, back in 2007. I'd read the story back in high school, but when I saw there was a movie, I told my hubby he had to read it with me, so he'd be familiar when I dragged him to view yet another horror flick. He loved them both! So why, after reading it, re-reading it, then seeing it multiple times on cable and my iTunes library was watching the lame made-for-tv series, would I listen to the audiobook?Because it's just that good!
Today's review is The Mist. #element-dd493de9-6670-4571-a8ee-d4dcd0e6c2e9 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
A nearby military base, known for the Arrowhead Project, caused something to happen. The incident abandoned the residents of nearby Bridgeton, ME in mortal danger of the worst kind. Their mistake produced a mist. A mist that hid things. Things that wanted to eat them.Okay, so it's so easy to blend the movie and the book, but I won't. Since speculation was pretty much blanked out in the book, I loved how King left the book's ending. I can't say exactly what he did; if you've never read the book, you have to! The movie's ending is totally different, and the television series was so awful, it didn't get to end.
The horror was so rich, raw and amazingly terrifying, it was the best and explained why King has always been the king of horror! The description, details, both of which King is known for, was perfect, which allowed my imagination to do the work necessary to join in the fantastical world. The terrors of Maine were from a world only he could create.
I've literally- literally loved this story all of my life! If you haven't read it but love King, you must grab yourself a copy. Oh, if you own Skeleton Crew, it's in there! It's the first story, beginning on page 21. Happy Horror Reading- Cheers!
The Mist
Stephen King
Narrated by Will Patton
An Audible Studios Production with Simon & Shuster Audio
Released May 2017
Runtime 5h 19m
The Mist
The Creepiest Horror Short Story by Stephen King
Narrated by Will Patton
Even if you've never read the short story, by Stephen King, you know The Mist. It was the talk of the day when the movie released, in theaters, back in 2007. I'd read the story back in high school, but when I saw there was a movie, I told my hubby he had to read it with me, so he'd be familiar when I dragged him to view yet another horror flick. He loved them both! So why, after reading it, re-reading it, then seeing it multiple times on cable and my iTunes library was watching the lame made-for-tv series, would I listen to the audiobook?
Because it's just that good!
Today's review is The Mist. #element-dd493de9-6670-4571-a8ee-d4dcd0e6c2e9 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
A nearby military base, known for the Arrowhead Project, caused something to happen. The incident abandoned the residents of nearby Bridgeton, ME in mortal danger of the worst kind. Their mistake produced a mist. A mist that hid things. Things that wanted to eat them.
Okay, so it's so easy to blend the movie and the book, but I won't. Since speculation was pretty much blanked out in the book, I loved how King left the book's ending. I can't say exactly what he did; if you've never read the book, you have to! The movie's ending is totally different, and the television series was so awful, it didn't get to end.
The horror was so rich, raw and amazingly terrifying, it was the best and explained why King has always been the king of horror! The description, details, both of which King is known for, was perfect, which allowed my imagination to do the work necessary to join in the fantastical world. The terrors of Maine were from a world only he could create.
I've literally- literally loved this story all of my life! If you haven't read it but love King, you must grab yourself a copy. Oh, if you own Skeleton Crew, it's in there! It's the first story, beginning on page 21. Happy Horror Reading- Cheers!
The Mist
Stephen King
Narrated by Will Patton
An Audible Studios Production with Simon & Shuster Audio
Released May 2017
Runtime 5h 19m
Narrated by Will Patton
Even if you've never read the short story, by Stephen King, you know The Mist. It was the talk of the day when the movie released, in theaters, back in 2007. I'd read the story back in high school, but when I saw there was a movie, I told my hubby he had to read it with me, so he'd be familiar when I dragged him to view yet another horror flick. He loved them both! So why, after reading it, re-reading it, then seeing it multiple times on cable and my iTunes library was watching the lame made-for-tv series, would I listen to the audiobook?Because it's just that good!
Today's review is The Mist. #element-dd493de9-6670-4571-a8ee-d4dcd0e6c2e9 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
A nearby military base, known for the Arrowhead Project, caused something to happen. The incident abandoned the residents of nearby Bridgeton, ME in mortal danger of the worst kind. Their mistake produced a mist. A mist that hid things. Things that wanted to eat them.Okay, so it's so easy to blend the movie and the book, but I won't. Since speculation was pretty much blanked out in the book, I loved how King left the book's ending. I can't say exactly what he did; if you've never read the book, you have to! The movie's ending is totally different, and the television series was so awful, it didn't get to end.
The horror was so rich, raw and amazingly terrifying, it was the best and explained why King has always been the king of horror! The description, details, both of which King is known for, was perfect, which allowed my imagination to do the work necessary to join in the fantastical world. The terrors of Maine were from a world only he could create.
I've literally- literally loved this story all of my life! If you haven't read it but love King, you must grab yourself a copy. Oh, if you own Skeleton Crew, it's in there! It's the first story, beginning on page 21. Happy Horror Reading- Cheers!
The Mist
Stephen King
Narrated by Will Patton
An Audible Studios Production with Simon & Shuster Audio
Released May 2017
Runtime 5h 19m
September 2, 2019
Emily's List
Written by Sean Platt and David W. Wright 
Emily's List, written by Sean Platt and David Wright, cover a multitude of issues in today's youthful world. The book is carefully written in today's code, allowing you relatability as you sit in the shoes of the protagonist, Cora.
Today's review is Emily's List, a paranormal, suspenseful thriller. #element-bd10c1b7-feaf-4145-bd1c-2f18a3f2cba2 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
I'm on the Platt & Wright newsletter listing, so when I spotted the cover of Emily's List, I knew I wanted it. I nabbed it and began reading about a week or so later. I wasn't sure what I was getting in to, but I knew it was something close to my heart. Cora's life parallels my own in various ways. I had to get to know her.
So Cora stands out in more ways than one. She’s biracial, so her skin and hair makes her a thumb in a bowlful of fingers-type town. But there’s more to Cora. You see, she’s blinks too much, she repeats particular mantras at least four times to make a negative into a positive, and she checks things. A lot.
She suffers OCD.
Thanks to this disorder, she’s an easy target for abuse by her peers. Oh, there's one more thing about Cora- sometimes she sees ghosts. Now I don't see ghosts and most of my ticks I managed to outgrow, but when the new house Cora and her mother move into presents a special guest, she has to decide whether it's the real deal or if her meds messing with her. Before she realizes it, she's caught up in a mental game of hate, bullying and revenge.
First, it is true: "Don't Touch My Hair!" When she said this, I burst out laughing! Why must my hair be so intriguing? I totally related to that, the hiding in the bathroom to avoid looking like a loser bit, and moreso, I connected with Cora. She came off transparent and real, in a sense that made her just like me. I liked her, because I'd been her. All that and guess what- I haven't even toughed what happens in this novel! Ha-ha, it's deep!
So now for the negatives...
I enjoyed Emily's List, so don't get my CC (Constructive Criticism) twisted; this book carried creep factor, but a lot didn't seem to feel as real as I'd hoped. Without spoiling anything, people's reactions aren't really to keep oddity to themselves. If you see something off, especially when other people are around, you tend to ask 'You see that?' or some version of. You don't walk around thinking you're nuts like Cora did. Now, yes, she had to keep a bundle of secrets- her past was heavy- but wow! She sorta isolated herself long before anything began to happen and that frustrated me. The hiding of her OCD- yes! No one wants to share that. I didn't until my thirties, but still! A lot of her silence simply didn't sit well with me.
And yet, I rated Emily's List 4'★s because it was engaging, and I liked the ending. When dealing with issues like anxiety, depression, and especially when it comes to taking required medications, I think this novel can help many. If anything, it opens a door to conversation, which is always a positive.
I'm off to the next novel, so check this one out. It's available on just about every book platform there is. Cheers!
Emily's List
Platt and Wright
Published Sterling & Stone
343 Pages
Released May 2019
Emily's List, written by Sean Platt and David Wright, cover a multitude of issues in today's youthful world. The book is carefully written in today's code, allowing you relatability as you sit in the shoes of the protagonist, Cora. Today's review is Emily's List, a paranormal, suspenseful thriller. #element-bd10c1b7-feaf-4145-bd1c-2f18a3f2cba2 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
I'm on the Platt & Wright newsletter listing, so when I spotted the cover of Emily's List, I knew I wanted it. I nabbed it and began reading about a week or so later. I wasn't sure what I was getting in to, but I knew it was something close to my heart. Cora's life parallels my own in various ways. I had to get to know her.So Cora stands out in more ways than one. She’s biracial, so her skin and hair makes her a thumb in a bowlful of fingers-type town. But there’s more to Cora. You see, she’s blinks too much, she repeats particular mantras at least four times to make a negative into a positive, and she checks things. A lot.
She suffers OCD.
Thanks to this disorder, she’s an easy target for abuse by her peers. Oh, there's one more thing about Cora- sometimes she sees ghosts. Now I don't see ghosts and most of my ticks I managed to outgrow, but when the new house Cora and her mother move into presents a special guest, she has to decide whether it's the real deal or if her meds messing with her. Before she realizes it, she's caught up in a mental game of hate, bullying and revenge.
First, it is true: "Don't Touch My Hair!" When she said this, I burst out laughing! Why must my hair be so intriguing? I totally related to that, the hiding in the bathroom to avoid looking like a loser bit, and moreso, I connected with Cora. She came off transparent and real, in a sense that made her just like me. I liked her, because I'd been her. All that and guess what- I haven't even toughed what happens in this novel! Ha-ha, it's deep!
So now for the negatives...
I enjoyed Emily's List, so don't get my CC (Constructive Criticism) twisted; this book carried creep factor, but a lot didn't seem to feel as real as I'd hoped. Without spoiling anything, people's reactions aren't really to keep oddity to themselves. If you see something off, especially when other people are around, you tend to ask 'You see that?' or some version of. You don't walk around thinking you're nuts like Cora did. Now, yes, she had to keep a bundle of secrets- her past was heavy- but wow! She sorta isolated herself long before anything began to happen and that frustrated me. The hiding of her OCD- yes! No one wants to share that. I didn't until my thirties, but still! A lot of her silence simply didn't sit well with me.
And yet, I rated Emily's List 4'★s because it was engaging, and I liked the ending. When dealing with issues like anxiety, depression, and especially when it comes to taking required medications, I think this novel can help many. If anything, it opens a door to conversation, which is always a positive.
I'm off to the next novel, so check this one out. It's available on just about every book platform there is. Cheers!
Emily's List
Platt and Wright
Published Sterling & Stone
343 Pages
Released May 2019
August 28, 2019
Black Crow, White Snow
Short Story Audiobook by Michael Livingston 
Black Crow, White Snow, a tale concerning a search for something magical, possibly a weapon or simply hope. Written by Michael Livingston, I share what my thought was on this audible, audiobook that lasted two and a half hours. #element-a01d7c42-fcb5-4c9b-9450-636ee6f0fdcf .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;} 
This is possibly the shortest book review I'll ever share on my site. Not because it's a bad book but because it's missing something. Something meaty, vital and substantial. You see, it's seems to be incomplete. It begins with a ship at sea, with little explanation as far as what's truly taking place, but they're on a mission to retrieve technology that could assist in saving their people.
Bela, the shipmistress, is doing her best to hold back prejudice as they battle against nature in order to travel to an area deemed magical. After an attack that sinks her ship, she must do everything possible to keep her crew alive, let alone in check, while they cope with deadly obstacles, as well as the elements.
The action is good, the narrator is good too. What's not good is how this audiobook seems to have dropped dead center into a larger story. From what I took from Black Crow, White Snow, the characters are living in a sort of dystopian, fantasy world, where women dominate over men. The woman, seemingly all lesbians, dominate the men who are viewed as weak, yet educated. It's not a bad story, but I simply couldn't connect nor care about what happened because so much was missing. I'm a lover of fantasy, but I needed better world building. or more meat to the story.
Now from what I understand, there's a follow-up to this that's terribly huge; probably overly detailed to compensate for what this one lacked. I don't know. I just know I more than likely won't dive in any further. Check it for yourself, because it's entertaining. Just not enough. Cheers!
Black Crow, White Snow
Written by Michael Livingston
Published by Audible Studios
Runtime: 2h 37m
Released May 2019
Black Crow, White Snow, a tale concerning a search for something magical, possibly a weapon or simply hope. Written by Michael Livingston, I share what my thought was on this audible, audiobook that lasted two and a half hours. #element-a01d7c42-fcb5-4c9b-9450-636ee6f0fdcf .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;} This is possibly the shortest book review I'll ever share on my site. Not because it's a bad book but because it's missing something. Something meaty, vital and substantial. You see, it's seems to be incomplete. It begins with a ship at sea, with little explanation as far as what's truly taking place, but they're on a mission to retrieve technology that could assist in saving their people.Bela, the shipmistress, is doing her best to hold back prejudice as they battle against nature in order to travel to an area deemed magical. After an attack that sinks her ship, she must do everything possible to keep her crew alive, let alone in check, while they cope with deadly obstacles, as well as the elements.
The action is good, the narrator is good too. What's not good is how this audiobook seems to have dropped dead center into a larger story. From what I took from Black Crow, White Snow, the characters are living in a sort of dystopian, fantasy world, where women dominate over men. The woman, seemingly all lesbians, dominate the men who are viewed as weak, yet educated. It's not a bad story, but I simply couldn't connect nor care about what happened because so much was missing. I'm a lover of fantasy, but I needed better world building. or more meat to the story.
Now from what I understand, there's a follow-up to this that's terribly huge; probably overly detailed to compensate for what this one lacked. I don't know. I just know I more than likely won't dive in any further. Check it for yourself, because it's entertaining. Just not enough. Cheers!
Black Crow, White Snow
Written by Michael Livingston
Published by Audible Studios
Runtime: 2h 37m
Released May 2019
August 27, 2019
Ruin and Rising, book 3 in the Grisha Trilogy
The Final book in the GrishaVerse
written by Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Book two was good, but got a bit stagnant with the love issues. This one began to do the same thing, but took a surprising turn for the better. Was there still a bit of drag? Yes, of course, but it actually improved.
Ruin and Rising, by Leigh Bardugo, brought an end to this portion of the Grisha Trilogy, but it's not the end as far as the GrishaVerse is concerned. Today's review will say why you should or why maybe you shouldn't read book three.
#element-46ac43a2-cae7-43b3-8fae-7168ac4e78c7 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
In order for Alina to defeat The Darkling, she needs the third amplifier. They set off to find something called a firebird, but to their surprise, they realize they're in need of something far greater. Something much closer to home. Can they handle that reality?
In Ruin and Rising, the adventure continues with Alina seeking the third amplifier, in order to battle against The Darkling and dispel The Fold, the dark expanse defended by winged creatures that were once human. This is also where great knowledge is shared, letting Alina know she's the only one who can bring down the evil of the land. But is she really?
The story follows a tale, the story of a boy, the story of sisters, magic, and fate. I liked how everything came together, but I'd hoped for a bigger ending, honestly. Don't get me wrong, the story was great, with a lot of blood, deaths and magic from both sides, but I just knew it was going to go bigger because I'd expected Alina to regain her strength and tear down the fold and the Darkling in a Thor-like thwack of light!
Instead, she lost a lot of the inner strength I watched her gain and mature from the first two books. What happened to her? To me, Nikolai was the one who really kept Alina going- not even Mal did that. He turned into a sap, and everyone around Sancta Alina just followed. I don't feel I got what I'd expected and that's a bit of an upset. Ruin and Rising is good, but dang... something got lost.
Check out the series, it's not disappointing, but the boom didn't hit. See for yourself as I move on to the next review. Cheers!
Ruin and Rising
Book 3 of The Grisha Trilogy
By Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Published by Henry Holt and Co.
Released June 2014
Runtime: 10h 57m
369 pages
written by Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Book two was good, but got a bit stagnant with the love issues. This one began to do the same thing, but took a surprising turn for the better. Was there still a bit of drag? Yes, of course, but it actually improved. Ruin and Rising, by Leigh Bardugo, brought an end to this portion of the Grisha Trilogy, but it's not the end as far as the GrishaVerse is concerned. Today's review will say why you should or why maybe you shouldn't read book three.
#element-46ac43a2-cae7-43b3-8fae-7168ac4e78c7 .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
In order for Alina to defeat The Darkling, she needs the third amplifier. They set off to find something called a firebird, but to their surprise, they realize they're in need of something far greater. Something much closer to home. Can they handle that reality?In Ruin and Rising, the adventure continues with Alina seeking the third amplifier, in order to battle against The Darkling and dispel The Fold, the dark expanse defended by winged creatures that were once human. This is also where great knowledge is shared, letting Alina know she's the only one who can bring down the evil of the land. But is she really?
The story follows a tale, the story of a boy, the story of sisters, magic, and fate. I liked how everything came together, but I'd hoped for a bigger ending, honestly. Don't get me wrong, the story was great, with a lot of blood, deaths and magic from both sides, but I just knew it was going to go bigger because I'd expected Alina to regain her strength and tear down the fold and the Darkling in a Thor-like thwack of light!
Instead, she lost a lot of the inner strength I watched her gain and mature from the first two books. What happened to her? To me, Nikolai was the one who really kept Alina going- not even Mal did that. He turned into a sap, and everyone around Sancta Alina just followed. I don't feel I got what I'd expected and that's a bit of an upset. Ruin and Rising is good, but dang... something got lost.
Check out the series, it's not disappointing, but the boom didn't hit. See for yourself as I move on to the next review. Cheers!
Ruin and Rising
Book 3 of The Grisha Trilogy
By Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Published by Henry Holt and Co.
Released June 2014
Runtime: 10h 57m
369 pages
August 26, 2019
Deadside Revolution, A Zombie Apocalypse Novel
A novel by Terry Grimwood 
I hate to break bad news, but this is no ordinary zombie tale. The apocalypse is totally different in nature, but one that would scare the heck out of any person of faith! What did Peter say in Dawn of the Dead: "When there's no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the earth." But does Deadside Revolution, by Terry Grimwood, carry a theme of zombies, or demons... or something else? #element-f08362eb-13b7-4512-ade4-3981dd68a5aa .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
Deadside Revolution tells the story of a man seeking salvation with the child he never wanted, but needs in order to save the world for the living-
And the Dead.
And the Half-Dead.
Something happened, and the dead stopped dying, unless burned by fire. The problem is, the dead still died. Sorta. They smelled, rotted and leaked all sorts of nasty fluids, making for a nasty environment. So when a revolution broke out, the living had hoped to take back their proper place in the food chain. But they lost and the dead reigned supreme. But did they, really? Now, with humans on the run, in hiding and on dinner tables, another revolt rose from the ashes. A resistance of sorts, where a special key is needed in order to break free of their undead leaders. The problem is, the one holding the key is reluctant.
It's going to be extremely difficult to give a review of this book without handing out spoilers. I mean, it's unlike any zombie book I've ever read. Things in this book that are an abomination to the living- to nature, leaving me unsure on how to classify this story. I can say it was a bit confusing though. When it began, I was able to understand what was taking place, but then Grimwood added an element that carried the story into a completely different.. I don't know. It went from living versus the dead to angels and demons with possessed dead and such. And a baby that is translucent? I don't know-weird.
Though many of the scenes pertaining to the actions of the dead and half dead were a tad repetitive, I pressed through. It's also a bit slow, but it has to be, in order to explain a few things, but there's no true clarification. You never really find out why the dead rise up, or how these other things that are revealed happened to exist. They just are. I don't always mind that, but many do.
So that's my take on Deadside Revolution. Cheers!
Deadside Revolution
Written by Terry Grimwood
Horrific Tales Publishing
Released September 2016
230 pages
I hate to break bad news, but this is no ordinary zombie tale. The apocalypse is totally different in nature, but one that would scare the heck out of any person of faith! What did Peter say in Dawn of the Dead: "When there's no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the earth." But does Deadside Revolution, by Terry Grimwood, carry a theme of zombies, or demons... or something else? #element-f08362eb-13b7-4512-ade4-3981dd68a5aa .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
Deadside Revolution tells the story of a man seeking salvation with the child he never wanted, but needs in order to save the world for the living- And the Dead.
And the Half-Dead.
Something happened, and the dead stopped dying, unless burned by fire. The problem is, the dead still died. Sorta. They smelled, rotted and leaked all sorts of nasty fluids, making for a nasty environment. So when a revolution broke out, the living had hoped to take back their proper place in the food chain. But they lost and the dead reigned supreme. But did they, really? Now, with humans on the run, in hiding and on dinner tables, another revolt rose from the ashes. A resistance of sorts, where a special key is needed in order to break free of their undead leaders. The problem is, the one holding the key is reluctant.
It's going to be extremely difficult to give a review of this book without handing out spoilers. I mean, it's unlike any zombie book I've ever read. Things in this book that are an abomination to the living- to nature, leaving me unsure on how to classify this story. I can say it was a bit confusing though. When it began, I was able to understand what was taking place, but then Grimwood added an element that carried the story into a completely different.. I don't know. It went from living versus the dead to angels and demons with possessed dead and such. And a baby that is translucent? I don't know-weird.
Though many of the scenes pertaining to the actions of the dead and half dead were a tad repetitive, I pressed through. It's also a bit slow, but it has to be, in order to explain a few things, but there's no true clarification. You never really find out why the dead rise up, or how these other things that are revealed happened to exist. They just are. I don't always mind that, but many do.
So that's my take on Deadside Revolution. Cheers!
Deadside Revolution
Written by Terry Grimwood
Horrific Tales Publishing
Released September 2016
230 pages
August 21, 2019
In The End: Their fight for survival is only the beginning
eBook Review by author G. J. Stevens 
I’m an apocalyptic, dystopian kinda gal from time to time. Books written on the end of the world are interesting to many people like me because of the What If’s. How one would react to a particular situation has run through minds on a daily basis since the Doomsday folks began prepping. Maybe longer, I don’t know, but I can say that I’ve always wondered how I’d react. Then again, I’m the daughter of Marine.
This is In the End: Their Fight for Survival is Only the Beginning. #element-961d178e-7681-44dc-84db-e0e70bf4c1bf .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
So, In the End: Their Fight for Survival Is Only the Beginning, there’s a group of friends who are enjoying a group getaway. They'd packed up and left civilization for some outdoor fun, that’s cut short. Indefinitely. The owner of their cabin bangs on the door and tells them to leave their key and bug out! When they try to gather information on what’s taken place, they can’t figure anything out, other than there may be an invasion of sorts, possibly WWIII. It turns out to be a viral attack that's produced a horde of zombies.
What’s good about In the End, is the nobody who becomes leader. Everybody cheers for the underdog, yeah? Logan carried no military training or weapons skills, he’s just an every day Joe Blow. As a reluctant leader, he attempts to guide the baffled group, but no one wants to listen to him, let alone believe him, yet they chose him! He does his best to protect his friends and they, in turn, get angry with him. One gal, Naomi wants to bash his face in on numerous occasions, but only because he’s right! While attempting to survive in a world where the government refuses to offer up assistance, and everything else is cut off, what’s a guy to do but shove on.
The world according to zombies is unceasingly fluctuating, so I admit I enjoyed the zombies not playing possum for long. Once they died, they returned in minutes. No play in-between. And since you can do what you want when creating a zompoc, that's exactly what G. J. Stevens did. These creatures didn't even die like usual zombies, making In the End pretty interesting.
Now for what I didn’t enjoy concerning this novel. Many authors have trouble with sharing instead of saying. We’ve all seen it, and most have even done it, including myself. Stevens, though sharing a crack of a story, didn’t present in a fashion that was easy to read and follow along. The way he described things, situations made little sense to me, resulting in confusion. For example, in chapter 20 a horde of zombies (I promise, no spoilers) is chasing after our survivors. Everyone’s running, while two are doing their best to keep a safe distance for protection. I don’t understand what was happening in that scene. Not one bit. One second, characters Andrew and Logan were running, then they were attempting to grab a hold of a friend’s hand, to escape the horde, as though on the back a truck/lorry? or something. But I thought they were all running on foot? So why did they have to reach down/out for someone?
Also, not explained was how their choice of weapons killed the dead. There was a girl who’d had an eye blown out, yet she was walking about. Hole in the head means brain is dead, yeah? So why didn't a shot to the head, directly in her eye kill her… re-kill her? Totally lost there, and it left me whelmed. Neither over or under, simply whelmed.
Lastly, is more like me being petty than something wrong with the story. So I listen to audiobooks during workouts, driving, etc. Paper/hardback books during the day and ebooks at night. Since In the End's an ebook I read in bed. My kindle is on dark mode, so as to not wake my hubby from the bright glow. That means black background, white lettering, but I couldn’t do it with this book. For some reason, in sporadic sections, this book went from being fine in dark mode to white, highlighted strips across a black canvas, making it impossible for me to read the words! As you can see, I even offer up an example of this issue. It drove me bonkers.
So, all in all, I can’t say In the End is a bad book, but it’s got some issues. Personally, how it got all those five-star reviews is questionable to me, making me think a load of friends read that puppy. I didn’t like it a ton, but it was okay. My few issues are more with the back workings than the actual story, so go ahead and try it for yourself. As for me folks, this is the end. Cheers!
In The End: Their Fight For Survival Is Only The Beginning
Written by G. J. Stevens
Published by Amazon Digital Services
Released November 2018
327 pages
I’m an apocalyptic, dystopian kinda gal from time to time. Books written on the end of the world are interesting to many people like me because of the What If’s. How one would react to a particular situation has run through minds on a daily basis since the Doomsday folks began prepping. Maybe longer, I don’t know, but I can say that I’ve always wondered how I’d react. Then again, I’m the daughter of Marine.This is In the End: Their Fight for Survival is Only the Beginning. #element-961d178e-7681-44dc-84db-e0e70bf4c1bf .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
So, In the End: Their Fight for Survival Is Only the Beginning, there’s a group of friends who are enjoying a group getaway. They'd packed up and left civilization for some outdoor fun, that’s cut short. Indefinitely. The owner of their cabin bangs on the door and tells them to leave their key and bug out! When they try to gather information on what’s taken place, they can’t figure anything out, other than there may be an invasion of sorts, possibly WWIII. It turns out to be a viral attack that's produced a horde of zombies. What’s good about In the End, is the nobody who becomes leader. Everybody cheers for the underdog, yeah? Logan carried no military training or weapons skills, he’s just an every day Joe Blow. As a reluctant leader, he attempts to guide the baffled group, but no one wants to listen to him, let alone believe him, yet they chose him! He does his best to protect his friends and they, in turn, get angry with him. One gal, Naomi wants to bash his face in on numerous occasions, but only because he’s right! While attempting to survive in a world where the government refuses to offer up assistance, and everything else is cut off, what’s a guy to do but shove on.
The world according to zombies is unceasingly fluctuating, so I admit I enjoyed the zombies not playing possum for long. Once they died, they returned in minutes. No play in-between. And since you can do what you want when creating a zompoc, that's exactly what G. J. Stevens did. These creatures didn't even die like usual zombies, making In the End pretty interesting.
Now for what I didn’t enjoy concerning this novel. Many authors have trouble with sharing instead of saying. We’ve all seen it, and most have even done it, including myself. Stevens, though sharing a crack of a story, didn’t present in a fashion that was easy to read and follow along. The way he described things, situations made little sense to me, resulting in confusion. For example, in chapter 20 a horde of zombies (I promise, no spoilers) is chasing after our survivors. Everyone’s running, while two are doing their best to keep a safe distance for protection. I don’t understand what was happening in that scene. Not one bit. One second, characters Andrew and Logan were running, then they were attempting to grab a hold of a friend’s hand, to escape the horde, as though on the back a truck/lorry? or something. But I thought they were all running on foot? So why did they have to reach down/out for someone?
Also, not explained was how their choice of weapons killed the dead. There was a girl who’d had an eye blown out, yet she was walking about. Hole in the head means brain is dead, yeah? So why didn't a shot to the head, directly in her eye kill her… re-kill her? Totally lost there, and it left me whelmed. Neither over or under, simply whelmed.
Lastly, is more like me being petty than something wrong with the story. So I listen to audiobooks during workouts, driving, etc. Paper/hardback books during the day and ebooks at night. Since In the End's an ebook I read in bed. My kindle is on dark mode, so as to not wake my hubby from the bright glow. That means black background, white lettering, but I couldn’t do it with this book. For some reason, in sporadic sections, this book went from being fine in dark mode to white, highlighted strips across a black canvas, making it impossible for me to read the words! As you can see, I even offer up an example of this issue. It drove me bonkers.
So, all in all, I can’t say In the End is a bad book, but it’s got some issues. Personally, how it got all those five-star reviews is questionable to me, making me think a load of friends read that puppy. I didn’t like it a ton, but it was okay. My few issues are more with the back workings than the actual story, so go ahead and try it for yourself. As for me folks, this is the end. Cheers!
In The End: Their Fight For Survival Is Only The BeginningWritten by G. J. Stevens
Published by Amazon Digital Services
Released November 2018
327 pages
August 20, 2019
Siege and Storm, book 2 of the Grisha Trilogy
Novel by Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Many people say the first book in a series is always the best, with the second a bit lackluster. All the books in the GrishaVerse seem to carry a life of their own, so does that mean Siege and Storm, book two in the Grisha trilogy fell short of its predecessor? #element-e7c28560-ecba-48d4-930d-835c1e29ddab .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
In the GrishaVerse, you find that each story begins where the previous left off. Siege and Storm picks up with Alina and Mal finding themselves on the run. What they really want is to simply be. No responsibility to the King or the Darkling. No magic. After finally being honest with one another, sharing their love for one another, they live on the edge of a small village or town, but the quiet life doesn't last long. Soon, the darkling comes a'callin and they're off. But while on the open sea, an unexpected rescue takes place. And so Mal and Alina make a sort of circle. I can't say how or why, sorry. But know that it sends new characters into their paths and even more division, because you see: Like Calls to Like.
A lot of feelings got hurt and then there was a huge battle at the end, but I think something got lost in this installment. It was still a good book though. Here's the thing, there's a new guy who enters the picture, creating a sort of Love Triangle, and he's pretty much full of himself. He's also a bit tiring, but so was Mal in this book. Man, these men! What truly mattered most was the inner-struggle for Alina.
The magic, and the Darkling were doing her head in, causing her to not always know which way was up. But she managed, even if it happens to cost her a great deal in the end. Siege and Storm isn't as good as book one and there are a few dry spots, but in order to create the necessary tension, I understood why it was there.
I dove right in to Ruin and Rising, book #3, with the hope of an epic ending for this series and portion of the GrishaVerse. Have you read these books? Please, let me know what you think. Cheers!
Seige and Storm, Book 2
of The Grisha Trilogy
Written by Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Published by Henry Holt and Co.
and Audible Studios
Released June 2013
Runtime: 11h 49 mins
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Many people say the first book in a series is always the best, with the second a bit lackluster. All the books in the GrishaVerse seem to carry a life of their own, so does that mean Siege and Storm, book two in the Grisha trilogy fell short of its predecessor? #element-e7c28560-ecba-48d4-930d-835c1e29ddab .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
In the GrishaVerse, you find that each story begins where the previous left off. Siege and Storm picks up with Alina and Mal finding themselves on the run. What they really want is to simply be. No responsibility to the King or the Darkling. No magic. After finally being honest with one another, sharing their love for one another, they live on the edge of a small village or town, but the quiet life doesn't last long. Soon, the darkling comes a'callin and they're off. But while on the open sea, an unexpected rescue takes place. And so Mal and Alina make a sort of circle. I can't say how or why, sorry. But know that it sends new characters into their paths and even more division, because you see: Like Calls to Like.A lot of feelings got hurt and then there was a huge battle at the end, but I think something got lost in this installment. It was still a good book though. Here's the thing, there's a new guy who enters the picture, creating a sort of Love Triangle, and he's pretty much full of himself. He's also a bit tiring, but so was Mal in this book. Man, these men! What truly mattered most was the inner-struggle for Alina.
The magic, and the Darkling were doing her head in, causing her to not always know which way was up. But she managed, even if it happens to cost her a great deal in the end. Siege and Storm isn't as good as book one and there are a few dry spots, but in order to create the necessary tension, I understood why it was there.
I dove right in to Ruin and Rising, book #3, with the hope of an epic ending for this series and portion of the GrishaVerse. Have you read these books? Please, let me know what you think. Cheers!
Seige and Storm, Book 2
of The Grisha Trilogy
Written by Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
Published by Henry Holt and Co.
and Audible Studios
Released June 2013
Runtime: 11h 49 mins
August 19, 2019
Junk
Audible Original novel by Les Bohem
Narrated by John Waters
One day I was returning an audiobook that I terribly disliked, when I was given a referral. The representative at Audible called himself assisting me when he said, "How about Junk, by Les Bohem?" I went for it, after a quick glance at the summary. It sounded up my alley, as well as humorous.
So today's my review of Junk. #element-321cc3f2-4ff2-4fa9-897b-52f7caaae70d .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
The title, Junk, didn't really do anything for me, but from what the blurb shared, I just knew it was going to be something huge. Who doesn't love an alien invasion story? I know I'm a lover of them, though I'd never want to meet any aliens, especially the ones in this novel.
So here's the deal, aliens have been to earth before. Several times. So many times, in fact, that they began to intermingle with the population in order to gradually overthrow the planet. But there's a problem. I won't state that issue, because it gives away a portion of the plot, but I can tell you the dilemma is rather chaotic.
A girl goes missing, a body is found, there are people with dark eyes that can manipulate your every move and more. People are looking for people who've been paid to look for people, children are rising up against their parents and hybrids are boinking themselves into extinction! Ugh...
This apocalyptic read, narrated by John Waters, had so much going on, it made the story difficult to follow. Not only was the story going insane, there was an added hodgepodge of odd, conspiracy facts and random thoughts thrown into the mix that intentionally took the reader/listener on a continuous round-about of befuddlement! At least that's what happened to me. I found I could barely keep up, thus I lost interest. I got so weary with the book... I didn’t even finish it.
You know me, I rarely do this; I don’t like moving on without finishing but I had to with this one. Junk made me feel like I hadn’t a clue what was going on, so I chucked it. I respectfully left it and returned it to Audible, to swap for something much more interesting.
So I’m off to the next read. If you’re lucky, you won’t take this one on. To me, Junk was... junk. Cheers
Junk
Written by Les Bohem
Narrated by John Waters
Released February 2019
Audible Studios Original
Narrated by John Waters
One day I was returning an audiobook that I terribly disliked, when I was given a referral. The representative at Audible called himself assisting me when he said, "How about Junk, by Les Bohem?" I went for it, after a quick glance at the summary. It sounded up my alley, as well as humorous.So today's my review of Junk. #element-321cc3f2-4ff2-4fa9-897b-52f7caaae70d .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
The title, Junk, didn't really do anything for me, but from what the blurb shared, I just knew it was going to be something huge. Who doesn't love an alien invasion story? I know I'm a lover of them, though I'd never want to meet any aliens, especially the ones in this novel.So here's the deal, aliens have been to earth before. Several times. So many times, in fact, that they began to intermingle with the population in order to gradually overthrow the planet. But there's a problem. I won't state that issue, because it gives away a portion of the plot, but I can tell you the dilemma is rather chaotic.
A girl goes missing, a body is found, there are people with dark eyes that can manipulate your every move and more. People are looking for people who've been paid to look for people, children are rising up against their parents and hybrids are boinking themselves into extinction! Ugh...
This apocalyptic read, narrated by John Waters, had so much going on, it made the story difficult to follow. Not only was the story going insane, there was an added hodgepodge of odd, conspiracy facts and random thoughts thrown into the mix that intentionally took the reader/listener on a continuous round-about of befuddlement! At least that's what happened to me. I found I could barely keep up, thus I lost interest. I got so weary with the book... I didn’t even finish it.
You know me, I rarely do this; I don’t like moving on without finishing but I had to with this one. Junk made me feel like I hadn’t a clue what was going on, so I chucked it. I respectfully left it and returned it to Audible, to swap for something much more interesting.
So I’m off to the next read. If you’re lucky, you won’t take this one on. To me, Junk was... junk. Cheers
Junk
Written by Les Bohem
Narrated by John Waters
Released February 2019
Audible Studios Original
August 14, 2019
Mrs. Duchesney Mysteries- Francesca's Story: The Interview
Audio Novel by Peggy Kopman-Owen
Narrated by Robert G. C. Jackson
This is my second novel by Kopman-Owen, with the first being an odd novel set in Paris as well. I liked it, so I didn't hesitate when offered another opportunity, this time in audio form. This is from her series titled, Mrs. Duchesney Mysteries, Franchesca's Story: The Interview. A long title, I know. #element-74169884-159a-458a-9242-34e75c15d02a .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
First, I have to say that I loved listening to narrator, Robert G. C. Jackson, but I must say his voice wasn't a nice fit for me. Unless he was supposed to sound snooty, boughie, and so uppity, making the listen annoying. There wasn't much inflection to his voice, so I found it just a bit difficult to stick with, making my listen maybe a day or so longer than it probably would have been with a female narrator. Oh well...
So as stated, I'd not read any of the previous MD mysteries, making it entertaining to watch Francine, who’d grown up in a small, Midwest town, want something bigger for her life. After an awful town scandal that some say took her grandmother’s life, Francine set out, to the other side of the world. There she met a man who helped set her feet upon the path to Super Sleuth Extraordinaire.
There was development that let you know all of her in's and out's from before she'd ever stepped into the world. It felt like a generational tale, though primarily about one person. I understood why she was so inquisitive, as well as her muse for the art of gathering information. Everything readers of the MD Mysteries would want to know about their fave, female detective.
Mrs Duchesney Mystery, The Interview- Francesca’s Story: The Interview is witty, humorous and I’m sure will satisfy her readers. Check out The Duchesney series, then you’ll love getting to know her too. I’m off to my next read.
Cheers!
Mrs. Duchesney Mysteries-
Franchesca's Story: The Interview
Written by Peggy Kopman-Owens
Narrated by Robert G. C. Jackson
Published by PKO Books with Audible.com
Running time: 7 hours 58 minutes
Released (Audible) March 2019
Narrated by Robert G. C. Jackson
This is my second novel by Kopman-Owen, with the first being an odd novel set in Paris as well. I liked it, so I didn't hesitate when offered another opportunity, this time in audio form. This is from her series titled, Mrs. Duchesney Mysteries, Franchesca's Story: The Interview. A long title, I know. #element-74169884-159a-458a-9242-34e75c15d02a .waddons-blog-image.hideImage { display: none;}
First, I have to say that I loved listening to narrator, Robert G. C. Jackson, but I must say his voice wasn't a nice fit for me. Unless he was supposed to sound snooty, boughie, and so uppity, making the listen annoying. There wasn't much inflection to his voice, so I found it just a bit difficult to stick with, making my listen maybe a day or so longer than it probably would have been with a female narrator. Oh well...So as stated, I'd not read any of the previous MD mysteries, making it entertaining to watch Francine, who’d grown up in a small, Midwest town, want something bigger for her life. After an awful town scandal that some say took her grandmother’s life, Francine set out, to the other side of the world. There she met a man who helped set her feet upon the path to Super Sleuth Extraordinaire.
There was development that let you know all of her in's and out's from before she'd ever stepped into the world. It felt like a generational tale, though primarily about one person. I understood why she was so inquisitive, as well as her muse for the art of gathering information. Everything readers of the MD Mysteries would want to know about their fave, female detective.
Mrs Duchesney Mystery, The Interview- Francesca’s Story: The Interview is witty, humorous and I’m sure will satisfy her readers. Check out The Duchesney series, then you’ll love getting to know her too. I’m off to my next read.
Cheers!
Mrs. Duchesney Mysteries-
Franchesca's Story: The Interview
Written by Peggy Kopman-Owens
Narrated by Robert G. C. Jackson
Published by PKO Books with Audible.com
Running time: 7 hours 58 minutes
Released (Audible) March 2019
