Julie S.

Fan of this author

Revisado: 03-01-23

I really enjoyed Gilded, but Cursed was mostly underwhelming. I love how this author has a unique take on fairy tales and spins them up in a wild new story. But this excitement and interest seems to wane after the first book. I loved Heartless, and it was a standalone perfection. I thought the Lunar Chronicles were too long, the first book being amazing, the middle books getting kinda so-so before the finale was amazing again. I expected this two-book-only series to be perfection since we have little room for getting muddled up in the middle books. But this second book felt like the second book in a trilogy, except for the last couple of hours.

Serilda annoyed me through most of the book, so much self-sacrifice for everyone else that it was too much. She was willing to sacrifice her own happiness, her own legacy, and all the important things she needed to accomplish, time and time again. And she keeps making such dumb decisions! Decisions that feed right into the Erlking’s plans. But her drive to save everyone was admirable, and in the end was what gave us a happyish ending.

I will say I am satisfied with the way it wrapped up. I was about to be very heartbroken after that almost ending.

My favorite part was all the storytelling. All the stories of the gods and their connection to their humans, all the intricately woven tales like tapestries that are almost a character themselves in Cursed.

My next favorite? The audio narration. I love Rebecca Soler and all the books I have listened to with her as the narrator. She does all the voices and accents so perfectly.

I’ve always liked Gild, I don’t see Gold from OUAT. He stands alone here.

I liked it overall, but had a really hard time getting into this one. I kept putting it down and forgetting I was reading it. Until I finally got into it, then I finished it quickly.

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The cameos of Buffy characters were my favorite

Revisado: 03-01-23

Ok as a Buffy fan, I was super excited to read this. But, I kept putting it down for LONG periods of time before picking it back up again. I don't know if it was the audio that wasn't moving at a pace that worked for me, or the story itself. I will say I was bored the first half but once it got going? Ooh I really enjoyed the twists and betrayals. The bombshells. And absolutely got a tickle from all the Buffy cameos and other character mentions. I really liked the main character - raised watcher, chosen as the last Slayer, making the difficult and painful decisions a Slayer is tasked with. I can spend more time with her. I guess I'll be getting the second book on Audible.

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Great 3 book collection on audio!

Revisado: 10-13-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I received the audiobook as part of this tour with Lone Star Book blog Tours. 




I love audiobooks. Why? Because I can listen while multitasking, and as busy mom who works full-time, the only time I have for reading is listening. I mostly listen while working on spreadsheets at work or driving. That's my "free brain" time. But it's also easy to lose myself in my work and miss something in the audio. It's a trade off I suppose.




Where am I going with this? It's part of the review, really. Being this is an omnibus of multiple books, and a mystery series, it is possible to miss some details. It can't be helped. But sometimes it affects the experience. Since this is my first reading of the stories (I didn't read the ebooks like my co-blogger), I'll organize my review overall and per book.




The Covey Jencks Mysteries - Characters: I do really like our main character, Covey Jencks. Getting to know him in the first book he kind of made me chuckle and relate. I also don't want to be a New York hot shot working all the high profile cases. Bring me back to a more quiet and fun way of life. JayJay I like a lot! Her 'tude and personality are big and bright and for real I'd like to be friends with her.




The Covey Jencks Mysteries - Audio Narration: I enjoyed the narration by Stephen E. Lookadoo Jr. A mystery/crime type novel tends to be more organized and chronological and less colorful and descriptive, which sometimes makes the narration flat. And I did find a bit of that during Covey Jencks' informational scenes. However, all the scenes and chapters that focused on JayJay were superb! Loved the voice and sass. Perfect performance.




The Covey Jencks Mysteries - Book 1 - Covey Jencks: This was a so-so book for me, which makes sense for a first book. I enjoyed the back story and our two favorite characters getting reacquainted. But, the deep West Texas, um, language, was rubbing me wrong. Can't be helped as it was based on realism. But still jarring to listen out loud. Also, I felt the ending was kind of rushed and everything happened so quickly. Now, this could be due to the aforementioned possible distraction of working and listening. But it sounds like others may have a similar note in other reviews I read. I did really enjoy the way the city of Odessa was treated like another book character and not just a setting. So much great history and town character shared. I also enjoyed chuckling at the throwback of old 1990s technology.




The Covey Jencks Mysteries - Book 2 - Covey and JayJay Get Educated: I enjoyed very much the change up in the POV for this book. Loved JayJay's chapters and all her personality. The big ticket plot points touched on are as important today as they were in the '90s - LGBTQ issues, racism, white nationalism, etc. - these are still relevant today. I also enjoyed the humor and personality sprinkled into Covey Jencks' chapters and storytelling. He's got the "I'm too old for these silly technology changes" vibes that I'm feeling these days. In the end all the answers are laid out and explained, and all motives spelled out. It was a little to tell not show, because I wanted to discover some of the secrets through the story and I didn't figure it out on my own. Another enjoyable sleuthing by this awesome duo.




The Covey Jencks Mysteries - Book 3 - The Chinese Murder of Edward Watts: This third installation is the best yet. All the spy stuff in this book was great. I really liked the awkwardness of Covey running into an old lover on a business trip, the plot that unwinds from there, and of course the travel and cultural tips. I also loved the side story of the ghost experience told by JayJay and the tie-in to cultural ghosts in China - that was fun! I'm loving JayJay's detective skills. She's such a great character. Sorry not sorry to say I like her more than our main character Covey.

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Great ending!

Revisado: 06-25-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

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

I was so happy to see all the closure and growth for our main character in this final book. She went through so much in the previous books, especially the stressful kidnapping and almost forced breeding (*shudders in Woman in the USA*). 

Kass and Keaton's relationship bloomed so beautifully and believably in book 3, so my complaints about the previous book are in the past. I enjoyed listening to them go from yes-we're-really-into-each-other-this-is-it to the HEA family they achieved by the epilogue. I love books with a good story arch and a HEA.

I also enjoyed the further world-building discovering the witches and the true origin of the Lycan monsters. I loved the feeling of belonging and home when the packs found their history and could combine and return where they felt they fit the best. That belonging was what Kass has been searching for the entire story. While there are still plenty of heartbreaks, the ending fits. 

I loved the audio, yet again. I was even more into the pleasantly surprising POV shift to Keaton's narration. It was scary also to have that sudden shift, not knowing what would happen to Kass.

Overall, a great series. If you're a fan of shifter romance and female leads who take control and don't give in or give up until they find the right fit for everyone they care about - then this series is for you.

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Werewolves book 2

Revisado: 06-17-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

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



Though I did enjoy this book, I wasn’t as enamored with this second book as I was with the first. While it makes sense our two main characters are spending seggsy time getting to know each other, that honestly felt like the main focus of at least half the book. First their will-they-won’t-they tension and then it went NSFW fast. I did like how they work together to get to know each other and gain trust as their relationship builds, so there’s no instalove but true friendship. But like I said, I get it as the natural progression of their story once things calmed a small bit. Before things got crazy again.

And when I say crazy, they got really crazy. Another pack? And what they wanted to do with Kass! OMG. How brutal, self-centered, and uncaring for other people/Lycans are these lycanfolks! It’s like it wasn’t enough the people of this town wanted her gone and tried to kill her until she brought them the cure, now this new town full of a different group of lycans is doing what to her? Just too much crazy going on in one poor girl’s life. I tell ya. And her mom’s sudden change of life plans and reveal was a bit too out of the blue for the storyline to feel cohesive to me. Too many shock factors all at once.

But enjoyed Kass feeling true to her world and her nature by running with the pack and learning more about herself and other lycans. I will say the bombshell of Kass’s gift was pretty amazing and explains why she’s done everything she has so far. I’m looking forward to the next/final book to see what happens next. Will she unite the packs? Start a new pack? Go off and live a normal life with her new friends? We’ll find out.

As before, I really enjoyed the audio narration. The voices, the pacing, the emotions. Great work!

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Where the Werewolves Run

Revisado: 06-17-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

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



I really enjoyed meeting Kass and getting to know the lore of the wolf shifters and lycans in this story. I always enjoy interesting world building and characters who are more than just human.

Kass was lucky enough to be cured by her father before he was murdered, but she was raised not knowing the details or anything about her history or her parents’ home town. When she discovers her father’s journals, learns about the other people like her, but not quite like her, she does the usual new adult thing of running off to explore.

You see, her father has shared the cure in his journals, and she wants to learn more about the lycan folk and deliver the cure to them. Along the way she learns so much about the monsters these lycans are, how much hatred and distrust they have of outsiders, and how far they will go to get rid of who they don’t trust. She also finds out what really happened to her father.

We also get to meet Keaton, and I enjoyed the slow burn of their relationship. I appreciated the lack of instalove but also the way the undeniable pull between them was not to be ignored. As they discover who they are to each other, and why Keaton has a tattoo that looks just like Kass’s wolf, they begin to work together to try to help the people of his town.

I do hate the trope of hiding things from your child so they have to go out and find the truth themselves, putting themselves in danger. But it sure makes for a good story and great character building. The story ends in a lovely reunion after a horrible near-death, as is the expected path for paranormal creatures. I’m looking forward to the next installment to see if they accomplish making the cure, will the lycan who tried to harm her be forgiven, and what comes next.

I listened to this book and really enjoyed the audio narration. The pacing was great, the voices also well done. Each character had a distinct enough voice so we knew who was speaking. The main voice for the main character was pleasant and enjoyable. I listened to this in about 3 sittings, listening for hours at a time.

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New Adult Underwater World

Revisado: 08-31-21 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Trigger warnings: suicide, rape, murder. I enjoyed this story and the world-building. I liked Tris, her passion, and her determination. The strong spirit that won't allow her to live in misery, but instead accepts death, or maybe an entirely new life. The land of Inara was enthralling and as a mermaid lover, it was enjoyable to picture. I liked Emriel as well, the selkie prince, proud but kind. In fact, he's nothing like the typical fae prince (you know, the cold and brutal ones). I liked that there was more to the world than we first see. It's not just the underwater world of the selkie, but there is an entire fae realm, and we even have a friendly cat sidhe (another favorite fae creature of mine). The book has some severe content, and not all are pleasant to read/listen to. The betrayal from a trusted friend due to jealousy, the repeated rape, and abuse, even the murder reveal. The insta-love between our main characters seemed cliche at first, but they explained it with the bond-mate explanation, so I'll take it as a finding of your soulmate and not the typical insta-lust. I really enjoyed the audio narration by Sharon Robbins. I will definitely be looking for other books narrated by her. This is a debut novel, so there's no telling if this will turn into a series. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Urban Fantasy

Revisado: 06-30-21 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This is my favorite genre of books - Urban Fantasy with a kickass heroine and a bit of romance. That's how this series is even described - it's even awkwardly in the title. Wings of Fire, being the first in the series, gives us a glimpse into the world with a bit of backstory, but I do feel like there's so much more to learn. More to learn about the girl who is Veronica, a procurer of magical artifacts for hire. More to learn about her family, the reasons why she is the last of her kind.

I liked Veronica, but we don't get too much depth of character here. She's brave, strong, fights, and has some internal struggles from her brother's death and her trying to keep her Phoenix identity a secret. I would expect this character to grow over the course of the series, as with my favorite more-than-just-a-reaper series, but just from book one, we end up with a more superficial view of our heroine.

There was quite a bit of fast plot, which you know by now I'm a fan of. Much happened in this short read/listen, some surprising, some not. There was betrayal, lies, kidnapping, and servitude, and of course some murder. We have a creepy Master Vampire, some reapers that we don't know if we can trust throughout the story, a mastermind with an evil plan to capture and own the rarest species for obviously selfish and sexist reasons, and then there's being framed for a murder and being hunted by the Death Enforcement Agency. There are shifters obviously, and angels, and I already mentioned reapers, and vampires, so your mixed bag of awesome paranormal creatures. You know, a typical urban fantasy romp. But, being a very short book, it all happened fast, and sometimes conveniently, and sometimes it felt like something was missing in the details.

The bit of romance was definitely lacking in this one. It's described as a slow burn, and I wonder how many books it burns through before getting anywhere. We did start with a "no way never would I ever with his one he's not even alive", and end with "well I'm curious about him somewhat and surprisingly attracted to him so we'll see" so I suppose there's more build up in their relationship in future installations of the series.

Now let's move on to the audio narration since I listened. I very much enjoyed the audiobook narrator. Great voice, pacing, tone.  I very much enjoyed the performance and will be looking for other books narrated by Joanna Roddy.

I enjoyed that the book ended with the story nicely tied up, with some questions left unanswered to be further explored in the future books of the series. I'd be interested in reading or listening to the next one.

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YA Paranormal

Revisado: 05-14-21 El oyente recibió este título gratis

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

I really liked the premise of the story - a living boy with special gifts to see ghosts and help them. A bit of mystery solving, a bit of baddie fighting. What's not to like? 

This is the second book in the series, so I feel like I missed out on some character development and world-building. I admit at first I was confused about who the main character was, and where the story was taking place. 

The story takes place at the Academy of Souls, which is essentially a high school for kids who have already died and their souls and have not found their light to cross over. For my fellow fans of Being Human, this would be that door the ghosts get when they're ready to move on. So either they haven't received that door, or they haven't been brave enough to go through it. Or if the soul has refused to jump into the light, for a reason.

The story begins with Ophelia, who has avoided the light because she is in search of her lost sister, Haven. Until she finds out what happened to her sister, she is refusing to accept her light. That's where she meets Alex, our hero who solves problems for ghosts; the school is just on the other side of a veil of an actual school in the living world.

The rest of the story unfolds with Alex and his girlfriend (yes, two living persons) jumping over into the world of the dead. There's chaos and battles with an evil spirit threatening the existence of the souls at the Academy. Souls are trapped. Spells are performed. Some souls are reunited. Some find that light. Some make unexpected choices. Overall it is pretty interesting.

I did struggle with the dialogue. Yes, it is high school, but a lot was just petty arguments and it took away from the plot for me. The story was already a short one, so it felt like wasted time that would be better spent with more adventure and character- development. I did enjoy the teen love story between Alex and Margaret, and another of our soul friends at the Academy as she retold her life and her death.

The narration was pretty good, I did enjoy the cadence and personalities given to each character by the different voices. I did have a time of it being able to tell who was who at first until I really got to know the characters.

Overall rating: 3.5 stars.

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The Janus Witch

Revisado: 04-15-21

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a tour with Lone Star Book Blog Tours.
The Janus Witch is a gritty tale of witchcraft, love, and revenge-seeking through time.

The story begins way in the past, with a medieval coven of ruthless, evil witches trying to escape the witch hunters. The leader Morganna and her apprentice Tressalayne end up with a jump through a portal through time, with a witch hunter following behind. They arrive in present-day Texas, but not together.

What follows is these characters waking up to a new world, confusing technology, and unfamiliar customs. I will say it took a bit to get into the story while the characters tried to figure out how to navigate our current time, but it was a bit funny to see our world through the eyes of someone who has never seen what we take for granted.

Our main character, Tressalayne, goes on quite a character journey. She was an evil, murdering witch in the past. In the present, she awakes in the hospital injured with no memory. She is plagued by nightmares of her past, while she's falling in love with her doctor in her waking hours. As the story progresses, she learns more about who she is, what she's capable of, and her internal battle between good and evil commences.

Their love was quick, not quite instalove but almost that. But it was deep and pure. And the love between Tressalayne and doctor Lucas Beckett is what drives the witch to come to terms with where she sits on the pendulum.

The other characters are similarly complex and some more evil than the next. The plot and storytelling by Michael Scott Clifton are tangled and captivating, making you wonder what will happen next.

I generally enjoyed the audiobook narration by Kendra Murray. I would say since I didn't listen in one sitting (real life, obviously) and kept coming back for an hour or two listen here and there, I had a bit of a time remembering who everyone was and who was talking at the moment. The voices were not that different. But the narration tone and cadence were great, and the voice pleasant to listen to, even if the content was dark and gritty.

I was happy that the epilogue explained what a Janus witch means! I also enjoyed that the story takes place in present-day East Texas, with familiar places. I do enjoy feeling like I understand the setting.

The epilogue ends with setting up what can be the next book in the story, though book 1 is nicely wrapped up. Overall an enjoyable listen and a great story.

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