Cherry Mischievous

UNINTENDED CULTIVATOR: VOLUME 4

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 12 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Unintended Cultivator: Volume 4 by Eric Dontigney
Book 4 in the Unintended Cultivator series
Narrated by Adam Verner
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Unintended Cultivator: Volume 4:

Time is a cultivator’s greatest ally, until it isn’t

Emerging from the deep wilds, Sen is now aware of the dangers of his body cultivation method. A method he doesn’t know how to progress. With time running out until his body turns against him, Sen travels to one of the only places he might find the manual that could save him. A place he never wanted to go. The capital.

Of course, the heart of the kingdom holds dangers of its own. Sen is inexorably drawn into the convoluted web of power that controls the vast city. He must navigate court politics, ambitious sects, and the unwanted attention of a criminal cultivator organization.

As he races toward a lethal showdown with cultivator and mortal powers alike, dangerous secrets will be revealed, Sen’s resolve will be tested, and the name Judgment’s Gale will finally be earned.

Source: Info in the "About Unintended Cultivator: Volume 4" was taken from amazon on 15/02/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

Another middle chunk of a bigger book. That means the beginning was in book 1 and the ending is a cliffhanger.

This book picks up just where the previous book left off.

At 16 hours plus of listening time, this is the longest installment in this series, thus far.

It is always intereting to see what new twist in Sen's cultivator growth will develop to, next.

Another thing I like about this book is that I get to see retribution come to Lan Zi Rui and the very small shoe!

At the start of this book, we were given a hint of how the story is going to go by the Clear Spring Sect patriarch when he recounted to Sen his choices of obtaining the manual he seeks and that is exactly the trajectory that the book took.

I can't help comparing this series to James Haddock's books. Like the storage rings. The ability to build houses from the ground up with Sen's earth qi. The idea of the Five-Fold Body Transformation... Very familiar.

I wonder if Eric Dontigney had read any of James Haddock's books...

All throughout this series thus far, it has been challenging for me to keep track of the names of the characters. I am never good with foreign languages and Chinese names seems like to be all the same to me, they are difficult to pronounce and remember. So keeping track of who is who and the characters, slowed down my reading speed even with the convenience of the audiobook format.

Again, Adam Verner did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (16 hrs and 8 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Unintended Cultivator Series:

Meet The Author

About Eric Dontigney:

Raised in Western New York, Eric Dontigney has lived in New Mexico, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. He currently resides near Dayton, OH. He is a fan of photo-realism and impressionist paintings, coffee, and well-made food.

Not wishing to tarnish the good names of writers who have come before him, he refuses to name influences. He will admit to reading Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ayn Rand, Stephen J. Cannell, Jim Butcher, Kate Chopin, Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Camus, James Baldwin, Tim O'Brien, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King.

The Narrator

About Adam Verner:

Adam Verner is a full-time narrator and voice talent with over one hundred titles recorded. He is the recipient of AudioFile Earphones Awards for Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck and The Big It by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. Adam earned his MFA in acting from the Chicago College of the Fine Arts at Roosevelt University.

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

CRIMSON RISING

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 05 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Crimson Rising by Edmond Geanta
Book 2 in the Blood Calls for Blood series
Genre: urban fantasy zombie apocalypse / dystopian
Format: kindle ebook

About Crimson Rising:

The next phase of evolution calls for blood…

A zombie outbreak is devastating the land and Commander Wesley Rogers believes he has found the cure for the virus. Unfortunately, it means kidnapping little Eve Halldor in hopes of using her blood to create a vaccine from her nanobodies.

Her young life is a sacrifice he’s willing to make to seat himself in the ultimate position of power.

What Rogers failed to consider was the rage of Eve’s vampiric mother launching her into swift reaction. Gabi Halldor, leader of the Crimson Army, will stop at nothing to save her daughter. Even if that means unleashing a war against the humans by telepathically controlling the zombie hordes. With her husband, Reynir, by her side, can they rescue their child and end Rogers’ reign of terror? Or will they discover that sometimes humans are far crueler than zombies?

The “Blood Calls for Blood” saga continues with Crimson Rising. Chock full of action, this gritty, supernatural page-turner is not to be missed!

Source: Info in the "About Crimson Rising" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55980229-crimson-rising on 13/02/2022.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

The plot of the first book was very good. This time around it took a nosedive. So you can sense heartbeats for half a mile around or so. But you miss the one behind your back who took your daughter? A few more plot holes like that along the way. However, I tend to forgive these annoying glitches for the good reading enjoyment that this book gives the reader!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4
Plot = 2

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Blood Calls for Blood Series:

Meet The Author

About Edmond Geanta:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MENDER MAGIC

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Fri, 01 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Mender Magic by Laurence Dahners
Book 1 in the Tales Of Simple Magic series
Narrated by Jocelyn Duford
Genre: progression fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Mender Magic:

Imagine a horse-powered world where magic is used for mending, making, and healing.

Magical ability is rare, but when he breaks a bowl and, distraught, accidentally mends it, Ky Vaux — a poor boy in a poor family — discovers he’s a mender.

Can Ky’s gift of magic support Ky, his mother, and his sister while they try to escape from his abusive and alcoholic father?

When Ky’s gift proves to be more powerful than they had hoped, they can’t help but wonder if it’ll be able to take them farther than they had dreamed!

For those among you who are fans of the Hyllis Family stories, these books might scratch that itch too.

Source: Info in the "About Mender Magic" was taken from amazon on 22/04/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

This is my first Laurence Dahners and I am a fan already!

I like the story. I like the writing style. What I don't like is that the story requires the reader to dumb down his/her intelligence a little.

The ending is a cliffhanger which means that this is just a chunk of a bigger book.

This book is just an introduction to the world of Ky.

This is my first Jocelyn Duford listen and I would buy another book by her again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (8 hrs and 38 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 4.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Tales Of Simple Magic Series:

Meet The Author

About Laurence Dahners:

Amazon best-selling Science Fiction writer, Laurence E. Dahners, is a former orthopedic surgeon who has written over fifty books, including eighteen in the popular Ell Donsaii series. He writes optimistic stories in which science solves problems rather than bringing on dystopias. His favorite writing strategy is to imagine, “what if,” some advance (such as teleportation, reactionless drives, stopping time, etcetera) were possible, what changes might be wrought in our world?

How might our hero utilize such an advance?

Who might stand to lose from the introduction of such changes and how might they strive to resist its introduction?

He loves to write such stories and hopes you’ll enjoy reading them.

The Narrator

About Jocelyn Duford:

Jocelyn is a professional actor and director of theatre and she uses these skills to bring emotion, nuance, and clarity to any production. She is an award-winning stage actor that can perform a wide range of characters. She also has experience as a high school and middle school classroom teacher, providing the voice of engaging, accessible authority. She currently teaches acting and voice lessons at a private music school in southern NH.

website | facebook | instagram | linkedin | goodreads

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

THE FARAWAY INN

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Narrated by Soneela Nankani
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Faraway Inn:

When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s bed and breakfast for the summer, she’s shocked to find it run down rather than cosy. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.

To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundkeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B — and its residents. Something almost . . . otherworldly.

The inn is hiding a magical secret — but secrets are like doors. Once Calisa opens this one, she won’t be able to go back . . .

Source: Info in the "About The Faraway Inn" was taken from amazon on 29/03/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I am an old fan of this author so this book got bought.

I love magic houses! Like Gertrude Hunt in the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews. House in Bitten By Magic by Brogan Thomas. Now The Faraway Inn! So the theme of magic houses is another reason this book got bought!

What wasn't very endearing to me was the way Calisa keeps bulldozing her way into other people's business like it is her god-given right to be nosey! Yeah! That one didn't go down very well with me.

This is my first Soneela Nankani audiobook listen and I would buy audiobooks by her again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (11 hours and 2 minutes listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Meet The Author

About Sarah Beth Durst:

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy THE SPELLSHOP. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including DRINK SLAY LOVE, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.

The Narrator

About Soneela Nankani:

Soneela is an award-winning narrator with over 300 titles in many different genres including Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi and Nonfiction. She has garnered 16 Earphone awards; nominations for Audie and SOVAS awards; and was recently awarded AudioFile Magazine’s Golden Voice Lifetime Achievement Honor. Her audiobooks have been featured in Best Audiobooks lists by AudioFile Magazine and The Washington Post among others. In her spare time, she loves to read (yes, really), learn languages, try new recipes and travel. She lives in the DC area with her husband and two mischievous daughters.

www.soneela.com | instagram | goodreads

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

WOLVES OF THE WASTES

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Wolves Of The Wastes by D.E. Sherman
Book 2 in the Keiran: The Eternal Mage series
Narrated by Rylee Kuberra and John Joseph Rogers
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Wolves Of The Wastes:

Banished from his village, an archmage enters the mana-dry wastes.

Keiran, a millennia old archmage, has managed to successfully control the reincarnation cycle and retain all of his memories and skills. That’s about the only thing that has gone right. Mana seems to have all but disappeared, and a cabal of mages have been using the people of his village as a mana farm.

How long was Keiran gone? Where did the mana go? Does it have anything to do with the missing moon from the sky or the bizarre loss of the written language from his first life? Why are the best mages on the level of bumbling apprentices?

Filled with questions and determined to find answers, Keiran journeys to the city of Derro. The Wolf Pack rules over the desert city, and if Keiran wants access to the knowledge they hold, he’ll have to fight for it, one bloody step at a time. For all his skill, he’s trapped in the body of a child in a world where mana is as scarce as gold.

Source: Info in the "About Wolves Of The Wastes" was taken from amazon on 25/03/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

Middle chunk of a bigger book. Therefore, not recommended to be read on it's own. Although there is a "primer" at the start to tell the reader a very congested gist of the first book, the reader would still miss out on a lot of the events from the first book which are directly related to events in this book. So, why not read the first book first. Besides, it is fun to red, so why not?

As per usual, the book ended in a cliffhanger. Admittedly this series is just one book sold in parts.

Again, Rylee Kuberra and John Joseph Rogers did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 2
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (18 hrs and 22 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Keiran: The Eternal Mage Series:

Meet The Author

About D.E. Sherman:

D.E. Sherman grew up reading fantasy and tried his hand at writing his first novel on an old MS-DOS text editor program when he was seven years old. That story didn't pan out; maximum character limits were a thing back then. Undeterred, he kept writing on other platforms, reading full-time, devouring JRPGs, and playing D&D, and he is now the author of the Keiran, God Machine, and Ascendant series. He also writes under the pen name 'EmergencyComplaints.'

Timeless Wind Publishing | twitter | amazon | goodreads

The Narrators

About Rylee Kuberra:

Why hello there! What a joy that you have found this little slice of my life!

I am Rylee Kuberra and I am what I like to call a storyteller at heart and an artist by trade.

I’m an actress, audiobook narrator, and creative collaborator who’s passionate about giving voice to stories that deserve to be heard, seen, and experienced. Whether I’m on stage, in front of the camera, or behind the mic, my goal is to bring truth and honesty to every story I am breathing life into.

I’ve narrated over 150 audiobooks available on Audible, working with publishers such as Simon & Schuster, Podium, Tantor, Royal Guard Publishing and more! My voice has become home to everything from YA heroines and historical dramas to gritty thrillers and rich fantasy worlds. My goal? To make the listener forget they’re listening — and instead, feel like they’re living the story. Because, who doesn’t want to get lost in a different world for a bit?

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my little corner of the internet. It truly means the world to me. Whether you're here out of curiosity, collaboration, or just stumbled upon this page - I'm so glad you’re here.

If something sparked your interest or you'd like to create something together, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s make something meaningful.

About John Joseph Rogers:

From San Diego, CA, John struggled with reading until he picked up reading aloud for his family at the urging of a very dedicated teacher. Since then he has enjoyed being able to immerse himself and listeners in a variety of worlds and characters. With a background in narration and stage acting, he lends depth to characters through a grand variety of voices, accents, dialects, and mannerisms.

johnrogersvoice.com | instagram | linkedin | goodreads

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

UNINTENDED CULTIVATOR: VOLUME 3

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Unintended Cultivator: Volume 3 by Eric Dontigney
Book 3 in the Unintended Cultivator series
Narrated by Adam Verner
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Unintended Cultivator: Volume 3:

Sen emerged triumphant, but victory is a doubled-edged sword…

Sen defeated an elder of the Soaring Skies Sect and saved the mortals in the Silver Crane. What should have been a moment to bask in success came crashing down around him when he inadvertently exposed a demonic cultivator cabal. Realizing that a moving target is harder to strike, Sen flees into the wilds with Lifen and Lo Meifeng in tow.

There, he’ll learn that not all enemies want to take your life and not every threat can be met with the edge of a blade. Sen must delve deeper inside himself and push his cultivation harder than ever before or risk losing something more precious than his life… He’ll lose his soul.

Source: Info in the "About Unintended Cultivator: Volume 3" was taken from amazon on 15/02/2025.

Buy Link(s):

Falling Leaf

My Thoughts:

In this installment of Sen's saga, Falling Leaf took an interesting turn in the story. Looking forward to reading more about her in subsequent books.

The world building becomes even more beautiful with every installment in this series!

Middle chunk of a bigger book. This book has no beginning and no end. The beginning started with book 1. The ending will presumably be with the series' final book. At the moment the journey of Sen continues.

Once again, Adam Verner did another wonderful job, of bringing this book to life!

Then of course, the next book is already bought...

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (13 hrs and 47 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Unintended Cultivator Series:

Meet The Author

About Eric Dontigney:

Raised in Western New York, Eric Dontigney has lived in New Mexico, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. He currently resides near Dayton, OH. He is a fan of photo-realism and impressionist paintings, coffee, and well-made food.

Not wishing to tarnish the good names of writers who have come before him, he refuses to name influences. He will admit to reading Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ayn Rand, Stephen J. Cannell, Jim Butcher, Kate Chopin, Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Camus, James Baldwin, Tim O'Brien, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King.

The Narrator

About Adam Verner:

Adam Verner is a full-time narrator and voice talent with over one hundred titles recorded. He is the recipient of AudioFile Earphones Awards for Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck and The Big It by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. Adam earned his MFA in acting from the Chicago College of the Fine Arts at Roosevelt University.

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

CHARMED AND DANGEROUS

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Charmed And Dangerous by Lindsay Buroker
Book 5 in the Witch In Wolf Wood series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & paperback

About Charmed And Dangerous:

After battling witches, werewolves, and a crazy one-eyed rougarou with a vendetta, starting a business making magical charms should be easy.

At least, that’s what Morgen Keller thought.

But now she’s leased a haunted building, her cousin is dating the town’s scheming mayor, and Amar — AKA the handsome werewolf she’s been dating — is embroiled in what could be the final showdown between two rival werewolf packs.

If his pack doesn’t come out on top, she could lose her lover, her business partner, and the only guy willing to catch mice for her snooty owl familiar.

Why did Morgen ever think life in the small town of Bellrock would be simple?

Source: Info in the "About Charmed And Dangerous" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60279346-charmed-and-dangerous on 20/04/2022.

Buy Link(s):

Lucky

My Thoughts:

This is the second time that I have read an urban fantasy book/series with "Olivia" as the name of the antagonist. The first one is Ilona Andrews' Olivia Charles in the Hidden Legacy series. Is that a trend now? Is Olivia a favourite nemesis name or something?... Anyway, the premise of this book, and this series, is that the world of werewolves and witches is a hidden one. That means that only a few are in the "know". The general population does not. How can that happen when werewolves change shape in front of anyone and witches do not hide their power but show it blatantly to anyone willing to look? That kind of thing don't stay hidden. That kind of thing tend to spread everywhere. So how can this hidden world of werewolves and witches stay hidden? There are a few plot holes like that... However, I am steadfastly and willingly ignoring trivial things like the unbelievable plot, for the reading pleasure that this book has brought me! And a quick read too!

This is also the book which nicely ended the story arc of the series thus far. However, I am still hoping for further books in this series...

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 5
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Witch In Wolf Wood Series:

Meet The Author

About Lindsay Buroker:

Full-time indie fantasy/scifi author who loves hiking, tennis, and vizslas.

FTC Disclosure:
The different formats of this book were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.

THE FADED LAND

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

The Faded Land by D.E. Sherman
Book 1 in the Keiran: The Eternal Mage series
Narrated by Rylee Kuberra and John Joseph Rogers
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Faded Land:

Keiran clawed his way from gutter rat to archmage in his first life.

His second was supposed to be easier...

Keiran of the Night Vale has staved off death for two thousand years. His mind and his magic remain as sharp as ever, but his body is old, worn out, and failing. What he needs is to reincarnate into a new, young body, and he bends his prodigious talents towards doing exactly that.

He awakens to find that he’s been reborn in a wasteland where mana has become a scarce resource. Even the internal mana generated by people is stolen away by those who rule them. And without mana, he’s no longer a mage.

It will take more than that to stop Keiran. With each passing week, he regains more of his old strength, but can he keep his secrets safely hidden? Standing in his way is his new home’s cult-like nightly mana tithing, a governor with deadly secrets, and a monster-ridden desert.

It's a deadly scramble to claim the mana he so desperately needs to survive, but Keiran didn’t become an archmage by accident.

He’s willing to use every dirty trick and tactic he knows to get there again.

Source: Info in the "About The Faded Land" was taken from amazon on 23/02/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

This is my first D.E. Sherman read and I like what I am reading. There was one glitch but I am hoping that it would be a one off thing.

Progressive fantasy is not usually my genre. But having said that, I seem to be reading quite a few od them lately... ironic, I know...

I am not very keen on the theme... reincarnation.... However, I was brought around soon enough! The world building is beautiful!

This book is part of a series which usually means a cliffhagner ending. Even knowing that, I still didn't like it!

This is also my first audiobook listen for both Rylee Kuberra and John Joseph Rogers and I like the way they read. They work well together in bringing this book to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 2
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (16 hrs and 20 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Keiran: The Eternal Mage Series:

Meet The Author

About D.E. Sherman:

D.E. Sherman grew up reading fantasy and tried his hand at writing his first novel on an old MS-DOS text editor program when he was seven years old. That story didn't pan out; maximum character limits were a thing back then. Undeterred, he kept writing on other platforms, reading full-time, devouring JRPGs, and playing D&D, and he is now the author of the Keiran, God Machine, and Ascendant series. He also writes under the pen name 'EmergencyComplaints.'

Timeless Wind Publishing | twitter | amazon | goodreads

The Narrators

About Rylee Kuberra:

Why hello there! What a joy that you have found this little slice of my life!

I am Rylee Kuberra and I am what I like to call a storyteller at heart and an artist by trade.

I’m an actress, audiobook narrator, and creative collaborator who’s passionate about giving voice to stories that deserve to be heard, seen, and experienced. Whether I’m on stage, in front of the camera, or behind the mic, my goal is to bring truth and honesty to every story I am breathing life into.

I’ve narrated over 150 audiobooks available on Audible, working with publishers such as Simon & Schuster, Podium, Tantor, Royal Guard Publishing and more! My voice has become home to everything from YA heroines and historical dramas to gritty thrillers and rich fantasy worlds. My goal? To make the listener forget they’re listening — and instead, feel like they’re living the story. Because, who doesn’t want to get lost in a different world for a bit?

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my little corner of the internet. It truly means the world to me. Whether you're here out of curiosity, collaboration, or just stumbled upon this page - I'm so glad you’re here.

If something sparked your interest or you'd like to create something together, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s make something meaningful.

About John Joseph Rogers:

From San Diego, CA, John struggled with reading until he picked up reading aloud for his family at the urging of a very dedicated teacher. Since then he has enjoyed being able to immerse himself and listeners in a variety of worlds and characters. With a background in narration and stage acting, he lends depth to characters through a grand variety of voices, accents, dialects, and mannerisms.

johnrogersvoice.com | instagram | linkedin | goodreads

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

HEART AND SOUL

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Heart And Soul by James Haddock
Genre: science fiction
Format: ebook

About Heart And Soul:

My name is Jimothy Van Done, or that’s what the orphanage birth certificate says. Jimothy. I hate that name. I bet some lazy clerk misspelled Timothy. Anyway, that’s just one of many things I hated about my life, but there was very little I could do about it. The corporate orphanage owned us. They housed, fed, clothed, and educated us. If you were smart enough, they gave you specialized training. If you did well in those classes, you were sold to corporations to continue your training and were put to work maintaining corporate equipment.

I will admit that I had it better than some others, but I studied hard and worked hard to succeed. Then I found out the game was rigged. The corporation never had any intentions of letting any of us leave their employ. I was a tier-one asset, which was just another word for slave. I wasn’t sure how, but someday I would figure out a way to escape.

My opportunity came unexpectedly when I went on an off-book job for one of my monitors. He’d gotten deep in debt with the wrong people, and to pay his debt, I had to do a job. The job was to repair a malfunctioning autodoc. No big deal, I repaired equipment like this all the time. However, this was the first time a sentient nanite AI was involved. They were trying to steal the AI, and he was blocking access to the autodoc he was in.

Well, as they say, it’s all fun and games until an eye gets poked out. Or, in my case, a firefight breaks out, where I was shot three times. I woke up in a ventilation shaft, in bloody clothes, with a nanite AI who had taken up residence inside me. To add insult to injury, the corporation would do anything, or kill anyone they had to, to get the AI back. Yeah, my life just keeps getting better and better.

Source: Info in the "About Heart And Soul" was taken from amazon on 05/03/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I am an old James Haddock fan, so of course, I enjoyed this book!

The ending though... Even as it ended the story rather nicely, it felt like the ending was more of a whimper rather than a bang...

Then there is the usual James Haddock's style of multiple personalities. In this story though, it kinda fits because Van was running from the corporation.

There is no twisty plot. But the book does have a plot.

While the cover art is quite apropos to the story, it is not "buy-me" inducing.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 2.5
Pace = 5
Plot = 3.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

The Author

About James Haddock:

My first career was as a Warrant Officer in the US Army, I am now retired with 22 years of service under my belt. Moving into the next phase of my life, I am a full-time author and RV'er. After seeing everyone else's Country during my first career, we decided to see our own. My wife and I enjoy traveling to see the wonders of America.

I love reading and watching Sci-Fi books, television shows, and movies. To think, "what if" and "why not." I am a pantser writer, I'll get an idea, or see a photo and think, "that would make a great story!". Writing as a pantser, to me, is like reading a new story. I have no idea where the story is going to end up. Writing the way gets me excited to pick up a pen; I look forward to writing each time, and can't wait to write many more.

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

BITTEN BY MAGIC

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Bitten By Magic by Brogan Thomas
Book 3 in The Bitten Chronicles series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook

About Bitten By Magic:

Betrayed, bound and resurrected — can a soul-forged survivor reclaim her humanity before time runs out?

Harper “House” has endured the impossible. Once Hestia, a formidable paper mage, she trusted the wrong man and lost everything: her magic torn away, her soul sealed into brick. For 162 years she has existed as a sentient house, hiding from those who’d destroy her while sheltering society’s outcasts.

Watching. Waiting. Until one reckless choice tears her prison apart.

Human again, Harper must navigate a world determined to cage or kill her. The Ministry of Magic hunts her. The Vampire Court schemes to silence her. Shifter packs prowl, terrified of the secrets she keeps. Then there’s the one sent to capture her — a frustratingly charming enemy who might just become her greatest ally.

Harper isn’t just a survivor; she is magic reborn — and she’s done playing nice.

Source: Info in the "About Bitten By Magic" was taken from amazon on 13/09/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I am an old fan of this author and of this series. But... getting a brand new human body out of the blue, after your old one died a hundred or so years ago... is a bit far fetched... Sure this is magic. But I like my magic a little bit logical. Having said that, I do like the idea of a sentient house!

I like Harper! She's a winning character. I also like the fact that we get to see Fred and Lark again! Having said that, it felt like it was just a little bit overdramatic at the end.

After all that whining, I still fininshed this book too soon even without the conveninece of an audiobook which usually helps with speeding up the "reading" process. That speaks of the compelling quality of the author's voice.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 3.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Creatures of the Otherworld Series:

Books In The Rebel of the Otherworld Series:

Amazon

Books In The Bitten Chronicles Series:

Amazon

Meet The Author

About Brogan Thomas:

Brogan lives in Ireland with her husband and their eleven furry children: five furry minions of darkness (aka the cats), four hellhounds (the dogs), and two traditional unicorns (fat, hairy Irish cobs).

In 2019 she decided to embrace her craziness by writing about the imaginary people that live in her head. Her first love is her number-one favourite furry child Bob the cob, then reading. When not reading or writing, she can be found knee-deep in horse poo and fur while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

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

UNINTENDED CULTIVATOR: VOLUME 2

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Unintended Cultivator: Volume 2 by Eric Dontigney
Book 2 in the Unintended Cultivator series
Narrated by Adam Verner
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Unintended Cultivator: Volume 2:

He left to see the world, but the world is a cruel master…

Setting out to be a wandering cultivator, Sen has high ideals. Half-remembered stories of honorable cultivators and the kindness of his teachers shaped his expectations.

The world he finds is something else entirely. Thrust into deadly conflict, Sen finds himself fleeing the death of a sect cultivator in fear of retribution. As his flight carries him across the kingdom, he finds his ideals challenged by bandits, cultivators, and demon beasts.

In the city of Emperor’s Bay he will face the true crucible of his character and skills, and discover the harsh truth that violence is necessary to survive.

Source: Info in the "About Unintended Cultivator: Volume 2" was taken from amazon on 15/02/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

Another chunk of a bigger book. That I even considered reviewing these books as one. But then I don't know if subsequent books would be as good or if the entertainment value would dip, or what. So I decided to give this chunk of the story a separate review anyway.

I also like the fact that not only humans become "cultivators" but animals too! In their own way.

This is exactly the same as the first book. Just a continuation of more of the same. Not any less entertaining, though. Having said that, the ending of this book is more a cliffhanger than the first book which dipped the rating of this book a notch or two.

Adam Verner did another wonderful job of bringing this book to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (12 hrs and 32 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Unintended Cultivator Series:

Meet The Author

About Eric Dontigney:

Raised in Western New York, Eric Dontigney has lived in New Mexico, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. He currently resides near Dayton, OH. He is a fan of photo-realism and impressionist paintings, coffee, and well-made food.

Not wishing to tarnish the good names of writers who have come before him, he refuses to name influences. He will admit to reading Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ayn Rand, Stephen J. Cannell, Jim Butcher, Kate Chopin, Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Camus, James Baldwin, Tim O'Brien, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King.

The Narrator

About Adam Verner:

Adam Verner is a full-time narrator and voice talent with over one hundred titles recorded. He is the recipient of AudioFile Earphones Awards for Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck and The Big It by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. Adam earned his MFA in acting from the Chicago College of the Fine Arts at Roosevelt University.

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

WOLF PACK

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Wolf Pack by Craig Zerf
Book 5 in the Project Bloodborn series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook

Synopses:

The synopsis of the first book, Wolf Man:

Brenner is not a werewolf...

He is the result of a secret US Army experiment. The creation of a government controlled Super Soldier.

And no one asked if he wanted to take part.

So, he escaped. And for the last fifty years has been living in the backroads and the small unknown towns of America. Never aging. Searching for a cure. At the same time avoiding the dark ops experts who are looking for him.

But just because he can become a seven foot, four hundred pound killing machine, it doesn't mean that Brenner is bad. In fact, he sticks to a strict code.

And like the High Plains drifters of old, anyone who crosses the Wolfman's code is sure to suffer.

They took his humanity ... and now it's time for payback.

Synopsis of Wolf Pack:

The adventures of Brenner and Griff continues in this book. A couple of old army buddies. Vietnam veterans. One old and one young. One human, one wolf. Together they fight evil. The bad guys this time is another group of US military group much like the first one. Experimenting. However unlike the first US military group, their experimentation has a new twist. Either way, they are still very bad.

The synopsis of the first book was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36178703-wolf-man on 14/06/2021. The synopsis of the current book, Wolf Pack, is provided by me.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

What I want to know is, what happened to Bruno Catalano?! The author just left it there hanging for the reader to fill in the blanks. I do not like that kind of writing. It's like, so he's dead. Then later on in the series he rose to life again! That is really annoying! If the bad guys are to rise back to life again, let him die properly first!! Whether he comes back to life or not, at least give the reader the satisfaction of reading him die! Geez! **grumble grumble**

This is also the book which started to use the "chopped-up" kind of writing where a different thread of the story is told after every other chapter. Like for example, chapter 20 is Brenner. 21 is Solomon. Then 22 is Brenner again. And so on and so forth until the end. I so hate this kind of writing. It disrupts the flow of the story! It yanks you out of the story. When that happens I needed a minute to re-align myself again. Annoying!! So what I do is cheat. I read the book every other chapter and when that thread is done, I go back to the last chapter I skipped and follow that thread until the end. Less annoying that way. However, I sincerely hope that Craig Zerf would go back to his old style of writing and abandon this new-found style!

Same old, same old, MO. Our heroes fight bad guys. Blood and gore! Same tune, different song. And still same enjoyable read.

Another short-ish read (at 237 pages) from this author. Still a violent book, not recommended for young readers.

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 2.5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 4
Plot = 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In Project Bloodborn Series:

Meet The Author

About Craig Zerf:

Craig Zerf is a full-time writer who has been awarded the Golganooza Gold medal for Fantasy as well as being voted 'Best Read' by radio BBC United Kingdom.

His novels have been translated into French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and German.

Craig has lived in America, Africa and Europe and now resides in England with his wife and two imaginary cats.

His books have reached the number one Best Seller spot in both the United Kingdom and Germany and he reckons that writing is about the most fun that you can have without actually blowing things up!

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

MAGICAL MIDLIFE MADNESS

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Magical Midlife Madness by K.F. Breene
Book 1 in the Leveling Up series
Narrated by Nicole Poole
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Magical Midlife Madness:

A woman starting over. A new house with an unexpected twist. A cape wearing butler acting as the world's worst life coach.

"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that's exactly what my life becomes.

Do-over.

This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I'm ready to carve my own path.

Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I'll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I was a kid. It's just temporary, I tell myself. It'll just be for a while.

That is, until I learn what the house really is, something I never could've imagined.

Thankfully forty isn't too old to start an adventure, because that's exactly what I do. A very dangerous adventure that will change my life forever. I have a chance to start again, and this time, I make the rules.

Source: Info in the "About Magical Midlife Madness" was taken from amazon on 08/02/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

A fun, magical romped through midlife crises. Because one crisis is not enough...

Not a book to be taken too seriously. If you do, you will probably not enjoy it.

What I wanted to know is if her husband got his comeuppance...

There isn't much of a plot. This book is just basically an introduction to the world of the Ivy House.

Nicole Poole did a beautiful job of bringing this book to life!

Enjoyed this book and of course, book 2 is already bought!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (7 hrs and 9 mins listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Leveling Up Series:

Meet The Author

About K.F. Breene:

K.F. Breene is aWall Street Journal,USA Today,Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy novels. With millions of books sold, when she’s not penning stories about magic and what goes bump in the night, she’s sipping wine and planning shenanigans.

The Narrator

About Nicole Poole:

Nicole Poole is a classically trained actor with equal passions for literature and improvisation. She has toured with the Royal Shakespeare Company, has been a member of the critically acclaimed Walter Thompson Orchestra for over fifteen years, and recently became a member of the Parisian groups SPOUMJ and Anitya. She is honored to have been recognized for her narration by an AudioFile Earphones Award, a Publisher's Weekly Listen-Up Award, and nomination for an Audie Award.

www.nicolepoole.com | facebook | instagram | linkedin | goodreads

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

THE ENCHANTED GREENHOUSE

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
Book 2 in the Spellshop series
Narrated by Caitlin Davies
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Enchanted Greenhouse:

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she is turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the Great Library of Alyssium.

When, years later, Terlu wakes up, she finds herself on a nearly deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. The only other human on the island is a grumpy — but surprisingly sweet — gardener. He offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes and freshly baked honey cakes — at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return, and doesn’t want to. And when she learns that the magic that sustains the greenhouses is failing — causing the death of everything within them — Terlu knows she must stay and help. Even if that means breaking the law again. Assisted by the gardener, a sentient rose, and a winged cat, Terlu must uncover the spell that will save the island — and possibly also find herself a fresh chance at love and happiness along the way.

Source: Info in the "About The Enchanted Greenhouse" was taken from amazon on 27/10/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

This book plays in the same world as that of Kiela and Caz, however, this book is the story of a different set characters. Only Caz is the character of the first book that is mentioned in this one. Or is connected to this story. Other than that, this book has totally different set of players to that in the first book of this series.

By this book, I am now a fan of Sarah Beth Durst!

The story, like the first book, is also about the journey of the heroine to freedom. No twisty plots. But it is the story telling quality that made this book so enjoyable!

Once again Caitlin Davies gave a wonderful performance!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (13 hrs and 32 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Spellshop Series:

Meet The Author

About Sarah Beth Durst:

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy THE SPELLSHOP. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including DRINK SLAY LOVE, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.

The Narrator

About Caitlin Davies:

Caitlin Davies is a New York City–based actress, director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She has narrated a number of popular series and has been nominated for multiple Voice Arts Awards. She was also part of the full cast recording of The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone, which received an AudioFile Earphones Award. Audiobooks she's narrated have been Top Ten selections for YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults and have received starred Booklist reviews and Parents' Choice Awards. Caitlin holds a BA in English from Vassar College and an MFA in acting from Brown University/Trinity Repertory.

caitlindavies.com | twitter | instagram | goodreads

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

THE GHOSTS OF WONKY INN

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

The Ghosts Of Wonky Inn by Jeannie Wycherley
Book 2 in the Wonky Inn series
Narrated by Kim Bretton
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Ghosts Of Wonky Inn:

Alf has tried to banish her demons.

And her ghosts.

But memories of her recent past linger and keep her awake.

Every night it’s the same. Insomnia.

When she does eventually drift off, she’s woken almost immediately by a sobbing spirit.

He says he's lost.

And worse than that, someone is trying to kill him.

Who is this sad specimen of a spirit? And where does he belong?

And how do you kill someone … who is already dead?

Find out what Alf gets up to next as the Wonky Inn adventures continue.

Read The Ghosts of Wonky Inn today.

Source: Info in the "About The Ghosts Of Wonky Inn" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42189205-the-ghosts-of-wonky-inn on 29/04/2022.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

Short and sweet!

Just like the first book, a fun witchy romp in a quaint English village. However, instead of my interest peaking, it seems to be waning... So I am not so sure about the staying power of this series. But should I get into the mood for short witchy fun reads, I probably be picking up this series again...

If I break this book down to it's parts, this book ought to score a 4. However, it just don't feel like a four. So three and a half it is then!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 3.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (4 hrs and 51 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Wonky Inn Series:

Meet The Author

About Jeannie Wycherley:

I’m a genre-hopping introvert and word witch living somewhere between the forest and the sea in East Devon, UK.

An ex-lecturer with a PhD in History, I now run a seaside gift shop with my husband and split my time between selling teddy bears (I’m fanatical about teddy bears) and writing stories about magic and witchcraft.

People ask where my ideas come from. The truth is, I find inspiration absolutely everywhere: in myths, stories and songs; a bit of people watching; a word here, a look there. But it is the beautiful landscape of Devon that holds me most in its thrall: the tangled forests, the rolling hills, the troubled skies, the everchanging seascape. Devon has it all – rocky coastline, cliffs, pebble and sandy beaches, winding lanes and picture-perfect villages.

A good day for me means a blustery wind, racing waves and salty rain. I live with my husband and two dogs whom I adore; I make a lot of soup, play too many computer games and love watching movies, but most of all I love losing myself in the worlds I create.

I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I enjoy writing them.

The Narrator

About Kim Bretton:

Prior to moving from London to NYC in 2005 Kim worked predominantly on the London stage both originating roles in West End productions and playing in long running shows both in London and on National and International tours. She has played in numerous Shakespeare and classical works as well as musical theatre and modern plays. Her TV and film credits include Call Red for ITV, Don’t Look Back for New Forest Films, the lead role in the TV series Mentors and an obscene amount of radio, video games, commercials and voice overs.

She moved to Nashville, TN 10 years ago and continues to do theatre roles in between writing, directing and voice over work. Kim is an Audie Award nominee, a Broadway World Award winner and was Voted Best Actress in Nashville by The Nashville Scene.

kimbretton.com | facebook | instagram | goodreads

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

UNINTENDED CULTIVATOR

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:44:00 +0000

Unintended Cultivator by Eric Dontigney
Book 1 in the Unintended Cultivator series
Narrated by Adam Verner
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Unintended Cultivator:

He never intended to be a cultivator. The heavens have another plan…

Sen never dreamed of ascension. Such were the aspirations of the rich young nobles, not orphans like him, scraping together a meager living on the streets of Orchard’s Reach.

However, when destiny takes an unexpected turn, Sen finds himself thrust into the role of a cultivator’s disciple. Chosen over the nobles who once looked down on him, he is adopted into a makeshift family of three ancient cultivators, each with a lifetime of knowledge and insights. These old monsters will teach Sen everything they can, from the art of the jian and spear to the mysteries of arcane alchemy.

Yet, on the path to defying the heavens, Sen will have to make difficult choices. He needs to decide what kind of person he wants to be, and what mark he wants to leave on the world. Because when his training ends, he will have the power to shake the world. He will also have formidable enemies who will do anything to put him back in his place…

Source: Info in the "About Unintended Cultivator" was taken from amazon on 12/02/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

This book is obviously based on the Chinese culture. Like the name Sen. That sounds Chinese to me. Dumplings. Definitely Chinese!

I usually avoid books that has "volumes" in its series. I have a prejudice against book serieses which imitates TV serieses in production style. But this book... I didn't realise it until I was halfway through the first chapter. But by then I was infitely curious about Sen...

The ending did round up the current story dilemma which is nice! However, it is nothing explosive! More like of a quite "see you soon". The epilogue gave pointers for the plot of the next book in the series.

Adam Verner did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (13 hrs and 40 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Unintended Cultivator Series:

Meet The Author

About Eric Dontigney:

Raised in Western New York, Eric Dontigney has lived in New Mexico, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. He currently resides near Dayton, OH. He is a fan of photo-realism and impressionist paintings, coffee, and well-made food.

Not wishing to tarnish the good names of writers who have come before him, he refuses to name influences. He will admit to reading Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ayn Rand, Stephen J. Cannell, Jim Butcher, Kate Chopin, Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Camus, James Baldwin, Tim O'Brien, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King.

The Narrator

About Adam Verner:

Adam Verner is a full-time narrator and voice talent with over one hundred titles recorded. He is the recipient of AudioFile Earphones Awards for Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck and The Big It by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. Adam earned his MFA in acting from the Chicago College of the Fine Arts at Roosevelt University.

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

HEAVY MEDDLE MAGIC

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Heavy Meddle Magic by Leanne Leeds
Book 4 in the Owl Star Witch Mysteries
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: kindle ebook

About Heavy Meddle Magic:

You thought Forkbridge, Florida was odd. Cassandra, Florida? It’s even odder. And just my luck, Emma and I have to go investigate arson in the psychic medium capital of the world. During Halloween.

The glowing star card doesn't turn over as frequently as I expected — I guess the "goddess" doesn't want to keep too many people alive. The Forkbridge Police Department, on the other hand, wants to keep everyone alive, including Cassandra's mayor.

Of course, that may have something to do with Mayor Thornton dating the Forkbridge Police Department captain.

But you didn’t hear that from me.

Houses of psychics are catching fire in Cassandra, and Mayor Thornton suspects a plot that even the town's spectral inhabitants can't solve — because they've all vanished. The town is overrun with Halloween tourists looking for communication with the dead that Cassandra's mediums can't provide, and the Mayor is concerned that her town — and her life — may be in danger.

Is there a conspiracy wafting through the homes of Cassandra like a poisonous incense? Or is it just filled with super weird people that need to take their heads out of their…sage smoke?

Source: Info in the "About Heavy Meddle Magic" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60560087-heavy-meddle-magic on 17/05/2022.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

This time it's halloween and you know what happens on samhain?! All sorts of witchy stuff happens! And chaos. And throw in human prejudices... greed... a town full of nuts... and we are all swimming in crazy! But the perp? Not crazy. Just bad.

As usual, the story telling quality is compelling! Wonderful world building! And lovely, likeable characters!

Another wonderful installment in the Owl Star Witch Mysteries!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 4

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries

Books In Owl Star Witch Mysteries:

Meet The Author

About Leanne Leeds:

Leanne Leeds writes witty, funny, and exciting paranormal cozy mysteries that are light-hearted explorations of offbeat small-town America. With a cast of quirky characters inhabiting her fictional world, Leanne provides a unique blend of comedy, clues, and twisty action — all with a touch of magic that keeps readers turning pages.

You can also visit her at leanneleeds.com for free stories, to join her newsletter.

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

BEAST BUSINESS

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 19:42:00 +0000

Beast Business by Ilona Andrews
A novella in the Hidden Legacy series
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Beast Business:

Augustine Montgomery is an Illusion Prime who owns a premier PI corporation and alters his appearance with magic. The people who have seen Augustine’s real face can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The people who witnessed the full extent of his power are dead. The illusion isn’t just the brand of his magic. It’s become his lifestyle.

Show as little as possible. Make them think that illusion is all you have. Your life depends on it.

Augustine lives by this creed. He’s cold, rational, and calculating. He doesn’t get emotionally involved. Then one day Diana Harrison walks into his office and asks for his help. Diana is a Prime, an animal mage who bonds with animals through her magic and prefers their company to humans. Something precious has been stolen from House Harrison. Something Diana must recover at all costs. The two Houses are allied through a friendship pact. Assisting Diana is simply good business. And yet, there is something about her that disturbs the careful balance of Augustine’s inner world.

Neither of them is who they appear to be. Both would die to keep their secrets. But the enemy they face is more powerful than either had imagined, and saving the life that hangs in the balance will demand the ultimate price neither Augustine nor Diana ever anticipated to pay — complete honesty.

Source: Info in the "About Beast Business" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/246965996-beast-business on 30/01/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

Tried to make this novella last. Stretch it out as much as I can. I forcefully took breaks. Read as slow as I can. It still ended too soon!

This story, for a novella, managed to have a plot, thin though it was. But hey! This is a novella! Having a plot is always a win in an urban fantasy book. Because a lot of urban fantasies don't have a plot.

The world building was established a long time ago in Burn For Me. The same with the character development. And both were masterfully woven!

I'm wondering if the authors would ever follow-up on Augustine and Diana's story...

Couldn't wait to see what would happen next with the little cub!

In the end, it was a lovely little story that fed my Hidden Legacy addiction.

Quantitative Evaluation:

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

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries

Hidden Legacy Books:

Meet The Authors

About Ilona Andrews:

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

www.ilona-andrews.com | twitter | facebook | amazon | goodreads

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

LORD OF THE HIGH REACHES

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Lord Of The High Reaches by James Haddock
Narrated by Daniel Wisniewski
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Lord Of The High Reaches:

His human father named him Cam, as he and his clan were chameleon cats. Kol-ha is what the clan called him, which means shame in clannish. Being a half-breed, Cam was not allowed to take the test to become a clan member. Cam decides that rather than not being worthy to be part of the clan, the clan is not worthy of him. Taking nothing, he leaves the clan to find his place in the world. Though ignorant of the ways of the ‘outside’ world, Cam is a quick learner. His first lesson is the outside world is at war, and he is inadvertently drawn into it. Saving the life of a nobleman’s son, from an invading army’s scouts sets him on a path to meet the King of the Eastern Kingdom. As a reward, Cam is given lands and becomes a pawn in the King’s chess game. Cam sees it for what it is and decides he doesn’t want any part of the King’s game. Fate, however, has a different plan. Cam discovers two moored airships in a plague-stricken village with a single survivor, La-mar. He also finds new weapon innovations and information that will change the balance of power in the Kingdoms. With La-mar’s help, Captain Cam finds himself and his ships back in the King’s chess game. This time it’s with more than one King and Kingdom playing, and they’re playing for blood. When they kill some of Cam’s friends, he spoils their chessboard when he starts playing by his rules of fang and claw.

Source: Info in the "About Lord Of The High Reaches" was taken from amazon on 24/01/2024.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I'm an old James Haddock and Daniel Wisniewski fan.

Here we see again James Haddock's patterns of story telling style. The hero assumes multiple identities. Pauper to riches and gets the girl. Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

As per usual, Daniel Wisniewski did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (9 hrs and 16 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

The Author

About James Haddock:

My first career was as a Warrant Officer in the US Army, I am now retired with 22 years of service under my belt. Moving into the next phase of my life, I am a full-time author and RV'er. After seeing everyone else's Country during my first career, we decided to see our own. My wife and I enjoy traveling to see the wonders of America.

I love reading and watching Sci-Fi books, television shows, and movies. To think, "what if" and "why not." I am a pantser writer, I'll get an idea, or see a photo and think, "that would make a great story!". Writing as a pantser, to me, is like reading a new story. I have no idea where the story is going to end up. Writing the way gets me excited to pick up a pen; I look forward to writing each time, and can't wait to write many more.

The Narrator

About Daniel Wisniewski:

Audio book Narrator, Character Voices, Baritone, Bass, Tenor, Heroes, Villains, Dark, Bright, Young, Old, Comedy, Tragedy, Accents, Dialects.

I am a New York based actor who has performed across a variety of platforms both domestically and internationally. I am also a graduate of Ithaca College with a BFA in Musical Theatre, have studied and worked as a dialect coach, have access to a professional grade studio, and am an experienced editor. When not performing, I can usually be found either leading my friends on a DnD campaign or playing in one myself (usually as a dashing Half-Elf bard or brazen Half-Orc fighter).

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

SMALL TOWN SPIN

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Small Town Spin by LynDee Walker
Book 3 in the Nichelle Clarke Crime Thriller series
Narrated by Therese Plummer
Genre: investigative journalist crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Small Town Spin:

T.J. had the world in the palm of his hand. He was handsome. Popular in school. Smart. A stellar athlete. The son of superstar pro quarterback Tony Okerson, he seemed destined to follow in his father's footsteps to a career of gridiron glory.

That bright, shining dream ends when T.J.'s lifeless body is found on a rocky shoreline near his family's Chesapeake Bay home.

Due to his father's past fame, the tragedy ignites a media frenzy in the normally serene island community. Through a mutual friend, the grieving parents turn to reporter Nichelle Clarke for help. Nichelle agrees to write the story herself and attempt to quell the national media circus.

But as Nichelle begins to explore the facts surrounding the death, she discovers some shocking details. Something doesn't fit. And while the local sheriff wants to stamp the case a drug overdose and move on, Nichelle becomes convinced that foul play may have been involved.

To the townsfolk, Nichelle is an outsider, putting her nose where it doesn't belong. But in her experience, that's exactly where the most damning secrets are kept. And the further she follows the evidence trail, the more Nichelle realizes that this sleepy coastal village is anything but innocent...

Source: Info in the "About Small Town Spin" was taken from amazon on 27/09/2024.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

By the last book I noticed a pattern that this author likes to use. Nicey always has this "vague" feeling that will later on reveal that her subconscious was onto the perpetrator all along. The first time with book 1, it was good. The second time with book 2, the pattern became noticeable. With this book, it becomes repetitive. Nudges close to annoying.

Despite all that whinging, I still enjoyed this book a lot!

This book ended in a tantalising lead to the next book. Of course the next book got bought! I really do not like that kind of marketing technique. It makes me want to avoid that author. However, in this case I let it slide because of the enjoyable reading time that this series is giving me!

This is the longest book in the series so far at more than 8 hours long compared to the two previous books which are only more than 6 hours long.

Again Therese Plummer did a wonderful performance with this book!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 3.5
Ending = 5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 3.5
Pace = (8 hrs and 23 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Nichelle Clarke Crime Thriller Series:

Meet The Author

About LynDee Walker:

LynDee Walker is the national bestselling author of two crime fiction series featuring strong heroines and “twisty, absorbing" mysteries. Her first Nichelle Clarke crime thriller, FRONT PAGE FATALITY, was nominated for the Agatha Award for best first novel and is an Amazon Charts Bestseller. In 2018 she introduced readers to Texas Ranger Faith McClellan in FEAR NO TRUTH. Reviews have praised her work as "well-crafted, compelling, and fast-paced," and "an edge-of-your-seat ride" with "a spider web of twists and turns that will keep you reading until the end."

Before she started writing fiction, LynDee was an award-winning journalist who covered everything from ribbon cuttings to high level police corruption, and worked closely with the various law enforcement agencies that she reported on. Her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the U.S.

Aside from books, LynDee loves her family, her readers, travel, and coffee. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she is working on her next novel when she's not juggling laundry and children's sports schedules.

The Narrator

About Therese Plummer:

Therese Plummer is an actor and voice over artist living and working in New York City. Favorite roles to date include TV: Rose Nerrick, The Good Wife, Andy in Law and Order SVU. Stage: Celebrity Row; New York Theatre Workshop, Under Tillage, The Irish Repertory Theatre. Off-off Broadway credits include The Vagina Monologues, Suzanne in Twilight of the Gold’s and Madeline in the Award Winning Samuel French Short play The Sweet Room. Comedy Credits include Improv at Upright Citizens Brigade and Stand-up at Caroline’s Comedy Club. Therese also performed her one woman show, Ribbons Undone, at the Here Arts Center. Therese records audio books for Audible.com, Recorded Books and Talking Books, Inc. As an adolescent counselor, Therese spent five years utilizing Drama therapy techniques in individual and group settings before moving to New York. She shares a passion of creating, helping and entertaining and feels incredibly lucky to do all three.

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

BATTLE BOND

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Battle Bond by Lindsay Buroker
Book 2 in the Death Before Dragons series
Narrated by Vivienne Leheny
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Battle Bond:

If you think having one dragon around messes up your life, imagine what it’s like when a second one shows up.

I’m Val Thorvald, assassin of magical bad guys and tenuous ally to the dragon lord Zav.

He still calls me a mongrel and thinks I’m a criminal, but he healed my wounds after we fought those dark elves together. That’s progress, right? Maybe one day, he’ll deign to use my name.

Not that this is my primary concern. I’m busy with a new assignment. Nin, the awesome lady who makes my magical weapons, has a werewolf problem. Specifically, sleazy loser werewolf competitors who want to drive her out of business. Or worse.

Normally, a couple of werewolves wouldn’t be a big deal, but these ones have powerful allies. And then there’s that new dragon.

It turns out he’s one of Zav’s enemies, and he wants to use me against him.

I don’t know why he’s picking on me — it’s not like I mean something to Zav — but somehow I’ve gotten stuck in the middle of dragon politics. If you think that sounds like a nightmare, you’re right.

If I can’t figure out a way to help my friend with the werewolves while keeping these dragons from tearing me apart, we’re both going to end up flatter than the deck chairs when Zav lands on the roof of my apartment building.

Source: Info in the "About Battle Bond" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51959836-battle-bond on 17/08/2021.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

This book picks up where book 1 left off, and so the saga of Val and the dragon Zav continues. Same theme. Same mojo. They fight the same evil. This time the story ends in Zav in a pickle and a cliffhanger, so book 3 got bought as well. However, I do not know how long I can keep following this series seeing there seems to be a pattern of monotony thus far. As to the title, one could say that it sort of relates to the story if you stretch your imagination a little.

The narration remains wonderful!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4
Cover art = 5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Narration = 4.5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In Death Before Dragons Series:

Meet The Author

About Lindsay Buroker:

Full-time indie fantasy/scifi author who loves hiking, tennis, and vizslas.

The Narrator

About Vivienne Leheny:

For over two decades, Vivienne Leheny has worked professionally in New York City and Los Angeles as an actor, voiceover artist and writer. She’s appeared on Off-Broadway and regional theatre stages, been screened at numerous film festivals (including Sundance in the 2019 opening night film: AFTER THE WEDDING), toured the northeast doing stand-up, and her writing has been published in national publications.

Vivienne has built a successful audiobook narration business, reading under her own name as well as under the pseudonyms, “Nola Zandry” and “Lily Collingwood.” She has a home studio and records using punch & roll software. Currently narrating six ongoing series, she also has numerous stand-alone book narrations, all of which are doing brisk sales on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. She’s narrated titles for Harper Collins, Macmillan, Recorded Books, and Simon & Schuster, among other audiobook publishers.

Vivienne will soon be recording her 150th audiobook narration.

Her audiobook narration course, The Voice in their Ear, has been a sell-out Maine Media Workshops+College, where she’s also taught her Putting Your Voice to Work: Building a Career in Voiceover curriculum, while her Breaking Into Audiobooks seminar for the SAG Foundation fills up quickly and with long wait lists. She’s also taught audiobook narration at the Caymichael Patten Studio.

She’s recorded over a thousand promotions for NBC programming (Saturday Night Live, Nightly News, Days of our Lives, Late Night with Conan O’Brien), including over a decade with The Today Show. She’s also done promotional spots for HBO, Showtime, and Bravo. Vivienne has voiced numerous national commercial campaigns, including Coca Cola, Fruit of the Loom, Florida Orange Juice, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Maxwell House and Revlon.

Her narration work has run the gamut, from Chain Gang Girls on Oxygen to Charles and Di: Once Upon a Time on TLC, from Fine Living’s Esquire’s Man at His Best to the six-part series Killer Outbreaks on Animal Planet, where she was the voice of the Bubonic Plague and West Nile Virus. She’s also the voice for the mysterious and disturbing “Phoenix Project” in the popular video game Assassin’s Creed, Unity.

www.vivienneleheny.com | twitter | facebook | goodreads

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

COLD COMFORT

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Cold Comfort by Trevor Douglas
Book 1 in the Bridgette Cash series
Narrated by Kate Handford
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook

About Cold Comfort:

How do you catch a killer who never leaves a clue?

Bridgette Casseldhorf is a rookie detective working her first murder case. The circumstances surrounding the murder of a young woman lead Bridgette to believe it’s the work of a serial killer, but nobody is listening. Convinced the killer will strike again shortly, can Bridgette find enough evidence to convince her team before another young woman is murdered?

Source: Info in the "About Cold Comfort" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35014793-cold-comfort on 31/12/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

What caught me was the "intuitive rookie" line. I didn't know that I am a sucker for intuitive rookies until I bought this book!

But I always knew that I like talented underdogs.

Dang! This book made me cry! I was driving home from work and listening to the audiobook with tears running down my cheeks and my nose full of snoot!

These are trained police detectives with years of experience and they did not think of putting a tracking device on her?? I do not like too stupid to live (tstl) characters/scenes/story lines...

She's supposed to be intelligent. 150 IQ. And did not think of a simple, fundamental precaution such as a tracking device??...

Aren't police officers trained in first aid? So they know to put pressure on a bleeding wound? So, why didn't she?

And I was starting to like this book...

Soooo, not a fan of tstl!

Kate Handford did a wonderful job of bringing this book to life!

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 2.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (10 hrs and 24 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Bridgette Cash Series:

Meet The Author

About Trevor Douglas:

Trevor Douglas is a multi-award winning author and the recipient of the Gold Medal for best Crime Fiction novel, and the Gold Medal for the best overall novel in the 2024 Global Book Awards.

Trevor is married with two adult sons and when he is not writing, enjoys bushwalking, watching AFL and discovering the best coffee shops in Brisbane with his wife.

After a long and successful career as an IT consultant, Trevor now writes full time and is currently working on his tenth book, The Catalin Crossing.

The Narrator

About Kate Handford:

Kate works in film, television, theatre + voiceover.

She holds a BFA (Hons.) from Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto (2012), and an MA (Dist.) from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London (2014), both in classical acting.

She has performed at Shakespeare's Globe (Boudica), the National Theatre Studio, VAULT Festival, and Edinburgh Fringe. On screen she plays Kitty in Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things, opposite Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo (Golden Lion, Venice Film Festival 2023), Frannie in Inside Man (BBC/Netflix), and Ludmilla in The Great (Hulu).

As a voice artist, Kate has narrated over 100 audiobooks, and has been awarded an Earphones Award by Audiofile Magazine. She often works with Penguin, Macmillan and Bloomsbury, has featured in video games like Horizon: Forbidden West and Terminator: Resistance, and has voiced projects for international brands like Maison Margiela, Google and Amazon.

Kate serves as an audition panelist for MA Acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, has been a guest critic of performance and presentation at London Metropolitan University + University of Nottingham, and run workshops in presentation and storytelling at Takero Shimazaki Architects, Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL), and Architecture Association.

www.katehandford.com | instagram | goodreads

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

THE SPELLSHOP

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:11:00 +0000

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Book 1 in the Spellshop series
Narrated by Caitlin Davies
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Spellshop:

Every home needs a little magic . . .

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. But, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing, and when the library goes up in flames Kiela and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy — and very handsome — neighbour, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire has slowly been draining power from the island, and now Kiela is determined to make things right. But opening up her own spellshop comes with its own risks — the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela starts to make a place for herself among the townspeople, she realizes she must break down the walls she has kept so high . . .

Source: Info in the "About The Spellshop" was taken from amazon on 26/10/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this author! I like the way she tells the story.

The story is more like a collection of events in Kiela's life with an over-arching theme of her escape to freedom. There is no multilayered plot with a twist at the end. However, this is a fantasy book, not a crime fiction or thriller. So, I was not expecting twisty anything.

This is also my first Caitlin Davies and I would listen to her again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (12 hrs and 10 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Spellshop Series:

Meet The Author

About Sarah Beth Durst:

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy THE SPELLSHOP. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including DRINK SLAY LOVE, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.

The Narrator

About Caitlin Davies:

Caitlin Davies is a New York City–based actress, director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She has narrated a number of popular series and has been nominated for multiple Voice Arts Awards. She was also part of the full cast recording of The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone, which received an AudioFile Earphones Award. Audiobooks she's narrated have been Top Ten selections for YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults and have received starred Booklist reviews and Parents' Choice Awards. Caitlin holds a BA in English from Vassar College and an MFA in acting from Brown University/Trinity Repertory.

caitlindavies.com | twitter | instagram | goodreads

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

THE CAGED DRAGON

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

The Caged Dragon by Dan Michaelson and D.K. Holmberg
Book 1 in the Cycle of Dragons series
Narrated by Brian Holden
Genre: dragon fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Caged Dragon:

A young man wanting to protect his family begins an epic journey.

Life on the farm at the edge of the kingdom is anything but routine for Ashan. The plains around Berestal suffer from severe storms, making travel to the city difficult, with the threat of an attack from the people of Vard always looming. He long ago abandoned dreams of serving as a dragon rider, caring for his injured father and brother, but everything is about to change.

A Vard attack forces Ashan to risk everything to protect his sister. Doing so brings him closer to the dragons than he had ever imagined, but brings him into a war he never intended to join. Somehow, Ashan and his best friend might be the only ones able to prevent the Vard from reaching a prize they’d long sought, if only they can survive the dangers of the forest, the mysterious Djarn people, a terrifying creature chasing them, and the power of a dragon mage.

Source: Info in the "About The Caged Dragon" was taken from amazon on 11/12/2025.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I bought this book because... dragons!

This is my first Dan Michaelson and D.K. Holmberg read and I am not very impressed with their story telling quality because they have the tendency to make the characters act stupid to give the story some drama. I am not very tolerant of stupid. Plot building is not this authors' forte. In fact there is no plot. Just the beginnings of one. Which of course ended in a cliffhanger.

The world building though was beautiful! It is just sad that these authors could not create a convincing dramatic scene nor a fight scene.

Brian Holden did a good job of bringing this book to life. Would listen to audiobooks by him again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 3.5
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 2.5
Writing Style = 3
Ending = 2
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (7 hrs and 19 mins listening time)
Plot = 1
Narration = 4.5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Cycle of Dragons Series:

Meet The Authors

About Dan Michaelson:

Dan Michaelson grew up reading loving dragons, magic, and all things fantasy. He's got dozens of stories in his head and now tries to get them out so others can read them.

dan-michaelson.com | facebook | amazon | goodreads

About D.K. Holmberg:

D.K. Holmberg lives in Minnesota and is the author of multiple series including The Lost Prophecy, The Cloud Warrior Saga, The Dark Ability, The Teralin Sword, and The Lost Garden. When he's not writing, he's chasing around his two active children.

www.dkholmberg.co | twitter | facebook | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Brian Holden:

Brian Holden grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, went to college in Ann Arbor, and lived in Los Angeles just long enough to forever hate the winters in Chicago. In addition to running his theater company, StarKid Productions, he performs improv comedy. But no, he can't tell you a joke. Only by responding truthfully in the moment is he absolutely hilarious. He loves reading and is happy that he's gotten to lend his voice to some great stories so far.

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

WHAT VENGEANCE COMES

noreply@blogger.com (Cherry) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:19:00 +0000

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

About What Vengeance Comes:

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

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

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

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

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

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

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

Empirical Evaluation:

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

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The John Decker Series:

Meet The Author

About Anthony M. Strong:

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

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

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

anthonymstrong.com | twitter | facebook | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Jet Malakai:

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

jetmalakai.com | goodreads

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