By J.A. White Audio Book Narrated by Kirby Heyborne Published on: July 24, 2018
Spooky middle grade stories are one of my favorite genres to read. They have a creep factor, but not too much. Plus, they typically have a happy ending. I say ‘typically’ because I’ve run across a Goosebumps story or two that didn’t. Nightbooks has won or been short-listed for several awards and honors, but what excites me most at this moment is that this particular book is also being adapted for Netflix. Woot!
Audible Original By: R.L. Stine Published: October 3, 2019 Length: 4 hrs. 32 min
This full-ensemble audio book has some seriously creepy moments in it. Some of it is fun-creepy and then other times it is just creepy-creepy. But overall, I have one major question – what kind of non-real parents are sending their kids to Camp Red Moon? Out of all the youth camps in the world they are choosing to send their precious babies to a camp where robots take over and tragic deaths occur – not to mention werewolves, ghosts, and other monsters.
Prior to The Whisper Man being released, I started seeing the terrific reviews coming in for this book. I knew almost immediately I wanted to read it, but wanted to wait until October, which seemed to me to be the perfect month for this book.
Riyria Short Story by Michael J. Sullivan Published on: July 17, 2014
During the introduction of the audio book, we learn that this particular short story was part of the Unfettered Anthology. The Unfettered Anthology is a compilation of short stories donated by various authors to help Shawn Speakman pay a large medical bill due to his fight with cancer. He had previously had another form of cancer and was now uninsurable. Many well-known authors such as Terry Brooks, Lev Grossman, Mark Lawrence, Jennifer Bosworth, etc. donated their short stories and now there are multiple volumes of the anthology, which Shawn is using to pay it forward. This audio short story is currently free on Audible.
Description:
WHO WILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH? Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candlemaker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive.
This is a standalone short story of 7,200 words. No prior knowledge of The Riyria Revelations or The Riyria Chronicles is required to enjoy it to its fullest, making this a perfect introduction for new readers or a chance for Riyria veterans to spend a little more time with old friends. The Jester is a story of adventure, bonds of friendship, and a recognition that the choices we make dictates the future we find.
NOTE: This short story was originally published in the Unfettered Anthology edited by Shawn Speakman. It is also available for free in audio form on Audible.com, narrated by the amazing Tim Gerard Reynolds
Thoughts:
I am a huge fan of Hadrian and Royce, who are two of the main characters from the Riyria books by Michael J. Sullivan. I love these two guys, their adventures, their wit and their banter. I would gladly read anything where these two characters are center stage. With that being said, this book technically falls after the TheRose and the Thorn and the before Theft of Swords, but is not necessary to know about these books to enjoy listening to this story.
The story starts with Hadrian and Royce falling into a well. They had been escorting two individuals, Wilmer – a pig farmer and Myra – a candlemaker and the owner of several pieces of a map that potentially lead to a treasure of some kind. After plummeting into the well they find themselves into a dwarven mine full of plenty of dangers.
It is suggested that Royce would have left the two a long time before the mishap into the well and forgone the money they were being paid. But that’s what you might expect from Royce. Truthfully, all any of them wanted was to find an exit out and for the expedition to be over. Eventually, everything comes down to decisions and choices they must make in order to move forward and still be alive.
Overall, I found the story entertaining and a decent way to listen to an audio book when you don’t necessarily have time or desire for a full-length book. The narrator was decent and told the story well, especially given the type of humor Hadrian and Royce stories usually bring.
Shades of Magic #2 by V.E. Schwab Published on: February 23, 2016
Have you ever liked a book or a series and yet didn’t like one of the main characters? I mean like really, really disliked a main character. That’s where I am with Lila Bard. I had trouble with her in the first book, but in this second book in the series my dislike for her has moved very far from just “trouble.”
By Neil Gaiman Illustrated by: Skottie Young Narrated by Neil Gaiman Published on: September 30, 2014
What a completely unexpected treat. Well, it’s Neil Gaiman so it is not completely unexpected. But – oh my goodness – this book is crazy fun with one long oddball story about what took a father so long to get the milk for that morning’s cereal.
by Ricky Dragoni Narrated by: Steve Castello Published on: August 29, 2018
The Swift is a tale of survival that contains humor, warmth, compassion, plus adds some deadly creatures that want to end it all for our two main characters in this horror story by Ricky Dragoni.
Charles Jenkins #1 by Robert Dugoni Published on: April 9, 2019
Wow. This spy/espionage thriller seriously kept my attention through-out the entire story. The build-up to the end was terrific and some of the ending scenes were so good that I grew frustrated every time I had to stop my audio book at certain crucial moments.
Shades of Magic Book 1 by V.E. Schwab Published on: February 24, 2015
I liked a lot of what is in this book, but then there were some parts or conversations that frustrated me so much that at times I almost jerked the headset off my head as I reached to stop the audio book. Right now, I have no idea if it was the character that was driving me crazy or the way that character was portrayed in the audio book.
Jeremy Logan #4 by Lincoln Child Published on: May 12, 2015
I’ve often suspected that I tend to enjoy books even more when I hear them on audio. Something about them being acted out and hearing distinct voices makes them become more interesting to me. Mediocre books become Good. Good books become Great. Great books become Exceptional. Take Harry Potter – Most everyone loves Harry Potter, but when you add Jim Dale (U.S. version) to the mix with his 5 gazillion voices and well…his work on Harry Potter was nothing short of fantastic. There’s a reason he earned a Grammy for it. So, as I was listening to The Forgotten Room and realizing I wasn’t “loving it” like I usually do, I had to think on why that may be.
A Garden of Books 