BOOKTALK WITH EILEEN

Neacal McDonald never wanted to be chief, laird to his clan.  He knew he was damaged goods having been severely tortured for a crime he didn’t commit.  How can he lead the clan when he could hardly control the rage still living within him?

Anna Douglas joined a traveling musical group, using her exquisite voice to put food in her belly. She had been on the run for two years, escaping a life which terrified her. The band of musicians found the McDonald clan a place where they were appreciated and had been entertaining for some time. 

Neacal found solace in Anna’s lovely voice; it somehow reached into his very soul, giving him a very unsettled feeling, but somehow soothing and calming. His emotions are uncontrollable, ragged-edged, ever since a woman had deceived him.  Can he ever trust a woman again?

Anna is just plain skittish.  When you learn of her past, you will see she is a woman of strength and good heart.  With all that has befallen her, she is still able to see the good of life, the good in people.  In Neacal she sees a good man, one she admires, one she could fall in love with, but her past still haunts her, preventing her to move forward. Perhaps it’s time for her to leave this clan.

As Neacal takes command of his clan, there are people who talk he is mad, not a good leader, etc.  Spies are among his people.  Who are his enemies, who can he trust? Talk unsettles his clan, but there are those who still have faith in him.  

The character Sleet is a most interesting and devilish character.  He’s sleazy, sowing lies with his forked tongue.  Beware the worm within your circles, dear read. He/she can do the most harm!

I loved the listen.  The nerve-wracking plot kept me gasping with each turn of event. Truly! It is amazing what the human spirit can overcome.  Author Vonda Sinclair propels us into such a story, compelling and enthralling with scene after scene of palpable terror, each scene coiling angst ever higher.

Narrator Dave Gillies, one of my favorite narrators, makes the story personal, with intimate tone where appropriate. His superb technique of eliciting tension through his tone and vocal pacing, perfectly matches the intent of the author. I’ve read or listened to most of this series.  I’ve missed of few of them and will rectify my error.  A superb series from a talented writer who takes me to Scotland to meet the cruel, the honorable, the compassionate, and above all experience the power of love. Every. Single. Time.

Bottom Line:    5-star Review

Series and author highly recommended for those who crave adventure and seek justice in a historical setting.

After listening to the first three books of the series, I was revved up to listen to this one.
I enjoy the multiple narrators and the ways they use their voices, even in so far as to create the feel of distance if dialog stretches from another room or longer distance.

Lots of talent went into telling Michelle’s story about an unclaimed witch, her special skill with ruins and spelling, her recent relationship with a elf who she jokes with as geriatric, being over 1500 years old. Michelle’s lifespan will be close to 300 years if she doesn’t die first by her amazing capability of being in the wrong place at the right time. Thank God, she is really lucky, has nature at her back and lots of supportive friends. She does live in a scary world where demons still roam, hidden so well, they aren’t apparent, and often wonders if her choices in how she deals with evil forces are the best. Will that get her killed?

Conneely’s world building is quite believable and very entertaining. Her talent to propel a story forward with plenty of suspense with twists of surprising character keeps me reading with eagerness.

Michelle and her relationship with her elf is a slow-burn, deep feeling relationship rather than a hot spicy chemistry-filled emotion. I enjoy Michelle’s desire to work alone, protect what is hers and do the right thing.

I look forward to continue both the book and listen.

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

This is a story about the crème de la crème of society. Where one thinks money could solve their problems, it can actually bar them from finding real happiness.

Drake Sullivan, a painter experiencing painter’s block is starting to panic. All his brothers are filthy rich and successful. He is, too, but if this painter’s block continues… Will he ever be able to paint again with the passion necessary to create a great piece?
When he meets Rosa Bouchard, he is captured by her beauty, both in physical form and the spirit which lays beneath her skin. Dying to paint her, he needs to coax her into not running from him. He finds much more in this beauty than he expected, and feels something he never has before.

Rosa is running from past decisions, made to keep her family together, but now the game has turned nasty. Money can’t buy the peace of mind she needs. She’s an emotionally intriguing character who is easy to relate to because many have done things in the past to stave off the worst — a means of survival and don’t know the next step to freedom. Rosa and her mom and brothers have risen to the top of society only to realize how fragile and lonely that apex could be. The changes she needs to make in her life don’t come easily. The story is written compellingly with several threads of rich secondary characters and subplots which gear to the continuation of the series.

Drake is a multi-textured characters, with his own strengths and his inner fragility. Where he is there to support Rosa, he has his own demons to overcome. I really like the way the author brings how important family is into the story.

The narrator is an animated storyteller, with a girl-next-door energy and down-to-earth portrayal of feelings which found me nodding in perfect understanding and sympathy. The author certainly has captured my interest in this most charming series.

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

This is a story about the crème de la crème of society. Where one thinks money could solve their problems, it can actually bar them from finding real happiness.

Drake Sullivan, a painter experiencing painter’s block is starting to panic. All his brothers are filthy rich and successful. He is, too, but if this painter’s block continues… Will he ever be able to paint again with the passion necessary to create a great piece?

When he meets Rosa Bouchard, he is captured by her beauty, both in physical form and the spirit which lays beneath her skin. Dying to paint her, he needs to coax her into not running from him. He finds much more in this beauty than he expected, and feels something he never has before.

Rosa is running from past decisions, made to keep her family together, but now the game has turned nasty. Money can’t buy the peace of mind she needs. She’s an emotionally intriguing character who is easy to relate to because many have done things in the past to stave off the worst — a means of survival and don’t know the next step to freedom. Rosa and her mom and brothers have risen to the top of society only to realize how fragile and lonely that apex could be. The changes she needs to make in her life don’t come easily. The story is written compellingly with several threads of rich secondary characters and subplots which gear to the continuation of the series.

Drake is a multi-textured characters, with his own strengths and his inner fragility. Where he is there to support Rosa, he has his own demons to overcome. I really like the way the author brings how important family is into the story.

The narrator is an animated storyteller, with a girl-next-door energy and down-to-earth portrayal of feelings which found me nodding in perfect understanding and sympathy. The author certainly has captured my interest in this most charming series.

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

I could not help my admiration of the courageousness of Jenny Sutton and Andrew Wentworth. They are caught up in the turmoil of the fight against the English. Where the colonists were taking sides, where one is unsure of who is friend or foe, where it could be death choosing to trust the wrong person–a wrong step and it would be the hangman’s noose.

Jenny knew that her father had been injured and her love for him had her lying to her uncle to get to Manhattan by ship. Her courage and strength gave her the fortitude to arrive. She sees her father before he passes, but is further caught up in his fight for his country’s freedom.

Andrew Wentworth, her love, catches her sneaking away to New York, and only sees the horrors she must experience. He begins his own journey, his goal is to get to Jenny, no matter how.

They are both snagged in a treacherous and nasty time, both become committed to something more than their love, but neither choose to let it go.

This is the first book I’ve read of this series and the first from this author. It’s also the first time I’ve listened to a narration from Amy McFadden. Both were an enriching experience. Meyette captures the angst and the evil which permeates times like these. McFadden takes the story to a whole different level with her emotional portrayal of the characters. When Andrew says Jenny’s name, with such love and reverence, it carves into my heart just a little more.

Lieutenant Nigel Ashby is a person of remarkable need for revenge, even when it hurts his own cause. Meyette and McFadden have me hating him! He has his eye on Jenny, attracted to her, but knows not all is what it seems with her household. He is also slightly imbalanced. He is very unpredictable in his actions, which spirals the arc of the story to its perfect, scary moment!

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

From the first paragraph author Sinclair and narrator Dave Gillies took me on a fast-paced story of injustice and the cruelty of a man’s desire for power and revenge. But it was so much more than that. Guilt runs rampant when Colin kicks himself for not anticipating future events. It’s also about learning to love oneself with all ones imperfections and know that another can, too. And the ultimate takeaway—love-- the most important emotion and should not be ignored!

Two sisters, Kristine and Suzanne MacQueen, have been dealt cruelly by Blackburn MacCromar, a man so vicious with his treatment of these two women, he is very easy to hate. His viciousness leaves Lady Kristina blind. In this story he uses her as a tool to get Anna, Kristina’s sister back into his clutches. But Blackburn has his hands full when it comes to Colin Cameron.

Colin is best friends to laird Neacal McDonald who has fallen in love with Anna. Anna’s love to her sister has the laird ready to save Kristina and protect the woman he loves. Emotions run high, Colin is smitten with Kristina, even though she has a scar running down her cheek and blind. As a reader, I felt the over powering need of this Highlander in love. His need to protect. He came to worship the ground she walked on. But all comes crashing down!

Kristina also falls for Colin, but knows she’s not good enough for him, the first son of a laird. She’s imperfect. Then there is Colin’s clan, will they accept her?

Evil lurks led by Blackburn, a man filled with the hatred of revenge --Red Holme. He’s a danger to Kristina because he’s always wanted to bed the wench. (his words, not mine) But it seems he’s also a danger to Colin and his clan.

Sinclair knows how to ratchet up a good story, difficulties on an emotional level and danger on the physical kept me listening. In fact, it was so good, I listened to it twice.

Narrator Gillies is such a pleasure to listen to. His impersonation of women’s voices is so feminine and life-like, I can see the women. The Highlander men are brawny with deep voices (big men) and sound of compassion. I love his impersonation of the men who are the villains in this story. I feel the evil oozing off them like slime!

If you’re a fan of Highland stories, as I am, you’ll surely enjoy listening to this series.

I found I was sorely lacking in my understanding of this time period during the growth of the colonies of North America. I’m happy to see someone tried to unravel this difficult time, giving it life through a fictious story, yet following historical events. It’s true, it is understood the indigenous Indians didn’t take kindly to the colonists. However, the colonists wouldn’t have survived their initial time in North America if it weren’t for the Indians.

This is a story, true to form, people, no matter what race, find something to harbor against each other. We see our present by reviewing our past. In this historical fiction, Indian tribes fight against each other, the French and vice versa, the English colonists work the Indians against the other colonists to have the upper-hand in controlling the land taken from the Indians. Add to the mix, religious inclinations. It is rather a dismal time in history, one of greed, power, hardship and tragedy, and yes, there is hope.

If I had read or listened to book one of the series, I might have had a better grounding in what was happening. The narrator moved the story along in one aspect, but I was a little confused on the other. Perhaps it was my lack of the historical layout?

Freathy’s voiceover in singing was enjoyable, yet his various dialog voices for the various character kept me guessing who was speaking. His French is very good and the dialog from the Frenchmen I enjoyed. I liked the way he played up some of the witty dialog. Noted, the women didn’t sound like women, so I didn’t catch on who Linto’s wife was when she spoke. The Indian’s spoke with such a wide vocabulary, I had a hard time identifying they were from Indian tribes. Author George wrote the dialog, so Freathy couldn’t really make it sound anything other than it was written. Only in one scene, Linto spoke with broken English, and that was intentional, since he normally spoke fluent English.

I think if I listened to the story another time, I would get more out of the story and follow the historical events better. There were different Indian tribes and several English colonists which were difficult to follow. I admire the author’s attempt to shed some light on this epoch in the colonial history and look forward to his continued work.

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

I was charmed by this suspenseful paranormal with a plethora of fantasy species — witches, elves, fae, werewolves, vampires, shape-shifters, giants, trolls, unicorns, demons, brownies, and wizards.

The crafting of the storyline, with its pacing and character development kept me intrigue and ready to listen any moment I could get.

Since the story picks up right where book 2, A Witch’s Path, leaves off, this series really should be listened to from its beginning. Elron, an elf in his prime, 1500 years old, continues his interest in Michelle, only 25, with a lifespan of 300 since she’s a witch. His approach to dating, or as he says courting, is unsure and tentative. He’s not sure of his feelings, only knows he wants to spend time with Michelle and wants to protect her. He asks the forest to help her, which it willingly does because they like her. Just when he is ready to commit a closer relationship to her, the writer spins a twist in the story, that just makes me say damn!

Michelle’s parents become more important in this story — Michelle’s relationship with her father is stronger and she begins relying upon their advice, but only after she very nearly dies. As her powers grow, so too, does her protective streak toward her family and friends.

Her popularity with the police force has brought her to the forefront of the community. Her powers and strength are unknown in a witch so young. Being clanless, she has trouble avoiding the bombardment of ‘invitations’ from clans who would want such a strong witch to join them. Some ‘invitations’ are down right violent.

I was thrilled to see how Michelle is able to cleverly defeat evil within the community time after time, how Elron’s past is woven into the problems the community is having, and the blossoming sweet love of two individuals very much attracted.

Soundbooth Theater brings the story into living color. It is a pleasure hearing the various voices of the different species, working together to defeat the evil which seems to be focused on Michelle! I enjoyed the emotional moments. They are well done. I know if I listen to anything else from Soundbooth Theater, I’m in for some good entertainment.

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

The teaser on the front cover gave me some idea where the story was going—One painting. Two claimants. Three murders. Isn’t that intriguing?

What I particularly liked about this book is how the author weaves an excellent mystery around a time period and subject I rarely read about. It is quite the eye-opener. The author is familiar with her material from personal experience, living in Amsterdam. She also has degrees in art history and museum studies. With her journalist background, passion for writing, along with the credentials, she created a believable and cunning plot.

I appreciated her story crafting, providing pieces of the mystery while keeping me guessing all along; the way she keeps the mystery unfolding; and the way she moves the reader from the 1940’s to the present as the mystery and suspense coil ever-tighter.

I learned so much about how artists were able to ‘hide’ their work from the greed of those who would take what doesn’t belong to them. I didn’t feel the author pushed ‘history’ down my throat, rather it came as a by-product of the story unfolding. Well written!

This story captures how times have changed, just some 80 years ago, people were much less accepting and tolerant of different life styles. We still struggle with this, however.

I enjoy Zelda’s not-letting-anything-slide attitude with a bit of humor thrown in. She is quite the Nancy Drew of Amsterdam. I also enjoy her exuberance for getting into the Master’s program. I’m hoping Frederick and she will have a future. He is a true friend. Perhaps in a sequel?

The story was a bit of a slow starter and the initial voice portrayed by Carol Purdom fell flat for me, that is, the voice for the museum’s project manager. However, her voice for the old woman who claims the painting is hers, and the belligerent curator reliving his past disappointments, has her doing an admirable job adding energy to the telling.

All-in all, I enjoyed the sleuth and well-written plot.

I came to know Amy Jarecki’s writing through her historical romances and fell in love. Her historicals are loaded with action, intrigue, danger, suspense, and passion. I’m passionate about her writing. But the most wonderful thing is, she’s able to write just as mean a contemporary romantic suspense. Boy, does she get my adrenalin pumping!

With a flip of the switch, language changes I’m in the here and now, same great gripping emotional conflicts, just in a world as dangerous as times of old. I loved the way she uses the here and now, the fears we have today in this story --ISIS, human trafficking, selling weapons illegally, etc. She makes it so real. Amy takes us into the stench of evil, you'll smell it and feel it. She’s certainly done her homework.

I enjoyed the narrator. I hadn’t listened to anything of his before. He handles the accents admirably. I liked his Scandinavian accent a lot. It took me back to my great aunts and uncles. He does American, British and German in this story as well. There is one voice I swear sounded just like GEICO, the lizard from the insurance company. She was the Director of Administration for ICE. He had me snickering. She was something of a lizard in personality, too!

Olivia is a dynamo, she’s revenge on her mind. After joining ICE, she suggests to Garth, the head director, that they recruit Logan Rogers, someone who had saved her life in a very botched mission.

Olivia and Logan create sparks just being in the same. Logan is hooked (but wary), but Olivia doesn’t want to get close to anyone. As the story heats up, so does their relationship. But it’s an on again and off again thing with Olivia. They have a mission they need to accomplish, they both need to focus. Olivia is determined to take down the man who has plagued her nights for years with nightmares.

If you like the thrill of the chase, with danger, injury and possible death, (gads!) you’ll be absolutely pulled into Jarecki’s riveting and mind-boggling series. I had already read book 2 of this series. I just had to catch book 1, Hunt for Evil.

Two analogies used in the storytelling are appropriate to mention here. One is about the making of a cake. I won’t spoil how it’s used in the story, but I think it appropriate to use in the success of a novel.

Every novel has various components in its creation. There is ‘flour’, ‘sugar’, some type of ‘oil or shortening’, ‘eggs’, etc. The final cake, once baked, can be so-so, or better than that. It may be exceptionally fluffy and moist. It may have unusual ingredients separating it from other cakes. The final baked masterpiece is a perfect blend and amount of each ingredient when baked with the perfect amount of heat. These are the cakes you can’t wait to eat over and over, savoring its uniqueness, allowing the consumer to experience more than a cake!

So it is with author Lucinda Brant’s ‘cakes’. Her writing is entrancing, descriptions with such vivid detail I can reach out and touch. The plot is never tiresome, paced in perfect harmony with richly textured characters.

Lord Henri Antoine is challenged on many fronts with personality traits making him a very complex person. He is very much like his father in both looks and character making him even more precious to his mother. The Satyr, his father, acted much like Henri Antoine, but found his heart when he met his duchess to-be.

Lisa is guileless, honest and direct in her speech. An attribute which draws Lord Henri, along with her beauty and character. He doesn’t understand what motivates Lisa’s decisions, but when he does, it is a pivotal moment in their relationship.

I loved how this saga keeps many of the same characters always adding new and interesting ones. The saga is five books, but I can see much more to come. I want to know if Henri Antoine has children, how Elsie, age eight, grows up within her overprotective family, and what success comes of the project Lord Henri and Lisa pursue.

Now, to my other analogy, so appropriate to Alex Wyndham’s narration voice. In the story, a friend of Lisa’s, Becky, a young woman of simple means, hears Lord Henri Antoine’s voice and immediately likens it to the smooth pleasure of drinking chocolate. I concur with Becky! Wyndham animates the story with his utter flexibility depicting each character, whether the suave and controlling Lord Henri, the animated and emotional Jack, or the duke-like arrogance of Julian, Henri’s older brother. All is in harmony with what the author wants the reader to experience. A perfect cake, indeed!