Bind the Soul

Steel & Stone Series, Book 2

By: Annette Marie

Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

The most important rule for an Apprentice Consul is simple: Don't get involved with daemons. Well, Piper is planning to break that rule - big time. After a near-deadly scandal with the Sahar Stone, she has the chance to return to the only life she's ever wanted. All she has to do to keep her Apprenticeship is forget about Ash and Lyre. Ash might be enigmatic and notoriously lethal, and Lyre might be as sinfully irresistible as he is irritating, but they're not bad for a couple of daemons. There's just one problem: Ash is missing.

Really, she shouldn't risk her future for him. He lied. He betrayed her. But he also saved her life, damn it. Wherever he is, he's in trouble, and if she doesn't save his sorry butt, who will? But with every dangerous secret she unravels, each one darker than the last, she slips deeper into Ash's world - a world with no escape for either of them.

©2015 Annette Marie (P)2015 Tantor

Great series but fell a little flat.

Where does Bind the Soul rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love this series. The chemistry between Piper and Ash is amazing. Annette does awesome job of sucking you in, I was hooked immediately. By then end I was a little disappointed, I don't think the second book reached its potential.

Have you listened to any of Jorjeana Marie’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I was so disappointed when I saw Jorjeana was narrating this one too. I had a horrible time with the first book. She was so nasally. BBBUUUTTT I need to apologize to her, the sinus infection was finally gone! I think she did a great job. I look forward to listening to book three with her!!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I in fact did listen in one sitting. I woke up early on my day off so I could start it and canceled a family dinner so i could finish it....... (sorry mom, I couldn't help it)

Any additional comments?

*** Spoilers****** Beside loving this book I think it did have some issues. In my review of the first book I noted I wished it wasn't a YA book. I didn't see Piper as someone under 18. She just wasn't a believable teenager. She seemed closer to 22-24. I have to say I believe that even more now. I think if Annette would have pushed into New Adult or Adult it would have been GRAND SLAM... There was so much drama/action/suspense that you missed out on Piper and Ash. They were apart for most of the book, which I think hurt and slowed down the story. When Piper goes to rescue Ash it takes FOREVER and every fight scene was drawn out to only find themselves in a new fight. I wish that the action was cut down and filled with more Piper and Ash. Their chemistry is off the charts and it doesn't really get explored. Neither one of them say a word, not ONE word about caring for the other. Which seems crazy, Ash should have killed Piper in the last book. But he doesn't, he controls himself around her. She calms him when nothing else does. Yet they don't talk about it at all. Never even comes up... Then we have the ending.... I HATED it. This majority of this book is trying to save Ash or trying to save Piper. The battle is finally over, it is time to leave and Piper wants to stay and go to school????? Seriously! Then all Ash does is say "you sure?" Piper says yes. Then BOOM he leaves. Just like that. Gone. Piper literally went into HELL to save him, then is like eh school sounds better????? Absurd. This is another reason why I don't think YA works. Piper is almost killed a dozen times, Ash "dies" a dozen time, all of this is brushed off so she can go to school???? WTF just happened :/ super bummed. How about I love you and can't be without you!!! Makes no sense to me.

good sequel...but...narrator awful

Look, I purchased the first book and really enjoyed (well, actually, I liked it - ended up reading it on Kindle). The narrator Jorjeana Marie is actually quiet good on some books that she's narrated. However, ALL recent narrations from her are horrid - she has an extremely nasal delivery; and I don't mean "nasal" as in "accent" or "dialect" - I am from NYC and a lot of people think that a "New York" accent/dialect sounds nasal. That's NOT what I mean, I mean that this woman needs to seriously either blow her nose or get herself sorted out medically. She sounds like she has a horrid cold/flu/plague, etc. It's absolutely unbearable to listen to and should not be allowed to record audiobooks. It's not like the audiobooks are free for god's sake... This review is NOT for content of book or the author (I ended up purchasing a Kindle version so that I actually could enjoy the book). I just felt that it was appropriate to review the "narrator" since this is an audiobook site. So, please do, buy the book - it's quite good, but not in the audio format.

Better Voice Performance!!

I enjoyed Chase the Dark, but had difficulty adjusting to the "raging head cold" quality of the narrator's voice - even though the voice actor is talented, the stuffy sound of her voice almost stopped me from listening to the whole book. I am so happy to report that quality is much diminished in Bind the Soul and I enjoyed the story even more!! Definitely worth a listen!!

One of the best series I have read

Non stop action. It keeps you in the edge of your seat. Never a dull moment in this series.

Ash has disappeared and Piper goes looking for him. She knows she is not supposed to get involved with daemons but she can't help it. He has saved her life more than once.

Love this series!!!

I enjoyed the Steel and Stone series...

...so much that I just started listening to it for the 4th time in a row. This one is the most difficult (emotionally) to listen to, especially since my primary reason for listening is pure escapism.

Good Story and More Depressing, but Necessary

What made the experience of listening to Bind the Soul the most enjoyable?

I didn't enjoy this book near as much because of the constant depressing parts. With that being said, all of the trials that Ash and Piper had to go through in this book is probably setting up the greater, overall plot. Its like Episode V of Star Wars where the middle movie is darker and not as much fun as the first but is necessary for Episode VI to make sense.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bind the Soul?

When Piper was taken captive.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Piper rescued the girl from prison.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I really wanted to hurry up and get to a less oppressive parts.

Not as good as book 1

Felt long and uneventful in areas. Little to no character growth. Villain flat, doesn't spark emotions.

Better then Chase the Dark

Where does Bind the Soul rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would not say taht it was the best audiobook I've listend to but it's still one of the better.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Again as in Chase the Dark the ending was not obvious but not strangely twisting like in some books.

Did Jorjeana Marie do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Some characters did sounde similar but I didn't get confused by it. She didn't sounde like she had a cold like in Chase the Dark.

Any additional comments?

Bind the Soul left like feeling that it could or maby need another in the series but it also feelt like ot could end there but then it would feel a little like unfinished.

amazingly strong, touching, cant put it down

This is my 4th time listening to the series, and every time its better and better. i feel a connection to the characters, and cant put it down. love the narrator too.

Hooked again

Once again the author had me hungrily eating up each chapter, eager to find out what happens next. Not sure I'm gonna be able to wait until my next audible credit's audible credit rest in peace my food money.

Bind the soul

Another brilliant book wife and I still can't get enough can't wait for the next book