Watch Me Go by Mark Wisniewski

I received an uncorrected paperback proof copy of Watch Me Go by Mark Wisniewski through Goodreads Giveaways.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of Watch Me Go by Mark Wisniewski.

Mark Wisniewski is a new to me author. I enjoyed reading Watch Me Go. I thought Mark Wisniewski's writing was solid and good. I enjoyed the alternating chapters featuring Douglas “Deesh” Sharp's perspective in one chapter, followed by Jan Price's perspective in the next chapter. It made for a thrilling read. 

The following is a plot summary for Watch Me Go by Mark Wisniewski from Amazon:

Douglas “Deesh” Sharp has managed to stay out of trouble living in the Bronx, paying his rent by hauling junk for cash. But on the morning Deesh and two pals head upstate to dispose of a sealed oil drum whose contents smell and weigh enough to contain a human corpse, he becomes mixed up in a serious crime. When his plans for escape spiral terribly out of control, Deesh quickly finds himself a victim of betrayal—and the prime suspect in the murders of three white men.

When Jan, a young jockey from the gritty underworld of the Finger Lakes racetrack breaks her silence about gambling and organized crime, Deesh learns how the story of her past might, against all odds, free him from a life behind bars.

Interweaving Deesh’s and Jan’s gripping narratives, Watch Me Go is a wonderfully insightful work that examines how we love, leave, lose, redeem, and strive for justice. At once compulsively readable, thought-provoking, and complex, it is a suspenseful, compassionate meditation on the power of love and the injustices of hate.

I am giving Watch Me Go by Mark Wisniewski 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski

I listened to Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski and narrated by the author.

Listening time for Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski is 1 hour, 11 minutes.

I was able to download Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski to my Kindle for FREE from Audible.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski.

The only thing I liked about Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski was that it was FREE!!! The author was a poor narrator and I didn't like the dramatic music played throughout this short story... Nor did I care for the long pauses between sections that kept me wondering if Shadow of the Crimson Queen was finally finished.

I didn't care for the storyline, the characters, or the author's writing style. Let's just say, I won't be going out of my way to read anything else written by Eric A. Radulski.

The following is a plot summary for Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski from Audible:

Yaran Blackencloak, a bard with bad luck and a poor reputation, is ripped violently from his mundane existence when he is tempted into the service of a demon goddess. He gets more than he bargains for, though, for when Yaran tries to return to the life he knew, he finds it permanently, tragically changed.

I am giving Shadow of the Crimson Queen by Eric A. Radulski a rating of 1 star out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bout of Books 20 Wrap Up Post

Unfortunately, I've been too busy this past week to make daily update posts for Bout of Books 20 or participate in all of the challenges! Nor I did accomplish as much reading as I would have liked for this read-a-thon, but at least I had a good time reading during Bout of Books 20!

I was able to start and finishing reading Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page, which was a short story 59 pages in length.

I also started and finished listening to the unabridged audio version of Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold. This historical fiction novel, is very thought provoking. Listening time for Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold was 11 hours, 10 minutes.

I finished reading the last 33% of an audiobook titled Hard Candy by Andrew Vachss, that I had begun listening to prior to the start of Bout of Books 20.

I've made headway in another novel I'm reading titled Watch Me Go by Mark Wisniewski. I read about 70 more pages of this novel during Bout of Books 20.

I also participated in the 1st challenge on day 1, which was to describe yourself in six words. Here's how I described myself:

Avid reader, blogger, knitter, wife, daughter!

If you participated in Bout of Books 20, how did you fare this week in terms of reading? Did you meet your reading goals? Did you participate in any of the challenges?

The Journey by Isobelle Carmody

I listened to a short story titled The Journey by Isobelle Carmody and narrated by the author earlier this month! 

Listening time for The Journey by Isobelle Carmody is 48 minutes.

I was able to download The Journey by Isobelle Carmody to my Kindle for FREE from Audible.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of The Journey by Isobelle Carmody.

I enjoyed listening to the The Journey by Isobelle Carmody. It's a dystopian, fantasy/scifi read. I also thought The Journey was well narrated by the author.

The following is a plot summary for The Journey by Isobelle Carmody from Audible:

A bonus never-before-released short story by best-selling author Isobelle Carmody.

Before the apocolyptic Great White - and the regressive theology that ruled the decimated population in its wake - the city of Uropa is a gleaming metropolis devoted wholly to materialistic consumption.

When Emma arrives to meet her childhood idol and continue her research into the emergence of psychic abilities, she must adapt quickly to conceal her personal interest in the subject and protect herself from the city's opportunistic residents.

I am giving The Journey by Isobelle Carmody a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson

I listened to the entire first season of The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson.

Listening time for The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson is 3 hours, 27 minutes.

I was able to download The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson to my Kindle for FREE from Audible!!

Below is my honest, unbiased review of The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson.

I enjoyed listening to The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson. It basically discusses (in seven episodes) what happened when the tech industry gave the world free porn. I thought The Butterfly Effect was a well done program and definitely worth a listen.

The following is the publisher's summary for The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson from Audible:

From best-selling writer Jon Ronson and the executive producer behind the TED Radio Hour and Invisibilia, Audible Originals presents a new seven-episode series, The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson.

[Contains explicit content] Free for a limited time, hear the story of what happened when the tech industry gave the world what it wanted: free porn. Lives were mangled. Fortunes were made. All for your pleasure. Follow writer and narrator Jon Ronson as he uncovers our web of desire. 

I am giving The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Listen to Love by Tom Ballard et. al.

I listened to the entire season of Listen to Love by Tom Ballard, which is a radio show that discusses marriage equality issues in Australia. I definitely believe in marriage equality/same sex marriages and was surprised to learn this fact through listening to Listen to Love by Tom Ballard.

Listening time for Listen to Love by Tom Ballard is 1 hour, 35 minutes.

I was able to download Listen to Love by Tom Ballard to my Kindle for FREE from Audible.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of Listen to Love by Tom Ballard.

I think Listen to Love by Tom Ballard is a very relevant radio show to listen to and am glad that I did. The production quality of this series is really good and so is the message. Since I am pro-same sex marriage, I found that this program was good, but I didn't really learn a lot of new stuff.

The following is the publisher's summary for Listen to Love by Tom Ballard from Audible:

Pop on your headphones, and hit 'play' - Australia, let's talk about love.

Marriage equality is a subject that's captured the hearts and minds of Australians for years, and the topic of love is one for the ages. What is it to love and be loved? What does it mean to have our relationships recognised by the communities we are a part of? These questions and more are explored in Listen to Love, a six-part original audio series from Audible.com.au in partnership with The Equality Campaign.

Listen to Love features some of Australia's favourite voices, including comedian Tom Ballard as host, comedian Joel Creasey with an original stand-up routine, writer and philosopher Damon Young with a thought-provoking discussion on the ethics of love and marriage, TV and radio personality Osher Günsberg reading classic love poetry, and Australian author Catherine Cole with a short story providing a timely reminder that how we experience love is how we experience the world. Bringing us up to speed on the issue of marriage equality in Australia is Dr Shirleene Robinson, a historian focusing on the evolving treatment of gay, lesbian and transgender Australians.

We also hear from everyday Australians whose lives are touched by the ongoing conversation about marriage equality. LGBTIQ couples sit down with broadcaster and performer Joel Carnegie to speak candidly about their relationships, and siblings Angie and Brent Greene explore the family dynamic of love as well as the issue of sexual discrimination in sport. These intimate real-life stories of love and commitment demonstrate the barriers faced by those Australians who are not presently able to marry the ones they love.

Listen to Love is free to download and listen to - don't miss your opportunity to hear these powerful Australian stories brought to you by Audible.com.au and The Equality Campaign.

About the Listen to Love series:

Episode 1: Second Class Citizen - Joel Carnegie with LBGTIQ couplesEpisode 2: What Is Love? - with Joel Creasey, featuring the poem 'Glisten' by Quinn Eades from the collection RallyingEpisode 3: So What's The Status Quo? - Tom Ballard with Dr Shirleene Robinson, featuring the poem 'To Be One with Each Other' by George ElliotEpisode 4: Standing Up for Us - Angie and Brent Greene, featuring the poem 'Sonnet 116' by William ShakespeareEpisode 5: The Ethics of Love - Damon Young, featuring 1 Corinthians 13:4-8Episode 6: Mother Love - by Catherine Cole, narrated by Louise Siverse, featuring the poem 'Love's Philosophy' by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Production of The Space Company for Audible Originals.

I am giving Listen to Love by Tom Ballard a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold

Historical Fiction ~ Audible Edition

I stumbled upon Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold purely by accident. I'd never heard of this historical novel before or it's author. 

After reading the plot summary about Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold on Amazon and seeing the 1,600+ reviews and 4 star rating of this novel by customers, I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version from Audible.

Listening time for Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold is 11 hours, 10 minutes and it is narrated by Nick Sandys.

I enjoy historical fiction... And Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold is definitely a good historical work of fiction. I really liked Jesper Bugge Kold's writing and storytelling, even if many scenes in this novel were difficult to stomach. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the contents of Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold as it leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished reading it.

Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold primarily tells the story of two brothers, Karl and Gerhard, during Nazi Germany. Neither of these men are fans of Adolf Hilter or the Nazi regime. Yet both brothers become complicit in wrongdoings during the war, which weighs heavily on each man by the end of the novel. 

Winter Men is a thought provoking read. Questions of morality and evil kept coming to mind while reading Winter Men. As I was reading about Karl and Gerhard's lives, I came across a few gray areas... Sometimes things just aren't always black and white. I am not condoning the wrongdoings performed by either brother by any means, but simply found myself filled with questions about their actions and many other situations presented in this novel. 

By the way, Nick Sandys is a terrific narrator!! He narrated Winter Men very well. I will forward to hearing other books he narrates.

I think Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold would make a great book club selection to discuss with other readers. 

The following is a plot summary for Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold from Audible:

As the dark specter of the Nazis settles over Germany, two wealthy and educated brothers are suddenly thrust into the rising tide of war. Karl, a former soldier and successful businessman, dutifully answers the call to defend his country, while contemplative academic Gerhard is coerced into informing for the Gestapo. Soon the brothers are serving in the SS, and as Hitler's hateful agenda brings about unspeakable atrocities, they find themselves with innocent blood on their hands.

Following Germany's eventual defeat, Karl and Gerhard are haunted by their insurmountable guilt, and each seeks a way to escape from wounds that will never heal. They survived the war and its revelation of systematic horrors, but can they survive the unshakable knowledge of their own culpability?

I am giving Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

50/50 Friday ~~ Book You've Enjoyed With the Most/Least Pages

50/50 Friday is a meme hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reads and Laura @ Blue Eye Books. This fun themed meme focuses on the opposite sides of books (best/worst, differing opinions, etc). Every week a new topic will give bloggers the chance to showcase their answers.

This week's topic is the Book You've Enjoyed With the Most/Least Pages.

I have read a lot of books over the years, so it's difficult to try to remember all my my favorite books in terms of which one I liked with the least pages and most pages... But here goes nothing!

Book You've Enjoyed With the Most Pages

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I read this novel at least 2 decades ago

and loved it!

Book You've Enjoyed With the Least Pages

Kentucky on the Rocks by Gwendolyn Grace

(click on link above to read my review)

Share with me your favorite book with the most/least amount of pages.

Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page

Cozy Mystery Short Story

I enjoy reading cozy mystery novels and I love Pomeranians, so deciding to read Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page was a no brainer for me.

I was able to download Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page to my Kindle for FREE from Amazon.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page.

There were quite a few editing issues in this short story that need some attention. Also there were a few confusing scenes or at the very least some scenes that needed some clarification. I felt like Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page had so much potential to be a fantastic read.

The following is a plot summary for Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page from Amazon:

Winning at ALL costs... can be costly.

Christy Roberts, owner of Alfie's Bed & Breakfast, has been getting a nice flow of customers due to the Winnona Peak’s Annual Dog Show. 

When one of the shows participants J.W. Augustine turns up dead in his room at Alfie's Bed &Breakfast, Christy is determined to find out if this was an accident or a stealthy-murder.

With a complicated trio of possible suspects in play, each with motive, Christy, along with her two trusty Pomeranians are set to find out who is the killer. But this one could get a little hairy.

I am giving Dog Days Murderous Nights (Winnona Peaks Mysteries #1) by Emily Page a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!