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Release date: December 21, 2016

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Narrators: Ryan Vincent Anderson & Pete Bradbury 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

Alex Cross chases a cold-blooded killer…with a conscience. Shots ring out in the early morning hours in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. When the smoke clears, a prominent police official lies dead, leaving the city’s police force scrambling for answers. Under pressure from the mayor, Alex Cross steps into the leadership vacuum to crack the case. But before Cross can make any headway, a brutal crime wave sweeps across the region. The deadly scenes share only one common thread–the victims are all criminals. And the only thing more dangerous than a murderer without a conscience, is a killer who thinks he has justice on his side. As Cross pursues an adversary who has appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner, he must take the law back into his own hands before the city he’s sworn to protect descends into utter chaos. 

Review: 

I always look forward to a new Alex Cross book, this is the twenty fourth book in the series, yes the twenty fourth! Amazing, and I’ve read every single one but this is the first time I listened to one and I have to say, it was an awesome one to listen to. My husband and I went to Vegas last week and listened to this on the way there and back and it was perfect to occupy us and keep us entertained. I love that my husband, who is a total non reader, will always listen to a Patterson book with me, that speaks volumes! 

In typical Patterson fashion there are multiple cases, one where he loses a fellow officer which is always a huge blow, then another where a team of vigilantes are taking justice into their own hands by targeting individuals who they perceive to be doing wrong. Alex gets offered a new position as chief of detectives, but declines, then his wife Bree takes the job, putting some strain on their marriage. 

One of my favorite things about this series is the way Patterson always breaks the tension occasionally by checking in on Alex and his family. This was no exception and I loved seeing what Damon, Jannie, little Ali and Nana Mama were up to, she is just the best character, I think everyone would love a grandma like her. By now, I feel like I’ve really been able to truly know these people and the characterization of Alex is deep and strong.

This series always entertains, there were plenty of red herrings along the way to throw you off and the narration was excellent. Two narrators, one for the bulk and then one for the “bad guy” was fantastic and both did an amazing job portraying their parts. I don’t think fans of this series will be disappointed, and even if you’ve not read any of these books it works well as a standalone. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Hachette Audio for my review copy. 

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Release date: November 4, 2016

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Narrator: Erin Bennett

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Christmas

Blurb: 

Gather under the mistletoe for one last round of caroling with the Quinn family in this heartwarming conclusion to Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling Winter Street Trilogy. Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn’s old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there’s hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can’t quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can’t decide between the two lovers that she’s been juggling with limited success. However, if there’s one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it’s Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle’s wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place–and the people–they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again. 

Review:

Elin Hilderbrand is one of my auto buy authors, nothing says summertime like one of her books. A couple of years ago she came out with Winter Street followed by Winter Stroll and I was thrilled. One of my favorite beach read authors was writing a Christmas series?! Bliss. I’ve often wanted to hear about how different Nantucket is during the winter months and it sounds every bit as enchanting as I had imagined.

This is the third book in a trilogy and I really wouldn’t recommend starting here. The first two books are so great and you would be missing out on such a fun series! Here’s what I suggest. Buy all three, you won’t have to wait like I did, and read them all under a plush throw next to your Christmas tree. I promise that they will not only entertain you, they’ll put you in a festive mood.

I’ve really come to love the Quinn family by now. They are a totally dysfunctional group, but aren’t most families a little bit dysfunctional? In her usual fashion, Hilderbrand has a different character narrating every chapter. I’ll break down the family dynamics really quickly, but trust me when I say that I think you’ll at least like every single one of them, maybe even love them. Kelley is the father and matriarch, he has two ex wives, Mitzi and Margaret. He runs an inn in Nantucket with Mitzi and they have a son Bart. He’s a marine and has been missing in Afghanistan. Margaret is a news anchor for CBS and they have three children together; Patrick, Kevin and Ava. Patrick is married to Jennifer and he’s in jail for a white collar crime. (Fraud) Kevin is engaged to Isabelle and has a baby daughter. Ava is an elementary music teacher and is dating two men, Nathaniel and Scott. Phew! I’ll stop there, that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Erin Bennett did a fantastic job as the narrator, her voice is soothing and melodic, but very entertaining. Coupled with an amazing narrator, you have this fascinating plot with so much going on. Every single person in the Quinn family has their own personal struggles and issues and I loved seeing how they dealt with them as well as how they interacted with each other. I’m really bummed that the series is over, I have to wait until next summer for a new Hilderbrand book?! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Hachette Audio for my review copy.

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Release date: August 16, 2016

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Mystery

Narrator: Stephen Lane 

Blurb: 

When Jordie Bennet and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. Shaw gives off a dangerous vibe that makes men wary and inspires women to sit up and take notice. None feel that undercurrent more strongly than savvy businesswoman Jordie, who doesn’t belong in a seedy dive on the banks of a bayou. But here she is . . . and Shaw Kinnard is here to kill her. 

As Shaw and his partner take aim, Jordie is certain her time has come. But Shaw has other plans and abducts Jordie, hoping to get his hands on the $30 million her brother has stolen and, presumably, hidden. However, Shaw is not the only one looking for the fortune. Her brother’s ruthless boss and the FBI are after it as well. Now on the run from the feds and a notorious criminal, Jordie and Shaw must rely on their wits-and each other-to stay alive. 

Miles away from civilization and surrounded by swampland, the two play each other against their common enemies. Jordie’s only chance of survival is to outwit Shaw, but it soon becomes clear to Shaw that Jordie isn’t entirely trustworthy, either. Was she in on her brother’s scam, or is she an innocent pawn in a deadly vendetta? And just how valuable is her life to Shaw, her remorseless and manipulative captor? Burning for answers-and for each other-this unlikely pair ultimately make a desperate move that could be their last.

With nonstop plot twists and the tantalizing sexual tension that has made Sandra Brown one of the world’s best-loved authors, STING will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final pages.

Review: 

I’ve only read one other book by Brown before and I enjoyed it, so when I had an opportunity to listen to her newest, Sting I jumped at the chance. She’s a widely popular author, deservedly so, and though I tend to read more thriller type books, I do like to add romantic suspense to my TBR from time to time. I think even with the addition of romance in this one, most thriller fans would find this an excellent read. 

Lang is an unbelievably talented narrator and as anyone who listens to books can attest to, a good or bad narrator can make or break things. He has a very gravelly, gruff voice that added so much to the story. I especially liked his portrayal and characterization of Shaw, he sounded exactly perfect and just how I imagined. He really was phenomenal and I would listen to anything he voiced, no matter the author.

Jordie meets Shaw one night when she visits a seedy bar that she has no business entering. Shaw is a hit man hired to take her out, but when things take an unexpected turn, they’re forced to work together. Jordie knows that her brother Josh has hidden over thirty million dollars somewhere, and the hit must be directly related to Josh’s schemes. And that’s all I’m going to reveal about the plot, trust me, the less you know the better.

The plot here was so twisty and tense, the big twist blew me away, I didn’t see it coming at all! There were also quite a few smaller, but still powerful turns that caught me off guard. The characters were interesting and because of all of the turns Brown took plot wise, I went from hating to loving them several different times. The secondary characters were also great, I always love seeing inside the minds of police personnel and with the FBI involved, there was plenty of interesting perspectives from them. Don’t let the romantic aspect put you off either, it’s important to the story but it doesn’t overpower it. And if you’re a fan of romance, all the better as it adds something unique to the story.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Hachette Audio for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website
Release date: September 6, 2016

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Narrator: Graeme Malcolm

Goodreads blurb: 

Evil has a new game …Someone is luring men from the streets to play a mysterious, high stakes game in the English countryside. Former Special Forces officer David Shelley will go undercover to shut it down–but this might be a game he can’t win.

Review: 

These BookShots are quite addicting, there’s something really fun about being able to read/listen to a book in a really short timeframe. This one came in at just under three hours which seems to be the typical run time for these books. Once again, that short and sweet blurb still managed to catch my attention and I knew it would be an action packed and thrilling read.

David Shelley learns that his friend, Cookie has been killed as part of a strange  game that wealthy men are playing. They’re contacting homeless men and convincing them to play a hunting game, but they are the prey. He decides to go in undercover with the help of Simon Claridge who is a MI5 agent. But when David’s real identity is revealed to the awful men in charge of this game, all bets are off. 

Malcolm was a good narrator, his voice was the right blend of melodic and captivating that audiobook narrators should be. The story was good, even if the whole humans as prey bit is a little overdone. It’s short and frantic pace doesn’t allow character development as there is simply not enough time, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue. This was slightly different from the usual Patterson book, I’m guessing that’s because of his co author. It had a real covert, spy mission feeling to it with plenty of thrilling scenes and dangerous action scenes.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to Hachette Audio for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon|Author Website

Release date: September 6, 2016

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Narrators: Becky Ann Baker and Christopher Ryan Grant 

Goodreads blurb: 

I know who killed my son. Molly Rourke’s son has been murdered … and she knows who’s responsible. Now she’s taking the law into her own hands. Never underestimate a mother’s love.

Review:

That blurb is sure short, sweet and cuts right to the chase! Even though it’s brief it sure caught my eye. A mother avenging her sons death is both heartbreaking and gripping and I was curious as to how this would play out, especially as this is one of Patterson’s Bookshots, which is like a novella meant to be read in one sitting in a few hours. This was my first time listening to a Bookshot and man am I ever hooked!

Molly Rourke is a woman on a mission. Someone sold her son, Alex crystal meth that killed him. He was only fifteen and Molly’s whole world. The only way she can cope is by making a plan. She wants revenge and she will stop at nothing to ensure the men who had a hand in Alex’s death are brought to justice.

Both the narrators for this are fantastic. Molly is voiced by Becky Ann Baker and Christopher Ryan Grant narrates from the perspective of the FBI agent who is in charge of apprehending Molly and her brothers as they set off on a crime spree the likes of which he’s never seen before.The story is set in West Texas and both had awesome accents that made you feel like you were standing next to them under a blazing Texas sun. 

This was perfect to read/listen to in one afternoon and I was really caught up in what the outcome would be. Listening time is just shy of three hours, a nice bite sized read. The twist in this one threw me for a loop, I was honestly not expecting that from such a brief story! This book was fun, flew along at warp speed and still managed to blindside me, so pack it in your bag on your next vacation.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Hachette Audio for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: August 1, 2016

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Genre: Thriller

Narrator: Danny Mastrogiorgio

Goodreads blurb: 

Caught in the crossfire of a deadly standoff, Detective Michael Bennett must kill…or be killed.

Tensions between America and Russia are the highest they’ve been since the Cold War. As the countries’ Presidents travel to the United Nations to iron out their differences, a fashionable husband and wife team of lethal assassins prowls the streets of Manhattan hunting their prey–a professor hiding a scandalous secret. Their next target: the extremely popular President of the United States of America. Pulled away from his family and pressed into service, Detective Michael Bennett must trace the source of a threat that could rip the country apart–and what he finds may turn the Cold War red hot once again. With allegiances constantly in doubt and no one above suspicion, only Bennett can step into the line of fire to save the President before the deadly kill shot hits its mark.

Review: 

I’m such a huge fan of the Detective Michael Bennett series and James Patterson in general. There is a reason that he’s a global phenomenon and he never disappoints. This is the ninth book in the Michael Bennett series, but you could easily read this as a standalone. 

Oftentimes in this series there is a large focus on the Bennett family or they are somehow linked to Michael’s investigation. This time, we see very little of the family and things focus more on a separate case involving the President of the United States. I was slightly bummed out that we didn’t hear much from Seamus or Mary Catherine but I’m confident we will see more of them in the future. There is a secondary storyline with one of the ten Bennett children, Brian that offered some insight into his character which was nice.

Bullseye read more like a political thriller than some of the previous books in the series. There is a husband and wife assassin team targeting the President and Bennett and the NYPD must bring them down as the consequences if they are successful are too terrible to fathom. If you’re a weapons fan, this is for you. There was plenty of talk about various guns and while I may as well have been listening to a foreign language, my husband was impressed when he overheard a few chapters.

Mastrogiorgio is one of my favorite audiobook narrators and once again he really brought Michael Bennett to life. His voice is exactly what I would imagine Bennett to sound like and I’m always reminded that I’m so glad I’ve listened to this entire series instead of read them myself. 

No one does explosive, dynamic scenes like Patterson. His pacing is so spot on, per usual, and every chapter ends on some sort of cliffhanger. The tension is palpable and you can feel the urgency in each chapter. This book is classic Patterson with a good guys versus bad guys theme and there is no better good guy than Detective Bennett. Even though you know who the bad guy is, it’s still an exciting game of cat and mouse that ends in an action packed, nonstop conclusion. I cannot wait for book number ten!

Overall rating: 4/5

Huge thanks to Hachette Audio for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Last month I read Baby Doll and absolutely loved it! When the publisher offered me an audiobook copy I was thrilled. In case you missed it, I’m a huge fan of audiobooks and I was excited to hear the book come to life.

Since I already reviewed the story itself, I’m just going to do a mini review of the audiobook portion. 

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, MacLeod Andrews and Ellen Archer

Run time: 9 hours and 52 minutes 

Review: 

Hollie Overton herself hand picked the narrators for this audiobook and she did such a fantastic job! These voices truly brought her characters to life and a few times while listening I actually got chills. 

Even though I already knew what was going to happen, I still found myself mesmerized by this audiobook. There is something so melodic and hypnotizing about being read to. There was so much emotion in each narrators voice that doesn’t come across the same in plain text. 

Overall rating: 5/5 (I actually bumped up my rating of the regular print edition, which was 4.5 because I loved this audiobook that much. It really took this book to the next level for me)

Thanks to Hachette Book Group for my copy in exchange for an honest review.