Behind Blue Eyes

Never Die by Rob J. Hayes My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this book from the author. Now, that’s what I’m talking about when I say I love the Grimdark subgenre. This is it exactly. Many describe Grimdark fantasy as that which is bleak and full of misery, lacking in hope. But to me, that’s not what it is at all. It might have some of these things on the surface, but it’s much more than that. I see it more as the story of grey characters striding the line between being a hero and a villain. It’s a struggle within and the study of the internal conflict that the characters must deal with as they contemplate and live with their choices. Never Die is full of blood and mayhem and poor odds of survival and success for our characters. But at the heart of that is hope, as each of them looks within and considers the balance between right and wrong. Ein is a child “gifted” with the ability to bring fallen heroes back from the dead. In exchange, th...

Strong Ending A Journey from Combat to Comedy by Audible Originals My rating: 5 of 5 stars So after my last couple of audiobooks didn't go so well, I wondered if it was me. I couldn't concentrate, couldn't focus. Couldn't give a rat's ass about the story I was ignoring. This was just what I needed. It was short, so it wasn't intimidating at all. But it was long enough to show that I do have focus and an attention span if I'm interested in the subject. As a veteran, I appreciate the efforts made to help these vets treat their depression and PTSD and anxiety through comedy. I cracked up several times, and I could hear how therapeutic it was for the vets sharing their experiences. I never went through any combat situations during my time in the Air Force, but I have always had a spot in my heart for those that have. View all my reviews

City of the Dead by Kristi Belcamino My rating: 4 of 5 stars Want a fast paced story that you can't put down until you're finished, go with Gia Santella. It took me a few chapters, but once I was hooked, I could do little else. I have the first four in a collected ebook, and held off the temptation to jump right into book 2, only because I have a few other things I need to finish before the year ends. View all my reviews

Bound - A Book of the Ancestor Short Story by Mark Lawrence My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was amazing. A short story, yes, but it was as satisfying as a longer work. Fans of Nona and Ara and the Book of the Ancenstor books will love this. It's a self contained story that gives us a snapshot into the lives of these girls, a great teaser for the next book. I'll be reading it again, and it even made me want to go back and reread the first two novels. View all my reviews

The Methuselah Treatment by T.C. Powell My rating: 4 of 5 stars Here's a nice little story set in a scary near future. It was a bonus to the end of the Death of Dulgath novel by Michael J. Sullivan. I'd certainly be curious to check out more in this dystopian future. View all my reviews

Song by Jesse Teller My rating: 4 of 5 stars Book One of the Manhunters series starts off with a hook, with our “hero” Rayph playing a game in a bathhouse and a serving boy approaches. "I’m afraid we are about to be interrupted.." See full review at Grimdark Magazine View all my reviews

Ella Dethroned by Brandon Barr My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was a freebie over at AudFans. It made for a decent two-hour listen, introducing the Song of the Worlds. I'll still want to read the main series, but this was well written if a little romancey in parts. It was meant to be a preview to the audiobook versions of the main books coming out soon. The reader isn't bad, but I'll probably go to the ebook versions that I've already purchased. I'd review the actual AudFans edition, but the last time I did that it got deleted. View all my reviews