Although I have a great fondness for my home state, California was a mistake. At a glance, it is all beauty, abundance, and wealth, but cock your head just so and there they are: the successive waves of blood-soaked dispossession, the carnage of a polity founded and renewed by fortune-seekers who never seem to realize […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2022/08/31/brutal-place-playing-at-paradise/
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood delivered a new STEMinist RomCom and this time we are going to NASA. I have loved all of Hazelwood’s romances and while I enjoyed Love on the Brain; I wanted more. Come find out why….
Love on the Brain
by Ali Hazelwood
Narrator: Brooke Bloomingdale
Length: 11 hours and 7 minutes
Genres: Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.3x
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis—with explosive results.
Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project—a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia—Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school—archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it’s her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do
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Brooke Bloomingdale narrates and did a splendid job of capturing Bee from her personality to struggles. I would listen to her again. I’ve listened to the past three Hazelwood releases and found her books work well in this format.
Do I recommend Love on the Brain? Of course I do. Despite my frustrations, I had a good time listening and loved the characters, despite wanting more. I adore this author and her STEM romances. I cannot wait to see what the author brings us next.
Amazon | Audible
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood offered a RomCom to feed your inner nerd. #Audiobook #BrookeBloomingdale #audiobookreview
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Ali Hazelwood is a multi-published author—alas, of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, crocheting, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/08/love-on-the-brain-by-ali-hazelwood.html
Narrated by Lorelei King, The Graveside Bar and Grill by Darynda Jones is a novella in the Charley Davidson series. Donovan St. James’ is monitoring the doctor at the request of one precocious teen in this heated and suspenseful tale.
The Graveside Bar and Grill
by Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #13.7
Narrator: Lorelei King
Length: 2 hours and 42 minutes
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating:
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.35x
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Darynda Jones comes a new story in her Charley Davidson series…
When Donovan St. James’ precocious charge asks him—no questions asked—to tail the doctor who keeps their ragtag team patched up, he wants to refuse. Not because the saucy teen is getting too big for her britches, ordering him around like a mob boss, but because the woman stirs feelings in him he would rather not explore. However, when evil threatens the doc’s life, he realizes he has no choice. Sia saved his life once. He will try to return the favor. He just prays he can do it without losing his heart.
Running from the supernatural entity that has destroyed entire worlds to have her, Sia thought she’d found a haven on Earth with a motley team of warriors protecting the girl destined to save humanity. But when Sia’s found, she realizes something on this plane is more scrumptious than her: that very teen. So, she runs—and Donovan St. James follows. Nothing is more alluring than a scruffy biker with a lacerating gaze. And she vows to tell him that…if they survive.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
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I am always grateful for stories from this world and its characters. In this story Donovan St James, biker and owner of The Graveside Bar and Grill, whose one of those tasked with protecting Beep is doing a side job for said savior of the world. Beep has asked him to keep an eye on Dr. Lucia Mirabel. The doctor is the one who took care of Beep after her little worldly trip. Lucia’s real name is Sia, and she’s not exactly human…. well, you’ll see.
I loved the premises of the story and found it fascinating, but would have preferred a full-length story. Sia’s story is interesting, and it was easy to sympathize with her actions and current predicament. Danger is coming and Sia fears for the girl Donovan is protecting.
The audio is just under three hours, but Jones does a good job of enlightening us regarding Dr. Lucia. We first met her in a previous novella. We learned about others like her, which made me curious. For fans of the series, we glimpsed Charley, Reyes and others. The romantic aspect was more telling than show, which is why I would have preferred a longer story. However, Jones made it work, and I enjoyed their story from the suspense to their interaction.
Lorelei King narrates and does a stellar job. While I read the series, I have listened to the most of the novellas. She set the tone, enhanced the conversations and made listening pleasurable. As always, there is humor mixed in the tale and King nails it.
The story left me excited for Beeps series. While this is a standalone, I think fans of the series will appreciate it more.
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The Graveside Bar and Grill by Darynda Jones has Donovan St. James’ looking out for the doctor. #CharleyDavidson #1001DarkNights #audiobook #urbanfantasy #LoreleiKing
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NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press, the Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.
Lorelei is a multi- award-winning narrator of audiobooks, recording the works of best-selling authors Janet Evanovich, Darynda Jones and Patricia Briggs among others. In addition to numerous Audiofile Earphone and Audie Awards, she was voted Performer of the Year in 1999 and 2001 by the United Kingdom APA and Best Narrator of the Year by Audible.com in 2011. In 2017, she was honoured to be one of the first inductees into Audible’s Narrator Hall of Fame.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/08/the-graveside-bar-and-grill-by-darynda-jones.html
The Very Dead Of Winter follows three men who are engaged in a war over in Europe at the time of The Battle of the Bulge. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
When I started this series in 2019, I was hunting different game than you might expect. I not only wanted to present the war as a study of the moral, psychological and sensory pressures placed on men in combat, and to do so from both sides of the conflict, I wanted the settings to be unfamiliar to the reader; to cover ground that had seldom been seen in war fiction. The first novel in the series, Sinner’s Cross, was therefore set in the Huertgen Forest Campaign, which has gone down a sort of cultural memory hole because it was a bloody disaster and a not a glorious victory. In regards to Very Dead, I understand everyone knows about the Battle of the Bulge, but what people may not know is that the Bulge was actually a campaign, a whole series of battles, and that some of them have been ignored or deliberately forgotten by historians. My characters will be found in the places history has avoided.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
I always insist that my characters have an internal struggle which they are attempting to resolve even as they are faced with constant external danger. I also insist that each character is sufficiently developed within my own mind that their behavior is consistent and rings true, even as they undergo personality changes due to the nature of war itself. Each character must have a personality and a moral code (or an absence of one) which makes him distinct and realistic.
What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the story’s theme?
Among other things, which included interviewing WW2 vets when I was in college, I read innumerable firsthand accounts of the conflict, and found that while no two people react exactly the same way to war, there is a great deal of commonality in the experiences of men who have been in military service and seen extensive combat. Not only terror and loneliness but also boredom, discomfort, cynicism, frustration and disillusion are all common reactions to war, even from people we might otherwise consider dedicated and heroic. I tried to pick up on those themes and deploy them within each character’s psychology. It was very important to me to avoid both “Greatest Generation” hero-worship (of the Americans) and Hollywood stereotyping (of the Germans), but actually get at the real people behind those photographs in history books, their souls and beating hearts. Ultimately this is a chronicle of men and women, not icons, and I let that be my guiding star.
What is the next book in the Sinner’s Cross series that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working my way through the third novel, South of Hell, right now, and I hope to release it late in 2023. I foresee this series as having as many as seven books, coming out about once a year from now on.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Website
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/08/31/the-nature-of-war-itself/
Young Sunita and her family have lost all their possessions in a house fire. As well as lost their beloved dog Taro. The story opens with Sunita living with relatives nearby, where her family home has burned down while the parents and neighbors rebuild. This story spans over a few weeks as the rebuilding is happening and follows Sunita through her depression and struggle over this traumatic event. Can things be rebuilt when things seem hopeless?
Saved from the Flames by Tuula Pere is a story with a profound message of rebuilding not only from physical tragedies or traumas but also internally, emotionally, and mentally. After the fire, Sunita is clearly being affected internally by what was lost. The home wasn’t filled with gems or jewels but was a modest home filled with things that held priceless meaning to herself and her family. Add on top of that, her parents argue and blame one another instead of comforting each other and caring emotionally for Sunita. Leaving her feeling detached, abandoned, and isolated.
What the author does well in this children’s book is properly convey to young readers in a simplistic way a rather deep and sometimes emotionally overwhelming real-life trauma. I love that the author knew how to incorporate the sense of community with the neighbors helping rebuild their home by donating their time and supplies. Also, the importance of family and being there for one another through the good and especially the bad times. The author also made an amazing choice by bringing in help from teachers and doctors because sometimes those people can be intimidating to children or someone they wouldn’t even think to ask for help from. I feel the author has a great sense of what it takes to heal inside after trauma, as well as the kind of outside help that is needed as well.
Pages: 16 | ASIN : B07HYW4C3S
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/08/31/saved-from-the-flames/
The Touch of Her Voice by Sara Scott is a beautiful, realistic story narrated by Jensy, who falls deeply in love with Sophie. In a sudden whirlwind of unexpected romance, Sophie and Jensy develop a deep connection, which evolves into an incredible journey together. As with many relationships, Jensy and Sophie experience an initial powerful and electric bond. However, as Jensy is preparing to finish graduate school and has dealt with many challenges in the past, including previous relationships, Sophie offers her a clean, new slate in life and a brighter future ahead.
The author’s first-person narration is captivating and emotionally exciting. Jensy’s mixed feelings about diving into a new relationship are genuine and authentic. She knows the impact of heartbreak and considers getting too close to Sophie. They grow together through difficult life experiences and good times, which ultimately shape their future with unexpected twists throughout their lives.
As Jensy and Sophie take the next step in their relationship and move in together, Jensy consistently ponders over her past and whether or not it will haunt their relationship. Will she fall into the same pattern as before or move forward into a better place with Sophie? As their love grows, Jensy must work through many obstacles in life, and ultimately, both women will face a life that is both rewarding and challenging.
Sara Scott writes a fantastic story that is both heartwarming and gut-wrenching at the same time. She gives the reader a well-written, engaging account of a realistic love story that details how the natural magic of love can become complicated and that sometimes, the most devastating hurdles in life are unavoidable. I give Sara Scott’s The Touch of Her Voice a solid 5 out of 5 stars for the refreshing, well-written story that is all too real and sentimental. The love story and journey of Jensy and Sophie will captivate you from the very beginning and keep you holding on throughout the book.
Pages: 321 | ASIN : B0B29J6KVW
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/08/31/the-touch-of-her-voice/
The Owl and the Shepherd Boy by Tuula Pere follows young Nicky, a shepherd boy who is tasked with managing the cottage and goats for one week while his father goes back down the mountain to the valley where the family lives. Unfortunately, a large storm comes thundering through, destroying the cottage and scaring his goats away. Now Nicky is left with nothing but a torn blanket and must find his way down the mountains back home.
This story teaches children the importance of responsibility and ownership of one’s life. Nicky is now of age to where he must help the family with shepherding duties, and with that comes the responsibility for the goats’ overall well-being and being able to live on one’s own even when fear is present. The author shows this with Nicky’s problem-solving and survival skills. Of course, accepting a little help from a friendly owl would aid in the journey down the mountain but allowing to be helped is also another life lesson that is taught in this story.
I enjoyed the illustrations by Catty Flores immensely. I felt the artwork was vivid and colorful, even in the parts that were dark and stormy. Nicky was venturing down the mountain, the wind was blowing his hair, and the tattered blanket came to life through the well-crafted art. The author and the illustrator had great vision when bringing this story to life.
The Owl and the Shepherd Boy is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children the value of accepting help when offered and learning to trust. It also teaches kids that it is okay to be afraid of things like the dark and that you can overcome your fears. This inspirational story is a great starting point for families and teachers when discussing concerns and what to do in a natural disaster.
Pages: 16 | ASIN : B07HYLRWN2
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/08/31/the-owl-and-the-shepherd-boy/
Echoes of Ilium celebrates the lesser-known culture of the oil field and its even lesser-known legendary hero, Buck Burnet. While tales of Buck’s mythical feats travel throughout Texas and Louisiana, no one is sure which (if any) are true. Mike Brown, a young engineer in the industry, is determined to find out. Upon meeting Buck, Mike finds him to be a true hero but an even truer friend.
Their world is shaken, however, when newcomer, Val Campbell, joins the rig’s crew, and Buck is confronted with his greatest battle– overcoming his own ego. Buck comes to discover his own flaws and find that perhaps he is just a man, not a legend, after all.
Author Bob Carnes created Buck Burnet as an amalgamation of his real-life heroes in the oil industry. One cannot help but love Burnet, a brute come scholar who calls on his superhuman strength to protect the vulnerable and those in need.
The duality of human nature is a strong focus in this novel, especially with two of the central characters– Mike who is kind but homely and Val who craves physicality to escape a scholarly upbringing. The characters are charming if not believable, but they are always fun to follow. Each one’s virtue is so perfectly balanced with an opposing flaw, which makes them feel grounded and authentic. The characterization and treatment of women, for example, fits the times and the personalities of the characters. Readers will come across the female depiction that fits the “hooker with a heart of gold” trope, but I was fascinated by the different perspectives presented in the story.
Echoes of Ilium is an engrossing character driven novel that tells a story that is rarely seen in literature. The author shares some unique experiences in this fascinating story that will speak to specific readers. This tale of the unlikely heroes of the oil field could really stand out as an original and compelling story.
Pages: 416 | ASIN: B00CZCDP94
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/08/31/echoes-of-ilium/
Five fantastic new series for readers in middle school
Original source: https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookreview/celebritypicks.html?ref_=abr_widget_nav&theme=light
Five fantastic new series for readers in middle school
Original source: https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookreview/editorspicks.html?ref_=abr_widget_nav&theme=light