Today’s story is full of golden things, 3 princes and a princess. I hope you enjoy!
Happy Listening!
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“Every Dead Thing” by John Connolly
“Every Dead Thing” is the first book in the Charlie Parker series and it is a fabulous debut for this character. Parker is a former NYPD detective who has become a private detective. In this book he is on the trail of missing persons and a serial killer. A rich widow in New York asks him to look for her friend who has gone missing, but is not as simple a case as it at first appears. Following her trail to Virginia, Parker uncovers a pair of serial killers who prey on children and brings their reign of terror to an explosive end. Then he is summoned to Louisiana but a psychic who is having visions of a girl trapped in the swamp. While investigating he must confront his past and what he uncovers will test not only his detective skills but also his loyalty.
I have read one other book in this series and I just love Charlie Parker. He’s a good guy but he plays the edges with finesse. He is surrounded by a motley crew of characters, from assassins to university professors. I found each of the characters to be very realistic and I really enjoyed the way that their stories come out gradually and in a way that feels natural to the story. This story is loaded with thrills and at times may take your breath away. One caution: there is quite a bit of graphic violence, so this would not be a good pick for a younger reader. I loved the way the author weaves the different components of the storyline together to make a seamless whole, and I can’t wait to dig deeper into this series. I highly recommend.
Alinefromabook’s rating: 
5 stars!!
Happy Reading!
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads
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Weekly Round-Up 6/18/2017
I hope you all are having a great weekend. Rainy here yesterday but the sun is shining this morning. Let’s see how the TBR has changed over the last 7 days. The week started at 282 and I did not acquire any new books this week. I managed to finish 2 books this weeks which means the TBR has dropped to 280! One of the books I finished was a NetGalley pick which bumped my score up to 71%. In spite of this I am still 2 books behind on my Goodreads challenge.
So what’s coming up this week. I’ve got a review of “Every Dead Thing” by John Connolly going up tomorrow. 
I’m currently reading “The Devil’s Triangle” by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison. 
Have a great week everybody!
Happy Reading!
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The Enchanted Stag – Journeys Through Bookland
Time for another story, kiddos! This time we have “The Enchanted Stag”, another on by Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm. I hope you enjoy!
Happy Listening!
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Beauty and the Beast – Journeys Through Bookland
Today’s selection is a classic but this version has no singing teapots. I hope you enjoy!
Happy Listening!
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“The Lost Sentinel” by Suzanne Rogerson
Fantasy lovers need to be celebrating right now because “The Lost Sentinel” is being released this week! You do not want to miss this first in a new series from Suzanne Rogerson. The story takes place on the island of Kalaya where the magic that sustains life on the island is dying. Tei and her father are forced to flee their home in the night because Tei has a magical gift. The Assembly is cracking down on those with magic in an attempt to completely rid the island of magic. Tei must flee to the mountains of Turrak, the only place where those with magic can live in peace. When she arrives in Turrak, she quickly learns that she is the Confidante to the next Sentinel. The problem is no one knows who the next Sentinel is, and Tei is the only one who can find out. After her harrowing escape, and being narrowly rescued by Rike and Garrick, Tei must quickly learn about her power and then embark on a dangerous journey, always looking over her shoulder for the Masked Riders who would destroy her.
I love the characters in this story. From Tei, the reluctant seeker, to Garrick, the hunky hero, you get a broad range of personalities. One of my favorite things about this author is her ability to develop her characters in a way that feels natural and flows well within the story. In the same way she develops her fantasy world. There is no heavy world drawing passages but you get your knowledge of the way things work as a natural part of the story. For example, the reader discovers the tunnels and caves of Turrak as the characters are discovering them. And then you have the story itself which is full of surprising plot twists, moves at a really great pace, and draws the reader in from beginning to end. As with the author’s first book, I cannot say enough good things about this book. I am so excited that this world will be a series so I can hang out with these characters again next year. You will not be sorry if you read this book.
Alinefromabook’s rating: 5 stars!!
Happy Reading!
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads
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“The Twin Brothers” – Journeys Through Bookland
Whew! This is the longest narration I’ve done so far. I am definitely developing sympathy for the work that goes into making audiobooks. This is another story by the Brothers Grimm and it’s an interesting one. I know we consider these children’s stories now but I’m not sure if that was the original intended audience for this because of the violence. The runtime is about 48 minutes if you have time to listen to it all in one sitting. I hope you enjoy!
Happy Listening!
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“Mercies in Disguise” by Gina Kolata
A poignant story about unraveling the mystery of an untreatable illness. The Baxley family is a pillar of their community but a strange illness is taking family members at early ages. They consult with leading doctors but no diagnosis or treatment is in sight. As the youngest generation comes of age they must confront the prospect of the illness affecting them and make choices that could alter their lives forever.
In this book, Gina Kolata traces both the Baxley family and the science behind their family illness in expert fashion. This book reads more like a story than a case report and I think this is largely due to the structure she uses. The chapters alternate back and forth between the scientists working to decipher the cause of the illness and the family as they deal with its consequences. It moves at a really good pace and the alternating storyline keeps the reader engaged and wondering what happens next. This story is both poignant and tragic, and full of hope. I really enjoy a book where the author can take a very scientific subject and make it approachable for the average reader. I highly recommend.
Alinefromabook’s rating: 
4.5 stars!
Happy Reading!
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Weekly Round-Up 6/11/2017
Welcome to another episode of “I Have No Self-Control When It Comes To Books”. Case in point: this morning I received an email from Audible that they are running a giveaway and the winner will get everything on their wish list up to $300. So what did I do? I spent half an hour filling up my wish list, just in case I’m the winner. I have no idea how many books I added (I don’t really want to know, if I’m being honest) and if I do win my TBR will probably crack under the pressure, but you only live once!
Ok, so it looks like I added 2 books to the TBR this week and I finished 2, so that makes the total 282. I was able to make up some time on my Goodreads challenge where I am currently 2 books behind instead of 4. My NetGalley score went up to 70% since both books that I finished were from them. In addition to all that reading I posted 3 new narrations to the blog. So all in all, a pretty busy week book-wise.
Coming Up
Tomorrow I will post my review of “Mercies in Disguise“. 
On Wednesday, I will be posting my review of “The Lost Sentinel” by Suzanne Rogerson as part of her blog tour. The book is available for pre-order now and will be released on the 16th. If you enjoy fantasy, you really need to discover Suzanne’s books. 
Hopefully, I will also get a couple more Journeys Through Bookland narrations posted this week. I hope you all have a great week and don’t forget to tell your friends about me.
Happy Reading!
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The Library of Wit and Humor
I have a new type of audio narration for you today. I have a collection of books Called The Library of Wit and Humor. The different volumes cover American and British humor. I’m starting with Vol. I which focuses on American humor from Benjamin Franklin to Henry Ward Beecher.
Today’s narration is a letter written by Benjamin Franklin titled “The Whistle”. This is a short piece which I hope you will enjoy. If you have any suggestions for improvement, please let me know.
