Reading4Fun

Great Narrator

Revisado: 08-09-24

The story had promise. The narrator was great. But I couldn't finish the book due to the detailed rape scene. There is profanity and sexual references as well, but the detailed rape scene was the final straw.

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Promising Start

Revisado: 04-13-24

It took me a few chapters to truly become engrossed in Mark of the Fool by J.M. Clarke. This series creates a very vivid world, complete shark men, minotaurs, half-ram people, and all sorts of fictitious creatures. The series could have done with less profanity (frequent use of the word shit”), but if you can ignore that, you will find an entertaining story with well-developed characters and some good humor. I am looking forward to the release of the audio version of book four.

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Entertaining Fun...as always

Revisado: 04-13-24

Another sequel that I thoroughly enjoyed. In my opinion, it is better than the fourth book. I'm just sad I finished it. 18 hours is a short time when you enjoy a book.

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Look no further for your next family story night!

Revisado: 11-26-23 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Isaac is cleaning the attic to earn money for a new video game when he stumbles across a trunk full of faeries. Suddenly, Isaac has the ability to have anything and everything he wants. From free cleaning services to unlimited strawberry milkshakes to a skate park entirely to himself, anything he wishes, the faeries are willing, even eager, to accommodate. Things are going well, and Isaac is living his best life until things start happening around town – strange things. Soon, the entire town is plagued by weird situations, and Isaac is forced to question if the faeries’ are responsible, and if they are, what can he do to stop them?

Growing up, my family used to spend the evenings reading together. If you are one of those families or if you are looking to be one of those families, The Light Keeper by Christina Wallace is a good place to start. This family-friendly book is well-written and is great for elementary students.

My favorite aspects of the story were the family dynamics. Most of the time in books with juvenile main characters, they are living in broken homes – the parents are either divorced, deceased, or distant (uninvolved in their child’s life). That was not the case in The Light Keepers. The parents are alive, married, and actively engaged in their children’s lives. Family dinners are important and the children have responsibilities around the house. While this may not seem like a big deal to some people, it was definitely a big deal to me. The family dynamics reminded me of my family, and it was refreshing to see unity displayed among a family in work of fiction.

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Navigating with a broken GPS

Revisado: 10-16-23

Disappointing, unbelievable, and anticlimactic. Those are the only words that capture the essence of The Last Echoes of the Lord of Bells (Book 7) by John Bierce. The narrator – Ralph Lister -was great! But even his excellent narration couldn’t save the story. This book is like taking a trip with a GPS that is constantly recalculating you and taking you to places you didn’t need to or want to go.

The great war that is anticipated between “the madman” (name withheld to prevent spoilers for people new to the series) and Hugh and his friends lasts from Chapter 27 to Chapter 71. This 44-chapter war is told from multiple characters’ perspective – the main characters, other characters from previous books (who you may or may not remember), and possibly even new characters. In all honesty, there were so many characters and perspectives involved in this book, I couldn’t keep them all straight.

I was thoroughly disappointed as I really enjoyed the first 5 books in the series. Other readers claimed that book 6 did not really accomplish or add anything plot-wise, and I agreed with them. However, I had hoped that book 7 would be a return to the story quality I had known and loved from the beginning. That, unfortunately, was not the case. I couldn’t even finish the book. I got so tired of the battles that I only made it to chapter 54. Then I skipped to chapter sixty-something hoping the war would be over. I was wrong. So, I skipped to chapter 71 which, thankfully, was the last chapter of the fight.

A lot of my opinion has to do with events in the story itself. However, those events contain spoilers. If you don’t mind spoilers, keep reading. Otherwise, stop here, and you can read the story and come to your own conclusions.


*** Spoiler Alert ***




Hugh and his friends start off fighting Alustin and Valiah. (I listened to the audiobook, so I’m not sure how the characters’ names are spelled.) Then, they join sides with Valiah to take down Alustin. During their entire fight with Alustin, they talk to him and try to convince him that his plan is going to destroy the entire world. And you know what? They do! So Alustin has this “change of heart” in the middle of the battle where he realizes his plan to release the Tongue Eater would destroy the entire continent and he decides to work with Valiah and Hugh and his friends to stop the Tongue Eater from being released. How totally unbelievable! How does the main villain for the last two books all of a sudden have a change of heart and try to stop his plan while working with the very people he tried to kill?


*** Major Spoiler ***






At the end of the book, they Alustin is executed which made me sad, but ultimately, I knew it was justified and the end result. I mean, how could anyone allow someone who caused that much destruction to go unpunished; his actions caused the deaths of not only Havath’s city and people, but many of Skyhold’s allies as well. As the story-wrap up continues, it turns out that Kanderon did not in fact execute Alustin. She only pretend to. Instead, she intends to use him for one of her other plans, which I thought, was completely outrageous and unbelievable. Alustin expressed no remorse for his actions; he admittedly tried to kill Kanderon several books ago, and now she thinks she can use him to carry out her plans? How long will it be before Alustin tries to escape or betray her again?

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Great Narrator, Promissing Story, (PG-15)

Revisado: 06-15-23

The plot was promising, and the narrator was OUTSTANDING. However, more sensitive readers will be turned off by the repeated use of the "F-word" and the adult innuendoes. For that, I give it a PG-15 rating. (NOTE: I am a sensitive reader myself, and eventually decided to return the book without completing it.) There is other profanity in their as well, but because of the narrator's Scottish accent, some of it is missed and others don't sound as bad as they do in American accents.

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Good Clean Fun

Revisado: 06-11-23

The ice wolves and the scorch dragons hate each other. To avoid conflict, they simply avoid each other. That is until one person makes it their personal mission to eradicate all scorch dragons. A war is brewing, and unfortunately for twins Anders & Rayna, they find themselves on two different sides of this decades’ long feud. They soon begin to wonder … is there another side? Can the ice wolves and the scorch dragons live in peace?

The Elementals by Amie Kaufman is a family-friendly adventure that will provide hours of entertainment for youth and adults alike. Admittedly, I found the end of the series to be somewhat anticlimactic; however, that does not in any way negate the nearly 20 hours of fun I experienced while listening to the adventures of Anders, Rayna, and their friends.

A note to parents: The hatred/prejudice exhibited by some of the characters (especially in the final scenes of the third book, Battle Born) may bother younger children. Also, parents should be aware that there are a few, brief references to a same-sex couple, and one of the characters uses the pronouns they/them.

Overall, however, the story is entertaining and worth listening to (or reading). It will be going on my list of books to recommend.

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Good Clean Fun

Revisado: 06-11-23

The ice wolves and the scorch dragons hate each other. To avoid conflict, they simply avoid each other. That is until one person makes it their personal mission to eradicate all scorch dragons. A war is brewing, and unfortunately for twins Anders & Rayna, they find themselves on two different sides of this decades’ long feud. They soon begin to wonder … is there another side? Can the ice wolves and the scorch dragons live in peace?

The Elementals by Amie Kaufman is a family-friendly adventure that will provide hours of entertainment for youth and adults alike. Admittedly, I found the end of the series to be somewhat anticlimactic; however, that does not in any way negate the nearly 20 hours of fun I experienced while listening to the adventures of Anders, Rayna, and their friends.

A note to parents: The hatred/prejudice exhibited by some of the characters (especially in the final scenes of the third book, Battle Born) may bother younger children. Also, parents should be aware that there are a few, brief references to a same-sex couple, and one of the characters uses the pronouns they/them.

Overall, however, the story is entertaining and worth listening to (or reading). It will be going on my list of books to recommend.

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Good, Clean, Fun

Revisado: 06-11-23

The ice wolves and the scorch dragons hate each other. To avoid conflict, they simply avoid each other. That is until one person makes it their personal mission to eradicate all scorch dragons. A war is brewing, and unfortunately for twins Anders & Rayna, they find themselves on two different sides of this decades’ long feud. They soon begin to wonder … is there another side? Can the ice wolves and the scorch dragons live in peace?

The Elementals by Amie Kaufman is a family-friendly adventure that will provide hours of entertainment for youth and adults alike. Admittedly, I found the end of the series to be somewhat anticlimactic; however, that does not in any way negate the nearly 20 hours of fun I experienced while listening to the adventures of Anders, Rayna, and their friends.

A note to parents: The hatred/prejudice exhibited by some of the characters (especially in the final scenes of the third book, Battle Born) may bother younger children. Also, parents should be aware that there are a few, brief references to a same-sex couple, and one of the characters uses the pronouns they/them.

Overall, however, the story is entertaining and worth listening to (or reading). It will be going on my list of books to recommend.

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What was the point?

Revisado: 12-20-22

I agree with several of the other reviews - this book had no point. As much as I have enjoyed Mr. Bierce's previous stories, this one really seemed pointless. Nothing happens; there is no forward progress. The group merely spends time in some alternate location trying to increase their mana reservoirs, and Alustin spends his time scheming. That pretty much sums up the entire book.

As a fan of the series in general, I will listen to the final book when it is published. However, this book simply failed to advance the story whatsoever.

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