Audiobook Review: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Author: Matt Dinniman

Narrator: Jeff Hays

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl #1

Genre: Fantasy, SciFi

Format: Audiobook 

Published: September 21, 2020

Where I Got It: Borrowed from friend

Summary: 

The apocalypse will be televised!

A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.

In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.

The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.

Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.

You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big.

You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game—with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.

Review:

Starting July off with a bang! This was picked for book club. For sure a very different type of story but I was excited that it was picked. 

Here we follow Carl and his ex's cat. The world literally was crashed upon itself and they have been entered into a game show for the universe. 18 levels of a dungeon that they will need to crawl through. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. Carl and his cat companion will need to battle hideous monsters, other crawlers, and fight for viewers so they can get better stuff. Like pants. Will they be able to make through the "tutorial" levels?

This was a lot of fun. Crazy to say that such a dark world is fun, but it was. This was fresh and unique and just wild.

I loved Carl and that cat of his. Had me in stitches when she was able to talk and was given a higher stats. Hilarious. 

The monsters are scary and tough. 

No one is safe. 

Lots of trials and rules. 

We had some humor, but there were real emotional moments. 

The narrator did a fabulous job. I'm glad I went with the narrator because I feel like this story needs the acting and some sound effects. There were a couple but I hope we get some more in the future. 

Issues? Mmmmm.....nothing really. Some lulls but they felt right and needed. Lots and lots of action, but we got a lull at the right spot. 

I'll stamp this with 5 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Donut and Carl

Least Favorite Character(s): There is a couple (don't wanna spoil it) that are bad. Booo

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #29

Best of June

Here are the best of the bests for June. 

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd - The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

"I like her books and this was a new series with a twist to it!"

Carole - The Ruins in Which We Bleed by Steve N Lee

"So good. All the feels. 100% recommend"

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole -  Clue (1985)

"Entertaining and funny!"

Blodeuedd - A Minecraft Movie (2025)

"Best movie. It was funny."

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Love, Death, & Robots

"I watched a new season of Love sex and robots. I liked the cat one."

Carole - The Daily Show

"Been nonstop watching. Funny but informative."

Best Cover of the Month:

C's pick: Adorable!!!

B's pick: Cute, all those holiday feels!!

Blodeuedd's Tuesday Review: By a Silver Thread by Rachel Aaron

Series: DFZ Changeling (#1)

Format: 380 pages, Paperback

Published: May 2, 2023 by Aaron Bach LLC

Own/urban fantasy

What can I say, in the end nothing compare to Heartstrikers. I know, I lost my heart and soul to that series.

This is DFC many years after what happened there. Now more beings have come to light, or are still hiding. Among them fairies, and Lola is a changeling. A magical thing brought in to existence. One that should have faded but she is still alive thanks to a bloodmage named Victor that uses her for his own good.

And so Victor goes missing. She needs him to stay alive. She meets new friends and foes and something sinister is growing in the DFC.

There was danger and intrigues. It was good, but alas nothing compares....

In the world’s most magical metropolis where spirits run noodle shops and cash-strapped dragons stage photo-ops for tourists, people still think fairies are nothing but stories, and that’s exactly how the fairies like it. It’s a lot easier to feast on humanity’s dreams when no one believes you exist. But while this arrangement works splendidly for most fair folk, Lola isn’t one of the lucky ones.

She’s a changeling, a fairy monster made just human enough to dupe unsuspecting parents while fairies steal their real child. The magic that sustains her was never meant to last past the initial theft, leaving Lola without a future. But thanks to Victor Conrath, a very powerful--and very illegal--blood mage, she was given the means to cheat death.

For a price.

Now the only changeling ever to make it to adulthood, Lola has served the blood mage faithfully, if reluctantly, for twenty years. Her unique ability to slip through wards and change her shape to look like anyone has helped make Victor a legend in the DFZ’s illegal-magic underground. It’s not a great life, but at least the work is stable… until her master vanishes without a trace.

With only a handful left of the pills that keep her human, Lola must find Victor before she turns back into the fairy monster she was always meant to be. But with a whole SWAT team of federal paladins hunting her as a blood-mage accomplice, an Urban Legend on a silent black motorcycle who won’t leave her alone, and a mysterious fairy king with the power to make the entire city dream, Lola’s chances of getting out of this alive are as slender as a silver thread.

2-in-1 Book review: Trick Shot and Puck Shy by Kayla Grosse

Author: Kayla Grosse

Title: Trick Shot

Series: Brother Puckers #1

Genre: LGBT, Romance, Novella

Format: ebook

Pages: 189

Published: November 1, 2023

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

Leo McKnight, an identical twin to a famous hockey player, finds himself caught up in a case of mistaken identity on Christmas Eve.

When Leo unexpectedly bumps into the captivating Riley at the airport, he's both amused and intrigued by her assumption that he's his renowned brother. Embracing his mischievous side, Leo decides to play along, relishing in their flirty banter and clever exchanges.

But as fate would have it, their flight gets canceled, and Leo seizes the opportunity to spend more time with Riley. With a devilish glint in his eye, he invites her to spend the night at his penthouse. With an intriguing woman, his best friend Jace, and a whole night of possibilities ahead of them, Leo has all the ingredients for what promises to be a memorable Christmas Eve.

Review:

Who doesn't want a nice smutty Xmas story in June? Stumbled upon this while looking for something else and it seemed like a nice quick read. 

Leo finds himself being mistaken for his twin brother who is a famous hockey player. It happens enough, but he doesn't correct Riley because there is something about her and he wants to take her home. The further they go the harder it is to tell her the truth even though his partner, Jace, knows it is not a good idea to keep it from her. Things escalate and they will spend a holly, jolly Christmas with each other. Sometimes miracles happen. 

This was 90% smut and 10% story. Which was fine, but man...I think I needed another 10% to really enjoy it. Yes, I enjoyed the smut but I think I needed more talking especially after the reveal. No spoiler here but YOU KNOW it comes out eventually. Love an insta-love, but this needed more. 

Jace is a sweet bean. 

Leo was nice, but dumb dumb. 

Riley was an angel. 

Very smutty...very Christmas-y. Fun, but I needed just a smidge more story. 

3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Jace

Least Favorite Character(s): CHAD

 Challenge(s):

- Romance Reading #18 (LGBT)

Author: Kayla Grosse

Title: Puck Shy

Series: Brother Puckers #2

Genre: LGBT, Romance, Novella

Format: ebook

Pages: 206

Published: January 1, 2024

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

LUCAS MCKNIGHT, is the center for the Seattle Stormbreakers hockey team, and a famous actor. You’d think his life would be made, but he’s going through a dry spell—in more ways than one.

One of his teammates is tired of watching Lucas suffer, and with a little convincing, entices him to attend a masked Valentine’s Day party for a night of distraction. Little does he know; this night will change the game.

Lucas meets a mysterious woman in a red mask, and their chemistry is both instant and undeniable. After one little taste of the lady in red, his dry spell is broken, and after a fresh win on the ice, Lucas wants more. He’ll stop at nothing to find her.

Only, he doesn’t have to look far. It turns out the woman behind the mask, is STEVIE HARPER. As in, the sister of his twin brother’s partner. Future sister-in-law or not, Lucas isn’t giving up that easily.

Determined to keep Stevie close, Lucas offers her a job, hoping to explore what’s between them. Stevie agrees but insists on a platonic arrangement, she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. Only, their pact to remain professional quickly becomes a complicated dance, as they skate the blurred lines between friendship and something more.

When it comes to the game of love… there’s more than meets the ice.

Review:

Okay - I had to read book 2 because I wanted to see more. We get to see our throple make an appearance here and there. PLUS Leo's brother is going to find love too? Yayyyyy.

Here we follow Stevie and Lucas. Stevie is Riley's sister and Lucas is Leo's twin. They meet at a masked Valetine's Day sex party. It is love and lust at the same time. They share an incredible night but it was one single night....but then they run into each other and realize who each other is. Stevie doesn't do relationships especially not with her boss. So when he offers her a job there can be nothing more than friendship. 

NOW this was fun. I feel like this had the perfect blend of story and smut. Still EXTREMELY SMUTTY but a story I can get behind. They get to know each other for a bit before they explore more and I was here for it. 

It was so nice seeing the gang from the last book and seeing them out and interacting. Loved seeing them with their HEA. It made me appreciate this one even more. 

But yes, this was a nice quick read. 4 stars from me. 

Favorite Character(s): Lucas *fans self*

Least Favorite Character(s): mmmmmm no one.