Blodeuedd's Monday: Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston

 

Book 4 in the Honey Badger Chronicles series

Narrated by Charlotte Kane

Publication date Aug 31, 2021

Running time 11 hrs 25 min

Paranormal Action

Good narrator, it does take someone great to keep up with this craziness. And lots of people to make stand out on their own.

Though I must confess, the craziness was maybe a bit too much, though at the same time I liked it cos it kept me on my toes, all the time! It never stopped.I like crazy, constant action and all that.

But on the other hand, Mads who is supposed to be the main never got to shine because her teammates, and especially the McGilligans were around all the time. So that it my biggest problem, the main was just as much a side character as the rest. Which means her romance was thrown in at the end. Sad because I want it to develop more and get more time. Sure the tiger hottie was always around so it's not like it was sudden, but more time with them please. Yes the McGilligan sisters are insane and funny, but this was Mads book. Oh and the Mads and Max this while listening fast was confusing ;)

What am I saying is, could have been more about Mads, Mads alone.

Do not start this one if you haven't read the first ones, you will feel like you are being thrown into a war zone and have no idea where you are. Def a series where you start at book 1

I did like it, but damn they be crazy. 

As for the story, trying to reach the play offs, coming across hot tiger brothers. McGilligan sisters are in trouble, and lots more

It’s instinct that drives Finn Malone to rescue a bunch of hard battling honey badgers. The Siberian tiger shifter just can’t bear to see his fellow shifters harmed. But no way can Finn have a houseful of honey badgers when he also has two brothers with no patience. Things just go from bad to worse when the badgers rudely ejected from his home turn out to be the only ones who can help him solve a family tragedy. He’s just not sure he can even get back into the badgers’ good graces. Since badgers lack graces of any kind . . .

Mads knows her teammates aren’t about to forgive the cats that were so rude to them, but moody Finn isn’t so bad. And he’s cute! The badger part of her understands Finn’s burning need to avenge his father’s death—after all, vengeance is her favorite pastime. So Mads sets about helping Finn settle his family’s score, which has its perks, since she gets to avoid her own family drama. Besides, fighting side by side with Finn is her kind of fun—especially when she can get in a hot and heavy snuggle with her very own growling, eye-rolling, and utterly irresistible kitty-cat . . .

Audiobook Review: Dead and Breakfast by Kate Kingsbury

Author: Kate Kingsbury

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Title: Dead and Breakfast

(Merry Ghost Inn #1)

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, & fiction    

Format: Audiobook

Published: January 10th 2017

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to open a B&B with her. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet.

The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her. As the inn owners try to juggle renovations with their own amateur investigations, their grand opening looms closer and closer--and a friendly ghost in their walls starts playing tricks. But it all comes crashing to a halt when a new body is found stabbed to death on the beach below the inn--the victim chillingly close in resemblance to Melanie herself.

It seems someone doesn't appreciate newcomers prying into the small town's past, and now it's up to Melanie and Liza to get to the bottom of these murders to save their business...and their lives.

Review:

This kept popping up as a recommendation for me so I caved and played this. 

We follow Melanie and her grandmother, Liza, who team up and open a B&B. They purchase a reported haunted mansion on the Oregon coast. While clearing out the cobwebs and attempting to remove some wallpaper they discover a very real skeleton in the closet. The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner, but no one in town wants to say much about her. Things get worse when someone is murdered at the beach near the inn and the victim, oddly, resembles Melanie quite a bit.

Awwww this was fun. I adored Melanie and Liza. I also loved that puppers that they saved. What a great team. 

I loved the blend of the mystery and supernatural. It was fun. The ghost was a character in on its own. A creepy character...but he/she was fun. We think it is a boy, but we do not know anything about this ghost. Liza thinks it's a boy. She even gave this ghost a name. Cute! I hope we learn more about this ghost in the future. I feel like the ghost should've had a bigger role BUT maybe he/she will in future books. 

OOOOO that mystery was good. Totally didn't see that coming! The ended was great!!! BUUUUT it all makes sense thinking back on it. It was right there darnit. So good. OOOOO so good. 

There is a mini love interest for both Melanie and Granny Liza. It made me smile, but I was happy it didn't take over the plot. Curious to see if they end up getting together. That would be cute! Esp the cop. He was hot ;)

The narrator was a lot of fun. Her voices were great and fit really well.

Overall, what a great way to start September/Fall! A fun cozy mystery for fall. I can't wait to read/listen to more. Curious to see them solve more mysteries, learn/see more of the ghost, and maybe Melanie and Liza will find love! I'll give it 4 stars. 

 

Challenge(s):
- #51 for Audiobook challenge

Audiobook Review: Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Narrator: Rosamund Pike

Title: Pride and Prejudice

Genre: Classic, Romance, Historical Fiction

Format: Audiobook

Published:  Published September 28th 2018 by Bolinda/Audible audio (first published January 28th 1813)

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

Set in England in the early 19th century, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr. Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr. Darcy, have moved into their neighborhood.

When Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy she is repelled by his overbearing pride, and prejudice towards her family. But the Bennet girls are in need of financial security in the shape of husbands, so when Darcy's friend, the affable Mr. Bingley, forms an attachment to Jane, Darcy becomes increasingly hard to avoid. Polite society will be turned upside down in this witty drama of friendship, rivalry, and love—Jane Austen's classic romance novel

Review:

Book 2 of my Jane Austen via Audio-book challenge (just randomly decided to do this lol). Started with my favorite and now on to my 2nd favorite. 

We all know the story. Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy. She is repelled by his pride and prejudice towards her family. Can he win her over? Of course. 

Oooh. Darcy....the epitome of a dumb man. LOL I love him, but he drives me insane. 

The Bennets drive me insane too but I love them too. Except for Lydia that idiot girl. She will learn one day the evils of Wickham and it will be too late. Poor thing. 

I think that is why this story is everyone's fave (my 2nd fave) is because it shows the truth of society and people. Everyone is flawed. Society is flawed. However, one can grow and find love amongst the chaos. 

The narrator was good. I liked her a lot. I feel like I have listened to her work before...can't remember now. Some of the voices fit and some did not fit esp Mrs. Bennet's voice. That grated on my poor nerves. Maybe that was the intent?? And I found she sounded too young and too much like Lydia at times. 

Overall,  this was a good rendition and reading of this classic. It has me itching to watch the movie!! LOL I'll give this 5 stars. More like 4.5 but Goodreads and I do not give half stars and plus I just adore this book even with my minor issues. I would listen to it again for sure.  

Challenge(s):
- #50 for Audiobook challenge

Book Review: Yakimali's Gift by Linda Covella

Author: Linda Covella

Title: Yakimali's Gift

Genre: Historical Fiction, YA, Romance

Format: ebook

Published: July 28th 2014

Where I Got It: My shelf - Amazon

Summary: 

It’s 1775 in Mexico, New Spain, and 15-year-old Fernanda Marquina, half Pima Indian and half Spanish, can’t seem to live up to her mother’s expectations or fit into the limited female roles of her culture. While she tends her garden, matches wits with buyers and sellers at the weekly market, and avoids Mama’s lectures and the demands of Nicolas, the handsome soldier pursuing her, Fernanda grabs any opportunity to ride the horses she loves, racing across the desert, dreaming of adventure in faraway lands.

But when a tragic accident presents her with the adventure she longed for, it’s at a greater cost than she could have ever imagined. With her family, Fernanda joins Juan Bautista de Anza’s historic colonization expedition to California.

On the arduous four-month journey, Fernanda makes friends with Feliciana, the young widow Fernanda can entrust with her deepest thoughts; Gloria, who becomes the sister Fernanda always wished for; and Gloria’s handsome brother Miguel, gentle one moment, angry the next and, like Fernanda, a mestizo–half Indian and half Spanish. As Fernanda penetrates Miguel’s layers of hidden feelings, she’s torn between him and Nicolas, who has joined the journey in the ranks of Anza’s soldiers and whose plans include marrying Fernanda when they reach California.

But propelling Fernanda along the journey is her search for Mama’s Pima Indian past, a past Mama refused to talk about, a past with secrets that Fernanda is determined to learn. The truths she discovers will change the way she sees her ancestry, her family, and herself.

Review:

I've had my eye on this one for a while so I decided to bite the bullet and read it and make my book club read it too. Hehehe 

Fernanda is half Pima Indian and Spanish and she can't seem to live up to her mother's expectations or fit into the limited female role she must play. Between her mother's lectures and Nicholas who wants to marry her...she feels like she can't catch her breath. She just wants to ride horses and go on adventures. After tragedy strikes, she will be given a chance to get everything she wants. With her family, they join in on Juan Bautista de Anza’s historic colonization expedition to California. Along the way, she will meet new friends, find love, find herself, and search for her more information on her mother's past and culture. 

This was a quick read and I enjoyed it. There were some slow-paced parts for sure, especially in the beginning. 

For sure a YA but enjoyable and I think this would be a good one for kids in history classes to read. 

I liked Fernanda a lot. She was a sweet girl and I wanted her to have it all!

Boo to Miguel AND Nicholas. Okay...they have their pros and cons, but I didn't like either for Fernanda. Miguel was kind of a jerk which we learn WHY, but still. And Nicholas was too pushy and too rigid. Oh and a racist. Boo to both of them. I wish she had found someone else. Spoiler, not spoiler, she ends up with one of them. Personally, I do not think the romance was needed. I would've liked her just focusing on herself and searching for answers for her mother. 

I would love a sequel. That would be nice to see her years later. Maybe she goes back to the Pima tribe! IDK. Curious to see her live and help build California up. 

Other than that, I enjoyed it. It was slow-paced here and there, but I liked it. I'll give this 3 stars.