Audiobook Reviews – Page 4 – Baskerville Book Reviews

Review: Whetstones of the Will

Dunewell, seeking the path that embodies both his oaths and his conscience, is pursued by honest and just men across the wilds of Stratvs. Moving as both predator and prey, he and Jonas track the legendary vampire Lord Slythorne. Will their uneasy alliance hold long enough to destroy the monster before it’s too late?

Slythorne has enthralled many, honest and devious alike. Can Dunewell evade his pursuers without spilling innocent blood? Wearing the mark of an outlaw, what other allies will the Lord of Order be forced to trust?

Silas, meanwhile, secures his position by way of treaties and pacts under the astute tutelage of the drow and his mistress, Lady Dru. Now understanding the threat Slythorne poses, will Silas manipulate Dunewell, wielding his brother’s devotion as a shield against this master vampire? Can there be reconciliation between Dunewell and Silas, or will their pride doom their fate and perhaps the fate of the world?

The Original Betrayer, the Warlock of the Marshes, walks the shores of Tarborat. What could bring the terrible and mighty Lynneare forth from his cursed fortress? The Warlord Verkial must betray someone, but who?

Join us for another tale of high adventure in the world of Stratvs, as the Bloodlines Reforged Saga continues in Whetstones of the Will.

Review: Goodnight Smartphone

Sleep is central to every part of our lives, and a good night’s sleep begins by putting aside the day’s worries. But in today’s technology-saturated world, saying goodnight to the day is harder than ever. Allow author Arianna Huffington (Thrive, The Sleep Revolution) to guide you to a peaceful night’s slumber as she performs Goodnight Smartphone: a classic tale reborn for the modern age, when the hardest thing to say goodnight to is not the moon but our phones, our email, our social media, our always-on digital selves.

During a visit to Audible to speak about the benefits of sleep, Arianna joked about what a wonderful book Goodnight Moon is and how other childhood classics help transition kids from daytime to sleep time. She posited why there weren’t such books for adults. “Goodnight cares of the day, goodnight worries about tomorrow, goodnight laptop!” she exclaimed. Soon after, Goodnight Smartphone was born. Listen as Arianna borrows from the traditions of children’s bedtime stories to create this modern age adaptation for adults, and learn more about her daily sleep regimen in her introduction. Exclusively written for Audible, available only in audio.

Inspired by children’s bedtime classics, this audiobook is a playful and relaxing guide to help you transition from the worries of a stressful day to a good night’s sleep, and you can hear it only on Audible.

Review: Bluebird Memories

In a performance that combines the personal and poetic with the literary and the lyrical, Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning artist Common spins something entirely new and bold, for both his old-school fans and those new to one of hip hop’s most essential voices. This is Bluebird Memories, part of Audible’s Words + Music that blends storytelling, music, and performance to create a one-of-a-kind listening experience.

Written and conceived by Common with Awoye Timpo and NSangou Njikam, originally recorded live at The Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City and backed by a world-class band including special guest appearance by Robert Glasper and ensemble of vocalists, Bluebird Memories tracks Common’s intimate journey from childhood to manhood. At its heart, serving as both an open letter to his estranged father, and a personal meditation on the quest for greater self-understanding, self-worth, and connection to the world that surrounds him.

As a young artist, introduced to the work of literary icons from James Baldwin and Gwendolyn Brooks to Rakim and Melle Mel, Common would grow to use their works as motivation and a high-water mark for what would become his life in words. In a performance that recounts stories about growing up in Chicago, discovering hip hop, longing for a consistent father, and his awakening into Black consciousness, the evolution of Common, as son, as man, artist, and activist is all here, unpacked and laid bare.

At just under two hours, Bluebird Memories is constantly in motion, soaring with emotion and pulsing with raw vitality. Seamlessly blending, stretching, and playing with forms, Common slides between poetry and candid conversation, kicks into one of his classic tracks, and backs out into a moment of nearly silent reflection. For those hip-hop heads, the treat of hearing Common bounce between bars of his own self-admitted cringey party raps, to rapturously reciting classic hip hop’s most revered verses is a joy to behold. (Yes, bumping human beatbox included). In a performance that calls forth the spirit and legacy of so many artists, thinkers, and heroes who informed both his artistry and personal philosophy, Common invites listeners to experience him in his totality. A finely tuned instrument capable of conveying a sweeping breadth of power, range and tone. Listen to a modern icon deliver at the top of his craft.

Review: Life Ever After

Tech City: Society is obsessed with relentless progress and the possibility of eternal life. A woman and a man meet in waiting room, anticipating a procedure that will incorporate the latest science and technology into their minds and bodies, heightening their awareness and increasing their productivity. Years pass, their relationship deepens and fades, and they grow increasingly uncertain where the AI stops and where they begin. A romantic drama exploring the potentiality of transhumanism, Life Ever After is a rich listening experience that is at once naturalistic and poetic.

Playwright Carla Grauls was awarded a commission through the Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund, an initiative dedicated to developing innovative original plays driven by language and voice. As an Audible commissioned playwright, she received funding and creative support to develop Life Ever After.

Review: Red Rain

In a town where the corrupt are protected, a bereaved mother seeks retribution for an arsonist’s deadly crimes. Only Nameless can help ease the burden of her grief – and satisfy her rage – in part four of this thrilling series.

After a suspicious house fire, Regina Belmont lost her two children, was left disfigured, and was abandoned by her gutless husband. Brokenhearted and bullied into silence by corrupt officials, Regina’s only recourse for truth and justice is Nameless. There’s something about this case that’s breaking Nameless’s heart as well. But can he bear to remember why?

From number one New York Times best-selling author Dean Koontz comes Red Rain, part of Nameless, a riveting collection of short stories about a vigilante nomad, stripped of his memories and commissioned to kill. Follow him in each story, which can be listened to in a single sitting.

Review: The Praying Mantis Bride

A deadly black widow has eliminated three husbands and counting. But Nameless knows her one weakness. To bring truth and its consequences to her crimes, the vigilante must spin a web of his own in part three of the Nameless series.

Lucia – current last name, Rickenbah – has made a fortune by marrying rich men who tend to drop dead. But the superstitious blonde believes in more than money and murder. Nameless’s job is to scare a confession out of Lucia, and as the psychological warfare escalates, even he may be in for a shock.

From number one New York Times best-selling author Dean Koontz comes The Praying Mantis Bride, part three of Nameless, a riveting collection of short stories about a vigilante nomad, stripped of his memories and commissioned to kill. Follow him in each story, which can be listened to in a single sitting.

Review: The Roommate

This audio novella is a stand-alone prequel to the Cormac Reilly series.

Twenty-two-year-old Niamh Turley thought she had problems dealing with the obnoxious principal of the school she’s teaching in as well as the anxious parents of her little charges, but when she wakes one morning to a missing roommate and a garda knocking on her door, her life spirals out of control fast…

Review: Thicker than Water

From the hero whistleblower of the infamous Theranos scam, Thicker than Water is a look at never-before-revealed details behind closed doors at the company, revealing a cautionary tale of corporate bullying, gaslighting, ego, and wealth run amok in Silicon Valley.

Tyler Shultz had been in the workforce for less than a year when he emailed Elizabeth Holmes, his employer and the CEO and founder of Theranos, with concerns that the company’s lab practices were faulty, ignored quality control, and were potentially dangerous to patients. The COO fired back with a dismissive and insulting email, to which Tyler replied: “Consider this my two weeks’ notice.”

From there, his life spun out of control at the hand of Elizabeth, her team of high-powered lawyers, and the patriarch of Tyler’s own family, George Shultz—one of America’s most prominent statesmen, who sat among the top of the Theranos Board of Directors. And yet, Tyler forged on. To protect his own conscience, the honor and reputation of his grandfather, and the health of patients worldwide.

Thicker than Water is Tyler’s as-told-to story—a harrowing and heartbreaking roller coaster of biomedical drama, family intrigue, and redemption—that will ultimately make you feel as though you are at a dinner party, seated next to a brilliant friend with one hell of a story.

Review: A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs

Ben is the Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Science Engagement at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich. He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Behavior from Anglia Ruskin University, a Master’s of Science in Wild Animal Biology from the Royal Veterinary College, and a PhD, which looked at monkey evolution on tropical islands, entitled ‘Primates of the Caribbean’ with the University College London and the Zoological Society of London. Ben has recently announced So You Think You Know About Dinosaurs…?! is now on sale as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019 following his third UK tour earlier this year.

Review: The Fair Queen

For fans of Cassandra Clare and Holly Black comes a new story that will lure you into a world of magic and monsters, and never let you go.

The trees in Hartwood Forest are hiding an ancient secret, a door into a magical realm where fairy princes and monsters are one and the same. Seventeen-year-old Aria is bored of her small town and dreams of a life filled with excitement and adventure. She’s about to learn the meaning of “be careful what you wish for”. After a chilling encounter at the local summer fair, Aria is ripped from her normal life and dragged through the Veil into the Fair Realm by a strange, silver-eyed boy and his band of fairy soldiers. They believe she is the legendary Fair Queen, the subject of a prophecy that promises to unite the war-ravaged realm and bring an end to the centuries-long conflict between the Five Kingdoms.

But it can’t be true. Can it?

Beset by terrifying creatures at every turn and hunted by a tyrannical king who will stop at nothing to prevent the prophecy from coming true, Aria will have to rely on her wits if she’s to escape the Fair Realm with her life.

Book One in The Fair Chronicles, a new young adult fantasy series for fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Folk of the Air.