So a little bit delayed with my third and final post in the my Armchair Audies Overview series, but something you got to save the best for last (or do you?). Paranormal is the second category that I reviewed last year and overall it was one of the strongest ones for nominees (IMHO). I had a REALLY hard time picking what book was going to be the winner, and it also opened me up to a bunch of new authors that I had never before heard of (several of who I have read more of since then). I’ll admit that I was excited to see that Seth Skorkowsky (author)/R.C. Bray (narrator) got a nomination for the second book in the Valduan series (the first one was one of my top ranked nominees last year).
The PARANORMAL Nominees are…
The Dead House – Dawn Kurtagich
Narrator: Charlotte Parry and Christian Coulson
Audiobook Publisher: Hachette Audio
Description:
Part-psychological thriller, part-urban legend, this is an unsettling narrative made up of diary entries, interview transcripts, film footage transcripts and medical notes. Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin . . .
Re-opened police records, psychiatric reports, transcripts of video footage and fragments of diary reveal a web of deceit and intrigue, violence and murder, raising a whole lot more questions than it answers.
Who was Kaitlyn and why did she only appear at night? Did she really exist or was she a figment of a disturbed mind? What were the illicit rituals taking place at the school? And just what did happen at Elmbridge in the events leading up to ‘the Johnson Incident’?
Initial Thoughts
One of my favorite listens recently was Anna Dressed in Blood, a YA mystery and the description of The Dead House kind of gives me the same vibe. The idea of a story being told through letters is something that I enjoy, because it makes for a different approach that can be either hugely successful or a total fail. Both the author, as well as the narrators are new to me and I’m intrigued to see how the dual narration will play out – how will the narration be split between the male/female narrator.
Hounacier – Seth Skorkowsky
Narrator: R.C. Bray
Audiobook Publisher: Audible Studios
Description:
Eleven years ago, atheist MALCOLM ROMERO met a god. Now he’s a demon-hunting voodoo priest armed with a holy machete named Hounacier.
After the murder of his mentor, he returns to New Orleans to catch the killer. But more is at stake when Malcolm finds himself betrayed, and his holy blade stolen. Now Malcolm’s only hope to save his soul and to recover HOUNACIER, is the Valducan knight sent to kill him, MATT HOLLIS, the wielder of the holy revolver DÄMOREN.
Initial Thoughts:
ok, so i’ll admit, I did a bit of a fan girl dance when I saw Hounacier had been nominated this year. Damoren was one of my top ranked picks last year and I bought this one when it was released a few months ago (but as my norm, I hadn’t had a chance to listen to it yet…) It was something different in the urban fantasy realm, that is so often dominated with the kick-ass female trope (don’t get me wrong, I like them as well, but they can get a bit tiring after a while). I can’t wait to see how the adventures that started in Damoren continue
Lycan Fallout 2: Fall of Man – Mark Tufo
Narrated: Sean Runnette
Audiobook Publisher: Podium Publishing
Description:
Mike is back. Devastated by his loss he strikes out on a doomed journey to wipe the earth of the Lycan scourge, with his faithful companion Oggie by his side. Bailey, a distant relative of Mike’s best friend BT, joins him but for different reasons. Azile struggles to reign him in, while a world already pushed to the edge begins its fall over the precipice. When all is lost, can anything ever be won?
Initial Thoughts:
So my initial thought from reading the description – who is Mike and why is he back? I know that this is bk 2 in a series, but I also know that I don’t have time to go back and listen to the previous book, so i’m hoping that it can function ok as a stand-alone. I’ll admit that I was intrigued by the description and that it was likely something that would catch my eye if I was browsing audible titles. The narrator is new to me but from looking at Audible, he has a pretty substantial backlist for me to check out if i like his narration.
Seven Years – Dannika Dark
Narrator: Nicole Poole
Audiobook Publisher: Tantor Media
Description:
Seven years ago, my world ended.
Seven years later, my new life began.
It’s been seven years since Lexi Knight lost her brother in a tragic accident. On the anniversary of his death, her brother’s best friend shows up unexpectedly – a man she hasn’t seen since the funeral. He is no longer the boy Lexi once knew, but a dangerous-looking man with tattoos and dark secrets. He broke her trust and abandoned her family, yet what he reveals makes it impossible to stay angry. Lexi has been secretly infatuated with Austin since childhood, so finding out he’s a Shifter just makes him sexier. Dammit.
Austin Cole has returned to the city where he grew up, and just in time. He’s lived a hard life these past seven years, and the shadows of his past are threatening to destroy Lexi’s family. It’s time that she learned the truth about her brother, but there is a shocking twist that Austin never saw coming. Now he must protect her family when her mother and sister wind up in mortal danger. Will Lexi learn to accept the truth about who he is, and can Austin salvage a relationship from the ruins of their past?
Destiny will find you.
Initial Thoughts:
So this is really the one book in this category that I am skeptical about because I tried to read it a year or so ago and didn’t make it past about the 20% stage. I’ve also heard some reviews of the audiobook and it seems that several people felt the same way as I did on my initial attempt to read. But I am willing to give it a second try – here’s hoping…
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild – Diana Rowland
Narrator: Allison McLemore
Audiobook Publisher: Audible Studios
Description:
Angel crawford has buried her loser past and is cruising along in undead high gear–that is, until a murder-by-decapitation sends her on a hazardous detour. As Angel hunts for the killer, she uncovers a scheme that would expose zombies to the public and destroy the life she’s built, and she’s determined not to rest until she finds out who’s behind it.
Soon she’s neck-deep in lies, redneck intrigue, zombie hunters, and rot-sniffing cadaver dogs. It’s up to her to unravel the truth and snuff out the conspiracy before the existence of zombies makes headline news and she’s outed as a monster.
But Angel hasn’t quite escaped the pill-popping ghosts of her past–not with an illicit zombie pharmaceutical at her fingertips. Good thing she’s absolutely sure she can handle the drug’s unpredictable side effects and still take down the bad guys…or maybe she’s only one bad choice away from being dead meat–for real this time.
Angel knows a thing or two about kicking ass, but now the ass she needs to kick might be her own
Initial Thoughts:
I’ve heard about this series on and off over the last few years, but I’ll readily admit that zombie fiction normally isn’t my thing – and here’s hoping that book 5 in the series will act decently on its own because I don’t have the listening (or reading time) to get back to the rest of the books. The narrator, Allison McLemore, has a relatively small repitoire of audiobooks out there, but enough to maybe check out more by her in the future depending on how White Trash Zombie Gone Wild Plays Out.
Initial Predictions:
1. Hounacier – Seth Skorkowsky
2. The Dead House – Dawn Kurtagich
3. White Trash Zombie Gone Wild – Diana Rowland
4. Lycan Fallout 2: Fall of Man – Mark Tufo
5. Seven Years – Dannika Dark
Lycan Fallout 2: Fall of Man
Dee's Book Blog 