TWILIGHT RUN
Book 0.5 in the Full Moon Medic series
Narrated by Cindy Kay
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: audiobook
Join Abby on her first supernatural adventure in this prequel short story to the Full Moon Medic series.
Magic is coming back into the world. Slowly, inexorably, and mostly at night. But it is coming … Abby is an EMT in Portland. Along with her partner, Cindy, she works the night shift, answering emergency calls and rushing patients to the nearest hospital. Tonight, however, what starts out as a (fairly) ordinary call turns into something else completely. Cut off from the mortal world, trapped in a house with a feral patient and Death itself, Abby and Cindy will have to use all of their wits, strength, and medical knowledge to win their freedom and make it safely home ….
This short story is a freebie at the end of the first book, Emergency Shift, audiobook.
This novella tells the story of how Vicky met Abby and Cindy.
In this world magic is coming back after having faded away for a very long time. Like it was a cyclic thing. It comes and goes. Only in terms of hundreds of millennia per cycle. Where cycles of magic and no magic swaps with each other. This time around magic is coming back. Very similar to the world of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews where magic waves comes and goes as the “magic cycle” starts to return. So, originality-wise, this series does not win awards. The theme has been around the block already.
Unoriginal or not, this short story still managed to deliver a nice, pleasurable listening time.
I am normally a fan of Cindy Kay, but, when the narrative says that she shouted “Cindy!” and I heard a normal tone instead, that is not a good interpretation of the story in my way of thinking. I expected a higher tone or a shriek with that “Cindy” in chapter 4. However, other than that one time, the rest of the narration was good.
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Narration = 4
About Daniel Potter:
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he’s not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
About Cindy Kay:
Cindy Kay is a Chinese-Thai-American narrator and educator who grew up in the California Bay Area and lives in the Rockies. Her work has been described as listening to a “cozy best friend.” She narrates fiction and nonfiction, and has studied Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, and Japanese.
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
Aggressive Behavior by Daniel Potter
Book 4 in the Freelance Familiars series
Narrated by Jonathan Waters
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & paperback
About Aggressive Behavior:
After a life and death struggle, Thomas company have landed solidly on all four feet on top of the magical world. They have money, power and the favor of the Archmagi. The magi tell him to settle and get comfortable, change is gradual.
Nuts to that!
In defiance of the Talking Animal Union Thomas opens the Freelance Familiars for business recruiting a new trio of disgruntled familiars, including The Black Shadow who Strikes at Midnight, an angry weasel and golden retriever who cannot help to ponder imponderables what does it really mean to be a Good Boy?
Oric strikes back and it’s an all-out war between the Freelance Familiars and the TAU. Can they uproot a centuries old institution or will Thomas’ rapid rise end with a fall directly into a grave? Find out in Aggressive Behavior.
Source: Info in the “About Aggressive Behavior” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53823583-aggressive-behavior on 29/06/2020.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
I went into this book with a bit of an apprehension because it started in a high note. I was sure that it would only go downhill from there! It is probably going downhill, but not with this book just yet. And it probably is going to end up with our group of heroes poor and destitute again because they are trying to dress that scenario up as a win. However it still remains to be seen in the future books.
I wondered what happened to Alice and Grace… I am so glad to see them prospering and Grace maturing! And, yeah, my heart goes out to Carey! Poor thing!!
Book 4 and I am fast becoming a die-hard fan of this series! Couldn’t wait to read the next book in the series!!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 5
Pace = (10 hrs & 17 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Freelance Familiars Series:
About Daniel Potter:
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he’s not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
About Jonathan Waters:
Voice Over Artist · Voice Actor · Voice Talent · Actor · Professional Actor.
A classically trained actor with a degree in Theatre Arts from Boise State University and at present nearly 80 titles on Audible.com.
Voice talent for audiobooks, commercials, characters, animations, video games and beyond. Check out the links for both the list of audiobooks and YouTube page for demos.
The different formats of this book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
HIGH STEAKS
High Steaks by Daniel Potter
Book 3 in the Freelance Familiars series
Narrated by Jonathan Waters
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About High Steaks:
When the dice are loaded, the claws come out.
Rudy and Thomas have landed in Sin City, but not on all four paws. The Talking Animal Union is determined to trip up the Freelance Familiars and entangle Thomas in a game where Death holds all the cards.
But Thomas can’t focus merely on saving himself. A vampire stalks the refugees of Grantsville, and to save his friends — and his own neck — Thomas has to put more than just himself on the line.
The odds are raw and bloody in Vegas…
Source: Info in the “About High Steaks” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37417463-high-steaks on 29/06/2020.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
This book picks up where the last one ended. And tells us how the story went after the fall out after our hero saved his town. I liked that, because I did wonder how the people of Grantsville is going to cope afterwards… the clean-up work of that cluster-fuck just seemed so daunting… because we are not talking about straightening out the life of a person or a few people. We’re talking about a whole town!… And I like the way the story panned out. So much so that now I am apprehensive about reading the next book in this series because then I might be disappointed! I guess I’ll know soon enough if I am being silly about it or not.
Like the first book, I love this story! Champion of the underdogs! Iron-clad sense of right and wrong! And an HEA (happily ever after) ending!
I like the way Jonathan Waters reads Jet (the goat)‘s lines with a bit of a wobble to his voice, mimicking that of a goat’s, if goats could talk.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 5
Pace = (10 hrs & 17 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Freelance Familiars Series:
About Daniel Potter:
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he’s not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
About Jonathan Waters:
Voice Over Artist · Voice Actor · Voice Talent · Actor · Professional Actor.
A classically trained actor with a degree in Theatre Arts from Boise State University and at present nearly 80 titles on Audible.com.
Voice talent for audiobooks, commercials, characters, animations, video games and beyond. Check out the links for both the list of audiobooks and YouTube page for demos.
The different formats of this book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
MARKING TERRITORY
Marking Territory by Daniel Potter
Book 2 in the Freelance Familiars series
Narrated by Jonathan Waters
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Marking Territory:
Power corrupts. Can Thomas resist the lure?
Thomas may be the first magical cougar to go freelance, but he still has a lot to learn about selecting clients. Guilty over the injuries suffered by his friend and client O’Meara, Thomas resolves to collect enough magical essence to get her healed. Teaming up with an under-appreciated cabal of technomagi, Thomas finds himself battling encroaching mages, vicious spirits, and the forces of the multiverse itself to gather the energy mysteriously popping up all over Grantsville.
Will the promise of absolute power corrupt the people and town he cares for, or will Thomas overcome his own obsession in time to save the people most in danger?
Marking Territory continues Thomas’ adventures in the second installment of Freelance Familiars. If you like the Dresden Files, you’ll love this darkly humorous urban fantasy with an animal twist.
Buy this exciting four-pawed adventure today!
Source: Info in the “About Marking Territory” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31212566-marking-territory on 23/06/2020.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
In this installment, the lines between the good guys and the bad guys gets blurred as our hero tries to save the world. Well, his town really, to be more precise… And my question of what happened to the tree that enabled the dragon to escape got answered. Sort of.,, Still… Kudos to this book!
Another thing I like about this series is that it has images of scenes and characters in the ebook version. It just makes the story come to 3D life more vividly while my imagination does the rest.
Pace-wise though, it is still not that brilliant. I still find myself needing breaks every now and then. However, it gets better the further I go into the book.
This series is growing on me…
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (10 hrs & 6 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Freelance Familiars Series:
About Daniel Potter:
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he’s not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
About Jonathan Waters:
Voice Over Artist · Voice Actor · Voice Talent · Actor · Professional Actor.
A classically trained actor with a degree in Theatre Arts from Boise State University and at present nearly 80 titles on Audible.com.
Voice talent for audiobooks, commercials, characters, animations, video games and beyond. Check out the links for both the list of audiobooks and YouTube page for demos.
The different formats of this book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
OFF LEASH
Off Leash by Daniel Potter
Book 1 in the Freelance Familiars series
Narrated by Jonathan Waters
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Off Leash:
When Thomas Khatt awakens to the magical world following the sudden, violent death of his elderly Archmagus neighbor, he doesn’t get the standard package of awesome power combined with a hero destiny. Nope, he trades his thumbs in for a tail, tawny fur and four feet with a very low co-efficient of friction on linoleum. His destiny as one of three talking mountain lions in the magical world? To be sold at auction and bonded to some pimply faced apprentice for life.
Thomas would rather eat dirty kitty litter.
Armed only with an impressive set of chompers and buckets of snark, Thomas faces off against a lightning-bolt throwing granny and a sexy union recruiter as he desperately tries hold the threads of his old life together. To stay off the leash he’ll have to take advantage of the chaos caused by the Archmagus’ death and help the local Inquisition solve his murder. A pyromanic squirrel, religious werewolves, and cat-hating cops all add to the chaos as Thomas attempts to become the first Freelance Familiar.
Source: Info in the “About Off Leash” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25906090-off-leash on 22/06/2020.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
A fun romp in the magical modern world.
I like the way the magic system in this urban fantasy makes sense and is consistent. Kudos to the author! However, the whisper sync for this book is out of whack and it makes me cross-eyed every time I attempt to read with whisper sync. This was the main deterrent from reading this book. But eventually I finished it. It ended well but also left enough room for the next book to begin and left me wondering what happened to the giant tree… thus the second book got bought.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 3.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (8 hrs & 6 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Freelance Familiars Series:
About Daniel Potter:
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he’s not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
About Jonathan Waters:
Voice Over Artist · Voice Actor · Voice Talent · Actor · Professional Actor.
A classically trained actor with a degree in Theatre Arts from Boise State University and at present nearly 80 titles on Audible.com.
Voice talent for audiobooks, commercials, characters, animations, video games and beyond. Check out the links for both the list of audiobooks and YouTube page for demos.
The different formats of this book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
About
This blog is a sister site of www.cherrymischievous.com. Content on both sites is more or less the same.
ABOUT US
Cherry Mischievous (CM) started out as a personal blog of Cherry. It still is, sort of, among other things. But now, we have evolved into a kind of blog where friends who share the same love of books also blog… to know more about us, click on our names to go to our profiles:
Please note that not all reviews here are positive, but then we do not expect the entire wide world to agree and have the same tastes as us. It would be an incredibly boring and monotonous world! Besides, even among ourselves we don’t agree! One would rate a book 4.5 while the other would rate the same exact book with only 3 or less… So have a look and see, especially if it is your genre of books, even though it garnered a low rating with us, you might find it interesting 🙂
Now, let me tell you about Cherry… I am an avid reader of SciFi/Fantasy/Romance books and always on the look out for a good book to read. I dabble in the black arts of light and shadow… err mmm… photography, I mean. I am also in great excess of 18 years old. I am a nurse and constantly getting in trouble because I refuse to live in a box of preconceptions of other people of how things are suppose to be. And let me tell you, nursing is dominated with “tradition” and “sacred cows“, as any nurse and nursing student will tell you. I love spaghetti, chocolate ice cream, coffee and of course, books! I positively abhor stories with cliffhanger endings and driving in London! I am slightly insane, sometimes sarcastic, can be obnoxious, and totally honest. And oh yeah, people call me tactless too 🙂 Welcome to my corner of the world!
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