Audio: Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Series: Consortium Rebellion, Book 2

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 10-01-19

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

Sci fi

In exchange for an honest review

I liked this one even better than book 1! I do enjoy when that happens.

The world is great. I am not going to explain it. Space, rich houses, a war going on. Just a really interesting world building that you need to read about.

Biance is a member of a High House. She was married to an asshat (that is kind, he was an evil inventor). She is a great hacker and uses her talents for good. I liked everything about her, and what a shitty time she had had!

She must find her brother. The sexy chief of security is on her tail to bring her back. Her House is at war.

Action, lots and lots of it. The romance is slow building and has been for years. I did like that they took it easy, I mean she is on the run, he is running too, there are baddies left and right. Who has time to stop for that then.

Narration

Emily Woo Zeller is great and does an amazing job with Bianca and the rest. I like her style and voice. She fits very well in a futuristic world.

The narration does well with non stop action and builds the tension.  A great listen

As the dutiful daughter of High House von Hasenberg, Bianca set aside her personal feelings and agreed to a political match arranged by her family, only to end up trapped in a loveless, miserable marriage. When her husband unexpectedly dies, Bianca vows never to wed again. Newly independent, she secretly uses her wealth and influence to save other women stuck in dire circumstances. Information is power and Bianca has a network of allies and spies that would be the envy of the 'verse-if anyone knew about it.

When her family's House is mysteriously attacked, Bianca's oldest brother, the heir to House von Hasenberg, disappears. Fearful for her brother's life, the headstrong Bianca defies her father and leaves Earth to save him. Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security-and Bianca's first love-is ordered to find and retrieve the rebellious woman.

Ian is the last man Bianca wants to see. To evade capture, she leads him on a merry chase across the universe. But when their paths finally collide, she knows she must persuade him to help her. Bianca will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.

As the search takes them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely . . .

Audio: The Downstairs girl - Emily Woo Zeller

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 08-13-19

Language: English

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Historical fiction YA

In exchange for an honest review

Narrator: 

I like the narrator as I have listened to her before, but I did have to up to 2.2 since I felt it was narrated too slowly, but that just makes the story go faster so all good in my book.

She was the perfect voice for Jo.

Story:

Jo lives with her guardian in a basement. Atlanta after the war means no rights for Chinese people, they are not even citizens.

She loses her job and starts working for the family she worked for before, including a certain bratty daughter. She also starts writing an agony aunt column that takes the city by storm.

Did I see the city going crazy over it, nah, not really. I liked what she had to say, she wanted equality and liberty. But far fetched sure, but hey this is a story after all and I really liked how she went after everything. Though the author did try to put in too many issues at once, I know the time gives a lot to talk about, but a focus on a fewer would have been better.

There might be a romance blossoming at the end, nah, did not feel that. I will just choose to see her not going after that.

There is also drama regarding who she is. Who were her parents? I am not saying no to a bit of mystery. I really enjoyed that part. Even if grrrr, it made me want to hit people.

I enjoyed the story, and it did actually never feel particularly YA. I did not even realize it was YA to be honest.

By day, 17-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie". When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.

While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light.

Audio: Part-time Gods by Rachel Aaron

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Series: Detroit Free Zone (DFZ), Book 2

Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 07-02-19

Language: English

Publisher: Audible Studios

Uran fantasy

To review

I actually enjoyed this one more than book 1, I do like when they keep on getting better!

Opal is having a hard time. She works as a cleaner, that is she buys the right to clean out places and sell the stuff she finds. But her dad cursed her so she has bad luck.

First, I found myself liking her dad, and that is so bad. He is a dragon, and he is not a nice, person. But I do feel that deep down he does care, but he is a dragon and dragons can not care for humans. Yes, I totally like her dad. But he is an overbearing crazy dragon that covets humans for his hoard.

So in this one she has to make money to pay off her dad so that she an be free. But she has constant bad luck. To help her she has Nick, who is like part cyborg, or when does you go fully cyborg?

There is weird things happening. There is running from dragons and dragon politics. There is a Julius cameo! Omg, I have missed him so much. I love love Julius...looooove.

Oh, the ending is SO evil, so very evil

This series is fun, Opal is strong and all she wants is freedom. The DFC is one crazy city, and the world is fantastic. Dragons, spirits and magic.

Narration Emily Woo Zeller

I have listened to her in  a few different audios now and i do like her narration. I like her different voices and she brings emotion and feel to the story. She makes Opal for me

Life in the magical mess of the Detroit Free Zone is never easy. When you’re laboring under the curse of a certain prideful, overbearing dragon, it can be down right impossible.   
My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner. At least, I used to be. Thanks to the supernatural bad luck that turns everything I do against me, these days I’m more of a walking disaster. Getting rid of this curse is the only way to get my life back. Unfortunately, dragon magic is every bit as sneaky and deadly as the monsters behind it, and just as hard to beat.  
But I’ve never been one to take her doom at face value. Cornered doesn’t mean defeated, and in an awakened city that rules herself, dragons are no longer the biggest powers around.

Audio: Polaris Rising - Jessie Mihalik

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Release date: 02-05-19

Publisher: HarperAudio

Series: Consortium rebellion #1

Sci fi

Thank you Harper for this copy

My Thoughts:

OK so there were no shifters, but dang Marcus was all alpha. In my mind he was a wolf. All growly and possessive. I get that he has to play the tough part, but he also was really tough and scarred and scary.

Maybe I should start at the beginning.

Space. 3 rival houses that rule the universe. Ada, one of six children, ran away so not to be married to an idiot. She was tough before, and got tougher on the run. The Houses train their kids well.

Then she is caught and meets another prisoner. Yes, Marcus. Mr Growl. Hunted killer. A bountyhunters dream catch. I already said he is all alpha and grrrrrrrr. The man has the world on his angry shoulders.

Ada needs to get away. Marcus needs to get away. And the tension between these two are sizzling from page 1. True love? Eh. True lust. Always! I am sure they will live a very happily lustfilled life together.

The world was interesting. The houses. The Consortium. Politics and smiling at your enemy as you prepare to stab them in the back.

Conclusion:

I do want to listen to more from this Verse. A war is coming. I smell blood. And next up is Bianca!

Narrator Emily Woo Zeller

I like the emotions and tension she puts into her narration. I can really feel Ada about to burst. She puts her soul in it.

I liked her other characters too, well except for Ian. He did not sound hot at all, ha, poor Ian. I liked the differences between everyone.

Blurb

As the seventh of nine children, Ada von Hasenberg knows that her only value to House von Hasenberg is as a political pawn in an arranged marriage. But after watching two of her older sisters get auctioned off to horrible men, Ada refuses to play her part. She flees off-planet and disappears for two years.

Ada’s father, fed up with her rebellion, offers a bounty for her safe return. The universe is a big place, but mercs are everywhere, and Ada is caught. With the merc ship full, she’s forced to share a cell with Marcus Loch, the Devil of Fornax Zero. Rumor has it he murdered every commanding officer who issued orders during the Fornax Rebellion. All anyone knows for sure is that the Royal Consortium wants his head.

Ada has no trouble believing the muscled man chained in the back of her cell is a killer. But when their ship is attacked by forces from rival House Rockhurst, Ada must decide whether to trust him—because once you release the devil, you can’t put him back. And when the attack heralds the opening salvo of a much bigger war, Ada must determine where her loyalties truly lie.

Audio: Minimum Wage Magic - Rachel Aaron

By: Rachel Aaron

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Series: Detroit Free Zone (DFZ), Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 01-08-19

Language: English

Publisher: Audible Studios

My Thoughts:

I miss the Heartstrikers! I must sadly say that there are no cameos. But people from the series are mentioned. Yes I kept hoping someone would pop up, even if it had made no sense. Cos I miiiiiss them!

But to this book then. Opal is a cleaner. She cleans out places and sell the good stuff. She studied magic at College, but she needs money, and fast. It takes a while to learn why. She also has a troubled family relationship (I was sort of right, but not quite.) She just wants to do her own thing and I can respect that.

She also has the coolest AI sidekick called Sybil, who is in her phone, or whatever electronics she can be in.

I do not want to say too much about the story, but there is a magical mystery to solve. And she will have help.

The DFZ is such a freaky place, and the story never gets boring. But yes I missed the old gang. Who wouldn't! I also really wonder if the next book is about Opal too or someone new...I certainly look forward to more! It was a good book, and I hope it will be as great as a certain other series

Narrator Emily

I have only listened to her once before and I think that was goo.  Now Emily brought in another world and I felt she was Opal. Since all those others I have talked about, well to hear their voices I would have to hear THE voice.

Conclusion:

Fun, exciting.

Audio. The Way you Make me Feel - Maurene Goo

Written by: Maurene Goo

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 2018-12-18

Language: English

Publisher: Tantor Audio

YA Fiction Romance

Thank you Tantor for this copy

My Thoughts

I wish we had foodtrucks, we have like 1, but I want it like it is here! Mmmm food!

As for the book, well Clara was not my fav person when I started. She does not take anything seriously. Ok so Rose goes too far, but then again she worked hard and Clara just makes fun of it all. Clara does not respect her dad's job, at all! And sure, she is a teenager, but still, respect! But then this is about a journey she takes. She will grow up, and out of it.

Clara, and her enemy Rose, have to work at her dad's foodtruck all summer. I had not read the blurb so I was thinking these two would fall in love, but then this hot guy named Hamlet shows up and steals Clara away, lol. I must say, it could have worked well for enemies to fall in love. But instead they will become great friends and that is awesome, because Clara needs that. She needs a new crowd, and to see things in another way.

Her dad is great. Her mum not so. Her taste in friends,well I mean they are good, but they spur her crazy side. That crazy side made it hard to like her at times, and impacted on how I felt about the book.

Her journey of growing up and seeing things in a new light. Her mum, her dad, her friends, and maybe creating those connections she need.

And foodtalk! Do not forget foodtalk.

Interesting book, even if I wished that Clara had not been quite to bratty at first

Narration by Emily Woo Zeller

She did a good job with the different voiced and I felt she got Clara well. That rebel side and that whatever attitude. 

Synopsis

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. 

But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad's business. What if taking this summer seriously means Clara has to leave her old self behind? 

With Maurene Goo's signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you'd never thought to look.