CLARKSTON’S CURSE – One Child’s Quest to Make Sense of the Tragedies in Her Hometown by Ann Margaret Johns is now available. You will be shocked by how many tragedies happened in this small town. This true story will shock and amaze

Title: CLARKSTON’S CURSE

Subtitle: ONE CHILD’S QUEST TO EXPLAIN THE SERIES OF TRAGEDIES IN HER HOMETOWN

Author: ANN MARGARET JOHNS

Genre: NON-FICTION, TRUE CRIME, BIOGRAPHIES AND MEMOIRS

Length: 236 PAGES

Publisher: BOOKS GO SOCIAL

Received From: NETGALLEY

Release Date: 2017

ISBN: 9780999345702

Price: $14.99 USD (Paperback)

Rating: 3 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐

DESCRIPTION:

Based on actual events, Clarkston’s Curse is the compelling true story of a child growing up in a small town plagued by tragedy.

Fleeing the violence and uncertainty of Detroit and big city living, Ann Margaret’s family moved to Clarkston, Michigan, population 1,024. But this sleepy town has a dark side.

Between 1969 and 1982, more than forty unexplained accidents and incomprehensible murders struck residents of this rural community.

A true story of mystery, murder, family, and friendship, Clarkston’s Curse is a first-hand account of what it was like to grow up in the 1960s and 70s in a small town where tragedy struck with unsettling frequency. More than forty families are forever changed, and thirty people – young and old – didn’t survive to tell their tale. Ann did.

MY REVIEW:

Memoir author Ann Margaret Johns grew up in the small community of Clarkston, Michigan. This quaint town, had just over one-thousand residents at the time.  

This idyllic setting should have been the epitome of the perfect place to experience an all-American country childhood. However, although her childhood was filled with such activities as tobogganing and skating on the local pond, it was also the setting in which she began to believe that her town was cursed due to the almost unbelievable number of tragedies and deaths that took place.

The town of Clarkston certainly had a dark side…

People kept dying in strange ways and in large numbers.  What do I mean by this? Well, here is one example:

“The Standring’s were hosting a party in their home that spring. Eric Standring, a sophomore at Clarkston High School, accompanied family friend Paul Lammonds from the party to Paul’s home to fetch a guitar. Two hours later, Eric returned covered in blood and incoherent. Deputies found Paul Lammonds’ body in his home. He’d been beaten to death. Eric had never been in trouble before that night, at least that’s what I heard. No one knew what came over the boy to make him do what he did. Paul’s early, tragic, and unexplained death was the first of many to come in our idyllic small town.”

Other deaths were determined to be accidental, but even these were strange and unusual. There were a couple separate deaths of men working on their cars and ending up crushed beneath them. There were even instances of children being dropped off on doorsteps and raised by the family inside, despite not knowing where the child had come from. There were multiple drownings and an incredible number of car accidents – many of which were almost too weird to be believable.

The author does list all her sources in the back of the book. I also looked up some of the cases online and was able to find newspaper reports that validated her claims.

“Over a 12-year period from 1970 to 1982, this village of 1,300 witnessed 11 different murders – NOT including the notorious serial killer who visited their small town as well.”

“In addition to the murders, Clarkston experienced another 30 unexplained and accidental deaths, from car wrecks to drownings, from freak accidents to plane crashes.”

Fascinating, unusual, unlikely, improbable, yet all true. If you enjoy real life mysteries and true crime, you will not want to miss this book.

As for the rating of this book, I have to admit that I am conflicted. The subject matter is compelling and my interest was piqued early and the level never waned, but, it is exceedingly obvious that this was written by an amateur author and is in need of a professional editor. I found several typos throughout the book. It is for this reason that I am rating CLARKSTON’S CURSE as 3 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐ 

*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Ann Margaret Johns

Ann Margaret Johns is a fourth generation Irish immigrant, passionate writer, and CPA by trade who, in spite of the tragedies she witnessed, still lives in Clarkston, Michigan. These days, you can often find Ann and other characters from Clarkston’s Curse sharing stories and a bottle of wine in one of Clarkston’s quaint restaurants.

Ann is currently working on a series of children’s books and memory care books for seniors.

To learn more about this author, visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
http://www.annmargaretjohns.com

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

AMAZON  

NON-FICTION WRITERS ASSOC. 

TERROR’S END describes the life, crimes and trial of Canadian Serial Killer – Alan Legere

Title: TERROR’S END

Subtitle: ALLAN LEGERE ON TRIAL

Authors: RICK MacLEAN, ANDRÉ VENOIT and SHAUN WATERS

Type of Book: PAPERBACK

Genre: TRUE CRIME, NON-FICTION, CANADIAN CRIME 

Length: 358 PAGES

Publisher: MCCLELLAND & STEWART INC.  

Release Date: 1992

ISBN: 0-7710-5595-1

Price: $6.99 CDN (IN 1992) 

Rating: 3 OUT OF 5 STARS 🌟🌟🌟

Serial killer Allan Legere, who was already in prison for one murder, escaped from custody in May 1989 and killed four more people during a 201-day manhunt. (CBC)

When we think of serial killers, we generally think of them as being a United States problem. ( I apologize to my US based readets, but it is true).

Most people (especially Canadians) would  NOT think of Canada, which is famous all over the world for its friendliness and peaceful nature, as a hotbed of criminal depravity  – a fact that I am immensely proud of being a born and bred Canadian.

Until reading this book, I would have said that there were only two Canadian Serial Killers that I could think of; those being Robert Pickton from British Columbia who murdered prostitutes that he picked up on the streets of Vancouver, British Columbia and the disgusting piece of filth that is Paul Bernardo who definitely deserved the death penalty (if it had been available in Canada.) So, when I began reading this book and learned of Alan Legere I was very surprised.

When I think of New Brunswick and the people who live there, I think of gorgeous scenery, lakes, the ocean, and amazingly courteous and helpful people. I have visited New Brunswick many times and I love it. Even in the cities, people are friendly and accommodating. It is difficult to fathom that a serial killer was born and bred in such a wonderful province. However, that is exactly what happened.

MIRAMICHI REGION, NEW BRUNSWICK – Photo Credit = Don Richard – Obtained from http://www.mightymiramichi.com

Allan Joseph Legere was born and raised in the Miramichi area of New Brunswick. His reign of terror over the people of that area took place in and around 1986. 

One of the mugshots taken of Serial Killer Alan Legere

 

 This book contains so many spelling and grammatical errors that I feel like the publisher of this book should be ashamed of themselves. I assume that the reason for these errors was that they rushed the book through the publication process in order to get it onto newsstands and into bookstores as quickly as possible so as to take advantage of the public’s intense interest in the case at the time. However, in my opinion, there is simply no excuse for the sheer number of typos and spelling errors. It is RIDICULOUS.

Aside from the errors, the book seems to encompass the complete details of the crimes themselves, as well as what took place in the courtroom.

Official courtroom sketch made during Legere’s trial

Official Jury Sketch from the trial

The authors also managed to adequately convey the feelings of fear that the residents of the Miramichi area felt at the time the crimes were occurring as well as the anger and outrage citizens felt once the horrific details were released.

I also want to mention my disdain for Alan Legere on a personal note. Yes, he killed multiple people, but in my opinion he was / is a cowardly piece of scum. He chose elderly people as easy targets (probably because he knew he might be overpowered by younger, stronger opponents. He even murdered a elderly priest who had never wronged anyone in the ultimate act of cowardice. 

All in all, the book did hold my interest most of the time, but the details were so tediously described in some passages that I felt my attention wandering and set the book down for days on end.

It is for the reasons outlined above that I have chosen to give this book only 3 out of 5 stars. 🌟🌟🌟
To view the YouTube video of Alan Legere – THE MONSTER OF THE MIRAMICHI click on the link below:

  http://youtu.be/mxogJzNr3dM     

New Release – DEAD MAN’S CURVE by Canadian author ALEX VAN TOL is a Halloween tale of terror for teens

Title: DEAD MAN’S CURVE   

Series: BLOODY GOOD READS

Author: ALEX VAN TOL  

Type of Book: EBOOK

Genre: YOUNG ADULT, HORROR

Length: 96 PAGES 

Publisher: LEAP BOOKS  

Release Date: OCTOBER 17, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-61603-081-0 

Price:  $1.99 USD

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟 

MY REVIEW: 

Halloween parties in the backwoods where no parents can find you and even the cops aren’t likely to break it up are a long-standing teenage tradition. In fact, they are almost a rite of passage.

In the middle of the National forest in the Virginia backwoods is a stretch of road known as “Dead Man’s Curve.”

It is Halloween night and Booker has  “borrowed” his Dad’s truck for the night. He is driving a few friends home from the party. In the front seat beside him is Rachel; a girl he broke up with two years earlier and he regrets ever letting her go.

Just as the truck reaches Dead Man’s Curve Booker’s phone rings. He knows better than to try to answer it while driving so he just glances at it to see who could possibly be calling him at one o’clock in the morning.

That one second of inattention just might change all of their lives forever … or maybe not. Is the curve the entrance to Hell or is it just a curve in the road?

You will have to read DEAD MAN’S CURVE by Canadian author Alex Van Tol to find out.

The book starts out interesting and then the characters go into the woods and things take a turn for the bizarre. I believe that the scenes that take place are supposed to come across as terrifying, but in my opinion it does not work out that way. Instead, the scenes are just plain odd. However, I understood what the author was trying to do, which is why I chose to give this book a rating of 3 out of 5 Stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. 

 

  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Alex Van Tol is a reader, a writer, an editor, a teacher and a devoted word nerd. Her favourite Sunday involves drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. And then maybe a magazine. And then maybe a novel.

She writes books, articles and web content as well as all kinds of other things that people read. Alex always wanted to be an author when she grew up, and she feels pretty lucky that she has been able to make that happen. (All it took was work, really.) Before she started writing books, she worked as a camp counsellor and then as a middle-school teacher.

Her first book was published in 2010 and she has just finished books #12 and 13 — which will be published later this year and in 2017.

Alex is touring throughout BC this year, visiting schools and talking to students about her books, including her newest, Aliens Among Us: Invasive Animals and Plants in British Columbia and Dead Man’s Curve.

 Right now she is working for clients, writing for magazines and co-authoring the first book in a thrillogy with the incredibly talented Sean Rodman.

Alex likes cloudy days, jazz and indie music, radio programs that make her think, and people who treat other people the way they would like to be treated. She believes that’s the mark of a great person and encourages people to find those ones: they’re keepers.

To learn more about this author or to book a school visit, check out the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE   

TWITTER   

FACEBOOK    

3 Stars for THE BUNNY MAN by Richard Poche – BOOK REVIEW

Title: THE BUNNY MAN 

Author: RICHARD POCHE

Type of Book: EBOOK

Genre: FICTION, HORROR 

Length: 76 PAGES

Publisher: AMAZON DIGITAL SERVICES

Release Date: MARCH 8, 2016

ASIN: B01CQIUGXY  

Price: $3.98 or Free on KindleUnlimited (EBOOK)

Price: $10.46 CDN (PAPERBACK) 

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟

MY REVIEW:

This Ebook is novella length and is only 76 pages long.

A group of five friends have just graduated high school and they know that soon, their clique will be breaking up and they will be heading off to different colleges.

They decide to have one last adventure together before they have to start acting like adults and begin working towards their individual futures.

As Todd, Royce, Sabrina, Lauren and Kevin head into the mountains to begin their camping trip, they run over something on the road. When they get out to look, they realize that they hit a dead deer. But what the heck is a dead deer doing on the road? And, who left it there.

Kevin jokingly suggests that the deer was killed and left there by the “BUNNY MAN.” When the others look at him for an explanation, he tells them that The Bunny Man is an urban legend that refers to a man living “… out here in the woods that wears a bunny costume and chases people down with an axe. Sometimes he gets bored and kills deer.”

Obviously, not a single one of them believes that the Bunny Man exists. And what happens next seems like too much of a coincidence to be real.

A young woman emerges from the trees near where the five friends are discussing the urban legend. She “had a crazed, exhausted look in her eye. Half-naked… she looked caught in a halfway point between drug-induced hysteria and real fear.”

She rambles on about her boyfriend being attacked by a man wearing a bunny mask. Obviously, she is just plain crazy. Her story can’t be true? Or is it?

The storyline reminds me of a 1980s B rated horror film where the actors always run away from safety and end up twisting an ankle in the woods. The story, just kike those movies, is not even remotely believable.

Is it entertaining? Yes! But it definitely wilk not be winning any awards.

The fact that this book is only 76 pages means tl (in my opinion) that it should have been easier to edit and proofread than a full-length book. But, this seems not to be the case. When I started reading I was initially taking notes and writung down each error, however, I quickly realized that if I were to continue that practice, that it  would take many, many hours to get through THE BUNNY MAN. There are multiple editing and/or proofreading errors on EVERY page of this novella. I found it supremely distracting. Just to highlight my point, here is one example:

“The two remained locked in the kiss, pressing themselves against each tight.”
– It is obvious that the author should have used the word “tightly” rather than “tight.”

Because of these errors as well as the lack of both world-building and character development, I rate THE BUNNY MAN as 3 out of 5 Stars. 🌟🌟🌟 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Richard Poche is a writer, a director and a filmmaker. He has directed numerous horror and sports films including the award winning boxing documentary “The Fight Life.”

He is the author of two novels and numerous novellas including “When Elves Die”, “Carnivores”, and “Howl.”

To learn more about Richard Poche visit him online: 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE 
TWITTER 

FACEBOOK  

GOODREADS   

3 Stars for THE FISHER FAMILY FLOATS AWAY by Barb Asselin – CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW

Title: THE FISHER FAMILY FLOATS AWAY 

Author: BARB ASSELIN

Series: A READ-WITH-ME BOOK

Length: 26 pages 

Genre: Children’s Fiction, Beginning Readers 

Release Date: May 13, 2015

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
MY REVIEW:

When you purchase this book, you receive a link to download a free activity book called AFRICAN ANIMALS ACTIVITY BOOK. This is a nice bonus. 

The Fisher family consists of Mom, Dad, Toby and Darcie. 

I’m not sure if Darcie is Toby’s little sister or if she is his big sister. Why am I unsure? Well, It is because the author refers to Darcie as both “little” and “big.” 

The story reads: “Toby’s wish had come true. ‘OK’ he shouted, then he ran into the house to get his favourite baseball cap and tell his mom and his little sister, Darcie.” Then a few paragraphs later it reads: “Hey, Darcie, Toby said to his big sister.” 

So, which is it? Is Darcie the little sister or the big sister? 

Another issue I have is that the word “mom” in the above paragraph is not capitalized. 

Toby is excited when his father comes home from work with a boat tied to the top of his car. The whole family then get in the car and head to the stream at their local park. They proceed to have an adventure in the new boat. The storyline is quite cute and I believe children will enjoy the story. 

However, I found this book confusing. The boat is referred to as a boat throughout the story and the paddles are referred to as “oars” BUT the picture clearly shows that the “boat” is actually a canoe. If that is the case, then the “oars” should be referred to as “paddles.” I’m not sure if I am just overly picky, but when I read a book to my grandchild I want her to know the proper names for things and to know that there is a difference between a boat and a canoe, even if she is only four. 

Additionally, I had an immediate negative reaction to the fact that when the family members get into the canoe, not a single one of them puts on a lifejacket. As a parent and a grandparent who likes to go fishing and who has experience with both boats and canoes, I would NEVER allow children near the water without a lifejacket. I believe that books should reflect life and that they can be terrific teaching aids.

Children are incredibly observant and I can visualize my granddaughter saying, “Why do I have to wear a lifejacket? The people in the story we just read didn’t wear them.”

The accompanying picture also shows the family in the canoe without lifejackets. 

With a bit of editing this could be a terrific story. I loved the ending and think that children will get a good laugh out of it, but currently the negative aspects of this book outweigh the positive. Because of the reasons stated above, I rate this book as 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Barb Asselin is a college professor and best-selling author who has published books in many different genres including education, cooking, law, real estate, Internet marketing, entrepreneurship, baby sign language and children’s books. 

Barb wrote her first children’s book when her first child was just six months old. Since then she has written many more. Her work has been published online and in Appleseeds magazine. 

Barb lives in Canada with her husband, Mike and their two adorable daughters. 

Feel free to contact Barb through any of the following social media outlets (she loves to hear from her readers).

Email: barb@barbasselin.com

Facebook 

Twitter 

Pinterest 

3 Stars for THE KILLING COUSINS by Jack Rosewood – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

  

Title: THE KILLING COUSINS: The True Story of the Slaying Cousins 
Series: True Crime by Evil Killers, Book 11

Author: Jack Rosewood 

Type of Book: Audiobook- Unabridged 

Length: 3 hours and 8 minutes

Narrator: Miles Taylor 

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Crime

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Publisher: Wiq Media

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
~ I received a free copy of this book through AudioBookBlast in exchange for an honest review. 
Description by Audible.com: 

When Killing Cousins David Alan Gore and Fred Waterfield realized as teens that they shared the same sick, twisted sex fantasies of raping helpless, bound women who were completely at their mercy, Florida’s quiet Vero Beach would be never be the same.

 

DAVID ALAN GORE

 
Some of the least remorseful of all American serial killers, the deadly duo stalked their victims, often hitchhikes they believed would never be missed, using Gore’s auxiliary deputy badge as a ruse to lure them into their vehicle. After that, they were most likely to be driven to their deaths. 

Their evil, sadistic story from the annals of Florida history is one that will chill even longtime fans of true crime murder, especially after reading excerpts from the letters Gore wrote from prison, in which he shared deplorable secrets that made him one of the most demented sex criminals of all time. 

Gore once told a psychologist that “the devil made me do it,” but those who came in contact with Gore – including the law enforcement officials that ultimately put him on Death Row – believed he was the devil due to his depraved levels of cruelty.

Among the psychopaths and sociopaths that have walked the earth, Gore was one of the worst, although those who knew them say that it was Fred Waterfield, the more popular cousin who always played the good guy to Gore’s bad, who was the true brains of the outfit. As it happens, he probably was, because Waterfield almost got away with murder.
MY REVIEW: 

 Before listening to this audiobook I had never heard of Cousins David Alan Gore and Fred Waterfield which is surprising since their crimes must have garnered a lot of media attention. I assume the reason for my lack of information on the subject is due to geography. I live in Ontario, Canada and the cousins’ crime spree took place in Florida. 

I have listened to and read many True Crime books over the years and they all tend to follow a particular pattern. First, you learn about the killer’s childhood and family life; any early signs of psychopathy are outlined. This leads to the telling of the escalation of the killer’s crimes.

In “The Killing Cousins” this formula is only partially used. Other than learning that both David Alan Gore and his cousin, Fred Waterfield both had violent and deviant sexual fantasies during their adolescence, I did not feel that their early histories were adequately examined. 

I did find the story interesting, but felt there were a few problems with the way it was presented to the reader/listener. 

It was lacking in cohesiveness and the story came across as disjointed. For example, the listener learns that David Alan Gore was executed before they learn the details of his crimes. I believe that the author assumes that his readers will have previous knowledge of this criminal duo, but that is not always the case.

Another issue I had was with the recording quality. In two separate places the narrator repeats himself. I believe is probably when he took a break and went back to it later and a few words ended up being said twice; either that or whoever did the editing made the errors. 

I also would have liked to hear more about the victims. While there were a few details given, such as their ages, I felt that not enough details were given for the reader to feel any true empathy for them. They came across as victims in a story, rather than real people.

Based on the comments above, it would seem that I did not enjoy this audiobook, but that is not true. I found it interesting and I have to admit that the psychopathic mind is fascinating to me. What turns seemingly ordinary people into depraved monsters? I guess we will never really know.

If you are looking for a shortened version of the story of David Alan Gore and Fred Waterfield this audiobook is perfect for you.

I rate this audiobook as 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you are interested in more information about this crime spree, visit the following links:

THE PALM BEACH POST ARTICLE OUTLINING GORE’S CRIMES:

TAMPA BAY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT DAVID ALAN GORE’S EXECUTION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

  
Jack Rosewood is the author of many books on True Crime.

Jack lives in Jupiter, Florida with his wife, two kids and their golden retriever, Vincent. 

Jack Rosewood has been a full time author for the last 15 years and he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world!

His father was a journalist and wrote about some of the worst crimes you could ever imagine, and that’s where Jack’s interest from serial killers and other horrible crimes comes from. Just to hear his father talk about the evil acts of Ted Bundy as they were out fishing when he was a kid are some of his best memories.

Join His Newsletter and get a FREE E-Book and more deals: http://jackrosewood.com  

Facebook Fan Page   

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Miles Taylor is a voice actor from Upstate NY. He specializes in adult romance, fantasy, mystery & thrillers. 

3 Stars for THE SINCLAIRS 1-7: VANITY by In-Hwan Kim – BOOK REVIEW

  
Title: THE SINCLAIRS 1-7: VANITY

Series: CARTOON ISLAND: SEASON 1: THE SINCLAIRS 

Author: IN-HWAN KIM

Illustrator: SERGIO DRUMMOND

Type of Book: eBook

Genre: Comics

Release Date: September 2015

Publisher: LIKE/Sunshine Publishing

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

This graphic novel collection was being offered for free on Amazon so I thought I would give it a chance.

The illustrations are clean and interesting. Illustrator Sergio Drummond does an outstanding job of drawing accurate and appropriate facial expressions. I give the illustrations 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Each page in this book is a comic strip made up of four panels. While a few pages made me chuckle, most of the pages were not really humorous at all. 

There are no inappropriate topics or graphics which means that this comic book is suitable for all ages. 

Since the book is currently being offered for free, I would recommend downloading it and giving it a try. Why not? You have nothing to lose.

Overall I rate THE SINCLAIRS 1-7: VANITY as 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

DEAR SISTER by Christine Tryon 3 Star – BOOK REVIEW

  
Title: DEAR SISTER

Author: Christine Tryon

Type of Book: EBook

Length: 251 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoirs, Breast Cancer 

Release Date: August 6, 2015

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

~ I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

This book is a breast cancer memoir. The author was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and has chronicled her journey in order to help others who may be going through the same thing. 

The author’s goal is to let women fighting breast cancer know that they are not alone. This is definitely a great idea.

It is obvious from the very beginning of this book that Christine Tryon is not an experienced author. However, this type of memoir does not have to be editorially professional to be effective. 

Despite a large number of editing and proofreading errors, the author is still able to get her message of hope and solidarity through to her readers.

I rated this book as 3 out of 5 stars because of the lack of professional editing and proofreading. I cannot rate it higher in good conscience. However, I have read that the author has since rewritten this book and edited it heavily. Unfortunately the copy that was sent to me did not include her changes and as such I can only rate what I was given.

If you are going through breast cancer this book would probably help you to feel less alone, and for that reason I would recommend it to potential readers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

  
Christine Tryon is a married, mother of three grown up sons. She is also a breast cancer survivor and a member of Toastmasters International. 

You can follow Christine on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/cstryon 

HOW HE KNEW by Lynda Cordova – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

  
Title: HOW HE KNEW: Short Stories For the Young and Old

Author: Lynda Cordova

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged 

Narrator: Tina Strong 

Length: 1 hour and 5 minutes

Genre: Fiction, Short Stories

Release Date: June 22, 2015

Publisher: Lynda Cordova 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. 

I actually struggled to listen to this audiobook in its entirety. The only reason that I didn’t just abandon this audiobook was because it was given to me in exchange for an honest review and I wanted to keep my word. 

However, I am glad I listened to the entire audiobook as I did enjoy a few of the stories. 

I think short story anthologies are difficult to rate because while some of the stories deserve a 4 or 5 star rating, others were not as highly enjoyable. That said, just because these stories did not strike a chord with me does not mean that other listeners will feel the same.

I suggest that if you like short stories then you should give this audiobook a try and form your own opinion. 

The narration was done well. Tina Strong was articulate and easy to understand with no distinguishable accent. I rate the narration as 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Overall I rate this audiobook as 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3 Stars for SURVIVORS: THE COMING COLLAPSE by John Wesley Rawles – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

SURVIVORS: The Coming Collapse

Author: James Wesley Rawles

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Length: 13 hours and 41 minutes

Narrator: Dick Hill

Genre: Fiction- Post-Apocalyptic Fiction, Prepper Fiction

Release Date: October 4, 2011

Series: Founders – Book Two

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook through AudiobookBlast dot com in exchange for an honest review.

This book was written as a fictional tale of what the author envisions as the inevitable collapse of the world’s economy.

I believe that the author set out to achieve two goals by writing this book. He attempted to write a compelling fiction story while also communicating to his readers tips and tricks to help them prepare for the “coming collapse.”

The problem with having two such lofty goals for a single book is that the storyline was often placed on the back-burner to go into minute detail about survival strategies. Nowhere in the story is this more readily apparent than when the author starts to go ‘on-and-on’ about guns and the individual features of each one. I understand the need for a weapon (or possibly even two) if the country were to fall into lawless chaos, however, most readers will probably not care about the make and model of their weapon. All they will care about is whether or not it is reliable and whether or not they will be able to obtain ammunition for it.

I have read quite a few different reviews for “SURVIVORS” and those reviews have been varied. It seems like readers either love this book, or they hate it. There does not seem to be a middle-ground. The major difference between my experience and the experience of the other reviewers whose comments I have read seems to be in what format they “read.” I listened to “SURVIVORS” on unabridged audiobook and I am very glad I did. I believe that I would have wanted to stop reading a few times if I was reading a paper or e-copy of this book.

The overly detailed descriptions of guns and their components struck me as tedious and boring. This is also true in the sections about religion. At times I felt like I was being told that if I was not a Christian then I would not survive. This seems simplistic to me.

I enjoyed the part of the story where Anders Lane was trying to return home from his tour of duty overseas to America and the hardships he faced on his journey.

There was another storyline that I enjoyed and that was the woman and her mother who had stockpiled seeds. (I can’t remember their names.) However, this storyline gets dropped and readers never find out if they survived or not.

The narration by Dick Hill is very well done. He has a terrific tone and his cadence and pacing are excellent.

Overall I rate this audiobook as 3 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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James Wesley Rawles was born in California in 1960.

Rawles is a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer. He is the founder and Senior Editor of SurvivalBlog.com which covers survival and preparedness topics, and has published collected material from this in two books. He also works as a survival retreat consultant and is a Constitutionalist Christian libertarian.

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Dick Hill is an American audiobook narrator who has narrated over four hundred audiobooks.

When I first started listening to this audiobook I instantly knew I had heard Dick Hill’s voice before. He is perhaps best known as the narrator of author Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher” series. He has been narrating audiobooks for almost twenty years.

To learn more about this narrator visit http://www.dickhill.com