The Audiobook Shelf

The Library of Broken Worlds
Alaya Dawn Johnson, author
JD Jackson, narrator
Bahni Turpin, narrator
Brilliance Audio
9798400148101, $24.99, MP3-CD (17 Hours 39 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Library-Broken-Worlds-Alaya-Johnson/dp/B0C58Q7JGL

Synopsis: In the winding underground tunnels of the Library, the great peac= ekeeper of the three systems, a heinous secret lies buried -- and Freida is=
the only one who can uncover it. As the daughter of a Library god, Freida = has spent her whole life exploring the Library's ever-changing tunnels and = communing with the gods. Her unparalleled access makes her unique -- and da= ngerous.

When Freida meets Joshua, a Tierran boy desperate to save his people, and N= ergui, a disciple from a persecuted religious minority, Freida is compelled=
to help them. But in order to do so, she will have to venture deeper into = the Library than she has ever known. There she will discover the atrocities=
of the past, the truth of her origins, and the impossibility of her future=
..

With the world at the brink of war, Freida embarks on a journey to fulfill = her destiny, one that pits her against an ancient war god. Her mission is s= traightforward: Destroy the god before he can rain hellfire upon thousands =
of innocent lives -- if he doesn't destroy her first.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a riveting fantasy adventure, "The = Library of Broken Worlds" by Alaya Dawn Johnson is now available as a compl= ete and unabridged audio book that is impressively narrated by the vocal ac= ting skills of JD Jackson and Bahni Turpin. Of special and particular inter= est to dedicated fantasy fans, this Brilliance Audio edition will prove to =
be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular pick for both personal and=
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Alaya Dawn Johnson (https://alayadawnjohnson.com) is als=
o the author of The Summer Prince (which received three starred reviews, wa=
s longlisted for the National Book Award, and was named a 2013 Kirkus Revie=
ws Best Book of the Year) and Love Is the Drug (the 2014 Nebula Award winne=
r for best young adult novel). Her short stories have appeared in many maga= zines and anthologies, most notably the title story in The Memory Librarian=
, in collaboration with Janelle Monae. She lives in Mexico.

Editorial Note #2: JD Jackson {https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JD_Jackson_(ac= tor)} is an American audiobook narrator, actor, and theater professor. For = his audiobook narrations he has won 26 Earphone Awards and 1 Audie Award. I=
n 2020, AudioFile named him a Golden Voice Narrator. In 2022, Booklist name=
d him a Voice of Choice Narrator.

Editorial Note #3: Bahni Turpin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahni_Turpin=
) is an American audiobook narrator and stage and screen actor based out of=
Los Angeles. She has won 9 Audie Awards, including Audiobook of the Year f=
or Children of Blood and Bone; 14 Earphone Awards; and 2 Odyssey Awards. Tu= rpin has also earned a place on AudioFile magazine's list of Golden Voice N= arrators, and in 2016, she was named Audible's Narrator of the Year. In 201=
8, Audible inducted her into the Narrator Hall of Fame.

Death Message
Damien Boyd, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Brilliance Audio
9798400132629, $19.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 40 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Message-Nick-Dixon-Crime/dp/B0BNQCG28C

Synopsis: A routine missing person enquiry takes a grisly turn when a young=
couple drag a box containing human remains out of a Somerset river. The vi= ctim was a surveillance expert investigating an exaggerated injury claim --=
a murder with an obvious motive, until a police officer is implicated and = suspended.

Still brooding after his recent brush with police Professional Standards, D= etective Chief Inspector Nick Dixon is on extended leave, helping his pregn= ant fiancee, Detective Sergeant Jane Winter, fight for her place on the maj=
or investigation team.

Convinced that the death of an art student is connected, Dixon returns to d= uty, and when graffiti depicting the murders starts to appear, the race is =
on to find the artist and the murderer. But, why the paintings? Could an in= famous street artist be involved?

With colleagues questioning his every move, Dixon must stop a sadistic kill=
er before another life is taken. Then a second art student is reported miss= ing...

Critique: The thirteen volume in author Damien Boyd's 'DI Nixon Crime' seri= es, "Death Message" is brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' expe= rience by the narrative storytelling talents and expertise of vocal actor S= imon Mattacks. Complete and unabridged, this audio book edition of "Death M= essage" from Brilliance Audio will have a special appeal to fans of police = procedural crime novels and murder mysteries -- and is unreservedly recomme= nded for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collect= ions.

Editorial Note #1: Damien Boyd (https://www.damienboyd.com) is a solicitor =
by training and draws on his extensive experience of criminal law, along wi=
th a spell in the Crown Prosecution Service, to write fast-paced crime thri= llers featuring Detective Inspector Nick Dixon.

Editorial Note #2: Simon Mattacks (https://www.simonmattacks.com) has been =
a prominent voiceover expert doing adverts, cartoons, corporate videos, and=
video games for more than 30 years.

A Thousand Recipes for Revenge
Beth Cato, author
Elizabeth Knowelden, narrator
Brilliance Audio
9798400110535, $19.99, MP3-CD (13 Hours 33 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Recipes-Revenge-Beth-Cato/dp/B0BCQ419CN

Synopsis: Adamantine "Ada" Garland has an empathic connection to food and w= ine, a magical perception of aromas, flavors, and ingredients. Invaluable p= roperty of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the = Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania -- until she had enough of injustice and b= loodshed and deserted, seeking to chart her own destiny. When mysterious as= sassins ferret her out after sixteen years in hiding, Ada, now a rogue Chef=
, and her beloved Grand-mere run for their lives, only to find themselves o=
n a path toward an unexpected ally.

A foreign princess in a strange court, Solenn unknowingly shares more with = Ada than an epicurean gift. They share blood. With her newfound magical per= ception, she becomes aware of a plot to kill her fiance, the prince. It's p= art of a ploy by adversarial forces in the rival country of Albion to sow c= onflict, and Solenn is set up to take the blame.

As Ada's and Solenn's paths converge, a mother and her long-lost daughter r= eunite toward a common goal, and against a shadowy enemy from Ada's past wh=
o is out for revenge. But what sacrifices must be made? What hope is there = when powerful Gods pick sides in a war simmering to eruption?

Critique: The complete and unabridged audio book edition of an original sto=
ry that will have a special appeal for historical and sword/sorcery fantasy=
fans, Beth Cato's "A Thousand Recipes for Revenge" novel is brought vividl=
y to life by the narrative storytelling performance of voice actor Elizabet=
h Knowelden. A solidly entertaining tale of magic and danger, "A Thousand R= ecipes for Revenge" is a fun and recommended pick for the personal collecti= ons of dedicated fantasy fans and for community library Science Fiction & F= antasy audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Beth Cato (www.bethcato.com) is the author of the Clockw= ork Dagger series and the Blood of Earth trilogy. Her short stories and poe= try can be found in hundreds of publications, including Fantasy Magazine, E= scape Pod, Uncanny Magazine, and the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.=
Beth hails from Hanford, California, but currently writes and bakes cookie=
s in a lair west of Phoenix, Arizona, that she shares with her husband, son=
, and two feline overlords.

Editorial Note #2: Elizabeth Knowelden (https://www.elizabethknowelden.com/= about) is an actress, singer, director and creative artist who trained in L= ondon at the Webber Douglas Academy.

A Killer's Game
Isabella Maldonado, author
Almarie Guerra, narrator
Feodor Chin, narrator
Brilliance Audio
9781978699908, $19.99, MP3-CD (11 Hours 17 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Killers-Game-Daniela-Vega/dp/1978699905

Synopsis: FBI agent and former military codebreaker Daniela "Dani" Vega wit= nesses a murder on a Manhattan sidewalk. The victim is chief of staff for a=
powerful New York senator. The assassin turned informant is Gustavo Toro. = His code: hit the target and don't ask questions.

When Dani suspects a complex conspiracy, the only way to take down the mast= ermind is from the inside, forcing her to partner with Toro. Together they = must infiltrate the inner circle at a remote facility. -- Except it's a tra=
p. For all of them.

Locked in a subterranean labyrinth and held captive by an unseen host, Dani=
, Toro, and others must fight for their lives. Now Dani must stay undercove=
r, unravel a bizarre conspiracy, and survive lethal puzzles. But will Toro =
be friend or foe? Because in this killer's game, everything is real: the pa= ranoia, the desperation, and the body count. And only one person can make i=
t out alive.

Critique: This complete and unabridged audio book edition of Isabella Maldo= nado's suspense thriller "A Killer's Game" is virtually brought to life by = the truly exceptional narrative storytelling skills of Almarie Guerra and F= eodor Chin -- making it an unreservedly recommended pick for both personal = and community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Isabella Maldonado (www.isabellamaldonado.com) wore a gu=
n and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the=
FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank o=
f captain in the Fairfax County Police Department just outside DC, she reti= red as the commander of special investigations and forensics. During more t= han two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, = department spokesperson, and district station commander. She uses her law e= nforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which inclu= des the popular FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera series (optioned by Netflix=
for a feature film starring Jennifer Lopez) and the Detective Veranda Cruz=
series.

Editorial Note #2: Almarie Guerra (https://almarieguerra.com) is fully bili= ngual (English and Spanish) and fluent in basic French. Almarie is also par=
t of an LA/NY based improv group, The Story Pirates.

Editorial Note #3: Feodor Chin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feodor_Chin) =
is an LA-based actor, writer, and comedian from San Francisco, CA. As an ac= tor, he was classically trained at UCLA, the American Conservatory Theater.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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