Audiobook Review: Imposter by Susanne Winnacker

What do you get if you crossed X-Men with Nancy Drew? The new Variants series by Susanne Winnacker.

Tessa is a Variant, she can morph into anyone that she has "touched" that is still living. She lives with other Variants, with all different skills, at the FEA, a branch of the FBI. Tessa is called on her first assignment, to replace a girl who was killed from a serial killer attack, The FEA believe Variants are involve, so Tessa and Alec, also a Variant with the FEA and whom Tessa has a crush on, set off for Livingston to try and find out who the serial killer is.

I love mysteries and everything supernatural, so naturally I loved the premise of this book. Impostor lived up to all of my expectations as I went on a thrilling ride with Tessa as she tried to fit in with all Madison's friends and family, discover the murderer and also explore her feelings for Alec.

Tessa is a confused teen, which comes across well in the story. Her mom has handed her over to the FEA as she considers her a "freak" and doesn't want anything to do with her, and she's going through all the teen motions of wanting her first kiss, when she's thrusted into her first case. She certainly learns to grow up in a hurry and I liked the direction Susanne Winnacker took her in the first book in the series.

There are lots of questions raised at the end of this book about the Variants and the FEA, and I really, REALLY can't wait for the second book.

I listened on audio and I absolutely loved Emily Rankin's narration, especially for cook, Martha, who is like a surrogate den-mother to Tessa.

I recommend this book to fans of young adult fiction with a twist, especially if you like the X-Men!!

About this Audiobook:

Written by: Susanne Winnacker
Narrated by: Emily Rankin
Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
 Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-28-13
Publisher: Listening Library

Audiobook Review: A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell

A Cast-Off Coven is the second book in the Witchcraft Mysteries, and sees Lily back in the middle of a murder. Lily owns Aunt Cora's closet, and gets a call to look at some vintage clothes found in a closet at the San Francisco School of Fine Arts. What Lily finds is more than just vintage clothes: a murder of a wealthy man and a demon!

I listened to the first book in this series (Secondhand Spirits) in audio version and I really enjoyed the narration from Xe Sands (particularly of Oscar, the familiar) so I decided to listen to the second book on audio as well.

I liked that this book followed closely after the first, and told more of Max's back story. So the reader finds out what he has against magic, and also more of Aiden's story as well.

The mystery kept me on toes, constantly trying to guess who the murderer was. I loved the backdrop of the San Francisco School of Fine Arts with its bell tower ghost, as it set a very creepy scene, which suited the book perfectly. Of course the stand out character was the familiar, Oscar, who is a goblin that changes himself into a pot belly pig. Oh Oscar, you are wonderful!!

I'm really glad that there is lots more books in this series to enjoy, and I definitely will check out the audio versions, because I love Xe Sands narration.

About this Audiobook:
Written by: Juliet Blackwell
Narrated by: Xe Sands
Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins 
Series: Witchcraft Mysteries, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:11-19-12
Publisher: Tantor Audio

Audiobook Review: Joyland by Stephen King

Stephen King has penned his first hard crime novel in Joyland, the tale of a serial killer in a amusement park. College student Devin Jones takes a job at a amusement park one summer. It will be a summer he won't forget as he recovers from a broken heart, learns what life is like as a "carny" and tries to solve a murder.

I'm a big mystery reader. I have a whole bookcase dedicated to the greats and the more recent releases. So when I heard Stephen King was writing a mystery I was intrigued. I have loved everything King has written and I was really interested in seeing if he could pull off a mystery, without it turning into a horror "slash-em" novel. Well let me reassure die hard King fans - he can!!

For me Joyland was more than just a murder mystery. It was a cold case murder mystery combined with a coming-of-age story that was possibly the sweetest coming-of-age story I've ever read. Well if you take away the creepy-serial killer-at-a-amusement-park thing!

I really enjoyed the story from Devin's point of view. He is young, in love, and later nurses a broken heart. His year at Joyland was the year that he grew up and learnt so much, and this comes across so clearly in both King's writing and Michael Kelly's narration. It's a story of heartbreak, sorrow and death. It was a story that I am so glad I read, and one I will never forget.

Joyland is a intriguing mystery and a coming-of-age story all rolled into one. I highly recommend it to both King fans and mystery fans alike. Michael Kelly's narration was fantastic, as he tells of the highs and lows of the summer.

About this Audiobook: 

Written by: Stephen King 

Narrated by: Michael Kelly 

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins 

 Unabridged Audiobook 

Release Date:06-04-13 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Audiobook Review: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate series, Gail Carriger brings us her first Young Adult Steampunk novel, the first in her Finishing School series. Fourteen year old Sophronia is not the sophisticated, polite young lady that her sisters are. Instead she's constantly getting into trouble and being a constant trial to her mother. So her mother decides to send her to finishing school, hoping that this may make a lady out of Sophronia. However, the finishing school isn't what her mother had planned, and Sophronia finds herself neck deep in finishing school AND espionage school.

While trying to get used to vampire teachers, a werewolf guard and the ins and outs of espionage, Sophronia and her friends also try to recover the "protype", which everyone seems to want to get their hands on as well.

LOVE! Seriously, LOVE! Etiquette & Espionage is all about steampunk and espionage school. It's the perfect blend of the pair, and it reminded me a little of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls, but with supernaturals and steampunk.

I highly recommend the audiobook. Moira Quirk's narration of the story is perfect. I particularly loved her voice for Sophronia. She reminds me a lot of Clara (from Doctor Who - yes I have to add that reference), and all her trouble-making ways definitely come across in the audiobook.

If you're looking for a YA book that is a little different I highly recommend this book. It's spies and espionage, and STEAMPUNK and one of the best YA books I've listened to this year.

About this Audiobook: 

Written by: Gail Carriger 

Narrated by: Moira Quirk 

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins 

 Series: Finishing School, Book 1 

Unabridged Audiobook 

Release Date:02-05-13 

Publisher: Hachette Audio