Audiobook Review: The Dispatcher by John Scalzi

Novella
Narrated: Zachary Quinto
2 hrs. 19 min.
Unabridged
Publisher: Audible Studios
Published: 10/4/16
Source: tbr pile (free until Nov. 2, 16)

One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know. But it changes everything: war, crime, daily life.

Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher - a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death's crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong.

It's a race against time for Valdez to find his friend before it's too late...before not even a Dispatcher can save him.

My thoughts:

This is a quick listen and I was curious since Zachary Quinto narrated it. He did a superb job of voicing the characters and his smooth voice seemed to lend an edge to the telling. It almost felt like a bit of a suspense novel as well.

In this short the world is firmly developed. In fact the world building really seemed to be the main factor in the story. Why are people who are murdered coming back? How? What is the timeline for the reset? Most of these things are answered and others (like why and how) are left to your imagination, but all feels plausible in this world. Plus it makes sense that the first things humans would do with what seems like a miracle... monetize it and make it a job. That is the dispatcher. They make sure people survive in circumstances and are given a second chance to get things right. It also lends itself to exploitation and an underground which has developed within this type of "job".

The characters are interesting but I didn't really connect with them. It is understandable since this, to me, is not a character book but really an exploration of a mystery and the world it inhabits. That part of the story is fully told and I was left satisfied after 2+ hours of this novella. I give this book 4 stars and highly recommend it to those that enjoy a different kind of world and a good sic-fi story.

Bloggy Freebie Note: This audio novella is free until Nov. 2 so get yours free now! A good way to try this one and see if this sci-fi is for you. :) Go HERE to get the audio (that is not an affiliate link).

Audiobooks and Bargains!

Hm... well, it's not an audio review, but I had the graphic already so... ;)

This is to remind people about the free audiobooks by SYNC! It started last week and sorry if you missed the first audiobook. This week is:

Just go to the website for the download link. I have no affiliation with the website, I just think it's cool to get freebies. :)

Also...

Don't forget lots of giveaways with the nominations including g/c and a year to audible! Just click on the banner to get the info. 

Have fun listening! :)

Also... The Mythos Academy ebooks are on sale until the 27th! They average $2.99 but Amazon has them for slightly cheaper (from Jennifer Estep):

TOUCH OF FROST, book 1: http://tinyurl.com/mfuq7cz

KISS OF FROST, book 2: http://tinyurl.com/kzmtez9

DARK FROST, book 3: http://tinyurl.com/ktw4euy

CRIMSON FROST, book 4: http://tinyurl.com/lkx33xj

MIDNIGHT FROST, book 5: http://tinyurl.com/ms7s9t7

You have any bargains you have run across? List them in the comments, plz. :)

Ebook Bargains and Food for Thought...

The ebook of By a Thread is on sale for this month!

By A Thread
by Jennifer Estep
Series: Elemental Assassin #6

When killing people is your job, there’s no such thing as a vacation. 

Then again, how often does an assassin live long enough to enjoy her retirement? In this line of work, you either get lucky or you get dead. And since I destroyed my nemesis Mab Monroe a few weeks ago, all of Ashland’s lowlifes are gunning to make a name for themselves by taking out the lethal Spider—me, Gin Blanco. So I’m leaving behind my beloved barbecue joint and heading south with my baby sister, Bria, to cool my heels in a swanky beach town. Call it a weekend of fun in the sun. But when a powerful vampire with deadly elemental magic threatens an old friend of Bria’s, it looks like I’ll have to dig my silver stone knives out of my suitcase after all. Complicating matters further is the reappearance of Detective Donovan Caine, my old lover. But Donovan is the least of my problems. Because this time, the danger is hot on my trail, and not even my elemental Ice and Stone magic may be enough to save me from getting buried in the sand—permanently.

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Books-A-Million / iTunes / Kobo / Audible

A few of the Hollow series ebooks by Kim Harrison are also on sale.

Black Magic Sanction #8

Pale Demon #9

A Perfect Blood #10

Holiday's are Hell #5.5

are all $1.99 at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

A freebie!

Hotter on the Edge

Three novellas of science fiction romance 

On the edge of space...
On the edge of danger...
On the edge of desire... 

All That Glitters by Erin Kellison 

Cheated out of a fortune by the Sol royal family, lowborn Simon Miner will do anything to get his revenge, no matter how ruthless. When Princess Mica Sol, a terraforming expert, is shot out of the sky on the way to her sister’s lavish wedding, she fears the worst—scavengers—and flees into an alien jungle to avoid capture. But the man who pursues and captures her is none other than Simon, her former lover. Passions reignite as violence rocks Sol City, and Simon and Mica must fight for love, family, and their world… or lose everything. 

To Buy a Wife by KC Klein 

In a harsh land where corruption rules and women are few, cold realist Hudson Land must purchase a wife to save his farm. Instead of an auction, he witnesses the start of an execution. With his first look at a beautiful woman in years, Hudson knows he has to have her—no matter the cost. Lake, a chemist and a rebel fighter, is resigned to her death, but when some back-hill farmer rescues her from the chopping block she has no intention of simply becoming his wife. She’s pledged her life to the Rebellion and being bought for some stranger’s bed doesn’t change a thing, though his soft caresses have her longing for more. As lies and secrets build between them, are the quiet moments during the nights they’ve shared enough to stand against two warring factions in a world where only the strong survive? 

Enslaved by Starlight by Jessa Slade 

Transformed by empathic crystals into the perfect paramour, Benedetta Galil is the last treasure of her fading world. When raiders attack—seeking to corrupt the crystals and conquer all of charted space—she gives herself as a prize to the one man in the universe who values freedom over power. Mercenary sheership Captain Corso Deynah left oppression behind him on a burning planet and has no use for a sex slave, even one as seductive as Benedetta. But while he stubbornly resists her body, her fierce spirit tempts him, and he will risk everything—his ship, his seclusion, the very stars—to win not just her passion but her love.

Get it at Amazon

Also...

I recently reviewed Prince of Shadows by Rachel Caine. I enjoyed the retelling. I was not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet, but I do love retellings (here is the link to the review if you missed it...). Anyhoo... I recently came across this article that totally had me thinking... It is an article by Glen Tickle: You're Reading Romeo and Juliet Wrong. You are supposed to hate Romeo (link in the title). It totally changed my perspective on the play. It actually made me like it a bit more too! LOL He breaks down why he sees Romeo as a villain especially during that time period. It actually makes more sense to me than what I had be taught about them being such great lovers. Oh so those of you who have read it... what do you think? Did it change how you now see the play? 

Also if you have more deals you would like to share, do share those as well! 

Happy Tuesday... 

oh and...

Will always be a Bronco fan!

Bookish Deal and Giveaway!

Yep, my barrel lady and givaway lady have been doing some work!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White ~ $2.99 (I've been waiting for this deal to read it!)

HarperVoyager is celebrating the Comic Con and you get a ebook deal until the 31st!

King of Foxes by Raymond E. Feist – $1.99

The Janus Affair by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris – $.99 (totally squeeing about this one)

Red Phoenix by Kylie Chan – $.99

Star Strike by Ian Douglas – $.99

The Taken by Vicki Pettersson – $2.99

Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat – $.99

And a bargain from Pocket books is:

Defiant by Kris Kennedy 

A rogue knight and an enchanting renegade join forces to right old wrongs in award-winning author Kris Kennedy’s sizzling new medieval romance 

A warrior with questionable intentions . . . 

Jamie Lost is the king’s most renowned commander, a fearless lieutenant ordered to kidnap an exiled priest before rebel forces close in. The mission is simple—until he meets a mysterious thief who will steal his quarry and then his heart.

A lady of remarkable courage . . . 

Beautiful Eva is also seeking Father Peter, but she intends to protect him from a secret that could cost him his life. She senses that she, too, should fear Jamie—not just for his wickedly sharp sword and dangerously muscular body, but for the powerful longing he ignites within her. 

A secret that could overthrow the king.

When a band of mercenaries abducts the priest, Jamie and Eva must form a volatile alliance. As civil war unfolds around them, they embark on an epic journey that betrays the truth about their hidden identities, their unexpected loyalties, and the simmering attraction that could seal their fates forever.

Oh and this one in ebook form is on sale for $2.99 until the 30th. I like the cover. ;)

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

iTunes

Google Books

or where you get your ebooks!

Oh and an excerpt is HERE to whet your whistle! ;D 

Now for the fun GIVEAWAY!

I get to giveaway the next book in this series! This one goes on sale on the 31st!

Deception by Kris Kennedy 

A beautiful silk merchant and a dashing con man join forces in the second scorching medieval romance from Kris Kennedy. 

Breaking and entering to reclaim her corrupt late father's ledger comes surprisingly easily to Sophia Darnly. But is it mere coincidence that her misdeed unexpectedly reunites her with Kier, the outlaw lover who abandoned her years ago? Time has not erased Sophia from Kier's heart, nor tamed her fiery spirit. She boldly insinuates herself into Kier's plan for revenge, believing the ledger will ensure her survival. But Kier knows that with or without the ledger, she's as good as dead. 

Kier is a dangerous, intoxicating potion for Sophia, but he's on a mission of revenge, and can't allow even the woman he once loved to stop him. The danger mounts as they take on the leader of a powerful consortium who needs the fabled Darnly ledger—and all its damning details about the wealthiest merchants of England—to execute his nefarious plan. He also needs Sophia—the last witness to his scheme—dead. 

The coals of their rekindled passion burn hot as Sophia and Kier set their trap. But when the duo discovers they too are the targets of a deadly deception, the fate of their love, and of England itself, lies in the balance.

Yes, I know... unfortunately he is a bit more covered, but still smexy nonetheless... ;D

This one is a MPB physical copy so it's also a US only giveaway.

Bookish Happenings...

Tyger Tyger is having a sale! $2.99 for ebook at Amazon, B&N, and iBooks. A great deal for those that have yet to start this series. I'll have a review up soon of the next, In the Forests of the Night, the sequel to Tyger Tyger. I'll also have a giveaway of the next book on the 25th. So, this is a great way to get prepared to winning the next book! ;)

I also just found out that the book, Cinder and Ella, will be available now in hardback and in ebook. I think it is a cute story for those in the MG crowd.  

Tiger Eye (oh, Tiger's everywhere!) is FREE right now! I've been wanting to start one of Marjorie M. Liu series since I've read a few of her short stories. Great way to start this one!
Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks

Oh and a book I LOVED is now $3.99 in ebook form. Oh do get this and if you search for my review, you will find links for the prequel for free! ;)
Amazon, B&N

Read an Ebook Week

Read and E-book week is almost over and I did spy a few bargains still available...

First... there is the Read an ebook week website

There is also some bargains at Smashwords

There are codes there for 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% off. My suggestion is to look under bestselling and the percentage off for filters. 

I had won Purpose which is book 2 and I got book 1 for free at Smashwords (see, I don't ALWAYS read the others first! lol)

Tempest Rising is currently $2.99 at amazon's Kindle store. I've been wanting to read this series for a while now!

Married with Zombies is still $2.99!

Destined for an Early Grave is $1.99

The Body Finder is $1.99

Of course some of these are well known, but I thought I'd throw a few in there just in case some people didn't know about them. 

Happy ebook week. Remember the smashwords site will only have these bargains until the 12th. I'm not sure about when the Kindle deals will end. Oh and if you find a few bargains that you were happy about getting (I didn't list all I knew about), just post them in the comments! 

An Evil Post

Since it is that time of year, I thought I'd be a bit evil... or at least spread some evil around. ;) I recently decided I couldn't pass up these bargains for much longer and succumbed to their evil discounts. First, is the Book Depository this place is based in England so it takes a while to get your book in the US, but the discounts are HUGE. Add the fact there is NO SHIPPING worldwide, and it has become evil place (according to my bank statement) number 1! Oh, and yes, all books are brand spanking new!

Second, is Book Closeouts. Okay, so you know I've been crafting my, uh, heiny off so I got a few of those books at a great price. Right now they are having a 1/2 sale (1/2 off THEIR price which is already reduced 75-80%) with their craft books. And, yes, I got a couple of good deals on paranormals with their scratch and dent sale books as well.

Well, I know I'll be back to reading very quickly now. I'll have to since I just increased my TBR quite a bit. Have an evil, awfully wonderful time at these places! ;)

Addiction

I have to admit it, I'm addicted. I recently got an iPod Touch and I have been on that thing a lot. So much so, that my dogs now have been giving me a dirty look every time they see it with me. What I'd like to introduce to you (if you happen to have a iPod Touch or iPhone) is the "Kindle for iPhone". It is available in the iTunes store for free. You can then download kindle books and read them on your device. Right now until Oct. 1 of this year you can get a few books for free as well. I have got some of the free books and downloaded them and they work fine. Just go to the kindle store or it's simpler to just click on this link here... deals on kindle books

So far I have downloaded "Elric Stealer of Souls" by Michael Moorcock, "Darkfever" by Karen Marie Moning, "My Soul to Lose" by Rachel Vincent, "Queen of the Orcs: King's Property" by Morgan Howell, "Kiss of Midnight" by Lara Adrian, and "The Angel Experiment" by James Patterson. Quite a lot of books for the bargain price of $0! Of course this also applies to those that have the Kindle device as well. So, hurry and get your books now! :)