Mail Order Ruse

Mail Order Ruse: Kansas Brides, Book 3

Written by: Barbara Goss

Narrated by: Reagan Boggs

Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins

Series: Kansas Brides, Book 3

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:03-31-17

Publisher: Barbara A. Goss

This is the first book I have listened or read from this author. The author brings a lot to the table from an interesting read that has many twists and turns that you won’t see coming. It is a total different kind of read that will having you scratching your head at times wondering just what Graham has up his sleeve. He is playing a full hand holding his cards close to his chest. I am not sure I would have done as he did this could have went so bad so fast.

Ms. Boggs’s narration was good. There was one place where there was a little bit of a volume change so slight you can almost not hear it. The narrator brings a lot to the story with her many different character voices. You have no trouble knowing who is talking and what they are feeling. At times she does sound a little flat but for the most part she does a great job. Her tones for the most part are very good, she chuckles, laughs, is sad or happy when it is need. There are no background noises just a very clear, clean audio that the narrator delivers very well. She has a very pleasant voice that really pulls the reader in. I thought her performance was good, she is entertaining and keeps her listeners invested in the audio. Except for the one little volume change if any breaks were taken I could not tell. This is the first time I have listen to this narrator but it won’t be the last.

Grace is a woman all alone with no family. She just wants someone to love and love her. It does not take long for her to love this family and them her. What a kind, caring and so sweet women you fall in love with her almost from the first page. At times she is confused but always turns to God to help find her way. Graham comes across as wishy washy and at time may confuse the reader but read on you will find the meaning behind all that he does. He really is a sweet kind man that wants the best for his family. His granddaughter is just so charming, sweet and delightful it didn’t take long for her to steal my heart. His children are kind and warm up to Grace. He does have one son that lost his wife and has turned his back on God for taking away his one true love. As Grace tries to get to know the man she is to marry she does her best to help his children and granddaughter by bring them out and trying to being their faith back in God.

What a delightful clean listen that at times your jaw will drop, you will laugh and become very sad at all this family has gone through. It is Inspirational with a message you can relate to about forgiveness, lose, learning to live again as well as finding your way back to God after a lose. It is a touching listen that will pull on your heart. If you have ever lost someone one this book could help you deal with that lose. It is a book full of love, strength and so much more. If you are looking for a short delightful book that gives meaning and will keep you entertained I hope you will pick this story up. I look forward to listening to more stories from this author and narrator.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Mail-Order-Ruse-Audiobook/B06XXJMBJQ

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Ruse-Kansas-Brides-ebook/dp/B01MRJX4X7/ref=cm_cr_if_orig_subj?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=xm2&tag=audiblecom0f-20

Summary

Graham Easton sends for a mail order bride, but when she arrives, he changes the rules they'd agreed upon in their correspondence. Unknown to her is, he has an ulterior motive for bringing her to Hunter's Grove. He stalls the nuptials by saying they need to get to know each other first, and invites her to live with his family in the meantime.
Grace Webster arrives to meet the man she's to marry, and discovers he's much older than she'd thought. He has grown children and a four-year-old granddaughter. When her groom changes their plans, she becomes confused and angry. She wonders why he brought her there, and for what purpose.

Arnold Sodeman: The True Story of the Schoolgirl Strangler:

Arnold Sodeman: The True Story of the Schoolgirl Strangler: True Crime by Evil Killers, Book 1

Written by: Jack Rosewood

Narrated by: Gaius M. Thynne

Length: 51 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:10-10-16

Publisher: Wiq Media

I really enjoyed this author who gives the facts as they are with no add on or fillers which makes this a wonderful short listen that really holds your attention. My heart really went out to the families of these children as well as the victims. I think the thing that touched me the most was the letter his wife wrote to him asking for the truth and talked about their daughter. The next thing that really hit home as how he killed and then went visiting, to understand what I mean you will have to read or listen to this story.

Mr. Thynne narration was great he gives the facts as they are only giving emotion if it is needed. He narrates a clean, clear, crisp audio with no background noises. There are no volume changes, if any breaks were taken I could not tell. He did no character voices but I didn’t feel they were needed. The audio was done in even tones but in a way that you feel the effect of the horror of the act that was done. I told his performance was really good. He has a very nice pleasant voice to listen to that really pulls the listener in.

I have mixed feelings about Mr. Sodeman. I do feel he used his alcohol as an excuse. I am not saying it didn’t play a part in his act just that it is too easy to blame what you do on drinking. With his families past and how people thought he was strange I would have thought the family would have kept an eye on the whole family throughout the years and got help for those that needed it. There are a lot of interesting facts one being what they found in his brain that might have lead him to do what he did. If you love true crime and you are looking for an interesting listen that only gives the facts I hope you pick this up. It will make you wonder if he could have been helped before he started murdering if he had the help that we have today back then. There are places where you jaw will drop and others where your heart just about breaks for the victims as well as the families.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Bios-Memoirs/Arnold-Sodeman-The-True-Story-of-the-Schoolgirl-Strangler-Audiobook/B01LX4KYRV

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Arnold-Sodeman-Schoolgirl-Strangler-Historical-ebook/dp/B00VEMMPY2/ref=cm_cr_if_orig_subj?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=xm2&tag=audiblecom0f-20

Summary

Captured in the 1930s before the words psychopath and pedophile were part of common vernacular, notorious serial killer Arnold Sodeman murdered four young girls with little thought of remorse. Without guilt, the evil serial killer strangled them to death with their own clothing and left their small bodies alone in the Australian brush, earning himself a chilling position in the annals of Australian crime.

The first victim in his child murder spree, 12-year-old Mena Griffiths, showed signs of having been sexually assaulted, although the man who would become known as The School-girl Strangler denied the assault, and blamed the killing of both Griffiths and the other girls on his inability to control himself after he’d been drinking.

The horrific story of this true-life murderer – a tale of mental illness, childhood abuse, brain damage and alcoholic blackouts – is true crime as its most terrible, and ranks among the worst child murders in world history.

After his arrest, Sodeman calmly confessed, saying that when intoxicated, he became overcome by thoughts of revenge, and like a real-life Jekyll and Hyde, transformed from doting husband and family man into a barbarian who strangled four little girls.

He chose children and teens, he said, because he could lure them away much easier, but the cold-blooded killer really didn’t seem to recognize the abhorrence of taking a child’s life.

Experts now say the handsome but strange Sodeman would likely have been unfit to stand trial for his crimes, given his family’s extensive background of mental illness, but in the 1930s, the serial killer’s biography was a tale that left Australia stunned.

Montana Courage

Montana Courage

Written by: Caroline Fyffe

Narrated by: Corey M. Snow

Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins

Series: McCutcheon Family, Book 9

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:05-11-17

Publisher: Caroline Fyffe

What a wonderful addition to the McCutcheon Series as Ms. Fyfee doing as only she can reaching out taking you in with her beautiful scenes and wonderful characters that leaves you breathless and captivated. What a pleasure is was revisiting the town of Y Knot and the characters from past stories. I have been hooked for the very first McCutchenon story loving the town and all the people in it. Ms Fyfee pulls on your emotions with her wonderful writing style of love, helping others, thief of food and lantern oil, strength and courage giving you an emotional read that really pulls on your heartstrings.

What I love about this whole series is the nice clean fun the author gives with Christian values that are not over powering. Each book is a standalone that brings past characters and event to play in a way you never feel lost. You can read just one or all, always knowing just what is going on touching on important parts leaving you with a smile and a few laughs along the way.

Mr. Snow as always his narration is outstanding with his wonderful voice and many different characters make the audio come alive. He has a strong emotional voice that you could listen to all day. I had no trouble knowing who is talking or what they were feeling. His male voices are just as wonderful as his females one. The variations in gender flowed was easy giving you a wonderful clean, clear and crisp audio listen. I found the voices to be very appropriate, the tones matched what he was reading. He put the chuckles, laughs and tempter in where they needed to be which added so much to the read. His tones were raised or lowered just right giving lots of emotion and meaning to the story. The plot flows easy and without interruption as Mr. Snow puts the correct voice to the correct character which gave life to this listen. I found the recording to be to be free of background noises with no change in volume it was smooth, if there was any editing done or breaks taken you cannot tell it. The total performance is outstanding. I can’t wait for the next book in this series to listen more of his work.

This story starts off with one of the worst blizzards in history has hit the Montana territory. The McCutcheon’s send their men out to other ranches and to the town to see what they can do to help. Everyone is fighting to keep everyone alive when low on fuel, warmth and food it becomes a trying time for the town. Shad Petty gets his story of love with a women way out of his league. He is very happy living his bachelorhood life until he sets eyes on Poppy who comes to visit her sister. Poppy has been spoiled and use to getting her way must learn life isn’t just about her and her wants. She most overcome this to get the man of her dreams. As the story goes on Poppy blooms learning that she is more than what people think she is turning into a delightful lady her sister can be proud of as well as showing Shad just what she is made of. Shad has a few things to learn as well not everything is as it seems, people can change right before your eyes, things are not always as they seem.

Ms. Fyfee is such beautiful detail in her stories you have no trouble picturing the scenes in your mind as the story comes alive. Picking up and starting this story was like coming home to a long lost family you haven’t seen in a while being pulled into their embraces and love that you never want to leave them again. This was a big winner for me leaving me with a book I could not put down reading it all at one setting. I was captivated with all that is going on taking you from one event into another knowing at times this could be life or death. This is one author that does her research pulling in with true facts why hooking her reader with love, emotion and danger. I love the characters it was a delight watching them grow and learn. Watching Shad and Poppy fall in love was so much fun at time I found myself cheering for Shad with his strong beliefs that at times got him in trouble. It really was a story full of family values, love with powerful emotions. Seeing past characters and catching up with them was just icing on the cake for me.

No one writes a historical western like this author, she knows just where to pull you in, giving you characters and scenes that are so vivid you are hooked almost for the first page. This is a delightful standalone but with this series it is a 5 star plus. Pick this book up you will understand why she has always been one of my go to author for excitement, love, emotions, compaction, filled with family values.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Montana-Courage-Audiobook/B072F8FHHG

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Montana-Courage-McCutcheon-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B01MTV0Q1D/ref=cm_cr_if_orig_subj?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=xm2&tag=audiblecom0f-20

Summary

Shad Petty is a cowhand, plain and simple, whose days are filled with riding for the McCutcheon brand. There's no room in his life for a woman, let alone a female with obvious means who is completely out of his reach. Unfortunately, the candid Miss Ford captures his heart and his simple life is turned topsy-turvy from that point on.

Pampered socialite Poppy Ford rarely listens to direction. Her father has indulged her every whim and she's been a dutiful daughter until now...when she decides to visit her sister in Y Knot without his permission. All too soon, Poppy learns the Montana wilderness is not Boston. She's thrust into danger of her own making and the results are a matter of life or death. When the roughhewn cowboy named Shad offers his help, she begins to see him in a different light. Can two such completely different people find love? Or will circumstances keep them apart?

Montana Courage, Book Nine of the award-winning, western historical McCutcheon Family series, continues the lives of the McCutcheons as well as the homespun townsfolk of Y Knot, Montana.

Sniper: Women of the United Federation Marines

Sniper: Women of the United Federation Marines, Book 2

Written by: Jonathan P. Brazee

Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Series: Women of the United Federation Marines, Book 2

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:10-07-16

Publisher: Jonathan Brazee

This was an interesting story but I did find my mind wondering. The story is based on a military women and her career. It fast forwards a lot and skips over a few years through out. For me something is lacking, there is action but I just do not fill it. She has two love interests but that is about all we know.   Gracie has a very interesting career that is full of killing people and saving other military personal through her talents. She is a very talented sniper and does an outstanding job. The author takes you through lose of friends, bring back some that should have been dead. This is a story base on the future and the technology we could only dream about.   

Ms. Schnaubelt does a really good job with her narration, there are no repeat of words nor any background noises or anywhere that the volume changes. If any breaks where taken I could not tell. It is a very clean and clear audio that the narrator deliveries in a delightful way. After each chapter announcement there is a number I am unsure of what that is. I thought it was a page count but a lot of them have the same number which left me confused. Her character voices were outstanding you have no trouble understanding who is talking or what they are feeling. Her male voices were just as enjoyable as her female’s ones.  She puts emotion into her read you can feel each emotion as the characters go through their day to day life. I thought her performance was great except for those numbers after each chapter.  The narrator has a very pleasant voice that pulls you in giving you an in depth feel of the danger around them.

There is nothing in this book that really grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. It isn’t boring at all just nothing that really held my attention. Too many years were skipped and I felt a lot had been left out. I enjoyed the audio just not one I would want to listen to again nor does it want me to want to read the other books in this series. It could be because I had not read the first one and I am missing something. I hope you will give it a try the narrator alone is worth the listen. You decided what you think of this and if it is something that you may want to listen to. It is a clean read which is pleasant.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Sniper-Audiobook/B01LXFZV59

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Sniper-Women-United-Federation-Marines-ebook/dp/B01GE4I82W/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Summary

After a successful initial tour as a Marine rifleman, Lance Corporal Gracie Medicine Crow volunteers to become a scout-sniper, one of the deadliest - and most dangerous - military specialties in the United Federation Marine Corps. Gracie comes from the Apsáalooke Nation, a people with a long history of military tradition.
Small in stature and considered stunningly beautiful, she is often underestimated, but that merely drives her to be the best sniper in the Corps. Somewhat wary of her fellow snipers' attention and interaction with her, she maintains what she considers a professional front, but one that is not as well received by others - and one that earns her the nickname of "Ice Princess".
A technically skilled sniper, Gracie feels her shooting should speak for itself. But being a scout-sniper is far more than simple marksmanship. If she wants a career in the Corps, she must learn not only teamwork, but how to be a leader of Marines.
This is the second book in the series, but each book is standalone and does not have to be heard in conjunction with the others. The series follows two Marines and a Navy corpsman as they follow their individual career paths.