From These Ashes by Davidson King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Audio Version:

I loved this story. We finally got some background info on Black and how he began his reign of justice/terror in Haven Hart. With Quill being the focus of the book, it was quite a fun ride. It was dangerous and sad, but also hopeful and sweet.

Another perfect addition to this series.

Joel Leslie and Philip Alces both have such distinctive voices and I've loved that this entire series has been the two of them, teamed up. Philip Alces nails the domineering, powerful Black while Joel Leslie gives lightness and humor to Quill. Brilliant performances by both.

View all my reviews

Hidden in Darkness by Alice Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book: 4 stars

Narration: 5 stars

I have never laughed so hard listening to a book in my life. Felix and his pranks just killed me!

As much as I enjoyed the story I think the audio was the way to go here! Joel Leslie was just sublime. He had sass and grit and snark and pulled off comedy and timing flawlessly.

View all my reviews

A Light in the Darkness by Alice Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I totally humiliated myself over a couple of days at the gym while listening to this. I had to put the weights down I was laughing so hard.

Felix is his typical bratty, snarky, mean, fabulous self as he and Lane move to California to be closer to Lane's family. They move into a new home, become somewhat domesticated and find that life together is somehow never a walk in the park.

I loved this story, but felt like the scene towards the end with the psycho murderer putting them through a game was a bit long and weird for me. I really wanted to fast forward through it, but was afraid I'd miss something. Because of this section alone, I gave the book 4 stars.

I give the narration 5 stars because Joel Leslie was anything but boring. His whiny version of Felix did me in. Every time he said, "Laaaaaane!" I died. It was just the perfect amount of masculine, deep and throaty for Lane and jovial and petulant for Felix. He was a master at playing out this story.

View all my reviews

Salt Magic, Skin Magic by Lee Welch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars

This was positively magical.

I had no idea that I was into Victorian/Fantasy, but this was just awesome.

Lee Welch created a world of human/seals and child size hedgehogs and magic and alchemy and I found myself saying, just five more minutes until it was done. There was just so much to the plot. So many twists and turns that kept me guessing and my anxiety on alert.

Joel Leslie has no boundaries. He does epic voices, makes me feel everything that is going on in the story and adds so much life to the characters. I loved his take on Lord Thornby in this. He has such a way of making the characters jump out at you, you just feel like you are right there running with the hedgehog and talking to mounds of salt.

I would absolutely recommend this book because the story was amazingly well done, but I'd recommend the audiobook for the magic that Joel Leslie brings.

*Audio copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *

View all my reviews