Blog Book Tour | “Solstice Shadows” (VanOps Series, Book Two) by Avanti Centrae also featuring the audiobook courtesy of #NetGalley!

Posted Wednesday, 12 August, 2020 by jorielov , , , 5 Comments

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Acquired Book By: This is marks my first blog tour I’ve hosted for Random Things Tours as a new book blogger working with them to either review and/or host guest author features on behalf of their authors. I was thankful to join their book blogger team and look forward to joining the tours which are highlighting the stories I actively enjoy reading and discovering.

Earlier this year, in late Winter (February) I joined NetGalley for the first time as they finally announced they were going to be offering full-length audiobooks for reviewers. I was never able to join NetGalley due to having chronic migraines and being unable to read ebooks. I started requesting audiobooks to review as soon as they opened their audiobook catalogue in July, 2020. I am an eclectic reader and thereby, you will see all genres in Fiction explored from both markets of interest: mainstream and INSPY as well as from Major Trade, Indie Publishers & Press and other routes of publication, too. There might be the occasional Non-Fiction title appearing in my NetGalley queue of reviews as well. This marks a new adventure for me seeking stories for review consideration and I look forward to seeing where the stories lead me to venture.

I received a complimentary digital and temporary audiobook copy of “Solstice Shadows” direct from the publisher Thunder Creek Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All audiobooks via NetGalley are able to be heard via the NetGalley Shelf which is why I was thankful to be gifted an android tablet by my parents to celebrate my 7th Blog Birthday on Jorie Loves A Story.

I also received a complimentary ARC copy of “Solstice Shadows” direct from the author Avanti Centrae in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein on either the complimentary ARC edition of this novel nor the NetGalley audiobook edition.

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On how I came to have this in both print and audiobook:

I have chronic migraines and the interesting thing about chronic migraines is how they can sometimes rob you of your short-term memory! In this particular case, I was excited to start requesting audiobooks via NetGalley. I had already confirmed a print copy of this novel was available for review on the blog tour which I celebrated as I knew this won’t always be the case as their not always available to request. I knew this series had a first novel ahead of “Solstice Shadows” and I was hopeful I could have found a copy of the first novel ahead of reading this sequel but my efforts were a bit in vain as I had two severe migraines back to back in mid-to-late July. And, this is around the time NetGalley was starting to offer their audiobooks for review.

I am a new member of NetGalley this year as previously I could not participate as the only editions they offered were ebooks which I cannot read per the aforementioned migraines. As I was browsing the audiobooks available, I noticed the author’s name for this audiobook was the same for an upcoming blog tour except I mistook the names of the titles in the series and ended up requesting the audiobook for “Solstice Shadows” which is the same book I received for review via an ARC for the blog tour. I was a bit mystified about how I made that error and mistake as it was a first for me to confuse the books in a series and which I was receiving for a blog tour. I consider that was owed to the dual migraines and the severity in which they were afflicting me.

However, this became the first audiobook I listened to via NetGalley and was able to review shortly after receiving it and for that I was grateful for the experience. Also, as I have had such a slow shift back into reading this past week – whilst reading “Magnolia Storms” (see also Review) and “Josette” (see also Review), I appreciated having the audiobook to listen to as I was reading the print copy of “Solstice Shadows” as it helped me work through the last fragments of a third migraine which afflicted me this past weekend.

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On why this novel appealled to me to read and listen via the audiobook:

It is a bit of a luxury to have a book in hand whilst I’m listening to an audiobook of the same book – as generally I colour as I’m listening to audiobooks to better help me ‘tune into the narrator’s voice’ however, there are times where I’ve been blessed to have both the book and the audiobook – this particular time round, I wasn’t expecting to have the audiobook which became an unexpected blessing. What drew me into the novel itself though – aside from the fact I overlooked not being able to read or listen to the first novel in the series (as I couldn’t source a copy from either my libraries and/or Scribd until it was too late to listen to “The Lost Power” – which is currently available on audiobook via Scribd) is the fact this is a Contemporary Thriller.

I’ve been reading Technothrillers and Contemporary Thrillers for a long while – in fact, I have the tendency of either reading them and/or seeing them on film or through a tv series. I still remember what it was like to see “Sneakers” for the first time starring Robert Redford (at the time of release!). This has been compared to Indiana Jones and by extension I would believe it might suit audiences of Lara Croft – though for me, Croft is Angelina Jolie’s role as she owned it so dearly well. Plus the only Dr Jones for me is Harrison Ford. Those were the nudges of what the story would be about prior to reading and listening to Solstice Shadows and why I was drawn into the premise.

After reading and hearing Tim Campbell narrate the story I can summarise the book in this way:

As the story begins on the premise of supercomputers and super conductors, a vague memory came back to me about this as I have read and seen other stories which talk about this part of technology. It is intriguing in some ways as it involves quantum computing on a superspeed level of accuracy and computation. Generally I enjoy reading about Quantum Physics, Quantum Mechanics and Supersymmetry – as it applies to AstroPhysics and beyond – however, when it comes to supercomputers and the speed in which information is both processed and assessed and then used by those who are behind the computer(s) themselves leads into a very cunningly thesis on how far afield technology is leading us and how much of ourselves and our privacy might be put into questionable risk therein.

Yet, instead of feeling invested in the pursuit of this technology, I spent my time trying to sort out the characters and the overall scope of the story instead. There are a lot of information dumps in this novel where you feel like there is a reason you’re being shown all of these scenes but they don’t quite interconnect the way I’d had hoped they would. I was left with more questions than answers and somewhere in the mix, I started to lose traction with the overall plot and the reason I first thought this might sound interesting to read.

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Blog Book Tour | “Solstice Shadows” (VanOps Series, Book Two) by Avanti Centrae also featuring the audiobook courtesy of #NetGalley!Solstice Shadows
Subtitle: A VanOps Thriller
by Avanti Centrae
Source: Audiobook Direct from Publisher via NetGalley, Direct from Author via Random Things Tours
Narrator: Tim Campbell

DA VINCI CODE meets TOMB RAIDER in this multi-award-winning thriller series.

A computer-app designer. An encrypted relic. Can she decipher the dangerous code before extremists trigger a high-tech apocalypse?

Software expert Maddy Marshall isn't sure she's ready for a hazardous role in black ops. But when an armed Russian thief makes off with a rare ancient star chart, the aikido black belt has no choice but to join her VanOps boyfriend and twin brother in the pursuit. If her royal Spanish family legends are true, the chart leads to a superconductive treasure trove capable of powering a quantum computer used as the ultimate instrument of global destruction.

Setting off on a mad dash to uncover the secrets of a Mexican archeoastronomy site, she and the VanOps team unearth a clue dating back to biblical times. But as they race across the globe to the Sahara, Turkey, and Egypt, they find themselves only a half-step ahead of sinister assassins.

Before millions die at the hands of an anti-American Russian government, can Maddy crack the secret code?

Genres: Action & Adventure Fiction, Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Thriller



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Book Page on NetGalley

ISBN: 978-1-7349662-2-0

Published by Thunder Creek Press

on 11th August, 2020

Format: Audiobook | Digital Review Copy (NetGalley), Paperback ARC

Length: 9 hours and 28 minutes and 25 seconds (unabridged)

Pages: 404

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The VanOps Series:

SOLSTICE SHADOWS is the second book in the fast-paced, multi-award-winning VanOps thriller series. If you enjoy smart edge-of-your-seat suspense such as James Rollins THE LAST ODYSSEY, the Sean Wyatt series by Ernest Dempsey, the NOWHERE MAN by Gregg Hurwitz, ORIGIN by Dan Brown, Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series, the Atlee Pine series by David Baldacci, or THE ORACLE by Clive Cussler, you’ll stay up late turning the pages of Avanti Centrae’s high-stakes novel.

VANOPS: THE LOST POWER was an instant Barnes and Noble best seller. A rare multi-award-winning novel, it took home a genre grand prize blue ribbon at the 2017 Chanticleer International Book Awards, an Honorable Mention at the 2018 Hollywood Book Festival, and a shiny bronze medal at the 2019 Wishing Shelf Book Awards.

The Lost Power (book one)

Solstice Shadows (book two)

Published by: Thunder Creek Press

Available Formats: Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Converse via: #Contemporary #Thriller as well as #VanOps and #SolsticeShadows

About Avanti Centrae

Avanti Centrae

International award-winning author who blends intrigue, history, science, and mystery into non-stop action thrillers.

Avanti Centrae is the author of the international multi-award-winning VANOPS thriller series. An instant #1 Barnes and Noble Nook bestseller, THE LOST POWER took home a genre grand prize ribbon at the Chanticleer International Book Awards, a shiny bronze medal at the Wishing Shelf Awards, and an Honorable Mention at the Hollywood Book Festival. Her father served as a U.S. marine corporal in Okinawa, gathering military intelligence during the first decade after the Korean War. Her work has been compared to that of James Rollins, Steve Berry, Dan Brown, and Clive Cussler. She resides in Northern California with her family and German shepherds.

Visit the author's website - First six chapters FREE!
Sign up for special offers and giveaways!!

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my review of solstice shadows:

Most Thrillers begin with what is threatening the lead characters and/or what the threats are behind the main storyline in which the lead character is involved. In Solstice Shadows we are finding out a bit about the conspiracy behind the infamous star chart in which the lead character becomes involved in finding once it is considered stolen and missing. This opens the door to finding ourselves in the Maldives wherein Ravi has a moment of choosing to see the error of his ways when he has an unknown assailant afflicting his body with pain in order to assert knowledge out of him about the star chart. In that moment of personal anguish you see Ravi’s humanity as he questions why he allowed himself to be unfaithful to his wife, children and family; a good question I felt because of where it lead him in this opening Prologue. For every action there is consequence and a sequencing of actions begins – which is a phrase I’ve heard somewhere and it aptly applies to how Centrae began this sequel to her VanOps series.

Oy vie! Not quite the homecoming anyone would wish on someone – we first meet Maddy with her soon-to-be adopted foster child AJ and her ex Vincent. Everything was happening in the blink of an eye – one moment they were just arriving home, the next Vincent goes to save them all and face the intruder by himself whilst Maddy struggles to sort out the best way to keep AJ out of the crossfire and survive the night. That’s the rub isn’t it? When you have something others might seek and wreck havoc into your life? It affects more than just your own health and well being – it can put everyone in your life at risk and that is what it felt like now with Maddy. Maybe she felt she could handle what would be considered ‘acceptable risks’ but then due to the stakes being raised now, she questioned her previous opinions?

I felt for AJ, truly! I mean, where do you hide when there is nowhere to feel unseen? He had to think quickly and tune out what he was hearing just to find cover and shelter as the rains weren’t aiding the effort to find a place where someone might not think to look for him. I cannot even imagine what he was going through in his mind – as it is quite terrifying to think the one person you trust is the one in danger and whom sent you away in an effort to keep you safe. Centrae described this scene well – from AJ’s perspective but also having it anchoured to Maddy’s experience, too, as she hoped for the best and kept the reality of the moving timeline in check.

I loved how the art of mediation is part of Maddy’s toolbox and how she shares the same belief as Macgyver* in that a nonviolent way to resolve your challenges are a better course to take than to take a more violent exit alternative. It showed a lot about her character and for arriving in her life in the second installment of a series, I enjoyed getting to know her in this vein. It gave a bit more rounding of centre about her character but also what motivates her and what keeps her grounded.

I reached a point in the story very early-on wherein I noticed by not listening to The Lost Power, I was losing out on some specific details about the characters themselves – especially the trauma and memories AJ was still suffering through now in Solstice Shadows. I was hoping there would be a backstory about this trauma and an explanation about what had happened in order to feel like I wasn’t out of my depth with the continuity of the series. However, the story shifted forward off AJ and focused on us meeting Bear of whom is Maddy’s current beau. This is the one issue with reading series out of order – sometimes I notice there are a few broken passages where what happened previously is still needed to be known in the present timeline.

Bear’s presence in Maddy’s life felt a bit off a bit as he seemed to question her choices and the actions she undertook in his absence. However, it was all supposition as I didn’t know their fuller back-history together but a part of me questioned if they were right for each other or if perhaps they were better as partners to work on the cases they undertook rather than continue to be romantically involved. We did learn a few more pieces of insight into what happened to AJ but only the persons involved not the circumstances surrounding the incident itself. I think my attention was clouded over by the fact I didn’t warm up to Bear as a character.

As I listened to the story and read the story in tandem, I found the novel to be a bit choppier than continuing captivating my attention. Most chapters lead me to develop new questions about the characters and about key components of the story itself – yet not every new chapter gave me the answers I was seeking to find. It became a bit of a labyrinth of discovery – where you feel suspended from the novel in some ways because you cannot connect directly with it as it is written because each chapter feels like a standalone section of the novel to where you’d have to loop back to those characters being featured in order to better assemble where that section of the novel fits in with the general continuity of the novel (if it fit).

I think part of the issues for me was this novel read like a story of a heap of information being thrown at you all at once whilst you tried to sort through the information, take out what was important and dismiss the rest. There were a lot of moving parts to this novel and by the sixth Chapter I was still treading water trying to get a grip on the plot as we had moved so far away from the initial scene we were involved with where AJ and Vincent were by her side. And there seemed to be a run on attackers trying to use the same weapon and style of attack on the characters in this book. Each time there was a new attack on one of the main characters it felt like I had already read a similar attack which happened to another character and thereby it started to feel too predictable that this is the way the enemies in the story were going to handle how to keep certain characters silent.

The more interesting thread for me was the Order of the Invisible Flame which was a secreted spy organisation in Europe and one which Maddy was affiliated. It was her training through them which attracted her to the VanOps organisation – something that was an interesting shift in the story because Bear wanted her to be brought fully into the organisation rather than just exist on the outside edges of it. That made sense since he wanted to see a future with her in it next to him but for Maddy? I wasn’t sure if VanOps is where her heart would lie or if it would feel like a compromise on her part as she had distinctive opinions about self-defense and counter-attack moves once you start to face off against an attacker.

I was much more intrigued by Maddy – from her wrestling conscience about pursuing the adoption procedures with AJ considering her current influx of dangerous liaisons and the ways in which she tried to compensate for her unorthodox and non conventional lifestyle. Maddy was an interesting character because of how she chose to live her life and the ways in which she didn’t apologise for her opinions or her ideals therein. Her maternal instincts though did affect how she viewed her pursuit of adoption because she didn’t want to dismiss the recent events which put everyone at further risk simply because of the secreted high tech missions she undertook.

I made it to Chapter Eight in both the audiobook and the printed ARC of Solstice Shadows before I had to call it quits on both. I just couldn’t see the point in continuing to listen to the story at that junction because I was disappointed in the ways in which I had arrived in the eighth chapter. I didn’t connect as directly to the lead character (Maddy) as much as I hoped I might – as there was no emotional connection for me. The most she came out of her shell and shined a light of hope in the story was when she was talking about AJ. Outside of that thread of interest, the suspenseful bits really washed over me because there were a lot of stops and starts to get to the point where you could feel any sort of urgency to solve this mystery.

There is a lot of back and forth happening in those initial chapters – where you feel most of the story has been turned on repeat and you’re consistently reading and/or listening to the same content without making much progress to move forward. I do enjoy a lovely tightly paced Contemporary Thriller but unfortunately Solstice Shadows fell a bit short for me as a reader and audiobook listener.

(*) Refers to the original series of MacGyver starring Richard Dean Anderson

on the contemporary thriller style of avanti centrae:

I originally thought this was going to be a female centered Contemporary Thriller but I found that the men in the story seem to overshadow Maddy for the lead focus. I definitely feel this would be a great addition to Men’s Fiction and to men seeking for an Action and Adventure novel which has a lot of Spy Fiction thrown into it for good measure. It just didn’t congeal for me in the way I had hoped it might and become a story I could soak my teeth inside.

Small Fly in the Ointment:

The only thing that irked me a bit in the storyline is how she kept referencing Maddy’s martial arts training and the fact she’s an instructor. Once or twice maybe would be warranted to mention this but it became such a consistent takeaway whenever Maddy was talking to anyone she had to disclose what she studied and how important it is to her to be accomplished in this field. Which on one hand is warranted to be revealled but to constantly bring this forward in the story? I felt was a bit of an overreach and mention to be honest.

Realistic Topics and Equality in Lit:

I love stories which seek to talk about foster care and adoption as I am choosing to adopt children from foster care in the future. Stories which show a positive storyline from all perspectives linked to either foster care or adoption are the ones I love to rally behind and the fact that the lead character in Solstice Shadows is attempting to adopt AJ warmed my heart! It also brought a different level of truism to the storyline – wherein, when I first started reading the novel, I felt it would be hard for Maddy to have a regular home life given her line of work and the dangers which seem to follow her round. It was heartwarming to see how she was trying to have some normalcy in her life despite the chaos!

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I’d like to thank the author:

For including bookmarks with the ARC and the stickers for the VanOps series! I loved the design of the series stickers as it brings the logo of the VanOps series to brilliant life! Also, I am always in need of bookmarks and they were dearly appreciated! Thank you for thinking of us and for giving us something tangible to enjoy along with reading the story!

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In regards to the audiobook directly:

I am appreciative of Ms Jess providing a cursory outline of how best to articulate my listening hours on behalf of this audiobook and the others I shall be blogging about or reviewing in future. I’ve modified the suggestions to what I felt were pertinent to respond too on my own behalf as well as keeping to the questions I felt were relevant to share.

Number of Times I’ve heard the Narrator(s):

I haven’t heard Tim Campbell narrate a novel previously and this is my first experience hearing him as a narrator which is quite lovely as I love finding new narrators to follow and seek out stories by other authors they narrate throughout their career.

Regards to the Narrator’s Individual Character performances:

Maddy: Her voice was the most distinctive of the cast of characters – she even sounded quite feminine which is sometimes hard with male narrators. She didn’t sound too high pitched and her voice came through as very natural.

AJ: Most children I find come across as either pitchy or they sound like you’d think they might sound if they were performing their own roles in audiobooks. AJ sounded convincing as himself and the age he is in the novel.

Bear: His Southern drawl makes him feel separated from the other male characters in the story and allow you to connect his voice with his character quite immediately. You can even sense his disapproval of Maddy being around her ex Vincent.

Secondary characters:

Ravi: This is the first person we become acquainted with during the Prologue and his voice is barely audible due to the pain he has been given by his unknown attacker and yet, Campbell brought out the humanity in that singular moment of self-remorse as Ravi regretted his actions which led to this encounter. You could hear it in Ravi’s voice and I felt that was quite an authentic way of starting the novel – by showing the threats behind the chase for the missing star chart.

How the story sounded to me as it was being Read: (theatrical or narrative)

I found this audiobook to be spoken narrative moreso than theatrical. I will say, Mr Campbell has a knack for accents and as this story globe hops through different countries and settings, each individual character’s voice he brought to life had a different accent which I felt was his true strength as a narrator. I only wished the tempo and delivery of his narration style didn’t fall flat for me as it was an engaging story (to a certain point) but his voice just didn’t match the context of it.

Regards to Articulation & Performance of the story:

Articulation:

I felt Mr Campbell articulated himself well – both as the narrative pieces between the dialogue and the characterisations of the characters themselves; both leading and supportive cast. Except despite the fact his articulation is clear and crisp, it is how he sounds as he’s narrating the story which affected my listening experience because at one point, all the chapters merged together and it was hard to separate them because it just felt like this was being spoken in one tone of reference and it became rather droll after that realisation. As everything just blurred together.

Performance:

I had to decrease the rate of delivery of the narrator’s narration in order to better hear what he was saying as he narrated the book. Generally I do not alter the speed of an audiobook as since I first started listening to them in [2016] I’ve appreciated hearing them in the speed in which they are delivered. However, on a few occasions now I have found myself using the reduction option for speed – this began at 1.0 and I had to shift it back to 0.75 in order to feel that the pacing in Campbell’s delivery didn’t feel too jolted and fast for me to hear the story he was narrating. That was the only issue I had when the audiobook first began – it felt rushed.

Outside of the speed of delivery for the narration itself, I felt there was enough distinctions made between characters and the narrative passages to understand where you are in the story without feeling lost. This helps with pacing and with processing what is happening in-line with the story.

Notes on the Quality of Sound & the Background Ambiance:

I had to raise the volume on my tablet in order to hear the narrator a bit more clearer than I would have if I were listening to this via Scribd or Audible. Being that I am still getting acquainted with both the tablet and with the NetGalley Shelf, I didn’t mind the few adjustments the audiobook needed but initially I thought I was going to listen to this on a lower level of sound.

There weren’t any additional sounds or soundscapes attached to the audiobook as some audiobooks have between chapters and/or in the opening or closing of the audiobooks. There wasn’t anything in the background to distract the listener either as it was a solid copy with a crisp sound of narration.

Notes about using the NetGalley Shelf app to listen to this audiobook:

These notes reflect that this is the first audiobook I was able to listen to in full via the NetGalley Shelf app and I felt were warranted to be mentioned in case it helps others who are learning how to listen to the audiobooks being provided by NetGalley.

The only bit that confused me is if I wanted to re-listen to a section of the audiobook, it wasn’t easy to replay that section of the story. The interface of the NetGalley Shelf app is a bit trickier to use than Audible, Scribd and OverDrive; which are the main three online sites I use to listen to audiobooks outside of LibroFM (which are downloadable digital mp3 audiobooks).

It took some searching but I found the pull-down menu (the three lines in the upper right corner) which gave me the chapter breaks and you can easily move back and forth through the audiobook in this way, rather than using the back button on other interfaces I’m used to using without having to go chapter by chapter. I was thankful they have bookmarks in case I needed to mark a place in the audiobook to refer back to at a latter time as well as the snooze button in case I needed to set an alarm on my listening hours.

The other thing I had to learn quickly about my tablet and this was a trial and error issue – is I can only download a few of the NetGalley audiobooks at one time and then, I can download new ones as this is my first experience with a tablet I hadn’t realised how quickly you can max out your usage and memory! (smiles) I would advise other listeners on NetGalley to be advised of this and simply go by their stated deadlines on their NetGalley Shelf online where it tells you the archive dates per audiobook? That way you know in which order to listen to which audiobook and can circumnavigate the usage levels.

Preference after listening to re-Listen or pick up the book in Print?

I didn’t quite feel the narrator’s voice fit the storyline as it was written – for me Campbell’s voice fell a bit short for me as I was listening to him narrate the book. His style of narrating is different than I am used to hearing as it is quite a bit droll in places because he’s voicing the story in such a serious tone it becomes a bit droll in the delivery. It was the context of the story which kept me rooted into the audiobook and thereby what allowed me to continue listening to him narrate Solstice Shadows.

However, if I were to re-read this series and start with the first novel in the series and shift forward thereafter, I would be seeking out the stories in print rather than in audiobook. By comparison, when I am listening to the Kay Hunter Detective novels which are Contemporary Thrillers in their own right by Rachel Amphlett I am so consumed by those stories it is hard to blink lest I’d miss something keenly important in Alison Campbell’s narration. I wish I could say I had the same reaction to Campbell’s narration style but sadly I did not. I just felt disconnected.

In closing, would I seek out another Tim Campbell audiobook?

I might consider it but it would depend if his narration style within Solstice Shadows is his standard narration voice or if he changes his style of narrating books per genre and/or subject explored therein. For me, I couldn’t get behind the ‘voice’ as much as I could get behind the ‘story’ and this was a clear instance where I loved the story moreso than the narrator who voiced it. Until I reached a point in the novel where I was having trouble keeping myself invested in the story as it was being revealled – as I was losing traction with how the story unfolded. It just didn’t grip me as much as I had hoped it might when I first started reading it.

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This blog tour is courtesy of:

Random Things Tours

Follow the Virtual Road Map

as you visit others participating:

The Solstice Shadows blog tour banner provided by Random Things Tours and is used with permission.Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

 I look forward to reading your thoughts & commentary!
Especially if you read the book or were thinking you might be inclined to read it. I appreciate hearing different points of view especially amongst readers who gravitate towards the same stories to read. Bookish conversations are always welcome!

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{SOURCES: Book cover for “Solstice Shadows”, book synopsis, author biography, author photograph of Avanti Centrae and the blog tour banner were all provided by Random Things Tours and used with permission. Post divider by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Book Review banner and the Comment Box Banner.}

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About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

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Posted Wednesday, 12 August, 2020 by jorielov in 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Adoption, ARC | Galley Copy, Audiobook, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Bookmark slipped inside a Review Book, Brothers and Sisters, Contemporary Thriller, Content Note, Equality In Literature, Espionage, Fly in the Ointment, Foster Care, Indie Author, Men's Fiction, Modern Day, Motherhood | Parenthood, Random Things Tours, Siblings, Spy Fiction, Vulgarity in Literature




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5 responses to “Blog Book Tour | “Solstice Shadows” (VanOps Series, Book Two) by Avanti Centrae also featuring the audiobook courtesy of #NetGalley!

  1. Ariel

    Hi there Jorie! Thanks for the audiobook update! I love audiobooks, and I just finished Unconquerable Sun a couple days ago via audiobook :)

    • Ooh! I’m still working on the RAL I’m hosting for Unconquerable Sun and I’ve decided to listen to the audiobook and read the novel at the same time; I know I’ve had some starts/stops with that RAL but I’m hoping before the end of May I’ll have the first round of discussions live on my blog – so good to hear the audiobook was an enjoyable listen for you!! That gives me hope!!

    • Hallo, Hallo Ariel,

      I’m having a bit of better luck with audiobooks I’m finding through #NetGalley! For #WyrdAndWonder, I’ve shared 2x reviews based on audiobooks and one library purchase to fix an error on my behalf wherein I mistook which format was avail to request last year; you’ll happily find “The Marvelwood Magicians” as an #unputdownable read of mine this month (ie. Middle Grade Fantasy, magical circus, etc) as well as “Dalya and the Magic Ink Bottle” (library purchase based off my request) and the latest one is a young reader’s introduction to Fantasy in the audiobook “The One Great Gnome” which I recently released. I have a few more audiobooks via NetGalley to release this Wyrd And Wonder as well – I might have had a rocky start last year with my selections but its going better! I even found a Non-Fiction audiobook I just adored last year called “My Life in Plants”!!

      Did you pursue the audiobooks yourself? Any stand-outs I should know about!? I can check my regional library (who tends to buy NG featured audiobooks) or maybe I can find them on Scribd once I resume my membership as I took a bit of a break recently. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of my recent ones that might catch your eye as well. Outside of NG audioreads, I’m featuring a lovely batch of audiobook reviews for Wyrd And Wonder in the last half of May – mostly a mix of genres in adult Fantasy realms.

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