Books on tapes are nothing new. I can remember hearing about them when I was much younger. At that point in time, they were primarily intended for blind or visually impaired individuals. If I’m not mistaken, they tended to be the classics. They had a special cassette player you were given and then you checked the individual books out of a library.
Spin the years forward to today. Now Audiobooks are widely available. Most authors readily embrace audiobooks as a way to reach yet another segment of the audience. Also, they are available from more places.
Off the top of my head, I can think of 4 different sources. There are more. I can think of NetGalley, BookFunnel, iTunes, and Audible. These are the ones I use.
So why would you listen to an audiobook? There are many reasons, while taking a long trip, while shopping, walking the dog, taking a hike. I’m sure you can think of others. Recently, however, I came across other reasons.
Since I’m somewhat of a speed reader, there are often things that my mind just glosses over. When you are listening to an audiobook, you can’t do that. So details that previously escaped you are brought out. No matter how many times I read “Brought to Heel” by Delta James, I completely missed the fact that Dylan’s pack is located in the Tidewater, Virginia area.
After listening to more of that series, I was delighted to hear how the narrator was able portray the assorted regional accents the characters would have. It also helped me to locate where Ravenscar was. Ravenscar is a major pack in the Alpha Lords series. Obviously, I knew it was in Great Brittan, but until I listened to the last book in the Wayward Mates series, I didn’t know it was located in England itself.
Something else that others may find happening while they are reading. Foreign names just fly by me. I can’t pronounce them to save my soul! But when Anna Lowe had her Aloha Shifters recorded, her narrator does an absolutely fabulous job of the tongue-twisting Hawaiian names!
So there are many reasons to listen to audiobooks. I hope you’ll try some soon!
This book is one that makes me truly thank the author in every way I can. “Why?” you ask. All through the Tangled Vines series, Fated Legacy, and the newest series, Paranormal Mystery, she has been mentioning three famous BDSM clubs. Dante’s in Italy, Baker Street in London, and Torchlite in California.
If you read “Corked”, the prequel to the Tangled Mates series, then you recognize that Torchlight is owned by the Sonoma Pack led by Damian Steele. If you grab the novella, “In Vino Veritas” from Delta, you will find that the DeMedici pack owns Dante’s.
But it wasn’t until Mariah Halsey takes refuge at Baker Street that the missing series fell into place. Remember Mercenary Masters? The series debuted in July of 2020. It’s the only human owned club that Ms. James mentions. It’s also mentioned several times in the new Paranormal Mystery series. I can’t wait!
Mariah is obviously the daughter of Oliver and Rosalyn Halsey. Simon, on the other hand, is a new alpha to our group. He’s the heir to the Alpha of London, and full of his own tricks to bring to bear on the problem of the Darkness.
Book Blurb:
The Darkness has fallen on London and needs a new host.
I use a blowtorch to make sculptures out of twisted iron. I’m an artist, independent, tough and an American. My life plan is to create beautiful art and follow my own destiny.
My fated mate is Simon Howard, the newly crowned Alpha of London. Simon’s plan is different as I find out when he kidnaps me from a gala event featuring my art.
The Darkness possessed a wolf in the pack and learns many things about shifters. Secret things only known to us.
When the Darkness threatens all they hold dear, will Mariah and Simon be bound together to banish the Darkness?
Redrabbitt
5.0 out of 5 stars THE DARKNESS HAS COME TO LONDON, ENGLAND
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2021
The series is an ongoing saga. I love that we see the next generation—the offspring of those from Wayward Mates and Tangled Vines—but we also get to catch up with the couples from the first two series. The story takes place in 2048 and moves around the globe. The fourth story will have Mariah Halsey in London for a charity auction where she has donated several pieces of her unique artwork. Simon Howard has avoided taking over as Alpha of his clan, but it is time to step up and take his rightful place, and once he realizes his fated-mate is here, he is ready to claim her.
“Hello, Mariah. I can’t believe we haven’t met before now, but then I understand your mother eluded your father for years. Rest assured, my sweet mate, you will not be allowed to report that mistake.”
The story’s plot continues with another couple finding themselves as fated mates; this time, it will be Simon Howard of London and Mariah Halsey of the Hamptons. But, it also has issues with the Hunters and the Darkness—who has found itself a new, weaker host. Mariah is in London for a charity auction where all the other couples will also be attending—the last thing she expected was to be called to by her fated mate. The two will have a standoff, shift, and the chase is on—but don’t count this alpha she-wolf out; after all, she is Roz’s daughter.
Genevieve Howard: Simon, are you sure?
Simon: Quite sure, as the other alphas who saw my mate respond to my call, can attest.
Mariah: I’ve lost my appetite. I’d rather go back to the hotel.
Simon: I’m sure you would, love, but let’s table the discussion about where you’re going to spend the night until after dinner. If I loosen my grip on my beautiful mate, she will try and steal away from me.
Mariah: You’ve got that right. Let go of me.
Simon: That is enough, Mariah. You will behave yourself, or you will find yourself receiving my discipline before anything else.
Mariah: Who do you think you are?
Simon: I believe I answered your question, pet. I am Simon Howard, your fated mate.
The story includes Simon taking control of the London pack, declaring he has unseated his weak-willed father as Alpha, and having the loyal backing of their pack. It will have Simon and Mariah playing cat and mouse in the merry chase, capture, capitulation, and claiming.
Simon: Come here, pet. I won’t bite. Well, I suppose that’s not technically true, is it?
“Sated and replete, her eyes closed, and the realm of dreams rose up to embrace her. Sighing, her mind taunted her that she had lost. But her heart whispered to her that she had won. She would choose to listen to her heart.”
The story has the good, the bad, and the evil, and with it comes the loss of some of the London pack members, a new fated-mate pairing, and yet, the Darkness is still a problem. Will the wolves be able to once again defeat and lock away the Darkness preying on the world? This series will continue with at least two more books.
“Taking its next host, the Darkness absorbed its knowledge. The destination seemed a good place to feed, to heal, to become invincible. Then it would return to the city across the sea. It had a score to settle with those descended from the one who had trapped it so long ago.”
Sherri D
5.0 out of 5 stars Holy Hot Alpha!
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2021
Mariah is an alpha she-wolf who will not bow down to any alpha wolf, fated mate or not. Once the extremely sexy Simon gets his hands on her, she doesn’t have a choice. The Darkness possesses Simon's father.
If you haven’t started keeping track of families in this series, you are definitely going to want to. Things are heating up and getting hotter by the book!
Jed Steele is in Italy, visiting the DeMedici vineyards. Looking to learn more to help take his family vineyard in Sonoma, he is startled to find his fated mate. If his mate’s father hadn’t been with him, things might have taken an entirely different path.
Book Blurb:
The Darkness has risen and has a new host in its grasp.
I have known Jed Steele my whole life. It isn’t until he sees me walking in the family vineyards in Tuscany that he decides I am his fated mate.
I have my life planned and it does not include a fated mate. A job offer in San Francisco combined with an invitation to visit New Orleans for a friend’s restaurant opening gives me the perfect excuse for leaving home. He can’t claim me if I am not here.
The trip was supposed to be something new and exciting. Instead it has turned into a nightmare. Evil was waiting for me and its powers are growing. Only a force greater than evil can stop what’s coming next.
An ancient evil on the rise. Will they be able to work together before the evil extinguishes the light?
Dorothy
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
This was a good read. It was not as exciting as Skylar and Travis story but still good. I am still not a fan of BDSM clubs I feel that should be in private and at home not in a club but again to each his own. And not to scare anyone off who reads my review no the book is not only talking about that. This is a true keep you on your toes story. A good read. I am looking forward to the next read.
Redrabbitt
5.0 out of 5 stars FATED MATE—WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT IT?
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2021
“Your granddaughter has destroyed his minion, but the Darkness is clever and abandoned the body before its demise. The Evil One hides in the shadows of the city, seeking another to help it escape. Watch over your people, Calista. The Darkness seeks to conquer the Light, and it is the children of the wolves who will battle this evil.” –MawMaw Chantal
“The Darkness had been banished for now, but not vanquished. The Darkness could only be contained, but she feared it might never be defeated.”
The series is an ongoing saga. I love that we see the next generation—the offspring of those from Wayward Mates and Tangled Vines—but we also get to catch up with the couples from the first two series. The story takes place in 2048 and moves around the globe. Josiah ‘Jed’ Steele will be in Florence, Italy, visiting Marco DeMedici’s vineyards and seeing Luca Marion. Still, when he sees Katarina Marino, he knows she is his fated mate.
“Still, without thought he rumbled to her quietly, enjoying her surprised response.”
Luca: No apology for calling to my daughter before speaking with me?
Jed: I fear not. My family history is not that of wolves who ask permission to claim what is theirs. Would I like your blessing and that are Marco? Of course, but one way or another, your daughter is my fated mate and you saw proof of that with your own eyes.
Luca: That I did, and I suspect it was what provoked her sudden departure.
The story’s plot will have Jed calling to Kat, and she decides to use the excuse of going to New Orleans for the soft opening of Loup de Mer restaurant, to go there early. She will leave Italy, and it won’t be long before Jed learns she has left—but he knows that she is his—and she has to know, he will come for her. With the multiple murders in New Orleans tied to a dark entity, MawMaw Chantal warns Skylar and Kat that the Darkness is not gone and seeks a stronger host, one who will do its bidding. The story will revolve around the relationship and claiming of Kat by Jed—but also it will include the Darkness, and how it will affect them.
“The stronger the host, the stronger the Darkness. Wolves are inherently stronger; it would value one of you as a host.”
Kat: I-I don’t understand
Jed: What? I wasn’t supposed to understand that you can’t allow this Darkness thing to roam free to create havoc and mayhem? Come on Kat, give me credit for being smarter than that.
Kat: You’re coming with me?
Jed: What else would I do?
Kat: But what about your responsibilities here?
Jed: I am your fated mate. You are my primary and most important responsibility. So no, my beautiful mate, we are in this together.
Kat: You understand
Jed: I do indeed. Again, I am your fated mate.
“Often what we don’t understand is easier to dismiss than to explain.” –Chantal
The story will leave America and have Kat and Jed going to London, England, to attend Mariah’s exhibition. They will meet with Simon Howard, the son of the Alpha of London, and discuss some things that have happened—the next story will pick up from here.
Jed: We were able to track the Darkness and the Hunters to England and then lost them.
Simon: Any idea why it came here?
Jed: We think looking for more Hunters.
Simon: That would make sense. What is your plan?
Jed: Keep my mate safe and destroy it.
Simon: How will you do that?
Jed: That’s the problem—we don’t have the faintest idea.
“Wow.. that was different… I thoroughly enjoyed the shifter being a shark. A very new concept I had not read before. Read it yourself to find out why the ‘sharks’ are so important.” Amazon reviewer
Shiloh’s mother passed in what she has always considered to be suspicious circumstances. The police and her father accepted the death as a suicide. Years passed and now her father has died. This time, Shiloh doesn’t believe what she has been told is the cause. Then an envelope from her father is given to her, and what she finds inside changes everything.
Mason is following in his father’s footsteps. A career in the Navy, a pull to guard a sunken ship that is his heritage. Mason is a shifter, a Great White Shark shifter! Along with 4 other male Shark shifters, he guards a sunken ship from before WW II. Until now, he’s never really questioned how or why, but Shiloh’s presence has him starting to question things.
Ms James and Ms Brandon have started a great new series here. These shifters come from a line of shifters that appear to have been created for a specific purpose. I for one, can’t wait to read more!
The Reluctant Retiree
The intrigue in this book and series will draw you in from the very first page. Ms. James and Ms. Brandon have created a most puzzling world here. There is mystery woven through every chapter.
Shiloh Whitaker has but one purpose in her heart, prove that her mother didn’t commit suicide, but was instead murder. With this in mind, she has obtained a doctorate in Marine Biology and is a renown treasure hunter. It wasn’t until she received a mysterious envelope from her recently deceased father that her mind was made up. Now all she needed was to find that forgotten sunken ship, the USS Kracken.
Mason Lockheart lives a double life. By day he’s a highly decorated Navy Commander in the SEALs. By night? By night he’s a Great White Shark shifter, tasked to follow in his father’s footsteps and protect the USS Kracken and the secrets she took to her watery grave. He, along with 4 other male Shark shifters, will give their lives if needed, to protect that secret.
When their paths cross deep beneath the sea, who knows what will become of them both….
The Book Blurb
A predator prowls the Sea of Cortez, protecting a mystery that has been kept silent for almost a century—damning information that some are still willing to kill for.
Mason Lockheart is a highly decorated Navy SEAL with a mission that he can never reveal to anyone… even the curvy redhead who’s determined to bring everything up from the depths of the sea. Mason’s family has been part of a clandestine patrol since the USS Kracken went down. He has taken on a solemn duty to protect its final resting place and its covert mission.
Twenty years ago, Shiloh Whitaker’s mother was murdered to keep her from revealing what she knew. As a child, Shiloh watched as her mother’s killers got away, running from her home into the black of the night. Now later, she’s a celebrated marine biologist and treasure hunter, but her real calling is to find the Kracken and prove her mother’s suicide was anything but.
When Mason spots Shiloh’s submersible lurking in the dangerous waters around the Kracken, he tries to frighten her away. But Shiloh doesn’t scare so easily—even if the thing that sends her sub to the surface has rows and rows of razor -sharp teeth. Something about Shiloh calls to Mason in a way he’s never known before. Determined to pursue a passion he doesn’t truly understand while still upholding his oath, he follows Shiloh into a storm that could destroy them both.
When the truth is revealed, will Shiloh betray Mason and the Kracken, or will all of the secrets of his heart be safe with her?
The Reviews
Barbara R
VINE VOICE
4.0 out of 5 stars Deadly shark shifter
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
She is determined to find out what really happened to her mother, who supposedly killed herself. He is a shark shifter who had a secret to keep. Lots of heat but he made her submit with the use of force. She wasn't entirely willing although she ultimately enjoyed it. I would have preferred for him to have more respect for her. He just decided what he wanted to do and didn't give her a choice.
Debbie A. Orazi
5.0 out of 5 stars Silent Predator
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
This was a dark paranormal romance.
Shiloh Whitaker is a marine scientist, historian and oceanographer. She studies great white sharks and is a treasure hunter. She is determined to clear her mother's name and reputation by solving a mystery which has already cost her parents their lives.
Mason Lockheart is a Navy SEAL dedicated to protecting the country. He is also an alpha Dom and a great white shark. He is one of the men who guards a secret in the Sea of Cortez which if revealed could change the course of history.
They meet in the Rusty Pelican and later hook up. She leaves the next morning for the Sea of Cortez to find proof of her mother's theory. Mason in shark form chases her out of the area. They have a steamy tempestuous BDSM relationship. Her life is endangered multiple times because of her mission but they get their HEA.
TCH
5.0 out of 5 stars Mason and Shiloh
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2021
This is the first book in the Masters of the Deep series by Delta James and Felicity Brandon.
This is Mason Lockhart (highly decorated Navy SEAL) and Shiloh Whitaker (marine biologist and treasure hunter) story. The quote below is what just fascinated me to read this extraordinary book.
A predator prowls the Sea of Cortez, protecting a mystery that has been kept silent for almost a century—damning information that some are still willing to kill for.
He has a mission that he can never reveal to anyone. Mason’s family has been part of that mission to protect the USS Kracken ever since it went down to its final resting place at the bottom of the sea and its covert mission.
Twenty years ago, Shiloh's mother was murdered, she watched as 3 hooded men ran away and since then Shiloh has spent her adult life trying to prove it, as well as her mother's theory about the USS Kraken. These two met in a bar in La Jolla, CA, well the chemistry is just off the charts. They spend the night together, both have secrets, they go their own way in the morning, him telling her to stay put, he would be back. Needless to say she leaves and begins her search to prove her mother theory. They meet again whilst he is guarding the Kraken as a great white shark, and when he finds Shiloh in a small submarine searching the wreckage site! The more they interact with each other the more they want from each other. Will they be able to sort out all their feeling toward each other? Will the truth come out? In this book you will find a very alpha male (great white shark) and a very feisty female who shows guts and determination in the face of adversity. Brilliant read!!!
Rhonda
5.0 out of 5 stars OMG! Now I love shark shifters!
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2021
I'm a huge fan of shifter stories. You know, wolves, bears, big cats, dragons but I never thought I would like a shark shifter! I don't like sharks but with this book, I think I could easily become a fan. Delta James and Felicity Brandon have teamed up to write Silent Predator and all I can say is wow! Mason is a shark shifter and military guy who is tasked (along with a few others) to protect a sunken ship that seems to hold secrets about WWII that some people don't want found. Shiloh is a professor but is leaving to see if she can figure out why her mother was killed years ago. This story, from the very start, pulled me in. The attention to historical detail was wonderful and the descriptions of Mason when he shifted was something I could easily picture in my mind. Will Mason be able to stop Shiloh from snooping around? Can he keep her safe? Oh, don't miss this book. If you love shifters, this is one that you will love!
It’s that time of the year again. In the next few months we have several holidays to celebrate. Holiday celebrations generally also include cooking for friends and family. All that cooking can be a bit overwhelming if you like me, cook all the meals anyway. Some nights I just don’t want to cook anything!
That’s when having a casserole or two in the freezer comes in handy. Having been raised in PA just outside of what generally gets called “Amish” country, I know several one pot meals that I can use. Sometimes you just want more. So, I make casseroles and freeze them. I don’t mean Tuna Noodle casserole either!
Why make your own casserole?
Yep, there are lots of made casseroles available in the freezer section of your local grocery store. Take a second though, and look at the nutritional information on that package. I looked through the offerings at Walmart and just randomly checked a package. While the calories were acceptable, the sodium was not. The recommended amount for an adult is around 2500 mg per day. This random package, which serves 1 person, had 1250. That’s half of the RDA! If you make it yourself, you can cut that number down.
The second reason for making your own casserole is leftovers. It’s the perfect solution to the problem of what to do with the leftovers. Just chop them up into bite size pieces and make a casserole! For that, you don’t need a recipe. What you need is a basic formula.
BasicFormula
Okay, I found this article on Allrecipes on making a casserole. As you can read, it can be really easy to make one without a specific recipe. So let’s go through the steps together.
3 – 4 cups of protein. Recently I made some boneless pork chops that turned out to be bigger than my husband and I could eat. I plan to cut it up and measure the amount. If I don’t have enough , I’ll add something else to bring it up to the amount needed.
2 cups of Carbs. Did you make too much pasta, potatoes or rice? Perfect! Measure them up and throw them in. If needed, mix the carbs together.
1 cup of aromatics. I tend to keep some of these chopped in the fridge. Think onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, etc.
1 – 2 cups of vegetables. I tend to use frozen vegetables because it’s easier for me. You can also use canned vegetables or even fresh if you want.
1-2 cups of binder. I’ve started keeping cans of cream of “whatever” soup in my cupboard just for this reason. I usually mix a can with 1/2 can of milk for this.
This makes a 9 x 13 pan. If you making it to bake later, try using a tinfoil pan. That way you can save on clean-up later by just throwing it away. I have a small family so I divide it between several smaller pans. I either use 8 x 8 pans or loaf pans. Both are readily available, think Dollar Tree for these! Make sure that you have lids for them.
BakingtheCasserole
I tend to use a cookie sheet under the pan to make it easier to get in and out of the oven.
Back on September 14, a “Road Closed” sign showed up at the trail crossing by my house. Looking down the trail, I saw a group of pylons blocking off part of bridge. Being the good nosey neighbor that I am, I walked down to see what was going on. Here’s what I saw….
A chunk of the trail had fallen through. Why?It seems that the rocks and whatever that was surrounding the drain pipe had finally washed out.
So, they brought in the big front end loaders. Now remember, this trail is just barely wide enough for a pickup truck to go down. So getting all the equipment in place was not exactly easy.
They placed a proper storm drain pipe made of concrete under the surface. You can just see it in the photo. Then they built the sides out of concrete.
Those spillways were something that had been needed for a while. Finally after 2 months of work, it was finished.
Hopefully those big rocks will help keep the weeds away!
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree 