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A long long time ago (a.k.a. ten years ago), I found myself becoming a fan of the supernatural television series after watching the first season of True Blood and a little bit later I became a fan of the "Sooke Stackhouse" book series by Charaline Harris. Then I started reading other supernatural authors, such as Laurell K. Hamilton and Kim Harrison.

In late August, I listened to my very first supernatural audiobook, titled Wake the Dead by Stacey Rourke, which is book one of six in The Journals of Octavia Hollows series. The paperback and eBook versions were released by Anchor Group Publishing back in February 2019. The Audio Flow just released the title as an audiobook on August 23rd with Brenda Scott Wlazlo as the narrator.

Wake the Dead centers around necromancer Octavia Hollows, a woman who has the ability to bring the dead back to life. Along with her pet pig, Bacon, Octavia finds herself helping to solve the mystery to why a young boy is rapidly growing old! The one and only person who might have knowledge to what is going on is the boy's nurse, Nikki, who happens to be dead! 

Octavia must use her supernatural skills to bring Nikki back from the dead to solve the mystery. However, things are easier said than done as this nurse as a slew of issues that Octavia has to deal with first. 
 

Final Thoughts

We could all use a bit more self-discipline in our lives.

Last year was extremely stressful for me for many reasons, and my procrastination issues didn't help any; which resulted in many late reviews and posts on this very blog.

Over the weekend, I spent an hour listening to the Self-Discipline ($3.95) by George Pain, which is basically a self-help audiobook narrated by Giles Miller.

In this 60-minute audiobook, where you will learn about the following:

• Cognitive Principles of Behavior
• What is a Habit Loop?
• Replacing Habits in a Habit Loop
• The power of delayed gratification.
• Understanding the Psychology of Procrastination
• Utilizing Habit Pyramids with Examples
• Areas to Apply Self Discipline

Self-Discipline can be purchased at: https://www.audible.com/pd/Self-Discipline-Volume-1-Audiobook/B074KLCWG8

Random House Audio; 1.5 hours; $20.00; Amazon

Wow! I had no idea that the Junie B. Jones series by the late author Barbara Park will celebrate it's 25th anniversary this year. I was a bit too old to read the book series during the 90s; though I have become a June B. Jones fan as an adult. Over the years, I have bought a few of the titles at thrift stores. The books are a delight to read.

Now available to own from Penguin Random House Publishing is the two-disc audio book Junie B. Jones: First Ever Musical Edition!, featuring the audio book First Grader (at last!) and songs from the Junie B. Jones, The Musical.

The audio version of the book "Junie B Jones, First Grader (at Last)" is on the 1st CD. The story centers on Junie B. Jone's first days of first grade, where she finds out things have changed a lot since kindergarten. To make matters worse for her, she has a difficult time reading the blackboards, which means only thing - June B. Jones needs glasses.

The 2nd disc features all the songs from the Junie B. Jones, The Musical with lyrics by Marcy Heisler. The musical is adapted from the books Junie B. Jones, First Grader; Junie B. Jones, Boss of Lunch; Junie B. Jones; One-Man Band; and Top Secret, Personal Beeswax: A Journal by Junie B. (and Me!) by Barbara Park.

Tracks/Songs on the disc are:

Galaxy Audio; 47.5 hours; $59.95; Amazon

For the past two months, I have been listening to the new Battlefield Earth: A Saga Of The Year 3000 audiobook. The 44-disc set is produced by Galaxy Audio (Press), the same company that produces the "Stories From The Golden Age" audiobooks.

Battlefield Earth was originally published in 1982, written by the late L.Ron Hubbard. While the novel was a New York Times Bestseller, there was plenty of controversy at time it was released. I'm not going to go into too much details, but it did involved the fact that the author was the founder of Scientology.

Since I'm a Christian, I don't follow Scientology, but I have listened to several of L. Ron Hubbard's "Stories From the Golden Age" over the years. I'm a book lover, so I will pretty much read any book or listen to any audiobook I can get my hands on. Despite my love for reading, I'm not the biggest fan of the science-fiction genre (minus a few Start Trek titles). I became aware of Battlefield Earth about the time the movie adaptation was released in 2000, which is considered one of the worst movies ever made. I rented the movie once on VHS, and I thought it was one of the silliest things I had ever seen.

Due to my distaste for the movie, I had never attempted to read the original 1000+ pages novel. Well, that is until I heard Galaxy Audio was bringing out a new massive audiobook this year, and I thought I would give the novel a try.

When I say massive... I really mean it!

The Baron of Coyote River
by L. Ron Hubbard
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Pub. Date: February 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1592123773
Running Time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

A new western novel is hard to come by these days, but there are many classic western adventures being re-released for a next generation of readers. Galaxy Press has been releasing paperback and audiobooks based on the western novellas and short stories from on the late author L. Ron Hubbard. These stories were published during the 30s' and 40s' or otherwise known as the Golden Age, a time when countless adventure stories appeared in Pulp Magazines.

The Baron of Coyote River was first published in the September 1936 issue of All Western Magazine and was released as an audiobook on February 1, 2010 along with the short story Reign Of The Gila Monster. The voice cast includes Martin Kove, Bruce Boxleitner, Bob Caso, R.F. Daley, Jim Meskimen (whom also directs), Fred Tatasciore, Josh R Thompson and Michael Yurchalk.

The first tale is centered on a wanted man, Lance Gordon, who has been dodging the the law ever since he killed his father's murderer, a Deputy Marshal, in a fair fight. There is a price on his head and everyone is out to get him, including the US Cavalry. He almost runs out of luck in Santos, when he is surrounded by the cavalry, but out of nowhere, a stranger, Tyler, rescues him. To return the favor, Lance agrees to ride to Coyote River to stop a cattle-stealing Baron.