Reviews

Badlands by Morgan Brice

mvickersauthor's review

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4.0

I had to marinate on this one for a bit and then go back and listen to parts of it again to make sure I could write this review correctly. I flip flopped between 4 and 4.5 stars, but in the end, decided to give it the higher rating because once I started listening, I didn't want to stop.

Story: 4.5 stars
Simon and Vic are attracted to each other, feelings are developing, but something could come between them. On top of that Vic has to find a killer and Simon is caught in the middle. The story is good and full of intrigue, especially with the psychic abilities thrown in. Add to that a cast of colorful characters, and you have a great story that pulls you in and you don't want to put down. At least I didn't.

Narration: 4 stars
I always think that the narration adds to the story, and it did in this case. However, there were a few times I got confused as to who was talking. I don't know if it was the way it was written (I've only listened and not read) or Kale Williams as the narrator. Usually, the voices were distinct and I could pick them out, but sometimes it would slip. That said, I enjoyed the narration and the spin Kale put on this story. He did make it his own. The intonations and inflections, plus the emotion he put into it, brought the story to live, and for the most part, I could hear Vic, Simon, and the other characters.

Overall: 4.5 stars
I'm giving Badlands by Morgan Brice, narrated by Kale Williams 4.5 stars and highly recommend you either listen to it or read it for yourself. The story is great and keeps you entertained and Kale will bring it to life. One click this one today.

djmcewen's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

My review didn’t save and I’m not rewriting it. Paranormal romance between a cop and a psychic. The thriller aspect kept you on the edge of your seat. The romance had some ups and downs but there were no arguments. It was all internal combined with lack of communication.

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laura_katie_j's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

le_d_green30's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

teresab78's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

While I enjoyed it for the most part, Simon was almost tstl. The lack of communication between them and the assumptions made were frustrating. That being said, I did like the plot, and I’ll probably continue with the series 

fresholivebread's review

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A detective seeks the help of a psychic as a serial killer runs rampant. Simon is very likeable - despite all the judgment he gets, he remains kind, compassionate and positive. Vic is a bit of grouchy, skeptical ass, but has a good heart. The attraction (and lust - I could do with less erections 😂) is very instant, but Vic struggles with believing Simon, and can be hurtful at times. Simon deserves more from him; Vic needs to do more to prove that. 

They're both protective of each other, but they both make some bad decisions while doing so. They're very drawn to each other, and I liked how they both wanted something serious from start, which makes their romance feel more meaningful. The case is a bit messy, and the ending could be more well-rounded. And the writing is a little inconsistent - still a decent read though. 

bookaddict32's review against another edition

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5.0

This was so dam good. It was entertaining, thrilling, sweet,scary and funny.

I love the characters so much and can’t wait to got to the next one.

geeknb's review against another edition

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4.0

The thing about audio is sometimes it can dull your enjoyment of a favourite book and sometimes it can bump a good book up a notch. And the latter is what happened here.

This is a good paranormal suspense/police procedural with a gay romance thrown in and I enjoyed that side of things as much this time as when I read it originally.

The plot/story line is well crafted, with an interesting paranormal world that could well be our own and based on a lot of existing folklore and superstitions. The similarities and differences between the investigation carried out by the psychic and the police were interesting.

Simon, the psychic, was an engaging character from the very beginning. I liked him and the life he’d made for himself in Myrtle Beach. His gifts were interesting and well explored, and fitted well into the story. Towards the end he veered into TSTL territory, and I wasn’t convinced by his reason for this, but as a character trait it’s one I’ve forgiven on more than one occasion (once, repeatedly by the same character over an entire series) so this didn’t bother me too much.

When I read the book I found Vic, the cop, harder to like but I didn't get that reaction this time around and I think that was due to the sympathetic narration. I still struggled to understand his issue with 'woo woo' considering his past experiences but I liked him a lot more.

Where the narrator really improved matters was in the romance. I really believed in Vic and Simon and their budding relationship.

Good book, excellent narrator.

lexxan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark

5.0

aye_sir's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5