Recent Reads: How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe 
Narrated by Suzy Jackson & Steve West 
Publisher: Audible Original
Publication Date:  April 30, 2020

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: From Audible Monthly Freebies before they changed the system.

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

For thousands of years, there has been a cycle: a Demon King rises and conquers, and a Hero is reborn a hundred years later to defeat him. Each time, civilizations are ground to dust beneath the Demon King's hordes, but humanity has remained secure in the belief that a Hero of legend will always save them. There's just one slight problem. It's only been 23 years since the Demon King's latest rise, and this time, he's already conquered more than half the world. If humanity simply waits for the Hero's return, there may be no world left for him to save.

And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A 10-step plan.

She'll find a way to obtain the Hero's legendary sword. She'll earn obscure classes, gain levels, and increase her skills. She'll travel to the meticulously-crafted dungeons that seem designed for one specific Hero to complete. And, if she's truly (un)fortunate, she might even find a fairy.

She might not be a Hero—but if she can fake it long enough, she might still be able to save the world.

***

This book is an affectionate parody of classic Japanese games like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest. It's also a work in the LitRPG/GameLit subgenres. Game mechanics exist in the world of the story and characters are aware of their existence. 

Review: 

This was such a weird and fun book and I liked it a lot. It is, as the synopsis notes, a parody of classing role playing games (RPG), so instead of just characters fighting to get to the boss or villain of a story, they have to level up in order to do so and they have abilities they can level up. 

A few reasons I liked this - I play video games (ahem World of Warcraft) and this is a hilarious rendition of that process and the need to go through the steps required to get to the boss... levels, skills, achievements... it is a grind and this book very entertainingly encompassed that grind. 

The story follows Yui who is off to find her place in this RPG world by defeating the legendary Demon King. She must level up her skills and build a team through adventure and trial and error to get to that point. 

This is such a creative and fun story, it is like traveling through a story with your character in a video game, the best of two worlds. If you like RPGs and reading/ listening this is a fun one to pick up. 

Recent Reads: A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia

A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia
Series: Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent #2
Publisher: Audible Studios
Publication Date:  January 2018

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: From Audible Freebies (before they went away and become whatever new thing they are doing now.)

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

The Further Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent

When half your galaxy is unexpectedly sucked into a black hole - when a hitherto-unknown species of space aliens lays waste to your home planet - when disaster rears its ugly head (or heads) - who can you call for faster-than-light appraisals and best-in-the-multiverse customer service? Just one man - Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent.

In this latest chapter of his interstellar exploits, Tom is about to deliver a crushing performance evaluation to Jimmy the Intern, when the unimaginable happens: the beloved Wendell the Manatee has been kidnapped! Armed with his battle mechs and his elite corps of Junior Associates, can Tom find Wendell before he's canned in oil? And can Jimmy, at long last, channel his inner Agent?

A Murder of Manatees will make you quiver with fear, laugh uncontrollably, and wonder whether your deductibles are too high. 

Review: 

Before Audible got rid of their choose your freebies monthly incentive for subscribers, I picked this one up. The title was interesting, but I had no idea what I was in for and no idea that it was a sequel. 

I will disclaimer by also noting that I still...really have no clue what I just listened to...

It was science fiction, it was political, it was weird, it was funny sometimes but also not really. I guess it was ok, but just ok. I listened to it because it was in my Audible Library and it was shorter. I like to listen to audiobooks while doing chores or the puzzle that is always on my dining room table and this one fit into that category. I started listening and was SO confused. 

Tom Stranger is an insurance agent but covers people, animals, aliens alike across dimensions and in this book there is a missing manatee and the other manatees are very upset about the whole thing. As their insurance agent, Tom must jump into action and save the day, which includes shooting up other animals, a leprechaun that grants wishes, and obviously some manatees. The former president makes a few appearances as well.

It really kind of threw me, the first chapter was a full length rant about how the first books ratings were not all great and why people were dumb for leaving them....way to alienate your audience from the very beginning. It was also not relevant to the story at all and such a waste of time.

I gave it 2 stars because there were some laughable moments, still not sure if those moments were actually funny or I was laughing out of discomfort - it was hard to tell. 

Recent Reads: Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine by Ben H. Winters

Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine by Ben H. Winters 
Publisher: Audible Original
Publication Date:  April 30th 2020

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Monthly Freebies (from before they changed it to whatever it is now)

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis:  

Three offbeat stories of crime and conundrum, set in the present moment, from The New York Times best-selling, Edgar Award-winning author of Underground Airlines and The Last Policeman.

Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine includes:

The Crimson Parrot

It's not easy masterminding the crime of the century when your whole gang is working from home. A high-stakes tale of larceny, deception, and teleconferencing.

The Cape House

As the world shifts around them, two estranged brothers end up in their childhood home. But it's the memories they unearth that will change them forever.

Stop Motion

With endless time on her hands, an apartment-bound young woman gets to all the hobbies she's neglected—martial arts, playing the sax, photography...and solving a murder?

©2020 Ben H. Winters (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC 

Review: 

It looks like since I picked this up, it is no longer in the Audible options but coming out in April as an Audiobook on CD (if you are interested). 

Inside Jobs was an Audible Original that was offered up, about a year ago, as a monthly freebie option, back when they did that. It was one of the first books that I saw that was specifically about quarantine life and it is a compilation of three short, crime novellas. As they synopsis notes, the three include The Crimson Parrot, The Cape House, and  Stop Motion. All three are crime-related but in different ways which was appreciated. 

The first story seemed to be the most complete and the most funny. It was about what career criminal, mobsters do when everyone is in quarantine but they want to steal something. I found this story to have some really funny and realistic parts -Zoom issues, kids barging in etc, but also found it to be a very interesting take on a different job and how things changed because of the pandemic for them. It was entertaining and I really liked this one. 

The second tale was about two brothers coming together after the death of their father. This one really wasn't too much about quarantine, but about their weird relationship and both of them wanted to live in the house now that dad is gone. I found this one to be a little off the wall for me, it was weird and the brother's relationship isn't one that I related to very well so it was hard to grasp.

The final story was about a your woman that is doing her bucket list since she can't do much else. While she is experimenting with stop motion photography she catches a glimpse of what might be a body part in a box and her mind goes spinning. This was a good story, the build up was very good, but the ending was a bit lack-luster. She was very relatable though and I appreciated that.

Overall, I liked this audiobook, it kept my attention fairly well but I was not jumping at the chance to listen to it either. Luckily it was short and also short stories so it was a quick listen. 

Recent Reads: The Flying Flamingo Sisters by Carrie Seim

The Flying Flamingo Sisters by Carrie Seim 
Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan, Bill Andrew Quinn, Jessica Almasy, Carrie Seim, Kevin Pariseau, Dina Pearlman, Khristine Hvam
Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins

Release date: 12-12-19
Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Children's Audiobooks, Literature & Fiction

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Subscriber Freebie 

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

This hilarious, heartfelt and soaring adventure will delight fans of 'The Goonies' and 'Indiana Jones'.

When their ace pilot parents (and adorable puppy) mysteriously disappear over the Pacific, the Flamingo Sisters - Flo, Faye, and Franny - escape the clutches of their evil Uncle Freidrich (who believes the girls should NEVER pilot aeroplanes) and join a flying circus. They soon become a smashing sensation, performing aerial acrobatics, wing walking and other death-defying feats in a dazzling biplane outfitted with three cockpits.

But when the girls discover a mysterious map - which may lead them to the long-lost family fortune - their dastardly uncle follows them on a thrilling chase in the skies. The Flying Flamingo Sisters must use wits, courage and derring-do to solve secret codes, trek through spooky jungles and save their parents. Not to mention themselves!

Review: 

This is a cute, short audiobook similar to the likes of the Lemony Snicket series. Three girls Flo, Faye, and Franny are part of the Flamingo family, a family of flyers. When their parents go missing flying across the Pacific, the girls realize it is up to them and their aeroplane skills to find them and bring them home safely. That is easier said than done though because their evil uncle has shown up claiming there is a flamingo fortune and he is there to find it!

While short, this audiobook was a cute and fun adventure with a lot of laugh out load fun bits throughout. It was a full-on adventure from beginning to end which made it easy to listen to and entertaining. The sisters are smart and cunning and stubborn at times but even in this fast-paced short book, they grow and learn about each other and their family as the story progresses. If you are looking for something fun to listen to on a family road trip, this would be a fun one to pick up.

Recent Reads: Interview with the Robot by Lee Bacon

Interview with the Robot by Lee Bacon
Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins, Ellen Archer, Josh Hurley, Eileen Stevens, Erin Mallon, Jonathan Davis, Stephen Bel Davies
Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Children's Audiobooks, Science Fiction & Fantasy

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Subscriber Freebie 

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Fugitive. Criminal. Robot.
Eve looks like an ordinary 12-year-old girl, but there’s nothing ordinary about her. She has no last name. No parents or guardian. She’s on the run from a dangerous and secretive organization that will stop at nothing to track her down.
And most astonishing of all: She’s a robot, a product of Eden Labratories.
When she discovers the truth, she realizes everything she thought she knew about herself is a lie. Eve manages to escape, fleeing the lab, the only home she’s ever known.
After being arrested for shoplifting, Eve is interviewed by Petra Amis from Child Welfare Services. Her incredible story unfolds during the interrogation, with flashbacks to her life inside Eden Laboratories, which has a dark secret.
Exploring a range of topics that drive our society and our lives - topics such as artificial intelligence and human nature - Interview with the Robot is a story told by a startlingly original protagonist, a story that explores the vast potential of technology and the deep complexities of humanity

Review: 
This was such a fun book. It follows Eve as she talks to a Child Welfare Services Social Worker about her life, the twist - she is a robot. Eve started out as a box and is now a fully formed, almost human robot girl who looks like she is 12. She was built in a lab by a man named David, who is working to make better humans. 

This story is told in a few ways, Eve as she converses with Petra as well as flashback scenes into her life at the lab and then escaping the lab. There is a full cast of narrators for the audiobook and they all do a great job. 

There was a lot of mystery and suspense throughout this audiobook and I really enjoyed the story. There is a huge twist at the end that really threw me and I was very surprised by it.  I don't want to give more away so I will leave it at that.

As an Audbile Freebie for Middle Grade readers, this book is fairly short, which is nice. It is also packed with emotion, mystery, suspense, and drama and I think parents and young readers will really enjoy it.  

Recent Reads: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Narrated by: Adeel Akhtar, Rupert Everett, Gerran Howell, Eleanor Worthington-Cox

Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins
Original Recording Audiobook
Publisher: Audible
Publication Date:  December 5, 2019

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Subscriber Freebie 

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis:

This Audible Original Drama of Peter Pan takes listeners on a magical adventure with Peter, Wendy, Michael and John as they arrive in Neverland and take on Captain Hook with the help of Tiger Lilly and Tinker Bell.
The story begins at home in London during The Blitz, and Mary Darling is planning to evacuate her children to the countryside. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when a familiar face from her childhood returns...the one and only Peter Pan, the mysterious boy from Kensington Gardens. Intrigued by their mother’s friend, Wendy, Michael and John seek Peter Pan out, resulting in them being whisked off to Neverland and setting up home with Peter, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys.
As Peter and his gang come up against the wickedly evil Captain Hook, their friendships and relationships are put to the test - can Wendy be honest with Peter about how she really feels, and will Michael and John return home without their sister?
Rupert Everett (The Happy Prince, My Best Friend’s Wedding) stars as Captain Hook alongside Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions, Killing Eve) as Smee, Gerran Howell (Catch-22, Emerald City) as Peter Pan and Eleanor Worthington Cox (Maleficent, Britannia) as Wendy alongside a full cast.
To mark the launch of this drama, Audible will be donating to Great Ormond Street Hospital, to whom J.M. Barrie unexpectedly and generously gifted his copyright of Peter Pan.

Review: 
I have never read or listened to the J.M. Barrie version of Peter Pan. I have seen Hook and watched the Disney animated versions but that is it. This story was very different from the one I know and it was darker and more interesting than the adapted tales (granted Hook is still one of my favorite movies). 

In the book, Mary Darling (the mother) is trying to move her children away from the war, but before she can do so, she tells them the story of meeting Peter Pan. Wendy writes a letter to Pan to get his attention and before you know it the children are off to Neverland.

Like I mentioned the book is darker, there is the war and the children's  knowledge of what that means for them, there are Lost Girls (!) who often battle the Lost Boys, there is violence that leads to characters almost dying, and there is the story about Pan and the changeling. 

I am not sure how the Audible Original full-cast version of this audiobook compares with the original, but it was very good, a very quick listen, and I was pleasantly surprised by not knowing most of the original story.

Recent Reads: Beezer by Brandon Snider

Beezer by Brandon Snider
Narrated by: Fred Berman, Eric Yves Garcia, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Margaret Ying Drake, Ellen Archer, Steve Rimpici, Jennifer Van Dyck, Neil Hellegers, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Gabriel Vaughan, Josh Hurley

Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
Original Recording Audiobook
Release date: 01-30-20
Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Kids, Fiction

 

Format:  Audible Audiobook

Source: Audible Freebie, February 2020

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

A lovely coming-of-age tale of Beezer navigating the pre-teen angst of family, feelings, and friends. So what if he’s a demon? For ages nine and up.

Beelzebub, the prince of demons, is bored. It's his destiny to one day rule the dark underworld known as the Red Realm, but it's sooo boring down there. All he wants to do is lay around all day in the lava pits (ahhh), boss everyone around (rude!), and maybe play a cruel prank (or two). But Beelzebub's father has had it with his son's nasty attitude. No one talks back to the Red King. NO ONE.

A disgraced Beelzebub is banished by his father and cursed to spend his days in the worst place either of them can imagine: EARTH. Now Beezer (his new name... which he hates) has to navigate a family (way too nice for his liking) that doesn't know the truth behind where he really came from. Oh, and his human body? Not a fan. Too many feelings! And it makes weird sounds.

What would Beezer do to get back home and reclaim his rightful place next to his father? Anything it takes. That is unless, he finds a new path (ugh, work).

Review: 
Let me say this right off, Beexer is a brat and I really hated him throughout this entire audiobook...but it was still an ok book overall. The story follows Beezer as he is kicked out of the Red Realm and sent to Earth for being  a brat to his father. Now he is stuck as an adopted son of a family, without powers, and no idea how to be a mortal. 

This book is only about 2 hours so it is hard to show growth of a character in such short of a time, but I think that the author did a pretty good job with it. Beezer's new family pretty much kills him with kindness and he has never had that before so it is a good feeling for him, eventually. The story is read by a full cast, and they all did a great job. There were laugh-out-loud parts and times I really wanted to wack Beezer over the head for being a pain, but overall this was an ok read. 

This was an Audible freebie, I think in the month of February, but it is available for free now for kids out of school at https://stories.audible.com/  (April 2020).

Recent Reads: Alone with the Stars by David R. Gillham

Alone with the Stars by David R. Gillham
Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Emily Bauer
Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins
Original Recording Audiobook
Release date: 01-30-20
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Originals
Categories: Fiction, Historical

 

Format:  Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Freebie, February 2020

Rating:







Goodreads Synopsis: 

In the summer of 1937, Amelia Earhart is the most famous woman in the world - a record-breaking pilot, a best-selling author, and a modern woman shattering the glass ceiling in the early days of aviation. 

And then she vanishes.

In Tampa, Florida, 15-year-old Lizzie Friedlander spends her afternoons glued to her father's radio, tapping into the enormity of a world she longs to travel. Lizzie can hardly believe her ears when she picks up a radio signal from a faraway source that sets her heart racing: "Amelia Earhart calling SOS!"

As Lizzie copies down the transmissions, it's clear that the Amelia Earhart is not lost at sea, as the newspapers are dreading, but alive and calling for help. In a race against time, Lizzie must convince the local Coast Guard that the radio transmissions were real and that Earhart's life hangs in the balance. But will anyone believe her?

Written for audio by David R. Gillham, the acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author of City of Women, and performed by Emily Bauer and Hilary Huber, Alone with the Stars is a breathtaking and illuminating tribute to a woman who risked her life in pursuit of new heights, and the young girl who tried desperately to save her when everything went wrong. Inspired by actual events, Alone with the Stars reveals, in riveting detail, the final moments in the life of a great heroine, whose courage changed the world forever.

Review: 

I really enjoyed this Audible Original, I wanted it to be a full length story but it was only a short one. The story is told in mostly alternating chapters from the POV of Lizzie and Amelia as the young girl hears her distress calls and as Amelia is calling out in distress. 

I found out after the fact that there is a real person who overheard the radio call, and her name was not Lizzie, which I found to be odd. Given that I did not know about her before this point, it was a really great listen. There was a lot of struggle in this short book. Amelia trying to fly and it not going well, her distress call not being heard but then also Lizzie's distress as she listened to the call and tries to make men believe what she has heard in a world were women and girls should not be listening to radios.

The male/female conflict weighs heavily in this story and is a lot of the issue throughout. The overall story was so interesting but it is so depressing that Amelia wasn't helped because of men's issues with her flying at all, and because a girl overheard the call when they did not. 

If you are interested in Amelia Earhart and the idea of a dramatized version of how the distress call came in and was heard, this is a great listen and worth your time. I do understand that some are upset about how the character of Lizzie was handled, because there is a real story here, but if you don't know that story this is a good icebreaker into learning more.

Recent Reads: The Half Life of Marie Curie by Lauren Gunderson

The Half-Life of Marie Curie by Lauren Gunderson
Narrated by: Kate Mulgrew, Francesca Faridany
Length: 1 hr and 19 mins 
Performance
Release date: 12-05-19
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Drama & Poetry, Modern Drama

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Audible Freebie, December 2019

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

In 1912, scientist Marie Curie spent two months on the British seaside at the home of Hertha Ayrton, an accomplished mathematician, inventor, and suffragette. At the time, Curie was in the throes of a scandal in France over her affair with Paul Langevin, which threatened to overshadow the accomplishment of her second Nobel Prize.

Performed by Kate Mulgrew and Francesca Faridany, this play by Lauren Gunderson is an ode to two remarkable women who, despite tremendous personal and professional obstacles, continued to devote their lives to scientific innovation and social change.

Playwright Lauren Gunderson was awarded a commission through the Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund, an initiative dedicated to developing innovative original plays driven by language and voice. As an Audible commissioned playwright, she received funding and creative support to develop The Half-Life of Marie Curie.

Directed by Gaye Taylor UpchurchSound design by Darron L West

Review: 
Audible Original offerings every month give me a way to venture outside of my normal Youth-YA readings, which is nice and I have learned a lot in doing so. I fully expected this book about Marie Curie to be about the science, it was not, but I am completely ok with that because I know about the science, I did not realize that she was involved in a scandal. 

This dramatic reading is about Marie Curie in the aftermath of her affair with a married man. She is vulnerable in a new way, but also so angry with society and the double standards that existed then as they do now. The overall narration was so well done and the play between the characters was enthralling and I didn't want to stop listening. 

While the audiobook was short it painted a new picture of a woman that I thought I knew a good deal about. She was human, upset, dying, and so mad at the world around her, but also brilliant in so many ways even in this short tale. I really enjoyed this book even though it was not what I expected.

If you are looking for a new point of view on this very well known scientist and Nobel Prize (x2) winner, this is a very well dramatized book in which to learn more about the woman.

Recent Listen: You Can Thank Me Later: A Novella by Kelly Harms

You Can Thank Me Later: A Novella by Kelly Harms
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins
Original Recording Audiobook
Release date: 10-31-19
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Fiction, Contemporary

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: From Audible as a Freebie in November 2019.

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

A short and sweet audio novella that'll leave listeners wanting second helpings, You Can Thank Me Later follows an unforgettable family over the course of three Thanksgivings.
When the Dickenson clan sits down for Thanksgiving dinner in 2016, it is the last holiday when their tight-knit family will ever be the same. Oldest brother Pete and his wife are expecting their first child. Youngest sibling Sophie is too busy running her restaurant, The Little Plum, to bother with any kind of social life. And middle child Charlie's happy, uncomplicated life as a Midwestern science professor is upended when his wife Annette is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Knowing this will be her last Thanksgiving, Annette asks Sophie to look after Charlie after she's gone. Which would be a lot easier if Charlie didn't show up with an insufferable new girlfriend at the next holiday meal.
From the best-selling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, this heartwarming novella embraces the spirit and gratitude of the holiday, and shows how a family's love can endure anything.

Review: 
This freebie novella from Audible was a good listen, albeit pretty sad and a little depressing. It is always good to know that your family is not always the crazy one, and this story once again proves it. In this novella we follow a family through a few years of Thanksgiving and how it changes. In the first Thanksgiving we learn that Sophie's sister-in-law is diagnosed with a terminal illness, that is followed by the grief and acceptance of her death in the Thanksgivings to come.

There were a lot of emotions while listening to this audiobook. While I enjoyed it overall, it was a lot.  If you like books about grief and then growth this is a short listen and it is that. Getting to that point it rough though. I found Sophie the main character to be a bit annoying, judgmental, and really wanted to slap sense into her for about half of the book. Eventually she comes around but not after being a pain to all those around her. 

I am glad this was a freebie, otherwise I would not have picked it up, but it was a nice, short listen, and I think it was good story.

Recent Reads: Camp Red Moon by R.L. Stine

Camp Red Moon by R. L. Stine
Publisher:  Audible Audio
Publication Date:  October 3, 2019

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: October Audible Subscriber Freebie

Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

Creepy fun for ages 9-12!
Camp nights or camp frights?
Every sleepaway camp promises memories that last a lifetime. But the memories from Camp Red Moon might give you nightmares!
The campfire appears to dim when the moon turns blood red and strange creatures prowl the forest.Do you find a total lookalike at camp? Is it coincidence or is he a shapeshifter trying to take over your life?Why don't your competitors at the robotics competition seem exactly...human?And why do campers do anything to avoid Cabin 6?The master of the scary story, R.L. Stine, has handpicked a staff of storytelling counselors - Dan Poblocki, Ellen Oh, and Justin Reynolds - to help him tell the creepy campfire stories that swirl around Camp Red Moon.
No matter how bright the campfire, get ready for some CHILLS!

Review: 
Camp Red Moon was a young adult horror anthology put together by Audible Originals. It was read by a full cast and had 4 stories. The stories, while the title credit goes to R.L. Stine are all by different authors but are based in the same setting, Camp Red Moon. R.L. Stine's story is first and he also provides intros to the divisions of the book. His story was about Werewolves, followed by the stories from other authors, one about a new camper, one about robots, and the last a classic ghost tale. My favorite of the four was the new camper tale.

In the story a new camper arrives and starts acting a lot like the first friend he has made, then he starts slowly taking over his life at camp. The story was simple but had a lot of character development for such a short story and it was very spooky. 

Stine's story was also a lot of fun and I got goosebumps from the ghost story, the only one that I might skip over next round it the robots one, I am not big on sci-fi generally but this story just didn't really do it for me. It was good, don't get me wrong, but I just felt wigged out over the other tales more.

Overall I really enjoyed this listen and think that I will listen to it again this summer as a good campfire read.