Gray Bishop

Cornerstone Run Trilogy, Book 2

By: Kelly Meade

Narrated by: Xe Sands

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Some people need something to fight for....

With the attacks on their homes escalating and human half breeds seeking sanctuary among them, the loup garou are reaching their breaking point. Two in particular. After failing to stop his little brother's kidnapping years ago, Bishop McQueen angrily broods on his shame, though no one else blames him. Jillian Reynolds is still dealing with a tragic accident that took everything she ever wanted from life. And her attraction to Bishop is only making things more difficult.

When word reaches them that Jillian's hometown is under attack, the alpha takes Bishop, Jillian, and a group of enforcers to assist in the battle. And it is in this chaos that both Bishop and Jillian will have to face their pasts - and the true feelings they have for each other - if they are going to survive....

©2014 Kelly Meding (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Kelly Meding is a real storyteller and I look forward to reading more of her work.” (Patricia Briggs, New York Times best-selling author)

Good listen

Come on editors. 'Zee Sands'? At opening and ending credits. Second and third book in this series have amateurs reading credits. Hideous. They should know how to pronounce the narrator's name don't ya think?

That aside the story was good if slightly predicable for this genre but entertaining none the less. Xe Sands performance is excellent and characters are easy to follow.

MEGA TRILOGY THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO END!!!

This series has me on an emotional roller coaster. There are sections that made me laugh at the brothers interaction with each other and other places that were so sad that tears were pouring down my face from the heartbreak. The depth of the characters that Kelly Meade [aka Kelly Meding] has developed is astounding.

Most books that I have read or listened to only touch lightly on the secondary characters. However, this series treats them almost as if they are the primary characters. This series interweaves the story so well that as if I was living their lives. The characters are MY FAMILY & FRIENDS. So far, I'm 24 hours into the trilogy & can't stop even to sleep. The attention to detail is astounding. The characters metaphorically "leap off the pages". It's as if Xe Sands has breathed life into every one of them. Even the least character mentioned is well developed.

Seldom do I listen to a series that takes me on such an emotional roller coaster. That is a mark of a good book or series & the writing just gets stronger with each book. The series is about the three sons of the alpha wolf. Even though only one son is the featured protagonist of each of the books, the plot is so well developed that all of the characters are described in detail.

What I loved about these books is they aren't pure porn. There is a love story that is told & it enhances the listener's enjoyment. I felt their love & passion. The characters reflect humanity at it's best and worst so that the listener is invested in the book. This is a trilogy that [so far] I wasn't able to stop listening to [even to sleep] & never wanted it to end.

Kelly Meade writes books that have everything to enthrall you & Xe Sands takes that almost perfect story line & makes it perfect.

In my humble opinion, we need more strong books like this series rather than the "erotica only" books that "so called authors" are regurgitating now. This is romance at it's best.

Normally, I listen to most books at the 1.25 speed but for some reason this series was so fast that I had to listen to it at half speed [.50] for it to sound normal. This is good in the sense that it makes the books longer than the time reflected in the description giving the listener twice the time to enjoy an awesome story.

Not for me, something was missing.

I am stumped, ladies and fellas. This is a fast, ferocious and pretty gruesome urban fantasy, and usually it's right up my alley. But not this time.


I've suspected it with Black Rook, but Gray Bishop just confirmed that this series is not for me. "Why?" you might ask.


Never mind the overall depressive atmosphere of hopelessness. I've read those, they do not phase me. It's the characters themselves who lack the zing for me. I do not connect, and I do not understand how they can only choose to stay on the defensive against a force which by its nature is bound to do guerrilla fighting aka sneak, strike and run, instead of hunting those crazies down and involving the whole supernatural world to help while they are at it, because the actions of the enemy endanger the secrecy of the hidden races.


I also felt like the love stories, all three of them, were just going through the motions instead of showing real attraction to each other. In fact, the only real emotion which came off the page very strongly was the grief in the aftermath of the attack on Jillian's hometown.


Otherwise, this is a well-written book, well-narrated, but it was just not a good fit for me. What a shame...