February 1, 2019 - March 1, 2019
Betty from Harrisburg, IL
Shari from Hillsborough, NC
Francisca
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell and Paul Boehmer
Rating the Audio Performance
The audiobook is masterfully narrated by Cassandra Campbell and Paul Boehmer. They are accomplished voice actors who bring all these characters to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Benjamin turns her attention to New York City’s social elite in the 1950s and 1960s. I was completely entranced and immersed in this deliciously gossipy tale. Benjamin really puts the reader into this glittering celebrity world. I could almost taste the caviar and champagne.
Ricki
The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell
Rating the Audio Performance
Always great when a narrator can be one with both characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A really interesting and intimate look at Grand Central told through two women from very different time periods.
Kate
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell
Rating the Audio Performance
Incredible. Sounds great even when I increase the speed. Her voice is clean, clear and engaging. Does both male and female (and children) really well - great distinction - very clear enunciation and sound effects. One of the best I've listened to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Amazing. Hype aside - this one is worth it on it's own. It's frightening, and engaging and thrilling. The story is unlike any thriller I've ever read. It keeps you up at night - it's riveting. You don't want it to end and you don't want to close you eyes.
Jeane
Past Tense by Lee Child
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
Dick Hill has done the audio for most of the Reacher novels but last year announced his retirement. I loved his body of work. I was not aware of this nor that Scott Brick has now been given the nod to now be the voice of Jack Reacher. So, when I started listening to PAST TENSE, I did not have any issues with the new narrator. I recognized Scott's voice from many other audios that I have listened to, and was comfortable. To me, Scott Brick was the voice of Jack Reacher. I love his cadence: slow, smooth, always in charge, thoughtful. Strong. I think the decision to hand the job to Scott was a good one. Well done. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
We have two different storylines going on here. And it takes a bit too long for them to intercept.
Jack's storyline is a bit long and boring. The last few chapters were pure Lee Child. I kept thinking about a short story I read in high school (years and years ago), "A Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell.
Patricia
The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark
Narrator Name: Jan Maxwell
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent speaking. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Wonderful storyline.
Kimiko
Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly
Narrator Name: Titus Welliver and Christine Lakin
Rating the Audio Performance
Ballard and Bosch team up again. I love that they used both a man's and woman's voice to tell us each side of their story. So much easier to follow. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Det. Ballard horns in on one of Bosch's unsolved old murder cases. Along the way, each uses their respective skills to uncover clues to help solve the case. A good team for sleuthing!
Tessa
Dispatches from the Edge by Anderson Cooper
Narrator Name: Anderson Cooper
Rating the Audio Performance
Cooper narrated his memoir himself. I cannot imagine that anyone else would have the same sensibilities in performing this. However, there is something about his delivery that just seemed rushed. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3.5 stars. This is Cooper’s memoir of how he came to be a senior anchor for CNN. The chapters are divided according to various memorable assignments covering war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, famine in Niger, the tsunami in Sri Lanka, and culminating with his coverage of Hurricane Katrina.
Michele
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
Narrator Name: Jayne Entwistle
Rating the Audio Performance
Love her accent and the voice so fits the main character! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Laugh-out-loud funny! I like to listen to funny light audios while working, and Sophie Kinsella always leaves me laughing. I often find myself in her characters. I could see me acting just like the heroine in each of her books!
shannon
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny
Narrator Name: Robert Bathurst
Rating the Audio Performance
Bathurst is a great storyteller and brings Penny's novels to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I have to admit I love Penny's novels and this one did not disappoint me. Too many authors retell the same old story and Penny escapes that pitfall. A slow introduction of each "clue" builds the story at a pace that carries the reader/listener right along without feeling contrived.
SHIRLEY
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
Narrator Name: Joanne Froggatt
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator did an excellent job narrating the current day portions, but the flashback/background portions were difficult for me to discern and I didn't catch on that they were not a part of the story per se.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I should have read this on my Kindle or paper. Kate Morton's multilayered characters and story require me to go back and reread portions which add to the depth of her writing.
Karen
The Girls She Left Behind by Sarah Graves
Narrator Name: Kirsten Potter
Rating the Audio Performance
Kirsten Potter's reading draws the listener into the story. The tempo of her reading matches the emotions of the individual characters. She voices the matter a fact descriptions of Jane Crimmins and Tara Wylie and then the various stages of fear that they feel as the action proceeds. Lizzie Snow is voiced as the competent deputy she is. She voices the male characters Det. Dylan Hudson, Sheriff Cody Chevrier and Vet Trey Washburn to reflect their professions. Her reading entices the listener to continue listening to see what happens next. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Cam Petry goes missing when she is 15 years old. She and her cousin, Jane Crimmins, slipped away from a church youth group to go to a dance in the park. When they leave the dance, Cam confronts a creepy looking man in an old van, and he kidnaps her. Jane is taken, too, when she tries to stop the van. Jane manages to escape, but she doesn't tell anyone what happened to Cam. Fifteen years later another girl who has been taken escapes and alerts the police who free the other young women. Cam is one of the women, and Jane is terrified that she will be in trouble for not reporting the sociopath who took Cam. Jame must protect herself. She goes to Bearkill, Maine and reports the crime there where it happens a teenager girl is missing.
Nicolette
Finders Keepers by Stephen King
Narrator Name: Will Patton
Rating the Audio Performance
Mr. Patton is one of my favorite narrators! He is very entertaining and consistent with his character voices, injecting personality into each one. He is one of the main reasons I’m listening to this King series. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The storyline of this second installment of the Mr. Mercedes trilogy is strong and a great follow-up to the first novel.
Tessa B C
At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
Narrator Name: Justine Eyre
Rating the Audio Performance
Justine Eyre did a fine job on the audio. She kept the pace moving, and has the skill as a voice artist to give all the characters unique voices. I loved her Scottish brogue!
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Historical fiction/romance…or is that “hysterical” fiction. Maddie gives “hysterical women” a bad name. Still, there’s some suspense and Gruen keeps the plot moving. Add the Loch Ness monster and a ghost to the mix. Not to mention World War II happening in the background.
Helen
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Narrator Name: David Sedaris
Rating the Audio Performance
Love the stories! Laugh-out-loud funny! David Sedaris is the best! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Fun stories about the author's crazy family and being a Macy’s elf!
Shari
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Narrator Name: Bahni Turpin
Rating the Audio Performance
Very well done. The narration felt like you were in the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This book was powerful. It’s the story of 16-year-old Starr Carter and the effects of living in the poor neighborhood. She watches two of her friends shot in front of her. This book is about her struggle and courage to both fit in and stand up for justice.
Ricki
Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Narrator Name: Ben Levi Ross, Mike Faist and Mallory Bechtel
Rating the Audio Performance
Ross was a great Evan, and Faist worked well as Connor, but Bechtel's singing as Zoe was hard to hear. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Very interesting concept. I haven't seen the musical, but after reading this I decided to try the soundtrack, which seemed to have a bit of lightness that this wanted but didn't quite achieve.
pat
Faith by Jimmy Carter
Narrator Name: Jimmy Carter
Rating the Audio Performance
What a wonderful opportunity to hear his thoughts directly from him! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A compelling read from a man who has experienced so much in our country and the world. I would read a section and then ponder his message.
Wendy
An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Narrator Name: Barrie Kreinik and Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
This is the best audiobook I have listened to. The two narrators had the perfect tone to their voices for their very different characters. The one narrator had just enough creepiness in her voice to portray her character. I really enjoyed this book and am curious to hear if others who have read the book themselves like it as much. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Suspenseful, keeps you guessing.
Nikki
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Narrator Name: Emily Rankin and Catherine Taber
Rating the Audio Performance
The characters were easily distinguishable due to the excellent narrating. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I drove more slowly so I could listen to more of the story. Sometimes I even sat in my car in the garage to finish a chapter!
Richard N B
A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell
Rating the Audio Performance
I was lucky that my wife and I chose to listen to this audiobook while on a long road trip. We finished the 17 hours of listening in two days' driving. Cassandra Campbell does a superb job performing the audiobook. She is a gifted voice artist and really brought the story and these characters to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Russell’s third novel focuses on WWII and the Italian citizens who saved the lives of thousands of Jews. What a story! Based on true incidents, Russell’s tale draws the reader into the lives of these people. I felt that I really got to know these characters. This is a war story and I've been to war, so I knew there would be death and destruction. I really appreciated that the author doesn’t sugarcoat the sacrifices and dangers they faced, nor does she make them saints. Russell tempers the sadness and horror with moments of great tenderness and even humor.
Betty
The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson
Narrator Name: Andre Blake
Rating the Audio Performance
Really enjoy his voice. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Typical Patterson. Really prefer his older titles.
Joy
The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines
Narrator Name: Chip and Joanna Gaines
Rating the Audio Performance
Really good autobiography about them. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Really good.
Christine
Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
Narrator Name: Davina Porter
Rating the Audio Performance
This is the second book I've listened to in this series. So enjoyable! Davina does an amazing job - these books are long, that's a lot of narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I love this series. I read the first two and listened to the second two. I will probably listen to the rest of them as well. I've enjoyed the audible versions more than reading them.
Teresa
The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
Narrator Name: Clare Corbett
Rating the Audio Performance
Clare not only gives the correct inflections but she changes effortlessly from female to male, and each character possesses certain characteristics that make it unmistakable who's speaking throughout the book. I'm not a huge fan of audiobooks normally because I read faster than the narrator but THIS was a performance! I felt as if I could picture each character as she was speaking the text! Excellent job, Clare! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
When you hear THE OTHER WOMAN, you usually assume the husband is having an affair. But that's not the case with this book, no, the other woman is the groom's mother! Just when you believe you've got it all figured out and are seriously rooting for something horrible to happen to this woman...pow, you're truly surprised by the unexpected twist of twists! Great debut from a new author! I cannot wait to read this next one!
Tessa
Every Breath You Take by Judith McNaught
Narrator Name: Laura Dean
Rating the Audio Performance
Laura Dean does a commendable job performing the audio. Great pace and I was never confused about who was speaking. Too bad she didn’t have better material to work with. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A typical romance novel – with stereotypical characters and full of clichés. Still, it was a fast read and I was entertained.
Helen
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Narrator Name: David Sedaris
Rating the Audio Performance
Wonderful! Hilarious! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Funny stories!
MARILYN
Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
Narrator Name: Dennis Boutsikaris and Dogmara Dominczyk
Rating the Audio Performance
This was stunning to listen to. The voices of the narrators held me spellbound and fully engaged. Their intonations and inflections matched every moment of the plight of each character. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Amazing account of the ravages of ALS, the emotions of its victim, divorced from both his wife and his piano. The ex wife's lament of a lost career, herself as damaged as the victim in his illness. Genova's research into the the mysteries of this disease was gripping and her passion to engage the reader in the story as well as into attempts to find a cure are genuine. Having lost a friend to ALS I found myself reliving her struggle as well.
Diane
Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris
Narrator Name: David Sedaris
Rating the Audio Performance
It really adds something to have the author be the reader! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Very funny and also thought-provoking.
Aimee
The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt
Narrator Name: Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt
Rating the Audio Performance
Both narrators give excellent performances. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I really enjoy listening to memoirs narrated by the authors. It makes it more authentic listening to the authors tell their own story.
Tessa
Rainwater by Sandra Brown
Narrator Name: Victor Slezak
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio was masterfully performed by Victor Slezak. He has a deep resonance when voicing the men, but still managed to credibly voice the women – old and young alike. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
In 1934 in central Texas, Ella Barron runs a boardinghouse. A new boarder, Mr. Rainwater, quickly becomes a leader in the community, and stirs her feelings as well. This is an interesting look at small town prejudice and bullying in tough times. Brown is best known as a romance writer, but it is more of an historical fiction work than a traditional romance. Brown does a credible job of exploring some important issues, though she does tend to rely on some of the romance tropes and stereotypical characters.
Lara
Donovan’s Station by Robin McGrath
Narrator Name: Janis Spence
Rating the Audio Performance
I enjoyed the narrator. But I wish the publisher had not used harmonic and concertina interludes between chapters. I found that disruptive. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
84 year-old Keziah Donovan looks back on her life around St. John’s, Newfoundland. I read the original print version of this local historical fiction novel about 15 years ago and was glad to revisit it in audiobook form.
diane
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
Narrator Name: Erin Spencer, Grace Experience and Mark Deakins
Rating the Audio Performance
It was average. Sometimes the two female voices didn't seem that different so one narrator could have done it. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Interesting plot and held my interest.
Francisca
The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
Narrator Name: Ari Fliakos
Rating the Audio Performance
Ari Fliakos does a fine job performing the audio version of this book. I did sometimes get confused between Todd and Mark since Flakos doesn’t give them much difference in tone or inflection. Since they have many conversations together it’s somewhat important to know which of them is speaking which lines of dialogue. But overall, I thought he did a great job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Three third-year law students are stunned when their friend and fellow student commits suicide. Grisham knows how to write a thrilling adventure tale. Mark, Todd and Zola are reasonably bright, motivated, and quick on their feet. I found their friendship and loyalty to one another and to the memory of Gordy touching and genuine. I did think that Grisham wrote himself into a hole and was struggling to get out. There’s a significant side plot focusing on one student’s parents. For most of the book I thought this was an unnecessary distraction, then Grisham uses it as the key to the resolution. Kind of a cheap trick, in my opinion.
Patricia
Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
Narrator Name: Soneela Nankani
Rating the Audio Performance
Well done. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
What a brave and intelligent young lawyer is Mistry!
Joan
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campell
Rating the Audio Performance
One of the best I've ever heard! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Very unusual. Since I know almost nothing about this part of the United States, I found the book to be both entertaining and educational, and the murder added unexpected excitement.
Becky
The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald
Narrator Name: Kelly Burke and Laurel Lefkow
Rating the Audio Performance
This is the first book I read by Ms. McDonald and it won't be my last. I purchased the Audible version which was produced by Simon and Schuster Audio. The audio version is just under eleven hours listening time. I could easily listen to the book while driving, cleaning and working. The narrators did a great job reading both sides of Olivia and Abi's story. I could easily follow both the main characters as they switched to present day and the past. The narrators inflection and character voices were very pleasant to listen to. The narrators also had a nice change to their voices when narrating other characters in the book which I feel not all narrators are able to do convincingly. I plan to see what other books these narrators read. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is the first book I read by Ms. McDonald and it won't be my last. The narrators was great and I could really get into the characters of the book. I enjoyed the storyline and found it to be a believable story. Ms. McDonald had a nice blend of romance and mystery in the story and the storyline was easy to follow. The story starts in the present day with Abi, a single mother of Olivia, who apparently falls by accident and is critically injured. Abi's storyline is told through her life and what she endures after Olivia's tragic accident. The storyline flashes back a few months before the accident with Olivia's character and her life events leading up to her fall. There is a nice mix of romance and mystery with both main characters.
Donna
Arctic Drift: A Dirk Pitt Novel by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
I lke male readers over female readers. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I have yet to read/listen to a book from Clive Cussler I didn't like. 
