December 1, 2015 - January 4, 2016
Aimee from Colorado Springs, CO
Lori from Wayland, MA
Lucy from Duncanville, TX
Pat
The Promise by Robert Crais
Narrator Name: MacLeod Andrews and Luke Daniels
Rating the Audio Performance
There were two narrators, which really did nothing for identifying the characters. The voices were not especially pleasant and the voice used for Joe Pike was terrible. I don't recall disliking any other Crais narrators. It would be dreadful if the same narrator read for the next Joe Pike book. Very disappointed. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story was very good, suspenseful and complicated. It was fun to have all of Crais' characters in one book, but it might not be the best book for someone new to the series. Maybe start with Suspect for the Maggie series or one of the early Crais books for an introduction to Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. That said, I did enjoy the book.
Patricia
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
Narrator Name: Orlaugh Cassidy
Rating the Audio Performance
I feel like the audio performance really ruined this book for me. Before this book, I actually liked the character of Maisie Dobbs. But Cassidy reads her in such a posh, smarmy way, that she comes across completely unlikable! And it doesn't make any sense to me why she reads her so posh - Maisie was raised as a simple girl, not a rich spoiled brat. Cassidy is so over the top with her posh characters that some of them were intolerable (the sections with Priscilla could not go by fast enough!). I'm disappointed to see that the rest of the series is read by Cassidy. If they're read the same way, I don't know if I'll be listening to them. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I read the previous two Maisie Dobbs books and enjoyed them. But this one was a real let down for me. I take issue with how Winspear writes Maisie with zero flaws. She never makes mistakes (there was even a line saying how she never gets sick!). She always knows better than everyone else (including the bumbling police). Everyone always instantly likes her. She's always the absolute best at everything. I'm just having a hard time suspending my disbelief anymore. Especially when Maisie is able to tell what a person did in the past, simply by sitting in their chair the way that they may have. Well written characters need to have flaws - otherwise, as the reader, I'm not able to connect with them. I don't know if I'll be continuing the series.
Tessa B C
Emma: A Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith
Narrator Name: Susan Lyons
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio version is capably performed by Susan Lyons. She has good pacing and sufficient skill as a voice artist to differentiate the various characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is Book # 3 in the Austen Project series, wherein authors take on Jane Austen’s classic novels, reimagining the scenarios in contemporary times. In this outing, Mini Coopers replace carriages, and cappuccinos take the place of tea, but the characters, relationships and basic scenarios remain the same. I enjoyed this light romantic comedy, but it is not as good as the original.
Francisca E B
The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle
Narrator Name: T. C. Boyle
Rating the Audio Performance
T. C. Boyle narrates the audio version himself and does a credible job. He has good pacing and is particularly good when a character is expressing outrage or frustration. His Spanish pronunciation is accurate as well. I did find his voice a little nasal and flat – especially when voicing the Mexicans. That’s really a small quibble, though. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The lives of two couples – illegal immigrants Candido and America Rincon, and LA liberals Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher – intersect over the course of nine months near Topanga Canyon. I found myself siding with opposing points of views at different times in the story. It is at once a satire, a comedy, and a tragedy. There is much to think about and it remains current and topical 20 years after it was first published.
Nissa
The Auschwitz Escape by Joel C. Rosenberg
Narrator Name: Christopher Lane
Rating the Audio Performance
Really good performance and not hard to understand. The narrator uses a lot of different voices with accents to go with the each character. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The storyline is good and not to bland. I think it actually could have been a little more detailed though. Other than that I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys WWII and holocaust novels.
Lucy
Vanished by Wil S. Hylton
Narrator Name: Chris Sorensen
Rating the Audio Performance
Good performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
There was not enough meat to the story. Just average.
Carol R
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
Narrator Name: Katharine McEwan
Rating the Audio Performance
I enjoyed reading this while driving and never lost interest. Wanted to start again once I finished it but had to turn it in to the library. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I identified with this having seen the movie Out of Africa. After reading this book, I ordered the movie Out of Africa with its wonderful scenes of flying over the African plains, overlooking the animals and also read parts of Beryl Markham's book. I preferred Paula's book, which gave a full picture of Beryl's early life and flying in Africa. Her book was more about her flying, and I will now go back to and read that.
Wendy
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
Narrator Name: Robert Glenister
Rating the Audio Performance
Fantastic. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Wonderful.
Carol R
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Narrator Name: Jim Dale
Rating the Audio Performance
Enjoyed this fantasy but had to pay very close attention to all the detail. Enjoyed the reading. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This fantasy was a very different read from the usual books I read. Enjoyed the change and the creativity as well as the ins and outs of the plot.
Brenda
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Narrator Name: Will Damron and Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
Both narrators were excellent. The husband Lotto tells his story first and then Mathilde tells her story in the second half. Both made their characters come to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Interesting look at a marriage. Lotto and Mathlide were married but saw the relationship so differently. Lauren Groff gave us one marriage but two stories. Excellent!!
Coralie
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
Narrator Name: Robert Glenister
Rating the Audio Performance
His voice is perfect - so compelling. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is the third Cormoran Strike book and we are presented with three terrible protagonists, Robin's impending wedding, and a new love for Strike.
Rebecca
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Narrator Name: Lisette Lecat
Rating the Audio Performance
Ms. Lacat has a wonderful accent, probably due to her being a native of South Africa. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Love Alexander McCall Smith's characters from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. This is fun to listen to. Not too stressful to pay close attention while both listening and driving.
Judith
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Narrator Name: Richard Poe
Rating the Audio Performance
Good voice tone and lively rendering of a long and complex story. No inclination to fall asleep while listening to this one. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The dog-training aspects of this novel fascinated me, as I have long worked with dogs myself, and I kept imagining the work that the characters did with their pack. But the real story was the family and their complex interactions. This is a longer book than I usually choose to listen to, but it kept my interest right to the last sentence. I have loaned it to friends who also loved it.
Pat
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Narrator Name: David McCullough
Rating the Audio Performance
David reading his own work is powerful. His narration draws you in to the perserverance of the brothers. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I just loved hearing how two guys with a dream steadfastly worked to make it come true.
Sandi
Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart
Narrator Name: Christina Moore
Rating the Audio Performance
Very good narrator. Reading many characters and relaying all their emotions makes for a very good listening experience. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The fictional characterization of a true incident brings this story to life. Constance Kopp is a woman ahead of her time. She is not afraid to stand up for what is right and take over the fight. The story opens with Constance and her sisters being hit by an automobile while taking their horse and cart into town. Right from the start she is confronted with the other side of life - a rich, spoiled, conceited, playboy, male company owner. With the help of her sisters and a sheriff, this single woman takes her stand. It is her wit and originality that will win the day. An historical novel with both mystery and crime. Superb!
Shirley
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Narrator Name: Polly Stone
Rating the Audio Performance
This reader really brought the story to life for me with her inflection and seamless reading. The story was top-notch and the audio version was too. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
THE NIGHTINGALE brought another aspect of WWII to the forefront from the perspective of the women in France. The characters were well developed and the story engaging. It did not have a Hollywood ending, even though the ending was placed in LA.
Nancy
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Narrator Name: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, and India Fisher
Rating the Audio Performance
Using three narrators was very effective in this audio performance as there are three distinct women characters in the book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
With all the publicity and hype over this book, I was expecting to experience quite the ride. However, I found the book very repetitive and plodding. I think this storyline would have been much more effective if it had been written as a novella.
Melanie S.
After You by Jojo Moyes
Narrator Name: Anna Acton
Rating the Audio Performance
Anna Acton is a great audio performer. She was flawless in her delivery of this story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I was somewhat tentative about reading this book, having loved ME BEFORE YOU so much. While this sequel is not as emotionally powerful as its predecessor, it stood on its own as a good story. I wasn't sure that Louisa would be such an interesting character on her own, but her life after losing Will was well written. She vacillated quite a bit in her decision-making, which I imagine would be quite realistic during a time of grieving and trying to heal and move forward. Some of the story was a bit far-fetched but I enjoyed listening to it and would recommend it as an entertaining story. I do think that reading ME BEFORE YOU first would be necessary to get the most out of this book.
Janice
Miss Julia Throws a Wedding by Ann B. Ross
Narrator Name: Karen White
Rating the Audio Performance
Karen White does a fantastic job in narrating this book. She has just the right adamant tone, and then the right slight hesitancy, that are consistent with what character's thoughts, feelings and actions reflect. The switch between characters seems effortless and natural. And the Southern accent seems just right for Miss Julia and other characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I have enjoyed all the Miss Julia books I have read but I wasn't sure about this one, as I am not a fan of weddings. But I think this may be my favorite in the series so far. As usual, Miss Julia has strong opinions about holding to the social conventions she has always upheld. But nothing goes quite as plans would have it, and the author finds gentle ways to nudge Miss Julia into seeing a different perspective and find a more flexible side in her own repertoire. I always end up finding Julia endearing, but never more so than in this book when she drops out of the church's prayer chain, recognizing that it is turning into just a way to spread rumors and gossip. I was cheering her on!
Tessa B C
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks
Narrator Name: Ron McLarty and January LaVoy
Rating the Audio Performance
Ron McLarty (voicing Ira & Ruth’s story), and January LaVoy (narrating Sophia & Luke’s) did a good job performing the audio version. They have good pacing and skill as voice artists, though I did wonder why another male narrator wasn’t chosen for those chapters told from Luke’s point of view. My pet peeve though is that the audio included a little musical interlude between tracks. Totally unnecessary, and I found that irritating. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
2.5 stars. Two love stories converge on a snowy mountainside. I knew going in that this would be a romance, somewhat maudlin, and intended to produce tears. I basically got what I expected, though I didn’t shed any tears. Sparks does a good job of writing entertaining romance novels. And this is no exception. It was a fast, easy read.
Dianne
The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer
Narrator Name: Cotter Smith, Frederick Weller, Thomas Sadowski, Marin Ireland, and Santino Fontana
Rating the Audio Performance
Narration was well done. I prefer one narrator over several narrators. It was confusing at times. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Intriguing story of family life and dysfunction in San Francisco area post WWII.
Patricia
F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton
Narrator Name: Mary Peiffer
Rating the Audio Performance
Another great performance by Mary Peiffer. Really love her as Kinsey Millhone! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Another great installment in the Kinsey Millhone series! I liked the twists and turns of the mystery, and I wasn't really able to put it together until close to the 'big reveal'. Definitely will be reading the next one in line.
Cathey
Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose
Narrator Name: Barrett Whitener
Rating the Audio Performance
Nicely done, just the right touch of empathy for both subject in general and various parties in particular. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Extremely interesting telling of the journey the Corps of Discovery made. It's hard to imagine travel across the U.S. at a time when there was no U. S. as we now know it. Lots of backstory to many parts of the puzzle made it very interesting. Any history buff would love it!
Cathey
West With the Night by Beryl Markham
Narrator Name: Julie Harris
Rating the Audio Performance
Beautifully done! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Was intrigued by the modern telling of her story (CIRCLING THE SUN), but decided to go with the original first. This was so beautiful I almost don't want to read CIRCLING THE SUN, but will after I give myself some time. Her love for Africa and the people comes through brilliantly. Well worth the search to find it in audio!
Marion
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
Narrator Name: Jonathan Aris and Paula Wilcox
Rating the Audio Performance
Spectacular narration of this unusual story made it a pleasure to listen to. Aris is a master,
reads slowly and clearly, and the listener never has to wonder which character is
speaking. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is a historical novel, set in 1799 in Japan, which had an extremely insular and mysterious
society. A Dutch trader (one of the few allowed to set foot near the country) falls in love with
a young woman, who then is kidnapped by a strange and sinister cult. This book will hold the
listener's interest to the end.
Marion
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
Narrator Name: Juliet Stevenson
Rating the Audio Performance
Juliet Stevenson will be recognized by many as a superlative British actress who's done a lot of film and TV work. She reads this novel fluidly, with no pretentious lowering of voice to indicate male characters, and yet the listener knows immediately who is speaking. Her diction is crystal clear, and she reads at a deliberate pace, never rushing along as many narrators are prone to do. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is a strange story, somehow made more palatable by hearing it read. A spinster botanist, enthralled by her study of mosses, leaves a life of wealth in Philadelphia to live and love in Tahiti. The tale is not exactly believable, in many respects, but it is a different one, and with memorable characters and details.
Kendra
The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
Narrator Name: Glenn Beck
Rating the Audio Performance
I loved his quirky voice - whenever he got excited or upset it came out even stronger. The only problem I had was that this began to happen to frequently and sometimes had trouble distinguishing the grandpa's voice from the son's. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great story with a terrific message. I found the book to be very believable and at times found myself getting upset over some disharmony between the adult and child. I love the way the book ended, and hearing the author speak words of wisdom at the end was the best! I would highly recommend to any friend.
Vikki
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Narrator Name: Kate Burton
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent on the accents...and there were many! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An American classic that I never got around to reading. Story of childhood and family relationships. Enjoyed it.
Sheila
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
Narrator Name: Robert Glenister
Rating the Audio Performance
Fantastic performance by Glenister in this 3rd book of the series. If they make this into a movie, Glenister should play Strike. He read it perfectly and believably. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Galbraith (a.k.a. J. K. Rowling) is such an amazing storyteller. Strike, the main character, and his assistant are such well-developed characters. And there are several other great characters, too. I'm happy that the author left it open-ended so I know there will be a fourth in the series. If you love a great whodunit — listen to this book — the whole series, I mean.
Linda
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Narrator Name: Neil Gaiman
Rating the Audio Performance
Neil Gaiman's voice is perfect for a book labeled "The Graveyard Book." Just spooky enough without being too macabre. Neil Gaiman is also always the perfect narrator for his own storytelling. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A baby walks prematurely, which is his salvation the night someone breaks into his parents' house to murder the rest of the family. A couple of ghosts become his guardians, naming him "Nobody" (Bod for short). Other than that it's a typical story about a typical ghost family passing down the important things to learn and know. Except that Bod always wonders why his family was murdered. Bwhaa haaa ha!
Patricia
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Narrator Name: C. J. Critt
Rating the Audio Performance
I really liked her performance! She made the characters interesting without going overboard. I particularly like her voice for Stephanie's mother. She's not as good with men's voices (they all sounded pretty similar). But since the main character is a woman, that didn't bother me too much. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was my first Janet Evanovich book and I absolutely loved it! Stephanie Plum is such a great character, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Diane
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell and Mark Deakins
Rating the Audio Performance
Good voices, they fit the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Compelling, keeps you riveted from the start!
Linda
The Joys of Love by Madeleine L'Engle
Narrator Name: Maggie-Meg Reed
Rating the Audio Performance
Pleasant voice, captured the innocence of a 1940s young women. Also good distinction between voices of different characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Checked this out of my local library's Young Adult section, having previously enjoyed A WRINKLE IN TIME. This is an enjoyable coming-of-age story. My mother was in the theater at the same time period and at the same age so It was easy for me to relate to the characters. The naïveté of the main character, college graduate Elizabeth, is probably in line with young teens of today.
Leslie
Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon
Narrator Name: John McDonough
Rating the Audio Performance
Absolutely WONDERFUL!!! Just like you would imagine Father Tim to sound...he has narrated most of the Jan Karon books and both my husband and I LOVE him and the books. We laughed throughout this book on tape. I would recommend it to everyone and have purchased several copies of the audiobooks for my friends who travel by car a lot. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
WONDERFUL book! All of Jan Karon Father Tim/Mitford books are wonderful and so worth listening to on audio!
Lisa
Beatlebone by Kevin Barry
Narrator Name: Kevin Barry
Rating the Audio Performance
Well read. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Surrealistic.
Lori
All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani
Narrator Name: Blair Brown
Rating the Audio Performance
I think the narrator did a great job reading the book. She made each voice distinct and I enjoyed her Italian accent for one of the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The book certainly kept my interest. I was unfamiliar with this Hollywood story, and I found it surprising. That said, as with other books of this genre, I don't like when real people are characters in a novel and that there are imagined conversations and events. I would have preferred the story if it didn't involve actual people. So much of the book is speculation, and even though it took place a long time ago, I think it can be defamatory to them and may be hurtful to still-living members of their families.
Gerry
The Woman Who Laughed by Joyce Carol Oates
Narrator Name: Ed Asner, Lindsay Crouse, Nathan Glaser
Rating the Audio Performance
All the readers (and there are more than the three listed above) are outstanding! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is a short drama, but a very timely story about a young teacher who is accused of inappropriate behavior with a student, and how the accusations are addressed by the local school board.
Richard N B
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
Scott Brick does a fine job performing the audio version of this book. He has a brisk pace, which maintains tension and keeps the narrative moving forward, even with the many footnotes. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
WOW. I was expecting a true crime story, but got an expansive history of the LDS church, and its history of violence. Fascinating, frightening and totally engrossing. Krakauer is a good journalist and his research shows, but where he excels is in writing a gripping narrative.
Linda
Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Jill Leovy
Narrator Name: Rebecca Lowman
Rating the Audio Performance
Strong narrator, excellent timber, voice, pacing. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Follows a couple of murders of black men in L. A. One is the son of an L. A. policeman. The surprise in this book is that the detectives work as diligently on the other murder, which some thought would never be solved. They did it.
Patricia
The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell
Narrator Name: Kate Reading
Rating the Audio Performance
I am so tired of Kate Reading's performances. She has such a bad habit of overacting. She is constantly drawing out words unnecessarily. I actually ended up listening to her at 1.5 speed, and I could still easily understand what was being said! She also goes overboard with her NY accents in this book. They're so stereotypical - all the men ended up sounding like Marino! And why on earth does she sound so robotic when she says "Benton" (which is a word that is said quite frequently in this book)?? Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
There are so many problems with this book, I don't even know where to begin. First off, after the last 5-7 books, it's become clear to me that Cornwell can no longer actually come up with ideas for her books. So what does she do? She just uses the same formula over and over again for each one. I seriously felt like I was reading the same book I had read the last time! And the last time I swore it would be my last Cornwell book, but I caved. This time I mean it. I'm done with Cornwell.
Sally Lincoln
Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
Narrator Name: Hope Davis and Campbell Scott
Rating the Audio Performance
Fresh, clear volume, very easy on the ears as the plots unfold. Nice to have both male and female voices, makes things even easier to listen to and more enjoyable. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Loved this story, grabs you from the opening lines. Oh boy, are you in for a treat as this unfolds into not one murder but many. What a traumatic past may make you do and just how much you can get away with if you look and act the part. A great thriller from beginning to end.
Linda
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Narrator Name: David McCullough
Rating the Audio Performance
David McCullough's voice is always reassuring to me. I didn't feel so much that he was reading to me, but rather that he was telling me the story of Orville and Wilbur extemporaneously. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
There is so much more to the Wright Brothers' story than a bicycle shop and a successful flight in Kitty Hawk, NC. McCullough's book helps present the Ohioans perfect fact-filled response to North Carolina's motto of being first in flight: The brothers had the inspiration in Ohio; North Carolina had the wind. I really appreciated that the brothers' sister played an important role for Orville and Wilbur. It seems this family was ahead of its time in more ways than one.
Crystal
The End Game: A Brit in the FBI Novel by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison
Narrator Name: Renée Raudman and MacLeod Andrews
Rating the Audio Performance
Both narrators are excellent. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is the third in the "Brit in the FBI" series. It a good continuation of the characters' adventures but would still be good if the reader had no knowledge of the previous books.
Pam
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Narrator Name: Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd
Rating the Audio Performance
I liked the narrators' interpretations of the various characters. At some points, there could've been a little more expression as the dialogue sounded a bit monotone. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great book for elementary school kids about being different, finding your people, and what it means to be a friend.
Linda
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Narrator Name: Sherman Alexie
Rating the Audio Performance
Read by the author with appropriate enthusiasm and nuance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story of a young Indian boy in junior high school. Seemingly his life starts with a debilitating condition. By the end of the book, the debilitating conditions seem to be life on the reservation. Not a downer but probably a very realistic telling.
Mary
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
Narrator Name: Linda Lavin
Rating the Audio Performance
Linda Lavin perfectly captures the voice of the main character, Addie Baum, who tells her granddaughter about her life and how she came to be "the woman she is today." Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
THE BOSTON GIRL follows the life of Addie Baum from her girlhood until her married life. Addie faces adversity and life with a positive attitude and passes on words of wisdom in the telling of the tale.
Dottie
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson
Narrator Name: Bernadette Dunn
Rating the Audio Performance
I've heard Bernadette Dunn on other books on audio and always enjoy her performances. It's like having an old friend sit down and take some time to tell you a story. She is a real professional who sounds like a dear friend. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Although I knew something about Rosemary, it was very interesting to learn that her problems stemmed from a nurse keeping the baby from being born as this very same thing happened to my brother. The consequences for my brother were not as severe though and he is a cherished part of our family; one who will always require some assistance but able to live his life and work until retirement. It is so sad that a lobotomy was performed on this beautiful, loving girl.
Linda
Jesus: A Pilgrimage by James Martin, S. J.
Narrator Name: James Martin, S. J.
Rating the Audio Performance
The fact that Father Martin read this made this all the more personal. I wasn't just reading the words, "I had trouble", but heard them from Father Martin which helped me feel that not only was he being the teacher, but was still a human being with faults. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A personal following of Jesus through the Gospels and travel.
Lisa
Ransom (Highlands' Lairds Book 2) by Julie Garwood
Narrator Name: Susan Duerden
Rating the Audio Performance
The first time I listened, I found it a little frustrating. Though I love the narration, her voice is very limited for male characters. I really had to focus to figure out who was saying what - but stick with it, it is very worth it! It is very well written, and the characters really do come to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story follows the lifeline of Gillian. Beginning with tragedy at a young age, the book then skips to her as a young adult. Gillian has two missions to fulfill; one for a mean murderous man and one she put upon herself to return a priceless treasure to its owners along the way. The people she meets along the way bring much to the story and give it a fullness that makes me feel as if I am witnessing the story unfold before me!
Lisa
Terrier: The Legend of Beka Cooper #1 by Tamora Pierce
Narrator Name: Susan Denaker
Rating the Audio Performance
Susan Deniker is a delight to listen to. She gives each character its own personality as well as voice and accent. I enjoyed her performance so much, I will purchased any audio book she narrates now! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Tamora Pierce creates a world called Tortall for this book. Tortall reminds me of old outskirts of London; no electricity, no cars. It's a Port City - people travel by boat, horse or walking. There are four legged Dogs, and two legged Dogs. The two legged Dogs are the security, and the train Puppies. This book follows Beka Cooper from her first day as a Puppy in training, and the trouble she gets herself into, the friends and enemies she meets, and follows through her story and how she went from being a Puppy to being given the name Terrier! Technically, this is a teen read, but I so enjoyed it I purchased it and listen to it regularly!
Ricki
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
Narrator Name: Frank Muller
Rating the Audio Performance
For the most part, the narration was good, but at some points, when Muller tried to create different characters and use dialect, it was not understandable. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is a very poetic look at the Civil War, or actually war in general, but it absolutely could not keep my interest.
Nissa
Down the Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison
Narrator Name: Holly Madison
Rating the Audio Performance
The performance was good but her California accent is aggravating at times. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Holly manages to put down everyone in the book. Most of all Hef, "the mean girls", her ex Chris Angel and friend Kendra. This was supposed to be a tell-all about her life as a Playboy centerfold and what it was like living in Hugh Hefner's mansion in California, but she was complaining through the whole book on how bad her life was living at the mansion.
Lucy
Freud's Mistress by Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman
Narrator Name: Suzanne Toren
Rating the Audio Performance
Very good performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A really good historical romance about Sigmand Freud and his mistress in early 20th century Vienna.
Karen
The Crossing by Michael Connelly
Narrator Name: Titus Welliver
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator's voice is the voice I can imagine as Bosch's voice. It is as if Bosch is actually telling the story in his own words. I enjoyed the performance very much. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The Bosch Saga continues with Bosch forced out of his job with the LAPD. He isn't fulfilled with retirement, and when his half brother asks for help with a case he is defending, Bosch agrees. He feels a bit traitorous, but he feels strongly that if the client isn't guilty he must find the real killer. He persists despite intimidation aimed at both him and his half brother. The investigation reveals a number of surprising connections which leads to the conclusion of the mystery.
Jan
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
Narrator Name: Alex Jennings
Rating the Audio Performance
Perfect narrator for the story, but I have to admit that I sped him up a notch because of the length of the book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was a fabulous story. I will now re-read through the print edition to appreciate the subtleties that I might have missed. A friend who read the book said she will now listen to the book for the same reason. I have never felt that I was actually in someone else's thoughts as much as I was in this book. As the daughter of a WWII veteran, the story was all the more poignant since my father spoke little of his war experiences.
Jeanine
Make Me by Lee Child
Narrator Name: Dick Hill
Rating the Audio Performance
I think that Dick Hill is a perfect narrator for the Reacher books. He gets the character and portrays him well. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Once again Reacher stumbles into a mystery to solve and decides to do something to right a wrong with no more reason than it is the best thing to do. I love these books.
Shelby
The Winds of War by Herman Wouk
Narrator Name: Kevin Pariseau
Rating the Audio Performance
Kevin Pariseau brilliantly brings THE WINDS OF WAR. It was a Herculean achievement because it is a very long book and because there are so many characters - both factual and fictional - and he breathes distinct personalities into each and every one. Listening to him narrate was a pleasure - he was able to bring color and clarity to the historical events and animate every situation the characters faced - either in their minds or in personal interactions. 10 stars! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is a commitment book and I enjoyed every second of the 45 hours and 53 minutes experience. The World War II epic begins before Germany invades Poland and ends after the attack on Pearl Harbor as the U. S. heads to war. Centering around several key main characters who are intimately described, this book throbs with tension and texture. Wouk offers the reader a brilliant blend of historical fact and fiction - it's highly intoxicating and totally believable. There's romance, tragedy, adventure, and a cornucopia of human emotions that is brought to life by the gifted narration by Kevin Pariseau. I am looking forward to volume 2, WAR AND REMEMBERANCE.
Melanie S.
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Narrator Name: Shonda Rhimes
Rating the Audio Performance
Who better to read an autobiography than the writer herself? Ms. Rhimes did a good job delivering her words as she wanted us to hear them. However, I did feel her speed was slower than the speed I usually like to listen to an audiobook, and since this was a book on CD rather than digital, I was unable to speed it up. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3.5 stars. Maybe it's because I haven't watched Gray's Anatomy since it first came on TV many years ago, or that I haven't watched any of her other shows, but I just didn't connect with this memoir. Clearly Ms. Rhimes is a bright, creative and successful woman who worked hard to overcome her shyness and social anxiety. I wanted to know what drove her choice to become a mother; she has three children as a single woman and is not in a committed relationship. While I appreciate her ability to step outside her comfort zone, conquer overeating, and get rid of people in her life who were using her, I felt relatively unmoved after finishing this book. I did enjoy listening to her actual speeches - those were the highlights in this book for me.
Jay
The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook
Narrator Name: Dion Graham
Rating the Audio Performance
This is mostly a series of stories on the people involved in song writing over the last five years. If you listened to the old Casey Kasem “American Top 40” radio show back a few decades, you might remember how he would mix in stories where you didn’t know who he was talking about until he named the surprising person at the end of the story. An example of which might be: “And that man, the man that held the door open for that girl on crutches was none other than... Barry Manilow, and here’s Barry’s current song on the countdown.” Seabrook pulls the same kind of thing quite a few times within this book, and the narrator seems to have Kasem’s timing down on these reveals, too. I had to smile each time. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I wondered if the corporate way of making songs had had an impact in how songwriters worked. After reading this book, I see things have changed quite a bit. There are still singer songwriters, but when it comes to most pop hits it really takes a village, including teams of expert consultants called in to nuance a beat, pick the best syllables from multiple takes, and build a song like you build a house. And if it doesn’t work, throw it out and start again. THE SONG MACHINE covers dozens of stories of these songwriting experts, as well as the corporations and labels that employ them, and the singers who belt out these often anthemic pop songs we hear so much on the radio.
Vikki
Pretending to Dance by Diane Chamberlain
Narrator Name: Susan Bennett
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Good story. Kept me interested.
Pat
Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon
Narrator Name: Carly Simon
Rating the Audio Performance
Her voice was whinny to me, but she was sincere. I felt she was trying to get the listener to feel sorry for her, and yet she made bad choices throughout her life that led to sorrowful results. And, her voice dipped in spots making it hard to understand her. She was definitely NOT one of my favorite performers. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Just another sad, creative performer who makes bad life choices. Mental illness in creative people is pervasive. Another example of a TOUCHED WITH FIRE personality.
Carol R
Mademoiselle Channel by C. W. Gortner
Narrator Name: Rebecca Gibel
Rating the Audio Performance
Fabulous English and French pronunciations, plus other foreign accents, and such a fascinating read. During the entire audiobook I just wanted to ride in my car and listen to the book with no distractions of work, phones, etc. What a story and what a woman. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Had known much about Coco Channel in bits and pieces but this was the complete picture of a talented woman who was so much before the time and who helped changed peoples' thinking - for the best. This book show what a strong, creative, determined, gifted woman she was.
Karen
The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank
Narrator Name: Celia Weston
Rating the Audio Performance
An entertaining Christmas story whose performance helps folks get into the holiday mood. The various characters were believably performed so one is drawn into the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story takes place in the low country of South Carolina. Theodora, the 93-year-old matriarch of the family, is saddened because her family is dysfunctional, and Christmas traditions have gone by the wayside. She has "discussions" with her grandmother's late maid, Pearl, and pleads for her help in getting the family in more of a holiday mood as well as nicer to each other. Pearl comes to help and uses her magic to grant Theodora's requests.
Patricia
Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay
Narrator Name: Jeffrey Cummings
Rating the Audio Performance
I don't know how this guy got a job as a narrator. His voice for the main character was fine, perfectly normal, but every single secondary character was completely ridiculous. They were better suited for Spongebob Squarepants! It was so distracting from the story. For example, the voice he does for the original Jan Rickter's mom sounds exactly like Mickey Mouse. Not joking. Will definitely not be listening to anything with Jeffrey Cummings again. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The book was good. I think my dislike of the narrator really took away from the story for me. I'm a big Barclay fan and this book was enjoyable. But, unlike the other ones I've read, this one got a little too far-fetched for me. There were so many bad things happening to the main character at one time that it was sometimes hard to suspend my disbelief. And sometimes they weren't even all connected, which made it more unbelievable. But all-in-all it was a good mystery. I'll definitely read Linwood Barclay again.
Teresa
Fear the Darkness by Becky Masterman
Narrator Name: Suzanne Toren
Rating the Audio Performance
I just finished listening to this last night. Suzanne's reading of the book kept me listening straight thru to the end. I was impressed. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I love the story. It kept me guessing as to "whodunit". I kept wanting to flip to the end and find out. Since it was an audiobook I just had to wait.
Linda
Double Down: Game Change 2012 by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann
Narrator Name: Robert Fass
Rating the Audio Performance
Fass did a good job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A behind-the-scenes look at the political campaigns that led up to the 2012 election for President. Not as crazy or zany as 2008 when Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton were involved, but still interesting.
Linda
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A by Dan Harris
Narrator Name: Dan Harris
Rating the Audio Performance
His enthusiasm for his revelations shines through his narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Very interesting and very personal memoir about the ABC anchor of Nightline's journey to find a way to deal with the stress of his job and keeping that job. It is refreshing to hear that Harris realizes he wasn't always on top of his game and took the steps necessary to change things for everyone's benefit - not just his.
Linda
The Abbey: A Story of Discovery by James Martin, S. J.
Narrator Name: James Martin, S. J.
Rating the Audio Performance
It was okay. I don't expect Father Martin will be hired as a narrator for others' books. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story of a woman who fell away from the church but finds herself returning to the abbey where she was baptized. Stilted dialogue and one-dimensional characters.
Rebecca
Accused by Lisa Scottoline
Narrator Name: January LaVoy
Rating the Audio Performance
Ms. LaVoy does an excellent job -- lawyer voice, Italian relative voice, child voice, ALL voices. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I really like the law firm of Rosato and Associates. We get to see the jobs the firm does for the public in addition to the personal lives of the girls. A good read and a good listen.
Patty
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
Narrator Name: Kathleen Early
Rating the Audio Performance
Kathleen Early does a great job of narrating this book. Right from the start you fall into the story, and it makes you feel like she is telling her own story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story starts out with a letter written by a grief stricken father who lost his daughter, Julia. After Julia's loss, her family falls apart and the two remaining sisters Lydia and Claire haven't spoken for years and lead very different lives. Something bad happens and the sisters end up coming together. Are both of their lives in danger? Twists and plot turns in this very good thriller. Hated to stop listening to it to do other things. You just wanted to know what happened next.
Melanie S.
Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon
Narrator Name: Carly Simon
Rating the Audio Performance
Although Carly Simon's speed of reading was a bit slow, I was able to speed it up on my digital version of the book, which made listening to her more palatable. Her speaking voice is very similar to her singing voice, so I did enjoy her reading. The 3 star rating was more for the musical "interludes", which were actually superimposed on top of her reading, which was VERY distracting and annoying. I would have liked it better had these musical interludes been between chapters rather than played over Ms. Simon's reading. For me, this didn't work at all, and I almost abandoned the audio version because of this. The music was extremely distorted when played at a faster speed, so I had to slow the speed down when the music was being played. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed Carly's autobiography. I think her story would most appeal to fans of her music. Her music was one of the soundtracks of my youth, so I appreciated hearing how the lyrics came to be. Learning about her relationship with James Taylor was engaging. She shares that she was a stutterer and still suffers from anxiety and depression, something more talked about today than when she was performing back in the 70s and 80s, which I think many readers will relate to.
Tessa B C
Not Becoming My Mother by Ruth Reichl
Narrator Name: Ruth Reichl
Rating the Audio Performance
Reichl narrates her own memoir with humor and compassion. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
What a wonderful, heartfelt tribute to a mother’s love for her child. Reichl’s mother may have be unenthusiastic about marriage and motherhood, but she gave her daughter a great gift – permission and encouragement to be the woman she wanted to become.
Crystal
All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
Narrator Name: Jan Maxwell
Rating the Audio Performance
The reader is excellent. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The crew of the true crime show "Under Suspicion" is working on another special. This time the unsolved crime is the disappearance of a bride from a luxury resort in Florida. The story is involved and interesting.
Gerry
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy
Narrator Name: Taylor Mali
Rating the Audio Performance
Very engaging performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Who knew that Mrs. O'Leary's cow was accused by the press of starting the Chicago fire based on no evidence whatsoever, or that an official inquiry exonerated the O'Leary's (and the Chicago fire department) of any culpability? "Idle gossip hardened into fact." "A wide division between the wealthy and the poor, that was made worse by fear." Not so different from the impact of journalism today. This short audiobook is intended for middle grade students, and is well-written, effectively narrated, and quite engaging. In addition to information about the fire and the city at the time, if offers students a glimpse into the influences on and impact of news reporting, and the reactions of different groups of people to a tragic accident.
Gerry
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown
Narrator Name: Karen White
Rating the Audio Performance
Well read! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly." - Theodore Roosevelt Although the book included more about Brown's research process than I needed to hear, its key concepts about authentic engagement and avoiding shaming practices really resonated with me.
Barbara
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Narrator Name: Dean Robertson
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent. Knowledgeable on many languages - English, French, various African dialects. Sounded like old and young, man and woman, angry, happy, educated, really dumb. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The beginning of the liberation of the Congo, the Belgian Congo. An unauthorized missionary family beginning their life there. By unauthorized, I mean totally unprepared and off the grid with a father that is off his rocker. They encounter unimaginable calamities over the years.
Patricia
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
Narrator Name: Ralph Cosham
Rating the Audio Performance
I am loving Ralph Cosham's readings more and more! Somehow, he really helps me to visualize Gamache. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I am seriously loving this series! I really love Penny's writing style. She really creates such an interesting world full of interesting characters! Can't wait to read the next one.
Francisca E B
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Narrator Name: Frederick Davidson
Rating the Audio Performance
Frederick Davidson does a good job narrating, but I did find his very slow pace hard to get used to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
First published in 1948, this novel has remained an international bestseller. It tells of a personal tragedy, but also of a national tragedy – apartheid. The writing is lyrical and evocative of time and place. A personal tragedy is the focus on the novel, but it is framed by the larger issues facing South Africa – the loss of tribal culture, poverty, and flight to the already overcrowded city slums.
Julie
Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon
Narrator Name: Carly Simon
Rating the Audio Performance
I know I enjoyed this audiobook more than I would have the printed version by being able to listen to Carly read it herself. She did a wonderful job, and it was all the more impressive as she confessed to the stuttering and performing anxieties she has suffered from during her lifetime. The musical interludes also added immeasurably to my enjoyment. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I was very impressed by Carly's literary ability, but wished there had been more background about some of her songs and less about James Taylor. I am probably in the minority in this opinion, though.
Ricki
The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick
Narrator Name: Yelena Shmulenson
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio performance in the first story, "The Shawl", just did not seem to convey the right emotions and characterization, but that could be the story's fault. "Rosa" was much better, although Shmulenson made Rosa sound more like a New Yorker rather than a Polish immigrant. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
THE SHAWL actually comprises two stories, "The Shawl" and its sequel, "Rosa". "The Shawl" is very short and is just not the type of writing that appeals to me. "Rosa" was much better (partly because it was much longer and thus more fleshed out all around). Both, though, were filled with metaphor and simile, almost to the point of supersaturation.
Barbara
Sisters in Law by Linda Hirshman
Narrator Name: Andrea Gallo
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent narration - easy to understand and not boring. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An excellent bio on the lady justices and important historical background on equal rights for women.
Debbie
Twain & Stanley Enter Paradise by Oscar Hijuelos
Narrator Name: James Langton
Rating the Audio Performance
James Langton is a wonderful narrator. He sets just the right tone for the story, and the characters of both Mark Twain and Stanley come alive. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I love Oscar Hijuelos' books. This one is very different than the other books he has written, and the topic is very different. That being said, however, the story is wonderful and, although Hijuelos made up all the conversations in the book, Twain and Stanley did know each other and the juxtaposition of their lives and their relationship makes for very interesting reading.
Debbie
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Narrator Name: David Pittu
Rating the Audio Performance
The narration is excellent considering the number and variety of characters involved. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I am glad that I chose to listen to this book rather than read it. I would never have read the entire book. It is too disjointed with too many storylines, some of which are not important or necessary to move the story along.
Sandra
The House Among the Laurels by William Hope Hodgson
Narrator Name: David Ian Davies
Rating the Audio Performance
I found the narrators voice did the story no favors. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is one of the least atmospheric ghost stories I have ever read. Psychic detective Thomas Carnacki investigates Gannington Manor in Ireland. The mansion has been empty for years and is rumored to be haunted. Blood is said to drip from the ceiling, and the bodies of two men have been found within, neither with any visible cause of death. Perhaps they were frightened to death?
Vikki
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Narrator Name: Gwendoline Yeo
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great story.
Elizabeth
Duma Key by Stephen King
Narrator Name: John Slattery
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent voice and dictation. Great voice and really did a nice job with the character. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I wanted to love this book, but it was too long and so many times I heard the same line over and over. I got bored. I thought the storyline was good, and I learned a lot about the loss of a limb. I jumped CDs just to get through the book. Not my favorite of Stephen King's.
Linda
The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
Narrator Name: Hillary Huber
Rating the Audio Performance
Hillary Huber narrated all four of the books in the Neapolitan Series. She is excellent, and I am so glad that she narrated all four as I came to relate one of the main characters with her voice. She brought the novels to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed this series of books very much. It was interesting to follow a friendship that started from when they were very little until they became elderly women. You actually tag along on their journey through life, experiencing their joys and tragedies, marriages, deaths, births, and periods of intense competition, all with a violent backdrop of Naples, Italy. I only wish I grew to like the characters more. Perhaps because they grew up with such brutality and selfishness, they became self-absorbed adults. It was difficult to connect with them.
Valerie
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Narrator Name: Edoardo Ballerini
Rating the Audio Performance
Edoardo Ballerini narrates many characters in Jess Walter's BEAUTIFUL RUINS. All the characters were in different time periods and on different continents. From an Italian innkeeper to an American actress, to a Hollywood producer, Edoardo's flow was effortless and beautiful with no ruins. His voice kept me in my car longer than I needed to be. Bellisimo. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Absolutely beautiful - loved it. Loved listening to it even more.
Linda
The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell
Narrator Name: Jack Davenport
Rating the Audio Performance
Beautiful sounding accents of Italian and Greek. Good pace. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I love mysteries, but it's been awhile since I've read one. This was especially interesting me since it centered on my church, which many times is not represented correctly. Found nothing to quibble about with the history.
Phyllis
X by Sue Grafton
Narrator Name: Judy Kaye
Rating the Audio Performance
Easy to listen to this narrator. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Book 24 with Kinsey Millhone private investigator. Kinsey gets involved in several cases at once, all of which pull her different directions and put her in danger. Grafton's storylines have been very different in all 24 books, and I look forward to Y and Z.
Jan
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
Narrator Name: Gloria Reuben, Tina Benko, Santino Fontana, Alice Hoffman- afterword
Rating the Audio Performance
I love an ensemble cast and this one is excellent, although if I had to choose a favorite, the narrator for Rachel, Tina Benko, was my favorite. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Based on the real-life story of Camille Pissarro, the Father of Impressionism, Hoffman tells the story of his early life on St. Thomas. The story centers on his mother, Rachel, and the experiences that made him who he was. Set in St. Thomas and later in Paris, with beautiful prose and vivid descriptions, the author tells the tale of arranged marriages, forbidden love, long-buried secrets, and loss. Rachel’s story was a more interesting and compelling one, and the story lagged a bit when the narrative turned to other characters. Still, overall, I enjoyed and appreciated this look into one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, and learning about the Jewish settlement in St. Thomas, neither of which I knew much about.
Patty
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg
Narrator Name: Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg
Rating the Audio Performance
If you don't know Aziz Ansari from his Parks and Recreation character, you are in for a surprise -- he is entertaining and funny! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I found MODERN ROMANCE a fascinating and an enlightening look on the new world of dating. I found out lots of interesting facts and cultural mores that made me feel glad that I am happily married and not in the dating world!
Sheila Shulleeta
The Lake House by Kate Morton
Narrator Name: Caroline Lee
Rating the Audio Performance
Lee's performance is perfect. Just the right tone, accent, and interpretation of the various characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Lovely mystery with believable characters. Themes of war, motherhood, connection, and family fit together nicely in this tale.
Michelle
Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson
Narrator Name: Ray Porter
Rating the Audio Performance
This audiobook was well read. The narrator managed to convey the same sense of frustration and anticipation as the divers. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A really fascinating book about the divers who look for pirate treasure and the pursuit of one pirate ship particularly. I loved all the background the author included. I don't think this was quite as good as SHADOW DIVERS, which was by the same author and involved some of the same divers, but it was very entertaining.
Michelle
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz
Narrator Name: David Aaron Baker
Rating the Audio Performance
This is the first of the series that I have listened to as an audiobook. I thought the narrator did a great job as the voice of Odd Thomas, but there did seem to be a few production problems throughout. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I really love this series! Odd Thomas is such a refreshing character.
Michelle
Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai
Narrator Name: Lulu Lam
Rating the Audio Performance
Great narrator, well done audiobook. I really felt as if I were listening to the musings of the young girl in the story. The verbal distinctions between some of the Vietnamese words was also interesting, a little plus that the reader would not get from the written word. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was a terrific little book about a young American born Vietnamese girl who reluctantly accompanies her Grandmother on a trip to Vietnam over the summer. She discovers a lot about her heritage, her family and herself along the way.
Michelle
William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return by Ian Doescher
Narrator Name: Ian Doescher, Marc Thompson, Jonathan Davis, Daniel Davis, Jeff Gurner, January Lavoy
Rating the Audio Performance
This is a terrific series. The audio production of each of these books is fantastic and hilarious. The narrators manage to maintain the air of Shakespearean actors and still sound amazingly like the original Star Wars characters. All except R2D2, and he is hilarious in his own right. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This series mixes the plots from the Star War series with dialog from Shakespeare. The results are amazingly coherent and wonderfully funny. Our whole family enjoyed this on a recent car ride and we look forward to the next installment. If you are even a little bit of a Star Wars fan (or maybe a Shakespeare fan) you can't afford to miss this. So much fun!
Aimee
Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson
Narrator Name: Orlagh Cassidy
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio performance was very good - a clear, strong voice, yet urgent, meek, and nervous at the appropriate times. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This one really hooked me from the start. I was constantly trying to figure out what was going on...and where it was going. A good, gripping read!
Linda
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Narrator Name: Jenny Lawson
Rating the Audio Performance
Within the text of this book, Lawson relates the story of narrating her last book. The "powers that be" didn't think she could do her book justice. At first, they were right. During a break in the recording session she called her friend, Neil Gaiman - a well-known author and narrator of his own books. His advice to her was to pretend that she could do it. After the break, the director marveled at the change. She could do it. This proves she still can. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Jenny Lawson has depression, OCD, anxiety disorder, ADD and rheumatoid arthritis. She has them, but they do not have her. She is zany, intelligent, and real. She shares her life stories so we all can learn from them. And evidently the audiobook has a bonus chapter.
Jan
What Comes Next and How to Like It by Abigail Thomas
Narrator Name: Abigail Thomas
Rating the Audio Performance
It doesn't always work out well when authors read their own work, but Ms. Thomas does an excellent job! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The book is arranged as a series of chapters (essays) on varying topics. At the core is her decades-long platonic friendship with Chuck and a betrayal that threatened their bond, the life-threatening illness of a daughter, and her life after her husband’s death (written about in more detail in THREE DOG LIFE, a book I also loved). But mostly she writes about her wry observations and thoughts as she goes about her everyday life: about aging, memory, her love for her dogs, death, friendship, forgiveness, failures as a parent…and much more. It’s beautifully written, refreshingly honest, and most likely will appeal to readers of a certain age. Loved it!
Barbara
A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton
Narrator Name: Nancy Wu
Rating the Audio Performance
Very pleasurable to listen to. Gentle voice change with change of characters. Interesting to hear correct pronunciation of various Japanese words. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I was surprised to enjoy this book as much as I did since the backstory of the book was the bombing of Nagasaki. The author did a great job of weaving the history and culture of Nagasaki into her storyline. The aftermath of the bombing was as much a character in this story as the people were. I would butcher the spellings of the family this story was about so I won't try, but will say it is a story of family, forgiveness, love and the pain that often accompanies love and the need to protect our children from making what we believe are the wrong life choices. It's about a mothers willingness to look back and open herself to painful memories and in the end be rewarded with nothing short of a miracle.
Janice
The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory
Narrator Name: Bianca Amato
Rating the Audio Performance
This was wonderful narration. The reader caught all the emotional nuances of the story, and I felt she greatly enhanced my reading of this novel. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I would like to give a big shout-out to Bookreporter.com for awarding me the audio version of this book and for introducing me to the historical fiction of Philippa Gregory. Kateryn Parr was the first woman to publish her own writing in her own name, in English, and certain of her works survive to this day; she was also the last wife of King Henry VIII. In this tremendously satisfying portrait of the queen, her bravery as well as her quick mind are illustrated in her efforts to stay alive after warrants were issued for her arrest for treason. She used her knowledge of Henry to cleverly bring him around to her way of thinking about reform of the church, while never contradicting his egomaniacal views of himself. I was totally engaged.
Terese
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
Narrator Name: Gloria Reuben, Tina Benko and Santino Fontana
Rating the Audio Performance
I don't always care for different narrators in an audiobook, but this combination is spot on. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Loved the story which is set in St. Thomas and Paris. I can actually "see" the colors that Camille describes through the incredible imagery Ms. Hoffman delights us with. The theme of strong yet emotional women is wonderfully related, and the early 1800s is a nice change for historical fiction. What's not to love?
Melanie S.
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Narrator Name: Will Damron and Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
These are two consummate audio performers and they each did an excellent job delivering their side of the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
In this book we see the same events through the eyes of both Lotto and Matilde, a married couple, and though told by husband and wife, reading this book was a very different experience than reading GONE GIRL in which the two points of view alternated. This book is divided into two sides of the same story, told first from the husband's point of view in FATES and then from the wife's in FURIES. There are unexpected secrets revealed as the many layers of this story are peeled away. One character in particular was extremely flawed, not necessarily through fault of their own, and their actions, while questionable, certainly made for interesting reading. There is a lot to talk about in this one, and I look forward to our book group discussion!
Melvin
The Martian by Andy Weir
Narrator Name: R. C. Bray
Rating the Audio Performance
I liked the voice of Mr. Bray. It felt like the voice of a man stuck all alone on Mars as he works through numerous problems to survive and get home. The audio discs all began and ended with a few seconds of light music to alert you the discs is starting or ending. That is a feature I appreciate that is lacking in many audiobooks that simply start over on Track 1, which the listener may miss if distracted at the time, such as when driving. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The book seemed to be too detailed in the chemistry and physics issues he had to address. Time after time his plans were foiled and then another long technical solution was worked out to solve the problem. The book felt like an effort to show just how complicated and risky a trip to Mars would be, thus justifying sending unmanned space exploration probes instead. The endless disasters should have killed the man several times until he becomes a sort of superman by the end of the book.
Melvin
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Narrator Name: Becket Royce
Rating the Audio Performance
I felt the reader was average but I did not like this audiobook due to the lack of warning when a disc ended. The disc would start over at the beginning with no alert that it ended. Several times when listening while driving I would miss the transition but then have the feeling I had heard something before and wondered if the disc skipped somehow. This was more of a problem because the book often changed subjects quickly, sometimes in mid-paragraph, so I was wondering if the disc ended, did it skip or did the author simply change subjects too quickly. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I did not like anything about this book. It is a selection for a book club I am in. The story jumped around in time and locations without any warning and was difficult to follow, especially in the audio format. I did not feel the situations or the characters were believable. I finished listening to the book about two weeks ago, and have finished another much better audiobook since then so HOUSEKEEPING is already fading from my memory and the club meeting is not for another 5-6 weeks. I'll probably not remember much about it by then.
Sheila
A Little Life by Hanya Yanigihara
Narrator Name: Oliver Wyman
Rating the Audio Performance
Wyman's narration of this book is absolutely perfect for the storyline and the characters. Fabulous performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Powerful and hauntingly sad. So sad that at times I wanted to stop listening but I couldn't because I was so involved with the characters. The characters are so complex and real. It's been a week since I finished the book and I can't stop thinking about the characters. Most likely will listen again because of the beautiful writing.
Jean
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Narrator Name: Elizabeth Gilbert
Rating the Audio Performance
I loved this audiobook. I really enjoyed that the author herself was the narrator. It's a great lesson in not being afraid to create. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
It's a great lesson in not being afraid to be creative, getting past fear of failure and criticism. 
