January 6, 2020 - February 3, 2020
This contest period's winners were Linda F. from Des Moines, IA and Michelle P. from Phoenix, AZ, who each received an audiobook copy of HOUSE ON FIRE by Joseph FInder, read by Holter Graham
Tessa
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Narrator Name: Saskia Maarleveld
Rating the Audio Performance
Saskia Maarleveld did a marvelous job performing the audiobook. She sets a good pace and has the skill needed to differentiate a large cast of characters from a number of countries (Scotland, USA, France, England, and Germany). My only complaint about the audio is that is does NOT include the author notes and historical documents that are in the text. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Based on the real stories of women who served as spies during World War I, Quinn has crafted an interesting, engaging story of wartime heroines and the price they paid for their service. She uses a dual timeline, moving back and forth between 1947 and 1915. I was much more interested in Eve’s story; I found Charlie irritatingly immature. I thought the ending, especially that final confrontation, was somewhat rushed and implausible. Still, it held my attention and I was glad to learn something about the brave women who served.
Frankie
The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
Narrator Name: Chris Ciulla
Rating the Audio Performance
Enjoyed the narrator's voice. He truly made you feel as if you were inside the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Excellent read. The story of the boy, his family, and his connection to others was emotional on many levels. In a short time on earth, the boy left behind an impressive legacy. A warm and thought-provoking book.
Julie
A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner
Narrator Name: Tavia Gilbert
Rating the Audio Performance
An excellent audio performance brought this emotional story to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An emotional story of two women, one a nurse working on Ellis Island in 1911 and one a widow who lost her husband on 9/11, and the connection they share.
Shelley
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks
Rating the Audio Performance
Awesome to hear Tom Hanks read this. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Interesting characters.
Betty Jo
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks
Rating the Audio Performance
One of the best audiobooks I have listened to in a very long time. Hanks reads from the narrator's voice to perfection. I want more from him. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is my kind of book. A tale of a family and the struggles once things happen.
Melanie
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
Narrator captured essence of the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Another gem by this author. Historical fiction about orphanages, treatment of Native Americans and the Great Depression. It was captivating.
Laura
Me by Elton John
Narrator Name: Taron Edgerton
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I didn’t think I could love EJ any more than I already did. He is a genius, a man with a huge heart and quite frank about his flaws. Love.
Shirley
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
Narrator Name: Carlotta Brentan, Cynthia Farrell, Mozhan Marno, Saskia Maarleveld, Jonathan Davis, David Pittu and James Fouhey
Rating the Audio Performance
Many different narrators provided a wonderful experience and multiple emphases. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Liked the merging of the CIA mission and the background of Dr Zhivago. Characters came to life and tension in their stories kept me waiting for the next step in their journeys.
Stephanie
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
Narrator Name: Lauren Fortgang
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio performance of THE WIVES was so easy to listen to! I really enjoyed it! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was an incredible book on tape! It kept me entertained from the very beginning. I didn’t expect the twist at the end!
Francisca
My Brilliant Friend by Nina Ferrante
Narrator Name: Hillary Huber
Rating the Audio Performance
Hillary Huber really brought these characters to life. I did refer to the text when I began writing this review, and I think that I would have enjoyed the book even more had I read it rather than listened. But that is my failing, not Huber’s. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3.5 stars. This is the first of four books in the “Neapolitan Series” by Ferrante. I loved the way this friendship between Elena and Lila was portrayed, and the strength of these two girls as they faced the challenges of growing up. I also really appreciated how the landscape and culture were practically a character in the novel. I felt immersed in 1950s Naples. I could not help but be reminded of my BFF when I was growing up. Like these characters, we hardly breathed without consulting one another, and shared every secret, every joy, every heartache, every dream, every disappointment, every triumph.
John
The Toll by Neal Shusterman
Narrator Name: Greg Tremblay
Rating the Audio Performance
Tremblay is definitely an actor's actor! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Humans and immortal beings ask, "Can't we all just get along?"
Laney
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
Narrator Name: Georgia Maguire
Rating the Audio Performance
Clear and lovely to listen to. Could tell the characters very well. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Good thriller, although it falls apart a little at the end.
Anna Servati
Gaining Visibility by Pamela Hearon
Narrator Name: Coleen Marlo
Rating the Audio Performance
This was an entertaining audiobook. I liked the themes of self-discovery and surviving cancer and divorce. The setting in Italy was delightful and held my interest as I am Italian. Ultimately, it was a romance novel with some in-depth look at a woman learning to survive hardships and finding new direction in her life. Sometimes a little too cliche but still entertaining. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The narrator did a good job with the voice of Vitale and his broken English.
Lois
Lost and Found by Danielle Steel
Narrator Name: Dan John Miller
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent! Good expression, lots of variation in voice tone. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Typical Danielle Steel - good plot with lots of surprises!
Melanie
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
Characters were well portrayed. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Historical fiction about an orphanage for Indian children during the Great Depression along with some white children who escape and travel down the river, reminiscent of HUCKLEBERRY FINN. Author is a great storyteller. I also recommend his other novel, ORDINARY GRACE.
Judy
The Dutch House by Anne Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks
Rating the Audio Performance
I listened to this audiobook during chemo sessions. The book makes a full circle through the narrator’s life and the role the Dutch House plays in both his and family members' lives. In the beginning I did keep hearing the voice of Tom Hanks, which was distracting. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Good story where the house is a character in the story.
Roe
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Narrator Name: Aoife McMahon
Rating the Audio Performance
The Gaelic accent transported me to Dublin and the other areas of Ireland. Good cadence and easy to listen to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Interesting take on issues and how young adults communicate/miscommunication with each other. Believable storyline, good characters.
Tracy
Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer
Narrator Name: George Blagden
Rating the Audio Performance
Really engaged performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A compelling story.
shannon
The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason
Narrator Name: Derek Perkins
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator brings the book to life. There is never a question of who is speaking and it is a delight to listen to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The year is 1860, the characters include Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and Charles Darwin. The detective is a man named Charles Field who is in and out of Prince Albert's good graces more times than there were twists in the plot. What more could a reader want?
Lori
The Dead Key by D.M. Pulley
Narrator Name: Emily Sutton-Smith
Rating the Audio Performance
Performance was good. Not one of the better narrators but the narration never distracted me. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The mystery was interesting and entertaining throughout. There was a 1990s timeline and a 1970s timeline. The 1970s characters and story were much better. The 1990s female protagonist was a horrible character who did stupid things.
Gerry
George by Alex Gino
Narrator Name: Jamie Clayton
Rating the Audio Performance
Pitch-perfect narration of this novel narrated in the voice of a ten-year-old boy who feels he's a girl. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I listened to this children's book in audiobook format, and it was very well done. George is a ten-year-old boy who feels like a girl, and is coming to grips with those feelings as he approaches adolescence. The characters all seemed very realistic, and the author didn't gloss over the emotional turmoil and social difficulties George and others encountered. It was a short and very engaging story.
Gerry
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
Narrator Name: Malcolm Gladwell
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio features definitely improved what was actually only a so-so book. Gladwell included actual clips of interviews (when available) that he did for the book, rather than just describing their contents. This, along with brief musical interludes marking transitions, made for a very enjoyable listening experience. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
2-1/2 stars. I was disappointed that this book provided information about what we don't know and what we should know, but offered very little in the way of positive strategies for overcoming that lack. The first part of the book was quite interesting, as the author described the frightening deficits in our (and others') ability to gather and interpret intelligence, detailing how the CIA was essentially played and mislead for years, even decades, by both Cubans and others acting as double agents. As the narration moved on to other examples of "miscommunication" it became more repetitive and less informative, dwindling at the end to a non-conclusion that we're just not very good at understanding others. Not one I can recommend.
Gerry
The Return by Håkan Nesser
Narrator Name: Simon Vance
Rating the Audio Performance
Another example of a novel that was improved by excellent narration in the audiobook edition. Simon Vance has narrated a number of books I've listened to, and he is always outstanding. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed most of this dark, Swedish mystery but found the resolution unsatisfying. Chief Inspector VanVeeteren seemed a very upright, moral, and professional man but his efforts to close this case seemed to cross a line, making him not only investigator, but also prosecutor and judge. I thought perhaps I’d found a series I would continue, having previously enjoyed the first Inspector VanVeeteren mystery, but I think now I’ll move on to something else.
Kristen
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
Narrator Name: Daveed Diggs
Rating the Audio Performance
Mr. Diggs has a great voice for narration and held my attention. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I found it at times to be a bit confusing, but I got it all straight in my mind by the end.
Gerry
Blowout by Rachel Maddow
Narrator Name: Rachel Maddow
Rating the Audio Performance
Generally speaking, I enjoy listening to an author read his/her own work aloud. This was one of the few exceptions. I find Maddow’s sarcastic tone a bit much at times, and dropped my overall rating of this book from 5 to 4 stars for that reason. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An examination of the oil and gas industry’s stranglehold on our government, and the environmental, economic, and political impact of the industry’s greedy and single-minded focus on corporate profit, regardless of the cost to others. I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, and found it well researched and quite persuasive.
Nancy
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks
Rating the Audio Performance
It was so exciting to hear one of my all-time favorite actors perform this book on tape. I was aware he did voice-overs for movies like the Toy Story saga. His diction is so clear that it was a pleasure to listen to. He emoted at exactly the right parts. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Patchett is a new author to me. This was chosen as part of a course given by the Osher Institute of Life Long Learning. Her character development is superb. She divides the book into three parts that are so perfectly picked. There are plenty of twists that you don't see coming. I devoured the reading in less than a week. The only thing I didn't like was her changing time frames - often I had to read several paragraphs to realize what age the characters were that she was now describing.
Jill
Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Narrator Name: Alison Elliot
Rating the Audio Performance
I loved this book. I want the story to continue. The narrator did a beautiful job with her voice inflection switching between the characters. Very well done. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story was engaging and interesting and heart-wrenching. The characters were brought alive and their plights were so well written that you wanted to jump in and help.
Cherry
How Chefs Holiday by Dana Cowin
Narrator Name: Dana Cowin
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio was well done for an author's reading. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed parts of the book but wanted more information and details. However, I didn’t expect much more as it was one of Audible's monthly freebies.
Cherry
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Narrator Name: Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent reader. I never wondered which character was being read and easily felt their emotions. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I tried to read the Me/You series and found it was a bit predictable. When I read the premise, it reminded me of a book I previously read, THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK. I thoroughly enjoyed both and found them well researched.
Denise
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Narrator Name: Malcolm Gladwell
Rating the Audio Performance
Hearing the book read by the author was a plus for me. The music added to the audiobook was effective. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Sort of a mixed message -- we really don't know strangers, but it's best to give them the benefit of the doubt. Even with what I perceive as a mixed message, the examples Gladwell gives are compelling.
Richard N B
Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine Albright
Narrator Name: Madeleine Albright
Rating the Audio Performance
Albright narrated the audiobook herself. Her diction is clear and she sets a nice pace, giving the listener time to absorb concepts. However, I did sometimes repeat a track to ensure that I had fully understood. I think this book is probably best absorbed in a text format. But that is not the fault of the narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
It’s said that those who refuse to study history are doomed to repeat it. I’ve studied some history, and yet I found much new information in this relatively slim volume. Albright clearly, methodically and logically lays out the foundations to bring understanding of Fascism. She cites numerous examples, using not only right-wing but left-wing and centrist ideologies to illustrate the concepts and realities.
Lori
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
Narrator Name: Therese Plummer
Rating the Audio Performance
The reader did a great job narrating the book. It was easy to tell one character from another. Being a Bostonian, I wasn't crazy about the Boston accents, but otherwise, she did a fine job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The book kept my attention and I was interested to know what happened with the storyline, but I found it somewhat predictable.
Lori
Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Narrator Name: Stephen Shanahan
Rating the Audio Performance
I enjoyed the audio performance and appreciated that the reader was Australian. It added atmosphere to the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was the second book in the series, and it could be read independently. There was very little reference to the previous book. The mystery was unique and I couldn't solve it on my own.
Patricia
Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
Narrator Name: Dani Shapiro
Rating the Audio Performance
Since the author is narrating it feels so authentic. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Shapiro is a great storyteller.
Valerie
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Narrator Name: Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
Julia has a charismatic voice. I loved her narration in EDUCATED, VOX, HIGH SEASON and EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER. She could read me a cereal box and I would be happy. I'm kind of disappointed when the audiobook is less then 10 cds. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Jojo never disappoints her readers. As a librarian I could never picture myself as a horseback librarian like in her book THE GIVER OF STARS. Dealing with angry patrons is difficult enough, dealing with hillbillies, moonshiners, and aggressive business is out of my league. And all on top of a horse or a mule, no thank you. I am greatful that Jojo's writing had me riding right along side of those very brave librarians of the 1937 horseback librarians.
Linda
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Narrator Name: Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
Ms. Whelan’s audio performance was awesome. She managed to give a large cast of characters very different voices. She’s a natural for this. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Alice Wright is trapped in a fairly hopeless life in England, and when handsome American Bennett Van Cleve proposes, she has never been happier. Then she arrives with him in Kentucky, and finds she has left one bad situation for another. Based on true events in 1930s Kentucky, and the Packhorse Librarians, women who traveled the rugged countryside by horse or mule to deliver library books to remote homes, the story caught my attention from the start. Couldn’t help loving Alice, and disliking Bennett (and especially his overbearing father). Margery, Sven, Fred, Izzy, Kathryn, Sophia - all these characters are beautifully drawn, and will stay with me for a long time, I think!
carol
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks
Rating the Audio Performance
Nice narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Interesting story and enjoyed the characters.
Janice
Endurance: Shakleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Narrator Name: Simon Prebble
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Incredible account of Shackleton's voyage to Antarctica in 1914-16.
Carolyn
All I Love and Know by Judith Frank
Narrator Name: Peter Berkrot
Rating the Audio Performance
Engaging but sometimes hard to tell when narrative switched between characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I thought this was a unique story about a sadly realistic situation. In some ways it seemed lighter emotionally than it maybe should have been.
Tessa
Decaffeinated Corpse by Cleo Coyle
Narrator Name: Rebecca Gibel
Rating the Audio Performance
Rebecca Gibel does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and has sufficient skill to give each character a unique voice. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Book Five in the Coffeehouse Mystery series, featuring Clare Cosi, the co-owner/manager of a Greenwich Village coffee shop, and an amateur sleuth. I really like this series. I enjoy learning more about the coffee business, though Coyle can be a little too detailed at times. Still, it’s a fast, enjoyable read and satisfies my yearning for a comforting cozy mystery.
Mary Lou
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Narrator Name: Susan Ericksen
Rating the Audio Performance
Susan Ericksen did a fabulous job with this book. She switched from American speakers to native Russians speaking English very convincingly. I never had to wonder who was speaking among the American and Russian voices - it was always clear. A very excellent performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Oh my gosh, this was a groaner. And it went on forever. On and on and on. The snow, the cold, the hunger, the little children, the angst, the guilt. I really almost could not finish it. And one more thing, I found it so jarring that the mother in this story, a Russian lady, was always referred to as "Mom". It just didn't fit (to me) her cold and withdrawn demeanor. All that said, this was a very well written book, just not to my taste. I normally would not have finished a book that struck me this way, but I decided to go ahead and finish this one, because I will admit I was curious to see how it all would be explained in the end. It just took so long to get there...
Linda
What Happened by Hillary Rodam Clinton
Narrator Name: Hillary Rodam Clinton and Kathleen Chalfant
Rating the Audio Performance
Since this is a book that is very personal to Clinton, it is so apropos that she reads it. It is so much more real and believable in her voice. I had Alexa read some of it and she read it in her Alexa voice - I hated it! It is perfect in Hillary's voice. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I really enjoyed this book. I have read several on Clinton. I have to say reading an audiobook in her own voice makes it much more personal and almost intimate. This book is truly a memoir. What I wanted to know from this book was Hillary's viewpoint after the election was over and her reflections. That is what this book delivers. I think in reading some reviews and critics - people did not want to hear Clinton, they wanted to hear what they thought she should feel or their feelings about her in politics. That was part of what put her in the place she was in this race: a victim of all the divergent views, prejudices and judgements of her years in politics and with Bill. This is a memoir of how she feels. Not that.
Pam
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Narrator Name: David McCullough
Rating the Audio Performance
Clear, concise and easily understood - not overly dramatic Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Very interesting book but does get a little bogged down in detail.
Shirley
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks
Rating the Audio Performance
Tom Hanks makes listening to this book a real treat. His voice is beautifully resonant, and he clearly narrates the story with heart and passion. The story is a little slow, being character rather than action focused, and Tom does a fabulous job setting the mood and tenor of the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The Dutch House is as much a character as the people who live in it. As such, every detail of the house and its contents are described and defined and the relationship to the people is tied together. There is a twist at the end which I didn't see coming, because it was a little strange.
Maria
Moment Maker by Carlos Whittaker
Narrator Name: Carlos Whittaker
Rating the Audio Performance
The author narrated the book himself and was very enthusiastic. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The book is nonfiction and Christian faith-based. The author shares personal stories and ideas on how to make big moments with your family and friends.
Alicia
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
Narrator Name: Michael C. Hall
Rating the Audio Performance
Very creepy, great tone, not boring, and well articulated. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is a pretty scary horror novel. The themes involved make you question the afterlife. I enjoyed the family dynamic, and getting to know the characters.
Ricki
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Narrator Name: Julia Whelan
Rating the Audio Performance
Whelan is one of my favorite narrators for her ability to make each character so distinguishable and so "right". Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I was unsure about listening to this because I find historical fiction about Appalachia heart-rending, but even in the darkest parts of this story, there was hope.
Linda
Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins
Narrator Name: Barbara Caruso, Dion Graham, Suzy Jackson and Xe Sands
Rating the Audio Performance
The star of this audiobook was definitely Barbara Caruso, reading the part of Genevieve. I found myself always hoping that the next chapter would be told by Genevieve - the narration was that good! The others were good too, the voice of the teenage Riley was great, as was the voice of Emma. The weakest voice was that of Charles and Miller - a very pleasant voice but too many breaths taken in an attempt to insert drama. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Such an enjoyable tale - the blue blood grandmother who threw her granddaughter out when she became pregnant her senior year of high school; said granddaughter scrimps and saves her way through college, ending up with a PhD, all the while raising a well-adjusted daughter. Then, after 17 years, she hears from Genevieve, who wants her and her daughter back in Connecticut for the summer. A cast of well-drawn characters - Jason, baby daddy, Miller, his cousin, Genevieve’s help, driver, housekeeper who doesn’t keep house, cook who can’t cook... There were many light moments in the book, and some heart-wrenching sadness. A really good read!
Roxana
The Patient by Steena Holmes
Narrator Name: Siiri Scott
Rating the Audio Performance
There were a lot of characters in this book. The narrator did a great job providing each character with a distinct voice. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I'm a fan of mystery/thrillers with unexpected twists so I was not disappointed. The main character, Danielle, suffers from a multiple personality disorder.
Kristine
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Narrator Name: Polly Stone
Rating the Audio Performance
Her voice was beautiful and swept me into the story immediately! At some points, I thought there were multiple narrators! I knew going in this would be a difficult book to read, and it was, but listening to it brought even more emotion to the story! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
There’s so many WWII novels out now but I have been avoiding many of them. The topic is difficult but with so many rave reviews, I knew this was one I needed to read. So glad I did! Was emotionally hard but THE NIGHTINGALE'S bravery was breathtaking and inspiring for a period of time that lacked positivity and humanity!
Sherri
Mistress by James Patterson and David Ellis
Narrator Name: Kevin T. Collins
Rating the Audio Performance
Kept things moving and had great inflection/intonation. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Ben Carson (obsessed with presidential trivia and easily distracted by movies/actors) tries to find out if his "girlfriend's" fall from her apartment building is suicide or murder. Set in Washington, DC, there is much political intrigue and back-stabbing, and Ben is pursued at every turn and doesn't know who to trust. I enjoyed the humor of the book and I am glad the only thing I can really relate to in the character is his distractability in thought, not the being pursued and shot at!
Tessa
D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton
Narrator Name: Mary Peiffer
Rating the Audio Performance
Mary Peiffer does a fine job reading the audio version. She sets a good pace and I really like how she interprets Kinsey’s personality. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I really like this series and its retro feel. There are no cell phones or computers; Kinsey has to rely on her intellect, her network of connections and good old-fashioned leg work. She’s smart, determined, self-sufficient and never has to rely on a man to get her out of a tight spot.
MAUREEN
The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis
Narrator Name: Kirsten Potter and Hillary Huber
Rating the Audio Performance
Two narratives, two characters. Such great combinations of speech and accent. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great historical fiction of the McCarthy Era and the hidden Russian spies among us.
Helen
The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin
Narrator Name: Meryl Streep
Rating the Audio Performance
Haunting and fascinating perspective of the life of Jesus’s mother Mary after the Crucifixion. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Fascinating, provocative.
Linda
Paranoid by Lisa Jackson
Narrator Name: Christa Lewis
Rating the Audio Performance
Ms. Lewis did a fine job with this book. Some of the characters were REALLY irritating, (think Lila, Rachel, and both of Rachel’s obnoxious children) and she nailed the narration of those ones. Made me dislike them so much! I did NOT like the SQUEAK, and CREAK, of doors. But good narration overall. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Took a long time to get into this one, so many characters and some really crazy family dynamics. (Maybe would have been easier to read than to listen to, when you can flip back a few pages to check on things). But after a while I was able to sort out who was who. The writing style was good, and the storyline certainly had plenty of twists and turns, and the murderer turned out to be a real surprise - just didn’t see that coming. I was constantly annoyed by how Rachel let her children talk so dismissively to her, and when they were caught doing some pretty bad stuff - where were the consequences? But a story that kept moving, and as I said, some good twists.
Michelle
Blackwater: The Complete Saga by Michael McDowell
Narrator Name: Matt Godfrey
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator is great and has a way of making each character stand out and his voice is enticing. This is a 30 hr listen and I couldn't stop. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This saga covers 50 years of family life in Peridido, AL and follows the powerful Caskey family. It has a supernatural glint as the main character at the beginning is Eleanor, who is not quite human. She is found when a flood takes the town by surprise. She goes on to marry into the Caskey family. Eleanor has two daughters that change the life of the senior members of the family. The one she raises, Frances, is like her mother, not quite human. The story is filled with family drama and very "human" members with big needs. We follow them through a new levee, the war, deaths, lesbian marriage and drilling for oil -- which leads to quite an amassed fortune that the family shares. And more...it's addictive! 30 hours long. 
