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April 1, 2020 - May 1, 2020

Mary
My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead
Narrator Name: Kate Reading

Rating the Audio Performance
4
The narrator has a nice accent and cadence in her voice.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
I enjoy how the author connects our lives with a book or books of our youth.

Francisca
Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Narrator Name: Marisol Ramirez, Almarie Guerra and Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Rating the Audio Performance
5
The audiobook was masterfully performed by Marisol Ramirez, Almarie Guerra and Ingrid Rojas Contreras. Brava, ladies.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Based on the author’s own life experiences, this novel tells the story of a family “safely” ensconced within their gated community in Bogotá, Columbia in the early to mid 1990s. I loved that Contreras used two different young women (girls, really) to narrate this story. The viewpoint alternates between seven-year-old Chula and Petrona, who is the family’s teen-aged maid. Each has a limited viewpoint due to their life experiences. I was completely immersed and engaged in their story from beginning to end. It’s a strong debut for Contreras and I look forward to reading her future works.

Helen
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
Narrator Name: Maureen O'Brien

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Enjoyed listening to the Irish accent! Gave depth to the characters.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
An enchanting story full of warmth and magic from Ireland’s master storyteller Maeve Binchy.

Mary
The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Narrator Name: Sneha Mathan

Rating the Audio Performance
5
The narrator captured the voices of the two main characters perfectly. I felt that I understood the characters much better listening to the book than if I had read it.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
This was a random selection for me at the library. I had not read any of this author's other books. The story was a little confusing for about the first 5-10 minutes but then it really captured my attention and I was transported into the lives of the two main characters. The writing is beautiful.

Cindee
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Narrator Name: Michelle Obama

Rating the Audio Performance
5
One of the best books I've ever listened to. Her voice, her story and the pace were excellent. I often listen to books at night to help me sleep. However, this story was so riveting that I couldn't listen at night!
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Excellent in every way.

Sherri
Redemption by David Baldacci
Narrator Name: Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Well read - although maybe too soothing as I fell asleep quite a bit while listening on a long car trip - I was the passenger, thankfully.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
Amos Decker is trying to reopen/re-investigate a case from his rookie days when a man, who had just been released after 20 years in prison because he has terminal cancer, approaches him claiming his innocence. Well-developed characters and interesting plot. Had previously listened to the first of the MEMORY MAN series and now want to read/listen to the rest.

ted
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel
Narrator Name: Ben Miles

Rating the Audio Performance
5
His acting background shines through --- his various accents are totally believable. He has none of the tics some readers have, such as loose dentures!
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
This is the third and final book in the Thomas Cromwell fictionalized biography. As usual, the characters are riveting and the atmosphere is so well written you can almost smell the towns and villages.

Cheryl
Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie
Narrator Name: Amy McFadden

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Loved her voice.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
Laugh-out-loud funny. Loved the crazy storyline and the wacky characters. However, I think I would have preferred reading this rather than listening. I am no stranger to 'salty' language but it was a little rough to listen to without headphones on.

Donna
Hid From Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Narrator Name: Suzanne Toren

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Enjoyed the pace.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
So worth the wait!

Barbara
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Narrator Name: Diana Torres

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Excellent. I especially appreciated the conversation with the author.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Very hard to hear but I know this is continuing to happen.

Natalie
Made From Scratch by Tembi Locke
Narrator Name: Tembi Locke

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Tembi Locke tells a beautiful story that just happens to be her own. She really conveys the details of a great love affair with a Sicillian chef and the life they shared.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Great story. Great love. And great food. A beautiful combination that you will enjoy front to back. You'll want to lick the plate.

John
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
Narrator Name: Imogen Church

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Ms. Church is the best audiobook reader named Imogen that I have listened to!
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
This book reveals how dangerous it can be to walk your dog, and how you should never do it.

Carolyn
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrator Name: Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan and Robin Miles

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Very well done. There were three different perspectives and each stood out well. They kept me captivated.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
It was an interesting behind-the-scenes perspective of the life of a movie star and the truth behind all her marriages. There was also an interesting twist.

Richard N B
The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk
Narrator Name: Jim Meskimen

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Meskimen does a fine job of narrating the audio version. He set a good pace and I was quickly caught up in the storyline.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
This is a humorous coming-of-age story with a bit of a mystery thrown in and featuring an unlikely hero. Will Halpin is deaf, overweight and struggling to make friends in his new school. I’m glad to see a YA book that features a main character with a disability, who finds ways to deal effectively in a world that doesn’t always made accommodations for him. It's a fast read, and I liked Will and Devon's humor.

Gretchen
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
Narrator Name: Laura Aikman, Daniel Weyman, Imogen Church, Rachael Baridge and Sophie Aldred

Rating the Audio Performance
4
This was my first audiobook so I don't have a comparison. They seemed fine to me.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
This probably was not the best choice for my first audiobook. So many characters and storylines! Also, I am a speed reader and could have read several hardcover books in the time it took me to listen to this one. I am also a knitter and my goal has been to be able to knit while "reading" a book. Audiobooks would be my way of accomplishing this, if I can adjust to having someone read to me! When I got to the end I did find that it was quite a story.

Paula
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Love Tom Hanks' narration.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
I wasn't sure what this book was all about and continued to waited for some action, which never came. A bit slow moving. However, I did like the ending and how justice was served for two of the main characters.

Anna Servati
The Unremarkable Heart and Other Stories by Karin Slaughter
Narrator Name: Shannon Cochran

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Narrator was very good.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
These were some very dark and disturbing short stories. The narratives were all excellent. These stories are not for everyone but I couldn't wait to take a walk so I could listen. Very thought-provoking and sometimes shocking.

Nancy
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Narrator Name: Joe Morton

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Joe Morton's narration of THE WATER DANCER by Ta-Nehisi Coates is superb! His delivery is spot-on and in the sections where there is singing, his voice transports you to the time when slaves sang to comfort themselves during their ordeal.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
You are transformed back to the 1800s America focusing on the life of one of the tasked (slave) of a Virginia plantation and his ambition to leave via the Underground Railroad. An interesting account of a failing plantation and the mystical abilities of Hiram as he embraces his ability for conduction.

Tessa
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Narrator Name: John McDonough

Rating the Audio Performance
4
John McDonough does a fine job performing the audiobook. His diction is clear, and I was rarely confused about who was speaking. I did have a copy of the text handy, and did a little speed-reading for part of it when I felt the plot was moving too slowly. The text also has a map of Oz which was helpful.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars. This is a re-telling of THE WIZARD OF OZ, told from the viewpoint of Elphaba, the “Wicked” Witch of the West. I thought Maguire’s book went just too far afield in directions I never expected. Some of the scenes were downright disturbing. Still, it’s definitely imaginative, and there are some scenes that really forced me to think about assumptions, first impressions, and entrenched behaviors. So, while I can’t say I particularly enjoyed the book, I am glad to have finally read it.

Janie
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Listening to Tom Hanks was the best part of reading this book. It made me want to look up what other books he’s narrated and listen to them!
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
I’m a big Ann Patchett fan, but wasn’t as enamored of this book as with some of her others. When the mother came back to take care of her husband’s new wife it just seemed too far-fetched.

joyce
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Narrator Name: Yareli Arizmendi

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Compassionate. Did all voices well.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Beautifully written. Brought me into a world I had no real knowledge of.

Helen
Golden in Death by J. D. Robb
Narrator Name: Susan Ericksen

Rating the Audio Performance
5
I have been a huge fan of Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb for many years. I own hardcovers as well as audios of her books, I love the “In Death” series. I am so connected to the series. Susan Ericksen’s talent makes the narrative sparkle. I became involved in the plot immediately. I know I will listen to this book again.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Reading this series is like spending times with old friends. I love Eve’s bravery, her passion for her work and her man. I enjoy the humor in the book. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Natalie
I Want You to Know That We're Still Here by Ellen Saffron Foer
Narrator Name: Ellen Saffron Foer and Ellen Archer

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Read with emotion and skill, the author made this story easy to listed to. I was always looking forward to what was coming next.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
Sad and uplifting at the same time. This family's story was filled with what you might expect from a Holocaust memoir.

Rebecca
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Narrator Name: Tom Hanks

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Hearing Tom Hanks read THE DUTCH HOUSE was such a bonus. I liked his inflection and I could picture him as Danny. I especially liked how he announced the chapters.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
I liked the story; it kept my interest all during the book and I have recommended it to several friends.

Debra
Saturday by Ian McEwan
Narrator Name: Steven Crossley

Rating the Audio Performance
3
Great British accent given to this story.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
Not my favorite McEwan book, interested enough to keep listening.

Kathy
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay
Narrator Name: Johnathan McClain

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Voice expression is perfect for this book. Added to the suspense of the story.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
A very suspenseful story. Every time someone got on an elevator, my anxiety increased. I loved the story!

Rosalie
The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
Narrator Name: Orlagh Cassidy

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Three generation story of a wealthy family. Very well narrated, with so many voices but you were able to identify characters by the change in tone.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
A sad, at times, story of the interactions of family over three generations and how some secrets cannot remain hidden forever.

Cathy
Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig
Narrator Name: David Aaron Baker

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Excellent reading of the voices of many characters.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
An excellent story from Ivan Doig. The main character is a young boy who has to travel from Montana to Wisconsin to stay with relatives when his grandmother, who he lives with after his parents have died, needs to move into a nursing home. The characters are interesting and it is a good story.

Kimiko
Switchblade by Michael Connelly
Narrator Name: Len Cariou

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Len Carriou is completely believable as Harry Bosch.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
I enjoy all the Harry Bosch stories.

Francisca
Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews
Narrator Name: Isabel Keating

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Isabel Keating narrated the audio version. She does a fine job. She sets a good pace and mostly keeps the many female characters distinct enough to not confuse the listener.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
Three women who’ve been besties since kindergarten are each at a crossroads when they rent a beach house for a month. They take in another woman who’s running from a dangerous man. Throw in a sexy landlord, some romance and a few twists and turns to keep things interesting and you have a good formula for a perfect beach read. Grab a beach chair, some iced tea (or a mojito), and some sunscreen and enjoy. (Even if it's just on your own porch/patio...)

Mike
The Queen by Josh Levin
Narrator Name: January LaVoy

Rating the Audio Performance
5
January LaVoy is a very good storyteller. This is investigative journalism so there is no need for voices, accents, etc. She is just a very good storyteller.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
This book was RIVETING! I think investigative journalism is probably my favorite genre (BAD BLOOD, CATCH AND KILL, etc.) and I had heard good things about this book and they were all true! This is such a crazy story - almost too crazy to be true but it is! The subject, a "welfare queen," lead a fascinating life. I was so engaged pretty much from start to finish. There was one chapter about her childhood that wasn't as good as the others but I couldn't get enough. I love that in a book.

Sharon
The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Narrator Name: Stephen Fry

Rating the Audio Performance
5
The narrator gave a clear and nicely nuanced reading of the book. His voice is pleasant and easy to listen to throughout the reading.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
The book is a science fiction story about a man who takes a voyage through the galaxy with an acquaintance who turns out to be a being from outer space. They travel through the galaxy and encounter many different characters and have many surreal experiences. The quirky story is recounted in a humorous way.

Kathy
The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
Narrator Name: Gabra Zackman

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Well done voices and a soothing voice which is needed for this story.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
A very sweet, slow-moving, descriptive story about “A Nose”. After her father’s death, Emmaline searches for her origins. A nice, predictable story.

Linda
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
Narrator Name: Therese Plummer

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Therese Plummer did a really good job with this book — I loved the New England accents, and I thought she did so well with the male voices. I had to check to make sure there weren’t two narrators, one each male and female.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
This is definitely chick-lit - but the setting, in a fire house, is unusual. Cassie, our firefighter protagonist, is something of a star in Austin, but moves to New England to care for her sick mother. There, she finds she is NOT a star in the fire house, but also finds she is attracted to the other new firefighter. She has not allowed herself to be attracted to any guy, and has not dated, since a bad experience on her 16th birthday. So, definitely chick-lit, but such an enjoyable book. A little predictable maybe, but enough twists and turns along the way to keep my interest.

Roxana
A Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni
Narrator Name: Emily Sutton-Smith

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Excellent. She brought the story and all the different characters to life.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
I have enjoyed each and every book in the Tracy Crosswhite series. This particular book allowed Tracy's husband Dan a storyline which was nice, and it followed multiple unsolved crimes in their hometown.

Ricki
When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
Narrator Name: Kyla Garcia

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Fine reading but nothing outstanding.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
Lots of intrigue and history, but the flash-forwards didn't need to be.

Krishna
Racing the Devil by Charles Todd
Narrator Name: Simon Prebble

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Simon Prebble has captured the voice of Ian Rutledge for me. I have listened to several books done by him in this series. I can picture the words from the book when he's speaking. He forms a vivid picture of what is going on in the book. His accents are great and his cadence brings up the different characters, especially Hamish. I like his narration quiet a lot. I have, on occasion, searched for books narrated by him -- even if they are not authors I would normally read.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4
This was a good installment of the series. The plot was different and the search engaging. I love this series and the characters are great. My only wish is that eventually Rutledge will find some peace and maybe love.

Tessa
The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
Narrator Name: Kristin Kalbli

Rating the Audio Performance
4
Kalbli does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She has a number of characters to voice and she manages to give them sufficiently unique voices so that I was never confused.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
3
Williams sets this historical novel on the fictional Winthrop Island, where the year-round residents are the families of Portuguese fishermen, but whose governing group consists of the upper-class families who summer here. I love how Williams weaves the stories and intrigues of these characters together. There are plenty of secrets to go around and enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. It’s a delicious soap-opera "escape" read.

Diane
More Myself by Alicia Keys
Narrator Name: Alicia Keys and others

Rating the Audio Performance
5
Whenever an author reads their book, they know where to put the emphasis and this is certainly true as Alicia Keys reads MORE MYSELF. As an added bonus, Alicia uses snippets of her music scattered among the chapters.
Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
5
Alicia uses this memoir to tell her life story thus far. She does so in chronological order which made it easy to follow. The honesty in which she told her story is admirable.