August 21, 2015 - October 1, 2015
Janice from Springfield, MO
Karen from Weare, NH
Melvin from Howell, MI
Carolyn
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Narrator Name: Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer and Cassandra Campbell
Rating the Audio Performance
THE HELP is my favorite book ever on audio and I have listened to many during my years of commuting. The narrators brought this book to life for me in a way that just reading it would never have done. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
THE HELP is a wonderful book. The characters are endearing and likable. Being a Southerner myself, I related to much of the storyline.
Tessa B C
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Narrator Name: Charlotte Parry
Rating the Audio Performance
Charlotte Parry performs the audio version well. She has good pacing and uses different voices for the various characters, so it is easy to follow the action. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A teen with leukemia has a bucket list of things she wants to accomplish before she dies. I found it maudlin and manipulative, but I can see that the intended YA audience would probably respond well to it.
Suzanne
You Can't Make This Stuff Up: Life-Changing Lessons from Heaven by Theresa Caputo
Narrator Name: Theresa Caputo
Rating the Audio Performance
At first I wasn't sure it was a good idea for the author to read her own work, but she was perfect. It was like she was just talking to us, which is Theresa Caputo's (a.k.a. the Long Island Medium) style. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed hearing the messages conveyed through the book. The author and I share many beliefs. I found her words to be helpful and encouraging.
Robert
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles
Narrator Name: Dick Hill
Rating the Audio Performance
Sometimes the southern accents and the female characters were hard to understand - otherwise excellent Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Another great Penn Cage story. A long book (20 CDs) but perfect for a round trip drive between Connecticut and Ohio.
Debbie
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Narrator Name: Jenna Lamia and Adepero Oduye
Rating the Audio Performance
Truly incredibly well done. They drew you into the story, and it seemed like the characters were talking to you. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Fiction intertwined with fact about two sisters from Charleston whose family owned slaves. One sister was traumatized while witnessing a whipping when she was four. She was forced to have a personal slave and the story deals with that relationship also. She virtually raised her younger sister and they both became abolitionists. I want to read more about these sisters. An amazing, wonderful book.
Diana
Reaper's Stand by Joanna Wylde
Narrator Name: Sean Crisden and Tatiana Sokolov
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio performance was fantastic. I could not imagine any other narrators that could perform as well as them. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The narrators successfully performed the tension between Picnic and London, plus the atmospheric tension between the Reapers and the drug cartel.
Maureen
Sycamore Row by John Grisham
Narrator Name: Michael Beck
Rating the Audio Performance
The Southern accents are a bit heavy at times. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Good story about a white man who leaves his fortune to his black maid in Mississippi.
Maureen
NYPD Red by James Patterson
Narrator Name: Eduardo Ballerini
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent voice! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Typical police/detective Patterson book, but still enjoyable.
Kristin
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Narrator Name: Simon Prebble
Rating the Audio Performance
Mr. Prebble is brilliant at capturing the mannerly yet squalid atmosphere of Dorian Gray's London. His most superb and most chilling apotheosis is the amoral Lord Henry, who seduces Dorian with twisted ideals. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An unbelievable masterpiece. It may not seem as shocking as when it debuted in Oscar Wilde's time, but it nevertheless stands as a piece of tragic literature for the ages --- Dorian Gray's Hamartia is vanity.
Naomi
The Gate House by Nelson DeMille
Narrator Name: Christian Rummel
Rating the Audio Performance
Mr. Rummel is a wonderful narrator. His depiction of the main character in this book is perfect and he is able to adjust to the other character's voices so well that you never have to worry about which character is speaking. I enjoy his narration so much; I am always on the lookout for other books he reads, hoping it will be a book I would enjoy. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This story is a sequel to another wonderful book by Mr. DeMille. The first, called THE GOLD COAST, is the story of a couple caught up in a surprise friendship with a new neighbor in their wealthy neighborhood. This sequel takes place ten years after the events In the first book, and I found this story to be just as inviting and absorbing as the first.
Alison
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Narrator Name: Mindy Kaling
Rating the Audio Performance
People who are not familiar with Mindy Kaling may be put off by her somewhat "valley-girl"-esque delivery, but those are familiar with it will find it endearing and perfectly paired with the book's material. There were a few sentences where she trailed off, and it was hard to hear, but otherwise, Mindy's is a fun voice to hear. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
More a collection of essays about her life than a memoir, this book had some really hysterical moments and others that were not so funny, which is pretty typical for a comedian's book. Overall, though, it was a fun, light read.
anne marie
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
Narrator Name: Katharine McEwan
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator held my interest from the very start. I am glad that I listened to this book rather than read it. The narration added to my enjoyment. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Beryl Markham was a strong, independent, remarkable woman. She trained horses, was involved with a bohemian set of expats, and became involved in a love triangle. She later became a record-breaking aviatrix. She was a woman ahead of her time.
Carol
Drunken Fireworks by Stephen King
Narrator Name: Tim Sample
Rating the Audio Performance
In this Simon & Schuster audio exclusive, Tim Sample, acclaimed Down East storyteller, delivers an accent perfect and witty reading of King’s DRUNKEN FIREWORKS. I doubt anyone could have done it better than he. King, betting that this experimental release will bring new fans to narrated books, has a winner. Sit back and listen as the sparks fly. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An annual 4th of July firework competition across the banks of Lake Abenaki between the got rich quick McCausland’s, Alden and his Ma, and the born moneyed Massimo family, ignites with hilarious results in this short story by Stephen King. Fireworks, Stephen King and the 4th of July; not quite as American as apple pie, Drunken Fireworks is a pop, bang, sizzling good read.
Melanie S.
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
Narrator Name: Joy Omanski
Rating the Audio Performance
4.5 stars. Joy Omanski did an excellent as a solo reader/performer handling many female and male voices well. However, I did not care for her reading of the British male character. While his character was rather unemotional in the story, the delivery of his voice was so flat and dry that each time I heard him speak I wondered if his character would have come across differently in the written book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Engaging story about a young woman's return to her family's vineyard after discovering that her fiance, who she is scheduled to marry in five days, has been keeping a huge secret from her. However, upon arriving home she finds her brothers and parents have also been keeping secrets from her and each other. Pivoting around the workings of a California vineyard, this is a story about the meaning of family and coming home.
Nancy
The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand
Narrator Name: Kathleen McInerney, Erin Bennett and Rick Zieff
Rating the Audio Performance
All the narrators were excellent. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Good storyline. I like novels that have unpredictable endings.
Linda
My Losing Season by Pat Conroy
Narrator Name: Chuck Montgomery
Rating the Audio Performance
Mr. Montgomery was easily understood but I felt, overall, his reading was too dramatic. Also, I think that audiobook narrators should know how to pronounce geographic names. I have lived in Ohio my entire life. The Lima in Peru is Lee ma, in Ohio it's Lie ma. And I used to teach in Huber Heights, which is not pronounced who-brrrr but hew-brrrr. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Not my favorite Pat Conroy. It's a memoir of his basketball games while at The Citadel intermingled with his still-tormenting father and coaches and girlfriends. Still a literate Conroy, but I ended up annoyed by his always being right.
Debbie
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Narrator Name: Amanda Root
Rating the Audio Performance
Amanda Root does an excellent job with the reading of Jane Eyre, and the utilizes different tones for each speaker. The best part is listening to the correct punctuation of Bronte's extensive vocabulary. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I first read Jane Eyre over 50 years ago, and could not believe how much I enjoyed the book. Bronte's descriptive vocabulary made every scene so dimensional. I remember reading some other authors of this period and the story was not related as well. I did not recall the book being so lengthy, but maybe my version was a shortened child's version. I was dismayed that Charlotte used certain words repeatedly, such as ejaculation. Probably the word had a different meaning during this period in England than the present day definition. The characters are human with many foibles, instead of being polished and glamorous figures. A delightful listening.
Vikki
In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
Narrator Name: Kathleen McInerney
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Three plane crashes occur within a short time of each other in the residential area around Newark Airport in the 1950s. The story is about three generations of family and friends and how the airplane disasters affected their lives. The author's note says that this really happened when she was a teenager in 1952.
Sandra
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Narrator Name: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey and India Fisher
Rating the Audio Performance
Because the story is told from the perspective of three different female characters, it was good that there were three different narrators. Also because the characters were all British, I enjoyed the British accents. The voices were different enough to tell which character was speaking but not so jarring as to stop the flow when the POV changed. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great story! I can see why it has been a bestseller for so long. It was a complex storyline, but Hawkins managed to keep it all straight. I read a lot of mysteries and usually I can guess "who did it", but in this one I wasn't sure until almost the very end. Also, I like books when there are no clearly "good" characters and there is a lot of moral ambiguity, as in life.
Giarnese Toni
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Narrator Name: Edoardo Ballerini
Rating the Audio Performance
Amazing. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
50-year span, multiple characters, it's a love story.
Jacqueline
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Narrator Name: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey and India Fisher
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent!!! I LOVE A good audio performance and this is definitely among the best. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't stop listening!! If I wasn't listening in the car, I brought the CDs in the house to listen to while I prepared dinner and even brought the player in the bathroom to listen while I showered. I was sorry to see it end. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Psychological thriller - dark, fun and obsessively hooks you from the very start. This was not on my "To Read" list but it was selected by my book club members. Takes you through twists and turns to the very end of the "track" - audio and train. Enjoy!!!
Jacqueline
The Dinner by Herman Koch
Narrator Name: Clive Mantle
Rating the Audio Performance
You are missing out if you skip the audio and opt for the printed version. This narrator adds sooo much to the story. The sarcastic wit and condescension could definitely be lost without him. He makes you like him, hate him, feel sorry for him. He is as complex as it gets. An excellent performance!!! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story is a little slow moving in the beginning but WOW when the pace increases...HANG ON!!! This title has NOT receive the attention it so deserves! In my opinion, without giving too much away, it asks one question: What are you willing to do for the ones that you love??
Margaret
Frog Music by Emma Donaghue
Narrator Name: Khristine Hvam
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator does a very good job of changing accents back and forth between characters. The character of Blanche Beunon has a French accent and so does her family and business partners. The character of Jenny Bonnet is a woman who wears pants; her accent is done like a western outlaw. The story takes place in 1876 in San Francisco with some old time music thrown in. I think the woman who did the narration did a very good job also when she had to sound like a man. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I think the book was well written it had a lot of information about San Francisco 1876, the small pox epidemic that hit them, the horrible living conditions they had to live under, and the real life murder of Jenny Bonnet. The book was well researched.
Linda
A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
Narrator Name: Barbara Rush
Rating the Audio Performance
Barbara Rush does a marvelous job of narrating even to a subtle aging of her voice. She illustrates a variety of emotions (joy, anger, grief, etc.) with the perfect notes. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
In less than two hours the listener is presented with the life of Elizabeth Alcott through her letter writing. The letters stretch from the year she is in fourth grade (1899) to her death (1977). Much is commonplace - spelling bee, college, marriage, motherhood - but other letters detail an early widowhood, European travel, moving from city to city and much more to make her and the reader's heart experience a wide range of emotions.
Linda
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator was too melodramatic for my taste. While listening to him I kept envisioning a silent film star about to faint and demonstrating that by throwing the back of her hand to her forehead - a telegraphing that the blind man could see. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I always love an Erik Larson book. He combines a known event with the lives of unknowns in such a satisfying manor. He does his homework.
Richard N B
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Narrator Name: Khaled Hosseini, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Navid Negahban
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio features three skilled narrators: Khaled Hosseini, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Navid Negahban. The pace is good, leaving time to absorb details but not dragging. I only wish I knew which person performed which sections. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Hosseini is a great storyteller. This is his most ambitious novel, covering several generations over six decades across continents from Afghanistan to Paris to San Francisco to Greece. There are many scenes that echo what happens to Pari and Abdullah, the two motherless siblings whose story bookends this novel, but however far apart – in terms of time, or distance, or relationship – these stories are, they are all connected. His central theme is the moral complexity of life.
Carol
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
Narrator Name: Katharine McEwan
Rating the Audio Performance
Loved listening to this book and hearing the English accents appropriate to the story. As soon as I completed listening to this book, I wanted to start all over again and listen to it but I HAD to return it to the library where the list is long to listen to the book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Beryl Markham was a unfamiliar historical figure to me until this book came into my life. And when I learned how this tied into Karen Blixen and OUT OF AFRICA, I was hooked. Since completing this book, I have put OUT OF AFRICA (which I have seen twice many years ago) on my Netflix list and reserved Beryl Markham's book for my next read. When I discussed reserving Markham's book, the librarian said that a few years ago they wanted to discard the book but she talked them into keeping it. Can't wait to get it and read it.
joy
Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Narrator Name: Jim Gaffigan
Rating the Audio Performance
It is like you are in a room with him and he is talking to you. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Funny essays. Perfect for taking on a trip. You can drift in and out without really missing anything.
glenda
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Narrator Name: David Pittu
Rating the Audio Performance
Pittu does an excellent job of narrating. I tried reading the hardcover, but found that the audio brought this book to life! I attribute this to this narrator. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Enjoyed the journey of the main character and those who surround him. Although my friends found the main character to be "despicable", I found his fascinating life quite interesting and a great psychological study.
Sandra
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Narrator Name: Emily Janice Card and Kirby Heybourne
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrators did a good job embodying the different personalities. Heybourne's Nick was mellow but not flat, and Card's Norah was frenetic but not annoying. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I liked the dual stream of consciousness. It worked especially well with the audio format. I'm not sure I would have like the story as much if I was reading and not listening. The general plot was fairly trite - girl and boy meet etc. and there were a lot of philosophical musings. But for me it all worked. In many ways it was like the film Before Sunrise. A lot of other people were offended by all of the cursing. There was a lot, but on the audio version it seemed natural.
Russell
Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke
Narrator Name: Will Patton
Rating the Audio Performance
Well read with feeling and meaning. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Storyline exciting, but at times confusing. The author wraps up all the missing pieces, including those misunderstood by the reader/listener, in a final concluding chapter. When I turned the book off for other necessary responsibilities, I was eager to get back to the book. (I picked this up at a garage sale, so this older book was new to me.)
Amy
Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
Narrator Name: Marguerite Gavin
Rating the Audio Performance
Marguerite Gavin was able to provide a variety of tones and enough variance in characters' voices that I could tell who was speaking at all times. She also was able to keep my attention from wandering for the entire 13.5 hours! She made the audio experience enjoyable. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed the book SWEET SALT AIR and loved the storyline. However, I felt there were parts that just dragged on. For example, some of the hospital/medical scenes seemed too long and do we really need to read/ hear characters texting conversations? Overall, I loved the characters and their true-to-life problems.
Crystal
Nowhere to Run by Mary Jane Clark
Narrator Name: Angela Pierce
Rating the Audio Performance
Angela Pierce does an excellent job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The plot is scarily possible. An overzealous and overly ambitious medical correspondent for a television show procures some anthrax to show how it is possible to do and also to boost his personal profile. Things go wrong, of course.
Julie
Among the Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont
Narrator Name: Hillary Huber
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator of this book was probably what kept me going beyond the first quarter of the book. She quickly established the voices of the various characters. Unlike some readers, she did as well with the younger characters as well as the adults and easily switched between men and women. I felt like she definitely added to my appreciation of this book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Explicit sexual language is used at the beginning of the book, and it has to be, given the premise of the book. Maybe I am a prude, but it was a little much for me. However, the author is fantastic at describing the little nuances of life and emotions, and because of this you quickly understand each character. Most of the adult characters are pretty unlikable, but you understand them. The author certainly remembers what it was like to be a child or teenager. I kept going just because of the realistic descriptions.
Crystal
Sizzle by Julie Garwood
Narrator Name: Susan Denaker
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent narrator. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story is fast-paced and very entertaining.
Linda
Skink -- No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen
Narrator Name: Kirby Heybourne
Rating the Audio Performance
Mr. Heybourne does an excellent job of keeping the story moving and providing different and appropriate voices for all the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
With Carl Hiaasen, I always know that I'm going to laugh, that Florida will play a prominent role, and something environmental will be central to the action. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, this time Hiaasen also made me tear up. It was a good feeling. I always look forward to Hiaasen's books.
Pam
The Affair by Lee Child
Narrator Name: Dick Hill
Rating the Audio Performance
The pace and diction were very good. My only complaint was with the female voices - one in particular was made to sound like a wimpy Southern belle instead of what her character was supposed to be (a strong military woman). Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story kept me engaged for the entire book, though the ending seemed a little rushed. I think the book could've been shorter.
Rebecca
The Secrets of a Fire King by Kim Edwards
Narrator Name: Bernadette Dunne
Rating the Audio Performance
Dunne's readings were very well done. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This book is a series of short stories, many of which left me with the "Is that all there is?" feeling.
Phyllis
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Narrator Name: Robert Petkoff
Rating the Audio Performance
Author and Doctor Gawande writes about specific cases of medicine and end of life procedures which he uses. He writes about the "hard" discussion we all need to have with our loved ones and ourselves when we are terminally ill. One example is his own discussion with his father and his ultimate death and sprinkling the ashes in the Ganges. As a pianist, I especially empathized with his daughter's piano teacher who wanted to keep on teaching as one of her living goals. His down-to-earth style of a difficult subject make this required reading/listening. The narrator speaks clearly and does not detract from this serious topic. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Highly recommended!
Francisca E B
True Grit by Charles Portis
Narrator Name: Donna Tartt
Rating the Audio Performance
The audiobook is very capably narrated by Donna Tartt. It includes an afterword written by Tartt in which she talks about the importance of this novel in her young life, and compares it to several other works, including HUCKLEBERRY FINN. Her personal connection to this work helps her breathe life into the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
14-year-old Mattie Ross hires Marshall Rooster Cogburn to track the man who killed her father. As Mattie tells the tale we see her outmaneuver, out bargain, and outsmart the hard men and women she encounters. Her indestructible vitality and basic innocence amuses, horrifies and touches the reader.
Loretta
Too Bad to Die by Francine Mathews
Narrator Name: Matthew Brenher
Rating the Audio Performance
Originally from London, Brenner is the perfect reader for this book. Totally believable. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This novel is loosely based on the life of Ian Fleming of 007 fame. Who knew that he was a spy and worked with Churchill during WWII? Very exciting book travels from an English boyhood to Cairo and Tehran (this part is fiction) as the war is ending. A lot of famous people appear in the book including FDR, Churchill, Stalin, Averil Harriman and Pamela Churchill, and later Mrs. Harriman among numerous spy groups. Great book keeps you guessing just who is the Fencer.
Vikki
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Narrator Name: Reese Witherspoon
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I didn't compare it to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and I think I liked it. I think I was hoping for a better ending though.
Trudy
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
Narrator Name: Linda Lavin
Rating the Audio Performance
Probably true to the character but by the last disc it was getting old. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story is about an 85-year-old Jewish woman telling her granddaughter about her life. This has been done many times. I couldn't wait to finish because nothing really happened; it was just a story of the times. It got really boring by the end when they condensed 60 years into the last disc. At the close of the CD I was bored and happy to have it end.
Tollie
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Narrator Name: Reese Witherspoon
Rating the Audio Performance
I loved Reese Witherspoon's authentic Southern accent. Being a Southerner myself it's comforting to hear her accent. She does a great job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I enjoyed this book very much. Who could argue with Harper Lee. The mystery surrounding the publication of this book makes it very intriguing to read and listen to.
Renee'
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Narrator Name: Reese Witherspoon
Rating the Audio Performance
I love the way she knew how to change her voice to match the character and make it sound that it actually happened. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I feel she should haven't waited so long to come out with this novel. It's too behind the times for me. I wish it have came out 5 years after the first book TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
Linda
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Narrator Name: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey and India Fisher
Rating the Audio Performance
Three narrators, one for each of the main female characters. Each did a marvelous job of acting her part. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
One woman on a train, one married to her ex-husband, one a neighbor who disappears. How their lives intertwine. Wel- plotted mystery. Which of the three men is responsible for the disappearance? Read it yourself. You'll be glad you did.
Linda
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
Narrator Name: Mark Bramhall
Rating the Audio Performance
Bramhall is the perfect voice for Louis, a senior citizen from Holt, Colorado - slightly grizzled, tender, caring. A+ Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I have long loved Kent Haruf's writing. It saddens me that this is his final book, but he went out strong. A tender, intimate story completely about relationships. Well worth the visit to Holt, Colorado. I'm sure you, like me, will want to go back again and again.
Karen
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Narrator Name: Jenna Lamia and Adepero Oduye
Rating the Audio Performance
The two narrators made the characters come alive. Their performances made the characters seem that they were speaking to the reader. In addition, the author's statement at the end of the novel regarding her inspiration for the book was very helpful in understanding the characters as well as the era in which they lived. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The novel is based on the lives of Sarah Grimke and Angelina Grimke, who lived in South Carolina in the early 1800s. They were ardent abolitionists and became suffragists as well later in their lives. They struggled against the inhumanity of owning human beings and the poor treatment, including torture, that many slaves were subjected to. They became outcasts in their community. Hetty Grimke tells the story from the slaves point of view. She was the daughter of Charlotte Grimke, a talented seamstress who rebelled against her servitude and her mistress, who wasn't valued much more than a slave, whenever she could.
.
Karen
Tell No Lies by Gregg Hurwitz
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
Scott Brick's performance draws the reader into the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
In this thriller, Daniel Brasher leaves his money manager position in his family's business to become a psychologist, against the wishes of his demanding mother. He conducts group sessions for felons and is preparing to go into private practice when he starts finding death threat letters for other people in his mail slot. The letters demand that the recipient "Admit what you have done" before a specified deadline. Daniel feels responsible because the misdirected letters weren't discovered promptly, so he starts trying to find the people involved. Before he gets to the bottom of the mystery he is lead to many people including members of his own family.
Amanda
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Narrator Name: Jeremy Irons
Rating the Audio Performance
The only good part about this overrated fantasy was listening to actor Jeremy Irons' wonderful voice reading it. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Thank goodness the book was short. What a waste of time. But then, I'm not a fan of the "inspirational" genre (I listened to this for a book challenge). The alchemist in this fable/parable/allegory is actually not the main character. That would be an Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago (mostly called "the boy" in the book, annoyingly), who travels from Spain to Morocco and across the desert to Egypt in pursuit of his "Personal Legend." I was bothered by the message (page 22) that "to realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation...And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." Of course, this only applies to men, because (page 126) "a woman ... knows that she must await her man."
Vikki
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Narrator Name: Amy Poehler
Rating the Audio Performance
Funny. Also liked that Carol Burnett, Kathleen Turner and Seth Myers joined in for parts of the book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
My favorite chapters were about SNL, the trip to Haiti and the very last chapter. One of these days I'll get around to watching Parks and Recreation on Netflix.
Laurie
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Narrator Name: George Guidall
Rating the Audio Performance
I search for audiobooks at the library by narrator so that I can find other books that George has narrated. He is spot on in his pacing and inflection. None better! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS is a fictional story based on prejudice toward the Japanese during WWII and how it affects a young couple and a reporter in a small town. Ultimately, it is the story of the reporter faced with investigating part of his own history and making a decision about doing the right thing.
Linda
Browsings: A Year of Reading, Collecting, and Living with Books by Michael Dirda
Narrator Name: John Lescault
Rating the Audio Performance
Authoritative, commanding voice. Excellent reading. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A selection of blogs, postings about reading, collecting and just whatever interests a bibliophile. I will look for other books by this critic.
Richard N B
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Narrator Name: Erik Steele
Rating the Audio Performance
The audio version is capably narrated by Erik Steele. He did seem to be channeling Robert Shaw as Quint, and I have to admit that I kept hearing the movie soundtrack in my head, though it is NOT used on the audio (thank you, audio producer). Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A great white shark is terrorizing the residents of a Long Island community that relies on summer visitors for its economic health. I've read this book previously, and the rating is based on my first impression. On this reading I was struck by how long it takes for the shark hunt to happen and how much time is spent on the political and marital difficulties that Sheriff Brody has to navigate before he even gets out on the water.
Trudy
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
Narrator Name: Linda Lavin
Rating the Audio Performance
Definitely narrated the part of an elderly Jewish woman. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I became very bored listening. The book reviews an elderly Jewish woman's life as she is telling it covering a ten year period, then quickly summarizes the rest of her life. Very little happens. This type of story has been done many times before and done more interestingly. Based on all the reviews I did expect more from this author.
Sandie
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Narrator Name: Elizabeth Bower, Ben Elliot, Nicola Stanton, Steven France
Rating the Audio Performance
All of the readers were really good, and it was nice to have different voices when different points of view were presented. Elizabeth Bower was so good that I actually looked up what else she has read. I would listen to this book again just to hear especially the voice of her and Tansy (Nicola Stanton). Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was a lighter book than I normally read but, just like Me Before You, I just loved it. I decided that Jojo has a way of writing that appeals to my inner psyche. During a read, you feel like you've become friends with all of the characters and hope to see them again. I enjoyed this book and always can handle a good love story.
Deb
The Boys In The Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Narrator Name: Edward Herrmann
Rating the Audio Performance
Edward Herman--do I need to say more? Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Amazing story of drive, determination and friendship.
Vikki
Stella Bain by Anita Shreve
Narrator Name: Hope Davis
Rating the Audio Performance
Great job on all characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Interesting and well written, but wasn't bubbling over with excitement, which is why it was good that I listened to Stella Bain on audiobook.
Sue
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Narrator Name: Mindy Kaling
Rating the Audio Performance
She is perfect for reading her own memoir. Her voice is pleasant and easy to listen to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I rank Kaling's memoir up there with Tina fey's, Ali Wentworth's and David Sedaris'. All perfect for audio.
Linda
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Narrator Name: Jake Weber
Rating the Audio Performance
Jake Weber was as perfect for this book as Jim Dale is for the Harry Potter books. He supplied a range of voices and subtlety to the myriad of characters he portrayed. Pronunciation was spot on--no matter which language spoken. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The beginning of this book caught my imagination quickly. A young girl, daughter of a famous film director supposedly commits suicide. A disgraced journalist, a hat check girl, and a friend of the deceased join together to investigate her death but run into road blocks and thwarting by associates of the director. To me, the ending took about 200 pages too long.
Amy
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Narrator Name: Polly Stone
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent accents and dialects; great pacing. I am going to look for other books that Polly Stone has narrated. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Just when you think you've read every person's point of view of WWII, Hannah gives you a unique and absorbing narrative. We may have read historical records of occupied French civilians' lives, but The Nightingale makes you feel like you're living every day with the Nazis.
Julie
Memory Man by David Baldacci
Narrator Name: Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy
Rating the Audio Performance
At the beginning of this audiobook, I felt like the sound quality was off somehow. It sounded like the male voice was in a different room than the female voice. There also seemed to be an unevenness in the sound levels of the different tracks. I usually do not notice this in audiobooks, so not sure if it was me or what. Anyway, I got caught up in the very good voice characterizations of the two readers and did not notice it further. Both readers did a good job distinguishing the voices of the many characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was the first book I ever read from David Baldacci. I now understand why people consider his books page turners and will read more books by him.
Joan
Born of Fury by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrator Name: Holter Graham
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator was great...understood every word, could do the male & female voices, had terrific inflection. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I haven't listened to a Sherrilyn Kenyon book before. After this one, I might be listening to them all! This is the third League book I've read. I like the strong female characters in all of her books, and, of course, all of the handsome males--though they do have some issues! The romantic plots are good, balanced with the right amount of obstacles to overcome before the characters can finally be together. I try to predict which of the unattached characters will be the center of the next story, but I never seem to get it right.
Patricia
Gallows View by Peter Robinson
Narrator Name: Mark Honan
Rating the Audio Performance
This was the first book I've listened to with a British narrator. I really liked it! He did a really good job of making distinguishing voices for the different characters--without going over the top. And even though he had a pretty strong British accent, it was still easy for this American to understand. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I love series books with the same lead character from book to book, so I'm always on the lookout for a new one to try. This was the first time I've read anything by Peter Robinson. I really liked it! The story line was engaging and believable. I guess the only thing I struggled with a little bit was that the main character (Inspector Banks) did some things towards his wife that made him a bit unlikable at certain points. But I'm definitely going to read the next book in the series!
Kate
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
Narrator Name: Linda Lavin
Rating the Audio Performance
Linda Lavin transported me to Boston, growing up with Addie Baum. Great narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Thoroughly enjoyed the story.
Kate
Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews
Narrator Name: Kathleen McInerney
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator did a great job separating all of the characters. You knew who was "talking" all of the time. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A great beach read. Combined the south, the beach and Hollywood. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Catherine
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell
Rating the Audio Performance
Very good performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I thought it was well written. I did find it depressing but at the same time thought-provoking.
Phyllis
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Narrator Name: Polly Stone
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent voice delineation! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I had already read the novel but will be leading a discussion for my book club, so I listened to it to review the storyline and characters. According to David McCullough, he is successful because his books are for the ear and the eye. This is surely true for Kristin Hannah's story of two sisters in WWII-era France. She brought tears to my eyes in her final chapter and recap. Told in alternating chapters between the two sisters, we learn about the struggles of women in Nazi-controlled France.
Jan
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
Narrator Name: Lindy Nettleton, Johnny Heller, Tom Taylorson, Andi Arndt
Rating the Audio Performance
I enjoy ensemble character narration in audiobooks. The performance was good except when a male narrator gave voice to a female. The falsetto is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was neither thrilling nor suspenseful. The strong beginning fizzled and I was bored throughout most of it. The twist at the end was too little, too late. I recommend skipping this one and going straight to the author's second book, PRETTY BABY, which I enjoyed. I'm giving it 2.5 stars, rounded up.
Judy
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
Narrator Name: Cary Elwes and others
Rating the Audio Performance
Elwes was great, and best of all actors from the movie also commented. Great to hear Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, Wallace Shawn and more. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Fascinating inside stories about the creation, filming and aftermath of this iconic tale. Also great to hear all my favorite lines repeated--they never get old!
Patricia
A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
Narrator Name: Mary Peiffer
Rating the Audio Performance
She was pretty good. She made some of the voices a bit more 'sing-songy' then I definitely would have imagined them. But not too bad at all. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was my first time reading Sue Grafton (I know, I'm a little late to the party). I loved it! I found the main character very interesting, and the storyline moved at a nice pace. The mystery kept me intrigued the whole time. I can't wait to read the next in the series!
Linda
Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews
Narrator Name: Kathleen McInerney
Rating the Audio Performance
Her voice is a pleasure to listen to and she does a great job with changing her voice for each character. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An especially good book for those getting married soon.
Barbara
The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
Narrator Name: Simon Vance
Rating the Audio Performance
Voices and pronunciations with accents were perfect. Very easy to listen to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Loved the computer hacking storyline and the way it wrapped into the story of the idiot savant child.
Deborah
Neverhome by Laird Hunt
Narrator Name: Mary Stuart Masterson
Rating the Audio Performance
Masterson was a great reader for this tale of a young woman who disguises herself to join the Union Army in the Civil War. The first person narrator is a fairly introverted person, one with some trauma in her past that she is trying to forget, and Masterson was wise enough not to make her voice overly emotional or melodramatic. I also liked that she did not try to put on a "fake male" voice when the disguised Constance/Ash was speaking, nor did she do so heavy-handedly for the other male characters in the book. A nice, clean, reserved, character-appropriate reading. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The author's lyrical descriptions are lovely, and overall, the characters are well-drawn. We see the narrator both as Ash (the disguised soldier) and as Constance (the young wife). Some descriptions of killings are brutal: at one point, but the internal musings of Constance and the problems she faces when her gender is revealed are much more interesting. Laird also exposes the biased assumptions of women made by people of the times. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but the plot left me with a lot of frustratingly unanswered questions.
Wendy
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
Narrator Name: Adriana Trigiani
Rating the Audio Performance
True to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great characters.
Mary
Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh
Narrator Name: Justine Eyre
Rating the Audio Performance
I enjoy listening to the Guild Hunter series, despite the narrator whose voice is a bit nasally and sometimes overdramatic. Still, not the worst reader I've listened to, obviously, since I keep listening to each new installment. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I like this series as a whole, though not each story is equally enthralling. This one, about Naasir, the most feral of Rafael's Seven, and Andromeda, an angel whose grandsire is one of Lijuan's allies, is pretty exciting. There are some sex scenes, of course, but not too many, and not too graphic (though I did skim over them). The two team up to find the resting place of the ancient Archangel Alexander, who has been asleep for four centuries, before Lijuan finds and kills him. I liked how they learned to work together and how each allowed the other to be who they were without trying to change them.
Janice
Bettyville by George Hodgman
Narrator Name: Jeff Woodman
Rating the Audio Performance
The narration of this book was outstanding. The reader used just the right emotional nuances and his intonations were right in tune with the content. Mr. Woodman's reading enriched listening to this book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I loved this beautifully written memoir; George Hodgman recounts his childhood and adolescence, growing up in a small town in Missouri. His struggles with his sexual identity, a sense of isolation, and his parents refusal to ever acknowledge him as a gay man lead him to life in New York City that included addiction and little in the way of meaningful relationships. The author heartbreakingly names the numerous friends he lost to the AIDS epidemic in the 80s and 90s. And then in midlife he returns to Missouri to take care of his 90-year-old mother, Betty, who is showing signs of dementia. The relationship between them becomes more open and honest, even as they squabble and fuss; their interchanges brought laughter and sometimes tears.
Linda
The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
Narrator Name: Michael Maloney
Rating the Audio Performance
I really felt like the voice was Edmund telling his family story. We were in Vienna recently and the book took me back. I loved the story and the audio performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I loved the blend of history, biography, loss and art. I never knew about netsuke and found
the story so interesting. It is about the Ephrussi family and covers decades.
Elizabeth
The Housemaid's Daughter by Barbara Mutch
Narrator Name: Bahni Turpin and Cat Gould
Rating the Audio Performance
Well performed. The South African accent transported me to another place and time. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Well written. All of the characters were well developed. Loved the relationships and how the main characters were able to get beyond race and class to see each other as human beings.
Gerry
Florence Gordon by Brian Morton
Narrator Name: Dawn Harvey
Rating the Audio Performance
Narrated in a rather flat, almost monotonal style that seemed to fit the reserved and repressed personality of the main character, Florence. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Would have preferred more consistent focus on Florence, rather than on her annoying family members, but overall, an enjoyable novel.
Gerry
Maude by Donna Foley Mabry
Narrator Name: Shana Gagnon
Rating the Audio Performance
Some reviewers have criticized the audiobook reader, and I'd agree she wasn't the best, but the portrayal of Maude's life from late nineteenth century through the depression and WWII years was engaging throughout. So much hardship was almost impossible to grasp, and yet there was a sense that many others at the time were suffering similarly. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Captures a great swath of American history from late 19th century to mid-20th through the lens of one woman's life, from her arranged marriage at the age of fourteen through post-WWII years.
Judith
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Narrator Name: Reese Witherspoon
Rating the Audio Performance
Wow! Reese did an amazing job with the southern accent and was so believable as Scout. I particularly liked the treatment of the "coffee" social, which was a difficult scene handled in a superb way. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Four stars for the characterization and insight into the realities of southern society. I felt each character was revealed through both speech and actions and could picture them as though I was set in the midst of the drama. However, I was disappointed with the long discourse between Scout and Atticus when she finally confronts him in his office, and I really didn't feel things were resolved between them in a satisfactory way. I thought the ending chapters were the weakest part of the book, which is too bad because the rest was so very good.
Melanie S.
The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields
Narrator Name: Meredith Mitchell
Rating the Audio Performance
This narrator did a wonderful job as a solo performer creating the voices for the characters in this story. The only voice I didn't care for was that of Edith's love interest, the journalist Morton Fullerton. He was a rather unlikable character in the story and his voice on the audiobook made him all the more detestable. He was supposed to be a charismatic ladies man so I don't think it was the narrator's intent to give him a voice that repelled. However, while this detracted a bit from the overall listening experience I still very much enjoyed listening to this book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was a great book and I had never heard of it before I read it! It was selected by this month's book group hostess, and what a great selection it was! The writing was beautiful and the fictionalized story of the life of Edith Wharton was fascinating. I learned a lot about this author, who led quite an interesting life. I primarily listened to this on audiobook while commuting but also read the book in my home. I found both formats equally engaging. Definitely would recommend this one.
Melanie S.
Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica
Narrator Name: Cassandra Campbell, Tom Taylorson and Jorjeana Marie
Rating the Audio Performance
I really enjoyed the performance of the three narrators. They "played" their parts equally well, leading to a well-balanced and fluid listening experience. I have read so many comparisons made to GONE GIRL when reading reviews of books of this genre, but I am sorry to say that this book's format reminded me of GONE GIRL (which I didn't care for) in that there were multiple narrators with different points of view. However, this story was more to my liking. The creep factor was definitely conveyed by these narrators! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
An engaging mystery/thriller-type story with many very human elements. This is not my favorite genre but I found there was a definite quality of humanity in all of the main characters and that is what allowed me to enjoy this otherwise disturbing story.
Vikki
The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand
Narrator Name: Kathleen McInerney, Erin Bennett, Rick Zieff
Rating the Audio Performance
Great. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Although I like Elin's books because I love Nantucket, I guess I got tired of the constant mention of New Bedford and it being described as such a horrible, bad place every time there was something about "Fast Eddy" being discussed. After about the tenth time, I just got annoyed.
Gail
The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz
Narrator Name: Simon Vance
Rating the Audio Performance
I always look forward to listening to the books Simon Vance narrates. He elevates every book he reads by using just the right tone and emphasis, by grasping the accents and nuances of each character and by using the most authentic expression to provide meaningful dialogues between the characters and the descriptions of events. His interpretation of the story makes it come alive. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Mikael Blomkvist, the devoted, super ethical Millennium journalist and Lisbeth Salander, the rather unusual, punk, computer genius and hacker par excellence, who is somewhere on the autism scale, have once again teamed up as superheroes. When they join forces, they make a formidable crime-solving partnership. Their page-turning antics and adventures keep the reader on the edge of the seat. The author has picked up the thread of the Stieg Larsson trilogy as if he was his doppelganger. The story is sometimes confusing as it goes off into many directions, but when the novel ends, the reader will be completely satisfied and will feel very much like there is another book in the pipeline which just might feature Lisbeth's twin sister, Camilla.
Brenda
Havisham by Ronald Frame
Narrator Name: Sophie Ward
Rating the Audio Performance
I listened to this book because I was told it was very interesting, and I had tried to read it once but had given up on it. The performance was full of emotions and made me really listen to what was going on. Because the narrator was so good, I found myself once in a while backing up and re-listening because I was not able to give it at least 85% of my attention the first time. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I listened to this book because I was told it was very interesting and I had tried to read it once, but had given up on it. I did find the story was interesting this time. I don't always agree with Victorian attitudes, but the story was true to the time period. If the reader is a fan of "Dickens" then I suggest this book as a "must-read." The audio did assist the reader in discovering a new author.
Kate
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Narrator Name: Amy Poehler
Rating the Audio Performance
Not sure why Amy added Carole Burnett, Kathleen Turner and Patrick Stewart to the mix along with her parents and Seth Meyers. Her parents and Seth Meyers I enjoyed, the other 3 didn't have a real purpose except to show us Amy had some well-known friends. I loved the parts Amy read, which was most of the book. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Amy's life (to date). While I knew who she was I wasn't that familiar with her work. I am now! She is an amazing woman.
Patricia
B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton
Narrator Name: Mary Peiffer
Rating the Audio Performance
This is the second book I've listened to with Mary Peiffer as the narrator. I like her. I'm not tired of her yet - and often I am by the second book of other narrators. She's not over the top but also does a pretty good job distinguishing characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is the second Sue Grafton book I've read and I think I'm hooked! I liked her first one but I liked this one even better. There were many times where I figured I knew who the killer was, but I wasn't able to work it out ahead of time. For me, that's always a sign of a good murder mystery. I'll definitely be continuing on with the series!
Linda
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
Narrator Name: Emily Janice Card
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrators voice was well suited for the 11-year-old character without being too childish. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I truly enjoyed this unique story. The characters were well developed. The storyline was thought-provoking. I found myself questioning how I would have coped with each situation as the story unfolded. I also found my 60-something self reliving the anguish and awe of preteen years. I would highly recommend this book.
Jessica
Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
Narrator Name: Kate Reading
Rating the Audio Performance
I'm a big fan of Kate Reading. In fact, I often choose my audiobooks based on the narrator more than the title or author. She handles the British, Scottish and American characters wonderfully. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This was the first book I've read by Sara Donati. It is long, but I was hooked right away and was not able to put it down! It is the story of an upper class English woman who moves to New York in the 1790s to become a school teacher, only to fall in love with a backwoodsman and to go live among the native people of New York. Romantic, historical, adventurous and wonderful.
Melvin
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Narrator Name: Edward Herrmann
Rating the Audio Performance
The reader was clear and concise, not too fast or too slow. I finished listening to it five weeks ago, so I can't remember specific positive or negative feelings about the reader except that his reading sometimes seemed to be very sensitive to the issues some of the boys were encountering, as if he knew them and was feeling their pain. This is just my opinion as my wife did not have the same opinion. Otherwise, we both felt he was a good reader. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The main story concerns the training of a University of Washington rowing team for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. There are several additional storylines: 1st, the man who designed and hand built the rowing shells they used as well as his role in training the boys; 2nd, the coach of the Washington team as well as his very competitive relationship with the coach of the U of California teams; 3rd, the childhood and family life and struggles of one boy during this Great Depression timeframe; 4th, in great detail the book covers several years of racing against California and East Coast college teams to qualify for the Olympics; and 5th, the preparation for the event in Nazi Germany. It was too long. A reader very into the subject will love it.
Patricia
C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
Narrator Name: Mary Peiffer
Rating the Audio Performance
I liked Mary Peiffer. This is the third book I've listened to with her narration and I haven't gotten tired of her yet. That says something! There are a few character voices that she does that I think are hilarious (in a good way). Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I really liked this book. Even though it didn't necessarily have anything to do with the main storyline, I loved the little side story about the woman trying to swindle Henry. I thought that was great. Can't wait to read the next one in the series.
Prudence
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
Narrator Name: Will Patton
Rating the Audio Performance
Perfectly captures the colorful and sinister characters of Stephen King's world. I don't think I have ever heard an actor do such a good job on an audiobook. Patton's gravelly voice still manages to convey the women as well as the men. The delivery is always fresh and convincing. I hope he reads all of King's novels going forward. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
King is a master at portraying the dark underside to everyday life, contrasting sunny neighborhoods and ice cream trucks with a foreboding fear that lurks beneath all humanity.
Gina
The Voices by F. R. Tallis
Narrator Name: Gildart Jackson
Rating the Audio Performance
Great shift between characters without being overly obvious. He conveyed the emotion the characters were feeling clearly with just the right amount of drama. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I am giving this book a middle rating after a great deal of thought. I enjoyed the book as it built suspense chapter after chapter. Waited for an ending of explanation for all of the questions the storyline was raising. Unfortunately the book left a feeling of incompleteness and a feeling of still needing answers. There were just too many loose ends. A few is fine, but this many was way too much and I felt cheated at the end. There was no sense of satisfaction.
Rezina
Big Burn by Timothy Egan
Narrator Name: Robertson Dean
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator was a pleasure to listen to. He was easy to understand. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
History brought to life. This is about the fire that ravaged Washington, North Idaho and Montana in 1910. Great details about the creation of the National Forest Service.
Sally
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series by Alexander McCall Smith
Narrator Name: Lisette Lecat
Rating the Audio Performance
I have listened to this entire series because the reader does a wonderful job of drawing you into the simple Botswana everyday life. Her beautiful accent just rolls out the native names and places. Very enjoyable! I can't imagine just reading the written word in this series after hearing Lisette's delightful performances. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Simple mysteries set in beautiful region of Africa with characters that you'll come to love. Fun stories to listen to while driving.
Beverlee
The Tastemakers: Why we are Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed up with Fondue by David Sax
Narrator Name: David Sax
Rating the Audio Performance
I loved that the author read the book - felt like he was sitting across the table from me telling me the story! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Fascinating story on the trends in the food world. Hearing how we are influenced by outside forces on the foods we eat was so much fun!!
Nancy
Thirty Nine Steps by John Buchan
Narrator Name: David Thorn
Rating the Audio Performance
Absolutely right on! Pulled me right into the story. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Love spy stories and this one is exceptional. Have learned more about pre-WWI than I knew before and will look for more books by this author.
Geri
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Narrator Name: Tovah Feldshuh, Aya Cash, Jessica Hecht, Heather Lind
Rating the Audio Performance
The recording was fabulous; having the various narrators enhanced the listening experience. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The storyline was riveting. A wonderful experience.
Geri
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Narrator Name: David Colacci
Rating the Audio Performance
Colacci did a great job on the narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. It was an interesting view into the comic book culture and the gay culture.
Geri
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Narrator Name: Reese Witherspoon
Rating the Audio Performance
I did not expect to dislike the narrator. I found Reese Witherspoon not perfect for the narration. I was distracted at times by the narration. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I like the storyline a lot. It showed Scout's growth into adulthood by recognizing that people aren't perfect. It was unfortunate that her bubble was popped in her adoration of Atticus and her longtime boyfriend. But she grew as a person.
Geri
Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford
Narrator Name: Katherine Kellgren
Rating the Audio Performance
Katherine Kellgren read the various characters perfectly and enhanced the storyline. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I found the first 4/5 of the book frustrating because Evelyn could not see what was happening around her. She could not see that she could not fit into the socialite world. She fit in with her friends from Sheffield, but she trashed most of those relationships. The end was the best part when she realized the error of her ways, even though she ruined her reputation. It was refreshing for her to go back out into the world realizing her mistakes and trying to correct them.
Rezina
Citizens of London by Lynne Olson
Narrator Name: Arthur Morey
Rating the Audio Performance
Enjoyable read. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Hearing all about the pre-war by people who were there and in the trenches, brings the war to life, so to speak. We usually are told about all that happened after.
Deborah
American Pastoral by Phillip Roth
Narrator Name: Ron Silver
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator has just the right NY/New Jersey accent to put the listener into the mindset of the main character. And the range of emotions that he can put into his voice is phenomenal--from grief and anguish to joy and back again. An excellent performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I am a Phillip Roth fan and this is his Pulitzer prize winning epic novel. A saga of a tumultuous time, the story unravels around the Vietnam war and a father's efforts to make sense of a senseless act committed by his only daughter. The character development, the dialogue, the plot itself are all intriguing and thought-provoking. I listened while driving and often found myself taking a longer route or even sitting in the driveway, unable to stop the story.
Vikki
Not That Kind of a Girl by Lena Dunham
Narrator Name: Lena Dunham
Rating the Audio Performance
She read her book just fine. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Listened to this on audiobook and words can not describe how awful this was. Lena narrated the book and I felt my ears glazing over. I think I missed whole parts because I was bored by her meaningless ramblings. I didn't laugh, I just thought that this is one 24-year-old with issues. What is her issue with vaginas? I think she mentioned it no less than 25 times.
Wendy
A Backpack, A Bear and Eight Crates of Vodka by Lev Golinkin
Narrator Name: Daniel Gamburg
Rating the Audio Performance
Entertaining. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Funny and wry.
margaret Gulick
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
Narrator Name: Kimberly Farr
Rating the Audio Performance
Excellent reader who captures the different voices of the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
If you are a fan of Anne Tyler's fiction, her latest book will not disappoint in this telling of four generations of the Whitshank family. Her rich humor and attention to detail bring this family to life in a way that only Tyler can.
Julie
At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
Narrator Name: Justine Eyre
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator did a fine job, but not one of the best or most memorable I've ever listened to. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story of a spoiled trio who travel to Scotland to explore the legend of the Loch Ness monster. Slow to start, with characters who are hard to like.
Charlotte
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Narrator Name: Polly Stone
Rating the Audio Performance
Ms. Stone's reading is very easy to listen to. Her timing and intonations bring the story to life. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I have read several popular WWII novels and liked them all. I didn't think another would offer anything new. However, Kristin Hannah's story and characters have stayed with me a long time.
Pat
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
Narrator Name: Michael Boatman
Rating the Audio Performance
Best audiobook this year and I listen to about one a week. Loved the story, loved the characters, and the narrator pulled me right into their lives!! Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Great historical fiction leading up to the incident at Harper's Ferry. It felt so real despite being fiction. Great characters, and strong lead up to climax with tension and humor!
Lynn
Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon
Narrator Name: John McDonough
Rating the Audio Performance
I believe McDonough has read all of the Father Tim books. When I hear him, I picture Father Tim right down to his balding head. He has just the right kind of voice for this series. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Dooley's getting married, and Father Tim and Cynthia and the whole Mitford crowd are in on the planning. Once again, Jan Karon has presented readers with a slice of life in that town in North Carolina. When I'm not reading one of her books, I find myself wondering what the Mitford residents are up to.
Jayne
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Narrator Name: George Newbern
Rating the Audio Performance
Spectacular narration. An amazing book. Laughed, cried, had many discoveries and interesting thoughts while listening. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Beautifully written and evolved. I want more!
Karen
The President's Shadow by Brad Meltzer
Narrator Name: Scott Brick
Rating the Audio Performance
Adequately performed, but sometimes a bit melodramatic. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A historical fiction involving conspiracies, secret societies and drug experiments performed on
soldiers without their consent. Interesting information is included, but the book is a bit tedious.
Karen
The Fixer by Joseph Finder
Narrator Name: Steven Kearney
Rating the Audio Performance
Good performance. I was drawn into the story, and felt as if I were with the characters as they went about their activities. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Greed is a major issue in the novel. Money tempts the main character, Rick Hoffman, from his original goal of becoming an investigative reporter. He comes full circle as he tries to sort out the mystery of money found hidden in his family home. He encounters many other people who are greedy and willing to protect their money at any cost as well as others, including his own father, who have principles. Rick's eyes are opened by the information he discovers about his father.
Karen
All the Single Ladies by Dorothea Benton Frank
Narrator Name: Robin Miles
Rating the Audio Performance
Robin Miles' performance of the story was very good. The individual characters were brought to life, which made the story engaging. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Three goodhearted single ladies with complicated lives try to uncover the mystery of the life of a fourth friend who has succumbed to cancer. She appears to have no family, but as the ladies dig deeper they discover that she also had a complicated life.
Karen
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Narrator Name: David McCullough
Rating the Audio Performance
An excellent performance by the author made this book enjoyable to listen to. The tempo is something only the author could apply with such skill. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
A wonderful account of the lives of the Wright Brothers. The small amount of information in most history books only scratches the surface of the history of flying. This book goes into great detail about the character of the brothers, their intelligence, the influence of their family and their determination to accomplish their goal to fly. They were truly amazing men who dealt with all kinds of issues dealing with their planes and flying.
Crystal
Murder as a Second Language: A Claire Malloy Mystery by Joan Hess
Narrator Name: Meredith Mitchell
Rating the Audio Performance
The reader does an excellent job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This is the 19th book in the series but the first one that I can remember reading. I have a lot of good reading to look forward to now.
Melanie S.
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
Narrator Name: Steve West, Emma Bering and Cassandra Campbell
Rating the Audio Performance
The three narrators, but particularly Steve West, did an excellent job of bringing the characters in this wonderful novel to life. I had also downloaded the written version of this book, but never even looked at it because I was enjoying the audio performance so much. I didn't want to "break the spell" of listening to their magical voices. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
4.5 stars. It is difficult to describe this book in just a few short words; everyone must experience it for themselves. A brokenhearted bookseller "prescribes" books to heal his customers. But how can he heal himself after having closed himself off from his own emotions for 20 years? His journey, both on water and on land, is one of catharsis and awakening. A philosophical, moving novel that will make you think about the meaning of life and death, and how to move forward. There was a lot of humor and wit encased in the prose. Fabulous and highly recommended! This book reminded me of THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG, so if you were a fan of that book, you most definitely will enjoy this book. I personally enjoyed this one much more.
Lynn
After the Storm: A Kate Burkholder Novel by Linda Castillo
Narrator Name: Kathleen McInerney
Rating the Audio Performance
Castillo's Kate Burkholder series keeps getting better and better. McInerney's performance was extremely good. Sometimes I put aside audiobooks due to the narrator's voice, performance, inability to represent different characters or overacting. McInerney was spot on. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
This latest book in the series wasn't as dark as one or two of the previous titles. I live near Amish country and think Castillo's representation of the Amish is excellent. I cannot wait for the next installment.
Julie
Summer Secrets by Jane Green
Narrator Name: Jane Green
Rating the Audio Performance
The accent took a little getting used to, but it really added to the story because several of the main characters are English. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I loved the story, and it kept my interest even while driving.
Jennifer
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Narrator Name: Davina Porter
Rating the Audio Performance
The narrator does a fabulous job with the various characters' voices. Very entertaining. I'm listening to the entire series, which keeps me entertained while I walk my dog. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I thought the time travel aspect of this series might be cheesy, but it is a minor point in the story and all works very well together. The characters are well-developed and the (sometimes extremely detailed) descriptions make the book come alive. Watching the series on Starz after reading the book is a huge plus.
Carol
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
Narrator Name: Katharine McEwan
Rating the Audio Performance
Katharine McEwan gives a heartfelt performance. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The story was both compelling and intensely interesting.
Carol
The English Spy by Daniel Silva
Narrator Name: George Guidall
Rating the Audio Performance
I love Guidall as the reader. He brings life and enthusiasm to the characters. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
Each Gabriel Allon novel gets better than the one before. So many twists and turns. I simply could not put the book down.
Patricia
The Reversal: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel by Michael Connelly
Narrator Name: Peter Giles
Rating the Audio Performance
I think this is the third book I've listened to narrated by Peter Giles. He's not the worst I've heard, but he's definitely not the best. All his characters tend to lean towards "surfer dude," which gets pretty annoying after a while. And I feel like he overdoes the voice of Bosch. He tries too hard, and it comes across as forced. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
I have read every Michael Connelly book, and this one might perhaps be my favorite so far! It combines my two favorite things: murder mystery and courtroom drama. And even though I doubt he'll leave it that way, it was fun to have Mickey on the prosecution side for once.
Sharon
The Long Way Home: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny
Narrator Name: Ralph Cosham
Rating the Audio Performance
I have enjoyed listening to most of Louise Penny's books on audio. Mr. Cosham has done a wonderful job reading this series. His pronunciation of the French is good, and I enjoy being in Quebec with him as I listen to find out how Inspector Gamache is progressing. His voice is pleasant, and it feels like the Inspector is speaking to us. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
We are familiar with many of the characters from the village and also the police who have worked with Inspector Gamache, including his former second in command who has become his son-in-law, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Gamache is asked to help his friend in the village, Clara, find her artist husband who has not returned as promised after their year of separation. It is always interesting to follow the plot in this series, which always has surprises for us. The characters in the village, the police and Gamache's family include many interesting personalities who engage us in their stories and problems. Gamache is the most powerful; it is always fun to see what happens in his life as he thoughtfully engages with others to solve another mystery.
Crystal
Fast Track by Julie Garwood
Narrator Name: Tanya Eby
Rating the Audio Performance
The reader does an excellent job. Rating the Book's Content/Storyline
The plot is excellent. I would give it five stars if it weren't for the (explicit) sex. The storyline would be better with it toned down. 
