BarB

Beyond Disappointed

Reviewed: 11-07-23

Irina Shapiro is by far one of my all time favorite authors and I’ve listened to just about everything she’s written and always been more than satisfied. Why, oh why, did Wendy Woolfson not continue this series? Many people complained about her narration as she’s doing male voices, but her voice is so smooth that she’s brilliant in her narration. This new narrator, Alex Lee is BEYOND DREADFUL!!! I’ve listened to the entire series, but I couldn’t even get through this book because she’s so horrible. It breaks my heart because I love Jason and Daniel’s story and really wanted to hear what happened not only on their cases but in their lives, but as long as this narrator is doing the books, I cannot listen. She’s just dreadful. Please bring back WW!!!

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Outlander Light

Reviewed: 08-25-23

I purchased this series because it was on sale through one of the Audible summer sales. I love when I can get series because I prefer to have a full story rather than a single book at a time. When I first began the series, I wasn’t sure I was going to stick with it. It began VERY CONFUSING!! That was frustrating! But, I stayed with it and I’m sooooo glad I did! If you’re a fan of the Outlander series, you’re going to really like this series as it’s very similar. It begins in Scotland with Alex Lind falling through time, just like Clair Randall Fraiser in Outlander. However, Alex falls 400 years in the past. She lands at the feet of Matthew Graham, and with Matthew’s help, she learns to navigate the changes of the 17th century. She and Mathew spend the first 4 books in Scotland, and just like Clair and Jamie, end up in the American colonies. Navigating the political and social challenges of the early American colonies often proves challenging for the family and the friction with the church, a group of horrible bandits, and the Susquehanna Indians puts strains on Alex and Mathew’s bond.

This series has everything- love, loss, triumph, heartache, and brutality. If you are sensitive to sexual situations, this series is not for you. However, if you aren’t sensitive to that (and it’s not horrible or super graphic), I highly recommend this series to fill the void of not having Outlander to enjoy. This is a very interesting series that has filled me with hours of enjoyment.

One criticism is the narrator- having a man read this story was not a good choice as it is really Alex’s story. It should’ve been read by a woman. The narrator makes Alex sound nasily and whiny and she’s really not. Other than that, this is a great listen!

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1 person found this helpful

Nicole Rayburn is quickly becoming a new favorite!

Reviewed: 11-30-21 Listener received this title free

After reading The Hanging Tree, I couldn’t wait for The Devil’s Den and fortunately, Irina Shapiro sent me an early copy in exchange for a review. I certainly got the better end of that deal as I would GLADLY have paid for this book several times over. In The Devil’s Den, Nicole and Kyle continue their journey to uncovering mysteries that lend themselves to potential novels. They escape post pandemic to an idillic country estate to enjoy some rest from Covid restrictions and some R&R and instead stumble upon the mystery of what happens to the wife of Johnathan Devlin, a seemingly charming aristocrat with many dark secrets. Isabell, Johnathan’s third wife (unbeknownst to her) learns through the harsh treatment of her friend and confident Anne, that her husband is not as he seems. This begins Isabell’s journey to escape her life but it requires very careful planning and absolute secrecy without the ability to trust anyone, including her best friend or beloved father.

Irina Shapiro is one of my favorite authors and The Devil’s Den is an example of why. Her characters are uniquely complex and her stories are engaging from chapter one! If you enjoy getting lost in a story with some reality drama mixed in, she never disappoints. The drama began with Nicole, Kyle, and Len in The Hanging Tree and he comes back to haunt them in The Devil’s Den! I can’t wait for the next installment of Nicole’s story!

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Another Knockout by Shapiro

Reviewed: 09-25-21 Listener received this title free

First, I have listened to just about everything that Audible has available by Irina Shapiro. She is one of my very favorite authors of historical fiction. That said, when she offered this book for free for the exchange of a review, I jumped at the chance to enjoy it. It did not disappoint! The story of Alys Bailey was tragic but engrossing. I found myself walking extra miles every day just to see how the story was going to unfold. You know when the story opens that Alys dies by being accused of witchcraft but by whom and why is part of the mystery. As Nicole Rayburn begins to investigate what happened to Alys, she stumbles upon other mysteries and even a new love interest. The story kept my attention the entire time and I loved all the twist and turns Shapiro inserted to keep you on your toes. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, she shifts and throws you off. This is a fun story (albeit tragic when learning about Alys) and a great listen! If I hadn’t gotten this for free for a review, I’d gladly spend a credit on it- it would be well worth it! I can’t wait for The Devil’s Den! I love that Shapiro does these series so so well and hope she keeps Nicole’s story going. She is as likable a character as Quinn Allenby of the Echos of the Past series, which is one of my all time favorite series!!

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A Fabulous Account of Southern Life

Reviewed: 11-13-20

First off, I rarely write reviews- unless a book just speaks to me, I tend to keep my opinions to myself. What I may like or dislike may be very different than what someone else enjoys. But, I simply MUST review this book because I absolutely LOVED IT! The story is so vivid that you could actually see the house, the characters, the porch- all the different places the story took place and I could literally envision these people. The story was so sweet, and sad, but it’s a story of redemption. It’s interwoven with such detail that you could see the redeeming qualities and hidden tragedies in their lives to bring them to where they were. I cannot recommend this highly enough- in fact, I’m keeping it in my account because I may go back and listen to it again. The narrator is so eloquent that you can see the southern in her voice. I’ve lived my entire life in the Deep South, and I usually cringe when I hear people try to put on a southern accent- this one was a dead ringer for an old southern woman. I can smell the Spanish moss, feel the gentle breeze, and enjoy the sweet tea as if I were in the story.

The follow up book “The Truth About Grace” is a fabulous read as well!! Listen to both of them. You’ll thank me!

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If not for the narrator...

Reviewed: 04-28-20

I read all of the reviews for this book before downloading it- fortunately, I got it on Audible Escape, so I didn’t have to pay for it. It was not a bad book, but the reviews about the narrator were spot on. She was AWFUL! With all the actors available that have authentic Scottish accents, why on earth did they give Charity Spencer this book to read? She might’ve been ok had they just had her read the American characters part. But she put on a fake Scottish accent, and maybe I’ve watched too many seasons of Outlander, but I just couldn’t with this narrator.
If you can get past that, it’s not a bad book; very simple in comparison to other Shapiro texts, but not bad. The story dives into the history of a great family rivalry in the past and how that history drives the current day story. For those of you unfamiliar with Shapiro’s method, she always weaves history with modern day events. If you are a fan of historical fiction (much like Gibaldon’s Outlander) then you might enjoy Shapiro’s works. This is one of her shorter works at just over 5 hours, and the story of the Isobel Grant McBride and Rory McBride makes this worth a listen. In short, if you have Audible Escape and can get this for free, then it’s worth it- if not, pass on it! Check out the Echoes of the Past series, as those are well worth the credit.

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Entertaining Tale

Reviewed: 03-30-20

I saw this description when I was searching for psychological thrillers and thought it sounded like something I might like. Then I got a free 2 month trial of Audible Escape and was able to get it for free. The story grabbed me from the beginning and held my attention throughout. It wasn’t what I would normally expect from a psychological thriller, but it was entertaining. If you have Audible Escape, it’s worth downloading. I don’t know that it’s worth a credit or to pay for, but if you’re looking for a story that you can just sit back and enjoy, then this is worth it.

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Parallel Stories

Reviewed: 03-30-20

I was able to listen to this book as a part of a free trial of Audible Escape, but would’ve paid for it! I loved it! The story is actually 2 stories in one- they are set 500 years apart. Much like Tracy Chavalier’s book, The Last Unicorn, these stories build a rich tapestry of events and you can see both stories so clearly. Constance’s story is one that Cassandra is feverishly finding out. It seems she is almost obsessive to write Constance’s story, only to realize it was in her the whole time. I loved this book!!! The narrator was perfect! An excellent escape!

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Go Ahead- Try to Keep Up!

Reviewed: 03-30-20

I am a fan of the psychological thriller, so when I saw this and all the 5 star reviews, I figured it must be good; and it was, for the most part. It starts off a bit oddly, and just when you think you know what’s going on, it shifts gears- then it shifts again- and again... until you’re kind of wondering where this is going. But the last chapter of the book let’s you know why all those twists and turns were necessary. In Thursday’s world, everything is relative. If you are a fan of The Silent Patient, Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, then you’ll probably enjoy this. Stay tuned for the last scene of the book! It’s a doozy!

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If you have 22 hours to kill...

Reviewed: 03-30-20

Find something else to do with it. This was literally one of the worst memoirs I’ve ever listened to- in fact, I had to listen on 1.5 speed just to get through the book. I had listened to Irene Spencer’s book Shattered Dreams and really enjoyed it. You could tell through her book that she accepted the very difficult life of a polygamist wife, and although it was hard, she wasn’t whining through it. Susan’s story read like a teenager’s diary. Seriously, every meal she made, every hissy fit she threw, every dress she made, etc.. you get the idea. I was fascinated by the story of the LaBaron clan, especially the Blood Atonement aspect of Ervil LaBaron and how he recruited people to kill for him in the name of God. I thought this would tell the story from Susan’s perspective and how the family survived. That was kind of always hanging in the background, but didn’t show up until there were 6 hours left of the story. So where did the first 16 hours go? That’s the whining part of Susan’s life. I don’t think she wrote this book to be enjoyed- I think she wrote it instead of spending a bunch of money on therapy. She did not take responsibility for her role in living this lifestyle. She blamed everyone else for her misery in life and I spent 22 hours waiting for the story to get better. If I could’ve returned this title, I would’ve. Since I couldn’t, I forced myself to listen to it. I’m trying to save you the money and the time.

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12 people found this helpful