Diane
- 34
- reviews
- 55
- helpful votes
- 328
- ratings
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Conclave
- A Novel
- By: Robert Harris
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,865
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,703
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,702
The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, 118 cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world's most secretive election. They are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals. Over the next 72 hours, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on earth.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Microscopic look at Power
- By Mel on 05-17-17
- Conclave
- A Novel
- By: Robert Harris
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
Great listen
Reviewed: 12-18-24
Well written and interesting. Not Catholic but still kept me engaged Loved the surprise ending .
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The Secret Life of Sunflowers
- By: Marta Molnar, Dana Marton
- Narrated by: Kendra Murray
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,642
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,528
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,528
When Hollywood auctioneer Emsley Wilson finds her famous grandmother's diary while cleaning out her New York brownstone, the pages are full of surprises. The first surprise is, the diary isn't her grandmother's. It belongs to Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Nothing like a expected…
- By LOVETOQUILT on 05-06-23
- The Secret Life of Sunflowers
- By: Marta Molnar, Dana Marton
- Narrated by: Kendra Murray
A good romance novel within a historical theme
Reviewed: 01-19-24
I am a fervent fan of van Gogh and looked forward to learning more. I also love historical fiction. I hoped to be able to recommend it to my book club. Unfortunately, I cannot because this book tended to be more romanticised historical fiction. I feel that the author lessened the impact of the strong, intriguing woman who was Johanna van Gogh-Bonger. The real Johanna van Gogh-Bonger was immensely more dynamic and strong than she is represented in this book. I followed up on her real history and found her extremely fascinating. Her story can stand on its own without engaging in the technique of travelling back and forth in time... The author did this intelligent woman no great service by including and focusing on love interests.
All that said, I could recommend it if you are looking for a good romance novel with a historical theme. I was not aware of van Gogh-Bonger until I read this book and for that reason, I am thankful to have read it.
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The Indigo Girl
- A Novel
- By: Natasha Boyd
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12,085
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,987
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10,930
The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family’s three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions. Tensions with the British, and with the Spanish in Florida, just a short way down the coast, are rising, and slaves are starting to become restless. Her mother wants nothing more than for their South Carolina endeavor to fail so they can go back to England. Soon her family is in danger of losing everything.
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5 out of 5 stars
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You must read The Indigo Girl
- By maureen m. mukhlis on 11-12-17
- The Indigo Girl
- A Novel
- By: Natasha Boyd
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Inspiring
Reviewed: 06-22-23
I found this book intriguing and inspiring. As someone who has done indigo dying from the growing of plants to the use of cloth, it was even more fascinating.
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Dorothy Summers
- Mystery of the Blue Dragon
- By: REDWRITER
- Narrated by: Cassie Dilly
- Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 3
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Story5 out of 5 stars 3
Dorothy Summers is thrust upon a riveting adventure to unmask the truth of the "Mystery of the Blue Dragon", as a young investigative journalist in the early 1930s. Her journey begins when she receives a mysterious letter in the mailroom at the San Francisco Chronicle. Curiosity quickly lands her in the dangerous world of the international drug trade. Nothing is as it seems though, as crime and folklore clash together in this captivating tale.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun and entertaining
- By Diane on 01-26-22
- Dorothy Summers
- Mystery of the Blue Dragon
- By: REDWRITER
- Narrated by: Cassie Dilly
Fun and entertaining
Reviewed: 01-26-22
This will ask you to suspend your logical beliefs. If you do you will be transported to into a good and entertaining story. It is a very creative thought. I love the characters. The narrator was a bit rote sounding however that I feel distracts from the story . If the characters were more fully develop then this would be a classic. Hopefully the next story told will have fully developed characters
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Sweet Tea B&B
- By: Rachel Hanna
- Narrated by: Becky Boyd
- Length: 3 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 52
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
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Story4 out of 5 stars 48
Two sisters...who have no idea the other exists. Kate never quite felt like she fit in, but she never let it stop her from pursuing her dreams. When her life takes a turn she never expects, she finds herself facing the choice of a lifetime. Mia is a true Southern belle. When her mother passes away, she starts rebuilding her life by running the Sweet Tea B and B, her mother’s beloved inn. When two lives cross paths in the most unusual way, will family bonds run deep or break hearts? Buy it now and go on a journey in this amazing women's fiction book.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Not worth a credit
- By Barbara on 04-19-21
- Sweet Tea B&B
- By: Rachel Hanna
- Narrated by: Becky Boyd
I am returning not a mystery
Reviewed: 01-23-22
This book should be in romance. There is really no mystery to solve just will they ever be sisters. Predictable and boring. I listened to the end in hopes of redemption but none came.
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Knit One Murder Two
- A Knitorious Murder Mystery, Book 1
- By: Reagan Davis
- Narrated by: Zim Avaltrades
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Performance3 out of 5 stars 23
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
I’m not a cop. I’m a soon-to-be-ex-wife, and former full-time mom who works part-time at the local yarn store. The biggest mystery I’ve ever solved is finding a missing knitting needle tucked behind my ear after spending all morning looking for it. Someone in Harmony Lake is trying to stitch me up for murder.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Knitting and murder
- By GenaS on 05-27-21
- Knit One Murder Two
- A Knitorious Murder Mystery, Book 1
- By: Reagan Davis
- Narrated by: Zim Avaltrades
Nice string story
Reviewed: 07-16-21
I enjoyed the overall story. It was light and entertaining. However the narration sounded often like a robot was reading it.
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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
- A Novel
- By: Kim Michele Richardson
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21,238
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 18,884
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 18,776
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything - everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A LOVELY, SAD AND PROFOUND BOOK!
- By Janna Wong Healy on 08-17-19
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
- A Novel
- By: Kim Michele Richardson
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
Best book will become a classic
Reviewed: 05-07-20
I was captivated right away. The narrator is excellent. I loved this book. I loved the layers of depth of emotions combined with the history from so many levels. Having spent time in Kentucky I keep feeling the struggle that the state deals with but the beauty of the place and people was perfectly caught
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The Crumpled Letter
- Belle Epoque Mystery, Book 1
- By: Alice Quinn, Alexandra Maldwyn-Davies - translator
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 94
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 78
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Story4 out of 5 stars 77
One spring evening in 1884, beautiful young courtesan Lola Deslys discovers the lifeless body of a chambermaid hidden in the gardens of the Hôtel Beau Rivage in Cannes. Even more distressing is that Lola knows the girl well. When the inquiry into her murder fails to reveal a single substantial clue, Lola is persuaded by novelist Guy de Maupassant to delve into the case on her own. Eager to exert her independence and defy conventions, Lola agrees. But she needs help in her investigation, and there’s no better partner in her pursuit - however unlikely - than Miss Gabriella Fletcher, a highborn, well-educated, and currently disgraced English governess.
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5 out of 5 stars
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a wonderful narration of a captivating story.
- By Shoeshopper2 on 12-10-18
- The Crumpled Letter
- Belle Epoque Mystery, Book 1
- By: Alice Quinn, Alexandra Maldwyn-Davies - translator
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
Surprised
Reviewed: 05-22-19
I found it slow in the beginning but found I couldn’t stop listening. I ended up liking the characters
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1 person found this helpful
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The Grave Soul
- By: Ellen Hart
- Narrated by: Christina Moore
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9
In the next riveting, insightful Jane Lawless mystery from award-winning Ellen Hart, Jane searches for the truth behind the death of Kira Adler's mother, which has haunted Kira for many years. When Guthrie Hewitt calls on restaurateur and private investigator Jane Lawless, he doesn't know where else he can turn. Guthrie has fallen for a girl - Kira Adler. In fact, he was planning to propose to her on Christmas Eve. But his trip home with Kira over Thanksgiving made him uneasy.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Really not OK
- By Diane on 04-28-18
- The Grave Soul
- By: Ellen Hart
- Narrated by: Christina Moore
Really not OK
Reviewed: 04-28-18
Spoiler alert: I may reveal some parts that give away some of the ending.
This is the second book by Ellen Hart I have read with the protagonist Jane Lawless. The first book I found very intriguing and was enticed to read this book. Ms. Hart is a true artist at character development and storyline that keeps you to the very end. So why only one star?
I like a story that does not end neatly packaged with all the pieces in place. Her story certainly does not end the way one expects. It turns out to be a garden variety murder with all the conventional reasons: the murder has obvious motives along with poor impulse control and anger issues. Even though the victim is has a less than stellar reputation, that cannot alone justify the loss of their life. Most readers want to have some justice meted out even if it is not conventional. In this case, justice does not happen because it would be inconvenient to many people. The author offer no justice or sense of moral satisfaction.But the author is not asking the reader to review their moral or ethics to justify a murder which would be interesting if disturbing. It feels the author could not figure out how to find a way to finish the story to meet standard set by her beautiful development of the plot and lost her way.
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Phasma: Star Wars
- Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- By: Delilah S. Dawson
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,584
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,175
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,164
One of the most cunning and merciless officers of the First Order, Captain Phasma commands the favor of her superiors, the respect of her peers, and the terror of her enemies. But for all her renown, Phasma remains as virtually unknown as the impassive expression on her gleaming chrome helmet. Now, an adversary is bent on unearthing her mysterious origins - and exposing a secret she guards as zealously and ruthlessly as she serves her masters.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Very dark, very different, very good.
- By Jason Adams on 09-13-17
- Phasma: Star Wars
- Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- By: Delilah S. Dawson
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
It was amateurish writing
Reviewed: 10-12-17
I enjoy Star Wars books for the adventure and this one fell short of surprising me. There was so much foreshadowing that it felt like I was just waiting for the author at every story. I grant that this book was a creative way to explain a main characters back story.
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1 person found this helpful