Lidia
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
- A Hunger Games Novel
- By: Suzanne Collins
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 16 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low.
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Bad part
- By Edgars Dumins on 05-19-20
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
- A Hunger Games Novel
- By: Suzanne Collins
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
Narrator got it all wrong.
Reviewed: 02-13-25
The story is great but this narrator really didn't do it justice. First off, this book has at minimum 5-7 songs throughout, all that add value and meaning to the book. The narrator speaks them all plainly as if spoken word poetry.
Secondly, the narrator plays Coryo too kindly. In scenes of high aggression, confrontation, and potentially violent intent, the narrator does the dialogue as if the main characters are simply playing a game of hide and seek. The emotional depth of a couple scenes are lost.
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Ace of Spades
- By: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
- Narrated by: Jeanette Illidge, Tapiwa Mugweni
- Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too. Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures.
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Not for me
- By Bee on 10-29-21
- Ace of Spades
- By: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
- Narrated by: Jeanette Illidge, Tapiwa Mugweni
From 'Gossip Girl's to 'Get Out' real quick
Reviewed: 10-17-22
For the past 2 days since I started Part 3, I've been ranting and raving, singing this book's praises to any friend who would lend me an ear.
The author did an excellent job turning what seemed like a relatively innocent gossip girl/pretty little liars style drama into a legitimately suspenseful and horrifying thriller. This story is full of twists and turns leaving you wondering who you can trust. I was on the edge of my seat!
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The Maidens
- A Novel
- By: Alex Michaelides
- Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Louise Brealey
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge. Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students?
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Amazing
- By Beth on 06-15-21
- The Maidens
- A Novel
- By: Alex Michaelides
- Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Louise Brealey
Worst book I've read all year: Here's why
Reviewed: 09-30-22
This book's synopsis had me intrigued and excited to start promising a world of Dark Academia secret societies and murder.
Apart from being told from the perspective of a legal guardian of a student, this book left me feeling nothing but disappointment.
It turned out to be nothing but a badly written murder mystery with an out-of-pocket plot twist, badly developed characters, and unfinished storylines.
Another thing that drove me mad while reading the lack of development for the female characters. One character was reduced fully to how beautiful she was. The main character got hit on by every man she met. The author tried passing off persistent sexual harassment as romance.
Ultimately I kept listening to this book, waiting for it to get to the "good part" that was promised by the enticing synopsis. However, I eventually noticed I only had an hour or so of listening time left and it still had not gotten better.
That final hour of listening essentially threw away all the character development that had happened this whole book in favor of a twisted and vile plot twist.
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Ninth House
- By: Leigh Bardugo
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
- Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most prestigious universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?
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UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED.
- By Tavan Hiestand on 11-21-19
- Ninth House
- By: Leigh Bardugo
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
Excellent story!!! Wonderfully written
Reviewed: 02-18-22
I absolutely loved the story and writing style of Leigh Bardugo. The way she let the story unfold in a non-linear way was so fun to hear.
The narrator's did a great job on everything except one thing, and quite honestly I'm probably blowing this one aspect out of proportion, it was just such a glaring defect in performance. Alex, the main character, is Latina. The book has some Spanish in it, and I don't think I've ever heard worse Spanish in a professional production. I am fluent in Spanish and it was a STRUGGLE understanding what the narrators we're saying because their accents were just that awful. Everything in English was wonderful. I know I would've loved the bits of Spanish had I read this, but I came to absolutely dread any Spanish use when hearing the narrators butcher it. Audible, when books contain multiple languages, please be sure the narrators can at least kind of speak it or do the bare minimum of research in trying to figure out how to say it right.
All this being said, I still greatly enjoyed the book and sincerely hope that there will be a sequel soon!
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Circe
- By: Madeline Miller
- Narrated by: Perdita Weeks
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
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Refined writing with an intimate performance
- By Michael - Audible Editor on 04-11-18
- Circe
- By: Madeline Miller
- Narrated by: Perdita Weeks
Beautifully written
Reviewed: 10-25-21
The writing style was absolutely beautiful! The performance by Perdita Weeks did an amazing job at bringing to life the flow and beauty of Madeline Miller's words.
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The Song of Achilles
- A Novel
- By: Madeline Miller
- Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.
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Wasn't Expecting to Like It- BOY! was I wrong!!
- By susan on 06-11-14
- The Song of Achilles
- A Novel
- By: Madeline Miller
- Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
epitome of sustained untoxic romance
Reviewed: 07-30-21
very wholesome love for eachother except for the war, nothing spicy. an overall wholesome read except for the mass murder of war.
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One Last Stop
- By: Casey McQuiston
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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For cynical 23-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.
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Disappointing
- By kdiz on 06-04-21
- One Last Stop
- By: Casey McQuiston
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
Its cute and fun
Reviewed: 06-10-21
Such a cute read! But it didn't feel like as much of an emotional rollercoaster as red white and royal blue. This book felt very light, like I couldn't quite get as invested in the characters story as I did with McQuiston's first book (despite being a lesbian and living a block away from August's appartment).
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The Titan's Curse
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3
- By: Rick Riordan
- Narrated by: Jesse Bernstein
- Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and...a ride from his mom.
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Percy's not just for kids
- By Craig H. on 05-16-11
- The Titan's Curse
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3
- By: Rick Riordan
- Narrated by: Jesse Bernstein
Love this story, but the narrator ruined it for me
Reviewed: 03-24-21
I am hardly ever one to judge narrators, but this one really missed the mark. The emotions in which he read dialogue was extremely off. Scenes that were clearly written as compassionate and relaxed were read as snarky and tense. Characters voices were very unfitting as well, such as Luke, who was written to be a somewhat relatable villain was read with the most obnoxious jerky voice possible. Characters such as Hephaestus, who is supposed to be a strong metal smith god was read with the most high-pitched voice there was. Even in scenes were dialogue was delicate and emotional, the narrator made it harsh and jabby. It took away the character depth of many characters.
This is a great book, but I would not recommend it in audiobook format unless you don't have another option.
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