Mary Aalgaard
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Broken Fields
- Cash Blackbear Mystery, Book 4
- By: Marcie R. Rendon
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LeBlanc
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Cash Blackbear, a young Ojibwe woman and occasional sleuth, is back on the case after a man is found dead on a rural Minnesota farm in the next installment of the acclaimed Native crime series.
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Cash Blackbear is a character to root for
- By Mary Aalgaard on 06-16-25
- Broken Fields
- Cash Blackbear Mystery, Book 4
- By: Marcie R. Rendon
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LeBlanc
Cash Blackbear is a character to root for
Reviewed: 06-16-25
I listened to this fourth book in Marcie Rendon’s Cash Blackbear series in just a few days. Cash is working a field in the Red River Valley when she notices something happening in the farmyard nearby. She goes to check things out and finds the farmer who hired her dead in the kitchen and a little girl hiding under a bed upstairs, her parents nowhere in sight. Cash calls in Sheriff Wheaton and assists him in finding the little girl’s parents and solving the murder. Cash has an added motivation for helping the girl and trying to keep her out of the foster care system. Cash has flashbacks to her own terrible experiences in the system as a child. I grew up in the Red River Valley of the North in MN, and I can picture all the places that Rendon describes. I enjoy reading about my home area from another perspective, and Rendon creates compelling stories with well drawn characters. Isabella Star LaBlanc is the perfect choice as narrator for these stories.
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Sinister Graves
- Cash Blackbear, Book 3
- By: Marcie R. Rendon
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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A snowmelt has sent floodwaters down to the fields of the Red River Valley, dragging the body of an unidentified Native woman into the town of Ada. The only evidence the medical examiner recovers is a torn piece of paper inside her bra: a hymnal written in English and Ojibwe. Cash Blackbear, a 19-year-old Ojibwe woman, sometimes helps Sheriff Wheaton, her guardian, on his investigations. Now she knows her search for justice for this anonymous victim will take her to the White Earth Reservation, a place she once called home.
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First rate take of murder
- By AlchemistGeorge on 01-18-24
- Sinister Graves
- Cash Blackbear, Book 3
- By: Marcie R. Rendon
- Narrated by: Isabella Star LaBlanc
Haunting and Riveting novel
Reviewed: 06-09-25
Sinister Graves is Rendon's third book in her Cash Blackbear mystery series. Cash is a young Native woman who attends classes at Moorhead State University, works in the fields for local farmers in the Red River Valley, and lives independently in Fargo, ND. She drinks, smokes cigarettes, shoots pool, and assisted the Norman County Sheriff Wheaton in solving mysterious crimes. In this book, she helps Wheaton discover the identity of a young woman found floating in the flood waters of the Red River in the Spring in the early 1970's. Evil lurks in and around the church graveyard, both in human form and as a dark looming presence. Cash risks her own safety to uncover what is really happening to the missing and murdered indigenous women in her area. I am from the farm country of the Red River Valley. Rendon's books bring me back to my home and my roots while providing another perspective of the place and what happens there. I quickly downloaded the next book in the series. Books #3 and #4 are expertly read by Isabella Star LaBlanc, an actor that I'm familiar with from watching and reviewing theater shows in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN.
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A Discovery of Witches
- A Novel
- By: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.
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A feast for the mind and imagination
- By Barbara on 02-21-11
- A Discovery of Witches
- A Novel
- By: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
Intriguing Fantasy-Paranormal Romance
Reviewed: 05-25-25
Diana is a reluctant witch. She wants to live a fairly normal life among humans, but her craft is calling her. When she discovers a magic book at the Oxford library, she sends off a signal to other creatures. She’s invested now, even though she doesn’t fully understand what’s happening. The creature who is observing her most intently is Matthew Clairmont, a vampire. Their relationship is forbidden, different fantastical creatures don’t mix. In fact, historically, witches and vampires hate each other and usually harm each other. As Matthew and Diana get closer, the danger rises. They need to find the book and discover its secrets. A Discovery of Witches is the first in a multi-book series. We’re left with a cliffhanger at the end of book one, where the journey begins, leaving you to wonder just where, and when, the couple will end up.
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Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
- By: Hernan Diaz
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth—all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.
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Before Purchasing
- By JLDLOfficial on 08-13-22
- Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
- By: Hernan Diaz
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò, Orlagh Cassidy
Cleverly constructed story
Reviewed: 04-23-25
I loved listening to this book. All four readers fit their distinct parts of the book perfectly. One of our book club members chose this book, and I’m so glad that she did. It will lend itself to great discussion. It really makes you think about how a story changes depending on who is telling it, from what perspective and motivation. It also appealed to my philosophical sense, the what ifs and meaning of actions, relationships, and money. I listened to the audio, but I’d also like to get my hands on the paper copy so I can reread passages, underline the good ones, and write in the margins.
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The Covenant of Water
- By: Abraham Verghese
- Narrated by: Abraham Verghese
- Length: 31 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time.
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Story Telling At Its Best
- By Regina on 05-06-23
- The Covenant of Water
- By: Abraham Verghese
- Narrated by: Abraham Verghese
Long, but worth the time
Reviewed: 04-10-25
We all know that Verghese is an exceptional writer. His attention to detail is exquisite. Yes, some of the gory details of surgery and the body can be a bit much for us non-medical folks, but you can skim them, if needed. It’s an enormous undertaking to write an epic novel like this, multigenerational, multifaceted, full of both family and regional history, not to mention medical advancements and fears. It’s ultimately about people, and that’s what drives the listener/reader on. You do care about these characters and what happens to them, and why. It also drives home the flaws in human society, the ones led by fear and prejudice that break my heart. So much heartache could be avoided if people were kinder, more understanding, less fearful of what they don’t understand, and less governed by societal rules. I don’t want to spoil anything in this review. You have to experience this story for yourself. Allow time to let it sink in. You don’t have to rush through everything. Consider this one a long road trip novel, sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey. Also, the author reads his own work, and he’s wonderful.
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True Biz
- A Novel
- By: Sara Novic
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan, Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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True biz? The students at the River Valley School for the Deaf just want to hook up, pass their history finals, and have politicians, doctors, and their parents stop telling them what to do with their bodies. This revelatory novel plunges listeners into the halls of a residential school for the deaf, where they’ll meet Charlie, a rebellious transfer student who’s never met another deaf person before.
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A good story with added features both intriguing and informational
- By A Signing Mom on 05-15-22
- True Biz
- A Novel
- By: Sara Novic
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan, Kaleo Griffith
Edifying and Entertaining
Reviewed: 01-01-25
True Biz is one of the best audio books I’ve listened to. The author, Sara Novic, creates tension from the first chapter. Two students from the Deaf school are missing. Then, we go back a few months and learn about the characters, who they are, where they come from, their families. She quickly establishes connections, and we care about them and what happens to them. I learned more about Deaf culture as I listened to this story. I pictured the words and the story. It made me want to learn more ASL. I think I’ll choose this book for my next book club pick. It will create great discussion and enlighten readers about Deaf culture, ASL, and the importance of communication.
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Bel Canto
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Anna Fields
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honor of the powerful businessman Mr. Hosokawa. Roxanne Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerized the international guests with her singing. It is a perfect evening—until a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage.
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Opera Has Charms to Soothe the Savage Guerillas
- By Mel on 03-01-13
- Bel Canto
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Anna Fields
A Psychological Study with Music
Reviewed: 11-26-24
I might not be in the majority, here, but I loved listening to this book. First of all, the narrator Anna Fields is brilliant. I would be happy if she read every audiobook. This book is populated with people from many nations, and Fields gave them all appropriate accents. She also had to do read words in multiple languages, as well as capture the tone and personality of many characters. The POV is 3rd person omniscient, and Patchett does this so well. I was never confused about who was in the scene and from which characters’ POV I was experiencing it. The main characters are Mr. Hosokawa, who is throwing a Birthday party for himself in an unnamed country in South America. His main motivation is to meet the famous Opera singer Roxane Coss. She is there with her protective accompanist. Dignitaries from many countries are also there. Mr. Hosokawa’s translater Gen is a central part to this story. He is fluent in several languages and has a working knowledge of even more. Once the terrorists invade the party and take over the house, he is a busy man. His ability to communicate clears up confusion and smooths the tension. Roxane’s music calms the spirits. Through the months-long hostage situation, relationships are formed and new ways of living develop. It’s almost like a utopia, but with the ever present presence of guns and possible violence. It’s a book I could listen to again, a book that examines the human experience, what people do in impossible situations, and how they still live, love, and cope.
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The Coldest Case: The Past Has a Long Memory
- By: James Patterson, Aaron Tracy, Ryan Silbert
- Narrated by: Aaron Paul, Krysten Ritter, Beau Bridges, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
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Someone is committing random murders across Chicago—and making sure detectives Billy Harney (Aaron Paul) and Patti Harney (Krysten Ritter) are first on the crime scene. What connects the victims, and why is the killer leaving clues behind with each body? Billy and Patti are scrambling to stop the next killing when their father, Chief of Detectives Dan Harney (Beau Bridges), is kidnapped. But in their race to track him down, they uncover pieces of his past that simply can’t be true. Could their own flesh and blood be covering up a dark secret?
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Re: Good!
- By Cmorgan on 06-15-24
Great Audio Drama
Reviewed: 11-04-24
This is a gripping thriller, a great story with wonderful professional actors playing the parts. Fully dramatized with sound effects and music. Kept my attention the whole time. Could not stop listening!
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Hickory Dickory Dock
- A Hercule Poirot Mystery
- By: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Hugh Fraser
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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An outbreak of kleptomania at a student hostel is not normally the sort of crime that arouses Hercule Poirot's interest. However, the warden of the hostel is his secretary Miss Lemon's sister, and efficient Miss Lemon is less than efficient when worried. To set her mind at ease, and decrease the number of mistakes in her typing, he agrees to meet with Mrs. Hubbard.
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Great cast of characters
- By Marie on 12-04-19
- Hickory Dickory Dock
- A Hercule Poirot Mystery
- By: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Hugh Fraser
Classic Christie in a Dynamic Setting
Reviewed: 11-02-24
I really liked the cast of characters in Hickory Dickory Dock, and the setting in a boarding house for young people, some students and some who are already in careers. It makes for a great collection of characters and personality types. Christie brings in people from other parts of the world, An American, a West African, and a couple from the Middle East. She doesn’t get too in depth about race, but it’s mentioned. In this book, Poirot’s secretary, Mrs. Lemon, asks him to help solve a mysterious case of possible kleptomania. Her sister, Mrs. Hubbard, is the house mother, so to speak, of the boarding house, and has asked Poirot to come investigate. He’s feeling bored and curious. Why the random items? How are they connected? And, something definitely feels off about this place. Naturally, after he arrives, a young woman is found dead of apparent suicide, but Poirot knows better. This is murder, and now he’s invested in solving the crime. It might have been easier to keep track of the various characters and missing items if I had read the physical book. However, I would have missed out on Hugh Fraser’s excellent narration and being able to listen as I drove, walked the neighborhood, or drew in my art journal. I loved this story. The only adaptation I could find was a one episode version from a 1995 show. I’d love to see this one as a play.
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The Third Gilmore Girl
- A Memoir
- By: Kelly Bishop, Amy Sherman-Palladino - foreword
- Narrated by: Kelly Bishop
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Kelly Bishop’s long, storied career has been defined by landmark achievements, from winning a Tony Award for her turn in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line to her memorable performance as Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing. But it is probably her iconic role as matriarch Emily in the modern classic Gilmore Girls that cemented her legacy. Now, Bishop reflects on her remarkable life and looks towards the future with The Third Gilmore Girl. She shares some of her greatest stories and the life lessons she’s learned on her journey.
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Now that’s a life
- By Stephen Gonzalez on 09-23-24
- The Third Gilmore Girl
- A Memoir
- By: Kelly Bishop, Amy Sherman-Palladino - foreword
- Narrated by: Kelly Bishop
Candid Look at Kelly Bishop’s life and career
Reviewed: 10-21-24
I loved listening to Kelly Bishop read her memoir. She is candid and conversational as she takes us on the journey of becoming a ballet dancer to the interviews and development for the award-winning “A Chorus Line,” where she won the Tony for her performance as Sheila, and her transition to TV and film. She talks about the relationships she’s had and the deep love for her late husband Lee Leonard, her love for animals, especially rescue animals, and her vast menagerie of pets. She gives us insight into the entertainment business from stage to film, and her experiences working with writer’s Amy and Dan Paladino on Gilmore Girls and other shows. She is an introspective storyteller. On the page, as well as in real life, she isn’t afraid to voice her opinions. Of course, this book is for fans of Gilmore Girls and other work by Kelly Bishop and followers of her life. It’s also a book filled with interesting anecdotes and stories and encouragement to pursue your own dreams that anyone could appreciate. Kelly Bishop is an inspiring person.
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