Amy K.

A Fantastic Surprise

Reviewed: 04-05-19

I love Graham Norton. I've watched his talk show in various incarnations for years. He is charming, witty, and can draw the best from his guests. I'm not sure why I was so surprised that he is a wonderful writer as well. Holding starts a bit slow, but rapidly sucks the listener in, drawing us into the lives, loves, and sorrows of the various residents of Duneen. The mystery seems almost incidental, and yet it holds such sway over the characters that it becomes vitally important in the end. A great story, a great storyteller, and also read masterfully by Mr. Norton. I cannot wait for his next fictional outing!

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Bears and cats mix well

Reviewed: 06-30-17

What did you love best about Bear Meets Girl?

I love Shelly Laurenston's bear characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bear Meets Girl?

It starts off with a bang, when Lou wakes up covered in Cella.

Have you listened to any of Charlotte Kane’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've listened to her reading other books by SL..she always does a great job!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It wasn't quite as compelling as two or three others in the series, but it was still pretty entertaining!

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One of my all-time favorite romances

Reviewed: 06-30-17

Would you consider the audio edition of The Wall of Winnipeg and Me to be better than the print version?

Both are equally wonderful. I enjoyed reading the book, and when the audio came out, I enjoyed listening just as much. The benefit to the audio is I can listen on my commute again and again (and I have!).

Who was your favorite character and why?

Vanessa, of course, as it's her head we inhabit, but I also adore Aidan and Big Texas.

Which scene was your favorite?

The firepit scene.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Love can be sneaky.

Any additional comments?

Can't recommend this enough to fans of romance.

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Mary, Sherlock, and Mrs. Hudson

Reviewed: 06-30-17

If you could sum up The Murder of Mary Russell in three words, what would they be?

Second Half Redemption.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I loved the second half of the book, but the ending made me a bit sad.

What about Jenny Sterlin and Susan Lyons ’s performance did you like?

Jenny Sterlin is always an narrator beyond compare. Susan Lyons' performance was fantastic as well, I just didn't care so much for her part of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Without a doubt, when Sherlock discovers Mary.

Any additional comments?

I don't want to mislead anyone, the storytelling in this book was just as stellar as the others in the series. But personally, I would've enjoyed less of Mrs. Hudson's history, and more Mary Russell.

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Entertaining story, with reservatons.

Reviewed: 06-30-17

What made the experience of listening to Rock Chick Reawakening the most enjoyable?

I've been waiting for years for Daisy and Marcus' story, and at last it's here!

Would you recommend Rock Chick Reawakening to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend this to any fans of the Rock Chick series. However, I'd be sure to warn them of the massive overuse of one particular, annoying word.

Which scene was your favorite?

Any scene with Marcus. It was nice to get more of a read on his personality after his appearances in so many KA books.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, truthfully, I needed a break from Daisy. KA made her personality traits and language a bit to repetitive to hold my attention indefinitely.

Any additional comments?

Overall, a nice story!

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On second thought....

Reviewed: 06-30-17

What made the experience of listening to Wait for It the most enjoyable?

The narrator, Callie Dalton, brings MZ's characters alive in their perfect imperfectness.

What other book might you compare Wait for It to and why?

It's impossible to compare Mariana Zapata's books to other authors, as it is unfair to the others. Ms. Zapata is in a class by herself when it comes to story, character development, and heartstring tugging.

What about Callie Dalton’s performance did you like?

She doesn't try to force "male" voices, but does enough to let you know the difference. But mostly, Ms. Dalton slides right in to the main characters and becomes them, offering the listener nuances that even a close reading might have missed.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I chuckled several times (love Josh and Louie!), and I got angry right along with Diana when it was warranted.

Any additional comments?

I first read this book and gave it four solid stars. It was very enjoyable, but maybe not my favorite MZ book. Callie Dalton's narration, however, elevated the listening experience higher than my own initial read.

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Decent story, inept narrator

Reviewed: 06-26-17

What did you like best about Complicated? What did you like least?

This was a decent KA romance. After the first chapter, I almost quit, thinking I wasn't going to like it at all. But it got better, then better, then better. It ended as a decent book, not her best, but not her worst, either. Fairly entertaining, which is all I require.

What other book might you compare Complicated to and why?

Any of KA's contemporary romances. All the heroes are in law enforcement or some such thing, and all the heroines are beautiful and wonderful.

How could the performance have been better?

Argh. Let me count the ways. Neither narrator could do the voice of the opposite sex in any believable manner. I realize that a "duet" narration would have been costlier, but it would have been much, much better. But worst of all, the male narrator couldn't manage any consistency with a secondary character's name. The hero's daughter, Mamie, was first Mamie, then instead of pronouncing her nickname "Mame," he called her "Mam," and ended the book by calling her "Mammy!" It was completely annoying and pulled me out of the story every time. For an Audible brand book, there was no quailty control at all.

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13 people found this helpful

One of Life's Great Pleasures

Reviewed: 03-09-17

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I will recommend this audiobook to anyone and everyone. The Holmes canon has been a lifelong favorite of mine, and Stephen Fry's narration is absolutely perfect. He seamlessly voices the different characters, his inflection and pacing are natural. I can happily sink into this audio and not return for hours.

What other book might you compare Sherlock Holmes to and why?

I'm not sure that SH has a comparison. But I find it as enjoyable as all my favorite mysteries (the Inspector Gamache series, and of course, Mary Russell!)

Have you listened to any of Stephen Fry’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I'm quite fond of his Hitchhiker narrations, but this is even better, I think.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It does make me chuckle in places. I had forgotten that there is a bit of humor here and there. But mostly I make my daily commute with a big smile, so happy to have such a singularly enjoyable listening experience.

Any additional comments?

I can't recommend this audio enough. If you enjoy audiobooks, you must try this one, and if you aren't an audio listener, you should become one just for this experience.

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7 people found this helpful

Ruined by the narrator

Reviewed: 01-24-17

What did you like best about Sommersgate House? What did you like least?

I've always had a fondness for the story. It's not a work of fine literature, but it's a darn fun read. So I looked forward to the Audible version, as I have a long daily commute, and am always looking for good books to listen to during my drive. However, the narrator ruined this book for me. Why, oh why, when most of the characters in the book are English, would you have an American narrator who can't do a decent accent to save her life??? And when she has to voice the English hero....words cannot describe how bad it is! I'm so disappointed I could just weep.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Douglas is quite a dashing Bond-type figure.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

English accents, as mentioned above, are terrible. Her "voice" for the hero....unspeakably bad.

Could you see Sommersgate House being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I can't even begin to think about this until I mourn this audio for a few days.

Any additional comments?

Please don't let all of the books in this series be narrated by the same person, as Ms. Ashley has done before. I can't even bear to think about it, as this series is a regular re-read for me.

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16 people found this helpful

Great story, but the narrator is pretty awful.

Reviewed: 11-17-15

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would (and have) recommended the book, but I'm afraid I would not recommend the audiobook.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Raid?

It's an overall good story, with many memorable scenes. The first date was good, as was the big, dramatic fight.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Dara Rosenberg?

Someone who could properly pronounce the heroine's last name. Ms. Rosenberg kept pronouncing it "Boudoir," not "Boudreaux." It was pretty distracting. Also, she couldn't pronounce "ornery" nor even "corps" (as in Marine). "Countrified" (as in a country-style decor) was "count (as in numbers)-rified. These are just a few examples. I spent more time wincing and less time listening to the story.

Do you think Raid needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, it was pretty complete in itself, although Raid and Hannah show up in later books, as is often the case in KA's stories.

Any additional comments?

It's a great story, I just would not recommend this narration. She mispronounces so many words it actually detracts from the flow of the story.

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2 people found this helpful