Romance Audiobooks discussion

THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

(Downside Ghosts #1, narrated by Bahni Turpin)

Thanks Jonetta. I look forward to listening to this with others.

I think I would enjoy this as well? Where can we get this?

Did you check your library? Also, if you have an audible account.

I downloaded the audiobook from my library. However, it's available at most major booksellers.

It's available at Audible. If you buy the Kindle edition for $2.99, the audiobook is then priced at $2.99.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036S4APY

I'm in!

I've already had a chance to start. Do we have the same spoiler rules as for Blood Kiss? (Spoiler free or with spoiler html until the 15th?)

You guys agree amongst yourselves about your own rules!

Jonetta wrote: "You guys agree amongst yourselves about your own rules!"

Thanks Jonetta!

What does everyone think? The above parameters work for me but I'm open to whatever people want.

They work for me as well.

ditto - spoiler free/or use the spoiler marking until the 15th, then have at it

Hmmm...I think I'll join you guys. I've had this series in my TBR for years.

JaneA wrote: "Jonetta wrote: "You guys agree amongst yourselves about your own rules!"

Thanks Jonetta!

What does everyone think? The above parameters work for me but I'm open to whatever people want."

Yep, works for me!

Ye

First off, I love Bahni Turpin, I think she does an awesome job narrating this book!

I found this book and series after glomming Ilona Andrews, Jeaniene Frost and a few other UF authors, I was sucked into this world and I have sort of a love/hate relationship with it. (view spoiler)[ On one hand this book is dark and downright depressing at times. I think Chess ranks up there with the most damaged heroines I've ever read about. Forget the NA novels with the faux damaged protagonists, Chess it the real deal. Further, her self esteem is in the toilet, she belittles herself constantly and in order to bury her pain she is a drug addict. OTOH, she is so extremely likeable. She is kind and very relate-able in many ways and I like her very much. But it sure is painful to read about her and her constant self-destructive ways. I so much want her to have happiness in her life, and she's just not there yet. It makes it really hard to watch her create her train wrecks. I keep compulsively following her story hoping she can find her way to a good place within herself. (hide spoiler)]

So, has anyone had a chance to listen to this one? I'm wondering what everyone thought of it.

I finished! Bahni Turpin is an excellent narrator and I enjoyed the first book in the series. Terrible is a great anti-hero. Lex is, too. Chess is our drug-addicted, messed up heroine. She is a refreshing change from some of the "Mary Sues" we find in some traditional romance novels. The dystopian world building is unique and interesting, as is the dialect that Kane has created for the lower class disenfranchised Downside residents. All and all, a very engaging mystery.

I continued

I listened to this series a couple of years ago and thought Bahni Turpin was outstanding. It's very easy to become addicted....I listened to the series back to back.

I am starting this later on my commute home. I am finishing up our Group Listen now before my day gets hectic.

Man, I want to read this but have a few BRs already in progress. Maybe I'll be able to fit it in later in the month.

I know. This month was crazy with alot of BRs. I hope you do get to join us.

Ok. Took longer to finish up my other book but I am jumping in.

was going to use this for my treadmill book after i finished up my current listen, but i slacked off and behind on that one, so not sure if i'll get to this one this month or not - here's hoping

I thought the mystery portion of the book and how everything tied together was excellent. It was clever and kept my interest the whole way through. And the world building was fascinating, though it was all dark and a bit depressing in Downside. Perhaps life elsewhere wasn't quite so grim.

And I really love Chess, Jewlzy is right, she is no Mary Sue! But there is still an innate decency about her that makes her very likable. I want so bad for her to have an HEA in her life, not even necessarily with a partner (though that would be ideal, of course!), but to come to some point of inner peace.

Darn Stacia Kane for leaving us hanging! She's written 5 books and several novellas in this series, but it's not done. I've been trolling the net for news and can't find much that encourages me. :( And for those who are wondering, Book 5 doesn't necessarily end in a cliffhanger, but clearly no one has ridden off into the sunset yet. It's not a horrible place to stop, but I want more!

Ok. I like how you are breaking it down. So far the world does seem dark but I like it.

Samantha wrote: "Ok. I like how you are breaking it down. So far the world does seem dark but I like it."

Yes, it's dark, and the characters may do questionable things, but most of them are basically decent people. I get really depressed when I read stories that are full of horrible people and that's not the case here.

I'll level with y'all. I have listened through book 4. As for an HEA, things get better, and then they don't, but then...they do.

I took a break. Characters are still well drawn. Downside dialect rocks, but the mystery aspect could be stronger.

Jewlzy wrote: "I'll level with y'all. I have listened through book 4. As for an HEA, things get better, and then they don't, but then...they do.

Good synopsis :)

I took a break. Characters are still well drawn. Downside dialect rocks, but the mystery aspect could be stronger."

I'm not a huge mystery reader so those parts in the books worked fine for me. Maybe I was so caught up in the world-building that I didn't notice the flaws.

Jonetta wrote: "I listened to this series a couple of years ago and thought Bahni Turpin was outstanding. It's very easy to become addicted....I listened to the series back to back."

I can see how you became addicted. This narrator is doing an awesome job so far.

Really happy you're enjoying, Samantha!

The world building is pretty interesting. I think the narrator just makes it even better.

The characters are interesting. They are all caught up in some horrible stuff but they are good. I believe JaneA, summarized that well.

I really like Terrible. The one moment when they got close and she was high out of her mind and messed it up. It made me feel bad for her. Then she messed up my vibe with(view spoiler)[ Lex. (hide spoiler)]What the hell?

Now that I'm all finished I'm happy. It was a good "read" for sure.

I noticed a few people had issues with the dialogue or slang from some of the characters. I think that it was probably easier for me to accept it because of the narrator. It was a great way for the author to show the division of class.

I think the narrator made all the difference in me understanding all that slang.

Absolutely. I was looking at some of the quotes from the book. Some of my friends even posted some in their reviews. I have to admit that it was odd reading it so I get where it could bother people.

Jonetta wrote: "I think the narrator made all the difference in me understanding all that slang."

I know, right? She made the slang really fun. Reading it would have made it much harder to slog through.

I'm so excited that the consensus is that this audiobook is good. This is my favorite Urban Fantasy series and Terrible's speech is critical, I think. I'm not a rereader in general but I've been thinking of going back and reading this series again. I think I'll try it in audio format!

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "I'm so excited that the consensus is that this audiobook is good. This is my favorite Urban Fantasy series and Terrible's speech is critical, I think. I'm not a rereader in general but I've been th..."

You really should, Kelly. I am itching to get to book 2 soon.

Kelly H. (Maybedog) wrote: "I'm so excited that the consensus is that this audiobook is good. This is my favorite Urban Fantasy series and Terrible's speech is critical, I think. I'm not a rereader in general but I've been th..."

I absolutely recommend it in audio. I think you'll find that it makes the series even better than when read, giving it an extra something special. I hope you find that to be true!