Audiobooks discussion

Tough be believe this is the final thread of the year!

I'm starting the month going through the Inspector Sloan series by Catherine Aird, most of the titles are available via either Hoopla or Audible Plus. Solid narration.

Also working on a nonfiction history library download as part of a group challenge: Dr. Mütter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine.

I'm 25% deep into .

Though the characters are in various stages of grief, the story is charming and the narration is great (voiced by 3 different narrators POVs). I'm listening on Libby via my local library. It makes a commute to work a silver lining for going into a physical office a couple times a week, lol.

I have liked and disliked different aspets of Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson, an acclaimed Canadian author. Very glad to have tested it!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am listening to As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by of course the well known Laurie Lee. The author reads it himself--which is wonderful!

Chrissie wrote: "I have liked and disliked different aspets of Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson, an acclaimed Canadian author. Very glad to have tested it!

My review: https://www.goodread..."

I read that one in print earlier this year, liking it also.

Just finished this one that theoretically should have been right up my alley, but ultimately did not keep my attention:
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan - 3* - My Review

The narrator is Natalie Naudus. She was okay but not one of my favorites.

John wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have liked and disliked different aspets of Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson, an acclaimed Canadian author. Very glad to have tested it!

My review: htt..."

Oh, it is too bad you didn't listen to the audio version read by Laurie Lee. It is extra special when he reads it. I like his focus upon ordinary, or perhaps one should say down-and-out people. His prose reads as poetry. I do agree with him that history has molded Europe so very different from anything in the States.

Listening to Five French Hens | Judy Leigh. I'm quite disappointed in it. It gives the impression of being a holiday story - Christmas in Paris. Nope! And the hopping around of the five women's POVs is confusing in audiobook.

Joy D wrote: "Just finished this one that theoretically should have been right up my alley, but ultimately did not keep my attention:
She Who Became the Sun by [author:Shelley Parker-Chan|1971897..."

I couldn't get into that one, I started it twice and then gave up.

continuing my - when the heck did i buy that audiobook exploration of audible...with A Guy Walks Into My Bar - although personally i'm not a full cast fan - this is tolerable because its mostly 2 guys

Robin P wrote: "Joy D wrote: "Just finished this one that theoretically should have been right up my alley, but ultimately did not keep my attention:
She Who Became the Sun by [author:Shelley Parke..."
Glad to hear I'm not the only one. I managed to finish but will not be reading the sequel.

I finished Mother of Learning Arc 1 by Nobody103/Domagoj Kurmaic. This is an interesting take on time travel with the first month of a magic school being repeated over and over for the MC. He uses the time to boost his magical prowess and to try to discover why he's in the loop, who caused it, why the city is being attacked, and perhaps how he'll get out of it. The other twist is that he's one of two in the time loop and apparently not the actual focus of the effect. In essence he is a side character in someone else's story... but he won't stay on the sidelines.

I liked the actual story, but the narration wasn't ideal. The MC's little sister had such a screechy voice I kept hoping she'd mysteriously disappear from the story... but she didn't. The narrator also attempted a "natural" or "conversational" tone which made it feel less professional. It's mostly tolerable and I'm interested in Arc 2, but I may wait for a while.

I liked Rule of Wolves, the second installment of the King of Scars duology by Leigh Bardugo pretty well. It was read by Lauren Fortgang. I am impressed by the worldbuilding that went into Bardugo's Grishaverse series and look forward to her next book set in the series that was indicated by the ending of book 2.

And, being a fisher-person, I loved A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean so much that I finished it in one session. I couldn't "put it down" so to speak! I intended to stop after the first story because my library hold on Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard came up, but instead I put most of my day into the "Other Stories" by Maclean.

Almost finished with Misery by Stephen King. It's long chapters where nothing happens, punctuated with a fast moment or two when highly disturbing gruesome things happen. If I hadn't been listening to an audio version, I'd stop after the first quarter of the book.

I finished Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer. This was narrated by the author with example texts read by a female narrator--which was mostly good but sometimes less clear. I enjoyed this even though I disagreed with a few points--which the author expected. I have to say it was a nice feeling to know that this copy editor had as much problem with English grammar terms as I often do, yet he made everything easy to understand... even if I still don't have a handle on the semicolon. ;)

2.5/3 stars to Where the Crawdads Sing. This is one of the few instances where I found the film more compelling than the book, and I took several weeks in between so that having watched the film first wouldn't necessarily impact my reading. I didn't like the pacing and tossing between POVs, and agreed with most of the other issues I saw come up in other reviews - namely how it felt more like it should be set in Louisiana and there were no hurricanes mentioned in the North Carolina setting. I felt like the film did everything better. Nicely read by Cassandra Campbell.

There are lots of marshlands in North Carolina. I am not sure why it would be better in Louisiana? Could you say more about that? They have hurricanes in both places.

Equal Rites Terry Pratchett

Just getting into this one. I have finished the The Rinsewind arc and the Death arc. This is the first in the witches Arc.

There are 40 books in all. Here is a listing of the Disc World books and one way to proceed. I assume Terry Pratchett is familiar to most everyone.

https://bookriot.com/discworld-readin...

I'm listening to Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, but not impressed so far. I didn't realize I should have read her previous book "The Glass Hotel" first. I might have to DNF.

Ashley Marie wrote: "2.5/3 stars to Where the Crawdads Sing. This is one of the few instances where I found the film more compelling than the book, and I took several weeks in between so that having wat..."

I also didn't like this book that "everybody" loved. I couldn't buy the idea that she could really grow up alone like that, never getting sick or inured. And I also found the solution to the crime farfetched (I guess that was the point, but still. . )

Jan wrote: "I'm listening to Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, but not impressed so far. I didn't realize I should have read her previous book "The Glass Hotel" first. I might have t..."

You don't have to have read the other book. I did read it but remembered very little. I don't think it makes a big difference because the connections are rather mystical/magical. The main thing I liked about Sea of Tranquility was the part with the author on tour. Apparently all the stupid questions were ones people actually asked Emily St. John Mandel on her own tours. I also liked the ending, which was unexpected. But I never warmed up the character of "Vincent" in either book.

I found this dystopian speculative fiction creative, entertaining, and thought-provoking. It is a warning not to let our much- loved tech monster get out of hand. It is a great example of exaggeration for effect. I hope the real tech companies are not taking notes.

The Every by Dave Eggers - 4* - My Review

The audio is brilliantly narrated by Dion Graham.

I am listening to A Thousand Miles Up the Nile by Amelia B. Edwards on You Tube.

English:
As enthralling as any work of fiction, A Thousand Miles up the Nile is the quintessential Victorian travel book.

In 1873, Amelia B. Edwards, a Victorian gentlewoman, spent the winter visiting the then largely unspoiled splendors of ancient Egypt. An accurate and sympathetic observer, she brings nineteenth-century Egypt to life. A Thousand Miles up the Nile was an instant hit in 1876, and is received with equal enthusiasm by modern readers.

Fans of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody Emerson mystery series will see similarities between the two Amelias. More importantly, A Thousand Miles up the Nile provides a wealth of background information and detail that will increase your understanding and enjoyment of Peters' novels.

This Norton Creek Press edition of A Thousand Miles up the Nile is an exact reproduction of the lavishly illustrated 1890 edition by Routledge and Sons. For more Norton Creek classic reprints, visit http: //www.nortoncreekpress.com.

Amelia B. Edwards was an author and co-founder of the Egypt Exploration Fund.

Robin P wrote: "The main thing I liked about Sea of Tranquility was the part with the author on tour. Apparently all the stupid questions were ones people actually asked Emily St. John Mandel on her own tours. ..."

That WAS entertaining in a cringe-worthy way. LOL! I did finish the book last night, but it was only a 3-star read for me. Thanks, Robin.

Leona wrote: "I am listening to A Thousand Miles Up the Nile by Amelia B. Edwards on You Tube...."

Thank you, Leona, for bringing this to my attention. It's definitely my cup of tea.

If you haven't already read Laurie Lee's writing you really MUST! I've just finished the second of his Autobiographical Trilogy. Its title is As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning. It is considered a classic of nonfiction.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

John, both of us gave it four stars.

I have begun a second by Douglas Reeman. He writes fictional adventure tales based on his own experiences of naval combat during the Second World War. Exciting stuff. I am now reading A Prayer for the Ship.

Leona wrote: "I am listening to A Thousand Miles Up the Nile by Amelia B. Edwards on You Tube.

English:
As enthralling as any work of..."

Thanks VERY much! Looks like just my cup of tea.

Didn't read many books in November. The Beekeeper of Aleppo was heartbreaking but I'm glad I listened to it.

I'm reading Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. I watched the movie before and as I enjoy watching baseball games and Athletics' is near my area, it's interesting to learn about how the MLB draft is being conducted.

On closing A Prayer for the Ship by Douglas Reeman I felt it had to be given four stars. I had become invested in its characters. It mattered to me what happened to them.. It is also educational--I learned things I hadn't known before.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I have picked up the next of Laurie Lee's Autobiographical Trilogy--A Moment of War. It is not at all what you expect. It is about his attempt to support and take part in the Spanish Civil War. Picking this up, you are in for some surprises. I promise you.

i wrapped up A Guy Walks Into My Bar - i'll fully admit that most of the time duel narration doesn't work for me (I know i'm weird) - but i'll take Joe Arden and Shane East any day of the week...lol! Plus I loved the blooper reel at the end...

next up is The Storm - listening to this box set - this is book 3 in the series, but the end of book 2 nearly killed me...and i'm chugging through Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love - yet another book i found in my audible archives that i apparently bought during a sale

Dee wrote: "next up is The Storm - listening to this box set - this is book 3 in the series, but the end of book 2 nearly killed me.. ..."

Nicholas Sansbury Smith is good at that... I read the first one and it was a bit too intense for me. (wink)

Jan wrote: "Dee wrote: "next up is The Storm - listening to this box set - this is book 3 in the series, but the end of book 2 nearly killed me.. ..."

Nicholas Sansbury Smith is good at that... I read the fir..."

Very intense but as someone who has spent many years in the national security realm, especially looking at cyber and critical infrastructure it had an (unfortunate) ring of truth

Joy D wrote: "There are lots of marshlands in North Carolina. I am not sure why it would be better in Louisiana? Could you say more about that? They have hurricanes in both places."

Right, there definitely are hurricanes in both states (and especially in North Carolina in the 1960s, when this apparently takes place) and yet there's no mention of any occurring - I think the idea of a Louisiana setting, if I read the other reviews right, feels more in line with the narrator's accent.

Ashley Marie wrote: "2.5/3 stars to Where the Crawdads Sing. This is one of the few instances where I found the film more compelling than the book, and I took several weeks in between so that having wat..." I'm 100% with you on all this. I read the book (hardcopy) and thought it was just so-so. Watched the movie the other week and liked it much more.

The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street was a stinker for me. I have enjoyed the series (set in Charleston - with ghosts/spirits) alot. Until this one. The ghost stuff was ok - interesting but just ok. But the ending was the WORST (view spoiler)[ why trash the Jack and Melanie relationship? They were happy for about a book and this one ended with them not even speaking - I was totally caught off guard (hide spoiler)]. Meh.

The Fix is next up for me.

Nancy wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "2.5/3 stars to Where the Crawdads Sing. This is one of the few instances where I found the film more compelling than the book, and I took several weeks in betwe..."

Oh no! Better luck with the Fix, Nancy!

I've found the audiobook for Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, which is excellent because it means I'll finish it that much sooner. And the author reads with excellent inflection, to further hammer home the myriad of staggering points and statistics he rattles off.

Coupled with that, I started The Grey King today with the intention of finishing the Dark is Rising sequence by the end of the month; should be an easy feat, as these are short books. I'm already halfway through this one. I very much appreciate the sheer Welshness of this installment in particular.

Yes, I definitely am glad to have continued The Autobiographical Trilogy. I have now read the third of the series--A Moment of War by Laurie Lee. These are classics that deserve to be called classics.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am trying now another renown Canadian author--W.O. Mitchell and his book Who Has Seen The Wind. I wanted to read the author's How I Spent My Summer Holidays but it was not available to me except in an abridged version, which I abhor.

I started Sherlock Holmes & the Christmas Demon by, James Lovegrove narrated by, Dennis Kleinman

Ashley Marie wrote: "Right, there definitely are hurricanes in both states (and especially in North Carolina in the 1960s, when this apparently takes place) and yet there's no mention of any occurring - I think the idea of a Louisiana setting, if I read the other reviews right, feels more in line with the narrator's accent.
..."

Thanks for the info. I read this one in e-format so I never associated the narrator's accent with the main character. There should have been hurricanes. I guess I just read this as entertainment and never thought it was supposed to be entirely realistic. I agree it is unlikely for a young child to survive alone in the marshes for that long.

Ashley Marie wrote: "2.5/3 stars to Where the Crawdads Sing. This is one of the few instances where I found the film more compelling than the book, and I took several weeks in between so that having wat..."

I also didn't like the book for all the reasons listed above. As a result I skipped the movie. I'm rethinking that move right now!

Fran wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "2.5/3 stars to Where the Crawdads Sing. This is one of the few instances where I found the film more compelling than the book, and I took several weeks in betwe..."

I watched the film first, which may have affected my judgment. I think I still would've had pacing issues with the book, and a few other quibbles, but I also wonder if I would've even tried the film afterward.

I've been doing a bit of traveling and haven't caught up recently. Now that I have a moment with some stable wifi here's what I've been listening to.

The Book Woman's Daughter was interesting historical fiction. I did not read the first book in the series, but the books can definitely stand alone. At first, the narrator, Katie Schorr, grated on me but I came to really like her and the narration was perfect for the main character. Never heard of the blue people of Kentucky. I definitely did a bit of googling because it sounded so implausible. I have to pump my rating up to 4*.

And Dangerous Women was another nicely read historical fiction. The setting is a convict ship of only women destined for Australia in the 1800s. The author took a bit of creative license and added a murder on board which moved the plot along. It's based on primary documents and the ships logs so she had nice research to work with. There were a lot of characters to keep straight though. 4*

I'm not sure if I posted this last month, but I listened to Top Hoodlum: Frank Costello, Prime Minister of the Mafia. Nonfiction and the title says it all. It was a worthwhile listen. I particularly liked the testimony in congressional hearings. 4*

I also listened to Dark Assassin and A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons. Both are entertaining mystery/thrillers and finally Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva. Silva always delivers in my estimation.

Now I'm listening to The Overstory which has been highly recommended and has received stellar reviews.

Just finished two:

Flights by Olga Tokarczuk - 3* - My Review

This book consists of a series of loosely connected vignettes. It is extremely fragmented. This structure will appeal to some readers and turn off others. I found myself wondering the point of it all. There are a few philosophical musings that are somewhat interesting, but taken as a whole, this is just not my type of book.

The audio is nicely narrated by Julia Whelan.

If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery - 4* - My Review

This book packs an emotional punch. It focuses on the Jamaican American experience, and the depiction of race in America is spot on. The American tendency to “define” someone by a single term is parodied to humorous (but sad) effect. It is told in a series of short stories, which easily flow together to form a novel. It covers a lot of ground – dysfunctional families, father-son dynamics, abandonment, race, class, financial struggles, underemployment, and identity. I am impressed by this author, especially considering this book is his debut.

The audio book is brilliantly narrated by Torian Brackett.

4 stars to The Grey King, as read by Richard Mitchley. It looks like we go back to Alex Jennings for the finale, but this installment was great. Very dark.

Fran, hope your traveling has been pleasant. It has happened to me too that a narrator I dislike at the start, I end up likin by the end. It is best to not judge them too quickly!

Christine Feehan
newest Dark book
Dark Whisper
led me to go back and re-read earlier books in the series where couples re-appearing in this book are featured starting with
Dark Slayer

Dark Slayer and Dark Whisper feature couples where each partner is a warrior with unique talents. It was a welcome surprise when the Ancient in Dark Whisper quickly accepts his other half as a partner in battle. That was one of the things that made Dark Slayer a favorite of mine.

I finished Our Little World by Karen Winn, was hoping for some 80s setting, which was barely there. The main thing it reminded me of was the awkwardness of junior high. The main plot is about a missing neighbor girl, and sisters. It was just okay.

Right now I'm firmly into A Small Death in the Great Glen by A.D. Scott. Takes place in Scotland and the narrator sometimes sounds British to me, but maybe that's mostly due to a book he narrated that I listened to not too long ago. Well, some of the voices do sound more Scottish than others. Anyway, it's not really taking away from the story. Enjoying it more than the previous, also a bit of a mystery book.

Finished Sherlock Holmes & the Christmas Demon by, James Lovegrove narrated by,Dennis Kleinman This was my first Holmes book by this author but I would definitely read more, this fit in with canon well.Dennis Kleinman's narration was very well done I enjoyed it very much!This was a fun freebie from Audible Plus.

Half done with the middle grade Show Me a Sign by, Ann Clare LeZotte narrated by, Nora Hunter fascinating historical fiction about the deaf community in Martha's Vineyard in 1805.

If Canadian classics interest you, then check out Who Has Seen the Wind by W.O. Mitchell. Make double sure you don't by mistake grab an abridged version!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have now gone back to nonfiction, picking up The Cellar-House of Pervyse: The Incredible Account of Two Nurses on the Western Front During the Great War by G.E. Mitton. A free download is available at Librivox. It is special for me because it takes me back to Belgium where I lived for some fifteen years!

5 stars to Shashi Tharoor's Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India. An incredibly devastating read. The author's audio narration is excellent.

This is an unusual and creative story. It is a meditation on the passage of time and the big impact of seemingly small changes. It examines withdrawal, the impact of humankind on nature, and risks not taken. Each chapter refers to the watchful “eye” of the mountain. There is a gradual increase in inertia. It is poetically written. The ending may be interpreted in a variety of way. I do not often re-read books, but definitely plan to re-read this one. It won’t be for everyone, but I loved it.

Seven Steeples by Sara Baume - 5* - My Review

The audio is beautifully read by Aiofe McMahon.