Audiobooks discussion

Finishing up Mexican Gothic, which fits the genre though I find the main character a bit annoying.

Working on Matricide: A Valerius Mystery - if there are only three in the series, I can live with it. Ancient Roman setting not enough in itself to carry the story.

I finished up Friday today - not my favorite by him

Started This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

I had to return my audio of Wild Dark Shore to the library, so I will be finishing that one by reading the physical copy and I will be starting September by finishing Bark Humbug, which I wasn't able to finish because I was trying to listen to Wild Dark Shore before it was returned. Clearly I planned that well. lol

Started Spooky season a bit earlier yesterday with The Last House on Needless Street which has quite the confusing and jarring initial chapter! Excited to unravel the layers this books appears to have.

John wrote: "...Working on Matricide: A Valerius Mystery..."

I will be starting the first one, Sub Rosa: A Valerius Mystery, soon (I hope). This is my cup of tea in so many ways. I hope it goes down smoothly.

Dee wrote: "Started This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me..."

I'm looking forward to this one and hope you will post your thoughts, Dee.

I am finishing up The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken for a book club meeting happening this Thursday, so no time to lose! It has surprised me by keeping my attention.

Jan Mc wrote: "I'm looking forward to this one and hope you will post your thoughts, Dee."

i'm enjoying it so far - about 2hrs in and its 21 hours in total

I'm about half-way through The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed.

Recently finished The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green. Found it to be more like a biography with a discussion about specific objects or things, such as a band. Haven't read any of his popular YA books, so this was my introduction to the author.

Jan Mc wrote: "John wrote: "...Working on Matricide: A Valerius Mystery..."

I will be starting the first one, Sub Rosa: A Valerius Mystery, soon (I hope). This is my cup of tea ..."

I finished the third one today, seemed written as though intended as a three-book deal and done from the ending. Have fun!
I've got a couple more hours of
Mexican Gothic left; however, there's a massive plot shift that has me setting it aside to return later from a new place.

i HATED mexican gothic with every fiber of my being - I listened to it 2021 _ i was deployed, underway and didn't have anything else downloaded and it was just urgh

I am listening to a very silly but also darkly enjoyable Star Wars (non-canonical) novel about Darth Maul infiltrating a supermax space prison.

Maul: Lockdown.

Listening to Alchemised this would be by longest audio book

Dee wrote: "i HATED mexican gothic with every fiber of my being - I listened to it 2021 _ i was deployed, underway and didn't have anything else downloaded and it was just urgh"

sigh.. Mexican Gothic was the first audiobook where I could not stand the narrators voice, idk something about her irritated me

Listening has been a bit slower this last month. My husband I are currently driving around Newfoundland and we're listening to I See You've Called in Dead. It's an easy and amusing listen since Sirius XM is spotty. Almost finished with Medicus which was recommended in this group. I have about 50 minutes to go. Also finished another Jackie Faber.

I finished The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken, and although the subject is difficult, the story is important. I thought the romance was a bit much, though.

I finished Bark Humbug. It was a great addition to the Andy Carpenter Mystery series.

- my review of Bark Humbug

I am now listening to Three Days in June.

I finished The Books of Babel series by Josiah Bancroft (steampunk) with The Fall of Babel, it was very long and dragged in parts but I got it done. I remember really enjoying book 3 a lot more than this final book, which wasn't my favorite.

I am finishing up a sci-fi series by Michael Mammay (Planetside) with Blindside, book #5. It just came out on audio, narrated by R.C. Bray who I really like for a narrator. It's pretty good, one hour left to finish that.

Next up I have three at the top of Mt. TBR, Michael Connelly's Lost Light Harry Bosch book is a library loan I had better get to, and I am excited about the new Skyward Flight book (YA sci-fi) by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson, Blightfall and the new Shannara book (fantasy) by Terry Brooks and Delilah S. Dawson, Brona. I had been waiting on these releases and used Audible credits for them.

Doug wrote: "I finished The Books of Babel series by Josiah Bancroft (steampunk) with The Fall of Babel, ..."

Doug, the first Babel book was just so strange that I gave up on that series. I didn't hate it, but just wasn't interested in going on.

I listened to the first three Planetside books, but my ratings went down with each book. Very disappointed, because I loved the first one.

I also read "Skyward," the first of that series, and I might pick that up again sometime.

Finally, I first read "The Sword of Shannara" (a paperback without a cover!) way back in 1978, and that book/series is why I still love fantasy. However, I went back to re-read it a few years ago, and it just didn't have that original magic. Maybe I'll try again in another 40 years?

Yes, The Sword of Shannara was not the best of Terry Brooks, but the entire series was great, I have been reading him since the late-80s and he is why I was engrossed in reading as a teenager. I remember the books fondly but haven't gone back to reread them all (that would be a lot of re-reading). I still follow the series and have all of Terry's books on a bookcase, most first edition hardcovers, one signed, he's a special author to me. He is getting older and admits that he can't remember precise details of his early work as well anymore so he picked up a co-author, Delilah S. Dawson, who I have read none of. I wonder if it will alter the writing style, or if the series will continue much longer? (He already retired it once, only to start again with prequels.)

I've finished the second book of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2. Short, sweet and amusing. Perfect for driving in the wilderness for hours!

Today I started Ransom by Daniel Silva and narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. Silva puts together a decent thriller and Ballerini is a great narrator.

I listened to Planetside because I so loved R.C. Bray in The Martian. It was fine but I wasn't compelled to continue.

I am really liking The Homemaker. This book is 102 years old and so revolutionary. Wife Evangeline is the perfect housekeeper, with a spotless home and well-dressed children, active in church and community affairs. Husband Lester has a steady job in accounting, though he hates it, and would like to spend more time reading and thinking, as he did in college. Evangeline's perfectionism has led her to micromanaging him as well as their children, criticizing their every movement. No surprise that one child is withdrawn, another is constantly ill, and the youngest has constant tantrums. Then something happens, which seems tragic. Lester is paralyzed from an accident, and Evangeline takes a job in the department store. Her excellent skills in dressmaking and decorating and her ability to read people make her a success. And she is so interested in her job that she doesn't notice a little dust at home. Lester takes up cooking with the help of the daughter, and everyone pitches in. He is actually a much more nurturing figure, and he has plenty of time to think while washing dishes and peeling potatoes. The kids all blossom, free from Mother's all-seeing eye. (Kind of a spoiler but all this happens pretty early on and if you start it without knowing that, you might quit because the original situation is so miserable.)

It's astounding that this book, 40 years before The Feminine Mystique, saw that society's gender roles can be confining to both sexes. The audio is excellent. The narrator is Anne Hancock, who I don't know, but she sounds very much like the actress Elizabeth McGovern, who read The Chaperone and of course played Cora on Downton Abbey.

Fran wrote: "I've finished the second book of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2. Short, sweet and amusing. Perfect for driving in the wilderness for hours!

Today I started [book:R..."

I've read 5/8 of Emma Lion so far. Hawkes, the clergyman, becomes more mysterious!

Last week I was at a conference so didn't get much reading done but on the drive I started Stay Buried by, Jennifer McMahon narrated by, Cassandra Campbell, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, Jennifer Pickens I felt like it was time for spooky books!

Finished Three Days in June and it was just ok. Nothing much happens, but it was a short audio.

I'm now listening to Very Valentine (just started) and Shoot the Moon (almost done).

I finished listening to The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout today. The book was fine, but there were aspects in the book that really annoyed me. Not a fan of that writing style. (view spoiler)[Foretelling what will happen to a character years in advance before the story gets there. (hide spoiler)]

My husband and I have been listening to I See You've Called in Dead while traveling around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We're almost finished and both of us are feeling meh. With an hour to go, I'll probably finish it.

I've finished Ransom and the third in the The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 3 series. These are really enjoyable. I'm loving the narration by Genevieve Gaunt.

Lastly, I just started the 51+ hours of James Clavell's WhirlwindWhirlwind. It's the 6th book in the Asian saga which started with Shōgun. Whirlwind has been in my TBL pile for some time. This one is obviously epic at 51+ hours and is set against the fall of the Iranian monarchy and rise of the Ayatollah in 1979. An epic historical fiction audio novel - has my name all over it!

I am listening to Red Clay which is free in the Audible Plus catalog, at least right now. Narrator Dion Graham is excellent, as always. It looks like this is the author's first book and it's based on his own family history. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and find it quite good.

I really enjoyed Red Clay and ditto your assessment of Dion Graham. It appears a sequel is due out in 2027 The Pinewoods Legacy: A Red Clay Story. Something to look forward to.

Fran wrote: "My husband and I have been listening to I See You've Called in Dead while traveling around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We're almost finished and both of us are feeling meh. With ..."

Dead was a DNF for me.

John wrote: "Fran wrote: "My husband and I have been listening to I See You've Called in Dead while traveling around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We're almost finished and both of us are feeli..."

I considered DNFing that book the entire way through. It was depressing.

Kristie wrote: "John wrote: "Fran wrote: "My husband and I have been listening to I See You've Called in Dead while traveling around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We're almost finished and both of..."

I got that book in a recent sale but maybe I will pass on it now!

Robin P wrote: "Kristie wrote: "John wrote: "Fran wrote: "My husband and I have been listening to I See You've Called in Dead while traveling around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We're almost fini..."

I think part of the issue is that it's a sad book, but marketed as humorous. It really sets you up with the wrong expectations.

John wrote: "Fran wrote: "My husband and I have been listening to I See You've Called in Dead while traveling around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We're almost finished and both of us are feeli..."

I liked Called in Dead but it was not what I expected. Kristie is right be prepared for something darker.

My husband is not an audiobook fan and I was hoping that I See You've Called in Dead was humorous - which it really isn't. It was recommended by a good friend who knows my husband and thought he would like it. I have less than an hour left, so I'm not giving up and it sounds like I'm going to want my time back. Maybe my money too!

I finished Shoot the Moon. It was a decent short story. 3.5★

After several years' hiatus, I've returned to the Inspector Lavender series with Murder in Park Lane - Michael Page is perfect for the series, though I understand the latest book has a differerent narrator.

John wrote: "After several years' hiatus, I've returned to the Inspector Lavender series with Murder in Park Lane - Michael Page is perfect for the series, though I understand the latest book ha..."

I've gone through book 7, I didn't know there was a newer one. I don't think I want to change narrators. I have always liked Michael Page in various genres.

I'm working my way through Taylor Jenkins Reid books this month. I can't believe I'm so late to the TJR party because her storylines are groovy. Plus, I've discovered that TJR audiobooks are FANTASTIC! The productions are masterful, original, and super engaging (almost interactive). Worth a listen for the experience.
Carrie Soto Is Back 5 Stars My Review
Malibu Rising 4 Stars My Review
Whistler by Anne Patchett is my book club pick of the month, and the book is sooo widely acclaimed. Am I the only one who isn't impressed? Is the emperor wearing clothes? 1 Star My Review
I’m reading The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. It's set in a bookstore in Minneapolis (where I'm from), during the pandemic, George Floyd's murder, and the subsequent riots (which I lived through). The White Earth Ojibwe Reservation in Northern Minnesota is the backdrop. It's both a ghost story (about how our past haunts our present) and a story about how books and storytelling can preserve history, create connection, and help us heal. The pandemic and riots intensify its themes of historical trauma, indigenous identity, cultural appropriation, racial injustice, and rehabilitation.

Louise Erdrich is such an exquisite writer that she makes these heavy topics palatable and easier to digest. So far, so wonderful.

Jen J wrote: "I'm working my way through Taylor Jenkins Reid books this month. I can't believe I'm so late to the TJR party because her storylines are groovy. Plus, I've discovered that TJR audi..."

I actually loved Whistler and I thought the audiobook read by the author was wonderful. I can see it might be a difficult book club book but there should be good discussion.

I finished up By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land - its set around the lead-up to the Surpreme Court case McMurty which examined the status of indiginous groups - had they been disbanded when it came to legal court cases.

It was eye opening and also seriously pissed me off in places - (view spoiler)[especially about how Oklahoma used manipulated data and lied to the surpreme court in multiple cases (hide spoiler)]

Jen J wrote: "...I guess that I'm just not the type who wants what I'm reading to feel like a warm hug. I'm more of a "punch me in the gut, fill me with existential dread" type of reader. lol...."

Jen, there are certainly all kinds, but I'm definitely the warm hug type of reader. Ha! I read enough history that punches me in the gut, so I like a softer fiction.

In fact, I've started Eve MacDonald's Carthage: A New History, which promises to have plenty of knockouts.

Meanwhile, I'm about a third of the way into Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and am not impressed. Tachaikovsky is very hit or miss for me, so it's not a surprise. I'd hoped for more.

Maybe I need to go watch a Disney movie or something.

I See You've Called in Dead is over and done! Pun intended. I'm not sure why this book received deceent reviews.

I've ditched Whirlwind as an audiobook. I'm definitely interested in reading it. There are too many characters to keep straight and the pronunciation of the names confused me even more. For instance, I've apparently been using an irregular pronunciation for the Ayatollah Khomeini. My Farsi is just not up to snuff.

Beth Brower's narrator, Genevieve Gaunt, is back in my ears with The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 4. I'm really enjoying the wit and quirky characters.

Fran wrote: "I See You've Called in Dead is over and done! Pun intended. I'm not sure why this book received deceent reviews.

I've ditched Whirlwind as an audiobook. I'm definite..."

I love the way she handles that uncle/cousin villain!

Jan Mc wrote: "Jen J wrote: "...I guess that I'm just not the type who wants what I'm reading to feel like a warm hug. I'm more of a "punch me in the gut, fill me with existential dread" type of reader. lol...."

Jan, we all need our palate-cleansers. I'll look into Carthage: A New History. I love to be knocked out. Ha.

John wrote: "Fran wrote: "I See You've Called in Dead is over and done! Pun intended. I'm not sure why this book received deceent reviews.

I've ditched Whirlwind as an audiobook...."

So good!