I don't even know quite what to say about One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon, other than this was a heck of a lot different than InstAudiobook Rating: 5/5
I don't even know quite what to say about One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon, other than this was a heck of a lot different than Instructions for Dancing which is the only other book of hers I have read. Set in what I would call a dystopian world, Jasmyn and her husband move the family to a utopia in California to escape the crime and injustice of the world and thrive with other like-minded families. I was hooked immediately, and it gave me creepy Stepford Wives vibes throughout. I loved Jasmyn’s character and feared like crazy for her once she decided something suspicious was going on in Liberty and wanted to figure out what it is. Yoon tackles lots of social issues in this novel and puts race and class front and center.
The audiobook ended up being my favorite part of the book and I thought Nicole Lewis was fantastic. I have heard her narration before, and she never disappoints. I thought she really nailed the emotions Jasmyn undergoes in this story, and she made One of Our Kind an incredible listening experience. The end of the novel is where things really took a turn for me, and I was just not happy with the resolution. That last chapter killed me and didn’t sit the right way after all we went through to get to the end. It was definitely shocking though so the shock value was there for sure. While this won’t be for everyone and didn’t blow me away, I still found it to be a solid and suspenseful read that covered very important topics.
Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
Lilith was a #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt and now I am seriously questioning my life choices. Eric Rickstad's Canaan Crime series has been on my TBR for ageLilith was a #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt and now I am seriously questioning my life choices. Eric Rickstad's Canaan Crime series has been on my TBR for ages and yet I am just now reading this man! The storyline is a really tough one and this definitely isn't going to be for everyone, but I was completely blown away by the lengths Elisabeth would go in more ways than one. She is such a strong, STRONG, female lead and I found her incredibly likable personally. She stood up for herself in the world of men and protocols, and I couldn’t help but admire her. This is a very political and violent read, and yet I couldn’t get enough of it.
The audiobook is narrated by my beloved Brittany Pressley who was so perfect as Elisabeth/Lilith that if this character were real, I would think she was her. Pressley always fully embodies the character(s) she voices, and this was no exception. I was also thrilled with how much suspense was packed into Lilith and the pacing is literally nonstop without any dull moments. This is such a hard hitter for being a whole 275 pages, and I was incredibly happy with how it ended. This is preaching something that most people feel a certain way about, and I am honestly surprised it isn’t more controversial. I was definitely in the target audience, and I loved every minute of this bone-chilling read.
PSA: Shoutout to @bookswithjams (IG) who made me move it up!! ...more
Kimberly Belle has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read and loved Dear Wife, and I love how varied and interesting her plot lines are. ThKimberly Belle has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read and loved Dear Wife, and I love how varied and interesting her plot lines are. The Paris Widow is set in Paris as the title suggests, with Stella and Adam as our main characters/viewpoints. I can't say I actually loved either of these people, and my favorite character in the entire book was definitely Kat though she doesn't get too much page time. Stella irritated me for much of the book (which could also have been because of the narrator for the audio), but the storyline ended up getting completely wild and the pace is fast and never quits.
The audiobook features Patrick Zeller voicing Adam while Marni Penning voices Stella. I had no issues with Zeller, but Penning is very screechy which is a complaint I had with her narration for Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry. I think that influenced how I felt about Stella's character as a whole, and I just wish she would have calmed it down a bit since I love her voice besides that. I am going to start paying more attention to audiobooks with her as the narrator, and I am seriously considering going back and reading The Paris Widow with my eyes at some point. I loved the Paris setting as well as the nonstop action, and the end completely blew my mind. This is another winner from the amazing Kimberly Belle, and I can’t wait to see what she cooks up next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I have now read every single Charlie Donlea novel there is minus his debut Summit Lake, and he never ceases to surprise me. Long Time Gone was a whirlwind of mystery and emotion, and the pacing took off right away and there was never a lull. The book is jam-packed with mixed media which I loved, and there are quite a few viewpoints to keep things interesting. Sometimes I don't think they are all necessary but all of the POVs Donlea used here were great additions to the storyline and added quite a bit to the suspense factor. I've read quite a few books recently that involve DNA tests, but I loved where the author took that with Sloan turning out to be a missing-presumed-dead baby.
As with every Donlea novel, Vivienne Leheny narrates the audiobook and I hope this is a theme that never quits. She did an incredible job with each of the viewpoints as well as the mixed media, and I could listen to her read a grocery list I love her narration so much. I did take away .25 of a star due to constant repetition which is something I am not used to with Donlea's books. Not to be mean, but unless you are Tom from Fifty First Dates, we don't need to have the same major parts of a story on repeat. Besides that, I loved everything about Long Time Gone and the twists were extra twisty! This will take you on a roller coaster ride, and I would love to see it onscreen.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Last House by Jessica Shattuck has big literary fiction energy and it was a family saga as well making it a perfect comparison to the novel The Dutch Last House by Jessica Shattuck has big literary fiction energy and it was a family saga as well making it a perfect comparison to the novel The Dutch House. I definitely got the same vibe from both of these novels, but LH was very focused on oil especially. There is a partial list of products made from oil at the beginning of the book (thankfully read in the audiobook), and some of the items completely surprised me. Granted there are lots of types of oil, but pantyhose...?! ...more
I have officially found yet another author to love with Don't Ask, Don't Follow by Mary Keliikoa. This was a jaw-dropper if there ever was one, a4.5/5
I have officially found yet another author to love with Don't Ask, Don't Follow by Mary Keliikoa. This was a jaw-dropper if there ever was one, and I loved how wonderfully twisty it was! The quick pacing kept me on my toes, and I was thoroughly engrossed in Beth's mission to find her missing sister. There was just a tiny touch of romance to this one as well, though nothing happens on the page, but I loved that, and I wanted these characters to have a happy ending. Family drama and secrets abound, and Beth finds out some shocking revelations as the storyline progresses.
The audiobook for Don't Ask, Don't Follow is a good one, and I was a happy camper with Emily Lawrence as the narrator. She did an excellent job voicing the book and I especially loved her for Beth's character. There is plenty of action to keep the narrative going and I was completely shocked by the twists. And I wouldn't be a very good cat lover if I didn't notice the inclusion of Murphy, Craig's cat. For some reason, I just loved that Keliikoa thought to include this little guy and that Beth went to the lengths she did to keep him with her after her boss's death. This is the perfect beach read if you are in the mood for something quick and twisty!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
After seeing Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa all over Booksta and having read and loved You're Invited, I knew I had to read it. This was an achingly slow burn in the beginning, and it took me to about the halfway mark to really be invested. To be honest, it was almost a DNF for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it because the last half and especially the end really pulled things together for me. This is a really heavy read which I wasn't expecting, and it gave me total Silvia Moreno-Garcia vibes. I loved the way Jayatissa mixed culture and folklore, and she brought Sri Lanka to life in the way only she can do.
I really enjoyed the audiobook, and I could tell that Isuri Wijesundara knew what she was doing with her narration. She flawlessly flew through all of the Sinhala phrases and completely embodied the voice of Amara. I'm glad I chose to listen to this, as I don't think I would have been able to pronounce a lot of things in the book. I kinda feel like I read a different book from everyone else, and I personally wanted more action out of the storyline. I also found the way Jayatissa wrote out the language and then the English words to be very distracting although it was interesting as well. All in all, this wasn't the best book I have ever read but it still has many wonderful qualities, and you should definitely take my review with a grain of salt. Thank you for listening. ...more
I have been meaning to get to Since She's Been Gone by debut author Sagit Schwartz for quite some time now, and I'm glad I finally did! This had a nonI have been meaning to get to Since She's Been Gone by debut author Sagit Schwartz for quite some time now, and I'm glad I finally did! This had a nonstop fast-paced plot with plenty of reveals as well as a mysterious atmosphere the entire way through. I was glad the triggers were listed at the beginning of the book (Schwartz being a psychotherapist that isn't a surprise), and if you have triggers, I would definitely recommend checking them out ahead of time. I think I loved Lippman's blurb for this book the most, and the author certainly set her thriller apart from all the others out there. The focus on mental health and addiction is a huge aspect of the storyline, and it is approached with great care and respect.
The audiobook is narrated by Ann Sprinkle who is a new-to-me narrator, and I thought she did just an amazing job. She managed to harness all of the pain and emotions in the characters, especially Beatrice (Beans), and listening to her got me all emotional too. While I wasn't blown away like most readers were, I found this to be an incredibly solid debut with a lot of heart, twists, and a complex plotline. I still can't get over how much I learned about eating disorders from reading Since She's Been Gone, and if you want a smart and unique thriller that will instantly hook you, this is your gal!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
After loving The Woman in the Library, I knew I would be reading all of Sulari Gentill's books going forward and was excited to dive into The Mystery After loving The Woman in the Library, I knew I would be reading all of Sulari Gentill's books going forward and was excited to dive into The Mystery Writer. I'm not sure why but for some reason, the conspiracy forums threw me off more than I would have liked, and I didn't love that facet of the storyline. There was also a lot going on with very little action until the end, and it left me very muddled about my feelings. The whole 'relationship' between Theodosia (Theo) and Dan felt very lacking as well, and I didn't really understand how she could fall in love with someone so quickly, even if he was her favorite author. Just a lot of things that didn't add up for me.
I did however really enjoy the audiobook and I thought Katherine Littrell did a fantastic job. She's definitely what kept me going, and if I had read this it may have been a DNF. I am making it sound like I enjoyed this book a lot less than I actually did, but I promise I didn't think it was all bad. It was interesting enough that I did want to find out how it would end, and I thought the plot was quite intricate and sharp. The elements used in the plot were what did me in eventually, and it was slow in random parts as well. I do not want this review to stop anyone from reading the book though, and if you are a fan of conspiracy theories and sketchy characters, I would definitely give it a shot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
The Princess of Las Vegas is the second novel by Chris Bohjalian that I have read with the first being The Flight Attendant, and boy these two books cThe Princess of Las Vegas is the second novel by Chris Bohjalian that I have read with the first being The Flight Attendant, and boy these two books couldn't have been more different. If you look at Bohjalian's list of published titles it is easy to see that he writes a little bit of everything, and I love him for how unique and different each of his books is. This book focuses on Crissy, the spitting image of the late Princess Diana, who has thus created a Vegas musical cabaret based on the woman's life. Things start to get extremely complicated for her when her somewhat estranged sister Betsy shows up with her daughter Marisa and a very shady new boyfriend, and the bodies start piling up. This is a THICK novel, and while sometimes I feel like it isn’t necessary to the storyline, I thought the length was perfect for this book, and I greatly enjoyed the world-building and characterization throughout.
You know what else is fun about The Princess of Las Vegas? The audiobook! The extremely talented Saskia Maarleveld narrates Crissy while Bohjalian’s daughter Grace Experience narrates Betsy and Marisa. I had no idea his daughter was a narrator until I read the acknowledgments and I thought that was such a fun fact. She hasn’t narrated too many books, but I do hope she narrates more in the future since she did a really fantastic job with both Betsy and Marisa. She managed to make herself sound older and younger based on whose POV she was voicing, and her pacing was perfect. I listened to the audio at around a 3x speed the entire time, and I do think it would be a little tough if I had to listen at a 2 the entire time, especially with the length. This book dove headfirst into the world of cryptocurrency as well which is not something I know much of anything about. That was interesting to me, but I mostly enjoyed the family drama and the way the book went out with a bang. ...more
I have no idea why I thought The Vacation House by Jane Shemilt was a thriller, but it is most definitely not that. It is a very slow-paced domestic/gI have no idea why I thought The Vacation House by Jane Shemilt was a thriller, but it is most definitely not that. It is a very slow-paced domestic/general fiction novel that tells 2 stories. One of Sofie in 2003 Paxos, Greece, and the other of the wife of a school headmaster Julia in present-day London, England. While both have their own intricacies, Sofie's POV packs a wallop and if you have triggers, you will for SURE need to check them before starting this. Some parts of the story are so traumatizing that it was very hard for me to read, and Shemilt is clearly not scared to take on sensitive and important subject matters.
Despite this not being a thriller, there are still a couple of twists, and while I kinda saw through one of them, the others quite surprised me. The Vacation House is a great book to listen to in the audio format, and I thought Amalia Vitale did exceptionally well with both viewpoints. She fully embodied both Sofie and Julia, and it honestly felt like I was listening to 2 different narrators. She is just that good. You should go into this book expecting a heavy read that ends in a hopeful way and a slow-burning plot, but if you are good with both of these things, you will most likely enjoy the depth and writing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Original Sins by Erin Young is the second book in the Riley Fisher series, and though I couldn't really remember what happened in the first book4.25/5
Original Sins by Erin Young is the second book in the Riley Fisher series, and though I couldn't really remember what happened in the first book, it didn't seem necessary to read this installment. Riley, as usual, throws herself into some majorly dangerous situations but manages to come out on the other side because of her quick wits and general badassery. I love her as an FMC and was completely engrossed in the storyline and seeing her character build up a little more.
The audiobook is narrated by Kate Handford which I thought was interesting because book 1 (The Fields) was narrated by Soneela Nankani. I'm not sure why they made this change, and I will be interested to see who the next installment will be narrated by. I personally love Nankani as a narrator and would have liked to see her back, but I enjoyed Handford's narration all the same and would be just fine if she continued to narrate. Parts of this book reminded me of Open Your Eyes by Heather J. Fitt, and it is downright disturbing. Triggers are there and should be checked, but this was a solid mystery/police procedural, and I can't wait for the series to continue!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Ah, debut authors. I love reading a debut novel but always feel the pressure of the actual reviewing after I'm done. Was Off the Air the most amazing Ah, debut authors. I love reading a debut novel but always feel the pressure of the actual reviewing after I'm done. Was Off the Air the most amazing book I have ever read? no. Was it informative, smart, witty, and engaging? all yes! I can definitely tell Christina Estes is a reporter in Arizona and she provided a ton of background on both the state and what the politics are like in this type of job. I feel like I learned a lot about Arizona and TV reporting in general, and it made for a very interesting read. I really enjoyed the mystery of who killed Larry and the way Estes mixed humor with heavier topics (a content advisory is listed at the back of the book).
I found the audiobook to be very enjoyable and though I couldn't find many books Marcella Black has narrated, I thought she was a great fit for Jolene and the book as a whole. Black made this an enjoyable listening experience for me and helped with the slower pacing. As many readers have said, I think Estes could have made this story less political and omitted some details that didn't move the story along. It made the book fall a little flat for me overall and I don't love politics in books in general. If that is what she was going for though she completely nailed it, and I do believe this is a representation of the world she works in, so I can't be too mad at it. I don't need more of this character (sorry Jolene), but I would definitely read whatever Estes writes next.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
I had no idea that the word diva is the Latin word for goddess, but boy does that make so much sense! I learned that and more from reading Diva by DaiI had no idea that the word diva is the Latin word for goddess, but boy does that make so much sense! I learned that and more from reading Diva by Daisy Goodwin, and when I first read the synopsis, I had high hopes that I was going to love it. It makes this book sound incredibly fascinating, and while I thought aspects of it were great, the execution was also a little off for me. It's like we just got dumped into Callas's life without much of an introduction, and I wasn't a huge fan of the format after that. That being said, I really enjoyed the story and learning more about this famous opera singer whom I knew nothing about. I feel like I got to know more about other historical figures as well, and I loved that.
I think the best thing about Diva, and the way I would recommend reading it is by listening to the audiobook. Not only is Lorelei King a remarkable narrator but there is also music from the subject herself! I love that they used clips of Maria Callas singing, and it was incredible to get to hear. And if that doesn't sell you, there is also a discussion between the author and the woman who gave her singing lessons where they discuss more about Callas, their experience together, and a little bit of the research that went into this book. Some parts of it broke my heart, and I hate how much Onassis was able to charm and use Callas. Their affair is one of the main aspects of the novel, and it made me loathe him. Overall, this was an eye-opening read for me, and if the execution had been a little different, I would have loved it completely....more
I freaking love Tracy Clark, and I feel like I have been waiting FOREVER to see my friend Detective Harriet Foster again. This is book 2 of the seriesI freaking love Tracy Clark, and I feel like I have been waiting FOREVER to see my friend Detective Harriet Foster again. This is book 2 of the series, and I couldn't remember a dang thing that happened in book 1, but I think Fall did really well as a standalone. I would have liked to do a reread of Hide first, but you are probably mostly just missing what happened with Foster's son. I think that when the third book comes out, I will do rereads, and I love the books so much that I want to anyway. Detective Foster is one of those female leads that you can really get behind, and I will forever be in love with her determination and cleverness.
I was extremely excited to learn the narrator from Hide was back for this audiobook, and once again Chanté McCormick did a completely stellar job. She is the perfect person to give voice and life to Foster, and I hope she never leaves as the narrator for the audio. The mystery surrounding who was killing the aldermen was top-notch as well, and even with the different viewpoints I had no idea who the killer was until it was revealed. Fall is packed with plenty of action as well as some drama, and this is definitely one of my favorite police procedural series out there even though there are only two books so far. This would make an incredible mini-series, and one day I really hope to see Foster onscreen! You can find the audio on Kindle Unlimited, and I highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I honestly have no idea what I have been doing with my life only just now reading a novel from Tess Gerritsen, but now that I have read The Spy Coast,I honestly have no idea what I have been doing with my life only just now reading a novel from Tess Gerritsen, but now that I have read The Spy Coast, I know I will be diving into her backlist. This book is packed full of action, and there is nothing I like more than people with a very particular set of skills going after bad guys. This gave me Taken vibes as well as Killers of a Certain Age, and the combo along with Gerritsen's superb writing talents completely blew me away. There are a few different viewpoints throughout the entire novel, but mainly we are focused on retired CIA agent Maggie and small-town acting Chief of Police Jo. Jo has lived in Purity, Maine her whole life, while Maggie followed other people there, and you couldn't ask for a smarter pair of female characters.
There is nothing like a fantastic audiobook to complement a fantastic story, and that is exactly what happened here. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of both Hillary Huber & Brittany Pressley, and they make the audio something completely out of this world if I do say so myself. I did find The Spy Coast to be a touch repetitive at times, but in the grand scheme of things it wasn't a big deal, and it didn't stop me from loving the book as a whole. I could easily see this as a mini-series or movie, heck, I would even take a full-blow series with many seasons, and I am really hoping that Gerritsen plans on turning this into a series. The end does seem to leave a possibility for that, and I will be keeping my fingers crossed that I get to meet these characters once again.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
FIRST OF ALL, the amount of spice in Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun was enough to get the people going, and I have to call this a romance since I FIRST OF ALL, the amount of spice in Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun was enough to get the people going, and I have to call this a romance since I consider romcoms like Hallmark Christmas movies. ...more
Finally, my first time reading Matt Witten! I actually met him at an author event at @onceuponacrimebooks in Minneapolis for his novel The Necklace, aFinally, my first time reading Matt Witten! I actually met him at an author event at @onceuponacrimebooks in Minneapolis for his novel The Necklace, and I was excited to read Killer Story since he talked a bit about the idea of it when I was there. It's always interesting to read something inspired by an author's life and experiences, and the author's note at the end of the book is certainly a must-read. While I can't say I actually liked Petra, I couldn't help but admire her tenacity and feel for her when it came to how many jobs she had lost in journalism and her struggle to make it in that world despite her talent. She did drive me crazy at times, but Natalie was even worse, and I was just WAITING for her to stand up to that girl. The only POV in this story is Petra's and I wouldn't have minded a police officer's POV as well.
I thought the audiobook was really enjoyable for Killer Story, and Harley Jane Kozak did a great job. Her voice is exactly what I would have expected for Petra, and her narration in general was just fantastic. I think she helped me connect to the characters a bit more than if I had simply read the book which is definitely saying something. I loved the podcast element of the book and while the audio unfortunately doesn't do anything to highlight that it was still a fun aspect. I had my suspicions about who the killer would be, but Witten managed to surprise me in other ways and the end was not what I was expecting at all. Overall, this was a solid 4-star read for me, and I can't wait to go back and read The Necklace!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I am very sad to say The Stars Turned Inside Out was not the book I was hoping it would be. I knew going in it would be heavy on science, but I was reI am very sad to say The Stars Turned Inside Out was not the book I was hoping it would be. I knew going in it would be heavy on science, but I was really hoping for a bit more action and a more pacy plot. I loved the setting of a Swiss physics laboratory and that I got to hear the words dark matter in here which took me back to one of my favorite books of all time, Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. There are a lot of characters in the story, and I honestly just could not keep track of who was who. I think this made the killer's reveal not all that exciting for me because at that point I was just kind of like who?
While the audiobook was good, it REALLY should have had a full cast, and I would have loved some sound effects or at least some music. I think that would have brought the story alive a bit more, and just liven things up in general for an audio listener. Lisa Flanagan is a great narrator though, and I definitely loved listening to her. The storyline itself is pretty slow and I found myself being easily distracted as I was listening. I thought The Stars Turned Inside Out had an impressive beginning and ending, but the middle made it fizzle out for me. If you love science and the quantum world this might be a better fit for you, especially if you care more about that than solving a mystery.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
Loading...
