Category: Reviews



Beautiful UglyBeautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alice Feeney wrote a most delicious thriller. It reminded me of scary ghost stories around the campfire, but much more detailed and realistic. Though not at all. You’ll understand once you read or listen to it.

If you choose to listen, Richard Armitage (Narrator) and Tuppence Middleton (Narrator) tell the story with great acting and characterization. I love their accents.

Once again, I found this book on Libby as an available audiobook. Now I’ve found a new author to enjoy.

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Every Version of YouEvery Version of You by Natalie Messier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can’t explain this properly. Even the blurb doesn’t. But this part of the blurb might help:

Joey Vasquez’s life is the definition of good on paper. At thirty-two, she’s a lawyer on the cusp of making partner, she owns her house in Los Angeles, and she almost keeps pace with her doctor sister in her parents’ eyes.

When she reluctantly arrives at the very couple-y dinner party hosted by Elijah Aarons, the best friend she’s secretly pined after for fourteen years, she’s dismayed to find that the last person on earth she’d ever want to see again is also Alex Aquino. Your basic rich Silicon Beach bro asshole. The night couldn’t possibly get worse—and then she dies.

When Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself eighteen again, the year she first met both Elijah and Alex. Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she’s come back to finally convince the one man she ever loved to love her back—so why does she find herself strangely drawn to the man she thought she hated?
***

Natalie Messier’s book is very different. It isn’t really time travel. I love how she leads us through the thought processes we might go through should we have that after-life; choices we might face if we come back younger. Could we work our way through regrets and find a way to make the world better for us and others.

Alejandra Reynoso, Timothy Andrés Pabon narrated the characters very well. I loved how authentic the languages sounded.

Libby recommended this in available audiobooks. It was fun and thought provoking.

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NightworkNightwork by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This audiobook was a surprise. At every turn, I found the shame of prejudging what I thought it was going to be.

I mostly read or listen to books written by women with women as the main character. And Nora Roberts seemed to meet that requirement for me. By the way, there is nothing against male authors or male main characters. But for most of my life, that was what seemed available. So a few years ago I made this my goal.

First surprise: instead of January LaVoy narrating, a male voice, Will Damron, told the story.
Second: the young male loves his mother and aunt so much that he took up robbery.
Third and beyond: oops, that would be spoilers.

I didn’t think I would be hoping for a thief. But I did.

May I suggest this as a diversion that still fits in Nora Roberts-land? I picked up this audiobook from Libby.

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LegacyLegacy by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nora Roberts is a genius writer; her characters are so well-developed that I feel I could call them friends. They even help inspire me to be better. Even her antagonists seem realistic enough that I hope I never meet anyone like them.

January LaVoy brings in even more personality and spirit to these books. I loved how she grew Adrian from a little girl to an adult through her voice acting.

There was something about this book that made me feel I was getting healthier and finding family and friends. I want to get busy with yoga.

Though there is some romance, as there seems to be in Ms. Roberts’s books, it is not the most important part. Living life to the fullest seems to be the main theme.

Again, I was lucky to find this audiobook on Libby.

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Under CurrentsUnder Currents by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As serious as the subject matter was, spousal and child abuse, it is full of surprises and positive energy. About a third of the way in, I felt the story finished. But suddenly there’s a part two: a new person who seems too good to be true, but she’s got the kind of attitude I wish I could emulate.

There are definitely some parts that are suspenseful, to the point I had to find something else to read at bedtime. But January LaVoy’s narration brings more energy and loving characters to life.

I was blessed to find this on Libby. I have to admit to enjoying Nora Roberts’s writing more and more.

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Hidden NatureHidden Nature by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Nora Roberts writing. And I love January LaVoy’s narrations. But the suspence of this book made it hard to use as my bedtime book. If kidnapping and murder stay with you read this during the day like I did. That got me past the scary parts. Without that bit the rest of the story about families and relationships pulled me in and wouldn’t let me go.

The book came to me during a time of recuperation. Watching the main character push her recovery and rebuid her life was inspiring to my own health. Despite the thriller parts, this was good for my health.

This edition came to me through Libby.

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The DescendantThe Descendant by Linda Stasi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dina Pearlman narrates this family drama. Was it Linda Stasi’s writing or the narration that started me thinking of cowboy hats and tumbling tumble weeds? Yet there was Italian dialogue from the main charaters in Sicily. I should have recognized some of it my childrens great grandparents were from Sicily. Their grandparents used to speak to me phrases. My mother-in-law played: how is this in Spanish? It was often quite close. Yet how much did I remember of my high school Spanish? My Duolingo lessons are to read not listen or speak. So I was glad that the Italian phrases were followed by the English translation. I think my in-laws were first generation born in America. So as the story went on, and I realized it was biographical, I could trace what I learned through osmosis my children’s heritage. That’s when the book became personal. I remember reasons my father-in-law moved from the east coast to the west, to get away from the mafia.

This Audible version made this nonfiction more accessable. I do plan to get the Kindle version so I couldlisten while reading. I need to see the Italian to get it better. And it won’t feel like a spaghetti western. It will feel like family.

By the way, by the end of the book I was ready to read it again. Now that I understand more about the characters and how they relate to the story in history I want to sink into the whole world created from reality to a literature that feels like fiction.

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The Way HomeThe Way Home by Amanda Prowse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful story! It isn’t often that stories are about elderly females. This character is so well developed. We see Lily-Bob’s past warts and all.

Amanda Prowse writes and narrates this charmer. Both excellently.

I don’t remember who recommended this. Thank you, whoever you are.
This was the Audible version. I hope you all get to give this a listen.

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The Circle Trilogy (The Circle Trilogy #1-3)The Circle Trilogy by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, that was quite a ride!
Even though I was under the weather, I had another Nora Roberts story to keep my interest.
Sadly, I couldn’t find it as an audiobook. With all the Gaelic or ancient verbiage, a talented narrator would be so welcome. Still, Ms. Roberts can weave a tale.

I’m not usually into vampire stories, unless they knit, or have a sense of humor. But I learned to feel
for the old buzzard.

The cast of characters was confusing at first, but by the end tears were running down my face for them all. Another way a narrator or two could have helped.

This Kindle edition was provided by Libby.

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Any Day Now (Sullivan's Crossing, #2)Any Day Now by Robyn Carr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I mentioned in the review for the first book, if you like the streaming series of Sullivan’s Crossing (Netflix, I think), you’ll like these books. The same love and concern for each other, living in a tranquil place of camping and hiking, and sweet characters combine to make a heartwarming story.

Roby Carr writes a beautiful story. This second book seemed to have a bit more repetition than may be needed, but it is easy to forgive. Terese Plummer narrates the tale well. I wish she could vary the character voices better. All the men sound the same; all the women sound the same. It is hard, sometimes, to know the person who is speaking. But Ms. Plummer keeps the listener engaged.

This book has quite a lot of suspense near the end. Thank you, Ms. Carr, for leaving us in a happy place regardless.

I found this second book on Audible. I want to go camping at Sullivan’s Crossing again soon. Next paycheck, I guess.

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