Tag Archive: Fiction



Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy, #2)Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Below is the review I made the first time I read this book. I find it says more than I was planning to say. My current review would have just said how much I loved this time-travel adventure between the witch and her vampire husband. Check out the old review for the rest.

*****

After a bit of research, I realized that I had read the first book, A Discovery of Witches, in 2011. That reading was a result of a recommendation by my cousin. I loved that book. Yet, I just took the quiz and found I only got 3 questions right out of 10. So maybe I should have read it again before reading this second book, Shadow of Night. I did feel lost at times, but the story kept me engaged, and I didn’t want to leave the past to review the first book. Also, in my research, I found that I didn’t have the Kindle version of the first book. I must have borrowed the hardback from the library. But I do have the Audible version of the book that I had listened to alongside the hardback.

With both books of the series, I was delighted by the narrator, Jennifer Ikeda. Her voice is exquisite. I love the way she can vary according to each character. I feel she could read the phonebook and make it exciting. But Deborah Harkness’s writing needs no help. Several times, I’d have a sleepless night and want to read. I hated donning my headset just for a few minutes of reading. Those few moments lasted for sometimes hours. So yes, I know how well the writing is. With the duo of writer and narrator, this story comes to life. And that is when Elizabeth I was queen.

I love time travel stories, but this was different in that it was due to witchcraft that made it happen. And that by a witch who doesn’t understand her craft. Okay, I won’t tell you any more about the story. Needless to say, it is worth the read. The characters alone can grab you. They are well-developed, as is the plot. So much so that I couldn’t wait to get the next book and get involved. I highly recommend this series.

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A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1)A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jennifer Ikeda narrated this book with so much variance in her voice, playing each character with enthusiasm and strength.

The story is as interesting this second time around. I am sucked right into the story as if it is the first time. I can remember certain plot points, but getting to those points is half the adventure.

After reading the Vampire Knitting Club and the Vampire Book Club series, I needed to have another lighter story. This one isn’t as much humor as it is a full immersion into Deborah Harkness’s world.

I have enjoyed this so much that I decided to get back into the whole series. I’ve already started reading book two.

Below is my first review of this book

******
This book was so much fun. Now, I have a new author, Deborah Harkness, and a new narrator, Jennifer Ikeda, on my favorites list. The only problem I had with the book was that feeling when the book ended and the next book wasn’t available yet! So, I spent my day in that withdrawal phase that happens when you have learned to love the characters and enjoy the plot.

What some reviewers were irritated with was the clothing issues. I found them to be signs of a modern professional woman who is trying to be ‘normal.’ I loved the range of senses Ms. Harkness called upon to present the world. Ms. Ikeda’s accents made the characters come alive.

I have to thank my cousin for suggesting this book. Only for her would I have read anything to do with vampires. I was led to believe, by the title, I suppose, that this would be about witches. 🙂

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Slayers (Buffyverse)Slayers by Amber Benson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t know how this non-vampire person ended up reading/listening to so many books about vampires lately, but here we are. I must say most of them don’t include blood-sucking types. This one, though, did.

Any fan of the Buffy series will find this fun. So many of our actors from the show are in this Audible “show.” I say, show as I could picture all that was happening in my head. The sound quality was fun with sounds that made me think I was keeping my husband awake. But when I removed the headset, I found the sound was just on the headset.

I hope there are ways for those without Audible to enjoy this. Grant it, this was a little more gruesome than my more recent reads, but not more so than the Buffy show. As serious as the plot seems these characters have a good sense of humor to keep it light.

This was more like a radio show with music and sound effects. I don’t even know how this would work out as a book. So I hope you can find it. It was fun!

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Chapter and Curse (Vampire Book Club #2)Chapter and Curse by Nancy Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another fun book club book with vampires, witches, and ghosts who are both witches and ghosts. Again, there are murders not caused by the paranormal but by grudge-holding humans. I’m almost finished with book three and trying to remember book two. I can’t stop. I love these as my bedtime stories! This was quite the adventure between Nancy Warren’s writing and Hollis McCarthy’s narration.

Again, I must mention my only aversion is the actual need for murder. Can’t mysteries be less lethal? I find the mystery of where I left my brush as exciting, especially when you have a large family.

Still, the fun of a bookstore and now a new house to look at with unknown antiques is fun. I love the cats, witches, and vampires, the non-bitey types.

Now, on to the next review.

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The Vampire Book Club (Vampire Book Club, #1)The Vampire Book Club by Nancy Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, boy. Do I need a 12-step program for Nancy Warren’s books? I can’t stop! I’m already two books out from this one and haven’t written the review for this one yet.

May I stop for a moment? EVERYTHING about these books is fun, except the murder parts. And don’t blame the witches (at least the good ones) or the vampires. It is always a human with a grudge or two.

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. In the olden days, I wouldn’t be caught without a book in my purse. A purse should always be big enough to carry a book or two. That way, I could read while sitting and waiting in the car for kids or long lights or even in an unmoving traffic jam. Standing in line at the DMV or at the Theater, out came the book, even if I merely got a paragraph.

Now, I have a different book on old cell phones tucked away in the bathroom or next to my bed; two different Fires hold different books or types of books. One Fire has games that don’t require much thought while listening to a book on the other Fire. The audiobook is my favorite venue now, but I do read the occasional paper book or Kindle on the phones.

I have books that require a lot of thought. I save those for daytime or waiting times. At nighttime, fantasy and lighter Sci-fi play with me.

So you know these are my nighttime pleasures. The dream of the last series was a yarn story in my house, where the knitting club met. This series, though having the occasional visit from the knitting vampires, is in the home above the bookstore the main character owns. This is my other dream life.

My husband and I met, dreaming of owning the noisiest bookstore ever. I planned to have a music area. If you want quiet, you go somewhere else. I wonder if the vampires bookclub would still meet in my imaginary bookstore?

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The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall (Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall, #1)The Vampire Knitting Club: Cornwall by Nancy Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading the Vampire Knitting Club series, I couldn’t stop. I ordered and started immediately on this one.

Whoa! Wait! New narrator. What a shock. I got used to the other one. But after I got used to her, Piper Goodeve (Narrator) is a good choice for a new witch. Best friends with our former series star, Lucy, Jennifer proves to be a fun character to hang out with. And she can hold her own.

This new place gives that bit of travel I like in a good book. And more knitting, more competent knitting.

I haven’t mentioned this in any of the series’ reviews, but I wish we could do a cozy mystery without a murder. But that seems to be how it is. Oh, well. It is still fun.

And guess what! I’ve already started and finished the next book. On to my next review.

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Leave the World BehindLeave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I saw the movie a while ago. It did the book justice. I will have to watch it again now that I read the book. Well, I listened to the audiobook through Libby, the library app. I highly recommend both ways to enjoy this thrilling story.

Here is the first part of the blurb about this book:

“A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong.”

I think that says it all!

Add to that the wonderful voice acting by Marin Ireland. Wow! Make sure your nails are long enough to bite.

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Shogun, Part 2Shogun, Part 2 by James Clavell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally, I finished reading (listening) to part 2 of the tome. However, I couldn’t find the actual Audible version on which to write the review.

Ralph Lister was the narrator. Sorry. I think he may be the worst. Or maybe this would have been better with a cast of actors. The problem with Mr. Lister is it is hard to tell the characters apart. And his women sound demeaning to all women. Well, the whole book, and that time in history, was degrading to women, but there were positive things stated in the book, such as how wives took care of the money the men made, which may have been their only power. The next level from wife is Geisha, a step up from prostitute. So, to hear that demeaning voice just continued to make me angry.

My review for the first part can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show…. There is a lot to this book, which includes my history of reading and watching this series.

Anyway, I am looking forward to watching the new series and will rewatch the old one. We don’t need to hide from past mistakes; we certainly can learn from all of them. Meanwhile, learning more about Japanese culture and beginning steps in the language was fun for me.

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Shōgun (Asian Saga: Chronological Order, #1)Shōgun by James Clavell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this way back in the 80s. It was a big, thick paperback. I loved it. Then I watched the movie (or was it a series?) with Richard Chamberlain. Then I was blown away. I was already crazy about Mr. Chamberlain—so much so that, as an early teen, I’d sneak a mirror into the bookshelf in the hall at just the right angle so that even though it was past my bedtime, I could watch Dr. Kildare. I still think I got away with it.

What I loved about every iteration of Shōgun was the passion, history, culture, and language presented. Richard Chamberlain is going to be hard to beat in his portrayal of Anjin-san, especially in the scene where he is committing Seppuku. But in this Audible edition, I felt that passion through the reading by narrator Ralph Lister.

I have gotten used to Mr. Lister’s reading, but I think this book needs separate actors. I absolutely hate hearing a man do a female voice. It always sounds demeaning to women. And all the men sound similar to each other.

Still, since I am taking Japanese on Duolingo I feel I understand more than the last time I read the book. I’m looking forward to book II and the new streaming series.

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The Plains of Passage: Earth's Children, Book 4The Plains of Passage: Earth’s Children, Book 4 by Jean M. Auel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this a few years ago. Below is my last review. I am having a hard time separating the books. I have already started The Shelters of Stone. I love Sandra Burr’s narration, that is until Shelters. Why did she change how Ayla’s accent in Shelters? But aside from that, I enjoyed the Plains and the adventure of hiking the glaciers. Ayla’s growth and the growth of Jondalar as they move between societies and bigotries and Earth’s growing and evolving made a story I don’t want to stop. I know it ends, but I may love it more than I loved the last read.

~~~
June 23, 2016
This was probably my favorite of the series, both for the writing/research and also for the narration of Sandra Burr. I think Ms. Burr finally hit her Cave-womyn height with this one. I more often pulled away from the Kindle version and let Sandra tell me the story. In the Audible version, the characterizations were seamless. When it was a man talking, I pictured the man. I often forgot a woman was narrating. She kept each female voice different and consistent enough that I wouldn’t have needed to look to see who was talking. Amazing!

Another reason I enjoyed the Audible more than the Kindle (written) form because there were so many passages (no pun intended) with descriptions. I’m sure a lot of the research Jean M. Auel did was represented here. But if you follow Discovery or other science channels, you would have covered much of it. Ms. Burr kept those flowing and interesting. And her ability to pull the very essence of a sexual scene without making it raunchy was amazing (and sexy!)

I am writing this after starting the next book. I couldn’t leave Ayla out there in the ether!

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