Tag Archive: romance



Drums of Autumn (Outlander, #4)Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blood of My Blood has prompted me to read the series once again. I’m finding the series as good as I did the first time, maybe now with more depth than I had before. But this is a fantastic series in books and on television. Blood of My Blood is moving a bit slow, but maybe there’s a reason. I trust Diana Gabaldon and the writers of the television series to write another great watch.
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I just finished this second read of the fourth book. I wanted to be ready for the new season on television. I didn’t need to read the whole series, although I watched the entire show from season 1. I really love the music by Bear McCreary. I just wanted to refresh my memory of what happens to the Frasers and the rest once they are in America.

I loved the story written, narrated, or acted. Though a little different in each case, it is a fun ride.

Davina Porter narrates with such a varied voice that one always knows whose viewpoint we are hearing. Every now and then, I get confused between Bree and Clair or Roger and Jamie. But it doesn’t take long before a person can know who they are hearing.

I have already started book five, as it has more about the American Revolution through the Frasers’ eyes. I can’t wait to see how they do it on the show. I love all the time travel. I love visiting other countries and hearing the histories brought to life by Diana Gabaldon, whose research and knowledge are portrayed in the books and the show.
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The following was from my first reading/listening from March 2020.

Oops! I nearly forgot to review this one. I just moved into the next read (a library book).

I really wish I had read this before the series on television. I liked the rhythm of the story better. I like the viewpoints presented here, as Clair’s rather than Bree’s, as the television series has it. It is different not having the information about the daughter making the voyage back in time and back to America.

I think we got into Roger’s head a little more, too. It doesn’t take away from the show. Interestingly, the directors and actors adapted the storyline without losing its essence.

No spoilers here. Just glad I read (listened to the Audible) it and can’t wait to get into the next one!

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The Baby Dragon Cafรฉ (The Baby Dragon, #1)The Baby Dragon Cafรฉ by Aamna Qureshi
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When you find yourself having a sleepless night, it is nice to have a cozy book about baby dragons on hand. This was quite cozy. The amount of tension was just right to help me calm my thoughts.

That said, I was disappointed there weren’t more bits about the baby dragons. It is more of a romance and a career goal that includes dragons. The writing was immature. The author didn’t seem to let go of reality so as to allow the reader to fall into the imaginary world she built.

Ash Raja and Hunter Johns narrated nicely. I did like that they helped the listener separate the characters.

I picked up this audiobook on Libby.

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Voyager (Outlander, #3)Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Because of Blood of My Blood (BOMB), the newest addition to the television series of Outlander, I decided to re-listen to the Outlander books. This one seemed the longest yet. I didn’t want to take forever reading it, so I listened during the days as well as the long hours at night. I carried my Fire around while doing chores, knitted, or played easy games while living in the Outlander world. I highly recommend these books and the show. Below is my previous review.

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Whew! These books are long. But good. This review is for the Audible version. After you get used to her, Davina Porter, the narrator, you will find her voice versatile and natural for this story. One of my reasons for using this method to read these books is pronunciation. There are words in Gaelic or French and a couple of other languages that I wouldn’t know how to say, and text-to-speech would garble.

I don’t usually like to read a book after watching the show. I like to form my ideas of the characters before I see a director’s point of view. But so far, this series translates nearly directly. It makes me proud of the show and the author of the book. It seems each of the scenes in the show was in the books. The only difference in this one is Gilly (not sure of the spelling–Audible doesn’t have written word.) I won’t spoil it for you. I actually like the book version over the show. But both work.

I can’t wait to listen to book four. And I’m looking forward to the next season of the show.

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Outlander (Outlander, #1)Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The following is the review of Outlander Kindle, Audible, and the show. Since Blood of My Blood started on Hulu, we began rewatching Outlander from the beginning, and I decided to re-read the series. I finished the first book a few days ago. And Drgonfly in Amber. I’m well into Voyager now. I stand by my original review.
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It has been several days since I finished book one. I still feel caught in the afterglow of it.. While I was reading it, I binge-watched the show. First with my son and brother. Then with my friend. Then with my husband. So this review includes the book, the Audible version, and the show.

I borrowed the book from the local e-library. I noticed it came with text-to-speech. But the show was full of Gaelic, so I didn’t want to hear the TTS mispronouncing those words. So I used my credit to pick up the Audible version to whispersynch.

Narrated by Davina Porter, made the story come alive. Her voice isn’t like that of the actress, Caitriona Balfe, from the show, which was a bit of a surprise, but Davina did a great job acting out the different characters from the book.

I must admit that I will often recommend the book over the show. The explicit rape scenes may trigger those who watch the show. The book leaves more to the imagination. It spent more time on the story itself than details of the acts.

My only complaint about the book was that it was so long I didn’t finish before it was due back. Who knew that the email saying a book is due on Monday means you only have part of Monday to finish it? They took the book back Sunday night at midnight. I was forced to buy the book with only 10% left to read. Oh, well, now I can share it with my husband and read it again someday.

With the trigger warning for the show, I highly recommend the book, audio, and show for everyone. Those days spent back in history, especially in Scotland, were dreamy! I wish I could actually go and experience the whole of the UK.

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Fear of FlyingFear of Flying by Erica Jong
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read this as a newlywed. However, I don’t recall much of it. Maybe I read a bit and gave up? I felt that way as I read it this time, but I kept listening. Hope Davis (Narrator) gave the book more life than my eyes might have enjoyed. Still, it felt the author was full of woes that the rest of us didn’t have the choice to rise to.

This just didn’t bring the excitement it seemed to project. The erotica was not. Which is okay. It was considered progressive back in the day, but with shows like Game of Thrones and The Boys, it is naive.

Still, many of the issues presented for women remain, if not more repressed than in the 1970s. And the issues women, their mothers, and daughters face persist. So for these issues, it is worth the read.

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UncharmedUncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This makes a nice bedtime book. And in the fantasy world of witches, it was refreshingly from the older witch’s point of view rather than a Young Adult and flimsy story.

I picked this up from NetGalley and am grateful for that. However, I now realize that there are two books in this series, and this is the second one. And I wish I had read it in Audiobook form. So I may reread the book after listening to Book 1. I think it will be more fun in audio form rather than text-to-speech.

Audio, Kindle, or paper, I think this is a fun read that will keep you enchanted for hours.

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My Name Is Emilia del ValleMy Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

That’s different! Coral Peรฑa and Johnathan McClain, narrators, help make this story feel real. I’m not so sure parts, if not all, are autobiographical for the author, Isabel Allende, even if it seems impossible.

One of my favorite parts of reading fiction is taking voyages to places I’ve never been and living the point of view I don’t inhabit. This book did both for me.

The blurb on Goodreads or Amazon will give you a hint about what to expect, but it would be too lengthy to copy and paste here. Still, maybe you don’t need to, trust me, this is a fun adventure. And guess what? Libby has it to lend! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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My Grape Escape (The Grape Series, #6)My Grape Escape by Laura Bradbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this series so much! It is the only series I am reading without text-to-speech or narration. On my old phone, on the Kindle app. Each book is just the right size for me, and by being Kindle, I can adjust the font and background. And when French words appear that I don’t know, I can highlight them, and the app will translate them for me.

This book was enjoyable to read as Laura and her husband, Franck, fix up an old home in hopes of making it a profitable vacation getaway. Somehow, my review is falling short. But this book is anything but. I always feel that I am not only traveling to France, but also learning a bit of history and enjoying French vocabulary.

Each of these books is enjoyable and personable. I’ve already moved on to the next book. I think I’ll try to read these again, but I’ll also look for the audiobooks. I want the sound of the French to help my education.

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Tiopa Ki LakotaTiopa Ki Lakota by D. Jordan Redhawk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a beautiful love story. It was so unique seeing two women, a white, Irish woman, I think, and a Lakota two-spirit woman. The author takes you into both points of view during a time in American history when the whites were on the westward ho, conquering and killing as they moved.

But here is what was happening to one particular woman and her tribe, and a little about their philosophy.

I think the only thing that might have made this story better would have been to have it narrated by a person who could speak the language. The problem with Text-to-Speech is how badly Kindle’s voice pronounces words that are not English.

Still, I am happy I finally got around to reading this story. I’ve had it in my ‘currently-reading’ shelf since 2016. I highly recommend this read.

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Battle Bond: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series: Death Before Dragons, Book 2Battle Bond: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series: Death Before Dragons, Book 2 by Lindsay Buroker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vivienne Leheny narrated this audiobook. I had attempted to read the text-to-speech Kindle version. It was difficult to stay in the story as Kindle’s TTS read a main character named Nine Inch Nails and called fingers finJa. Nin was the person’s name. She didn’t show up often, but that moniker didn’t work.

This series is a great distraction from all the worries of our day. Who doesn’t need a dragon who becomes human. I can’t wait to read the next installment.

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