AZ

Lost and Found

Reviewed: 03-10-18

A heartwarming story about loss and finding your way. At the heart of this tale are two unconventional families and a host of interconnected lives. It took me a little while to get into the parallel and interwoven story-lines but I am so glad I kept going. Having two good narrators helped me to keep up with who was who. Some characters take a little longer to get to know and love while others touched my heart immediately and will stay there for a while. I was left feeling both moved and uplifted.

I'd recommend this book to people who like imagining the lives of others, anyone recovering from not too recent grief or loss, people who believe in new beginnings and second chances and anyone who likes dogs. I would add, the interwoven stories do require concentration and you will need a little patience and a belief that there is often more to life than meets the eye.

Lethal Talent

Reviewed: 30-09-18

Loved:

- The main characters, including their flaws
- The sense of place and time; recent nostalgia London pre-Olympics
- The Parliamentary scenes
- The often scathing look at both political extremes
- Time spent exploring motivations and background suspects
- The exploration of how people with mental health problems are treated
- The complex and often frustrating relationship between Strike and Robin
- The brilliant narration by Robert Glenister who helps bring people and place to life

Loved a Little Less:

- Robin needing to be rescued by Strike, again
- The story took a little while to kick into full gear (but was worth every minute)

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Not Quite Converted This Time

Reviewed: 26-09-18

I am a big fan of Deborah Harkness and the All Souls Trilogy so I was really looking forward to this latest installment. Whilst it was nice to catch up with familiar and much-loved characters, I really didn't get much of a sense of plot structure, suspense or mystery. The original trilogy had the mystery of Ashmole 782, adventures time-walking through history and a forbidden and potentially dangerous love story at its core. (One that broke down centuries of prejudice.) Time's Convert had a long, emotive engagement and short-lived family feuds over bringing up magical children. The history of The American Revolution was beautifully told through Marcus' broken memories. I get the feeling that exploring that time in history and what it means today was probably one of the main reasons this book was written.

Overall, it was a pleasant listen and a catch up with characters from past books, but there were missing ingredients so it did not bewitch me. It felt like a long introduction. I'd still read more if I knew it was going somewhere.

Like other reviewers, I prefer the previous narrator who I thought captured the different voices and accents better.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Steampunk Mystery

Reviewed: 08-12-17

This intriguing, generally well-crafted book would have gained a higher rating from me if the main female character had been less detestable. She seemed to take manipulation and scorn to new, selfish and potentially lethal heights in order to show someone else's ability to be dangerous and devious should they wish to be. (No, this doesn't mean she blows up Whitehall). The main male characters were generally far better drawn, as was the enchanting, sock stealing mechanical octopus, who I fell for immediately.

There is less surprise in some of the whodunnit aspects of the novel but plenty of plot twists as characters work it out and discover themselves and each other on route. The main mystery explored by the narrative is not finding out who made and planted the bombs and timepieces. Instead, the story is driven by the mysterious nature of time itself and how the characters plot their own and one another's journeys through a maze of possible futures.

I loved the detail and atmosphere created but found the story at times a little long-winded and lacking variations in pace and tone. I am not sure how much this had to do with the writing or the reading of the book.

Though it could have done with more changes in tempo, the narration was clear, with different accents and voices depicted well.

Well worth a listen if you like steampunk, mysteries, philosophical or historical novels.

Southern Style Romance

Reviewed: 21-05-17

If you could sum up The Fixer Upper in three words, what would they be?

Feelgood Southern Romance

Would you recommend The Fixer Upper to your friends? Why or why not?

I'd recommend this to those who want a traditional romance with a touch of Southern comfort (not the drink) and hospitality. There is a satisfying story-line of corrupt politicians and lobbyists being chased by the FBI as well as predictable but sweet themes of a woman finding courage, romance and a sense of self and belonging. I guess this is a 'New Southern' book, a little nostalgic but also gently aware of prejudices it would like to leave behind. The story is like comfort food, full of the manners, houses, friendships and eccentricities of a small Georgia community with one foot in the past and one pointing towards the future.

What does Isabel Keating bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Isabel Keating paces the narration well & creates good voices and accents for the characters.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Sometimes our future is where we least expect.

Secrets in Alabama

Reviewed: 19-05-17

What did you like best about this story?

To my mind this has the makings of a modern classic. Both human nature and southern culture are looked at deeply critically and with love. It's well narrated with an unforced southern accent that helped me get caught up in the plot. This is a story of surprises, secrets wrapped in secrets, deep prejudices, complex characters and steel magnolias. I found it in turns funny and moving, haunting, romantic and wise. It will stay with me.

unromantic horror

Reviewed: 16-05-17

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

I don't know who might enjoy this book. I have enjoyed other Nora Robert's novels & like a good romantic suspense but here the woman spends every waking hour bending over backwards in every kind of way, cooking, baking, cleaning, laundry, running errands, waiting tables, and giving the odd massage in between exercising... so I guess anyone who finds hearing all about that might enjoy this.

This felt like a book Nora Robert's wrote when she needed a break from writing.

What was most disappointing about Nora Roberts’s story?

The macho meatloaf loving man who can’t cook. The housekeeping woman who upon first meeting insists on cooking a man’s every meal, giving him massages, folding his underwear and cleaning his home while being super yoga flexible and putting up with his sulking. To me that’s romantic horror not romantic suspense. Every major female character seems to fit rusty typecasts. This is not so much sexy or suspenseful, it’s more stereotypes. I deal with the author’s unrealistic idea of how people talk because normally Nora Robert’s female leads have a more sass and a bit more going on in their present lives than getting the guy and making him happy. Nora Roberts also normally writes a good plot. This female lead, despite her back story, seemed pretty weakly drawn though half the book was focused around her, and the narrative seems slow without strong characters to carry it.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I enjoyed the setting of Whisky Beach and Bluff House. The book was also fairly well narrated, (though the female characters could get a little bit squeaky occasionally.)

Easy Listening On The Run

Reviewed: 15-05-17

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This was a fairly easy and enjoyable listen though not nearly as funny or well written as other books I've read by Jane Costello. I found the main character slightly annoying at first and unaware of what was obviously happening in the lives of those closest to her. However, it is a heart-warming story with not only romance but friendships at it's core.

What did you like best about this story?

I thought Heidi's story was moving and well portrayed. (I can say this because I have been diagnosed with a related condition.) Heidi is a talented and lovely young 20 something newly diagnosed with one of the worst conditions imaginable and working out how to fight back as best she can. The main character, Abby, makes huge changes in her own life and work to support her friend and employee. Through this many lives shift focus and new relationships are formed, including for Heidi.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration was clear and matched the pace of the story but I have to agree with another reviewer that all the men's voices sounded the same.

Did Girl on the Run inspire you to do anything?

It reminded me of things I've done in the past.

The Twisting Road

Reviewed: 12-05-17

Any additional comments?

I've not read the first book in this series and was impressed that this story works as a stand alone plot. It was well-narrated and did not shy away from looking at various kinds of lies, complicity, narcissism, neurosis from abuse to mess-ups uncovered in a small community following one horrible event. It was cleverly constructed so that the truth unfolds by following various different characters perspectives. The difficulty for me is that I became increasingly annoyed at several of the characters' actions and motivations until my caring about what happened to them faded, but maybe that's just me. It also felt overly long if also skillfully written in many ways. If you enjoy a twisting road of a mystery full of studies on human frailty with a sad but hopeful ending, I'd still recommend giving this a try.

Scottish Crime Fiction (with political nous)

Reviewed: 11-05-17

Would you listen to Out Of Bounds again? Why?

I had a couple of false starts with this book but once I got past the first couple of chapters I was hooked. McDermid has complete control of her story and weaves different lives and themes together. There are a lot of twists, turns and connections which mean listening a second time would be worth it. The characters and dialogue are well written and performed and there's a pride and love of Scotland that's infectious. It manages to be both personal and political, and while it's fiction, it touches on some very real issues in the world today. I love the digs at Trump.