AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ➯ DON'T LOOK FOR ME

 

BY WENDY WALKER

NARRATED BY THERESE PLUMMER

❐SYNOPSIS & BUY LINKS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE❐

THE DETAILS✎

❐ MYSTERY⬦ SUSPENSE ⬦ THRILLER 

❐ FAMILY TRAGEDY

❐ DUAL POV'S --BETWEEN MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

❐ FANTASTICALLY PACED

❐ INTENSE & TWISTY

❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 9 HOURS, 51 MINUTES

❐ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY BUT I PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED AN ARC VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR A HONEST REVIEW --I PREFER AUDIO!

There isn't much more I can say without giving anything away...and I don't want to give anything away...because this is too good.  

I would have liked a second narrator for either the daughter or the mother...but since it didn't have that, I will say Therese Plummer did a phenomenal job with the two different voices...giving each one a slightly different inflection so I didn't really confuse them.   

In closing, this story will keep you guessing until the end...giving you just enough clues to keep you trying to put it together and work it out...and even then it will surprise you. Also, the little Barbie's/Apples won't make sense until you've read/listened to this...and I definitely recommend the audio over reading.  So glad I was able to listen to this all at one time because it was unstoppable...I'm also pretty sure that it's unputdownable if you choose to read it, instead.

BREAKDOWN✎

Narration ➯ 5 STARS

Plot ➯ 5/5

Characters ➯ 5/5

The Feels ➯ 5/5

Pacing ➯ 5/5

Addictiveness ➯ 5/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity ➯ 5/5

Originality/Believability ➯ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 5/5

Twisty-ness/Mystery ➯ 5/5

Ending ➯ 5/5

SUMMATION ➯ 5 STARS

I LISTENED TO THIS FOR THE SQUARE 

FOR HALLOWEEN BINGO 2020

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ● THE NIGHT SWIM ●

BY MEGAN GOLDIN

NARRATED BY BAILEY CARR, JANUARY LAVOY, & SAMANTHA DESZ

●SYNOPSIS & BUY LINKS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE●

THE DETAILS⇣

❱ A MYSTERY WITHIN A MYSTERY

❱ A TRUE CRIME PODCAST

❱ RAPE & RAPE CULTURE

❱ TIMELY & POIGNANT WITH A SATISFYING ENDING

❱ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 9 HOURS, 59 MINUTES
❱ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY DESPITE HAVING AN ARC VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR A HONEST REVIEW 

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I am a fan of any kind of Podcast element added to a story.  If I read the word "podcast" in the synopsis...I'm totally there for it.  I actually should have read this since I received an ARC...but since The Covid hit, I haven't been able to read much of anything...but I've still been listening to a boatload of Audiobooks, almost double what I had been.  So, I recommended this to my library to purchase and I was the first one in line for it. 

I'm super glad I went with the audio because the narration was perfectly performed by all three narrators.  I'm also relieved that I didn't have to complain about how it needed more narrators because I'm beginning to feel like a broken record on that one.  If you're put off by the reviews that say this is slow-moving...you should try it on audio...because this story was made for that format.

The Night Swim is more of a mystery than a suspense thriller...actually, a mystery within a mystery, both of which take place in the same town.  One currently, which is the courtroom drama of a rape trial and the other one in the past which was never reported or looked at as a crime.  Overall, this is equal parts slow-burn mystery, courtroom drama, and a girl trying to get justice for her sister.  It deals with rape, slut-shaming, and being poor in such a realistic and heartbreaking manner that this should not be missed or overlooked.  Whether you read it or listen to it...although obviously, I definitely recommend the latter.

BREAKDOWN⇣

￮ Narration Rating ⇢ 5 STARS

￮ Plot ⇢ 5/5

￮ Characters ⇢ 5/5

￮ The Feels ⇢ 5/5

￮ Pacing ⇢ 5/5

￮ Addictiveness ⇢ 5/5

￮ Theme, Tone or Intensity ⇢ 5/5

￮ Originality/Believability ⇢ 5/5

￮ Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ⇢ 4.8/5

￮ Ending ⇢ 5/5

￮ Summation ⇢ 5 STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ● CROOKED KINGDOM ●

BY LEIGH BARDUGO

NARRATED BY ROGER CLARK, JAY SNYDER, ELIZABETH EVANS, FRED BERMAN, BRANDON RUBIN, KEVIN T. COLLINS, LAUREN FORTGANG, PETER GANIM 

●SYNOPSIS & BUY LINKS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣●

THE DETAILS●●●

● SIX OF CROWS #2 - MY REVIEW FOR SIX OF CROWS #1

● YA-ISH FANTASY

● SET IN THE GRISHA-VERSE

● A RESCUE, AND A FLEECING

● WITH THIS INTRIGUING CREW OF SIX + ONE

● SOME MORE SUBTLE ROMANCE

● DEAR LEIGH BARDUGO: YOU FREAKING KILLED ME WITH THAT THING YOU DID NEAR THE END???

● LENGTH OF AUDIO - 17 HOURS, 58 MINUTES
● I LISTENED ON AUDIBLE

MY THOUGHTS●●●

I loved this series...the full-cast narration makes this a tremendous success.  This book is over a thousand minutes and it didn't feel like it at all.  Props for the narrators and producers too.  Each and every voice in this was fantastic and their voices for the other characters even sounded like the actual person reading for those voices did.  They really coordinated with the other characters effectively and seamlessly.  This book sets a standard that all multi-character audiobooks should hold themselves too.

I should mention that this book has characters and refers to characters from the OG trilogy in this universe that knowing of beforehand would definitely enhance your experience but I don't believe it would necessarily hinder it.  I only listened to the first two books in the trilogy myself and I never felt lost.

Overall, I highly recommend this duo for its spectacular characters...fleshed out so thoroughly that you feel like you actually know them.  I loved them all...but Matthias and Nina are still my favorites...their banter is infectious and I couldn't get enough of them.  Also, the story itself is perfectly paced and packed with danger and daring.

To Leigh Bardugo...While you crushed me near the end...I can't hold it against you...not when I take the whole story into account...it's 5 stars all the way...and maybe more.

BREAKDOWN●●●

●Narration Rating ⇢ 5 STARS

●Plot ⇢ 4.8/5

●Characters ⇢ 5+/5

●The Feels ⇢ 5/5

●Pacing ⇢ 5/5

●Addictiveness ⇢ 5/5

●Theme, Tone or Intensity ⇢ 5/5
●Originality ⇢5/5

●Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ⇢ 5/5

●World-Building ⇢5/5

●Romance/Chemistry ⇢ 5/5

●Ending ⇢ 4.8/5

●Summation ⇢ 5 STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW⤏ SANCTUM

BY SARAH FINE

NARRATED BY AMY MCFADDEN

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣

“My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Find a way out. Simple.”

A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance – hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone – she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t – the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.

THE DETAILS⇣

⤏ GUARDS OF THE SHADOWLANDS #1 

⤏ WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU COMMIT SUICIDE

⤏ A VERSION OF HELL...

⤏ YA URBAN FANTASY
⤏ WITH A SPLASH OF ROMANCE

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 10 HOURS, 41 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON AUDIBLE

MY THOUGHTS⇣

Re-read/listen on Audio...the narration by Amy McFadden was not great...it was not only robotic-sounding but rather cheesy at times...and I know she has improved since this book came out because normally I'm okay with her narration.  While not the greatest narration I've heard...it's not the worse either and I'm still glad I gave this a try on audio.  I've docked a half star, though, for my rating, due to the narration.

From my original review of the eBook...Definitely, something different, I really liked this imaginative story.  This is unlike anything I ever read before and in a good way.  It has a kick-ass heroine and a very likable hero.  It still holds true today and also I would add this is a great start to a series that I really enjoyed overall and while the second and third books don't hold a candle to the wonderment that this book has...they still complete the series really well.  With a dark, insidious setting, in the murky depths of hell...this story is YA Urban Fantasy at its best and most ominous.  

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration Rating⇢ 3½ STARS
Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 4.7/5

The Feels⇢ 4.5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 4.5/5

World-Building⇢ 5+/5
Romance/Chemistry⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW⤏ THE DIRT: CONFESSIONS OF THE WORLD'S MOST NOTORIOUS ROCK BAND

BY NIKKI SIXX, TOMMY LEE, VINCE NEIL, AND MICK MARS WITH NEIL STRAUSS

NARRATED BY SEBASTIAN YORK, ROGER WAYNE,
FRED BERMAN, MACLEOD ANDREWS & HILLARY HUBER

SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS⇣
NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL MOVIE STARRING MACHINE GUN KELLY, DANIEL WEBBER, DOUGLAS BOOTH, AND IWAN RHEON, DIRECTED BY JEFF TREMAINE.
Celebrate over thirty years of the world's most notorious rock band with the audiobook edition of The Dirt--the outrageous, legendary, no-holds-barred autobiography of Mötley Crüe. Fans have gotten glimpses into the band's crazy world of backstage scandals, celebrity love affairs, rollercoaster drug addictions, and immortal music in Mötley Crüe books like Tommyland and The Heroin Diaries, but now the full spectrum of sin and success by Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars is an open book in The Dirt. Joe Levy at Rolling Stone calls The Dirt without a doubt . . . the most detailed account of the awesome pleasures and perils of rock & roll stardom I have ever read. It is completely compelling and utterly revolting.

THE DETAILS⇣

⤏ SEX, DRUGS & ROCK N' ROLL
⤏ MÖTLEY CRÜE

⤏ NIKKI SIXX

⤏ TOMMY LEE

⤏ VINCE NEIL
⤏ MICK MARS

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 14 HOURS, 43 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I read this book back when it came out...this was reread/listen in Audio format.  When I noticed that it wasn't narrated by the members of the band, I was disappointed...but after listening...I'm not anymore.  These narrators are all seasoned narrators and very good at it.  Since narrating is a form of acting, I get why they had other guys narrate for them.  After listening to the Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx, which he narrated himself, he did tend to sound stilted...like he was just reading it for you.

Now that I'm older and I'm listening to this book...I have to say that towards the end of the book, I found Tommy Lee to be a whiny little baby, I found his sections from when he did jail time, stemming from his relationship with Pamela Anderson...to be so freaking boring.  They could have left that shit out.  Also, the coolest guy in the band is actually Mick Mars...and Nikki, once he got off the drugs. 

This book is raunchy, decadent, self-absorbed, and raw at times...so I loved it.  With lots of sex, like a lot of it...and drugs...pretty much all of the drugs...cheating, death and even cheating death.  The movie doesn't quite go into the depth of the book...but it would have had to been a limited series for it to do that.  Honestly, the best part about the movie is the music.  Actually, I should have had it playing in the background while I was writing this.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration Rating⇢ 5/5
Plot⇢ 4/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 4.5/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 5/5
Originality/Believability⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 4/5

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW⤏ SIX OF CROWS

BY LEIGH BARDUGO

NARRATED BY  JAY SNYDER, BRANDON RUBIN, FRED BERMAN, LAUREN FORTGANG, ROGER CLARK, ELIZABETH EVANS, TRISTAN MORRIS

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

THE DETAILS⇣

⤏ BOOK #1 OF SIX OF CROWS DUOLOGY
⤏ YA-ISH FANTASY

⤏ SET IN THE GRISHA-VERSE

⤏ A HEIST...THINK OCEANS 11 MEETS A FANTASY WORLD
⤏ WITH AN INTRIGUING CREW OF SIX 

⤏ SOME SUBTLE ROMANCE

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 15 HOURS, 4 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON AUDIBLE

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I liked this so much more than The Shadow and Bone Trilogy...which is due in part to the characters and the central plot differences...which I'll get to, and also the full-cast narration.  The narration was not only fantastically performed by all but also expertly cast...each voice was perfect for each character.  I was leaning towards a 4¾ star rating but easily felt it deserved to be upped to 5 stars with the narration.

I've only listened to book one and two of The Shadow and Bone Trilogy because I was turned off by the love triangle and the overt special snowflake theme it had going on.  The GrishaVerse was also a little intimidating for me.  Overall, it just wasn't doing it for me and I thought I needed to finish that trilogy to understand this duo.  For that reason, I put off listening to this and I've had the Audiobook on Audible for a couple years at least.  I finally decided what the heck, I might as well try it...so glad I did because the plot centers on six characters, all of which are unique in their own way but they're mostly just trying to survive and thrive on luck and skill.  I also can't resist a good heist story...and this one really delivered.

I loved the subtle romance(s) and flirtations going on between these characters, it felt so natural and added to the story.  I especially loved Mathias and Nina's characters...they are my favs.  While I believe it helped to know what I gleaned from the original trilogy, if you, like me, found Shadow and Bone not really to your liking but still the world felt like it had potential and feel like Six of Crows could be something you would like, give this a try.  Also, if you get tripped up by anything you could read up on the Grishaverse from some of the fan sites on the net...I did that and it cleared up quite a few elements for me.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration Rating⇢ 5/5
Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 5+/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 4.7/5

World-Building⇢ 4.5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

REVIEW⤏ RACE THE SANDS

BY SARAH BETH DURST

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
In this epic standalone fantasy, Sarah Beth Durst introduces an imaginative new world in which a pair of strong and determined women risk their lives battling injustice, corruption, and deadly enemies in their quest to become monster racing champions.
Life, death, and rebirth - in Becar, who you are in this life will determine your next life. Yet there is hope - you can change your destiny with the choices you make. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you come back as a kehok, a monster, and are doomed to be a kehok for the rest of time.
Unless you can win the Races.
After a celebrated career as an elite kehok rider, Tamra became a professional trainer. Then a tragic accident shattered her confidence, damaged her reputation, and left her nearly broke. Now, she needs the prize money to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her, and that means she must once again find a winning kehok...and a rider willing to trust her.
Raia is desperate to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom. But she needs a first-rate trainer.
Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia and pairs her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win - if he can be tamed.
But in this sport, if you forget you’re riding on the back of a monster, you die. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win the deadly Becaran Races - and in the process, discover what makes this particular kehok so special.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ FANTASY-WORLD
⤏ BASED IN AND AROUND REINCARNATION
⤏ WITH RACING MONSTER-COMBINATIONS (KEHOKS)
⤏ LIES & BETRAYALS
⤏ SOME COURTLY INTRIGUE
⤏ STAND-ALONE

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ EMILY ELLET

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 15 HOURS, 45 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

This book will be in my top 5 books of the year...I'm sure of it.  There is absolutely nothing that I can fault about this book.  I loved it.  It didn't even feel like it was over 500 pages, I flew through it...most of it one day. Which is crazy because it's almost 16 hours long.  I can't even say anything bad about the narration...which really should have had more narrators for all the different POV's, but it only had one, and she freaking nailed it.

Race the Sands has a phenomenal world, that is completely unique, and unlike anything I ever read/listened to.  With inspiring characters that shine bright, insane action and moments that are heartfelt and uplifting.  It's labeled as Adult on the Author's website...but I'm not sure why...it has almost no romance at all...there are relationships that are cultivated, from friendship to familial, but it really only hints at something like romance.   There are some deaths brought on by murder...that's the only element that would hint at this being strictly adult.  I personally believe it's suitable for anyone above the age of 13 or so...both the young-ish and the young at heart.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5+/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

World-Building⇢ 5+/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

REVIEW⇢ THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES

BY MINDY MCGINNIS

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it.
Three years ago, when her older sister, Anna, was murdered and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best—the language of violence.
While her own crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people. Not with Jack, the star athlete who wants to really know her but still feels guilty over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered. And not with Peekay, the preacher’s kid with a defiant streak who befriends Alex while they volunteer at an animal shelter. Not anyone.
As their senior year unfolds, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting these three teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ DARK & PROPULSIVE YA
⤏ SOMETHING TO GET YOUR SECRET VIGILANTE HEART PUMPING
⤏ LOVE & STUFF
⤏ RAPE CULTURE
⤏ A COLLISION COURSE OF WTF

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ AMANDA DOLAN, JUSTIS BOLDING, & DAN BITTNER

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 7 HOURS, 7 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

Who knew behind this innocuous-looking cover there was hiding such a profoundly dark story.  Even the title doesn't really suggest what lies in these pages.  Mindy McGinnis is a genius, not only with her plots, which are varied but also with the characters she creates.  So much realness going on, she has become a favorite of mine.

With a narrative that moves along swiftly; with nothing bogging it down, plus superbly performed narration, The Female of the Species is unputdownable.  Fantastic, even.   Dark, raw and powerful to the point of explosive...that ending, wow!  

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5+/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4.5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5

REVIEW⤏ THE SUN DOWN MOTEL

BY SIMONE ST. JAMES

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
Something hasn’t been right at the roadside Sun Down Motel for a very long time, and Carly Kirk is about to find out why in this chilling new novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.
Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, NY. But something isn't right at the motel, something haunting and scary.
Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and to visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ MURDER/DISAPPEARANCE MYSTERY 
⤏ AMATEUR SLEUTHING
⤏ EERILY HAUNTED HOTEL 
⤏ GHOSTS WITH AN AGENDA
⤏ A NEW FAVORITE

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ KIRSTEN POTTER & BRITTANY PRESSLEY

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 11 HOURS

MY THOUGHTS⇣

Great narration paired with one girl's quest to figure out the mysterious disappearance of her aunt, wrapped within a serial killer mystery and sprinkled with a few ghostly hauntings, all add up to an atmospheric novel that is unputdownable...or...un-pause-able.

If you're put off by the ghost aspect of this...you shouldn't be...because it's incorporated into the story so well that it just feels right...like it should be there.  It doesn't overshadow the overall mysteries at play here.  It enhances them, even.  This will easily be one of my top-ten best-reads this year.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 5/5

Characters⇢ 5/5

The Feels⇢ 5/5

Pacing⇢ 5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

World-Building⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 5/5