AUDIOBOOK NOVELLA REVIEW ➯ THE ORIGINAL

 

BY BRANDON SANDERSON & MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL

NARRATED BY JULIA WHELAN

❐SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS❐

❐ Overall Rating 3½ | Narration 4¼

❐ Novella/Short Story

❐ Futuristic-Techy

❐ Science Fiction/Murder Mystery

❐ Single POV

❐ Received ALC for free in exchange for an honest review

  

The Original drops you in this futuristic world full of nano-tech...in fact, nano-tech or nanites are everyday words.  Nanites are capable of so many things, including provisional replica's of actual people, theming your world view by just thinking it into existence, and keeping yourself from aging...or at least looking like you've aged to name a few.  

It was a little mind-blowing to think about...and ultimately for me, the story itself lacked depth.  I felt unfulfilled by the shortness of the story and the super abrupt ending.  The mystery at work in this was basically left hanging.  Overall an interesting concept that felt like it was only scratched at...and left me with an itch for something more.  

I have really liked Tavia Gilbert's narration (Partials Sequence Trilogy) and I have loathed her narration (most everything else), more so the latter.  In this though, I have to say...she felt...not bad, slightly improved even, and definitely okay.

❐ Netgalley ALC Listen (the app still needs improvement)

❐ Length ➯ 3H 30M

❐ Plot ➯ 3.5/5
❐ Characters ➯ 3.7/5
❐ The Feels ➯ 3/5
❐ World-Building ➯ 4.3/5
❐ Ending ➯ 2.5/5

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ➯ THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS

 

BY MICAIAH JOHNSON

NARRATED BY NICOLE LEWIS

❐SYNOPSIS ON GOODREADS (AND REVIEWS THAT MAKE MORE SENSE THAN MINE)❐

MY RATING➯ 2½ STARS

THE DETAILS✎

❐ STAND-ALONE

❐ SCIENCE FICTION/DYSTOPIAN/FANTASY

❐ TRAVELING BETWEEN AN INFINITE NUMBER OF PARALLEL WORLDS

❐ LGBT

❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 11 HOURS, 46 MINUTES

❐ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

I was drawn in by the amazing cover, I really love it...although I think it may suggest that this book is about something other than what it is, or not...actually, I'm not sure since I was rather confused by what was going on most of the time.  The concept of this was intriguing too...but maybe it tried to be too relevant and didn't focus on any one element enough to seize my interest, or maybe it was not the right time for me and this book to click.  I'm really not all that sure what it was.  I do know it wasn't the narration because Nicole Lewis performed quite nicely.

Ultimately, I wanted to like this more than I actually did...but maybe you shouldn't let my feelings sway you one way or another because there are plenty of other readers/listeners who have really liked this.

BREAKDOWN✎

Narration ➯ 4½ STARS

Plot ➯ 3/5

Characters ➯ 3/5

The Feels ➯ 2.3/5

Pacing ➯ 3/5

Addictiveness ➯ 2/5

Theme/Tone/Intensity ➯ 2.5/5

Originality/Believability ➯ 2.5/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 2/5

World-Building ➯ 2.5/5

Ending ➯ 2/5

SUMMATION ➯ 2½ STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ➯ THE NEMESIS

 

BY S.J. KINCAID

NARRATED BY CANDACE THAXTON

❐SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS❐

THE DETAILS✎

❐ DIABOLIC #3 OF 3

❐ FINAL BOOK IN TRILOGY (THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE A STAND-ALONE???)

❐ SECRETS, LIES, & SERIOUS BETRAYALS

❐ PLANETARY INTRIGUE

❐ THIS DIABOLIC IS THINKING DIABOLICALLY  NOW

❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 11 HOURS, 16 MINUTES

❐ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

All I can say is...I'm glad this series is finished...and hopefully, I never feel the need to listen to another book narrated by Candace Thaxton again.  Her voice does not gel with me...at all.  I keep thinking that I can power through or that she eventually grow on me...but now, upon finishing this book, I can definitely say that's not going to happen.  

Suffice it to say...I could have loved this more with a different narrator, of course.  I also could have loved it more if there wasn't so much time between books...I had more or less forgotten what happened in book #2.  Apparently, it was super cliffhangery, though.  I tried not to let the narration influence my rating too significantly since overall this was completely unexpected, and ultimately fulfilling because it ended rather perfectly.  

BREAKDOWN✎

Narration ➯ 3 STARS

Plot ➯ 4.3/5

Characters ➯ 4/5

The Feels ➯ 4/5

Pacing ➯ 4.3/5

Addictiveness ➯ 3.5/5

Theme/Tone/Intensity ➯ 4/5

Originality ➯ 4/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 3.5/5

World-Building ➯ 4.3/5

Ending ➯ 4/5

SUMMATION ➯ 4 STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ➯ ALL THESE MONSTERS

 

BY AMY TINTERA

NARRATED BY MARIA LIATIS

❐SYNOPSIS & BUY LINKS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE❐

THE DETAILS✎

❐ ALL THESE MONSTERS #1

❐ ONE POV (CLARA)

❐ DYSTOPIAN-ISH

❐ YOUNG ADULT (HEAVY ON THE YOUNG)

❐ LENGTH OF AUDIO ➯ 10 HOURS, 34 MINUTES

❐ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

I've been a fan of Amy Tintera's works in the past, I really liked the Reboot Duo...but maybe I need to be more discerning when it comes to the YA I choose to read...because I wasn't really feeling this...it just felt too YA for me.  The dialogue felt rather cheesy and the actions of the characters felt off...I'm going to with this being a case of it's not you (the book), it's me (me).  Since there are already plenty of readers who've liked it.  Although, I do love the cover and its simplicity.

I want to say that the narration by Maria Liatis was well performed...but maybe she's to blame for how I feel about the book...who knows.

MY RATING➯ 2¾ STARS

BREAKDOWN✎

Narration ➯ 4 STARS

Plot ➯ 3.5/5

Characters ➯ 3/5

The Feels ➯ 2.5/5

Pacing ➯ 3/5

Addictiveness ➯ 2/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity ➯ 2/5

Originality/Believability ➯ 3/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ➯ 3/5

World-Building ➯ 2.5/5

Ending ➯ 2.5/5

SUMMATION ➯ 2¾ STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ● TRUEL1F3 & THE LIFEL1K3 SERIES ●

BY JAY KRISTOFF

NARRATED BY ERIN SPENCER

LIFEL1K3 RATING ● 5 STARS

DEV1AT3 RATING ● 5 STARS

TRUEL1F3 RATING ● 4½ STARS

●SYNOPSIS & BUY LINKS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE●

THE DETAILS●●●

● LIFEL1K3 SERIES #3

● YA DYSTOPIAN

● ACTION PACKED

● I ROBOT MEETS MAD MAX WITH A DOLLOP OF WALL-E

● STILL MORE LEMON FRESH THAN EVE

● SO MANY POV'S --THAT I COULDN'T KEEP TRACK OF THEM ALL

● LENGTH OF AUDIO - 13 HOURS, 25 MINUTES
● I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

MY THOUGHTS●●●

I loved the first and the second book...and I rated them both five stars.  The third book, I don't know, maybe I wanted more from the ending or maybe it was just me not fully connecting this time.  I'm not sure what is was, but either way, this is a spectacular apocalyptic series.  

This series has so many themes and these are just some of what you'll find in this series:  friendship goals, what it means to be alive, free will, what makes a family, it's okay to be different.  These indelibly written themes coupled with characters that are so very likable they feel like friends make this a trilogy that's not to be missed.

Erin Spencer did a fantastic job narrating this series...but it really should have had a full-cast narration.  Why did you not go with a full cast, Mr. Kristoff???  It would have made this series epic.

BREAKDOWN●●●

● Narration Rating ⇢ 4 STARS

● Plot ⇢ 4.8/5

● Characters ⇢ 4.3/5

● The Feels ⇢ 4.2/5

● Pacing ⇢ 4.5/5

● Addictiveness ⇢ 4.2/5

● Theme, Tone or Intensity ⇢ 4.5/5

● Originality ⇢ 5/5

● Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ⇢ 3.8/5

● World-Building ⇢ 5/5

● Ending ⇢ 4/5

● Summation ⇢ 4½ STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW⤏ OUR LAST NIGHT

BY TAYLOR ADAMS

NARRATED BY SCOTT MERRIMAN

SYNOPSIS & BUY LINKS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣

THE DETAILS⇣

⤏ SUPERNATURAL - GHOSTS, DEMONS & A CURSED FIREARM

⤏ TIME-TRAVELING-ISH

⤏ THRILLER W/INTENSE PACING

⤏ HORROR-IF-IC & GORY

⤏ DEALING WITH THE GRIEF OF A SPOUSE

⤏ A PET SAVANNAH MONITOR (I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE)

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 8 HOURS, 33 MINUTES
⤏ KU LISTEN ON AUDIBLE

MY THOUGHTS⇣

The narration by Scott Merriman was decently performed...I just found his voice easy to tune out...he didn't keep me in the story...even when I had ear-buds in.  This is most likely just a personal issue for me, though.  Unfortunately, when you constantly fall out of a story it leads to not always knowing what's going on and less enjoyment of the story overall.  Especially when a story has a lot of technical time-travel-y jargon.  Plus the pacing was so intense...it was almost too intense to keep up with at times.  

Despite all that, the potential for a five-star rating is there and plenty of others have given that.  There are a lot of elements at play in this book...and the concept alone is intriguing enough to recommend this book...maybe, I would suggest reading over listening, but again, you may really like the narration...it is available as a Read and Listen on KU...so that's always a great possibility for trying both mediums. 

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration Rating ⇢ 3¾ STARS
Plot ⇢ 3.8/5

Characters ⇢ 3.7/5

The Feels ⇢ 3.3/5

Pacing ⇢ 3.5/5

Addictiveness ⇢ 3.5/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity ⇢ 4/5
Originality ⇢4.5/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ⇢ 3/5

World-Building/Twisty-ness/Mystery ⇢ 4/5

Ending ⇢ 3.8/5

Summation ⇢ 3¾ STARS

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW⤏ PURGATORY --2 BOOK SERIES

BY AMY HARMON

NARRATED BY EMILY WOO ZELLER

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE FOR BOOK #1⇣
The hallways are empty, the school day long over, the din of lockers and youthful laughter have dissolved into silence. It's as if the very walls are waiting. And then through the intercom, a song starts to crackle, the soundtrack of a forgotten life. And the band begins to sing - "Lovely Maggie falls for Johnny, a boy no one else can see. Heartthrob Johnny, 50s bad boy, trapped for eternity. Lonely boy and lonely girl, unsolved mystery. Maggie and Johnny, only high school sweethearts, because Johnny can't ever leave. Do wop, Do wop . . ."
In 1958, a rumble goes down outside the brand new high school in Honeyville, Texas. Chaos ensues, a life is lost, and Johnny Kinross disappears. But in 2010, someone finds him. Orphaned at the age of ten, 17-year-old Maggie O'Bannon finally finds a permanent home with her elderly aunt in a small Texas town. Working part-time as a school janitor, she becomes enmeshed in a fifty-year-old tragedy where nothing is as it seems and the boy of her dreams might vanish when the bell rings.
This volatile and mismatched romance is doomed from its start, as Maggie struggles to hold on to yet another person she is destined to lose. Secret love and hushed affection are threatened by outside forces, resulting in a desperate race to keep a secret no one would understand. Deeply romantic, funny, and tender, Slow Dance in Purgatory captures the heartache of a love story where a happy ending might be decades too late.

THE DETAILS⇣

⤏ TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE

⤏ CONTEMPORARY MIXED WITH SUPERNATURAL

⤏ CURRENT CENTURY VERSUS THE 50'S

⤏ YOUNG ADULT

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - #1-7 HOURS, 27 MINUTES

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - #2-8 HOURS, 18 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I really liked this two-book series.  It's part modern-day mixed with the '50s and also part supernatural mixed with science fiction.  Amy Harmon can write some stories with swoon-worthy romances...and all of them different from one another.   I haven't disliked a book by this author yet...and I doubt that I will.

Slow Dance in Purgatory felt more like a ghost story...with dual timelines.  Prom Night in Purgatory had more of a time-travel/science fiction feel to it.  You could just read/listen to Book #1 and call it good but the story morphed into so much more in book #2...it really delved into the time-travel theme.  Her way of explaining the time-traveling/ghosting/space-time continuum or "the science of it all" felt just right for me...explained well enough without being bogged down with too much scientific-ness...just right for a romance story.

Narration by Emily Woo Zeller was actually pretty well performed...I don't always like her, it depends on the character she's reading for, I guess.  It could have used a male narrator for the male POV, though.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration Rating⇢ 4/5
Plot⇢ 4.2/5

Characters⇢ 4.2/5

The Feels⇢ 4.2/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 4.3/5
Originality⇢ 4/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 4.3/5

Romance/Chemistry⇢ 4.2/5

Ending⇢ 4.2/5

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW⤏ THE ECHO ROOM

BY PARKER PEEVYHOUSE

NARRATED BY MATT GODFREY

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
The only thing worse than being locked in is facing what you locked out...
Rett Ward knows how to hide. He's had six years of practice at Walling Home, the state-run boarding school where he learned how to keep his head down to survive.
But when Rett wakes up locked in a small depot with no memory of how he got there, he can't hide. Not from the stranger in the next room. Or from the fact that there's someone else’s blood on his jumpsuit.
Worse, every time he tries to escape, he wakes up right back where he started. Same day, same stranger, same bloodstained jumpsuit.
As memories start to surface, Rett realizes that the logo on the walls is familiar, the stranger isn't a stranger, and the blood on his jumpsuit belongs to someone—or something—banging on the door to get in.

THE DETAILS⇣

⤏ MYSTERIOUS YA SCY-FY 
⤏ FUTURISTIC DYSTOPIAN WORLD WITH TIME-TRAVELING

⤏ MY REVIEW IN ONE WORD:  REPETITIVE

⤏ LIKE GROUNDHOGS DAY...BUT NOT FUNNY

⤏ WITH STARSHIP TROOPER-ESQUE BUGS AND SECRET BUNKERS

⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 9 HOURS, 6 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY

MY THOUGHTS⇣

In the beginning, I thought that I had mistakenly touched my phone and made the audiobook rewind because it seemed to be repeating what I already listened too...but I didn't do that...the story actually just keeps repeating, at least for a little while...but it was subtlety different each time it repeated.  Once I figured that out I was really into this mysterious, time-jumping, mild altering, sci-fi-ish adventure.

Eventually, though, it kind of lost me. The story is intriguing, the characters were likable...but I'm not sure that the plotline is something that could be pulled off in as many pages (only 306) that this was.  Overall, I was not completely enamored with the writing, it left me feeling like I was missing something important.  

Narration by Matt Godfrey was good...It didn't wow me but I also didn't have any issues with it.  I would gladly listen to him again.

BREAKDOWN⇣

Narration Rating⇢ 4¼ STARS
Plot⇢ 3.8/5

Characters⇢ 4/5

The Feels⇢ 3.5/5

Pacing⇢ 3.8/5

Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5

Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 4/5
Originality/Believability⇢ 4/5

Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 3/5

Twisty-ness/Mystery⇢ 3.2/5

Ending⇢ 3.5/5

REVIEW⇢ THE SHINING GIRLS

BY LAUREN BEUKES

SYNOPSIS FROM AUTHORS WEBSITE⇣
In Depression-era Chicago, Harper Curtis finds a key to a house that opens on to other times. But it comes at a cost. He has to kill the shining girls: bright young women, burning with potential. He stalks them through their lives across different eras, leaving anachronistic clues on their bodies, until, in 1989, one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives and turns the hunt around.

BOOK TAGS⇣

⤏ TIME TRAVELING 
⤏ SERIAL KILLER THRILLER
⤏ MYSTERY WITH SUSPENSE
⤏ GRAPHIC SCENES
⤏ FULL-CAST NARRATION

BOOK DETAILS⇣

AUDIO PERFORMED BY⇢ KHRISTINE HVAM, PETER GANIM, JAY SNYDER, JOSHUA BOONE, DANI CERVONE, & JENNA HELLMUTH

NARRATION RATING⇢  4/5

BOOK COVER⇢ A BUZZING BEE...WELL, IT DID HELP ME WITH A READING CHALLENGE

SETTING⇢ CHICAGO...TIME-JUMPING THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

SOURCE⇢ LIBBY AUDIOBOOK (LIBRARY)

AUDIOBOOK LENGTH⇢ 10 HOURS, 33 MINUTES

MY THOUGHTS⇣

I'm usually never disappointed with a full-cast narration...but one particular voice was really bland...and he was the voice of the time-traveling serial killer...and unfortunately, his POV was the one we heard from the most.  Which then brings me to my other issue...I didn't like being in his head.  He was icky, like sexual predator icky, I didn't want to be in his head at all.  I get it, you're not supposed to like him...but sometimes it helps if you can like him at least a little...you know, like Joe (from YOU).  If he had any of the charisma that Joe had...then it might have been better. 

Other than that, the whole concept of a time-traveling serial killer was terrific. I just not sure how well she pulled it off.  If you read the synopsis of this, it states that the house is what made him kill the girls...not his own sadistic tendencies.  If it really is the house then I missed important information while listening to this.  And if that's the case it was most likely due to the overly bland narrator, which I assume was Peter Ganim.  I tended to let my mind wander away from the story whenever he was narrating. 

Khristine Hvam was wonderful as Kirby, but even her parts of the story left me feeling confused sometimes.  Although it's possible the constant time-jumping, and an over abundance of characters, is what really had me unable to follow the story, plus that splash of romance felt uncomfortable and unnecessary to the plot. Overall I wanted to like this more than I actually did.  

MY RATING⇢ 3✰STARS✰

BREAKDOWN⇣

Plot⇢ 3.5/5

Characters⇢ 3.8/5

The Feels⇢ 2.5/5

Pacing⇢ 3/5

Addictiveness⇢ 3/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 3.5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3/5

World-Building⇢ 2/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 3.8/5

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

FEATURING

⬥Skyward #2 of 4--Book 1 Rating 5+ STARS

⬥ Deep Space Fantasy

⬥Science Fiction
⬥YA-ISH
⬥Alien Diversity
⬥Inter-Planetary Travel/Piloting
⬥Doomslug & M-Bot (AI)
⬥New Characters
⬥With Audio Performed A Tad High Pitchedly by Suzy Jackson

LINK TO SYNOPSIS 

(AUTHOR'S WEBSITE)

MY RATING⇢ 4.7 STARS | GRADE A

MY THOUGHTS⇢

A highly imaginative space adventure with a lot of heart.  I really loved Skyward, and Starsight was a solid follow-up to it...and while I didn't like it quite as much as Skyward, it has all the elements for me or anyone else to do so, and it was only by a smidge, anyhow.  The reason for that is I was missing the supporting characters from book one...at least we still got plenty of Doomslug and M-Bot, though.  I have to say that Brandon Sanderson is a stellar writer...even if his books are a tad on the long side...long books scare me for some reason.  It could have something to do with my short attention span.

Spensa wants to learn more about what or who she is, and why she hears the whispers and sees the "eyes".  When the opportunity to do so shows up she makes a quick decision and just like that the setting of the story takes an abrupt turn.  The story expands into so much more, there's not only intrigue but something beyond...in the words of Buzz Lightyear...to infinity and beyond.

The cliffhanger ending left me rather bereft.  Although...I do have a feeling where the next book is going, and I can't wait till the Spring of 2021 to see if I'm right.  It could be wise to wait to read/listen to this series for a little while longer what with that long wait for Book #3.

THE BREAKDOWN⇢  

Plot⇢ 5/5

Narration Performance⇢ 4.3/5

Characters⇢ 4.5/5

The Feels⇢ 4.5/5

Pacing⇢ 4.5/5

Addictiveness⇢ 4.5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 5/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 5/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 5/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 4.7/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Yup!!!

_____

Book Cover⇢ It's okay...I like it better than Skyward's cover.  I still like the UK covers best, though.  They go with the story so well...

Setting⇢ Detritus and Starsight

Source⇢ Audible Audiobook

Length⇢ 14 hours, 25 minutes

Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

FEATURING⇢

⬥A Totally Original Premise

⬥Sort Of Like Groundhogs Day (the Movie)

⬥Reliving the Same Day Over & Over

⬥A Sort of Death Limbo

⬥Murder Mystery

⬥Science Fiction w/a Subtle Overlay of Supernatural

⬥With Audio Performed Wonderfully by Phoebe Strole

LINK TO SYNOPSIS 

(AUTHOR'S WEBSITE)

MY RATING⇢ 4.3 STARS | GRADE A-

MY THOUGHTS⇢

You meet up with your group of friends that you've estranged yourself from since the death of your boyfriend, Jim.  He was the one who was loved by everyone.  You arrive home, after a night out, and a near-miss accident.  Then you get a mysterious visit from a kooky old man...and the next day...is the same as the last.  And Repeat...again and again.  The Neverworld Wake is insane!

Like Groundhog's Day but darker, way less funny...and with a mystery to solve.  A twisty, turn-y kind of ride that never lets up until the end.  Ultimately, to end the Wake they have to solve the mystery of Jim's death and the farther they dig, the twistier and fantastical things get.  Only one of them can beat death...who will it be.

THE BREAKDOWN⇢  

Plot⇢ 4.3/5

Narration Performance⇢ 4.5/5

Characters⇢ 3.8/5

The Feels⇢ 4/5

Pacing⇢ 4/5

Addictiveness⇢ 5/5

Theme or Tone⇢ 4.3/5

Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4.2/5

Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4/5

Originality⇢ 5/5

Ending⇢ 4.3/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Nope.

_____

Book Cover⇢ Trippy...just like the story...

Setting⇢ Wincroft on the coast of Rhode Island

Source⇢ Libby Audiobook (Library)

Length⇢ 8 hours, 47 minutes