Audie Award Nominees 2016

Here are all the nominees, thanks to the APA (Audio Publishers Association.)

I will be involved with the Armchair Audies again this year, I will probably still do the Female narrator Category but think I am going to switch it up for my 2nd category.

Audie Predictions 2016

Audie Predictions 2016

As the Audie Nominations are to be announced tomorrow, I thought I’d put together some predictions as I did I realized I didn’t listen to many new releases this past year, I listened to some great books but none qualified for this years Audies. So here are the ones that I have listened to.

I may switch it up this year and pick a category I’ve never done before, I will let you know after the nominees are announced!

Don't forget to follow  #Audies2016 tomorrow and #armchairaudies2016

Non-Fiction

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson narrated by, Scott Brick

Scott Brick’s narration was of course wonderful, I thought his male and female voices were well done and he really brought this story to life.

Mystery

Lacy Eye by Jessica Treadway narrated by, Ellen Archer

Ellen Archer’s narration was very well done I thought the tones and sarcasm she gave Iris were perfect and also her narration of Dawn showed us that she really never grew up and seemed stunted as a child/teen. And with Hanna so much of the book is inside her head and I liked that I could tell when she was speaking to someone or just remembering things. I would definitely listen to this narrator again.

The Stranger by, Harlan Coben narrated by, George Newbern

George Newbern is a new to me narrator and I thought he did a very good job especially in the final scenes he captured the moment perfectly. I would definitely listen to this narrator again.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins narrated by, Clare Corbett Louise Brealey and India Fisher

The three audiobook narrators Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey and India Fisher all did such a fantastic job they truly brought these women to life and endowed each with such emotion. These were all new to me narrators and I will definitely be looking for other books any of these women have narrated!

Thriller

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline narrated by, George Newbern

George Newbern has got a new fan in me this is the second book in just a month or so I have listened to that he has narrated and I really like his narrating style. He will be a go to for books if he is narrating I will pick the audio version.

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon narrated by, Cassandra Campbell

Cassandra Campbell’s narration was spot on as always, I liked how you could tell it was teen Piper & Margot speaking and when they were adults also a good job at the older Rose, also the narration of Amy’s daughter Lou was very well done. I waited for the audio version of this one and Cassandra didn’t let me down!

Fiction

The Truth According to Us: A Novel By Annie Barrows Narrated By Ann Marie Lee, Tara Sands, Julia Whelan **This one may end up being in Multi-Voice too**

Read by Ann Marie Lee, Tara Sands, and Julia Whelan, with additional readings by Cassandra Campbell, Danny Campbell, Mark Deakins, Kimberly Farr, Kirby Heyborne, Lincoln Hoppe, Paul Michael, Linda Montana, and Arthur Morey. The narration was very well done with the main narrators being Ann Marie Lee and Tara Sands who both did a fantastic job at bringing this book to life. The other narrators read letters and histories which I found interesting and thought it added credence to the letters.

A Touch of Stardust by, Kate Alcott narrated by, Cassandra Campbell

Cassandra Campbell’s narration was as always fabulous, I like how she made Clark gruff but didn’t try to imitate his voice, every character had their own cadence and tone and you were never left guessing as to who was talking.

The Flying Circus by Susan Crandall narrated by, Jacques Roy

Narrator Jacques Roy is a new to me narrator however I am now a fan, I thought he did a great job with male, female, different accents and general storytelling. I would definitely listen to another book narrated by him.

Fantasy

A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab narrated by, Steven Crossley

Steven Crossley’s narration was fabulous, every accent was superb and his male and female voices were so well done I think he enhanced this book which is really saying something. I will listen to him again in a heartbeat and just from this one book has gone on my favorite narrators list.

Some I have not listened to but think they will be nominated:

The Kind Worth Killing By Peter Swanson Narrated By Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka

Career of Evil By Robert Galbraith Narrated By Robert Glenister

The Girl in the Spider's Web: A Lisbeth Salander Novel - Millennium Series, Book 4 By David Lagercrantz Narrated By Simon Vance

Go Set a Watchman: A Novel By Harper Lee Narrated By Reese Witherspoon

The Paris Key By Juliet Blackwell Narrated By Xe Sands

Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

I really enjoyed this book the only thing I had a problem with was how fast Sarah went from happily loving her husband to accusing him of something awful; she never gave him the benefit of the doubt for a second she went right to worst case scenario. Now I am a cynical person and I don't know how I would react in this situation however I know I would give my man of 19 years the benefit of doubt before I went straight crazy. I could understand if he had a history of lying but he didn't, they were happy so how could she believe the worst so fast.

There are huge family secrets here and Sarah is reeling as she starts to uncover things about her husband and his family that she never knew and honestly she goes a little off the rails to uncover more and more no matter what kind of danger that puts her in.

I actually felt bad for Jack; I think he put these events behind him because he didn’t want to look too closely and because of how he was treated at the time. Then Sarah pushes and pushes him but doesn’t wait for an answer, he has kept this all inside for long but she doesn’t give him a chance to deal with everything before she thinks he is a killer.

There were times I wanted to smack Sarah and a few times I yelled at Jack to just tell her everything so she can stop being paranoid and so she knows the lies have nothing to do with her.

I don’t want to give anything more away, I thought this was a good book and a well told story.

3 ½ Stars

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by, Katarina Bivald narrated by, Fiona Hardingham and Lorelei King

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by, Katarina Bivald narrated by, Fiona Hardingham and Lorelei King

I so wanted to love this book, it’s pen pals like Guernsey and a book about books, this book should have blown me away. However it did not, it was just okay. I think my problem was suspending my belief; this woman comes all the way from Sweden to meet her pen pal she arrives in time for her funeral. So she moves into this womans house and pretty much takes over her life?? Yes I understand she feels like she knows everyone because of Amy’s letters but really you move into her house??

The narration Fiona Hardingham’s narration as Sara was fine but oh my goodness people in Iowa DO NOT have a Southern Accent!!! She should have listened to Lorelei King’s narration of the letters Amy wrote she would have known that she shouldn’t have made everyone else in town southern. I can’t be sure but I think Hardingham made me like the book even less. Lorelei King only narrated a letter here and there. But let me be clear Fiona Hardingham’s natural English accent was good but her choice to give everyone a southern accent is what ruined it and they weren’t bad southern accents it’s just that its Iowa.

I’m also not sure how to categorize this book it’s a little romancy and middle-age angsty, there were times I had to remind myself these were full grown adults. I think maybe it was a little more leaning towards chick lit than I normally enjoy. Yes this is a book about books (sort of)books are mentioned but pretty much that’s all it was just a mention of a title and not a this is what I enjoyed about said book. Also maybe they shouldn’t have compared it to Guernsey maybe then I wouldn’t have had such high expectations. The characters in this book never even came close to the characters in Guernsey and I was expecting more, my bad.

I’m not sure if things got lost in translation or what it was but this book fell flat for me. And if you are going to give it a try I’d read it in paper not audio.

2 ½ Stars

Find Her by, Lisa Gardner

Find Her by, Lisa Gardner

Release Date February 9, 2016

Flora Dane, kidnap survivor, she came back safely, but is she really okay? What happened that last day of her kidnapping? And what is Flora doing now, shouldn’t she be happily living her life after 472 days in the hands of a kidnapper but that isn’t what Flora is up to at all, does she have a death wish? Or is she just reckless? Does she wish her life had ended or does she want to end other peoples?

DD has quite a case on her hands she has one missing girl and now she’s called to a crime scene where the Victim? Perpetrator? Is a former kidnapping victim who is naked and tied up and there is a dead body of a man on the floor. What is going on with Flora Dane? You know DD will figure it out eventually!

Yet again Lisa Gardner gives us a victim who we feel bad for but is she as much of a victim as she would like you to believe? Is Flora a victim or a vigilante?

This is another great thriller from Gardner that kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end. Flora is kind of an anti-hero; I can’t say I liked her but the way Gardner writes her makes you care.

The reason this review is mostly made up of questions, is because they are questions you will ask yourself while you are reading, also when you are up till 3 am because you can’t put this book down, well you’ll have questions!

I love Lisa Gardner’s books she always keeps me guessing and keeps me on my toes for clues and little things that are said and this one is no exception, DD has her hands full with this case between the confusing Flora, the missing girl, Flora’s FBI victim advocate, Samuel Keynes and Flora’s mother. DD is trying to figure out just what the heck is going on before anyone else dies or goes missing.

I don’t want to delve too much deeper into this because I want you to enjoy every moment of this fabulous book.

5 Stars

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review.

This Is Where It Ends by, Marieke Nijkamp

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

This was a powerful book about a school shooting that lasted 54 minutes, told from the perspectives of the students experiencing it. What I found interesting was there was no perspective from the shooter, but once the narrators realize who the shooter is you get glimmers of who he was but you never really understand just why he does what he does.

This book did pull me in pretty fast I read it in 2 sittings; it kept me interested all the way through. I also liked that there were many races, religions, disabilities and sexual orientations represented. I did have a few problems with how the police were handled though, they took the time to set up tents before knowing just what was going on inside or trying to contact the shooter? Everyone in the auditorium had a cell phone and I just didn’t feel any urgency on their part.

My favorite characters in this book would have to be Far (Fareed) and Tomas (the prankster of the school) these two showed so much heroism, especially since they were free, they were both sent to the principal’s office, they weren’t locked in the auditorium with the shooter they could have just walked away but they didn’t, they stayed and tried to help.

I felt so bad for the shooters sister to have to see your brother shooting people and ranting about life and you can do nothing to stop him, yet people think you should be doing something or that it’s your fault.

I also am not sure what the addition of the tweets was about; I don’t think they added anything to the story at all. (And in my DRC it was big white blocks with the tweets below, I’m not sure what I was supposed to be seeing). These tweets could be cut completely and not lose a single bit of the story.

I’ll be honest there was a few times where I thought why aren’t you all ganging up and taking him down, I guess unless you have lived the situation you don’t know how you would react so I tried to put myself in their shoes and I’d probably be the kid completely shut down and too scared to move, so who am I to judge.

There were a few things off about the book but they in no way outweighed what made this a powerful story.

3 ½ Stars

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review.

2015 Favorites

2015 Favorites

I read so many great books this year, here is my narrowed down top 20

107 books read- 7811 pages read- 70 Female Authors 37 male Authors

905 Hours of Audiobooks, Listened to- 50 Female Narrators-44 Male Narrators

Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner

Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

Boo by Neil Smith

What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman narrated by, Tavia Gilbert

A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab narrated by, Steven Crossley

Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran

The Flying Circus by Susan Crandall narrated by, Jacques Roy

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson narrated by, Scott Brick

All the Stars in the Sky (Until the End of the World #3) by Sarah Lyons Fleming narrated by, Julia Whelan (Goodreads Review)

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline narrated by, George Newbern (Goodreads Review)

A Touch of Stardust by, Kate Alcott narrated by, Cassandra Campbell

Lacy Eye by Jessica Treadway narrated by, Ellen Archer

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain narrated by, Alison Elliott

The Truth According to Us: A Novel By Annie Barrows Narrated By Ann Marie Lee, Tara Sands, Julia Whelan

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon narrated by, Cassandra Campbell

The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

The One That Got Away by Simon Wood (Goodreads review)

Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta narrated by, Robert Petkoff

Crash & Burn (Tessa Leoni, #3) by Lisa Gardner

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins narrated by, Clare Corbett , Louise Brealey and  India Fisher

And a couple that don’t come out till Spring of 2016 (reviews to come)-Links to description on Goodreads

The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia by C.W. Gortner

Find Her by, Lisa Gardner