I feel a little guilty giving any book by the writing team of Ilona Andrews anything less thaThis review has also been posted at Carole's Random Life.
I feel a little guilty giving any book by the writing team of Ilona Andrews anything less than a full 5 stars. This series does start out as a solid 4 star territory for me though. The rating is based on the story and not the narration. I loved this book the first time I read it and I liked it just as much the second time.
This book is the first in the Kate Daniels series and there is a lot of world building which slows things down just a bit. The characters that I have grown to love first appear in this book and it was a lot of fun to go back and see how they started. I actually forgot quite a bit of the overall story so I found everything just as exciting as I did the first time. Every once in a while my fading memory works in my favor.
The narration of the story was okay. I have listened to the first two books in this series and I liked the narrator better on this first book than I did the second but that is basically just because of character voices that were not present in this book. I don't like the narrator's voice for Curran. He sounds too growly in opinion. Yes, I know that he is a lion but that is my take on it anyway. I thought that the narrator did okay with everything else in this book and I could deal with the Curran voice because I know that I am probably really hard to please with that one.
This book has one of my favorite scenes in any book and I know that I will read this series many more times during my lifetime. I love every scene with Curran and Kate and really any scene with Curran period because I love Curran. My only real complaint about this book would be that I would have liked more Curran. Ilona Andrews knows what they are doing and every time Curran graces the page it feels special.
If you have not read this series, what is stopping you? Seriously, this book should be on everyone's must read list especially if you are a fan of Urban Fiction. I would probably recommend that this book is best if you read it instead of listen to it. I can't wait to get my hands on more Kate Daniels!...more
I did not expect to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did in the end. This book is incThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
I did not expect to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did in the end. This book is incredibly original with enough humor that I found myself chucking every once in a while. I have a slightly weird sense of humor and something about this book just clicked for me. I tend to listen to audiobooks just a little bit at a time and I found that worked well with this book.
I think that oftentimes books with any paranormal element take themselves too seriously. Not this book. This book jumps in and doesn't really take anything seriously. The main character Dan Chambeaux's name is even open for jokes - Did you notice that this is the Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series? I love just thinking about a world where if you come back as a zombie or ghost, you simply brush yourself off and go back to your life. In this case, Dan goes back to work as a Private Investigator and works to solve not only his own murder but that of his ghostly girlfriend.
I did solve the big mystery before the big reveal but I had a lot of fun during the journey. This book actually had several different smaller mysteries as Dan worked on his caseload. Each of these cases brought new and colorful characters into the mix. In this book, the author was able to create a completely likeable zombie. That shouldn't even be possible but I really liked Dan. The other characters in the book were really just as much fun.
The narrator did a remarkable job with this story. In fact, I don't think that this story would have be quite as enjoyable without his narration. I am amazed at how well he did various voices and I never had any difficulty in keeping all of the characters straight in my head. I really think that this is a case where a narrator was able to take a good story and make it great. This is the first audiobook with Phil Gigante as the narrator that I have listened to but I will definitely look for him in the future.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a dose of laughs with their light paranormal reads. This story is quick, easy, and a whole lot of fun. I would highly recommend the audiobook version of this story if at all possible because I really think that is the best way to experience this story. I hope to listen to the next one in the series in the near future. ...more
Once I got into this story, I really enjoyed this audiobook. I have to admit that it took me a little while to really warm up to the overall st3 Stars
Once I got into this story, I really enjoyed this audiobook. I have to admit that it took me a little while to really warm up to the overall story but once the romance picked up I found it to be quite enjoyable.
I really liked the characters in this book. Norah takes her responsibilities seriously and has no trouble telling others what she thinks. Even though her brothers are always trying to take care of her, Norah is more than able to take care of herself. I found Chase to be the most interesting character in the story. He has just inherited his uncle's ranch and isn't really sure why his uncle decided to leave it to him. Chase lives in the city and makes a living as an architect and he hasn't even visited the ranch in years. I loved the chemistry between Chase and Norah and the two of them as a couple just made sense.
There were really no big surprises in this book but I couldn't wait to see how everything played out. There were a few moments in the story that I felt too many details were given and I have to admit it drove me a little crazy. I remember one scene when potholders were described. I wanted to yell at the book that I didn't care about the potholders...move on to the story. (The potholders were crocheted in case anyone was wondering). Most of these issues were at the beginning of the story and the focus switched to the romance once that started to blossom.
I liked the narrator and thought that she brought a lot to the story. I had no trouble discerning who the speaker was at any time in the book. I also found that the way this story was read really helped me to focus on what was going on. I would definitely pick up another audiobook narrated by Tiffany Williams.
I would recommend this story to others. I found it to be a really sweet romance that kept my interest. This is the first book by Kimberly Lewis that I have had a chance to read but I am now really curious about Zane story so I may check that one out soon.
I received a gifted copy of this audiobook from the author for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I have enjoyed Lisa Scottoline's writing for quite some time. I would have to say that I became a pretty big fan of hers when I went to an a3.5 Stars!
I have enjoyed Lisa Scottoline's writing for quite some time. I would have to say that I became a pretty big fan of hers when I went to an author event at my local library when she was touring for Look Again. I couldn't believe how much fun I had listening to her. She was funny and she threw snack cakes at the audience which is always a plus. I went home that night with a huge grin on my face, a snack cake to devour later on, and a brand new tote bag that she gave me for buying several of her novels. I don't really know what I waited until now to read this book since I know how funny she can be.
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Just a couple of weeks ago, Lisa made a return visit to my town to promote her new book Every Fifteen Minutes. This event was just as much fun as the first. There weren't any snack cakes this time...but there was wine and cheese so I don't think any missed the snack cakes. I spent some time talking to other fans at the event and learned that Lisa actually narrates the audiobooks for her humorous books. I had just finished an audiobook so I downloaded this book and started listening right away.
This is a compilation of articles, some of which I think I may have read before when they were originally published in a newspaper column. Some of the stories were laugh out loud funny. Some made me chuckle just a little bit. One story actually made me cry which is crazy. I hardly ever cry and especially not on my way to work over an audiobook. I was really very impressed that this book was able to bring out so much emotion. I am amazed by how much I could relate to Lisa Scottoline and in many ways her story felt like some of my own.
I liked the fact that this book was really 90 different stories. Yes, there were 90 chapters in my audiobook and each chapter was a completely different story. You learned a lot about many of the people in the book and the stories did build upon that knowledge but any of the stories could be listened to independently without any problem. This was a perfect set up for me because I work just a few miles from my house so I could listen to a couple of stories in the car on the way to work and not worry about stopping in the middle of a chapter. I even listened to it when my family was in the car and felt no embarrassment. My daughter was embarrassed but I had no problems and I even caught my husband and daughter laughing a couple of times.
The narration was perfect. I wish that she would narrate all of her books because she is a fabulous narrator. Her daughter even authored and narrated a few of the chapters and it was nice to hear her perspective. Generally, I have found that authors can be the best narrators because they know how they envisioned the story be told. This book is really Lisa Scottoline's life told through stories and I can't think of anyone else I would have wanted as a narrator.
I would recommend this book to others. I know that my mother will love this book and I plan to help her get it on her kindle the next time I see her. I will definitely be reading more from Lisa Scottoline in the future. ...more
I have been in love with Hardy Cates since I first met him way back in 2007 when This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
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5 Stars!
I have been in love with Hardy Cates since I first met him way back in 2007 when I first read Sugar Daddy. The teenage girl that now occupies this old ladies body still swoons a little bit every time I even think about Hardy Cates as a teenager. Where were the boys like Hardy back when I actually was a teenager? Even when Hardy does something a little wrong, I can forgive him. When this book came out in 2008, I drove to my local Borders and grabbed a copy just as soon as they opened for the day. I loved it then and I still love it today. Just be aware that this review is not unbiased because it is nearly impossible to be unbiased when you are in love.
Haven first meets Hardy at her brother Gage's wedding when she slips into the wine cellar. Haven thinks she has found her boyfriend, Nick, and things heat up really quickly. Once she realizes her mistake, they both move on with their lives. Haven knows that Nick is her future and she is willing to do whatever it takes to be with him...even if it means she is cut off financially from her wealthy father. The lack of money doesn't bother Haven as she tries to be a good wife to Nick. Nick becomes increasingly resentful and angry. Nothing Haven does is good enough for Nick. He doesn't care what Haven wants or what she thinks because the only thing that matters to him is himself.
Haven eventually leaves Nick after he becomes abusive. She starts a new life with the help of her family. She starts working at a property management office for her brother, Jack. She soon crosses paths with Hardy once again. Her family warns her against Hardy but she takes a chance anyway.
I was just as moved by Kleypas's description of the abuse that Haven endured as I was the first time I read the book. I think that she did a remarkable job of demonstrating how out of control Nick had become. I was frightened for Haven and wanted to take her away and protect her just like her brothers wanted to. Haven is strong. She asks for help when she knows that she needs it and then works to change the things in her life that she can change.
Would I love Hardy as much as I do if I hadn't already read the first book in this series? I don't know and it is really hard to guess because I was already in love with him before this book started. Hardy listened to Haven and tried to be what she needed. The chemistry between Haven and Hardy is phenomenal. I am still trying to figure out how Haven ever pulled herself out of the wine cellar at the very beginning of the book. I like Haven and Hardy as a couple.
I listened to the audiobook on this read through and I have to admit I had a hard time with the narration at the beginning of the story. I kept listening and starting liking the narration more and more and by the end of the book I didn't notice the narrator anymore because all I could think about was the story. I got lost in the story which is exactly what I look for in an audiobook.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I would suggest that readers start with the first book in the series, Sugar Daddy, because it really gives a lot of background, not to mention it is an excellent book. I am planning to re-read the next book in this series very soon and can't wait to get my hands on a new book by Lisa Kleypas. ...more
Woo Hoo! I absolutely loved this audiobook. I found this book during one of audible's sales a feThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
Woo Hoo! I absolutely loved this audiobook. I found this book during one of audible's sales a few months ago and bought it on a whim. I just hoped that it would be a fun quirky story to go along with its attention grabbing title and awesome pick cover. I was instantly hooked with this one. I started this audiobook while I was doing the laundry one Sunday night and I actually found myself spending a lot more time than usual folding clothes just because I didn't want the story to stop. Anything that can make me want to do laundry deserves a medal of some kind. I really haven't had this much fun listening to an audiobook in a long time.
I love a good zombie story. I will have to blame The Walking Dead for that I guess. These stories are just so much fun and I like how varied each one can be. Angel is really my kind of zombie. She doesn't throw herself a pity party when she realizes that she is a zombie. She just tries her best to figure out what she needs to do in order to take care of herself. Angel is smart and I really liked the way she thinks about things so spending time in her head was great.
The mystery of this book really took a backseat to the wonderful characters for me. There were really two mysteries in the book. The main focus seemed to be about a series of deaths in the area but I found myself really wanting to find out what had happened that made Angel into a zombie. That was the big question in my mind and I was satisfied with the outcome.
I really liked the flow of the story. The pace that things were revealed was just right to keep me very interested. It was a very well rounded book for me as well. I wouldn't say that this book was laugh out loud funny but there were some moments of humor that I really enjoyed. Angel's realization about what she is and what she wants was just a lot of fun. She also shows a lot of growth during the book which was well done.
I loved the narration of this audiobook. Allison McLemore did an absolutely fabulous job of bringing life to this story. I am so glad that I went with the audio on this one because I can't imagine a better way to experience this story. I loved the voices that she used for all of the characters and her southern accent really was perfect for the story. I would definitely like to listen to more books narrated by this narrator and plan to continue with the series very soon.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I had a great time listening to it and would recommend to others to try it on audio if they have a chance. This is the first book by Diana Rowland that I have read and I can't wait to see what else she can come up with. It looks like I will be purchasing the remaining audiobooks in this series very soon because I need to spend more time with Angel as soon as possible.
Initial Thoughts I absolutely loved this one! Full review to be posted soon....more
I really enjoyed my re-read of this book! I had a lot of fun with this book the first time I picked it up and knew that I wanted to rAudiobook Review
I really enjoyed my re-read of this book! I had a lot of fun with this book the first time I picked it up and knew that I wanted to read it a second time before picking up the last book in the trilogy. I decided to give the audiobook a try for this re-read and that was a very good decision. I believe that I liked the book even more because of how the narrator brought the story to life.
I love the way that we are introduced to the world that Lila lives in. It is similar to our world but the town that she lives in is filled with magic. Things in town are controlled by the mob-like families who are always trying to grab ahold of just a little more power every chance that they get. The magic system was really well done and I liked how each of the characters had their own unique abilities and it was fun to see them use them to their advantage.
I really liked all of the characters in this story and found them all to be incredibly interesting and unique. Lila hasn't had things easy but has adapted and can handle most situations fairly well. Devon has a lot of responsibility and feels protective of the members of his family. Mo was fun and while I thought he was looking out for Lila, I was never sure if he should be trusted. There is a large cast of characters from the various families that really kept the story interesting.
Brittany Pressley did a fantastic job with the narration of this book. I remember liking the book the first time I read it but during this re-read, I didn't want to put it down. She brought Lila and the rest of the characters to life and I thought that she did a wonderful job with all of the character voices.
I would recommend this book to others. I think that Jennifer Estep has created a fun YA urban fiction series filled with a lot of excitement and great characters. I cannot wait to start the audiobook of the next book in the trilogy.
I loved this book! I thought it was a lot of fun to read. I read simply because I want to be entertained and this book grabbed my attention right away and never let go. I am not sure why I tend to enjoy so many YA titles but it may have something to do with the fact that I spend more time with my 14-year-old daughter and her friends than I do anyone else. I love discussing books with my daughter and her friends and I can't tell you how happy it makes me just knowing how much they love to read.
I was thrilled that this book didn't fall into the love triangle trap that seems to be a required element in this genre. This book was almost completely romance-free but a little bit found its way into the book. To be more precise, a little bit of mutual attraction was part of the story and I fully expect that it will be explored further in future installments in this series. I really wish that the story had been kept romance free.
I was excited to jump into a new series. I liked the world-building in this book and think that the world can be built upon as the series progresses. The magic along with the mob-like family power hierarchy was interesting and unique. I have seen a lot of the elements that were used in this story but they were put together in a very interesting manner. I loved that monsters and superstitions were incorporated into the framework of the story.
Lila is an awesome character. She is tough, smart, and knows how to take care of herself. While she has survived by stealing, her behavior proves that she is really a good person. She isn't innocent and she is willing to do what needs to be done in order to stay alive even if that means she takes a life. Lila isn't easily pushed around and isn't intimidated by the people in the Family who hold the power. When she finds herself serving as Devon's bodyguard, she does the job well even though it was not a job that she wanted.
I liked the other characters in the story quite a bit. Devon was dreamy. Seriously, I might have a little bit of a crush on him. I really wish that he wasn't quite so perfect to be honest. He really was a genuinely nice guy in this story who doesn't take things for granted. Mo was interesting because I never knew who's best interest he was really looking out for. What can I say about Oscar except that I love him? I love a world that includes a redneck pixie that will do your chores.
The pacing of this book was perfect. There was a lot of action at various points in the book. I am really impressed by the world-building in this story. I never felt like information was being dumped on me which often happens in the first book in a new series. The world-building simply happened as the story progressed. There were a lot of characters in this story now that I think about it but they were introduced in a manner that kept the story interesting while defining their role in the overall story.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes YA urban fantasy. I have read and enjoyed other books by Jennifer Estep. I cannot wait to get my hands on this next book in this new series.
I received a copy of this book from Kensington - Teen via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
I was completely entertained by this audiobook. I am giving it 4 stars based complThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
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4 Stars
I was completely entertained by this audiobook. I am giving it 4 stars based completely on the entertainment value of the story. I am a huge fan of The Walking Dead and love a good zombie story. I stumbled upon the short prequel to this series on audible as a freebie,The Hospital: The First Mountain Man Story, and really enjoyed it so I decided to jump right into this book.
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Gus has it pretty good during this apocalyptic time. He has a house in the mountains that is really almost a fortress. The house he lives in would be the perfect place to find when the world falls apart. He has electricity from the solar panels on the house. He has a well with a working pump. He even has an extensive video collection as well as a quite a few books.
Gus is very focused on making sure he has enough supplies to get through the winter. Every few days or so, he heads into town in his van to look for supplies. Apparently, there has not been a huge rush on alcohol once the zombies came around because he has not had any trouble finding enough booze to spend many evenings passed out drunk.
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This story was really episodic in the way that it was told. There would be an immediate problem that needed to be dealt with and it would be addressed. I kind of liked the way this story was told because I tended to listen to this audiobook in short bursts. This story was really just a story survival during the zombie apocalypse with a lot of drinking and swearing.
I listened to the audible audiobook and thought that the narrator did a wonderful job with the story. Each character had his own voice and the narration kept me very focused on the story.
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I would recommend this book to others who are looking for a zombie story. This book has everything you would need in a zombie story - action, humor, likable characters, toilet paper, and enough booze to make a fraternity happy. There is a lot of cussing in this story that may bother some readers. I found it to be a rather enjoyable novel. I would probably suggest to anyone who isn't sure about this series to try the prequel, The Hospital, before jumping into this story just to get a feel for the storytelling and the world. ...more
2022 Re-read I decided to do a quick re-read via audio so I can finally pick up the second book in the series. Johanna Parker did a great job with this2022 Re-read I decided to do a quick re-read via audio so I can finally pick up the second book in the series. Johanna Parker did a great job with this story.
I had so much fun reading this book! I have found that if I read too many books in one genre, I start getting bored and need to switch gears to something completely different. I have been reading so many romance novels lately that they have started to drive me a little crazy so I decided to pull this book out of my to-be-read pile to mix things up a bit. I have never read any of Shelly Laurenston's work before but I thought this would be a great place to jump in since it is the beginning of a new series. As it turns out, I think I have found another series that I will need to keep up with and a new author to watch out for.
It did take me a little while to really understand the world in this book. I think that the world-building was well done but there was just so much information to process. Once the rules for the world in this book were established in my mind, the story really took off and I had a hard time putting the book down before I knew it. I found that the mythology behind the world to be incredibly unique. This book is different than anything else I have had a chance to read.
I did think that there were a whole lot of characters to keep straight. The fact that they sometimes used the character's first name and used their last name at other times made it a little more confusing for me. I did figure out who the key figures in the story were going to be pretty early in the book and everything started to come together for me.
I really liked the two main characters in this story. Kera is starting her second life as a Crow. She is a former Marine and likes for things to be organized and planned. Unfortunately for her, the Crows like to play things by ear and the training is really non-existent. Vig is a Raven and he has had his eye on Kera for quite some time. It is because of Vig that Kera is getting this chance at a second life and he tries to teach her some of the skills that she is going to need as a Crow.
This book did a lot of things really well. I found the world-building to be well done and the world created was different than anything else I have had a chance to read. The book had moments of humor which I really loved. I think sometimes things can get too serious and I think that the humor worked into this story made the characters feel more realistic. I loved the main characters and thought that the chemistry between them was incredible. The pacing of the book was perfect with just enough action to keep things really interesting.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of anything paranormal. There is some romance in this book but it does not overwhelm the story in any way. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this exciting new series.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Kensington Publishing Corp. and Net Galley for the purpose of providing an honest review....more
This was such a fun romance! I have heard so many wonderful things about Penny Reid andThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was such a fun romance! I have heard so many wonderful things about Penny Reid and have had this book in my Audible account for a couple of years so I thought it was time to finally give it a try. I can understand why so many readers have raved about this author's work. I was hooked on the book from the start and enjoyed it until the very end.
Janie starts this story out having a very bad day. She loses her boyfriend, her apartment, and her job in a single day. She is escorted out by the hot new man working with security, Quinn. She moves in with best friend while she tries to get her life in order. She actually handles all of this a whole lot better than I would have imagined.
Janie is a great character. She is really smart and tends to over share. Conversations with Janie often go in strange directions but are always a lot of fun. She doesn't take the easy option if it doesn't feel right. Quinn was amazing. He was such a good match for Janie and really seemed to watch out and care for her from the very start. I thought these two had some great chemistry with each other and had a lot of fun being there while they fell in love.
I thought Jennifer Grace did a fantastic job with the narration of the audiobook. I haven't listened to her work before but will be looking for her again in the future. She was able to present the book in such a way that the funny parts seemed a bit funnier and the romantic parts left me swooning. I liked how she was able to voice a variety of characters with ease and I never tired of listening to this book.
I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This book had a little bit of everything. Some parts were funny, some were loaded with action, some parts made me think, while others touched my heart. I definitely plan to read to continue with this series in the future.
Initial Thoughts This was fun! Janie was adorable and Quinn was great. I thought that they made a great couple and enjoyed watching them get to know each other. There were a few really predictable moments but a few moments that made me chuckle. It really was a great time.
I absolutely loved this book! I listened to the audible version of the story and I havThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4.5 Stars!
I absolutely loved this book! I listened to the audible version of the story and I have to say that if you have a choice as to how you experience this book, I would definitely go for the audio. It was fantastic. This was a book that made me actually want to stay in the car to hear a little more just so I could hear a little more of the story. I almost pushed the kids out of the car so I could turn it back on (you do NOT want to try to listen to this book with your kids in the car - trust me!). I did make my husband listen to it with me for a little while and I caught him laughing at it more than once.
This isn't the kind of book that I read all that often and I have to admit that I am a little ashamed that I liked it so much. If someone had told me all about Drew Evans, I would have said he sounds like an asshole and you know what - Drew IS an asshole! Drew is everything I should have hated in a male lead...but I loved him anyway. This is entirely Drew's story - told from his perspective. I know that there are other books told from the man's point of view but I think this may be the first one that I have had a chance to read and I really enjoyed the change.
The narrator on the audio, Sebastian York, nailed the delivery on this audiobook. He was perfect and I fell in love with his voice. I actually spent a day trying to figure out what the man looked like because he is Drew Evans. He has to be there is no other explanation as to how he could so perfectly tell this story. If you can experience this story via audio, I think you will find that it is really the way to go.
As we have already covered, Drew is an asshole. He is a player and a king when it comes to one night stands. And then he meets Kate. Kate is a new employee at Drew's firm and she is proving to be a challenge. They have a lot of chemistry together and it was just fun anytime they were together. Drew has a total change of heart in this book and his turn around was dramatic.
I loved the originality of this story and how it is told through humor. People love to laugh (at least I do) and this book is just plain funny. I liked that Drew is paired with a woman who will not tolerate his crap in this story. Kate is exactly what Drew needed. The story never felt boring and the humor never grew old. It was trashy at times but it was fun.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a humorous romantic story. This was the first book that I have had a chance to read by Emma Chase but I will be reading the rest of the series in the very near future. ...more
This was the second time I experienced this wonderful story and I still like it as much This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
5 Stars!
This was the second time I experienced this wonderful story and I still like it as much as I did the first time and maybe even a little more. I still remember picking this book up the first time at my local library shortly after its release. I remember looking for something new to read and the bright colors on the cover of this book called to me. I had never heard of Lisa Kleypas but I decided to take that book home with me and give it a try. I fell in love. Liberty's story grabbed me and I was soon telling all of my friends to read this book. I have now read a good portion of the books that Kleypas has written and have enjoyed every one of them but I have a soft spot in my heart for this story - maybe because it was my first.
Since it has been years since I read this book, I decided it was time to listen to the audiobook that I have had sitting in my audible account for quite some time. I must admit that I was not in the love with the narration right away but in the end I really enjoyed Jeannie Stith's narration of the story. She did a fantastic job of giving each character a different voice and I think she was able to show Liberty's voice maturing through the story. I was pulled in the story just as completely during this audiobook listen as I was when I read the book.
This is Liberty's story. I really think that this is a coming of age story more than a romance. Yes, there is romance but the focus of this story is Liberty. The book starts out with Liberty as a young awkward teenager living in a trailer park in Welcome, Texas. She experiences many of the things a typical teenager does - crushes, boyfriends, school, and spending time with friends. Liberty is forced to grow up quickly when tragedy strikes. Instead of giving up, Liberty works hard to find a career and takes her responsibilities seriously. Through her work, Liberty meets Churchill and a friendship quickly forms. She eventually takes a job as Churchill's assistant and moves into his home.
The romance in this book is different in many ways. As you may be able to guess from the cover, there is a love triangle (see there is 2 cowboys and only 1 cowgirl - big clue right there). The romance really comes at the very end of the book and it is intense. The big difference is that Liberty dates others during the course of the story. She doesn't have a lot of boyfriends but she does have a few. She also spends a lot of time thinking about the boy she met back in the trailer park, Hardy Cates. I must admit that I have spent a lot of time thinking about that boy myself. There is just something that I love about Hardy - where was this kind of teenage boy when I was a teenager? Then we finally get to see Liberty fall in love and try to figure things out and I couldn't help but be happy for her. I absolutely love how this story ends.
Lisa Kleypas does a lot of things right in this book. I fell head over heels in love with her characters. The only character that I didn't like in this story was her mother's boyfriends and a couple of the losers that Liberty dated. The pacing of the story was perfect and I found that I had a really hard time putting the story aside. I actually sat on my bed with my headphones one evening because I had to know what happened next, despite the fact that I have read the book before and already knew. This says a lot both about the story and about the narration.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good coming of age story. This story of Liberty Jones is really hard to put down because everything is so vivid. I know that this is a book that I will come back to read again many times in the future.
This is another wonderful story from Brandon Sanderson! I was lucky enough to grab this This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
This is another wonderful story from Brandon Sanderson! I was lucky enough to grab this audio book from audible months ago when it was free. I didn't realize what kind of gem I had received at the time. This is a remarkable series that is so different than anything else I have had the chance to experience.
I love being in the mind of the main character, Steven Leeds. Sanderson has created a truly unique character set in this series that really drives the story. Many people would think that Steven is crazy. He has been studied and more than a few scientists would like to study how his mind works. Steven isn't crazy...but his aspects are. Steven lives in a large mansion with all of his aspects, or hallucinations. Each aspect is a has his or her own identity and set of expertise. The psychological aspect of this novel is absolutely amazing.
The narrator of the audiobook is the same as in the first story. I believe that Oliver Wyman brings a lot to this story. Each character has a separate voice and his voice is soothing. In my mind, he is the voice of Steven. His delivery of the story is absolutely wonderful.
The wonderful characters are paired with a complex and highly creative mystery. The mystery in this story is just as unique as the character of Steven Leeds. Steven is enlisted to help find a corpse. This isn't just a normal corpse though. This corpse holds a massive amount of data that needs to stay out of the wrong hands. Everything that happens is logical but very unexpected.
In this story, Steven is pushed to the limits in many ways and his sanity is threatened. He has specific rules that must be obeyed or his illusions shatter. Steven knows how vulnerable his ability to function in the world really is. He finds himself having to deal with several situations in this story that upset his delicate balance.
I would highly recommend this book to other. This is the second installment in the Legion series and while this story could be read as a stand alone. I would recommend that this series be read in order since the first installment is very short and does a fantastic job of introducing the characters. I look forward to see what challenges Steven and his aspects will face in the future. ...more
I really enjoyed this book! I read the other 2 books in this series when they were releThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I really enjoyed this book! I read the other 2 books in this series when they were released and decided that it was finally time to go back and read the first book. I am always looking for something a little different to read and this one definitely met that definition. I honestly cannot remember the last time I read a romance where the heroine is pregnant with 4 kids. This book not only worked, it worked well. I was really hooked by Matt and Abby's story and wanted to listen to it for hours at a time. I am so glad that I decided to pick this one up.
Abby has taken her 4 young children to the beach for a vacation. Her husband recently died so it is just her and the kids. Abby is pregnant with her 5th child so she wants to fit one more trip before it becomes harder with a new baby. Matt is a Navy SEAL who is taking a much needed break at the beach. When Abby's son asks Matt to play ball with him, he can't say no. He finds himself wanting to spend more and more time with Abby and her family.
I loved the characters in this book. I have to say that I don't tend to pick up a lot of books with kids playing a large role. I like kids and even have had a couple myself but I don't always like to read about them. These kids were amazing. They were all really great characters that added something to the story. Matt was such a great guy. I loved how he was with both Abby and the kids. It seemed so natural from the very beginning, like he was meant to be with them. Abby was such a great mom and very independent. I liked watching her learn to trust Matt and let him into her life.
Johanna Parker does a wonderful job with the narration in this book. I have listened to her narration before and knew that I really liked her style. She handled all of the different characters in this book so well. She had realistic voices that she used for each character including the young children. She was able to put a lot of emotion into the reading and her voice was very pleasant to listen to for hours at a time.
The only thing that didn't seem realistic about this story was how well behaved Abby's children were at all times. As a mom, I kind of wanted to see one of these kids have the meltdown you know would happen at some point. Anyone who has taken young children on vacation knows there is going to be tears, screaming, and most bodily fluids will most likely be involved. Of course, the absence of these things may be the reason that I liked these kids as much as I did.
I would recommend this audiobook to others. It was a really fun and romantic story that was really a joy to listen to. I plan to read more of Claudia Connor's work in the future.
Initial Thoughts I enjoyed this story. Abby is not the average heroine being pregnant with 4 young kids which I really liked. Matt and Abby were great together and I loved what the kids added to the story.
I am quickly becoming a HUGE Brandon Sanderson fan. I only recently become introduced toThis review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
4 Stars!
I am quickly becoming a HUGE Brandon Sanderson fan. I only recently become introduced to Sanderson a couple of months ago when I read Steelheart and I am starting to realize that I have really been missing out. This story was completely unique and entertaining. I love how different this story was from anything I have ever encountered before. This story is short but it is highly complex and detailed.
I decided to read this story because I thought I had the audiobook already in my audible account, I discovered that I actually had the second book in the series so I quickly remedied that situation and started listening right away. I think that the narrator did a fantastic job with this story. He voice was soothing to listen to and he did such a fantastic job with a wide range of characters.
Steven Leeds is probably one of the most interesting characters that I have encountered in a book. He is never alone. He lives with his aspects, otherwise known as his hallucinations. Each one of his aspects is an expert in a certain area. Steven claims that he is not a genius and that his aspects are the intelligent one. Of course, he also claims that he isn't crazy and to be honest he acts completely sane if you ignore the fact that he spends most of his time talking to his hallucinations.
Steven is quickly enlisted to help locate a missing camera. This isn't just any camera. This camera takes photos that should not exist. When he thinks about what this camera means to society, he feels he has no choice but to try to find it. Steven and his aspects make quite the formidable team as they work to achieve their goal. There are moments in the story when I just need to stop and think for a bit, moments I laughed a little, and other times where I could find out what was going to happen next fast enough.
The characters in this story are unbelievably good. Sanderson was able to create a man with a mansion full of hallucinations who appears to be completely sane. Every single aspect that were involved in the story had a distinct personality. While everyone around Steven saw a man talking to nobody, we, the reader, got to see exactly what Steven saw and it was amazing. I never experienced a moment of boredom during the story. Of course, how could I? J.C was running around with guns and hallucinations having hallucinations - I simply had no idea what could possibly be next.
I would highly recommend this story to others. I cannot wait to spend more time with Steven and his aspects. I will definitely be reading more from Brandon Sanderson in the not too distant future. ...more
I have listened to a third of this book and I am so confused. Not only am I not exactly sure what is going on, I don't have the energy to finDNF @ 33%
I have listened to a third of this book and I am so confused. Not only am I not exactly sure what is going on, I don't have the energy to find out. There appears to be a bit of a love triangle which I can deal with but one of the boys is the female character's 3rd cousin, so that's a nope from me. I did think that the narrator did a great job with the story but it's just not one for me.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley and a copy of the audiobook was borrowed from my local library....more
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