| Audio Book Reviews : Books For Ears

The Host: A Novel by Stephenie Meyer

The Host: A Novel Author: Stephenie Meyer Reader: Kate Reading Short Review: Meyer's first foray into sci-fi is very satisfying. Officially an adult novel (in contrast with the young adult label applied to the Twilight series) The Host explores a post-invasion world from the perspective of one of the invaders. It is well written, well read and is still haunting me weeks after I finished listening.
Posted: October 30th, 2008 ˑ 3 Comments
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Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood

Reader: Barbara Caruso Short Review: Atwood's Governor General's Award-winning bildungsroman about girls' cruelty to other girls, art, childhood, and memory; read crisply by Barbara Caruso. The book follows Elaine Risley, an artist, as she remembers her youth in Canada while preparing for a retrospective of her artwork. It is heartbreaking and beautiful, which makes it hard to listen to at times. Pain is perhaps more real when it's expressed out loud--this isn't a fun listen, but it's a very good one.
Posted: October 29th, 2008 ˑ 2 Comments
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Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga, Book 3)

Eclipse (Twilight Saga, Book 3) Author: Stephenie Meyer Reader: Ilyana Kadushin and Matt Walters Short Review: Meyer gets better with each book. With this book, she has found a good rhythm. The quieter bits of this story have a stronger voice than those in the first 2 books of the saga. Book 3 digs deeply into Bella's relationships and finally starts to ask the question of "Why?". We still get good action scenes (because there is always action in a world that has vampires and werewolves) - but we also see Bella make conscious choices with an eye to the consequences in her future.
Posted: October 10th, 2008 ˑ 5 Comments
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Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn

Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, Book 1)

Author: Lian Hearn
Readers: Kevin Gray and Aiko Nakasone
Short Review: Look Mom—I’m panning a well-loved book!
A fantasy/faux history of feudal Japan read by two readers—one of whom can’t …

Posted: August 25th, 2008 ˑ 3 Comments
Find more: Fantasy Audio Books, Historical Fiction Audio Books
My Dream of You by Nuala O’Faolain

My Dream Of You
Author: Nuala O’Faolain
Reader: Dearbhla Molloy
Short Review: A beautiful first novel from one of Ireland’s best memoir and non-fiction writers, gorgeously read by Dublin’s excellent Dearbhla Molloy with just the right …

Posted: August 22nd, 2008 ˑ 3 Comments
Find more: Historical Fiction Audio Books, Irish Audio Books, Women's Fiction Audio Books
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight Saga, Book 2)

Reader: Ilyana Kadushin Short Review: The good: a fresh and creative version of vampire and werewolf legends with characters you care about and great action scenes. The less good: lots and lots of Bella's internal angst-ridden dialogue (not that there is anything wrong with that, if you have a taste for that sort of thing).
Posted: August 1st, 2008 ˑ 6 Comments
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A Hat Full of Sky: The Continuing Adventures of Tiffany Aching and The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Reader: Stephen Briggs Short Review: If you loved Wee Free Men, you will love Hat Full of Sky. Same great reader - same fun mix of humor, youth, adventure and self-discovery. Tiffany Aching is now 11 and training with a mountain witch. She finds herself faced with a new opponent called a Hiver. It takes all her strength of will (plus the help of the Nac Mac Feegle and a number of other witches) to make it to the end of this entertaining story.
Posted: July 3rd, 2008 ˑ 3 Comments
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The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

The Killer Angels
Available from Audible.com

Author: Michael Shaara
Reader: Stephen Hoye
Short Review: Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize winning masterwork about the Battle of Gettysburg, well-read and voiced by Stephen Hoye. One of the best pieces of historical fiction …

Posted: June 16th, 2008 ˑ 3 Comments
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The Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Reader: Stephen Briggs Short Review: Fabulous and laugh-out-loud funny. Tiffany Aching, 9 year old witch-in-training, takes us on a wild ride to fairyland to rescue her baby brother and save the world from the evil queen. She has the help of the Nac Mac Feegle who happen to be 6 inch tall, fearless, phenomenally strong, kilt-wearing, blue-skinned, red-haired little men who speak with a strong Scottish brogue and are prone to thieving, drinking and fighting. Stephen Briggs reads this brilliantly. It is Terry Pratchett and Discworld at their best.
Posted: May 23rd, 2008 ˑ 4 Comments
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Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle

Paula Spencer

Author: Roddy Doyle

Reader: Ger Ryan

Short Review: A novel featuring the engaging lead character from Doyle’s The Woman Who Walked Into Doors gloriously read in the perfect Dublin accent by Ger Ryan.

Long Review: Paula Spencer is …

Posted: May 6th, 2008 ˑ 2 Comments
Find more: Irish Audio Books, Women's Fiction Audio Books
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) Author: Stephenie Meyer Reader: Ilyana Kadushin Short Review: One 17 year old girl who always felt different (and is a klutz to the extreme) crosses paths with a family of exquisite vampires. Romance and intrigue ensues. It grew on me, but it took a while.
Posted: April 22nd, 2008 ˑ 5 Comments
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Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper (The Dark Is Rising Sequence)

The Dark Is Rising Sequence, Book One: Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark Is Rising Sequence) Author: Susan Cooper Reader: Alex Jennings Short Review: This timeless story will spirit you away to a summer in Cornwall to join Simon, Jane, and Barney on a great and noble quest. Alex Jennings creates distinct voices for all the characters (especially for the three children) - and knits together a magical world for your enjoyment.
Posted: April 10th, 2008 ˑ Comments Closed
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