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.

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.

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.

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 be bothered to pronounce the name of a main character correctly. The characters aren’t particularly […]

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 accent and diction. The novel interlaces a story of a woman approaching menopause while re-awakening her sense of romance, […]

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).

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.

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 ever written, Shaara’s story alternates from North to South, depicting the mistakes of some leaders and […]

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.

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 a recovering alcoholic, recovering longtime victim of domestic violence, widow, house-cleaner, and mother weighed down […]

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.

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.