What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[Catlady]

I just finished listening Precious Thing, by Colette McBeth, narrated by Penelope Rawlins. This is one of my favorite suspense titles for the year. The story begins with Rachel (the narrator), a successful young TV journalist, learning that Clara, her best friend, has been reported missing. As the investigation unfolds, we also get details of the long relationship between the two women.

The book started out sort of slowly and didn't grab me at first--I multitask when I listen to audiobooks, which usually works fine for me, but with this one, I kept getting distracted, losing the thread of the story and having to go back a chapter or so; in fact, after doing this a few times, I gave up a few hours in and decided to start over completely. I'm glad I did, as the book turned out to be fascinating.

I'm definitely going to listen to this author's next book.

[Catlady]

Latest listen: Remember Me This Way, by Sabine Durrant, narrated by Penelope Rawlins and Daniel Weyman.

Suspenseful and intriguing--Did Lizzie's domineering husband really die in that crash that turned his car into a fireball? Is he still out there, planning revenge? The story unfolds in dueling his-and-her narratives that fill in the backstory.

The narrators were good, especially Daniel Weyman--he was terrific right from the opening passage. Although the performances enhanced the book, there was something I believe I might have picked up on if I'd seen the text and the spelling, but that went right over my head as audio. (I used the "look inside" feature at Amazon to see the text, and then it made sense.)

Two things bothered me--I'm going to use spoiler tags, but I'm not giving away the whole shebang:

1. Howard the dog

Spoiler:

Howard is the heroine's loyal dog, and I felt a sick sense of dread throughout, wondering what terrible fate might befall him as the story took shape. In some scenes I was extremely annoyed that the heroine seemed to temporarily forget about him when he was missing/feeling ill/potentially in danger. She also referred to him too often as "the dog," instead of by name, which felt false. Happily, Howard survives.

2. Reaction to big secret

Spoiler:

One character's reaction to a jaw-dropping and sick revelation didn't ring true. Even with what had been revealed about the character's character to that point, I couldn't believe the immediate reaction.

[Paegan2246]

I'm listening to Lionheart by Sharon K. Penman. Classified as historical fiction. It's about Richard the Lionheart. It's the first of two books Penman has written about Richard, the second being A King's Ransom - which covers his return from the Crusades and his captivity.

I'm a huge fan of Penman's having read everything she's written. The above two books are the only ones she written that are available in an audio version. I wish her Welsh Trilogy was also available but alas, no joy there.

Highly recommend!

[booklover6]

I've started "Sick" by Brett Battles. While it is good, and I got it on sale, I am disappointed that none of the other books in the series are at my libraries in any form. I didn't notice there were so many in the series when I bought it. This will be a one and done.

[Catlady]

I have been devouring suspense books at an alarming pace recently, discovering some gems along the way. Latest is The Poison Tree, by Erin Kelly, narrated by Jennifer Ikeda. Neither the author nor the narrator was familiar to me--I blindly took a chance on this book and it turned out to be terrific.

Told in first person by Karen, the story revolves around her friendship with Biba and Rex (brother and sister), when Karen and Biba were university students. Now, ten years later, Rex is a convicted murderer being released from prison to rejoin Karen and nine-year-old daughter Alice. And then we gradually learn what happened ten years ago.

I highly recommend this one.

[issybird]

I finally finished The Great Hunger, which was as grim as expected but worthwhile. I also listened to The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, read by Campbell Scott, whom I really like. However, he couldn't save The Reader, which was the worst book I've read this year. I don't understand the plaudits as I think a book which exploits the Holocaust by dressing it in a bunch of clichés is despicable.

I'm in the middle of another Wodehouse, but I think I'm going to this well a little too frequently. I'm also listening to The Illustrious Dead by Stephan Talty, read by Stephen Hoye. It's an account of how typhus affected Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, but it's lacking rigor and is mostly just a potted history. Not recommended.

I need to break out of my rut, obviously. Once I clear the decks, I hope I come up with something more absorbing.

[pwalker8]

I just finished up Star Wars, the Force Awakens and started on Fall of the White Ship Avatar, the 3rd of the Alacrity Fitzhugh trilogy by Brian Dailey. The Star Wars book was ok. I didn't get bored or anything but I don't see myself going on a Star Wars audiobook buying spree.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by issybird

I finally finished The Great Hunger, which was as grim as expected but worthwhile. I also listened to The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, read by Campbell Scott, whom I really like. However, he couldn't save The Reader, which was the worst book I've read this year. I don't understand the plaudits as I think a book which exploits the Holocaust by dressing it in a bunch of clichés is despicable.

I'm in the middle of another Wodehouse, but I think I'm going to this well a little too frequently. I'm also listening to The Illustrious Dead by Stephan Talty, read by Stephen Hoye. It's an account of how typhus affected Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, but it's lacking rigor and is mostly just a potted history. Not recommended.

I need to break out of my rut, obviously. Once I clear the decks, I hope I come up with something more absorbing.

I tend to arrange my audiobooks to make sure they are fairly varied and that I don't get the same sort of book too often in a row. That keeps me from getting burned out. This and automatically going to the next book while driving are a big reason that I'm so adamant about using playlist. The vast majority of audiobooks that I listen to are books that I've already read in ebook/dead tree, so I rarely end up with a bad book. There have been a few that I didn't read before listening. The Martian was one (good movie, even better book). The Star Wars book was another. (I suspect this will be a better movie than book. The movie is suppose to come out on Friday).

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I tend to arrange my audiobooks to make sure they are fairly varied and that I don't get the same sort of book too often in a row. That keeps me from getting burned out. This and automatically going to the next book while driving are a big reason that I'm so adamant about using playlist. The vast majority of audiobooks that I listen to are books that I've already read in ebook/dead tree, so I rarely end up with a bad book. There have been a few that I didn't read before listening. The Martian was one (good movie, even better book). The Star Wars book was another. (I suspect this will be a better movie than book. The movie is suppose to come out on Friday).

My MO to keep things interesting is to alternate fiction and non-fiction. It's just that sometimes a non-fiction book can be so very long that I need a break, or at least need to vary things with something else as I'm listening to it. Morning commute non-fiction, afternoon fiction, for example.

What compounds this is that I have the extremely absurd habit of making my purchased (i.e. bought with a credit) audiobooks lengthy non-fiction, as that seems the best "value." Yes, I'm an idiot. I'd never, ever use that calculus when buying an ebook, but then book prices reflect length at least to some extent. The upshot is that when I'm looking for something light and fictional to offset something long, dense and factual, I frequently end up resorting to OverDrive, which means I have to take what's available. Hence the atrocious The Reader.

I do have fictional standbys and I even own them, but the same as with book format it's a mistake for me to plow straight through an author or series. I mentioned Wodehouse. I love the Master, but he can be repetitive and I resorted to him this time too soon after the last. Similarly, I think the last Sharpe book I listened to suffered from being too close to the preceding one.

Other than a few classics, I generally don't listen to books I've already read. I'm suffering under the "so many books, so little time" compulsion. I've already planned that next year, one of my challenges will be to reread some old favorites. But that's next year!

Anyway, once I polish off my typhus book and the current Wodehouse, I'll take stock. I think I need to make my next couple of choices relevant to my 2016 reading challenges, though, so nothing especially fun yet. Ah, well. Summer is coming, and summer is when I let myself listen to Aubrey/Maturin. I can't wait!

[Catlady]

I keep thinking I should take a break from suspense, but I've discovered some new-to-me authors, and my standby authors all have new books out, so I keep listening. Happily, some of the new-to-me authors have backlist books in Overdrive, or I'd go broke. Hurrah for library e-books with Whispersync!

Usually I'll read the same author's books one after another. I do try to vary male and female narrators if I can, and U.S. versus UK authors.

Right now I'm listening to No One Knows, by J. T. Ellison, which, I blush to admit, I chose because of the price--only $7 at Audible, even though it's a new book from a major publisher. So far, so good--lots of hints that characters are not what they seem, little surprises along the way--but I'm not too far into it yet.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I keep thinking I should take a break from suspense, but I've discovered some new-to-me authors, and my standby authors all have new books out, so I keep listening. Happily, some of the new-to-me authors have backlist books in Overdrive, or I'd go broke. Hurrah for library e-books with Whispersync!

Usually I'll read the same author's books one after another. I do try to vary male and female narrators if I can, and U.S. versus UK authors.

Right now I'm listening to No One Knows, by J. T. Ellison, which, I blush to admit, I chose because of the price--only $7 at Audible, even though it's a new book from a major publisher. So far, so good--lots of hints that characters are not what they seem, little surprises along the way--but I'm not too far into it yet.

Hmmm, if you like suspense, have you read the Jane Whitefield books by Thomas Perry? I warn you, though. If you start one, you may find yourself finding excuses to listen when you should be doing something else.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Hmmm, if you like suspense, have you read the Jane Whitefield books by Thomas Perry? I warn you, though. If you start one, you may find yourself finding excuses to listen when you should be doing something else.

I enjoyed the first few Jane Whitefield books, but I started to loose interest when they

Spoiler:

got her married.

I might try another one shortly. My library has them.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Hmmm, if you like suspense, have you read the Jane Whitefield books by Thomas Perry? I warn you, though. If you start one, you may find yourself finding excuses to listen when you should be doing something else.

Thanks. It doesn't quite sound like my kind of thing--I generally prefer stand-alones and nice white-bread, homey settings for suspense--but I see that Overdrive has it, so I've made a note of the series for possible future reference.

[CRussel]

Each one is stand-alone, Catlady, though later ones do build on the characters. And ApK, the later ones don't at all depend on that event, though it's certainly part of who she is, in a somewhat annoying way. But they're still really good books!

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Each one is stand-alone, Catlady, though later ones do build on the characters. And ApK, the later ones don't at all depend on that event, though it's certainly part of who she is, in a somewhat annoying way. But they're still really good books!

The impression I'm getting from the blurbs is a real tough-gal character. My preference is for stories in which ordinary (or seemingly ordinary) characters find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.