Audiobook Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's, 416 Pages
Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Listening Length: 16 hours and 7 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Recorded Books

From Goodreads:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Review:
For those who love the Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas does it once again.  One of the things I love about this series is that more time is spent in the world of faeries than the world of humans. Feyre is a determined and loyal heroine and while she can provide for her family she is not a fighter unless it's necessary.  She is also naïve and open to changing as her circumstances change.  Tamlin, Lucien, Alice, and the rest of the spring court are WONDERFUL.  The bad guys and gal are EVIL.  In fact, Amarantha may be one of the most evil bad gals I've encountered.  The last half of the book was a little drawn out for me but at least we finally get to know Rhysand.  Hmmm, what to make of Rhys and the Shadow Court.

Even though it took me awhile to finish this book it was a great story made even better by the AMAZING narration of Jennifer Ikeda.  Jennifer Ikeda, who also narrated the Discovery of Witches series by Deborah Harkness, is one of the best narrators of this genre.  I could literally listen to her voice read just about anything.   As a narrated book, 16 hours is a big commitment but the story has enough action to keep the listener engaged.

Posted By: Sheri 

Audiobook Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 479 Pages
Publication Date: August 31, 2010

Narrator: Jennifer Ehle
Listening Length: 14 hours and 35 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

From Goodreads:
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them.

Review:
I've mentioned before that I love audiobooks.  I listen to them all the time!  Depending on what I am doing I will listen to a familiar classic, a Shakesperian play, or a young adult adventure.  This summer AUDIBLE has done a great job getting readers hooked on new series by selling the first book for a super low price.  Even though I previously read the Infernal Devices I thought it might be a great audiobook series and I was right!

Since I assume most of you know the story I am going to focus on why you should listen to the audiobook.  First, the narrator is very good with a lovely accent and with interesting differences among the character voices.  Second, listening to the story again after having finished this series and the Mortal Instruments series allowed me to think more about the connections across the characters and to pay attention to the subtle details I missed the first time when I was speed reading the book to know what happened next.  So for those who love audiobooks I would definitely recommend this book for first time readers or for those who have completed the books.

Posted By: Sheri

Audiobook Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) 

Author: Samantha Shannon
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA 
Publication Date: August 20, 2013

Narrator: Alana Kerr
Listening Length: 14 hours and 57 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

From Goodreads:
The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

Review:
Sometimes the narrator makes all the difference in the world and Alana Kerr is the perfect narrator for this book. The voice of Paige has just enough of an Irish accent to remember where she's from but not so much that you're distracted by it.  Warden's voice holds just enough detachment and concern that I was never sure if he was helping Paige or following orders. 

It's truly hard to believe that this is Samantha Shannon's first book and that she wrote it so early in her life.  The world she has created is unique and has so many layers that I can't wait to read to future books.  I also loved all of the secondary characters that are introduced from her gang in London, her life in Ireland, and her friends and enemies in Sheol 1.  Shannon did a great job using the gifts of the other clairvoyants as a way to reveal more about the larger society and as an opportunity to learn more about Paige.  My only complaint about the book was the end, which seemed very abrupt and unexpected. 

As a sociologist I found myself thinking about all the ways I could use this book in the classroom.  The most obvious discussion would focus on how societies define "deviance" and what they do with "deviants."  Another theme would focus on social unrest and social protest and identifying what factors push individuals to protest versus accept their situations.  Finally, there would be several opportunities to discuss gender exploitation and the men Paige relies upon who simultaneously care for her and take advantage of her. It's probably been awhile since most of you read this book but if you can think of other themes I should discuss please share your ideas.

Now I can't wait to listen to The Mime Order.

Posted by:  Sheri

Series Review: Everneath Series

Author: Brodi Ashton 

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Everneath (Everneath #1)
Everneath Publication Date: January 24, 2012

Everbound (Everneath #2)
Everbound Publication Date: January 22, 2013

Evertrue (Everneath #3)
Evertrue Publication Date: January 21, 2014

Narrator: Amy Rubinate
Audiobook Publisher: Harper Audio
Everneath Listening Length: 9 hours and 42 minutes
Everbound Listening Length: 8 hours and 21 minutes
Evertrue Listening Length: 8 hours and 30 minutes

Review:
I have never been a fan of what I call Romeo and Juliet story lines where star-crossed young lovers either die for one another or are willing to die for one another.  So why I chose to listen to the Everneath series is a bit of a mystery even to me but I enjoyed it nonetheless. 

Here is my main complaint with this type of plot, I just don’t get it.  Some might say I’m not romantic enough and I would probably agree because I never experienced that head over heels, can’t think of anything else, all-consuming love that some teenagers experience.  I completely get the girl falls in love with best guy friend storyline so that is probably what kept me hooked with this series since both plots are running through the book.

While this is definitely a romance book it also has an epic journey and lots of world-building related to Greek mythology.  The basic storyline is Boy and Girl are childhood friends and Boy becomes super popular.  Girl quietly waits for Boy to notice.  Boy notices.  New older boy enters the picture and creates doubt and uncertainty.  Girl willing to die for childhood Boy friend.  Childhood Boy friend willing to die for Girl.  New older boy willing to die for Girl.  All must work together to save Girl. 

The main Greek myth around which this book is developed is the story of Hades and Persephone.  I enjoyed the world building related to the Everlivings and the Everneath.  There was just the right amount of description and action to keep the book interesting.  What I thought the story lacked however was conversation between the characters and I wish the secondary characters had been more fully developed.  As an audiobook, the narrator did a nice job even when she had to change the tone of voice for one of the main characters when he was suffering from amnesia. 

Overall good series but not one I would have returned to if I had to wait a year for the next book.  So I would recommend getting all three and just committing to the whole series if you are in the mood for Greek mythology, sacrifice in the name of romance, and a journey to destroy the Everneath. 

Posted By: Sheri

Series Review: Precious Stone Trilogy

Ruby Red (Precious Stone Trilogy #1)

Sapphire Blue (Precious Stone Trilogy #2)
Emerald Green (Precious Stone Trilogy #3)

  

Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Henry Holt Publishers, 322 Pages
Ruby Red Publication Date: May 10, 2011 (English Translation)
Sapphire Blue Publication Date: October 31, 2012 (English Translation)
Emerald Green Publication Date: October 8, 2013 (English Translation)

Narrator: Marisa Calin
Audiobook Publisher: MacMillan Audio
Ruby Red Listening Length: 8 hours and 50 minutes
Sapphire Blue Listening Length: 8 hours and 57 minutes
Emerald Green Listening Length: 12 hours and 42 minutes

This trilogy from German author Kerstin Gier (published 2009 in German), was so fun and unique that it has been translated into more languages than I can count.  This simple fact intrigued me almost as much as the titles and cover art which I fell in love with partially because of how different they look based on which translation you happen to buy.  While I'm not usually swayed by covers, the combination of blogger reviews and variety of cover art caught my attention. 

 


My co-blogger Pam previously reviewed Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue so I will leave those reviews to Pam and will focus on the third and final book and the quality of the audiobooks. The first thing readers should know is that I think books one and two should have been combined into one book, but book three was a fabulous conclusion.  It was rich in details, humor, intrigue, and time travel. 

In the final book, Gwen and Gideon work to solve the mystery of Count Saint-German and resolve their misunderstandings in the most appealing way possible with Gideon admitting he was ALL wrong.  I love pretty much everything about Gwen's relationship with her family, time traveling grandfather, and Gideon.  I'm not sure I would call Gwen a feminist because she clearly spends too much time crying and moping around when she thinks she has been betrayed but once she gets past her misery she develops into a determined and strong 16 year old girl.   I do think its important to note that this is a story about a 16 year old girl and a book that I would let a preteen read because it's such a sweet story.

Gwen's best friend Leslie provides a great example of female friendship where you support and challenge your friends to be the best version of themselves.  Her ghostly friends provide humor and insight into things Gwen and Gideon can't figure out for themselves.  I have to admit the turn of  events at the end of this series didn't surprise me too much but it was a bit of a nail biter up to the end.  This might have been because I've been listening to the book and admit some of the finer details of the time travel were often hard to follow since I couldn't go back and verify what previously happened.  This was a wonderful AUDIOBOOK.   The narrator, Marisa Calin, has moved into my top five voices to listen to. 

I would highly recommend this audiobook series both because of the quality of the story and the amazing voice!

Posted By: Sheri 

Audiobook Review: Beautiful Redemption by Garcia and Stohl

Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles #4)

Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little & Brown Publishers, 456 pages
Publication Date: October 23, 2012

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins and Khristine Hvam
Listening Length:11 hours and 21 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Hachette Audio

From Goodreads:
Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

Review:

In this final book, Ethan and Lena end up happily in one another’s arms even though they have lost many loved ones along the way. I enjoyed learning a little more about the Far Keep and the world inhabited by lost souls.  I was glad to see some folks destroyed and some others happily moving forward.  All of this to say, a final book seemed somewhat unnecessary since I felt that book three was too long.  If I had been the editor, I would have made the series three books and simply combined books three and four.   

In terms of the narrators, which is a critical part of an audiobook, Kevin Collins continues to charm me but I was distracted by the new voice narrating Lena’s parts (Khristine Hvam) of the books.  On the one hand I understand why audio books choose to have different narrators when there are different points of view but I really don’t like the technique in a long series particularly when one narrator is responsible for 95% of the content.

Regardless, I DID IT!  I listened to all five books and am truly glad I made it through.  I have to admit there is something inherently interesting about the fact that this series has been translated into so many languages and got a movie deal.  Even though I enjoyed the books I don’t actually understand why THIS series and not some of the others out there?  Any insight people can provide I would love to hear!

By the way I do not currently plan to start listening to Dangerous Creatures, the related series about Ridley and Link but am curious what people think about it.

Posted By: Sheri

Audiobook Review: Beautiful Chaos by Garcia, Stohl, Pruneda

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)
Authors: Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Paz Pruneda
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 516 pages
Publication Date: October 18, 2011

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
Listening Length: 16 hours and 15 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Hachette Audio

Goodreads:
Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What — or who — will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself — forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

Review:
I've continued my listening commitment to the Caster Chronicles series.  I still absolutely love the narrator Kevin Collins.  I enjoyed the complexity of this story compared to book two, Beautiful Darkness.  This book focuses on "fixing" the order after Sarafine and Abraham's failed attempt to turn Lena into a dark caster.  All of my favorite characters are back plus we get to know a few more.  Some bright spots in a rather dark story would be: Link's evolution into a Linkubus, two of the aunts moving in with Ethan, and the friendship between Liv and John Breed.  Some of the more disturbing parts were Ridley's struggle returning home, the character Abraham, Aunt Prue, Marion's trial, and the decisions Amma makes.  Some of my favorite parts are when Ethan and Lena travel back in time to learn about their families and the references to Southern culture and small towns.  The ending of book three definitely has me wanting to immediately start the final book, Beautiful Redemption. 

I have to admit it's been hard to maintain my focus sometimes given the length of these books and there is listening time.  For those of you who also enjoy audiobooks, how important is the narrator in keeping your interest even when a story starts to drag? 

Posted by: Sheri

Audiobook Review: Beautiful Darkness by Garcia and Stohl

Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles #2)

Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little Brown and Company, 503 pages
Publication Date: October 12, 2010

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
Listening Length: 15 hours and 56 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Hachette Audio

From Goodreads:
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

Sheri's Review:
I enjoyed listening to Beautiful Creatures so much that I decided to immediately listen to Beautiful Darkness.  Given the listening length of book one (17 hours) this may not have been the best decision.  As always I absolutely loved listening to Kevin Collins narrate the book.  I enjoyed the first part of the story but then the plot seemed to drag on and on. 

While I was interested in the new characters, Olivia, from England, and John, the unusual incubus-caster hybrid, I was often annoyed by all the bad decisions Ethan and Lena made in the book two.  I very much appreciate that they are supposed to be 16 and 17 year old teenagers but REALLY it's like neither of them have any common sense in this book.  I also hate reading books where the main characters' romantic conflicts negatively affect others. On the other hand, I loved Ridley in this story and just wish she could embrace the positive in others.

My favorite part of this particular book was definitely learning more about Macon and Ethan's mom's pasts and understanding more about Casters role in the history of Gatlin.  I also love the great-aunts.  They make me laugh, probably because they remind me of people in my own life.

Even though it felt like this story dragged in the middle the ending was worth the wait and hooked me again.  So wish me luck as I tackle listening to book 3 in the Caster Chronicles.

Posted By Sheri

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1)

Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: December 1, 2009

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
Listening Length: 17 hours and 38 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Hachette Audio

Movie Released: February 14, 2013
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Screenwriter: LaGravenese, Garcia, Stohl
Length: 124 minutes

Goodreads:
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Review:
My first introduction to this series was the movie.  Never having read the book I actually enjoyed the film even though several people I know did not.  Since they had read the book they were definitely disappointed in some of the major plot changes.  I, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware.  Now that I have listened to the book I completely understand why readers were so dismayed!  So much richness of the book is lost particularly the psychological complexities of Lena and Ethan as individuals but also their relationship.

One of the things I didn't like about the movie but I loved about the audiobook was the male narrator. Kevin Collins has a beautiful Southern accent and he was able to capture the female voices in a wonderful way.  In fact, reading a YA book from a male perspective was a really nice change of pace.  I particularly liked when Ethan would interact with Macon and when Macon would interact with Amma!

The only drawback to this particular audiobook is the length.  Coming in at 17 hours it is a commitment but I am definitely looking forward to listening to book number 2, Beautiful Darkness.

Book Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1)

Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: August 23, 2011

Narrator: Emily Shaffer
Listening Length: 12 hours and 53 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Penguin Audio

Goodreads:

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

Review:

I have to admit I have never “read” a book by Richelle Mead.  I listened to the entire Vampire Academy series as audiobooks and loved them.  So when I decided to start the Bloodline series it was an easy decision to listen again particularly because I think Emily Shaffer is a wonderful narrator. 

Bloodlines is written from the perspective of Sydney  a young but experienced alchemist whose job is to make sure the human world doesn’t find out about vampires.  In this series, one of the royal Moroi’s (vampires) has to go live at a private boarding school with humans.  Setting this book in a human school is a nice difference from the Vampire academy which was set in a vampire school and focused on the relationships between vampires and Dhampirs.  There are some great new characters in the form of students and teachers.  In this book Richelle Mead spends more time discussing the world of Alchemists and explaining why it is that humans are so unaware of vampires but how easily the veil of secrecy could be lifted.   

Some of the dominant themes in the book focus on building young women’s self-esteem, concerns about body image, young men’s desire to be more powerful, and of course overcoming ethnic group prejudices.  You might be wondering at this point how such serious topics get explored in a book about vampires.  All I can say is that they do, and in a way that is incredibly entertaining.  One of my favorite characters from the Vampire Academy series has a starring role in this book, that’s right, he’s back!  ADRIAN.  He is probably one of the funniest yet tragic male characters in young adult fiction.  He’s in rare form in this book and seems to be heading down some new paths.  Sydney also comes into her own by the end of the book and some new details are revealed about her background.

You do not have to read the Vampire Academy series in order to understand or appreciate this book or the new series.  However for fans of the series there are plenty of references to characters and plots from the first series.  In fact there were times when I wished I owned the books so I could go back and refresh my memories.  Overall great listening experience and great book!

Posted by Sheri

From Café Krolewski, Warsaw Poland

Audiobook Review: Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

Dearly Departed (Gone with the Respiration #1) 

Author: Lia Habel
Book Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: October 18, 2011

Narrator: Kiro Mai Guest
Listening Length: 16 hours and 46 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Random House Audio

From Goodreads:
Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

Review:
This was my first time listening to and reading a novel characterized as STEAMPUNK.  For those not familiar with the term the best way I can define it is an unusual mixture of Victorian references and post-modern society. As with many literary genres, STEAMPUNK has a more formal definition, and I'm not exactly sure this book meets the full criteria.  Regardless, I found myself amused, confused, and entertained by the bizzare and absurd (used in a positive way here) mixture of social expectations, technologies, gender roles, and use of scientific knowledge.  One of the best examples I can provide is the chapter from Pamela's point of view where the best friend of the main character is complaining about the ridiculous expectations placed upon women in her new Victorian society while being trapped in her home because of intrusive paparazzi style reporters. 

Most of the book focuses on the development of the relationship between Nora and Bram.  This is a very sweet story of girl who falls in love with a zombie who fortunately for her as more human characteristics than dead.  While I found Nora slightly annoying at times, I generally enjoyed the scenes between Bram and her.  The scenes I enjoyed the most and where I found myself laughing out loud were the scenes with Bram's zombie friends.   
One of my favorite quotes from the female friend was, "Yea, she's not a loser.  We are so having a sleepover."  In addition to delving into gender norms and expectations during the Victorian era, the book also explored issues of social class in interesting ways through the character of Pamela and her family. 

As an introduction to STEAMPUNK goes, I enjoyed this book.  As a listening experience it was only okay.  The book is actually narrated by multiple people when the point of view changes.  I believe there  are at least five different points of view and while I enjoyed some of the voices, some I did not.  I will definitely try another STEAMPUNK book and I would read another book by Lia Habel.

Posted by: Sheri

Audiobook Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)

Author: R. L. LaFevers
Book Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 549 pages
Publication Date: April 3, 2012

Narrator: Erin Moon
Listening Length: 14 hours, 14 minutes
Audiobook Publisher: Recorded Books

From Goodreads:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Sheri's Review:
Even though this book has been reviewed by many others, I didn't exactly know what I was getting into when the story began.  I was rather alarmed with the beginning of the story and how horrible Ismae's childhood and early adult experiences were.  Fortunately, I continued listening and truly enjoyed the basic storyline even though I was often perplexed by Ismae's naiveté and some of the predictability in the plot.  The basic premise that a convent of nuns teaches young women to commit righteous murders appeals to me on many levels.  I also really enjoyed the political intrigue in the royal court and the evolution of the relationship between Ismae and Duval.  I thought both Ismae and Duval were original characters and I enjoyed the midnight conversations between them.  This is definitely a series I will follow particularly because other girls at the nunnery will be the focus of those stories.

As a listening experience, I enjoyed the narrator's voice and thought she did a good job with many of the accents and creating suspense when appropriate.  While I was able to keep up with the names of all the primary characters I had a difficult time keeping up with all the names of the secondary characters.  Around the middle of the book the plot started to drag but it was around the time things were starting to develop between Ismae and Duval so I didn't mind much at all.   

Considering I was able to download this book for free through the SYNC summer download program it was  a GREAT choice.  If you don't know about the program I highly recommend it for next summer!

Audiobook Review: All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness is not a YOUNG ADULT book but it has vampires, witches, and demons.  While only two of the books have been published the third is in progress.  I decided to review the series because I believe many YA readers will enjoy the plot.

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)
Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking Penguin, 579 pages
Publication Date: 2011
Listening Length: 24 hours and 2 minutes
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda

From Goodreads

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.


Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2)

Author: Deborah Harkness
Publisher: Viking Adult, 584 pages
Publication Date: July 10, 2012
Listening Length: 24 hours, 30 minutes
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda

Goodreads:
IT BEGAN WITH A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES.

Historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library,she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened.

Seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to London, 1590. But they soon realise that the past may not provide a haven. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons, the creative minds of the age, including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot.

Together Matthew and Diana scour Tudor London for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable powers...

Sheri's Review:
I fell in love with A Discovery of Witches while visiting a friend in St. Louis.  Thankfully she understood my near obsession with reading the book.  I read it at a museum, while shopping, while waiting for food, and while sitting on her back porch.  As an academic,  I immediately fell immediately in love with the idea of an academic witch who desperately tried not to use her magic and with Matthew Clairmont, an academic vampire who tries not to kill humans.  I suspect my own academic life would be more exciting if my colleagues were witches and vampires!  In addition to being interested in every character introduced in this story, I also loved the basic premise that demons, vampires, and witches were searching for an understanding of where they came from. I enjoyed the scientific and historical details throughout the book. 

In Shadow of Night the story continues with Matthew and Diana going back in time to locate the book and we get to see their relationship evolve with time and new circumstances.  While I also loved this book I was not as compelled to read it without stopping.  Deborah Harkness actually divides the book into sections and I found myself taking a break between the sections. What I enjoyed most about this book was Diana's feminist attitudes and behaviors coming in conflict with the Elizabethan time period.  I also loved getting to know more about Matthew's past as he lived it.

As much as I enjoyed reading the books I also truly enjoyed listening to them as audiobooks.  I don't usually listen to a book I have read, but in this case I was able to get A Discovery of Witches at a bargain price and thought it would be fun to listen to while doing other things.  I was immediately hooked once again.  The narrator was wonderful!  Not only did I listen to 24 hours of book one I immediately bought book 2 and listened to another 24 hours.  The stories came to life for me in new ways while listening to them.

If you have not read these books I strongly recommend them.   If you love audiobooks, these will keep your attention despite their length.  If you are new to audiobooks these are probably too long to be frank but the books are wonderful. Unfortunately the release date for the final book in the trilogy is not currently known but I am desperately waiting to read it and hope that they are able to secure Jennifer Ikeda to narrate one final time.

Audiobook Review: Imposter (A Variants Novel, Book #1) by Susanne Winnacker

Imposter (A Variants Novel, Book #1)
Author:  Susanne Winnacker
Narrator:  Emily Rankin
Listening Length:  8 hours, 4 minutes
Book Publisher:  Razorbill, 274 pages
Audiobook Publisher:  Listening Library
Publication Date:  May 28, 2013

From Goodreads:
Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. 

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Review:
I liked this book.  It was an interesting, fast-paced read.  There's an X-men feel to it since Tessa is only one of many variants working for the FEA and they all have some sort of power.  There's Alec, who is really strong, Holly, who can become invisible, and Kate, who can read minds (but only females for some strange reason).  Tessa's been training and living there for the last two years.  Apparently her mother abandoned her.  She and Alec are close friends and have bonded over the last two years.  His family also abandoned him.  And Tessa is majorly crushing on Alec, but Alec has been dating Kate for the last couple of months, after they got back from their first mission.  Which is really suspicious for some reason.  Why are they dating?  Alec acts like he cares about Tessa, and Kate is a complete bitch, but for some reason they are together.  

Tessa ends up going undercover, pretending to be Madison, a girl who is murdered by a serial killer on the loose in this small town (they don't even tell her family that she dies).  Madison is a senior in high school with a twin brother, Devon, and a loving mother and father.  Everything that Tessa has never had.  Alec is also there for this mission.

The mystery portion of this book was interesting.  A lot of suspects.  Apparently Madison was keeping a lot of secrets.  Old boyfriend, stalker-type want to be boyfriend, secret lover, you name it.  The special abilities part of the book was decent, but Tessa was woefully underprepared for this mission.  She really didn't get enough training and she's thrown into this situation with just basic self-defense skills (I'm not sure what she's been doing the last two years) and she hasn't practiced much at changing shapes in stressful situations.  Needless to say, that causes a lot of problems.  

Then there's the romance part of the book.  What is up with Alec?  He really doesn't seem to know what he wants.  Again, why is he with Kate if he has these feelings for Tessa?  It's not made clear at all.

As far as the audiobook portion, the narrator did a good job, keeping the voices fairly distinctive between the different characters.  

Even though this is the first book of a new series, it doesn't end in a cliffhanger.  The mission is completed, we find out who the killer is, and we know that this group at the FEA will have more missions in the future.  There is one story that doesn't resolve, but it's more like a tv show where the individual episode resolves the main story, but the regular characters on the show have back stories and personal dramas going on that keep going from episode to episode.

I recommend this book.  It's a fast, fun read.

Posted by:  Pam

Audiobook Review: The Registry by Shannon Stoker

The Registry

Author:  Shannon Stoker
Publisher:  Harper Audio, 9 hours 30 minutes
Publication Date:  July 16, 2013

From Goodreads:
The Registry saved the country from collapse. But stability has come at a price. In this patriotic new America, girls are raised to be brides, sold at auction to the highest bidder. Boys are raised to be soldiers, trained by the state to fight to their death.

Nearly eighteen, beautiful Mia Morrissey excitedly awaits the beginning of her auction year. But a warning from her married older sister raises dangerous thoughts. Now, instead of going up on the block, Mia is going to escape to Mexico—and the promise of freedom.

All Mia wants is to control her own destiny—a brave and daring choice that will transform her into an enemy of the state, pursued by powerful government agents, ruthless bounty hunters, and a cunning man determined to own her . . . a man who will stop at nothing to get her back.

Review:
This book was entertaining, but it lacked that wow factor.  The premise is interesting.  It is sometime in the future, and girls are sold to the highest bidder.  And couples want girls because they get money, and if they have a boy, the boy is given away to the government to learn to be tough and eventually be a soldier.  To keep women in their place, they have no real education.  Instead, they learn how to please their future husband (cooking, cleaning, sewing, make-up, clothes, etc).  

Mia is so sheltered and ignorant, it's rather ridiculous.  She has to take a test for the Registry, and she can't even do basic math.  She has no access to news, computers, etc.  She's lived her entire life on the farm and has had no interaction with anyone, except for Whitney, a girl whose father works for her family and is smart and not that attractive so no one will buy her (which means she'll be married to the government).  

Then Mia finds out from her older sister that the Registry and marriage is not all that it seems, and Mia decides to escape.  Before she can escape, she meets her future husband, the evil Grant.  She and Whitney run away and end up blackmailing Andrew, one of her father's workers, to help them (He was leaving since he has about a month before he has to report for duty and he wants to relax and see some of the country).

So most of the book is them on the run and Grant chasing them.  Mia is incredibly ignorant and Whitney is whiny.  Andrew is almost emotionless, having been practically brainwashed to believe everything he has been told about America.  All he wants is to serve his country, get a great job after, and buy a nice wife through the Registry.  Grant is rather two-dimensional, just evil.  The story is told from three POVs: Mia's, Grant's, and Andrew's.  I liked the chapters told from Andrew's POV because it was interesting to see how he was changing and how he was really feeling since he usually didn't express any emotions (well, he does get mad at Mia and Whitney a lot because they're so ridiculous).  Mia is also changing as she gets more assertive, a little bit more savvy (she's starting at zero), and opening her eyes to the world.  

Part of me liked this book, but part of me thought it was pretty ridiculous. There's a pointless love triangle that just annoyed me.  There is some resolution, but I'm assuming there is another book.  If I had to rate this, I would give it between 2.5 and 3 stars.

As far as the audiobook part of it, I usually do not listen to audiobooks, so I don't have a lot to compare it to.  The narration wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great.

Posted by:  Pam