Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

Crystal GardensNarrated by Justine Eyre

I often pick up a book by Amanda Quick when I need a sure thing—a comfortable book that is unlikely to push any emotional buttons. When I got the chance to review Crystal Gardens I was hoping for that “cup of tea on a rainy day” sort of book. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be as enjoyable as I’d hoped. While Crystal Gardens doesn’t push any emotional buttons, it does manage to irritate a few of my nerves.

Psychical powers, auras, and resonating energies! Oh my!  The book had me seriously considering a drinking game–a drink of wine every time one of those words or phrases is used–but then I remembered I don’t drink much. And anyway, I’d never be sober enough to finish the book. I no longer read the paranormal romances by this author written as Jayne Ann Krentz because of the repetitiveness. Now I know to avoid any PNR from this author under any of her pen names. Besides the use of paranormal catch phrases, the incessant bickering between Lucas and Evangeline is also overdone. There is very little reason or common sense behind the unwillingness of the two to give an inch or work together in peace.

Evangeline works for a firm that provides paid companions to people who need some discrete detective work done. The firm uses women with some form of psychic power that helps them ferret out information, usually about matters such the suitability of a suitor. After the conclusion of an unusually difficult case, Evangeline retires to the country hoping to use the time to jumpstart her career as an author. She rents a cottage on the estate of the reclusive Lucas Sebastian. The Crystal Gardens are on the estate and are said to be filled with powerful and mysterious paranormal energy, and Evangeline wants to secretly tour the gardens. When would-be killers chase Evangeline into the gardens one night, Lucas saves her, both from the killers and the gardens, and the two become reluctant sparring partners in a series of mysteries. The partnership takes on greater importance when it’s discovered Evangeline and Lucas might have a common enemy, or two. Adding to the danger is the increasing power of the garden itself, which may prove more ominous than any human villain.

Sometimes an excellent narration can overcome some of the deficiencies in a story, but in this case the narration left me wanting as well. Justine Eyre is a talented narrator with many excellent titles to her credit. I hesitate to criticize what might be a matter of personal taste, but I’m not a fan of Ms. Eyre’s English accent. When I couldn’t figure out what wasn’t working for me, I did a little background check and found out she’s not a native of Great Britain, although she was educated in British schools. Her speech in the reading sounds very affected to me. At times she slows down her delivery of a word or sentence, and elongates certain sounds. It is very possible that my difficulty with the accent won’t bother most listeners. I’ve found a few native English narrators with very polished, upper crust accents whose books don’t work for me either. Therefore my problem with Eyre’s reading might have more to do with the type of English accent she chose, not her accuracy in speaking it.

If you are a great fan of Jayne Ann Krentz/Amada Quick paranormals, you might enjoy Crystal Gardens. But be prepared to overlook repetitive word usage, sniping characters, and a few plot holes.

Carrie


Narration:  C+, but your mileage may vary

Book Content:  C-

Steam Factor:  Glad I had my earbuds in

Violence:  Fighting, but nothing graphic

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Brilliance Audio

Crystal Gardens was provided to AudioGals for review by Brilliance Audio.

4 thoughts on “Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

  1. I listened to this last year. I did not realize that that there was so much fighting in this book. I did not find that there was more than some of Johanna Lindsey’s or Catherine Coulter’s. I feel that for the times, it was how men treated women. As for the paranormal element, it has been in many of her books under her 3 main pen names. The Arcane Society is a thread that is through many books and she linked several stories together. I read something by her that her readers did not want so many things linked and so she may be trying to keep them separate. I understand your views on PNR , since I stopped reading chick lit and contemporary romance for a while. PNR gave me the break from the same ol’ story.

    It is not my favorite book by her but I would say that I would give it a B+.

  2. I’ve got this sitting on my TBR pile. I don’t usually go for PNR, but this sounded not too “out there” for me and I thought I’d give it a try.

    Interesting what you say about the narrator’s accent. I haven’t listened to anything performed by Justine Eyre yet, although I know she’s narrated quite a few historicals.

  3. Thanks for commenting, Katrina and Caz! Like I said, your mileage may vary, both on the story and the narration. There is no doubt Justine Eyre is a talented narrator and I don’t think many people will have a problem with her delivery. As listeners, we all have quirks about what we like in a narrator, and what bothers us.

    As far as the PNR quality of the story, I consider Krentz et al PNR-light. When I think PNR, I generally think urban fantasy with romance or series with vampires, werewolves, etc. I call this “paranormal elements” on my goodreads shelf. I really enjoyed the Arcane books up to about #10 or so. Then I just got tired of them. I generally don’t make it more than 8 or so books into any series, though, so that, again, is just me.

    Krentz is still a go-to author for me. In fact I’m reading an older book of her’s in paperback right now! And her book Sweet Starfire is one of my top 5 science fiction romances of all times.

    Thanks again!

  4. I totally agree with you about Eyre. She’s good but somehow not my style – I’m not commenting on this book but in general.

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