Wow. December, huh? In spite of everything that’s happened this year, I can’t help feeling that the time has passed as quickly as it does any other year, because I’m sure I was only sitting in my garden soaking up the sun a few days ago! And maybe some of you out there are still doing that, but sadly in my corner of the Northern Hemispere, winter has firmly set in – which just means more time for reading and listening! Here’s what the Gals are/have been listening to this week; if you’re searching for your next listen, maybe something here will take your fancy!
BJ
Narrated by Ava Erickson and Teddy Hamilton
Caz
Narrated by Gary Furlong
Kaetrin
Narrated by January LaVoy
Melinda
Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Last night I finished listening to N.R. Walker’s ’65 Hours’, narrated by Nick J Russo, and really enjoyed it. I thought the narration was great and particularly loved the cheeky rendition of Lucas. I’ve added a comment to last month’s review.
Before that, I finished listening to Rachel Grant’s ‘Tinderbox’, which I hadn’t read before. I really enjoyed that too and was impressed by Greg Tremblay’s narration. I’ve bought the next in the series but I’m not sure if I’ll listen to that next, or to ‘Him’ in my quest to listen to new-to-me narrators that come with high recommendations!
I’ve read ‘First Impressions’ by Jay Hogan which I enjoyed, but not as much as the more recent ‘Off Balance’. I loved Gary Furlong’s narration of Dal Maclean’s ‘Bitter Legacy’ trilogy though, so ……….
Most of The Bridgertons don’t really work for me any more. ‘When He Was Wicked’ is probably the only one I would reread or listen to now. I find ‘What Happens in London’ and ‘Ten Things I Love About You’ marvellous comfort listens though.
Greg sets a very high bar – I’ve reviewed him quite a bit (which is its own challenge; how many ways are there to say “he’s awesome”?!) so there are plenty of recommendations here, or feel free to prod me if you want some more.
Gary F. is doing a brilliant job in the Hogan; I just finished reading her latest (which I’m reviewing for AAR) which is book four in the Auckland Med series, and I can definitely see/hear how much her writing has developed in the intervening time (not to say it’s not good here, it’s just even better now!). JH told me earlier today that the next book in the series should be out in January.
I recently listened to Teddy H/Jacob M in the latest Lauren Blakely book (review to come)… I was really blown away by Jacob Morgan in particular; he’s good in Him but he’s grown so much as a narrator since then. (It’s a shame the story didn’t match the stellar performances…)
Oh, Tinderbox is fantastic!
First this past week was Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase, narrated by Kate Reading. I’ll be honest, I’m reading these Chase books as much for the narration as the story. I did enjoy the story, but I doubt it would have made the same impression in print. I have the next two in the series.
Next I relistened to an old Rachel Gibson, Sex, Lies, and Online Dating. I’m surprised that it held up pretty well, and the narration by
Kathleen Early was excellent. I enjoyed it enough to try relistening to some others by her that I enjoyed a decade ago. Thankfully my library has the audiobooks.
Yesterday I finished Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn, narrated by Nicol Zanzarella. This book both worked and didn’t work for me. The plot is well done and more intricate/interesting than most contemporaries I’ve read lately. I liked getting to know the characters, too, and was rooting for them. The plot had some serious vibes to it, and I didn’t love the author’s choice to interrupt it with the whimsy. Meg’s imagining of words and emotions in terms of calligraphy didn’t always fit, and at times interrupted the flow of the story. Also, while Zanzarella did a wonderful job in almost every way, she narrated with an emotional edge in her voice that started feeling overwrought to me by the halfway point. It’s like the vocal impact of Meg’s emotions and anxieties (it’s first person present tense-not my favorite) started to exhaust me. I think this story would have worked better for me in print, which is something I rarely say when there is a narrator as good as Zanzarella.
Not sure what’s next.
I really enjoy Loretta Chase’s Dressmaker series and Kate Reading’s narration is brilliant. Unfortunately, we’ve never been able to get the final book on audio in UK and I think that’s my favourite book of the four.
I’ve had the ebook of Love Lettering in my TBR for ages but have never got around to reading it. I know it’s supposed to be good but nearly all my DNF have been m/f contemporary romances that are supposed to be good……..
Kate Reading elevates Loretta Chase’s writing imo. She is incredibly talented, but she finds a verve and accentuates the humor with such energy and drive that she doesn’t quite achieve in other narrations. She’s always excellent, but when she narrates Chase she’s magical! I’m re-listening to Ten Things I Hate About the Duke, and even though Reading is clearly sick with a head cold or something, she still pulls out all the stops. I look forward to her narration of each new Loretta Chase as much as I do the book itself.
And I agree that Jacob Morgan has grown a lot as a narrator; he challenges himself all the time. I recently listened to him in Skin Hungry, and while the audio play itself was just ok, Morgan really steals the show. All of the narrators are better than average, but Morgan portrays a young 20-something enamored with a woman in her 70s, which is an interesting part to play. He has just the right youthful tone; the perfect slightly air headed attitude, and a great loving energy in the part. I am not a fan of audio plays or multicast recordings generally, but its worth listening just to hear Jacob Morgan.