AUDIBLE EDITOR
Katie O'Connor
Debuts I'm Excited For
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Dial A for Aunties
- By: Jesse Q. Sutanto
- Narrated by: Risa Mei
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,420
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,242
When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Weekend at Meddy's
- By Kentucky Bohemian on 05-02-21
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The Push
- A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)
- By: Ashley Audrain
- Narrated by: Marin Ireland
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13,144
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11,549
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11,497
Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had. But in the thick of motherhood's exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter - she doesn't behave like most children do. Or is it all in Blythe's head? Her husband, Fox, says she's imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Disturbing, Jaw Dropping, Unforgettable
- By Wendi on 01-16-21
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A Pho Love Story
- By: Loan Le
- Narrated by: Ryan Do, Vyvy Nguyen
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 192
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 192
If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A nice story for days that feel dreadful
- By Amazon Customer on 05-22-21
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The Prophets
- By: Robert Jones Jr.
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 666
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 598
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 596
Isaiah was Samuel's and Samuel was Isaiah's. That was the way it was since the beginning, and the way it was to be until the end. In the barn they tended to the animals, but also to each other, transforming the hollowed-out shed into a place of human refuge, a source of intimacy and hope in a world ruled by vicious masters. But when an older man - a fellow slave - seeks to gain favor by preaching the master's gospel on the plantation, the enslaved begin to turn on their own.
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5 out of 5 stars
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LOVED IT
- By Des on 04-18-21
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Dial A for Aunties
- By: Jesse Q. Sutanto
- Narrated by: Risa Mei
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,420
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,248
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,242
When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Weekend at Meddy's
- By Kentucky Bohemian on 05-02-21
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The Push
- A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)
- By: Ashley Audrain
- Narrated by: Marin Ireland
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13,144
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11,549
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11,497
Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had. But in the thick of motherhood's exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter - she doesn't behave like most children do. Or is it all in Blythe's head? Her husband, Fox, says she's imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Disturbing, Jaw Dropping, Unforgettable
- By Wendi on 01-16-21
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A Pho Love Story
- By: Loan Le
- Narrated by: Ryan Do, Vyvy Nguyen
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 192
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 192
If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal. If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A nice story for days that feel dreadful
- By Amazon Customer on 05-22-21
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The Prophets
- By: Robert Jones Jr.
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 666
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 598
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 596
Isaiah was Samuel's and Samuel was Isaiah's. That was the way it was since the beginning, and the way it was to be until the end. In the barn they tended to the animals, but also to each other, transforming the hollowed-out shed into a place of human refuge, a source of intimacy and hope in a world ruled by vicious masters. But when an older man - a fellow slave - seeks to gain favor by preaching the master's gospel on the plantation, the enslaved begin to turn on their own.
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5 out of 5 stars
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LOVED IT
- By Des on 04-18-21
Bring on 2021
No matter what 2021 brings, I know there are some great listens in my future. Here are just a few I'm excited for.
My Top Podcasts
Without a commute, I've been turning to episodic listening more and more. Here are some of my recent favorites.
Katie's Recent Reviews
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The Ride of a Lifetime
- Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
- By: Robert Iger
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione, Robert Iger
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 16,730
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 14,318
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Story5 out of 5 stars 14,277
A memoir of leadership and success: The executive chairman of Disney, Time’s 2019 businessperson of the year, shares the ideas and values he embraced during his 15 years as CEO while reinventing one of the world’s most beloved companies....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Joins “Shoe Dog” as required biographies.
- By Matt S. on 01-02-20
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The Ride of a Lifetime
- Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione, Robert Iger
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Release date: 09-23-19
- Language: English
- More than just a business book
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I cannot shut up about The Ride of a Lifetime. I’ve brought it up in meetings, out to dinner with friends, on the phone with my cousin...I will recommend this to anyone who will listen. Robert Iger, CEO of Disney, provides a completely candid look at his career, his mentors, and what it takes to be a successful leader and to lead a successful company.
What makes this audiobook stand out is Iger’s gift for storytelling. His anecdotes are utterly fascinating and deeply human. His rational and kind approach to leadership is inspiring. It’s an exceptional listen, and one of my favorites from 2019.
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A Discovery of Witches
- A Novel
- By: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46,869
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 40,870
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40,827
Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont....
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5 out of 5 stars
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A feast for the mind and imagination
- By Barbara on 02-21-11
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A Discovery of Witches
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Series: All Souls Series, Book 1
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Release date: 02-08-11
- Language: English
- It begins with...a Jennifer Ikeda obsession
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I’ve had A Discovery of Witches on my TBLT list ever since Rachel Hollis (very politely) shamed me for never having listened to it on an episode of Audicted. And wow was she right. This series is gorgeous. While yes I love the love story, I’m also mesmerized by the detailed history that author Deborah Harkness explore. Not to mention the central mystery of the series is about a long lost manuscript, aka a book nerd’s dream.
Jennifer Ikeda’s narration is absolute perfection—I dare you to find me someone who can convincingly perform a deaf 16th century Englishman, followed by a French vampire, then seamlessly transition to a 21st century American witch. Her talent is remarkable and I can’t imagine not listening to this series.
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Red, White & Royal Blue
- A Novel
- By: Casey McQuiston
- Narrated by: Ramon de Ocampo
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13,077
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11,599
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11,582
When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Almost shockingly wonderful.
- By Leon Miller on 03-21-20
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Red, White & Royal Blue
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Ramon de Ocampo
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Release date: 05-14-19
- Language: English
- Obsessed is an understatement
- I dare anyone to listen to this book and not smile. It is so ridiculously charming, and I’m officially a Casey McQuiston fan-girl. Can you tell? I loved the characters. I loved the history (and the alternate history!). Ramon de Ocampo nailed accents, angst, and angry tech sounds with equal adeptness. I need a "History, huh?" t-shirt ASAP, and I need McQuiston’s next novel even faster than that.
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From Scratch
- A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home
- By: Tembi Locke
- Narrated by: Tembi Locke
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,251
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 4,713
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,703
A poignant and transporting cross-cultural love story set against the lush backdrop of the Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hour....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it.
- By Michael on 05-11-19
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From Scratch
- A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home
- Narrated by: Tembi Locke
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Release date: 04-30-19
- Language: English
- Absolutely Gorgeous
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I don't even know where to begin. I loved this memoir so much, and I can't stop recommending it to anyone who will listen. There was such power to everything Tembi wrote—it was raw and personal and deeply moving. The way that she describes grief rang true to me, and as someone who has lost their father she seems to be doing a beautiful job of keeping her husband's memory alive for their daughter.
Tembi's performance is remarkable. Her Italian is obviously impeccable, and it adds a sort of sweetness to the narrative, but the love for her family and for Sicily that's so evident in her voice is what truly elevates this listening experience. I cried. I smiled. I fell in love with Tembi. I fell in love with Saro. And I fell in love all over again with a country I once called home.
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On the Come Up
- By: Angie Thomas
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,732
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,358
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,339
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Thomas and Turpin are my perfect pairing
- By Katie - Audible on 02-05-19
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On the Come Up
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Series: Garden Heights, Book 3
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Release date: 02-05-19
- Language: English
- Thomas and Turpin are my perfect pairing
- Whenever an author has a brilliant debut (as Angie Thomas did with The Hate U Give—our 2017 Audiobook of the Year), I always have a bit of apprehension when approaching their sophomore effort. Thankfully, yet unsurprisingly, On the Come Up is every bit as searing and stunning as its predecessor. The combination of Angie Thomas and Bahni Turpin is, quite frankly, genius. Hearing Turpin rap Thomas’s lyrics may be my favorite listening moment of all time. Thomas doesn’t shy away from hard topics, while also masterfully maintaining the careless and sometimes selfish POV of a teenager. The friendships are authentic, the fears and dreams relatable, and the desire (to be the person to make your family feel secure) universal. The novel is a cultural snapshot for 2019, and we’re only 36 days in. Brace yourselves listeners, this is a book I’m going to be recommending over and over again.
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99 Percent Mine
- A Novel
- By: Sally Thorne
- Narrated by: Jayme Mattler
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,140
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,050
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,051
If Darcy Barrett hadn’t met her dream man when she was eight years old, the rest of the male population wouldn’t be such a let-down. No one measures up to Tom Valeska. Even worse is the knowledge that her twin brother Jamie saw him first, and claimed him forever as his best friend....
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2 out of 5 stars
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Unfortunately, Not worth the wait
- By Kimberly on 02-02-19
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99 Percent Mine
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Jayme Mattler
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Release date: 01-29-19
- Language: English
- If you think Romance and HGTV go hand in hand...
- I caught up on a lot of romance while I was on maternity leave, and my favorite book from those months was probably Sally Thorne’s debut The Hating Game. When I saw she had a new book releasing—99 Percent Mine—I didn't hesitate before adding it to my queue. She is a master at the slow burn, and her characters have a way of needling their way into your heart and not budging. 99 Percent Mine focuses on Darcy Barrett and her slightly dysfunctional relationship with her childhood friend (and twin brother's bestie) Tom Valeska. When Tom, who now owns his own constructino company, starts working on the house Darcy has inherited, their close proximity (and new singleness) brings years of tension to a boil. Sally, please write faster so that I can continue gobbling up your work!
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Believe Me
- A Novel
- By: J. P. Delaney
- Narrated by: Sally Scott, Matt Reeves, Lorelei King, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 682
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 623
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Story4 out of 5 stars 619
A struggling actor, a Brit in America without a green card, Claire needs work and money to survive. Then she gets both. But nothing like she expected....
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3 out of 5 stars
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Never want to hear the name "Baudelaire" again.
- By MarisaReads on 09-25-18
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Believe Me
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Sally Scott, Matt Reeves, Lorelei King, John Chancer, Eric Meyers
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Release date: 07-24-18
- Language: English
- This Book Gave Me Nightmares
- I recently spent a weekend in NYC, and decided to listen to Believe Me by J.P. Delaney during my trip…which opens with a murder in an NYC hotel room. What was supposed to be a restful few nights away turned out to be way more stressful than anticipated (at least when the lights were off), but it was worth it. I loved the literary angle of Delaney’s latest psychological thriller (a serial killer is inspired by the poetry of a 19th century French poet), and the cinematic delivery of the setting and plot kept me hooked. I was disoriented (in a good way) and guessing at the ending until the final minutes. My only recommendation would be to maybe keep your listening restricted to daytime hours with this one…
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Love & Luck
- By: Jenna Evans Welch
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 353
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 316
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Story4 out of 5 stars 317
Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Welch broke my listening rut
- By Katie - Audible on 05-08-18
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Love & Luck
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Release date: 05-08-18
- Language: English
- Welch broke my listening rut
- A few weeks ago I was in the midst of a listening rut when an advanced copy of Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch landed on my desk. It reminded me that her debut Love & Gelato had been lingering on my to-listen-to list, so I downloaded it on the spot…and finished it in a day. (I'll spare you the details about the intense wanderlust it sparked...for now). I then dove right into Love & Luck and devoured it with the same fervor. Welch establishes setting so well and made me want to hop on a plane to the Emerald Isle (the spot-on Irish accent from narrator Lisa Flanagan didn’t hurt either). What’s more, it was incredibly refreshing to have the central relationship in this YA tale be between siblings.
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A Higher Loyalty
- Truth, Lies, and Leadership
- By: James Comey
- Narrated by: James Comey
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 26,999
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 24,458
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Story5 out of 5 stars 24,353
Former FBI director James Comey shares his never-before-told experiences from some of the highest stakes situations of his career in the past two decades of American government, exploring what good, ethical leadership looks like and how it drives sound decisions....
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5 out of 5 stars
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More Than Trump: All Comey's Life/Working Years--
- By Gillian on 04-17-18
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A Higher Loyalty
- Truth, Lies, and Leadership
- Narrated by: James Comey
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Release date: 04-17-18
- Language: English
- I'm shocked...
- ...shocked at how much I loved this book. This was an incredibly human story with a true narrative arc that hooked me the entire time. As the daughter of two trial attorneys I was fascinated by Comey's rise through our justice system, and truly enjoyed the anecdotes he shared about some of the cases that shaped both him as a man and his career. You're more than halfway through the book when you start getting to the "juicier" portions that have been plastered all over the media, but at that point I almost didn't care. I just wanted Comey to keep telling me his story. Nonfiction rarely tops my favorites list, but this is currently the best book I've listened to this year.
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My Oxford Year
- A Novel
- By: Julia Whelan
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,448
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,800
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,766
American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was 13: study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful
- By Clare on 05-03-18
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My Oxford Year
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Release date: 04-24-18
- Language: English
- A favorite narrator makes her debut as an author
- What's better than a book performed by Julia Whelan? One written by her too! This book checked my two major "what makes me love fiction" boxes: it made me laugh, and it made me ugly cry. Oh, the ugly crying. Set in Oxford, the novel centers on Ella Duran as she attempts to balance her master’s degree studies, romance, and an unexpected new job as the education lead on a presidential campaign. The premise and setting lends itself to rich descriptions and plenty of fun literature references for us book nerds, showcasing Whelan's deep knowledge of both the subject and area. The novel really stays with you, and the love story within managed to both break me and make me feel hopeful. Whelan performs and really shows off her depth as a character actress, effortlessly transitioning between Washington lobbyists and British pub owners, making the listening experience all the more enchanting. Trust me…go get this book!
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