E.S.

Just like I remembered

Revisado: 03-18-25

This was a favorite story when I was a young adult and hearing the audio version really gave it wings… Pun absolutely intended.

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TRIGGER WARNING: Child Abuse/Assault

Revisado: 01-22-24

I really loved the narrator, character development, imagery, and storylines but I couldn’t finish. I wanted to, but there it is. If you’re triggered by child SA, this may not be the book for you.

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I review here infrequently, but…

Revisado: 03-02-23

This was a very interesting book. It was stimulating, as it shared lore from different parts of the world. It taught me things I didn’t know about the paranormal and cryptozoology. The topic has always interested me and I thought of myself as well read, but this book was full a cool new information. Though I consider myself mostly a skeptic, I was fascinated by the theories the author had about his topic. It was a great mix of facts and speculation. I respected that he was open about that and let the reader do their own thinking. And I will close with the highest mark (for me) regarding this book; it absolutely scared the living daylights out of me. You will never look at the natural world the same again.

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Narrator painful to listen to.

Revisado: 11-28-22

Marie Brennan is one of my favorite authors and I was excited to read this book. The actual story was excellent, but I could not enjoy the narration. The reader did not give any life to the story, being sterile and emotionless. I struggled to differentiate the voices of the characters and had to rewind several times because I wasn’t sure which character was speaking/acting. A number og Japanese words were also mispronounced. I would love to hear this narrated by Brian Nishii. Overall I would recommend buying the physical book over the audio book.

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Great performance, cringy storyline

Revisado: 10-22-22

I made it two hours into the story before I couldn’t do it anymore. My two main issues were the constant harping on about skinny bodies being more favorable than plump ones, which can have negative effects on some readers, and the fact that the main character is a 10 year old girl in a harem novel. I’m sorry, it’s cringe and creepy. She is supposed to have the reincarnated mind of a teen, but it’s still not okay. I love manga, so I was excited to try a new story, but it was just too weird.

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New Narrator a Big Disappointment

Revisado: 05-06-21

Harsh, grating, distracting, not consistent with pronunciation of names or words. Keep having to stop and think who she is talking about or talking as. PLEASE bring back the old narrator. Rating is ONLY for the narrator, who detracts considerably from the story.

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Finally on Audible!

Revisado: 11-16-19

I have a wishlist of books I want to see on Audible and this was one of them. I was so pleased to see this collection of stories available. The narrator does a fantastic job with pronunciations and has a very pleasant voice. I much appreciated the footnotes, as they explained Japanese words, terms, and ideals that may otherwise be unknown to the reader. It was like having a personal guide to Japanese culture/fairytales, which was a essentially what Lafcadio Hearn’s books were. I was very satisfied with this book!

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A Slow Burn

Revisado: 03-25-18

When I finished this book my first thought was, “what is all the hype about?” It was good but not really what I expected. Then it squatted inside my head for a while. I kept revisiting it and turning it over in my mind. My perspective shifted focus from science fiction to a satire or commentary of our world today. From that point of view, this book spoke to me and now I want to read it again!

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Not a Niche Book-- Something for Everyone!

Revisado: 12-24-16

Would you consider the audio edition of A Square Meal to be better than the print version?

For me, the audio version fit what my needs were best and it didn't hurt that one of my two favorite narrators was reading! I like to listen to books while doing daily work but sometimes struggle to pay attention, even if the content of the book is interesting. This book kept me thoroughly absorbed and part of that success rested with it being a well read audio book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Square Meal?

Like sneaking vegetables into meatloaf, I got a healthy dose of American food culture hidden in one of my favorite subjects-- history. I was particularly interested in the content covering the NYC bread lines, something I'd never heard of before. Bleak and compelling imagery, to be sure.

What about Susan Ericksen’s performance did you like?

Susan Ericksen has a knack for taking you right into the heart of whatever she is reading. You're not just listening to a story, you are THERE and what a difference it makes. In fact, seeing she was this book's narrator was a big motivator for me to try the sample of Square Meal. I often found myself wondering what she thought of this book, since I'd only ever heard her read the crime dramas of J.D. Robb. Wow! She just never disappoints!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The songs and verses of yesteryear shared in this book really drew me in, sometimes choking me up, other times with a laugh. They painted a true picture of the personal hardships felt during the Great Depression and how different people decided to cope with it; some defiantly thumbed their noses while others were swallowed by it.

Any additional comments?

There is seriously something for everyone in this book. Foodies, history buffs, minority studies majors, feminists, health and medical professionals, military enthusiasts, sociologists, anthropologists, and probably a dozen other types of people I can't think of just now will all find something in this book to capture their interest. Square Meal is a really well crafted book and deserves a read at least once!

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Maze of Evil... And Poptarts!

Revisado: 04-23-16

What made the experience of listening to Zombie Fallout 8 the most enjoyable?

Mark Tufo and Sean Runnette are my dream team. The writing is orchestrated by a master and is performed beautifully by the narrator.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mrs. Deneaux. She is SO deliciously evil!

What about Sean Runnette’s performance did you like?

He switches seamlessly from male to female characters and does a bang up job!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Burn or turn! The Zombies are coming!"

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