Bob Jackson

Tedious and Predictable

Revisado: 03-17-21

I genuinely enjoy the work of Shaun David Hutchinson and have purchased and read pretty much most of what is available. I will continue to read his novels because they seem heartfelt and Mr. Hutchinson has a satisfying grasp of the English language. He uses words in a way that allows the reader to form a clear picture in his/her mind of what is happening in each scene.

That said, for me (and this may be just me) the story was predictable. It was fairly easy to see where things were headed and to understand why it was happening. The incessant whining of the protagonist and constant referral to the same incident ad nauseam was such that I cringed every time it was brought up...which was pretty much every single chapter. I just wanted to scream “OK I get it!” I was hoping at some point there would be more to the story than just a public service message to seek treatment for PTSD. There were so many additional pieces of the story which could have been explored which would have allowed the other characters to be more than one-dimensional.

The story in its current form would be better as a short story, or expanded to include more character development for those in the protagonist’s orbit.

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Bloody brilliant and beautiful!

Revisado: 04-01-20

I have always loved the work of Heidi Cullinan and this book is a prime example of why her stories are so delicious. Succinctly, this is a story of the sorrow caused by emotional abuse carried in the hearts of our two young protagonists, Xander and Skylar. Missed opportunities from stereotyping and the bravery involved in a willingness to let go as well as the absolute joy found in unconditional love. The two college students meet serendipitously and a relationship develops which significantly changes the lives of both men.

Three things stand out for me. First, in addition to it being an absolutely delightful and fascinating story, it is extremely well written. It’s so annoying when syntax is incorrect or words are used incorrectly. Penultimately the book serves as an enlightening and educational vehicle that sensitively and accurately portrays the different types love...all of which are beautiful and normal. Finally we are introduced to a different belief system which is delicately woven into the fiber of the story.

The narration is by the brilliant and extremely talented voice actor, Iggy Toma. You really could not ask for a better artist to audibly act this story. Kudos to Ms. Cullinan and Mr. Toma for a job well done.

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Unfortunately extremely tedious and boring.

Revisado: 12-02-19

Hmmm. As prolific a writer as Nicholas Bella is I wish I could say something positive about this book. The only thing I can think to say that is good is the narrator, Arthur Byrd. His voice acting was indeed well done and I would enjoy listening to his narration and voice acting with a book that had an actual plot. I enjoy reading erotica in a book that is well-placed and non-gratuitous. However, that’s pretty much all this book is. That would be fine if the book was marketed as such but it isn’t. Actually it is so over the top with sadomasochism that I had to laugh. I have to give Mr. Bella credit for writing the longest hardcore BDSM scenes in the history of literature. I actually felt the author was working his way through a BDSM manual. Bless his heart.

So if you like hardcore BDSM which includes hours and hours and lots and lots of pain involving needles and knives and such then you might enjoy the book. Otherwise you might want to pass.

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Will warm your heart!

Revisado: 08-01-19

OK...so there were just a few parts of this book that were a bit of a stretch but this is an HEA kinda book after all. That said, it was a fun read as well as listen (I almost always buy the kindle book and use whispersync in order to enjoy both). It is a story of trust, honesty, mistakes, forgiveness, and love. In addition to the author writing a pretty good story, I must say I was impressed with the voice artist, Jared Bradford. I've never heard of Mr. Bradford but very much enjoyed his enthusiasm. I am getting so tired of buying an audible book, only to have the narrator "read" the story. Thas was definitely not the case with Mr. Bradford. His female voices were not perfect but you can tell he really got into every character. Kudos to him as well as the author.

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Beautiful. Bright. Bloody Brilliant!

Revisado: 05-31-19

THE NOVEL:
I must say I had no idea what to expect from this book. I accidently stumbled upon it, was intrigued, and thought I would give it a go. I was firstly impressed with the author's rich palette of words and their use, allowing her to paint a heartwarming and moving story. A tale disguised as a comedic look into the lives of powerful individuals... but in truth deeply bores into our core values, hopes, and dreams.

Second, I was touched by the realistic portrayal of the nature of family. Two families, both with public personas, as well as intimate, dynamic and sometimes heartbreaking relationships between parents, children, and siblings.

In the current political climate which I believe will be seen as the White House and congressional "reign of terror," I felt the warm and nurturing embrace gifted to us by the author. Someone who understands the true meaning of words like, compassion, love, and hope. Kudos to you Ms. McQuiston.

NARRATION AND VOICE ARTISTRY:
The success of an audible book absolutely hinges upon the skills of the voice artist. The skill, and perhaps gift of Ramón de Ocampo and his voice was and is amazing. I must say it was a privilege to listen to someone whose voice artistry almost made me feel as if I was eavesdropping in on real conversations between characters. I have listened to scores of audible books and this voice artist/actor is truly one of the best. I think perhaps he could narrate a telephone directory and I would pay to listen.

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A heartwarming story. More please!

Revisado: 05-16-19

This book is absolutely spot on in so many ways. The author wove the issues which many American young gay adults face into a very real and heartwarming story. Homophobia in its many forms is presented in a sensitive manner which includes the self-loathing of the young adult as well as the unconditional love of many parents and friends. Kudos to Sara Alva!

The performance of the narrator/voice artist is brilliant and I can't wait to read/listen to more of his work. The narrator of the novel is so very critical to an audiobook. It is sad that so many narrators are so bad that I return the audio version and read the ebook myself. Andrew Eiden has a wonderful and rich media voice. He is spot on in his portrayal of the characters. I hope the author/publishing company realize his contribution.

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An Amazing Story of Hope and Love

Revisado: 03-11-19

I happened to notice a review of this book and decided it might be worth a read/listen. I am so glad I did. This unique story of a young man with Dissociative Identity Disorder and his five other separate identities is really unlike anything I have ever read. You get to know each of the other identities and understand why they are who they are. This is a story which is sometimes a wee bit heartbreaking but is always filled with the unconditional love one man has for another man with DID. I read a lot of books and this is by far one of the best books I have read/listened to in years.
What makes this read perfect is the narrator/performer Adam Gold. He is most certainly one of the best performers in this business and I am amazed at his range of voices. Absolutely spot on. I can not wait to read other books by the author as well as other books performed by this truly gifted narrator/performer.

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This book is a must read!

Revisado: 03-09-19

I know very little about the world of BDSM. I was extremely judgemental but this book was tremendously enlightening. I chose to read it by chance and was pulled in at the very first chapter and could not stop reading/listening. This book has really opened my eyes into the BDSM community and at the same time told a wonderful HEA story. I love the two main characters (Ellison and River) and wish their story would continue.

I purchased both kindle and audible versions. The narration of the story was by Michael Fell and I think he truly captured the essence of both characters with his voice. Kudos to him. The story is carefully thought out and very well done. I particularly loved the development of the protagonists. This book is a must read.

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The last chapter of the book is not recorded!

Revisado: 02-05-19

What on earth? The last chapter of the book (32 pages) is not on Audible. Seriously? Does the author know this? The only reason I know this is because I bought both kindle and audible books. It's a critical chapter. I can't give a proper review when the audible version is sold incomplete. Good heavens.

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oh dear...

Revisado: 01-29-19

I've not read anything by Brenda Cothern and had no expectations here. I try hard to support writers of lgbt novels and stories. I grew up in a time where almost all lgbt characters...or at least the strong ones...died a horrible death. So kudos to the author for her repertoire of lgbt characters that are strong and life affirming.

I'm in no way qualified to review a book. That said, from my perspective I would have enjoyed seeing more character development. There were a number of background stories that went nowhere. Hopefully, they will be explored in future volumes.

I enjoyed the main character until the occurrence of a significant event at which point he turned into a whiny bitch. From my perspective that seemed a wee bit out of character. The story flew by and I look forward to reading a second volume of The Witches Brew.

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