Robyn @Reader's Retreat

Disconnected

Revisado: 02-09-25

I found this to have an impossible to follow storyline. It seemed to be all over the place and not have a plot that could be discerned. Perhaps if one is British or living in the U.K. it would all make sense but I felt lost and gave up after only a few chapters. I just had no idea what was going on.

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What a Thrill Ride

Revisado: 05-17-23

The narration makes this book five stars. Listening was truly captivating. The story has serious themes woven throughout but they never weigh down the story. I can’t wait to listen to the next book.

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Planet B Rocks!

Revisado: 07-08-22

I was given a copy of the book Planet B to listen to and review, but I would have happily paid for it. The story is original and vastly entertaining. It is a thrill ride full of non-stop action with ~Spoiler Alert~ dinosaurs, wormholes spaceships, and living water! The cast of characters is interesting and quite diverse, with Axel being quite mysterious. Once I started the book, I could not stop as I had to know what happened next--and I was always surprised. Now I will have to wait for the next book in the series, The narration by James Patrick Cronin was good, but I had a bit of difficulty distinguishing one character from another so the performance was only awarded four stars; however, since the story was so good I gave an overall score of five stars. This is great science fiction. Planet B by Jasper T. Scott is a MUST read/listen!

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The Butler is an Original

Revisado: 04-01-22

An enchanting story! I couldn’t stop listening because I didn’t know what was happening next. I think this book was entirely original. The characters are richly developed and the plot flows at just the right pace. The next book in the series can’t come fast enough.

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The Freefall—and the Action Never Stop

Revisado: 08-02-20

Once again, narrator R.C. Bray brings the Mavericks back into battle as he enlivens Craig Alenson’s “Freefall .”

Fans of the series will be thrilled to enjoy the exploits of familiar characters, especially LtC Emily Perkins, the smartest strategic thinker in all of science fiction.

What separates this story from any other is that once the battle starts, there is no break in the action. This includes tsunamis, tank encounters, drop ship failures, and an exploding kitchen sink. Okay, that kitchen sink was metaphorical... but, truly, just about everything you can imagine and a lot you’ve never thought of combines to make this book one of the most intense I’ve ever listened to.

You’ll have trouble pausing the book and don’t be surprised to feel amped up when you do.

My only warning is that the previous books in the series must be read. it’s the only way to make sense of the human characters as well as a host of alien species.

For the skeptical, especially those who only follow the Merry Band of Pirates and are, right now, feeling a bit anxious about Skippy, in my opinion, this book is the author’s best, most exciting work since “Columbus Day.”

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An Empire Unfamiliar

Revisado: 01-03-20

This experience was incredible--great world-building and character creation, which drove unstoppable action. It took awhile to understand who's who and what's what as the world and its physical laws were totally unfamiliar, at a level of originality rarely seen in the genre today. Now I'm a committed fan and can't wait to dive into the next book. My only criticism was the narration, which I found to be a bit dull, with every scene having the same timbre and intonation. It was like listening to my dad read the story. However, the story is so good it offsets the narration.

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Well The Secret's Out Now

Revisado: 11-10-19

Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy haven't written a book, they've written a cultural explanation of Love = Love.

This story is my first encounter with both authors, and boy was it a good one. I felt like I inhabited the skin of the main characters, though nothing in my life should even make them relatable. The writing was incredible with pacing so tight I could not stop listening.

The nine hours and 25 minutes I spent listening were very well spent and I laughed out loud more than once. I also got a bit choked up at times. This book will touch your heart for sure and leave you with memories, like time spent with family.

And well done to the narrators, Teddy Hamilton and Christian Fox. I think the "feels" of the story happen because of their excellent narration. I never felt like I was hearing Teddy or Christian. I listened to Keaton and Bailey tell their experiences.

I won't give deets--spoiling this story would be a crime.

Not experiencing it for yourself would be criminal.

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Lab Rats Rule!

Revisado: 10-31-19

I was so thrilled that this series was finally pulled from the Ena to come to Audible. Though the Australian narrator doesn't do male voices well, she does make the format of the story, told in the form of a diary, really come alive. "Lab Rat One" is the second book of Andrea K. Höst's 'Touchstone' series, which sees Cassandra's adventures on new worlds with new supernatural powers really jump into action. (But read or listen to "Stray" first so you understand all the characters and the world-building.)

The story really gets intense with scary encounters that are horrifying to experience--which tells you how good the author is at pulling the reader into the book. It's impossible to tell more without spoiling the action, but the reader/listener will find "Lab Rat One" engrossing.

Ms. Höst delivers a coming-of-age tail with little angst but a whole lot of heart. I love the character of Cassandra--I just wish I could hit that inter-dimensional gate and visit Muina as well.

As a final note, the books have a great index at the end that explains Australian idioms. I had to refer to it several times because the only phrase I really knew was about "the barbie."

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Never Have I Ever But I Sure Wish I Could

Revisado: 09-03-19

This story "feels" like a whole new world from author Lauren Blakely. A little spoiler warning: First of all, Piper is a truly modern woman who's stayed close to her college friends in New York City. In fact, her friends helped her launch her wedding planning business.

In contrast, when we first meet Zach, he's in the same circle of friends, but a happily married divorce attorney. At one of her first weddings, he tells Piper that her client's marriage won't last a year. And so the tension that drives the story is born.

The story then picks up a decade or so later when things have radically changed. The two have offices down the hall from each other and still run in the same circle. However, Zach's wife died two year past and he has two children, Lucy and Henry Zach is navigating being a single parent as well as being a divorce lawyer.

What made this story so entertaining was the way in which the author let the older child, Lucy, be the glue that brings the two adults together. The author wrote Lucy as a smart and confident "tween" girl, who was trying to find her own strength, which was refreshing. Lucy is a testament to her parents' upbringing, not a brat or a whiny and needy.

Lucy often wanders into Piper's office, after school. When Piper offers to teach Lucy how to play mini-golf, they go to Zach's office to ask permission. Piper finds Zack on the phone with one of his clients, while Henry sits on his lap, coloring.

This scene really launches the story of the wedding planner and the divorce attorney. It was an action that I could picture and that felt real. It's mundane, but as the book progresses, this one scene kept the action real and fresh.

Kudos to Blakeley for writing Piper and Zach as such truly human characters. The pair are people the reader wants to meet, but also feel like ones you've known. They two MCs are likable and both are unafraid to say what they want; however, Zach is particularly vulnerable. He was deeply in love with his wife and loved the life he had.

I found the character of Zach to be unforgettable. He makes mistakes but is always trying to do the right thing, especially for his children. Narrator Jason Clarke deserves an Audie for his rendition of Zach. Clarke's voice was at once charming and alpha and then totally unsure of himself. There's a thin line between vulnerability and pathos. Honestly, Clarke's work made the story real.

Amanda Ronconi did an excellent job voicing Piper and Lucy. This was another powerhouse performance since Lucy was so essential to moving the story forward. It was no mean feat to differentiate a "knows-what-she-likes" adult and a pre-teen who is just beginning to find her way after suffering a terrible personal loss.

Kudos to the author.
Kudos to the narrators.
Kudos to the casting director.

Never have I ever
lived in New York City with a circle of my college friends.
But I sure wish I could.

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Simple Story

Revisado: 08-17-19

There was nothing new or fresh about the story. Listening was okay, BUT, and it is a BIG BUT, this narration would have been 100 percent better if it had been edited to allow Alexander Cendese voice ALL the male voices and let Nikki Jacobs voice the female voices. Nikki just doesn't hit the right timbre to sound like the male characters, especially the main character, Clint. I found this to be very offputting and disruptive to the flow of the story. Narrator Cendese's voice range was really okay for doing the female voices so that when he is telling the listener what MC Brooklyn is saying, it isn't sooo annoying.

The book was a feel-good, simple love story--nothing complex or confusing and I really liked that.

So this is a good listen for the Escape Package or when someone needs an emotional pick-me-up.

And that's okay.

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