Lewis Teeter

Great story. Great readers. Great twists.

Revisado: 03-31-25

Though the story starts off a bit slow it's only because you already know there's an adoption coming and you have to wade through the process of how the child comes to live with the couple (victims). If you're like me you'll find yourself yelling at the clueless father. The story is interspersed with an interview that let's you know something big is coming and you'll spend the whole book trying to figure it out. Chances are you'll be wrong. The readers are amazing, giving every scene the emotion it calls for. If you look at the one star reviews you'll hear complaining that the book stops abruptly with no real ending. Hogwash. Every book ending doesn't need every detail wrapped up with a bow if one has any imagination at all. It's a great ending.

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Genius

Revisado: 02-26-25

My title may be a bit overblown but it would take an incredibly intelligent person to keep all the years and players in line in a story told backwards. Then tell that story without being confusing. Anyone picking could present what they would see as incongruety in the storyline but the author did a great job of covering all her bases. Just enough of the science of time for plausibility without putting you to sleep. Thoroughly enjoyable. I believe anyone reading this book would find themselves thinking of their life and fantasizing of a trip back to fix something that they regret. Or maybe leave all as is and just revisit the happiest time of your life. I've been thinking about it for days.

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Long Soap Opera

Revisado: 01-14-25

I love Coben's writing and this was my 13th in a row. I devoured each book swearing each was the best. Then I got to this one. I should have heeded the warning Coben gave in the beginning. Though it was filled with the twists Coben is famous for in all his books the over the top writing makes this one read like the love child of Danielle Steele and Sydney Sheldon. Most gorgeous model in the world marries the best basketball player in the world. I don't want to write any spoilers but it goes downhill quickly. Surprised an editor didn't attack this with a red pen. 17 hours could have easily been whittled to 10. Even Scott Brick, who I love, wasn't up to it. He adapted the sappy soft voice the book called for but it was, at times, unbearable. To his credit for a first book I've read worse but I'm begging you... if you've never read Coben please pick any other of his. They're amazing.

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So Disappointed After Reading His Other Books

Revisado: 09-26-24

I went on a Franzen binge ordering The Corrections, Crossroads and Freedom and was super excited about diving into another. Early into listening I began to lose excitement. I felt like Purity was written by another author. Purity held none of the tightly woven writing as the previous three I enjoyed. I'm writing this review as I half listen to the last hour waiting for it to be over. I went online to find out what order Franzen's books were written and now that I know I'm no longer interested in ordering the earlier books. I could very well be missing a good book but I'm so disappointed by Purity I think I'll move on to another author. Still a big fan of Franzen and waiting for his next book.

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Don't Read Reviews (except mine). Might Get Spoiled.

Revisado: 08-30-24

There's just too much chance that this book could be ruined for you with a hint hidden among the reviews. Just get it!!! As I write this it's 3:33 in the morning. I couldn't stop listening, or wait to pass on my praise.
Karin Slaughter has outdone herself. I've enjoyed the entire Will Trent series but none of the previous books can touch this one. It's a masterpiece of the genre. So many twists your jaw will drop over and over. One in particular had me yelling "Whaaat?" out loud (you'll know it when you get to it.) When I first started This is Why We Lied I groaned upon realizing how many characters I'd have to keep up with but Ms Slaughter does an amazing job of keeping them all very clear. Not a chance one will be overwhelmed and lose track of who's who. At one point I counted 17 potential suspects. Please don't let that number turn you off from getting this book. It's super easy to keep up with the cast of characters and each only serves to heighten the suspense. You'll think you have it figured out a dozen times before the incredible end proves you had no idea. So many dastardly characters you'll want the murder pinned on but trust that even if they aren't the murderer they'll all get their comeuppance in one way or another. The same incredible narrator voices the characters readers of Ms Slaughters' books have grown to love. I wish I could erase my memory of this book and start it over. Amazing!

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Got Too Cutesy

Revisado: 08-26-24

This book could have been so much better. Every character talked like a mentally challenged 8 year old. Why do so many authors feel it necessary to treat foreign characters like they are too immature to have adult dialog? Perhaps because they were simple country people the author decided to make them stupid. Though the reader did what he could, the character's dialog was so stereotypical that when read with the accompanying accent it just sounded like a bad 70s movie. The romantic relationship was awful with the standard 'I hate you but I secretly love you' which never fails to annoy me. The book peaked with the war years and should have wrapped up soon after but it just continued to plod on and on. The 'surprise' ending was the worst part complete with the continuation of the cutesy flirting, a young boy finding (and falling in love with) the mandolin and the happily ever after that will surprise no one. No one that gets an hour into this book will consider anything I've written a spoiler.

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Excellent Writing. Excellent Narration.

Revisado: 08-19-24

The day I started this book I was about to give up. I had started and quickly deleted 4 books in rapid succession, so poor was the writing. I'll admit every book I read isn't award winning material but I had just finished a book by Lionel Shriver so my brain wasn't ready to settle for garbage. I knew within minutes of starting Eileen I had found a book worth my time. The attention to detail and the unexpected turns of phrase made listening to Ottessa Moshfegh's writing a joy. Though I'm sure this book isn't to everyone's taste if nuanced skill with words is what you enjoy, step right up. I would have given this book 5 stars even without a good story but it delivered that as well. The narrator was a perfect choice. I couldn't imagine a better interpretation of the two main characters.

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Enjoyable Listen

Revisado: 08-09-24

I finished this one in a day while I painted the kitchen. Not being hard to figure out who the 'bad guy' was didn't distract from a great story. Well told with a few twists to keep me on my toes. Love the readers voice and will make note of her name for future selections.

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In Defense of Ketchum From the One Star Reviews

Revisado: 07-08-24

So many of the bad reviews clearly came from those that are unaware of the true story behind this horrific tale. I too might have written off the book as torture porn were I not aware of the history behind it. Though hard to listen to at points if one takes the time to research the monstrous true story of the death of Sylvia Likens at the cruel, sick hands of Gertrude Baniszewski they will learn that this book doesn't even cover all the inhumanity that poor child was dealt. At least Jack Ketchum gives us a more satisfying ending than true life gave. The twisted Baniszewski was eventually paroled, thanks to 'finding Jesus' and her sadistic children served no time at all because they were 'just kids'. While the author may be guilty of adding some details that may not be part of the true story he's no more guilty than Truman Capote of creating a story around true events. Look for the Wikipedia page Murder of Sylvia Likens if you think have the stomach for it. It's a hard read.
I didn't expect to like the writing and was sure I would be giving up due more to bad writing than bad story but for such an awful story the writing was lyrical and well paced. Ketchum writes from the perspective of a man who, as a child, took part in the torture of a young girl. Through masterful writing, Ketchum manages to make this child a sympathetic character and pulls the reader into the young boy's conflict of knowing what's wrong but still justifying it (as an adult is giving direction) until he no longer can. This book is certainly not for everyone and more than once brought me to tears. It's awful, it's painful, and it's sickening but it's worst part is knowing it happened.

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Yawn

Revisado: 07-02-24

I went in thinking I was going to have to stop listening as I feared a book called The Toybox might be torture porn. Once I realized that even the most horrific of (very few) scenes never went very far beyond the selection of a strap or some clamps (with vague references to 'other devices') my mind was eased and I settled in ready for some big payback to the bad guys. I'm not interested in the bad guys being tortured either but I expected more revenge than 'the full extent of the law'. The whole book was just 'mommy cop loves her kids' with a seething cop partner that does nothing but seethe. Could we have not had just one punch in the nose to the smarmy rich kid? I guess I wanted less than Saw III but more than Disney does human trafficking. Through I wasn't thrilled with every character's voice there were many and the reader made them all different. That's a talent. She did an amazing job creating just the right tone for fear, anger and sorrow. Even the screaming was well done.

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