Nicole

Predictable and corny

Revisado: 04-04-23

The plot was plodding, shallow and predictable. The actors did a great job with the script they were given, but it was nearly unbearable to get through five episodes. Skip this and listen to Welcome to Nightvale or Girl in Space or a dozen other sci-fi audio dramas.

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I think I lost brain cells...

Revisado: 09-16-21

This book just couldn't make up its mind about what kind of mediocre, cliche book it wanted to be. It was partly a halfhearted "cowboy meets Strong Independent Woman" romance and partly a "see how many cliches and predictable Lifetime movie plot twists I can stuff in here" police procedural.

The overarching story was fine enough that I finished the book, but all of the awkward parts of hyping up just how amaaaaazing the FBI is and the author's bizarre fixation on preservatives and processed food (which had nothing at ALL to do with the story) made me want to bang my head on the wall. The romance parts are stilted and forced, like someone writing fanfiction about something they've never experienced. Character development is also minimal and forced, and I fast-forwarded through a few spots where I just couldn't take the banality of the story anymore. It was needlessly drawn out.

I'm glad I got this on Kindle Unlimited and didn't waste a credit. I won't be picking up anything else from this author. If you want MUCH better stories of this type, check out Andrew Mayne's Jessica Blackwood series or Mike Omer's Zoe Bentley series.

Also, the woman who narrated parts of this book over-enunciates to the point of absurdity, and it was SO hard to listen to without cringing. The male narrator was much smoother. I'd listen to him narrate a book on his own.

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Absolutely Riveting!

Revisado: 07-25-18

This is the second installment of The Salvation State trilogy, so if you haven’t read or listened to the first one, just go ahead and buy them both so you don’t have to wait. You’re gonna love it that much, trust me.

I am a huge fan of dystopian fiction, and I’ll admit that it can get somewhat repetitive, especially when it’s marketed as a YA series. This series *is NOT* like that. These kids are living in a not-so-far-fetched theocracy a la The Handmaid’s Tale, but the story itself is so well written and unexpected that I found myself running extra miles and cleaning longer just so I could keep listening.

Jessica McEvoy is an outstanding voice actress. I had previously purchased and read the eBook, but listening to her read this story gave it a whole new life. I don’t usually prefer an audiobook over its text counterpart, but I can honestly say that I prefer listening to Jessica read this story.

TL;DR - Even if dystopian or YA fiction aren’t your usual cup of tea, give this series a chance. Between the amazing writing and stellar narration, I’m almost certain you’ll love it.

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Wasn't Sure What I Got Myself Into, but I Loved It

Revisado: 03-22-18

What did you love best about Unreal City?

The premise of the story felt very unique to me! It's hard to describe without giving away too much of the plot, but the surrealness of the story and the way it's woven so thoughtfully between the real world and the Unreal City did a great job of transporting me back and forth along with the protagonist, and it gave me a feeling that Unreal City could actually exist.

Have you listened to any of Jessica McEvoy’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've listened to MANY of Jessica McEvoy's performances in audiobooks and podcast dramas and she outdid herself on this one. I never get tired of her natural narration voice, but I am always in awe of how she can give every new character his or her own life and personality so perfectly.

The accents and cadence for a few of the characters in this book were absolutely beautiful - you can tell she put a lot of work and care into getting them right for the story! I wish there were more audiobooks with her narration.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I really did want to listen to this all in one sitting. I wasn't able to do so, but I did find myself taking every possible excuse I could to listen because I was anxious to know what happened next.

Any additional comments?

There is a lot of depth and emotion in this story, but there's plenty of lightness, wonder and magic to balance it out. This is the only book by A.R. Meyering that I've ever read/listened to, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I can happily say that the book is well worth listening to, both for the intriguing and unique plot as well as for the outstanding job that Jessica did acting it out.

By the end, you'll wish you had a Felix too. c:

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Excellent Characters, Wonderful Story - Must Read!

Revisado: 03-22-18

Would you listen to Donn's Hill again? Why?

I would absolutely listen to this book again, and I plan to once I've made it through some of the other titles in my library. I am a HUGE fan of Jessica McEvoy's narration style, but I also just love the flow of this story. It's the kind of book that, even if you know where it's headed, you still want to pick it up and read it (or listen, in this case) over and over.

What did you like best about this story?

Honesty time. I love the cat. Striker totally makes the story for me. She adds something that's difficult for me to describe...she's like that one little pinch of spice you add to a dish that takes it from great to completely delicious.

Aside from my love for Striker, I also really enjoy how connected to every single character I felt throughout the story. The author does a wonderful job of fleshing out the characters without being overly wordy and makes you wish you could be a part of Donn's Hill too. I was sure other reviewers were exaggerating when they brought this up, but they were not! It's part of the reason I know I could read or listen to this story many times over.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were a few moments that got me in the feels, but I don't want to say anything to spoil the story. I will say that I like how there are no "perfect" characters. The good ones make mistakes and the bad ones have redeeming qualities, which makes them feel more real to me.

You'll definitely develop strong feelings one way or another for most of the people in the book.

Any additional comments?

Overall, the book is a great and engaging ride from beginning to end. It is absolutely worth buying simply because you'll want to listen to it again and again. The combination of Caryn Larrinaga's fantastic writing and Jessica McEvoy's amazing narration gave me a serious "book hangover" when it ended. I cannot wait for there to be more books about Mackenzie and Striker!

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A Must-have, Even If You've Read the Book

Revisado: 02-08-18

Would you consider the audio edition of The Salvation State to be better than the print version?

To be perfectly honest, I am very picky about audiobooks and rarely like them as much as the print version. The Salvation State was an extremely pleasant surprise on that front! I think that Jessica McEvoy reading this story added a layer of depth that I didn't know I was missing when I read it to myself the first time.

What other book might you compare The Salvation State to and why?

I love that this book has such a distinctly dystopian-yet-plausible feel to it. If I were comparing it to other books that gave me that feeling, I would say it's similar to The Handmaid's Tale (but better) and James Halperin's The Truth Machine. This is a very intelligent, engrossing story.

Even though it's about teenagers and (I believe) considered YA fiction, it's not at all "young." It's accessible and appropriate for young adults, but it's well-suited to a broader audience as well. Anybody who enjoys dystopian fiction, especially the kind with interesting religious overtones, will love this story.

What about Jessica McEvoy’s performance did you like?

My problem with so many audiobooks is the flatness of the narration. I'm a bit spoiled in that regard because I'm used to listening to audio dramas with a full cast, so I often feel like one person reading the dialogue of multiple people can't be as good. With Jessica, that's not the case at all.

She has a lovely voice for narration in general, but she really shines with the diversity of her voice acting. It's more of a production than a simple reading aloud, and it gives the characters distinct depth that they otherwise wouldn't have for me.

Each character gets his or her own tone, and she conveys so much about every character's personality just with her voice that I was amazed. In fact, I enjoyed her performance so much that I immediately sought out every other work that she has narrated to add to my library.

If you happen to be on the fence about trying this book for some reason, you should give it a shot based on Jessica's performance alone. Then, like me, you'll be clamoring for her to narrate the next two books in the series ASAP. :)

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