Magpie

Preppers and more

Revisado: 05-13-20

I saw this audiobook mentioned on Twitter before its release. The premise sounded interesting, and I was already a fan of Khristine Hvam, so I pre-ordered it.

That was easily my best decision of the week.

The story centers around three teenage preppers, but quickly goes deeper. Once I started listening, I didn't want to stop - in fact, I did almost all of my housework with my earbuds in, sneaking in a few more chapters here and there.

We're not preppers, but we are homesteaders. We have a small farm, and we value the level of self-sufficiency that gives us, incomplete though that is. Like the Juniper girls, we have goats, chickens, and rabbits; we garden, fish, make soap, and try to develop useful skills. (See, I told you I wasn't a prepper - if I were, I would never admit all this stuff publicly.) Many of the descriptions of the girls' prepping activities had me nodding my head in recognition. I don't know whether the author has ever felt a goat's ear, but she writes as if she has, and it rings true.

The bond between the sisters was wonderfully portrayed. They loved each other more than anything, and Demetra showed that without letting it become syrupy-sweet. The sisters argued, made up, got irritated, made plans - just like real-life siblings. In fact, I enjoyed all the relationships in the story. They all had such great nuances and depth.

I don't want to risk giving spoilers, so I won't say more about the plot, except that I loved it - it was complex enough to keep me fascinated, but logical enough to flow. By the end, there was a lot going on, but everything fit together well and made sense.

Khristine and Dan both swept me away with their narration. I think this is my first time hearing Dan, and he was perfect for this book. His voice has a nice balance of clarity and smoothness, and he made it fit every character he voiced. When he reached a character with a Greek accent, I actually rewound that section to listen to it again, then I played it for my husband, whose family was Greek. (We both loved it!) Khristine was awesome, as always. Her pacing carried the story along seamlessly. Each character's attitude came through clearly; her voice is astoundingly versatile and easy to listen to. Even just looking at the book cover now, I hear her voice in my head.

Thank you to everyone involved in this book! You gave me hours of entertainment, enjoyment, and emotions.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Starts with divorce case and quickly goes deeper

Revisado: 05-07-20

I greatly enjoyed Game Theory. I listened to it shortly after finishing the previous book, Exit Strategy. Game Theory continues the series, but would also work as a standalone.

The early scene in court for the divorce case was fun! I loved hearing Kat's testimony and explanations. She's very smart, though sometimes a bit lacking in common sense (in book 1, I yelled at her more than once to tell someone where she was going!). Kat is one of my favorite heroines. She's relatable, likable, and flawed in realistic ways.

Uncle Harry is another awesome character. He was very well-written here. As a nurse, I worked often with elderly patients with dementia; reading Harry's scenes took me back to that - he could easily have been someone on my ward. As it became more difficult for Kat to keep an eye on him while still doing her job, I yelled at her a few times to hire a home health aide (and if Harry objected, Kat could say they were a housekeeper or something). But I can understand how that might not have occurred to her (see the aforementioned lack of common sense), and I admire her loyalty toward her uncle and her determination to take care of him.

Petrea Burchard voiced everyone excellently. She stayed consistent with the voices from the first book (I especially love Harry's voice!), and her pacing, tone, and overall performance swept me along. It was easy to forget I was listening to a book - the events were happening very clearly inside my head like a movie. I've already put other books narrated by Petrea onto my to-be-heard list.

The world of money is something I know almost nothing about. I would not have expected to love a series about finances, but watching the story turn from a divorce case to something more complicated was fascinating. Part of the reason I like this series is that it's so unique - I mean, how many thriller heroines have accounting as their superpower?? The only flaws I found were a couple of too-convenient coincidences and continuity errors that took me out of the story, such as Kat answering her cell phone when she definitely did not have it with her. But overall, the story and narration were strong enough to quickly re-immerse me.

I look forward to listening to the next book in the series!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A heroine to cheer for

Revisado: 04-13-20

Before listening to this book, I hadn't even heard of forensic accounting. And if I had, I don't think I would have expected a forensic accountant like Kat. I love her - she's relatable, believable, and totally likable. I mean, a forensic accountant who has trouble with her own finances? That's so.... human! Her flaws are endearing.

She asks more questions than anyone expects and is relentless in her search for answers, even when it might be to her advantage to leave things alone. Kat has a strong moral compass. I love me a good anti-hero now and then, but my favorite characters are ones with an inner compulsion to do the right thing.

Petrea Burchard's performance was stellar. Her tone and spot-on pacing made the story very comfortable to listen to - I could easily have listened for hours without needing a break. Each character had a distinct voice, and they were all believable and consistent.

I enjoyed everything about this book. I've already bought the next in the series, and I'll be starting it today.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Haunting story; still gives me shivers

Revisado: 12-11-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I listened to this audiobook back in October. But even now, two months later, it has stayed with me.

This is a delightfully creepy serial-killer story. Every fall, there have been murders in this small town, and it's gone on for so long that everyone is just kind of used to it. I don't want to say more about the plot and risk giving any spoilers, so I'll just say that I was fascinated by how the events and ending unfolded. Every time I think about it, I still get the chills.

The characters were believable and dimensional. The narrator's voice sounds older than the teenage main character, but that didn't bother me - and after listening for a few minutes, I didn't even notice that anymore. He brought the story to life and made it vivid in my head.

Part of me wants a sequel, but part of me wants to leave things as they are. I'll be on the lookout for more from this author and narrator. I received this audiobook for free, and though I'm under no obligation to leave a review, Bloody Bloody Apple impressed me so much that I wanted to share. Thank you, Mr. Odenz and Mr. Oak, for creating such an entertaining horror story!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Fascinating storyline with engaging charaters

Revisado: 10-03-19

I chose this book almost on a whim. I already knew I enjoyed the voice of the narrator, Eric Michael Summerer, and the cover art caught my eye. When I read the blurb, it sounded unlike anything I'd read before, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Once I started listening, I couldn't stop (nor did I want to). The characters are well-developed and interesting. Chase is very likable - it's easy to root for him. And the plot points involving his ADHD are quite clever! The author himself has ADHD, and his descriptions of Chase's thought process gave me a fascinating glimpse into the condition.

This is the first in a trilogy. As soon as I finished this one, I started the next!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

I need this message

Revisado: 10-02-19

I read the print book a few years ago. I loved it - the method made perfect sense to me, especially the parts about thanking items before getting rid of them. (My problem has always been that I feel like my things will be sad if I get rid of them. I know they won't; they're inanimate objects. But a part of my brain still wants to personify things.) However, I didn't feel that it was something I could do at that moment.

When I saw the audiobook was available, I thought it would be a good refresher. Indeed it is! I don't always have time to sit and read, but I can listen while I drive or do other things. Having the message and motivation trickle in through my ears has been very helpful.

I've listened to it all the way through more than twice, and now, I have finally started working on my clutter!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Wonderful series, satisfying ending

Revisado: 10-02-19

This series has been an awesome escape for me. Usually I listen to audiobooks in the car, or while doing housework or farm chores. But more than once, I found myself stopping to just listen, wanting to focus on the story.

The characters are well-rounded. Even Avery, who's almost too good to be true, has other facets to her personality. After spending so many hours with these people, they feel as real to me as the neighbors next door. And the narrator has been stellar with the voices - each one is different enough to easily tell who's speaking, without sounding overdone or forced. I enjoyed his pacing, too.

And I was deeply satisfied by the ending. No spoilers here - I'll be as vague as I can. Endings are important, and a bad one can ruin an otherwise good book. The Angriest Angel series, however, is excellent all the way through. The ending is logical and appropriate and good. I don't know what you will expect from the ending, so I can't say whether it will surprise you, but there were a couple of twists that I didn't foresee.

This series was even better than I'd expected it to be, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hours flew by.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

My new favorite time travel story

Revisado: 09-04-19

Medieval history and infectious disease are two things that fascinate me. This book has them both! Plus interesting situations, well-developed characters, and some heartbreak. (I don't want to give any spoilers, but you already know that not everyone lived happily ever after during that time in history.)

It's a long book, but moved well for me. The scenes with Kivrin in the past were my favorite, of course, but all of the book was wonderful. Even the scenes back at the college involving the heirarchies and power struggles in academia were interesting to listen to!

The narrator's voice was lovely and clear, and her enunciation and pacing were just right. I look forward to checking out more of her work.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

She speaks to me!

Revisado: 09-04-19

I'm a messy person. My house is not so much dirty - I don't leave spills and crumbs - but just cluttered. I've read other cleaning advice, but most of it didn't really feel like it applied to me; the authors all had very different lives.

But Dana UNDERSTANDS. She has kids and hobbies and a life that is similar to mine in many ways. She gives baby steps, each building on the one before. Her instructions are very concrete and tangible - easy to understand and implement! Thanks to her advice and encouragement, I now do the dishes every night before bed. It really makes a difference for me to not have a sink full of mess to wake up to.

Her voice is terrific, too. It's clear and easy to listen to. She also has a podcast, which I started listening to after I finished this book.

My house is not perfect yet, but it's better than it was.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña