Rachel

A perfect little BBC-style murder mystery

Revisado: 05-07-25

This narrator is *chefs kiss* for HGH books. I loved her for The Other Witch series too.
Perfect series for a turbulent world.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

In my top 4 reads of 2024

Revisado: 01-30-25

The series is Very Good, and then this book achieves Greatness. The story is well told, intense, visceral, a *true* enemies to lovers, the struggle and heartbreak…wrecked me. I will never forget Aran. (Other 3 - Legends of Thezmar, Gods of Malice series, and The Burning Witch (last in the series which are all excellent)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

The series turned into a solid comfort read

Revisado: 01-19-25

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this series. I got really invested in Alexis and Kieran, all the guys, and wish Daisy had her own series. Found family, magic, spice (2-3 throughout the series), witty banter.

This was the last series I read before my life went to hell and I haven’t had the brain space or emotional capacity to read anything new. I was kind of stuck and somewhat reluctantly decided to re-read/listen to this series and it has worked in that mental glue function for the last two or three weeks. It is at an emotional investment I can handle (not high highs or low lows) and positive distraction (not high tension, sweet, funny, solid world building) from the real life stuff.

Narrator is a good reader but can’t do accents, which are randomly applied and executed. Overlookable though.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

refreshing FMC

Revisado: 12-04-24

Female narrator is great, but the male narrator could be better. I could mostly ignore it. This is not a new plot (fantasy world, dragon shifter, academic setting), however the FMC has emotional intelligence?! It’s so refreshing to have a FMC who is comfortable with vulnerability and expressing her feelings despite her trauma. She loves glitter and cupcakes and together is even better. Definitely not the profile of the FMC so pervasive right now, and as much as I’m into embracing feminine rage and general badassery, there are many ways to be and express those things and it doesn’t always have to be expressed through emotional constipation and stabbyness. That said, it was interesting to observe my own reaction to her being very much a girly-girl (hello prejudice!) growing into her badassery and who who doesn’t treat vulnerability as a weakness. Not a squeaky clean romance - probably a 2.5-3 chili rating and also reverse harem, both my cup of tea, so heads up if that’s not your thing. This is the only amnesia trope I’ve ever been able to read without my eyeballs sticking in the back of my head - seriously, I hate that trope. In this situation, it works for me because it’s not paired with miscommunication.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Truly terrible narrator ruins cute story

Revisado: 11-21-24

Someone gave the job to someone’s auntie over a professional. I hope it was repayment for a huge favor, like they hid a body. Otherwise it is an inexplicable and cruel decision to inflict that narrator on us. I enjoy SL’s Harlequins. No angst, no spice, no stakes, and mercifully short. Nothing to increase the pulse - perfect for distracting my brain when I’m trying to go to sleep. Also good palate cleansers before skipping back to my agreeably unhinged TBR list.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Regency Meet-Cute (Harlequin - adjust expectations accordingly)

Revisado: 11-21-24

The narrator is solid; pleasant voice. I enjoy SL’s Harlequins for what they are. No angst, no spice, no stakes, and mercifully short. Perfect for distracting my brain when I’m trying to go to sleep - nothing to raise the pulse. Sweet and clean if you prefer that kind of thing, or, a nice little palate cleanser before you go back to the heavy lifting.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An absolute delight

Revisado: 12-30-19

This story is all light and sparkle and a delight to listen to. This is Lizzy and Mr. Darcy, not Heathcliff and Catherine.

The whole Ravenel series is fantastic.

Thank goodness it’s narrated by Mary Jane Wells and not Roslyn Landor. Mary Jane is the quintessential Pandora, she portrays her perfectly. I’ve listed to this book probably 5 times (I won’t admit to more).

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Why Rosalyn, why?

Revisado: 12-30-19

If she just read and didn’t perform I’d give her 5 stars. Unforgivably, for me, she made Lillian sound like Carol Burnett (e.g., Miss. Hannagin in Annie) and now I can’t unhear it, which almost ruins reading the actual book for me. That voice is hilarious in its place and time, but it is jarring in this context. I don’t advise you to go YouTube it, it will ruin you.
Otherwise the story is excellent and fun.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Early Kleypas

Revisado: 12-30-19

Overall 3.5 stars. Re Rosalyn Landor, she just isn’t my cup of tea though many love her - if she just read and didn’t perform I’d give her 5 stars. To me she sounds like Carol Burnett with an English accent. Not real romantic. And then she made Lillian actually sound like Carol Burnett and now I can’t unhear it, which almost ruins the book for me.

If you’re a Lisa Kleypas fan and want to see how far she has come, and get a sort of prequel to Evie’s story The Devil in Winter, this will be of interest to you. The core of the story is solid, good hero and heroine, fun, likable. But the story meanders after three first quarter, sees shiny objects and runs off. Some ruthless editing to make it tighter would have made all the difference. However, we have the Ravenels, the Hathaways and Wallflowers, so we won in the end.

If you’re new to Lisa, maybe skip this one and read the series (all of them) above and your life will be better.

It started out with good thrust and enthusiasm but petered out as it headed to the middle and became flopulous at the end. I slogged, in case it got better, for HOURS. Though it had some great plot points, the story collapsed under its own weight. Whispering behind my hand: it got boring.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Bewildering and boring

Revisado: 06-28-16

Julia Quinn is one of my top 5 authors so this was very surprisingly disappointing. I think she's trying out a new style, great, go for it, I support that. But this was boring. It was one straight dialogue, as someone else pointed out. I thought, surely not, I'll try it. No, she was sadly right.
I enjoy the descriptions of the world and the character's movement though the world. It doesn't have to be plot driven but I do enjoy a plot. This was an interminable dialogue, and charming though it was, nothing happened. The characters are cardboard cutouts on a one dimensional stage.

I didn't get to know the inner worlds of either Billy or George much less anyone else. I didn't fall in love with Billy. I consider my emotional attachment to Julia's characters her hallmark. Kate Scheffield, the Smythe-Smith cousins, the Brigerton siblings.... Billy and George's very long sex scene does not count towards getting to know them. That went on to the point of embarrassment.
I suppose it's worth reading/listening just to see where Julia takes her writing but it's an academic exercise. Don't expect to be as delighted as you were with the others. This book is a considered enjoyment.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 55 personas