Tam Chronin

Pound? Hashtag? Hiring the wrong narrator?

Revisado: 06-16-21

The book is good. The narrator's voice is pleasant. This is NOT a good book for this narrator, though. Has she ever been on the internet? I'm having a hard time finishing this because she's completely clueless!

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A fun twist on Greek mythology

Revisado: 07-02-20

This is an enjoyable, fast-paced first book with an interesting premise. "What if Hades and Persephone had a child?"
Most modern retellings that I've seen show a happy, powerful, consenting Persephone who can't wait to spend another winter with her husband, but this version tells another story. Persephone is aloof and would rather be anywhere else, even if it means abandoning her daughter. It's told half from the point of view of their daughter, and half from the point of view from a lost soul who has been "tutoring" her.
The narration of the book is pretty good, I didn't notice any technical issues, but there are a few instances where the delivery is flat or stiff. It mostly smooths out by the end, but if you're easily irritated by poor delivery this might not be your thing. It's minor though, so don't give up just because a few bits made me want to fix it. hahaha
The story itself is aimed at a teenage audience, with some heavy flirting and frank talk about sex without anything overt. The main character calls her mom a few choice phrases that could offend some with more delicate ears, and there's a sprinkling of crude language, but if you spend any time with a normal teen you're well used to it and will probably fail to notice. (Just don't play this audiobook at a church event or your prudish grandma's house and you'll be fine.)
Overall an enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

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Roll for initiative...

Revisado: 11-20-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

I am a huge fan of pretty much everything Tom Leveen has written. He's got storytelling flair that holds my attention and keeps it, with relatable characters and emotional stakes that put me behind the eyeballs of the narrator.

Heartless is no exception.

I've been a gamer nerd since my parents started playing D&D when I was nine. While I may not have really latched on to the main character, with her disdain for her gamer brother and his friends, I like that she didn't hold it against them so much as just not get the appeal. I love that she turns to the gamers for help, and without their help she'd have been totally screwed. That hits all my little wish-fulfillment buttons, I'll admit.

As for the rest, well, it holds up a fun-house mirror to all my secret teenage wishes and turns them upside down. At that age I'd had a thing for the bad guys. The whole, "Look, I know I'm evil, but I'm powerful and would do anything for you." If I could mail books back in time, I'd make sure I sent this one to myself. It takes that concept and cranks it up to eleven. The monsters are seductive, but it doesn't shy away from showing how evil, how monstrous, they really are. This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the end, and much as I'd love to see a second book chase after this one, I'm positive it's not going to happen. There's just enough left unresolved to leave us guessing, imagining, maybe writing a great fanfic, but I think a sequel wouldn't have the same punch and I'm okay with that. (It's yet another thing I appreciate about Tom's writing. The books are self contained, but inspire you to want to know more.)

The narrator, Taylor Coan, really brought the story to life. There were seductive hints and bawdy tones that I glossed over in the printed version. Here, she hits you in the face with it and makes you take a hard look at what's going on in every word. She's got a good range in her character voices, giving each a distinctive personality consistent with the narrative. My only problem was there was occasional slight background hissing, and in a couple of spots, in the middle of a scene, it sounded like an obvious break had happened. They weren't jarring, but unfortunately noticeable. The performance more than makes up for these slight flaws, so don't let that keep anyone from giving this a listen!

tl:dr: Just give this a listen, okay? Gamers, teenagers, urban legends, seductive bad guys, evil. Well written. Well performed. Trust me.

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