JanBreesmom

Remembering the Late Sixties

Revisado: 05-15-13

Actually, I would give it three and a half stars if I could here. Good interesting well-defined characters in this story, somewhat interesting story. However, there is lots of druggies, drug use here which ramble too much, ruminating on their thoughts, feelings, and that gets old half-way through, for me. The theme is the late 1960's, a private eye, his friends, the cops who hound them, a mystery about the whereabouts of an ex-girlfriend of the private eye. It was an interesting change of pace for me but not sure I could recommend it to others. I think it will probably make a better movie than book as the music, visuals and sixties sets will most-likely help.

The narrator was okay, really didn't add or detract from the story. His performance was not notable. I felt there was no advantage in listening to the audiobook over reading the book in print myself.

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Controversial, Heartbreaking, & Thought Provoking

Revisado: 05-05-13

First, this book is not for everybody...maybe not even for me although I did appreciate it for what it was. It is a raw, realistic look about people who live for celebrity. The story is set in Hollywood, as it should be, yet the characters easily relate as human beings striving for recognition everywhere, I think. Lots of characters here and everyone has a story...sometimes their stories intersect.

This novel has so many elements to it: it's shocking, crude, violent...definitely for adults only...nothing is taboo in it...but it is also heart wrenching and thought provoking.

Narration is done by the author, Bruce Wagner, which I was wary of at first but I think he did a fine job overall.

Word is that this book has been adapted [by the author] into a movie called 'Maps to the Stars' which will be made later this year. I would think that many things would be changed for the movie--characters and stories will be thinned out or combined, for example. This will make a very interesting movie.

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Told as a Nightmare, in Bits & Pieces

Revisado: 02-14-13

This one is kind of hard to rate. I would give it four stars for ingenuity and inventiveness of the basic story but overall I give it three stars because the story needs to be tighter...I get that it's suppose to be like a nightmare but it meanders all over the place in too many places. A shorter book would have been appreciated, I think.

The narrator did a fine job with the material. I recommend this book to those who liked books such as a 'Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy'...liked, not loved--people who loved that book are absolutely in love with it, I think and might take offense in this one being compared to it...that said, if you liked that book you should at least find this book to be similarly entertaining.

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A Funny Paranormal Mystery

Revisado: 02-09-13

This is a funny paranormal mystery about a hapless woman who working as a courier who, while in Paris, becomes a murder suspect, meets a man who tells her she is to be his life mate, and ends up a very different kind of personal assistant.

The narrator did an adequate job. Her voice sounded a bit more mature than the age I had imagined the character.

Told in such a humorous way it is a a fun light read; I enjoyed it very much. This is the first book in a series. I recommend this book to all who enjoy reading light paranormal with adult romance, humor, and a bit of mystery.

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Continuing Adventures of Jane Jameson

Revisado: 02-09-13

I really enjoyed this book. It continues and expands the hysterically funny story of Jane Jameson and her eccentric friends and family. The story concerns the birth of her best friend's babies and the mystery of Jane's undead boyfriend Gabriel's frequent trips abroad is revealed.

I'm glad I experienced this book as an audiobook; in my opinion the narrator's voice is is a perfect fit . I recommend this book to all who enjoy humorous, light-hearted fiction and paranormal romance.

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Dystopian Teenage Drama

Revisado: 02-09-13

'Shatter Me,' is a dystopian teenage drama by Tahereh Mafi. It takes places in an apocalyptic world with members of a resistance movement front and center. The main character is a seventeen year old girl who has the special ability of being able to kill a person with her touch. There is a bit of teen coming-of-age drams and romance.

I found this world to be interesting, the writing and characters adequate. It held my interest while I was reading it although I don't think I will be doing a re-read any time soon. As it is the first book in a series I am curious to see where the author will take this story and characters...I've heard from friends that the author does build on this story and it grows in interest and intensity and the characters become more multidimensional. I plan to continue the series as my curiosity has been sufficiently aroused.

I think the narrator did a fine job with most of the characters although occasionally I took a well need break from listening to the whiny voice used for the ten year old younger brother of one of the characters.

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Second Book in Series Delivers Chills

Revisado: 02-04-13

'The Kingdom' is the second book of Amanda Steven's 'Graveyard Queen' series. This gothic novel continues the story of Amelia Grey who restores old southern graveyards. She also has the ability to see ghosts. In this book, Amelia finds out the truth about this ability as she works to restore the old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina which is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

This story brought chills to my spine. The secrets of the spooky small town, the frightened townspeople that inhabit this town, the back story of the previous book in this series work together well to create the eerie feelings necessary to bring my mind to such a place.

For the most part the continuity, the ability of this author to get me to suspend disbelief is done very well but occasionally it just barely missed causing me to have questions; overall, though, I thought this story engrossing and believable.

i recommend this book for those who enjoy reading horror and suspense.

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A Sweet, Touching Ending to a Heartbreaking Story

Revisado: 01-27-13

I loved this book. As the sequel to a heartbreaking tearjerker, author Gayle Norman's 'If I Stay', this book is a fulfilling sequel to that story. A coming-of-age story of two teenage musicians who are separated by tragedy, misunderstanding, and college they suffer the pains of each growing into adults alone in almost foreign worlds--he, as a rock star, she-as a celebrated cellist. I was engrossed in the story from the beginning to the end. The narrator, Dan Bittner, did a good job in his performance of the narration. I highly recommend this book.

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Enjoyable, Humorous Vampire Fun

Revisado: 01-27-13

'Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men' by Molly Harper is the second book in a humorous, fun series about a young vampire woman learning about functioning as a young adult vampire in a human world. Jane has a boyfriend who is vampire who is hundreds of years old, her best friend is engaged to a werewolf girl, a job in an old occult bookstore, and an undead aunt who lives with her in an old historic home in an old Southern town. This second book in the series which is told in first person voice mainly concerns itself with the engagement and the families of Jane's friends, a werewolf and a human. I enjoyed this book. I recommend it to all who enjoy reading humorous books with vampires and werewolves. The narrator, Amanda Ronconi, did a very good job.

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Interesting Detective Story

Revisado: 01-27-13

'Private' is an interesting story, the first book in a series, concerning an exclusive detective agency. The characters introduced here are well fleshed out and believable. Several stories are interspersed throughout the book and all loose ends are neatly tied up by the end of the book. The narrator, Peter Hermann, does a good job. I recommend this book to all who like detective stories and those who enjoy reading James Patterson novels. There is graphic violence and some adult situations.

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