Erin

Fun read at face value

Revisado: 04-07-17

So I’ll preface my review by admitting that at 31, I’m probably older than the author’s targeted demographic for this trilogy. Because of that, some aspects of it did come off as juvenile to me, and some of the writing itself was amusing at times (the sentence “distant cries rose in the distance”, for example, and the many passages in which Marguerite anguishes over her relationship with Paul) but I’m truly not a book snob so those things didn’t bother me too much. Plus if you’ve made it this far in the series, you’re already familiar with the author’s writing style so it’s a little too late to nitpick.

Above issues notwithstanding, I really liked this trilogy. I found it enjoyable for what it was. The premise of dimension travel was unique to me as I’d never read anything similar in the YA category (or at all) and I really liked the parts where Marguerite would first find herself in a new dimension and you’d learn what the differences were between that one and her own.

Personally I could’ve gone without all the monologues about fate in regards to Marguerite and Paul, Marguerite and Theo etc. But I suppose the author has to satisfy her target audience’s taste for conflicted teen romance and it definitely had enough of that. Personally I preferred the sci-fi aspects and action scenes. It was interesting and fun enough to keep me listening without getting bored or tired of it. In the last hour or so I started to wonder if there was going to be a fourth book and I would’ve continued the story for sure, but the author was able to wrap it up.

In regards to the ending-I can’t say I completely disliked it, I was just a little dismayed at how easily and conveniently everything wraps up in a climactic ending scene after Marguerite and her family had faced all these obstacles and challenges throughout the trilogy. It was as if the author herself couldn't really find a solution to the problems she'd created, so she threw in one last trick to fix everything. It's just that you never hear of this trick at any point elsewhere in the book(s). So that all seemed a little too simple which was in sharp contrast to how complex other issues were made.

One of the other reviewers mentioned that this book contains recapping of the first two Firebird novels and that IS true-however I kind of appreciated that here, because it had been a while for me between finishing the last book and purchasing this one. I didn’t find it too excessive to be bothersome.

Narration – I’m kind of on the fence here. On one hand, I did find Tavia Gilbert to know her way around French and Russian accents well (although some other reviewers have said the accents were horrible so it's subjective). I also thought she did well on the male narration and was even able to convey enough difference between Paul and Theo that I could tell who was speaking without having to hear the “Theo said”, “Paul said”. On the other hand..she could also be a little dramatic for me. Yes, there are dramatic scenes and it’s the narrator’s job to portray that, but at times she sounded close to hyperventilation and other times she would simply overdo it. So she’s obviously a talented reader with the ability to do different genders and accents, she just took it a bit too far here for my taste.

All in all I did enjoy this book and found it a nice conclusion to the series, which I’m glad to have come across. I would recommend it if you are looking for something fun and different.

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Should've listened to the reviews...

Revisado: 12-29-16

When choosing a new audiobook to spend my credit on I do glance over the reviews to get a general idea of how good a book is; however, I eventually make my decision based on the type of book I'm in the mood for and the description. So I WILL overlook bad reviews to give something a chance and sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. Unfortunately, This was one case where the 'blah' reviews were completely accurate. I still would've wanted to find out for myself that this book was a letdown, but I'm writing this review to tell YOU to take heed of what others are saying. Personally I bought this audiobook for $3.99 to accompany the Kindle book I had purchased on sale, and I guess it was worth at least the lowered price so that I could get it off my wish list, but don't spare a credit for it. Please.

First of all: narration. Cassandra Campbell- "Heidi"- has a whispery, choppy way of speaking that can be annoying. I first heard her in Gillian Flynn's "Dark Places" (a MUCH better suspense novel) and every time her voice came on I wanted to scream, or tell her to speak up. Heard her again in The Pocket Wife (blech) and again, disliked her voice and staccato manner. When I bought this book I didn't realize she was one of the narrators (usually don't check that info) and while I don't think it would have deterred me completely, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tad disappointed.

The male narrator, Tom Taylorson-"Chris"-came across completely unlikeable and had a way of narrating that seemed almost impatient. He also wasn't written as a very likeable character, but I think he could have seemed "softer" in ways with someone else's voice. My biggest problem wasn't with him, however.

Jorjeana Marie-"Willow"-was by far the most FRUSTRATING part of this book. Sure, they needed someone young, and she sounds young. She also sounds like she's in the midst of a bad cold and needs to blow her nose, like, 100% of the time! Surely they could've paused production to give her a tissue?? Her "P's" sounded like "B's" for crying out loud! And her hum-drum way of narrating passages of sexual abuse and violent crime definitely played down what should have been the book's more horrific or at least suspenseful moments. Where I should've been thinking 'oh my goodness, that's awful!' I was thinking, 'SOMEONE GIVE THIS GIRL SOME DAYQUIL ALREADY.' The contrast between Tom Taylorson's overly loud, hurried narration and Jorjeana Marie's cloudy, muffled voice was irritating as I had to keep adjusting my speakers between chapters.

Now for the story itself - it started out okay. I spent the first 2/3 of the book thinking, 'okay, this isn't awesome, but surely it isn't as bad as everyone says.' Then it began spiraling towards the 'climax' and the end of the book as though the author's deadline was coming on and she needed to wrap it up. Certain storylines (SPOILER ALERT - like the one involving Heidi's suspicion of her husband's affair) seemed completely pointless, especially as they were never resolved or even addressed later by the characters. I understand that some things were meant to contribute to Heidi's eventual unraveling but really? Seemed a little far-reaching to me, and I didn't particularly care or feel sorry for her based on that.

By the time I reached the last two hours, I was just putting in time to get it over with. I really couldn't have cared less how the story ended-it's a book about unlikeable people who do unlikeable and/or not relatable things. I didn't care for Chris, Heidi was annoying and eventually slightly repulsive rather than sympathetic, and Willow was a means to an end. Even Chris & Heidi's teenage daughter Zoey was "blech", having been written as a typical, selfish teenage bitch.

I'm not sure if I've made it clear but in case it's not obvious, I don't recommend this book. At all. It's too bad because Mary Kubica has a way of making stories SOUND intriguing, and her book covers are definitely eye-grabbing. I was previously disappointed by "The Good Girl" but again, gave this book a chance based on a sale price and willingness to overlook multiple bad reviews. I won't be doing the same for "Don't You Cry". Fool me once, etc.

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It could happen...

Revisado: 12-19-16

The scary thing about this book is that everything written in it could one day come to pass. However, I don't think that would actually happen as smoothly as it's depicted here, as I do believe the majority of the population would be against it more so than the seemingly mindless sheep that exist in Dave Eggers's universe (and that includes the book's heroine, Mae).

I enjoyed this book mostly because I wanted to see what was next around the corner - what technological "advancement" would Mae take part in next? What sort of privacy invading device would the Circle introduce and how would the creators rationalize it? The discovery of each new "tool" was what kept me interested.

One thing I didn't understand, however, was Mae's instant transformation from wary observer and newbie to the Circle's practices, to a fully indoctrinated Circle servant who goes "transparent" (meaning she wears a camera 24/7 with the option only to turn it off at 10pm). One day towards the beginning of her employment she is unhappy about her allergies of all things being revealed to a large crowd; skip ahead a few months later after one conversation with a Circle creator and she's pretty much the face of the Circle with millions of people tuning in to her life on a daily basis. Her transformation is so complete that she alienates her parents, who make it clear they don't want their lives on display as hers is and flat out tell her to stop, which she of course ignores because she belongs to the Circle now. Mae then comes up with the Circle's new catchphrases: secrets are lies, sharing is caring...

The end was the most chilling. It does end suddenly, which I don't necessarily dislike in a book as long as it's done well, and (SPOILER) I think this perfectly ensconced Mae's new Circle mentality: following her close friend/coworker Annie's "stress" breakdown and subsequent coma, Mae resents the fact that they can monitor Annie's brain activity but not her actual thoughts. They totally have the right to transmit and broadcast a comatose woman's thoughts, right? I mean, secrets are lies and why should someone be exempt from that rule just for being unconscious?

Overall, it wasn't the most EXCITING book I've ever listened to, but it did give me pause to contemplate current and future social media technology and kept me interested enough to finish. I thought it was worth a credit.

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What is the point?

Revisado: 06-09-16

I just finished this book and I am so annoyed. I’ve never read/listened to a book with such a garbled, confusing, disappointing ending.

I first purchased the Kindle book a few months ago and I enjoyed the beginning; it had a foreboding sense to it and introduced the ghost right away. Each chapter was peppered with relatable, human moments between the two couples. The subject matter concerning Rebecca and John and their emotional estrangement from each other during their marriage made me cringe as I read it, because it was so human in regards to them having an imperfect relationship; how Rebecca would push John away until he shut down, then she would yearn for him to forgive her and wait for him to come back around almost entirely before she cut into him again, causing the cycle to repeat. She was very cruel but in some ways I felt I could relate to her. In others, I felt she was a selfish idiot.

After a few weeks of reading the Kindle book, distractions of life caused me to forget about it until I saw that it was on sale thru Audible for the whispersync aspect. I purchased it for $4.49 with the idea that I’d get through the audible version quicker than the book.

So that was two days ago and as I said I just finished it. And I’m SO glad that I didn’t have to spend precious free time over the next few months trying to finish the book, only to be met with the mess that is the last few chapters.

Another reviewer stated that they didn’t know what the author was trying to do. I totally agree! While I was listening to the end of the book I was actually getting angry at how ridiculous it was. I’d like to know if anyone actually follows the chapter on Rebecca at the end? After the conversation with the magician and Frau, and the events that occur afterwards with the horse and carriage I was mentally done with this book. It lost me. It seems that all the extraneous pomp and circumstance that happens in the women’s lives is virtually UNRELATED to the ending. Who cares about Bridget’s mom’s past encounter with a ghost? Yes, Bridget is seeing a ghost herself but where does this information come into play? Why include the sad fact that her baby sister died in a car accident and her father left them years before? Bridget’s suspicion of Mark having an affair? None of these things have ANY relation to the rest of the book. You could say it’s for character building but it never really amounts to anything. Many things seem to only be written for the purpose of filling pages. The only person who knows the reason for any of it being included is the author herself. The only person to whom the end of the book makes any damn sense is the author.

I’m glad to be done with it but do yourself a favor and skip this one.

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I'm so sad it's over!!

Revisado: 05-19-16

I have to admit I always wondered what the big deal was about this series; although I saw some of the movies years ago and enjoyed them, I never read the books. When they became available on Kindle/Audible however I ordered the first book for my 8 y.o. daughter thinking she’d like to listen to it. Then I thought I’d try it out and see if I liked it myself; I was a little hesitant having already seen the movie and worried that listening to the book might be repetitive. But, I learned quickly that I was SO WRONG. There is SO much more detail, storyline, insight and humor, amongst many other things, woven into the pages that of course you don’t see on a DVD. I ended up listening to all 7 of the audiobooks in just under 2 months, and I finished Deathly Hallows about 4 days ago and I feel SO EMPTY! Lol! There is nothing else that will measure up/compare to this series or its writer. I am going to start on JK Rowling’s ‘adult’ books next I think, but I have half a mind to re-listen to my favorite Harry Potter books first, even this soon after finishing them, which I’ve NEVER done. I love the characters, the effortless way the story builds throughout all 7 books and I love the fact that something that might have happened in book 2 or 3 might be referenced in later books. I also loved the “real” way that certain things that weren’t obvious in the beginning of the series (i.e. whom Harry ends up with) develop in a way that feels completely natural and of course like that was meant to happen all along. Nothing in any of the HP books feels forced or conveniently created to serve a plotline that otherwise might be struggling. Despite its theme of witchcraft and wizardry Harry Potter seems very human and even relatable at times, thanks to the genius woman who created him, especially when it comes to his relationship with his closest friends. I think that’s why it’s so hard to leave them behind.

Oh and yes, I agree with many other reviewers that Jim Dale was the one and only narrator who could've brought this story to life in the amazing way that he did. So many characters, so many distinct voices, and he nailed them all in a way that I found myself comparing HIS version to the movie versions and, in many cases, finding I preferred Jim's.

I will miss Harry, Hermione, Ron, Sirius, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape, all the characters who made these books what they were, but I might have to revisit them soon because I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle this impending post-HP depression hahaha. Wish me luck...

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LOVE LOVE LOVE

Revisado: 05-21-15

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! I love, love, LOVE this series. I just wish it would go on forever and ever so I'd never have to part with the characters. lol. I want everyone else to be as excited about it as I am.

What did you like best about this story?

My favorite thing about the book was just being "reunited" with the characters to be honest - I have seen a few other reviews that mention this book seems a little plotless in comparison to the previous four books, and I'd have to slightly agree with that. BUT, I didn't mind that one bit. Every trip they took through history was just as interesting as any other. I enjoyed the opening story about the ghost and Markham, and the trip to Thermopylae towards the end was especially tense. I thought, "here's where the really bad stuff is going to happen in this one!" I was listening to it in my car before work and had to tear myself away right in the middle of everything.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the confrontations between Max and 2 of her arch enemies, those are always interesting. Because you want the good guys to win every time, and if there's anything you learn with this series it's that that doesn't always happen. So during these encounters you're always so nervous for the St. Mary's characters.

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

Unfortunately I have 3 children under the age of 7 which makes that impossible, but I would've if I could've!

Any additional comments?

Is there a #6??? Please, Jodi Taylor? I need another fix...

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Laugh out loud sci-fi for the newbie

Revisado: 05-20-15

I'm new to sci-fi, in fact it's something I've never read before as far as books go. I'm a 30 y.o. female who grew up watching Star Trek:The Next Generation so I'm not opposed to it and I was familiar with Will Wheaton, so I was amused and interested to see that he was the narrator.

Other reviewers have pointed out that he doesn't change his voice for each character - this is true. However, this doesn't bother me. I've listened to audiobooks where the narrator's character voices were obnoxious and took me out of the story, so for me it's not about the voice so much as the inflection. I thought Wheaton's inflection was perfect. I especially enjoyed a scene where he was voicing a drunken Lieutenant Kerensky; that one had me in stitches on my drive home from work. And I really didn't have a problem throughout the book differentiating between each character, even during a conversation. I pretty much knew who was saying what based on the situation.

Speaking of which I think it's funny that other people mentioned in their review the use of the word "said", which I have to agree WAS overrused (Ex: "blah blah" she said; "blah blah BLAH" he said; "blah blah," she said) In the first chapter it's used so much at first that I thought man, this is going to drive me crazy! Is this going to be a problem for me? BUT, after that I really didn't notice it anymore. John Scalzi is obviously a good writer so I was surprised that he didn't change up the verbs, but I got over it.

I know after reading this book that it's not really in-depth sci-fi; meaning it was easy for me to listen to it and not wonder what the hell was going on. It was a nice, playful introduction to the genre. I did see another review that compared it to Galaxy Quest, and I'd have to say that nailed it. It was just a lot of fun to listen to. I liked the opening scene-it had me laughing out loud within the first five minutes. The humor kept up throughout the book; although there were some more serious parts, I enjoyed the characters' dry humor and the way the novel made fun of itself throughout. And the 10 second last chapter ended it perfectly.

As for the codas, it was kind of "eh". The first one was lengthier than it needed to be but I wanted to hear the whole thing. That one wasn't as interesting as the book itself, which I knew had already ended so I just sort of pushed myself to get through that one. The second and third codas were much shorter and easier to listen to, and had one or two moments where I went "ahh, I see" or "that's who that is!"

The book itself is one of the funniest that I've listened to, which definitely makes it a favorite. Just the prologue had me laughing as I put it on sleep mode and went to bed, and I knew I was in for a fun ride. I would recommend it for sure, even if you really wouldn't normally ever look this way in a book store. It's not what you think, and you won't regret taking a chance on it.

As for me I'm on my next John Scalzi/Will Wheaton collaboration, "Agent to the Stars", and I can definitely recognize Scalzi's literary voice on this one. I'm definitely a fan of his and glad to have stumbled onto someone new (to me) and different.

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Meh.

Revisado: 02-09-15

This book somehow managed to never get exciting.

It never really sucked me in like I wanted it to. it never got truly interesting . sure, things happened, but I was listening as a sidetracked observer instead of someone invested in the outcome. The climax came and went without much emotion on my end, even during a scene I suspect was meant to be highly emotional. I just couldn't make myself care.

The premise and plot, in someone else's hands, could truly be fascinating. But for me, I mostly listened to the end just to see if it ever got really good, if I'd get attached to any of the characters- and then, before that question was answered, it was over.

the best thing about the book was the narrator. she did a good job finding organic sounding voices for all the characters, but she couldn't make the story better than it was.

save your credit...I won't be reading /listening to the second book.

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A total thrill ride!

Revisado: 01-22-15

Would you listen to Just One Damned Thing After Another again? Why?

I might. I'm not a frequent re-reader or in this case, a re-listener usually but it was fast-paced and exciting enough, and with the time travel aspect reading it a second time might bring to light things I didn't notice the first time.The book had a lot of foreshadowing in it as well, which kept me anxious as the suspense level kept rising and rising. The happy moments were like little rewards, but even then you knew another obstacle was coming because it was prefaced with a warning from the main character that "everything was about to change" or "my life as I knew it was over". And you're left wondering, WHY? YOU'RE SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. lol. What's going to change??

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character, aside from the main character, was Chief Farrell. He was endearing and funny without being a pushover knight-in-shining armor character. He had a personality that seemed real and believable.

What about Zara Ramm’s performance did you like?

I loved everything. Her inflection, her voices, her ability to deliver the dry humor of the book. Her narration was perfect.

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

Yes. (Slight spoiler) After they return from the second visit to the Cretaceous period and the main character moves elsewhere for a bit. I found that part to be very emotional and brought me to tears a few times just imagining the pain she must be going through. As a reader, I shared in that pain and kept hoping for a happy ending in spite of it.

Any additional comments?

This book was unlike anything I've ever read (or listened to). I'm sure there are other books like it, but I can't imagine getting the same thrill ride from any of them. There was just something unique about this book, these characters, St. Mary's. It was fast-paced, captivating, happy, sad, and surprisingly scary at times! I wasn't expecting as much horror but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hanging on every word, clutching my phone as I waited to find out what was going to happen. I immediately ordered the second book which I finished even more quickly, and now I'm waiting for my monthly credit to devour the third.If you are thinking about getting this book, especially if you have a credit, I say DO IT. It won't take long before you are sucked into it like I was. It takes off quickly, doesn't stop for a second and leaves you wishing for more. What more could you want?

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Hard to press the pause button...

Revisado: 12-19-14

Would you consider the audio edition of Dark Places to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version but for an excerpt. I felt that listening to it was similar to watching a scary movie. It made it more entertaining for me.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the build-up to the dramatic events that set the entire story in motion. By the time I reached it I almost felt sick to my stomach, wanting to find out what really happen but at the same time afraid to listen to it.

Would you listen to another book narrated by the narrators?

I really liked Rebecca Lowman. Cassandra Campbell had a very soft voice that bothered me. I'm sure there are people that prefer that but I didn't. Mark Deakins was an odd choice as he was mostly narrating a teenage boy and his voice is aged and deep. He didn't really change his voices for any of the characters and I found that I didn't enjoy the "Ben" chapters as much as the rest of the book because of the narration. He seemed to be just reading quickly instead of acting out the emotion behind the words, and as a result I had to rewind a few times because it was harder for me to listen attentively during those chapters. It seemed to just drone on at time. I don't want to be too harsh but his narration wasn't for me.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I'm not sure, but I heard that they are making a movie and Charlize Theron is playing the lead, which is so weird considering the main character is a short redhead! lol

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book due to the changing timeline; modern day switching over to the day, years before, when the murders occurred, told from both Ben and his mom's point of views. It was interesting to hear certain things told from Ben's POV and then his mom hearing about it secondhand later and I'm thinking, "that's not what really happened!"

The story itself was cleverly crafted and detailed; I've grown to love Gillian Flynn's way of writing and storytelling. The ending is certainly not what you would think. I listened to it and thought well, I did not see that coming! I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for something suspenseful. It was a great nail-biter and while I was so looking forward to reaching the end of it, so I could find out whodunit, I was disappointed when it was actually over.

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