Deborah O'Carroll

delightful

Revisado: 04-06-24

I really enjoyed this book! I highly recommend it for anyone feeling like they have difficulty balancing things or feel overwhelmed. This has some great tips and perspectives and I'm sure I will read it again. (Also, the author/narrator's Tasmanian accent is a joy to listen to!)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An absolute delight

Revisado: 08-31-22

This was such a delight! I wasn’t sure what to expect but I had a blast experiencing this modern fantasy adventure mostly set at a mysterious mansion, the Wraithwood Estate. It gave me such a nostalgic summer-holidays-novel vibe like some books I loved reading when I was younger (like The Dark Hills Divide meets Over Sea, Under Stone), but it was unique too! I loved disappearing into this lovely setting.

It was fun following Brinnie around and seeing her discover this greater fantastical world around her. I’m curious to see what she’ll do with some of it in the future! Her uncle Merlin was fabulous too and I wish he’d have been in it even more, but I loved him and his mysteriousness. The other characters made for an excellent cast, particularly Ms. Tynsdale and Quentin, who were great! Loved these characters!

The plot was exciting and kept me invested and curious at turns, guessing and second-guessing. And the setting was so cool! I especially loved the maze! No spoilers but there were so many great moments involving the maze and just—yesss. So cool. More books should have magical mazes, TBH. It made me so happy. *grinning* Definitely my favorite part of the book! Oh, and the flying chairs were cool . . . ;)

A note, too, that listening to the audiobook was a blast and I highly recommend it! The narrator did an amazing job of bringing each character to life and making a thoroughly enjoyable book all the more delightful. I highly recommend both the book and the audiobook!

It was simply a blast and I ended it going WAIT! COME BACK! Especially with that not-quite-a-cliffhanger-buuuut . . . So I’m super looking forward to checking out the sequel, Mordizan, soon. I need more! I can’t wait to go back to this series!

Definitely recommended if you enjoy light YA modern fantasy, a dash of peril and suspense, and Arthurian vibes. It was a blast!

(I received a free e-ARC of this book from the author and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. I did end up buying the audiobook and mostly listening to that, though.)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Delightful!

Revisado: 05-23-21 El oyente recibió este título gratis

That was so much fun! One of the best Wonderland-ish things I've read, for sure, and while I may have enjoyed it more if I'd known more tidbits about Vincent van Gogh, they both seemed to blend admirably. A perfect combination!

I loved young Vincent and Alice and their friendship, all the different creatures--familiar and new but all with great twists--that they come across, the vividness of the "Wonderland" they find themselves in, and quite a lot of fun but also deep/encouraging/touching moments. Several times I wanted to "highlight" quotes, which makes me think I'll have to get a readable version of this one at some point!

I might have wished for a slightly different ending but it was far better than I was afraid it might be near the end there, so I'm content--and I know it's based on real people AND also a prequel to a different book which I haven't read, so I presume there are only so many possibilities within all of that. XD (Also, the Jabberwock is pretty scary and the aftermath it causes might distress some very young readers, but otherwise it's suitable for all ages to enjoy.) But really, I don't have real complaints. It was simply all delightful!

Ack, I just loved this book! It was so fun and a marvelous adventure and often humorous and all the characters were simply delightful.

The narrator was SUPERB! He brought each character to life with a versatility of voices that was delightful to listen to, plus the marvelous British accent was perfect for the light tone of the book and reminded me of a lot of some of my favorite audiobooks I grew up hearing as a kid.

A sheer delight! (I know I keep using that word. Shush. It's a perfectly suitable word for this book and I can't help overusing it.) I absolutely recommend this book, and highly suggest the audiobook version if you like audiobooks, because this one is marvelous!

(Many thanks to the author who provided me with a free Audible code of this book. I was not required to write a review but I simply wanted to share my--honest--thoughts because I loved the book so much!)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Utterly charming! A tale full of heart.

Revisado: 10-27-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Thoughts on the audiobook:

Listening to this audiobook was delightful! The narrator, B. E. Berhow, brought the characters to life—I particularly loved his voices for Rudiger the rooster (my favorite!), and Katarina the cat (she felt so marvelously cat-like!).

All of the voices he did were splendid (solid, clever Etzel the donkey, and loyal, mournful dog Jager), and I love how the characters leapt from the page—er, headphones?

I had read the book before, so it was wonderful to re-discover in this audio form, especially with the foreshadowing that came with knowing what was in store. :D I can only imagine that discovering it the first time would be fun as well!

It was such a fun and soothing listen! ^_^ Highly recommend!

Thoughts on the story:

I’ve always loved the folktale of the Bremen Town Musicians, the old donkey, dog, cat, and rooster on the road to become musicians in Bremen. Kelsey Bryant skillfully retold this fun tale and the audio version brings a whole new charm to it!

I loved how the retelling felt true to the original tale but brought out new and unexpected things too, with some excellent twists and turns! It has its own share of excitement and adventure and, yes, peril at times! But it still feels so absolutely cozy at the same time, which made me happy. :)

The Road to Bremen is like a golden sunbeam across a field of wheat on a quiet summer day. It just FEELS lovely. You want to bask in it as you read. It’s rich and well-written and draws you along like a breeze calling you to the shade of the forest. You can feel the dust of the road and you’ll smile or laugh at the quiet humor or the banter between these larger-than-life (but so REAL!) animal characters as they go on their adventure.

The characters are so loveable! Etzel the donkey, from whose perspective the story is told, absolutely stole my heart. I just love this donkey and his voice! He has so much character. Jager the dog is sort of mournful but funny. XD Katarina is so CAT-like and prim, and I loved the dog-vs.-cat references. And then Rudiger is so extremely vain and always quoting Aesop and it’s great. XD I just love them all! You have to read this to meet them!

Also, I love that it’s set in Germany and how there are German words thrown in here and there. I felt so immersed in the forest and town and roads and setting. It made me feel at home. :)

I totally recommend this if you enjoy retellings and need a quick listen, or if you have children in your life. It's a wonderful listen (or read, if you get the illustrated version!) and made folding laundry and so on much more enjoyable. Just— *hugs book* It feels totally classic and makes me happy! ^_^

Utterly charming! A tale full of heart.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An enchanting experience!

Revisado: 04-30-19

I just had the most delightful experience!

It’s somehow fitting that a story largely involved with theatrical performance should be brought to life in this way by a talented audio performer. It was wonderfully theatrical to listen to—the next best thing to seeing it on a screen. I LOVED it!

It’s a wild ride of adventure, imagination, flying trains and islands in the sky, electrical robots, a stardust-powered steampunk-feel, show-business and illusions, mystery and sabotage and insidious plots, an 1800s-feel, and one of my favorite things: a “buddy story.”

Mollie Reeder’s skillful tale is a story to touch the heart of any creative and anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing something MORE. It’s one of the most sheerly enjoyable books I’ve ever read, but it also has a depth to it that makes you re-examine life and learn new things about life and ourselves, through the adventures of these delightful characters who are wholly human—both making mistakes and committing feats of imagination and heroism. It inspires me to reach for the stars. And it makes me laugh, which is always important. ;)

I read The Electrical Menagerie when it first came out, and it joined the select ranks of one of my favorite books of all time. So to say I was excited for the chance to re-experience it, as an audiobook, is an understatement.

I started the audio version with caution, however. Would any rendition of this beloved book be able to do it justice?

But I needn’t have worried. While I still may prefer reading physical books, this audiobook was a sheer delight! I had SUCH a blast listening to it! It was like revisiting an old friend and it came alive anew. ^_^

Travis Baldree’s rendition of these larger-than-life characters was wonderful and I 100% enjoyed hearing them all come to life! The different accents were great fun (I particularly liked Miss Skyhawk's voice) and Carthage and Huxley re-delighted me all over again! I was constantly smiling or laughing, even on this second reading. The other characters are incredible too, and the dramatic or exciting scenes soared.

I LOVE this book and Carthage and Huxley, who are both absolutely AWESOME characters in their totally different ways, and the sheer rich imagination of everything about The Electrical Menagerie.

This book gives me ALL THE FEELS. It made me laugh and it made me cry, in both its book and audiobook forms. (Now THAT is a feat.) I love the humor and the heart of it, how authentic and real it is—despite, or perhaps because of, the otherwordliness of it—touching the soul, but not in any artificial way, while making one smile.

I didn’t used to listen to many audiobooks but I’ve slowly been drawn into that world, and now I love them. It was fabulous to get to re-live this magnificent story while going about daily life.

I can only say that The Electrical Menagerie is an EXPERIENCE. “I'm Arbrook Huxley”—(er . . . Deborah O'Carroll)—“and you can quote me!” (All I need now is a sequel. ;))

I love that this book is now available in a new format to delight new readers—or should I say listeners? I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who needs a touch of stardust and wonder in their lives!

(Thanks to the author for the complimentary audiobook code. All opinions are 100% my own.)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Thrilling & funny Beauty and the Beast retelling!

Revisado: 09-26-17

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beast of Talesend to be better than the print version?

In a way, simply for the amazing dramatic performance. There is definitely a level of fun derived from that, which makes it a fantastic experience! I did however love reading the book itself (I'm a written-word kind of person) so it's hard to decide. In a way, I love them both equally; in another way, this is the perfect way to experience the story, so give this audio version a try if you can, because it's just SO fun!

What other book might you compare The Beast of Talesend to and why?

I don't know if I CAN compare it to any other book... It's kind of its own thing. Hilariously-written fairytale spoof in an alternate 1920s (with fairytales as history), and equally thrilling, surprising, and funny.

Which character – as performed by Richard Ready – was your favorite?

Cordelia was amazingly well portrayed, and I loved feeling like I knew her better. Nick was excellently done as well.

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

When Crispin and Nick look out for each other, despite their squabbles. ^_^ And a certain spoiler-infused event at the end when Nick makes a terrible choice.

Any additional comments?

I have flailed elsewhere (in my Amazon review) about how much I love this book, and this time I’m here to talk about the absolutely delightful audiobook version.

I remember thinking, when I heard about the audio version, that The Beast of Talesend would make a positively fantastic audiobook. Add to that a British narrator and the levels of fantastic go through the roof. Fast-forward to my ecstatic reaction when the author offered me a chance to listen to the audiobook and review it. I gladly accepted, started listening to it right away, and . . . Oh, was I ever NOT disappointed!

The light, fun, humorous, fairytale quality of this book, makes it the perfect audiobook, and the Britishness reminded me of my favorite audiobooks from when I was younger. The Beast of Talesend audiobook is perfection. :D

I don’t listen to audiobooks often these days (though I used to). They’re not always convenient for me, and these days I generally prefer to absorb stories through physically reading printed words with my eyes, you know? Otherwise my mind can wander and I miss important details, which drives me up the wall. (Not through the roof. Through the roof is a good thing in this case; up the wall isn’t.) I have listened to many audiobooks over time, but don’t as much anymore, except in extreme cases of really, really wanting to listen to one for some reason. Like this one.

In this case, the reasons were twofold: 1) I already had read The Beast of Talesend and loved it and wanted to re-read it anyway (never mind that it was only three months since I read it the first time), and 2) I listened to a sample and the narrator has a fabulous British accent.

I’m one of those shallow (erm, that is, blessed with good taste. *cough*) people who absolutely loves accents, and as an American who primarily lives in fictional worlds created by authors from the British Isles, accents which are English, Irish, Scottish, etc., are my favorites. Mr. Richard “Spanners” Ready has a fabulous British accent which was so fun to listen to, and that alone would have made this audiobook splendid.

HOWEVER, he’s also an amazing narrator, and the book was a delight to hear read by this fellow. He does different voices for all the characters, which was SO fun, and some with different accents as well. His narration as Nick Beasley (the main character who tells the story in a somewhat dry and totally funny way) was brilliant, and for some reason I particularly liked his depiction of Cordelia—she was spot-on! Actually, all the characters were. THEY WERE AMAZING! The acting/performance brought the story and characters to vivid life, and I simply LOVED that! It was like watching a movie… just… you know… listening to it instead. In a way, this is better, because you get the audio-drama quality BUT can still imagine everything appearing the way your imagination wants to paint it. And this narrator’s way of bringing the characters to life only adds to that. :) He drew out so much of the character interactions, drama, excitement, and humor in the BEST way. It was fantastic and so fun!

Narrator quality varies in audiobooks, and I would say there are lots who are okay or even good, but not so many who are the best of the best. Out of the many narrators I’ve heard over time, I’d put Richard Ready in my top five with a very select few who are outstanding. He’s delightful to hear, and a narrator of true quality. :)

One or two characters sounded a little different than I, personally, had imagined (I think of Crispin with a higher voice and Whitlock with a lower voice; though both were great in the audio), and one area in the beginning was slightly rushed-feeling to listen to. But those are literally my only “complaints” (and very unimportant ones at that), because overall this audiobook was PERFECT and an absolute delight. I LOVED IT!

Some of my family was listening in while I listened to this, and we all had the best time. :D It’s also handy that it’s a shorter book—only a little over 4 hours long, so it was just right to listen to without feeling like it was going to take an age. I’ll probably even listen to it again sometime (What? The shock! Unheard of!) because it’s THAT fun.

Overall, my reaction: read this book, people! Better yet, have Richard Ready read it to you, because he’s fantastic. :D (And, great—now I want an audiobook of book 2, The Tomb of the Sea Witch…)

(I was given an Audible.com code for a free download of this audiobook from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and these opinions are entirely my own.)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Suspenseful FBI mystery with faith & friendship

Revisado: 08-23-16

Would you listen to Kate's Innocence again? Why?

Probably not, just because I don't usually listen to audiobooks more than once, but I did enjoy it enough that who knows -- I might listen to it again. I enjoyed the feeling it gave me that it was like I was listening to a TV show. :)

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character was Patrick. I loved his faith, his courage, his kindness, and his determination to follow his convictions on what he believed to be true, even when things looked darkest. He was just a great character. :)

What does Sheri Sheridan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Sheri Sheridan's different voices for the characters and the way she conveyed the emotions and action so well gave it an excellent additional level of immersion. It really pulled me into the story and I felt like I was right there.

If you could take any character from Kate's Innocence out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I'd take Patrick. I think he'd be very interesting to talk to. :)

Any additional comments?

This was my first Audible audiobook experience, and it was a great one! I really enjoyed the story of Kate's Innocence, the characters, the faith aspect, the fun banter, and the suspense of the mystery. The narration was top-notch and very enjoyable.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña