Stacy

Beautiful story, but chapter 51 is missing

Revisado: 02-23-25

There is much to love about this book, and I found myself thinking about the characters when I had to walk away from it. Unfortunately, chapter 51, Mallory‘s final and pivotal chapter, is missing from the recording. Chapter 52, which is Estelle‘s chapter, is Inserted into the recording twice. I don’t really want to have to purchase the print book in order to figure out how Mallory went from saying goodbye to Aiden to what happens in chapter 52. Here’s hoping that this mistake can be rectified.

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Unpleasant MC made this a tough read

Revisado: 12-22-24

This was my first book by Lizzie Page, and I stumbled upon it while looking for a historical romance that took place during WWI.
This novel focuses on two women, Mairi and Elsie, who are asked to assist as nurses and ambulance drivers in Belgium during WWI. Despite her sheltered upbringing and knowing next to nothing about nursing, Mairi agrees. She was asked to go, based only on her ability to stay calm and collected during motorcycle races.
Elsie is Mairi’s polar opposite – more than a decade older, experienced, and worldly, and a single mother. And yet, these women form a sisterhood during the trials and trauma of working on the western front. They lived, and worked, in wretched conditions as they did their best to care for the soldiers, both the wounded and the dead. I liked this part of the novel.
It wasn’t the descriptions of deprivation and desolation that made this a challenging book. Instead, Mairi was such an insufferable person, I couldn’t understand why Elsie cared about her or protected her as much as she did. Honestly, had I been forced to live in such close quarters with her for as long as Elsie had to, I’m pretty sure I would have ended up punching her in the mouth, or at the very least, dreaming about doing it. Priggish, self-righteous, judgmental, rigid, unbending, willfully ignorant, and the type of religious zealot that does her best to cram her beliefs down the throats of others by the heaping tablespoon. I kept waiting for her to soften, to learn flexibility and grace as she gained maturity and experience, but this never happened.
There were some truly tender and touching moments, but they were overshadowed by Mairi’s repugnant personality and the heavy-handed religious themes.
And as if Mairi’s lack of character development wasn’t enough, this book failed to deliver the romance that the description suggests. Spoiler alert, THERE IS NO ROMANCE – just a petty, envious childish infatuation that ends in heartbreak for the three people swept up in it.
And after all of that, the ending was unsatisfying and lackluster – as if the author left the story only half-told.
Marian Hussey’s narration was lovely and was probably the main reason that I finished the book. The way she narrated the moment between Mairi and the traumatized soldier in the hospital made me cry and was one of a few moments where Mairi felt like a sympathetic and compassionate character.
You might be wondering why I bought this book if I was so opposed to the religious themes. Nowhere (on Audible at least) did I read anything that would indicate that this was an inspirational/religious novel. Usually, I can find this info by reading reviews or in the author’s bio, but this one surprised me. I think those who are looking for an inspirational fiction novel might enjoy this, but I was obviously not the target audience.

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Witch’s Sorrow

Revisado: 09-24-24

I’m conflicted on how to write this review. This book was, in turn, intriguing and beyond irritating. Our FMC, Alice, was supposed to be part of a group that assisted when magic users were breaking laws? I think? And, for someone who professed to be quite skilled at her job, she was pretty much clueless about every single aspect of this book. She felt like a puppet being led along on a string, reacting to everything, and never figuring shit out until it was too late. She was maddening.

And yet, I love her best friend Sam and their beautiful found family dynamic. I loved reading an urban fantasy novel set in London because I haven’t really read many of those, if any. I’m interested in learning more about Riley. I want to know if Alice is going to turn into a powerful badass, or if she will continue to be swept along cluelessly by the plots of others.

I am going to continue to book two to see if the slightly disjointed story flows better and if this book just suffers from first book in series syndrome.

And finally, I overall enjoyed the narrators performance but I am quite perplexed by her choice to voice Alice as a combination of Snow White and Hayley Mills’ interpretation of Pollyanna. Her weirdly childlike high pitched voice dropping f bombs was disconcerting, I must say. And yet, despite my occasional confusion and the clumsy scene changes, and Alice’s intensely grating voice, I am moving onward to book two. Here’s hoping…

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Berries and Greed, oh how I love thee!

Revisado: 04-16-24

This book, this low-angst, cozy, kinky book! I had no idea how much I needed it in my life. It's opposite of everything I usually like to read. No dark and broody tortured hero, no drama or high stakes situations. It's just a book about a girl and a demiurgus who meet in a cult, decide to become roommates, and then go from strangers to friends to lovers. It's gentle and kind, kink-positive, and embraces diverse characters without shoving that in your face. It's seriously all the things, and I just adored it. I just spent seventeen hours with Beryl and Greid, and honestly, I probably could have been their roommate for another seventeen hours. Five well-deserved stars.

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Come as You Are

Revisado: 03-13-24

I first learned about this book a few months ago when it was recommended in a romance reader group. When I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it ASAP, but alas, it wouldn’t be available in audio until March.
And so, I waited, not so patiently, for the audiobook, and I spent yesterday, and most of the night, reading it while taking care of a sick labrador. It was the perfect distraction.
Come as You Are had everything I hope for in a romance – flawed, relatable characters, a hero who has been a bit scarred by life, a heroine who finds her confidence and feels like a friend, interesting secondary characters, a slow burn romance, and suitably sexy sexy times. I loved it.
Andi Arndt and Stephen Borne did a beautiful job bringing the characters to life. Their voices were perfect for Ashley and Madigan, and reading this book in audio really enhanced the experience.
If you’re looking for a warm and lovely romance with realistic older characters who’ve been burned in the past but find the courage to trust in themselves and love, definitely give this book a try. You won’t be disappointed.

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The Beauty and the Orcs

Revisado: 02-04-24

First, the story: This is the eighth book in the Orc Sworn series and I loved it just as much as the seven previous offerings. I love that this book was deeply emotional and tackled some tragic topics without being quite as angsty as some of the previous books in the series. It was perfect and fabulous and wonderful! It made me hot, and it made me smile, and there were parts that made me cry.

And now, on to the narrator. I think I found "The Lady And The Orc" the day it was released on audible. When I discovered this book, I was incredibly captivated by the story and Shane East's performance. So when I discovered on Facebook earlier this year that, after the seventh book, "The Governess and the Orc", future books would have a new narrator, I'm not gonna lie. There was dramatic emoting. Fake sobbing on a diva level. And even, some very secret tears.

Shane East did an incredible job with the first seven books, and it was the first time in my years upon years of reading audiobooks that I wasn't completely certain if I was reading a series because of the story or the narrator. That has legit never happened to me. So I started "The Beauty and the Orcs" with great trepidation.

But my fellow readers, I shouldn't have been concerned. James Joseph did a gorgeous, fabulous, perfect, masterful job with this book. I didn't feel as though the characters were being voiced by somebody new, and he did such an incredible job at keeping a consistent accent and pronunciation from the seven books prior.

If you, like me, had a diva tantrum, when discovering the change in narration, never fear. This book, in story and narration, is just as perfect as all the rest of the series.

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Oh, the betrayal!

Revisado: 08-23-23

I discovered Kelly Creagh when I was looking for Phantom of the Opera retellings/reimaginings, and I read her “Phantom Heart” practically in one sitting. Her writing was gorgeous and descriptive, and her characters were fully fleshed out and interesting. The author told the story in a fresh and unique way while keeping enough of the notes from the original to make it feel like a new, yet comfortingly familiar song. To say I loved this book is a vast understatement, so I was super excited when I learned that her next book would be a Jane Eyre reimagining.
I read Jane Eyre when I was thirteen, and it was the first book where I felt so invested in the heroine, I cried for her pain and despair. I hadn’t known until then that an author could paint such vivid word pictures, and discovering Jane remains one of my most treasured teenaged memories.
So, yeah. Back to Strange Unearthly Things.
I had high hopes, friends. Very high hopes.
And most of the book surpassed my expectations.
Once again, the author impressed me with her ability to tell us a familiar and at least for me, beloved story in a fresh and intriguing way. And it was paranormal! And there were ghosts! Her writing was lush and gothic and immersive, and I was totally invested in Jane, and her pain and loneliness and her bitter, bleak outlook. Over the course of the book, she went from being a prickly loner to a valued member of a little found family, and I was all about it.
Elias was the perfect mysterious, brooding tortured hero, and I cheered for his character growth, and the courage it took for both Elias and Jane to let down their walls enough to allow a few people into their guarded hearts.
And did I mention that I loved the heck out of the gothic creepy setting? And the beautifully bittersweet friendship between Jane and Helen?
Best of all were the bits of dialogue, recognizable from the original, that the author sprinkled throughout the book.
I stayed up late last night reading, and I was all prepared to give this book a five-star rating until it abruptly took an unexpected turn into WTF Ville. Like, a hard swerve away from the original, and I am not okay.
Spoiler alert…
Reader, she decidedly did not marry him.
Oh, the betrayal!
If you, like me, believe that romance guarantees you an HEA, give this book a hard pass.
But, if you don’t mind a bittersweet ending steeped in tragedy, you’ll love this book.

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Maybe I’m just too old and grumpy

Revisado: 08-13-23

The premise of this book looked interesting; and this popular author has many positive reviews on both Goodreads and Audible. The heroine of this story meets the hero in the midst of an FBI investigation and their romance quickly commences from there. I’m not going to write much about the plot, except to say that there was an excessive “overflow” of unnecessary drama that never quit. Our heroine, I think, was supposed to come off as strong and sassy, but instead seemed more like an awkward blending of Cher from Clueless and Elle Woods from “Legally Blonde.” She’s obsessed with clothing, salads and her powder puff dog. It reminded me of someone closer to 18 than 28. I spent most of the book quelling the metaphorical urge to punch her in the face or kick her in the crotch. The hero was supposed to be all gruff and alpha, but ended up feeling to me like a flat cardboard cutout. I enjoyed the huge Carpino family and the scene where the heroine was getting drinks with her girlfriends, but besides that, I just wanted this book to end. Based on all the positive ratings, I’m pretty sure all my angst about this book might be just because I’m feeling too old and grumpy to enjoy this style of romance.

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This was the book hug I didn't know I needed!

Revisado: 06-17-23

I love when you take a chance on an unknown author, and it pays off.
This book was everything! It had some of my favorite elements: enemies to lovers (for a hot second), shifters, magic, banter that didn’t feel forced, strong friendships, delightful animal familiars, sexy times that were actually sexy, found family, a strong and warm-hearted heroine, and a tortured cinnamon roll hero. I was engaged from the first sentence to the last. I appreciated the moments of levity that were balanced by more tender moments.
The narrators, Stella Hunter, and J.F. Harding did a wonderful job with the duet narration, and their talent elevated a wonderful story to something truly magical.
A Little Too Familiar celebrated so many different types of love and was the warm and lovely book hug I didn’t know I needed. I am eagerly anticipating the release of the next book, and I’m looking forward to revisiting a family of friends that I wish I knew in real life.

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Third time's the charm

Revisado: 05-15-23

Let me start this review by emphatically stating how much I loved this book! I will get to all my reasons why in a minute, but first, I need to address the narration.
It took me three attempts to get beyond the first few chapters. Although Laurence Bouvard reads with emotion and inflection, the voice she’s chosen for some of the male characters is disconcerting and off-putting. Several of the men sound like cartoon characters with squeaky door voices. The odd vocal inflection makes them all sound like they’ve lived well beyond their hundredth birthday, and I had a really hard time taking them seriously. Additionally, she has a more mature voice, and I had difficulty picturing a twenty-five-year-old heroine. The book is written in first-person POV, so connecting with the heroine, Luce, via Laurence Bouvard’s interpretation was initially a bit tricky for me, but I was eventually able to get used to her voice for Luce.
I spent the last few weeks of March binging several of Hailey Edwards’s other series, and I was very excited to start this one. It took me more than six weeks, and three attempts to get through Bayou Born, and this is because of the narration, not the story or characters.
When reading an audiobook with a narrator who isn’t my favorite, I ask myself one question. Would it be less annoying to listen to this narrator, or to read the book on Kindle with the robotic voice of my screen reader. In this case, the audiobook won, but it took me a while to get used to the narrator’s voice, and to really settle in.
But once I did, OMG! This book was everything!
If you like urban fantasy that includes a heroine with a backstory shrouded in mystery, a broody conflicted hero, intriguing paranormal characters, strong friendships, messy found family, slow burn romance, and the beginning of a fascinating story, you must read Bayou Born.
Moving on to book two…

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