Samyann's Blog, page 37
August 11, 2015
Rogue by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
Rogue is just under ten hours of listening, read by Brian Keith Lewis.
Most Steel books go to great length to put at least one character in a bizarrely wealthy setting. Ergo castles, private planes, glitter and glitz, beautiful women; a fantasy life surrounds the the male lead and traverses the pages of the Rogue. An over-the-top wealthy playboy, a stereotypical bad-boy is our Rogue, the father of the main character’s children.
Initial observation pertains to the career of the main character, a child or adolescent psychologist. The character is renowned in her profession, author of books, a busy, busy lady. Troubled adolescents, suicidal kids are her fortè, and she often races to a hospital to ‘be in charge’. Really? Sorry, Danielle, but this medical profession is as much an outsider to slit wrists or a dose of heroin combined with sleeping pills as a chihuahua. She would not be in charge. The cardio surgeon, the medical professionals who would save a life, yeah. The shrink comes later, much later. The only realistic element might be the main character letting next of kin cry on her shoulder. No authority here, but I have relatives who are professionals in the world of psychiatry … they are not racing to the ER responding to a middle-of-the-night urgent call, nor would they be involved in any way but waiting with the family … they wouldn’t even do that unless it was a rare circumstance of a very close relationship. Not realistic circumstances, seemingly written only for character drama. The female lead has the love interest of a guy with an attitude toward her kids and parental responsibilities that would have any normal woman kicking him to the curb. He’s never been a parent, and although going through the right motions, it’s clear early on that the affair will be temporary, the Peter Pan dad from whom she is divorced will grow up and a happy ending with him will result. Rogue is a transparent story early on.
But then, Danielle Steel’s legion of fans won’t care. This is a brainless-beach-read. If you’re a fan of Steel, you are content with this type of character development. Danielle almost always reaches for the stars with the extremes of unrealistic situations, and Rogue falls right in line.
The audiobook is nicely narrated by Brian Keith Lewis. No trouble determining who-is-talking-to-who. If you’re a fan of Danielle Steel, I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
August 2, 2015
Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
Amazing Grace is just over nine hours of listening, read by Tom Dheere.
Danielle has a tried and true formula, and all of the elements are here. A strong female character. A catastrophic event. Emotions. In Amazing Grace, we’ll do a San Francisco earthquake.
Repeating myself with other Danielle Steel book reviews …. but if you’re a fan, you’ll understand from where I speak :-). Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific writers in America today. You either love her or hate her, there really is no in-between, and she has legions of fans. If you are ever in the mood for sweet romance, meaning a teenaged girl can read the book, pick up a Danielle Steel novel. It’s easy to become absorbed, the stories are not gray-matter growth material; they aren’t intended to be. Danielle Steel is a die-hard romantic, and directs her talents to that end, pretty much exclusively.
A typical, Danielle Steelesque, satisfying conclusion. Her books often speak to personal familial relationships and issues, as does Amazing Grace.
I’m pretty simple when it comes to critique of a narrator. If I don’t have to re-wind to determine who-is-talking-to-who, I’m good. Ergo, Dheere does a decent production.
Beach reading paradise? Sorry if my review is redundant, similar to other Danielle Steel books. But, hey … the books are a bit redundant, too. Enjoy … if you like Danielle Steel reads, you will.
July 31, 2015
A Good Woman by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
A Good Woman is just over nine hours of listening, read by Jay O. Sanders.
Repeating myself a bit with other Danielle Steel book reviews …. but if you’re a fan, you’ll understand from where I speak :-). Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific writers in America today. As a reader, you either love her or hate her, there really is no in-between, and she has legions of fans. If you are ever in the mood for sweet romance, meaning a teenaged girl can read the book, pick up a Danielle Steel novel. It’s easy to become absorbed, the stories are not gray-matter growth material; they aren’t intended to be. Danielle Steel is a die-hard romantic, and directs her talents to that end, pretty much exclusively.
Most stories involve a strong female lead, as does A Good Woman. The lead surrounds herself with unique, and sometimes quirky, characters and the trials and tribulations of each traverse the pages. A typical, Danielle Steelesque, satisfying conclusion. The books often speak to personal familial relationships and issues, as does A Good Woman.
I’m pretty simple when it comes to critique of a narrator. If I don’t have to re-wind to determine who-is-talking-to-who, I’m good. Ergo, Sanders does a nice reading, a decent production.
Did I say ‘boy gets girl’? Pretty much! Beach reading paradise? Sorry if my review is redundant, similar to other Danielle Steel books. But, hey … the books are a bit redundant, too. Enjoy … if you like Danielle Steel beach reads, you will.
Honor Thyself by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
Honor Thyself is 9.5 hours of listening, read by Kyf Brewer.
Repeating myself a bit with other Danielle Steel book reviews …. but if you’re a fan, you’ll understand from where I speak :-). Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific writers in America today. As a reader, you either love her or hate her, there really is no in-between, and she has legions of fans. If you are ever in the mood for sweet romance, meaning a teenaged girl can read the book, pick up a Danielle Steel novel. It’s easy to become absorbed, the stories are not gray-matter growth material; they aren’t intended to be. Danielle Steel is a die-hard romantic, and directs her talents to that end, pretty much exclusively.
Most stories involve a strong female lead, as does Honor Thyself. The lead surrounds herself with unique, and sometimes quirky, characters and the trials and tribulations of each traverse the pages. A typical, Danielle Steelesque, satisfying conclusion. The books often speak to personal familial relationships and issues, as does Honor Thyself.
I’m pretty simple when it comes to critique of a narrator. If I don’t have to re-wind to determine who-is-talking-to-who, I’m good. Ergo, Brewer does a nice reading, a decent production.
Did I say ‘boy gets girl’? Pretty much! Beach reading paradise? Sorry if my review is redundant, similar to other Danielle Steel books. But, hey … the books are a bit redundant, too. Enjoy … if you like Danielle Steel beach reads.
July 28, 2015
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Fowler – Audiobook Review
We Are All… is read by Orlagh Cassidy, and is approximately nine hours of listening. The narration by Cassidy is great, very much enjoyed her reading. The story however, I did not, in fact, I could only make it through 15 chapters and gave up. I’ve no doubt there is some merit to this story, somewhere, simply based on all the gushing reviews. But, it beats me. Briefly, the story is about a girl raised with a chimpanzee through age five and the trials and tribulations of herself, the chimp, and her strange family…all told in flashbacks. Frankly, the whole thing held not a whit of interest for me. You may enjoy, but it’s not my cup ‘o tea.
July 27, 2015
Southern Lights by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
Southern Lights is just over nine hours of listening, read by Nick Podehl.
Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific writers in America today. As a reader, you either love her or hate her, there really is no in-between, and she has legions of fans. If you are ever in the mood for sweet romance, meaning a teenaged girl can read the book, pick up a Danielle Steel novel. It’s easy to become absorbed, the stories are not gray-matter growth material; they aren’t intended to be. Danielle Steel is a die-hard romantic, and directs her talents to that end, pretty much exclusively.
Most stories involve a strong female lead, as does Southern Lights. There are ome unique, and sometimes quirky, characters and the trials and tribulations of each traverse the pages. A typical, Danielle Steelesque, satisfying conclusion.
Southern Lights is a nice picture of the modern day south and the cultural morays of the southern people. Interesting.
I’m pretty simple when it comes to critique of a narrator. If I don’t have to re-wind to determine who-is-talking-to-who, I’m good. Ergo, Nick Podehl does a nice reading, a decent production.
Did I say ‘boy gets girl’? It is a Danielle Steel, after all! Enjoy.
Dust to Dust by Tami Hoag – Audiobook Review
Dust to Dust, an audiobook read by David Colacci, about 14.5 hours of listening. Right up the alley of Tami Hoag’s modus operandi, this is a police procedural.
You may find the story initially confusing because of the plethora of character names, which seems typical of Hoag’s stories. I found myself re-winding several times. One of these names might be the bad-guy, right? Anyway, the names came quickly and I eventually kept moving forward, keeping track of Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, the lead characters in this series … ultimately a sufficient tactic to enjoy the story. Dust to Dust begins with what appears to be suicide. The victim is an internal affairs cop, recently having come out-of-the-closet. His retired cop father commits suicide shorty thereafter. Thus is the foundation of this mystery released in audiobook format by Audible in 2014, but in other formats much earlier, around 2000? I acquired the book in a recent Audible Daily Deal.
This is a story of ‘the thin blue line’, i.e., a line cops don’t want to cross in snitching on another cop. Can be a death sentence. Oops … spoiler? No trouble discerning who-says-what-to-who, so David Colacci does a good narration. Enjoy!
July 19, 2015
The Quantum Fall of Thaddeus Archibald DuBois, Episode Two: Queen Anne’s Revenge by Daniel Rodrigues-Martin – eBook Review
Another brilliant gift from Daniel Rodrigues-Martin! Even though this story is just under eighty pages, it is truly a work of splendid prose. If you aren’t familiar with this author, purchase book one of this series first, you’ll be glad you did. Then, be prepared for a hilarious ride.
Until the End of Time by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
Until the End of Time is about nine hours of listening, read by Nick Podehl.
Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific writers in America today. As a reader, you either love her or hate her, there really is no in-between, and she has legions of fans. If you are ever in the mood for sweet romance, meaning a teenaged girl can read the book, pick up a Danielle Steel novel. It’s easy to become absorbed, the stories are not gray-matter growth material; they aren’t intended to be. Danielle Steel is a die-hard romantic, and directs her talents to that end, pretty much exclusively.
Most stories involve a strong female lead, as does Until the End of Time, except with this story, two female leads. You’ll actually be enjoying two romance tales … double bang for the buck. There are ome unique, and sometimes quirky, characters and the trials and tribulations of each traverse the pages. A typical, Danielle Steelesque, satisfying conclusion.
A research criticism. There is an element of reincarnation, which is fine, but one of the main characters expressing a strong belief in this phenomenon is a minister. That doesn’t sit well with me … the minister is christian … christians don’t believe in reincarnation. Danielle should have opted for a different profession.
I’m pretty simple when it comes to critique of a narrator. If I don’t have to re-wind to determine who-is-talking-to-who, I’m good. Ergo, Nick Podehl does a nice reading, a decent production.
Did I say ‘boy gets girl’? Twice … in Until the End of Time. Enjoy.
44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel – Audiobook Review
Danielle Steel is one of the most prolific writers in America today. As a reader, you either love her or hate her, there really is no in-between, and she has legions of fans. If you are ever in the mood for sweet romance, meaning a teenaged girl can read the book, pick up a Danielle Steel novel. It’s easy to become absorbed, the stories are not gray-matter growth material; they aren’t intended to be. Danielle Steel is a die-hard romantic, and directs her talents to that end, pretty much exclusively.
Most stories involve a strong female lead, as does 44 Charles Street. The lead surrounds herself with unique, and sometimes quirky, characters and the trials and tribulations of each traverse the pages. A typical, Danielle Steelesque, satisfying conclusion.
44 Charles Street is read by by Arthur Morey, and is approximately nine hours of listening. I’m pretty simple when it comes to critique of a narrator. If I don’t have to re-wind to determine who-is-talking-to-who, I’m good. Ergo, Arthur Morey does a nice reading, a decent production.
Did I say ‘boy gets girl’? Pretty much! Enjoy.
