Samyann's Blog, page 51

Night Sins by Tami Hoag – Audiobook Review

Night Sins, read by Jennifer Van Dyck, is approximately twenty hours of listening. Too long, in my opinion. The author could have accomplished as much with two-thirds of the text. The story centers on the abduction of Josh, a little boy in a small Minnesota town. This kidnapping occurs on the same day that a new agent arrives as a replacement. Slamming through a good-old-boy network of cops, our MC is typical of the women of the 90s. Carrying a huge feministic chip on her shoulder, her abrasive attitude is a modus operandi throughout the novel that I personally found annoying.

Originally published in the mid nineties, the feminist attitude is understandable; women in general were pounding against glass ceilings throughout all businesses, and in this novel, in a small town police department. The MC is a bit too caustic in her zeal, however, which makes her an unlikeable character.

The crime story mystery is the most interesting part of the story. A number of suspects float through the tale, including the father of the boy and the local priest. The love story, a relationship between the local chief and the newbie main character, is very forced. Normal people are not quite as volatile with people they love, especially during that initial heart-thumping time of early romance. As written in Night Sins, this affair comes across as phony with contrived dialogue, and includes gratuitous sex scenes adding nothing to the plot. A not-so-bad crime procedural or poorly written artificial romance … not sure.

The reader does a good job, clear diction, etc. A bit coached, I think, to convey the snarky attitude of the MC.

Rising Tide by Claudette Melanson – eBook Review

How would you like to get your young adult enthralled with reading? Here’s your chance! Rising Tide will grab the reader interest immediately with a scenario confronting so many young people today. Peer cruelty and unabashed bullying. Initially brought to mind the closing chapters of Stephen King’s Carrie. The pain and humiliation of this behavior is heartbreaking, and Claudette Melanson expertly puts these feelings into words.

Maura, the lead character, protective of her emotionally distant mother, suddenly finds herself infatuated with a fellow student. The blossoming romance parallels metamorphic changes that both frighten and intrigue. No spoilers, just bring this wonderful story to the attention of a YA and they will begin a wonderful journey. Not only of this story, but of loving to read. I can’t wait for the sequels!

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill – Audiobook Review

Bought this book because of an Audible.com ‘Daily Deal’ special. The  description given doesn’t make it clear that this is a young adult book. Lot’s of childish angst and a bit too juvenile prose for my taste. Sorry, couldn’t finish beyond the first few hours of listening. I can’t condemn the book, it’s just that the valley-girl-teenaged behavior grated. Even character names had me rolling my eyes . Life’s too short. But, if you’re under fourteen, you might love it!

 

2001 A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke – Audiobook Review

What can be said that hasn’t been said … cliché though it may be, is accurate. The most enlightening part of this story is the prologue read by Arthur C. Clarke himself. The creation of the novel in close collaboration with Stanley Kubrick’s movie production was news to me, and fascinating. The story itself is read by Dick Hill, just under seven hours in length, released in 2008 – just prior to Clarke’s death. 

Worth the credits. The movie now make more sense and I look forward to watching it again. Enjoyed!

The Skin Gods by Richard Montanari – Audiobook Review

Read by Scott Brick, The Skin Gods is just over thirteen hours of listening. A crime drama, the evil doer re-creates murder scenes from dark movies, the first of several being the shower scene from Psycho – the old Alfred Hitchcock classic with a young Janet Leigh. He replaces the original scene with his snuff work and returns the VHS to the local video rental store (remember those?).  Thus begins The Skin Gods.

Frankly, I had a bit of trouble with this novel, maybe it’s the horrific murder recreation. It’s pretty gruesome, ergo, I would squirm, then fast-forward a few times. The cops are desperate, the killer relentless. No character is the type-a macho dude or dude-ette to root for, neither a cop nor the bad guy. Just one frustrating situation after another. Not a bad story, by any means, but not my “cup ‘o tea”. 

Scott Brick, as usual , is terrific. So, there’s that.

A Love Beyond Time by Dante Craddock – eBook Review

A Love Beyond Time is a sweet, warm, loving story. Don’t hesitate to present as a gift to a young person. The reader will be immediately captivated with the discovery of a locket amidst the wreckage of an old ship. A modern day girl, struggling with dreams she can’t understand, begins to find solutions through this magical locket. Ashley and her friends will transport the reader through a journey of wonder to unravel the mysteries. The story holds many secrets and I won’t be a spoiler … but, the reader will enjoy the magic of discovering A Love Beyond Time in this wonderful tale. Descriptive detail is terrific throughout; you’ll smell the salty air of the ocean. Enjoy!

Boo-Ya! Another review for Yesterday!

Reviews Written by

Jessica
 A must read for romance fans!, August 22, 2014
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation (Kindle Edition)

Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation is a beautifully descriptive story. The research that went into this novel is superb, though I am rather fond of antiques. While I am not usually a fan of historical fiction this was by no means just about the history. I’ll try not to give too much away as you really do need to read it!
The story starts when Amanda saves the life of a cop, Mark Callahan. I was drawn in from the moment the accident happened and it didn’t let me go. The love between Amanda and Mark is adorable yet deep and I found myself laughing aloud at Mark’s humor and antics. I loved Mark! I may be biased though, he’s Irish after all. Amanda is a very grounded and relate-able character and I loved her cat, Oprah. Her godmother is hilarious and steals the show. I felt myself being connected with the story throughout. My fiance and I had the feeling we knew each other from the moment we met and it really is a powerful feeling. Definitely a must read for any romance fan!

The Second Ship by Richard Phillips – Audiobook Review

The Second Ship is approximately twelve hours of listening, read by MacLeod Andrews. Over 1000 audiobook reviews can be found on Audible.com. The story surrounds the visit to earth by an alien civilization. One ship is known to exist by the government and media. The Second Ship is known only to three teenagers who stumble upon it accidentally. Keeping their secret, they delve into the mystery and are suddenly gifted with unusual abilities. The purpose and implications of The Second Ship is the basis for this young adult tale as the teens scramble to avoid governmental agents, school supervision, well-intended parents, and a few bad-ass fellow students.

Don’t hesitate to let the kiddies listen to a fun SciFi adventure. MacLeod Andrews is a pleasant listen with a wide variety of voices.

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen, Audiobook Review

Eight hours, twenty-two minutes of pleasure. A simple, curl-up-on-the-sofa-with-hot-tea story. Nothing deep or earth shattering, a simple tale of a young widow escaping with her daughter from a domineering mother-in-law. A peaceful vacation memory is brought forth with an old post card. Longing to give her daughter the same wonderful experience, Kate embarks on a journey into her youth to Lost Lake. An enchanting, lovely story.

Nicely read by Janet Metzger. Janet does a very credible job with the child’s voice, in addition to a nice interpretation of men. Good listen!!

The Watchers by J. A. Glass – eBook Review

Just over 215 pages in length, The Watchers, by J. A. Glass, is a terrific young adult story. Don’t hesitate to encourage a youngster to enjoy this SciFi journey. The story opens with a disturbing future of pre-pubesent youth being pigeonholed into lives determined by the ‘watchers’. Invasive implants, like those involving eyes, are mandatory. They are intended, so everyone is led to believe, to protect civilization from itself. At all times, at least 1/3 of the implants are ‘activated’, ergo one never knows when what you see and feel is being ‘watched’. The crime rate is low, so most don’t argue with the philosophy.

One of these people is a doctor, suddenly confronted with an implant surgery involving a 6-year-0ld little girl. Something is not right; implants are not performed on children so young. Thus is the basis of a wild adventure for this young doctor: Protecting the little girl, Annalie.

A nice, exciting story.