Romance Audiobooks discussion
Audiobook Discussions
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Has anyone listened to...
has anyone ever listened to anything narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan - I am looking at Laurie R King's A Grave Talent - but it looks like she has narrated Charlaine Harris Harper Conolly series, as well as some Christine Feehan books
I listen to her narrate the Harper Conolly books a couple of years ago and as far as I can remember she was good!
Dee wrote: "has anyone ever listened to anything narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan - I am looking at Laurie R King's A Grave Talent - but it looks like she has narrated Charlaine Harris Harper Conolly series, as we..."I've listened to both the Laurie R. King series she narrated and the Harper Connolly series plus some others narrated by her. I like her performances although she'll never be in my top 10 list. I would recommend her but depending on your personal listening preferences it may be helpful to know:
She differentiates characters but to a smaller degree than most narrators.
Her men aren't particularly "manly" sounding, if that matters to you.
Her narrative tends towards deliberate (in enunciation/cadence) rather than conversational.
Great thought for a thread Dee.I enjoyed Alyssa Bresnahan"s narration of Katherine Sutcliffe's Darkling I Listen years ago. I wasn't as picky about narrations then as I am now but I think she would be at the very least average for me today.
I listened to Darkling I Listen (an all-time fave) again a couple of months ago. Both book and narration held up and I'd still give it 5 stars. Bresnahan is an accomplished voice actress and her performance was perfect for me.
Also... Darkling has some darkly erotic scenes and Bresnahan's Brandon voice gave me shivers.
Thanks guys :) and hopefully others might have some narrator questions ;)
Has anyone listened to "A lady awakened" and " A gentleman undone"? by Cecilia Grant read by Susan Erickson? AGU got a great review at AAR but I'm not sure about the narrator.
I haven't listened to either of those, but I love susan erickson - she does the JD Robb in death books, as well as anne stuart's house of rohan series - she is probably one of the more prolific narrators - I think I looked at her list on audible and she has 100+ titles to her name
Kathy, I haven't yet listened to A Lady Awakened but I did purchase it yesterday. If you read it before I get around to it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Kathy wrote: "Has anyone listened to "A lady awakened" and " A gentleman undone"? by Cecilia Grant read by Susan Erickson? AGU got a great review at AAR but I'm not sure about the narrator."I haven't listened to them either, but I would be interested to know too if the narration is good. I have had a few friends highly recommend her books, so I am tempted.
Update: I am listening to A Lady Awakened now. It's starting out with a fabulous first scene and I guarantee this narrator will never disappoint. I'm very happy with it so far.
A Lady Awakened is really fantastic. The premise is totally unexpected and hysterically wicked.
That all I needed to hear Brittany, I'm on my way to get them! Thanks for the incouragement Dee. I'll be sure to let you know KarLynP.
OK, I am in!! I just started listening to
(very good narrator, btw), but I'll get to it next.
Polly Lee??? What's up with her narration? Anyone heard her work before? Im listening to her in the new Courtney Milan book. I think she's the little creepy lady from Poltergeist. Or the voice of the New Star Wars monsters. Does anyone have experience with Nicole Quinn?
Update: wrong name not Polly Lee- Nicole Quinn.
The newest Milan book, Unraveled, lists the narrator as Nicole Quinn. I listened to the sample and she does sound mighty strange. Polly Lee narrated the book before this one. She sounded pretty decent on her sample. I haven't listened to a book narrated by either, but I think I will avoid Ms. Quinn.
Angie wrote: "The newest Milan book, Unraveled, lists the narrator as Nicole Quinn. I listened to the sample and she does sound mighty strange. Polly Lee narrated the book before this one. She sounded pretty ..."Thanks Angie. You are absolutely correct. I really liked the last narrator, if not the book,
Nicole Quinn is the strange narrator. I will listen to this book, and see if I can get used to it.
Amy Rubinate - has anyone listened to her? I'm considering Alexis Harrington's Home by Morning.
And what about Kimberly Dakin? Also considering Deborah Smith's A Place to Call Home. I'm not familiar with the author either but the book received a B+ grade in 1998.
Has anyone listened to Kate Rudd before? Opinions? She is going to be narrating some oldie but goodie JAK's - The Guinevere Jones series of 4 and I'm wondering what to expect.I've listened to Amy Rubinate twice. She was good with JAK's Between the Lines and I really enjoyed her. I then tried her with a UF and she was flat - the opening scenes have a gal running for her life and you would of thought she was strolling in the park with the amount of tension, which was no tension at all, in the narrative.
Polly Lee is really Rebecca De Leeuw (she introduces herself by her correct name on the audiobook) she is more easily recognized as Bianca Amato and is an excellent narrator IMO.
And although it's way late Alyssa Bresnahan was great with Feehan's Drake Sister series.
Brenda wrote: "Has anyone listened to Kate Rudd before? Opinions? Not a romance, but she was excellent in John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. She voiced distinct female and male characters, and nailed the nuances.
Thanks Cordelia - you've upped my anticipation of these old favorites by several degrees with your comments. Distinct voices and the nuances are my number one "wants" when it comes to an audiobook. :)
I'm listening to Corralled by Lorelei James. So far I like it but not as such as the others. I think it's because the felmale lead is a little to free sprited for my taste.
I'm listening to Bared to You by Sylvia Day and narrated by Jill Redfield. This might sound odd but I've listened to at least 400 audiobooks and this is the first time that I am listening to a book that I previously read.
I wasn't a fan of the Blacktop Cowboys series by Lorelei James - but then personally, I have a real hard time with any book that starts with people already in a relationship of some form or antoher
KarenH wrote: "I'm listening to Bared to You by Sylvia Day and narrated by Jill Redfield. This might sound odd but I've listened to at least 400 audiobooks and this is the first time that I am listening to a book..."Does this mean you really liked Bared to You in print? I'm interested to know why this is your first after 400 books - if you want to share that is. :) I'm on the verge of buying it but I haven't read it although I have it in ebook format.
Brenda, I finally remembered where I'd heard Kate Rudd before! She read Sleepwalker by Karen Robards. See my review on the group shelf. The book was a yawner and Rudd didn't help to keep me awake. I think I would have to already be in love with a book to try Rudd again. Rudd wouldn't draw me to try a new author.I worry about narrators using different names. How embarrassing it would be if Rudd were someone I'd praised by another name.
Well then I'm going to hope it was Robard's fault more than Rudd's. :) She doesn't have to enhance, though that's always a plus, just deliver without paining my ears. I'm still curious about the why's of the narrators and dual names? I saw the discussion about some wanting to use a different name if the book was erotica - but there are several others, starting with Anna Fields / Kate Reading that make me wonder if it's a publisher thing by chance?
KarenH inquiring minds want to know - your first ever listen of a previously read book because ...?? :)
Lea's Audiobooks wrote: "KarenH wrote: "I'm listening to Bared to You by Sylvia Day and narrated by Jill Redfield. This might sound odd but I've listened to at least 400 audiobooks and this is the first time that I am list..."Yes, I LOVED Bared to You; but then I'm a big fan of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy and it has the same "feel" (erotic romance with young, wealthy hero into control) so I'm sure it won't be a book that is universally loved. As to why I don't listen to books that I've previously read, primarily because I usually don't read a book more than once. And if there is an audio version of a book I have in my tbr pile, I list the paperback at PBS and buy the audiobook. My favorite HR author is Susan Johnson and none of her books are available on audio or I'm sure this would've happened a lot sooner!
KarenH wrote: "Lea's Audiobooks wrote: "KarenH wrote: "I'm listening to Bared to You by Sylvia Day and narrated by Jill Redfield. This might sound odd but I've listened to at least 400 audiobooks and this is the ..."Thanks Karen - now I understand!
I enjoyed the Fifty trilogy - about a B grade for me. Getting the Day.
Has anyone read/listened to The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott? It's about an aspiring seamstress on board the Titanic. Normally I avoid titanic books but this one seemed interesting.Also, has anyone listened to The House that I Loved by Tatiana De Rosnay? It sounds interesting too but I'm worried that it's too sad. I don't like having someones heart ripped out and stomped all over in the name of romance.
Ancientpeas wrote: "Has anyone read/listened to The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott? It's about an aspiring seamstress on board the Titanic. Normally I avoid titanic books but this one seemed interesting.I bought that one when it came out, haven't listened but will try it out and let you know.
I'm wondering if anyone has had luck with Corralled audiobook. I have tried starting it a few times times but I can't get into it. Does the book/series get better? Same goes for Sarah McCarty, anyone have luck with her hell's eight or shadow ranger series.
(I love western romance but not looking for hard core erotica)
I listened to the Shadow Wrangler series. I'd say they are average books. The amazing Tavia Gilbert narrates them and does an awesome job with what she's given.
I'm honestly not a fan of the books in the Corralled series - I did read it, but there was just something missing...ditto with McCarty's series - I liked her promises series, and the first hell's eight...after that, ehhh...of course, I did read them not listen
Ancientpeas wrote: "Has anyone read/listened to The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott? It's about an aspiring seamstress on board the Titanic. Normally I avoid titanic books but this one seemed interesting."Found a couple of reviews of the audio version:
Library of Clean Reads (via Audiobook Jukebox).
http://libraryofcleanreads.blogspot.c...
...and found this one on AudioFile Magazine's site:
http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/dbse...
If you listen, let us know what you thought!
I have The Dressmaker in the pile to listen to - but i'm starting to get to the stage of too many audiobooks (gasp!)
I will. Thanks for the feedback.I just got A Storm of Swords (Song of Ice and Fire book 3) from the library. 39 Discs. 40plus hours.
But then I'll listen to The Dressmaker and let you know you what I think.
has anyone listened to Anne of Green Gables in audiobook? I'm looking for somethign lite and easy to listen to after the emotional mess that the current NF i'm listening to is going to leave me...my library has multiple versions with different narrators - none of whom I recognize...Laurie Klein
Susan O'Malley
Kate Burton
Lisa Ross
Any thoughts from you guys?
Dee, Audible has Anne of Green Gables audio samples for Burton, Ross and O'Malley, except the Burton is from the intro only, not dialogue.I haven't listened to any of them, but my Canadian daughter-in-law got the Barbara Caruso version, then couldn't listen to it because the narrator mispronounced Merilla and Avonlea, drove her crazy.
Dee wrote: "has anyone ever listened to anything narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan - I am looking at Laurie R King's A Grave Talent - but it looks like she has narrated Charlaine Harris Harper Conolly series, as we..."She also narrated
The Lovely Bones and did a fantastic job.
Jeff Cummings?? He's reading the new Lisa Kleypas!! Very strange or LK book to be read by a male narrator.
He has a lot of books to his credit, but not romance. I'm also very surprised that this book came out in abridged version. (and unabridged) It's only 9hours unabridged.
The Kleypas is produced by Brilliance - the king of both unabridged and abridged versions of the same book if the author is a big seller. I haven't listened to this one yet but I'm wondering if Kleypas (or those who own her audio rights) aren't attempting to sell her as fiction rather than pure romance. And I wonder if that isn't Kleypas' thought on writing this series as well.
Lea's Audiobooks wrote: "The Kleypas is produced by Brilliance - the king of both unabridged and abridged versions of the same book if the author is a big seller. I haven't listened to this one yet but I'm wondering if Kle..."Lea- you are definitely on to something. I noticed the change in writing style with Rainshadow Road... I didn't particularly like that book. I was so disappointed because she wrote some of her best lines in the beginning of the book. But I couldn't be more bored... It was only 8 hours long. I never thought I would be bored by a LK book in 8 hours.
I hope this isn't a permanent change. I looked up her upcoming work. The only thing I found was another Friday Harbor book.
Brittany B. wrote: "Angie wrote: "The newest Milan book, Unraveled, lists the narrator as Nicole Quinn. I listened to the sample and she does sound mighty strange. Polly Lee narrated the book before this one. She s..."Brittany, I just couldn't get past the wretched narration of Unraveled. I tried twice. She sounds about 40 years too old. No exaggeration! What were they thinking? Ugh.
Terra wrote: "Brittany B. wrote: "Angie wrote: "The newest Milan book, Unraveled, lists the narrator as Nicole Quinn. I listened to the sample and she does sound mighty strange. Polly Lee narrated the book bef..."Yep!! It is shockingly bad. The character voices are cartoonish. I think they found her at George Lucas' Star Wars sound stage...lol. I can't understand it.
But I listened to it, and was underwhelmed with the story. Lord Justice puts his duty to the law before the life of his woman.
I can't forgive a hero for that...
I loved the first book of this series. But I wasn't crazy for Unclaimed. I have a thing about virgin heros... Lol. I do. I don't like chaste men in my books. :))
And I don't think I ever totally understood what the deal was with their mother... :)
*********
So with agreement by Terra, I feel more comfortable saying that listeners should try to avoid Nicole Quinn!! At least listen to the sample.
Has anyone listened to
? I love List Kleypas, but listened to the first one in this series & wasn't impressed. Wandering if this is any better?
Romance Audiobooks
Books mentioned in this topic
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Attachments (other topics)
Rainshadow Road (other topics)
Rainshadow Road (other topics)
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when I am looking for new audiobooks and I find a new to me narrator, I often wonder if anyone has any input on what they thought of that narration - so I figured I would put up a thread asking that question...