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Rio Delta Wild

I enjoy mysteries, NOT thrillers, contemporary fiction, especially about diverse cultures, and sometimes history, if it doesn't involve too many dates. I often listen to a book multiple times, discovering unnoticed details in the retelling.

Harlingen, TX | Member Since 2004

114

HELPFUL VOTES

75 reviews
148 ratings
0 titles in library
25 purchased in 2013

FOLLOWING

FOLLOWERS

Moon Over Manifest

UNABRIDGED
- by Clare Vanderpool
- Narrated by Jenna Lamia , Cassandra Campbell , Kirby Heyborne
Moon Over Manifest

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 31 mins)

By Clare Vanderpool

Narrated By Jenna Lamia, Cassandra Campbell, Kirby Heyborne

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(219)
Performance
(173)
Story
(174)

Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn about the boy her father once was. Having heard stories about Manifest, Abilene is disappointed to find that it's just a dried-up, worn-out old town. But her disappointment quickly turns to excitement when she discovers a hidden cigar box full of mementos.
Rae says: "AWESOME book! LOVED it!"
"Not at all like the movie of same name."

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! I experienced the range of emotion which one hopes to find in a book, as well as in real life. The wide range of characters was excellent, as was the depth of their souls.

Any additional comments?

I'm considering another Clare Vanderpool title after hearing this one.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Boy in the Suitcase: A Nina Borg Mystery

UNABRIDGED
- by Lene Kaaberbøl (author and translator) , Agnete Friis
- Narrated by Katherine Kellgren
The Boy in the Suitcase: A Nina Borg Mystery

UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 46 mins)

By Lene Kaaberbøl (author and translator), Agnete Friis

Narrated By Katherine Kellgren

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(208)
Performance
(180)
Story
(181)

Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse, wife, and mother of two, is trying to live a quiet life. The last thing her husband wants is for her to go running off on another dangerous mission to help illegal refugees. But when Nina's estranged friend, Karin, leaves her a key to a public locker in the Copenhagen train station, and begs her to take care of its contents, Nina gets suckered into her most dangerous case yet.
Molly-o says: "Great thriller read"
"Please separate thriller and mystery, Audible!"

Overall
Performance
Story

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who's looking for a thriller would possibly enjoy this.

Would you ever listen to anything by Lene Kaaberbøl (author and translator) and Agnete Friis again?

not if I remember how much I've disliked this title

Which character – as performed by Katherine Kellgren – was your favorite?

possibly the child, though I've yet to figure out his personality.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

There was a lot of terror and blood.

Any additional comments?

Perhaps this becomes a good story once you've slogged your way thru the terror and confusion.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Murder in the Dark: A Phryne Fisher Mystery

UNABRIDGED
- by Kerry Greenwood
- Narrated by Stephanie Daniel
Murder in the Dark: A Phryne Fisher Mystery

UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 14 mins)

By Kerry Greenwood

Narrated By Stephanie Daniel

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(136)
Performance
(68)
Story
(68)

The delectable Phryne Fisher has been invited to the Last Best party of 1928. When three of the guests are kidnapped, Phryne finds she must puzzle her way through the scavenger hunt clues to retrieve the hostages. This is another sparkling mystery from Australia's Queen of Crime, Kerry Greenwood.
Tina says: "Favorite Fisher"
"I'll avoid Phryne Fisher tales in future."

Overall
Performance
Story

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who is interested in the past antics of the incredibly rich English might find this more enthralling than I did.

Has Murder in the Dark turned you off from other books in this genre?

The genre is mystery, which I enjoy, but I'll avoid this author in future.

Have you listened to any of Stephanie Daniel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

unsure

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

it has a bit of entertainment value

Any additional comments?

no

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The House at Riverton

UNABRIDGED
- by Kate Morton
- Narrated by Caroline Lee
The House at Riverton

UNABRIDGED (18 hrs and 52 mins)

By Kate Morton

Narrated By Caroline Lee

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1787)
Performance
(955)
Story
(946)

Summer 1924: On the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again....Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken, and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks.
Cathy says: "superbly written mystery"
"Highly confusing switches between time periods."

Overall
Performance
Story

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story was rambling and hard to make sense of.
In essence, I think the story line needed improvement; it seemed to drag on forever before anything came to conclusion.

What do you think your next listen will be?

a Cleo Coyle mystery

What about Caroline Lee’s performance did you like?

she does different voices very well and she gave the impression of being interested in an uninteresting tale!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

it was fairly useful in inducing sleep!

Any additional comments?

I won't seek out other titles by this author

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
A Week in Winter

UNABRIDGED
- by Maeve Binchy
- Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
A Week in Winter

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 57 mins)

By Maeve Binchy

Narrated By Rosalyn Landor

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(193)
Performance
(158)
Story
(158)

Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know one another. When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the house) and Orla, her niece (a whiz at business), Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms.
Vicki says: "Didn't want it to end....."
"I love Maeve Binchy!"

Overall
Performance
Story

If you could sum up A Week in Winter in three words, what would they be?

Excellent characters, tale.

Who was your favorite character and why?

sorry, don't remember

What about Rosalyn Landor’s performance did you like?

I like hearing different accents; her's are splendid!

If you could take any character from A Week in Winter out to dinner, who would it be and why?

sorry, don't remember.

Any additional comments?

Keep on writing, Maeve!!
and Thanks!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Love in the Afternoon

UNABRIDGED
- by Alison Packard
- Narrated by Gia St. Claire
Love in the Afternoon

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs)

By Alison Packard

Narrated By Gia St. Claire

Overall
(558)
Performance
(461)
Story
(460)

Kayla Maxwell is eager to shed her slasher-flick bimbo image - and she plans to do just that in her new role on daytime's most popular soap. With a chance to showcase her dramatic range, Kayla will be able to wash away the lingering betrayal and public humiliation left by her controlling, philandering ex-boyfriend. Sean Barrett, the son of an influential, award-winning actor, is the hottest soap star in the country. Paired on-screen with the talented and beautiful Kayla Maxwell, Sean is determined to keep her at arm's length, burned before by fame-seeking actresses who had no qualms about using him to get to his famous father.
CAROLYN says: "AN AFTERNOON SOAP WITH LOVE ON & OFF THE SCREEN"
"Look at the cover! Sex described ad nauseum."

Overall
Performance
Story

What disappointed you about Love in the Afternoon?

The story line was very weak and I was very tired of listening to long sex scenes.

Has Love in the Afternoon turned you off from other books in this genre?

It has reemphasized the need for more sub-genres: I'd call this one "Harlequin-like Romance."

Would you be willing to try another one of Gia St. Claire’s performances?

She's pretty weak on pronunciation: wan and frisonne come immediately to mind.

What character would you cut from Love in the Afternoon?

None of them. I'd actually flesh out supporting characters and cut the sex scenes down to about 10% of what is included now.

Any additional comments?

Glad I didn't pay much for this title!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Navigating Early

UNABRIDGED
- by Clare Vanderpool
- Narrated by Robbie Daymond , Mark Bramhall , Cassandra Campbell
Navigating Early

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 20 mins)

By Clare Vanderpool

Narrated By Robbie Daymond, Mark Bramhall, Cassandra Campbell

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(15)
Performance
(13)
Story
(13)

At the end of World War II, Jack Baker, a landlocked Kansas boy, is suddenly uprooted after his mother's death and placed in a boy's boarding school in Maine. There, Jack encounters Early Auden, the strangest of boys, who reads the number pi as a story and collects clippings about the sightings of a great black bear in the nearby mountains. Newcomer Jack feels lost yet can't help being drawn to Early, who won't believe what everyone accepts to be the truth about the Great Appalachian Bear, Timber Rattlesnakes, and the legendary school hero known as The Fish, who never returned from the war.
Rio Delta Wild says: "It was pretty confusing."
"It was pretty confusing."

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Finding the line between believable and fanciful was often difficult. It isn't an easy listen.

Has Navigating Early turned you off from other books in this genre?

"this genre?" In my opinion, it would be very helpful to have a few more genres which one could use to search out the type of book the listener enjoys.

Did Navigating Early inspire you to do anything?

Yes, to turn off my MP3 and watch some TV!

Any additional comments?

This is a fairly good story incorporating a character of unusual intelligence.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sweet Tooth

UNABRIDGED
- by Ian McEwan
- Narrated by Juliet Stevenson
Sweet Tooth

UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 5 mins)

By Ian McEwan

Narrated By Juliet Stevenson

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(299)
Performance
(246)
Story
(244)

Winner of such prestigious honors as the Booker Prize and Whitbread Award, Ian McEwan is justifiably regarded as a modern master. Set in 1972, Sweet Tooth follows Cambridge student Serena Frome, whose intelligence and beauty land her a job with England's intelligence agency, MI5. In an attempt to monitor writers' politics, MI5 tasks Serena with infiltrating the literary circle of author Tom Healy. But soon matters of trust and identity subvert the operation.
Susianna says: "Perfect Book for your Literary Sweet Tooth"
"not even close to Jacqueline Spears"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you try another book from Ian McEwan and/or Juliet Stevenson?

No. The characters are pretty flat and some seem without souls.

What three words best describe Juliet Stevenson’s performance?

Okay for material.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It got me through some housework, having nothing better to listen to.

Any additional comments?

I'm finished with this author.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Unnatural Habits

UNABRIDGED
- by Kerry Greenwood
- Narrated by Stephanie Daniel
Unnatural Habits

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 56 mins)

By Kerry Greenwood

Narrated By Stephanie Daniel

Overall
(73)
Performance
(68)
Story
(65)

29: Girls are going missing in Melbourne. Little, pretty golden-haired girls. And not just pretty. Three of them are pregnant, poor girls from the harsh confines of the Magdalene Laundry. People are getting nervous. Polly Kettle, a pushy, self-important Girl Reporter with ambition and no sense of self-preservation, decides to investigate - and promptly goes missing herself. It's time for Phryne and Dot to put a stop to this and find Polly Kettle before something quite irreparable happens to all of them
Kate says: "Nothing Unnatural about Phryne"
"I'll endeavor to hear more Phryne Fisher titles!"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Unnatural Habits to be better than the print version?

of course! Who doesn't enjoy hearing a story? The accents are wonderful and add lots of depth.

What did you like best about this story?

This was a great mystery; one mystery set inside several others.

Have you listened to any of Stephanie Daniel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Stephanie Daniel's performance was great!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Profound interest...I could hardly bear interruptions while I was listening!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Round House: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Louise Erdrich
- Narrated by Gary Farmer
The Round House: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 39 mins)

By Louise Erdrich

Narrated By Gary Farmer

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(477)
Performance
(401)
Story
(401)

One Sunday in the spring of 1988, a woman living on a reservation in North Dakota is attacked. The details of the crime are slow to surface as Geraldine Coutts is traumatized and reluctant to relive or reveal what happened, either to the police or to her husband, Bazil, and 13-year-old son, Joe. In one day, Joe's life is irrevocably transformed. He tries to heal his mother, but she will not leave her bed and slips into an abyss of solitude. Increasingly alone, Joe finds himself thrust prematurely into an adult world for which he is ill prepared.
Patricia says: "A coming of age story in another culture"
"Excellent, soberingly serious and still funny."

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Round House to be better than the print version?

Yes, because the accents of the various characters are such a wonderful addition to the printed words.

Which character – as performed by Gary Farmer – was your favorite?

Muushuum (sp?) and the old grandmother. Their riotously funny observations and descriptions of sexual acts are very different than the staid notions and remarks of old "white" folks.
Muushuum's stories about all sorts of things hold such depth of understanding that they will stay with me for a long time.

Any additional comments?

The mother's withdrawal after a traumatic event reminded me of my own depressive times. And this portrayal of a contemporary "Indian" society helped me to understand the students who were so incomprehensible to me many years ago in Albuquerque, NM.
I'd recommend this title to any teacher or counselor working with students from reservations.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful