"Added twists for vamp tales"
Yes. I liked the author's fresh approach and imaginative employment of a vampire's abilities together with some of the drawbacks. Just how would you cope with being a single parent of a non-vampire child in this situation?
The leap from a tall building was a suspenseful moment.
This is one top-class reader. She copes with the author's eccentric grammar without missing a beat, and conveys the emotions of the characters impeccably. I'd enjoy listening to her again.
It's a possibility, after all, 'Moonlight' was a very entertaining series.
I'll be interested in seeing this writer develop.
"Reader ruins an entertaining story"
Stephanie Laurens writes a lively story, but Matthew Brenher drains the life from it.
Sadly no, especially to a first-time listener. It would discourage further purchases.
He reads like a failed actor, droning through the prose and only animated during the dialogue. He is unable to manage long sentences, inventing pauses where none exist (presumably he reaches the edge of the page or runs out of breath), yet at the same time he appears to ignore the correct punctuation. The end result is at best irritating and at worst utterly nonsensical.I shall avoid this performer no matter how much I like the author.
No
Ms Laurens has been badly let down.
"Good story - dragged down by Narrator."
The Narrator. It has always been such a pleasure to listen to this series, until now.
There is action, romance and pathos. Something for everyone.
The "Sesame St". voices assigned to the characters were extremely irritating and reduced them in dimension to figures of ridicule, completely spoiling my listening experience.This was a shame as it was competent apart from that. Obviously this narrator had not listened to any of the previous books, unlike the purchasers, which would have helped in characterisation. The previous reader did a much better job, why the change?
Tell the Narrator to stop patronising paying customers, this is not a kindergarten library corner!
"Something to get your mind working"
This would be in my Top 5 so far this year, and I get through a lot of titles from various sources.
Hard to single out one particular sgement as it held my attention throughout.
A sound and professional delivery, which enables the listener to concentrate on the story.
I had to listen to it without interruption.Too good to put down.
An interesting and absorbing story and, as is usual with Kathy Reichs, highly informative as well. I'll be storing this to listen to again. There is always a long wait between her titles, but they are worth it.
"Boring, yet irritating! Unable to finish"
Never.
No, merely the author
No. She reads as if she is a very elderly schoolteacher with an audience of extremely young children.Ugh!
Annoyance at being duped.
Nauseatingly "nice" and sickly sweet, and nothing interesting happens, at least up to the point where I threw the iPod across the room in a fury.
"Haven't these poor Breeds suffered enough?"
Jonas Wyatt continues his agonising search for the solution to his adopted daughter's life-threatening condition. Can Stygian's mate provide the answer?
This is one of the weaker tales, but a fan of the Breeds series may forgive it's shortcomings.I fear that Lora Leigh is endowing her characters with just too many scenting skills. Envy, determination, frustration? Oh Please! most of us can detect that by looking at someone.
The reader is consistently good and keeps the story moving along without intruding upon the atmosphere
There were a couple of moments when I wished that Stygian could run as fast as possible from the spoilt infant that Fate had provided as a mate. Did she have to talk like a 12 year old? A virgin at 27, well no wonder! Nobody but a saint would take her on.
I am a big fan of the Breeds books but this one falls short. It felt as if was written for a much younger reader.
"Awful reader, couldn't finish it."
A better reader might have helped me finish the book
I usually like this author, but will not buy any read by this person
Tom Stechschulte often reads for this author and does an excellent job
Disappointment
The reader droned through the prose with the sepulchral tones one might expect from a very bad, old-fashioned preacher, but hammed-up the dialogue so that one might feel they were listening to a conversation between "Lurch" and "Tweetie-pie".
"History plus fantasy and damned fine writing!"
Read it twice so far, and won't be deleting it in a hurry. It was a joy to have such a thoroughly well-researched novel from a writer who obviously loves her subject. So many other historically based offerings fall down badly with their jarring ignorance of the social mores of the time, but this one actually generates an interest to learn more.
Diana Gabaldon's time-travelling series come close.
I have only heard this reader's performance for the first of this (All Souls) series.
She does an excellent job of reading and although there are a few mispronunciations, she has very good breath control and the ability to recognise punctuation and it's purpose . Overall she captures the personalities of the characters and draws the listener into the story. I would listen to her again with pleasure
There were too many moving passages to list here but Diana's jeopardy in the tilt-yard at Greenwich, at the hands of Marlowe and Louisa had high tension, and the bitter-sweet homecoming to Sept Tours left me thirsting for more details.
I'm really looking forward to the third volume in this series, please make it soon!
"Badly written, appallingly read.Couldn't finish it"
Nothing could salvage this
Yes
Narrator sounded like Ralphie from The Simpsons,faking (badly) an Irish accent. Wildly wrong for a story set in the south of England. Giving the heroine a child-like voice made it even more annoying.
None whatsoever
I'd have found a 'phone-book more entertaining.
"Vengeance can be so much fun."
Purchased audio version only
Heroine versus "other woman" at the beauty parlour for one.
Amanda Ronconi is a consummate professional. I'd listen to almost anything she read
Yes
Writer and reader are a sublime combination.