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Joyce

La Luz, NM, United States | Member Since 2010

HELPFUL VOTES

17 reviews
56 ratings
100 titles in library
2 purchased in 2013

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The Casual Vacancy

UNABRIDGED
- by J. K. Rowling
- Narrated by Tom Hollander
The Casual Vacancy

UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 55 mins)

By J. K. Rowling

Narrated By Tom Hollander

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1905)
Performance
(1664)
Story
(1673)

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early 40s, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils.... Pagford is not what it at first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town's council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen.
Darwin8u says: "Pagford upon Avon"
"still reading"

Overall
Performance
Story

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Narration is great, it always takes me awhile to get used to a British accent though

Any additional comments?

http://www.hypable.com/2012/10/03/casual-vacancy-character-list-guide/
I had trouble following until I found this list of characters.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
An Echo in the Bone: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Diana Gabaldon
- Narrated by Davina Porter
An Echo in the Bone: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (45 hrs and 58 mins)

By Diana Gabaldon

Narrated By Davina Porter

Overall
(3836)
Performance
(2109)
Story
(2109)

Jamie Fraser knows from his time-traveling wife Claire that, no matter how unlikely it seems, America will win the Revolutionary War. But that truth offers little solace, since Jamie realizes he might find himself pointing a weapon directly at his own son - a young officer in the British army. And Jamie isn't the only one with a tormented soul - for Claire may know who wins the conflict, but she certainly doesn't know whether or not her beloved Jamie survives.
Lisa says: "Excellent"
"45 hours and she left us hanging!!"

Overall
Performance
Story

Is there anything you would change about this book?

yeah, there would not be a cliffhanger at the end!

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

If the next book had been out I would have loved it, waiting years to find the rest of the story was a big disappointment

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

Yes, she is always a delight to listen to

Did An Echo in the Bone inspire you to do anything?

scream!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work

UNABRIDGED
- by Shawn Achor
- Narrated by Shawn Achor
The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 23 mins)

By Shawn Achor

Narrated By Shawn Achor

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1131)
Performance
(489)
Story
(477)

Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we’ll be happy. If we can just find that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work.
Roy says: "Very Informative Application of Positive Psycholog"
"Waste of credit"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you try another book from Shawn Achor and/or Shawn Achor?

No

Has The Happiness Advantage turned you off from other books in this genre?

I thought it was a Wayne Dyer type of book. I wrongly assumed "at work" meant in action and not at your job! I will just be more careful in choosing next time.

Did Shawn Achor do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

It was mostly boring statistics and no new ideas

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

taught me to choose more carefully. If you are very pessimistic, it might be what you need to start your journey toward being more optimistic?

0 of 1 people found this review helpful
The End of the Affair

UNABRIDGED
- by Graham Greene
- Narrated by Colin Firth
The End of the Affair

UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 32 mins)

By Graham Greene

Narrated By Colin Firth

Overall
(68)
Performance
(58)
Story
(59)

Graham Greene’s evocative analysis of the love of self, the love of another, and the love of God is an English classic that has been translated for the stage, the screen, and even the opera house. Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, A Single Man) turns in an authentic and stirring performance for this distinguished audio release.
Judy says: "So good I might have to listen again"
"Just couldn't listen to more than a couple of hour"

Overall
Performance
Story

What would have made The End of the Affair better?

It was so negative and the characters were so whiny and pathetic

Any additional comments?

Really didn't like this but Colin Firth's reading was wonderful, otherwise I couldn't have listened for almos 3 hours before I decided I just could not stand it any longer!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
State Fair: A Benni Harper Mystery

UNABRIDGED
- by Earlene Fowler
- Narrated by Johanna Parker
State Fair: A Benni Harper Mystery

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 5 mins)

By Earlene Fowler

Narrated By Johanna Parker

Overall
(33)
Performance
(13)
Story
(13)

Following the tradition she began in Fool’s Puzzle and has continued through Tumbling Blocks, Fowler crafts a tale as enthralling as the quilting pattern she selected for the title. As Benni becomes embroiled in a new mystery, listeners can be sure she won’t rest until she corrals the truth and hog-ties the culprits.
Sheryl says: "love it!"
"Ms Fowler did it again"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you listen to State Fair again? Why?

Yes, even though they are mysteries I love to revisit these books. I am a big fan of this author and love her descriptions of life in small town California.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Benni Harper, I loved her from the first book

What about Johanna Parker’s performance did you like?

all good

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Diane Setterfield
- Narrated by Bianca Amato , Jill Tanner
The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 41 mins)

By Diane Setterfield

Narrated By Bianca Amato, Jill Tanner

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(4067)
Performance
(1024)
Story
(1025)

All children mythologize their birth... So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's beloved collection of stories, long famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale. The enigmatic Winter has always kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she summons a biographer to tell the truth about her extraordinary life: Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth remains an ever-present pain.
Cathleen says: "Once you finish it, you'll listen again!"
"Creepy"

Overall
Performance
Story

What did you like best about The Thirteenth Tale? What did you like least?

The writer was very descriptive and I love that. On the down side was the subject was just a bit weird to me.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

Was The Thirteenth Tale worth the listening time?

probably!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Water for Elephants

UNABRIDGED
- by Sara Gruen
- Narrated by David LeDoux , John Randolph Jones
Water for Elephants

UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 26 mins)

By Sara Gruen

Narrated By David LeDoux, John Randolph Jones

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(11409)
Performance
(3951)
Story
(3994)

Why we think it’s a great listen: Some books are meant to be read; others are meant to be heard – Water for Elephants falls into the second group, and is one of the best examples we have of how a powerful performance enhances a great story. Nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski reflects back on his wild and wondrous days with a circus. It's the Depression Era and Jacob, finding himself parentless and penniless, joins the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
Teddy says: "This is what Audiobook should be..."
"Great story"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Water for Elephants to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print one but the performance really added to my enjoyment.

What does David LeDoux and John Randolph Jones bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I loved their voices and don't know if I would have envisioned that part with just reading!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! But it gave me something to look forward to!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Confession: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by John Grisham
- Narrated by Scott Sowers
The Confession: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 33 mins)

By John Grisham

Narrated By Scott Sowers

Overall
(3096)
Performance
(858)
Story
(872)

An innocent man is about to be executed. Only a guilty man can save him. Travis Boyette is such a man. In 1998, in the small East Texas city of Sloan, he abducted, raped, and strangled a popular high-school cheerleader. He buried her body so that it would never be found, then watched in amazement as police and prosecutors arrested and convicted Donté Drumm, a local football star, and marched him off to death row.
Suzn F says: "I confess, I loved it!"
"Good but not my favorite Grisham"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, it was suspenseful enough to keep me interested and make the time fly by.

Would you recommend The Confession to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, it was a good recommendation to get rid of the death penalty.

Was The Confession worth the listening time?

Yes

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Gift from the Sea

UNABRIDGED
- by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
- Narrated by Claudette Colbert
Gift from the Sea

UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 26 mins)

By Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Narrated By Claudette Colbert

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(67)
Performance
(16)
Story
(16)

In this inimitable, beloved classic - graceful, lucid, and lyrical - Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude, and contentment as she set them down during a brief vacation by the sea. A mother of five, an acclaimed writer and a pioneering aviator, Lindbergh casts an unsentimental eye on the trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us and helps readers find a space for contemplation and creativity within their own lives.
Deborah says: "Disapointing"
"Nice listen"

Overall
Performance
Story

What did you like best about Gift from the Sea? What did you like least?

The narrator and positive outlook. No new ideas for me though

Would you recommend Gift from the Sea to your friends? Why or why not?

probably not

What else would you have wanted to know about Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s life?

I later read that she had an unhappy marriage, would like to have known how things were going when she wrote this book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Gone Girl: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Gillian Flynn
- Narrated by Julia Whelan , Kirby Heyborne
Gone Girl: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (19 hrs and 11 mins)

By Gillian Flynn

Narrated By Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(9351)
Performance
(8117)
Story
(8097)

It is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media - as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents - the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter - but is he really a killer?
Teddy says: "Demented, twisted, sick and I loved it!"
"Great book, loved the suspense"

Overall
Performance
Story

What made the experience of listening to Gone Girl the most enjoyable?

I loved that just when I thought I had it figured out-bam-everything changed. I just could not put it down

What about Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s performance did you like?

they had just the perfect voices in my mind. Nothing about the way they read annoyed me. I did think that Amy would have had a Yankee accent in reality, but that would have been annoying to listen to so glad they didn't go that way! :-)

Any additional comments?

I don't like the profanity but this book was so good, and I imagine that is true to how these people really would talk so I just cringed and kept on listening!

1 of 2 people found this review helpful