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Maha Bali

Egypt | Member Since 2009

HELPFUL VOTES

33 reviews
90 ratings
0 titles in library
15 purchased in 2013

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The Witness

UNABRIDGED
- by Nora Roberts
- Narrated by Julia Whelan
The Witness

UNABRIDGED (16 hrs and 18 mins)

By Nora Roberts

Narrated By Julia Whelan

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(5141)
Performance
(4438)
Story
(4404)

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she works at home designing sophisticated security systems.
Maha Bali says: "not great, not terrible"
"not great, not terrible"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you try another book from Nora Roberts and/or Julia Whelan?

yes because every now and then, Nora Roberts produces an excellent one - but this was not one of them, in my view

If you???ve listened to books by Nora Roberts before, how does this one compare?

This is one of Nora's average books, not great, not terrible.
it is similar to her other books in that she exaggerates how terrible one parent is (the heroine's mom) and how wonderful the other family is (the hero's parents and sisters).
It has an interesting plot outside of the romance itself, but it feels incomplete somehow.
The first few chapters are very well written (about the heroine in her teens) but the hero does not appear until much later and then their relationship develops quite fast. I actually dozed off in the middle of their first bedroom scene!!

This is better than some of her latest work (The Search, the last 3 books in the Bride Quartet) but nowhere near her very best work (e.g. The Chesapeake Bay saga, Montana Sky, the Stanislaski brothers and sisters)

Have you listened to any of Julia Whelan???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

first time I listen to her. She is quite good - though her portrayal of Abigail made her sound a little bit cold/boring, I think it made sense for her character

Do you think The Witness needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

no...

26 of 26 people found this review helpful
Don't Tempt Me: Georgian, Book 4

UNABRIDGED
- by Sylvia Day
- Narrated by Justine Eyre
Don't Tempt Me: Georgian, Book 4

UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 18 mins)

By Sylvia Day

Narrated By Justine Eyre

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(105)
Performance
(99)
Story
(100)

A hardened mercenary as adept in bed as in battle, Simon Quinn can have any woman he wants, but he prefers those who know the rules of the game. That way it’s easier to leave them behind.… But Lysette Rousseau is one female he can’t figure out. Beautiful, sensual, seductive, she should be the perfect match for Simon, yet something about her ties him in knots. Bold and manipulative one time, sweetly innocent the next, she is an enigma bound to bring trouble…impossible to resist.
CAROLYN says: "WELL I WAS TEMPED ... AND I'M SO GLAD I WAS"
"not enough focus on the main romance"

Overall
Performance
Story

This book is fine if you don't mind the following:
1. A complicated storyline
2. A further complication of French names that are slightly similar (twins called Lynette and Lysette who get confused for each other and you as a listener get confused even though you never see them! also two important male characters De Garnier and De Jardin... these sound slightly similar to me)
3. A narrator who puts an inflection on every single sentence she says. Argh
4. Several romances going on at the same time, none of them fully developed in a convincing way.

I love Sylvia Day, but sometimes she does not develop the romance in a satisfying manner, and this was one of those cases where there was too much else going on in the story, and too many different romances... I would have loved to see what happened to both twin sisters in more detail, rather than hear all about the other elements of the plot in such detail.

I read all sorts of novels, not just romances, and it is my belief that very few romance authors do a good job of the "side story". Sylvia Day, Nora Roberts and Lisa Kleypas all SOMETIMES succeed - but this book was not an example of that.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Last Boyfriend: The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book 2

UNABRIDGED
- by Nora Roberts
- Narrated by MacLeod Andrews
The Last Boyfriend: The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book 2

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 40 mins)

By Nora Roberts

Narrated By MacLeod Andrews

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1216)
Performance
(1057)
Story
(1071)

Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family’s construction business with an iron fist - and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers give him grief for his compulsive list making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn’t plan for was Avery MacTavish... Avery’s popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a firsthand look at its amazing renovation - and a newfound appreciation for Owen.
Lynne Phelps says: "Speed up your MP3 Player!"
"not bad, but not her best"

Overall
Performance
Story

OK, here's the thing about this trilogy. the books are not horrible, but Nora Roberts spends soooo much time focusing on details of what ppl are doing (esp at the Inn itself) and so less time developing the romance itself. The writing is still good, but the satisfaction from the romance not as good. I also thought book one was better (i fell asleep a few times with this one)

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Marriage Bargain: Marriage to a Billionaire, Book 1

UNABRIDGED
- by Jennifer Probst
- Narrated by Coleen Marlo
The Marriage Bargain: Marriage to a Billionaire, Book 1

UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 14 mins)

By Jennifer Probst

Narrated By Coleen Marlo

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(958)
Performance
(855)
Story
(856)

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner Alexa Maria McKenzie casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother - the powerful man who once shattered her heart.
Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn't believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father's corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister's childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition....
SandyH says: "Funny, heartbreaking"
"silly story, bad narrator"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you try another book from Jennifer Probst and/or Coleen Marlo?

no way

Would you ever listen to anything by Jennifer Probst again?

nope, too silly, poorly developed story

How could the performance have been better?

if the narrator didn't have a voice like she was recovering from a cold

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

boredom

Any additional comments?

I don't want to be mean about the narrator, but her voice isa bit nasal and out of breath or something? it doesn't suit this genre. I heard her in "calling invisible women" and her vioce suited the humor there... but made this book here even worse than it was

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Me Before You: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by Susan Lyons
Me Before You: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (14 hrs and 40 mins)

By Jojo Moyes

Narrated By Susan Lyons

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(397)
Performance
(352)
Story
(348)

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life - steady boyfriend, close family - who has never been farther afield than her tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life - big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel - and now he's pretty sure he cannot live the way he is. Will is acerbic, moody, bossy - but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected.
glamazon says: "A Journey Into the Unknown"
"Had potential, but ultimatly disappointing"

Overall
Performance
Story

i had huge expectations for this book... But i was disappointed. I do not regret reading it, because it gave some insight into what it would be like to be a caregiver for a quadriplegic person BUT it gave v little insight into the feelings and thoughts of the person with quadriplegia.

Strangely, even though the book is told mainly from Lou's viewpoint, at some of the most emotional moments, the author turns to a third person's viewpoint. Disappointingly, we get very little of Will's viewpoint.

So while the book was engrossing and interesting and slightly educational, it fell short on the emotions, and failed to surprise me overall. There were also lots of details of secondary character's lives that could have been built into the story more engagingly, but in the end fell flat.

So i do not regret reading it, and it has made me want to read more stories involving main characters with disabilities, but i did not think it did a great job of it, was hoping for more.

The main narration was very good, though.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Bared to You: A Crossfire Novel, Book 1

UNABRIDGED
- by Sylvia Day
- Narrated by Jill Redfield
Bared to You: A Crossfire Novel, Book 1

UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 32 mins)

By Sylvia Day

Narrated By Jill Redfield

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(2478)
Performance
(2220)
Story
(2212)

"Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness… He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I’d never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily…Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other’s most private wounds…and desires."
CAROLYN says: "TOUCHING & EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER OF PASSION"
"Erotica with psychology. Way beyond FSOG"

Overall
Performance
Story

I can see the comparisons to FSOG (which i hated, because of the v poor writing and v unlikeable characters plus the BDSM was disturbing but then the scenes unsatisfying) , but i can see if people liked FSOG for the frequent scenes involving a young, dominant, male billionaire, they would like this.

But this book was written by an adult and the characters, though a bit extreme, have generally adult behavior (if admittedly psycho) and i really liked the author's way of weaving psychology and therapy into the story, which is refreshing, rather than expecting such psycho behavior to be accepted as totally normal!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Healing Code: 6 Minutes to Heal the Source of Your Health, Success, or Relationship Issue

UNABRIDGED
- by Alexander Loyd
- Narrated by Stephen Bowlby
The Healing Code: 6 Minutes to Heal the Source of Your Health, Success, or Relationship Issue

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 6 mins)

By Alexander Loyd

Narrated By Stephen Bowlby

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(70)
Performance
(49)
Story
(50)

Discover the revolutionary formula that heals the source of illness and disease, even success and relationship issues. According to Stanford, Harvard, Mayo Clinic, the CDC, and other research centers, there is one source of up to 95% of all illness and disease, and it is not your thoughts, emotions, conscious beliefs, actions, or even your DNA. Solomon revealed this source more than 3000 years ago.
Debi says: "Sales Pitch"
"Review of the book, not thr codes themselves"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you listen to The Healing Code again? Why?

Yes because it has made me think a lot... However, this book needs visuals to show the reader how to preform the healing code! Without them, the book is still itneresting and worth reading, but it is hard to implement the suggested exercises!

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Add a pdf or video file with how-to-perform the healing code

Which character ??? as performed by Stephen Bowlby ??? was your favorite?

N/a

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great Minds of Medicine

ABRIDGED
- by Dr. William Castelli , Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison , Dr. Karl Johnson , more
- Narrated by Laurie Garrett
Great Minds of Medicine

ABRIDGED (3 hrs and 41 mins)

By Dr. William Castelli, Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, Dr. Karl Johnson, and others

Narrated By Laurie Garrett

Overall
(5)
Performance
(1)
Story
(1)

What's it like to live with manic depression? What should you know about hospital emergency rooms? Could you help find the world's deadliest microbes? Listen to the wisdom and philosophy of the medical world's foremost leaders as they explore heart disease, depression, infectious diseases, cancer, and emergency medicine.
Maha Bali says: "good material, not so good sound quality"
"good material, not so good sound quality"

Overall
Performance
Story

What made the experience of listening to Great Minds of Medicine the most enjoyable?

it was great to hear first-person accounts of such important medical advances

Who was your favorite character and why?

n/a - not a novel

How could the performance have been better?

the sound quality of the interviews was not so good
some of the interviewer questions made her seem ill-informed (eg confusing psychology w psychiatry in the name of an association!!!)
the repeated

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

no but it made me google some topics for more info

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Something Borrowed

UNABRIDGED
- by Emily Giffin
- Narrated by Jennifer Wiltsie
Something Borrowed

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 41 mins)

By Emily Giffin

Narrated By Jennifer Wiltsie

Overall
(654)
Performance
(276)
Story
(283)

Rachel has always been a good girl--until her 30th birthday, when her best friend Darcy throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé Dex. Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for Dex. She prays for fate to intervene, but when she makes a choice she discovers that the lines between right and wrong are blurry, endings aren't always neat, and you have to risk all to win true happiness.
Aimee says: "Ugh..."
"waste of time as a full length novel!"

Overall
Performance
Story

What disappointed you about Something Borrowed?

the characters were to caricaturish, nothing made sense, and nothing much happened!!! i kept waiting for a twist, but.. nothing!

Would you ever listen to anything by Emily Giffin again?

probably not

Have you listened to any of Jennifer Wiltsie???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

You didn???t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

not really.. the narrator was good,... the story could work as a (average quality) chick flick movie but listening to a full length novel of the traitorous main character's spineless thoughts was a waste of my time

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage

UNABRIDGED
- by Ann Patchett
- Narrated by Ann Patchett
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage

UNABRIDGED (1 hr and 18 mins)

By Ann Patchett

Narrated By Ann Patchett

Overall
(2751)
Performance
(2284)
Story
(2291)

We are excited to present our members with a gift that is truly unique: an original essay, available exclusively here at Audible, written and voiced by best-selling author – and fellow listener – Ann Patchett. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage is a very real love story, and one that is much more about the journey than the destination.
Lee says: "Was this our holiday present?"
"surprisingly good! thanks for the gift"

Overall
Performance
Story

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

this is a surprisingly good short non-fiction story, and actually contains a few twists! thinking back, no one ever writes about happy marriages unless it is self-help!

What did you like best about this story?

very down-to-earth

Have you listened to any of Ann Patchett???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no, but i plan to!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful