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Barbara

Sisters, OR, United States | Member Since 2012

HELPFUL VOTES

10 reviews
10 ratings
60 titles in library
10 purchased in 2013

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Seating Arrangements

UNABRIDGED
- by Maggie Shipstead
- Narrated by Arthur Morey
Seating Arrangements

UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 9 mins)

By Maggie Shipstead

Narrated By Arthur Morey

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(60)
Performance
(50)
Story
(48)

Winn Van Meter is heading for his family's retreat on the pristine New England island of Waskeke. Normally a haven of calm, for the next three days this sanctuary will be overrun by tipsy revelers as Winn prepares for the marriage of his daughter Daphne to the affable young scion Greyson Duff. Winn's wife, Biddy, has planned the wedding with military precision, but arrangements are sideswept by a storm of salacious misbehavior and intractable lust: Daphne's sister, Livia, who has recently had her heart broken by Teddy Fenn.
Amanda says: "A Vivid Portrait"
"Slow"

Overall
Performance
Story

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

No, it's too slow and tedious

What was most disappointing about Maggie Shipstead’s story?

Nobody goes anywhere or develops and learns anything

Did Arthur Morey do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes but his characters were not particularly interesting

Did Seating Arrangements inspire you to do anything?

no

Any additional comments?

I won't read one of hers again

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Joshilyn Jackson
- Narrated by Joshilyn Jackson
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 25 mins)

By Joshilyn Jackson

Narrated By Joshilyn Jackson

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(1123)
Performance
(974)
Story
(950)

A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty is a powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family. Fifteen-year-old Mosey Slocumb-spirited, sassy, and on the cusp of womanhood-is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard, and determined to figure out why it's there. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. But it is Jenny, Mosey's strong and big-hearted grandmother....
Taryn says: "My first but not last for this author"
"Lots of twists"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you consider the audio edition of A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty to be better than the print version?

n/a

What did you like best about this story?

The slowly emerging revelations of the daughters life.

Which scene was your favorite?

The granddaughters strength and emerging maturity

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

nothing extreme

Any additional comments?

Happy ending. 3 generations in an interesting tango

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Saving Ceecee Honeycutt

UNABRIDGED
- by Beth Hoffman
- Narrated by Jenna Lamia
Saving Ceecee Honeycutt

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 4 mins)

By Beth Hoffman

Narrated By Jenna Lamia

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(2075)
Performance
(818)
Story
(819)

Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply touching, Beth Hoffman's sparkling debut is, as Kristin Hannah says, "packed full of Southern charm, strong women, wacky humor, and good old-fashioned heart." It is a novel that explores the indomitable strengths of female friendship and gives us the story of a young girl who loses one mother and finds many others.
Jeanne says: "A Wonderful Listen!"
"Simply beautiful"

Overall
Performance
Story

What did you love best about Saving Ceecee Honeycutt?

Her shift and understanding, coupled with wonderfully tender characters.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters and the slowly developing plot with its revelations and growth.

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

No, but she is a wonderful narrator - great accents and shifts.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when she realized she missed and loved her mother

Any additional comments?

In the style of Gibbons, this is even a more developed and polished story. Can't wait for another by her.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker

UNABRIDGED
- by Kevin Mitnick , William L. Simon
- Narrated by Ray Porter
Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker

UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 59 mins)

By Kevin Mitnick, William L. Simon

Narrated By Ray Porter

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(2151)
Performance
(1894)
Story
(1894)

Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world’s biggest companies—and however fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks. He spent years skipping through cyberspace, always three steps ahead and labeled unstoppable.
Judith says: "A Teriffic listen"
"A Techie documentary"

Overall
Performance
Story

What did you like best about Ghost in the Wires? What did you like least?

Good detail Good voice

What do you think your next listen will be?

Cee Cee

Did Ray Porter do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

yes - but it was a lot of detail

Could you see Ghost in the Wires being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

maybe so. Could be like "Catch me if you can"

Any additional comments?

You get overload after so much detail, but you can go back to it between other reads.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Mistletoe and Margaritas

UNABRIDGED
- by Shannon Stacey
- Narrated by MacLeod Andrews
Mistletoe and Margaritas

UNABRIDGED (2 hrs and 4 mins)

By Shannon Stacey

Narrated By MacLeod Andrews

Overall
(818)
Performance
(704)
Story
(708)

Claire Rutledge still believes in love, despite losing her husband. So, after two years, she's not surprised by the steamy dreams telling her it might be time to start moving on. But she didn't expect her friend Justin to have the starring role.
Phoebe E. Stell says: "Just one more reason Audible is the best!"
"Corny"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you try another book from Shannon Stacey and/or MacLeod Andrews?

no

Has Mistletoe and Margaritas turned you off from other books in this genre?

no, but too schmaltzy

How did the narrator detract from the book?

iit was o.k.

What character would you cut from Mistletoe and Margaritas?

??

Any additional comments?

too sappy and like a poorly done romance novel - predictable.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Coal Tattoo: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Silas House
- Narrated by Kate Forbes
The Coal Tattoo: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 44 mins)

By Silas House

Narrated By Kate Forbes

Overall
(53)
Performance
(44)
Story
(42)

Two sisters can’t stand to live together, but can’t bear to be apart. One worships the flashy world of Nashville, the other is a devout Pentecostal. One falls into the lap of any man, the other is afraid to even date. One gets pregnant in a flash, the other desperately wants to have a child. This is what’s at the heart of Silas House’s third novel, which tells the story of Easter and Anneth, tragically left parentless as children, who must raise themselves and each other in their small coal-mining town.
Kim says: "Really Good"
"coal so o"

Overall
Performance
Story

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

the story wasn't great

What do you think your next listen will be?

probably something English

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

good accents

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

I guess sisterly love and loyalty

Any additional comments?

Not very uplifting or redeeming quality. Not great writing.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel

UNABRIDGED
- by Helen Simonson
- Narrated by Peter Altschuler
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel

UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 8 mins)

By Helen Simonson

Narrated By Peter Altschuler

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(2053)
Performance
(807)
Story
(793)

You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction.
txkimmers says: "A great surprise"
"If you love England"

Overall
Performance
Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand to be better than the print version?

don't know the print version

What did you like best about this story?

The lovely descriptions, the Major's attitude and character, the ending

Which character – as performed by Peter Altschuler – was your favorite?

The Major, of course, then Jasmine comes in second

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

no no. I loved hearing it in bits and pieces

Any additional comments?

Wonderful if you've lived in England can enjoy the fussiness, small village mentality, upper classes, the loud rich American..

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Left Neglected

UNABRIDGED
- by Lisa Genova
- Narrated by Sarah Paulson
Left Neglected

UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 12 mins)

By Lisa Genova

Narrated By Sarah Paulson

Whispersync for Voice-ready

Overall
(163)
Performance
(82)
Story
(84)

Sarah Nickerson is like any other career-driven supermom in Welmont, the affluent Boston suburb where she leads a hectic but charmed life with her husband Bob, faithful nanny, and three children—Lucy, Charlie, and nine-month-old Linus.
Susie says: "Another hit for Lisa Genova"
"Another brain plot"

Overall
Performance
Story

Where does Left Neglected rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

About a 6-7

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well of course, the main character, but I did love her husband's loyalty and her mother stepping in

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

Yes, Still Alice, which was outstanding

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

Well she does make me cry with her deep thoughts and character development, but laughing is always a part of her writing.

Any additional comments?

Her characters are so well developed, and her narrative is excellent. Comparing the son's struggles to the mother's was most touching.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Wedding Beat

UNABRIDGED
- by Devan Sipher
- Narrated by Peter Berkrot
The Wedding Beat

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 12 mins)

By Devan Sipher

Narrated By Peter Berkrot

Overall
(88)
Performance
(76)
Story
(76)

Gavin Greene is a hopeless romantic. He’s also a professional one: He writes the wedding column for a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, covering spectacular parties from coast to coast. But there’s a thin line between being a hotshot reporter on assignment and being a single guy alone on a Saturday night at someone else’s wedding. Everything changes on New Year’s Eve when Gavin meets Melinda, a travel writer with enchanting dimples....
Nicole says: "I really tried"
"So So"

Overall
Performance
Story

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

better plot and script

What do you think your next listen will be?

Pandora's Box

What three words best describe Peter Berkrot’s performance?

OK but he didn't have great material to work with

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Wedding Beat?

? all kind of corny

0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Still Alice

UNABRIDGED
- by Lisa Genova
- Narrated by Lisa Genova
Still Alice

UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 51 mins)

By Lisa Genova

Narrated By Lisa Genova

Overall
(563)
Performance
(252)
Story
(254)

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At 50 years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she begins to grow disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life - and her relationship with her family and the world - forever.
Ira says: "Incredibly stimulating and thought-provoking"
"Don't miss this"

Overall
Performance
Story

What did you love best about Still Alice?

The perspective from her mind

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alice and her actress daughter - they were so connected throughout the story and especially at the end.

Which scene was your favorite?

When she couldn't find her own bathroom

If you could rename Still Alice, what would you call it?

shutting down the mind

Any additional comments?

So beautifully written - real - insightful - not so much sad as touching. - wonderful narrative

2 of 2 people found this review helpful