Alia

This is a book for entertainment purposes- the characters were a bit over the top, but in a fun way. The plot of the story is something that would only happen in a book, but hey, it is a book! It doesn't take itself too seriously, and the reader shouldn't either. The mystery unfolds at a good pace and keeps you guessing until the end. I liked the cliff hanger and I'm glad I got the second book at the same time as the first, so I could go right from one to the other. Great for listening to in the car or on the train. If you like mysteries with strong female characters, you will enjoy this.

I have listened to it more than once already! I especially liked that it was taken from Jon Ronson's real family life. The stories were funny and a little embarrassing, the way real family moments always are. I enjoyed them especially because they were read by the author. I always feel like Jon Ronson is talking to ME when I listen to his audio books, and this was no exception. I wish he would write more about his life. Memoir?

It has a similar style to Jon Ronson's other books.

His narration always gives an insight into how he feels about his subject. I enjoy his books in audio because they feel like more than just journalism, you get to know him as a writer while you learn about his subjects. The most interesting part of these stories was that the subject was Jon Ronson himself.

Well, Jon Ronson, of course. And he could bring his son along too, he sounds adorable.

If you haven't listened to anything by Jon Ronson, this set of stories will give you a feel, even though they are more intimate than his books. If you are a Jon Ronson fan, then definitely listen!

I didn't read the print version, and I don't want to. Bronson Pinchot's narration was AMAZING. His style was absolutely perfect for this story, every character had a defined voice and personality that really showed through. It is rare for a narrator to so completely embody every character in a story, but he managed it. The accents were all definable and pitch-perfect.

A book by Brandon Sanderson. The theme of magic and the struggles of an "underclass" of people is similar to what he writes about.

See above!

A part at the end when one of the characters makes a sacrifice... I won't spoil it, but it was very moving.

If you haven't read the first book, you need to before reading this one. But don't worry- it's awesome!

Addictive new series

It was a tough call, but by the end of the book, my favorite character was Heinrich. He just kicks so much butt!

Definitely.

I really liked Monster Hunter International, but the first couple books were a little on a the gory side. I am happy to say that this book has just as much action, but less blood and guts. The writing is solid, the characters are fleshed out and the story nice and meaty. The magic-based storyline reminds me of something Brandon Sanderson would write (he is my favorite fantasy author of all time) but it has a different edge. I especially liked how the quotes at the beginning of each chapter centered the reader into the exact place and time of the story, and gave it a realism that helped to imagine it really happening in history. I also liked the way the story circumvented real historical events and made them "magical." If you are into sci-fi/fantasy and want something more anchored in "reality," definitely give this a try.

Sometimes I don't like stories where you are put into the middle and have no idea what is going on. And then you think you are finally catching on, and something happens to totally change your perception of the story and you're lost again. However, this one is brilliant in its ability to lose you every few pages, yet keep you so enraptured to the story that you couldn't stop listening if you wanted to. It is about monsters, conspiracies, supernatural elements, aliens, paranormal fears, and everything in between, yet it is also none of those things. You really just have to listen to it to know what I'm talking about. Try it!

Its style reminds me of the Monster Hunter International series, with its single, sardonic narrator, fantastic fighting scenes, kind of gross monsters, and likable characters.

Oh no, I couldn't possibly tell you. It would ruin everything!

Well, obviously John. But also the narrator David Wong. And the worms. Wait, nevermind. I didn't say anything about worms.

I started out really into this book. It is well written and there was a lot of dramatic tension in the first half. Of course, I knew it was a romance when I got it, but I guess I was expecting more mystery than romance. Right around the second half (not coincidentally, around the time the sex scenes started) the entire mystery element disappeared in favor of protracted sex scenes that were so long they became tedius. The first of them was well over an hour long! If you are into that sort of thing, then you may not have felt as I did that it really took away from the overall story, and I found myself fast-forwarding them to get to the actual storyline. The mystery element was set up well, but by 3/4 of the way, I was getting frustrated with the main character to figure out who did it, when I had figured it out several hours earlier. Overall, the story was enjoyable, but if all the books in the series feature the mind-numbing sex scenes this one does, I don't think I will want to listen to the rest of the series.

I would have dramatically cut the sex scenes, which I think would have made them more rewarding.

I LOVE Simon Prebble, everything he does is fantastic. His narration is half the reason I listened to this book all the way through.

Less description, more left to the imagination.

This is a like a lighter, fluffier version of the Sookie Stackhouse series, with a few principal differences- in this series, the "Sookie" character is way sarcastic and enjoyably scatterbrained, and actually gets changed into a vampire by Mr Tall Dark and Handsome. The story is simpler, more wholesome, and without the serious drama. It's very funny, full of predictable Southern charm, and the reader does the various voices admirably. I recommend it if you want the fun of a vampire series without all the heaviness, and don't mind that the "mystery" portion of it is a bit easy to figure out.

I listened to the original Bartimaeus Trilogy and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to this new one. I got a surprise, however, because this one was even better than the previous three! It has all of the things I liked about the trilogy, and none of the things I didn't like. It skipped over the explanations of magical learning and the politics of the present day government, which I found a bit tedious. It was also lighter-hearted and had a more satisfying ending. The writing was just as good, or maybe better, and the story had a lot more action in it.

Bartimaeus fans will certainly not be disappointed, for there are plenty of antics from your favorite fun-loving demon, and new-comers to the series do not have to listen to the previous trilogy to understand the story, as this one takes place over a thousand year before it! If you are looking for something out-of-the-ordinary in that vague cross-genre space between fantasy and sci-fi that has a little magic, a little history, and a little humor, then this book is for you.

I have loved every story by Brandon Sanderson, but I believe this mighty epic is going to be his best work. It takes some time to get into the story, to understand the magical world you are entered into, and to get to know the main characters. But once you do, it draws you in so tightly that it's incredibly hard to stop listening. It is painfully exciting, it holds multiple story lines and character threads, weaving them together so eventually you see the whole tapestry laid out before you. It contains similar themes from Sanderson's other books, such as religion, magic, war, and the struggle to be honorable. But I believe this book takes it to another level. I got chills listening to the conclusions the characters come to. I didn't want it to end. Fortunately, this is only the first book of a long series, so there is more goodness to come. If you like fantasy epics, you are going to love this story.

This is a story about two teenage boys both named Will Grayson, who end up meeting by chance and change their lives. It's about high school, being gay, teen angst, first relationships, failed relationships, family, and most of all friendship. It might not sound like this has something for everyone, but I'm a 30-year old woman and I adored it. Once you get past the somewhat whiny beginning (but not for long- like ten minutes) it begins touching on all the places young people are feeling, and reminding everyone else of how they used to feel. I believe there is a character or at least a scene, that everyone can relate to in some way, and that makes you care about this story and its characters. You begin to badly want them to grow up and get what they want, and although their dreams do not all come true, the end is satisfying. I wouldn't say leave this one to the teens- just try it. It's also hilarious! I laughed out loud too many times to count.

I am in complete agreement with the other reviewers- this book was pleasurably lighter in tone than the two before it, which was a welcome change. I love Sookie and all her crazy problems, but the torture, etc of the last story was hard to handle and I was relieved there wasn't any of that in this book. It was nice to get on solid ground again with Bill, Eric, and especially Jason.

The plot moves along without feeling rushed, and although there is a lot of information, you don't feel burdened by it. However, to understand the story at all, you need to have read (or listened to) all the previous books, and it would help with some of the subtler references to have read the short story collection as well, since there were at least 3 references to plot lines in those.

Fans of Sookie will not be disappointed with this one, which is great news since waiting for the next book gets harder every time!