Shadow Spell

The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 2

By: Nora Roberts

Narrated by: Alan Smyth

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

From number-one New York Times best-selling author Nora Roberts comes a trilogy about the land we’re drawn to, the family we learn to cherish, and the people we long to love.…

With the legends and lore of Ireland running through his blood, falconer Connor O’Dwyer is proud to call County Mayo home. It’s where his sister, Branna, lives and works, where his cousin, Iona, has found true love, and where his childhood friends form a circle that can’t be broken.…

A circle that is about to be stretched out of shape - by a long-awaited kiss.

Meara Quinn is Branna’s best friend, a sister in all but blood. Her and Connor’s paths cross almost daily, as Connor takes tourists on hawk walks and Meara guides them on horseback across the lush countryside. She has the eyes of a gypsy and the body of a goddess…things Connor has always taken for granted - until his brush with death propels them into a quick, hot tangle.

Plenty of women have found their way to Connor’s bed, but none to his heart until now. Frustratingly, Meara is okay with just the heat, afraid to lose herself - and their friendship - to something more. But soon, Connor will see the full force and fury of what runs in his blood. And he will need his family and friends around him when his past rolls in like the fog, threatening an end to all he loves.…

©2014 Nora Roberts (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

As always, I love Nora Roberts stories!

I actually liked having a male narator for the male perspective this book is told from.

good story

story was great, the narrorate wasn't very good. His accent was terrible. Also wish there were male and female voices for the characters

Awesome story, awful narrator.

If you could sum up Shadow Spell in three words, what would they be?

Awesome, intriguing spellbinding

What other book might you compare Shadow Spell to and why?

Other books I would compare this book to would be The Guardian series, or Three Sisters Island or even the first book in this series. I compared this book to other Nora Roberts because after reading/listening to the first series (Time and Space) I was hooked.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Alan Smyth?

Anyone who can actually speak with the accent of each character and differentiate between male and female characters. Also, someone whose reading is smooth, not choppy and hesitate.

Any additional comments?

I love re-listening to book series, but not sure I could stand listing to this narrator again and that's frustrating.

I love this series!

Where does Shadow Spell rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

lol, that is private ;) but let me just say that this series is another of my favourites :)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Shadow Spell?

Not just one moment, a series of them, as Nora Roberts has the skill to do.

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

No, but even though so many reviewers have had negative feedback for him, they also did for the first book in this series - which almost prevented me from buying it. Almost.
The narrator for the first book is my favourite out of the two, just because she tripled the affect the book had on me, but the timber in Alan's voice made this listen enjoyable.

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

Yes

Any additional comments?

Nora Roberts - you have skills.

Every Bit as Good as the First!!

This tale seamlessly picks up where the last left off, and it stands alone beautifully. I am not a fan of romance novels, and this level of writing could change my tune!! I also enjoyed the narrator, with his wide range. This was a great read!

Performance

I did not like the change in narrators from the 1st to the 2nd book. The first book was perfect And had great narration. The second, this book, had a different Narrator. He tried the Irish accent and butchered it. It was really difficult to get into the book for the simple fact. The narrator makes a huge difference in the overall story.

Great Story, Terrible Narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would pay all over again to get to hear this book with a different reader.This is the worst narration I have ever heard. It is the first time I have had to stop listening to a book because I can't handle the performance. It's heartbreaking, because the story itself is wonderful and I would have loved hearing it unfold from a musical Irish voice.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the way the love story develops in this story. In "The Dark Witch", I did not feel connected to the relationship between Iona and Boyle because it seemed like they just kissed a couple times and were magically in love, with no real conversation. I don't think a relationship in a book can develop enough that way to really draw in the reader. The battles with Cabhan keep me on my toes, too. He's getting brazen in this one!

What didn’t you like about Alan Smyth’s performance?

His cadence was choppy, he emphasized the wrong parts of words, completely mispronounced others, and while I don't mind a lisp in conversation, his distracted me from what he was actually saying. All of this combined led to me to turn off the book. I couldn't listen to anymore.

Could you see Shadow Spell being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I could see this trilogy being made into a TV series. I haven't a clue who should star, but I would love to see it!

Any additional comments?

I would not recommend this, and it's the first time I have ever said that about a Nora Roberts audiobook. Just read it and save yourself the torture of suffering through this narrator.

Narration not good

I love this book. Nora Roberts is my favorite author. However, the person who narrates this story isn't very good. He constantly stops or pauses which is annoying. I wish I would have known who narrated before buying. I assumed it would be the same narrator as Dark Witch.

Awsome

Great Series keeps me wanting more.
The Characters are all interesting in their own. I enjoy the suspense.

Great Listen

I love this story; I am a true Nora Roberts/J D Robb fan, and this book ticks all the boxes. I really enjoy the reader as well, with one exception. This may fit the character, but the voice he uses for Mara's mother sets my teeth on edge, kind of like nails on a chalkboard (if you know what that is). That's entirely my weakness; I can't stand a whining voice. But the woman does seem built for it. Yet, I have listened to this book multiple times and enjoyed it every time.