• Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble!

  • The Toad Witch Mysteries, Book 2
  • By: Christiana Miller
  • Narrated by: Barbara Benjamin-Creel
  • Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (261 ratings)

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Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble!  By  cover art

Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble!

By: Christiana Miller
Narrated by: Barbara Benjamin-Creel
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Publisher's summary

Mara's in hell! Neither one of the guys in her life is talking to her. Paul, her ex-boyfriend, is afraid she's going to give birth to a baby demon, complete with horns and hooves. He wants proof that he's actually the father. And her best friend, Gus, is so obsessed with his new boyfriend and his plans for the late, great Lord Grundleshanks, the poisonous toad, he has no time for anyone else.

After Gus flips the seasons and manages to bring summer into winter, everything starts going weirdly wrong. Summer refuses to leave. Household electronics start going haywire. When J.J., a local boy, vanishes from Mara's car, Mara begins to suspect he's been turned into a rat. But it's such a crazy idea, who could she possibly talk to about it? Then, her dead Aunt Tillie shows up to warn her that Gus is in trouble, and it's up to Mara to save him.

Before Mara can stop him, Gus opens up a portal to hell, and the devil comes calling. Now, she's got her hands full trying to find out what happened to J.J., assuring Paul she's not going to give birth to a mythological creature, and brokering a truce between Gus and the devil before Gus becomes hell's newest resident.

©2014 Christiana Miller (P)2015 Christiana Miller

What listeners say about Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble!

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    117
  • 4 Stars
    78
  • 3 Stars
    45
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    10
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    53
  • 3 Stars
    40
  • 2 Stars
    22
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    16
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    114
  • 4 Stars
    72
  • 3 Stars
    39
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    7

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not a fan of how the narrator did Gus's voice

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

Probably not, there were way too many turns, it could've been less complicated.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The ending left you wanting to read the next book, whether or not you liked this one.

What didn’t you like about Barbara Benjamin-Creel’s performance?

She did not have much range with her voices -- the Italian/Latin characters sounded as if they were from Germany & what I disliked the most was Gus's voice. He is a gay guy from LA, not the clown in Stephen King's book IT. I didn't particularly like Marie Rose's rendition of Gus in the first book but it was better than this rendition.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

Any additional comments?

Consistency of narrators across a book series is crucial to me.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun story poor narration

I enjoy the antics this Series of stories tells. However it is so frustrating to get into a series to have the narrator change. The new narrator of this series is terrible. Her Gus voice was so grating I almost quit listening. I will not buy the next book if this narrator is back.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Couldn't listen to that narrator

What disappointed you about Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble!?

Story may have been good but the characters voices are just stupid. In the first book with a different narrator it was smooth and enjoyable but now they just don't work. Gus sounds like an idiot groucho marks.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Barbara Benjamin-Creel?

Marie Rose

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Why oh why did you change narrator?

I adored the first book in this series and quickly devoured it. Since then I have listened to it twice more. However this one let me down. What happened to Gus? He went from the sexy sounding guy to I don't know what. The part in the book when they kiss...all of a sudden it was icky as the image of Gus in my head had completely changed from hot, sexy guy to the uncle that gives you the creeps. Several other characters also changed but I was more forgiving of those.
Other than Gus's massive change, I liked the story once again and will be buying the next in the series (hopefully with the original narrator). Christiana Miller is a fabulous tale teller and I very much enjoy her work.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Story - Bad Narration

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The only thing I would change about this book is the narrator. I listened to the 1st book in the series, and got used to the voices of the different characters as interpreted by that narrator. It was distracting trying to figure out who some of the characters were. The worse was Gus's voice. He sounded suave & debonair in book one, and he sounds annoying and whiny in this one. It is enough of a distraction that I've taken to mostly reading the book on my Kindle rather than listening to it.

What did you like best about this story?

The story itself is very good.

Would you be willing to try another one of Barbara Benjamin-Creel’s performances?

No.

Was Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble! worth the listening time?

If you can't read it in book or e-book form, but it was not nearly as enjoyable as listening to book one in the series.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrator Needs A Lot More Practice

I liked the story but the narrator is doing just that narrating, like she's reading the story to a group. She doesn't become the character at all, which leaves the story very flat. She MUST learn to become the character, not just do a voice change. And her interpretation of Gus seems way off. He's just not as funny and charismatic as the first story.

Barbara Benjamin-Creel sounds 20 to 30 years too old for the character of Mara.

While Barbara Benjamin-Creel does a smidge better job with the voices, I'll take Marie Rose any day. At least Marie Rose becomes the character and the mood of Mara comes through in her voice and it allows the listener to be immersed in the story rather than feel like he/she is being read to.

Bring back Marie Rose or get a different narrator, one who doesn't just read the story to you but becomes Mara.

Also, I strongly urge the narrators to talk to the author and learn Gus' personality. It's poor form for two narrators to have two different visions of him.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The story was excellent

As with the first book, the story was fantastic. The narration left a lot to be desired. The character of Gus was portrayed as a sloppy stupid American in this narration when we know in fact the he is a well spoken gay Englishman. I was very disappointed every time I heard his part in the book.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I like these Toads!

Would you consider the audio edition of Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie We're in Trouble! to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version, but I loved this story ... TeamGus!! In my opinion, this story was better than the first one. Can't wait to see what happens next!!!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gus, by far and hands down. He is so over the top and shmarmy. Everyone should have a BFF like Gus LOVE HIM

Which scene was your favorite?

Far too many to list.

Any additional comments?

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

change in narrators

Enjoyed the story but was put off by having Gus' personality changed from British accented diva to brash, dense minded goofball....

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gus isn't British!

I've been confused by the three or four reviews that mention Mara's sidekick as British. I read book 1 on my Kindle and don't remember seeing that anywhere. His name is Greek, I think, but I'm pretty sure he's American.
Anyway, I thought the book was a lot of fun. The sibling-like banter between Mara and Gus is very reminiscent of my teen years at home. (except my brother never visited the Fairies that I know about)
I can recommend Tillie 2 and look forward to more.

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8 people found this helpful