Rose and Helena Save Christmas

By: Jana DeLeon, Denise Grover Swank

Narrated by: Shannon McManus

Length: 3 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

This audiobook may be listened to as a standalone novella. You do not need to have listened to either series to enjoy. The Rose Gardner series and the Ghost-in-Law series combine to bring you a rollicking round of holiday fun!

Rose Gardner and Neely Kate Colson are thrilled with Mason's early present to Rose - a trip for the two of them to New Orleans for shopping, great food, and awesome seats to Wicked. Neely Kate plans to use the opportunity to visit a psychic and find out once and for all what her paranormal ability is. But when the psychic is murdered, and Neely Kate and Rose were the last people to see her alive, they find themselves the main suspects in a Christmas killing.

Taylor Beaumont has exhausted all resources in trying to figure out her new ghostly roommate, Helena. Seeing a psychic is the last resort. Taylor hoped for answers about Helena's worldly existence but instead finds herself embroiled on the wrong side of a murder investigation. Seeing no other option, Taylor and Helena combine forces with Rose and Neely Kate to clear their names. But can they solve the mystery in time to save Christmas?

©2014 Denise Grover Swank and Jana DeLeon (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Good fun

This was a lighthearted fun short story. You know if it has Helena, it's going to have laughs. Just when you thought she couldn't get any weirder, she finds a live person who wants to emulate her. I like the narrator from the Mudbug series better. After adapting to the change in voice, it was ok. Anytime they put Helena in a book, I'll read it. Big belly laughs from her.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Rose and Helena

Good story but I did not like the reader. No clear difference between different voices.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A Disappointment

What would have made Rose and Helena Save Christmas better?

A better narrator. The attempt at southern accents was appalling.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Hard to focus on the story

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Enjoyed this series

I really enjoyed this series. This book however was a little different. It was hard listening to a different narrator. The voice of Helena Henry sounded completely wrong.

Helena is a hoot !!

I love the series of Mudbug. These books had me laughing out loud . I would highly recommend this Author and her books.

Jana DeLeon and Denise Grover Swanky's books

I love all of the books by both authers. I can hardly wait for there next books to come available so I can read them all.

Narrator change

after reading 6 Mudbug books having a different narrator for Helenas voice was hard to grasp

Loved it!

I love a novella. Just the right amount of time to enjoy a good mystery.
Jana DeLeon and Denise Grover Swank wrote a wonderful novella.
Shannon McManus has a clear and pleasant voice.
I highly recommend this book.

Should not be included in the Ghost in Law Series

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

I was expecting a Ghost in Law book which I consider the Mud Bug Series. I thought this would be a cute Christmas short but I don't know if it's because it's a different narrator or what but I could not get into this book. Helena did not have the same charisma and endearing qualities as in the Ghost in Law books. I couldn't even finish listening to it. Ugh.. Horrible.

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

I think it could probably be a good read if Johanna Parker narrated the Ghost in law characters. They should have used 2 narrators so the characters kept the same voices. Helena is terrible in this book.

What didn’t you like about Shannon McManus’s performance?

I could barely tell the characters apart from each other. It was really awful.

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

Disappointment and a little anger. If the 2 authors were going to collaborate they should have done everything they could to keep the original narrators for each character. I'm assuming the narrator is the narrator for the other series.

Any additional comments?

I wish I had not wasted my money on this audio book. I learned a valuable lesson to make sure and check the narrator before buying anything.

3 hours was too long

I don’t know exactly what Jana DeLeon worked on for this book, but I don’t think it was the writing or casting the narrator. Most of it is narrative, which is very stilted, and the narration made it worse. I’m returning it.