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Title: The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Bridget Asher

Narrator: Kate Reading

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From the author of My Husbands Sweethearts and The Pretend Wife comes a moving novel about love and hope in the face of loss, in which a small house in the French countryside may be responsible for mending hearts since World War II.

Brokenhearted and still mourning the loss of her husband, Heidi travels with Abbott, her obsessive-compulsive eight-year-old son, and Charlotte, her intolerably jaded 16-year-old niece, to spend the summer repairing their family home in a small village in the south of France. There, thousands of miles from home, Charlotte makes a shocking confession, and Heidi learns the truth about her mothers lost summer when she was a child.

As three generations collide with each other, the neighbor next door - who seems to know all their family secrets - and an enigmatic Frenchman, theyll journey through love, loss, and healing amid the lavender fields, warm winds, and pistou soup of Provence.

Members Reviews:

Wouldn't cure my broken heart

I was hoping for a Peter Maylish romance, something light. Mais non, it was a soap opera, with something unhappy every sentence. No joy here. It could have been set anywhere except for some references to Cezanne and a smattering of mots francaises. Not for the broken hearted.

Avoid if you are.

Very enjoyable

I highly recommend this book! It was a sweet story that made me feel good the whole time.

Are We There Yet?...

Four hours in and they are just getting to Provence. I didn't expect Sophie Kinsella but this is very introspective. Each monument, crepe and cigarette is an opportunity for the protagonist to recall her husband and when they ate crepes, smoked cigarettes and saw the Eiffel Tower together. We'll see, but this is not a breezy book. More like "Elegance of the Hedgehog" in terms of style. It is wistful in prose and performance. Some people will love it.. but it isn't for me.

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Title: Minding Frankie

Author: Maeve Binchy

Narrator: Sile Bermingham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-01-11

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 598 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Maeve Binchy is back with a tale of joy, heartbreak and hope, about a motherless girl collectively raised by a close-knit Dublin community.

When Noel learns that his terminally ill former flame is pregnant with his child, he agrees to take guardianship of the baby girl once she's born. But as a single father battling demons of his own, Noel can't do it alone.

Fortunately, he has a competent, caring network of friends, family and neighbors: Lisa, his unlucky-in-love classmate, who moves in with him to help him care for little Frankie around the clock; his American cousin, Emily, always there with a pep talk; the newly retired Dr. Hat, with more time on his hands than he knows what to do with; Dr. Declan and Fiona and their baby son, Frankie's first friend; and many eager babysitters, including old friends Signora and Aidan and Frankie's doting grandparents, Josie and Charles.

But not everyone is pleased with the unconventional arrangement, especially a nosy social worker, Moira, who is convinced that Frankie would be better off in a foster home. Now it's up to Noel to persuade her that everyone in town has something special to offer when it comes to minding Frankie.

Critic Reviews:

Binchy is a national treasure in her homeland of Ireland, and her latest novel is a perfect illustration of why.Your heart will have no trouble recognizing the landscape [of this] touching saga. (Publishers Weekly)

Reading a Maeve Binchy novel is like settling in for a cozy visit with an old friend. In vintage Binchy style, a cast of colorfully eccentric characters living in a snug Dublin neighborhood seamlessly weave in and out of each others lives, united by family, faith, friendship and community....Readers will need a box of tissues handy as the good-hearted residents of St. Jarlaths Crescent prove that it does indeed take a village to raise a child. (Margaret Flanagan, Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Top Notch Binchy

If you are a fan, this is yet another fine example of her craft. At all times Maeve is optimistic. I listen because I know there will be the best ending there can be. She does not shrink from the hard fact of modern life but if there is a positive spin, it will be there. Thank you Maeve for continuing the stories of an Ireland we wish we could visit and people we would love to meet.

A Beautiful Story

At the beginning I was restless, waiting for the author to get to the meat of the story. She goes to great lengths to describe the backgrounds of each character. But then I decided to relax and let the book unfold as it was written...then, I began to love it. When I wasn't listening, I would feel like I was missing something like my keys, glasses, something important...but no, I was missing my friends from Chestnut Court and Dublin, Ireland. This to me is the sign of a great book. It had pulled me so far into the lives of these characters, I did not see myself as separate from them.

The narrator is excellent. The Irish accent makes things that much better.

If you love stories about tragedies bringing people together, mixed with humor and small town charm, where everyone seems to know eachother....this book is for you!

Another Hit!

Loved this book, the characters are still dancing around in my mind.

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Title: Swamplandia!

Author: Karen Russell

Narrator: Arielle Sitrick, David Ackroyd

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-01-11

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 624 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From the celebrated 29-year-old author of the everywhere-heralded short-story collection St. Lucys Home for Girls Raised by Wolves (How I wish these were my own words, instead of the breakneck demon writer Karen Russells.... Run for your life. This girl is on fire," said the Los Angeles Times Book Review) comes a blazingly original debut novel that takes us back to the swamps of the Florida Everglades, and introduces us to Ava Bigtree, an unforgettable young heroine.

The Bigtree alligator-wrestling dynasty is in decline, and Swamplandia!, their island home and gator-wrestling theme park, formerly number-one in the region, is swiftly being encroached upon by a fearsome and sophisticated competitor called the World of Darkness. Avas mother, the parks indomitable headliner, has just died; her sister, Ossie, has fallen in love with a spooky character known as the Dredgeman, who may or may not be an actual ghost; and her brilliant big brother, Kiwi, who dreams of becoming a scholar, has just defected to the World of Darkness in a last-ditch effort to keep their family business from going under. Avas father, affectionately known as Chief Bigtree, is AWOL; and that leaves Ava, a resourceful but terrified thirteen, to manage 98 gators and the vast, inscrutable landscape of her own grief.

Against a backdrop of hauntingly fecund plant life animated by ancient lizards and lawless hungers, Karen Russell has written an utterly singular novel about a familys struggle to stay afloat in a world that is inexorably sinking. An arrestingly beautiful and inventive work from a vibrant new voice in fiction.

Editorial Reviews:

The Bigtree clan is a family in crisis. The mother, Hiola, has passed away and she was not only the main gator wrestler and star attraction at the Swamplandia theme park, but the glue that held the family together. Now on the verge of losing their beloved home, the Bigtrees find they are ill-prepared to deal with the real world into which they've been thrust. Each member of the family leaves their sheltered enclave convinced they can somehow turn things around. Yet do they leave Swamplandia more to save it or to escape it?

The narration duties here are divided in some very interesting ways. Actress/writer Arielle Sitrick plays the main character of young Ava in the chapters focusing mainly on Swamplandia. David Ackroyd takes on the role of Kiwi, the older teenage son, with his chapters being told mainly from a rival theme park, a place that's a bizarro alternative universe version of his previous home. The two narrators see things quite differently. Sitrick voices Ava as the winsome innocent and the mystic heart of a Swamplandia where anything is possible; however, did the nostalgic world she remembers ever really exist? Ackroyd plays Kiwi as the somewhat naive yet most practical member of the family. He has big plans and learns quickly, but finds things are not quite so easy out in the real world.

Karen Russell's Swamplandia is an amusing and well crafted piece that's a bit Florida gothic and a bit magical realism.

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Title: Love Beyond Reason

Author: Sandra Brown

Narrator: Renée Raudman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-07-11

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 107 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Katherine Adams said she'd never make her sister Mary's mistakes. Mary's fairy-tale marriage into the wealthy, powerful Manning dynasty had turned into a nightmare of abuse. Then, on the night her playboy husband was killed in a car accident, Mary died in childbirth. Now savvy, smart, and very angry Katherine vowed to never let a Manning, any Manning, near Mary's child - not even the dashing, charismatic oil man who showed up at her door.

Katherine wanted to believe that Jason Manning wasn't like his ruthless family. But secrets and lies were part of his heritage. And Katherine could be destroyed by a truth she was afraid to face... and a man she could not resist.

Members Reviews:

3 rating is only for the book not the Narrator

I have read or listened to most of Sandra's books and have loved everyone. The narrator ruined this one for me. It maybe just a preference for me but I like inflection in the read, and I didn't feel the narrator understood the story line.

old skool

If you like the earlier S. Brown Romances. you will like this. The narrator does a fair job also.

Easy Romance Listen

Bought this as an "escape" listen, which is pretty much what it is. Not much thinking involved but something fun to listen to while cleaning the house.

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Title: Its Not Summer Without You

Author: Jenny Han

Narrator: Jessica Almasy

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-08-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 156 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Belly was ecstatic when Conrad, the son of her moms best friend and the boy shed loved for years, finally kissed her. But when Conrads mom dies, he withdraws from everyone and eventually disappears completely. Not sure where to start looking, Belly and Conrads brother Jeremiah figure Conrads college is a good place to startbut they soon learn hes actually at the family beach house. When Belly and Jeremiah find Conrad, they realize he wasnt running awayhed come to keep the house from being sold. Bellys romantic feelings for Conrad begin to resurface even as shes growing closer to Jeremiah, and as emotions run high, its unclear if things will ever go back to normalespecially when a real estate agent shows up. Popular author Jenny Han captures perfectly how young people think when it comes to relationships. Jessica Almasys narration flawlessly reverberates the authors style and heartwarmingly reveals the details of the characters relationships.

Members Reviews:

exceptional

I absolutely loved It's Not Summer Without You.It was amazing. I recommend this book to anyone that loves juicy love triangles. I also love the fact that they have a conflicted male character, it just makes it even more exciting!

The favorite series

This is probably the one of the best books. I've read in a long time

Great Sequel

As a plot i most certainly enjoyed it more than the first book the story is really getting exciting ..

As an audio book i listened to the whole book while on fast forward 2 because the narrator is so SLOW .. but i did enjoy the fast version of it

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Title: Embers of Love

Author: Tracie Peterson

Narrator: Barbara McCulloh

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-04-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 110 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

After being educated in the east, Deborah Vandermark returns to Perkinsville, Texas, where her family is part of the thriving logging industry. She brings along an unexpected companionher best friend, who is fleeing a wedding and groom she has no interest in. A determined matchmaker, Deborah sets her sights on uniting her brother and friend in what she hopes will be a true love match. Then Deborah meets Christopher Clayton, the town's new doctorand quickly realizes she has a much greater interest in medicine and science than the bookkeeping she studied at college. Soon Deborah is caught between her fascination for doctoring and her obligation to her family. And in the midst of her warring emotions is the doctor himself. Are her tumultuous feelings for the man, or for what he can teach her?

Members Reviews:

A winner

Loved this. Characters enjoyable, storyline interesting and complex enough without getting bogged down in the struggles and leaving you feeling heavy hearted. Fun, faith filled romance.

perfect!!!!

in love... on to book 2!!!! cant wait to see what is to happen next...

I really enjoyed this book

Nicely written and refreshing story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

Good story

did not like how it just ended. other than that it was a good story

Good story

I have heard many books narrated by Barbara McClulloh and have enjoyed them but I must say that she did a great job in this one!

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Title: The Secret History

Author: Donna Tartt

Narrator: Donna Tartt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-30-10

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 74 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The smartest murder-mystery you will ever hear.

A misfit at an exclusive New England college, Richard finds kindred spirits in the five eccentric students of his ancient Greek class. But his new friends have a horrific secret. When blackmail and violence threaten to blow their privileged lives apart, they drag Richard into the nightmare that engulfs them. And soon they enter a terrifying heart of darkness from which they may never return.

Penguin Audiobooks presents Donna Tartt's cult thriller The Secret History, complete, unabridged, and read by the author.

Critic Reviews:

"Haunting, compelling, brilliant." (The Times)

Members Reviews:

My Favourite Book

Was a bit doubtful that the author wanted to read it as she is female and the narrator male. What was I worried about? An excellent audio version of a stunning novel especially how she does dialogue

A compelling, magical experience

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

For anyone interested in the art of writing and the engagement of the reader's imagination this book is a must. At its base narrative level it has been characterized as a sort of superior murder conspiracy thriller playing out in the context of elite scholarship and mysterious alliances at a small New England college. True enough, but it's also so much more than that. Like all the best works of fiction, it expands from its premise to become a richly imagined, unique world of its own. Sure, at times it is uneven, but it is also a book that left me feeling bereft when I finished it. Structured as an outsider's memoir by a writer, now years older, looking back to an earlier time in his life, it mixes morality play, philosophical speculations, a witty critique of mores and class - to name a few of its perspectives - and does so without sacrificing the creation of characters that are vividly present and alive. And these people are not two dimensional. Not at all. They are as strange and unpredictable, as dull and as funny, as fascinating and as disappointing as those around us really are. Death is present, but this book is really about life and the profound mystery we are to ourselves. Finally, as its ultimate pleasure, this recording offers Donna Tartt's deliciously seductive and nuanced reading of her own work. A magical experience. Highly recommended.

What other book might you compare The Secret History to and why?

Donna Tartt's next book "The Little Friend" has some similarities, but it is also very different in other ways. It is more uneven than "The Secret History" and, at times, it does seem over written but there are moments and characters that are truly unforgettable. A book with highs I will never forget. Ever.

As a work that is also structured as an outsider's memoir, my memory of Robert Pirsig's "Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is that it has a similar narrative tone when compared to "The Secret History". But it is quite a few years since I read it.

Have you listened to any of Donna Tartts other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I've not heard her do any other readings.

If you could take any character from The Secret History out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I'd like to have dinner with Donna Tartt. That would be so interesting and it would be real.

Not worth it

Although the story could have kept me involved, having the author narrate was a HUGE mistake.

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Title: Ordinary People

Author: Judith Guest

Narrator: Aviva Skell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-21-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 100 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Here is the heart-wrenching book that inspired the critically acclaimed movie. Cal and Beth Jarrett are ordinary people: a happy couple living with grocery bills, taxes, barbeque dinners, and orthodontist appointments for their two sons. But when a terrible accident takes the life of one son, their lives begin to fall apart. This is the story of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances - and the lengths they will go to put their lives together again.

Members Reviews:

A beautiful book

I saw the movie 'Ordinary People' and thought I'd like to listen to the book it is based on. This is a beautiful book - very moving and sensitive and also really interesting and character driven. Although it is set in the late 60's the book hasn't dated much at all, it still has a very contemporary feel. The narrator is excellent. A great listen!

Too slow.

Would you try another book from Judith Guest and/or Aviva Skell?

The book is very slow and the narration almost put me to sleep. The movie was much better. I expected more because the books are always supposed to be better than the movies. But not this one.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Better narration.

What didnt you like about Aviva Skells performance?

Too monotone.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really

Ordinary?

Would you listen to Ordinary People again? Why?

Yes like other reviews I did see the movie first. That said I was able to imagine what the author was writing about as I listened. Here the mother was a bit softer than in the movie. Yes they were having the same struggles of loosing a loved one. Some of the dialog was lifted pretty close to word for word.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Conrad. I related to him like me in a lot of ways. My growing up and struggling to relate to my mother was similar to his. Also him trying to come to terms with himself is no easy task.

Have you listened to any of Aviva Skells other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first listen. So cannot compare.

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

It kept my interest although no huge emotion overcame me.

Any additional comments?

If you have not seen the movie, this will be a slow listen/read. If after you do listen/read this book and you enjoyed, then I would really recommend the movie. If you have seen the movie first and wondering about this book, if you are a hard core fan then I would recommend it. If you are just a casual fan, you might not be so inclined to read this.

Wow! The best book about grief and therapy -- ever.

Wow! The best book about grief and therapy -- ever. The movie was great too. Though the book holds more details.

A man's voice would have been more effective.

Having seen the film many times and it being one of my favorites, it would've been very difficult for this book to have compared favorably. But it's interesting how much the film diverges from the text of the book and now the film has a great deal more depth to me than it did previously. The only thing that I find that is unfortunate is that the narrator in this audiobook is a woman rather than a man. As the protagonist of the story is obviously male, I can't help but feel that the story would have had more impact with a male narrator. Still, this is an interesting study in family dynamics to which many people will be able to sadly relate.

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Title: Born to Bite

Subtitle: An Argeneau Novel

Author: Lynsay Sands

Narrator: Kirby Heyborne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-10

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 613 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Legend has it that Armand Argeneau is a killer in the bedroom....

But with all three of his late wives meeting unfortunate and untimely ends, is this sexy immortal a lover or a murderer? That's what Eshe d'Aureus intends to find out. As an enforcer, it's her job to bring rogue vampires to justice, even if the rogue in question makes her blood race red hot.

Armand knew she was trouble the moment Eshe roared into town on her motorcycle, clad in tight black leather. She claims she's hiding from dangerous fiends, though he suspects something more. But after three wives who've all had trouble remaining, well, undead, Armand is reluctant to open his heart again. Then strange accidents start to happen, each deadlier than the last, and Armand realizes he may not have much time to prove he's a lover, not a slayer.

Members Reviews:

Born to Bite

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although it didn't have as much humor as the others I found it very heart warming. Lots of mystery and suspense. The ending was very touching.

Wow!

Lynsay Sands has outdone herself this time! This simply has to be the best book yet out of the Argeneau series! Not only has she brought total life to the characters in the book, but she keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. The ending of the book is a total surprise too!

Simply her best work yet! Bravo!

I can't wait for the next book Hungry For You! I'm definately Hungry for It now!

Love, but

I absolutely love this story. I think it is one of my favourites in the series. I was distracted a little by the narrator's use of accents for characters who shouldn't have one. Leigh was from the Midwest, as I recall, not England.

I bawl every time!

If you could sum up Born to Bite in three words, what would they be?

Read with tissues!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bricker is probably my favorite character in this book. I'm not sure I can really put my finger on why, but it stems all the way back to his introduction to this series in the first Rogue Hunter Book. He's obnoxious, true, but not in a way that actually gets on my nerves. Most of the time I just think he's hilarious!

What does Kirby Heyborne bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Kirby has a great sense of comedic timing and emotional overtones He intensifies both the humor and the emotion that you feel while listening to this book.

If you could take any character from Born to Bite out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Justin Bricker Because I just think it would be a hoot!

Any additional comments?

The final scene with the family were all of the explanations are given and Armand is finally reunited with his daughter Jean Louise, must be read with tissues.

Not Worth the credit!!!!!

What disappointed you about Born to Bite?

The story line was boring, the Narrator was boring and I kept falling asleep. I couldn't even finsh the book and I doubt very seriously if I will

Would you ever listen to anything by Lynsay Sands again?

Sure, The other tiltles I've listened to by her was good.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Kirby Heyborne?

Holter Graham

What character would you cut from Born to Bite?

all of them

Any additional comments?

I want my credit back!!!

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Title: The Vigilantes

Author: W. E. B. Griffin

Narrator: Scott Brick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-10-10

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 237 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The dramatic new novel in Griffin's New York Times- bestselling chronicle of the Philadelphia police force.

There's a sudden spike in murders in Philadelphia, but no one seems to mind much because the victims all seem to be lowlifes. The more Homicide Sergeant Matthew Payne investigates, however, the more he gets a bad feeling-one that only gets worse when vigilante groups spring up claiming credit for some of the hits, even though Payne knows it can't be true. As the targets get bigger and events start moving out of control, Payne realizes that if he and his colleagues can't figure out who's behind this very soon, the violence could overtake them all.

Filled with authentic color and detail, this is a riveting novel of the men and women who put their lives on the line-storytelling at its absolute best.

Members Reviews:

The Vigilantes

W.E.B. Griffin is one of my favorite writers. The story was slow to start as I felt he went back and summaries all the prior books in this series before getting into the new story. I felt that was not necessary unless a particular item in the story required an explanation of how it occurred. For example how did Matt get the name Wyatt Earp of the Mainline. The story it self was good and the reader was good. Liked the ending. This is a good fast pace action story.

Terrible book

Poor plot. Poor character development. Verbose. Griffin really must need the money to allow his franchise to be distorted by such a badly written book. Butterworth IV is no Griffin.

Vigilantes

Classic Griffin with a nice touch of Butterworth, this is one that every suspense fan should read. It has a slightly weak ending but not so much as to demerit the plot.

I do recommend going through the series in order of books.

Oops -

I like the characters and the thread of the plot about Matt's personal life was ok - the main story line was disjointed and unbelievable. Poorly written. It feels as if Mr butterworth does not yet live up to his father's skill and craftmanship.

Finally, a decent narrator!

Getting Scott Brick to narrate makes the story come alive! Great Decision. I realize you need new readers to get some backstory, but for those of us who have read all the previous books it is very frustrating to listen to the rehashing of prior content in every book!.