Download the Popular Authors Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Then We Came to the End

Author: Joshua Ferris

Narrator: Deanna Hurst

Format: Abridged

Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-22-07

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 131 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

No one knows us quite the same way as the men and women who sit beside us in department meetings and crowd the office refrigerator with their labeled yogurts. Every office is a family of sorts, and the Chicago ad agency Joshua Ferris brilliantly depicts in his debut novel is family at its strangest and best.

The characters in Then We Came to an End cope with a business downturn in the time-honored way: through gossip, secret romance, elaborate pranks, and increasingly frequent coffee breaks. As one colleague after another is seen "walking Spanish down the hall" (office shorthand for being fired), the survivors obsessively parse their bosses' decisions - when they're not competing for the best office furniture left behind or trying to make sense of the mysterious pro-bono ad campaign that is their only remaining "work".

Joshua Ferris has a demon's eye for the details and emotions that make up our lives, and he has written a hilarious and moving novel about the strange selves we become when we walk through the office doors each day.

Critic Reviews:

"Heartfelt and delivered in solemn deadpan. It may even be, in its own modest way, a great American novel." (Darcy Cosper, Los Angeles Times)

"Wildly funny....At once delightfully freakish and entirely credible, Ferris' cast makes a real impression." (Publishers Weekly)

"It's hilarious in a Catch-22 way, but with an undercurrent of sadness that works counterpoint to all the absurdity." (Stephen King)

Members Reviews:

Abridged Reading

We were eager to read this, after listening together to Joshua Ferris being interviewed on the NYT book review podcast, so we downloaded the Audible version and enjoyed it quite a lot. Between listening sessions we talked about the characters and shared our thoughts about the book's narrators. We did not realize until it was over that we were listening to an abridged version. As a rule, we don't read (or listen to) abridgements. So we don't feel qualified to review the book when we're really only read part of it! However, it is clever and entertaining and any former or current cube-dwellers will almost certainly find much to appreciate. The composite narrator (much of the story is told from the perspective of "us") feels as fresh and novel as the first time we read Jay McInerney's "Bright Lights, Big City" 23 years ago. We only wish the Audible version were not an abridgement. We felt, in the end, as if someone were missing.

Hilarious in book form, not so much for audio...

I wondered what all the hoopla was about after I had finished listening to the audiobook version of this. I don't have anything against the reader---she was OK. But the book content is a real slice-and-dice job of the original book. This abridged version cuts out a lot of the fun, quirky stuff and you don't get a sense of how funny the book really is.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Dear John

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Narrator: Holter Graham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-19-06

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 963 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read, and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love - and face the hardest decision of his life.

Critic Reviews:

"[Dear John] brims with longing." (Publishers Weekly)

"Sparks, a perennially popular novelist whose name is synonymous with romance and bittersweet endings and whose work translates so readily to movies, lives up to his reputation with his latest novel, a tribute to courageous and self-sacrificing soldiers." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

As always my favorite

I love Nicholas Sparks and he didn't let me down! Great book for us romance people. Ending wasn't what I expected but still loved the way it ended. Can't wait for his next!

Dear John

The listen was wonderful, I listened to it while crossing the country, and it tugged at my heartstrings and the ending just made my heart melt. I would definately recommend this.

Thankfully not a typical love story

In the beginning of the story, I thought it was too detailed and the dialogue a little bland. At one point Savannah says "Duh!" which isn't really a good fit for the linguistics of the late 90's. I held on though, and was rewarded in the end. The detail from earlier helped create the emotional climax near the end...and the characters had grown and blossomed into extraordinarily complex people. I found myself surprised at several twists in the road, both by the way the story was unfolding and the depth of emotion I felt for the characters. The reader did a good job with voices too. I would definitely recommend it as a sweet emotional journey that isn't too typical of love stories.

Have the kleenex ready

I enjoyed the book, but I had to get the kleenex out several times.

book vs movie

My second Sparks and a different type of review. I saw the movie adaptation to this book circa 2011 and enjoyed it, even watched it twice. I told myself to remember the title of the movie and the author so I could watch it again sometime or maybe get the book. Of course, after a couple of months I forgot both. But the story stuck with me and from time to time I'd look for it thinking who wrote books set mostly in the Carolina's? I checked Pat Conroy and others but wasn't familiar enough with Sparks to make the connection until recently.

The book stayed fairly close to the movie, often you read the book then see the movie and are disappointed as the movie typically doesn't develop the characters as well. In this one, soldier is home in Wilmington, NC on leave and meets gal on the beach one day and it's love at first sight. But he's stationed in Germany then 9/11 happens and life gets in the way. It's a good story, a typical Sparks from what I can tell looking at his body of work.

If anything I liked the ending in the movie better than the book. Maybe I'd better go watch it again!

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Virgin Suicides

Author: Jeffrey Eugenides

Narrator: Nick Landrum

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-06

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 1239 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

This nationally best-selling novel from Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffrey Eugenides was adapted into an acclaimed film by Academy Award-winner Sofia Coppola. A haunting yet wickedly funny tale,

The Virgin Suicides has captivated countless readers with its intoxicating portrait of lost innocence. A brilliant fusion of dark humor and tragedy, it is an atmospheric, allegorical masterpiece about five oppressed, suicidal sisters and the boys who dream of rescuing them.

©1993 Jeffrey Eugenides (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC.

Critic Reviews:

"Eugenides' voice is so fresh and compelling, his powers of observation so startling and acute, that most will be mesmerized....This is an auspicious debut from an imaginative and talented writer." (

Publishers Weekly)

"A finely crafted work of literary if slightly macabre imagination....A black, glittering novel that won't be to everyone's taste but must be tried by readers looking for something different." (

Library Journal)

"Mr. Eugenides is blessed with the storyteller's most magical gift, the ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary." (

The New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

Read this if you want to enjoy this audiobook

What did you love best about The Virgin Suicides?

I purchased this audiobook and was so disappointed when I found I could not tolerate listening to it. The problem was the slow, monotone voice of the narrator. I couldn't take it anymore, as listening became painful and I could not follow the story as my mind wandered. I read many similar complaints in the reviews.

I came back to the book a couple months later and tried it again. This time, I set audible.com's listening app to play it at 1.25 speed instead of the default 1. I was amazed. The audible experience became perfect, as it was meant to be. I do not believe the problem was with the narrator in the first place. I believe the track was slowed down for some reason in post production the the chagrin of may listeners.

If you tried listening to this book and simply could not get past the first chapter without wanting to tear your hair out, do yourself a favor and increase the speed of playback one notch. You will be surprised how wonderful this book, and it's narrator truly are.

Any additional comments?

Must be played at 1.25 speed to hear original recording.

good listen.

This book kept me engaged. While others noted somewhat negatively about the simplicity of the story telling and odd perspective (as told by the neighborhood boys), I thought that hearing about the fascinating albeit tragic story from an outside view added to it's intrigue. I have not seen the movie and I think this added to my ability to let the vague storytelling encourage my imagination.

Beauty, youth, family issues, crime, sex, and mystery... this story has it all and is told in a way that is thought provoking. I look forward to listening to other books from this author.

Heartbreaking - but Wonderful!

Having first listened to the masterpiece, Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, I thought that I might be disappointed by the initial offering from this author. I neednt have worried!. The Virgin Suicides is just a terrific novel. Although absolutely heartbreaking, the story provides the listener with hope and a sense of peace. Nick Landrum is superb in his reading of the story and I defy any listener to have dry eyes during the final 5 minutes of his narration.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Kafka on the Shore

Author: Haruki Murakami

Narrator: Sean Barrett, Oliver Le Sueur

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-19-06

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1982 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Murakami's new novel is at once a classic tale of quest, but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos, of patricide, of mother-love, of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.

Editorial Reviews:

Haruki Murakami is the David Lynch of literature; everything doesnt always make sense, but it's so compelling you can't stop listening or trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Such is the case with Murakami's mind-bending Kafka on the Shore, which follows the lives of 15-year-old Kafka and an old man named Nakata, who might be aspects of the same person...or maybe not. What we do know is that Kafka runs away from home to find his lost mother and sister and winds up living in a library in the seaside town of Takamatsu, where he spends his days reading literature. Then he's suspected of being involved in a murder. In alternating chapters, we also hear the story of Nakata, who makes a living as a "cat whisperer," searching for lost pets. He embarks on a road trip searching for a particularly hard to find cat, traveling far away from his home for the first time, and the narrative suggests he's fated to meet Kafka. But does he? Oh, and there's also truly bizarre appearances by Johnnie Walker and Colonel Sanders.

Oliver Le Sueur as Kafka and Sean Barrett as Nakata both give hypnotic readings of the main and supporting characters. Le Sueur performs double duty for Kafka and the teen's inner voice, Crow, reading with such gravitas that you might find yourself leaning forward a bit with expectancy for the next line of dialogue or intricate detail. Barrett's deep, warm voice is perfectly grandfatherly as Nakata, whose uncertain destination and deep wonder at the world he has never seen is the lynchpin of the novel. Barrett's voice is a national treasure in Britain having voiced Shakespeare, Dickens, and Beckett and you'll wish he narrated just about every book once you hear how he commits to Nakata.

As Kafka prepares to leave home, his alter ego tells the boy that he's about to enter a metaphysical and symbolic storm. "Once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure if the storm is over, but one thing is certain when you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in." That can also be said of any listener who chooses to explore Murakami's beautiful, enigmatic world.

Critic Reviews:

"I've never read a novel that I found so compelling because of its narrative inventiveness and love of storytelling....Great entertainment." (Guardian)

"An insistently metaphysical mind-bender." (The New Yorker)

"Daringly original and compulsively readable." (The Washington Post's Book World)

Members Reviews:

Brilliant Meandering--what was in those brownies..

In Haruki Murakami's own words:

"It's all pointless--assuming you try to find a point to it." Kafka on the Shore

"It's not that meaning cannot be explained. But there are certain meanings that are lost forever the moment they are explained in words." 1Q84

I read this book last year, my first HM read, which I jumped into with no knowledge of the author, and having read no reviews of the book at all.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Tandia

Author: Bryce Courtenay

Narrator: Humphrey Bower

Format: Unabridged

Length: 26 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-27-05

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2009 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Tandia is a child of all Africa: half Indian, half African, beautiful and intelligent, she is only sixteen when she is first brutalized by the police. Her fear of the white man leads her to join the black resistance movement. With her in the fight for justice is the one white man Tandia can trust, the welterweight champion of the world, Peekay. Now he must fight their common enemy in order to save both their lives.

©1992 Bryce Courtenay; (P)2000 Bolinda Publishing Pyt Ltd by arrangement with Penguin Group (Australia)

Critic Reviews:

"Humphrey Bower is brilliant....[Tandia] will resonate in the hearts and minds of listeners long after the final chapter." (AudioFile Magazine )

Members Reviews:

Thanks for this wonderful collaboration

I read Power of One several years ago and was a fan of Courtenay already. I found Courtenay on audible when Brother Fish was released and bought that. I was immensely impressed with the Humphrey narration and wanted more. Then I discovered this sequel to Power of One and snapped it right up. Having just finished it, I was sorry to have it end. Humphrey's narration of this book was, like that of Brother Fish, superb. The best I have found on Audible. That is important since I try to buy only books over 20 hours for my bike commute. I was moved by this sequel to Power of One and would recommend it to anyone-- although I would strongly recommend reading or listening to Power of One first. There are enough back references that much will be lost without the experience of Power of One. (And the movie is no substitute; not even close. I saw the movie when it first came out and it kept me from reading the book for years. The book is lightyears better than the movie.) In Tandia, I am impressed with Courtnay's ability not to paint all Afrikaaners with one brush, and the same for the South African blacks and the rest of the cast. I am even more impressed with his ability to deal with themes of racial pride, hatred and tolerance; culture; religion; love; and faith without trivializing them. Thank you Courtenay and Humphrey for this wonderful collaboration !!!!

A wonderful story

I listened to the Power of One first, and was drawn deeply into Peekay's world, South Africa during apartheid, in no small part through the masterful reading by Humphrey Bower. Tandia, the sequel, is a more grown up tale, which is just as it should be as Peekay embarks on adulthood only towards the end of the first book. Tandia is where we see Peekay finally realise his full potential and where he puts into practice the convictions he developed as a child. Without this book, the story would have been half told. This book also introduces a number of unforgettable non-white characters who give a richer perspective on life in South Africa during this period. The author's love for his country of birth clearly shines through. A beautiful, emotionally draining story. The ending left me desperately wishing for a sequel.

I'M TELLING YOU SOMETHING FOR NOTHING

YOU GOT TO USE PRETTY, WHILE YOU GOT PRETTY

This is a sequel to The Power of One. The book starts with Tandia and she is a main character, but it is really mostly about Peekay. I believe it has even more boxing matches in it then the first book did. This book is not as strong as the first book, but it is a good listen.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Love Comes Softly

Author: Janette Oke

Narrator: Ruth Ann Phimister

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-22-05

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 320 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

When it was first published in 1979, this novel introduced inspirational fiction to people hungry for well-told stories based on Christian values. Since then, over a million copies have been sold, and it has been made into a popular Hallmark movie. Janette Oke has won the Christy Award, the Gold Medallion, and scores of other awards. Generations of fans have laughed and cried over this story of Marty and Clark, two grieving people thrown together by necessity who find unexpected love as they work together as a family.

©1989 Janette Oke (P)1989 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Good, gentle audiobook

At first I found the narrator's 5-pack-a-day voice irritating. However, Soon I was so entranced by the story of Marty and Clark and their lives on the prairie that I forgot my initial annoyance with the narrator.

This is a wonderful book full of great values and with endearing characters. While it *is* an Inspirational book, Oke's writing lacks the 'heavy-handed' preaching of some Christian Inspirational fiction. As someone who reads a wide variety of literature I found "Love Comes Softly" to be quite restful and entertaining without being bombastic in 'spreading the word.'

Two things about this book grated. I found it completely unbelievable that as a woman of her era Marty would not know how to bake anything but pancakes... Um... She'd been married how long before she meets Clark? What exactly did this girl expect to cook for her husband when they were married?I *know* there were published cookbooks at the time. Second. I would've liked more background on Marty and her family. She doesn't send any letters, or communicate with them at all. It seemed a bit simplistic. A bit more backstory would've added depth to her character.

Overall, an excellent book, sure to delight those longing for a good read in the vein of Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie.

Love Comes Softly

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

Yes. I already have.

Have you listened to any of Ruth Ann Phimisters other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not.

Any additional comments?

I am disappointed only the first three books in the series of ten are available on Audible.

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SERIES

I so wish all eight books in this series were on Audible. Only the first three are, so the rest I'll have to buy and read the hard copies. Bummer!!

Good story, unpleasant narrator.

I love this book and have a hard copy, but like to listen to them on my commute and during my workouts. It is a wonderfully sweet story. I love Janette Oke. However, I have to say that I believe the narrator was a mistake. She has a somewhat grating voice and she sounds very old, while the character in the story is a young woman. Very disconcering. I think this one is better read than listened to.

wonderful book

I really enjoyed this book, but I did not like the narrator's voice. She must have been very close to the microphone when she read, because her constant swallowing, deep breaths and rustling around were very distracting. I noticed that she's read for a lot of other books and on most of those her voice sounded much younger and more pleasant. She also doesn't change her voice at all for the various characters ~ she just pretty much reads it straight through.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Be More Chill

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Ned Vizzini

Narrator: Jesse Eisenberg

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-12-05

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 146 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Jeremy Heere is your average high school dork. Day after day he stares at beautiful Christine, the girl he can never have, and dryly notes the small humiliations that come his way, until the day he is told about the "squip". A pill-sized supercomputer that you swallow, the squip is guaranteed to bring you whatever you most desire in life. By instructing him on everything from what to wear to how to talk and walk, the squip transforms Jeremy from a supergeek to one of the most popular guys in class. Soon he has made friends and has the attention of the hottest girls in school. But his real dream, Christine, remains out of his reach. Jeremy eventually finds out that there is also a dark side to having a computer inside your brain, and it can lead to disastrous consequences.

©2004 Ned Vizzini; (P)2004 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Wacky, irreverent....This novel has substance as well as flash, and lots of appeal to bright teens....Literary and funny." (School Library Journal)

"Readers will identify and groan with embarrassment for Jeremy, whose candidly uncool voice rings very true." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

What a blank-blank book!

I was a little hesitant to buy this book at first. I graduated from high school 55 years ago, and today's youth are from another planet as far as I'm concerned. But I have to admit both the book and the reader had me lmao from the beginning. This really isn't a science fiction book (too bad in a way... I have always liked sci-fi). It's a very funny, and at the same time heartwarming story about a NJ teenager growing up. Being from NJ myself, I had a special appreciation for his perceptions of the Garden State. I recommend this book enthusiastically.

so good

this is a new favorite book. i got it because i like the musical, but the book is even better.

fun, don't take it too seriously

The main character goes to a party, thoroughly depicted nudity, drug use and profanity- parents beware. Otherwise, humerous, lighthearted, central character well defined.

Great listen, terrific narration

This is the first time I've felt compelled to write a review. "Be More Chill" is a terrific, engrossing listen. The narrator perfectly fits the story and makes you remember what it was like to be in high school. The idea of a supercomputer in your head teaching you how to be cool is every kid's dream and the author pulls it off. The voice of the SQUIP is perfect, a cross between HAL and Keanu Reeves. I highly recommend this book.

AMAZING BOOK

I loved this book and who read it because his voice. The book fits how i would react if i got shot down, told there was a super computer to tell me how to be Cool and how i would be if some one died i knew, period. Jeremy fits me and Michael fits most of my friends or how i am some times because im at school, weird hair and i have headphone i dont use to listen to music with. Jeremy, im just a loser and well i dont have much friends, dont go to parties and get shot down and luck isnt really on my side most of the time.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The History of Love

Author: Nicole Krauss

Narrator: George Guidall, Barbara Caruso, Julia Gibson, Andy Paris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-05

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1945 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

It has been decades since Leo Gursky first surrendered his heart, then wrote a book about it, at the tender age of 10, and he's been in love with the same person ever since. Leo believes his book is lost to time, but what he doesn't know is, not only has it survived 60 years without him, it has also been an inspiration to others. Fourteen-year-old Alma was even named for a character from the book. When she realizes how deeply the story touched her lonely mother, she embarks on a search for answers.

The History of Love is an imaginative tale of love and loss that is at once funny, mysterious, and deeply passionate.

Critic Reviews:

"An intriguing books-within-a-book narrative....Venturing into Paul Auster territory in her graceful inquiry into the interplay between life and literature, Krauss is winsome, funny, and affecting." (Booklist)

"Writing with tenderness about eccentric characters, [Krauss] uses earthy humor to mask pain and to question the universe. Her distinctive voice is both plangent and wry, and her imagination encompasses many worlds." (Publishers Weekly)

"If for no other reason than the range of voices she has persuasively created, Ms. Krauss would stand out as a prodigious talent....Ms. Krauss's work is illuminated by the warmth and delicacy of her prose." (The New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Inventive style, engaging novel

I think the title drew me to the novel, but I wouldn't have expected to enjoy it as much as I have. The voices that the narrators give to the voices that Nicole Krauss created are perfect. Though I found the voice of Alma irritating at times, it is the right voice for the character. Leo Gursky's humor is priceless and his pain is palpable. The manner with which all the novel's characters are connected seems extraordinary and improbable and yet completely plausible at the same time.

Like Garcia-Marquez on Anti-Pschyotics

What a surprise, a divine revelation to find this treasure buried among the cast offs in Audible's last sale. How is it possible that the title "A History of Love" is not shouted from the roof-tops, bill-boarded along reader's highways and passed around slyly like a rumor between friends-in-the-know.

Or perhaps it is, and I am just out of the loop, confused by the lack of awards notices on a book that is so far superior to the NY Book Review, Pulitzer, Oprah and Best Seller marks plastered on less-deserving works.

Though mysterious and filled with shadings of poetry, magical realism and literary allusion this book is nonetheless well grounded in the here-and-now, and straight forward in narrative.

Of note, the audio version may be superior to the printed in that the listener is spared the work of guessing when voices change, and who is narrating. Also, because the four actors in this recording give outstanding, lyrical and pitch-perfect performances.

PS: Please save discovery of the narrative for your own pleasure, and avoid pre-reading the plethora of (mostly favorable) reviews about this book. I went through a few after listening, and felt the destructive weight of the spoilers among the praises, even for a book I had already read.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: A Salty Piece of Land

Author: Jimmy Buffett

Narrator: John David Souther

Format: Abridged

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-09-04

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 456 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

If Tully Mars had known what he was getting himself into when he agreed to help find the lost lens belonging to the lighthouse on Cayo Loco, well, he might never have agreed to help in the first place. Then again, maybe he simply would have taken a slightly longer nap before setting off on his wild adventure. And it isn't just Tully, whom Buffett fans will remember well from Jimmy's best-selling Tales from Margaritaville, on the madcap quest.

There's Ix-Nay, an Indian shaman with a dislike of the media; Mr. Twain, Tully's loyal steed; Cleopatra Highbourne, the 102-year-old owner of Cayo Loco and Cuban baseball addict; Captain Kirk, fishing trip leader and boatman extraordinaire; former country music star Sean Spurl, aka Tex Sex; Bucky Norman, a Wyoming cowboy who has found his way to the ocean; and even a fellow named Jimmy Buffett, who decides he might as well join in on the party.

Critic Reviews:

"A groovily laid-back, ramblingly anecdotal, sun-soaked bit of Caribbean escapism....This book is as cheery and tropical as Buffet's music." (Publishers Weekly)

"Tully reminds us why Buffet's laid-back lyrics and stream-of-consciousness prose are almost hypnotically addictive....This mystical, mind-bending journey will appeal to fans of Buffet's uniquely fuzzy blend of comedy and insight." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

ParrotHead Reading

This is a fun book, good for a story, a little island jib and a mental vacation away from the beats of this hectic life. The story follows an Ex-Pat who's adventure stories fall just under tall-tales.

If you are familiar with Buffett's music, the great gulf coast, or life at sea, then this book if for you. At a literally point, some parts in audio form are a bit difficult to follow. If you are looking for a true adventure, try a classic. If you love tales from the islands, Jimmy's lyrics and a good fish tale, give it a try.

Parrot-Head Gold, Island silver, Reader's Bronze

Great information for a mullet toss!

Not Much New Ground

As someone who has listened to Jimmy Buffett's music for over forty years I purchased this audio with certain expectations. This collection of stories disguised as a book met those; which I suppose is both a positive or a negative. That is to say that if you're familiar with his songs then you've heard most of these stories. Many of the characters were introduced in Buffetts 1989 CD collection "Off To See The Lizard." Given his proficiency in musical output it isn't all that surprising that these characters as well as their stories seemed pretty familiar. There are some facts about Lighthouse Lens,' Cuban baseball, and tropical sea battles that are new. However once again the attitudes and the back stories of both positive and negative characters are so familiar they're trite. This was a nice summer listen; or winter listen for those who wonder where the summers went.

Great Escapism

After reading the reviews, I decided to take the plunge. Sure, Buffet is no Tolstoy but I bought this book to enjoy Jimmy's brand of humor and his off center view of the world. This was my first audio book and the perfect companion on a recent trip to the Islands. What better way to spend a little time on a deserted beach under a palm tree enjoying a JB book with a cool rum drink.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Stupidest Angel

Subtitle: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror

Author: Christopher Moore

Narrator: Tony Roberts

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-22-04

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1746 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle. No, he's not on his deathbed. But Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the 7-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead.

But hold on! There's an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) It's none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angel's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say "Kris Kringle" he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen.

Only Christopher Moore, the man who brought you the outrageous lost gospel Lamb and the hysterical fish tale Fluke, could have devised a new holiday classic that tugs at the heartstrings and serves up a healthy slice of fruitcake to boot.

Critic Reviews:

"This little slice of perverse Christmas cheer is enough to make even the most cynical Scrooge guffaw." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Another Pine Cove winner

This book is not about Christmas or God so if that's what you want don't click the "add to cart" button. This book is about a nerd in a cool guys body, an evil developer, a sexy divorcee, a really stupid arch angle and a fruit bat. Throw in a little murder, a pinch of zombies and the holiday season and you get vintage Christopher Moore. What's not to like?

Read the title before buying

I know it might seem silly to even mention this, but if you purchase a book with "A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror" as part of the title (especially when all descriptions and reviews reinforce the adult nature of the content) and you expect it to be a story for the entire family, you have nobody to blame but yourself when it contains content you might find inappropriate for your kids and easily offended adults.

This was an excellent audiobook. The reading was animated and enjoyable. The content was entertaining and fun. Yes, it's written by an adult for adults. If that's what you're looking for, you'll find plenty to love with this offering.

Not your usual holiday tale

If you like the warmth of the holiday season, the smells, the deep sense of contentment, the feeling of peace on earth and goodwill toward men, a heartwarming serious read, then listen to another book. You'll find none of those things here. No miracles, no baby jesus, no sacrificing martyrs.

What you will find is "off the wall" comedy, characters that are so quirky they are hysterical, a tale that seems written straight from the hip. A psychotic former movie star who hears voices, a sex-crazed man with a pet fruit bat, a cop who grows and smokes marijuana, a wrinkled up old bartender that wants to sleep with everyone, a 7 year old who speaks only in terms usually used to descibe wine, an inept angel - where does this writer come up with this stuff? There's sex, profanity and murder here. And those are the dull parts.

I love all things holiday oriented and probably wouldn't have picked this title if it weren't for the holiday theme. I usually don't read or listen to books of this type. This story has taken me by surprise.