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Title: The Bride Price

Author: Suzanne Popp

Narrator: Beth Lane

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-09-15

Publisher: Suzanne Popp

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A teenage girl, Myrna Chitundu, dreams of becoming a doctor someday. She dreams of leaving the dusty African town of Blancville behind her and really changing the world, but she knows it will take a lot of hard work.

Her hard work pays off when she is admitted to the Royal Academy - the first girl ever to be admitted to the prestigious all boys' school. But everything changes when Myrna discovers she is pregnant. Suddenly her well-ordered life begins to unravel.

When an offer of marriage from a wealthy older man is presented to her family, Myrna knows what she must do - the bride price is too great for her family to refuse. Setting her own hopes and dreams aside, Myrna accepts marriage to a man she has met only once, who will take her far from the only home she has ever known.

This sweeping novel of hope and redemption follows the life of three generations of Chitundus as they discover that the powerful bond of family, faith, and love is not easily broken.

Members Reviews:

wow

I really liked this book. I know is has some poor reviews, which I can understand, but as their main complaint was about the dsimplistic writing style, I actually enjoyed it and to me it corresponded well with the topic.

I started reading this book thinking it would be about the injustice of a young educated girl being sold into a marriage, whereas it was a story of 'life goes on' and it can be what you make of it, as well as how you deal with things which are thrown at you and beyond your control. The impact of AIDS/HIV on families and communities was devastating and it took the book from being a sweet tale to that of something to think about.

There were some time leaps which seemd to come out of nowhere and we lost track of some people (eg. the brother who became a taxi driver) and unexpectedly an apparition made her presence later in the book, but it added to the flow and colour of the book.

I loved the settings, the people and the things that mattered.

Characters in search of a story line or plot

The general theme of the book sounded interesting--arranged marriages in the African culture. But that is where the "interesting" ends. Yes, there is an arranged marriage--however, there are so many possible plot lines and random characters in this book that it is hard to understand exactly what the story line is. As a result the characters are not well developed (maybe with the exception of Myrna and Festus) and turning from one chapter to another leaves the reader wondering where this story is headed. So many characters appear for a short time and then disappear. Very little gets resolved, there is no "aha" moment for the reader to say "oh I get it!" Then all of a sudden the HIV epidemic appears--mainly to kill off several characters. The author could have written several novels about the various characters and their situations. This novel, however, is merely a little of this and a little of that--with no real identification as to what the plot and story line are.

A Generational Must Read

AUTHOR: SUZANNE POPP, [...] "The BRIDE PRICE" is the first novel written by this author. The storyline only takes place in Africa with a mention of Holland. However, put your fiction "romance" novel down. Take a break. Read something interesting and different.

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Title: Seasons of the Heart

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Cynthia Freeman

Narrator: Judith West

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 11-12-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Set against the backdrop of World War II and beyond, Seasons of the Heart tells the enthralling, inspiring story of a woman determined to prevail in both good times and bad. In 1941, with America at war, Ann Pollock falls in love. Handsome, charming attorney Phillip Coulter is everything she could want in a man and mate. But soon after they marry, Phillip leaves to fight for his country. When he comes home, he's a stranger, his body and spirit broken in a Japanese POW camp. It is only Ann's indomitable will and determination to succeed against all odds that keeps her family together. But her newfound career as a real-estate agent takes a toll on her marriage and especially on her daughter, Evie. And then, at an age when such things are not supposed to happen, Ann finds what she had never dared to dream of: the second great love her life.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

All Cynthia Freeman's books are great. I love them all.

Wonderful

Great

If you enjoy reading about Jewish people I highly recommend this book

It is a very heart warming story & a tearjerker. If you enjoy reading about Jewish people I highly recommend this book. Excellently written.

Five Stars

I love Cynthia Freeman.

Five Stars

Beautiful story!

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Title: Sovereign

Subtitle: Shardlake, Book 3

Author: C. J. Sansom

Narrator: Steven Crossley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-23-14

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The third novel in the compelling Shardlake series. Autumn, 1541. King Henry VIII has set out on a spectacular Progress to the North to attend an extravagant submission of his rebellious subjects in York. Already in the city are lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak. As well as assisting with legal work processing petitions to the King, Shardlake has reluctantly undertaken a special mission - to ensure the welfare of an important but dangerous conspirator being returned to London for interrogation.

But the murder of a local glazier involves Shardlake in deeper mysteries, connected not only to the prisoner in York Castle but to the royal family itself. And when Shardlake and Barak stumble upon a cache of secret papers which could threaten the Tudor throne, a chain of events unfolds that will lead Shardlake facing the most terrifying fate of the age . . .

Members Reviews:

Jesu this is good!

Can't recommend this brilliant third installment enough. The plot, characters and narration are quite superb. The interweaving of a thriller - mystery with historical events is incredibly rewarding. I can't get enough Shardlake. Thank you, Mr Sansom!

Absolutely superb!

Book 3 of the Shardlake chronicles, and in my opinion the best so far. Fantastic plots and sub plots intermingled with historical accuracies takes the listener on a fascinating and truly gripping adventure. Great narration only adds to the enjoyment. Bring on book 4.

Fantastic

Loved this book from start to finish! Fantastic narration and unexpected twists at every turn.

Complicated and predictable but still enjoyable

The setting for this mystery is a change from the previous novels, with the narrative shifting from one place to another. As such, the tale became monotonous in places as there was little development in the mystery. However, both characters Shardlake and Barrack had much more development to their characters and leaves the reader / listener considering the moral dilemmas they both face along the way.

More meandering story than the first two

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

Enjoyable but the story is the setting rather than the mystery for me on this one. It lacks the bite of his first two in the series, which seemed to have more of a purpose. I like this period of history and I suspect CJ has done his research well, so he colours an aspect I don't get from history books.

Any additional comments?

If you can contact the writer, please tell him to stop using the words 'interrogatively' and 'sardonically'. He overuses these and several other words, and I now wince every time I hear them.

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Title: We Shall Remember

Author: Emma Fraser

Narrator: Jane MacFarlane

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-23-14

Publisher: Hachette Audio UK

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

1939: Irena is a young medical student living in Warsaw when the German army invade Poland. Those closest to her are dying and when Irena realises that no one is coming to Poland's aid, it's clear that she is alone.

Forced to flee to Britain, Irena meets Richard, a RAF pilot who she's instantly drawn to and there's a glimmer of happiness on the horizon. And then the war becomes more brutal and in order to right a never-forgotten wrong Irena must make an impossible decision.

1989: Decades later, Sarah's mother is left a home in Skye and another in Edinburgh following the death of Lord Glendale, a man she's never met, and only on the condition that Magdalena Drobnik, a woman she's never heard of, is no longer alive.

Sarah's only clues to this mystery are two photographs she doesn't understand but she's determined to discover the truth, not knowing that she's about to begin a journey that will change her life. Gripping, poignant, and honest, We Shall Remember is an incredibly powerful story about the choices we make under fire. It will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

Critic Reviews:

"Fans of Lily Baxter and other saga authors will enjoy". (The Bookseller)

"Based on true events. This is first rate." (Lovereading)

"A touching, thought-provoking saga." (Lancaster Guardian)

Members Reviews:

OH MY

This is wonderful. Well worth the read. I am a fan of historical fiction, particularly the World Wars. This one does justice.

Beautiful

Historical fiction is bittersweet. The lives, the experience, the emotion, and the loss. The stories draw up the empathy in our hearts and souls.

many words can be used where only one is required.

Exceptional!.

I didn't feel the need to say more but the review requires a minimum word entry.

Excellent

Really enjoyed this book told from the polish view, keeps you interested right to the end

But very say also

Great story and well narrated.

Engaging story that I enjoyed through out. I would listen to another by this writer.

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Title: Gretel and the Dark

Author: Eliza Granville

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki, Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-16-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A captivating and atmospheric historical novel about a young girl in Nazi Germany, a psychoanalyst in fin-de-siecle Vienna, and the powerful mystery that links them together.

Gretel and the Dark explores good and evil, hope and despair, showing how the primal thrills and horrors of the stories we learn as children can illuminate the darkest moments in history, in two rich, intertwining narratives that come together to form one exhilarating listen.

In 1899 Vienna, celebrated psychoanalyst Josef Breuer is about to encounter his strangest case yet: a mysterious, beautiful woman who claims to have no name, no feelings - to be, in fact, a machine. Intrigued, he tries to fathom the roots of her disturbance.

Years later, in Nazi-controlled Germany, Krysta plays alone while her papa works in the menacingly strange infirmary next door. Young, innocent, and fiercely stubborn, she retreats into a world of fairy tales, unable to see the danger closing in around her. When everything changes and the real world becomes as frightening as any of her stories, Krysta finds that her imagination holds powers beyond what she could ever have guessed.

Rich, compelling, and propulsively building to a dizzying final twist, Gretel and the Dark is a testament to the lifesaving power of the imagination and a mesmerizingly original story of redemption.

Members Reviews:

Fabulous, but hard to attend to

I ADORE the woman's voice. The man's voice is good as well. Unfortunately, I felt that the two narrators often lost my attention due to my own distraction. This would've been fine if the story were not so confusing. Perhaps it would've been better to read some chapters and listen to others.

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Title: The Goddess of Small Victories

Author: Yannick Grannec

Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller, Dawn Harvey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-14-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Princeton University, 1980. A young and unambitious librarian named Anna Roth is assigned the task of retrieving the records of Kurt Gödel - the most fascinating and hermetic mathematician of the 20th century. Her mission consists of befriending and ultimately taming the greatman's widow, Adele, a notoriously bitter woman set on taking belated revenge against the establishment by refusing to hand over these documents of immeasurable historical value.

But as Anna soon finds out, Adele has a story of her own to tell. Through descriptions of Princeton and Vienna after the war, the occupation of Austria by the Nazis, the pressures of McCarthyism, the end ofthe positivist ideal, and the advent of nuclear weapons, Anna discovers firsthand the epic story of a genius who could never quite find his place in the world - and the private torment of the woman who loved him.

Members Reviews:

Main Narrator Ruins Book

I'm only 40 minutes into the book and I don't know if I can make it much further. The main character, Adele Godel, is an elderly woman from Austria who has lived in the U.S. for many, many years. The narrator who reads Adele's part attempts to give her a German accent. It is an atrocious attempt at a German accent - a sort of unidentifiable accent that could be Russian. Much of her speech is unaccented - only every few words are modified, making the narration even more trying to follow. I am at a loss as to how this narrator's rendition of a German accent could have been acceptable to the publishers. It would have been far better if no accent was attempted at all and the character was just made to sound old.

Excellent Book & Narration

What made the experience of listening to The Goddess of Small Victories the most enjoyable?

I read this as an "immersion read" (simultaneous narration and synched text) on my Kindle-Fire HDX. The book was very good and the narration was excellent.

There were however some whisper synch hiccups during the immersion reading. The last page of each chapter usually would not advance automatically and frequently the narration would stop again at the end of a chapter. To me this problem was minor but some might find it irritating.

I suspect that just listening to the book on the Audible file, there would be no problems. The problems occurred during "immersion reading".

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Title: The Queen's Exiles

Author: Barbara Kyle

Narrator: Barbara Kyle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-17-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

1572: Europe is in turmoil. A vengeful faction of exiled English Catholics is scattered about the continent, plotting to overthrow Queen Elizabeth and install her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne. And in the Netherlands, the streets are red with the blood of those who dare to oppose the brutal Spanish occupation. But amid the unrest, one resourceful young woman has made a lucrative enterprise...Scottish-born Fenella Doorn salvages crippled vessels. It is on one of these ships that she meets wealthy Baron Adam Thornleigh. Secretly drawn to him, Fenella can't refuse when Adam enlists her to join him in war-torn Brussels to help find his traitorous wife, Frances - and the children she's taken from him. But Adam and Fenella will put their lives in peril as they attempt to rescue his young ones, defend the crown, and restore the peace that few can remember. With eloquent and enthralling finesse, Barbara Kyle illuminates one of history's grimmest chapters. The Queen's Exiles breathes new life into an extraordinary age where love and freedom could only be won with unmitigated courage.

Members Reviews:

5Stars for Barbara Kyle

I have enjoyed all of her books as this is my favorite period for novels. It reintroduces Fenella, who saved Adam Thornleigh & his brother in law. Adams horrid , treacherous wife kidnaps his two children and runs to Spain. D'Alba, a Spanish military man vows to kill Adam. Adam tries to rescue his children & failed twice. He is then able to get his daughter but has to leave his son behind as his wife true to kill him again. Could not put this book down!

Here we go again!

And what a ride it was! Once again, Barbara Kyle has penned another winner. This one may be the best of the series. Thank you, Ms. Kyle.

Five Stars

Very good series read.

The Queen's Exiles

Excellent reading - I enjoyed every minute of it and am looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

ACTION! ACTION! ACTION!

Great characters, lots of action and drama. Kept my attention from beginning to end. Highly recommend.

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Title: A Song of Africa: The Roots of Boko Haram

Author: Ronald B. Wheatley

Narrator: Rosemary Benson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-14

Publisher: Law Offices of Ronald Wheatley

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Amazon top 100

For African travel For African history For Nigeria

Thrill and Learn.

You need to listen to this audiobook if you want to understand the backdrop of history that created the fertile soil for todays homegrown terrorist group-Boko Haram-to literally spring up overnight and within half a dozen years bring the most populous country in Africa to the greatest crisis in its history.

The story is told through the eyes of fortune seeking engineer Paul Jeffries-out to make millions on a state of the art telecommunications project in Nigeria-who must confront his own demons by agreeing to search for the American ambassadors daughter, Maureen Cahill, who has fled the relative safety of the embassy in Lagos to the besieged and shrinking rebel enclave of Biafra to help refugees in the mid 1960s civil war. The journey will take them both to the darkest and most dangerous mangrove infested corner of one of Africas bloodiest civil wars. The trek will test their commitment to aiding the country, their dreams for nation building, and their growing love for each other.

You need to hear this audible book if you want to have an insight on how the events taking place in Nigeria today are a microcosm of the turmoil taking place today across Africa and the Middle East.

Members Reviews:

Ronald B. Wheatley delivers an engaging story

Would you consider the audio edition of A Song of Africa: The Roots of Boko Haram to be better than the print version?

The audio version enhances the print version -- brings an extra dimension to the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Song of Africa: The Roots of Boko Haram?

The way Mr. Wheatley wove the many flashbacks throughout the narrative.

What does Rosemary Benson bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Her ability to interpret numerous characters is admirable -- especially in view of so many male characters.

Who was the most memorable character of A Song of Africa: The Roots of Boko Haram and why?

Maureen's fate easily makes her a sympathetic character. Her relation to Paul, of course, is a determining factor in her fate.

Any additional comments?

My first encounter with Ronald Wheatley's writing was his Elusive Dreams, an extensive internet posting about his Peace Corps and Vietnam War experiences. I was captivated by his ability to craft a story. Several years ago, Wheatley's A Song of Africa reinforced my estimation of his linguistic skills. Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to Rosemary Benson's audio version of the book. Over two days, I enjoyed her narration as the plot and sub-plots developed. Her staging of the numerous characters enhanced the delight I gained from a compelling story -- A Song of Africa: The Roots of Boko Haram.

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Title: Little Bighorn

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: John Hough Jr.

Narrator: Rex Anderson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-03-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

As a favor to the beautiful actress Mary Deschenes, Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer hires her 18-year-old son Allen Winslow as an aide for his 1876 campaign against the Sioux and Cheyenne. Traveling west against his will, Allen finds himself in the company of Addie Grace Lord, sixteen, sister of one of Custer's regimental surgeons. The two fall in love, and it is with foreboding that Addie Grace watches Allen and her brother George ride out with Custer's Seventh Cavalry. Weeks later in Montana, hundreds of miles to the west, the Seventh brings its quarry to bay beside the river called the Little Bighorn.

Beautifully written and filled with unforgettable characters, Little Bighorn brings to life the American West and its heartbreaking history, brilliantly portraying the flawed and tormented Custer.

Members Reviews:

Excellent narration and an interesting story.

Would you listen to Little Bighorn again? Why?

I would certainly listen to this book again, if only for the narration. Rex Anderson does and excellent job of distinguishing between the characters without too much dramatic over-emphasis. Having been an avid audiobook consumer for years, the narration reminds me a bit of Jonathan Davis. The story in engaging, if a little bit contrived, but that may be due to my lack of knowledge about the time period that the book is set during. Regardless, the strong narration carried it for me even when the story started to flag.

Would you recommend Little Bighorn to your friends? Why or why not?

I would certainly recommend this to my friends, especially those interested 19th century America. The story provides just enough factual detail to make to historical fiction feel grounded.

What about Rex Andersons performance did you like?

Rex Anderson demonstrated an strong ability to provide distinct characterizations, while also utilizing excellent pacing in his storytelling.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It may seem like a small part of the plot, but when the characters are traveling by train and one character is swindled out of their money in a poker game. It may have been fairly trivial, but it captured an aspect of the historical period in an enjoyable fashion.

Any additional comments?

While I will certainly seek out books by the narrator and this author in the future, I did notice that the quality of the audio was not up to typical audible standards. I got over this after the first few listens, but it was definitely something that struck me as strange. Even the high quality version sounded as if I was listening to a poorly mixed recording.

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Title: When Shadows Fall

Author: Paul Reid

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-20-14

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Still haunted by the British armys treatment of soldiers during World War I, Lieutenant Adam Bowen returns to Dublin in 1919 - and discovers a new war destroying his hometown. When his well-bred family ignores the violence between Irish revolutionaries and the British government, Adam turns his back on Britain and secretly aligns with the Irish Republican Army.

Then Adam meets golden-haired, blue-eyed Tara Reilly, and finds himself drawn to her quiet beauty. Yet Tara works for the British government at Dublin Castle, a job that could expose Adam and his secret IRA activities to the police. But like Adam, Tara harbors secrets. She lost her entire family to the IRA when a vicious operative named Larry Mulligan slaughtered them. And she vows vengeance, no matter the cost.

In this sweeping work of historical fiction about the Irish War of Independence, danger lurks around every cornerand deception hides behind every smile.

Members Reviews:

A Gem of a Book! Don't Miss It!

What a nice surprise! This is a real gem performed by the awesome Simon Vance. It opens in the WWI battle fields of France, giving the reader a detailed picture of how war shapes the thinking of its young soldiers. From there, it goes to another battlefield, those of Ireland where British troops tried to rule and the militant IRA opposed them -- at the expense of many innocents.

One of those innocents - who abhors the IRA for the deaths of her family and one of the war scarred soldiers -- who abhors the Brits for their merciless treatment of both soldiers and civilians - meet and eventually fall in love. You will be engaged in the story of the conflict they face and how the love-hate relationships they have with each other and the politics of the time affect them.

This is a good listen. Historical fiction, along with warring and romancing and reconciling by all concerned! The historical notes at the conclusion are worth a listen too!

Nice Read

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

I would recommend to family members (Irish), or anyone interested in the IRA and/or Irish history.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All characters were portrayed well.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I wanted to hear the accents. The pace and rhythm of the reading was excellent.

Good story, historically informative.

Enjoyed the story and the excellent narration by Simon Vance. unexplained ending though, still good.