How I Listen to Full Audiobook in Fiction, Contemporary Most Popular

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Title: River of Smoke

Author: Amitav Ghosh

Narrator: Lyndam Gregory

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-02-11

Publisher: Hodder Headline Limited

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In September 1838 a storm blows up on the Indian Ocean and the Ibis, a ship carrying a consignment of convicts and indentured laborers from Calcutta to Mauritius, is caught up in the whirlwind. When the seas settle, five men have disappeared - two lascars, two convicts and one of the passengers. Did the same storm upend the fortunes of those aboard the Anahita, an opium carrier heading towards Canton? And what fate befell those aboard the Redruth, a sturdy two-masted brig heading East out of Cornwall? Was it the storm that altered their course or were the destinies of these passengers at the mercy of even more powerful forces?

On the grand scale of an historical epic, River of Smoke follows its storm-tossed characters to the crowded harbors of China. There, despite efforts of the emperor to stop them, ships from Europe and India exchange their cargoes of opium for boxes of tea, silk, porcelain and silver. Among them are Bahram Modi, a wealthy Parsi opium merchant out of Bombay, his estranged half-Chinese son Ah Fatt, the orphaned Paulette and a motley collection of others whose pursuit of romance, riches and a legendary rare flower have thrown together.

All struggle to cope with their losses - and for some, unimaginable freedoms - in the alleys and crowded waterways of 19th century Canton. As transporting and mesmerizing as an opiate induced dream, River of Smoke will soon be heralded as a masterpiece of twenty-first century literature.

Members Reviews:

excellent narrator/ wonderful novel/

now we must await the final volume in this wonderful panorama of a novel by Amitav Ghosh/

can be read without having read the "sea of poppies' but best to read that one first/

excellent narrator/ wonderful novel/

now we must await the final volume in this wonderful panorama of a novel by Amitav Ghosh/

can be read without having read the "sea of poppies' but best to read that one first/

What were they thinking?

Have just finished the wonderful first volume (superb in every respect) And have tried to dive right into this volume but oh dear! Whoever picked Mr Gregory as narrator for volume 2 needs to have a rethink. He is simply awful - lumbering, patronizing and sounding like he thinks he is reading a book for young children. Simply the worst experience I have had with any Audible title so far. Right I'm off to buy the kindle edition before returning for volume 3

The narration spoiled the book for me

I found the story very fragmented and most unlike the first book. The narrator read as if reading to a child with exaggerated interpretation of the dialogue.

Love the story, not enjoying change of narrator

I loved the first book, and I loved Kish Sharma's narration and character interpretation. I was disappointed to note that the narrators are different for each book in the trilogy. opinions may differ, but I feel Lyndam Gregory's narration style would be more suited to childrens books, as he has an unusual style, with pauses and emphasis in strange places, and for me, too much accentuation and intensity at times. It makes me feel slightly patronised. The story itself is still fascinating and I am persevering despite not enjoying the new narration style. Sorry Lyndam!

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Title: Celestial Navigation

Author: Anne Tyler

Narrator: Kelly Lintz, Marianne Fraulo, Ric Reitz, Trevor John, Ellen McQueen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Pultizer Prize-winning author of Saint Maybe and Breathing Lessons offers the beloved story of a man whose contented life in his rundown house in Baltimore is shaken to its core, after his sister moves in with him and his boarder starts bringing home babies.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jeremy Pauling has never left home. He lives on the top floor of a Baltimore row house where he creates collages of little people snipped from wrapping paper. His elderly mother putters in the rooms below, until her death. And it is then that Jeremy is forced to take in Mary Tell and her child as boarders. Mary is unaware of how much courage it takes Jaremy to look her in the eye. For Jeremy, like one of his paper creations, is fragile and easily torn - especially when he's falling in love....

Critic Reviews:

"To read Anne Tyler is to fall in love". (People).

Members Reviews:

Love Anne Tyler But

I have read so many of Tyler's books, and this is another excellent example of character development.

However, be warned that it is perhaps the most depressing book I ever read.

Depressing

This was a very depressing book, but maybe that was the point. I felt overwhelmed by the heaviness of Jeremy. I really adore Anne Tyler but this I did not enjoy. Why would Mary have stayed so long with that noncommunicating man! And to have six children with him and then to go off and live in squalor. The only saving grace is those children will probably end up with a nice inheritance

A Good Listen.

Celestial Navigation is not one of my favorite Anne Tyler books but definitely worth a listen. As in all of her books there are quirky characters .Jeremy is an agoraphobic.

The author does a good job making you feel what it would be like to live in his world.

The narrator is very good with just the right hesitation and stuttering necessary to

make the character believable and sympathetic. I wish the ending was a little less abrupt.

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Title: Pretty Woman

Author: Fern Michaels

Narrator: Johanna Parker

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-11

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 55 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Rosie Gardener and Vickie Winters were best friends, closer than sisters. Svelte and single Vickie only wanted the best for her friend - and she couldn't stay quiet when Rosie, overweight and unable to see her own worth, fell under the spell of Kent Bliss, a two-timing cad. The night before Rosie's wedding was the last time Vickie spoke to her - to warn her about Kent's true nature.

On her third wedding anniversary, Rosie realizes Vickie was right--and that the Porsche and other indulgences were her attempts to buy the love of a man who only cared about himself. Fed up with his mistreatment, she vows to change her life - by kicking him out. The next day, she begins a diet and exercise regime. But more life-changing news awaits: Rosie has the single winning ticket in the Wonderball lottery - and she's won $302 million.

With Kent ready to claim a share of her money, Rosie needs her friends more than ever. When Vickie returns to Savannah, Rosie learns the power of forgiveness. As she loses weight and works out under the eye of sexy personal trainer Jack Silver, a new Rosie emerges. This pretty woman is making a fresh start, and no one's greed or bitterness will stop her from jumping into life and love with a passion she didn't know she possessed.

Critic Reviews:

"Fern Michaels 'SHINES!'" (Publishers Weekly)

"Fern Michaels's characters are real and endearing, her prose so natural that it seems you are witnessing the story rather than reading about it." (Los Angeles Times)

Members Reviews:

very inspirational

I really enjoyed this title it was very inspiring and a feel good story I would recommend this book

Great Little Love Story

...a bit corny but entertaining none the less, listened to the abridged version first then the full version and it was far better than the first!

Cute

This was a cute fun book to listen too. The store was inspirational. The narrator had a calming voice which made it enjoyable.

Couldn't turn it off!!

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

Strong woman conquers!

What did you like best about this story?

The evolution of Rosie

What about Johanna Parker???s performance did you like?

Well read, lovely voice.

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

Kept me hooked.

Any additional comments?

One of my very favorite Fern Michaels' books!

For the life of me....

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

The story was dry... it needed some flare to it.

What could Fern Michaels have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I just could not get into her style of writing. I tried this out because of Johanna Perker, I am more of a Diskworld and Dresden gal I guess...

Which character as performed by Johanna Parker was your favorite?

Um... all of them Because Johanna Parker is a voice Goddess!!!

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Title: Glimpses

Author: Lewis Shiner

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-11

Publisher: Skyboat Productions

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 97 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Ray Shackleford is trying to deal with the death of his father and the collapse of his marriage when the impossible happens. Music that no one has ever heard before begins to play from his stereo speakers. It is only the first step on a journey that will take him to Los Angeles, London, Cozumel, and points far beyond, and bring him face to face with Jim Morrison, Brian Wilson, Jimi Hendrix - and his own mortality.

Critic Reviews:

"Shiner couldnt have written this book without a deeply felt sense of the fragility of art, of how many great works have passed into the ages never to enlighten, inform, or entertain new generations. Though the masterworks he conjures up in such exquisite detail are lost to us, we now have a bit of compensation for their absence: a masterpiece of the imagination called Glimpses." (Richard Foss, Los Angeles Reader)

"Glimpses has the raw power of a documentary, a nitty-gritty, minute-by-minute evocation of a highly personal journey. Glimpses captures the sixties perfectlyI was there, and it was the way Shiner writes it." (Dr. Timothy Leary)

"Shiner writes with intense feeling about the music Ray loves and the turmoil he endures. The novel sparkles with painfully perfect evocations of the yearning, anomie and need that wrack Ray, yielding a story of uncommon sensitivity, insight and redemptive power." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Moving, remembering, and being.

This is a wonderful book about a late 80s stereo repairman (Ray) who discovers that he can, through some kind of power of imagination and love of music, actually cause lost albums to come to be. A musical trip through the late 60s (The Beatles, The Doors, Brian Wilson) as Ray re-lives both his own youth and the time and character of the musicians who made the music which provided the soundtrack to a tumultuous era. In the present, Ray is dealing with the death of his distant father, the tenuous threads which hold his marriage together, and coming to terms and some form of understanding with both. Stefan Rudnicki's narration is (as always) rich and resonant, capturing's Ray's voice and grounding the book in a dry, gravelly baritone which suits it perfectly. This is an authentic book of a time that was and of timeless music that almost was, and true human characters moving between them. I enthusiastically recommend it.

Can Rock & Roll really change the world.

What did you love best about Glimpses?

Lewiss tales of a time bending rock fan gives us an intimate look at rock legends as well as a realistic portrayal of a middle aged man whose faith in rock and roll to change the world is put to the ultimate challenge.

Interesting premise but stinker of a story

Ray Shackleford has a gift that just pops up out of nowhere one day - the ability to bring to life classic recordings that were abandoned and never saw the light of day. One day he listens to the Beatles and re-sculpts the sound coming through the speakers. No explanation given as to how this happens, and everyone he tells about this gift just believes him on face value. No skepticism, no questioning and soon enough an old record company executive hires him to make bootleg CD's.

He goes on to bring to life albums thats were abandoned by The Doors, Brian Wilson and Jimi Hendrix.

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Title: Shall We Dance

Author: Maggie Alderson

Narrator: Stephanie Daniel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-24-11

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Loulou Landers is about to turn 49 and she's feeling seriously overlooked. She hasn't had a relationship for 20 years, her 21-year-old daughter Theo is giving her the cold shoulder, and is that really a bunion making it so painful to walk, or is Christian Louboutin losing his touch? Theo can't see what her mum is so hung up about. It's only another birthday. And she has more important things to think about - mainly herself. For not only is Loulou permanently single, but so is Theo despite her legendary good looks. But over the course of a summer, everything changes. Two men set out to get both women back in the love game. The only problem is that both mother and daughter keep their burgeoning romances secret from each other. Because, in each case, there's a 30-year age difference. And that's only one of the issues.

Members Reviews:

Shall we...say it's just OK?

Interesting view of vintage and fashion business. The story was a mother and her vitriolic daughter as they consider exploring sexual relationships with with men with 20 year age differences to them. It was OK, would not consider reading it again. The daughter character was particularly annoying to listen to. I don't think I would read another book by this author. So really I did not like the story much.

Shall We Dance

I read Cents and Sensibility by this author and loved it. The narrator was great. Assuming this book would be as good I made a mistake for once I did not listen to the sample. Big mistake.

This book is terrible I can't believe anyone would agree to print it! The story is boring, and mind numbing. Do not waste your time.

The narrator is woeful. She starts off talking as a 21 year old girl sounding like a 5 year old absolutely pathetic constantly changing this character's voice. I have listened to over 60 audiobooks and this is the only one I am finding hard to finish I am trying but skipping a lot.

ABANDONED AT CHAPTER 2

Would you try another book written by Maggie Alderson or narrated by Stephanie Daniel?

Unlikely that I'd buy another book written by Maggie Alderton but, most certainly, I would never buy one narrated by Stephanie Daniel

Has Shall We Dance put you off other books in this genre?

No

Would you be willing to try another one of Stephanie Daniels performances?

Absolutely not

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

Such irritation I abandoned it very early on. The dialogue for the daughter was more appropriate for a ten year old. The performance for the daughter sounded more akin to the most irritating four year old. I honestly feel bad giving such a poor review but it was appalling.

Worth no stars ,but it wouldn't let get away with it

I thought this was had worst book I have to ver listened to. Tried over several evenings but couldn't like it at all.

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Title: Love, etc

Author: Julian Barnes

Narrator: Steven Pacey, Alex Jennings, Clare Higgins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-13-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 35 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In Talking It Over, Gillian and Stuart were married until Oliver - witty, feckless Oliver - stole her away. In Love, etc, Julian Barnes revisits Stuart, Gillian, and Oliver, using the same intimate technique of allowing the characters to speak directly to the listener, to whisper their secrets, to argue for their version of the truth Love, etc is a compelling exploration of contemporary love and its betrayals.

Members Reviews:

witty, clever, but not engaging

I like Barnes' writing, admire it too, but this somehow never grabbed me. Maybe the characters are too up themselves and thereby unsympathetic? But not to say unbelievable and maybe fairly typical of some members of the chattering classes. So, I loved the wit, thought the narrators did a good job of translating the unusual structure of the book into an enjoyable listen - but, ultimately, didn't give adman about the story itself.

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Title: The Box

Subtitle: Tales from the Darkroom

Author: Günter Grass

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-18-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Once upon a time there was a father who, because he had grown old, called together his sons and daughtersfour, five, six, eight in numberand finally convinced them, after long hesitation, to do as he wished. Now they are sitting around a table and begin to talk

In a great literary experiment, Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass writes in the voices of his eight children as they record memories of their childhoods, of growing up, and of their father, who was always at work on a new book, always at the margins of their lives. Memories contradictory, critical, loving, accusatorythey piece together an intimate picture of this most public of men, a shadowy but loving figure. There is one constant though: Marie, a family friend and photographer whose snapshots taken with an old-fashioned Agfa box camera provide the author with inspiration for his novels. But her images offer much more; they reveal a truth beyond the ordinary detail of life, depict the future, tell what might have been, and grant the wishes, in visual form, of those photographed. Maries camera thus becomes a way for Grass to speak in the voices of his childrens hidden selvestheir dreams, their disappointments, their secret desires and fearsand to see his own life from unexpected perspectives.

Recalling J. M. Coetzees Summertime and Umberto Ecos The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, The Box is an inspired and daring work of fiction. In its candor, wit, and earthiness, it is Grass at his best.

Critic Reviews:

Grasseloquently opens up his life, once again, to public scrutiny. (Publishers Weekly)

This work continues Grass attempt to capture his autobiography in fictionHere, he is in his eighties, reconstructing his life through the memories of his eight children (Library Journal)

"It may not be a memoir, but it is an exercise in soul-searchingthis is a novel of great humility, questioning whether the measure of a life really is a lifes work... [Grass] shows a remarkable willingness to kick a hole in the usual self-importance of a prize-winning author." (The New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

The characters of Gunter Grass

I cannot stop thinking about "The Box" and the diverse people involved in Gunter Grass's book. It is a simple tale that intrigues the mind. How can a plain box camera be the leading character in a story? What does the 'box' represent? It is a story for thinking souls.

Th Box: Tales from the Dark Room

Gunter Grass does an excellent job of transporting us to the kitchen table to listen and get engaged in the lives of his children. Fascinating and absorbing!

Send me the book

You never sent me the book. Send it to me and I will write a review

Robert Gilbert

"Once upon a time...

... a father, because he was getting old, gathered his children..."

Thus opens Günter Grass's venture into the genre of quasi-memoir. Imaginatively blending family chronicle with fairy tale, Grass moves constantly along the fine line between the real and the magical worlds. Taking the innovative approach of imagining his life being "critically assessed" from his children's perspectives, he is free to reveal some intimate insights into his private life, his work in progress, and his relationships, while keeping others hidden from view.

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Title: Sunset Bay

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Renee Raudman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 202 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

L.A. accountant Megan Greene has a successful job, a handsome cardiologist fiancé, and a doting father. Surely they make up for her estranged sister and hypochondriac mother... and a niggling sense that something, somewhere, got lost along the way. But then Megan's life falls spectacularly apart. Faced with the knowledge that neither her father nor her fiancé are the men she thought they were, she is loath to trust Travis - the high school boyfriend who never quite left her heart. But his reappearance stirs dreams she once reluctantly packed away, and forces her to confront her relationship with her sister - a bond that has been strained to the limit but has never quite broken. And amid the turmoil lies the promise of a future Megan never expected - one that may turn out to contain everything she really needs....

Members Reviews:

Cute Listen

Sometimes with Susan Mallery it is a hit or miss. Sunset Bay is a hit. The characters are well written and I really liked the family interaction (very disfunctional.) The only part I thought was strange was the father's reaction to his daughter and their broken relationship that didn't seem to mend. I don't want to say too much or I'll spoil the book. Over all a great book and Renee Raudman did a good job with narration. Worth a credit.

Awesome!

This is Susan Mallery how I remember her from her Buchanan series. Good character development with flawed, believable characters. Not every hero in life is a secret (or open) millionaire. Travis was just a normal guy, and he only had the depth of his feelings for Megan to recommend him. There were several secondary characters that you either loved or loved to hate. There were even a few that were totally transformed from your original opinion, which isn't easy to do and still be believable. Overall, this was a great story, and it was all topped off by a talented narrator. Not at all a waste of a credit!

Just OK

The "at odd sisters who come together as adults" part was good but the demented narcissistic mother and "dad- who-became- not- my-dad" characters were cardboard and really stupid, right to the bitter end. Read it if you have nothing else better, but definitely not my favorite... I have read much better by Susan Mallery

Great book!

I've listened to most of Susan Mallery's books, and this is one of my fav's. I usually like books in a series, so I have listened to all of Mallery's series books. Sunset Bay definitely ranks up there with the Buchanan series. Characters are believable, love talk is not too cheesy, and there is an engaging, unexpected storyline.

I have heard the narrator in other books, and really like her. She's no Therese Plummer, but better than a lot of others!

Definitely worth the credit!

Predictable

I was very excited to listen to this but was let down almost immediately. Simple errors were distracting - for example LeeAnn is 13 then 10 years later she is 25. Too much is given away in the book description. Character development was poor. I would not recommend this book.

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Title: Elizabeth Gaskell

Subtitle: The Short Stories

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrator: Richard Mitchley, Ghizela Rowe, Eve Karpf

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-13-10

Publisher: The Copyright Group

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Elizabeth Gaskell is equally well known as Mrs Gaskell. When her mother died, she was three months old and she was sent to live in Knutsford, Cheshire with her Aunt Hannah, this setting would become the basis for her novel Cranford.

At 22 she married and settled in Manchester to raise her family. Friends with Charlotte Bronte she went on to write her biography and was also highly regarded by a certain Charles Dickens who published her ghost stories in his magazine.

Much of her work views the emerging industrial society of Victorian England through her own moral and religious values and has an uncanny ability to look at and report on the many strata of society.

This collection of Stories; Right At Last, Sextons hero & Hand And Heart are read for you by Richard Mitchley, Eve Karpf and Ghizela Rowe.

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Title: Never Say Never

Author: Lisa Wingate, Johanna Parker

Narrator: Peggity Price

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-04-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 35 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From best-selling author Lisa Wingate comes Never Say Never, an enthralling blend of small-town charm and wholesome romance. Kai Miller has never put down roots and doesnt intend to change. Yet when a hurricane evacuation brings her to Daily, Texas, she begins to reexamine her tumbleweed ways. After meeting Kemp Eldridge, she can almost see herself settling downuntil her dreams are dashed when she hears hes promised to another. But locals have learned to never say neverespecially when Aunt Donnetta is cooking up a scheme.

Members Reviews:

Slow start, but worth finishing.

There was so much "southern"dialect listening to this book I just about quit in the first 15 minutes. The first half of the book is SLOW, but by the second half (if you can tolerate the narrators depiction of a southern hair dresser) you come to like the characters. The authors tell a story about sourthern life and the people living there. It is full of "southern" sayings and cliches' but if you can overlook them you'll like the characters and will probably feel like you have known someone like them.

Fun, inspiring Read

What made the experience of listening to Never Say Never the most enjoyable?

Lisa Wingate is a master wordsmith. Her writting puts the reader in the center of the story, inspires and entertains the reader.

What other book might you compare Never Say Never to and why?

Any of Lisa's other novels. Each is unique, yet continually excellent.

Which character as performed by Peggity Price was your favorite?

Cyi Miller is a real person in an event that has struck many of us latey...the storm. Wingate shows the inspirational as it often truly is, whispers of God 's love and grace.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. Although one of the characters became irretating at times. I felt like rushing past them.

Any additional comments?

If you want Romance and good values, Lisa Wingate is excellent!

Great book

I can across Lisa's books by accident and quickly became hooked. Her use of words and ability to create a story that wraps you up with the characters is amazing. At times I wonder how she can create such a word picture. I've read and listened to a lot of books and hers are some of if not the best.