Large Library of Full Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical New Releases

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 Testament of Mary

Author: Colm Tóibín

Narrator: Meryl Streep

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-14

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2013

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of The Testament of Mary, the powerful new novel by Colm Tóibín, read by Meryl Streep.

From the author of Brooklyn, in a voice that is both tender and filled with rage, The Testament of Mary tells the story of a cataclysmic event which led to an overpowering grief. For Mary, her son has been lost to the world, and now, living in exile and in fear, she tries to piece together the memories of the events that led to her son's brutal death. To her he was a vulnerable figure, surrounded by men who could not be trusted, living in a time of turmoil and change.

As her life and her suffering begin to acquire the resonance of myth, Mary struggles to break the silence surrounding what she knows to have happened. In her effort to tell the truth in all its gnarled complexity, she slowly emerges as a figure of immense moral stature as well as a woman from history rendered now as fully human.

Colm Tóibín's The Testament of Mary is the moving story of the Virgin Mary, told by a novelist famous for writing brilliantly about the family.

Colm Tóibín was born in Ireland, in 1955. He is the author of six novels, including The Blackwater Lightship, The Master (both of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize), and Brooklyn, which won the Costa Novel Award, and two collections of stories, Mothers and Sons and The Empty Family.

Editorial Reviews:

"This is a short book, but it is as dense as a diamond. It is as tragic as a Spanish pieta, but it is completely heretical...Tóibín maintains all the dignity of Mary without subscribing to the myths that have accumulated around her" (Edmund White, Irish Times)

"A beautiful and daring work...it takes its power from the surprise of its language, its almost shocking characterization" (Mary Gordon, New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Beautiful writing, beautifully read

If you could sum up The Testament of Mary in three words, what would they be?

Poetic, painful, important

What did you like best about this story?

The Testament of Mary invites the reader to see the events of the New Testament through the eyes of the woman at the centre of everything who is so often overlooked. As an atheist with an interest in theology, I expected to find the content interesting, knew that the writer was of an excellent quality and know that I really enjoy Meryl Streep's work (who doesn't?!) - yet I did not expect to feel so moved. This is a deeply personal story of woman who's narrative is, in so many ways, dictated by the men around her. I loved it.

Which character as performed by Meryl Streep was your favourite?

The story is told entirely from the perspective of Mary in the last few days of her life, looking back. Streep performs the part expertly.

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

Yes, absolutely - though (perhaps particularly as this story is not a long one) I don't want to ruin anything.

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: Invasion U.S.A., 1942

Author: Loren Robinson

Narrator: Michael Taylor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-10-14

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

What if, as a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the entire Pacific fleet of the U.S. Navy was destroyed, aircraft carriers and all. What if, the Japanese hadnt been stopped in the South Pacific Islands and finally invaded the western shores of the United States. Here is a new, fictionalized, World War II scenario based on assumptions obtained from military historians and advisors. This is what could have happened in 1942 if the outcome of history had been different....

Members Reviews:

Can't belive this is a published book !

I don't often write reviews and really enjoy the books I get on Audible but this one is a joke. The first one I just couldn't finish.

The writing was juvenile to say the least, characters nothing but thin, and sometimes frankly racist, stereotypes. Worst of all this is an alternative history novel, one of the requirement is that it be believable, both as an historical possibility and in the scope of the tail. This story is just nonsense and fails those requirements in the first 10 minutes.

My children honestly write better prose than this and if audible actually read these reviews I would want my money back for this dud. Don't buy it !

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 Last Sunrise

Author: Robert Ryan

Narrator: William Hope

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-21-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The real history of World War IIs most daring fighter squadron is the inspiration for this riveting novel of adventure and romance in the Far East.

Three years after the liberation of Singapore, transport pilot Lee Crane is finally ready to leave. The Berlin airlift is on, and theres decent money to be made if you possess both your own plane and a practiced disregard for safety. One last drink with his Indo-Air fly buddies at the Long Bar in Raffles hotel and Crane is gone. Then he sees her: The tall, beautiful redhead he had every reason to believe was dead. If Elsa is aliveand still angry, judging by the sock to the jaw she greets him withwhat else might Crane have gotten wrong about the past?

In 1941, Lee Crane was a Flying Tiger, one of dozens of American pilots recruited to join the Chinese Air Force in the fight against the Japanese. Wild in the air and on the ground, the Tigers broke hearts all over Burma, and Crane was no differentuntil he fell in love with a stunning Anglo-Indian widow. But in the chaos of war, Crane lost track of the woman of his dreams, and spent the next seven years convincing himself it wasnt meant to be. Now a chance encounter with another long-lost beauty has him ready to plunge back into the past, praying he will come up with a different answer this time.

Members Reviews:

reminds a liitle bit of old good writings of Hammond Innes or Alistair Maclean

Fast paced, interesting, a little bit predictable plot, reminds a liitle bit of old good writings of Hammond Innes or Alistair Maclean, but style more modern.

Four Stars

An interesting period in history played out in a little known and extreme geographic area.

Four Stars

enjoyed reading this book

Did not disappoint

Pleasantly surprised. Well written a real page turner with action suggested sex and a plot to finish that will keep you guessing.

Flying Tigers, The Hump, Espionage - Adventure

I couldn't help but read this book envisioning it as TCM Classic in black and white or sepia from the 40's. In my mind I envisioned the characters as Bogie, Bacall, or Van Johnson or some other of the greats of the golden era. I really enjoyed this read. The China-India-Burma theater of war and the Flying Tigers and flying the "Hump" all wrapped around espionage and a excellent romance, adventurous plot. - Again. this is superb story which could very well have happened during WW2. I hope to find more novels like this. Now, I am going to have to add this author to my to-be-read pile.

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: God Speed the Night

Author: Dorothy Salisbury Davis, Jerome Ross

Narrator: Laura Raynor Sauriat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-20-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Hailed by the New York Times as "a book you will not readily forget", this World War II adventure tale of a nun who risks her life to help a Jewish couple escape Nazi-occupied France is the collaborative creative effort of Grand Master of crime fiction Dorothy Salisbury Davis and award-winning television writer Jerome Ross.

It is harvest season in St. Hilaire, and for those who take their living from the land, it should be a joyous time. But in the fall of 1943, there is no joy in France. Paris has fallen, the Vichy government is collaborating with the Germans, and the Gestapo roam the countryside, conscripting French men to toil in faraway German factories. For Sister Gabrielle, a novice in the local convent, the occupation tries her faith as nothing has before. But she is about to get an opportunity to stand up to evil in a way that few of her countrymen have dared.

Marc and Rachel Daridan arrive in St. Hilaire just a few steps ahead of the secret police and throw themselves on the mercy of Sister Gabrielle and the other nuns at the Convent of Ste. Genevive. In a time when doing right can mean death, this devout young woman takes on a risky, seemingly impossible challenge.

Members Reviews:

Nun vs Nazis

I don't usually read books set in WWII, and I don't remember where I picked this one up. A short novel, 224 pages, it tells the story of a nun, Sister Gabrielle, who is impelled by compassion to take the place of a sick Jew, Rachel, so she can obtain the medical care she needs. When Rachel dies, Gabrielle continues to take her place until her husband can get over the border to freedom.

Her life in constant danger, Sister Gabrielle's faith is tested as never before. The suspense is high, and the reader is never sure how the book will turn out until the last page. A strange and memorable character study.

The language is concise and beautiful. My favorite genre is WWII homefront and Ms

I read a lot of DSD in the 70's. This book is riveting. The characters are fully drawn. The language is concise and beautiful. My favorite genre is WWII homefront and Ms. Davis is superb. I still wonder where Maman went?

Four Stars

Excellent example of WWII fiction written by someone who experienced the angst of those times.

Not very interesting, slow moving

Had to make myself finish the book. The lack of character development had me not really caring what happened to any of the characters. I just wanted the book to end. And this was a book that involved many of the subjects/time periods that I find most interesting to read and learn more about, so I was very disappointed.

suspenseful Vichy cat-and-mouse game

I've been reading Dorothy Salisbury Davis' novels, and I'm struck by how different they are from one another.The Judas Catreminds me of a grown-up version of a Penny Parker mystery;A Death in the Life (The Julie Hayes Mysteries, 1)resembles an old-fashioned cozy;Scarlet Night (The Julie Hayes Mysteries, 2)is a heist tale the equal ofOcean's Eleven (2001), whileLullaby Of Murderseems like something penned by Sidney Sheldon.

With "God Speed the Night," Davis, in collaboration with Jerome Ross, veers in yet another direction: a World War II French Resistance novel. Sister Gabrielle, a novice at the Convent of Sainte Geneviève in St.

Hören Sie sich dieses volle Hörbuch kostenlos bei https://hotaudiobook.com

Titel: Die Wanderapothekerin (Die Wanderapothekerin 1)

Autor:: Iny Lorentz

Erzähler: Anne Moll

Format: Unabridged

Spieldauer: 15 hrs and 20 mins

Sprache: Deutsch

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 02-28-14

Herausgeber: Lübbe Audio

Bewertung: 4 von 5 von 2 Stimmen

Kategorien: Fiction, Historical

Zusammenfassung des Herausgebers:

Ein mutiges Mädchen, eine abenteuerliche Reise, ein mörderischer Feind.

Süddeutschland, 18. Jahrhundert: Wanderapotheker ziehen aus Thüringen mit ihren Heilmitteln durch halb Europa. Zwei von ihnen haben vor vielen Jahren einen wertvollen Goldschatz gefunden. Während Martin seinen Anteil versteckt hat, ist seinem Bruder Alois nichts davon geblieben. Verzweifelt versucht er, Martin zur Herausgabe seines Anteils zu bewegen. Als dieser sich weigert, kommt es zu einem tödlichen Streit.

Alois glaubt sich bereits am Ziel seiner Wünsche, doch er hat nicht mit dem erbitterten Widerstand seiner Nichte Klara gerechnet. Durch den Verlust des Vaters sieht Klara sich, ihre Mutter und ihre Geschwister in tiefste Armut stürzen. Um das zu verhindern, will sie nach Rudolstadt gehen, um Fürst Ludwig Friedrich um Hilfe anzuflehen. Sie muss dafür einen Weg wählen, auf dem bereits zwei junge Frauen spurlos verschwunden sind. Obwohl die Bewohner der Umgebung glauben, dass der Teufel seine Hand im Spiel hat, lässt Klara sich nicht beirren. Dies ist jedoch nur die erste von vielen Gefahren, denen sich die junge Frau stellen muss...

©2014 Knaur (P)2014 Lübbe Audio

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 Roving Party

Author: Rohan Wilson

Narrator: Shaun Grindell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-25-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

1829, Tasmania. John Batman, ruthless, single-minded; four convicts, the youngest still only a stripling; Gould, a downtrodden farmhand; two free black trackers; and powerful, educated Black Bill, brought up from childhood as a white man - this is the roving party, and their purpose is massacre. With promises of freedom, land grants, and money, each is willing to risk his life for the prize. Passing over many miles of tortured country, the roving party searches for Aborigines, taking few prisoners and killing freely, Batman never abandoning the visceral intensity of his hunt. And all the while, Black Bill pursues his personal quarry, the much-feared warrior Manalargena.

A surprisingly beautiful evocation of horror and brutality, The Roving Party is a meditation on the intricacies of human nature at its most raw.

Members Reviews:

Transported to another world and time

Where does The Roving Party rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

One of the very best

What did you like best about this story?

Story is very spare and the language very rich.

What does Shaun Grindell bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Very authentic accent and expertly read. He made the experience real.

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

Many moments. The descriptions were so vivid and so beautifully wrought, I could smell, feel, hear, and taste them. I want to luxuriate in the language of this story again and again.

Any additional comments?

You need subtitles with explanations of the idiomatic conversational language of the people in this story. May be one reason to read the book to see the speech in print but you still won't understand some of what they are talking about. Like going into the swamps of Louisiana and trying to understand Cajun.

Unbelievably narration; pitiful, dark writing

What did you like best about The Roving Party? What did you like least?

This was a "telling" of two cities with a narrator that puts in a stellar performance but unfortunately is reading a pathetic story. I have been an audible listener for a long time and this was one of the best narrated book I that have ever heard; hats off to Shaun Grindell as this narrator was a master at changing his voice to mimic the speaker's accent. Unfortunately the story line was just too dark, meaningless, and pathetic to fully enjoy. Spoiler alert...it's a story of one group of people hunting and torturing another group of people for no apparent reason. We get lot of gory descriptions of human upon human cruelly, but these come with very few insights into why these people behave like animals. All people who are students of the world know that bad things happen. Non-stop vivid descriptions of these does no good to anyone without an explanation into the mindset of why these things happen.

I guess I now know that Australia has had bad people do bad thing to the indigenous populations just like many other places around the planet; unfortunately I wasted almost 8 hours of listening to gleam this obvious fact with no further explanation. Oh well, at least I heard and thoroughly enjoyed one of the next great narrators of books.

Would you ever listen to anything by Rohan Wilson again?

Very unlikely. It will be a long time before I seek out Australian literature again.

What about Shaun Grindells performance did you like?

This guy is the real deal.

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: Whisper at Dawn

Author: Frank Coates

Narrator: David Tredinnick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-01-14

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

At the dawn of the 20th century, young Dan Sullivan signs on to fight the Boers, but discovers war has horrors beyond the battle fields. In East Africa, a railway crosses a land with an unimaginable throng of wild animals. It is the golden age of the white hunter - men whose exciting lives entice rich hunters to go in search of big, dangerous game.

After many failed attempts, old Bill Freeman sees his chance to make his fortune as a hunter and convinces Dan to join his fledgling safari company. Bill's young granddaughter, Liz, falls in love with Dan and with Africa - but tragedy forces her to return to Australia. Years later, as the shadow of the Great War falls across the continent, Liz returns to Africa and the man she has dreamed of since childhood. But Dan has secrets that threaten to shatter their love, and he must finally decide what courage truly means.

Members Reviews:

out of africa

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

yes it is well read and a good storyline

What did you like best about this story?

the australian larrikin style and easy going flow of the story

What about David Tredinnicks performance did you like?

he seems to bring the people to life

If you could take any character from Whisper at Dawn out to dinner, who would it be and why?

elizabeth she sounds a very nice person to be with

Amateur

People likened this book to a Tony Park,

Maybe if you read something written by Tony in fifth grade, this could have been a great story but it ended up as a letdown

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: Remember Me When

Subtitle: A Woman of Hope Novel, Book 2

Author: Ginny Aiken

Narrator: Barbara McCulloh

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-21-14

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Inspired by the biblical story of Abigail in 1 Samuel, a Christian woman stands up for what is right, despite life-threatening consequences. When Faith married her husband Roger Nolan he seemed to be an upstanding businessman, owner of a remote mercantile outside the town of Bountiful, Oregon. But Faith quickly learned the truth - that her husband is dishonest in his business practices and likes his liquor, turning mean when he indulges. When Faith discovers that Roger has yet again failed to deliver critical winter supplies to Nathan Bartlett, owner of the nearby logging camp, she takes the order up the mountain herself. Furious, Roger confronts Faith when she returns, and she is knocked unconscious. When Faith wakes, she finds Roger dead in a pool of his own blood, and she soon stands accused of murder. Having fought in the War Between the States, Nathan has seen enough violence to last a lifetime. He has always admired Faith's quiet strength and integrity and finds it hard to believe such a gentle woman capable of harming anyone. However, Nathan begins to struggle with his instinct to protect Faith when evidence mounts against her. As more and more people begin to think Faith is guilty, only her trust in God can give her the hope she needs to survive this trial.

Members Reviews:

Hope ... her name and her greatest need

Our heroine loses her parents in an Indian attack. She has no other family or close friends in the area so she makes a poor decision and jumps into a marriage to the epitome of worst. husband. ever. 3 years later her life is left with very little "Hope" ... and she is embroiled in a murder trial; believed guilty by most and pleading for strength, mercy, and hope from her Heavenly Father. Well written, book 2 in the series but could easily "stand alone" . I enjoyed it, and even though I made a strong case (in my mind) regarding "who done it?" I admit I was wrong and was truly surprised by the actual results once they were finally figured out; AFTER the trial and verdict were decided.

Remember Me When: A Woman of Hope Novel

This is a fine read for the one who longs for a story of the Goodness of God. The treachery of men, and the power of love. I recommend this for a young reader, one who doesn't need the story line to be too complicated. A story that delivers a "Happily Ever After," We all need to believe if we live and love as Jesus did, we won't ever have to worry about the end of the story. Our story is eternal and indeed "Happily forever and ever," long past time, no more sorrow, no more pain, with our Savior we'll remain.

For Faith, the heroine in this story we see her happiness and rejoice that God knew the plans He had for her, plans for good and not for evil.

I wanted to like this

I enjoyed the first book in this series, however the 2nd was very slow and boring to me! I had paid for all 3 books and I am hoping that the 3rd is better! I needed more interaction of characters and less repetitive dialogue with Theo and others. They just kept repeating what happened over and over again! Painful read!

Exciting adventure

Kept me on the edge of my chair. It kept me in suspense all through the book. I love the way the author loves the Lord. I loved the happy ending.

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: Rough Passage to London

Subtitle: A Sea Captain's Tale

Author: Robin Lloyd

Narrator: David Beckett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-20-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Lyme, Connecticut, early nineteenth century. Elisha Ely Morgan is a young farm boy who has witnessed firsthand the terror of the War of 1812. Troubled by a tumultuous home life ruled by the fists of their tempestuous father, Ely's two older brothers have both left their pastoral boyhoods to seek manhood through sailing. One afternoon, the Morgan family receives a letter with the news that one brother is lost at sea; the other is believed to be dead. Scrimping as much savings as a farm boy can muster, Ely spends nearly every penny he has to become a sailor on a square-rigged ship, on a route from New York to London - a route he hopes will lead to his vanished brother, Abraham.

Learning the brutal trade of a sailor, Ely takes quickly to sea-life, but his focus lies with finding Abraham. Following a series of cryptic clues regarding his brother's fate, Ely becomes entrenched in a mystery deeper than he can imagine. As he feels himself drawing closer to an answer, Ely climbs the ranks to become a captain, experiences romance, faces a mutiny, meets Queen Victoria, and befriends historical legends such as Charles Dickens in his raucous quest.

Members Reviews:

Patrick O'Brien fans will love this book!

As a die-hard Patrick O'Brien fan, I was thrilled to read a tale so well written of the seamen and life of commercial sail in the mid 1800s. No huge ship to ship battles, but as all Patrick O'Brien fans know, it's the intimate details of daily life at sea and shore, the arrivals and departures, the challenges of weather, crew, passengers and ships that we seek to experience and enjoy from the comfort of our arm-chairs, beach-chairs or bed. The search for a lost brother is a nice way to add a sense of mission to the writing, which moves along quickly from shore to shore. Robin knows his history and his ships, and his ability to take us back to that time is terrific!

Swift Atlantic Transit(s)

A very well-written novel and a terrific read. In the interest of full disclosure, I have had the distinct pleasure of several golfing weekends with the author. When he told me of his first venture as a writer (as compared to a journalist), I was politely intrigued. During a 40-minute ride back from one of our outings that ended in a downpour that would have scarcely dampened Captain Morgan's oilskins, I learned of Robin Lloyd's passionate quest for first-hand knowledge of his seafaring ancestors.

I purchased the book and fully expected it to be much like the numerous Patrick O'Brien sagas that so intrigued my own father. Delightedly, I can truthfully say it was that...and so much more. This was a book I had great difficulty putting down.

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: Leaving Everything Most Loved

Author: Jacqueline Winspear

Narrator: Julie Teal

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-13

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

London, 1933. Two months after an Indian woman, Usha Pramal, is found murdered, her brother turns to Maisie Dobbs to find the truth about her death.

Not only has Scotland Yard made no arrests, they failed to conduct a full and thorough investigation.

When another Indian woman who was close to Usha is found murdered, Maisie is pulled deeper into an unfamiliar yet alluring subculture.

Critic Reviews:

"I'm a huge Maisie Dobbs fan" (Lee Child)

"Maisie Dobbs has not been created - she has been discovered. And what a revelation she is!" (Alexander McCall Smith)

"An absorbing read" (Observer)

Members Reviews:

Reminiscences of times long past

What made the experience of listening to Leaving Everything Most Loved the most enjoyable?

Lots of things. The thoughtfulness of the book. The complexity of the characters, slowly revealed, beautifully read indian accents. The mixture of colours and smells...

If youve listened to books by Jacqueline Winspear before, how does this one compare?

I listened/read all of them. They all have the quality of savouring. If you are looking for a lot of action, blood and fear, these are not the books for you. It took me a while to get into Jacqueline Winspear's books, sometimes the main character (Maisie) got on my nerves. Here, i had a feeling she was more in the background and it made the book all the more interesting for that.

Have you listened to any of Julie Teals other performances? How does this one compare?

No. But i would certainly like to. I loved her "male indian characters" voices. Well done.

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

Yes. The description of the english wife of an old indian friend of Usha, the one who embraced her husband's culture. Beautifully done.

Any additional comments?

Yes, a warning - Maisie's character is an acquired taste. Give yourself time, i think the novels deserve it. Perhaps it would be good to start with some of the previous books, this one kind of wraps up one period in Maisie's life....