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: Sky Dancer

Author: Witi Ihimaera

Narrator: George Henare

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-07-14

Publisher: Penguin Books NZ

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A fine novel from Witi Ihimaera in which a great story about a feisty teenager is interwoven with a dazzling trip through Maori mythology.

Stroppy teenager Skylark O'Shea is on holiday with her mother at a town on the coast. But all is not what it seems. What is the threat facing the town and the birds of the forest? Where do the two old charismatic Maori women Hoki and Bella fit in?

Skylark becomes embroiled in a prophecy that much to her dismay involves her in an extraordinary journey. Soon she is pitting her wits in a race of breathtaking dimension, a dazzling trip through Maori mythology.

This novel by Witi Ihimaera is fascinating and unique. At one level it is a romp and a rollercoaster ride that sometimes reminds you of Lord of the Rings. At other levels it is a brilliant accomplishment of combining this with new ways of exploring Maori myth.

Members Reviews:

not Ihimaera's best book, but it's far from bad

Witi Ihimaera is a well-known NZ author; outside of New Zealand, he's probably best known as the author of Whale Rider, made into a film a few years back. He's also one of my favourite NZ authors, although he writes of a world I never saw any more than glimpses of, growing up. I think perhaps that's a lot of what fascinates me; how there could be this whole entire world existing right alongside ours, all the time, and yet all we ever saw were displaced edges, thrust into classrooms and learnt by rote, or glimpsed in passing but never understood. I think probably this sort of thing occurs wherever you have one culture alongside another; even as some merging occurs, some deeper parts just never seem to transfer over.

Sky Dancer is an interweaving of the mythic and the prosaic; on the one thread, we have a portion of the Maori creation myths, where the god Tane opens the gates of Heaven for the birds to claim the land and the sea; and on the other thread, a young woman in modern day NZ fleeing with her mother to small-town Tuapa, trying to escape her mother's problems.

The threads cross in a prophecy written in the Great Book of Birds, and handed down from mother to daughter amonst the handmaidens of Tane: that in the third year of the second millennium as it is counted by Man, Armageddon will come; the sky will open, and birds of the future will stream through to fight once again the Great Battle where the seabirds, the manu moana, will challenge for dominion over the land birds, the manu whenua. However all is not hopeless; as well as this second chance granted to the seabirds, Tane will send to the landbirds a chick to assist in the battle - the young woman, Skylark O'Shea. Who, as it turns out, is contrary, antagonistic, and doesn't believe a word of any of this...

Sky Dancer is the story of how the first battle between birds, but mostly of the second; of how it came to be that it was to be fought at all; of how a reluctant Skylark was dragged along to help fight a battle she didn't believe was anything more than a myth, helped along by an assortment of characters across the length of the country, and hounded by seabirds at every step.

It's not Ihimaera's best book, but it's far from bad. The plot falters here and there - gets a little too caught up in intermissions, and a little too preachy here and there - but overall, it's a good read; and if you like discovering myths and stories of other cultures, then it's a very good book for this.

Écoutez ce livre audio dans son intégralité gratuitement sur https://hotaudiobook.com

Titre: L'élixir d'amour

Auteur: Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Narrateur: Odile Cohen, Adrien Antoine

Format: Unabridged

Durée: 1 hr and 24 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 06-11-14

Éditeur: Audiolib

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Résumé de l'éditeur:

"L'amour relève-t-il d'un processus chimique ou d'un miracle spirituel ? Existe-t-il un moyen infaillible pour déclencher la passion, comme l'élixir qui jadis unit Tristan et Iseult ? Est-on, au contraire, totalement libre d'aimer ?"

Anciens amants, Adam et Louise vivent désormais à des milliers de kilomètres l'un de l'autre, lui à Paris, elle à Montréal. Par lettres, tout en évoquant les blessures du passé et en s'avouant leurs nouvelles aventures, ils se lancent un défi : provoquer l'amour. Mais ce jeu ne cache-t-il pas un piège ?

Observateur pertinent des caprices du cœur, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt explore le mystère des attirances et des sentiments. Un excellent duo d'acteurs interprète ce dialogue amoureux à distance, tout en nuance et en finesse, où se dévoile peu à peu la violence occultée des sentiments.

©2014 Éditions Albin Michel (P)2014 Audiolib

Avis des membres:

Two Stars

déjà lu, déjà oublié c'est dire, en fait juste une rapide production pas digne de l'auteur

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: Casting About

Author: Terri DuLong

Narrator: Kate Udall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-10-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In this beautifully crafted and uplifting novel, the author of the acclaimed Spinning Forward welcomes listeners back to the lush Florida island of Cedar Key, where the vibrant shades of hibiscus and azaleas are the perfect backdrop to a colorful, quirky community.

In the four years since Monica Brooks moved to Cedar Key, she's found a home, a husband, and now a business to love. Taking over her mother's bustling knitting shop is a welcome challenge, but Monica's exciting plans are waylaid by unexpected news. Her husband's ex-wife has been deemed an unfit mother, and custody of their eight-year-old daughter, Clarissa, is to be transferred to Adam.

Going straight from honeymoon to motherhood - especially when she's unsure she wants children - leaves the normally even-keeled Monica doubting herself at every turn. Yet in a place like Cedar Key, nobody goes it alone. With help from friends and relatives, Monica, Clarissa, and Adam begin to forge a close-knit family of their own - one that will need to be strong enough to withstand all the surprises set to unravel....

Members Reviews:

Another Cedar Key hit by Terri DuLong

Great series of a loving community of people in Cedar Key that will keep you wanting more & more of a continuing generation running a yarn shop.

Wonderful!

This is my 3rd book in the series.

I listened out of order.

Have enjoyed all 3.

Based on these 3, I know I will love listening to the others.

Narrator has clear and pleasant voice.

Highly recommend this series.

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: Stranger Than Kindness

Author: Mark Radcliffe

Narrator: Nathaniel Tapley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-09-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

There is a fine line between madness and magic. It is 1989 and Community Care is about to reboot the industry of psychiatry. In a soon-to-be-closed asylum a bruised nurse, Adam Sands, is feeling less like a purveyor of kindness and more like a concentration camp guard with every passing drink. Years later Adam has got used to the quiet life when his past finds him. Maybe this time he can do some good. Even make a difference. But redemption, like magic, can come from the strangest of places.

Members Reviews:

Extraordinarily subtle and affecting story

Adam and his colleagues work in an asylum targeted for closure in the late 1980's. All are concerned about the welfare of the patients who are about to be transferred into care in the community, but some intentions are more benign than others. After a single terrible event the story is transported into the present time and the characters are all brought together again by a series of peculiar events. What transpires is a credible and hugely satisfying resolution.

The author (not to be confused with the identically named broadcaster) has worked in mental healthcare and so there is a stamp of authority in his description of life in an asylum and the lives and indignities suffered by the patients. This is a serious subject but the story is told with humour and style and with a group of vivid and engaging characters. I finished listening to this a few days ago and I still find myself thinking about it. I expect this is one of the few books I will go back to again.

A very engaging novel

Any additional comments?

The narration by Nathaniel Tapley is very well done. The story is pretty engaging, I found it a little hard to follow at times and left me utterly confused at the end though. I think I have to listen to this book again. All in all I'd recommend listening to this book though and I'm looking forward to listen to more books by Mark Radcliffe.

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 Pure Gold Baby

Author: Margaret Drabble

Narrator: Julia Franklin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-14

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Anna is a child of special, unknowable qualities. She is a happy child, always willing to smile at the world around her. But she also presents profound challenges. For her mother Jess, still in her early 20s, living alone in North London and hoping to embark on an adventurous career, her arrival will prove life-transforming.

Over the course of decades, in ways large and small, Anna will affect the lives and loves of those around her. While Anna herself will remain largely unaltered by the passing years, she will live through a period of dramatic change, her journey illuminating our shifting attitudes towards motherhood, responsibility and the way we care for one another.

Members Reviews:

Five Stars

Good service and Drabble is always a favorite.

Écoutez ce livre audio dans son intégralité gratuitement sur https://hotaudiobook.com

Titre: Muchachas

Auteur: Katherine Pancol

Narrateur: Marie-Eve Dufresne

Format: Unabridged

Durée: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 04-28-14

Éditeur: Audiolib

Evaluation: 4 sur 5 sur 6 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Résumé de l'éditeur:

Les filles sont partout dans ce roman. Elles mènent la danse. De New York à Paris, de la Bourgogne à Londres ou à Miami. Des filles qui inventent, s'enflamment, aiment. Des filles qui se battent pour la vie.

Et les hommes ? Ils sont là aussi. Mais ce sont les muchachas qui dansent, dansent, dansent. Elles font voler les destins en éclats. Et ça n'en finit pas !

Par l'auteur de la saga des Crocodiles, une trilogie au succès mondial. L'interprétation de Marie-Eve Dufresne ne laisse rien échapper du rythme endiablé de ce roman où les femmes font valser les destins.

©2014 Éditions Albin Michel (P)2014 Audiolib

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: Wicked Games

Subtitle: A Jane Lawless Mystery, Book 8

Author: Ellen Hart

Narrator: Aimee Jolson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-08-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Jane Lawless has worked hard to make her Minneapolis restaurant a success, and she's finally reaping the financial rewards. Yet even the demands and excitement of being a popular restauranteurs and living the good life don't bring the same satisfaction they once did. Jane needs a bigger challenge. A mystery to solve. The thrill of the chase...

When Jane rents her quaint third-story apartment to a new tenant, children's book author Elliot Beauman, she unwittingly opens the door to a sinister, decades-old mystery that has been waiting patiently to unfold - in her own house. Meanwhile, Jane assist a detective in tracking down clues about her new neighbor, Patricia, whose husband died mysteriously. Patricia is eager to become friends, or more...even though she knows Jane is immersed in a long-distance relationship with the attractive but secretive Dr. Julia Martinsen. little does Jane know that a strange man upstairs, an attractive neighbor, and a volatile love affair are just the beginning of her problems.

Members Reviews:

Do Bears Eat Raw Meat?

Yes, that is a question seriously asked by the Cordelia Thorne character. Funny thing is I've known my share of artistic types, including those devoted to the theater--attended high school for a year with actor Aasif Mandvi--and all of them were pretty conventional people. None were that dense in other subjects.

This character, however, shines at the end of "Wicked Games". Ellen Hart's well written characters, the good as well as the villains, were what made this particular Jane Lawless mystery so enjoyable.

They're very close to people I've actually known, including the burned out teacher. I briefly worked with a burned out history teacher. There's definitely a regular reader of this series & possibly a visitor to the Twin Cities here.

Wicked-ly Good Reading

In my review for Hart's An Intimate Ghost, I swore off the Jane Lawless series, as the end was unsatisfying. But, in the mystery section of my local library, a few Jane Lawless books were available and I couldn't pass them up! I am so glad I checked out Wicked Games, because it was such an awesome read. Hart's description of autumn in Minnesota is breathtaking, with the bad and good weather combined. A nice treat was Jane and Cordelia sunbathing on an unusually warm day in October. Then, up in a remote part of the state, Jane's lover, Julia, reports an early snow. Details of the weather, along with succinct descriptions of places and highways, add to the suspense in Wicked Games.

Jane has more than one mystery to solve. Try four or five! She's got a mysterious new tenant. A new neighbor, who happens to be the tenant's kid sister, has a CRUSH on Jane, and lets her know it. Then there's the mysterious bones found on Jane's property- whose are they? And then Jane discovers a few suicides that seem to be more than coincidence. And, finally, why is Jane's lover, Julia, soooo mysterious? Mystery mystery mystery for Jane and best friend/partner-in-sleuthing , Cordelia Thorn.

Jane is an awesome sleuth, chef, friend, and sister. Cordelia is the kooky best friend who will do anything for Jane. Bean is the adorable little pet dog of Jane, and you will just want him to curl up in your lap as you read these pages.

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: Mister Brother

Author: Michael Cunningham

Narrator: Jonathan Davis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-12-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunninghams (The Hours, By Nightfall) critically-acclaimed short story "Mister Brother" first appeared in Duke University's DoubleTake magazine and was included in the 1999 O. Henry Prize Stories.

Mister Brother investigates the relationship between two brothers, a relationship that sustains the fairly universal complication of sibling rivalry. This particular rivalry, however, turns out to bear lifelong consequences neither of the boys could possibly have foreseen.

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: Falling Stars

Author: Sadie Grubor

Narrator: Nicole Colburn

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-14

Publisher: Book Nerd Revelation

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 35 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Christopher Mason, front man of the band The Forgotten, is hot, famous, and everything you would expect from a famous rock star. He's cocky, demanding, beautiful, and pained. Despite his fame and beautiful bad boy appearance, he's battling age-old demons on the inside. Demons so powerful, they have the potential to destroy him and his band. He's the ultimate falling star. Something so beautiful within the atmosphere, but so hazardous when trying to catch. You always wish on a falling star, but is all hope lost?

Mia Ryder, lead vocalist of the band Hushed Mentality, is energetic, fun, and laid-back. The good-girl rocker willing to tame this falling star. Her band just made it big and fighting the temptation is hard. She's handling lesser demons of her own. Give in to this bad boy or live for her band? Being everything that Christopher isn't may just burn her in the end.

Determined to get rid of the girl group plaguing his tour, Christopher will do almost anything. Mia fights him head on, causing a cataclysm of stars to shoot into the most beautiful performance of falling stars. Every dog has their day, will Christopher's behavior become enough to bring this dog down? Within the downfall, Christopher Mason becomes sure of one thing, and it's the one thing he's tried so hard to push away. Will Mia be strong enough to catch a falling star?

Members Reviews:

Is the bad guy really bad?

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

Yes. It is entertaining, enjoyable, pulls on your emotions, and isn't a formula plot.

What did you like best about this story?

How dabilatated Christopher is by his mental and behavioral problems. The descriptions of his ordeal are pretty accurate. Loved how Christopher was determined to have his needs met no matter what. He's a sweet, arrogant, obnoxious guy in love but doesn't know it.

Which character as performed by Nicole Colburn was your favorite?

Not one in particular, but Christopher was entertaining.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Beauty and the beast.

Any additional comments?

Good story. Christopher's personality and mentality is awesome. The women are not hand-wringing, simpering little girls awed by fame.

AMAZING!!! LOVED IT!

Would you consider the audio edition of Falling Stars to be better than the print version?

I would have loved to read the printed version.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Falling Stars?

There were so many memorable moments so hard to choose from. But, the one that stand out is when Christopher was able to share his ugly passed with his doctor and Mia. When Mia and Christopher finally got together.

Which character as performed by Nicole Colburn was your favorite?

Nicole did a great job with Mia voice and the rest of Mia's family. I didn't like her voice for Christopher, it didn't fit the picture in my mind. There should have been two narrators for this book, I would have recommended Sebastian York.

If you could rename Falling Stars, what would you call it?

No, that's a perfect name for the book. Christopher was Mia's falling star.

Any additional comments?

I would love to see a movie out of this story.

love

the narrator could have gotten some words right. it was still good though. love it.

book is great performance is not

Would have been a great one with a different performance. love the story though.

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: Cat Out of Hell

Author: Lynne Truss

Narrator: Mike Grady

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-27-14

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 32 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A cottage on the coast on a windy evening. Under a pool of yellow light, two figures face each other across a kitchen table. A man and a cat. The story about to be related is so unusual yet so terrifyingly plausible that it demands to be told in a single sitting. The man clears his throat, and leans forward, expectant. 'Shall we begin?' says the cat.

Critic Reviews:

"A truly inventive comic writer." ( Irish Times)

Members Reviews:

Purr-fectly Middle

I was first drawn to the story because of the author's extremely famous Eats, Shoots & Leaves, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Cat Out of Hell is definitely an odd, unexpected journey with some humorous moments, but not driven by humor as I was expecting.

This story wasn't bad exactly, but it took a bit for me to get into it; I found the beginning with Wiggy slow and preferred when the story switched to Alec. Honestly, I get the feeling that the humor is a bit too British for my American understanding. Of course that is really not the writer's fault since she's British.

Just so unique, well told, and about cats. What else could you want?

The narration was fantastic. I've read some reviews that didn't like the first part. I'm not sure why. For me, it was so refreshing to find a story line that's so off the beaten path and the characters (feline or otherwise) were great. I see there is another in the series that I plan to start right away!

Enjoyed this book

I may never look at my cat in quite the same way. The humor was British, but if you prefer the BBC version of Sherlock, you'll be a step ahead in your appreciation. Loved the characters and the narration. Well done!

Unusually gripping

I would like to say this whole story is the most peculiar and I would congratulate Lynne Truss on the genious of her imagination. I could not really tell from reading the initial introduction of this book what the whole content would be and yet it was funny, sad, hideous in some places, (especially the description of the library room), and I would say that although the story initially, for me, appeared to be a lighthearted story about a speaking cat, is a very sinister and dark murder that you know would just make a great television film. Mike Grady narrates the book well and is clear and easy on the ear. Cat Out of Hell is a brilliant title and just about describes the book perfectly, however, I did not really take it as seriously as the content of the book is. This book is not for pussycats, but I would highly recommend it if you are looking for something dark and satanic.

An unexpected pleasure!

I hadn't read anything by Lynne Truss before - I'd been rather wary of her as I wasn't that impressed by the excerpts I had read of her (in)famous grammar book. I found myself with an hour to fill and a generous free sample of 'The Cat out of Hell' that fitted the time available perfectly... and it hooked me totally! I hastily bought the rest of the book and enjoyed it enormously.

The narration is wonderful, especially the voice of Roger the cat. Recommended listen, especially for cat-lovers!