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Title: I Smile Back

Author: Amy Koppelman

Narrator: Lauren Fortgang

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-08

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

We live in an era that believes in the idea of rehabilitation and counts on the possibility of redemption. The thing is, not everyone gets better and even those who find salvation often leave a wake of destruction behind them.

In the follow-up to her acclaimed debut, A Mouthful of Air, which drew comparisons from critics to The Bell Jar and The Awakening, Amy Koppelman delivers an unrestrained statement on the modern suburban woman.

Laney Brooks acts out. Married with kids, she takes the drugs she wants, sleeps with the men she wants, and disappears when she wants. Lurking beneath Laney's composed surface is the impulse to follow in the footsteps of her father, to leave and topple her family's balance in the process.

Critic Reviews:

"This crushing novel by the author of A Mouthful of Air is a shocking portrait of suburban ennui gone horribly awry. Koppelman's prose style is understated and crackling; each sentence is laden with a foreboding sense of menace. Like a crime scene or a flaming car wreck, it becoems impossible not to stare." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Dark and Unapologetic

This is not a feel-good story. Laney Brooks is selfish, self-destructive, and twisted. However, the raw honesty of her character kept me (mostly) on her side while providing a dark glimpse into the seedy underbelly of a struggling housewife's facade.

Not as good as her first-but worth a try!

After being blown away by "A Mouthful of Air" which was so detailed and moving, and yet not an upper, this doesn't really compare. I think the first book blew this one away and set the bar very high. Definitely a sad subject but the depth of character didn't seem to be quite the same as the first book. Will not give up on author....lots of potential!

Harsh tale

Annoying main character

Great Book

To say the very least, this book can be depressing. It's not a happy story, nor a happy ending. But, for anyone who has know someone who is like the main character it is an interesting insight to how their thinking processes work. I was very close to someone like this for many years. I was the person she talked through all her stuff with. Listening to this book brought very sad memories to mind, but also very happy ones. At the very least the book helps you to see things from their prospective even if the actions are inexcusable. I will just say the book hit home.

not worth your time

This book is depressing not because of the story, but because the reader realizes they wasted a credit on drivel and time listening to it they'll never get back.

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Title: Thank You, Jeeves

Author: P. G. Wodehouse

Narrator: Nicolas Coster

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-08

Publisher: Phoenix Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 94 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Thank You, Jeeves is the first novel to feature the incomparable valet Jeeves and his hapless charge Bertie Wooster, although within page, Jeeves quits on account of Bertie's disastrous banjo-playing. In high dudgeon, Bertie disappears to the country as a guest of his chum Lord "Chuffy" Chuffnell, who naturally employs the services of the recently resigned Jeeves. Along the way, we meet a memorable cast of characters including Bertie's ex-fiancee Pauline, her formidable father, and the eminet looney-doctor Sir Roderick Glossop. When Chuffy falls in love with Pauline, chaos ensues...until Jeeves step in to save the day.

(P)2008 Phoenix Audio

Members Reviews:

Great Story, Just Not This Recording

This is a typical Wodehouse book; very humorous. However, the recording must be old, as the voice reading the text is muffled and difficult to understand.

Good Story, but narrater

Would you try another book from P. G. Wodehouse and/or Nicolas Coster?

I would definitely get another PG Wodehouse, but never another Nicolas Coster.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

As with most Wodehouse, the descriptions the main character uses to paint a picture of people and situation are hysterically funny. But you'd never know it from the performance here.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Nicolas Coster?

No one- he's terrible.

Any additional comments?

Jonathan Cecil is the best narrator for Wodehouse books.

delightful!

Bertie and Wooster are such fun. cheers for Wodehouse. i was particularly impressed with the single narrator taking on ALL the character parts, each distinctive and completely in character. excellent listen.

Who doesn't love Jeeves?

Okay, so maybe the narrator sounded a bit old to be narrating this, but it was still very enjoyable. You can't beat P.G. Wodehouse for a light and fun read.

Poor reading

The reader is too old to read Bertie and Jeeves. His voice is craggy and he makes no effort at voice characterization. And he mumbles.

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Title: The Accidental Diva

Author: Tia Willams

Narrator: Cherise Boothe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-24-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Beauty Director of TeenPeople magazine, Tia Williams has also contributed to YM, Elle, Glamour, and Lucky. She makes her debut as an author with the hilarious and poignant novel The Accidental Diva. Intelligent and gorgeous, Billie Burke is a workaholic who hasn't paused since she set her sights on the top editor position at a premier beauty magazine. So far, her ambition has effectively curtailed her personal life - but now that just might change. Falling headfirst into a sexy and addictive affair with a man named Jay Lane, Billie has no idea his past will threaten their budding relationship.

©2004 Tia Williams; (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Loved it!

A great production of a great book. Loved the narrator and adored the story. I am fast becoming a huge Tia Willia!ms fan!

Solid book

The book it self is good but it seems to have space fillers to me. Like it brings up things that don't seem to be relevant just to reach a page minimum. But overall the book was a good one.

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Title: Sweet Georgia Brown

Author: Cheryl Robinson

Narrator: Caroline Clay

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-23-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Her popular novels include If It Ain't One Thing. Here listeners meet Georgia Brown, a housewife of 11 years who is married to a radio personality who might be having an affair. Georgia is fed up and set to break out on her own. But when her husband puts her on the air to tell "her side" of their story, she discovers she likes it behind the mic. And this will have major consequences for their marriage.

©2008 Cheryl Robinson; (P)2008 Recorded Books

Critic Reviews:

"fresh and exciting." (The Charlotte Post)

Members Reviews:

Made Me Think About My Own Dreams

Things aren't going very well for Georgia and Marvin Brown when the story begins, and to have to put up with Marvin's dad, because they're living in his house, isn't helping their situation one bit. But Marvin, who has a heart to make people laugh, isn't giving up on his dream of becoming a successful comedian, and his wife, Georgia, is doing all she can to support him. Things get better for this couple, but then everything changes... And then, there's Corliss, a thirty-one year old single mother with a story of her own.

This is the first book I read by Cheryl Robinson. I decided to purchase it when I read one of her blog posts where she mentioned that she envisioned T.D. Jakes when she wrote the church scene in the first chapter. She also mentioned that Georgia Brown was a spiritual woman. Knowing these things, it's not like I was expecting this story to read exactly like Christian fiction, but I didn't think there would be so much profanity and numerous detailed sex scenes. I have read many novels with that content, but my tastes have changed through the years, and I'm not into them anymore. When I saw the first line in this story, my first thought was to close the book and move on to another one, but then I figured that if the author listens to the teachings of T.D. Jakes there had to be a positive message somewhere in this story, so I gave it a chance (skipping the sex scenes and doing my best to overlook the s*** and f*** words, which I cannot stand), and I'm glad I did. All in all, this was a good read that made me laugh at times, and the positive message was certainly there. By the end of the story I was thinking about my own dreams and goals.

Where the Right Woman Triumphs, With Dignity

Georgia Brown starts off this excellent novel as a patient, obedient, loving wife to her aspiring comedian husband, Marvin. She defends him to his parents, who they live with, along with their two sons, while he tries to make it in the big time. She struggles with a loser job and living in cramped quarters, but believes wholeheartedly in Marvin's dreams.

Then, thanks to winning a game show, his dreams come true. Where they were once turned away from the palatial homes they'd coveted, now they live in one, drive fancy cars, and don't want for money. Yet, neither are truly happy.

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Title: Julie and Romeo Get Lucky

Author: Jeanne Ray

Narrator: Jeanne Ray

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-17-08

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Julie Roseman and Romeo Cacciamani know a thing or two about good fortune. For generations, their families were rival florists and bitter enemies. Then Julie and Romeo met by chance, just as each became single again. Even more miraculous, they fell in love.

Three years later, Julie and Romeo are still blissfully happy. They don't often get a quiet moment alone, and rarely manage a night - quiet or otherwise - in the same bed, but Julie feels blessed by what they do have: true love, wonderful jobs, and houses packed to the rafters with family. Romeo's ninety-three-year-old mother, his son Alan, Alan's wife and their three children live with him; Julie's daughter Sandy and her family - including Sandy's Willy Wonka-obsessed daughter, Sarah, and their cat - live with her. The odds of Julie and Romeo getting a few days of peace together seem about as likely as winning the lottery.

But their wish comes true - with a twist - when an injury puts Romeo flat on his back in Julie's room. Spending days in bed may sound heavenly, but with Romeo on pain pills, initially as comatose as Juliet in her tomb, the reality is less romantic. Then Julie's other daughter, Nora, drops her own crisis on her mother's doorstep. Now Julie has to figure out how to run two flower shops, take care of an ever-expanding household, nurse her beloved Romeo back to health, tackle Sarah's fixation with lottery tickets, and keep her daughters from regressing into full-scale teenage bickering. And Lady Luck has one more surprise in store....

Wonderfully witty and unerringly wise, Julie and Romeo Get Lucky is a smart, heartwarming story of timeless love and family loyalty, and a reminder that if you suddenly get everything you ever wished for, the only thing to do is live happily ever after.

Members Reviews:

A Fun Book about People Over Sixty

The sequel to Julie and Romeo. I enjoyed it. Jeanne Ray is funny, and like her daughter, Ann Patchett, she's a good writer (just not as serious.) I appreciate her for beginning a writing career in her 60s, after working all her life as a nurse. And I especially appreciate her for getting mad, like me, about the lack of novels featuring adults over 60, who have their own unique journeys to undergo.

Romeo and Julie Get Lucky And So do You

I really enjoyed the book. I had read the first book, Romeo and Julie, so I knew a little about what the book was about. I knew the characters in the book, and was cheering them on or worried about them. There were enough surprises that I could not have predicted what was to come at the end of the book - on the very last couple of pages of the book. I don't know if Ms. Ray can come up with a sequel, but I will be first in line to get it.

Outstanding!

This author has proved to be one of my favorite of all time. Easy to read, fun and will have you laughing throughout the whole book.

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Title: Acts of Malice

Subtitle: Nina Reilly #5

Author: Perri O'Shaughnessy

Narrator: Laural Merlington

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-11-08

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

As Nina prepares to defend her client, she has no idea that this case will lead her into a terrifying confrontation with a psychopath or threaten all that she holds most dear. She never expects to witness the perplexing and tangled set of loyalties and alliances among the Strong family.

Further complicating matters is Assistant District Attorney Collier Hallowell, back from sabbatical. Determined to put Jim Strong behind bars, he's equally resolved to pick up romantically where he and Nina left off - and to take their relationship in a completely new direction.

Members Reviews:

No Empathy for Nina Reilly

I've read 6 of the Nina Reilly books (one out of sequence). I like the authors' writing style, the balance between Nina's professional and personal struggles and dynamics, plot development and most of the character development, I find myself increasingly irritated by Nina's character and more unlikable with every book I read. I keep reading because of the story lines, and I keep hoping she'll grow on me. However, this book disappointed me. In real life, I realize there are people who are career driven to the exclusion of all else, who are impulsive, have blind spots and make poor judgments. We are all flawed. But the combination of those flaws in Nina Reilly just annoy me no end. The way she uses Paul, blowing hot and cold, while not calculating, leaves me cold. He's a convenient tool for her when she needs him professionally or sexually but she exhibit little caring for him outside of her own needs. In this book, I find her rushing into a marriage with Collier, despite the conflict of interest and ethical dilemmas, to be the mark of an unstable, insecure person (she goes from being independent and self-reliant to "I need to be married right now....a man to complete me" mentality). While others may see her as vulnerable, I just see her as weak and overly impulsive. For someone driven by her career, I find this lapse of judgment in the middle of a case involving Collier to be incredulous. What finally turned me off completely was despite both she and Collier knowing this guy is a psychopath and bent on hurting Nina through her loved ones, and despite have a sheriff's deputy to guard them, and resolving to stay in their cabin over the weekend under safety of cover,, just because Bob wants to get out in the snow, they just all impulsively decide to throw caution to the wind, and go merrily out into the wilderness to frolic in the snow. It wasn't just impulsive, it was stupid to the point of insanity. The fact that Collier died as a result of this foolishness......I was just disgusted. Just came away thinking the stupid bitch got what she deserved. It left me with a hollow, dissatisfied feeling, with a total lack of respect for the grief she brought upon herself and others because of her own recklessness and disregard. Yes, most of us can live in denial, as demonstrated by Philip Strong, but his blind spots, along with Nina's, brought a host of devastation that was completely preventable. I may be the only person developing a marked distaste for who Nina Reilly is, but I'm going to take a break in continuing with the series. At some point I hope the authors decide to take her on a path of growth where she learns from her mistakes, instead of continuing to make these egregious mistakes.

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Title: Things I Want My Daughters to Know

Author: Elizabeth Noble

Narrator: Patience Tomlinson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-07-08

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Lisa, in her mid-thirties but incapable of making a commitment; or Jennifer, trapped in a stale marriage. Twenty-something Amanda, a traveller and always distanced from the rest of the family. And Hannah, a teenage girl on the verge of womanhood, about to be parted from the mother she adores.

But by drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with her loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy life with all the passion and love each deserves?

Members Reviews:

Enjoyable but slightly disappointing

I did enjoy this story - I love detailed characters that I can get involved with - but by the end, I felt that there was something missing.

I wanted more 'advice', I needed more closure for the characters I had got to know - I didn't feel that the story was finished but perhaps that was the point!

Having lost my own mum, I wanted to hear some real words that would resonate and at times, the emotions were really on the button and there was some great use of sensitive, evocative language - and yet, I was still left wanting.

This is definitely worth a read/listen but ask too much of it.

Lovely

This story started off a little slow but then you can't help but to get involved in the lives of all the characters in this audiobook. Being one of 4 daughters also, I could really relate to the relationships in this book. The story was heart-warming and at times quite emotional. If you fancy a light (but not chick-litty) listen, this is a good one!

Well this one surprised me!

Not really into chicklit and hummed and ahhhed before downloading. At first I thought I'd made a mistake, but it really turned out to be interesting. Well drawn characters (though the younger daughter seems to alter dramatically overnight), and an interesting twist. Not as melancholy as you might expect. I always find a good sign is when I start talking back to the iPad, and I did with this! If it sounds as though it might appeal to you, I'd say give it a go.

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Titre: La rêveuse d'Ostende

Auteur: Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Narrateur: Pierre Arditi

Format: Unabridged

Durée: 6 hrs and 25 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 09-16-08

Éditeur: Audiolib

Evaluation: 4.5 sur 5 sur 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Résumé de l'éditeur:

Pour guérir d'une rupture sentimentale, un homme se réfugie à Ostende, ville endormie face à la mer du Nord. Sa logeuse, la solitaire Emma Van A., va le surprendre en lui racontant l'étrange histoire de sa vie, où se conjuguent l'amour le plus passionné et un érotisme baroque. Superbe mystificatrice ou femme unique ?

Cinq histoires où Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt montre le pouvoir de l'imagination dans nos existences. Cinq histoires suggérant que le rêve est la véritable trame qui constitue l'étoffe de nos jours.

Pierre Arditi, en virtuose accompli, vous emmènera très loin avec ces histoires dont le souvenir ne vous quittera plus.

L'auteur

Diplômé de l'École normale supérieure d'Ulm et agrégé de philosophie en 1983, ce passionné de musique et de littérature, auteur de pièces de théâtre adaptées à l'étranger, écrit des romans depuis 1997. Éternel aventurier des domaines littéraires, maintes fois récompensé,

est un personnage incontournable du paysage culturel français.

Le narrateur

Après des débuts au théâtre,

triomphe au cinéma sous la direction d'Alain Resnais, dans

en 1979. Depuis, il se partage entre théâtre, télévision et cinéma. Comédien prodigieux, il est un acteur de premier plan de la scène artistique nationale.

© Antigone, 2007. Ouvrage publié aux Editions Albin Michel

© Audiolib 2008

Revues par les critiques:

La presse en parle

"Encore une fois, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt réussit à piéger le lecteur en beauté."

Delphine Perras, L'Express

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Title: The Good Wife

Author: Stewart O'Nan

Narrator: Laural Merlington

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-04-08

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 49 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Across the county, a phone rings in a darkened bedroom, waking a pregnant woman. It's her husband. He wants her to know that he and his friend have gotten themselves into a little trouble. So Patty Dickerson's old life ends, and a strange new one begins.

At once a love story and a portrait of a woman discovering her own strength, The Good Wife follows Patty through the 28 years of her husband's incarceration as she raises her son, navigates a system that has no place for her, and braves the scorn of her community.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a story of ordinary lives and small graces. O'Nan's refusal to dress things up (or down) is part of the charm of this clear-sighted, uncompromising novel." (Amazon.com)

Members Reviews:

The Good Wife BLOWS, Chunks!

I've been an Audible customer for over three years and I've listened to hundreds of books. This is my very first review. OMG, I'd have rather had my ear drums gouged out with a pencil. I only listened to it all to "get my moneys worth". That ain't ever going to happen with this listen. I cringe at having to give this even one star but it's required to complete a review.

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Title: The Sirens of Baghdad

Author: Yasmina Khadra

Narrator: Jason Collins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-21-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Consumed by the desire for vengeance, the youth leaves for the city, where he is taken in by a radical group. After proving his mettle in several attacks, he is entrusted with a super-secret mission, which he struggles to reconcile with his moral principles.

A masterful look at the effects of violence on ordinary people, The Sirens of Baghdad explores the depths of human nature as it confronts the most horrific circumstances.

Critic Reviews:

"[P]erhaps the most frighteningly plausible doomsday scenario yet to appear in fictional treatments of this seemingly insoluble crisis. And if it doesn't scare the hell out of you, you're not paying enough attention." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Unfortunate Translation and Narration

A fascinating account made almost unbearable by the poor English translation and ridiculous narration. The English translation is Americanized colloquial and entirely unrealistic. Worse yet, the voices created by the narrator are tragic, including Omar with a California "surfer dude" accent. Very distracting considering the gravity of the subject matter. What a disappointment.

very sad

The story is very sad, it is as heartbreaking as the whole war was. I thank the Lord every day now that the Iraq war is finished. For this alone Obama should be reelected. The last eight years has left so many people broken and has left holes in the lives of too many people, including my own, and all of it was for WHAT? We should have probably never been there. Saddam Hussein was the tyrant that the Iraqis chose; why was it our business to remove him? For the sake of the Jews? This is the only answer I can think of. Screw the Jews. Let them fight their own wars with middle eastern tyrants.

Now if the president would only end the damn war in Afghanistan then we could put this entire mess into the garbage can of history where it belongs.