Listen to Most Popular Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary

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Title: The Twelfth Insight

Subtitle: The Hour of Decision

Author: James Redfield

Narrator: Bruce Thomas

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-17-11

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 117 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The fourth book in the Celestine Series, this is an adventure tale, both suspensful and contemplative, that builds on the insights introduced in Redfield's previous books. It describes a new wave of religious tolerance and integrity that is now silently arriving, in reaction to watching years of religious warfare and political corruption. The year 2012 is not about the end of the world; it is about the unifying life of everyday miracles. In this book, the very familiar Will returns along with our Hero, the narrator. There is an ancient document, but only fragments are available, and a global search has been unleashed to find the message and meaning of the document in its entirety.

Members Reviews:

Not as good as his other books

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed his other books and wanted to find out more. This one was not as good, I thought. It seemed like the author was trying to continue a good thing and had run out of interesting ideas. I did find his thoughts about new insights to be interesting but the story line to get there was flat.

I love Redfields Insights

What did you like best about The Twelfth Insight? What did you like least?

But this reader doesn't have the right voice for this character. I think if I would have listened to the first book by this reader I wouldn't have tried the second one. I put the speed setting on X2 just to get on with it. Bruce Thomas gives a slow dull delivery of what could be and should be a fun fast pasts adventure. Do yourself a favor and buy the hard copy of this one.

Thank you James Redfield for all you do !

Where does The Twelfth Insight rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

A perfect 10 !

Who was your favorite character and why?

John,Will

What about Bruce Thomass performance did you like?

Everything !

If you could take any character from The Twelfth Insight out to dinner, who would it be and why?

William James ,Will knows a lot about the insights.

Any additional comments?

Thank you !

Practical Implementation of Spiritual Tools

If you could sum up The Twelfth Insight in three words, what would they be?

Lots of people talk about spirituality, The 12th Insight gives practical advice and tools in fictional format. Very useful. And Bruce Thomas' narration was good too...differentiated the characters without overacting or melodrama.

Interesting story

The narration of this book was excellent. The characters were unique and the overall quality of the audio deserves 5 stars. Comparable to google play books it was exceptional. I enjoyed the story just for the simple fact it gives answers to the meaning of life and for a while there I had some, what seemed to be synchronised or meaningful coincidences. At this point any meaning to life is questionable as my life is incredibly rich with seemingly miracles yet I continue to struggle every day just for some peace of mind and security. So I have no idea how valuable this story was, just that it was interesting.

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Title: The Backup Plan

Author: Sherryl Woods

Narrator: Tanya Eby

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 12-28-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 330 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Its finally time for Dinah Davis to go home. The world-weary correspondent wants to settle down with the sweet guy she left behind in South Carolinas Low Country. Instead, shes confronted by his black-sheep brother, and despite her longing for serenity sparks fly.

How can she possibly trade her perfectly safe backup plan for a risk-taking guy like Cordell Beaufort after all the dangers shes already faced? But to Dinahs dismay backup plan or not her heart has its own ideas.

Critic Reviews:

Strong supporting characters, a vivid sense of place, and a strong appreciation for the past add to the appeal of Woods contemporary romance. (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Great Series!

I am currently listening to the third book in this series and I have to say, I'm really enjoying the trilogy. One of things I like about Sherryl Woods is that she writes intriguing love stories. Yet, while Dinah and Cordell have a lot of sexual chemistry, she writes about their chemistry without an over-reliance on sex scenes. This becomes even more obvious in the next two books. Tanya Eby serves as the narrator for all three books and does a wonderful job. She is consistent throughout the series. You can easily distinguish between the voices of the various characters. I found it easy to route for all of the main characters. This is a fun, leisurely listen. If you enjoy this one, you'll likely enjoy the next two.

Shallow

Very shallow story, a lot of sexual content, will know better next time I see one of this author's books.

A Romanti Treasure

This was my first novel by Sherryl Woods. I actually bought it because Tanya Eby was the narrator, and she always performs well, with an ability to use believable voices for each character. What an entertaining use of a credit! I have already purchased the next two books in this trilogy, and look forward to the continuation of the Charleston Trilogy.

I loved the story of Dinah Davis and Cordell Beaufort. No spoilers here...

"The Backup Plan" was an engaging and fresh romance that is sure to delight. Definitely credit worthy!

Good if you're looking for a (very) light read...

While I was listening to this trilogy (which by the way should definititely be read in order) I was trying to think of what the dialogue reminded me of and I finally figured out that it reminded me of my daughter's Babysitter's Club books! When the word 'cahoots' was used either in the 2nd or 3rd book in the series I finally figured it out.

I first listened to a book narrated by Tanya Eby in The Search by Nora Roberts and while I liked the story I wasn't crazy about what I can best describe as the nasal sounding voice of the characters.

I liked the narration better in this series and she does a great job with the different voices especially when they reappear in the 3 different books.

While the storyline in this book isn't boring it is a bit predictable. If you like books that really make you think and grab ahold of you you might want to pass on this series.

Yeah !!!!!

I have been waiting for this series to be recorded!!!! I love it! Bring on the rest!!!!!

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Title: The Descendants

Author: Kaui Hart Hemmings

Narrator: Jonathan Davis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1254 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Now a major motion picture starring George Clooney!

Matthew King was once considered one of the most fortunate men in Hawaii. His missionary ancestors who came to the islands were financially and culturally progressive - one even married a Hawaiian princess, making Matt a royal descendant and one of the states largest landowners. But now his luck has changed. His two daughters are out of control - 10-year-old Scottie has a smart-ass attitude and a desperate need for attention and 17-year-old Alex, a former model, is a recovering drug addict. His thrill-seeking and high-maintenance wife, Joanie, lies in a coma after a boat racing accident, and will soon be taken off life support.

The King family can hardly picture life without their charismatic mother, but as they come to terms with this tragedy, their sadness is mixed with a sense of freedom that shames them - and spurs them into surprising actions.

Critic Reviews:

"Matt's journey with his girls forms the emotional core of this sharply observed, frequently hilarious and intermittently heartbreaking look at a well-meaning but confused father trying to hold together his unconventional family." (Publishers Weekly)

"[An] audaciously comic début novel.... Hemmings channels the voice of her befuddled middle-aged hero with virtuosity, as he teeters between acerbic and sentimental, scoffing at himself even as he grasps for redemption." (The New Yorker)

Members Reviews:

Try it, you'll love it!

I came to this novel through watching a trailer for the movie by the same name. We'll have to wait a bit for the movie, but in the meantime, content yourself with this read. As mentioned in the book blurbs, the movie features George Clooney, and after watching some of the scenes unfold, when reading the book, his persona infuses every scene. To the complete advantage of the entire story, I will add.

This novel has that perfectly dissonant blend of humor and grace, of sarcasm and solemnity, and brilliantly handles all those "OMG what do I do now?" moments with unbelievable delicacy and with a moment-by-moment way of working things out. The added base note and a solid character in its own right is the lush ecosystem of the Hawaiian islands and their culture, and the main character's historical and emotional connection to that environment, where his family has lived and prospered for centuries. Not just another family drama in paradise! Read this one, you won't be sorry. And I think you'll enjoy the movie all the more.

Endearing story - No One Handle Death the Same

Death, cheating and love. What happens when a family has to deal with their personal world falling down, while the world moves forward.

Good book, I see why they made it into a movie. Sorry guys, no blood, gore, or gratuitous sex. This book just deals with a man trying to do the best he can, as he has to deal with emotions, and sometimes that is painful.

Not Sappy instead honestly elicits tears & laughs

I expected this book to be sappy, instead it was touching and funny with hardly a drop of sap. The characters are excellently developed, especially considering the novel is completely first person narrative. I came to know even the minor characters. This was a beautiful story of a family in decent, due to stress & sorrow, accident & adolescence, isolation & infidelity, betrayal & banality.

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Title: Legacy

Author: Danielle Steel

Narrator: Arthur Morey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-28-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 198 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

This compelling, centuries-spanning novel brilliantly interweaves the lives of two women - a writer working in the heart of modern academia and a daring young Sioux Indian on an incredible journey in the 18th century. The result is an unforgettable story of courage in the face of the unknown.

At the age of 38, Brigitte Nicholson has a job she likes, a man she loves, and a book on the womens suffrage movement that she will finish - someday. Someday is Brigittes watchword. Someday she and Ted, a rising star in the field of archaeology, will clarify their relationship. Someday she will have children. Someday she will stop playing it so safe....

As she struggles to regain her balance and plot a new course, Brigitte agrees to help her mother on a family genealogy project. In Salt Lake City at the Family History Library, she makes a stunning discovery - reaching back to the French aristocracy. How did Brigittes mysterious ancestor, Wachiwi, a Dakota Sioux, travel from the Great Plains to the French court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette - and into the arms of a French marquis? How did she come to marry into Brigittes family? What is the truth behind the tantalizing clues in the fragmented, centuries-old records?

Following the threads of Wachiwis life, Brigitte travels to South Dakota, then on to Paris, irresistibly drawn to this brave young woman who lived so long ago. And as she comes closer to solving the puzzle of Wachiwis journey, her previously safe, quiet life becomes an adventure of its own. A chance meeting with a writer of historical fiction, a new opportunity, and a difficult choice put Brigitte at last in the forefront of her own story.

Critic Reviews:

"[An] inspiring story about a frustrated woman who rediscovers her passion for life during a genealogical quest.... Steel splices in passages from Wachiwi's life--abduction by a Crow war party, traveling to France, surviving the French Revolution--to create a doubly absorbing romantic adventure." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

I Was Left Wanting

I fully wanted to love this book, having just completed the 18th century historical novels in the Outlander series. Legacy takes place in the same time periods, and covers some similar topics, but perhaps through no great fault of it's own, doesn't seem to go into either the Sioux or French 18th century history as much as I'd hoped.

Legacy skims the surface of both of these interesting cultures without spending enough time in either the past or the present to feel as if you've had your fill of either of the main protagonists and their situations. This may be due to my comparison to the 'Outlander' novels by Diana Gabaldon, which at a staggering 48 or so hours each, give detail free reign. Even the 'Lord John' novels, which are for length at least on par with Legacy, contain a great deal more detail and flavor of the period.

In the end, you're left a bit wanting, both for the color of the background environment (so much seems to have been skimmed over after the 18th century heroine arrives in France) and the relationships, both of which were supposed to be the driving force in the book.

Of the audio experience itself, I must say that I've been spoiled by the likes of Loreli King, Davina Porter and James Marsters who bring characters and events to life.

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Title: Fly Away Home

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Narrator: Judith Light

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-10

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 710 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

From the number-one New York Times best-selling author, a novel about three very different women who become friends while seeking refuge in an old beach house.

When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politicians wifeher hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At 57, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator.

Lizzie, the Woodruffs younger daughter, is at 24 a recovering addict, whose mantra HALT (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) helps her keep her life under control. Still, trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achievea husband, a young son, the perfect homeand yet shes trapped in a loveless marriage. With temptation waiting in one of the ERs exam rooms, she finds herself craving more.

After Richards extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.

Members Reviews:

Loved it!

This is the best book I have listened to in a long time. The characters are so fleshed out you will swear you've known them for years. Judith Light did an excellent job and I hope she'll be narrating books for years to come.

Fly Away Home

Very entertaining book that kept my interest, I enjoyed listening. The narrator is speaks with a soft voice that holds you attention. Very enjoyable listen!

Love Judith Light

I don't know if I would have liked this book as much as I did without Judith Light's narration. She did a terrific job. I especially loved her "Milo." I could relate to characters and events which may have increased the enjoyment. It was a great book to listen to on my way to and from work. Not much to think about, but interesting enough to hold attention. I hope the narrator does more.

Wonderful!

A well writtne story, spanning all age groups. I REALLY enjoyed this book and never wanted it to end.

Entertaining Enough

By now the story has become iconic: for a variety of reasons, a relationship ends, leaving the woman to grieve a while, and feel sad. She then starts a new program of losing weight, going back to school, travel, a new job, lunching with friends while she mourns, anything new will do. She becomes New And Improved Woman. In the course of one of these new pursuits, she meets a correspondingly wounded but willing New And Improved Man.

The two hit it off right away, have a brief hiatus during which they adjust their emotional gears, and then it's back in the saddle just in time for Christmas, Thanksgiving or some other holiday where everyone and his/her extended family get together. Maybe a pregnancy or two is thrown in for extra tears and joy. The novel ends with a joyous scene at the end, preferably with attenuated descriptions of food and decor, with everyone trotting out their New And Improved features.

It would be nice, just once, to read a novel where a New And Improved Woman ends up with simply herself, no match mate required.

Jennifer Wiener is a seriously funny and gifted writer even though her topics can seem a bit tired and passe.

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Title: The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ

Author: Philip Pullman

Narrator: Philip Pullman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-20-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 182 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is the remarkable new piece of fiction from best-selling and famously atheistic author Philip Pullman. By challenging the events of the gospels, Pullman puts forward his own compelling and plausible version of the life of Jesus, and in so doing, does what all great books do: makes the reader ask questions.

In Pullmans own words, The story I tell comes out of the tension within the dual nature of Jesus Christ, but what I do with it is my responsibility alone. Parts of it read like a novel, parts like history, and parts like a fairy tale; I wanted it to be like that because it is, among other things, a story about how stories become stories.

Written with unstinting authority, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is a pithy, erudite, subtle, and powerful book by a controversial and beloved author.

Critic Reviews:

Incendiary.... A small gem or, given its explosive story and exquisite artistry, a hand grenade made by Faberge. Pullman is a craftsman of the highest order. (Sunday Times, London)

Members Reviews:

Another anti-Church tour de force

This is brilliant conjectural history about the origins of the christian church. Pullman constructs 2 main characters: a brilliant scheming twin called Christ (messiah) and a truly holy twin called Jesus. This should be read by all Pullman lovers and by those who consider the christian church to incarnate both good and evil.

Powerful if flawed reimagining of Jesus' story

Two groups of readers should avoid this book. If you're a devout Christian who is just plain offended by any treatment of Jesus that departs from worshipful orthodoxy, the title alone has warned you not to spend your money. Equally, if you're a nonbeliever who has never read the New Testament and isn't familiar with the past century's worth of research into the historic Jesus, chances are this novel will bore you, and you'll have no clue why Pullman sometimes sticks close to the Gospels and sometimes departs radically from them.

But Christians aware of the historical complexity of Christianity, and non-Christians who are nevertheless moved and fascinated by the words and story of Jesus, should enjoy grappling with Pullman's "what if" experiments in this novel. On one level, twin brothers "Jesus" and "Christ" simply stand for the familiar opposition between the "historic Jesus" and the Christ that emerged as disciples coalesced into the early church and then a great Church that ruled an empire. The title is intentionally misleading, however: the "good" Jesus is shown to have all-too-human failings (unconcern for his family, the anti-Gentile prejudice of his day), while "scoundrel" Christ develops a complexity of character that recalls Dostoevsky's tragic figures.

Pullman's well-known atheism doesn't prevent him from having a deep respect for much of the career and teachings of Jesus, and his modern-English rendering of the Sermon on the Mount is especially powerful. Even the "bad guys" in the novel (roughly, speaking, organized religion and the theology of the Gospel of John) are admitted to have been essential parts of Western culture.

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Title: On Mystic Lake

Author: Kristin Hannah

Narrator: Susan Ericksen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 416 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

On the day her daughter leaves for college, Anne Colwater's husband of 20 years announces he wants a divorce. Her roles of wife and mother suddenly gone, Annie retreats to her childhood home of Mystic, Washington, to heal. There she finds her old friend Nick, suddenly widowed and unable to cope with his emotionally scarred young daughter, Izzie.

Annie agrees to look after Izzie, and soon finds herself caring for both father and daughter with a joy and passion she never expected - and she finds her love returned with a fervor she had never even hoped for. But love is never simple, and it is not until Annie learns a hard lesson from her own grown daughter that she finds the strength to claim the happiness she has earned.

Members Reviews:

Never been so disappointed

Given the ratings, I expected greatness. I rarely hate a book, but what a let down! The only thing great is the narrator -- Ericksen is always fabulous. By the end, I started to wonder if Hannah had filled this book with characters from her life, supposedly to honor them but subconsciously getting revenge by demonstrating how shallow, confused, and obnoxious they are. Where to start? SPOILER ALERT: The heroine is a doormat except when sequentially betraying cheating husband and then the "hero," her old friend/new love. Hero has emotionally and largely physically abandoned his needy preschooler, drinking to obliterate terrible memories and guilt (at least he has motivation). Heroine rescues and plays mother to hero & hero's needy child, sleeps with hero though knowingly pregnant by - and planning to return to - cheating hubby. Yeah, men always put up with that! After getting both dad and daughter dependent on her, she abandons hero and child. Why? She's such a dedicated mother! She wants to give her new child the same absent, cheater father she burdened her teenage daughter with rather than the basically good man and traumatized child she loves and who love her. It takes unbelievably wise 18-year-old daughter to point out reality for Mom. Unbelievable not because an 18-year-old can't be worldly, wise, perceptive and insightful (perhaps the author was the model for this perfection), but because it would be a miracle for her to have been produced by these parents. Maybe babies were switched at birth. The only truly admirable characters are amazing teenager and traumatized preschooler. Let's not forget the conclusion! There is none. After putting up with these folks for hours, we get the non-ending of all time. On second thought, thanks. At least I can imagine recovered hero with a truly loving and worthy woman, slamming the door in heroine's face when she flits back expecting a warm welcome. If the heroine's new child is lucky she'll be raised by her sister.

Another Excellent Novel/Listen From Kristin Hannah

Although this novel is one of Ms Hannah's earlier works, it rates as one of my favorites (The Things We Do For Love is my Number 1 favorite) Susan Ericksen does a superb narration, I tend to search for novels narrated by Ms Ericksen and I have not been dissapointed yet. Kristin's insightful view of marriage and women's issues are beautifully portrayed.

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Title: Midnight Sons, Volume 1

Subtitle: Brides for Brothers and The Marriage Risk

Author: Debbie Macomber

Narrator: Dan John Miller

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-20-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 217 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Location: north of the Arctic Circle, Population: 150 (mostly men!) But the three O'Halloran brothers, who run a bush-plane charter service called Midnight Sons, are heading a campaign to bring women to town.

Brides for Brothers

Sawyer O'Halloran, the middle brother, isn't entirely in favor of this scheme. But he considers himself immune to any woman - even the lovely Abbey Sutherland. She's arriving in Alaska within days. However, there's a complication...or two. She hasn't told them she's arriving with kids!

The Marriage Risk

Like his brothers, Charles O'Halloran has a distrust of marriage in general - and of anyone related to Catherine Harmon Fletcher in particular. She's the woman who tried to destroy his parents' marriage. Too bad Lanni Caldwell, the only woman he's ever really fallen for, is Catherine's granddaughter.

Members Reviews:

Great story content

Full of heart warming, heart string pulling and historical intrigue. I loved it!

Easy and Enjoyable Listen

I recently read Paper Towns by John Green and read by Dan John Miller. That book was "meh" but I liked the narrator. So I looked for other books that he read/performed and found Midnight Sons, Volume 1.

This book fully entertained me while on my drive back and forth to work. Somewhat predictable at times but then again we know how the story will end up. Nonetheless, I'm a sucker for romance novels and this books dishes it right up to you.

Now I'm on to volume 2.

"Missed the Mark for me"

Ok romances but not compelling. The conflict between the characters seemed somewhat lame. The reasons for the characters who loved each other almost immediately not coming together seemed a little unrealsitic. Something not modern about the stories. Seems like a romance that might have been published thirty or forty years ago.

Great book.

I have read many of Debbie Macombers books and liked everyone. She tells a great story.

Midnight Sons

This turned out to be a great book, I was pleasantly surprised, yes it was slightly predictable, but worth it. The narrator was great. He read for the entire series and did a fantastic job, his voice was not irritating, or too male for the female parts. I listened to all three volumes and was not disappointed.

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Title: The Weight of Silence

Author: Heather Gudenkauf

Narrator: Jim Colby, Eliza Foss, Cassandra Morris, Andy Paris, Therese Plummer, Tony Ward

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-27-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1099 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered.

Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.

Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

Critic Reviews:

"Every so often you get really lucky, and a book comes along that just knocks your socks off: an absorbing, engrossing, suspenseful read that you just want to keep paging through, a novel that feels a lot like running downhill - fast and a little breathless - until it all winds down and wraps up. The Weight of Silence is exactly this kind of book.... Jodi Picoult has some serious competition in Heather Gudenkauf. [She is] an author to watch. (Bookreporter.com)

"Deeply moving and exquisitely lyrical, this is a powerhouse of a debut novel. Heather Gudenkauf is one of those rare writers who can tell a tale with the skill of a poet while simultaneously cranking up the suspense until it's unbearable." (Tess Gerritsen)

"Gudenkauf moves the story forward at a fast clip and is adept at building tension. There's a particular darkness to her heartland, rife as it is with predators and the walking wounded, and her unsentimental take on the milieu manages to find some hope without being maudlin." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

A jewel

I have a long commute, so I listen to MANY books. I often just glance through the descriptions and pick at random based on some little thing that caught my eye. This one was a jewel! I do not know how I discovered it, and can't remember why I picked it - but I am certainly glad that I did. It gives a new perspective on consequences of choices that we make in life - even the seemingly small and casual ones. The story of interwoven lives that unravel.....so much is sad but such a good listen.

A Great Listen

This was my second Heather Gudenkauf listen and I was not disappointed. I love the way she writes from the points of view from each character in her stories, and with different narrators for most of them it adds to making her books a great listen. The readers were cast very well with the exception of 12-year-old Ben, who had a more mature voice than his age represented. This does not take away from the books content however. Gudenkauf writes only the story, leaving out the fluff that some authors include, though you may not know it at first. Can't wait for her next book!

Engrossing debut novel

What did you love best about The Weight of Silence?

The story gripped you from the prologue and wouldn't let go. The characters, with the exception of Griff, were relatable and well-drawn. The narration was incredible; I wish all full-cast narrations were this well-done!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hard to decide. They all had qualities that I admired and related to, but the children are probably my favorites due to their innocence and desire to protect those they love.

Any additional comments?

This book is well worth the listening time.

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Title: The Good Thief

Author: Hannah Tinti

Narrator: William Dufris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-11-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 90 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

But then a young man named Benjamin Nab appears, claiming to be Ren's long-lost brother, and his convincing tale of how Ren lost his hand and his parents is enough to persuade the monks at the orphanage to release the boy. But is Benjamin really who he says he is? Journeying through the New England of whaling towns and meadowed farmlands, Ren is introduced by Ben to a vibrant world of hardscrabble adventure. Ultimately he is apprenticed to Ben's small band of resurrection men, those thieves of the night who steal bodies and sell them to hospitals for medical examination. If Ren stays, he becomes one of them. If he goes, he's lost once again. Most importantly, does Benjamin hold the key to the mystery of his - or their - parents, the defining question of Ren's life?

Richly imagined, gothically spooky, and showcasing the storytelling ability of a born novelist, Hannah Tinti's The Good Thief introduces one of the most appealing young heroes in contemporary fiction, and ratifies Hannah Tinti as one of our most exciting talents.

Editorial Reviews:

Fans of Charles Dickens, particularly Oliver Twist, will feel right at home as Tinti writes about con artists, thieves, monks, grave robbers, questionable doctors, a kindly boarding house matron, a ruthless factory owner, a dwarf who lives in a chimney, and a giant who rises from the dead. And like Dickens, Tinti keeps her descriptions and sentences short, getting straight to what matters and leaving out the rest.

Such characters might sound like figments of a drunken sailor's imagination as he tells a tall tale in a seaside saloon after returning from a round-the-world voyage. And in some cases, some of the stories are just that, especially when they're told by Benjamin Nabb, the con artist and natural storyteller who adopts Ren. But this book is not science fiction. Like a magically realistic Latin American novel, all of the characters and events are grounded in reality, no matter how far-fetched they may sound.

Such plausibility is thanks partly to William Dufris, who narrates the audiobook. Dufris captures the voices of each distinct character and brings them all to life, whether it's letter-dropping New England "faamers", the slow-talking, deep-voiced giant named Dolly, the "mouse trap" girl with a lisp, the shouts of the hard-of-hearing boarding house operator, or the harsh, menacing tone of the factory owner. Dufris especially does a great job of portraying Ren's innocence while not making him sound too childlike. But like the fictional character Benjamin Nabb, Dufris rises to the challenge and delivers a story that would keep any sailor nailed to his seat for hours.

Best of all, Tinti keeps you guessing until the very last minute about how this book will end. And while you will probably not predict the ending, you believe every word. No easy task. Then again, Tinti's no ordinary writer.

Members Reviews:

Close But No Cigar?

Loved the story! Plot was particularly well thought out and offered a number of suprises. The mood too was well articulated, fog and unease. But most of the characters were a bit one dimensional. I loved them as they were all quirky and strange but I did not believe in them for a minute! They needed a back story to make them real. This is one of those books that should have been longer with more time invested in fleshing out the cast.