Listen to Your Favorite Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary on Computers and Mobile Phones IOS or Android

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Title: Come Home, Joe

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Tim Callahan

Narrator: Sean Kilgore

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-21-11

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Conroy family knows all their neighbors in the small subdivision of Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until Joe Hawkins moves into the old Hawkins farmhouse. Joe is a gruff old man who doesn't take kindly to his neighbors. When 12-year-old Kevin Conroy and his friend Belinda try to befriend him, they realize he isn't mean, he's frightened. After four years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, Joe was released and honorably discharged. Traumatized by the events, Joe fled to the mountains instead of returning home. Thirty-five years later, Joe comes home to his family's farmhouse, but the world he returns to is much different from the one he left. Reluctantly Joe begins to reenter society with the help of Kevin and Belinda, but will he be able to overcome the war within and accept the love this family offers him? Over 58,000 Americans lost their lives in the Vietnam War that left a deep scar on this nation and on individual hearts. Join author Tim Callahan in honoring the Vietnam veterans in Come Home, Joean inspiring tale of compassion and love.

Members Reviews:

Come Home, Joe

While this was one of the sweetest books I've listened to. There was absolutely no editing . You could hear the narrator cough, choke, etc. I enjoyed the book so much I listened to the whole book. Unlike most of the books I review , this one is very wholesome, and holds a wonderful Christian message.

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Title: The Man Who Disappeared

Author: Clare Morrall

Narrator: Julia Franklin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-20-11

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

When Felix Kendall vanishes, his wife Kate is left in turmoil. As she and their children adjust to a hand-to-mouth existence, she looks back on their marriage and Felix's orphaned upbringing in search of clues, confronting the possibility that she has badly misread him. And as Kate gradually discovers strengths she never knew she had, Felix is coming to terms with just what he has lost.

Members Reviews:

interesting idea; a good listen!

Morrall did a nice job with the plot; I kept imagining what I might've felt in the various people's places. There were a few spots where I thought, "If he'd just explain, it might all smooth out," but overall it seemed realistic and interesting. The only glitches were an odd section towards the end where the recording seemed to be jumping back and forth--not a narrative device, but a cut-and-paste where one didn't belong, and then a weird use of dance metaphor that was supposed to tie up the ending. Otherwise, an interesting story. Good work all around, except that I hope Audible checks on the technical side of the recording on this one!

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Title: Tie-Fast Country

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Robert Flynn

Narrator: Joel Leffert

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-19-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Spur Award winner Robert Flynn captures the authentic texture of Texas in this compelling novel about family ties and lifes toughest lessons. Chance Carter doesnt like his grandmother, so when he learns her health is failing, he thinks only of his status as the sole heir to her million dollar ranch. Yet when he pays her a visit, he learns surprising truths about his past that force him to reconsider everything he knows.

Members Reviews:

if you have to read one novel about grandmother ranchers......

This latest novel by Robert Flynn has a lot of things going for it. It's basically a character-driven novel about a grandmother rancher, and it touches on Western/cowboy themes of his earlier novels. It provides a lot of gritty realism about running a ranch and living in a rural Texan town in the early 20th century. The panoramic aspect to the story reminds me of Wanderer Springs, but I found it darker and somewhat more cynical than his other novels.

The most innovative thing about the book is the story structure, where each chapter alternates between flashbacks of the grandmother's life and the grandson's point of view in present time. Chance Carter, the grandson has to find Rista to settle legal questions about her estate before her death. The first third of the book consists of flashbacks of Rista growing up. It reads really great. We hear about how she fell in love and learned the rancher's trade (despite being a woman) and the life choices she had to make about being a rancher. At the same time, we hear Chance's point of view about contemporary life; he works at a local TV station and is jaded by the commercial aspects of the journalism business. These two people come from totally contrary walks of life, and yet the grandson has to learn about her world in order to appreciate how far she has come.

The first 100 pages is the "most raw" and has lots of things: great incidents from the grandmother's childhood, as well as lots of jabs at contemporary media by the grandson. The second third slows down a bit; the book has Rista narrate stories of her past instead of showing them via flashback. Probably more true to life, but not as dramatically interesting. The last third certainly picks up the action, showing the important men in Rista's life and how she treated them (I'm being vague on purpose here).

The book has lots of light-hearted moments (especially the multiple comparisons between taking care of cattle and taking care of husbands). None of this is laugh-out-loud funny, but certainly worth a few chuckles. The grandson's girlfriend (who doesn't really appear in the novel but keeps in touch via telephone throughout) provides a nice contemporary perspective (She's an unhappy anchorwoman who hates her job). It's nice to see how some of the grandson's ethical difficulties about TV reporting are echoed in the grandmother's own life (albeit in less direct ways).

The book certainly had surprises, although the ending left me unsatisfied. The book had talked about Rista for 300+ pages, and by the end, I don't feel that I had come any closer to knowing the novel's central character. Nor do I have reason to believe the grandson has gained any insight into his own predicament as a result of his dealings with Rista.

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Title: The House with Blue Shutters

Author: Lisa Hilton

Narrator: Nicolette McKenzie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-18-11

Publisher: Soundings

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Castroux, France, 1939. In a bare farmhouse above the village, Oriane lives in desperate poverty. When the Germans invade, her simple world crumbles. Passions erupt, moral boundaries break down , and rebellion is soon in the air. Castroux, France, 2000. In an idyllic gîte overlooking the river, Claudia sunbathes on the terrace. Shes pregnant, trapped, and terrified of the future. She confides only in a reclusive neighbour, Oriane, and discovers that she too carried a shameful secret. The house with blue shutters: a place that has witnessed the horrors of wartime, the petty concerns of peacetime, and the secrets that binds past and present. A place where history echoes off every wall

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Title: The Unseen

Author: Katherine Webb

Narrator: Clare Wille

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-14-11

Publisher: Orion

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

England, 1911. Reverend Albert Canning, a vicar with a passion for spiritualism - and his naive wife, Hester - led a happy existence in the sleepy parish of Cold Ash Holt, Berkshire. As summer dawns, their quiet lives are changed forever by two new arrivals. First comes Cat, the new maid; a free-spirited and disaffected young woman sent down from London after entanglements with the suffragette movement and with the law. Over-educated for her station, Cat baulks at her life of servitude, quickly finding a place for herself in the secret underbelly of local society as she plots her escape. Then comes Robin Durrant, a leading expert in the occult, with whom Albert has been in correspondence, enticed to visit Cold Ash Holt by the vicar's tales of elemental beings in the water meadows around the village. A young man of magnetic charm and beauty, Robin Durrant soon becomes an object of fascination and repressed passion for Albert. During a long spell of oppressive summer heat, the rectory at Cold Ash Holt becomes charged with ambition, love and jealousy; a mixture of emotions so powerful that it leads, ultimately, to murder.

Members Reviews:

So So

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the story for the most part, good murder/mystery element, but I felt the move from present to past could have been done better. I could see how the 2011 sections linked the story but the connections were weak, and Leah's love interest seemed unnecessary.

It was too slow in parts, and seemed to have unnecessary padding in places making it drag even more. A predictable and rather unsatisfactory ending, I only kept going to see if I was correct in my assumption of how things turned out - and I was.

I also didn't take to the characters, Hester was too simpering and Albert just plain irritating.

Not a winner for me, however Clare willie's narration was done well.

Good book, no so good narrator

Would you listen to The Unseen again? Why?

I would probably read rather than listen. I should say that I am very fussy when it comes to narrators, and Ms Wille was not up to par for me. Her characterisations were excellent, but the rest of the read was flat. The story, though, was excellent, and Katherine Webb is a gifted writer.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Unseen?

A generally well-written book, there are several moments where the prose is just gob-smacking. Some of the descriptions were sublime.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

As mentioned above, I thought Clare Wille's characterisations were excellent, but the rest of the narration was dull, and at times felt like it was not in her natural voice. There were also some very annoying pauses after characters spoke.

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

For sure!

Any additional comments?

Usually if I don't like a narrator, I don't finish the book. In this case, the story was so captivating that I continued, despite my misgivings about the narrator. I'm looking forward to reading and listening to more by Katherine Webb.

Unexpected find

What made the experience of listening to The Unseen the most enjoyable?

The number one aspect is the strong character "Cat". You feel powerfully drawn to her from the moment she enters the story.

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Title: Outside the Ordinary World

Author: Dori Ostermiller

Narrator: Johanna Parker

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-12-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Writers in Progress literary arts center founder and debut novelist Dori Ostermiller has created a compelling work of love, regret, and forgiveness about a woman with a painful past and a boring marriage. New England landscape painter-turned-teacher Sylvia Sandon becomes fascinated by the father of one of her students. But shes torn between her desire for this man and her desire to keep her family together.

Critic Reviews:

[An] astonishingly moving and complex novel. (Boston Globe)

Members Reviews:

Most beautifully written book ever!

"Outside the Ordinary World" is far and away the most beautifully written, descriptive, insightful book I have every read. If you're a student of psychology or of human nature, you will fall in love with this novel! A stunning portrait of a mother-daughter relationship that haunts her until she finally understands how the past has affected the present. Only after reconciling with the past do we have the ability to embrace the future. If you're a lover of the written word, you will be totally enthralled with this book and feel a sense of loss when the last page is read wondering what to read next that could possibly come close to Dori Ostermiller's masterpiece!

Outside the Ordinary World

"Outside the Ordinary World" by Dori Ostermiller is a true gift.

A generation divides two women who desire passion and appreciation in their marriages and families but fail and seek it outside. That the two women are mother and daughter is the genius of Dori Ostermiller's novel. Sylvie Sandon is a young girl describing her own mother's affair from that lofty height of judgment only a child viewing their parent can attain. But 30 years later as a wife and mother struggling with her own marriage and that same temptation, Sylvie finds understanding as her own weakness is revealed. Ostermiller loves her characters, so I did too. The pace is perfect. Throw in some wonderful California scenery, a money-pit of a house that becomes another force attacking the famly, and a peek into a Seventh Day Adventist household - "Outside the Ordinary World" is a book you want to read cover to cover without even taking a potty-break.

MARRIAGE IS THE VERY HARDEST WORK

OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY WORLD

This is the story of two women, mother and daugther. Told in flashbacks to the 1970's and present day, we are caught up in the loves and lives of these two ladies and their flawed marriages. Both Elaine -- mother -- and Sylvia -- daughter -- enter into the world of lies, deceit, secrets, and cheating, both having affairs and searching for happiness.

Young Sylvia relates her childhood years and the turmoil of her parents doomed marriage. Her parents married young and struggle not only with their marriage, children, and lack of funds, but with each other. Elaine is a sweet, kind, and religious woman who supports and helps her husband Don while he goes to medical school. Their life is rough -- Don is a drinker and has a mean streak that he all too often turns loose on Elaine and his two daughters. Sylvia and her older sister, Ali, steer clear of their dad while at the same time craving his love and attention. Elaine turns to another man, Robert.

Elaine and Robert carry on for years, including Sylvia and Ali on their secret trysts.

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Title: Giants Bread: A Mary Westmacott Novel

Author: Mary Westmacott

Narrator: George Cole

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-12-11

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A newly reissued edition of Agatha Christie's Mary Westmacott novel, a Crime of the Heart novel about a soldier who returns from the grave. Vernon Deyre is a sensitive and brilliant musician, even a genius. But there is a high price to be paid for his talent, especially by his family and the two women in his life. His sheltered childhood in the home he loves has not prepared Vernon for the harsh reality of his adult years, and in order to write the great masterpiece of his life, he has to make a crucial decision with no time left to count the cost!

Members Reviews:

Magical Book

I love this book.. it takes you to a whole other era but the emotions are fresh and the characters will stay with you..its not my favourite Westamcott but its still a must have for my money. Geogre Cole does a great job with the narration.

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Title: Black Monday

Subtitle: A Stan Turner Mystery, Volume 6

Author: William Manchee

Narrator: Jeffrey Kafer, Arika Escalona

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-11-11

Publisher: Top Publications, Ltd.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

This Stan Turner Mystery begins on the infamous Black Monday, October 19, 1987. As the stock market is taking a nosedive and the nations banking system falls into crisis, Stan is asked by the CIA to help an operative unravel an IRS garnishment and ends up caught in a firefight between the IRS and the CIA.

His day grows more complicated still as he receives the surprising news that he has been named executor over the estate of Lottie West, who has died in suspicious circumstances and who - Stan soon discovers - has been hiding priceless art treasures stolen during World War II. So the last thing Stan needs is a visit from his law partner, Paula Waters, who tells him she wants to defend a man accused of killing the president of one of the troubled thrifts. And it's only Monday!

Members Reviews:

Black Monday Mystery

Black Monday by William Manchee

Have read other series from this author and loved the books, enough that I went and bought the other 2 in the series.

Starts out 1987 black Monday for the stock market. He's involved in many things going on, an executor for an old woman who has passed away and the proceeds will go towards her dogs, another needs IRS to unfreeze his accounts or a man overseas could die...

Like the family time at home and the kids interactions. Alternating chapters about other cases using a male/female narrators.

Female narrated portions are about Paula, Stan's partner at the business and she's handling a murder trail.

Really good read, wish I had read it from the first in the series but I didn't feel left out as they told us what we needed to know about their past working together.

Stan Turner has always dislike Mondays since his clients has the weekends to think ...

Goodreads Win

This starts off on the infamous Black Monday October 19, 1987 when the stock market fell.

Stan Turner has always dislike Mondays since his clients has the weekends to think up questions. He probably should have stayed away that fatal Monday but it is too late now.

He finds himself asked by the CIA to help an operative unravel an IRS garnishment and ends up being caught between the CIA and the FBI. Stan then finds himself the executor of Lottie West who has no surviving relatives but who died in a suspicious manner and that she and her deceased husband was rumored to have stolen art. Then a visit by his law partner that she wants to defend a man accused of killing the chairman of one of the troubled thrifts.

We watch Stan as he uncovers information which leads him to get hurt along the way as he travel to DC and find corruption by government and people in power. A riveting read as we are drawn into the story and the characters.

Settle down to a good mystery from an excellent writer

I became a fan of William Manchee with his novel Plastic Gods. One of the tightest plots and best writing styles I had seen in quite a while I indicated that it would have been one of the best fiction books of the year except for such poor editing that it only received an average review. It appears that his editing problems are resolved with another publisher and his strong style shows through in this novel as well. The scene is set on Black Monday, October 19, 1987. As the stock market crashes and bank after bank collapses the hero, Stan Turner, is asked to unravel a small IRS problem for an FBI agent.

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Title: The Death of King Arthur

Author: Peter Ackroyd

Narrator: Stephen Thorne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 04-05-11

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

An immortal story of love, adventure, chivalry, treachery and death brought to new life for our times. The legend of King Arthur has retained its appeal and popularity through the ages: Mordred's treason, the knightly exploits of Tristan, Lancelot's fatally divided loyalties and his love for Guinevere, the quest for the Holy Grail. Now retold by Peter Ackroyd with his signature clarity, charm and truth to the spirit of the text, the result is not only one of the most readable accounts of the Knights of the Round Table but also one of the most moving.

Members Reviews:

A Modern Retelling

Most of the English-speaking (and a good portion of the non-English-speaking) world is familiar with the story of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Sir Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. Very few modern-day readers have the patience to wade through the Oxford Standard edition in Sir Thomas Malory's antique English or a full length rendering into modern English. This retelling of the Arthur stories is a great introduction. The prose moves quickly and pulls the reader in without much effort. All the time-tested characters are there, all the romance and intrigue still shine through, and the never-ending battles, adventures, and quests highlight the tales. For those interested in a more in-depth, modern version I recommend the John Steinbeck edition, "The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights" taken from the Winchester manuscripts of Malory's stories. There are also hundreds of "Arthur" stories which never made their way into Malory's text. A fascinating collection of "lost" Arthur tales is to be found in John Matthews' "The Book of Arthur: Lost Tales from the Round Table." I recommend Ackroyd's book to whet your appetite and possibly lead to further enjoyment of these ageless stories.

Five Stars

Very well done. Kept me reading through the night.

Super cool book with "ragged edges" on the pages and ...

Super cool book with "ragged edges" on the pages and very old look. Easy to read print and font. Cover much better even than pictured! This makes a great gift for book lovers!

Five Stars

Excellent translation to the contemporary English tongue. Ackroyd is gifted!

Very good book. I have read Thomas Malory's "le Morte ...

Very good book. I have read Thomas Malory's "le Morte de Arthur" several times. This book made it a little easier to understand.

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Title: Friday Nights

Author: Joanna Trollope

Narrator: Julia Franklin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-05-11

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Friday nights, the best night of the week, the night they all looked forward to more than they cared to admit talking, drinking, laughing and crying together. They were six female friends, different in age and circumstances, but with one common need: the warmth and support of their Friday nights. It was a time to share secrets and fears, triumphs and tragedies and, above all, to feel safe in the company of women friends. But things never stay the same forever, especially when a man is introduced into the mix

Members Reviews:

Another Trollope winner.

I first discovered Trollope when browsing in a bookstore in Australia in the mid 1990s. I think the first one I bought was The Men and the Girls which I found most amusing in some parts. I liked the way she developed her characters and story plot. Then I saw her book, The Choir, produced as a movie and shown on PBS; it was an excellent production of a very good story. I started to find her books in bookstores here in California and bought more. Then there was a change in my reading choices and it was just a few months ago that while on Amazon.com I discovered a few books I didn't know she had written and bought them. I selected "Friday Night: A Novel" to be the first one to read and loved it. The characters are each developed to the extent that you feel you know them personally although I knew I could not be a friend to all of them. Still they were a part of this "new family" that each woman needed in her life. Can't wait to read the other one I bought!

Story of Friendship

Loved the character of the retired woman who never married or had children. She is the center of the story and begins inviting people she sees on the streets into her home. Her actions enrich the lives of many women. It is a lesson in creative problem-solving and accepting differences with love.

Friday Nights

Great character building but I wondered about the symbolism of the children's characters. I never even knew one of the occupations that she outlined even existed - mixing music. As a working mother, I could really relate to the feelings of each of these women. Each was in an entirely different situation, but came to deal with their frustrations through the catalyst that she introduces. Very good read.

I cannot recommend this book

I found this book to have too many unsympathetic characters. I not find any of them likeable. Sorry, I cannot recommend this book.

Awful, Awful. Awful. There were so many ...

Awful, Awful. Awful. There were so many characters, it was impossible to keep them straight - except for Eleanor. Often the breaks in the Kindle version didn't indicate the story had moved to a different locale. I have no idea what happened to most of the characters in the end.