Simply The Best Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary to Download

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Title: The Book of Stone

Author: Jonathan Papernick

Narrator: Adam Verner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-23-15

Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Matthew Stone has inherited a troubling legacy: a gangster grandfather and a distant father - who is also a disgraced judge. After his father's death, Matthew is a young man alone. He turns to his father's beloved books for comfort, perceiving within them guidance that leads him to connect with a group of religious extremists. As Matthew immerses himself in this unfamiliar world, the FBI seeks his assistance to foil the group's violent plot. Caught between these powerful forces, haunted by losses past and present, and desperate for redemption, Matthew charts a course of increasing peril - for himself and for everyone around him.

Critic Reviews:

"Jonathan Papernick's The Book of Stone is a psychological thriller with a complex soul. In the tradition of writers like Robert Stone and Ian McEwan, Papernick describes the quest to save oneself by redeeming history, and the perilous consequences that arise from confusing the two tasks. It's a harrowing, distinguished book." (Steve Stern, author of The Wedding Jester and The Pinch)

"The Book of Stoneis going to have everyone on the planet talking. Blistering smart, provocative and passionate, Papernicks astounding novel layers a complex father and son story onto the Jewish/Arab conflict, where fierce loyalties and stunning betrayals are about to detonate. Nothing is as it seems in this divided American world: the political becomes personal, religious faith overrides family, and fear can shatter the possibility of love. An astonishing achievement thats sure to ignite dialogue - and as the best works of art do, push us to see the world differently." (Caroline Leavitt, New York Times best-selling author of Is This Tomorrow and Pictures of You)

"Devastating, gripping and beautiful. The Book of Stone is about fathers and sons, how the past haunts the present, how trauma transcends generations and how wrong we can be about those who made us who we are. What will haunt you forever is how Papernick brings you right up to the border of justice and terror, and then makes that border disappear. Open this book carefully. You will close it changed." (Dara Horn, award-winning author of The World to Come and A Guide for the Perplexed)

Members Reviews:

A riveting fantasy thriller book of Jewish fiction

Jonathan Papernick's The Book of Stone: A Novel is a thrilling story of Jewish terror and suspense. Papernick's wry albeit dark humor inches towards the surface throughout this book that I personally had trouble putting down. Papernick draws in the reader on every page, beckoning the reader to understand the complexities of accepting the blemishes of our own biographies. The fictional Matt Stone, on whom the narrative is focused, is likable yet deeply flawed, and the reader may very well find themselves screaming at Stone to make the choice that is the lesser of two new evils appearing time and time throughout the book. The Book of Stone deserves recognition as one of the greatest works of Jewish fiction that the 21st century has yet seen. This fantasy book of alternative Zionist history demands that Zionists and anti-Zionists reconsider the meaning of religious fervor, violence and blood that seep beyond the borders of the Holy Land.

Wonderfully written, fascinating story.

I recently read The Book of Stone and found it to be a riveting story.

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Title: Never Leave Me

Author: Harold Robbins

Narrator: Daniel Thomas May

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-16-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Robbins' New York is the world of big business and the men and women who make it big. Honor and decency are nothing in a city where respect is measured by the size of your expense account. And it's the city that Brad Rowan, a man on the make, hopes to conquer on his climb to the top, bringing with him the women he loves, uses, and destroys.

Drawing from his own experiences in New York, Robbins vividly portrays our eternal desire for greed, desire, and blind ambition, in this timeless tale of success and struggle in the city that never sleeps.

Members Reviews:

A depressingly deep short tale

A pretty depressing story but one that was focused on one theme: of loneliness and its consequential effects of infidelity. Very much like all of Robbins' books, you get a piercing glance up front, at the souls of ordinary men, their strengths and their flaws and what it means to be human. I think that is just pure awesomeness.

Never Read This!

Set in New York City in the early 1950's, "Never Leave Me" is about a man on the make, Brad Rowan, owner of a small, independent advertising firm. Brad is given the opportunity to go to work for a major steel company as their public relations executive at a tremendous increase in salary and perks. However, he finds the aggressive tactics and ethics of the CEO, Matt Brady, questionable, so he turns down the offer. This refusal is ironic, since Brad himself has exhibited many self-centered, unethical traits also. The book flits from scene to scene, with little character or plot development and little attention paid to detail. I was constantly wondering whether a day or month had passed between scenes. How did Brad manage to fall hopelessly in lust with Elaine Schuyler the moment he met her? Why does he instantly forget about his loving, devoted wife Marge? Why does Matt Brady set out to destroy Brad's business by forcing all his clients to cancel their contracts? Why does Brad's assistant Chris jump ship and go to work for Matt Brady? Although I know the setting was New York City in the 1950's, the references to women as dames and babes really wore on me. The steamy sex scenes were too graphic, and in some instances, physically impossible. This tale of "lust and greed" has no redeeming qualities other than its brevity (268 pages) and the fact that Brad eventually returns to his happy family.

Always a good read from Robbins

Although not my favorite still his books never disappoint. This one from a working man's perspective on romance midlife and Robbins' style.

Never Leave Me - Harold Robbins

I first read this book when i was a teenager 45 years ago ,,, and re-reading it 45 years later I still loved his writing and style ... please bring back all his old "classics" they are masterpieces of an era and his style is very much copied all this time later and is rarely surpassed ... great book and a great writer and story-teller ...

Lust, sex, betrayal and greed....

This was my first Harold Robbins novel. The story line was very interesting and really pulls you rapidly along. This is a reprint from the 1954 novel, with all the then censored scenes returned to the story, as the author originally intended to present the story.

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Title: Love Me Tender

Author: Anne Bennett

Narrator: Maggie Mash

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-07-15

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A heart-rending tale of love and tragedy during The Birmingham Blitz. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Annie Groves.

For Kathy O'Malley, life has not been easy with her husband, Barry, out of work and with two children to feed. Then when war breaks out in 1939, many of the local men enlist, including Barry, leaving the women to cope as best they can.

The years that follow are full of hardship: rationing, nightly air raids, and endless shifts working at the local munitions factory all take their toll on Kathy, who longs to feel the strong arms of her husband around her once more.

When she meets Doug, a handsome American GI, she is immediately drawn to him but determined to honour her marriage vows. But after she receives a telegram informing her that her husband is missing, presumed dead, she makes a decision that will have consequences not just for herself but for the lives of all those she loves too....

Critic Reviews:

Praise for Anne Bennett:

A powerful read that will have you gripped. (Yours)

[Anne Bennett is] blessed with a vivid imagination and a natural aptitude for writing. (Daily Post)

An affecting story, populated with rich, beautifully drawn characters. (Choice)

The beauty of Anne's books is that they are about normal people and are sewn through with human emotions which affect us all. (Birmingham Post)

Members Reviews:

Family, hearTache, war..

Story revolves during war torn England, Ireland and how they survive with the strength and love that threatens they're bond.

I liked this book because it forces me to see the humanity that exists when war changes everyday survival for women and children who are left behind when husbands and lovers leave them behind.

Five Stars

Enjoyed - very good author

I love Anne bennett - if you love stories about the ...

I love Anne bennett - if you love stories about the war and how it effected lives and relationships this is one to read loved it

Ok

This book was ok but not a book I would read again or tell someone else that it as great.

best Anne Bennett

Brilliant.twists and turns from start to finish.looked forward to reading it every day.sorry to come to end.looking forward to next Anne Bennett.

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Título: Miel y almendras [Honey and Almonds]

Autor: Maha Akhtar, Enrique Alda - translator

Narrador: Maria del Carmen Siccardi

Formato: Unabridged

Duración: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Idioma: Español

Fecha de publicación: 04-21-15

Editor: Audible Studios

Calificaciones: 4 de 5 de 19 votos

Categorías: Fiction, Contemporary

Resumen del editor:

Cuatro mujeres de diferentes clases sociales y una amistad rotunda para descubrir el paso de la tradición a la modernidad en el Beirut de nuestros días. Mouna Al-Husseini es la propietaria del Cleopatra, un salón de belleza algo decadente en un barrio de Beirut. Mouna es una mujer atrevida y liberal, que lucha por desmarcarse de la tradición rígida, a pesar de que a sus 37 años su madre todavía le recuerda día a día lo mal que ha encaminado su vida. La casualidad llevará a las puertas del Cleopatra a Imaan Sayah, una importante diplomática libanesa, y con ella a tres de sus amigas: Nina, Lailah y Nadine. Tras ese primer encuentro, Mouna, Imaan, Nina, y Lailah desarrollarán una amistad profunda y honesta al margen de sus procedencias sociales, religiosas y culturales. Cuatro mujeres que compartirán momentos de soledad, desamor, e incluso humillación entre las paredes del Cleopatra.

Please Note: This audiobook is in Spanish.

Opiniones de los miembros:

Loved it

In this high pace life we distance ourselves from everyone including ourselves and this book reminds you of the beauty of having friends and family "the old fashion way"

Thanks to the author for letting us relive that beauty.

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Titel: Das Sommerbuch

Autor:: Tove Jansson

Erzähler: Katharina Thalbach

Format: Unabridged

Spieldauer: 4 hrs and 28 mins

Sprache: Deutsch

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 04-16-15

Herausgeber: Lübbe Audio

Kategorien: Fiction, Contemporary

Zusammenfassung des Herausgebers:

Sophia und ihre Großmutter verbringen den Sommer auf einer winzigen Insel im finnischen Meerbusen. Die beiden streifen umher, plaudern, streiten, stellen Fragen. Zusammen mit ihnen erleben wir eine Welt voller kleiner Wunder - und eine rundum glückliche (Hör-)Zeit.

Tove Jansson, die Autorin der "Mumin"-Geschichten, lässt viele ihrer eigenen Erfahrungen in dieses Buch einfließen. Ein poetischer und heiterer Roman, der den finnischen Sommer atmet.

©2015 Bastei Lübbe (P)2015 Lübbe Audio

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Title: Running Around (and Such)

Author: Linda Byler

Narrator: Stephanie Willis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-31-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A romance novel by an Amish writer, based on true experiences! It isn't that Lizzie doesn't want to stay Amish. It's just that there is so much to figure out. Like why can't she let her hair a little looser on top? And why can't she wear shoes with a little bit more of a heel? And will she ever really just know for a fact who she is going to marry, like her next-older sister, Emma, does? And how does it happen that her just-younger sister, Mandy, is going on a date before Lizzie ever has a real one? So does it matter at all if she eats one more whoopie pie? Amos seems to like her a lot when she pounds out the ping-pong games. He even asks her to be his partner in doubles. But then he asks Ruthie if he can take her home!

It has been this way Lizzie's whole life. She has too hot a temper. She hates housework and dislikes babies. She loves driving fast horses but is petrified of going away from home for a week to work as a maud (maid). Now that Lizzie is running around, will she scare off the Amish boys with her hijinks manners? She has certainly attracted the attention of the egg-truck driver. A scary thrill runs through her every time the worldly man comes to pick up an order, each time extending his stay a little longer. How long will she keep this a secret from Emma - and from Mamm and Datt? What will become of Lizzie? Is she too spirited, too innocent, and almost too uninhibited for a young Amish woman?

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Title: Axis of Aaron

Author: Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant

Narrator: David H. Lawrence XVII

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-25-15

Publisher: Sterling & Stone

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 32 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Ebon Shale is desperate to forget, but terrified of being forgotten....

Desperate to forget the sudden death and illuminated betrayal of his new wife and longtime girlfriend, Ebon Shale flees to the quiet seaside town of Aaron, a place that's been calling him back since he was a child. But once there, Ebon feels lost. The small town's citizens are as odd as its energy, and seem to shift the reality before him.

Will Aaron help Ebon forget, or will it swallow him whole?

Members Reviews:

Stupid Waste of Time

I sat through half of this trying to like it.

It was like "come on...give me SOMETHING!"

It is NOT like The Matrix. As one other reviewer stated.

I like these Authors- but NOT THIS BOOK!

A truly Mindbending Thriller

As with all Platt/Truant titles this should be rated M for Mature. There are explict descriptions of sex and violence.

Honestly, this isn't the kind of story I like. I gave it 5 stars because it was done so well, and David was a treat to listen to. The book was a truly disorienting experience where niether the main character nor the audience know what reality is until a truly shocking climax. I had to take several breaks when listening to the story to catch my breath.

It reminds me of The Matrix (1999), Fight Club (1999), and The Game (starring Michael Douglas in 1997) I'm going to enjoy listening to this again to peel back the layers of story.

If you enjoy stories that play with reality you'll love this story!

Completely Captivating.

Get ready for a wild ride as Ebon Shale takes on his precarious past (and future?) in a present that isn't what it seems.

If you enjoy beautifully crafted stories that not only have you questioning, but challenging your perceptions, then you're in for a treat. A delicious sense of foreboding hangs over every page as the tension steadily rises to the very last word.

Highly recommended.

Half Mystery, Half Love Story

Would you listen to Axis of Aaron again? Why?

I would definitely listen to Axis of Aaron again! So full of twists and turns that you feel like you are sitting in a tilt-a-whirl, but in the really great way as each little piece of the story spins out and more is revealed.

What other book might you compare Axis of Aaron to and why?

Listening to this I was reminded of the magical other worldy-ness of Black House and the Talisman where you are never really fully in this world, or totally on the other side either.

What about David H. Lawrence XVIIs performance did you like?

I thought Mr. Lawrence gave a really solid performance. His reading of the story was steady and measured, letting the words speak instead of having to be distracted by his performance.

Any additional comments?

This is not one of those books you "get" right in the first couple of minutes listening. Please take the time to get into the story. A couple of times I started thinking "oh I know what is going on" and then bam, another part opened up and I was hooked on a whole other level!I was given a review copy of this work to leave an honest review.

Doesn't measure up to the hype

Any additional comments?

I have listened to season one of The Beam and also Yesterday's Gone. This was my third attempt at a Truant/Platt book, and I honestly do not understand why the authors have such a devoted fan base.

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Title: The Birthday Party

Author: Veronica Henry

Narrator: Penelope Rawlins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-29-15

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Secrets, rivalry, glamour - it's time for the party of the year....

Delilah has lived out her tempestuous marriage to hell-raiser Raf in the glare of the media spotlight. Now planning a milestone birthday, she has more on her mind than invitations.

Raf has been offered a part in a movie he can't refuse. But will he succumb to the temptations he's struggled to resist for the last ten years?

Delilah's three daughters are building careers of their own, only too aware that the press are waiting for them to slip up. For the Rafferty girls might look like angels, but they are only human.

It's the perfect recipe for a party like no other....

Members Reviews:

Wish it didn't end!

Loved this book, the characters and their stories, I just wish it didn't have to end!

Just not for me

Any additional comments?

I never thought I'd give up on a Veronica Henry, having devoured her Honeycote series, plus some standalones, but 5 hours in I can't warm to any of the characters except Polly and the young film producer.

Will they get it together? I'd like to think so but it'll take me over 9 hours to find out, so I'll pass. No problems with the narration, just that the book isn't for me.

A good listen!!!

The story wasn't quite how I had expected but kept me hooked till the end!! Well narrated and great author!!!

Awful accents

A good yarn, spoiled by the narrator - I don't understand why every character must be given a different voice/accent. The Welsh & Irish accents were particularly bad.

Another great read

What did you like best about this story?

I love Veronicas slow build up to the story with the introduction of all the characters and then the interaction of how they all come together. I think this book came to a nice end but too quickly.

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

Collection of the dogs.

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Title: Lonesome Rider and Wilde Imaginings

Subtitle: Two Novellas

Author: Heather Graham

Narrator: Tom Parks

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-15-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Two novellas of love, secrets, and heart-stopping adventure from best-selling author Heather Graham.

In Lonesome Rider, born to a Sioux mother and a white father, Blade McKenna grew up between two opposing worlds, never wholly belonging to either. The Civil War brought him yet more sorrow and loss. Now Blade is a man who lives only for revenge. This violent, merciless wilderness is no place for beautiful Easterner Jessica Dylan, who is on her own mission to clear her late husband's name. Rescuing the elegant, emerald-eyed beauty from marauding Apaches exacts a higher price than Blade is willing to pay. Unless the promise of love can ease a bitter loner's heart...

In Wilde Imaginings, Allyssa Evigan arrives in an ancient town on the English moors to claim her inheritance. She has no idea why the great-grandfather she never knew left her magnificent Fairhaven Castle - or why her mother died with words of guilt on her tongue. And who is the dark, haunting stranger who fetches her at the station on his midnight steed? Handsome, brooding Brian Wilde, who lives at a hunting lodge nearby, denies ever having seen her before. Is Allyssa losing her mind? Or is danger stalking her? Brian's touch might fill her with fire, but Allyssa begins to fear that he is the keeper of the castle's deadly secrets.

Members Reviews:

Reprint of (2) Early 1990s Romance Novellas

This anthology contains two older novellas that were originally published under the Heather Graham Pozzessere name. It's a mixed genre of romances, the first being a historical and the second being a contemporary gothic. Both have a little suspense thrown in, but neither of them were great. I recently finished another book containing a trio of Ms. Graham's older novellas before I picked this one up, and unfortunately it felt like much of the same...

LONESOME RIDER was first published in 1993 - 3 STARS***

Revenge! Blade McKenna was determined to avenge his family's death, but when innocently alluring widow Jessica Dylan gambled her virtue - and lost - to Blade, he realized that spending long, hot nights in her arms might distract him from a mission he was compelled to complete.

This one wasn't bad, but while it was fast paced and full of action and adventure, it failed to ever really pull me in. The setting is the American West, or more specifically, 1867 Indian Territory. The characters were okay but fell a little flat, and could have used more fleshing out. The story seemed to focus more on Blade's point of view though, and so I didn't feel like I got to know Jessica much at all. As with this author's other stories, there is a lot of angst and the only time this couple really gets along is when they're between the sheets. However, their chemistry and attraction was believable and I was glad to see them get a happy ending. Overall it just didn't engage me emotionally though, and with Blade's past it definitely should have.

WILDE IMAGININGS was first published in 1992 - 1 STAR*

Rising out of the murky English moors, Fairhaven Castle housed dark secrets... and handsome, brooding Brian Wilde. But even as Brian's touch filled beautiful Allyssa Evigan with fire, his enigmatic manner chilled her with fear. Could she discover the castle's secrets before it was too late?

As you can tell by my rating I didn't care for this story, which takes place in modern day England.

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Title: Pompeii

Author: Robert Harris

Narrator: Steven Pacey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-12-15

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

A sweltering week in late August. Where better to enjoy the last days of summer than on the beautiful Bay of Naples? All along the coast, the Roman Empire's richest citizens are relaxing in their luxurious villas. The world's largest navy lies peacefully at anchor in Misenum. The tourists are spending their money in the seaside resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum and Pompeii. Only one man is worried.

The engineer Marcus Attilius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct which brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay. Springs are failing for the first time in generations. His predecessor has disappeared. And now there is a crisis on the Augusta's sixty-mile main line - somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.

Attilius - decent, practical, incorruptible - promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. But as he heads out towards Vesuvius he is about to discover there are forces which even the world's only superpower can't control. Pompeii recreates in spellbinding detail one of the most famous natural disasters of all time. And by focusing on the characters of an engineer and a scientist, it offers an entirely original perspective on the Roman world.

Members Reviews:

Believable story

What a well performed story! For many years I have been fascinated with the tragic story of Pompeii. One can only imagine how horrific it must have been to experience it and die in such awful circumstances. The author created a believable fictional story, taking the reader into that time and keeping interest high.

A excellent listen. Highly recommended

I read the book a few years ago and have been wanting it in audio format for a while now. Well worth the wait although a few words are mispronounced in my opinion

A great story that allows you to glimpse the Roman world nearly 2000 years ago in a very realistic manner.

If only I had read this before I went to Pompeii

Having visited Pompeii recently, this was a must read. I wish I had read it before I went, I think I would have understood more about the people who lived there.

Fascinating insight

What did you like most about Pompeii?

Illuminating look at Rome at its most interesting. Detail was superb and as far as I know, historically accurate and relevant, yet the narrative had a contemporary feel. I love Robert Harris- he spins a great yarn, and this was up there with his best.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Obviously the main protagonist was fascinating-all the other characters revolved around him very cleverly, giving a strong sense of a real person at the heart of the story.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes- when the young man was thrown into the pool of eels. There was a real sense of disregard for the feelings of him and those around him.

Any additional comments?

Made me want to read the others. Cicero is one of the most fascinating characters in Roman history and this was just an introduction to a huge story about him.

best ever.

love this book one of the best books I have ever read and now listened to, I could listen to it all over again and may just do that.