THE WITCH ELM by Bestselling Author TANA FRENCH Audiobook Review

Title: THE WITCH ELM

Author: TANA FRENCH

Narrator: PAUL NUGENT

Genre: FICTION, MYSTERIES AND THRILLERS

Length: 22 HOURS, 8 MINUTES

Publisher: PENGUIN AUDIO

Type of Book: AUDIOBOOK

Purchased from: Audible.com

Release Date: OCTOBER 9, 2018

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DESCRIPTION:

Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who’s dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life – he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family’s ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden – and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed.

A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we’re capable of, when we no longer know who we are.
*

MY REVIEW:

Phenomenal. Intriguing. Unconventional. Thrilling. Astonishing.

All these words and more apply to Tana French’s novel, THE WITCH ELM.

At it’s core, this book is a modern day whodunit, a thriller of epic proportions, but it is also so much more.

This book is a character study, a tale of teen angst, the story of a family rallying together in the midst of a horrific medical diagnosis. It is the story of a romance. This is a book about siblings, cousins, friends and how relationships can change over time and how they stay the same. It is also a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

This is truly a book that has everything. I enjoyed listening to it immensely. The story takes place in Ireland and having a narrator with an Irish accent gave this book a sense of place and added authenticity to the audiobook.

The story has plenty twists and turns, some which were expected and many that were not.

Tana French has created characters so realistic that you almost expect to run into one of them on the street.

At just over 22 hours of listening time, this is not a short audiobook and you would think that 22 hours would be too long, however, you would be wrong. In fact, I didn’t want this story to end. I had become invested in the character’s futures.

The Publisher has created a reader’s guide for this book which can be found and downloaded HERE.

My favorite character was Uncle Hugo. On the surface he seems like a giant bore. But as you learn more about him, you start to realize that he is like an onion with many layers, some quite shocking. He has a passion for genealogy research and was able to parlay that into a career as a Genealogist. The author is somehow able to make this career choice seem interesting to listeners and Hugo’s research into his client’s history is an interesting side storyline.

I rate THE WITCH ELM as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I also give a 5 STAR rating to the narrator whose Irish accent offers listeners authenticity as well as a sense of place. His pacing is sheer perfection. Listeners are able to easily distinguish between character voices which is a huge plus in my opinion.

All in all, I highly recommend this audiobook to readers and listeners from the ages of 16 and up.

Tana French was new to me before experiencing “The Witch Elm” audiobook, but I will be on the lookout for more books from this author in the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tana French is the author of The Witch Elm, In the Woods, The Likeness, Faithful Place, Broken Harbor, The Secret Place and The Trespasser.

Her books have won awards including the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity and Barry Awards, the Los Angeles Times Award for Best Mystery/Thriller, and the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction.

She lives in Dublin with her family.

AUTHOR NOTE:

“There’s one thing that no one I know, including me, ever has enough of: time. Everyone has at least three things they should be doing with every minute, and everyone could do with about six more hours in the day. So I’m very aware that when you take a chance on one of my books, it’s not just your money that you’re putting on the line; it’s your time, which is probably even more precious. I want to thank you, so much, for taking that chance; for your wonderful support, which never stops taking my breath away. Here’s to all of you. I’ll do my absolute best not to waste your time.”

Tana French in The New Yorker

‘The Trespasser’ begs us to take crime fiction seriously

The Millions Interviews Tana French

*
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

AUDIBLE

GOODREADS
AMAZON

CHAPTERS
“A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we’re capable of, when we no longer know who we are.

“

Quotes:

The thing is, I suppose,” he said, “that one gets into the habit of being oneself. It takes some great upheaval to crack that shell and force us to discover what else might be underneath. What if I never got another day in my life when I was normal again?

Once the fear took hold, I was fucked. I’d never known anything like it could exist: all-consuming, ravenous, a whirling black vortex that sucked me under so completely and mercilessly that it truly felt like I was being devoured alive, bones splintered, marrow sucked. After an eternity (lying in bed with my heart jackhammering, adrenaline firing me like a strobe light, feeling the last few threads that held my mind together stretch to a snapping point) something would happen to break the vortex’s hold—a nurse coming in so that I had to make mechanical cheerful chitchat, an uncontrollable rush of sleep—and I would clamber up out of it, shaky and weak as a half-drowned animal. But even when the fear receded for a while, it was always there: dark, misshapen, taloned, hanging somewhere above and behind me, waiting for its next moment to drop onto my back and dig in deep.

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

https://vimeo.com/178172746

To learn more about this Narrator, visit the following links:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

AUDIBLE

LINKEDIN

VIMEO

FACEBOOK

YOUTUBE

AMAZON

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4 Stars for BLIND RAGE by Anita Paddock – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

BLIND RAGE

Author: Anita Paddock

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: Kevin Pierce

Length: 3 hours and 55 minutes

Genre: True Crime, Non-Fiction

Release Date: September 10, 2015

Publisher: Pen-L Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook through Audiobook Blast dot com in exchange for an honest review.

In May 1981, Ruie Ann Park’s body was found by her adult son in a pool of blood in her own home. Her home was located on top of Log Town Hill overlooking the Arkansas River in Van Buren, Arkansas.

This is a photo from the Park family photo album of their home. Standing out front is a young Sam Hugh Park.
Photo obtained from http://blindragebook.blogspot.com

She was beaten to death and left for dead. The police and townspeople assumed her son was the murderer. Why?

This murder took place in an era where being gay was proof of being deviant and therefore he was an easy target for law enforcement.

But the years would uncover a much more sinister story. Until the night of the murder, the Park family seemed to have an almost perfect life. For fifty years they were the owners of “The Press Argus” newspaper.

Hugh Park was connected politically and his wife, Ruie Ann, was a local historian, a journalist, and a teacher. They had a biological son who Ruie Ann thought was brilliant and could do no wrong. The couple also adopted a daughter, named Linda who seemed to become the father’s favorite.

Their golden life ended in divorce and the children remained with Ruie Ann, who stayed in the marital home, becoming bitter and more and more demanding of the daughter who couldn’t seem to up her mother’s expectations.

Fast forward to adulthood…

The son, Sam Hugh, had once had a promising legal career but this ended because of his penchant for young men, alcohol and drugs.
It was this history that set him firmly in the sights of law enforcement when his mother was murdered.

In comparison, adopted daughter, Linda, seemed to have a much more normal life. She graduated from college, married a lawyer and moved a few hours away from her overbearing mother.

So, if it wasn’t the ‘degenerate’ son, who killed Ruie-Ann Park? If you don’t already know the ultimate outcome if this murder case, the answer will surprise you.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and thought that the author did a terrific job of describing both the Park family’s history as well as the complex family dynamics. She was able to stick to the facts and weave them into a compelling tale that listeners are able to follow easily.

The narrator, Kevin Pierce has the perfect voice for true crime audiobooks. He seems to have an ingrained sense of which words and sentences to emphasize, as well as a gift for pacing. His voice never overwhelms the story itself which allows the listener to focus not on the voice, but on the content of the audiobook. I rate the narration of this audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My only complaint is that after the author spent so much time detailing the family history, it seemed like once the murderer was arrested (three years after the crime took place) the story starts to have huge holes in it. Listeners/readers are not given detailed information about how the death of another family member took place. It is eluded to that it was a suicide, but no details were given. I believe this information should have also been included. Also, once the murderer is arrested there is barely any information about the legal process. I would have liked a few more details.

Overall I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

To find out more about this book visit http://www.pen-l.com/BlindRage.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author photo obtained from http://blindragebook.blogspot.com

Anita Paddock is a widowed author who currently resides in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Anita attended Van Buren High School, graduating in 1958 and enrolled in the University of Arkansas from 1958-1960 and graduated from Little Rock University in 1962.

To learn more, visit http://blindragebook.blogspot.com

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Narrator photo obtained from http://www.acx.com

Kevin Pierce is a full-time audiobook narrator and has received many awards and accolades on both Audible and ACX.

For more information visit http://www.kevinpiercepresents.com

THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey – 5 Star AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.amazon.com

THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS

Author: M.R. Carey

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: Finty Williams

Length: 13 hours and 4 minutes

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Release Date: June 10, 2014

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Holy Moly! What a terrific audiobook! I would give this a 6 Star rating if it were possible!

Narration is simply perfect and the story grabbed and held my attention from the very first sentence.

Just when I thought the post-apocalyptic genre and especially zombie fiction held no more surprises, along comes THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS!

Did I mention that I LOVED THIS AUDIOBOOK?

Well, even if I did say it already, I will say it again … I LOVED THIS AUDIOBOOK.

Melanie is the best young heroine I have read about in quite a while. She is definitely not the typical young girl that readers/listeners have come to expect. She may be different, but she is terrific.

I usually write a synopsis of each book or audiobook I review, but I am going to break that tradition for this review because I do not want to ruin the story for potential readers or listeners.

The setting is post-apocalyptic England and the author does not go into detail about what happened. She gives the listener enough information for them to figure it out on their own. As an avid reader I appreciate the fact that the author assumes her readers/listeners have enough intelligence that they do not need every tiny detail spoon-fed to us like idiots.

The character development in this audiobook is simply superb. As the story progresses, the listener cannot help but sympathize with Melanie’s situation. The same thing can be said about the character: Miss Justineau.

Dr. Caldwell is a terrific villain. It is also interesting that she can be seen as either a heroic figure or an evil monster depending on who is judging her character.

This book is not just pure entertainment (although it is extremely entertaining). It is also a treatise on what it means to be human.

This would be a terrific book to read as part of a book club. There are so many topics and scenarios that take place that are worthy of the “What Would You Do in that Situation” discussion, that this single book could be discussed at multiple book club meetings. Discussions could also arise on ethics and what actions can be justified “for the greater good.”

The narrator has an English accent, which, due to the setting of the audiobook is appropriate. There are many variations of English accents depending on which region of the UK the speaker hails from. Some accents are difficult to understand, but the accent of the narrator of this audiobook is very clear. She is quite simply brilliant and whoever it was that chose her to narrate “The Girl With All The Gifts” deserves to recognized for making the perfect choice. I will definitely be adding Finty Williams to my list of favorite narrators.

Overall I rate this audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Photo obtained from http://www.goodreads.com

M.R. Carey is a pen name for author Mike Carey. Mike Carey is a British writer whose work spans comics, novels, film scripts, and TV shows. After writing shorts for British sci-fi comic 2000 AD and a few one-shots for Caliber Comics during the 1990s, he was offered DC/Vertigo’s Lucifer — henceforth the longest running and most successful Sandman-related spinoff to date. While continuing to work with DC on Vertigo series like Crossing Midnight and graphic novels like God Save The Queen, he took over as lead writer for Marvel’s X-Men (now X-Men: Legacy) in 2006. His work includes DC/Vertigo’s Hellblazer, Marvel’s Ultimate Fantastic Four, the Felix Castor novels, The Steel Seraglio (with Linda and Louise Carey), and DC/Vertigo’s The Unwritten (with Peter Gross).

To find out more about M.R. Carey visit his official website at
http://www.mikeandpeter.com

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Photo Credit:
Clara Molden

Finty Williams is a 41 year old actress living with her 18 year old son, Sam in London, England.

Finty is the daughter of award-winning actress Dame Judi Dench and actor Michael Williams. She spends her weekends visiting her mother at her childhood home near Reigate in Surrey.

In a newspaper interview with “The Telegraph” Finty said “I wanted to be a dancer – which is why I’m so thrilled to be the voice of Angelina, in Angelina Ballerina – but I grew the wrong way and, when I was about 13, my leotard stopped fitting and I was turfed out of ballet class. I sort of fell into acting when I was doing my A-levels, and got offered a TV series, and then I did the whole drama school thing at Central.”

To read the entire article (written by Anna Tyzack) go to: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/11031677/Judi-Denchs-daughter-to-compare-me-to-mum-is-ridiculous.html

Photo Credit:
Jonathan Hordle/Rex Features

Perhaps it is not surprising that Finty Williams became an actress since both her mother (age 80) and her father (deceased) were/are in show business, but Finty has never needed to rely on her pedigree to land roles. She has worked hard and paid her dues and landed roles based solely on her own incredible talent.

Going by her narration of “The Girl With All The Gifts” I am extremely impressed with her skills as a narrator.

PREDATORY INSTINCT by Michael McBride – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

PREDATORY INSTINCT

Author: Michael McBride

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: Scott Thomas

Length: 9 hours and 3 minutes

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: April 27, 2015

Publisher: Michael McBride

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Image obtained from author.michaelmcbride.net

* I received a free copy of this audiobook through Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the synopsis of this story I thought it would be similar to movies I have seen of people trapped in an Arctic station and stalked by a primitive beast, but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong.

The fossilized remains of a species never before documented is found in the Altai Mountains. The discovery causes a rush of scientists to converge on the frozen location in hopes of proving that there was a third protohuman ancestor. It would be the discovery of the century if the theory could be proven.

The unthinkable happens and the exploration team is attacked (this part is very predictable).

I do not want to give away too much of the plot, so I will not go into detail. However, I very much enjoyed listening to this audiobook.

Scott Thomas was the perfect choice to narrate this audiobook. His pacing was great and although he could have rushed when the action gets intense, he kept his voice modulated. He was able to convey urgency without rushing. I rate the narration of this audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is a thriller and offers the listener a “thrilling” listening experience.

I recommend this audiobook and rate it as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author photo obtained from http://author.michaelmcbride.net

Michael McBride is the author of multiple award-winning thrillers.

Michael McBride is the author of more than twenty novels and novellas. His short fiction has been featured in Cemetery Dance, Dark Wisdom, Dark Discoveries, and various anthologies. He lives in Westminster, Colorado with his wife and children.

To learn more about him and the books he has written visit his official website at http://author.michaelmcbride.net

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Narrator photo obtained from http://www.amcstudios.com

Scott Thomas has been a voice-over professional for over twenty years. He is the founder of AMC Studios in Jacksonville, Florida.

The name AMC stands for Alex/Maddie/Carolyn – Scott’s twin daughters, and wife of over 20 years.

Scott has been performing voice-overs for over 25 years, with a wide range of styles and deliveries, from video narrations to character acting. Clients and agencies from coast-to-coast have sought Scott out for his talent, professionalism and attention to detail.

Radio and television commercials, business narrations, audio books, amusement park characters, documentaries, video game voices, website narrations, video presentations…Scott has worked with scores of recognizable names such as Disney, The Jacksonville Jaguars, General Dynamics, Coca Cola, Safetouch Security, Gate Petroleum, Lexus, Burger King, Sally Corporation, Dalton Agency, DR Horton, and so many more.

For projects that require multiple voices, Scott has a network of widely diverse talent, ranging from children to mature adults.

To learn more about Scott Thomas and to listen to many samples of his work visit http://www.amcstudios.com

CLASSICALLY EXPOSED by Lexi Lauderdale – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

CLASSICALLY EXPOSED

Author: Lexi Lauderdale

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: Audrey Lusk

Length: 35 minutes

Genre: Erotica

Release Date: July 8, 2015

Publisher: Soft Kiss Books

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

** This short audiobook is meant for Adults Only! Listeners should be 18 or older.

Catherine has dated and bedded her fair share of men but she has grown bored of what some people call “vanilla sex.”

In her job as a paralegal she must present a professional front, but inside she harbors a desire for excitement.

She begins to search for what will fulfill her sexually. She researches various fetishes that do not appeal to her until finally she comes across forums and blogs that pertain to the fetish of exhibitionism.

She is excited to give it a try and the first time she exposes herself she realizes that she has found her niche.

Now she is continually upping the stakes in search of the ultimate exhibitionist display. That display will leave her “Classically Exposed.”

Lexi Lauderdale’s writing of this novella comes across more as self-empowerment than as smut. This is not just about sex. It is about a woman exploring exactly what she needs to experience to feel fulfilled.

The narrator, Audrey Lusk has a voice that is perfect for erotic fiction and more importantly, she does not overact.

I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

DOCTOR MARS by T.A. Uner – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

DOCTOR MARS

Author: T.A. Uner

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: Elizabeth Phillips

Length: 1 hour and 8 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction

Release Date: June 10, 2015

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review through Audiobook Blast dot com.

This is the first episode of the Mindcop Dossiers.

DOCTOR MARS is set in the future. The story takes place on the planet of Mars which, after a century of preparation is now fully colonized. In fact, Mars houses a population of five million.

Liberty Rise works for the MCPF (Mars Colony Police Force) as a part of the Mind Cop program. She is a mutant with a unique power which she uses to help solve crimes.

When the mutilated body of a technology student is discovered it is up to Liberty to solve the crime and maybe even save the planet at the same time.

Even though this audiobook is only just over one hour in length, I enjoyed it. It provides just enough details about the Mars Colony to intrigue listeners and to pique their interest in the rest of the series.

The end of this story paves the way for the rest of the series. It does not end on a cliffhanger, it is a completed story which is something I very much appreciate. It is frustrating when an audiobook ends in the middle of a story and the listener is left waiting for the next audiobook to be released in order to finish the story.

The author has done a great job with character development, especially in such a short length of time. Listeners will feel the emotions that Liberty experiences along with her. This is due in part to good writing and in part to excellent narration skills. I would rate the narration as 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Overall I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

MEMORY’S WAKE by Selena Fenech – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

MEMORY’S WAKE: Memory’s Wake Trilogy: Book One

Author: Selina Fenech

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: Em Eldritch

Length: 8 hours and 48 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction

Release Date: April 17, 2015

Publisher: Fairies and Fantasy Pty Ltd

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook from Audiobook Blast in exchange for an honest review.

This audiobook is targeted at Young Adults. I believe that it is perfect for this age group.

Listeners will find themselves immersed in a tale of adventure, fantasy, romance and full of fantastic creatures.

Sixteen years old and all alone. She has no idea where she is … or who she is and has no memories at all. She only knows that someone or something is hunting for her and that the world she has awoken in is not her own.

Lost in a world full of creatures she thought only existed in fiction, the troubled 16-year-old has to find out who she is and why her memories were stolen before she is found by those who want her dead.

She takes the name “Memory” and wants to go home. But, since she doesn’t know who or where she is, and there is no technology to be found, trying to get home is going to be extremely difficult.

Memory finds herself caught up in a world full of magic and intrigue.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and narrator Em Eldritch does an amazing job of distinguishing between multiple characters. She emotes like the professional she is and I would definitely listen to more audiobooks narrated by her. I rate the narration as 5 out of 5 stars.

I believe that young adult fantasy fans will love this audiobook. It would be perfect for them to listen to while at the beach or on a long car ride.

I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Memory’s Wake has it’s own website with heaps of great content, art samples and free chapters at http://www.memoryswake.com

Check out a terrific trailer for Memory’s Wake on YouTube at

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author photo obtained from http://www.selenafenech.com

Selena Fenech is an Australian author and artist. You can learn more about her books and see some of her gorgeous artwork on her website at http://www.selenafenech.com

From her website:

“Born in 1981 to Australian and Maltese parents, Selina lives in Australia with her husband, unnamed cat, and a lorikeet who’s far too clever. During her life Selina has found ancient Roman treasure, survived cancer, had knights joust at her wedding, earned a living from her art, written a novel and eaten every bizarre and wonderful food put in front of her.

Once upon a time, on the night of a full moon, in a small country town in Australia a girl was born with a vast imagination. She was given the name Selina, meaning “Moon”, named after the moon that shone that night.

As a child Selina loved to read. Her favourite stories were those of myth and magic, princesses and fairies. She soon learned she had a greater love than reading when she would spend countless hours staring at the illustrations in these books, ignoring the stories told in words in preference of the stories shown by the artworks. She would study each brush stroke, marvelling that any human hand could create such beauty. The images enchanted her, bewitched her, and filled her head with magic and romance.”

ABOUT THE NARRATOR:

Em Eldritch answers a Q&A session on YouTube

THE NARCISSIST BORDERLINE RELATIONSHIP DYNAMIC by J.B. Snow – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

THE NARCISSIST BORDERLINE RELATIONSHIP DYNAMIC

Author: J.B. Snow

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: D. Gaunt

Length: 19 minutes

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Psychology

Release Date: July 2, 2015

Publisher: J.B. Snow Publishing

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Definitions:

BPD – Borderline Personality Disorder

NPD – Narcissist Personality Disorder

This audiobook delves into the phenomenon of “Borderline Personality Disordered women and the Narcissistic Personality Disordered men who date or marry them.”

What causes BPD?

“The female likely lived in an emotionally invalidating environment. She was born with a sensitive temperament and subsequently grew up in an environment where her parent was largely self-absorbed.”

If a child grows up feeling that their needs are not important, it can result in the child having BPD.

What causes NPD?

If a child grows up feeling that he is the center of his/her parent’s world and can do no wrong, and is put on a pedestal by his/her parents, this type of childhood trauma may result in NPD.

According to the author, she “…has first hand life experience in all of the topics that [she writes] about.” She says that “… unlike a mental health professional, [she has] lived and breathed many of the difficulties that [sufferers of these disorders] are going through now. [She has] largely overcome childhood traumas. Persevered and found the peaceful place that [she] is in today.” She has researched these topics for thirty years.

This audiobook is similar to another audiobook I listened to in the same genre. According to author J.B. Snow, every problem men and women have can be traced back to their childhood and how they were treated by their parents.

While I do believe that a traumatic childhood will obviously adversely affect a person’s life, I also believe that some people use their upbringing as an excuse for their own poor behavior when they did not have especially difficult childhoods. I guess I am a bit of a cynic. I think people need to “man up” and take responsibility for their own behavior.

However audiobooks like this one do offer some great advice on relationships. I just don’t think that advice is limited specifically to people with NPD and/or BPD. For example, the author states that when couples are dealing with their in-laws, they need to be on the same page and present a united front. This applies to every marriage.

The narrator, D. Gaunt does a terrific job with difficult subject matter.

This audiobook is extremely short (only nineteen minutes long) which I believe limits the amount of knowledge that is gained. Listeners do not get enough detailed information or enough tips on coping mechanisms for this audiobook to be truly effective. It is for that reason that I rate this audiobook as 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

DYING TO LIVE AGAIN by D.M. Raver – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.audible.com

DYING TO LIVE AGAIN

Author: D.M. Raver

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrator: D, Gaunt

Length: 36 minutes

Genre: Fantasy & Science Fiction

Release Date: July 10, 2015

Publisher: Danielle Raver

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.

Since listening to the entire audiobook only took 36 minutes to complete, I was not expecting a story with a lot of depth. However, I should know by now that judging a book (or audiobook, in this case) by it’s cover or it’s length is never a good idea.

I absolutely loved this story.

DESCRIPTION FROM AUDIBLE:
It is amazing how little it takes to sell away your soul. Ten dollars and 50 cents. That’s all it took to purchase some graphics and bold fonts and 200 neon fliers from the copy store. Each invites the regulars and tourists alike to the community stage to the east of the market. There, at sundown, they are promised a show beyond their imagination.
I hand out the fliers to passersby on the street. Da would be furious. All his efforts to hide me all these years, I will destroy in one afternoon.

MY THOUGHTS:

What would you be willing to do to protect your only child?

What anguish and pain would you be willing to go through to keep that child away from harm?

What would you be willing to do to save your child’s life?

This audiobook takes a mere 36 minutes to listen to, but I guarantee you will still be thinking about it long after those 36 minutes have passed.

I do not want to ruin the story for potential listeners, so I will keep this review short. BUT, I also want to mention that the description does not do this audiobook justice.

THIS IS A MUST LISTEN. If listening to this audiobook does not cause the listener to want to talk about it with others, I would be surprised. One topic could be Quality vs. Quantity of life.

The narration is excellent. D. Gaunt was the perfect choice to narrate this book. Her tone of voice, pacing and her ability to convey emotion create a wonderful listening experience.

I heartily rate this audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author photo obtained from http://www.amazon.com

D. M. Raver is a fantasy and science fiction author from America. Her first novel, BROTHER BETRAYED, was published in 2011. Hitting #1 best seller on Amazon, BROTHER BETRAYED is the story of three princes fighting to save their kingdom, and themselves. Other stories by D. M. Raver include CITY OF SILVER, a dystopian novella, and THE ENCHANTRESS, an arabian fantasy.

FIRE BORN is first in the Flight Moon Series, that follows the journey of a dragon and a young girl named Fornala.

Her next book FATE OF FIRE is scheduled to be released in 2016.

CATCHING UP by Bronagh Fegan – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.amazon.com

CATCHING UP WITH THE GIRLS: This Is Your Pilot Speaking, An Audible Original Pilot

Author: Bronagh Fegan

Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged

Narrators: Louise Ford, Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Carrie Quinlan, Grainne Maguire and Andy Goddard

Length: 30 minutes

Genre: Comedy

Release Date: June 11, 2015

Publisher: Audible Inc.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐

Audible has created a few short pilot episodes of various serials and offered them up as free downloads. People are needed to vote for the best one and that one will continue to be produced.

Carol has been living in New York for the past five years. She has just moved back to England and her old friends have set up a get together at a local Wine Bar.

This meeting devolves into a
“bitch-fest”. There were a couple mildly funny parts, but I actually found this audiobook more annoying than entertaining.

This “serial pilot” warns listeners at the beginning that they should “buckle up” because they are entering “the United States of Hilarity”. This is flat out untrue. This was not funny in the least.

The only redeeming feature is that the full cast of narrators are all very talented. They do a very good job with poor material.

I cannot rate this audiobook any higher than 2 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐