We don’t review everything we listen to but we’ll keep you advised of those recent listens that work especially well for us. These may or may not be all time favorites but we have found them to be highly entertaining. Lower you’ll find a number of our DNFs – those books that didn’t work.
Our Favorite Recent Listens
If you’ve been visiting AudioGals lately, it should come as no surprise that Julie James’ FBI/US Attorney series sits at the top of our list as recent favorites for all of the Gals.
Narrated by Karen White
The series’ third entry.
Recent Favorite of Brenda and Melinda – Lea is saving it for a vacation listen
Narrated by Karen White
The series’ second entry
Recent Favorite of Brenda, Melinda, and Lea
Narrated by Karen White
The series’ first entry
Recent Favorite of Brenda, Melinda, and Lea
Narrated by Angela Dawe
Recent Favorite of Brenda and Melinda
Narrated by Anna Fields
Recent Favorite of Lea – yes the first time for this SEP audio addict!
Narrated by Kate Rudd
The first in the Guinevere Jones series
Recent Favorite of Brenda
Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
Recent Favorite of Lea
Narrated by Kate Rudd
The second in the Guinevere Jones series
Recent Favorite of Brenda
Narrated by Victor Slezak
Recent Favorite of Lea
Narrated by Kate Rudd
The third in the Guinevere Jones series
Recent Favorite of Brenda
Our DNFs
Although we don’t review an audiobook unless we listen to it in its entirety, we will occasionally share a few of those audios that didn’t work well for us (and likely let off a a little steam in the process). It’s doubtful we made it to the end giving these audios an official DNF (did not finish) status.
Honor Bound by Sandra Brown
Narrated by Renee Raudman
This one didn’t work for Brenda – despite an excellent narration. The dated (looks like 1986 under Brown’s pseudonym of Erin St. Claire) subject matter deals with an American Indian hero and the wrongs he’s endured. First – he remains a total asshat up until the end of the book which is a big turn off for me – but still it was the overdone Indian bigotry aspects that pushed it to DNF. Narrator Renee Raudman kept me on the ride until I couldn’t take the hero anymore.
This Time Forever by Kathleen Eagle
Narrated by Katrina Carmony
This one didn’t work for Lea – I was excited about this release from Belle Books. It’s an excellent book in print but the audio spelled big disappointment for me. Katrina Carmony’s voice sounded good on the sample – a fine deep tone. However, her over expressiveness in the general narrative was difficult to take – too many ups and downs in single sentences which proved distracting. The pacing was uneven and I couldn’t help but think she was trying too hard.
Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims
Narrated by Leah Mailach
This one didn’t work for Brenda – the story is nothing new for the PNR genre but that wasn’t my problem as I like PNR over done or not. A big deal was made out of the hero’s voice – not just a mention or two – but repeatedly . It’s described as a deep purring sexy huskiness (or a like description) while I heard a slightly deeper but obvious woman’s voice utter the hero’s line in the next sentence – it kept throwing me out. Narrator Leah Mailach isn’t bad and if descriptions of the hero’s voice weren’t so prevalent, I might have made it to the end. But she didn’t fit and it kept jerking me out to the point of irritation and DNF. I may read the book in future when I can banish the sissy sounding voice for the hero from my mind. ;)
A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith
Narrated by Kymberly Dakin
This one didn’t work for Lea – another audio by Belle Books and another promising sound sample. A Place to Call Home has been well-reviewed in print. Kymberly Dakin’s delivery was at times too slow and at times words were held too long. It was an uneasy, forced delivery with a voice that sounded old for the numerous young characters. Before giving up, I fast forwarded to the last third to hear those young characters as adults and there remained too much of an unrealistic twang – almost like those of cartoon characters. I was so distracted by the narration that I couldn’t get into what I’m sure was an intriguing tale. Once again, I felt the narrator was trying too hard.