Audio Book Review: Beach Road

Title: Beach Road
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Pub Date: November 2007, Hachette Audio
Book Source: Purchased from BookCloseouts.com

Synopsis

Tom Dunleavy has a one-man law firm in legendary East Hampton. But his job barely keeps him in paper clips. His principal clients make a living serving the rich. The billionaires and megacelebrities swarming the beaches already have lawyers on their payroll.

Then a friend of Tom's is arrested for a triple murder near a movie star's mansion. Tom knows in his gut that Dante Halleyville is innocent. Dante asks him to represent him in what could be the Trial of the Century.

Tom recruits Manhattan superlawyer Kate Costello to help. She's a tough hire, because Kate is his ex-girlfriend-but she agrees. In their search to find who really executed three locals, Tom orchestrates a series of revelations to expose the killer-and what emerges is staggering.

The final scenes of Beach Road unveil a truth that will leave readers gasping in shock.

My Thoughts

One of the things I like the best about James Patterson's books is that the audio formats really are great for a car ride, whether it's a daily commute or a road trip. In this case, I was able to finish Beach Road on my trip down to Florida last week and it made the drive go by much faster than it would have.

I would say that Beach Road is your typical Patterson mystery. It's not a literary masterpiece but it is intriguing enough to keep you engaged in the story until the end. The overall storyline felt a little more implausible to me than some of his books, but then again what do I know about how law enforcement in a small town would operate? The characters are perhaps stereotypical, but likable. There is the inevitable sex scene well into the book but for those of us who don't care it can be tuned out. One thing I enjoyed about this book (and it is usually the case with all of Patterson's books) is that we do hear from the point of view of the murderer, we just don't know who that person actually is beyond a street name.

And yes, the ending of the book was a shock--well, half of it was. I had already started to get suspicious of one of the characters, and knowing the way Patterson likes to operate, I had figured part of his twist out just before he revealed all. Honestly, there isn't much else to say about it--if you enjoy James Patterson, you'd enjoy this book. Yes, the additional audio musical effects in some of the chapters are cheesy, but they aren't too much of a distraction. And if you are looking for audio books that are easy to follow I highly recommend Beach Road and really any other book by Patterson.

My rating:

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Audiobook Review: The Stolen Moon of Londor

Title: The Stolen Moon of Londor
Author: A. P. Stephens
Narrated by: Richard Webster
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Pub Date: September 2009
Book Source: audio edition through Podiobooks, recommended by the author for review

Synopsis

The era of peace among the elves, men, and dwarves comes to an end when one of Londor’s twin moons disappears from the heavens. Without the moon’s balancing effect, evil forces grow bold, and warfare, sickness, and chaos threaten life itself.

Hearing the prayers of desperation that ride on the violent winds, the ancient wizard Randor Miithra, servant to the elf-gods, takes it upon himself to mend the world he has sworn to protect. The task will not be an easy one, though, for the wizard, too, has begun to feel the effects of the world’s imbalance. As Randor struggles to maintain some semblance of his powers, he meets a secretive band of colorful characters from all walks of life, drawn together by a common goal: to find the stolen moon, whatever the cost. It does not take Randor and his motley company long to see that someone or something does not want the moon returned to the heavens.

The road is perilous…the stakes have never been greater…will they find victory…or will they only find their deaths?

My Thoughts

When A. P. Stephens first contacted me regarding his book, I was very interested in checking out his first book in The White Shadow Saga, The Stolen Moon of Londor. I am very much a fantasy reader and lover and this book sounded intriguing. Is it ever! I enjoyed listening to it from start to finish and can't wait to get my hands on a copy of the paperback to read through it again.

In my opinion, The Stolen Moon of Londor ranks right up there with some of my other favorite fantasy reads: Terry Brooks, Tolkien, Terry Goodkind... Stephens is great at giving a lot of vivid detail without becoming so involved that you lose sight of the story. As any good quest would have, there are many different characters, with varying personalities and talents, involved in this adventure to recover the stolen moon. Oh, and how about that for a fresh, new idea in fantasy? I am still anxious to find out where this story is going after the first book--how does one steal a moon, after all, even in a fantasy novel? But back to the characters--obviously they are not yet fully developed as this is only the first book in the saga, but already I can see that there will likely be some surprises along the way with this group. I can't even say that I have a favorite character yet, though I expect that to change as I continue reading the saga.

As far as audiobooks go, I have to admit I have never been too keen on listening to involved stories, because I worry that I will miss something. I was surprised at how easily I was able to follow and keep up with the events that were transpiring. I think it helps that Stephens does not get too involved in various events--the battle scenes are descriptive without becoming too bogged down, the world and events are presented in great detail without being wordy... In short, this book is well-written and to the point; there's not a lot of fluff here. The only thing I thought was missing was a more detailed account of the world of Londor itself. I didn't always find that I could picture it in my head, and perhaps that is something that will change when I reread the book as opposed to listening to it, I can't be sure.

I am most definitely looking forward to continuing The White Shadow Saga and anxiously await the publication of the second book. I would think that any reader who shares my affinity to fantasy works would enjoy Stephens' book and I urge you to check it out!

My rating:



Other reviews of The Stolen Moon of Londor:

Fantasy Book Critic

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Audiobook Review: Cat & Mouse

Title: Cat & Mouse (Abridged)
Author: James Patterson
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Pub Date: December 2007, Hachette Audio
Source: Bookbargains.com

Synopsis

The latest of installment of the bestselling Alex Cross series finds James Patterson's intrepid Washington, D.C., homicide detective besieged by not one, but two deadly killers. To make matters worse, Cross has fallen deeply in love with Christine Johnson -- last seen in Jack & Jill-- a relationship that leaves him and his family all the more vulnerable to the deadly game his murderous opponents have devised. 

My Thoughts


My apologies for the drought between reviews. Work has kept me VERY busy lately. I did manage to get through this audiobook during my commutes over the past week and was glad to be listening to books on CD again.

I have not read many of Patterson's Alex Cross novels, but those that I have read so far have generally been exciting and suspenseful. Cat & Mouse was no exception. As always, I can live without the sex that Patterson inevitably includes but without a doubt he knows how to write a thriller that will keep you on your toes. One downside to this audiobook was that the quality of the recording was not that great--there are two readers and they were obviously recorded in different conditions; the two recordings just did not seem to blend together very well.

Overall, while the poor recording quality was distracting, I did enjoy this book and look forward to listening to more Patterson novels soon. His books, with their short chapters, really do work well for my commutes.

My rating:

Other reviews of Cat & Mouse:

Musings of a Bookish Kitty ~ Reading comes from Writing

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Audiobook Review: A Wizard of Earthsea

Title: A Wizard of Earthsea
Author: Ursula K. LeGuin
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Pub Date: this ed. March 2003, Phoenix Books (orig. 1968)
Audiobook Source: iTunes

Synopsis

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.

My Thoughts

As strange as this may seem, I sought out a book by Ursula K. LeGuin because of one of those crazy online quizzes--this one in particular was supposed to determine which fantasy author's works I most "identified with." My result was Ursula K. LeGuin and I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never even heard of her until that moment. I stumbled across this audiobook on iTunes and figured it was the perfect opportunity to give LeGuin a try.

In the end I'm glad I did, and now I intend to try to get my hands on more of her books. LeGuin's start to the Earthsea series definitely has the feel of classic fantasy. This was the first time I had ever listened to a fantasy novel instead of reading it, and while I found it was a little more difficult to keep up with things at times, it was definitely enjoyable to listen to. This particular audio rendition must be fairly old--it sounded as if it was copied from an old recording and the reader sounded like a storyteller, as opposed to the perfect readings that you find on audiobooks today. It's hard to explain the difference, but it really did not sound as if the reader was reading straight from the book, and I found that to be a plus when listening.

As for the story, it is a bit of a different take on wizards and their quests. Ged's quest is not so much to save a world, as it seems is the case with so many fantasy books, but rather to clean up a "mess" that he made as a boy in training to become a wizard. Of course, along the way there are other side adventures and we watch Ged grow and mature through the years. The story is a bit dry, but the writing seemed fairly colorful and flowed nicely. All-in-all I thought it was a great example of fantasy literature and certainly a worthwhile read.

My rating:



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Audiobook Review: Paranoia

Title: Paranoia
Author: Joseph Finder
Genre: Fiction, Suspense
Pub Date: 2004, MacMillan Audio
Source: Free Download from iTunes

Synopsis

Adam Cassidy is twenty-six and a low level employee at a high-tech corporation who hates his job. When he manipulates the system to do something nice for a friend, he finds himself charged with a crime. Corporate Security gives him a choice: prison—or become a spy in the headquarters of their chief competitor, Trion Systems. They train him and feed him inside information. Now at Trion, he’s a star, skyrocketing to the top. He finds he has talents he never knew he possessed. He’s rich, drives a Porsche, lives in a fabulous apartment, and works directly for the CEO. He’s dating the girl of his dreams. His life is perfect. All he has to do to keep it that way is betray everyone he cares about and everything he believes in. But when he tries to break off from his controllers, he finds himself in way over his head, where nothing is what it seems and no one can really be trusted. And then the REAL nightmare begins.....

My Thoughts

Paranoia is my latest discovery in the world of audiobooks for my daily commute. I have to confess I've been on the hunt for reasonably priced (cheap) audiobooks after discovering that our library system is severely lacking in this category. With Paranoia it was hard to beat a free download from iTunes, and I figured I'd give it a shot--nothing lost, right?

When the story first started out, after a few chapters I wasn't sure I would be able to keep going. I got really, REALLY tired of the constant swearing. I'm not sure if it would have bothered me as much if it had been more off-hand, but as it was maliciously used by some characters when name-calling other characters in the corporate environment. In short, it really bothered me and I just didn't feel like it was a realistic representation of the way people in the corporate world behave--but what do I know? Additionally, I think hearing the word as opposed to reading it made me more sensitive to its use. (Here we have yet another case where a book can come across so differently on audio vs. the written words.)

In the end, I stuck it out and I have to say I'm glad that I did. I very much enjoyed listening to the narrator, Jason Priestley--no, I don't think he's THE Jason Priestley of 90210/Brandon Walsh fame--I did some searching to see if he'd ever read audiobooks and came up empty, not to mention that it didn't sound like his voice. Anyway, I thought THIS Jason Priestley did a great job on the various characters and really helped add to the suspense of the story with good inflection while reading. The story itself is pretty intense, as you might imagine if you read the synopsis. But best of all, there was a twist at the end that I absolutely did not see coming until right before it happened and for me, it really made the book. So while there is strong language that may offend some, I still recommend this book for the story alone and I am tempted to look into other books by Joseph Finder.

My rating:



Other reviews of Paranoia:

A Passion for Books

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Mystery Mondays: Audio book Review: 8th Confession

Title: 8th Confession
Author: James Patterson with Maxine Paetro
Read by: Carolyn McCormick
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Pub Date: April 2009, Hachette Audio
Source: Won from a blog contest

Synopsis

As San Francisco's most glamorous millionaires mingle at the party of the year, someone is watching—waiting for a chance to take vengeance on Isa and Ethan Bailey, the city's most celebrated couple. Finally, the killer pinpoints the ideal moment, and it's the perfect murder. Not a trace of evidence is left behind in their glamorous home.

As Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile murder, someone else is found brutally executed—a preacher with a message of hope for the homeless. His death nearly falls through the cracks, but when reporter Cindy Thomas hears about it, she knows the story could be huge. Probing deeper into the victim's history, she discovers he may not have been quite as saintly as everyone thought.

As the hunt for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and her partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Women's Murder Club now faces its toughest challenge: will love destroy all that four friends have built? The exhilarating new chapter in the Women's Murder Club series, The 8th Confession serves up a double dose of speed-charged twists and shocking revelations as only James Patterson can. And remember, this is the only Murder Club episode of the year.

My Thoughts

You might recall from my previous mentions about how a reader can really influence how you feel about an audio book--at least, I find that happens to me. A good reader can make a not-so-great book better, or vice versa. With 8th Confession, I have to confess that I was not nuts about Carolyn McCormick's reading, though at times she does do a great job, depending on the character she is portraying (she gets an A+ as Yuki's mother, for example). But more often than not, I just felt her reading seemed to prim and proper for the story, if that makes any sense.

However, I thought the story behind 8th Confession was so good that the reading really did not mess up the listening experience for me. I found myself completely engaged with the story--well, not so completely that I couldn't drive safely on my commutes, but I'm sure you understand what I mean. In fact, I now think that listening to audio books might be the best route for Patterson's novels for me--with their short chapters they really are perfect for listening. And as his stories are generally fast-paced and exciting, it makes for a great audio book experience. Not that I don't enjoy reading his novels in print, but they really are a great option for my daily commutes.

As with most of his books there is a bit of sexual content and foul language, most of which I am willing to overlook, though I really could do without some of it. Given that Patterson always has several storylines working at once, I don't need all the details of the various relationships--insinuations work just fine for me. But I definitely enjoy the multiple storylines and now that Patterson has developed all the women in the Murder Club so much, there is a lot more to work with for their various stories. If you enjoy Patterson's novels, I definitely recommend checking out their audio versions--I don't think you'll be disappointed.

My rating:



Other reviews of 8th Confession:

A Novel Menagerie ~ Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ Bobbi's Book Nook
Booking Mama ~ A Bookworm's World ~ Shh I'm Reading
Diary of an Eccentric ~ reading comes from writing
Lori's Reading Corner ~ Joyfully Retired

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see your site listed above, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Audio Book Review: Wormwood

Title: Wormwood
Author: G. P. Taylor
Genre: Fantasy
Pub Date: 2004, Penguin Group
Audiobook
Source: Borrowed from my parents

Synopsis

Panic fills the streets of London on a night in 1756 when the earth suddenly lurches forward and starts spinning out of control. Within moments, eleven days and nights flash through the sky, finally leaving the city in total darkness. Is the end of the world at hand?

Agetta Lamian fears so. She's the young housemaid of Dr. Sabian Blake, a scientist who has recently acquired the Nemorensis, the legendary book said to unlock the secrets of the universe. And what he sees through his telescope confirms what he has read: This disaster is only a sign of things to come. Agetta overhears Dr. Blake's prophecy that a star called Wormwood is headed towards London, where it will fall from the sky and strike a fatal blow.

Dr. Blake believes the comet will either end the world as he knows it or hearken a new age of scientific and spiritual enlightenment. But whatever the outcome, he must cope with the madness that grows in London as the comet approaches -- as well as with his fears that the Nemorensis' power could be clouding his own reason and drawing dangerous spirits to his door. Soon even Agetta seems to have been seduced by the book, and whom she ultimately delivers it to will determine much more than just her fate.

My Thoughts

I am just going to come out and say that I don't know quite what to make of this book. (And in many ways, I think it is more difficult to review audiobooks because the reading can really sway my opinion of the book.) In this case, I will admit that I am glad I listened to the audio version as opposed to reading the book, because I think I enjoyed it more thanks to Davina Porter's incredible reading. My understanding is that she has read many audio books, so I may actually seek out those that she has done because I enjoyed listening to her so much.

The story is much darker than I anticipated--the synopsis does not really do the book full justice. At times the story is difficult to follow, because the point of view shifts back and forth between Blake's and Agetta's respective stories, which of course do relate to each other and eventually bring them together. Thanks to Porter's reading, all of the characters come to life right out of the book. Unfortunately I couldn't get into the story as much as I would have liked to, however. The tale was just so odd at times (and even gruesome at points) and quite frankly, I felt like the plot was a little shaky. In all fairness, though, it is more difficult to follow a book when you have to break up the listening sessions into several commutes to work. I have a feeling that if I had been reading the book, I would have felt like the prose was a little over the top, but it didn't come across that way when listening to the story. (Although I will say that overuse of words becomes more obvious when you are listening to a book--in this case, the word that started bothering me was "chink," as in a "chink of light" but then there were chinks in the curtains and it just got a little annoying after awhile.)

Overall, I'd say this was a good audio book to listen to simply to hear Davina Porter read all of the characters. The story is a bit of a strange one, with religious undertones at points, but it is a basic fantasy tale of good vs. evil, science vs. magic, etc.

My rating:

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Audio Book Review: Priceless Memories

Title: Priceless Memories
Authors: Bob Barker, Digby Diehl
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Pub Date: April 2009
Audiobook (unabridged), 6 CDs, 420 minutes

Synopsis

In front of the camera, Bob Barker has been invited into the homes of millions of Americans as host of The Price is Right, Truth or Consequences, Miss USA, Miss Universe, the Rose Parade, and many other programs and specials. He has been part of the lives of generations of viewers connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds. Now Bob shares stories of favorite contestants, episodes, celebrity encounters, and behind-the-scenes happenings.

Beyond his public persona, Bob opens up about his personal life, sharing a lifetime of fond memories. He recalls his early years spent on a Native American reservation and being raised by a single mother through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. He writes about training as a fighter pilot in the Navy during World War II and how he met, fell in love with, and married the love of his life, Dorothy Jo. It was with Dorothy Jo's encouragement and insight that he launched his career in the entertainment business, starting in radio and moving to television, where his work has been honored with nineteen Emmys (fourteen as a performer, the most any performer has ever won), induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the TV Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Pioneer Broadcasters Golden Mike Award, among many other awards.

Bob's support of animal rights has always been a central part of his life. In these pages he delves into stories of how and why he put his personal passion above his career, including his antifur standoff with beauty pageants, and his involvement in cases that exposed animal abuse in movies and television. He shares heartwarming personal stories of the four-legged friends he has adopted and rescued, ranging from dogs and rabbits to elephants. Bob is a complete success at retirement and continues to actively advocate on behalf of animals, including working on successful legislation to control the pet population.

My Thoughts

I don't know about all of you, but I loved to watch The Price Is Right when I was growing up. I have vivid memories of watching it during summer vacation with my mother while lunching at the kitchen table, or with my grandfather when we were visiting my grandparents. He and I would eat our lunches in the living room so we could watch the whole show and not miss any of the fun. So when I saw that I could win a copy of Bob Barker's Priceless Memories at Bookin' With Bingo, I had to enter--lo and behold, I won! This is only the second audio book I have listened to, and while I usually prefer to read an actual book, I have to say that I did enjoy listening to this one, probably because Bob Barker is the narrator.

You can't help but smile when the first disc opens with the theme from The Price Is Right. Bob Barker goes on to talk about the many facets of his life, both personal and professional. I found it to be an interesting listen, and I think I probably enjoyed it more as an audio book than I would have if I had been trying to read it. Barker shows a fair amount of his personality when reading, so it engages you more than words on paper would. For me, the only negative was the amount of time he devoted to animal rights towards the end--sometimes there was more detail than I wanted to hear, though I certainly understand how important it is to him. Hearing about the awful things that are done to animals makes me sad, and it was hard to listen to that.

Barker really does have some amusing anecdotes from his career as a host of "audience participation" shows and some of the people he met along the way. You really get a feel for what he accomplished in his long career as a game show host and more. Some parts, such as his brief stint as a naval aviator, are a bit dry, but overall I found his stories to be interesting. I think anyone who is a fan of The Price Is Right (and Truth of Consequences) will enjoy listening to Barker recount his favorite memories.

My rating:



Other reviews of Priceless Memories:

Reading with Monie

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