MJ

Is this Jenny Colgan?

Revisado: 06-23-24

Although this book might have an ok story, for me it didn’t fit as a sequal to the series based on Mount Polbearne. The spirit of the book felt different from the previous books and didn’t have the flavor of the little island. The story felt like a stretch. The narration was tolerable. I still can’t stand when narrators try to do male voices, especially trying to imitate an American drawl. Even though Jenny Colgan is one of my favorite authors, I didn’t love this book.

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Interesting Story

Revisado: 02-22-24

I always like Jenny Colgan’s books. This is second in the series and it’s as good as the first in my opinion. It’s typical Colgan style. The narrator does a good job with everything but the American voices. Seriously? That’s what you think Americans sound like? Uggh. The book is worth listening to if you can get past the voices that she does for the Americans. 

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Good so far

Revisado: 10-27-23

As is usual, Jenny Colgan delivers another good story. I would say that just about every book of hers I have read I had a hard time getting into the first 2 chapters but then I'm hooked - don't know why. I am not finished with the book, but so far it delivers. However, once again it's the narrator! I don't love the narrator's voice and am especially put off (once again as with other narrators) with her trying to sound like a man for the male characters in the book. She sounds AWFUL and nasally and they all sound the same. Uggh. I wish narrators would stop doing this unless they are masters at impersonation. Jenny, find better narrators for your books.

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Pretty Good

Revisado: 09-27-23

I like the book so far, and haven't gotten to the end yet. However, although I do love Jenny Colgan, I am not sure why she had to use the word "absolutely" 250 times in the book. It is cute when the boy Patrick is saying it, because of the way he speaks but seems unnecessary and redundant throughout the rest of the book. That said, the book reminds me of how I felt at the beginning of The Bookshop on the Corner. I had a hard time with the first few chapters and almost didn't want to keep listening, but Colgan pulls you into the story and she is a good writer. The narrator is a little high-pitched for my tastes but not enough so that I would stop listening to the book. She does an admirable job with the voices, as in they sound believable.

I will update when I finish the book, but so far, so good.

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Fantastic

Revisado: 08-29-23

Jenny Colgan, where have you been all my life?

This book didn't start out well for me. I started listening to it and I thought it was something different than it was and stopped listening. I ran out of credits on Audible and realized I hadn't finished this book, so I started listening again and became enraptured. This is a really good book and Helen McAlpine is a superb narrator. Now, if you read any of my other reviews, you will realize that is high praise.

This book is witty, satirical, great Brit speak, a solid story line and has characters you fall for. I didn't realize it was gong to be such a funny book and found myself laughing out loud. The scene with the TV show was hilarious. She writes about such ordinary things and makes them interesting. Her turn of phrase is different and keeps you interested in the story. The premise of the book is also unique and intriguing. Her conversations between people are not the typical dialogue you read in most books, such as, "He said, she replied..." I was so intrigued with this book that I am now reading "The Bookshop on the Corner," also by Jenny Colgan and even though it has a similar story line (young woman moves to Scotland, a glut of men, a big party) it's also a really great read. I can't speak to any other Colgan books, but if she writes like this all the time, I am a fan by a long mile.

Helen McAlpine's Scottish brogue is great, even for the male voices which are convincing and not distracting as in so many other books. She did an admirable job on narrating this book.

I am only sorry that it took me so long to discover this author. I think she's fantastic.

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Pretty Good

Revisado: 07-20-23

Caroline Hewitt was a superb narrator for this book. Her accents and different voices between characters were really great! She has a good range and makes the separate characters believable an she has a truly great voice. I wish she would narrate every Audible book. Robert Petkoff I wasn't fond of, and I wish male narrators would stop trying to create female voices. They sound awful and it grates on me with that weird voice. Just read it with your normal voice! His voice isn't outstanding to begin with.

That said, the book was o.k. I wouldn't say it is my favorite book of Giffin's. I know Giffin was trying to get the abuse angle made, but I found the character of the mother to be so utterly tiresome. This story was typical, but at least I think the ending had a bit of a twist which made it more interesting. The writing is lackluster and much of the dialogue seemed mundane to me. The book is worth listening to if you used it as I do for driving, as it helps to pass the time. I did enjoy the author's epilogue at the end of the story.

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So far so good, minus one narrator

Revisado: 05-25-23

I am about halfway through listening to All We Ever Wanted. The story so far is interesting enough, and the 2 female narrators are really great. Milton Bagby who voices for "Tom" is horrible. Did whoever arranged for him to narrate this part even listen to his voice before they picked him for this role? He can't pronounce certain words and gives a stiff, unlikable performance and sounds like he is easily in his 70s. This is not convincing for him to be reading for a 40 something. He is quite distracting, and he makes the character of Tom seem really coarse and not charismatic at all Uggh. If you can get past this very distracting element, the book seems to be worth listening to.

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Pretty Good Book

Revisado: 05-22-23

I think this title is worth the credit to purchase it. Barrie Kreinik is an outstanding narrator and made the story more interesting with her different voices. All were credible and did not distract from the book.

That said, at the beginning I almost didn't want to continue on with this book due to the somewhat depressing story line, but am glad I did. It was pretty good and better than the only other Hepworth book I've listened to "The Younger Wife". The writing isn't overly sappy and has some good character development.

I would recommend this book.

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So far, so good

Revisado: 04-14-23

I am only a few chapters into this book, and so far so good. The narration is great (finally, after a few Picoult last listens where the narration was terrible). The story line is typical Picoult and is good and easy to follow, if not somewhat predictable. However, the narrator makes this book worth listening to. Spoiler Alert: I knew what the ending was going to be as soon as the Attorney started getting Jillian's story regarding the alleged rape. The last chapter was not a surprise for me.

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Not Understanding

Revisado: 03-22-23

I don't understand all of the positive reviews about this book. I feel like it is a fail. However, after getting to the end of the book, I will give Picoult the ending, which I thought was pretty good.

At the beginning of the book Picoult introduces so many characters that it was very difficult to keep track of them. I literally had to think hard to remember who the characters were every time they started talking or had to rewind. I think her attention to detail sometimes gets away from her with the sheer amount of information she tries to pack into her books. One really bad line from the book: "He tasted like doubt on her tongue and pain on the roof of her mouth." Kissing that involves the roof of the other person's mouth? Thanks, but I don't need that image in my head.

I found the narrator to be awful. He sounds like an old man and his women's voices are horrible. He is not believable as the younger men in the book, and annoying trying to intone like a woman. I am 6 hours into the book and finally it is generating some interest, but it's baffling how long Picoult spent with the character development and plot in those first 6 hours. After the 6 hours, the plot is set in the past, and one has to wonder what happened to the current day characters. That's all we heard about for 6 hours, and now it's as if they vanished for good.

I certainly am not sitting on the edge of my seat, as some other reviewers stated. In fact, I figured out the story line very early on.

I don't think this book was worth the purchase price. But, if you just need something to listen to while you are driving, that uses up a lot of time, this is your book.

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