I liked this book! I hate to admit that this one is probably the least favorite out of This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book! I hate to admit that this one is probably the least favorite out of the books by this author that I have read so far. But it is still a very solid read. I loved the idea of two people drawn together again and again during different lifetimes and I am always a fan of books that involve music. I am glad that I gave this one a try.
Evan is dealing with the fact that his father left and his mom has cancer. He is very close to his brother and wants to be there and be strong for him. Shosh’s life has taken a wrong turn after she lost the sister that she was extremely close to after she was hit by a drunk driver. Both of these characters hear a song that nobody else seems to hear which brings them together.
I really liked Evan and Shosh. They both have so much to deal with and I loved that they were able to connect so completely. I really wanted to see good things happen for both of them. I did get a bit confused at times when the narrative switched to a point in a different time but I eventually came to expect and look forward to those glimpses of different lifetimes.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Carlotta Brentan, Michael Crouch, and Sigrid Zeiner did a great job with this story. I thought that each of the narrators had a very pleasant voice which was easy to listen to for hours at a time. I liked the way that they were able to bring this poetic story to life. I believe that this is the first time that I have listened to at least two of these narrators but I am certain that their narration only added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book. It wasn’t my favorite but it was a solid, although sometimes confusing, story. I definitely feel like this one was worth the read and look forward to reading more of David Arnold’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Penguin Teen and Penguin Random House Audio....more
Initial Thoughts This was good! While this book is technically a stand-alone, I feel like I would have benefited from reading the previous books beforeInitial Thoughts This was good! While this book is technically a stand-alone, I feel like I would have benefited from reading the previous books before diving into this one. The mystery is completely contained in this book but there were a lot of other things going on with the characters that I think some background would have helped. I liked Rook, Jackaby, and the rest of the characters and was eager to see what was going on with all of the disappearances going on. I loved that there was some humor woven throughout the story as well. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with the story.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon....more
I enjoyed this book quite a bit! This is a darker romance and I would strongly encouragThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book quite a bit! This is a darker romance and I would strongly encourage readers to check out all trigger warnings before jumping into this book. The story jumps right into the action. When Cora finds herself alone at a bar with no way to get home, she turns to her sister’s fiance, Dean, for help. Cora and Dean do not get along, but he comes immediately to help her. When they wake up the next day, shackled in a madman’s basement, they know they are in a dire situation.
I liked Cora and Dean and thought that the connection that they made in that basement felt authentic. I wanted to see good things happy for both characters and hoped they would find joy together. There are some serious low points for both characters in this story and my heart just ached for them. It seemed that they were the only ones who really seemed to understand each other and what they needed.
I thought that the narrators did a great job with the story. I believe this was my first experience with Laurie West’s and Christian Black’s work. It did take me a short while to adjust to the male narrator’s performance but once I got used to his voice, I had no issues. The bulk of the story was handled by the female narrator since Cora’s perspective seemed to be the dominant voice. I thought that both brought the emotional aspects of the story out with their narration.
I would recommend this book to fans of dark romance. I found this to be a book that was almost impossible to put down once I started reading. I felt so much for Cora and Dean and couldn’t wait for them to find their happily ever after.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Tantor Media, Inc....more
I ended up really enjoying this book! I started out listening to the audiobook and founThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I ended up really enjoying this book! I started out listening to the audiobook and found that I was a bit confused so I decided to go back to the beginning and follow along in the book while a listened to the audio which proved to be a much better experience. I really enjoyed the magic of the carnival and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out in the end.
There is a pretty large cast of characters in this story. Charlotte’s guardian, Odilon Rose, brings her to Aurelius Ashe, who runs the Carnivale of Curiosities. Charlotte is in ill health and after exhausting other avenues Odilon has to to Aurelius for a possible cure. We get to meet all of the key players in the Carnivale with Lucien playing a key role. I liked the way that the story slowly unraveled allowing the reader to learn the backstories of the characters as we worked our way through the story. When all of the pieces fell into place, there were more than a few surprises. The Victorian London was incredibly well done and I liked that we got to see the poorer side of town in addition to the more wealthy area such as where Odilon Rose resides.
I believe that this was my first experience with James Langton’s narration. I thought that he had a very nice range and like the voices that he used while reading the story. I had trouble keeping up with the larger cast of characters with the audiobook alone but once I really got to know the various characters, I had no issue with the audiobook. I would not hesitate to listen to more of this narrator’s work in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. It was an entertaining story full of secrets, magic, and Faustian bargains. I thought that the book was incredibly well written and look forward to future works by this talented author.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio....more
This was fantastic! I decided to give this book a try after reading some really positivThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fantastic! I decided to give this book a try after reading some really positive reviews and I am so glad that I did. I liked this group of characters right away and I couldn’t wait to go on this journey with Noelle. Once I started listening to this audiobook, I simply did not want to stop because I just had to know what would happen next.
Noelle has recently lost her grandmother and is still grieving the loss. When she finds some old love letters and photos in her grandmother’s items, she wants to know more and posts a video to TikTok. She is able to find her grandmother’s lost love who happens to be the grandfather of the boy she knew in high school. Theo and Noelle were not exactly friends in high school so it is a bit of a surprise when Noelle, Theo, and Theo’s grandfather decide to take the trip that her grandmother planned for the honeymoon that never happened.
Noelle and Theo had wonderful chemistry together. Both of them had a few issues to work through and it seemed like the trip was exactly what they needed. I loved watching this pair grow closer as they spent more time together. Theo’s grandfather, Paul, was an amazing addition to the story and I really liked how he was always there for not only Theo but also Noelle. I couldn’t wait to see this pair find their happily ever after together.
Kyla Garcia did an amazing job with the narration of this book. I believe that this was the first time that I have had the chance to listen to her narration and I was quite impressed. She has a very pleasant voice that I found easy to listen to for hours at a time. She was able to add just the right amount of emotion into her reading to fully bring this group of characters to life. I am certain that her performance only added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I thought that this was an incredibly well-done romance featuring characters that were easy to love. I am super impressed that this is Jessica Joyce’s debut novel and cannot wait to read more of her work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Penguin Random House Audio....more
I loved this book! I am a huge fan of all things Sarina Bowen but I have a soft spot inThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this book! I am a huge fan of all things Sarina Bowen but I have a soft spot in my heart for any of her books set in the True North world so I was thrilled to get my hands on this book featuring Matteo Rossi. I went into this book with high expectations and all of them were met. Once I started listening, I simply couldn’t stop until this awesome couple had found their happily ever after.
Matteo has had a rough year. He has stayed away from his family for a long time but decides that it is time to go home to attend his brother’s wedding. When he runs into his good friend, Leila, he has no idea that she is now divorced. Leila is finally trying to get what she wants out of life and is determined to have a child before it is too late. These two have always had eyes for each other so it is no surprise when they end up forming a plan to have a child together.
Leila and Matteo were perfect together. It was obvious that they were right for each other even when they were younger so I was thrilled to see them have this second chance together The chemistry between them was scorching hot and they just seemed to have a great time whenever they spent time together. Matteo was willing to give Leila anything she wanted including a child so I knew that he wouldn’t be able to walk away.
Jason Clarke and Lessa Lamb did a great job with the narration of this book. I thought that their voices complimented each other quite nicely. The voices that they used for their characters really helped to bring the story to life and I loved the way that they were able to show emotion in their reading. I am certain that their narration only added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this book to be an incredibly well-done romance featuring characters that were easy to fall for. I cannot wait to read more of this favorite author’s work!
I received a review copy of this book from Tuxbury Publishing LLC....more
Initial Thoughts This was great! I thought that Ikenna was a great character and I really wanted to see her succeed in not only making it through the PInitial Thoughts This was great! I thought that Ikenna was a great character and I really wanted to see her succeed in not only making it through the Praetorian Trials but in finding out what really happened to her grandfather. The story was very exciting and often brutal. I loved that the story was able to keep me guessing right up until the end. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator only added to my enjoyment of the story.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon....more
I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first time that I have read any of Julia Fine’This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first time that I have read any of Julia Fine’s work and I am so happy that I decided to give this book a try. I like books that involve music so the fact that Maddalena and Luisa cross paths at a music school was a big draw for me. The story is beautifully written and full of magic, music, friendship, and maybe something more. The story takes a few surprising twists that kept things very interesting.
The book is set in 1717 Venice so even though Maddalena and Luisa are only 15 the world is different and they are at the age that most girls marry. There has been some scandal in Maddalena’s family so they have sent her to the school since her marriage prospects don’t seem to be working out. Luisa has been raised at the school as an orphan like most of the other students. The story is told through both Maddalena’s and Luisa’s points of view which was a very effective way to tell this story. They share a bit of magic and develop a strong bond that stretches beyond the walls of the school. I really enjoyed seeing both of these young ladies grow individually and appreciated the changes to their bond of friendship as their circumstances change.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Sophie Roberts did a remarkable job with the narration. The Italian words in the story flowed nicely and added to the story’s atmosphere. (I don’t speak Italian so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the pronunciation but it sounded good to me!) I thought that she did a great job of bringing both of these characters to life and adding just the right amount of emotion to her narration. I do believe that her narration only added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. This book took a couple of twists that were completely unexpected and made the book impossible to put down. I will definitely be looking for more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio....more
This was fantastic! T. Kingfisher has packed this novella with such an interesting and This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fantastic! T. Kingfisher has packed this novella with such an interesting and magical story. This is a different kind of Sleeping Beauty story and I couldn’t help but like our protagonist, Toadling. I was drawn into this story right away and couldn’t wait to see to story unfold. T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming an auto-buy author.
Toadling has been along for a very long time until she meets Halim. As we slowly learn what happened all those years ago, we learn just how much everyone has lost. I thought that the descriptions in this story were incredibly well done so that I could clearly imagine just what the characters were experiencing. I felt like things ended in a very hopeful manner which added to the magical fairy tale feel of the story.
I would highly recommend this book to others. It was an incredibly well-done story that felt like a big story despite its limited number of pages. I am adding this one to my keeper shelf since I can easily see myself picking it up to read again in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Tor Books....more
This is the first time that I have read any of Michael Farris Smith’s writing and I wasThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This is the first time that I have read any of Michael Farris Smith’s writing and I was quite impressed by how his writing pulled me in. I read this book over the course of a single day. When I did put it down, I quickly found myself coming back to it. This isn’t a feel-good story. It is a story of desperation filled with flawed characters that came to life through the writing. I am so glad that I decided to give this book a try.
Jessie finds herself on the run with her toddler son, Jace. She decides to go home to her father, Wade, whom she hasn’t seen since she left when she ran off with Jace’s father as a teen. Jessie knows that people are after Holt and running was the only option but she is worried about what might have happened to him. There aren’t a lot of options in the hurricane-ravaged lands of southern Mississippi where the land is too wet to grow crops anymore. They will find themselves in more danger before things are over.
The descriptions in this book were incredibly vivid. I felt Jessie’s worry when she was on the run with her son and I loved seeing Wade encounter the grandchild that he didn’t know existed. All of the characters in this story were flawed but they were doing the best that they could, with a few setbacks. They obviously cared about each other even though they didn’t always know how to show it.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this book was not only incredibly well-written but also entertaining and thought-provoking. I would not hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Little, Brown and Company....more
This was great! I had such a great time with this creepy story set in a town stuck in 1This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was great! I had such a great time with this creepy story set in a town stuck in 1994. I found this book almost impossible to set aside once I started reading and couldn’t wait to find out what was really behind the things happening on Clifford Island. Willow comes to the island after finding a clue in her deceased son’s room. She hasn’t been heard from for a while either so her brother comes to try to get to the bottom of things.
We see things from various points of view during the story which let the reader see just how strange this island really was. The descriptions in this book were incredibly well-done so I could clearly envision this town where OJ Simpson chase plays on repeat because everyone is stuck in the past. I was eager to find out why they went to such lengths and what was really going on in this strange community.
I thought that this cast of narrators did an amazing job with this book. They were able to bring the characters to life which took the story to the next level. There are several sections of the book that consisted of interviews which were especially well done. I do believe that the narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. I had such a great time with this creepy tale set on an incredibly strange island. I thought that this was a fantastic debut novel and cannot wait to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Dutton and Penguin Random House Audio....more
I had a great time with this book! I haven’t read too many books in David Baldacci’s imThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a great time with this book! I haven’t read too many books in David Baldacci’s impressive backlist but I have enjoyed the ones that I have picked up, so I was thrilled to get the chance to dive into his newest book that kicks off the new Mickey Gibson series. I liked the characters right away and was quickly absorbed by the mystery. I am so glad that I decided to give this book a try.
Mickey Gibson is a former detective turned private investigator and single mother of two small children. Let’s just say that she has her hands very full juggling the demands of her children with that of her job. She is lucky enough to be able to work remotely from her home but when she gets a call to check something out in person, she agrees. She finds a body belonging to a man that had been a part of the witness protection program. Mickey is soon pulled into a case that might be bigger than she could have ever imagined.
Mickey was an incredibly authentic character. I liked the fact that motherhood was not glamorized in this book but it was obvious how much Mickey loved her kids. She was a smart and intuitive investigator who refused to give up. I felt like there were just the right amount of twists and turns to keep things very interesting and I couldn’t wait to see how things would work out in the end.
I thought that the narrators did a great job with this audiobook. Lisa Flanagan handled the bulk of the narration with Corey Carthew covering all of the male dialogue. I thought that they both had a wonderful range and I loved the voices that they used that helped to bring this cast of characters to life. Their voices complimented each other nicely and I thought that their performance added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. I was hooked by this story immediately and found it hard to put down. I am excited by the fact that this is the first book in a new series and cannot wait to go on further adventures with Mickey Gibson.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing....more
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