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Showing posts with label Free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Free. Show all posts

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Audible Book Review: I’m Dreaming of an Undead Christmas by Molly Harper

This is a quick, fun and sassy listen that is a lovely free audio!
Written by: Molly Harper
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi
Length: 3 hrs and 43 mins 
Series: Half-Moon Hollow, Book 2.5
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:12-05-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0


Publisher's Summary
It's Christmas in Half-Moon Hollow and newly turned vampire Iris Scanlon-Calix wants to make Gigi's first visit home from college as normal and special as possible. It's taken months for Iris to work up the nerve to spend time around her baby sister after her vampire transition, so she enlists help from Jane Jameson and Company to keep her blood-thirst under control and assure Gigi's safety. Gigi, on the other hand, has problems of her own, including the demise of her relationship with high school sweetheart, Ben, and a looming job interview with Ophelia Lambert, the scariest potential employer in the Hollow. And then there's the small matter of the handsome, frustrating vampire who keeps appearing in Gigi's peripheral vision, then disappearing before she can talk to him. Can the Scanlon sisters negotiate romantic problems, vampire politics, and Christmas cookie disasters and enjoy a relatively normal holiday?
©2013 Molly Harper (P)2013 Audible, Inc.


Review:
Gigi comes home from college to spend Christmas Holidays with her sister, Iris, a newly turned vampire. Iris has been afraid to be around Gigi so she gathers many family friends to help out. Most of the friends at home are supernatural, either vampire or werewolf. They all - well mostly all - care for both Iris and Gigi and are glad to support the reunion. The one awkward situation might be with Ophilia, the icy, leader of the vampires and possibly Gigi’s soon to be boss. Gigi’s computer skills would be a great asset to the vampires but Iris will be furious if Gigi takes the job that will not only require a ‘till death’ type of commitment but will also expose Gigi to danger...even more than she is now.

While home Gigi hopes to figure out how break up with her long time boyfriend, Ben, whom she cares for but “not in that way.” Between cooking accidents, juggling new and old family traditions and coping with the emotional issues of her relationships, Gigi keeps getting glimpses of a vampire with golden, flashing eyes. She thinks he may be a phantom even after an up close and personal kissing encounter.

I have not read this Half-Moon Hollow series but I find that Molly Harper stories have a wonderful underlying humor with pleasing, and sometimes wacky, characters. This short audio fits the formula and makes for a really fun Christmas visit with these characters. Although short, the story has a little bit of intrigue, a hint of danger and plenty of warm camaraderie. I will keep the series in mind when I am looking for some light, fun action and warm romance. This is a quick, fun listen that is a lovely free gift.

Audio Notes: Amanda Ronconi does a great job narrating. She picks up different accents and conveys the proper sense of the situations, including the snark and affection. It seems to me that certain narrators fit well with certain stories or authors and Ronconi seems to be an excellent fit with Harper. Her narration makes the reading/listening more fun for me.

I had selected this at NetGalley but then, to my delight, found it as a free audio at Audible.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Audible Book Review: Free: Whodunnit? Murder on Mystery Island by Anthony E. Zuiker

This is a bizarre but entertaining, quick listen.
Free: Whodunnit? Murder on Mystery Island
    by Anthony E. Zuiker
    Narrated by Gildart Jackson
    Series: Whodunnit?, Book 2


    LENGTH    5 hrs and 56 mins
    RELEASE DATE    08-27-13
    PUBLISHER    Audible, Inc.
Genre: Mystery
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0


Publisher's Summary
Ten excited co-workers arrive at the beautiful Avondale Resort on a remote island in the middle of the Caribbean, having been told that they are being rewarded for their hard work and productivity. But their relaxing tropical getaway soon turns into a murderous nightmare.

After an extravagant first night dinner, the guests retire to their lavish suites only to be awakened by an ear-splitting bang. They rush to the smoking parlor to find Jordan, the company’s intern, dead - a massive hole in his chest. Giles, the consummate English butler who seems to be in charge, announces that they must solve the crime or be the next victim.

The killer, who has booby-trapped the island and cut off phone and Internet connections, is hiding among them. Is it the HR representative with a penchant for Bloody Marys, the twenty-two-year-old claims processor with the purity ring, or perhaps the head chef of the company cafeteria? The killer plays with their minds, inviting them to explore the beautiful resort, from the infinity pool with the high dive to the white sand beach complete with jet skis and snorkel gear.

Anthony E. Zuiker is the creator and executive producer of the CSI franchise, which includes CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, and CSI: NY. His mystery reality show, Whodunnit?, is his first foray into unscripted television. He lives in Los Angeles with his three children and his wife, Michelle.

Whodunnit? Murder on Mystery Island is performed by the show's host/butler, accomplished narrator Gildart Jackson.
©2013 Anthony E. Zuiker (P)2013 Audible Inc.


Review:
This is a quick mystery. A little gruesome but interesting. Giles prides himself on being a proper butler. The only problem is that he has been cursed to participate in a game of murder at his last two posts. Now he has taken a new post at a mansion type estate on a remote island in hopes that the curse will not follow him. No such luck. Not long after he settles in he receives the first notice advising him that the company group of eleven that is arriving to celebrate in private is to participate in a murder game. Giles knows the rules and has little choice but to explain them to the staff and then the guests when they arrive. The first rule is – there is no escape. If anyone tries to leave the island they will die.

The other rules involve solving clues together in small groups and sometimes alone. Although the guests might work together, ultimately at the end of the game there will only be one winner, which means there will be two alive besides the staff: the winner and the killer. Giles is unhappily resigned to his role playing the host as he delivers the clues and riddles that the guest must solve and oversees their compliance.

I enjoyed the different characters with their quirks and idiosyncracies. Some were likeable and some not so much. It was fun to try to guess the clues and to see how the teams paired up, then failed or succeeded in obtaining and sharing information. I have to admit that I didn’t quite understand how the curse worked to connect the murders at the different establishments. I have to wonder if listening to the first book or watching the TV series would have helped any.

This is certainly a bizarre murder mystery that reminded me a little of Clue or And Then There Were None aka Ten Little Indians. It is a reasonably fun and entertaining listen...and, after all, the price was right!

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Gildart Jackson who portrays Giles as a wonderful polished, upright, butler persona. Mr. Jackson’s narration also helped to visualize the personalities with their different accents, upbringings and affectations. I am sure I enjoyed this more as an audio book then if I had tried to read it.

I received this title free from Audible.

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