Tawny

Worst review I’ve ever written

Reviewed: 12-13-24

I now remember why, despite liking Lucinda Berry, I never purchased this book: the reviews were terrible. Fast forward several months & suddenly I’m seeing all of these 5 star reviews, so I gave it a try. Wrong decision. I can’t believe this is her writing, and I can’t believe I listened to this as long as I did. With only one hour left, I could care less how this ends and cannot listen to these narrators for one more minute. Terrible writing; nothing flows; the “secrets” are nothing to write home about- much less a book about; the narration is horrendous. Purchase at your own risk.

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Almost returned it….

Reviewed: 10-06-24

First, i like the book. A lot. But I am not of the belief that an unborn baby’s’ heartbeat is just “soundwaves” or that a fetus is just a “cluster of cells” that don’t matter. I believe that a baby has a soul from the moment of conception, and I believe that there are unexpected consequences for a mother who chooses abortion. I would never judge someone who has an abortion… I think that people do need to do what’s right for them, but this book speaks so callously about unborn babies that I needed to start with that. I’ve had three of my own, and my 19-year-old daughter is unexpectedly pregnant, and I’ve been to so many obgyn appointments in my 44 years that you can not convince me otherwise.

But given that I found out about my daughter’s pregnancy two days before we were supposed to go to university orientation, I so much relate to this book. I also relate to the childhood trauma Hanna experienced… Not to the same degree, but it always seems so unfair to me when someone who had a dysfunctional childhood marries someone who was born to parents who truly took parenting seriously.. it’s hard for one to have compassion for the other, which in turn, makes the marriage really challenging. I also really related to Hannah’s fears about becoming a grandmother and this young girl struggling through life. It was so relatable that I found myself laughing and crying.

In this braid New World, I am really trying to develop more understanding and compassion for the flipside of political, emotional and psychological challenges. The only thing I wish this book contained is more closure… My heart broke for Hanna her when her husband blindsided her with her parents arrival and kicked her out of the house. I understand his fear and why he did it, but I just feel so much sympathy for her. This book actually made me feel more than any book has in a long time, despite my disagreement with some of the key points. The cover makes it look really dark and almost “vampirey”, but it’s really just a very accurate depiction of domestic trauma and drama. I would recommend this book if you can get past the politics.

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Please don’t end 😭

Reviewed: 09-18-24

I’m dragging out the last couple of chapters because I’m not ready to be finished with this book. Chloe is just the most precious, broken character, and even the hideous characters are enjoyable to listen to, partly because of the narration. The ending is weird is somewhat far fetched, but not enough to lower my rating. This is dark and so much deeper than the obvious storyline- the cheating husband, narcissistic wife. It’s really about overcoming serious trauma and getting a second chance at life, and it all ties together beautifully.

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1 person found this helpful

Weird and annoying

Reviewed: 08-31-24

If you want to get sucked into a story, I would suspect this isn’t the book. While I hate being hard narrators, I don’t think I can ever listen to a book narrated by her again. The odd inflections and robotic style are so grading on the nerves that I couldn’t even finish this book. Not to mention this convoluted story feels rushed and thrown together. My standards have definitely gotten lower since fewer and fewer new releases seem to be coming out, but this is going too far. Just cannot recommend this book, although I know the time and effort it must take to publish a book make me feel guilty for saying it! Sorry!

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Intricate and complicated

Reviewed: 08-25-24

I’m not gonna say I didn’t like the book, but you have to pay close attention. Lots of time-hops, characters and cultures to keep up with. I honestly spent almost half of the book confused, rewinding to understand what was going on. But I like complicated family scenarios, and although I wasn’t completely enthralled, I did want to see it through to the end. The narration was good- nothing to light the world on fire but seemed right for the story line.

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Weirdly great

Reviewed: 07-12-24

If this book were ice cream, it would start off vanilla, with a sudden scoop of cherry bomb, finishing off with double Dutch chocolate. The swing from innocent and somber to psychotic and sexy is sudden, but somewhat relatable for anyone who has been through unexpected, debilitating trauma. The narration is great, the story is creative, and it’s definitely worth a credit.

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All-star cast and story! ��

Reviewed: 07-10-24

How can you go wrong with these three narrators?! All of them are my favorites and so fantastic that they can make any story good. But I have to say, I think this is a good story! Maybe be a little far-fetched at times, but unique & relatable, it definitely held my attention. Out of all the books I have listened to for a while, this is one I would wholeheartedly recommend.

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2 people found this helpful

Why am I still listening…

Reviewed: 06-18-24

I hate to be an audiobook bully, but this just isn’t good. Why I didn’t return it 3 hours ago, I have no idea. I am a complete audible addict, so I guess im
Just desperate, or maybe the writing is decent enough to entice me to push through. The narration is absolutely horrendous… I’m sorry but any professional female narrator should be able to portray a male character at least slightly better than this. I really wouldn’t waste a credit or even $5. Sorry.

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No shortage of psychology in this thriller…

Reviewed: 06-07-24

The psychological thriller category is flooded with books that don’t really belong, but this book earns its place. Somewhat humorous at times, sad at others, mysterious throughout… it has it all for me. And the narration is fantastic. Really really enjoyed.

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2 people found this helpful

Meh

Reviewed: 04-19-24

Disappointing for Daniel Hurst… makes me feel like I’m listening to something he dreamed one night, woke up and typed, and just gave no additional thought to. Narration is just OK, story is pretty one dimensional, and I really wouldn’t waste a credit on it.

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1 person found this helpful