The Novel Lady

Interesting Story

Reviewed: 06-12-23

This book has been sitting in my TBR pile for quite some time. When I noticed it was available as an audio book, I thought that now was the time!

The story goes back and forth between the late 1700's and modern times in London. Nella has a secret apothecary shop hidden in a back room where poisons are prepared according to the specifications of her clients, women who seek her help. Eliza is a 12-year old girl who soon becomes involved with helping Nella until she makes a terrible mistake.

Caroline is a modern day American woman who ends up in London alone. This was supposed to be a ten-year anniversary trip for her and her husband until she discovered he had been unfaithful. When Caroline discovers a small vial in the river, her curiosity is sparked and she begins an adventure discovering where the vial came from and it's history.

I found this story to be quite fascinating and it's obvious that the author did quite a bit of research. I was unable, however, to really connect with the characters, especially Caroline. She hid information from her only friend in London, a person who was trying to help in Caroline's research. And why in the world would a woman traveling alone in a different country venture out at night with nothing but a cell phone with a dying battery!

Great story, but it loses one star due to character development. Since this is a debut novel, I'll be interested in following this author as her craft develops.

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Worth every minute!

Reviewed: 05-28-23

I don't remember how I came to listen to Go As A River, whether is was recommended by a friend, or an option for my Book Club, but whatever it was, I am so glad I found this heartfelt novel.

Beautifully written, and brimming with emotion, the story follows two decades in the life of Victoria Nash, a seventeen year old girl who had to take over running the household, caring for her father and keeping a distance from her troubled brother after her mother's death several years earlier. The story contains harsh bigotry and ignorance in this small rural town in Colorado, especially toward Wilson Moon, the young man Victoria fell in love with.

I don't want to give away any spoilers as to how Victoria's life unfolds and the harshness she has to endure, so I won't say more. I do, however, highly recommend this book as one of the better books I have read this year. I hope to see much more from author Shelley Read in the years ahead.

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Fascinating Story!

Reviewed: 05-15-23

I read this book some time ago and loved it. So when I saw it available as an audiobook, I couldn't help myself. The storyline is amazing, the world-building is astonishing, the characters are totally awesome and the narration was right on target. I absolutely loved the vast assortment of characters, especially Sabine with her kick-ass attitude, but with a soft side as well. No one... I mean NO ONE messes with Sabine and gets away with it. Add in the handsome and charismatic captain of a smuggler's ship, with secrets of his own, and you have a dynamic duo that you seriously hope will get together. So much chemistry! There are demons, witches, pixie's, a goblin and more. All have very unique characteristics set in a world that only Ms. Waters could have created. It was like watching a movie playing in my head as I listened! Meg Price was wonderful as a narrator. Voices, emotions, all of it was perfect!

I can't wait for the next audiobook in this series to be available!

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Didn't want it to end!

Reviewed: 03-15-23

"Be Our Ghost" is Book #3 in this Merry Ghost In series. Usually by this time I start to get bored with a series, but I couldn't stop listening to this one. Characters that I love, a fantastic narrator and a good mystery all come together to make this a great book to listen to. Again, this can be a stand-alone, but I think you would enjoy it more if you read these books in succession to get the background.

This time, our super sleuth duo become dragged into a murder investigation after Liza's good friend Doug is suspected of murder. But someone doesn't like them snooping around and Melanie and Liza find themselves being targeted with their lives at stake. Their only hope is to find out who really killed the real estate developer before they become the next victims.

With the help of a clue from Orville, the Merry Ghost, Melanie starts coming to some surprising conclusions.

I loved this series and wish there were more. I did see other books by this author that look promising and I will soon be checking those out as well.

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Ready for the next one in the series!

Reviewed: 03-10-23

"Dead and Breakfast" was my first experience with Kate Kingsbury books. But after listening to this first book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery collection, I immediately added the next book!

Melanie and her grandmother Liza go in as partners, purchasing an old house that they intend to turn into a Bed and Breakfast. While renovating the home and removing some very old wallpaper, they accidently discover a closet that the wallpaper had been covering. Yes, there is a skeleton in the closet! A real one! How are Melanie and Liza going to meet their deadline for opening the B&B if the police close off the second floor rooms until the case is solved? And since this is a cold case, the police aren't doing much. So Melanie and Liza decide to do a bit of investigating themselves.

This is a stand-alone story but if it's a good idea to listen (or read) this one first before moving on to the next book in the series. And I'm pretty sure you will want to move on to the next book. This was an absolute delight to read (er... I mean "listen"). I loved the characters and the storyline had enough mystery to keep me wanting to listen to more.

I also want to commend the narrator, Tavia Gilbert. She was beyond excellent! Loved her narration and various voices.

This is a light-hearted book and a joy to add to my collection.

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Highly Recommend!

Reviewed: 08-22-20

Every now and then, a book is read that will leave a deep impression on me. A book that I know I will remember for a long time. A book that evokes uncontrollable tears to stream down my face. A book that will be the first on my lips when asked to recommend something good to read.

"The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes is such a book. Deeply emotional and full of historic facts, this book blends joy, friendship, women's rights, changing times, and the hardships endured by women in the back woods of Kentucky in the 1930's.

Without a doubt, this is the best historic romance I have read this year. Highly recommended!

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Fantasy at it's Finest

Reviewed: 08-10-20

Awesome beginning to what looks like an amazing series. I am really looking forward to more adventures with these fabulous characters!

I've read other books by author Jamie A. Waters, and have thoroughly enjoyed them. This seems to be a bit different from the Omni Towers series, but from the very beginning I was hooked. Whew! So much intrigue and excitement starting with the first few lines. I absolutely loved the vast assortment of characters, especially Sabine with her kick-ass attitude, but with a soft side as well. No one... I mean NO ONE messes with Sabine and gets away with it. Add in the handsome and charismatic captain of a smuggler's ship, with secrets of his own, and you have a dynamic duo that you seriously hope will get together. So much chemistry! There are demons, witches, pixie's, a goblin and more. All have very unique characteristics set in a world that only Ms. Waters could have created. It was like watching a movie playing in my head as I listened! At times, I was sitting on the edge of my seat and cringing and at other times I was smiling and out-right laughing.

Who is trying to have Sabine killed? And what is her connection to Dax and Bane, the two demon brothers? As much as I want to, I can't give away any spoilers.

This could almost be read as a stand-alone, but I'm so glad to hear that there is more to come in the Dragon Portal series!

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Entertaining!

Reviewed: 07-16-20

I'm not a big sports fan, so I wasn't sure about this book. Gotta admit... I loved it! Elicia Hyder adds humor to a story of self growth and moving on with life. There's romance, friendship, family and more information than I ever thought I wanted about the game of roller derby. I actually learned a lot and was able to visualize every heart-pounding moment on that derby floor. But this book was so much more than that.

The character development in this story was outstanding. We see all sides of Lucy. We see her struggles at work, mixed with a bit of humor, and how she handles all kinds of situations. We see her social life go from zero to astronomical. We see her love life go from flat out nothing to meeting and falling for Nashville's most eligible bachelor! We see her grow and become more confident.

When accident-prone Lucy decides she wants to try out for the Music City Rollers, she surprises not only herself, but her brother, her father, her employer, her best friend, and West Adler. Will she make it? You need to listen to it to find out.

The narration was GREAT! The story was read with all the emotion in place. The voices of the various characters were well-done.

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Short, but Intense!

Reviewed: 07-08-20

Having read numerous books by this author, I grabbed this one when I saw that it was free on Audible Escape. Author S.E. Smith packed a lot of action in this quick read novella! Two brothers, taken as children from Earth are forced by their ruthless captors to work for them, spared only because they had convinced their captors that the two brothers would die if seperated. Their time aboard the ship was assisted by a Science officer who wanted to learn more about the earthlings and their government. Two Mariston Dow sisters are also on board the ship as they work their mandatory military enlistment. The two brothers end up meeting the two sisters and chemistry explodes. No spoilers, but there is lots of action in this one as they try to escape!

If you have read previous books by this author, the additional characters toward the end of the book will be familiar to you. A great quick-read, but definitely hot sex is included, so you will want to keep this one away from the preteens.

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4 people found this helpful

Very Entertaining!

Reviewed: 07-01-20

I received this novel on Audible a couple of months ago and just now listened to it while driving on a trip to Central Florida. Oh my! This book was totally awesome! I was so engrossed in the story that I reached my destination before I knew it! Great characters, great story, great suspense and great narration.

Three friends, empty nester's, decide to invest in an old mansion that they were considering turning into a Bed & Breakfast. What they found was a ghostly figure scaring away every potential buyer. But these ladies were not so easy to scare away.

This is my first experience with author Eva Pohler and I can't believe I haven't read anything of hers before! Loved the book and I'll be checking out more in this series.

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