?Have You Heard??Audiobooks For Your Listening Pleasure ?The Best of November?

Posted November 30, 2019 by RobbieLea in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

#dumakey #stephenking #johnslattery #simonandschusteraudio #thingsyousaveinafire #katherinecenter #thereseplummer #macmillanaudio #whathappensinparadise #elinhilderbrand #erinbennett #hachetteaudio #theamulet #michaelmcdowell #juliawhelan #valancourtbooks

A common practice during this month of Thanksgiving, particularly on social media, is to write each day about something for which one is particularly thankful. Listing 30 audiobooks for which I’m thankful would be a bit daunting, so I’m going to pick just 4 books from this month and tell you why they made me thankful.

I’ll start with What Happens in Paradise, the second book in the Paradise series by Elin Hilderbrand. I am thankful for authors who understand that sometimes readers just want more from characters or from a story and take advantage of the book series format to keep us happy. If you read or listened to Winter in Paradise, you’ll be happy to get back to the island of St. John and learn more about the Steele family and the events that changed everything they thought they knew about their world. There is a lot of chicanery, many unanswered questions, and budding romances for all of them. 5 Stars to Ms. Hilderbrand and to narrator Erin Bennett along with many thanks to the author for an ending that lets us know there’s more to come!

I am thankful for eclectic interests that lead me to read books of just about every genre and for an open mind that allows me to laugh out loud while listening to a book where the body count rises in each chapter. The Amulet by the late Michael McDowell is touted as a Southern Gothic horror story in which ownership of a mysterious necklace gets passed around the small town of Pine Cone, Alabama with devastating results. As the amulet leaves each owner’s corpse behind, don’t be surprised if you are laughing or at least smiling at the author’s macabre sense of humor which is enhanced by narrator Julie Whelan’s exceptional performance. I’m thankful I discovered this jewel published many years ago and set in L. A. (Lower Alabama), an area with which I’m very familiar. 5 Stars to both the author and the narrator . . . I will never drive over Burnt Corn Creek again without thinking of y’all!

Don’t assume just because I love mysteries and thrillers and the workings of the psychotic mind that I have no use for books with a HEA! Things You Save in a Fire makes me thankful that I can take an occasional break from murder and mayhem and listen to something where the good guys win and even the bad guys have good hearts. It is one of those books that has just enough drama to keep you interested and still leaves you feeling good at the end. 5 Stars to narrator Therese Plummer for an excellent portrayal of the heroes and heroines who put their lives on the line for us. Your Boston accent was perfect! 5 Stars also to author Katherine Center for this story of love, forgiveness, and hope.

Last, but far from least, in my list of books I’m thankful for in the month of November is Duma Key by the inimitable Stephen King. I’m thankful the book description intrigued me enough to listen and remind me of why I love Stephen King’s books. I’m thankful for the characters who made themselves at home in my heart and made this one of those books I didn’t want to end. I’m thankful for John Slattery and his brilliant narration. If I could give him more than 5 Stars, I would. With King‘s usual aptitude for combining whimsy and horror into a satisfying 5 Star whole, he has written a novel that makes it possible for you to leave Duma Key and it’s inhabitants behind both happier and sadder to have known them and satisfied with the conclusion.

I’m Thankful for Each of My Readers and Wish You Happy Listening in December!

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