#thechoice #noraroberts #barriekreinik #itsoneofus #jtellison #juliawhelan #theresort #suewatson #tamsinkennard #theangelofrome #jesswalter #eduardoballerini #juliawhelan
Aren’t we glad this month is almost over? It has been a bit strange even for March! From blowing wind to freezing cold to blankets of pollen, extremes have been the norm. St. Paddy’s Day high jinks were rained out around here while those who observe the Lenten season smiled and felt justified. For those of us who love books, there was little temptation to be out and about, so we passed the time with eReaders and audiobooks. March’s Best includes the final chapters in a trilogy; a soul-stirring book that will touch your heart despite a ghoulish-sounding title; and a story line that may make you re-think your next vacation. My fourth selection is pure indulgence meant to soothe my snooty English major alter ego since I pushed myself through a badly written series just because I was interested in what happens to the characters.
By Nora Roberts
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik
The Choice, which is Book 3 of Nora Roberts’ Dragon Heart Legacy Trilogy, is a happy book. That doesn’t mean nothing bad happens in it. That wouldn’t be possible with someone like Breen Siobhan Kelly’s grandfather Odran lurking in his dark home just waiting to draw her into his lightless world for the sole purpose of sucking the goodness out of her and continuing his iniquitous rule. What makes this a happy book is life in Talamh – a place where there are fairies and mermaids and dragons and all sorts of magical creatures who live and love and dance and sing and cook up wonderful food. The Choice is a perfect conclusion to this lengthy tale, and Barrie Kreinik is the perfect narrator to provide sweet Irish voices for these characters who are mostly endearing. I know trilogies aren’t for everyone, and each of these books is long, but do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some happy!
By J. T. Ellison
Narrated by Julia Whelan
I can’t remember if I’ve ever taken exception to a book’s title, so I’m almost reluctant to even mention the fact that I don’t think It’s One of Us does justice to this heart-wrenching storyline. It’s a mystery. It’s a love story. It’s a psychologically gutting recounting of one family’s journey with infertility. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a book where youthful errors in judgment gone terribly awry brought out so much empathy in me. I was so obsessed with getting to the conclusion of the book, and yet I was reminded of when I was a child peeping through my hands because I wanted to see so badly, and yet I didn’t. I am grateful for the HEA that was never meant to be but somehow happens. Because J. T. Ellison has put so much of herself into this book as she explains in her author’s note at the end, it deserves a perfect narrator, and Julia Whelan fills that role with her usual skill. Be forewarned if you have had issues with infertility. You may find solace in this book, or it may break your heart.
By Sue Watson
Narrated by Tamsin Kennard
This is one of several books I’ve read over the years where highly anticipated vacations in Paradise wind up being the vacations from Hell. Fortunately, none of them have discouraged me from taking my vacations in Paradise! The guests who are featured in Sue Watson’s creepy story The Resort are a diverse crew ranging from a woman who is dying to a celebrity couple trying to accept a childless future and move forward. There is, of course, the requisite couple on their honeymoon. What could they possible have in common? What they have in common is they’re all a little cray-cray. And none of them are exactly as they seem. How their chance encounter at a luxury hotel results in mayhem for all is a vacationer’s worst nightmare. Despite Tamsin Kennard’s excellent narration, I think the next time I want to learn about a Paradise vacation, I’ll try a travel magazine!
By Jess Walter
Narrated by Eduardo Ballerini & Julia Whelan
Those of you who regularly read my posts are familiar with my occasional need to cleanse my listening palette with a storyline that is light-hearted or romantic or free of psychos. The Angel of Rome by Jess Walter is a cleanser of a different variety. After reading or listening to several badly written books consecutively, I turned to an author whose words give me joy regardless of the content. And what could be more cleansing than a compilation of several beautifully written short stories narrated expertly by Eduardo Ballerini and Julia Whelan? The Angel of Rome is the flagship story of the book, and it is a delight: humorous and poignant and just the thing this former English major needed to calm my twitching red pen hand.
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