Short & Sweet Sundays

On November 10, 2013November 10, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn CoziesLeave a comment

These past few months have gone by in a blur – and I’ve been reading more books than I have time to review! But don’t fret, my wonderful bookish friends, I have plenty of reviews coming your way. And today, I bring you a veritable cornucopia of short and sweet book reviews! Here’s a few hits and misses from my fall reading list.

Hits

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen (Audiobook)

This was a quality audiobook. Great narrator, fast-moving plot, interesting characters, swoony teen paranormal romance – pretty much the perfect escape from reality! I’m hoping there’s going to be a romantic triangle brewing in the next book because Craven and Samantha would be dynamite together! The author did a fine job tying up the story at the end, while leaving her readers with lots of questions. All in all, this is an entertaining read for paranormal romance enthusiasts.

Dead of Night by Charlaine Harris and Amanda Stevens

Confession: I bought this book at an airport because of the spooktacular cover! As expected, Charlaine Harris delivers a quality novella titled Dancers in the Dark. It’s a deliciously romantic mashup of Dirty Dancing and True Blood. The author did a bang-up job slowly unraveling the characters’ mysterious backstories while bringing their simmering romance into a rolling boil. I read this thing from start to finish in one sitting. Five stars all around! As for the next story, The Devil’s Footprints, I’m only halfway through it. So far, it’s pretty darn creepy. Stay tuned for the review!

Haunting Violet by Alxyandra Harvey

This may very well be my most favorite YA paranormal novel. Set amidst England’s lush and foggy countryside, this is the perfect atmospheric gothic romance for a blustery winter’s night. The mystery behind the drowned ghost girl kept me glued to the pages as Violet searched for clues in a stately English manor. Complete with masquerade balls, danger and romance, this book is everything I could ever ask for in a paranormal mystery. If you love Barbara Michaels (how could you not?), I highly recommend this one!

Misses

Mid Summer Night’s Scream by R.L. Stine

Oh R.L. Stine! I love you. I really do! This book just didn’t do it for me. I love the concept of young actors getting terrorized on a cursed movie set. And I certainly wasn’t expecting a whole lot, except for maybe some campy 80s horror movie fun. Yet it’s never a good sign when you’re rooting for the masked killer to knock off the utterly despicable characters. I absolutely loathed all of the kids in this book, mainly because they’re a bunch of rich, fame-obsessed brats in the Hollywood Hills. I get that R.L. needs to keep up with the times and market his books to the “Me Generation,” but at what cost? I can see how this book might be of interest to fans of the Kardashians and those Jersey Shore lushes, but do those people actually read? I don’t know, guys, after this sad attempt of a paranormal thriller, I might have to write R.L. off. Life is too short for lame-ass books.

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham (Audiobook)

I’ve always been very “meh” about Heather Graham’s formulaic thrillers, but sometimes she delivers some quality stuff. Plus, this audiobook was on clearance for five bucks, so I decided to go for it. Unfortunately, I got what I paid for. Lured by the haunted New Orleans setting, I really wanted to like this book, but sadly it was stilted by flat characters and a very tedious plot. It all seemed very rushed, and the author failed to make the most out of an incredibly spooky location. When you’re setting a horror story in New Orleans, you owe it to your readers to take a page from Anne Rice’s playbook and delve into the evocative, mystical Louisiana setting. I hardly ever quit a book, but I had to stick a fork in this one long before the Scooby Doo cast of characters solved the mystery.

Gizzy’s Halloween Treat!

On October 31, 2013November 1, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies4 Comments

Happy Halloween, fellow bookworms! In honor of my most favorite holiday, I bring you a roundup of incredibly spooky reads for a blustery, or in my case muggy, Halloween night!

Last October I rounded up a handful of nostalgic Halloween reads, but this year, I’m much more in the mood for balls-to-the-wall frightening tales of blood-sucking fiends, demons and nightly visitors from the great beyond. Here are a few deliciously creepy books that are sure to keep you glued to the page way past the midnight hour. Pleasant nightmares…and pay no attention to the scratching on the window. I’m sure it’s just the wind….

The Shining by Stephen King
From Goodreads: Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

Ghost Story by Peter Straub From Goodreads: For four aging men in the terror-stricken town of Milburn, New York, an act inadvertently carried out in their youth has come back to haunt them. Now they are about to learn what happens to those who believe they can bury the past — and get away with murder. Peter Straub’s classic bestseller is a work of “superb horror” (The Washington Post Book World) that, like any good ghost story, stands the test of time — and conjures our darkest fears and nightmares.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
From Goodreads: Aging death-metal rock legend Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals…a used hangman’s noose…a snuff film. But nothing he possesses is as unique or as dreadful as his latest purchase off the Internet: a one-of-a-kind curiosity that arrives at his door in a black heart-shaped box…a musty dead man’s suit still inhabited by the spirit of its late owner. And now everywhere Judas Coyne goes, the old man is there—watching, waiting, dangling a razor blade on a chain from his bony hand.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
From Goodreads: Four decades after it first shook the nation, then the world, William Peter Blatty’s thrilling masterwork of faith and demonic possession returns in an even more powerful form. Raw and profane, shocking and blood-chilling, it remains a modern parable of good and evil and perhaps the most terrifying novel ever written.

The Right Hand of Evil by John Saul
From Goodreads: When the Conways move into their ancestral home in Louisiana after the death of an estranged aunt, it is with the promise of a new beginning. But the house has a life of its own. Abandoned for the last forty years, surrounded by thick trees and a stifling sense of melancholy, the sprawling Victorian house seems to swallow up the sunlight. Deep within the cold cellar and etched into the very walls is a long, dark history of the Conway name—a grim bloodline poisoned by suicide, strange disappearances, voodoo rituals, and rumors of murder. But the family knows nothing of the soul-shattering secrets that snake through generations of their past. They do not know that terror awaits them. For with each generation of the Conways comes a hellish day of reckoning. . . .

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
From Goodreads: In December 1975, the Lutz family moved into their new home on suburban Long Island. George and Kathleen Lutz knew that one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo had murdered his parents, brothers, and sisters in the house, but the property – complete with boathouse and swimming pool – and the price had been too good to pass up. Twenty-eight days later, the entire Lutz family fled in terror…

Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
From Goodreads: In the summer of 1960 in Elm Haven, Illinois, five 12-year-old boys forge the powerful bonds that a lifetime of change will not break. An ancient, sinister evil lurks in the dark, and when a long-silent bell peals in the middle of the deepest night, the people know it marks the beginning of terror. Now Mike, Duane, Dale, Harlen, and Kevin must wage a fraternal war of blood against an arcane abomination.

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
From Goodreads: Something strange is going on in Jerusalem’s Lot … but no one dares to talk about it. By day, ‘Salem’s Lot is a typical modest New England town; but when the sun goes down, evil roams the earth. The devilishly sweet insistent laughter of a child can be heard echoing through the fields, and the presence of silent looming spirits can be felt lurking right outside your window. Stephen King brings his gruesome imagination to life in this tale of spine tingling horror.

What’s your favorite scary story? Post a comment and tell me all the gory details!

Audiobook Pick of the Month: On Writing by Stephen King

On October 21, 2013October 21, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

From the publisher: Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 — and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, “On Writing” will empower and entertain everyone who reads it — fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

Why I LOVED it: I’ve got a stack of writer’s reference guides on my shelf, and this one is – by far – the most inspiring. I have always admired Stephen King’s God-given talent for storytelling, but now I have a deeper appreciation for his work. This book isn’t about writing and selling books per say; it’s more about writing with joy and authenticity. This quote from the tail end of the book pretty much explains it all.

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”

On Writing is also somewhat of a love story between King and his wife, Tabitha. The first half chronicles his early years as a fledgling writer, including that fateful day when he fell in love with Tabitha in a creative writing class. He was mesmerized by her lyrical poetry and it was love at first sight. Oh swoon! Does it get any more romantic than that?!? Stephen King fans have a lot to thank Tabitha for supporting his writing even while they were on the verge of collecting food stamps. She also saved Carrie from a landmine. Who knows what would have happened if his first bestseller never came to be? Throughout the book, he waxes poetic about his literary soul mate, and it just made me love him more and more!

This book is not, by any means, a quick writer’s reference guide, but he does throw in some of the most valuable writing tips. One crucial piece of advice: If you consider yourself a writer, you must be an avid reader. I wholeheartedly agree that those who rarely read have no business writing.

“Good description is a learned skill, one of the prime reasons why you cannot succeed unless you read a lot and write a lot. It’s not just a question of how-to, you see; it’s also a question of how much to. Reading will help you answer how much, and only reams of writing will help you with the how. You can learn only by doing.”

Also important: You must write for yourself. If you’re trying to please others – or to just make money – you should find a different path to notoriety.

“If you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the second-to-least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway.”

And whatever you do – stay away from those darn adverbs! Adjective modifiers are for lazy writers – and Stephen King hates them with a burning passion.

“I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops. To put it another way, they’re like dandelions. If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day… fifty the day after that… and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions. By then you see them for the weeds they really are, but by then it’s—GASP!!—too late.”

Most importantly, believe in yourself. Ignore the naysayers and keep pushing forward.

“I have spent a good many years since―too many, I think―being ashamed about what I write. I think I was forty before I realized that almost every writer of fiction or poetry who has ever published a line has been accused by someone of wasting his or her God-given talent. If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that’s all.”

The narrator: Who better to narrate this book than Stephen King? While listening to this book, I closed my eyes and imagined myself sitting across from the world’s greatest horror writer and learning the ropes from the dark master himself! My only complaint is that I can’t highlight or bookmark an audiobook, so I’m going to have to buy the hard copy as well. This is definitely a book that I will revisit often.

Summed up in three words: Inspiring, authentic, fascinating.

Friday Finds (Oct. 18)

On October 18, 2013October 21, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies1 Comment

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading that showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).

Happy Friday everybody!!! Don’t you just love this day of the week? It’s almost as awesome as Saturday, a day I reserve for running ungodly amounts of miles and then crashing into my reading nook for endless hours of book-nerdage.

Here’s all the lovely reads that I can’t wait to devour!

Picked this one up at the airport

Scored this audiobook from the author! Post a comment to win a free download of this audiobook!

Bought this for only five bucks on Audible

Downloaded this on my Nook to retain my sanity

I really have no business buying any more books, but what can I say? I’m a total book junkie! What are y’all reading this weekend? Post a comment and tell me all about it! To enter the audiobook giveaway, post your answer to this question in a comment below: Who is your favorite strong female protagonist? The winner’s name will be drawn at random. Good Luck!

Teaser Tuesdays (No. 3) Broken by A.E. Rought

On October 15, 2013October 15, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies11 Comments

It’s Tuesday and you know what that means! Time for Teaser Tuesdays!!! This bookish meme, hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading, is all about tantalizing readers with two “teaser” sentences from a current read. I’m about halfway through Broken and am loving the deliciously spooky Halloween ambiance! If you’re looking for a good YA paranormal mystery filled with teen angst and unearthly romance, check this one out. It’s only two bucks on Nook, so you really can’t go wrong!

Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author, too, so other bloggers can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

And here’s my teaser:

Jack-o’-lanterns leer from porches, glowing faces following my every step, as if they see the hollow space in me and find it familiar. The Peterson’s pumpkin is particularly vicious looking, with narrow pointy teeth and angular flaming eyes, squatting like a gargoyle on the front step.

What’s on your nightstand? Care to share some teasers with me?

Short & Sweet Sundays: Death of a Neighborhood Witch by Laura Levine

On September 30, 2013September 30, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies1 Comment

Sundays are a day of rest. So in honor of this one day of the week when I can legitimately loaf around in my Garfield jammies in front of the DVR, I bring you this new feature that I like to call “Short and Sweet Sundays.” This is a fun way for me to write up a quick and dirty book blog without getting too overambitious.

The gist (from the publisher): When Jaine Austen’s beloved cat Prozac unwittingly scares to death a parakeet belonging to the neighborhood’s resident curmudgeon, Jaine finds herself knee-deep in toil and trouble. The cantankerous Hollywood has-been once played Cryptessa Muldoon, television’s fourth most famous monster mom. Now she spends her days making enemies with everyone on the block. So when the ornery D-lister is murdered with her own Do Not Trespass sign on Halloween night, the neighborhood fills with relief–and possible culprits.

With a killer on the loose, Jaine hardly has time to fall under the spell of her yummy new neighbor, Peter. As the prime suspect, she summons her sleuthing skills to clear her name and soon discovers that everyone has a few skeletons in their closets. . .

The pros: If you’re having a bad day, week – or in my case – month, this book will turn that frown upside down! It’s a fun, fluffy, fast read filled with zany hijinks, quirky characters and slapstick humor. There’s a smidge of a mystery somewhere in between Jaine’s clumsy shenanigans, but really it’s all about the comedy. Toward the end, I was preparing myself for disappointment, but the author managed to surprise me with an unexpected plot twist. All in all, not too shabby!

The cons: I was hoping this would be an atmospheric Halloween mystery, but not so much. Don’t let the cute witchy kitty and jack-o-lantern on the cover fool you. Aside from an ill-fated costume party and couple trips to the store for fun-sized Halloween candy, this book is not Halloweenie at all.

I should also add that I was really annoyed by the wonky subplot involving sporadic email messages from Jaine’s kooky parents. Their kooky antics were a little too over the top, and I just flat-out didn’t care about their silly neighborhood drama. I’m sure loyal fans of this book series find this kind of thing to be cute and endearing, but I thought it was lame and distracting.

Thoughts on character development: Jaine Austen really is the star of the show. She’s cute, spunky and riddled with all sorts of bad habits. Unlike a lot of main characters in chick lit books, she’s fashionably challenged and a little on the pudgy side. She wears her elastic-waist jeans with pride and has a weakness for all things sugary and deep fried. How can you not love a girl like that? We could totally hang out! Although, she can leave her freinemie at home. Her next-door neighbor, Lance, is a real tool. I was really hoping he was the killer just so he’d get pushed off a cliff or locked up in prison for life.

Why I chose this book: The cover was too hard to resist! I’m a sucker for jack-o-lanterns and cute kitties.

This book is best paired with: A furry, four-legged lap-monger and a handful of “homemade” brownies.

Would I read another book by this author? Oh sure. Next time I need a little pick-me-up, I’ll grab another book in this series.

Audiobook Pick of the Month: Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman

On September 22, 2013September 22, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

From the publisher: Teddi Overman found her life’s passion for furniture in a broken-down chair left on the side of the road in rural Kentucky. She learns to turn other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques, and eventually finds a way to open her own shop in Charleston. There, Teddi builds a life for herself as unexpected and quirky as the customers who visit her shop. Though Teddi is surrounded by remarkable friends and finds love in the most surprising way, nothing can alleviate the haunting uncertainty she’s felt in the years since her brother Josh’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to Kentucky. It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and to find herself at last. But first she must decide what to let go of and what to keep.

Why I liked it: This book is the reason why I LOVE Southern fiction. With a storyteller’s easy grace, Beth Hoffman whisked me away on Teddi’s emotional journey from a small town farmer’s daughter to a successful antique shop owner. Filled with messages of hope, kindness and tolerance, the story cuts to the very core of what is meant by “paying it forward.”

I especially love how Teddi’s journey of self-discovery revolves around antiques. There’s something very beautiful about breathing new life into an old, unwanted item. One of the reasons why I adore Teddi is that she sees the beauty in everything and refuses to give up hope. With each chapter, I rooted for her as she struggled to connect with her emotionally-detached mother, and when she relentlessly searched for her missing brother. But what I love most about Teddi is that she’s kind to others without expecting anything in return.

One of my most favorite moments happened toward the end of the book when Teddi took pity on an old, destitute man who appeared at her store with a truck load of old antiques to sell. She didn’t particularly want to purchase unsolicited goods, but she didn’t have the heart to turn him away. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say that her good deeds paid off big time in the end!

Favorite secondary character: Of all the wonderful characters in this book, it’s hard to choose a favorite. As Teddi begins to find her place in the world, she befriends an unforgettable cast of characters, including Tula Jane Poteet, an old, eccentric kleptomaniac ; Olivia, Teddi’s romantically-challenged best friend; and Albert, a gifted antiques restorer with a sour disposition and a heart of gold.

I guess if I had to choose, my favorite would be Mr. Palmer, the owner of a Charleston antiques store who gave Teddi her first big break into the business. He was the first to recognize her artistic talent and gave her the encouragement to pursue her passion. We should all be so lucky to have a Mr. Palmer in our lives.

The narrator: If there was an academy award for audiobooks, this narrator should win best actress! Jenna Lamia does a stellar job capturing each of the characters’ unique voices. With her authentic Southern accent and effortless storytelling skills, she delivers a top-notch performance for a truly great book. She also narrates Hoffman’s debut novel, Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt, which by the way is one of my all-time most favorite books. You can read all about it here!

Summed up in three words: Heartwarming, poignant, memorable.

I’ve Been Nominated for a Liebster Award!

On September 8, 2013September 9, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

Hooray for blog awards! Thanks to the Book Girl from South Carolina, I am now the proud recipient of the Liebster Award, which means that I get to partake in a fun little Q&A about blogging, books and celebrity crushes!

Here’s how it works: Once a blogger is presented with the award, they must pay it forward to 10 bloggers, then they nominate 10 more, and so on. It’s like chain e-mail, but without the threat of a year of bad luck if you don’t play the game. It’s a fun way to connect with other bloggers, make new friends and attract more followers.

Without further ado, here are my bookish ramblings:

What made you want to start blogging?

I tear through so many books, and it’s hard to remember them all. So it made sense to keep track of all my reads in a blog. Plus, I do a lot of science writing in my day job and there’s only so much room for creativity. So this is a fun way to hone my creative writing skills without having to deal with a committee of editors. Not only do I get to be my own boss, I’m also making quality friendships with authors and fellow book bloggers. Starting up Chick Lit Café was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m so happy to be a part of such a wonderful book blogging community!

What book has influenced your life more than any other?

The most treasured book on my shelf is The Secret Garden. I read it back in second grade when my teacher praised my reading skills and urged me to read a book above my grade level. I doubt she even realized how those few words of encouragement inspired my passion for reading.

What author would you want to meet if you could choose anyone?

Oh that’s an easy one. Stephen King!

When you’re reading, what is your craziest bookish habit?

Well let’s see here…I have a lot of OCD reading habits. I guess if I had to pick one, I’d say that before I fall asleep at night, I roll over in bed with my Nook and read at least 10 pages.

How many hours a week do you typically spend blogging?

Ballpark, I’d say a couple hours. I wish I had more time, but I’ve got a LOT going on in my life!

What is your favorite literary series of all time?

This is tough. I’m the most faithful to Carolyn Haines’ Bones Mysteries. I love the zany characters, the atmospheric Mississippi setting, and the puzzling whodunits. Plus there’s ghosts and fuzzy, four-legged sidekicks!

What is your favorite book to movie adaptation – now or coming soon?

Well it’s not a movie per say, but I’m going to have to go with the Dexter series on Showtime. Of course, the books are better, but I’m thoroughly entertained by the complex characters, the cliffhanger endings, and the bizarre serial killers. Oh and I’m also a big fan of a shirtless Michael C. Hall!

What is your absolute favorite song right now?

Currently I’m in love with Kate Voegele’s version of Hallelujah. It’s breathtaking.

Who is your #1 Book Boyfriend and someone you would totally date in real life if you could?

Definitely Eric Northman in the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries.

What is the most frustrating thing about being a newer blogger and trying to get your site up and running?

Aside from getting people to post comments, the most frustrating thing about blogging is not having enough time to read review copies from up-and-coming authors. I hate to say no, but I can’t please everyone – and reading should never become a chore.

Now it’s my turn to spread the love! Here are my 10 nominations:

Dizzy C’s Little Book Blog

A Prairie Girl Reads

The Book Bag

Delilah Anne’s Book Blog

Here are my 10 questions they must answer:

1. What do you love most about blogging?

2. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one book, which one would it be?

3. What is your favorite genre and why?

4. If you could be any literary character, which one would it be?

5. Do you prefer e-books over print books?

6. Do you have a favorite reading spot?

7. Be honest, do you sometimes buy a book based on its cover?

8. Which book would you like to see turned into a big blockbuster movie?

9. Do you have a favorite book series?

10. Do you like to listen to music when you read?

Extra, Extra! Get Your Copy of ‘Love Saves the Day’ and Donote to Blind Cat Rescue

On August 29, 2013August 29, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies3 Comments

Attention all cat lovers! Between now and 10/27, Gwen Cooper will be donating 100 percent of her royalties on all pre-orders and sales of the paperback edition of her new novel, Love Saves the Day to Blind Cat Rescue in honor of her recently departed Homer.

If you aren’t familiar with Homer, you can read all about him in Homer’s Odyssey! I didn’t have the honor of meeting Homer, but I did get to visit with Gwen at an Austin Pets Alive fundraiser event. You can read all about it right here!

Speaking of incredibly adorable felines, my book blogger pal, at Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries and More, has just welcomed new family member/co-blogger named Truffles. Stop by her blog to welcome this adorable tortie kitty into the blogosphere. Melissa (who I swear is my doppelganger!) is an animal

Isn't Truffles a doll! — Isn’t Truffles a doll!

rescue advocate and a cozy mystery maven! I always go to her blog whenever I’m shopping around for an atmospheric whodunit.

Melissa’s beloved Tara recently crossed the rainbow bridge, and I hope more than anything that she’s chasing butterflies and rolling around in the sun with Homer and that famous little library cat named Dewey.

At that I will leave you with this poignant quote from Homer’s Odyssey,

“A friend once asked me why it was that stories about animals and their heroism…are so compelling. …we love them because they’re the closest thing we have to material evidence of an objective moral order–or, to put it another way, they’re the closest thing we have to proof of the existence of God. They seem to prove that the things that matter to and move us the most–things like love, courage, loyalty, altruism–aren’t just ideas we made up from nothing. To see them demonstrated in other animals proves they’re real things, that they exist in the world independently of what humans invent and tell each other in the form of myth or fable.” ― Gwen Cooper

Musing Mondays: Audiobook Narrators

On August 26, 2013August 26, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies4 Comments

Musing Mondays, is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading that asks book bloggers to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it then!

My Musing:

Let’s see here…I think I’m going to opt for the bookish rant option. The narrator for Nora Roberts’ Black Hills was AWFUL! Considering that the story was excruciatingly long and tedious, it’s a wonder how I managed to power through the entire thing. But hey, audiobooks are expensive and I hate wasting a monthly Audible credit.

Here’s the thing: Dudes should not narrate sappy romance books, mainly because they sound like drunken drag queens with their nasally high-pitched “female voices.” I just couldn’t take the main character seriously because he made her sound RIDICULOUS!

I’m not saying that I don’t like male narrators. In fact, they’re excellent for any genre other than romance. Have you ever heard a book narrated by Neil Gaimen? Incredible! Oh and I also adore Jim Frangione, the narrator for Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie Mysteries. He does an excellent job capturing Chet’s happy-go-lucky dog voice!

So there’s my bookish rant. Sorry to sound like a crusty curmudgeon. Next time I promise to choose a much more chipper topic!

BUBBLE BUBBLE BOOKS & TROUBLE

Category: Cozies