Musing Mondays: Audiobook Narrators

musingmondays51Musing 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:

9781615455201_p0_v1_s260x420Let’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!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

New WoW

61jDLYxFhdL__SY346_“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating. This week I’m waiting on the first installment of Nora Roberts’ paranormal triology: Dark Witch (Oct. 29, 2013). Just in time for Halloween, it’s full of witchcraft, Irish legends and saucy love scenes with a swashbuckling wild tribal horseman! Yes, her books are rather predictable and formulaic, but I’d be lying if I said that her paranormal trilogies aren’t entertaining.

From the publisher: With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends. Ireland. County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors’ blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits. Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nan’s directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor O’Dwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives. When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, he’s three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package. Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Iona’s family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive…