Julesy

Needs a different narrator

Reviewed: 02-07-24

I have read 15 of the Melanie Travis books and it is one of my favorite series despite the boring dog show details. I usually just skim over those details mainly because I don't care about the grooming details of poodles, or any other breeds for that matter. However, I love the characters and the dogs and the mysteries are wonderful.

This might have been the first, second or third time I've listened to an audiobook in the series. I have read the ebooks in the past but wanted to take advantage of the awesome Audible sale had, making some of the book in this series really dirt cheap. Well, now I know why I don't do the audio format of this series. What a mistake on my part! I really, truly, positively, 100% without a doubt TOTALLY dislike this narrator. I would give her ZERO stars. Why? First of all is her narration of the character Aunt Peg. Dammit, she uses a freaking high-pitch, shrieking British accent. Aunt Peg is from NEW England (Connecticut), not England!! Why the fake British accent? I don't get it. I immediately stop the audio whenever there is Aunt Peg dialogue and switch to the ebook, meaning I've wasted my money on the audiobook. Another issue with the narrator is that she seems to be in a race? Barely any pauses between sentences, chapters, etc. I slowed down the audio to 0.85 times just so I could figure out what was happening!

Regrets, regrets, regrets. The sad thing for me is that I bought the next 2 in the series from Audible, unluckily not refundable, but luckily on sale so not a lot of $$ went down the toilet.

Save your credits/sale money and DON'T get the audiobook of this series. Get the ebook instead and use a virtual reader if you need a narration - it's a 100 times better than Jessica Almasy!

P.S. Angie Hickman is the new narrator starting with book #19!! I can't wait until I can get there (reading the ebooks in the meanwhile which is sloooow). Angie Hickman is PERFECTION and thank goodness they got rid of Jessica Almasy who is the ultimate pits.

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I wish it was a different narrator.

Reviewed: 01-08-24

I really love this series even though at times it can be bogged down with dog show details. That was the case with this one. However, it was still a good story.

What I really dislike is this narrator and I wish with all my heart that someone else would narrate! Jessica is always in a rush, rush, rush. Why? Where is the fire? I have to dial it down to 0.9X speed! Plus, she uses this truly awful and fake British accent for Aunt Peg. Umm, Aunt Peg is from New England (Connecticut), not England. I am going to resort to the print version whenever there is Aunt Peg dialogue (hopefully not too much). The narration really is like nails on a chalkboard. I got the next 2 books from a sale, but might return them and use the virtual voice narration from the ebook. It would be a thousand times better than hearing Jessica Almasy!

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Did Not Finish

Reviewed: 08-29-23

Melissa Baldwin is one of my favorite authors. The reason for the low rating? The NARRATOR! Ugh, she is so whiney and 100% annoying. I just had to quit the audio. This narrator needs to find another job - PRONTO! Don't believe the other reviewers who gave the narrator more than 2 stars. You will surely regret it. Luckily, I also have this book in ebook so when I get the notion, I will restart it. However, this narrator left such a sour taste in my mouth, it will be quite a while before I can get that voice out of my head. I will make sure to avoid getting any more audiobooks with this narrator.

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A waste of 8:35 of my life

Reviewed: 06-26-22

I have read a few of Laura Bradford's books and also under her pen name Elizabeth Lynn Casey. This first book in a new series looked promising with an interesting theme - hiring Emma as a friend.

I cannot express how disappointed I was in this book. It was like a cliche of stereotyped characters:

Emma Westlake - the main character was a complete bubble-headed ditz who repeated everything that others said, like a mynah bird. (Is this the author's attempt to achieve a word count?) She was a failure at owning her travel business so she started a new business, not from her own initiative, but someone else's.

Dottie - An octogenarian friend and companion of Emma's. She was so matter of fact and self-righteous, constantly chastizing and criticizing Emma.

Big Max - Put all the stereotypes of seniors and you have Big Max. He cannot seem to dress appropriately, a chatterbox, and is totally eccentric. This is a huge pet peeve of mine, portraying seniors as eccentric and a comical character. Seniors in real life are not like this!

Stephanie - What 40-year-old woman still lives at home with their mother? Mind you, Stephanie is a professional, very successful in her career and her mother is not inept nor in need of care. Stephanie is portrayed as so pathetic with no life except for work so she needs to hire Emma to be her friend.

The mystery could have been a good one. In fact, I did like the plot, the motive, the culprit, etc. However, I just could not get past these extremely unlikable characters including the MC. I wasted money and hours of my life with this story. Again, so disappointing.

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2 people found this helpful

It's like someone slipped me a mickey!

Reviewed: 01-25-21

When I am having trouble falling asleep quickly, I turn on this soundscape and set my sleep timer to 30 minutes. Well, let me tell you ... all you need is about 10 minutes on the timer. It's like someone slipped me a mickey or Ambien! (Not that I've experienced either, lol) I was fast asleep after listening just a short while. This is the most soothing soundscape ever created. I also have The Atlantic soundscape by Gordon Hempton. Listeners complained about the continuous cricket chirping, which I sort of actually enjoyed. However, if you get the heebie jeebies when hearing crickets, then I'd highly recommended this Cape Cod National Seashore if you love the sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore. Not only does it help with your insomnia, but it can help you to relax during stressful periods.

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Go back to Angela Dawe, PLEASE!!

Reviewed: 01-25-21

I have listened to every single book in this FBI K9 series, all previously narrated by the incomparable Angela Dawe. The books are wonderful on its own merits and this series has become one of my favorites. I love the fleshed out characters, the scenarios, and mostly the dogs. The author outdoes herself with every entry in the series with immense intrigue, adventure and thrills. I have recommended this author/series to my friends.

Angela Dawe brings that extra sparkle in her narration. I was greatly disappointed when seeing Ms. Dawe was not the narrator for this book. Unfortunately, this narrator Susan Bennett fails to convey the same sense of sparkle that Angela Dawe did. Mind you, I have listened to other audiobooks narrated by Susan Bennett but she seemed outright bored in this book. Over time I grew used to her lack of intonations and mediocrity but I wouldn't recommend this audiobook with Susan Bennett if you are used to having Angela Dawe as the narrator. You will end up being as disappointed as I am.

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Where's the fire?

Reviewed: 11-30-20

I thought surely there must have been a fire because the narrator rushed so much that I had to catch my breath! She had a clear voice, pleasant enough. However, it was totally rushed and it made me dizzy to listen. I am normally a 1.20-1.25 speed type of gal so I am used to faster narrations. I had to slow this audiobook down to an unheard of speed of 0.90. The narrator also over-dramatizes quit a bit. On a positive note, she was able to distinguish every character voice. I love this author and have read her other books in the Aloha Lagoon series in ebook. I thought I would give this one a try in audio. Needless to say, I will continue on with the author but avoid any more audiobooks by this narrator.

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Yawn

Reviewed: 05-29-20

Boring, could not get past a few chapters. The Patterson books co-written are not very good and thus have basically stopped reading Patterson.

I only got this audio because it was a freebie. If I had used a credit, you bet I would be asking for a refund on my credit.

I agree that the music is distracting and unnecessary.

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Normally love Erica Spindler, but ....

Reviewed: 05-29-20

This story is so different from any other Erica Spindler book I have read or listened to. I have been an Erica Spindler fan since the 1990s, during her romance stage and when she started the romantic suspense genre. I absolutely love her thrillers. However, I notice my decline in enjoying her books for the past 5 years or so. I am sure it is just me, as my tastes change, but I just could not get into this book at all. It was a DNF (do not finish) for me, the first time ever with an Erica Spindler book.

I am not sure why I could not get into the book. It just seemed different from Spindler's writing style. I had no issues with the narrator as Tavia Gilbert is one of my favorites and I have listened to many mysteries and thrillers narrated by her.

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Not at all what I expected

Reviewed: 05-29-20

I've had this audio for a couple of years and finally got around to it during the COVID-19 shelter in place requirements while I blow through my massive audiobook backlog. I saw the number of positive reviews and thought I surely must be listening to the wrong book. I did not care for this book AT ALL and made it a DNF (did not finish). This book is supposedly a cozy mystery. I am certainly not a prude and also read and listen to a significant number of thrillers and mysteries with explicit violence, sex, and language. However, I do not expect, nor do I condone, any crudeness in cozy mysteries. I stopped after chapter 7. There is a reason why I listen to cozies and that is to not have any of the explicit violence, sex and language - I can do that with thrillers & harder mysteries.

I have also listened to this narrator many times, usually in children and YA books. She has a pleasant voice but she always seems so bored. Is it just me? I feel this way every single time I listen to Jorjeana Marie. Put some emotion in your narrations!

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