Waking Up Dead

By: Margo Bond Collins

Narrated by: Angel Clark

When Callie Taylor died, she expected to go to heaven - or maybe hell. Instead, when she was murdered in Dallas by some jerk with a knife and a bad-mommy complex, she went to Alabama. Now she's seen another murder, and she can't just let it go; she must find a way to make sure the police figure out who really killed Molly McClatchy before an innocent man goes to prison, all the while trying to determine how and why she woke up dead in Alabama.

©2013 Margo Bond Collins (P)2016 Margo Bond Collins

Emotionally Poignant and Highly Entertaining

What made the experience of listening to Waking Up Dead the most enjoyable?

Plot twists, character attitude and I was entertained, which is what I seek in an audiobook.

What about Angel Clark’s performance did you like?

Outstanding job, getting the dialects & slang down perfectly

Any additional comments?

I received this book to review for free and I am eagerly awaiting the next volume so I can reward the author by purchasing it!

Great Story Line

I thought this book had a great story. Margo Bond Collins does a great job of story telling and character building. Angel does a great job of people, but some times it was hard to tell who was who. Some of the voices were the same. I really enjoyed laughing with the characters. I enjoy a book that is not only a thriller, suspense, but also makes me laugh. Callie is exciting, although there were parts in the book that I thought drug out. I guess I was anxious to get through those parts. This first book is very different from the other first books of Margo's that I have read. However, her development of each character that gives me a sense that I know them, is her unique trademark. I look forward to reading more of her works. Thanks for a great read.

Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Thoroughly enjoyable and unique "mystery"

I'm not really sure how to categorize this book. I guess mystery would be the closest I can use to describe it, though you know who the murderer is from the beginning since the ghost narrator witnesses the murder. The book is really about her (and her friends) figuring out the "why" and finding proof so they can bring it to the police and free the innocent man who was wrongly arrested for the crime. The book is written in first person from the view of Callie Taylor, a woman who is murdered in Dallas and then wakes up as a ghost in Alabama. Callie is smart, resourceful and, at times, funny, as revealed through her narration. The author nicely avoids any TSTL moments (for which I was supremely grateful, as there were several times when the characters could have fallen victim to that), hence my comment that Callie is "smart". The mystery is interesting and well-thought out and the characters are engaging. (I especially loved Mawmaw. She's a hoot.) The description of the murder she's investigating (and of Callie's own) is a bit detailed, gory and disturbing for my taste, however I don't think it's anything unusual compared to other books, and it's only a small part of the book. However, I just wanted to put it out there in case it might bother anyone. I wasn't expecting that level of detail and gruesome based on the sample of the book I had listened to which made it sound like it would be lighter and funnier. (There is humor, however the story is not what I'd term "light".)

I was delighted with this audio production. The reader was very good and had clearly distinguished voices for each character. The only small issue I had with her narration was that I wished she had used the same voice for when Callie narrated as when she spoke. Callie is from Dallas and when she speaks to other people, she has a southern accent. However, when she is speaking as the narrator, she doesn't. I wish she had been consistent (either with or without the accent). It felt a little bit unusual that Callie would speak differently when narrating than when speaking to other characters. However, other than that small choice, Angel Clark did a very nice job.

The end of the book hints that there will be more Callie Taylor adventures to come, but I couldn't find any published, as of yet, and this book is a few years old. It would be nice to read/listen to another, as I completely enjoyed my time listening to this book.

**Please note that this audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.* While I did not personally use a credit for this book, I would have been quite pleased with it if I had. It is definitely worth the credit!

Clever new point of view

Loved the concept for this (I hope to be series ) book. I would have given this book 5 stars except the main character became too manipulative towards the end. HOWEVER, I will be buying the new book when it comes out.

The living don't know jack about the Dead

Callie Taylor died. She assumed she would go to heaven or hell but she woke up in Alabama.
I love all of the characters they are fun vibrant and funny!
"nope I'm stuck to you so I'm just sitting here waiting for you to die so you can drag my boney white ass up to heaven ."
I'm telling you they are FUNNY!!!!!

I had read some of the reviews and they said they didn't feel a connection with Callie. I did. they also didn't feel like she had a connection or was mad enough about her murder???? what book did you read? did you skip parts?

This kind of book is exactly why I read. I got lost in Alabama and lost in the characters and was on the edge of my seat during some scenes.

There is only one problem I had with this book and I will explain why.....

"Do you know what they do with black people they find breaking into stores? They put them in jail and they throw away the key and that's if they're lucky .If they're not lucky, the police shoot them on site and then claim that they were attacked."

^^^^^ there is soooo many reasons this rubs me wrong.
is the author just saying this because she believes that is something the character Ashara would say or is this her way of putting her personal opinions on this public matter into her work????
this line is UNNECESSARY

I will give the benefit of the doubt to the author and just think that she is saying it from the characters point of view. black women , head strong, living in the south with a bunch of racist people. I can see how this could be her view. still don't agree with it.

My brother is a police officer and I actually take great offense to this statement . I will always support my brother and what he stands for which is justice and not just "killing black people" . I will NOT support anyone who thinks differently on this no matter how much I may want to read their books.

like I said I will give the author the benefit of the doubt that this statement is not something she truly believes. but it do hope that she reads this review and thinks about removing this hateful and disgusting rumor filled opinion.

Excellent new series

This was a funny and sometimes frightening listen. The pace was steady and the narration was excellent. I look forward to listening to future books in this series.
"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com."

Waking Up Dead

What did you love best about Waking Up Dead?

Fast Paced throughout much of narration. With good interaction between the characters. At least between the ones who could hear the ghostly main protagonist Callie and her living accomplices.

What did you like best about this story?

It was light but kept my interest due to what I consider an interesting premise. I can compare it to the Patrick Swayze/ Demi Moore / Whoopi Goldberg movie classic Ghost. But lighter fare similar in some ways to the Topper series way back when. The learning curve of Callie's spectral skills.

Which character – as performed by Angel Clark – was your favorite?

Callie

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Stuck in Alabama with the Dallas Blues again... maybe.

Any additional comments?

This was a fun listen. Not overly horrific. A little bit of violence. A lot of humor. I enjoyed the characters portayed by Angel Clark's competent performance. This book was left open ended, so expect a sequel or two.

Thanks for an enjoyable Audible book.This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Crime Solving Ghost and Friends

Any additional comments?

Really entertaining and easy book to listen to. You get sucked into the story immediately and before you know it, it's over.
.
Callie is murdered in Dallas, but wakes up dead in Alabama. Confused and "drifting" around visiting different people in order to have "company" , Callie witnesses a murder and is determined to make sure the right person is caught. . She finally finds 3 people who can see and hear her. This is where the twists and turns, fun, humor, danger and mystery begin. Even though this is a murder/mystery book it is a very fun, light and entertaining.

The story, plot, mystery and all the characters were great.

This is the first time I have listened to a book narrated by angel Clark. She did a fantastic job. Character voices, pronunciation, accents and the pace were all great.

This is the second book from Margo Bond Collins I have listened to. While they are both good stories I liked this book even more. I will absolutely be recommending this author and this series.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.

Get this GREAT book!

This was such as entertaining and funny book. Callie wakes up as a ghost and began to speculate what her funeral was like. Callie chooses her champions from people who are not sensitive to a ghost presence. The book is six hours of Callie, a white-lady ghost harassing a black sassy bank teller, Ashara. Ashara is the only person (up to this point) that can see and interact with Callie. They meet in Walmart. Actually, Callie and Ashara have one of those shoppers conflicts in Walmart where there is swearing and shoving of shopping carts. After recovering from their meeting, Ashara wails and sobs, “I just never thought I’d get haunted at the Walmart.”

Our team consists of A bank teller, an old black southern grandmother, an instrumental repair person, and a ghost join to solve the murder of Callie’s adopted tv buddies. Solving the murder with wit, sarcasm and luck this mix match team works has success.
There is nothing more delightful than a cantankerous old black woman, with poor eye sight, and determined attitude, Maw Maw. She insist that Ashara sits down and listen to the dead white lady. You know when an older person uses your complete name, you have lost the battle.

Maw Maw and Callie convinces Ashara that her ability to interact with ghost is a gift from god. Therefore, she has an obligation to help Callie find the murder of her tv buddies. Much of the investigating is sprinkled with CSI references.

Ashara, wants to keep Maw Maw safe, but Maw Maw will not have any of it. Ashara just wants to go to work and not have anything to do with Callie. She especially does not want to be the black person that is put in jail (with the key thrown away) or killed by police for breaking into places for a dead white lady.

For those of you who are offended by sex, there is none here. For those of you who are offended by swearing, there is mild use. Very mild use because Maw Maw keeps the others in check all the time, with a scolding of, “watch it” or calling them by their first name.
For the first part of the book Maw Maw calls Callie dead white lady or ghost lady. During the story Callie learns how to use her ghostly powers, Ashara and Steven become a couple and Maw Maw gets a tv buddy. A good funny mystery that I could not put down and thoroughly enjoyed.

Margo Bond Collins, the narrator, does great voices, especially Maw Maw.
When a girl wakes up dead in Alabama, she has to wonder why - Callie's catch line.
I would love to see this as a series.

So funny and cute! Worth the credit!

With this summary of the book, it would seem that this would be a more serious story. However, it is so hilarious, and manages to be so much fun while telling this story. The characters are so lovable, you can't help but to like Maw Maw from the moment she is introduced. I had to admire Callie's determination to have the real murderer brought to justice. Although Callie knew who the killer was, we are still given quite a mysterious journey. The author does a great job, laying it all out in such an enjoyable way. Angel Clark was the narrator of this audiobook. She was absolutely amazing! There was so much emotion behind her words, and great southern accents for the Alabama residents. She was a perfect fit for this book, and really brought the story to life. I'm very impressed with both the author, and the narrator. This is my third book from this author, and I love her writing! Goodreads has this book listed as a series, so I really hope it will be! I definitely recommend this book, and suggest experiencing it through the audiobook!
**This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is not changed in any way by this