We Need More Shelves

Review: The First Girl Child

By Jan

on June 7th, 2020

The First Girl Child Author: Amy Harmon; Genre: YA Fantasy; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: Rob Shapiro; Publisher: Brilliance Audio (2019); Rating: . An excellent coming-of-age fantasy with a lovely romantic subplot (or two). I had to force myself to pause the recording and go about daily life, but I rushed back to the book whenever I could. Excellent characterizations throughout, the…

Review: The Society of the Sword Trilogy

By Jan

on June 7th, 2020

Society of the Sword Trilogy Author: Duncan M. Hamilton; Genre: Fantasy; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: Derek Perkins; Publisher: Podium Audio (2017); Rating: . I listened to the audiobook of this series, narrated by Derek Perkins, who did a fabulous job. He’s definitely going on my “favorite narrators” list. The first book of this fantasy trilogy was really fun. A young thief…

Review: Children of Time

By Jan

on June 7th, 2020

Children of Time Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky; Genre: Science-fiction; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: Mel Hudson; Publisher: Audible Studios (2017); Rating: . Publisher’s Description: “…An epic story of humanity’s battle for survival on a terraformed planet. Who will inherit this new Earth? The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following…

Review: The City & The City

By Jan

on June 7th, 2020

The City & The City Author: China Miéville; Genre: Fantasy/Mystery/Thriller; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: John Lee; Publisher: Random House Audio (2009); Rating: . I’ve had this book on my TBR list for years, but some comments on Goodreads reminded me of it recently. I grabbed the audiobook and was off. As you can see by my “genre” choices above, this book…

Review: The Monastery Murders

By Jan

on March 31st, 2020

The Monastery Murders (Stanton & Barlings #2) Author: E.M. Powell; Genre: Historical Mystery; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: James Langton; Publisher: Brilliance Audio (2018); Rating: . After giving the second book a chance to change my mind about this series, I’ve given up. It’s not a bad mystery or a badly written story, but it just didn’t catch me. Also, the body…

Review: Patient 3

By Jan

on February 27th, 2020

Patient 3 Author: Chris Chau; Genre: Science-fiction, apocalypse; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: Coy Dugger; Publisher: Chris Chau (2019); Rating: . In the near future, the main character is put into a coma-like state to wait for a cure for a mysterious disease. He wakes after seven years to an alien-destroyed world and a quest to survive. There are lots of surprises…

Review: Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind

By Jan

on February 27th, 2020

Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind Author: Yuval Noah Harari; Genre: History, Anthropology; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: Derek Perkins; Publisher: HarperAudio (2017); Rating: . I took my time with this audiobook because I wanted to concentrate on the topic. Dr. Harari highlights the history of cognitive hominids, which is obviously a huge issue to cover in a little over 15 hours…

The Women of the Copper Country book cover

Review: The Women of the Copper Country

By Jan

on February 27th, 2020

The Women of the Copper Country Author: Mary Doria Russell; Genre: Historical fiction; Format: Audiobook; Narrator: Cassandra Campbell; Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (2019); Rating: . Ancestors of mine were copper miners in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, so I was excited to read this one. This was a character study of several people involved in a mine strike in…