City of a Thousand Dolls Audiobook Review

Audiobook: City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Foster
Read by: Shannon McManus
Genre: YA Fantasy

I was looking for adventure, and this book seemed to have a lot of action and a kick-ass girl. So, I rented it.

Not so much kick ass.

Set in a fantasy Asian/Indian place, the City of a Thousand Dolls is a large orphanage complex that takes in unwanted girls, of which there are many, thanks to a strict two-child law. The city trains the girls in several different disciples and sells them off (as wives, courtesans or apprentices) when they turn 16. Nisha, is the head Matron's personal assistant ... with a secret past.

Sounds pretty good but Nisha isn't not much of a heroine. She's muddled and, other than talking to cats, has no special skills. She's described as Matron's informant, but she doesn't really know that much about the city, at all. When a few murders happen, Matron asks Nisha to look into it -- a pointless task, as she only talks to five girls and one of them happens to be the killer. Done.

To make matters worse, there's a scene at the end were all the stories untangle and is witnessed by the Prince and about 100 other people. It was the longest scene in the book and all I kept wondering was "how were all the people STILL standing there listening to all this expletive." Boring.

The only upside was the narrator read the book in a hurry. And when the story went stale, I was okay with rushing through it.

Grade: Yellow Light

'Delirium' Audiobook Review

Audiobook: Delirium by Lauren Conrad
Read by: Sarah Drew
Genre: YA Lit, Dystopia

So the plot sounds a little fantastical: A future world where love is a horrible virus. When you turn 18, you're given a cure -- a seemingly "gentle" lobotomy that makes you immune to feeling love and all that comes with it -- passion, intense joy, etc. You're paired, married and asked to procreate and "care" for the children you have no capacity to love.

Kinda crazy, right? Love cure? Gimme a break. That's nuts. Why would anyone want to surpress that. Love is all you need, right? I couldn't help investigate. And so glad I did.

The story is about Lena, who is just weeks away from having the cure when she meets Alex and becomes "infected" with the love virus. But she now understands a world without love sucks. She isn't a radical, but she's willing to give up everything to be with Alex in the "Wilds" -- the place outside the city boundaries where the "uncured" might live. Let's just say, it doesn't go well.

Like most great dystopian books, there's a reworking of our current society that makes you question just how crazy this is. Would the government go to lengths to deaden our passions? Hmmm. And there's tons of action that kept me popping that next CD into my car.

Sarah Drew, the narrator, is an actress I remembered from the TV show Everwood. And she's fantastic. She yells and whispers and attempts Alex's low mumbles. I want to call her and chat with her so she can share even the most boring details in her rough yet tender voice. Seriously, call me!

Here's what I didn't like: The entire book is in Lena's head and that gets tiring. Her romance with Alex -- sweet perfect Alex -- is tainted with her confusion and uncertainty. It's like a friend telling you a really good story, but not taking in account any other perspectives, selfishly rambling on and sometimes you just have to turn her off for awhile.

The best part, like most good dystopian, is this book is a trilogy. So, I'll be back at the library next weekend to pick up the next book in the series.

Grade: Green Light

'Days of Blood and Starlight' Audiobook Review

Audiobook: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Read by: Khristine Hvam
Genre: YA Lit

Ok. I was walking through the YA section at the library and nearly fell over when I saw this audiobook. It's a pretty new book. A book that I bought not too many weeks ago and have been too busy to start. A book I have been waiting and waiting for since finishing Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I got it, of course, but it felt like cheating. Like I should be READING the book, for real.

I got over that pretty quickly, as I fell back into Karou and her situation and powerful mix of emotions. In a sentence: this audiobook was ammmmazing.

With Laini Taylor, you don't so much "read" her books, as you're pulled under the spell of her words, her characters and her world. It's big. It's deep. It's a rollercoaster ride of action and emotions.

I'm not sure I can summarize this story easily or without spoilers, as it's the sequel and so much happened in that first book. Karou is a human with blue hair who moves between two worlds, our human world and one made of beasts called Chimera and Angels. And they have been at war for thousands of years. Enter the Romeo and Juliet story; Karou (is kinda Chimera) falls in love with an Angel named Akiva. And all hell breaks lose.

Like any second book, there is a lot of set up in this story -- they build armies and alliances, get revenge, feelings grow, tension mounts -- and nothing will pan out until the next book when the battle really begins. But there's certainly enough action and plotting. And Karou continues to mature and kick butt. She's no longer nieve and with so much knowledge, she's bubbling with longing, regret and the need to set things right. Sure, there's a lot of repetition, it's Taylors way of reminding you what's important.

The reader Khristine Hvam is super, too. She's great at all the voices, especially the Czch accent of Zuzana and Mik. And though it was a 12-disc audiobook, time went quickly by in my car.

The last chapter blew my mind! And the third book isn't due until next year ... at the earliest! So, I'm in for a long wait. Worth it, though. Oh so worth it.

Grade: Green Light!

'Endymion Spring' Audiobook Review

Audiobook: Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
Read by: Richard Easton
Genre: YA Fantasy

After the love I had for Seraphina, I thought I'd try another YA Fantasy novel. And this one I'd seen a few times on the shelves, with an intriguing cover of the entwined snakes. Try it!

I got about half way into the discs and decided life was too short for a boring fantasy. And turned it off.

The book was told in two eras; One from present day Oxford and one in medieval Germany. The story is about a secret book and made of magic paper. It was technically well-written, slow and little hard to follow in parts ... and full of things that bugged the crap out of me.

First, the boy in Oxford, Blake -- no idea how old he was. None. I thought it might be part of the mystery, but the longer I waited for that little fact, the more annoyed I got. The difference between a 14-year-old and a 10-year-old is too great to try figure out for half the book (with no hints). And the author was obviously English, but didn't take into account cultural differences for his American main characters. For example, Americans don't use the word "torch" -- it's a "flashlight." This happened, a lot.

And last -- and this is turning into a real problem for me -- I didn't like the gruff male voice telling the story. And, looking back, I realize I haven't liked one book from a male reader.

Grade: Yellow Light

'Enchanted' Audiobook Review

Audiobook: Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Ready by: Katherine Kellgren
Genre: YA Fantasy

So after a few nonfictions, I was looking to delve into something fantastical. I heard nothing about this book but the cover and blurb were intriguing and since it's from the library, I have nothing to lose if it's a total dud.

This lovely cover undersells the delightful and silly story within.

Enchanted is a mashups of fairytales you're already familiar with. Sunday lives with her big family in a home that was once a tall-tall tower and now resembles more of a shoe. She's the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter -- which makes her fate magical. She meets a frog in the woods one day, who was charmed by his godmother. She kisses him. Twice. Madness -- that includes charms, beanstalks, cinders, a missing shoe and more -- follows. It's a dizzying ride that had a lot of heart.

This audiobook is performed (rather than just read) by Katherine Kellgren, with a sweet British accent and plenty of feeling and inflection. I enjoyed her voice so much that I'm starting to wonder how much the voice has to do with my overall opinion of the story. Would I have liked this book as much if I had read it on my own? Hmm.

Grade: Green Light