Speaking of Audiobooks: July 2010 Releases
Challenging myself earlier this year to listen to a number of those romance audiobooks I tend to avoid due to their category, I’m scoring very well with my Unofficial Personal Listening Challenge for 2010. Results to date:
Series
Thoughts: Can’t get enough
Dead Until Dark – Charlaine Harris
Although I’ve heard the Sookie Stackhouse series praised for years, I was reluctant to dive in. I didn’t think I’d be interested in an open ended series with the possibility of more than one romantic hero. I want to read romance with just a side dish of adventure and I relish those solidly wrapped up endings. Finally heeding the words of many, I chose it as my Series challenge and boy, has it paid off!
The audio version is so entertaining that I can’t envision preferring the printed word. Johanna Parker excels in her narration, the pace is tight, the story delightful, and I didn’t find a single boring moment. I immediately purchased the second in the series, Living Dead in Dallas and experienced all the above once again. I will continue with this series.
Fantasy Romance
Thoughts: A Total Success
The Sharing Knife, Volume 1: Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold. A solid A for Volume 1 as well as Volume 2, Legacy, and Volume 3, Passage. I’m saving Volume 4, Horizon, for a special occasion.
Abridged
Thoughts: I’m now willing to try more
Sylvester – Georgette Heyer
A typical audio listening day for me doesn’t contain a single abridged book. Challenging myself to listen to Sylvester was cheating a bit since Richard Armitage narrates. I praised this one in the last column profusely. There are now two more abridged romances in my audio library but I must admit that I’m pretty darn picky when choosing them.
Challenges Remaining for 2010
Romantic Suspense – Envy by Sandra Brown
Urban Fantasy – Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
In the Name of Mature Audio Listening – A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer
By far the most enjoyable aspect of my reading challenge to date is the increase in the number of highly anticipated books in my audio library. The first three audiobooks in my challenge spurred me to purchase seven more! No lack of choices here.
Leftovers from June
(All are unabridged format unless stated otherwise.)
Here are just a few of those surprise audiobooks that failed to make last month’s New Releases column.
Beverley, Jo – The Dragon’s Bride Narrated by Simon Prebble
Beverley, Jo – Hazard Narrated by Anne Flosnik
Carriger, Gail – Soulless Narrated by Emily Gray
Feehan, Christine – Safe Harbor Narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan
Graham, Heather – Captive Narrated by George Guidall
Griggs, Vanessa Davis – Practicing What You Preach Narrated by Shari Peele
Marshall, Catherine – Christy Narrated by Kellie Martin
Sala, Sharon – Blown Away Narrated by Gayle Hendrix
Sands, Lynsay – Taming the Highland Bride Narrated by Marianna Palk
Slade, Jessa – Forged of Shadows Narrated by Renee Raudman
Small Beatrice – Until You Narrated by Virginia Leishman
Thomas, Jodi – Texas Princess Narrated by Linda Stephens
Audiobook Romances on Sale in July
Abridged
Graham, Heather – Ghost Night Narrated by Angela Dawe
Howard, Linda – Burn Narrated by Joyce Bean
Michaels, Fern – Celebration Narrated by Laural Merlington
Rice, Luann – Cloud Nine Narrated by Sandra Burr
Roberts, Nora – Homeport Narrated by Erika Leigh
Roberts, Nora – Honest Illusions Narrated by Sandra Burr
Roberts, Nora – Nora Roberts CD Collection 6: High Noon, Tribute Various Narrators
Roberts, Nora – The Search Narrated by Tanya Eby
Unabridged
Brockmann, Suzanne – Infamous Narrated by Angela Dawe & Patrick Lawlor
Graham, Heather – Ghost Night Narrated by Angela Dawe
Hannah, Kristin – Home Again Narrated by Tanya Eby
Jeffries, Sabrina – Beware a Scot’s Revenge Narrated by Justine Eyre
Macomber, Debbie – Lone Star Lovin’: A Selection from Orchard Valley Brides Narrated by Tanya Eby
Macomber, Debbie – Norah: A Selection from Orchard Valley Brides Narrated by Tanya Eby
Monroe, Mary Alice – The Beach House Narrated by Mary Alice Monroe
Phillips, Carly – Kiss Me if You Can Narrated by Sherri Slater
Rice, Luann – Cloud Nine Narrated by Sandra Burr
Roberts, Nora – Honest Illusions Narrated by Sandra Burr
Roberts, Nora – Loving Jack Narrated by Angela Dawe
Roberts, Nora – The Search Narrated by Tanya Eby
Roberts, Nora – Summer Desserts Narrated by Nellie Chalfant
Woods, Sherryl – Feels Like Family Narrated by Janet Metzger
Woods, Sherryl – A Slice of Heaven Narrated by Janet Metzger
Recent Additions to my Audio Library
Soulless – Gail Carriger
Narrated by Emily Gray
Sometimes Audible totally takes you by surprise as you discover the release of a favorite book you had absolutely no idea was coming. Such was the case with Soulless. I read the book this year and found it quite delightful. I just had to have in audio.
Every Breath You Take – Judith McNaught
Narrated by Laura Dean
As a McNaught fan, I long for a few audio versions of her work. They’re out there but often very abridged and less than three hours in length. Every Breath You Take comes in right under six hours and, in an attempt to increase my exposure to abridged audiobooks, this seemed to fit the bill. However, as I explored Amazon, I located a few used copies of an unabridged version (can that be true?) and may go for the unabridged version as well before all is said and done.
Notorious – Katherine Sutcliffe
Narrated by Josephine Bailey
A fan of Sutcliffe’s historicals, I hadn’t thought to look for Notorious in audio format until Libby Emond highly recommended it a few months ago in one of our Speaking of Audiobooks discussions. Discovering further that the absolutely fantastic Josephine Bailey narrates made this one a must-buy. I remember Ms. Bailey fondly from her narration of Josie Litton’s Dream of Me (one of my all time favorite audiobooks).
Lessons of Desire – Madeline Hunter
Narrated by Jill Tanner
I’ve read the book and graded it a B+. With Jill Tanner’s narration, it may come in at an A in the audiobook version. My regard for Tanner is that high.
Recent Listens
Separate Beds – LaVyrle Spencer
Narrated by Liz Dykhouse
Upfront, there is one thing you must know about Separate Beds and that is the fact that as a contemporary romance it is dated – very dated. I’m not just talking cassette players or the color of the walls or the style of the clothes (all described in detail). Rather it is society’s view of a pregnancy outside of marriage and the choices therein. Comfortable with Spencer’s ability to tell a good story, I decided to go with it and immerse myself in the early 1980s (reads more like the 70s). The audio presentation was more than adequate although voice characterization didn’t differ greatly in modulation. However, Liz Dykhouse effectively distinguishes characters through attitude and method of delivery. This isn’t likely to be on my re-listen list but I found it absorbing – especially as I contemplated the changes in viewpoints over the past 30-40 years.
Manhunting – Jennifer Crusie
Narrated by Renee Raudman
Another purely fun audiobook, I find Crusie a reliable source for entertaining light-hearted romance. Renee Raudman does a grand job of differentiating the leads’ voices by rightfully (and successfully) giving the hero a very southern accent.
Time for Your Thoughts
Do you have a challenge success or failure to share?
What new releases are you looking forward to?
Do you know of any July releases that failed to make this list?
What are the latest additions to your audio library?
And, as always, what are your latest audio successes or failures?
Ending Notes
I’m announcing new audiobook releases as they occur each weekday on Twitter. I don’t cover every new release but attempt to include the more significant titles. To follow me on Twitter, look for LeaAAR.
Currently there is no monthly list of upcoming audiobook releases on AAR’s main site. We’ll continue to publish those lists here at Speaking of Audiobooks and will notify you once the main site is carrying the lists again.
For those new to our Speaking of Audiobooks column, be sure to check out our audio archives for further recommendations and discussions.
See you again mid-July.
– Lea Hensley