Hi all! I can’t stop won’t stop listening to audiobooks! Here’s my recent reads with varying levels of enjoyment!
These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall
These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall caught my attention because I want to get back into horror but not anything gory. I just want creepy. And well, based on the cover, this book looks creepy. Thanks to the magic of audiobooks, I was able to get to this sooner rather than later. Helen Vaughn and her mother left their home, Harrowstone Hall when Helen was very young and she isn’t quite sure why. Flash forward to Helen being a teenager and the patriarch of Harrow has died. Helen and her mother are called back. Surprisingly, the will names Helen as heir. However, to inherit, for all the family to inherit, she has to stay for a year. Seems easy, except Harrow is kind of like a labyrinth and there’s many secrets and it just may be sinister. Also there is sort of a supernatural element.
I did not love These Fleeting Shadows. However, that could be because I am still trying to find my way in the genre, re-acclimate myself and figure out what I do like. There were some twists that I found to be quite creepy. Yet, I was never really all that invested in Helen or the plot. It was just kind of there as in hmmm okay I’ll go along with this as I listen. The audiobook is narrated by Megan Trout and it is 10 hours and 54 minutes. I feel like the audiobook wasn’t all that memorable. Your mileage may vary with this story. Overall, I’d give it 2.75 stars.
@aprilbooksandwine The 12 books ive read since my last reading wrap up – its been weeks! #aprilbooksandwine #booklover #momsofbooktok #booktokover30 #konmari #audiobooks #graphicnovel
♬ original sound – April Books & Wine
Sisters Of The Lost Nation by Nick Medina
Sisters Of The Lost Nation by Nick Medina has the PERFECT cover. It straight up immediately caught my eye. Then the plot caught my attention. And well, seeing this on the audiobook app caught my ears. Medina’s debut follows an Indigenous teenage girl named Anna Horn who is 17, working, and biding her time until she is old enough to get her per cap check. Anna lives with her parents and sister Grace on the Takoda reservation in Louisiana. Several Native girls go missing, but no one seems to be doing anything about it. On the one hand, Anna believes it could be due to this being from the stories she was told as a child by Ms Shelby who is also missing. On the other, well, it could be someone much more sinister. This all comes to a head when Anna’s sister Grace goes missing.
Overall, I thought Sisters Of The Lost Nation was a captivating read. I found myself skipping a little ahead in the Netgalley eARC I had when I felt overly tense like I just had to know. Also, I loved Anna. She is tenacious and resilient. You see, she’s bullied by the kids at school who call her King. No one does anything about it. But you know, she still works hard cleaning rooms at the casino and eventually trying to find out what happened to her sister and the missing women. As for the audiobook, it is narrated by Elva Guerra and is 9 hours and 34 minutes. The narration style wasn’t for me. I prefer more… melodic narration to monotone. So, I think depending on your preference, mileage may vary. Also, I wanted to point out that I do not know if this book is OwnVoices and cannot speak to the representation. I’ll try to link OwnVoices reviews as they come out.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice For Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutano
After listening to Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice For Murders by Jesse Q. Sutano, it is official. I love Sutano’s books. Similar to Well, That Was Unexpected, I laughed so much while listening to this book. If you are looking for a book that is about murder, lonely old women, found family and a tea shop, PICK THIS ONE UP. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice For Murderers is about what happens when Vera, owner of the tea shop called Vera Wang’s Famous Tea Shop, comes into work only to find a dead body. The police are basically useless. And so, she takes it upon herself to investigate the murderer. Along the way she has possible suspects who are people that she’s also been giving advice to.
I genuinely loved this book. It felt so cozy even though it was about a murder. Vera is such an interpreid character — she has strong opinions and honestly, she’s not wrong most of the time. I loved her. I loved the side characters. The found family and Vera’s knack for people really got me in my emotions. The audiobook of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice For Murderers is narrated by Eunice Wong. Eunice Wong is a masterful narrator — I was so invested in this audiobook and cannot recommend it highly enough – particularly for the narration. It’s warm — if that makes sense? It is 10 hours and 41 minutes long — and a wonderful listen.
Ever Since by Alena Bruzas
Ever Since by Alena Bruzas is such a serious read. It’s heavy and sad and emotional. This story is about Virginia, a 17 year old girl who makes really bad choices. But honestly, that’s because of her acting out of the trauma she had experienced. Virginia becomes friends with her best friend Poppy’s boyfriend and winds up falling in love with him rather than hooking up with Rumi. Also, Rumi has a little sister Lyra who may end up being groomed by the very same person that had groomed her.
Ever Since is such a hard read. Like, the subject is just devastating. Particularly as you learn what happened to Virginia. But you also end up fearing for the future for Lyra. After all, it is Virginia’s word against that of a respected community member. I do want to say I liked that this book had a character who is a member of Virginia’s friend group who is trans and well represented. As for the audiobook narration, I did not love it. I could have done with a different narrator, one I was more familiar with and liked more. This audiobook is narrated by Gail Shalan and is 6 hours and 53 minutes. I can picture myself re-reading this via print or ebook and finding it better in one of those formats. But, your mileage may vary.
The 99 Boyfriends Of Micah Summers by Adam Sass
Set in Chicago, The 99 Boyfriends Of Micah Summers by Adam Sass is such an excellent read. I really enjoyed this story about Micah who absolutely comes into his own. Micah runs a popular instagram account where he draws pictures of his unrequited crushes but fantasy style — called InstaLoves. He has no experience with boys whatsoever though. This changes when he sees a cute boy on the subway and decides to start his firsts and to pursue Grant. It seems like a real life Meet Cute and the two eventually connect. It seems like Instalove, but is it? After all, Grant is an art student and about to put on a really cool show. He has a lot in common with Micah. As the relationship with Grant is unfolding, Micah is also forming a friendship with Elliott who is friends with his best friend.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. Micah is just so earnest and I love that about his character. I wanted Micah to find love and happiness and joy. When it came to his love interest I for sure had feelings- but I am also an adult and can see through some things quite easily. This was well written and engaging and the characterization was perfect. Also, the narration was perfect too. The 99 Boyfriends Of Micah Summers is narrated by Max Meyers and is 10 hours 24 minutes unabridged.
