Stopping to see an old friend en route to California on horseback, the protagonist of Saddle Tramp (1950), a folksy ranch hand played by Joel McCrea, announces that he’s “just passing through.” The same could often be said of the film’s Argentine-born director, Hugo Fregonese, who spent his professional life in a near-constant state of […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2022/09/12/clinging-to-hollywoods-underbelly-fregonese/
Narrated by the author herself, Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan delivered a heartfelt, romantic women’s fiction story with characters you’ll remember long after the audio ends….
Thank You for Listening
by Julia Whelan
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Length: 11 hours and 16 minutes
Genres: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.3x
From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.
For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.
On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.
As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.
If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.
{
“@context”:”https://schema.org”,
“@type”:”Review”,
“datePublished”: “2022-09-12T05:00:00+00:00”,
“description”: “Narrated by the author herself, Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan delivered a heartfelt, romantic women’s fiction story with characters you’ll remember long after the audio ends…. “,
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Caffeinated Reviewer” },
“url”: “https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/09/thank-you-for-listening-by-julia-whelan.html”,
“itemReviewed”: {
“@type”: “Book”,
“name”: “Thank You for Listening”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Julia Whelan”,
“sameAs”: “http://www.jmwhelan.com/” },
“isbn”: “” },
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Kimberly”,
“sameAs”: “https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/” },
“reviewRating”: {
“@type”: “Rating”,
“ratingValue”: 5,
“bestRating”: “5”
}
}
I adored Whelan’s debut My Oxford Year which tugged at my emotions, so naturally, I was eager to listen to Thank You For Listening. In this romantic women’s fiction Sewanee Chester, an award-winning narrator who gave up a promising acting career after a tragic accident, returns to the romance genre where her audiobook career began. Reluctantly, but it’s a journey that will change her. Sewanee is flawed, stubborn and genuine. I adored her and quickly slipped into the story.
I highly recommend you grab your earbuds and listen to Thank You for Listening. Brilliantly done, Ms. Whelan.
Amazon | Audible
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan was pure bliss on audio. #Romance #WomensFiction #Audiobook #AudiobookReview #NewRelease
Click To Tweet
Julia Whelan is a screenwriter, life-long actor, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. While in England, her flirtation with tea blossomed into a full-blown love affair, culminating in her eventual certification as a tea master. When not writing her own books, you can find her reading other people’s out loud into a microphone.
Never miss a post by adding Caffeinated to your Inbox
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Source
Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/09/thank-you-for-listening-by-julia-whelan.html
Sparks in the Dark paints a fascinating futuristic world where space travel and alien interactions are the reality. It’s a story inspired by classic science fiction series such as Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Doctor Who. You’ll find many twists in the plot development, including the unlikely pairing of two characters, their respective challenges, and a relationship that is rife with sexual tension and dual points of view, shifting back and forth with a seamless transition and excellent narration. The author handles the complex nature of these characters expertly, engaging the reader from the start.
Cutter and Buzz are complex main characters with strong personalities and intense chemistry. Their on-and-off intensity between intimate and not-so-intimate moments will reel you into some intriguing and captivating dialogue. While the description paints vivid visuals, it is never overdone, and you feel as though you are a voyeur, watching each scene as it unfolds. The reader is guided through the story, learning more exciting developments and diving further with anticipation without feeling overwhelmed with too much information or confusion.
The build-up towards the story’s ending does not disappoint, and readers will find the crescendo of excitement build as they progress through each chapter with bated breath. It’s a cleverly written book with a few sharp twists, including how the plot shifts suddenly, moving in a very different direction. Siewert’s incredible world continues to hold up throughout the story, filling the reader with amazement from beginning to end.
Sparks in the Dark by James Siewert is a creative, science-fiction tale. It is an excellent addition to the genre with an LGBTQ twist. The characters were not only complex and personable, but I found them entertaining throughout the book. I highly recommend giving this excellent story a try, as it is an exciting read that brings new enjoyment to the world of science fiction.
Pages: 251 | ASIN: B0B8DWC41S
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/12/sparks-in-the-dark/
About a Girl by William Michael Stephens is a coming-of-age novel set in Visalia, California in the 1990s. The nostalgic story centers around Will playing in a garage band with two friends, Rob and Chris. During the summer before their sophomore year, Hannah moves into town and quickly catches Will’s interest unexpectedly. As emotions run high, Hannah’s effect on Will changes his life, including his friendship and family relationships. As the new school year begins, Will must decide if the nature of his romance with Hannah must be kept a secret because of her disapproving parents. How will the lies and misunderstandings impact the couple and everyone else in their lives?
I found this book to be an exciting read, especially the author’s writing style and the portrayal of Will’s character. The story is narrated from Will’s point of view, which includes realistic emotions and reactions to different situations, such as interactions between his best friends, Chris and Rob, humorous moments, the future of their band, and Will’s snarky internal dialogue, which differs from what he says out loud.
The author offers some surprising developments and twists throughout the story, including a few unexpected shifts in the plot. As you become more invested in the characters, with certain exceptions, you’ll encounter a few surprises, which will only keep you turning the pages to find out what will happen next for Will. A few flashbacks and backstories paint a vivid idea of Will and his past. While some of these scenes may not appear particularly relevant, but they offer a peek inside Will’s character development, which strengthens the overall direction of the book.
Overall, I found the unpredictable nature of About a Girl by William Michael Stephens an enjoyable read and rate this book a solid four out of five stars. It’s a fun read that’s romantic, funny, and entertaining, with lots of unexpected turns that keep you guessing.
Pages: 355 | ASIN: B0B4C6G6CK
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/12/about-a-girl/
Lacie has recently lost two people in her family that she loved dearly. One night, while struggling to cope with the loss, her mother tells her a story about the girl who rides the moon. As Lacie drifts off to sleep she embarks on a fantastic adventure where she meets the moon and learns about love and loss. But is it just a dream? Or did it all really happen?
Author Natcole Staskiewicz has created a heartfelt children’s book that will help children understand love, grief and deal with loss. This exquisite kids book is like a fairy tale. The reader and Lacie are not sure if it actually happened until the wonderful twist at the end. This is an imaginative picture book that explores loss and love in a unique way that will be easy for young kids to understand.
Every other page is illustrated with sharp kawaii pop art. These vivid images bring a vibrant quality to the whole book and ensures that, even though the subject matter may be a little sad, the book feels lively. The art was my favorite part of the book. This could easily be a comic series. I would love to see Lacie go on many more adventures.
Lacie’s Moon is a beautiful children’s book that will be perfect for elementary school kids that are starting to read on their own. It would also be great for parents to read to smaller children at bedtime as the brilliant illustrations will surely keep their attention while adults read the story to them. This is an educational story about a tough subject but author Natcole Staskiewicz handles it with grace.
Pages: 59 | ASIN: B0B3NB4P15
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/12/lacies-moon/
Casualties & Survivors takes this stance: life cannot be seen as black and white, as every situation always has gray areas. One could argue that there will always be casualties and survivors, whether the loss of a friendship or an opportunity. However, there are times when people die, leaving behind the survivors, who must endure the loss.
In a series of short stories, Len Joy takes the reader on a journey of lost love, opportunities, and coping with the void of someone no longer around. While there is a backdrop of tragedy and melancholy to each tale, each story presents new opportunities for the survivors, though not always in the way they expect. You’ll encounter tales of an artist coping with the loss of his lifelong love, only to experience another side of this journey with a surprising twist. Another tale follows how a couple develops a relationship over a simple object, a trash can.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and each story’s unique plot and character dilemmas. While some of the stories were shorter than others, I mainly found them more gut-punching and vivid, as they quickly built momentum and anticipation of what was to come. Other stories were a bit longer, which allowed for more character and setting descriptions, leaving a strong visual impression of well-crafted scenes, such as a Christmas tree lot, the naked winter yoga, and an artist’s sparsely furnished apartment. Len Joy creates lasting moments that stay behind with the reader for a fantastic reading experience.
Len Joy’s writing style is clear and concise, which makes for easy, enjoyable reading. The recurring message in Joy’s stories is gut-wrenching, realistic, reassuring, and comforting. The author leaves the reader curious about each character’s future and what’s in store for them. While, at times, the author uses explicit language in some scenes, fans of short stories will enjoy the loosely threaded stories and how they interact with each other throughout the book.
Pages: 178 | ASIN: B0B92QYYYV
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/12/casualties-and-survivors/
The wicked kill…but the dead speak
Journalist Emmeline Kirby and her jewel thief/insurance investigator husband Gregory Longdon were in the mood for intrigue at the theatre. However, murder was only supposed to take place on stage. All too soon, the evening’s peace is shattered when the ceiling collapses in the Upper Circle.
In the ensuing chaos of the evacuation, Emmeline and Gregory discover tabloid reporter Verena Penrose in her box. Her neck had been snapped. Verena had done a brisk trade in scandal, blackmail and splashy exposés. Her fatal error was tangling with the Raven, an elusive assassin with ties to the Russians and ETA, the Basque separatist group.
Although Verena despised Emmeline, she leaves a cryptic message for her that is too tantalizing to ignore. However the layer upon layer of lies, jealousy and revenge touch too close to home when her brother Adam is implicated in the Raven’s schemes to infiltrate the London Diamond Bourse and to murder a prominent British official.
To restore the family honor, Emmeline and Gregory race to Madrid only to walk into the Raven’s trap.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/12/a-mind-to-murder-book-trailer/
In the third episode of HBO’s
prequel, Rhaenyra is bored, has to fend off a Lord, then nearly gets gored; meanwhile, a minor threat gets put to the sword.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/04/1120242853/house-of-the-dragon-episode-3-the-king-and-the-show-go-hunting-for-validation
Ethan Chorin, who served in Libya, presents details that most Americans don’t know about the embassy attack — and explores the role domestic politics played in the aftermath.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/06/1120227574/at-10th-anniversary-of-benghazi-attack-former-diplomat-offers-context-in-new-boo