Winston Churchill Reporting, Author: Simon Read Narrator: Simon Vance

Winston Churchill Reporting
Author: Simon Read
Narrator: Simon Vance
Producer: Post Hypnotic Press Inc.
Audio Book: 8 hrs 48 min

Narrator Review: Simon Vance

Simon Vance Narrator

I give Simon Vance 10/10 

Simon Vance is one of my very favorite narrators. His voice is extraordinary in tone and presentation. He easily flows between emotions and merges the text in smoothly, which enhances the story tremendously. In Winston Churchill Reporting, you could almost believe you're listening to Churchill himself. A five star narration and one would expect no less than this from Mr.Vance. Listening to anything Simon Vance reads is Chicken Soup for the soul,

Audio Book Review: Winston Churchill Reporting
By Simon Read                                                                  My rating is 7/10

Simon Read Author

Churchill sensed his own destiny was for something great. 

Winston Churchill was a powerful and complicated man that guided Great Britain through World War 2. It seems this was to be his destiny and the world is grateful for his fortitude and the unrelenting energy to bend wills and courses of action to his firm unwavering direction.

Churchill's father didn't seem to like his own son.

As a child Churchill was enthralled with his toy soldiers and played with them for hours, moving them into positions of battle formations that seemed intricate and well planned. A chance visit to the nursery caught his fathers attention to the well laid out battalions. Nonetheless, Winston was always a disappointment to his father, he thought Winston was lazy and obstinate, and was convinced Winston wouldn't amount to a row of beans.

Never measured up in youth to his parents standards

When he was sent to boarding school as was the custom, reports came back that were not praising Winston and they reinforced his fathers belief that Winston would come to nothing. One gets the feeling that his father didn't care much for him anyway and even had he conformed to his ideas of what a proper young man is, it's not likely his father would have cared about him anyway.




Winston Churchill's chilly parents are absent from the lives of their children.

His mother as well as his father were too busy with their own lives and Winston and his brother relied on their nursemaid to fulfill their needs for affection. It is only when Winston, as an adult reaps any benefits from the connections garnered through those activities.

Winston Churchill as seen through his own eyes, childhood through World War 11

I definitely liked this book and it moves along a fast pace which kept me wanting more. Winston Churchill has been covered in a number of books but I enjoyed this one the most as it covers his youth, through WW11. through his own eyes and thoughts.

Chasing the Dollar: Miranda Vaughn Mysteries Book 1 By: Ellie Ashe. Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt

Chasing the Dollar:
Miranda Vaughn Mysteries Book 1
By: Ellie Ashe
Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt
Audiobook

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins 

Chasing the Dollar
Audiobook by Ellie Ashe

Audiobook, Narrator Review

Teri Schnaubelt, is a talented and outstanding narrator, with a clear voice she expresses every emotion with vigor and agility and brings out the tension, fear and distrust in such a delicious way. Schnaubelt, manages to furnish the flavor that double-crossing Bill, is lying through his teeth. Miranda sounds honest, intelligent and kind, under the excellent pacing, and expressive voice of Teri Schnaubelt. The bad guys are superbly well done and the sociopaths are unmistakeable. A very exceptional reading in every way.

Teri Schnaubeit Audiobook Narrator

Audiobook Review

Ellie Ashe Author

Betrayal, deceit, fraud, and millions of dollars transferring between many countries and accounts. After a year Miranda finally is exonerated of fraud charges at Patterson, tinker Investment Company where she worked.. She's lost her fiance, her job, her property and with civil suits looming in the near future her aunt may lose her home and business. The verdict may have been not guilty on all counts but as Dillon her ex fiance tells her when he called around to help her find a new job, she is toxic. 

Unable to get a job, her own attorney hires her to work for him. It helps that he is sweet on her aunt and has been for many years. This gives Miranda the time and opportunity to carefully examine all the documents relating to her trial. A whiz with numbers she organizes and creates reports on files relating to huge sums of money that's rapidly changed from off shore accounts to Swiss Banks, so many times it's difficult if not impossible to follow the trail. But, what she does realize is someone set her up. Someone who would have access to her computer and password.



Miranda needs a plan to discover who set her up and exactly what the senior members of Patterson and Tinker had been doing. Carefully thinking things through she knows to find any answers she will have to go to Macao. Things really go into action at high velocity in Macao where FBI agent Jake is also following the same leads as Miranda, but for a different reason. Miranda doesn't trust Jake and only remembers him handcuffing and arresting her over a year before, yet, Jake definitely is one sexy and charming man.

The two of them are thrown together by necessity, and when it gets down to the wire, Miranda has to trust him when hard core thugs are trying to kill them both. If they want to stay alive they have to depend on each other. Chasing the Dollar is a high powered, fast paced and well written book. Miranda outwits the bad guys, and is in for quite a shock when she discovers who set her up.

Once you have loved the first in this series you will want more. More will be here with book 2, Dropping the Dime. I think you get more bang for your buck with the Audio book version,

Maggie Vaults Over the Moon by Grant Overstake, Tavia Gilbert, Audiobook Narrator

Maggie Vaults over the Moon  
By Grant Overstake  

Narrated By Tavia Gilbert   
6 hrs 
Downpour Audiobooks


If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to an audiobook read by Tavia Gilbert, do

Tavia Gilbert Narrator 

yourself a treat and listen to any of the 300 audiobooks she has narrated. Ms. Gilbert has a beautiful voice and reading style. Her male characters are simply amazing, to the point you forget that only one person is reading. Ms Gilbert's artful interpretation of each character regardless of age or gender is superb. Words fail to express the powerful presentation Ms.Gilbert accomplishes narrating Maggie Vaults Over the Moon.. 

Audiobook Review of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, by Grant Overstake

Author Grant Overstake

Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, is a heart wrenching story about a farm girl on the brink of womanhood, when both her brother and boyfriend are torn from her life in a tragic automobile accident. Grain Valley, Kansas is a tightly knit small community that rallies to give support to Maggie, her parents and her beloved grandmother. Even so, no amount of outpouring can quench Maggie's broken heart. 

With her brother gone, she does her best to tackle farm chores that he and their father did and driving a grain truck was one of the toughest ones, physically taxing, and emotionally draining she garners her as yet untapped inner strength, overcomes her fears and gets the job done. 

Maggie Vaults Over the Moon
Author Grant Overstake

Day by day Maggie and her family move on with their daily life coping as best they can and Maggie finds solace by retreating to the barn where she and her brother spent many happy hours talking, playing, and reading. One day Maggie has something remarkable happen causing her to throw herself wholeheartedly into pole vaulting. Pole vaulting is physically challenging, absorbing every free moment of time she has to exercise, practice, and steadily increasing the height of the bar.  

Before long Maggie becomes a very good pole vaulter and enters a college competition, giving her a chance to show her skills. This is an excellent Young Adult book dealing with intense emotions and finding inner strength, defining the perimeters of character and talents. With Tavia Gilbert narrating six hours flew by. Read another review of Tavia Gilbert  reading Parrots Prove Deadly.

Anne of Green Gables By: L.M. Montgomery Narrator, Colleen Winton

Anne of Green Gables
By: L.M. Montgomery
Narrated by: Colleen Winton
10 hours 20 minutes
Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Narrator Colleen Winton

Colleen Winton is such a special narrator, capturing every nuance with sensitivity and great perception. Her interpretation of Miss Rachel Lynde is unrivaled making Miss Rachel sound just like the busybody that she is. I especially love how she expresses the enthusiasm Anne has for everything and her nearly non-stop chatter which is so outstanding it made me want to tell Anne to be quiet. Her interpretations of each character are consistent throughout the book  and she has a lovely voice too. She shows extreme talent doing the shy Matthew who has taken a liking to Anne during their eight mile trip home and he dreads to tell her they expected a boy. It is an award winning performance from Ms. Winton, when Matthew faces Merilla with a girl and a girl with red hair and freckles. Perfection is what you get with this narrators reading of this classic and much loved Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.

Anne of Green Gables, first in the series of the Anne Shirley books, captures the heart and imagination from the very first page, where Lucy Montgomery skillfully blends the the nosy Miss Rachel heading for the Cuthbert farm to find out from Marilla Cuthbert where her brother Matthew was heading out to. To her astonishment she learns that Marilla and Matthew have decided to adopt a boy from the orphanage and he's to arrive on the train that day. Miss Rachel has nothing good to say about this yet can hardly wait to spread the news. The Cuthberts' feel a boy is just what sixty year old Matthew needs to help him out around the farm.

It's quite a surprise to Matthew when there is only a red haired, freckle faced girl waiting for him. Poor Matthew who is shy and doesn't talk much doesn't have the heart to tell the talkative child they were expecting a boy so he takes her home to let Marilla deal with it all. The journey home thrills Anne Shirley with her vivid and over active imagination and in a short time she has made a place for herself in Matthews heart thus becoming her champion in all things, especially when it is standing up for her against the stern and no nonsense Marilla.

Marilla is not pleased at all when Anne arrives and vows that she must be returned the very next day. Heartbroken and weeping little Anne Shirley is devastated as she already loved the farm, and everything she saw and was thrilled that she was going to have a  home and they wanted her. Marilla being a seemingly unlovely and harsh person is not too kind when she tells Anne and Matthew her decision. The story is as much about Marilla Cuthbert as it is about Anne Shirley and Matthew. As stern and flinty as Marilla appears she finds her inner core of softness though she would be loathe to admit it. She is deeply affected by Anne's telling of her past and Marilla feels pity for Anne and the sad life she'd had.

Such feelings are uncommon to Marilla, and instead of admitting that she really is intrigued with Anne she puts it on Matthew that he is the one that is taken with Anne and wants to keep her. When they arrive at Mrs. Spencer's her heart is already softening towards Ann and turning Anne over to be a drudge for the shrewish Mrs. Peter Blewett, who's reputation Marilla has heard a great deal and none of it good. Marilla has her first twinges of conscious and quickly back pedals and tells them that she came only to find out what the mix up was and that she'd have to talk it over with Matthew. With that Marilla heads home with a euphoric Anne Shirley. There is no mistaking the pleasure in Matthew's eyes when he see the both of them returning home.

Although the Anne Shirley books start in the late 1800's early 1900's they are so well written and poetic they still are loved by boys as well as girls. The characters are so well developed you become drawn into their circle of life and feel as if you know each one of them. It is so well divined that there is a special park people can visit on Prince Edward Island that is very popular. Where one can see the original Lover's Lane, and the Lake of Shinning Water and walk the paths that Anne did. You can visit their website here Anne Museum
or visit Green Gable's Park. I highly recommend buying the Audio Book as it is beautifully done by Colleen Winton and you will want to listen to it many times as you will never tire of it.
.

The Potential by June Bretherton Narrated by Roger Worrod

The Potential
Author: June Bretherton
Narrator: Roger Worrod

Time: 8 hours 25 minutes

The Potential by June Bretherton

Narrator Roger Worrod

Roger Worrod has a wonderful, confident voice that is fantastic to listen too. He is a very talented narrator. I like that Worrod doesn't just read the text but does a fine job of expressing the content of the story line. It really is amazing that one person can give the impression of a full cast of characters. Although Worrod does not actually mimic female voices, he does give them good emphasis and character so they are distinguishable from males. He really does an exceptional job with dialog. The reading is flawless with no punching of syllables, no strange pausing and Worrod reads with confidence and skill.

Book Review: The Potential by June Bretherton

I categorize The Potential as a cozy mystery as we meet the local color of Gilchester, we're intimately involved in daily life of a small village and even get an account of the eats. I loved the food and drink references,  Shephards Pie, Sausage and Mash, so English. Bretherton really does a good job of creating a scene and making you feel like you are right there in Gilchester.

Simon Dyers lives with his American girl friend Val, in London. A small museum in Gilchester has hired him to take charge of putting together a temporary art exhibit to interest locals from their small village to attend and generate more interest in all the museum has to offer. When Simon examines their collections, he sees possibilities to put together some interesting exhibits that will hopefully replace the somewhat dull presentations it now offers.

Simon feels a bit dubious about the board of trustees giving their approval. With the first meeting of the board of trustees, one is not there. Later to be found dead. One by one people are being murdered. Well maybe not that many three or four but all have something in common. Simon's girlfriend becomes involved as an amateur detective putting herself in danger. Val and Simon had a lovely relationship until she goes to Gilchester and is deeply disturbed with a side of Simon she had never seen before.

This story was is easy listening, as your gently pulled along to a very surprising ending. Actually I didn't see the ending coming at all. Generally I don't pit my weak detective skills against any mystery story but usually have a couple suspects before the ending in the case of The Potential, I had none and somehow did not find any solid link between the perp and the previous chapters. I am sure you will be unable to guess who the murder is either. A great cozy for those of us who are cozy fans.

Tarnished and Torn, Author Juliet Blackwell. Narrator, Xe Sands

Tarnished and TornWitchcraft 
Mystery Series Book 5
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Narrator: Xe Sands
Tantor Media
Audio Book7 hours 56 minutes

Narrator Xe Sands

Xe Sands does a phenomenal narration on Tarnished and Torn, seemingly outshining herself in each new book in the Witchcraft Series. Her voice is always a pleasure to listen to regardless of what story she is reading. Multi-talented is putting it mildly, Ms. Sands is a super star in the arena of Audiobook readers. With her breathtaking array of voices she sweeps us along the forbidden path of the supernatural into worlds the faint of heart fear to tread. Xe Sands does such a spectacular narration that you can visualize Shakespeare's witches toiling over their cauldron or at least Lily Ivory mixing up one of her witchy brews.

Audio Book Review: Tarnished and Torn
By Juliet Blackwell

Author Juliet Blackwell

A Gem Show is being held at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, and Lily Ivory is persuaded by her friends to close Aunt Cora's Closet for a few hours of shopping the stalls of vintage jewelry with the hope of finding new items for her shop. Attracted to Griselda's booth, Lily buys a box of jumbled, mismatched, junk jewelry. The vibes she gets from Griselda are as jumbled as that box of jewelry. She suspects Griselda is a witch but cloaking it, making Lily wonder why. Taking her box to examine over a cup of coffee, chaos breaks out with tables falling, beads rolling, and people screaming, Lily sees Oscar her lovable pot bellied pig, streaking in and out of booths with the security guards hot on his trail.

Oscar tells her there's a terrible feeling of demonic presence and he wants her to leave, then fire alarms begin shrieking. Instead of leaving she makes her way against the escaping crowd and finds Griselda, murdered, pressed to death. A method used during the dark ages to extract confessions from witches. Is a witch hunt starting up in San Francisco or is it a random murder. Lily is confident Griselda was killed for something related to witchcraft. Something was up and Lily is hard set on the trail to find out what.

This seems to be one of the toughest cases Lily has confronted so far, and one that is very upsetting to her. Mysterious things happen that she can find no reason for and she has to call in friends from her past to give her assistance. Oscar is as always a little charmer that steals the heart of everyone that meets him. In the end Oscar turns out to be a savior for Lily, doing his duty as her familiar. There are many surprises confronting Lily, people who are not what they seem and others who are tried and true friends. An excellent story and one that is not only exciting, it is fast paced and a bit hard to solve with so many conflicting clues.

Tarnished and Torn: A Witchcraft Mystery

Tarnished and Torn
Juliet Blackwell

Home for the Haunting 'The Haunted Home Renovation' Series by Juliet Blackwell, Narrator, Xe Sands

Home for the Haunting
Book 4, Haunted Home Renovation Series
Juliet Blackwell
Narrator Xe Sands
7 hours 30 minutes
Tantor Media

Narrator Xe Sands

Author Juliet Blackwell

Listening to Xe Sands is always such a pleasure. Few come up to her skill level at depicting not only each character but every nuance, which is essential for a story to flow without interruption. Sands gives structure and spirit to the words, that all narrators would do well to emulate. I was especially taken with the astonishing way Sands accurately depicts the voice of the elderly Etta Lee.

The text between the dialog is the glue that holds the story together, as Xe Sands, reads she is giving it excitement, setting the mood or giving it force and direction. Her intonations are flawless and in many languages and foreign accents. Ms.Sands is the highest caliber of narrator, always keeping your attention and directing your inner visualizations in the direction the author has laid out.

Audio Book Review:
Home For the Haunting By Juliet Blackwell

Mel Turner has taken on a volunteer project to do some much-needed repair work for some of the disadvantaged in the San Francisco, Bernal Heights neighborhood. Mel's project house is to repair the peeling paint, and the roof, mend the porch, and additionally building a wheelchair ramp for Monty Parker, who is unable to leave his house without help. The ramp will allow him to get out on his own. Mel's dad has taken on the repairs for Etta Lee a sweet retired school teacher, whose house is across the street from Mel's. Mel and her dad are in a friendly competition on who will finish their project first. Mel's helpers are all inexperienced young volunteers, while her Dad's helpers are all experienced craftsmen.

Good-natured Mel, knows her biggest challenge is making sure none of her volunteers hurt themselves, don't make mistakes and of course don't damage anything. Some younger kids from the neighborhood are disturbing the volunteers with their incessant singing of a ditty to the tune of the old  "Lizzie Borden took an axe," it's really creeping everyone out, Mel, in her engaging way talks to the kids, and one of the boys tells her they sing it every time they pass the murder house. Mel had already noticed faces peering out and she knows they are ghosts.

All is going along cheerily until some of the volunteers start clearing out a shed and find a corpse in it, and it doesn't look like its been there very long. This of course brings everything to a halt, Detective Annette Crawford is back in the picture as investigating officer. Crawford remembers past murders involving Mel, and had no interest or belief in the supernatural. She was downright disdainful of anything to do with haunting's. Now she is warming to the idea and Mel is her go to person for all things haunted.

We learn more about Mel's sister in this book. Unlike most of the people in the series, Mel's sister is not likable at all. She's downright unappealing. She's, rude, self-centered and really pushes Mel's patience to the limits. Let's hope we hear less about her in future books. Most of the characters in the earlier books are in one way or another brought into If Walls Could Talk and with each book we learn more about them.

I love all the series that Juliet Blackwell does, her writing is well thought out, detailed, and most of her people are likable, events are generally believable and the stories move along fast without any tedious boring parts. Xe Sands, is one of the most amazing narrators that we are so lucky to have. I recommend listening to the audiobook version and delving right into the series from the first book, If Walls Could Talk.

Haunted Home Renovation Mystery Series
1. If Walls Could Talk (2010)
2. Dead Bolt (2011)
3. Murder on the House (2012)
4. Home For the Haunting (2013)

Witchcraft Mystery Series
1. Secondhand Spirits (2009)
2. A Cast-Off Coven (2010)
3. Hexes and Hemlines (2011)
4. In a Witch's Wardrobe (2012)
5. Tarnished and Torn (2013)
6. A Vision in Velvet (2014)

You Had Me at Woof By Julie Klam Narrator Karen White

You Had Me at Woof

How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness

By Julie Klam

Narrator Karen White

Tantor Media

5 hours 21 minutes

Author Julie Klam 

Narrator Karen White

A lovely narration by Karen White, who has magically captured the soul of this poignant and beautiful book. The reading is steady and heart felt with none of the reading done on exhalation. I'm glad to say Ms. White has improved her reading skills and I can recommend this book with the highest of accolades. She has really exceeded doing justice to the story from the humorous to the wrenching heartbreak of losing a loved dog. Her portrayal of Julie and all the dogs was compassionate and very tender. This is very much a five star narration.

You Had Me at Woof
 by Julie Klam

Julie Klam, like so many thirty somethings is still hoping to meet her prince and marry, have children and live happily ever after. Her situation is not new and the search for a meaningful relationship has gone on for many generations. One could imagine that meeting the right person would be easier today than say fifty or a hundred years ago if accounting for the increase in population and technology available never dreamed of in the past. For Julie Klam, she saw her future in a dream and his name was Otto. Otto was not a man but an adorable Boston Terrier that lead Julie on her true path in life. Julie later marries and has a daughter, Violet, who in time becomes as obsessed with dogs as her parents are. 

I could relate to Julie's attitude of love me love my dog. I went through something very similar with my new husband and my Maltese. Years into the marriage I still would fun him when he heard me talking and ask 'what' and I'd respond with, nothing, was talking to the dog. That annoyed him so much that I never could resist doing it. He had to work hard at gaining the number one spot never knowing he had it from the beginning.

When Julie meets Paul it isn't long before he resents that Julie thinks Otto is number one and instead of going out to dinner with him, she has to rush home to take care of Otto. Paul does in time love Otto and many other dogs and becomes a willing partner in dog rescue. Paul sounds like a very nice guy that maybe found his own Secrets of Happiness through loving Julie and the many dogs that pass through their lives.

Just before Julie is to give birth to Violet, Otto dies, a terrible time for this to happen and the love Julie has for Otto losing him must have torn her heart out. Not good timing at all. Later Julie does love another Boston terrier something she could not have imagined happening after Otto, but Moses steals her heart and she does love him on a par with Otto. Sadly and I confess I was glad the tissues were close by, when Moses gets hit by a car while running to greet her. Just thinking of the horror of it will make a strong man weep. Moses had slipped out of his harness and ran out the main door before the doorman had a chance to shut it. People tried to help find him, and he was just gone. Julie tries to imagine where he might go if out on his own and follows her instinct which was accurate. When Moses sees her across the street he races towards her with joy in his eyes and is struck down by an vehicle. 

As a family they become deeply involved in animal rescue and fostering, Julie introduces us to each dog that passes through their life and the love they share. It is wonderful that Julie and Paul are willing to open their hearts and pocket books to save a dog. I'm not sure New York City is a good place to keep a dog of any size but people do love their pets and hope for the best. It is an extra sacrifice in many ways to keep dogs in the city, nonetheless, there seems to be an unending parade of abandoned dogs.

Julie gives a well rounded account of the good as well as the negative aspects of fostering. Anyone considering this path would do well to read/listen to this book before taking on such a daunting task. It was disheartening to hear some of the deceptions rescues use to try and find homes for these animals. Its good information to know if you are considering adopting a rescue pet. For instances the age of a dog is somewhat ambiguous, compare it to a real estate ad that says 'fixer upper' or cottage, which anyone who has done even a little house hunting recognizes as dump or small, barely room for one person.

I do recommend this book highly, its a good read/listen, very informative, funny and sad, wonderful example for others, to share their resources as this family does. 

Murder on the House By Juliet Blackwell Narrator Xe Sands

Murder on the HouseBook 3, in The Haunted Home Renovation Series
Author: Juliet BlackwellNarrator: Xe Sands

Producer: Tantor Audio
7 hours 03 minutes
                                                             

Narrator Review: XE Sands

A magnificent performance by Xe Sands is hardly sufficient praise for one of the most talented and multi-dimensional narrators of the century. Sands never is just reading the book, she is acting out the story in the manner of true storytellers since the beginning of time.

Xe Sands Narrator

She has a wonderful affinity with the characters in the Haunted Home Renovation Series, delivering each of them with emphasis on emotional content whether of fear, hesitation, affection.

Sands deftly moves between the ghost of Annabelle singing in her childish voice to the skepticism of policewoman Annette Crawford discussing Mel's explanation of the ghost activities in the house.

Listening to Sands is a personal and intimate experience as she reads in a conversational and instinctive way.

Audio Book Review: Murder on the House By Juliet Blackwell

Juliet Blackwell Author

Murder on the House starts out with a bang, when Mel has competition for the restoration of a haunted Victorian Mansion owned by a sweet, spunky little old lady Betty Bernini, and an older couple Marty and Kim Propak who have a purchase agreement with Mrs. Bernini to do some renovations and take over the  mortgage payments.

Mrs. Bernini will remain in the house until she either passes away or decides to move somewhere else. The Propaks want to restore the house and make it a Haunted Bed and Breakfast.

When Mel arrives at the mansion for a meeting with Mrs. Bernini and the Propaks. A young girl, Annabelle, opens the door to Mel, and says she will take her to the parlor to wait. Annabelle motions Mel in,

Mel looks around and sees the parlor is bare and dusty and looks like no one's been in it for quite awhile. When she turns around to ask Annabelle if this is the right, Annabelle is nowhere to be seen. heh, heh.

Mel's starting to feel a little uneasy and well, heck, just a bit creeped out when she hears weird noises, clank, shuffle, clank, scrape.

Murder on the House by Juliet Blackwell

The Propak's tell  Mel there's just one condition before they make the final choice. For her to win the coveted contract both Mel, and another restorationist, Avery, must spend the entire night in the house. At first she's not at all pleased with this and isn't going to do it, but, on re-consideration, it is a plum job.

As much as I loved the first one in the series If Walls Could Talk and the second one, Dead Bolt, Murder on the House is my favorite. Its exciting, its scary and its fun and Mel is really developing her talents at seeing ghost. Never a dull moment here and lots of interesting tidbits about San Francisco. Xe Sands does a superb narration that will knock your socks off. I give it a five star in all departments. I'm looking forward to Home for the Haunting.

Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell Narrator Xe Sands

Dead Bolt
Book 2 in the Haunted Home Renovation series
by Juliet Blackwell
Narrator Xe Sands
7 hours 19 minutes
Tantor media

Author Juliet Blackwell

Narrator Xe Sands

When a fantastic book is read by an equally fantastic narrator you have a combination that will send your pleasure meter into orbit. When Xe Sands and Juliet Blackwell merge their talents pure magic happens. Plan to have time set aside to listen to Dead Bolt uninterrupted, so you can thoroughly enjoy yourself. Sands does an amazing Russian accent and gives just the right amount of whine and daintiness to our petite and shy Katenka Daley. I'm always astonished at the wide range of languages and types of characters that Sands not only is spot on with, but makes them seem so real. You are lead down the path where Sands wants to take you and you will happily follow enthralled with her presentation. 

Juliet Blackwell is an extremely skilled writer, each book is original, humorous, scary, and captivating.

The characters are never stale, or unrealistic. Each one engages you to the point you like or dislike them, and care about them. They are like people you either would love to know or do know. The story flows in an unbroken stream and is never dull or boring. Set in San Francisco and the Bay Area, it's loaded with tidbits of historical information and points out many of the changes that have occurred in the city.

Mel Turner, construction company owner, has eagerly begun the restoration of a beautiful Queen Anne house in San Francisco's Cow Hollow area. Katenka Daley and her husband Jim Daley insist on living in the house while construction is going on against Mel's wishes. Katenka confides to Mel that she is sure the house is haunted and she's afraid harm will be done to her baby, she's decided that it might be best to stop the restoration. Frustrated Mel, knows Jim Daley is adamant about not living anywhere else not even for his beloved Katenka. Mel definitely does not want to quit the restoration. During this confidence one of the ghost makes its presence known causing Katenka to faint and Mel wanting to run out the door. After the manifestation is over, Mel is still unwilling to stop the restoration and tells Katenka she'll see what she can do to rid the house of the ghosts. After all this is not her first encounter with ghosts, although they seem more malevolent than the ones she had to deal with in a previous restoration.

Ghosts and even a ghost cat are a handful to deal with, when neighbor, Emile Blunt, ambushes Mel, while she's heading home. Emile has been a thorn in Mel's side, with his constant complaining about the noise, the dust and just about everything so she's taken by surprise when he wants her to intervene with the Daley's on his behalf to buy the mansion.

It escalates into a screaming match with him refusing to move out of the way of her car when she's trying to get out of her parking place, and her yelling at him to get out of the way or she'll run him over. The next day Emile is found shot to death embroiling Mel and even her father as possible suspects. Mel, because the loud screaming match was reported to the police and her father as he found the dead man. Even Jim Daley is a suspect as he also had a confrontation with Emile the night before.

Mel, is not only feisty and resourceful she is sensible and sets her mind to extricating herself and her father and contacts her friend Brittany who not only revels in hauntings but is a good sources of information. One by one, Mel, tracks down the previous owners a crazy old cat lady, Hetty Banks, her children, and some of the previous residents when it was a sort of boarding house and took in orphaned children.

It's quite the jumble of people and motives. Although Emile was a crotchety old guy Mel was having trouble actually finding anyone with a truly plausible motive. It heats up when she learns that Hetty has been left his worldly goods, including his shop. Mel didn't know that Hetty and Emile were close enough for him to will his belongings to her. Causing Mel to take a second look at Hetty as a possible suspect, after all she surmises even an old lady can pull a trigger.

 I enjoyed the interchange between Mel and the skeptical policewoman, when she tries to explain her connection to the house and to Emile Blunt. Trying to explain about ghost is more than the woman can take.
Police are not very likely to look fondly on hauntings or anything woo woo. Mel's romances are looking somewhat better and Graham is back in the running. Her young lover returns but reigniting that love fest doesn't look like it's in the offing. Overall this is a fun series, not quite a cozy like M. C. Beaton writes, but not the blood lust in the style of  Peter Robinson . 

Dead Bolt by Juliet Blackwell

If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell, Narrated by Xe Sands

If Walls Could TalkA Home Renovation Mystery
(A Haunted Home Repair Mystery)
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Narrator: Xe Sands 

Producer: Tantor Audio 

7 hours 27 minutes




Narrator Review: Xe Sands

Xe Sands, Narrator

I can not think of all the fabulous narrators there are, but who would be better than Xe Sands. Absolutely no one is the answer. I love her narration of Juliet Blackwell's books, both series, and her rendition of Mel the personable, perky, and sassy Victorian Home renovator is superb.

Her Spanish is, well, so Spanish, outstanding and at least to my ears authentic. Xe Sands, just wow's your socks off. Ms. Sands draws the emotions out of every character, and every scene making them pop and sparkle.

Did I mention that Ms. Sands has a lovely voice that can make just want to listen regardless of what book she is narrating. Talent is too small a word to describe Ms.Sands, alas, talent, at the highest level is just what she always delivers.

Juliet Blackwell, Author

Audio Book Review: If Walls Could Talk By Juliet Blackwell

If Walls Could Talk, is a fairly new series written by Juliet Blackwell. I enjoyed everyone of Blackwell's Witchcraft Mysteries, they were fun reads and so hard to put down. Haunted Home Repair Mysteries, win hands down for sheer reading pleasure.

Blackwell has found a good balance between not having excessive sex scenes yet still eludes to it without being offensive, while still capturing Mel's romantic  interests. There's a wide cast of engaging characters from the young to the old, and they are all well fleshed out, without going overboard on dry details. It is very refreshing to have a female lead that is running a successful house restoration company. 

Melanie Turner, recently divorced, returns home after her mother passes away and her father devastated and having a hard time coping with losing the love of his life, hands the reins of his construction company to Mel.

Melanie takes to the business like a fish to water and loves what she's doing and she is good at it. After two years of successfully running Turner Construction her Dad is happy to work a little in the background and just offer suggestions and tips, Regardless if Mel, wants to hear them or not.

As a favor to a friend, Mel had given an unofficial inspection of his Pacific Heights mansion restoration. Mel knows the aging rock star through her ex-stepson Caleb, who goes to the same school as Matts' son. The owners had a wild "do it yourself demo party" for the 'A'  list celebrities who thought it was cool that Matt and partner Ken were flipping a Victorian Mansion and doing the work themselves.

When Melanie gets to the home one of the owners is near death and the other is so hung over he has little recollection of the previous night's festivities. Ken is bleeding out from being shot with a nail gun. Mel tries to comfort him while waiting for the ambulance and to her horror she see's a bloody stump where his hand had been.

Before Ken dies at the hospital a nurse thinks his last words were implicating his partner Matt, as the one that shot him. This leads to Matt's arrest later and a lot of trouble. Mel and everyone else can't believe it and there is no way that Matt, would have done such a thing.

Mel first see's Ken, out of the corner of her eye, then he disappears when she looks directly at him. At first she wonders if she dozed off, or imagined it or maybe is stressed from a day from hell.

When she learns that at the time she saw him he had already died. In the days that follow she continues to catch sight of him. This is unsettling and he seems to want her to do something, she just doesn't know what. Mel, wonders if she's gone a little crazy or if what she is seeing is real. 

Mel, noticed a scruffy brown dog wearing a red neck scarf, hanging around outside Matt's house, he has no identification or tags. No one seems to know who he belongs to or if he belongs to anyone at all. One day when Mel's going to head home the dog jumps into her car and won't get out.

Kenneth appears in the car right on top of the dog. Poor dog is startled and not to happy about being sat on and jumps into the backseat. It dawns on Mel, that she may not be crazy, because the dog saw Ken. She feels somewhat better about this turn of events just knowing she isn't the only one seeing Ken, but with a ghost appearing at all, she is not so happy. 

Mel, with amazing self control tries to find out why Ken keeps showing up and what does he want. Poor Ken, is clueless himself as he doesn't remember anything at least not anything that will help Mel unravel the mystery of who killed him or why.

Bad enough to deal with Ken, but there are other ghostly beings residing in the mansion, again, Mel, see's them out of the corner of her eye. She is able to start sorting them out because she can also smell things like cigar smoke, or hear the rattle of a newspaper. In time it is apparent to Mel, that she is going to have to rid herself and the mansion of all the ghosts. 

The unfolding of how Mel, solves the crime and understands what role the Mansions ghost have in it, is no third rate ghost story by any means. It's full of fun and laughs, wonderful characters, and a huge variety of things going on that pull the story together into one of this years best fiction book.

This series has soared to the top of my all time favorite books ever. San Francisco, is the perfect backdrop with its myriad of Victorian homes, conglomeration of people and activities. As always I suggest listening to the audio version, as nothing illustrates the story and gives body to it more than a good narrator. Xe Sands, excels at bringing everything to life. 

If Walls Could Talk

Juliet Blackwell, In a Witch's Wardrobe, Narrator, Xe Sands

In a Witch's Wardrobe
Witchcraft Mystery Series, Book 4
by Juliet Blackwell
Xe Sands
Tantor Media
8 hours, 16 minutes
                                                             

Xe Sands Narrator

Juliet Blackwell

                             











Xe Sands continues an unending stretch of outstanding narrations with the fourth in the Witchcraft Mystery Series from Juliet Blackwell. With her dulcet voice you are absorbed immediately into the land of imagination and magic. With the myriad voices to cover, including Oscar the pig, Sands delivers each with their own personalities. This is the best of the four that Xe Sands has performed for this series. I felt like her enthusiasm for the story really shines through in every vocalization. I completely enjoyed every minute and listened to this particular book twice. As wild as the Witchcraft series is, Sands makes it all sound believable.

Book Review: In A Witch's Wardrobe

Lily Ivory, owner of Aunt Cora's Closet, is dressed to the hilt for a 1920's Art Deco ball. Her mentor, the handsome warlock, Aiden is her escort. This is a big event for Lily, who's never been to a fabulous ball of any kind. If you listened to Secondhand Spirits you would know that Lily never finished high school, let alone attended a prom or school dance. So this is exciting and new for her.

At the grand gala event, Lily is struck with a sense of familiarity with another guest, Miriam. She wants to touch her to get a more details, but Aiden holds her back warning her to not touch her. Lily is annoyed and confused and becomes more so later when Miriam is brought to the ladies lounge in a state of semi consciousness and Aiden again warns Lily off from aiding or getting involved with Miriam. Fate has other plans for Lily and Miriam.

After the fracas of tending to Miriam and getting her off to the hospital, Lily sees Miriam in the mirror. Lily knows that someone has put a of spell on Miriam and she promises Miriam she will do all she can to help her and try and release her from the spell that has her soul trapped in the mirror.

When Lily visits the hospital to check on how Miriam is faring she finds her father there with Miriams baby, Luna. He is gets a little magic put on him when Lily wants to persuade him to let her and her friends use some magic spells on Miriam. He agrees since all the tests the hospital has done on her they found no reason for her condition, so how could a few chants do any harm. Lily finds that Luna, has also had some spells cast on her. Increasing her determination to find out who and why someone has done this to Miriam and her child.

Homicide detective Carlos Romero, Lily's friend on the S.F.P.D. is investigating the murder of a witch in another coven and is not able to penetrate the group. He asks Lily if she can talk with some of the witch's.

This pulls Lily even deeper into the politics of the covens and a group of witch haters that have been damaging businesses owned by any witch's. They call themselves Defenders of Morality or D.O.M., a rather odd name to choose for a group of people who are doing evil things themselves.  

I liked In A Witch's Wardrobe the best of the four. It has lots of real laugh out loud moments, some very funny spells and many clever witchy items. The theme of the twenties ball was great and gave lots of opportunities for talking about clothes from that period. The action was non stop and I hated to turn it off. 

If you are reading the hard copy you will find it hard to put it down. We find out more about Sailor, and even more about our clownish pig Oscar. The characters and setting are seamlessly done, and it seems that with each new book it just gets better and better. I love the quirky humor that Blackwell uses so deftly. She has a very wild and vivid imagination. Xe Sands, does a superb job in bringing this wonderful and fun series to life.

In a Witch's Wardrobe

Hexes and Hemlines, by Juliet Blackwell, Xe Sands, Narrator

Hexes and Hemlines
Witchcraft Mystery series, Book 3
by Juliet Blackwell
Narrator: Xe Sands
7 hours 21 minutes
Tantor Media

Juliet Blackwell, Author

                                                                         

Xe Sands, Narrator

Xe Sands does an impressive job representing this series. I especially like the way she does the grainy voice of Oscar the pig. Sands, deftly brings out and expands Oscar's, self indulgent, and ornery personality. She gives just the right touch of reticence to Lily. Lily Ivory, our witch protagonist, is a bit insecure from being chased out of towns and heckled for being a witch,  unable to stay in one town long enough to develop and maintain friendships let alone romantic relations, is causing Lily, to waver between self confident to shy and unsure of herself. Sands, manages to deftly express all of Lily's quirky ways. I admire the way Xe Sands narrates without ever letting you out of the continuous flow of the story, and the beautiful way that Sands, expresses each individual person, animal or demon, with her own unique voice.

Book Review for Hexes and Hemlines

I am a big fan of Juliet Blackwell, her stories move along smoothly, capturing your unbroken attention without ever losing track of who's, who. Lily Ivory, had a hard time in her past when people discovered she was a real witch. Compelling her to move on to another town, and yet, another town, until she finally locates in San Francisco, and opens her own store, Aunt Cora's Closet, retailing previously loved clothing. She finds her niche in the city and is accepted because of the unusual variety of people who live there.

Haight Ashbury, famous for it's sixties hippie population, is still home to shop owners and residents with an unorthodox flair. Open minded and open armed, they take too Lily and her shop readily. Lily, finally feels at home, and is pleased to finally have some girly friendships, and some men that are interesting to her. At last a sense of belonging fills Lily with anticipation of future bonding and being able to find long term relationships.

Lily is asked by her quasi friend, S.F.P.D. Police Inspector Carlos Romero, to take a look at a crime scene that has blatant symbols of witchcraft attached to it, so bold that even Romero, can't miss the implications.
The victim, Malachi Zazi, is someone Lily knows. Zazi was a Serpentarium Society member, a society devoted to exposing superstitions. 

Romero knows Lily is a witch and he is willing to consult her about witchy things but when Lily presses him for items or more details, he seems to backtrack and wants to separate himself from the reality of her abilities. Lily goes to the murder scene and although it has all the markings of an occult related killing, she cannot detect any vibrations from the room or anything in it. Someone has mystically wiped it clean. Among the many symbolic items at the scene is a black cat and a small bird. Lilly tells the bird to leave and it flies out the window. As for the cat, Romero, finesses Lily to take the cat with her and find it a home. When her familiar, Oscar, the pig, sees the cat he is not happy at all. The ensuing conversation about the cat is hilarious, with the pig finally agreeing to take care of the cat and not harm it. 

Lily does not think she can be of much help to Romero until her mentor the male witch, Aiden Rhodes, forcefully advises her to not investigate it and to leave it alone. When she learns a close friend has a connection to Zazi her interest is fueled to delve further into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Zazi's murder. One by one members of the  Serpentarium Society are beset with tragic to very bad luck events that add up to big time clues for Lily. When her cherished friends are attacked with black magic Lily throws herself into solving the crimes, regardless of threats and warnings to back off.

All in all Hexes and Hemlines was a very exciting and fun book. Oscar the pig really has a star role with his disgruntled disposition and penchant for gluttony. We learn more about Lily and her friends in this book and her romantic relationships are given more detail and attention. Lily still is in dire need of a heartthrob that will love her just as she is. I would like to see her in a romantic liaison with Inspector Carlos Romero. That could lead to many interesting stories in future Witchcraft stories.

Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell