Short Story Sunday: Down with Frogs by Eden Gruger
Down With Frogs
Author: Eden Gruger
Narrator: Bridget Thomas
Published on Audio: March 13, 2023
Audiobook: 1 hour 38 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: May 5-7, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
It has always been said Princess’ have to kiss a lot frogs before they find their Prince…so it makes sense that sometimes they might feel like giving up on love.
From awkward first meetings, dreadful dinners, to who should do the dusting, and sexual mishaps dating is a minefield.
The big question is will we learn from our mistakes or make them all over again?
Whether you are happily settled, or still looking, these laugh out loud, always candid, occasionally tragic tales will delight you.
Jessica’s Review:
This is a short book with a series of short stories that is humorous that shows the dating scene with what we women go through with men! We have 14 short stories, that range in length. I’m sure every female reader/listener will find a favorite story. I enjoyed one of the longer ones the most: Day Out at the STI Clinic. Some of the shorter stories are basically lists, which would work better on paper than audio.
If you have ever dated, are currently dating, or even given up on dating, give this short audiobook a listen! You should enjoy these stories and might even laugh some too!
The narrator is Bridget Thomas and she did a good job with her narration!
Many thanks to the author Eden Gruger for sending me an audio copy to listen to through Spotify. I enjoyed it!
Audiobook Review: The It Girl by Ruth Ware
The It Girl
Author: Ruth Ware
Narrator: Imogene Church
Published: July 12, 2022
Audiobook: 17 hours 09 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: April 24- May 5, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.
Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.
Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide… including a murder.
Jessica’s Review:
Ruth Ware and Imogene Church did it again! I enjoyed this one. This was a book club selection for May otherwise I would have listened to it before now. Her books are not perfect for me, but I enjoy them and she is a must listen to with an always fabulous narrator: Imogene Church!
It’s time to go back to college with this one and Hannah is our narrator. We get ‘Before’ and ‘After’ timelines, before and after April’s murder. April and Hannah were roommates and became best friends. College at Oxford was something: Oh, to have a bedroom suite like Hannah and April had! Each had their own fire place. We get a feel of the college life as our cast of characters all experience strip poker on their first night at Oxford.
There is the creepy porter John Neville who is stalkerish and there is also a professor who doesn’t seem squeaky clean. We go back to the past and current day with Hannah. It’s been 10 years since April’s death and her killer has died in prison. A reporter stirs things up for Hannah and she has her doubts now on who actually killed April.
As with all of Ware’s novels, its is a moving mystery that is not super speedy. I did figure out who the killer was just before Hannah did, but the why motive, I did not. April was not likeable at all to me and it didn’t really seem like she thought of herself and Hannah as best friends. You can be friends and roommates and not besties, but Hannah felt that they were best friends.
I enjoyed it and would listen to it again! At one point in the audiobook where we get to a twist I was driving and I had to rewind the track because I was shocked and had to make sure I heard it right! I did and OMG! Imogene Church was wonderful and this time ‘effects’ were used when Hannah was on the phone with other characters. It was different and brought a more realistic feel to the story for me.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: Love Lives On by Ivy Alexander
Love Lives On
Series: Helena’s Grove #5
Author: Ivy Alexander
Narrator: Jennifer Groberg
Originally Published: January 14, 2015
Published in Audio: February 14, 2023
Audiobook: 2 hours 35 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: April 21-22, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Aunt Gabby is getting ready to be reunited with her son. Although it’s an exciting time, there are plenty of emotions that come with facing the decisions she made so long ago. Now, Zack, Jen, Annie and Adam are set to go with her to Seattle to meet the family none of them knew they had.
James Drake has wanted to meet his birth mother for as long as he could remember, but will the reunion be everything he hopes it will be? And how will Aunt Gabby react to a surprising turn of events that brings up a connection from her past?
Enjoy this final installment in the Helena’s Grove Series!
Jessica’s Review:
Now that her family knows about her past, it’s time for Gabby to meet her son. It is a nerve-wracking time for everyone involved as these kinds of things don’t always go well. And Gabby and company are going to meet her son at Thanksgiving! Talk about all the nerves!
This was such a sweet finish to the series. If you want a good, clean read then this is the series for you! I don’t recall any foul language at all throughout the books! The characters do like to partake in some wine and there is some sexual innuendo, but otherwise it’s squeaky clean! It is possible for a book to be clean but still enjoyable!I have enjoyed ‘Going back to the Grove’ a second time, this time in audio, and definitely recommend this sweet series. The whole series would make a great Hallmark Channel films. I would like to see what happens next with the family as listening through all five books you become attached to them.
Despite my one issue with the narrator that I mention in the last book, Groberg did a good job and it was nice for the same narrator to be throughout the series.
Many thanks to Ivy Alexander for sending me the audio versions of this series!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
[Top]