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.
A Re-Read of The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Author: Ruth Ware
Narrator: Imogene Church
Published: May 29, 2018
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: September 23-October 3, 2022
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person—but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.
Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the centre of it.
Jessica’s Review:
This one was a re-read because one of my book club’s was reading it for the month of October and our meeting was this past Saturday. This one was just a three-star read for me the first time and it was a three-star read again the second time. I just didn’t connect with Hal, which I think was the book’s downfall for me.
My review from my first time read is here as all my thoughts that are still the same.
Ruth Ware is an “auto-listen’ for me as her narrator is always Imogene Church who always brilliantly narrates! This book club will be reading another of Church’s novels in a few months The It Girl, which I have not listened to yet, I’m saving it for when it is time!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Short Story Sunday: Snowflakes by Ruth Ware
Snowflakes
Series: Hush Collection
Hush, a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. Each piece can be read or listened to in one truly chilling sitting.
Author: Ruth Ware
Published: July 30, 2020
Audiobook: 33 minute read/ 24 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: October 7, 2021
Jessica’s Rating: 2 stars
Short Story Description:
Leah has spent her formative years isolated on a remote island with her family. But their quiet existence, far from the devastated mainland, is cracking. Father, sensing a coming threat, demands that a wall be built. As the stone blockade rises, Father’s paranoia escalates. So does Leah’s dread that the violence the family left behind has found its way to their sanctuary.
Jessica’s Review:
I adore Ruth Ware but Snowflakes did not work for me. It has a dystopian feel to it, but the short story devolves into a political message. There is a conclusion that gives a small bit of a shock to the reader. The short story does go in a way I did not expect, but this one was not for me.
I listened to the audiobook version which lasted for my commute home from work. Short stories can be a nice way to pass the time, provided the story itself works for you.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK