Once More Upon a Time

 Audible Original Fiction by Roshani Chokshi

https://www.audible.com

Remember the story of the twelve dancing princesses? At the end, the youngest princess got married. But what about the other eleven? This story is about Imelda, one of the sisters.

There are some funny moments in this story, and a really good explanation for why the princesses had danced so maniacally all night in the original story. Also the voice acting was good. Still, I didn't love this one. It was a mid-level straight romance.

I also listened to recently by audible originals: Death Game Quality Assurance

The Stolen Marriage

 Fiction by Diane Chamberlain

https://www.audible.com

In late 1943 Tess DeMello of Baltimore, Maryland, has everything going her way. She's almost finished with nursing school and she's engaged to her childhood sweetheart Vincent. But events conspire to derail her plans, and in May of 1944 she's in Hickory, North Carolina, instead of standing in front of St. Leo's Cathedral in a white dress. And she's married to another man...

This was a great story with wonderful characters, as I'd expected from Diane Chamberlain.

I also read recently by this author: The Silent Sister

We Were Never Here

 Fiction by Andrea Bartz

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Emily and Kristen are best friends who take exciting and exotic summer trips together. It's a great way for them to reconnect, since Kristen moved to Australia eighteen moths ago and Emily stayed behind in Milwaukee. But something terrible happened on their trip to Cambodia last year, and Emily is having trouble forgetting it. 

This was an exciting story that pushed itself a little past believable sometimes.

Big Girl Small Town

 Fiction by Michelle Gallen

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Majella O'Neill lives in a small town in Northern Ireland and works in a fish and chips shop. Her mum is an alcoholic, her dad disappeared long ago, and her grandmother has just been murdered. It's been a bad week, especially for a girl like Majella who hates changes (and pointless conversation, and loud noises, and a lot of other things).

I really liked Majella, but I didn't love this book. I felt disappointed by the ending, the story didn't really go anywhere, and it wasn't funny, despite the promises of humor on the cover. Still, the author created a great character, and that's worth something.

The Less Dead

 Fiction by Denise Mina

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Margo's adoptive mother has recently died, and she's meant to be cleaning out the house. Instead Margo finds herself looking for her biological mother and finding only an aunt who seems a little crazy. Plus she's just broken up with her boyfriend for no good reason.

I really liked the characters in this story, with the possible exception of Margo herself, and the plot was pretty good. Still, I didn't love the book. This is the third novel by this author I've read, and I think I'm giving up on her. It's not bad, but not great either.

I also read recently by this author: The Long Drop

Death Game Quality Assurance

 Audible Original Fiction by Andrew Rowe

https://www.audible.com

In this story, a team of gamers work on "quality assurance" for a new video game, which is basically playing it in order to test for problems before the game is released.  How could that be dangerous? Wait and see...

Okay, I didn't like this story. I did think the voice acting was really good, but the story was not great. It may be just because I'm not into video games, although I have enjoyed some gamer stories, such as Ready Player One. Usually it's the characters that make the story for me, and they just didn't here.

Still, there was one great joke in here, made at the expense of Ready Player One, and it might have made the whole listen worthwhile. That pulls it above a thumbs-down.

I also listened to recently by Audible Originals: The Wrong One

I also read by his author: How to Defeat the Demon King

The Wrong One

 Audible Original Fiction by Dervla McTiernan

https://www.audible.com

Police detective Simon Miller would do anything to help the family of his late best friend, Will Coleman. So when he hears that Clara Coleman, Will's widow, has been accused of murder, Simon rushes to the small New Jersey town where Clara lives with her teenage son Sebastien.

But it seems that Clara is less than thrilled to have Simon there, plus Sebastien and Simon dislike each other. Still, the mother and son realize that they need help and agree to let Simon stay.

Will Simon find evidence to clear Clara's name? Why are both Clara and Sebastien so reluctant to trust Simon? And who was the killer?

This was a good short mystery that kept you guessing.

I also listened to recently by audible originals: Second Hand Curses

You Can Run

 Fiction by Karen Cleveland

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Jill Bailey works for the CIA, but she wouldn't exactly call herself a spy, not anymore. She retired from fieldwork to sit at a desk in northern Virginia after having her first baby. Her job is still very important to her, of course. But what happens if she has to choose between her job and her family? Between her loyalty to country and her son's life? 

This was an exciting story with a surprise ending.

Dear Edward

 Fiction by Anne Napolitano

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

My favorite way to read a novel is to go into it blind. That is, ideally, I prefer to start reading without knowing anything about the characters or plot beforehand. However, in practice, there's no way for me to choose books to read without looking at synopses, reviews, or the like. But sometimes I have a pile of books and I don't remember anything about why I chose a particular one; that way I can get the "going in blind" experience on some of them.

All of that to say.... I didn't remember what this book was about when I started reading. It captured me immediately with some diverse character descriptions of a group of people getting on a plane. I was feeling pleasantly engaged with these nice people, and then I thought, wait. Why am I just getting little snippets about each person? What is this book about again? 

I looked at the synopsis on the back and realized it was about a plane crash. ALL OF THESE NICE FOLKS WERE GOING TO DIE. Except one, the eponymous Edward, because that's what the book was about.

Well. That was a tough one. I had to put the book aside for a minute and adjust.

I'm glad I picked it back up again though, because this was a lovely emotional story that really made me think. The little blurb on the cover about breaking your heart and putting it back together again is apt. I definitely recommend this story!

Wish You Were Here

 Fiction by Jodi Picoult

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Okay, I am one of Ms Picoult’s biggest fans. But this book… I didn’t like this book. 

I feel bad about it and I can’t explain the reasons without spoilers. But, this book is a big no from me. 

I also read recently by this author: Harvesting the Heart

The Betrayal of Anne Frank

 Nonfiction by Rosemary Sullivan

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

I picked up this book because I'd heard it was controversial. Like, I read that the Dutch government was suppressing publication because it was so inflammatory. After seventy years, we'll finally know who gave away the hiding place of Anne Frank's family! That sounded exciting.

Well, the book was not actually exciting. However it was interesting, and made a fairly plausible case for the identity of the one who betrayed the Franks. But it's far from airtight; I don't think the Dutch government should be concerned.

The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred the Vampire Accountant

 Fiction by Drew Hayes

https://www.audible.com

As you might have guessed, the above title is meant to be ironic. In fact, Fred the vampire accountant has many interesting adventures, although it can be argued that he himself is both uninteresting and unadventurous.

This was a fun little story for those who are willing to suspend disbelief.

I also read recently by this author: Second Hand Curses

Destination Unknown

 Fiction by Agatha Christie

https://www.audible.com

It's 1954, and all over the western world, scientists are disappearing. Speculation is that they are going "behind the Iron Curtain," that is, that they're defecting to Communist Russia. But is that really what's happening? Only an intrepid girl spy can find out!

This is an Agatha Christie story that does not feature a detective, which are probably my favorite kinds of her books. I really enjoyed it, although you may have to be old enough to remember the Cold War in order to understand it.

I also read recently by this author: Hickory Dickory Dock

The Good Sister

Fiction by Sally Hepworth

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

Rose and Fern are twin sisters who share a complicated relationship. But hey, what sisters don't, am I right? It's funny that I read this book and False Witness by Karin Slaughter back-to-back, and both stories are about the complicated love-hate bond that sisters share.

This novel is written from the point of view of both women, and let the reader beware, they may both be unreliable narrators for different reasons.

It was an exciting story with great characters and some surprises.

I also read recently by this author: The Family Next Door

False Witness

 Fiction by Karin Slaughter

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

This was an exciting story about Callie and Leigh, a pair of sisters bound by a tough childhood and a terrible secret. When a tragedy from 1998 comes back to haunt them in the world of 2021, both sisters must work together, although it won't be easy. Now Leigh is a respected lawyer taking on a new case while looping an anti-covid mask around her ears, but Callie is still stuck in her own looped-around past.

A good story with some really dark parts, it's not for the squeamish but certainly delivers the surprises!

I also read recently by this author: The Last Widow

Hickory Dickory Dock

 Fiction by Agatha Christie

https://www.audible.com

This was a fun Hercule Poirot mystery about a student hostel and a rash of mysterious thefts.

I also read recently by this author: 450 From Paddington

A Fire Sparkling

 Fiction by Julianne Maclean

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

In 2019, Gillian rushes out of the city after catching her boyfriends cheating, and she runs straight to her 96-year-old grandmother's house for comfort. When Gillian arrives, she learns that some disturbing pictures from the past have been found in Grandma Vivian's attic, and Gillian's dad wants some answers about the past.

What follows is an exciting tale from Vivian's past during the second world war, and a few secrets that Giselle and her dad had never heard before.

This was an exciting story with several surprises.