Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne JonesRating: 2/5 Stars
Oh, how I wanted to like this one! I listened to it on audio since it's narrated by a narrator I normally love, MacLeod Andrews. (Really, he's awesome-listen to Will Grayson,Will Grayson) But this one just didn't pull me in. The mystery was a bit over the top and felt a bit too "bad guys are such doofuses and teens can outwit them easily" which never seemed to fit with the depth the author was trying to give the characters. Both Blink and Caution have troubled pasts that they are trying to deal with, but I felt this was downplayed because of the hokey mystery. I also was very bored by the narration, which I think made me dislike the book more.
The American Heiress by Daisy GoodwinRating: 3.75/5
I listened to this book for a couple of reasons. 1) It was compared to Downton Abbey, which I loved, and 2) because it's narrated by one of my all time favorite narrators, Katherine Kellgren. Kellgren's narration is wonderful as always and she gives a nice range of characters which I enjoyed. She really makes books to come life! The story itself was good but I also felt it was missing something. At first Cora is difficult to like, but she grew on me as the book went on. I felt bad for her humiliation and wanted her to succeed in England society. The ending was was threw me off though. I felt like it wrapped up without much hope and I kept thinking "That's it? After all that, that's the end??" I would have liked a bit more something in the end-and honestly I couldn't even tell you what that was, only that it fell a bit flat for me. But I would recommend the book to readers who like historical soaps and are fans of The Luxe Series.
Stuck in Neutral by Terry TruemanRating: 4/5 Stars
I have a goal to read all the Printz winners and honors which is why I listened to this book. It's a heartbreaking story of a boy who can't express himself except in his own head. It's a great book for discussion too-how we never know what really happens in someone's mind, disabled or not, and how do we handle tough situations. It's a short but powerful read and the audiobook is engrossing. Although why I thought it was a good read, my teen librarian said she read it as a teen and it freaked her out! I can also see it as a good pairing with Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper.
Audiobooks are hit/miss with me. I think it's mostly because I get so distracted by them very easily.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if you would have a different reaction to "Blink and Caution" if you had read the book instead. Readers also make a huge difference too.
Rummanah-I wondered the same thing. Sometimes I'll dislike a book on audio but like it if I read it. It really depends on the reader. I stuck with this one because the story was interesting enough to keep me listening, plus I had purchased the book through Audible and felt like I needed to finish it!
ReplyDeleteHm, I really liked BLINK & CAUTION, although it actually ends up being a little anticlimatic. And unrealistic. But still, I liked it. I wonder what I would have thought of the audio version?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like I enjoyed Blink & Caution more than you did. I found the beginning (where the two were seperated) to be a bit lengthier than I would have liked but once they got together at the same place/time it moved along much better.
ReplyDelete